Letters to the editor of the Pahrump Valley Times

Anticipating tragedy in our schools

A story in the PVT from Friday, June 1st, continues to reveal the incompetence of local government.

As usual, the budget is always a challenging issue. I find it appalling in this day and age that a board of commissioners would decline funding for School Resource Officers in the wake of school shootings around the country, led by Commissioner Donna Cox, who took issue with approving the funding due to the cost and the liability involved with having county-employed officers on campus. “I don’t see why we should take on somebody else’s responsibility,” Mrs. Cox declared.

True to form, the other commissioners folded and eliminated the two positions from the budget. So who is responsible for the protection of children while they are in school? The sheriff’s office, who by their own admission, is 40-plus positions down? The local school board? Where is that in their budget?

So the issue really becomes, what is the life of a child worth? I continue to say this is not a gun issue, there is a mental health issue and a breakdown of values in society. But this is compounded by concerns over costs and liability. That is all our elected officials, who allegedly represent us, care about.

Disgraceful isn’t it? This story has come out in the midst of early voting. Maybe it should have been printed earlier so the voters could have read about this, surely it would have changed some people’s minds, maybe they all should go. If you have not voted, vote wisely.

Tom Mazzola

Editor lambasted for political ad

How in good conscience can you publish such an appallingly disgusting political ad on today’s front page? I can only determine that “Money Talks Loudly” to your paper. When I heard you were our new editor and read of your qualifications I was hopeful we would have a true journalist. Today I know I was wrong.

I am a person who rarely writes comments, but I can no longer take or tolerate the meanness perpetuated in the name of “Free Speech.”

The power of the press should not be used to spread disunity in such a way, but report fair and unbiased especially when it is the only newspaper in a community. This may sometimes require decisions to consider if the dollars are worth the compromise.

Frances V. Rust

Editor’s note: The editors and reporters of the Pahrump Valley Times have no role in advertising issues or content.

A big Art and Sol thank you

I would like to acknowledge and thank the PAC Art and Sol committee who dedicatedly met with me months in advance to plan this event. The artists and volunteers greatly contributed to the success of this event.

First of all I would like to acknowledge our past president Loretta Lindell, who actually founded Art and Sol many years ago. She has been the primary PAC grant writer for many years and has successfully secured funding for PAC’s many cultural events and productions. She was of tremendous help and an invaluable consultant to our committee.

I would also like to thank Cheryl Tocco, the Calvada Booth Site Coordinator, along with assistant Sherry Princen. Thanks to the volunteers who manned the PAC booth, including Lillian LaRue, Karen and Ernie Fuller and Gary and Brenda Kostick, as well as PAC visual artist curator Geniel White, who was instrumental in the flyer, letterhead and computer graphics for our committee.

Other committee members who worked on leads, referrals, signage and PR were artists Bruce Horvath, Julia Elwell and Richman Tidewell, who tirelessly assisted in unloading, erecting PAC canopies and distributing parking signs at the Calvada Eye.

Special thanks also to artist Jess Deverse, who assisted Cheryl, her husband Tony Tocco, myself and Sherry in laying down numbered stakes the night before the event.

I would also like to thank my husband Deric D. Melton for PAC loading, unloading, canopy erection, as well as building the Art and Sol signs.

Special thanks to our PAC President Wayne Walker for presiding as master of ceremonies and organizing the line-up of performers, which included the High Desert Chorale, with president Ginger Forbes, Desert Squares dancers with caller Wayne Walker, pianist/vocalist Fred Boatright, hip-hop group Monique Rodriguez and companion.

Esperansa Luna

PAC Vice President and Art and Sol

event coordinator

Thanks to citizens for magazine donations

I wanted to say thank you to the citizens of Pahrump who are making our magazine delivery to the ill and shut-in a success. I collected over 100 magazines in May from generous donations.

If you drop them off at the library front desk, rest assured I will receive them. You do not have to cut out your name and address, as I put a Friend of the Library sticker on top of your confidential information.

I am sure that the patients and residents of Pahrump Valley Health and Rehab, Desert View Hospital, Honey Bee and Inspirations are grateful!

Helene Campton, former secretary

Friends of the Library

Shootings mostly due to anti-depressants

It seems to me that most, if not all, of these shooters have been on anti-depressant drugs prescribed by doctors. Readers can go to www.psychdrugshooters.com to see research of this problem. Also, a Danish researcher, Doctor Gotzsche, has reviewed many trials and records and found evidence these drugs actually cause violent behavior when used over a period of time.

However, you do not see any mention of this in the news – why? Could it be that certain groups don’t want these facts to be presented? Maybe the NRA and other pro-gun organizations can get this info out for the public to see.

Henry Hurlbutt

Nevada drivers enhance revenue with tickets

Here we go again. “Click it or Ticket” violations are being/been issued as a “primary violation”.

I don’t care what your (NHP) sympathies are, but that is a misdemeanor crime of its own. We (taxpayers) have suffered all manner of false arrests, false testimony in Senate hearings, legislative encouragement to offer outright lies to Senate Transportation Committee, because certain folks don’t like the secondary classification designation of the seat belt law.

It would be encouraging to see the public sector operate within the lawful confines of our Nevada Revised Statutes. The average ‘Joe Slob Citizen’ is required to obey the NRS, or face ever-increasing costs, by many names, to fund the justice court system. At one time the alleged violation caused a fine. After a few years of the “55” the courts came up with ever-increasing “revenue enhancers”, to maintain “revenue neutrality”, so sayeth Sen. William O’Donnell, May 1995.

A complete copy of the Transportation Committee Meeting of May 1995, is available in the archives of the LCB. It offers a true insight into the efforts government will go to deceive the citizens of Nevada. Tiresome. Just like an insidious cancer, the “fees” keep increasing in number and costs. Any monies paid to the government, regardless of name or description, are taxes. The next session of the Legislature we will face a “primary seat belt law,” and the “camera violations.”

Wayne P. Brotherton, Sr.

Just live and let live in Pahrump

Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift, the present. Use it wisely!

I know I’m going to get a lot of flack from these statements, however, you came to our state because you don’t like the rules of your own state. But then you want to add your rules from back home to our town.

If you don’t like our rules, don’t try to change us, just go back to your own state. We have been here over 30 years and this town has always been a live and let live, small quiet little town, but it isn’t that way anymore. So if you’re not happy with our rules and regulations, go back to where you came from.

Robert Katick

Price of medical pot unrealistically high

I read the recent article on the profitability of our legal marijuana crops and industry. It infuriated me as once again, we the “little people” are snookered by “Big Industry.”

Last January I began purchasing the beneficial CBD oil that does not produce any mind-altering effects. It helped me with medical symptoms. I then tried a combination of CBD oil and THC in a chocolate bar format taken at bedtime. The effect was helpful and I never felt “high” or out of control.

So why am I furious? Because these wonderful items are priced so ridiculously high (no pun intended) that only the rather rich or rather desperate can afford them on a regular basis.

A tiny bottle of the CBD oil, taken as directed, might last one week, maybe two. Whether at a vape shop or the dispensary, I was averaging $67 a bottle, up to $175. The chocolate bar was over $37 for a bar the size of a Hersey’s bar from a store.

Really? All this profit from a weed? Shame, shame on the government and industry that denies the health-rich benefits of this controversial weed to the general public. I have chosen to vote with my purse and no longer contribute to the insane profits of these greedy culprits.

Patty Vinikow

No emergency pet care in Pahrump

I have a question for pet owners in town. If your beloved pet became sick or was injured during regular business hours, what would you do? Let me guess, you would call your regular veterinarian, or if you do not have one, then look online or in the phone book to locate one. There are only four vet clinics in town and if all clinics were booked and had no time available for an emergency, then what? You would be told “drive to Vegas.”

This recently happened to me and we had to drive to Vegas with a very sick cat who ended up passing away. Not everyone is able to drive to Vegas and/or afford Vegas vet clinic charges. We were very lucky to see a vet there who ended up not charging us anything for their services. But that is not the point of this letter.

I firmly believe there can be a solution to this very serious issue if the veterinarian clinics work together. No, I am not talking about 24-hour emergency vet care in town because I know that won’t happen.

But instead, one solution may be each clinic setting aside some time in their schedules for only emergencies during the week. I am sure that all the appointments in the schedules are not life-threatening situations needing to be seen that day, but instead are routine pet care appointments.

Please understand that I know there have to be some urgent appointments on a daily basis. But there has to be a solution, as the pet population will increase with more people moving here. If money is the primary issue for the veterinarians, then maybe that should be thought about.

Better community relations would be one result as I have heard many horror stories from pet owners wanting a change. Let’s work on this issue as our pets are family.

Virginia Watson

Why is Trump acting like he is guilty?

There is a line from Shakespeare, “Me thinks thou protests too much,” suggesting that an innocent person doesn’t continuously deny allegations. If Trump were innocent he would likely say, “I have nothing to hide. You are welcome to inspect my tax records, my bank accounts, my corporate business records, my cell phone records, also interview my family business members, and I have instructed my attorney to cooperate with you.” Regrettably, Trump didn’t do any of the aforementioned.

Instead, he has obstructed justice by asking former FBI director Comey to go easy on Mike Flynn, who has subsequently pleaded guilty and has agreed to cooperate with the prosecution. He fired Comey after Comey refused to be a rubber stamp for Trump. Trump asked his own attorney general, Jeff Sessions, to resign after Sessions recused himself “from all matters relating to Russia.” This move by Sessions has made it highly unlikely that he will interfere or replace Rosenstein, the acting AG in the Mueller investigation. I believe, without proof, that Mueller has agreed to hold Sessions harmless, providing that Sessions cooperate with the investigation.

Furthermore, an innocent person would not continuously try to sidetrack the investigation by referring to it as a “witch hunt.” An innocent person would not falsely accuse President Obama, without any evidence whatsoever, of bugging the Trump Tower.

Finally, Trump’s latest lie is that the FBI planted a spy inside his presidential campaign. He doesn’t have one shred of evidence to support this lie. So ridiculous, that even Trey Gowdy, a Republican lawyer congressman from South Carolina, labeled the charge “baseless.” He further commented, “If Trump isn’t guilty, why is he acting like it?”

Let’s compare honest President Carter to Trump. When the Republicans accused President Carter of cheating on his income taxes, he welcomed a full investigation into his peanut farming business in Georgia. Accordingly, Carter was fully investigated without one single charge of dishonesty labeled against him.

As one great American, William Cullen Bryant, who lived through the American Revolution, said, “Truth, though crushed to the earth, will rise again.”

Jim Ferrell