Today's Opinions

I used to live around Bernal, right at the foot of Starvation Peak. Cleofes Ortiz was my landlord, friend and neighbor. I lived there for several years in the ‘70s, had owned property in the area and was currently hoping to find a nice parcel to build a passive solar adobe. My wife and I looked at a few properties in the Blanchard area and would have bought a charming eight-acre site we like until we learned of the proposed wind farm in Rowe Mesa.

COPENHAGEN, DENMARK — What exactly is an expiration date? Much after the fact, I pondered that question following a hassling by a usually-friendly staff of customs-passport inspectors at the airport in Copenhagen, Denmark.

This is our third trip here. Our passports, acquired in June 1999, show proof of our visits to this area twice before, in 2006, 2008 and this year. The policy is for each visitor landing at Kastrup International to furnish proof of residency.

Last week in this space, we encouraged authorities to seek an independent investigation into allegations against Las Vegas police Officer Martin Salazar.

Unbeknownst to us, District Attorney Richard Flores had already decided to do just that. We commend him for taking this step.

Earlier this year, three jailers at the San Miguel County Detention Center reported that Salazar had threatened to hurt a woman he had taken into custody, 52-year-old Bernadette Varela. Other jailers filed reports indicating that Varela alleged she had been injured by Salazar.