Letters to the editor for Sunday, Nov. 19, 2017

Politics hurting sage grouse

Secretary Zinke has opened the door to putting politics over science in order to undermine and undo one of the greatest collaborative conservation efforts in our nation’s history.

As a westerner, I am deeply concerned about this reopening of federal plans to protect the greater-sage grouse, which were forged over many years by multiple stakeholders. Western governors, ranchers, conservationists, industry groups and state wildlife agencies all came together to develop a truly bipartisan, collaborative conservation plan, which ultimately kept the greater sage-grouse off the Endangered Species List back in September 2015. Making significant changes that weaken the plan in any way would only increase the likelihood of the sage-grouse populations reaching such low levels that bird needs to be added to the Endangered Species List in the future an outcome nobody wants. The Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Land Management must let the sage-grouse plans work. Any changes to the plan must be based on sound science and honor the bipartisan, collaborative conservation effort that has helped bring the bird back from the brink and keep it off the Endangered Species List.

Darla Sanders

Carson City

Craft show helps Douglas County Food Bank

A Touch of Class Craft Show would like to thank all who attended our 17th annual show at Carson Valley Inn over Nevada Day weekend. With your help we collected 632 pounds of food and $100 in donations for Douglas County Food Bank, and will be contributing a check for $500 to our local Boys and Girls Club. This is a wonderful community, full of friendly and generous people. We are proud to be a part of it! We hope to see all of you next year. Have a joyous holiday season. Sue Bennett, Founder

Sue Bennett

Gardnerville

Farmer off the mark on Berghahl case

I’m sorely disappointed the estimable Guy W. Farmer’s commentary in Sunday’s Appeal overlooked the important and consequential mental health aspects of the Army’s decision in the Bergdahl case.

Surely Guy is aware Bergdahl was dismissed from Coast Guard service because of a “psychological disorder” or words to that effect. A dramatically waving red flag the Army should have recognized as prima facie evidence of his unfitness for military duty and indicative of shortcomings in the military”s recruitment process that began this long and torturous chain of tragic events.

As a veteran, I have some knowledge of the potential for human error in the services, having made a number of inconsequential bad decisions myself. More recently, “People’s Exhibit A” would be the Air Force’s inexplicable failure in reporting to the FBI their experience with the Sutherland Springs shooter.

Finally, as I have observed before, mental unfitness has apparently been overlooked or minimized in at least one other aspect of our nation’s decision making process, with the unfortunate result being our current occupant of the Oval Office. OK, a gratuitous, semi-off-topic addition to my letter, but I couldn’t resist the opportunity.

Steve Waclo

Carson City