Weekly News & Updates From Los Alamos County |
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The Racial Equity and Inclusivity Task Force will hold final Listening Session in series
The Racial Equity and Inclusivity (REI) Task Force will host its final listening session on March 19th at Fuller Lodge.
Los Alamos County strives to be a community that promotes equity, inclusivity, and a feeling of belonging. Please attend this Listening Session to help identify gaps and make recommendations to realize this goal.
Saturday, March 19, 2022, 9:30–11 a.m.
Fuller Lodge, 2132 Central Avenue in Los Alamos
For more info contact:
Inquiry.REITaskForce@lacnm.us
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Dessert Dances
March 23 - Family Super Hero Dance
March 25 - Daddy/Daughter Dance
March 30 - Daddy/Daughter Dance
Guests will enjoy light refreshments, Valentine’s Day-themed crafts, music, dancing, and digital photo keepsakes to remember the evening!
6 - 8 p.m., Fuller Lodge, 2132 Central Avenue in Los Alamos
$8/person, $30/family (2 Adults & 2 Children OR 1 Adult & 3 Children)
Tickets are available at the Aquatic Center, 2760 Canyon Rd, Los Alamos, 505-662-8170
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Next Council meeting on March 29th
The next Los Alamos County Council meeting is a regular session and will take place on March 29, 6 p.m. via Zoom. Council will return to a hybrid meeting format on April 5.
The agenda and Zoom link to join the meeting will be posted online on March 25. Use this link and scroll to the March 29, 2022 Council meeting.
Some items of note on the meeting agenda:
- Staff will present the final Food Waste Composting Report,
- Staff will brief Council on the draft Business Development Assistance Programs and ARPA funds, and
- Staff will request Council to approve a grant contract with the New Mexico Environment Department for the Los Alamos Canyon Creek watershed restoration and sediment reduction project.
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DPU survey shows mix of positive results and room for improvement
In a recent survey of Los Alamos utility customers, the Department of Public Utilities (DPU) received positive scores while also finding there are areas that need work.
The DPU’s ratings on a series of organizational characteristics showed the department generally in alignment with other public power providers throughout the country, the group used for comparative purposes. With a comparable score of roughly 68% for three separate characteristics--communicating with customers, responding promptly to customer questions and complaints and helpful, knowledgeable staff--DPU received scores of 73%, 76% and 80% respectively from residential customers.
The Voice of the Customer survey was conducted by Great Blue Research for five weeks beginning January 4. Respondents included 483 residential customers and 19 commercial customers.
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Council still seeking letters of interest to fill vacancy
Los Alamos County Council is still soliciting letters of interest from community members to fill the council seat vacated by Sean Williams on March 7. Eligible candidates must submit letters no later than Monday, March 28, by 5 p.m. to County Manager Steven Lynne at 1000 Central Ave. 350, Los Alamos, NM 87544 or by email to lacmanager@lacnm.us.
Per the Charter for the Incorporated County, Article II, 200.1, eligible candidates must be qualified voters who reside in the County and are not otherwise employed by the County. Letters should include the interested candidate’s background, experience, and reasons for applying.
All candidates will be required to attend the Council meeting scheduled for Tuesday, April 5 at 6 p.m. Councilors will ask each candidate several questions and then select the individual that evening to complete the vacated term, which expires on Dec. 31, 2024.
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Sherwood Boulevard closed to through traffic as road work begins
Crews with Star Paving Company have commenced road and drainage improvements on Sherwood Blvd. between Piedra Loop and Aztec Avenue. This work is scheduled Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. through the end of June.
Currently, crews are removing the curb and gutter and have begun trenching to install a storm drain requiring Sherwood Blvd. to be closed to through traffic from Grand Canyon Drive to Aztec Ave.
Sidewalks may also be closed and barricaded intermittently to pedestrians. In addition, traffic devices and detour signs are in place to help motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians navigate around the work zone.
Vehicular access is limited to those who reside in the immediate work area and to mail delivery, emergency services, trash, and recycling collection. For the traveling public's safety, residents are asked not to remove or relocate traffic control devices, signs, and barricades. Area residents who may have special access needs are asked to contact the Public Works Department.
Closure of Sherwood Blvd from Grand Canyon Drive to Aztec for this first phase of work is scheduled through the end of June, while closure for the next phase of work from Piedra Loop to Grand Canyon is scheduled for June to July 2022. Work schedules are subject to change pending weather conditions and material shipping delays.
Please call or email the Public Works Department at (505) 662-8150 or lacpw@lacnm.us with questions or concerns.
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Reduced hours for COVID-19 testing in White Rock
Pathology Consultants of New Mexico (PCNM) has reduced its PCR COVID-19 testing hours in White Rock. The Overlook Park drive-through site's new hours are from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday, beginning immediately.
Tests are administered on a first-come, first-serve basis; no appointments are necessary. The test is self-administered using a swab to collect a sample in the shallow part of the nose. PCNM will provide results within 24 to 48 hours. Individuals with questions regarding the tests and the testing process may call PCNM's customer service line at (575) 622-5600.
PCR COVID-19 testing is also provided in the Mari Mac parking lot on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. by appointment through Curative.com.
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County accepting applications for Personnel Board
Los Alamos County is accepting applications for eligible candidates to be appointed immediately to complete the terms of three vacant seats on the Personnel Board. Two vacancies will expire on March 31, 2023, and one vacancy will expire March 31, 2024. Interested Los Alamos residents who do not hold public office and who are not employed by the county government may submit an online application by visiting the county’s Boards and Commissions webpage and selecting “apply.” Applications will be accepted now until the vacancies are filled.
The Personnel Board, comprising five members, serves in an appellate and advisory capacity in the administration of the personnel program for the County of Los Alamos per Section 306.2, Article III of the Charter for the Incorporated County of Los Alamos. Members meet on the fourth Tuesday of the month at 11:30 a.m. at the Municipal Building, 1000 Central Ave., Los Alamos, NM. Once appointed by council, members serve staggered three-year terms and may be eligible for up to three terms.
Duties and responsibilities include advising council and the county manager on personnel issues, reviewing and commenting when requested on county-wide employee surveys, personnel rules, salary plans and various employee personnel programs. Board members may be asked to provide citizen input on improving the county’s personnel programs. Additionally, the Personnel Board serves in an appellate capacity and reviews disciplinary decisions taken against regular employees by the county manager.
"Los Alamos County employees contribute greatly to the fine quality of life the community enjoys,” stated Board member Bernadine Goldman. “It is very rewarding to ensure through my service on the County Personnel Board that these County employees will continue to benefit from a supportive and professional work environment."
More information on the personnel board can be found on the county’s Boards and Commissions webpage or by contacting Los Alamos County Human Resources Manager Mary Tapia at 505.662.8040.
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Mesa Public Library celebrates Women in Nonprofit Leadership with special program for Women’s History Month
The staff at Mesa Public Library is pleased to present a special program in honor of Women’s History Month. Making Local History Through Social Impact: Los Alamos Women in Nonprofit Leadership is free to the public and will be held virtually via Zoom on Thursday, March 24, from 7 to 8 p.m. Panelists will include Melissa Arias of Lemonade Living, Prisca Tiasse of Los Alamos Makers, Rachel Kizielewicz of Los Alamos Community Foundation, and Maura Taylor of Self Help, Inc.
This program is part of Mesa Public Library’s ongoing Library Conversations series that takes place on the second and fourth Thursday of each month. The goal of this series is to provide free and engaging programs centered around a variety of topics to adults in the Los Alamos and White Rock community. “A lot of people think of Women’s History Month as a way of celebrating women from the past. Instead, we decided to focus this session on women who are making a big impact on the local community right now. This is a great opportunity to highlight the work of some amazing women who are changing lives every day, and to hopefully inspire others to learn more about how they can do the same,” said Jessica Jenkins, the library’s Program Specialist. Library resources on the topic of nonprofit startup, structure, and governance will be shared.
This program will be conducted online via the Zoom platform. To obtain access to the program and your meeting link, registration is required. Please register through the link below or call (505) 662-8257 for assistance. Library Conversations programming and other library services are made possible by Friends of Los Alamos County Libraries.
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Wildfire Day 2022 Call for Vendors
The Los Alamos Fire Department (LAFD) is seeking vendors interested in hosting a booth at Wildfire Day 2022, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 16 at Ashley Pond Park.
Wildfire Day is a fun event for the entire family. We are partnered with the Elks for their Annual Easter Egg Hunt, LAFD bicycle safety course, LAPD bomb truck, public safety vehicles, Smokey the Bear, Sparky the Fire Dog, and much more. Wildfire Day is a community event geared towards educating the community on becoming a Fire Adapted Community.
Central Avenue will be closed from Oppenheimer to 20th street on April 20th by 6:00 a.m. and vendors may begin setting up booths along the street. Interested vendors can stop by the Parks, Recreation and Open Space (PROS) Division’s administrative office at the Aquatic Center to complete a permit for a booth, or download the permit form on the County’s website under the link “Doing Business” and “Vendor Permits” link.
Vendors with questions can contact LAFD by sending an e-mail to event coordinator Sara Lujan at sara.lujan@lacnm.us or by calling (505) 662-8318. All vendor permits and payments must be received by the PROS Division Office by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, April 13, 2022.
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A Legacy of Learning: 50th Anniversary of the J. Robert Oppenheimer Memorial Committee (1971–2021)
March 24–April 24
An exhibition of original photographs, artifacts, and historical text illuminating J. Robert Oppenheimer’s vision, celebrates the 50th Anniversary of the J. Robert Oppenheimer Memorial Committee. Oppenheimer’s beliefs that “there must be no barriers to freedom of inquiry” and that mankind “must be free to ask any question, to doubt any assertion and to seek any evidence, to correct any errors” guided the committee’s efforts in mounting this important exhibit as well as their ongoing scholarship work in Los Alamos.
10 a.m. - 8 p.m., Mon. - Thurs.
10 a.m. - 6 p.m., Fridays
10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Saturdays
Step Up Gallery at the Mesa Public Library, 2400 Central Ave., Los Alamos
FREE
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