BY MATT BIEKER
What makes a good neighbor? ASKED AT RENO COFFEE COMPANY, 1300 S. WELLS AVE. IAIN WATSON Teacher
Not being all in your business, but also being helpful to the greater good of the neighborhood. I think just being able to communicate and being friendly, and knowing your limitations of, “Do I really want to interact with this person a lot? Or do I not want this person to be in my business?” ANNA THORELL Teacher
I actually just moved to Sierraville, and the minute I got there, my neighbor saw me pull up with a U-Haul and all my stuff. … First time I met him, he was like, “Hey do you need some help with that?” … From that moment, it was really easy to create a good relationship and friendship. BRIAN EUBANKS Arborist
Don’t believe the hype On a Jan. 14 episode of the Daily Show, just after the you go—there he is on TV, on social media, on billseventh debate among the Democratic Party contendboards—hell, there could even be an ad for the guy in ers, Daily Show host—and, since he gave us a great this very newspaper. (The RN&R editorial board, a.k.a. interview last time he came through town, friend of the the RN&R editors, aren’t privy to advertising informaRN&R—Trevor Noah had this to say: “Do these debates tion in advance of publication.) even matter at all? … The debates used to be the best way And it seems to be working. Steyer’s strong polling to get in front of the American people. But with two in Nevada and South Carolina, two early voting billionaires in the race, the game has changed. states, were the reason he’s made it onstage Just look at Tom Steyer, for instance. He’s in the last couple of debates, and he far from a household name. He has the seems to be banking his strategy on charisma of a clipboard, but recent doing well in the two states. Tom Steyer polls show him surging to second But don’t let him fool you. has spent more on place in South Carolina and third in He’s the candidate equivalent of a advertising in Nevada Nevada, and one guess how he did corporate punk band or one of those it,” and then Noah rubbed his fingers beers that are produced by a national than other candidates together in the obscene, universal distributor but presented like some have spent in their entire gesture for money. kind of hip microbrew. He’s like national campaigns. The show then cut to this MSNBC human greenwashing. nugget about Steyer: “His Nevada-only He seems innocuous enough, and ad spending is more than all of the ad most of his policy positions seem fine, spending of Biden, Warren and Klobuchar if not particularly original. And thanks for combined nation-wide.” spending all that money in Nevada, Tom. It’s staggering to consider. Tom Steyer has spent Would we balk at him being named to a cabinet more on advertising in Nevada than other candidates—topposition—say, Secretary of Energy? Not at all. tier, household-name candidates—have spent in their entire Still, he’s a hedge fund manager billionaire who bought national campaigns. Democratic candidates have spent a his way into the Democratic presidential race. He has total of 11.6 million in Nevada, of which 10.4 was spent by almost no real experience, no vision, no substance. No way Tom Steyer. we want to reward that. We’re sick of billionaires. So, you’re not just going crazy if, as a Nevada There are viable presidential candidates worthy of resident, you feel like you see Steyer’s face everywhere support still in the field. Tom Steyer isn’t one of them. Ω
I’m an arborist, and I specialize in neighbor disputes. I basically represent people who have tree issues and stuff like that, so I think the less you see and hear from them the better off you are. You’ve got the option of being friends and stuff, but I personally don’t know the names of my neighbors.
EDUARDO CORONA Teacher’s assistant
With my neighbors, the ones across my street, they’re really nice to my family. … One of my neighbors actually ran up to our house at 2 a.m. because there were raccoons, and we both have chickens in our backyards—going out of your way to help someone out.
KELLY SCHARRENBERG Management trainee
A good neighbor is someone who is respectful of your property, who stays relatively quiet, who you can go and talk to if you’re having any issues. You have friendly greetings when you pass them. That’s what makes a good neighbor.
01.23.20
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