Letters

Good stuff

Welcome to this week’s Reno News & Review.

I like this issue.

That’s not to say that we’re in the habit of putting out newspapers I don’t like, but every once in a while we put out an issue where it seems like everybody on the team is contributing their best work, where everyone up and down the batting order is knocking in runs. This is one of those issues.

Let’s start with the cover. Eric Marks was his usual talented self, running out to the Black Lives Matter demonstration and capturing some amazing images. And our designer Brian Breneman did a great job laying out those images in a nice two page spread.

Elsewhere in the issue, news editor Dennis Myers explored in depth some of the complex social issues surrounding the Black Lives Matter movement. So not only did we get great images, but great analysis as well.

Dennis also wrote the lead story of this week’s feature Back to School package, about how Washoe County School District’s reputation is actually tarnished by negative statewide statistics.

Special projects editor Jeri Chadwell-Singley also contributed to that package, and she, designer Sarah Hansel and some of our contributors put together a fantastic Family Guide supplement focused on family-friendly road trips. And Jeri wrote a fascinating piece for our Green column to boot.

Great arts section this week as well. Arts editor Kris Vagner wrote about Greg Allen, one of Reno’s best painters, and music writer Anna Hart wrote an excellent article about Schizopolitans, one of Reno’s best bands.

Calender editor Kelley Lang and all of our regular columnists and contributors brought their A game this week as well.

Except Bob Grimm. He’s way off base. There’s no way that the new Ghostbustersmovie is as bad as he’s making it out to be. I haven’t even seen it yet, and already I know Bob is just plain wrong.

—Brad Bynum bradb@newsreview.com

Simpson redux

Re “Calling a foul” (Notes from the Neon Babylon, June 23):

O.J. Simpson may have gotten away with murder in LA when the jury handed down the verdict. That should have been the end of it. A crime was committed. Court was convened. A trial was held. A verdict was rendered. End of story—or at least O.J.’s part of it.

Justice did not win or lose that day. Instead of dropping it, many people who watched parts of the trial on TV or saw recaps of it on the evening news decided to render their own verdict of guilty. (If you don’t like the jury verdicts, don’t spend your time trying to get out of jury duty.) People went after O.J. in any and all ways possible—financial, civil rights violations, etc. It took the case from being about justice to revenge.

When O.J. was convicted in Nevada, a member of the court said that Nevada did what California couldn’t. They also said O.J. got what he deserved in Vegas. No, he didn’t. He was partly sentenced for what happened in California. That in itself is not right. You get a speeding ticket in Reno. At traffic court the judge saw you were given a warning for illegal parking on a San Francisco street years ago. The judge takes that into account and triples your fine. Not right. The two are not related, just like the two O.J. cases are not related. True, a judge can take into account past behavior but only if it pertains to the case—not to enact revenge on a previous case that the judge rightfully or wrongfully feels was unfairly rendered.

If we allow—and we already have—the court system to give out sentences based on revenge for a previous case, then how fair is the system?

Dewey Quong Reno

Give to get?

Re “Always try to come in 49th” (Left Foot Forward, June 30):

The glass will always be half empty for Sheila. Too bad that the many positives of growth—average wage increase, job opportunities, etc.—are totally ignored by her liberal, anti-growth message. She focuses on the negatives like using state data to disrespect the real success of the Washoe County School District and tax subsidies, which very few companies actually get, and even when they get them it amounts to very little—a temporary reduction in taxes that actually brings more revenue to the state than the taxes that are not collected. Any research in this area would reveal that of the majority of the incentives “given” to Tesla, over half were reductions in taxes on manufacturing equipment, a tax that most states don’t even have! But then reality and facts never matter to Sheila.

Mike Kazmierski Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada Reno

Letter about a letter

U.S. Rep. Mark Amodei responded to a letter recently asking him, post Orlando, to do something about guns and the ongoing slaughter of innocents. By now most of us have seen or heard excuses for inaction but two remarks in the congressman’s response are interesting.

First, Congressman Amodei didn’t mention Orlando. He said, “In the aftermath of recent tragedies—blah blah blah.” Why not mention Orlando? Because it’s a form letter, and Amodei knows very well he will be sending it out again.

Secondly, the congressman assures his constituent that his “thoughts and prayers are with the victims etc. etc.” I have to ask, what exactly are those thoughts, Congressman? Are you picturing corpses piled in a corner? Blood and brains on the floor and walls? Are you trying to imagine the velocity of rounds moving through the bodies of victims, victims you will never in your political career lift a finger to help? Are you trying to hear the screaming of dying men and women? But we know what he’s thinking, really. He’s hoping that his form letter sympathies are acceptable to the NRA and to the paranoid wing of his party. He’s thinking everyone will forget about Orlando because, after all, practically everyone has forgotten about Newtown and Charleston and San Bernardino and, well—who can name all the places and deaths and grieving that a congressman has to forget.

Thanks for the letter, Congressman. I know you’ll probably say, “It was nothing.” Exactly, sir.

Joe Calabrese Reno

eRIK HoLLAND

Our Mission: To publish great newspapers that are successful and enduring. To create a quality work environment that encourages employees to grow professionally while respecting personal welfare. To have a positive impact on our communities and make them better places to live. Editor Brad Bynum News Editor Dennis Myers Special Projects Editor Jeri Chadwell-Singley Arts Editor Kris Vagner Calendar Editor Kelley Lang Contributors Amy Alkon, Kelsey Fitzgerald, Bob Grimm, Ashley Hennefer, Shelia Leslie, Eric Marks, Jessica Santina, Todd South, Brendan Trainor, Bruce Van Dyke, Allison Young Design Manager Lindsay Trop Art Directors Brian Breneman, Margaret Larkin Marketing/Publications Manager Serene Lusano Marketing/Publications Designer Sarah Hansel Production Coordinator Skyler Smith Designer Kyle Shine Senior Advertising Consultants Gina Odegard, Bev Savage Advertising Consultant Emily Litt Distribution Director Greg Erwin Distribution Manager/Operations Coordinator Kelly Miller Distribution Assistant Denise Cairns Distribution Drivers Tracy Breeden, Alex Barskyy, Debbie Frenzi, Vicki Jewell, Patrick L’Angelle, Marty Lane, Marty Troye, Warren Tucker, Gary White, Dave Carroll, Denise Cairns

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