Dear Editor,

I strongly urge parents, grandparents and anyone who is concerned with our children’s future to go to StopCommonCoreNevada.com and watch the information video by John Eppilito. It is an hour long but what it contains will shock you. Mr. Eppilito is a math teacher with 4 children in school in I believe Washoe County. He asked the State Board of Education to see the records that were beig kept on his children through Common Core and was told that looking at these records would cost him over $10,000.00. After that he was told he could not see these records. This is what started his research and fight against Common Core. I sincerely hope that members of our school board, our school administratiors and our teachers will watch this video. Mr. Eppilito has facts, figures and testimony that blew me away. We have got to fight this along with Mr. Eppilito and other Nevada organizations before it is too late. Our only other options are Charter Schools or home-schooling, and I don’t think this school district can afford to lose more children as Common Core will cost the State of Nevada $151 million dollars over the next 7 years.

This is a non-partisan fight. Democrats and Republicans oppose it. Teacher’s unions oppose it. But most important of all are the parents and families who oppose it. New York’s teacher’s union calls it child abuse. The site gives you the names of our officials and candidates who are for it and against it. Gov. Sandoval is very much in favor of Common Core and must be sent a message that Common Core is not education. It is indoctrination and it starts in preschool. It was instituted in the USSR in the 70s and then dropped as it did not work. The math portion of it was instituted in California in the early 90s and then dropped. It dumb-downs test scores, it changes our history and it destroys critical thinking in our children. It data-mines our children and their families and we are not allowed to know where this information is going. It modifies our children’s behavior. Do we want robots or free thinkers? Do we want educated children or a program that hasn’t even been tested? Child psychologists, parents and teacher’s unions are against it. Is this why we lost a large number of teachers in the elementary school last year? We have got to ask these questions. If we unite we can stop Common Core. Please watch the video and do the research. Our children’s future and well being are at stake.

Kathy Castagnola

Hawthorne

Dear Editor,

I have sat quietly by and not said too much for the past few years since leaving the Board of Commissioners, but I just have to say something about the current sheriff’s race. The amount of attacks, rumors, innuendo’s and just plain old nasty garbage being thrown at Steve McBride and Sheriff Handte is completely unjustified, disgraceful and truly reflects negatively on our communities as a whole.

I spent two years working first hand with Steve McBride in supervision at SOC in security. I had 20 years of experience in security at HWAD, almost all of it in management or supervision, and found Steve’s ability to adapt to supervision almost uncanny. Steve has the experience, ability, skills and training to respond and handle virtually any type of situation or problem handed him. He is also a skilled and experienced trainer, has incredible communication skills and is also OSHA certified. These are all skills that a successful law enforcement department needs.

Most people know Steve has been married and divorced a couple of times. Steve, you have a lot of company there, fellow. If this election were for Marriage of the Year or for Marriage Counselor, you probably wouldn’t get my vote! However, it not. It’s for Sheriff!

My life is one of my most precious possessions. I probably wouldn’t come to you for marital advice Steve, but as a law enforcement officer, I do have trust and faith in you enough to tell you and all the voters that I would, without question, trust you with my life. Let me say that again. Steve, as Undersheriff, I would trust you completely with my life, one of my most precious possessions. That is something I don’t say often, and don’t say lightly.

When the voter is in the booth, getting ready to cast a ballot for sheriff, he/she needs to throw all the garbage aside and ask this question. If I or a member of my family were in a life-threatening situation, which of these candidates would I want to show up to resolve the situation successfully?

I will support Sheriff Stewart Handte (and his Undersheriff Steve McBride) for Sheriff of Mineral County and ask others who have supported me in the past and all others to consider his candidacy.

Respectfully,

Richard Bryant

Hawthorne

Dear Editor,

I hope that judge that sits like a spider in a spider web over Mineral County, realizes should that , guy Adams. Be our new sheriff. We’re sending you too judge a message. As loud and clear as we can that we don’t approve of how you handled the Kirby affair, we don’t approve that you made it illegal for them to ever vote again for the rest of their fife forever till they die.

You made it legal too (you can call it the propaganda word confiscation but we all know its also the old fashioned word – stealing).

The day you legally took away all the property of the old Kirby’s and gave it into the hand of the Mineral County power cartel. You made some of us here sort of angry. Another message we would send if we elected Adams to the sheriff of Mineral County, we no longer approve of bullies, who cackle and brag and strut when they arrest old humble hardworking Kirby’s.

Will Jones

Hawthorne

Dear Editor,

A lot of thank-you’s go out to Wayne for the new heavy duty hedge clippers. Your donation results can be viewed at the hedges by the Rose Garden. It works really well. Also, to the lady in the green truck, the gloves (heavy duty) and snippers are also appreciated and also to the nameless couple for the leaf blower. Much, much thanks.

And the the “check writer” of the Memorial Rose Garden Fund? Since this “fund” has not been used on the Rose Garden in the last 4 ½ years, why not?

We need:

8 cases rose food

8 cases of Preem (weeds)

2 garden tubs ($10 each at Wal-Mart)

And after 4,000 hours in five years you would think you could buy at least a case of water? Reimburse some monies for five years of gas or at least a “thank you” for a job no one else is willing to do.

So very much thanks to all who have helped out with tools and thank you’s! You all are so appreciated.

Annie and Bill Getz

Hawthorne

Dear Editor,

A big thank you to Hawthorne residents.

Hawthorne Utilities would like to thank Search & Rescue, all the volunteers and our employees for supporting the Hawthorne Community Desert Clean-up. It was a great event with over 108 yards of garbage, clothes, mattresses, tires, metal and construction debris pulled out of the desert. This was a great start and look forward to many years of keeping our community clean.

Hawthorne Utilities

Dear Editor,

It’s that time of the year again, winter is coming. It’s time for our yearly coat drive. This is our 7th year giving out free coats to anyone that needs a coat.

I would like to thank all of our local residents for their generous donations of warm coats. Without your help, this wouldn’t be possible.

The coat drive starts November 1st and runs until December 31st. Donations of clean coats, hats, gloves and scarves are accepted Monday – Saturday, 8 to 5.

Any cash donations for receiving a coat will be donation to our Animal Shelter to help with food.

Thanks again for making this drive possible.

Patricia Riley, Estate Sale Warehouse

585 E St. 775-945-2333

Dear Editor,

The issue of Oct.2, 2014 had in it a number of letters to the Editor regarding who we should vote for as sheriff. The Oct. 9, 2014 had some more of them, from as far away as Reno and Sparks.

It makes it appear as if the incumbent is calling in out-of-town markers to get himself elected! It also appears that he may be trying to influence the local PRESS into backing him. Suddenly, instead of two or three letters to the Editor as printed in most of their issues, there are now six or eight. What happened to the First Amendment? It begs the question, is the local newspaper being maneuvered by an incumbent sheriff? I can’t say for sure, but the circumstances almost certainly give the appearance of impropriety.

I have been in this town for over 35 years and come from a city that was run by a political machine for over forty years. I have seen what it can do when the politics are steered by, what can only be described as, unsavory outside influences. It is not pretty.

I know this much. When the Commissioners decided to replace the outgoing sheriff with someone from out of town they overlooked one important fact. By hiring an out-of-towner they furnish the criminal element a leg up by giving them time to organize while the new sheriff is brought up to speed.

I do not know, nor have I ever met Sheriff Handte, but from postings I’ve read on social media I can honestly say that if the Commissioners had done a thorough background check, this man would never had been appointed. As a matter of fact, these postings are from sources which can be found in public documents and the public domain. It also appears, from these same sources, that the newly appointed undersheriff needed to be investigated as well. I am, if truth be told, concerned as a citizen of this county.

On the other hand, someone who was raised in Hawthorne and has some eighteen years in law enforcement is undoubtedly not only fit for the job, but is familiar with undesirable elements in the county as well as how the local underworld operates. In my humble opinion, the only candidate that fits the bill is Randall “Randy” Adams.

I worked with Randy some years ago and found him to be knowledgeable, honest and willing to do a good job. I believe he will put these attributes to work for the good and the safety of the citizens in Mineral County. I know that Randy is a person who believes in the motto “To Serve and Protect.” I am also sure that he will carry out this motto when he is elected our new sheriff.

Dan McCahill

Hawthorne

Dear Editor,

I am writing this letter to offer my support for Sheriff Stewart Handte to retain his position as Sheriff of Mineral County.  Sheriff Handte has been a friend of the Laxalt family since 1974 and he brings a strong sense of ethics, integrity and dedication to the law enforcement profession.

Sheriff Handte was one of the first of the 15 Nevada Sheriffs to publicly endorse my bid to become your next Attorney General of this great state.  His steady approach to law enforcement has made him, in my eyes, the most viable choice to carry on the work he has already started in Mineral County as the Sheriff.  He has initiated programs to help the seniors in the county, been proactive in the school system there and he has taken a tough stance against the drug problem that has plagued Mineral County for a number of years.

Please support Sheriff Stewart Handte for Mineral County Sheriff.

Sincerely,

Adam Laxalt

Henderson

Candidate for Nevada Attorney General

Dear Editor,

Well folks, voting time is here. I state one more time why I think Proposition 2 is a bad idea. I lived next door to an extremely blighted property for years. I know how long it took the county to get that property cleaned up.

Mr. Inlow and others want you to think that the original Nuisance Abatement Ordinance was perfectly adequate for our needs. The truth is quite different. In 2004 I carried a contract to sell my residence at Walker Lake. The individual turned my property into a dump and pretty much destroyed the inside of the house. The county tried repeatedly to get the buyer of the property to clean it up. It wasn’t until I reclaimed the property in 2007 that cleanup began.

Under the current ordinance the county could have forced me to initiate clean up even though someone else was living in the house. Would that have been fair? Yes. Would I have liked being put in that position? No, but I might have recovered the property in better condition. I don’t want insane rules like those at Lake Tahoe, but some people just don’t have any pride of ownership. I want to see all of Mineral County in all its beauty rather than all its trash. I’ll vote NO on County Proposition 2, and I encourage all of you to do the same.

When it comes to Sheriff Handte, I must say congratulation to Mineral County for getting a taste of good law enforcement. I don’t know Mr. Adams and I don’t doubt that he is a good person and would even be a good sheriff. But our current sheriff has demonstrated his willingness to take on the hard issues. He doesn’t have a political axe to grind nor is he beholden to any power group in Mineral County. That helps him to do a better job for us. I say we give the good sheriff a chance to follow through on his work. If he doesn’t keep up the good work, we can vote him out in the next election.

As for Mr. Jones. Hang in there my man. We may disagree, but you are entertaining to say the least.

God Bless America.

Charlie Morris,

Walker Lake