Letters to the editor

Caraway column slanders leaders

I am surprised and disappointed that the Nevada Appeal would print such a slanderous article written by Kirk Caraway April 3 under the guise of free speech by journalists.

It is one thing to disagree with the leaders of this great nation, but quite another to take cheap shots based solely on your own opinion.

Constructive criticism seems to be out of date by this "editor."

MILT CROALL

Minden

Carson City needs Max Baer's theater

In response to Judy in Minden and Pat in Carson City and their thoughts on Max Baer's property, they echo my sentiments exactly. Give Max Baer a break! Max's plans not only include a hotel casino, restaurants and an oil derrick but a much-needed movie theater.

Have you been to the theater on the north end of town lately? It is the year 2005, and for the capital city of Nevada, it is an embarrassment to go to that theater. There have not been any improvements to that place in years.

It is an embarrassment to say where I live, for that matter. As an educated, young, professional living in this city with my husband, it would be nice to have the opportunity to go to a nice theater and have a decent meal in a new establishment. It is unfortunate that we must travel to Douglas County or Washoe County to do both. Why should those counties continue to take in Carson City revenue? I don't quite understand.

To take into account the need for another warehouse store, please. With Costco and Wal-Mart down the street and Target up from there ... why? Yes, it would bring jobs to this city, as would Max's development plan. If the city does not let Max begin his plan soon, Shelly Aldean and the Glenbrook Co. will lose even more tenants in that desolate strip mall.

Carson City is behind the times and needs to wake up before we lose even more to the prospering surrounding counties. Wake up, Marv Teixeira! There is more to Carson City than trailer parks and retired citizens. Younger families need a place to go and enjoy a nice film and dinner. To Marv and the economic development manager, take a look at the many other vacant buildings in this city. They are just as distressed and in need of redevelopment.

Keep fighting, Max! There are many in this city that support you and hope you will gain approval soon for this project. There must be some hope left for this city. Change is good, people! Open your minds and consider it.

LAUREN URBINA

Carson City

Safety net needed to protect wild horses

Who would suspect a preacher of acquiring horses for a troubled youth project to be a scam artist who shipped six horses cheaply obtained from BLM to the Cavel slaughter plant in DeKalb, Ill.? But then who would expect someone to claim to be a preacher in order to fraudulently obtain wild horses to make a quick buck?

Unfortunately, the language in the infamous Burns Rider severely limits BLM's ability to ensure that horses sold under the new "sale authority" law won't be wind up with get-rich-quick operators. All BLM can do is make its best judgment when providing horses to potential buyers.

As a result of this incident, for which BLM has publicly expressed regrets, the wild-horse groups are redoubling their efforts for passage of H.R.297 and S.576. These measures in Congress will restore prohibitions on the rendering of wild horses into commercial products along with restoring criminal penalties for violators.

While detractors of these measures incorrectly equate their passage to affecting horse populations on public ranges, these bills specifically target horses in BLM long-term holding facilities that are awaiting sale. HR297 and S576 will again allow BLM to require buyers to stipulate under penalty of perjury and other statutes that the animals they are acquiring are not being taken for illegal purposes.

BLM cannot be expected to manage wild-horse sale authority in an effective and humane manner, unless Congress provides the agency with the tools in which to properly execute its duties. Sale authority must be carried out in a manner that doesn't provoke public outrage, and Congress needs to step up to the plate and provide the requisite safety net for the program to be run in the public's interest, rather than the interest of a handful of deceptive schemers.

WILLIS LAMM

Stagecoach