Mountain School Seeks New Principal
By Carol A. ClarkAs the Aug. 15 start of the new school year draws near, a hiring committee has narrowed down a pool of applicants vying to replace Mountain Elementary School Principal Gerry Washburn.
“We had internal and external candidates apply and we’re hoping to bring this search to a close well before school starts,” Washburn said Tuesday.
Washburn is a non-voting member of the hiring committee who helped coordinate the process.
He left Mountain June 19 after serving three years as principal to become Coordinator of Human Resources for Los Alamos Read More
County Launches Citizen Satisfaction Survey
COUNTY News:
Residents in Los Alamos County may receive a phone call or “person on the street” interview during the next two weeks, asking for their feedback on County government.
The County has been regularly conducting these citizen satisfaction surveys every other year since 1996.
The purpose of the citizen survey is to gather public opinion on a variety of subjects, including satisfaction with County services and programs.
Whenever possible, the County uses the information for reporting on performance measures for service improvements.
The firm under contract to conduct the County’s Read More
Day Journeys to the Middle of Nowhere: South Fork
Travel Column by Kirsten Laskey
Seeing a Whole New Side to South Fork
One of the great things about leaving your front door is that you can encounter anything. Anticipation for what you might stumble upon hums loudly as you move down the road.
I heard that hum of excitement as my parents and I recently drove to South Fork, Colo., despite the fact that I have visited this tiny “burg” several times in the past.
Photo: D&RGW water tower in South Fork. By Kirsten Laskey
My parents own a parcel of land in the area and were members the Rio Grande Club golf course.
I’ve spent many afternoons with my mother, Read More
Counting Down the Days for Free Books for Kids
OTOWI STATION News:
Otowi Station, Los Alamos Rotary Club and Self-Help, Inc., have partnered to provide free books to 500 local disadvantaged schoolchildren through this summer’s “A Book of My Very Own” campaign.
The campaign, which ends Aug. 1, is now halfway to its goal.
The books will be distributed with school supplies for the neediest elementary school children in Los Alamos and surrounding communities, as designated by school counselors.
The project is part of Self-Help’s “Tools for Schools” program.
“We’ve been delighted with the response so far,” said Ellen Read More
Smart House Takes Shape
The Los Alamos County Demonstration Smart House takes shape. Photo by Greg Kendall/ladailypost.com
Staff report
As part of the Los Alamos Department of Public Utilities NEDO project, a 2,418 square foot “Smart House” is being built behind the Century Link Building (formerly Qwest) at 1925 Trinity Dr.
Framing for the building is nearly completed and a ribbon cutting ceremony for the project is scheduled for 2 p.m., Sept. 17.
The demonstration house will be equipped with 3 kW photovoltaic (solar panels), a 20 kWh battery, a home energy management system (HEMS), smart equipment Read More
Local Flash Flood Warning Until 4 p.m.
A Flash Flood Warning was issued at 1:07 p.m. by the National Weather Service in Los Alamos County until 4 p.m. today.
Avoid flood areas. Urgency: Immediate.
From the National Weather Services:
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN ALBUQUERQUE HAS ISSUED A FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR LOS ALAMOS COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL NEW MEXICO, EAST CENTRAL SANDOVAL COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL NEW MEXICO AND
EXTREME NORTHWESTERN SANTA FE COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL NEW MEXICO UNTIL 4 p.m. today.
AT 1 p.m., the NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED VERY HEAVY RAIN FROM A THUNDERSTORM 8 MILES WEST Read More County Building Dog Park Across From Former FEMAville Trailer Site
COUNTY News:
Los Alamos County plans to begin this week building a dog park across the street from the former FEMAville Trailer Site set up in the North Mesa area of town after the Cerro Grande Fire.
Parks crews have started cleaning and clearing the sand and the area for site prep.
The contract for the fencing has been okayed and the sun shelter is expected to be delivered this week.
The new dog park is scheduled for completion by the end of August.
Be Alert for Flash Flooding During Monsoon Season
Illustration
COUNTY News:
Los Alamos County is reminding residents of the dangers of thunderstorms and flash flooding, which could be extremely high in the canyons of Los Alamos, due to last year’s Las Conchas Wildfire.
Flash flooding occurs when precipitation falls too quickly on saturated soil or dry soil that has poor absorption ability.
The runoff collects in low-lying areas and rapidly flows downhill.
Flash floods most often occur in normally dry areas that have recently received precipitation, but may be seen anywhere downstream from the source of the precipitation, even many Read More
Law Enforcement Explorers Hold National Conference
DEA News:
Ft. Collins, Colo. – Nearly 2,500 young men and women from all 50 states will took part in a week-long Law Enforcement & Fire/EMS Explorers Conference on the campus of Colorado State University July16-20.
Students in the program learned law enforcement and fire/EMS skills and tips from some of the highest-ranking law enforcement and fire/EMS officials in the country including the U.S. Secret Service, FBI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Park Police,
NM Small Businessman Participates in Senate Steering Committee
SonicSEO President Arvind Raichur participates with U.S. Sen. Tom Udall, D-N.M., at a Steering Committee meeting July 18 on Capitol Hill. Courtesy photo
Traffic Advisory: Proceed with Caution on N.M. 4
NMDOT News:
The New Mexico Department of Transportation will continue its chip seal work on N.M. 4 this week between mile marker 59.0 and mile marker 51.5.
Between Monday, July 23 and Thursday, July 26, minor traffic delays can be expected on that stretch of road.
Motorists will encounter one-lane road closures from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.with a flagging operation and pilot car escort.
Drivers are asked to proceed through the work zone with caution and observe traffic control signing and reduced speed limits.
Bicycling through the work zone is “highly discouraged” due to the oily surface, Read More
Inside the Inaugural Microbial Olympics
London prepares for the 2012 (human) Olympics. Photo: avail/Flickr
By Jeffrey Marlow
With global attention focusing on London for the Games of the 30th Olympiad, a parallel competition of superlative ability has gone largely unnoticed.
I’m referring, of course, to the Microbial Olympics, a truth-based but (largely) fictional test of microbial abilities published in Nature Reviews Microbiology.
For the contributors, it’s an exercise in extreme – and occasionally cringe-inducing – punnery: Bacillus Bill and Salmonella Sam serve as announcers, and a spherical contestant is said to be Read More
‘Food on the Hill’: Italian Parmesan Cheese and Herb Bread
“Food on the Hill” by Sue York
Behold, the Artificial Jellyfish: Researchers Create Moving Model, Using Silicone Polymer and Heart Muscle Cells
This is a still shot of the artificial jellyfish. Courtesy/Harvard University-Caltech
ScienceDaily — Using recent advances in marine biomechanics, materials science, and tissue engineering, a team of researchers at Harvard University and the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) have turned inanimate silicone and living cardiac muscle cells into a freely swimming “jellyfish.”
The finding serves as a proof of concept for reverse engineering a variety of muscular organs and simple life forms. It also suggests a broader definition of what counts as synthetic life Read More
UK Soccer Camp Starts Next Week
The Family YMCA is hosting the UK Soccer Camp program next week July 30 – Aug 3 at North Mesa Field for youth ages 4-16. Y Earth Service Corps Fundraises for Creativity for Peace
The Los Alamos Y Earth Service Corps has had an exciting past month. They have continued to work on maintaining and improving the trails around Los Alamos, and have begun working on The Satch Cowan Trail, a trail honoring a local woman who has helped make the Los Alamos YES Corps program possible.
Additionally, the YES Corps has volunteered at the Espanola Humane Society, has deconstructed unsafe fencing for the Wildlife Center, and has served as mentors for the Y’s iCARE program participants for an activity studying a forest floor.
The Los Alamos Y Earth Read More
Asphalt Truck Bed Tips Over on N.M. 4
This photo was taken just before 3 p.m., today July 23, on N.M. 4 on the south side of Ancho Canyon near Technical Area-33. Police said the driver was working on the road at the time the rear of the truck tipped sidways. He was not cited. Police conducted traffic control until the truck was straightened back up. Photo by Alan Madsen Read More
OBITUARY: Elizabeth Caughran June 5, 1938 – July 18, 2012
Elizabeth Anne Thomson Caughran, an extraordinary woman, was born June 5, 1938, in Glasgow, Scotland; she died July 18, 2012, in Los Alamos, New Mexico.
The daughter of Samuel and Alice Thomson, Anne had an adventurer’s spirit, leading her from the Honors Masters Program at the University of Glasgow to Kentucky in the 1960s for advanced studies; back to Scotland, where she met her husband Ken Caughran (a USAF pilot) at Prestwick; and to their deployment in Tripoli, Libya.
They returned to the States in 1965 and settled in Texas for a different sort of adventure and on to Los Alamos in the 1980s. After Read More
Local Flash Flood Warning Until 5:15 p.m.
The National Weather Service has issued a Flash Flood Warning for Los Alamos County.
The Flash Flood Warning is in effect until 5:15 p.m., today.
This is a severe alert … avoid all flood areas … take action immediately.
GOP has Until Sept. 11 to Fill Candidate Vacancy
Republican candidate Roger Waterman sent shockwaves through the local community this morning when he announced his withdrawal from the Los Alamos County Council race.
Waterman said that he deeply regrets having to resign from the race but that recent business and professional issues have left him no choice, adding that he greatly appreciates the efforts of his many supporters.
County Council Chair Sharon Stover expressed her thoughts on Waterman’s resignation during a telephone conversation with the Los Alamos Daily Post this morning.
“Speaking as a private citizen, I really Read More