Letter to the Editor: LAPS Foundation Says Thanks
Good community citizens are not hard to come by in our small town.
We have those who care for the elderly and those who care for the very young.
The Los Alamos Public Schools Foundation wishes to express its sincere thanks to the long-time proprietors of Central Avenue Grill, Min and Monica Park.
In a final act of kindness and with their eye on the many students and teacher in our fine public school system, the Parks invited everyone in the community for a delicious array of appetizers and beverages asking only that those in attendance donate $5 to the LAPS Foundation.
Donations Read More
Eclipse Shots From Overlook Park
The moon initially appears cloudy Sunday as the eclipse event gets underway at Overlook Park. Photo by Brian McCool
Brian McCool and his family purchased the optics in phases off eBay for less than $100. The rest of the telescope was built with parts from local hardware stores. It isn’t much to look at, but that isn’t important, he said.
The telescope used to take this group of shots of Sunday’s eclipse from Overlook Park is a home-built 8-inch reflector on a Dobsonian mount. Photo by Brian McCool
A bit of cloud remains. The man at right looks through a pinhole camera. Photo by Brian Read More
Whitewater-Baldy Complex Fire Update
STATE FORESTRY News:
Situation: Extreme fire behavior has caused the Whitewater and Baldy Fires to combine, creating the Whitewater-Baldy Complex.
Evacuations of the Willow Creek and Mogollon are still in effect.
Smoke from these fires is clearly visible from the Silver City area and is affecting much of the southern third of New Mexico.
The fire has now come out of the Gila Wilderness and on to the Gila National Forest in the Willow Creek Subdivision, crossed State Road 159 at Silver Creek Divide and is working its way into Mineral Creek.
- Incident Name: Whitewater-Baldy Complex
The Red Elvises are Coming!
C’mon out Friday, May 25 to Ashley Pond. The show starts at 7 p.m. and goes till 10 p.m. Scientists Take Giant Step in Understanding Plutonium
- Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Offers New Insights into the Element
“In nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, a resonance between the energy levels of the nuclear spin (black arrow) in a magnetic field (B) is achieved with the help of a coil. For the first time, the nuclear magnetic resonance signature of Plutonium 239 was observed at Los Alamos National Laboratory.” Courtesy photo
Plutonium is the most complex element in the periodic table, yet it is also one of the most poorly understood ones.
But now a well-known scientific technique, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, may
PEEC’s Nature Playtimes Have Changed
Pajarito Environmental Education Center News
The Pajarito Environmental Education Center will have shorter hours for its popular, free Nature Playtimes starting in June, and will also have a new teacher for the preschool program.
Courtesy/PEEC
PEEC’s Nature Playtimes offer a chance for the youngest kids to get out and enjoy nature on the Pajarito Plateau.
Each session offers time to explore outside, a craft or sensory activity, and stories and songs.
The program is free and open to all, with no registration required.
Nature Playtimes have been running from 10-11:30 Read More
First John F. Kennedy Banquet Set for June 2
DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF LOS ALAMOS News:
The Democratic Party of Los Alamos will host its first JFK Banquet 6-9 p.m., Saturday June 2 at the Best Western Hilltop House.
Local baseball legend Bun Ryan is the featured guest.
U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Lujan is the at the Keynote Speaker. A special video will be shown of U.S. Sen. Jeff Bingaman honoring Bun Ryan.
The cost is $50 per person or reserve a table of eight for $350.
A delicious three course meal will be served with your choice of beef tenderloin or vegetarian crepes with dinner salad, baked potato, rolls and chocolate cheesecake.
The John F. Kennedy Read More
Quality New Mexico Accepting Examiner Applications
QUALITY NEW MEXICO News:
Quality New Mexico is accepting applications for the Board of Examiners through May 31.
Examiners are volunteers who, working in teams, review applications submitted to the New Mexico Performance Excellence Awards program, administered by Quality New Mexico.
The awards program recognizes New Mexico business, government, education, health care and nonprofit organizations for their commitment, progress, or achievement in performance excellence.
The program is modeled after the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, using the same Baldrige Criteria for Read More
Prepare for Upcoming Transit of Venus with PEEC
PAJARITO ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION CENTER News:
Paul Mutschlecner. Courtesy Photo
At 7 p.m., Thursday May 24, local scientist Paul Mutschlecner will give a talk at PEEC about the upcoming transit of Venus across the sun.
The talk is free and open to the public, and no registration is required.
And starting at 4 p.m., Tuesday June 5, PEEC will have a telescope available at the Center, at 3540 Orange St., for anyone interested in watching the transit.
On June 5, there will be a rare “transit of Venus” when the planet comes so precisely between the sun and the earth that its Read More
Bandelier Extends Public Comment Period
BANDELIER NATIONAL MONUMENT News
Photo by Greg Kendall/ladailypost.com
Bandelier National Monument has extended the public comment period on the management of the Tsankawi Unit to June 15.
Earlier this month, the park hosted two public meetings on the planning process.
They invited everyone who is interested in the future of Tsankawi to provide input on how best to manage the cultural and natural resources found there.
The Tsankawi Unit is an 826-acre area that is geographically separate from the main portion of Bandelier National Monument.
Tsankawi is home to more than 150 Read More
Los Alamos Public Schools Special Board Meeting
LOS ALAMOS PUBLIC SCHOOLS News
Special Board Meeting
Thursday, May 24, 2012 at 5:30 P.M. at the Los Alamos High School Speech Theater
AGENDA
1. Pledge of Allegiance
2. Call to Order
3. Roll Call
4. Presentations and Recommendations of the Superintendent and Information for the Board
4.1 2012/2013 Budget Approval
4.2 Budget Adjustment Requests
4.3 LAMS Construction Project
4.4 LAHS Construction Change Order
5. Adjournment Read More
Council Candidates Forum 6 p.m. Thursday
CHAMBER News:
A County Council Candidates Forum is set for 6 p.m., Thursday at the Los Alamos Research Park, 2nd floor conference room, 4200 West Jemez Road.
The Forum is sponsored by the Los Alamos Monitor and the Los Alamos Chamber of Commerce.
Meet the County Council candidates. The focus will be on business and economic issues.
The event is free and the public is welcome.
Kiwanis – Local GOP Candidates Forum [Audio]
Editor's Note: Marc Clay was unable to attend last week's forum. He spoke to the Kiwanis Club Tuesday, May 22, and his talk has been added to the original story.
Marc Clay, Candidate for Los Alamos County Council. Photo by Karen Kendall.
The Kiwanis Club of Los Alamos held a local Republican Candidates Forum today. Local Los Alamos Republican Candidates Sharon Stover (Candidate for County Clerk – represented by her husband Steve Girrens), Vincent Chiravalle and Roger Waterman (both candidates for County Council) were in attendance.
Marc Clay, County Council Candidate, Read More
FBI Needs Help Identifying Woman
FBI News:
The FBI and New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator are asking for the public’s help in identifying a homeless woman who was killed in a hit-and-run crash in Dona Ana County in 2003.
The black female suffered from schizophrenia and used several aliases, including Sonja Rebecka Ihu, Gretchen Saldingo, Gretchen Sundingo, Melanie Rumba, Melanda Votz and Tinkerbell Votz.
It is believed she spoke English as a second language and may have immigrated to the U.S. from Africa.
She spent some time in Flagstaff, Ariz., in July 2001, and also may have been to Canada and the Seattle area. Read More
Rumors of Smith’s Demise Seem Greatly Exaggerated…
Corporate officials state that Smith’s Food & Drug in White Rock will remain open for business despite rumors to the contrary. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com
By Carol A. Clark
Rumors that Smith’s in White Rock is closing down have escalated considerably over the last two weeks among customers and employees alike.
The panic seemed to reach a fever pitch Thursday with some customers vowing to circulate petitions asking everyone living in White Rock to boycott the Los Alamos store in protest.
Smith’s Public Affairs Vice President Marsha Gilford set the record Read More
County Clerk May Go Fulltime
By Carol A. Clark
Los Alamos County Clerk Janet Foster is not seeking re-election and may be the last clerk to work on a part time basis.
The idea of making the County Clerk position fulltime and salaried came as a result of the local Charter Review Committee’s government structure research work.
State requirements are expanding the duties of the clerk to the point where the move may be necessary to keep up with demand.
This issue is scheduled to go before County Council June 12. County Council Chair Sharon Stover’s term ends Dec. 31 and she is running for County Clerk.
Stover said Read More
Speak Pashto? The FBI Wants You
The FBI is seeking to hire foreign language speakers and will host its first ever foreign language job fair in Houston on Friday, May 25.
The job fair will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Houston Community College’s (HCC) Conference Center, located at 3100 Main Street in Houston, Texas.
Hum Tum Radio-KLVL 1480 AM, will broadcast noon to 5 p.m. live from the job fair.
“FBI linguists play an extremely important role in keeping America safe,” said FBI Houston Foreign Language Program Manager Larry Wallace. “It’s a job opportunity that promises to be both challenging and rewarding.”
FBI linguists Read More
Bicyclist Cited for Hitting Car Near Metzger’s
An adult male riding his bike about 8 a.m. today drove into a 2009 Nissan sedan at the intersection of Diamond Drive and Orange Street.
Los Alamos Police Officer Christopher Ross said that the bicyclist and the driver of the Nissan were heading south on Diamond Drive when the driver of the Nissan turned into Metzger’s and was hit by the bicyclist.
The bicyclist was cited for failure to yield, Ross said.
“It was a very low impact, low speed collison,” Deputy Fire Chief Justin Grider said. “The driver of the bicycle was taken by ambulance to LAMC as a precaution with what appear Read More
Bilingual Montessori Students Given ‘Undeniable Advantage’
Courtesy/Montessori
By Kirsten Laskey
The Bilingual Montessori School is on a roll. Since opening its doors in 2008, enrollment has escalated, the location has changed and expanded and Owner Odalys González Fernández has earned a Success Client Award from the Small Business Development Center in 2008
Just what are the secrets behind the school’s success?
“We are known for having a welcoming, friendly atmosphere and nurturing environment,” Fernández said. “What we give parents foremost is peace of mind. We work with parent’s needs, wants, fears and desires. We operate Read More
Bechtel and LANL Make Woman Engineer Magazine’s Top 50 Employers List
BECHTEL News:
FREDERICK, MD (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) – Bechtel has been named a top employer by the readers of Woman Engineer magazine, earning a spot on the magazine’s 2012 list of Top 50 Employers.
The list is based on the magazine’s annual survey that asks readers which companies they would most prefer to work for, or believe are progressive in hiring woman engineers.
In addition, Los Alamos National Laboratory and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, both of which are managed by Bechtel partnerships, were named on the list of Top Government Employers.
“Bechtel works Read More