Security Threat!

Kathy Graves of Silver Springs is a retired nurse who, well, qualifies for the senior discount at the Carson Nugget's cafe. She's the past president of the Lyon County Horseman's Association, is a BLM volunteer and her husband, Lee, is on the Wildlife Board. Needless to say it came as a shock to Mrs. Graves when NDoA employee Ed Foster characterized her as a security threat.

For readers who missed the beginining of the Graves - Foster exchange, a little background is probably in order.

Mrs. Graves went on point over a statement Mr. Foster made on Reno television station KTVN where Foster talked about "2 - 3 - 4 thousand horses," and she challenged him over it. Foster denied making the statement as Graves claimed, and insisted he made a different statement at which point Mrs. Graves sent an audio copy of that infamous TV interview to us and we uploaded it to the Horse Wars site. (The interview actually wasn't so infamous until Foster tried to categorically deny saying what he actually did say on TV.)

Foster tried to wiggle out from under all of this by insisting that the statement he still claimed he did make (but that he didn't really make) was based on certain simple calculations. He also accused Mrs. Graves of not listening and paying attention. The only thing we can figure is that he expected her to listen (and accept) his denial of the statement that he did make and disregard what we all saw and heard with our own eyes and ears - the statement he actually did make that he still claimed he didn't make.

Confusing enough so far?

Nonplussed, Mrs. Graves insisted on seeing the report or data that Mr. Foster used as a basis for the calculations for either the statement that Foster claimed he didn't make or the one he insisted he did make.

Foster replied in an email message, "Please direct future email to Dr. Phil LaRussa. No, I perceived you and the hostile nature of your email to be a threat to this agency. Please do whatever you feel necessary. Again, future emails should go to the State Veterinarian. I will not be answering emails about horses until there is something to comment about."

(We can just picture all the Department of Ag employees barricaded in their offices behind overturned desks, surrounded by a group of hostile senior citizens wielding knitting needles. These folks at NDoA have surely lost their minds.)

More Lack of Confidence

The Governor's office tells people who call or email that there aren't going to be any round-ups, that there is going to be a study and that everything will be fine. So why are so many citizens still not convinced?

The following exchange might shed some light on this subject. (Please note that the citizen involved is somewhat of a public figure and we decided to blank out this person's identity. The folks in the Gov's office know who this person is.)

"Willis,
"I sent an email to Governor Gibbons requesting that he pay more attention to people in the field such as your group rather then bureaucrats sitting behind a desk making comments and decisions based on false information and this was the response that I got."

(Original Message)

I am having serious doubts about the vote that I cast for you. You have appointed a good 'ole boy to the NDoA and frankly he seems clueless. We may have 1200 horses on the Virginia Range but what is this 2, 3, or 4,000 number he and Ed Foster are spouting. Please meet personally with some of the advocate groups so that you will be properly informed. They aren't starving. If we have a dry spring/summer we may have to look at repairing some water holes but that is it. We are supposed to be talking about the condition of the horses and the range and Lesperance is 180 degrees off on both issues. I am part of one of those advocate groups and because we spend time in the field, researching, and networking. I think we are more informed and have a better grasp on the issue than the people you have appointed to oversee this. The old cattle guard is clueless on this issue and as such they are way too biased to be taken seriously.

I would welcome the opportunity to discuss this with you in a rational and educated manner.

(Response)

From: "Tina Burke"
To: #########@###.com
Date: 29 Apr 2008, 01:50:08 PM
Subject: FW: Data posted to form 1 of
http://gov.state.nv.us/ARCHIVE/Contact_Us_NORTHX.htm

Dear Mr. #######: The actual quote was "if the VR horse were allowed to "run" we'd end up we 3 or 4 thousand horses, running into the highways, everywhere, and that's not a solution."

The Nevada Department of Agriculture will be working on a plan, which could take up to six months, that will be beneficial to both the ecology and horses of the Virginia Range. During that time the Department welcomes positive input and open dialogue with any concerned group. We urge you to submit your comments and suggestions to:

Edward K. Foster
Regional Manager-North/Plant Industry Division
Acting Public Information Officer
Nevada Department of Agriculture
350 Capitol Hill Avenue
Reno, Nevada 89502

Tina Marie Burke
Office of the Governor
Office Manager
N NV Director of Constituent Services
101 N Carson Street
Carson City, NV 89701
775-684-5682
775-684-5689 (fax)

OK, once again we'll play what Ed Foster really said.

Click to hear what Ed Foster really said or Click to see Ed Foster on TV

"That range does not have forage on it, and if it has 2 - 3 - 4,000 horses on it, we're going to be seeing horses in neighborhoods, all over the highways. That is not a reasonable solution."

The statement that Foster actually made on television is clearly not what Gibbons' office staff are trying to pass off to the public as his "actual quote." Foster explicitly stated that the range has no forage and said nothing about if horses were allowed to run. Nobody in this administration seems to have any connection to documented facts - including something as simple as what a state official said on TV. An alternative theory is that the communications people just say what the administration wants people to hear, be it truth or deception, and hope they simply go away. Perhaps what Ms. Burke is circulating is merely what Foster now wishes he did say, but to do so is still deceiving the public.

Does anyone outside Nevada still wonder why we don't trust statements coming out of our state agencies? Does anyone still wonder why the management of the Virginia Range horses is a mess, or even why Nevada is struggling with an $800 million budget shortfall?

(Hint to the Gov's staff: Actually listen to Foster's own words before you presume to tell people what he said.)

Thought for the Day.

Giving money and power to the Nevada Dept of Agriculture is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys............

- Jeanne Gribbin