California fifth-grader doing project about Nevada
Hello. My name is Jacquelyn Hurtado. I am a fifth-grader at Napa Valley Language Academy in Napa, Calif.
I am writing to you because my class is doing state reports and I have chosen your magnificent state, Nevada. I would really like it if you posted my letter in your newspaper so that I can get all the help I need for my report.
What I need from you or your readers are pamphlets, postcards, souvenirs or anything else that would be useful.
I will be writing about your state's agriculture, history, economy, famous people, events, historical figures and national parks. I will also be doing an oral report, poster and Microsoft Power Point presentation.
Thank you for your support and help in making me a great researcher of your astounding state.
Information and materials can be sent to Jacquelyn Hurtado, Napa Valley Language Academy, c/o Mrs. Dearborn, 2700 Kilburn Ave., Napa, Calif. 94558.
Jacquelyn Hurtado
Napa, Calif.
Sandoval's, Reid's plans to help Nevada defy logic
My wife and I recently refinanced our house with Greater Nevada Credit Union, my favorite financial institution. When I made the first payment, I was surprised to see that the address to which I was to send the check was in the City of Industry, in California. I thought it peculiar that a business with Greater Nevada in its name would use Californians to do its processing.
Gov. Sandoval wants to lure businesses to Nevada by firing state workers, cutting taxes and gutting the educational system. Senator Reid wants to lure businesses by firing prostitutes and closing brothels. Both of their plans defy logic.
Does Greater Nevada Credit Union hire Californians to do its processing because of low taxes? Not likely. Because of a gutted educational system? No, California's isn't much better. Because there are no prostitutes there? Not so, they are just not legal.
If our Legislature is feeling frisky and would like to do something that is actually logical to improve our economy, they should encourage any businesses operating in Nevada with Nevada in their names to employ Nevadans to do their work. This might help our unemployment situation.
Phil Stotts
Carson City
Stop spending so much for bad teachers
With talk about the state deficit, it is interesting to hear government officials talking about cuts. When there are cuts, they always cut a patrolman or a fireman, but do you ever hear about cutting the pay of those on top or letting one administrator go? Does it make sense to you that our governor makes $140,600, the Attorney General makes $132,600 and a Fire Battalion Chief in Carson makes $183,641, a battalion chief in Reno, $272,600, an undersheriff in Carson makes $182,500, a fire chief - one at every fire house - makes $180,800? Information is from transparent
nevada.com and lists 2009 salaries.
We hear education is underfunded, but when you adjust and take into account inflation, when I went to school here in the 1960s, we spent the equivalent of $3,101 per pupil. In contrast today, we spend $8,682 and we are told the reason we have such low graduation rates, is we don't spend enough.
You hear the University of Nevada, Reno, can't take any more cuts and you find that there are professors making $1.4 million, and associate professors making $737,000 and they want to increase tuition.
I contend it's not how much we spend but who is teaching that is to blame for our bad test and graduation scores. After reading this, can you guess what the difference is between the folks who make the big salaries and the ones who make the lower salaries - tenure and union?
Ron Peterson
Carson City