Pilot Safe Camp Officials Defend Themselves Against Mounting Community Concerns

Meant as a Step Toward Housing amid Frustration of Waiting Lists

It’s a stifling day in late June and small clusters of Washoe County paid for nine by seven tents with elevated cots are bunched up or lined up in a row above the former Governor’s Bowl baseball field, caught between chain link fences. Dirt in that wide location, right by the highway, is being churned and flattened, for a future more permanent “long term” legal camp site, where 50 total tents are said to be planned. 

At the current location, a few misters have recently been added to the dining area.  There’s a few possessions outside, with just one tent visibly open.  “They’re all out working, most of them,” Grant Denton, the executive director of the Karma Box Project operating the safe camp said, as he arrived midway through a visit with Catrina Peters, a Washoe County official who calls herself a collaborative problem solver on her LinkedIn and Austin Solheim, now the Washoe County Homeless Services Program Specialist.  When asked about the spacing of the bunched up tents, the words “available footprint” keep getting repeated. 

The team is reporting one “successful move out,” as in one person who already went from a tent at the safe camp to “a stable housing situation.” No further specifics are given, making it impossible to verify.   When asked about people at the nearby Nevada Cares compound already on multiple waiting lists, not being able to afford their own rent on their income, and frustrated at how this might all turn into a police enforced warehousing situation, amid ongoing sweeps of informal encampments, Peters also brings up the complaint of too little affordable housing . “So we'll definitely have to be patient with people, but again, engaging in case management and having a housing plan we see as really the first key step to getting folks off to a permanent stable living situation,” she said.  “I can tell you for the safe camp specifically, our first eligibility criteria is, are you willing to resolve your homelessness as soon as you're able to do so. Housing is our absolute top number one priority. That is the sole laser goal here of the safe camp,” Peters said, but not offering specifics as to where that housing might be found. 

Instead, the tour of the safe camp continues, under the hot, broiling midday sun. There’s 24-7 staff and security, a bathroom, which is a remnant of the old baseball field, a bike rack, a cell phone charging station and a trash can but no showers. cooking space or washing machines in this area. There’s nowhere to sit besides the picnic tables. Showers can be used at the Cares campus but that’s a long walk away.  It’s approaching 100F but there’s no water coolers, either, no ice machine and no shade besides the common tent area with picnic tables for meals and conversations.

Old baseball field bathrooms are now being used at the safe camp, with an added charging station above water outlets.

A Trickle to Welcome New People and to Adapt to the Heatwave

Only 14 people are reported to be staying here so far, even though it’s been open for several weeks now.

Asked about complaints that people are being accepted at a trickle, Peters said, “we want to bring folks in, in a way that really makes folks feel welcome, but also that they understand kind of what we're trying to help them with.”  There’s also one cat sleeping in a tent, but no dogs yet.  “We’re really taking that as a learning opportunity to be able to further expand that once we've got all those processes and procedures down,” Peters said of the cat and the possibility of more pets being accepted. 

When asked about volunteers bringing an ice machine Peters says they should reach out to Solheim, the new homeless services program specialist for Washoe County, formerly with the Eddy House  “We are a county facility and we've got, you know, insurance and a lot of kind of logistical requirements that we'd have to be cognizant of, really depend on kind of circumstances,” Peters also said. 

“We are definitely learning as we go. You know, safe camps are something that we don't have a lot of experience in as a community,” Peters said when asked if the project had been rushed and if insufficient provisions had been taken to prepare for the heat wave. “You know, when we started this planning, this project in March, the heat of summer wasn't kind of top of mind. So, you know, we're flexible and dynamic, we're responding to needs, but also, it was a tight timeline and we really did the best we could with what we had.” 

The overall money spent on the safe camp so far is unclear. The initial $34,000 or so per month contract with Karma Box Project to operate the safe camp was initially made for three months, starting in June, according to Washoe County documents. Peters said after the three months Washoe County will be “working on a competitive procurement,” but the contract indicates operations with Karma Box could also be extended at current rates.   When asked how Karma Box was selected, Peters said “it was an emergency contract,” pointing us to the official Washoe County documentation, but not wanting to address the question as part of the interview beyond saying the “documentation” would be provided if requested.  

A screenshot of part of the “documentation” which was sent to us after the interview, but which participants did not want to discuss during the visit.

Complaints about Food Not Known, Dogs Not Welcome Yet

“The only commentary I've heard about the food has been extremely positive,” Peters responded when asked about the alleged poor quality of food being served, seen in multiple photographs, including “mystery meat” for dinner. “So if there were complaints, we would happily take those again. We've got the complaint box to kind of get at that. We've also been able to engage a lot with participants, especially some of the first ones that moved in. Hey, how's it going? Are you comfortable? Is there anything else we can get you? And I've heard nothing but positive things about the food. So if someone did have a concern, we would love to hear that so we can remedy it.”

Solheim, the Washoe County Homeless Services Program Specialist, said a suggestion in the complaint box had led to the misters being installed.

“We are moving in four per day, at this time,” Solheim said of operations gathering pace. “And we're going to continue to do that until we fill this safe camp. Our goal is not to have a full safe camp because we want to be engaging in those conversations about what it will take to get [people] to get into something more stable.”  

Solheim, who used to do outreach for the Eddy House, now engages with people staying at the safe camp. “We meet them where they're at, right? For some individuals, it might take them a little longer to get out of their tent than others,” he said. “We're not here to force anybody into working with us, but we're here to encourage them. Biggest thing is that every single person in this safe camp we are going to know their name, and we're going to know what's going on with them. We're going to be working with them on those housing focus conversations. And for some individuals, it might be as simple as, ‘Hey, did you make that appointment? Would you like me to help you out with that today?’”  

Many unhoused people we’ve interviewed were initially interested in the safe camp, but without dogs being accepted, the desire to try it out has vanished for many. “We're looking at some policies and procedures right now,” Solheim said, when that question was repeated. “We have to, you know, dot all our I's and cross all our T's make sure that we have everything that is creating a safe environment for all our participants.” 

Plans have been set in motion to put up a mural on the side of the restroom.  A question and beginning of an answer about possibly paying people living in tents to paint the mural themselves rather than paying an artist was interrupted when Grant Denton arrived.  

“I haven't read about that or seen that, but there are other places that have micro businesses where they get wood in and they chopped the wood and they create firewood,” he immediately said. “So how do you get folks to take ownership of a spot and feel like there's a sense of belonging at the same time being a temporary condition, because you don't want folks that live here forever. You want them to move to the next phase. So how do we create a solid, strong community while moving folks to the next phase? And you can do it. There's just a fine line.”

“I say, keep, keep trying,” Denton said for those frustrated with waiting lists including to get into the safe camp. “We do have a process for how many tents will be filled a day, you know, and what that looks like. And, you know, some people don't come some days and then the next day there's four. And then next day there's none. And then if somebody doesn't show up one day, do you fill their tent the very next day? Well, that wouldn't be cool. You know?”

Defending a Go Slow, Pilot Approach

“You can see a perfect circle,” Denton said. “And then when you try to draw it in the sand, it's not going to be perfect. So if we were to just have all these things here at once and realized that the ice machine has always fallen out and the coolers don't work and what it takes to manage and maintain these things…. And it is a pilot program too. So we have to see what works and what doesn't work. So like doing everything perfect all at once, sometimes it doesn't work like that. And if you look at the tents being bunched together, so this gives us an opportunity to kind of iron things out, as we grow with the least amount of damage.”

Advocates also complained he slept in a tent himself for a while, taking up space, but Denton said accepting just a few new people at a time is deliberate. Seven staff for Karma Box Project also work here.

“Our main gig is to develop relationships with these folks outside of just case management,” he said. “I know it seems like it's a weird job description to give somebody, but it's important. And so that's what our guys will do. A win could be someone that doesn't tell you, good morning for 52 days. And on the 53rd day, he says good morning, like that's a win, you know, a win is getting someone to help, help you clean an area up. And so identifying the soft wins versus the hard wins would be getting housing, right? A hard win would be getting a job, but it's identifying the soft wins as well. Does that make sense? “

Peters jumped in to indicate people working at the safe camp had three days of training. “We did training on deescalation conflict resolution, reviewed the policies and procedures of the safe camp so that everybody knew kind of what those looked like,” she said. Peters said new people at the safe camp also get to see a case manager within 48 hours.

Work is ongoing at the more permanent safe camp site, which seems weeks away from completion.

Told to Wrap Up Interviews after 35 Minutes

Denton also responded to complaints of people at the Cares Campus not being able to find housing, but also seemed to not fully embrace the housing first model pushed for by some advocates who have been protesting at City plaza, during public comments at local government meetings and on social media.

“I know that sometimes it's never going to be fast enough,” Denton said. “Like if you could go through right now and scoop everybody up and get folks into housing, that would be awesome. But then you'd also have to address their mental health issues. You'd also have to address other things. I can take you and I can put you in an apartment, but if we don't learn how to sustain that apartment, then we'll have issues.”

Denton said the Karma Box Project would apply to renew its operator contract whenever it gets to the official request for proposal phase. When the contract was initially awarded in May, Eric Brown, the Washoe County Manager, said there would be “eight metrics for success,” and the pilot phase would “verify that the safe camp concept is or is not a viable alternative to a shelter.” “Can we achieve the same outcomes?” he also asked. Those metrics and what Brown meant by shelter outcomes were not visibly apparent. One document shared with us had a list of monthly performance measures, including safe camp participant chore and responsibility updates. Thirty five minutes into the interview, Peters said the interview needed to wrap up, seemingly irritated by some of the questions. Follow ups on how exactly people are selected to get into the safe camp will have to wait.

Our Town Reno Interviews, June 29 2021

Liz, Repeatedly Moved in a Season of Sweeps in Reno

Liz, who had initially been at the Wells Ave. underpass, says she thinks it’s five times and counting for her to be swept since the Nevada Cares Campus opened in mid May. She’s now staying right by the compound, and was moved Wednesday from a sidewalk area to a nearby dirt patch. She’s been hoping to get into the new Washoe County run safe camp area at the compound, but it’s been a drip of few admissions every day for that section. She’s suspicious of the massive sprung structure where hundreds of people are sleeping in bunk beds, not wanting to get a tour or fill out paperwork for that.

“We’re looking at three months out,” she says of her understanding of when she might be able to get into the safe camp, with a full list of people having been promised spots already to fill the 44 tents. She said she has post traumatic stress from previous experiences at crowded shelters, including being thrown from a top bunk and injuring herself, and does not want to repeat that.

“Everybody’s convinced this is the perfect solution, but it’s not,” she said. “There’s fewer and fewer places for us to go,” she said of the unhoused, “and some of us don’t do well with large amounts of people.”

People have been helping Liz and other unhoused with water during hot days.

Earlier this week, one anti sweeps advocate wrote to journalists he felt “disappointed and exasperated and a bit betrayed,” after meetings with Reno officials which started after the conclusion of an Occupy style protest at Believe Plaza. Four of them are facing a court date on July 29th after pleading not guilty in community court. Meanwhile, volunteers have set up a hydration station with a sign up sheet at Believe Plaza where several unhoused people congregate on the grass during the day.

According to shared emails, as part of an ongoing sweeps calendar, Zone 7 (Galletti Way to the E. 2nd Street Bridge) and Zone 11 (N. Edison Way to S. McCarran Blvd) have been targeted for June 29th.

“Myself and others in my group sincerely do want to work with the City, but, I have to say, our collaboration so far has been deeply disappointing,” was what advocate Ilya Arbatman who was outside the compound on Wednesday wrote back to city officials. “Please, respond to this question honestly: what is the rush? Why do you have to sweep these remaining zones immediately? Whose timetable is this, and what circumstances is it determined by?”

Our Town Reno reporting and photos by John L’Etoile

JW, In Transition and Grateful for the Stop the Sweeps Protest

JW, who is in transit, he says, from sickness to health, and Nevada to Oregon, has been spending the past few days around the Believe Plaza, grateful for the ongoing protest.

”I think they're doing a wonderful thing,” he said. “I think we're making history here. I feel the sweeps are ridiculous.” He says the advocates have been a caring community, making him feel more connected to society at large.

Lots of people stay near City Hall with blankets during the day but without tents, so it’s not considered camping or an encampment. He says the houseless look after each other all the time and now it’s nice to see advocates taking such a direct approach to help and protest. “We take care of each other. You know, you got to give him water, got to get them rehydrated, get him awake, make sure they're healthy. I'm not a field medic, but I feel like I am,” he said of helping others.

He says he was evicted recently after having health problems, including an epileptic seizure in Yerington. He has sores on his arms and legs, gout, and difficulty walking. He used to be a manager at a Family Dollar store, and worked in casinos. He’s hoping to go back to his native Oregon soon and get back to driving a cab in Medford, which he thinks he can still do, like he used to.

He says when he takes fares, if they are a veteran, or someone visibly in need, he’ll pick them up and he won’t charge them. He has no intention of trying the new Cares Campus, saying the place doesn’t look inviting at all.

”Don't judge a book by its cover,” he says by way of ending the interview. “People are people wherever you go. People judge me because I look like a transit. Well, I am a transit. But I'm not a slob. I clean my area. That's how I was raised. When we'd go camping in the woods, you know, you make sure the fires out, you pick up your garbage and make it look nice for Mother Nature. You don't leave your crap behind. “

Our Town Reno Reporting, June 2021

Inside the NCC, with Clogged Toilets, Unhealthy Food and Questions for Future

Our Town Reno has been trying to get a sense of operations inside the Nevada Cares Campus, but for now, unlike before it opened, it seems off limits to official tours and reporters.

“At this time we are not doing tours as we work to acclimate folks to the space and ramp up services. We are continuing to explore space for single women and our regional partners at Our Place. As of today, we are not turning anyone away. They will have space in the system, no matter their status,” Jon Humbert emailed us, after we emailed Reno Direct and VOA officials about concerns of limited spots for single women, as well as a lack of laundry services, clogged toilets, crammed bunk beds and unhealthy food. Our Place is the Glendale Ave. shelter for women run by RISE, which has been running at full capacity.

We also emailed about a man being handcuffed just outside the compound, Humbert wrote: “For the incident at the campus, I will refer you to RPD for any information on their investigation.” RPD was cced on the email but did not write back.

The worst complaint at the new campus has been concerning men’s toilets, which apparently were all clogged since late last week, making hundreds of “clients” have to use just a handful of porta potties. According to previous information from Humbert what’s been built so far came at a cost of $9 million dollars.

Despite the high price tag, we’ve been getting emails and messages from people staying or working inside with a wide range of complaints. Many are wondering if Washoe County does take over the entire operation, as expected instead of Reno, whether some rules, services and management will be changed. There are also concerns that the safe camp has yet to open, and worries over management of that separate initiative. The Washoe County website currently says it will expand outreach work with the Karma Box project for a temporary site, and that in the Summer / Fall 2021 an RFP (Request For Proposal) “will go out” for a long term camp operator. This has made some wonder how the Karma Box project was chosen initially, and based on what proposal and track record.

While some inside have commented on feeling “warehoused”, or worse in a “prison camp”, and feeling less safe, less in a community and more stressed than when they were camping previously, others have said they are grateful for having a legal bed and an opportunity to rebound, despite the early challenges the campus might present.

Some people eating at the NCC have called what’s occasionally inside buns “mystery meat.” Several have told us they much prefer healthy meals offered by volunteers, which in previous years were served by several groups in the courtyard of the Record Street shelter, before being shut down for security reasons.

Photographers apparently aren’t wanted on site either.

Our Town Reno Reporting, June 2021

Anger Prevails from Encampment Packing Up, to Occupy Protest to City Council Meeting

Anger prevailed around Reno this morning, from an encampment at N Edison and Mill Street, to public comments at a city council meeting, to a protest outside, where passersby were encouraged to sign a petition to stop ongoing sweeps.

“Where’s left to go after that?” asked Dwight George, a Fallon Paiute-Shoshone Tribe member, who went inside City Hall to make a public comment. He said City Council was “failing us.” His brother Everett George said enforcement “shouldn’t be the baseline” for people with nowhere else to go. He said the Nevada Cares Campus was not the solution. Meagan O’Farrell read out a petition asking to stop sweeps until the safe camp component of the new Nevada Cares Campus opens and has spots. She said there would be an occupy protest in front of City Hall until sweeps end. The petition had nearly 800 signatures as of Wednesday morning.

One of the protesters who goes by Cowboy called it “warehousing.” Disabled and elderly, and formerly living in a tent, he was swept recently along railroad tracks and has been staying at the new mega shelter.

Cowboy is trying to get housing at the Village on Sage Street after being several years on the waiting list of the Reno Housing Authority. He said he wasn’t allowed to leave his cat more than 30 minutes inside the shelter, wasn’t allowed to use a pillow he had brought with him, didn’t like the food being served, and was cold and feels crammed in with others at night. He said he was in the couples and pets section where some of the couples yelled at each other. Toilets have clogged up so hundreds and hundreds of people have been using just a few portable toilets.

“The men's restroom has been out since Thursday, it's been locked up and they don't have sufficient amount of porta-potties for the people that are there now,” he said.

Advocates have been wondering when the safe camp would eventually open, who will run it, how many spots there will be, how these will be allocated, and whether Washoe County might eventually change management operations to different organizations.

There have been growing complaints over operations at the Nevada Cares Campus from clogged up toilets to unhealthy food.

Over at the N Edison and Mill Street encampment, people were packing up as City of Reno officials took photos and drove up and down the winding road there.

Advocates had been hoping this could be converted into a legal camp until the Cares Camp safe camp opens.

Wraith was helping people pack up and making sure they had rides to leave and go hide elsewhere. She calls herself a street mom. “It's runaway kids and it's people that don't fit in your world,” she said of those at the encampment. “And we do. We take them in, we make them family. We make sure they're fed. We make sure they don't overdose and die and kill themselves.”

She said she would be open to a legal safe parking area. “If you provide us a place to park our cars, that it won't be towed, vandalized or broken into, we'd be willing to,” she said. But she was angry too about feeling discarded and ignored by community leaders.

Our Town Reno Reporting, June 2, 2021

Volunteers Launch New Mutual Aid Community Garden

It’s a balmy Spring Day in a downtown Reno neighborhood, and a small team of volunteers is starting to transform the quarter acre side yard of a rented house into a community garden, to grow healthy food and herbs for those in need, and also to offer a nurturing collective space.

Patricia Curtis-Ostler, 62, gets teary eyed when asked for an interview. She’s wearing heavy duty gloves and a gardening tee-shirt. She’s an experienced volunteer, helping other initiatives such as Reno Soup for the Soul, Reno Burrito Project, the Can Care Collective and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

“We've been tilling, we've been pulling weeds,” she said of her weekend morning in the garden. “We brought a bunch of tomato plants, peppers, all kinds of things. And I just think that it's all amazing that this group could pull together. There's just so few of us and we're really doing an amazing job so far.”

She says helping others and with positive projects keeps her healthy. “I get to live the life that I get to live and be 62 years old and healthy is because of the fact that I go out and I do things for others and truly love others,” she said.

During the pandemic, she used some of her other skills to sow 500 masks for those in need. “My heart's big, my soul's big and just being part of this wonderful, amazing community is great for me,” she said.

“This project came together by following a lot of instructions from Indigenous mentors and leaders that I've had in my life over the last couple of years. I spent a lot of time with the land here, praying with it, giving offerings to it and asking it for guidance and a lot of areas of my life, but specifically asking for permission and guidance on what to do with this land here. And what came through really, really clear was to create a communal garden that we can use to grow food and different herbs, to make plant medicines and to create crops, to cook meals, to serve our houseless communities,” explained one of the initiative’s organizers, Michael Carson (in foreground).

Work at the garden started with sharing the overall vision and initial designs, followed by digging rows and mixing in organic compost.

“Pretty soon here, we're going to start planning various plants and herbs,” one of the coordinators Michael Carson explained. Carson has also been involved in helping people displaced by recent police sweeps, and with food donations, and said the plan is to share the forthcoming crops with others.

“We have a mutual aid program set up where we offer fresh produce and canned goods to people to cook at their homes and then bring back to us. And we take that out to serve different encampments of people who are experiencing houselessness,” Carson said. “With my partner, Monica Jayne, we both feel … there's an opportunity to really shift our inner environments and create a new earth that the next generations can really thrive from. I am absolutely feeling a deep transition within myself and also seeing that manifest in the world outside of us and in our community, especially.”

The endeavor is open to other volunteers as well as donations such as irrigation supplies, more organic compost and portable fencing.

Our Town Reno Reporting, Spring 2021

Petition to End Sweeps Before Safe Camp Opens Gains Traction

As of Sunday, the petition to Stop the Sweeps in Washoe County, was quickly reaching its initial goal of 500 signatures.

Petition coordinator Bridget Tevnan, who works for the Reno Food Systems and helps with local mutual and direct aid movements, explained that after the recent sweeps at Fisherman’s Park, Wells Ave. and the notices at N. Edison and Mill for expulsions next week, enough is enough.

“It’s traumatic to be displaced in that way. When we think about the way that we're splitting up these communities and their support networks, that's really harmful. Social workers are losing touch with the people they're working with,” Tevnan said.

The N Edison and Mill encampment is on land partly owned by the Truckee River Flood Management Authority, which Tevnan believes could easily be converted into an emergency temporary legal safe camp, given it was apparently already a spot for COVID FEMA trailers .

“This is an emergency housing situation,” Tevnan said. “Why not let the people stay there ? The precedent has been set for using that land for emergency housing and we don't see why they couldn't use it for emergency camping and put, you know, trash cans and toilets down there … at least have people have a safe, sanctioned place to stay until the Cares Campus is fully open and operational. Again, there might just be a disconnect between talking to the people who need the service and what the city thinks should be done. ”

Our Town Reno recently asked to get a tour during open hours.

Advocates have been helping neighbors without stable shelter go try the new Nevada Cares campus as well, but Tevnan said that people must understand the massive shelter is not for everyone.

“A lot of folks, they’ve had very negative experiences at shelters, you know, they've experienced theft, violence. And then, they're just not really environments conducive to well being,” Tevnan said.

Many people had been hoping for the Washoe County run safe camp at the new compound instead, which hasn’t opened yet, and which seems will be smaller than expected.

“I've heard of mixed numbers. I've heard as low as 40 and then up to a hundred. So that is very unclear,” Tevnan said.

The number one request on the petition is : “A complete stop to the sweeps until the Nevada CARES Campus Safe Camp is fully open (with promised mental health care, addiction counseling, transportation, and workforce development), and a stop to sweeps again, if the Safe Camp becomes full.”

The setup of this COVID Cares Act funded initiative seems rushed to many, including Tevnan, and without proper input.

“I think kind of a major flaw in our political system is just that people are unwilling to admit when something isn't working,” Tevnan said. “You know, we don't expect them to have come up with a perfect plan, although I think they could've come up with a better plan if they had been speaking to people who are living in these conditions, that they have the place at the table and advocates too. Advocates have been kind of raising these concerns all along the way. You know, a healthy dose of humility might help, because the abject suffering that we're witnessing hasn't triggered some kind of empathetic, more compassionate response.”

People staying and working at the campus have complained about the lack of laundry services there, as well as administrative hurdles to get pets accepted, and the quality of the food being served.

Tevnan said one man she brought the campus twice was disappointed with the experience. “He tried again, and, you know, he just wasn't able to you know, work it up within himself to stay in the bed option because it felt so uncomfortable,” Tevnan said of his overall experience.

Our Town Reno Reporting, May 2021

Local Professional Women Give Tens of Thousands of Dollars to Nonprofits

Often a good idea can fall by the wayside, or be hoped for but not realized, but when local business owner and realtor Mignon Lagatta ran with her idea, it resonated through the community. In the spring of 2017, Lagatta created a group of professional and retired women with the sole purpose of raising money to donate to a local nonprofit. 

“Thank You Ma’am is a non-profit that gives back to other nonprofits,” explained Lagatta over the phone. “We’re a group of women who get together on a quarterly basis and commit to each giving a hundred dollars.” 

Lagatta is a Nevada native who grew up in Carson City but left the region after high school. She lived in San Francisco and Los Angeles and then came to Reno. “I think my favorite part about Reno is we have that [culture],” she said. “I feel like Reno just has a little bit of everything.”

Four times a year, Thank You Ma’am members meet to select a new local organization to support. They focus their efforts on small groups that are not funded through federal dollars and try to highlight organizations that are not well known. Members are able to nominate a nonprofit  and all the names go into a hat. At each meeting, four names are drawn at random; the member who nominated the selected group then has five minutes to sell the nonprofit and convince the other members of Thank You Ma’am why the nonprofit is a good fit for their generosity. By the end of one hour, there is a vote and a local group is selected. 

“Our goal is to try and get more organized so we can reach a bigger demographic,” explained Lagatta. But over the past year Lagatta saw the most growth in membership, despite meetings being held exclusively on Zoom. Lagatta had an initial idea of having 100 members and at the April 2021 meeting, there were 103 members. With each contribution, Thank You Ma’am was able to collect $10,400 dollars from the meeting and put their total donations since their launch just shy of $100,000. 

Groups they have supported include the Urban Lotus Project, the Reno Gleaning Project, Awaken, Project 150, Nevada Youth Empowerment Project, the Eddy House, and the newest recipient is Forever 14, a group committed to preventing teen suicide. 

Lagatta wants to help as many nonprofits as possible “and there are so many out there we don’t even know about,” she said. She encourages her group members to go out and find these organizations and elevate them through a nomination. Lagatta also encourages these nonprofits to approach a member of Thank You Ma’am. Community members interested in joining in this endeavor can visit their website.

“Pull together, come together,” Lagatta said. “Let’s support our local community and just dig into the needs of our community. There can be ten nonprofits nominated but only four can speak,” she explained “but every meeting there is potentially four nonprofits being spoken about that nobody’s heard of.”

Reporting by Richard Bednarski for Our Town Reno

The Biggest Sweep Yet Begins on Eastern Side of Wells Ave. Tent Village

Advocates, some in vans, others on foot, helped dozens and dozens of people living in tents scramble to save some of their possessions. Clusters of construction workers and coffee mug holding police watched. A woman tried to start her RV but it stalled. A man pushed his bike with two carts attached to its bike but one of them collapsed under the weight of tarps and full backpacks.

Elmo, with a red beard, and a long whip “to relieve stress”, felt it had been a “trap” all along for local officials to allow and even encourage people to stay here for weeks. Last week, as the new Nevada Cares campus opened, sweeps began in earnest first on the western side of the Wells Ave. overpass. Tuesday morning, a firetruck, city cars and a bulldozer rolled into the much more crowded easter section.

“They pushed everyobdy here, and now they are making everybody move,” he said. He wished there were more dumpsters, “and just leave the homeless alone. We are not doing anything wrong. Just because we don’t have a house doesn’t mean we are bad people,”

He said he hoped to get into housing again soon, but would go hide at a secret location. He felt the new massive shelter was too crammed, and felt too stressful.

Our Town Reno reporting, photos and video, May 25, 2021

Ilya, Bearing Witness to Today's Start of Major Sweeps in Northern Nevada

Several dozen people were still at their tents Thursday morning as a bulldozer arrived with different vested workers as well as police to begin the first of what will be many scheduled sweeps and camp clean outs in the weeks to come, coinciding with the opening of the large COVID Cares Act funded Nevada Cares campus.

Ilya Arbatman said notices which had been handed out had indicated this first operation would take place on either the 17th or the 24th. Media reports quoting Reno city officials had indicated Wednesday or today, but many in the camp were still confused.

Arbatman arrived early Thursday with other volunteers to help those remaining at the camp along railroad tracks save some of their belongings and move before police and contracted workers forced them to do so. Some were simply moving to the other side of the bridge, which could face its own sweep in the coming days.

Screengrabs from a video by John L’Etoile from this morning.

Arbatman said one transgender individual without stable shelter had concerns over the new campus, which has been advertised as being for men and people identifying as couples, whereas the Our Place shelter, which is usually full, has been catering to women.

“That was concerning for some because for a greay area like that, I’m not really that optimistic that Volunteers of America [operating the new campus] is going to be able to handle it.”

He said based on the conversations he’s had “one to five percent” of people previously living in the tent city would utilize the campus. Others he said would need to “coerced to go there. There’s no a lot of excitement about that,” he added. He said they might face the option of going, getting arrested, or “scattering.”

A sign was put up in front of operations, saying “No Tresspassing, Active Construction Zone” under the overpass, which wasn’t initially enforced. He said by the end of the day he thought it would “all be rubble.”

Our Town Reno reporting, May 20, 2021

Carl, At Wells Ave. Tent City Ready to Give Cares Campus A Try

As notices were handed out up and down railroad tracks in Reno, Carl sat down in an outdoor couch to have a cigarette.

“Any property that is left will be thrown away, could be considered trash and thrown away,” he said of what was on the notice. “Anything that is not considered trash, I guess you would have to notify whoever, some, somebody who is in charge to tell them.”

His latest housing situation at the Riverwood Apartments ended with “bad blood happening with the roommates.”

As the sweep looms, he says he’s been helping others at tent city picking up trash. “You know, we got bags and rakes and shovels and stuff. It’s not like we come out with big bulldozers or anything.”

He says he will try out the Nevada Cares Campus if he is allowed in. “I'm planning on getting suited and booted and, and trail on over there,” he said.

He hopes it will be lead to housing and other opportunities. “I would definitely love that. I mean, if I can shower there and have electricity and what not, you know, that would definitely be a plus.

Carl used to work in construction in Illinois and flipping houses but says his friend’s company fell through.

”I saw opportunity out here, which there is a lot of opportunity to actually do work through a good staffing company but I'm not stable enough to make sure I get me a good night's sleep, to make sure I can make it to work on time. You know? Cause like some of the warehouse jobs that I been on, you know, I got to get up at five o'clock in the morning, you know? And sometimes out here you're not getting any rest. You're not. Cause you know, you got that, a lot of everything out here. I don't hate on anybody for what they do, but it's kind of a jungle out here.”

He’s not too worried about oncoming sweeps. “I got my tent in the bag and my backpack, so I really ain't got much to give away, I ain't got much to carry and I ain't got much to give away.”

He says there’s lots of misconceptions of those struggling. “Not all of us are drug addicts and all that stuff. Some of us were actually trying to step up the game and what not and it just fell off, on bad luck, not from just gambling and all that crap either. Honestly walking down the road, you can see who's a person that's actually trying and the person who's not, you know, you see a person that just wants to be a drunk hurt on the street, but it's like, you know, what got him to that point? You know, there was obviously something that struck him if it gets to that point.”

Reporting by Richard Bednarski for Our Town Reno

Rebel Hopes for Housing while Keeping His Dogs Happy

“Just emotional, unconditional love,” said Rebel about his two dogs, Freyja Marie and LadySyff. “You feed ‘em, you take care of em, you get it back.” Rebel flagged me down and asked if I could take a photograph of his two dogs. We then started talking about his experience here in Reno and how he came to be without a reliable place to live. 

Rebel arrived here almost three months ago because he had some friends whom he could stay with. Previously he lived in Colorado, off the grid, and enjoyed a simple life. Then came the pandemic and he was forced to leave due to the risk of transmission. He has been homeless before and this time around is glad to have his dogs.

Born and raised in Indiana, he has family in Las Vegas and plans to eventually reconnect with them in the next year. Until then, he is trying to find a place to stay and get off the streets as soon as possible. Rebel has suffered with anxiety stress disorder and has found natural ways to manage the issue and no longer relies on pills. Having worked in construction when he was younger, he recalled a day when he was just feeling two crowded and flipped out on the jobsite. Fortunately, his boss at the time knew this was an issue and paid for a medical evaluation which led to his diagnosis. He explained the issue originated when he was thirteen years old. 

When we met him, Rebel had been homeless for about two weeks due to a bank problem and had to leave where he was staying. Though he hopes to get back on his feet and find a place to live, he knows it is near impossible. He has tried various motels and the cheapest rate he has found was over $100 a night before pet fees and taxes, which would only go so far on his $850 disability check. Rebel is also concerned this amount will not be enough to get any reliable housing. 

“Not enough actual low income places anymore,” said Rebel. With no credit history and an income far lower than the average rent price, Rebel is concerned for the houseless community. He said the biggest problem is money and without low-income housing, the houseless community will still struggle to get a stable place to live. 

Rebel heard about the tiny homes that have recently been built and thinks this is a viable and realistic solution to addressing those without homes. “Cause there’s some of them out here, that I know, if they didn’t have access to the booze as much, and work, they wouldn’t be here.” Rebel has had his struggles with drugs and has been sober off of meth for twenty years. When another person heard this, he asked for Rebel’s help. 

“Only thing I can do is make you stop and think,” he said “if you truly want to quit, I’ll talk you through it.” He is hopeful he will be able to help this person transition off drugs. 

He’s heard of the new massive shelter going up but isn’t too sure what it will mean for him yet.

“A lot of it is location,” Rebel explained “like me, I’ve got two dogs...it’s distance, really.” He foresees the biggest struggle people will have to contend with when living in the new CARES Campus is the distance from the services they rely upon. He recently began having some pain in his leg and is worried he will not be as mobile as he used to be. Rebel knows there are others who struggle more with injuries and their mobility. 

“A lot of what’s going on out here is just because there is not enough low income [housing] for the ones like me,” Rebel emphasized again. He knows the affordable housing crisis needs to be addressed and urged the community of Reno to call upon state legislatures and local politicians to address this issue. “I don’t make a minimum of $1200 a month and I’m having a real hard time getting into places.” 

Reporting by Richard Bednarski for Our Town Reno

Project Unity, a New Generation Steps Up in Reno for Progress

Taking it Upon Themselves to Seek Change

At the beginning of summer last year, protests were erupting across the country over a range of issues, including police violence and conditions at Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention centers. Helen Miranda and Ashley Solano decided they needed to do something about it. Being friends since their sophomore year of high school, the two decided to start Project UNITY, a group aimed at organizing protests and activism in the Reno area. 

Solano was born and raised in Reno, while Miranda moved here from Los Angeles when she was eight years old. Disappointed in the lack of local action, Miranda and Solano took it upon themselves to create the change they wanted to see, even if it was just the two of them. Since then, they have organized protests against inadequate immigration facilities, sex trafficking, and police brutality. They have also hosted donation drives for Reno’s houseless community. 

“Personally, I want the right people to care. I want our government officials to do things about what people want,” Miranda said, when asked about what she wants to see change in Reno. “Like we are out here trying to touch so many people, but if it doesn't touch the right people that have the power to change, then where are we ever going to go?”

Solano currently works at a warehouse sorting mail, while Miranda works as a realtor. Miranda is also a mother and soccer coach, with help from her mother when it comes to child care.

Project UNITY’s Facebook banner features two women, hand in hand, surrounded by cacti and butterflies. The signs surrounding them detail the issues Project UNITY cares about, such as fighting against racism and for immigration rights. The word “unity” is shown in Spanish and English. Photo from the Project UNITY Facebook page with permission to use.

Hope Despite the Doubts

Besides the limitations of COVID, one of the biggest setbacks for the duo were the initial fears and doubts surrounding Project UNITY, and whether people would listen to them or not. 

“Maybe people's opinions in the beginning did get to me a little bit, but I feel like I'm way over that. And I feel like now it's just like, I know that I can make a change, whether it's just us or with a whole group of people,” Solano said. 

“I didn’t want to feel the failure,” Miranda said. “But, at a point it just got to where me and Ashley were like, ‘Okay, if it's just going to be the two of us protesting, the two of us doing things, the two of us feeding the homeless, the two of us doing things for one individual.’ If it means changing one individual's life, because they decided to contact two people, I wanted to help.”

Miranda and Solano pointed out how they acted as extra support for each other, saying that even if they didn’t know each other, they would still be doing what they are doing now. 

Solano (left) and Miranda (right) hold a Mexican flag at their first ICE protest on June 14, 2020. Photo from the Project UNITY Facebook page with permission to use.

Looking Forward to the Future

In the future, Miranda aims to be a soccer coach, so she can be the mentor to others like the one she had growing up. Beyond that, she wants to change Reno for the sake of her children and grandchildren. Solano plans on doing some sort of social work, while continuing to help others. 

“Because if you're always thinking, ‘Okay, I want to, maybe one day I want to make a change. Maybe one day, I want to do this or that.’ Then it's never going to happen until you say, ‘Okay, well, this is how I'm going to make it work.’ Even if it's on your own. Even if it's yourself believing in yourself with, um, the whole world against you. If you believe in yourself, it's your, it's your life.” Miranda said.

Miranda and Solano’s passion for social justice mirrors that of their generation. The two young adults have shown that age doesn’t matter when it comes to helping others.

“I definitely want people of our age or younger to know that if you really want to make a change, just go for it,” Solano said. “Don't worry about what people think, don't worry about who's next to you, who's behind you, who's believing in you. You have the power to make a change. And if it's really like you have good intentions sooner or later, people are going to see it.”

Reporting by Rachel Jackson for Our Town Reno

Streetplus Responds, Fires Out of Control Downtown Reno Ambassador

According to the Downtown Reno Partnership Business Improvement District, they “contract with Streetplus, a company with 25 years experience improving cities through hard work, to hire, train and manage” the Segway riding, uniformed team of ambassadors. The website goes on to say, “they work with Reno Police, Reno Fire, REMSA and City of Reno code enforcement to maintain the district.”

After sending a series of questions to Streetplus, including whether the ambassadors had proper training, we received an email from Steve Hillard, listed as President and Principal, with an address out of Exton, PA.

“Thank you for bringing this to our attention,” he wrote back earlier this month. “Streetplus is committed to providing well-trained and professional personnel to perform ambassador duties for the Downtown Reno Partnership and we’ve provided these services since November 2018.  The Ambassadors receive initial and ongoing training structured around their job duties and the various situations they are required to deal with, to include protests.  After a thorough review of the situation, the person involved is no longer employed by Streetplus.”

We were still left wondering who this employee was, how long he had been with the ambassadors and whether there had been initial warnings to Reno team could have been better in tune with. We were also wondering about the ambassador’s own self regulation. Initially, we received a text message from another member of the Reno ambassadors saying since the shirtless man was not in uniform the pictures we posted were of no concern.

Here’s what one of our readers who lives in a tent communicated with us, before the protest altercation: “This "ambassador" Chris, was down at the tracks, where I live in my tent, a few nights ago. It was around 10pm and I was pretty much the only one about.  He came up drinking a beer, it didn't seem to be his first one either. He stood in clear area close enough for me to hear everything he was saying. When he first arrived, he was held up from a train stopped on the tracks, a common thing for them. When he was able to cross the tracks he started complaining about all the people living in tents and how there is no place that he could go and enjoy a little privacy any more. Then he started calling everyone that was living out there faggots and leaches. I sat there quietly not saying anything. He knew that I was keeping an eye on him, as were several others from their tents. He started going off about people shouldn't be watching him and that it was his job to everyone else. It was pretty clear that he was looking for a fight. After about 20 minutes of getting no reaction, he must have gotten tired of listening to himself rant and rave, so he left….. You could tell that he felt superior than everyone around there.” We could not independently confirm this account, but it left us concerned as well as to mechanisms to prevent such worrisome behavior from ambassadors.

Our Town Reno Reporting, May 2021

Voices From The River Survey Finds Interest in Safe Camp at Cares Campus, But Many Concerns

73% Are Willing to Try the New Safe Camp

43 people without stable shelter took part in the survey, nearly a third of them in the 55-64 age range (30%), nearly two thirds (63%) without a source of income, and 91% of them listing ending homelessness as one of their goals.  

The leading answer of needs to end their homelessness was housing.    In terms of housing, basic accommodations was listed first, which included even a car garage or storage building, “somewhere that’s not on the streets,” and a “room with a lock.” 

More than half (58%) said they would use the new Cares shelter.  Of those resistant to the idea, the leading reason was crowds and other people, followed by health concerns (such as COVID or bedbugs) and personal preference or past experiences. 

For the safe camp idea, willingness went up to 73%. Among the nos, there were leading concerns about autonomy.  A leading answer was also for the safe camp to be run by its residents, such as “self-governed with guidance of a program,” or “by a homeless person that knows everyone and respects everyone.”

Advocates using the #showusyoucare hashtag are circulating a fundraising campaign to have local politicians spend nights at the new campus.

Frustration with Existing Services

Barriers to accessing services range from lack of ID, to criminal history, to lacking transportation, to not being able to store belongings, to feeling frustrated at slow results, stigma, not getting to housing, to being turned down, and to general ineffective and unclear service distribution.  

Among those camping, 64% said they had been harassed by law enforcement, with many stating being cited or arrested as well.  

The report concludes transportation would benefit individuals trying to get to the shelter, and that there should be distinct spaces for those who “struggle with crowds.”  It concludes by saying “case management is imperative to focus on individually defined goals and focused on exiting people into housing that reflects their barriers, resources and preferences.”

Our Town Reno Reporting in May 2021

The Social Media Racism Fallout Affiliated to Lacey Shea and Shea's Tavern

Racist History Renewed

Shea’s Tavern opened in Midtown in the early 1990s, and is currently owned by Lacey Shea. It has a reputation as a raucous late night party place, also favored by other bar and restaurant employees. The restaurant next door, Homegrown Gastropub, is owned by her brother, Spencer Shea, and often gets rave reviews for healthy food and a quaint bistro environment. But during the Black Lives Matter protests last year, social media outrage over racist posts associated with Lacey Shea took off.

In April 2021, this concern was renewed when Reddit user u/concernedcitizen775 posted a screenshot that shook the Reno subreddit. The title of the post read: The owner of Sheas Tavern liking a photo of a devout white supremacist. Interesting. The screenshot shows her like (from her account @ladyshea2020) on a post of a picture of her with Instagrammer jesuschrist666hamc with a caption stating “The Fourteen Words”, a slogan popular among white supremacists: : "We must secure the existence of our people and a future for white children." His publicly listed bio now reads: HELLS ANGELS NEVADA NOMADS! and I am your lord and savior.

The Instagram post featured the caption, “We must secure the existence of our people and a future for white children. #HELLSANGELS #FTOT #ALWAYSUS”. The 87% upvoted Reddit post featuring the screenshot had 66 comments before being locked by r/Reno moderators. 

Boycotting the Tavern

One Reno citizen, wishing to remain anonymous, shared her shock and disappointment after seeing the post, along with the other instances involving Lacey Shea on social media. She was first taken to Shea’s by a now-ex boyfriend, who had been going to the bar for years. 

“I was shocked because me and my boyfriend, who is Black, always tried to support businesses that were pro-BLM, although many Reno businesses aren't too open about this. I talked to my ex and he was shocked and saddened that a bar that he used to enjoy is now a bar he would feel unsafe in,” our source said. She stated she would feel unsafe if her name was included. “I think if more people saw these images, rather than just hearing about the situation, they would take it more serious and realize that this is actually terrifying that there is a local bar that supports racism.” Reached for comment via social media, Lacy Shea and Shea’s Tavern have not responded.

This was one of Lacey Shea’s public apologies from her Facebook. The post is no longer visible to the public. Many initial commenters voiced their support for her.

Lacey Shea wrote she was power scroll liking, including this post which includes the double lightning bolt symbol associated with the Nazi SS corps, which pledged an oath of loyalty to Adolf Hitler and helped execute the Holocaust. The Filthy Few slogan is associated with members of the Hell’s Angels who have committed murder on behalf of the biker gang.

Negative Reviews Shunned by Yelp

Some Reno locals have retaliated with negative Yelp reviews, which have been displaced for violating Yelp’s terms and services and only appear in another section called 37 Reviews Removed for Violating our Terms of Service where you can’t see them. Another removed section called “12 reviews for Shea's Tavern that are not currently recommended. Note: The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating,” can be read, but are all from before these controversies.

Over 35 1-star reviews have been removed since April 4th, 2021. Due to this, they still have a 3.5-star rating. We contacted Reno-based Michael Tragash, who lists himself as community manager for Yelp. He pointed us to different pages of the website, including community guidelines, and what happens when a local business gains increased public attention: “When a local business makes the news for something controversial, people often go to Yelp with the intention of sharing their views on the situation in a review, photo, or other content. These comments typically don’t reflect a personal consumer experience with the business, which should always be the focus of user content on Yelp,” is the wording on Yelp.

Shea’s Facebook page has deleted any comments on the situation altogether.  On the Shea’s Tavern Instagram page, two comments on a recent post have been hidden, but are still viewable upon clicking on them. One says, “Fuck Nazis”, with 14 likes, while another says, “Nazi punks fuck off”, earning 31 likes. 

Though the original post has been locked, many memes have been posted about Lacey Shea and her tavern across local social media. A recent meme ties in Homegrown Gastropub. After being mentioned in a Reno citizen’s Facebook post, her brother and Homegrown Gastropub owner Spencer Shea (above) stated he is not affiliated with Shea’s Tavern.

Why the Media’s Silence?

Many who know about the social media outrage were confused as to why local news hadn’t covered it, while others were mad about the lack of substantial apology by Shea’s. Many Reddit commenters claimed the man who originally posted the photo worked for Shea’s, and was possibly in a relationship with Lacey Shea. Her Facebook status is currently “single”, and does not follow the account that made the original post. Since she didn’t respond for a direct interview, we couldn’t ask about her exact relationship with Instagram user jesuschrist666hamc.

Despite Lacey Shea’s claim that the caption on the post was not “The Fourteen Words” when she liked it, she was in a picture with someone whose own Instagram comments are filled with the lightning bolt emojis, representing the white supremacist symbol “SS”. It is difficult to believe that this man’s behaviors and beliefs were unknown to Lacey. 

This photo was posted on Lacey Shea’s old Instagram and confused many as to whether a Nazi salute was being celebrated. We tried to get direct comment from Lacey Shea but did not hear back.

Lastly, when scrolling to the very first post on @lacested, Lacey Shea’s previous Instagram account, this below is the first photo which appears from that account.

Another Reddit post was made in late April, reminding people to not forget about this.

Reporting by Rachel Jackson for Our Town Reno

Dwindling Cheering for Disappearing Sports Teams Despite Stadium Space

The Reno sports fan base, although it doesn’t expand much outside of the Sierras, has undergone a recent decline in attendance. Although the Nevada men’s basketball team saw a spike under former head coach Eric Musselman, he who would sometimes take his shirt off for on camera celebrations, the Wolf Pack football team saw its lowest total fan turnout in pre-pandemic days in 2019 (97,080 fans) since 2011 (93,685). It has been a troubling trend. The Reno Events Center would be riddled with open seats during the ten-year Reno Bighorn era which began in 2008.

Along with the Bighorns, the Biggest Little City in the world has been home to multiple college and minor league sports teams, many of them deceased.

In soccer, Reno 1868 FC made its debut in the USL Championship in March 2017 only to cease operations during the pandemic. Serving as minor league affiliate for the San Jose Earthquakes of Major League Soccer, Reno 1868 played in 120 games -- 60 at Greater Nevada Field -- and went 62-30-28 with a 2-4 playoff record in that tenure.  It attracted a small but loyal fan base, and crowds were bigger when there were special exhibition games involving teams from Mexico.

In ice hockey, the Reno Renegades started in the 1995–96 season in the WCHL, became the Reno Rage in 1997, but folded that season. They played in the Reno-Sparks Convention Center, and attracted attention when they signed female goaltender Manon Rhéaume who appeared in 11 regular season games for the during the 1996–97 season.

Greater Nevada Field still hosts the Minor League Baseball team, the Reno Aces. The Aces are a part of the Triple-A division -- the best among the six minor league divisions. Greater Nevada Field, formally called “Aces Ballpark”, has played host to the Aces since 2009. It can seat over 9,000 people.  With COVID-19 still going, they are scheduled to host 50 percent of its fire code capacity at Greater Nevada Field when the season opens next month.

The Reno Events Center is the former home of the Reno Bighorns, who served as the D-League affiliate of the Sacramento Kings for nine seasons, as well as hosting the Reno Barons and the Reno Express. The Reno Events Center holds up to 7,500 people.

The Bighorns played in the Reno Events Center (above) since the franchise formed prior to the 2008-09 D-League season. In their nine seasons, they went an even 225-225 -- including 34-16 in 2010-11 under Musselman, who also coached the Nevada Wolf Pack men’s basketball team from 2015-19. The Bighorns relocated permanently to Stockton, Calif., prior to the start of the 2018-19 season, renaming themselves the Stockton Kings.

The Barons, an arena football team, and the Express, an indoor professional football team, resided in Reno Events Center for one season each. The Barons logged just one win in its only game as a franchise. The Express went 6-6 in its lone season in 2019.  

Mackay Stadium is the current home to the Nevada Wolf Pack football and women’s soccer teams. The current Mackay Stadium finished construction in 1965 with an original seating capacity of approximately 7,500 people. Several renovations later, the half-century old stadium can seat up to 30,000 people, although that number was significantly limited this year due to COVID-19 restrictions. 

The original Mackay Stadium was constructed in 1908, named after Clarence Mackay, an American financier, chairman of the board of the Postal Telegraph and Cable Corporation and president of the Mackay Radio and Telegraph Company.

Lawlor Events Center (above) is the current home to the Nevada men’s and women’s basketball teams, seating over 11,000 people. It has hosted the men’s team since it opened in Nov. of 1983; it has played host to the women’s team since 1994-95. The highest attendance in the arena’s history was when it jam-packed 11,841 people in an intrastate battle between Nevada and UNLV in the 2016-17 season, where the Wolf Pack came out on top 104-77.  

The Virginia Street Gym, formally called the “Old Gym” has existed since 1945, seating up to 1,800 people. Although it has stood for nearly 80 years, it became the full-time home for the Wolf Pack volleyball team in 1994 after it was an all-sport arena for the 49 years prior. 

Peccole Park, which seats up to 3,000 people, has been the home to the Nevada Wolf Pack college baseball team since 1988. It also played host to the Reno Silver Sox from 2006 to 2008, when they were a part of the Golden Baseball League. It went 110-134 over that span. The Silver Sox are a now-ceased minor league baseball team who existed from 1947-1992 and 2006-08.

Speaking of the Silver Sox, they played in Moana Stadium in a first stint. Moana Stadium ballpark finished construction in 1946. The Silver Sox, a Class C affiliate of the New York Giants at the time, began playing at the beginning of the franchise’s establishment in 1947. The original stadium burned down in 1960, but was refurbished in the same location for the 1961 season. After the Silver Sox relocated in 1992, the historical ballpark stood for two more decades before it was destroyed in 2012. 

Why has Reno lost so many of their teams?

The reasons, depending on the organization, vary. For the Bighorns, one big reason the franchise was relocated was because Stockton was closer to Sacramento and the Kings; the travel from Stockton to Sacramento is 45 minutes, as opposed to the two-plus hours it takes from Reno to Sacramento. It makes it more readily accessible for fans, assistant coaches and scouts to track player development. It’s also easier for the players to travel in between sites. 

“Our NBA G League team has been an incredible asset to help prepare players for NBA action and bringing the team closer to Sacramento will allow us to continue to build on that success and increase efficiency to this valuable development tool … Kings fans in Stockton will now have an opportunity to see the next-generation of NBA players each week,” said Kings general manager Vlade Divac at the time, via a press release. 

In Nov. of 2020, the Reno 1868 FC announced it would cease because of the COVID-19 financial impact the franchise underwent. In their last stretch, no fans were permitted in the stadium for in-person seating for all but two playoff games. 

The Silver Sox relocated to Riverside, Calif., and became the Riverside Pilots in 1993 due to Moana Stadium’s subpar conditions. It returned in 2006 in Peccole Park, playing just three seasons there (as noted above). 

The Reno Barons cut their season after just one game due financial problems and inability to pay players. The Express took the 2020 season off to attract more of a following with the hopes of returning in 2021, but COVID-19 has halted their return. 

It seems expensive and not worth the hassle for those who have looked into it to have a new minor league hockey team in Reno, with bus travel back and over the pass being challenging during the winter and spring.

There hasn’t been just one answer; different factors have contributed to their downfalls. 

Reporting by Matt Hanifan for Our Town Reno

Alex Munoz, Studying the Geography of our Unhoused Neighbors

Our Town Reno reporters, Richard Bednarski and Gracie Gordon sat down with Muñoz in a podcast studio to learn more about what exactly spatial geography is and what he hopes to learn from his master’s thesis research. This Question & Answer interview sheds light on how he chose to study in Reno and became part of the community.

Richard Bednarski: What were some of the biggest surprises you had when you first came to Reno?

Alex Muñoz: I think it's interesting to see the bigger picture in the U.S., because the differences are that it doesn't look like Europe but the U.S. are kind of the same. We are these like and I quote like, Western culture, but it's everything, it's very different. One of the first things I noticed, and this is a stupid cliche, but everything has a bigger. For example, I think like before coming here, I only saw in the streets [of his hometown], one pickup truck in my whole life. And there are around 15, on my street [in Reno]. And you know, this makes sense here because it's near to rural areas. Everything is bigger here. Everything is greater. I didn't know. I grew up with the American culture, every cinema you go, every movie theater, you go in Barcelona, like it is probably then more than 70% of the offer is American. So I kind of have this preconceived idea of what living in the U.S. is, or even like what being American means. And I think it's cool to see how this happens in not, and a lot of that is also in Reno, certainly.

Alex is a founding member of Laundry to the People.

Richard Bednarski: So how did you land on Reno and the University of Nevada?

Alex Muñoz: So with my advisor in Barcelona, I shared these interests for human and oral geography with him. And he put me in contact with my advisor here, Dr. Casey Lynch. And I started reading what he was doing. I got really, really interested. He said that he could offer me a position as an assistant here and the possibility of doing my masters. And I was in LA at that time So I flew to Reno, I met with him and that was it.

Richard Bednarski: You are studying human and urban geography. What are some of the goals for your research?

Alex Muñoz: What I am particularly interested in, is to see how social relationships happen spatially in the urban setting. For example, like going back to Reno and what my research can be in Reno, I'm really interested in inequality and how it's reproduced spatially in the city. So I want to focus my thesis on working on the homelessness issue here in Reno, actually talking about that geographical topic I would observe in the city and see how this inequality happens inside the, city fabric.

“[Reno] is changing rapidly. And I saw that being here and everyone I talked to, they are being here for 10, 20, 30 years. They described the city today, nothing to do with the city that they knew when they moved here initially. And you know, all these relations with the tech industry and how it's shifting socially and economically the city. It's very, very interesting. I said to my advisor, why should I move to Reno? They just have to send me the second season of The City Podcast with Anjeanette Damon. And I will be completely hooked and say, okay, you know what, I'm going to that city, I'm going to live in that city.”

Gracie Gordon: So could you briefly explain what critical urban geography is and like what practicality it may have?

Alex Muñoz: Urban geography is a sub-discipline that studies cities and urban processes. This is really broad. Like you can have thousands of research topics relating to the area or I feel like you can be interested in transportation in planning and economic and human flows that happen in the city. As I said, my interest in how inequality is reproduced and using the spatial formulas as a topic. For me, critical geography, I see it as our perspective, acknowledging how we relate to our environment and the sociopolitical structures that kind of organize these environments. And this means that the social scientist, our work is not like it can not be objective. That's what you have to acknowledge. I think when you think of being a critical geographer and as a geographer, this means like understanding myself as a subject that is observing the environment and challenging the kind of absolute ideas that can be produced and trying to find alternative views and ways of observing these special relations.

With this example, I think I would like to look at the political map. There's like some absolute knowledge that, you know, this is a country, this is a border, this is another country. And this is how things are. And things are stable and they can not be moved. But if you zoom in to the border, you're going to see that that's not really what happens like borders are kind of like hybrid spaces and there's modeling, there's cultural contact, there's personal contact. I think of the border with Spain and France in the Pyrenees [mountains]. If you're thinking of the political map, you're okay from this side to this side, your Spanish or Catalan from this side to the other, you're French. 

But if you actually visit the Pyrenees and this border, it's awesome. The people living on one side of the border have more, have more in common to the people on the other side of the border than they have with me. And we share the same passport, the same ID, the same like nationality or whatever, but they are more in common between them. And if you look, as I say, as they are the absolute, like idea of the map, you're not going to see these relations and you have to look at these alternative beers to observe how these, um, relationships happen and why and how. And I think that's interesting,

A Downtown ambassador telling the group Reno Soup for the Soul they can’t serve food near a bar on 4th Street.

Richard Bednarski: Can you elaborate what you want to get out of your master's thesis in regards to the homeless and the houseless community here in Reno?

Alex Muñoz: The thesis is still nearly in an early stage, but my idea is to build the thesis observing secure encampments. I want to do it through the case of the new Governor’s Bowl shelter, which is a projected secure camp kind of design. And so I'm really interested in how is this camp organized and how they reproduce these dualities between caring and banishing that happens in homelessness policy? Where you want to help people and you get resources for them at the same time, the activities that the homeless people reproduce in the city sometimes are banned and restricted in our laws. So there's this contrast between services and caring for them at the same time, you have to punish them for not having a house, which is crazy.

For me, it's easier to think that I can go to the bathroom. I have a bathroom in my office. I have a bathroom in my house, but if I live in the streets and I don't have a job, my only bathroom is, you know, the public place. I want to observe this duality. And my focus is especially on how the people that opt to move there, or the people that opt not to move there, experience that and observe this difference and try to help to see how we can do that policy and that kind of service is more attractive or more useful for them.

Gracie Gordon: What do you think the community is doing well to address homelessness in Reno?

Alex Muñoz: I would say that I'm amazed by the kind and amount of self organizing groups that take action. Like I'm shocked. Like one connects to one, this one connects to another, and I don't know how many, like little groups there are that self-organized, self-owned and are really constant. And there are a lot of rules in this community and I don't know if that's something that has to do with the country or with the city, but I am just amazed. People that get food, people that get clothing, people that get services and, you know, use their own time to do that. I really want to think that this is like a thing that only happens here and I'm amazed about that.

Advocate Michael Carson does a Facebook Live during a recent sweep.

Gracie Gordon: How did you get involved with helping out our homeless neighbor?

Alex Muñoz: I think it has a lot to do with the fact that my roommate is Blaize Abuntori. I think that marked my relationship to this and how to take action. And I always explain the same story, how the Reno Burrito Project, you know, shocked my life. The first weekend that I was in my own house, it was like a Saturday and there were a lot of people bringing him food and water, like huge amounts of food and like huge packaging though for water. And I was like, okay, I don't know what's happening. Something weird is happening in my house. And at some point that day Blaize came into my room and he was really apologetic. And I think that says a lot about Blaize. He said ‘this is happening because we have this project called the Reno Burrito Project where we meet here. You know, people bring food for making burritos. And then tomorrow, we're going to hand them out. I'm really sorry. You know, that this is happening here’.

Gracie Gordon: And did it just spark your interest immediately?

Alex Muñoz: I was already interested, I live near downtown, I already see what's happening in the city. So that kind of like got me thinking that, you know, that there's a way of taking action. And a few months later I was talking to Blaize about the thing that people in Tent City actually have to throw away, like their clothes. Because they don't have any way of washing them. And I've never thought of that. And we were talking about underwear and how they're in desperate need of getting underwear and moving underwear between like the different organizations to bring underwear to the tent city. I use a clean pair every day. So if I was living in the street, I would need a new one. Then he told me that he knew Ilya and Rosie, and that they were starting this,   Laundry to the People project. So I got on board as soon as I could.

“I felt very terrible he was apologizing to me for something that was happening in my house, that was amazing. I was like, what kind of person do you think I am that you shouldn't be apologizing for?”

Richard Bednarski: Is there anything in the community that you've noticed that, and it could be city, it could be community members, that isn't working to help alleviate the struggles that the houseless community have to deal with?

Alex Muñoz: With homelessness is that it has so many edges and different problems, that it is really difficult to find an answer that unifies all the problems and helps solve them. I think that housing affordability is one of the biggest issues and we kind of focus on what we see, which is like when people are like living … on the corner of your street, but maybe we should try to focus on what happens before and like help people to maintain their own houses or to actually help people find affordable housing. And this is the hardest part. I don't see myself with the kind of authority to say this is not working. For example, through meeting Grant Denton and the River Stewards, I saw a different approach. Like not only saying, okay, this is going to work and let's apply, but, let's meet the people that  we're gonna give the services to and that way we can see what their needs are and how we can help them.

I'm not sure if that approach is being used outside of this example. I don't know if the houseless people actually have a voice in the important meetings or have a voice on the policies that act upon them.

Richard Bednarski: Can you tell us about a moment or an interaction you had with a homeless person and explain how it went? 

Alex Muñoz": I have had a few with the Laundry to the People and the few times that I've been out with the Reno Burrito Project. Also kind of like starting a conversation and talking to people like, and I think that's part of what makes these projects interesting is that they're not only providing some material thing, but also, conversation and understanding that goes both ways.

I'm not talking about any paternalistic way, you know, I'm such a good person. You know, I talked with the houseless people. That's not what I'm saying. It's by their action and if I want to help him provide the service, I need to know the people. I remember one time that I was with The Reno Burrito Project and as soon as I talk, everyone knows that I'm not from here because of my accent. So they asked me, Oh, ‘where are you from’? I said, Oh, I'm from Barcelona and that person was a veteran. So we were talking about, you know, he's been touring through Europe and these and that, and the conversation kind of like when different set different directions. Then he said that he had a job and he was going to move to a motel with his brother. 

That conversation was great to have. We were talking about how you can change your life and how this little thing that happened can, you know, help you move on and change. We were talking about things like food in Spain and things in Spain and things in Catalonia. I had a great time. I could see his happiness for going to the motel and kind of like feeling that he was restarting again.

“So regarding the houseless crisis, the message I would like to voice is, take action, it's way easier than it seems like. I know I'm lucky that I just had the Reno Burrito Project that entered my life and showed me that it's kind of easy to do these things. I've just been here a few months and you know, I'm already involved with the Laundry to the People and it's easy to do in Reno. It's the easiest thing to do if you have some experience, some knowledge that you think that can be helpful, just go for it. And if not, just get interested in what people are doing, call them and everyone here is happy to collaborate.”

Q and A with Alex Munoz for Our Town Reno by Gracie Gordon and Richard Bednarski

Troy, Hoping the Nevada Cares Campus Will Help Him on Path to Sobriety

“This new one they’re building,” Troy, 53, said, overlooking ongoing preparations for the new Nevada Cares Campus at the old Governor’s Bowl location “is supposed to be huge.”

Troy is glad the shelter will serve both men and women but other than that he says he knows nothing else about its exact plans. He says he does plan on sleeping there when it opens and he hopes it will be different than the current place he resides at, the temporary tent shelter on 4th street.  “Too many rude people,” he said. The new campus might have even more, as local law enforcement and authorities are threatening sweeps and citations against those still camping once it opens, now scheduled later this month. Volunteers of America will remain as the operator. The opening will be staggered. Much of what’s been promised is not ready yet. Advocates, including a few formerly houseless, themselves have expressed concern this might be “warehousing,” where people with different problems are lumped together, which tends to create even more hostile environments.

Troy is thinking more of reorienting himself, and hopes a new shelter might offer him a new path. He has lived here in Reno for about three years and is originally from Eugene, Oregon. He says he has struggled with drinking and recently started a new program.

“I’ve had the money two or three times but I end up drinking it away,” he said. “But I’m doing this new program and will be doing a little treatment.”

Wraparound services at the Cares Campus are for future phases, not yet funded, or fully agreed upon.

Reporting and photos by Richard Bednarski for Our Town Reno

Trying to Report about an Out of Control Downtown Reno Ambassador

It was last Saturday, as a street medic awareness session was followed by a “Stop Police Terror” protest organized by the Party for Socialism and Liberation at the Believe plaza.

But as we arrived, several street medics and bystanders kept referring to a downtown Reno ambassador who had allegedly berated them with strange rants, and then apparently returned, took off his shirt and berated them more with incoherent and threatening language, before being escorted away by another ambassador.

One of those targeted, Jake Maynard, shared with us a photo, which we tweeted out. Others on social media immediately grew concerned with this situation, while some, including journalists, reached out to us, saying they didn’t believe this was an ambassador, wondering why we were publicizing someone’s apparent meltdown. But what about the words he was yelling, we wondered, making people feel unsafe, especially coming from a uniformed and then shirtless “ambassador”? What about his position of authority trying to intimidate law abiding protesters? Did his uniform and Segway confuse them?

“My initial reaction to the ambassador was that he was not a good example of Reno. He responded to the medic, who wasn’t aware of who the ambassadors were, as he wasn’t from Reno, with aggression. The medic asked him if he was affiliated with law enforcement, and he said no, he wasn’t. I don’t recall if the medic responded with ‘good’ or ‘ok,’ but from there, the ambassador said something along the lines of ‘Who would your sister call if she was getting raped?’ to which the medic replied, ‘probably me.’ This seemed to visibly upset the ambassador, but he drove off on the Segway. The initial interruption caught everyone off guard as he approached from behind us and just started yelling. He then called us a ‘gang’ and told us that we were breaking the rules of the Believe plaza and pointed at the sign and told us to leave.”

One medic, Larry, told reporter Rachel Jackson he was there to support the protest and “teach some basic street medicine.” He said the ambassador had also tried to stop their gathering. “He had tried to shoo us off before, but we didn’t exceed the guidelines. He said 25 people or more, and we were like ‘dude, there’s like ten of us.’ And then he came back out of uniform, and then even more out of uniform because he ripped his shirt off, trying to fight a group of us, swearing in front of children, and saying how someone was raping family members of participants, and that you would want to call police. And we were just like ‘dude like there like kids … here. And then he just kept trying to fight everyone to the point where he almost got Maced by a bunch of people.”

Our Instagram post was finally met with an official statement, but it didn’t exactly confirm whether the heckler was indeed an ambassador.

Larry says the ambassador returned again, lunging toward the group, trying to fight, only to be escorted away, apparently by another Reno ambassador.

Maynard also elaborated on the bizarreness of the heckling and threats as these concluded with another ambassador on hand.

“When he returned to the area out of uniform he firstly interrupted the medic’s demonstration by saying ‘I’m here with my black friend’ and standing next to a Black guy who I also believe to be an ambassador and looked extremely embarrassed during the whole interaction. Other members of the medic group started to argue with him and told him to leave, and that just made him angrier to the point where he called us “f*ggots” and then took his shirt off to try to fight members of the medic group.” At this point, Maynard said “his friend began to hold him back and try to move him out of the area. Most of us were just standing there thinking,  ‘Is this really happening?’ I’ve seen people get upset and haggle at protests before, but this guy went further than I’ve personally seen before and had to be physically escorted away.”

After collecting these testimonies, we tried to get in touch with the Reno Ambassadors but they kept ignoring our calls, or who knows, maybe not taking them seriously. Journalists and bystanders kept casting doubt over our social media posts. After several tries, Chris Reardon eventually replied by text, and when asked if the man was an ambassador, Reardon replied “I confirn that he is not in a[sic] Ambassador uniform and that a picture of him is not of concern. Have a good night.”

A bizarre text exchange also did not confirm whether the aggressive heckler was an ambassador.

The event ended with a sense of hope. Activists marching in the protest continued to emphasize that individuals have the power to create ripples of change. And before the protesters went their separate ways, a member from the crowd was called upon to chant cheers, and all the audience embraced the enthusiasm from their peers. 

Bob Conrad from This is Reno followed up by interviewing the marketing manager for the Business Improvement District called the Downtown Reno Partnership and got this quote below for an updated article:

This made us think of many other instances, where employees are not direct hires, which is then used as an extra layer away from accountability, such as the contractor who pepper sprayed a man who didn’t get out of bed fast enough at the current temporary big tent shelter.

We sent a message on the general Streetplus page, which has its closest offices in San Francisco but did not hear back yet. Here was our message: “The Our Town Reno reporting collective is looking into a downtown Reno ambassador who engaged in threatening conduct at a protest last Saturday, both in uniform and then returning shirtless, and we were wondering if Streetplus has a comment about this. Is training sufficient for ambassadors to deal with protests? What type of training do they get before going out in the community and do you believe it's sufficient? Some protesters were confused by their uniform as they had not encountered them before. Has that been a problem before and is that under review? Thank you for your time.”

Reporting by Gracie Gordon shared with Our Town Reno