Reid’s motives pure on XpressWest

To the editor:

The Las Vegas Review-Journal has miraculously sunk to new depths. To print a letter (“Why is Reid still pushing XpressWest?” Tuesday Review-Journal) that implies Sen. Harry Reid’s support for high-speed rail is motivated by anything untoward or for his own financial gain is, at best, distasteful and potentially libelous.

In your own newspaper, you have acknowledged additional support of this project from Republican Sen. Dean Heller, as well as the full Nevada legislative leadership.

XpressWest is the only fully permitted, high-speed passenger rail project in the United States. It is the perfect example of a public-private partnership, which is the cornerstone of all major infrastructure projects. The project will create construction and operation jobs in a region that desperately needs them. The project will kick-start a new industry in Nevada. It will reduce passenger travel on our overcrowded highways, freeing them up for the transport of commercial goods from the coast to major western cities. XpressWest will connect Las Vegas with Los Angeles, well beyond Victorville, and is the first step in a regional high-speed rail network connecting major western cities, including Phoenix, Salt Lake City and Denver.

When the interstate highway system was originally proposed in this country, it met with similar challenges. A fiscal crisis and lack of public support put the entire program in jeopardy. Can anyone imagine our nation without the interstate highway system today?

Let me be clear: The XpressWest project remains viable and conversations continue with the federal government. Any loan of this magnitude should undergo diligent and careful consideration, as we have expected from day one. Any roadblocks at this time are purely political and have no basis in the viability of this project, which has been vetted by the top rail consulting firms in the world. The project’s detractors, none of them experts in transportation issues or rail, continue to push outdated, faulty data to support their fervent chest-pounding against this project.

We thank Sen. Reid for his efforts to improve transportation infrastructure in this country, and to the Review-Journal, we simply say: Shame on you.

Anthony A. Marnell II

Las Vegas

The writer is founder and chief executive officer of XpressWest.

Ignorant jury

To the editor:

At first, I didn’t want to comment on the tragedy of the George Zimmerman-Trayvon Martin incident, but after reading the letters to the editor heading in one direction, I feel I must. First of all, Mr. Zimmerman was told by the 911 dispatcher not to follow Mr. Martin. Then Mr. Martin got out of his car and continued to follow and ultimately confront Mr. Martin, who was aware that this man was following him.

Mr. Zimmerman started it and unfortunately ended it. If he had stayed in his car, there wouldn’t have been a fight. This is what angers people. Mr. Zimmerman was defending himself for something he started, something that didn’t have to happen in the first place.

It was noted during the trial that there was no way to tell who was screaming on the 911 recordings. This was ignored by the jury. The defense brought in witnesses who claimed it was Mr. Zimmerman screaming for help. I don’t care if you brought in 50 people who said it was his voice. Those witnesses’ statements should have been dismissed.

The jury also ignored the witness who said she could clearly see a red and black jacket (which Mr. Zimmerman was wearing) as the person on top in the scuffle. The jury ignored that Mr. Martin was talking on the phone and said that someone was following him. The jury ignored that it was raining outside, so Mr. Martin had to cover his head. And the main thing the jury ignored was that Mr. Zimmerman started the fight on purpose to shoot an innocent young man.

MICHELLE BRACEY

HENDERSON

Desai verdict

To the editor:

I have read quite a few letters to the editor sympathizing with Dr. Dipak Desai after he was found guilty of murder and 25 other counts earlier this month. I was one of his innocent patients, but I am now able to speak of my experience.

I should have walked out of his facility right from the beginning, because I felt he was rushing me and didn’t have time to talk to me. (I was literally running down the hall after him.) But I went back.

I cried bitter tears when my primary physician called to tell me my test results were negative for hepatitis. Unless you’ve walked in my shoes, you can’t support this hideous doctor who put many lives in jeopardy. I believe Dr. Desai got what he deserved. It’s obvious he didn’t believe in the oath he took to do no wrong.

DOROTHY BARNES

LAS VEGAS

Don’t punish Onion

To the editor:

Save Onion. This dog has been punished enough for this accident. Real people killers have been saved from going to the electric chair, and some have even been paroled. These are the real killers. Onion should be sent to the sanctuary in Colorado to live the rest of his life the natural way — free.

I agree with Jerry Fink’s July 14 letter, in which he wrote: “To execute Onion is not only grotesque, it’s pointless.”

RITA ELLIS

LAS VEGAS