Letters to the editor for Sunday, Feb. 7, 2016

Collision repair class at CHS shouldn’t be sacked

Dear Gov. Sandoval,

I know you are concerned about the Nevada’s education system, as we all are. That is why I need you to be aware of Carson High School wanting to close the Collision Repair class at the end of this school year.

Presently this class teaches 140 students, 6 percent of the entire student body. They are taught mathematics as related to the auto industry, vehicle damage inspection and estimating, the safety and use of hand and power tools, the function of auto systems, and the preparation and refinishing of vehicle final finishes. This prepares the students and offers them not only college credit, but a certificate called the Nevada State Collision Repair Achievement and Work Place Readiness Skills.

I have owned Super Sport Motors here in Carson City for 30 years and have hired these students in the past with great success from them.

On Feb. 9, at the Community Center Sierra Room, the Carson City School Board will discuss this on its agenda. There will be a host of automotive business owners, students and teachers present to express their desire to continue the Collision Repair class. This is a very important and highly successful class for our students and our community. That is why I urge you to try and attend this meeting to hear from us and convince the board of its importance.

Jim Godec

Carson City

Open letter to Mayor Bob Crowell

Dear Mayor Bob Crowell,

You were elected by the voting population of Carson City twice. I was very disappointed to read in the Nevada Appeal the State of the City address was not to the people of Carson City who elected you. Rather, it was to the elite, who must pay for a luncheon to hear your comments. Why not a public event at, for example, the Community Center theater?

You are the leader of this community, and you seem to be ignoring the bulk of its residents. Why? I wonder why you think you should continue to be the leader, the elected leader of this city of approximately 52,000, not the 500,000 people the grandiose projects forthcoming could afford. I suggest you encourage term limits by being the one who resigns first. The last sentence in the article was the event was sold out. I interpreted that as, “You peons are not invited.” What an insult to the people of Carson City!

Most of our elected officials never contact their constituents. The exclusive 100 who attended the State of the City address appear to believe they speak for all the people of Carson City. Some, many in fact, do not think the improvements are “much needed.” It seems to me to be a very frenzied, hurry up and spend millions of tax dollars.

The sky is not falling, Mayor Crowell. Remember these three cities: Detroit, Mich., Bell and Stockton, Calif. They each had tragic downfalls due to the mismanagement of funds, overspending, fraud, cronyism, nepotism and corruption.

If you would please choose the building you want named to honor and preserve your legacy, please make it known to the Board of Supervisors and retire. It will happen.

Ann Bednarski

Carson City

Hillary Clinton is unfit for presidency

I feel any person, regardless of their religion, race, gender or political affiliation, who has served or seeks to serve as the United States Secretary of State should have a good understanding of the classifying of government documents and the need for safeguarding them. They should understand and accept the safeguarding of government documents is not a matter of personal convenience.

I have found it difficult to believe Hillary Rodham Clinton, having served as the First Lady of the United States and as a United States Senator, was not aware of the need to safeguard government documents.

I feel her option to choose convenience over security should be a major consideration when considering her as a candidate for the office of the President of the United States of America.

Will her primary interest be in serving herself or the citizens of the United States of America?

Sanford E. Deyo

Minden

Muzzy’s letter missed the mark

Yet another mean-spirited, small-minded screed from Lynn Muzzy on Jan. 31. Since moving to Douglas County, Muzzy has made a regular practice of writing to all the Northern Nevada papers to show us how to use every nasty word in his overworked thesaurus.

I hate to confuse you with the facts, sir, but Assembly District 40 candidate Al Kramer served Carson City for more than 25 years in a non-partisan office. He served with distinction and dedication. Your insinuation that his vote is for sale shows is incorrect.

He has chosen not to pledge allegiance to Grover Norquist. Good for him. If I wanted to have a legislator who had made up his mind before hearing any information about the matters on which he will vote, I could send my dog to the Legislature.

And, in case you hadn’t noticed, any number of Nevada legislators signed the Don’t-Confuse-Me-with-the-Facts-I-Won’t-Pay-for-Anything Pledge and then reconsidered when they were actually confronted with the needs of a large and growing state.

Perhaps you might find a more productive hobby than spewing venom every time you write.

Leslie Sternes

Carson City

City may be overreaching

As Earl Pitts would say — “Wake up, America.”

Since marijuana is now a cure for all diseases both public and private, what happened to the War on Drugs? What did it cost the taxpayers to repaint all the police cruisers that were advertising that?

We just finished a $15 million sports complex (including cost overruns that were never discussed), and now it’s a downtown redo at $8 million plus cost overruns.

I was fool enough to go to the city some years back when its offices were on Northgate to ask for something. Don’t remember the issue, but the big cheese at the time (a specific individual who claimed an affiliation with Attila the Hun) told me no, and very plainly stated the city could do no wrong, the past didn’t matter, there is no such thing as a hardship.

During the discussions over increasing our sales tax 1/8 percent, it was stated, by the board sophistically, there was no such thing as a conflict of interest, either.

I put solar on my property in 2003, before there was a law against it, thanks to Pete Livermore. I was refused net metering, and my approved application was canceled because I didn’t have a building permit.

My sunshine comes from my first cause without any permission asked for — not the state of Nevada or Carson City.

Is the city infringing on God’s side of the street now? Is mother’s milk next? Which government activities obligate taxpayer liability and which don’t?

Pete Bachstadt

Carson City

Gun safety also is local issue

Last week I was running along a dirt road in the area just east of Johnson Lane (technically on Sunrise Pass Road) as I have done weekly for the past 20 years when I came within seconds (or feet) of being shot.

I heard gunshots as I started up the road, however, given the (unfortunate) common occurrence of shooters, I thought nothing of it. What was not common, however, were bullets passing close enough to me to hear the whistling sound, several to my left and at least one overheard.

I shouted, heard silence, and decided to try to find the shooter, which I did after I climbed a knoll off the dirt track. What I saw below was someone target shooting at fuel canisters lined up across this well-traveled dirt road. Had I continued, I would have rounded a bend and been in his direct line of fire as he heard none of my shouts due to his ear muffs (his one and only adherence to safety).

A recent transplant without a clue in the world as to the regulations on public lands, or for that matter, the appropriate target shooting protocol. What appalled me was his lack of training. Do we allow people to hop in a car and drive without a driving test and permit? No, of course not. But this is gun-loving America, after all.

Bindi Yahoudi

Minden