Company has an excellent safety record

To the editor:

Your Tuesday article, "Union targets local job site," wrongly impugns the integrity of at least one construction firm that has worked hard to maintain an enviable safety record.

The story reported that J&J Mechanical was a non-union company based in Reno with numerous OSHA violations that resulted in fines between November 2002 and November 2007. J&J Mechanical has been a member of our association during that time and is in fact a union contractor with an enviable safety record.

The article erroneously reported that J&J Mechanical had been cited and fined by OSHA seven times since 2002. In fact, J&J Mechanical has never received an OSHA citation that resulted in a fine. Furthermore, J&J Mechanical has been consistently recognized for an outstanding safety record over the past 10 years, not having reported even a single accident during that time.

Responsible members of the construction industry such as J&J Mechanical work hard to maintain an excellent safety record.

John Madole

RENO

THE WRITER IS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE NEVADA CHAPTER OF THE ASSOCIATED GENERAL CONTRACTORS. THE REVIEW-JOURNAL PUBLISHED A CORRECTION.

The children?

To the editor:

Reading the letters to the editor Tuesday morning, I nearly spit my coffee on my newspaper. Why is it that every time the taxpayers bridle against our overpaid and barely accountable government masters, they always respond, "But ... it's about the children"?

Letter writer Chuck Muth is tweaked at the audacity of a $9.5 billion bond issue for the Clark County School District. Personally, I find it intriguing that this $9.5 billion demand is the maximum amount the district can shove down our throats without a tax increase. Obviously, they didn't feel it was necessary to show us the math on this one.

Should anyone -- such as Mr. Muth -- have the audacity to question this, the response we get -- from letter writer Gerald Simmons -- is, "But the children of today are our country's future." In fact, that $9.5 billion has absolutely nothing to do with "the children." Our kids will just be herded through the buildings as an excuse for their profligate spending.

For those who think accountability simply means ensuring that the new schools are built to code, may I suggest that ain't half of it. Mr. Muth is absolutely right.

Beyond the fact that there is no justification for 73 new schools in Clark County, I've seen the palaces they build. I also remember the schools I attended. We didn't have glass atriums, Dolby? certified theaters or football fields with bleacher seating and digital scoreboards. Can somebody show me where that's all required by code?

"But new schools are brighter and cleaner," they exclaim. "The kids at the older schools don't have the same opportunities!" Please. Buy some light bulbs and paint. It isn't a fancy-schmancy building that determines whether students learn or not, it's parents who follow up on their children's schoolwork; qualified, dedicated teachers; and (gasp!) real honest-to-goodness textbooks.

Let's be completely transparent. This $9.5 billion (which amounts to approximately $4,000 for every Nevada resident, legal or not) is patronage money, nothing more and nothing less. It's to create more union jobs -- whether it's the union construction workers to build these gold-plated facilities or the union teachers to staff them. It's about more union administrators, more union janitors and yes, gentle reader, even about more code compliance inspectors.

Maybe I'm wrong; I hope so. If it is all about the children, may I point out that the average family here in Southern Nevada can't afford the home they have. Rather than a new $9.5 billion bond issue, why not roll back that '98 property tax increase and give us some relief?

I can't wait to see the responses from the trustees and their bought-and-paid-for supporters. Ten cents gets you a dollar they really don't give a hoot about the children.

MIKE DAVIS

LAS VEGAS

Run for it

To the editor:

As a marathon participant, as well as someone who lives near the marathon route, I was confused by Donald Schoengold's Tuesday letter criticizing the event. Surely he must have known of the street closures in advance.

When I left at 5 a.m. to go put months of training to the test, I, too, found I couldn't use a "reasonable route south." So I went north, then west, caught the freeway -- which was open and available for travel in any direction. I believe he could have taken Spring Mountain Road to Interstate 15 and turned south.

Rather than complaining, many people in this gentleman's neighborhood were out cheering us tired runners on at a point in the course where we were grateful for every bit of encouragement. All along our journey, residents made us feel like special guests to their neighborhoods, despite inconveniences to them.

I think the marathon is a fantastic event for Las Vegas. It fills rooms and restaurants at a notoriously slow time of the year, provides entertainment for tourists and brings out a wonderful community spirit in valley residents. It will be even bigger next year. So plan ahead, Mr. Schoengold -- or come join in!

MICHELLE LOCATELLI

LAS VEGAS