Bad karma is piling up fast — and it’s coming straight from Karma Box Project. Yet somehow, no matter what happens, Washoe County keeps circling the wagons to protect them. The question practically asks itself: why? What does the county know, what are they hiding, and why is no one in leadership willing to act?

Let’s lay out the facts that Washoe County Human Services Agency and County Manager Kate Thomas don’t seem eager to talk about:

Our Town Reno and Mike’s Reno Report both have reported on Karma Box Project’s Matthew Grimsley’s arrest so we urge you to subscribe and follow them, but in the meantime let’s ask ourselves a very simple question:

Why does the Reno Gazette Journal blast out a major story on former Reno councilman Paul Anderson’s first domestic-violence arrest over Thanksgiving — yet say absolutely nothing when Matthew Grimsley, a third-time domestic-battery arrestee who works for Karma Box Project as a Safe Camp supervisor, is taken into custody?

At what point does Washoe County stop pretending everything is fine?

Here we go again. Another mess tied to Karma Box Project, and somehow Washoe County still can’t seem to connect the dots. How many stumbles does one contractor get before the county finally admits the obvious: something is very, very wrong here. Matthew Grimsley, a Karma Box Project who works at the Safe Camp at the Nevada Cares Campus was arrested for domestic battery for the third time.

And this time, there’s no Dana Searcy or Eric Brown left to blame.
This one lands squarely on the shoulders of newly installed County Manager Kate Thomas.

Let’s take a quick trip down Karma Box Memory Lane …

Yesterday we published a story hoping someone with a bigger reach might amplify it — and bless their souls, Our Town Reno picked it up. They have a megaphone compared to Picon’s whistle, and for that we’re grateful. We’re happy being the “little engine that could,” the outlet everyone swears they don’t read… yet somehow always seem to react to. That’s our comfort zone.

But today we’re stepping out of that zone.

Because what’s happening at the Safe Camp — and how residents are reacting to it — can no longer be brushed aside with a smile, a ribbon, and a county press release from what we lovingly call the Propaganda Princesses at Washoe County.

The CHAB Board Goes Silent — and So Does Accountability.

It’s been more than a year since the last Community Homeless Advisory Board (CHAB) meeting — and the silence is starting to sound suspicious.

On February 3, 2025, Commission Chair Alexis Hill and County Manager Eric Brown made quite the presentation at the Nevada Legislature, claiming they've reduced homelessness in Washoe County by 40%.

Let's Talk About Déjà Vu:

• Haven't we heard this magical 40% number before? or was it 50% back in 2023?

• Wasn't it proven false last time?

• Where's the data to back up this recycled claim?

So Washoe County keeps telling us Commission Chair Alexis Hill and County Manager Eric Brown have homelessness under control. Hill just told the Nevada Legislature’s Senate Committee on Government Affairs yesterday, February 3, 2025, that Washoe County has reduced homelessness by 40%.

Really? Let's do a reality check:

✦ The Nevada Cares Campus is bursting at the seams

✦ Tent cities are popping up faster than new coffee shops

✦ It took community activist Lily Baran to step up and open warming centers because... where was the county?

In the thrilling saga of "How to Avoid Accountability While Running a Homeless Shelter," starring Commission Chair Alexis Hill, we bring you the latest episode of "Why Have Meetings When You Can Just Tell The Wall Street Journal Everything's Fine?"

Picture this: Commissioner Mike Clark, apparently under the wild impression that advisory boards should actually ... advise, keeps requesting to schedule a CHAB meeting. The audacity! Doesn't he know the last meeting in May 2024 was practically yesterday? (If by "yesterday" you mean seven months ago, and before that, September 2023 - but who's counting?)