Protect and serve

"Protect and Serve" is the motto on the side of most patrol cars. In my opinion, it's drug dealers, traffickers and meth labs that get protection.

How can you tell if a meth lab is in your neighborhood?

A renter who pays in cash.

Windows covered.

Chemical odors. Not everyone can smell them. Could that be why there are few complaints and many meth labs?

Do your eyes burn, your nose and sinuses feel irritated, do you cough a lot?

Are spotlights facing the street so the blinding lights won't let you see what's going on?

Vehicle traffic at all hours? Some may be delivery vans or pickups pulling box trailers...some are large with an A/C unit on top?

Suspicious activity comes to a halt after law enforcement is called but then continues as if they have the thumbs up signal.

Children and animals are neglected.

Meth labs generate a lot of trash.

These are signs that drug detectives and law enforcement should look for but don't do squat.

Keep a log of vehicle license, descriptions, times and dates of activity (video is even better).

I am literally sick from the meth labs so if you see me walking my dog, shoot me. I would rather be dead than forced to breathe these toxic fumes.

Sheriffs (Tony included), and firemen--do the job that you were elected to do--protect and serve all.

We need Sheriff Joe Arpaio, Louie and the Flag Man and Ted Holmes to run the corrupt sheriff's offices. They could rid towns like Pahrump of meth labs, drug dealers and corrupt cops real quick.

BONNIE GRADY

Self-defense course is great

I abhor fighting

I hate the sounds, the yelling, fists pounding, heads butting, the kicking, the bodies smashing to the ground. I hate all of it.

But I was involved in a few confrontations and I'm so sore I can barely move. Actually, I was involved in four of them.

The fight scenarios were all staged in the self-defense course I attended for two days recently. The Nye County Sheriff's Office and the Homeland Heroes coordinate this course for the women of Nye County. The instructors included a Nye County Sheriff's captain, a deputy and a patrol officer. The Captain claimed he weighed in at around 280 pounds and was 6'3" tall. He donned the red padded suit and face mask and went toe-to-toe with us.

Now, I had a whole lot of trepidation about taking a class like this because of my disabilities. However, I was told that the training would only get as intense as I wanted it to be. After much deliberation, I thought, "All right, I'm in. After all, the class is free." I decided that I can't beat that.

I also considered that as the population of Nye County continues to swell, the crime rate is bound to rise. I'm not in the least for fighting as I've said, but defending oneself against a rape or any kind of an attack is another story. This training is just for that: defense. Each and every woman in the county, from 15 to 75 years of age, is encouraged to take this class.

Though, during every other month, the class is held on a weekend at the local courthouse, the class I chose to attend was scheduled during the other months for eight hours on a Monday and Tuesday at the VFW on Homestead Road. There were 6 students in my class, including two alumni. Previous classes have had twice as many students.

On to the instructions: We had two hours of statistical discussions. We talked about some recent crimes that have been published in the local paper.

One woman had been abducted in her vehicle from an area behind Wal-Mart. She was taken out into the desert and assaulted. Thank goodness she lived. From the VFW, another woman was abducted and attacked. Thank goodness that she lived as well.

The instructors' statistics showed that usually only one out in 10 rapes is reported, meaning that there may have been up to 18 other incidents about which we may not have heard. The implication: there may be someone in the area still against whom we need to defend ourselves.

Next - the physical training:

These lessons were close-contact, hand-to-hand, eye-to-eye, and down-on-the-ground-in-the-dirty. The trainers showed us the basics of how to defend ourselves from our heads to our toes, both on our feet and on the ground. We each practiced four staged scenarios. That's why I was so sore.

It was so worth it.

I believe that I have the competence now to use these basic techniques for my defense. If someone just happens to grab me - well, look out, I'm defending myself as much as I can until I can safely and successfully get away.

I'm suggesting that all women of Nye County become proactive and take this course. Call the Homeland Heroes or the Sheriff's Office today and sign up for the next available two-day class. What do you have to lose?

DEBI REHOR

Beats me

It is a mystery to me why anyone would want to hear presidential candidates that tell the same story anywhere they appear. Does anyone think the endless promises told by leading presidential candidates mean anything?

With so much overblown coverage of candidates for the next presidential election, the public should be saying "enough." Hillary Clinton, who was elected to represent her constituents in New York, seems to forgotten her supporters back in her Senate district.

Hillary Clinton is the typical candidate. They spend millions [and] make promises few will ever kept. These candidates come to small towns like Pahrump, stay for an hour and leave. Do the candidates actually understand what it is like to live away from a major city?

It seems hard to figure who would be a acceptable president. They all customize their political visits to promise changes, low-cost health insurance and high wages plus ending the war on terrorism.

By the time the next presidential election, most will be too exhausted to actually find enough reason or interest to vote for any candidate.

It is important for voters to exercise their right by supporting someone who did not make promises they cannot keep. Remember, the choice is ours to cast our votes for someone who is not a celebrity and will try to keep their campaign promises

Frank Rosenberg

What do I know

I attended a meeting today in Pahrump featuring Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. He spoke on a number of subjects including the use of renewable energy and tax breaks for development and use, the use of coal for producing energy and his vote against Nevada's development to do so, Yucca Mountain and his efforts to effect its demise, the solvency of the Social Security system and the somewhat successful efforts of Carl Rove and the Bush gang to convince us otherwise, prayer in schools, the care of Nevada's wild horses and who's laundry his mom did to help earn money as he was growing up.

The senator says that no matter where he goes in this great country of ours, the two subjects on everyone's mind are health care and the war in Iraq. He says he's working on a plan to start withdrawing our troops from Iraq and not having a permanent base there; keeping only troops trained for counter-terrorism; training Iraqi security forces and enough additional forces to protect those forces.

The problem is that we are involved in a quagmire of a war that even the general in charge there doesn't believe there is a military solution.

The question I had for the senator is how to avoid being hoodwinked, badgered or bullied by bad intelligence into voting into another war like this one (think Iran). His answer, which didn't completely satisfy me, was that they were changing the way intelligence would be gathered, but that he was in complete agreement to go into Kuwait and Iraq in the first gulf war, (so was I) and that given the same information, he would vote the same.

This was exactly my point. How can we protect ourselves from the very people charged with protecting us from putting us in the position we are in now?

Now I understand that in the interest of national security, there may be details he cannot share, but I didn't hear anything to instill my shaken faith in my government's ability to see through errant groups to dupe so many lawmakers into believing out and out lies. Or was it that they allowed themselves to be bullied by the fear of losing their jobs by being threatened by the president and his gang of patriots to be called un-American for not voting to go to war?

As far as health care is concerned, he believes we have work to do to fix this countries heath care system, but I didn't hear what he felt the solution is.

He spoke of closing our borders and having the approximately 12 million illegal aliens here in the U.S. and to having them to "get at the end of the naturalization line" to become citizens, a process he expects to take about 13 years.

The question I didn't get to ask is which candidate he believes will be the best president? I have listened to some of his ideas of how to fix our budget, our world standing, how to improve our image amongst enemies and to [with] whom we must have dialogue. I have an idea which candidate fits that bill. But what do I know?

FLOYD BANKS

Conversation with Nevada

Hillary's "Conversation With Rural Nevada," for me, was nothing less than inspirational.

Speaking to accomplishing big goals in America. Leading the world by example. Becoming, again, the country others would like to follow.

Hillary presented a forward-moving agenda of issues important to me and fellow rural Nevadans:

An end to the war, with a sensible and safe plan for the withdrawal of our troops; affordable and complete heath coverage for all; the creation of good jobs to replace those lost to the global economy --jobs especially suited to rural Nevada.

Hillary would encourage investment in solar and wind energy technology by the use of federal tax incentives, bringing this industry to rural Nevada.

After all, this is something we have an abundance of: sun and wind. Hillary plans on moving us forward to alternative and renewable energy sources, getting us away from the dependency [on] oil and hence the dependency on foreign countries.

That would not only help us economically but make us more secure (not to mention that small matter of global warming and the health of the entire planet).

As always, Hillary pushes to better the lives of our children, both in health care and education. She spoke to her plan of expanding early pre-kindergarten education. You could see and hear the genuine caring in her words as she spoke to the betterment of their futures.

All-in all, I found her "conversation" was totally positive, filled with tough but attainable goals, advanced by a person with high intelligence, heart, experience, and perseverance.

Admittedly, prior to this meeting I was a Hillary Clinton fan and supporter. But this " Conversation with Rural Nevada" solidified my belief that Hillary Clinton is the best person to be our next president of the United States, the best for this country, this state, this county and this community.

MICHAEL BURKHARDT

Thanks, Nugget

We wanted to take this time to express our sincere thanks and gratitude during our times of hardship over the last couple of months.

The friendship and loyalty the entire organization has given to me and my family cannot really be described in this short note.

I was in the hospital for a month, and the love and support they showed me was unbelievable, not to mention the help, love and support they gave my family.

All of the folks at the Nugget are truly special and we thank you for being a big part of this community and especially to us. You really don't know how special you make us feel.

Again, thank you.

JIM DUFFY AND FAMILY

Some mistakes

Recently you printed an article on Special Olympics, since I was out of town, I did not see it until now and would like to address some mistakes that were made.

First of all there was no death in our organization and the program was not about to close. Some of our athletics have moved and some are now in a group home.

Next, we do need more coaches BUT we really need more athletics. Since we have so many new people moving into the area anyone with special needs are the people we are trying to contact.

It was stated that one of our athletics could not go to the International because of lack of funding. He can not go because his family is moving out of the area. Also the basketball team did really well but it was the track team that entered 26 events and took 20 medals.

A list of some of the sports that we can NOT offer was printed but none of the sports we do offer such as bocco ball, basketball, track and field, and bowling, which is two weeks into the program. With more athletics we will be able to offer floor hockey again.

Anyone interested in events please contact me at 751-4942. All of our athletics and coaches are great and do a great job.

Thank you for setting the record straight.

KAY JONES

Coordinator of Special Olympics for Nye County

Use your voices

Many of Pahrump's older citizens have Senior Dimensions as their HMO in place of medicare. I am appealing to those same citizens and to Senior Dimensions in regard to outpatient services that are supplied by our new hospital.

Senior Dimensions contracts with the hospital for emergency room services and for hospital admissions but does not contract with them for outpatient services. We have a fine hospital now, the doctors and staff all seem capable and helpful. The equipment is new and the technicians are educated in the use of them. The hospital is equipped for most tests including, but not limited to: colonoscopy, egd and echo-cardiogram.

At the present time we are forced to drive down to Las Vegas to have such tests done. It seems foolish and expensive to make the long trek into Las Vegas when you can have these things done up here in Pahrump.

Please contact Senior Dimensions and urge them to contract with our hospital for outpatient services.

Perhaps politicians who are trying to curry our favor could check out this matter for their constituency.

The Pahrump Times might also write an article about the problem. Comparing the coverage of the various insurance companies that are used by the senior and/or disabled population would probably be very interesting reading.

Should the Times see fit to print this letter, I thank them. I do urge the people to use their voices, you can effect a change.

MARGARET WEBB

Deputies fabricated story

This letter is in regards to the story on the mom busted for inciting a youth brawl. What a story that was.

I am one of the parents of the kids and also witness of what happened that day. Also, I have spoken to other parents to one side and the other.

It is a fact that deputies have fabricated a story once again. What a bad deal.

The weapons stated were not seen at the location. This lady had no part in partaking in organizing any retaliation attack.

The fact is, if those boys didn't show up when they did and stop the kids from beating the boy in the head, they may have killed him.

What is the crime here? It is a fact that one of the males is an adult. Now the question is what happened to that?

If this was ever to happen to my child or anyone else's child I sure hope our law enforcement agency handles things in a professional manner.

We believe it was bad enough when Miss Shelton received the news her son was badly beaten, then with the slanderous information that was released to the paper as well as the local news station. Never the less, we are supporting Miss Shelton and standing by her side.

RODNEY R. ORMAN