Published September 16, 2022

Periodic Table: On the Backs of Turtles

September 19

The Periodic Table is the Bradbury Science Museum’s casual ask-me-anything gathering at the Bathtub Row Brewing Co-op. What do turtles have to do with nuclear history? Chat with Lab archaeologists Cyler Conrad and Jeremy Inglis at this month's Periodic Table.

5:30 p.m, Bathtub Row Brewing Co-op

FREE to attend

For event details visit: lanl.gov

September 20 Council meeting to be a work session

The next Los Alamos County Council meeting is a work session and will take place on September 20th, at 6:00 p.m., in Council Chambers, 1000 Central Ave., Los Alamos. This will be an in-person/Zoom hybrid meeting.

View the complete agenda packet for this meeting here.

Mesa Public Library presents “The Art of Youthful Aging”

Live on Zoom

Los Alamos County Library System will be presenting The Art of Youthful Aging live on Zoom on Thursday, September 22 from 7 to 8 p.m. This program is free to the public and ideal for anyone interested in fostering a more positive mindset toward aging. This program will offer specific tips on lifestyle changes to help you age gracefully and peacefully while enhancing emotional, mental, and physical well-being. Topics covered will include the nature of cognition, discarding negative expectations, looking beyond stereotypes, and embracing change.

Community members looking to seek more information on this subject are invited to visit either library for a list of reading recommendations curated by the program facilitator, motivational speaker Constance Hallinan-Lagan. Hallinan-Lagan regularly lectures on personal development and life enrichment for corporations, government agencies, professional associations, labor unions, hospitals, health care agencies, support groups, women’s organizations, churches, colleges, universities, and libraries nationwide.

This program is free to the public and will be live-streamed via Zoom. Registration is required. For more information, please visit the event calendar on the library’s website or call (505) 662- 8257. This program is made possible by Friends of Los Alamos County Library System. 

Bandelier to celebrate National Public Lands Day - Hosting Wilderness Cleanup Day Sept 26

Bandelier will be hosting a Wilderness Cleanup day, Monday, September 26th to celebrate National Public Lands Day (NPLD) and to recognize September as National Wilderness Month.

A group of park staff and volunteers will meet at Ponderosa Campground, HWY 4 mile marker 50 (near the intersection of HWY 4 and 501) at 7 a.m. The cleanup will consist of a 4-mile round-trip hike to remove old research equipment and debris from backcountry wilderness areas. 

This hike includes a 500-foot elevation gain, each way, into and out of Frijoles Canyon. Due to the nature of the cleanup project, volunteers should be in good physical condition and be able to hike up to 4 miles with a heavy pack. Volunteers should bring a lunch, 2 liters of water, hat and sun protection, long sleeves, gloves, and eye protection.

If you are interested in volunteering or have questions about this event, please contact Wilderness Ranger, Mark Peterson at (505) 672-3861 x1442 or mark_m_peterson@nps.gov

Halloweekend: Pumpkin Glow & Show

Los Alamos County Community Services Department and the Los Alamos Arts Council are partnering together to bring an event like no other – the Halloweekend Pumpkin Glow and Show on Oct. 29th from 4 p.m. – 9 p.m.!

Historically, the Los Alamos Arts Council Pumpkin Glow has been held at Fuller Lodge Lawn, however this year, it is being moved to Overlook Park, in White Rock and coupled with music, bouncy houses, food, fireworks, and more.

The Los Alamos Arts Council will hold its Pumpkin Carving Party on Oct. 29th from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on the patio of Smith’s Marketplace, in Los Alamos. Bring your pumpkin and carve Jack-o-Lanterns together as family and friends. 100 free pumpkins will be provided by Smith’s on a first-come-first-served basis. Carving tools and templates will also be provided to make your Jack-o-Lantern or you can bring your own. Then the Arts Council will transport your creation to White Rock to have it displayed at the Pumpkin Glow.

You do not have to participate in the carving party in order to have your pumpkin on display at the Pumpkin Glow. Jack-o-Lanterns for the Pumpkin Glow can be dropped off at Overlook Park from 1–4 p.m., participants will receive a pass at the gate. After the Glow and Show event, participants can pick up their pumpkin/s to take home, any left behind will be composted.

This FREE event begins at 4 p.m. with music, various vendors, games, food, and more. Starting at 6 p.m., walk through the creepy and creative display glowing in the night, and enjoy the fireworks show, provided by the Kiwanis Club of Los Alamos, at 8:30 p.m.

Attendees are encouraged to walk to Overlook Park or ride the Atomic City Transit Bus from the White Rock Visitor Center or Sullivan Field in Los Alamos. ACT Assist will also be available for the event, for those who are not able to utilize the regular bus service.

Parking is limited within Overlook Park and is available for advance purchase as Premium Parking for $10 via https://tinyurl.com/PumpkinPremiumParking. One pass per vehicle. If Parking Passes are purchased online, purchasers must pick up the physical pass at the front desk at the Los Alamos County Aquatic Center before Oct. 28th at 12 p.m.

Handicap parking is also available and is free to those who can provide a handicap placard at the entrance to the park. 

Council seeks letters of interest for the LACDC board

Los Alamos Council is seeking to fill two vacancies on the board that governs the Los Alamos Commerce & Development Corporation (LACDC) non-profit organization. The Council is afforded this opportunity due to an existing contracted agreement with the LACDC that provides the County two seats on the board. Los Alamos residents who are 18 years or older have until September 22 to submit a letter of interest to County Manager Steven Lynne. Councilors will make a selection at the subsequent council meeting.

LACDC is a private, not-for-profit economic and community development organization serving the Los Alamos area since 1983. It serves as the umbrella organization for the Los Alamos Chamber of Commerce, Los Alamos MainStreet, Los Alamos Creative District, Discover Los Alamos, Los Alamos Small Business Center, projectY cowork Los Alamos, Los Alamos Research Park, the New Mexico Lab-Embedded Entrepreneur Program (NM LEEP) and the Los Alamos Business Accelerator program. The LACDC board of directors oversee the operations of the non-profit to realize its mission to build a vibrant community and a thriving economy.

Qualified candidates are requested to provide details of their relevant business experience, skills they expect to bring to the board, and how they would represent the County on the board. Letters should be emailed to lacmanager@lacnm.us no later than 5 p.m. on Thursday, September 22. Councilors will review the letters and appoint two individuals to fill a three-year term at the September 27 council meeting held at 6 p.m. in Council Chambers, 1000 Central Ave. Candidates do not need to be present at the meeting to be considered.

Visit the LACDC website at https://losalamosdevelopment.com to learn more about the organization, its programs, and the board of directors.

New utility rates start October 1

Sewer and natural gas rate adjustments for the Department of Public Utilities (DPU) were recently approved by the Los Alamos County Council as well as the Board of Public Utilities and will go into effect as of October 1.

Residential sewer rates are the same for all residential customers, who will see monthly charges increase by $1.14. Commercial sewer rates are based on water consumption; commercial customers will see a 2% increase on the thousand-gallon rate and on the fixed service charge.

The new sewer rates were approved in February and include annual increases of 2% for four years, each starting on October 1. The natural gas rate adjustment was approved in August and also includes four years of annual increases.

Most natural gas customers will see a $0.76 increase in their monthly service charge and all customers will see a $0.02/therm increase in the fixed cost recovery portion of the gas consumption charge to $0.25/therm.

The pass-through rate model includes a monthly service fee and a commodity (or consumption) rate that is made up of two components: 1) a fixed cost recovery charge and 2) a variable cost of gas charge. The variable portion differs from month to month based on DPU’s actual costs to purchase the natural gas commodity. These costs continuously change based on fluctuating market prices for gas. The fixed portion covers operational costs for providing the service, such as labor and inventory. DPU’s rates for all services can be found online at dpu.com/rates.

Los Alamos County Art in Public Places featured on national map

Los Alamos County utilizes Public Art Archives (PAA) to maintain the inventory of the Los Alamos County Public Art. In April of 2022, PAA sent out a Call for Art, to represent the 10th Anniversary of Have You Seen My Public Art? map, that highlights art that can be found throughout the United States.

Los Alamos County Art in Public Places Board submitted several pieces for consideration for the Have You Seen My Public Art? map project. The project received over 500 submissions and Kites of Many Colors, by Thom Norris and Eric Markow, located in the White Rick Branch Library, was selected to represent Los Alamos with 144 other works of art throughout the nation. Three other locations within the state of New Mexico are also highlighted: Hobbs, Albuquerque, and Fort Sumner.

PAA’s mission is to make public art more public, archiving nearly 20,000 public artworks around the United States and abroad. The new map, illustrated by artist Kara Fellows, highlights a diverse array of public artists and their artworks, installed both permanently and temporarily installed.

The map and additional information about the project can be found at https://www.publicartarchive.org/anniversary-map/. Please note that the map does not show the proper location within the state, but highlights what is showcased within the state.

Los Alamos County’s public art collection can also be found online with an interactive map of where pieces are located. Did you know that Los Alamos County public art can be found outside on public land and inside County owned buildings? Start discovering today at https://www.publicartarchive.org/los-alamos-county-public-art/

Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with a Lotería game and prizes!

Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with Los Alamos Library System! The library is hosting a fun lotería game that includes exciting prizes—and best of all, it’s free and easy to participate. The game is appropriate for all ages and can be completed on your own time from home. Swing by any of the main service desks between now and October 15 to pick up a lotería game packet, or simply download one to get started.

Library staff is excited to offer this program to the community as an opportunity for cultural enrichment. Library Specialist Norma Covington said, “As a Hispanic person, I felt it was important to connect our community with this national observance in a meaningful way because of the rich Hispanic history of this region. We put a lot of thought into how to make this game fun, engaging, and educational and hope to see lots of participation!”

The game overview is quick and simple: each lotería card features 16 themed pictures with associated activities. Complete one row of four activities to finish the game! Activities are associated with Hispanic culture and range from learning about lowriders to stargazing and crafting. There is a wide range of activity options to suit all interests and abilities, and families can take advantage of several themed youth activities happening over the course of the program. Those who complete the game can claim a completion prize at the library and be entered into a raffle for larger prizes in October. Complete game details and rules can be found on the library’s website. 

Plein Air Painters of New Mexico (PAPNM) 2022 Los Alamos Paint Out and Exhibit

September 24 - Opening Reception

September 24 - October 8, Mon. - Sat.

The Plein Air Painters of New Mexico will hold a "Paint Out." Participants’ created pieces will go on display in the Fuller Lodge Art Center Gallery!

Opening Reception, 5:00 - 7:00 p.m.

10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., Fuller Lodge

FREE participation