Opinion & Columns

Lindberg: Hikers Destroying Trees In Local Canyons

A young ponderosa tree cut by a hiker who didn’t like the branches brushing against him. Courtesy/Lisa Lindberg

By LISA LINDBERG 
Los Alamos

I was born and raised here and despite some years spent in Las Cruces and a couple in MA, I have lived in Los Alamos nearly all my 61 years. This is my home. Most of my childhood was spent scrambling over canyon rocks, hiking the trails, camping at Camp May and other campsites nearby and playing out in the beautiful surroundings of Los Alamos.

Never once did I consider carving my initials into a rock or into a tree. I was taught to respect nature—the rocks, the wildflowers Read More

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Posts From The Road: Big Timber, Montana 

Big Timber, Mont.: Clouds hover over Big Timber, Mont. in June while we attended the Pleasure Way rally at a campground just south of town. The town is small with a population of about 2,000 and is the county seat of Sweetgrass County. The ranching and western lifestyle are evident throughout Big Timber. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com

Pleasure Way RVs: Pleasure Way camper vans line up along the Boulder River at the campground in Big Timber, Mont. The calm water in the pond creates a reflection of the vans under clear skies at a previous campout. The rally is limited to about 25 vans, which makes Read More

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Fr. Glenn: Rebel!!

By Fr. Glenn Jones:

Hmmm … a couple of weeks ago we were looking at a potential coup d’état in Russia, and this weekend (7/1) we’re witnessing all sorts of uprising and rioting in France—just as we’re coming up to Bastille Day on July 14, no less. Well, it IS summer, after all—the favored time for such things. But, in violation of Newton’s law, such action results in an opposite yet unequal reaction—oppression, violent quelling of riots, sometimes curfews and even martial law, depending upon the humanity and morality of governments involved, as well as the determination and resources of Read More

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All Shall Be Well: Patriotism, Not Nationalism

Clergy from left, Deacon Cynthia Biddlecomb, retired; Pastor Nicolé Ferry, Assistant Rector Lynn Finnegan and Pastor Deb Church. Courtesy photo

By Reverend Lynn Finnegan
The Episcopal Church of the Holy Faith
Santa Fe

In my former life as a practicing lawyer, I would sometimes cringe at lawyer jokes. For sure, many of the jokes make me laugh and I don’t deny a lot of aspects of legal practice are ripe for a little humor. What made me cringe, however, was the stereotype promoted – a “lawyer persona” of greed and dishonesty that, for sure, was justified for more than a few lawyers, but not all. And it Read More

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State Forester McCarthy: Properly Trained Volunteers Are Critical To New Mexico Wildfire Suppression Efforts

By LAURA MCCARTHY 
New Mexico State Forester

May 10, at approximately 4 p.m., a wildfire started near Las Tusas – some of the only green forest left standing after the Hermits Peak/Calf Canyon Fire last year.

Buffeted by winds from the southwest and fueled by timber, brush and grass, the fire traveled quickly through a populated rural community just a dozen miles north of Las Vegas. Approximately 470 structures were threatened, including primary homes, RVs, stables and other outbuildings; lives were at stake. 

As people evacuated their homes, more than 100 volunteer firefighters rushed toward Read More

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State Auditor: Shedding Light On Opioid Settlement Funds … A Path To Transparency And Accountability

By JOSEPH MAESTAS
New Mexico State Auditor

More than a billion dollars from opioid lawsuit settlements are heading to New Mexico coffers, with some monies already hitting state and local government bank accounts. These funds represent a golden opportunity to mitigate the devastating impacts of the opioid epidemic—but making sure the money is spent the way it is intended is critical to ensuring that this opportunity and money aren’t wasted.

Opioids have taken a heavy toll on our State, claiming the lives of hundreds, shattering families and exacting long-term economic and social damage on Read More

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Morales: New Mexico Can Do This Without A Hurricane

Hope Morales with her son Javyn at his graduation. Courtesy/Steve Notz

By HOPE MORALES
Executive Director
Teach Plus New Mexico

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the city of New Orleans coalesced around a new educational system that focused on improved outcomes for students. The system started with vision and commitment.

According to former Louisiana State Superintendent of Education John White, “The state had to be in the game and conversations about schools.”

Louisiana worked with a targeted sense of urgency and did what was right for kids. The state has years of data that prove their Read More

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