Los Alamos Elks Lodge To Host Car Show July 25
LAMC And LAHS Host 16 Students In 2026 MASH Program
LAHS students attending the 2026 MASH program at LAMC included Dellany Balkey, Chloe Coffey, Ina Christensen, Leah Herrera, Isabella Jaramillo, Willow Landis, Bryan Lee, Paige Mecham, Kai Parker, Elizabeth Rosette, Rebekah Scott, Payton Sutherland, Bryanna Trujillo, Adrianna Tuzel, Michael Witkowski and Campbell Woshnok. Photo by John McHale/ladailypost.com
2026 MASH program graduation day at LAMC! Photo by John McHale/ladailypost.com
LAMC News:
Continuing a community tradition, Los Alamos Medical Center (LAMC) and Los Alamos High School (LAHS) hosted the 2026 Multiple Avenues Read More
New Mexico Patients Win ‘26 Blood Drive Competition Between Los Alamos, Sandia National Labs
Los Alamos National Laboratory intern and first-time donor Charles Behrman shows off the T-shirt he received for donating. Courtesy/LANL
LANL News:
- Together, they raised 605 units benefiting more than 1,800 community members
After two losses in a row, Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) won this year’s friendly blood drive competition against Sandia National Laboratories. The real winners are New Mexicans, as the contest yielded 605 units of blood — enough to benefit as many as 1,815 patients.
This is important because in summer, blood donations across the country tend to decrease, Read More
Los Alamos County Council Hears Efforts To Mitigate Chromium Plume
Field crews conduct drilling operations at R-80 monitoring well in Mortandad Canyon. The new well will further characterization efforts in the Northeast portion of the hexavalent chromium plume. Courtesy/EM-LA
By KIRSTEN LASKEY
Los Alamos Daily Post
kirsten@ladailypost.com
Environmental Management-Los Alamos Field Office (EM-LA) Manager Stanley Pyram emphasized during the Los Alamos County Council meeting July 7 that the interim measure the field office is using to mitigate the hexavalent chromium plume is working. Yet, New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) has issued three Read More
Hampton: Boukas To Speak On Suicide And Overdoses At August Health Council Meeting
Lisa Hampton
By LISA HAMPTON
Chair
Los Alamos County Health Council
As Chair of the Los Alamos County Health Council, I wanted to personally invite you to attend the Thursday, Aug. 6 Health Council Meeting at noon, in the Municipal Building.
Our guest speaker will be Nick Boukas, Director of the New Mexico Health Care Authority’s Behavioral Health Services Division. He will be speaking to us about issues revolving around suicides, drug overdoses, and other mental health crises.
Boukas’ Division runs New Mexico’s 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, the free and confidential Read More
Los Alamos Medical Center Welcomes Chris Emond As CFO
Chris Emond, LAMC Chief Financial Officer
LAMC News:
Los Alamos Medical Center announced today that Chris Emond has been named Chief Financial Officer, effective Aug. 10, 2026.
“Chris brings a wealth of financial knowledge and strategic leadership to LAMC,” said Michael Covert, CEO of Los Alamos Medical Center. “We are confident his experience will help position our hospital for continued success while supporting the exceptional care our patients and community expect.”
Emond brings more than 30 years of experience in nonprofit, for-profit and government healthcare organizations, Read More
Urology From A-Z: LAMC’s Free Community Seminar Series At SALA July 20
LAMC News:
Community members are invited to attend Los Alamos Medical Center’s next entry in the hospital’s free health seminar series hosted at SALA Event Center by hearing an informative talk on common urological conditions and treatments at 6 p.m., Monday, July 20. Presenting that evening will be Kenneth Son, MD, and William Mustas, PA, from Los Alamos Urology.
Attendees will be able to enjoy refreshments, socialize, meet subject matter experts in a casual setting, and learn about their health. They can do so all while enjoying SALA, a vibrant community event center located at 2551 Central Read More
Alzheimer’s Blood Test Could Bring Highly Accurate Diagnosis Into Everyday Clinical Care
HEALTHCARE News:
LONDON, UK — Knowledge of blood test results enables primary care physicians to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease with essentially the same accuracy as specialists, a major step toward expanding access to an accurate diagnosis for millions of patients, suggests new data reported for the first time at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference® (AAIC®) 2026 in London and online.
In one of the first real-world studies of its kind—including more than 1,300 patients and 165 physicians—researchers found that a blood-based biomarker test significantly improved the Read More
St. Baldrick’s Head-Shaving Event Moving Forward At Bathtub Row Brewing Co-Op July 18
COMMUNITY News:
Organizers of this year’s St. Baldrick’s fundraiser want the community to know that while the larger event planned at 9999 Nectar St. has been canceled, the heart of the day is still very much on!
The St. Baldrick’s head-shaving event, Brave Hearts of Los Alamos, will take place at 1 p.m. on Saturday, July 18 at Bathtub Row Brewing Co-Op at 163 Central Park Square.
After struggling with some event logistics late in the planning process, organizers made the decision to scale back and focus their energy and resources on what matters most: raising money for childhood cancer research Read More
New Mexico Delegation Seeks Answers After Reports Of DEA Declining To Seize Massive Fentanyl Shipments
From New Mexico’s Congressional Delegation:
- Delegation calls for immediate reforms to stop deadly fentanyl from reaching New Mexico communities
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), and U.S. Representatives Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.), Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.), and Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.) sent a letter demanding answers from U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Administrator Terrance Cole on why the DEA allowed large quantities of fentanyl to circulate unseized in New Mexico communities.
Trafficking of fentanyl and other Read More
Health Officials Warn Of Heat Illness As Temperatures Rise
NMDOH News:
SANTA FE — New Mexico health officials warn residents to watch for heat illness this weekend and beyond as temperatures are expected to exceed 100 degrees across much of New Mexico.
Since April 1, 453 people have visited New Mexico health facilities for heat-related emergencies. In the summer of 2025, there were 761 heat-related emergency department visits around the state.
“It’s going to be a hot summer, and certain populations – including children, adults over 65, outdoor workers and people with chronic health conditions – are among the most at-risk when temperatures climb,” Read More
Santa Fe Community College Announces Respiratory Care Open Houses For Prospective Students Beginning Aug. 27
A Respiratory Care program student in a simulation lab at Santa Fe Community College. Courtesy/SFCC.
SFCC News:
- Applications for the spring semester are open through Dec. 11
SANTA FE—Santa Fe Community College (SFCC) announces Respiratory Care open houses, 1-3 p.m. on Aug. 27, Sept. 24, Oct. 22 and Dec. 7 in Room 433 at the college.
The open houses give prospective students the opportunity to meet Respiratory Care program faculty and staff, check out SFCC’s state-of-the-art training equipment and to learn about the many career opportunities for respiratory therapists in New Mexico. The Read More
State Opens $47 Million Fund For Rural Health Projects
NMHCA News:
SANTA FE — The New Mexico Health Care Authority (HCA) is accepting grant applications for projects that improve health care in rural, frontier and Tribal communities across the state.
The Rural Health Innovation Fund will provide $47 million for practical projects that address local health care needs and improve access, quality and long-term stability.
“People who live and work in rural communities understand the health care challenges they face,” said Elisa Wrede, HCA acting rural health director. “This fund will help communities and local partners turn strong ideas into Read More
Health Department Urges Caution Around Bats
NMDOH News:
SANTA FE — A bat in Sandoval County tested positive for rabies—the ninth animal rabies case in the state in 2026.
The New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) reports the bat was found in a private home, euthanized, and then sent to the NMDOH Scientific Laboratory Division for testing. All people and animals exposed are receiving post-exposure vaccines to prevent disease.
If you encounter a bat, do not pick it up or touch it with bare hands or allow your pets to interact with it. People who have direct contact with a bat, who wake to find a bat in their room or who cannot reliably report whether Read More
Vitalant: Type O Blood Supply Dips To Two-Year Low
HEALTHCARE News:
ALBUQUERQUE — Nonprofit blood services provider Vitalant is facing a critical shortage of type O blood and urges all donors, especially those with type O, to make an appointment now for the days ahead. Since May, the type O blood supply has decreased and recently dropped to a two-year low. Between now and the end of July, thousands of blood donation appointments in New Mexico still need to be filled to boost the blood supply and help prevent treatment delays for patients.
Why Type O Blood Is Critical
Every two seconds, a patient in the U.S. needs a transfusion and O blood is the most Read More
Op-Ed: Presbyterian Medicare Advantage Exit Will Force New Mexico Beneficiaries To Reassess Their Coverage Options
By BEVERLY NEAL-CLINTON
New Mexico-based Medicare advisor and healthcare advocate
Presbyterian’s decision to end most of its Medicare Advantage offerings in 2027 will leave thousands of New Mexico beneficiaries facing major disruptions in their health coverage, provider access, and out-of-pocket costs.
For many seniors and people with disabilities, this change will not simply mean choosing a new insurance card; it will mean reevaluating how they protect their doctors, prescriptions, and financial stability.
According to recent reporting, Presbyterian will stop covering about Read More
DEA Files Intent To Temporarily Place 7-OH And Three Related Substances Into Schedule I Of Controlled Substances Act To Protect Public Safety
DEA Administrator Terrance Cole
DEA News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration filed its intent July 1 to temporarily place 7-hydroxymitagynine (7-OH) and three related substances into Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). Prior to DEA issuing this notice, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) confirmed synthetic 7-OH, and the three related substances have no accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse.
Two Notices of Intent (NOI) were sent to the Federal Register on Wednesday, July 1, 2026. One NOI addresses 7-OH above a specified Read More
New Mexico Small Businesses Challenge Sweeping Labeling Regulation
NFIB News:
SANTA FE — NFIB (National Federation of Independent Business) joined a coalition of business organizations in filing a lawsuit at the U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico challenging a new regulation from the New Mexico Environmental Improvement Board (EIB) requiring small business manufacturers to label products containing poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).
Although PFAS is a catchall term used to describe more than 14,000 substances with varying chemical properties, this sweeping mandate will apply to nearly all products with ingredients that fall under Read More
State Awards $24.5 Million Under Behavioral Health Reform Law To Help Communities Move From Planning To Action
Health Cabinet Secretary Kari Armijo
NMHCA News:
SANTA FE — New Mexico approved the first round of funding under the Behavioral Health Reform and Investment Act, known as SB3, awarding approximately $24.5 million to expand mental health, substance use disorder treatment and crisis services across all 13 behavioral health regions.
“This funding is about helping communities move from planning to action,” said Kari Armijo, cabinet secretary for the New Mexico Health Care Authority. “Regions have identified what their communities need most, and these investments will help expand services Read More
County Health Council: Our Teens Matter
Evelyn Drake
By EVELYN DRAKE
Intern
Los Alamos County Social Services Division
Los Alamos is a unique place—not just in general, but especially within New Mexico. Our community is known for being filled with incredibly bright and driven people. While that reputation can push students to achieve great things, it also carries a difficult reality. High expectations, especially around academics, can motivate, but they can also overwhelm. For many teenagers in Los Alamos County, these expectations contribute to declining mental health.
At Los Alamos High School, one of the top public high schools Read More
