We take you to the Utah Legislature in 1994. Times are good, President Bill Clinton is leading the nation and some of the smart minds of Utah are seeing good times ahead.

The Speaker of the House opens the session greeting everyone and thanking the group for its dedication to the state. This particular gathering will be long and most involved will have to burn the midnight oil.

Virtually everyone who has made the trip to Salt Lake City is leaving behind them a small business or a various concerns related to family or friends. Not just anyone can be a lawmaker and for the money, it’s hard to understand why anyone would want to be a politician in the first place.

However, this particular session is going to be productive particularly since someone has it in mind to take advantage of Utah’s beautiful scenery and the people who visit the state. With the Winter Olympics coming to Salt Lake City in 2002, potential investors will most certainly follow.

Some 14 years later, the United States would fall into the worst recession in the country’s history. Considering the legislature’s keen ability to foresee the future, there is a plan in mind to bring money into the state by tapping the wallets of investors who are interested in purchasing land and/or second homes.

Even more interesting is that the plan would also give full-time residents of the state a 45 percent exemption on property taxes while requiring the owners of second homes to pay 100 percent. The legislation not only dives into the pockets of out-of-state property owners, but also those living in Utah.

From Park City in the north to Duck Creek and St. George in the south, permanent residents are welcoming visitors with open arms.

The idea is brilliant especially considering the thousands of investors who journey to Utah from surrounding states such as Nevada, Idaho, Wyoming, Montana and California, to name a few. The key, however, is to get the legislation passed quietly without letting investors know that they will be paying twice the amount charged to permanent residents of the state.

No problem. The state’s real estate agents will undoubtedly help hide the fact when selling land or second homes throughout the state. And besides, if anyone complains, those objecting can simply let their properties go into foreclosure generating yet another avenue for sales.

Mum’s the word. Full disclosure be damned, tax rates might be reviewed with clients but there won’t be a word discussed about the tax inequity when the real estate market explodes in 2005-2008. This is the perfect taxation without representation.

Why, there will be thousands visiting the state of Utah in search of second homes and raw land and many of those visitors will gladly plunk down big dollars for the right to enjoy the state.

Nobody will ever discover this huge tax inequity that is unless a full-time resident happens to tell a visitor. But I mean, how many times have you ever heard of residents discussing their tax rate, for God’s sakes?

This will become one of the most brilliant economic moves ever by a state legislature. Foreigners (that’s what they call visitors in Utah) from all over the United States will flock to Utah and visitors from other countries will fall in love with their new found second home.

After all, the summers in Utah produce fabulous scenery and the winters are to-die for considering the fact that the state is a definite Winter Wonderland. For desert rats living in Southern Nevada, this is a slam dunk since the real estate market will provide massive profits along with incredible change-of-scenery only few miles away.

Across every border in Utah there will be constant traffic consisting “foreigners” carrying check books and cash. Especially on Friday and Sunday afternoons, the Utah Highway Patrol will just inside each border waiting to write speeding tickets which will also generate big-time dollars for the state’s coffers.

On Jan. 1, 1995, the new law goes into affect. Permanent residents of the state of Utah can now officially expect a 45 percent deduction on their property taxes as the owners of second homes and land pay full-pop; even though the latter category of folks uses the services on a part-time basis.

Nobody will ever discover the legislation passed on New Years Day in 1995. Not even astute attorneys who purchase second homes and property in Utah will ever find out.

It was the best-kept secret in politics and measuring the monetary elements of the bill, it’s also a very profitable measure for the state of Utah.

Brilliant work, ladies and gentlemen of the Utah Legislature in 1994. Take a bow for your efforts.    

 Mike Henle is a Las Vegas-based freelance writer and the author of “Through the Darkness: One Man’s Fight to Overcome Epilepsy.” He can be contacted via email at mhenle@aol.com or through his web site www.mikehenle.com.

  Editor's Note: The law addressing the taxation of primary residences in Utah was adopted in the 1994 Utah Legislature. It was passed into law Jan. 1, 1995.

  In the meantime, the owners of second homes are paying 100 percent.

Utah Code
Title 59 Revenue and Taxation
Chapter 2 Property Tax Act
Section 103 Rate of assessment of property -- Residential property.

59-2-103. Rate of assessment of property -- Residential property.
(1) All tangible taxable property located within the state shall be assessed and taxed at a uniform and equal rate on the basis of its fair market value, as valued on January 1, unless otherwise provided by law.
(2) Subject to Subsections (3) and (4), beginning on January 1, 1995, the fair market value of residential property located within the state shall be reduced by 45%, representing a residential exemption allowed under Utah Constitution Article XIII, Section 2.
(3) No more than one acre of land per residential unit may qualify for the residential exemption.
(4) (a) Except as provided in Subsection (4)(b)(ii), beginning on January 1, 2005, the residential exemption in Subsection (2) is limited to one primary residence per household.
(b) An owner of multiple residential properties located within the state is allowed a residential exemption under Subsection (2) for:
(i) subject to Subsection (4)(a), the primary residence of the owner; and
(ii) each residential property that is the primary residence of a tenant.
Amended by Chapter 90, 2004 General Session
Amended by Chapter 281, 2004 General Session
 

Editor's Note: The following is a rebuttal written by Cedar City resident Burke Wilkerson to a column I wrote recently about the tax inequity in Utah as it relates to those of us who are the owners of second homes in the state.

Read it and weep especially realizing that out-of-state property owners in Utah are being taken advantage of and people like Wilkerson apparently feel that's just fine. For the record, I have another column coming out next week.

 
Mike Henle's article titled "So. Nevadans tired of carrying the load in So. Utah" published in the Cedar City Neighborhoods section of the Daily News for the week of April 28, is missing a few important facts.

In short, Mr. Henle's article stated that Southern Nevadans are being gouged by the State of Utah because they are required to pay real property taxes on 100 percent of the value of their second homes on Cedar Mountain, while Utah residents are only required to pay property taxes on 45 percent of the value of their primary residences. (I'm assuming prior to construction these disgruntled Southern Nevada second homeowners were aware they would be required to pay property taxes on 100 percent of the value of their homes, and determined that it was still a prudent decision to invest on Cedar Mountain?).

The first obvious fact that Mr. Henle failed to discuss is the important distinction between a second home and a primary residence. An individual owning property in Utah that is deemed to be their primary residence is generally considered to be a resident of the state, and is therefore also subject to personal income tax - taxes Southern Nevada second homeowners are not required to pay.

I'm confident the Utah State Tax Commission would be happy to collect personal income taxes on the higher Southern Nevada incomes being earned by those second homeowners that choose to file for permanent, full-time residency in Utah to avoid being gouged on real property taxes as suggested in Mr. Henle's article.

Additionally, a resident must must also pay property taxes on their automobiles and other personal property licensed in Utah. Again, taxes not paid by Southern Nevada second homeowners.

Another fact that Mr. Henle overlooked is that residents of Utah also presumably spend the majority of their disposable income in their respective local communities, which translates into the payment of sales taxes not being paid nearly to the same extent by Southern Nevadans. Other than weekend fuel purchases at local gas stations and occasional purchases of forgotten grocery items, I doubt a material amount of sales tax is being collected from Southern
Nevada second home owners.

In summary, although Southern Nevadans owning second homes on Cedar Mountain may not enjoy the benefits of the services and necessities provided by taxes collected by the State of Utah as frequently as residents, the equalizing fact is they also do not pay an equal portion of the whole.

Burke Wilkerson
Cedar City

The spoken word can be not only be hurtful, but long-lasting. I actually learned that back in the early-1980s while working as a sports writer and desk man at the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

While traveling to work one morning, I waited under the freeway for the light to turn green. I turned to my left and looked up under the freeway to see what looked like a sign of life. As my route remained continual every morning, I’d see more signs of life under the freeway.

First, there was a box and then there were clothes lying on the cement. Then, on one particular morning, I saw a man collecting his thoughts and wiping his face. I was stunned to finally realize that someone was living under the freeway.

When I got to the office, I visited with long-time reporter Ed Vogel before starting to clear the wire. As reporters do so often, we first exchanged pleasantries before I brought up the man living under I-15.

I arrived at the same location under the freeway the next morning to see Vogel at the bottom of a hill under the freeway. He had a card in his hand and was heading up the hill to meet with the mystery man whose makeshift home was under the freeway of one of America’s busiest roadways.

I was surprised to see Vogel and actually wanted to watch him climb that hill to meet with the man. However, I had to get to work considering that we had a 9 a.m. deadline to get the paper completed.

Vogel, considered the ultimate dedicated reporter, had taken our conversation to heart. What he found was a very intelligent man who was happy to be living under a freeway.

Vogel would discover that the man’s box contained books and the essentials of life to survive. After awakening in the early-morning hour, the man would gather his few belongings, walk to the freeway and hitch a ride to a shelter where he would shower and brush his teeth.

Later in the day, the man would find his way back to that spot under the freeway where he would climb that hill to his home on the ledge under the freeway. The next day, the man would walk back to the roadway where he’d find his way back to the shelter for a shower.

While Vogel’s findings were certainly interesting, what really stuck in my mind was the fact that the man said he had been told when he was young that he’d never amount to anything. That statement apparently hounded him especially because it was repeated to him over and over again.

The man was both intelligent and hurt beyond anyone’s wildest dreams. Rather than go off the deep end by drinking himself to death, he simply led a very simple life where his belongings fit in a box.

Under the freeway, there was no threat of hurtful people only the noise of the traffic overhead. The cement ledge served as a perfect resting place.

No power bills and no having to report to work every day. For him, life was safer and easier living under a freeway where the roar of cars running overhead was less hassle than the hurtful words thrust at him over the years.

Living under a freeway was alright for someone who had been reminded repeatedly that he was a nobody. However, he was happy with his books, his lifestyle and the people he would meet en route to the shelter.

Talented Southern Nevada journalist Matt O’Brien detailed in his book “Beneath the Neon: Life and Death in the Tunnels of Las Vegas” how countless lost souls live in underground flood channels throughout Las Vegas. His highly-acclaimed book illustrates that with all the success stories in Las Vegas, there is also an underbelly of shattered souls living in horrible environments.

What Vogel might have done decades ago is show that the problem of lost souls is nothing new. When his story was published, the authorities immediately headed for that area underneath I-15. The man was told to leave and I have often wondered what happened to him.

 I actually felt bad about the end result since the man wasn’t hurting anyone while living under the freeway. However, the authorities felt otherwise and wasted no time sending him down the road – literally.

 However, while Vogel’s story was truly interesting, I think what has remained in my mind for more than 30 years is that the guy living under the freeway was the victim of harsh words thrown his way. While the continual noise of living under a freeway had to be a challenge, the atmosphere was fine since it afforded the man a sanctuary away from hurtful people.

 In fact, when I’m at the same location under the freeway on Spring Mountain Road in Las Vegas, I always look up under the freeway thinking about the guy who called that spot home some 30 years ago.

A recent column written by yours truly about a huge property tax inequity in Southern Utah struck a nerve, to say the least.

However, as I discovered shortly after the original column was published, the rule of taxation on second homes is actually Utah-wide.

For the record, it has been determined that (a) the owners of second homes in Utah are paying double the taxes of those who have declared primary residency; and (b) more than 90 percent seemed to agree that the setup is wrong, unconstitutional and actually discriminatory.

As stated on the web site for the Kane County Assessors office, permanent residents receive a 45 percent exemption on their property taxes while the rest of us pay the entire amount. Thus, the owners of second homes pay nearly double what permanent residents pay even though they use the services far less.

It just seems that in order to balance the taxes, permanent residents should pay 22.5 percent more while the rest of us should pay 22.5 percent less. That way, everyone is equal.

In the case of Southern Utah, at least 90 percent of those affected by the goofy setup are from Las Vegas. When you throw in the fact that the entire state enforces the inequity, it’s easy to see why a tax payer revolt could outdraw the Olympics, for Lord’s sakes.

Many owners of second homes are actually residents of Cedar City and St. George. Like the rest of us, they’re getting their pockets ripped out, too, in a sneaky agreement that has apparently been enforced for decades.

From Park City to Duck Creek to St. George and Pine Valley, there are property owners going broke after first falling in love with the state of Utah. Most are not happy once they discover they use the property only part of the time only to pay full-time property taxes while full-time residents get a 45 percent exemption.

As miffed as anyone about the current property taxes in Southern Utah, I have been shaking my head for a week trying to understand the logic related to other stories that have been brought to my attention.

I mean, I had major brain surgery in December of 1994 and the headaches I’m getting while trying to understand Utah’s property taxes remind me of that day when I awoke feeling as though someone had taken a sledge hammer to the side of my skull.

But wait, there’s more.

One very unique property valuation issue surfaced when I received an email from Cedar City CPA Bruce Hughes – a transplanted Californian who has lived in Cedar City for 17 years -- has been fighting the Iron County Assessor’s office for five years.

Hughes purchased 3 ½ acres south of Cedar City about 16 years ago. Everything was fine until prairie dogs decided to claim his land as home after being forced out of their original habitat by the construction of a drainage ditch to handle flood waters.

In short, Hughes’s land cannot be touched now because prairie dogs are federally protected, so he is handcuffed. His land is not worth much, but the county still wants to jab him with full-fare property taxes.

Then there is Ken Freeman, who lives in a small home with six acres along Highway 14 along with a small cabin in Engelstad Estates headed to Kolob. The taxes on his cabin are higher than what he’s paying for his primary residence. Again, Freeman admits that he has never disputed the taxes although like so many others now, he probably will in the future.

Believe me, there were countless others who had stories to tell, too.

In fairness, various county assessors will usually cooperate and lower the taxes if the owner takes the time to fight the issue.

However, since every county in Utah knows that the most owners of second homes and/or investment properties (a) usually don’t have time to fight the system and (b) have no idea they’re paying double anyway, this entire thing has become a great big cash cow for ever property assessor in the state.

That leads me to the rules of full disclosure in real estate. My agents never informed me that I’d be paying twice the taxes as full-time residents, and neither did my banker or escrow people. By the time this is all said and done, there are going to be nine gazillion real estate agents all over the state of Utah coming up with more excuses than a home for unwed mothers.
 

There is a groundswell of Southern Nevadans who are irritated over property taxes they are being charged on land and second homes in Southern Utah. As property values decline and taxes increase, it appears that the people of the Silver State are being taken to the cleaners.

You see, we have discovered that full-time residents are granted a 45 percent primary residential exemption in Utah while the rest of us pay the full rate – and more.The entire scenario hardly sounds fair and in fact, seems downright unconstitutional especially considering the dedication of Southern Nevadans who have brought boatloads of money into Utah buying property. Silver State types (not to mention anyone else who is a part-time resident of Southern Utah) have felt for years that they’re getting gouged by property taxes.

Some protested their high tax assessments and many won. However, key is the fact that most Southern Nevadans don’t have time to wage a battle. With meetings usually conducted during the middle of the week, few have been able to find time.

One man who did fight won twice. Interestingly, his neighbor with the same size lot and similar size cabin is paying much more primarily because he could not find time to dispute the taxes.

The squeaky wheel generally gets the grease in Southern Utah. I discovered that when I disputed a $2,000 fee charged to hook up my power. After taking the dispute to the Utah Public Service Commission, I won unanimously and the judge ordered Garkane Energy to send back my two grand.

It was a victory, for sure, but it was a hassle getting to the finish line. Most thought I would lose and I found great self satisfaction in knowing that there indeed was justice in the system.

But I’m really starting to get discouraged now especially since I discovered the most recent tax setup. In fact, I’m thinking about having a sign mounted on the southern tip of Utah saying “Attention Nevadans: You just got stung by the Beehive State.”

Even though Southern Nevadans probably comprise a great percentage of the land owners in Southern Utah, they undoubtedly use the services the least while paying the most. The entire setup hardly seems equitable especially considering that Southern Nevadans undoubtedly comprise a great percentage of land and cabin owners in Southern Utah.

Southern Utah has become the great getaway for many of us although many are undoubtedly starting to wonder if the investment was worth the heartache. In fact, several of the Southern Nevada-types are actually talking about a class action lawsuit against the state of Utah.

When you consider that at least 90 percent of the land owners on Cedar Mountain are from Las Vegas, it probably wouldn’t take long to fund an attorney especially considering many of the folks from Vegas have been known to have a buck or two. Add to all of these the sneakiness of how the tax structure was handled and I foresee a major revolt on behalf of out of state land owners who are suddenly discovering that they’re paying full bore while others are paying far less.    

 In reaching out to people who know more than I do about offsetting the high taxes, we have come up with solutions to the deficit ranging from turning our place into everything from a bed and breakfast to a bordello. Our informal focus groups have been interesting, to say the least.

Former Las Vegas resident George Vasconi who now lives in Parowan advises that we could all file for permanent residency before the next elections and vote everyone out of office. Call it a true example of a hostile takeover.

Vasconi pointed said he discovered his taxes would be double if he was a part-time resident. He immediately switched to full-time residency saving thousands of dollars.

We have all learned that Sept. 15 is the deadline for filing valuation appeals to the Board of Equalization. You can bet there will be a flood of protests filed this year and in fact, I’m hearing that Southern Nevadans are planning their own Tea Party gathering much like the one which invaded Searchlight, Nev. several weeks ago.

Stay tuned. This is going to get very interesting.

Captain Paul Hallenbeck

The revolving door continues at KTNV TV-13 in Las Vegas after it was learned that talented helicopter pilot and journalist Captain Paul Hollenbeck is no longer on the team.

 Hollenbeck and his ‘copter were parked the week of Jan. 4, and the timing could not have been worse. On the first day without Hollenbeck, the station was also without coverage from the air during a shooting at the U.S. Federal Court House in downtown Las Vegas.

Be it economic reasons or whatever, KTNV’s latest move like many others have left its followers, fellow employees and competitors scratching their heads.

Surely, there must be another reason for KTNV missing the coverage of the siege at the court house. Hollenbeck has not missed a day since 2003, and apparently a breakdown in both communications and the ending of the two-year contract were the reasons.

We can only imagine the looks on those in the newsroom at the Journal Broadcasting Company affiliate when news broke that a crazed gunman entered the court house and unloaded on employees with a shotgun.

For some very odd reason, Las Vegas has become a graveyard of talented journalists especially lately. Usually, the talent picks itself up, tries to understand the sudden loss of employment and moves on to open arms in another market which appreciates good journalists.

Even more important with KTNV’s decision is the fact that Hollenbeck has a sparkling history and in fact, you would think the station would count its lucky stars to have the former Los Angeles cop whose resume’ has included flying combat missions for the Air Force in Vietnam.

As a captain in the Air Force, Hollenbeck was in Vietnam before there was a war. When he switched to covering news in Los Angeles in 1988, he was the go-to guy covering events like the Rodney King riots along with the North Hollywood Bank shooting giving invaluable live reports in the process.

As KTNV has continued to lag behind the competition in Southern Nevada, it has been Capitan Paul who has given the station hope. When the rest of the station’s news was sub-par at best, viewers still waited through the nonsense for Hollenbeck’s reports.

You see, what has made Hollenbeck so valuable to a news team is that he’s both a journalist and a helicopter pilot. Corporate bean counters should understand that Hollenbeck’s double duty means his combination eliminates the need for both a pilot and a reporter because he handles both chores.

And if it’s an issue with money – and in this case, I’m sure it is – how about getting a sponsor for the side of the helicopter? I’d start with Taco Bell, In-N-Out Burger or for that matter, attorneys Ed Bernstein or Glenn Lerner whose marketing budgets are sizeable, to say the least.

In a tight economy, that’s a big cha-ching. From traffic accidents to shootings at a court house and the rest, Captain Paul was to a news team what Bart Starr was to the Green Bay Packers. In today’s competitive news business, sending someone as talented as Hollenbeck to the sidelines makes one wonder if things are so bad at KTNV that the doors are about to close, for god’s sakes.

Even more interesting is the fact that the new vendor which was to supply another helicopter apparently ruled that at 67 years of age, Captain Paul was one year too old to fly their helicopters. I mean, are we kidding that the one year difference offsets his more than 40 years of experience?

You see, if it’s a talking head you want, any young kid can fill the bill for the most part. But when you’re talking about a helicopter pilot who joined your team after first working a hot spot like Los Angeles, that’s another story.

Ron Futrell, who spent 25 years before being wrongfully terminated by the station in 2008, measured Hollenbeck’s value with a classic quote.

“Captain Paul, a former police officer, knew what was happening on the ground because he had been there,” analyzed Futrell. “He could analyze fires, accident and shootouts with first-hand knowledge. No other chopper reporter could do that.”

In fact, KTNV has hired another pilot to replace Hollenbeck although the new pilot will do so for far less money (here we go again tripping over dollars to get to pennies, or however the phrase goes).

“I’m not sure what I’m going to do now,” said Hollenbeck, who was born in Yuma, Ariz., before growing up in Los Angeles. “I have an off-ramp spotted and I think I’ll hang out there with a cardboard sign.”
Just me, but I think if I was one of the other television stations, I would have my staff invite Hollenbeck to be a guest on my own helicopter news team. From a marketing standpoint, I think it would most definitely draw attention as every station attempts to secure ratings.

In the meantime, Journal Broadcasting spent millions constructing a new building to house its news team. The problem now is that everyone is starting to wonder why the impressive architecture is without the necessary ingredients that include a prominent helicopter pilot who just happens to be a quality journalist.

                  Nevada State Senator Mike Schneider decided several years ago to address the countless issues related to homeowners associations. Knowing that he had faced the problems himself with investment properties situated within HOAs, Schneider became the voice of reason as it relates to the endless problems dealing with the governing bodies.

                  When Schneider was the guest of radio personality Ron Futrell recently on KDWN (720 AM), he addressed the issue of rolling shutters in Nevada. Considering that he has authored two bills about rolling shutters both of which were passed into law, the native of Nebraska certainly understands the purpose of the product used to lower power bills and protect residents against break-ins.

            However, while the two laws are now official and should eliminate problems related to approvals from home owner associations, the conflicts continue as evidenced by the story of Jim and Wanda Jaranowski.

The Jaranowskis own a condominium at Elan in northwest Las Vegas. The couple sought to have the rolling shutters installed following the passage of SB216 during the 2009 Nevada legislature. The bill addressed the approval of rolling shutters on common interest communities, so the application process seemed like a slam-dunk.

However, the simple process turned into yet another conflict when the Jaranowskis were not only denied the right to have the rolling shutters installed by Nevada Rolling Shutters but also required by the home owners association to include a non-refundable $2,500 deposit with the application.

During questioning by Futrell, Schneider said the denial and the required deposit was ridiculous. However, it was what the veteran senator said next that should send chills down the back of every HOA in the country.

Futrell, a respected former television journalist, suggested that the required deposit might be a way for the home owner association to pad its bank account especially as dues decrease in the wake of foreclosures. However, while Schneider said he doubted the requirement to be true, he was certain about the next steps that will be taken.

Schneider, incensed over the denial and the requirement of a deposit, stated that he had already called for an opinion from the State of Nevada legal.  He then said he would take the issue to the Attorney General’s office along with the Supreme Court, if necessary.

In other words, enough is enough. If the home owners association which has decided to deny the Jaranowski couple its right to have rolling shutters wants to continue playing games, Schneider is ready to take the issue right up the legal ladder.

The problem with so many home owners associations is that the bodies of power make decisions without respecting the issue and the laws passed. In this particular case, two laws have been passed in Nevada allowing the installation of the rolling shutters; however, some board members have failed to realize that a law is a law.

This particular issue is going to get very interesting especially as crime increases and power bills soar. Denying an application especially after laws have been enacted is not only silly but creating another battle down the road that is going to not only prove embarrassing but costly for any cash-strapped HOA at the same time.

Skirting the law by discouraging residents from having rolling shutters by requiring a stout deposit is underhanded and it is wrong. Worse yet, should anything happen to a home or the residents in a community where rolling shutters were denied could result in a massive lawsuit.

This is going to get interesting and you can bet that Schneider is not backing down.

(Editor’s Note: Mike Henle has represented and covered the rolling shutter industry since 1995. The Jaranowskis are now filing a complaint with the Nevada Ombudsman’s office.)

            The current problems related to the economy stretch further than the offices of accountants, bookkeepers and the prognosticators who predict the future of our lives.

            During these tough times and even before our current challenges, I constantly wonder about the mental state of some parents.

            Bad news developed in Southern Nevada last year when a woman driving a pickup thought it best for five kids to ride in the bed of the truck. For some unknown reason, a 7-year-old boy either jumped or fell from the back of the truck and died.

            A little boy is dead while many of us try to understand why an adult would make such a dumb decision of putting a group of young kids in danger.

            But the behavior of adults goes even further in so many areas of life and many times is the result of mind-altering drugs taken by people who should know better.

            I mean, putting your own life in jeopardy is bad enough, but an adult putting the lives of kids in danger absolutely boggles my mind.

            Innocent kids supposedly having the time of their lives unknowing of the dangers created by their parents is a sad reality every day in this country. If it’s not simple common sense that it is putting kids in danger, it’s the choices made by grown men and women whose self-centered attitudes are scarring kids for the rest of their lives.

            Kids should be enjoying the times of their lives, but many are suffering through no fault of their own. They are facing one challenge after another while their parents force them into a survival mode long before anyone should face such a situation.

            Rather than playing kickball or attending birthday parties with friends, many kids are simply trying to find their next meal. They are living in the backs of cars or even in the desert bundled up in worn-out blankets while their parents sicken society with outlandish behaviors that will undoubtedly damage society for decades.

            And way too many times, the reason for kids suffering is because so-called upstanding members of our community could not care less about those they have brought into society. Instead of making sure the kids have clothes to wear and food to eat not to mention a wholesome home environment, adults are slowly killing themselves with drugs while kids watch loved ones commit suicide.

            Rather than make sure the kids have the ingredients necessary to create memories that will live forever, the parents are replacing food in the cupboards with drugs for personal usage.

            It doesn’t matter where we live because parents are behaving like this all over the country.  It's horrifying to think that good, honest and innocent kids are growing up in environments dominated by drugs and alcohol is nothing less than frightening.

            Look around you whether it’s in the big cities or the small ones. Chances are there is a meth lab somewhere nearby and even greater chances that kids are being force-fed an environment that is not only nightmarish but simply wrong at the same time.

            If you are a judge who has to hear cases of child neglect and abuse, it breaks your heart. And if you are a case worker who has seen infants who are victims of Shaken Baby Syndrome, your heart bleeds every time you head for work.

            If you think the state of today’s world is scary, try looking at what’s facing this country in the next generation. It’s not a pretty forecast and you can blame the parents for the outlook because many of them have chosen to concentrate on drugs and alcohol rather than the kids they have brought into the world.

            Those who don’t believe we have severe problems need look no further than your local Child Haven and see the faces of young kids who have been dumped in favor of drugs. If you need to be humbled, take a couple of hours out of your day and visit kids who have been victimized by ignorant parents.

            It will break your heart, I assure you.

November is National Epilepsy Awareness Month and the period strikes very close to home.

I don’t have epilepsy now, but I did have it until I was almost 44 years of age. When I was nine months old in 1951, a nasty mosquito infected with the encephalitis virus bit me. Not long after the bite, I started to sleep more often and while my parents were concerned, they felt that a baby sleeping more was simply a part of being an infant.

However, serious concern set in one evening when their baby suddenly started having convulsions right in the middle of a friendly card game. I’m told I quit breathing and only quick emergency work by one of the family friends kept me from dying.

The next thing anyone knew, I was in a coma and would remain in that state for a week. The encephalitis virus had infected the brain and I would remain hospitalized in Intensive Care.

When I awoke from the coma, it was thought that the concern had subsided. I bounced back and my grandmother quickly told my parents that radiant smile of mine was proof enough that I had fully recovered.

As far as anyone knew, the encephalitis had not left any lasting effects. Life was good until at the age of about seven, I recall a very strange sensation of fear rushing through my body. The episode made no sense especially considering that it lasted only a few minutes.

The problem was that I had just what would be the first of thousands of epileptic seizures. While the first seizure was evident by a slight drooping of the face along with a blank stare that lasted for a few moments, the truth was that I was about to begin a mysterious journey that would last for decades.

For the most part, I was able to hide the seizures until I awoke one evening with a terrific headache. The next thing I knew, the seizure had advanced into a full-blown grand mal seizure in which the body stiffened and jerked uncontrollably. I would awaken to see several family members alongside the bed explaining that I needed to go to the hospital immediately.

The seizures would continue creating concern that one would eventually kill me. Worse yet, there was the awful fear that I would have a seizure while driving a car. The thought of hurting someone else as the result of having a seizure was a fear I would carry with me.

No medicine helped and in fact, I was allergic to just about every prescription. Every medication carried with it a side effect. I was frustrated and scared.

Then, in December of 1994, doctors at Scripps Green Hospital in La Jolla, Calif. determined they could remove the epilepsy from my life by removing a five-centimeter piece of my right temporal lobe in a very delicate brain surgery procedure. The surgery worked and I haven’t had a seizure since the day before the surgery.

Even better yet, I no longer need medications to regulate my life. I am free of epilepsy and there isn’t a day that goes by when I don’t take at least a short minute to realize how lucky I am.

However, there are a reported two million people affected with epilepsy. I think I know what every one of them is going through since I have traveled that bumpy road, too. In fact, every time I hear that someone crashed a vehicle because of a “medical incident,” I think back about my own close calls.

National Epilepsy Awareness Month is a crucial period in which special attention is brought to the forefront of a mysterious disorder that can strike without warning.

The great strides to conquer the disorder are all-important and the month of November is a huge example of the progress that has been made to conquer the disorder.

Perhaps one of the greatest advances has been in Las Vegas where the Nevada Neurosciences Institute at Sunrise Health has made incredible progress. With neurologist Dr. Samir Bangalore and neurosurgeon Dr. Stuart Kaplan leading the charge, three surgeries to correct epilepsy have been conducted in the past few months.

Considering that I still remember vividly returning from Scripps on Dec. 13, 1994 only to discover that we had lost all of my medications, I know first-hand how terrified I was returning home knowing that Las Vegas was essentially a city weak in many medical elements including epilepsy.

That has all changed in Southern Nevada, an area where great improvements are being made in the medical community.

Thank God. From someone who knows personally, helping people who are suffering from epilepsy is vitally important. In Southern Nevada, those living with the disorder no longer need to leave town for help.

Mike Henle is a Las Vegas freelance writer and the author of “Through the Darkness: One Man’s Fight to Overcome Epilepsy.”
 

It didn’t take Jeff Gillan long to find another job following the demise of Las Vegas One’s News ONE at 9 earlier in the week.

Gillan, the highly-respected anchor who spearheaded News One at 9 to a pair of Emmy Awards, has landed with KVBC TV-3. He was named assistant news director and will begin with KVBC Nov. 9.

Gillan, a 23-year veteran of the news business, joins the station as assistant news director beginning Nov. 9. He will be working with his former boss Bob Stoldal, who was named KVBC’s executive vice president in August.

“I am absolutely thrilled with this opportunity,” said Gillan. “I’m joining a newsroom of professionals, and Channel 3 is dedicated to doing important journalism. That’s why I’m joining the team.”
 

Sunbelt Communications Company recently promoted its second long-time KVBC TV-3 employee to a general manager position when it named Shelley Goings to the position at KPVI in Pocatello, Idaho.

Goings, who moved to Las Vegas in 1969, has worked for KVBC for 18 years. She leaves the station as Sunbelt Director of Human Resources and Benefits.

Earlier this year, Sunbelt named former KVBC general sales manager Joanne Nasby general manager of KYMA in Yuma, Ariz.

Nasby had been with KVBC for nearly 26 years before being promoted to her new position.

*** *** ***

Former KTNV TV-13 weekend sports anchor Bryan Salmond is still staying busy in Southern Nevada while looking for work.

Salmond, whose contract was not extended at KTNV, is still doing a boxing show at KLAV on Tuesday nights from 7-8 p.m. In addition, he’s working with former Las Vegas disc jockey Rick Rosen on a sports book radio podcast on www.junkie.com from the Mandalay Bay.

Finally, Salmond is also play-by-play/color man for Tuff-N-Uff Fighting Championship, a Mixed Martial Arts promotion. He is also speaking with a station in Arizona.

*** *** ***

Dale Wyman, who was the director of creative services and production at KVBC TV-3 before being the victim of cutbacks at the station, is now interim creative services director at KCRA TV-3 and KQCA MY58 in Sacramento. He had been with KVBC for more than 22 years.

KCRA is the 20th largest television market in the country.

The 48 year-old Wyman is the third former member of a Las Vegas television station to leave for Sacramento. Earlier, Amanda Sanchez (weather) and Ben Deci (reporter) departed KTNV TV-13 before landing in Sacramento.

Sanchez is now a weather anchor/reporter with KOVR TV-13 while Deci joined KTXL Fox 40.

*** *** ***

Las Vegas ONE announced it has ceased immediately News ONE at 9 p.m. due to the decline in the economy. The show was a result of a partnership between Greenpun Media Group and KLAS TV-8.

The loss also means that four employees are also out of work including Jeff Gillan, Carol Wilkinson, Daniel Gutierrez, and Vincent Cano. The four will be provided a severance package along with letters of reference.

News ONE at 9 p.m. earned a pair of Emmy Awards under Gillan’s work as anchor. The program’s combination of sports, news and features was also highlighted by in-depth interviews conducted by the highly-respected Gillan.
 

A battle among television stations in Las Vegas complete with a complaint filed with the FCC by Jim Rogers of Valley Broadcasting has already sparked a huge feud and you can bet this is only the beginning of a long war.

In the complaint, the feisty Rogers, owner of KVBC TV-3 in Las Vegas, went after KVVU TV-5, KLAS TV-8 and KTNV TV-13 charging that the competition sold time while using reporters to conduct interviews in an alleged agreement to keep the advertiser – United Automotive – happy.

In other words, the accused stations allegedly crossed the lines of journalistic ethics by guaranteeing news coverage as part of the agreement with Arrowhead Advertising. Such an accusation is the ultimate kick in the teeth to journalists.

During the broadcasts, a 30-second commercial was aired featuring a
“reporter” and a member of United Automotive detailing the liquidation process while also telling of steep discounts. The problem was that the commercial did not have a disclaimer at the bottom of the spot to show that the so-called interview was actually a paid-for commercial and not a live interview.

The fact that the commercial was aired many times during a news broadcast undoubtedly confused some viewers who may have thought that the commercial was actually a news report.
The practice of mixing the news and advertising violates FCC regulations and thereby sends chills down the spine of every employee involved. The fact that the advertising buy also reportedly required news coverage complicated matters even worse since such an agreement is frowned upon.

However, as a former journalist who spent more than 20 years on the print side of the business, I have to say that the liquidation of the automobiles is a big enough story without an outsider demanding coverage. And in this case, newsrooms all over the city were tripping over one another to get the story.

Arrowhead Advertising made the commercial buys. If the company did request news coverage as part of the buy, it sure didn’t need to in the first place.

Sales executives are expected to support the station by selling the time and collecting the money. They are also expected to stay on their side of the building especially during something as critical as the liquidation of automobile businesses.

When Rogers filed the suit against KLAS TV-8, KVVU TV-5 and KTNV TV-13, he was immediately met by opposition especially from KLAS TV-8 which responded to the charges without missing a breath.

In fact, Channel 8 has several former KVBC employees on its staff both in news and sales.

When the Rogers salvo was made public, you can bet his former employees were more than mildly peeved.

There are no signs of white flags being waived in this battle. In fact, the best is yet to come.

****

Lorraine Blanco has left KVVU TV-5 after reaching the end of her contract. A highly-respected reporter and weekend anchor, she worked with the Fox affiliate for six years.

According to news director Adam Bradshaw, Blanco will probably land in Salt Lake City or Miami. Even in a tight market, it’s not likely she will be out of work for long.

A graduate of UCLA with a degree in Communications, Blanco is a native of the Bay Area. She was first being employed at KABC in Los Angeles and WHBF in the Quad Cities.

****

KTNV TV-13, which has a short staff accentuated by a limited amount of people working on the news desk, lost a seemingly good member of the team recently when assignment desk editor Lance Pry left suddenly.

A former radio disc jockey at KOMP 92.3, Pry said KTNV's unwillingness to take action in the Nina Radetich controversy has damaged the station’s credibility.

In the meantime, the station is frantically looking for someone to fill the void since it has been barely getting by with only two employees.

My list of professions I dislike just increased with the addition of bankers, who now can proudly align themselves with car salesmen, security guards and members of the George Bush administration.

You see, the well-dressed and smooth-talking bankers who took us up the ladder 2-3 years ago during a surging real estate market are now in the cockpit of an economic downturn so drastic that it’s taking down everyone from the wealthy to the poor souls struggling from one paycheck to another.

In short, it was our friends the bankers who were involved in driving up prices by creating a frenzy not to mention a distinct element of greed shared by most of us. We were led to believe that nothing could possibly fail and the bankers lined up customers while diving into savings accounts and accepting money that should have been kept for rainy days.

And now I have proof that the same bankers are taking our money again only this time it’s during the worst economic downturn in recent history. In fact, I’m getting so upset with these fine-looking executives that I’m to the point of disliking anyone with three-piece suits and lizard skin shoes that just happen to be driving a new Rolls Royce.

Measure this:

A cabin across the street from us in Duck Creek, Utah recently sold for $500,000 as the buyer gladly plunked down cash in the purchase. Everyone ranging from the seller to the buyer and the lender walked away happy with the transaction.

Then a few weeks later, a cabin similar in size sold out of foreclosure for $312,000 taking everyone in Duck Creek down at the same time. The owner of the property – a bank – gladly obliged the ecstatic buyer in a panic sale that will be used in “comps” while also driving down values for months to come.

It was an example of real estate nightmare in an industry reeling backwards so quickly now that 90 percent of the real estate industry has retreated to jobs as waiters, cocktail waitresses, bartenders and greeters at Wal-Mart.

What really bothers me about the banking industry (and the appraisers, for that matter) is that its members back-pedaled quicker than an entire city during a flood. Not only has the banking business started to sell off properties at bargain-basement prices just to save its own backside but it has also ignored foreclosed properties leaving them to look like eyesores while driving down the value of the property and everything around it at the same time.

In Nevada, the legislature passed into a law new regulations requiring the banking business to take action – and spend a little of its own money – to protect neighbors of foreclosed properties (hint, hint to the Utah legislature).

The mere fact that it took Nevada lawmakers to pass legislation like this is evidence that the banking business has just plain given up even with regards to basic responsibilities. We’re all starting to feel like customers on a cruise liner which has entered stormy waters only to see the captain and his crew jump ship.

Look, everyone is scared right now and never before has there been such a time of need with regards to people we have counted upon. That said I simply don’t understand why the banking industry has decided to throw us all under the bus before backing over us in what seems like the ultimate punishment.

It’s kind of like being in need while in deep water and in need a life raft. In this case, the bankers are throwing us all 100-pound lead weights just so we’ll drown a little quicker.

OK, it’s a buyer’s market for sure and I’d rather be trying to capitalize on the low-dollar deals now, for sure. But in the meantime, let’s not hasten this demise any worse than it has thanks, in part, to both the bankers and the appraisers.

If only these people would be patient and try holding out for a little more, they’d make more money while maintaining credibility at the same time. As it is now, those of us who believed in these guys are going to either/or (a) file a class action lawsuit or (b) be forced to call a bankruptcy attorney in the near future.

I’m starting to think that surgeons concentrating on the heart and the brain need not worry about hanging around bankers anymore.

You see, there is no work in either of the medical fields as it relates to the heart or the brain since nobody in the banking business seems to have one anyway.

As the dust begins to settle over the situation with the Nina Radetich controversy at KTNV TV-13, I sense that every other media outlet in Las Vegas is circling like a vulture.On one hand, competing media outlets are following the story of Radetich recommending boyfriend Jack Finn to provide damage control for Tire Works, which just happened to be the subject of an investigative story by Channel 13.

On the other hand, we might just have competing media outlets eager to take an advertiser’s money while also attempting to stay within the bounds of journalist integrity.

With regards to the Radetich situation, management at Channel 13 might actually believe that no ethical violation occurred although the higher-ups have to be the only ones with that opinion. Or yet another possibility could be that someone else at the station played a role in encouraging Radetich to counsel Tire Works owner Roshie Weightman just as the news department was about to unleash a critical report alleging wrongdoing.

In any case, there has been an ethical issue (or two) involved in a story that could be discussed in every high school and college journalism class in the country. The mere fact that the controversy surfaced in the first place is mind boggling, because the rules of journalism are spelled out quite well.

However, something tells me that we haven’t heard the end of this particular situation, since Tire Works spends considerable money and has proven a very valuable client in the past. Every advertising account rep has his or her hand out right now as everyone tries to survive the worst economic setback in the history of Las Vegas.

So if I were a fly on the wall of the other media outlets, I would listen carefully during these tough economic times. While I don’t know what Tire Works spends, I do know that if I was the general sales manager of another media outlet, I would love to have the money spent previously at KTNV TV-13 no matter what demands might be made as it relates to rates, etc.

And now that questions regarding the ethics of journalism have surfaced at KTNV, should we be concerned about the other stations? In other words, would the other stations cross the line to lure the advertising money their way now that everyone is suffering financially and advertising budgets have been cut dramatically?

Will another media outlet promise positive stories in conjunction with an advertising contract? Or at the very least, would another media outlet promise that the sales department will work closely with the news department so that there are no hurt feelings in the future?

At this point, every sales staff in the city is facing drastically reduced sales revenues. Cuts have been made on everything from editors to reporters and videographers not to mention producers and members of the all-important sales staffs.

And in the meantime, Finn has left NV Energy and KTNV is steadfastly supporting Radetich even though things have gone so bad that signs saying “Nina Lies” were seen hanging from freeway overpasses Tuesday.

It is ugly out there, even in a city many thought was actually recession-proof. The bottom fell out last October and many of the so-called experts don’t expect a turnaround for another two years.

So how far will journalists and sales departments go to survive? Will there be so-called “puff” stories about local businesses simply to attract future advertising? In this world of trying to survive, there’s no telling.

Stay tuned.

*****

Talented anchor and reporter Mitch Truswell, who left KVBC TV-3 after getting caught in budget cuts at the NBC station in Las Vegas, is now working as a freelance reporter at ABC15 KNXV in Phoenix.

Truswell, who joined KVBC in 2003 after working in Phoenix for six years, said he will be with the station at least through November.

If ever there was an example of one station’s loss being another’s gain, this is it. Truswell is not only an excellent journalist but also a very dedicated individual who was known for being involved in the community while working for KVBC.

As a former journalist who has made his living as a freelance writer for nearly 20 years, I am torn about the current controversy surrounding KTNV TV-13 anchor Nina Radetich.

On Sept. 12, Las Vegas Sun writer Abigail Goldman broke a huge story detailing how Radetich goofed – big time. Assuming that the story is correct, Las Vegas again has egg on its face although now someone reporting the news is making the news.

It seems that Channel 13 was working on an investigative story about alleged violations by Tire Works when Radetich supposedly advised Tire Works owner Roshie Weightman that damage control was available simply by calling Jack Finn, who just happens to be Radetich’s boyfriend.

 Finn, an employee of NV Energy, is a former TV journalist who moved on to work in politics before landing his latest gig which now allows him time to work as a consultant.

 However, the key element to all of this was (a) that someone within the newsroom at KTNV was willing to offer advice to Weightman and (b) that the counseling would be done by Radetich’s boyfriend.

Finn and Radetich reportedly have a combined income of more than $300,000 annually and why either of them would jeopardize such a healthy economic situation is mind-boggling.    The board rooms of both KTNV and Nv Energy have got to be filled with discontent and confusion as company executives try to figure out what to do with high-ranking employees whose careers and credibility are in the tank.

I like Nina Radetich and have even pitched stories to her. I don’t know Finn personally but if the buzz is true, the pair has some serious issues to deal with in the very near future considering that their alleged actions are now being reported on web sites and chat rooms all over the nation.

The executives of KTNV have never been known for using their heads anyway as evidenced by the way they have handled past PR nightmares. They fired long-time sportscaster Ron Futrell after a traffic accident in which Futrell was exonerated of all wrongdoings – and Futrell responded by winning a settlement that would have been even higher had he waited until he was cleared of all charges.

This entire situation is more than just slightly perplexing especially during these tough economic times. Milwaukee-based Journal Broadcast Group, which owns KTNV, is screaming at the Las Vegas station for not generating enough money and the station itself continues to implode after first reaching top rankings with its morning news show three years ago.

Just when the station reached the top of the ratings, KTNV’s brass fired comical weatherman Mark Pfister, sent Futrell packing and demoted fellow anchor Ricky
Cheese.

The newsroom at KTNV has more long faces than an unemployment line and it fascinates me to see those same employees with smiles as they report the news. Behind those smiling faces are troubled and frightened folks who now might feel that Iraq is safer that KTNV. I mean, foot soldiers in Iraq have better morale than anyone now affiliated with KTNV.

 Now, those who remain in the KTNV newsroom not to mention every other department are both embarrassed and scared to death. Sports caster Bryan Salmond is no longer with the station which now has no weekend sports segment; and anyone else with any dignity and dedication enters the station every day wondering if they will have a job by the end of the shift.

 Through all of this, members of the sales staff are being back-charged because many clients are not paying their advertising bills and employees are terrified that the memo from corporate will inform them they have been terminated.

If you’re a reporter at KTNV, you can’t possibly look people in the face and expect them to believe in your product now.

And if you’re in the sales department of the station, your next commission check could be even worse than the last. Along that line, I am wondering if anyone in the sales department had anything to do with getting Nina Radetich involved in an effort to settle down an upset client.

It didn’t have to be this way either. Unfortunately, everyone involved in this debacle didn’t think about the ramifications when they made bad decisions. Lord only knows when – or if – this thing will ever right side itself in the future.

 However, as shocking and sad as the situation has become at KTNV, don’t for a minute think this is the first – or the last – time that a key member of a local media outlet has used his or her clout while teaming with a spouse to pad the family check book.

This may be the tip of the iceberg. In the words of another long-time local journalist, the polygamists of Southern Utah aren’t as incestuous as people in Las Vegas.

When I decided at the age of 39 in late 1989 to spread my wings and leave the newspaper business, the move was nothing less than frightening, to say the least. With three kids at home, we really weren’t in any position to change careers.
However, I determined that change was good, so I jumped head-first into the world of self employment. It was time to start doing my own thing although I knew nothing about billing, collections, paying taxes and the rest.
Several months after beginning my new venture, someone suggested I take a Dale Carnegie course explaining that the education was invaluable and while the economic struggles weren’t addressed, dealing with people was a major element offered by he instructors.
I took the class and nearly 20 years later, I still feel it was the best money I could have spent at the time. Every session was an educational experience and the interaction with fellow students was fascinating as we all worked through everyday challenges.
In short we all learned how to deal with people challenges while also discovering how to set goals and live up to them at the same time. The experience was not only educational but a great way to network at the same time.
We discovered that every one of us had the same issues with our lives. In addition, learning to work through specific challenges was actually a very rewarding experience especially when newfound friends assisted in figuring out solutions to a specific concern.
The Dale Carnegie course was all about dealing with ourselves and the people around us. It was about communicating properly and reacting to others with more of an understanding nature so that everyone wins in the end.
Which brings me to the actions of U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, whose recent outburst in Africa reminded me that she, too, desperately needs a Dale Carnegie course to help her understand how best to deal with people.
Clinton erupted at a student in the Democratic Republic of the Congo when asked for her husband Bill Clinton’s opinion on the role China is playing in the Congo. Mrs. Clinton immediately informed the questioner “I’m not going to be channeling my husband.”
Clinton compounded the problem adding “My husband is not Secretary of State. I am.”
In other words, she was telling the individual asking the question “Don’t ask stupid questions. I mean, don’t you realize I’m an important person with little time for such trivial questions?”
Clinton’s actions were embarrassing not only to herself but the Democratic Party, the nation she represents and those in the audience. Her aides are scrambling to make sense of how she treated the person presenting the question although the best PR person on earth will need a week and umpteen towels to wipe the egg off her face.
You can bet the media will be relentless in chasing this particular story primarily because it’s a slam dunk issue in which someone who is supposed to be an ambassador made a fool of herself. Columns addressing her actions will be written for months and bloggers will undoubtedly have a field day.
In the meantime, I have a suggestion for Clinton’s advisors who continue to address her outburst while trying to make sense of her actions.
Get Hillary Clinton into a Dale Carnegie course immediately. She will learn how to address questions without embarrassing people and as her advisor, you’ll spend far less time trying to explain her actions and instead spend your days doing something constructive.
Believe me, she will thank you forever. And in fact, I’ll bet Bill Clinton will, too.
 

With life being in absolute turmoil right now for the most part, I think I have found the great outlet.
For the past year or so, I have spent a good four nights a week participating in dance classes at our home in Southern Nevada. In my case, I attend Delgado Dance Studio, which I discovered one day when leaving a local gym.
I had passed the studio countless times before finally deciding to stop by and visit. For the most part, my dancing has consisted of a little two-stepping done to Country Music, and my participation on a dance floor has been quite slim.
However, what I discovered was a fascinating exercise frequented by others who like myself, want to find an avenue that has no resemblance to the train wrecks of bad news, unsettling times and the rest.
What I discovered was a new life where happy faces are the norm and the exercise is not only good for me physically but also mentally, too.
Over the past few months, my exposure to the dance world has expanded to include the Cha Cha, the Rumba, the Salsa and even a little Meregue. I didn’t know a thing about any of them the day I walked in the door for the first time and now I’m intrigued in Dancing With the Stars primarily because I now have a new appreciation for those who participate.
Mind you, I had a hard time putting one foot in front of the other when I started, but that hasn’t kept me from having the time of my life at dance classes – and that’s saying something for a 58-year-old guy with two bad feet.
Dancing is hard work but for the most part, you can take your time to learn the steps in whatever dance we’re learning. In addition, when you attend a dance class, you can usually rest assured that you’re not alone in your endeavor because most in your class are like you – just searching for a different world where there are smiling faces and good times.
As one person told me, “You know, when I attend dance classes, I know that I can leave my problems at the doorstep for that short period of time. I may have to pick them back up when I leave, but for that time while I’m dancing, I am free of my concerns.”
Bingo. I couldn’t have said it better myself.
In fact, as I look back at my own life, my only regret is that I didn’t learn about the dance world sooner. Truth be known, considering that health issues forced me into life-threatening surgery in late 1994, I’m now convinced that a good dance class mixed with a little Yoga would have helped expedite my recovery.
You see, dancing allows you to take one step at a time – literally. If you’re a slow learner who easily gets intimidated, you can take your town.
And if you’re someone like one of the stalwarts on Dancing With the Stars, get your dancing shoes on and go for it. There’s a unique world of dance floors out there complete with interesting people willing to participate in everything from the Chicken Dance to the Cha Cha and the rest.
Dance class kind of reminds of me of church. While I might feel as though I don’t have the energy to attend, I’m always happy that I went when I head home.

It is my belief that we find our best people during tough economic times. When things are good, the so-called experts are everywhere flashing phony smiles and offering cheap advice.
So as we continue to struggle with every conceivable element related to the economy nowadays, there is a select group of people who deserve a salute considering their tenacity.
In particular, Saturn of St. George general manager Travis Bostwick and Mesquite, Nev. casino mogul Randy Black come to mind as individuals who are struggling but refusing to give up at the same time.
In Bostwick, we have a 40-year-old native of St. George, Utah whose voice can be heard all over radio stations when so many others in his profession are throwing in the towel. During the Easter Weekend, I must have heard him pitching his dealership no less than 10 times a day.
He is believable even though rumors out of General Motors have been dire to say the least. Even with a high level of bad public relations messages, Bostwick has been pushing full-speed ahead telling anyone who will listen that he’s going to be here and his product remains a good purchase especially with incentive plans that have been offered during the past few weeks.
Consistency is king in business nowadays. Bostwick probably isn’t selling as many cars as he was a couple of years ago, but his delivery is proof positive that he’s not taking down his tent.
Proof is Bostwick’s radio commercials during a time when so many automobile executives have cut or eliminated their advertising budgets. If you’re driving anywhere near Southern Utah, the Travis Bostwick messages illustrating his continued belief in Saturn are both convincing and effective.
And with the recent announcement that auto racing icon Roger Penske was purchasing Saturn, things are sure to get even better for all Saturn dealerships. However, it takes a special person to survive the down times long enough to enjoy the benefits, and Bostwick’s tenacity is paying off again now that Penske has put his belief in the Saturn line.
Like Bostwick, Randy Black possesses an interesting pitch that never seems to die even when the television or radio commercials have subsided. The owner of the Casa Blanca and Virgin River hotel casinos in Mesquite, Black is a tireless worker who has participated in a long line of competitive ventures ranging from real estate to homebuilding and even off-road racing.
In fact, the former resident of Kingman, Ariz. once explained off-road racing provided the ultimate challenge with a pair of possible outcomes.
“When you’re running an off-road car, you put your foot flat on the floor and one of two things happen,” Black once said.
“You either win or you die.”
AJ Foyt and Richard Petty could not have said it any better. And while it’s been many years since he got all he could out of an off-road car, his philosophy remains the same only with a different set of logistical challenges.
In both Bostwick and Black, you will find a couple of characters who face frightening double-jumps every day. They may apply the brake simply to slow down and regroup, but neither one of them will ever be seen getting out of the car and throwing their helmet in disgust.
They don’t know how to quit even when so many others around them are doing just that. They smile when things are good and they keep the faith when things are not so good.
The key to both Bostwick and Black is that they don’t go to the extreme in either situation. They keep telling the world that their products are available while also presenting incentives encouraging their customers to believe in their pitches.
While Bostwick keeps selling Saturns in St. George, Black tells anyone who will listen that Mesquite is the ideal getaway with inexpensive rooms complemented by gorgeous golf courses, skeet shooting, and even better, a chance to chill out with a world-famous massage.
Frankly, I get tired of people who complain when things get tough. It’s more difficult to find the good when things are bad and only lazy people choose to cry about everything from the economy to the weather and the traffic.
In the meantime, I’ll gladly adopt Bostwick, Black and Rudy Ruettiger as my motivators since they’re true examples of individuals who refuse to give up. Bostwick and Black have competed in at least one element automobiles and Ruettiger once sold Cadillacs before vaulting his career as a motivational speaker.
Ruettiger made the Notre Dame football team even though he stands only 5-foot-6. To say he has drive is an understatement.
Whether they’re driving it or selling it, competitive and successful people usually have some sort of a tie to the automobile.
No, it’s not easy right now, that’s for sure. But I have more respect for those who refuse to give up than I do for those who hunker down.
And if you have a group of worn-out souls looking for a boost, just remember that Bostwick, Black and Ruettiger have been successful simply because they refuse to take their foot off the gas even when they are facing a massive double jump.

 Every time I pay my last respects at a funeral, I tend to wonder about the statement that the deceased “is now in a better place.” However, I think I have finally figured why people say that the individual who has died is on to better things.

 From someone who has cheated death on several occasions, I remember well having seizures in my continued bout with epilepsy dating back to the time I was about seven years of age.

The epilepsy has been removed from my life thanks to the work of doctors at Scripps Green Hospital, where at the age of 43, right-side temporal lobectomy brain surgery Dec. 6, 1994 not only ended the seizures but probably saved my life at the same time.

 One day before the surgery, I would have four seizures. The next day, my doctors that included brain surgeon Dr. Thomas Waltz and neurologist Dr. Andy Aung removed a sizeable chunk of my brain to end a long battle.

With the space I now have on the right side of my head, I joke that I am literally an airhead.  An MRI earlier this year showed a significant gap behind my right eye.

However, while I am well now, I often think back about the seizures I experienced for decades. They would strike unexpectedly and in some cases, I would awaken confused, tired and frightened at the experience.

In some cases, epileptic seizures can result in death. However, when an epileptic has a seizure, there generally is no pain considering that the person sometimes passes out only to awaken some time later.

 My own life could have been ended quickly, although in each case I would recover to face another day. And after thinking about the many years with epilepsy, it finally struck me that dying would not have been a big deal considering the fact that it happened so quickly.

Truth be known, awakening was the hard part knowing that surviving the next day would provide the biggest challenge of all. Facing the reality of one issue after another is actually our greatest test.

Slumping to the ground wasn’t a big deal, although it did create an embarrassment factor that was tough to live with. While recovering from the seizure, there was a level of relief along with an element of mystery knowing this sort of thing could happen anywhere, anytime.

Personally, I am glad I survived my own health issues.  However, the fact remains that I have begun to realize that today’s woes ranging from a sagging economy to simply paying bills is not easy.

And on several occasions, I was a candidate to move on to “a better place.” I no longer would have had to worry about the long list of challenges that seem to get even greater as we get older.

I could have been a simple memory, but instead I arose to face another day. Surely, there is a reason.

When Dave Matthews Band saxophonist LeRoi Moore died from complications related to an ATV crash, Matthews told a crowd at the Staples Center in Las Angeles, “It’s always easier to leave than be left.”

I mean, dying would have been a painless step -- no big deal. It’s the surviving part that can be a real drag and I’m starting to realize why many say the Golden Years can make epilepsy-related headaches seem minor.

 In an instant, it could have all been over. One more mention in an obituary notice.

However, there was apparently more on the board for me to do before getting to a better place. It wasn’t time to give up yet even though checking out would have been much easier.

 And I’ll take the extra time on earth. Besides, I have never been one to give up.
 

With all that I like about Southern Utah, I have come to realize a couple of things that really bug me.
First is the polygamy issue. I mean, it’s a very complex topic, for sure, but from a personal standpoint I cannot understand why any man would subject himself to having more than one woman under the same roof going through the change at the same time.
Something tells me a swan dive off the Bixby Bridge south of Carmel, Calif., would be more appealing.
That brings me to a more serious note this one regarding people who let their dogs ride in the bed of a pickup truck. In the past 10 days, I have heard from two people voicing concerns about this and one was from someone with Best Friends Animal Society in Kanab where the hundreds of rescued pets include 22 pit bulls that were victims of NFL quarterback Michael Vick and his dog-fighting ring.
Knowing how our spoiled-rotten Schnauzer named Blitz rides in the cab of our pickup while being spoon-fed filet mignon (I’m still amazed he doesn’t have his own seat belt), seeing other dogs clinging to the side of a truck as the driver heads down the street like Cha Cha Muldowney in a Top Fuel dragster absolutely floors me.
So help me, I guarantee you that when I stop for gas anywhere in Southern Utah, there’s going to be at least one guy in a pickup with a dog in the bed of the truck complete with a gun rack in the rear window. And that same guy wearing a cowboy hat will strut like he’s Tom Crews walking up to receive an Oscar Award.
I mean, it almost seems like some sort of a status symbol when someone throws their dog in the back of a pickup for a ride. I guess you could say a dog in Southern Utah is almost Gucci-like and putting that same dog in the back of a pickup is about like a gang member having a pair of dice hanging from the rear view mirror.
I’m not sure of how many dogs have been injured or killed after being thrown out of the back of a truck, but I have to believe the numbers are rising.
In fact, while heading down Highway 89 the other day, I kept hearing a dog barking. But this was really interesting since the dog wasn’t even in the bed of the truck but on a platform behind the tailgate. The driver was going so fast I almost dislocated my neck trying to catch the scene of the northbound truck as I was heading south.
I wanted to make a U-turn and chase the guy down before asking some hard questions. But with the luck I have, I probably would have been busted by one of those small-town cops who sit alongside the roadway waiting for speeders to complement the coffers.
Truth-be-known, the cop undoubtedly would have been related to the driver of the pickup. I started to think this whole thing was nothing but a setup, so I adjusted the dislocated vertebrae in my spine and headed on down the road.
Even more interesting was that I was only a couple of miles from Best Friends Animal Sanctuary. That’s certainly ironic considering that the sight of a dog in the back of a pickup truck not only brings cringes to animal lovers at BFAS but is tantamount to plopping your nine month old son on the hood of your car while darting in and out of high-speed traffic on I-15.
I dunno. The scenery in Southern Utah is awesome and 99 percent of the people are wonderful. But something tells me the next Utah legislature needs a new bill introduced dealing with cowboys who throw their dogs in the back of their trucks before assuming the role of Harry Hot Rod.
Dogs deserve better, believe me.

Mike Henle is a Las Vegas-based freelance writer and the author of “Through the Darkness: One Man’s Fight to Overcome Epilepsy.” He can be contacted via email at mhenle@aol.com or through his web site www.mikehenle.com.

Las Vegas television stations are losing talented personnel as key personalities leave willingly and without choice.
At KTNV TV-13, weather forecaster Amanda Sanchez is leaving the station to become meteorologist at the CBS affiliate in Sacramento.
The loss of Sanchez comes at a bad time for KTNV, which is in the middle of a crippling hiring freeze. However, the move is especially beneficial for Sanchez, who is from Reno and will now be closer to her family.
In the meantime, talented reporter and anchor Mitch Truswell will soon leave KVBC TV-3 where has been a proven member of the news staff serving in various roles including that of the station’s investigative reporter.
Truswell’s departure comes in the middle of budget cuts at KVBC which is an NBC affiliate. He joined the station as a morning and noon anchor in 2003 after working in Phoenix for six years and leaves as the station a victim of budget cuts.
Since joining KVBC, Truswell has been heavily involved in the community where he has been on the Board of Directors for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation of Southern Nevada.

 

Long-time Las Vegas Motor Speedway marketing executive Ricky May has resigned to return to North Carolina.
May’s replacement at LVMS will be Mike Mossholder, who most recently worked as VP of the sales department at Churchill Downs Inc. in Louisville since September 2008.
Mossholder, who begins at LVMS in late July, also worked in marketing with the Miami Dolphins.
May, a long-time friend of LVMS Vice President and General Manager Chris Powell, came to LVMS about 10 years ago. He was named vice president of sales and marketing in May 2001 and has overseen the track’s marketing, advertising, sales and promotions.
Prior to moving to Las Vegas, May worked in the sports marketing industry after graduating from the University of North Carolina in 1980. He worked with the athletic department at the University of Louisville as assistant athletic director for marketing and promotions before venturing into motorsports with Valvoline Oil Co., where he served s director of sports marketing with drivers such as Al Unser Jr. and Mark Martin.
 

Not everyone thinks the line is good for Las Vegas. Some like former sheriff Bill Young among others think the marketing line draws low-class individuals who actually do more harm to the city than anything else.

It's almost as though a good, solid soul can come to Vegas and while flying to Southern Nevada, he or she suudenly adopts the belief that being weird is good in Vegas. When the person gets here, anything goes. It's a mental thing, for sure, but does this create a monster that is bigger than anyone realized?

Young, who is now the head of security for Station Casinos, bristles when speaking about the line. In fact, he's so insistent that the line has done more harm than good that you can actually see the concern in his eyes.

In fact, for those who really don't like what Vegas has become -- a city rife with shucksters and husslers, "Las Vegas: What Happens Here Stays Here"  almost seems to invite the illicit types to a city which seemingly welcomes such low lives with open arms.

And then, too, there are still others who think the line was popular elsewhere when illicit or immoral activities were the norm. Nothing new about the line, some will say, especially considering that it actually wasn't created in Las Vegas in the first place.

In particular, politicians say the line actually started in Carson City during the legislative sessions. And with so many politicians now coming forth to admit extra marital affairs nationwide, it almost seems that the line might just fit well in every political session in the country.

Just when you start to have faith in a particular individual or process, something embarrassing is exposed and you immediately begin wiping the egg yoff our face for having so much belief in that particular individual. When John Ensign raced home to admit to his extra marital affair with a staffer, we learn that the staffer's husband was apparently wanting money to keep his mouth shut.

And as is the case with so many national stories, Ensign's has a tie to Vegas. No matter what the story line, it's almost as though every controversy has legs to Southern Nevada.

I mean, it's like one vicious circle. I know of people who have actually moved away from Vegas primarily because they don't trust people there anymore. Add to all of this the fact that so many Clark County Commissioners have been indicted that a special wing named in their honor makes sense, you begin to wonder if  "Las Vegas: What  Happens Here Stays Here" has created long-lasting damage that may never be corrected.

The "Las Vegas: What Happens Here Stays Here" was intended to be unique and different -- and it has been just that. But on the same hand, has the line actually done more harm than anything else?

Said one person, "I got tired of people saying hello and shaking my hand only because they wanted to get into my pocket and not because they were really interested in being my friend."

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