Many mediations work out to benefit of all

To the editor:

I wish there would have been room in the headline of Frank Geary's Sunday story, "The twisted trail of mediation," to specify "foreclosure" in the same point size.

Many non-foreclosure-type mediations have quite the opposite outcome -- leaving both parties empowered, satisfied and educated. Divorcing couples, business associates, neighbors and associations routinely resolve their disputes with the help of highly trained private or county-based mediators efficiently and with little drama.

I applaud our state's leading efforts in addressing the needs of the Nevada homeowner and also encourage readers to remember the value of all types of mediation or collaborative dispute resolution services available to them.

Terry Miller-Newcomb

Las Vegas

The writer is president of Mediators of Southern Nevada Inc.

Secure future

To the editor:

After serving in the Air Force during the Korean War, I spent the next four years getting a college degree. I married during this time, and worked a full-time night job to support my family. After graduation, I went into teaching, and to improve my skills, used my time and money to get a master's degree.

Fortunately, my good wife understood my goals, and gave support to my efforts.

I worked a part-time job after my school day. In my 30s, I succeeded in getting another master's degree, and began regular investments to provide for my retirement years. When I retired, all our sacrifice and efforts paid off, and we were able to live a comfortable life.

I mention all this because I get annoyed when I see people criticizing the pensions and benefits that teachers and other government workers receive. In almost every case we worked for them and deserve them.

If you didn't plan your career and failed to save for your retirement, you have only yourself to blame.

Richard J. Mundy

Las Vegas

Petty findings

To the editor:

In response to John L. Smith's Sunday column, "Firefighters fiddled while public got burned up over high pay": How do elevated salaries and possible sick leave abuse possibly take away from the fact that the Clark County Fire Department is still one of the best in the nation? Shouldn't its record speak for itself?

Mr. Smith sensationalizes the issue of elevated salaries by implying that there are two groups of abusers, "those taking home $200,000 in pay" and those "gaming" the sick leave and overtime system. The fact is these two groups are one and the same.

Mr. Smith further criticizes county firefighters for living in southern Utah and elsewhere, but he also includes the city of Las Vegas firefighters. Why bring other agencies into this when the column pertains to the county department? Would the number of possible offenders have been too small if we were only talking about the county? Shouldn't employees of other agencies also be criticized for vacationing in other cities and states or for seeking medical attention in other states? Shouldn't "what you make here stay here"?

Clark County firefighters will never be able to "repair their badly tarnished image" if journalists such as Mr. Smith continue to rehash the very same issues and then add other petty and irrelevant findings that serve only to incite the public's anger.

Kathleen Jimenez

Las Vegas