Letters to the editor for Sunday, Sept. 3, 2017

Traffic flow improves following completion of freeway

It is certainly a nice surprise when city government responds in a positive manner to questions from the residents.

Last December I sent a question regarding the excessive waiting times for traffic controlled intersections on streets that crossed Carson Street and Fairview Drive to the Carson City Public Works Department. I received a phone call from one of the traffic engineers who explained why the waits were so long.

Due to the large amount of traffic that was using Carson Street and Fairview Drive to access the completed portion of the freeway bypass, it was necessary to give them preference. The engineer also explained that once the bypass was completed, the times on traffic signal controlled cross streets would be adjusted.

I am happy to report that Public Works followed up on their promise and the signal lights are much more equitable in moving traffic through intersections.

I just wanted to give kudos and thanks for those Carson City employees who made the changes and kept their word.

David Knighton

Carson City

Solution for managing leg and feet cramps

I have read many articles in magazines and newspapers on cramps of legs and feet — most recently in the Nevada Appeal on Aug. 26 in the “Ask the Doctors” column.

All of the articles’ writers tell their theories of why it happens, but none of them tell folks how to deal with the awful cramps immediately and effectively!

Here’s what I do: Go to the bathtub and let warm water run on the cramp area until the cramp is gone. It works 100 percent of the time and makes cramping manageable. And mine do not return after the original episode.

Try it; you will like it!

Nancy Laird

Washoe Valley

Term limits could quell government’s superfluous spending

I can’t stand the improvident, reckless spending! The President does not need to fly over Texas. Local, state and federal agencies, including military flights, can give him better information on disasters than a fly-over. The cost for presidential flights is enormous, and those funds should be used for restoration. The gas consumed by Air Force One would fuel rescue vehicles for days or weeks. The deployment of security for presidential trips uses assets that should be for rescue and peace-keeping operations and not hindering safety workers. Ask the victims.

Bush was correct to stay out of the way, and Obama, Trump and Chris Christie wrong about cost versus appearances. Elected officials are all on the public dole, most becoming wealthier than they’d be in the private sector, and they don’t give a hoot how much of our tax dollars they spend on appearances. Stop the wasteful use of tax dollars.

It’s time we had term limits for everyone, one extended term per elected official of no more than, say, six years, then go home and try making it in competition with the rest of us. We’d be happier paying taxes for rescue, and restoration, and maintenance and construction of infrastructure, than to provide the high-life for government officials, elected or on the payroll. Those serving elected office should get no pensions except by their own investments as anyone else would earn via savings, IRAs, Social Security, etc. If terms were rotated every couple of years, we’d benefit from government by experienced, veteran public servants as well as those with new thoughts and solutions at all times.

Judy Jacobs

Topaz