Los Alamos Police Blotter: April 13 To April 16, 2019
LAPD News:
The following information is provided by the Los Alamos Police Department.
Neither arrests nor charges indicate a conviction, and neither means that a person is guilty of the charges filed against them.
TAYLOR ROSE ORTEGA
April 13 at 3:39 p.m. / Police arrested Taylor Rose Ortega, 18, of Los Alamos near Rose Street and Central Avenue and charged her with careless driving, failure to maintain traffic lane, operating a vehicle under the influence of a drug and driving with an open container of alcohol.
BRIDGID MARTINEZ
April 16 at 12:45 p.m. / Police arrested Brigid Martinez, Read More
County Council Tentatively Approves LAPD Budget
Deputy Chief Jason Wardlow Herrera, left, and Cmdr. Oliver Morris present their department budget Tuesday night during the annual hearing before the County Council. Photo by Kirsten Laskey/ladailypost.com
Staff Report
Los Alamos County Council unanimously voted to tentatively approve the Los Alamos Police Department approximately $8.8 million budget Tuesday night during the budget hearing.
Additionally, council tentatively approved the following budget add-on options:
- $35,224 for overtime pay
- $33,000 for lifecycle purchases
- $231,300 for a expanded consolidated dispatch center
County Council Tentatively Approves CDD Budget
CDD Director Paul Andrus presents his department budget as County Deputy Manager Steve Lynne and Budget and Performance Manager Karen Kendall listen Tuesday evening during the annual budget hearings. Photo by Kirsten Laskey/ladailypost.com
Staff Report
Los Alamos County Council unanimously voted to tentatively approve the Community Development Department’s (CDD) approximately $1.9 million budget during Tuesday night’s budget hearing.
All the suggested budget add-on options also were tentatively approved save for $10,000 for the clean and lien program. Additionally, council Read More
Proposed Jim Billen Trail: Last Week To Comment; Public Hearing Set For April 25
Celebrate Earth Day By Improving Local Trails
Join PEEC and Los Alamos County for a trail workday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, April 20. Volunteers will be planting willows and shrubs in arroyos along the Perimeter Trail. Registration is requested at peecnature.org. Photo by Thomas Graves
PEEC News:
Join the Pajarito Environmental Education Center and Los Alamos County this Saturday, April 20 for a spring trail workday on the Perimeter Trail.
This volunteer project runs 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and participants will focus on planting willows and shrubs in arroyos along a section of the trail. There will be jobs for all ages Read More
County Council Tentatively Approves Its Budget
Los Alamos County Council Chair Sara Scott listens to the discussion on the council’s budget during the annual hearing Monday evening in Council Chambers. Photo by Kirsten Laskey/ladailypost.com
Staff Report
Los Alamos County Council unanimously voted to tentatively approve the council’s $419,546 budget during the Monday night budget hearing.
Council discussed several budget adds-on but they were not included in the tentative approval. They were placed as “parking lot” items and will be discussed later in the hearings as part of funding for Progress through Partnering. Read More
Council Tentatively Approves County Manager Budget
Los Alamos County Manager Harry Burgess during the presentation on his office budget Monday night. Photo by Kirsten Laskey/ladailypost.com
Staff Report
Los Alamos County Council unanimously voted to tentatively approve the approximately $17.8 million budget for the Los Alamos County Manager’s Office Monday night during the budget hearing.
Additionally, they tentatively approved several budget add-ons:
- $744,777 in the general fund and $423,710 from various funds outside the general fund for the County employee salary plan maintenance
- $542,000 for economic development programs
Council Tentatively Approves Assessors Office Budget
Los Alamos County Chief Deputy Asesssor Joaquin Valdez, left, and Assessor Ken Milder discuss their budget as County Deputy Manager Steve Lynne and Budget and Performance Manager Karen Kendall listen Monday evening during the annual budget hearings. Photo by Kirsten Laskey/ladailypost.com
Staff Report
Los Alamos County Council voted unanimously to tentatively approve the budget for the County Assessor’s Office Monday night during the budget hearing.
They also tentatively approved the $57, 669 budget ad-on to double fill the Chief Deputy Assessor position. Chief Deputy Assessor Joaquin Read More
Council Tentatively Approves Attorney’s Office Budget
Assistant County Attorney Katie Thwaits presents her department budget Monday night. Photo by Kirsten Laskey/ladailypost.com
Staff Report
Los Alamos County Council unanimously voted to tentatively approve the $726,699 budget for the Los Alamos County Attorney’s Office Monday night during the budget hearing.
Assistant County Attorney Katie Thwaits presented a few highlights of the attorneys office budget:
- Budget supports delivering the highest quality legal services in an efficient and economical manner.
- The staff of the County Attorney’s Office is dedicated to providing
Council Tentatively Okays Sheriff Office Budget
Sheriff Joe Granville presents his budget Monday night as County Deputy Manager Steve Lynne and Budget and Performance Manager Karen Kendall listen Monday evening during the annual budget hearings. Photo by Kirsten Laskey/ladailypost.com
Staff Report
Los Alamos County Council unanimously voted to tentatively approve the Sheriff Department $15,510 budget Monday night during the budget hearing.
Sheriff Joe Granville highlighted some of his department’s budget items:
- The Sheriff’s Office primary function is to maintain the sex offender registry in Los Alamos County and to ensure all
Council Tentatively Approves Municipal Court Budget
Municipal Court Judge Elizabeth Allen, left, and Court Administrator Juanita McNiel present the Municipal Court Judge’s budget Monday night. Photo by Kirsten Laskey/ladailypost.com
Staff Report
Los Alamos County Council unanimously voted to tentatively approve the $589,322 budget for the Municipal Court during the budget hearing Monday night.
Municipal Judge Elizabeth Allen highlighted the following items in her presentation:
- Maintain a flat budget from previous years –but transition the community service coordinator from an independent contractor to a .50 FTE in order
Council Tentatively Approves LAFD Budget
Fire Chief Troy Hughes, center, presents his department budget along with Senior Management Analyst Norma Jean Valdez and Management Analyst Xavier Anderson. County Deputy Manager Steve Lynne and Budget and Performance Manager Karen Kendall listen Monday evening at left, during the annual budget hearings. Photo by Kirsten Laskey/ladailypost.com
Staff Report
Los Alamos County Council unanimously voted to tentatively approve the approximately $32.7 million budget for the Los Alamos Fire Department during the Monday night budget hearing.
The tentative budget approval includes Read More
Inaugural Flag Raised On New Pole At Ashley Pond
Los Alamos County installed a flagpole next to the pavilion at Ashley Pond Park and Ed McDaris, left, with Jim Nesmith, was selected to raise the inaugural flag Monday afternoon during a special ceremony. The American Legion Post 90 and the VFW Post 8874 encouraged the County to erect the flagpole, which includes solar panels to illuminate the flag at night. Photo by John McHale/ladailypost.com
American Legion Post 90 and VFW Post 8874 members Ed McDaris, right, and Jim Nesmith prepare the flag for its inaugural raising. Photo by John McHale/ladailypost.com
Ed McDaris raises the first flag Read More
Council Tentatively Approves Probate Judge Budget
COUNTY News:
Los Alamos County Council unanimously voted to tentatively approve the $5,906 budget for the Probate Court Monday evening during the first night of the annual budget hearings in Council Chambers.
County Clerk Naomi Maestas and Deputy Clerk Adriana Ortiz presented the Probate Court budget.
Highlights include:
- Probate Court handled 41 probate cases in FY2018 and 22 docketed probate cases to date in FY2019.
- In February 2018, the Probate Judge attended the annual Judicial Education Center Professional Development Conference for New Mexico Probate Court Judges and Staff.
- Probate
Council Tentatively Approves Clerk’s Office Budget
County Clerk Naomi Maestas, left, and Deputy Chief Clerk Adriana Ortiz discuss the Clerk’s Office budget as County Deputy Manager Steve Lynne and Budget and Performance Manager Karen Kendall listen Monday evening during the annual budget hearings. Photo by Kirsten Laskey/ladailypost.com
Staff Report
Los Alamos County Council voted 5-2 to tentatively approve the $639,447 budget for the County Clerk’s office Monday evening during the annual budget hearing.
Additionally, Council tentatively approved a $10,000 budget add-on for filing cabinets for the office. Councilors David Read More
ACT Joins National Get On Board Day April 25
Atomic City Transit Bus. Courtesy photo
COUNTY News:
Atomic City Transit (ACT) announced today that it will join with other public transportation systems nationwide Thursday, April 25 to participate in National Get On Board Day.
Sponsored by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), the 2019 National Get On Board Day is a day that encourages people to support public transportation and showcases the benefits it brings to communities.
Each weekday in the U.S., 34 million people board public transportation.
Additionally, public transportation is a cornerstone Read More
Community Bids Farewell To Cpl. David Boe
Cpl. David Boe during an interview Thursday at the Los Alamos Daily Post spoke about his local police service and how much he will miss the community and he prepares to move to Cailfornia. Photo by Carol A. Clark
‘It’s been the best job I’ve ever had … by a long shot…’ –Cpl. David Boe
Cpl. David Boe wraps up his nearly eight-year service today with the Los Alamos Police Department.
“It’s been the best job I’ve ever had … by a long shot,” Cpl. David Boe told the Los Alamos Daily Post. “This is a bittersweet day. It’s sad because I’m not Read More
Cone Zone: Week Of April 15
COUNTY News:
Public Works/Traffic Division projects:
Pothole Patching on Diamond Drive at Trinity/Canyon/Diamond intersections
Weather permitting, Traffic and Streets Division crews will continue to patch potholes Monday and Tuesday on Diamond Drive. Work will focus on the Diamond Drive southbound lane between Trinity Drive and Canyon Road (in front of the Lemon Lot) during non-peak commuter hours. Because of the confined roadway, work will require temporary turning lane closures using flagging operations to provide safe passage and turning movements through these intersections. Read More
County Council Approves New Water Rates
Los Alamos Department of Public Utilities (DPU) customer water rates are going up 6.25 percent in the next billing cycle.
Council adopted the new rates at its April 2 meeting in a vote of 6-1. Councilor Antonio Maggiore opposed the increase.
While the rate increase was approved; Council asked DPU administrators to address the recent rash of utility billing inaccuracies Read More
County: Discoveries Action Team Meets April 18
COUNTY News:
The next monthly meeting of the Discoveries Action Team (DAT) will take place 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Thursday, April 18 in the Pajarito Room of Fuller Lodge.
The team has changed the format for its meetings for 2019.
This month, the meeting will focus upon updates from the champions about various projects in progress within the Place-Making and Place-Marketing subgroups. New members interested in joining the team are invited to come to the meeting. Participants are asked to bring their own lunch.
Some of the projects in progress are:
- Marketing a Discovery Trail for Los Alamos that