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My Cousin Elmo says, “My body is a filter. Just add coffee and sarcasm pours out.”

At the  Washoe County School District (WCSD) school board meeting on Tuesday, March 12, a contentious 6-0 vote unfolded, further highlighting the deepening divide among members as Trustee Jeff Church found himself at the center of the storm, as his efforts to address critical issues within the education system met resistance and accusations from his fellow trustees.

Church, widely regarded as the lone voice advocating for meaningful reform, faced a barrage of attacks and attempts to discredit him by the majority of the board. Despite his efforts to improve the education system for children, Church found himself marginalized and targeted for legal action.

The first decision passed unanimously, involved allocating $500,000 of school funds to target Church legally. The move came as a response to Church’s pursuit of public records through a writ of mandamus, a legal avenue aimed at compelling transparency from the board.

In a subsequent 6-0 decision, the board chose not to investigate sexual harassment allegations against Church, raising questions about accountability and transparency within the district. Church’s abstention from both votes highlighted the unanimous opposition he faced from fellow trustees.

Then, Chief General Counsel Neil Rombardo’s presentation during the meeting painted Church as a threat to the district, further exacerbating tensions. His attempts to paint Church as an “internal threat” reek of desperation and highlight the lengths some will go to maintain their grip on power.

Furthermore, Church’s attempts to address the allegations met with resistance from the board. Despite his calls for an independent investigation, the board voted against it, further fueling speculation of a concerted effort to silence dissent.

Even the casual observer can see that the allegations against Church, particularly those of harassment, have been weaponized by the board in an attempt to discredit him. Despite Church’s calls for an independent investigation, the board ignored his request, undermining the principles of justice and fairness.

As the November 2024 elections loom, the community must hold the board accountable for its actions. Since Church and other trustees are up for reelection, it’s time to send a message saying incompetence and corruption of the school board is not to be tolerated.

The empty stretch of U.S. Highway 50 highway stretched endlessly before her, the darkness of the night swallowing any hint of warmth or comfort. Her fingers gripped the steering wheel with a white-knuckled intensity as she navigated the straight, narrow road through the high desert.

The only company she had was her thoughts.

“Why did I choose to travel alone at night?” she mused silently, her eyes flicking nervously to the rearview mirror.

As she slipped into a hypnotic state, she felt a sudden jolt, as her car swerved as if protesting against some unseen force. With a glance, she knew it was an issue with her right rear tire.

“Just my luck,” she muttered under her breath.

As she pulled over to the side of the road, her heart skipped a beat when she noticed a lean figure emerging from the shadows. A man stood along the roadside, his silhouette barely discernible against the dark skies.

She felt an unease as he approached her vehicle.

“Need a hand?” His voice cut through the silence like a knife.

Her mind raced, her instincts screaming to drive away, but the shredded tire prevented that. Against her better judgment, she rolled down the window, her voice trembling as she spoke.

“Um, yeah, just a tire issue. I think I can manage.”

The man’s eyes gleamed with an otherworldly light, a knowing smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

“Allow me,” he offered, his voice smooth as velvet.

As he effortlessly replaced her tire with the spare, she couldn’t shake the feeling of being watched, trapped in some twisted nightmare. With a quick thank you, she hurriedly drove away.

But no matter how fast she drove, how many miles she put between him and her, he was always there, standing along the highway, his thumb raised, requesting a ride.

“I must be more tired than I thought,” she huffed. “Either that, or I’m hallucinating.”

When she reached Virginia City, she exited her car and looked along an empty C Street. Her eyes widened in terror as she saw the man standing at the side of the road, just off the wooden boardwalk, thumb up, his dark eyes piercing into her soul.

“Going my way?” his voice came in a chilled whisper.

With a sinking feeling in her stomach, she realized the truth that she had died when her tire shredded itself, and it was none other than Charon himself, the ferryman of death, who had come to claim her soul for an eternal voyage across the river Styx.

We worked hard all day,
Tired to the bitter bone
And came home to stay,
In our comfortable shoes.

At home, so comfortable and grand,
Relaxing here — a life unplanned.
Comfortable shoes.

There is a desire to rest,
Take a load off for a while,
And as lazy does suggest
Sit in this comfortable chair.

At home, so comfortable and grand,
Relaxing here — my life unplanned.
Comfortable chair.

But the greatest pleasure,
Is to be joined in my seat,
By an indomitable treasure
That is my comfortable dog.

At home, so comfortable and grand,
Relaxing here — this life unplanned.
Sleep, good dog sleep.

My Cousin Elmo says, “Haiti has been overtaken by a cannibal gang leader known as “Barbecue” who is “ready to sleep in the same bed as the devil.” I really don’t know why he has to drag Hillary Clinton into this.”

Following a weekend blizzard that paralyzed the California-Nevada border, Nevada Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar has issued a stern rebuke against the United States Postal Service (USPS) over its decision to transfer mail sorting operations from Reno to Sacramento.

Aguilar’s condemnation comes after growing concerns about the potential ramifications of such a move, particularly in light of recent weather-related disruptions that saw critical mail trapped in the snow-covered mountains. His statement, expressing disbelief at the prospect of explaining to constituents the consequences of their mail getting stranded due to what he termed a “rushed process and lack of foresight,” underscores the gravity of the situation.

The issue gained significant traction after the Washoe County Commission unanimously opposed the USPS proposal, with Commissioner Mike Clark criticizing the lack of public engagement and transparency surrounding the decision. The opposition has since gained bipartisan momentum, with Republican Congressman Mark Amodei and Democratic Senators Catherine Cortez Masto and Jacky Rosen joining forces to voice their concerns directly to Postmaster General Louis DeJoy. In a letter highlighting the potential impact on mail service reliability, local economy, and jobs, the delegation emphasized the implications for mail-in ballots, particularly given the upcoming elections.

Election officials, including Washoe County Interim Registrar Cari-Ann Burgess, have also sounded alarms, warning of potential disruptions to the electoral process. In an interview with the Reno Gazette-Journal, Burgess expressed skepticism about the reliability of mail-in ballots under the proposed changes, suggesting that voters might need to resort to alternative methods.

The chorus of opposition has expanded to include Governor Joe Lombardo, who penned a letter reiterating concerns about the detrimental impact on Northern Nevada residents and commerce. Lombardo emphasized the risks of compromising reliable mail service for vulnerable populations and urged the USPS to reconsider its decision.

The proposed relocation has also drawn criticism from various state agencies, including the Department of Motor Vehicles and the Department of Health and Human Services, which stand to be adversely affected by the move.

As the debate intensifies, Nevada officials are united in their determination to push back against what they perceive as a misguided and potentially harmful decision by the USPS. With concerns mounting over the reliability of mail services and the integrity of elections, the stakes have never been higher for the Silver State.

The House Judiciary Committee and its Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government have brought forth an interim staff report titled “Financial Surveillance in the United States: How Federal Law Enforcement Commandeered Financial Institutions to Spy on Americans.”

The findings are deeply concerning, shedding light on federal law enforcement and its expansive financial surveillance practices, delving into the private transactions of American citizens without specific evidence of criminal activity, and ignoring constitutionally protected freedoms. Federal entities, like the Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) and the FBI, are implicated in facilitating covert discussions with major financial institutions.

Institutions involved include Barclays, U.S. Bank, Charles Schwab, HSBC, Bank of America, PayPal, and others. The methods employed included the use of keyword filtering to flag transactions containing terms such as “MAGA” and “TRUMP,” as well as purchases related to books, religious texts, firearms, and recreational activities from stores like Cabelas, Bass Pro Shop, and Dicks Sporting Goods.

Such surveillance, far-reaching and indiscriminate, appears to target millions of Americans with conservative inclinations or interests in Second Amendment rights, irrespective of any criminal suspicions. Moreover, the report exposes the existence of a web portal administered by the Domestic Security Alliance Council (DSAC), a collaborative effort involving the FBI’s Office of Private Sector and the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Intelligence and Analysis.

The platform purportedly facilitated the dissemination of intelligence products to financial institutions, aiding in the identification of individuals labeled as “domestic violent extremists” or criminals, often based on their conservative political affiliations or other constitutionally protected activities. Federal authorities leveraged these reports and shared materials to gain unfettered access to financial databases, conducting broad searches on individuals without criminal allegations and absent judicial oversight or warrants.

The implications of such pervasive financial surveillance are deeply troubling, casting doubts on the commitment of federal law enforcement and financial institutions to uphold the privacy rights and fundamental civil liberties of American citizens.

The Heartland Institute undertook a comprehensive study to assess the potential impact of fraudulent mail-in ballots on the outcome of the 2020 election, drawing from data obtained through a survey conducted jointly by Heartland and Rasmussen Reports.

The survey revealed that approximately 20 percent of mail-in voters acknowledged engaging in actions during the election that could be potentially fraudulent, with mail-in ballots having a substantial impact.

They estimated that over 28.2 percent of respondents who voted by mail admitted to engaging in behaviors that, under normal circumstances, would be deemed illegal and constitute voter fraud. This revelation raises serious concerns that more than one in four mail-in ballots cast in 2020 may have been fraudulent and not counted.

Delving further into the implications of their findings, researchers examined the electoral outcomes in six key swing states—Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. Under various scenarios reflecting different levels of fraudulent ballots, they recalculated the vote totals to assess the potential impact on the election results.

The analysis indicated that President Trump would have emerged victorious in all but three scenarios, showing the profound significance of mail-in ballot fraud in shaping the election outcome. Even where both candidates ended up with the same number of Electoral College votes, Trump would have likely secured victory due to the Republican control of more state delegations.

Despite criticism of the survey methodology and question clarity, Heartland researchers stand by their findings, saying there is an urgent need for state legislatures to implement measures to safeguard the integrity of future elections.

My Cousin Elmo says, “I’m confused. If it’s called Daylight Savings Time, how is it we lost an hour?”

Misconduct allegations are shaking the Washoe County School District (WCSD), prompting accusations of a politically motivated conspiracy.

Trustee Jeff Church, a vocal advocate for reform within the district, finds himself at the center of a controversy that has ignited a firestorm of accusations and counterclaims. Church alleges that his fellow board members are targeting him to undermine his credibility and derail his reelection bid.

At the heart of the matter are allegations of sexual harassment leveled against Church by two female district employees. The accusations, which Church vehemently denies, supposedly occurred in a parking lot following a board meeting. However, video evidence exonerates him, placing him elsewhere at the time of the alleged incident.

Furthermore, Church contends that the board’s leadership, particularly Board President Beth Smith and Trustee Diane Nicolet, have attempted to silence him and tarnish his reputation. He claims that efforts to initiate an independent investigation continue to be refused, leading him to file a Writ of Mandamus to compel compliance with Nevada law and district policies.

The controversy escalated with the district demanding $500,000 in funds to defend against potential legal action initiated by Church. The development has raised eyebrows, with Church and his supporters decrying what they perceive as an attempt to cover up a purported conspiracy within the highest echelons of the district.

The drama has drawn attention to broader concerns about governance and transparency within WCSD. The district’s handling of the allegations and reluctance to pursue an impartial investigation are in question.

Church has called for public scrutiny and accountability, urging community members to attend the upcoming board meeting on March 12th. He contends that the allegations against him are part of a concerted effort to undermine his position and stifle his efforts to advocate for meaningful reform within the district.

The tumultuous situation within WCSD comes against a backdrop of persistently low proficiency rates in English Language Arts and Mathematics, raising serious concerns about the quality of education. With several board members, including Church, up for reelection in November 2024, the controversy adds uncertainty to an already fraught electoral landscape.