Northern NM economy profits from LANL

Northern NM economy profits from LANL from Los Alamos Monitor


Joshua Montoya worked as a pipefitter when the thefts occurred. Montoya was arrested in July 2016, after the owner of an Española scrap metal yard gave investigators Montoya’s driver’s licence information and sales records of the transaction that also had Montoya’s personal information. 

In court Wednesday, Montoya pleaded no contest to larceny. In exchange for his plea, Montoya was sentenced to three years probation. If he completes the three years without breaking any other laws, the felony conviction will be wiped from his record.

Montoya’s attorney, Tyr Loranger, said he was able to get a more lenient sentence for his client because there were others involved.

“There were some sympathetic factors in Joshua’s case,” Loranger said. “One of those factors was that the main culprit in that case was someone else. There was someone else who was responsible for what was going on. Josh was just an accessory. That was the fulcrum I used to convince the district attorney that this outcome was in the best interest of justice.”

Shortly after his July 9, 2016, arrest, Montoya also checked himself into an inpatient addiction treatment program, which also helped his case, Loranger said.

Police believe Montoya started taking the copper between May 31 and July 9 of last year.

Los Alamos National Laboratory officials initially reported a theft of copper fittings that occurred between July 9 and July 13. Investigators traced the stolen copper to Gallegos Scrap Metal LLC, where the shop’s owner, Tim Gallegos was able to show investigators receipts from sales Montoya made to his shop.

After a more thorough examination of the records, investigators from LANL and the Los Alamos Police Department determined that Montoya had been selling copper materials from LANL several times a week since May 31.

“(Gallegos) said that since this date, Mr. Montoya has sold 2,709 pounds of copper and brass to Gallegos Scrap Metal and was paid $3,474.95,” said Los Alamos Police Department Cpl. Jack Casias in his report. “Examination of one of the boxes showed a label which had ‘Los Alamos National Laboratory’ on it as well as ‘LANL SM-30 TA 60’ which is another technical area of the laboratory.”

http://www.lamonitor.com/content/espa%C3%B1ola-man-pleads-no-contest-lanl-copper-thefts

Party time before vote!

UC Regents and UCOP party night before tuition vote

http://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/Regents-throw-parties-at-UC-s-expense-11178628.php?cmpid=premartcl

Fire raises questions about Los Alamos lab

A recent fire has put a national laboratory’s ability to operate safely into question.

The Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board announced Friday that it will hold a hearing next month to discuss the future of the Los Alamos National Laboratory, the Santa Fe New Mexican reported. The board is an independent panel that advises the U.S. Department of Energy and the president.

A fire broke mid-April at the lab’s PF-4 plutonium building, where the plutonium cores of nuclear weapons are produced. Lab officials said that the fire was put out quickly and caused only minor injuries.

According to the report, the board is unsure whether the lab is fit to continue to operate and handle increasing quantities of plutonium in coming years after a series of problems with management in maintenance and cleanup.


www.washingtonpost.com/national/fire-raises-questions-about-los-alamos-national-laboratorys-safety/2017/05/27/

NNSA Seeking Federal Staffing Boost

"...Meanwhile, recruitment and retention of technical talent at NNSA labs remains an ongoing concern..." 

http://www.exchangemonitor.com/publication/morning-briefing/nnsa-seeking-federal-staffing-boost/

Impeachment impact

Suppose Trump is impeached in the next few months and some are saying that this is going to happen, what does this do for the contract changes? It may not even be Pence who stays they may say Russia had hold of the whole administration and we have to put Hillary in charge? What happens than to the labs and NNSA?

Goldstein to lead UC bid for LANL!

Goldstein to lead UC bid for LANL!
Is this a joke?

Comments

I have heard a different name but Goldstein would make more sense than the name I have heard and Goldstein would lend some actual credibility to a bid team from UC. Than again maybe it is all bs. The blog seems to have the same level accuracy as the NYT and WSP when it comes to anonymous sources. Sorry Scooby I don't want to disparage the blog by making this comparison but I was just trying to make a point ;)

Scooby: your comment foes not bother because the blog isn't  the WSJ or the NYT. 🙂

What will happen to LANL TCP1?

Does anyone have a sense as to the future of the LANL TCP-1 (Pension) under a new M&O contractor. Will they have to continue it for transferring employees or freeze it and force employees into a 401K plan?

The current contract (Clause H-36) says this - "If the Contract expires, or is terminated and an award is made to a follow-on management and operating contractor, as a part of the transition to another entity and in accordance with Contracting Officer direction and applicable law the Contractor shall transfer sponsorship of site-specific pension and other benefit plans covering employees at the Laboratory to the follow-on management and operating contractor."

But does this mean transferring employees will continue to accrue benefits under TCP-1?