Picon was curious why yesterday's Washoe County Board of County Commissioners meeting wrapped up so quickly. The reason became clear when Commission Chair Alexis Hill made an appearance at the school district meeting shortly afterward. It seems the brief commission meeting was timed so Chair Hill could make it to the school district meeting and seize her fifteen minutes of fame.

Commissioner Hill went onto discuss a ‘great success’ RTC program that was launched last year by the Regional Transportation Commission of Washoe County but gave us no data.

Chief Judge Lynne Jones has been sounding the alarm about radon levels in Washoe County's historic courthouse—you know, that building failing radon tests and creating an unhealthy workspace for the people who serve our community daily. Yet County Manager Eric Brown and his crack team of direct reports continue treating her concerns with all the urgency of a golf tee time.

Former Sparks City Councilmember Kristopher Dahir has long positioned the Nevada Veterans Memorial Plaza as one of his signature causes, despite not being a veteran himself. While his advocacy for veterans deserves recognition, recent developments have raised questions about his motivations and commitment.

Throughout 2024, Dahir prominently featured the memorial in his public appearances, a strategy that some observers viewed as politically motivated rather than genuinely service-oriented. Following his unsuccessful reelection bid, Dahir has seemingly pivoted to presenting himself as a marriage counselor, embarking on what appears to be a calculated media campaign, using the Nevada Veterans Memorial Plaza.

As Chief Deputy District Attorney Mary Kandaras enjoyed her retirement sendoff of cookies and flowers from Commissioner Clara Andriola at Tuesday's Washoe County Commission meeting, one question hung in the air like stale bureaucratic smoke: Will her departure make accessing public records easier, or are we about to discover based on an old saying, that the devil we knew was preferable to the devil we don't?

In a perfect example of government logic, Washoe County has decided to replace RISE - Reno Initiative for Shelter and Equality, as the operator of Our Place—the facility serving homeless women and children—despite RISE doing a competent job since the facility opened.

Why the change? That's where things get interesting.

Reno City Councilmember Kathleen Taylor—fresh off her 2024 council win backed by local Republicans—has now launched an "exploratory campaign" to consider a run for mayor. Translation? She’s running, she just wants to see who’s gullible enough to hop on the bandwagon again.

Let’s rewind: Taylor courted Republicans and posed with the party base. But now, with her eyes set on the mayor’s office, we’re wondering if the Nevada GOP is about to be the ex who keeps coming back for more.

Do As I Say, Not As I Pay: Reno Council's Compensation Double Standard …

According to This Is Reno's comprehensive six-part series, the City of Reno spends an average of more than $191,000 per year in pay and benefits for each full-time employee—a figure that includes 100% city-funded PERS retirement and health insurance. Yet Councilman Devon Reese somehow managed to keep a straight face while declaring city employees "underpaid."

When kicking out members becomes easier than building a bench.

Let's be perfectly clear: We've never been members of the Ed Lawson Fan Club. We haven't printed t-shirts, we don't have a secret handshake, and we certainly don't have his poster taped to our bedroom wall. But even a broken clock is right twice a day, and on this particular issue, the time reads "Bruce Parks is dead wrong o'clock."

in what can only be described as a masterclass in questionable priorities, the City of Reno and Washoe County School District appear poised to introduce digital billboards in school zones dependent on the City of Reno sign ordinance—you know, those areas where drivers are specifically instructed to exercise maximum caution and minimum speed.

If you’ve read the recent This Is Reno six-part series on employee payrolls at the City of Reno and Washoe County, you probably needed a stiff drink—or at least a calculator. It turns out that while residents are tightening their belts, local government is busy loosening theirs to make room for bloated paychecks, lush benefits, and zero accountability when it comes to fiscal responsibility.

Nothing says “community enrichment” like a giant digital sign flashing messages every eight seconds from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.—365 days a year—even when school’s out. That’s the plan for local schools, who want to plant these LED monoliths in neighborhoods across the area.

Because what better way to enhance the charm of your quiet street than with a never-ending light show?

Drew Ribar is suing Washoe County—and now, he's suing for the right to film it.

Ribar wants to record and post videos of court depositions from his lawsuit against the county, bringing transparency to a process often kept in the shadows. The depositions involve public employees. Taxpayer-funded. Government representatives. Yet the Washoe County District Attorney’s Office is fighting to keep the cameras off, citing vague “threats of harm” if the footage goes public.

When Campaign Cash Comes with Handcuffs: Should Kromer's Political Donations Be Returned?

The arrest of Stephen Kromer of formerly of Kromer Investments (he resigned from his family’s firm back in February 2025 when these charges started to bubble up) on 31 criminal counts took place May 16, 2025. With $9.1 million in taxpayer money allegedly vanished from a failed rural internet project, the spotlight now turns to those who benefited from Kromer's political generosity before his fall from grace.

In the shadow of the Sierra Nevada mountains, a familiar story plays out in Reno—one that pits ordinary citizens against the machinery of local government and deep-pocketed developers. The latest chapter in this ongoing saga comes from the Lakeridge neighborhood, where residents have reluctantly abandoned their fight against a five-story apartment complex that will tower over the existing two-story landscape. Their retreat raises disturbing questions about the true nature of civic engagement in the Biggest Little City.

In the wake of last year's Davis Fire, which scorched parts of Washoe County in September 2024, a group of local homeowners associations (HOAs) convened on Tuesday at the Club at Arrowcreek for a Homeowner Association’s Community Communication & Collaboration meeting to discuss fire prevention and evacuation concerns. However, rather than outlining clear solutions or proactive measures, the session revealed a troubling trend: more blame-shifting than actual problem-solving.

While a NextDoor poster regularly highlights Mayor Hillary Schieve's absences from City Council meetings, a Picon reader points out another elected official flying under the radar: Councilmember Meghan Ebert of Ward 4.

According to our reader, Ebert's meeting participation leaves much to be desired—arriving late to meetings, logging in late to virtual sessions, and apparently skipping the prerequisite homework. Her questions during proceedings reportedly serve more to delay than illuminate, suggesting minimal preparation for the agenda items at hand.

In a move that perfectly encapsulates why citizens grow distrustful of local government, Washoe County officials have apparently found a creative way to avoid addressing serious safety concerns at the courthouse - by drowning them in bureaucratic procedure.

Chief Judge Lynne Simons recently took the step of formally request reports from county officials about elevated radon levels detected in the courthouse - a building where hundreds of employees work daily and thousands of citizens fulfill their civic duties each year. Her letter, written in her official capacity as the top judicial officer in the district, outlined concerns that would reasonably demand immediate attention from any responsible property manager, let alone a government entity charged with public safety.

Today at the Club at Arrowcreek there is a gathering put together by a lobbyist and Homeowners' Associations from some of Reno's most exclusive enclaves for what they've billed as a "Fire Disaster Summit" – though "Fundraising Expedition" might be more accurate.

Is there a growing gap between curiosity-driven reporting and actual accountability journalism?

Why did Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District abandon a $50,000 pre-construction fee for a new fire station in 2021? This perfectly illustrates how modern local news often prioritizes engagement over insight, but while the Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District is trying to answer KRNV’s questions they are also avoiding facts.

Turns out the Great Library Budget Crisis of 2025 was nothing more than a work of fiction, authored by none other than former Library Director Jeff Scott. For six long months, Scott spun a budget fairytale worthy of a Netflix limited series—complete with looming layoffs, weeping children, and seniors fearing they'd have to turn to YouTube tutorials instead of librarians for help.