Letters to the editor for Sunday, Dec. 24, 2017

More on faulty mail delivery

I want to add to the growing number of concerns about mail delivery.

Mine also arrives very late — sometimes after 6:30 p.m., and on occasion the mail I was supposed to receive one day does not arrive until the next.

I’ve called the postmaster general but get the “due to the time of year, the carriers are inundated” response. While that may have some merit, this has been going on for more than a month. They added, “Sometimes a carrier calls in sick,” — every day?

It seems as soon as they raised postage rates, the service plummeted.

I do subscribe to a service offered by the Post Office which tells me each day what I’m supposed to receive. It’s really pretty handy. At least I know I don’t have to go out in the dark and cold to get mail which, is nothing more than worthless advertising.

Also, I know to be more vigilant if I’m expecting an important item. It’s called Informed Delivery Daily Digest. Folks may want to check it out on the USPS website.

Linda Hoxsie

Carson City

Some local mail carriers are outstanding

With all these letters saying how bad the postal service is, I have another opinion. I am an owner of a small business on North Carson Street and our postal carrier is the very best person I’ve ever known to deliver our mail. She is always on time in the early afternoon. She brings stamps when you place an order with her. She brings packages early in the morning. She always has a friendly smile and is so cheerful. She is always upbeat and is the best person who could be delivering the mail. Her day-off replacement is just as good.

My home delivery is always between 4 and 6 p.m. and is always there. I find that our postal service is doing the best it can. I have been told that the problem finding new employees has been failure to pass a drug test and if they pass the new hires are way too busy on their cell phones texting, Facebook, etc., to get their route completed in time. They always take their breaks and lunch but are not dedicated to the job. This is what I have found is true for a lot of our young people as is many other businesses looking for employees.

In short, the postal service I have found to be doing a good job and the carriers on North Carson Street need to be recognized for their outstanding service to our business community, as we can get none better.

Gene Munnings

Carson City

Consequences of passing the Republican tax bill

Our two Republicans in Congress, Representative Amodei and Senator Heller voted for Trump’s so-called tax “reform.”

Fact: This will temporarily reduce the income tax for most of us by a few hundred dollars while giving breaks of thousands of dollars to millionaires and millions of dollars to Trump’s billionaire elites.

Fact: The gifts this “reform” gives to corporations will be permanent while the small benefits to most of us are temporary, in place just long enough to cover the Republicans for the next election.

Fact: This “reform” will be paid for by increasing our national debt by more than a trillion dollars.

Fact: It will also result in more than 13 million of us losing health insurance.

Fact: There are other add-ons to appease the minority of base Republican special interests that are still kept in secret that have nothing to do with taxation.

Fact: The majority of voters are not in favor of this bill that will result in, as the classic song says, “the rich get richer while the poor get poorer.”

When the consequences of this tax gift to the rich and corporations trickle down to most of you, remember who voted for it when Amodei and Heller are up for re-election.

Jon Nowlin

Carson City

Taking steps to reduce emissions of greenhouse gas

We’re No. 2! We’re behind China! However, thanks to our president, we may make it back to No. 1! America can win again!

Yes, with the recent actions taken by our president and his head of the EPA, we may indeed rise above China and become No. 1 ... in our contributions to greenhouse gases (GHG)! A substantial portion of GHG is a result of our country’s love affair with our vehicles. I’m not innocent either, but I’m trying!

I like going farther for less, do you? I like paying less to fill my vehicle’s tank, do you? We can help reduce our dependency on foreign oil by increasing our vehicles’ fuel efficiencies. Imagine 30 to 40 miles per gallon or even 50! I like that!

However, along with other short-sighted decisions, the EPA’s “relaxing” of the fuel economy standards is a step in the wrong direction. We were headed in the right direction, but now I don’t think so. Isn’t the EPA supposed to protect our environment?

From the current EPA website, https://www.epa.gov/regulations-emissions-vehicles-and-engines/regulations-greenhouse-gas-emissions-passenger-cars-and#Overview, the following goals are attainable regarding vehicle fuel standards. If the regulations are unchanged we can:

Cut 6 billion metric tons of GHG over the lifetimes of the vehicles sold in model years 2012-2025;

Save families more than $1.7 trillion in fuel costs; and

Reduce America’s dependence on oil by more than 2 million barrels per day in 2025.

Save some money, contact your Senators and Representative. Demand more fuel-efficient vehicles!

Rob Bastien

Carson City

Questions about language in cop log

In the Dec. 15 paper, what is Sgt. Earl Mays trying to say when he reports that the “Office of Traffic Safety is urging Nevadans to be recharged and ready to start a fresh year rather than spending your holidays incarcerated after making potentially life-changing decisions to drive impaired”?

What do I care if some oddball Nevadan or the other spends my holidays incarcerated after making potentially life-changing decisions to drive impaired?

I see a lot of “contempt of court” arrests noted for innocent-appearing events reported in the sheriff’s log.

What does it mean when someone is arrested for contempt of court after, for example, “deputies responded to reports of a disabled vehicle near Roop and William Streets?”

I also see a lot of “failure to appear” arrests reported for innocent-sounding events such as, “After deputies initiated a traffic stop near the 2200 block of William Street.” Does this mean the driver was invisible?

Thank you for your help with my perplexing questions.

Michael Goldeen

Carson City