Wendover, Utah/Nevada

If you think there may be efficiencies to be gained by re-examining the services provided by the City of Portland in relation to those of Multnomah County, consider what it might feel like to live in Wendover, on the border between Nevada and Utah. Part of the town is in Nevada, the other in Utah. It has two town halls, two fire departments, two police departments – although officers may make arrests either side of the state line. Visitors even wonder if it has two time zones, since the sign on the highway at the state line says the Utah part is in Mountain time, the Nevada portion in the Pacific time zone. That is one point of collaboration – the whole town is on Mountain time.

When walking through the city, there isn’t a sign on the main street delineating the state line. We guessed from where the casinos and neon lights start.

Interesting Letter to the Editor in this week’s edition of the town’s newspaper, the Wendover Times. It begins,

“We need Mit Romney, who can ‘move mountains’, so to speak, as our next President”.

That line reminded me of Jon Stewart on the Daily Show this past week, noting that President Bush sometimes “speaks in code” to Christians supporting him. This letter in the Wendover paper gets pretty explicit, continuing,

“I am sure other Presidents pray, but they don’t have the Metihized priesthood. It can move ((Elher 12:30) if it is requisite with God. Mit Romney is intelligent and a inspiritualanan. We need Mit Romney as President of the United States of America. ~ Arthur and Carol Eves, Fayette, Utah.”

That would certainly emphasize the United States’ commitment to freedom of religion, if Mit Romney were nominated by the Republican party. And it would require some wider knowledge of the language of his faith. I will be looking up the word “inspiritualanan” as soon as an appropriate opportunity arises.