The New Year began with word that 75 percent of applicants had failed the Department of Motor Vehicles written test needed for the new driver authorization card. Passed by the 2013 Legislature and signed by Governor Brian Sandoval the law allows illegal’s in Nevada without citizenship status to get the driver authorization cards.

Also in January, former Nevada State Assemblyman Bernie Anderson died. The Washoe County Democrat represented District 31 and was a retired Reed High School teacher.

He served from 1991 through 2010, in several key positions including chairman of the Assembly Judiciary Committee. His family says the 71-year-old had been hospitalized in Reno since December 26th for pulmonary problems.

Nevada decided to drop its defense of a state ban on gay marriage in February. This despite Nevada’s voters approving a state constitutional amendment by wide margins in back-to-back elections in 2000 and 2002 barring same-sex marriage, establishing that “only a marriage between a male and a female person shall be recognized and given effect.”

The move, made by the state’s Democratic attorney general with the support of its Republican governor, did not legalize gay marriage in Nevada but removed the state as an opponent of those fighting to overturn the ban in federal court. Same-sex marriage in Nevada was okayed on October 9, 2014, after a federal district court judge issued an injunction against the state’s enforcement of its ban on same-sex marriage, acting on order from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

In early spring, the Bureau of Land Management sought to carry out federal orders to remove rancher Cliven Bundy’s cattle, which had been grazing on BLM-administered land near Bunkerville. Bundy refused to budge, and neither did the armed supporters who came to his defense.

That led to a lengthy standoff — which was catnip for national news organizations –before federal authorities eventually withdrew from the area. The dispute, which dates to 1993, remains unresolved.

The medical marijuana movement finally made its way to Nevada this year. And even though the growing and selling of medical marijuana was approved by the 2013 Legislature, the plant remains a point of contention and a probable focal-point for the 2015 Nevada Legislature.

Lawmakers are expected to debate legalizing the recreational use of marijuana and will propose a study on the issues surrounding DUIs, employment drug testing and how it relates to Nevada’s medical marijuana law. They ‘re also going to see a bills introduced seeking the legalization of hemp, so it can be used as clothing, oils, carpeting, auto parts, ropes and biofuels and another allowing medical marijuana licenses to be transferred between people.

On June 8, Metropolitan Police officers Alyn Beck and Igor Soldo were shot dead while having lunch at a pizza restaurant in east Las Vegas. The two assailants ambushed the officers, murdering them, then overtook a nearby Walmart, shooting and killing bystander Joseph Wilcox.

Wilcox, who was armed, attempted to stop the pair as they entered the store front. After an in-store standoff between officers and the assailants, the nightmare ended when police shot and killed the male suspect and the woman turned her gun on herself.

Also in June, Las Vegas resident Nia Sanchez was crowned Miss USA, beating out 50 other contestants from all the states and the District of Columbia Sunday for the title. Sanchez will go on to represent the U.S. at the Miss Universe competition January 15, 2015.

For the first time in state history, Nevada placed a representative in the Little League World Series with a group of 12-year-olds from Mountain Ridge Little League. They advanced all the way to the U.S. championship game, falling one game short of facing South Korea for the title in August.

Year-after-year, Nevada lawmakers – with the goading of unions — have stressed the need to diversify the state’s economy. In September, they put their money — a lot of money — where their mouths are, agreeing to a $1.3 billion tax-incentive package for electric-car manufacturer Tesla Motors to open a massive battery plant east of Reno.

After months of speculation, Tesla CEO Elon Musk and Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval told the people of Nevada their home is the future home of the world’s largest lithium-ion battery factory. Then the Nevada Legislature held a special session to make the billion-dollar incentive deal legal, and many lawmakers have said preparing for the influx of new residents could make Tesla a major focus of the 2015 legislative session.

Sandoval projects the plant, which is scheduled to open in two to three years, will create 22,000 jobs for the state.

Around the same time that the Sandoval announced the Tesla deal, state authorities are attempting to the ride-share program, “Uber,” from operating in Nevada. The Nevada Attorney General’s Office, working on behalf of the Transportation Authority, sought injunctions in Washoe and Clark counties as well as Carson City were the company was operating.

The situation has stalled in court.

The Nevada Supreme Court ruled termed-out Reno City Council Members can’t run for Mayor, which led to the largest primary race in Reno’s history and a game of lawmaker musical chairs. Hillary Schieve’s win opened up a council seat, filled by David Bobzien, which opened up a Nevada Assembly seat that has yet to be filled.

After firing Washoe County School Police Chief Mike Mieras, reportedly unrelated questions arose about Pedro Martinez’s professional background. School Board Trustees decided, behind closed doors, to relieve Martinez of his duty, leading to public outrage over the lack of transparency and eventually to school board president Barbara Clark being ousted by 65 percent of voters in the general election.

Nevada voters rejected an initiative to impose a two-percent tax on businesses making $1 million annually to raise money to fund schools in a state near the bottom nationwide in per-pupil spending. Backers of the initiative were largely funded by unions including the Nevada State Education Association.

Re-elected, Sandoval led a GOP sweep of all six statewide offices: Mark Hutchison as Lieutenant Governor, Adam Laxalt as Attorney General, Barbara Cegavske as Secretary of State, Dan Schwartz as Treasurer and Ron Knecht as Controller. Republican Cresent Hardy will join incumbents Joe Heck and Mark Amodei in Congress.

Shortly after the November elections it was learned that even with the state’s entire “rainy day” fund, Nevada will see a budget shortfall of more than $61 million – this means the possibility of higher taxes. Sandoval plans unveil his budget proposal in the State of the State address set for January 15, 2015.

Eight Nevada lands bills, including one that promises to create about 800 high-paying jobs, passed the U.S. House in early December. The Lyon County Economic Development and Conservation Act would transfer about 10,000 acres owned by the Bureau of Land Management to the city of Yerington to allow for expansion of the Nevada Copper mine at Pumpkin Hollow.

An industrial park and recreation areas would also be developed. The copper operation is projected to produce more than 800 construction and mining jobs and 4,400 indirect jobs.

On December 19, Obama signed the bill into law.

Isaiah 5:20 warns, “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.” This is exactly what progressives in the U.S. Senate on both side of the aisle continue to do.

The latest example is Alissa Starzak, who’s accused of stealing and leaking CIA documents to California Senator Diane Feinstein. The Senate Armed Services Committee nominated Starzak to become the Army’s top lawyer December 9, jus’ days before the 525-page Senate report’s release.

Despite the accusation, Starzak still has a chance at becoming general counsel to the U.S. Army since Arizona Senator John McCain is likely to become the next chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee. He has come out in defense of releasing all details about supposed torture activities committed by the U.S.

Such rewarding by a once-Godly nation is dangerous to its survival.

It was also in Isaiah — 3:8 to be exact — where the prophet wrote: “Jerusalem staggers, Judah is falling; their words and deeds are against the Lord, defying his glorious presence.” Simply replace ‘Jerusalem’ with ‘Washington D.C.’ and ‘Judah’ with ‘America,’ and anyone who’s a believer can see where we’re headed.

Stop thinking you’re not ready.
Nobody ever feels 100-percent prepared when an opportunity arises.
Most great occasions in life force us to grow beyond our comfort zones.

They’d jus’ landed at base after a 48-hour medical support mission. But it didn’t matter as the call, “Nine-line, nine-line, nine-line,” came across the squawk-box.

In less than four-minutes the helicopter and crew were airborne again.

As they reached the hot zone, they learned there was no landing area and would have to hover, taking enemy fire, while lowering Doc into the jungle. As he readied for the drop, carrying a medical bag, an evacuation litter, his pistol and knife, a thought rushed in.

“This could be it,” he reflected as he hooked his harness into the cable and exited the helicopter.

Shortly after stepping of the helicopter’s skid, the cable stopped moving — leaving Doc hanging above the battle.

Doc yelled up at the man, who was leaning out the helicopter doorway, “Get me down before I turn into a fucking piñata!”

But he could only watch the Gunny Sergeant frantically work on the motor to get it running again. A minute passed before the line jerked alive, and continued lowering Doc towards the jungle floor.

As the penetrator broke through the trees, Doc could see the muzzle-flashes from the bullets fired at him. They all missed and once on the ground, he could tell the squad was in bad-shape.

Immediately, he went to work on the Hospital Corpsman who’d been shot through the gut. It was clear that they young man would not survive without emergency surgery.

Doc secured him to the litter, gripped the guide tether to keep it from spinning, and then radioed for the lift to begin. Again shots rang out, missing the wounded Marine.

Aided by cover-fire from other helicopters overhead, within two minutes, the wounded Marine was heading for the nearest aid station.

By the time the helicopter returned, there were two more injured — one Marine who had a sucking chest wound and another with a shattered pelvis. Again Doc worked as fast as possible to package and secure the wounded for rapid transit.

Doc then volunteered to stay and continue the fight. It would be another three-or-so hours before the battle ended and Doc could sprawl out on his rack, to catch some much-needed shut-eye.

It’s puzzling how people who have no real life-skills and even less than stellar dubious achievements are able to get ahead in this world. Take for instance the ‘Reverend’ Al Sharpton.

He sat down with Sony Pictures head Amy Pascal and now the company says it plans to give him a say in how they makes movies. After the meeting, Sharpton claimed Sony would work closely with his ‘National Action Network’ to see it they can come up with a plan to deal with racism.

This is jus’ another form of censorship — and yet it’s okay.

 

Holidays are here.
Can you hear the Christmas bells?
Jesus is alive!

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s 8-year-old daughter Shiloh appeared on the red carpet for her mom’s new film, ‘Unbroken’ dressed in a suit. She also asks to be called “John.”

It seems the child’s request is causing a raging battle on the Internet. Parents are upset over the kid’s self-identification with the ‘opposite sex,’ while still others are ‘fine’ with it.

Hell, when I was Shiloh’s age, I self-identified as a dog named “Spike” for months, and no one gave a damn.

 

Boxing great Muhammad Ali has pneumonia. The three-time world heavyweight champion, who is also battling Parkinson’s disease, is in stable condition.

Ali recently made a surprise appearance at the Nevada Division I state football championships at Damonte Ranch High in Reno, December 6. He and his daughter Rasheda Walsh and sister-in-law Marilyn Williams, were there to watch his grandson Biaggio Ali Walsh play.

In the end Las Vegas’ Bishop Gorman stomped the Sparks’ Reed High, 70-28 — and the ‘the greatest,’ may have developed pneumonia.

The bill for President Barack Obama’s late November visit to Southern Nevada has finally been tallied up. Aside from bilking federal tax payers, his trip to explain his executive overreach on immigration cost a whopping $171,499.36 to Nevada’s state and local police.

Henderson police forked-out $143,685.21 for Obama’s November 21-23 trip. Meanwhile, the Nevada Highway Patrol spent $27,814.15 in salary and overtime for 102 people who provided security during some part of Obama’s latest three-day visit – which included a few rounds of golf.

Don’t expect to get any of that money back either.

President Barack Obama held his end-of-year press conference before jetting off to Hawaii for a 17-day Christmas vacation. In it he said Sony “made a mistake” cancelling the release of the movie “The Interview,” after a cyber-attack on the company’s computer system by North Korea, and stated the U.S. will respond “proportionately.”

Proportionately — in this case means — “We have no plans, yet.”

“I think it says something interesting about North Korea that they decided to have the state mount an all-out assault on a movie studio because of a satirical movie starring Seth Rogen and James Flacco,” Obama said. “I love Seth, and I love James. But the notion that that was a threat to them gives you some sense, I think, of the kind of regime we’re talking about here.”

James Flacco? It’s James Falco, Mr. President.

Obama also talked about his decision this week to restore diplomatic relations with the communist government of Cuba. However, he side-stepped all the looting and rioting that’s taken place as he touched on race relations, calling what happened in Ferguson, New York and elsewhere a “healthy conversation.”

Evidently Obama’s idea of a ‘healthy conversation’ consists of violent riots, looting, arson and the murder of police.