OP/ED

Op-Ed: The Future Of Hydrogen In New Mexico

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DR. VAN ROMERO 
New Mexico Tech
Vice President of Special Research Programs
Professor of Physics 

The time is now for New Mexico to move toward a new energy future. The Department of Energy is investing $7 billion in regional clean energy Hydrogen Hubs. These Hubs will produce, store, and burn hydrogen – a fuel that will help us meet the critical energy needs of our communities without emitting carbon, depending on how it is produced and managed.

A focus on hydrogen will benefit New Mexico energy landscape. First, hydrogen presents New Mexico with the opportunity to diversify our energy economy Read More

Secretary Propst: As New Mexico State Parks Celebrate 90th Anniversary, It’s Time To Boost Our Investment In These Hidden Gems

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Scene from the 2nd annual Turquoise Trail Pack Burro Race May 6 in Cerrillos Hills State Park. Courtesy/EMNRD

By SARAH COTTRELL PROPST
EMNRD Secretary

On May 6, under a blue New Mexico sky, I stood next to a trail in Cerrillos Hills State Park as pack burros and their human partners raced by. The 2nd annual Turquoise Trail Pack Burro Race illustrated what New Mexico’s state parks do best: Bring people outside, provide education, and encourage economic activity in our parks’ gateway communities, from restaurants to guides and other outdoor recreation businesses. 

State Parks—a New Mexico Energy, Read More

Benson: Jobs For Northern New Mexico … Los Alamos Isn’t The Place For A Pit Factory

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By JODY BENSON
Los Alamos

Hey! It’s Oppie month celebrating the geniuses who built the bomb. Los Alamos is still building bombs. Maybe we could rethink what requires genius.

On Tuesday at the County Council Work Session, Kelly Beierschmitt, LANL Deputy Director of Operations, will present TRIAD’s Growth and Mission Support report. His PowerPoint shows accomplishments such as salary distribution from Bernalillo to Taos, and investments in transportation, student programs, site modernization, and childcare.

A slide also talks about exploring federal off-site campuses for low-hazard, Read More

Macek: Existence Of Snakes Depends On Humans

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By JAN MACEK
Los Alamos

World Snake Day is celebrated every year on July 16 to raise awareness about the different types of snake species and the important role they play in maintaining ecological balance. 

Perhaps you missed the articles last year that stated, “One-fifth of all snakes, turtles, and other reptiles face extinction. More than a fifth of all reptilian species — over 1,800 — are threatened with extinction, and 31 species have permanently vanished already, according to a new study in the journal  Nature.” https://www.vox.com/2022/4/27/23040966/snakes-turtles-lizards-reptiles-extinction Read More

Ozment: Utilities Assistance Needs Real Change

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By CAT OZMENT
Los Alamos

Utilities assistance is not glamorous, but it matters, especially when rates are increasing nationwide and in Los Alamos  Our local, donation-based Utilities Assistance Program (UAP) is a good start, but it is underused by people who qualify, and donations have decreased in the last few years for a variety of reasons. On Wednesday, July 19, 2023, the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) will consider modifications to the program that are wholly inadequate to the needs of the community.

This LTE asks the community for two possible actions:

1) Email BPU bpu@lacnm.us and Read More

Bourque: North Mesa Roundabout Hazard

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By ROBERT BOURQUE
Los Alamos

On May 24 I struck a boy on a bicycle at the roundabout in North Mesa. He was coming from Barranca. He received minor scrapes and is OK.

It was not possible to see this boy despite a witness claiming he had entered the intersection first. I first saw him only when he was darting in front of me, even though I had looked to the left more than once.

The reason is that my view of him was blocked by the roundabout itself. It has overgrown vegetation, large boulders, a mountain lion statue, and two evergreen trees whose branches reach the ground.

I have attached a photo, taken from my car Read More

Op/Ed: Immigrants Are ‘Not Supplanting Us’, They ARE Us

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By STEPHANIE NAKHLEH
Los Alamos

I’m writing this because I’m hearing from friends that Mr. Stradling’s recent piece (tl;dr — white Christians, who are the best parents, are being supplanted by non-Christian immigrants) is the latest in a string of incidents that have left people feeling unsafe and unwelcome in this town. The anti-LGBTQ+ crowd has been loud lately, and it’s not surprising that anti-immigration has entered the chat. Those of us who stand with our immigrant, religious-minority, and LGBTQ+ friends can’t just ignore this stuff and hope it goes away. It’s not going away. We need Read More

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

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By JOSEPH MAESTAS
New Mexico State Auditor

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

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

Couts: My Endorsement Of Tobias Haag’s Article

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By SHERRILL COUTS
Los Alamos

I am seconding Tobias Haag’s sentiments regarding the apparent degradation of culture in Los Alamos county, here https://ladailyposttest.ortizaudio.nethaag-tolerance-in-white-rock-a-bit-rocky/

As a conservative libertarian (conservative in the conventional sense, meaning restrained, not radical right), I don’t have anything to say about LBGTQ+ except just let people do their thing in peace as long as they’re not stomping on anyone else’s toes. Happy murals on the white rock are hardly offensive; indeed, the colors were cheerful before the clowns Read More

Hanrahan: Beyond The Usual Suspects

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By LYNN HANRAHAN
Los Alamos

If you want our town to be ecologically sound, we have to step up. Support the adoption of bear-proof dumpsters even if they are sometimes imperfect. If at all possible, secure smelly garbage until trash day. Not everyone has a garage, of course, but where there’s a will there’s a way. Hose out your garbage cart and your recycling cart, too.

A little blonde bear has been making the rounds in our neighborhood lately. I am very careful to keep the garbage cart pristine, but I noticed he really liked the gallon vinegar bottles in the blue cart. I do the standard recipe of a gallon Read More