Letters to the editor 12-3

Visitors will return for Ghost Walk

My daughter (Courtney, age 12) and I are from San Jose, Calif., and after doing an Internet search for fun Halloween events I came across your Kit Carson Trail Ghost Walk.

Since my daughter had been bugging me about never being out of California I decided it sounded like a fun, quick getaway trip for the weekend.

I have to say that we were so very pleased and truly enjoyed your town and the Ghost Walk. Everyone from the tour guides to the actors and actresses to the TNT Stagecoach that were involved were so good and the stories they told were so lifelike we came out of the walk believing these houses are truly haunted and could feel the spirits they talked about. It was a truly great day for my daughter and I.

Also, after talking with some of the friendly staff that were involved with the walk we came to find out that you also do another Ghost Walk in May. We definitely plan to attend this one as well and are hoping to make the two events a family tradition from here on out for the two of us.

In closing, my daughter and I just want to say to the cast and crew of Ghost Walk, bravo! You did an excellent job and we will see you again soon.

KAREN KENDALL

San Jose, Calif.

Traffic lights should be on a timer

Regarding Dwight Millard's letter about the synchronizing of traffic lights here in town: Dwight, you hit the nail on the head.

Coming home from Western Nevada College, going east on College Parkway, the light turned red for me at Roop. The light turns green and I get to go one-tenth of a mile (I checked on my odometer) and the light turns red at College and Retail.

The light turns green and I get to go ALMOST two-tenths of a mile (two-tenths! Wow! Be sure to carry extra provisions, blankets, and a fully charged cell phone) when the light at the freeway changes to red!

Now how efficient is any of this?

LOUIE MURATORE

Carson City

Drivers: Please heed that speed bump

With the help of Shelly Aldean we now have the speed hump on South Division Street. Interesting enough, most people are slowing down after coming and leaving the speed hump. Others are only gunning it after going over the device.

It doesn't appear many are getting the idea that the device is there to slow them down. I am sure they will be the first to complain about the speed hump.

This is something to help with the speeding on South Division that has caused concern for all that live on this street and for some that are doing the speed limit when using the street.

The device is supposed to bring results to the frustration people on this street feel due to others speeding in our neighborhood as they are trying to get to wherever they are going in such a hurry.

Since the device was ordered I think I can count on one hand the number of times we have had patrol in this area. I believe this is to be used with the help of enforcement from our local Sheriff's Office to work together to help calm down the speeding. I am sure all in all it will help, however it would be so nice to get help from our local sheriff's office with enforcement, especially during peak times of travel.

We, as the residents of this area, are thankful, but also wonder why this road is not enforced by patrol more since it is used as an artery road.

RHONDA GLISSON

Carson City

Far-right ideology is bad for society

The Republican Party has been hijacked by right wing ideologues. I hate to resort to name calling, but it's difficult to identify these anti-government, anti-public school, anti-tax radicals as anything other than ideologues. Their views are "the only correct views," their beliefs are immutable, self righteous and not subject to debate or compromise. Enter stage "right," Chuck Muth.

Muth ("Republicans reach a political fork in the road," Nov. 14, 2008) tells us that his brand of conservatism is just what the Republican Party needs. I have been a student of the two-party system in this country for 50 years and have observed that our government works best when policy makers tack toward the center.

The political debate should be over "center liberal" or "center conservative" policies; the greatest benefit accrues to people when the political system provides needed government services to the greatest number of citizens.

Chuck Muth criticizes Sen. Bill Raggio for believing that the "Republican Party has gone too far to the right and that the far right message does not sell." Raggio is right. Muth cites the aberrant election of Dean Heller and the badly misinformed Washoe voters who defeated the WCSD-1 bond initiative as examples of what they were told were "conservative" principles. Muth's actions were neither principled nor thoughtful. He does not believe in a world where people support their government. How sad.

Muth helped defeat WCSD-1 (both in public and behind the scenes). When the Washoe voters discover the deception that he and his anti-tax supporters perpetrated on the parents and their children, I hope they will hold him personally accountable. As for Dean Heller, he has done little to help Nevada. His vote against children's health benefits, as an example, borders on criminal. I suspect if he is to be effective in the future, he will have to change his ways. Time will tell if Nevada voters will hold him accountable.

Muth would do well to remember that in our democracy the government is, "We the people." It works best when it is securing national security, health, welfare and the civil rights of the people, not just filling potholes and catching criminals! Muth should read and understand the Constitution and Constitutional history, move to the center of the political stage, or exit the stage entirely.

EUGENE PASLOV

Carson City

We don't need another Iraq war

The President-elect will hopefully bring change to our country. Yes, I hope our troops pull out of the war on terrorism, but I would dislike it if everything just happened all over again. What happens in this upcoming year of his inauguration will determine how he might run our country.

RACHEL JEAUXDEVINE

Carson City