Today's News

Eleven years ago, Gene and Phyllis Unterschuetz were in a transition in their lives. They sold their house in a Chicago suburb and bought an RV to go on a trip throughout the U.S. When they revved up the engine, it ignited the beginning of an amazing journey.

The Unterschuetzes decided this trip would last between six month and a year, after which, they would buy a new house and get new jobs.

During this tour, the Unterschuetzes, who are Baha’is, visited Baha’i communities and conducted what is called travel teaching or talks about faith.

Remember gasoline prices last Fourth of July?

Those were the days household budgets collided with gasoline prices that were over $4 per gallon.

Even us geologists – who are sometimes quietly glad to see high energy and metals prices because our jobs depend on them – whimpered loudly when we pulled into the pumps. I can quite clearly recollect the first time I put more than $125 of gas into my beloved 1987 pickup. Ouch!

Bicycle safety concerns highlighted a Tuesday meeting between Police Chief Wayne Torpy, County Council Vice Chair Michael Wismer and longtime bicyclist Steven Booth.

In his 25-year career, Booth has never relied on a car to get to work, instead walking, riding bicycles and using public transportation. This includes large cities such as Washington, D.C., Guatemala City and San Jose, Costa Rica – but said he will no longer ride his bicycle to work in Los Alamos.

The presidents of the United States and Russia came out of their first face-to-face meeting at the London G20 summit with a major agreement, instructing negotiators to get to work immediately on a treaty that would continue to reduce nuclear weapons.

The Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, known as START-1, expires at the end of the year, and many in the arms control community have expressed concerns that there are few signs of the diplomatic machinery that will be required to renew or extend its safeguards.