Where’s Eddie? The Man Who Wanted a Parade May Be Missing From It

Eddie Lorton and the City of Reno’s Parade Page seem to be missing.

When Eddie Lorton pushed the City of Reno to support a Fourth of July parade celebrating America's 250th anniversary, he presented it as a community event that deserved city backing. The Reno City Council agreed to support the concept, and Lorton publicly stated that if fundraising fell short, he would personally cover any remaining costs.

Fast forward a few months, and the political landscape has changed.

Lorton lost his bid for mayor, for the fourth time, in the primary election and has since focused much of his attention on allegations of voter fraud. Meanwhile, the City's parade webpage appears to be malfunctioning, leaving residents with questions about sponsorships, fundraising, participation, and who exactly is organizing the event.

The biggest question may be the simplest one: Is Eddie Lorton even participating in the parade he worked so hard to create? Or as we questioned earlier this year when we reported on the parade was this simply a stunt for publicity for Lorton - and it sure is looking that way.

Taxpayers have seen this movie before. Grand ideas are announced, promises are made, and eventually government agencies are left holding the bag when private fundraising doesn't materialize. If donations fall short, will the City of Reno end up covering costs? Will taxpayers be asked to absorb expenses that were originally promised to be privately funded?

The parade itself may still be a worthwhile community celebration. Reno certainly deserves a patriotic event honoring the nation's 250th anniversary. But residents also deserve transparency.

How much money has been raised? What costs remain outstanding? Who is responsible if fundraising falls short? And perhaps most importantly, where is the man who championed the parade in the first place?

After all, it's difficult to lead a parade if nobody can find the grand marshal.