Letters to the Editor (Aug. 5)

Appreciation for help

Editor:

On behalf of L.I.V.E., Inc. (Los Lunas Invests in Veterans Events), attorney David Chavez, Main Street Muscle & Fitness Center, Jubilee Veterans Committee, Jubilee Slurpers, village of Los Lunas and all sponsors of the ninth annual Believe in Heroes Veterans Memorial Run and walking event, we would like to thank all the participants and contributors making this a remarkably successful event.

This non-profit event, coordinated by L.I.V.E., Inc., with entry fees, contributions and donations going directly to various veteran organizations within Valencia County.

The success of this event was possible with many volunteers from Jubilee, Main Street Muscle & Fitness Center, the village of Los Lunas, police, fire, parks and recreation departments, who donated all their time at no cost to the village.

Thanks also to the Valencia County News-Bulletin, Huning Ranch HOA Board, Daniel D. Fernandez VFW Post 9676, Printers Press, (ABQ) and Starlight Cinema Theater.

Due to the COVID-19 restrictions, this event was conducted virtually. We had many dedicated participants and raised more than $6,000. L.I.V.E., Inc., seeks to assist those military veterans of Valencia County who have served our country and help raise awareness for their continued public support, plus organize the Nov. 11 Veterans Day ceremony at the Daniel Fernandez Memorial Park.

The 10th annual Believe in Heroes Running Event will be held on Saturday, June 4, 2022 (Save the date).

Jim Schnitzler

LIVE, Inc., race coordinator

 

Convert to save water

Editor:

It is with great interest that I read the column recently published in the Valencia County News-Bulletin, “Water Saving Strategies.”

I was surprised to see so many swamp coolers in use in the Southwest when I first came to the area in 1980, considering the water issues of a very dry climate area.

So here is my suggestion: Perhaps the local, state and federal governments could assist financially those property owners who would voluntarily convert from swamp coolers to (refrigerated air) for their cooling. Yes, their electric bills would be considerably higher, and this is not something a lot of folks would want to do and no one should be forced to, but imagine how much water would be saved.

The companies that sell the air conditioning units and do the  installation may step up here and lower their fees for the units and their labor since they would be getting thousands of requests across  the Southwest (economy of scale).

This is not something for everyone to consider but the impact on water shortage brought about by those who are up for it would surely help the situation.

Phil Termini

Belen

 

It’s time for representation

Editor:

Right now, the hundreds of thousands of people living in the District of Columbia are being denied Congressional representation.

And this denial is no accident. D.C.’s status as a district and its lack of voting power and representation is deeply rooted in racism. After the Civil War, White men in power didn’t want Black men to build power by voting, so D.C. — a place where the majority of the residents are people of color — became too much of a threat in their eyes. So Congress stripped D.C. of its ability to self-govern.

The district’s residents couldn’t participate in presidential elections at all until the 23rd Amendment was ratified in 1961 — just 60 years ago! It took until 1970 for Congress to give D.C. a delegate in the House of Representatives, but she wasn’t empowered to vote on legislation.

Now, in 2021, residents still can’t control their own laws or their budgets through the local representatives that they elect.

We can change all of this by making Washington, D.C., the 51st state. It would finally give D.C. long-overdue representation in the halls of Congress, allow its residents to self-govern and begin to unravel the harmful, racist laws of our country’s past and present.

I’m urging my senators to support making D.C. a state as soon as possible.

Victoria Gantzer

Los Lunas