In a move that surprised absolutely no one familiar with his history, Washoe County Library Director Jeff Scott resigned moments before his potential termination—repeating his 2015 Berkeley playbook when faced with similar circumstances. Now, as predictable as the sunrise, those who haven't bothered to examine his performance record are rallying with cries of impending book banning.

In a stunning display of leadership humility, Sparks Mayor Ed Lawson has graciously informed constituents that their feeble minds simply cannot comprehend his superior intellect and vast knowledge. Apparently, the same voters who were smart enough to elect him are simultaneously too stupid to have valid opinions on city matters.

Lawson's "Smartest Guy in Nevada" tour continued as he took aim at state legislators, who clearly lack his remarkable "fortitude" to implement his brilliant ideas. It seems inconceivable to the mayor that his proposals might be rejected not because legislators lack courage, but because—brace yourselves—they might actually be bad ideas.

Mayor Hillary Schieve has heroically drawn her mightiest weapon—the strongly worded letter—after Renown already closed the Crisis Care Center doors. With the timing precision of someone showing up with a fire extinguisher after the house has burned down, the mayor is now "questioning" Renown's decision to shutter vital mental health services.

Is County Manager Eric Brown and his handpicked, by secret employee committee, Registrar of Voters awaiting the results of the Nevada Secretary of State and Attorney General multistate lawsuit against Trump Administration executive overreach in elections, before they take any action on Trumps executive orders?

As local governments scramble to patch their leaking financial ships—with Washoe County, Sparks, and Reno all millions in the red—they've settled on the usual solution: deeper dives into taxpayer pockets. Increased fees, passed on charges, some say, sales tax hikes are circling the drain, and "fire consolidation assessments" have become the preferred alternative to actual fiscal responsibility - (translation: moving money around so Reno - Sparks - Washoe County can spend fire budgets to run the city/county, because if State Senator Skip Daly, Mayor Ed Lawson, Commissioner Alexis Hill, and Mayor Hillary Schieve have their way, residents will pay an assessment to fund fire services - slick, right).

As the Reno Gazette Journal reported the City of Reno voted on Wednesday, April 9, 2025 to shift the credit card processing fees back to the citizens of Reno. The taxpayers get to absorb yet another fee due to poor city fiscal management.

In a display of municipal mathematics, the City of Reno has brilliantly introduced passing on to residents the processing fee for credit card payments, apparently without calculating that this might prompt citizens to... write more checks.

Last week County Manager Eric Brown took a vacation and left one of his Assistant County Managers in charge - seems like lack of transparency has a trickle down effect at Washoe County.

In what has become Washoe County's standard operating procedure, deflect, deny, hide the facts, officials sat on news of a deputy public defender's Las Vegas arrest for four days—miraculously finding their voices only when the Las Vegas Review-Journal prepared to publish the story. Apparently, the county's definition of "public information" is "whatever we can no longer hide."

Remember when local elected officials trembled at the thought of being lampooned at Sheep Dip? When the annual roast served as Nevada's political pressure release valve, where officials' blunders were immortalized through exaggerated comedy sketches and no one was safe from public ridicule?

In a stunning display of political self-sabotage, Sparks Mayor Ed Lawson expressed shock—SHOCK!—that his $500 million toll road bill died in the Nevada Legislature after he publicly insulted most of its members as self-serving public employees and union cronies.

While the media circus twirls around Governor Lombardo's Lincoln Day Dinner comments, Picon is asking the question no other media seems interested in: who exactly brought the recording device to Club Fandango? In a room packed with the Governor's devoted supporters, someone clearly came prepared to capture more than just memories.

Is the sudden discovery of library funding a genuine miracle or convenient timing? After five months of dire warnings about reduced hours, staff cuts, and service reductions due to tax reallocation, the library system has mysteriously found sufficient funds to maintain operations—just days before trustees might show the Library Director the door for performance issues.

Picon's readers just keep sending us tidbits about Assemblymember Erica Roth.

They pointed out to us after we published an article about Roth's non-conforming duplex that the duplex description of her rental was removed from Zillow. The description was published in our story.

Washoe County offers some of their hiring practices in writing after persistent questioning. But they've left the most critical question unanswered: Who selects the screening committees?

This isn't just bureaucratic nitpicking - it's the foundation of the entire hiring process.

Commissioner Clara Andriola made quite the impression yesterday on KOLO Morning Break while attempting to promote her "Washoe County Checkbook" initiative. Her interview was a masterclass in unintentional comedy:

"From the comfort of your telephone to login," she explained—apparently unaware phones aren't known for their comfortable seating arrangements.

She then delivered the shocking revelation that "government budgets are complex." Who knew?

Ever notice how certain companies seem to have the Midas touch when it comes to project approvals? At Reno City Council and Planning Commission meetings, one name keeps popping up with suspicious regularity: Wood Rodgers.

This engineering firm has mastered a fascinating civic magic trick. 

Step 1: Become developers' go-to representatives. 

Step 2: Sprinkle generous campaign contributions across the electoral landscape. 

Step 3: Watch as those same elected officials mysteriously forget to mention these financial relationships before voting "yes" on your projects.

Picon was going to let this story go, yes, it is questionable, but hey everyone likes to make a buck. Was the sunscreen business intentionally named using an inflammatory word, seems like it. Did Schieve and her partner not know the meaning of the word, or have they suddenly become marketing geniuses, maybe? How many moms and dads are going to let their kids take a bottle of Spooge to the pool?

Commissioner Mike Clark reached out to our published as the gentlemen were eating chucker at a wild game dinner and fundraiser, come on folks it is still Nevada.

Clark mentioned his frustrations surrounding the historic courthouse, and was surprised when he received an email from Alicia Lerud, the Clerk of the Court, in January 2025, regarding his question on the dais as to radon testing. He questions if the building is referred to as a “bit of a frankenbuilding” why the courthouse judges and staff are not in front of the Board of County Commissioners at every meeting pleading their case needing a new building. Put it on the record constantly was Clark’s opinion. You know, squeaky wheel kind of thing.

Who knew our culinary adventure sampling a $4 gourmet disappointment at the Washoe County Senior Center's makeshift cafeteria would lead to such bureaucratic pearl-clutching?

Picture this: while digesting our questionable meal at the "under renovation" center (a phrase we use loosely, as "planning" appears to be a foreign concept in county vocabulary), we took a little constitutional and snapped a few innocent photos of some rather interesting signage.

Commissioner Clara Andriola has been taking victory laps around the county building for her revolutionary brainchild: the Washoe County Checkbook. This digital wonder promises to unveil the mysteries of county finances to the masses.

On Tuesday, April 8, 2025, we'll all be treated to a special tutorial where county staff is suppose to be showing all of us how to use Checkbook.

The once-mighty Republican Women of Reno seems to now be desperately scrambling to rebrand themselves as the "Republican Women of Reno PAC." How quaint. Nothing says "nothing to see here" quite like a sudden identity crisis.

Let's call this what it really is: a spectacular attempt to sweep years of IRS negligence under a freshly monogrammed PAC rug. Apparently, someone in this esteemed organization forgot that those fancy EIN numbers actually require annual filings. Oopsie! Just a minor oversight spanning multiple tax cycles. Who hasn't forgotten to file their federal tax documents for years on end?