Letters

On the river

Welcome to this week’s Reno News & Review. Last Sunday, my wife and I floated down the Truckee River. We set in near Boomtown around 3 p.m., and naïvely believed we’d have ample time to finish at Idlewild Park before meeting family for dinner at 6 p.m. Naïve, right? We’d only floated the river a handful of times, and neither of us is particularly adept at judging times or distances. Plus, the water level was much lower than I remember it from years past, meaning that it was very slow going, with a lot of time spent navigating around rocks. So, we were late for dinner. Very late.

Neither of us had a phone— not wanting to get anything wet. Finally, at 7:40 p.m., I hopped out of the river at the Patagonia outlet to ask if I could use their phone to call my doubtless worried family. Here’s the conversation I had a with a female security guard at Patagonia:

“May I help you?”

“Yes, can I please use your phone? My wife and I were floating down the river, we lost track of time, and now we’re an hour and a half late for dinner with family.”

“Sorry, this area is for employees only.”

“I just need to make a phone call. It’s kind of an emergency.”

“No.”

“Seriously? What’s your name?”

Then she literally slammed the door in my face and walked off. I started to leave, bumped into a employee in the parking lot, asked him for help. His cell phone didn’t have a signal, but he said he could help me into the building to use a phone. He asked me to wait outside.

I waited a couple of minutes. Instead of the employee, two security guards showed up—the woman from earlier and a grimfaced man. He told me that not only would they not allow me to use their phone, but they’d called the sheriff.

Sara and I waited for the sheriff, who I was more than happy to talk to, but the car never arrived. Instead, a nice guy named Dave showed up to walk his dog. He not only let us use his phone, but also gave us a ride to our car and refused to accept the gas money we offered him. —Brad Bynum bradb@newsreview.com

A lousy choice

I’m not sure which is the lesser of evils—secret surveillance programs or increased potential for significant and wide-spread harm done to us by insiders and outsiders. It’s not like the old days when one individual or small group was limited in the scale of harm they could inflict. These days, we’re talking potentially widespread damage harming millions with long-term consequences that most of us can’t really imagine (imagine hurricane Katrina on steroids).

But we’re also in an era where our government officials often have ulterior motives that are not aimed at benefiting the general public and a media that promotes what I like to refer to as “arrogant, ignorant, power-hungry, egomaniacs” to be elected into office who will abuse whatever powers they have for their own self-serving interests. And these self-serving interests can often do as much, if not more, long-term damage as the terrorists we’re trying to protect ourselves against.

I’d suggest that we have a national discussion and referendum on this topic, but we also live in a time where any such discussion will be completely propagandized, permeated with iffy facts, and lacking any rational discourse by our leaders and corporate-sponsored media. Couple that with an under-educated and totally manipulable electorate and the prospects for fixing anything seems extremely unlikely. Michael Rottman Virginia Highlands

Bigger fish to fry

Re “Return of the Monster” (Notes from the Neon Babylon, RN&R, June 6):

Some years back I wandered into the bar [Crosby’s Lodge in Sutcliffe], noticing the huge wall of Polaroids of crazed smiles over armloads of trout. I stepped up for a closer look. Out of all those hundreds or thousands of pics, the first that I looked at had my name on it. Literally. I wish I could claim to have caught the lunker draped across his arms. The envy meter pegged as I wished that was me lookin’ back with that goofy grin. One consolation: I’ve got better teeth. Rick Woods Sparks

Acronyms on parade

As recently as 1986, homosexuality was regarded as a mental disorder by the American Psychiatric Association. Practicing homosexual sex is a mental choice that had negative societal consequences for homoelectives in the past. Now it’s all in the name of “love,” according to the propaganda of the LGBT (Love Gone Bad Today).

But with all the drag queens (homoelectives on pervoids) and skin on display at gay-pride parades (nudity allowed in San Francisco), it is easy to see that unrestrained sex is their message, not love. Our children are being indoctrinated by the NEA arm of the LGBT in the public schools to be familiar with and accepting of homosexuality and those that choose to practice it, including in some schools a cross-dressing day, Harvey Milk Gay Day and unisex athletic teams with access to the opposite sex locker room and restroom for those that purport to “gender identify” with the opposite sex. This in the guise of fighting intolerance and discrimination, but also population growth for the U.N. with close ties to both the NEA and LGBT, while legislation is proposed to outlaw professional therapy and counseling aimed at helping teens overcome unwanted same-sex attraction.

It is no wonder the Boy Scouts voted to accept homoelective boys into their heretofore honorable organization. The BSA (and their sponsors) better be ready for some lawsuits, however, if the homogenized U.S. Military man-on-man and men-on-man rape and sexual assault stats carry through to their camp-outs, especially when adult homoelectives are admitted as leaders. I think everyone should have an emblazoned “Love Gone Bad Today” t-shirt in their closets where homoelectives should be. God have mercy on us if the U.S. Supreme Court gives them the green light to legalized same-sex marriage. Michael W. Jarvis Salt Lake City

Dennis is taxing

Re “It happens” (Cover story, RN&R, May 23):

Thanks to Dennis Myers for his outstanding piece on Nevada’s tax system. It was the most informative and well-written article I’ve seen on the interplay of politics and it’s effect on the citizens of Nevada. Mr. Myers took time to not only cover the evolution of our tax system over the last 30 years, but also helped explain our regressive system by simply stating, “It hit the working poor harder than the wealthy.” Governor Sandoval has signed AB 46 and now it will be up to our County Commissioners to decide our fate. Maybe Mr. Myers would consider continuing his in-depth coverage by comparing how our County property and sales taxes compare to nearby Counties and States. My family currently pays $250 a month from our property taxes for education. Is that high, average or dirt-cheap? Valerie Truce Reno

All about Mama

Here we have a treasure, a home grown classic—Inez Casale Stempeck, the little Italian lady with lots of kids running a restaurant. Born in 1927 on El Rancho Drive, her parents started the Half Way club when she was ten years old. She attended Orvis Ring Elementary, North Side Junior High and Sparks High. “Steamboat” Stempeck was stationed at Fallon Naval Air Station where they met at a dance. In 1946 they married. They partnered with Jerry and Beverly Casale in 1955. They ran the place until 1963, when Jerry began working for Welsh’s Bakery and later Helms Construction.

“Steamboat” died in 1969. The baseball fields at Shadow Mountain are named for him. With one son in Vietnam, four teenagers and two little girls, Inez was left to run the place. Soon friends pitched in to help and they made a go of it. Everyone loves Inez and Inez loves everyone. She makes lasagne, spaghetti, ravioli and meatballs with a heaping helping of love. Inez helps everybody and had never turned away someone who is hungry. Hobos would leave a mark on the side of the building to indicate a soft touch. Inez has served families with as many as five generations present at one seating. The Casales— Inez, Jerry and Bev—held a fund raiser to try and save the Nevada State Fair, raising more than six thousand dollars. I didn’t appreciate the wonderfulness of the club until I traveled and ate hotel food for a year.

Inez is old fashioned. She won’t allow slot machines, microwave, doesn’t serve dessert, won’t accept credit cards and only allows her house dressing on salad. No thousand island here. We cut her back to six days a week. She’s 86. She was featured in Willie Vlautin’s novel Motel Life and in the subsequent movie.

Little joint on the old Lincoln highway, nine tables and a darling little Italian lady. Some say it’s as close to Italy as you can get in Nevada.

John Stempeck Reno

Correction

Re “Barbara Vucanovich 1921-2013” (Upfront, RN&R, June 13):

We reported that in 2010, Vucanovich endorsed Harry Reid’s reelection. Although she was skeptical of Reid’s opponent and engaged in discussions with his GOP supporters about supporting Reid, in the end she chose not to endorse him.

Our Mission To publish great newspapers that are successful and enduring. To create a quality work environment that encourages people to grow professionally while respecting personal welfare. To have a positive impact on our communities and make them better places to live. Editor/Publisher D. Brian Burghart News Editor Dennis Myers Arts Editor Brad Bynum Calendar Editor Kelley Lang Editorial Intern Sage Leehey Contributors Amy Alkon, Chanelle Bessette, Megan Berner, Matthew Craggs, Mark Dunagan, Marvin Gonzalez, Bob Grimm, Michael Grimm, Sheila Leslie, Dave Preston, Jessica Santina, K.J. Sullivan, Kris Vagner, Bruce Van Dyke, Allison Young Creative Director Priscilla Garcia Art Director Hayley Doshay Design Melissa Arendt, Brian Breneman, Vivian Liu, Marianne Mancina, Skyler Smith Advertising Consultants Meg Brown, Gina Odegard, Matt Odegard, Bev Savage Senior Classified Advertising Consultant Olla Ubay Office/Distribution Manager/ Ad Coordinator Karen Brooke Executive Assistant/Operations Coordinator Nanette Harker Assistant Distribution Manager Ron Neill Distribution Drivers Sandra Chhina, Sean Karp, John Miller, Jesse Pike, David Richards, Martin Troye, Warren Tucker, Matthew Veach, Sam White General Manager/Publisher John D. Murphy President/CEO Jeff vonKaenel Chief Operations Officer Deborah Redmond Human Resource Manager Tanja Poley Business Manager Grant Ronsenquist Business Mary Anderson, Tami Sandoval Systems Manager Jonathan Schultz Systems Support Specialist Joe Kakacek Web Developer/Support Specialist John Bisignano 708 North Center Street Reno, NV 89501 Phone (775) 324-4440 Fax (775) 324-4572 Classified Fax (916) 498-7940 Mail Classifieds & Talking Personals to N&R Classifieds, Reno Edition, 1015 20th Street, Sacramento, CA 95814 or e-mail classifieds@ newsreview.com Web site www.newsreview.com Printed by Paradise Post The RN&R is printed using recycled newsprint whenever available. Editorial Policies Opinions expressed in the RN&R are those of the authors and not of Chico Community Publishing, Inc. Contact the editor for permission to reprint articles, cartoons or other portions of the paper. The RN&R is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts. All letters received become the property of the publisher. We reserve the right to print letters in condensed form.

It’ s happening in

EVENTS

SHIRLeY’S FARMeRS’ MARKeT

The 21st annual farmer’s market features fresh produce from Nevada and Northern California farmers, children’s activities and live entertainment. Th, 3-8PM through 8/22. Free. Victorian Square Plaza, Victorian Ave.

uS OPeN OF WATeRCROSS

UWP-IJSBA Hydro-Turf National Tour event includes closed-course personal watercraft (PWC) racing and freestyle competition. Top U.S. and international watercross racers battle against one another. Sa, Su through 6/30. Opens 6/29. Free. Sparks Marina Park, 300 Howard Dr. (775) 353-2376

ARTS IN bLOOM

Seeking local and regional Artists for our the 11th Annual Arts in Bloom Art & Wine Festival on Saturday, 7/20 at Victorian Square. Exhibit and sell your art, receive an Artist Profile in the RN&R’s special “Arts in Bloom” insert and be a part of a long-running, popular community event. $100, includes 10’x10’ covered space and feature in the program. Registration deadline is 6/28. Info: johnm@newsreview.com or (775) 324-4440, ext. 3515.

ACTIVITIES

JuNIOR GIANTS

This youth baseball program is offered free, in cooperation with the National League San Francisco Giants Baseball Organization and the support of Sertoma. Tu, 6/18, 5:30PM. Free. Oppio Park ball fields, 2355 18th St. (775) 353-2385

HeRSHeY’S TRACK & FIeLD

On your mark! Get set! Go! You may just run yourself all the way to Hershey, Penn., for the North American Final Meet! Sa, 6/22, 9AM. Free. Northern Nevada Track Facility, Reed High School, 1350 Baring Blvd., Sparks, NV 89434

SCHeeLS PADDLe SPORT DeMO DAY

Stop by the Peninsula Beach at the Sparks Marina and experience this free demo! Scheels experts and vendor reps from Hobie and Lakeshore Paddleboard Company will be there. Sa, 6/22, 10AM2PM and Sa, 7/13, 10AM-2PM. Free. Sparks Marina Park, 300 Howard Dr. (775) 353-2376

Follow me to Sparks - where it’s happening now!

LeARN THe ART OF TROPICAL FLORAL DeSIGN

Join master designer Peggy Smith and learn the art of tropical floral design in this fun and hands-on class. Sa, 6/22, 11AM, $44.99. Sparks Florist Design Center, 1440 Hymer Ave. (775) 358-8500

CHALLeNGeR SPORTS SOCCeR CAMP

Take part in the most popular soccer camp in the country with age-specific programs taught by one of the Challenger’s elite British coaches. M, 6/24, 9AM. Prices vary. Golden Eagle Regional Park & Sports Complex, 6400 Vista Blvd. (775) 353-2376

SuMMeR ART CAMP

Join us for fun creative camps! Your child is nurtured and inspired to create, imagine and act. 6/24-6/27, 9AM-Noon. $75 for 4 mornings. Alf Sorensen Community Center, 1400 Baring Blvd. (775) 353-2385

PERFORMANCE AND MUSIC

eRIC ANDeRSeN

Th, 6/20, 5:30PM, F, 6/21, 6PM and Sa, 6/22, 6PM, no cover. John Ascuaga’s Nugget, 1100 Nugget Ave. (775) 356-3300

JOHN DAWSON

Th, 6/20, 7PM, F, 6/21, 8PM, Sa, 6/22, 8PM and Su, 6/23, 7PM, no cover. John Ascuaga’s Nugget, 1100 Nugget Ave. (775) 356-3300

THe KARAOKe bAR

Grand opening 6/21 at 6PM. Wi-Fi Jukebox. Karaoke starts at 9PM on Fri, Sat and Sun. Doors 6PM. No cover. The Karaoke Bar, 2140 Victorian Ave. (775) 313-2772

NITTY GRITTY DIRT bAND

F, 6/21, 9PM, $39. John Ascuaga’s Nugget, 1100 Nugget Ave. (775) 356-3300

KeNNY FRYe bAND

Kenny Frye Band is ready to rock the stage at John Ascuaga’s Nugget again! F, 6/21, 9PM and Sa, 6/22, 9PM, no cover. John Ascuaga’s Nugget, 1100 Nugget Ave. (775) 356-3300

SeASONS OF INSANITY

An original and cover Southern Rock band that covers everything from Led Zeppelin to Five Finger Death Punch, and more. Sa, 6/22, 9PM, no cover. Sidelines Bar & Nightclub, 1237 Baring Blvd. (775) 355-1030

COLORLeSS bLue

Colorless Blue performs live jazz for your dining pleasure. Su, 1PM through 12/2, no cover. Jazz, A Louisiana Kitchen, 1180 Scheels Dr. (775) 657-8659

GReG CHAMbeRS & GLeNN OSuR

W, 6/26, 5:30PM, no cover. John Ascuaga’s Nugget, 1100 Nugget Ave. (775) 356-3300

SCOT AND SCOTT

Th, 6/27, 5:30PM, F, 6/28, 6PM and Sa, 6/29, 6PM, no cover. John Ascuaga’s Nugget, 1100 Nugget Ave. (775) 356-3300

STeW STeWART

Th, 6/27, 7PM, F, 6/28, 8PM, Sa, 6/29, 8PM and Su, 6/30, 7PM, no cover. John Ascuaga’s Nugget, 1100 Nugget Ave. (775) 356-3300

THe ANDROMeDA PROJeCT ReTuRNS

The Andromeda Project will be making their return to Reno/Sparks. 6/28 at 9:30PM. F, 6/28, 9PM, no cover. Sidelines Bar & Nightclub, 1237 Baring Blvd. (775) 355-1030

LIVe MONDAYS WITH TANY JANe

Open Mic Night every Mon night at 8PM, hosted by Tany Jane. M, 8PM through 9/30, no cover. Sidelines Bar & Nightclub, 1237 Baring Blvd. (775) 355-1030

bLACK AND bLueS JAM

Tu, 8:30PM, no cover. Sidelines Bar & Nightclub, 1237 Baring Blvd. (775) 355-1030

COuNTRY AT THe CAbAReT

The Casino Cabaret comes alive with the best in country music and dancing for “Country at the Cabaret” featuring DJ Jamie G. W, 7PM and Sa, 9PM, no cover. John Ascuaga’s Nugget, 1100 Nugget Ave. (775) 356-3300

LIVe JAZZ

Vocal and instrumental jazz from “The Great American Songbook”, performed by First Take featuring Rick (SAX) Metz. Fridays, 6PM through 12/27, no cover. Jazz, A Louisiana Kitchen, 1180 Scheels Dr., Sparks, NV 89441 (775) 657-8659

LADIeS 80S WITH DJ LARRY WILLIAMS

Ladies ’ with DJ Larry Williams, every Thursday! Th, 7PM through 10/4, no cover. John Ascuaga’s Nugget, 1100 Nugget Ave. (775) 356-3300

bILL DAVIS

Sa, 6PM, no cover. Jazz, A Louisiana Kitchen, 1180 Scheels Dr. (775) 657-8659

OPeN MIC

GReAT bASIN bReWING Open mic comedy. Th, 9PM, no cover, 846 Victorian Ave. (775) 355-7711

CITY OF SPARKS

Mayor: Geno Martini. Council members: Julia Ratti, Ed Lawson, Ron Smith, Mike Carrigan, Ron Schmitt. City Manager: Shaun Carey. Parks & Recreation Director: Tracy Domingues. Mayor and Council members can be reached at 353-2311 or through the City of Sparks website.

Web ReSOuRCeS:

www.sparksitshappeninghere.com www.cityofsparks.com www.sparksrec.com

THis secTion is pRoViDeD as a pUBlic seRVice BY THe Reno neWs & ReVieW anD is noT FUnDeD oR aFFiliaTilia eD WiTH THe ciTY oF spaRKs

This ModERn WoRld by tom tomorrow

Should U.S. be involved in the Syrian war?

Asked at Java Jungle, 246 W. First St.

Hayden Moore

Barista No. I don’t believe in war. I’m a nonviolent guy. I personally would stay out of it.

Hassan Nefga

Job seeker I’m from Morocco. It’s close. We have the same religion. We have the same culture. … I would be so sad [if the U.S. got involved].

On war, don’t trust presidents

In March 2007, U.S. Sen. Harry Reid of Nevada defended his 2003 vote for war in Iraq. “That was an easy vote for me,” Reid told Las Vegas editor Steve Sebelius, citing the Bush administration’s flawed intelligence. “Based on that, I knew I’d done the right thing.”

It would have been nice then, and would be very nice now, if Reid and his colleagues studied history. They might have assumed Bush was lying instead of assuming he was telling the truth. And as another president now tries to edge us into another Middle East war under the guise used in Vietnam (“weapons and ammunition”), it would be nice if they would learn the history they ignored last time.

On matters of war and peace that can put our troops in harm’s way, presidents always lie in favor of war. Always. It’s a fact of nature.

When he announced the first use of the atomic bomb, President Truman said, “The world will note that the first atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, a military base. That was because we wished in this first attack to avoid, insofar as possible, the killing of civilians.” Hiroshima was a city and most of the victims were civilians. The city, not a nearby base, was targeted.

President Eisenhower’s administration engineered the overthrow of the government of Iran and installed a dictator—but denied complicity. When a U.S. spy plane was shot down over Russia, his administration said it was a weather plane.

The Kennedy administration denied Cuban charges that it was trying to overthrow the Cuban government and even assassinate Fidel Castro. The denials were lies. A Kennedy official named Arthur Sylvester actually defended the right to lie to the public.

The Johnson administration said U.S. ships in Tonkin Gulf were attacked by Vietnamese craft. In fact, one ship was never attacked and the other was a target of retaliation, not provocation.

President Johnson said a U.S. ship captured by North Korea was not a spy ship. It was.

Richard Nixon. Enough said.

The Ford administration lied about the U.S. ship Mayaguez, captured by Cambodia.

Jimmy Carter, who supposedly championed human rights, lavishly and falsely praised the record of Iranian dictator Reza Pahlavi, alienating Iranians from the U.S.

The first George Bush administration called the Iraq military the fourth most powerful army in the world. That army then crumbled in a few days.

Ronald Reagan said he would never negotiate for the lives of hostages. He did—and also traded arms for hostages.

Bill Clinton bombed what he claimed was a bomb factory in Sudan. It was a pharmaceutical factory.

Now President Obama says the use by the government of Syria of gas weapons calls for the U.S. to get involved.

On gas warfare, it’s useful to recall that the second President Bush justified war against Iraq not only with the false information on weapons of mass destruction, but also by claiming that at Halabja in 1988, Saddam Hussein had “gassed his own people.” But there was no evidence of that. Indeed, the Reagan administration concluded that it was Iran that gassed Halabja.

President Obama now wants us to get involved in Syria. The burden of proof should be on Obama. Congress should check his story to the last comma. On war, presidents cannot be trusted. Ω Kris Youngquist

Electrical contractor Absolutely not. Too many wars going on. We should probably just take care of what we’ve got going on here.

Creel Snider

Retiree No, we should not get involved in the Syrian war. We’re the warmongers of the world. Go on Wikipedia and look at all the wars we’ve been in.

Whitney Myer

Musician No. I feel like we’ve done enough policing as a country for a while. And I feel like it only gets us in worse trouble, and we end up hurting more than we do helping, usually.