And here’s where it gets even more interesting.

If Eddie Lorton wants to talk about transparency, maybe he should start with his own backyard. Take a look at your C&E filing yesterday.

What about his team? They can’t help you out?

Why does Michael Leonard and Mike’s Reno Report matter? Simple: people actually read it — and they act on it.

In less than a year, Leonard has built a growing, loyal audience — especially among Republicans — and that influence is very real.

Just ask Eddie Lorton.

Leonard was once in Lorton’s corner, even helping him behind the scenes. That didn’t last. Turns out, working with Lorton is one thing — dealing with the fallout is another.

They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day—and after a court hearing, that might be especially true.

Because if you ask Picon, the real story always happens before… or after… the main event.

And yesterday proved it.

After the Lorton vs. Leonard hearing in Washoe County Justice Court, presided over by, we can’t believe it either, Judge Pierre Hascheff, both sides apparently needed to decompress.

Clear your calendar.

On Monday, April 13, if you want a front-row seat to one of the most embarrassing political spectacles in Reno, head down to Washoe County Justice Court.

Judge Pierra Hascheff will be presiding over the latest installment of Eddie Lorton vs. Michael Leonard — and yes, it’s exactly the circus you think it is.

8:30 AM
1 South Sierra Street, Reno

There’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
There’s The Little Engine That Could.

And now, Reno gets its own work of fiction:
Eddie and the 4th of July Parade.

Because let’s be honest—this isn’t about patriotism, community, or even the Fourth of July. This is about one thing: getting Eddie Lorton’s name in the headlines. He wants voters to think he’s a parotic guy to get some extra votes. Cuz no one wants to lose for a fifth time.

And shame on any media outlet willing to play along—yes, including the Reno Gazette Journal.

We absolutely love the optics here…

Last night when the Republican Central Committee lined up behind Eddie Lorton, standing right next to him was his buddy, his pal, his mentor — Robert Beadles.

Yes, that Robert Beadles.

The same guy who has now confirmed he hired a private investigator tied to tracking Reno Mayor Hillary Schieve’s vehicle back in 2022.

That familiar rat-a-tat-tat has returned to the Reno City Council meetings.

Once again, Eddie Lorton has been showing up during public comment demanding that a Fourth of July parade be placed on a future council agenda.

Now Lorton says he’ll personally cover the $25,000 cost to make it happen.

Hold the phone—does Mike’s Reno Report call into question Devon Reese’s claim of being a fifth-generation Nevadan? You betcha.

Politically, saying you’re a “fifth-generation Nevadan” isn’t about eligibility—it’s about signal and strategy.

If you’re looking for a little excitement tonight, look no further.

There’s a fundraiser for Devon Reese, reportedly backed by a room full of attorneys — and really, what could be more fun than that combination?

But while the wine is flowing and the speeches are polished, the real action might be happening somewhere else entirely.

Credit where it’s due: Jackie Bryant showed a measure of appropriate gravity during yesterday’s press conference in Reno regarding the suspension of Chief Nance. Bryant appeared visibly affected—almost a little verklempt—which conveyed that the situation was serious and unsettling for the city’s leadership.

By contrast, Hillary Schieve came across very differently. Rather than projecting the same sense of gravity, her presentation felt more like another stop on a promotional press tour—something closer to selling her Spooge sunscreen line than addressing a moment of institutional concern. Whether intentional or not, that contrast underscores a basic rule in public life: optics matter.

After we published video of the March 2 meeting of the Reno Redevelopment Agency Advisory Board — where Hillary Schieve appeared during public comment — one of our readers actually did what we always hope people will do:

They watched it.

And then they asked a question.

The question concerned Paul Klein, who serves on the Redevelopment Agency Advisory Board. The reader asked whether Klein is affiliated with Tri-Strategies and whether there is any professional overlap with Eddie Ableser, the former airport authority board member who recently resigned, you know, yesterday. Oh, and a favorite of Mayor Hillary Schieve.

Apparently, if you want excitement at your next event in Reno, the formula is simple: make a campaign contribution and suddenly an elected official is thrilled to attend.

Now before anyone gets the wrong idea, this isn’t a knock on the Bonanza Casino. Far from it. The casino’s owners, Russ Sheltra and Margo Sheltra, have been part of the Reno community for decades. They’ve supported countless nonprofits, treated their employees well, and have long been known for looking out for Reno’s senior population. Their reputation as community stewards is well earned. Russ and Margo deserve a round of applause.

If anything, the Shelta's simply had the unfortunate timing of landing in the middle of campaign season.

Enter Devon R

Picon has said it before — nothing says “party unity” like Republicans fighting Republicans.

For years, the local GOP has operated like an exclusive club. Loyalty isn’t encouraged; it’s enforced. Support the approved candidate or risk being shown the door. That’s been the pattern.

Enter the curious disappearance of Diana Hoffman.

Well, there she was.

Councilmember Kathleen Taylor at the microphone last night at the Republican Central Committee meeting at the Atlantis Casino Resort Spa.

We’re just trying to keep up.

Isn’t Bruce Parks the same party leader who demands absolute loyalty from Republicans? The one who’s made it clear that crossing the aisle is grounds for excommunication? Ask Ed Lawson, Clara Andriola, Kristopher Dahir, or Colleen Westlake how that worked out.

A public record recently shared with us includes correspondence from Reno City Councilmember Devon Reese discussing mental health in a public, but strangely private email exchange with someone he clearly knows personally.

Because the message references a personal matter, we are choosing — intentionally — not to publish the full email at this time.

Calling a statement like “accountability matters” an oxymoron depends less on the phrase itself and more on the speaker’s perceived credibility.

The words “accountability” and “matters” are not opposites, so linguistically it is not an oxymoron. An oxymoron is something like “deafening silence” or “jumbo shrimp,” where the terms directly contradict each other.

Picon is scratching its collective head over next week’s Reno City Council vote on increasing Waste Management’s franchise fee. Let’s be honest — at this stage most observers consider the fee increase a foregone conclusion. The logistics alone of transitioning an entire city’s waste system to a new provider would be a bureaucratic marathon, not a sprint. New trucks, new routes, new labor agreements, new infrastructure — it’s not something you flip like a light switch. Which is exactly why the timing of recent campaign contributions raises eyebrows.

When silence isn’t an option: Devon Reese accidentally confirms he reads Mike’s Reno Report. Or he sure did about the loss of Harrah’s xx and downtown Boise.

It turns out Councilmember Devon Reese does read Mike’s Reno Report — or at least reads it closely enough to feel compelled to respond. Not with answers, mind you. Just vibes, deflection, and a carefully worded non-response that somehow managed to say everything while explaining nothing.

Apparently, December 14, 2025 is now campaign season in Reno — at least according to four-time mayoral candidate Eddie Lorton, whose campaign signs began popping up months before candidates are even allowed to file for office.

We so enjoy trolling social media posts and frankly can’t believe what elected officials put up online. Our favorites are Reno Councilmember Devon Reese and Sparks Mayor Ed Lawson, but Washoe County Commissioner Mike Clark is moving up.

We saw Commissioner Mike Clark’s post celebrating that Eddie Lorton ignored him and Larry Chesney (Picon’s Publisher and candidate for Washoe County Commission District 5) at Carole Fineberg’s goodbye luncheon.