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March 29, 2024 8:23 am
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR:
Adequate Rural Fire Protection Is Achievable
Response To Editorial: Hydrants & Standpipes
Thanks!
Reasons To Oppose The Detention Center
Have The Facts
SEND A LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Adequate Rural Fire Protection Is Achievable
To the Editor:
In my 35+ year fire protection career, I couldn’t begin to tell you how many times I’ve heard the “Why?” questions you’ve opined. This question is repeatedly asked by news organizations, fire loss victims, and even the fire service itself, immediately after some fire event where it was obvious that firefighting efforts could have been improved through better planning, equipping, training, leadership, etc . Water supply is often at the heart of many such discussions.

The challenge of insufficient water supply that you’ve pointed out is one that is shared in rural areas and communities everywhere. It can indeed, be “a problem that is easier to set aside and worry about another day”…a unfortunate choice made by many communities and community leaders. This “maybe later” approach most certainly provides endless opportunities for future op/eds such as yours of 1/23/08. Unfortunately for many fire victims, it also provides for more catastrophic losses with the convenient excuse that “We didn’t have enough water!”.

Or, on the good side, insufficient water supply is a challenge that can be met head-on and solved by your committed community leaders, your responsible and professional builders/developers and your dedicated fire professionals through diligent planning and consistent application of proven fire protection methodologies. Built-in fire protection water supply is indeed overwhelmingly expensive IF it is added all at once or added in the wrong manner. Improved upon, one hydrant at a time or one development at a time however, the cost is more affordably spread out and shared by those that are proposing additions to your values at risk. Even better yet, when buildings are involved (yes even single family homes!), adding fire protection INSIDE the building as active fire protection (e.g. fire sprinkler systems) rather than static fire protection (hydrants), community fire protection is enhanced even further. I was very disappointed to read that Mr. Rebman is paying “roughly $100,000” to add a hydrant (static protection), rather than a lesser cost to add a built-in automatic fire sprinkler system (active protection). It seems to me that some folks at the builder and plans approval levels might be asleep at the wheel on that project. They might want to check out the ‘Roy Rogers Memorial Chapel’ in Apple Valley, CA to see how active fire protection can be provided at a more minimal cost.

Adequate rural fire protection for the wide variety of fire events and longer travel distances associated with rural areas IS achievable. Started immediately and enforced consistently and uniformly in conjunction with an overall community fire protection master plan, you will gain the more adequate fire protection infrastructure you’re after, protecting your community against catastrophic losses and allowing your local newspaper editor to focus time and effort on more enjoyable things like commenting on how well the high school students did with their roles in their portrayal of ‘Our Town’!.

Fire is a teacher to those willing to learn. I have a very good friend in the fire service who calls this, “the catastrophic theory of reform” in one of his many books. It is good to look back and learn. It is better to take action, based upon our learning, and then improve our individual responsibilities involved with fire loss prevention.

Ralph Crane
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Response To Editorial: Hydrants & Standpipes
To the Editor:
The Valley has been very fortunate that no one has been killed or maimed from the fires that have occurred here. I’m very glad to see that the fire hydrant problem is finally getting some well-needed attention. The County fire hydrant requirements should ALWAYS be enforced, with NO exceptions. The Cottonwood St. problem, with the water line, would not exist if it had been brought up to code as the development increased. None of this infrastructure is cheap, but it’s part of the cost of building. So if you can’t afford it….don’t build!

Billy Muldice
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Thanks!
To the Editor:
Gene and I would like to express our thanks to the many wonderful friends and ward members that prayed on our behalf, also for the wonderful meals that were brought to us. I am doing great and the surgery was worth it.

Bernice Curtis
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Reasons To Oppose The Detention Center
To the Editor:
I am deeply offended by the Moapa Valley Progress embedding their personal opinion of the proposed federal detention center at the Moapa 80 site into a supposed factual article concerning the scoping meeting for the proposed detention center (January 23, 2008; Hearing Held for Proposed Moapa Detention Facility). Your editorial belongs in the editorial section, not in the meeting report.

Furthermore, if you are going to misquote individuals in your “factual” report, do not bother reporting.

I am offended by the citizens of Logandale and Overton, too.  When a casino was proposed, you were up here helping Moapa citizens fight the potential negative development.  However, when a federal detention center is proposed, you turn a blind eye or believe whatever you read in this paper.  If a federal detention center were proposed in Logandale or Overton, I would be right by your side fighting it.

I oppose a Federal Detention Facility at the Moapa 80 site due to very significant issues. Not the least of which is the fact that my family has a significant history of being part of and contributing to the Moapa community.  This makes my family significant to the area of potential effect (APE) and decisions concerning the future of Moapa.  However, no one who is opposed to this site has been part of the APE evaluation. My ancestors and family members worked the railroad, worked the land, had the Moapa Bar, served as volunteer fire fighters, served as volunteer EMS, served as midwives, helped in the community, and served as community leaders.

Much of the Moapa history has been bulldozed, but the memories, stories, and ideals continue with each generation.  However, the implementation of a detention center/prison in Moapa will destroy this Moapa. My opposition is based on many factors including, but not necessarily limited to the following issues: • In a rural community destroying our rural lifestyle, atmosphere, animal life, plant life, wetlands, and future. • The inefficient, inappropriate, and destructive use of our resources and industry/market base potential.  Once we are saddled with a “Prison Town” image, we will not be able to attract other positive development and growth from business and industry that would otherwise be attracted to our town. • Negative psychological effects of growing up and living in a prison town. Negative psychological effects due to the possible terror associated with what if someone escapes and things go wrong.

• In extremely close proximity to Perkins Elementary School creating potential risks to students, faculty, staff, parents, and the community at large.

• In extremely close proximity to the Moapa Band of Paiute Indian Reservation including homes, Boys and Girls Club, and businesses.

• In extremely close proximity to rural homes, farms, and ranches to the West, North, and East.

• In extremely close proximity to the historical Mormon Pioneer cemetery at West Point.

• In extremely close proximity to the Union Pacific Railroad.

• In extremely close proximity to Highway 168 and Interstate 15.

• Increased population threatening the rural community.

• Increased traffic congestion and safety issues.

• Increased crime threatening our precarious rural community security.

• Increased demand for police, fire, ambulance, and other emergency services. As it is now, we have a significant response time for police.  We have a minimum of 1 hour, possibly hours, days, and weeks for Metro to respond to a situation, if they respond at all.

• Increased demand for Public Works Improvement projects.

• Increased risk of accidents, closures, and hazards on the already congested Interstate 15 and Highway 168 which are not adequate for the growth in the Northeastern Clark County area as is.

• Increased risk of accidents, closures, and hazards on Interstate 15 which is a significant traffic corridor for commerce and private travel from Canada to California.

• Increased risk of dangerous individuals imported into our community due the fact they are unable to make bail and/or are denied bail.

• Increased risk of dangerous individuals imported into our community due to the fact they are terrorists, drug dealers, murderers, kidnappers, child molesters, rapists, etc.

• Increased risk of terrorists and/or gang members coming to the area and facilitating escapes of dangerous individuals.

No amount of benefit that Corrections Corporation of America (CCA), the US Federal Government, the Clark County Government, Clark County Commissioner Tom Collins, or the Moapa Town Advisory Board suggests and promises the citizens of the Township of Moapa can outweigh the significant risks, costs, and destruction to our society.  We are fighting to preserve our rural lifestyle on a daily basis.  We cannot allow this Detention Center to threaten and destroy our lives and our future.

Shari Lee Wright Lyman, Ph.D.

Editorial Response: For clarification purposes, the statements, referenced here by Dr. Lyman, which I made regarding the proposed Detention Facility were not in any way meant as a newspaper editorial, nor were they made on behalf of the Moapa Valley Progress. The wording of the news story was very clear in this regard. Rather, my statement was made in response to a question by the journalist who was covering the story. In seeking to get a full story, he wished to include the opinion of the local business community who seemed absent at the meeting. He, therefore, sought my input as local business owner and as the President of the Moapa Valley Chamber of Commerce. I, then, gave him a copy of a written response which was sent as part of the scoping process from which he quoted.

Vernon Robison
General Managing Editor
Moapa Valley Progress
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Have The Facts
To the Editor:
Here is yet one more letter concerning the great debate of the ‘African Hunter’. (I like to say that with an Irish Brogue and place my thumb in my mouth blowing my chest out; The rest you can give a light British accent.)

My observation is, not many of you have all the facts (which is true of a plethora of topics in this forum). If you are going to be a worthy opponent and have your opinion taken seriously and judiciously then shouldn’t you arm yourself with the facts? It is so difficult to have a battle of wits with an unarmed opponent.

Very few of us achieve a life long dream, however sublime or absurd. A very wise person once told me, “If you are going to complain about something, also have a solution prepared.”

Glenda Woodward
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