Opinion

Letter to the Editor: Phone Scam Warning

By CARL NECKER
Los Alamos

We received a phone call on our home line indicating we had won a significant amount of money. It would take $150 submitted through a wire transfer through Western Union to release the funds to us. An obvious scam! We played along for a little while … “We don’t live near a Western Union” … “Well, go to Walmart or CVS Pharmacy. They do money transfers.” “We don’t live near either of those. And you should know where we live since you called us.”

 
They knew the address but thought it was in Minnesota (MN rather
Read More

Letter to the Editor: Save The Trail Train

Inez Ross hops aboard Southwest Chief. Courtesy photo
 
By INEZ ROSS
Los Alamos

There is a threat, that unless the states of Colorado, Kansas and New Mexico share funding to repair the rails, the route of the Southwest Chief Amtrak train, will be re-routed south, eliminating passenger access for towns between Newton, Kan. and Albuquerque.

Whoa New Mexico! Lamy is the gateway to Santa Fe, and Raton is the Boy and Girl Scouts’ access to the National Scout Camp at Philmont, plus the terminal for the Amtrak bus connecting passengers to Denver and the California Zephyr.

The route of the Chief

Read More

Yang: A Brit Insulted An Asian Woman In Germany

A Brit Insulted An Asian Woman In Germany
By ELENA YANG

My friend and I laughed at it in hindsight, but at that moment of the insult, my Asian friend was outraged. M was an immigrant to the States decades ago. She became a US citizen, married a European immigrant who’s also a US citizen now. But this is really beside the point.

On their recent vacation trip to Europe, one afternoon, a British man suddenly and rudely shattered their otherwise relaxing meal in a bucolic German town. As the sun slanted and many patrons of the café put on their sunglasses, so did M. Immediately, this British man just cursed Read More

Letter to the Editor: Looking at Half of the Sun

By HOLLY CAULDER
Los Alamos
I was astonished to find the Public Regulation Commission’s voting results on the production of solar energy in New Mexico. It’s amazing to know that New Jersey currently creates more solar energy than we do already, but now that 1 kilowatt-hour of solar energy is worth two credits, it cuts our value of solar energy production in half. This vote has just made the state’s Renewable Portfolio Standard of reaching 15 percent by 2015 seem impossible.

Having lived in New Mexico all my life, I’ve had the opportunity to experience what the land means to so many people here. Families

Read More

Letter to the Editor: PRC Should Reconsider Renewable Engergy Rule

RILEY MONTGOMERY
Los Alamos

Should a student receive double the credit for doing the minimum work required? If not, why should utility companies be allowed to?

On Wednesday, Nov. 20, the Public Regulation Commission (PRC) adjusted a rule allowing companies to receive double, and even triple the credit of a “Renewable Energy Certificate” for using renewable energy resources such as solar, biomass, and geothermal energy.

Instead of a 1:1 ratio of one credit per one kilowatt-hour of renewable energy, companies will receive more certificates for using the same amount of renewable energy. As Read More

Letter to the Editor: Thank You Speech and Debate Team Supporters!

By LAHS HILLTALKERS and LAMS HAWKTALKERS

The Los Alamos High School Hilltalkers and the Los Alamos Middle School Hawktalkers would like to extend their heartfelt thanks to everyone who supported our recent local event.

The 51st annual speech and debate tournament was a huge success. More than 250 competitors representing 13 schools from Zuni, Farmington and Albuquerque traveled to compete in the two day event. Special thanks to the Rotary Club of Los Alamos, the Pajarito Masonic Lodge, Los Alamos National Laboratory’s Vecinos Program, the League of Women Voters, the Toastmasters of Los Read More

Letter to the Editor: A Successful CROP Hunger Walk and Turkey Trot Takes Many People

By Lynn Wysocki-Smith and Cynthia Biddlecomb
For the 2013 CROP Hunger Walk & Turkey Trot Committee
 

The CROP Hunger Walk and Turkey Trot is like many events in town – it takes many people to make it a successful event. Our organizational committee includes Cynthia Biddlecomb as publicity chair, Wendee Brunish as treasurer, Jeanne Butler as LA Care representative and deliverer of baked goods to business sponsors, Elisa Enriquez as co-coordinator and committee motivator and t-shirt chair, Ted Williams as race details chair, Lynn Wysocki-Smith as co-coordinator and business sponsor Read More

Letter to the Editor: A Serious Charter Issue Regarding Utilities

A Serious Charter Issue Regarding Utilities
By JOHN C. HOPKINS
Los Alamos

A fundamental question in the Los Alamos charter regarding utilities pertains to the issue of who is in charge in the event that the County Council and the Board of Public Utilities arrive at a policy or management impasse. 

At present the BPU has authority over the County’s Utilities Department while the Council has the legal responsibility for all county operations including utilities and is answerable to the voters. Clearly authority and responsibility should be joined or there is no accountability. There are Read More

Letter to the Editor: Support Hilltopper Basketball Academy

By TARAH LOGAN
Los Alamos

The Hilltopper Basketball Academy (HBA) invites you to contribute through the 2014 LANL United Way Employee Giving Campaign.

HBA is a 501c3 organization that supports the girls and boys Junior Topper, Middle School, High School, and AAU basketball programs. We are asking for your support to provide a unique, small group, core value based learning environment for the youth of Los Alamos. Your donation will help provide equipment, uniforms, and training for boys and girls program participants at all ages.

For more info, please visit our website at www.latoppers.org Read More

Letter to the Editor: News Coverage of Local Crime Should be More Comprehensive

By RICHARD SAUNDERS
Los Alamos
 
The posting of mugshots and names of charged criminals in the Los Alamos Daily Post and Monitor are not inappropriate, but they are incomplete.
 
If there is worry that individuals who are found not guilty are being treated unfairly, then the most reasonable solution is not to remove their name or photograph from the police blotter. Instead, the media should provide a more comprehensive coverage of the legal system. Rather than just posting a docket as what has occurred in court, the media should provide the court dockets ahead of time so that the public
Read More