While reading today's Reno Gazette Journal, we couldn't help but cheer their coverage of the latest development debacle in the City of Reno - you know, the one Councilmember Devon Reese is championing from his million-dollar perch in Somersett.

Speaking of Somersett... Isn't it fascinating how Reese pushes for dense development everywhere except in his own upscale neighborhood?

Follow the Money: A quick peek at Reese's Secretary of State Contribution and Expense reports tells you everything you need to know. Developer dollars flow like wine into his campaign coffers, and surprise, surprise - he never met a development project he didn't love.

The long-delayed revision of Reno's sign code is finally emerging from bureaucratic limbo, but the timing and process raise questions about transparency and public input. Perhaps most telling: the city has chosen to hold these crucial discussions virtually, limiting direct community engagement.

The pattern is familiar. Controversial issues were strategically postponed through the 2024 election cycle, protecting council members facing tight races. Consider Councilmember Kathleen Taylor's narrow victory margin of 287 votes over Frank Perez—a candidate known for his expertise in Reno city code. Meanwhile, downtown residents in the Palladio, Arlington Towers, Park Towers, and The Montage continue waiting for resolution on critical noise issues that were conveniently deferred.

Transparency in local government shouldn't be a game of hide and seek, yet Councilmember Kathleen Taylor appears to be testing those boundaries. Despite winning the Ward 1 election by a razor-thin margin of just 287 votes out of 14,463 cast, Taylor initially attempted to direct city business communications to a campaign email—a move that raises serious questions about public records accountability.

Wannabe Mayor Councilmember Devon Reese, splitting hairs finer than a Vegas showgirl's eyelashes. So you didn't get an "ethics violation" - you just got a special invitation to a "deferral agreement" and mandatory ethics training in 2023.

Potato, po-tah-to... Violation, deferral... What's in a name? That which we call an ethics breach by any other name would smell as... interesting.

Our Town Reno just pulled back the curtain on the City's ReStore program, and what do we find? A spectacular show of making property owners' basic responsibilities vanish into thin air - using YOUR tax dollars as the magic wand.

First let us say, this is no reflection on Crak N’ Grill, we’re on the side of small business owners, and if the program and the money is available, go for it. What we question is the thought process of our overly-paid City of Reno elected officials.

Well, grab your popcorn and your protest signs, folks - the sequel nobody asked for just dropped at Lakeridge. And unlike most sequels, this one's actually more terrifying than the original.

Picture this: A five-story monstrosity that looks like someone played Tetris with storage containers and called it "luxury living." Local residents are calling it "jail house rock" - though that's honestly unfair to jails, which occasionally have better architectural design.

Oh, you Renoites crying "no politics, it's only 2025!" Bless your hearts. While you're trying to recover from your holiday food coma, Councilmember Devon Reese is already playing political musical chairs for the 2026 mayor's race. Because nothing says "I'm totally confident about my future" quite like scrambling for support a year early. Picon calls it “political chumming ,” throwing bait in the water to see what support you can catch.

Speaking of confidence... let's talk about that stunning Ward 5 victory. And by stunning, we mean Reese scraped by with 1,412 votes against checks notes ...who exactly is Brian Cassidy? Despite having a war chest that would make a Vegas casino blush and every developer, builder, and power broker in his pocket, Reese barely outperformed a guy whose biggest claim to fame was some local TV commercials for his small business. Talk about a profile in courage.

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.