Oct. 2, 2024, Letters to the Editor

Why I’m running

Editor:

A diverse legal background is key for a successful Justice of the Peace to maintain impartiality and integrity in the judiciary.  I have decades of experience practicing criminal and civil law in this area, serving both as a defense attorney and a criminal prosecutor.  Knowing how to analyze cases from the perspective of a prosecutor and a defense attorney is essential for a judge to serve with fairness to all parties before the court.

Over the several years that I served as a Deputy District Attorney in Douglas County I prosecuted cases on behalf of victims of elder exploitation, burglary, violent crime, among other cases.  I recall one particularly challenging case that involved an elderly man suffering from memory loss who was financially exploited by his neighbors.  The neighbors convinced the victim to drain his bank account and sell his home.  The proceeds from the bank account and home sale were spent in a manner inconsistent with the victim’s welfare and his frugal spending habits. 

Despite the prosecutorial difficulty presented by the victim’s memory loss, I worked with a forensic accountant and other witnesses to establish the elements of the felony crime of elder exploitation.  The perpetrators were charged, entered guilty pleas, and sentenced to serve time in prison.  It was an honor to prosecute this case on behalf of the elderly victim who would otherwise be unable to seek or obtain justice. It was also indispensable that the judge hearing the case thoroughly understood the law.

As a defense attorney in our local area, I also worked to ensure that defendants had an appropriate defense and that constitutional rights were protected.

Experiences like these are what shaped me into the person I am today, and why I want to serve as Justice of the Peace.  I have a heart for justice, love the law, love Douglas County and the people in it.  When elected, my top priorities will include: keeping the community safe by holding offenders accountable; protecting the constitutional rights of all the parties before the court, whether plaintiff or defendant; guarding the constitutional rights of victims to participate in the court process and ensure their voices are heard; and, of course, serving with fairness and impartiality.

Knowledge of the law and decades of diverse legal experience serving the hardworking people of Douglas County as a licensed attorney are what set me apart from my opponent.  It would be an honor to serve as your East Fork Township Justice of the Peace, and I ask for your vote.

Laurie Trotter

Genoa

Schemenauer for

Justice of the Peace

Editor:

I am writing to express my enthusiastic support for Jeff Schemenauer as the next East Fork Justice of the Peace for Douglas County. I’ve known Jeff and his family for years, starting when he and his wife Cindy brought their daughter to the Christian School where I worked. I had the pleasure of teaching her in her elementary years and watching her grow into a thoughtful, kind, and responsible young adult. Jeff and Cindy’s dedication to raising such a wonderful daughter, who now contributes to Douglas County, speaks volumes about their family values. Being a parent is one of the hardest jobs, and Jeff’s success as a father reflects his ability to handle responsibility—qualities essential for our next Justice of the Peace.

In addition to being a committed parent, Jeff brings unmatched qualifications to the role. He embodies the values of law, order, fairness, and community dedication. With 25 years of service to Douglas County and nearly 30 years in law enforcement, Jeff has extensive experience that sets him apart. As a military veteran, Jeff has also served our country honorably, earning numerous awards including the National Defense and Good Conduct Medals.

His professional experience is equally impressive. Jeff spent his last two years at the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office working closely with the courts, observing judicial proceedings, and learning the intricacies of court operations.

Jeff has a well-rounded understanding of both sides of the judicial process. His 10 years as a detective further deepen his knowledge of court procedures, evidence gathering, and case preparation—skills directly relevant to being a judge.

Jeff has lived, worked, and protected Douglas County for over 25 years. His unique qualifications include being one of only 28 FBI Certified Bomb Technicians in Nevada, a role that highlights his ability to remain calm under pressure and make critical decisions in high-stress situations. These skills are vital in the courtroom.

While working full-time and raising a family, Jeff earned his degrees, including a Juris Doctor of Law and a master’s in management and leadership. His pursuit of education wasn’t to become an attorney, but to be a better leader and officer. His sacrifice and commitment are clear, and he’s ready to continue serving Douglas County as your next Justice of the Peace.

For these reasons, I support Jeff Schemenauer for East Fork Justice of the Peace. His commonsense approach, lifetime of service to country and community, and unique qualifications make him the best choice to ensure justice for everyone in Douglas County.

Christy Roney

Gardnerville

Title IX expands definition of sex

Editor:

To the woman who thought it was appropriate behavior to come across the parking lot at Trader Joes and verbally abuse me regarding protecting girls’ sports, while I quietly loaded groceries into my car, here are the facts:

Biden’s new Title IX executive order guts protections for women and girls’ sports.

One of the major problems with the new proposed executive order would expand the definition of “sex” to include “gender identity.” What does this mean to schoolgirls and young women? It means that any K-12 school, college, or university receiving direct or indirect federal funding would have to open its bathrooms, locker rooms, and sports.

The Biden administration’s radical Title IX rule removes the protections and equal opportunity women have fought for decades to secure. The rule would allow biological males to compete in women’s athletics, making women second-class citizens in their own sports.

This information is available on the ‘Committee on Education & The Workforce’ website.

The Supreme Court has placed Title IX on hold until after the November 2024 election.

Anger and hate are not becoming on anyone. It does not make the world a better place.

Did this behavior benefit the woman’s candidate of choice?

My parents raised me to be kind and respectful of others.

Antoinette Casselberry

Gardnerville Ranchos

The price of prioritizing national politics

Editor:

In an unprecedented move during the 2022 election, the Douglas County Republican Central Committee endorsed three candidates (Burns, Jansen and Dickerson) for the Douglas County School Board, which are nonpartisan positions.

The DCRCC support was predicated on the national agenda of liberal ideology in education (i.e. wokeism, indoctrination etc.) which has never existed in the Douglas County School system.

While the DCRCC was successful in their efforts to get Burns, Dickerson and Jansen elected, the fallout has been a total disaster.

Board meetings are unprofessional and disruptive, while the legal fees mount ($400k plus) despite poor legal representation. In retrospect, hiring legal counsel with no background in education law was foolhardy and reflects poorly on the judgement of the new trustees.

Additionally, with the help of Doug Englekirk, the new trustees conspired and successfully terminated the employment of the Superintendent who was one of the best in the State. Other senior leadership employees have resigned, and lawsuits have become the order of the day.

In this current election, the DCRCC has not learned its lesson, and is again supporting and endorsing candidates that will provide a majority, controlling interest on the Board. This will only accelerate the downward spiral of the school districts leadership.

Simply put, again the DCRCC has prioritized national politics over the good of our local students by failing to identify talented, qualified, capable individuals to support and lead our school district. Their endorsement of Englekirk and Casselberry will only promote more acrimony, ill will, financial disaster, and troubled times.

Join me in voting for Melinda Gneiting and Erinn Miller, both well qualified conservative Republicans.

David J Brady

Minden

Voting for Gneiting and Miller

Editor:

My name is Ross Chichester, and I am a fourth-generation resident of Carson Valley.

I am so concerned about the Douglas County School Board race that I am writing my first-ever Letter to the Editor to urge you to vote for Melinda Gneiting and Erinn Miller.

I was privileged to serve on the school board for 12 years, and I know how the trustees should function. The term “trustee” means you are putting your “trust” in the people you elect to do what is right in education, and to maintain fiscal responsibility.

As a lifelong Republican and conservative, I am deeply concerned about the out-of-control spending by the board majority of Burns, Jansen, Englekirk and Dickerson.

They ran up expenditures of more than $400,000 by hiring criminal defense attorney Joey Gilbert when Mr. Gilbert was open about his lack of experience in education law. They are paying Gilbert (and his associates) to say what they want to hear, and the results have been disastrous: open meeting law violations; a drawn-out (expensive) court case to turn over public documents; and the exodus of top school district administrators and experienced teachers.

They use scare tactics and misinformation about issues that are not in our schools to take advantage of people’s inclination to believe what they hear rather than do their own research.

This majority has cut public comment from the traditional 3 minutes to 90 seconds per speaker.

They are rude to those who disagree with them.

Doug Englekirk, who has served a term on the board, has publicly admitted that he is too busy to do the work that is required of a trustee. Why would we return him to the board for four more years of underrepresentation and excuses?

By electing Gneiting and Miller to the board, we can return the operation of the schools to trustees who put the needs of children first and foremost instead of personal political agendas.

Both candidates have children in the Douglas County schools and have served countless hours as parent volunteers and youth coaches. They have first-hand experience about what is truly happening in the classroom.

As a school board trustee for three terms, I didn’t always get my way. We had disagreements and heated arguments, but we tried to keep open minds and put the needs of the children first.

And we respected each other.

I also served on the Minden Town Board for 28 years and worked for the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office for 41 years. Public service is important to me. What I’ve witnessed from the school board since the majority was elected in 2022 is not who we are.Let’s reverse the trend by electing Melinda Gneiting and Erinn Miller, and get back to the community we love and serve.

Ross Chichester

Minden

I’m here for the kids

Editor:

Whenever anyone asks me why I love serving on the Douglas County School Board, the answer is easy: the kids.

My husband Billy and I moved here 32 years ago with our two little boys, Matthew and Jonathan. I remember the first PTO meeting I attended, my children’s devoted teachers, and the other parents with whom I volunteered at their schools.

I ran for the school board because I wanted to ensure that all children had the remarkable education and opportunities that my boys did.

I will be leaving the board in December after the privilege of serving for eight years.

I encourage you to join me in voting for Melinda Gneiting and Erinn Miller to serve on the board.

Until the current board majority of Jansen, Dickerson, Englekirk and Burns took over in 2023, our trustees had a common goal.

We didn’t always see eye to eye, but we never lost sight that our priority was the good of our students, staff and taxpayers.

That vision has dimmed in the last two years.

With a 4-3 majority on the board, these four seem determined to remove the “public” from public education.

Hundreds of thousands of dollars have been paid to attorney Joey Gilbert who admitted at his hiring by the current majority that as a criminal defense lawyer he didn’t have experience in education law.

It’s been an expensive lesson for taxpayers who are left footing the bill for court cases, and legal fees to cover open meeting law violations, public records requests, and fruitless investigations of perceived wrongdoing by previous administrators.

It was my hope after the 2022 election that I would be able to work with the new board members. But they set the tone of disrespect and outsized authority from the beginning.

They fired our veteran school district counsel and got rid of Supt. Keith Lewis who had 28 years with the district.

The board majority is attempting to bring a national agenda to Douglas County that has no place in our local school district. Students and staff have suffered from the majority’s incompetence, waste of taxpayer dollars, and the exodus of top administrators, teachers and staff.

Despite the negative tone set by the board majority, our devoted teachers, administrators and staff have worked wonders. As a trustee, I have heard countless stories and witnessed profound acts of kindness by our employees in every department on behalf of our students and their families.

But now, they need your help.

By electing Gneiting and Miller to the board, we can steer the district back on course. Both candidates are parents of children in Douglas County schools and will bring an awareness of the experience of our students and staff that the current majority lacks.

As trustees, Gneiting and Miller will restore common sense to the board, open up communication, and serve their constituents with respect and transparency.

Their election will secure the Douglas County School District’s traditional place of educational excellence in Nevada.

Linda Gilkerson

Gardnerville

End abortion or face God’s wrath

Editor:

Our United States of America is in grave danger from God our savior if we don’t end abortions.

God got extremely mad at the market place the USA is a marketplace. Vengeance is the Lord’s. Do you believe God is going to be merciful.

Orson Welles set an example on a radio show. He said the country was being invaded by aliens and the people then panicked. Cars packed the highways trying to run.

Can you imagine if alien rockets began to plunge into US land. Remember the COVID panic, the shelves were empty.

Thomas Kephardt

Antelope Valley

Leave the dog at home

Editor:

I would like to first thank Becky Rasell for her letter regarding dogs at Candy Dance.  It is definitely not the appropriate setting for pets. I would also like to expand that to point out that all of the parks in Minden and Gardnerville have very large signs at each entrance that state there are no dogs allowed. 

Every concert in Minden and every event at Heritage attract a lot of people and too many people bring their dogs. 

Many times a small child is responsible and can hardly control them even on a leash. 

Many older folks can easily be knocked down by excited and uncontrolled dogs.  I would like to see the parks department enforce their own policy and would also like people to leave their dogs at home.  We all love our pets but sometimes it’s best to let them be happy at home.

Kathi Hussman

Gardnerville