Monthly archive

So James Hohmann reported today in a wonderful piece that contained this priceless quote from Nevada GOP Committeeman James Smack: “There were certainly some promises exchanged,” Nevada committeeman James Smack said of the meeting. “We’re not talking about money. We’re talking about promises, though, that he’s going to work on getting some doors open for us that have been closed by whatever means – whether that be through some of the casino owners or what have you.” Casino owners! Did Sheldon...
Assemblyman Steven Brooks was "acting like a belligerent drunk" and berated police officers when he was booked into jail late Saturday afternoon, a law enforcement source with knowledge of the events tells me. "He was acting bizarre," the inside source told me. Brooks threw around his elected title and used obscene language when he was brought to the jail, the source tells me. That description apparently is contained in a document that is part of the file on Brooks' arrest, not the Declaration...
"Plz stop" "Lynching" "On TV" Those were the texts I received Wednesday evening from Assemblyman Steven Brooks, with echoes of Clarence Thomas' famous comments. Somehwat odd and disturbing, no? Especially so because I had aired a program that evening in which I had questioned whether he could be convicted under the law but wondered if he could serve. I asked what he meant and....no response. My commentary is embedded below, and I also wrote a piece for a national site.      
Next month, the Reno Chamber will present its annual program, "Directions," at the Grand Sierra, a day of speakers to talk about the year to come. I'm honored to be invited to speak, but that's not the point of today's post. I instead call your attention to who will be introducing the governor on Feb. 7, three days after Session '13 commences and amid the usual murmurings by Democrats of new taxes, fair share, etc. From the agenda: Introduction of Governor Sandoval Tim Crowley, Nevada Mining...
UPDATE: Even more details than below are contained in the pre-booking Declaration of Arrest, which I have obtained and posted here. Details have begun to emerge about how Assemblyman Steven Brooks came to be arrested on Saturday on charges of threatening Speaker Marilyn Kirkpatrick, including the involvement of state Sen. Kelvin Atkinson, who has been forthright about his role, and Las Vegas Councilman Ricki Barlow, who has not. Here's what I know happened, from law enforcement, in addition to...
Whenever Republic Services has an item on the Clark County Commission's agenda, controversy ensues. The garbage monopoly has these 100-year agreements (I think I have the length correct), and now the county appears poised to grant the company the ability to eliminate a day of trash pickup as it ramps up its recycling program. This has sparked the ire of one of the better attorneys in Las Vegas, Todd Bice, who has made an unusually extensive records request of the county, which I have attached...
UPDATE: I have confirmed that state Sen. Kelvin Atkinson informed Speaker Marilyn Kirkpatrick of the threat from Brooks, who had been telling people that Kirkpatrick's "first day as speaker would be her last." (I thought he had said those words to Councilman Ricki Barlow, who denies that occurred, although Brooks had said them to others, I'm told. I deleted a previous, confusing reference to Barlow on that score. But Barlow, who said on Twitter that he had "no involvement whatsoever," called...
From the red part of this blue state comes word from one of the counties that the administration's gun proposals, should they become law, will not be welcome. Humboldt County Sheriff Ed Kilgore first accuses the administration of exploiting the Newtown tragedy, calling the unveiling of the package in such close proximity to the slayings "insulting and absurd." And then more (I have attached the full letter here): "The Second Amendment is truly what Americans believe is the layer of security...
It's only 655 days away. So as Election Day 2014 looms ever closer, Gov. Brian Sandoval is ramping up his bid for a second term, as I already told you. And his new campaign manager is a name not familiar to many, one Jeremy Hughes, who has updated his LinkedIn profile to reflect the new assignment beginning this month. Hughes was brought to Nevada by Mike Slanker, a key member of Team Sandoval, to run the short-lived Rick Perry for President campaign out here last year. (Remember the governor...
You can say the governor’s State of the State speech was an uninspired, unimaginative slog through an unimaginative, uninspired budget. And you might be right. But so are they all (with few exceptions), and Brian Sandoval’s was no less or no more so than any of the others. The governor loves the state, recognizes a few audience props, adores the children, wants to work with the Legislature and sees everyone living happily ever after in the great state of Nevada. Heard one…. Those who want him...

Pages