Obituary: Rita M. Apel July 12, 1929 – May 6, 2026
RITA M. APEL July 12, 1929 – May 6, 2026
Rita Apel of Los Alamos, New Mexico, whose generous, loving warmth reached countless hearts, passed unexpectedly on May 6, 2026, at the age of 96.
Rita was born July 12, 1929, in Chimayo, NM to Enemecio O. and Benita Martinez the same year her father completed the family chapel, Capillita de Santa Rita. When she lost her mother at a young age, Rita and her siblings were raised by their oldest sister, Tillie. They grew up on their farm surrounded by the beautiful northern New Mexico countryside and forged a bond that lasted a lifetime.
Rita spent her high school summers Read More
Los Alamos Helps Fire Up interplanetary Space Missions
Artist’s rendering of NASA’s Dragonfly rotorcraft on the surface of Saturn’s moon Titan. The car-sized lander will explore Titan’s environment and study its complex chemistry. Courtesy/NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Steve Gribben
LANL News:
- Work is helping to power exploration into the cosmos
Within the recesses of a Los Alamos National Laboratory facility, a scientist studies a small ceramic pellet through layers of leaded glass. The pellet fits in the palm of a hand, but its purpose is anything but small. It is a plutonium-238 heat source, engineered to power scientific instruments in some Read More
100 Men Who Care Announces June 11 Event At SALA
100MWC News:
100 Men Who Care – Los Alamos, a group of men dedicated to providing immediate and meaningful financial support to local organizations, will be holding its next quarterly event 5:30-7 p.m., Thursday, June 11, at the SALA Event Center. Organized like a “Shark Tank” for nonprofits, the group votes on one of three organizations to support based on short presentations by each. Each group member then writes a check for $100 directly to the winning organization.
Through prior events, we have collected over $40,000 for local nonprofits. If you’d like to make a difference in our community, Read More
Cornell Labs: 5 Ways To Notice Bird Nests Near You
Mourning Doves on a nest under a building overhang in Arizona. Photo by Michael Sadat / Macaulay Library
CORNELL News:
Finding a bird’s nest offers a rare chance to discreetly witness the intricacies of breeding bird biology. But birds have spent millions of years evolving ways to hide their nests from onlookers—so it takes skill to find these camouflaged gems.
But take heart—if you have birds around your house, and even just a little bit of habitat such as shrubs or trees, birds are probably nesting near you. And if you start to think like a nesting bird, you can tune in to their behavior. Start Read More
DPLAC To Hold Monthly Meeting Monday June 8
DPLAC News:
The Democratic Party of Los Alamos (DPLAC) is scheduled to hold its monthly meeting at 6:30 p.m. Monday, June 8.
How to attend:
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- In person: White Rock Branch Library
- Via Zoom, Meeting ID: 816 5412 7593
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Agenda items:
- Primary election results
- Executive team updates (Chair, Vice Chair, Ward Chairs)
- Upcoming events
- Table at Los Alamos Pride June 12
- June 13: Garage Sale. Donations welcome.
- Friday night concerts
- Next monthly meeting 6:30 p.m., July 13, at Mesa Public Library
- Aug. 2: Obama Chili Cookoff, Fuller Lodge.
- September 12: JFK Fundraiser Dinner, Beef & Leaf Cafe.
- Democratic
Raptors Edge Lightening In Minors Baseball 2026 Finale
Raptors and Lightning Team Photo: (front row from left) Eli Artnak, Joseph Parkinson, Ryan O’Malley,
Eddie Artnak, Declan Stewart, Ramon Hidalgo, Braxton Berry, Oliver Sutter, Owen Keenan, Jackson
Ramsey, (middle row from left) Ryker Black, Lincoln Daley, Ronan Parton, Emmett Fort, Max Hanson,
Owen Richeson, Wayne Lamb, Raymond Waters, Bryce Maestas, Abraham Ver Burg, Wyatt Smith, Ian
Martin, (back row from left) Coaches Lara Black, Sys Hansana, Jeff Richeson, Brian Keenan, Ben Sutter,
ML Waters. (Not pictured – Owen Jeffery, Lance Rim, River Yokono-Regis, Wyatt Roybal, Crystal Read More
Piñon Park Pool To Reopen On June 9
COUNTY News:
After a week of being closed, the Los Alamos County Community Services Department is happy to announce that Piñon Park Pool will reopen Tuesday, June 9, 2026.
Friday, May 29, 2026, Piñon Park Pool experienced an unexpected issue with the boiler system. Since then, the pool has been closed as staff and other County departments gather information, troubleshoot, and determine a path forward.
As a result of working with other County departments, a course of action has been developed to open the facility and maintain a safe environment. The course of action may require some disruption; Read More
The Family YMCA Invites Community To Celebrate America’s 250th Birthday At Firecracker 5k Fun Run
YMCA News:
Lace up your running shoes and help The Family YMCA make history.
Registration is now open for the annual Firecracker 5K & Family Fun Run, taking place on Independence Day. This year’s goal is especially meaningful: The Family YMCA hopes to welcome 250 runners, walkers, and joggers in honor of America’s 250th birthday celebration.
Whether participants are seasoned runners chasing a personal best, families looking for a fun holiday tradition, or neighbors who simply want to enjoy a walk with friends, everyone is encouraged to join the celebration.
“America’s Read More
Catch Of The Week: FBI Warns Of Microsoft 365 Hack
By REBECCA RUTHERFORD
Los Alamos
For the Los Alamos Daily Post
If you use Outlook, Microsoft Teams, or Microsoft 365 – and a lot of us do – the FBI issued a warning and wants you to know about a new attack. It showed up in April of this year, and it is worth understanding because it isn’t like the phishing attacks you have learned to spot.
The lure usually comes in as a phishing email, frequently impersonating a trusted source like a document sharing service. No fake websites. No misspelled company names. No sketchy links. The Microsoft login page you land on is completely real, but the code Read More
Land Of Enchantment Wildlife Foundation Invites Public To Birthday Party For Local Elk Turning 24
LEWF News:
CHAMITA — One of the oldest known elk in captivity is turning 24 this month, and Land of Enchantment Wildlife Foundation (LEWF) is inviting the public to celebrate.
Rescued in 2001 after being found entering dog doors as a calf, the elk has since become a beloved ambassador and foster mother to numerous orphaned elk calves, helping them return to the wild.
A birthday party will be held June 28, featuring elk-themed fun, enrichment activities, and an educational talk.
Tickets and event details are available at https://www.lewf.org/event-details/ishs-24th-birthday-party. Read More
County Invites Community To Comment On Upcoming Safety Improvements To Ashley Pond Park
COUNTY News:
Los Alamos County preliminary design concepts for preventing vehicles from leaving Trinity Drive and entering Ashley Pond Park are now available for residents to provide feedback on now through Aug. 2.
The community is invited to review the designs and provide feedback on the County’s consultation page for this project.
Three design concepts were drafted with contractor Groundworks Studio to provide different options of protecting park-goers from the potential of vehicles intentionally or unintentionally leaving Trinity Drive, while also improving or complementing Read More
Teen Center To Host Welcome BBQ For LAHS Class Of 2030
The Los Alamos Teen Center at 475 20th St. Courtesy photo
Teen Center News:
The Los Alamos Teen Center will welcome the Los Alamos High School (LAHs) Class of 2030 to the Teen Center with a free Welcome BBQ, 3-6 p.m., today, June 5.
Incoming freshmen are invited to stop by, enjoy free food, play games, meet staff, and get familiar with everything the Teen Center has to offer.
For those curious about the Teen Center, this is a great opportunity to meet other teens and see the space in a relaxed, fun environment before the Friday night concerts.
No registration is required. Read More
U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich Releases Statement Ahead Of Oil And Gas Lease Sale In The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich
From the Office of U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich:
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, released the following statement Thursday ahead of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM)’s lease sale for the Coastal Plain of the Arctic Refuge today, June 5, which will open up the area’s 1.56 million acres for harmful drilling:
“I’ve been blessed to see the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge with my own eyes. It is deeply connected to the traditions and daily life of the people who have lived Read More
Daily Postcard: Western Blue Flag Iris At Valles Caldera
Daily Postcard: A cluster of Western Blue Flag Iris blooming Wednesday near a ponderosa pine grove at Valles Caldera National Preserve. Western Blue Flag Iris is starting to pop up all over Valles Caldera’s high-elevation meadows and grasslands. Learn more about plant life in the park here: https://www.nps.gov/vall/learn/nature/plants.htm. Photo by Corey Lycopolus/NPSNew Mexico Health Care Authority Restores Hotline For Reporting Abuse Of People With Disabilities
NMHCA News:
SANTA FE — New Mexicans will again be able to report suspected abuse, neglect or exploitation of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities directly to intake specialists starting July 1 by calling a restored toll-free hotline: 800.445.6242.
The hotline connects callers straight to intake specialists in the New Mexico Health Care Authority’s Division of Health Improvement Incident Management Bureau, eliminating extra steps so reports reach the intake team more quickly. Beginning July 1, online reports submitted through HCA’s reporting webpage will also Read More
J. Robert Oppenheimer Memorial Committee Announces 24 Scholarship Recipients For 2026
Courtesy/JROMC LAHS scholarship winners
JROMC News:
The J. Robert Oppenheimer Memorial Committee (JROMC) has announced the 24 winners of this year’s scholarship awards for Los Alamos and regional high school seniors.
The 2026 LAHS scholarship recipients are:
Los Alamos High School
- Helena Welch: The J. Robert Oppenheimer Memorial Scholarship, funded by donors to the JROMC, is awarded to one student for outstanding promise in science and mathematics.
- Madalyn Baily: The J. Robert Oppenheimer Scholarship in memory of Satch Cowan, funded by the Delle Foundation, is awarded to a student with
Changes Coming To Urban-North Road Intersection
COUNTY News:
The intersection of North Road and Urban Street will be changing to a four-way stop intersection today. New paint markings and temporary signs will be in place today until permanent traffic signs will be installed early next week.
The decision was made after performing an engineering analysis that included examining a month worth of traffic data, reviewing eight years of police reports, and analyzing site conditions and traffic patterns.
While it was found that this intersection has an average of one crash per year, there were a combination of factors that tipped the decision Read More
Los Alamos History Museum To Host Free Family-Friendly Movie Nights At SALA Event Center
LAHM News:
The Los Alamos History Museum is excited to announce it will host three family-friendly movie nights this summer. Sunday Night at the Movies with the Los Alamos History Museum will take place on June 14, June 29, and July 19, 2026.
Movies will begin at 6:30 p.m. at SALA Event Center, located at 2551 Central Avenue in Los Alamos. Each screening is free and open to the public.
For information about movie titles and additional event details, please visit our website at www.losalamoshistory.org or follow us on Facebook.
We look forward to seeing you at the movies! Read More
Op-Ed: New Mexico Doctors And Patients Are Being Held Hostage By Insurance Profits—Not Lawsuits
By CHERIE LACOUR
Principal
Bencoe & LaCour Law
For years, a familiar ghost has been used to haunt the halls of the Roundhouse in Santa Fe: “litigation crisis.” We are told that greedy trial lawyers and “runaway” juries are driving doctors out of New Mexico and forcing medical malpractice premiums into the stratosphere.
But according to the American Medical Association’s (AMA) own latest data, that ghost doesn’t exist.
2024 Data from the National Practitioners Data Bank paints a different story.
- Total medical malpractice lawsuit compensation for victims – NM ranks 15th nationally
Los Alamos Police Department Honors Three Retiring Officers Following Decades Of Service
From left to right: Sergeant Eric Wilhoit, Corporal Robert Larsen, Corporal Gilbert Padilla. Courtesy/LAC
LAPD News:
The Los Alamos Police Department is honoring the careers and service of three respected veteran officers whose retirements mark the end of decades of dedicated law enforcement service to the citizens of Los Alamos and communities across New Mexico.
Sergeant Eric Wilhoit, Corporal Robert Larsen, and Corporal Gilbert Padilla each retired during the month of May, with all three departures occurring within approximately one week of one another. While retirements represent Read More