STICK AROUND FOR A MILLION YEARS

I am impressed that Mrs. Stone has a view on Yucca Mountain, as shown in her letter to the editor in the Pahrump Valley Times, which most people fail to see.

Yucca Mountain could be a "cash cow" for the state of Nevada or Nye County if the state does not want to be involved.

Some want a 100 percent safe situation for 10,000 years, 300,000 years or even more, 1,000,000 years.

Let's look at 100 percent safety. If we have to have a 100 percent safety environment we couldn't drive cars on our roads, we couldn't fly, buy food, medicine, have medical procedures or even swim in our own swimming pools. So let's face it, 100 percent safety is out of the question.

Let's make the mountain and transportation as safe as we can. The state and county could charge for waste coming in, yearly storage fees, and when we recycle as time goes by, we could see what the by-products could be used for.

There could be a system set up like Alaska did with their oil pipeline putting in to place the permanent fund dividends. This could bring in billions of dollars.

Alaska may someday run out of oil, but we are looking at thousands of years of recycling. Who knows what can be done with the waste in future years.

If there were to be a permanent fund set up, research would have to be done on how the committee set the regulations for the Alaska Permanent Fund. It would have to be set up so the politicians couldn't get their hand on it unless the people voted to let that happen.

Alaska politicians have tried several times to get into the permanent fund, threatening to impose state taxes, cut services, begged and threatened, but the people said no. The politicians have failed.

We could do the same thing. There could be enough revenue generated that we wouldn't have to have property taxes and more than likely could get refund checks the same as Alaska.

You put this in effect and I would like to see how many people would stay in the state or this area, rather than leave. If you're worried what will be 1,000,000 years from now, stick around and you can say, "I told you so."

BILL HERREN

GRATITUDE TO PAHRUMP

It's really hard to figure out where I should start. Ever since the day I brought Sedona back home from her last surgery two years ago, an overwhelming amount of caring and generous people have come forward to help with her recovery in ways I would have never believed possible.

While I won't even try to name all involved, in each and every instance, everyone's selfless act of kindness has helped to keep her spirits up and her outlook extremely positive.

Our first story in the paper was my almost feeble attempt to say thank you to everyone and how grateful we were. Then, once again, you all reached out and saw that my little girl (and son, too) had all their Christmas wishes come true, as well as seeing to her medical needs being met for the near future.

I really wish I could thank all of you by name, but I'd probably forget somebody, and since that's the last thing I want to do, I'll just say, you all know what you've done for us and already should be aware of how extremely grateful we are.

In my own case, your acts of kindness have made me take a second look at how I now treat other people, and ask myself, "How can I help make their day a little better?"

Sadly, I have to admit, it didn't seem to matter, but thanks to all of you, all of that has changed.

Thanks for the lessons learned.

Again, we want to express our humble gratitude and also close by wishing all of you the wonderful New Year you so much deserve.

We'd have never got this far without all of you. God bless you all.

Your indebted friends,

THE WINN FAMILY

A SANTA THANK YOU

The Pahrump Valley Lions Club would like to express our sincere appreciation to the following individuals and businesses who played a very vital role in the success of the 2008 Letters to Santa Program.

Of course, our very own Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus; the Walmart Family Foundation of Arkansas; Pahrump Walmart, especially Bill Ulrich and Carlton McCaslin; Edwards Homes; the Pahrump Valley Times and Mark Waite; the Pahrump Mirror; Channel 41; Channel 30; the Las Vegas Review Journal; and the staff of the Pahrump Post Office.

A special thanks goes to Ashley Powers of the Los Angeles Times who helped spread the word to not only in California but across the country and to the East Coast.

An extra special thank you to those who donated money and toys anonymously to be used as gifts for the children who wrote to Santa. We were able to respond to almost 500 children whose letters were received before Christmas.

Who says the people of Pahrump do not care about anything or anyone but themselves and their personal interests?

Without their support, we could not have made this program the success that it was. We look forward to next year with smiles on our faces and a good feeling in our hearts.

We also encourage all businesses and individuals to contact the Pahrump Valley Lions Club to lend your support.

The time has come for Mrs. Claus, Rudolph and the reindeer, their helpers and me to settle down for our long winter's nap. Thank you all for your help this year. We could not have done it without you.

See you next year.

MR. AND MRS. CLAUS

UNDERSTANDING CHRISTMAS

In a year filled with corrupt and greedy CEOs who only thought of themselves, it was refreshing to see a family who understood the meaning of Christmas.

The parents and their five children decided not to exchange any gifts amongst each other.

Instead, they decided to use that money to give food, blankets and jackets to the less fortunate of Pahrump.

We went along with this family and we were inspired, especially by their children who gladly gave rather than received.

PETER AND LINDA COSTAS