Editor:
In light of the recent fatal accident on Leonard Road in Gardnerville, I must bring to light the dangers we live with everyday living on this street. This car accident is just one of four in the past year, that I know of. My neighbors have had fences taken out, garages plowed into and prize possessions destroyed.
There was even an incident of car versus human, that thankfully ended up with a broken leg and not a fatality.
I am writing because of concerns and rumors flying around our neighborhood. Although unconfirmed the rumor that concerns me the most was that teens and young people consider Leonard a competition street, to see who can take it the fastest. We need to stop this recklessness and stop it fast. Speed bumps and dips are the best solution I can think of. Can you please help to get the word out of our dire situation.
Erin Frias
Gardnerville
Editor:
A terrible accident occurred on July 2 on Kingsbury Grade and Juniper when Kathy Bluethman was thrown from her motorcycle attempting to avoid a pickup truck that had turned in front of her. This is not just a "44 year-old motorcyclist" from Gardnerville; she is a daughter, sister, wife, friend, neighbor, coach and teacher. To those of us who know and love her, she is Kathy, and to her students, she is Mrs. B.
To our knowledge, the driver of the "white pickup" has not yet come forward. If you have come forward, you have our thanks. If not, this is a heartfelt request from a friend and former neighbor of Kathy's that you please step forward. Our friend is fighting for her life. We know that accidents happen and want to believe that this was just that, a terrible accident. Your information may be helpful to law enforcement as they continue their investigation.
As we keep our own, private vigils for Kathy, if you wish to send her your personal thoughts in the form of a card or letter, please send them to:
Kathy Bluethman
c/o Minding Your Business
PO Box 114
Zephyr Cove, NV 89448
Please keep Kathy in your thoughts and prayers as she continues on her journey to recovery.
Gail Taylor
Zephyr Cove
Editor:
It was about 7 p.m. on the eve of our Independence Day and I was about done tracking the progress on the Red Sox-Yankees game over the internet. As I peered outside, I noticed one of Douglas County Sheriff's deputy returning home from work in a patrol car. I am sure the deputy has put in a long days' work. While I have watched this officer return home on certain evenings, I do not know his or her name nor the patrol car number.
What was unusual tonight was that, within a 5-minute span, this officer turned around with lights flashing and sirens blaring and headed right back out to do his or her sworn duty.
I do not know if this officer's response saved someone's life tonight or if the involvement may be newsworthy or if it was merely a response to a minor infraction. But as a worker bee myself, I know the feeling of "Aaaaahhh" that overcomes me when I arrive home to my family at the end of a hectic and stressful but honest days work.
I know this may seem like a rather minor event to certain readers, but watching this officer respond to whatever call came in just as this officer was getting home to family elicited a mix of emotions in me which also prompted me to write to you. And the emotions I felt were pride mixed with relief. Pride at the fact that we are blessed to be living in a community where our DCSO officers respond to their sworn duty even when their official shift is over. It is a relief to know that they are there when and if an emergency situation arises for me and my family or any other member of our community.
This officer was probably simply "doing his or her job," but in our current society how many times do we actually see people taking their jobs seriously and personally and doing them to the best of their ability? Unfortunately, not very frequently.
I just wanted my letter to serve as a small gesture in recognizing this officer's dedication to our community even though it did not personally impact me.
And I hope our community appreciates such dedication as well.
Thank you and God Bless.
Rajat Jain
Gardnerville
Editor:
Let me see if I can get this straight. David Nelson, candidate for commissioner for District 1, has stated repeatedly that he is a lifelong Republican. Except when he's an Independent. Or a Libertarian. Or a Democrat.
We may never be able to figure out which political affiliation of convenience he's attaching himself to at a given moment, but he has given us a clue: He has stated that he moved to District 1 solely to run for a commission seat.
What do you call a political candidate who seeks election in an area where they have no local connections? I looked it up. A carpetbagger. I suggest you look it up too.
Karl Meyer
Gardnerville
Editor:
In and around Salt Lake City bio-diesel is advertised as being less expensive than regular diesel. You can probably imagine how pleased I was to hear that a local company was offering the new mix so I tried it. In the last week the price has been raised by 20 cents a gallon so I just kept on driving to my local market where I was able to get it for 6 cents cheaper.
With a tank that holds 29 gallons I saved $1.74. If I fill my truck 100 times a year I can save, well you do the math. I didn't buy bio-diesel because I think that we are destroying the planet. I bought for economic reasons and economics will continue to be my guide in all purchases.
David Barth
Minden
Editor:
A recent letter writer was on the correct track while exposing statistically some of the uninformed belly aching about high fuel prices. Of course, it hurts to discover that our soft touch living style must now face up to cost reality while accepting the fact that there is no repeal for the law of supply and demand. Don't blame "big oil."
They are the ones who gave us cheap fuel to begin with. Of course, they deal in high income, (plus higher costs of research, and development) and it is well to hope that it stays that way because that is where your pension income is funded.
Big oil profits 81⁄2 cents per dollar of sale, and that is the equivalent of virtually all capitalist system supporting job providing enterprises.
America is the 45th cheapest in the world. Gas costs as follows in some countries: Eritrea $9.589/gallon; Norway $8.75; United Kingdom $8.38; France $8.07; Germany $7.86; and the list goes on.
If you want to point fingers, aim them at District of Corruption and those with no greater ambition in life than politics. They are not the intellectual elite, but they are outright owned by special interests, and you and I pay the price.
Vernon Latshaw
Gardnerville
Editor:
A June 25 letter to the editor blames "superenvironmentalists" for high fuel prices due to an absence of new U.S. oil production and new refineries. There is no recognition that petroleum products are global commodities and respond to market forces, business practices, investor speculation, and U.S. Federal Reserve System action.
There was an increase in U.S.-based oil wells from 1954 (511,000) to 1991 (614,000). After oil began flowing in 1977 from Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, development occurred at the North Star Field and Milne Point in Alaska, and new wells produce thick crude near Prudhoe Bay. Thousands of newer wells are in locations such as Wyoming and where closed well sites are re-exploited as prices increase.
Since the Garyville, La., refinery opened in 1976, only one permit for new construction was submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency to 2000. However, capacity expanded at existing refineries equivalent to one medium-sized refinery per year. It came from plant expansion (e.g., Garyville, Norco, La., and Port Arthur, Texas) and from improvements in efficiency. Production capacity remained although businesses reduced the number of U.S. refineries from 300 in 1981 to about 150 today.
Expansion and increased efficiency trumped new building because these alternatives cost 30 percent to 50 percent of new plants. Risk is inherent in new multi-billion dollar facilities because oil prices are unpredictable and demand for refined products is cyclical and seasonal, making earnings and profits unpredictable. Per Chevron/Texaco's vice president for global refining, the market is disciplined to not overbuild capacity.
A market force contributing to current crude and fuel prices is international demand for petroleum that increased more rapidly than supply, resulting in a tightened market wherein psychology influences prices, unlike excess global supply in the 1980s and 1990s. A second force is the impact of the Federal Reserve System. Since August 2007 the Fed made multiple federal funds interest rate reductions. This put selling pressure on the U.S. dollar, the currency against which oil prices are based. Per barrel prices of $70-$80 last summer escalated as the value of the dollar dropped. Simply stated, more dollars are needed to purchase the same barrel of oil.
A third factor is the credit meltdown associated with the housing market, heavily invested in by financial institutions and hedge funds. Since last September fund managers and speculators (financial houses, pension funds, college foundations, individuals, etc.) have tried to improve their financial positions by buying and holding commodities such as oil. From $45 to $55 of today's $140 per barrel price is speculation on futures prices, say oil analysts and consultants such as Peter Beutel and Stephen Schork.
Schork believes that the current oil "bubble" will burst, as occurred in the 1980s and 1990s, believing that per barrel prices eventually will fall below $100. Presumptions include that there will be no natural disasters or international crises. Neither Saudi Arabia's increase in production of 200,000 barrels this month, planned new refineries outside Phoenix, Ariz., and Elk Point, S.D., nor Arctic National Wildlife Reserve reserves (easily marketable internationally) are sufficient to depress petroleum prices determined by market and other forces. Oil shale in the 1970s was stated as feasible at $20 per barrel, but still is not, and needs mass quantities of energy and water. Positive impacts on energy costs in the U.S. can materialize from decisions to pursue alternative energy, automobile efficiencies anywhere near those in European countries, Japan and China, conservation measures, and the will of elected officials.
Bill Hamilton
Minden
