Los Alamos County

Drive cautiously on NM 502 this weekend

Drivers are asked to exercise caution this weekend as emergency utility work along New Mexico State Road 502 may hinder traffic, according to officials from the Los Alamos Department of Public Utilities (DPU).   READ MORE...

County employees graduate from Leadership Power Skills Class

Los Alamos County is pleased to announce that 15 county employees graduated on May 16 from the Leadership Power Skills Class, a pilot program launched in April 2023. The county added the six-week cohort program to complement the comprehensive range of existing employee development courses.  READ MORE...

County’s Draft Short-term Rental Program Available for Public Review and Comment Through June 18

Power Outage on Barranca Mesa

An unexpected power outage is affecting Barranca Mesa. DPU crews have been dispatched and are currently working on the issue. The cause is yet unknown and until more information is known, the restoration time cannot be estimated.   READ MORE...

Water Repair at Rover Park

Gas, Water, and Sewer crews from the Los Alamos Department of Public Utilities are addressing a water leak at Rover Park. Customers near the park, from Kendall to Kimberly, will likely experience reduced water pressure while repairs are being made, which could take up to six hours. The cause is not yet known.  READ MORE...

Zipper Merge Signage added to NM502

Starting May 25th Public Works will install a Message Board and new signage to encourage drivers in the right lane to continue to the “Merge Point” just west of the Crossroads Bible Church driveway, where drivers in both lanes should alternate in “zipper” fashion into the single lane.  READ MORE...

Piñon Splash Pad opens for the season

Los Alamos County Parks and Open Space Division has announced the Piñon Splash Pad (10 Sherwood Blvd., White Rock) will open for the season on Friday, May 26 at 10 a.m.  READ MORE...

Councilors at the Farmers Market

Los Alamos County Council is pleased to announce that beginning this Thursday, May 25, councilors will be available monthly to chat with constituents at the local Farmers Market at Ashley Pond. This initiative aims to provide an informal and accessible platform for community members to engage with their elected representatives and discuss matters of local importance.   READ MORE...

Commercial Meters to be Changed Out

Beginning Tuesday, businesses in the townsite area may be contacted regarding large commercial water and gas meter changeouts. The changeouts are part of the system-wide switch to automated utility metering infrastructure that was largely completed in 2021. At that time, however, the Los Alamos Department of Public Utilities (DPU) was unable to procure the number of large commercial meters needed due to supply chain shortages.   READ MORE...

Water Repair Occurring on San Ildefonso

Gas, Water and Sewer (GWS) crews from the Los Alamos Department of Public Utilities (DPU) are making emergency repairs on a water main line that sprung a leak on San Ildefonso Road near the Mesa del Norte Apartments.   READ MORE...

County Parks addresses decaying willow tree at Ashley Pond Park

Los Alamos County Parks and Open Space Division, in consultation with an Arborist from Southwest Fire, has determined the willow tree on the south side of the Los Alamos Community Building at Ashley Pond Park (475 20th St.) needs to be removed due to public safety concerns. Removal of the tree is scheduled for Monday, May 22.  READ MORE...

Clarifications re May 17th public meeting to present draft Los Alamos short-term rental program

Last week, Los Alamos County Community Development Department (CDD) announced that it will host a public meeting to present the latest information about its proposed Short-term Rental (STR) Program on Wednesday, May 17 from 6-8 p.m. at the White Rock Fire Station #3 (129 NM-4, White Rock). Based on questions received from the public regarding the initial press release, CDD wishes to clarify how the public can provide input to the STR Program project. The purpose of the May 17th open house is for CDD staff and contractor Wilson & Company (Wilson) to meet in person with the community, present the draft STR Program, and explain how the public input process has thus far been incorporated. The public will be able to ask questions and provide comments at the meeting. Additionally, comments will be accepted via email to Noah Berke [email protected] through June 17. All materials presented at the meeting will be accessible to the public on the project website at livehostvisitlac.org beginning May 17.  READ MORE...

Council work sessions to be held in the Municipal Building

Los Alamos County officials advise that due to technical issues in the White Rock Fire Station #3, council work sessions from May through September 2023, will be held in Council Chambers at the Municipal Building, 1000 Central Avenue. The next work session is Tuesday, May 16, at 6 p.m. The published council agenda is available online. Community members are encouraged to join in person or via Zoom.   READ MORE...

DPU can help decipher gas bills

While the billing system vendor for the Department of Public Utilities (DPU) has been working to correct bill display issues for the newly adopted natural gas rate structure, no solution has been put in place yet. However, DPU staff can assist with understanding bill charges.  READ MORE...

CCC to close early on Monday

The Los Alamos County Customer Care Center (CCC) will be closing early on Monday so that CCC staff may participate in active shooter training. Doors and windows will close at 3 p.m. Phone callers may leave voice mail after that time.   READ MORE...

LAC Academy celebrates 17 new graduates

Members of the LAC Academy spring class were honored on their graduation day, April 20, 2023, in the Municipal Building Council Chambers. The Academy is a nine-week cohort style leadership development program for identified high potential leaders in Los Alamos County. The current class of graduates includes 17 County employees from 12 different divisions serving the community.  READ MORE...

Not to be shallow, but our water is well liked

A-quart-ing to research from the Los Alamos Department of Public Utilities (DPU), the community has a thirst for the water here.  READ MORE...

County Clerk offers service to alert property owners of potential fraud

Los Alamos County property owners now have an additional tool to combat property fraud thanks to a new Fraud Notify system deployed by Los Alamos County Clerk Naomi Maestas' office.  READ MORE...

NMDPS changing vendors: LAPD will have gap in fingerprint services

The Los Alamos Police Department (LAPD) was notified by the New Mexico Department of Public Safety (NMDPS) that they are changing vendors for fingerprint background checks support in May of 2023. For Los Alamos, this means that there will be a gap in services after next week until the LAPD can secure a new vendor. The final day Los Alamos citizens and visitors can complete background fingerprint checks will be Friday April 28th, 2023.  READ MORE...

LAPD 2023 1st Quarter Crime Statistics

Today, Chief Sgambellone released crime statistics through the first quarter of 2023 which were compiled by the Records Section of the Los Alamos Police Department.  READ MORE...

Water Tank Repainting Starts Soon

The Barranca Mesa water tank adjacent to Barranca Elementary School and the community park on Loma Del Escolar will get a new paint job starting on April 26. TMI Coatings, Inc., in partnership with the Los Alamos Department of Public Utilities (DPU), will conduct the work.  READ MORE...

Assessor column: Property tax lightning

Los Alamos property owners by now will have received their 2023 Notices of Valuation (NOV) from the Office of the Los Alamos County Assessor. Most will see relatively little change in their taxable value from last year, but for some there may be a big surprise.  READ MORE...

County Parks Division sets tentative schedule for tennis/pickleball court resurfacing

Los Alamos County Parks Division is looking forward to warmer temperatures to allow them to start work resurfacing the tennis and pickleball courts across the county. The project, which was originally scheduled to begin April 1, 2023, has been pushed to June 1, 2023, due to the unusually cold spring weather.  READ MORE...

County Council Adopts Gas Rate Changes

The Los Alamos County Council held a public hearing for changes to the natural gas rate ordinance and adopted the changes proposed by the Department of Public Utilities (DPU) on Tuesday night. The changes will take effect on April 8.  READ MORE...

33rd/34th & Arkansas Avenue, Road and Utility Improvements Construction to Begin

Los Alamos County Public Works has contracted with TLC Plumbing and Utilities to begin a major utility, storm drain, and road improvements project on the 33rd/34th Street loop in the Aspen School neighborhood, and Arkansas Avenue between Diamond Drive and 41st Street in the North Community. This information was also presented at the Public Meeting conducted during the regularly scheduled Transportation Board Meeting in January.  READ MORE...

Utility Survey Reveals Successes and Room for Improvement

In a recent survey of Los Alamos utility customers, the Department of Public Utilities (DPU) saw increased ratings for customer service attributes and opportunities for improvement in other areas.   READ MORE...

County Seeks to Fill Board of Public Utilities Vacancy

Los Alamos County is accepting applications to fill one position on the Board of Public Utilities (BPU). Comprising five voting members, the BPU governs the Department of Public Utilities (DPU), a county-owned utility that provides Los Alamos with electric, water, natural gas and wastewater services. Applications must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, April 27.  READ MORE...

A Friendly Reminder About Solar from DPU

Residents who are approached by anyone asking to see their utility bills should exercise caution in sharing that information and realize the request may be a sales tactic for rooftop solar packages. The Los Alamos Customer Care Center has received several reports of people going door-to-door requesting utility details and, in some cases, implying that citizens must replace their electric service with carbon-free service by a certain date.  READ MORE...

Reporting Citizen Concerns Just Got Easier

The Los Alamos Customer Care Center launched a new app called Los Alamos Now for citizens so they can more easily reach county staff and find county information quickly. Through this app, users can report potholes, ask utility billing questions, get information on parks, pay utility bills and so on.   READ MORE...

Soften the Impact of Natural Gas Costs

The final public hearing is scheduled for proposed changes to the natural gas rate ordinance by the Department of Public Utilities (DPU). The proposed changes aren’t typical rate adjustments and they don’t increase the fixed rates adopted last fall. Instead, they include an increase to the variable rate cap, an additional recovery rate component and a compensatory minimum value for the variable portion of the gas rate.  READ MORE...

Capital improvement projects (CIP) poll open until March 9

Los Alamos County Manager Steven Lynne hosted two town halls this week to update residents on the County’s existing capital improvement projects and to request feedback on the level of importance for 10 potential projects that would add new assets to the County’s portfolio, such as community broadband, or a tween center. Those in attendance were invited to take a quick poll at https://lacnm.com/CIP-Poll to prioritize the importance of the 10 projects. Lynne noted that the poll will remain open until 11:59 PM March 9, 2023 for others in the community to weigh in.   READ MORE...

Atomic City Transit – 2-Hour Delay Due to Weather Conditions

Atomic City Transit regular scheduled bus service and para transit will operate on a 2-hour delay on Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2023 due to weather conditions. Service will begin at 8:05 a.m.  READ MORE...

County facilitates “Project Oppenheimer”

Community encouraged to get excited and involved to prepare for increase in visibility, interest, and tourism Los Alamos County, in partnership with several community assets and organizations, is gearing up for Christopher Nolan’s highly anticipated film “Oppenheimer”, set to release July 21, 2023. The big screen has landed Los Alamos on the big stage, providing a unique opportunity for the community to create an environment open to visitors, building curiosity and cultivating relationships to share the “real” Los Alamos, no matter the pre-existing perception. “Team Oppie” encourages interested individuals to get involved.  READ MORE...

CSD leadership team kicks off community tour

The leadership team for the Los Alamos County Community Services Department (CSD) is kicking off a rotating Community Tour over the next six months beginning January 28. Attending a different county facility each month, the leadership team will avail themselves to citizens for one-on-one discussions and questions on various CSD projects and initiatives.  READ MORE...