City and county law-enforcement protocol must require that caregivers of children (schools) be informed of a situation within three miles involving the apprehension of a mentally disturbed felon who is terrified and with a loaded gun.

On Jan. 27, my daughter and 99 other students were attending La Mariposa Montessori School. Adjacent, about 250 students were at the Santa Fe Waldorf School. Based on observations, the apprehension was under way before 1:30 p.m., including a helicopter hovering near the schools and the presence of numerous emergency vehicles. At 3:30 p.m., more than halfway through his apprehension, the school had not been informed: Children had been playing outside all afternoon.

At 3:45 p.m., the school called the police, confirming the situation. The lack of information shared with nearby schools is irresponsible at best. We are lucky that Arthur Anaya backed down easily, and we are lucky there were no more victims.


Retirees should help

Reading of the closing of the Earth Works Institute and one of the reasons for its demise -- that it "lacked financial expertise" -- is especially distressing in a community where a large number of successful business people and financial managers have chosen to retire.

Earth Works is not the first nonprofit to go under and, unfortunately, probably won't be the last. And even if a nonprofit survives, it may be hampered in its mission because, as a 2010 New Mexico Community Foundation study of nonprofit youth-serving organizations in Santa Fe found, executives often are forced to spend 60 percent to 70 percent of their time in fundraising and financial management. Human-service nonprofits in Santa Fe are continually struggling to find people with financial expertise to serve on their boards. They're out there. Why are they so hard to find?


Laws in conflict

Regarding the Jan. 28 letter, "Conflict of interests," on the issue of abortion: Who are we to judge who lives and dies? We are not God! Strange how our laws make it legal for a mother to kill her child if she chooses, but if that same mother were assaulted and the unborn child was killed, someone would be charged with manslaughter. Isn't that being hypocritical?

Pedophilia is a serious crime, and the Roman Catholic Church has come a long way in correcting this problem. Keep in mind, it also happens in other denominations, as well as in schools, by neighbors, friends and by victims' relatives. To say pedophilia is "rampant" in the church requires a fact check. We suggest a book called Pedophiles and Priests by Philip Jenkins?

Remember, "Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to cast a stone." John 8:7.


Howe should run

Regarding Douglas Howe's decision not to run for the Public Regulation Commission position for which he was appointed, because he doesn't know how to be a politician: His qualifications alone make him one of the best-qualified candidates we ever could have.

The hilarious truth is, a
nonpolitician also is the
best-qualified. We need term limits, or even he would become a politician in a few terms. (I am "yelling" this last sentence.)