Welcome to Reno, where even the charities that pick up the slack for the city might soon pay for the privilege. The latest target: local nonprofits — you know, the ones filling the gaps that government can’t manage, the ones feeding seniors, sheltering people, and fighting fires in the social safety net.

The City of Reno is proposing nonprofit registration regulations that could force nonprofits to pay business-license–style fees. According to a city announcement, officials are concerned that without formal registration, some nonprofits operate “under the radar,” avoiding fire code, zoning compatibility checks, and other safety reviews. So now they want to enforce an “ordinance governing this matter” — and possibly charge fees that nonprofits currently don’t pay.

Once upon a time in Reno, there was a community rallying to “Save Lakeridge.” Lawn signs sprouted, neighbors united, and for a moment, it looked like the little people might actually hold their ground against big development. Fast-forward to today — and the movement that once had fire in its belly now feels more like a members-only club with a cover charge.

At a July meeting of the retooled Save Lakeridge LLC, residents expected transparency, plans, and maybe even a little hope. What they got instead was mystery theater. The group proudly announced they’d hired two lawyers and a lobbyist — then didn’t name them. No explanation of their roles, no strategy, not even a slide deck. Attendees were told to write their questions on cards, and only the “chosen ones” were read aloud. The rest? Filed under “never mind.”

It’s that time again — Reno City Hall’s annual game of “Who Wants to Be Vice Mayor?” The suspense is thick enough to cut with a council agenda. The November 12th meeting promises interesting ‘deals’ that may have been crafted behind the scenes.

Rumors are flying around town faster than free-range pigs at a county fair. Everyone’s got a theory about who’ll get the title. City Hall watchers are already placing bets on who might emerge as the mayor’s next right-hand. The logic seems simple: who will get the most bang for the buck and that might very well be Mayor Schieve’s ‘bestie’ Councilmember Devon Reese. Heck, she just threw a fundraiser for him at The Elm Estate.

Today, Picon witnessed what could only be described as a televised bromance between Nevada Newsmakers’ own Sam Shad and Reno City Councilmember Devon Reese — and let’s just say, if there was a candlelit dinner involved, we wouldn’t be surprised.

From the opening minute, it was clear this wasn’t an interview — it was an infomercial for Reese 2026. Shad practically rolled out a red carpet, fluffed Reese’s political pillow, and offered him a free campaign ad disguised as journalism.

Ah yes, another City of Reno survey — because when in doubt, survey it out. The city’s population has climbed to roughly 281,537 residents, up from 264,165 in 2020 — a 6.25% jump.

So with nearly 280,000 people calling Reno home, one might think the city would listen to them without another taxpayer-funded “what do you think?” poll. But no, Reno loves a survey like it loves a ribbon-cutting — plenty of photo ops, not much follow-up.

Out of 281,537 residents, a grand total of 3,247 responded — barely 1.1% of the population. But sure, let’s call that a “success.”

So, Devon Reese accidentally let it slip – by listing the wrong office on an amended Nevada Secretary of State contribution and expense report – that he’s running for mayor. But while the ink is still wet on that paperwork, Reese is already using his platform to peddle feel-good talking points about “compromise,” “collaboration,” and “problem solving” in a Reno Gazette Journal op-ed on data centers.

Ward 2 residents are once again being asked to swallow a vague development proposal—this time called the Mount Rose Junction Specific Plan District (LDC25-00018).

The site sits on the west side of Plumas Street, about 145 feet south of Mount Rose Street. The developer’s wish list is ambitious:

Is it appropriate for media to laugh themselves silly at a Reno City Councilmember’s social media post? We don’t know. But we did.

After nine long months of blissful indifference, Ward 5’s very own Devon Reese has suddenly fallen head over heels for his Neighborhood Advisory Board. The same board he barely mentioned since being reelected in November 2024 is now the talk of his Facebook feed. He’s appointing members, hunting for alternates, and celebrating that they “hit the ground running” with discussions of two Ward 5 projects.

So why the sudden civic passion? Could it be… he’s running for mayor? Oh, absolutely.

Richard Jay—board‑hopper, Downtown Reno Partnership booster and social‑media hype man for Mayor Hillary Schieve—recently gushed that Reno is “doing a good job” downtown.¹ For residents staring at boarded‑up buildings, police lights and fresh pink slips, that appraisal lands about as well as a neon arch in a blackout.

Picon had been told by an employee inside City of Reno Government the announcement there would be employee layoffs would be coming in early July 2025 - sure enough our intel was correct and the press release was issued yesterday regarding eight city employees positions being cut. Our inside intel said they knew all along these cuts were necessary but Mayor Hillary Schieve and Councilmember Devon Reese didn’t want the announcement to come until the council was on their summer break. Basically the City of Reno let the City of Sparks climb out on that limb with layoffs alone, while Reno allowed the scenario to appear they would not have any layoffs. We ponder if Sparks City Manager Dion Louthan will have a few harsh words for Jackie Bryant the next time they have coffee.

Recently, Reno’s Ward 1 and Ward 3 councilmembers held community forums—but don’t bother asking for a recording or meeting notes. There aren’t any. That’s right: no recordings, no transcripts, no official records.

These forums are pitched as chances for residents to connect directly with their elected officials—sort of like NABish meetings, but stripped of any formal accountability. And without documentation, what’s discussed simply vanishes into thin air. No public record. No follow-up. No way to hold anyone to their word.

Every year, Reno News & Review holds its beloved “Best Of” contest — a little popularity parade where locals nominate and vote for their favorites, from burgers to bands to (somehow) politicians. But this year, something smells less like civic pride and more like campaign cologne.

Apparently, it's still 2020 for Councilmembers Devon Reese and Miguel Martinez, who are hosting virtual community forum meetings. Either they’ve forgotten the world reopened… or they’ve finally accepted that no one’s showing up to their in-person events. We lean toward the latter.

Let’s be honest: when a councilmember holds a community conversation and the only attendees are a Neighborhood Advisory Board, someone from AARP, a couple of seniors and one other under 50 it’s probably time for some self-reflection. But instead of asking why nobody shows up, Reese and Martinez have decided to dodge the answer entirely—by going virtual.

Reno Councilmember Kathleen Taylor is hosting a public forum, but don't call her "Councilmember"—she's billing herself as "Vice Mayor Kathleen Taylor."

Here's the thing: nobody elected her to that position. Vice mayor isn't a democratic choice—it's a rotating assignment that gets passed around the council like a ceremonial gavel. One day you're Councilmember Smith, the next day you're Vice Mayor Smith. It's not exactly a mandate from the people.

While Reno’s senior citizens were being quietly kicked off the city’s funding bus, Mayor Hillary Schieve was boarding an actual one a few weeks later — or more accurately, a plane bound for sunny Tampa, Florida, for the U.S. Conference of Mayors.

You might remember on May 5, 2025, Schieve claimed she wasn’t going to “die on the hill” defending Reno’s $15,000 annual membership in the very same mayoral conference. But guess what? She didn’t die on the hill — she flew right over it. Business class, anyone?

When your city is drowning in a $25 million deficit, every dollar counts—except, apparently, when it comes to conference travel.

Mayor Hillary Schieve jetted off to the U.S. Conference of Mayors in Tampa, Florida, leaving Renoites to wonder about the city's spending priorities. While residents have been told the budget crisis is so severe that neighborhood advisory board meetings—those pesky forums where actual citizens get to voice concerns—had to be axed to save on employee time costs, somehow there was still room in the budget for a Florida excursion.

Eliminating citizen input while brewing up council coffee klatches at the City of Reno.

The City of Reno has discovered a brilliant new approach to public engagement: eliminate it entirely under the guise of fiscal responsibility. The city's moratorium on Neighborhood Advisory Board (NAB) meetings represents a masterclass in democratic doublespeak—claiming to save money while simultaneously launching a replacement program that serves the same purpose but with far less citizen input and accountability.

The official line is cost savings, but the real savings appear to be in avoiding the inconvenience of actually listening to residents who might have opinions about how their neighborhoods are managed.

Three Candidates, Two Spots, Zero Citizen Representation

The Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority board nominations currently under consideration perfectly illustrate everything wrong with how Northern Nevada's political establishment operates. Three candidates are vying for two open City of Reno positions, and each one raises serious questions about whether anyone is actually representing the interests of Reno, Sparks, and Washoe County residents—or if this is just another exercise in political back-scratching and insider dealing.

Let's examine this trio of candidates and ask the uncomfortable questions that our elected officials apparently hope we're too distracted to notice.

n a decision raising eyebrows across Nevada’s political landscape, the Nevada Commission on Ethics has cleared City Councilmember Kathleen Taylor of any wrongdoing—despite substantiated concerns over her use of her campaign email address and involving her campaign infrastructure for official city business.

The ethics complaint, notably initiated by the commission’s own Executive Director Ross Armstrong, pointed to instances where Taylor allegedly blurred the lines between her campaign activities and official duties.

If you've ever sat through four or five light cycles trying to turn at Plumas and Mt. Rose during rush hour, you already know the intersection is a mess. Congested, slow, and poorly timed—it’s one of those Reno traffic nightmares locals dread.

So what’s the City of Reno’s big idea? Cram 39 housing units onto a small lot right near the jam. Because nothing says “smart planning” like piling on density without a clue how to support it.