2 letters to the editor

Despite legalization, most counties don’t want pot shops

Douglas County public officials have enacted an ordinance that prohibits commercial marijuana establishment uses, including cultivation, testing, product manufacture, distribution and retail facilities in all county zoning districts. It does not prohibit the use of recreational marijuana or the growing of plants for personal use by qualified people.

The ordinance is premised on the fact that Question 2 legalizing recreational marijuana in Nevada was decisively defeated in Douglas County (57.4 percent to 42.6 percent). Thirteen of Nevada’s 17 counties voted against Question 2 and it ran almost even in Nye County. Public officials in Nye and adjoining Churchill, Esmeralda, Eureka, Lander, Lincoln and White Pine counties should follow the Douglas County lead.

Douglas is following precedent in Colorado since that state voted to legalize recreational marijuana statewide in 2012.

In Colorado, the vast majority of local government jurisdictions have “opted out” of permitting commercial marijuana establishments in their counties and municipalities. 215 out of Colorado’s 296 “local jurisdictions” (73 percent) have “opted out”. Similarly, in Oregon 89 cities and counties have “opted out” of licensing commercial marijuana establishments since their state legalized recreational marijuana in 2015.

Commercial recreational marijuana “opt out” elections recently held in Massachusetts towns on March 7 and April 4 resulted in overwhelming votes against retail pot shops ( 81 percent and 77 percent voting “No”).

The message should be clear. While “legalization” carried statewide in Nevada (54.5 percent) with that entire victory margin coming from Clark County, the vast majority of Nevadans do NOT want commercial recreational establishments in their own counties, towns and neighborhoods.

Jim Hartman

Suggestion for solutions to Pahrump traffic problem

I moved her the end of September and four months ago I wrote a letter to the editor on traffic and suggested that 372 and 160 be made one way in both directions.

After living here seven months I feel it’s still a great idea with two additions: We need another major road coming out of the north and south end of town to Highway 160 instead the preferred way for the locals to travel, Blagg Road.

Also, the county/state want to promote small family business. We need a small business marketplace, with many classy stalls near the end of the 372 strip with a table area where people can get coffee and very basic pastry like bagels/biscuits and make Highway 372 the way to Death Valley instead of Bell Vista, which should be a family neighborhood.

The Highway 372 way would be a better road for traffic. The marketplace could have lots of parking for motorhomes and vehicles. The grocery stores could provide plenty of biscuits and bagels. A few upscale restaurants in the Highway 372 neighborhood would be nice to complement the good restaurants we already have.

I think also, while land is still available, the town should have another nice park with security to avoid other problems. We are political tourists trying to learn about this town to determine if this is our retirement paradise and go to the commissioners’ meeting on Tuesday morning. After we figured out it’s only twice a month we are still going the other two Tuesdays just to enjoy the duck pond, seating and landscaping, including the waterfall. Whoever did that, why not an even bigger one on 372?

Again, we need an additional business place like a morning marketplace with low rent with the responsibility to do the upkeep for the cheaper rent. This would be an opportunity to bring the curious individuals to town to spend their money. It also would make the town more well-rounded so that another experience in Pahrump would crowd out a trip to Las Vegas or the TV routine. Too many people in this town just sit around the house bored because that’s the way it is in Pahrump.

Can we change? Some are trying – look at the activities and improvement in our parks. However, we need more!

Pahrump doesn’t have to become a city. It could become more and more a location to visit with people expressing the familiar “Ah! What a great experience to visit this rural Nevada town.” We are heading there but need a few add-ons. We need to get people out of the house and on their way to town. It also gives us a chance for different activities for individuals in the party or family. Pahrump can make a worthwhile change as westerners are always a strong part of the country. They can always move ahead to a better future.

Your neighbor,

Diane Brungard