Political News

Letter To The Editor: Keep It Local Support Rec Bond

BONNIE JAMES
Los Alamos

We often talk about ‘keeping it loca’l in Los Alamos and the importance of supporting our wonderful local businesses. It’s hard to “Keep it Local” when we have limited recreational facilities, especially for families. I want to “Keep it Local” and that’s why I am voting Yes for the upcoming recreation bond.

When my family wants something fun to do, unfortunately, we often have to leave Los Alamos County. While we hike and enjoy the natural beauty of the area we have to leave to do a lot of other activities such as swimming, bowling, and supporting my children’s athletic events. Read More

Letter To The Editor: Why all or nothing?

By DIANN MILLS
Los Alamos
 
Why all or nothing?
 
One of the problems with the Rec Bond is that it is all or nothing. People who want to invest in our community don’t necessarily think we need ALL of these improvements/additions at the same time. Seems like letting us vote on one or two would give us a chance to live with the new or upgraded facilities and the additional increase in maintenance and other costs associated with them.
 
We could at least see where we stand at that point and decide if adding more facilities in a few years makes sense.
Read More

Letter To The Editor: Stop Hemorrhaging Money

By GLENN MICHEL
Los Alamos

Everybody agrees with one thing or another on the new County Rec Bill. Lots of us think the golf course water infrastructure for example is in desperate straits and should be funded. I think more tennis courts is nuts, and an indoor year round ice skating rink is over the top – but that’s just me. Maybe we ought to offer an a La Carte ballot and just fund some of this.

But we are not offering a la carte, so we are all looking at one ballot and saying “Is there something in this menu that makes me willing to vote FOR the twenty million dollar bond?” Golly there Read More

Robinson: Why Should I support The Rec Bond?

By JAMES ROBINSON
Los Alamos

Today, the ballots for the Recreation bond will be mailed out, and Los Alamos will be tasked with deciding whether or not it wants to invest in its future or stay in the past.

With their vote, money can be invested in modern infrastructure that could stimulate demand in our town beyond our national laboratory for the first time in decades, or keep things the same.

Our wonderful golf course was the gift of the United States government almost 70 years ago, and have a irrigation system to match. My family has been around Los Alamos since the early 60s and to them, not much has changed. Read More

Letter To The Editor: Investing In Our Community

By TERRY FOXX
Los Alamos

I am not a golfer. I don’t play baseball, and I don’t ice skate. I won’t use the White Rock Splash Pad. I don’t have children at home anymore. But I do use the Larry Walkup Therapy Pool. So why would I vote yes for the Rec Bond? Because I believe that to have the type of community that is attractive, we must invest in it. Beyond that children are the future and providing places for them to learn, exercise, and enjoy is a life-long gift. And adults are healthier and happier if they have physical outlets that bring them joy and pleasure.

I said I use the Therapy Pool multiple times a week. Read More

Letter To The Editor: Why I Am Voting No On Rec Bond

By ROB BARAN
Los Alamos

I have been heavily debating my vote on the 2017 Recreation Bond for some time, but I have decided that I will vote “No”. After reading several opinion letters in the Post, it is clear to me that the funds generated by this Bond could be used elsewhere. My rationale:

  • There are plenty of options for recreation that already exist in town, catering to many demographics of the residents that live here.  Investing in recreational facilities, while continuing to turn a blind eye to potentially economic stimulating efforts is simply ‘head in the sand’ politics. 
Read More

Letter To The Editor: Of Roads And Rec Bonds

By STEPHANIE NAKHLEH
Los Alamos

When I read the objections to the 2017 Recreation Bond, I am sympathetic. I also drive down Trinity and despair at the crumbling curbs. I also drive down into Rendija Canyon and worry about losing a filling. I also look at Mari-Mac, which resembles a war zone more by the day, and I think, how can we be such a wealthy county and have infrastructure like this? I get it. The thing is, none of those irksome things has to do with county government, and none of them will be resolved by refusing to vote for the Rec Bond.

Trinity Drive is a state road. So is NM 502, which runs from Trinity Read More

Udall On Interior And Environment Funding In Bipartisan Budget Agreement

From the Office of U.S. Sen. Tom Udall:

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Tom Udall, ranking Democrat on the U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and Related Agencies, released the following statement on the finalized bipartisan budget agreement to fund the government through September. 

“This bill is a strong, bipartisan agreement, and I thank lawmakers and staff on both sides of the aisle for their hard work to achieve a workable compromise. The deal funds key priorities for New Mexico and the nation, while preventing some of the president’s disastrous

Read More

Reporters Without Borders Releases 2017 World Press Freedom Index

RSF News:
 
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has released its 2017 World Press Freedom Index. 
 
The 2017 World Press Freedom Index compiled by RSF reflects a world in which attacks on the media have become commonplace and strongmen are on the rise … an age of post-truth, propaganda and suppression of freedoms – especially in democracies.
 
RSF’s latest World Press Freedom Index highlights the danger of a tipping point in the state of media freedom in many countries. Media freedom has retreated wherever the authoritarian strongman model has triumphed. The
Read More

Letter To The Editor: Let’s Split The Pot

By GERALD M. ANTOS
Los Alamos
 
Having grown up here in Los Alamos, I hold the local golf course as my second home and if there is anything that it needs (real need and not a want) it is a revamped watering system.
 
And I would vote yes for doing that but since it is coupled with a bunch of non needs (also known as greeds), I’m going to have to vote NO on the bond issue.
 
Now if our wonderful county leadership would have split the pot and made each alleged need or want a separate issue to be voted on separately then the whole pot would not have to die on the vine!
Read More

Rec Bond Opposition Launches ‘A Better Way For LA’

Planting Rec Bond opposition signs recently, Lisa Brenner of ‘A Better Way For LA’, her son Patrick Brenner, Dr. Lisa Shin and James Whitehead are the group setting up a Political Action Committee to rally voters against the Rec Bond.  Courtesy/Facebook photo
 
 
By MAIRE O’NEILL
Los Alamos Daily Post

Organized opposition to the Los Alamos County $20 million recreation bond has surfaced with the placing of five large signs in Los Alamos and White Rock. Slogans on the signs state, “Vote No Rec Bond”, and, “Splash your cash. Just Say No. Vote No Rec Bond”. The signs are on Trinity Read More

Letter To The Editor: Support For Rec Bond

By REBECCA HOWARD
Los Alamos
 
I support the upcoming Rec Bond. Among many positives offered by living in Los Alamos is a safe community at the foot of the beautiful Jemez Mountains.
 
While I agree that there are many opportunities for recreation, I noticed last summer when my young granddaughters were visiting that the lack of a “toddler friendly” public swimming pool was a disappointment.
 
The proposed improvements to our public swimming pool and the addition of a Splash Park in White Rock will provide fun, easy to enjoy recreational opportunities
Read More

Gibson: Recreation Bond Is Not Justified

By ROBERT GIBSON
Former County Councilor

Like any tax increase, the “Recreation Bond” deserves careful scrutiny. A tax should be for a legitimate valuable public purpose. There should be reasonable expectation the funds will be well used. And there should be no other reasonable alternative to further burdening citizen taxpayers. The Public School and UNM-LA mill levies in January were among the rare tax proposals that satisfy these three criteria (link). This one does not.

“More recreation facilities” sounds good.  What we really need is a different mix of recreational venues. We Read More

Pinon Park Pool Association Questions Need For White Rock Splash Pad

Pinon Park Pool Association members at site of proposed White Rock Splash Pad. Courtesy photo
 
PPPA News:
 
Board members of Pinon Park Pool Association have questioned the need for a Splash Pad in White Rock, proposed as part of the Los Alamos County 2017 Recreational Bond.
 
Pinon Park Pool is a private outdoor pool that has been a part of the White Rock community for over 50 years. Located on Bryce Avenue, just east of Rover Boulevard, Pinon Park Pool is less than a mile from the proposed Splash Pad site at Rocket Park.
 
Quote from Leilani Christensen,
Read More

Letter To The Editor: Do We Need Or Want A Bicycle Flow Trail?

By BRUCE WARREN
Los Alamos

If you didn’t see the announcement for the Parks and Recreation Board meeting April 13 regarding a proposal for a “Bicycle Flow Trail”, or if you saw it and thought it wasn’t important to you because you aren’t a bicyclist, or you are a bicyclist and thought any bike trail is a good trail, I’m here to tell you that you should pay attention to this proposal. It will affect the entire community and has some ramifications that may raise some alarm in your mind.

There was another County meeting regarding the bicycle flow trail April 26, at Fuller Lodge. Read More

GOP Hosts Senate Candidate Mick Rich Thursday

U.S. Senatorial candidate Mick Rich. Photo by James Robinson

GOP News:

The Republican Party of Los Alamos is hosting a presentation by U.S. Senatorial candidate Mick Rich of Taos.

Rich is running for the seat held by Democratic U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich.

The local GOP meeting begins at 6 p.m., Thursday in the Jeannette Wallace Lecture Hall at UNM-Los Alamos. Read More

Letter To The Editor: Reply To Reply To Sen. Heinrich

By KHALIL J. SPENCER
Los Alamos

 

I read James Griffin’s reply to Sen. Martin Heinrich in utter disbelief (letter). Sure, a 42,000 gallon spill is a drop in the proverbial oceanic bucket.
 
But as far as the risks of drilling offshore, and especially in the harsh waters of the Arctic, it’s not the often but small disasters that will kill you. Like Fukushima, it’s the big ones.
 
I will utter two phrases and let readers judge for themselves:
 
1. Exxon Valdez shipwreck.
 
2. Deepwater Horizion Oil Spill.
 
 
Read More

Letter To The Editor: Reply To Senator Heinrich

By JAMES GRIFFIN
Los Alamos

Sen. Martin Heinrich predicts doom if drilling in the arctic for oil is permitted (link). He uses amazing statistics from the Department of Interior to back up this claim.

Evidently there is a 75 percent chance of a 42,000-gallon spill. Let’s pretend to be rational. Assume this to be true. How large is the arctic?

Will 42,000 gallons have any impact! No!

US underwater drilling for oil began in 1891, approximately 126 years ago. Notice that the oceans are devastated. Notice that there are no fish left, no living things can exist in that black tarry mess that used to

Read More

Letter To The Editor: Overtly Exclusionary National Day Of Prayer At Ashley Pond?

By AMY STOREY
And
STEPHANIE NAKLEH
Los Alamos

In an April 27 press release published in the Los Alamos Daily Post (link), Leilani Christensen is quoted as saying,“Our forefathers founded National Day Of Prayer. Many of them had escaped persecution for their beliefs in their homeland. In the news today, we see that people are still fleeing their homeland because of persecution.” [sic]

Our forefathers, the ones fleeing persecution, didn’t found the National Day of Prayer. (They also didn’t found this nation on prayer itself; in fact, they explicitly stated, in the Treaty of Tripoli, “the Government Read More

FBI: 2016 Director’s Community Leadership Awards

Recipients of the 2016 Director’s Community Leadership Awards were honored in a ceremony at FBI Headquarters in Washington, D.C. Courtesy/FBI

FBI News:

FBI Director James Comey formally recognized 58 individuals and organizations from around the country Friday for their efforts to build stronger, safer, and more cohesive communities.

“This is one of the very best days in the life of this organization,” Director Comey said during the April 28 ceremony at FBI Headquarters in Washington, D.C. “We get to recognize and thank people who made the FBI better and the country better.”

The annual Director’s

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