Opinion

LALBC Steering Team Shares Open Letter To Community

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From Steering Team
Los Alamos Local Business Coalition

Dear Members of the County Council, Coalition members, members of the public, business owners, and friends:

In November of 2024, the Los Alamos Local Business Coalition (LALBC) was formed by a group of volunteers to address the challenges facing local businesses. Since then, we have held six public forums and spent countless hours meeting with County staff, Councilors, local stakeholders, business owners, and members of the public to advocate for local businesses. We have written reports and solicited public input. We have written

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Op-Ed: New Electricity Rules Are At Odds With Climate Goals

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By NICHOLAS THOMPSON, Ph.D.
R&D Engineer
Los Alamos National Laboratory

Los Alamos County is implementing two changes to how electricity will be billed. Both of these changes are aimed at reducing the peak grid demand, which is an important goal given how electricity demands are increasing. However, these changes can also result in higher bills for consumers and one of these changes is at odds with the County’s Climate Action Plan.

The first change is known as “Time of Use” rates. The idea here is to reduce demand as much as possible during peak usage times. In general, electricity grids need Read More

County Invites Community To Check Out Opportunities To Share Feedback On ‘Have Your Say’ Page

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COUNTY News:

Los Alamos County wants the community to provide feedback on a variety of topics, including new initiatives, programs and projects.

To review current discussions and weigh in, and to find public forums for open feedback, surveys and questionnaires, click here. Read More

Nathan: Why The Health Care Worker Compacts Belong In The Special Session

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By FRED NATHAN
Executive Director
Think New Mexico

When the legislature convenes for a special session starting Oct. 1, it should enact a straightforward reform that will immediately increase access to health care providers in New Mexico: join all the interstate compacts for health care workers.

These interstate compacts are agreements among states to recognize professional licenses issued by the other states participating in the compact. So, for example, a doctor licensed in Colorado could provide their license information to the New Mexico Medical Board and quickly become licensed Read More

Op-Ed By Fr. Theophan Mackey

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By Fr. Theophan Mackey
Saint Job of Pochaiv Orthodox Church
Los Alamos

I have been hearing the word “martyr” thrown around broadly and cavalierly in recent days, even by some in my church and vocation. This greatly unsettles me, and I have unfollowed a handful of priests whose words I usually find edifying because of it.

The word “martyr” comes from the Greek for “witness.” But more specifically people are currently using it to denote a Christian martyr. This is problematic.

Now, one can be a Christian, and a martyr for a cause other than Christ. One can be a non-Christian and a martyr for a cause. But Read More

DeVolder: Driver Threats To Pedestrians

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By Mark DeVolder
Los Alamos

Re: Driver Threats to Pedestrians

Recently, my wife and I were walking west on the north side of Central in Los Alamos. Traffic in both directions was heavy.  I noticed that a compact car was trying to make a left-hand turn near Fuller Lodge.  The car had been there for some time, and there were about 5 or 6 cars backed up behind the car.

As I stepped off the sidewalk into the street, the car suddenly came driving directly toward my wife and me. Fortunately, the car stopped in time and we did not get clobbered. The car zoomed off and parked on the west side of Fuller Lodge. Before Read More

Op-Ed By NNSA Field Office Manager Ted Wyka: Plan To Depressurize Waste Containers Is Safe And Rigorously Vetted By Independent Experts

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By TED WYKA
Manager
NNSA Los Alamos Field Office

The success of Los Alamos National Laboratory’s vital national security mission is only possible if operations are conducted safely, with a clear understanding of risk, and a proven plan to mitigate that risk. This applies to everything the lab does, from how it conducts cutting-edge scientific experiments to how it produces plutonium pits. This approach is essential to the safety of our workforce of over 18,000, for our neighbors who surround the site and for the environment. It’s also why the federal agency that governs the lab, the National Read More

Op-Ed: Caja del Rio Power Line Project

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By DEIRDRE MONROE
Santa Fe
Author of Caja trails map

An article in the Santa Fe New Mexican (Aug. 13, 2025) described a USFS “finding of no impact” for a proposed power line that would cross the northern Caja Plateau, linking Los Alamos with an existing electrical substation just off Buckman Road. Since then, I have read several strong statements of opposition. While there certainly is opposition to the project, there is also support. I’d like to provide some food for thought.

The Caja is lovely—beautiful and rugged—but it is a 100,000-acre, working landscape. In my 25 years of exploring this area Read More

Op-Ed: Which Side Are You On?

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By ANDI KRON
Los Alamos

I recently reunited with an Israeli friend who was visiting the Lab on official business. It had been 2 1/5 years since I last saw him in Israel. “How are things going in Israel?” I asked with trepidation. “We are traumatized,” he answered. His brother is a surgeon and has been on reserve duty for months as a medic in Gaza. His wife is a lecturer in universities and lost several students in the massacre of October 7, 2023. Her parents live in the south where Hamas terrorists infiltrated and killed residents of their community. He needs police protection when he travels to Europe Read More

Shin: Questions Regarding County Sale Of 20th Street And A8A Properties

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By LISA SHIN
Los Alamos

Tomorrow, on Aug. 26, 2025, the Purchase, Sale, and Development Agreements for the 20th Street Redevelopment and the Mixed-Income Workforce Housing on the A-8-A Parcel will be on the Council agenda.

As many already know, I am closely watching redevelopment in Los Alamos. There are both positive and negative consequences on small business owners like myself. All citizens should be concerned about the impact of high-density housing on existing utilities, our environment, open spaces, traffic, pollution, and crime.

Please attend to make your voices heard, or email Read More