Letters to the editor Jan. 21

Share this: Email | Facebook | X

Carson auto repair shop goes extra mile

We got a pretty good dent in our rear bumper over the holidays. My husband Lee wrote down several places that do auto repair work, and headed on his way for estimates.

He started with Rupert's on Curry Street. He also ended with Rupert's. When he went in, the guy in the office greeted him with a big smile. Lee showed him the bumper and the guy said, "Well, why don't you go in the other room and get yourself a cup of coffee." Lee looked at him quizzically and did as he suggested.

Fifteen minutes later, the guy came back and said, "Well, she's done." Lee, who had come only for an estimate was surprised. He said, "Done?" The guy said, "Yep, done."

It turns out the type of bumper was a hard plastic that could be molded with heat since there were no cracks or breaks. It looked like brand new.

Lee asked, "Well, how much will that be?" The guy, still smiling, reached out his hand and said, "Happy New Year, buddy." Lee almost dropped his teeth.

The guy's name is Tom Rahne. Lee said he was one of the most pleasant people he has dealt with in a long time. We want to thank him again. We will never forget Rupert's kindness, especially at this time of year when we didn't need an extra expense.

We are constantly amazed at the kindness and friendliness of folks in Carson City.

Judie Hartwick

Carson City

Gunfighters group promotes historical fun

In response to Steve Vandenburgh's letter of Nov. 28, my first question is, what do two criminal events have to do with entertainment, and in this case, a historical event put on each year about Carson City's history?

Have you ever experienced the Ghost Walk? Are you aware of Nevada's place in history? The American West is full of stories of progress and accomplishments of the American people.

The Nevada Gunfighters is the group you refer to in your letter. I am the safety officer of the Nevada Gunfighters. We have two missions - first and foremost is gun safety for children and second is the preservation of our American

history.

If you had researched us or watched one of our presentations, you would have learned that we do a gun safety program for children and have worked with the Carson City Sheriff's office during their open house and Sheriff's Night Out presenting that program. You would have also learned that we research our stories and present them as historically correct as possible. Many of our presentations do not have gunfire in them. If only you would have watched us and talked to us, you would not have gotten the wrong message about guns.

I am inviting you to our next show. Come see us and talk to us. Who knows? If you are a history buff like the rest of us, you might join and help us accomplish our mission.

Frank Freeland

Fernley

What happened to Nevada State Museum?

When I was a kid in the '70s, the Nevada State Museum possessed two worthwhile exhibits: the Native American exhibit and the underground mining exhibit.

The Native American exhibit consisted largely of dioramas of local Native American life, from prehistoric times to present. They featured highly detailed figures of, for example, Paiutes clothed in rabbit skins fishing Pyramid Lake with spears, and Washoe people conducting rabbit drives and harvesting pine nuts.

My sister and I and all our friends spent countless hours over the years imagining ourselves within these scenes fishing and hunting alongside the figures.

I'm now 42 years old and I've lived all over the country and been to many museums. So it was with great excitement that I recently took my own children to the museum - only to be monumentally disappointed. We inquired at the desk about the Native American exhibit. "Oh, we took that out about 7 years ago" was the reply.

Near the gift shop is the abysmal replacement. It has a modern feel and consists of a looped Native American ethnographic account playing out on a TV screen, some select artifacts, a wall dedicated to Stewart Indian School sports, and some poster boards depicting Native Americans in traditional and modern dress. The central display is a replica of a tulle marsh.

My kids, ages 6 and 9, spent one second taking in each of the aspects of the exhibit before asking if we could leave.

Malala Elston Ugoji

Carson City