Opinion

LeDoux: Join Us For Española’s Electric Light Parade!

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By Sam LeDoux
Española City Councilor
4th District

The Española Electric Light Parade is just around the corner and if you’ve never been before I urge you to come experience one of the most special times of year in our Valley. You will see all the best Española has to offer, where everyone drops the issues of their lives and works to bring smiles to everyone’s faces. From car clubs, colleges, churches, to banks it’s the time of year where everyone builds truly special entries for all to see.

I have years of memories watching from the Española Plaza or at Northern New Mexico College seeing all the amazing Read More

LACDC Shares Thoughts On Diamond Drive Property Issue

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By LAUREN MCDANIEL, LACDC Executive Director
On Behalf of the LACDC Executive Committee
Staff Lauren McDaniel and David Jolly, Board Members Carol A. Clark, Craig Wehner, Tracie Stratton, Karen Easton, Bill Wadt

After speaking with some County representatives, and hearing from business owners on the topic of the possible Diamond Drive property purchase, it’s clear there are well-intentioned people who are energized about moving forward with community development plans and achieving priorities on the County’s Strategic Plan. We appreciate this enthusiasm and understand what the County Read More

Pongratz: Need Help Helping Our Schools?

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By MORRIE PONGRATZ
LAPS Foundation Board Member

As Giving Tuesday approaches you may be wondering how to best help Los Alamos Public Schools. If you moved here to work at LANL, you may not know that Los Alamos Public Schools (LAPS) is at the 33.6th percentile for per-pupil spending compared to the national distribution. This means that LAPS spends more per student than about 33.6% of school districts nationwide but less than the remaining 66.4%!

The Los Alamos Public Schools Foundation was established in 2005 to enable folks to address this disparity through personal, tax-deductible contributions. Read More

An Open Book: Thanksgiving Day

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By DAVID IZRAELEVITZ
Los Alamos

“The only time we close is for Thanksgiving.”

Many years ago, while traveling through a city I have long forgotten, I stopped for dinner at a Chinese restaurant where I overheard the owner chatting with a departing couple. “You’re not closed for New Year’s?” the man persisted. The owner’s heavy accent seemed to thicken with his emphasis. “We only close for Thanksgiving. It’s the only day.” 

This time of year always brings back memories of that brief exchange. I never found out why Thanksgiving Day was the only special day for this family. Maybe the reason is as ordinary Read More

Robinson: Project 2025 & The New Look Of Disaster Recovery

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By SHERRY ROBINSON
All She Wrote
© 2024 New Mexico News Services

In Roswell’s newly opened FEMA office, people who lost homes and vehicles in October flooding and people who are still trying to get the mold and muck out of their living quarters hope the government will help them get back on their feet.

In Ruidoso FEMA ensnared flood and fire victims with red tape. And Northern New Mexico’s fire and flood victims are still waiting for payments.

The nation’s disaster relief agency has its problems, but if you’ve just lost everything, FEMA is your only hope. Now FEMA and the whole mission of disaster recovery Read More

Saenz: Fiber Optics And Transparency – A Need For Los Alamos (Part 2)

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By ALLAN SAENZ
Owner
SALA Event Center and LANet

In Part 1 of my letter, I addressed the sudden proposal for the County to spend nearly $10 million on properties on Diamond Drive without adequate public input or transparency. Today, in Part 2, I focus on another significant item on the County Council’s agenda: the Community Broadband Project.

Unlike the unexpected property purchase, the Community Broadband Project has been in development for over 20 years, with substantial public support. As someone deeply invested in the future of connectivity in Los Alamos, I have actively supported Read More

Holsapple: Council Agenda Item Regarding Broadband

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By KEVIN HOLSAPPLE
Los Alamos

I wrote the Council today (Saturday) to express my objection to the recommended approval of the project (Broadband) without adequate public input and engagement.

The proposed project involves undertaking $35 million in public debt and entering into a business arrangement that will affect the daily lives of businesses and households for decades to come. A Friday afternoon partial document dump with a recommendation for a rubber stamp decision four days later may meet “the letter of the law” but is inappropriate if the County seeks to be perceived as transparent Read More

Cinema Cindy Reviews Two Films For Grown Ups

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By CYNTHIA BIDDLECOMB
Los Alamos

“Small Things Like These” brings Cillian Murphy (2023’s Oppenheimer) into deeply emotional territory, his face exposing the internal thoughts of Bill Furlong. Bill is a father of five daughters, all living in 1985’s Wexford County, Ireland. Bill’s wife Eileen (played by Irish film and television actress Eileen Walsh) notices that her man-of-few-words is going through something deeply troubling; thanks to her we learn more about his worries.

Bill runs his own coal and propane delivery service. He has a few guys working for him; occasionally one of them will Read More

Letter To The Editor: Can Something Be Done About Too Many Deer?

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By PAM PRICHARD
Los Alamos

Has anyone noticed that we have too many deer in this town? People enjoy seeing them, but they are destructive to shrubs and flowers, and are a hazard both to drivers and to themselves.

A poor injured doe was recently seen trying to cross a street with two broken front legs. An abundance of fawns this summer means things will be even worse next year.

Can something be done about the overpopulation, for the sake of the deer, our streets and our landscaping? Read More

Robinson: Post Election We Still Have To Live With Each Other

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By SHERRY ROBINSON
All She Wrote
© 2024 New Mexico News Services

Not long ago, I drove to Colorado and Wyoming to visit family members I hadn’t seen in a few years. It was mostly a social visit, although I’ve been working on the family history and genealogy and wanted to gather more information.

I figured politics might come up. We may share genes, but we don’t share political beliefs. Still, I was curious about what they were thinking and why.

My cousins and I are pretty different people. I was the first on both sides to go to college. Some cousins are high school dropouts, and others graduated from high Read More