Letters to the Editor

Cover, Sept. 9:“Castles, Ruins and Mysteries”

Say His Name

I was excited to read your article several weeks ago about Santa Fe's historical buildings, particularly the section about the White Building on McKenzie Street because I live nearby and walk past often.

I'd always wondered what this building was about, because I've only ever seen it under renovation. So thank you for illuminating its history.

However, I have one caveat with your article, which is why I'm writing to you today.

"Tragedy struck again a few years later when Angelina was murdered. A Black man was sentenced to death for the crime, though evidence against him was thin. The true killer may have been Angelina's uncle, who, rumor has it, confessed to the murder on his deathbed." I was disappointed to not have the name of the Black man who was framed for this murder, especially in this time of racial reconing and healing. At first I thought the name might be lost to history, but I was even more disappointed to find it a short Google search away. An opportunity for this community to remember a name, a tragedy that took two innocent lives, to speak them all aloud, was missed.

His name was Thomas Johnson.

Jerome Morrison
Santa Fe

Cover, Sept. 23: “After the Burn”

Yell Fire

Thanks for that excellent article and lessons learned from the Medio Fire. We certainly do need to listen to our professionals and trusted wildfire management specialists when it comes to prescribed burns and forest thinning operations. These forest management operations have proven, here and around the world, to effectively combat the ecological devastation as well as human and wildlife misery that major wildfires can bring. As you nicely point out, wildfire management plans can often be thwarted by public opinion. From my own experience at developing wildfire management projects around the world, single issue laymen, expressing simplistic objections, filing lawsuits and asking for expensive and time consuming environmental impact statements is simply another way to tie the forest service up in knots and delay needed preventive action on a more timely and cost-effective basis. My advice for these "passionate defenders of forests": hike around the Santa Fe National Forest to see the massive dead and down timber ready to act as super-sized kindling for a most destructive wildfire. Then, ask yourself, would you rather efficiently take a few preventive steps to keep our forests regenerative and safe, or take the risk of losing it to wildfires?

Bob Kirmse
Retired World Bank Forester
Santa Fe