Letters to the editor of the Pahrump Valley Times

Reader thankful for compassion of sheriff’s office

Thank you very much Nye County Sheriff’s Office and Public Administrator for your kind words on the death of my sister.

Officer Bissell and his instructor were both kind and respectful as I was in shock and distraught after I found her but his calm demeanor helped me through this distressing time. Everyone’s kind words and understanding got me through it.

God bless you all and thank you. I am greatly impressed. Sheriff Sharon Wehrly should be proud!

Paul Heitman

Veterans not receiving health care they deserve

My husband is an Army veteran and I have seen that there are significant differences among VA facilities. Our vets served together but they don’t get the same treatment. A lot of them are receiving a lower quality of care. There is room for improvement, so I don’t think a VA-type health care system would be right for the entire country.

The VA is inappropriately staffed. For instance, our own facility doesn’t have an MD on staff. My husband can only see a physician through teleconference, which is very unsettling. He was recently seen by a dermatologist via teleconference and it was a very frustrating experience. Despite the fact that there was something wrong, the nurse practitioner couldn’t do anything to help based on the opinion of a specialist who wasn’t even in the room.

With private health care, you have more control over referrals. With the VA, you either do what they say or you don’t. A VA-type system sounds like an easy fix but it’s not. In the end, it would give people fewer choices about their care and treatment options. That would have serious consequences.

Since the VA doesn’t work, implementing a similar system nationwide would create real problems. I fear the entire nation would be worse off. Instead of implementing this system, we need to improve the foundation that was created by the Affordable care Act.

Barbara Johnston

Earth Day – Arbor Day 2018 in Discovery Park

An enormous “Thank You” from our Town’s Nuclear Waste &Environmental Advisory Committee to all the 20+ wonderful groups that took part in our 15th annual Earth Day event, which now encompasses Arbor Day as well.

We thank the Southern Nye County Conservation District (SDCCD) for their monetary support as well as logistical support. Donna Lamm, Treasurer of the SNCCD also could be seen spinning clay, making pottery, for the umpteen year at Earth Day. That being said we cannot forget the hard work of the Audubon Society and Great Basin Water Company. Without their help, the plant giveaways, the trail rides and hard work in planning the event wouldn’t have occurred.

Special thanks to Bank of America for the paper shredding truck. My garage looks much emptier now. Kudos to our own Pahrump Valley Fire and Rescue, the Bureau of Land Management, Ash Meadows Wildlife Refuge, Wild West Extravaganza, Stormy and the 4–H kids, Nye Communities Coalition, Ameri Corps, Joe’s Sanitation, Pahrump Valley Disposal and the Valley Electric Association (VEA) Ambassadors. We acknowledge the fact that the VEA changed the date (maybe) of their annual meeting so that it wouldn’t coincide with Earth Day/Arbor Day for the first time in Pahrump Recorded history.

We also want to thank the good folks from Home Depot and Karen and her crew from Do It Best Hardware/Pahrump Rentals for their wonderful participation.

An Earth Day/Arbor Day wouldn’t be complete without the folks from the “Nature’s Conservancy, Master Gardeners, University of Nevada Cooperative Extension, Horticulture Specialist Professor M.L. Robinson, The Nevada Department of Agriculture and now, the Nevada Hemp Association. The folks at the Baha’i Faith booth did a wonderful job showing youngsters seed planting and earth friendly projects.

US Drone Services was in attendance. It must be noted that there is a beautiful bird’s eye view of Discovery Park now on the internet for all to see. The good people of Tractor Supply graciously donated a gift certificate for one of our many raffle giveaways during the afternoon.

We are indebted to Jenifer Benedict for her fine work as our music master/M.C. for the day. We were also visited by the renowned ballerina, Jenna McClintock, who took time out to serve up some of the day’s second most popular reason for being at Earth Day/Arbor Day, our “Chicago Style Hot Dogs.” Drum roll please: 151 dogs were served. BTW. Ballerina Jenna will once again be performing at the Amargosa Opera House for three consecutive weekends, later in May.

Last, but not least, we’d like to acknowledge this year’s Earth Day recipient of the Citizen of the year. That would be Debby Woodland, for all she’s done through the years in improving our Valley’s environment. It wouldn’t be the same without Debby or the folks before her who give their all in making Pahrump a better place to live, for today and for tomorrow.

John Pawlak &Mary Duff, co-chairs

Nuclear Waste &Environmental Advisory Committee

Pruitt is not a good choice to lead the EPA

As if Scott Pruitt isn’t bad enough with his intent to sabotage the EPA - the agency he is tasked to lead; the Senate recently voted to approve the nomination of coal lobbyist Andrew Wheeler for Deputy Administrator of the EPA.

The EPA is tasked with protecting human health and the environment. Andrew Wheeler on the other hand has dedicated his career to opposing climate protections, undermining the Clean Air Act, and weakening environmental protections.

He has served as a lobbyist for numerous fossil fuel clients, including Murray Energy - one of the country’s largest underground coal mining companies. It’s a clear conflict of interest. His ties to the fossil fuel industry make him an entirely inappropriate choice for the number two leadership role at the EPA.

Nevadans should also know that Sen. Heller sided with Andrew Wheeler on the ‘Clear Skies Act’ that was designed to undermine the Clean Air Act by delaying critical improvements in our air quality. Fortunately it failed in committee - and with bipartisan opposition.

Our elected officials, including Senator Heller, need to hear from us. This is a dangerous path for our health and our future. We must protect our environment. It sustains us.

Adam Igwe

Yucca decisions not made by those it concerns

How come we hear so much about Yucca Mountain from those that don’t reside, nor represent our districts, state or federal?

Where were the objections to the Bay Area sending their sludge to a dump that they created in Humboldt County?

I never heard one objection, remark from anyone, about the possible contamination of the groundwater near Winnemucca. Why would that be? Hypocrisy, per chance? Maybe the dump could be relocated to Dina Titus’ district.

Wayne P. Brotherton Sr.

Thank you to Pahrump Arts Council for recognition

To the Pahrump Arts Council, thank you for your recognition of my accomplishments over the years in our community. If it wasn’t for this community who opened so many doors, we may not have been so very successful.

The Tappers and I enjoy donating our time to the many charities we have performed for and are very proud of the funding we helped to generate.

Thank you

B. J. Hetrick-Irwin,

Nevada Silver Tappers

Can anyone really explain how the BLM works?

I live on the north end of town and have recently written the PVT concerning the Bell Vista shooting range. The trash that litters it, old refrigerators, television sets, spent casings and apparently the homeless new tenant who has decided to live there threatening those who dare clean up their casings.

Anyway, this paper reported that Dan Schinhofen recently introduced some sort of proposal for a county-owned public shooting range that would be supervised. A great idea! He stated, and I quote, “we have been working for 19 years to get the Bell Vista site land from the BLM, that was our plan, to build a range once we got that property,” Schinhofen said. REALLY!! That’s interesting. In the April 27 edition of the PVT the article titled “Spring Mountain moves ahead on projects”, it’s reported that Spring Mountain was set to close on 630 acres adjacent to the main facility from none other than – you guessed it – the Bureau of Land Management.

Can anyone explain how Dan Schinhofen and all the king’s men couldn’t close on 10 acres from the BLM in over 19 years while Spring Mountain Motor Resort was able to close on some 630 acres in a few years?

Nineteen years spans more than just one politician.

Perhaps the citizens of Nye County would be better served by a commissioner who is a successful business owner rather than just another politician.

Stephen Sanzari

Trash, litter on roads embarrassing to residents

I live on the north end of Pahrump as does Friday’s author of “Trash along highway on way to dump is a mess” (Donald Schieber). The trash in town is not only disgusting, it’s embarrassing to us residents. There are bags of trash just waiting to break open, or have already opened, littering our desert. As for the “Gateway to Death Valley” being tainted with all this, we agree with Richard Hamilton: Put the detainees to work for their food and housing by having them help clean up the town that’s paying for their keep.

What about the property code violations? You would never know we have any by the look of properties on Bell Vista, Barney, and Mesquite, to name a few. Unregistered broken down vehicles, RVs, buses, tractor trailers, garbage … properties overflowing with junk!

Nye County codes don’t even allow excessive weed growth on properties. Is anyone responsible for enforcing these codes? Most have children’s playthings among the litter. Does anyone care that children may be living in this filth with dozens of potential health hazards? Shouldn’t this be more of a priority than placing orange stickers on signs deemed too close to the road? How about a letter of warning to these owners that they have 30 days to clean up the mess and if there’s no improvement, follow up with a fine and then have the township clean it up and charge the owner.

Kathleen Sanzari