The Old Blog in the Desert

The wind came hard out of the east, driving sand and loose gravel like buckshot from a scattergun. It stung the skin, rattled against the rocks, and hissed through the sagebrush, speaking in a dry, restless voice. A man caught out in it would pull his hat low, turn his collar up, and keep moving, knowing full well that the wind didn’t care if he lived or died.

After taking a drubbing from Damonte Ranch in their last outing, the Wooster Colts came out on Saturday with something to prove. And prove it they did, though they kept the crowd on edge until the final out, scraping past the Fernley Vaqueros with a narrow 4-3 victory.

It marks the fourth straight time the Colts have sent the Vaqueros packing, a streak that shows no signs of cooling. Seven Wooster bats got in on the action, with Cayden Corl leading the charge. The young slugger went 2-for-3, slapping a double in the process—his best showing at the plate since April 2024.

The hard-fought win evens Wooster’s record at 1-1, while Fernley’s woes continue as they stumble to 1-5-1 with four straight losses. If the Vaqueros were hoping for a shot at redemption, they didn’t have to wait long. Unfortunately, the Colts had more of the same ready, shutting them out 4-0 in the rematch later that day.

Virginia City’s Muckers took to the diamond Saturday with the grit and determination that would have made the old Comstock miners proud, walking away with a hard-fought 15-12 victory. The triumph marked a historic moment for the squad, as it was their first time toppling this particular opponent on enemy turf since the spring of 2024.

Leading the charge was the fleet-footed Nanna Lopez, who proved herself a terror on the basepaths. She crossed home plate four times and swiped three bases, reaching base in all four of her trips to the plate. If there’s a player more reliable for stealing bases, the record books haven’t found them yet—Lopez has filched at least one in each of her last seven outings, stretching back to the prior season. Not to be outdone, Ava Farrell going 2-for-3 with a triple, two runs, and a stolen base.

The Muckers’ bats were alive and well, racking up a .407 average on the day. That’s no fluke either, as they’ve now cleared a .316 mark in six straight contests. Their record stands at 2-0-1, though the celebration was short-lived—they hit the field again on the 8th and ran into a buzzsaw, dropping a 23-13 slugfest.

Over in the boys’ camp, Dayton was the beneficiary of an unusual victory, winning by forfeit over Hug on Saturday. The Dust Devils remain unblemished at 6-0, their offensive prowess carrying them through this dominant stretch with an average of 11.7 runs per game. As for Hug, misfortune continues, with a staggering 24-game losing streak leaving them winless at 0-4.

Both squads now turn their eyes to their upcoming challenges. Dayton will defend their home turf against South Tahoe on Wednesday at 3:30 p.m., riding the momentum of three consecutive home wins. Meanwhile, Hug faces an uphill battle, squaring off against Elko at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, hoping to shake off their lingering woes.

But Not for You

It’s a curious thing how a politician’s mind works. One moment, they are as blind as a mole in daylight, and the next, they develop the keen eyesight of a hawk when a cause arises that suits their fancy. Such is the case with Senator Catherine Cortez Masto, who, with great fanfare, has thrown her support behind a bipartisan bill to prevent foreign adversaries from buying up American farmland near military installations.

Now, this all sounds like common sense, and one might even applaud—except for the nagging inconvenience of memory. Because while the senator is busy proclaiming her devotion to national security, one can’t help but recall her other votes—such as her refusal to end the government’s habit of dipping its hands into the pockets of hardworking waiters and waitresses by taxing their tips. Or her lack of concern for overtime workers who see their extra pay gobbled up before it reaches their wallets.

Then there’s the matter of fairness or the senator’s definition. She has had no qualms about allowing men to compete in women’s sports, though any farmhand from Reno to Rattlesnake Ridge could tell you that a rooster doesn’t belong in the henhouse.

Most telling of all, while she stands ready to protect farmland, she has little to say to the mothers who have lost their daughters to crimes committed by illegal aliens. Nor does she spare a word for the 13-year-old child battling cancer, whose plight she passes by as though it were no more than a tumbleweed in the wind.

But if you were to ask her about these things, you’d find she is as hard to catch as a jackrabbit in a sagebrush thicket. No, the senator prefers safe speeches and even safer crowds, where no one will trouble her with questions that she can’t answer with a well-rehearsed phrase and a smile.

And so, the farmland may be safe, but the average Nevadan? Well, they’d best look out for themselves.

A Tale of Lost Amateurs and Found Fortunes

It used to be that a young man—or an exceptionally hardy young woman—could lace up a pair of shoes, step onto a field, and compete for the sheer joy of proving that their legs were faster, arms stronger, and their lungs mightier than the next fellow’s. There was honor in it, and perhaps a ribbon or a medal, but that was about the extent of the reward.

The Amateur Athletics Union (AAU) presided over such contests like a proud but stingy uncle, ensuring that neither fortune nor profit sullied the purity of a sport. That dear reader is as extinct as a Dodo in a boxing ring.

Enter a legislative endeavor in Nevada that proposes to remove the last vestiges of amateurism from college athletics called Senate Bill 293. Spearheaded by Roberta Lange of Las Vegas, this bill would allow colleges and universities—UNR, UNLV, and their ilk—to directly compensate student-athletes for their name, image, and likeness.

In other words, the days of young men sweating for school pride alone are about as fashionable as a leather football helmet. It is all part of a grander scheme—House v. NCAA, a case that, if fully approved, will send cash cascading down upon student-athletes like a slot machine hitting the jackpot.

Schools that once pleaded poverty when asked for better dining hall meatloaf are now lining up to share revenue from media deals, ticket sales, and sponsorships. UNR and UNLV have already assured donors they’re in on the deal.

At present, the money flows through boosters, businesses, and shadowy collectives operating with all the transparency of a magician’s trick. But if SB 293 passes, the universities will take the wheel, steering their financial chariots to ensure their athletes get compensated. Whether this heralds the golden age of collegiate sports or the final nail in the coffin of its so-called purity remains to be seen.

But one thing is sure—the Amateur Athletics Union, which once ruled Nevada’s playing fields with an iron whistle, has been reduced to a relic of a bygone era, much like a gymnasium with wooden dumbbells or a basketball court without corporate sponsorship.

The Lyon County Board of County Commissioners convened on March 6, 2025, to hash out county affairs, approve what needed approval, and settle what needed settling. Among the more noteworthy moments of the meeting was Sheriff Brad Pope presenting Deputy Trevor Bonds with a Meritorious Service Medal for his gallant conduct during a high-speed hullabaloo in Smith Valley on January 25.

The Commissioners then turned their attention to Nevada Copper, which, like many a hopeful miner before it, had found itself in a bit of a financial pickle. The company was allowed to square its personal property tax debt for $1,170,339.77. In a stroke of charity—or perhaps pragmatism—the Board waived penalties and trimmed the bill by five percent, provided Nevada Copper paid up without delay.

In other matters of local consequence, the Commissioners blessed Desert Hills Dairy to expand its anaerobic digester systems. Those unfamiliar with the term may take comfort in knowing that it is a sophisticated way of saying the dairy can now do more with cow leavings than letting them pile up.

Verizon Wireless and its accomplice, Vertical Bridge, secured a Conditional Use Permit to plant a new wireless communications facility and a 115-foot windmill tower in Mason Valley. The windmill, presumably, is for aesthetic purposes or perhaps a nod to the past, as it is unlikely Verizon intends to harness the wind for anything other than metaphorical purposes.

Meanwhile, the Commissioners took a red pen to The Lakes at Dayton Valley Planned Use Development. Out went the idea of a hotel and casino, in came something more fittingly labeled “Community Commercial,” which could mean anything from a laundromat to a grand emporium of curiosities. Additionally, a zoning map amendment was approved to reassign various parcels from single-family nonrural residential and tourist commercial designations to the more all-encompassing PUD (Planned Unit Development), ensuring the future of Dayton Valley remains as flexible as a well-worn saddle.

Silver Springs also saw its fair share of change, as Tract Capital Management, LP, received the go-ahead to swap out vast swaths of land from rural to suburban and from fifth rural residential to service industrial. The Board also approved a “mini master plan,” which, despite its diminutive moniker, will steer the planning of roads, waterworks, and sundry necessities across a 460-acre stretch.

Lastly, the Commissioners turned their attention to the Sheriff’s Office, approving the conversion of certain evidence items—including firearms—into County Property for lawful use or disposal. It is unclear whether the disposal will involve smelting or a more creative redistribution, but it got settled without fuss.

After a solemn silence worthy of a tomb, the Nevada Supreme Court has stirred on the matter of Reno’s esteemed Mayor, Hillary Schieve, and the case of the mysterious GPS tracker. The justices have graciously set aside 34 minutes on April 8—presumably because 35 would be an unreasonable indulgence—for oral arguments on whether the name of the man who hired a private investigator to follow the movements of Schieve shall get tossed to the lions.

Schieve and former Washoe County Commission Chair Vaughn Hartung have taken great offense at the notion that a public servant might be subject to scrutiny. It is an understandable concern, for history has shown that public officials prefer their affairs to remain as private as possible—particularly when wrongdoings get uncovered.

The problem, however, is that a certain “John Doe” hired a private investigator, David McNeely, to conduct this scrutiny. McNeely employed a GPS tracker—an act which, while perhaps impolite, is not so very different from the time-honored tactics used by law enforcement, news reporters, and opposition research teams.

For his part, Doe argues that hiring an investigator was a fine example of First Amendment conduct, for if one cannot look into the actions of public officials without fear of retribution, then what need have we of private investigators at all?

The mayor and her compatriot, however, see it differently. To them, this is not about transparency or accountability but their sacred right to govern the public without being watched.

In its infinite wisdom, the court has already ruled that McNeely must name names, but Doe has thrown himself upon the mercy of the justices, hoping to keep his anonymity. Should he lose, he may appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court or resign himself to the reality that, in Nevada, investigating the powerful is a pastime best left to those with nothing to lose.

Should his name be revealed, Schieve and Hartung will have their satisfaction, and the civil case against McNeely and Doe will proceed. Should the court rule in favor of Doe, the mayor, with her ally, will have to proceed by suing only the investigator.

Either way, the message is clear: the next time one wishes to investigate an elected official, one should consider the wisdom of remaining blissfully ignorant.

Out yonder past the prairie’s bend,
A cowboy rode to find his mend.
His wits were dull, his thoughts ran slow,
He needed brains to help him grow.

He found a Doc in a fancy coat,
Who stroked his chin and cleared his throat.
“A brain transplant? Well, sure, I can!
I got three kinds for a thinkin’ man.”

The cowboy tipped his hat and said,
“Well, tell me what ya got instead
The Doc said, “First, a healer’s mind,
For three hundred, it’s sharp and kind.”

“A lawyer’s brain, now that’s worth more,
Five hundred bucks, it’s full of lore.
But if ya got some high aims,
Ten thousand buys the politician’s brain.”

The cowboy’s brow went stiff and tight,
“Ten thousand? That don’t seem right!
Why’s that one worth so much more.”
The doc just grinned and swore,

“Well, friend, it’s fresh, it’s clean, it’s true,
Never been used—and it’s practically new!”

Baseball and softball are as unpredictable as a desert storm—wild, relentless, and capable of turning instantly. From Virginia City to Dayton and beyond, teams battled for bragging rights, with some walking away victorious and others licking their wounds.

After falling to non-varsity opponent in their last meeting, the Virginia City Muckers’ softball squad came out with fire in their bellies on Saturday, clinching a 15-12 victory. It was their first road win against their rivals since March last year, and they had none other than Nanna Lopez to thank.

Lopez was a nightmare on the basepaths, scoring four times and stealing three bases while reaching base in all four of her plate appearances. Not to be outdone, Ava Farrell went 2-for-3, tallying two runs, a triple, and a stolen base.

The Muckers’ bats were relentless, boasting a scorching .407 batting average on the day—continuing a six-game streak of hitting .316 or better. But the celebration was short-lived. When the two teams meet again, Virginia City found themselves on the losing end of a 23-13 slugfest, dropping their record to 2-1-1.

Next up, the Muckers will make their home debut against Wells.

Fernley’s softball team didn’t just win on Saturday—they made a statement. The Vaqueros overwhelmed the Sparks Railroaders with a 17-1 shellacking, securing their second straight victory and boosting their record to 5-1.

They’ve now won three games this season by at least five runs, proving that when they get rolling, there’s little that can stop them.

Fernley’s baseball squad didn’t fare as well. They found themselves on the wrong end of a 4-0 shutout at the hands of the Wooster Colts, marking their fifth consecutive loss to their rivals.

Despite the defeat, Hayden Lyon was a lone bright spot on the mound. The young hurler struck out eight batters over five innings while allowing just one earned run on four hits—the fewest given up since March 2024.

The loss dropped Fernley to 1-6-1 on the season.

Meanwhile, over in Dayton, the Dust Devils made quick work of the Hug Hawks on Saturday, steamrolling their way to an 18-1 victory—their sixth straight win against their northern foes. The game was over almost as soon as it began, thanks to a dominant two-way performance from Duke Evans.

Evans was untouchable on the mound, striking out seven batters over three innings while surrendering no earned runs on three hits. It was his first scoreless outing since April 2024. But he wasn’t done there—at the plate, he went a perfect 2-for-2 with a home run, four RBIs, and a double, setting a new personal best in RBIs.

If Evans was the hammer, Ivor Evans was the anvil. He torched Hug’s pitching staff, going 2-for-3 with a home run, seven RBIs, and three runs scored.

Those seven RBIs were also a career-high, cementing his place as the team’s biggest offensive threat. Dallan Cowee rounded out the offensive showcase, going 1-for-2 with a triple, two runs, and a stolen base.

Dayton’s red-hot offense posted a .474 batting average, marking the fifth consecutive game in which they’ve improved their team hitting percentage. The win pushed their record to 5-1, with an average margin of 14 runs per game.

Next, Dayton will host Smith Valley on Tuesday, with the Dust Devils’ pitching staff—which has allowed just 2.2 runs per game—ready to put the clamps on another opponent. Hug, now 2-2, will try to bounce back when they take on Lowry at home next Saturday.

With plenty of baseball and softball left–the season is still wide open.

Nevada’s Carson City Federal Building on the Chopping Block

In a move not seen in nearly 60 years, the General Services Administration (GSA)—the federal government’s highfalutin real estate broker—has been ordered by President Trump to offload over 500 buildings deemed “non-core assets.” It is part of a sweeping effort to cut waste and rein in the government’s ever-expanding footprint, a move that’s sure to ruffle the feathers of bureaucrats who have long grown comfortable in their taxpayer-funded offices.

Among the properties marked for sale is Carson City’s Federal Building at 705 N. Plaza Street. Built to house the U.S. Post Office in 1972 after it vacated the historic structure now known as the Paul Laxalt State Building, the unassuming facility has since been home to a collection of federal agencies, including the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, the Federal Highway Administration, the Bureau of Reclamation, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

But now, the government has decided it no longer needs the space, leaving its tenants wondering where they’ll hang their hats next. The GSA’s goal is nothing short of a downsizing move—reducing its owned buildings by 70 percent and shrinking the overall real estate footprint by 50 percent.

Unlike the Associated Press’s mistaken claim that Elon Musk is behind this initiative, this directive comes straight from the Trump administration, marking one of the most significant reductions in federal property holdings in modern history. The plan is to sell off the buildings rather than continue maintaining underused space and instead lease offices only where necessary—cutting costs and forcing efficiency in a government that has long resisted both.

Nevada is just one piece of the puzzle. Other notable buildings set to hit the market include Chicago’s John C. Kluczynski Federal Building, Boston’s John F. Kennedy Federal Building, and Tennessee’s Ed Jones Federal Building. What fate awaits these properties remains uncertain. But given the government’s knack for mismanagement, one hopes they don’t end up as overpriced condominiums or empty shells haunted by the ghosts of federal inefficiency.

For Carson City, the question is who will buy 705 N. Plaza Street. If history is any guide, someone will figure out how to turn government surplus into private profit.

Whether that means an office park, a casino, or an enterprising land baron snapping it up for pennies on the dollar, one thing is clear—when Washington decides to clean house, it pays to pay attention.