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Sen. Harry Reid shoots his personal 12-gauge shotgun during the grand opening of the Clark County Shooting Park in Las Vegas Saturday, March 27, 2010.
Saturday, March 27, 2010 | 4:15 p.m.
Clark County Shooting Park
As the Tea Party Express rolled into Searchlight on Saturday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid wasn’t home. Instead, he spent his morning at the grand opening of the Clark County Shooting Park, firing a shotgun at one of the facility’s new ranges.
“Everyone has said this is the greatest park in the United States of America, but I say it’s the greatest gun park in the world,” Reid said.
Reid helped to secure land and $61 million for the 2,900-acre facility under the Southern Nevada Public Lands Management Act. He was joined at the ribbon-cutting ceremony Saturday by National Rifle Association of America Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre, Rep. Shelley Berkley, Rep. Dina Titus, state Sen. John Jay Lee and Clark County Commissioner Tom Collins.
Reid practiced shooting at one of the ranges, firing six rounds from a 12-gauge shotgun and hitting two clay birds. Each clay bird busted into pieces and the crowd cheered as Reid reloaded the gun. Collins also fired several rounds.
Shooting at the park, on the northern edge of the valley, costs $7 per day for rifles, pistols and archery and $6 per 25-bird round for shotguns.
It has an archery range and building with a 30-seat classroom, a rifle and pistol range, and a shotgun center and 80 spaces for recreational vehicles.
LaPierre said the park is expected to be a tourist attraction with 35,000 to 40,000 people expected to participate in shooting activities each year.
“I know how you worked,” LaPierre said to Reid before turning back to the audience. “(This) would not have opened without the work of Sen. Reid.”
Since the park first opened on weekends in January, Lee said more than 4,000 shooters have participated – which he called a significant amount considering the range hasn’t been advertising.
The park will also be used for educational purposes, Collins said. Many youth groups have visited the park to learn about shooting sports and gun safety, he said.
Michael Reese, 15, said he has been shooting for seven years and visits the park every other weekend with his father. It’s become a tradition for the two of them, he said.
“It’s a very nice facility,” Reese said.
Glad to see Harry out having fun. It's been a long hard slog in D.C. and he deserves some rest. At least he didn't have to deal with teabaggers.
The sad thing about the Tea Party is that they do not yet realize that Palin is a RINO, FOXNews plant. She had just come from supporting McCain against a Tea Party candidate in Arizona and McCain has been instrumental in implementing the things that the Tea Party hates. The scary thing about the Tea Party is that while they understand that they are being over taxed, they have not yet stopped to realize that all of the things that they are being taxed for are broken. The Postal Service is broken, Social Security is broken, Medicare and Medicaid are broken, Fannie and Freddie are broken, the War on Poverty is broken, the War on Drugs is broken, TARP is broken, the economy is broken, immigration is broken, our relationships with other countries are broken, our educational system is broken, the FDA and EPA are broken and not protecting us, the cash for clunkers program was broken before it was ever implemented, our financial system is broken, the tax code its self is broken, and instead of living in peace and prosperity, we are at war and struggling to put roofs over our heads and food on our tables. Once the Tea Party realizes this, there will be nowhere for people like Reid or McCain to run and hide. This, by the way, is why you really, really, don't want the government running health care.. http://bit.ly/dmW9A1
The hockey rink Palin put in Wasila Alaska as Mayor cost residents $3000 each in city debt. No wonder Palin quit as governor, she was incompetant. Reid can get thinks done for Nevada.
I wonder when the last time that gun was actually fired...has had to have been years and years. What a grandstand prop that gun is
Harry has not represented the will of the people in Nevada for years. Much to his chagrin he will see come November that he holds office at the discretion of the electorate.
It is nice to see folks like normagene representing the side of "tolerance" by not letting invective enter an honest debate. She (or he) sure seems to remember when dissent was patriotic and understands that everyone has the right to express themselves intellectually. Either that or Norma is just a larval fascist who wants to demonize the opposition so that the marxist administration can carry on systematically erroding American freedoms. I leave that to you, good reader to decide.
Just like the Las Vegas Sun. Avoid the real story- namely the gathering in Serchilght- and follow the Senator in his shooting folly. What a great way to avoid dealing with the real story. Say goodbye Senator. You'll be out in November.
bigsneakerdude, the Searchlight story has been the lead story on this site all day. There's also a link to it in the lead of this story.
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2010/mar...
What is clark county doing running a shooting park? This isnt a legit government activity. If it costs 61 million to get 40,000 people to use it a year, isnt that ridiculously expensive
Typical government, and typical Harry Reid. Both he and his son need to get voted out this november and be done with them both forever.
For accuracy sake the picture is a bolt action rifle not a shotgun. Harry Reid has been a strong supporter of gun rights. He has been through a lot and even though I disagree strongly with his political ideas he does deserve a good time open a new shooting center. Good for him. I hope he enjoys more of this when he retires in November.
As I die hard opponent of Obamacare one of the thoughts I had was how it was being so hard and hellish on the Democrats being pushed and pressed so hard to vote yes when that may mean political suicide.
I am glad that with the Showdown in Searchlight he had something better to do. As a person Harry Reid is a nice man and deserves some fun.
RAH, for accuracy sake Mossburg makes many fine bolt action shotguns.
Explains your posts.
Six shots and two hits. What a fraud. Most Marines could do better with a paint ball gun.
great!
now i have a place to go to practice defending myself against one of reid's liberal supporters when they break into my house because i'm an "evil rich person" because i have a job.
stevem: haven't you seen the light shined upon us by Imam Obummer? Divest yourself of that job and join the great march toward total transformation of the American economy. THEY owe us MAN! I'm not sure yet why THEY are who owe us but the Leftists insist that THEY do, MAN.
RAH,
For the sake of accuracy Sen. Reid is firing a J.C. Higgins model 583, It is indeed a 12ga bolt action shotgun.
I am still trying to figure out why the government keeps embarking and intruding on private enterprize. What gun range in town has $61 million to invest? Is this going to be another Post Office bondoogle where gov. employees get fat union contracts, give bad service, lose $10's of millions per year then keep voting for politicians that keep giving them raises? What's happening to America?
Harry probably hit the target, while 80 miles south Balin' Palin was shooting off her mouth missing everything she aimed for.
calling tea party protestor "tea baggers" is hate speech and has incited violence such as the beating of a black man in St. Louis, breaking windows with bricks, throwing eggs at buses. such extreme intolerance to legitimate dissent must not be allowed. the las vegas sun should sent an example and remove all such vile comments
Bdelsol, it might interest you to know that the alleged founders of the alleged movement called themselves "tea baggers." I don't advocate using it, but as for saying that is hate speech when no one from the Tea Party is condemning the use of hate speech or, for that matter, spitting on a congressman (as one of its supporters did), I would say that that surpasses the idea that it was ironic for Harry Reid to be praised by Wayne LaPierre of the NRA.
I would have liked to see Palin in a shooting match with Reid. Reid obviously doesn't do much shooting. My 7 year old neice hits 2 and 3 clay pigeons with one shot EVERY TIME. No doubt Palin would have made mincemeat out of him.
I do like the way Democrats around election time bring out the guns they usually never fire and then the rest of the years they start hammering on gun control. Photo shoot is so 'transparent.' Finally, some transparency!
Some in here like to voice something as fact without any proof. Example, has anyone yet found any 'proof' of anyone spitting on someone? NO. Sorry, I don't take politicians at their word on anything. You can if you so choose. Guarantee you you wouldn't if it were reversed. No need to pretend and deny. Wouldn't believe you either. Amazing with all the journalists out there that day, just slobbering for a chance to get a Tea Party member on camera doing such a thing, that they all seemed to missed that one. Hmmm......... right........didn't happen. Made up nonsense. Obvious the Democrats are gravely worried. Probably not sleeping much either. Good. Hope they have nightmares over what they are doing to our Republic. Obama will not do anymore damage, because November he will not have those same cohorts in congress to help.
websmith
All the things that are broken are government run programs and the tax dollars being used for them are not being properly used.This has caused ineffective results.
I agree that these programs are broken.What is happening now is that the Healthcare system is being taken over with taxpayer dollars to a certain extent and when the goverment gets involved it goes down the toilet and thus our Healthcare system will be broken.I agree that the private healthcare system needed to be harnessed from their out of control premim increases but only to be regulated.I agree witth the pre-existing medicals now cannot be a reason not to carry the individual and a few other things.The need to be told they must do this and at the sametime told that their was to be a freeze on premiums for 5 years.I also believe that the insurance industry should have an extra tax per policy written to help fund Medicare and that tax not relayed into the policy as fee.Soley the insurance company pay this.now as it stands we will be fined if we do not carry mandatory insurace.As far as the Tea Party not sure what they are about and scared theey are slowly turning to radical
Thank god that is not Sarah with a shot gun...we would never hear the end of it......
Here we have a racist Democratic oaf in an argyle sweater shooting a gun and they cry the howls of indignation about the TEA partiers. This photo is about as appealing as Michael Dukakis riding in a tank. Where's Dick Cheney when you really need him?
Now that is a GREAT picture of Harry Reid. It should be on every billboard in town.
What a great park for Clark County. Congrats to all involved.
this is great!!!! tea party in Searchlight and this shows Harry with a shot gun!!! I wonder what he's thinking there.I'm glad he did this, it will give him someplace to spend more of his free time.
steven, you don't hear about "hunter Sarah" anymore from the democrats, because when the big B-Ho swore some woman into office(don't remember her name), he said to the crowd, and don't mess with her because she is an avid hunter,in fact she's leaving tomorrow to go Elk hunting. After the big B-ho said that, you have never heard another word about Sarah hunting.talk about hypocrit, thats why democrats accuse repubs of hypocracy.
Democrats are taking our guns away.....oh wait. Where are all the republicans talking about gun control now?
SteveM...weren't you talking about how your "friend" was making "good money" as an Ice Cream man? I really doubt you are "rich".
what? are you refering to gun control or banning weapons? you assume alot, maybe his friend owns Baskin Robins.ooohhhh, when saying ice cream man, you assumed he meant the guy driving the truck around neighborhoods with that catchy tune. naughty, naughty, you know what they say when you assume something, instead of snide remarks why don't you just ask the question.geez, dang democrats, have to retrain them every day!!!
and anyone with a job is richer than a democrat standing with his hand out waiting for something for doing nothing.
I have been to the park numerous times. It's great and the people working there are very nice.
Invite Dick Cheney to come and practice and teach himself the difference between a deer and a friend - oh the deer is the nice one!
see...according to liberals...if you have a job that pays over $10.00 per hour...you are rich.
so...in those terms, i am rich.
and yes...my friend that is driving an ice cream truck is employed and making INSANE cash.
you liberals should look into getting a job and you could be "rich".
Tax the rich Harry Reid anyone making 6 figures should pay to help reduce the debt.
why gdperson? I am really curious on your opinion as to why someone that makes 6 figures should be punished for being successful. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for getting more out of Harry, but I am curious.
Wayne LaPierre praising a Democrat??? And not just any Democrat, but a Socialist???
All kidding aside, the Sweet Tea Party should be happy they now have a place for target practice.
The rest of us should be frightened.
One time boys!
"I'm your ice cream man
I'm your ice cream man
B-B-B-B-B-B-B-Baby!
Ah my my my
All my flavors are guaranteed......to satis-uh-fy
Ow!"
We know the worlds greatest gun range (carefully built behind Shadow Ridge High School) cost $61Million in public funds to construct Phase 1 (of 4)... Has anyone at the Sun done any digging to see how much more this "park" will cost to finish... and how much it costs to be maintained annually? At $7 a head you're going to need to have a LOT of people driving to a remote location through residential areas. I think I smell some books cooking. I'm sure Tom, Steve and Harry would hate for the public to find out how much Clark County residents are all paying for their hobby while the same County lays off its residents due to budget shortfalls.
ATTENTION LAS VEGAS SUN REPORTERS... that whistle blowing sound you just heard should be a call to action... start digging!!! (or let me know who will answer the phone)
Even the congenital Reid critics should check some of the facts before blasting Harry on his support of the park. He got us the federal land and the $61 million was not tax money. It is public money because it was paid by developers and speculators into the Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act (SNPLMA) fund designated for recreation and other developments that improve our quality of life in this community.
In over 50 years in this community I paid taxes willingly for Parks with ball fields and soccer fields and facilities I never or rarely used. I was and am very excited to see our County Rec Dept get behind a facility that my family can use in our recreational choices.
If you go to the County web page you will see the park is designated an "enterprise" fund. That means the park will have to be self-supporting and operate on it's fees and not on tax money. I don't believe that is entirely fair because the rest of our parks don't have to make money and our taxes do support them. Doesn't seem entirely fair that the facility I use has to pay for itself - but since there are private businesses in similar operations that does keep a level playing field.
That shotgun was a gift to the Senator when he was a youngster in Searchlight. He hunted with it and brought home rabbit to be cooked for the family. He still has it because he values it and the memories. That's all in his books.
It will be interesting to see if that group of voters who have long said they vote their Second Amendment rights will step up and vote for Reid. The NRA didn't come to Las Vegas so their opinion would stay here - they want Nevada voters to know Reid is right now the most important man in the Congress to protect the Second Amendment. They don't want to be without his leadership and influence. Make no mistake that Wayne LaPierre and Chris Cox have taken the long view of Reid's record and they want and need him back in Washington DC.
Those Nevada voters who would rather hate than protect our rights may think up some excuse to ignore the fact that we need Reid to stay in the Senate. But real facts can be hard things to ignore all the way until November.