It's no secret, most of us would like to stay in our own home as we age. Yet, sometimes our loved ones just need a little extra help to remain comfortable at home. That's where Always Best Care can help....we are dedicated to exceeding expectations....always.
They say that your golden years are the best years of your life. For most older Americans, that's how it should be - a time to relax, reflect, and live life in a familiar place. After all, senior citizens in the U.S. have worked tirelessly to build a better economy, serve their communities, and raise families.
However, as seniors grow older, completing daily tasks like showering and enjoying activities such as visiting the historic Los Alamos History Museum gets harder without someone by their side. Unfortunately, many older Americans aren't able to rely on their adult children for help. The reality in today's world is that family members do not have the skills or time to dedicate to caring for their parents. That's where Always Best Care Senior Services comes in.
Our in-home care services are for people who prefer to stay at home as they grow older but need ongoing care that family or friends cannot provide. More and more older adults prefer to live far away from long-term, institutionalized facilities and closer to the place where they feel most comfortable - their home. Home care in Los Alamos, NM is a safe, effective way to give your loved ones the care they need when they need it the most.
Home Care Services
Service AreasSince 1996, Always Best Care has provided non-medical in-home care for seniors to help them maintain a healthy lifestyle as they get older. We are proud to have helped more than 25,000 seniors maintain higher levels of dignity and respect. We focus on providing seniors with the highest level of in-home care available so that they may live happily and independently.
Unlike some senior care companies, we genuinely want to be included in our clients' lives. We believe that personalized care is always the better option over a "one size fits all" approach. To make sure our senior clients receive the best care possible, we pair them with compassionate caregivers who understand their unique needs. That way, they may provide care accordingly without compromising their wellbeing.
The Always Best Care difference lies in life's little moments - where compassionate care and trustworthy experience come together to help seniors live a fruitful, healthy life. Whether you are an aging adult that can't quite keep up with life's daily tasks or the child of a senior who needs regular in-home services, Always Best Care is here to help.
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“I have been with Always Best Care for almost 5 yrs. This is an amazing company. We not only care about our clients but the company also takes care of their employees.”
“Great place to work! Very friendly people and excellent work environment.”
“Always best care is an extremely fast-growing company and a wonderful place to work! The CEO truly cares about each individual, welcomes creativity, and leads by example. The culture at Always best care is the best I've ever worked for and everyone is authentic and loves what they do. Training processes are great and really help people to feel comfortable in each position. The Supervisors are always willing to help and will take time out of their day to dedicate to helping you if needed.”
“Awesome place to work, friendly staff. Caregivers are the heart of the agency. Our clients really appreciate us.”
“This is a fantastic company of compassionate and hard working people who genuinely care about making a difference in people’s lives. They go above and beyond the call of duty to provide the best quality care to people in the community.”
“Always best care is an extremely fast-growing company and a wonderful place to work! The CEO truly cares about each individual, welcomes creativity, and leads by example. The culture at Always best care is the best I've ever worked for and everyone is authentic and loves what they do. Training processes are great and really help people to feel comfortable in each position. The Supervisors are always willing to help and will take time out of their day to dedicate to helping you if needed.”
“The service that my mom has received has been a total blessing. The team at Always Best Care Albuquerque has done an amazing job getting my mom the care and attention that she has needed ever since she was discharged from the hospital. My mom had been treated with kindness, care and respect. Highly recommend”
“Great company to work for. Love the staff”
“Darlene, Sara, Annalee, and Sam have been so awesome ! My live in Mother is 92 years old and if left alone, she would blowup the microwave oven, burn something on the stove top, or toaster oven, let the 3 dogs out 25 times, and feed them snacks they should not have. I work, and with the daily care from Always Best Care, I don't worry over my mother's antics while I'm not home. My wife and I are cyclists and tennis players, and we workout at the gym also. When we have days off from work, we can enjoy hours of endurance training knowing my Mom is receiving comfort, company and care. Thank you Always Best Care ! We love you.”
“I have been working for Always Best Care for 4 1/2 years and that should say it all, but I will elaborate. The company makes sure you are part of a team. The pay is good, and the hours are good. There is an open door policy to make sure the caregivers experience is enhanced by strong support. If your are looking to work with a team that has your best interest and that of client in mind then then don’t hesitate to consider Always Best Care.”
“I love working for this company! They are one of the best when it comes too making sure their staff has the support and essentials that are needed for work. Communication is amazing. I can honestly say this is byfar my favorite company I have worked for.”
“Working for an in home health care agency committed to providing the best care possible to clients in need, is extremely rewarding work.”
“Amazing place to work for. Highly recommend. Flexible schedule foe caregivers and amazing supportive staff.”
“I have been working for this company 7 years and in all my time with this company I have been blown away at how much they support the caregivers and there ability to hold the caregivers needs and concerns as high as there clients is why I have been an employee of this company for so long. The owner has truly created an environment that puts the focus of care for the client's and work continuity for the caregiver as her highest priority and this is why I have been truly blessed to be employed with this company.”
“I've been with Always Best Care, Vacaville, about a year and a half and I am very pleased with the service. Their Caregivers are very kind and competent helpers. I would recommend this service to anyone and I have recommend this service to several of my friends.”
“Here's what I posted on Google and Facebook: Life would have been a lot harder without Always Best Care in my life, I have COPD and I am on oxygen full time at level 4 so doing daily chores are out question without my caregiver Ricci Anthony who has been taking tremendous care of me for 3 years this August 2022 and I thank God everyday for him. Every time he arrives he immediately says Hi checks in with me to see how I am doing. As well as, every time he departs I thank him for all that he does for me and I tell him I love him Ricci replies in same likeness. Ricci and I are incredible friends, it’s closer to a dad and son relationship. We’re both strong Christian me. As for Chelsea who does Intake and is the Schedules for Always Best Care equally an amazing individual. Don’t let her young age fool you on the contrary she is a powerhouse. She’s highly a professional, she’s industrious, highly intelligent, she’s a great friend and you can always depend on her to be in support for you. Always Best Care is always best care.”
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“Always Best Care is the best! Darlene and her team are exceptional and provide excellent service to their clients. I thoroughly enjoy working with them. Call them today for all your home care needs!”
“Kathy McClure is a problem solver. She assisted us on Long Term Care Reimbursement and took us thru the process smoothly.”
“I was very satisfied with the professional care Always Best care provided to my father. Our caregiver was fantastic to work with and always easy to reach when I had any questions. Always Best Care and their staff showed so much care and compassion towards my father, I always knew they were taking excellent care of them. I would highly recommend them to any family.”
“Nate and Charlene are the best in their field. It has been a pleasure getting to know you and your company.”
“Dave and his staff go above and beyond with their care. They all take special interest with their clients. Also a very helpful resource in future planning and current ideas. Trust your parents to these people - they will not let you down.”
Home is where the heart is. While that saying can sound a tad cliche, it is especially true for many seniors living in America. When given a choice, older adults most often prefer to grow older at home. An AARP study found that three out of four adults over the age of 50 want to stay in their homes and communities as they age.
When you begin to think about why, it makes sense. Home offers a sense of security, comfort, and familiarity.
The truth is, as we age, we begin to rely on others for help. When a family is too busy or lives too far away to fulfill this role, in-home senior care is often the best solution. Home care services allow seniors to enjoy personal independence while also receiving trustworthy assistance from a trained caregiver.
At Always Best Care, we offer a comprehensive range of home care services to help seniors stay healthy while they get the help they need to remain independent. As your senior loved one gets older, giving them the gift of senior care is one of the best ways to show your love, even if you live far away.
To give our senior clients the best care possible, we offer a full spectrum of in-home care services:
If your senior loved one has specific care needs, our personal care services are a great choice to consider. Personal care includes the standard caregiving duties associated with companion care and includes help with tasks such as dressing and grooming. Personal care can also help individuals with chronic conditions like diabetes.
Common personal care services include assistance with:
Sometimes, seniors need helpful reminders to maintain a high quality of life at home. If you or your senior has trouble with everyday tasks like cooking, our home helper services will be very beneficial.
Common home helper care services include assistance with:
Using this kind of care is a fantastic way to make life easier for you or your senior loved one. At Always Best Care, our talented caregivers often fill the role of a companion for seniors. That way, older adults can enjoy their favorite local activities, such as visiting Bandelier National Monument with friends while also receiving the care they need daily or weekly.
Common companionship services include:
According to AARP, more than 53 million adults living in the U.S. provide care to someone over 50 years old. Unfortunately, these caregivers experience stress, exhaustion, and even depression. Our respite care services help family caregivers address urgent obligations, spend time with their children, and enjoy nearby activities. Perhaps more importantly, respite care gives family members time to recharge and regroup. Taking personal time to de-stress reduces the risk of caregiver burnout. So, if you've always wanted to eat at the local Blue Window Bistro or visit Alcove House, don't feel bad. Doing so is great for both you and your loved one.
At the end of the day, our goal is to become a valuable part of your senior's daily routine. That way, we may help give them the highest quality of life possible. We know that staying at home is important for your loved one, and we are here to help make sure that is possible.
If you have been on the fence about non-medical home care, there has never been a better time than now to give your senior the care, assistance, and companionship they deserve.
Always Best Care in-home services are for older adults who prefer to stay at home but need ongoing care that friends and family cannot provide. In-home care is a safe, effective way for seniors to age gracefully in a familiar place and live independent, non-institutionalized lives. The benefits of non-medical home care are numerous. Here are just a few reasons to consider senior care services from Always Best Care:
According to AARP, 9 out of 10 seniors prefer to age in place within the comfort of their own home. With in-home care, seniors have a way to stay at home, receive the care they need, and maintain a sense of independence, improving overall wellness.
If you or a member of your family have assumed the role of caregiver for your senior loved one, you know how stressful the job can be. Between caregiver burnout and constant worry, being a family caregiver is hard. In-home care relieves your burden and gives you peace of mind knowing that your older family member is in expert hands.
Unlike nursing homes, where the staff and residents rotate frequently, seniors can foster new friendships and build bonds with their caregiver. Seniors who socialize on a regular basis are often happier, which fosters positivity and leads to increased wellbeing.
No two seniors need the same kind of in-home care assistance. That is why each of our Care Plans is tailored to meet our client's individual needs. We offer plans that cover everything from light housekeeping to more involved duties like transportation to doctor's appointments. Our Care Coordinators will work closely with you to develop a personalized plan to ensure your senior's needs are exceeded.
Always Best Care offers a full array of care options for patients at all levels of health. With our trusted elderly care services, your loved one will receive the level of care necessary for them to enjoy the highest possible quality of life.
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While it's true that some seniors have complicated medical needs that prevent them from staying at home, aging in place is often the best arrangement for seniors and their families. With a trusted caregiver, seniors have the opportunity to live with a sense of dignity and do so as they see fit - something that is unavailable to many older people today.
In-home care makes it possible for millions of seniors to age in place every year. Rather than moving to a strange nursing home, seniors have the chance to stay at home where they feel the happiest and most comfortable.
How much does a senior's home truly mean to them?
A study published by the American Society on Aging found that more than half of seniors say their home's emotional value means more than how much their home is worth in monetary value. It stands to reason, then, that a senior's home is where they want to grow old.
With the help of elderly care in Los Alamos, NM, seniors don't have to age in a sterilized care facility. Instead, they can age gracefully in the place they want to be most: their home. In contrast, seniors who move to a long-term care facility must adapt to new environments, new people, and new systems that the facility implements. At this stage in life, this kind of drastic change can be more harmful than helpful.
Institutional care facilities like nursing homes often put large groups of people together to live in one location. On any given day, dozens of staff members and caregivers run in and out of these facilities. Being around so many new people in a relatively small living environment can be dangerous for a seniors' health and wellbeing. When you consider that thousands of seniors passed away in nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic, opting for in-home care is often a safer, healthier choice for seniors.
Aging in place has been shown to improve seniors' quality of life, which helps boost physical health and also helps insulate them from viral and bacterial risks found in elderly living facilities.
For many seniors, the ability to live independently with assistance from a caregiver is a priceless option. With in-home care, seniors experience a higher level of independence and freedom - much more so than in other settings like a nursing home. When a senior has the chance to age in place, they get to live life on their own terms, inside the house that they helped make into a home. More independence means more control over their personal lives, too, which leads to increased levels of fulfillment, happiness, and personal gratification. Over time, these positive feelings can manifest into a healthier, longer life.
More independence, a healthier life, and increased comfort are only a few benefits of aging in place. You have to take into consideration the role of cost and convenience. Simply put, it's usually easier and more affordable to help seniors age in place than it is to move them into an institutional care facility. According to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, seniors who age in the comfort of their homes can save thousands of dollars per month.
In-home care services from Always Best Care, for instance, are often less expensive than long-term solutions, which can cost upwards of six figures per year. To make matters worse, many residential care facilities are reluctant to accept long-term care insurance and other types of payment assistance.
With Always Best Care's home care services, seniors and their families have a greater level of control over their care plans. In-home care gives seniors the chance to form a bond with a trusted caregiver and also receive unmatched care that is catered to their needs. In long-term care facilities, seniors and their loved ones have much less control over their care plan and have less of a say in who provides their care.
In-home care is a valuable resource that empowers seniors to age in place on their own terms. However, a big concern for many families and their loved ones is how much in-home care costs. If you're worried that in-home care is too expensive, you may be pleasantly surprised to learn that it is one of the most affordable senior care arrangements available.
Typically, hiring an Always Best Care in-home caregiver for a few hours a week is more affordable than sending your loved one to a long-term care facility. This is true even for seniors with more complex care needs.
At Always Best Care, we will work closely with you and your family to develop a Care Plan that not only meets your care needs, but your budget requirements, too. Once we discover the level of care that you or your senior need, we develop an in-home care plan that you can afford.
In addition to our flexible care options, families should also consider the following resources to help offset potential home care costs:
When you or your senior loved one needs assistance managing daily tasks at home, finding a qualified caregiver can be challenging. It takes a special kind of person to provide reliable care for your senior loved one. However, a caregiver's role involves more than meal preparation and medication reminders. Many seniors rely on their caregivers for companionship, too.
Our companion care services give seniors the chance to socialize in a safe environment and engage in activities at home. These important efforts boost morale and provide much-needed relief from repetitive daily routines. A one-on-one, engaging conversation can sharpen seniors' minds and give them something in which to be excited.
At Always Best Care, we only hire care providers that we would trust to care for our own loved ones. Our senior caregivers in Los Alamos, NM understand how important it is to listen and communicate with their seniors. A seemingly small interaction, like a short hug goodbye, can make a major difference in a senior's day. Instead of battling against feelings of isolation, seniors begin to look forward to seeing their caregiver each week.
Understanding the nuances of senior care is just one of the reasons why our care providers are so great at their job.
Unlike some senior care companies, our caregivers must undergo extensive training before they work for Always Best Care. In addition, our caregivers receive ongoing training throughout the year. This training ensures that their standard of care matches up to the high standards we've come to expect. During this training, they will brush up on their communication skills, safety awareness, and symptom spotting. That way, your loved one receives the highest level of non-medical home care from day one.
While it's true that many seniors prefer to age at home, sometimes in-home care isn't the best fit. For those seniors and their families, choosing an assisted living facility makes more sense. Unfortunately, finding the optimal care facility is easier said than done in today's day and age. That's when Always Best Care's assisted living referral services begin to make a lot of sense.
Assisted living is a form of housing intended for seniors who require varying degrees of medical and personal attention. Accommodations may include single rooms, apartments, or shared living arrangements. Assisted living communities are typically designed to resemble a home-like environment and are physically constructed to encourage the independence of residents.
At assisted living communities, seniors receive help with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, and eating. They may also benefit from coordination of services with outside healthcare providers, and monitoring of resident activities to ensure their health, safety, and well-being. Caregivers who work at assisted living communities can also provide medication administration and personal care services for older adults.
Other services offered within assisted living communities can include some or all of the following:
At Always Best Care, our representatives can match your senior's emotional, physical, and financial needs with viable assisted living communities nearby. Results are based on comparative data, so you can select the best choice for you or your loved one.
Always Best Care works closely with local senior living communities to gain valuable knowledge that we then use to help seniors and their loved ones make informed decisions. This information can include basic care and rent, resident availability, and services provided. Because Always Best Care is compensated by these communities, we provide senior living referral services at no extra cost to you.
Some of the most popular assisted living communities to consider in our area include the following:
For many seniors, moving into a senior living community revolves around how and when they want to make a transition to more involved care. Some seniors are more proactive about transitioning to independent living. Others choose to remain home until their care needs or other requirements are satisfied. Remember - our staff is here to help. Contact our office today to learn more about assisted living communities and how we can find a facility that exceeds your expectations.
The first step in getting quality in-home care starts with a personal consultation with an experienced Always Best Care Care Coordinator. This initial consultation is crucial for our team to learn more about you or your elderly loved one to discover the level of care required. Topics of this consultation typically include:
A discussion of your needs and how our trained caregivers can offer assistance in the most effective way
A draft of your care plan, which includes highly detailed notes and a framework for the care that you or your senior will receive
Discuss payment options and help coordinate billing with your insurance provider
Our caregivers are trained to spot changes that clients exhibit, like mental and physical decline. As your trusted senior care company, we will constantly assess and update your Care Plan to meet any new emotional, intellectual, physical, and emotional needs.
If you have never considered in-home care before, we understand that you and your family may have concerns about your Care Plan and its Care Coordinator. To help give you peace of mind, know that every team member and caregiver must undergo comprehensive training before being assigned to a Care Plan.
At the end of the day, we only hire the best of the best at Always Best Care. Whether you need home care in Los Alamos, NM 24-hours a day or only need a respite for a couple of hours, we are here to serve you.
When you're ready, we encourage you to contact your local Always Best Care representative to set up a Care Consultation. Our Care Coordinators would be happy to meet with you in person to get to know you better, discuss your needs, and help put together a personalized Care Plan specific to your needs.
Sanna Sevanto led an agrivoltaics project in El Rito through the New Mexico Small Business Assistance Program. Photo Courtesy LANLLANL NEWS RELEASEThe Energized Watershed project was recently announced as a semifinalist in the Regional Innovation Engine competition through the National Science Foundation. With goals of increasing local water security and creating economic opportunities, the project would bring new vitality to the state of New Mexico, if selected.“The whole purpose of the NSF Engines progra...
Sanna Sevanto led an agrivoltaics project in El Rito through the New Mexico Small Business Assistance Program. Photo Courtesy LANL
LANL NEWS RELEASE
The Energized Watershed project was recently announced as a semifinalist in the Regional Innovation Engine competition through the National Science Foundation. With goals of increasing local water security and creating economic opportunities, the project would bring new vitality to the state of New Mexico, if selected.
“The whole purpose of the NSF Engines program is to build innovation and economic growth ecosystems in the areas that receive funding,” said Sanna Sevanto, scientist at Los Alamos National Laboratory and institutional lead for the project. “I expect economic opportunities to come in terms of new technology and possibly new startup companies, as well as new job opportunities in research, technology development and education.”
The University of New Mexico is leading the project, with several scientists from Los Alamos serving as technical leads and advisers for water resource modeling. The Engine selection process is very rigorous and is intended to foster projects that will result in maximal positive impacts in local communities. Seventy-one projects were invited to apply to the nationwide program, with only 29 being selected as semifinalists. The Energized Watershed is one of only two semifinalists in New Mexico.
Sevanto, a plant physiologist, sees opportunities in agrivoltaics — agricultural production underneath or adjacent to solar panels — from this project. She was previously involved in a New Mexico Small Business Assistance project that helped to bring agrivoltaics to a company in El Rito.
“I think that agrivoltaics would be a good way to improve water-use efficiency and general economic viability of agriculture in New Mexico, where there is plenty of sun that overcomes significant challenges of agrivoltaics in other states,” Sevanto said.
Water resource modeling is another central aspect of the project. Los Alamos scientists Kurt Solander, Katrina Bennett and Jon Schwenk will provide the technical expertise for that portion of the project.
As a semifinalist, Energized Watershed has already received $1 million both from the National Science Foundation and from the state of New Mexico. The work will focus on the San Juan and Rio Grande watersheds due to the geographic spread, ecological importance and economic opportunities associated with the waterways.
The THOR target, featuring the windows around the hohlraum’s equator. Courtesy LANL
LANL NEWS RELEASE
A Los Alamos National Laboratory-led team working in conjunction with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) has achieved ignition using the National Ignition Facility. The team conducted an experiment June 22 that generated a yield of 2.4 +- 0.09 megajoules of energy and created a self-sustaining feedback loop called a “burning plasma.”
“This shows how well our designs can create fusion ignition conditions to address key stockpile stewardship questions,” said Los Alamos physicist Joseph Smidt, the co-director of the LANL inertial confinement fusion program.
This was the first application of LANL’s Thinned Hohlraum Optimization for Radflow (THOR) window diagnostic system. The THOR window system leverages a modified version of LLNL’s ignition platform to produce extreme X-ray output. Scientists plan to use these X-rays to blast test materials to study how radiation flows through them or how much X-ray energy gets absorbed.
“This fantastic result is only possible because of the team of people working together,” said Ryan Lester, Lab physicist and THOR campaign lead. “We pulled this off in less than a year because of everyone’s commitment. We moved fast and we moved together, showing what can happen when the whole team is aligned and all-in.”
Achieving ignition — producing more fusion energy than the amount of laser energy delivered to the target — creates extreme environments and allows scientists to study the behavior of materials under extreme plasma conditions that were previously impossible to achieve in a laboratory setting. Livermore first achieved ignition in 2022 and has replicated it several times since then. This recent achievement opens the door for studying new aspects of physics.
“This experiment marks a critical step in validating high-fidelity simulations and in demonstrating that ignition-scale performance can be achieved even with the THOR platform modifications,” Lester said.
In a National Ignition Facility fusion experiment, lasers are fired into a gold-coated cylinder called a hohlraum, which is just a few millimeters long and wide. The hohlraum holds a tiny capsule of deuterium and tritium — the fuel for fusion. The lasers hit the inner walls of the hohlraum creating a uniform bath of X-rays that drives the symmetrical implosion of the inner capsule, resulting in fusion ignition.
THOR experiments use a new LANL-designed hohlraum, based on the LLNL ignition design, but incorporating windows to allow some of the high-flux X-rays to escape. The x-rays provide a source to test how materials interact with high temperatures and radiation levels, a key question for nuclear weapon scientists. The challenge in this design was ensuring that adding windows to the hohlraum did not result in significant energy or implosion symmetry loss that would prevent fusion ignition from happening.
“Igniting capsule implosions are incredibly sensitive and any energy loss or perturbation can easily prevent ignition, which would eliminate the generation of the X-ray fluxes we want to use as a source,” LANL physicist Brian Haines said. Haines, who helped design the experiment and made significant contributions to x-RAGE — LANL’s pivotal computer code used to enable the modeling of hohlraums and capsule implosions — said now that they achieved ignition with a THOR design, the next steps will be to explore if the windows can be made more transparent and to design experiments that will attach to the THOR windows.
“This is a game-changing breakthrough that advances our fusion science and 3D modeling capabilities,” Smidt said. “Hitting this goal illustrates LANL’s expertise with this complex and exciting platform.”
Blog LOS ALAMOS, N.M. — Members of the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (DNFSB) viewed progress underway to address legacy transuranic waste during a visit to Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) on July 30.Acting DNFSB Chair Thomas Summers, Board Member Patricia Lee and board staff toured ...
Blog
LOS ALAMOS, N.M. — Members of the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (DNFSB) viewed progress underway to address legacy transuranic waste during a visit to Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) on July 30.
Acting DNFSB Chair Thomas Summers, Board Member Patricia Lee and board staff toured Area G at LANL’s Technical Area 54, where they saw waste storage facilities and processing operations to prepare the transuranic waste for eventual disposal at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP).
“The DNFSB plays an important role in helping to ensure safe operations at a variety of U.S. Department of Energy sites, including LANL,” said Jessica Kunkle, manager of the DOE Office of Environmental Management Los Alamos Field Office (EM-LA). “We appreciate the good-working relationship we have with the board, and we were glad to be able to show them how we are safely carrying out this important mission.”
Safely shipping transuranic and other radioactive waste offsite for disposal is a key component of the legacy cleanup mission at LANL. Since 2018, EM-LA and its legacy cleanup contractor, Newport News Nuclear BWXT-Los Alamos LLC (N3B), have shipped more than 615 cubic meters of transuranic waste to WIPP, and more than 14,000 cubic meters of low-level and mixed low-level radioactive waste to offsite disposal facilities.
“We’re proud of our progress in reducing legacy waste at LANL,” N3B President and General Manager Brad Smith said. “Safety is at the core of our performance for the legacy waste mission and all of our cleanup activities at LANL.”
Newport News Nuclear BWXT-Los Alamos LLC (N3B) Contact Handled-Transuranic Program Manager Brian Clayman explains to Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board members and staff the history of corrugated metal pipes (CMPs) that were filled with cemented legacy transuranic waste and buried at Technical Area 54 in 1986. N3B has safely completed the retrieval and size reduction of the 158 legacy CMPs and is now in the process of shipping the 792 segmented pieces to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant.
Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board members observe equipment used for legacy waste processing. Contact Handled-Transuranic Deputy Program Manager Ellen Gammon, second from left, explains how the corrugated metal pipes size-reduction work was safely conducted using protective gear, specialized equipment and continuous air monitoring to abate risk to workers, the public and the environment.
Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board tour participants stop in front of Dome 232 at Technical Area 54, Area G, to view a legacy transuranic waste storage site. Contact Handled-Transuranic Program Manager Brian Clayman discussed ongoing remediation processes, including glovebag operations and drill-and-drain techniques, which are used to safely remove liquids from solid waste containers to ensure that containers meet the compliance requirements for shipment to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant.
Newport News Nuclear BWXT-Los Alamos LLC (N3B) President and General Manager Brad Smith, front left, speaks to Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board tour participants in front of Dome 232 at Technical Area 54, Area G, emphasizing the critical nature of the Environmental Management Los Alamos Field Office and N3B’s environmental cleanup work. He noted the proximity of the site to neighboring communities and emphasized the importance of safely and effectively managing legacy waste.
Blog Members of the National Governors Association Federal Facilities Task Force stop at Overlook Park in White Rock, New Mexico, as part of a tour led by the U.S. Department of Energy Environmental Management Los Alamos Field Office and legacy cleanup contractor Newport News Nuclear BWXT- Los Alamos LLC. The tour highlighted water quality protection, legacy waste operations and hexavalent chromium plume interim measures at Los Alamos National Laboratory.During a stop at cultural sites in Mortandad Canyon, Sarah Vo...
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Members of the National Governors Association Federal Facilities Task Force stop at Overlook Park in White Rock, New Mexico, as part of a tour led by the U.S. Department of Energy Environmental Management Los Alamos Field Office and legacy cleanup contractor Newport News Nuclear BWXT- Los Alamos LLC. The tour highlighted water quality protection, legacy waste operations and hexavalent chromium plume interim measures at Los Alamos National Laboratory.
During a stop at cultural sites in Mortandad Canyon, Sarah Voorhees, community outreach adviser, fourth from right, with the U.S. Department of Energy Environmental Management Los Alamos Field Office (EM-LA), discusses how EM-LA regularly engages with the four Accord Pueblos to honor its trust responsibility and maintain strong government-to-government relationships. A representative with Newport News Nuclear BWXT-Los Alamos LLC (N3B) spoke about N3B’s protection of cultural resources through active site monitoring, coordination with regulators, and compliance with federal preservation laws, and by supporting EM-LA’s engagement with the four Accord Pueblos.
In Mortandad Canyon, Newport News Nuclear BWXT-Los Alamos LLC acting Environmental Remediation Program Manager Vince Rodriguez, center front, briefs the tour group on interim measures to prevent migration of a hexavalent chromium plume from the Los Alamos National Laboratory boundary and to treat contaminated groundwater. The group also saw the chromium treatment system and received insights about a recent chromium expert technical review.
Inside Dome 231 at Technical Area 54 (TA-54), Area G, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Newport News Nuclear BWXT-Los Alamos LLC senior Waste Operations staff provided an overview of key activities. Attendees learned about the restoration of a pit after the retrieval of corrugated metal pipes containing cemented transuranic waste, waste characterization and certification, operations to remove items from transuranic waste drums that do not meet the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant’s waste acceptance criteria, and future cleanup work at TA-54.
At Overlook Park in White Rock, New Mexico, tour participants heard from Newport News Nuclear BWXT-Los Alamos LLC acting Environmental Remediation Program Manager Vince Rodriguez about efforts to protect vital groundwater resources, manage stormwater through engineered systems and monitor seven major watersheds across the Los Alamos National Laboratory. The expansive view of White Rock Canyon and the Rio Grande from the park offered a striking perspective on the proximity of the laboratory to surrounding communities, including pueblos and Rio Arriba and Santa Fe counties.
COUNTY NEWS RELEASEThe Los Alamos County Fair and Rodeo is a free community event that will be held on the 1st weekend of August 2025 (August 1st, 2nd & 3rd). This year Los Alamos County will also coordinate the parade entries.Register to enter the parade scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 2, from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.Register to enter as a contestant: On ...
COUNTY NEWS RELEASE
The Los Alamos County Fair and Rodeo is a free community event that will be held on the 1st weekend of August 2025 (August 1st, 2nd & 3rd). This year Los Alamos County will also coordinate the parade entries.
Register to enter the parade scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 2, from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Register to enter as a contestant: On July 29 & 30, from 5:30 – 9:30 pm, call or Text (719) 580-3022
Vendors: Interested vendors must complete and return a vendor permit forms to the Recreation Division by July 30, 2025. Vendors planning on vending at County sponsored events must have submitted paperwork to the Community Development Division (CDD) for processing.
Rodeo admission prices:
Exhibit books are available at both libraries and the NMSU Cooperative Extension Office. Pre-registration non-perishable drop-offs will be accepted July 14 – 25 ( Preserved Foods, Fine Arts, Photography, Spinning, and 4-H exhibits.
Exhibits will be released for pick-up on August 2 from 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm at the Mesa Public Library.
Perishable items will be accepted starting July 30. For additional question,s please contact Angela Prada at [email protected]. Address: 1251 Bathtub Row, Los Alamos, NM 87544
Age categories: Youth & Adult
Exhibit categories:
Register Online: https://acesnmsu.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_emrSR4MTOb1Wo18
July 14 – 25, Accepted entries (Non-Perishable):
Non-perishable entries include (Clothing, Knitting, Crochet, Needlework, Quilts, Preserved Foods, Fine Arts, Photography, Spinning, and 4-H exhibits)
July 24 – 25, Accepted entries (Hobbies and Crafts):
July 30 (Perishables only):
Perishable entries include (Baked Goods and Horticulture)
Pool Tournament
TBD, Betty Ehart Senior Center call (505) 662-8920 for more information
The County Fair is held in downtown Los Alamos and the Rodeo is held at Brewer Arena
Brewer Arena for the Rodeo, 750 North Mesa, Los Alamos, NM, 87544, View Map
Four recreation sites will be temporarily closed for essential public access Photo Courtesy SFNFSFNF NEWS RELEASE
Construction season is in full swing on the Santa Fe National Forest. Four popular recreation sites on the Jemez Ranger District will be temporarily closed to conduct pavement preservation projects.
“Some recreation sites in the Jemez Ranger District have not undergone pavement maintenance since the 1990s. The upcoming projects aim to ensure safe access for those who enjoy recreation in this area. We are working with construction crews and contractors to open these sites as quickly as possible and will keep the public informed of any delays,” said Jeremy Golston, the Jemez District Ranger.
The following recreation sites are currently CLOSED:
FOREST SERVICE NEWS RELEASEAcres: 2,700Start Date: 6/25/2025Completion: 15 %Location: Located in the Coyote Ranger District, 8 miles north of New Mexico State Road 96 and west of the Chama River Canyon Wilderness.Personnel: 120Fuels: Oak brush, ponderosa pine, pinyon-juniperResources: 2 hotshot crews, 1 Type 2 Initial Attack crew, 1 suppression module, 6 engines, 2water tendersHighlights: Crews continued firing operations on the east side of the incident working west to FR 169. To conduct a firing operation, firef...
FOREST SERVICE NEWS RELEASE
Acres: 2,700Start Date: 6/25/2025Completion: 15 %
Location: Located in the Coyote Ranger District, 8 miles north of New Mexico State Road 96 and west of the Chama River Canyon Wilderness.
Personnel: 120Fuels: Oak brush, ponderosa pine, pinyon-juniperResources: 2 hotshot crews, 1 Type 2 Initial Attack crew, 1 suppression module, 6 engines, 2water tenders
Highlights: Crews continued firing operations on the east side of the incident working west to FR 169. To conduct a firing operation, firefighters cut away vegetation to make a line of bare soil ahead of a fire and then using aerial and hand ignitions burn the vegetation between that line and the actively burning fire front. Aerial ignition will continue to be used to reduce fireintensity and to minimize firefighter exposure to ground hazards. Control lines being utilizedinclude existing roads and natural barriers. The fire behavior is characterized as a low-intensityground fire with isolated and group torching. Fuels being consumed include heavy dead anddown wood, as well as tussock moth-killed mixed conifers.
Weather: Smoke is expected to continue Sunday as firing operations continue. Winds will continue to push smoke east-southeast of the fire, but with lighter and more variable winds. As a result, smoke won’t travel as far and hazy conditions are expected as there will be less winds to carry the smoke out of the area. Monday winds pick up which will start to clear some of the haziness.
Smoke: Smoke is expected to be present on Sunday as firing operations continue. Winds will continue to push smoke east-southeast but are anticipated to be lighter and more variable. As a result, smoke won’t travel as far and hazy conditions are expected to decrease as winds carry the smoke out of the area. Monday winds will pick up, clearing some of the haziness current in the Rio Chama River valley.
Safety: The health and safety of firefighters and the public are always the highest priority. Please avoid the area while crews manage the Laguna Wildfire. Drones and firefighting aircraft are a dangerous mix and could lead to accidents or slow down wildfire operations. If you fly, we can’t.
Closures: : Closure Order 03-10-01-25-08 is in place and includes all National Forest System lands, roads, and trails within Township 24N Range 1E Sections 1,2,11,12,13,14,23,24,25,26 and Township 24N Range 2E Sections 4-9 and Sections14-32 and Township 25N Range 1E Sections 25,35,36 and Township 25N Range 2E Sections 30-32 of the New Mexico Principal Meridian within the Coyote Ranger District. The purpose of this Order is to protect the public’s health and safety during firefighting operations for the Laguna Wildfire. See attached map for the closure area. More Information: 505-607-0879 | [email protected]| x.com/SantafeNF | facebook.com/santafeNF | Inciweb-Laguna Wildfire | NM Fire Info
About the Forest Service: The USDA Forest Service has for more than 100 years brought people and communities together to answer the call of conservation. Grounded in world-class science and technology– and rooted in communities–the Forest Service connects people to nature and to each other. The Forest Service cares for shared natural resources in ways that promote lasting economic, ecological, and social vitality. The agency manages 193 million acres of public land, provides assistance to state and private landowners, maintains the largest wildland fire and forestry research organizations in the world. The Forest Service also has either a direct or indirect role in stewardship of about 900 million forested acres within the U.S., of over 130 million acres are urban forests where most Americans live.
505-898-6262
