Letters to the Editor (Aug. 14, 2024)

More compassion needed

Editor:

How will President Trump handle homelessness, substance abuse and mental and physical health?

Will he utilize the same tactics he used on his immigration plan? Deporting immigrants (homeless) to other countries and creating another problem for a central American country, etc., that they may already have and could come back to haunt us.

Trump may decide that he will want to utilize his immigrant detention centers he has already established throughout the USA for “detaining” the homelss, individuals suffering with substance abuse and the mentally afflicted.

This type of detainment was once used to detain Japanese Americans during World War II, if we can recall. Definite safeguards must be legally and morally established if we want to continue to be a democracy!

It should be noted that the vast majority of the homeless are not mentally ill or drug addicted but financially deprived in this housing inflationary period. Many homeless people have some kind of financial ability like retirement, Social Security, part-time jobs (need a living wage) or family assistance. Ending Medicaid is not a mental health solution. Cutting financial assistance for substance abuse rehabilitation is not a solution.

We need to have compassion with American integrity in this country if we are to survive and flourish in democracy that this country established within our 250-year existence.

Arturo R. Sais

Rio Communities

Little Free Libraries in Los Lunas

Editor:

Five little free libraries around Los Lunas, maintained by Friends of the Los Lunas Library, provide a way for anyone to pick up a book or two to read (and keep if desired) and/or to drop off books so that others might enjoy them.

Like anything else in public view, these libraries occasionally suffer from damage or vandalism.

While the Friends of the Los Lunas Library monitors these libraries, they cannot be monitored continuously.

If you see that a given little library in Los Lunas has been damaged, vandalized or needs maintenance, please call the Los Lunas Public Library at 839-3850 and advise their staff of the location and type of damage. That information will be passed on to Friends of the Los Lunas Library.

If you witness vandalism, please also reach out to Los Lunas Police at the non-emergency number (505-865-9130) and provide as many details as you can.

The five little free libraries are located in the following parks: the north end of Daniel Fernandez Memorial Park (near the restrooms); north end of Valley View Park; south end of Los Cerritos Park; San Antonio Park on Los Lentes; and the north end of Huning Ranch Park (near picnic tables).

James Rickey

Los Lunas