Columnist Ruthe Deskin: Older folk wield clout in new Vegas

Ruthe Deskin

Thursday, Jan. 13, 2000 | 9:47 a.m.

Ruthe Deskin is assistant to the publisher. Her column appears Thursdays. Reach her at deskin@vegas.com.

Young marketing geniuses hell-bent on catering to youth should look at some recent statistics about our area: The Las Vegas Valley has the fastest-growing population of people 60 or over, a recent Sun article said.

Thousands of elders have discovered the benefits of living in Clark County. Home builders were among the first to recognize and capitalize on the possibilities of a mass migration of retirees. Retirement communities sprouted like mushrooms and are still being built or on the drawing board.

The county's new senior population is not content to retire to the old rocking chair and contemplate the past. They are movers and shakers. They golf, bowl, dance, hike, bicycle, play bridge and take chances on games at favorite casinos.

They are also activists who have no hesitation about joining with others in vigorous protest of anything from zoning regulations to new tax proposals. They have become a potent force in the election process and political candidates realize it is a good idea to woo senior citizens.

Experts ranked Southern Nevada as one of the best places to retire. What does all of this mean? It means Las Vegas and Clark County officials are faced with the unique problem of providing services for seniors and those who have not reached the stage in their lives where retirement is an option. Provisions must be made for children in school to elderly residents in assisted living and those in between.

It's not an easy task, especially when other stats show that Nevada ranks last in the number of professionals and technicians.

And, for what it's worth, be careful on that bicycle. Las Vegas was ranked among the 10 worst cities in which to ride a bicycle. Robert Parker, UNLV sociology professor, in discussing recent findings about Las Vegas, summed it all up in a terse remark: "There's no other city really like this."

Don't send me chain letters. I hate them. It is adding insult to injury to find a version of a chain letter on the Internet. The originator says it is a "new advertising campaign through the power of YOU." Send the e-mail to 13 people and you will be compensated with a $50 gift certificate in any store nationwide. At least the e-mail doesn't threaten dire results if you don't forward the message.

How could anyone compile a list of the top athletes from Las Vegas without including former world boxing champion Freddie Little?

What kind of twisted mind could be responsible for the recent senseless killing of horses and burros in the Red Rock area? The animals were shot and left to die slow and agonizing deaths. Makes one wonder where the killer might strike again.

Do it to me once -- your fault. Do it to me twice -- my fault. I was reminded of that adage when I learned that the school board voted to keep the same search firm that failed in the first attempt to replace retiring school superintendent Brian Cram.

We survived the Y2K scare. Now we are being warned about war in cyberspace and financial pundits are suggesting the possibility of a stock market crash similar to the l987 debacle. That's optimism for you.