Opinion

Benson: ‘No Other Land’ Is About The Struggle To Be Recognized As Human Beings…

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By JODY BENSON
Los Alamos

The Los Alamos Unitarian Church presented on March 25 the Academy Award winning documentary, No Other Land, directed by two Palestinians and two Israelis, about the systematic destruction of the villages in Masafer Yatta in the southern Occupied West Bank of Palestine. 

This film is not about Gaza or Hamas. It is about the West Bank. There is no Hamas in the West Bank. People of the West Bank did not commit the 10-7 terror attack on the Nova Music Festival.

No Other Land is a video journal. Young Palestinian activist Basel Andra has been recording life in his area since he was Read More

Skolnik: Shame On The Legislature

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By RICHARD SKOLNIK
White Rock

As a lifelong Democrat who has worked on health matters for 40 years, I am appalled by the legislature’s failure (again!) to pass well-known, evidence-based measures to reduce alcohol consumption and increase the health workforce.

The Governor says that improving public safety and reducing interpersonal violence are two of her central concerns. The evidence is clear, however, that she won’t achieve this unless excess alcohol consumption is reduced through increased taxes, among other measures, since alcohol is so strongly associated with interpersonal Read More

Op-Ed: Dangerous Left Turning At Anderson Overlook

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By ROBERT BOURQUE
Los Alamos

A couple of days ago I was heading down the hill following another vehicle. Upon reaching the first turn at Anderson Overlook, that vehicle tried to turn left into it, but needed to stop for oncoming vehicles. I stopped suddenly and the vehicle behind me slammed on its brakes, barely missing rear-ending me.

There are barricades preventing such dangerous turns near the high school, the hospital and the North Mesa roundabout.

But why are there not such barricades at the most dangerous of all – the Anderson Overlook. In fact, that entire S-turn should have them. Read More

Holsapple: Comments And Questions On ‘Retail LEDA’ Agenda Item For Tuesday’s County Council Meeting

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By KEVIN HOLSAPPLE
Los Alamos Local Business Coalition

  1. It is great to see attention given to this longstanding gap in the County economic development program. Thank you for undertaking this. Although the first cut is quite generic and simplistic, it is a welcome starting point for discussion.
  1. The gap analysis appears to be a canned or purchased analysis. What is the source? It is not attributed in the document unless I missed seeing it. Is there the ability for further drill-downs on the available data to supplement understanding?
  1. Were any local business groups consulted or engaged to help
Read More

Trask: Denish’s Diatribe On Musk A Misguided Hit Piece

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By CHARLIE TRASK
Los Alamos

At the end of her Op-Ed, Diane Denish recommends that we speak up and push back against Elon Musk. Well, SURPRISE, I’m going to push back on Denish and the failure of our Democrat leadership. I’m urging our normal citizens to stand up for America.

Denish has thrown her/their cards on the table. She tells us that the world’s smartest person is a racist, bullied kid, non-engineer, Trump donor, user of drugs, father, emotionless, adolescent user of “X”, empathy-less, lover of chaos, and a multitude of other unfounded liberal innuendos and lies.

This is such a standard play Read More

Op-Ed: Nation’s Report Card Should Be A Warning

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By CARTER SWANSON
Policy Analyst
Opportunity for All Kids

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), also known as “The Nation’s Report Card”, was released in January. Released every two years, this report provides the most comprehensive data on educational performance nationwide. It is a stark reminder of what SHOULD be the most important issue facing New Mexico’s Legislature and Governor. Unfortunately, the results barely garnered media attention in New Mexico. 

For the last two reports, 2022 and 2024, New Mexico has been 52nd (behind all 50 states, plus the District of Read More

Stradling: The Nature Of The Conservative Movement

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By GARY STRADLING
Los Alamos

We live in interesting times.

As President Donald J. Trump swept the elections in November, many strong opinions about the nature of the Conservative movement have been expressed, from both sides.

I would like to share my own views with our community. Note that this statement does not necessarily represent the Republican Party.

The core value of Conservatism is the respect for the freedoms of individual Americans.

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that Read More

Dannemann: New Mexico Leaders Respond To Trump Radical Changes

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By MERILEE DANNEMANN
© 2025 Triple Spaced

When Donald Trump was elected to his second term, it was a foregone conclusion that he would attempt to make radical changes to our federal government. But we didn’t know what he would do first or how it would affect us, nationally and personally.

It also was predictable that his proposed changes would encounter massive opposition from many sides, ranging from Democrats in Congress to state governments and numerous advocacy organizations. Many of these efforts, we could anticipate, would go through the courts, some with frustrating slowness. Meanwhile, Read More

Robinson: DOGE’s Undisciplined Flunkies Know Nothing Of Government

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By SHERRY ROBINSON
All She Wrote
© 2025 New Mexico News Services

In the who-what-when that’s the architecture of news stories, it’s usually the who that’s most important and the how that’s least important. But in recent federal firings, I find the how equally compelling.

Consider the slash and burn of Elon Musk and his DOGE groupies at the National Nuclear Security Administration, an agency of the Department of Energy.

NPR pieced together an account from interviews with fired employees. They were shut out of their email accounts before learning they were fired. Some were not notified they were Read More

Gessing: State Gets Richer, You Get Poorer

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By PAUL GESSING
President
Rio Grande Foundation

New Mexico’s Legislature continues to meet in Santa Fe. Sadly, it continues along the same trajectory it has been on in recent years where the government spending grows while also keeping more of our money and (often) adding an ever-increasing number of taxes for us to pay.

For starters, the House recently passed a budget that increases spending across all areas of New Mexico government. An amendment was offered by Republicans to rebate a portion of the money ($600 each) to average New Mexicans. The plan was rejected by Democrats.

That’s by no means Read More