LETTERS: It’s time to stop bashing, start supporting Roos-N-More

After reading the Review-Journal article on the Roos-N-More zoo, I had a flashback to my childhood in Chicago, where I would ride my bicycle to the Brookfield Zoo ("Moapa zoo cleared to reopen," Oct. 22 Review-Journal). I would pay my quarter to see the animals, eat a lunch my mom packed and enjoy nature. That was 50 years ago.

Flash forward to the present, where Roos-N-More is engaged in an ongoing battle against the Clark County Commission for survival in its quest to bring some of nature to the citizens of the valley. The zoo is more than 50 miles away from the Clark County government building in Las Vegas, but for some reason, commissioners feel compelled to keep an eye on this enterprise. Even Marilyn Kirkpatrick, who in all fairness worked to bring them into compliance, stated that there will be "no second chances." Why is that?

While I admit I don't know all the legal ramifications here, it certainly seems like the powers that be are more interested in the zoo's failure than promoting its success. Even animal activist Linda Faso said that reopening the zoo will lead to problems down the road. What about Caesars Entertainment, which filed for bankruptcy and owes hundreds of millions of dollars, but is still in business? Perhaps the zoo needs a gaming license.

I thought this was the new age of empowering the little guy. So why are politicians so focused on Jay and Valerie Holt? Even the Humane Society has lined up against the zoo, citing violations of the Animal Welfare Act. Where was the Humane Society when Cliven Bundy and his cattle were making news?

I have an idea: What if the Humane Society, Marilyn Kirkpatrick and her fellow county commissioners, Linda Faso, et al, get off their high horses and just support the Holts in their attempt to bring Southern Nevada a bit closer to nature? If the zoo fails for lack of attendance, that's one thing. But it shouldn't fail because of special interests ganging up on it.

And while the zoo is too far away for kids to ride their bikes, like I did, that means parents could take them and make a great day of it. After all, most of us only get to see iron statues of animals along Interstate 15. Wouldn't it be great to actually see live animals?

Ron Moers

Henderson

Science on fracking

I apologize for forcing Review-Journal subscribers to read real scientific stuff, but I really wish that the editorial board would leave science to the scientists ("Science is settled," Tuesday Review-Journal). The editorial referred to a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

However, the editorial was not based on the actual study, but rather seems to be based on biased interpretations from at least two pro-drilling organizations: Natural Gas Now and Marcellus Drilling News. Luckily, we have the Internet, where we can actually read the abstract of that study. In that abstract we learn that the study was based on data from only one site and never said that fracking doesn't contaminate groundwater.

What the study actually concludes (here's the real science stuff): "The data support a transport mechanism of DRO to groundwater via accidental release of fracturing fluid chemicals derived from the surface rather than subsurface flow of these fluids from the underlying shale formation." So what the study really said was that, at this one site, the fracking chemicals did not contaminate the groundwater, but the accidental spills on the surface did.

Bob Litt

Las Vegas

Respecting police

It is exasperating to hear people second-guess police actions in difficult situations. Police officers are not social workers. They are not psychologists. They take seriously their duty to protect everyone. In turn, people should accept and children should be taught that when a police officer gives an order, it must be obeyed. If you resist a police officer's instructions, there will be consequences.

The best place to resist a police officer is in court, not on the street. Most of the situations we've read about recently would never have happened if the officers' lawful orders had been obeyed.

Continue to persecute the police at your own peril. When we can no longer interest good young people in police work, we will have anarchy. People want to be safe in their surroundings. If that means some mouthy brats get smacked on the bottom, it's probably about time. If they have any sense it all, it may save them from something worse later on.

Aileen Murphy Zsenyuk

Las Vegas