Letters

Personal project

Welcome to this week’s Reno News & Review.

I wrote this week’s cover story. It’s a look back at the history and vision of the local arts nonprofit Holland Project, as the organization prepares to celebrate its tenth anniversary. In some ways, it feels like a story I’ve been working on for a decade. I became this newspaper’s arts & culture editor in 2008, not long after Holland started. My beat was covering local art and music, and the Holland hosts both, so over the years I’ve written dozens of stories about art exhibitions, concerts and other events they’ve presented. I’ve attended other events simply as a patron—sometimes glancing around the room and noticing that I appeared to be the oldest person present.

And, full disclosure, I’ve performed at several Holland events over the years—mostly with my bands. It’s also worth mentioning that some of my closest personal friends have worked there, served on the board or been involved in other ways.

More to the point, I belong to that same generation of frustrated Reno kids who launched the organization. Growing up here, I had experiences very similar to the ones that the Holland founders describe in the feature story. The older I get, the stranger it is to think that, as a teen, my friends and I would routinely drive down to San Francisco, see a concert, and then drive back the same night—and then go to school at like 7 a.m. the next day.

Anyway, this is still a small town, and that little nonprofit has generated a lot of goodwill over the years, partly through its collaborative spirit, which has positively affected many local lives, including mine. But I know I’m not the only one.

On a different note, I wasn’t able to attend any of the protests this weekend ... but fuck the ban. Fuck the wall.

—Brad Bynum bradb@newsreview.com

Just wow

Re “Russian agent in the White House?” (Let Freedom Ring, Jan. 5):

Wow! Just wow! With a reporter like you, and those that cannot tell the difference between right and wrong, there is no wonder how we ended up with the likes of Trump as our next, forgive me, president. Maybe you should have served in office during the Obama Administration so we could have all been told of such stories, before the end of his service. You’re an idiot!

Melynda Mall Sparks

Life experience

Weeks after my daughter entered the world, I became sick. Because I had insurance, I didn’t hesitate to go to urgent care and ultimately found my way to an oncology office, where I was diagnosed with a rare blood disorder and told I’d likely need a bone marrow transplant. What followed over the coming months was solid medical treatment consisting of prophylactic drugs for my malfunctioning immune system and blood transfusions to keep me alive. The Affordable Care Act was there when I needed new prescriptions.

I recognize it has problems. But it made it easy for me to seek quality, low-cost care when I needed it. When I couldn’t work, the subsidies kicked in to lower my premiums. So before you get rid of the ACA without having an alternative in place, think of me. Think of what a guy who just happens to have a medical condition and a family to support. … We should all seek to retain and improve the ACA, not to destroy it. Jeff Benson Sparks

Sex work

Re “Liberal feminists conspire with social conservatives” (Let Freedom ring, Jan. 26):

This column inaccurately stated a fact concerning sex trafficking—that the average age of entry into prostitution is 12-14 years old. That is, most currently involved in prostitution, legal or illegal, were introduced into prostitution, legal or illegal, between the ages of 12-14 years old. Additionally, legalized prostitution increases sex trafficking (see “Theory versus reality: Commentary on four articles about trafficking for prostitution” by Melissa Farley).

Suppliers of commercial sex acts can’t meet the demand with willing prostitutes because most women don’t want to sell their bodies to strangers, so there is more incentive to force mostly vulnerable women and children to engage in “sex work.” The majority of prostitutes, legal and illegal, come to the “profession” with a history of childhood sexual abuse and trauma. Does Trainor care that, in most cases, a woman’s desire to prostitute herself was born out of traumatic sexual assault and degradation? Though Trainor is horrified at the supposed attack on one’s “right” to engage in sex acts with someone who likely is doing so under extreme duress or coercion, I am more horrified by his support for the practice. In this case, restrictions will produce greater human flourishing for all involved.

Michael Cox Reno

Show us

You should call on Adam Laxalt, and other Republican attorneys general, to do an investigation of the three to five million illegals who voted for Hillary Clinton as claimed by Trump.

Laxalt should use this opportunity to gain favor with the Trump administration by being the first to lead the way and start the investigation ahead of a federal investigation. With three to five million illegal votes across the country as stated by Trump over and over again, it shouldn’t be difficult for Laxalt to find evidence of wrongdoings in the Nevada election process. When other Republican attorneys general went after Obama for what they perceived as wrong policies, Laxalt was ready and willing to sign on to their efforts. I think it is time for Laxalt to show he can be a leader in the GOP and start the charge. Dewey Quong 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, Matt Bieker, Bob Grimm, Anna Hart, Ashley Hennefer, Shelia Leslie, Josie Luciano, Eric Marks, Jessica Santina, Todd South, Marc Tiar, 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 Sales Manager Emily Litt RN&R Rainmaker Gina Odegard Advertising Consultants Brit Johnson, Myranda Keeley Distribution Director Greg Erwin Distribution Manager/Operations Coordinator Kelly Miller Distribution Assistant and Driver Jennifer Cronin Distribution Drivers Alex Barskyy, Bob Christensen, Debbie Frenzi, Denise Cairns, Gary White, Jennifer Gangestad, Lori Ashley, Lori DeAndreis, Marty Lane, Marty Troye, Patrick L’Angelle, Tracy Breeden, Vicki Jewell President/CEO Jeff VonKaenel Director of Nuts & Bolts Deborah Redmond Executive Coordinator Carlyn Asuncion Project Coordinator Natasha VonKaenel Director of People & Culture David Stogner Director of Dollars & Sense Nicole Jackson Payroll/AP Wizard Miranda Dargitz Sweetdeals Coordinator Courtney DeShields Nuts & Bolts Ninja Christina Wukmir Developer John Bisignano, Jonathan Schultz System Support Specialist Kalin Jenkins N&R Publications Editor Michelle Carl N&R Publications Associate Editor Kate Gonzales N&R Publications Writer Anne Stokes

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