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Sierra Nevada Realtors (SNR) released its September 2024 report on existing home sales across Lyon, Storey, Carson City, Douglas, Churchill, and Washoe Counties, revealing changes in sales and median prices.

In Lyon County, 112 existing single-family homes and manufactured properties sold, a 6.7 percent decrease from last month but a 47.4 percent increase from last year. The median sales price for these properties rose to $400,000, up 1.5 percent from last month and 2.8 percent from the previous year.

Storey County recorded two sales of existing single-family homes, doubling from the previous month and last year. The median sales price for these homes was $360,000, a 26.5 percent drop from last month and a 4 percent decrease from last year.

In Carson City, 59 existing single-family homes sold, an 18.1 percent decline from August but a slight increase of 1.7 percent compared to September 2023. The median sales price fell to $534,950, a 0.5 percent decrease from last month and 7 percent lower than last year. Active inventory in the city was 171, down 11.9 percent from last month and 7.6 percent from last year.

Douglas County reported 57 sales of existing single-family homes, a 1.8 percent increase from the previous month but a 6.6 percent decrease from last year. The median sales price dropped to $720,000, down 13.8 percent from last month and 5.2 percent from the previous year.

Churchill County saw 12 sales of existing single-family homes, a steep 53.8 percent decline from the previous month and a 20 percent drop from last year. The median sales price was $382,250, a 4.4 percent decrease from last month but 6.2 percent higher than last year.

Washoe County, excluding Incline Village, had 620 new listings and 496 closed sales in September. The median sales price was $587,500, a 3.7 percent decrease from the previous month but a 4.4 percent increase from last year. Active inventory was 1,760, a slight 0.5 percent decrease from last month but a 15 percent increase from the previous year.

Former Zulily employees in Storey County are among those joining a class-action lawsuit against the online retailer after it shut down its operations in December before being sold in March.

The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, alleges that Regent, Zulily’s former parent company, violated the federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act by failing to provide the required 60-day notice to remote employees, including those in Nevada.

The suit claims that Zulily laid off 839 employees, including hundreds in Nevada and Ohio, without complying with the WARN Act. Although Zulily closed its headquarters in Seattle, remote workers assigned to physical locations like those in Storey County were not given proper notice or pay, according to the lawsuit.

Plaintiffs argue that Regent consulted with its legal team and exploited a loophole to avoid compensating these remote employees. In Storey County, where Zulily once employed a large workforce, employees who were part of the mass layoff are now seeking damages, attorney fees, and other costs through the lawsuit.

The WARN Act requires companies with 100 or more employees to provide a 60-day notice before a facility closure or large-scale layoff, giving employees time to find new employment. The lawsuit asserts that Zulily’s failure to comply with these provisions has left affected employees in Nevada and beyond without the protections they were entitled to under federal law.

Zulily, acquired by Los Angeles-based Regent in 2023, underwent multiple layoffs, resulting in the closure of the Storey County operations, and remains embroiled in legal battles, with former employees and vendors filing complaints.

I was at the bar again, same damn place I always end up when the day has gone to shit and the night is too fucking quiet. The jukebox spat out some old blues track, probably the only thing left in this dump with any soul.

Tony, the kid behind the bar, was half-ass wiping down the counter, staring into nowhere like he had better shit to do, but we both knew he didn’t. None of us did.

I dragged myself onto the stool in the darkened corner, where the light flickers like some poor bastard’s getting fried out back in the electric chair. The stool was hard as hell, but I didn’t give a fuck anymore. My back’s already fucked up, so what’s another hour of pain?

“Whiskey. Straight,” I said. Just the hooch and me, and that’s all, no distractions.

“Life is short,” I thought. “No time for chasers or any of that fancy crap, straight up, no ice, no frills. The kind that stings as it goes down, reminding you you’re still here, whether you like it or not.”

Tony didn’t even blink. “How’s the wife?” he asked, barely glancing up as he poured.

I snorted, “Still fucking breathing, I guess.”

Tony didn’t laugh. He never does. Smart kid.

Linda left me six years ago. She said I was a fucking bastard, said I drank too much, was lazy, and she wasn’t wrong. She walked out like I didn’t matter, and I let her because what the hell could I say?

She tore a hole in me, one I could never fill, so I just kept drinking and kept showing up at my job and here. I kept doing what I do best: playing fuck it all.

I took a gulp of whiskey and let it burn its way down, let it sit in the pit of my gut where everything had gone rotten.

A couple in the booth caught my eye. The woman wore too much makeup, and the guy had too many tattoos. They laughed like idiots, but there was something off—like they were trying too hard. It made me wanna puke, tell them to shut the fuck up, get a room at the flop house across the street, but I didn’t. Who gives a shit?

The door opened, and some guy stumbled in. His face was all kinds of fucked up—black eye, busted lip. He looked like he just had his ass handed to him in a back alley. He dropped onto the stool next to me and tapped the bar. Tony poured him a drink, no questions asked. Nobody gives a fuck here, and why I like it here.

“Fight?” I asked because it seemed like the only thing worth saying.

He chuckled, low and bitter. “Yeah. With myself,” he said, taking a long swig like the whiskey was the only thing keeping him upright. “Guess I fucking lost.”

I nodded and took another drink. “We all fucking lose. But you keep going. That’s the game.”

He turned to me then and looked at me. His eyes were dark, hollow. Like he’d seen some serious shit like maybe he’d been in a war with himself for years and didn’t know how to get out.

“I don’t know, man,” he said, shaking his head. “I don’t fucking know anymore.”

The couple in the booth started yelling, voices raised over some bullshit—maybe he grabbed her too hard, or she found lipstick on his shirt. It didn’t matter. Their fight was just as phony as their laughter. Tony dragged his feet around the bar like he was about to break it up, but we both knew he wasn’t trying. He didn’t give two shits. None of us did.

I drained my glass, slamming it on the counter. Tony looked over and nodded like he knew I’d be back tomorrow, or maybe he thought I wouldn’t even make it through the night. Neither of us cared either way.

I stepped outside, and the cold slapped me across the face like an insult. I shoved my hands in my pockets and started walking. The sound of my boots on the concrete was the only thing that made sense, a steady beat in a world filled with fucking noise.

The streets were empty except for a few drunks down the block, laughing and shouting at nothing. The flickering fluorescent lights at the entrance of another bar illuminated a group of drunks, their raucous laughter and off-key singing piercing through the night. But that’s all we got left, a city that’s is just as fucked as we are, and that’s the goddamn truth.

The streetlights cast that sick orange glow like the whole city was in some bullshit made-for-television nightmare it could not wake up from. The air stunk of piss and exhaust, a mix of cheap liquor and bad decisions.

I walked past another bar and heard the laughter, the clinking of glass, all that bullshit that comes with pretending life doesn’t suck. The stench of stale beer, and cigarette smoke, wafted toward me like a cheap cologne on an even cheaper whore, mingling with the sharp tang of the nearby sea.

But I knew the truth. No matter how far I walked, I’d always end up back at the bar because at least it was familiar, and at least it was real, the same shit, but different night. And that is the thing—no matter how fucked up it gets, you just keep going. And if you are lucky, maybe you’ll forget why.

And that’s all you can do. And that’s what I do.

Douglas County has received a $50,000 grant from the Center for Technology and Civic Life (CTCL) to support election security and administration ahead of the general election in November.

The grant, part of CTCL’s Rural and Nonmetro Election Infrastructure Grant Program, was uncovered through an open-records request submitted by Silver State Times. The development follows widespread scrutiny of CTCL’s involvement in U.S. elections, particularly after the nonprofit directed approximately $400 million, commonly referred to as “Zuckerbucks,” into the 2020 election, primarily benefiting election offices in Democratic-leaning districts.

In response, 28 state legislatures have since banned accepting private, nonprofit money for election administration.

Douglas County’s Grants Administrator, Debbie Swickard, applied for the grant on August 19, citing the county’s need for additional election security measures and equipment.

“As a rural county with limited funding, a grant award will help us fill the gaps to purchase needed items for security,” Swickward stated in her application. “Being proactive to mitigate any possible threat, we would like to purchase transport carts for mail ballots and bulletproof glass for our election public counter. We are also in need of tables and shelving systems for our processing facility as well as tables for our vote centers. We are extremely grateful for any funding to help us maintain fair and safe elections for Douglas County.”

CTCL’s executive director, Tiana Epps-Johnson, approved the grant.

“I’m pleased to share that the Center for Tech and Civic Life has reviewed your application… and has approved a grant award totaling $50,000. Epps-Johnson wrote in an email to the county.

The acceptance of the grant is still pending approval by the Douglas County Board of Commissioners but was not on the agenda during a recent board meeting.

Critics of CTCL argue that the organization’s funding practices have political implications. A recent exposé by The Federalist has called attention to the organization’s alleged far-left affiliations and its involvement in election activism. The report highlights CTCL’s origins in left-wing movements and claims that its leadership is aligned with progressive causes, including critical race theory and the “defund the police” movement.

Despite the controversy surrounding CTCL, the grant agreement specifies that the funds be used “exclusively for the public purpose of planning and operationalizing reliable and secure election administration in Douglas County, Nevada, in 2024.”

With applications for CTCL grants available to election offices in 19 states, the debate over the influence of private money in public elections is likely to continue as the 2024 election approaches.

Former Pahrump Judge Michele Fiore was convicted on federal wire fraud charges on Thursday, October 3, stemming from allegations that Fiore misappropriated donations for a memorial statue honoring late Las Vegas police officer Alyn Beck, diverting the funds for personal expenses instead.

A jury found Fiore guilty of six wire fraud counts and one count of conspiracy. Each count carries a potential maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. U.S. District Court Judge Jennifer Dorsey scheduled her sentencing for Monday, January 6.

Fiore, a former Las Vegas City Councilwoman, was accused of raising funds for her political action committee and charity in honor of Officer Beck, killed in the line of duty in 2014. Prosecutors argued that instead of using the donations for the memorial, Fiore funneled the money into herself, covering expenses such as plastic surgery and rent.

The jury began deliberating on Thursday afternoon after the closing arguments from both sides. During the trial, several witnesses, including Nevada’s current, Governor Joe Lombardo, testified about the circumstances surrounding the fundraising and the intended purpose of the donations.

The Washoe County Board of Commissioners has voted to renew its contract with Dominion Voting Systems (DVS) for the 2024 election. Dominion is one of two voting system vendors certified for use in Nevada.

County officials explained that the DVS touchscreen voting and direct record entry capabilities closely align with the needs of Washoe County. First signed in 2017, the contract now extends through Wednesday, December 31, 2025, at an annual cost of $389,785.

The contract renewal comes after an audit of the Washoe County 2022 election process.

The Elections Group, under a $100,000 contract, conducted an audit, highlighting numerous operational issues and describing parts of the election process as “error-prone” and “confusing.” With the 2024 presidential election looming, the audit offered several detailed recommendations for improving the voter system.

The Elections Group, headed by Jennifer Morrell, focuses on left-leaning election policy, according to Influence Watch.

One of the findings of the 85-page report was the need for better handling of mail-in ballots. Since 2010, the number of registered voters in Washoe County has increased by more than 50 percent without a corresponding increase in election staff.

Legislative changes, automatic voter registrations from the Department of Motor Vehicles, and a requirement to mail ballots to all registered voters added to the burden on election workers, and staffing challenges resulted in delays and confusion in the 2022 election.

Bethany Drysdale, a spokesperson for the county, noted that County Manager Eric Brown initiated the audit as part of an effort to overhaul and upgrade the election system.

“He needed to know where the problems are, where the pain points are,” she said, explaining Brown’s desire for a third-party assessment to identify areas for improvement.

The audit highlighted significant staff turnover in the registrar of voters’ office, outdated technical systems, inefficient processes, and poor communication with the public. Proofreading errors in the 2022 general election ballots, which forced a reprint at a cost of over $178,000, were one of the issues identified. The report also pointed to delays in mailing ballots due to mismatched voter data files and suggested using “intelligent mail barcodes” offered by the U.S. Postal Service to improve tracking and voter roll maintenance.

Voter registration was another area of concern. On average, the county processes 200 to 300 voter record updates or new registrations daily but has only one staff member handling this task.

Additionally, the voter registration database is outdated and unsupported by its vendor. The audit recommended a comprehensive overhaul of the voter registration process, including updated workflows, cross-training, and better quality control measures.

A recurring theme in the audit was the need for better communication with the public and election observers. While county officials believe they are doing enough to inform voters, the audit found that external stakeholders felt that mistakes were not adequately addressed or explained.

The report suggested hiring a full-time public information officer dedicated to the ROV, improving transparency and communication with election observers. Few, if any, of the recommendations have become protocol.

DVS continues to avoid fully addressing questions regarding the 2020 Presidential Election. Just know that the political party that controls the ballot box this election may never lose again.

Candidates for the Lyon County School Board are pushing for increased parental involvement and expanded Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs, as discussed during the Dayton Chamber of Commerce Candidates Forum on Tuesday, October 8.

The event, held at the Dayton Valley Community Center, featured seven candidates who offered their views on issues such as student achievement, security, absenteeism, and mental health. Moderated by Dayton High School juniors Jacklyn Kikuchi, Blake Palmer, and Avaline Reardon, the panel addressed a range of challenges facing the district, focusing on expanding CTE opportunities in fields like manufacturing, healthcare, and engineering, as well as traditional trades.

Incumbent Phil Cowee, the current board president running in District 3, emphasized that while jobs in technical fields are increasing, the district faces limitations in providing enough CTE options. He also pointed to disparities in how student proficiency is measured statewide.

“One of the things we hear about is the failure of students in high school proficiency,” Cowee said, explaining how Nevada’s ACT scores test 100 percent of graduates while other states, like California, test far fewer.

“It’s not a fair measure for our students.”

Neal McIntyre II, a District 7 candidate whose family has lived in Fernley for generations, echoed Cowee’s concerns, calling for more auto shop, construction, and vocational programs.

“We need to make these kids successful in our communities, whether that’s in the trades or professions,” he said.

Other candidates, like Elmer Bull of Yerington (District 5), supported CTE as an alternative to college. He emphasized teacher morale and retention as critical factors in improving school performance.

Shanna Shroeder, a candidate in District 1, acknowledged the importance of providing students with diplomas and ensuring postsecondary success, as District 3 challenger Dawn Carson, a teacher at Carson High School, focused on the need for mental health resources, smaller class sizes, and improved support for teachers.

Incumbent Sherry Parsons, running for re-election in District 1, reflected on her eight years of service, highlighting her work on increasing computer access for students, staff wages, and bus drivers.

As the November election approaches, these candidates are eager to address the district’s challenges and provide students with the tools and opportunities they need to succeed.

Washoe County’s violent and property crime rates are trending higher than the national average, according to the FBI’s 2023 Crime in the Nation statistics.

The report, released in late October, shows that while the United States recorded approximately 364 violent crimes per 100,000 citizens, Washoe County agencies reported around 499 violent crimes per capita in 2023. Violent crimes in this category include murder, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault.

Since 2015, Washoe County’s violent crime rate has consistently exceeded the national per capita rate, peaking in 2017 with more than 530 violent crimes per 100,000 residents. The report also highlights that property crimes in the county have outpaced national trends since 2020.

In 2023, Washoe County recorded 2,194 property crimes per capita, compared to just over 1,900 per capita nationwide. Property crimes included theft, burglary, motor vehicle theft, and arson.

According to the FBI, the Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program is voluntary and subject to fluctuations. Some agencies report through the newer National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS), while others continue using the older Summary Reporting System (SRS), which impacts the overall data.

Several proposals during Nevada’s 2025 legislative session included allowing rural counties to create election departments and imposing a filing fee on presidential candidates. The legislative session starts on Monday, February 3.

One proposal would allow rural counties to establish dedicated election offices, currently only available to counties with populations exceeding 100,000, like Clark and Washoe. In rural counties, county clerks handle election duties.

Lawmakers are considering this move to alleviate the workload on rural election officials, many of whom cite growing responsibilities and increased pressure since the 2020 presidential election. Rural officials argue that balancing election oversight with other duties, like public administration and record-keeping, has become unsustainable.

The committee is also backing a bill allowing a voter’s cured signature to replace their signature on file, which could reduce the need for repeated ballot corrections. The measure also requires the secretary of state to notify individuals registered through automatic voter registration if they are missing information, such as a political party affiliation.

A controversial proposal would permit former felons, except those convicted of theft or fraud, to serve as field registrars. Proponents argue the measure aligns with efforts to reintegrate people into society after serving their sentences. However, critics raised concerns about potential risks, particularly for individuals convicted of violent or election-related crimes.

Another proposal would introduce a $1,000 filing fee for candidates wishing to participate in Nevada’s presidential preference primary. There is no filing fee for the non-binding primary, which officials fear could lead to an unmanageable number of candidates appearing on the ballot. The proposed fee aims to ensure only serious candidates file, reducing the cost and complexity of elections.

Two bills previously vetoed by Governor Joe Lombardo will see a reintroduction.

One will require voting materials in additional languages. Lombardo vetoed the bill in 2023, citing that Nevada’s current laws met federal language accessibility requirements. The second vetoed bill sought to make changes to interim legislative committees, which Lombardo opposed due to disagreement over the bill’s management of legislative processes.

We’ve finally done something right by Ma Nature for a change.

After a century of letting salmon stare at a dam wall like a tourist trapped in front of a “road closed” sign, the Klamath River is again rolling free, and the fish are doing the same. Just a few days ago, the largest dam removal project in U.S. history got the final whistle, and the salmon didn’t waste a second—already wriggling their way into stretches of the river they hadn’t seen since Teddy Roosevelt was in the White House.

Now, if you’re a Chinook salmon, that’s like finding out the freeway you’ve been stuck on for 100 years finally opened up a rest stop. And that happened on Thursday, October 3, when those fish started migrating past where the Iron Gate Dam used to sit, likely thinking, “Well, it’s about time!”

This dam removal wasn’t just a weekend project, either. It took decades of protests, lawsuits, and tribal voices hollering to get these dams out.

When PacifiCorp built the four dams last century, it became lights out for the salmon. The dams blocked hundreds of miles of prime fish habitat, and in 2002, the poor fish had it so bad that 34,000 died in one go. That woke folks up, and by 2022, the feds finally gave the green light to take the dams down.

Sure, the salmon are back now, and the river’s healing has a long road ahead. They’re tracking the fish with fancy SONAR technology to make sure all is on the up and up. They’re even using fancy SONAR to track the fish, which sounds like setting up speed traps for salmon.

Let’s hope they don’t start issuing tickets for “unauthorized spawning.”