When considering budget, remember La Farge

The city of Santa Fe is considering many budget cuts, and libraries are among them. My children and I have been weekly (or more frequent) regulars at La Farge Branch Library for 15 years. La Farge, with its midtown location, is the most accessible library to most residents of Santa Fe. La Farge serves a large community in the midst of several family neighborhoods with a high senior population. We all depend on it. My family cannot afford to buy every book that sparks our interests, but we can check out all those wonderful books at La Farge.

To all the readers and patrons of La Farge Library out there, please make your views known. You can call the mayor’s office and leave a message at 505-955-6949. You can fill out the online survey with questions about the future of our libraries in Santa Fe. Go to the News and Announcements page of the city’s website and you can click on the survey link; the first one is in, but more are supposed to be coming. Thank you for taking some time and giving back to those amazing librarians at La Farge (Marie, Susan, Michelle, Jessica, Chelsea and all the others — you are very appreciated by our family!). Megan McLean

Santa Fe

Hardly descriptive

Am I the only one in the City Different who is aghast at the name change for the former College of Santa Fe property? Is Midtown District really descriptive of this cultural and educational property in Santa Fe? Who has met behind closed doors to determine names, selection of the finalist for the build — purportedly to take 10 years? Where are the local people who supposedly were surveyed for use of the property? Is La Farge Branch Library really to become a part of Fogelson Library? And what about the six or so soundstages that will be next to “affordable” housing? A film school — to feed the hungry? Who is really behind the curtain? Where does the buck really stop?

Nyira Gitana Santa Fe

Mask up, customers

On May 19, I visited a big-box store in Santa Fe. All staff members were wearing masks, as were most customers, but many were not. A number of employees I spoke to felt frightened and intimidated by this lack of safety. Apparently they can do nothing about it. I cannot be the only person wondering why there is not a strict requirement by the store for masks to protect these workers, especially in light of the governor’s orders earlier this month. Whether it is just ignorance, laziness or some kind of political statement, it should be treated as a public health danger. Such dangerous and intimidating behavior involving a public health nuisance should be remedied as soon as possible.

Paul Thacher Santa Fe

Watch for scams

Recently my wife and I decided to downsize, and we needed to sell a few items of furniture. We decided to use Craigslist for several items, including a love seat. Within three hours I received three text responses, all asking whether the love seat was still available, and I now believe all three texts were from scammers.

The first text (within 30 minutes of posting) was from area code 530 (Redding, Calif.), who asked if I was “real” and wanted me to reply with a six-digit code, which I had mysteriously received from a 220-00 sender. Fortunately, I did not respond. I requested 650 to simply call me, since 650 advised me they were a half-mile from my home. Fortunately, I did not receive any further text or call from 650. Within an hour. I got a second text from area code 286 (Palm Coast, Fla.), asking about the availability of the love seat. I asked 386 to call me, but fortunately 386 did not call or further text me. My third text, three hours after posting, was using a 714 area code (Anaheim, Calif.), same question. Again no return call or text.

I hope this letter will cause other readers using Craigslist or other online services to be extremely cautious, as you may be dealing with a scammer.

Jerry Hicks Santa Fe

Slow response

President Donald Trump has claimed he responded quickly to COVID-19. But on Jan. 21, the World Health Organization, a United Nations agency with 194 member states, issued a five-page situation report. More than a dozen American scientists, working full-time at the World Health Organization on the virus in 2019, transmitted real-time information to the Trump administration.

Trump wrongly ignored these scientists, but now has his scapegoat: the World Health Organization. WHO is made up of more than 7,000 people from more than 150 countries with strong values, the highest standards of professionalism and the best available science. The bottom line is top Trump officials had better access than anyone in the world to the crisis from its beginning. Yet Trump continually misled the public, for example stating on Jan. 21, “It’s one person coming in from China and we have it under control.” On Feb. 20, “Stock market starting to look good to me.” On March 6, “Anyone that wants a test can get a test.” On March 9, “Nothing is shut down, life and the economy go on.”

Only on March 16 did the president announce, “Therefore, my administration is recommending that all Americans, including the young and healthy, work to engage in schooling from home when possible, avoid gathering in groups of more than 10 people, avoid discretionary travel and avoid eating and drinking at bars, restaurants and public food courts.” The president did not respond quickly. He was, tragically, eight weeks too late.

Keith Anderson Santa Fe

Not a fan of masks

I disagree with your May 24 editorial (“New Mexico united? Nope, but we could be,” Our View) imploring the community to wear a mask. Unless you’re indoors in proximity to someone shedding the coronavirus, breathing the same air, your chances of contracting it are virtually nil, in my opinion. In a state of 2 million residents, New Mexico only has about 7,000 positive cases, and almost all of them are on the Navajo Nation and in Albuquerque nursing homes. The yammering about asymptomatic transmission is exaggerated. Also, most people who contract it will be fine. Sickness and death are an ordinary part of life, folks, so get used to it.

Patricia V. Johnson Santa Fe

Treasure trove

Regarding the stolen goods found by the Santa Fe police (“Police discover trove of stolen goods,” May 17), I hope everything gets back to the rightful owners. This is assuming of course, none of it ends up in the Santa Fe Police Department evidence room. And speaking of the police, would The New Mexican please print a follow-up article on former Lt. Michelle Williams, who filed a lawsuit against the department shortly after retiring? It looks like Williams and former Detective Paul Ytuarte, who I believe has been accused unjustly of mishandling evidence, both ended up on the wrong side of the good ol‘ boys club.

Steven Mesko Santa Fe