Letters to the Editor

When operated responsibly, STRs can be good for town

My name is Leon Sun, a retired homeowner in Pahrump, and I am writing to express my concern over the increasingly restrictive policies surrounding short-term rentals in our town.

Pahrump sits in a remarkable geographic position — right between the excitement of Las Vegas and the natural wonder of Death Valley National Park. Every day, thousands of tourists pass through, yet very few stay. Why? Because Pahrump lacks sufficient lodging options, especially affordable and home-style accommodations.

Short-term rentals — when operated responsibly — fill that gap.

They allow travelers to stay in our town rather than bypassing it. And when they stay, they spend locally: at our grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, wineries, golf courses, and attractions.

Every occupied rental night puts money directly into the pockets of local residents, not large hotel corporations.

Yet instead of encouraging this economic opportunity, our local government appears determined to regulate short-term rentals out of existence before they are even given a chance to prove their value.

I fully support reasonable rules to ensure neighborhood peace and accountability. But regulations should distinguish between problem operators and responsible homeowners — not punish everyone equally.

Short-term rentals are not a threat to our community. They are an economic lifeline for many retirees, working families, and property owners like myself.

Rather than shutting the door, I urge our leaders to work with responsible hosts to establish fair, balanced policies that protect residents while allowing tourism revenue to remain in Pahrump — where it belongs.

Pahrump should not remain just a place people drive through. It should be a place people choose to stay — and support.

Sincerely,

Leon Sun

retired homeowner and Pahrump resident

Outpouring from community energizes Moose fundraiser

What a wonderful community we live in. Our Moose Lodge held a donation dinner on Sunday, Oct. 12th to help deal with some much-needed repairs.

The outpouring of love and support was overwhelming. We want to sincerely thank Desert Cane Distillery, Secret Sisters, Shelly Belly Bagels, Rustic Daisy Florals, The Wine Down, Golf Cart NV, Mia Ava Pizza, Sunflower Fashions, our local Pampered Chef and Scentsy representative Michelle “MJ” Harkness, Moonshiners Restaurant at Terrible’s Roadhouse, Drew’s Tires, our wonderful kitchen crew, Mike Kintzer, Ron Novoa and Eric Johnson, Women of the Moose Bakers, Nye County Armory, Dad’s American Diner, Nye County Search and Rescue, Lakeview Executive Golf Course, Fazackerley Fudge, Kelly, Angel and Deanna from AA Salon, the Nugget Bowling Center, our local Avon representative Maddie Miller, Braun Boys 3D Printing, the Pahrump Valley Times for always supporting the functions at the Moose Lodge, Pahrump Valley High School Key Club and the Golden Glam Girls Dance Group with Sandy Stell and Maria Trzcinski and their vocalists Phyllis Howell, Peggy Sue Fletcher, “$”Bill Harcrow and Mike Burns.

Our Lodge and our community working together made this dinner a tremendous success. We can finish our repairs and continue to help serve other nonprofits in the area and support our children at Mooseheart and our seniors at Moosehaven, because it really does take a village. Thank you, Pahrump.

Lori Stefani

Chaplain Pahrump Moose Lodge #808