Sparks Uses New Form to Assess Domestic Violence

The City of Sparks this week said it will start using a so-called “danger assessment form” for domestic violence cases.

“The Danger Assessment Law Enforcement (DA-LE) form is a questionnaire for victims to assess the danger posed to them by an abuser.  Police ask a series of eleven questions at the scene and based on the victim’s response; a lethality score is calculated.  The higher the tabulation of the score the greater the risk of potential harm to the victim.  Prosecutors will then use that risk score to argue appropriate bail and conditions to better protect victims from potential escalating violence in the community,” a press release from the City Attorney’s office indicates.

Here are some of the questions on the list: “Has the physical violence increased in severity or frequency over the past year?
• Does he/she control most or all of your daily activities?
• Has he/she tried to kill you?
• Has he/she choked (strangled) you multiple times?
• Has he/she ever threatened or tried to commit suicide?
• Do you believe he/she is capable of killing you?”

Yes to seven of the 11 questions means there is a high risk of lethality.

The press release indicates there were at least three known domestic related homicides in Washoe County in 2023.

“The implementation of the DA-LE is the most recent effort in the City Attorney’s “End the Silence of Domestic Violence” campaign,” the press release goes on to say.

This comes as a recent report from the Nevada Coalition to End Domestic Violence indicates the Silver State is second in the nation for domestic violence, and worst 10 for highest female homicide rates.

Our Town Reno reporting, March 2024

Immigrants of Reno: From Perth to Golfing for UNR

Reno, Nevada, and Perth, Western Australia, have very little in common.

Reno is in the Northern Hemisphere, has all four seasons, and has a population of 264,000. Perth, on the other hand, is in the Southern Hemisphere, has only two seasons, and is over nine times larger than Reno, with a population of 2.2 million.

However, for Nevada golfer Tom Patterson, both places have a key similarity for him: he calls both places “home.”

“(Moving to Reno in 2019) was definitely a bit of a change,” Patterson said. “It’s a long way from home. Where I'm from, the ocean is two minutes away so it's very easy to know where the ocean is and that kind of stuff. To me, the weather is a bit weird here.”

Despite this major change in Patterson’s life, he says that it wasn’t really too hard to adjust to his new home.

“I've been pretty privileged,” Patterson said. “I'd been on a trip to Orlando when I was 12 or 13 with my family, and then I'd been on a trip when I was maybe 15 or 16 to New York, which I was also very privileged to go on. So I'd had a little bit of a glimpse of what life over here is like.”

Besides, even if his move to Reno was the first time he had ever been to the U.S., Patterson doesn’t believe it would have been very hard to adjust anyways, since Australia and the United States are similar culturally.

“The biggest difference between America and Australia is the people. It's hard to put a finger on what is different, but Aussies tend to be more blunt and straight to the point,” he said.  “Culturally, though, Australia’s just kind of the same as everywhere else.”

When asked why he chose Nevada over other offers such as James Madison and Arkansas State, Patterson stated that, at first, it was because Nevada gave him the best scholarship offer that he could get. 

“When I got recruited here, we were a top 50 school and then my freshman year we ended up 30th in the nation, which was really cool to be a part of. So that's kind of why just because it was a very good school golf-wise and helped me financially,” he explained.

Last season, Patterson was able to secure a couple of top 25 finishes, helping with the team’s continued growth.

Despite initially coming to Reno due to opportunity and finances, Patterson has come to love the “Biggest Little City.” 

“I kind of went into it with the mindset that it would be much smaller,” Patterson said. “Obviously we are still a college town, but it's definitely blown me away with a lot of the support for the teams. It’s awesome to see how everyone plays their role within the Wolf Pack community. People are always eager to inquire about how the golf team and our other teams are doing and we're always more than welcome to interact and meet new people.”

Patterson also has a love-hate relationship with the ever-changing Northern Nevada weather conditions. “We never get to see snow back home in Perth, so it’s cool to see all four seasons blossom in Reno,” he said. “Snow is cool, but as a golfer we like to keep it to a minimum, since it messes things up a lot. I’m also not a big fan of the cold, either.”

As for his single favorite thing about northern Nevada, Patterson pointed the finger straight at one place.

“Lake Tahoe, definitely. The ocean will always be number one for me, but (Tahoe) is beautiful. I think Tahoe was very much underrated,” he said. “You can swim at one end of the lake and you can have snow on the mountains on the other side. It's kind of a cool phenomenon to be a part of.”

When asked what his plans were after college, Patterson said the U.S. is more than just a quick stop for him. Rather, it may become his permanent home.

“I would like to stay in America when I graduate, but I have to wait and see if a graduate position arises, or if I can get employment somewhere local. But I would like to stay here long-term, if I can,” he said.

Patterson hopes to graduate this summer with a degree in international business and would like to work in Human Resources.

Our Town Reno reporting by Chase Dulude

From Goodwill to Savers, St. Vincent's and Freestyle: Going on Thrifting Rounds in Reno

Thrifting, the act of buying used items, has become an increasingly popular trend in northern Nevada, as elsewhere, where consumers find popular brands and items for a fraction of normal new prices.

People of a variety of backgrounds go to secondhand shops to avoid fast fashion and become more eco-friendly.

“New clothing is so expensive, plus it helps me feel environmentally conscious,” said Izzie Cardoso, a twenty-year-old UNR student.

Others are trying to get good deals, or even make money by reselling their finds elsewhere.

Jorden Woods, another local, was doing her own rounds on a recent holiday Monday.  

Her first stop was Savers on Kietzke Lane, where racks were filled with clothing for all ages and styles, for any occasion, whether it be business attire, loungewear, or new dresses for a first date. 

A few blocks south, less than five minutes away from Savers, she then went to Goodwill on Oddie Blvd. This location is undoubtedly one of the larger thrift shops as it was easy to get lost in the racks of vintage clothing and Nevada gear. Just past the rack of clothes are household items that are perfect for students who need items for their dorm or new apartment. 

“I love finding cool things and making a whole day out of thrifting,” Woods said of thrifting rather than visiting a mall.

“There’s a certain thrill of going through every rack to find hidden treasures.” 

She then headed up north ito St.Vincent’s, in downtown Reno, where there are shelves with houseware, and a wide variety of items, from tricycles to gift little ones to vinyls for old record players.  

A final stop she made was five minutes south, in Midtown, inside the busy Freestyle Clothing Exchange. While on the pricier side, the shop had an array of items from big labels such as Freepeople, Lululemon, Princess Polly, and Urban Outfitters. 

At these different locations, there was a range of demographics, from families looking cash-strapped, to students who choose to shop secondhand to be able to be more creative. 

There is also a hustle that comes with thrifting. It can be easy to find vintage or trendy items and be able to clean them up and resell for a higher price, making a profit, in some cases substantial. 

Another frequent avid thrifter, 19-year-old student Kelsie Frobes was happy to recount a lucrative find. “I found a Chanel purse at UCP Thrift for $4 and sold it for over $4500! I used it to pay off my car,” she said.

In a society of mass-production, thrifting offers a fresh alternative to filling one’s closet.  The thrifting community continues to embrace individuality, creativity, sustainability and occasional profits in their newfound treasures. 

Our Town Reno reporting and photos by Valentina Garcia

Immigrants of Reno: From the Coffee Region of Colombia to teaching Spanish at UNR

Spanish Graduate Assistant Juliana Loaiza, who grew up in Manizales, Colombia, a medium-sized city within the coffee region of the South American country, is grateful for the opportunities she is now pursuing in Reno.

“Because of the difficulties of making a living there, people get excited to get by. They have a lot of gratitude because it’s not easy there,” said Loaiza. 

On the flip side, there are many aspects of Colombia she misses. “It’s not uncommon for people who just met to hang out with each other. It’s a very close culture,” she said.

After growing up in Manizales for most of her childhood, Loaiza first came to the U.S. in 2013. After this visit and having problems in her home country, she decided to come to the U.S. for the long term. 

“I was struggling in 2021 in Colombia. I wasn’t earning enough to live and travel,” she said. 

Due to this predicament, in her early 20s, Loaiza decided to move to the suburbs of Houston, Texas, in her aunt’s home and learn English. Her experience with learning a new language during this time was hard, but she also had experience learning it in school in Colombia. “I tried to learn by listening to podcasts and reading,” she said.

With this practice, she eventually became proficient in English. Still, though, she sometimes has a hard time speaking the language. “The most important thing is practicing speaking since people are afraid to make mistakes. Sometimes I do feel ashamed of how I talk because I know I am making mistakes,” said Juliana. 

This experience didn’t deter Juliana, and she was eventually able to start teaching preschool in Colombia once she received her TOEFL certification. After this, she returned to the United States, making it to the University of Nevada, Reno, where she now teaches Spanish to students while working on a master’s degree in Spanish Literature and World Language. 

While completing her degree is a big goal for her, Juliana loves to teach Spanish to students at the university, despite her fears at first. “I feel like the young people respect me. Showing them pictures and experiencing how they discover my culture. I love it,” she said. 

Now, Juliana is settled into life in the U.S. Despite this, there are still aspects of her home country that she misses. “Everything. The culture, the people, and the food. I miss the food so much,” said Juliana when asked about what she misses most about her home country. 

One aspect of America that Juliana doesn’t like is its reliance on cars. She misses being able to walk to places in Colombia and not having to drive everywhere. “I miss the familiarity of the people and the infrastructure since everything is really walkable. I was living in the suburbs of Houston, and if I wanted to buy an egg, I would need to take a car and drive for 15 minutes,” she said. 

Even though she misses Manizales, Juliana is still able to find qualities within Reno that remind her of home. In particular, she finds the nature dominant aspect to be similar. “It was really similar to Reno because we had a volcano near the city,” she said. 

Juliana also appreciates many aspects of life in America, that, according to her, are absent in Colombia. 

“Coming to live here has taught me a lot about organization and goals. That’s something we all need in our lives, to know how to set goals and make plans in the long term,” she said. 

In terms of her future, Juliana remains uncertain, but knows she can be adventurous and wants to keep teaching, whether it’s by staying here or going elsewhere.

“I really don’t know. I’ve been thinking of studying for a Ph.D. here in the U.S. or Spain, but I know that I want to keep teaching. I really want to teach history and literature,” said Juliana when asked about her future. 

Our Town Reno reporting by Cameron Perkins 

Non-Conforming Tattooing in The Biggest Little City

Ignorant style tattoos, started by French graffiti artist Fuzi Uvtpk, a relatively new tattoo style consisting of counterculture humorous, absurd, sketchbook-like tattoos is now finding a foothold in Reno.

This style hasn’t been explored a lot in Reno until recent years when the tattoo scene started to expand and diversify as the city grows and changes.

Kai Morikawa, Nyelli Chacon (Koottsoo), and JD are three tattoo artists in Reno that are changing up the local scene by putting a focus on this and other alternative tattoo styles, as well as using their intersectional identities to inspire and inform their tattooing. 

These tattoo artists better known by their Instagram handles as @doggie.heart, @koottsoo, and @badztatu have built a following in the local tattoo scene by each having non-conforming approaches to being tattoo artists. 

All three of them tattoo in styles very different from others in the scene. Kai describes their style as taking inspiration from their nostalgia. “I feel like I’m a niche person when it comes to tattoos,” they said. “I like doing animals and I like doing cute things, that's pretty much it.” 

One thing that makes Kai’s style different from many other artists is that they hand-poke all the tattoos they do rather than using a machine. 

JD and Koottsoo’s style are very similar, mainly using black and gray ink and drawing inspiration from pop culture or what the local community is into. 

However, the styles that they tattoo in aren’t the only ways that they don’t align with mainstream tattoo artists. 

JD and Kai take into consideration the idea that tattooing is a practice that was stolen from Indigenous communities around the world and made popular by white American soldiers during the 1940s. 

“[American soldiers] militarized tattooing, they gatekept it, and now they tell people like us that this isn’t our thing,” JD said.  

JD and Kai also realize that tattooing is popular among lower income people, but has been made inaccessible in recent years due to higher and higher prices. 

To combat how expensive getting a tattoo is, the two both work on sliding scales for their pricing and try to work with everyone’s budget. 

They both credit being able to be so flexible with their clients because of working in a private studio rather than a traditional tattoo shop. 

Koottsoo, Kai, and JD all work in private studios where they’re able to curate the environment to be the most comfortable for their clients. 

Koottsoo has experienced how intimidating traditional tattoo shops can be as a young Indigenous woman artist so she uses that to inform how she runs her own studio. 

“I created my private studio as a safe space for BIPOC, women, and queer people looking for their next tattoo. I focus on creating an intimate space for my client,” Koottsoo said.

Kai and JD work in a private studio together where they aim to create a space where people can build connections with them and not be overwhelmed by a traditional tattoo studio that often has loud music, lots of people, and lots of noise. 

JD and Kai also aim to make their studio a comfortable place for neurodivergent people. “We try to tone it down and work with people to make them comfortable,” JD said.  

Koottsoo, Kai, and JD have worked hard in Reno to build a community with the people they tattoo and try to open up tattooing to everyone regardless of your gender, sexuality, race, etc. 

All three of these artists work to make tattoos accessible, comfortable and a fun experience for everyone.

Reporting by Dez Peltzer for Our Town Reno

Second Round of Matching Grants for Downtown Reno Business Improvements

A second round of awardees in the ReStore Reno downtown revitalization program was recently announced, with 29 additional applicants, including eight new businesses, totaling $589,000 in funds to be received.

In total, there has now been over one million dollars awarded in the matching grants program funded by the federal American Rescue Plan for downtown Reno property owners and business tenants to make facade improvements and interior upgrades.

Mayor Hillary Schieve has also tried to push landlords who are holding onto unused buildings in the downtown corridor to lower their rents for new tenants to be able to start new businesses.

Uncle Junkee at 101 N. Virginia Street was in the first round of awarded applicants, trying to help change downtown, as its previous location did further south in Midtown.

“ReStore Reno is all about making the Biggest Little City even better,” Schieve said.

The City is matching up to $50,000 for exterior improvements and up to $50,000 for interior projects. Applicants can be reimbursed up to $100,000 if they do both.

Winners have 90 days to submit a building permit application and an additional 180 days to complete the work.

The second round awardees are below:

Birdeez  - 151 N. Viginia St.  
• National Automobile Museum - 1 Museum Drive 
• The Reno Bar and Grill - 903 E. 4th
• Street 
• Crak N' Grill - 301 S. Wells Ave.  
• Cluckers – 651 E. 4th
• Street 
• Yuzu Sushi & Bar - 440 N. Virginia St.  
• D Bar M Western Store - 1020 E. 4th
• St. 
• Lead Dog & Sunset Wines - 415 E. 4th
• Street 
• Horseshoe - 229 N Virginia St.  
• 101 N. Virginia St. Property 
• USA Drycleaners - 1080 S. Virginia St.  
• Dubs Sports Lounge - 95 N Virginia St.  
• Dead Ringer Analog Bar – 432 E. 4th
• St.  
• Black Rabbit Mead Co. - 401 E. 4th
• St.  
• Sol-Up - 902 S. Virginia St. 
• Ferino Distillery - 541 E. 4th
• St.  
• Our Bar - 211 W. 1st
• St.  
• Slieve Brewing Company - 495 Morrill Ave.  
• 495 Morrill Ave. Property 
• The EP Listening Lounge – 1300 S. Wells Ave. 

Our Town Reno reporting, February 2024

Petition Against Book Censorship in Washoe County Gains Steam

An online petition against book censorship in Washoe County has breezed by 2,000 signatures and is now aiming for 3,000.

“Like most Americans, we strongly oppose book banning and organized attempts to purge books from library shelves. Recently, a small group has been trying to remove books from our public and school libraries,” the petition begins.

It can be found here: https://www.fightforthefirst.org/.../oppose-censorship-in...

A challenged in Washoe County list available on the library system website has 21 titles on it currently, including The Bluest Eye, the first novel by acclaimed author Toni Morrison, The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement and “This Book is Gay” by trans writer Juno Dawson.

The full list can be found here: https://catalog.washoecountylibrary.us/...

At the County school level, if parents give notification that a student should not read a specific book, or a certain category of books, their account is flagged, preventing them from checking the book out, based on the parental request.

Our Town Reno reporting, February 2024

Ren and Ricardo, Fostering Community with the Reno Art Community Closet

If you attended Visions of Change at the Holland Project last April, you may have stumbled across a table with Ren Frick and Ricardo Rubalcaba Paredes behind it. The two artists were debuting their project for the first time– the Reno Community Art Closet. 

Ren had been pondering the idea for a community art closet for a few years, after encountering a similar project in Sacramento. Eventually Ren asked Ricardo if they would help bring the idea to life.

“We were working really really late, painting signs the night before (Visions of Change),” Ren remembers.  “We really hit it off. I feel like we have a lot of very similar interests, and very similar values. And I was like, ‘do you want to run with the art closet with me?’” Ricardo hopped on board, and the pair worked together to get RCAC up and running.

At the Visions of Change event, Ren and Ricardo provided a poster board for folks to come and share their own ideas for what the art closet might look like. This was intentional– one of their uncompromisable goals was that the art closet be shaped by the community itself. 

Although RCAC was first conceived as a project for a class at UNR, the art closet is not affiliated with the university at all. “The institution is very extractive. When the institution invites the community to come in, it's not a mutually beneficial relationship,” says Ricardo. “There's no community that's being fostered. And I think that's what the intent was (with the art closet). We want to foster community.”

At 22 years old, Ricardo has spent much of their adult life navigating housing instability. “(Reno has) major problems with lack of affordable housing,” Ricardo points out. “So another intent with the community art closet was to bring things which aren't readily accessible, or easily accessible…and make those things affordable to artists who may be having a difficult time.”

Community members can access art supply drop boxes at two different locations in Reno: The Radical Cat at 1717 S Wells St (the box can be found right outside the front door) as well as Coyote Supply at 30 Mary St Unit #11 (walk inside the brick building, up the stairs and to the left). In under a year, Reno Community Art Closet has become a valuable resource to local artists. Especially those who are unable to purchase new, usually expensive, art supplies.

The drop boxes have been a great success, but Ren and Ricardo are not stopping there. RCAC is building an online network of artists with all kinds of skill sets. So if a community member wants to try something new, they have the chance to get connected with experienced artists through the community art closet network. 

RCAC will also be hosting a workshop series at the downtown Reno public library in March, April, and May, on the second Sunday of each month. “We're thinking about access to creativity, access to art making, and knowledge about art making,” says Ren. “We're really trying to make things as tangible as we can.”

Community members can register for the workshops through the Washoe County Library’s events calendar, with registration for the first workshop opening on February 25th. Workshop attendees will be sent home with their own art kits and instructional zines, in order to empower artists to keep creating on their own time. 

With everything that RCAC has already provided the community in such a short time, Ren and Ricardo recently started imagining a brick and mortar location– a store full of free art supplies and books for Renoites to access. 

For now, though, they are continuing to support local artists, spread art knowledge and skills as far as they can reach, and encourage everyone to pick up a pen or a paintbrush. “You can be an artist,” Ricardo says. “It's not something that's unfathomable or inaccessible. You just gotta find that community.”

Our Town Reno reporting and photos by Ray Grosser

Dogs of Washoe County, part 4: Having the Commitment to Keep the Pet You Choose

While there are numerous complexities to finding the “right dog,” it truly comes down to the owner’s commitment. At the end of the day, these animals rely on their caretaker to provide food, shelter, and all their other needs. 

For Washoe County Regional Animal Services Program Coordinator Quinn Sweet, there needs to be a “little more personal responsibility” when it comes to pet ownership. In addition to feeding and housing the pet, it means being prepared for the worst case scenarios. 

The show chairman of the Reno Kennel Club Jack Riggsbee spoke on wanting to see more due diligence.  “‘My biggest thing is, I wish people out in the general public who want a dog would research the breed, know what the breed is supposed to be noted for, and go after the one that they really like, or think they would really like.”

In case of problems and challenges, owners and prospective ones aren’t alone, though. The WCRAS has a variety of resources available to owners, which Sweet says many Washoe pet owners don’t realize. 

For example, WCRAS offers entirely free pet microchipping, which can improve the chances of reuniting lost pets. During the 2023 fiscal year, 43% of stray dogs and cats were returned to owners because of a microchip - 3428 dogs in total. 

“You just have to walk in and ask for one, and we’ll do it right then and there,” Sweet said. “That helps us. That helps the pets. It’s a beautiful system.”

Sweet also reminded pet owners in Washoe to license their pet. As previously mentioned, the data on the county’s top breeds only represents licensed dogs. She believes approximately 30% of the dogs in the county are registered with WCRAS, which is actually a legal requirement in the county.

Failing to register a dog through the WCRAS can result in a fine of $100 to $400. WCRAS does offer “fix-it tickets” to violators, waiving their fines if they register their dog and get them up to date on their rabies vaccinations. Rabies vaccinations are another requirement in the county that can fly under owners’ radars. 

“We  always try to work with people to have the best outcomes for their animal,” Sweet said. “And that’s all we want - the best outcome for all the animals in our community. 

More on licensing dogs through the WCRAS can be found on its website. 

Rebecca Goff, the Nevada State Director of the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) “highly recommends” doing research into the needs of the animal and having a discussion with everyone in the household before getting one. Also, make sure everyone is on the same page about bringing an animal into the home - “that should not be a surprise.” 

Secondly, she points out the importance of patience with an adopted dog. While shelters “do their best” to showcase a dog’s personality, there is “no way for a shelter to truly know” how it will behave at home. 

“They say it takes about three months for a dog to come out of its shell and display its full personality after they are adopted,” Goff stated. “Your new dog might be super stressed initially, but could turn into the most mellow, chill pup after they have time to settle in and build trust. I would advise patience after adopting a new pet.”

Goff added that, sometimes, shelter pets don’t always “work out.” This can be caused for a number of reasons, whether it be due to a lack of research, incompatibility with the home, or circumstances outside of the owners control. As mentioned earlier, it’s important that owners be aware of their options in any case. 

Whether it be returning a dog to the breeder or to the shelter, it’s safer than simply abandoning it.  “It’s not just the animal, it’s the people,” she stated towards the end of our interview. 

People have the power to make the decision to get a dog, while the animal has to follow. It’s up to the humans to make the conscious decision: whether they’re getting a dog purely as a disposable gift, or if they’re welcoming a new member to their home. 

Next week, the Nevada Humane Society and Washoe County Regional Animal Services will host a town hall event Feb. 28 with a public Q&A at their building on Longley Lane, with a wide range of issues to be addressed included the worrisome local increase in owner-surrendered animals.

Our Town Reno reporting by Cole Payne

A Dive into Local Campaign Contributions, from Charter Schools, to Lawyers for Jacobs Entertainment, Casinos and Construction Companies

A look through the January filings for candidate 2023 contributions and expenses over $1,000 reveals the usual generous donations for establishment and initially appointed rather than elected candidates from developers, incumbents to each other, Jacobs Entertainment and its law firm, other casinos and wealthy individuals.  

One candidate’s filing which caught our eye is that of Kurt Thigpen who is running for Assembly District 24, which covers most of Reno.

His total of $7,500 is modest but it was filed under the Friends of Kurt Thigpen group category rather than as an individual.

 “This happens often and is done incorrectly by the candidate. I will contact Mr. Thigpen to let him know,” Kristen Rhymes from the Elections Division in the Office of Nevada Secretary of State Francisco Aguilar wrote back to us yesterday, when we asked about this.

In the itemized section of contributions, there is $2,500 from Academica Nevada, $100 from Paul Klein who works for Tri-Strategies, $50 from Chris Thigpen and $25 from Bethany Drysdale, the communications director at Washoe County, as well as $5,000 in in kind contributions from Ace Studios, his own advertising agency.

There’s a few circles going on there, as the lobbying firm Tri-Strategies helps Thigpen and Academica Nevada, part of the Academica charter school management company giant which administers more than half of Nevada’s 55,000 charter school students, while Thigpen has been a member of the Nevada State Public School Charter Authority since an appointment in 2022.  

The Washoe County School District recently expressed concerns over one of the Academica schools Mater Academy of Northern Nevada receiving unanimous approval from the Nevada State Public Charter School Authority to open a second facility in Golden Valley, saying it could be detrimental to tax-funded public schools. 

Thigpen previously served on the Washoe County School Board in 2021 before he resigned from that body due to high stress levels, and then wrote a book about getting the seat called “How to Win an Election: An Essential Guide to Campaigning During Adversity.” 

His opponents in the race are civil rights attorney Erica Roth, who received over $23,074 in large donations, including $5,000 from Nicole Miller and $2,500 from Southwest Gas Corporation, and environmentalist Ben Barteau who didn’t appear to file.  All three are running as Democrats in a race where the primary should be decisive in a heavily Democratic district. 

We also looked at filings for other races, which all appeared to be reflective of business as usual in terms of local elections and campaign contributions.

The contentious Republican battle in District 4 for County Commission will likely determine the eventual winner for that seat, with the incumbent and governor appointed Clara Andriola receiving over $114,000 in contributions, including $5,000 from the Jensen Electric Company, $5,000 from the Associated Builders and Contractors and $10,205 from Roger Prime. 

Her opponent local GOP operative Tracey Hilton-Thomas received $3,158, including $1,000 from herself, while we couldn’t find anything for the third announced candidate former Sparks fire chief Mark Lawson, who is on his way to receiving a $381,000 settlement for wrongful termination.  

In District 1, where there should be a Democrat/Republican showdown in November, the incumbent Democrat Alexis Hill raised over $151,851, including $2,500 from Woodland Village North, $2,500 from Hamilton Properties, $1,000 from the Abbi Agency, $6,000 from Christopher Wood, $500 from Devon Reese, $5,000 from the Tridentata Trust, $450 from Jerry Snyder, $2,500 from Peppermill Casinos, $500 from Aaron Ford, $5,000 from the GSR, $2000 from Erika White, $1,000 from the Nevada Housing Alliance, $1,000 from Lewis Roca (the law firm for Jacobs Entertainment), $2,500 from the Atlantis, $5,000 from Robert Goldberg and $500 from the Committee to Elect Devon Reese, among many contributions.  

We couldn’t find anything for Marsha Berkbigler, Hill’s Republican opponent.

Over in Reno City council races, incumbents who were all initially appointed, are getting the biggest contributions, by far. 

In Ward 1, the incumbent appointed Kathleen Taylor received over $102,383, including $2,500 from the Gold Dust West Jacobs Entertainment casino and $2,500 from their lawyers at Lewis Roca, $2,500 from the Peppermill, $5,000 from the development company Panattoni, $5,000 from Dolan Trust, $5,000 from Andrew Diss, $500 from Devon Reese, $50 from fellow appointed incumbent Miguel Martinez and $1,000 from Friends of Hillary Schieve among notable contributions.

Challenger Frank Perez received over $30,755, including $10,000 from Friends of Edgar Flores, and $10,000 from D’Silva for Nevada.  Nothing could be found for mutual aid champion Lily Baran also contesting in that race.

In Ward 3, the other more recent incumbent appointed Miguel Martinez received over $65,323 in contributions, including $2,000 from Bonnie Weber for Reno Campaign, $2,500 from the Gold Dust Reno Jacobs Entertainment casino, $5,000 from Dandini Spectrum Holdings, $2,500 from the Atlantis Casino, $1,000 from the Committee to Elect Devon Reese, $1,000 from the Lewis Roca Jacobs Entertainment lawyers, and $2,000 from Peter Zak who was equally generous to Devon Reese. We couldn’t find anything for challenger Denise Meyer.

In Ward 5, another current city council member who was initially appointed, Devon Reese, received a whopping $205,000, including $2,500 from Stacie Mathewson, $2,200 from Ian Anderson who organizes lacrosse locally, $5,000 from Dermody Properties, $2,000 from Savage and Son, $150 from Miguel Martinez, $500 from Naomi Duerr, $5,000 from the Reno Firefighters Association, $5,000 from Greenstreet Development, $2,500 from the Jacobs Entertainment lawyers Lewis Roca, $5,000 from Panattoni Development, $2,500 from the Gold Dust West Jacobs Entertainment casino, $5,000 from Dandini Spectrum, $5,000 from the Atlantis, $5,000 from the Heinz Ranch Land Company, $5,000 from Wood Rodgers, $2,500 from Abby Whitaker, $5,000 from the GSR and $197 from Friends of Kathleen Taylor, among notable contributions.

Nothing was found for opponents Brian Cassidy or Tara Webster, while Sheila Peuchaud got just $1,480.

For the wide open Ward 6 race, we couldn’t find anyone receiving contributions for 2023.  

Our Town Reno reporting, February 2024

Erica Roth, An Advocate for the People, Running for State Assembly

Erica Roth, a civil rights attorney now running for Assembly seat District 24, traces back her willingness to serve in elected office to help she gave as a public defender to a now incarcerated man.

“He was somebody who had been in and out of the system for a long time, and he had picked up a misdemeanor case, something minor along the lines of breaking into a building, trying to find a place to sleep, things like that,” she explained.

“And we started a years long relationship together. And during those years, he came back again and again for these similar crimes. He was experiencing chronic homelessness. He did not have the resources or services that he needed.”

As she advanced in her career, and started doing felony work, he ended up as a client in a more serious case.  Roth tried to convey to the judge what her client had been through.

“I said, ‘Judge, I want you to imagine what it's like every night to lay your head down onto concrete and to not believe that you have anyone in this world or anyone to take care of you.’”

Roth says despite her efforts her client was given a lengthy prison sentence.  She felt devastated, watching a “slow motion tragedy.”  The man had even threatened her with violence and yelled at her, but she kept trying to help him over the years.  

“When I got back to the office that day after that sentencing, he called me and I thought he was going to yell at me,” she remembers. 

“And I picked up the phone and he was crying and … he said, you know, Miss Erica, I'm so sorry that I'm crying. I'm so embarrassed. I've just never had anyone love me before like you loved me today in that courtroom.”

She says this instance coupled with a difficult home life growing up in Carson City, which led her to become a high school dropout, has made her an advocate for those in need, when the rest of the world is failing them and proper services are lacking.

Roth has an impressive roster of local politicians and community organizers backing her candidacy.

When current assemblywoman Sarah Peters said she would not be running for re-election in 2024, Roth, 34, said she felt it was now her time to run. 

Peters is now one of many local Democratic and progressive heavyweights backing Roth, and whose names appear on a flyer for a February 22nd fundraiser.

District 24 which covers UNR, downtown Reno, Midtown, the Wells Avenue district where Roth lives and parts of the old southwest leans heavily democratic so the June 11th primary will be decisive, in less than four months.  

An elected assembly member, Roth says, is limited in what they can do, but their role in setting the state budget is crucial to the state’s direction. 

“You know, are we putting the right amount of money in into education and are we using our resources well? It’s really important that we have people stepping into these roles who not only have been fighting for their communities, but also know what is required to actually enact that change.”

Roth previously served as Democratic Governor Steve Sisolak’s deputy general counsel, gaining experience on how policy is moved through the levers of power.  

She got her degrees at UC Santa Cruz and then at the University of San Francisco School of Law, and moved back to Northern Nevada to be back close to her mother. 

Roth helped draft an immediate executive order to protect access to reproductive health services in Nevada following the Supreme Court’s 2022 Dobbs decision.

The issues she has been on the front lines for include protecting the environment, improving prison conditions, expanding abortion access, as well as helping tenants, veterans and the unhoused.  

“How do we center the voices of those who are actually impacted by these issues to make sure that the legislation that we pass is going to benefit them? I think that people recognize how I do business in that way,” she says of the support she is receiving.   

In terms of abortion rights, Roth drafted the executive order which protected patients, volunteers and providers from criminal prosecution or civil lawsuits after the Dobbs decision. The fight is far from over, she says, despite what many often comment on Nevada posts.  

“Even though abortion is legal with parameters in the state of Nevada, that does not equal access, and the right to an abortion without access to abortion renders that right obsolete. And so expanding who can access abortion is something that is so critically important to me, especially because we're no longer just serving Nevadans. We are serving patients from all sorts of state who are seeking haven here, and we have to figure out how to serve them,” she explained.  

Another fight she will help lead she says is helping tenants.

“You're not supposed to spend more than 30% of your income on rent and we have lots of families spending 50, 60% of their income on rent. There's absolutely no pathway to home ownership, which is how we pass on wealth, generationally. I think some practical things that I would really love to see brought back in the next legislative session are limits on things like fees, right? You can have a landlord make a lot of money just by collecting applications, and the tenant doesn't get that money back,” she said.

Roth started out her career as a legal aid attorney doing housing justice work, and says there’s an unusual and unfair requirement in Nevada for tenants to initiate court proceedings once they receive an eviction notice.

“It really preys on people who don't have the resources to take off of work to deal with these issues. It preys on people who don't have experience in the legal system, which is very scary to navigate, especially when your housing is on the line. And so there are absolutely, really practical protections that we can put in place for renters,” she said.  

When asked about her own difficult childhood and teenage years, Roth didn’t give specifics, but said it certainly shaped who she is and why she’s a candidate.

“It’s something that also has motivated me to run because I know what it's like to be a person, a young woman especially, who was in such need of an advocate. And that's really been kind of the driving force in who I have become as a lawyer. And so, you know, that drives so much of what I do and who I am, because I was lucky to have resources that allowed me to overcome those circumstance. But dedicating myself to people who need an advocate is the cornerstone of who I am,” she concluded.  

Our Town Reno reporting, February 2024

Activists "Break Up" with Jacobs Entertainment Reno Plans

There were signs, speeches, tours of fenced off dirt lots, pets, solidarity and photo ops at yesterday’s activist “breakup” with Jacobs Entertainment in downtown Reno.

“The fact that Jacobs has been allowed to buy up multiple blocks of Reno, and the City Council has just given him a deal to do whatever he wants with all that land,” Rosa, one of the protest organizers from Reno-Sparks Tenants Union said, “and so far he has just been knocking them down and not replacing them with anything.”

“He started buying up buildings around 2017 and started most of his demolitions in 2018,” Elizabeth, another RSTU organizer said.

“A lot of people have been displaced since he has torn down motels, which is the last stop for many people before homelessness. Not a lot of building has been going on, but a lot of people have been displaced.”

The crowd consisted of several dozen people chanting and walking together. Passing cars honked their horns at the protesters, which was read as support. Pedestrians raised their fists in solidarity.

“It’s a way to show that we exist,“ said David Friedman, another member of the RTSU. “It’s a way to educate."

RSTU’s complaints about the lack of affordable housing locally, include having even fewer options when looking for a place which allows pets.

“When we got to a point where we could afford a place” Aspin Murio, who has two dogs, says on finding a place with their pets, “a lot of the places we could afford did not allow pets. It was actually a huge battle and we actually had to find emergency living for three months.”

“We had to end up registering our dogs as emotional support animals to have them with us,” Hana Fahmi, a roommate of Aspin said.

In its latest move in buying out properties on and around 4th street to develop a so-called Neon Line District, after saying it wouldn’t, Jacobs Entertainment won a court auction bid on the dilapidated Bonanza Inn.

Another motel it recently bought out the Desert Rose Inn used to house many seniors living on fixed income, and people who had been previously unhoused.

Reporting and photos by Kade Collins and Quay Skankey

Immigrants of Reno: From Romania to Initial Shock to Now Finding Community

Isabella Pavelea, 51, is from Transylvania, Romania and after 17 years of living in Reno, the Biggest Little City is feeling like home.  

The immigration process can be long, she said. “We applied and waited 11 years until we received a letter from immigration saying [we’ve] been accepted,” Pavelea remembers of the initial challenges of making it to the United States. 

It took Pavelea, her former husband and her two kids another year afterwards to finish all of the paperwork to move here in 2007. They originally decided to move to be closer to her brother-in-law who lived in northern Nevada. For Pavelea, the change was initally a shock.

“Everybody was so excited. Not me, at the beginning. I was freaked out,” Pavelea said. She described being worried about the language barrier. 

However, once she and her family arrived and settled in their new, two-bedroom apartment, Pavelea began taking English and math classes at Truckee Meadows Community College. 

“For me, it was difficult to start with pronunciation,” she said. The English she was learning in Romania was more similar to British English.

“I started from zero, from scratch,” she said. She was taking classes at TMCC and taking care of her children at the same time, while her former husband worked at his brother’s construction company. This process was, at times, difficult for her.

“I needed to hold everything on my shoulders,” she remembers.

For Pavelea, there was also a culture shock that came with moving to the U.S. 

“What shocked me is everything [is] related to freedom. When I saw [for] the first time people walking around Walmart in pajamas, I was amazed,” she said. Dressing is about self-esteem and respect, she adds. 

Currently, she is a Clinical Lab Assistant (CLA) and Phlebotomist at Renown Health. Before she  moved to the U.S., she worked with the Red Cross. She’s been at Renown Health since 2012. 

Pavelea misses her family back in Romania and Spain, where siblings now live, as well as the food. She misses the pedestrian safety in Romania as well.

Two different types of candies from Romania Pavelea brought to the coffee shop, with the colors of the Romanian flag, called ROM and Eugenia. 

For our interview, Pavelea brought with her two different types of candies, both of which she said are popular in Romania. One is called Eugenia - a biscuit with cacao. The other is ROM  - it’s a chocolate bar with a rum-cream filling.  The colors on both of the packages reflect the colors of the Romanian flag - blue, yellow and red. 

She got these candies from her trip back to Romania in 2022, when visiting her parents. Pavelea wants to travel home more often, but flights can be expensive, with many stops.

“It’s very complicated…it’s the waiting time between the flights,” she said. 

However, Pavelea, in between these visits, keeps in touch with her family.  

“We talk over WhatsApp every single day,” Pavelea said. 

As for Reno, the mountains, parks, lakes and the hiking are her favorite parts. And Easter is one of the holidays when she gets together with her family and friends.

“We always get together and everybody brings food,” Pavelea said. They’ve been getting together as a group for 15 years now, she said. The group brings lamb for Easter, she said. Outside of the holiday, Pavelea also likes to make sarmale, also known as Romanian cabbage rolls, as well as Ciorba de Burta (tripe soup). 

This is one of the ways in which she keeps her children, and herself, connected to Romania.

Our Town Reno reporting and photos by Ember Braun

Our Town Reno Cold Cases, part 2: Saul Garcia

“It seems like it just happened. Every year, you wish it didn't happen, but it did happen,” Abby Garcia says of her youngest son having been murdered.   

January 21st marked seven years since Saul Garcia was killed in the back of a vehicle in Sparks. While the case remains unsolved, the Facebook page Justice for Saul-Toast-Garcia remains active. 

“I posted something on Facebook and some of his friends posted on there, you know, that he would never be forgotten,” Abby said.  “They put pictures of him that they had, and, I just go back and I tell them, ‘thank you for remembering and thank you for sharing.’”

The family lit a candle at the Sparks Marina where there’s a plaque with a bike honoring his life.  It’s a good spot for the family to remember him, as he would always go cruising there on his bike with a speaker connected, playing the music he loved, getting smiles from those he passed.  

His birthday on August 16th is just as difficult for Abby and the rest of the family, as is Thanksgiving which was Saul’s favorite holiday.  “We do something at the house for him, but it's just too hard,” she said. “I know it's been seven years, but it's just too hard still. It’s hard to talk about it.  I have pictures of him on the wall but sometimes I can't look at them.” 

Saul, the youngest of five siblings, named after an uncle from Mexico, was killed in the early morning hours of Jan 21, 2017, and found by Sparks police in the back of a vehicle on the 2600 block of Cygnet Circle. That same early morning Edgar Rodriguez was found shot dead in the area of McCarran Boulevard and Sutro Street.  

Police say Rodriguez had left a party in a vehicle with several other people.  Both of the young men were 19 when they were killed.  

Very little information came out in the media, and Abby has grown increasingly frustrated with the local investigation.  

“I don't see them doing anything anymore about it,” she says. “I just gave up on texting the detective because he never would text me back. I would text him like once a month and say, ‘Hey, you know what? This is his mom, I want to know what's going on with the case.’ And I wouldn't hear back from him anymore.”  

She would like to know where the case stands.  

“If they did give up, I mean, they need to let me know what's going on. They need to tell me, ‘okay, you know what, we're not getting any more leads. Nothing's going on. We're gonna close the case now.’ But no one contacted me at all. Nobody. “  

Abby says her family and friends believe they know who the killer is in her son’s murder but that everyone who could help with the investigation is afraid to come forward.  

“They don't want the same thing to happen to them or anything to their family,” she said.  “They're just all too scared to come forward. I do wish that somebody eventually will come forward”  

Abby also wishes police were more communicative.  “They said that Saul was in the wrong place at the wrong time. That's what they said. And the gang unit was called but he wasn't a gang banger or anything. He just liked to go out and have fun.  It'd be nice to have somebody that really did care, but they don’t,” she said. 

Saul had had trouble with his schooling, struggling with ADHD, but he was doing well, she says, working at a roofing company, getting his life sorted out, when it was abruptly ended.  

“Deep down in my heart, I know that it's going to stay unsolved,” she added. “You know? I know it's never going to get solved. It's just something that I feel. I just feel it in my heart that no one's ever, ever going to come forward.”

After his death, a GoFundMe for Saul got 30 donations but only received $1,600 out of a $15,000 goal.  Others told Abby, who works in a warehouse, to hire a private detective but she says she doesn’t have the money for that.  A GoFundMe previously set up for Rodriguez is no longer up.

“Everybody needs justice for their children, you know, but some will get it and some won’t,” Abby says, with tears swelling up. She feels racism plays a part in whether or not certain cases get looked into seriously.  

“A lot of people say, like, they'll try to say, ‘get over it. It's over and done with,’ but you never get over it. You know, you never get over it,” she says. “There's nothing anybody can say or do. You know, you as a person just have to go through it yourself. I have to go through it by myself. My kids gotta go through it. They're going to go through it their way. Like I'm going through it my way. But there isn't anything really that anybody can say or do.”

Her other kids still live in the area, and she says they are what keep her going.  

They all miss Saul’s humor.  “He was a funny person. He would tell jokes and he was just a funny person. He was always there for his friends. Whenever some of his friends needed a ride, he would always tell me, ‘Mom, can I use a car? Mom, can I use a truck?’”

His dream was to buy a nice car and go low riding, so now one of his brothers, Gerardo, has been working on tailoring one in Saul’s memory, even displaying it at car shows, like the one above in Las Vegas several years ago.  

“It’s hard for us still to talk about it because we just start crying. I mean, I know it's been seven years, but it's still hard,” she said at the conclusion of our interview.  “I remember the day, I remember what happened and it's just like, I don’t know, it’s hard. “

Reno Police Detectives can be reached at 334-2188 and Sparks Police Department Division at 353-2225. Anonymous tips can be submitted through Secret Witness at 322-4900, www.secretwitness.com or text the tip to 847411 (TIP 411) keyword – SW.

Our Town Reno reporting, February 2024

Lawson to Cash in on Settlement, While Facing Charges Again

In what was a busy day for the Sparks City Council yesterday, it approved a $381,000 settlement with ex-fire chief Mark Lawson over wrongful termination and defamation claims, allowing him to cash in more than expected as he now runs for office, just months after the same body turned down a previously offered $170,000 settlement.

Lawson left his job in late 2022 in disputed circumstances a week after he started it, after being confronted by then Sparks City Manager Neil Krutz that he was facing four felony steroid charges.

The case was dismissed with prejudice earlier this year, with prosecutors saying they needed more time.

The Nevada attorney general’s office quickly refiled charges against Lawson in Sparks Justice Court earlier this month, with a new arraignment hearing scheduled for March 26th.

Lawson who has maintained his innocence throughout this saga says he is running for Washoe County Commission District 4 in a contentious Republican primary against appointed incumbent Clara Andriola, favored by establishment figures, and Washoe County GOP Vice Chair Tracey Hilton-Thomas.

As of today, his Facebook page Mark Lawson for Nevada Washoe County Commission has 68 likes and 243 followers, with recent posts promoting local events, recirculating local news stories of interest and an explainer on ideal tire pressure in cold weather.

Our Town Reno reporting, February 2024

Sparks City Council Criminalizes Sleeping in Vehicle, Parking Lived-In RVs in Public

“Poverty is not a crime” the ACLU of Nevada wrote after the Sparks City Council moved to boost an existing ordinance now making it a criminal misdemeanor with up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine to sleep in a vehicle or stay parked for an extended period of time while living inside an oversized RV on public property.

It was voted for unanimously Monday and took effect immediately despite dozens of emails against and angry comments from representatives of local mutual aid groups and faith-based groups, saying it was "inhumane."

The Sparks Police Chief who is also the Acting City Manager, Chris Crawforth, spoke in favor of the ordinance saying it was needed for what some other speakers also called service-resistant individuals.

An earlier presentation by the Nevada Housing Coalition indicated that with wages not keeping up with prices a person making minimum wage in Nevada now needs to work 82 hours a week to afford a basic one-bedroom apartment.

Our Town Reno reporting, February 2024

Melody, Unable to Rebound from COVID Job Loss and Health Problems

"We're all equal. There's no one who's better than anyone else,” says Melody, who was hobbling along the streets of Reno recently, near the Cares Campus, huddled in her jacket.

She hopes to return home to live with her brother in Ohio, after saying she never rebounded from the COVID shutdowns here.  

"I had a car. I had a job. I had a house. Everything,” she says. “Then Covid hit and things just went crazy… for a lot of people. You (can) get pushed to the wall really bad." 

She’s had to start paying copays on her Medicaid, she says, and her food stamps aren’t keeping up with rising prices.  

“I don't understand the economy anymore,” she says. “(The cost of living) gets higher but it's worse for low income people."

She’s struggling with her health in a myriad of ways, including brain damage from an ex hitting her on the head with a blunt object when he wanted his jacket back, she says.  She recently survived a bout with pneumonia but felt she was treated like a second class citizen at a local hospital.

“They treat the homeless different here… I understand they're dirty and should clean up after themselves… But they still should not judge,” she says.

“Some people are going to go out and hurt or kill themselves because they make them feel like a piece of sh*t. Pardon my language but you know, that's not right for them to do that. They sent me out to die. I felt like I was walking dead with that pneumonia.”

She went to another hospital and got better treatment, she says, but now she needs more help.   

"I have a bad knee I have to have surgery on. I can't work right now. I would work. I'd make more than Social Security would give you. It's painful. It's very painful," she added.

"There's days I cry and cry a lot… It's sad to see all these people like this. Life could be better.”

"This state is so (immoral.) Cruel people," she laughs nervously when talking about Nevada in general, and Reno specifically. "This is Sin City Two. Reno is very cruel. They don't care about you. …If you step in front of them and die they will look at you and let you die. That's just the way I feel. Anyway. One day at a time. That's all we can do. You gotta make what you can of every day." 

She believes more mental health hospitals are needed.   

"They say they closed the mental hospitals. ‘Why?’ "They can't afford them? The state makes so much money. The casinos! Why can't they help? They are greedy here. They don't really have it in order here. (It seems like) they're letting people go bad. It's sad. It's a sad state. They should be helping people.”

If people show concern for her particular plight, she says she’s appreciative. 

“It puts a smile on your face. Maybe they can make a difference. Just one little difference. Hope. It's all you got. It's people like you who matter," she says of people who want to help.  

Melody says people experiencing homelessness need the following: blankets, clothes, hygiene, soap, shampoo, conditioner and locks to keep personal belongings safe. 

"A lot of hygiene (supplies,)” she repeats in terms of needs. “A lot of people don't get Social Security out here. They just hustle. Or they gave to borrow or whatever. Little bottles of shampoo and stuff will last a couple washes." 

Despite having items stolen at the Cares Campus, she says she feels safe there.  

“They have a great staff. Great, great people,” she says.  

What about the stigma that many people are unhoused due to drug use?

"Some people depend on drugs because it makes the pain go away,” she responds. 

Melody advocates for rehab for those who need it. "Talk to them sensibly. Don't talk to them like they're pieces of sh*t. It breaks my heart. Just put some love out. Help these people.”

Melody often visits the railroad tracks near Fourth and Sage streets to help others herself. 

She says she's a survivor who has had twelve near death experiences, from car wrecks to suicide attempts. 

"I think life is about a test. I'm going to make it. I won't give up. I made it this long. I'm almost sixty. I've got a lot to tell somebody." 

Reporting and Photos by Dani DeRosa for Our Town Reno

Lawsuit Targets Mustang Ranch, Other Nevada Brothels for Alleged Sex Trafficking

A lawsuit filed just before the Super Bowl on behalf of a Nevada resident using the name “Jane Doe” is calling for an end to legalized prostitution in the Silver State, accusing brothels and brothel owner Lance Gilman, whose real estate firm brokers properties at the Tahoe-Reno Industrial Center, of being complicit in sex trafficking.

A video was released yesterday by the National Center on Sexual Exploitation on YouTube titled Super Bowl 2024 Nevada Brothel Sex Trafficking Lawsuit mentioning the court action: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_Rr9T46Gxk...

The lawsuit claims that from 2017 to 2022 Jane Doe was “induced to engage in commercial sex acts through force, fraud, and coercion - including psychological manipulation, constraints on her movement, and debt - in legal brothels operating in Nevada.”

The lawsuit names four brothels: the Mustang Ranch just east of Sparks, The Chicken Ranch in Pahrump, the Desert Rose Club in Elko, and Bella’s Hacienda Ranch in Lamoille.

It also names Gov. Joe Lombardo and Attorney General Aaron Ford in the accused.

The suit alleges workers at the Mustang Ranch are forced to sign NDA agreements, fined for missing lineup calls when an unannounced customer arrives, being locked inside, prevented from leaving for weeks, having their car keys taken away from them and being forced to turn over earnings. Other accusations include allegations women are being sent to Reno for sex buyers outside the premises of the brothel.

In an RGJ article, Russell Greer, with the political action committee called A Safer Nevada, aimed at expanding legal brothels is quoted as saying it’s another “frivolous” lawsuit attacking Nevada’s brothel industry, while the report indicates Gilman and the governor’s office didn’t respond to requests for comment, while the attorney general’s office said it does not comment on any pending litigation.

Our Town Reno reporting, February 2024

Career College of Northern Nevada Closes Abruptly

The Career College of Northern Nevada on Pullman Drive in Sparks closed abruptly this week, after filing for bankruptcy, leaving current students and staff in a bind.

Their website indicates: “If you are a student who was actively enrolled or on an approved leave of absence on this date, or if you withdrew from a training program within 180 days of this date, you may be eligible for a Closed School Discharge.”

Other options are listed there for students seeking help.

A reader who shared this exterior photo with us told us employees in the building were notified it was closing Friday early afternoon, its last day of operations. The reader says they were told to pack up their belongings, as no one would have access after 4 p.m..

Some instructors found out about the closing from their students or other media reports.

We tried to contact the school via phone and email but did not hear back as of yet.

Average cost after aid for first time, full-time undergraduate students was estimated to be nearly $21K.

Its Yelp reviews ranged from a recent five star one, by Drew B. who said his experience for the HVAC morning program was “phenomenal.”

Many other recent reviews were of the one star variety though such as Jaylen J. saying: “This school is a joke. They care more about student drama than actual education. I went to class and all we did the whole time was talking about a text message that was sent out in a group text that I never got. When I told them they needed to talk to those involved and not waste my class time, I was told I was being immature …” or Jorge L. who wrote “teachers don't pay attention to you they hand you papers and then expect you to know what to do you ask a question and they tell you to look it up worst trade school hvac program is trash basically you’re teaching yourself…”

Our Town Reno reporting, February 2024

Local Bands Hope for More Reno Venues, while Turning to Tea Shops, Markets, Hotels and Community Radio

The camaraderie and community felt palpable as people sang and danced along to the covers and original songs performed by Unexplainable Cattle Mutilations and Evening Spirits at the Holland project on a recent Thursday night.

The all-ages Holland is a well-known venue in Reno, while house shows also take place, but these always risk being shut down due to neighbor complaints and police visits.

This showcases a need for more places for local musicians to perform and their fans to enjoy their music without feeling they might be short changed.

In a recent Our Town Reno podcast episode the bass player for the local band and Holland Project regulars Worm Shot Cierra said she performs at Holland and performs house shows, but faces abrupt endings with these. “My favorite show was with Mom Cars at my house, in my backyard. I love hosting shows, I think it’s so fun. I love having people make music in my backyard.” said Cierra “We actually got shut down last time I hosted a show– by the cops.”  

Reno, going through a transition for the past several years, has lost some of its DIY music history. House shows were a big part of the punk and hardcore scenes in the past, and still continue today at different houses, but some of these vintage locations have been demolished to make space for new housing which don’t have that vintage appeal.

As Reno and the surrounding areas grow in population, though, so does the demand for live music. This lack of available spaces inhibits musicians trying to make a name for themselves.

The indie rock band Evening Spirits performing.

Currently most people agree that The Holland Project is the place for shows in Reno. Chloe, the bass player for a new Reno based band RIP EVERYTHING described The Holland Project as “super chill.” “It’s always welcoming, every type of music plays there,” Chloe explained. “They’ve got hardcore, they’ve got punk, they’ve got metal, they’ve got indie, indie funk, they’ve got jazz. They’ve got electronic and post-punk, they’ve got everything!”

One of the biggest reasons that The Holland Project is so popular, and well known is because it is all ages. The biggest problems that local bands, especially young ones, face is finding spaces to practice and perform.

Rashidul Kaber, or Rash, is a sound engineer, musician, and board member for the Reno Punk Rock Flea Market. “I think the biggest challenge is kind of finding a space to play. Especially for young bands with younger people in them. We really only have one all ages venue, and it’s the Holland Project,” Rash said.

“With some of the other venues it’s kind of hard to get into those spaces, as a lesser known local band. I feel like a lot of the venues are looking for bands that have bigger draws.”

A show poster for a recent Holland event.

RIP EVERYTHING’s solution to these problems is a boba tea shop. Num Num Boba is a local business with two locations, in North and South Reno. Num Num Boba had hosted music nights before with members of the jazz program at UNR. RIP EVERYTHING proposed having a different type of show there– with local bands. 

They played their first show at Num Num in 2022. “They [the owners] are really into it too. It especially brings business around during the winter time when it gets slow at boba shops.” The band members said  “We decided to play a show and then they invited us back a couple of times. I do really hope that it becomes a thing for other bands to go there too because I think it is a cool place to play.”

These kinds of unconventional venues are hopefully going to become a bigger part of Reno’s music scene moving forward. “I’ve been noticing a lot of spaces that don’t– that aren’t really conducive to live shows,” Rash said “but they’re still doing them, that’s really cool.” These kinds of partnerships with local businesses provide a freedom for new bands and can also draw in business for the hosts of these shows. 

Although the way music is released and the way that musicians can grow an audience has changed with the rise of music streaming platforms, in Reno, playing live shows is still important to build an audience. RIP EVERYTHING explained, “to get local buzz you need live shows. Because if you just put it on Spotify or Apple Music you won’t reach a bigger audience, but word spreads faster person to person in the city. Especially in the city, because Reno’s not too big.”

Getting music onto streaming platforms can still be helpful for local artists to find an audience. Lila and Hailey, of the radio show “Milking It,”  play a lot of local artists. “The main goal of “Milking It” was to get everyone out of their everyday music and just show them that there are bands that are just as good that they may not have been listening to before and we just love sharing local music on the radio” they explained, “It is hard when those band’s don’t have recordings and we can’t play them.” 

A lot of the music that “Milking It” does play they discover through going to shows. They don’t just go to shows for research though.  “I think a good local music scene is really important to the culture of a city, especially with Reno being such a big college town,” said Hailey “I think it’s nice to have something for people to do on the weekends. That’s what I do on the weekends. And especially for people who don’t like to go to parties, or like frats.”

A lot of local musicians do it as a hobby; they have full time jobs, or are students. Nick Eng, another local musician, plays gigs often around the Reno-Tahoe area. He had advice for artists looking to make money from their music. “Is music just something you enjoy doing, or is it your career? I’m a pop-rock guy, and I play a combo of originals and covers at all my shows- solo and full band- and that flexibility gets me and us into a lot of better paying venues,” Nick said. “Some people might not want to play covers, which is valid, but you’d be limiting yourself to income and a wider audience if you don’t.”

Nick Eng played his own songs and covers on a chilly night for the Reno Christmas tree lighting ceremony.

While there are many bars, casinos, and DIY venues that host live music like The Lodge, Black Rabbit Mead Co, Fort Ralston, The Z Bar and more, there is still a lack of venues dedicated to music and other local art.

Some people are trying to create new venues and spaces for musicians to play and connect. The Reno Punk Rock Flea Market currently holds events that feature live music and vendors. They also have a goal to “provide a permanent space for all of our community members to collaborate & create.”

A fashion brand Trippy Kitty Co. is organizing a big show with music and vendors scheduled initially this week and now pushed back to March at the Renaissance Hotel.

Finding an actual space is the first and hardest step in creating a new venue. “We, first of all, we obviously have to find a space that is suitable for us because we need kind of a big space to be able to host vendors and bands,” Rash explained “We’ve got to find a space that is suitable, we’ve got to get it to a point where we’re comfortable with having at least shows there which means getting all sorts of gear and all the equipment that goes with live shows.” 

Musicians themselves, those helping to create more spaces for music, and people who support local artists are excited to see what the future of music in The Biggest Little City can become, with hopefully many more welcoming venues.

Our Town Reno reporting by Emma Torvinen