Letters to the editor April 7

Baily Fishing Pond a disappointment

I finally got a chance to go look at the fantabulous Baily Fishing Pond. After several inquiries, I finally found someone who could tell me how to get to it. Good thing I had a Jeep to get over the rocks. I parked in a handicapped parking spot and then took the long walk, for me, down to the fishing pier.

I found a small pond - not quite as big as the potholes in some of our Carson City streets. It was filled with muddy water, and I detected a faint smell of dead fish. The area behind the pond has the potential of being a sizable fishing lake such as some of the park lakes in Reno and other cities in the area. All it would take would be a little intelligence and for some of the bulging pockets to empty out instead of overfilling from the project.

After the big buildup in the newspaper, TV and even in the annual Nevada Fishing Guide, I was sorely disappointed. I certainly will not waste my time fishing there.

Darrel Elliot

Carson City

Older generations are better educated

Under the front page picture of a very young student, there appeared the expression, "schools or fools," and one cannot challenge the wisdom of that thought.

But what the youngster does not understand is that the simple - and verified - conclusion appears in the thought, and again, fully documented, is the fact that the education system has been dumbing-down for many decades.

Yes, young lady, your grand- and great-grandparents were much better educated, and in matters that count. This dumbing-down, by the way, has descended upon us from the elitist levels of so-called higher education.

Since I am long past my productive years - 87 plus years - and after having put my life on the line to save this nation, I arrived at a conclusion that I had better examine the sources of my information.

I still watch TV news and read newspapers, knowing in the process that I am being told what they want me to know - and that is not good enough. So, mostly, I read books or periodicals where they aren't hampered by deadline.

To that extent, some of the above is contained in "Dismantling Amer-ica" by Dr. Thomas Sowell. Try it.

Vernon Latshaw

Carson City

Association places 'don't smoke here' signs in parks

The Carson Area Wellness Association wishes to recognize some significant additions to our city parks. If you visit the playground areas in our biggest parks, you will see a new sign reading, "Please Don't Smoke Here, Young Lungs Are Working." The sign shows several children on playground equipment and playing sports. Eventually, all our parks and trails will have this sign.

We think this is a very effective way to discourage people from smoking in parks, especially where children are playing. Many thanks go to Steve Lasco who designed the sign, Scott Fahrenbruch, operations manager and his crew at the Parks Department, who got the signs made and placed in our parks and Donna Curtis who kept this project moving. Because of these efforts, we have another anti-smoking program in Carson City.

In addition, the Carson City Health and Human Services Department is working on some outdoor smoking issues. In April, Cindy Hannah, the public health program specialist with CCHHS, will coordinate a "Kick Butts" event with local youth in Mills Park. Cigarette butts on the park's ground will be collected and placed in a jar and then be presented to the Parks and Recreation Commission. This visualization will demonstrate the need to reduce smoking in parks where children are present and show the effort needed to clean up after smokers.

CAWA wishes to thank those who do not smoke in the city's parks.

Sharon Vonnegut, Chair

Carson Area Wellness Association