Utility Assistance for Deployed Soldiers Passes House 65-0
STATE News:
SANTA FE – By a vote of 65-0, the New Mexico House of Representatives passed legislation Friday that would allow members of the military who have just been deployed or given a temporary assignment to discontinue and re-establish utility services without paying a penalty or reconnection fee.
HB 175, sponsored by Rep. Jeff Steinborn (D-Doña Ana-District 35), would affect utilities including water, gas, electricity, and telephone. It would also allow service members to selectively shut off services when a municipality bundles them together.
The inspiration for this legislation Read More
Frisbee Shooting Robot Bagged and Ready to Ship
Members of the Los Alamos FIRST Robotics Team 4153 from left, Jacob Marks, Ariel Koh, Steve Anton, Simon Redmond and George Barnum conduct the final assembly Feb. 19 of this year’s robot, which throws frisbees at targets and climbs pipe pyramids. It’s a lot more complicated than last year’s bot that shot basketballs and balanced on treadles. This year’s robot had to be completed by midnight, Feb. 19 and locked into a plastic bag with locker ties. The team will compete in Lubbock, Texas the end of February and then on to Salt Lake City in March. Photo by TK Thompson/ladailypost.comArrowsmith Presents Smart Grid Talk to Kiwanis
Utility Manager John Arrowsmith discusses the Smart Grid Project. Courtesy photo
Staff report
Department of Public Utilities Manager John Arrowsmith spoke to the Los Alamos Kiwanis Club at its lunch meeting Tuesday, Feb. 19.
Arrowsmith presented an overview of the NEDO PV Smart Grid project. Everyone wants renewable power, but the challenge is that solar is available 24 percent of the time, wind 30-40 percent of the time and hydro 30 percent of the time, he said.
It is still necessary to have traditional power sources for the times when the renewable power can’t be generated, Arrowsmith said. Read More
Valles Caldera Trust Awarded $545,000 For Solar Powered Shuttle System
VCT News:
JEMEZ SPRINGS—Valles Caldera Trust has been awarded a $545,000 federal grant that will allow visitors to tour the Valles Caldera National Preserve in the quiet comfort of a solar powered all-electric shuttle bus.
The grant is one of 29 awarded nationally by the Paul S. Sarbanes Transit in the Parks Program sponsored by the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Transit Authority.
The grant will fund the purchase of an all-electric 26-passenger ADA-compliant shuttle bus to replace two gasoline-powered 12-passenger vans currently in use.
Construction of a solar photovoltaic Read More
Column: Trinity Drive and the Entrance to Town … What are Your Thoughts?
Column by KRISTIN HENDERSONTrinity Drive and the entrance to town … what are your thoughts?
This process has been going on for years – but is coming to a conclusion now and your input is needed.
The short (ish) of it is, Trinity Drive is really, as we know, N.M. 502 – a state highway. We are on the schedule to get funding for the stretch just before the pool into town to Knecht Street – just past where all the dirt is torn up for Trinity Site.
Funding is available essentially now and the road could be re-done in the next year.
Because it would be federal Read More
Santa Fe Opera One of Three American Companies Nominated for International Award
2013 Santa Fe Opera productions. Courtesy/SFO
SFO News:
They are to be called “The Operas,” the new International Opera Awards established in London to celebrate the work of opera companies throughout the world.
The brainchild of British businessman Harry Hyman, of Nexus Group, John Allison, editor of OPERA magazine, and the London Evening Standard, the first nominees have already been received, judges chosen, and the awards ceremony scheduled for April 22 in London.
“The Operas” are ambitious in scope; nominations are invited from all over the globe. True excellence in opera Read More
Subway Moving to More Visible Location
The SUBWAY® restaurant hidden from street view at 1350 Central Ave. will move across the street to the more visible 1370-A Central Ave. in April. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com After nearly seven years tucked behind the Bradbury Science Museum, local SUBWAY® owner Larry Singh is moving his restaurant from 1350 Central Ave., across the street to 1370-A Central Ave., in the former Don Taylor Photography location.
Singh told the Los Alamos Daily Post Friday that he is excited about the move because it will provide his restaurant with increased
LAHS Swimmers Compete in State Finals Today
LAHS News:
The New Mexico High School State Swimming Championship is being held this weekend at Albuquerque Academy, with teams from all over the state sending their best to represent their schools.
Each swimmer must qualify for the event they are competing in prior to the state meet, and are allowed to swim in only two individual events and two relays.
The top 16 swimmers from the qualifying round go on to compete for team points during the finals – which is happening today.
The Los Alamos High School Swim Team looked great Friday during prelims, putting in some great swims and getting Read More
Art Opening Marks Proud Moment for Pinon Students
The bubbly flowed as young artists soaked in the excitement of their first art opening Friday evening at Village Arts at 216 DP Road. Hors d’oeuvre trays filled with grapes, crackers and cheese coupled with glasses of sparkling cider served by owner Ken Nebel enhanced the magical atmosphere for Pinon Elementary School students who mingled among community members, sharing the inspirations for their work. Nebel donated framing supplies to the students and taught them about artist agreements and spent time showing them his own illustrations. Nebel said of Friday’s opening, “This Read More
Bennett’s Donates $500 to Kiwanis
Allison and Melanie Bennett presented a $500 check Tuesday to Kiwanis President Don Casperson for Kiwanis programs that benefit children. Bennett’s Fine Jewelry and Gifts created a December fundraiser during its Holiday Open House in which for three days the store sold cake slices for $5. Hidden under the icing of each cake slice was a gemstone. Customers didn’t know if they would get a diamond, a ruby or another fine gemstone. Allison Bennett told the Los Alamos Daily Post that this annual event is very popular with customers. The first year of the gemstone cake promotion, Bennett’s Read More
‘YMCA Day’ Honors Organization at Legislature
Lt. Gov. John Sanchez, holds YMCA Day in New Mexico Proclamation with members of New Mexico State Alliance of YMCAs, from left, Youth Gov. Valeria Ojeda (YMCA Youth In Government Program); Lt. Gov. John Sanchez, CEO YMCA of Central NM Steven Paternoster, CEO of The Family YMCA Linda Daly, Family YMCA Board President John Wolfe, Family YMCA Board Member Sharon Stover and CEO YMCA of El Paso Kevin Pearson. Courtesy/Family YMCALA Piecemakers Hold First Daytime Meeting
The art of Carol Martin-Davis, the featued speaker at the LA Piecemakers meeting. Courtesy photo
LA PIECEMAKERS News:
The LA Piecemakers group is holding its first daytime meeting at noon Tuesday, Feb. 26.
The group will meet at Graves Hall at the United Church of Los Alamos on Rose Street. Fiber artist Carol Martin-Davis from El Rito will be the featured speaker.
County Line: Feb. 22
COUNTY News:
A-19-a Masterplanning Study – Public Meeting Monday Feb. 25
White Rock residents: attend this meeting and get the latest update on Parcel A-19-a (6 p.m. in White Rock Fire Station #3) Can’t attend? Log on to Open Forum Tuesday to comments on line. Get details here: https:////www.losalamosnm.us/news/Pages/A19aPublicMtginWhiteRockFeb25.aspx
Council Meeting Tuesday Feb. 26
What’s on the agenda? A Public Hearing on the proposed sewer rate increase, plus much more. The meeting starts at 7 p.m. in Council Chambers. Download the agenda now: https:////www.losalamosnm.us/gov/council/Pages/default.aspx Read More
Real Estate & Neighborhood History: Western Area
Western Area in Los Alamos. Courtesy/Google Earth
Real Estate & Neighborhood HistoryWestern Area
Any discussion of the real estate and the history of our neighborhoods in Los Alamos must begin with the first neighborhood developed in our mountain community – “the Western Area.”
The Western Area derived its name from the location in which it resides. At the time it was being developed, it was thought that Los Alamos would remain on only one mesa.
Therefore it was believed that a distinction between East and West would be all that is necessary. The Read More
School Board Members Take Oath of Office
School Board President Kevin Honnel, right, stands with school board members David Foster and Judy Bjarke-Mckenzie to pledge to obey the School Board Code of Conduct at the New Mexico School Boards Association conference this morning, Feb. 22. The oath of office and Code of Conduct was administered by retired State Supreme Court Judge Patricio Serna. Courtesy/LAPSUS, UK, Russian Federation Hold Trilateral Nuclear Security Best Practices Workshop
NNSA News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Representatives from the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), the United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defence and Russia’s State Atomic Energy Corporation (Rosatom) met this week in Vienna, Austria, for their Seventh Annual Nuclear Security Best Practices Exchange.
The two-day workshop focused on overcoming challenges associated with securing nuclear materials worldwide.
NNSA Deputy Administrator for Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation Anne Harrington.
These workshops grew out of commitments in a 2005 U.S.-Russian Joint Statement on Nuclear Read More
Actor/Poet David Mills Performs as Langston Hughes
David Mills performs as Langston Hughes. Courtesy photo
UNM-LA News:
The Jim Sagel Memorial Lecture Series at UNM-Los Alamos will present award-winning poet David Mill at 7 p.m. Monday, March 4 in the Building 2 Lecture Hall at UNM-LA.
Mills will perform an excerpt from his show, “Dreamweaver: The Works of Langston Hughes.” The reading is free and open to the public.
Mills also will be visiting Instructor Zandree Stidham’s English classes the same day as the performance.
Actor and writerDavid Mills’ one-person dramatic rendition of Langston Hughes’s poems and short stories Read More
‘The Little Mermaid, Jr.’ Begins at 7:30 p.m. Today
The Little Mermaid, Jr., stage production presented by the Atomic City Children’s Theater begins this weekend at 7:30 p.m. today with additional performances at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Saturday. Admission is free. Photo by Elena E. Giorgi 
Photo by Elena E. Giorgi 
Photo by Elena E. Giorgi 
Photo by Elena E. Giorgi County to Present Final Options for White Rock’s A19a
Rendering of the final concepts for development of parcel A-19a in White Rock. Courtesy/LAC
COUNTY News:
Final concepts for residential and commercial development on parcel A-19-a in White Rock will be presented at 6 p.m. Monday, 25 at White Rock Fire Station #3.
The White Rock Implementation Committee and the County’s Community and Economic Development Department staff will host the meeting featuring a presentation by Dekker Parish Sabatini, the consultant charged with developing the A-19-a Masterplanning Study for the past three years.
The meeting will start at 6 p.m. with an open house, Read More
House Delivers $5.9 Billion Budget Now Headed to Senate
STATE News:
SANTA FE – The House of Representatives has passed a budget for the next spending year that begins July 2013. HB 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 would provide $5.907 billion in state spending, an increase of $255 million over this year’s budget.
That amount includes both recurring and non-recurring items. The total appropriations contained in the bills would leave the state with reserves of $589.2 million or 10 percent of fiscal year 2014 recurring appropriation levels next fiscal year.
The bulk of the budget would go toward education – 57 percent. Public education gets 44 percent and higher education Read More