Letters to the editor Feb. 17

Quit knocking newcomers to our state

As I read Ms. Butrick's letter to the editor in today's paper I was disheartened to see yet another person who thinks their new neighbors from other states want to change this area for the worse. She also accused us of complaining about it. Who's complaining? This area is gorgeous, and I appreciate its beauty and am very thankful to live here.

While it is noble of Ms. Butrick to remind us why we moved here in the first place and to tell us to respect the established wildlife, she would do well to remember it is the locals who regularly slaughter quail and coyotes for sport, and let's not forget those locals who were caught slaughtering the wild horses, young and old, leaving their carcasses to rot in the sun.

Some native Nevadans seem all too eager to tear down people from other states who move here, especially Californians. This hateful rhetoric has gotten very old and tiresome. Back off with the anti-new neighbor spiel and your "Don't care much how you did it in California" bumper stickers. You need to look at yourselves.

If we didn't love this area, we wouldn't have moved here.

Robin Christy

Carson City

Ask how you can help your child's school

We all know that more cuts are on the horizon for education. It is hard to imagine where to cut costs when education has already been on the chopping block. However, we must prepare for the inevitable.

I urge all parents, grandparents and other interested members of this community to help our schools at a grassroots level. Ask your child's teacher or principal what you can do to help. Whether it is making copies, helping with lunch duty, tending to the grounds or assisting in the classroom. There are many ways that we can help our teachers teach our children.

Carson City is a community that has rallied for many causes. What better cause to rally for than our children's education? Carson City School District is constantly looking for ways to reduce spending that does not directly impact the students. But ultimately, budget cuts do affect our students and increase the workloads of teachers, support staff and administrators.

It is time for us to get creative on how we can preserve our schools, and it is going to take a community-wide effort. Please stay informed, positive and proactive.

Lynnette Conrad

School Board Trustee, District 4

Carson City

Try creative solutions to prison budget

To Nevada's legislators: I realize that our state is in a financial crisis and you are being asked to take difficult measures, but I believe there is a solution to at least one problem, the closure of Nevada State Prison.

First and foremost the savings of closing NSP is roughly $10 million, which is only a drop in the bucket when considering that closing the doors is permanent.

Instead, halt all Nevada Department of Corrections capital improvements. This is a savings of over $14 million alone. I realize some of these projects do need to be done, but couldn't we delay them until the state is on better economic terms?

My next recommendation would be to switch the whole department to 12-hour shifts, which would save the department hundreds of thousands of dollars and eliminate excessive use of sick time.

We are federally mandated to feed inmates only one hot meal a day, but at most institutions they receive three. If we can save $1 a day per inmate, it is a savings of over $4 million a year.

In most institutions, we have the ability to shut off inmate power so they can not use their TVs, radios or other appliances. I recommend shutting off all inmate power at

11 p.m.

With a budget of over $300 million, cutting $10 million without laying off one individual or closing one institution is definitely possible, so my final recommendation is to think creatively.

Steven Houk

NSP Correctional Officer

Carson City

She appreciates reading health inspections

A big thank you to the Nevada Appeal for printing the health inspection reports on our local restaurants. This is very helpful in protecting health and preventing food poisoning's misery for all of us.

Sharon Wentzlaff

Carson City