The real truth about the brothel petition
I keep reading letters to the editor and other comments “pro and con” about the PETITIONS that are circulating throughout Pahrump and Nye County that could determine the future of the brothels in Nye County. Yes, there is excitement on BOTH sides of the issue and some tempers are flaring about the rights of people to visit (or NOT visit) the brothels as a choice. So, we hear “leave them alone” on one side and “get them out of Nye County” on the other side.
There is talk that signing the petition will deprive “working girls” of a livelihood and destroy the county funds provided for our veterans. I’ve listened to all of the gloom and doom with the belittling of our residents who are circulating and/or signing the petitions.
Those who are opposed to the petitions say we don’t need the petitions because they will destroy legal prostitution in Nye County. On the other side, those pushing the petitions say we want to eliminate “human and sex trafficking” and “exploitation of women.”
Well, let me give ALL OF YOU the REAL and REST of the story. Our nation was built on the FACT that we have the right to decide most issues for ourselves. That came with the right to vote our conscience. So, why is this issue any different?
How many of you voted to allow brothels in Nevada that include Nye County? How many of you would like the opportunity to vote to either keep the brothels or vote to send them packing? Is it fair to voice your right to your opinion while depriving others of the right to their opinion? Is that the American way?
It really seems strange to me that some people who preach CHOICE are very comfortable with denying others their RIGHT to choose by voting YEA or NAY on brothels.
BOTTOM LINE: The simple FACT remains that IF the required signatures are received for the petitions, the ONLY result is that the item will be placed on the November Ballot and EVERYONE that is registered to vote in Nye County will have the opportunity to vote their conscience during the general election. The results by the voters of the November referendum will make the determination if changes are to occur.
Getting an ULCER now (in May 2018) will NOT change anything. Just listen, read, and research by doing your homework so you can make an informed decision. STOP demonizing our residents, regardless of their opinion on this issue.
MY OPINION: Signing the petition says to me that EVERYONE has a right to their opinion and the RIGHT TO VOTE. You have the RIGHT to agree or disagree with MY opinion and that is YOUR opinion.
I have friends on BOTH sides of this issue and I encourage signing the petition to place it ON the November ballot so EVERYONE has an opportunity to demonstrate their constitutional RIGHT and vote. And, finally, let’s remember that the final vote (if it gets that far), will determine “the will of the people.”
Dr. Tom Waters
The mystery of the BLM explained
Stephen Sanzari asked a very good question in Wednesday’s paper; “Can anyone really explain how the BLM works?” Since Mr. Sanzari called me out by name I will try to explain.
The last time a Resource Management Plan (RMP) was done by the BLM it was 1999. Since then we have had two false starts and now, finally because of the new administration, we may get one by the end of this year or first of next year. Every time a new administration comes in, and there is a party change, there is a changing of the guard. (RMP is where they decide what lands can be sold or used for trails or…)
The last hold-up was during the previous administration, during which the Southern District of the BLM was trying to control the water in this basin, which we fought, and caused them to delay until we got a more local government-friendly approach from the Trump people.
The difference between Spring Mountain Motor Sports and the county, quite frankly, is cash. While we wait for these properties to be given to us for public purposes, they paid to have the property appraised and paid more to fast-track it. After they laid out at least $250,000 they were then allowed to bid on it, and that was in an open market. (Yes, they could have been out-bid and all the money they paid up front would have been lost to them, but that is just one of many differences between businesses and government.)
There is not enough room in a small article like this to explain ALL of the inner workings of the BLM but having been liaison to the Southern District office for the past five-plus years, I do have an understanding of how to move the process, without spending millions of our dollars doing so. (There are two extremes of speed; light speed and government speed.)
I would be happy to sit down with Mr. Sanzari, and my staff, and run through it in detail if he would like, or he could contact one of the other commissioners as that is one of the things we do as elected officials.
As to his last statement, I was not born a “politician” and never wanted to be one. I was a successful landscape contractor in California for 15 years before I moved to Nevada in 1994. I have signed the front of many checks and have owned and worked in other industries before I ran for an elected office. Again, this is the only one I’ve ever held or run for. My family and I live here too.
The one thing I have learned these past seven years is that “those people” in elected office or government positions are just like everyone else. They live in our community, shop in the same stores and their children even go to school with our children. While we, you and I, may not like some of the decisions that are made, or the rules put in place by the BLM, at the end of the day “we the people” have a duty to vote for those people that will do the business of government for us so that you do not have to spend hours and hours in offices with BLM staff, public meetings and searching out the facts, while trying to get something done for our friends and neighbors.
God Bless America and God Bless our Republic. I hope we can hold onto it.
Dan Schinhofen
Some dogs in stores are pets, not service dogs
Over the past few years I have noticed a substantial increase in the number of dogs in the grocery stores. I can understand the need for a true service dog to be present. However, it is obvious to the observer that the majority of these pets are just that – pets – not service animals.
I was in Walmart last month and three medium-sized dogs were huddled together at the checkout and started barking. It echoed throughout the store. Last week we were in Walmart Subway and a couple had their small dog sitting in the seat, head on the table.
I noticed that Albertson’s has a notice posted in their entrance that non-service animals are prohibited. Hooray for Albertson’s for taking a stand! Are people so afraid of public opinion that they are afraid to implement company policy?
What happened to health standards? What has happened to old-fashioned courtesy? Surely the majority of adults can go to the grocery store or restaurants for a short time without taking their dogs. I’m just waiting for the report that someone has suffered a dog bite and the store is involved in a lawsuit.
Nora Owen
Thank you to Inspirations for excellent venue
On behalf of the Ms. Senior Nye County Pageant Executive Board, we want to express our deep appreciation to Jessica Bloom and her staff at Inspirations Senior Living for hosting this year’s crowning ceremony on May 5.
Inspirations was an excellent venue where Carol Burton, the pageant’s 2017-2018 queen, relinquished her crown to Margaret “Meg” Bazan, who will reign during 2018-2019.
Jessica and her staff made us feel welcome in their preparations, thereby providing the opportunity for us to present a delightful program of song and dance that culminated with the crowning ceremony.
Scotty Winegar, Director
Stormi Caprice, Assistant Director
Resident helping to clean up Pahrump
This is in response to recent letters to the editor concerning trash. Now, we all know there is a trash problem in here in Pahrump. There are many contributing factors causing it. Trash lines our roads, properties, and is scattered throughout our beautiful desert.
So who do we blame for all this trash? It’s always someone else’s problem and responsibility, right? Wrong! My philosophy is if you want change, then BE THE CHANGE!
Therefore, a few months ago I created a Facebook group called “Clean UP Pahrump”.
Every week I post ahead of time where we will be, map out a location, and spend one hour picking up trash, ranging from empty boxes to dirty diapers and used sanitary products. I personally find this trash not only disgusting but a public health hazard. However, I refuse to simply complain. Complaining never solved anything, it simply adds to the problem.
Unfortunately, I will be having surgery later this month and I will be out of commission until late July. However, through my recent efforts, I have met some wonderful folks who share my sentiments and want to make a positive change for our community of Pahrump. They will continue with the one-hour weekly trash pick-up initiative.
I would greatly encourage folks to join our efforts, spare one hour a week, and do something good for our community. If we all do a little we can get a lot done! Please consider joining our Facebook group and help “Clean UP Pahrump.”
Faith M. Muello
Politicians need to practice money management
My wife and I attended a presentation at the Nugget, given by the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture. Chris Brooks and I discussed solar power, battery backup, tied to determine the proper size of the system. We were then directed to the desk where the USDA would determine the size of the grant we would receive. Yeah, right. We did not qualify. Only those folks on welfare, or illegal immigrants would get grants. I kid you not, I kept that pamphlet for years, and got more bitter each time I read it. I pointed out that I paid into the system all of my working life, as money was siphoned from my paycheck each week. It would be nice to see some of that money come back to folks that worked and paid for the system, instead of giving money to those that have produced nothing for the economic wealth of this nation.
Even more offensive is the distribution of our taxes to those that hate our guts. It is impossible to offend a public servant. Solar power is so expensive, and dirty, from the time the minerals are mined until the time they have traveled the world, been modified, cooked and washed many times, then sent out to be installed. The only way to get the public to accept solar power is to subsidize the costs, and place the burden on every taxpayer. Sounds like socialism to me. It is still cheaper to generate power from diesel generators as opposed to solar power. In areas of Nevada that do not have commercial power, it is more cost-effective to use diesel, as opposed to long distribution systems (think REA), or the huge costs of solar that only produce during daylight hours.
We build plants, subsidized, to manufacture items required to produce solar power electricity. U.S. taxpayers’ monies are dropped into the plants, that never produce one item, then are sold to the Chinese for milles on the dollar. Whatever happened to Harry’s grand plan for Chinese solar cells in the Laughlin Valley, to replace the coal-fired plant that was operating, and producing inexpensive energy? It was shut down because Harry had other plans. It just never stops. Can anyone conceive of the prosperity and wealth that we would have in these United States, if our politicians practiced common-sense money management, as Trump has tried to do? The streets would be paved with gold.
Wayne P. Brotherton, Sr.