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Today's News

  • Windstorm rips roof from Barranca gym--Photos/Video--updated

    One person called it a “Dust Devil on steroids.”

    Emergency officials called it a “major wind event.”

    Whatever it was, everybody was breathing a huge sigh of relief after part of the roof of Barranca Elementary School gym was blown away about 1:30 p.m. Wednesday.

    The wind event scattered insulation and other roofing material throughout the school grounds, including the school parking lot.

    No one was injured during the incident, which witnesses said lasted about two minutes. Most students had already departed the campus since Wednesday was a half day at the school.

    LAFD Battalion Chief Paul Grano said at the scene that there were three minor medical needs.

    "Some of the victims got dust in their eyes," Grano said.

    Barranca Mesa Elementary School Principal Pam Miller recounted the brief but violent windstorm.

    “It was like a mini tornado,” Miller said. “We were in the gym having lunch when we heard something like a train going by. You could hear the roof peeling off.”

    It was then that Miller and others went in to gather the other children playing outside and bring them indoors but by that time the wind had stopped.

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  • Los Alamos doctor arrested -- updated

     A Los Alamos doctor is currently being held without bond after being arrested shortly after leaving the Los Alamos Medical Center Wednesday afternoon.

    Police were acting on a probable cause warrant issued by the Los Alamos Magistrate Court.

    Dr. Pavel Mourachov, 42, was arrested and charged with two counts of aggravated assault against a household member with a deadly weapon, a fourth-degree felony. He was also charged with harassment, a misdemeanor and extreme cruelty to animals, a fourth-degree felony.

    The Los Alamos Medical Center released a statement Thursday after Mourachov's arrest.

    "We share our community’s concerns about Dr. Mourachov’s arrest and the allegations that continue to come to light.  Dr. Mourachov is not an employee of Los Alamos Medical Center and has had a limited practice at our hospital for some time.  His medical privileges have been suspended," the statement said.

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  • Restaurant Inspections 05-23-13

    Santa Fe
    Kaune’s Neighborhood Market, 511 Old Santa Fe Trail
    Date inspected: May 13
    Violations: None.
    Status of Establishment: Re-opening approved. No follow up required.

    Santa Fe Catering Company, 540 Montezuma Ave.
    (Uses kitchen at Pranzo’s Italian Grill)
    Date inspected: May 13
    Violations: None.
    Status of Establishment: Approved. No follow up required.

    Plants of the Southwest Kitchen, 3095 Agua Fria Road
    Date inspected: May 14
    Violations: One low-risk violation. Some areas of the exhaust hood are greasy and need cleaning.
    Status of Establishment: Approved. No follow up required.

    Palacio Café, 209 E. Palace Ave.
    Date inspected: May 14
    Violations: None.
    Status of Establishment: Approved. No follow up required. Employee training needed.

    Española
    KFC, 813 N. Riverside Dr.
    Date inspected: May 14
    Violations: One low-risk violation. Hood and vent system needs thorough cleaning.
    Status of Establishment: Approved. No follow up required.  

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  • Tornado hits close to home

    The Oklahoma tornadoes earlier this week hit way too close to home for Los Alamos Police Department Cpl. Patrick Massara.
    Massara’s mother, Candace Jenkins, lives just a mile and a half from Moore, Okla., which was devastated by the powerful twister that killed 24 people and leveled an elementary school and hundreds of homes.
    “Mom is OK,” Massara said. “She got lucky. She is retired from the Air Force base that is located near Moore. She never left the house all day. But the following day, she went to check on friends and she said it was absolute devastation.”
    The tornado missed Jenkins’ house and Massara was asked if his mother heard anything.
    “She just heard the warning sirens,” Massara said.
    Massara said his mother grew up in Los Alamos.
    “She was raised here and she was a Hilltopper,” Massara said.
    Massara, meanwhile, was working the 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. shift Monday and did not know what was going on until the late afternoon.
    During a break, Massara watched the news coverage.
    “A member of the family got a hold of her around 4 p.m., Massara said. “I ended up talking to her later.”

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  • Bandelier shuttle begins Friday

     

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  • Update 05-23-13

    Author series

    Steve Sheinkin, who recently wrote “Bomb: The Race to Build – and Steal – the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon,” will be at Mesa Library from 7-8:30 p.m. today.

    Have a news tip?

    Send press releases, photos and videos to laeditor@lamonitor.com or contact the newsroom at 662-4185.

    County Council

    Los Alamos County Council will meet in a regular session at 7 p.m. June 4 in council chambers.

    Arts board

    The Arts in Public Places Board has just discovered technical difficulties with the email address associated with its “Open Call for Art.” (ArtProposals@lacnm.us). All proposals must be resent and the deadline has been extended to June 7.

    Trash pickup

    In observance of Memorial Day there will be no trash or recycling collection on Monday. Put roll carts out on Wednesday.

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  • School district looks over funding snafu

    The Associated Press is reporting that New Mexico’s Public Education Department made a clerical error that added S218,076.73 in extra funding to the Los Alamos Public School District’s “at-risk” students fund.
    Each year, the PED gives schools a certain amount of funding to aid the district’s “at-risk” students. The funding amount is supposed to be based on the number of students the district has at that time. At-risk students are considered to be students who don’t attend school regularly, cannot speak English, or are considered living below poverty level.
    In the article, the PED is said to have made an alphabetical error in its annual list, due to where they placed West Las Vegas. This resulted in Los Alamos as one of the districts that received more funding than it should and others to have received less than they should, according to the article.

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  • Looking for a cover model

    We’re looking for a cover model and that means we’re seeking your photos... LA Pets is an annual publication that gives pet owners the latest news and information on a range of topics devoted to helping keep the special companions in our lives happy, healthy and spoiled rotten. Pets run the gamut from dogs and cats, to reptiles, rodents and birds... But we’re seeking pictures that capture the true personality and beauty of the animal.
    To be considered for inclusion in LA Pets, photos should be sharp, well-composed, high resolution digital photo files. You must own the original file, weblinks and prints will not be accepted. Include a brief description of the photograph along with your name and contact information along with your daytime telephone number.
    Should your picture be selected for LA Pets, you will receive a photo credit (byline) in the publication, and in exchange you agree to give the Los Alamos Monitor the right to publish your photograph in LA Pets and potentially use the photo for promotional purposes. Depending on space available, runners-up photos may be featured inside LA Pets.
    Each person may submit up to four of their best photos, but attach only one picture per email, please. Send your photos today to info@lamonitor.com. 

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  • On The Docket: Local Courts 05-22-13

    May 15

    Matthias Jaramillo was found guilty in Los Alamos Municipal Court of speeding 11 to 15 miles an hour over the posted speed limit. He was fined $75 and ordered to pay $46 in court costs.

    Shawn Tornga was found guilty in Los Alamos Municipal Court of driving with an expired registration. He was fined $100 and ordered to pay $46 in court costs.
    May 16

    Lonny Wood was found guilty in Los Alamos Municipal Court of speeding six to 10 miles an hour over the posted speed limit. He was fined $50 and ordered to pay $46 in court costs.

    Ashley Sullivan was found guilty in Los Alamos Municipal Court of having an expired license plate while parked. She was fined $25.

    Martin Cooper was found guilty in Los Alamos Municipal Court of speeding 11 to 15 miles an hour over the posted speed limit. He was fined $75 and ordered to pay $46 in court costs.

    Anthony Balmes was found guilty in Los Alamos Municipal Court of having an expired license plate while parked. He was fined $25.
    May 20

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  • School board tackles construction concerns

    While everyone else is thinking thoughts of summer vacation this time of year, the thoughts of the Los Alamos Board of Education have already moved on to the next school year.

    Specifically, Aug 14, the day most students go back to school.

    The board’s session was to address concerns surrounding the final construction phases at the middle school and the beginning phases of construction at Aspen Elementary.

    The chief concern among board members was making sure both middle school students and elementary students had a place to go when their schools open next year. That involved a lengthy discussion on the dilemma of moving the campus of portable classrooms that the middle school students have called home for the last two years to see service at Aspen.

    Move them too soon, when construction at the middle school isn’t completed, middle school students won’t have a place to go in August. Move them too late, neither will the Aspen Elementary students.

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