Columns

Rickman: Promises, Credibility & North Mesa Open Space

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By JIM RICKMAN
Los Alamos

I’ve read with interest all the hype and hullabaloo regarding the conversion of North Mesa open space into a bike park and other things. I’d like to offer one more perspective on the issue.

Back in May 2000, the National Park Service negligently ignited an uncontrolled inferno that incinerated the homes of some 400 Los Alamos families and forever altered the physical landscape of our community. Perhaps unbelievable to present-day citizens, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) was highly functioning and nonpartisan, and politicians of both major parties Read More

Denish: Sausage Making Can Be Entertaining

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By Diane D. Denish
Corner to Corner
diane@dianedenish.com

“Laws are like sausages. It is better not to see them being made.” The quote is attributed to Otto von Bismarck, the German statesman credited with unifying Germany.

I disagree — especially when it comes to lawmaking.

In today’s world of technology and transparency, it’s easier than ever to watch legislation move through the process. We can see what our elected senators and representatives say — and more importantly, who they are when the pressure is on. That was never clearer than during the 2025 regular session, when medical malpractice Read More

Review: Olion’s ‘Mean Girls’ Is So Fetch!

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Isabella Gietsos, Mattea Clarkson, and Gyasi Atta-Fynn will win your heart as Janice, Cady, and Damian in the Olions’ musical Mean Girls. Photo by Timothy Talley

Mattea Clarkson and Sumner Tholen shine as Cady Heron and her crush Aaron in the Olion’s production of Mean Girls, which runs for one more weekend. Photo by Timothy Talley

Review by Kelly Dolejsi
Los Alamos 

There is nothing more fetch than Los Alamos High School Olions’ production of Mean Girls. You have one more weekend to laugh, cringe, and join in on all your favorite quotes from the movie — or to experience the classic tale of high school Read More

Posts From The Road: Kingman, Ariz.

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Welcome to Kingman: An overhead neon-lit banner sign over Route 66 welcomes visitors to the city of Kingman. Ariz. The welcome sign is framed with two Route 66 shields on each end of the banner. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com

Hilltop Motel: The Hilltop Motel sits in its original location on Route 66 in Kingman, Ariz. The motel has been renovated, but the rooms were redesigned into apartments. The original sign has also been renovated and shines nightly with the bright neon lights very popular during the busiest years of the route. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com

By GARY WARREN
Photographer Read More

Fr. Glenn: Resistance

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By Fr. Glenn Jones:

Some of us remember when, before they were combined into a universal celebration for all presidents, we celebrated Abe Lincoln’s birthday (Feb. 12) and Washington’s birthday (Feb. 22) separately. And one of the stories that children used to grow up with was that of young George Washington chopping down a cherry tree and, when confronted, “could not tell a lie” and confessed to it. Whether true or not, it served as example to children of the importance of being truthful and not succumbing to the temptation of lying.

These days “sin” and “temptation” is ridiculed, often seen as Read More

McQuiston: Why ‘State Minimum’ Coverage Is Rarely Enough

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By ALLEN MCQUISTON
Jemez Insurance Agency
Serving Los Alamos Since 1963

A lot of people buy car insurance the same way they buy a phone charger. They want it to work. They want it to be legal. And they don’t want to overpay.

That’s exactly why “state minimum” coverage exists. It’s the lowest amount of insurance you’re allowed to carry in your state and still drive legally.

But here’s the problem:

  • State minimum coverage is designed to meet the law — not to protect your life.
    • And those are two very different goals.
  • What “state minimum” really means
    • State minimum coverage is the bare minimum liability
Read More

All Shall Be Well: Return

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Clergy from left, Deacon Amy Schmuck, Deacon Cynthia Biddlecomb, retired, and The Rev. Mary Ann Hill. Photo by Nate Limback/ladailypost.com

By Deacon Amy Schmuck
Bethlehem Evangelical Lutheran Church

By the time this column is online and printed, the season of Lent has begun for Christian denominations. This is a time set aside in our spiritual lives for contemplation, for repentance, for renewal, and for return to God. The 40 days (plus Sundays) include additional worship services, prayer opportunities, calls to fast and to give alms or do acts of service. These 40 days began last Wednesday Read More

A Free Little Pantry Opens In White Rock

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Dragonfly Playhouse Owner Lauren Lippiatt stands by the new free pantry at Rover Boulevard and Meadow Lane in White Rock. The free little library is at right in the background. Courtesy photo

This free pantry at the Dragonfly Playhouse on the corner of Rover and Meadow in White Rock. Courtesy photo

By BERNADETTE LAURITZEN
Executive Director
C’YA

It only takes one person, okay, maybe two, to make a difference, and then it is our job to share the good news.

Lauren Lippiatt, owner of Dragonfly Playhouse, was having a simple conversation with Kate Hall, an employee of The First Born Program in Los Alamos, Read More

McQuiston: Why Most People’s Headrests Are Set Wrong … And It Matters!

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By ALLEN MCQUISTON
Jemez Insurance Agency
Serving Los Alamos Since 1963
Most people adjust their seat… their mirrors… maybe the steering wheel…
And then never touch the headrest again.
But here’s the thing: your headrest isn’t for comfort.
It’s a safety device — and when it’s set wrong, it can make a crash much worse, even at lower speeds.
This is one of those small details that almost nobody talks about, but it can seriously affect your risk of neck injury.
What a Headrest Actually Does (Most People Think It’s Just a Pillow)
A headrest is designed to prevent a specific injury during a crash:
  • Whiplash
Read More