OPINION: Talk of the Town

Let’s say no to daylight saving time now

I got an extra hour of sleep on Nov. 2, because daylight saving time ended. So, do I feel more awake? Not at all, and I think some of you have had that experience as well: more sleep but not more awake. That may take a couple of days to improve, and it often takes longer when “spring forward” happens in the spring. That is because our bodies are not designed to run on clock time but on biological time — internal time — also called circadian rhythms. Internal time is based on the timing of exposure to natural light; changing clock time twice a year can be harmful for our safety, physical health, or mental health.

What happens in the spring? Sure, you lose an hour of sleep, but more important is the increased disruptions of sleep cycles, sometimes for up to a week. This reduces mental or cognitive performance, affecting work, thinking and memory. It can also make you and me a bit more depressed and/or irritable for a period of time. The disruption between our biological clocks and our actual schedules can also slow metabolism, leading to weight gain and other health issues, such as heart attacks, strokes and hormone dysregulation. And right after the change, there are increases in auto and work accidents, and perhaps more important to you and me, medical errors.

Let’s have our clocks use the same time all year — not daylight saving time, but standard time. Through the action of our governor, House and Senate, we can join Arizona and Hawaii in having our biological and clock times in sync all year. Please contact your representatives and our governor until that happens.

Milton Strauss

Corrales

It’s about time for a compromise

I enjoyed the article ‘How Americans feel about changing the clocks” in the Nov. 2 Sunday Journal. Polls show many more people oppose changing our clocks twice a year than support it. New research indicates keeping a single time is better for our overall health. In addition, slightly more people prefer making daylight saving time permanent than making standard time permanent. Yet permanent standard time appears to have slightly better health benefits.

Putting this all together led me to a good compromise solution. What if Congress passed a law that all 50 states keep a single time with no changing of clocks? Split the hour difference between standard and daylight saving time in half. In other words, change the clocks by half an hour (30 minutes) at the next change after the law is passed. If fall move the clocks back 30 minutes and if spring then move the clocks ahead by 30 minutes. Then just leave them be. This way the “morning people’’ and the “night people’’ each get some of what they prefer. It’s a win-win. We can call this new time “daylight standard time.’’

Mark Piccione

Albuquerque

Meta boosts Dia de Los Muertos event

For the third year, Old Town came alive for ten days leading up to Día de los Muertos on Nov. 1 and 2. The streets were filled with marigolds, music, remembrance and culture in the corazón of Albuquerque.

I am proud to say this event has become one of Albuquerque’s most visually stunning and heartfelt events. Instagram and Facebook have provided a creative way to express the cultural significance of Día de los Muertos itself. Each post intentionally explains the “why” behind performances, art pieces or processions, offering a digital space where audiences can engage not only with imagery but also with the traditions and emotions carried forward through generations.

Additionally, local businesses have seen increased foot traffic and sales fueled by event awareness. Meta’s platforms have helped us grow the event in both reach and attendance, with 90% of the festival’s marketing coming from Meta business ads.

One in five social interactions now comes from beyond New Mexico, even though our campaigns don’t directly target out‑of‑state audiences. That organic reach demonstrates how the beauty and meaning of Día de los Muertos resonate far past city limits.

Old Town’s celebration is a reminder that technology, when used with purpose, can amplify culture instead of crowding it. Meta platforms are helping our community share one of its most cherished traditions with a wider audience, creating meaningful connections that begin online and blossom in person — among the marigolds, the music and the memories that define Día de los Muertos.

J.J. Mancini

President of Historic Old Town Association

Stadium dream should stay a dream

Well, it looks like former Mayor Martin Chavez is finally getting his longtime wish for a new stadium. The $64.7 million infrastructure plan approved unanimously by the New Mexico State Fairgrounds District Board includes, not surprisingly, a new stadium. It should come as no surprise; Chavez has been lobbying for a new stadium for years and is the governor’s lead on the project. Some of his past ideas have included pretty ridiculous locations such as Downtown.

We do not need Chavez’s ties to the business community. We need what is best for the residents of Albuquerque. Seems to me, as a resident living just eight blocks from the fairgrounds, the biggest issue should be where to move the State Fair function I have endured for 34 years, as all the residents in the fair neighborhood have — increased traffic jams, home burglaries, loitering, business shoplifting, pedestrian jaywalking in front of traffic and panhandling. And not just during the State Fair; during other events such as graduations, concerts, road shows and more.

The fairgrounds need a complete repurposing. Not a continuing event location, but parks and playgrounds, mixed-use housing (including affordable apartments, townhomes and smaller houses), walking trails, picnic areas, a University of New Mexico-type duck pond, new buildings with businesses on ground level and affordable apartments above, a bandstand/pavilion and other family friendly resources. Not a stadium, not a hotel, not a big box store, not a set of strip mall businesses. Let’s keep Chavez’s dream just that, a dream and not a reality.

Jeffrey Paul

Albuquerque

Health care reform efforts are ironic

I find it ironic that the Democrats, who are traditionally known to support the common man, are blocking medical malpractice reform in our state. (Yes, state Sens. Joseph Cervantes and Peter Wirth, I’m referring to you.) Meanwhile, the Republicans, who are traditionally known for supporting the more affluent, are in favor of medical malpractice reform. Seems like the comic strip “Bizarro.” Maybe we just have too many attorneys in our Legislature.

Tom Besson

Albuquerque

Why is POTUS not held accountable?

A person who kills citizens from another country is tried for murder. A person who renovates a house that he rents is charged in court for destruction. A person who fires another without cause is tried in court for wrongful discharge. A person who denies benefits bestowed by our government to those in need is held accountable. When this doesn’t happen we all need to ask, why not?

Richard Mueller

Albuquerque

Pass the Safer Community ordinance

For 25 years, Enlace Comunitario has been committed to shaping immigrant-friendly policies that support the health and wellness of Latin and immigrant domestic violence survivors. We know that immigrant domestic violence survivors face even more barriers to attaining safety for themselves and their children, including unclear or unenforced legal or law enforcement processes that perpetrators often weaponize to retain power over their victims.

Enlace Comunitario supports Bernalillo County’s immigrant-friendly resolution and the Safer Community Places Ordinance, which aims to protect all county residents, and requires that judicial warrants must be presented to enter private spaces such as hospitals, schools, places of worship, and domestic violence and sexual assault providers’ facilities.

In terms of community safety, we have witnessed the direct impact that ICE’s presence has had on our clients and community members, many of whom have shared that they are living in constant fear, are not comfortable traveling to and from work or school, and are reducing their in-person appointments to receive services from Enlace Comunitario.

The xenophobic rhetoric woven into federal and local policies, and ICE’s lack of accountability and transparency, creates a chilling effect for survivors of violence and reduces their ability to safely report abuse. Community wellbeing will always be a priority for Enlace Comunitario. Policy proposals that promote more surveillance in spaces where people are seeking services will not help our communities feel safe.

Our communities are worthy of dignity and respect, and no one should ever be faced with violence or harmful detainment actions in spaces where they are receiving help and care. We need to continue to expand and strengthen immigrant-friendly policies that foster safety and security for community members. We urge Bernalillo County to pass this ordinance, which will help ensure all county residents’ constitutional rights are upheld.

Bianca Banuelos

Albuquerque

Haaland has right plan for education system

New Mexico’s Constitution guarantees a quality, free public education to all children. As a bilingual classroom teacher and an expert in community schools, I know that Deb Haaland is the right person to support educators to continue making improvements in our public education system.

Haaland’s public education plan is well thought out, thorough and developed through collaboration with experts — the people in our classrooms. She knows we must develop learning communities where students can learn by creating hands-on projects with their peers from an early age.

Teaching our students to collaborate with classmates and think critically about complex issues is essential to student success. Most importantly, students need to be able to connect their learning with their lives. Haaland knows students need and desire to gain knowledge and build skills and habits that have real-world applications.

Beginning as early as middle school, she plans to provide students with opportunities to explore their interests. As they enter high school, students will have access to both excellent academic instruction and a career pathway program so that we can help all students succeed, whether they choose to attend college right away or enter a career for which they are already well prepared.

Finally, I know that, as a public school educator, I can rely on Haaland to work with us to help students succeed. She will approach improving our schools by collaborating with educators to build on our strengths rather than trying to “fix” us. She wants to ensure that our schools are great places to work, as well as learn, so that every classroom in our state is staffed with employees who feel their professional expertise and work are valued. After all, educators’ teaching conditions are students’ learning conditions.

Sonya Romero-Autrey

Algodones

Balance tradition with transformation

As the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District wraps up our irrigation season and our agency’s centennial year, it’s a time for both reflection and foresight.

For 100 years, the MRGCD has managed irrigation and river flood control across the Middle Rio Grande Valley, supporting agriculture, communities and the unique ecosystem that defines our region. This milestone is not just a chance to honor our past but an opportunity to consider what the next 100 years will bring.

Our valley is changing. Pressures from urban growth, hydrologic variability and shifting water demands mean that the future Middle Rio Grande Valley may not look the same as it does today. Will we see fewer farms, a different bosque or new urban landscapes?

These possibilities demand thoughtful planning and honest dialogue. The future of the valley depends on meaningful conversations among the public, elected officials and water managers. Together, we must decide how to balance tradition with transformation and continue to preserve our heritage while preparing for the realities ahead. The next century of water management in the Middle Rio Grande Valley will require cooperation, innovation and shared vision. These conversations will be happening, and it’s essential that our community and partners take part in this important dialogue about the future of the valley we all share.

Jason Casuga

Albuquerque