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In Washoe County, the issue of homelessness has become a multi-billion-dollar industry, but the promised resolution to this pressing societal problem remains elusive. A series of factors, including government inefficiency, economic challenges, pandemic-related restrictions, and the drug and mental health crisis, have contributed to the escalating crisis.

Since July 2021, Washoe County has assumed responsibility for all homeless services, both financially and operationally. However, as of May 2023, the county’s website indicates that the five-step national movement to end homelessness is still in its second phase.

It raises concerns about the efficacy of the current approach.

Despite a lack of concrete figures and ongoing efforts to secure local strategy from a consulting firm, the county has entered into 35 new partnerships while allocating millions of dollars to homeless shelters and housing initiatives. This move has raised questions about the transparency and effectiveness of these allocations.

Dana Searcy, the Housing and Homeless Services Manager, oversees the program, with County Manager Eric Brown and Commissioner Alexis Hill also playing key roles. However, a lack of accurate data on the homeless population in the area hampers their efforts.

While estimates suggest around 1,700 homeless individuals in Washoe County, a staggering 43 percent of them are over the age of 55. This demographic shift raises additional concerns about the county’s response to the needs of its aging population.

Financial allocations further highlight the disparity between services.

In the fiscal year 2023-2024, just over $88 million for homeless services has been budgeted, including nearly $200,000 for furniture. In stark contrast, seniors in the county received only $7 million from the budget.

The issue isn’t only financial allocations. The Senior Services Center in downtown Reno, a critical resource for seniors, is facing increasing challenges with homeless individuals utilizing its facilities, raising security concerns and prompting calls for additional measures.

Sparks City Council, to address the growing homelessness crisis, passed new ordinances in September 2023, enforcing existing laws and placing restrictions on camping. Its passage was to safeguard public health and natural resources, particularly the Truckee River, which provides a significant portion of the area’s water supply.

However, these proposals have faced opposition from homeless advocacy groups, who argue against criminalizing homelessness. The debate over how best to address this complex issue continues, with various stakeholders offering diverse perspectives on the way forward.

Commissioner Alexis Hill, Chair of the Washoe County Commission and Chair of the Community Homelessness Advisory Board, has been at the forefront of these discussions. The efficacy of the current approach, coupled with concerns about transparency and the impact on affected individuals, remains a subject of intense debate among community members, advocates, and policymakers alike.

Hidden away from prying eyes stood a forgotten temple dedicated to the goddess Bastet. Over the centuries, the once-mighty goddess had faded from memory, reduced to mere legend and superstition.

One night, under the light of a blood-red moon, the temple’s stone walls trembled as Bastet emerged, reborn in a sinister form. Her eyes gleamed with unholy light, and her once soft mane twisted into writhing tendrils of darkness.

Bastet believed herself to be the true ruler of this forsaken domain. She roamed the zoo that now encased her sacred temple, head held high in arrogance. The creatures within the cages were now her pets.

The air grew heavy as the zoo’s inhabitants sensed the presence of their twisted captor. Mammals paced in agitation, ophidian and ichthyic reptiles slithered with an unnatural flux, and birds cried in mournful protest. They were no longer creatures of flesh and blood; they were now nothing more than her playthings, extensions of her dark will.

As the moon hung low in the sky, casting tenebrously, Bastet’s power grew. She reveled in her newfound dominion, relishing in the fear that radiated from her captive subjects.

Word of the cursed temple spread through whispers in the gloaming, reaching the ears of those brave enough to challenge the feline deity. A group of impavid souls, guided by ancient texts and tales of the goddess’s fall from grace, embarked on a perilous journey to confront the abomination that now haunted the zoo.

Their torches flickered in the oppressive darkness as they approached the desecrated temple. The air grew colder, and a palpable dread settled in their hearts. With each step, the ground seemed to pulse with an ancient, eldritch energy.

Inside the temple’s sanctum, they found Bastet, her once-regal form now contorted and monstrous. Her eyes locked onto theirs, burning with a fierce miasmality that sent shivers down their spines.

With a voice that echoed through the ages, she hissed, “You dare to challenge me?”

But the group stood unphased, knowing her coming fall and the determination to free the captive souls. With incantations passed down through generations, they called upon the ancient gods to banish the twisted deity back into the depths from which she came.

With a blinding flash of light, Bastet’s form unraveled, her monstrous visage fading into Snowball, the house cat. The curse that held the souls broken and the creatures within the zoo were free at last, no longer bound to the rocks she had painted with her serpentine tail, once more human.

“Damned dogs, anyway!” she sibilated while feining not to care.

Crews have successfully halted the forward progress of the brush fire in Verdi, and residents have received clearance to return to their homes.

The Hill Fire ignited just after 11 p.m. on Tuesday, October 24 on the California side of Dog Valley Road near Verdi. As a precaution, residents in the vicinity of Hill Lane and Bridge Street to Dog Valley Road were evacuated.

Firefighters made steady headway in containing the approximately 50-acre blaze. Currently, the fire is 40 percent contained, and crews will continue mop-up operations throughout the day.

While crews were battling the fire, Interstate 80 was briefly shut down near Garson Road, but the roadway has since reopened. However, it’s advised to still avoid the area until further notice.

This brush fire in Verdi led to evacuations for some residents due to gusty winds that were fanning the flames. The Hill Fire was reported shortly before midnight on Tuesday on the California side of Dog Valley Road, according to Truckee Meadows Fire and Rescue.

As of 2 a.m. on Wednesday, fire officials issued evacuations for residents from Hill Lane to Bridge Street over to Dog Valley Road.

The fire has been estimated to cover approximately 47 acres and is being fueled by dense brush, cheatgrass, and unpredictable winds.

All westbound lanes of Interstate 80 were closed near Garson Road while crews fought the fire, as reported by the Nevada Department of Transportation.

Evacuees were directed to the Boomtown Casino Hotel, just east of the Nevada-California state line.

Truckee Meadows Fire and Rescue mentioned that evacuations might be lifted early on Wednesday morning, pending confirmation that the forward progress of the fire has been successfully halted.

As of now, authorities have not released any information regarding the possible cause of the fire.

Rep. Dina Titus of Nevada’s 1st Congressional District is facing growing challenges in the lead-up to the 2024 election.

With notably low fundraising numbers, raising only $122,000 in the third quarter, she has been placed on “retirement watch” by the National Journal. Moreover, Titus has been identified as the most at-risk incumbent by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), landing her a spot on the Frontline Program, which provides additional fundraising and messaging support to vulnerable incumbents.

Titus, a staunch supporter of President Biden, has voted in alignment with the President’s positions 100 percent of the time. However, some of her controversial votes, including those related to COVID-19 emergency extensions and penalties for certain violent crimes, have garnered attention.

Recent polls highlight potential challenges for Titus, as President Biden’s approval ratings have dropped and gas prices in Nevada have surged. Additionally, Titus’ previous support for gas tax legislation, which automatically increased Nevada’s fuel tax in combination with federal reductions, is a point of contention.

While the Cook Political Report currently rates Titus’ district as “likely Democrat,” she will face competition from the winner of the GOP primary, which features retired U.S. Army Colonel Mark Robertson, restaurant owner Flemming Larsen, and businessman Ron Quince.

Congressional Democrats need five seats to regain the majority in 2024.

A 79-year-old Paiute Elder called me yesterday morning, Monday, October 23, to tell me about what she saw in Nevada’s Pine Nut Mountains on the Lyon County side at dawn while harvesting the last pine nuts for the season.

“I was beating on the base of a tree, knocking the nuts from the branches, when I heard someone else doing the same thing,” she said. “I thought I was the only person out here, so I went to find whoever was also collecting pine nuts this morning.”

She went on to tell me the knocking was close, and after a couple of minutes, she walked over a slight rise when she saw a Si-Te-Cah. In Anglo circles, the Si-Te-Cah is the Red Haired Giant.

For centuries, Paiutes have spoken of a race of statuesque red-headed cannibals who attacked and ate members of the surrounding tribes. The Paiutes were said to have destroyed them in Lovelock Cave.

But over the last half-century, many Paiute have seen, and some have even interacted with this Si-Te-Cah. Some of the younger members of the tribe believe that the Red Haired Giant is a relative to the crypted Sasquatch.

Not only have Indigenous People witnessed Si-Te-Cah, but non-Native people have as well. The last “official” sighting of this elusive being in Nevada was in February 2005, when hikers spotted a dark figure walking on a snowy mountainside near Winnemucca.

U.S. Senate candidate Sam Brown has drawn after information obtained from the Texas Secretary of State’s office suggests Brown may have failed to comply with federal disclosure requirements while running for the U.S. Senate by not disclosing his association with a Texas company he manages on his financial disclosure forms.

Records reveal that Brown established TBSA 30, LLC in Texas in 2012, a company dedicated to assisting burn victims, and continues to maintain an active registration for the business. However, he did not disclose his position with TBSA 30, LLC, on any of his personal financial disclosures or amendment reports filed in 2021, 2022, and 2023.

Senate rules mandate that candidates disclose all their roles in non-government entities, even if those roles did not generate income. Brown’s omission raises questions about his compliance with federal disclosure requirements, according to former Nevada Attorney General Frankie Sue Del Papa.

Brown’s campaign manager, Faith Jones, said the allegations were being used as a distraction tactic to divert attention from U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen’s alleged violations of federal laws and Senate ethics rules, for which she is still under investigation. Furthermore, Jones stated that the LLC is not actively utilized and does not maintain a bank account.

Don Laughlin, a prominent figure in southern Nevada known for his role in transforming a barren area into a bustling tourist destination, has passed away at the age of 92. Laughlin breathed his last on Sunday at his penthouse residence in the Riverside Resort Hotel & Casino, located in the town that bears his name.

Diana Fuchs, the resort’s marketing director, confirmed that Laughlin succumbed to natural causes. In his final days, family and close relatives remained by his side, and Fuchs noted that Laughlin maintained his characteristic sense of humor, even in those moments.

Don Laughlin played a pivotal role in the development of an area located 100 miles south of Las Vegas, which was once little more than dirt roads and weeds. Reflecting on the early days in 2016 during the resort’s 50th-anniversary celebration, Laughlin remarked on the challenges of accessing the region, recalling how it required navigating through a dirt road or, if it rained, becoming entirely inaccessible.

Situated along the Nevada-Arizona border on the lower Colorado River, Laughlin is now home to eight casino resorts, drawing nearly 2 million visitors annually.

Born in Owatonna, Minnesota, in 1931, Laughlin showed early signs of his future endeavors, even as a teenager, by managing gambling operations. He used earnings from mink trapping to invest in and install slot machines at local pubs.

His unconventional career path led to a pivotal moment in ninth grade when his school principal presented him with a choice: stay in school or continue in the slot machine business, where Laughlin was already making three times the principal’s salary. He chose the latter path.

In 1964, Laughlin sold a gambling business he had acquired in North Las Vegas for $165,000. Subsequently, he ventured to the Mojave Desert and acquired a boarded-up motel and 6 acres of riverfront land, leading to the establishment of the Riverside Resort in 1966.

Two years later, the area officially adopted the name Laughlin, a suggestion made by a U.S. Postal Service inspector who needed a name for mail delivery.

Laughlin’s influence extended beyond the resort. In 1986, he financed the construction of the Laughlin Bridge, connecting Nevada and Arizona. In 1991, he donated land and funds for the Laughlin/Bullhead City International Airport, demonstrating his commitment to the region and its residents.

Throughout his life, Laughlin remained an admired figure, often personally greeting staff and guests during his walks through the hotel and casino.

Surviving Laughlin are one sister, three children, five grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren, and two great-great-grandchildren. His wife, Betty, passed away in January 2022 at the age of 89.

It is easy to forget that in an imperfect world, nothing is perfect, and therefore, Friday lingers in my memory like the odor of a public outhouse in the nostrils.

First, I went to bed late and woke up an hour and a half early; I couldn’t have coffee because, for the past two days, the radio station’s water had been off, meaning bathroom use, and even if we had water, and though there is a Keurig coffee maker I still couldn’t have coffee because we have had no coffee for months now; plus the station was off the air as the computer could not read the music log; then C Street was detoured, as was B Street and finally D Street, making getting around Virginia City tough, forcing me to resort to walking up and down the hill as I cannot carry all of my papers at once, especially while trying to write down the monies collected.

Delivering the north end of town was easy as I had the use of my truck. But I found the going impossible in the center and southward. It took me over two hours to complete that task.

Finally done, I hiked up the steps of the Tahoe House (hey, Twain had his Old Bar, and so I have my place) and sat down at the bar. There, I nursed a beer and chatted with the people coming and going.

It is also where I got roundly critiqued about the newspaper. I learned that not everyone agrees with the content.

Then, as is customary, I spent 20 to 30 minutes saying goodbye to everyone. Nearing the door, I stopped to say adios to Paul and Tatianna.

Seeing three boxes of coffee pods, I asked about their cost. Paul filled a gallon baggie with them and gave it to me.

I ain’t used to being loved on like that.

The U.S. 395 Southern Sierra Corridor Study is underway to assess the long-term vision, requirements, and priorities of a corridor planned from East Clearview Drive in southern Carson City to the Nevada-California border at Topaz Lake.

The initiative builds upon a prior corridor study conducted in 2007, ensuring that the plan aligns with contemporary demographic shifts and evolving transportation needs. It will lay the groundwork for forthcoming environmental assessments.

The study, projected for completion in the spring of 2025will establish objectives, recommendations, and strategies towards bolstering roadway safety and utilization. Additionally, it will furnish decision-makers with crucial insights for potential corridor enhancements in the future.

The effort involves Douglas County, the Carson City Metropolitan Planning Organization, the Nevada Department of Transportation, and other partners and input from the public, with meetings planned for the future.

Assembly Democrats announced that Assemblyman Cameron “C.H.” Miller resigned from his legislative post on Friday, October 20.

“Assemblyman Miller is a dedicated and thoughtful public servant and his presence will certainly be missed in the Nevada Assembly,” Speaker Steve Yeager said in a statement.

Miller, who was assistant majority leader in the 2023 session, has been in Nevada politics since his election in 2020. The North Las Vegas Democrat cited his relocation outside of Assembly District 7 as the reason for his resignation.

Miller was the focus of conflict of interest accusations after voting for legislation to give $100,000 to the Urban Chamber Community Development Corporation, where he serves as CEO. While he abstained from a committee vote on the legislation, he later voted for the bill after receiving clearance from legislative attorneys.

Miller is also a member of the Clark County Economic Opportunity Board, a regional agency focused on poverty in Southern Nevada. The agency also received $100,000 in funding.

Miller did not disclose that relationship, saying his focus “at the time was my employment relationship with the [Urban Chamber] and not so much the board relationship.”

Despite stepping down from his current position, Miller has set his sights on a future in public office. A party spokesperson confirmed his intention to run for Las Vegas City Council.

Assembly members Michelle Gorelow, Lesley Cohen, Sabra Newby, Clara “Claire” Thomas, and Angie Taylor have each announced that they will not seek reelection in 2024 for their respective Assembly seats.