By Kayla Anderson Sparks Tribune It seems like ever since the coronavirus pandemic swept the nation in March, people have been escaping the cities to hide out in the mountains where there’s more space and access to the outdoors. Then summer came around and destination spots like Lake Tahoe that are normally teeming with tourists have been impacted especially hard. … [Read more...]
Andrew Barbano Column: Tribal trauma, Belarus R Us and a hero passes
“Democracy without education becomes tyranny without limitation.” Our version of representative government found a toehold because the population of the colonies in the late 18th Century had a respectable level of education. So stated one of my college history profs who mentioned the above quote, some version of which goes back to Socrates and Plato. So how can a highly … [Read more...]
Sparks Mayor Ron Smith dies after battle with pancreatic cancer
By Kayla Anderson Sparks Tribune Mayor Smith City of Sparks Mayor Ron Smith passed away on Friday, August 21, following his two-year battle with pancreatic cancer at the age of 71. As a Sparks resident for more than 35 years, Smith had a visible passion for his community, eventually running for (and winning) a Sparks City Council seat in the 2006 election … [Read more...]
Harry Spencer Column: So Long, ‘Tray’
Harry Spencer One of the social mores that all athletes practice is calling their fellow teammates by their last name or a nickname. Hence the above headline which immortalizes the sobriquet most often used for the late Dick Trachok. The practice of using the surname probably had its genesis in the service during the war years of the last century. When you have a … [Read more...]
Covid-19 cases reported at several area schools
By Kayla Anderson Sparks Tribune School started on August 18 with only a few in-person sessions and canceled school days due to poor air quality, therefore we’re still in the early days of knowing how Covid will affect students and families. As of August 31, there have been 16 total confirmed cases of Covid that have been identified amongst staff and students within the … [Read more...]
Harry Spencer Column: Competing conventions
Harry Spencer atching the Democrat convention and the Republican convention over the past two weeks revealed that they were a study in contrasts. The Democrat version was strictly a virtual presentation where the Dems trotted out a number of antediluvian swamp dwellers who attempted to paint candidate Joe Biden as a lovable, empathetic and caring individual. They … [Read more...]
Sherman R. Frederick Column: Looking for a ‘V’ shaped recovery
Sherman R. Frederick Battle Born Media Sherman R. Frederick The Associated Press reports that “U.S. unemployment dropped sharply in August from 10.2 percent to a still-high 8.4 percent with about half the 22 million jobs lost to the coronavirus outbreak recovered so far.” This indicates a likely “V” shaped recovery rather than a “U” shaped recovery. That’s a good … [Read more...]
Andrew Barbano Column: Diabolical Déjà Vu: Fire is the Devil’s only friend
When I saw him on the stage My hands were clenched in fists of rage No angel born in hell Could break that Satan’s spell - Don MacLean he Mahatmas have spoken. The great Baltimore Evening Sun columnist HL Mencken originated what has morphed into “Nobody ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public.” And here we are. On July … [Read more...]