Right-wingers have no interest in the facts
Editor:
The recent letter from Mr. Bovee proves that he has done no homework regarding the serious problem of climate change.
He merely repeats the right-wing propaganda from — you guessed it — the right-wing propaganda machine.  (Fox News is an oxymoron.)
The criminals who hacked the U.K. e-mails proved nothing. The climate data is peer-reviewed, the e-mails were internal and about writing the report, and Mr. Bovee did not read any of the hacked and posted e-mails. One university’s internal memos changes nothing of the scientific evidence for the dangers of global warming.
Of the last 10 calendar years, nine were the hottest years on record. The last decade is the hottest on record since — oh, my — the decade just before it, which was the hottest since accurate weather data began around 1850.
The government of the Maldives Islands is buying land elsewhere to relocate its citizens, too, because the Indian Ocean is rising and many low-lying islands in the Maldives are already submerged due to climate change.
Half the glaciers in the Andes Mountains are gone. Greenland is melting. Ice chunks the size of Connecticut have broken off of the Antarctic ice shelves and are melted away already. Penguins there can no longer swim to feed on the krill in the South Atlantic because the ice is not there. The krill are now hundreds of miles from shore. The penguins are starving, and will die off rapidly.
And citing a book that was written 5,000 years ago as proof of anything, is ridiculous. The world will be a better place when Republicans and other Christians start to obey that pesky commandment not to bear false witness.
The right-wing sheeple have no interest in facts; the propaganda machine tells them what to say so that they do not need to think.
Reason is the only frontier left.

G.E. Nordell
Belen

A productive year is in the eye of beholder
Editor:
“A Productive Year In Congress: 2009 In Review” is the title of Senator Bingaman’s latest newsletter. 
It reads like one of the typical Christmas letters that come this time of year filled with stories about how wonderful little Johnny has been this year.
If reaching and exceeding $12 trillion in national debt is “productive,” then indeed it has been a productive year.
If immediately passing a huge spending bill with 3,000 earmarks in the face of the above debt is “productive,” then it has been a very good year.
If passing another huge omnibus spending bill that ups the earmarks to 5,000 and with significant increases in agency budgets in the face of the debt is “productive,” then it has been a year of mass production.
If producing one mega-page bill after another that is not read or understood is “productive,” then it has been a banner year.
If producing the mega-page bills in secrecy with no opportunity for colleagues or the public to read, review, or comment is “productive,” then it has been achieved.
If being mired down in debates over health and carbon dioxide that most of the country does not need or want is “productive,” then it has been a bumper crop this year.
If a record of corruption, extortion, tax evasion, and whore mongering is “productive,” then the year a definite success.
If your one actual accomplishment is increased SCHIP funding that requires a state-wide advertising campaign to get people to sign up because you can’t give free stuff away is “productive,” then you have a pat coming.
If not accomplishing a single one of your messiah’s signature goals is “productive,” then he owes you a bonus.
If totally ignoring and not acknowledging that there might be two sides to current issues is “productive,” then it has been totally successful.
The pressing question is when does the senator’s term end? I hope the majority of New Mexicans are asking the same question.  Senator Bingaman has been so “productive” that he needs a well deserved time off for rest and recreation.

James Crawford
Los Lunas

Thank you to all who made ball a success
Editor:
On behalf of the Village of Los Lunas Police Department, I would like to say thank you to the many sponsors and volunteer help for the fourth annual Cops and Kids Winter Ball held on Dec. 4. 
Panda Express, who so generously has donated food for this event for the second year, many thanks to you and your staff! 
Business Women of Valencia County, Walmart Distribution Center, Adobe Flowers, Main Street Gym and Car Wash Village, your continued support is appreciated and we thank you!
Also thanks to the Village of Los Lunas Parks and Recreation employees for their help; we appreciate that you’re always willing to participate in this special event.
Thanks to Debra Sanchez, Rhonda Sanchez, Ginny Adame, Kathy Martinez, Sgt. Mark Torres, Jamie Ford, Treena Saavedra, District 6 Fire Department; you all make this special and thanks again for your participation! 
Your support has made another event successful and many children and families happy, and grateful to be part of a community that comes together!

Denise Romero
Detective
Los Lunas Police Department

Auge family happy to hand over their keys
Editor:
It is with best wishes that the Auge family hands over the keys to the property at 650 River Road to the Belen Schools for a new transportation department.
The number of buses required to haul our kids around the district is amazing, and the facility will serve the district well, allowing for much better parking, access, and repair facility. Now, multiple buses can be under repair at the same time, making the transportation of our kids safer and buses can be repaired quicker.
During these economic tough times, there are many things that should be said about this purchase. First, it is a credit to the school board and the budget management of the district that allows the schools to have the funds to allow such a purchase, when other districts are either fighting with embezzlers or have overspent their means many times.
By having the money available, the schools has saved many thousands of dollars with this purchase over the price of new construction, or even the appraised value of the property from only four years ago. Good management at the district has put them in position to buy this property at the right time.
Secondly, the purchase of the property puts the schools out in the open, helping the other commercial property in Belen to retain its value. It would not have been possible to sell the property to any other business organization at this time.
Not only are there no buyers for such a property right now, but there is very little available in the way of mortgage money for such a purchase. Again, I credit good budget management at the schools and an awareness of the community they serve, as the basis for this decision.
The Auge’s are happy that the facility is being used, and that it will not be sitting empty like too many buildings in Belen right now. Auge’s will continue to operate, and serve our customers from our facility at 800 River Road, right at the intersection of River Road and Eastside school road.
We will continue to have great used cars, trucks and service for all makes and models. We invite all residents to come see our new home, as we fondly refer to it as “plaza vieja.”
Congratulations to the schools on a smart and constructive decision to purchase the property, and keep up the good management of our tax dollars.

Robert Auge
Auge’s Sales and Service

Address numbers are very important
Editor:
Have you ever wondered why it may taking so long for police, fire or medical personnel to get to your home or business in cases of emergencies? It may be that you don’t have address numbers readily visible on your home or business.
With experienced and new personnel joining the ranks of our different departments, it may be very difficult to find a home or business without numbers. New personnel go though a training period of learning where their respective jurisdiction begins and where it ends; however, maps may show us where to go, but do not show us which house to respond to.
Numbers should be at least three inches in height that contrast the color of your home. City of Belen Ordinance 1998-6 requires “owners of all properties containing houses and buildings to number such properties...with durable numbers and in such a manner and location as to be plainly visible from the street.”
Many homes display their house numbers solely on a mailbox. This may be OK for the postman, but not the fireman. If you do have numbers on your structure, please make sure they are not obscured in any way visible from the street.
Mintutes may save a life or a home. Does your building have numbers on it?

Manny J. Garcia
Belen Fire Chief

Makes sense to build small houses
Editor:
I approve the county’s planning and zoning’s decision to deny Mike Mechenbier’s request to reduce lot sizes in Eastland Hills by more than half of the current size (to less than 1/8 of an acre).
I wonder, however, whether the homeowners’ association would object if the house size were reduced to the requested 1,000 square feet as long as the lot size remains 7,200 square feet.
Considering not only the current housing market, but also climate change, it makes sense to build small houses as a means of reducing the carbon footprint as well as the cost.
Los Lunas residents Laura and Alex Sanchez just won an award for their book “Adobe Houses for Today.” Now, in a new edition, the book suggests starting with a minimal floor plan, which can be expanded as family size and income allow.
Even if Mechenbier doesn’t build adobe homes, the Sanchez’s floor plans can be adapted to frame houses and can incorporate energy-saving measures, something I hope both Mechenbier and Eastland Hills homeowners would be receptive to.

Geri Rhodes
Los Lunas

VCOMP thankful for businesswomen
Editor:
On behalf of the Valencia County Older American Program, we, and the home bound senior citizens, would like to thank the Business Women of Valencia County for their generosity.
The Christmas baskets you prepared were sent out prior to Christmas. We received several calls thanking you for their gifts.
For many of our seniors, we are the only contact they have. Many have no family nearby, and spend the holidays alone.
Thank you for choosing the items of personal care and paper goods. Most received home-bound meals daily, but they enjoyed the specialty food items you sent.
Again, thank you ladies for the very special gifts you made available to our homebound.

Jose Campos
Valencia County Older American Program

Breakfast with Santa successful
Editor:
On Saturday, Dec. 12, the Breakfast Optimist Club of Belen held its annual “Breakfast With Santa” program at the Masonic Lodge in Belen.
I would like to thank the following organizations for helping make this event a huge success.
First, the Bethlehem Masonic Lodge, who have allowed us to used their facility for the past 14 years. The Zia 4-H Club did a wonderful job cleaning tables and making hot chocolate and coffee. The queen’s court helped Santa with presenting gifts to the children.
Last, but not least, the Belen High School Staters helped with those things that nobody wants to do — setting up the tables, putting silverware in napkins and placing them on the tables, washing and drying the dirty dishes and cleaning up after the event was over.
Mr. Stephen Boliver, the Staters sponsor and chemistry teacher at Belen High School, even helped cook the pancakes.
Thanks again to all of the organizations that helped, and to those Optimists that worked so hard to make this program a success.

Sallie Rizzo
Chairman
Breakfast with Santa
Breakfast Optimist Club of Belen