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Yesterday, today and tomorrow
NEWS BULLETIN & ALMANIACAL ARCHIVES
Also see NevadaLabor.com's Statewide U-News Roundup

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[[EDITOR'S NOTE: Unless otherwise noted, historical items appear courtesy of longtime Nevada reporter Dennis Myers' Poor Denny's Almanac [PDA]. Items highlighted in blue are of interest to labor in particular and seekers of justice in general. Red means war. Copyright © 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 Dennis Myers. More Myers.]]

Aug. 2012-Aug. 2013: The Barbwire's Silver Anniversary
Barbwire by Barbano moved to the Daily Sparks (Nev.) Tribune on Aug. 12, 1988, and has originated in them parts ever since.
How a hall-of-famer's hunch birthed the Barbwire in 1987
Tempus fugit.

HAPPY NEW YEAR/Little Christmas/Kwanzaa/Feliz Año Nuevo

BREAKING NEWS AND THEN SOME—>

Betty J. Barbano 2-7-1941 / 12-27-2005

Warring tribes battle the great black whale
Barbwire by Barbano / Expanded from the 12-26-2013 Sparks Tribune

Sparks Community Profile: Sheet Metal Workers Local 26 Business Manager Matt Doehring
Sparks Tribune / 12-26-2013

Happy High Holly Days!
MerryChristmas/Kwanzaa/Solstice/Festivus/Chanukah/Thanksgibleting

Short-time opportunity—>
Order 2014 César Chávez Celebration tickets, tables & sponsorships at the longtime rates before prices rise in January

Barbano on the Barbwire plots new TV season
Click above to support community TV & see all the news you never knew you needed to know 'til now

Celebration of the life of Nevada Assemblymember and Washoe Medical Center Trustee Vivian Freeman set for Saturday, January 18, 2014

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Memories of Madiba

Mandela’s magnificent struggle
By Prof. Jake Highton
Expanded from the 12-19-2013 Sparks Tribune

Remember Mandela's Values
By Dr. R. Grant Seals / Reno Gazette-Journal Guest Commentary / 12-17-2013

The Mandela Barbie
Poor Mandela. When he's not a doll, he's a statue. He joins Martin Luther King as another bronzed monument whose use is to serve a new version of racism, Apartheid 2.0, worsening both in South Africa — and in the USA.
By international investigative journalist Greg Palast / 12-13-2013

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2013: Unlucky number for an ugly year
Barbwire by Barbano / Expanded from the 12-19-2013 Sparks Tribune

They don't do anything until somebody dies
UNR and downtown Reno theater firetraps show how little was learned from the Las Vegas Hilton and MGM disasters
Remembering Sen. Joe Neal's landmark high-rise fire sprinkler law
Barbwire by Barbano / Expanded from the 12-12-2013 Sparks Tribune

UPDATED 12 DEC. 2013 12:38:05 a.m. PST/08:38:05 ZULU/GMT/SUT/CUT —>Poor Denny's Almanac

Columnist Jack Mann/December 12 1993: The really dumb non-sequiturs of the second half of this century are routinely attributed to Yogi Berra, who never actually had much to say. They are largely attributed (and often coined) by columnists and television sportscasters who weren’t around when Yogi wasn’t saying them.

On this date in 1098 in the first crusade battle of Ma’arra (Ma’arrat al-Numan), Christian soldiers conquered the town, slaughtered its Muslim inhabitants, boiled and ate them (in the case of Muslim children, the Christian soldiers put them on spits and broiled them); in 1911, the Exempt Fireman’s Association of Virginia City, formed on November 26 1876 with a membership of 150, held its first meeting since 1900 and only six members attended;  in 1932, operators of the Depression-troubled Reno Golf and Country Club said they would ask the city council to take it over, operate it, and enlarge it with a $75,000 loan from the Reconstruction Finance Corporation (a Hoover administration economic recovery agency); in 1943, Reno’s Junior Chamber of Commerce asked members of the public to report their neighbors (to the Junior Chamber) who spread “Axis-aiding” rumors; in 1969, a 1,350-person Philippine force sent to Vietnam in 1966 (entirely paid for by the U.S.) as part of Lyndon Johnson’s effort to make his war seem like a multi-national cause, was withdrawn over an eight-day period; in 1977, Huey Johnson, California Governor Jerry Brown’s secretary of resources, said Lake Tahoe should be made a national recreation area because regulating the area under the bi-state Tahoe Regional Planning Agency meant that “everybody loses”.

Barbano on statewide Nevada Newsmakers TV-radio-web program
Click above for lineup, re-run times and dates
Barbano vs. D.A. Gammick on cel-phone privacy
KRNV TV-4 Reno / KENV TV-10 Elko / 12:30 p.m. PST Tuesday, 10 Dec. 2013

UPDATED 9 DEC. 2013 7:10:42 p.m. PST/03:10:42 ZULU/GMT/SUT/CUT DEC. 10—>Poor Denny's Almanac

On this date in 1843, the first holiday card (idea by Henry Cole, design by John Collcott Horsley) went on sale in London; in 1885, the Territorial Enterprise reported that tobacco grown on the Truckee River ranch of George Alt in Glendale had been sent to Virginia City, and that the plant also grew wild all over Nevada—”on the plains, in the ravines and on the mountain sides among the sagebrush, naturally without any artificial irrigation… It may yet prove to be an important and lucrative industry among the undeveloped resources of Nevada”; in 1922, the Nevada Supreme Court ordered state district judge Thomas Hart to explain his decision overturning on constitutional grounds a state law guaranteeing a trail by jury for violations of court orders, in a case in which farmers were fined for disobeying a Hart injunction; in 1942, the U.S. government launched a germ warfare program that continued operating for three decades after World War Two; in 1957, a sale of the troubled Nevada State News fell through (the newspaper, formerly the Nevada State Labor News, had served as a labor voice during ballot battles over right to work); in 1966, a day after the Lybrand, Ross financial firm told the Nevada Legislative Commission that the state would have to impose new taxes or face a $45 million deficit by 1976, Assemblymember Bud Garfinkle of Washoe County called for a study of a state-run lottery for Nevada; in 1970, Pat Hart, the popular owner of Virginia City’s Brass Rail Saloon and landlord of Dutch Myers’s one-day-a-week barber shop, was killed in a car wreck between Carson City and the Comstock; in 1991, the High-Performance Computing Act of 1991, sponsored by U.S. Sen. Al Gore, D-Tenn., took effect, leading to the creation of the internet.

UPDATED 6 DEC. 2013 12:01:26 a.m. PST / 08:01:26 ZULU/GMT/SUT/CUT —> Poor Denny's Almanac

On this date in 1864 in his state of the union report, President Lincoln mentioned Nevada three times—as the newly admitted state, as part of the completed portion of the transcontinental railroad, and as a source of more bodies and resources if the war wore on; in 1913, one-time suffrage leader Phoebe Couzins, who was bribed by the U.S. Brewers Association to change her position on the women’s vote, died in St. Louis (she had received a monthly payment and promised an annuity, but died in poverty); in 1918 with the world war ended, the U.S. Department of War (now cynically called the Department of Defense) abolished torture and other brutal treatment of U.S. military prisoners (U.S. conscientious objectors had been manacled against prison walls and at least two religious objectors died in prison); in 1935, meat cutters in Boulder City and Las Vegas formed a union; in 1943 “Las Vegas, Nev., Dec. 6 (AP) Dinah Shore, she of the auburn hair and seductive radio voice, is honeymooning with Corp. George Montgomery, Montana-born former cowboy who once was betrothed to Hedy Lamarr and who shelved a promising screen career in June, 1942 to become a member of the U.S. Army Signal Corps. The singer and the soldier, who met 13 months ago in the Hollywood canteen, were married in a double ring ceremony in the pre-dawn hours here yesterday by Justice of the Peace Paul O’Malley.”; in 1956, the Hungarian water polo team, which was isolated at a mountain training camp above Budapest and then traveled to the Melbourne olympics without learning much about the Hungarian uprising and the Soviet invasion until they reached Australia, defeated the Soviet team in a brutal match that drew blood and prompted police to clear the arena when the crowd became enraged (the Hungarians did not return to their nation, where the uprising was suppressed); in 1963, Harold Gibbons, Teamsters president Jimmy Hoffa’s executive assistant, and four other Teamster officials resigned in protest against Hoffa’s actions and statements after the assassination of President Kennedy; in 1973, U.S. Representative Gerald Ford of Michigan became vice-president of the United States; in 1997, with rumors flying that the Reno Sparks Indian Colony clinic was closed because of a gas leak or a budget shortfall, colony officials declined to confirm or deny anything; in 2006, Megan McClung was killed at Ramadi, the 64th and highest ranking U.S. woman killed in Iraq.

RENO, Nev. (12-5-2013) — Former Nevada Assemblymember and hospital trustee Vivian Freeman died this morning at her home in Reno. She was 86 years old.

1927-2013

 

Lamenting the loss of Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood
Barbwire by Barbano / Expanded from the 12-5-2013 Sparks Tribune

UPDATED 1 DEC. 2013 12:43:15 a.m. PST / 08:43:15 ZULU/GMT/SUT/CUT —> Poor Denny's Almanac

On this date in 1877, the stone crossing from the Reno Savings Bank to the Farmers’ Cooperative Store across an oft-muddy street was nearly completed: “It is a good, durable crossing.”; in 1885, the first carbonated soft drink, Dr. Pepper, was introduced; in 1919, Prince Regent Aleksander I Karadjordjevic declared the new state of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes; in 1939 1,800 Jews in Hrubieszow and Chelm, Poland, began a nine-day forced march to the Soviet border during which most died (four survivors were able to later provide the names of a few dozen victims; the names of the rest have been lost to history); in 1950, PFC Chester Roper, son of Carrie Roper of Reno, was taken prisoner in Korea (he later died in a prison camp); also on this date in 1950 Air Force pilot Bruce Shawe Jr. of Gardnerville was shot down over north Korea and captured alive to be held prisoner for nearly three years and released after the armistice; in 1977, newly disclosed FBI files showed that the Las Vegas bureau office laid plans to infiltrate antiwar groups at the University of Nevada campuses to disrupt their activites (it’s not clear what actually happened with the plans because the files indicated that the intrepid federal agents seemed to have trouble finding the antiwar groups); in 1998, with the anti-trust division of the Clinton administration standing by ineffectually, the Exxon/Mobil merger took effect, recreating the Standard Oil firm broken up in 1911 (Exxon and Mobil were the corporate descendents of most of Standard Oil) and creating the largest commercial firm on the planet.

UPDATED 30 NOV. 2013 04:26:31 a.m. PST / 12:26:31 ZULU/GMT/SUT/CUT —> Poor Denny's Almanac

On this date in 1835, Samuel Langhorne Clemens was born in the four-year-old hamlet of Florida, Missouri.

CWA 9413 MARK TWAIN'S UNION

On this date in 1888, Ralph Hartley, Rhodes scholar, inventor of the Hartley circuit (electronic oscillator circuit) and the math Hartley transform, and pioneer of information theory, was born in Spruce, Nevada; in 1918 in a speech to the Reichstag, an elated German Foreign Minister Richard von Kuhlmann lauded the Bolshevik victory in Russia, since it raised the possibility that Russia might withdraw from the war (see below); in 1941, the New York Sunday News carried a story and photo on Ben Lancaster, arrested in Nevada for peyote use under the state’s newly amended narcotics statute: “Lancaster’s arrest came at the end of a long investigation. The official finger was put on him by the Rev. Samuel R. Dunlop....Baptist missionary...The Rev. Dunlop has been in Nevada since 1935, having come from Wisconsin where he administered to the Winnebago, who also used peyote....”; in 1962, U.S. Representative John Moss of California, a Democrat, expressed concern about the “news management” policies of the Kennedy administration, including restrictions on information about Nevada atomic tests and withholding of information on Soviet space satellites; in 1995, President Clinton became the first U.S. president to visit British-occupied Ireland.

German Foreign Minister Richard von Kuhlmann/November 30, 1918: Our eyes at the present are turned toward the east. Russia has set the world ablaze. The gang of bureaucrats and sycophants, rotten to the core, overruling the weak and misguided through probably well meaning autocrat, surreptitiously brought about the mobilization of that country, which was the actual and immediate cause of the gigantic catastrophe which befell the world. Now, however, Russia has swept aside the culprits, and she is laboring to find through an armistice and peace an opportunity for her internal reconstruction.

UPDATED 29 NOV. 2013 02:50:28 a.m. PST / 10:50:28ZULU/GMT/SUT/CUT —> Poor Denny's Almanac

On this date in 1791, Luke Collinwood, captain of the slave ship Zong, ordered 133 sick captives thrown overboard in order that the ship’s insurance underwriters would pay for the loss, resulting in the fraudulent insurance claim case of Gregson vs. Gilbert in London and drawing new attention to the slave trade, strengthening the abolition movement; in 1883, tribal shipments of pine nuts from Carson City on the Virginia and Truckee Railroad reached 75,000 pounds and the harvest was believed to be only half finished, with San Franciscans a big market (the sale of pine nuts may have benefited from a report that they were good for lung trouble); in 1918 in a confusing story, Stars and Stripes in Paris reported that the U.S. 91st Division in the world war, which included soldiers from six states—one of them Nevada—used a war cry of “Powder River” to throw off military censors, though it did not explain how a cry on the battlefield had anything to do with censorship; in 1940, Congress approved legislation regulating Truckee River water storage; in 1951, Las Vegas Mayor Charles D. Baker was recalled to military duty in the Army engineering corps; in 1963, an episode of Route 66 titled I’m Here to Kill a King—in which a double of George Maharis’ character is hired to assassinate a Mideast king—was scheduled to air on this evening but was removed from the schedule in the wake of John Kennedy’s assassination (it was never aired during the series network run, but did appear in syndication); in 1969, both sides of a Beatles single, Come Together b/w Something, hit number one on the Billboard magazine chart, the first time such a thing had happened since Elvis’ Don’t b/w I Beg of You in 1958; in 2001, George Harrison died; in 2006 in a post-election ABC News panel discussion on the Iraq war moderated by ABC’s Charles Gibson, Gibson said the options were more troops, continuing the current troop level, or withdrawal—and then introduced a three-person panel that did not include any supporters of the withdrawal option.

Hope you and yours enjoyed Happy Thanksgibleting.

Reader beware of what's not really there
Barbwire by Barbano / Expanded from the 11-28-2013 Sparks Tribune

UPDATED 28 NOV. 2013 11:30:51 a.m. PST / 19:30:51 ZULU/GMT/SUT/CUT —> Poor Denny's Almanac

On this date in 1896, Lilia Sofer, who became architect Lilia Skala and with her husband and two sons fled Austria in the 1930s to become a Broadway, Oscar-nominated movie (Flashdance, Ship of Fools, Charly, Eleanor and Franklin) and television actress and the subject of the acclaimed play Lilia!, was born in Vienna; in 1919, U.S. Senator William King of Utah charged that the U.S. Department of Labor was “honeycombed” with Bolshevism and announced that he would introduce legislation transferring authority for administering the law on deportation of political radicals from the DOL to the Department of Justice; in 1939 in Ionia, Michigan, on the first day of pheasant season, pheasant took refuge in the state reformatory and inmates were given permission to keep the birds as pets until the season ended; in 1949, syndicated Hearst columnist Westbrook Pegler published a column attacking reporter/author Quentin Reynolds as a nudist, liar, defrauder, war profiteer and cowardly war correspondent who had proposed marriage to the widow of renowned reporter Heywood Broun at his funeral, provoking a landmark lawsuit that resulted in a then-record $1,663,137.33 libel judgment ($1,380,934.18 in 2012 dollars) against two Hearst corporations that distributed the column (the case inspired the Broadway play and 1968 and 1983 television movie A Case of Libel); in 1964, Leader of the Pack by the Shangri Las hit number one on the Billboard magazine chart; in 1980, a mentally disturbed woman, Priscilla Ford, drove a car down a sidewalk in Reno’s casino district, killing 7 people and injuring 23 (after the most expensive trial in Washoe County history, the district attorney’s office was chastised by the Nevada Supreme Court for not negotiating a plea that would have committed the insane woman to an asylum for the rest of her life).

UPDATED 27 NOV. 2013 9:40 p.m. PST / 21:40 ZULU/GMT/SUT/CUT NOV. 28 —> Poor Denny's Almanac

Archibald MacLeish/The Nation/November 27, 1937: "The remedy in the United States is not less liberty but real liberty—an end to the brutal intolerance of churchly hooligans and flag waving corporations and all the rest of the small but bloody despots who have made the word Americanism a synonym for coercion and legal crime."

On this date in 1868, Colonel George Custer, under a cloud after his conviction for being absent without leave from his command and conduct to the prejudice of good order and military discipline (mistreating his men), attacked without provocation a peaceful Cheyenne settlement on the Washita River at dawn while tribal members were sleeping, slaughtering 103 (mostly women and children) including Chief Black Kettle, a savage act that was spun by newspapers in Custer’s favor and helped restore his reputation; in 1919, Native Americans installing a pipeline for the Winnemucca Water and Light Company struck for fifty cents a day or more, and the contractor D.O. Church agreed to the raise for fear the ground would freeze (other details of the strike are lacking because the Silver State’s report was mostly devoted to trivializing the incident and belittling the tribal members—”Heap Big Indian Union. No. 1”, etc.); in 1933, two hundred county officials met in Reno with federal relief administrator for the district Pierce Williams and state labor commissioner William Royle, who briefed them on how to administer 3,000 federally created jobs in the state, which would pay 60 cents an hour; in 1967 the first known gay bookstore, Oscar Wilde’s in New York City, opened; in 1978, San Francisco Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk were murdered in city hall and former supervisor Dan White was arrested for the crime, which came on the heels of the Jonestown mass suicide by members of the People’s Temple that had previously been headquartered in San Francisco [EDITOR'S NOTE: Moscone had visited Reno a few months earlier to attend a political fundraiser at the home of State Sen. Mary Gojack, D-Reno.]; in 2002, U.N. inspectors began a new round of inspections in Iraq that found no weapons of mass destruction, a conclusion George Bush and his administration refused to accept.

John F. Kennedy's 2014 Inaugural Address
Barbwire by Barbano / Expanded from the 11-21-2013 Sparks Tribune

With friends like these, who needs enemies?
How Many More Labor Setbacks Will Occur Before Needed Changes Are Made?
LaborFightBack.org / 11-22-2013

The Dean's List    The Dean of Reno Bloggers could very well be Andrew Barbano, self-described "fighter of public demons," who started putting his "Barbwire" columns online in 1996 and now runs 10 sites. RENO NEWS & REVIEW, 11-9-2006 Barbwire-nominated candidate Guy Richardson wins election to the Nevada Press Association. Hall of Fame on first try Support Dondero next HAT TRICK Barbwire wins third straight Nevada Press Association first-place award The 2009 first-place Nevada Press Association award winners Tony the Tiger & the flaky NFL Barbwire / 11-30-2008 Deregulation is never having to say you're sorry Barbwire / 8-3-2008 Nevada: A good place to visit, but do you want to live here? Barbwire / 6-15-2008 The 2008 first-place Nevada Press Association award winners The price of a piece/6-17-2007 Boxing Pandora/9-23-2007 The Lady in the Red Dress 10-28-2007 Barbwire.TV Support the new community TV channel Suing for Schools Click here for on-demand re-runs from the 2009 and 2011 legislative sessions (775) 882-8255 [882-TALK] Barbwire.TV: 15-year overnight success Daily Sparks Tribune 2-10-2008 The Barbwire's Greatest Hits Highlights from radio days mp3 file

Nov. 23: FOUR Immigration Reform Marches Converge on Downtown Reno this Saturday

On Saturday, November 23rd, a coalition of immigration advocacy groups will lead Congressman Mark Amodei’s constituents in a peaceful walk to the downtown Reno Arch from four different Reno locations: Rep. Amodei’s Office, St. Thomas Aquinas Cathedral, St. Therese–Little Flower Church, and the University of Nevada, in order to continue efforts to keep immigration reform a priority in Congress. This walk will have 4 different starting points for accessibility purposes. Constituents from across Northern Nevada, including Carson City, Washoe, Churchill, Douglas, Elko, Eureka, Humboldt, Lander, Pershing, Lyon and Storey counties are encouraged to come and participate.

Starting Points and Times:

    1. Congressman Mark Amodei's office, 5310 Kietzke Ln., Suite 103, Reno, NV 89511; meeting at 11:00, walk at 11:30 a.m.
    2. St. Theresa Little Flower Church, 975 E. Plumb Ln., Reno, NV 89502; meeting at 12:00 noon, walk at 12:30 p.m.
    3. St. Thomas Aquinas Cathedral, 310 W 2nd St., Reno, NV 89503; meeting at 1:00 p.m., walk at 1:30 p.m.
    4. University of Nevada-Reno Manzanita Bowl, corner of N. Virginia St and 9th streets; meeting at 1:00 p.m., walk at 1:30 p.m.

March Destination and Rallying Place: Re-Track Plaza next to the downtown Reno Arch, 2:00-3:00 p.m. Nov. 23

Event participants may register by clicking here.
Info: Carla Castedo / Mi Familia Vota

Cory Hernandez, (775) 560-2233, Northern Nevada Latino Alliance

Immigration Shifts Political Power
AP-Las Vegas Sun / 11-20-2013

Nov. 21: State Senate Majority leader Moises Denis headlines informational meeting regarding Driver’s Authorization Cards

Join Senator Mo Denis, D-Las Vegas, for an informational meeting regarding Nevada Driver’s Authorization Cards. Find out the requirements to apply. We will discuss the requirements, when one can apply, costs, and additional information.

Acompañe al Senador Moises Denis a una Reunión Informativa acerca de las Tarjetas de Autorización para Manejar. Venga a obtener información de los Requisitos para aplicar por una Tarjeta de Autorización para Manejar en Nevada. Vamos a discutir los requisitos, cuando se puede aplicar, los costos, más información adicional.

Thursday/Jueves Nov. 21 / 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Pine Middle School / Secundaria Pine / 4800 Neil Road / Reno NV 89502

Info: Cory Hernandez
(775) 560-2233
Northern Nevada Latino Alliance

John F. Kennedy's 2014 Inaugural Address
Barbwire by Barbano / Expanded from the 11-21-2013 Sparks Tribune

 

POOR DENNY'S ALMANAC 11-21-2013 — On this date in 1904, Coleman Hawkins, saxophonist who helped created jazz, was born in St. Joseph, Missouri; in 1936 by a vote of 93 to three, members of the Pyramid Lake Indian Tribe ratified its corporate charter; in 1959, disc jockey Alan Freed was fired from WABC radio for accepting payola, days before he also lost his job hosting the television program The Big Beat; in 1963, President Kennedy proposed that fifty million silver dollars be minted in 1964 and 100 million in 1965 and the Boston Globe reported that Attorney General Robert Kennedy intended to resign in 1964 to run his brother’s reelection campaign; in 1967, The Who Sell Out was released; in 1996, a six story iron tower on West John Street in Carson City, used for ham radio purposes for many years, was taken down; On this date in 2004, Ray Hagar and Sandi Wright reported in the Reno Gazette-Journal that local schools attended by low income students tended to be the most poorly maintained schools.         THE BARBWIRE RESPONDS: So what else is new? Over the decades, the RGJ has done a sterling job investigating separate but unequal health care and education. Alas and alack, nothing much ever changes on the High Desert Plantation. For a quick sad summary, see the Barbwire of April 2, 2006 (updated periodically).

It's long been very personal: Blasts from our very checkered past Fatal Conservatism: Killing our bodies and our minds Expanded from the 4-2-2006 Daily Sparks Tribune UPDATED 8-8-2006, 1-16-2008, 3-9-2008, 4-6-2008, 1-16-2011

Hot type: Las Vegas Sun burns down on Nov. 20, 1963
The newspaper was formerly the Las Vegas Free Press, owned by the International Typographical Union which long since merged with the Communications Workers of America/AFL-CIO. Reno and Las Vegas dailies stayed unionized into the 1970's and early 1980's, but no union shops remain in the hotbed of union activity which is the Nevada of today.
What was once may someday come again.
Las Vegas Sun / 11-20-2013

Remembering another local school murder
Barbwire by Barbano / Expanded from the 11-14-2013 Sparks Tribune

Barbano on statewide Nevada Newsmakers TV-radio-web program
Click above for re-run times and dates
KRNV TV-4 Reno / KENV TV-10 Elko / Monday, Nov. 11, 2013
Host: Sam Shad
Guests: CJ Hadley, Editor/Publisher, Range Magazine
Carolyn Dufurrena, Rancher and Author
Pundits: Chip Evans, former Washoe County Democratic Chair and talk radio host
John Gwaltney, Economist and President Emeritus, Truckee Meadows Community College
Andrew Barbano, Editor, NevadaLabor.com
As usual, the pundits jousted over schools and taxes.
Read the Barbwire in the March 28 Sparks Tribune for a radically conservative solution.
For further outrage and erudition, go to We Don't Need No Education: The continuing & neverending series
A new med school for UNLV? Another program to underfund. What doctor shortage?
Turn on, tune in and tell a friend.

Death on the job: Nevada workers remain cheap and disposable
Updates on two Laborers' Local 169 members killed and two injured on I-80
Worker dies trimming trees at MGM's Mirage on Las Vegas Strip

The bloody guns of October fire on November
Barbwire by Barbano / Expanded from the 11-7-2013 Sparks Tribune

Nevada Day Required Reading
The Lady in the Red Dress
The Barbwire's classic Nevada Day column written in 1983
The compleat history of the Silver State in 500 words
SO WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?
Sparks Tribune 10-31-2013 and previously

Barbano on statewide Nevada Newsmakers TV-radio-web program
10-30-2013: Sam & TRPA boss + Barbwire Man vs. the Moonhowlers

Reno memorial service for Assemblymember Peggy Pierce, D-Las Vegas, announced for Nov. 16

Let's persuade Apple to start making i-Guns here
Barbwire by Barbano / Expanded from the 10-24-2013 Sparks Tribune

UPDATED 22 OCT. 2013 2:46 p.m. PDT / 21:46 ZULU/GMT/SUT/CUT—>

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Pastor Michael L. Randle
Press Release 10/21/2013 12:30 p.m. PDT

In light of the tragic events of Monday at Sparks Middle School, the African American Clergy Council of  Northern Nevada (AACCONN)  will host a special prayer vigil to comfort friends, families and community members affected.

The event will be held at Second Baptist Church of Reno, 1265 Montello Street, Reno, NV, Wednesday, October 23rd at 6:00 p.m.

The children in our community are important to us and your "support in prayer" is vital.

For more information please call (775) 786-1017.

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A candlelight vigil at Sparks Middle School, 2275 18th Street, will begin at 7:00 p.m. on Oct. 23. Attendees are asked to bring their own candles.

Contact: Rev. Howard Dotson, Spanish Springs Presbyterian Church, 402-889-8410.

Monitor the Daily Sparks Tribune and Reno Gazette-Journal for updates on the story regarding a 12 year-old student who, on Oct. 21, brought a Ruger semi-auto from home and killed a math teacher and then himself after wounding two other students who are expected to survive. A local TV report on Oct. 22 featured interviews with two Sparks Middle School students, one a victim. They stated that about two weeks ago, Sparks Middle School showed students an anti-bullying video which dramatized bringing a gun to school as a solution. The Washoe County School District said they are looking into the matter. // 10-23 UPDATE—>Sparks City Attorney Chet Adams released a statement largely in response to a 10-23 RGJ front page editorial demanding official disclosure of the 12 year-old murderer's name. Everyone at the school and nearby already have the identity. Adams, not known for being the brightest bulb in the box, refused. 10-24 UPDATE—>Sparks City Hall backed down under threats of media legal action and today identified the murderer as 12 year-old Jose Reyes. May his troubled soul find peace. Send prayers for him, slain teacher Michael Landsberry and all the other victims wounded either physically, mentally or both. Namaste. Requiescant in pace.

More shooting news and commentary

Remembering another local school murder
Barbwire by Barbano / Expanded from the 11-14-2013 Sparks Tribune

The bloody guns of October fire on November
Barbwire by Barbano / Expanded from the 11-7-2013 Sparks Tribune

Let's persuade Apple to start making i-Guns here
Barbwire by Barbano / Expanded from the 10-24-2013 Sparks Tribune

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Barbano on the Barbwire plots new TV season
Barbwire Special Web Edition / 10-21-2013

The African Americans: Many Rivers to Cross
with Henry Louis Gates, Jr./Oct. 22-Nov. 26 8-9:00 pm. Eastern/Check local listings for times and re-runs
A new six-part series now on PBS TV stations

UPDATED 22 OCT. 2013 9:44 p.m. PDT // 04:44 ZULU/GMT/SUT/CUT 23 OCT.—>On this date in 1887, charges were dismissed in Virginia City against gamblers accused of violating the law against games of chance on the first floors of buildings because licenses had been issued to them to do so; in 1922, Vladivostok, reportedly the last outpost held by the White Guards, fell to Soviet troops, effectively ending resistance to the Russian revolution; in 1935, cowboy actor Tom Mix brought his wild west show to Las Vegas; in 1956, the Ely Daily Times reported that Elko had broken with Ely on their expensive joint effort to bring air service to eastern Nevada; in 1966, Al Yankovic had his first accordion lesson, the day before his seventh birthday; in 1979, the Carter administration admitted former Iranian tyrant Reza Pahlavi to the United States for medical treatment easily available in several other nations that did not have a history of interference with Iranian affairs, precipitating the hostage crisis; in 1986, President Reagan signed legislation stripping from the public one of the few tax loopholes enjoyed by ordinary people—deductability of interest on consumer credit, including car loans, credit cards, vacation loans.

UPDATED 21 OCT. 2013 2:59 a.m. PDT // 09:59 ZULU/GMT/SUT/CUT—>On this date in 1882, Chief Winnemucca died; in 1918, Charles Ellis Beuhanon, a U.S. soldier of Wells, Nevada, died at base hospital no. 55 in France; in 1931, acting on a suggestion by President Hoover, electric utilities across the nation, including the Elko Lamoille Power Company, shut off all city lights in their communities for one minute at 7 in the evening as a tribute to Thomas Edison; in 1957, Jailhouse Rock was released into theatres, the same day the song of the same name hit number one on the Billboard magazine chart; in 1970, the U.S. House Armed Services Committee disclosed that six soldiers in Vietnam had charged that they were ordered to invent fictitious heroism for Brigadier General E.P. Forrester so he could receive the Silver Star and the Distinguished Flying Cross; in 2004, Jesse M. Samek of Rogers, Arkansas, based at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada, was killed in a helicopter accident in western Afghanistan.

Déjà vu all over again and again and...
Viruses in the program: Apple downtown Reno/UNR center was never put in writing—>
Apple burns the mouse pad: Years of union warnings confirmed. Reno Gazette-Journal editorial demands more transparency in corporate welfare tax giveways like Apple and UNR.
Better late than never?

Will Gomorrah South learn?
Southern Nevada unions protest wealthy corporate welfare queens' scheme to build Las Vegas 51s baseball park with public funds
$88 million deal would be second only to Apple's all-time shakedown record of $89mm
Does the Howard Hughes outfit really need all that money?
Las Vegas Review-Journal / 10-19-2013
NevadaLabor.com Corporate Welfare Archive // Cabellyup.com

UPDATED 18 OCT. 2013 12:49 a.m. PDT / 07:49 ZULU/GMT/SUT/CUT 14 OCT. 2013—>On this date in 1898 during the Spanish American War, U.S. troops supposedly liberated Porto Rico (“liberation” became colonialism); in 1913, The Girl From Utah, an Edwardian musical about a woman who ran away to London to avoid becoming one of the wives of a Latter Day Saint, opened at the Adelphi Theatre in London and the next year at New York’s Knickerbocker Theatre on August 14, 1914 with the addition, among others, of the Jerome Kern song They Didn’t Believe Me that became a favorite of soldiers in the world war (the song closed the 1969 antiwar movie about the war, Oh! What a Lovely War); in 1934 under a federal water development program, seven artesian wells had so far been successfully developed in Nevada, five of them at Stillwater wetlands in Churchill County; in 1945, Raytheon filed a patent application for the microwave oven invented by its employee Percy Spencer; [EDITOR'S NOTE: It was marketed to restaurants in the 1950's and 1960's as the prohibitively expensive "Radarange"; in 1955, Bao Dai, Saigon puppet ruler of the French, tried to fire Ngo Dinh Diem, Saigon puppet ruler of the U.S.; in 1961 in a letter to his Random House editor’s wife, Nevada novelist Walter Van Tilburg Clark (The Ox Bow Incident) wrote, “I have turned nearly deaf…”; in 1974, U.S. Senator Howard Cannon of Nevada said that if the vote on confirmation of the nomination of Nelson Rockefeller to be vice-president of the United States were to be held immediately, he would vote for Rockefeller, but also said that the Senate Rules Committee investigation and hearings (Cannon was chair of the committee) could change things; in 1996, Bill Clinton, speaking in Houston before an audience of his rich campaign contributors in his reelection campaign, denounced himself for the small tax increase they had to endure under his program, which he blamed on the Republicans and on fellow Democrats who had gone out on a limb to vote with him: “Probably there are people in this room still mad at me at that budget because you think I raised your taxes too much. It might surprise you to know I think I raised them too much too.”

Barbwire: Nevada not really a state
No, we were not Battle Born in Kenya
Top 10 reasons Nevada lives in the 19th Century
Barbwire by Barbano / Expanded from the 10-17-2013 Sparks Tribune

MI Wal-Mart worker fired for helping assaulted woman
Associated Press / Las Vegas Sun / 10-17-2013
More about Wally World in Nevada

The Dean's List    The Dean of Reno Bloggers could very well be Andrew Barbano, self-described "fighter of public demons," who started putting his "Barbwire" columns online in 1996 and now runs 10 sites. RENO NEWS & REVIEW, 11-9-2006 Barbwire-nominated candidate Guy Richardson wins election to the Nevada Press Association. Hall of Fame on first try Support Dondero next HAT TRICK Barbwire wins third straight Nevada Press Association first-place award The 2009 first-place Nevada Press Association award winners Tony the Tiger & the flaky NFL Barbwire / 11-30-2008 Deregulation is never having to say you're sorry Barbwire / 8-3-2008 Nevada: A good place to visit, but do you want to live here? Barbwire / 6-15-2008 The 2008 first-place Nevada Press Association award winners The price of a piece/6-17-2007 Boxing Pandora/9-23-2007 The Lady in the Red Dress 10-28-2007 Barbwire.TV Support the new community TV channel Suing for Schools Click here for on-demand re-runs from the 2009 and 2011 legislative sessions (775) 882-8255 [882-TALK] Barbwire.TV: 15-year overnight success Daily Sparks Tribune 2-10-2008 The Barbwire's Greatest Hits Highlights from radio days mp3 file

Registered nurses ratify new contract with St. Mary's
Reno News & Review / 10-17-2013

Clandestine construction cash: Laborers' Union handbillers take community's case to UNR students (10-14-2013)
Union wants student-moderated public forum

UPDATED 13 OCT. 2013 9:53 p.m. PDT / 04:53 ZULU/GMT/SUT/CUT 14 OCT. 2013—>

Dennis Myers' Poor Denny's Almanac October 13 —> On this date in 1880, a James Erskine of Monmouth College defeated William Jennings Bryan of Illinois College in an oratorical contest at Galesburg, Illinois (James Addams was eliminated in an earlier round) and a local newspaper observed, “Mr. Bryan is a fine orator, and although he has not a strong voice, has a clear enunciation, and did his subject such justice that all felt that justice had been done when he was awarded the second prize.”; in 1917, the last reported vision of a lady to Francisco and Jacinta Marto and Lucia de Santos occurred at Fatima (Portugal); in 1933, plans were announced to put high-profile criminals like Harvey Bailey and George Kelly into a former military prison on Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay; in 1938, the Las Vegas city commission voted to limit the number of taverns in the town to 16; in 1942, former University of Nevada Sagebrush editor Walker Matheson (BA, ‘25) entered a plea of innocent to a charge of being a Japanese agent after being accused of writing and publishing material of which the U.S. government disapproved while allegedly receiving a subsidy from the Japanese (Matheson was working in Nelson Rockefeller’s Office of Inter-American Affairs writing short wave broadcast scripts at the time of his arrest); in 1970, acting on a petition by supporters of Democratic candidate for governor Mike O'Callaghan, Nevada District Court judge John Gabrielli ordered Secretary of State John Koontz to take independent candidate for governor Charles Springer’s name off the ballot, a ruling later reversed by the Supreme Court of Nevada (but the lawyer who argued the petition on O’Callaghan’s behalf, James Guinan, later got his reward—O’Callaghan appointed Guinan to a state district judgeship); in 1971, Michael Lee Darrah of Reno, Nevada died in Vietnam (panel 2w/row 38 of the Vietnam wall); in 1992, in what many critics saw as reprisal for coal strikes that damaged conservative political prospects in the 1970s, the Thatcher government announced that it would close a third of Britain’s deep coal mines (Margaret Thatcher called miners “the enemy within”), putting 31,000 people out of jobs and sharply undercutting labor union power (the shutdown of the Grimethorpe colliery threatened the existence of its renowned brass band, formed in 1917 as a leisure time activity for miners, as dramatized in the film Brassed Off!).

 

Dennis Myers' Poor Denny's Almanac October 12 —> On this date in 1853, U.S. Representative Thomas Hart Benton wrote a letter to the people of his state of Missouri about the ongoing exploration of the west, including expedition of his son-in-law, John Fremont and his plans for a road across the west, including Nevada: “In the year 1824, I got an act passed to have a road marked out from the frontier of Missouri to New Mexico, (the same that has been traveled ever since,) and to hold treaties with the Indians on the way, and to conciliate their good will and friendship. We want the same thing done now, and upon a larger scale, from the frontier of Missouri to the California State line. ... The Indian title should be extinguished where necessary, and the preemption system universally established. ... The Mormons now settle where they please in the Utah and Pah-Utah country, without extinction of Indian title, and without objection from the Government; but I prefer to follow the old policy of buying from the Indians, as being more just in itself, and more for the peace and safety of the settlers.”; in 1872, Francis “Borax” Smith first arrived at Teel’s Marsh, Nevada, where he found sodium borate and later launched the company that became U.S. Borax; in 1915, British nurse Edith Cavell, who had remained in German-occupied Belgium, was executed by a German firing squad for treating war victims of all nationalities—German, British, Belgian, French—after telling a priest that nationalism was partly to blame—“patriotism is not enough. I must have no hatred or bitterness towards anyone”; in 1933, outlaws Harry Pierpont, Charles Makley, and Russell Clark repaid John Dillinger for engineering their escape from Indiana’s Michigan City Prison by breaking him out of the Lima, Ohio jail; in 1941 at Dnipropetrovsk in Ukraine, one of the most ghastly massacres of the Holocaust began, consuming two days during which 11,000 Jews were murdered; in 1972, racial incidents associated with two ships that had just put in at the U.S. base at Subic Bay in the Philippines occurred—a race riot on the USS Kitty Hawk and, four days later, a theft and beating involving sailors crewing the USS Hassayampa; in 1989, U.S. Catholic bishops opposed the use of condoms to protect against AIDS; in 2007, Canadian troops fighting Taliban forces in Afghanistan said ten-foot-high marijuana plants were being used for cover and “marijuana plants absorb energy, heat very readily. It's very difficult to penetrate with thermal devices” and when the plants were burned to remove the cover, they either didn't burn because of high water content or it was like giving allied troops downwind a big hit off a massive doobie; in 2013, Carol Cizauskas and Donald Prather will be married at Plumas House in Reno.

 

 

UPDATED 13 OCT. 2013 5:38 p.m. PDT / 00:38 ZULU/GMT/SUT/CUT 14 OCT. 2013—>

VOTE NOW — HANDS OFF THE U.S. POSTAL SERVICE — Just a few hours left

BLAST FROM THE PAST —> FED UP AT THE FEDERAL BUILDING (9-27-2011) —> More than 200 postal workers and members of other unions demonstrated at the Bruce Thompson Federal Building in Reno in favor of passage of HR 1351, which would remove the funding drain now threatening the United States Postal Service. The federal courthouse may be seen in the window reflections of the auto in the foreground. Another rally was held in Reno on 24 march 2013. (NevadaLabor.com photo)

Postal service jeopardized in Las Vegas and Nevada rural areas Las Vegas Sun / 4-22-2012

HANDS OFF THE U.S. POSTAL SERVICE

(10-13-2013) — Dear Barbwire: Just noticed this poll comes down in 2 days.  Please get word out to across the web to please vote No, hands off —>ASAP.

The Yahoo Financial page website is running an article on why the United Kingdom can privatize its Postal Service but the US can't.

The article is accompanied by a poll on the center right side of the page that states: "U.K. Royal mail went public, with shares soaring the first day. Should the U.S. privatize the post office?"

Then they list the following responses:

Yes, it's the best way to save it
No, hands off
There's no hope for the post office either way

Please click here to go to the Yahoo Finance Web poll and vote "No, hands off" —>ASAP.

Also please circulate this email to all your e-mail and social media contacts and ask them to support us by voting "No" as well on the poll.

Remember this page and others have also promoted privatizing Social Security in the past.

Thank you for your assistance with this request.

In unionism,

CM

In Memoriam: The Best of the Best Assemblymember Margaret "Peggy" Cornstock Pierce, D-Las Vegas 1954-2013 Updated 10-24-2013—>Reno memorial service announced for Nov. 16 (10-10-2013, 7:18 a.m. PDT) — Peggy went rapidly downhill the last few days. She was very confused and virtually non verbal. Yesterday we decided to go into hospice on her oncologist’s recommendation. It took most of the day to through all of the evaluations and have the hospital bed, oxygen and medications delivered. We started her on them last night. One of the  things on my to do list for today was to let everyone know know. Peggy didn’t wait however. After a very restless night she let go at around 4:15 a.m. (PDT, 10-10-2013)  Thanks for all of your over this difficult time. Jon Editor's Note: Longtime Washoe Legal Services leader Jon Sasser was Peggy's companion in her final years. Sasser told KRNV TV-4 News that she finally succumbed to a third recurrence of cancer at age 59. He called her a fierce advocate for workers' rights and the environment and champion of the people who don't otherwise have a voice. Nevada State AFL-CIO Executive Secretary-Treasurer Danny Thompson said "We have received very sad news today that Assemblywoman Peggy Pierce has lost her long battle with breast cancer. Peggy’s passing is a huge loss for her labor family and for all working families in Nevada. Peggy was a loyal member of Culinary 226 and was elected to the Nevada Assembly in 2002. She served Nevada proudly and was a champion for workers’ rights and environmental issues. We will miss her greatly." She returned to the legislature several sessions ago with no hair after chemotherapy. She refused to wear a wig, defiantly wanting people to see what a cancer fight looks like. Peggy ranks with legislative liberal giants who preceded her—>that happy few, that band of sisters whom only death could defeat: Assemblymember Nancy Gomes (D-Reno), Assemblymembers and Senators Mary Gojack (D-Reno) and Jean Ford (R and D-Las Vegas). UPDATE: I said a few words and led the Reno-Sparks NAACP in a moment of silence on Oct. 10. — AB Requiescant in pacem. Details of Peggy's sparkling and courageous voting record from Project Vote Smart. From the American Civil Liberties Union of Nevada: "At the 2013 legislature alone, Assemblywoman Pierce introduced two of the most positive civil liberties bills of the session. AB 313 would have required law enforcement to obtain a warrant before accessing GPS and cell phone tracking information. AB 133 would have prohibited strip searches of non-violent, non-drug, and non-alcohol misdemeanor arrestees unless law enforcement can articulate suspicion for a search...She was a staunch advocate for the civil rights and civil liberties for all people in Nevada, especially for the poor and communities who do not traditionally have a voice in the political process." Read the full ACLU statement. Others praised her for her commitment to tax equity, especially regarding big business in general and the Nevada mining industry in particular. UPDATE: Southern Nevada memorial service announced / Northern Nevada pending From Jon Sasser: Thank you for all of the love and support given to me and Peggy’s family over the roughest 5 days of my life. Below is an update. The celebration of Peggy’s life will be from 3:00 ­ 6:00 p.m next Saturday, Oct. 19, at the Culinary Union, 1630 S. Commerce in Las Vegas. The program will be from 4:00 - 5:00 p.m. with time before and after for food, beverages and sharing our memories. For Northern Nevada friends who cannot be with us on Saturday, we are planning to hold a later event. I am not sure how soon yet. We are putting together a slide show with photos of Peggy. Please submit electronic versions of any pictures you have by Wednesday at 5:00 to picturesofpeggy@gmail.com In lieu of flowers, please make a contribution to a progressive organization or one fighting breast cancer.   Among Peggy’s favorites are: Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada 708 S. 6th St., Las Vegas, NV 89101 Nevada Conservation League, 817 S. Main St.. Las Vegas, NV 89101 The Breast Cancer Research Foundation, 60 East 56th Street 8th floor, New York, NY 10022 Planned Parenthood of Southern Nevada, 3220 W. Charleston Blvd., Las Vegas, NV 89102 ProgressNow Nevada 708 S. 6th street LV, NV 89101 Can also donate at progressnownevada.org FYI ­ if you haven’t seen them, here are some of the articles about Peggy over the past few days—> UPDATED 10-20-2013 If you would like to read more about her remarkable journey or watch the video of her standing up to big business click this link. Today, I say thank you to Assemblywoman Pierce for being a female leader that I was proud to look up to. You will be missed by all of us, and we will work harder than ever to honor your memory by fighting for the issues you cared so much about. Annette Magnus, Executive Director ProgressNow Nevada Peggy Pierce: Warrior for the people / Launce Rake / LV CityLife 10-10-2013 http://www.reviewjournal.com/columns-blogs/steve-sebelius/farewell-peggy-pierce-nevadas-fiercest-liberal-lawmaker http://www.ralstonreports.com/blog/pierce-was-one-kind-not-soon-forgotten http://www.reviewjournal.com/news/assemblywoman-peggy-pierce-las-vegas-dies-cancer https://www.reviewjournal.com/columns-blogs/john-l-smith/lawmaker-pierce-gave-voice-workers-rights http://www.fox5vegas.com/story/23657147/democratic-assemblywoman-peggy-pierce-dies-at-59 http://www.nevadaappeal.com/news/8464433-113/pierce-state-nevada-democratic http://www.8newsnow.com/story/23656253/breaking-news http://www.mynews3.com/content/news/local/story/pierce-nevada-assembly-cancer-las-vegas/Af0eSmwDJ0m2_h0F_B7tnQ.cspx http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/readingeagle/obituary.aspx?n=margaret-pierce-peggy&pid=167474491 http://www.rgj.com/viewart/20131010/NEWS07/310100042/Nevada-Democratic-Assemblywoman-Peggy-Pierce-dies-59 http://www.mynews4.com/news/story/Democratic-Nev-Assemblywoman-Peggy-Pierce-dies-at/e1Dk1ih8T0SFbjX0O06a5Q.cspx UPDATE 10-24-2013 —> We will hold the Northern Nevada celebration of Peggy's life at the McKinley Arts & Culture Center on 925 Riverside Dr. from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 16th. Doors will open at 2:45 and the program will start around 3:45. Both before and after the program there will be food, beverages, slideshow and a chance to share your memories of Peggy with others. More details will be forthcoming as we get closer to the event. For those wishing to carry on into the evening, we will move the celebration to a local bar. While formal RSVP will not be required, I will probably start asking for a rough headcount week or so before the event so we'll have the proper quantity of food and beverages. Please feel free to forward this to anyone who might be interested in attending. Thank you for your patience. It was difficult to have the Southern Nevada celebration last Saturday and then regroup for another any sooner. Jon Sasser ps: I also understand that Sheila Leslie will be paying tribute to Peggy in her column in the Reno News and Review next week. STAY TUNED, REMEMBER FONDLY, SAY A PRAYER AND CONTINUE THE WORK—>

USA at crossroads: New Deal or new Confederacy?
Barbwire by Barbano / Expanded from the 10-10-2013 Sparks Tribune
UPDATE—>Bill Moyers: Shutdown is simply secession by other means

Never fly United
By Jake Highton / Sparks Tribune / 10-10-2013

UPDATED 3 OCT. 2013 2:23 p.m. PDT / 21:23 ZULU/GMT/SUT/CUT —>

Sex, sports and rock 'n' roll dept.
Moneyball: Invest in texting, tweeting & twerking
Barbwire by Barbano / Expanded from the 10-3-2013 Sparks Tribune

Nevada union voters can represent more than one in six
By Dennis Myers / Reno News & Review / 10-3-2013

Free at last! As of October 1, 2013, a Nevada job applicant's credit history cannot be used to impact a hiring decision. Senate Bill 127 makes it illegal for employers to condition employment on someone's credit information and stops the longtime practice of requiring credit reports by many organizations. Some exceptions apply. Click here to read the law and its legislative history.

Unfortunately, the opening episode fails to mention that the Texas rebellion, sanitized by the Alamo myth, was a pro-slavery war. Late-coming Anglo settlers from slave states were angered that Mexico had banned slavery. Makes you want to toss your Davy Crockett pseudo-coonskin cap and plastic Bowie knife.    Later installments show how the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and union leader César Chávez sparked a long-smoldering fire. Check listings for frequent re-runs of the six-hour PBS series.    Let your local station know about the omissions and tell us what they say.

César Chávez is featured on the final first-run installment. Check local listings and pbs.org for re-runs. Almanac: On Oct. 2, 1835, the Battle of Gonzales, the first skirmish of the Texas Revolution took place. Texian settlers half-heartedly exchanged fire with Mexican soldiers near the Guadalupe River. The Mexican Army finally withdrew. It wasn't much of a fight, but it was the first. Latino Americanos, una serie documental que marca un hito con sus seis horas presentadas en tres partes. PBS sacará al aire la serie a nivel nacional en el otoño de 2013.

NEW—>In such dire straits that it now merits its own sordid section
We Don't Need No Education: The Neverending Series

UPDATED 25 SEPT. 2013 3:31 p.m. PDT / 22:31 ZULU/GMT/SUT/CUT —>

ACTION ALERT: Support TWU Against Allegiant Air Sept. 26 Dear Brothers and Sisters: On Thursday, Sept. 26,, delegates and union activists from the Transport Workers Union (TWU) will gather to picket the Allegiant Air headquarters in Las Vegas at 3:30 p.m. Allegiant Air has refused to reach a labor agreement with more than 600 flight attendants who are members of TWU Local 577. With your help, we can make them know the time is NOW to treat their employees with respect. Join us and speak out against these unfair practices. WHO: Delegates and union activists WHAT: Informational picketing and rally WHERE: Allegiant Air Headquarters, 8360 South Durango, Las Vegas WHEN: Thursday, September 26, 3:30 pm Click here to read more about how Allegiant treats its workers and customers. Danny L. Thompson Executive Secretary-Treasurer Nevada State AFL-CIO

Viruses in the program: Apple downtown Reno/UNR center was never put in writing—>
Editorial: Apple deal is a reminder more transparency is needed, including projects at UNR
Reno Gazette-Journal Editorial/Sunday 10-20-13

Student achievement center construction project inspires questioning
By Kenny Bissett / UNR Sagebrush 10-8-2013

The smoking gun: UN,R subcontractor hires and exploits undocumented workers
By Dennis Myers / Reno News & Review / 9-26-2013

Just like old times: UN,R and Hot August Nights
Barbwire by Barbano / Expanded from the 9-26-2013 Sparks Tribune

Unions protest UNR student housing construction giveaway Reno Gazette-Journal front page 9-24-2013 Editorial: Apple deal is a reminder more transparency is needed, including projects at UNR Reno Gazette-Journal Editorial Sunday 10-20-13

UPDATED 24 SEPT. 2013 5:00 p.m. PDT / 00:00 ZULU/GMT/SUT/CUT 9-25-2013 —>
UPDATED 24 SEPT. 2013 1:06 p.m. PDT / 08:06 ZULU/GMT/SUT/CUT —>
19 SEPT. 2013 6:49 p.m. PDT / 01:49 ZULU/GMT/SUT/CUT SEPT. 20 —>

MEDIA ADVISORY 9-19-2013
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT
Richard "Skip" Daly (775) 856-0169; cell 722-6534

Laborers' Union demonstrates at UNR
Worker files complaint with Dept. of Homeland Security

RENO, Nev. — Members of Laborers' International Union Local 169 will form an informational picket line Friday morning, Sept. 20, on North Virginia Street at the demolition site of the former Getchell Library on the UNR campus.

"We want donors to the university to know how their money is being spent," stated Local 169 Business Manager Richard "Skip" Daly.

Out-of-state general contractor Core Construction, with University of Nevada-Reno staffers sitting at the table, selected Advance Installations, Inc., to perform asbestos abatement services on the library demolition.

Shunting Nevada work to out-of-state carpetbaggers is nothing new UNR isn't keeping up with maintenance Reno Gazette-Journal letter /Sunday 12-29-13 Editorial: Apple deal is a reminder more transparency is needed, including projects at UNR Apple downtown Reno/UNR center deal was never put in writing Reno Gazette-Journal Editorial/Sunday 10-20-13 Student achievement center construction project inspires questioning By Kenny Bissett/UNR Sagebrush 10-8-2013 The smoking gun: UN,R subcontractor hires and exploits undocumented workers Dennis Myers/Reno News & Review/9-26-2013 Just like old times: UN,R and Hot August Nights Barbwire by Barbano/Sparks Tribune/9-26-13 UNIONS PROTEST UNR GIVEAWAY ON STUDENT HOUSING CONSTRUCTION Reno Gazette-Journal front page/9-24-2013 State of the Unions —> Non-Nevada contractors, including Apple, continue to plague local workers Reno Gazette-Journal 9-1-2013 Bullfighting in Tonopah —> Billion-dollar tax-subsidized solar array goes to shady contractor from sunny Spain Barbwire / Sparks Tribune 8-11-2011 Nevada workers march to UNR for Nevada jobs U-News / 5-20-2010

"Core and UNR were informed about the notorious track record of Advance Installations, including prevailing wage complaints, exploitation of undocumented workers and issues with the Nevada State Contractors Board," Daly asserted.

"UNR allowed the selection of Advance Installations anyway," Daly said.

"An Advance Installations worker came to us with questions about his treatment, pay and other issues," Daly stated.

"He felt secure asking us about his situation because of his documented legal status. He stated that his co-workers felt afraid. When he began asking questions of management and talking to his co-workers about these issues, Advance Installations started to freeze him out by cutting his work hours," Daly added.

"He told us that some of his co-workers were not only undocumented, but that some had been previously deported and others had criminal records," Daly said.

"We've been informed that the documented worker filed an I-9 complaint with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

"We have no information as to the status of that complaint or if anything has been done," Daly noted.

Form I-9 (capital Ietter "i", numeral 9) "is used for verifying the identity and employment authorization of individuals hired for employment in the United States," according to a Homeland Security website (below).

"All U.S. employers must ensure proper completion of Form I-9 for each individual they hire for employment in the United States. This includes citizens and noncitizens. Both employees and employers (or authorized representatives of the employer) must complete the form," the website states.

The form must be kept by the employer for at least three years after hire or one year after termination.

"We understand that there has been a wholesale change in Advance Installations personnel on the Getchell site," Daly said, "but the employment information on all workers must remain available for federal compliance purposes."

Laborers' International Union of North America Local 169 has operated in Nevada since 1902 and represents more than 1,000 workers.
____
Purpose of Form :
Form I-9 is used for verifying the identity and employment authorization of individuals hired for employment in the United States. All U.S. employers must ensure proper completion of Form I-9 for each individual they hire for employment in the United States. This includes citizens and noncitizens. Both employees and employers (or authorized representatives of the employer) must complete the form. On the form, an employee must attest to his or her employment authorization. The employee must also present his or her employer with acceptable documents evidencing identity and employment authorization. The employer must examine the employment eligibility and identity document(s) an employee presents to determine whether the document(s) reasonably appear to be genuine and to relate to the employee and record the document information on the Form I-9. The list of acceptable documents can be found on the last page of the form. Employers must retain Form I-9 for a designated period and make it available for inspection by authorized government officers. NOTE: State agencies may use Form I-9. Also, some agricultural recruiters and referrers for a fee may be required to use Form I-9.
http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.5af9bb95919f35e66f614176543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=31b3ab0a43b5d010VgnVCM10000048f3d6a1RCRD&vgnextchannel=db029c7755cb9010VgnVCM10000045f3d6a1RCRD

Wikipedia: I-9 Anti-discrimination provisions
The Immigration Reform and Control Act which introduced the I-9 form also included anti-discrimination provisions.[1] Under the Act, most US citizens, permanent residents, temporary residents or asylee/refugee who are legally allowed to work in the US cannot be discriminated against on the basis of national origin or citizenship status.[1] This provision applies to employers of three or more workers and covers both hiring and termination decisions...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I-9_(form)

How to play pro ball and be cruel to your school
Barbwire by Barbano / Expanded from the 9-19-2013 Sparks Tribune

Applecart Tipping?
Critics claim Apple/NVEnergy partnership will put ratepayers at risk
By Dennis Myers / Reno News & Review 9-19-2013
More on Apple's plantation

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For sale: The American way of life — and death
Barbwire by Barbano / Expanded from the 9-12-2013 Sparks Tribune
Barbwire more than a decade ahead of the curve —>
The campaign against forcibly paid obituaries

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9-11-2001

UPDATE 6 SEPT. 2013 2:30 p.m. PDT / 21:30 ZULU/GMT/SUT/CUT —

Nevada unemployed unable to file claims
State: Just wait or go lower-tech

About 51,000 Nevadans could not file online because of a clunky upgrade to the state computer system.

The Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation has added more phone numbers for weekly claim filing after the new system caused delays.

Those unable to get through to the main numbers, 775-684-0350 and 702-486-0350, may call 775-684-3387 or 702-486-3387.

The website is still disabled as of this writing. DETR spokesperson Mae Worthey told the Reno Gazette-Journal that people should just keep calling the 24/7 system. The unemployed have nothing else to do, right? What a country.

(Information from KRNV TV-4 and the Reno Gazette-Journal.)

UPDATE 9-12-2013 —> Separately and no less shamefully, Reno's CBS affiliate, KTVN TV-2, ran latecoming and sanitized reports over the past weekend touting the state's new computer system and expanded phone lines for the unemployed to apply for benefits. Channel 2 failed to mention that thousands of Nevadans are now in their second week of being unable to apply due to the collapse of the state's system. Unlike other media, KTVN did not interview the many easily available aggrieved workers who are still placed on hold for hours despite the much-touted 600 additional phone lines. There still has to be someone to answer the phone.

Sequester cuts benefits for 20,000 Nevadans by 59 percent
By Dennis Myers / Reno News & Review / 9-12-2013

Federal sequestration causes major cuts in emergency benefits
Las Vegas Review-Journal / 9-6-2013 / 9:22 p.m. PDT // 04:22 9-7-2013 GMT/CUT/SUT

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Muhammad Ali & Sir David Frost faced off here
Barbwire by Barbano / Expanded from the 9-5-2013 Sparks Tribune

Reno City Council rolls over for Waste Management—>again
Barbano: Workers, ratepayers, taxpayers & competitors all harmed, as usual
Two monopolies for the price of one
By Dennis Myers / Reno News & Review / 9-5-2013

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UPDATE 4 SEPT. 2013 08:19:33 PDT / 15:19:33 GMT/SUT/CUT —

Northern Nevada construction unions make early 2014 political endorsements

Breaking with our normal practices, the Council last Thursday (29 Aug. 2013) made the decision to step out early and endorse several of our labor-friendly candidates who have contacted us about their  races for next election. All of the candidates have a solid record of supporting labor’s issues and we are sure they are the best candidates for the positions.

State Senator Debbie Smith, D- Sparks
Assemblywoman Teresa Benitez-Thompson, D-Reno
Assemblyman David Bobzien, D-Reno
Assemblymen Skip Daly and Mike Sprinkle, both D-Sparks
State Treasurer Kate Marshall, D, in her bid for Nevada Secretary of State

While this is not an exhaustive list of whom the Council will endorse in next year’s races, it is reflective of the support these candidates have given to our Council’s issues.

Paul McKenzie
Secretary Treasurer
Building and Construction Trades Council of Northern Nevada/AFL-CIO

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Hope you celebrated your work on Labor Day!

LABORING FOR LABOR DAY (6 Sept. 2010) — Union members prepare for the 2010 Virginia City Labor Day Parade. the only such soirée in Nevada. Left to right are Penny Bueno (holding the yellow UAW banner) and Bob Bueno, current president of UAW 2162/AFL-CIO (with the American flag). Holding the white banner behind the Chevy are Glenda Gravelyn, left, and Rudy Viola, right, in the Indiana Jones hat. Rudy is immediate past-president of the local. Doing his best impression of Uncle Sam on steroids is Robert "Tuna" Townsend, a member of the Industrial Workers of the World union. Grand Marshall George "Battling" Nelson of the United Auto Workers Retirees is seated in the 1957 Chevrolet behind driver Mike Murray of UAW 2162. Brother Nelson reports that the UAW has entered three General Motors products in the Monday 2 September 2013 event: a 2014 Chevrolet Impala, a 2013 GMC Acadia Denali and a 2013 Cadillac XTS. In July, the Impala received surprising rave reviews from Consumer Reports, a legendarily tough crowd. (UAW 2162 photo) Labor Day 2013 State of the Unions: Labor advocates talk Apple, school taxes, Southeast Connector, what hurts workers here By Mark Robison / Reno Gazette-Journal Sunday 9-1-2013

Thousands may have overtime claims in suit against Cosmopolitan Hotel-Casino in Las Vegas
Las Vegas Sun / Associated Press / 8-30-2013

LABOR DAY THE RIGHT WAY — LV fast food workers join nationwide demonstrations for $15 per hour living wage
Las Vegas Sun / 8-29-2013

WILL THE TEAM CHOKE IN THE ROSE BOWL? 8-29-2013: The Nevada Interscholastic Activites nee Athletic Assn. today canceled all weekend events due to the forest-fired smoke polluting the region's air which has already caused at least one death. UNR's new football coach has kept his squad in full drills all month, blithely disclaiming that "we're watching our asthma guys." So is self-taught physician Brian Polian just another morally obtuse dumb jock or crazy like a fox, keeping his players out in the smog to prepare them for playing UCLA in the infamous dirty air of Los Angeles? Be well. Raise hell. —> AB UPDATE: On August 31, the Nevada-Reno Wolf Pack lost to No. 21 UCLA 58-20, irrespective of the effusive cheerleading of the local jockocracy. Former Coach Chris Ault may prove prescient, having retired when he recognized that the envelope he pushed for four decades is finally impenetrable. In sports-besotted America, you just can't run with the pros on a semi-pro budget in a self-defeating state that believes we don't need no education.

Corporate welfare for downtown casino railroad trench turns into a nine-figure payday loan for City of Reno
By Dennis Myers / Reno News & Review 8-29-2013

LAWNMOWER MAN, BLADE RUNNERS AND SMOKE EATERS —> March on Washington 50th anniversary commemorators hit and endangered by employee at Reno federal courthouse

WHO WAS THAT MASKED MAN, TONTO? All participants in the demonstration were reminded that breathing is both voluntary and optional. There is no requirement forcing anyone to inhale Reno's foul forest-fired air. (Photo courtesy of L. Martina Young/APoeticBody.com)

Reno rally to mark the 50th anniversary of the fabled 1963 March for Jobs and Freedom
10 a.m.–12 noon Saturday, August 24, Bruce Thompson Federal Courthouse, S. Virginia & Liberty streets

IN MEMORIAM — On Aug. 26, 1919, during a nationwide strike, drunken deputies hired by the steel companies murdered United Mine Workers organizer Fannie Sellins and steelworker Joseph Starzeleski at West Natrona, Pennsylvania. (Courtesy of longtime Nevada reporter Dennis Myers' Poor Denny's Almanac.)

Ms. Sellins was apparently a very good organizer. William Z. Foster later said, “She took the initiative and in the midst of terror went out to her work.” After her death, I regret to tell you, no one was ever convicted, though ten deputies were indicted. She apparently had been beaten by coal company guards before the deputies reached her. After she was dead and her body loaded into a truck, a deputy tried to crush her skull with a club. Unfortunately, little is known of Joseph Starzeleski. He is always mentioned in conjunction with her, but we don’t have much detail on his life. There is a marker erected by the UMW commemorating them at the Union Cemetery in Arnold, Pennsylvania.

And today people would rather complain about their work than join unions.

Nevada State AFL-CIO not officially onboard with teachers' K-12 tax initiative despite leader's support
Las Vegas Sun / 8-28-2013

We don't need no education, Part 24
Barbwire by Barbano / Expanded from the 8-22-2013 Sparks Tribune
Web extra — Bill O'Reilly's sex education

8-19-2013: The 2013 Nevada State AFL-CIO Convention begins today in Las Vegas

A quarter century of Barbwire, part deux
Barbwire by Barbano / Expanded from the 8-15-2013 Sparks Tribune

Another public relations coup for Nevada
Report: Every nursing home in Nevada cited by inspectors
Chronic understaffing in a very lucrative and growing industry
"Nevada is one of two states where every nursing home was cited with one or more deficiencies by state health inspectors, and one in three nursing homes was cited for a severe deficiency, meaning a resident suffered actual harm or was in imminent danger."
Las Vegas Review-Journal / 8-12-2013

Barbano on statewide Nevada Newsmakers TV-radio-web program
8-12-2013: Long-ago predictions of softshoe fascism sadly come true

Barbwire: 25 years before the masthead
Barbwire by Barbano / Expanded from the 8-8-2013 Sparks Tribune

Unions get creative to halt decline in membership
Associated Press via Las Vegas Sun / 8-4-2013

Major union leaders blast Obamacare for hurting health plans
Labor starts to bail: Democratic health care plan support erodes
By Dennis Myers / Reno News & Review 8-1-2013
Full text of letter to Reid and Pelosi

Viruses in the program: Apple downtown Reno/UNR center was never put in writing—> Editorial: Apple deal is a reminder more transparency is needed, including projects at UNR Reno Gazette-Journal Editorial / Sunday 10-20-2013 Applecart Tipping? Critics claim Apple/NVEnergy partnership will put ratepayers at risk By Dennis Myers / Reno News & Review 9-19-2013 Labor leader crunches Apple corporate welfare numbers Few construction jobs not worth tax breaks Reno Gazette-Journal 4 August 2013 / Page 3D Editor, Reno Gazette-Journal: If the construction jobs being created are not long-term local jobs, how do we claim the $89 million is creating jobs with long-term positive effect on the community? ("Local labor union protests against Apple in Reno," July 31). I see 35 jobs at little over $22 per hour, which provides a positive effect on the community of about $1.6 million per year. The negative effect on the community over the 10 years is $8.9 million per year. In other terms, it is costing Nevada $2.5 million per job to create 35 low- to middle-income jobs. — Paul McKenzie, Reno   Mr. McKenzie serves as Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the Building & Construction Trades Council of Northern Nevada/AFL-CIO. Union workers protest Apple in Reno (watch raw video) + photos Powerful demonstration at Reno Summit Sierra shopping complex Newly updated with video and photos / Power company boss fires back By Molly Moser / Reno Gazette-Journal 30 July 2013 online / front page 31 July 2013 Local labor union protests against Apple in Reno By Molly Moser / Reno Gazette-Journal 30 July 2013 Editor's note: In the original online story, linked above, the cost per subsidized job was erroneously calculated by newspaper staff. RGJ editors have been notified that the correct figure is $378,723.40. It appears in the July 30 media advisory, below.

MEDIA ADVISORY For July 30, 2013 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT Richard "Skip" Daly (775) 856-0169, (cell) 722-6534 Workers protest Apple's lack of transparency Demonstration begins at 3:00 p.m. Tuesday at Summit Sierra shopping complex Shunting Nevada work to out-of-state carpetbaggers is nothing new UNR isn't keeping up with maintenance Reno Gazette-Journal letter /Sunday 12-29-13 Editorial: Apple deal is a reminder more transparency is needed, including projects at UNR Apple downtown Reno/UNR center deal was never put in writing Reno Gazette-Journal Editorial/Sunday 10-20-13 Student achievement center construction project inspires questioning By Kenny Bissett/UNR Sagebrush 10-8-2013 The smoking gun: UN,R subcontractor hires and exploits undocumented workers Dennis Myers/Reno News & Review/9-26-2013 Just like old times: UN,R and Hot August Nights Barbwire by Barbano/Sparks Tribune/9-26-13 UNIONS PROTEST UNR GIVEAWAY ON STUDENT HOUSING CONSTRUCTION Reno Gazette-Journal front page/9-24-2013 State of the Unions —> Non-Nevada contractors, including Apple, continue to plague local workers Reno Gazette-Journal 9-1-2013 Bullfighting in Tonopah —> Billion-dollar tax-subsidized solar array goes to shady contractor from sunny Spain Barbwire / Sparks Tribune 8-11-2011 Nevada workers march to UNR for Nevada jobs U-News / 5-20-2010 RENO, Nev. — Local workers and taxpayers will demonstrate against Apple's lack of transparency and hiring practices. They will begin at 3:00 p.m. this Tuesday at the Summit Sierra shopping complex on Mt. Rose Highway. The center houses Apple's corporate-owned retail store. "Apple's secret deal for the largest taxpayer giveaway in Nevada history has little accountability requirement, allowing Apple to hire an out-of-state contractor to staff the construction of its server farm east of Sparks," stated Richard "Skip" Daly, Business Manager of Laborers' Union Local 169. "After scoring over $80 million in tax breaks last year with no public review, Apple and NV Energy announced this month another secret deal to build a solar array near Yerington with an unknown impact on ratepayers," Daly added. According to published reports, another non-Nevada contractor, multi-national SunPower Corp., will construct the Yerington project. [1] "To construct the Washoe server farm, Apple hired M.A. Mortenson, an out-of-state carpetbagger who has virtually no local workers, " Daly stated. "Mortenson has hired companies that pay substandard wages and benefits, undercutting Nevada workers," he added. "We are understandably worried about paying companies like Apple to take us out on a date, spending our money with little accountability or oversight," Daly stated. In controversial secret proceedings before state and local governments, Apple was granted $89 million in tax breaks to locate its server farm in Washoe County. The forgiven taxes drain money directly from local schools, roads, parks, police and fire protection. "Nevadans are paying and will pay very high costs to create roughly 35 permanent Washoe County jobs at about $22 per hour," Daly said. The projected $22.24 is 38 cents above the Reno-Sparks countywide average wage. Apple has stated that about 200 contractor jobs will eventually be created. [2] Dividing 235 into $89 million means taxpayers are paying $378,723.40 to establish each position. "The deal doesn’t even require that Apple create new jobs or hire locals," Mother Jones investigative reporter Josh Harkinson wrote last year. [3] "The lack of transparency in mortgaging the futures of Nevada students and communities shows the need for increased oversight to review these and other corporate welfare programs," Daly said. "There has been a shocking lack of accountability for hundreds of millions in corporate welfare, mostly because Apple and companies like them talked a good story," Daly added. "Such oversight could analyze the fine print before granting these very complicated tax abatement programs and consistently follow up to make sure that the agreement is being followed and to measure any actual benefits," Daly said. Tuesday's demonstration is strictly for the public's information. The workers do not request that any individual or business cease performing any service, or refuse to pick up, deliver, or transport any goods. Established in Reno in 1902, Laborers' Union Local 169 currently represents more than 1,000 skilled tradespersons and educates workers in a broad range of construction skills at its training facility in the Tahoe-Reno Industrial Center. _______ 1. Ali-Oettinger, Shamsiah; PV Magazine, pvmagazine.com/ 3 July 2013 2. Duggan, Brian; Reno Gazette-Journal 15 July 2012 3. Harkinson, Josh; MotherJones.com/ 8 August 2012 More on Laborers' Union Local 169 fighting for workers' rights at UNR, Apple and elsewhere NevadaLabor.com Corporate Welfare Archive NevadaLabor.com Corporate Propaganda Archive Apple-Bites-Nevada.com Cabellyup.com

BREAKING NEWS AND THEN SOME—>

Visitors: Is America still tough enough? Barbwire by Barbano / Expanded from the 8-1-2013 Sparks Tribune Delegates from 5 nations meet with Nevada labor and civil rights leaders today at the Northern Nevada Labor Temple in Sparks MEDIA ADVISORY July 29, 2013 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT Andrew Barbano / NevadaLabor.com (775) 882-TALK [882-8255] Madeline Burak International Visitor Program Coordinator Northern Nevada International Center (775) 784-7515 ext. 228 or (cell) (775) 250-0087 Visitors from Cambodia, Malawi, Montenegro, Poland, Sri Lanka and Ukraine visit the U.S. to learn about non-governmental organizations. SPARKS, Nevada (USA) — A delegation of international dignitaries will meet with labor and civil rights leaders in Sparks today. They will convene beginning at 3:00 p.m. PDT at the Northern Nevada Labor Temple, 1819 Hymer Avenue. The Northern Nevada Central Labor Council/AFL-CIO will host visitors from Cambodia, Malawi, Montenegro, Poland, Sri Lanka and Ukraine. They will meet with and question representatives of Nevada non-governmental organizations. Nevada's guests were invited to the United States under the auspices of the Department of State's International Visitor Leadership Program, arranged by World Learning of Washington, DC. The Northern Nevada International Center facilitated Monday's event. Reno/Sparks is one of only four metros (including Washington DC, St. Louis and Seattle) selected for a visit by one of the four groups. Northern Nevada Central Labor Council President John Stevens has asked several union leaders to address the visitors. Rank-and-file union members have also been invited.

Office of International Visitors Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs U.S. Department of State INTERNATIONAL VISITOR LEADERSHIP PROGRAM Non-Governmental Organizations and Civic Activism II A Multi-Regional Project July 15 - August 2, 2013 Primary Program Contacts: Ms. Marilyn Saks-McMillion and Mr. Martin Rozenberg World Learning 1015 Fifteenth Street, NW, Suite 700 Washington, DC 20005 Telephone (202) 464-8531 or (202) 464-8537; Toll-free (800) 858-0292 Email <marilyn.saks-mcmillion@worldlearning.org> or <martin.rozenberg@worldlearning.org> Department of State Program Contacts: Ms. Janice Brummond and Ms. Jordan Fox Office of International Visitors Telephone (202) 632-6167 or (202) 632-9402 Email <BrummondJX@state.gov> or <FoxJL1@state.gov> The visitors are split into four teams visiting Washington, DC; St. Louis, Missouri, Seattle, Washington and Reno-Sparks, Nevada.. Here is the delegation for Nevada. Cambodia Mr. Rotanark SOY Chief Officer, NGO and Associations Office, Ministry of Interior Malawi Mr. George Mayamiko JOBE Executive Director, Creative Centre for Community Mobilisation Montenegro Ms. Ana NOVAKOVIC Executive Director, Center for Development of Non-Governmental Organizations Poland Mr. Grzegorz KOT Senior Specialist, Social and Citizens’ Affairs Department, Krakow City Hall Sri Lanka Mr. Horakanda A. N. KUMARA Project Manager, Sarvodaya [EDITOR'S NOTE: Mr. Kumara was unable to attend.] Ukraine Ms. Svitlana MATVIIENKO Program Coordinator, Ukrainian School of Political Studies of the Agency for Legislative Initiatives Complete biographies of our guests may be accessed by clicking here.

Other NevadaLabor.com/Barbwire International Incidents In 2005, I had the honor of educating a university law school dean from Thailand about the besieged state of American unions. Dr. Khettai Langkarpint was shocked to find out that the United States is far from being a workers' rights paradise. In 2008 at the once and future Reno-Sparks community TV station, I got to meet with a group of journalists from throughout Africa. I obtained their e-mail addresses and still stay in contact with my "Africa Corps." In 2009, I met with a group of radio and TV news people from the dictatorship of Kyrgyzstan, a former Soviet republic in south central Asia near Afghanistan. They were afraid to say anything either thru a State Department interpreter or on-air. I was only able to convince them all to say "hello" and wave to the audience on my live TV talk show. I sent them all home with "Union Yes" lapel pins from Laborers' Union Local 169. All of the July 29 guests speak English. (They all left with Northern Nevada Central Labor Council and Union-Yes pins.) — Andrew Barbano

Dirt cheap
Congress gave the new state of Nevada 4 million acres to pay for schools. What happened to them?
Dennis Myers / Reno News & Review 7-18-2013
We Don't Need No Education —> The Neverending Series

The presence of all colors gives you black
Barbwire by Barbano / Expanded from the 7-25-2013 Sparks Tribune

Bagging black bucks in the Gunshine State
Barbwire by Barbano / Expanded from the 7-18-2013 Sparks Tribune

7-15-2013 —> César Chávez came to Reno 27 years ago today

Obama pays tribute to late Reno labor leader

THE WAY WE WERE — The above is a recently discovered photo from July 15, 1986. Left to right are Kathy Brown, Culinary Union Local 86 office manager; Miguel Contreras, Local 86 Secretary-Treasurer; Local 86 President Bill Uehlein; a lady named Natalie (anyone who knows her last name, please write), and César Chávez. This item was first published in Ahora, northern Nevada's Spanish-English weekly, on March 26, 2008. (On 3-19-2009, President Obama paid tribute to Brother Contreras as he spoke in the L.A. building named after the late labor leader. See the 1986 Chávez Reno archive, below.) (Photo courtesy of Dan Rusnak, retired business manager of Laborers' Union Local 169.) More stories and photos from César Chávez's 1986 Reno visit

NAGPAC's Ghost Riders Saddle Up Again
Barbwire by Barbano / Expanded from the 6-17-2012 Daily Sparks Tribune
Updated 6-22-2012, 9-8-2012 and 7-13-2013: Appellate court throws out GOP attempt to nuke nihilistic None of the Above

Blogging with the rabble on the Tower of Babel
Barbwire by Barbano / Expanded from the 7-11-2013 Sparks Tribune

Barbano on statewide Nevada Newsmakers TV-radio-web program
7-8-2013: Nevada OK's Internet gambling and ignores addiction

On July 6, 1868, the South Carolina House convened with the only African-American majority in a state legislature in U.S. history (this 75 to 49 majority sought reforms in education, jury trials, local government and land ownership), though tales of irresponsible post-civil war black legislatures abound in fiction, including some textbooks...

— From longtime Nevada reporter Dennis Myers' daily online Poor Denny's Almanac Copyright © 2013 Dennis Myers. Used by permission.

Low-Wage and Temporary Workers are Propping Up the Recovery — Aviva Shen, News Investigation: The monthly jobs report showed steady if slow economic growth, with 195,000 jobs added to the economy in June. However, the bulk of these jobs were concentrated in low-wage service industry jobs, an ongoing trend of a recovery that has been propped up by low-wage and temporary jobs that often lack benefits and basic labor protections. In total, more than 62 percent of this month’s job growth was due to a proliferation of low-wage jobs in hospitality, temp services and retail.
Aviva Shen / Think Progress via Nation of Change / 7-6-2013

The Dean's List    The Dean of Reno Bloggers could very well be Andrew Barbano, self-described "fighter of public demons," who started putting his "Barbwire" columns online in 1996 and now runs 10 sites. RENO NEWS & REVIEW, 11-9-2006 Barbwire-nominated candidate Guy Richardson wins election to the Nevada Press Association. Hall of Fame on first try Support Dondero next HAT TRICK Barbwire wins third straight Nevada Press Association first-place award The 2009 first-place Nevada Press Association award winners Tony the Tiger & the flaky NFL Barbwire / 11-30-2008 Deregulation is never having to say you're sorry Barbwire / 8-3-2008 Nevada: A good place to visit, but do you want to live here? Barbwire / 6-15-2008 The 2008 first-place Nevada Press Association award winners The price of a piece/6-17-2007 Boxing Pandora/9-23-2007 The Lady in the Red Dress 10-28-2007 Barbwire.TV Support the new community TV channel Suing for Schools Click here for on-demand re-runs from the 2009 and 2011 legislative sessions (775) 882-8255 [882-TALK] Barbwire.TV: 15-year overnight success Daily Sparks Tribune 2-10-2008 The Barbwire's Greatest Hits Highlights from radio days mp3 file

Death panels hard at work right here in River City
Barbwire by Barbano / Expanded from the 7-4-2013 Sparks Tribune

Clarence Thomas, Little Anthony & the Imperials
Barbwire by Barbano / Expanded from the 6-27-2013 Sparks Tribune

Rosy the poll dancer's destructive seduction
Barbwire by Barbano / Expanded from the 6-20-2013 Sparks Tribune

Googling for liquid Romanian castanets
Other than doing our laundry, what should we do about
Big Brother peeking into our collective lace undies?
Barbwire by Barbano / Expanded from the 6-13-2013 Sparks Tribune

Clinging to the Ledge
Postmortems for fun and prophet

D-DAY DEFEAT FOR WORKERS' WAGES / 6-6-2013 — Gov. Veto El Obtúse has vetoed AB 218. Feeling invaded? Prepare for more as he challenges the record of his predecessor, Jim the Dim, for vetoing anything and everything that might help the little guy.

Enron II: Nevada's Battle-Born Toxic Event
Indigence and indigestion from ingestion of Warren Buffett's buffet
Barbwire by Barbano / Expanded from the 6-6-2013 Sparks Tribune

Hotel casino dealers at Paris and Bally's Las Vegas vote overwhelmingly to unionize
Las Vegas Review-Journal / 6-3-2013

The 2013 looney tunes legislative lexicon
Barbwire by Barbano / Expanded from the 5-30-2013 Sparks Tribune

Gov. Veto El Obtúse rides again

D-DAY DEFEAT FOR WORKERS' WAGES / 6-6-2013 — Gov. Veto El Obtúse has vetoed Assembly Bill 218. Feeling invaded? Prepare for more as he challenges the record of his predecessor, Jim the Dim, for vetoing anything and everything that might help the little guy.

5-31-2013 — Nevada Gov. Veto El Obtúse's first veto of the 2013 legislative session came on a bill that would have expanded the rights of injured and oppressed workers victimized by illegal employment practices. What did we expect from this guy?

SB180 was a Democrat-backed measure that would have required courts to award damages, lost wages, benefits, costs and attorney's fees to workers who prevail in employment discrimination suits. Existing law caps damages to two years of lost wages and actual damages. In his veto message, the Republican governor said the bill goes too far by exposing employers to a wide range of damages and fees. Gov. Sandoval vetoed 28 bills from the session two years ago.

Sandoval vetoes SB180 employment discrimination bill, says it "goes too far"
Cy Ryan / Las Vegas Sun / 5-31-2013

Read the actual vetoed measure for yourself

Culinary Union launches new website warning of potential strikes at hotels
Las Vegas Sun / 5-31-2013
Culinary Union Las Vegas travelers advisory website

Defrocked California doc allowed to practice in Nevada
by Dennis Myers / Reno News & Review / 5-30-2013

Bad News & Worse News Dept.—>
Former Nevada Consumer Advocate Jon Wellinghoff to leave FERC chairmanship
Las Vegas Review-Journal / 5-29-2013

Mega-investor Warren Buffet to acquire NVEnergy
Las Vegas Review-Journal / 5-29-2013

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Assembly Bill 218 to strengthen Nevada's prevailing wage law passes both houses on party line votes

California's Prop 13 lies at the root of Nevada's fiscal collapse
Dennis Myers remembers the Tax Shaft of 1981
Reno News & Review / May 23, 2013

Public shut out of utility legislation, putting ratepayers at risk
Dennis Myers / Reno News & Review / 5-23-2013
NevadaLabor.com Energy War Room

Travus T. Hipp Feb. 20, 1937 — May 18, 2012 NEW: The Bullfrog Times-Picayune and Sticky Stones: Last blast from the past NEWLY UPLOADED: Love ain't free Evelyn Kerr's remembrances of the life and times of Travus T. Hipp from the pages of TimeMazine CD available

MAY 29: Sen. Harry Reid Keynotes Path to Citizenship Public Assembly
Little Flower Church / Kietzke and E. Plumb Ln. / Reno, NV
Details in the May 23 Barbwire—>
Longing for the wisdom of the grateful dead
Barbwire by Barbano / Expanded from the 5-23-2013 Sparks Tribune

We Don't Need No Education: The Neverending Series
Nevada and North Carolina newspapers / 2012-2013

Star-stuck: Dirty deals for dirty movies
Ghostrider Nicolas Cage sticks it to Nevada school kids
Barbwire by Barbano / Expanded from the 5-16-2013 Daily Sparks Tribune

This week, do something nice for and/or fondly remember the progenitors of organized labor: Mothers. Be well. Raise hell. — AB

This land is your land Coming soon to a musical venue near you: The Almanac Trail Following the path blazed by Pete Seeger and Woody Guthrie In the summer of 1941, a musical group of labor activists known as “The Almanac Singers” climbed into a midnight blue Buick and blazed a trail across the USA, spreading the gospel of unionism and bringing folk music back to the people. The group, with members Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Lee Hays and Mill Lampell, created a new kind of topical music, using old folk melodies to tell the stories of the times. They played in union halls, on picket lines, theaters and radio shows, planting seeds wherever they went. The Almanacs’ now almost-mythical journey has become an inspiration for legions of musicians, free thinkers and gasoline gypsies. It paved the road for many of today’s singer/songwriters. At the core of it were some of the greatest labor songs ever written, including Union Maid, Talking Union, and Which Side Are You On? (Songs heard nowhere in Nevada other than on the Barbwire radio/TV shows.) Some 70 years later, with the help and guidance of Pete Seeger and The Woody Guthrie Archives, two modern-day troubadours are following in the footsteps of the old Almanacs. With banjos and guitars and a bag full of union songs, New York-based union musicians “Totem Pole” Rik Palieri and George Mann are traveling down the road from Pittsburgh to Los Angeles, up the west coast and then from Seattle to Buffalo, singing at some of the same places and towns, and inviting local musicians to join in, as in the original tour. The Almanac Trail will be like an old-fashioned “hootenanny” — an evening of history, music and fun for all generations! George Mann and his longtime mentor and collaborator, the late great Julius Margolin, played labor rallies in Nevada when Julius was in his nineties, the Harry Kelber of labor music. [Click here for the itinerary or here for a video clip with Pete Seeger about the tour.] George and Rik want to schedule Las Vegas on July 25, 2013. Please contact the Barbwire if you can help them put it together. Be well. Raise hell. / Esta bien. Haga infierno. In Solidarity, Andrew

Mr. Wynnderful waxes wealthier whilst we wither
Barbwire by Barbano / Expanded from the 5-9-2013 Daily Sparks Tribune

CLINGING TO THE LEDGE: SB457 (municipal election ward voting for Henderson, Reno, Sparks and Carson City) comes before the Assembly Legislative Operations and Elections Committee on May 7 along with SB458 (uniform election act) and SB325 (plain language ballot). Read more about them here. Show up and if you can't —> turn on, tune in and tell a friend. UPDATE: In the finest tradition of GOP voter suppression, Nevada Gov. Veto El Obtúse vetoed SB457.
Be well. Raise hell. / Esté bien. Haga infierno. (Pardon my Spanglish.)

The Dean's List    The Dean of Reno Bloggers could very well be Andrew Barbano, self-described "fighter of public demons," who started putting his "Barbwire" columns online in 1996 and now runs 10 sites. RENO NEWS & REVIEW, 11-9-2006 Barbwire-nominated candidate Guy Richardson wins election to the Nevada Press Association. Hall of Fame on first try Support Dondero next HAT TRICK Barbwire wins third straight Nevada Press Association first-place award The 2009 first-place Nevada Press Association award winners Tony the Tiger & the flaky NFL Barbwire / 11-30-2008 Deregulation is never having to say you're sorry Barbwire / 8-3-2008 Nevada: A good place to visit, but do you want to live here? Barbwire / 6-15-2008 The 2008 first-place Nevada Press Association award winners The price of a piece/6-17-2007 Boxing Pandora/9-23-2007 The Lady in the Red Dress 10-28-2007 Barbwire.TV Support the new community TV channel Suing for Schools Click here for on-demand re-runs from the 2009 and 2011 legislative sessions (775) 882-8255 [882-TALK] Barbwire.TV: 15-year overnight success Daily Sparks Tribune 2-10-2008 The Barbwire's Greatest Hits Highlights from radio days mp3 file

The asinine assassination of KJFK talk radio
Barbwire by Barbano / Expanded from the 5-2-2013 Daily Sparks Tribune

4-28-2013
National Workers Memorial Day of the Dead
You're not worth much dead or alive
Impose the death penalty on companies knowingly causing worker fatalities
Do you think your life is worth more than $566 a year?
Barbwire by Barbano / Expanded from the 4-25-2013 Daily Sparks Tribune
UPDATED 5-7-2013 with Robert Reich commentary
Updated in the Barbwire of 11-7-2013

Gov. Sandoval's $3 million New York State of Mind
New Nevada ad campaign slips on a sideways banana
Barbwire by Barbano / Expanded from the Sunday 4-21-2013 Reno Gazette-Journal
Portions of the above also appeared in the 4-10-2013 RGJ
and the 4-18-2013 Reno News & Review

Hopelessly trying to win an earthquake
I publicly wept when they looked at me.
Barbwire by Barbano / Expanded from the 4-18-2013 Daily Sparks Tribune

Sitting ducks in Sparks as storks stalk Carson
Barbwire by Barbano / Expanded from the 4-11-2013 Daily Sparks Tribune

César Chávez's fight continues
Barbwire by Barbano / Expanded from the 4-4-2013 Daily Sparks Tribune

Trying to find a Republican at Chávez XI
By Dennis Myers / Reno News & Review 4-4-2013

César Estrada Chávez was born on 3-31-1927

Join the campaign for a César Chávez national holiday
Sign the petition

BREAKING NEWS AND THEN SOME—>

Thank you/gracias for a record attendance at César Chávez XI. Watch this website for photos and information about the event. Remember to mark Monday, 31 March 2014 on your calendar.

Same time. Same place.

¡Sí se puede!

From the Reno Gazette-Journal
Tony Mayorga: César Chávez event looks like America
Reno Gazette-Journal Guest Commentary / 3-28-2013

 

Gov. Sandoval, César Chávez and the Grateful Dead
Barbwire by Barbano / Expanded from the 3-21-2013 Daily Sparks Tribune

César Chávez Celebration XI
Join us again on Thursday, 28 March 2013
Gov. Sandoval declines invitation for third year in a row
Celebración de César Chávez XI
Jueves, 28 de Marzo, 2013 / Circus Circus - Reno
El Gobernador de Nevada, Brian Sandoval, declinó la invitación por el tercer año consecutivo.

Obama pays tribute to late Reno labor leader

THE WAY WE WERE — The above is a recently discovered photo from 1986. Left to right are Kathy Brown, Culinary Union Local 86 office manager; Miguel Contreras, Local 86 Secretary-Treasurer; Local 86 President Bill Uehlein; a lady named Natalie (anyone who knows her last name, please write), and César Chávez. This item was first published in Ahora, northern Nevada's Spanish-English weekly, on March 26, 2008. (UPDATE: On 3-19-2009, President Obama paid tribute to the Brother Contreras as he spoke in the Los Angeles building named after the late labor leader. See the 1986 Chávez Reno archive, below.) (Photo courtesy of Dan Rusnak, retired business manager of Laborers' Union Local 169.) More stories and photos from César Chávez's 1986 Reno visit.

We Don't Need No Education: Part XIX—>
Fixing education: The bulldozer solution
Barbwire by Barbano / Expanded from the 3-28-2013 Daily Sparks Tribune

Bill to undercut area-standard wages will be heard March 27 by Nevada Assembly Committee on Government Affairs. READ ALL ABOUT IT.

AFL-CIO and NAACP support Obama choice of Perez for new Secretary of Labor
Las Vegas Sun / 3-18-2013

Rally to Protect Saturday Mail Delivery and Strengthen the Postal Service Happening in Reno Sunday March 24, 2013 BLAST FROM THE PAST —> FED UP AT THE FEDERAL BUILDING (9-27-2011) —> More than 200 postal workers and members of other unions demonstrated at the Bruce Thompson Federal Building in Reno in favor of passage of HR 1351, which would remove the funding drain now threatening the United States Postal Service. The federal courthouse may be seen in the window reflections of the auto in the foreground. (NevadaLabor.com photo) Postal service jeopardized in Las Vegas and Nevada rural areas Las Vegas Sun / 4-22-2012 RENO, Nev. USA — On Sunday 24 March 2013, concerned citizens of Nevada will rally to protect Saturday mail delivery and demand that Congress deliver a better plan to strengthen the Postal Service for the future. The rally will take place at Reno Main Office, 2000 Vassar Street on March 24, 2013 from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. PDT in Reno. The entire community is invited to attend. The Postal Service's plan to shrink the Postal Service and end six-day service is an attack on the future of this great institution, on the customers who need it and on the employees who support it. Many Americans — especially small-business owners, senior citizens and rural residents — would suffer if the strength and reach of our Postal Service is compromised. In addition, cutting Saturday mail would delay important household and business transactions, including bills, invoices and personal communications, and may force customers to shift to high-cost competing services. The U.S. Postal Service is America's only universal communications network, reaching every address in America six days a week. Established by the Constitution and using no taxpayer funding for its operations, the Postal Service is a vital public institution that Nevada cannot afford to see dismantled. FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT Clarence "Clancy" McCarthy (775) 250-8348. Rally for Six-Day Mail Delivery / Find events nationwide

Breaking Solidarity: Union goes unilateral, striking LV cabbies grumble, strike expansion considered
Las Vegas Review-Journal / 3-15-2013

Papa Francisco Primero: ¡Viva La Revolución!
Barbwire by Barbano / Expanded from the 3-14-2013 Daily Sparks Tribune

Barbano vs. vindictive lawmakers: Cutting prevailing wages won't stimulate economy
By Dennis Myers / Reno News & Review / 3-14-13

Nevada’s privileged mining industry battles the future with ‘campaign contributions’
By Dennis Myers / Reno News & Review / 3-14-13

IN THE BLACK AND COMMITTING BLACKMAIL—>TV station boss and former university chancellor Jim Rogers won't cave to mining industry after advertising cancellation
Las Vegas Sun / 3-2-13

Petition pondering & pandering:
Just Say No, a Nevada tradition
CLINGING TO THE LEDGE—>Do the Nancy Reagan thing
Just say no and invalidate term limits and right-to-work-for-less in the process
Barbwire by Barbano / Special Online Abstinence Edition / 3-5-2013
An edited and updated version appeared in the 3-7-2013 Daily Sparks Tribune

The brutal law of unintended consequences
Between the devil and the deep Joe Neal
Long-lost research may invalidate more than 100 longstanding Nevada laws
IRONY ALERT—>New higher electoral standard for teachers' tax petition may generate more support
Barbwire by Barbano / Expanded from the 2-28-2013 Daily Sparks Tribune

Barbano back on statewide Nevada Newsmakers TV/radio program —> Almost the entire Feb. 27 show concerned the teachers' tax petition. The Barbwire in the Feb. 28 Sparks Tribune will have a major impact on it both legislatively and electorally. Turn on, tune in and tell a friend.

Las Vegas Strip Search: Culinary workers picket Cosmopolitan over lack of contract
Las Vegas Sun / 3-1-13

U-News e-Bulletin 26 Feb. 2013 Updated 3-20, 4-16, 5-26 and 6-6-2013 School shootings: Reno GOP Senator introduces bill to shoot schools in fiscal foot Where is gun control when we need it? Can you stimulate the economy by cutting wages? by Andrew Barbano / NevadaLabor.com D-DAY DEFEAT FOR WORKERS' WAGES / 6-6-2013 — Gov. Veto El Obtúse has vetoed Assembly Bill 218. Feeling invaded? Prepare for more as he challenges the record of his predecessor, Jim the Dim, for vetoing anything and everything that might help the little guy. PREVAILING WAGE UPDATE 5-26-2013 — Assembly Bill 218 has passed both houses of the Nevada on strict party line votes, D's yea and Moonhowlers bay. AB 218 is a bill to require the annualization of benefits by contractors working on Nevada public works projects. Similar rules are in effect on Federal Davis-Bacon (prevailing wage) projects. This bill would require it on state-funded projects as well. At issue is contractors who only pay benefits on public works projects, thereby making the public supplement the benefit programs they may provide. Many contractors utilize benefits to assure their workers don't get a taste of the prevailing wage which in part is a benefit to the economy as the worker makes a "living wage" when working on prevailing wage projects and therefore has a disposable income which help to stimulate the state's economy. Contractors who scalp the wages hold their workers down and often put the "benefits" they take off of the hourly wage into questionable benefit programs such as employer-sponsored programs. CLINGING TO THE LEDGE (From Barbwire by Barbano in the 3-21-2013 Sparks Tribune): Ex-Sparks Tribune columnist, non-union contractor and Sparks Republican Assemblyman Ira Hansen's bill (AB 211) to cut construction wages is up at 8:00 a.m. on Wednesday, March 27, in the Assembly Government Affairs Committee chaired by Theresa Benitez-Thompson, D-Reno. A street demonstration follows. UPDATE: Building Trades Council presents committee with new University of Nevada Prevailing Wage Study (Please scroll down to March 27 hearing and click on exhibits.) More: Prevailing wage study released by Dennis Myers / Reno News & Review / 4-4-2013 UDPATE 3-21-2013 —> From Ben Atteberry/AFSCME Local 4041/AFL-CIO: It may be helpful for you to suggest to your contacts that folks can comment on the pending legislation by going to the legislature's commentary site, entering the bill number (AB211), their constituent info and a comment about why this is not in their best interests. So far, there are only four comments on the bill, two for and two against. Yours for the One Big Union, Ben Atteberry UPDATE: Barbano vs. vindictive lawmakers: Cutting prevailing wages won't stimulate economy By Dennis Myers / Reno News & Review / 3-14-13 CARSON CITY, Nev. (U-News 26 Feb. 2013) —>Sophomore Nevada State Sen. Ben Kieckhefer, R-Reno, has introduced a purportedly pro-education bill which will damage education in more than half a dozen ways. Senate Bill 146 would exempt Nevada educational institutions from paying area standard prevailing wages on school construction, maintenance or repair projects. On Monday, NevadaLabor.com Editor Andrew Barbano criticized the bill on three KOLO TV-8 (ABC-Reno) newscasts. The story may repeat on Tuesday morning editions and can be viewed online (link below). A fledgling education support group endorsed the bill without any knowledge of its true impacts, basically applying the logic of saving electricity by disconnecting the household refrigerator and freezer. Likewise opined Builders Assn. of Northern Nevada boss Michael Dillon. Upping the ante of the novice activists, Mr. Dillon asserted that the community would benefit as a whole by cutting construction wages by 25 percent or more. The counterproductive cure would be worse than the vaguely perceived disease.      1. WE DON'T NEED NO EDUCATION —> SB 146 would kill enthusiasm for vocational education programs which have long been offered and have been expanded at Nevada high schools and community colleges. There will be little incentive to work in a field plunging headlong toward minimum wage.      2. MR. LONELY. Sen. Kieckhefer has been unable to obtain co-sponsors for his bill, even among demonstrably anti-worker fellow Republicans.      3. ANYBODY CAN SWING A HAMMER, RIGHT? Public works jobs are usually very complex and require highly-skilled labor. Low-wage contractors with low-skilled workers thus understandably hate prevailing wage laws. Should the Kieckhefer Crusher pass, just hope that lawmakers don't also kill Nevada's construction defect law because school lawyers will probably need it.      4. A LITTLE HELP FROM YOUR FRIENDS. Nevada public entities and the Nevada Supreme Court have scored multiple end-runs around the current law. Witness Western Nevada College and Carson-Tahoe Hospital. If you ever wonder why the east grandstands at UNR's Mackay Stadium are so rickety, it's because they were expanded using low-wage, underskilled non-prevailing wage labor. Perhaps they stand as an analogy of the increasing shakiness of Nevada education support.      5. A SOLUTION LOOKING FOR A PROBLEM. In recent decades, the existing prevailing wage law has been only sporadically enforced depending on the political leanings and/or competence of whomever happens to be governor, attorney general or labor commissioner.      6. A RISING TIDE LIFTS ALL BOATS. Prevailing wages are area-standard wages, not necessarily union wages. The income of almost everyone in a community is pegged to the pay rates of the skilled trades. If prevailing wages erode, so does everyone's pay. Google/Yahoo/Bing it yourself.      7. DON'T LET THE FACTS GET IN THE WAY OF A GOOD STORY. Wages account for 25 to 27 percent of construction jobs and only track higher for very difficult work such as asbestos removal (about 34 percent). Cutting area standard wages saves little if any money. Google/Yahoo/Bing all the studies on both sides for yourself.      8. LEGISLATIVELY CUTTING PAY ACCELERATES THE DEATH SPIRALS OF BOTH EDUCATION AND MIDDLE CLASS. Lower pay means fewer purchases and thus less paid in sales taxes, the largest source of the state general fund which pays for Nevada's worst-in-the-nation education budget. Sen. Kieckhefer's death spiral bill deserves a timely demise. Don't send flowers. We can't afford them. Much more on such shenanigans all session long at NevadaLabor.com, BallotBoxing.US and DoctorLawyerWatch.com/ Be well. Raise hell. The KOLO interviews are available at the following link but don't wait too long. TV website stories tend to disappear quickly —> Legislators debate prevailing wage mandate by Joe Harrington Read the bill at http://leg.state.nv.us _______ COMING UP WEDNESDAY 2/27/13—>Barbano is back on Sam Shad's statewide Nevada Newsmakers show —>12:30 p.m. PST on KRNV TV-4 Reno and KENV TV-10 Elko. Reno Gazette-Journal writer Ray Hagar hosts; university system Chancellor Dan Klaich will be the principal victim; I'll go head-to-head with the predictable conservative moonhowlers. Complete rerun schedule at Barbanomedia.com/ Turn on, tune in and tell a friend. UPDATE: Mr. Klaich had to cancel and was replaced by Lynn Warne, President, Nevada State Education Assn. Almost the entire show concerned the teachers' tax petition. The Barbwire in the Feb. 28 Sparks Tribune will have a major impact on it both legislatively and electorally. Turn on, tune in and tell a friend. Pundits: Andrew Barbano, Editor, NevadaLabor.com John Gwaltney, Economist and President Emeritus, Truckee Meadows Community College Tray Abney, Director of Government Relations, The (Reno-Sparks-Washoe County) Chamber (of Commerce) COMING IN THURSDAY'S SPARKS TRIBUNE 2/28/13: Barbwire exclusive—> How the Nevada State Education Association business tax initiative petition could cause invalidation of dozens of longstanding Nevada laws, most of which are bad, like term limits. Should the initiative narrowly pass, there exists only one legal strategy to knock it out in court but Nevada workers will win either way. Adding insult to victory, big business will pay the legal fees in a rare pro-worker Catch22. Turn on, tune in and tell a friend. _________ AT NEVADALABOR.COM—>We Don't Need No Education, the continuing series about how glowing graduation statistics from the Washoe and Clark County school districts only reflect how the counting system was manipulated. Perhaps they hired accountants from the mining industry. Turn on, tune in and tell a friend. __________ DON'T FORGET: CÉSAR CHÁVEZ CELEBRATION XI happens on Thursday, 28 March 2013, at Circus Circus-Reno. (Cocktails at 6:00 p.m., dinner at 7:00 p.m.) The 2011 event during the legislative session almost drew a floor session quorum and this year may well break that record. Attached, you will find a one-page breakdown of ticket, table and sponsorship options.  Please bring it before your executive boards. Prices go up as the event gets closer. Nominations are open for organizer, employer and project of the year as well as the César Chávez Nevada Labor Hall of Fame. For more, including the history of the event going back to 1986, go to CesarChavezNevada.com/ You may buy advance tickets at the website. ____________ SUPPORT BARBWIRE.TV, the new community TV channel. For information and donations, go to http://resurge.tv#donate NevadaLabor.com [] CesarChavezNevada.com [] ReSurge.TV [] BallotBoxing.US [] DoctorLawyerWatch.com ________ Be well. Raise hell. In Solidarity, Andrew Barbano

Culinary Union plans second demonstration at LV Cosmopolitan on Friday, March 1, 2013
Las Vegas Sun / 2-27-2013

Dishonest Abe: white hood on a stovepipe hat
Barbwire by Barbano / Expanded from the 2-21-2013 Daily Sparks Tribune

Las Vegas area black students three times more likely to get expelled than non-blacks
Odds of getting suspended are more than double
Some schools issue almost as many suspensions as they have students
Las Vegas Sun / 2-15-2013
See the ongoing Barbwire investigative series "We Don't Need No Education"

Pope Guido Sarducci & Wildhorse Annie II
Barbwire by Barbano / Expanded from the 2-14-2013 Daily Sparks Tribune

Almanac: On Feb. 11, 1960, sixty members of the NAACP appeared at the doors of the whites-only Hawthorne casino, the El Capitan, and were refused entry. (Courtesy of longtime Nevada reporter Dennis Myers' daily e-almanac. Used with permission. All rights reserved.)

César Chávez Celebration XI
Join us again on Thursday / March 28, 2013
jueves 28 de Marzo, 2013 en Circus Circus de Reno

Unions come to embrace immigration reform
Trumka quickly returns to Las Vegas after Obama visit
Las Vegas Sun / 2-7-2013

We Don't Need No Education Part XIV: Never trust gun runners, politicians or PR men
Barbwire by Barbano / Expanded from the 1-31-2013 Daily Sparks Tribune

Culinary Union pickets Las Vegas Strip for the first time in a decade
Las Vegas Sun / 1-30-2013

First since 1970s—>Gomorrah South cabbie strike looms
Las Vegas Review-Journal / 1-29-2013

Clinging to the ledge and paying for our sins
Governor pays back Nevada health insurance monopoly/major campaign contributor
Barbwire by Barbano / Expanded from the 1-24-2013 Daily Sparks Tribune

The Dean's List    The Dean of Reno Bloggers could very well be Andrew Barbano, self-described "fighter of public demons," who started putting his "Barbwire" columns online in 1996 and now runs 10 sites. RENO NEWS & REVIEW, 11-9-2006 Barbwire-nominated candidate Guy Richardson wins election to the Nevada Press Association. Hall of Fame on first try Support Dondero next HAT TRICK Barbwire wins third straight Nevada Press Association first-place award The 2009 first-place Nevada Press Association award winners Tony the Tiger & the flaky NFL Barbwire / 11-30-2008 Deregulation is never having to say you're sorry Barbwire / 8-3-2008 Nevada: A good place to visit, but do you want to live here? Barbwire / 6-15-2008 The 2008 first-place Nevada Press Association award winners The price of a piece/6-17-2007 Boxing Pandora/9-23-2007 The Lady in the Red Dress 10-28-2007 Barbwire.TV Support the new community TV channel Suing for Schools Click here for on-demand re-runs from the 2009 and 2011 legislative sessions (775) 882-8255 [882-TALK] Barbwire.TV: 15-year overnight success Daily Sparks Tribune 2-10-2008 The Barbwire's Greatest Hits Highlights from radio days mp3 file

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., 1929-1968

I was a teenage racist
Barbwire by Barbano / Expanded from the 1-12-1990 Daily Sparks Tribune
This column also appeared in the 1-19-1990 Comstock Chronicle
Updated and modified versions in the Fresno Bee, Daily Sparks Tribune and
Reno Gazette-Journal Jan. 14-15, 2012
To get the full picture, I suggest reading all of them, as each contains new and different information. Reader comments (positive and negative) will be uploaded.
Please send yours.

MORE BLASTS FROM THE PAST
Poor Denny's Almanac for MLK Day and Inauguration Day

Date: Sunday, 20 Jan. 2013 00:37:32 PST / 08:37:32 ZULU/GMT/CUT/SUT—

U.S. Constitution: The terms of the President and Vice President shall end at noon on the 20th day of January ... and the terms of their successors shall then begin.

President John Kennedy: I asked Robert Frost to come and speak at the inauguration not merely because I was desirous of according a recognition to his trade, but also because I felt he had something important to say to those of us who are occupied with the business of Government, that he would remind us that we were dealing with life, the hopes and fears of millions of people, and also to tell us that our own deep convictions must be the ultimate guide to all of our actions. He has said it well in a poem called “Choose Something Like a Star,” in which he speaks of the fairest star in sight and says:

It asks . . . little of us here.
It asks of us a certain height,
So when at times the mob is swayed
To carry praise or blame too far,
We may choose something like a star

On this date in 1864, Nevada supreme court justices George Turner and John North wired U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Salmon Chase in D.C.: “Constitution defeated yesterday for purely local reasons people overwhelmingly loyal.”; in 1907, workers in Goldfield, Nevada staged a parade commemorating the second anniversary of the notorious “Bloody Sunday” massacre of workers by government troops during the first Russian revolution; in 1937, the first January inauguration was held following the approval of the 20th amendment; in 1945, Jeffrey Shurtleff, one of the lesser known Woodstock performers, was born at Mare Island Naval Hospital in Vallejo, California;  in 1955, U.S. Attorney James Johnson Jr. of Fallon, a Democratic holdover, announced that he was nominating Ormsby County District Attorney Paul Laxalt, a Republican, to be an assistant U.S. attorney, apparently to placate state GOP leaders who wanted the office filled by the Eisenhower administration with Republicans (Laxalt said he would accept the position but not resign as D.A. until the appointment was signed in D.C.); in 1961, Catholic Cardinal Richard Cushing, speaking a seemingly endless Inauguration prayer at the dais, had seen smoke coming from beneath the speaking stand and, believing there might be a bomb, kept the prayer going for almost twenty minutes while the Secret Service worked underneath, so that if a bomb exploded he and not John Kennedy would take the impact (the Secret Service found the smoke was coming from a small heater and put out the fire); in 1989, Ronald Reagan left the presidency after 8 years of prosperity generated by deficit spending, leaving a debt of $2.6 trillion—$4.6 trillion in 2010 dollars—for his successors to deal with (Lloyd Bentsen: “You know, if you let me write $200 billion worth of hot checks every year, I could give you the illusion of prosperity, too.”); in 2001 in Manila and Washington, the children of famous politicians both became president without winning the public’s vote—Phillippine President Joseph Estrada was forced out of office by a second “people power” revolution after Estrada’s allies in Congress suppressed evidence against him in his impeachment trial and was replaced by Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, and George Bush was sworn in after losing the election but winning appointment by presidential electors; in 2001, Bill Clinton ended his term as president with another scandal, issuing 140 pardons, many of which were denounced by both Democrats and Republicans, including a pardon of financier Marc Rich, a fugitive from justice whose wife contributed large sums to the Clinton library; in 2009, Barack Obama was sworn in as president of the United States, marking the beginning of a two week period during which hate crimes swept the nation; in 2013, Vice-President Biden will be sworn in privately at his official residence at 8:15 a.m. and President Obama will be sworn in for a second term privately in the White House Blue Room at 11:55 a.m., with the ceremony being repeated on Monday, which is also when all the pomp is scheduled, so the public will apparently be denied viewing the actual swearings-in (avoiding Sunday inaugurations is a tradition begun by James Madison to avoid offending Christian leaders).

JANUARY 15: On this date in 1929, Michael King was born in Atlanta (when he was five years old his father would change both their names to honor Martin Luther); in 1936, former Clark County deputy district attorney T.J.D. Salter was named president of the Winnemucca Townsend Club (Townsend Clubs were chapters of the EPIC movement [End Poverty In California] that had gone national); in 1943, former U.S. district judge William Hastie resigned as Secretary of War Stimson's civilian aide to protest the government's continuing racial policies of segregation and discrimination in the armed forces; in 1951, Ilse Koch, wife of the commandant of the Buchenwald concentration camp, was sentenced to life in prison for her sadistic treatment of camp inmates and for her collection of gloves, lampshades and other items made from inmates killed at her order for their tattoo-decorated skin; in 1953, the messianic U.S. secretary of state, John Foster Dulles, told a senate committee that he favored a policy of liberating “captive peoples”, thereby providing a policy framework for U.S. interference and covert actions that followed around the world in subsequent years—“[W]e shall never have secure peace or a happy world so long as Soviet communism dominates one-third of all of the peoples that there are, and is in the process of trying at least to extend its rule to many others. These people who are enslaved are people who deserve to be free, and who, from our own selfish standpoint, ought to be free because if they are the servile instruments of aggressive despotism, they will eventually be welded into a force which will be highly dangerous to ourselves and to all of the free world. Therefore, we must always have in mind the liberation of these captive peoples.” (Dulles did not offer to liberate Guam, Puerto Rico, or other captive nations held by the U.S.); in 1962, the North Las Vegas city council voted to ask U.S. Post Office officials to expand the city’s service to the entire township so that outlying patrons would not have to drive into town to pick up packages; in 1978, tyrant Reza Pahlavi fled Iran an hour ahead of the posse; in 1997, Princess Diana spoke against British and U.S. government policy by calling for a ban on land mines; in 2005, during a morning news program on KTNV TV-13 in Las Vegas, weather reporter Rob Blair referred to "Martin Luther Coon King" and (in an apology for the first reference) "Martin Luther Kong, Jr.", prompting a workforce threat of a walkout (Blair was fired the next day).

Moonhowlers, smoking guns & warning labels
Barbwire by Barbano / Expanded from the 1-17-2013 Daily Sparks Tribune

Power politics & prescient predictions
Barbwire by Barbano / Expanded from the 1-10-2013 Daily Sparks Tribune

Nevada to mining: Never mind (the tax thing)
Hugh Jackson / Las Vegas CityLife 1-9-2013

Barbano back on Sam Shad's statewide Nevada Newsmakers TV program

Wine, winners, whiners & white guys
Barbwire by Barbano / Expanded from the 1-3-2013 Daily Sparks Tribune

Happy New Year / Feliz Año Nuevo
May you and yours enjoy a peaceful and prosperous time

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