Los Alamos Daily Post – Page 2796 – Los Alamos Online News

Benson: Unlike Phil, Gus Is A Rodent’s Rodent

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on February 2, 2017 - 4:03 pm

By JODY BENSON, Chair

Pajarito Group of the Sierra Club

Thursday, Feb 2, demarcates the point in the calendar halfway between the winter solstice and spring equinox. In simpler times, (prior to anthropogenic green-house gases causing climate change with the resulting unpredictability of atmospheric conditions) on this day—Groundhog Day—it would be up to the groundhog to partner with his shadow to determine the weather for the next six weeks.

Here in New Mexico, as many of you already know, we do not have groundhogs. Rather we have gophers. Los Alamos’s own rodent celebrity, the glow-in-the-dark Read More

Story Of Texas (And Now New Mexico) Punxatawney Phil

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on February 2, 2017 - 3:21 pm

Since his arrival in Los Alamos in October, Punxatawney Phil has been spotted all over town. Here he checks out the view on Central Avenue with J. Robert Oppenheimer. Courtesy photo

Punxatawney Phil sees his shadow this morning so he’s predicting another six weeks of winter. Courtesy photo

By JULIE HABIGER

Los Alamos

My father Lawrence Strouts spends his winters in a retirement community in south Texas, and the idea of celebrating Groundhog Day with residents there came about many, many years ago. Groundhog Day isn’t exactly one of those holidays like Valentines’

Daily Postcard: Lenticular Clouds At Sunset

Submitted by Chris Clark on February 2, 2017 - 2:59 pm

Daily Postcard: The view from the back yard of a home in Pajarito Acres Tuesday of lenticular clouds over the Sangres at sunset. Mountains here often make lenticular clouds, but the reddish sunset light on one is much less common. Photo by Bob Reedy Read More

Hilltopper Girls Basketball Beats Academy Chargers

Submitted by Chris Clark on February 2, 2017 - 12:09 am

Elena Abeyta had a very BIG night with 11 points and was the high scorer for the game. She made steals at critical times and scored 4points in the over time. Photo by John McHale/ladailypost.com

Isabell Larribas drives to the basket for two of her 9 points for the game Monday night. The Chargers were a very physical team but the Toppers were able to respond. Photo by John McHale/ladailypost.com

Becca Green, left, Natalie Gallegos and Susana Gallegos are all over Savina Gomero under the Topper basket. The Topper defense was in full swing all through the game. Photo by John Read More

Letter To The Editor: In Support Of Ellen Ben-Naim

Submitted by Chris Clark on February 2, 2017 - 12:01 am

By ROSE MARTIN

Retired Pinon Elementary Teacher

I enthusiastically support Ellen Ben-Naim for the Los Alamos School Board. I would like to confirm the qualifications and experience that makes Ellen an excellent choice.

I’ve taught at Pinon for 25 years and during my tenure I saw first-hand Ellen’s commitment to our school community. Ellen has a master’s degree in education, a life-long career in teaching and a demonstrated commitment to serving our students, parents, teachers and school staff.

At Pinon School she was a knowledgeable

Scenes From 2017 Bill Hudson Memorial Open

Submitted by Chris Clark on February 1, 2017 - 11:37 pm

Start of the 50 yard Freestyle. Photo by John McHale/ladailypost.com

SPORTS News:

The Bill Hudson Memorial Open played host to 278 participants and 36 swimming events over the weekend.

The two-day event is for swimmers 8-18 years of age and takes place at the Larry R. Walkup Aquatic Center and is sponsored by the Los Alamos Aquatomics Swim Team.

This year ran very smoothly thanks the the officials and many volunteers from the Aquatomics Swim Team.

Asher Koh, 9, competing in the 50 yard Freestyle, swimming for the Aquatomics Club. Photo by John McHale/ladailypost.com

Share Story And Win Date For Two At Blue Window

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on February 1, 2017 - 11:29 pm

Los Alamos Hawks Win Against Memorial Cardinals

Submitted by Chris Clark on February 1, 2017 - 11:28 pm

Noah Bridgewater encounters heavy traffic under the basket. Photo by John McHale/ladailypost.com

Cameron Haag takes on the nose as he dives in for a basket attempt. He finished the game with 8 points. Photo by John McHale/ladailypost.com

Cooper Frank goes up for two of his 10 points for the game. Photo by John McHale/ladailypost.com

SPORTS News:

The Los Alamos Hawks played host for the Basketball Invite played at Brousseau Gym last weekend.

The Invite is a two day event with middle schools from Memorial/Las Vegas, Santa Fe Indian

Schiferl: Why I’m Running For UNM-LA Board

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on February 1, 2017 - 11:12 pm

By SHEILA K. SCHIFERL

Los Alamos

Why am I running for the UNM-LA board? The challenges for UNM-LA revolve around careful allocation of resources and improving administrative procedures – numbers, details, budgeting. I’ve always been a numbers and detail person. I’ve been a theoretical physicist at Los Alamos National Laboratory, working both in statistical methods and applied metallurgy. Even within the Lab, I was the “math/detail person,” checking whether the results of both experiments and computations made physical sense. I have an MS and Read More

Community Invited To Alpha Course At IHM

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on February 1, 2017 - 10:52 pm

Alpha volunteers from left, Colleen Hanlon, Heather Erpenbeck, Deacon Jim O’Hara, Deacon John Sutton and Kendra Wilhelm prepare for the fourth Alpha Course, which is open to the community and begins Feb. 7 at IHM. Photo by Maire O’Neill

IHM News:

A team of volunteers at Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish is gearing up for the fourth session of the internationally acclaimed Alpha Course, which starts Tuesday, Feb. 7.

The course, which has attracted participants from Catholic and other Christian denominations over the past two years, will address questions such as:

Is there

Three LAHS Athletes Sign Letters Today

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on February 1, 2017 - 10:21 pm

The Los Alamos High School Athletic Department held a signing of letters of intent for three athletes, from left, Jacob Marison signed to play football for the UNM Lobos, Sienna Ahlers signed with Wingate University to play soccer and Tristen Roach signed to play soccer for Adams State. Photo by Camille Bickson Read More

2017 Community Seed Swap Feb. 5 & Feb. 11

Submitted by Chris Clark on February 1, 2017 - 10:08 pm

Chief Sgambellone Releases Crime Statistics For 2016

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on February 1, 2017 - 7:29 pm

Los Alamos Chief of Police Dino Sgambellone

LAPD News:

Today, Los Alamos Chief of Police Dino Sgambellone released calls for service and crime statistics for the 12 months of 2016, which were compiled by the Records Section of the Los Alamos Police Department.

Offenses reported as crime statistics are determined by the FBI Uniform Crime Report Program and are classified as crimes against persons (violent crime) and crimes against property. The offenses of murder (homicide), manslaughter, rape, robbery and aggravated assault make up the violent crime category. The offenses of arson, Read More

Get On The Super Bowl Buzz Bus Feb. 5

Submitted by Chris Clark on February 1, 2017 - 7:02 pm

Los Alamos Police Blotter: Jan. 25 – Jan. 31, 2017

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on February 1, 2017 - 6:27 pm

LAPD News:

The following information is provided by the Los Alamos Police Department. Neither arrests nor charges indicate a conviction, and neither means that a person is guilty of the charges filed against them

VINCENT PAUL

Jan. 25 at 3:17 p.m. / Police arrested Vincent Paul, 44, of Los Alamos near Deer Trail and North Mesa Road and charge him with aggravated DWI.

TILLIE TRUJILLO

Jan. 26 at 11:05 a.m. / Police arrested Tillie Trujillo, 38, of Espanola on 20^th Street and charged her with driving on a revoked or suspended license.

LOUISA ARCHULETA‑TRUJILLO Read More

AG Announces Consumer Protection Settlement With Western Union; New Mexico Consumers To Get A Piece Of $586 Million Consumer Restitution Settlement

Submitted by Chris Clark on February 1, 2017 - 5:01 pm

Attorney General Hector Balderas

AG News:

SANTA FE ― Attorney General Hector Balderas announced a settlement with Colorado-based The Western Union Company, resolving a multistate investigation which focused on complaints of consumers who used Western Union’s wire transfer service to send money to third parties involved in schemes to defraud consumers.

In addition to New Mexico, 49 states and the District of Columbia participated in this settlement. Western Union also settled claims by the Federal Trade Commission and U.S. Department of Justice related to

LAPS On Budget Cuts And State Solvency Package

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on February 1, 2017 - 4:34 pm

LAPS News:

With several line-item vetoes, the Governor has signed the FY17 Legislative Solvency Package. The estimated LAPS budget impact for this school year includes:

Budget Cuts from the Special Legislative Session in November 2016

Operational – $405,880
Transportation – $78,217
Instructional Materials – $27,539

Budget Cut from the January 2017 Legislative Solvency Package, Senate Bill 114

Operational – $528,682 (estimated)

The total cut for Los Alamos Public Schools in the 2016-17 school year is an estimated $1,040,318.

School Board President Read More

CIR: Emile Nakhleh On Trump And The Middle East

Submitted by Chris Clark on February 1, 2017 - 4:31 pm

Professor Emile Nakhleh

CIR News:

As the world takes an increasingly isolationist, nativist turn, how do we navigate between our values–such as a commitment to cultural diversity–and our national self-interest, which may feel that such an approach to diversity opens opportunities for instability and terror?

CIR brings Professor Emile Nakhleh this Thursday to Santa Fe. In exploring the interplay between our national interest and values, he will help us put some context into President Trump’s recent ban on immigration from several Middle Eastern

Stewart Files SB 244 Expanding Consumer Protections For New Mexicans Living In Homeowners Associations

Submitted by Chris Clark on February 1, 2017 - 3:52 pm

Sen. Mimi Stewart

STATE News:

SANTA FE ― This week Sen. Mimi Stewart (D-Bernalillo) filed SB 244, which significantly expands consumer protections available to New Mexicans living in homeowners associations.

According to industry data, there are approximately 260,000 New Mexicans residing in nearly 2,000 community associations (both homeowner and condominium) across the state.

“The fact is a significant number of New Mexican families are impacted by the operations of home owner associations and their interests and needs should be protected,” Stewart

NM’s 2016 Human Trafficking Case Data Released

Submitted by Chris Clark on February 1, 2017 - 3:16 pm

Map showing national and state-by-state human trafficking case data for 2016. Courtesy/polaris

CRIME News:

WASHINGTON, D.C. ― Polaris, the organization that works on all forms of human trafficking and serves victims of slavery and human trafficking, released national and state-by-state human trafficking case data for 2016 today showing a significant jump in cases nationwide.

For New Mexico, 32 cases of human trafficking were reported to the National Hotline in 2016, which included 19 cases of sex trafficking and nine cases of labor trafficking.