Letters

On behalf of the Home Instead Senior Care office serving Santa Fe and Los Alamos, we would like to thank the community for its overwhelming support o the Be a Santa to a Senior program this holiday season.
Community members in Santa Fe and Los Alamos generously donated over 800 gifts for more than 430 seniors through this year’s program – all of which were wrapped and delivered by volunteers, just in time for holidays.
Many of the gifts were for everyday needs such as socks, shirts, blankets and toiletries.
The 2016 program marked our most successful Be a Santa to a Senior program to date.
We would like to especially thank the following Santa Fe and Los Alamos organizations that partnered with us this year: Christus St. Vincent Hospital, Walmart, Mary Esther Gonzalez Senior Center, Betty Ehart Senior Center, Santa Fe Place Mall, the Santa Fe Care Center and the City of Santa Fe Senior Services. Over the past several weeks, these businesses and organizations, along with all the donors and volunteers in our community have brightened the holidays by bringing both gifts and companionship to seniors in need.
Ken Hendricks
Los Alamos

Higher education is essential to the productivity and innovation of our workforce in New Mexico. College-educated workers earn higher wages and experience lower levels of unemployment than do workers with less education. Research done by the American Association of University Women (AAUW) forecasts that by 2020, two out of every three jobs will require some postsecondary education. For many women, that education comes through attending community colleges like UNM-Los Alamos.

The Coordinating Council of the Los Alamos branch of AAUW strongly supports the mil-levy increase sought by UNM-LA. While its enrollment is growing, the college’s state funding continues to shrink, threatening its ability to provide the innovative programs that benefit our community. For example, it offers Los Alamos High School students free dual-credit courses, which not only enrich their curriculum but give them valuable college-level credits. Through its Early College and Career Academy, LAHS students can work toward a certificate in emergency medical services, electromechanical technology, or marketing by the time they graduate from high school.

Many individuals considering the upcoming special school election are asking UNMLA what happened after the failed mil election in 2013. What financial impacts did the campus sustain and how did it respond? Providing that information may help frame the challenge UNMLA is facing moving forward as it continues to serve the Los Alamos community.
After the 2013 election, UNMLA was faced with difficult decisions to determine which programs and services were essential to UNMLA and which ones could continue to be supported by the anticipated revenue sources. Based on that careful review, the campus underwent a 15% budget reduction and reallocation of all resources to those identified programs and services deemed essential in meeting our mission of preparing students to transfer, creating pathways to careers, and serving those with a passion for lifelong learning. It is important to note that the 15% reduction came after years of belt tightening that included eliminating campus functions and outsourcing other services to create cost savings.

Christmas is almost here! I would like to thank the Los Alamos community for their generosity in supporting the Children’s Christmas Bazaar at Trinity on the Hill Episcopal Church during the Winterfest weekend. You were generous with giving of your time and your donations.

At least seventy-five people helped with set up, baking, greeting, wrapping (at least 25 wrappers wrapping all at the same time!), helping children select gifts and cleaning up. And this all occurs within a twenty-five-hour period of time. I would especially like to recognize the young and old from Trinity on the Hill and the high school students from National Honor Society and Key Club who continue to offer their support every year.

Imagine the joy on the children’s faces as they present their gifts to loved ones and friends this Christmas! Your support will bring joy to more than 200 children. It truly takes a community like ours to make this event a success.

I plan to run for the Los Alamos Public School Board in District 2 in the upcoming election. Our district has been served well by Matt Williams for the past four years.
Upon hearing about his choice to not seek reelection, I have decided to run for the position. The LAPS Board has a substantial responsibility to our community. Our schools and the educational opportunities available in Los Alamos are a strong attractor for new Laboratory employees, retirees, and others who come to Los Alamos. We value education in Los Alamos and we want to continue strengthening our educational resources. I can carry on the representation of District 2; all three of my daughters attended Chamisa and I’ve lived in the district for 24 years. As a member of the UNM-LA Advisory Board and husband of a LAPS chemistry teacher, I also bring a background and knowledge of issues facing our older students. I hope you will give me this opportunity to serve Los Alamos in this new and exciting manner.
Steve Boerigter
Los Alamos

Thank you to community, many others for help with fundraiser

I would like to take this opportunity to thank my new community for assisting with my fundraiser this past weekend at the Los Alamos Chamber of Commerce.

During the past year, many community members participated in drafting a new comprehensive plan for Los Alamos County. Within the plan is a future land use map, which is designed to be a “guide to land development and preservation decisions.” At the Nov. 14 county council meeting, and in several previous public planning sessions, a map was presented which showed the entire area surrounding the paved Canyon Rim Trail, south of the airport and NM502, designated as “Open Space.”
However, during the meeting, a change was made by the council to designate part of that area as “mixed-use,” a category which allows both residential and non-residential uses. It is the category assigned to the downtown area as well, which comprises high-density commercial and residential development. This change was made by the council without prior public notice.

In Los Alamos, we invest in the things that matter. Our time, our talents, our treasure. Whether we spend hours volunteering to judge a Science Fair, buying dinner at the spaghetti fundraiser, or participating in the Cross Country Run-a-Thon at Sullivan Field, we invest in our kids and in their education. When January rolls around in just over a month, we have the opportunity to choose to invest in something that affects all of us at so many levels – our children, our families, our community, and our economy: the LAPS School Bond. By checking “YES” for the bond, we put our money where our mouth is.
We actively choose to invest in the education of our children, improving our schools and making them safer and better learning environments.
By checking “YES” for the bond, we invest in our community and our own educational infrastructure so that young families choose to live in our great town for the next 50+ years because we have great schools and attract the best teachers.

Los Alamos Boy Scout Troop 22 would like to thank the Los Alamos Sportsmans Club (LASC) for again hosting the troop’s annual Turkey Roast in November.
The club not only provided excellent facilities for the event, but also provided safety and marksmanship instruction for the boys. The club even donated practice ammunition and targets. The scouts had a great time, finishing up their Shooting Merit Badges and learning about safety and responsibility.
The club’s support for cubs, scouts in general and all the other local youth organizations is exceptional. The boys (and parents) learn about gun safety, responsibility and that patience and some work bring good results. They also have a great time in the process, and will never forget it. We are very lucky to have volunteer organizations in our town, such as the Sportsmans Club, that take the time and effort work with our children.
Again, thanks to LASC for all they do for our youth!
Christine Sweeney
Troop Committee Chair
Los Alamos Boy Scout Troop 22

The Pajarito Environmental Education Center would like to thank the organizers, volunteers and runners of the Pajarito Trail Fest race for once again donating a portion of the proceeds to PEEC to help get kids outside.
The Trail Fest is an amazing event for our community. Not only is it well-run, providing excellent support and fun for the participants, it gives back to many community groups.
This year they gave out a total of $5,500. In the spirit of the Trail Fest, PEEC will use the funds given to get kids outside on the trails, both as part of school and for fun. We’re so grateful that the Pajarito Trail Fest has supported our work for many years. A special thank you to race director Petra Pirc for helping us to raise the next generation of trail lovers.
Katherine Watson
Executive Director, PEEC

LAAC thanks community for Pumpkin Glow success

On behalf of the Los Alamos Arts Council, I would like to thank the community for coming out and supporting the Pumpkin Glow.

I am supporting Sharon Stover for State Representative. I have known and worked with Sharon for years, and she has always been kind, dependable and inclusive. Sharon is a leader with knowledge of Los Alamos and New Mexico, competent and professional.

I am speaking to one issue that has surfaced. Many people have tried to suggest her actions regarding issuing same-sex marriage licenses in Los Alamos County were motivated by bias. Rather than acting from bias, however, Sharon was part of a Professional and unified effort by all 33 county clerks in New Mexico to get the courts to decide on one standard for the whole state. I believe their actions were courageous and necessary since the Legislature at the time refused to resolve the issue through the appropriate method -- legislation. As soon as the New Mexico judge affirmed a ruling for same sex marriage and the New Mexico Supreme also affirmed it, the Los Alamos County Clerk’s office has issued marriage licenses to same sex couples since September 2013.