Letters to the editor

Seniors can return Douglas County to prosperity

All of the Douglas County candidates for commissioner have professed that they will work toward bringing new business to the county. Well, our county's economy would be much better off if they would just work toward restoring the local businesses that we have lost during the last few years. Most of our county retailers, restaurants, financial institutions and other businesses are oriented toward seniors and retirees. While the senior population of United States has been growing at an astronomical rate, the senior population of Douglas is on the decline even though our county is economically and esthetically a great place to live.

Our current Board of Commissioners has successfully done everything in their power to make our county an undesirable place for seniors and retirees to reside. This can be verified by the large number of vacant houses in Douglas County which used to be occupied by seniors. To go along with this we have a corresponding number of unoccupied business establishments which used to be supported by seniors. Bring the seniors back and the business community will thrive again!

Spending the available Douglas County Capital Improvement Funds on expanding the jail and juvenile detention facilities instead of building a new senior center is just conceding that our county economy will continue to go downhill. When the economy of an area declines, the crime rate usually increases. Our candidates for commissioner should work toward eliminating the county's reputation that it is an unfriendly place for seniors and retirees to buy a home.

PAUL LOCKWOOD

Minden

Support veterans by supporting bill

In May, I wrote a letter after the May 8, 2008, ruling by the Federal Appeals Court that reversed and remanded a lower court ruling compensating U.S. Navy Vietnam Veterans for diseases recognized by the Department of Veterans Affairs for their exposure to Agent Orange and other toxins used in the Vietnam War.

I would like to ask all residents of Northern Nevada to please contact our political leaders and ask them to support this bill (HR 6562 Agent Orange Equity Act of 2008') and undo an injustice that has been done to those who have served our nation during a very unpopular war.

These veterans have a 20 percent increase of these known diseases compared to other military personnel who served in this conflict. The Federal Appeals Court ruled in favor of the VA that imposed a "Boots on Ground"" ruling that would be the qualifier for a veteran to be awarded compensation for their illnesses rather than following the law enacted by the 101st Congress and the Agent Orange of 1991.

This bill was recently presented to undo an injustice that has been illegally maneuvered through the courts to change the laws of Congress denying thousands of qualifying veterans who are dying and have died because of these actions.

Passage of this bill will insure that our future veterans will not be manipulated by the Veterans Affairs Department and pick and choose who will or will not be chosen to be taken care of for their injuries. If we allow this current ruling to stand, we have allowed this branch of our government to tell your son, daughter, brother, sister, father or mother that we want you to serve but we will take care of you only if we want to.

KEN HUMMEL

Carson City

Story didn't mention supervisor candidate

How nice, that you saw fit to quote and/or name every single person who is running for supervisor except one: Jean Bondiett (in coverage of Thursday night candidate's forum).

I'm sure the others appreciate the free advertising and name recognition benefits.

Ms. Bondiett had actual, concrete suggestions for how to better use some of Carson City's empty buildings, namely the Boys and Girls Club needing space and the former Kmart store sitting empty, but instead we see Ms. Walt saying, "Everyone wants to fill these empty buildings, but we do have competition."

If you have a personal agenda or prejudice, I would suggest trying extra hard to keep it out of a forum that is "supposed" to be objective " the newspaper.

DONNA IVERSON

Visiting Carson City and interested attendee of last night's forum

Antioch, Calif.