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The Barbwire Molly Ivins Memorial Columniator Hall of Flames

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Eee-yo-leven!
Barbwire wins 11th Nevada Press Association award
6 of 11 gold
Tribune editorial page voted 2020 best

Dennis Myers 2nd Barbwire nominee elected to Nevada Press Association
Hall of Fame

BREAKING NEWS—> Two New Barbwire Winners!

Jake Highton & Guy Louis Rocha 2024 Barbwire honorees
BUENO!
4 down, 4 to go

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and David Toll and
Foster Church and
Norman Cardoza
next.
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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

 

Site map
SITE NAVIGATION TIPS: When all else fails, read the instructions (A favorite John Hanks aphorism I've been using for decades)

Je Suis Charlie
"Our republic and its press will rise or fall together." — Joseph Pulitzer

Updated 10-19-2024 GMT

Breaking News & Bulletins—>
Starting 8-1-2024
Breaking News & Bulletins January-July 2024

Piggy-backing to play leap-frog
Second in a series.
Barbwire by Andrew Quarantino Barbáno / Expanded from the Sparks Tribune 10-16-2024

Electing Judas Iscariot
First in a series.
Barbwire by Andrew Quarantino Barbáno / Expanded from the Sparks Tribune 10-9-2024
BARBWIRE CONFIDENTIAL—>
UPDATED 10-13-2024 GMT: Tracking Poll sez Question 3 fading. Stay tuned!

All the news you never knew you needed to know till now—>Subscribe to Barbwire Confidential

 

WCSD Students to Participate in
2024 Northern Nevada Construction Career Day

More than 1,600 middle- and high school students from across northern Nevada will attend the 2024 Northern Nevada Construction Career Day, where they will participate in hands-on activities including mixing cement, driving a virtual backhoe, putting together plumbing pipes, and pulling electrical wiring.

This annual event is hosted by the Associated General Contractors (AGC) of Nevada and is designed to educate students about careers and trades in the construction industry. There will be interactive exhibits, hands-on activities, career advice, and input from local industry experts. This event is free for students and schools thanks to generous scholarships provided by the Nevada Chapter AGC, many local construction companies, and trade organizations.

When: Thursday, October 3
             10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
 
Where: Reno-Sparks Convention Center
              Southwest corner of South Virginia Street and Peckham Lane
              Reno
 
Media contacts are:
 
Matt MacKay, WCSD CTE Coordinator
775-233-6111
mmackay@washoeschools.net
 
Carisalynn Stratton, AGC Workforce Development Manager
775-830-6689
carisalynns@nevadaagc.org

SOURCE: VICTORIA CAMPBELL, WASHOE COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT

 

The Barbwire never forgets
Barbwire by Andrew Quarantino Barbáno / Expanded from the Sparks Tribune 10-2-2024

Seethe along with me
Barbwire by Andrew Quarantino Barbáno / Expanded from the Sparks Tribune 9-25-2024

The Used Car Presidential Campaign
Barbwire by Andrew Quarantino Barbáno / Expanded from the Sparks Tribune 9-18-2024

To Win Nevada, Harris Must Turn Infrastructure Jobs Into Votes
By Gabriel Thompson / Capital and Main (Calif.) / 9-10-2024

Harris Debe Tornar Los Empleos En Infraestructura En Votos Para Ganar Nevada
By Gabriel Thompson / Capital and Main (Calif.) / 9-10-2024


Barbwire and Nevada Press Assn. Hall of Famer Guy Louis Rocha on PBS-Reno "House with a History"
Livestream Sunday 9-15-2024 5:30 p.m. PDT KNPB TV-5/Northern Nevada
https://www.pbsreno.org/livestream/
Rocha inducted to Nevada Press Assn. Hall of Fame in Reno on Saturday 9/14/2024


Dear Friends and Gentle Hearts*

Subject: Double Hall-of-Famer on PBS-Reno this Sunday
Date: 2024-09-13 06:21 PDT
From: barbano@frontpage.reno.nv.us
To: News <news@ballotboxing.us>

Dear Friends and Gentle Hearts:

This Sunday Sept. 15 at 5:30 p.m. PDT, northern Nevada KNPB TV-5 has scheduled a rerun of "House with a History" about the Carson City Bliss Mansion. This opening show of the series features Nevada historian and union chronicler Guy Louis Rocha and can be livestreamed at pbsreno.org/

In only his second year of nomination by myself (and a few living or dead unindicted co-conspirators), my dear friend Guy will be inducted into the Nevada Press Assn. Hall of Fame in Reno on Saturday, 9/14. I have posted the story at NevadaLabor.com and relevant websites.

Guy was earlier installed into the much more exclusive Barbwire Molly Ivins Memorial Columniators Hall of Flames, as was the late University of Nevada-Reno journalism Prof. Jake Highton. My legendary Sparks Tribune colleague Jake will likewise be honored by NPA this Saturday.

Guy may or may not be able to attend. I hope his health permits it. At minimum, I hope someone informs him of the happy coincidence of the TV program. I further hope that the show will be announced at his induction at the Saturday NPA Awards Luncheon in Reno. And please tell your friends.

The rerun from KNPB's 2005 series is charming, the history of the gorgeous Carson City Bliss Mansion, built by an actual 49er more than 100 years ago. Even the door handles are made of Comstock Lode silver!

Guy's multiple soundbytes setting the history of the time make the half-hour sing. Hell, they make you wish the show was hourlong.

Be well. Raise hell. Stay safe.

Andrew Quarantino Barbano

CesarChavezNevada.com
NevadaLabor.com
(775) 747-0544

bcc's: Media, friends of Guy, union brothers and sisters

NOTE to area postal workers, their unions and elexion watchers: I have just posted the latest blast at Postmaster General Louis the Clueless DeJoy at NevadaLabor.com/ You need to see what the National Association of Secretaries of State and the National Assn. of State Election Directors just hit him with regarding their concerns about prompt delivery of mail-in ballots. (As Mr. Rogers might put it, "can you say vote suppression?)

TV series highlights historic Carson City homes
By Peter Thompson / The Record-Courier (Minden/Gardnerville/S. Lake Tahoe) Jan. 25, 2005

____________________________
* "Dear Friends and Gentle Hearts" was apparently a song never written. The words were found scrawled on a scrap of paper in the pocket ot the great American song writer Stephen Foster when he died in 1864 at age 37.

CWA 9413/AFL-CIO

-30-

2 more Barbano nominees elected to Nevada Press Association Hall of Fame
Prof . Jake Highton and Guy Louis Rocha win
Carson City Nevada Appeal / 8-15-2024

4 Barbwire nominees honored, 4 to go



State election officials warn Postal Service unready

PBS News Hour interview with state association spokesperson
PBS News Hour / 9-12-2024

Letter to Postmaster General from National Assn. of Secretaries of State & State Election Directors
9/11/2024 (Unintentional Irony?)

More reasons why Nevada loves Trump's postal service torpedo Louis the Clueless DeJoyless


9/11 Amnesia Lane
Barbwire by Andrew Quarantino Barbáno / Expanded from the Sparks Tribune 9-11-2024


MAYDAY! Another Reno landmark in jeopardy

BARBANO TO RENO CITY HALL: E-mail to mayor, council, community
H
istoric 20th Century Building endangered
9-11-2024

RENO, NV USA 2:42 a.m. PDT / 09:42 GMT 9-11-1024 —>

Dear Friends & Gentle Hearts:

My old friend, former Reno Deputy City Attorney John White, is understandably concerned about the Stevenson Street abandonment which I am advised appears on the council agenda. I have moved a brief column item in today's Tribune.

John and other professionals have used the venerable brick building behind St. Thomas Aquinas Cathedral for many years. Parking availability has slowly eroded and John has lost tenants. Further erosion threatens the viability of building operation — and its future.

The 20th Century Building is listed on state and federal historical registers and has always been a rather welcoming presence across from the riverfront behind St. Thomas Aquinasl.

You may or may not recall Stevenson Street's checkered past which has resulted in some of its current condition. In 2020, the late Karl Breckenridge wrote a long piece about it on the ThisIsReno website.* (Websearch "Reno Nevada Greyhound depot Harrah's parking garage demolition". I try to minimize URLs in e-mails as they are the first red flag for spam filters and time is not on our side this ayem.)

I'm old enough to remember the Harrah's/Greyhound brouhaha from exactly half a century ago. Turned out that Harrah's never used the old Greyhound depot site next to the eastern part of their property when they built their parking garage. So perhaps the vacant lot on Stevenson stands in mute testament to the current ambience of much of downtown, unintentional irony.

Mr. White may be hard pressed to maintain business in his building if more parking spaces are lost. I do not want to see the 20th Century Building go the way of the historic California Street homes demolished for expansion of the Lumpen Noir. (I love the Nevada Museum of Art, but did it have to be so ugly?)

Speaking of intentional homeliness, does the city have any design standards at all these days? "The Mod" high rise apartments on Stevenson fit right in with the current Reno-Sparks architectural norm: Emulation of Cold War East Berlin. And Carnaby Street "mod" went out when the Beatles arrived in 1964.

Everything old is new again. Even East Berlin is making a comeback. Just look at German follytix today.

I watch a lot of travel shows in my old age. The most interesting present communities which have retained much of their original character. Alas, Reno and Sparks have oft gone the way of Gomorrah South, demolish and fuhgeddaboutit.

An old attorney friend of mine told me years ago of a comment from a casino executive: Reno is going from being a gambling town to a town with gambling.

Matters have accelerated since.

Please ask yourselves: Do we really think East Berlin Nouveau will benefit tourism?

BTW: Is the Mod Squad** prepared to pay the city a hefty premium for the abandonment?

Your consideration is appreciated.

Be well. Raise hell. Stay safe.

Andrew Quarantino Barbano
53-year Renoite
(775) 747-0544

* Harrah's Hotel-Casino, which in 1974 controlled Reno City Hall, wanted to acquire the Greyhound Depot to build a parking garage on the site. The property acquistion was contingent upon Greyhound finding another site in the downtown area. They chose Stevenson Street, half a block away from the former Reno Gazette-Journal building and fronting the Truckee River. Ugly R Us.

** The ugly apartments on Stevenson Street across from the now-vacant site of the Greyhound Depot are named The Mod and Mod II. Tres chic, n'est-ce'pas?

 

 

 

MEDIA MELTDOWN —> WE'VE BEEN WARNED

RENO, NV 8-8-2024 23:50 PDT / 8-9-2024 06:50 GMT — Since 11:00 p.m. PDT 9/8, I have been monitoring northern Nevada media. Three of five major network TV stations are dark over-the-air and on Spectrum cable. KNPB TV-5 is doing fundraising. The Fox affiliate (KRXI-11) has been running a screen crawl about the Davis Creek Fire. I monitored KKKOH always-right radio and KUNR-fm (NPR). Nada.

KOLO TV-8 (ABC) has the most powerful broadcast pattern in the region and has been down since Friday evening, Sept. 7. The station's tower is located on Slide Mountain. Much of the area around Slide has had its electricity cut off due to the fire. TV-8 used to have backup generators up there, but time passes. The emergency broadcast system has apparently not been utilized. I got no information via TV, e-mail, phone or text.

UPDATE 8-9-2024 3:19 a.m. PDT —> KOLO-8, KRNV-4 (NBC) AND KTVN-2 (CBS) remain dark. KRNV/KRXI's sister station, Nevada Sports Net (KNSN-21 which often simulcasts news with 11 and 4) is up and running but carries only regular programming. Its Spectrum Cable position is Channel 7.

This is a warning as to our vulnerabilities. A few years back, a rural Oklahoma community was devastated because it was a Saturday and no human was working at its two radio stations when a tornado warning came in.

We've been warned. More in the Barbwire in Wednesday's (9/11) Sparks Tribune. Monitor NevadaLabor.com/

Be well. Raise hell. Stay safe.

Andrew Quarantino Barbano
(Via e-mail, Facebook and LinkedIn)

The above went via e-mail to major media reporters and managers as well as local community leaders. It was also uploaded to Facebook and LinkedIn.

Last gasp of white-wigged white guys
Barbwire by Andrew Quarantino Barbáno / Expanded from the Sparks Tribune 9-4-2024

Joyfulness replaces Dejoylessness
Barbwire by Andrew Quarantino Barbáno / Expanded from the Sparks Tribune 8-28-2024

FLASH! (9:41am PDT 8-26) Barbwire First Break—>Postmaster General Louis the Clueless DeJoy is expected to speak at Reno's Peppermill Hotel-Casino on Tuesday, August 27 or before 8-30

The hit man assigned to destroy the US Postal Service is skulking around Reno Nevada this week. Postmaster General Louis the Clueless DeJoyless will address a letter carriers convention betwixt now and Friday, Aug. 30. Media and public blackouts have been announced. On Aug. 26, a large crowd of postal workers and other union members rallied in front of Reno City Hall. DeJoyless has targeted accelerated erosion of northwestern Nevada and eastern California service to begin this January. Public and politician protests have been ignored. He was appointed to make the service so bad that nationwide privatization for profit will look undeniable. The Postal Board of Governors needs to fire this yayhoo NOW! Complete info on the front page of NevadaLabor.com/ Unjoy, especially the cartoon.

UPDATES

USPS Postmaster General Louis DeJoy to speak in Reno at postal convention
PUBLIC & MEDIA BLACKOUT / KRNV TV-4 / KRXI TV-11 / 8-26-2024

Letter carriers rally in Downtown Reno pushing for better safety measures
By Anthony Ramos / KRNV TV-4 / KRXI TV-11 / 8-26-2024

 

PROTECT OUR LETTER CARRIERS RALLY
IN CONJUNCTION WITH NRLCA CONVENTION (RURAL CARRIERS)


WHEN: MONDAY, AUGUST 26, 6:30 PM TO 8:00 PM
WHERE: CITY PLAZA ("BELIEVE" sculpture) 10 N. VIRGINIA ST. across from Reno City Hall, RENO NV

WHY: Support the Enough is Enough: Protect Our Letter Carriers Act (H.R. 7629/S. 4356)

Since 2020, there have been more than 2,000 crimes committed against letter carriers on the job. Many of these attacks involve a gun or another weapon. This bipartisan legislation would deter these crimes by:

• devaluing and securing key infrastructure
• increasing prosecution rates for these crimes 
• strengthening sentencing guidelines for these crimes

We hope to see you there in support of our Union-Strong Letter Carriers!

Northern Nevada Central Labor Council
1819 Hymer Ave, Sparks NV 89431
775-331-5570
info@nnclc.org
http://www.nnclc.org

SAVE THE DATE—>RENO LABORFEST '24
LABOR DAY / Monday 9-2-2024
Union-Proud Show 'n' Shine
.pdf
Event information
.pdf
Be there or be square!

Across the Universe
Barbwire by Andrew Quarantino Barbáno / Expanded from the Sparks Tribune 8-21-2024

2 more Barbano nominees inducted into Nevada Press Assn. Hall of Fame
Highton and Rocha win / 4 down, 4 to go
Carson City Nevada Appeal / 8-15-2024

Nonpartisan advocate for seniors prevented from running for county commission seat
By Bob Conrad / ThisIsReno.com / The Ides of August 2024
Stay tuned to the 8-21-2024 Sparks Tribune: Who really benefits
[More]

Prophets and Profits
"Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read."— Groucho Marx

Barbwire by Andrew Quarantino Barbáno
/
Expanded from the Sparks Tribune 8-14-2024

Hot August VD
Barbwire by Andrew Quarantino Barbáno
/
Expanded from the Sparks Tribune 8-7-2024

 

LATEST Going Postal Updates & BULLETINS
UPDATE—>DEJOYLESS IN RENO 8-27-2024

Nevada's top leaders suggest it's time for ouster of postmaster general
By Mark Robison / Reno Gazette-Journal 5-9-2024
What took 'em so long? Maybe they finally caught up with their Barbwire reading.

Editorial: Incomprehensible USPS decision will have snowball effect on Northern Nevada
Reno Gazette-Journal Sunday Editorial / 4-28-2024

USPS announces move of Reno mail-processing operations to California despite opposition
By Mark Robison / RGJ.com 4-23-2024

Thank you, Defendant T-Rump. Your postmaster general Rasputin DeJoyless is doing one helluva job. So what's next, moving up the assassination date to kill voting by mail this November? Whassamatta with Biden's new appointees to the Postal Service Board of Governors? Fire the sumbitch, already.



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

Larry Barbano, Frater Mei
1947-2023

Hope you and yours enjoyed Happy High Holly Days
Christmas/Kwanzaa/Solstice/Festivus/
Chanukah
/Thanksgibleting
Feliz Navidad, próspero año y felicidad
HAPPY NEW YEAR / Feliz Año Nuevo
/ Felice Anno Nuovo
Frohe Weihnachten und beste Wuensche fuer 2024
Vaxx up, stay safe, pray for Ukraine and 53 other currently war-torn lands.

War in moderation?
Barbwire by Andrew Quarantino Barbáno / Expanded from the Sparks Tribune 4-13-2022

Happy High Holly Days to all
Merry Christmas/Kwanzaa/Solstice/Festivus/Chanukah/Thanksgibleting
Feliz Navidad, próspero año y felicidad

Joyeux Noël et Bonne Année !
HAPPY NEW YEAR / Feliz Año Nuevo
/ Felice Anno Nuovo
Frohe Weihnachten und beste Wuensche fuer 2024

Breaking News & Bulletins January-July 2024

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Breaking News & Bulletins June 2022-April 2023

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Breaking News & Bulletins July-December 2021

Breaking News & Bulletins January-June 2021

2022 U-News Front Page Headlines

2021 U-News Front Page Headlines

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

In memoriam: 62 years ago toward a lonely road

January 16, 1959, brought the births of Debra Joyce Donlevy/Carson High '77 (1959-1978) and Donna Leslie Cline (1959-1999). Their youth was cut in twain on the same night in 1978 within the loneliness of the High Desert Outback of the American Dream. Remember them fondly.

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SITE NAVIGATION TIPS: When all else fails, read the instructions (A favorite John Hanks aphorism I've been using for decades)

Hope you and yours enjoyed Happy High Holly Days
HAPPY NEW YEAR / Feliz Año Nuevo
Frohe Weihnachten und beste Wuensche fuer 2024

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Also see NevadaLabor.com's Statewide U-News Roundup Archives


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

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

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But before you do so, please read this note. —AB