Some of our hardworking reporters were recognized for a job well done over the past year. The Association of Alternative Newsmedia (AAN) announced the results of its 2024 awards at the organization’s annual conference in July. (RN&R publisher Jimmy Boegle is the AAN board president, but he did not have any involvement in the award decisions.)
In the Explanatory Journalism category, editor-at-large Frank X. Mullen and Lucy Birmingham won third place for their August 2023 article, “Museums and federal agencies stockpiled the remains of Indigenous people as their descendants protested. That’s slowly changing.”
For Music Writing, the RN&R’s Matt Bieker won third place, and Matt King, who covers music for both the RN&R and our sister paper, the Coachella Valley Independent, won first place for his coverage in the Independent
Finally, our 2023 Best of Northern Nevada issue took third place in the Special Section category.
This newspaper’s strong points have always included producing in-depth news features you’re not likely to find elsewhere, and insightful conversations about local arts. Excellent job keeping the torch lit, Frank, Lucy, Matt and Matt. Congratulations, team!
In other news: Last month’s cover story, “After 22 years in solitary,” told the story of Frank De Palma, a Reno man who spent 22 years in solitary confinement and is now a prison reform advocate; in the piece, we mentioned that plans were in the works for De Palma to appear at an August event, but we didn’t yet have the details.
The organizers have since let us know that the event will be a panel discussion, "The States of Solitary," taking place from 5 to 7 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 10, at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Northern Nevada, at 780 Del Monte Lane, in Reno. Organizers hadn’t released a full list of panelists as of this writing, but they confirmed that James Dzurenda, director of the Nevada Department of Corrections, is slated to appear, along with prison-reform advocates Mary Buser and Nick Shepack, both of whom spoke with the RN&R for the article.
—KRIS VAGNER krisv@renonr.com
LETTERS
Energy rate plan harms lower income families
Email letters to letters@renonr.com
The Reno City Council approved a partnership agreement in May with Nevada Energy (NVE) to collaborate to reduce emissions, increase local renewable energy and support energy-related solutions that are accessible and equitable.
NVE has requested that the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada (PUCN) approve a monthly increase in the base service charge from $16.50 to $45.30— the second-highest in the U.S. This is the amount you pay before flipping a single light switch—the amount you pay just to be an NVE customer.
The average customer’s bill will increase nearly 9%. If you use nothing electric in your home, or if your home is powered by solar, your NVE bill will nearly triple. Lowand fixed-income families, who typically use little electricity, will be financially burdened, while higher-income, high energy users will be rewarded by a concurrent decrease in electricity rates. Those who have installed solar will be penalized, and future solar installation will be disincentivized. Meanwhile, profits to NVE investors will increase to more than 10%.
NVE’s proposed base service charge increase conflicts with the vision of the partnership agreement. Reno: Call NVE on the carpet and protect low/fixed-income families. The Nevada Clean Energy Fund was recently awarded $156 million to encourage solar installation for low-income families. The base service charge increase discourages solar.
The city and NVE customers can submit comments through the PUCN’s website or via mail, received by Aug. 12, to: PUCN, Attn: Docket No. 24-02026, 1150 E. William St., Carson City, Nev., 89701.
Robbin Palmer Reno
Election results were due to name recognition, not issues
In response to “Extremists defeated: School board president says voters put an end to ‘manufactured chaos’” (RN&R, July 2024): Baloney. People didn’t even know who they were voting for. I overheard numerous people in the grocery store saying they didn’t even know who any of the people running were. Several said they voted for the name that sounded best to them. By and large, most of the voters do not take the time to look up the candidates and see what they really stand for, and many of the candidates
didn’t have any information out there to read about. It was a poorly attended election, and certain candidates took advantage of that! It wasn’t about issues! It was all about name recognition! April Overfield via RenoNR.com
Exercise, herbal remedies have helped fight Parkinson’s
In response to “Navigating Parkinson’s in a ‘neurology desert’: As the population ages, diagnoses increase—and advocates cite a lack of local care” (RN&R, April 2024): My partner, who is 66 years old, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease last year. We noticed that he was experiencing hallucinations, slow movement, disturbed sleep and twitchy hands and legs when at rest. He had to stop taking pramipexole, carbidopa/levodopa, and biperiden because of side effects. Our family doctor recommended a PD-5 treatment from a natural herbs center, which my husband has been undergoing for several months now. Exercise has been very beneficial. He has shown great improvement with the treatment thus far. He is more active now and feels less apathetic. As far as tremors, he has improved drastically. Ultimately you have to figure out what works best for you.
CarolineMcGaughey via RenoNR.com
Mailing address: 31855 Date Palm Drive, No. 3-263, Cathedral City, CA 92234 • 775-324-4440 • RenoNR.com
Publisher/Executive Editor
Jimmy Boegle
Managing Editor
Kris Vagner
Editor at Large
Frank X. Mullen
Photo Editor
David Robert
Cover and Feature Design
Dennis Wodzisz
Distribution Lead
Rick Beckwith
Contributors
Matt Bieker, Maude Ballinger, Lucy Birmingham, Owen Bryant, Loryn Elizares, Bob Grimm, Michael Grimm, Helena Guglielmino, Matt Jones, Matt King, Kelley Lang, Chris Lanier, Steven Mahaffey, Michael Moberly, Steve Noel, Dan Perkins, Carol Purroy, David Rodriguez, Jessica Santina, Carly Sauvageau, Max Stone, Delaney Uronen, Robert Victor, Matt Westfield, Leah Wigren, Susan Winters
Planning for wildfires and smoke can save lives as well as property
On a recent red-flag day, I hiked high in the Mount Charleston Wilderness and looked down on the nearly invisible Las Vegas Valley, blanketed with smog from Arizona and California fires, grateful to be above it, but worried about those in the city forced to breathe the toxic air.
The buildup of grasses from a relatively wet winter and punishing early heat portend another heavy fire season this year—and there’s no end in sight. Increasing smokefilled days are a major harbinger of our climate-altered future, a demonstrative reminder that Nevada needs to reorient many of our public policies to build resilience and create communities adapted to climate impacts.
Climate change-fueled heat and drought, invasive species, past fire suppression and increased human habitation in previously wild areas are sparking an ongoing crisis of summer and year-round fire risk that will continue for decades. Western wildfires burn six times the acreage compared to 45 years ago, more than 27 million acres just in the past three summers. The number of wildfires is projected to rise 50 percent more by the end of the century.
BY JOANNE LEOVY
STREETALK
need to focus more on implementing resilience planning and action across the government and private sector. A federal Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission, set up with funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, has promulgated a detailed series of recommendations for recovery and prevention. For example, policies that combine prescribed burning with an adequate public-health response capacity can limit smoke exposure and health harms.
The biggest wildfire health risk to Nevadans is from smoke exposure. According to the American Lung Association, Reno and Carson City rank among the nation’s worst cities for wildfire smoke pollution. About 1 in 300 deaths in Western states are directly attributable to particle pollution from smoke, and wildfire-attributable mortality is projected to more than double by 2050.
Wildfire smoke increases emergency room visits for asthma, heart attacks and stroke. It’s correlated with lung cancer and other cancers; adverse pregnancy outcomes such as preterm birth and low birth weight; and death from COVID-19. Direct fire exposure or prolonged smoke in an area disrupt work and daily life for many people, and exposure to wildfire is associated with prolonged mental-health impacts.
Health facilities themselves may need to evacuate and suspend services, as occurred in South Lake Tahoe during the 2021 Caldor Fire. And the health risks fall disproportionately on firefighters and vulnerable populations, including children, outdoor workers, people with pre-existing health conditions and those lacking reliable housing or air conditioning. Building wildfire resilience is a health and human rights imperative.
Fortunately, new research points us toward policies that will help mitigate wildfire risks to property, environment and health. We now
Nevada’s senators have shown that they understand the need for a broad government response, helping to secure federal funding for wildfire resilience and supporting better pay for wildland firefighters. In the House, there was Nevada support for a bipartisan bill increasing technical assistance to maintain healthy forests on private land. But more needs to be done to aid recovery from fires. For example, studies show a need for more native seeds and seedlings for replanting. The bipartisan Seedlings for Sustainable Habitat Restoration Act would ensure capital for seedling supplies for critical reforestation efforts, something our congressional delegation should get behind.
Building fire-adapted communities, including those with defensible space, resilient structures and well-thought-out evacuation plans, can save lives and property. The Nevada Division of Forestry’s Fire Adapted Nevada Partnership provides support for undertaking such plans. Our state and municipal climate action plans should consider strategies to increase resilience alongside the important task of greenhouse-gas reduction.
This summer, we all need to create personal wildfire resilience. Nevadans living in fire-prone areas should have an emergency plan for their family and pets in case they need to evacuate. Everyone should become familiar with safety measures during smoky days, including knowing how to check local air quality, using air conditioning or a DIY box-fan filter and using National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health-approved masks if vulnerable or spending time outdoors.
Most importantly, we must hold our elected leaders accountable for supporting expertise, research and consistent action to build resilient and climate-adapted communities. As the 2024 elections approach, we can ask candidates how they will manage climate impacts like wildfire, and vote for those who show knowledge and concern for keeping us safe and healthy.
BY DAVID ROBERT
Do you give money to panhandlers? What is the most creative sign you’ve seen?
Asked at Ceol Irish Pub, 410 California Ave., Reno
Jeff Brooke Chef
Occasionally; only when I feel that it’s legit. If I see a guy with a missing leg, I’ll give something. But if I see someone wearing expensive trainers, then I won’t. When I look at them, I can usually tell if they’re really hurting or not. The most creative sign that I’ve seen someone holding was outside of a Starbucks that said, “Minimum donation of $2.” I also saw someone with just a blank piece of cardboard once.
Lucas Limón Mixologist
I sometimes will, but not too frequently. I used to give more until I started paying more attention to my wallet. I realized that it’s not the best way to be a philanthropist. The most creative sign that I’ve ever seen said, “I need money for hookers and Cheez Whiz.”
Jim Lyons
Retired insurance broker
Mostly, no. There are jobs out there, and everywhere you go, there is a sign that says, “Help wanted.” I came from a family that worked hard and never took a handout. I really don’t like people using a dog as a prop for money. I feel for the animals. There are lots of scams out there, and I don’t want to be duped into giving out my money. I saw a sign once that said, “Not going to lie; I want money for beer.”
Mary Lyons
Retired product fulfillment worker
It’s hit or miss. I can gauge if they really need help and are not someone who wants money for liquor or cigarettes. I’ve seen people out there who dress better than I do. Sometimes I offer food and not money, and sometimes the food is declined. I saw someone in the middle of winter with a sign that said, “Don’t care about food, just need dry socks,” so I went and bought them a pack of new socks.
Natasia Ford Cashier
I do sometimes, depending on where it is—like, if it’s a safe spot or not. I don’t want to encourage them to be in an unsafe spot like a busy on- or off-ramp, or a median. I carry water and jerky to give out. Times are hard. The best sign that I ever saw said, “I’m not asking for anything. I just want to see a smile.”
Joanne Leovy is a family physician and founder of Nevada Clinicians for Climate Action. She volunteers as the Nevada state co-coordinator for Citizens’ Climate Lobby.
This editorial was originally published by The Nevada Independent.
A NOTE FROM THE PUBLISHER
| BY JIMMY BOEGLE
Reminders of the country’s racist past—and present—are all around us
I was fortunate enough to recently take a tour of the International African American Museum in Charleston, S.C.
I was in the city for the annual AAN Publishers conference, which had wrapped up the night before with an amazing Charleston Harbor cruise. Andy Brack, the publisher of the Charleston City Paper, the host publication, had set up a museum tour for conference attendees.
Tonya M. Matthews, the museum’s president and CEO, started the tour in the museum’s African Ancestors Memorial Garden. The museum is located on the site of Gadsden’s Wharf—where 40 percent of all Africans enslaved in North America arrived after being taken from their homes, imprisoned and shipped across the Atlantic Ocean in conditions that were beyond inhumane. Much of the garden sits below the museum, which is lifted by 18 columns into the air so the building does not touch the hallowed ground.
Afterward, we walked upstairs into the museum, where Malika N. Pryor, the museum’s chief learning and engagement officer, took us through the various exhibits that tell—via art, films, interactive elements and
artifacts—”unvarnished stories of the African American experience across generations, the trauma and triumph that gave rise to a resilient people,” as the museum’s website says.
The museum visit was powerful and moving. As the hubby and I walked back to the hotel, I dealt with a flood of emotions—one of which was frustration over the current state of affairs in the United States.
Andy Brack had asked conference attendees to email him with their favorite experience in Charleston, so he could compile them into a story for the Charleston City Paper. When we returned to the hotel, I sat down at my computer and wrote this: “I had an amazing time in Charleston. The food has been stellar, and everyone has been welcoming and incredibly polite. The thing I most loved was the International African American Museum. Our visit was sobering and wonderful at the same time. I wish all Americans HAD TO visit this museum at this time when so many white politicians are trying to sweep portions of this history under the figurative rug.”
We see this denial of our country’s cruel, racist past—and present—when politicians deny that the Civil War was, in large part, about slavery. We see it when people shouting
about “parental rights” fight to have books dealing with racism removed from schools and libraries. We see it when states like Florida put jaw-droppingly heinous instructions to teach “how slaves developed skills which, in some instances, could be applied for their personal benefit” into school curricula.
We see it when diversity, equity and inclusion departments and initiatives are banished from universities, businesses and organizations—and such initiatives are cited, without any evidence whatsoever, as doing harm. For example, some right-wingers blamed DEI efforts for the Secret Service’s failures to protect Donald Trump during the July 13 assassination attempt.
I could go on, but I only have so much space.
Facts are facts: Racial inequities still exist in our society today. Black adults are imprisoned at five times the rate of white adults. Far more Black people, per capita, are killed by police officers. Repeated studies show that redlining—blocking people of color from getting mortgages for homes in certain areas—continues to perpetuate disparities, even though it’s been illegal since 1968.
Now that the presumptive Democratic
presidential nominee is Kamala Harris—an African American and South Asian American woman—I am afraid that the country’s racist present will be on full, inescapable display. Remember all the insane claims made about Barack Obama’s birth certificate, especially by Donald Trump? I fear those claims will pale in comparison to what Vice President Harris will face over the next three-plus months.
If you watched any of the Republican National Convention, you likely saw multiple references to a crime wave being perpetrated by migrants—even though there’s no evidence whatsoever that there is such a thing. For one thing, crime rates are generally decreasing; for another, “the research does not support the view that immigrants commit crime or are incarcerated at higher rates than native-born Americans,” according to a study by the Brennan Center for Justice. “In fact, immigrants might have less law enforcement contact compared to nonimmigrants.”
While I do wish all Americans could visit International African American Museum, we don’t need it, or other wonderful institutions, to witness proof of the United States’ racist past and president. All we need to do is look around.
ON NEVADA BUSINESS
A whole new economy
The new Aerospace and Defense Academy will help Nevada develop an even stronger business sector
The Northern Nevada business climate has not only changed in the last 20 years; it’s transformed into an entirely new economy—for the better, in many ways (minus the ongoing challenges of rising housing costs and homelessness).
This new economy includes the full-cycle lithium battery loop: Nevada is the only place in the U.S. where every step of a lithium battery’s lifecycle takes place—mining, manufacturing, distribution, dead cell collection and recycling. We have been a logistics hub for decades, and now we host numerous large U.S. product-distribution centers, including those of Amazon, Tire Rack and Walmart. Nevada is a pioneer in autonomous vehicle testing and operations, due to the Federal Aviation Administration designation years ago as an official drone development location. There are other vertical markets with startups in many diverse sectors now, too.
Amid these developments, the Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC), headquartered in Sparks, has steadily climbed as a market leader in the aerospace and defense industries, and is now the largest privately held defense contractor in the world. It recently announced that the “Dream Chaser,” the latest shuttle for NASA, is close to reality after many years of development. In April, the company also won the contract for the next-generation “Doomsday” plane for the Department of Defense. It’s due to replace the current Boeing plane that is designed to stay aloft through a nuclear disaster.
University of Nevada, Reno, graduates Eren and Fatih Ozmen bought the small company back in 1994. As they built it into a powerhouse, they also gave back to the community and university. They started the Ozmen Institute for Global Studies, the Ozmen Foundation to support STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education, and the Ozmen Center for Entrepreneurship, which is part of the UNR College of Business.
Full disclosure: I have been the entrepreneur-in-residence for UNR and the Ozmen Center for more than a decade now. We help students, faculty and alumni build startups. The effects these programs have had on the community are innumerable. The program is responsible for many student successes, as well as entrepreneurs staying in town after graduating to launch their startups.
The latest innovation and vision from the Ozmens is the new Aerospace and Defense Academy. It is another game-changer for this region. According to new executive director Solange Massa, the academy is believed to
be the first of its kind in the U.S. and will create opportunities in tech education, government contracting and defense entrepreneurship. The Ozmens plan to continue to increase their support of STEM by focusing on high school aerospace education to nurture the next generation of rocket scientists through a three-year pilot program that will include a mix of in-person and virtual classes.
The academy will also help defense and aerospace startups gain valuable insights into navigating the government-procurement sector. This will create inroads and relationships that support the future of space and defense technologies.
The academy plans to help small startups and women-owned businesses gain the scale necessary to compete and thrive in the worldwide space and defense movements. If we consider the effects that the Ozmen programs have already had on the industry, the world and Northern Nevada, there is little doubt that the program will continue in the Ozmens’ great tradition. The academy should fundamentally change local STEM programs, local university research, engineering and business in Nevada. This may well be the next new economy in Nevada. With this new investment, and the new Las Vegas Spaceport, there is a great chance that
this will play into the next decade of diversification in Nevada business and the Nevada economy. There are few careers in the world that are more lucrative and high-paying than those in aerospace and defense.
We already have some aerospace and defense contractors here in the area. Massa, the academy’s new director, has her own startup, Ecoatoms, which develops biological solutions for the aerospace industry. In my May column, I spoke of the Polish companies I’m working with to bring to Nevada—and two of those companies are sponsored by the Polish Space Agency (POLSA). One of them, Extremo Technologies, is putting a high-growth algae on the International Space Station, for natural interior air-purification testing, with an eye toward lunar colonization. The other Polish company is launching minidrones into space for cost-effective, rapid deployment of communication systems.
I’m also in chats with two companies from Lithuania that are part of that nation’s brandnew aerospace and defense industry. These companies serve as examples of the cutting-edge tech already committed to Northern Nevada, along with the local drone and aerospace companies in development here. According to Reuters, the global defense industry grew
by more than 7% in 2023, the highest rate since 2009, with NATO countries representing 55% of the growth. Could this be the next tech loop for our part of the world—a full-cycle defense and space program from concept to deployment? It’s definitely possible; the building of this new economy here has already begun, in many ways.
Ozmen Center executive director Mehmet Tosun, my friend and boss, mentioned that the Ozmens have discussed how difficult it is to navigate government rules and regulations, and to gain the qualifications necessary to get into government procurement and contracting. So one of the programs will create credentialed technical certifications in defense and aerospace. This will also help SNC train and hire locally through UNR, creating a friendlier environment for aero-defense tech development, as well as a pipeline for other defense contractors. It sounds a lot like aerospace ecosystem development is coming to Nevada in the next few years in a formidable way. This is great for our economy. It’s great for our schools, kids and universities. With many business-support organizations in the area, and with the university and the business climate expanding, the new Aerospace and Defense Academy is another flag flying high for the Reno/Tahoe area.
Solange Massa is the executive director of the new Aerospace and Defense Academy. Photo/David Robert
Abortion issue looms over Nevada’s ballot
Reproductive rights take center stage via a referendum, candidates’ rhetoric
Nevadans in November will vote on a ballot question aimed at enshrining abortion rights in the state Constitution, and will chose among slates of candidates who either tout their long-standing support of reproductive rights, or who are softening their previous— and more radical—positions on abortion.
Democrats, most of whom have long championed access to abortion, are hoping the issue will bring more voters to the polls. The GOP has consistently backed limiting access to the procedure—or banning it completely.
Abortion has been on the ballot in seven states since the Supreme Court overturned the Roe v. Wade decision in June 2022. In every instance, in both red states and blue states, anti-abortion advocates have lost.
Michael Green, associate professor of history at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and the author of books about Nevada history and politics, said the issue will presumably boost voter turnout in November. A July 2022 poll of Nevada registered voters by The Nevada Independent and OH Predictive Insights found that abortion ranked second behind the economy as the
Sen. Jacky Rosen, seen here speaking at Washoe County Senior Services in 2022, has made reproductive freedom a major focus of her effort to retain her seat in the Senate, where Democrats now hold a slim majority. Photo/David Robert
restrict abortion based on gestational duration. Nevada’s ballot measure would amend the state’s Constitution to guarantee a “fundamental right to abortion” until “fetal viability” (which the law now puts at 24 weeks) or when needed to protect the life or health of the pregnant patient. For the amendment to be added to the state’s founding document, voters must approve the question—called the Nevada Right to Abortion Initiative—both in 2024 and 2026.
‘Doubling down’ on protections Nevadans for Reproductive Freedom, the group behind the initiative, submitted 200,000 signatures in support of getting the measure on the ballot, nearly twice the number required. About 128,000 signatures were deemed valid by the Nevada Secretary of State’s office, more than enough to get the matter in front of voters.
“We can’t take anything for granted,” after the defeat of Roe v. Wade, said Lindsey Harmon, president of Nevadans for Reproductive Freedom, at a news conference in June. “That’s why we are really doubling down on the protections we have in statute currently. … The majority of Nevadans agree that the government should stay out of their personal and private decisions ... about our bodies, our lives and our futures.”
issue most motivating respondents to vote.
“I think it will help (turnout),” Green said.
“The GOP is showing how worried it is about the abortion issue, with all the backfilling, changing their minds, going back and forth on it and trying to unsay what they have said. That’s true at the national and state party levels. And if they do want to leave it to the states, that fits their ideology, but there’s still talk of a national ban.”
Nevada voters in 1990 approved a law that makes abortion available up to 24 weeks of pregnancy and carves out exceptions to that time limit, but laws can be repealed easier than an amendment to the state Constitution. Nevada is among at least nine states where pro-choice advocates are campaigning to strengthen abortion access. Without national protections, it is up to the states to regulate abortions.
That creates a patchwork of laws across the country. Presently, 41 states have some sort of abortion bans in effect, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a research and policy organization. Fourteen of those states have a total ban on abortions; seven more states ban abortion at or before 18 weeks’ gestation; and 20 states ban abortion at some point after 18 weeks. Nine states and the District of Columbia do not
The anti-abortion group Nevada Right to Life opposes the ballot measure. Spokesperson Krystal Minera-Alvis said in a statement in June that the proposed amendment is “based on lies” and is funded by “out-of-state dark money.”
She noted abortion rights are already codified in state law. “As an organization, we stand firm on the fact that this amendment is unsafe and dangerous for women of all ages,” Minera-Alvis said in the statement.
Nevada Right to Life did not reply to the Reno News & Review’s multiple voicemail and email requests for an interview—or the newspaper’s request that the group elaborate on Minera-Alvis’ arguments against the proposed amendment.
Both national and statewide surveys show overwhelming support for access to abortion services. According to a national poll done in April by the Pew Research Center, 63% of respondents said abortion should be legal in all or most cases. An October 2021 poll of 800 registered Nevada voters conducted by OH Predictive Insights found that 69% of respondents described themselves as pro-choice.
In the recent Pew study, which polled 8,709 registered voters, 57% of Republicans said abortion should be illegal in all or most cases, while
| BY FRANK X. MULLEN
41% said it should be legal in all or most cases. Among Democrats, 85% said abortion should be legal in all or most cases, and just 14% said it should be illegal.
Well aware of public opinion and the divisions within their own party, Republicans from Donald Trump on down the ballot have shifted their stances on abortion, now saying they don’t support a national ban and that regulation should be left to the states. Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance, Trump’s running mate, for example, previously favored outlawing abortion nationally, but now says the states should decide for themselves.
Brown backpedals; Rosen attacks
Sam Brown, the Republican candidate who will face Sen. Jacky Rosen on the Nov. 5 ballot, began tweaking his position on reproductive rights in February, when he told NBC News that he would not support a federal abortion ban. During the interview, Brown’s wife, Amy, revealed she had an abortion when she was 24, before she met her husband.
The GOP candidate told NBC he would respect Nevada’s abortion law protecting access to abortions through 24 weeks of pregnancy. Since then, Brown has consistently declined to say how he will vote on the proposed constitutional amendment. His campaign did not respond to the RN&R’s requests for comment.
Brown, a retired Army captain who served in Afghanistan, has a history of opposing abortion and backing extreme restrictions on the procedure. When he was campaigning for a seat in the Texas statehouse in 2014, he expressed support for a proposed 20-week abortion ban, as first reported by The Nevada Independent During a debate in 2014, Brown said his stance on the Texas law was “non-negotiable.” In 2018, Brown served as campaign manager for a Texas congressional candidate who backed a total ban on abortions with no exceptions, as reported by the Nevada Current. During a GOP primary debate with Adam Laxalt in 2022, Brown indicated he would consider backing a national ban on abortions.
In November 2022, Brown was appointed chairman of the Nevada chapter of the Faith & Freedom Coalition, an arm of a national anti-choice group. The parent organization supports a federal ban on abortion and called Roe v. Wade a “moral atrocity.” The group also opposes federal protections for same-sex and interracial marriage. Brown’s campaign told the Las Vegas Sun he didn’t do any work for the group after May 2023 and has resigned his position on the board. His campaign has described his job as a “volunteer” post. The group’s website has since scrubbed nearly all references to Brown from its pages.
The candidate’s campaign website notes that he is “pro-life” and states he “will oppose any bill that pushes for federal funding of
abortion, late term abortions, or abortion without parental notification” and “will support federal judges who understand the importance of protecting life.”
Brown may have hoped his recent pivot would blunt abortion rights as a campaign issue, but Sen. Jacky Rosen has made reproductive freedom the spear point of her effort to retain her seat in the Senate, where Democrats now hold a slim majority.
One of Rosen’s TV ads labels her opponent as a “MAGA extremist who would take away abortion rights.” The commercial reviews Brown’s previous statements about banning the procedure. Another Rosen campaign ad spotlights a Nevada woman who, while living in Texas, learned that the fetus she carried would probably not survive because its brain was separated from its spinal cord. She was unable to get an abortion because of the law that Brown had supported, she said.
“Because of the law Sam Brown pushed for, I had to leave Texas to get the care that I needed,” Valerie Peterson says in the ad. “Now I live in Nevada, and I can’t watch Sam Brown take away our rights here, too.”
On his website, Brown calls Rosen’s attacks on his record “fearmongering” and insists the demise of Roe v. Wade “strengthened Nevada’s protections for abortion by confirming this choice is decided by states.”
‘Settled law’—until it isn’t Rosen says Brown is gaslighting voters by adopting a softer position on abortion. She is urging Nevadans to pay attention to what he’s been saying for a decade, rather than what he says now in the midst of a campaign.
“Nevadans have a choice this election between a senator who has always fought for reproductive freedom, or someone with a decade-long record of wanting to take away abortion rights,” Rosen said. “Sam Brown will say anything to try and get elected, and that includes desperately trying to hide his long antichoice record. Nevadans know he cannot be trusted, and they won’t fall for his cover-up.”
She told the RN&R that Nevadans “deserve the freedom to make these deeply personal medical decisions free from interference by politicians. Sam Brown’s record makes clear that he disagrees.”
Green, of UNLV, said some voters may feel access to abortions is safe because the Nevada law has been in force for more than 30 years, but he noted that Roe v. Wade was the law of the land for 49 years before it was struck down.
“Abortion rights have a long history of being safe in Nevada, based on the 1990 referendum,” he said. “But if you look at the Supreme Court justices’ confirmation hearings for the various Republican appointees, Roe v. Wade was safe, too. They called it ‘settled law,’ although I don’t know why anyone thought they meant it.”
This year, abortion casts a long shadow over all congressional campaigns.
In the Silver State’s contests for the House of Representatives, all three Democratic incumbents —Steven Horsford, Dina Titus and Susie Lee—have been endorsed by Reproductive Freedom for All, a national advocacy group.
Rep. Mark Amodei, the lone Republican in the Nevada congressional delegation, and the representative for Northern Nevada, describes himself as “pro-life” on his website and has said he respects Nevada’s abortion rights law as reflecting the will of the state’s voters.
Abortion isn’t included among the issues listed on his site’s position pages. But Amodei’s statement on the demise of Roe v. Wade says:
“In Congress, my voting record and legislative actions will continue to reflect my commitment to protecting life. This includes preserving the Hyde Amendment and preventing the taxpayer funding of abortions and opposing the majority party’s abortion-on-demand agenda.”
Green said that some Republican politicians may have changed their minds about reproductive rights, but their sudden shift on abortion policies looks like “a case of changing your mind to stay alive politically and raising the question of whether you really mean it,” he said.
“The defeat of Roe v. Wade is not the end or the limit,” Green said. “When you have candidates (in other states) who oppose in vitro fertilization, they are going well beyond the notion that a fetus is human. They are pushing it back much further.”
U.S. Senate candidate Sam Brown said in February that he would not support a total abortion ban, though he has a long track record of opposing abortion and backing extreme restrictions.
How they roll
“There are not a lot of sports where women are the main athletes,” said Kassandra Andicoechea, marketing committee chair for Sierra Regional Roller Derby. (She also plays blocker, under the moniker Hell Bunny, for the Sierra Battle Born team.) “Our history is rooted as a women’s sport. … We are definitely connected to our LGBTQ communities. So, it definitely brings in a culture of belonging and encourages people of multiple identities to join our league.”
The league features adult teams for seasoned athletes or beginners, and a co-ed team for kids ages 11-17, Andicoechea said, and aims to include people with a variety of body types and ages. She answers inquiries from potential players who think they might be too old by telling them, “We have people on our team who are 55.”
The league’s next event is the Sierra Showdown scrimmage at 3 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 24, at Futsol Sports Arena, 1580 Hymer Ave., in Sparks. Tickets are $8 in advance; $10 at the door; or $20 for balcony seats. For tickets or information, visit sierraregionalrollerderby.org.
—Kris Vagner
Sierra Regional Roller Derby league members Beasty (Samantha Ramirez), Dobby Sock’ems (Corrina Schlink) and Dangerous Curves (Janice Stevens) practice at the Futsol Sports Arena in Sparks. Photo/David Robert
| BY KRIS VAGNER
New rules
A recent U.S. Supreme Court decision could affect species protections in Nevada
On June 28, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that federal courts are no longer required to defer to regulatory agencies when determining federal policy.
The case is Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo, and the ruling says that when regulatory language is ambiguous, courts may now determine how that language should be interpreted without deferring to an agency—such as the Environmental Protection Agency. This is expected to lead to changes in the way that health care, safety and the environment are regulated.
Scott Lake is the Nevada staff attorney for the Center for Biological Diversity, a nonprofit organization that works to secure legal protections for species on the brink of extinction. In Nevada, he said, the agencies that have typically determined environmental policy are the Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Laws governing species protection commonly contain phrases that are subject to interpretation, Lake said, such as “significant portion of its range” or “distinct population segment.”
“I think we’re in a position now where, potentially, courts are going to be basically deciding what those terms mean,” Lake said. In Nevada, this usually means district judges
within the state or the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
“That could be a problem, because the courts aren’t really subject-matter experts,” Lake said. “Some of these things take a mix of legal judgment and scientific judgment.”
That said, for the purposes of the Center for Biological Diversity, the ruling is “kind of a double-edged sword.” As the group vies to get more species protected by law, a court’s deference to a government agency could, in some circumstances, yield less protection, not more.
“My organization has been fighting against Fish and Wildlife Service’s interpretation of those terms for decades, because we don’t think they go far enough,” Lake said. “They can be pretty accommodating to interests that want to harm endangered species.”
Despite the fact that most of Nevada lies in the Mojave and Great Basin deserts, some of the species most watched by conservationists here are fish.
“Nevada is one of the most biodiverse places in the world,” Lake said. “One of the reasons is that we are so exceptionally dry, which means that species that depend on surface water tend to be isolated.”
The critically endangered, inch-long Devils Hole pupfish evolved to have only one natural home, in Ash Meadows National Wildlife Ref-
uge, about 100 miles northwest of Las Vegas.
The Oasis Valley speckled dace, a type of minnow, lives only in Oasis Valley, near Beatty.
“A lot of times, whether these species persist or not in the face of development depends on whether they’re listed under the Endangered Species Act,” said Lake.
The Devils Hole pupfish is protected under that act. As for the Oasis Valley speckled dace, the Center for Biological Diversity filed a legal petition with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on July 2 seeking protection for it under the act. The group is especially concerned that several proposed gold mines in the region— and one currently in the permitting process, the North Bullfrog Mine—could put the dace at a higher risk for extinction.
“A question that comes up in listing these species a lot is really: How distinct are they?
How unique are they?” Lake said. “And that’s the kind of question that I think Loper Bright would have an impact on. There are dozens of endemic fish species across the state whose listing status is potentially up for debate.”
Lake clarified that the ruling does not mean that courts are prohibited from deferring to regulatory agencies. “So the agency’s interpretation can still definitely still be persuasive,” he said. “If the court wants to defer to the agency, it still can.”
He also said: “Keep in mind that as far as looking at some of the issues we’re facing in Nevada, like lithium mining and groundwater depletion, I’m not sure (the ruling) has a huge impact on that. … In one way or another, we have to solve these problems. And solutions to these are often multifaceted. The litigation in court is really only one little piece of it.”
Nevada contains several species of fish that are endangered. The tiny Devils Hole pupfish is protected under the Endangered Species Act. Efforts to secure future protections for other species could be affected by Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo, a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling.
River recreation rundown
There are many ways to enjoy the Truckee
The Truckee Meadows would be nothing without, well, the Truckee River.
Life in our community depends on it, from the cottonwoods and Lahontan cut-
throat trout to the people who drink its water each day. Beyond the survival element, perhaps the most lovable quality of the Truckee is the chance to cool off in it.
RENO’S GRANDEST ENTERTAINMENT LINEUP
Pancho Barraza Aug 2
Rick Springfield & Richard Marx: An Acoustic Evening Aug 3
Dweezil Zappa Aug 6
Charley Crockett Aug 8
The Dead South Aug 13
Cesar Lozano Aug 15
Mike Epps Aug 16
Michael Franti & Spearhead Aug 22
Luis Ángel “El Flaco” y Luis Antonio
López “El Mimoso” Aug 23
Diana Ross Aug 24
Christopher Cross Aug 25
The Struts Aug 27
Marca Registrada Aug 30
Marilyn Manson Sept 1
Rodrigo y Gabriela Sept 5
Teddy Swims Sept 6
Lindsey Stirling Sept 7
Queensrÿche & Slaughter Sept 8
Stephen Sanchez Sept 9
Coheed and Cambria Sept 11
Testament and Kreator Sept 12
Ben Folds Sept 13
Banda MS de Sergio Lizzarraga Sept 14
The Mavericks Sept 19
The Temptations and The Four Tops Sept 20
The Smashing Pumpkins Sept 21
Experience Hendrix Sept 22
Jungle Sept 24
Walker Hayes Sept 27
Goth Babe Oct 1
Godsmack Oct 10
Juvenile and the 400 Degreez Band Oct 12
Judas Priest Oct 13
The Used & Taking Back Sunday Oct 15
Black Violin Oct 17
Intocable Oct 18
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone™ in Concert Oct 24
The Truckee River has rapids for beginners and experts alike. Photo/ David Robert
Here is a guide to enjoying the river this summer.
Floating
Local guides advise that the perfect Reno float is from Mayberry Park to Wingfield Park. While that nearly three-hour journey is lovely, it means navigating an abandoned diversion structure at Ambrose Park, west of McCarran Boulevard. This obstruction can be tricky for first timers. Starting at Crissie Caughlin Park avoids both this obstacle and the intense Mayberry Park weekend crowds. Launching from Caughlin Park also cuts the float time in half, which can also be a major benefit. Between the sun exposure and scraping against rocks, a 90-minute journey feels like a sweet spot.
People have floated down the Truckee on everything from inflatable mattresses to dollar-store inner tubes. Look for tubes made with thick plastic or rubber to discourage popping. Tubes with handles are easier to keep ahold of, though handles are not necessary. Other useful gear includes hats, water shoes and a dry bag for clothing, towels, keys and phones. Do not forget sunscreen.
| BY HELENA GUGLIELMINO
Whitewater Tours (gowhitewater.com). Sierra Adventures also provides kayak tours (www. raftingreno.com).
Hiking and biking
The Tahoe-Pyramid Trail, founded in 2003, now extends along the river for much of the 114-mile route from Lake Tahoe to Pyramid Lake—81% of it, to be exact. Hikers and bikers can travel from Tahoe City, Calif. to Sparks, from Mustang to USA Parkway, and from Wadsworth to Pyramid Lake.
At Crystal Peak Park in Verdi, along the 0.5mile interpretive loop, you’ll find ruins from the site’s past life as a lumber mill and remnants from the Verdi Glen Resort, which closed in 1938. The walk is partially shaded under a mixed canopy of cottonwood and pine trees.
Oxbow Nature Study Area and McCarran Ranch Preserve are both conservation areas that preserve wetlands along the Truckee River. Each of these parks is home to dozens of birds, reptiles, bugs, mammals and plants. Towering cottonwoods, willows and spectacular shade follow along both of these trail systems. Walk along the mile-long loop at Oxbow, or a 5.4-mile there-and-back trail from McCarran Ranch Preserve in Patrick. There’s an awesome beach spot within the first tenth of a mile from the Patrick trailhead.
Codiciado Oct 26
Marca MP Nov 1
Earthquake Nov 2
The Psychedelic Furs & The Jesus and Mary Chain Nov 3
KC and the Sunshine Band Nov 8
Joe Bonamassa Nov 9
Andrew Schulz Nov 15
BEAT - Adrian Belew, Tony Levin, Steve Vai & Danny Carey Nov 21
David Spade Nov 23
W.A.S.P. Dec 11
Franco Escamilla Feb 22
For the complete show lineup, visit GrandSierraResort.com/Shows
There are several ways to transport yourself from the terminus of your float to the start— assuming your vehicle is parked where you started. If you have two cars, you can drive both to the terminus point to park one car, and then drive the other to the starting point; at the end of the float, you’ll have a car ready to whisk you away. Another option is to leave bikes at the terminus instead; it is an 11-minute, 2.3-mile bike ride between Wingfield Park and Caughlin Park. (Just be prepared to carry all of your gear.) A third alternative is Sierra Adventures. This local company provides shuttling services as well as equipment rentals for tubing. To learn more, visit wildsierra.com.
Rafting
Get the adrenaline pumping with a guided rafting trip along one of the river’s many rapids, which vary from class 1 to 4. Note that the class ratings increase during heavy spring flows. Class 1 and 2 are considered acceptable for beginners and young children. Class 3 rapids are intermediate but are still considered acceptable for beginners to attempt. Class 4 rapids are intermediate to advanced and require solid knowledge of handling the boat.
Several rafting companies service the area and can help get your group situated with the correct experience: Irie Rafting (raftirie.com), Tributary Whitewater Tours (whitewatertours. com/river-rafting/truckee-river) and Tahoe
To enjoy riverside biking, the Tahoe-Pyramid Trail offers sections for road biking, mountain biking and gravel riding. Road bikers, check out the 9.8-mile section from Olympic Valley to Truckee. This section is along Highway 89 and features gentle curving roads, thick forests of pine, and towering walls of granite. Pull over at the turnout at approximately mile 6 to take a quick dip in the river. Mountain bikers, enjoy the 8.6-mile section from Verdi to Farad, where you go through pine and sage forests, over the Fleish suspension bridge, and deeper into the stunning Truckee River Canyon. River access is periodic throughout the ride. Gravel riders, try the 10-mile Mustang to USA Parkway section, where the trail tread alternates between gravel, sand, pavement and rock.
For more information about the TahoePyramid Trail, including maps, visit tahoepyramidtrail.org.
Swimming
While the Truckee can move fast, there are eddies and pools along the shore that provide safe spots for people to swim. Idlewild Park is an awesome place to find these.
Mayberry and Wingfield parks are classic swimming spots, and Lockwood Park in Sparks is a hidden gem with cottonwoods, a great swimming hole, a rope swing and two trails—the 0.4-mile Interpretive Loop and the 0.8-mile Lockwood Loop.
Planets and Bright Stars in Evening Mid-Twilight
For August, 2024
ASTRONOMY
This sky chart is drawn for latitude 40 degrees north, but may be used in continental U.S. and southern Canada.
August’s evening sky chart. Illustration/Robert D. Miller
just more than a moon’s width below the star at 11:10 p.m.
The moon reaches its southernmost excursion this month on Aug. 15, appearing in gibbous phase, 84 percent illuminated, within the Teapot of Sagittarius. From Reno, the moon is only 21° up when it passes its highest point directly south at 9:47 p.m. That’s 6° lower than the midday Winter Solstice sun of Dec. 21. In 2024 and 2025, the moon’s monthly north and south excursions are at their most extreme of their 18-to-19-year cycle.
The full moon at dawn and dusk on Aug. 19 is a “blue moon.” But didn’t we have one just last year, on Aug. 30, because it was the second full moon of that month? This time, using a different definition, we can again celebrate a blue moon, because summer 2024 has four full moons, and the third one within an astronomical season is designated as “blue.” This summer’s first full moon occurred on June 21, just 29 hours after the solstice, and this season’s fourth one fits in on Sept. 17, more than 100 hours before the autumnal equinox deadline. For a discussion of the multiple definitions of blue moon, visit en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_moon.
August skies
The month offers excellent views of the Milky Way, the Perseid meteor shower and a bevy of bright celestial bodies
The Milky Way at its best; the Perseid meteor shower; three bright morning planets, with two of them forming a close pair for several days around mid-month; the first appearance of the brightest star, Sirius; and a “blue moon.” These are some of August’s celestial highlights!
On Aug. 5 at dusk, from a place with an unobstructed view of the horizon between west and west-northwest, look for a young, 3% crescent moon paired with Venus, just 1-2° to its lower right. When the southernmost classical zodiac constellations of Scorpius and Sagittarius are in the south at dusk, conditions are far short of ideal for viewing Mercury and Venus as evening planets: The ecliptic, or plane of Earth’s orbit and centerline of the lunar and planetary highway, then makes a low angle with the horizon. On Aug. 6, the 6% moon
is 12° to the upper left of Venus, but is still quite low. Note the crescent looks like a bowl tipped almost on its side, pouring out its contents.
The best Milky Way viewing during convenient early evening hours this summer— after twilight ends and within two hours after sunset—occurs from dark locations in the absence of moonlight through Aug. 7, and Aug. 24 through Sept. 6. The brightest patches of the Milky Way are the Cygnus Star Cloud, along the axis of the Northern Cross within the summer triangle; and the Great Sagittarius Star Cloud, looking like a puff of steam rising out of the spout of the Teapot.
Watch the waxing moon skip past Spica over two evenings: See the moon 4° to the star’s lower right on Aug. 9, and 8° to its upper left on the next evening. The moon appears very close to Antares during evening hours on Aug. 13. From Reno, the upper edge of the moon passes
At nightfall on Aug. 20, the moon, just past full, appears low in the east to east-southeast, with Saturn about one degree to its upper right. At dawn’s first light the next morning, Aug. 21, the waning gibbous moon is well up in the southwest, with Saturn 5° to its lower right. Continue following the moon each morning through Sept. 1, and watch it pass three additional bright planets and three bright stars. On Aug. 26, the last quarter moon, half full and 90° west of the sun, appears a wide 10-11° north of Aldebaran, eye of Taurus, the Bull. On Aug. 27, the 38-percent crescent moon passes north of Jupiter and Mars, forming an eye-catching triangle. On Aug. 28, this month’s northernmost moon reaches its highest point 11° south of overhead in Reno 2.4 hours before sunrise. On Aug. 29 and 30, the thinning moon skips past Pollux and Castor, the “Twin” stars of Gemini. Shift your viewing time to one hour before sunrise, and look very low in the east-northeast, 12° below the 6 percent crescent moon on Aug. 31, and 4° to the right of the last, old 2 percent crescent moon on Sept. 1, for newly emergent Mercury.
| BY ROBERT VICTOR
The morning sky of August 2024 is nothing short of spectacular! Starting this month, 6.5° apart and moving half a degree closer each day, bright Jupiter and red Mars adorn the already beautiful constellation Taurus, with reddish Aldebaran and two standout star clusters, the Hyades and Pleiades. On Aug. 4, Mars passes 4.9° north of Aldebaran. On Aug. 14, Mars passes 0.3° north of Jupiter. The pair will be well worth getting out early to view for several mornings before and after this date of closest approach! On Aug. 24, Mars passes 5.6° south of Elnath, or Beta Tauri, tip of the Bull’s northern horn. Three days later, Mars passes 2° north of Eta, the tip of the southern horn. On what date(s) will Mars lie closest to a line joining them? By Aug. 31, the Mars-Jupiter gap widens to 8.4°. Jupiter and Saturn are well worth telescopic views. Saturn’s rings appear 3° from edgewise on Aug. 18, just as the planet passes 1.1° south of the 4.2-magnitude star Phi Aquarii.
Annually, after viewing the peak of the Perseid meteors (on Aug. 12 this year), it has been my custom to look for the rising of Sirius in the east-southeast morning twilight glow, below Orion. After Sirius has risen and before Altair (southernmost star of the Summer Triangle) sets, there are 11 stars of first magnitude or brighter visible simultaneously. Add the three bright outer planets to the total, and you have a treasure chest of jewels! You can enjoy the same starry scene four minutes earlier daily, or two hours earlier per month, until midJanuary, when Altair disappears into the western evening twilight glow. The same three planets will still be around, with Venus added.
For charts following planets and bright stars in morning and evening twilight in coming months, as well as tips for locating the faint, distant two outer planets Uranus and Neptune, visit the Sky Calendar Extra Content Page at abramsplanetarium.org/msta.
The Abrams Planetarium Sky Calendar is available by subscription from www. abramsplanetarium.org/skycalendar. For $12 per year, subscribers receive quarterly mailings, each containing three monthly issues.
Robert Victor originated the Abrams Planetarium monthly Sky Calendar in October 1968 and still helps produce an occasional issue. He enjoys being outdoors sharing the beauty of the night sky and other wonders of nature.
Stereographic Projection
Map by Robert D. Miller
On a July afternoon, Jerry Allen Goode II sat on an overturned white bucket perched on a concrete median. In the 100-degree-plus heat, he held a sign by his feet that read, “Anything helps.” Drivers leaned out of their car windows to hand him water bottles or folded dollar bills.
During slow traffic, Goode balanced a notepad on his knee and drew designs, including hearts and flames. After some time passed, he gave up the space to another man and returned to a shaded resting spot.
Goode, originally from North Carolina, traveled to Northern Nevada six
years ago with his ex-wife to reunite with their daughter in Silver Springs and “get their lives straightened out.”
“Long story short, that didn’t really happen,” he said.
He said his ex-wife stopped using substances and regained custody of their daughter, but recovery has been difficult for him, and he has tried multiple programs to help him with his substance-abuse disorder. One wouldn’t allow him to see his daughter every day like he wanted. The other needed him to commit to the program constantly—but he couldn’t afford the program without income, and couldn’t dedicate the necessary time if he was working.
wasn’t doing anything wrong or anything.”
Goode was eventually kicked out of his house and left with no support system, family or home. He said he was living in his car, but recently lost it when law enforcement told him to move. It didn’t have updated registration and was taken away.
region typically has shelter space, the City of Grants Pass v. Johnson decision may not change how local police enforce anti-camping laws. But for larger cities with less shelter space per capita, such as San Francisco or Los Angeles, the ruling could have a more significant impact.
“In Reno, we’ve been a little bit more fortunate,” Sooudi said.
“I wasn’t ready,” Goode said. “I
“Pretty bad luck for sure,” Goode said. Goode is one of more than 650,000 people in the United States, as reported by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), living without stable shelter— who could now be subject to civil punishment for violating local anti-camping laws after the U.S. Supreme Court’s June 28 decision in City of Grants Pass v. Johnson. The ruling gave local governments the power to enforce anti-camping laws regardless of available shelter space.
Some advocates and legal experts have called the ruling “inhumane” and “ineffective.” Government officials have praised the ruling for clarifying the law and allowing local governments to address homelessness in a way that best fits their communities.
Government reactions
The U.S. Supreme Court ruling is expected to have less weight in Reno than in larger cities, said Brian Sooudi, the city of Reno’s chief deputy city attorney for the Criminal Division.
“The only thing that’s really changed is the law enforcement officers don’t need to check for shelter space,” Sooudi said. “They can just enforce, regardless if the shelter’s at max capacity or not.”
Ben Iness, the coalition coordinator for the Nevada Housing Justice Alliance, said the solutions for homelessness that governments are bringing up are “ineffective” and “misguided.”
Photo/David Robert
Washoe County operates the Cares Campus, the largest shelter in Northern Nevada. According to county shelter data, the region’s shelters are more likely to be at capacity in the winter, but they rarely reach full capacity. In the first two weeks of July, there were between 13 and 26 beds available (out of a total of approximately 700) on a given night.
Sooudi said that because the Reno-Sparks
An estimated 1,760 people live in Washoe County without stable shelter—a record-breaking number, according to the county’s latest Point in Time count, the annual survey of people living unhoused, usually conducted in January.
The federal decision comes at a time when Northern Nevada jurisdictions are adopting stricter laws regarding where people can live and sleep. In March, the Washoe County Commission passed a law that prohibited camping or living in a vehicle on county-owned properties or public places.
The ordinance also made it a misdemeanor to camp within 1,000 feet of the Truckee River, park oversized vehicles on public property, obstruct public sidewalks or roads, use open flame devices on county or public property, and solicit 15 feet from a road or highway. Commissioners who voted in favor of the ordinance said they were giving law enforcement staff the tools that they said they needed to do their job. Commissioner Chair Alexis Hill told the RN&R in April that the commission plans to revisit the ordinance in a year to see if it is still useful for county staff.
The city of Sparks passed similar bans in 2023 that make it a criminal misdemeanor to sleep on a sidewalk or in a vehicle on public property.
Sparks City Attorney Wes Duncan, in a June 28 Twitter/X post, called the City of Grants Pass v. Johnson ruling “a big victory for cities like Sparks that seek to strike the right balance between enforcing the law to protect public health/safety and connecting the homeless to
needed services.” However, some government officials, legal experts and housing-advocacy groups said it is too early to tell how the ruling will affect Northern Nevada’s unhoused population and the enforcement of anti-camping laws.
The Washoe County Sheriff’s Office declined a request for an interview about how law enforcement practices might change. As of mid-April, Hill said no arrests had been made. A public-records request to learn how many people had been arrested had not been answered by the county as of our press deadline.
Sooudi said people in Reno who are service-resistant and living outside are typically sent to community court. The court happens every week at the Downtown Reno Library and connects those in need with services such as housing assistance, substance-recovery programs or help recovering lost identification or documents.
Judge Christopher Hazlett-Stevens said that although people may decline the help offered at community court several times before they accept it, community court is a better solution than detaining them.
“If you put them in jail and you do all that, what have you done to change this person’s life so that they don’t re-offend? Zero, nothing,” said Hazlett-Stevens, who worked as a criminal-defense attorney for the city before becoming a judge for community court.
A legal advocate questions the laws’ fairness
Government and law enforcement representatives often say they want to drive people to services like community court with the stricter camping laws. But Jennifer Richards, the directing attorney for the Senior Law Center and Medical Legal Partnership with Northern Nevada Legal Aid, a nonprofit legal service that serves Reno and Northern Nevada’s rural areas, said laws prohibiting acts of public indecency, littering and public alcohol consumption already existed. The recent ruling
prohibits sleeping—something everyone needs to do—in public areas.
“You’re outlawing the biological need for sleep,” Richards said.
She said she’s reminded of this every time she glances out her window at work, which overlooks a shaded grassy patch that people without shelter typically use to escape the summer heat.
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled local governments could prohibit all forms of camping on public property. This would include people staying in their car overnight when they can’t find a hotel, or university students camping on campus, as is common during protests. But Richards said it would likely affect the unhoused population more than travelers or students.
Richards said the ruling could affect Northern Nevada Legal Aid’s workload—which already has the small team spread thin—as people go to the group for assistance to stay housed.
The everyday math of housing instability
The ruling also comes at a time when housing prices continue to outpace what is affordable to Nevadans earning the state’s median income, let alone minimum wage.
The Department of Housing and Urban Development considers housing to be affordable if a household spends 30% or less of its income on rent.
In February 2024, the average monthly price to rent a one-bedroom apartment in Reno was $1,402, according to the Nevada State Apartment Association. The median monthly income per person in Reno is $3,604, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. This means if a person lives alone or is the sole breadwinner in their household, they’d typically spend 39% of their income on rent for a one-bedroom apartment.
For minimum-wage workers, the squeeze is even tighter. A Renoite working a 40-hour job for minimum wage—which increased to $12, effective July 1—and renting a one-bed-
room apartment at the median price would spend about 70% of their earnings on housing.
According to a study from the U.S. Government Accountability Office that three Supreme Court justices cited in their dissent, a “$100 increase in median rental price” is “associated with about a 9% increase in the estimated homelessness rate.”
Since 2019, the cost of a one-bedroom apartment in Reno has risen by nearly $500.
Tenant protection bills failed
Ben Iness, the coalition coordinator for the Nevada Housing Justice Alliance, a housing-justice advocacy group, is watching the effects of rising housing costs play out in his neighborhood.
“My neighbor said goodbye to me the other day, and he says, ‘Well, it’s time I have to live in my car, and I should be OK. I can shower at the gym, or go to the casinos,’” Iness said. “I didn’t even know what to say to my neighbor. I’m like, ‘Well, you know, that’s illegal … punishable.’”
Iness said the solutions governments are bringing up are “ineffective” and “misguided.”
The Nevada Housing Justice Alliance supported bills during the 2023 legislative session to help keep people sheltered before they lost their housing. These housing bills gained significant attention from lawmakers and advocates partly because several COVID-era housing-assistance programs were expiring. These bills would have extended that assistance and revised Nevada’s summary eviction process. Other bills presented during the 2023 session would have prevented housing and income discrimination by requiring landlords to accept housing vouchers and limiting background checks on tenants. However, most of the housing bills were vetoed by Gov. Joe Lombardo, or they died before they made it to his desk.
Business as usual
Athar Haseebullah, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Nevada, said no one so far has told him there have been increased sweeps of camps, but the ACLU is keeping an eye on the situation.
Haseebullah said even if nothing changes, he does not support the ways in which local governments have handled the problem of more people becoming unhoused.
“They’ve already had a million and one laws that they could use that are on the books to be able to prosecute folks, and they’ve taken advantage of some of them, and they haven’t pursued other ones,” Haseebullah said. “Their response is that we have to do, quote-unquote, ‘something.’ We think doing, quote-unquote, ‘something’ is a terrible idea if it’s ineffective, inefficient and inhumane.”
Jerry Allen Goode II said he feels torn about the ruling. He said he believes people should “use their head” when sleeping outside by only staying in one place for a few days, not making a mess and not being a nuisance, but he’s afraid the law may be going too far.
“Because I was recently told that I couldn’t sleep in my car, well, that to me, really, isn’t much further from telling me where I have to live,” Goode said.
His car wasn’t on private property, and there were no signs saying he couldn’t park overnight, Goode said. But according to the aforementioned ordinance passed by Washoe County, it is illegal to sleep in a vehicle. And since the U.S. Supreme Court ruling, even if the shelter had been at capacity, Goode still could have been told to move.
“Today you’re telling us we can’t sleep right here; tomorrow they’re locking us up, because we don’t have anywhere to stay,” Goode said. “And that’s not OK. Because it’s not illegal to be homeless or not have a place to sleep. I just feel like we need to be careful where we allow them to take these laws—because if you lose one freedom, you lose them all.”
Jennifer Richards, an attorney with Northern Nevada Legal Aid, is concerned that anti-camping laws could be enforced unevenly. Photo/David Robert
Judge Christopher Hazlett-Stevens meets with his staff at Reno’s community court, located in the Downtown Reno Library. People cited for camping illegally are often sent here to be connected with housing assistance or substance-abuse recovery programs.
Photo/David Robert
Tale of two teases
Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival’s ‘Merry Wives of Windsor’ is a hilarious, well-acted romp
Much has changed since Shakespeare’s time, so it’s easy to believe his plays are little more than relics, irrelevant to modern-day audiences. But among the handful of his timeless tropes is one that never fails to make us laugh: the overweight, slovenly, unattractive fellow who’s convinced the ladies love him.
In a nutshell, that’s the plot of this season’s Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival offering, The Merry Wives of Windsor, running through Saturday, Aug. 24, at Sand Harbor State Park in Incline Village.
Several of the Bard’s historical plays featured a character named John Falstaff, whom it’s said was a favorite of Queen Elizabeth I—so much so, in fact, that she is reputed to have requested that the playwright write a play in which Falstaff could fall in love. Shakespeare, who
fully enjoyed making a mockery of Falstaff, had his own ideas about how such a play might come together. The result is The Merry Wives of Windsor, a five-act, comedic battle of the sexes in which a silly, rotund Falstaff plots to seduce two wealthy wives in the town of Windsor, in hopes of getting his hands on their wealth. The women, however, are on to him; the two decide to make a fool out of him for their own amusement. Whatever this may say about Shakespeare’s attitudes toward women, in this play, at least, the women hold all the power.
Our merry wives are Mrs. Page (Ellen Grace Diehl) and Mrs. Ford (Madeline Calais-King), who are relatively wealthy, thanks to their husbands. The knight John Falstaff (Daniel T. Parker) comes to town short on funds and takes a shine to both women—and their money. He’s
egotistical enough to believe he has a shot at seducing them, so he sends each of them the same ridiculous love letter. He tries to recruit two of his attendants, Pistol (Jerrell Williams) and Nym (Malik Bilbrew), into his caper, but they refuse and are fired. So they run right to Mr. Ford (Jeffrey C. Hawkins) and Mr. Page (Jason Eno) to reveal Falstaff’s plot. Although Page isn’t terribly worried, Ford goes into a jealous rage. He decides to wear a disguise and introduce himself to Falstaff as a man named Brook, hoping Falstaff will confide in Brook about his affair with Mrs. Ford.
But he need not worry. The wives compare notes and have a good laugh at Falstaff’s expense. Not only that, but they can handle whatever the knight and the jealous husband can dish out. They plot to make a fool out of
BY JESSICA SANTINA
Sir John Falstaff (Daniel T. Parker) is sure that he’ll win love—and wealth—in The Merry Wives of Windsor, a five-act, comedic battle of the sexes.
Falstaff and, secondarily, Ford by arranging various trysts that come to nothing except laughs at the men’s expense.
Meanwhile, as is the norm in Shakespeare’s plays, a minor plot takes place simultaneously. The Pages’ daughter, the lovely Anne (Kechanté), has come of age and has a host of suitors vying for her affections, including a ridiculous, effeminate French doctor, Caius (Anthony Michael Martinez), and the foolishly arrogant Master Slender (Josh Houghton). But she only has eyes for a young gentleman named Fenton (also played by Jerrell Williams). While the wives are preoccupied by their plot, other Windsor townfolk send Anne’s suitors running in circles, allowing her and Fenton to steal away and marry.
Don’t let the Shakespearean language barrier keep you from this farce. In fact, there’s no better place to experience it. As if the tranquil setting and cooler temperatures at Sand Harbor weren’t enough, the director and cast have taken great pains to make the work accessible, relevant and hilarious. For example, when Parker, as Falstaff, confesses, “Setting the attraction of my good parts aside, I have no other charms,” he seizes the opportunity to play up the knight’s pride in his—well, girth— as his greatest strength. The cast’s masterful delivery makes the most of the playwright’s tendency toward sexual innuendo, and though you may not know what every word means, you won’t miss the gist, nor the laughs.
Though the whole cast is strong, I must call out a few highlight performances—namely, Martinez’s Dr. Caius is an absolute riot, and Hawkins, in the guise of Brook, proves he is a master at physical comedy, as he repeatedly and unfailingly trips over a bearskin rug to cement his character’s absurdity.
If you’re already a fan of the Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival, this latest installment is every bit as enjoyable as you’d expect. But if you’ve never gone, The Merry Wives of Windsor is a hilarious, goofy romp that makes it the perfect place to start.
The Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival presents The Merry Wives of Windsor through Saturday, Aug. 24, at Sand Harbor State Park, 2005 Highway 28, in Incline Village. Additional festival highlights include performances by the Reno Philharmonic Orchestra and Sierra Nevada Ballet, and performances of the musical Always … Patsy Cline, through Sunday, Aug. 25. For tickets and information, visit laketahoeshakespeare.com.
ART OF THE STATE
Power of the arts
Eric García’s new mural at UNR champions creativity while paying homage to
Reno history
In a bold, propaganda-inspired graphic style with splashy blue and yellow colors, Eric J. García’s new mural, “The Strongest Soft Power in the World,” at the University of Nevada, Reno, champions the transformative power of the arts while paying homage to our region’s diverse culture and unique history.
García, a New Mexico-based artist and political cartoonist, was UNR’s spring 2024 artist in residence. His three-story, 1,600-square-foot mural, located in the courtyard of the Church Fine Arts building, physically and symbolically unites the visual arts, theater, dance and music—all of which are taught in the building.
This new mural has stirred up excitement and momentum to make the courtyard it inhabits into more of a gathering space for students and faculty than it previously had been.
“There’s been a lot of conversation about: How we move forward with the space and make it accessible for people?” said Austin Pratt, the curator and manager of University Galleries. “Do we put more artworks out
New Mexico cartoonist and muralist
Eric García painted the new mural in the courtyard of the Church Fine Arts building at UNR, with help and input from art students. Photo/Kris Vagner
to write down what they would want to see represented in the mural.
When UNR’s Black Rock Press showed García its Barbara Anne Kelly Historic Wood Type and Printer’s Cuts Collection, García had the idea of incorporating some of the one-of-a-kind wood type fonts into the mural’s design. All of the text in the mural comes from the press’ wood type collection. This further blossomed into a collaboration between the Black Rock Press, García and his students on a hand-printed, limited-edition broadside poster of the mural’s design, using the actual wood type.
“The composition of the mural has a brown border that goes around it that kind of looks like torn paper, so the image itself is referencing iconic graphic works on paper, like propaganda posters or broadside prints,” Pratt said. “It became this really meta thing.”
Out of the community feedback and research García gathered, he created a cohesive design that intertwines each of the important themes he identified: the arts, the history of Reno, environmental issues like scarcity of water, and rep-
resentation of the Indigenous people who have always lived on this land. García used the Paiute and Spanish words for “water” on the right side of the mural to acknowledge the marginalized populations whose history is often erased.
There’s also some classic Reno iconography in García’s design, including the neon signs from Harold’s Club and the Thunderbird Motel, and, of course, the Reno Arch—the mural’s title, “The Strongest Soft Power in the World,” is a play on the city’s famous slogan, “The biggest little city in the world.”
The central, and most striking, visual element of the mural is a blue fist gripping a pencil. If you look closely, you can trace the origin of the fist to a stream of water starting in the background.
“Water is soft; it’s malleable, flexible, but it can also be very powerful,” García said. “Give it time, and it can carve the Grand Canyon, right? (In the mural), the water starts at Pyramid Lake and goes out into the Truckee River, then it falls into this pit that’s been mined out, and reacts, creating this giant force that bursts up into the air and eventually turns into the fist holding a pencil. The splashes of water represent how the arts can rise up and be very powerful.”
This article was produced by Double Scoop, Nevada’s source for visual arts news. Learn more at DoubleScoop.art.
here, like a sculpture yard? Is it more of a study area with tables and chairs? Everybody’s kind of coming out of the woodwork with all these ideas now that we’ve started doing something with the space.” He said the facilities team has already offered to give the floor a fresh coat of paint to help spruce it up.
García painted the mural with help from students in the “Wall Works” summer mini-session course, led by Pratt, where students learned about the history of murals, gained practical experience working on this one, and were trained in the use of daunting equipment like scissor lifts and scaffolding.
It was important for García to receive input from the community, especially students, when creating his design.
“I’m going to go away, but the mural stays,” García said. “The project has to be relevant to the community, because they’re going to be living with it.”
In March, García visited Reno and surrounding areas like Pyramid Lake. He met with students and gave a public lecture, where he passed out notecards, asking those in attendance
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ARTS
A big anniversary
Quotes Tank Options & Tankless
Carson Valley Community Theatre celebrates 20 years—and sets goals for the next 20
Thanks to Artown and a slew of new arts organizations, events and venues that have launched in recent years, the Reno area is enjoying something of a cultural renaissance.
But in some of Northern Nevada’s more rural communities, arts programming has traditionally been harder to come by. That’s why Carson Valley Community Theatre (CVCT), a small, upstart theater company in Minden, was founded 20 years ago.
One of the few people who has been with CVCT almost since the beginning is its secretary and grant writer, Diana Jones, who joined 19 years ago—and has been president or secretary of the board for at least 15 of them. Jones explained that the company’s founders wanted to bring live theater to a community that had lacked it, but they also saw a need for education.
As the company evolved, so did its mission: As an all-volunteer, nonprofit performing arts company, CVCT’s mission is to present musical and dramatic productions for the entertainment and cultural education of the Carson Valley community and the surrounding area; to showcase local talent; and to provide opportunities for residents of the region to participate in all aspects of live theater production and management.
Ann Delahay is a longtime board member and former president and treasurer with CVCT. She remembers when the company had a $5,000 annual budget and performed in the gazebo at Heritage Park and upstairs in Sharkey’s Casino.
“When we began, we were rehearsing in folks’ garages, living rooms and above the
bar at a casino,” Jones said. “Our productions were held in Carson Valley Inn banquet rooms and other smaller venues. As we became more successful and well known, we were able to rent out space at the Copeland Building.”
These days, the company has its own space at the Carson Valley Improvement Club, or CVIC, in Minden, which provides an office, a green room, equipment storage and a large shop, with rehearsals taking place in the annex and major productions happening at the CVIC Hall, which features seating for more than 200 people.
The company’s evolution has been impressive, Delahay said. “We now have a large group of volunteers with a $50,000 annual budget and are performing with full sets, a sound system and lighting in the CVIC Hall to audiences averaging over 100 people. We have a core audience of area residents who look forward to our shows and are consistent theatergoers.”
Audiences have grown from mostly being friends of the cast to including a wide variety of people. “A recent study indicated that about 50 percent of our audience comes from Genoa south, and the other 50 percent from Carson and Reno,” Jones said. “That is a major difference from when we began and just had a small number of local residents.”
It is and always has been an all-volunteer organization, from directors and producers to actors and technical crew. In fact, Jones said that a typical show racks up more than 1,000 hours of volunteer time.
One regular volunteer is Cori Rosa, who produced CVCT’s July show, Making God Laugh. She said the company has developed a loyal following among a niche audience.
| BY JESSICA SANTINA
CVCT’s July production of Making God Laugh was directed by Douglas High School teacher Renee Kaldor. Her connection to the school brought in a new crop of young actors.
“We definitely cater to the Minden/Gardnerville community, a lot of whom are seniors,” Rosa said. “Our focus is on trying to get people involved in the arts here, but we can’t go too out of the realm of accessible content.”
In their case, this means mostly comedies and musicals—nothing too complex or weighty, although the company is working to expand both its volunteer base and its audience. Renee Kaldor, who teaches drama at Douglas High School, was in her second stint as a CVCT director for Making God Laugh, and her connection to the school brought in a new crop of young actors.
The company hopes this is only the beginning of what it can accomplish in terms of its evolution. “We are currently trying to increase our acting base in the 35-to-50-year-old age range, as this will allow us even greater flexibility in choosing shows,” Jones said, adding that accessibility in price is an important part of this, too. “We do a pay-what-you-can night during our mainstage productions, where people can pay anything from a dollar to whatever they please. This allows us to expand our outreach to the community and encourages those who might be tight on funds to come see our shows.”
On Friday, Sept. 6, CVCT will celebrate 20 years of delighting audiences in the Carson Valley. The anniversary gala will include a threecourse dinner at the Carson Valley Inn, followed by entertainment provided by local performers Krista Jenkins, Cedric Williams, Carolyn Lancaster and Melanie Johnson, among others, who will perform skits and songs from several of the shows performed over the last 20 years. They will also pay tribute to some of the volunteers who have contributed hundreds of hours of their time over the years to make CVCT a success. What’s the vision for the next 20 years?
“Our primary goal is to build our volunteer base and our talent pool to enable us to continue to provide quality entertainment,” Delahay said. “Our long-term goal is to raise money to build our own theater venue with raked seating and better acoustics for the audience, as well as sufficient backstage space for scene changes, and storage and construction space for sets, costumes, props, lighting and sound equipment, all in the same place.”
Added Jones: “Primarily, we want to continue doing what we’ve been doing and growing as we have been growing—doing the highest-quality performances we can, and maybe stretch the comfort level of our audiences a bit.”
For more information, visit www. carsonvalleycommunitytheatre.org.
FILM & TV
Fast and furious
Filmmakers will compete as they make finished shorts in just two days
On Friday, Aug. 23, the insanity begins: Film teams in Reno will race to write, shoot and edit the best short film—all within 48 hours, as part of the 48 Hour Film Project.
By mid-July, 11 teams had registered, but Ivey Smith, the Reno producer for the national competition, noted that some teams register as late as two hours before the kickoff event.
“It goes from 0 to 100 mph from the moment it starts until it stops. It really pushes you and tests your skills in such a short amount of time,” said Jessica Melnar, director and editor for the team known as I Ain’t No Scare Productions, winner of Reno’s best film honors in 2022 and 2023.
In its third year of participation, Reno is one of about 135 cities involved in the 48 Hour Film Project, happening worldwide on various weekends throughout the year. The competition, which started in 2001, is open to filmmakers of any level, and all team members must be volunteers. In March 2025, each city’s top films will be screened at Filmapalooza in Seattle, competing for coveted screenings at the Cannes Film Festival.
At the Friday kickoff event, each team
receives two genres from a random drawing of 30 possibilities, ranging from horror to mockumentary; the teams are required to use one or both of their genre selections. All teams receive the same prop, line and character to incorporate into their film. The required elements vary by city. Last year, Reno competitors had to build their stories around a basket, an accountant named Larry or Lisa Tuckerman, and the line, “I’ve got a message for you.” One team used the basket as a sacred object, while another wielded it as a weapon.
Films must be four to seven minutes long, including credits. Scoring is based on artistic and technical merit, as well as the integration of the required elements. Smith commented that the I Ain’t No Scare team did an excellent job of incorporating the accountant character into their comedy film, No Accounting for Nature
I Ain’t No Scare Productions came together in 2020 when Melnar spotted a flier for the Carson Creepy film competition and reached out to several friends to collaborate on a short horror film. Though Melnar had filmed a few class presentations on biology and statistics during high school, the Carson competition was her first experience making a film for public consumption.
Members of the film team known as I Ain’t No Scare were all smiles accepting their 48 Hour Film Project award in 2023.
do this!” Six members of the crew are musicians, some of whom have performed with the Reno Video Game Symphony; the group often produces its own music for their films.
Since their first competition, the team members have honed their skills in editing and sound, through practice and by receiving practical advice regarding equipment.
“Seeing our growth over these past few years, looking back on how far we’ve come and what we’ve learned, it’s amazing to see how our films have changed and adapted,” Melnar said.
Smith, who entered her first 48 Hour Film Project competition in Los Angeles—three weeks into film school—said the competition is a wonderful way to jumpstart a film career. After her fourth time in the competition, Smith went on to write, direct and produce her first feature length film, The Scent of Betrayal Said Melnar: “I think it’s the most tired I’ve ever been, but at the end, it’s all worth it, getting to see what you’ve made at the end. I’ve never been so proud and in awe of my friends who do this with me.”
“There’s a lot we didn’t know and continue to learn and build upon each time we participate,” Melnar said. “I ain’t no scare,” an expression she heard while gaming online, became an apt moniker for the fledgling production crew equipped with an attitude of “no fear—we can
The 48 Hour Film Project begins on Friday, Aug. 23. Completed films must be submitted by 7:30 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 25, to be eligible for prizes; entry fees are $178-$198. The top local film will be screened at Filmapalooza in Seattle and score a $6,000 script-coaching package. Films will be screened on Friday, Sept. 6, and Saturday, Sept. 7, at Galaxy Theatres Victorian, 1250 Victorian Ave., in Sparks. Tickets are $20. For registration information, visit www. 48hourfilm.com/reno.
FILM & TV
Trite tornadoes
‘Twisters’ is unremarkable despite decent performances; the first chapter of Kevin Costner’s Western saga is a mess
The original Twister came out in 1996, 28 years ago. It had Bill Paxton in his prime, director Jan de Bont hot off of his Speed triumph, and characters using paper maps to track tornadoes. CGI was still in its infancy, and the special effects were groundbreaking; they hold up well today.
It also had that wonderful cow.
Here, in good ol’ crazy 2024, we finally get a middling sequel, Twisters. This one has Glen Powell instead of Paxton, Daisy Edgar-Jones in place of Helen Hunt, and no flying cows, at least that I could spot. It strives to deliver the same kind of goofy fun as the original—with a little less success. I mean, the original did have a crazed Philip Seymour Hoffman, Cameron from Ferris Bueller and Jeremy Davies in the supporting cast.
The plot is a copycat: Some storm chasers just happen to be in a crazy string of tornado occurrences, and they keep driving into them, no matter how bad the consequences get. While the original had a drive-in theater getting destroyed, this one destroys a rodeo.
The Dorothy device—the silly thing from
the original that, for some reason, needed sirens on it before it got sucked up into a tornado for analytical purposes—actually makes an appearance. It’s still around, and it’s still stupid-looking. Why does it have to be a pressure-cooker-looking thing with sirens? It could be a big, sturdy plastic bag with the little measuring balls in it and still do the same thing. The expensive bedazzled container doesn’t do shit!
The chasers in Twisters are trying to kill tornadoes this time, using the stuff that absorbs urine in diapers. Powell’s wild-man character and Jones’ thoughtful scientist almost make it worthwhile, but the whole thing is somewhat unfulfilling in the end. You’ll see some shit get kicked up by twisters … and that’s about it. The disaster sequences look OK, but they aren’t very memorable.
The tornadoes remain a scary movie monster, and Twisters has a pretty high body count. If you really want to see it, do so during its theatrical run, on the big screen with big speakers. Maybe it will have enough whiz-bang to impress you, but I spent too much time yawning.
Kevin Costner, capitalizing on his Yellowstone acclaim, had a grand plan when it came to finally making his long-proposed Horizon: An American Saga films: four really long big-screen Westerns beginning just before the Civil War.
Two of the four were supposed to be
released this summer, but Chapter 2 had the plug pulled on its August release after the first Horizon epically bombed at the box office. I would like to tell you that the public has made a mistake and shortchanged Costner’s would-be magnum opus—but the reality is that Chapter 1 is a total mess. It’s too long; it looks like a Western costume party; and the story is literally all over the place.
It begins just before the Civil War, with settlers trying to establish a little town in Native American territory. They wind up getting ambushed, and we see the aftermath of that with unmemorable characters played by Sienna Miller, Michael Rooker and Sam Worthington sporting a bizarre American accent that sounds like he was born in Brooklyn in the 1950s.
In another thread, a wagon train is going through a different Native American territory and facing their own version of peril. The wagon-train captain is played by Luke Wilson, and he is probably the best thing in the movie.
Finally, another thread involves a so-called “saddle tramp,” played by a gravelly voiced Costner, who stops in a small city and finds himself on the run with a local prostitute and a small child. Costner doesn’t show up until an hour into the film.
The big problem is that none of these threads come together at all in the first film. Perhaps they will find a way to unite in future installments, but over these three hours, it plays out as if each plot thread should’ve been
| BY BOB GRIMM
its own standalone film. If I were to pick a favorite thread, it wouldn’t even be the one with Costner in it; that would go to the Wilson thread, because he’s the only one who seems to be truly inhabiting his part.
The movie is painfully melodramatic due to schmaltzy acting and its score, and it’s too clean-looking for a movie set nearly two centuries ago. Everybody is running around in pure white pants that look like they were made for a high school production of Oklahoma! There’s no dirt anywhere on the performers; these folks would’ve been buried under soot. You can’t make an authentic Western if everybody looks like they just picked up their wardrobe at Old Navy.
It’s too bad, because I love a good Western, and Costner is capable of making a good Western. (See Open Range.) If you made the decision to avoid this in theaters, you made a wise choice. I wouldn’t bother watching it at home, either, until future films are released (and there’s a big question mark on if and when that will happen) and perhaps prove the whole enterprise is worth watching.
There has been a lot of press about Longlegs, the latest Nicolas Cage vehicle, saying it is the scariest movie of the year, and comparing it to Silence of Lambs.
Yes, it was scary enough, and because it has a plot revolving around a serial killer, and the main protagonist is a female FBI agent, the Lambs comparisons are justified. When Cage, who plays the demented title character, is onscreen, the movie is genuinely disturbing. Thanks to some very cool choices by director
Glen Powell and Daisy Edgar-Jones in Twisters.
Kevin Costner in Horizon: An American Saga—Chapter 1.
Oz Perkins (son of horror icon Anthony, who played Norman Bates in Psycho), much of the film has the general sense of eeriness and unease that horror mavens crave.
Maika Monroe (It Follows) plays Agent Lee Harker, an introverted and somewhat nervous person when she’s on the job—but she’s invaluable, because she has an almost psychic sense when it comes to what moves a bizarre serial killer will make next.
While Cage, who plays the killer, isn’t in much of the film early on, he shows up enough to make his mark. Thanks to some wild makeup and very interesting vocal choices and line reads, he provides one of the freakiest performances of his career. We’re talking Nic Cage here, so it has to be pretty freaky to register.
Perkins, who also wrote the screenplay, gets big credit for pulling off some nice mysteries, and revealing them in ways that feel worthy of your time. If anything is predictable here, it’s because you’ve seen the serial-killer-hunt movies before, and this one does follow some preset patterns (thus, the Lambs comparisons). But if you guess parts of the mysteries, you probably won’t be able to guess all of them, especially if film critics don’t give too much away.
That’s my cue to talk about something else. Good performances abound, especially from Cage and Monroe. Cage, of course, is the king of wild, off-the-rail choices. He and Perkins work well together to make those character choices both scary and funny; you might find yourself laughing a bit while being completely uncomfortable and off-balance. It’s the sort of performance that has helped Cage’s renaissance in recent years, along with brilliant work in Pig, Color Out of Space, Mandy (man, do I love Mandy), Dream Scenario and now this crazy movie.
Monroe has never been better, giving us a character that defies any real description. Is she a brilliant agent? Is she crazy? Is she scared of everybody and completely undeserving of her post? Perkins and Monroe keep us guessing, and Monroe owns every moment onscreen.
I’d forgotten that Blair Underwood existed before I saw this movie; as Agent Carter, Harker’s slightly grumpy partner, he’s every bit as good as Monroe and Cage. The same can be said for Alicia Witt (Twin Peaks), who is unrecognizable and hypnotic as Carter’s mildly disturbed mother.
This review would not be complete without major props going to the cinematographer, the set design and the editing; they all help make Longlegs a great-looking, expertly paced horror movie.
The stacked cast, the solid script and Cage’s on-fire performance help Longlegs live up to most of the hype—a rare occurrence in cinema these days. I was fired up for the film, and I was satisfied, and quite uncomfortable, watching it. Nicolas Cage scores again.
Sugar Pine Village
Accepting Online Applications
Amenities
12 Studios
12 One-Bedrooms
23 Two-Bedrooms 20 Three-Bedrooms
Community Hall which includes: Residential Services Community Services Child Care Center
Nearby Schools
4 Different Playgrounds
Lots of Parking
BBQ Area’s throughout community
Bike Trails
Community Gardens
Common Laundry Rooms on every floor
Near Public Transit Lines
Income Restrictions Apply & Are Subject to Change
Sugar Pine Village is a brand new multi -family workforce affordable housing apartment community in the South Lake Tahoe area.
This newly constructed community provides the residents hiking, biking & cross country skiing opportunities.
Developed by Related California, St. Joseph Community Land Trust, in partnership with the City of South Lake Tahoe
BEST 3 THINGS
Sparks plugs
Korean fried chicken, pupusas and a Vietnamese bun bowl—yum!
Most people in Reno have at some point heard the adage, “Reno: It’s so close to hell, you can see Sparks!”
The Reno area has seen a lot of shifts in the last decade (much to the chagrin of many natives feeling protective against California transplants), but one positive is the abundance of better-than-average food. I sometimes find myself falling victim to staying in my Midtown/downtown Reno food bubble—but when I venture out to Sparks, I often find incredible food options that are not just satisfying, but exciting. My Best 3 Things this month are gems located in Sparks strip malls that I implore you to try, if you haven’t already.
What: Sweet and spicy Korean fried chicken
Where: Step Korean Bistro, 2855 N.
McCarran Blvd., Suite 106, Sparks
Contact: www.stepkoreanbistro.com;
775-622-8925
Price: $13.95
Walking into Step Korean Bistro is like being transported to a peaceful oasis. The abundance of natural light, the wood and greenery accents, the thoughtfully spaced tables and the friendly staff are almost disorienting. Isn’t this place in a strip mall? The atmosphere is inviting. As the signage states, Step Korean Bistro is a place to “collectively celebrate, encourage, and console each other over a delicious meal.”
While it would be hard to find something you don’t love at Step, I am particularly a fan of the Korean fried chicken with the sweet and spicy sauce. What I can only describe as boneless chicken tenders made with dark meat are juicy, lightly breaded and crispy, and the sweet, spicy
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sauce is moreish; the umami-laden flavors of gochujang toned down with sweetness expertly tow the “just a bit of a kick” line. The Korean fried chicken makes a wonderful appetizer, and I recommend going with a group so you can order several things and try each one.
What: Frijoles con queso pupusa
Where: El Rincon, 668 Greenbrae Drive, Sparks Contact: 775-355-1569
Price: $3.29
The Reno/Sparks area has a surprising number of Salvadoran establishments—which, to those of us who love pupusas, is a beautiful thing indeed. The ones at El Rincon have become some of my favorites in town.
I’m not sure I’ve ever met a pupusa I didn’t like, but El Rincon’s are on a different level. They’re so light, taste super fresh, and are the
| BY MAUDE BALLINGER
The Korean fried chicken appetizer at Step Korean Bistro boasts the umami-laden flavors of gochujang, a little sweetness, and just a bit of a kick. Photo/Maude Ballinger
kind of thing you can’t stop yourself from eating even when you’re not really that hungry. The masa is fluffy with a light crispness on the outside. The bean-and-cheese filling is the perfect savory combo, and once you pair it with the salsa and slaw, you may end up wondering if you should get more after finishing the last bite. While the service at El Rincon can be a bit slow, it’s worth every waiting second. I’ve noticed some people calling in their orders for pick up, which seems like a pro move if you don’t feel like hanging out in the restaurant.
What: Vietnamese bun bowl (with chicken) Where: Sip of Saigon, 1272 Disc Drive, Sparks Contact: sipofsaigon.com; 775-384-2517
Price: $16.70
Sip of Saigon opened back in 2021 and made a splash with its “modern Vietnamese eatery” vibe. The menu consists mostly of dishes you’d expect at a Vietnamese restaurant, but with a few twists, like all-day breakfast and build-yourown pho. No matter what you order, the unique flavors will likely have you attempting to identify the curious ingredient that you’re tasting. The pho broth is aromatic; the marinated barbecue pork has an element of sweetness; and the Vietnamese bun bowl is a masterful collection of flavors and textures. Perfect for a hot summer day, it comes with a base of vermicelli noodles, salad, cucumbers, green onion and mint, with the addition of crispy egg rolls and whatever protein you want. I recommend chicken: It’s succulent, flavorful and the perfect light protein to meld with all the other flavors. The sweet, savory Vietnamese vinaigrette that it’s served with brings everything together.
Imagine a bite with greens, noodles, chicken and fragrant mint followed by the crunch of a crispy egg roll—it’s a cooling and refreshing dish that makes hell seem very, very far away.
August 25, 2024 4:00 PM Nightingale Concert Hall University of Nevada, Reno August 26, 2024 7:30PM Sand Harbor Lake Tahoe State Park
at renojazzorchestra.org Camille Thurman On Stage with the Reno Jazz Orchestra
Singing with the vigor of Ella Fitzgerald and weaving in echoes of Joe Henderson’s musical talents, Camille Thurman’s rich tenor saxophone sound and scatting mastery are just a taste of the captivating performance she will deliver with the 17-piece Reno Jazz Orchestra.
TASTE OF THE TOWN TASTE OF THE TOWN
Happenings
The annual Best in the West Rib Cook Off takes place Wednesday, Aug. 28, through Monday, Sept. 2, at the Nugget Casino Resort in downtown Sparks. The annual Labor Day weekend event spans more than six city blocks and features two-dozen of the country’s best barbecue teams, as well as arts and crafts vendors, a kids’ area, a VIP area and entertainment on two stages, including headliners like Ying Yang Twins and Uncle Kraker. Admission is free, with food for purchase. For more information, head to nuggetribcookoff.com.
The V&T Railway Commission has announced the return of the wine-train experience, Toast of the Canyon, after a five-year hiatus. Wine enthusiasts and adventure-seekers can embark on a scenic journey through the Carson River Canyon on Saturday, Aug. 17, and Saturday, Sept. 21. The 45-minute round trip departs from Carson City’s Eastgate Depot and features appetizers, wines and breathtaking views. Tickets are limited, and early reservations are recommended. For more information or to purchase tickets, which start at $40, visit vtrailway.com, or call 775-686-9037.
The Fallon Cantaloupe Festival and County Fair will take place Friday, Aug. 23, through Sunday, Aug. 25, at the Churchill County Fairgrounds, 325 Sheckler Road, in Fallon. The festival, one of Nevada’s longest-running agricultural events, honors the history of the famed Hearts of Gold cantaloupe, which saw its start in Churchill County in 1911. Events include fair exhibits, food vendors, games, musical entertainment and competitions for titles including Cantaloupe Festival Queen and King, and Cutest Little Cowgirl and Cowboy. General admission tickets start at $12, with discounts; for tickets or more information, head to www.falloncantaloupefestival.com.
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LIQUID CONVERSATIONS
Close collaborators
Madein, slated to open this summer, will do triple-duty as a coffee shop, restaurant and bar
A tide change is happening in the Mayberry Landing shopping center on the corner of McCarran Boulevard and Mayberry Drive.
The positive response to the stylish and ambitious Claio Rotisserie represents a new direction for the Mayberry-Highland Park neighborhood.
The latest addition to the shopping center is Madein Food and Drink Collective, which is set to open in August. I sat down with co-owner Will Truce and bar lead Jesse Silva to talk about their grand ambition with this new project—and, of course, cocktails.
When the Mayberry Landing owners reached out to Truce and his wife, Rachel Macintyre, to tap them for an open location
on the property, Truce and Macintyre knew they wanted to celebrate all things local, as they have in their other businesses. Truce is co-owner of Black Rabbit Mead Company; Macintyre is co-founder of Wandering Wyld, a small business incubator and pop-up artisan market, and The Virgil, an event venue and coworking space.
“The idea was to bring together folks who are doing good things in food and drink and provide them with a fun and hip outlet for their vision,” Truce said. “There is a strong desire to bring together as many different elements as we could to be a celebration of the food and drink scene here.”
Madein is home to three concepts in one: a coffee shop featuring a program designed by
| BY MICHAEL MOBERLY
Reno’s own Forged Coffee Roasting Company; a restaurant inspired by the Roman apertivo (the custom of having a light drink and snack before dinner), helmed by co-owner and chef Shawn Giordano; and an ambitious bar program curated by the team at Black Rabbit Mead Company. Attempting to do three things well is no easy feat, so when I asked Truce what would keep Madein from being a jack of all trades but a master of none, he said the goal is to empower the team with knowledge. He cited passion, expertise and training.
“We won’t be just throwing people in and telling them to pull a shot and steam some milk,” he said. “We will be spending hours with them to ensure they are capable.” The staff will participate in hands-on training for each discipline, required reading and hospitality immersion.
Said Silva: “Within the training, yes, the how will come with time, but we want to focus on the why.” He plans to empower his team by feeding their strengths but still expecting employees to challenge themselves. “We want continued education and growth so that however long the staff is with us, no matter what, they can do bigger and better things,” he said.
The bar program at Madein will feature 18 items on draft including beers, wines, cocktail-style meads and cocktails like single-origin espresso martinis. A draft negroni base will give guests the option to choose from the many drinks on the negroni family tree, like the Americano, the old pal and the boulevardier. The cocktails, draft offerings and other beverages will use local ingredients as the stars of the show, and the overall tone of all the drinks will be fun, light and approachable.
The initial menu will feature Italian sodas made with homemade syrups. Silva also plans to offer a show-stopping house limoncello that will be used to create several cocktails.
The Madein team is excited about the new challenge of cultivating regulars and is committed to continuous improvement. They aim to provide a product that feels like it has always been there, adjusting menu items, drink styles and draft items as they settle into Mayberry Landing.
“As far as what we are able to do with our capabilities, we should be able to adapt to what is best and most wanted in the neighborhood,” Silva said.
Madein will serve coffee and light breakfast fare with pastries from Beloved’s Bread in the morning, and the full menu of food and cocktails from 11 a.m. onward. There are also plans to add retail items and grab-and-go food options. Learn more at www.madeincollective.co.
Co-owner Will Truce and bar lead Jesse Silva plan to open Madein at Mayberry Landing later this summer. Photo/ David Robert
Pack a picnic
Summer is the time to sing the praises of Portuguese vinho verde
This time of year is perfect for a picnic— to pack a hamper, pick a spot and enjoy oneself in nature eating al fresco. You know I will be putting some wine in my hamper to pair perfectly with the food, the location and the people.
Right now, that wine would be vinho verde. Vinho Verde is both a wine and a wine region located in the hills of northern Portugal. The wine has been captivating wine enthusiasts for centuries with its crisp, refreshing character. The wine history of this region, which stretches from just below the Portuguese-Spanish border to the Atlantic Ocean in the Douro Valley, dates to Roman times. Historical records show that by the 16th and 17th centuries, these wines were already being exported to northern Europe. The area’s modern history began in the early 1900s during the reign of King Carlos, when it became a recognized wine region.
In Portuguese, “vinho verde” means green wine. That does not refer to the color of the
wine, which is produced in white, red and rosé styles, but to its bright, youthful character. It is typically released three to six months after harvest.
I asked Lacie Flannery—who owns Mt. Rose Wine Company with her husband, Doug, at The Summit Reno—about her thoughts on vinho verde. “I just love the palate of vinho verde,” she said. “It is refreshing with citrusy notes, green apple and sometimes melon, with a light mouthfeel and a fun fizziness. Right now, vinho verde is my go-to.” I couldn’t agree with those descriptors more.
Vinho verde wines are typically made from indigenous Portuguese grape varieties such as alvarinho, loureiro, arinto, avesso, azal and trajadura for white wines, and vinhão, borraçal and amaral for reds and rosés. The grapes are harvested before they reach peak ripeness to maintain high acidity levels—crucial for the wine’s fresh character and tartness. The wine undergoes a quick fermentation process at low temperatures to preserve the fruity aromas,
| BY STEVE NOEL
Vinho verde is a refreshing Portuguese wine that’s low in alcohol, slightly tart (in a good way!) and a little fizzy. It’s an all-purpose partner for summer meals. Photo/David Robert
and the slight fizziness is traditionally created from malolactic fermentation in the bottle. The alcohol levels of vinho verde wines are typically low, ranging from 8.5% to 11%. To preserve the wine’s freshness and slight carbonation, it’s bottled quickly after fermentation.
Vinho verde is a wine many people have never tried before. I asked Flannery how she helps guide her customers to try it.
“If someone comes into the store on the way to the lake, hiking or whatever, and they say they like crisp sauvignon blanc or chenin blanc, that is a good gateway to introduce a vinho verde,” she said.
There are many wines that wine people refer to as “high-acid” wines, but Flannery noted that the term can turn people off. She’s likely to call it “tart” instead. “What I’m describing is a mouthwatering sensation like you get from a green apple, a lemon or a lime,” she said.
Now that you know what vinho verde tastes like, what foods would be good to pair with it?
”For a picnic, cold pasta and roasted or fried chicken would really complement it and bring out those zippy, citrusy flavors in the wine,” Flannery said. “Pork or beef street tacos would also be great.”
Vinho verde is a little like sparkling wine when it comes to pairings, as it is great with everything from Asian dishes to regional Portuguese specialties like arroz de lampreia (lamprey rice) and fresh sardines; it’s also great with sushi and sashimi, as well as summer salads with melon or shrimp. The crisp acidity and light, refreshing nature of vinho verde make it particularly well-suited to dishes with citrus notes, herbs and light spices. Its lower alcohol makes it an excellent choice for pairing with spicier foods, as it helps cool the palate.
“Don’t be afraid to pull the bottle off the shelf,” Flannery said. “They’re typically inexpensive and approachable. If you’re going to a picnic or taking it to a gathering, it’s something different that the host might not have ever tasted before. It is a fun varietal that is delicious, young and citrusy, and I think it will be a crowd favorite for a lot of people. I know picking a different wine off the shelf isn’t always the easiest thing, especially if you’re not familiar with it, but this is one of the ones I would definitely take a chance on.”
Great advice. If you are heading to or from the lake or shopping at The Summit in south Reno, you should stop at Mt. Rose Wine Company for a bottle or glass of affordable, premium wine. Have a great picnic—and don’t feed the bears!
TASTE OF THE TOWN TASTE OF THE TOWN
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The League to Save Lake Tahoe and The Brewer’s Cabinet have launched the Tahoe Brew Can-Paign, which includes a special-edition label design and a portion of every can sale going to the League to Save Lake Tahoe. “After seeing the unbelievable mess that the league cleaned up from a Tahoe beach after last July 4th, and then learning about the organization’s decades of work to protect the lake, it was a no-brainer,” said Michael Connolly, owner of The Brewer’s Cabinet, in a press release. “Let’s do something that gives back to the natural wonder in Reno’s own backyard.” Learn more at www. keeptahoeblue.org.
Openings and closures
Ramsay’s Kitchen by Gordon Ramsay has opened inside the Silver Legacy at THE ROW. Inspired by Ramsay’s travels abroad, Ramsay’s Kitchen joins Gordon Ramsay Fish and Chips, which opened inside the Silver Legacy in May. Menu items include pan-seared scallops with house-cured pork belly, beef Wellington, and crispy skin salmon with green Thai curry. For more information or to book a reservation, visit www.caesars.com/silver-legacy-reno/ restaurants/ramsays-kitchen.
Nayaab, an Indian restaurant, has opened in Meadowood Mall, at 5000 Meadowood Mall Circle, in Reno. The menu features dishes like butter chicken, palak paneer and “Nevada butter naan” served in a combo-plate style. Call 775-688-9922 with questions.
Arnie’s Cafe, a new breakfast and lunch spot, has opened at 294 E. Moana Lane, No. 9, in Reno, featuring classic breakfast menu items like breakfast skillets, omelets and chilaquiles. For more information, head to www.instagram.com/ arniescafe_/
Tofu House has reopened at 1021 Steamboat Parkway, Suite 180, in Reno. The restaurant features a concise menu of Korean comfort classics like kimchi stew, soft tofu soup, spicy pork bulgogi and bibimbap. Visit www.tofuhousereno.com.
The historic Dayton Taphouse has reopened at 160 Main St., in Dayton. Claiming to be one of Nevada’s oldest saloons, the restaurant has been renovated with a new food menu featuring ahi wonton tacos, the Dayton Blue Burger and marinated flank steak. For more information and updates, visit www.facebook.com/ daytonnvtaphouse.
Have local food, drink or restaurant news? Email foodnews@renonr.com.
—Maude Ballinger
MUSICBEAT
Getting used to the spotlight
When people talk down to the members of Worm Shot for being a ‘girl
band,’ they laugh it off
Worm Shot’s Instagram bio reads “girl band, Reno nv!!!”
In those four words and three exclamation points lie the band’s cultural identity, origin story and general attitude to their music. It’s a purity of phrase any music journalist would envy, but it’s certainly not the whole story.
Comprised of vocalist and rhythm guitarist Baylor Luckey, drummer Gina Hoàng, guitarist Liv Rogers, and bassist Cierra Randall, Worm Shot got their start in 2022 when University of Nevada, Reno, students Luckey and Randall decided to start a band “for fun.”
“I had heard Liv’s name around a lot, because she’s just known for being very talented,” Luckey said. “And so, I was kind of shy and being like, ‘Oh, do you want to play in my band with me pretty please?’ We weren’t very close at the time, but she said yes. And then Gina was hanging out one day also, and I did not know her very well. But she mentioned one thing about
the drums, and I hopped in really, really quick and was like, ‘What if you played drums in the band also with me?’”
The members of Worm Shot coalesced around an independent love of the Holland Project—the uncontested incubator of Reno’s musical scene and youth culture.
“I think that a big part of my passion for music came from the Holland Project and being able to see live shows and feeling like that was accessible to me,” Randall said. “I’ve been going to shows, like, my whole adolescence, and for some reason, I just never had crossed paths with them, even though they’re all girls who go to the Holland Project. We ended up just connecting kind of later in our lives.”
Watching shows at the Holland Project gave the bandmates a like-minded community of young people to fuel their passion for music and introduced them to other bands and venues in the local DIY scene. Friendships like this, they said, have been integral to their journey.
“The people around you are the people who are going to help you,” Hoàng said. “Having a lot of friends has given us a lot of opportunities as well.”
But going from the crowd to the stage also came with a steep learning curve. Two months after playing their first show ever at Luckey’s house on a homemade stage, they were asked to headline a sold-out show at the Holland Project with another local band, Charity Kiss, and touring act Mom Cars.
“It was our first Holland show. We had, like, a 20-minute set, and we’d all been playing our instruments for four months—it was really scary,” Randall said. “And then, like, every single time you play a show, it’s just different and better and less scary and less stressful.”
In the two years since, the band members have carved out a place in the Reno scene with their local brand of riot grrrl rock and indie grunge, drawing inspiration from bands like Veruca Salt, The Breeders and Kathleen Hanna. Their recorded catalog is slim so far, consisting of their debut single “Dream Girl” on Spotify, which was released with an accompanying music video in February.
“Dream Girl” is a fun, frantic ballad about a crush with murderous intentions—a hilarious juxtaposition with the music video’s Valentine’s Day-on-a-budget theme. The single sounds DIY in an endearing way, with rapid chord changes, a tight drum pattern, and a bouncing bassline that fans of classic punk will recognize immediately. Luckey’s voice is clear and capable while her bandmates provide cohesive harmonies, and Rogers’ chosen guitar tone paints the whole track with more of an indie shimmer than classic rock fuzz.
Worm Shot is set to release a five-track album on Aug. 1, Skin, Bones, Virtue
“We recorded the EP in Sacramento with Earthtone Studio,” Hoàng said. “And we just pumped out three songs that are, like, my personal favorites in one month, so we’re going to record those too with Earthtone.”
But even as Worm Shot is finding momentum in their hometown scene, they’re regularly reminded of a simple truth: There aren’t a lot of girl bands around.
“Growing up in the scene, there was no female representation within any of these DIY bands, unless they were touring or coming here, but nothing really local,” Rogers said. “I think that a really big driving force was just to, like, bring the girls into the music scene.”
As part of their mission to inspire more women to pick up instruments and join the scene, the bandmates said that one of their favorite shows was playing for a crowd of young girls as part of the annual G.I.R.L.S. Rock Reno summer camp
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BY MATT BIEKER
at the Holland Project last year.
“It made me feel like I’m having a much larger effect on people than I think when I stand up here, and I am singing with confidence and I’m playing with confidence,” Luckey said. “It’s more than just, ‘Oh, that band’s cool.’ It’s like, ‘Oh my gosh, look at them go. I can do that with my friends, and we can make music together, because that’s what we want to do.’”
Even though more all-female bands have popped up in Reno in recent years, the members of Worm Shot said they still have to contend with misogyny in the music scene in many forms.
“Being an all-girl band of 20-something-yearold girls, who goes up onstage and wears matching outfits, and maybe plays a song with only two chords—people are often kind of mean and not super respectful of us,” Randall said. “I feel often like I’m being talked down to or infantilized, or people are like, ‘Oh, that’s so cute that you’re in a band with your friends.’ Like, would you say that to a man?”
But to Worm Shot, the antidote to critiques of everything from their gender, to their music, to their outfits is simple and profound: They don’t care. Not in the “fuck you,” stick-it-to-the-man kind of sense (although, sure, there’s some of that as well); their attitude is simply to rise above the handwringing over what it means to be a “girl band.” Instead, they revel in the joy of being girls in a band.
“Our goal for the band ever since we started was just, like, we want to have fun,” Rogers said. “I mean, sure, getting famous would be awesome. But I think right now, we’re just having such a great time being friends and being a part of this awesome music community and just having fun with it.”
For every guy in the front row explaining how they’re playing their instruments wrong, there’s a five-hour jam session in the garage where they’re laughing their heads off about what he said. For every skeevy dude drooling over four women onstage, there’s a little girl who sees their show and wants to pick up a guitar with her friends.
“The No. 1 greatest thing about being in an all-girl band with your best friends is that you always have somebody to fall back on,” Randall said. “So when people are mean and condescending, and they say negative things about the music that you make, I just, like, turn around and look back at my three amazing girl bands go who are so talented and wonderful. I wouldn’t feel as safe and secure with if they weren’t right there with me understanding and feeling the same way I am.”
The members of Worm Shot are young; they’re friends; they’re in a band; and they’re having a blast. Everything else comes second.
For more information, visit www.instagram. com/worm.shot.
Gina Hoàng, Baylor Luckey, Liv Rogers and Cierra Randall are Worm Shot.
MUSICBEAT
Multitude of vibes
The band Color Green brings a musically diverse, jam-heavy set to J Resort’s Glow Plaza
Sometimes you have to close your eyes to let music transport you to another world— but with some bands, the care and attention they pour into their sound can immediately evoke visions of beauty, and put you in a meditative and transcendental headspace.
The band Color Green, based out of Los Angeles, writes songs that feel like a summer breeze, a trip to the beach or a walk in the woods. Their sound, like that of their heroes the Grateful Dead, spans a number of styles and feelings, such as the good-vibe boogie of “Ain’t It Sad,” rainy-day jam “Night” or road-trip rocker “High and Low.” The band’s music transports the very best of ’70s feelgood rock into the modern day, and places an emphasis on a jam-heavy live show.
Color Green’s just-released sophomore LP, Fool’s Parade, digs further into the cosmic journey with tracks like the trippy “Four Leaf Clover,” the sweet blues of “Fool’s Parade” and the heavy, headbanging rock of “God in a $.” The band is heading on tour in support of the new record, making a stop at J Resort’s Glow Plaza on Sunday, Aug. 4, opening for Trampled by Turtles.
During a recent interview with band members Noah Kohll and Corey Madden,
thing,’ because you’re just on to the next thing. You just keep moving, and especially when enough time goes by, it’s like, ‘I’m already on the new shit, dude.’ When it came out, I listened to it for the first time in a long time, and I was transported back to that time.”
Color Green entered the studio as a live band to track Fool’s Parade. The result is an album that encapsulates the diverse and dynamic sounds of the band’s live shows.
“I’m really excited about people being able to listen to it, because we’ve been playing these songs for about a year now, and I’ve gotten comments saying, ‘You guys sound different than you do on your records,’ and I feel like this record is more in line with how we sound live these days,” Kohll said. “Obviously, it’s everevolving, but it’s cool that now people can have some sort of expectation of what they’re going to see live, more so now than before.”
The band members took a meticulous approach to recording and production.
“When you’re in the studio, things are more underneath a microscope,” Kohll said. “As we were preparing to record the record, we had certain things that we were doing that we did have to change in the studio, because you’re looking at every strum and drum hit and stuff like that. There is a picking-apart thing you have to do when you go and record, and that was definitely done, especially with rhythm tracks. There was a lot of focus on what was going on rhythmically, to have everything move as one unit.”
way through. A majority of musicians keep up with current listening habits by dropping singles, but for Color Green—a band who sounds ripped straight from the 1970s—a full album just makes sense.
“We’ve done the single thing before, but there’s always this constant idea of being like a timeless group,” Kohll said. “I listen to music as albums these days, and honestly, I didn’t even think about it. I don’t think it was an active decision to be like, ‘We’re not going to do singles.’ It was like, ‘Ah, we’re a band; we’re going to make a record.’”
Added Madden: “I think everyone in this band loves albums. … It feels like an official stamp when you make a full record. I don’t think there’s a deep thing around it. I love a record, but also, if … you have one or two (songs) that you just want to release, why not?
Whatever feels good.”
Color Green’s tour will give the band a chance to both play through the new album and workshop brand-new songs.
they shared their thoughts on the new album.
“It feels like a ‘finally’ for me, I’m sure for everyone else, too,” Madden said. “It’s been a little bit of time, so it feels really nice to have it in the air to everybody now, and it’s not a weight-on-your-shoulders kind of thing. The freedom of it being out in public is pretty sick.”
Added Kohll: “It feels good for it to be out. It’s funny, because we recorded it almost, like, a year ago, so a lot has changed. I feel like an album is like a moment in time, and as musicians, I feel like we’re always growing. It’s awesome to have it out, but I’m also in the headspace at the moment of looking forward to new stuff as well.”
Fool’s Parade is a nine-song journey that transcends both hard and soft rock, taking listeners through a multitude of vibes. Since the band is always focusing on the next jam, the release of the LP has caused them to revisit it.
“In full transparency, we’ve done a handful of interviews where people ask you about songs, and a few of them are pretty heavy in the back of my head, but for some, I’m like, ‘Man, I don’t really remember,’” Madden said. “It’s been a while where so much other shit has gone on, where I really have to dig deep to be like, ‘Oh, yeah, that was the vibe of this kind of
One stand-out moment is the song “5:08,” a softer jam that evokes somber and emotional feelings across the burning, six-minute ripper.
“When we recorded it, I think every one of us was crying or cried,” Kohll said. “We were alone doing our vocal takes in a booth so that no one could see each other, and we all confessed to each other that there were moments where we were tearing up while singing it.”
Even though vinyl albums and CDs are experiencing a resurgence, not every music listener in 2024 likes to listen to albums all the
“We have a couple of songs that we are probably going to debut on this tour,” Kohll said. “This is going to be the first tour for us where we’re playing certain songs that we haven’t recorded yet. I’m looking forward to that space of being like, ‘Oh, this hasn’t been recorded yet, so there’s even more freedom in what that song is going to be like live.’ When you have something recorded, it’s so easy to fall into the tendency of just playing what the recording sounds like, or what you did on the recording. I’m excited to have this feeling of newness for the audience in terms of, ‘Oh, they’re playing these songs from this new record; it’s their new record tour,’ and then they also get new songs that are also new for us. I’m pretty stoked for that element.”
Color Green will perform with Trampled by Turtles at 7 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 4, at J Resort’s Glow Plaza, 670 W. Fourth St., in Reno. Tickets start at $22.68. For more information, visit colorgreenband.com.
Color Green.
| BY MATT JONES JONESIN' CROSSWORD
“What Comes Fourth?”—you got three in a row …
By Matt Jones
Across
1. Ike’s spouse
6. Caramel candy brand
10. 30 for 30 channel
14. Love, in Rome
15. Peters of American Horror Story
16. High point
17. Angel’s citation for forgetting an instrument?
19. Sit a while
20. Muse of astronomy
21. Wilson who played Dwight Schrute
23. Like some almonds
24. Abbreviation after a comma
26. Cessation
27. Give it ___
30. Lean meat
source
31. Question of a continental country
consortium’s willingness to rock
the mic?
34. 2000s boy band named after a Florida city
35. Physically flexible
36. L.A. tree
39. “Calean” surface?
42. Advance, as cash
43. Farmyard refrain
45. Shabby
47. The Insult Comic Dog’s French counterpart?
50. West Germany’s official name until 1990, for short
53. Ready for action
54. “Unbelievable” band of 1991
55. “Chandelier” singer
56. Suffix after mountain
57. Parodize
59. Split in two
61. Somebody Feed (Netflix travel documentary)
63. What happens when you treat your garden hose badly?
66. Verdi opera heroine
67. Dull pain
68. Quetzalcoatl worshipper
69. “Ocean Man” group
70. Shout it out
71. All That Jazz director Bob
Down
1. Organic fertilizer component 2. Conscienceless
3. Centrist style?
4. Persian Gulf country
5. Most chilling 6. Arbiter
7. Ab ___ (from square one)
8. Hardy counterpart 9. No longer at sea
10. Bring in 11. “What if” situation
12. Keir Starmer and others, for short
13. Volleyball need 18. Feeling of sympathy
22. Notion
25. Part of a Traitor’s outfit, on The Traitors
28. Big party
29. Uninhibited
32. Take away the heat?
THE LUCKY 13
Bijou Bell
Drummer/singer of Silly Little, performing at the Holland Project on Aug. 10
Find the answers in our “About” section at RenoNRcom!
A beautiful day can only get better with a fitting soundtrack—and I recommend local band Silly Little. The band’s music is not available to stream yet, but the songs they have been working on combine serene, mellow and haunting melodies with dreamy, folky, soft-rock sounds. To hear their music, see them live at the Holland Project at 8 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 10, when they perform with Las Nubes and Luminescence. Tickets are $12 in advance, or $15 at the door. For more information, visit www.instagram.com/sillylittleband. We recently asked drummer/singer Bijou Bell our slate of 13 questions.
What was the first concert you attended?
The Dead. It was a band created after Jerry Garcia died that contained some members from the Grateful Dead. I believe I was 2 years old.
What was the first album you owned?
The Stooges.
What bands are you listening to right now? Ratboys, Yuck, Kidi Band, Hop Along, and Mannequin Pussy.
| BY MATT KING
What artist, genre or musical trend does everyone love, but you don’t get?
Taylor Swift. Maybe it’s because I didn’t grow up with her music or connect to it, but obviously she’s got a lot of fans and albums and a big career. I don’t know; I just don’t like a single song.
What musical act, current or defunct, would you most like to see perform live? I’d kill to see Björk live. I’d cry; I’d throw up. She’s my hero.
What’s your favorite musical guilty pleasure? My Chemical Romance. I can sing all the lyrics from The Black Parade album, and it still hits the same for me as when I got the CD in the fifth-grade.
What’s your favorite music venue? Holland Project.
What’s the one song lyric you can’t get out of your head?
“Don’t let your friends turn cold / While you burn to green / When they walk off a stage / Embrace them and say that’s the best shit I’ve ever seen,” Julia Jacklin, “Don’t Let the Kids Win.”
What band or artist changed your life? How? Björk. She’s someone I heard about growing up, but I was a li’l punk kid and only listened to my silly little punk music. When I finally gave her a chance, she just clicked something on for me. She helped me tap into my femininity, and my uniqueness, and she tickled a lot of new creative spots in my brain I didn’t know were there. She still continues to inspire me to help me push my personality through my music and not be afraid to be myself.
You have one question to ask one musician. What’s the question, and who are you asking? Frances Quinlan of Hop Along: How do you get into the writing headspace to create such distinctive imagery that can connect to so many people and scenarios with your lyrics—but isn’t too obvious of a narrative to your audience?
What song would you like played at your funeral?
“Ballad of Big Nothing,” Elliott Smith.
Figurative gun to your head, what is your favorite album of all time?
Madison Cunningham, Who Are You Now.
What song should everyone listen to right now? “En lo alto del cerro (Tangos),” Estrella Morente.
| BY DAVID ROBERT
Michael Mac Millan
Booking and entertainment manager at Reno Public Market
Michael Mac Millan was born in Sacramento, grew up in Reno, and was part of the hardcore music scene here in the 1980s. After high school, he saved up his money and moved to San Francisco, a city that had always called to him. Mac Millan has been back in Reno since 2010. He’s studied sound and electronics at Imirage Sound Lab in Sparks and at community college. He’s booked entertainment for Wildflower Village (the West Fourth Street motelturned-arts-complex that closed in 2016) and Studio on 4th (the East Fourth Street bar and performance venue that was once where the Dead Ringer Analog Bar is now). He does sound for Valhalla Tahoe in South Lake Tahoe, which he called “one of the most magical venues in the world.”
Mac Millan now does double duty as the food hall’s general manager and the booking and entertainment manager at Reno Public Market, 299 E. Plumb Lane, in Reno, where local and touring acts play on Faye’s Stage. Check RPM’s calendar for upcoming performances at www. renopublicmarket.com/community-events.
How did you get the Reno Public Market job? That’s a great story. I got called to do sound for the RPM’s grand opening, and I brought my equipment down; this was on Jan. 20, 2023. I must’ve done a decent job, as the owners asked me to stay on. The owners asked me to become their music booker and then asked me to be the general manager, and that’s what I do today. I’ve managed businesses for over 20 years, so it’s not out of my wheelhouse. I like to say this is the longest one-day job I’ve ever had. … If they ever find my secret sleeping spot, I’ll probably be trespassed off the property.
What do you take into consideration when you’re programming acts for RPM? I look for acts that create engaging mag-
ic with their audience, and have widespread appeal across all cultures and age groups. Most of the acts I book here are artists I’ve worked with elsewhere.
What does the future hold for the Reno Public Market?
The Reno Public Market concept is the first of its kind in Reno. With any brandnew concept, there are growing pains. We’ve had some transitions of late. We are growing into our identity. There was an original vision, and it has grown from there. Now the community is helping to define us. Our community grows us, and we help grow our community in return. I like to think our future is bright. We fill a niche not found elsewhere. We have a new restaurant coming in called Cuzco, a Peruvian restaurant. I’ve tried this guy’s food, and it’s fantastic. His name is Roberto Caballero. Roberto could have a five-star restaurant anywhere, but he’s going to have it here.
What events do you have coming up?
ABC will be filming a reality show in the food hall in September called What Would You Do? It’s a TV show—they kind of set people up, a kind of honesty test. Like, someone loses a wallet: Do you pick it up and hand it back? Or do you put it in your own pocket and walk away? We don’t have the exact dates yet, but it will be sometime in September.
On Saturday evening, Aug. 24, Drag Wars comes to RPM, featuring games of skill and chance, also jousting. We’re taking over the whole area by the stage; a giant inflatable arena will fill the area in front of the stage.
It’s going to be packed. I don’t know the total number of drag kings and queens who are going to be here, but I’ve heard that it’s going to be full. Proceeds will benefit Our Center.
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