Letters to the Editor for July 24, 2019

Encounter raises questions about proper right of way

On the morning of July 16 at about 10 a.m., I was making a right turn from Hampton Drive to Northgate Lane with my right turn indicator blinking. I cleared my view of traffic to my left and then to my right and started to make my turn when a jogger with earbuds in her ear ran right out in front of my truck extending her left arm with hand in a stop position and hollered “Stop” as she kept on running, never making an attempt to stop. Lady, you are competing with three tons of steel, and if you keep this up, you will eventually lose. I believe I had the right of way. But if I’m wrong, please let me know. This is not the first time this has happened. Do joggers have the right of way?

You also find bicyclists not observing the traffic lights as they go speeding through red lights causing the driver who has the right of way to brake quickly to avoid hitting them.

Paul Webster

Carson City

Expanding business in Fernley will create challenges on infrastructure

Creating the industrial park in Fernley is good for Northern Nevada’s economy, but it will be bad for Interstate 80 which is one of the heaviest traveled east-west interstates.

Adding 10,000 jobs will add 30,000 more cars plus more trucks, along with the continual increase in jobs in Reno-Tahoe Industrial Park, which adds more traffic. Widening I-80 between Fernley and Reno will be very expensive and take years and should be started as soon as possible.

In the interim, a carpool program should be started to reduce the amount of traffic. Businesses should be encouraged to give perks to employees for carpooling, such as preferred parking, extra time off and, in some cases, buying vans for the employees to drive, along with an aggressive traffic control program with Highway Patrol on constant patrol, issuing tickets for unsafe driving, such as driving too fast, following too close and distracted driving such as using cell phones.

Walt Ratchford

Carson City

Support Alzheimer’s research funding

Last week, the Nevada Appeal ran an article about exciting research presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in Los Angeles. Diverse research — from clinical trial results to potential new diagnostics to care innovations — offers new insights around Alzheimer’s and dementia.

There are more than 5 million Americans, including 47,000 Nevadans, living with Alzheimer’s. As a family effected by the disease, I know how important this research is to improving quality of life for people living with the disease and for someday finding a cure or treatment.

We are facing a growing public health crisis: someone new develops Alzheimer’s every 65 seconds. Barring the development of medical breakthroughs the number of Americans living with Alzheimer’s is projected to rise to nearly 14 million by 2050.

In recent years Congress has made funding Alzheimer’s and dementia research a priority. As we’ve seen from the research presented at AAIC 2019: when we invest in research we gain valuable insights. That is why the investment must continue.

Please join me and the Alzheimer’s Association and ask U.S. Rep. Mark Amodei to support a $350 million increase in Alzheimer’s research funding at the National Institutes of Health in fiscal year 2020.

To learn more and take action, visit the Alzheimer’s Association at alz.org/advocate.

Mary Liveratti

Carson City

Reader ponders former presidents’ security

Just wondering, do ex-presidents receive Secret Service protection after they leave office even if they are in prison?

Vincent Barnes

Carson City