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Homing in

On Monday Dec. 9, Reno Mayor Hillary Schieve gathered together media and local developers to discuss her 1,000 Homes in 120 Days initiative, now just past its halfway point.

“I am so incredibly thrilled,” Schieve said. “This program—we never thought that we would get to this point. We have put almost 1,600 units into the market. Sixteen-hundred, and our goal was 1,000. … Now, I think we’ve got to up it. You know how competitive I am. I want 2,000—2,000, did you hear me?”

After asking for a round of applause for the developers, the mayor asked several of them to speak about their projects.

Blake Smith S3 Development was the first of the developers to speak about a 302-unit project his company is working on.

“We have an exciting project that’s located on Keystone and Fifth,” he said. “We are actually in the design stage of it at this point, design schematics. We are actually struggling quite a bit, and this program, I have to to give kudos to it. … It is helping us move the project forward at this point. … The pricing and the cost in this marketplace is really stymieing so many projects at this point. And this program that you’ve introduced is really allowing us to get over these hurdles.”

Projects approved under the program will receive deferred impact fees for costs they normally pay upfront, including sewer connection and traffic impact fees. Other approved projects include a 208unit senior housing complex and a housing complex attached to the Freight House District at the Reno Aces ballpark. According to Assistant City Manager Bill Thomas, about 120 units of the 1,600 that have been proposed and approved under the project, 120 qualify as affordable housing.

“This is absolutely incredible. As many of you know, my initiative was really to create infill in opportunity zones—to build up and not out,” Schieve said. “We know, we’re facing such a huge challenge when it comes to housing. We have to create housing of all types. That’s why I’m very proud of it, because a lot of people come to me and say, ‘Mayor Schieve, why not just affordable housing?’ But we know that that doesn’t work. You have to create all kinds of housing when it comes to economics.”

The Reno City Council will vote next week on whether or not to continue accepting proposed projects despite the fact that the program has exceeded its original goal of 1,000 housing units. —Jeri Davis

Mayor Hillary schieve gathered with developers on Dec. 9 for an update on her 1,000 Homes in 120 Days initiative. PHOTO/JERI DAVIS UNR Director of Admissions Steve Maples discussed the Nevada Guarantee alongside recipients and recent graduates Perla Gonzalez Roman and Martha Aguilar.

PHOTO/JERI DAVIS

Paid in full

University unveils rebranding of tuition-free program

According to the website debt.org, student loan debt “soared from $260 billion in 2004 to $1.4 trillion in 2017.” And average debt rose from $18,650 to $38,000 over that same period. Additionally, the number of people over $60,000 in loan debt “has quadrupled in the last decade from 700,000 to 2.8 million” people. But at the University of Nevada, Reno, officials are working to change the narrative about student loan debt—at least on a local level.

On Thursday Dec. 5, UNR officials held a press conference to unveil the rebranding of a free tuition program they’re now calling the Nevada Guarantee—a program that completely covers tuition, books and fees for those who qualify for it.

“The most important thing to start off with is to talk about the Nevada Guarantee and how you qualify,” said Director of Admissions Steve Maples during the press conference. “It’s pretty straightforward, as far as the qualifications. If you have a family income of $50,000 or less, and if you’re a Nevada resident, and as long as you apply to the university by February 1 … you’ll qualify for the Nevada Guarantee. It’s the only program in the state of Nevada that allows you to start at the university and complete your degree at the university and have your books, your fees and your tuition covered—all in four years or less.”

The program has actually been around for about a decade now and was formally called Pack Advantage. In that time, more than 10,000 UNR students have participated in it.

“So why are we telling you about this now?” said Melisa Choroszy, associate vice president of university enrollment services. “We’re a landgrant university, and our mission is to support student access—and we want to make sure that Nevada residents have access to a quality, tier-one education. … We want students to know that they are welcome here, and we’re here to support them.”

The other goal of the press conference was to provide the university an opportunity to make the argument that it’s not such a big part of the student loan debt crisis people so often hear about in media reports these days.

“You will see in the reports, as we have, about students graduating with record amounts of debt from college,” Choroszy said. “We want to share some information with you about our students. Over 50 percent of our students graduate without debt, debt free. Eighty-one percent of our students receive some kind of scholarship and financial aid. We give out over $87 million dollars [annually] in financial aid to our students.”

Two of those students who’ve graduated debt-free from the university were on hand to share their experiences during the press conference—Perla Gonzalez Roman and Martha Aguilar.

“Before I knew about the Nevada Guarantee, I was attending TMCC and paying out-of-pocket for the two classes [per semester] that I could afford while I was working for the Washoe County School District as a lunch lady,” said Gonzalez Roman. “After three years at TMCC, I transferred to the university where I continued to pay for the two classes a semester, as that was what I could afford.”

She also started working at North Valleys High School as a career center facilitator, where she met a UNR admissions counselor who told her about the Nevada Guarantee, but, at first, thought she was ineligible because of her citizenship status. Gonzalez Roman is a DACA recipient. She was pleased to learn that UNR offered the program to students like her, too, by having an alternative to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), for which non-citizens do not qualify.

“Once I got the Nevada Guarantee, I immediately enrolled in a full course load of classes—and I was so thrilled that I could do so and that I would be able to graduate in two years,” she said. “I made sure that my two younger siblings knew about the program and enrolled when their time came. This program is truly life-changing.”

Gonzalez Roman graduated during 2019 winter commencement with a degree in human development and family studies and is starting a graduate program at the University of Denver. The other student at the press conference, Aguilar, graduated with two bachelor’s degrees—one in elementary education and the other in human development and family studies. She also recently interviewed to get into the pool of certified teachers in the Washoe County School District. “Now, I look forward to teaching and inspiring other students like me,” she said. By the numBers The Nevada Guarantee program is funded through federal, state, institutional and private gift foundation dollars. In addition to meeting the income requirements, students who enroll in the program must remain in good academic standing with the university by maintaining at least a 2.0 grade point average. The university estimates that around 30 percent of applying freshmen at the university qualify the Nevada Guarantee. But who are the 50 percent of students the university says graduate debt free?

According to report from the university analyzing undergraduate students who

started at the University of Nevada, Reno, as first-time students and graduated debt-free in 2019, this varies by both major and student demographics. According to the report, liberal arts students were the most likely to graduate debt-free, at 61 percent. Interdisciplinary students were the least likely to leave the university without debt, at just 35 percent. Other degrees fields where at least 50 percent of students graduated “This without debt include engineerprogram ing, agriculture, business, science and social work. is truly life- As for demographics, changing.” white students were the most like to graduate debt free, at Perla Gonzalez Roman 56 percent—versus forty-one

Nevada Guarantee percent of Hispanic students, recipient 47 percent of Pacific Islanders, 33 percent of Native American and Alaskan students, and just 24 percent of black students. The university is hoping that the rebranding and promotion of the program can boost these numbers. “Getting out the word is always a challenge, and we’re hoping that this will help raise awareness,” said Choroszy. Ω Learn more about the Nevada Guarantee program by visiting unr.edu/nevada-guarantee.

santa cause

The Northern Nevada Confederation of Clubs hosted its annual fundraiser to collect toys for kids on Dec. 4—delivering them via motorcycle, with Santa Claus riding at the front of the pack.

Truths about the “Shen Yun Gala” of “Falun Gong”

“Neo-Chinese TV” and “Shen Yun Art Troupe” have lured many innocent audiences to watch the so-called “Shen Yun Gala” performed in the name of “carrying forward Chinese traditional culture” in different parts of world since 2004. The cult “Falun Gong” also tried to get congratulatory letters and praises through various means. You’d better learn some facts about “Falun Gong” and the “Gala” before you decide whether to watch the performance or not.

“Falun Gong” is a heresy that endangers society.

“Falun Gong”, also known as “Falun Dafa”, was founded by Li Hongzhi in China in the early 1990s. It invented and preached anti-human and anti-scientific heretical ideas, claiming that it could build body, improve moral standards, and achieve immortality. The cult attracted a large number of innocent people and exerted extreme spiritual control over believers in order to gain benefits and satisfy personal political ambitions. It is a heresy that seriously endangers society and infringes on human rights. It is an evil of modern civilized society. According to incomplete statistics, more than 2,000 “Falun Gong” believers died after refusing to receive medical treatment, hundreds of believers committed suicide or self-mutilation, and 30-odd innocent people were killed by “Falun Gong” believers, all because of the lies invented by Li Hongzhi. Even in the United States, some “Falun Gong” lunatics lost their lives because they refused to seek medical treatment, such as Feng Lili and Li Dayong. Although it advocates “truthfulness, compassion, and forbearance”, “Falun Gong” never tolerates any dissent. It happened frequently that its believers were organized to attack the public, media and government agencies that questioned it heretic ideas, including news agencies like the Associated Press and Rogers. In December 2014, Rick Ross, a famous specialist in cult research and intervention in the United States, published a book titled “Cults Inside Out”, which included two detailed chapters dedicated to “Falun Gong”. “Falun Gong” is considered as a destructive cult of world influence in the book.

“Falun Gong” and “shen Yun Gala” is deceptive.

The so-called “Neo-Chinese TV” and “Shen Yun Art Troupe” are under the control of “Falun Gong”. In recent years, the cult has taken advantage of these two instruments to put on “galas” in the name of “carrying forward the Chinese culture” and “showcasing the charm of oriental charm” around the world. Those “galas” are not only vulgar and inartistic, but also full of information that preaches the doctrine of the cult, flatters the cult leader Li Hongzhi, and attacks the Chinese government. Li Hongzhi himself publicly announced that “Shen Yun Galas” were organized by “Falun Gong” gangs in different places under his command. The “galas” “are not for public fun”, but “for a showcase of the Dafa disciples... for salvation of sentient beings and clarification of truths”, he claimed. The fact is the so-called “Shen Yun Gala” is not literally a gala at all; instead, it is a political tool for the cult to spread heresies and antiChina sentiment, to expand influence and to get rich. It stains and distorts the Chinese culture, and deceives, fools, and poisons audiences. The “Shen Yun Gala” manipulated by “Falun Gong” is filled with shows that preach the doctrine of the cult and attack the Chinese government. It does not put on the mask of “traditional culture” just for luring audiences. While revealing the so-called “persecution” of “Falun Gong”, it has another mission of becoming an important platform to preach heretic ideas of the cult. The real intention behind the claimed “divine culture promotion” is to preach heresies of “Falun Gong”. It maliciously tries to spread the devious lies of Li Hongzhi and “Falun Gong” in the name of “divine culture” and attract innocent, kind audiences to accept and even join “Falun Gong” so that they would be spiritually controlled by the cult. Several ancient Chinese or national shows are, of course, included in the repertoire of the “Shen Yun” performance, such as “Mulan Joins the Army”, “Yue Fei’s Tattoo”, “Drummers in the Tang Dynasty”, “Fan in the Sleeve”, and “Monkey King Conquers the Demon”. What the “Shen Yun” performance truly tries to show to audiences, however, is the heretical shows under careful disguise. Disguise is actually a propaganda technique adopted by the “Shen Yun Performance” of “Falun Gong”. It is a “fig leaf” added to the otherwise naked propaganda, like a little seasoning to a tasteless dish or an appetizer dessert to entice impatient audiences to stay. Western audiences may find it unacceptable and just leave halfway if they are directly exposed to political propaganda and “truths”. That would be a shame on the organizer of the performance and may make the show a one-time deal. Trumpeter Li Hongzhi is clever enough to know that.

“shen Yun Gala” of “Falun Gong” is debunked by more audiences.

“Falun Gong” consoled itself by self-reporting the “Shen Yun Gala” as “winning unanimous praises”, “showing amazing stage effects”, “being received with thumbs up by the audiences”, and “winning acclaims”. In fact, online commentators, especially those abroad, poured a stream of bad reviews. For example, an online commentator named Siyu said, “Shen Yun has performed in different cities in the United States for many years, and not until today did I learn that it has a connection with ‘Falun Gong’.” Lengyan Cimei said, “I’ve watched this kind of performance before. They are barely human or divine. So boring.” Woxin Qiaoqiao commented, “I have watched the “Shen Yun” ad several times in Italy but always on Neo-Chinese TV. I feel sick!” Werner Vogels, CTO and vice president of Amazon, who has 81,800 followers on Twitter, said, “Unfortunately, ‘Shen Yun’ performance was hardcore religious Falun Gong propaganda [that claimed] “revolution is evil”. Not recommended.” Johnson Mihawk, a psychologist in Massachusetts, commented, “I was so angry because I was deceived by ‘Shen Yun’. I didn’t expect to see a pitch presented by a high school student.” “‘Shen Yun’ is for the fool. It’s nothing but fancy propaganda.” Online commentator CuiriOs said, “I was fooled by ‘Shen Yun’. It was a religious propaganda. ‘Falun Gong’ doesn’t like homosexuality, does it mean that we should get our money back?” “Shen Yun is masked as a cultural and artistic performance, hiding its true nature for religious propaganda. Don’t waste your money on it, or you’ll spend $100 on listening to a dull show full of boring preaching,” said Dominique Hogan, an artist, pianist, singer and vocal music teacher in Vancouver, Canada. What’s above are the setbacks imposed on the “Shen Yun” performance of “Falun Gong”. Now we can understand why Li Hongzhi once claimed that his “Shen Yun” performance was “not for public fun”. The audiences are not to blame for their criticisms since “Shen Yun” is born for cult propaganda and “for Dafa”. The Chinese culture has a long history and great diversity which make it always welcomed and loved by the Americans. Here is a reminder: If you are interested in or support any Chinese culture celebrations and performances, please stay away from the so-called “Shen Yun Gala” of “Falun Gong” and don’t be fooled or taken advantage of.

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