First Step Club manager

My daughter has been in Alcoholics Anonymous for quite a long time now and I am concerned about what is happening to Pahrump's local recovery club, The First Step Club.

It is supposed to be a place where someone who is suffering from any kind of addiction can go to get the help and information they need. Where they can attend meetings, get moral support or just be able to sit around and socialize with others in a safe, sober environment.

But that is not what is happening at the First Step Club.

The manager has chased away more than half the club's members, many of them boycotting the club completely. Most of the new people who come in wanting to get sober never come back.

As soon as anyone walks through the door, they are greeted by a manager who is completely rude, downright mean and just plain spiteful to everyone.

She hates being there and will tell you that. The club also used to be a place where family was welcomed, but not anymore because the kids get on her nerves. She deliberately removes things from the club, such as comfortable chairs, the television and basically anything that would be fun in order to keep people from hanging out.

The members pay their dues so that they can hang out all day if that's what they want to do.

I have met a lot of people, most of them ex-club members, who tell me that they will not go back until there is a new manager. If she continues being the manager, the club will end up having to close down due to lack of support.

It's supposed to be a place for recovery, for anyone in recovery. I'm scared and sad for all the people down the road who will want help but are not going to get it.

The manager needs to be replaced by someone who cares, by someone who will turn the club back into a place where people can go in order to get the help they desperately need. None of us should have to put up with the rudeness and lack of respect that we do now.

The First Step Club is a vital part of this community. So speak up and let the board members know how you feel. Let them know that it's not just a couple of people who want things changed, but, instead, it is almost everyone who has ever had dealings with the manager of the First Step Club.

Sandra Dalton

Animal cruelty case

To the animal lovers and protectors of Pahrump:

I have just returned from the county courthouse following up on the Tana Naas animal cruelty case.

Where were you?

This case cannot fall silent. She has been charged, if you remember, with 60 counts of animal cruelty nearly a year ago and pled to one count of failure to comply to basic sanitation as stated in the NRS 5745 and admittedly still has several animals on her property.

This is not acceptable.

I personally cared for these animals after they were removed from her property. Their physical and emotional condition was tragic and had been done while in her possession.

Many of the very caring public came to see these animals, and remember, all that was being done to try to save them, improve their health and place them through adoption into loving, caring homes.

I am asking for all who want to send a message that animal abuse will not be tolerated or swept under the rug, please be at her next court appearance at 1:30 p.m. Sept. 21.

VIe Keller

More stores needed

Every time I shop at our local Wal-Mart, I get very discouraged. They always seem to be out of the items that a Las Vegas Wal-Mart would stock. It seems I am always making that trip to Las Vegas to get the items that should be available here.

Besides this, there are at least 20 checkouts, but on the norm, only three to four have an employee at the register, but usually no light is on.

We need more stores in Pahrump. We could use a Target, Kmart, Home Depot and an Office Max so we would not have to make that dangerous drive to Las Vegas.

I think it is time to say no to building more houses until they start bringing in more stores to accommodate the people of Pahrump. The more houses that get built here are just going to make things worse on our one and only neighborhood Wal-Mart.

I hope you all agree.

Paul Brophy