Reshuffle road priorities for new stadium
I beg to differ with your Oct. 15 front-page headline stating that the Assembly’s passage of the stadium bill will raise room rates. Casino-hotels determine their room rates. The state of Nevada authorizes the taxes on the hotel rates. Please call a tax exactly what it is.
There is also concern noted over the lack of adequate highway funds to improve interstate and local access to the final stadium site. I would suggest redirecting the funds from the proposed project between St. Rose Parkway access and the Cactus Avenue access to Interstate 15. Another access point within 1.5 miles of these points should not be needed at this time, especially since the surface roads for Cactus have yet to be fully improved.
Andrew Muha Jr.
Henderson
Up for sale
Lately the “media” have been full of stories about one of the candidates complaining that the election is rigged against him by forces controlled by the opposition political party. Of course the “liberal media” are playing a large part in this, too — or so he says.
But just about everyone has forgotten that all of our elections have been rigged in favor of the 1 Percenters by no less than the U.S. Supreme Court led by Justice John Roberts. Until the Citizens United decision can be overturned, our electoral process is up for sale to the highest bidder(s).
One can hope only that the conservatives will lose their stranglehold on Congress and Citizens United will go the way of Prohibition.
Jack Corrick
Boulder City
Animal farm
In response to the Review-Journal’s Oct. 16 wire service story, “Brazil opens Latin America’s first elephant refuge”: It’s encouraging to see more countries acknowledging the trauma and misery that societies have imposed upon exotic animals for the sake of entertainment or other purposes.
Keeping wild animals in captivity induces both physical and psychological harm, especially when the captors are not sufficiently knowledgeable about the needs of these animals.
Even more significant is the fact that once the animal is no longer useful or profitable, there is the dilemma of what to do with it. There are untold stories of unwanted, sick or aging elephants, chimps, tigers, bears and other assorted exotics languishing at roadside zoos and other attractions or chained up in someone’s basement. We can only imagine the tragedy of their lonely, deprived existences.
Those sanctuaries that provide refuge, kindness and care to these discarded animals are to be commended, especially when they do so without intent to profit from these animals by permitting public access. They share these beautiful creatures only by camera, thereby allowing viewers to observe them from afar and grant them the peace they’ve earned after their lifetime of sacrifice.
It’s costly to house and care for them, however, and releasing them back into the wild is not an option after prolonged captivity. The best solution is prevention. We need to stop permitting ownership of exotic animals in the first place. No living being deserves to be treated as a commodity.
Annoula Wylderich
Las Vegas
Rolling the dice
Every NFL city has gambling and yet commissioner Roger Goodell is opposed to Las Vegas getting a franchise due to gambling. The only difference is we have legalized gambling. Does that make sense?
Kipp Altemara
Las Vegas
