Letters to the editor

Speeders are killing horses, endangering residents

In over 30 years, no wild mustangs have ever been killed on Deer Run Road. Yet within eight short months, two of our treasured mustangs from our small herd have been killed by speeders, another one tonight. Deer Run Road has become an alternate route for drunk drivers and speeders attempting to avoid encountering a Sheriffs deputy and/or Highway Patrol officer patrolling Hwy. 50. Using Deer Run Road has become a safe haven because it is not patrolled. The number of drinking drivers can be evidenced by the significant increase in empty alcohol bottles strewn along the route between Buzzy's Ranch and Deer Run Road all the way to Hwy 50. For the speeder in tonight's hit and run event, the stricken mustang anguished alongside the road for about an hour while the authorities waited for permission to put the animal out of its misery. Tonight's accident could have resulted in one of the Pinion Hills horse owners being struck and killed while returning home on horseback, or a child walking their dog, etc.

WE ARE FED UP. Anyone with information leading to the arrest and conviction of the hit and run coward who hit one of our state symbols, the beloved mustang, please contact the Carson City Sheriff's Office. Pinion Hills residents Lee and Dee Ramsey are offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of tonight's offender. Lives were lost last year by speeders reaching 80 mph in our 25 mph residential area, again, due to excessive speed. Speed bumps would be an excellent deterrent to curtail these sorts of tragic events. City supervisors and council members, are you listening to our plight?

Dee and Lee Ramsey

Carson City

Roller rink makes sense for Carson City

The other day a couple of young Carson City residents submitted an article suggesting that a roller rink be built in town. It would be a great way to give the young people and, I personally believe, all ages a place to go for healthy, fun entertainment. We have been sadly lacking in this area.

There could be birthday groups, family groups and teen theme parties. A refreshment stand featuring healthful drinks and snacks could be offered.

I would like to think that perhaps Mr. Max Baer would consider utilizing his "Wal-Mart" property for something that would be a benefit to the community as well as generating some profit for the site. It is a beautiful location accessible to all. I know that he would like to see a Beverly Hillbillies Casino there but to be honest I think that we are getting away from theme casinos and we do have more than our share of casinos for such a little city.

Carson City already has an overabundance of car dealerships and casinos. Let's try something that would promote healthy entertainment for all ages.

Just a thought.

Diana Michaels

Carson City

Appreciation for arrest of alleged meth dealer

Thanks to all involved in the bust of a meth dealer by casino security guards. Thanks to the Nevada Appeal and the sheriff's department for publishing the photo. Thanks to the alert security personnel at Carson Station who spotted him. And thanks to the judge who decided to hold him on no bail.

Ron Bartkoski

Carson City

Shouldn't life in prison really mean life in prison?

I read on page 1 of the Wednesday (1-17-07) Nevada Appeal that another convicted murderer ("Carson killer gets a parole hearing") who had been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole had a hearing before the state parole board on his application for parole. It seems as though there is a bit of a problem with "truth in sentencing" in the State of Nevada.

In every other state, that I am aware of, when a convicted murderer is given a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole that means life without the possibility of parole - PERIOD. It seems to me that if the crime, at the time of sentencing, was heinous enough to warrant a sentence of life without the possibility of parole then the crime sure as heck didn't get any less heinous over time so as to warrant changing the sentence to that with the possibility of parole.

In Nevada it seems that the sentence really means life maybe with or maybe without the possibility of parole.

The state Legislature should have the backbone to be up front and honest with the citizens of Nevada and, more importantly, with the survivors of murder victims and get rid of the sentence of "life without the possibility of parole" unless and until that sentence means just what it says - life WITHOUT the possibility of Parole - with no maybes. Until they do that the wording of that sentence is just a sick joke.

Paul Vechil

Gardnerville

Public rec center would compete with small businesses

The upcoming 2007 session will prove to be one of historical standards with new faces, new challenges, and a change at the residence on Mountain Street. With all the changes going on, one thing remains constant, small businesses remain the economic backbone of Nevada.

My wife and I opened up our first business this year in Carson City. We are one of the few locals who went off to college to actually return and invest in our community. We bought Eagle Fitness at the north end of town back in July. We have 32 employees, 3,000 customers and voted "#1 Place to Work Out" by Carson City residents in October. Nevada's tax laws and business friendly atmosphere made the decision to open a business an easy one. What really closed the deal was that we were investing back in our community.

We are proud of the community we invested in. So proud that we give back to this community as best we can. We provide all Carson City School District employees, Carson-Tahoe Hospital Employees, Western Nevada Community College students, Carson High students, state employees and Carson City employees a discounted membership. We also give free personal training sessions to children and women who come from abusive homes or situations.

In the next month, we will have an activities venue for all children in the Carson City School District who want to be active after school. We may take a loss on the books but the benefits outweigh the risks many times over.

Just recently, the Carson City supervisors approved a $16 million project to build a brand new fitness facility in Carson City. The proposed fitness facility will have the latest and greatest free weights, cardio equipment, aerobics, racquetball courts, pool and much more. They will have all the equipment that I could only dream about, but at the expense of taxpayers and college students. I would have never imagined an entity that I pay taxes to would actually be competing against me. They plan on building this huge 62,000-square-foot facility at Western Nevada Community College. However, they need your approval to make this project a success. I must believe that $16 million could be spent more wisely at Western Nevada Community College ... a better library, better or more classrooms, an art center, things that are important to why WNCC exists ... education. Imagine what Carson City can do with millions of dollars. It's really sad to read in the paper how Carson City is concerned about paying for long term medical care, and in the same breath, lobbying state lawmakers for a health club. Where is our commitment to needed social and economic services?

I invested my money, my hard work and my family's future in this community, in this state. A state where hard work is rewarded, where education and social services are affordable and noble, where government is supportive of those in need and of those who provide to the citizens of this state.

I ask for your support in turning down Carson City and Western Nevada Community College's request for millions of dollars to provide an unnecessary fitness facility. This project goes against all values that we as a community find important for government to provide.

Give us education, give us security, give us a hand in time of need, and give us a community that is free of drugs, parks that are safe for our children ... values! Carson City, we have a long way to go.

Patrick Winchell

Owner of Eagle Fitness

Students get new shoes because of Jaycees

On behalf of the students and staff at Bordewich-Bray Elementary School, I would like to thank the Carson City Jaycees for their generous donation of gift cards to Payless ShoeSource. With their gift we were able to purchase 21 pairs of shoes for needy students.

Again, thank you for your donation. We are very fortunate to work in a community with such caring organizations and businesses

Casey Gilles, Assistant Principal

Bordewich-Bray Elementary School

Gratitude for kind words

On behalf of the family of Michael K. Angell, we wish to express our sincere gratitude.

We appreciate your kind words at this difficult time in our lives.

Thank you to everyone for the donations, flowers, food and support to our family.

Jayne Angell and family

Silver Springs

Safety standards needed for hotel room tubs with jets

The purpose of this letter is to ask why our Nevada government does not require industry safety standards and warnings for large unfilled jetted bathtubs (whirlpools) in hotel rooms. Some of these jetted tubs are over 7-feet long and most do not have temperature controls for how hot the water can get. Most tourists do not know how hot the water is when filling these tubs and this can lead to hyperthermia, problems with pregnant women, also people with blood pressure and heart problems. Tourists under the influence of alcohol especially should not fill these tubs with water hotter than 104 degrees, but they have no way of knowing and there are no warning signs about this hidden hazard near the tubs, recommended by Consumer Products Safety Commission.

My younger brother drowned in one of these large jetted tubs because he unknowingly filled the jetted tub with water to a temperature of 114 degrees while he was under the influence of alcohol. I have published a book about this event titled Hidden Death Trap, which can be researched on Amazon. No matter how long it takes, I fully intend on changing the codes and statutes that allow these jetted tubs to exist in hotel rooms for the protection of our tourists, some of whom are occasional spa users, but do not know the hidden hazards of filling these tubs hotter than 104 degrees.

Marvin J. Naus

Las Vegas