Letters to the Editor

By JIM REDMAN
Los Alamos

I’ve been a vocal opponent of the County nuisance code for many years (link) and (link) and so am indebted to community members and candidates for making the county intrusion and overreach enshrined in this code an election issue. It seems my political positions align very rarely with Lisa Shin, but I agree wholeheartedly with her expressed opinions on this matter (link).

Recent incumbent councils have failed us. The upcoming Chapter 18 code revisions don’t make any effort to address the major problems. We hear repeatedly that council would like to focus enforcement Read More

By CATHERINE PURANANANDA
Los Alamos

While politics influence elections, the reason I believe Theresa Cull would make a superb public servant has nothing to do with her politics. Rather, it is because she embodies my ideal understanding of that role: she has unwavering integrity, she is civically oriented, charitable, and community minded. Simultaneously, Theresa is unassuming and grounded. As an empathetic and intent listener, she will take seriously the needs and demands of all of her constituents.

I don’t remember whether I first met Theresa while she was watching her daughter’s ROTC Read More

By DAVID HANSON & RICHARD SKOLNIK
Los Alamos

We respond here to Joyce Anderson’s letter, Oct. 28 (link), in which she suggested that Democrats have long been associated with election denialism.

She also suggested that our concerns about the fitness of election deniers to serve in public office are unfounded.

We submit that Ms. Anderson’s reading of history is mistaken and dangerous to the well-being of our democracy. We have not checked – but won’t dispute that the statements Ms. Anderson quoted are real. However, they have never represented anything more than statements. The Democrats Read More

By JOYCE ANDERSON
Los Alamos

During this election cycle the issue of accepting the outcome of past elections keeps being brought up by our Democratic candidates and their surrogates. 

It’s almost become a defacto litmus test which determines a candidate’s fitness for office. But are Republicans the only ones guilty of denying elections? The past tells us no they are not.

In regard to the 2016 election, Democrat politicians stated:

“You can run the best campaign. You can even become the nominee, and you can have the election stolen from you.” – Hillary Clinton

“Trump didn’t actually win Read More

By DAVID HANSON
Los Alamos

In our previous letter to the editor on Oct. 11, “Which Candidates are Election Deniers and Why it Matters” (link), we posed two questions for the candidates for County Council.

We also sent our questions to them by email:

• Do you believe that Joe Biden is the legitimately elected President; and
• Do you believe that an insurrection took place at the US Capital on January 6, 2021?

Reid Priedhorsky‘s letter to the editor of Oct. 20 (link), pointed out that all four of the Democratic candidates for County Council responded “yes”, the Libertarian candidate answered “yes”, but Read More

By PAUL C. and LINDA DALY
Los Alamos

My wife, Linda, and I are writing this letter in strong and enthusiastic support of Suzie Havemann.

We have voted early, we voted for Suzie, and we encourage you as fellow voters to vote for her as well. We have known Suzie for a combined 45 years. In that time, we have come to know and appreciate Suzie as an intelligent, witty, compassionate, respectful, inquisitive and highly approachable individual. Her energy and her work ethic are boundless!  

We have witnessed many times when Suzie really wanted to understand differing perspectives and opinions on various Read More

By BOB NOLEN
Los Alamos

I have known Gary for many years while we both worked at the Los Alamos National Laboratory. Gary was a straight up type of person that always seemed to follow through on what he said he would do. He is compassionate about all people and their needs.

We need a better balance on the County Council with more conservatives on the council. Gary would bring that to the table. We need people who believe in helping small businesses in this community get started and stop weighing them down with more red tape and requirements that are not needed for a successful business. It is nearly as if Read More

By A Concerned Parent
Los Alamos

Many of your children may have witnessed violence and destruction in their school yesterday, Oct. 25, 2022. While this particular school was placed on a “Hold” – the details given by the district were vague, at best.

These are the facts: chairs and objects were thrown, staff members were assaulted, school bulletins were torn from the walls, and police were dispatched.

While the district may give blanket assurances, as a parent, I would encourage everyone to regularly discuss with their children and children’s teachers whether they are witnessing these violent Read More

By STEPHANIE NAKHLEH
Los Alamos

I see there has been some concern about “granny flats,” aka “accessory dwelling units,” aka casitas: these are little housing units homeowners can add to their property to help a parent age in place, or to rent out to someone in need of affordable housing (two common uses.)

I can understand people are worried about the impacts on their neighborhood. I’d like to dispel a few myths about these valuable housing resources.

Myth: ADUs are eyesores. 

Reality: Most ADUs are converted garages or backyard units not visible to passersby. People constructing them want to Read More

By STEPHANIE NAKHLEH
Los Alamos

When I first was introduced to the idea of decreasing parking mandates, I had the same reaction I see others having: we need MORE parking, not less! But over time I’ve been convinced of the argument that when planning a city, people should come before cars.

Infrastructure should be built around a walkable, clean, affordable city. Car-first infrastructure is the opposite of that.

First, some facts: It’s important to recognize that America has far too much parking already: we have eight spaces for every car. Parking takes of a third of the land use in America. In Los Read More