LETTERS: UNLV basketball coach Rice doing a better job than many think

To the editor:

To all who don’t understand college basketball, Dave Rice has done an amazing job as UNLV men’s basketball coach. Everyone coaching in the NCAA knows what an issue players’ leaving has become in college sports, with transfers up dramatically.

UNLV has lost players, too, but where are they now? Besides Anthony Bennett, the worst No. 1 pick in the history of the NBA, the rest are doing nothing. Coach Rice has done a great job with one of the youngest teams in the nation, losing many close games this season. He’s in his fourth year. He’s not Mike Krzyzewski, who gets McDonald’s All-Americans at Duke every year.

Mr. Rice’s record is in line with former UNLV coach Jerry Tarkanian’s, and look at what UNLV’s gotten since it fired him — more than two decades of nothing. Few, if any, Division I coaches have lost more players. Get off Mr. Rice’s back and go to some games, instead of sitting on your couch not knowing what you are taking about. This is UNLV. Mr. Rice is great for our program.

STUART MATTHEW WILSON

LAS VEGAS

State lottery

To the editor:

In response to Arthur Rossman’s letter suggesting a state lottery (“Time for state to reconsider lottery,” Sunday Review-Journal), can we put this on the ballot so that the people have the opportunity to vote on the measure? I’ll be glad to sign a petition.

Lottery tickets could be sold at various stores and by the casinos. Jobs would be created and substantial money no doubt realized. Las Vegas residents don’t always frequent casinos, but probably would buy a ticket or two when shopping. I certainly would, and I have friends who would, too.

Why not have a trial state lottery? Nevada could join the Powerball setup with other states or have its own program.

EILEEN SCHENCK

LAS VEGAS

Dash Pass frustration

To the editor:

Columnist John L. Smith is correct. This so-called Dash Pass is junk (“DMV’s Dash Pass brings new headaches,” Wednesday Review-Journal). I went to the Department of Motor Vehicles to get license plates for a car I just bought. I was asked for my phone number, and when I asked why, I was told the new system would text me when it came close to my time to conduct business.

I was not aware of the new system, but I was told it would be about an hour. That sounded normal, so I went to sit down. As my time got closer, I got a text message stating that it would be another 40 minutes. So I continued to wait until I got another text stating that it would be another 50 minutes. Then I started to get mad. Why should I have to wait when I was told it would be an hour?

Finally, another person told me how the system works. Those in front of me can, as they wish, move their time by 20 minutes each time they get a notice that their time is approaching, thus moving my slot back. What? If you want service, you should be required to show up during your time slot, not make it a wait-and-wish for others.

I waited more than 3½ hours before I was served. Who has half of a day to get their license plates? Who was the fool who approved a contract for $520,000 to allow for this stupidity?

I think the idea was that you could make your request for service by phone or online, then be given a time and, as your time approached, you could drive to the DMV — instead of sitting and waiting in those hard chairs. But it didn’t work out that way, and now we have a mess. I dread the next time I have to go to the DMV. Maybe I just won’t buy another car so that I won’t be punished for doing so.

Mr. Smith, stay on these DMV folks. They need help.

GERALD MCNULTY

NORTH LAS VEGAS

Private-sector pensions

To the editor:

I would like to thank the Review-Journal for educating the public about the changes needed in public employee collective bargaining (“Union leader sees ‘attack’ by GOP,” Wednesday Review-Journal). As a private-sector, working-class citizen, I do not see that this is a declaration of war on working families, since the government public pensions are paid by the private sector of working-class families.

I would like to see where my tax dollar is going and would like the government union contract offers to be made public. These nasty sound bites that make unions sound like they are out for the working-class families is actually mudslinging politics. It’s not the right message.

Does it ever occur to anyone that after 30 years working in a government job, workers can retire in their early 50s and collect 75 percent of what they made per year? Do private-sector employees who retire beyond the age of 60 make 75 percent of their yearly wage collecting Social Security? No.

Government unions need to learn to negotiate fairly. Straighten out this abominable collective-bargaining atrocity.

LINDA JAMES-SMITH

LAS VEGAS

Front-page headlines

To the editor:

Monday’s Review-Journal front-page headlines were about Miss Universe, an antique rifle found in a Nevada national park and California’s foie gras ban being lifted. You have got to be kidding. In the back of section A, there were headlines about violence in the Ukraine, Benjamin Netanyahu’s planned address to Congress and bloody protests in Egypt.

What does the Review-Journal think people are more interested in? This happens often. I do not think the Review-Journal has a high opinion of the intellect of its readers. I am seriously thinking about switching to a newspaper with different policies and more realistic headlines after my subscription expires.

J.H. CAUBO

IVINS, UTAH