Advertisement

Come and get me Pahrump

Here's a question for Jimmy Johnson, whose letter was in the Friday edition (March 20) of the PVT?

Were you at the town board meeting concerning mandatory trash pickup? Were the other 39,975 residents of Pahrump there?

This is an open meeting -- anyone can attend. There were 25 or so people who got off the couch and went there -- were you?

By the way, I recycle everything and take it to the "green" bin at Walmart, (thank you, PV Disposal). I also have trash pickup but only have to put my can out every three to four weeks.

I don't like this mandatory stuff shoved down my throat and am in violation of PTO 43.

You know what Pahrump Town Board, tough. Come and get me.

PETE WALLACE

Money troubles

Unless you have been living on Mars, you are aware the state of Nevada is suffering from money troubles.

Every department of the state government has tightened belts and cut costs including the Department of Education. Every school district in the state is working on solutions to the state's money woes, and trying to accommodate a drastically reduced allocation of money to run the school district.

Nye County School District is no exception.

What this has meant so far is vacant teaching positions are filled by long-term substitutes, classroom aides needed for smooth running classrooms have not been hired or have been laid off, new curriculum purchases have been postponed. Band-Aids are no longer available from elementary health aides and class sizes have gone up.

At a recent budget workshop for the school district, "worst case scenario" proposals were made including cutting 43 elementary teaching positions in the district, as well as seven elementary counselor positions.

In addition, because there would be fewer classes to schedule for specials (music, art, PE, technology, etc.), the district proposed cutting five specialist positions.

This would total 55 licensed elementary positions being cut.

To put that in perspective, the district proposes cutting one high school teaching position and eliminating one high school licensed librarian position.

Aside how unbalanced these proposals are, the human costs are much higher. Fifty-five individuals are uncertain of their future. Their livelihood is threatened. They may not have a job next year.

If they knew their status for certain, they could begin their job search immediately. And somehow, they must continue to teach their students.

In addition, teachers who will most likely have a job next year may be facing an involuntary move to another attendance area (Gabbs, Round Mountain, Tonopah, etc.) in order to stay with the district.

Teachers who are facing job loss or involuntary relocation are looking at increased class sizes (K-3 would start at 25 students per class, and 4-5 would be at 30 students per class). They, along with every other state worker, are also looking at a governor who wants to cut their pay by 6 percent.

I can only imagine what effect all this upset, relocation, turmoil and termination would have on schools and the district meeting the federally mandated No Child Left Behind standards, but the effect cannot be good.

Granted, these proposals are based on decreased money from the state to run the district, but they are also based on a "no growth in student population" fantasy.

I contacted my state legislators to encourage them to find other ways to solve the state's budget shortfall. I urge every parent in the district to contact their legislators as well.

The Nevada State Education Association Web site (www.NSEA-NV.org) has direct links to email legislators and express your concerns.

If parents aren't angry, they should be.

JUDITH LISTER

Second grade teacher, Manse Elementary School

Something smells in AV

To County Commissioner Joni Eastley:

We went to the Amargosa Valley Town Board meeting last night. We viewed a presentation by Terry Reid, from Solar Millennium.

The chairman of the town board advised us he had to "give up" a trip to a plant opening somewhere in Europe to address our questions and provide answers (that was to make us feel important). It is a good marketing tool. The presentation was quite good, and very optimistic.

We got to the question and answer portion of the session, and there were quite a few interesting questions. The answers were even more interesting and seemed to be evasive. Obviously, my questions irritated the chairman -- she stated time was a problem and she would end the Q&A session.

I stopped with my questions while the chairman went on to someone else with another question. What happened to the "time problem"?

That was when I became suspicious.

My wife and I left the meeting, but I with a nagging thought, "This reminds me of something." I quickly realized this sales pitch was much like that sponsored by the AVTB some years ago.

That was when we were presented with an opportunity to buy the Jackass Flat International Airport and Used Tire Emporium in Lathrop Wells.

During the sales pitch, last night, we were told this solar project would provide many jobs for the locals. We doubt that. We see all of the labor being brought in from other areas of the state, hopefully, but most likely the labor will be imported from out of state, and possibly from out of the country.

We were told this solar project will provide huge property tax payments to the state, some of which would be sent to AV. We doubt that. Most likely the property taxes will be excused, and the taxpayers in the valley will foot the bill.

We were told the amount of groundwater consumed would be the same as a section of land being irrigated for alfalfa.

There were some evasive responses to the land area which would be under the control of the solar project. Based on the previous responses, we are skeptical of the amount of groundwater that will be used to support this project.

We were optimistic about this project but are now concerned, solely because of the way that questions were answered.

As far as the fellow who did not go to the plant opening, he did not have much choice. He was in a position with the company requiring him to be here. He was not needed, nor was he essential for the plant opening. His job is to present this project in a fashion which would be enthusiastically accepted by the lackeys in AV.

Did he succeed? After we had an opportunity to digest the sales pitch, we said "no." Something smells.

WAYNE AND MARGARET BROTHERTON

Greetings to Pahrump

I recently made a very long drive, from Saskatchewan, Canada, to Las Vegas and on to your town.

With North and South Dakota both in the midst of storms, so many highways were shut down. I had several meetings lined up for both Las Vegas and Pahrump. Oh well, I really enjoyed Pahrump.

I got to see the big highway sign advertising Heidi Fleiss' book and visit the Kingdom Club, but did not get to meet Joe Richards or Heidi Fleiss. But I did manage to visit Heidi's Dirty Laundry.

I picked up "The Brothel Bible" and would truly love to touch base with Sisters of the Heart Publications.

I truly love the Pahrump area and would really like to hear from people in the area. There were three gentleman at your Re/Max office who were extremely helpful and interesting.

I truly look forward to your reply from the newspaper as well as any contact at all from any of the above-mentioned businesses and operators.

Thank you so much.

PETE JENKS

Estevan, Saskatchewan, Canada

Weighing in on 'exotics'

I'd like to weigh in on the exotic animal forum.

First, all animals were wild once. And actually, this is where PETA, and the rest of those cultists want to go: All animals should be outlawed from human contact.

But what defines an exotic to one person is not necessarily so to another. As a child, a purebred dog was "exotic." Yet, due to my health problems, I can only live with a purebred now.

Second, let's look at the stats. Nationwide, I believe more people were killed by lightning than lions, tigers or bears kept in a domestic environment. There were certainly more children killed by their caregivers than any animal.

Third, why, in this time of national economic crisis, are our legislatures wasting their time on creating more laws that will necessitate larger government agencies and beauracracy to enforce?

I'm in the process of reading "Atlas Shrugged" and found a very interesting paragraph, page 436. It starts: "Did you really think that we want those laws to be observed?" said Dr. Ferris, "We want them broken ... " Wow, does this ever sound like what's happening or what? Guess the Arses are well-read.

CAROL HAMILTON