Trust the FAA on right-turn issue

To the editor:

As a pilot for more than 36 years, I find it quite interesting to follow the comments in your newspaper from all the flight safety experts regarding the "right turn" (Thursday Review-Journal).

I can't think of a single agency of the federal government that is even remotely as competent, astute and professional in its performance as the Federal Aviation Administration. Having aided me in collision avoidance with other aircraft countless times -- along with millions of other aircraft -- these men and women who control the air traffic are absolutely the greatest, and they perform a service that not many of us could.

The FAA is all about safety, and I find it hard to believe that the decision to allow departing flights to make "right" turns from McCarran International Airport is the result of some self-serving motive on the agency's part. This is nothing more than safety and air traffic control, and I feel real good in their hands. I would compare this right turn to having an extra three or four lanes for auto traffic on Interstate 15.

These folks are unsung heroes who most everyone takes for granted. Not me. They are pros, and they perform one of the most stressful jobs imaginable -- and they do it with pride. They certainly don't need outside pressure to modify actions that they feel are the safest, most conservative routes for the traffic in and out of such a busy airport. If any government employees deserve a raise and a pat on the back, it's these folks.

For the city to spend so much taxpayer money ($400,000) on these parasite lawyers is akin to the waste of time and money in Congress over the firing of eight U.S. attorneys; Al Sharpton's attack on Don Imus; and on and on and on.

Leave the FAA alone and let the agency do its job.

Jack Jones

LAS VEGAS

Volunteer work

To the editor:

Last week, the study, "Volunteering in America: 2007 State Trends and Rankings in Civic Life", was released by the Corporation for National and Community Service. Nevada was at the bottom of the list.

As professionals in the field of national and community service, we're responsible for promoting and developing our volunteer programs: AmeriCorps, Senior Corps and VISTA, which were not measured in the report. These programs generate thousands more volunteers who serve throughout Nevada.

Yet while the report may not tell the whole story of service in the state, it still begs some questions. Does Nevada value the economic, civic and altruistic benefits of volunteering? Do we invest in public policies that support volunteering, an investment that is capable of returning much more than it costs?

The report states that 320,000 Nevada volunteers dedicated more than 42 million hours of service statewide. Economically, this represents nearly $800 million of free services. If these volunteer hours are lost, or continue their downward trend, who picks up the tab?

Aside from economic benefits, volunteering has also been found to increase civic engagement and connect citizens to their communities, values that any society should seek to promote.

Nevada has many progressive business volunteer initiatives, and volunteers themselves, who deserve to be commended. We think we can look to them to help move Nevada up the volunteer ranks by building a comprehensive, sustainable, public/private partnership for service and volunteerism.

Shawn Lecker-Pomaville

FALLON

Craig Warner

RENO

MS. LECKER-POMAVILLE IS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE NEVADA COMMISSION FOR NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE INC. MR. WARNER IS THE STATE DIRECTOR OF THE CORPORATION FOR NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE.

Broadcast news

To the editor:

Your recent criticism of legislation sponsored by Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., ensuring that local radio and television stations have adequate resources during life-threatening emergencies ("Federal subsidies for broadcasters," April 20), reflects a misunderstanding of the unique role played in society by local radio and television stations.

Sen. Landrieu's bill merely prevents broadcasters from being denied access to critical fuel, water and electricity necessary to stay on air during a time of crisis. Motivating Sen. Landrieu's thoughtful bill were the events surrounding Hurricane Katrina, where she witnessed first-hand the heroic efforts of local broadcasters to disseminate evacuation warnings and emergency shelter information that resulted in countless lives being saved.

At great personal risk, local broadcasters waded through alligator-infested waters along the Gulf Coast to stay on air and keep people informed throughout the worst natural disaster in our nation's history. And in the storm's aftermath, radio and TV stations all over America mobilized to raise hundreds of millions of dollars in an unprecedented relief effort.

Local broadcasters from Las Vegas to New Orleans take seriously our role as first informers when viewers and listeners need us most. Sen. Landrieu deserves credit for offering forward-thinking legislation that will keep broadcasters on air during emergencies, and ultimately save thousands of lives.

Dennis Wharton

WASHINGTON, D.C.

THE WRITER IS EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BROADCASTERS.