Letters to the editor Oct. 13

This veteran isn't buying Reid's self-promotion

Reid has become an expert in editing. He continues to beat Angle over the head with his edited political ads. Reid has nothing to offer in his behalf, so he resorts to un-truths.

Now he has a new political ad portraying himself as a godsend for veterans. In 2006, I requested and received my discharge. I wrote a letter to Reid and Ensign requesting they bring to a vote a bill that would have extended benefits like those in the G.I. Bill to veterans of the Merchant Marine. I received the same letter from both stating they could not back this bill because it would create a special group. The Merchant Mariners are certainly a special group. More men were lost, percentage-wise, during WWII than any other branch of the armed forces.

This bill still sits on Reid's desk or maybe in the round file by now. If 10,000 mariners lived in Nevada, he probably would bring the bill up for a vote - that would give him 10,000 votes in November. (There are only 10,000 World War II Mariners still alive).

Reid is for Harry Reid and his political soft seat, not the American people.

William Lepore

Minden

This November, don't forget Masto's chicanery

If you're undecided about the Senate race, and you don't know who should get your vote for AG, let me help you.

Last December, Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto's made-up prosecution of Lt. Gov. Brian Krolicki imploded. This abuse of Cortez Masto's law enforcement power was designed to kneecap a perceived challenger to Sen. Harry Reid in this November's election.

Democrats shrugged and called it rough politics. Normal people saw the state's top cop violating her oath of office by trying to frame an innocent man for cheap political advantage.

Harry Reid just smiled and accepted the favor.

Lynn Muzzy

Minden

Don't waste time, money; leave Carson Street alone

I would like to express my opinion on the current issue of narrowing Carson Street through the downtown area. I use this street a lot to go from south Carson City to north Carson City. Even with four lanes, sometimes the traffic is very heavy and takes time to travel to the north end.

They say the freeway is the new option, but it is just as bad because Fairview isn't big enough to handle all the traffic, especially big trucks. This also would cause a loss of business for the downtown area because many times when you need to go to the north end of town, you might stop at a business you see or had planned on visiting as well.

I don't know who is pushing this, but I think we have a lot more serious issues happening that need addressing before this one. We also don't need to be spending money that could be put to better use. If this is all our local government has to do, then maybe it's time to replace them with a group whose focus is on serious issues.

To even spend five minutes on this issue is a waste of time. Carson Street is heavily used by locals - voters - and to bottleneck it up would be a big mistake.

Dan Babb

Minden

Spread the word on drug abuse program

Do you know there are nearly

50 programs throughout Nevada which provide treatment for alcohol and drug abuse even if you don't have money or insurance? Each not only provides treatment to pregnant women, but gives them admission priority? No? Well, that tells you how well Nevada's Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Agency publicized this, even though it has been required by law to do so since 1994.

In these tough economic times, it's more important than ever that substance-abusing pregnant women get treatment. In Nevada, the number of these women getting treatment has fallen by half since 2004, while the number of births has increased by 25 percent. Each time a child is born handicapped by a substance-related birth defect, fetal alcohol syndrome, it's a tragedy for the child and a catastrophe for taxpayers.

We can't afford to continue waiting for state government SAPTA to spread the word. We've been waiting for more than 15 years. Tell your friends, your doctor, your minister. Tell anyone who may know a pregnant woman who's drinking or using drugs. SAPTA can tell her where the nearest program is, but doesn't even list its number in the phone book. But the very first listing under Nevada State Government is the State Operator, who can transfer the call to SAPTA. If we spread the word, unborn children will become healthy children.

Barry W. Lovgren

Carson City