A couple of local traffic problems
To the editor:
Congratulations to President Obama on his brilliant decision to come to Henderson through Tuesday to rehearse for Wednesday's debate. It's Mr. Obama's 15th visit to the Las Vegas area.
"Don't spend your money in Las Vegas" - spend the taxpayers' money (Air Force One, Secret Service, special chefs, ad nauseam).
Mr. Obama's timing could not be more disruptive to the Las Vegas economy. Preparations for the Justin Timberlake Shriner's Hospital for Children Open are in progress. Among other things, members of Las Vegas Zelzah Shrine are jockeying more than 150 vehicles at McCarran International Airport for the participating golf pros and dignitaries. The Shriners are also picking up players and family at the airport and taking them to their hotels and to the tournament site. Road and airport restrictions are anticipated that can only serve to disrupt the activity that has taken considerable time, effort and energy to bring to fruition.
President Obama again demonstrates that he is an egotistical self-aggrandizer. Maybe he will play in the Pro-Am event on Wednesday and bring in a huge gallery income for the Shriner's Hospitals for Children - unless the roads in Summerlin to the Tournament Players Club are locked down.
Four more years, yippee!
ROBERT S. TOBIAS
LAS VEGAS
Street rods
To the editor:
I have attended car events in several states, many of them larger than Henderson's Super Run Car Show. I'm also retired from law enforcement - only to qualify my comments.
My friends and I arrived with our street rods in Henderson at 6:30 a.m. Friday, only to find there were more than a mile of street rods parked on the shoulder of Lake Mead Parkway waiting for the organizers to allow the cars to turn onto Water Street at 7 a.m. I was shocked to witness how dangerous this was to the cars and participants standing along the shoulder. The shoulder is actually more like a bike path, so half the car was actually in the traffic lane - morning rush-hour traffic, with drivers driving into the morning sun. Traffic was moving quickly within inches of the parked cars. Add yet another phenomenon. Nor was there one cop anywhere to be found.
Later I contacted a police lieutenant about the dangerous conditions. He said due to budget cuts they just didn't have enough officers. Really? Look around at the revenue this event brings into Henderson. If the City Council is concerned about costs, talk to the folks at the Reno Air Races and ask them what happened to their liability premiums after the tragic crash last year.
I personally will not attend this event again. It is just not worth the risk.
DAVID MAROSI
LAS VEGAS
