News you can use: November 15 edition
Our take on the various local stories that we've had our eye on.
The Fourth Communications Outage of 2025
While Los Alamos residents have a variety of choices for local “last mile” internet service providers — Comcast, Verizon, LA Net, CenturyLink — these providers rely on a single “middle mile” fiber optic cable owned by Lumen Technologies to connect our town to the rest of the universe. And on November 11, we learned for the fourth time this year that this fragile system is no match for an errant shovel.
Given Los Alamos’ size and geography, there is minimal financial incentive for Lumen, or any other private company, to invest in redundant infrastructure and provide high-quality service. Compounding the problem is the mishmash of surrounding jurisdictions — federal, state, tribal, and local — that each have individual requirements for permitting. This makes it highly unlikely that anything will change in the immediate future.
There is, however, hope on the horizon for our community. A new middle-mile fiber optic line owned by San Ildefonso Pueblo and managed by the regional REDINet consortium is currently being installed along NM-4 and NM-502, and it should be in use sometime in 2026. This line will be entirely separated from the existing Lumen infrastructure, but REDINet CEO Jerrold Baca stated in a recent online forum that last-mile providers such as Comcast or Verizon will have to negotiate individual agreements with San Ildefonso and REDINet in order take advantage of the redundancy it offers.
Los Alamos County is also working to build its own Community Broadband Network, a last-mile high-speed fiber-optic network owned by the county that will be accessible to all residents through a pool of private service providers. This public-private network will be built to modern standards, and will connect Los Alamos to the rest of the universe through both the existing Lumen and the new REDINet lines. The current plan states that construction will take place from 2026 to 2030.
Each of these projects will build capacity and resilience, but a robust and redundant network is still a few years away.
A funding ordinance to issue $40 million in GRT bonds “For The Purpose Of Acquiring, Extending, Enlarging, Bettering, Repairing And Otherwise Improving A Broadband Communications System” is scheduled for a vote at Tuesday’s County Council meeting. Residents can provide their input by e-mailing countycouncil@lacnm.us.
(It’s worth noting that, as often as this problem has happened in Los Alamos, we’re not particularly special.)
November 2025 Election Certification
The Los Alamos County Board of Registration met on November 13 to review and certify the results of the local election from earlier this month. County Clerk Michael Redondo reported the election went smoothly, and that the only anomaly was a single missing ballot.
After polls closed on election night, poll workers at the Municipal Building polling place found that the number of ballots printed exceeded the number of votes recorded that day by one.
Election officials used poll records to determine that the discrepancy was likely due to a “fled voter” — a voter who leaves a polling place with his or her ballot rather than casting or returning it to the election staff.
The board certified the results, and they will now be forwarded to the secretary of state in the next step of certifying the results.
Boomtown’s election night recap of the results can be found here.
Bringing the CB Fox Building Back to Life?
Local commercial realtor Jyl DeHaven announced a new redevelopment plan for the former CB Fox department store at 1735 Central Avenue, which has been vacant since 2019. The new “multi-use destination” will include a food court, a boutique hotel, and a “full-service rooftop bar and restaurant.” The announcement came with some fanciful renderings, but information on the cost or timeline of the project was not included.
This appears to be another project spearheaded by local real-estate impresario Philip Gursky and funded by Chicago investor Steven Miszkowicz. Gursky and Miszkowicz are also leading the proposed development of the 110 Entrada parcel near the Los Alamos Cooperative Market, with the stated goal of building a 50,000 square foot office building and two 5,000 square foot greenhouses. The 110 Entrada purchase agreement, valued at $1.6 million, is currently in the “extended due diligence” phase.
The Hill Apartments Finally Open for Business
Four years after groundbreaking, Pavilion Construction and Los Alamos County reported on November 7 that the first 24 units in the colorful Hill Apartments on Trinity Drive are finally available for lease. Published rents range from about $2,500 for an 813 square foot one-bedroom unit to nearly $4,300 for a three-bed/two-bath 1,400 square foot unit. More units are expected to come on to the market over the coming months as final inspections occur.
Topper’s Bid for State Title Ends
The Hilltoppers varsity football season ended with a 31-13 loss to the Gadsden Panthers in the state quarterfinals on Saturday. The Toppers finished the season with a 10-1 overall record, and a 7-0 district record. Saturday’s loss was a near repeat of last season when the Hilltoppers season ended with a 43-14 loss to the Panthers.
’Tis the (Respiratory Virus) Season
Check out our list of places to get covid/flu/RSV vaccines in town
Get Rid of That Leaf Collection
Los Alamos County’s final curbside brush pickup for the season will be the week of December 1-5. Curbside collection will resume in March 2026.