Full Funding is Proposed for Washoe County Libraries, But Director Faces Possible Dismissal on Wednesday Night

“Washoe County is proposing full funding for the Washoe County Library for this next fiscal year. I am relieved and grateful for our community's advocacy for the library and for the support of the Commissioners and Trustees,” Washoe County Library Director Jeff Scott wrote to Our Town Reno on Friday, after news came through that the county is proposing to fully fund current library programs for the next fiscal year.

There has been uncertainty for months, after voters, some of them confused by the wording on their ballots, chose to discontinue a previous dedicated financing mechanism, sending the money instead to the county’s general fund.  

In a follow up phone conversation, Scott said it has now been decided at the county level that money previously set aside for a new North Valleys Library, or about $3.3 million, should be used for upcoming operational funds, with an additional $1.3 million coming from the county “to make the budget whole.”

The existing North Valleys library on North Hills Blvd is in a leased facility with rent due on a monthly basis.  

Scott said there’s a private donor interested in helping out building a new county-owned one, which all told could cost about $20 million, with future plans to have it serve as a multi government facility for an area lacking available services. 

County Commissioners are due to vote on the county’s budget at their next meeting on Tuesday, amid overall shortfalls.

Some protesters have called on Jeff Scott to be fired from his position. amid their opposition to library policies.

Meanwhile, the Library Director is scheduled to be publicly evaluated Wednesday at a possibly contentious Library Board of Trustees meeting starting at 5:30 p.m. at the downtown Reno library.

Item 7b indicates: “90-day performance evaluation of Washoe County Library Director, Jeff Scott, to include: an update on the results of the 90-day performance evaluation feedback survey by Washoe County Human Resources, an update on accomplishments by Library Director Scott, and a discussion by the Library Board of Trustees on the job performance of Director Scott and possible action including, but not limited to, corrective action plan, reduction in pay, reprimand, endorsement, engagement, retention, dismissal if necessary, or ‘no action’.”

A 90-day clock was started after a heated meeting in January. 

Current trustees who will decide his fate are chair Ann Silver, vice chair Tami Ruf, and three other trustees Gianna Jacks, Lea Moser and Marie Rodriguez. 

“I’m happy with the work that I've done, and we'll see what the board wants to say,” Scott said.  

In our interview, he disputed online criticism that the library’s budget isn’t transparent 

“Everything that we're doing, you walk into the building, that's where the money is being spent,” he said.  

“You’ve got staff. You’ve got books on the shelves, and you’ve got computers and technology there. Those are the three biggest expenses.... It's not a complicated budget. It's probably the most simplistic budget that we have in the county. And you know directly where it goes. You walk in the building, you see where it's being spent on. So, I'm always kind of surprised by this kind of criticism because it's a public library. What books do we have on the shelves? You can look them up online.”

Our Town Reno reporting, April 2025

Mutual Aid Group Volunteers and Skateboarders Face Displacement Due to Rollin' Reno

A prominent mutual aid group, possible protesters and skateboarders face relocation up ahead during the Downtown Reno Partnership organized Rollin’ Reno, which is scheduled from June 11th to August 9th at Believe Plaza, with possible additional setup time prior to that.  

Previous one night iterations of Rollin’ Reno at Locomotion Plaza are being expanded with a weeks long takeover of what has become a central downtown public Reno space, used by regular skaters, occasional protesters and also Family Soup Mutual Aid, with weekly food distributions there on Tuesday evenings. 

In a recent letter to the Downtown Reno Partnership the mutual aid group noted how they hadn’t missed a single Tuesday distribution of food and harm reduction tools since late October 2021. The event is communal in spirit, bringing together volunteers from all walks of life as well as locals in need of extra support.    

The Downtown Reno Partnership is a non profit business improvement district.

“We are asking that the Downtown Reno Partnership acknowledge our long standing and ongoing efforts to utilize and enjoy this public space, and that the very community that each of our organizations serve is ultimately one in the same: the people of Reno. Regardless of financial status or class. The people of Reno have vocally, materially, and financially supported our project since day one, and we ask that the upcoming roller skating events that are held at the Believe Plaza are respectful of our presence and observe our right to continue our work in the space, as we have been every week since October 26th, 2021,” the letter indicated. 

“We would love an opportunity to sit down with the individuals planning the upcoming “Rollin’ Reno” event to establish a plan on how to best serve all of our fellow citizens moving forward,” it concluded. 

The Believe Plaza during trash pickup earlier this week.

In a terse response, Downtown Reno Partnership Executive Director Neoma Jardon wrote back to a Family Soup Mutual Aid organizer: “Given the necessary infrastructure installation and the need to secure the space, we are unable to make this accommodation.”

We asked the City of Reno about concerns from the mutual aid group, as well as from skateboarders and potential protesters about being unable to use the space during the Rollin’ Reno utilization, or “activation” as is the buzz word for officials wanting to have more affluent residents occupy downtown spaces.  

“The City of Reno has rentable parks and facilities,” an email we received this evening indicated. “When an approved reservation and special events permit has been granted, the permitted activity allows the organizer exclusive use of that park facility under RMC Sec 8.23.  During a City Plaza reservation, signage is posted to identify an accessible free speech expressive area for alternative use of approximately 10 x 10 feet. The Parks and Recreation Department is exploring options to relocate the skate features during the Rollin’ Reno events. When a park is reserved, park users are encouraged to use one of our 86 other park sites throughout the city within park use guidelines.”  

Our Town Reno reporting, April 9, 2025

Amy Douglass, A Faux Finisher with Transformational Designs

In center photo, faux finisher Amy Douglass transforms her bathroom wall with plaster, showcasing the artistry of decorative painting.

Using specialized techniques, she mimics the look of natural materials like wood, marble, and stone, bringing unique texture and depth to walls and furniture. She’s been in the industry for 10 years, beautifying offices nurseries, kitchens, furniture, and more for local and out of state clients.

Born and raised in Reno, Douglass has been perfecting her craft since college, continuously exploring art in various mediums. "I've always loved making things beautiful," she says, recalling her early passion for art and how she went away for college before returning home. Douglass pursued an art major at Santa Clara University before studying fashion design at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York.

While faux finishing wasn’t always part of Amy’s long-term vision, it became an unexpected yet fulfilling career path, one that allowed her to pursue her artistic passions in ways she hadn’t anticipated. Initially, she aspired to create art from fabric, studying beading and clothing design at yet another school, Ecole Lesage in Paris. She loved her schooling but eventually faced a pivotal decision. She had to decide to continue in the high-paced, demanding world of fashion design or prioritize starting a family.

Becoming a stay-at-home mom proved to be just as rewarding. Douglass discovered her current profession while preparing for the arrival of her first daughter. "Before my first daughter was born, my mother had the nursery painted by a faux finisher. I remember thinking, 'Wow, I would love to do this—but I’m going to be a mom, so I won’t be able to pursue it,'" she says, shifting her focus toward motherhood.

As time went on and Douglass welcomed a second daughter, the opportunity to revisit her artistic ambitions presented itself in an unexpected way. When her daughters reached middle school, she learned that the faux finisher who had painted her nursery, Karen, was retiring. Her mother, an interior designer who had worked with Karen on multiple projects, encouraged her daughter to shadow the experienced artist. What was supposed to be a week of observation turned into six years of hands-on experience before Douglass eventually branched out on her own. She further honed her craft by taking several faux finishing courses in Los Angeles.

Now, with over a decade of experience in the field, Douglass paints with passion and precision, creating custom art for her clients. "The most rewarding part of my job is the clientele—they have all been so kind," she shares. She prides herself on her communication and reliability, ensuring each step of the process is transparent. "I always show up when I say I will, and I keep my clients informed by texting when I arrive and leave. You’d be surprised how many people don’t do that," she says. "I simply treat people the way I would want to be treated if someone were working in my home or business."

However, like many small businesses, Amy’s work was impacted by the pandemic. Sourcing materials became difficult, with her primary supplier discontinuing 85% of its color selection and shutting down its operations in Texas and Los Angeles.

"Now, I have to wait 10 days for a product to arrive from Florida. Otherwise, the shipping costs are just too high on an already expensive material," she explains. Previously, plasters were available in quarts for around $40 plus shipping, but now they are only sold in gallons, costing anywhere from $100 to $280. This shift has made it increasingly costly to create samples for clients. "I never used to charge for samples, but now I have to—unless one of my existing samples happens to match a client’s space," she says.

Her career highlights include working alongside Karen to paint a mural behind the altar at Our Lady of the Snows Church in Reno. She also enjoys working on nurseries, including recently a custom ocean-themed piece of furniture for a new mother. "I painted furniture and canvases for her. Honestly, my best memories come from my clients. I usually get to know them pretty well by the time a project is finished," she says.

Beyond murals and wall finishes, Douglass specializes in reviving old furniture. She wants homeowners to know that age shouldn’t be a reason to discard a well-fitting piece. "If you have solid wood furniture, I can transform it into anything you want, even crocodile texture," she says, recognizing that many beloved pieces just need a new touch.

When Douglass refinished her own oak cabinets, she realized that the transformation completely changed her love for her kitchen. Now, she offers this service to clients, providing an affordable alternative to costly remodels. Many homeowners initially assume that their countertops need replacing when, in reality, a cabinet makeover can make all the difference. "I had one client who was about to have their kitchen cabinets refaced until her husband saw the new materials and said, 'Our cabinets are much sturdier and stronger than this.'” They ultimately hired Douglass, saving over $9,000. "Their bid for refacing was $14,000, but my work cost them less than $5,000," she explains. Redoing cabinets instead of replacing them not only saves money but also prevents unnecessary waste in landfills.

For Douglass, her clients always come first. She never considers a job complete until they are fully satisfied with her work. “I always do what I say I will, and my goal is to make your space a place you love to come home to,”' she says. Just as she has transformed her own home into a space of beauty and comfort, she strives to do the same for her clients. A home should reflect warmth, tranquility, and personal style. No one should feel stuck with cabinets, walls, or furniture they don’t love, she says. Through her company, Faux Works, which can be found at fauxworksreno.com Douglass makes these transformations both accessible and affordable for many in the Reno/Tahoe area.

Reporting by Lauren Juillerat

Heather Goulding, A New Representative Pushing for Effective Solutions to Help Cyclists, Domestic Violence Victims, Pregnant Women and Deal with Abandoned Vehicles

Heather Goulding, a longtime energy research and evaluation senior project manager and volunteer in Northern Nevada, is feeling energized on a Monday morning in Carson City, halfway through her first legislative session, as the new District 27 assembly representative for northwest Reno and parts of Sun Valley and Golden Valley.

“I am thoroughly enjoying it,” she says, with several of her proposed bills getting good initial movement, from helping bicyclists to pregnant women, domestic violence victims and school parents, to dealing with abandoned vehicles. 

Goulding says going in she tried to identify problems, very clearly and precisely.

“So that process of more clearly identifying a problem and then uncovering what all of the unknowns are and making sure that to the best of my ability that I'm creating an effective solution instead of creating unintended consequences that would either not solve the problem or create a different problem. And that's where all of the stakeholder engagement really comes in. So that whole process I find very energizing,” she said before a busy week of more committee hearings up ahead.

“There will be language that needs to be cleaned up. Stakeholders will engage in additional conversation. And so the bills then that come to work session may be modified from that original presentation,” she explained looking at her calendar for her three committees: government affairs, health and human services and revenue.  

One of her own bills has already moved out of committee, AB 168, to improve cyclist safety, which has gotten Goulding, an avid bicyclist, welcome attention. If passed, it could allow bicyclists to treat a stop sign as a yield sign and a red light as a stop sign.  Intersections are dangerous for cyclists, and red lights sometimes never go to green for them, and this would recognize “that giving cyclists the ability to mitigate their own risk is a good thing. It makes bicyclists safer.”

She said it’s ironic in a way this bill is getting so much media traction as her other bills have more of a potential overall impact.

“The bike bill is a fun bill, and … I think it will make our communities more bike friendly. My personal opinion is that though I love that bill, I think that it's less substantial. So it's interesting to me that has received so much attention.”

During the first week of session, she said law enforcement lobbyists marched into her office saying they were opposed.  After removing ebikes and escooters from the bill though, she says they moved to a neutral stance.  

For another bill, AB 250, to provide relief for victims of coercive debt, Goulding just sent a revised amendment to committee members.  

On Instagram last week, accompanying a video before the Commerce and Labor Committee, she wrote: “I’m proud to have introduced AB250, legislation that protects domestic violence survivors from coercive debt by shifting financial responsibility back to their abusers… By passing this bill, Nevada would join the national movement advancing economic justice for survivors of domestic violence.” 

In our phone call, Goulding explained nearly all victims of domestic violence are also victims of economic abuse, “which is when an abuser uses coercion to put debt in the victim's name and then racks up debt.”

Another bill for which she is the primary sponsor, AB360, addresses congenital syphilis testing and treatment for pregnant women who don’t have health insurance or primary care providers.

It’s fine-tuning a bill that was passed a few sessions ago to make sure testing for such a vulnerable group takes place.  

“Even though the bill had been passed, emergency rooms were not testing pregnant folks that came into the emergency rooms because if they came in for some other reason, they had a broken ankle or they had stitches or something, if the cause of there being in the emergency room was not pregnancy, the insurance wasn't covering that testing. So emergency rooms weren't testing. So what we've done is these tweaks on this bill is to make sure that Medicaid will cover the testing and treatment. We're making sure that because this is a really tricky population, it doesn't make sense to test them in the emergency room and then require them to come back two or three days later when the test results come in. So this bill requires a rapid test when they arrive at the emergency room,” she explained. 

If the test is positive, with her proposed bill, treatment would begin immediately.  

Meanwhile, AB205 would reverse the required opting in of human health and sexual education for school kids, with 90% of parents who opt in no longer having to do so, giving the paperwork instead to the small minority who wants to opt out.  

“It would just flip since there's a very small percentage of the parents who don't want their children to participate, it would put the burden on that small percentage instead of on the overwhelming percentage of parents who want to opt their children in,” she said of yet another common sense initiative she is driving. 

Another school related bill AB386 related to assessments administered for reading proficiency is no longer needed, as the test she was seeking is now being adopted.  

“So we're counting that as a win, but we don't need legislative change on that one,” she said.  

An abandoned car by UNR has gone through increasingly deteriorating conditions in recent months.

Finally, a bill which has several other primary sponsors along with Goulding is AB415, to streamline the process of getting rid of abandoned junk vehicles.

“It’s expensive for tow companies. It's expensive for local governments,” Goulding explained.

The solution in the bill has three parts, process, carrot and stick.  

“Instead of having to go track down who the owner is of an abandoned junk vehicle, put a lien hold on it, put the car in an impoundment lot … it gives tow truck companies and municipalities the ability to say, we all agree that this is a junk vehicle. We all know that this is garbage. The owner's never coming back. This is garbage. We're going to treat it like garbage,” she explained. “We're going to have the tow companies pick it up and drive it straight to either the pick and pull if there's that much left on it or it can go straight to the scrap heap. And what it does is it eliminates the bureaucratic hassle that folks have to go through in a current law. And, it's just makes it more efficient.”

Halfway through this session, Goulding says she’s learned the importance of finding a broad base of stakeholder engagement.  

“The best bills are the bills that reflect input from as many stakeholders as possible,” she concluded during our interview.  “I have worked hard even before those first presentations to make sure that I've built a broad base of input from stakeholders. But after the presentation, that process really continues. And it's in dialogue with people that will be impacted by a bill that is so important to continue listening to folks, responding to their concerns, digging in deeply to the issues and existing statutes, existing regulations so that we can make sure that we're really identifying the problem accurately and finding effective solutions. “

Our Town Reno reporting, April 7th 2025

Suspect Arrested After Shooting Outside Club Two One Nine in Downtown Reno

Hailey Bush-Wehde is still listed as an inmate at the Washoe County jail tonight with a $30,000 bond after being booked yesterday on charges of battery with a deadly weapon, carrying a concealed weapon without a valid permit and discharging a gun in a public place, in connection with shots fired during an altercation outside Club Two One Nine on 2nd street last month.

Battery with a deadly weapon is a Category B felony which carries a prison term of two to 10 years.

Lisa Botello whose daughter in the pink top was injured in the shooting early last Sunday is looking for additional charges against people who might have helped the suspect Bush-Wehde hide for so long.

After initially expressing frustration to Our Town Reno no arrest was made immediately following the shooting, she said she now wanted to extend her “gratitude to the Reno police department for getting the job done.”

Botello also wanted to thank Our Town Reno for creating more awareness. “I’m very happy she’s finally off the streets,” she said. “I think that article gave the police the extra motivation they needed.”

She also wants a restraining order placed on Bush-Wehde while she’s still in jail, saying her family has been receiving threats for seeking her arrest.

She says her daughter is getting better every day, getting her appetite back and getting a little bit more mobile, after being shot at in close range when trying to protect her friend outside the downtown Reno club.

The Eden club at the same location was previously suspended last year due to Reno PD reporting code violations and increased crime nearby before remodeling and reopening with a new name.

Our Town Reno reporting, April 6, 2025

Local Businesses Mostly Ignore Messages Asking Why They Feature on Public Square App, While One Removes Itself

There have been recent posts on local social media from Facebook to Reddit about what political leanings local businesses might have, and whether that matters.

This added attention started when Public Square started making headlines with its tagline to “Shop America’s Woke-Free Commerce App and Marketplace.”

During the Biden presidency, its founder Michael Seifert wrote that “if you want to support a digital marketplace that isn’t in bed with a tyrannical regime, PublicSquare.com is the move.”

Seifert has built Public Square to promote what it calls a "marketplace for pro-life, family and freedom products, offering thousands of vetted businesses …. aiming to connect users with values-aligned businesses and brands.” 

Featured businesses include Patriot Mobile, billed as “America’s ONLY Christian Conservative Wireless Provider.” In the Our Story section it’s written: “Now, we’ve reached a pivotal moment where our choices matter more than ever. Americans are tired of compromise and have had enough of supporting companies that hate our values. It's time to stand up for what you believe in and switch to Patriot Mobile.”

Public Square has gained even more attention during the new Trump administration, and lists tens of thousands of companies.

Several readers wrote to Our Town Reno saying they were surprised at some of the local northern Nevada companies which show up on that app.

A Redditor identified the Reno Sparks Scheels, Glory Cloud Coffee Roasters, Calvary Chapel, KidScape Productions, Call to Compassion, LeRue Press, Walden’s Coffeehouse, Fig Tree Catering, Atencio Family Dentistry and The Coons Team on a list of over 50 local businesses appearing on Public Square. At the time of this reporting, all of these companies remained listed on Public Square.  

We contacted a company which had also been previously listed Oncology Nevada, and after several days of back and forth received this response from its CEO Stephen Gabelich: “The Oncology Nevada team appreciates you bringing this to our attention. It appears that anyone can create a listing on this platform without verification, and the practice was unaware of its presence on Public Square. Because we take seriously the accuracy and quality of public information about Oncology Nevada, we reached out and ask they remove the listing.”

By week’s end the listing was no longer on the website.  Oncology Nevada on Double R Blvd promotes itself as “a state of the art cancer center serving the greater Reno area.” 

One local company appearing on Public Square, Fig Tree Catering, was noted as having previously done work for the City of Reno.

In a response which also took several days the City of Reno wrote back: "The City of Reno has utilized Fig Tree Catering services in the past. The last transaction was in October 2007. The City selects vendors in accordance with applicable procurement policies and procedures. The City does not make contracting decisions based on a business’ political affiliations, ideologies or beliefs. Our focus is on securing quality services at a competitive price, while adhering to fair and transparent purchasing processes."

One company CEO Jake Wiskerchen responded after publication via email: “Zephyr Wellness advertises to all demographics and cultures. This includes whomever might browse the Public Square website (read: conservatives and libertarians). Because they comprise a large percentage of northern Nevada residents and they, too, deserve access to counseling services without fear of political judgment, I chose to list Zephyr Wellness there three years ago when it first launched,”

Other businesses we reached out to ignored our messages.  Several commenters on local social media have said a company listed on Public Square will make them want to spend money there while others said it will make them want to avoid it.  This attention also prompted recent posts about what might be left leaning businesses in northern Nevada. 

Our Town Reno reporting, April 5, 2025

Kitty Kisses Cat Cafe Plays Defense on Detractors Who Have Felt Deceived

In photo, a feral cat colony in Sparks, Nevada, amid local divisions among those trying to help cats in need in the community, with one initiative facing heightened criticism from others.   

After we posted an article last month about a Kitty Kisses Cat Cafe post warning two black cats at their location could “go back to the streets,” more members of the community have come forward with concerns about how the Double R Blvd location conducts business more generally.

Complaints range from unexpected charges added onto credit cards after visits, not feeling welcome with children, confusion over the existence of a for profit model alongside charity donations, animosity with other local cat related organizations and why cats are being flown in from Hawaii while area cats are in need. 

Kallie Laity bought what used to be called the Enchanted Cat Cafe lounge from its founders Devin Sizemore and Haley Meadows for whom she had previously worked for, reportedly for $80,000 in July 2022, plus monthly interest.  

We asked Kitty Kisses Cat Cafe about these concerns as well as the location’s financial setup, to which we received an email which indicated: “With all due respect, some of these inquiries would require the divulsion [sic] of sensitive, proprietary information which we will not address. Answers to other inquiries are public record, have been previously shared to our audience, or are untrue or irrelevant.” 

Concerning the cats from Hawaii the email indicated: “Not only is Kitty Kisses partnered with rescues in Hawaii (since May 2024) who are absolutely inundated, we partner with rescues including but not limited to Washoe County Regional Animal Services, Community Cats of Reno, Fallon Animal Control, and Friends of Normie in LA - Kitty Kisses was instrumental in helping during the fire in January. We also accept owner surrenders. While Kitty Kisses is based in Northern Nevada, we will not turn away an urgent request for help from rescues located elsewhere, as long as we are sure that our local community is not struggling too!” 

A graphic we were emailed above concerning the separation between the non profit and the for profit.

On the Kitty Kisses Cat Cafe website, when we last checked, the second hyperlink was for Kitty Kisses Rescue of Reno a non profit “charity organization serving Reno, NV that focuses on cat welfare and resources.”   The email indicated this non profit status was granted in late February 2024 and announced in June 2024, “as much preparation needed to be completed.”

The kittykissescatcafe Instagram page had as some of its bio wording “Reno’s 1st & only Cat Cafe & Rescue (nonprofit) since ’22!” mixing the two concepts there, as well as using the same physical space.  

The email addressed the separation of the for profit and non profit sections by pointing us to an Instagram post from March which indicated “lately, we’ve noticed a misunderstanding, so we’re here to clear it up.” 

A graphic indicated the cat cafe donates cat lounge space to rescue partners and hosts adoptable cats, while the non profit handles adoption inquiries and approvals. 

An additional graphic included in the email indicates money raised by the non profit is not used by the cafe.  

On several pages of the website, there’s the design of a pink cat indicating underneath that there have been over 300 adoptions via Kitty Kisses.  There’s an adoption process page with different flyers for different cats, and a graphic indicating adoption fees are $110 for adults and $125 for kittens, followed by pictures of people hugging and petting adopted cats.  

The website indicates that tickets are required for cat lounge access, with pre-booked tickets with a credit card at $15 for adults for a 50 minute visit, kids ages six to 17 the same, but with the caveat they must be accompanied by an attentive adult and as of April first kids 0 to five no longer allowed.  

Same day tickets are priced at $18, with monthly and annual memberships also available.  On the Plan Your Visit page, there’s a waiver to sign and on the right in pink a Rules When Visiting section, indicating “You will be asked to review these rules again before entering the Cat Lounge” with titled and underlined “EVERY guest must read EVERY rule. EVERY visit.”  There are 14 bullet points and added disclaimers at the bottom.

A shoe policy has its own detailed flow chart diagram, which asks visitors to bring a separate, clean pair of socks or for adults to use borrowed slippers or shoe covers. 

There’s two more sheets concerning children with one indicating that youths six to nine will only be allowed on Sundays going forward.  

A recent review said they thought the prices were steep, including the four to five dollar per coffee at the cafe and that they went with a roommate, “thoroughly read the guidelines and really didn’t do much expect just walk around and look at them [the cats] running around. Couple days later I get a bill for $5 because I apparently broke some rules…. What a ridiculous excuse to make a few extra bucks … This place blows.”

In a response the Kitty Kisses Cat Cafe owner wrote back “although you claim to have read our rules, they were not followed. As a result, authorized incidental charges were incurred.” 

There have been multiple angry comments concerning Kitty Kisses on both Yelp and Google Reviews. Several recent low star Yelp reviews were replied to by “Kallie L. Business owner” saying the person’s name was not found in the waiver or scheduling system,  “which leads us to believe this is a false review” was one reply.  

Extra charges showed up “for apparently breaking the rules,” Rose Tollar-Rae wrote recently about feeling deceived.  “When I asked what rules were broken, I did not get a response. We were extremely respectful and honestly this is just kind of ridiculous.”

Another, Michael Cohen, wrote about an extra $42 on his credit card, and after threatening to write a bad review, he says he was banned.  “Apparently they watch, and take notes, and then charge you extra money afterwards,” he wrote. 

Kaycee Daniel said she paid over $50 on treats and entry and then was charged an additional eight dollars.  “It is a pattern, other people with children in the reviews are all experiencing the same thing,” Daniel wrote.  “They will claim your child was being bad without giving specifics.”

“This place has so many weird rules and policies, it’s as if the owner would rather not have any customers…” Nick Thiessen wrote.  “For example, if you bring a kid that’s 5 years old or younger, you must HOLD THEM the entire time, otherwise they will tack on additional charges.”

Those younger kids are no longer allowed, as noted above.  Many of these negative reviews get answered with lengthy responses which are viewable online.  

A part of the website we were referred to as part of our questions.

Others in the community concerned about cat welfare say that if customers are disruptive they should just be kicked out rather than charged after the fact.  Some who have complained about Kitty Kisses on its Instagram page say they are immediately blocked.  Other visitors have said they paid to enter the cat lounge but then were denied the possibility of adopting due to different reasons.   

In the email from Kitty Kisses it was indicated “paying to visit the Cat Lounge at the Cat Café allows a guest to visit the Cat Lounge for a session; it does not guarantee adoption approval, a process handled by the Rescue. Most of our guests visit socially.”

For local cat lovers operating in these spaces, who said they had high hopes for the place initially, the high number of feral cat colonies in northern Nevada is a challenge, as well as difficulties to access spay and neuter resources, and extremely tight windows with the SPCA of northern Nevada in getting appointments . The one nonprofit veterinary clinic which gets rave reviews Options is severely backed up as well.  Feral colonies start when an unfixed cat is left outside, starts breeding, and then babies grow up to have their own. 

“There are feral cat colonies locally although they are not managed by WCRAS so we don’t have any data about euthanasia rates for local community cat colonies,” Quinn Sweet from the Washoe County Regional Animal Services wrote back to us when we asked about these, followed by a list of “organizations that manage colonies locally: Community Cats, Feral at Heart, Nevada Humane Society, Options Veterinary Care and SPCA of Northern Nevada.”

One organization which used to work with Kitty Kisses, the Fernley-based Precious Paws Society of Nevada, an animal resource and rescue non profit group indicated in an email from Barbara Thompson, “we severed all ties with them in Dec of 2024. We no longer have any of our cats or kittens being fostered and showcased there at the cafe.” No additional details were offered.  

After sending a follow up email to Kitty Kisses Cat Cafe, we received an email responding “Kitty Kisses ended the partnership via email on December 4th, 2024, due to a difference in values. The partnership was no longer mutually productive.” 

Feral at Heart, a local Trap-Neuter-Return organization also does not work with Kitty Kisses due to past difficult interactions.  TNR is an effective method for managing community cat populations by humanely trapping cats, spaying or neutering them, vaccinating them, and then returning them to their original outdoor location. This decreases the risk of disease transmission, improves the health of cats and reduces the need for euthanasia.  

On a recent Facebook post on the Kitty Kisses Resources of Reno public group, Laity listed several other TNR organizations, such as groups operating in Fallon and Winnemucca but not Feral at Heart here in Reno.  

Feral at Heart, a non profit, which traps an average of 250 to 350 cats per year here locally, also puts up cats for adoption and helps with resources on how to trap and save feral cats. 

Concerning criticism from members of the community, the email from Kitty Kisses said “We strive to foster an environment in our space that is safe, kind, respectful, and positive and hope that this attitude emanates to the entire Reno area. Unfortunately, there are others in the local animal rescue field who are not of the same mindset. We do not wish to engage in a false narrative about our entities. Unlike them, we do not participate in the futile act of attempting to disparage other rescues in the area.”

Text messages and emails shown directly to Our Town Reno have accused Laity of giving her own bad reviews to other local businesses involving people she’s had difficult interactions with.  One local business owner who wished to remain anonymous told us directly that Laity then apologized to them and took down reviews.

“We would like to see the text messages; we do not acknowledge baseless claims or accusations,” Kitty Kisses Cat Cafe wrote back when asked about this.  

While we were finishing up writing the story,  we received another email from Kitty Kisses indicating “materials have been fabricated in the past,” while we had been referring to text messages shown to us discussing her conduct.  

Our Town Reno reporting, April 2025

Reno PD Responds to Mom's Frustration Related to Lack of Arrest Following Downtown Shooting

Lisa Botello is expressing extreme frustration at Reno PD for not moving fast enough in arresting a suspect seen shooting her 23-year-old daughter wearing a pink top, as seen in a video released on local social media and shared with us, just outside the recently opened Two One Nine club in downtown Reno early Sunday morning.

Botello says her daughter rushed to protect her friend, who was seen in an altercation with the suspect who had already pulled out a gun, when the shot was fired. Several videos circulated on social media show two shots being fired.

“We’re actively investigating this,” Chris Johnson from Reno PD told Our Town Reno today, before asking us to send him an email with specific questions.

In a follow up Thursday afternoon he wrote: "We take crimes like this very seriously, and we understand the frustration that comes with waiting during the investigative process. Investigations like this take time to ensure that every step is thorough, and the process is handled correctly for successful prosecution. We have identified the suspect in this case, and our Officers are actively working on their arrest.  The safety of the community and arresting the suspect in this case is a top priority.” 

Witnesses say the suspected shooter displayed threatening behavior with the gun after the shooting as well.

A message we sent to the clubtwoonenine Instagram account was not responded to, but they sent a message in a story previously to the community indicating “we do not condone or tolerate any form of violence.”

The Eden club at the same location was previously suspended last year due to Reno PD reporting code violations and increased crime nearby before remodeling and reopening with a new name.

In his follow up message, concerning the club, Johnson indicated: “Please refer to Business Licensing for information regarding the current status of Club 219."

Botello says she will be looking for legal help, with plans to sue the club for failing to have proper security.

She says her daughter who jumped in as soon as she saw the gun to protect her friend, got a bruised lung, fractured ribs, that she can barely walk, that she’s lost her appetite and that a fragment of the bullet is still in her.

“It could have been so much worse,” Botello said in our interview. “I could be planning my daughter's funeral instead of trying to get her to walk.”

Our Town Reno reporting, April 3rd, 2025

GoFundMe for Girl Killed by Boulder at Diamond Peak Raises Tens of Thousands of Dollars

A gofundme called Honoring Addie has reached over $30,000 of a $40k goal with over 200 donations.

“The unexpected death of a child is an unimaginable loss that no one could prepare for. Our beloved brother and sister have suffered a significant loss with the recent passing of their precious daughter Addie,” the fundraiser organized by Sabina Grimes indicates. 

“Please consider donating as they lay their daughter to rest and take the time [to] grieve and be with their son, Owen. The family's desire is to donate funds in Addie's honor. A further update is to come as those decisions are made. Any help is appreciated during this difficult time. Please respect the family's privacy in this matter.”

Grimes, 7, was pronounced dead at the Diamond Peak Ski Resort on Saturday shortly before 4 p.m..

The cause of death was blunt force injuries to her neck and chest, according to the Washoe County Regional Medical Examiner’s Office, after a boulder is reported to have fallen onto her.

She was reported to be a member of the Sugar Bowl race team which was competing in an under-12 competition.

'We would like to extend our heartfelt condolences to the family of the child involved, to the members of the Sugar Bowl race team, and to the entire Lake Tahoe ski racing community, all of whom have been profoundly saddened by the accident,” the Diamond Peak resort wrote in a statement.  

The gofundme can be found here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/supporting-the-grimes-family

Our Town Reno reporting, April 2025

Trial in the 2016 South Reno Murder of Carson City Native Sierra Ceccarelli is Delayed Yet Again

The long delayed trial of Robert Paul Eikelberger accused of shooting and killing 29-year-old Carson City native Sierra Ceccarelli in December 2016 at his home on Devonshire Lane in south Reno is being postponed for the third time.

It was supposed to start today before Washoe District Judge Kathleen Drakulich but is being delayed yet again as the Nevada Supreme Court looks into the suspect’s claims his rights were violated during the drawn out legal process.

Two previously scheduled start dates in April and October last year were already pushed back.

These are just the latest delays in a case which has had many twists and turns, more than eight years after Ceccarelli’s death.  In 2018, shortly after Eikelberger was arrested, the case was referred to the Lyon County District Attorney’s Office for review when it was revealed the suspect’s extended family had a relationship with the extended family of Washoe County District Attorney Chris Hicks.

At that point, media reports indicate Lyon County was not ready to file charges, so Eikelberger was released before being rearrested in late 2022 after a Grand Jury indictment, and then rereleased after posting bail and pleading not guilty, before going back to Washoe County jail in early 2023.  

On the night of Ceccarelli’s death, according to court records, police reported Eikelberger, who was 41 at the time, said he was intoxicated and that there was a woman inside his home who needed “real help” after she had “just shot herself.”   An officer is reported to have found a gun on her right thigh with her body “cold to the touch.” 

After initially saying he didn’t know her he said the mother of two was a sex worker he called “Diane.”  The two were seen on surveillance footage inside a nearby store hours before.  Investigators also say she had tried to call 911 fourteen times before her death but none of the calls were completed, and that Eikelberger’s clothing contained gunshot residue, while the trajectory of the bullet was consistent with a suspect standing in front of the victim and shooting from above, not suicide.

Ceccarelli’s mother has said she received previous pictures and messages from her daughter where the suspect was threatening her with a gun, while his ex-wife said he had been threatening to their young daughters and to herself.

A petition called Justice for Sierra Ceccarelli on the ipetitions website has had 74 comments pleading for judicial closure. 

Our Town Reno reporting, March 2025

Life Surge Event Coming to Reno in April Faces Flood of Complaints Elsewhere

For those of us not attending, soon, mercifully, the onslaught of ads for Reno’s upcoming edition of Life Surge will be over. 

Its multi tiered always urgent, lunch and wristband included ticketing — with “limited time special!”categories of Executive, Premier, VIP and $497 Ultimate — will no longer be blasted on our feeds.  

We will be sparred to look at its dated blockbuster movie looking lineup of a man without limbs, a Duck Dynasty star, the founder of Auntie Anne’s Pretzels, Tim Tebow and others 

For others who will attend the April 12th event at the Reno Events Center, starting bright and early on that day at 8:30 a.m., they will be repeatedly told how to “surge” their wealth the Christian way.

There’s hooks though, as amid the hyped fervor, they will be offered to buy up stock trading software and more tickets for increasingly expensive classes, with black-clad clipboard carriers scrambling to get their signatures.  

After attending, people who’ve gone to shows in other cities said their feeds were then bombarded with ads for in person “impact classes” to increase income, “build Kingdom Impact,” and “surge your family’s future.”

A Las Vegas local writing in the Christian subreddit who was excited about the event there wrote that two extra classes on stocks and real estate were repeatedly offered for $197. “Each speaker ended with this, and waited for the clipboards to be passed around so ‘nobody would miss out.’ They took 15 minute breaks to allow everyone to have a chance to sign up,” he wrote. “Initially, I didn’t want to, but everyone around me was so excited that maybe I was just being too skeptical of it. I decided to sign up for the stocks class, because I was interested in learning more about stocks, and they stated it was a class value of $1500 for $197. It sounded like it was a good deal for a 3-Day Class Event! They also offered the Real Estate Class for free if you sign up for the initial stocks class. Seems like a pretty great deal, right?”

He said the class felt underwhelming though and mainly led to offers for new classes at much higher prices, from $13997 to $30000.  He asked for a refund, at which point, he says, he was kicked out.

A commenter said that, at the event she attended, one of the Life Surge speakers was pushing proprietary stock trading software.

“At the close of all this, he says that for $97 they can show us how to use it (plus we get a FREE month's subscription) in a single three-day class,” she wrote. “But hurry! There are only a few spots available! Oh, and there's a money-back guarantee, and the first 20 people to sign up get this free swag bag. Why did I find myself and my friend in line? I have worked in sales; I understand the concept of creating urgency for the sale. But we had fallen prey to a particularly insidious form of religious manipulation. $97 poorer, we returned to our seats for the next speaker.”

One video by an angry looking couple on YouTube is called Life Surge Complaints and leads to a Facebook group called Life Surge Bait & Switch.  

The complaints are apparent on the Better Business Bureau website as well, even though it’s noted Life Surge is not BBB accredited.

“I need a refund for ticket LSFRCA25-N6G009G due to being false advertising,” someone wrote in February. “I did not pay for advertising and selling. I paid to hear speakers. I as well need a refund for the classes.This conference was not advertised with accuracy and did not state stuff would be advertised or sold. The worship and all that was not even real due to the motive behind it.”

“Please note our website states, We offer additional products and services to equip you on your journey.  Life Surge strives to maintain full transparency in what we offer, we believe in not just inspiring our attendees but also equipping them for success. To that end, we offer optional classes aimed at helping our students understand biblical wealth and learn how to cultivate their income effectively,” a reply signed by the Life Surge team indicated.

“We attended Life Surge and w[ere] pressured to invest $197 for educational classes that was sure to increase our income with Christian values,” another person wrote in December. “After coming home from the conference, we decided that it was too good to be true, and we called to cancel. It was confirmed that it was canceled last May and reviewing my credit card… I see that they’[v]e charged another $97 and a monthly subscription. I tried to call back to cancel again and customer service said they don’t have the ability to cancel it and refund my money. I called the credit card company and they asked me to try to go through Life Surge again before filing a fraudulent activity. I am so devastated that Christians like *** ***** made me trust in something that has taken so much money from me. This is evil, especially because I’m disabled on a limited income.”

The complaints go on and on. This latest version of apparent religious hucksterism combined with traveling prosperity gospel was launched by Joe Johnson several years ago as a for-profit limited liability company. It has grown from holding events in just a few cities in 2021 to over 30 cities in 2024.  There’s no telling how long the ride will last.  

Those on the speaker page for Reno include the Benham brothers, listed as “Acclaimed Kingdom Entrepreneurs.” One of them, David, previously led a protest to stop in his words “homosexuality and its agenda that is attacking the nation” and “demonic ideologies” infiltrating “our universities and our public school systems.” He’s also compared same-sex marriage with Nazi Germany.  

Speaking of Islam and Christianity, he’s said “Islam takes life and enslaves it. Christianity lays its life down and sets you free.”

In this case, if you get roped in further, probably with a much lighter wallet. 

Our Town Reno reporting, March 2025

Cold Cases of Northern Nevada: Murders at the Montreux

On a cold snowy March 28th in 2006 Albert and Joan Musalo, both in their 70s, were found dead from gunshot wounds in their home located in Montreux, a gated community with fencing and security located off the Mount Rose Highway.  

It’s one of the areas most perplexing cold cases, with no apparent motive.

Their daughter hadn’t heard from them for a few days, and after getting no answer over the phone, or from a security guard, made the ghastly discovery after opening the locked door and seeing mud tracks leading to their master bedroom.   Footprints were seen out the back near a fence separating the home from a hiking trail. 

Her parents who had been married over 50 years, had grown up in Brooklyn during the Great Depression.  

They had moved to the new Montreux community two years prior to their deaths to be closer to their daughter’s family.  Albert Musalo had made his money mostly as a flight engineer for Pan American Airlines and with a range of investments. They had lived on both coasts and in Europe. 

They had three other children, and were described as friendly, frugal and quiet, spending time skiing and playing tennis. They had been planning a trip to New York.  

There were no signs of forced entry, nothing of value was taken but their phone lines were cut.  

A detective working on the case said their last known contact was with a furniture salesman on March 27th around noon.  One computer showed Internet activity into the night.  

Left behind DNA indicated there was an unknown male in the house.

On the Washoe County Sheriff’s website it’s indicated the family is offering a $35,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible.

Our Town Reno reporting, March 2025

Public Commenter Decries Conditions at Cares Campus

In stirring testimony before the Reno City Council on Wednesday, as alerted to us by a member of the Family Soup Mutual Aid group, Alex Varner warned against conditions at the Cares Campus.

After suffering from a stroke and going to different hospitals, all the while his rent was being raised, the 60-year-old says he recently ended up on the streets for the first time in his life.

“I worked hard all my life. I was scared like you would not believe because of what I've seen out on these streets,” he said. He tried to get his eviction delayed or to get help from other resources to avoid homelessness, but says he was unable to get into housing at that point, while struggling with his health.

After being released from Renown, he says he was sent to the Cares Campus, which he called “nothing but bad news.”

He says there’s violence and people getting hurt inside, but that staff doesn’t keep up.

He says breakfast is a donut and “lunch is no better, dinner is no better.”

During his testimony, Varner called for an investigation. “Somebody needs to go over there,” he pleaded.

Varner explained he tries to survive on his Social Security disability payments, but said that whatever happens there’s no way he would go back to the Cares Campus.

New City of Reno ordinances prohibit sleeping and even sitting in public places, effectively criminalizing those with no stable shelter and no desire to stay at the Cares Campus.

After his comment, council woman Naomi Duerr asked that Varner get in contact with a liaison official. Our Town Reno has gotten a highly staged visit to the Cares Campus once, and another time had a student reporter kicked out. We’ve asked to enter during normal, non staged times, but have never been given that access.

Many people we've interviewed in recent years, especially women, have complained of feeling unsafe at the campus as well, while others have said it feels more like a cramped warehouse or a prison, than a place for getting back on track.

Our Town Reno reporting, March 2025

North Valleys To Get Food Truck Thursdays

Food Truck Thursdays is coming to the North Valleys Regional Park, from June 12th to August 7th, after a unanimous decision earlier this week at the Washoe County Open Space and Regional Parks Commission.

Local musicians will be hired to provide entertainment, in addition to up to a dozen food trucks serving up their specialties.

Reno Street Food LLC which coordinates Food Truck Fridays at Idlewild Park will also be taking charge of the events in the North Valleys.

Set up and breakdown will take place on Thursdays, with Reno Street Food providing a 15-yard dumpster for each event, scheduled for Friday morning pickup. There will be nearly 200 parking spaces available, and guests are expected to walk from nearby areas as well.

Food Truck Friday has been taking place at Idlewild since 2012, with huge success, and is scheduled to take place there this year from June 6 to August 29.

Our Town Reno reporting, March 2025

Latest Rent Report Points to More Local Stabilization

A recently released quarterly rent report by the Johnson Perkins Griffin real estate appraisers group indicates local apartment vacancies ended last year at 3.16%, the highest it’s been since fall 2022, indicating ongoing local stabilization in terms of rent costs.

Average rental prices were at $1,656 in the Reno Sparks area, $12 less than the third quarter last year, but nearly twice the average rent in this area a decade ago, with much of the rise happening up until early 2021, with numbers not budging too much since.

In a more competitive market with lots of construction still taking place, new apartment communities are now offering concessions, such as eight weeks of initial free rent.

According to this study, the most expensive area for large apartment complexes with 80 units or more is in the Lakeridge area with a $1,781 average, while the cheapest location overall is in the Brinkby/Grove area at $1,277. Northeast Reno and West Sparks/North Valleys are also on the low end at below $1,500 averages, while Northwest Reno, Southeast Reno and East Sparks are all on the high end, above $1,700.

Our Town Reno reporting, March 2025

Valerie Primeau, In Charge of Communicating the Ongoing Relevance of the Nevada Museum of Art

At the entrance of the Nevada Museum of Art, formatted like rocks and overlapping layers of Earth, edible flowers and fruit trees peek through, as an immersive experience with sunlight trickles through the windows behind vibrant drapery and flower-painted walls. 

“This is the sister installation to [Fallen Fruit],” director of communications Valerie Primeau explained during a recent interview. “One of the themes that you are going to see a lot is bringing the outside inside, so this is called Power of the Pollinators. What the artists [David Allen Burns and Austin Young] did was walk around Reno through the general Great Basin and looked through the flora and fauna and used that to create this immersive wallpaper and drapery.”

Primeau joined the museum as director of communications late last year in a busy period with an expanding museum, new installations and headlines of a costly relocation of the Seven Magic Mountains from outside Las Vegas to northern Nevada.

Another current mission is to make the museum greener.

“Museums have highly calibrated HVAC systems and aren’t always the most emission-friendly,” Primeau said. “But we have a green team and quite a few sustainability initiatives underway. We just installed a solar panel array, and we hope that it will offset about 20% of our emissions.”

It’s a busy time at Nevada’s only accredited art museum, with a First Thursday concert coming up on April 3rd, curated by Loud as Folk.

Recent news releases have focused on an upcoming conference in early April for Nevada educators to incorporate Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) in the classroom. “The 2025 conference theme, The Joy of Discovery, will explore innovative ways to inspire curiosity and creativity in students through the fusion of art and science,” a press release indicates.

Two recently opened exhibits are called “The Art of Judith Lowry and The Lowry & Croul Collection of Contemporary Native American Art” and described as “two groundbreaking exhibitions that celebrate the artistic contributions and community legacy of the accomplished Native American artist. The Art of Judith Lowry is a retrospective exhibition that highlights Lowry’s large-scale colorful storytelling paintings. Her vivid narrative works draw on family stories and communal Indigenous histories to explore themes of identity, resilience, and spirituality.”

“Through her bold, large-scale paintings, Lowry brings to life the legends, traditions, and personal histories of her Indigenous ancestry—transforming oral storytelling into a modern visual language,” the museum added on its Instagram feed, which is marked by vivid photography and inviting videos.

Just opened above, the “Desert Dialogues” exhibit has ushered into existence the museum’s Art + Environment Education Lab. It features photographs from the “Altered Landscape” collection, highligting the desert “as a place of exploration, solitude, and survival.”

Primeau came to the position with 15 years of prior experience in the communications and media industries, most recently, as corporate communications manager at Sierra Nevada Corporation.

It’s now her job to make the Nevada Museum of Art seem fresh, relevant, evocative, accessible and a wanted destination for the public.

Reporting and top photos by Samantha Wagner

Reno's Tonio Burton, From Being in a Gang to Becoming an Elite Professional Bodybuilder

In the dimly lit Diamond Gym located at 1270 E Plumb Ln Unit C, local bodybuilder Tonio Burton smiles from ear to ear while sitting on a weight bench showcasing his brawny muscles covered with intricate tattoos. 

Burton who goes by @Tonio_Burton on his Instagram with 190k followers inspiring others with his workouts was once a teenager in a gang.

He moved from Louisiana to Reno around the age of six. Growing up, he constantly moved houses while being raised by a single mom. Despite the hurdles in his life, Burton graduated from Hug High School and received his associates in Criminal Justice at Feather River College. He then pursued his dreams to play for the NFL by going to Arkansas State. 

Due to a hamstring injury, he says those dreams fell through. Burton may have not known it then but it was simply a redirection towards a career better suited for him – bodybuilding. 

On a normal day of lifting at the gym, Burton was approached by a bodybuilder asking him if he competed at all. Impressed by his physique, this bodybuilder convinced him to at least give it a try. 

So Burton did just that. In 2018, he began competing as an amateur and after only a year, he received his pro card. 

The International Federation of Bodybuilding & Fitness (IFBB) issues pro cards to bodybuilders who typically have won major amateur competitions. It is a ticket to the top level bodybuilding competitions. 

From being avoided in the streets, Burton is now admired by many. After his shows, people would yell his name and wanted to take pictures with him.  

‘It felt so much better to be liked than feared,” Burton said. “The person you were is gone. The person you are becoming is unstoppable,” he recently posted on his Facebook.

The sport of bodybuilding does have its challenges. It can be mentally and physically draining with the rigorous amount of training and intense diet bodybuilders have to endure. 

“In family events where they are eating cake, ice cream and pizza and I am just looking at them and thinking I can’t have any of that,” Burton said. “I start to isolate and be alone during prep.”

Regardless of how he is feeling that day, Burton still remains consistent with everything he does.

According to the Dragon Pharma website, Burton “made his pro debut at Indy Pro Bodybuilding Show 2021, and it was clear from the point he took the stage that everyone else was competing for second place. He displayed thick and dense muscles with good balance.”

His nickname in pro bodybuilding is “The Predator.”

While preparing to compete for Mr. Olympia in 2021 in the 212 division, Burton was  competing against himself as well and mental health challenges. His best placement in the pinnacle competition of bodybuilding has been eighth in 2023 in the open category.

“I was just in my room and he told me ‘I know what you are going through but you accomplished something so big’” Burton said. “He gave me a kiss on top of my head and I just started crying.” 

Burton won the 2023 New York Pro, one of the most important events on the IFBB Pro League, but then he pulled out of competing in the October 2024 Olympia, which was held in Las Vegas, even though he was talked about as a favorite.

Some may also think that bodybuilders like Burton are selfish and narcissistic. Others may even think that it is a sport that kills people. But in Burton’s eyes, it is a sport that saves lives more than it takes lives. 

At the age of 33, Burton plans to compete until he is about 45 years old. His ultimate dream within the sport is to finally win on the biggest stage and become Mr. Olympia, which comes with huge prize money for the winner.

“When my kids are 18, they can pull out that money. It is investing in them,” Burton said. “They are not going to have to enter that gang life and do the extreme things I had to do. This is why I do bodybuilding.” 

Photos and Reporting by Mariel Day

Local Fencing Groups Put Premium on Inclusivity

It’s not every day that you may see a local group of people sword fighting in a local park. Just every Saturday. But the swords and historical techniques aren’t all that make this group special. 

Amid the current wave of conflicts surrounding transgender athletes, the historic fencing community in Reno is a place that is clearly inclusive.

HEMA is short for “historic European martial arts,” and those who participate in it practice with a wide variety of weaponry and techniques. While HEMA has a history of being dominated by men, in many places that trend is beginning to shift, and the space is becoming more inclusive to women, nonbinary and transgender individuals.

“The majority of tournaments I go to are co-ed,” said Michael French, who has been doing HEMA since 2017. “A lot of tournaments were initially women's tournaments. Later they expanded to URG, which stands for ‘Underrepresented Genders.’ And those are specifically for people who identify as not a man.”

There is a thriving HEMA community in Reno, primarily through an organization called Noble Science, which provides classes and organizes tournaments. For many, participation in classes or just casual get togethers is in part to prepare for these competitions, an area in other sports that have become notorious battlegrounds for transgender rights.

Percy Crano, a trans man who has been fencing for a year, participated as a line judge at a local women’s tournament called FrauFecht last Fall.

“There were trans women competing,” Crano said. “And there were some queer, trans, AFAB (assigned female at birth) trans people, and non-binary people who were competing.”

May Roselove, a transgender woman, said her interactions with the Reno HEMA community have been very positive.

“The community that I work with and fight alongside with has been very welcoming, and I haven't had any quarrels or issues,” Roselove said. “It's been a very welcoming community in terms of acceptance and really not caring whether you're trans or not, because we're all here to have fun and have a good fight.”

Another outlet for the historical fencing community is the SCA (Society for Creative Anachronism), a community that “[pursues] research and re-creation of pre-seventeenth century skills, arts, combat and culture.”

A focus of the SCA is historical combat, and unlike HEMA, there aren’t even any URG elements in competitive fights; everyone fights everyone else. 

The SCA has an official DEI officer, and radical inclusion is a large part of the culture, said Dustin Thelen, who has been a part of the SCA for nearly 10 years.

Thelen is a member of the Order of Defense, which means he has been recognized by the SCA for his “great skill at rapier and/or cut-and-thrust combat, as well as for qualities of courtesy and grace, for willingness to teach others, and for service to the kingdom.”

Thelen has helped organize various SCA rapier events. “As an organization, as a corporation, [the SCA has] in their mission statement and bylaws inclusivity written in. And so the trans person would be not only welcomed [to compete], but encouraged to be themselves.”

Concerns over trans women having an advantage over cisgender women rarely play a role in the historical fencing community. 

“I get my ass handed to me all the time,” Eleanor Muir, a trans woman who participates in HEMA, said. “There's a dude I fence with, and he's almost a full foot shorter than me, and he kicks my ass every time.”

“I've seen people from all different backgrounds, all different weight classes, all different sexes and genders, all different levels of flexibility, excel within the hobby,” French said. “And so I personally, for a purely competitive reason, I don't think there's a reason to separate [by gender].”

There are some in the community who would like to see some competitions potentially divided by factors other than gender.

“Even at FrauFecht, there were some people getting hit harder than they wanted to be hit, right? And this was from AFABs,” said Andy Hoeng, who has been doing HEMA competitively for seven years.

“I think it might be interesting to play around with having lower calibration tournaments,” Hoeng added. “We don't have to say they're women's tournaments, but just denote them as like, you can't hit at a certain level, right? And it will help especially smaller women to be able to compete in weapons such as longsword or saber, and not feel like they're in danger or something like that.”

When an accepting community is available, spaces like HEMA and the SCA tend to attract transgender and gender nonconforming people at a greater rate than many other sports.

“Most HEMA people I've met, even if they don't know that much about the queer community or the trans experience, they're willing to listen and learn about those things,” Crano said. “I've never met anybody in HEMA who has ever been just completely turned off by it or completely unwilling to at least give space to it.”

“I feel like maybe niche sports, especially historical fencing, the people that are usually into it are not typical, so to speak,” said Hoeng. “So we have a lot of autistic people, for instance, in fencing, probably a higher proportion than you would see in like football, but just like those kind of people are usually interested in niche things like that.”

“I guess it's just one of those things that we find a niche for, as the queer community,” Muir said.

“Fencing is an awesome sport,” French concluded. “Come play with swords!”

The Noble Science Academy’s website can be found here, and the local SCA group’s here.

Reporting by Emma Charles shared with Our Town Reno

Todd, A Gambler on a Losing Streak, On Disability Payments, Living in a Van

“I haven’t been winning anything playing at the casinos,” Todd Bufford said at the start of our interview on a cold, grey March day in Reno, while standing next to a van he bought four months ago.  

When he purchased the van, he says it had a leaking water pump, so he’s trying to make sure to repair that and other issues right now.  

Bufford, who admits to spending too much time gambling, has been living in his van in northern Nevada, and he’s trying to fix it right now to get around to different small jobs he relies on for survival, such as yard work, handyman work and helping others with their own mechanical issues.  

A native of Ukiah, California, Bufford who also previously lived in Fort Bragg, can’t afford rent locally.  

When he does earn some money, it can all be lost faster than he got it.  

“Every now and then, when I get a hotel room, sometimes I lose too much at the casino, playing in the casinos,” he said.   

He gets help from Catholic Charities and different food banks.  If he could he’d love to work in “carpentry, masonry, brick and block, painting, plumbing, all kinds of things.”

He says there’s more violence lately in the downtown area where he likes to park which worries him. He says people walking around are constantly threatening each other, or trying to steal his belongings.   

What initially derailed him, he says, was getting hit by a car in California by a driver under the influence of drugs, followed by an operation on his back, and then falling through the cracks during the pandemic.

“I came here to try and get on a winning streak. I'm on Social Security disability right now because I got hit by a car. And I was playing, trying to get on a winning streak, and I was doing pretty good at first, but now it's just been a dud, you know?” 

He previously worked as security at a fast food restaurant, and in construction. 

Locally, he’s avoided the Cares Campus or any other shelter, saying he doesn’t want bed bugs even though he admits he’s currently in need of a shower.

“I haven't showered in a while,” he said. “So I could go over to the shelter and, shower, but it's really not what I'm used to doing. So, like, if I went and stayed in a shelter, I'd end up getting bed bugs, you know, and so I kind of avoid the place. And then, so now I have to adjust myself to a demeaning point where I'm actually gonna go shower at the rescue mission.”

He used to stay at Siegel Suites where at least he could have regular showers, but he says “I’ve been losing a lot lately. I have enough strength and charisma to make it in the world. I'm just in a rut right now,” Bufford concluded. 

Photos and reporting by James Perez shared with Our Town Reno

Samantha Calvaresi Documents Her Frustrations After Being Expelled from Carson City Section 8 Housing

Samantha Calvaresi, a 38-year-old single mom, is scrambling to build up awareness for her predicament after being recently evicted from her Carson City Parkway Plaza three bedroom apartment with her three kids and a grandchild, from messaging HUD, to starting a Facebook page called the Section 8 files, to working on a gofundme and videos for a new TikTok channel. 

When Our Town Reno spoke to her, she said she was now living in Fallon with her mom and her kids, who are eight, 16 and 18, and her grandchild who is an infant. 

“It’s just, very, very, heavy on the heart. And now I'm staying in my mom's little tiny RV with my cousin and my kids and my mom. Very tight quarters, but it's family,” she said of her living situation.  

In her Section 8 Files Facebook page she blames the Nevada Rural Housing Authority, HUD, her former landlord, judges and the housing voucher program for abandoning her.

She says she was taken off her voucher which was covering her entire rent due to a slight mistake in Social Security numbers in her file, with one her kid’s numbers inverted, a mistake she alleges ultimately led to her being thrown out, despite her many attempts to fix the situation.

Katie Coleman, the Communications Director for Nevada Rural Housing, wrote back to Our Town Reno indicating: “We cannot provide specifics on any client case. What’s important to note is that Nevada Rural Housing follows all processes and HUD regulations to ensure full program compliance. This thorough work is done to ensure the federal program’s integrity and our ability to continue to deliver it successfully to qualifying rural Nevadans.”

Calvaresi says the first notice she received that her voucher was being terminated came through Nevada Rural Housing in September. She says there’s since been a delayed grievance hearing, an ongoing judicial review and a notice saying she owed over $3,000, followed by more court action, and being 86ed from the property she used to live on earlier this month.  

She says she was told to take what she wanted by 4 p.m. that day but in a hurry and without having her own car it wasn’t much.  

She can go back in a few weeks but will be charged if she wants anything back.  

She received a letter from attorney William A. Baker outlining the court order of eviction effective March 13th, with a warning that all remaining personal property will be disposed of 30 days later.  “They may seek cost of removal of all these items from you and or any third party under Nevada law. They can sell my property to recover cleaning and removal costs,” the letter she read out indicates.  

Calvaresi has struggled with poverty for years and was previously on unemployment benefits from her previous work as a flagger.  An article about her when she was 22 in the Nevada Appeal indicated she surrendered to police in 2009 on a felony warrant for suspicion of writing checks with insufficient funds. 

She wrote back to us saying it was for checks she didn’t have enough money for in her bank account, and that she’s never been in jail for more than two days.  “It was my own fault, got dropped to a misdemeanor,” she wrote about what happened in 2009.

Calvaresi was hoping her life was getting back on track but now feels the system that once helped her has now thrown her into full on frustration.

Our Town Reno reporting, March 2025