My prediction

I just finished reading the open letter to the Valley Electric Association by M.E. and G.G. Milner. I could not agree with them more.

Valley Electric has no problem taking from the not-so-well-off and giving to the not-so-bad-off. It is my understanding that scholarships and summer camps benefit mostly the children of those who are employed by VEA, who's pay and benefits are a little more than generous.

VEA, if I am wrong on that issue feel free to correct me on one of your never-ending parade of costly and I might add, boring infomercials that I seem not able to escape. Not even in the middle of the night when I wake hoping to tune into something positive, I'm reminded again of the thousands of dollars going out to TV and radio as I hear once again why when I plug in my toaster, I am being sent more electricity from the source. I even hear about the wonders of Wild Blue. Wild Blue, another costly event that cannot make it on it's own.

It wasn't until a couple of years ago when Valley Electric members woke one morning and realized the emperors wore no clothes. It was then that the emperors began covering themselves with every media outlet available in Nye County.

In closing let me remind VEA members the small amount of credits that some of you got last year will be taken back several times over when VEA asks for another rate hike. That is my prediction.

ERLINE HEARD

Wal-Mart, senior center kudos

I was walking down the aisle at Wal-Mart and I made a right turn and was in the stationary aisle. At that time I felt a seizure coming on.

A lady by the name of Sandy who works in stationary saw me and asked if I was alright. At that time, I said, "No." Assistant Manager Karen saw me (she knew me for 25 years). I had a graduation card in my hand. When I came to I gave Karen money for my card. Karen took control and called the Pahrump Senior Center. I gave Karen the card and she called the center. Cami from the jewelry department gave her assistance. Joe came to Wal-Mart immediately.

I cannot thank everyone that helped me enough. Thank you so very much.

LINDA MCGRAITH

Building a better town

The zoning committee is placating us. We need to start working on building a better town not a residential mall of houses.

The rezoning committee is just placating the people of Pahrump. The committee has made up their mind that they are rezoning the town for developers. We have to stop this now.

We have to take a stand now. I, for one, and many of us came to Pahrump to get out of the big city and live in the country. I grew up in the country and loved it, and returned to the country as soon as it was financially feasible.

With this rezoning, this country town will turn into another San Diego or Temecula or Anaheim. This is exactly why I left California and many other current citizens of Pahrump did the same.

The town of Pahrump can't even support the infrastructure it needs for the people it currently has. Why does the rezoning committee think that by rezoning for the developers is a wise move now? Money is why.

There are businesses who want to move here now and can't for the restrictions the town puts on them. The town has economically sabotaged any business before it is even built. Look what happened to Lowe's. The town chased them off for all the infrastructure they wanted Lowe's to pay for what should have already been here. The town should have put in the infrastructure to promote Lowe's building here and all the jobs it would have brought to the town.

Self-protecting businesses have to stop and start looking at what is better for the town as a whole. Start by encouraging the small businesses and larger businesses to move to Pahrump, not chase them off.

There are not enough sewage treatment plants now, let alone for the 100s more homes that will be moving in. The infrastructure of the town should be addressed now, not more zoning for more houses. The town needs more sewage treatment plants, more sewage pipes run, more water treatment reclamation, more doctors here in the town at the hospital and more hospital rooms and better fire protection by employing more full time firefighters. Fire hydrants are non-existent and we need to start on the fairgrounds soon or we will lose that land. There is a lot of work to do here and rezoning is not one of them.

Pay attention to the current residents, people who have stayed through the lean years, residents who choose to live in the country and enjoy their animals in their own backyards.

For the people who enjoy not being around animals, there are plenty of communities for you within the town. Don't mess with the outskirts of town and their chosen lifestyle. They have chosen a rural lifestyle and purchased land out of the town in order to enjoy that lifestyle.

The rezoning will depreciate the value of the current rural residences, as new replacement buyers can't enjoy horses or other non-grandfathered issues. They will be forced out of the area because some of them can't afford to purchase five or 10 acres. This will cost all of us current residences in the future in the pocketbook.

Keep the city folks in the city and keep the town of Pahrump a town, not another, "I want to be Temecula or San Diego."

Start working on building a better town, not a residential mall of houses.

LEE AND JANIS BROWN

Worse for all

I find incomprehensible the attitude (laisse faire) of the hundreds of local Senior Dimensions members to the proposed takeover by United.

Senior Dimensions is by far the best health care provider there is in this state. It would make more sense if it were taking over United.

Do people really believe things will remain the same? Do they not realize when United controls it all, as it will if this goes through, Senior Dimenisions members will find it much different, much more costly?

We will have to pay more for all services, co-pays will soar, some present benefits will no longer be available, and very importantly, the doctors who get little enough now, will get less and how can they be expected to be able to pay their staff a decent wage, with fair salary raisers and benefits, have up-to-date equipment, etc.?

Services will be cut back, co-pays increased - it is inevitable. If people would investigate, they'd find no other entity provides all the benefits of Senior Dimensions, and we are about to see it all change - if this goes through. United will control Nevada's health care and its interest will be increasing its profit - at the expense of its members.

Doctors now struggle to make it on the little they get reimbursed while their costs soar. How are doctors to maintain good staffs and up-to-date equipment?

People, members of Senior Dimensions, better wake up before it is too late. Competition drives the market, but if this goes through, there will be no competition, just less benefits at a higher cost.

If this take-over, merger, call it what you will, goes through, they might find out they'd be better off with just Medicare, which all Senior Dimension members are entitled to.

Give it some thought. At least look into it.

Ann-Marie Chamberlain