Monday, March 3, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.
* The signs on many of the hotels are garish; with old-fashioned Carnival lights and trappings. I heard similar remarks from those who came here before the great population explosion.
* The casinos are laid out and run like they were being managed by supermarket managers. The casinos in California are run by Indian tribes and have the old mystic and glamour of the "old" days in Las Vegas. The payoffs are better also.
* The schools where my children went to school are now having to guard against the students being raped, shot, at as was evidenced yesterday at Rancho High School.
* Since the people who have moved here the last 20 years come from some place, I wonder what they're driving records are? There are no observances of laws or decency to the other drivers. After driving the California freeways, I can tell you the traffic here is pitiful. We are not far from old west shootouts at the intersections. No wonder insurance rates are so high.
* Another thing you can't miss is the fact that no one slows down or gets out of the way of a fire truck or ambulance -- ever. Too bad the drivers that won't give the right of way are not at the accident with their lifeblood running out or watching their small children die and plea for help while the ambulance is trying to get through an intersection.
* Also, support your police. They are all that is between you and tragedy.
* The last thing I miss is a lot of old friends that have died. It's like landing on another planet where you don't know anyone.
All in all, Las Vegas has great potential and all the new casinos are attracting thousands of people and on the whole everyone I meet is friendly.
L. Campbell
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