Monte Carlo fire should raise questions
To the editor:
Since the beginning of man, fires have started with a simple spark. If you fan that spark it will instantly grow into a flame.
Now that the world has seen what happens to Styrofoam insulation when you put a spark to it, coupled with a slight breeze, isn’t it time Clark County fire officials took a long look at the practice of launching fireworks off the top of these powder-keg, high-rise casinos that litter the Strip?
Now that we all know you can burn down a multibillion-dollar megaresort with a butter knife and a book of matches, finding a more appropriate launching pad should be a priority.
Let’s learn something from this last inferno at the Monte Carlo.
Next time, we might not be so lucky.
JOHN DEMPSEY
LAS VEGAS
Judicial folly
To the editor:
Jane Ann Morrison’s Monday column (“Judges playing musical chairs … “) and last year’s Los Angeles Times “Juice vs. Justice” series blatantly highlight the problem of how we elect District Court judges.
The most obvious concern I have is that each of these elected positions does not have a distinct set of duties nor represent a distinct geographical area. Department A is exactly the same as Department B — right down to the furnishings — and a judge holding either office is randomly assigned cases.
Why, then, does a judge run for a “Department”?
It is obvious that a slate of candidates needs to be offered for the number of positions available.
For example, let’s say there are 40 departments and the judges are all up for re-election this year. Then we’ll say that 35 are running. The ballot list should first list the 35 incumbents in random order (it can be argued they should also have an asterisk next to their names to emphasize they are incumbents). After that, all non-incumbents should also be listed in random order. The simple instructions at the top would say, “Pick up to 40 candidates for election.” The top 40 vote-getters would win — end of story.
Though campaign finance reform may still be sorely needed, it would be a worthwhile first step.
Andy Spurlock
LAS VEGAS
Prison beds
To the editor:
In response to your recent story on the Florence McClure Women’s Correctional Center in North Las Vegas:
At the most recent Interim Finance meeting, corrections officials requested a sudden change in scope in a building project at Florence McClure. Director Howard Skolnik requested the deletion of 100 transitional beds that had been approved, also at his request, last June. He also informed the committee that the Jean prison had been closed, without legislative approval or oversight, and female inmates had been moved to another correctional facility, again without legislative review.
When asked if there was a housing plan that outlined the rationale for these changes, both short-term and long-term, he admitted he would need to work on a plan and bring it to the next meeting of the Interim Finance Committee. Many members of the committee felt it was better to defer the project to the next meeting in order to give the director time to prepare the written plan and allow the Legislature to perform its constitutional oversight role.
Although public works officials contended that an immediate decision was needed, subsequent conversations reveal they are able to continue with the other 300 beds in the building project, while delaying construction for the disputed 100 transitional beds until a written plan can be reviewed by the Interim Finance Committee in March to avoid additional costly change orders.
The Interim Finance Committee made a prudent fiscal decision, and is fulfilling its role in making sure state officials are being held accountable and tax dollars are being spent wisely.
Sheila Leslie
RENO
THE WRITER, A DEMOCRAT, REPRESENTS DISTRICT 27 IN THE STATE ASSEMBLY.
Not so pretty
To the editor:
Amen to Cynthia Coletti of Las Vegas for her Tuesday letter about the “new” Miss American Pageant. She hit the nail on the head when questioning how this is all supposed to be “encouragement” for young women across the nation.
My kudos also to Miss Utah, Jill Stevens, for living up to her standard of modesty and not going with the flow of “everyone else is doing it.”
Thank you, Ms. Coletti, for letting your voice be heard. There are many of us who feel the same way you do.
K. HARDY
HENDERSON
