Pandas Over People at the City of Sparks ???

While the City of Sparks drowns in an $18 million deficit, two city councilmembers somehow found it essential to jet off to Washington DC—with a special stop to snap panda selfies at the National Zoo.

That's right. As the city offers early retirement packages, freezes positions, and whispers about upcoming layoffs, Councilmembers Bybee and VanderWell were busy cooing at Bao Li and Qing Bao at the Smithsonian's National Zoo—presumably on the taxpayer dime.

Lawsuits, Lies, and Local Leadership: The Sparks Saga Continues

Former Sparks City Manager Neil Krutz is finally doing what anyone with a grudge and a lawyer on speed-dial would do – suing his former colleagues. The target list reads Team Krutz: Mayor Ed Lawson, Councilmember Paul Anderson, and former Councilmember Kristopher Dahir. Let's not forget the trio of troublemakers (in Krutz's eyes, anyway) – Councilmembers Bybee, Vanderwell, and Abbott – who had the audacity to suggest maybe, just maybe, his management style needed a review.

Remember Krutz's greatest hit? That memorable YouTube performance where he informed the Sparks Fire Union that he had fired Fire Chief Mark Lawson, a decision that burned through taxpayer dollars faster than a wildfire through dry brush. The irony of Krutz now crying wrongful termination is richer than a casino owner's bank account.

Sparks Mayor Ed Lawson is apparently channeling his social media rantings into actual legislation. AB51, the "We'd Rather You Didn't Look Too Closely" bill, aims to make public records about as accessible as Fort Knox – but with more paperwork.

The irony is rich: The League of Cities, whose mission statement reads like a love letter to transparency and innovation, is backing a bill that treats public records requests like classified CIA operations. What's next – secret handshakes and decoder rings?

Good gosh we had to hear about Sparks City Councilmember Kristopher Dahir’s responsibilities as the chair of the Northern Nevada Public Health (NNPH) and now we learn Dahir can’t make his last “elected” board meeting due to scheduling issues? What scheduling issue? Why didn’t it come up at the last NNPH board meeting? Or is Dahir simply embarrassed that he lost the race and is bowing out without the sorrow of a long goodbye.  We’re hearing it could be due to the former Lakemill Lodge who were tossed out by NNPH with little or no plans as to where they would live when the health department shuttered the hotel. The residents were forced to leave their belongings behind by NNPH and now some of those units are open and items are missing. What no security NNPH? No plan? Residents are planning on asking questions and that might be at this NNPH board meeting, thus might Dahir be looking to avoiding the publicity.

Per NRS 244A, which governs County Fair and Recreation Boards in the State of Nevada, the RSCVA Board elects new officers each July, during even-numbered years. Back in July 2024 the RSCVA voted in their new chair, vice-chair, and secretary/treasurer and they will not revisit new officers until July 2026. If you watch the July 25, 2024, meeting you will see then RSCVA Chair Charlene Bybee floundering with no support, with Alexis Hill moving Hillary Schieve into the role of chair, clearly well-rehearsed by Hill and Schieve. Bybee desperately wanted to hang onto the chair, but the board members wouldn’t even throw Bybee a lifeline just so the organization didn’t look quite so much at odds, and they let her go down with the ship. Picon is referring to one of Bybee’s more cringe-worthy statements made to the Reno Gazette-Journal steering the ship at the RSCVA, “Bringing the right person is more important than ever. I’m on a mission. I’ve got to move this Titanic and get it away from the iceberg.”

Item E.1 RSCVA Election of Board Chair

The RSCVA Chair has to be one of the elected officials on the board, and it isn’t Councilmember Charlene Bybee any longer.

Politics collide at the RSCVA…

Is the glass ceiling back in Sparks governance…

The EDAWN saga surrounding an ask for influence with a local councilwoman gains attention…

While Katy Simon Holland claims EDAWN cannot endorse candidates, she says EDAWN thinks some of the School Board candidates are knuckleheads…