Thursday December 15, 2011
Construction of a new storm drain will close a portion of NM 501 (West Jemez Road) for about 10 days beginning December 22. The majority of the work is scheduled to be done while Los Alamos National Laboratory is closed for the holidays, which should minimize traffic disruptions. But motorists traveling west on NM 501 will have to take an alternate route of travel to get to the Jemez Mountains, including NM 4 through White Rock and past Bandelier National Monument.
The work area is west of Camp May Road so traffic to Pajarito Ski Area shouldn't be affected, said Mark D. Gonzales of LANL's Manager of Functions Division, adding that this stretch of NM 501 also will be closed to bicyclists, runners and other pedestrians.
The new storm drain off NM 501 in the Water Canyon area replaces a smaller culvert that was destroyed during a heavy rainstorm in August after the Las Conchas Fire. Workers will remove the existing culvert before installing the new structure that is designed to accommodate larger amounts of storm water flow, said Gonzales.
During the construction period, signs and other traffic control devices will be in place to alert motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians to the work. Weather permitting, work is scheduled to be completed by January 2, 2012. The Laboratory's annual winter closure begins at the end of the work day December 23 through January 2, reopening on Tuesday, January 3, 2012.
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Wednesday December 14, 2011
The state Game Commission will vote Thursday on removing bag limits on northern pike in Eagle Nest Lake to prevent the aggressive predator fish from decimating popular rainbow trout.
New Mexico Department of Game and Fish fisheries managers are asking the commission to let anglers catch all the pike they want, as long as they don't dump any of the fish back in the lake.
Public comment has strongly supported letting anglers keep the pike population in check. At two public hearings and in written public comments 99 percent of people have been in favor of the proposed changes
Pike can grow to more than 2 1/2 feet long and weigh up to 40 pounds. The fish live up to 30 years. One large female pike can produce 200,000 eggs in one spring. Even if only 1 percent survive, she'll have 2,000 offspring reach adulthood,
Northern pike were illegally put in the lake within the last four years. The first pike reported by an angler at Eagle Nest Lake was October 2010. Last spring, a fisheries survey conducted with gill nets and electrofishing collected several 3-year-old pike from the lake. The survey in 2008 yielded no pike
### Tuesday December 13, 2011
The Los Alamos School Board hosted a strategic planning retreat onSaturday, December 10, 2011. Almost forty community, business, LANL,
parents, and school staff participated in the four hour retreat. School Board President Melanie McKinley welcomed the gathering by inviting the assembly to help map a path to make our school system even better. Specifically, she asked if those in attendance thought the efforts of
the school were aligned with our identity. "Who are we?" she asked. "What do we want to become?" and "What do we want others to say about
our school system?" were follow up questions posed by Ms. McKinley.
School District Superintendent Gene Schmidt provided a short recap of the work that had been completed over the past six months of the
strategic planning process. Five thrust teams, including Student Achievement, Effective Teachers, aligned Resources and Support Systems,
Community Partnerships, and Systems for Continuous Improvement highlighted some of their preliminary goals as well as what
conversations were still ongoing. All thrust teams are currently seeking input from staff and community and welcome additional members to their teams. The strategic planning retreat included a series of table top, break-out sessions. Strategic plan participants provided feedback on the work of the thrust teams as well as offered new directions to explore. A School Board panel concluded the morning agenda. Board members shared their thoughts on the direction of the strategic plan by asking the question,
"Are we on track?" We will hear more about the results of this retreat in the near future.
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Monday December 12, 2011
Here is an update on the golf course community building Project:
The Council was scheduled to consider the award of construction contract for the Golf Course Community Building on December 6th. However, the bid (IFB2021-14) was cancelled on November 23, 2011. The project Manager, Bryan Aragon, anticipates that the County will issue a new invitation for bid (IFB) in approximately two months. The new IFB is being issued to reflect key elements that have changed since the time of the original solicitation or that were omitted form the original solicitation. Once the bid is published, it will include a new bid closure date. After that, the projected dates for the CIP Evaluation and Oversight Committee and the the Council to consider the construction contract will be reset and announced to the public.
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Friday December 9, 2011
When conditions are favorable, fire managers will continue prescribed pile burning on the Santa Fe Watershed as early as Monday, December 12.
There are 100 acres of slash piles with an objective of up to 40 acres per day. It is possible conditions may relegate crews to 10 to 20 acres per day periodically throughout the winter. A low volume of smoke is expected, but still may be visible to residents in the immediate area of Santa Fe. District fire managers are closely monitoring weather forecasts and fuels conditions to ensure that burn operations and objectives will be met while minimizing the impacts of smoke on populated areas.
Slash piles consist of the branches and debris from forest thinning projects. Slash piles are typically burned during winter when snow is on the ground to keep fire from spreading to surrounding vegetation. Prescribed fire is the managed application of fire to wildland fuels, also known as woody material, under specified conditions within predetermined boundaries in an effort to reduce hazardous fuels, provide community protection, and restore forest health.
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Thursday December 8, 2011
The New Mexico Department of Transportation spokesman says a right-of-way deal is being finalized with Pojoaque Pueblo that should clear the way for a new overpass on U.S. 84-285 near Arroyo Seco.
A $58 million project, paid for with state and federal funds, including federal stimulus money, added two-way frontage roads on either side of the improved main four lanes for about five miles.
But the south end of the project was left incomplete with the new frontage roads merging with the main lanes in what are known as slip lanes, causing some motorists to make U-turns from the main southbound lanes onto the frontage road on the west side of U.S. 84-285.
On Wednesday, DOT spokesman Phil Gallegos said the negotiations with Pojoaque Pueblo are nearing completion, although the amount to be paid to the tribe won't be made public until the deal is finalized.
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Wednesday December 7, 2011
The Director of the New Mexico Film Office announced today that Warner Horizon Television and Turner Network Television, will be filming a pilot
episode of a western drama series in New Mexico. The Tin Star, will be shooting in Galisteo, La Cienega and at Valle Caldera. It began production in late October and will run through the beginning of November. The production will employ at least 130 New Mexico crew members and more than 350 principal and background talent.
The Tin Star will feature many well known actors and a few of the producers of the series are residents of New Mexico .
The Tin Star is a western series set in the 1880’s and tells the story of three brothers who step in
to save the town of Gateway when the sheriff, who is also their father is murdered. There will be several road closures in santa fe county due to filming until November 14th. Residents may experience minor delays on County roadways, in particular around the Galisteo area. In addition to the filming around the County, the Rail Trail near the Lamy area will be temporarily closed to the public for short periods of time on Monday, November 14 as part of this production.
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Tuesday December 6, 2011
Twenty-five nurses and one friend of nursing received awards during the 2011 New Mexico Center for Nursing Excellence ceremony in October at the Hyatt Tamaya Resort in Albuquerque.
Nancy Ridenour, dean and professor of the University of New Mexico College of Nursing, received the top honor: New Mexico Distinguished Nurse of the Year. Ridenour has been in nursing for 37 years and has worked as dean and professor at the UNM College of Nursing for nearly three years.
Jesse White, a staff nurse, at the Los Alamos Medical Center, Los Alamos received the Nightingale award.
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Monday December 5, 2011
A former employee of Jemez Physical Therapy in Los Alamos who stole over $160,000 to support her gambling addiction pleaded guilty to two counts each of embezzlement and tax evasion.
Rebecca Serrano, also known as Becky Serrano, 46, of Espanola, was ordered to pay nearly $165,000 in restitution and back taxes by State District Judge Michael Vigil on Monday. Judge Vigil placed her on five years’ probation and ordered her to stay away from casinos or gambling establishments, and seek counseling for gambling addiction.
In March, a Santa Fe grand jury indicted Serrano on four counts of embezzlement and four counts of tax evasion for stealing over $160,000 from Jemez Physical Therapy while she worked there from 2005 through 2008.
Serrano embezzled funds utilizing fraudulent check schemes through the company bank accounts. She issued herself unauthorized employee advances and created checks to be issued to health insurance companies and other valid vendors which were all converted to Serrano’s benefit upon deposit into her bank account..
The Taxation and Revenue Department’s Tax Fraud Investigations Division assisted the Los Alamos Police Department in unraveling Serrano’s financial scheme.
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Friday December 2, 2011
Laboratory Director Charlie McMillan announced the selection of Bret Knapp as the new principal associate director for
Weapons Programs. Knapp has been acting in that position since June 2011 when McMillan left the post to become Laboratory
director.
As the head of LANL’s Weapons Programs, Knapp is responsible for the leadership, development, and execution of the
Laboratory’s primary mission: ensuring the safety, security, and effectiveness of the U.S. nuclear arsenal. The programs have a
$1.5 billion annual budget that is split between two directorates with a workforce of more than 1,400.
Prior to serving as acting leader of the Weapons principal associate directorate, Knapp was associate director for Weapons
at LANL. In that capacity he had responsibility for a variety of functions and programs, including weapon systems engineering,
weapons experiments, computational physics, theoretical design, and advanced scientific computing.
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Thursday December 1, 2011
Governor Susana Martinez announced that her administration has significantly reduced cell phone, BlackBerry, and air card use, resulting in over $320,000 in projected savings over calendar year 2011. The administration has reduced the number of wireless devices in agencies and departments throughout state government by a net total of 500 from December 2010 to September 2011. These administration-wide reductions, along with a more efficient approach to pooling wireless plans, are projected to total over $320,000 in savings by the end of 2011.
The announcement of reduced cell phone use comes one week after the Martinez administration announced over $800,000 in savings due to lease re-negotiation and consolidation of state government office facilities. The number of state government vehicles has also been significantly reduced, with the state cutting its fleet by 253 since January, including a 56% reduction in take-home vehicles at the Department of Transportation. The moratorium that Governor Martinez placed on new vehicle purchases, with the exception of law enforcement vehicles, remains in place.
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Wednesday November 30, 2011
Last night the County consultant Strategic Advisory Group representatives presented the results of the market feasibility study to determine whether there is demand for a new conference center and hotel proposed by developer Trident, LLC. There were less than 20 people in attendance to hear the powerpoint presentation of their conclusions. Hotel Owners Ron Selvage and Roger Waterman were there. The presentation included: A community overview which found we have a relatively small population base, lack of economic diversity with LANL being the primary employer and flat tourism visitation numbers. This means there are few reasons to need more hotels. The main concern was would it affect current hotels? It was determined that there would need to be 26,000 more room rentals after the addition of Hilton Garden Inn to keep the current rate of occupancy which is around 55%. After extensive questioning a variety of groups the SAG consultants could only find 13,900 potential new room rentals. They advised that proposed Hilton Garden Inn and conference center would place the existing local hotels at great risk. Given Los Alamos’ current and historical hotel market performance, finding financing would be difficult. The Strategic Advisory Group recommended that the county not pursue the development of a project that adds materially new hotel supply to the market. An option was suggested to renovate or rebuild one of the existing hotels and develop a new conference center in conjunction with this hotel and put it within the downtown core.
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Tuesday November 29, 2011
Secretary of Energy Steven Chu announced today that Los Alamos National Laboratory scientists Mark Chadwick and David Chavez are winners of 2011 Ernest Orlando Lawrence Awards.
The award recognizes their outstanding contributions in research and development supporting the Department of Energy and its missions. . Winners in each category will receive a gold medal, a citation, and $20,000.
Mark Chadwick, X-CP Division leader, is honored in theNational Security and Nonproliferation category for innovative scientific contributions to advance understanding of fission and other key nuclear reactions resulting in the resolution of a longstanding problem in national security. His research work has established metrics for validating nuclear weapons simulations. He has 250 publications and 2,900 citations. In 2009 he was elected Fellow of the American Physical Society.
David Chavez, WX-7 division, is honored in the Atomic, Molecular, and Chemical Sciences category for his discovery of new chemical molecular materials important to national security missions.. He has published more than 40 papers in the areas of organic chemistry and energetic materials synthesis, and has more than 600 citations. He holds 8 patents in energetic materials and pyrotechnics.
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Monday, November 28, 2011
The LANL Corrective Actions Program received 83 certificates of completion from the New Mexico Environment Department for remediating environmental sites on current and former Lab property during fiscal year 2011. A certificate of completion means that no further remedial action is needed.
The sites included former landfills, underground holding tanks, a septic system, and a 1940s-era facility that laundered radiologically-contaminated clothing.The sites are located at Technical Area 21 and the Middle Mortandad Canyon and Bayo Canyon areas. Many of the Lab facilities that used to stand on the properties were built in the 1940s.
To earn the certificates of completion, CAP conducted extensive investigation and remediation activities. The work is part of the Consent Order, a 2005 agreement between the Department of Energy, LANL, and the state of New Mexico.
Of more than 2,100 LANL environmental sites in existence in 2005, about 1,100 remain, ranging in size from a small, suspected fuel spill to multi-acre landfills.
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Thursday, November 24, 2011 - Thanksgiving
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Wednesday, November 23, 2011
New Mexico-based banks reported $73 million in profits in the third quarter.
Of that total, $70 million was earned by banks with more than $100 million in assets, according to statistics released Tuesday by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.
New Mexico’s 50 FDIC-insured banks reported assets of $15.1 billion and deposits of $12.2 billion. Sixty-two percent of the state’s banks reported earnings gains for the quarter, while 12 percent reported losses, the FDIC said.
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Tuesday, November 22, 2011
A 3.4 magnitude (USGS) earthquake occurred early this morning about 28 miles WNW of Raton, NM. This earthquake is the first since the 5.3 magnitude quake that hit the area on August 22, and is very likely a part of a swarm of earthquakes that started in August 2001 and produced numerous felt events in the region. New Mexico Tech reports that the probability of future events in this region is highly likely, given the duration and intensity of this decade-long earthquake swarm.
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Monday, November 21, 2011
Governor Susana Martinez announced today that the New Mexico Public Education Department (PED) will receive $460,000 from the Daniels Fund to help the state’s 40 lowest-performing schools. The funds will be used to pair leaders in these schools with those from the top 40 performing schools in a mentorship program. The idea is to share the practices from successful schools with those that are struggling. The innovative program will also provide a stipend of up to $3,000 for each participating school leader. The grant will also allow New Mexico to develop a website of best practices for students. Principals,teachers and administrators across the state will be able to share and use programs that are producing results in the classroom. The grant, which will be payable over two years, is funded by the Daniels Fund. Bill Daniels established the Daniels Fund to provide grants and scholarships in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming.
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Saturday November 19, 2011
The National Nuclear Security Administration has arranged for the Remote Sensing Laboratory/National Aerial Measuring Systemof Las Vegas, Nv., to provide a high-fidelity aerial survey of the Los Alamos Town Site on Monday, November 21st.
The survey, conducted via helicopter, is to ensure that any and all legacy radiological contamination sites have been identified and effectively cleaned up. Residents may see the helicopter make several passes at about 300 feet above ground over and near the Los Alamos town site to measure for background radiation.
Information from the survey will be made publically available as part of the developing 50-year Environmental Stewardship and Action Plan website, which will accessible later this year.
The Remote Sensing Laboratory performed the same survey over Los Alamos National Laboratory in August. The silver and blue Bell 412 helicopter is equipped with sodium iodide detectors designed to sense gamma emitters including cesium and americium.
Shortly following the survey, the RSL will provide NNSA’s Los Alamos Site Office with preliminary results. If any area has readings above background levels, LASO will immediately have the area evaluated and addressed as appropriate
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Friday November 18, 2011
Admiral James A. Winnefield, the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff visited Los Alamos National Laboratory today. Winnefield is a four star Navy Admiral, and as Vice Chairman is the second highest-ranking U.S. military officer.
Winnefield was at Los Alamos to receive a wide variety of classified briefings that covered the broad spectrum of national security science at Los Alamos. The Vice Chairman was briefed by the Laboratory’s senior leadership including director Charlie McMillan, and Principal Associate Directors Bret Knapp and Terry Wallace. The briefings included details of the Laboratory’s Nuclear Weapons Program and Global Security portfolio.
In addition to the briefings, Winnefield was given a tour of the Laboratory’s plutonium facility at Technical Area 55.
As Commander of Carrier Strike Group Two/Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group, he led Task Forces support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and maritime interception operations in the Arabian Gulf. He also served as commander, United States 6th Fleet; commander NATO Allied Joint Command, Lisbon; and, commander, Striking and Support Forces NATO. He also served as the commander of North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM).
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Thursday November 17, 2011
Los Alamos is No. 1 in New Mexico in On Numbers' new rankings of the smartest places with populations between 10,000 and 49,999.
The home to Los Alamos National Laboratories came in at No. 48 among 3,012 communities nationally in the category. Almost 38 percent of its residents have earned a graduate and/or professional degree.
Nationally, Stanford, Calif., is No. 1. Stanford -- the community, not the university -- is a census designated place (CDP) with 13,700 residents. CDPs are unincorporated communities that have the characteristics of cities, as determined by the U.S. Census Bureau.
Fully 90.7 percent of Stanford's adults (25 or older) hold bachelor's degrees, compared to the national average of 27.5 percent. Nearly two-thirds of those same Stanford residents have also gone on to earn graduate or professional degrees.
White Rock, N.M., has the most brainpower among small communities, according to On Numbers Nov. 14 report.
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Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Dane R. Spearing, deputy group leader of the Laboratory's Nuclear Materials Science is among the American Ceramic Society’s (ACS) 2011 Class of Fellows. The Society’s Panel of Fellows selected the 20 new Fellows, which includes members from around the globe, based on outstanding contributions in scholarship, industry, or service to the Society.
Spearing’s research on long-term storage of plutonium compounds in ceramic and nonceramic packages resulted in a revised Department of Energy storage standard and a LANL Distinguished Performance Award. He developed a novel method for the bulk synthesis of plutonium-bearing zircon for the encapsulation of transuranic wastes..
Spearing joined LANL in 1997 after graduating from Stanford University with a doctorate in geology and a minor in materials science. He was a team leader in LANL's Nuclear Materials Technology and Plutonium Manufacturing and Technology divisions for eight years. In 2010, he became the deputy group leader for Nuclear Materials Science.
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Four Western diamondback rattlesnakes from Albuquerque's zoo are helping with the first clinical trials of venom as a cancer treatment in humans.
Officials say the snakes have been sent to the Kentucky Reptile Zoo, one of four premier venom laboratories in the United States. The snakes' venom will be extracted and sent to France, where the clinical studies are under way.
Snake venom contains hundreds of proteins that affect the human body in various ways.
The proteins can be devastating when combined. In isolation, these proteins can be used to treat health issues from strokes and heart attacks to Alzheimer's disease and cancer.
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Friday November 11, 2011
According to the Los Alamos Monitor, Los Alamos Police located the body of missing Los Alamos resident Pat Turner at 10 a.m. Thursday along Mitchell Trail.
Turner, 55, had been the subject of an intensive search by local police and New Mexico and Los Alamos Search and Rescue personnel for several days.
Turner went missing about noon Friday, according to friends and family, who on Monday asked for police assistance in finding Turner.
On Wednesday, New Mexico State Police joined the search by helicopter, but were unable to locate the father of three who is a longtime Los Alamos resident and an employee at Los Alamos National Laboratory.
Police Capt. Randy Foster was a member of the search party. The cause of death is under investigation.
Officials concentrated their search along Mitchell Trail, Foster said, because that was an area Turner frequented, coupled with the fact that his vehicles as well as his wallet remained at his Alabama Street home. Turner is survived by his wife, Sandy Turner, one son and two daughters .
Thursday November 10, 2011
Research by Los Alamos scientists published in the journal Nature documents significant progress in understanding the phenomenon of quantum-dot blinking. Their findings should enhance the ability of biologists to track single particles, enable technologists to create novel light-emitting diodes and single-photon sources, and boost efforts of energy researchers to develop new types of highly efficient solar cells.
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Wednesday November 9, 2011
Los Alamos resident Pat Turner has been missing since Friday. New Mexico and Los Alamos Search and Rescue are looking for him in the Mitchell Trail area. Anyone with information about Turner is urged to call the Los Alamos Police Department at 662-8222
New Mexico and Los Alamos Search and Rescue personnel and Los Alamos police launched a search Monday afternoon around Mitchell Trail for Los Alamos resident Pat Turner. Turner, 57, works at Los Alamos National Laboratory. Family and friends told police they have not seen or heard from Turner since noon Friday. Turner’s wallet and vehicles were left at his Alabama Street home. Capt. Randy Foster said this morning that up to 35 S&R personnel, police officers and some rescue dogs have been participating in the search.
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Tuesday November 8, 2011
LANL researchers are developing a system to make ultra-low field MRI commercially viable for medical applications. The team focused on using an atomic magne-tometer (a tiny but sensitive low-power magnetic sensor) in ultra-low field MRI. Using this method, the researchers reduced the time needed to take an MRI image. They obtained quality images of a hand after it was in the machine for only five minutes. Conventional commercial MRIs require that the body part being scanned remain immobilized in the machine for substantial periods of time while data for an image is collected. In addition, the new system achieves high sensitivity and good-quality imaging without a shielded room or any large-size structure. This makes the system cost-effective, convenient, compact, and portable.
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Monday, November 7, 2011
Here is our weekly update about the west road/ice rink parking lot rehabilitation. DOE has made good progress last week installing the gabion baskets in the channel in front of the Rink. This structure will serve as a retaining wall between the roadway and the channel. It will prevent water from eroding the roadway slope. They should finish the bottom layer of baskets no later than Monday. It is their goal to have the top layer in place by the end of next week. Pavement crews have completed the placement of the culvert, and have built a concrete headwall on the pipe at the inlet. They will strip the forms and complete backfill of the headwall on Monday. Taking into consideration next week's weather forecast, Paving hopes to pave the entrance on Wednesday. The County will meet with DOE officials mid-week to discuss the balance of work to be completed and see if the original schedule to re-open by December 1 is still accurate
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Saturday, November 5, 2011
A former employee of Jemez Physical Therapy in Los Alamos who stole over $160,000 to support her gambling addiction pleaded guilty to two counts each of embezzlement and tax evasion.
Rebecca Serrano, also known as Becky Serrano, 46, of Espanola, was ordered to pay nearly $165,000 in restitution and back taxes by State District Judge Michael Vigil on Monday. Judge Vigil placed her on five years’ probation and ordered her to stay away from casinos or gambling establishments, and seek counseling for gambling addiction.
In March, a Santa Fe grand jury indicted Serrano on four counts of embezzlement and four counts of tax evasion for stealing over $160,000 from Jemez Physical Therapy while she worked there from 2005 through 2008.
Serrano embezzled funds utilizing fraudulent check schemes through the company bank accounts. She issued herself unauthorized employee advances and created checks to be issued to health insurance companies and other valid vendors which were all converted to Serrano’s benefit upon deposit into her bank account..
The Taxation and Revenue Department’s Tax Fraud Investigations Division assisted the Los Alamos Police Department in unraveling Serrano’s financial scheme.
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Friday, November 4, 2011
Los Alamos has been tapped number one among the places "Where Millionaires Live in America."
The November edition of Kiplinger ranked Los Alamos the top millionaire town based on a recent report by Phoenix Marketing International, a company that follows wealthy households in the U.S.
According to the report's findings, there are 885 millionaire households among the Atomic City's 18,000 or so residents. That gives Los Alamos, home to Los Alamos National Laboratory, an 11.7 percent concentration of millionaires.
Los Alamos beat out Naples, Fla., and Bridgeport, Conn., which were ranked two and three respectively.
The report says nearly 130 Los Alamos households had at least $5 million in investable assets.
Kiplinger's website said the research keyed in on households with liquid, investable assets of $1 million or more, excluding real estate, retirement plans and business partnerships.
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Thursday , November 3, 2011
The fire season this coming spring has fire officials from all levels of government so concerned, they are starting preparation now, nearly two months ahead of schedule.
The 2011 fire season was unlike any other in New Mexico's recorded history.
"Fire officials are concerned that it looks like it's playing out to be the same scenario that we saw in 2011, and now there's a possibility that we could see fire season arrive earlier.. These fire experts are sharing knowledge and strategies to minimize property damage in the coming spring.
For instance, what experts learned from the Los Conchas fire was that the threat to homes or businesses wasn't so much from the fire line but from hot embers that could travel in the air more than three miles. Park rangers say many do not clear their homes from fire danger, which threatens their neighbors who do. If people need help assessing fire danger near their home- they can ask the bureau of land management to send a person that will give them tips on what needs to be done.
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Wednesday, November 2, 2011
A National Institutes of Health grant of more than 4 million dollars to Los Alamos National Laboratory Bioscience Division could help unravel the gnarly secrets of how many human genes function.
Originally discovered in the Human Genome Project, the approximately 20,000 genes of the human body have been slow to reveal their exact roles. one of the best tools for exposing a gene’s function is to take the protein it produces and generate specific antibodies
Researchers led by Andrew Bradbury aim to develop an automated pipeline to generate antibodies against human gene products.
This project will leverage much of the technology that has been developed over the years at LANL, including flow cytometry, antibody libraries and fluorescent protein technology, and has the potential to create a set of tools applicable to many different problems beyond National Institute of Health, including the U.S. Department of Energy and Department of Defense.
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Tuesday November 1, 2011
U.S. Senators Jeff Bingaman and Senator Tom Udall have met with the Postmaster General regarding the possible closure of 54 Post Offices in New Mexico. Nationwide there has been review of 3,700 post offices, and possibilities of closures. The closures are part of a down sizing plan as the U.S. Postal Service works to salvage their declining business. U.S. Senators Jeff Bingaman and Tom Udall wrote a letter to the postmaster general, requesting a meeting to discuss plans for postal operations. The two senators expressed a fear that these closures would negatively affect the quality of mail service customers receive. The factors included: how much revenue they generate, how many transactions they deal with on a daily basis, and the proximity to the nearest postal facility.The senators wrote the vast majority of New Mexico post offices under consideration for closure serve rural areas without convenient alternatives.
Monday October 31, 2011
Here is an update on the West road and ice rink project.
Due to the threat of bad weather Last week, DOE has not made as much progress in their channel work as they had hoped. They have started placing some of the crushed material furnished by the County along the shoulder of the road. The DOE Supervisor has relayed to County staff that when the weather clears, they will resume work in the channel.
The new culvert was scheduled to be delivered by Oct. 27, but the supplier notified the County that it would be November 2 before it will arrive. As soon as it is delivered, Public Works and Paving crews will start the installation, which should take a couple of days.
Recreation Staff for the Ice Rink were able to begin their clean up and preparations at the rink this week. Work will continue next week. While the estimated completion date is still Dec. 1, the goal remains to work through the rehabilitation issues in the canyon just as quickly as possible and be prepared to open the rink upon completion of these items.
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Friday October 28, 2011
The Wildlife center took care of a record number of bears this summer due to wildfires and drought and built a new bear enclosure. Sandia Mountain BearWatch came up with $10,000 of the $13,000 needed for the enclosure. The bear watch team fed bears up to 200 pounds of dog food a day to fatten the bears up. Many people contributed to the “dog food” drive and they have enough to get through winter, over $20,000 worth of dog food. A herculean effort was made by Pet Pangaea in Los Alamos to supply dog food. Whole Foods and Sunflower Market have made sure the bear diet is balanced with fruit and vegetables.
The Wildlife Center in Espanola has 27 bears in residence today. They will release r another 15 throughout the fall. The released bears are all approximately 20 months old, and have gained anywhere from 50 to 120 pounds while rehabilitating at the Center. The remaining 12 bears are cubs born this year, and will need to remain at the Center until the spring.
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Thursday, October 27, 2011
Starting yesterday, the contractor for the Los Alamos County Municipal Building Complex began cutting the pavement on 15th Street between Deacon Street and the south Metzger’s driveway in preparation for the installation of a utility vault; expect lane closures and possible flagging operations. Saw cutting should be completed in one day and the work zone will be removed by Friday, October 28th. No work will occur on 15th Street over the weekend in deference to the “Halloweekend” and “Trick or Treat on Main Street” events.
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Wednesday, October 26, 2011
The Gallina Rx Pile Burn, on Coyote Ranger District will be going on approximately 1 mile south of Gallina. Today and through this week fire managers plan to treat 50-acres of slash piles per day, up to 300 acres, if conditions are favorable. Smoke will likely be visible from Regina, Coyote, and Lindrith.
Santa Barbara Prescribed Burn
Fire managers on the Camino Real Ranger District of the Carson National Forest have begun ignition of the Santa Barbara Prescribed Burn. The 515-acre project is located 5 miles east of the community of Penasco, and east of Highway 73 on Forest Road 1877. Ignition will continue throughout the week until completion of the project. Smoke will be visible from Penasco, El Valle, Chamisal, Las Mochas and Sipapu. You could see this one yesterday from Los Alamos, looking north east off the end of the mesas.
Yesterday at 1:30 we finished tuning our antenna. We are now broadcasting at our licensed strength of 1000 watts from our new antenna on North Mesa. It has been over 11 years since KRSN AM 1490 has been broadcasted at full strength. Thank you everyone for your support. You can now hear Los Alamos’s radio station everywhere!
Tuesday October 25, 2011
Fire managers on the Camino Real Ranger District of the Carson National Forest began ignition of the Santa Barbara Prescribed Burn on Monday, October 24 contingent on weather conditions and available resources. The 515-acre project is located 5 miles east of the community of Penasco, and east of Highway 73 on Forest Road 1877. Ignition will continue throughout the week until completion of the project.
And here’s another prescribed burn.
Fire managers have started slash and pile burning within the Gallinas WUI area located one mile south of the Gallina, New Mexico community off State Highway 96.
Slash piles consist of the branches and debris from forest thinning projects.
Today and through this week fire managers plan to treat 50-acres of slash piles per day, up to 300 acres, if conditions are favorable.
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Monday October 24, 2011
The New Mexico State Land Office earned almost $4 million for beneficiaries during its monthly oil and gas lease sale held Oct.18 in Santa Fe. Twenty-eight tracts were offered for lease and 27 were sold for a total of $3,960,000. All tracts were located in Chaves, Eddy and Lea counties. The highest bid of $1,667,000 went to Yates Petroleum Corporation for 320 acres in Eddy County. The bonuses, or bids, earned from this month’s sale go directly to trust beneficiaries including public schools, hospitals and universities. The bid winners have earned the right to explore and develop oil and gas on their respective tracts for the next five years. The tracts must be active at the end of the lease or they revert back to the state. Leases offered by the State Land Office include 5-year development leases and 5-year discovery leases, which have different royalty rates.
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The Los Alamos County Council authorized a Special Election to ask voters to decide whether or not to fund the building of a Leisure Pool addition on the eastern Canyon Rd side of the Larry R. Walkup Aquatic Center. Funds are needed to complete final design and construction. Even though the County is contributing cash ($3.1 million dollars of General Funds) to the project, an increase in property taxes through a general obligation (G.O.) bond (up to $3 million) would be needed to complete the project. The County currently has no general obligation bond debt. A general obligation bond is financed through an increase in property taxes. Ballots were mailed out to all registered voters last week. . Voters will have until 7 p.m. on November 9th to turn in their ballot to the Clerk's office. From the time that ballots are mailed out, voters have nearly three weeks to study what is being proposed and then vote on the project.
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Friday October 21, 2011
The Santa Fe Watershed prescribed burn is underway today and will continue through the weekend if conditions allow. The prescribed bur n is taking place approximately three miles east of the city of Santa Fe and three and one half miles southeast of Hyde Park Estates During the planned three day burning period, up to 500 acres will be treated by hand ignitions only. A medium volume of smoke is expected, and may be visible to residents of Santa Fe, Espanola, Tesuque, Pecos, Los Alamos, Bernalillo, and Albuquerque.
The Laguna Ortiz prescribed burn located on the Santa Fe National Forest Pecos and Las Vegas Ranger District is underway again today, and is planned to continue sporadically through November 4 as conditions allow. The 1,200 acre area is being treated over the next several days, conditions permitting. It is located twelve miles south of the village of Pecos in the area of Glorietta Mesa, and Rowe Mesa near Forest Road 324. It will be treated by hand ignitions. Smoke may be visible to residents of Pecos/Las Vegas and travelers
along I-25.
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Thursday October 20, 2011
The Bureau of Land Management is planning ahead for large-scale solar development on public lands – outlining 24 Solar Energy Zones in southwestern states. The idea is to find areas with the most solar potential and the least conflict with wildlife and recreation and The Wilderness Society says the agency is doing a good job. New Mexico public regulation commissioner Jason Marks agrees. There is one in the Deming area close to the Arizona border and another in the southern central part of the state. Outlining zones ahead of time is good business for the solar industry, as well as the environment. The areas are generally flat , sunny, and close to existing roads and power lines which will decrease construction costs. Support for the zones in New Mexico is strong when folks discover that popular hunting, fishing and hiking areas won't be impacted. The B-L-M is expected to complete the environmental review of the sites next year.
Wednesday October 19, 2011
For the first time since 2009, Social Security recipients will receive a cost of living adjustment, including those who receive Social Security Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income. Beginning in January, seniors who receive Social Security benefits will see a 3.6 percent increase in their checks.
While inflation on the whole had been low over the past few years, seniors have faced rising prices for the goods and services they typically rely on, especially Medicare premiums and health care costs. A 3.6 percent increase in monthly Social Security payments, which average $1,082, amounts to an additional $467 a year.
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County officials have announced that stormwater run-off in Los Alamos Canyon after the Las Conchas wildfire has resulted in severe erosion to the roadway and has damaged some utility infrastructure near the Ice Rink. West Road as well as the Ice Rink parking lot will require major repairs before it can be safely re-opened to the public. This is likely to delay the opening of the Ice Rink for general public and hockey team use until a target date of December 1.
County staff met with DOE officials last Friday to assess the damage. Work could begin as soon as this week, pending the DOE’s receipt of a permit to approve construction that will funnel stormwater safely past the Ice Rink on the south side of West Road. West Road is owned by the DOE and they will be responsible for the channel improvements as well as making repairs to the dirt roadway shoulder of the road. County crews will be responsible for removing the jersey barriers and dirt wall erected as a protective measure around the Ice Rink facility this summer. County recreation staff will be permitted to enter the Ice Rink in mid-November to begin clean up and to make ice. They hope to be able to open the rink once the roadway and channel repairs are completed. Typically, the Ice Rink is open a week before Thanksgiving if temperatures are cold enough to make the multiple sheets of ice that are required for the rink. The Zamboni was relocated to the equipment yard at Pajarito Cliffs Site after the fire and will be returned to the rink once the barriers are removed.
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Tuesday October 18, 2011
In Santa,Fe, Governor Susana Martinez announced that global electronics manufacturer TE Connectivity will merge two distribution and manufacturing centers in the southwest United States into a single facility in Santa Teresa. TE Connectivity designs and manufactures over 500,000 products and employs nearly 100,000 workers. Governor Martinez and Economic Development Secretary-designate Jon Barela both met with representatives from TE Connectivity to encourage them to expand their operations in New Mexico and contribute to the state’s growing economy along the southern border. TE Connectivity works with consumer electronics, energy, healthcare, automotive, aerospace, and communications networks.
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Monday October 17, 2011
The U.S. Geological Survey confirmed that an earthquake happened at 10:38 a.m. today in Northern New Mexico.
The center of the 3.8 magnitude earthquake was 11miles north of Santa Fe, 19 miles east south east of Los Alamos , two miles west of Chupadero, four miles southeast of Cuyamungue and 62 miles northeast of Albuquerque.
Geophysics professor from New Mexico Tech in Socorro who told us the quake was felt for about ten seconds, was very noticeable and was probably felt by thousands of people.
Aftershocks are possible over the next few days, he said.
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Friday October 14, 2011
The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) has issued an Amended Record of Decision (ROD) concerning the Nuclear Facility portion of the Chemistry and Metallurgy Research Replacement project .
Following a supplemental environmental impact analysis and public input process, NNSA has selected the Modified CMRR-Nuclear Facility Alternative described in the Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement to proceed forward with the construction of the nuclear facility at Los Alamos National Laboratory.
As described in the final Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement, the facility will be constructed at Technical Area 55 and co-located with the other component of the Chemistry and Metallurgy Research Replacement project - the recently completed Radiological Laboratory/Utilities/Office Building.
NNSA has incorporated updated seismic safety design information into development of the Modified CMRR design. Two construction options were considered under this alternative: the Deep Excavation Option and the Shallow Excavation Option. NNSA will select the appropriate Excavation Option for implementing the construction of this building.The new building will replace the 60-year-old Chemistry and Metallurgy Research Building and consolidate existing research capabilities at LANL to ensure continuous support of NNSA stockpile stewardship and strategic objectives.
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Thursday October 13, 201
The Laguna Ortiz prescribed burn located on the Santa Fe National Forest Pecos/Las Vegas Ranger District is underway today, and is planned to continue sporadically through November 4 as conditions allow. The 1,200 acre area being treated is located twelve miles south of the village of Pecos in the area of Glorietta Mesa and Rowe Mesa near Forest Road 324, and will be treated by hand ignitions. The project is not planned to be continuous over the three week treatment period due to varying ground conditions, and changes in weather over time.
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Wednesday October 12, 2011
Richard Sayre, one of the nation’s top specialists in algae and energy-producing plant research, has joined the Bioscience Division of Los Alamos National Laboratory to help boost cutting-edge research in this area. Cited by Nature magazine as “one of five crop researchers who could change the world,”
Sayre, who started at the Laboratory the first week of October, is a leading scientist, innovator and entrepreneur who comes to Los Alamos from Donald Danforth Plant Science Center in St. Louis, where he was the director of the Enterprise Rent-A-Car Institute for Renewable Fuels and the director of the BioCassava Plus program.
The scientist will be working under a joint appointment at LANL, sharing a quarter of his time with the New Mexico Consortium (NMC). NMC will be constructing a new building and greenhouse in town to accommodate some of the research activity, with help from Los Alamos County. The consortium is a nonprofit corporation formed by the three New Mexico universities .
Sayre, post doctoral assistants and other Los Alamos scientists will explore such projects as the improved efficiency of plant photosynthesis, advances in algae production and harvesting, and understanding the biochemical and biophysical processes of algae and other energy plants.
Algae science, whether for biofuel production or other applications, has been a growing field for the Laboratory, with advances made recently in such areas as ultrasonic harvesting, persuading algae to grow in “produced water” from oil and gas wells, and even genetically modifying magnetic algae that could be more efficiently harvested.
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Saturday October 8, 2011
Bandelier will be operating as a “car-free park” through Sunday, October 30th, 2011. During this time vehicles will not be allowed to enter Frijoles Canyon with the exception of tour buses and those with handicapped parking permits.
Instead, visitors can use the temporary Bandelier Shuttle Service, which will be provided by Los Alamos County’s Atomic City Transit. The shuttle service will operate 7 days a week through October 30, 2011. All visitors should park in the parking lot at the corner of Rover Blvd and NM 4 in White Rock in order to ride a shuttle to Bandelier. Shuttles will depart this location every half hour from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and return trips will depart Bandelier every half hour from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. Sections open to the public include the Main Loop Trail, a temporary Visitor’s Center, the Western National Parks Association Store, the Bandelier Trading Company, Frey Trail, Blue Ski Trail, Tyuonyi Pueblo, Ponderosa Group Campground, the Trail at Tsankawi, Burnt Mesa Trail, Tyuonyi Overlook Trail, and Juniper Campground.
On Sunday, October 9, 2011, between 7:30 AM and 3:30 PM, the Pojoaque Tribal Police Department will be conducting intermittent closures of US Highway 84/285 in northern Santa Fe County. These closures will be in both the north and south bound lanes and will last approximately 10 minutes each time. The closures are needed to allow a communication company to string cable across the highway.
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Thursday October 6,2011
The Los Alamos County Council voted Tuesday night to appoint Arthur “Harry” Burgess as the new County Administrator,. Burgess is currently the City Administrator in the City of Carlsbad, and was selected after an extensive process this summer, followed by interviews two weeks ago with the top four candidates for this executive position at the County. Councilors cited Burgess’ six years of municipal government experience in Carlsbad as a big factor in their decision to offer him the job. Burgess has successfully implemented several economic development projects that have moved Carlsbad forward. He has experience working with DOE officials because of the nearby WIPP project, which is an advantage since we have a DOE site office here.. His first official day on the job is November 6. His salary will be $161,500 a year, with 50 hours of leave and a contribution to his retirement fund at 9.8 percent above what is required by law.
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Wednesday October 5, 2011
The Santa Cruz Reservoir provides irrigation water to more than 1,600 farms in the region. However, sediment accumulation over the years reduced the reservoir’s volume by 36 percent. During times of drought this has led to water rationing and shorter growing seasons. To help local farmers, scientists from LANL and Sandia National Laboratories came together to work on how to best mitigate these sediment problems.
Through the New Mexico Small Business Assistance Program, scientists from the two labs determined that the majority of the sediment did not come from the Santa Cruz River as had been previously thought. In fact, most of it came from several small, local arroyos. This finding has implications for where and how the Santa Cruz Irrigation District will build future sediment traps, potentially saving time, effort, and reservoir capaci
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) announcement that it has approved a plan to clean up the Northeast Church Rock Mine.
The mine is the largest uranium mine on the Navajo Nation, and its cleanup is of the highest priority. The cleanup, using the most stringent uranium mine cleanup standard in the country, will remove approximately 1.4 million tons of radium and uranium contaminated soil from a site that operated as uranium ore mine from 1967 to 1982.
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Tuesday October 4, 2011
The Laboratory’s TRU Waste Program completed 171 shipments in the past fiscal year, between October 2010 and September 2011. The Lab has transported more than 450 shipments safely to WIPP since 2009. TRU waste consists of clothing, tools, rags, debris, soil, and other items contaminated with radioactive elements, mostly plutonium. Each of these man-made elements has an atomic number greater than that of uranium, thus they are labeled transuranic, for “beyond uranium” on the periodic table of the elements. Waste is packaged primarily in drums or fiberglass-reinforced boxes, which are then typically placed in a large, steel shipping container called a TRUPACT-II. LANL has about 9,500 TRU waste containers remaining above ground and about 5,000 retrievably buried underground at Technical Area 54, Area G. Much of the waste is legacy waste—material left over from Cold War-era operations.The New Mexico Environment Department has listed continued acceleration of TRU waste shipments from the Laboratory to WIPP as one of its top environmental priorities. Cleanup and disposal of Cold War-era waste is funded by DOE’s Office of Environmental Management.
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Monday October 3rd, 2011
LAHS teacher Margo Batha has been nominated for the University of Chicago's Outstanding Educator Award.
This distinguished award has existed for three decades. Each year, the university invites entering first-year students to nominate an educator who has changed them, challenged them, and helped them along the path toward intellectual growth. Each year, the university receives letters back from hundreds of students, inspired by teachers who have literally changed the course of their lives, who have taught them to re-imagine texts, to delve deeper into problem-solving, and to think beyond the borders of the classroom in the pursuit of their own education.
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Hilltalkers recognized by the National Forensic League
LAHS Speech and Debate program has earned significant recognition by the National Forensic League. Because the Hilltalkers achieved 100 degrees or more last year, they were placed in the top 10% of NFL chapters nationwide and earned membership in the NFL's prestigious 100 Club. Such a milestone is remarkable because it demonstrates outstanding commitment to teaching students essential life skills - including communication, research, listening, writing and organization. Go Hilltalkers! Margo Batha is one of the teacher advisors for the Hilltalkers
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Friday September 30, 2011
The New Mexico Human Services Department Income Support Division (HSD/ISD) has received a performance bonus of $1.05 million from the United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Services (USDA/FNS) for making program improvements to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to ensure that New Mexicans most in need receive food benefits in a timely and efficient manner. This is the first time New Mexico has received this bonus. Early this summer the Income Support Division was also recognized for other areas of program excellence. That recognition includes Excellence in Program Integrity, Excellence in Financial Management, and Outstanding Performance in Claims Collection.
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Thursday September 29, 2011
Public Regulation Commissioner Jerome Block, Jr. has agreed to resign and plead guilty to multiple felonies involving two separate cases. The PRC Commissioner agrees to plead guilty to two (2) separate embezzlement charges; fraudulent use of a credit card; theft of identity; violation of the state Election Code, Campaign Reporting Act, and Voter Action Act; and conspiracy to commit violation of the Election Code. Block, Jr. has also agreed never to seek public office again and to repay the state for all improper charges involving state gasoline charge cards. A sentencing agreement requires the defendant to successfully complete a drug court program and meet other requirements before final sentencing by the Court.
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Wednesday September 28, 2011
The U.S. Corps of Engineers Albuquerque District and the Pueblo of Santa Clara, New Mexico signed a historic partnership agreement Sept. 21 to conduct a watershed assessment for the Pueblo's lands in the aftermath of June's devastating Las Conchas forest fire. The assessment will produce a plan that identifies construction and restoration opportunities for recovering the damaged environment and provide flood protection for the Pueblo's village, as well as ultimately benefitting infrastructure down-river of the Pueblo in the cities of Espanola, Santa Fe and Albuquerque, N.M.
The agreement, , is the first to be signed between the Corps and a Tribal government. The program authorizes up to $1 million a year for water-related planning activities such as studies to address flood damage reduction, environmental restoration and protection, and preservation of cultural and natural resources.
The agreement stipulates a 25 percent cost share on the part of the tribe, but the cost share can be met through in-kind work or equipment contribution.
Santa Clara Pueblo lands have been impacted by significant forest fires in the past, including the Oso Fire of 1998 and Cerro Grande Fire of 2000, but the recent Las Conchas Fire burned more than half of the watershed. Watershed assessments typically take about three years, and, with the signing of the agreement, work started right away when the District awarded contracts for aerial photography of the burned area. the imagery is an important first step, as the Pueblo's charred canyon has been inaccessible for several weeks because of post-fire flooding from rainfall events.
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Tuesday September 27, 2011
Resurfacing of U.S. 84/285 at the southern entrance to Española will have to be redone due to a problem with the oil used the first time.
That means a new round of work on 1.2 miles of the four-lane highway from the junction of N.M. 106 and N.M. 399 (the exits to Sombrillo and La Mesilla near the Dreamcatcher Cinema) to the junction of N.M. 68 (the Santa Clara Bridge Road at Dandy Burger).
Jared Rodriguez, a tech supervisor for the state Department of Transportation, said the oil used on the new material being laid down did not meet the state specification for "elastic recovery" — the expansion and contraction of the surface material at different temperatures.
So the contractor, Star Paving of Albuquerque, will need to redo the $8 million project at no extra cost to the state. But that work requires as much as two weeks of extra time, The change means the resurfacing will continue into next week
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Monday September 26, 2011
UNM- Los Alamos has been awarded a $337,725 three-year grant from the National Science Foundation for a proposal to "Reinvigorate Information Technology Education with Cyber Security." Dean of Instruction Dr. Kate Massengale wrote the grant. Dr. Lynne Williams, who has a Ph.D. in cyber security, is the Principal Investigator.
Los Alamos National Security (LANS) is partnering with UNM-LA by providing expertise and the opportunity for UNM-LA students in information technology to become interns when positions are available. Los Alamos County is also partner and has internships available now.
Through this grant, UNM-LA will partner with the University of Tulsa's Cyber Security Education Consortium to bring cutting-edge, tested curriculum to UNM-LA’s IT programs, and provide faculty professional development. Specialists at LANS and Los Alamos County will review the curriculum as it is developed to make sure it is providing the right skills for IT workers entering or progressing in the workforce.
This program is important to Los Alamos National Laboratory, to the banking industry, and to other businesses that need more highly-trained IT workers. Across the U.S., the need for more highly skilled IT workers is becoming crucial to our security, and to our playing in the global economy.
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Friday September 23, 2011
Los Alamos National Laboratory has completed excavation of its oldest waste disposal site, Material Disposal Area B (MDA-B).
The excavation removed about 43,000 cubic yards of contaminated debris and soil from the six-acre site. MDA-B was used from 1944-48 as a waste disposal site for Manhattan Project and Cold War-era research and production.
The environmental cleanup worked was funded by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
To protect workers and the public, the excavation of MDA-B was performed inside sturdy metal structures that resemble airplane hangars. The structures were equipped with fire and dust suppression systems and (HEPA) filters. Excavation was monitored via closed circuit television and infrared sensors.
MDA-B consisted of narrow trenches up to 35 feet deep. Though most of the waste excavated from MDA-B was soil and run-of-the-mill trash such as cardboard and protective clothing, items uncovered during excavation included the remains of two mid-1940s pickup trucks, nearly 30 inert artillery shells and a calendar from 1946. The excavated waste is packaged appropriately and transported to disposal facilities.
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Thursday September 22, 2011
The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) today announced that it has completed the Ion Beam Laboratory (IBL) in Albuquerque, N.M. The facility was built at Sandia National Laboratories and was six months early and $5.5 million under budget.
The 27,000-square-foot building was constructed and equipped at a cost of $39.6 million. Funds for the facility came from earlier savings from Sandia’s Microsystems and Engineering Sciences Applications complex project. Costs included construction of the new building, purchase of upgraded accelerators, relocating existing accelerators and beam lines along with personnel, and decontamination and demolition of the old facility constructed in the 1950s.
Among the uses of the building’s high-energy ion beams is to rapidly analyze materials (an ion is an atom with too few or too many electrons). A low-energy ion implantation beam can alter material properties to, for example create the electronic “chips” .
Other research areas include microscopic diagnostics of radiation sensitivity of integrated circuits and simulating the effects of the enormous fluxes of neutrons associated with nuclear detonations to provide data that will help protect U.S. electronics against such an occurrence. The beams are also used to calibrate and certify components for the nuclear stockpile.
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Wednesday September 21, 2011
Congressman Ben Ray Luján of New Mexico’s Third District announced today that Northern New Mexico College is receiving a $503,225 grant through the Department of Education’s Educational Opportunity Centers Program . The grant will help fund the New Mexico Educational Opportunity Center , which will provide counseling and information on college admissions to 2,000 first generation, low income adults who are 19 years of age or older across Northern New Mexico.
The focus of the program will be to encourage, motivate and assist young adults who have never considered higher education, have dropped out of high school, or have stopped pursuing a college degree. New Mexico Educational Opportunity Center also provides services to improve the financial and economic literacy of participants.
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Tuesday September 20, 2011
U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman announced that eight New Mexico colleges will receive a total of $5 million to increase enrollment and graduation rates in the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
The grant comes from the U.S. Department of Education – Hispanic Serving Institution’s Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics program. The funding has been awarded to the following colleges.
Eastern New Mexico University
Mesa lands Community College
New Mexico Institute of Mining & Technology
New Mexico Highlands University
University of New Mexico Valencia Campus
University of New Mexico
University of New Mexico-Taos
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Monday September 19, 2011
The New Mexico House of Representatives approved legislation to restore the state’s supplement to the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Senate Bill 3 and House Bill 28, introduced with bipartisan support by Sen. Lynda Lovejoy (D-Crownpoint) and Rep. Dennis Roch (R-Texico), will appropriate $450,000 for supplemental food stamp funding for certain low-income, elderly, and disabled New Mexicans. Currently, the program is funded through the end of September by re-appropriated federal stimulus dollars. The bill also directs over $6 million in funds to the Human Services Department for Medicaid expenses. Without this appropriation, the money would have reverted to the federal government.
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Friday September 16, 2011
On September 14, 2011, Santa Fe Police was provided information that a 19 year old, identified as Robert Terrazas, was portraying himself as Robbie Romero. Robbie Romero is a missing child and his disappearance has been investigated by our agency since 2000.
We received information that Mr. Terrazas was going to meet with Evelyn Romero, whom he referred to as “his birth mother”. Ms. Romero is the mother of the missing child, Robbie Romero. Police spoke with Mr. Terrazas at the home of Ms. Romero where he consented in providing a DNA sample. A sample was taken from Mr. Terrazas. That sample was delivered to the DPS DNA Lab for processing.
The result of the exam is that Mr. Terrazas is NOT Ms. Romero’s missing child; Robbie Romero. We informed Ms. Romero of the DNA results .
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The cleanup of a molybdenum mine in northern New Mexico is now among the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Superfund priorities, the agency announced Thursday.
Agency officials said the mine is being added along with more than a dozen other sites around the country to the so-called National Priorities List. Another 11 sites from California to New York are also being proposed for inclusion on the list.
The mine site near Questa includes an operational mine and milling facility, a tailings facility and a pipeline from the mill to the tailings facility.
"We felt it was time because we had all the data that we had collected over the last 10 years to better help us rank it and just because of the size and cost of the remedy, it was appropriate to have it on the NPL," said Mark Purcell, a remedial project manager with the EPA.
The agency last year announced a cleanup plan that is expected to have a price tag of at least $500 million.
Agency officials said Thursday that placing the site on the priorities list gives them another tool to ensure that the property is cleaned up.
The EPA has said contaminated material from the site includes about 328 million tons of acid-generating waste rock, more than 100 million tons of tailings and acid-rock drainage at the mine and seepage at the tailings facility.
The EPA said Thursday it was sending Chevron Mining Inc., the current owner of the property, a special notice inviting the company to enter into negotiations on how the cleanup would proceed and whether the company would be willing to pay for it.
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Thursday September 15, 2011
Santa Fe Police say a man walked into the police department Wednesday and claimed to be Robbie Romero, who disappeared from his Santa Fe home in 2000 when he was just 7 years old.
The man appeared to be about the same age as Romero would be now.
Police say the man agreed to take a DNA test – which the police conducted.
The test has been sent to a lab, and police say they don’t know how long it will take to get the results back.
Romero’s disappearance has proven to be one of the most enduring and puzzling mysteries in New Mexico.
Originally police treated the little boy’s disappearance as a homicide.
However, no one was ever arrested in connection with his case and his body was never found.
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Wednesday September 14, 2011
New Mexico’s 24.7 percent uninsured rate is the second highest in the country . Last year, New Mexico’s uninsured rate was 23.7 percent – the third highest in the country.
By 2014 all states will be required to set up a marketplace where uninsured residents and businesses can purchase insurance plans and determine whether they qualify for tax credits to afford the coverage. The marketplace will be required to offer core benefits and specific levels of coverage – even for those with pre-existing medical conditions. Also in 2014, the state will begin receiving billions of dollars to expand Medicaid, covering more New Mexicans who currently do not qualify for the program but who still do not have a high enough income to afford insurance coverage. U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman says New Mexico stands to gain more from the health insurance reform law than almost any other state because our uninsured rate is so high.
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Tuesday September 13, 2011
A Listeria outbreak has New Mexico health officials on alert.Three people in the state have already died, two men from Bernalillo County and a woman from Curry County. Six others have been hospitalized.
There are eleven similar cases in Colorado and officials there believe the culprit is contaminated cantaloupe.
The New Mexico Department of Health says they're working to determine the source of the bacteria, but right now they can't say with one hundred percent certainty what caused the outbreak.
Experts in Colorado, however, are blaming cantaloupe likely from the Rocky Ford growing region 60 miles east of Pueblo, Colorado.
Health officials in New Mexico are expediting samples from across the state to the Center for Disease Control.
Health experts said Listeria is relatively uncommon but dangerous. Symptoms include fever and muscle aches and can also include diarrhea, headache, stiff neck and convulsions.There are four high-risk groups that need to stay away from cantaloupe right now: adults over the age of 60, pregnant women, infants and those with weakened immune systems. He explained after exposure, it can take a couple days, up to a month to show symptoms.
As of right now there are no recalls. Health officials in Colorado are advising consumers to wash and dry the outside of melons before cutting.
General Melon Safety Advice:
· Consumers and food preparers should wash their hands before and after handling any whole melon, such as cantaloupe, watermelon, or honeydew.
· Wash the melons and dry them with a clean cloth or paper towel before cutting.
· Cut melon should be promptly consumed or refrigerated at or less than 40 degrees F (32-34 degrees F is optimal for storage of cut melon).
· Cut melons left at room temperature for more than 4 hours should be discarded.
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Monday September 12,2011
Below is a fire update regarding the lightning-caused Guacamalla Fire that began August 17. The fire is located on the Jemez Ranger District. Today residents from north of Albuquerque to Jemez Springs are expected to see minimal smoke from the Guacamalla Fire approximately 5 miles east of Ponderosa, NM. The fire received much in direct rainfall over the weekend and as a result, is not creating as much smoke as in previous days. Because of the increased moisture level, the fire continues to burn slowly with low spread potential. The east side of the Guacamalla fire abuts the west side of the Las Conchas Fire burn area, and is not likely to spread into the burn area. Presently, the fire has burned 623 acres and is holding north of Forest Road 266 and south of Forest Road 271. Wildland firefighters are continuing to monitor the fire.
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Valles Caldera National Preserve officials announce they are lifting Stage III Fire Restrictions for all of the Valles Caldera National Preserve effective immediately.
The Las Conchas Fire and the Pacheco Fire areas on the Santa Fe National Forest will remain in Stage III Fire Closures and are off limits. The Preserve remains open to all scheduled activities including a curtailed fishing program which is limited to the East Fork of the Jemez River. The San Antonio Creek will remain closed until fishing conditions improve.
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Friday September 9, 2011
The 73rd New Mexico State Fair officially opened at 11 this morning at EXPO New Mexico – and today, admission is just $2 per person. Carnival workers have been setting up since Tuesday, and ride and food inspectors spent
Thursday making sure all booths and rides passed safety inspections. Fair organizers expect about 600,000 people to visit over the next 17 days.
Old favorites like Ferris wheels, turkey legs, funnel cakes and livestock shows will be available to fair-goers, but new items like chocolate-covered bacon, Chinese acrobats and a lion tamer are also making an appearance this year.
Regular admission costs $7 for adults, and Wednesdays are half-price. Admission for children ages 6-12 and seniors cost $5. Parking is $7. Park and Ride is available this year. An unlimited ride wrist band is $15 during the week and $20 on weekends.
The State Fair will remain closed Mondays and Tuesdays.
Thursday September 8, 2011
The Governor has declared Literacy Day throughout the State of New Mexico on September 8 in conjunction with the 45th annual celebration of International Literacy Day nation and worldwide.
In New Mexico, it is estimated that seven hundred thousand adults could benefit from literacy services - sixteen percent are estimated to be illiterate and thirty percent are estimated as functionally illiterate. With one of the highest poverty rates in the nation, New Mexico also has one of the highest percentages of adults who are illiterate and functionally illiterate.
Wednesday September 7, 2011
Some of Los Alamos National Laboratory’s most innovative scientists will explain and present their cutting-edge work to the public on Tuesday, September 13, 2011, during LANL’s third annual LDRD Day. LDRD stands for Laboratory-directed research and development
The event is scheduled from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Buffalo Thunder Resort near Pojoaque, NM. The event is free and open to the public, and provides an opportunity for people to see some of the most exciting research currently under way at the Laboratory.
This year’s LDRD Day will feature nearly 50 poster presentations on subjects ranging from “Nuclear Physics as a Video Game” to “Painting with Matter Waves.” Four research focus areas will be represented: Energy Security, Global Security, Nuclear Security, and Scientific Discovery. The LDRD Program invests some 6 percent of the Laboratory’s annual budget to fund potentially high-payoff research related to the Laboratory’s central mission. LDRD allows LANL to invest in research that could help realize long-term scientific goals beneficial to the nation
Tuesday September 6th, 2011
Lawmakers return to Santa Fe Today for the start of a special session. It’s primary purpose is to solve the redistricting problems. The Governor has added other items to the agenda. Gov. Susana Martinez is pushing for a repeal of the law that allows illegal immigrants to obtain New Mexico driver's licenses.
The governor also wants a bill that could retain up to 12,000 third-graders who do not read proficiently. Most of those kids now are advanced to the next grade because their parents can overrule a school staff that suggests holding them back.
Martinez is asking the Legislature to approve a bill banning fireworks under extreme drought conditions
We will be getting updates from our representative Jim Hall.
Friday September 2nd, 2011
The large Cowles Pond in upper Pecos Canyon will be closed to the public beginning Wednesday, September 7 in efforts to improve fish habitat and increase angling success.
During the improvement process, the fish will be removed from the large pond then the pond will be drained and dredged.
The small pond will remain open until October 1, at which point the entire Cowles Ponds fishing area will be closed due to dredging operations on the large pond.
“The purpose for the closures is for safety reasons while the improvement project takes place,” said Bruce Hill, spokesperson for the Santa Fe National Forest. “The large pond will eventually be restocked and reopened, but on a date yet to be determined.”
The small pond is available for fishing only to children 11 years or younger and individuals with disabilities. The improvement project on the large pond will provide enhanced fishing opportunities and a better winter survival rate for fish.
To learn more about the Cowles Ponds Improvement Project, call the Pecos/Las Vegas Ranger District at (505)757-6121.
Thursday September 1st, 2011
Today is the opening day of seasons for deer, elk and a variety of small-game species. Hunters will be taking to the woods and fields across New Mexico
September seasons for deer and elk are for hunters using bows and arrows who were successful in the public-land license drawings or have authorization to hunt on private land. Most deer and elk seasons for hunters using muzzle loaders and high-powered rifles are scheduled in October and November.
Hunting seasons for doves, blue grouse, band-tailed pigeons and squirrels also opened Thursday in many areas of the state. Licenses for those species are available at Department of Game and Fish offices and vendors statewide.
The Department of Game and Fish urges all hunters to stress safety while in the field, especially during archery seasons when hunters commonly are dressed in camouflage. Hikers, bikers and others using the back country during hunting seasons are encouraged to wear bright clothing so they are easily visible to hunters.
For more information about New Mexico’s hunting opportunities and rules, please visit
www.wildlife.state.nm.us
The Española Ranger District, Santa Fe National Forest reminds hunters in Unit 6c that the Forest south of Abiquiu Grant to the Santa Clara Pueblo Reservation will remain closed during hunting season. The Polvadera Peak area, a popular spot for hunting, is included in this closure. Other portions of Unit 6c are open for hunting
Wednesday August 31st, 2011
New Mexico State Parks Division invites schools and teachers to apply for transportation grants to take school children to state parks during the 2011/2012 school year. This is the sixth year of the Kids ‘n Parks Transportation Grants, a component of the highly successful New Mexico Outdoor Classroom Program. Applications are due by Sept. 23.
“This program is key to connecting New Mexico students to the great resources we have in our State Parks,” said State Parks Director Tommy Mutz.
Through the Outdoor Classroom Program, State Parks has formed lasting partnerships with schools and teachers to provide teachers with consistent program planning support and to evaluate the long-term benefits of the Outdoor Classroom Program. Previous grant recipients are encouraged to apply again, as well as teachers at other grade levels from those same schools. State Parks is also seeking first-time applicants who are willing to make a commitment to participate in the Outdoor Classroom Program. The application is available online at www.nmparks.com.
Outdoor Classroom Program trips must be to a New Mexico state park; a list of parks is available at www.nmparks.com. The applicant must be a teacher or representative of a public or public-charter school within a New Mexico school district. The field trip must correlate to classroom study, meet one or more performance standards and be completed by the end of the 2011/12 school year.
The transportation grant program is part of the Kids ‘n Parks program, which is funded in part by a check-off option on the annual New Mexico Personal Income Tax form (PIT-D) that permits taxpayers to make a voluntary contribution from their tax refund to the Outdoor Classroom Program. The voluntary check-off program increases outdoor educational programs without raising taxes or visitor fees.
Tuesday August 30th, 2011
At their Council meeting on August 23, 2011, the County Council passed a resolution calling for a general obligation (G.O.) bond election to be held on Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2011 for the public to vote on issuance of up to $3.0 million in bonds for a New Leisure Pool building addition to the Larry Walkup Aquatic Center in Los Alamos.
Ballots will be mailed out the week of October 17, 2011.
Anyone interested in voting in the election must be registered to vote by Oct. 12, 2011.
The total project cost to complete the design and construct the pool is $6.1 million, with the balance of the project coming from other County funds.
The County currently has no General .Obligation bond debt. A General .Obligation bond is financed through an increase in property taxes. The new leisure pool will increase your property taxes.
If the G.O. debt is structured with a 10 year term, then the property tax impact would be around 1 mil, or approximately $100 per year for a home with a full market value of $300,000. If the G.O. debt is structured with a 20 year term, then the property tax impact would approximately 0.5 mil or $50 per year
Monday August 29th, 2011
Application of Open Graded Friction Course (OGFC) continues on Diamond Monday and Tuesday followed by the first coat of roadway markings. Expect lane closures, delays, and detours at side street intersections. Work will begin after 8:30 a.m. and will occur on the opposite side of the road from the peak flow. When OGFC is applied past an intersection there will be a 20 to 25 minute delay for that side street intersection. Again, flaggers and Police Officers will be on-hand to redirect traffic. After the OGFC has cured, roadway striping and markings will be placed with lane closures.
OGFC is the final layer of asphalt applied to the road. It is a 5/8” thick application that provides a smooth and quieter riding surface that also allows water to drain, reducing potential for hydroplaning. Application of OGFC is a relatively quick process. It is imperative that motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians stay out of the work zones as the OGFC material is hot, very sticky, and will adhere to and stain most surfaces. Please pay attention to advance traffic control signs and obey flaggers and police officers directions. The work zones will be opened as soon as the material cools enough for traffic. Progress is relatively quick; however, any rain will likely delay the progress.
Your cooperation, patience, and planning for additional travel time is greatly appreciated.
Friday August 26th, 2011
On Saturday & Sunday, August 27 & 28, County Public Works Pavement’s micro-surfacing contractor will be taking advantage of the Diamond Drive Open Graded Friction Course work zones when possible and will be micro-surfacing Canyon Road from Diamond Drive to Oppenheimer. Additional micro-surfacing will occur on NM502 between the east boundary of the airport and East Gate Drive, and on Knecht Street between Trinity and Central. Expect lane closures and possible delays. When work is occurring on Canyon, please use Trinity as an alternate route. The Canyon Road micro-surfacing schedule will work around weekend church services and planned activities. Recommended access to Trinity on the Hill Episcopal Church during Canyon Road micro-surfacing is from Trinity to 39th Street.
These roads are scheduled for two applications of micro-surfacing, which is a relatively quick pavement preservation process that includes the application of a thin layer of emulsified asphalt and 3/8” aggregate. Once applied, each application takes approximately 1-2 hours to dry, depending on ambient temperatures. Work will occur between 7:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. and should be completed within two days. This work is weather dependant and may be delayed in case of rain.
Please avoid the work zones until traffic control is removed as the product will stick to or stain most surfaces.
Thursday August 25th, 2011
The Los Alamos County Council, Los Alamos National Laboratory and NNSA will hold a special community event in downtown Los Alamos to say “thank you” to all who helped during the June and July Las Conchas Wildfire. The governor is expected to attend and will be on stage with the County Council, LANL Director Charles McMillan, NNSA Los Alamos Site Manager Kevin Smith, and other special guests. They will take part in a Thank You program that begins at 4:30. Los Alamos Fire Chief Doug Tucker, Police Chief Wayne Torpy and Type 1 Team Commander Corbin Newsome will honored with special plaques during the program. Live music will begin at 4:00 and information booths about fire recovery activities and post fire and flood updates from Bandelier and the Valles Caldera will be set up at the park, along with a fire photo poster display hosted by LANL and the County in the lobby of the nearby Justice Center. Local food vendors and restaurants will supply free refreshments, and the County will hand out free commemorative give-aways (bandanas, pins, magnets) while they last. The Historical Museum will be hosting an audio booth to capture interviews and stories with those who want to stop by and share their memories of the fire.
Los Alamos National Laboratory Director and Los Alamos National Security, LLC President CharlieMcMillan will present checks totaling $57,934 to businesses from Los Alamos, Española, and Santa Fe that provided goods and services during the Las Conchas Fire at the “Los Alamos Says Thanks” community event
PARKING: Since parking will likely be congested downtown during the event due to the large number of attendees from the townsite and across Northern NM, Atomic City Transit will be running free shuttle service from the vacant Trinity Site parking lot (east edge of town just past the Y where Main Hill Road turns into Trinity Drive, across from Mari Mac Plaza) to Ashley Pond Park. Bus service begins at 3:30 and ends at 6:30.
STREET/LOT CLOSURES: Central Avenue will be closed from approximately 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. – the closure will occur from 20th Street to near the entrance to the Justice Center (near Oppenheimer). The 20th street parking lot at the corner of Trinity Drive will be open for parking but is expected to fill quickly. The library lot just north of the park will be closed to allow for vendor and special guest parking. Media attending the event are urged to be in place early if they wish to use the 20th street lot. Traffic is expected to be congested on Trinity, Central and Canyon on Thursday afternoon.
Wednesday August 24th, 2011
The suspect in a homicide that occurred in a mobile home park off airport road yesterday was located and the five year old child, who was taken by the suspect, is safe.
At about 12:00am this morning, Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office patrol officers made
contact with the suspect vehicle, a 1997 Green Ford Expedition, in the Buckman area of Santa Fe County. Lt Adan Mendoza stated “Sheriff’s investigators and patrol officers were working on investigative leads that the suspect may be in the Buckman area”.
After making contact with the suspect vehicle, patrol Deputies engaged in a short pursuit of the vehicle that ended in a small parking lot off of Santa Fe County Road 56, where the suspect barricaded himself and the small child in the vehicle. The suspect began to wave a firearm out the window of the vehicle. Patrol Officers from the Sheriff’s Office, Santa Fe City Police and New Mexico State Police set up a perimeter around the vehicle, and negotiations began. Sheriff’s Office and Santa Fe City Police Department SWAT teams were summoned to the scene. After approximately four hours of negotiations, the suspect agreed to release his son, Cesar. Immediately after the release of the child the suspect turned a firearm on himself. The suspect succumbed on scene to a self inflicted gunshot wound. No shots were fired by police during the incident. The child was not harmed during the incident.
Tuesday August 23rd, 2011
There was a police helicopter circulating Los Alamos today starting at about 11am.
It is an operation out of the Santa Fe Sherriff Department looking for the homicide suspect Jose Soto who killed his ex girlfriend in Santa Fe last night and took their 5-year-old son Cesar Soto who is considered a missing, endangered person.
Soto is believed to be driving a mostly green 1997 Ford Expedition, bearing NM license plate, KAX-140. The vehicle has a red hood, red fender and red door. The multi-colored, easily recognizable nature of Soto’s vehicle has prompted the Santa Fe Sherriff Department to employ the use of helicopter to further their search.
Soto should be considered armed and dangerous.
The Santa Fe sheriff’s department is following leads from him making phone calls and tips from other persons that he may be headed north toward Colorado.
If you have any information about where the two are, you are asked to call 911 or the Sheriff’s Department at 505-428-3720.
Monday August 22nd, 2011
Yesterday we had quite a rainstorm in the afternoon. Over 2 inches of rain fell on parts of the Las Conchas burn scar. It caused flooding along state highway 501 from just south of the Emergency Operations Center to water canyon.
Water canyon flooded across the road removing the section of guard rail/concrete blocks on the East side of the road. The roadbed did not have any apparent structural damage although there was a large amount of erosion on the east side of the road where the water had cascaded over road into the streambed below. There were several small canyons along 501 which had flooded across the road leaving mud, rocks, sticks, and pine needles in the road. Los Alamos Canyon did not appear to flood.
It closed highway 30 to Espanola for a period of time.
It flooded the Dixon apple orchard, and did major damage .
The rain began in the upper Frijoles Canyon area in early afternoon and fell heavily for nearly two hours. About 5:40 PM, the creek began to rise in the Visitor Center area, and within about a minute was roaring through the picnic and parking areas, black with ash and carrying logs and rocks. A log diverted water, which rolled several large concrete barriers and broke the steel cable holding them. The flow made it as far as the restroom wall, carrying away several hundred sandbags. Within ten minutes the flood had begun to subside. Rainfall gauges showed the total for the storm was 1.26 inches in upper Frijoles and 2.74 inches at Ponderosa Campground.
Friday August 19th 2011
Former CNN anchorman and science correspondent Miles O’Brien hosted an invitation-only movie premier event at 6 p.m. on Thursday, August 18 at the Bradbury Science Museum. O’Brien introduced a new 15-minute video that chronicles the work at Los Alamos to assure the safety, security, and effectiveness of the U.S. nuclear deterrent, a program widely known as “stockpile stewardship.” He discussed the importance of explaining the lab’s technical mission. He introduced the stockpile stewardship movie, “Heritage of Science,” for which he is narrator. The movie includes historical documentation of past events surrounding the creation of the atom bomb and continues through a historical timeline of policies and events that shaped the Laboratory’s current nuclear stewardship mission. The laboratory director Charles McMillian is interviewed and Division managers explain current stewardship of the nuclear stockpile. The experiments and computer verifications now used to certify nuclear weapons are explained in high definition animation flowcharts of visual excellence.
Thursday August 18th, 2011
As a result of the increasing number of students in our schools with serious food allergies, the Los Alamos School Board this summer adopted a policy on Anaphylaxis Prevention. It can be found on their website (laschools.net) for your review.
Some students suffer severe allergic reactions to the presence of nuts or other food
products even without eating them, but simply from exposure to the smell of a particular
allergen. This allergy can be fatal. We ask that you assist us in providing a safe school
environment for all our students by reminding your son or daughter that in general eating in classrooms and on the bus will not be allowed this year. Exceptions can be made by teachers with administrator approval for special classroom events when necessary precautions are taken to prevent exposure to students affected by food allergies. In all situations, particularly with young children, sharing or trading of food is prohibited for safety reasons. At the high school students will continue to be allowed to eat between classes in hallways, outside, or in areas specifically designated for food preparation or consumption.
Please notify the school principal or school nurse if your son or daughter has a food
allergy. Even with our best efforts, staff and parents/guardians need to be aware that it is not possible to achieve a completely allergen-free environment. However, we hope to create a safe environment for all our students as we take reasonable precautions to reduce the risk of a student having an anaphylactic reaction as we minimize the presence of allergens in our schools. If you have questions about this new policy, please contact your school principal or school nurse.
Wednesday August 17th, 2011
Public Regulation Commissioner Jerome Block Jr. says he fighting an addiction to prescription drugs but plans to remain in the regulatory job despite calls for his resignation over allegations of misuse of taxpayer money.
Block disclosed the addiction after a Tuesday meeting of the Public Regulation Commission.
Block said he is getting treatment but "it's a daily battle." According to the New Mexican Block acknowledged an addiction to oxycodone, the active ingredient in OxyContin ,He declined to provide other details of his addiction. Block is under investigation for possible abuse of a state-issued gasoline card and the state Court of Appeals has reinstated charges against him for misuse of campaign money from his 2008 race.
State Democratic Party chairman Javier Gonzales, Republican Gov. Susana Martinez and PRC members have called for his resignation.
As for removing Block before his term is up, the only options appear to be legislative or judicial. A felony conviction could trigger his removal. The New Mexico Supreme Court removed former commissioner Carol Sloan last year after her conviction of a felony battery charge. Block faces felony criminal charges in connection with spending of public campaign funds.
Lawmakers have been researching how to impeach Block since early last week.. No elected official has ever been successfully impeached in the history of New Mexico.
Tuesday August 16th, 2011
Kimberly Thomas, director of Los Alamos National Laboratory’s Science and Technology Base Programs Office, has become the first Los Alamos researcher to be named a Fellow of the American Chemical Society (ACS).
At LANL, Thomas has received the Outstanding Mentoring Award for her tireless efforts in fostering career development of women at the Laboratory. She is a sponsor of and advocate for the annual Expanding Your Horizons conference—a science, technology, math, and engineering exploration event designed for middle-school-age girls. In her role as Science and Technology Base Program Director, Thomas oversees LANL’s student and postdoctoral programs, and teacher enhancement programs, where she is committed to ensuring a positive experience for students at the Laboratory.
With 33 years of service at the Laboratory, Thomas has excelled in myriad research and management positions, including weapons radiochemical diagnostics, isotope separation, waste transmutation and nuclear waste management, environmental chemistry, study of nuclear reactions, and many other disciplines. She served as LANL’s program manager on Hanford Waste Tanks characterization, leader of LANL’s role in the Yucca Mountain Project, and numerous leadership roles in the Laboratory’s Chemistry Division.
Monday August 15th, 2011
The first day of school for Los Alamos Public Schools is today Monday August 15.
Remember the slow speed school zones will be operating and patrolled to ensure the safety of the
returning children.
Elementary schools’ start time will be 8:20 and end at 3:20 pm. Elementary Schools will
continue to release students early on Wednesdays. To help students transition back into
school, elementary students will be released early on August 15th and 16th. And the 17 is a ½
day . By August 18th students will be back in school full time. Middle and elementary school
bus schedules will stay the same.
high school Students can look forward to an earlier start and end time to their school day.
The students’ instructional day will begin at 7:50 AM, which is twenty minutes earlier than
last year. Regularly scheduled classes for students will end at 2:35 with an optional academic
or enrichment period to follow from 2:40 till 3:10. During that time, students will have the
opportunity to participate in club meetings, enrichment activities and Tier II interventions that
high school staff is calling “academic assistance” time.
The earlier dismissal time will work well for students that work after school. In addition, the
earlier dismissal should reduce the amount of time student/athletes miss when traveling to
away games.
The change in the start and end schedule at the high school does not change bus schedules. Nor
does the change in bell schedule impact the A and B schedules which meet on alternate days. The
changes to the bell schedule allow new flexibility to the school day while continuing to comply
with the number of hours needed to constitute a school day and year.
Friday August 12th, 2011
Here’s a construction update on Sullivan field. It has been grated and the drainage rock
is currently being placed. The artificial turf is suppose to be installed beginning today,
though at 10:30 the turf had yet to be applied. The goal is to have it ready to play on for
the Soccer Tournament that starts September 2. Mesa Field will be converted back into a
field for practice and track events.
The Griffith Gym remodel is
Adding storage to outside of building, remodeling the locker room, enlarging the concession
stand, rebuilding the ticket booth, adding a spirit store, replacing lobby glass, and adding heat
to the lobby. Target date for
Temporary occupancy for locker room and storage space, Aug. 15th. Final occupancy by Aug.
22
Los Alamos Middle School Classroom Replacement is in design at 50% Design Development.
The next design meeting will be at Los Alamos Middle School Aug. 17, 3:30pm in the teacher’s
lounge. There will be a community meeting in conjunction with Back to School night on August
30, 5:30pm. Construction is slated to begin June 2012 and be complete August 2013.
They are replacing the steps in front of Mountain School. They are on schedule to be
completed before Monday.
Thursday August 11th, 2011
Parks for the People is a culminating project of Designing the Parks—a public-
private partnership to promote well-designed public parks in America.
A nationwide competition focused on “breathing new life into America’s most
spectacular public places” selected the Valles Caldera National Preserve (VCNP)
to represent the Inter-Mountain Region. There are seven regions total.
The competition pairs student and faculty teams with park administrators to design
model solutions which can be developed as paradigms that can strengthen sites.
The first stage of the competition begins this fall when faculty organize research
teams and begin an investigation into one of seven sites around the nation as the
focus of their studio proposal.
After stage one, teams will submit proposals for a studio class based on each of the
respective sites they studied. One proposal will be selected from each of the seven
regions and will participate in a spring semester design studio for the final stage of the
competition.
The competition and selection come at an ideal time for the Valles Caldera National
Perserve because the Valles Caldera Trust is currently considering several alternatives
for visitor facility development and public access to the Preserve.
The progress of the competition can be followed by visiting the Designing the Parks
website at www.designingtheparks.org.
Wednesday August 10th, 2011
The talented young singers and technicians of The Santa Fe Opera’s Apprentice
Programs are busily preparing for two evenings of Apprentice Scenes on August 14 and
21. The singers will star in scenes from a variety of popular operas and musicals. The
technicians will design and execute the fully staged and costumed scenes from wig-
making to scenery construction.
The program on August 14 includes scenes from The Cunning Little Vixen, The Ghosts
of Versailles, Summer and Smoke, Semele, Carmen, Idomeneo, Porgy and Bess, and The
Italian Girl in Algiers. The performance takes place on the main stage of The Santa Fe
Opera at 8:00 PM.
39 singers were selected from a record 1,560 applications and 73 technicians were
chosen from more than 700 applications to participate in the 2011 Apprentice Programs..
The apprentice singers make up the chorus for the five operas, appear in supporting roles,
and serve as understudies for principal roles. Technicians get hands-on experience in set,
costume and prop construction, and serving as the running crew for the operas.
The Apprentice Programs cost approximately $1.5 million annually.
Reserved seating prices for the Apprentice Scenes are $21 for adults and $7 for children
ages 6 to 17. They may be purchased at The Santa Fe Opera Box Office or by calling 505
986 5900 or 800 280 4654.
Tuesday August 9th, 2011
The 13th Annual Outstanding Innovation Technology Transfer Awards reception
honored Laboratory inventors of patented, licensed, and copyrighted technologies for
their important role in transferring science and technology from Los Alamos National
Laboratory to industry. The awards reception took place on August 4, 2010 at Fuller
Lodge in downtown Los Alamos.
The commercialization of technolo-gies developed at the Lab helps to strengthen U.S.
economic security by creating jobs and enhancing U.S. industrial competitiveness.
The distinguished patent award honors inventors whose patented invention exhibits
significant technical advance, adaptability to public use, and noteworthy value to the
mission of the Lab. This year’s winners are James Werner, Peter Goodwin, and Andrew
Shreve of the LANL Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies for their patent on an
apparatus and method that achieves three-dimensional imaging at nanometer resolution.
The distinguished licensing award honors innovators who proactively engage in
commercialization activities at the Lab . Dipen Sinha of the Materials Physics and
Applications Division wins the award this year. His several decades of work in acoustic
technologies has been applied in numerous application areas, ranging from biomedicine
to oil and gas exploration. Sinha’s dedication to this field of research has resulted in
six commercial license agreements, 11 collaborative projects, three sponsored research
agreements, three user facility agreements, and, 18 U.S. patents thus far.
Monday August 8th, 2011
This morning was the Back to school breakfast at the Middle School. There were many
presentations including the recognition of the teacher of the year Sharon Allen and years
of service awards. Joy Handsberry, Rob Hipwood, Rose Martin, John Reeves, Karen
Trifall, Audrey Washburn and Loraine Walin were recognized for 20 years of service.
Anthony Archulaste, Laura Gallimore, Gary Hofelt, Judy McKempkin, and Tamy Sidell
were honored for 25 years of service. Jose Martinez has been employed for 35 years at
the Los Alamos Public Schools. That is years of dedication.
The keynote speaker was Consuello Castillo Kickbush, a motivational speaker
Superintendent Schmidt has worked with for many years. Her discussion was on the
human spirit and many great things can happen when given the opportunity. Public
education gives that opportunity to children regardless of economic or social status. This
is what makes the American dream and as educators this dream cannot BE ALLOWED
TO SLIP AWAY.
Saturday August 6th, 2011
The Bandelier National Monument has reopened although the visitor center remains closed.
Most fire restrictions have been lifted, and campfires are allowed at Juniper Campground.
Areas presently open include the Tsankawi section, near White Rock; Juniper Campground
near the park entrance; the Tyuonyi Overlook Trail, which begins in Juniper Campground; and
the Burnt Mesa Trail, about 4 miles west of the park entrance on Hwy 4. No fees are being
charged for visiting the park, except for camping. There are programs at the juniper campground
AMPHITHEATER and evening walks through Tsankawi. For more information check the website
nps.gov/band.
The Valles Caldera National Preserve has reopened with the exception of the burned areas
and the fishing. There is hiking and sightseeing tours available. Check their website
vallescaldera.gov for the details.
Friday August 5th, 2011
.The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Defense Programs today announced
the recipients of the Defense Programs’ Employee of the Quarter Awards. Recipients of the awards are
recognized for going beyond the call of duty in supporting the mission of NNSA’s Defense Programs.
The selection of the recipients is determined at each site following its own specific criteria. The
recipients of NNSA Defense Programs’ Employee of the Quarter Awards for Los Alamos are as follows:
Char les H. Keiler s, Los Alamos Site Office, is recognized for his performance during the Los
Conchas Fire as the Emergency Manager for Los Alamos National Laboratory Emergency Operations
Center (EOC). He provided exceptional coordination with Headquarters, maintained a strong linkage with
the state EOC, delivered detailed hazard briefs to political leaders, and oversaw operational awareness
efforts.
J ames S. Nar um, Los Alamos National Laboratory, is recognized for his work in support of Los
Alamos National Laboratory’s Technical Area 55 (TA-55) Plutonium Facility 4 (PF-4) seismic upgrades
have been exemplary. He is assigned the responsibility of lead project engineer for the design work on
several of the sub-projects to address seismic concerns identified in the TA-55, PF-4 SAFER analysis.
Thursday August 4th, 2011
Jason Lott, Superintendent of Bandelier National Monument announced
today, “Bandelier National Monument is open for business and visitors are
rediscovering mesa-top areas of the park. The Monument has relaxed most
fire restrictions and visitors may also enjoy campfires at Juniper
Campground.” In addition to the Tsankawi District, visitors may hike
along the Tyuonyi Overlook Trail to view the Frijoles Canyon cultural
sites, and along Burnt Mesa Trail to see the rapid greening-up of an area
affected by the Las Conchas Fire.
Rangers and park volunteers are roving Bandelier’s open trails and staffing
the visitor contact station at the Tsankawi District. Ranger-led programs for
visitors have also begun at the Monument, including evening programs at the
Juniper Campground Amphitheater on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights.
On Wednesday and Thursday evenings next week, ranger-led Evening Walks
will take place at Tsankawi at 6:30 p.m., by reservation. For Evening Walk
reservations, visitors should leave a message and telephone contact information
at 505-672-3861, ext. 517.
Wednesday August 3rd, 2011
Held at the Laboratory’s Technical Area 49, the event challenges participants to respond to
simulated hazardous materials emergencies involving a rail car, a clandestine laboratory,
transportation and industrial piping scenarios, simulated chemical releases, and a confined
space incident,. The finale of the Hazmat Challenge is an obstacle course; teams are graded
and earn points based on their response skills.
The Laboratory began the Hazmat Challenge in 1996 as a way to hone the skills of its own
hazmat team members. The competition offers an invaluable training opportunity for other
New Mexico and regional hazardous materials response teams. The winning team takes
possession a travelling trophy, and the top three teams receive permanent trophies.
Tuesday August 2nd, 2011
After 36 long days, firefighters have fully contained the Las Conchas Fire, the largest wildland fire
in New Mexico's recorded history.
Ignited on June 26, the Las Conchas Fire burned over 156,593 acres, primarily on the Santa Fe
National Forest and parts of the Valles Caldera National Preserve, Bandelier National Monument,
Pueblos of Jemez, Santa Clara, Cochiti and Santo Domingo, and private lands. Numerous
communities were threatened during the incident.
During the past month, four National Incident Management Teams coordinated thousands of
firefighters and numerous helicopters, engines, tenders, and dozers to bring the wildfire under
containment. no members of the public or any emergency responders were seriously injured
during the fire suppression efforts
The focus now shifts to stabilizing the land and resource impacts within the burned area. BAER
teams have already assessed the Las Conchas Fire area and identified treatments that will
stabilize soils, and reestablish plant cover by seeding and mulching certain parts of the burned
area. In addition, repairs to roads, culverts, and drainage channels will also be applied to protect
life, property, and downstream values that may be at risk from flooding and debris flows.
With the increase in monsoon moisture, the Santa Fe National Forest lifted fire restrictions for
portions of the Forest and Valles Caldera National Preserve The Las Conchas and Pacheco Fire
areas will remain in Stage III Fire Closure, while the Jemez Ranger District, portions of the Cuba
Ranger District, and the Valles Caldera will implement Stage I Fire Restrictions
Monday August 1st, 2011
The Las Conchas fire is 99% contained. Suppression and fire rehabilitation activities
on the Santa Fe National Forest, Valles Caldera National Preserve, Bandelier National
Monument and Cochiti and Jemez Pueblos are near completion. Suppression of active
fire in the Chicoma Mountain area is essentially complete. Patrol, mop up, chipping of
brush and trees, and restoration of hand lines and dozer lines is still in progress within
the burned area. Firefighting resources excess to our needs continue to be released. The
BAER Implementation Team continues applying burned area emergency treatments in
the Las Conchas fire area.
Road work continues today on FR 268 and 289. Yesterday, construction of two trash
racks, designed to capture large, woody flood debris, was completed along FR 289.
Along with blading and drainage construction, crews are felling trees along drainage
channels and placing them strategically in an attempt to facilitate water flow for the
future. Cultural assessments still continue throughout the burned area. The Peralta Bridge
on Trail 140 was removed and stored in a safe location for future reinstallation. Also,
hazard tree removal and seeding took place on Pajarito Mountain yesterday.
Friday July 29th, 2011
The Las Conchas fire is now 98% contained, but some suppression work remains. Suppression
of active fire in the Chicoma Mountain area continues. Chipping of brush and trees, and
restoration of hand lines and dozer lines is still in progress. The Las Conchas Burned Area
Emergency Response (BAER) Implementation Team continues treatments in the Las Conchas
fire area within the Santa Fe National Forest, Valles Caldera National Preserve, and Bandelier
National Monument.
Yesterday, minor flooding from a thunderstorm along Valles Caldera Road (VCR) 13 destroyed
some road repairs completed by the Gila NF road crew, and washed out a culvert. The Santa Fe
NF road crew completed 2.5 miles of repair on Forest Road (FR) 289, while the Cibola NF road
crew bladed and cleaned culverts on 1.5 miles of FR 268. Road repairs will continue today.
Yesterday the Channel Group began construction of a Barksdale trash collector. This effort
will continue today. Directional felling of trees was employed again to protect cultural sites
yesterday, and is likely to continue today, weather permitting.
The Santa Fe National Forest issued a partial lifting of fire restrictions yesterday, which will
take effect Saturday, July 30. The Las Conchas Fire and Pacheco Fire areas will remain in Stage
III closure. The Jemez Ranger District and part of the Cuba Ranger District, as well as the Valles
Caldera National Preserve will be under Stage I fire restrictions. For additional information
about closures, call the Santa Fe NF (505-438-5300) or (866) 382-5537 for the Valles Caldera.
Santa Fe National Forest officials also are evaluating the hazards and risks on those forest
roads accessing private property within the burned area to determine which roads may be
reopened and when. That risk and safety assessment is currently underway and may be
completed within the next several days.
Thursday July 28th, 2011
Computational tools developed at Los Alamos National Laboratory to help ensure the reliability of
the nation’s nuclear weapons deterrent in the absence of testing are helping industry giants ensure the
reliability of their manufacturing processes.
These specialized computer codes are now available to U.S. industry as part of President Barack
Obama’s recently announced advanced manufacturing initiative, designed to help make American
companies more competitive and create new jobs.
Under a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement, LANL and Procter & Gamble have
been collaborating for about two decades to incorporate computational technologies developed
for national security into cutting-edge tools for advanced manufacturing. Among results of the
collaboration, Los Alamos researchers and P&G engineers enlisted computer codes developed to
model the flow, transport, and interaction of fluids and particles to help design a more efficient
diaper manufacturing process. Further collaboration using Los Alamos statistical modeling tools
led to creation of a comprehensive system, called Reliability Technology, that helped P&G reduce
interruptions to production lines—saving the company billions of dollars in the process.
Wednesday July 27th, 2011
The Council has selected Prothman Company to be the executive search firm to assist them in their search for a new County Administrator, a position that has been temporarily filled by Randy Autio, the County's Attorney, since December 2010. The schedule for the recruitment process is:
The KRSN Newsblog
August 7 - Job applications close
August 12 - County receives applications from Prothman for distribution to the Council for review
August 23 - First Closed Session with Council to review applications and choose semi-finalists for Prothman interviews
Sept 6 - Second Closed Session with Council to review results of Prothman interviews and choose finalists for Final Interviews
Sept 22 - Reception for the Public to meet the top finalists (5:00 p.m., Pajarito Rm of Fuller Lodge)
Sept 23 - All day interviews for the finalists with Council (closed to public)
A placeholder for selection has been set for the Council meeting agenda on Tuesday, September 27, when the Council could formally announce the successful candidate. Approval of a contract for the new County Administrator, which is an appointed position that serves at the pleasure of the Council, must be conducted at a regular Council session. The date for the final contract approval is TBD. Watch this webpage for updates as new information becomes available!
Tuesday July 26th, 2011
The Southwestern Region of the Forest Service is working with federal, state, and local agency partners to host two Fire and Flood Recovery workshops, which will provide communities affected by fires and floods with a forum to learn about available funding and technical assistance opportunities. The workshop will be held Tuesday, July 26 at Buffalo Thunder and is open to individual homeowners, business owners, community leaders, and affected tribes. There will be an identical afternoon (2:00 - 4:30 p.m.) and evening session (6:00 - 8:30 p.m).
The workshops will begin with a brief overview of the fire season, immediate efforts underway to stabilize burned areas and protect communities from floods, and the long-term needs for restoration. The remainder will be an open house format where attendees can meet with agency representatives who have information on assistance programs
Monday July 25th, 2011
Los Alamos National Laboratory employees pledged a record $272,000 during the 2011 Los Alamos Employees’ Scholarship Fund drive. The drive encourages LANL employees, retirees, and subcontract personnel to donate to a fund that awards college scholarships to Northern New Mexico students. Further, more employees donated to the fund this year than in past years.
Los Alamos National Security, LLC, which manages and operates the Laboratory, will match employee contributions to the scholarship fund up to $250,000.
Scholarships are awarded on the basis of grade-point average, test scores, diversity, financial need, academic rigor, leadership, and community involvement. Funds pledged during this year’s drive will be used to award scholarships in 2012.
The Los Alamos National Laboratory Foundation manages the scholarship program. Since the LAESF program began in 1998, Laboratory employees have donated more than $2 million to the fund. All told, more than 600 scholarships have been awarded, including 67 this year.
All trails on the Los Alamos County Trail Network on County land are open as of 6 AM on July 20, 2011. At Bandelier National Monument, the Tsankawi area, the Overlook Trail at Juniper Campground, and the Burnt Mesa Trail are open. All other trails are closed.
Note: all trails in the Santa Fe National Forest and on Department of Energy land remain closed. This includes:
Mitchell Trail north of the intersection with the Perimeter Trail near 45th and Arizona. Perimeter Trail from the switchbacks below Pipeline Road near the north side of Quemazon Communities to the gasline cut above Ridgeway. The Perimeter Trail behind Arizona Avenue from the Mitchell Trail to Upper Guaje Road behind the cemetery. Rendija Canyon including the Rendija and Upper Rendija Trails. Pajarito Trail and Cabra Loop near the Sportsman's Club. Quemazon Trail above the Nature Trail Loop. Trails near Camp May and the Pajarito Ski Area. All trails on the west side of West Jemez Road (Pajarito Canyon, Nail, Cañon de Valle, Perimeter, and Water Canyon trails). Devaney-Longmire, Hidden Canyon, and Deadmans trails
Friday July 22nd, 2011
All trails on the Los Alamos County Trail Network on County land are open as of 6 AM. At Bandelier National Monument, the Tsankawi area, the Overlook Trail at Juniper Campground, and the Burnt Mesa Trail are open. All other trails are closed.
All trails in the Santa Fe National Forest and on Department of Energy land remain closed. This includes:
Mitchell Trail, Perimeter Trail, Rendija Canyon including the Rendija and Upper Rendija Trails, Pajarito Trail and Cabra Loop, Quemazon Trail, Trails near Camp May and the Pajarito Ski Area, All trails on the west side of West Jemez Road, Devaney-Longmire, Hidden Canyon, and Deadmans trails
The closure of these trails are due to the numerous risks in a post-burn forest. Weakened or partially burned trees could fall at any time without advance warning. Some trees’ roots may have been burned, resulting in yet another increase in the risk of falling trees.
After the burning of these roots, rocks that may have been held in place by said roots could become loose, causing footing to become unsteady. These factors, among others, will all pose risks in the coming future, and may cause these closures to continue for an uncertain duration of time.
Thursday July 21st, 2011
Los Alamos National Laboratory began working with Imagine Education in 2010 through its economic development initiative, Northern New Mexico Connect. The company received expert coaching and market research assistance from Northern New Mexico Connect, as well as support from LANL master of business administration interns. Imagine Education has earned a half-million-dollar Next Generation Learning Challenges grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. The $500,000 grant resulted in part from financial and other assistance previously provided by Los Alamos National Laboratory and Los Alamos National Security.
Imagine Education has endeavored to remake the way middle-school math is taught through its first-of-its-kind, story-based, online math game, called Ko’s Journey. Scott Laidlaw and partner Jennifer Harris founded Imagine Education to address the fact that students have trouble with math because it is typically taught in abstract terms with no relevance to daily life. The game was initially piloted at the Roots & Wings Community School in Questa, New Mexico, where—sponsored by Los Alamos National Laboratory’s Community Programs Office—it increased math proficiency from 28 percent to 80 percent.
Wednesday July 20th, 2011
The Las Conchas fire is now
Size: 156,590 acres Percent Contained: 75%
During the coming days, firefighters will continue to closely monitor the fire and mop up
hot spots as they are detected. Fireline restoration operations are in progress to help
prevent excessive erosion on dozer lines and handlines, and cold line is being mopped
up 300 fee into the burned area. Three wildland fire modules have accepted
responsibility for management on the north end of the fire. They will remain in place to
assist with fireline mop up and to monitor isolated interior fire activity in the vicinities of
Pajarito Ski Area, Chicoma Mountain, and in the headwaters of Santa Clara Creek. Each
module consists of seven to ten highly skilled firefighters with enough gear to work as an
independent unit.
LOS ALAMOS, NM – Los Alamos Department of Public Utilities’ electric line crew spent the evening and early morning trouble shooting two underground power outages– One that began late Tuesday evening and the other early Wednesday morning.
Tuesday evening’s power outage began around 10 and affected 40 to 50 customers at the Loma Vista Apartments and a small section of Oppenheimer. Crews restored power at 8:30 Wednesday morning by running a temporary line above ground to the area. Linemen are still investigating the root cause so that permanent repairs may be conducted and the temporary line removed.
Early Wednesday morning, around 3, Canyon Road residences between Manhattan Loop and Rim Road lost power due to an underground fault. Crews were able to restore power to the majority of customers by 6 a.m. and anticipate the remaining six customers will be restored by 10 a.m.
Tuesday July 19th, 2011
San Ildefonso met with a Team Tribal Liaison and Forest Service personnel to discuss the BAER process. Of concern for the Pueblo was the seed mix the Santa Fe National Forest planned to use on the watershed above the Pueblo. They request to be part of the consultation process to help select an appropriate seed mix, which will help them plan on managing seeds that may be washed downstream onto the Pueblo. Long term ecological rehabilitation and high flow rates on cultural sites were also of concern.
Watershed specialists visited Cochiti Pueblo to assess the upper portion of the golf course yesterday and found small tributaries that will need additional treatment specifications written for.
Wildlife specialists visited Nambe to evaluate Rio Grand Cutthroat habitat yesterday and found some ash was sloughing into the creek, but was not of significant concern. The specialists will meet with Santa Clara Pueblo today to discuss additional wildlife items. The Fish and Wildlife Service will provide the Jemez Salamander habitat data layer.
The Las Conchas North BAER group expects to have written assessments finished by July 21. Agency closeout meetings are tentatively scheduled to take place with the Bureau of Indian Affairs Northern and Southern Pueblo Agencies Monday, July 25.
Burned Area Emergency Response Team-South Zone completed their initial assessments of the Las Conchas Fire and have scheduled three public meetings to discuss their findings and recommendations:
Wednesday, July 20th 6 p.m. in Los Alamos at Mountain Elementary School,
Thursday, July 21st-6 p.m. in Cochiti Lake at the Cochiti Lake Community Center,
Friday, July 22nd-6 p.m. in Jemez Springs, at the Madonna Center.
Monday July 18th, 2011
Albuquerque, NM — The Southwestern Region of the Forest Service is working with federal, state, and local agency partners to host two Fire and Flood Recovery workshops, which will provide communities affected by fires and floods with a forum to learn about available funding and technical assistance opportunities. The workshops will be held Tuesday, July 26 in Santa Fe and Thursday, July 28 in Ruidoso and are open to individual homeowners, business owners, community leaders, and affected tribes.
“I know fires and floods have or will affect many in our state, and it can be very difficult to navigate the various assistance programs,” stated Regional Forester Corbin Newman. “I’m very pleased USDA agencies as well as representatives from other federal, state, and local agencies can offer this opportunity for our communities to learn what programs are available to them,” he added.
New Mexico received 2 percent or less of normal precipitation for the first 6 months of the year. The record dry conditions were accompanied by higher than normal temperatures, sustained high winds through May and June, and extremely low relative humidity readings – all contributing to extremely volatile fire potential. Large fires began with the White and Last Chance Fires on the Lincoln National Forest and the Miller Fire on the Gila National Forest—all in April. In May, we saw the Mayhill Fire on the Lincoln, followed in June by a portion of the Wallow Fire and the Pacheco and Las Conchas Fires on the Santa Fe National Forest. Now, many areas of the state are receiving monsoonal moisture, which can and will bring floods and other impacts to burned areas and surrounding communities.
The workshops will begin with a brief overview of the fire season, immediate efforts underway to stabilize burned areas and protect communities from floods, and the long-term needs for restoration. The remainder will be an open house format where attendees can meet with agency representatives who have information on assistance programs. Information will be available on topics such as rehabilitation efforts; grazing; livestock and agriculture; watershed and forest restoration; community infrastructure; small business assistance; and housing and insurance. There will be an identical afternoon (2:00 – 4:30 p.m.) and evening session (6:00 – 8:30 p.m.) at each location.
Among the representatives at the workshops will be the Forest Service, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Rural Development, Farm Service Agency, FEMA, Army Corps of Engineers, New Mexico State Forestry, New Mexico Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, and other agency partners.
Friday July 15th, 2011
Las Conchas update.
Size: 150,041 acres
Percent Contained: 61% There is a large amount of smoke being generated on the southwest edge of the Las Conchas Fire today. This is from a burnout operation which is going as planned.
Yesterday evening starting about 6 p.m., fire personnel lit a 400-foot-wide strip of vegetation on the east side of Forest Road (FR) 266, west of Ruiz Peak. Approximately two miles of roadside were ignited.
Last night's burnout is slowly climbing up the hill while the edge of the wildfire is continuing to back its way downslope from Peralta Ridge. In most areas, the fire is an underburn, consuming ground vegetation but sparing trees and larger vegetation. The expectation is that the two fires will merge.
The area expected to be burned by these two fire fronts is about 2,000 acres. The burnout operation will help firefighters secure this section of the fire perimeter, making the fire much less likely to escape its "box".
The backing fire is generating a large plume of smoke, especially when the fire reaches areas with heavier amounts of fuel. Atmospheric conditions are restricting smoke dispersal. Smoke is highly visible from Jemez, La Cueva, and Cochiti.
Fire personnel, including aerial resources, are closely monitoring the burnout operation. The fire is staying within the containment line along FR 266. The field Operations Chief stated, "The burning operation is going well, with a good understory burn, good black line established, and all within the lines as planned."
Additional burnout operations are expected later this evening and over the next few days, as weather and fuel conditions allow. The goal is to secure this section of the fireline, greatly reducing the risk of the Las Conchas Fire making another run.
Thursday July 14th, 2011
Two Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) Teams arrived on the Los Conchas Fire soon after the fire broke out to evaluate the after effects of the fire. Their primary mission is to assess potential threats to life, property and critical cultural and natural resources. The two teams have divided the fire, into North and South Zones
On Tuesday, watershed specialists and a Dam Safety Specialist visited Santa Clara Canyon to assess the stability of Santa Clara's most western dam. Initial assessments indicate there could be a dam failure due to the hardening coat being removed and not replaced after damage from previous wildfires. Five fence lines were cut and removed at creek crossings to allow debris to flow freely without causing additional damages to streambeds. All concrete barriers at the Santa Clara Pueblo have been placed, and by Friday, all sandbagging efforts should be completed.
At Jemez, the vegetation specialist examined mixed stands of Pinion Juniper, Ponderosas Pine and Doug Fir and found low burn mortality, which indicate higher soil stabilization. Due to active fire, the specialists had limited access to do further assessments.
Soil specialists continued documenting water-repellant soil in critical watersheds above Cochiti Pueblo and Los Alamos. Other soil scientists calculated expected erosion rates to predict the amount of sediment likely to be transported from major watersheds. BAER hydrologists evaluated forest roads in the southern Jemez Mountains for post-fire stability.. Members of the team also met with the County of Los Alamos, Los Alamos National Laboratory, and the State Engineer's Office to assist in developing a path forward for handling post-fire floods at the Los Alamos Reservoir.
The Las Conchas South BAER group expects to have their initial assessments and recommendations for treatments completed by Monday, July 18
Wednesday July 13th, 2011
All parts of the North Zone are now primarily in mop-up and patrol status. Minor fire activity, mainly creeping and smoldering, was observed yesterday on the east side of the fire, south of Los Alamos. Light rain on the fire area helped with mop-up.
Although some fire resources are being released as their assignments are completed, many will stay on this incident. A significant amount of fireline rehabilitation work still needs to be completed. Weather for tomorrow and the rest of this week is expected to be warmer and drier.
Residual fuels burning within the fire perimeter may continue to produce smoke that is visible from nearby communities.
The Los Alamos County Information Technology Division is working on a design and business model to install a broadband/fiber optic network which would provide enhanced internet, television and telephone services for residential and business access. The County commissioned this study in order to measure the percept