‘Mr. Science’ is revealed — and adored
Great editorial about the accomplishments of Santa Fe Public Schools-educated Faris Wald (“Hands-on science — it works!,” Our View, Oct. 27). He has always been a focused, intellectually inquisitive and present young man who asks penetrating questions and collaboratively shares knowledge.
To identify the mysterious and influential “Mr. Science” — mentor and role model: Hubert van Hecke, Los Angeles National Laboratory physicist and longtime public school volunteer, ever since daughter Saskia was a child. He’s still in the schools, guiding new Faris Walds and fostering children’s natural curiosity about the world — as well as judging science fairs and defending science by speaking against the political agendas of the Public Education Department. My students count the days to “Mr. Science.” Hubert is a testament to the importance of sharing your knowledge. Be a Hubert. Take your expertise into a group of kids and share the wealth of your life. You might feed the spark of a Faris. Terri Blackman Santa Fe
Use what’s here
In response to the Our View (“Enough Housing?” Yes, even in Santa Fe,” Oct. 22), the city is on track to make up for the reportedly impending shortage with several approved and pending development projects that will add 1,600 housing units, including low-income units.
I applaud the use of Santa Fe University Art and Design for additional housing. The infrastructure is in place, including for traffic, unlike some of the 1,600 new housing units (e.g. Las Soleras and Richards Avenue, Rodeo Road at Galisteo Road). The city also might consider vacant mall and office space. With people shopping online and at big boxes, with no signs of change, there are plenty of vacant stores and offices, including large multistory buildings that could become apartments. Instead of more sprawl and infill, think outside the box and use what is already built, what is vacant and not needed, and where there is already infrastructure such as parking, roads and traffic lights. Al Rodriguez Santa Fe
A better travel center
I have frequented the Pilot Flying J travel centers during my travels throughout the U.S. and Canada, most recently two along Interstate 40, en route round trip to San Diego and back to Santa Fe. I have a travel trailer and a dog. Recently, the Flying J has become more popular with RVers as a convenient and safe place to stop for the night or during a bad storm. They have been clean and have popular restaurants, hot showers and laundromats. Most of the state-owned rest stops for trucks, RVs and cars lack security; in Canada, I had to rely on my Alaskan husky to protect me.
The Flying J travel center in Anthony, N.M., along Interstate 10 at the Texas border, would be a better model to copy for the entrance to Santa Fe — few neon signs and not garish, as are the ones that people are criticizing as examples. The proposed Pilot Flying J travel center here could be restricted to the size of the state-owned rest stop at the base of La Bajada. I agree that the idling of diesel engines is bad for the environment. Catherine Ashley
Santa Fe
Pure something
The president’s plan to fight the opioid epidemic, announced Oct. 26, includes marshaling the full force of all pertinent federal agencies (“Trump declares opioid crisis a public health emergency,” Oct. 27). To fund this endeavor, he is reducing funding for the program in the 2018 budget by $97 million. Pure magic. Frank Bennett
Santa Fe