Bill To Ban Some Guns In New Mexico, Crack Down On Dealers Heads To Senate Floor
Sen. Joseph Cervantes, D-Las Cruces, the chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, asks a question of First Judicial District Judge Bryan Biedscheid on Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026, during a Senate Judiciary Committee meeting. Matt Dahlseid/The New Mexican
By CLARA BATES
The Santa Fe New Mexican
A controversial bill that would ban certain “extremely dangerous weapons” and add various regulations on firearms dealers is headed to the state Senate floor.
The sale of certain semi-automatic rifles — including AK-47s and AR-15s — would be banned under Senate Bill 17, which passed out of the Senate Judiciary Read More
McQuiston: How Insurance Decides Who’s At Fault
By ALLEN MCQUISTON
Jemez Insurance Agency
Serving Los Alamos Since 1963
After a car accident, most people assume there’s going to be a clear answer. Someone ran the red light. Someone rear-ended someone. Someone was texting. Someone wasn’t paying attention.
But when insurance gets involved, the question isn’t just what happened. It’s who can be proven responsible, and how much.
And that process is more structured—and more frustrating—than most people realize.
First, “fault” is not a feeling. It’s a legal decision. Insurance companies don’t decide fault based on who seems nicer, who’s
New Mexico Supreme Court Data Dashboard Now Online
Courtesy/New Mexico Supreme Court
NMSC News:
SANTA FE — The New Mexico Supreme Court has published a new data dashboard for the public to get information about the Court’s performance measures that focus on case management.
“The Judiciary dashboard identifies what the Supreme Court has been doing throughout the year and demonstrates a transparent way to show our accountability to New Mexicans,” Chief Justice David K. Thomson said.
The dashboard provides information about the number and types of cases opened, the number of cases closed, and the average number of days to resolve cases from Read More
Early Childhood Workers In New Mexico Laud Proposed $60 Million Wage And Career Ladder
Cabinet Secretary Elizabeth Groginsky
Early Childhood Education and Care Department
By ESTEBAN CANDELARIA
The Santa Fe New Mexican
MJ Lord, a teaching assistant at an Albuquerque preschool, works three jobs just to make ends meet.
The 25-year-old wants to be an early childhood educator — she’s completing a bachelor’s degree in human development and family sciences and has plans to pursue a master’s degree in early childhood as well — but said her pay at the preschool alone is not enough to sustain her goals.
“I would love to stay in this career field, because it is my passion,” she said. “I think Read More
Wondering What To Do This Weekend? Ski At Pajarito!
Pajarito Mountain Ski Area is open through Sunday with 20 trails ready to explore. Courtesy/Pajarito
PAJARITO News:
Looking for a local adventure? Pajarito Mountain Ski Area is open through Sunday with 20 trails ready to explore.
And here’s something sweet: every lift ticket comes with $10 in Bird Bucks—free daily resort credit to fuel up at the cafe or grab something from the store.
Jemez Mountain Fire Protection Project Update
In more good news, the Jemez Mountain Fire Protection Project hit a major milestone ahead of schedule. As of Jan. 29, Camp May Road and all trails accessible via Read More
Community Steps Up To Support Vulnerable Neighbors
ICOH News:
The Interfaith Coalition on Homelessness (ICOH), a Los Alamos-based organization, has successfully sponsored a community-wide winter collection drive to support unhoused and at-risk neighbors in the Española Valley.
ICOH is a coalition of 14 congregations from Los Alamos County and Española and works in partnership with organizations already serving the Valley.
The winter drive, which began on Nov. 29 and continues through Sunday, March 1, mobilized local community members and congregations throughout the area.
Donors so far have contributed 81 boxes of food, toiletries, Read More
Piñon Elementary School Hosts National History Day Contest
Forty-four Piñon Elementary School 6th graders participated in National History Day contest. Courtesy/LAPS
Sixth grader Olivia Conner-Lee’s project garnered 1st place – individual performance category. Courtesy/LAPS
LAPS News:
Piñon Elementary School hosted its first National History Day (NHD) school contest last month. Forty-four 6th graders participated in five project categories: performance, documentary, website, paper and exhibit.
Students were also able to gain some pointers during workshops led by NHD students from Los Alamos Middle School.
Parent volunteers Read More
Bill Would Overhaul Virtual Education In New Mexico … And Its Funding
Bill Sponsor Rep. Joy Garratt, D-Bernalillo
By ANDRÉ SALKIN
The Santa Fe New Mexican
Supporters of virtual education, many wearing shirts reading “Save Our Virtual Schools,” packed into a room at the state Capitol on Friday to push back against a bill that would overhaul New Mexico’s online learning regulations for the first time in nearly two decades.
The changes include a slash in funding for schools that serve distance learning students to fix a crisis: a $35 million hole in the roughly $4.5 billion pool of per-student funding.
The provision also would prevent nearly $40 million in state Read More
County: Dinosaur & Grand Canyon Playlot Surveys Open
COUNTY News:
The Los Alamos County Community Services Department (CSD), in partnership with Groundwork Studio, has completed the first listening sessions for both Dinosaur Park on Barranca Mesa and Grand Canyon Playground in White Rock.
The purpose of the listening sessions was to hear from the community as to what they would love about the parks, things to keep in mind throughout the project, and any ideas on what they would like to see.
The purpose of these projects is to design, develop construction documents, and provide construction administration services for the renovation of Dinosaur Read More
This Week In Sports: Feb. 9-14, 2026
SPORTS News:
This week the Los Alamos High School Hilltopper girls have basketball games at home and away, and the boys have a basketball game at home and wrestling matches away.
The Topper sports games are covered by the Los Alamos Daily Post sports team, which includes John McHale, Mike Cote and Nate Limback.
This Week’s Hilltopper Sports Schedule:
Feb. 9 Monday
- Girls Basketball vs Valencia Home – 7 p.m.
Feb. 13 Friday
- Boys Wrestling at Regional Qualifier Tucumcari – TBD
- Girls Basketball vs Española Away – 6 p.m.
Feb. 14 Saturday
- Boys Wrestling at Regional Qualifier Tucumcari – TBD
- Boys Basketball
Results From 2026 Los Alamos County Science Fair; 52 Students Qualify For Northeastern New Mexico Regional
Los Alamos County Science Fair participants in the junior division gather for a photo. Courtesy/LAPS
Los Alamos High School students Linus Plohr, Lilia Viteva and Tate Plohr are among 52 LAPS students who qualified to participate in the Feb. 28 Northeastern New Mexico Regional Science Fair. Courtesy/LAPS
LAPS News:
More than 122 projects were on display as students from elementary, middle and high school participated in the 2026 Los Alamos County Science Fair last weekend at Piñon Elementary School.
Fifty-two students qualified for the 2026 Northeastern New Mexico Regional Science Fair, Read More
Bill Co-Sponsor Rep. Christine Chandler Hopes To Turn Down Temperature On Medical Malpractice Debate
Rep. Christine Chandler, D-Los Alamos
By DANIEL J. CHACÓN
The Santa Fe New Mexican
The House Judiciary Committee is scheduled to take up a high-profile bill Monday to change New Mexico’s medical malpractice law, after a presentation Friday, the chairwoman said was designed to inoculate the discussion from the divisive rhetoric that has marked the debate.
With less than two weeks left in the 30-day session, Rep. Christine Chandler, D-Los Alamos, who is a co-sponsor of House Bill 99, emphasized the urgency of getting the legislation — which she noted has bipartisan support — passed.
“There has Read More
County To Host First Community Engagement Session For Bayo Canyon Trailhead Improvements
COUNTY News:
Los Alamos County invites community members to participate in the first community engagement session for the Bayo Canyon Trailhead Improvement Project, an initiative focused on creating a safer, more accessible, and welcoming trailhead for users of all abilities.
The first in-person community engagement session is 5:30 p.m., Feb. 11 at Fuller Lodge. Community members are encouraged to attend to learn more about the project, review early concepts, and share input that will help guide the design process.
Besides in-person meetings, the County is offering other ways for the Read More
Catch Of The Week: Apple Pay Scams
By REBECCA RUTHERFORD
Los Alamos
For the Los Alamos Daily Post
Congratulations. You made it through another week on the Hill, but a scammer still thinks you are going to panic over a fake Apple Pay charge. Hard pass. This week’s scam is aimed at people who use Apple Pay, which in this town is basically everyone who has ever stood in line at Starbucks behind someone paying with their watch like a pro.
Here is how the scam works. You get an email or text that looks like it came from Apple. The notification says there was a suspicious Apple Pay purchase, usually for an alarming amount of money. The message helpfully Read More
Daily Postcard: View Of Valle Grande From Entrance Plaza
Daily Postcard: View of Valle Grande on Tuesday from the entrance plaza at Valles Caldera National Preserve. Photo by Corey Lycopolus/NPS Read More
Luján, Morelle, Gluesenkamp Perez Continue Fight For Consumers’ Right To Repair
Congressional News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Congressman Joe Morelle (D-NY-25), and Congresswoman Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-WA-03), introduced the Fair Repair Act, legislation to guarantee consumers and small businesses a right to repair their own products by requiring manufacturers to make diagnostic repair information, parts, and tools readily available.
“For far too long, the wealthiest individuals and largest corporations have made it more difficult for Americans to repair the products they own,” Luján said. “The costs of these barriers can Read More
Legislative Roundup: 13 Days Left In Session
Demonstrators cheer and hold up signs during a public lands rally on Friday, Feb. 6, 2026, outside of the state Capitol. Matt Dahlseid/The New Mexican
The Santa Fe New Mexican
Dawn the duck: The New Mexico Senate unanimously confirmed the appointment Friday of Dawn Walters to lead the state’s newly established Office of the Child Advocate.
The office will be responsible for providing third-party oversight of New Mexico’s troubled child welfare system.
“This role has been long awaited and is critical to the safety and success of New Mexico’s children and families,” Sen. Katy Duhigg, D-Albuquerque, Read More
NMDOT Awards Nearly $47 Million For 27 Local Transportation Projects
NMDOT News:
SANTA FE — The New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT) awarded nearly $47 million to 27 projects through four federal funding programs, benefiting 15 agencies statewide, during the federal fiscal year 2026 call for projects.
Awarded projects range from supporting transit operation and infrastructure upgrades, to design and construction of urban and rural multiuse paths and trails, to supporting Safe Routes to School programs. A full list of projects is listed below.
“These programs are critical for Tribal and local public agencies, funding projects from planning Read More
Video: Councilor David Reagor Discusses Jan. 27 Meeting
Los Alamos County Councilor David Reagor discusses the Jan. 27 council meeting. Video by Kirsten Laskey/ladailypost.com Read More
FBI: Men Sentenced For Kidnapping, Human Smuggling Scheme
FBI News:
ALBUQUERQUE — Two Guatemalan nationals were sentenced to prison for orchestrating a ransom scheme in which they held 11 undocumented immigrants captive and extorted their families under threats of violence and cartel retaliation.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court records, the FBI received a kidnapping complaint on March 1, 2025, alleging that the family of an undocumented immigrant was being extorted for ransom under threats of violence and cartel involvement. Agents traced the ransom calls to a residence in southwest Albuquerque and executed a search Read More