Letters

Who prefers coal?

Re “Nevada must pursue excellence in 2012” (Feature story, Dec. 29):

Casey O’Lear’s column was a disappointment. She might as well be a spokesperson for the utilities. It is so tiresome to once again hear how renewable energy projects are going to be a solution for the state’s economy. It’s become a tired and brain-dead mantra offered up by the left at every possible opportunity. It’s never going to be more than a drop in the bucket to the overall job picture in Nevada. How many of those jobs are going to be temporary and transient? I don’t think industrialization of public lands should be shrugged off as a non-issue. Can we please elevate the discussion to include the downside of renewable energy projects on public lands? Like it’s inherently inefficient to transmit power long distances? Something like 30 percent is lost. Or if it’s a good idea to locate wind farms along major migratory bird routes. I think the unavoidable truth of the situation is that renewable energy is best generated where it’s used. I’d like the discussion to include the idea that any new construction in the state would have to generate all of its own power needs. How many jobs would that create? Currently, we have an opportunity to detach ourselves from the utility companies, slow the industrialization of public lands and create jobs. I thought you were supposed to be a liberal, Casey.

John Haggerty
Reno

Dave’s here

Re “Rib-eye in the sky” (Foodfinds, Dec. 8):

Dave Preston’s review of Vista Grille was right on. Vista Grille is a great restaurant, and Preston is a welcome addition to Reno News & Review!

John Kukulica
Reno

Learn from loss

Re “Waste not” (Feature story, Dec. 29):

Yes, we have poor curbside recycling options. But this whole idea of a “green dawn” if we all simply pay a few dollars more a month to Waste Management is something nobody’s buying. You ran a story a couple years back about the STAR Bonds issue and how we as taxpayers were the one assuming the up front cost of building a new mall. It was sold to our local government officials as a win-win situation to create jobs, drive tourism, and boost our economy, none of which ever which ever really came to fruition. Shouldn’t that have been our lesson?

These large companies, which stand to gain substantial revenue from these ventures, need to be the ones making these investments. We here in Northern Nevada have a history of taking all the risk out of the equation for these incoming businesses, and then letting them reap the reward, or walk away without a loss if the venture doesn’t pan out.

Don’t get me wrong. Nevada’s recycling rate is embarrassingly low. But there is also another principle at work here, and I would like to see some of these nationwide companies that come to Nevada do more to invest in projects that will ultimately make them profitable. After all, if they have a vested interest, won’t they be more likely into put the effort into really making it work?

John Shultz
Reno

That’s Italian!

Re “The Italian Job” (Foodfinds, Dec. 29):

As I read the RN&R’s restaurant review while on a flight to Las Vegas to visit my daughter last week, I couldn’t help but wonder if K.J. Sullivan and I had eaten at the same restaurant. Seriously.

First, a disclaimer: I know a few of the people who work there and am also thinking about founding an entrepreneurial venture with the restaurant as its base.

When I moved to Reno in 2001, I ate at Pierino’s fairly regularly, maybe one or two times per month. Then, when Donato left town, Pierino retired, and new owners took over, the escalating prices—plus the arrogance of the clownish new restaurateurs—kept me away from about 2003 or thereabouts until around six months or so ago. Don’t beat me up about the dates. My memory’s not what it used to be. Er—where was I?

Anyway, when I saw the new storefront sign—A&M Rosami, LLC—and after first ascertaining that it wasn’t a new law firm, I decided to give it a try. Here’s what I found.

First of all, and most important: The food is as tasty and the portions as abundant as when I used to dine there regularly under Pierino and Donato. Second—and only slightly less important—prices are about $5 less than they were.

Now to the review: While I can’t attest to Sullivan’s personal dining experience, I doubt it was as awful as claimed. For one thing, if Rosami sported “the exact same restaurant set-up,” as did Pierino’s (which the reviewer claimed to have liked) why complain now about the “awful” ambience and “blinding row of track lighting?”—the latter which I’ve never personally noticed. But then, as a frequent diner, maybe I’m just used to it. Or not.

The second thing regards the description of the manicotti. Aside from the ambiguity of the phrase “the ricotta fell flat,” I’m confused about appearance of spinach as an ingredient. Now, I’m Italian, my mother and father are both Italian (Mom grew up in Little Italy on the Lower East Side), my grandparents immigrated from Sicily at the turn of the century. Never have I come across manicotti prepared with spinach. We always used parsley, and the 3-4 Italian cookbooks I checked before writing this letter all showed either basil or parsley as part of the recipes.

Now, in all honesty, I did find some manicotti recipes online that included spinach—but those dishes were invariably labeled “spinach manicotti.” A fine point, perhaps, but it does cause me to question the culinary acumen of your reviewer. Just saying.

In any event, in the eight or nine times I’ve eaten at Rosami under its current ownership, I’ve never experienced anything but a fine meal, at a price I could afford, and with more than acceptable service.

Roger Scime
Reno

Editor’s note: Spinach is the second manicotti ingredient mentioned on the menu, which can be found at www.amrosami.com.Update: The online menu has changed since this Editor’s note was written.

Dave’s not green

Re “Waste not”

(Feature story, Dec. 29):

Waste Management recently renegotiated their Sacramento contract and got a long and exclusive extension—and also cut out a local company.

WM won’t haul to Nevada anymore, even if fueled by Big Macs.

Sacramento has an extensive greenwaste program, and California has an actual state Department of Recycling.

WM does a terrible job of educating folks and posting recycling protocols.

It is just about letting folks get “it” out of their systems, so why should we believe they have a “green” priority today?

As for [Reno City Councilmember Dave] Aiazzi’s comment, the city sold WM the land.

In prior years, go to Reno Corporation yard, and go ahead, bag your leaves in free, big, black plastic bags!

Aiazzi is in the big picture business at RTC, Planning, TMWA, etc.

Who really believes he is “green”?

Steve Klutter
Sun Valley