A good newspaper Opinion page should keep one essential goal in mind. It should strive simply to generate community discussion on issues are important to its readers. Inasmuch as it is successful at doing that one thing, the Opinion page fulfills its vital function.
The PROGRESS Opinion page aims to do just that. We strive to allow our readers the space to reflect back current community issues through the lens of their own point of view. That is at the crux of why we set aside this page, each and every week. And regardless of what our readers may think about the ideas expressed here, if this page has caused them to think at all, then we feel it has served its purpose.
A careful review of this page’s content over the past year indicates that it is still functioning well in that purpose. We are proud to say that free expression of opinion is alive and well in Moapa Valley. And we hope that it will always be so.
This being an election year, we have found plenty of important issues to keep our editorial staff busy. The Editorial columns have successfully framed many of these important issues throughout the past year. In them we have treated with a wide range of topics. We have expressed our views on important election subjects like an analysis of various ballot initiatives and the importance of a strong voter turnout. We even offered several candidate endorsements (for what they were worth). After the election we weighed in on the process used to fill the vacancy left by the late Republican Dennis Hof and we advocated that rural communities be considered in that process. We spoke up several times about the bitter debate regarding a new transgender policy being formulated by the Clark County School District Board. We did some analysis on the future prospects of the Moapa Valley Fire District. We sounded off about the need for healthy economic growth and residential development in the community. These are just a few of the items upon which we commented in our Editorial columns in 2018.
Of course, our editorial pieces are not written to manipulate public opinion nor to tell people how to think. In a community as intelligent, varied and thoughtful as Moapa Valley, that would be pointless. Rather Editorials are published with the hope of sparking local conversation. By all accounts, we seem to have been successful.
The PROGRESS published more than two dozen letters to the editor this year. The majority of those letters were written by local folks; with a few coming from further afield. We appreciate and value the effort taken by those who shared their views. Those writers appearing in print during 2018 included: Tom Morris, Lindsey Dalley, Sheldon Worley, Alice Smith, William Bush, Chris Edwards, Dr. Philip A. Long, Esther Ramos, Robin Hart, Dr. Ann Smith Rice, Lois Henderson, Ned Hill, Keith Grimes, Diane Dioguardi, Tye Eastman, Carl Weiss, Trinity Tanner, Tim Watkins, Betty Heitmann, Anthony Blair, Mary Ann Cox and Roxanne LaBeau.
Interestingly, the number of letters formally submitted for publication has decreased in recent years. More people are using online media to react to local issues. Some folks prefer the ability to instantly post comments and get responses online. We remain firm believers in the permanence and thoughtful finish required in taking time to formally submit views for print publication. Nevertheless, we welcome this online trend and enjoy seeing the impromptu community conversation in the electronic medium as well. Both forms of expression are equally important and valid.
Hundreds of comments have been posted to our website at www.mvprogress.com; as well as to our Facebook page; over the past year. Most of these have not been published in the hardcopy of the newspaper, though some have. But they all definitely add to the community forum experience.
Those who have provided names along with their comments include: Bea & John Redd, Lanny Waite, Troy Johnson, Julie Smith, Eileen Hewitt, Ron Clark, Stephen Genseal, Lisa Brown, Marcia Lassiter & Family, Reese Lukei Jr., Linda Clark-O’Brien, Tina Hatch, Celta Hannig, Terry Daugherty, David Pahlka, Karen and Earl Plunkett, Roger Miller, Dave Sharp, Cherie Johnson, James Dillon, Gary and Vikki Marshall, Bella Harper, Jane Heenan, Edward Simpson, Vee Deplidge, Cynthia Maria Ibanez, Dave Martin, Thelma Myers, Gricelda Reynoso Mercado, Lynn Wallen, Julia Parra, Michael J. McCammon, Darline Teller, Mike Altman, Gregory Schwob, Dan Huffman, Mike Hardison, Susan Fly, Dawn Adams, Basilio Pangilinan, Marilyn Ball, Karen Norton, Walt Hess, John Howard, Dale Pooler, Darryl Gutierrez, Danielle Zappa, PJ Walker, William Bush, Campbell Andersen, Chickee and Norman Nelson, Carrie Beckstrand, Kayleen Schulz, Chris Edwards, Gina Andersen Smith, Rick Welter, Luis Morales, Michael Patrick, Susan Smith, Joan De Cunzo, Roberta Bentley, Myrna Foster, Esti Hutch, Della Frank, William Duffey Jr., Darlene Nelson, Trinity Tanner, MiChelle Lovett, Teresa Waite Nielsen, Philisiwe Lungu, Val Smith, Zara Amell, Cecile Ouellet, Penny Stoven, Sandi Snyder, Brian Shoemake, Bob Irwin, Ann Searles, Catherine Ellerton, Scott Miller, Justin Schmidt, Julie Morrison, Kathleen Arena, Thomas MacElwee, Jack Badlander, Tye Eastman, Lois Weill, Jeni Stepanek, Crystal Scatterday, Neal Kammeyer, Ellie Gray, Anthony Maestas, Clara Mayer, Michael Riley, Jerree Crouch, Chris Hallenburg, Jason Hammons, Mike Treep, Evan Ravitz, Vicki Tippy, Diana Petersen, Cristine Johnson, Judyth Gillies, Suzanne Wooten Moss, Susan Quinley, Lance Johnson, Richard Black, Greg Voss, Sandy McTavish, Barbara Taylor, Jenna Rhude, Joe Obremski, James Downing, Dwight Tee, Toni Holbrook, Terry Knapp, LuAnne Bender, Makayla Carson, Elaine Williams, Theresa Kendall, Craig Latimer, Steve Evans, Shanan Kelly, Cortnie Villezcas, Richard Kedward, Janean Monger, A. Nelson, Margaret Masanz, Anne Muneca, Ted Nichols, Kevin Bailey, John Bissett, Elizabeth Jackson, Rene Ornelas, Stephanie Blair, Becky Bartle, Lay LaPointe, Chris Haney, Lloyd and Kathy DeWitt, Helena Pacheco, Bobby Franklin and Don Adair.
We have also been pleased to publish extended views in longer op-ed columns that are more detailed than a typical letter to the editor can be. Some of these have come from our readers. Others have come from experts in various fields. These have added depth to the PROGRESS Opinion page. We recognize the following for their contribution in these articles: Judge Lanny Waite, Brian Burris, Barry Smith, Ace Robison, Dennis Hof, Craig Higgins, Officer Cory Estes, County Commissioner Marilyn Kirkpatrick, Vickie Simmons, the MV Water District Board of Directors, State Senators Pete Goicoechea, James Settlemeyer & Don Gustavson, and a piece by Esther Robison Olson which was published posthumously.
For the twelfth year running now, the PROGRESS expresses tremendous appreciation to Dr. Larry Moses for his insightful and entertaining column “No One Asked Me But…” Doc Moses is fond of saying that he only continues to write his column at the sufferance of the PROGRESS editor. But it is, in fact, the editor who would suffer if ever Dr. Moses’ were to be discontinued. The fact is, we hear more reader feedback regarding Dr. Moses’ column than all the rest of the content combined — most of it positive!
We often overhear discussion in various and sundry places about the subject that Doc’s column delves into. Some folks agree, some disagree; sometimes they even argue back and forth about it. In all cases, this is exactly the kind of discussion keeps “No One Asked Me But…” a relevant and fresh part of our publication.
Once again we are grateful to Doc Moses for his painstaking labor of love in elevating the community discourse. The PROGRESS just wouldn’t be the same without him!
The Moapa Valley community now faces the unknowns of a new year together. But rest assured, as 2019 unfolds, our pages will again contain all the commonplace events and sudden surprises; the happiness and heartbreaks; the victories and vanquishments; the joys and juxtapositions that the Moapa Valley will experience together. Because no one covers the Moapa Valley like the PROGRESS.
Our staff looks forward to bringing all of these things to our pages during 2019. And as we do, we look forward to hearing from you, our loyal readership, with your unique and valued perspectives on the news of the day. Please don’t keep your opinions to yourselves! They are always welcome here in the newspaper.
Once again, thank you, Moapa Valley, for reading the PROGRESS!
