Thank you

The family of Robert Irwin would like to thank the community, Channel 41, The Nevada Silver Tappers, Ms. Senior Golden Years Queens Court, the Pahrump Family Mortuary, and most of all, Nathan Adelson Hospice for the care and their many acts of kindness during the illness and loss of Bob.

Your support and love will never be forgotten.

MITZI SEARS

For B.J. Hetrick-Irwin and family

Victim treated with care

In the Oct. 4 edition of the Pahrump Valley Times, under the headline, "Teary victim describes kidnapping," in the body of the story was printed the following:

"After the assault Yowell left her there with her car. The victim found her cellular phone, called 911 and was directed to meet Nye County sheriff's deputies at the Rebel convenience store on Basin Road and Highway 160.

"The victim was taken to Desert View Regional Medical Center, but she testified, 'They couldn't treat me there, they weren't prepared.' So she was driven by a friend to University Medical Center in Las Vegas for an examination."

When this article appeared in the PVT, I received a couple of calls from people who wanted to be reassured that we treated this victim with respect. I informed them of the facts and they thanked me.

Again this victim of the horrific assault is in the newspaper. This victim, who has been displayed in campaign ads by my opponent, newspaper, political TV by my opponent, and now the letters to the editor. I apologize to her. She has the prayers and support of the NCSO and those in the victim support services. Please, let's stop re-victimizing her.

To set the record straight: The victim felt more comfortable being driven by a friend to the hospital. They followed our detectives to UMC, to collect the evidence.

The following is a synopsis of the 911 call based on the dispatch recording system:

The victim telephoned and said that she was driving and she didn't know where she was exactly. Dispatch asked her if she would stop and the victim stated that she knew how to get to Basin Road. Dispatch asked her where she was and she said on Leslie.

Dispatch asked her if she was stopped and she said that she was driving and she knew how to get to Basin. Dispatch then told her that a deputy would meet her at Highway 160 and Basin at the Rebel Station, which was well-lit and safe.

Dispatch did not know about the sexual assault, as the victim did not relay that information. The victim only stated that she had been carjacked on the road behind Wal-Mart. Dispatch stayed on the line until the victim was met by a deputy.

Given the horrific situation experienced by the victim, it is understandable.

We arrested the suspect multitudinous times before this incident. We did our job.

We treat victims of crimes with empathy, especially in crimes such as this. If otherwise, we investigate and correct the behavior.

I will end with one observation made by a reporter on a ride-along. The story, appeared in the Oct. 11 PVT article, "Riding with the night shift." "Our deputies, our Sheriff's Office, all are part of the community, not apart from it," wrote the reporter.

No better compliment to the dedication of your Sheriff's Office, its personnel and how it is managed and lead.

SHERIFF TONY DEMEO

Let's keep feeling safe

"Feel safe again." My family already feels safe since Tony DeMeo took office.

Tony took office in 2003 and our population increased by over 24 percent; however, crime has decreased by over 21 percent. He has increased volunteer programs, has an active neighborhood watch program, narcotics unit and detective and patrol units. Sex offenders can now be tracked thanks to the high tech sex offender database and residence verification by deputies.

Homeland security is a concern of ours. Tony has actually participated in counter-terrorist operations within the United States. He has certification in homeland security and has received an award from the FBI and mayor's commendation.

With 32 years experience in law enforcement and always continuing his education to meet the challenges of this 21st century, we have the right man in office. Let's keep feeling safe with Tony DeMeo as our sheriff.

PAUL, SUSAN LOER

Commissioner was rude

At the County Commissioners' meeting Oct. 17, Mr. Jim Petel was recognized by the chairman of the board for public comment.

Mr. Petel gave each of the commissioners a copy of the comments that he was going to address so that they could follow the presentation.

When he handed a copy to Commissioner Candice Jordan, she threw it to the floor without even as much as looking at it.

In my opinion, that was a display of complete disrespect for Mr. Petel and such "rude and crude behavior" by an elected official is typical of the town of Pahrump and should not be tolerated by the voters at election time.

This is certainly not the first time that Commissioner Trummell/Jordan has shown her disgust at having to tolerate "We the People" of Pahrump, but we are fortunate that her time to give our lifestyles away is growing very short and maybe we can recover with an ethical and caring replacement on the commission.

Those attending the meeting were openly making comments about this incident. The chairman of the Commission appeared to ignore Candice Jordan, or possibly, the reason could be that their minds are in "Focus"? What is your guess?

BILL DAWSON

Judge Brisebill rules

The Soroptimists of Pahrump had a "Shadow your Future" program, allowing a few female seniors from Pahrump Valley High School to shadow a professional woman for the day.

I requested Judge Brisebill as my professional and she kindly accepted. It was very exciting and nerve-wracking spending all day in a place I've never been, with a person I've never met.

Before court began, Judge Brisebill allowed me to pepper her with questions. Then she invited me to sit in the jury box and watch cases.

I happened to be lucky enough to shadow on potluck day and got to sit with the judge and clerks and witness the office dynamic.

The atmosphere was calm and friendly, but still very professional. Everyone was respectful and kind to each other and to me. This was the polar opposite of what I experienced while working in fast food service.

My hero of the day was Judge Brisebill. She was warm, patient and candid with me. She made me comfortable in her world. I watched her work with focus, skill and the quiet confidence of really knowing your job.

Judge Brisebill gave me the perfect template of how a female professional should be: honest, not cynical; candid, not snide; guided by law and guiding by experience.

Soroptimists, thank you. Please continue doing this for others. Judge Brisebill, thank you, with a big hug.

BRITTANY WILSON

Compact drew few responses

Just prior to the primary election I mailed, via U.S. Postal Service, a total of 36 copies of The Liberty Compact, which is a simple one paragraph agreement to all candidates for public office, local and statewide: "I pledge to the Citizens of the State of Nevada and to the American people, that as their representative I will work to: Promote liberty, not restrict it; shrink Government, not expand it; reduce taxes, not raise them; abolish programs, not create them; promote the freedom and independence of citizens, not the interference of government in their lives; and observe the limited, enumerated powers of the Constitution, not ignore them."

Anticipating responses from all candidates, I was shocked to receive only two answers - one of which was from a candidate for governor. The signed Compact was from a popular stripper, who also enclosed a personally autographed photo.

With plenty of previous experiences in elections, my original intent was to demand of current office seekers a kind of "truth in labeling" disclaimer: "Sir, or madam: Would you be willing to submit to a lie detector test before opening your mouth?" But, thinking such an honest demand would be too harsh, I relented to the more popular politically correct above admonishment.

Where are the honest, ethical people that we taxpayers deserve? None of the letters this freedom lover mailed was returned as "undelivered." As a reasonable person, is it not a welcomed request for an honest response, by serious-minded candidates?

Yet, even in our liberal state of Nevada, a truthful response from a woman, which some people might regard as morally suspect, was convincing proof that silence is really not golden, but yellow.

Another frightening revelation is that a couple of graduate students at Princeton University have done serious research on the electronic voting machines, which are used exclusively throughout the U.S. - and found them to be vulnerable to manipulative fraud, while some of us are of the opinion that dead people are still voting in Boston and Chicago.

With my limited confidence, I will step into the voting booth Tuesday, Nov. 7, holding my nose with one hand and pulling the lever with the other with high hopes that the lesser of two evils who gains his booty will eventually realize that the United States Constitution is the greatest document ever devised by man and will abide religiously by his oath to defend it.

"The penalty good men pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men," said Plato (429-347 B.C.), Greek philosopher.

VINCE BOGDAN

Partial birth abortion

"We must be the voice for those who will never be allowed to have a voice, our almost born babies."

Nov. 13, 2003, President Bush signed the Partial Birth Abortion Act into law, banning partial birth abortion.

The United States Supreme Court will make the final vote on this law Nov. 8. There will be no reversing their decision.

Partial birth abortion is a late-term and highly controversial abortion procedure. It is a gruesome and inhumane procedure that is never medically necessary and should be prohibited.

A baby is killed when he/she is only a few inches from being given full U.S. citizenship and the legal right to life.

The baby is alive when the partial birth abortion procedure is performed.

The surgeon pulls the fetus into a breach position, leaving only the head in the womb. He then forces scissors into the skull, removes them and inserts a suction catheter through which he suctions out the brain.

The baby is then delivered dead, and because he/she never took a breath, he/she is considered a fetus, not a child, and is not entitled to the legal right to life.

What does an unborn baby feel during this partial birth abortion? Horrific pain.

Contact everyone you know. Give them the information listed below. Encourage them to call. Make your voices heard.

By calling the Center for Moral Clarity, you will be authorizing them to send a petition to the Supreme Court on your behalf upholding the ban on partial birth abortion.

Help save "our unborn babies" from this atrocity.

This is not just murder, it is the worse form of torture known to mankind, and it is performed on our "almost born babies."

Call the Center for Moral Clarity toll free at 1-877-678-7673.

For more information, visit nrig.org

EDWARD UNDERHILL