Letters for September 13, 2018

Unhappy choice

This letter is about the governorship for 2018. Unfortunately we have two candidates running—where, I don’t know—and neither of them will measure up to the job.

I haven’t figured out why Adam Laxalt is a candidate. He’s very wishy washy. Seems to do only what he was raised to do, with no opinion of his own. He failed as attorney general and will screw our state of Nevada if elected governor. He is a Donald Trump boy, and Trump pulls the strings.

As for Steve Sisolak, he wants to do his ideas on his terms without regard for what is best for Nevada.

To other candidates vying for the governorship under different parties, I strongly suggest they make their views public. Beef it up, so to speak. We want to hear from you.

Is there not an honest, decent human being out there that can lead us? In Nevada? In the United States?

Helen Howe

Lemmon Valley

One Nevadan’s Nevadan

Re “Democrats cross a line” (editorial, Aug. 30) and “Savior” (cover story, Aug 30):

I was pleasantly surprised you took a principled stance in the editorial against the Democrats’ scorched earth tactics against right-to-life advocacy and crisis pregnancy centers in particular. Kudos!

However, I do quibble with one statement (about relying entirely on NARAL’s report): “How did such a thing happen, even in a legislature that is overwhelmingly Democratic?” Here, I fixed it for you: “How did such a thing happen? Oh, wait, the legislature is overwhelmingly Democratic. It’s California. Never mind.”

Regarding the cover story, by all accounts, Adam Laxalt was born in Reno, Nevada. That makes him a Nevadan and a native son—period. So to gratuitously tar him “a Virginian” is disingenuous, and to splash it on your cover page is foul play.

Similarly, Fred Lokken belied his advanced education and professorship when he said, apparently straight-faced, “Adam Laxalt is not a Nevadan by any stretch of the imagination.” I’ve lived in Nevada these last 45 of my 63 years, yet I never claim to be a Nevadan. Neither should Lokken imply that Steve Sisolak—born in Wisconsin, and not living in Nevada until his mid-20s—is somehow more a true Nevadan than Laxalt.

Brian Adams

Reno

Neighbors

Re “Savior” (cover story, Aug 30):

You voice my sentiments completely! As a transplant to California (I grew up in Maine, went to school in Boston and lived in Montana before coming to Truckee), I have always felt a little resented by “hardcore” Nevadans, for being a citizen of California.

It was clear to me, after first arriving in Truckee, that our excursions to Reno for the needed supplies and better prices than Truckee could provide, demonstrated that money from California was doing nothing but raising the standard of living for all of Nevada. This certainly has not diminished!

I find humor in the sentiments expressed by Reno/Nevada “natives” when they show a disdain for their neighboring and prosperous state of California. A French friend of mine came to live with us for two weeks and ended up staying for two months. He was very opinionated (!) and critical of almost everything “USA.” I finally had to reluctantly remind him that if it wasn’t for the U.S. in World War II, his country, and others, would be eating a lot of sauerkraut today!

When I was growing up in Maine, a family that lived a couple of houses away were more prosperous than anyone else in the entire town. Of course there was envy; they had everything they wanted and we had to get by with much less. But instead of resenting their wealth, I embraced it. Their son was my best friend and by being associated with him I also benefited from what they had!

Perhaps that minority segment of Nevada’s population who resent that they have a prosperous and progressive neighbor should come to terms with the idea that without the influence of California, Nevada would resort to being the desert wasteland and dumping ground that nobody really wants! (Even Californians!)

Michael Fournier

Truckee

Correction

Re “Out of school,” (cover story, Sept. 6):

Our story misidentified Breanne Read’s job. She’s a paralegal with the Washoe County School District, not an attorney as originally reported.