16 minute read
News
from Oct. 23, 2014
Martinez deposed in safety case
A trial date in four months has been set in a lawsuit against Washoe schools superintendent Pedro Martinez.
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The suit by Elkhorn Consulting names Martinez and the school district as defendants for interfering with contract rights. It will be heard in Nevada District Judge Connie Steinheimer’s courtroom unless a motion for summary dismissal succeeds. One such motion has already been denied.
Elkhorn’s suit claims that in the midst of contracted school safety projects, Martinez directed several contractors on the project to “immediately cease their contractual relationship” with Elkhorn. The suit says Martinez knew contracts were in place and that his action was “intended to do harm” to the company and did cost immediate losses of $100,000 and possible forthcoming business.
Martinez and school district capital projects director Mark Stanton were deposed in the case on Sept. 16.
Elkhorn originally received contracts for work at all Washoe middle schools, plus Lemmon Valley, Mt. Rose, Booth, Corbett, Elmcrest and Hunter Lake elementary schools.
Shootist II
A sequel to The Shootist, the John Wayne movie filmed in Carson City, might seem unlikely since the title character played by Wayne died at the end of the story. But the son of the author of the book on which the movie was based has written a sequel, anyway.
The 1975 novel of the same name by Glendon Swarthout was basis for Wayne’s last movie. It told a tale of an aging and terminally ill gunfighter, John Bernard Books, who travels to Carson City to consult a doctor and end his days. In the case of The Shootist, the screenplay was written by Scott Hale and Miles Hood Swarthout, the author’s son, who has now published The Last Shootist. This portrays Gillom Rogers, a boy who idealized Books, as taking Books’ guns off his body and planning a career of his own as a gunfighter: “He now possessed J.B. Books’s matched Remingtons! Gillom Rogers slowed his walk, wondering where he would get a double-holster rig to house these legendary nickel-plated Remington .44s. Or should he have a silk vest made like Books’s, with leather holster pockets sewn on either side of the chest, angled forty-five degrees inward for a crosshanded draw? Too late to get J.B.’s.”
Rogers, portrayed in the Wayne movie by Ron Howard, then follows a predictable path of spurning his mother’s college plans for him, getting into gunfights, meeting a beautiful dancer in Arizona, maturing under the influence of a good woman, and reconsidering his career choice.
The elder Swarthout’s short stories and novels were the source of at least four other movies—7th Cavalry, They Came To Cordura, Bless the Beasts and Children, Where the Boys Are. His son has written several screenplays, including the 1978 teleplay of his father’s story, “A Christmas Gift AKA The Melodeon” (filmed as A Christmas to Remember starring Eva Marie Saint and Jason Robards).
SPANISH SHOOTIST POSTER
—Dennis Myers
Money talks
A once-popular ballot measure is now in doubt
Tim Healion became one of downtown Reno’s better known business by owners during the years that his Dennis Myers well-remembered Deux Gro Nez coffeehouse operated on California Avenue. Now he manages another restaurant, this one in Midtown, and he is founder of Reno’s Tour de Nez race. These days, he has taken on another role, too. He’s been speaking up for ballot Question 3, which would create a 2 percent tax on business revenue in excess of $1 million. “It’s an opportunity to invest in education,” Healion said. “That’s what this tax is about. And with the state being at the very bottom in per-pupil spending, I think that’s a good idea. My daughter’s in public education. You know, we get—as a businessperson—we get five calls a week over different charities and different opportunities for us to donate money to stuff. So here’s an opportunity to donate to education. It’s another way to look at it. And get the calculator out. If it’s not 2 percent of your gross, don’t worry.”
Question 3 opposing ballot argument
Ballot Question 3, and other ballot measures, can be read at http:// nvsos.gov/index. aspx?page=1309.
After the better part of two decades working for child care centers, Belinda Martinez went out on her own about six months ago, opening Itsy Bitsy Learning Center in Sparks.
“I have a capacity for 80 children, and I have 40, so I have half my capacity, and I love this.”
As a new business owner working toward a larger customer base, it might be thought that she would not invite any more expenses. But she does. She is backing Ballot Question 3.
“I’m supporting Question 3 because I really think education is the key to success. It worked for me when I was younger and I have my own business now.”
She said as a mother she has an up-close view of local schools.
“I have two kids in Washoe County, and I see the classrooms. They don’t have enough materials. The teachers have so many kids. I think education needs more money.”
Alex Sabogal is a partner in Credo Computers. He said he considers Question 3 an investment:
“We as small-business owners are helping students on tight budgets, donating computers, supporting whoever wants to learn, and we welcome people into our business daily to try to teach the skills, attitude, ethics and integrity that are so important. … Better student performance attracts businesses, better education is better income for households, better education means better health.”
Given how many businesspeople—particularly owners of small businesses who hope to grow into the million-dollar bracket—are supporting Question 3, it’s surprising how little communication there has been between the two sides. The measure is sponsored by the Nevada State Education Association, a teachers group. It is being opposed by business groups such as chambers of commerce and the Nevada Taxpayers Association. But the teachers have not engaged in a very vigorous program of trying to convert business owners—who would be the most effective supporters in campaign commercials—leaving business outreach to an allied volunteer organization, the Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada.
Opponents have engaged in very little dialogue with the teachers. When town meeting-style presentations were put together for business groups on the measure earlier this year, they did not include supporters of the proposal. Carole Vilardo of the Nevada Taxpayers Association said there was no interest in hearing from the other side, that leaders of the opposition effort were solidly opposed to the measure.
Belinda Martinez at her Sparks child care business.
Money talks
Question 3 seeks to raise about $700 million a year for schools and dollars have had enormous impact on the race. The Coalition to Defeat the Margin Tax Initiative raised over $4 million this year. Most of that money has gone to a heavy schedule of anti-3 television ads, outspending opponents more than two-to-one. Almost exactly one year ago in a Harstad Strategic Research survey, supporters of the measure led by a margin of 57 to 38 percent. Money turned that around. Today, under the pounding of the television campaign, a Survey USA survey commissioned by the Las Vegas Review-Journal showed it losing 40-37, with nearly a fourth undecided. Supporters have raised less than a million dollars, though they have exceeded that in expenditures of about $1.5 million.
One of the big issues that divides supporters and opponents is whether or not the money from the
Photo/Dennis Myers
Tim Healion is a familiar face in Reno’s Midtown. North of center
tax would go to schools. A ballot argument drafted by opponents reads, “Promoters claim the tax is for education. But Nevada law lets the legislature divert education funds to other uses.”
Supporters responded, “The opponents know every dime collected from this tax will go directly to K-12 education.”
The language of the ballot measure itself reads that after the cost of administering the tax is set aside, all other revenue generated must be placed “in the State Distributive School Account in the State General Fund. The money so deposited must be apportioned among the several school districts and charter schools of this State at the times and in the manner provided by law for the money in the State Distributive School Account.”
Question 3 is the latest of several proposals the teachers have offered in the last decade to raise more money for schools. Large businesses found fault with each of them for different provisions. Ω
Question 3 supporting ballot argument
Pump it up
Cindy Tequilo (inset) shows off the pumpkins she bought at the Pumpkin Patch Harvest Festival at Sparks United Methodist Church. The event also included a crafts fair, local vendors and food court. With all of the media attention and campaign dollars going into the race for Reno mayor, it can be easy to forget that two other City Council seats are also up for grabs. While it hasn’t garnered as much attention, the race between county commissioner Bonnie Weber and labor activist Paul McKenzie in Ward 4 to succeed outgoing Councilmember Dwight Dortch has all the hallmarks of a classic faceoff, down to nasty attack ads, substantial partisan differences between candidates and closely reported donations. Ward 4 contains the north valleys. And with only a few weeks to go until Election Day, the race is still open for the taking. Despite Weber’s name recognition, first-time candidate McKenzie is giving her a fight. The steelyhaired 54-year-old longtime labor representative and lobbyist currently serves as the secretary/treasurer of the local Building and Construction Trades Council. He’s a true, dyed-inthe-wool labor Democrat, down to a bumper sticker in his office equating anti-union voices to pro-Chinese activists. He’s well versed in labor issues, which has come back in to vogue in light of Tesla’s announced $5 billion lithium battery gigafactory. Despite disappointment with a lack of wage requirements, McKenzie said he’s optimistic that the electric car manufacturer will help spur more work for the construction industry in the near future. His plans if elected include encouraging businesses to use local contractors and workers, and to begin auctioning off excess city-owned property to deal with the city’s debt. Absent is any goal
to restructure pension arrangements between public employee unions story and photos by and the city itself, which McKenzie
Riley Snyder calls necessary to continue smooth operations. “Most people that complain about public employees having a PERS plan are jealous because they don’t have the same thing,” he said. That’s a line of reasoning that Weber rejects entirely. “We can’t pay people $80 an hour, which is what Mr. McKenzie would like to do,” she said. “We don’t have the funding. We don’t have the resources to do that.” Weber’s campaign is primarily focused on her conservative background and 12 years in the county commission, where she served as vice chair for 11 years and worked with a number of local elected officials on transportation and other issues. But Weber’s name recognition cuts both ways—a local political action committee called Citizens for Responsible Local Government created an attack website against Weber accusing her of being an extreme “Tea Party Republican,” a charge Weber denies. Though short on detailed answers due to a claimed lack of inside knowledge on city issues, Weber does have a general plan if elected. She wants to negotiate an automatic aid agreement between the city and county fire services and is open to the idea of reconsolidating the departments after the messy deconsolidation in 2012. Weber’s plan for fixing the city budget is generally conservative, and she said she’s open to re-negotiating pension plans and salaries of city employees. She will also attempt to buck the fate of a county commissioner, Kitty Jung, attempting to jump to the City Council two years ago. She said her longer tenure and personal differences will help her avoid the same fate. In terms of finance, McKenzie outraised Weber by slightly more than $6,000 for the most recent reporting period, and combined the candidates have put together around $141,000 since the campaign began. Weber won July’s primary with about 36 percent of the vote over McKenzie, who attracted around 24 percent. Neither candidate said they have conducted internal polling since the primary. Ω
WEBER McKENZIE
Itʼ s happening in !
ACTIVITIES
SCHEELS LADIES MONTH: SAFELY HOUR Don’t be the victim of a home invasion or sexual assault! Arm yourself with knowledge and power, and then pass it on to every woman you know! Th, 10/23, 6-7PM, free. Scheels, 1200 Scheels Dr. (775) 331-2700 FRESHEN UP FOR PR’S FUTURE It’s time to catch up, get ahead and ensure your position at the top of the PR game. “Freshen Up for PR’s Future - A Workshop for Today’s Practitioners for Tomorrow” is a half-day workshop that will help you put it all in your wheelhouse: crisis management, national media placement, Wordpress, video integration and more. F, 10/24, 11AM6PM, $150.00 JA Nugget, 1100 Nugget Ave. (775) 356-3300 PUTTING YOUR GARDEN TO BED Presented by Mark Mercier. Learn what you need to do to winterize your garden and yard. Please RSVP. Sa, 10/25, 11AM, Class is free, but a donation of a can of food for the local food bank is appreciated. Rail City Garden Center, 1720 Brierley Way (775) 355-1551 FOOD TRUCK DRIVE-IN Food Truck Drive-In comes to Victorian Square on the 2nd and 4th Saturday of each month through October. 5PM to 9PM. Enjoy the fi nest in mobile cuisine including Hawaiian fusion, desserts, hot dogs, pulled pork nachos and much more! After dinner, head to Saint Mary’s Ampitheater for a free movie at 8PM. This week’s movie (October 25) is Ghostbusters. Victorian Square, Victorian Ave, free. PUMPKINPALOOZA Downtown Sparks will be celebrating all things pumpkin from 11 AM. to 5 PM., Sunday, Oct. 26, when the Northern Nevada Center for Independent Living kicks off PumpkinPalooza 2014. For more information, visit www.pumpkinpalooza.org. When: Su, 10/26, 11AM5PM free. Victorian Square, 1555 Victorian Ave. PIRATES, PINS & PINTS Join our 2nd Annual Pirates, Pins and Pints, a bowl-a-thon benefi ting Seniors in Service (sponsor of the Foster Grandparent, Senior Companion and Caregiver Respite Voucher Programs.) This is a family-friendly event where costumes and creative team names are encouraged! This is a fun event and a good time to get your “Pirate” on while helping a senior volunteer-based local organization! Su, 10/26, 12-3PM, $25 per player or $100 for four-person team. Coconut Bowl at Wild Island, 250 Wild Island Ct. (775) 359-2927 TRICK OR TREAT SAFELY AT SCHEELS This Halloween you are invited to wear your costume to Scheels and participate in a Halloween Scavenger Hunt throughout the store! You will earn candy, perform tricks, and have a great time! Ferris Wheel rides will be free. F, 10/31, 3-5PM. Free. Scheels, 1200 Scheels Dr. (775) 331-2700 RENO SKI & RECREATION CLUB The Reno Ski and Recreation Club holds its general meeting. Hear the most current information about the Reno Ski & Recreation Club, upcoming trips and activities. The group meets the second Tuesday of each month. For socializing and dinner, members start arriving around 6PM. Meeting begins at 7PM. Second Tu of every month, 6PM, free. Cantina Los Tres Hombres, 926 Victorian Ave. (775) 356-6262 SCHEELS RUNNING CLUB Run with expert pacers and enjoy running in a group. Tu, 6:30PM through 12/9, free. Scheels, 1200 Scheels Dr. (775) 331-2700 CROCHET CONNECTION Learn to crochet or share tips with other crochet enthusiasts. Th, 4-5:45PM, free. Spanish Springs Library, 7100A Pyramid Lake Highway. (775) 424-1800 FOUR SEASONS BOOK CLUB The book club meets the fi rst Saturday of each month. Call to fi nd out each month’s book title. First Sa of every month, 1-2PM, free. Sparks Library, 1125 12th St. (775) 352-3200 CONVERSATION CAFE The drop-in conversation program meets on the fi rst Saturday of each month, 2-4PM, free. Sparks Library, 1125 12th St. (775) 352-3200 CLICKETS KNITTING GROUP This class is for knitters of all ages and levels. Yarn and needles are available. First and Third Su of every month, 1:30-3PM, free. Spanish Springs Library, 7100A Pyramid Lake Highway, Spanish Springs (775) 424-1800
PERFORMANCE AND MUSIC
ACOUSTIPHONICS Sa, 10/25, 9PM, no cover. CBQ, 1330 Scheels Dr. (775) 359-1109 CJ SIMMONS W-Sa, 7PM through 10/25. Opens 10/22, no cover. JA Nugget, 1100 Nugget Ave. (775) 356-3300 RICK HAMMOND Su, 10/26, 3PM, no cover. CBQ, 1330 Scheels Dr. (775) 359-1109 KENNY FRYE BAND AT GILLEY’S Four big nights of four shows at Gilley’s. Kenny Frye Band will be crankin’ it up for a show you don’t want to miss! W, 10/29, 7PM, Th, 10/30, 7PM, F, 10/31, 7PM and Sa, 11/1, 7PM, no cover. JA Nugget, 1100 Nugget Ave. (775) 356-3300 ACOUSTIC WONDERLAND This is a singer/song writer Showcase. Come down to Paddy’s and bring your acoustic instruments. Sign ups are at 7:30PM and music begins at 8PM. M-Su, 8PM. Paddy & Irene’s Irish Pub, 906-A Victorian Ave. (775) 358-5484 DJ RAZZ Come dance the night away to DJ RAZZ! You can even karaoke if you like. Ladies Night every Friday night. Drink Specials all night. F, 9PM. Paddy & Irene’s Irish Pub, 906-A Victorian Ave. (775) 358-5484 BIKINI BULL RIDING DJ and Bikini Bull Riding Competition. Su, 5 & 9PM through 12/28, no cover. John Ascuaga’s Nugget, 1100 Nugget Ave. (775) 356-3300 LOCALS NIGHT Locals Night, DJ. M, 5PM through 12/29, no cover. John Ascuaga’s Nugget, 1100 Nugget Ave. (775) 356-3300 LIVE MONDAYS WITH TANY JANE Open mic night every Monday at 8PM, hosted by Tany Jane. M, 8PM, no cover. Sidelines Bar & Nightclub, 1237 Baring Blvd. (775) 3551030 CLASSIC ROCK NIGHT Classic rock night with DJ. Tu, 5PM through 12/30, no cover. John Ascuaga’s Nugget, 1100 Nugget Ave. (775) 356-3300 OPEN JAM WITH TAZER & FRIENDS W, 8PM, no cover. Sidelines Bar & Nightclub, 1237 Baring Blvd. (775) 355-1030 LADIES NIGHT & TOUGHEST COWBOY Ladies Night w/live music and Toughest Cowboy Competition. DJ breaks until midnight. W, 7 & 9PM through 12/31, no cover. John Ascuaga’s Nugget, 1100 Nugget Ave. (775) 356-3300 A SINGERS-SONGWRITERS SHOWCASE Bring yourself, your instrument and your song. We look forward to hearing and seeing you there! Th, 8PM through 12/18, no cover. Paddy & Irene’s Irish Pub, 906-A Victorian Ave. (775) 358-5484 LIVE MUSIC & LATE NIGHT DJ Live music with late-night DJ. F, 5PM-2AM & 7-11PM through 12/26, no cover. John Ascuaga’s Nugget, 1100 Nugget Ave. (775) 356-3300 LIVE MUSIC & LATE NIGHT DJ Live music with late-night DJ. Sa, 5PM-2AM & 7PM-midnight through 12/27, no cover. John Ascuaga’s Nugget, 1100 Nugget Ave. (775) 356-3300
KARAOKE
KARAOKE WITH ERNESTO Great new karaoke venue in the Legends shopping center. You’re welcome to bring your own CD+G disc to play your songs (KJ discretion). Karaoke service by Ernesto representing Serano Entertainment. Show ends promptly at midnight, so come early to sing. Drop by and say hi, for those who know me from my karaoke events. I look forward to meeting new singers. F, 9PM through 10/24, no cover. CBQ, 1330 Scheels Dr. (775) 359-1109 KARAOKE COMES TO SIDELINES Every Monday Night!!! M, 8PM. Sidelines Bar & Nightclub, 1237 Baring Blvd. (775) 355-1030 KARAOKE WITH BOBBY DEE Tu, 8PM, no cover. Morelli’s G Street Saloon, 2285 G St. (775) 3558281 KARAOKE Th-Sa, 9PM, no cover. Bottom’s Up Saloon, 1923 Prater Way (775) 359-3677
