Letters to the Editor Feb. 7

You moved to the country, now deal with it

I'd like to take this time to welcome our new neighbors to the Carson Valley. I'd also like to remind them why they moved to this wonderful area. Their quest was to find a place with less traffic, fewer people and none of the hustle and bustle of everyday life found in the big cities with spectacular mountains, many fishing holes, open farm areas and established wildlife.

We from the city sometimes forget and immediately expect the old comforts. We want to change our land, and slowly it becomes exactly what we left our homes in the city for in the first place.

Enjoy the area as it is. Don't try and change it or be afraid of what lurks in the fields. Embrace the ability to have wildlife to enjoy. There is nothing more exciting than to hear the howls of those magnificent coyotes, the screeching of hawks, to see the deer foraging in the fields and occasionally in our flower beds. We can live together with the valley wildlife if we give it a chance.

But don't come to our valley and start to complain. Be aware of the area. Keep your dogs and cats safe at night. Don't leave garbage out to entice the bear, opossum, skunk and coyote to your yard. Embrace the area as it is, respecting nature, and look for ways you can help keep our paradise a paradise for all to enjoy today and in the future.

Dianne Butrick

Minden

Paslov points out education shortcomings

Recently I read in the letters to the editor an unschooled person's comments about not liking Dr. Paslov's articles in the Nevada Appeal. Maybe that is because that person does not understand them.

Personally, I am gratified that the Nevada Appeal has the good taste to have someone of Dr. Paslov's character and caliber contributing articles on education in Nevada. The fact is that Nevada generally ranks 49th or 50th in most social services on the national scale, including education. We also have a frightful drop-out rate. We drastically need to improve the quality and delivery of public education in Nevada, both for the sake of the young people so that they might have a brighter future, but also for the future prospects of our economy.

It is well known that Nevada has difficulty in attracting new high-tech industries to Nevada due to the miserable level of education and the extremely high drop-out rate statewide. People with children to educate are not willing to come here and submit their children to an inferior educational experience. We need to upgrade and improve our public education system for the sake of all. After all, a good education is the foundation of a free democratic republic.

Jane Foraker-Thompson

Gardnerville

There's winning, and there's buying elections

Does it seem a little out of context to understand that Sen. Reid says he has raised $15 million and intends to raise another $10 million to win a fifth term in the Senate?

I believe there's a difference between "winning" and "buying" the election.

Dean Watts

Carson City