Letters for October 18, 2001

Bruce Van Dyke’s column finally brought me to the tears I needed. The New York firefighters and police are the shit. They’re going up the stairs as you’re coming down. They’re thinking, “We can put this fire out. We can fix this.” I feel assured that the New Yorkers in the towers felt comfort seeing New York’s finest going up the stairs as they were going downward to the streets below.

Thank you, Bruce.

Jeffrey D. Lee
via e-mail

Casinos treat employees poorly
Re “Taking What They’re Giving” (RN&R News, Sept. 27):

The article you had in your paper about the casino industry slowing was too soft. Of course the casinos would want the general public to believe they care, but past facts show they do not.

If you talk to past casino employees, they will tell you they’ll never work for another as long they live. The stories they tell do not exist in normal employment, such as managers telling employees if they cannot work a holiday, they will be terminated; you must be nice to a customer after he insults you, because he has money; it’s a “right to work” state, so you can be fired at any time.

I myself have worked in the casino industry for 15 years as an employee, supervisor and manager. I know for a fact that the horror stories are true. I lived them and was given direct orders by managers to act unethically toward employees for the company’s gain, or I would be terminated.

Matt DeBock
via e-mail

Thanks for the editorial
Re “Right Meets Left on Liberty” (RN&R Editorial, Sept. 27):

Thanks for the editorial. These things need to be said.

Only the media can keep Big Government from morphing into Big Brother. We citizens must keep vigilant watch over our freedoms, lest they be whittled away by well-meaning but short-sighted federal bureaucrats.

Pat Patera
Washoe Valley

Consider working for the disabled
Re “Taking What They’re Giving” (RN&R News, Sept. 27):

I’d like to suggest that people who need jobs or need more work hours consider doing personal attendant work for people with disabilities. Some local or visiting elderly people or people with disabilities may need someone to help them bathe, get dressed, groomed, fed, etc. My husband, Jim Gonsalves, who uses a power wheelchair, hires a local attendant when we travel to Reno several times a year.

This is part-time work, but these services are very important in enabling people with disabilities to get up in the morning (or to bed at night) so they can go to school, to work, or to do volunteer work, etc.

You may inquire at the Northern Nevada Center for Independent Living, 999 Pyramid Way in Sparks. Call 353-3599.

Mary Fowler
Alameda, Calif.

Choice was closed for months
Re “Editors’ Choice: Kids & Family” (RN&R Best of Reno, Oct. 4):

Somewhere in the mind of Jimmy Boegle, journalism, advertising and stand-up comedy have been dangerously confused. Case in point: The editors’ choice for “Best Place to Buy a Sweet/Phat/Bomb Skateboard” was Excell Skates of Reno. First of all, was that use of slang intended as irony, or was it a misguided attempt at connecting with skaters? If the latter is the case, most skaters are aware that Excell has been closed for at least two months.

Greg Anderson
Reno

Pave before you dig
I have such trepidation knowing that Reno City Councilman Dave Aiazzi is pushing so hard for the train trench without a public vote of the taxpayers, keeping in mind that he can’t even get West Seventh Street paved completely.

James Kadokan
Reno