Letters for August 12, 2004

I am new to Reno, but I had read about the whitewater park before moving here. I was looking forward to kayaking, but I didn’t realize how much fun it would be to just jump in, and let the water take us away. In the last month, my 9-year-old son and I have played there half a dozen times. There is no question that, with or without my supervision, he (or I for that matter) could drown while playing in the rushing rapids. That is no reason for the city to make it impossible to allow children in the public river. Every time a child skateboards on a public street or plays at a public park, he/she could be injured. Is the city responsible for the children hurt or killed while using those city-improved properties? What we need are responsible judges who use common sense to throw out frivolous lawsuits. We don’t need a sign to tell us what is dangerous, and we don’t need laws to protect us from ourselves. I resent you for trying to spoil the fun. I suggest you put on a suit and take a dip for yourself.

I do agree with you regarding the tree in Wingfield Park. My family of three took advantage of a free movie (Rear Window) one Friday night. The tree blocked our view—so we moved. Putting the projector in front of the tree would be a sufficient solution. Since you can’t see through the projector either, they might as well be lined up. When the movie was over, my son woke up and asked if we could return the following Friday. We are smart enough to enjoy a peaceful evening without cutting down trees unnecessarily.

Bubby Coffey
via e-mail

More dog dissing
Re “More dog daze” (RN&R, Letters, July 22):

If Steve Dunn were to do a little research on the Internet, he’d see that dogs bite 1-2 million people a year (www.doginformation.org/articles/kids.htm), and that’s just in the United States.

Many of the bites are inflicted upon children by the “family dog,” and, no, the dogs weren’t trained to attack kids. Insurers pay in excess of $1 billion in claims related to dog bites.

Look at a dog’s teeth. They are sharp, aren’t they? Why? Dogs are predators. Carnivores. They are of the same group as wolves, coyotes and jackals.

Darin Reed
Reno

Isn’t it ironic?
Re “Buy shoes, you lose” (RN&R, Arts & culture, Aug. 5):

Am I the only one who finds it odd that Republican Nevada Treasurer Brian Krolicki was honored at a “Women’s Money Conference"?

This is the same guy who was front and center, supporting President Bush during his recent visit to Reno. Does Krolicki not understand that under the Bush Administration, we now have the largest debt in the history of the world?

As a father of three, is he not concerned that his children will be paying off this humongous debt for the rest of their lives?

Bush continues to spend money we don’t have at a record pace. His blank-check spending in Iraq has alienated even conservatives.

It’s no wonder that more women filed for bankruptcy than graduated from college in 2003, with Bush and his fellow Republicans setting yet another fine example.

Maybe the next “money conference” should target Republican men.

Julie Brents
Sparks

Get it right
Re “Disorder in the Family Court” (RN&R, News, Aug. 5):

Myers got it seriously wrong about the TPO process. Two years ago, our son filed for divorce. His wife immediately accosted him at his work, to the point where he had to grab her hands to protect himself, and then she went right to the court house and got a TPO. It restrained him from seeing his 4-year-old daughter for 30 days. It also restrained us, her grandparents, from contacting her since we were construed as his “agents.”

I have nothing against CAAW. I think they are an important community resource. Abused women definitely need an advocate. But in the courthouse, where the TPO applications are filed? They have an agenda, an admittedly admirable one, but they should not be in a gatekeeper role where the issues are so important.

To her credit, Judge Schumaker tossed the TPO when it was heard in her court, and admonished the wife that lying to get a TPO was not a valid expression of her anger.

We have just had a decision in our son’s divorce case, and again, Judge Schumaker was more than fair. But it has been a grueling two years. Once Myers has gone through an experience like ours, he would be much more qualified to write that article. Until then, both the paper and Myers should remember the foundation of journalism: “Get it first, but first, get it right!”

Michael Hoover
via e-mail