Futures in Doubt for the Lear Theater, Buses, and the Mayoral Election
Our most commented post across our social media channels this past week was about the Lear Theater, and concerns by many the property could still end up being sold to developers, despite its pending transfer to the city. This is not unfounded as until recently engineer Ken Krater was appearing on local media, touting a hybrid theater fancy apartment project. Coincidentally or not, Krater also donated $1,000 in July last year to the campaign for Devon Reese, the most social media active of our council members. A nagging question remains on the influence developers have on city council decision making when they provide the bulk of campaign funding.
The at-large councilman wrote on our post: “No, I am not concerned the City will sell the property to a developer.” And then in a follow-up he wrote: “The message should be City wants to preserve the Lear… what am I missing?” The fact is the theater remains fenced off and decaying, despite years of fundraising, eloquent speeches and plenty of excellent ideas from the community, including one to make it a place honoring current and past contributions from Black and Indigenous communities.
Speaking of Reese, we’ve indicated previously we thought he was the favorite for the Reno 2022 mayoral race, but it turns out, according to media reports, incumbent Hillary Schieve wants to run again for the top position. Now Jenny Brekhus, often the only one on the council in recent years slowing down willy-nilly development projects, has also indicated her willingness to run for Mayor. In a biting statement released to media she wrote: "I am running to bring steady leadership that has been missing from the Mayor’s office. The current incumbent has been beholden to special interests, particularly those represented by her close friend lobbyist Jessica Sferraza.”
Looking back, then councilwoman Sferraza was the early favorite for the 2014 mayoral election, before a lawsuit spearheaded by businessman and also-ran candidate Eddie Lorton prevented her from running due to council term limits. She then helped her friend Schieve who came forward in her place and won handily with over 60% of the vote. Sferraza is the founder of JESSCONVLLC, where she serves as a consultant to various local businesses, including Jacobs Entertainment. Brekhus is already in her own third term, so we wonder how term limits would apply to her, and if she can even run.
The local bus drivers Teamsters Union Local 533 is set to resume stalled negotiations Monday to replace an already expired collective bargaining agreement with for-profit Keolis Transit. "I can't wait to get the RTCRide transit system profiteers face to face next Monday to demand that they reveal where they spent federal millions while ignoring COVID-19 safety, failed to hire enough drivers and allowed route cancellations to spread like a virus," Union President Gary Watson is quoted as saying in the latest Andrew Barbano email newsletter. "Our transit system often serves the least among us: the infirm, the disabled, the ill, the young, the elderly, the poor and homeless, low-wage workers, minorities, people who need to get to medical appointments. For days on end, countless numbers have waited in the sun for a bus that did not come," Watson was also quoted as saying. Meanwhile, bus rides have been cancelled with longer waits for riders as the talks drag on.
Our podcast this week is an interview reissue on its own of a mother’s harrowing account of watching her Black son, a soldier and father of three, dealing with PTSD and being killed by local police eight years ago this month in Sun Valley. As the title indicates, we must never forget these avoidable and horrible tragedies whatever the DA concludes. Reno Cop Watch will be organizing another support rally for families of those killed by law enforcement on September 12th.
Other stories we reported on this week include an interview with a linguistics expert on why officials and police use different words than advocates , such as the sweeps vs. cleanup dichotomy. We also have a #keeprenorad feature on the Generator getting a new Sparks lease on life.