Los Alamos Det. Brian Schamber, center in gray shirt and tie, with his wife Zina Schamber and the senior command staff of the Los Alamos Police Department during a 2012 County Council meeting at the White Rock Fire Station in which police officials briefed council on the department’s master career plan. From left, former Commander Randy Foster who was recently terminated, Commander Scott Mills who is on leave, and back row from left, Commander Preston Ballew who is on medical leave, Commander Jason Wardlow Herrera and Det. Sgt. Oliver Morris. Police Chief Wayne Torpy, currently on sick Read More
Courts
Municipal Court Closed July 17, 18, 19
COURT News:
The Los Alamos Municipal Court Clerk’s Office will be closed July 17, 18 and 19, for staff to attend training.
Payments due during this period may be mailed to Los Alamos Municipal Court, 2500 Trinity Dr, Ste. C, Los Alamos, NM 87544 or some payments may be paid online at https:////www.citepayusa.com/.
The Court Clerk’s Office will re-open at 8 a.m. Monday, July 22.
Read More
Municipal Court Closed July 17, 18, 19
LAMC News:
The Los Alamos Municipal Court Clerk’s Office will be closed July 17, 18 and 19 for staff to attend training.
Payments due during this period may be mailed to Los Alamos Municipal Court, 2500 Trinity Dr., Ste C, Los Alamos, NM 87544 or some payments may be paid online at https:////www.citepayusa.com/.
The Court Clerk’s Office will re-open at 8 a.m. Monday, July 22. Read More
Couple Killed In Wednesday Crash Had Newborn
Eric Romero and Marissa Martinez. Facebook
Staff Report
Authorities say the couple killed early Wednesday in a crash on N.M. 68 north of Española were the Alcalde parents of a newborn.
Marissa Martinez, 19, gave birth just two weeks ago. She was driving the 2007 Mazda when it crashed into a flatbed. The impact decapitated Martinez and Eric Romero, the 21-year-old father of her baby.
Espanola Public Safety Director Eric Garcia said they died instantly. He said that the preliminary investigation indicates the pair may have been speeding when they struck a van, ricocheted and slammed into a truck Read More
Los Alamos Court Rulings July 1–July 2, 2013
Los Alamos Court Rulings:
July 1, 2013: DAWNA RUSSOM, 23, of Los Alamos was found guilty of aggravated driving under the influence of intoxicating liquor or drugs – 1st offense. Municipal Court Judge Alan Kirk ordered her to pay $750 in fines; $231 in fees; serve 48 hours of community service; install an interlock on her vehicle; serve one year of supervised probation with fees of $40 per month; attend an alcohol use assessment and recommended treatment program; serve 90 days in jail with 85 days suspended as credit for time served and participate in a 30-day drug/alcohol testing program. Read More
Judge Orders Los Alamos Urologist Pavel Mourachov to Leave Town by Monday
Pavel Mourachov
Los Alamos Urologist Pavel Mourachov was arrested and placed in the local jail again Tuesday for an alleged electronic monitoring device violation.
He’s now been ordred by the court to get out of town by Monday.
Mourachov was arrested last month and charged with two counts of aggravated assault against a household member with a deadly weapon, harassment and extreme cruelty to animals. He was released six days later, at which time Magistrate Court Judge Pat Casados ordered him to wear a monitoring bracelet. He was awaiting a July 11
Udall Statement on Supreme Court Decision on Defense of Marriage Act
SUPREME COURT News:Los Alamos Court Rulings May 14–June 4, 2013

Los Alamos Court Rulings:
June 4, 2013: TATYANA KURENNAYA, 60, of Los Alamos was found guilty by Municipal Court Judge Alan Kirk of Aggravated Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicating Liquor or Drugs – 2nd offense. She was fined $999, ordered to pay $231 in fees, perform 48 hours of community service, install an interlock device on her vehicle, serve one year probation with fees of $40 per month, 90 hours at an intensive outpatient treatment program, serve 179 days in jail with 164 days suspended and wear an electronic monitoring device. She also was found guilty of making an improper Read More
Arbitrator Finds in Favor of Los Alamos County in Firefighter Dispute
COUNTY News:
An arbitrator has determined that Los Alamos County acted within its rights in terminating a firefighter who lost his security clearance at Los Alamos National Laboratory.
Edwin Render delivered his opinion recently following a February hearing.
The Los Alamos Firefighters Association, Local 3279 initiated the arbitration under the terms of the association’s collective bargaining agreement with the County after the employee lost his security clearance for failing to comply with a request from LANL staff that he submit a urine sample as part of a random drug screening process. Read More
Help With The Hard Stuff: ‘Smith’s, Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods’
HELP WITH THE HARD STUFF:
This column ends the 10-part Help with the Hard Stuff series on things to consider about yourself and about lawyers in finding a lawyer to help you.
Last week’s column emphasized that all forms of legal services, conventional or innovative, are very human, to me meaning that the practical, on-the-ground reality can be very different from the idealized or theoretical model. That’s okay, as long as we know that and don’t believe and trust that the on-the-ground reality matches exactly (or even Read More