The Old Blog in the Desert

On Wednesday afternoon, May 15, the right lane of eastbound I-80 east of Sparks near Patrick was closed as crews tackled several small brush fires along the railroad tracks between Vista Boulevard and Mustang, affecting both Washoe and Storey counties.

Firefighting units from Truckee Meadows Fire, Storey County Fire, and Sparks Fire responded to the incident. The quick coordination between these agencies helped to contain the fires and minimize the impact on traffic and surrounding areas.

Authorities are currently investigating the cause of the fires. No further information is available at this time.

The elections office in Washoe County finds itself in the crosshairs as partisan battles intensify ahead of Tuesday’s primary elections.

The Washoe County Commission, split along partisan lines, has been at the center of this drama, particularly regarding the appointment of the county’s elections director earlier this year. The three Democratic commissioners supported the appointment, while the two Republican commissioners, aligned with another movement promoting election conspiracy theories, opposed it.

With Tuesday’s primary looming, the movement aims to unseat Clara Andriola, a Republican-in-Name-Only (RINO) commissioner, officially censured and removed from the Nevada Republic Parts roll by the GOP for her partisan approach. Andriola, appointed and endorsed by RINO Governor Joe Lombardo, has emphasized the nonpartisan nature of election administration, lamenting the politicization of the process.

Private citizen Robert Beadles has backed the Republican commissioners opposing Andriola and has thrown his support behind Tracey Hilton-Thomas, vice chair of the Washoe County GOP, who is challenging Andriola in the primary.

Hilton-Thomas echoes what KOLO reports are “baseless claims of election fraud” has raised doubts about the legitimacy of the 2020 election results, despite multiple and partisan reviews confirming President Biden’s victory. Her stance aligns with the rhetoric prevalent in Washoe County commission meetings, where so-called false accusations and conspiracy theories run rampant, fueled by Trump’s claims.

Washoe County’s elections office has faced unprecedented challenges since 2020, as violations of Nevada Revised Statues have been repeatedly made and brought to light, taking a toll on staff morale, with the county on its third elections director since 2022. Despite assurances from the registrar of voters, Cari-Ann Burgess, about the department’s independence, the commission meetings point to the lack of integrity in the county’s electoral process.

The Mason Valley Fire Protection District and NV Energy swiftly responded to a brush fire sparked by an electrical issue on Friday, May 17.

Officials characterized the fire as small, emphasizing their prompt action in containing it. The incident occurred in the vicinity of North Bybee Lane in Yerington.

Repairs were made to the damaged equipment to prevent further escalation or potential hazards.

The Lyon County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) reported the discovery on Monday, May 13, of two individuals found deceased in what appears to be an overdose incident in Fernley.

Emergency responders were summoned to an address on Jessica Lane in Fernley around 4:30 p.m. after receiving reports of an unconscious and unresponsive man. The LCSO with the North Lyon Fire Department rushed to the scene. Upon arrival, authorities encountered three adults within the residence, all exhibiting symptoms consistent with a drug overdose.

Despite immediate efforts to revive them, two individuals were pronounced dead at the scene. The third person was taken to Renown Regional Medical Center for additional medical treatment.

A subsequent search of the premises unveiled evidence pointing to recent illicit drug use by all three individuals. However, authorities are not naming the specific substance(s) involved.

Approximately eight hours later, LCSO deputies were once again dispatched, this time to a residence on Wedge Lane in Fernley, where they encountered the same individual who had been transported to Renown earlier, now found unresponsive again. Emergency measures resulted in their revival before being transported to the hospital for additional treatment.

LCSO has refrained from publicly divulging the identities of the individuals involved in these incidents.

It is all quite the scene.
Miss Maryland is a he.
Miss ‘Bama, a size X-3.
Beauty standards do abound,
All woke schemes they do rock.
While one is a real she.
The other has a cock.

At 102, he was the last of his rifle squad. It was also his final chance to visit.

He walked the gray sand to where his “landing craft, vehicle, personnel” came ashore. Ahead, he watched as replica Higgins boats made their way from the English Channel.

The ramp dropped, soldiers pouring out, dashing past him at a dead run. He suddenly saw Smitty and Jones, followed by Anderson, then Begay. It was Begay who handed him a Garand as he raced by.

He turned and followed, catching up with the others. Spectators watched as they faded into the cliffs of Normandy.

A recent Reno Gazette-Journal (RGJ) article about voting in Washoe County missed the mark. The RGJ headline read, “Early voting update: Washoe County Democrats turning out in higher numbers for primary,” but buried within the article were alarming statistics about undeliverable mail ballots.

According to the RGJ, approximately 14,000 Democrats and 11,000 Republicans voted in the primary election. Simultaneously, the Washoe County Registrar (ROV) has received around 24,000 mail-in ballots marked undeliverable.

Critics argue the number of undeliverable ballots is troubling, pointing to a potential waste of resources and risks of voter fraud. Each ballot costs about $10 to produce, representing a possible $240,000 in wasted funds, according to the Secretary of State’s Deputy of Elections, Mark Wvlashin.

Concerns about the integrity of the voter rolls are mounting, with allegations that inaccurate records and outdated registrations are still unaddressed. Nevada Revised Statute 293.530 § 1(a) mandates the ROV “may use any reliable and reasonable means available to correct the portions of the statewide voter registration list. . . and to determine whether a registered voter’s current residence is other than that indicated on the voter’s application to register to vote.” And, 1(b): “with the consent of the board of county commissioners, make investigations of registration in the county by census, by house-to-house canvass or by any other method.”

Many residents have shared their frustrations, reporting that despite living in their homes for decades, multiple voters are still registered at their addresses who have never resided there. Homeowners have provided affidavits and historical deeds as proof yet claim the ROV has dismissed their concerns, citing that these misplaced voters have signed affidavits under penalty of perjury.

The controversy extends to legal battles as well. A lawsuit in the Nevada Supreme Court aims to address these discrepancies, supported by affidavits and certified reports from the county. The Public Interest Legal Foundation (PILF) has also recently sued to push for cleaner voter rolls.

Seventeen tribal communities across Nevada, including the Fallon Paiute-Shoshone and Walker River Paiute tribes, will receive nearly $27 million in grants from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. These funds are for the development and operation of affordable housing.

The Fallon Paiute-Shoshone Tribe will receive approximately $2.3 million, while the Walker River Paiute Tribe was approved for more than $4.3 million. The federal funding has already facilitated the construction of new tribal housing, including middle-class family homes in Owyhee and Washoe Valley over the past year.

In 2022, $4.8 million was secured from the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco to support affordable housing organizations in Nevada, including tribal entities. This effort also aimed to streamline processes to facilitate the construction of affordable housing statewide.

The allocated grants for various tribal communities in Nevada include Duck Valley Shoshone-Paiute Tribes, $3,723,167; Duckwater Shoshone Tribe, $715,977; Ely Shoshone Tribe, $1,124,207; Fallon Paiute-Shoshone Tribe, $2,531,700; Fort McDermitt Paiute and Shoshone Tribes, $1,270,603; Las Vegas Tribe of Paiute Indians, $110,290; Lovelock Paiute Tribe, $338,971; Moapa Band of Paiute Indians, $557,880; Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe, $3,145,901; Reno-Sparks Indian Colony, $2,302,536; Summit Lake Paiute Tribe, $110,290; Te-Moak Tribe of Western Shoshone Indians, $1,723,941; Walker River Paiute Tribe, $4,317,185; Washoe Tribe, $2,668,543; Winnemucca Indian Colony, $110,290, Yerington Paiute Tribe, $1,484,003, and the Yomba Shoshone Tribe; $486,533.

These grants will address the housing crisis affecting Nevada’s tribal communities and improve the living conditions for many families.

Tragedy struck last Wednesday night, at 10:45 p.m., on May 15, on U.S. 6, approximately 35 miles west of Tonopah, as a fatal crash claimed the life of a 22-year-old driver.

According to NSP, the crash happened when a 2024 Chevy Tahoe, traveling westbound on U.S. 6 in the wrong direction, collided with a 2020 Kia Optima heading eastbound in the appropriate lane. The Tahoe driver attempted to steer left, coinciding with the Kia driver’s movement to the right, resulting in a collision between the vehicles’ left fronts.

The Kia driver, identified as Summer Reid of Iyanbito, New Mexico, succumbed to injuries sustained in the crash and was pronounced dead at the scene. The identity of the Tahoe driver, who sustained non-life-threatening injuries, remains undisclosed.

The crash investigation is ongoing, and NSP is urging anyone with information regarding the incident to come forward by calling the Elko Office at (775) 753-1111 or via email at ncemirt@dps.state.nv.us.

Blue Crow lived in the Pinion pines and was known for his beautiful blue feathers and sharp wit.

One fateful day, Coyote, sly and wily as ever, approached Blue Crow with a tempting offer. He spun tales of a hidden treasure trove of delectable delights deep within the forest, promising to reveal its location if Blue Crow would barter something in return.

Eager and heedless of caution, Blue Crow agreed, his curiosity outweighing his sense. With a gleam in his eye, Coyote asked for the feathers adorning Blue Crow’s head.

In a moment of folly, Blue Crow consented, blinded by the allure of Coyote’s promises. Once Coyote had the feathers, he laughed at Blue Crow’s bald head.

“You are such a greedy fool,” Coyote yipped as he raced away.

Humiliated, Blue Crow hung his head low, but Brother Raven and Brother Crow came to his aid, giving him their ebony plumage to conceal his naked scalp.

“Let his be a lesson,” they said.

“It will be,” promised Blue Crow, “And every time I see Coyote I shall cry out in rememberance.”

Thus, Blue Jay, once known as Blue Crow, flits about the Pinion pines adorned with the regal crown of black feathers.