Letters to the Editor (Oct. 5, 2023)

Republicans have no solutions 

Editor: 

The letter from citizen Donna Crawford of Tomé (VCNB Aug. 31) is typical GOP propaganda. She whines about electric vehicles, about how electrification “will crush our freedoms,” then gets all confused about fascism and socialism. 

If the Republican Party had anything of value to offer the American voter, they would not need to lie and cheat and steal to win elections. 

There is not one solution offered in that letter. Electric vehicles are a critical technical solution, but she describes them as a problem because Democrats are getting their job done. The planet passed Peak Oil several years back, so what is the GOP solution for when we run out of fossil fuels? No GOP solution exists. 

Sen. Heinrich’s “electrification agenda” — another solution — is denied by whining about “government interfering with every little phase of our lives.” Again, no GOP solution offered here. 

Republicans back their agenda with millions of dark money dollars donated by corporations. Their most-visible tactics include voter suppression (gerrymandering, election fraud), denial of reality (Fox, the faker of news), and disdain for human rights and oppression of minorities (anti-labor, anti-equality, anti-immigrant). This activity and much more are being perpetrated every day by national and local Republicans. 

The United States reached the statistic that 95 percent of adults are vaccinated against or are survivors of COVID-19. In New Mexico, 73 percent of residents have at least one COVID-19 vaccination. But here in Valencia County, only 50 percent of residents are vaccinated.  

Our local Republican Party instills fear by endangering Valencia County residents. How many of your relatives will die during the fall flu season because their caregivers chose the wrong political party slash agenda? 

The Republican Party has made Valencia County a sinkhole of what doesn’t work. Ask a farmer who just found out there will be no more crops for the year because the Rio Grande is going dry.  

Empty buildings, vacant lots, tumbleweed vistas. Families of the poor and of the working poor going hungry, banned books and banned genders, poisoned environment, economic oppression. Thank a Republican. 

The Democratic Party, and especially here in New Mexico, have solutions galore — for the long term and for the short term. Your vote counts. 

G.E. Nordell 

Rio Communities 

  

What a gem 

Editor: 

We have lived in Los Chavez for over 60 years. We did business mostly with the local businesses along Main Street, Reinken and in Rio Communities.  

Recently, our son, who lives in Albuquerque, came to a high school gathering and showed us the gem of Belen. It took an outsider to take off our blinders.  

At the end of Becker Avenue (on First Street) you will find the old railroad station, Harvey House, and tucked in the corner of the Harvey House is the Whistle Stop Cafe, serving soup and sandwiches and coffee from the Chavez house. Everything is homemade by a group of volunteer ladies. You will not go away hungry.  

The pastries — you will think you are in sidewalk café in Paris eating French pastries. The difference is the pastries from the Whistle Stop are much better. The peach cobbler, the carrot cake and the chocolates … oooohhh!  

When your are finished eating, step back in time by visiting the Harvey House. There, you see the living quarters of the Harvey Girls and pictures of time gone past. Take a few minutes to see the trains go by.  

Then, a few steps west is the old Belen Hotel, which houses the Jaramillo Winery and Tasting Room. Sample wines from Jaramillo Winery located in Los Chavez.  

(Down the street) is the art league, which exhibits art from local artists. You can take art lessons, meet some of the local artists. Next door is Books on Becker, where you will find books of every kind. Every child that visits the store for the first time gets a free book.  

By now, you may be hungry. Go back to the end of Becker Avenue, turn left half a block to Pete’s, which is still run by the same family and has been part of Belen longer than most remember. There, you can experience an excellent southwestern meal with a glass of wine or a bear and a old-world charm.  

When you come to Becker Avenue, disregard time and just enjoy the gem of Belen.  

Frank and Nellie Herrera 

Los Chavez