Letters for July 11, 2013

More for less

Re “The death of senior services” (Feature story, June 27):

The “Death of Senior Services” article in the RN&R’s June 27 edition is misleading.

First of all, Senior Services meals are certified by a registered dietician to provide one-third of the USDA recommended daily allowance for seniors. And, while it is true that Washoe County Senior Services, like all county departments, has lost revenue and staff from the Great Recession, we are serving 67 percent more people than were served in 2008 when the economic crisis began.

It is also true that several programs have been lost because of the federal sequester and future reductions are possible. We are working to find ways to continue all of senior services through options with other county departments and our community partners. In fact, we hope to restore our Visiting Nurse Program in the near future.

We are looking for new strategies and funding for all of Senior Services programs, as the senior population is rapidly growing. The Senior Law Project will continue uninterrupted, thanks to Washoe Legal Services and Nevada Legal Services who have stepped in to help. As a result, we will be able to restore services for that program to 2007-2008 levels. Although we expect cuts in the Nutrition Programs, we will focus the resources that we have on the Meals on Wheels program for home bound seniors. And our Senior Social Services and DayBreak Adult Day Health programs continue with new and innovative funding.

Grady Tarbutton

Director, Washoe County Senior Services

Write your rep

Approximately 1,000,000 Americans and their families are impacted by Parkinson’s disease. That prevalence is expected to more than double by 2040. It is urgent that as many of us as are able to, step forward and make our voices of support heard for biomedical research funding. We all deserve and need to be heard by our elected officials in Congress, asking them to support sustained funding. Together our voices carry the power to help find better treatments for people who are living with Parkinson’s disease, as well as to hasten the defeat of Parkinson’s.

Carol Madaris

Las Vegas

Eyewitness account

Re “An age of wonders” (Editor’s note, July 3):

I suggest you spend a few minutes and get some objective information about Muslims in Turkey. Christians, gays and Jews are murdered and women are gang-raped in the name of Islam every day in Turkey. I just returned from a month in Thailand and love that country and its people. You missed another benefit to visiting Thailand, I lost 10 pounds. I ate only Thai food and drank lots of Thai beer. Well written article, and I look forward to your next report.

Keith Salvatore

Rocklin, Calif.

Two much cents

Re “An age of wonders” (Editor’s note, July 3):

When I read the tagline to this post on the landing page, I thought the topic was going to be about immortality. [“We live in an age of wonders. Can immortality be just beyond our grasp?”] I will comment anyway because that’s what I want to do. The problem as I see it with attaining immortality is that it can, more than likely, never be done within this physical universe. Even the universe itself will, probably, one day, expire. Then, every immortal will suddenly become mortal and expire with it. Just my $0.02 on immortality.

Christopher Corbett

Sparks

Regulate food

Re “A market solution to food problems” (The Liberty Belle, July 3):

Chanelle Bessette suggests that privatization of food regulation is a better solution that government regulation. She offers the MPAA and ESRB as examples of effective privatization. She probably was born after the MPAA started. I seem to recall that the only reason they created a voluntary rating system was to stave off regulation from the government. The same is true with ESRB. If there was no possibility of government regulation, then these industries would have continued doing as little as possible regarding ratings. It is only because of the threat of government regulation that they voluntarily put together their systems. Her suggestion to abandon government control as an answer would result in an unregulated free-for-all. One only needs to look at the Bangladesh clothing industry to see the result of voluntary industry compliance. The Rana Plaza disaster was not the only clothing factory where workers lost their lives due to the lack of effective regulation, it was only the most recent and most deadly. Regulation is needed (in moderation) to keep honest those who have little regard for others.

Jon Harrison

Reno

It was naughty

Re “10 Things to Know” (Feature story, July 3):

The story on Turkey was excellent! Eye opening via someone I know and trust. I got the same from my daughter when she visited there last year.

Thank you for telling a truly no spin story of your own experiences. We need more like this from more reporters, and it certainly helps those of us who are seated at home in front of the American View of news.

I would love to be “in the know” [about the previous conversation you mentioned], but knowing you and my own wild imagination, I saw images in my own mind that you cannot top by telling me what that meant, so don’t even try!

Thanks, I was waiting for this story.

Martha Liou

Reedsport, Ore.

Yeah, where’s Sam?

Community Affect’s list of 100 Reno leaders? It’s just plain silly without Sam Dehne at the top.

Second place isn’t even close when it comes to savoir faire, spunk, gumption, moxie, brilliant knowledge, humor, natural charisma and unlimited humbleness.

Nobody else has a proven track record of successful in-government’s-face watchdogging and protection of Reno’s citizens.

Sam’s resume is unmatched by any on this list. There has always been the dysfunctional media, and the poobahs who sign the checks and pull the strings, that can’t handle the truth about Sam’s erudite patriotism.

And now we have these folks.

Sam’s ubiquitously syncopated watchdogging has saved Reno citizens more than the efforts of all the other citizens added together. And he does it all philanthropically.

Do these people hold their meetings in a closet?

Sam Dehne

Reno