Rural libraries deserve endowment funding

New Mexico’s rural libraries provide early childhood education, after-school programs, economic development and free internet. They help during natural disasters, connect people with health care, are food distribution centers, provide potable water and let people charge their phones. The proposed legislative budget doesn’t appropriate funding for the Rural Library Endowment.

Unincorporated villages such as El Rito, Corona, Capitan and Villanueva rarely see state funding. Municipalities like Questa, Magdalena and Columbus don’t have a sufficient tax base to adequately support their libraries. Endowment grants help villages like Pecos establish libraries. Anton Chico, La Joya and Vallecitos could hire librarians. Gila, Zia Pueblo and others who pay $12-$15/ hour could pay a living wage. The addition of $27 million would mean a $1 million endowment for 55 libraries, yielding an annual disbursement of $45,000 each. The rural library film Library Stories: Books on the

Backroads will be reaired 7 p.m. Thursday on KNME.

Shel Neymark Embudo

Just stop

My deep thanks to Ellen Shabshai Fox (“Who benefits?” Letters to the Editor, Jan. 21) for stating so clearly what I’ve been thinking but haven’t, honestly, had the nerve to say except to those I know agree. A mutual history that continues of hatred, pain, provocation, attempted genocide, brutality, insanity. Here’s my own contribution: The killing must stop. Stop the killing. I am an ardent Jew, a past president of Temple Beth Shalom and a parent of three young adults who say today that they learned compassion there.

Lynn McKelvey Dickter Santa Fe

Insurance woes

I just received a letter from Progressive Insurance saying it is not renewing my condo policy due to “wildlife risk.” As I had a multipolicy (with auto insurance) discount, it will go away. There has never been a wildfire around my HOA, at least since the homes were built about 42 years ago, and I have never heard of or seen a record showing a wildfire near here before then.

For those Santa Fe locals who have Progressive home/condo insurance, please watch out. Should anyone have dual insurance (auto/home) and have had positive experiences, including costs, please send a letter to the editor or call me if you know me.

Rick Tyner Santa Fe

Wrong move

I am writing to adamantly oppose Will Weir and his misguided move to withdraw support for President Joe Biden (“Colfax County Democratic Party chairman withdraws support for Biden,” Jan. 17). What in the world could a Democratic Party chair be thinking? How could he possibly find an equivalency between the former president and Joe Biden? How could a professed Democrat claim that a twice-impeached, lying, misogynistic, Islamophobic, womanizing, wannabe dictator even begin to compare with our duly elected President Biden?

This false comparison only breeds the type of thought processes that there is a choice in the upcoming election. The thought that a so-called party chair would find this one issue worthy of pulling support instead of remembering the total influence of a president, I find mind-numbing. I certainly hope our more reasonable fellow Democrats in Colfax County find Weir as unqualified as this article demonstrates and find a new leader.

Kim Taylor Los Alamos

Christian action

Pope Francis and Archbishop John C. Wester are true Christians. When I was growing up, we went to confession every Saturday so we could receive Communion on Sunday in a state of grace. When my son got married in 2006, the priest invited the congregation to receive Communion. He then gave us general absolution. I have been to some churches where the priest tells the congregation if they plan not to receive Communion, they should cross their arms and they can receive a blessing. Now the Pope needs to allow couples to practice birth control. That would reduce the number of abortions.

Camille Morrison Los Alamos

Stop the fakes

As a citizen who takes voting seriously as a privilege and duty, I want to thank the editorial board of The Santa Fe New Mexican for the opinion regarding fake electors (“Make it illegal to try and bypass the voters’ will,” Our View, Jan. 12). Nothing could be more discouraging to voters than to allow a renegade group to try and disenfranchise our citizens. I urge our legislators to enact recommendations by Attorney General Raúl Torrez to make it illegal to overturn the will of the people. Somehow this needs to be done by November.

Georgia Schall Santa Fe

“That’s part of the pride in this office is not only are we promoting film here but we’re also promoting the tourism and we’re showcasing our beautiful city.”

Jennifer LaBar-Tapia, film commissioner with the Santa Fe Film Office Hear more from LaBar-Tapia on Conversations Different, out Tuesday at santafenewmexican.com