BARBWIRE by ANDREW BARBANO Pirate Laureate of the High Desert Outback of the American Dream

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The bedrock basic service for the underprivileged and elderly will shortly begin its death spiral, along with jeopardized 911 service in many rural areas.

AT&T got a bill through the 2013 Nevada Legislature allowing Ma Bell to retire as telephone "provider of last resort" (POLR) should enough competitors become available, at least on paper.

I've reviewed testimony and can't find any reason why this is needed other than the hyper-profitable corporation wants it.

It is chillingly reminiscent of the ongoing rooftop solar debacle, where the Public Utilities Commission unilaterally killed the industry even though no one had brought a case and despite the facts.

Juice lobbyist Peter Ernaut, the man who created Gov. Sandoval, represents both AT&T and NVEnergy.

According to Forbes Magazine, independent research has proven that rooftop solar actually returns a substantial profit to non-solar ratepayers, but NVE has a huge PR budget. See Tribune alumnus Dennis Myers' exemplary Reno News & Review investigative reportage at the NevadaLabor.com Energy War Room.

A seemingly innocuous passage in a 2007 AT&T-sponsored bill led to the demise of Sierra Nevada Community Access Television. (BarbanoMedia.com/charter.html)

To prove its current case, AT&T filed a sheaf of maps showing overlapping coverage via wireless competitors. Paperwork means nothing in Nevada's vast outback. I get only sporadic cel reception at my house here in town.

"If you are relieved of your POLR obligations, there is potential that both basic network service and business line service could stop being provided," PUC Assistant Staff Counsel Debrea Terwilliger told lawmakers, adding "If there is relief, that does open that door to stop providing service."

Zounds.

Refusing to accept Nevada as a pioneering good example of deregulation, California's legislature just killed this beast for the second time.

Although the PUC can only consider credentialed expert testimony in making decisions, cosmetic consumer hearings are scheduled statewide.

Here are the dates for communities served by the Tribune and its sister newspapers: Hawthorne June 2; Reno-Sparks June 3; Pioche, Ely and Eureka July 7. For more info, go to the Barbwire expanded web edition at NevadaLabor.com/

MOMENT OF SILENCE. I received information that the unfortunate worker killed in a May 26 Lemmon Valley construction accident was trying to retrieve his dropped cel-phone when struck by heavy equipment. The driver reportedly felt a thud, then backed over him to see what caused it. Construction is a very dangerous job.

BLACK MARK. I just got final confirmation from the Public Broadcasting System ombudsman that the only PBS affiliate in the entire country that blacked out last February's Hillary Clinton-Bernie Sanders debate was northern Nevada's KNPB TV-5. Another PR coup for Mississippi West. (Barbwire 3-1-2016)

Bob Price served almost three decades in the lower house. Bob and Nancy retired to Sparks years ago. He has been a member of Las Vegas IBEW Local 357/AFL-CIO for more than half a century. He helped build the showroom at the Las Vegas Hilton which was opened by Elvis Presley in 1969. Bob has the King's autograph on his old lunchbox to prove it. He chaired the Assembly Taxation Committee for many sessions and became legendary for his advocacy on behalf of the little guys.

UPDATE IN MEMORIAM: A Nevada Titan Falls
Bob Price, hall of fame Nevada lawmaker, union man and lifelong critic of casino corporate welfare, died 4 Jan. 2019
Las Vegas assemblymember tried to stop casino campaign contributions and paid the price.
Guitarist and friend of Elvis and Joe Neal was 82

Be well. Raise hell. / Esté bien. Haga infierno. (Pardon my Spanglish.)

The Underbelly of the News—>Subscribe to Barbwire Confidential

BARBWIRE WEB EXTRAS —> TOMORROW'S NEWS TODAY: FEEL UP YOUR FIRE METER. The Reno Gazette-Journal did big spreads on threeconsecutive Sundays (Sept. 14, Sept. 21 and Sept. 28, 2014) on NV Energy smart meter fires. Welcome aboard. Barbwire readers were two years ahead on the fire meter issue. (Touch a Smart Meter, Go to Jail — 11 October 2012)

FIRE METER UPDATES: THE NEVADA FIRE MARSHALL'S INVESTIGATION concluded "don't worry, be happy." I'm still worried and will continue fondling NVE's precious equipment —> If your smart meter feels very hot, not just from sunshine, call 911.

In its Sunday 21 Dec. 2014 front page headline major story, the Reno Gazette-Journal published results of the NVEnergy-commissioned "don't worry, be happy" echo study. On 1-27-2015, the RGJ published an analysis based on veteran reporter Anjeanette Damon's review of more than 1,000 pages of documents. Barbwire bottom line: NVE handles this like auto manufacturers handle defects —> It's cheaper to pay legal settlements after people are injured or killed than to fixthe problem.

Don'tcha worry 'bout a thing! If you can't trust your power company, whom can you trust?

Smoking guns: Rooftop solar assassination — NevadaLabor.com Energy War Room

DIDN'T THEY MAKE A MOVIE CALLED "THE INCREDIBLES"? On 2-6-2015, the RGJ reported that the Public Utilities Commission has ordered NVE to hire an independent laboratory to review the material.

UPDATE: The report said all is well. I still recommend feeling up your fire meter on a regular basis.

ANTE INTO THE GAME: Support the new season of Barbwire.TV by putting your money where my mouth is. A thousand thanks to those who keep sending show suggestions.

  Stay tuned.

  I encourage you to donate to the cause at Barbwire.TV/ The medium that shapes public opinion needs at least one refuge where it is not filtered through the distorted green eye shades of prissy corporate accountants for whom profit is the only priority; where self-censorship is the journalist's normal work environment and where all sins of omission are tacitly encouraged and forgiven with the wave of a balance sheet. This is important. We've got a lot of work to do.

Get ahead of corporate-influenced news—>Subscribe to Barbwire Confidential

Be well. Raise hell. / Esté bien. Haga infierno. (Pardon my Spanglish.)

Andrew Barbano is a 47-year Nevadan, chair of the Nevada César Chávez Committee, producer of Nevada's annual César Chávez Day celebration, first vice-president and political action chair of the Reno-Sparks NAACP, labor/consumer/civil rights advocate, member of Communications Workers of America Local 9413/AFL-CIO and editor of NevadaLabor.com and JoeNeal.org and DoctorLawyerWatch.com/ As always, his opinions are strictly his own. Check local listings for other Nevada cable systems. E-mail barbano@frontpage.reno.nv.us. Barbwire by Barbano has originated in the Sparks Tribune since 1988.

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Copyright © 1982-2016 Andrew Barbano

Andrew Barbano is a 47-year Nevadan, editor of NevadaLabor.com and JoeNeal.org; and former chair of the City of Reno's Citizens Cable Compliance Committee. He is producer of Nevada's annual César Chávez Day celebration and serves as first vice-president, political action chair and webmaster of the Reno-Sparks NAACP. As always, his opinions are strictly his own. E-mail barbano@frontpage.reno.nv.us.

Barbwire by Barbano moved to Nevada's Daily Sparks Tribune on Aug. 12, 1988, and has originated in them parts ever since.
Whom to blame: How a hall-of-famer's hunch birthed the Barbwire in August of 1987
Tempus fugit.

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