THUMBS DOWN to the city of Sparks for its decision to side with secrecy instead of openness when it comes to public records, a decision that in all likelihood will cost taxpayers money. A Washoe County District Court judge was not persuaded by the city’s argument that it could keep secret the identities of owners of medical marijuana establishments listed on business … [Read more...]
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THUMBS DOWN to the dumbing of Americans when it comes to knowledge of how their government functions, also known as civics. You may have heard the report of a survey in which nearly 10 percent of college graduates questioned reported that “Judge Judy” is a member of the U.S. Supreme Court. That’s certainly headline-grabbing material and fodder for late-night comic … [Read more...]
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THUMBS DOWN to the possibility that major Northern Nevada casinos may emulate what MGM Resorts International decided to do with its resorts on the Las Vegas Strip: start charging for parking. MGM announced last week that the parking fees will go into effect sometime between April and June. A gaming expert told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that the parking fees “could be a … [Read more...]
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THUMBS DOWN to semantics, and legislators’ involvement in the subject. Did you know that one of the new state laws that took effect on Jan. 1 removes the word “accident” and replaces it with “crash” in state statutes? The legislative intent is to let Nevadans know that many car crashes are preventable and drivers need to be responsible. So please keep a copy of Nevada … [Read more...]
Congress must address Western issues it has ignored
In a few days Nevada’s Washington delegation will return to the swamp on the Potomac to face a number of major issues for the state and the West that failed to be taken care of in 2015, particularly in the massive, 2,000-page, $1.1 trillion omnibus spending bill, which three of the state’s six representatives voted against. In an interview shortly after returning to Nevada, … [Read more...]
A sampling of Christmas inspiration
We are departing from our normal commentary in this space in the Sparks Tribune to wish you happy holidays. As you prepare to gather with family and friends, we thought we would share a sampling of Christmas sayings. They may bring you inspiration, cause you to reflect or maybe put a smile on your face. Whatever the case, here’s our Christmas quotation list in no … [Read more...]
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THUMBS DOWN to Andy Wirth, chairman of the Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority Board, for his disdain of free speech. Wirth criticized two fellow board members for speaking to the press about a bonus and pay hike for the airport’s CEO prior to the board’s meeting on the issue, saying he was “deeply saddened and disappointed” by their conduct. “I would strongly recommend that no … [Read more...]
Board fails to explain school boss’ contract
The Washoe County school board is once again drawing criticism, this time for its handling of Superintendent Traci Davis’ employment contract. The board apparently did not realize the full extent of the negative public-relations buzz saw that would be created by the contract, which it approved on a 5-2 vote two weeks ago. It should have. Rather than fully explaining the … [Read more...]