Where I Stand — Mike O’Callaghan: At home in the West

Friday, July 2, 1999 | 10 a.m.

Mike O'Callaghan is the Las Vegas Sun executive editor.

"HOW'S GOV. MIKE Leavitt doing?," I asked the Utah storekeeper. "Not worth a darn. He's trying to take our guns away from us, and he's in trouble," was the reply. This made me scratch my head because a Utah governor putting the clamps on gun ownership didn't ring true.

The prior evening I had watched Leavitt, on a television interview, take a strong stand on "keeping guns out of schools and churches." Sure didn't sound very radical to me.

I remember hearing about the Old West when some taverns and dance halls had the guns collected at the door before the drinkin', dancin' and fightin' began.

About 50 years or more ago I can remember being thankful some of the people celebrating in bars weren't carrying. I never gave much thought about the possibility that some guy might be packing a gun in church. I've heard a few sermons that would have ended sooner if I'd had a gun handy.

After asking a few questions around town I learned that Leavitt spoke up at the Republican State Convention this spring advocating his no-guns-in-schools-and-churches campaign unless the carrier is a law enforcement officer. It's difficult to see how a public official can lose this argument in 1999. From what I hear Leavitt has few problems with people dedicated to education and religion. His big problem is with his own GOP leadership in the Legislature.

Paul Rolly, writing in the Salt Lake City Tribune, sees a compromise of sorts being made. In the meantime, there are plans for an initiative petition to put the issue on the ballot next year if the Legislature doesn't act. This could be a real shoot-out if somebody doesn't blink. The results could be a bunch of wounded legislators. As for the guv, he's already gearing up to run for a third term.

Hot outside isn't it? Sure comfortable in your house, where cold drinking water and even a soft drink with ice is available.

Well let me tell you what it's like outside where homeless men and women don't have ready access to drinking water or even a port-a-potty for restroom needs. It has to be pure hell on Earth as you start to chill wandering in 110-degree heat seeking a drink of water. When you finally find a drink, don't gulp it down because it will come right back up and you'll be sick to your stomach.

Franciscan Brother David Buer knows exactly where water and port-a-potties should go but he needs some help from the private sector. Brian Hooks, chairman of the Southern Nevada Homeless Coalition at 631-8816 and David at 648-2798 are waiting for your call. It wouldn't hurt if the public sector also did a bit more to help.

Chancellor Richard Jarvis resigning from our university system is a clear demonstration of talented people not having to put up with nonsense. A lesser person would have knelt down and let two or three regents beat him into submission as they ran the higher education truck into a canyon. That's not the style of a person dedicated to excellence in education no matter how many problems must be overcome.

A majority of the regents would have retained Jarvis as chancellor but the public nitpicking and sniping by three or four regents would have continued. Gifted and proven leaders willing to carry out the policies of a board don't appreciate or need micromanaging by people of far lesser talent.

After this fiasco, it will be interesting to see if qualified educators will even consider taking the job held by Jarvis for almost five years. It won't be difficult to find a yes-man or yes-woman who will feed the egos of a few regents. Such people will also probably be individuals who are looking for a place to retire or don't have the energy and skill a growing university system will need during the coming years.

When all is said and done, Nevadans interested in higher education will conclude it's easier to elect new regents than it is to hire and keep a dynamic chancellor.

The Legislative Environmental Impact Statement (LEIS) for the renewal of the Nellis Air Force Range Land Withdrawal is now complete.

Gov. Kenny Guinn wants to give the Air Force an indefinite withdrawal, Sens. Harry Reid and Richard Bryan want it limited to 15 years and the military requests a 25-year lease.

I have to agree that an indefinite withdrawal is way too long and could be considered unreasonable. On the other hand I can't see the great difference between a 15- and 25-year withdrawal. That's until we take into account the time, manpower and money needed to produce another LEIS within 15 years.

Unless somebody sees further into the future than me, the needs for our military forces won't evaporate or even lessen during the coming 25 years.