Commissioner Mike Clark sent us this exchange with Washoe County staff after he made a comment on the dais at October 22, 2024 during the Washoe County Commission meeting.

A Washoe County resident, Doug Flaherty, had made a comment at the meeting, “regarding the study that he had done which indicated evacuations from the Tahoe area would be more problematic than the county anticipates.”

Thanks to our community's enthusiastic response, Picon's inbox has been overflowing with inquiries about local nonprofits since spring. While election season kept us running at full speed, the closing of the polls finally gives us the breathing room to dive into all the valuable information you've shared. We're now ready to give your submissions the attention they deserve.

Some elected officials have dubbed us 'lazy journalists' as we’ve been covering their activities since we’ve been willing to include other media’s coverage. Well, let's embrace that reputation - we're actively seeking nonprofit whistleblowers to help us be even more 'lazy' by sharing your inside knowledge. Based on the flood of tips we've already received; we know you're out there. Consider this your invitation to help us dig deeper into stories that need telling. After all, the best investigative journalism is a team sport."

AKA: Washoe County Standard Operating Shenanigans

In the midst of what should have been a period of calm and efficiency, Washoe County finds itself embroiled in a whirlwind of controversy and intrigue. The recent episodes involving key personnel such as Interim Registrar of Voters Cari-Ann Burgess and County Manager Eric Brown have sent shockwaves through the community, raising questions about transparency, accountability, and the true dynamics at play within the county's administrative circles.

Looks like a few employees at the county have gotten too comfortable in their ivory tower, forgetting their taxpayer-funded throne isn't actually bulletproof. Nothing is quite like watching a public servant who's confused 'serving the public' with 'sovereign rule over the peasants.'

esterday we inquired why panic buttons are being deployed by the Washoe County Registrar of Voters Office, Deputy ROV Andrew McDonald, for the general election.

While we were watching the October 22, 2024 meeting and listening to McDonald’s updates we thought let’s send his presentation to a network security professional whose job it is to find holes in systems. Remember our publisher is retired from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL).

At the most recent Washoe County Board of County Commissioner meeting held on October 22, 2024, Deputy Registrar of Voters Andrew McDonald shed light on significant updates in election equipment. The introduction of new equipment, the poll pads and ballot extractors, marked a pivotal shift in the county's electoral infrastructure. Engaging a modern browser-based system after two decades signified a crucial step towards enhancing the efficiency of the voting process. These systems all seem to have gone online in August 2024.

2024 has been a really weird year for politics. The races have gotten personal and petty, but hey when opponents need to go up against incumbents with buckets full of campaign contributions from developers, special interest groups, lobbyists, etc., who for their own reasons want certain individuals reelected well we guess gloves are off.

Alexis Hill and her campaign team are running a Facebook ad accusing Masha Berkbigler of sending an “attack” piece against her. Hill has commented it is absolutely true, “I want our community to have public transit access to and around Lake Tahoe.” That’s great, but not what the graphic says.

Picon can’t believe some of these election flyers and the candidates stretching of the truth. Candidates are spending a fortune on campaign flyers, and we’ve been told by most voters, they take the pile of flyers out of their mailbox and plunk them in the trash.

Sparks Councilmember Kristopher Dahir is no exception. How about this flyer focusing on “safety” which has been a big flyer focus in 2024. However, while Dahir is focused on the “Status of Public Safety in Sparks” and mentions four new fire trucks that have been “ordered” – a new fire station being built, and how the city is hiring five new firefighters. Great news for Sparks, but then why is the Sparks Fire Department, Sparks Firefighters IAFF Local 1265 – basically where is any firefighter endorsement for Dahir? Seem to be missing.

Piron has been digging into the Commissioner Alexis Hill vs Marsha Berkbigler Community Forum sponsored by Senior Spectrum Magazine a few weeks ago.

Berkbigler has an uphill battle due to the contributions Hill has been able to raise. How did Hill get all that loot? That’s the million dollar question.

Scott Kelly went through a nasty divorce. This Is Reno went into great detail regarding his divorce, fake Facebook account, a GPS tracker on his Kelly’s ex-wife’s car, and an extramarital relationship with a stripper, along with other allegations, all not a good look for a Washoe County School District Trustee and back in 2020 when this scandal hit, Kelly was running for reelection to his school board trustee seat.

Fast forward to 2024 and the City of Reno Code Enforcement Director Alex Woodley, allegedly resigned from his job. Woodley says he decided it was time to retire, but we have it on good authority his retirement happened on the same day as he was confronted with the fact the City of Reno had randomly discovered his sexting on his city phone. Just look at the letter of resignation provided to the Reno Gazette Journal.

Picon literally laughed out loud last week when Nevada Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar came out with his “Electioneering” Memo – how about way too little way too late. We have simply been to busy this week until today to get to this story.

For weeks there were signs outside polling location that were printed with “Vote for Democrats” and no one was turning them in, people were posting photos of the sigs on social media asking where they were coming from but no one was getting them taken down because they seemed not to know who to complain to. Next time folks go to the Washoe County Registrar of Voters.  

For Commissioner Alexis Hill it is all about getting reelected and she really doesn’t care what she has to say, or do. Hill will spin the facts, she’ll cut people out, because her only mission is to get reelected.

Last year, Hill and Washoe County spun the fact that they had cut homelessness by 50%. Oops that was wrong, but that admission came out from Washoe County only after Commissioner Hill had been interviewed by the Wall Street Journal and gotten a whole lot of national attention. Later the county propaganda team spun the mistake as being due to bad data from the Point in Time count. The same Point in Time count County Manager Eric Brown now directs only need to be done every two years. Wait, bad data means only doing the count every two years? Come on Chair Hill do something.

Okay, we can hear everyone out there gnashing their teeth with Picon writing that we really enjoyed the former Director of Code Enforcement at the City of Reno, Alex Woodley. He seemed to be fair and friendly and was willing to talk to the press.

Recent campaign finance reports paint an interesting picture of Councilmember Dahir's September 12th fundraiser. According to the October 15th Nevada Secretary of State filings, local developers and special interests apparently found their checkbooks more easily than actual Sparks residents.

Our Town Reno asked a question last week and that was can Frank Perez win the City of Reno Ward 1 City Council race. Picon thinks there is a more important question to be asked, and that is “does Frank Perez really want to win” or was he the “buffer” candidate that stopped Lily Baran from getting elected.

Baran would owe her allegiance to no one, and we think some powers that be on the Reno City Council didn’t want that. Just look at Perez’s social media he is besties with many movers and shakers, mostly Commissioner Mariluz Garcia, Councilmember Miguel Martinez and School Board Trustee Alex Woodley.

Picon is digging through the Nevada Secretary of State’s Candidate Contribution and Expense reports filed on October 15, 2025.

We ponder as the Democratic Party attempts to keep the Assembly seat why fellow Democrats are not supporting Heather Goulding, could it be sour grapes.

Picon is having a hard time understanding what the heck Councilmember Donald Abbott is talking about.

Abbott was called out by a Sparks senior because the City of Sparks didn’t participate at the Senior Spectrum Senior Fest on September 3, 2024.

Picon reached out to the City of Sparks and Senior Spectrum and learned that more often than not the City of Sparks has had a table at the event.

We always enjoy Shaun Mullen’s Nextdoor posts, and yesterdays was just a wonderous thing.

Picture this: It's 2018, and Maureen McKissick is spilling tea so scalding it could melt the Sierra snow cap. Fast forward to today, and Alex Woodley's alleged sexting scandal has us all feeling like we're trapped in a bad remake of "50 Shades of Government Gray."

Picon has been following a number of rumors about the City of Reno Government Code Enforcement Director Alex Woodley, who just happens to also be a Washoe County School District Trustee, resigning from his job at the City of Reno on Wednesday, October 9^th.

If a proposed ordinance change in Caughlin Ranch is approved residents will be only able to decorate for Christmas, but NO Hanukkah or Kwanza per the proposed HOA change.