Apparently, we’re getting illuminated.

In San Francisco, the iconic San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge was lit up with an $11 million art installation — funded entirely by private donations from more than 1,300 contributors. Not public money. Not fee increases. Not “we’ll bill you later.”

Private. Donations.

Well, that didn’t last long.

The Historic Historic Washoe County Courthouse launched its new monthly “Moments of Honor” series in January — complete with the Pledge of Allegiance, patriotic music, and reflections on figures from our nation’s 250-year history. A civic-minded, early-morning reminder that democracy still works before 8:30 a.m.

March 4 was supposed to feature Kate Hickman, Alternate Public Defender, offering remarks as part of the program.

Instead? Cancelled. Officially due to a scheduling conflict.

We’re genuinely curious.

Why does Washoe County, Nevada - Government go radio silent every time questions surface about leadership at the Karma Box Project?

No press conference.
No independent review.
No “we take this seriously and are looking into it.”

Just crickets.

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.

We’ve been doing something radical lately: reading.

Yes, we dusted off the Rules of Practice for the Second Judicial District Court — you know, the thrilling bedside material governing how things actually work over at the courthouse. And we went straight to Rule 2, because that’s where the magic of the Chief Judge lives.

Today’s Reno City Council meeting should be lively. Vice Mayor Miguel Martinez and Reno’s mayor-in-waiting (at least in his own campaign emails) Devon Reese will be perched on the dais, no doubt refreshed after Reese’s fabulous fundraiser at the Grand Sierra Resort — you know, the same Grand Sierra that benefited from all that generous Tax Increment Financing (TIF) support Reese voted to approve. Pure coincidence, we’re sure.

Meanwhile, local Republicans were busy firing off memes about an alleged DUI involving Sparks Councilmember Joe Rodriguez over the weekend.

But here’s the multi-million-dollar question no one seems to be asking:

That’s right, Chief Judge Egan Walker — we weren’t going to stop asking questions.

On Saturday, we put Judge Connie Steinheimer on the side of a milk carton — not as a stunt, but to make a point: the public deserves to know what is happening inside our court.

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.

If timing is everything, then today’s Sparks City Council meeting may feel like the Sparks city manager’s worst nightmare.

Because hanging over the dais is not just an agenda — it’s a question no one seems eager to ask out loud.

On Friday night, Sparks City Councilmember Joe Rodriguez was reportedly at the Reno Events Center attending the PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour. Also in attendance? Reno mayoral candidate and councilmember Devon Reese and Reno Vice Mayor Miguel Martinez.

Pendleton Whisky. Velocity Tour. Whiskey.

Once, in the bustling City of Reno, there lived a Princess of the Law named Connie. She did not wear a crown of gold; she wore a robe woven from thirty-four years of truth, and her scepter was a pen that had signed scrolls of justice.

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.

If Chief Judge Egan Walker keeps this up, we may need to start reserving him a permanent headline slot.

Word around the courthouse is that Walker has reassigned — or as some are calling it, “hijacked” — a case originally sitting in Department 10 under Judge Kathleen Sigurdson. The case involves the parents of deceased 5-year-old Izabella Loving, and it is unquestionably one that will draw intense public and media scrutiny.

Erased from the Invite — But Not the Ledger?

When the fundraiser invitation for Chris Hicks’s March 4, 2026 event at Pinocchio's Bar & Grill began circulating, one couldn’t help but notice the host committee reads like a Reno “who’s who.” Business leaders, attorneys, familiar names.

All that seemed missing was a voiceover from a celebrity gossip columnist introducing the lineup.

But beyond the glossy optics, something else stood out: a name that once would have been expected on such a list appears absent.

We received several calls last week from local attorneys asking the same question: had we heard anything about Connie Steinheimer, judge for the Second Judicial District Court, Department 4, being relieved of her docket?

Say what?

It slipped past the daily write-up schedule, but the social media moment surrounding Troy Regas may end up being more telling than a formal campaign announcement. Instead of a polished press release or scripted video, Regas posted something far simpler: a photo of campaign sign designs — created by his father — and asked Facebook friends which one they liked best yesterday.

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.

Commissioner Mike Clark posted the recently released Washoe County annual summary of deaths connected to the emergency shelter campuses, and while the document checked every administrative box — dates, locations, causes, protocols followed — it missed something far more important: humanity.

Seven people died. Not “incidents.” Not “cases.” Not “data points.”
People.

In a political leap worthy of a track meet, Trista Gomez has frog-leaped from the Washoe County District 3 Commission race and resurfaced as a candidate for State Assembly District 30. That puts her squarely against hometown favorite Natha Anderson, widely regarded as one of the more approachable members of the Assembly — yes, the one who actually returns calls and emails - even ours.

This whole situation is starting to feel like déjà vu — the kind that takes longtime Reno watchers straight back to the Mayor Schieve “trackergate” dust-up with McDonald Carano. You may remember the moment: a constituent politely suggested the mayor disclose her firm’s involvement while a developer item sat on the agenda who the firm represented that the mayor would be voting on said agenda item. A perfectly reasonable transparency request, followed by a very human flash of irritation that said more than any prepared statement ever could. Disclosure is rarely controversial in theory; it’s just inconvenient in practice.

That pesky lands bill that so many can’t seem to get across the finish line — and believe us, they’ve tried — might suddenly find new life if Ira Hansen decides to make a run for Congress. Hansen has spent years in rural Nevada building relationships with ranchers, farmers, and the folks who actually live on and work the land, earning a level of trust few politicians manage to secure. Love him or not, he speaks their language. If the bill ever needed a champion who understands dirt roads better than marble hallways, this might be the moment. Run, Ira, run.