Editor:
Thank you to all the people in this community that supported me for county commissioner. It was an honor to run in the community that I grew up in and a privilege to have the opportunity to be involved.
It takes a number of people to run a campaign and everyone that gave their time to help me, from putting up yard signs, to making phone calls, I truly appreciate every aspect of your effort. To mention names would entail forgetting another, but I cannot thank everyone enough for believing in a 24 years old.
While losing is not enjoyable, I take this loss as a building block and realize that many of America's greatest leaders lost a number of elections before being victorious. I will stay involved and do all I can to be a positive, active member of this community.
I would also like to congratulate Greg, Mike and Doug for their wins. It was not an easy battle, but anything that is worth doing is usually never very easy.
Our friends and neighbors, most younger than I, have volunteered to risk their lives to defend our freedoms - Please vote.
Blaine Spires
Gardnerville
Editor:
What a shock to find out that as an independent I was not allowed to vote for our future commissioners in Carson Valley. Even though they represent everyone, it is considered a partisan office. Only Republicans could vote, as most potential commissioners were running as Republicans. I'm told that it would take a petition sent to the state assembly to change this. Doesn't sound very democratic to me.
And speaking of idiotic rules, what were the Democrats thinking when they allowed Republicans to reregister at the last moment in order to attend their caucuses? Did they really think they were going to vote for the person most likely to defeat the Republican candidate?
Barbara Flanagan
Gardnerville
Editor:
What was wrong with Carson Valley's economy when it was primarily dependent upon ranching, agriculture and the influx of retirees? Absolutely nothing! Then why have our local politicians shifted their emphasis toward attracting manufacturing facilities to Douglas County? With our remote location with respect to metropolitan areas and the soaring costs of interstate transportation, the chance of attracting any sizable industries to Douglas County is almost nil. Even a few of the companies that are already located here are curtailing their operations.
In addition to a relatively low crime rate and a great view, seniors and retirees want a venue where they will be able to congregate with their peers and have enjoyable activities available in which they can participate. But especially, seniors want to be treated with dignity and respect. They don't want to pay most of the county taxes and then see this county income squandered on commercial real estate developments by the county government.
Our surrounding counties with the same crime rates and views of the mountains are actively pursuing seniors and retirees to become residents in their counties unlike Douglas County where we do everything to chase seniors away. As our national economy begins to recover it is going to be difficult for Douglas County to compete with our neighboring counties. I just can't understand why the chamber of commerce, builders association and local service clubs don't realize that Douglas County's economy is significantly dependent upon seniors and retirees. The seniors are out there. Let's entice them to come to Douglas County and occupy some of our vacant housing.
Paul Lockwood
Minden
Editor:
Recently, we had the opportunity to move a senior family member into an independent living apartment near our home in Minden.
We wanted to employ a local business and we gave a call to Carson Valley Movers.
From the first call throughout the moving process the experience was totally top notch, professionally handled and personally pleasant.
We were lucky to have the help of Barry, Miki and Perry and could not have been more pleased. It was wonderful to have the great service from start to finish. A job well done.
Jim and Kris Nelson
Minden
Editor:
The Douglas High School volleyball program wants to thank the community for their overwhelming support of Mud Fest 2008. We couldn't have done it with out the donations and generosity of the following businesses and citizens:
Alton Anker, Angel Dey Graphics, A Sign Shop, Building Concepts, Bill from Byres Construction, the Carson Valley Chukar Club, Centerfield Bar & Grill, Curtis & Sons, Douglas County Parks & Recreation, Jeff Lawrence, Johnson Lane Volunteer Fire Department, JT Basque Bar & Dining Room, Kevin Clifford Photography, Home Depot, Zack from Impact, John Tobias, Meeks Lumber & Hardware, Ruhenstroth Volunteer Fire Department, Tachikara and Paul from United Rentals.
Thanks also to the teams who competed, all our volunteers and the spectators who enjoyed the day with us. We hope to see you all next year.
Mud Fest 2008 Committee
Douglas High School Volleyball
Editor:
A critic of my position on global warming has cited the support of Drs. James Hansen and Paul Ehrlich for Gore's theory. Dr. Hansen is a known recipient of significant money from a foundation funded by Theresa Heinz, an avowed liberal. This little known fact serves to undermine his credibility. You are probably unaware of this relationship because the mainstream media supports the global warming hoax and provides cover.
It would be edifying to check undoctored worldwide climate statistics from Hadley (the climatology mecca in GB). The fact, "2007 was the coldest year on record since 1966." The warmest years in the last century were in the 1930s with 1934 being the warmest of all. I would be willing to bet you haven't heard that. You have been sold socialistic science not scientific fact. The social progressives are betting you won't check the facts. Please check. Facts are enemies to liberals. In 1975 a similar lot were predicting the coming "ice age" (check Time Magazine revelation same year).
Paul Ehrlich was a classmate of mine at Columbia High School, he then went on to the University of Pennsylvania. He rode Malthusian Theory to career heights with "The Population Bomb," etc. He has been wrong on every prediction he ever made so he is a liberal icon at Stanford. In this instance he agrees with Hansen and predictably he is wrong again. Julian Simon, his nemesis, was from Millburn High School in a neighboring town. Through the years they made public wagers. Ehrlich lost all of them. It remains your choice to believe whom you will. At some point you may consider that you have been misled as so many of our brighter people have been.
As one would presume, both Barack and Hillary support "Manmade Global Warming" because the ruse is justification for increased, unwarranted and suffocating government power. Surprised?
Dick Witzig
Gardnerville
EDITOR
OK, John McCain is my man. He is a true American who loves his country. His wife is presidential material also. The July 29 town hall meeting was terrific. About 800 or so local Nevada folks attended in the Sparks High School gym. A music stand and a microphone served as center stage with metal folding chairs surrounding the stage and risers behind. It was a close and personal meeting, the kind that gets a guy in the spirit and the mood to get Sen. McCain elected come November.
His attractive wife Cindy took the mike and did the "warm-up" showing she too is a true American with extensive world travel experience and ability to lead and get things done. But her husband is the guy.
He spoke for half an hour and took questions for the other half.
The audience was attentive and respectful and his answers to their questions showed real concern and a great willingness to continue serving his country as he has throughout his life.
His answers to questions showed a deep understanding of our country's problems. No "Hollywood" in this man. He said he likes these smaller town hall meetings because he listens and learns from neighborhood forums.
When Sen. McCain asked the former military people in the audience to raise their hands and be recognized, he rotated around the room acknowledging all. And when he got to the last guy who had to stand up in order to see the stage over a portion of a suspended American flag, he gave him a nod and a thumbs up causing a small group seated around the guy to look at him and applaud. What a terrific moment. The guy was a former Marine platoon sergeant whose reserve unit during Viet Nam war days was never activated, which allowed him to attend Tuesday's meeting 40 years later.
I am that platoon sergeant proud to serve my country many years ago and I will never forget that moment of eye contact with a true hero, Sen. John McCain.
Yes sir. It was a great day.
Sgt. Robert L. Blakely, USMCR
Genoa
Editor:
With Howard Dean reminding us that the Democratic Party is the party of the "people," I find it ironic that they don't trust the "people" in their party to pick the partys' nominee. Hence, the "superdelegate." In all, 2,117 delegates are needed to receive the nomination.
There are 823.5 superdelegates representing roughly 20 percent of the total 4,233 delegates. Thirty-five million voters went to the polls to vote for the presidential nominee, so doing the math, each superdelegate vote is worth more than 10,000 regular "people" votes. Now this is democracy in action. Whatever happened to one person, one vote? Isn't that what democracy is all about?
By the way, you should have heard my "sigh of relief" when I heard Obama say that he would ask his wife and grandmother for advice on important issues while he is in the White House. I can hear him now; "Grandma, what do you think I ought to do about Russia?"
Dan Paterson
Gardnerville
