Letters to the editor of the Pahrump Valley Times

A lesson on maneuvering the roundabouts

OK, I’m sure you have heard enough about the roundabouts in the past. Before and while they were being installed, there was much negativity about them. Many citizens were opposed and some were in favor of them. I’m writing now that they are installed. We need to deal with them, they are not going to go away! I get very frustrated with drivers who don’t understand how to use them.

First of all, when approaching a roundabout, there are blinking lights letting you know there is a roundabout ahead and the speed limit is 20 mph. The next sign is letting you know that you need to yield, which means “to give way” – it does not mean STOP. Don’t get me wrong, if a vehicle is coming around the circle and it is unsafe to enter the circle, then stop. Remember, vehicles in the circle have the right of way! But if you are approaching the circle, look to see if it is safe to enter and proceed with caution. I believe 20 mph in the circle is too fast and should be dropped to 15 mph for a safer drive. Most people are confused how to drive in a roundabout and the 20 mph is too fast when confused.

Second, everything goes to the right in a roundabout. I have seen some drivers stop, wanting to make a left turn against the flow of traffic. This is not a smart move. You must proceed around the circle and get out safely when the street you want comes in view. If you are unable to get out of the circle for any reason, go around the circle again and get out at that time.

Planning and understanding before you leave your home is the best way to avoid most problems that could occur during your trip. If you want to know more about how to maneuver a roundabout, the DMV has a handout just for roundabouts and as of yet costs nothing to get one.

Happy motoring and be SAFE, remember you don’t own the road, you share the road.

Gene Hobson

Cash extravaganza once again success for Rotary

Thank you Pahrump, for your generous support of the Pahrump Valley Rotary with our annual Cash Extravaganza. For 32 years, we have awarded to one lucky winner, a grand prize of $10,000. Congratulations to Cindy Moody of At Your Fingertips Nail Salon for being this year’s winner.

The Extravaganza is our main fundraiser for the year, the event that allows us to do the many things we do for our community (student scholarships, teacher mini-grants, RYLA camp for high school students, TLC camp for middle school students, 4-H camp scholarships, handicap ramps for seniors, back to school health fair support, senior health fair support, child immunization financial support, holiday random acts of kindness, and on and on.

With our friends and neighbors buying tickets for a chance at the grand prize, and by our local and regional businesses donating for raffle/auction prizes, we continue to live by the Rotary motto: Service Above Self. THANK YOU, PAHRUMP!

Phyllis Deal, President

Pahrump Valley Rotary

Corruption easier to justify for government, governed

Reading Mr. Jim Ferrell’s letter in the PVT Oct. 20, sparked some basic truths I do believe. That our founders thought about, argued about, and came to certain conclusions about theories of government, the governed and most important, human nature, with all its pitfalls.

Mr. Ferrell, blame both parties, I believe it goes deeper and blame “we the people” with a general naivety in the belief of the proverbial “free lunch.” So many promise it, whether honestly or cynically with a no or small price tag, which others will usually pay.

Mr. Ferrell is right promoting feeding the hungry at a local level, but why stop there? The founders’ understanding of human nature put barriers on government through three equal branches and the Bill of Rights. For over 100 years these barriers have been slowly and methodically chipped away.

For example, I well remember LBJ’s “war on poverty” and the passed legislation which after over 50 years and trillions of dollars, changed the percentages of poverty levels, but it certainly has shifted individual personal responsibility to the government with an exponentially climbing rate, with the approximately 50 percent of the people who do pay federal taxes picking up the tab.

When I was growing up in the 50s, taking welfare had a level of shame to it, even in hard times. I well remember a man in the neighborhood dying, leaving a wife and three young children. The entire community, including the church, raised money, food, and clothing, with help for years, which she in turn helped others later.

Today, many (with justification) feel, “let the government take care of it, I pay enough in taxes,“ All this adds other elements into the equation of having a massive centralized government controlling all these areas, corruption is much easier for human nature to justify for both the government and the governed because there is no real association with real people on either side.

We may have traveled down the road for too long now to ever hold our centralized government to its “enumerated” powers!

David Jaronik

GEAR UP thanks community for successful career fair

The GEAR UP Program (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) and 12th grade counselor from Pahrump Valley High School would like to thank the following businesses, colleges, and military entities for taking time out of their busy schedules to make our College and Career Fair that was held at the PVHS gymnasium on Oct. 18 an overwhelming success. We would also like to offer our appreciation to all of the volunteers, (students and adults), staff and administration that helped with making the fair run smoothly from setup to finish.

All Creatures Animal Hospital, Affiliated Chiropractic, Home Bridge Mortgage, Master Tech Computers, Nevada Highway Patrol, Nevada Realty, NyE Communities Coalition, Nye County School District, Nye County Sheriff’s Office, Pahrump Family Dental, Pahrump Valley Disposal, Pahrump Valley Fire Department and Emergency Medical Services, Saitta Trudeau, Spring Mountain Motorsports Ranch, John Stevens – author, U.S. Ecology, Valley Electric Association, Vegas PBS, Wells Fargo, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army, U.S. Army National Guard, U.S. Marines, Art Institute of Las Vegas, Boise Bible College, Boise State University, College of Southern Nevada, Concordia University, Culinary Academy of Las Vegas, Dixie State University, Eastern Washington University, Great Basin College, Nevada State College, Northern Arizona University, Paul Mitchell The School Las Vegas, Purchase College, Sierra Nevada College, SOKA University of America, Southern Utah University College of Science and Engineering, University of Montana, University Nevada Las Vegas, University Nevada Reno, Universal Technical Institute.

Students were engaged with each business and college, learning about college and career readiness. In addition to the information, students also received many different keepsakes from the businesses and colleges and made numerous contacts to continue receiving valuable information in the future.

The GEAR UP Program