Letters to the editor for Sunday, July 17, 2016

Clinton is no stranger to telling falsehoods

Mrs. Clinton remarked about a dog following Republicans around and barking every time they lied. If Mrs. Clinton had that dog following her around and barking every time she lied, the poor dog would have laryngitis!

Judith L. Wooley

Dayton

Beware of worshipping at altar of growth

We seem to be worshiping at the altar of growth in the Carson City and Reno areas without giving enough consideration to growth’s many negative aspects.

Many people came here to escape from congested areas such as the Bay Area. But it appears that we are on the way to creating in our area the Bay Area’s horrid traffic congestion, unaffordable housing, sky-high taxes, pollution, crime, and lack of open space. We should all periodically take a trip to the Bay Area to experience the miserable environment we will have here if we continue at our current growth rate. Such a trip really makes one appreciate our current environment.

Our economic system which has provided us with so many wonderful things does require constant growth. But that growth should be kept to a reasonable rate. When Hewlett Packard was still the epitome of a well managed and successful company, it purposely limited its growth so it could maintain a quality business and keep proper control of it. The same policy should be pursued in the growth of our area.

I am sadly pessimistic that our growth could be reduced to a reasonable rate. The developers’ interest is mostly the making of money, so they will pursue maximum growth. Since they are the ones with the money and political clout, they are going to get their way even if the citizens with less financial resources and clout would desire something different. Money rules in capitalism.

Randy Grossmann

Carson City

Carson man’s kindness shines when purse goes missing

My faith in Carson City people is alive and well. Recently after shopping at Walmart I left my purse in the cart and drove away. I only got a few blocks when I realized what I had done, made a U-turn and went right back. No luck.

So I went inside to report my loss. Shawna and the other Walmart staff were very helpful and sympathetic.

Unknown to me, a Good Samaritan had found it and went to my home. Since I wasn’t there, he used my cell phone to call a friend of mine. She got the purse and brought it to me at Walmart.

Thank you, Travis in the green shirt driving the white Audi. You are truly a good human being. We can all take a lesson from your actions.

Maxine Nietz

Carson City

Water rate hikes hurting community

So, at the Board of Supervisor’s meeting on July 7, my friend, Craig Davis, spoke during the first comment period. He voiced his concerns about the water resources here in Carson City, and wondered if the projected growth was going to have a negative impact on those resources.

Mayor Crowell assured him that Carson City has sufficient water “rights” to support the population, and the rate hike that went into effect July 1, 2016, was to pay for the infrastructure upgrades to the current water systems. Once again, there is a huge difference between having water and having water “rights.” Now comes the fun part.

In the Appeal on July 9, there was a rather lengthy article about how Douglas County is going to increase the rate Carson City pays for said water “rights.” Hopefully the Carson City Manager and staff have budgeted accordingly, as I can see another water rate hike coming our way. Folks are already feeling the affects of the rate hikes we have experienced the last couple of years. The number of people who have let their yards go to weeds is truly depressing, but who wants to pay a $130 water bill every month during the summer, and $90 a month in the winter?

So, by all means, bring more people to this valley to consume whatever they can. After all, they will bring money into the community, and isn’t that all that matters?

Hope Tingle

Carson City

Trump can restore greatness to country

We should have known that being a community organizer who for 20 years sat in a radical church and listened to rants and raving of a racist reverend are not qualifications for being the President of the United States of America. But, an American public, filled with misplaced guilt, and to sooth their collective consciousness, elected a totally unqualified individual to the most powerful office in the world. The result has been disastrous.

Our foreign policy in shambles, the Mideast in flames, terrorism grows unchecked and our once great country is no longer respected around the world. Domestic policy is even worse as Americans turn against each other and violent crime spirals seemingly out of control. Cop killers roam the streets of America looking for their next opportunity to kill a man in blue. The condition of the black minority population has steadily declined under the community organizer.

The lack of leadership from the Oval Office is appalling, and it seems the only thing the community organizer does really well is spend taxpayer money as the national debt soars to $20 trillion in seven short years. The hope and change that all Americans wanted and were promised in 2008 was hot air.

The real change will come in November, not from Hillary Rodham Clinton, a political retread who will only perpetuate the Obama failed policies, but rather from Donald Trump, who above all is a strong leader and a true believer in America. Traits we have not seen for eight long years.

Bill Johnston

Carson City

Kudos to Sheriff Furlong for keeping community safe

I am responding to the story on the front page on July 9. Anybody reading this now needs to report anyone acting out violently. That way Sheriff Kenny Furlong will know not to harm them, but to protect them.

I have a great respect for the Carson City Sheriff’s Office. They risk their lives everyday to “protect and serve.”

Thank you, Sheriff Kenny Furlong, for setting a good example of leadership for Carson City. My family and I feel safe that you are in charge.

Donna Batis-Wungnema

Carson City

Hot topic: Water conservation in parks

Carson City Parks and Recreation makes every effort to conserve water throughout our park system. The City’s irrigation system is an E.T. (Evapo-Transpiration) based system that gathers information from a local weather station and calculates the amount of water needed for turf. On average this time of year, about a quarter inch (.25) of water loss occurs each day in the plant and soil. The computer program itself replenishes 80% of water loss on a regular basis. The computer also has information on plant/turf type, soil conditions and yearly averages of the E.T. rate. All this information ensures the plant/turf has enough water to grow and dryness does not occur. The system has a flow sensor that monitors the amount of water used on a daily basis and if any breaks occur, it will automatically shut down the system.

While the City strives to water during evening/night hours, some daytime watering may occur to accommodate special event schedules, conduct regular irrigation tests, and make repairs. While it may appear to be traditional watering, park staff may be checking irrigation lines, repairing breaks, adjusting or replacing heads due to vandalism, or any routine maintenance tasks. Some of the City’s larger parks have so many different watering stations, that it can take hours just to get through one entire watering cycle. It is for these reasons; the city is permitted to water parks on Mondays as needed, which is consistent with other public parks agencies throughout the region. For more information, or to report park irrigation breaks/leaks, call the Parks and Recreation at 887-2262.

Jennifer Budge

Carson City Parks and Recreation Director