The tortoises’ new wilderness adventure
To the editor:
In their wisdom, federal authorities gathered up desert tortoises and put them in expensively fenced reserves where, unaccustomed to living communally, they got runny noses and some large number had to be euthanized.
Contractors were charged $500 per acre for biologists to check out any shovelful of dirt to be sure there was no turtle scat or habitat. One day my husband visited a son’s job and asked who the guy sleeping in the car was. He was assured that the biologist had to be awakened if there was any sign of a turtle burrow. Living in Southern Nevada for 86 years we often saw turtles – until the powers that be decided to save them.
Now their infinite wisdom has changed, and the tortoises are to be returned to the wild. The feds even have tri-colored maps showing where they will be distributed – and on the old test site yet, where it’s unthinkable to allow a tunnel to store waste because the area is radioactive (“Tortoises make test site a home,” Sunday Review-Journal).
How about finding out how much all those fences and preserves and catching of the errant turtles costs? Eight miles of costly fence lines both sides of state Route 165. And then how much was gleaned from contractors and where is that money now? I asked two BLM agents, but they “didn’t have those figures.”
DONNA ANDRESS
SEARCHLIGHT
Stooges in charge
To the editor:
The NFL is a billion-dollar corporation. The poorest owner is a multi-multi-millionaire. The players are being paid millions of dollars to play this violent sport. Yet the owners are now willing to let these games be officiated by Moe, Curly, Larry and Stevie Wonder, all because they want to break a union.
What a disgrace, and what a way to mess up America’s most popular sport. Monday night’s Packers-Seahawks game was nothing short of an abomination.
TERRY COX
HENDERSON
Packer fan
To the editor:
I have been a Green Bay Packer fan for more than 55 years. After watching Monday night’s officiating fiasco, I will not watch another professional game until professional referees return.
(I was also a Chicago White Sox baseball fan. I quit watching baseball after the last strike.)
This is the first time I have ever seen a quarterback win a game on a flagrant offensive pass interference and an interception. Shame on you, NFL, and shame on the owners for letting this happen!
ROBERT GARDNER
HENDERSON
Dangerous dips
To the editor:
There is no excuse for the actions of the driver who caused the horrible accident at the bus stop on Spring Mountain Road.
However, it should be noted that Spring Mountain has two huge dips where it intersects Decatur Boulevard. I drive Spring Mountain every day, and even at the speed limit, the dips cause my car to bottom out, so I need to slow down when crossing Decatur.
If the dips in the intersection were not there, I wonder whether that speeding driver would have gotten airborne and hit the people at the bus stop.
GREG LOWRIE
LAS VEGAS
Please exit the property
To the editor:
I am a senior citizen who, on occasion, will visit a casino.
On Sept. 21 at about 1:15 p.m. I was ready to cash out and leave the El Cortez. I hit the “cash out” button and the ticket appeared. As I was reaching for the ticket my hand was pushed away and another hand took the ticket. The person turned and ran for the exit. I was unable to catch up. I summoned security, expecting them to review the camera and call the police. El Cortez security refused to check the camera or call the police. They would only say, “This happens,” and had me fill out a brief report. I was then told that I must exit the property. Exit the property? When I was the victim?
The downtown casinos want us locals to go downtown. How can we until they provide a safe environment?
ROGER F. KINSEY
LAS VEGAS
Not an apology?
To the editor:
Janice Herr, who claimed she was not aware of any apologies issued by American embassies (Sept. 20 letter), needs to start getting her news from somewhere other than MSNBC.
The statement itself has been removed from the Internet, but ABC News reported Sept. 11 that a portion of a statement issued by the U.S. Embassy in Cairo said the U.S. “condemns the continuing efforts by misguided individuals to hurt the religious feelings of Muslims. … We firmly reject the actions by those who abuse the universal right of free speech to hurt the religious beliefs of others.”
If that doesn’t sound like an apology to rioters, I don’t know what does. The Obama/Clinton State Department continues to embarrass the United States almost daily.
WILLIAM W. MORELAND
HENDERSON
Give others a chance
To the editor:
The United Nations building was completed in New York in 1952. Today there are 193 nations represented by delegates and ambassadors. Having the operation on U.S. soil means we pay most of the cost to manage and maintain this facility.
I suggest the United Nations headquarters be rotated on a five-year basis, hosted by each of the 193 nations in turn. To be fair, the hosting duties should be assigned on an alphabetical basis. The first nation listed is Afghanistan. President Karzai would be more than willing to accept all the international money and attention. I know many Americans would also approve of this new location and its many cultural opportunities.
ROD CORREA
HENDERSON
