Kristen Hackbarth

Reno Council Member Attacks Nevada Ethics Commission over Dismissal Reno City Council member Devon Reese attacks Nevada Commission on Ethics, claims exoneration. Commissioners defend executive director.

My latest for @thisisreno.bsky.social, follow up on a story I've been covering since Feb. 2024. The complaints were dismissed, which was reported by others, but we looked at what led to the dismissal and what happened after, w/ @bobconrad.bsky.social : thisisreno.com/2025/10/devo...

Hepatitis B shot for newborns has nearly eliminated childhood infections with this virus in the US Before universal vaccination for hepatitis B began in 1991, 18,000 children contracted the virus by age 10 each year, and most of them developed chronic illness and liver damage. Vaccination reduced…

Hepatitis B shot for newborns has nearly eliminated childhood infections with this virus in the US

That's a lot of donuts. And redevelopment funds.

Boulder City flushes plans for ‘10-foot tall, 11-foot wide, 6-foot deep turds’ at Pinkbox Doughnuts • Nevada Current Pinkbox Doughnuts is attempting to open a new shop in Boulder City by the end of the year, but the company’s plans for a pair of poop emoji-shaped mascots in front of the building, and the fact public...

Thank you @aprilcore.bsky.social for making my Friday. nevadacurrent.com/2025/09/19/b...

We didn't even talk about the effects of inflation on the BBQ sauce!

Welcome! You are invited to join a webinar: AI in Action: Strengthening Public Health Communications with Care & Clarity. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the web... Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming how we work, think, and communicate. It is now a force across sectors and can, if used responsibly, lead to better communications, greater efficiency, and ...

I know a little bit about AI, I probably know more about public health communications than I give myself credit for, and I know enough about AI in public health communications to share with others. Join me Sept. 30 at 1 p.m. ET for PHCC's AI In Action webinar: bit.ly/4nd44eI

🎤 Our latest podcast: "Burner trash and the price of ribs."
👉 Listen: thisisreno.buzzsprout.com

With @kristenhackbarth.bsky.social & @bobconrad.bsky.social

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#thisisreno #renonews #reno #renonv #biggestlittlecity #sparksnv #renotahoe #journalism

Residents Criticize Washoe County's PR-Driven 'State of The County' Washoe County's 'State of Washoe County' presentation was criticized for focusing on positive aspects while ignoring pressing issues like crime and homelessness.

We usually cover stuff like this as a straight news story, but I had so many thoughts on how it missed the mark that I couldn't help but write it as an editorial, with @bobconrad.bsky.social
thisisreno.com/2025/09/resi...

I haven't been to the CDC's BRFSS page in a few weeks, but this is new and gross. 🤮 "Any information on this page promoting gender ideology is extremely inaccurate and disconnected from truth ... This page does not reflect reality and therefore the Administration and this Department reject it."

Yikes!

Imagine if we did this full time.

This keeps unravelling, and @thisisreno.bsky.social seems to be the only outlet covering it with any substance.

Report: Nevada Lacks Policies to Curb Plastic Pollution Nevada needs improvement in tackling plastic pollution, according to a recent report by Ocean Conservancy. State lacks policy action to reduce plastics.

Millions of dollars in efforts to "clean up the lake" and zero effort to pass policies to prevent the mess in the first place. Sounds about right for Nevada.
thisisreno.com/2025/07/neva...

Reno Journalism: Copy-Paste Vs. Original Reporting Local journalism suffers from imitation and laziness, resulting in redundant coverage and missed stories. More original reporting is needed.

This week we called out some local media for their lazy journalism. They didn't like it. We have the receipts. thisisreno.com/2025/07/loca...

Great report MJ!

Fiscal Mismanagement Closes Truckee Meadows Parks Foundation Layoffs at Truckee Meadows Parks Foundation: Financial mismanagement leads to dismissal of executive director and 40 layoffs.

We're still working to learn more about what's behind the closure of Truckee Meadows Parks Foundation, but this week their entire staff was laid off. via @thisisreno.bsky.social with addt'l reporting by @bobconrad.bsky.social

thisisreno.com/2025/07/truc...

Consultant calls for ‘reset’ to improve Washoe County leadership Reno's independent, online news and events source. Established in 2009.

I'll be interested to see dysfunction on full display as Washoe commissioner talk about this report on Wednesday. thisisreno.com/2025/06/wash...

With the Right Target Audience, a City Sells Itself Tourists, sports leagues, and splashy headlines won’t build your city. Residents will.

This is right on target. Reno's city leaders keep talking about "activation" but it's clear they just want to improve optics, not create a place people really want to be.

The biggest obstacle to affordable housing isn't federal land ownership. It's the lack of political will to greenlight a diversity of multifamily housing, codify a variety of housing types into zoning codes, and provide better incentives for infill -- like reducing the damn parking requirements.

Trump’s budget request stokes fears that cancer patients could be cut off from treatment A cancer screening became the moment that would ultimately save Samantha Gonzales-Russell’s life.

Cuts to public health funding would have a negative impact on thousands of Nevadans. The proposal to cut vital CDC programs related to cancer prevention and early detection sucks, but we’re continuing our work because it’s valuable and important. lasvegassun.com/news/2025/ma...

Investigations Get news from This Is Reno, Reno's independent, online news and events source. Established in 2009.

The full series on how employee pay affects local governments in Reno and Washoe County is now posted. This is more of an explainer than an investigation, but reveals information most people aren't aware of, and some still don't care about.
thisisreno.com/investigatio...

Part 3 of this week's series. The benefits are healthy, far healthier than what the average private sector worker gets. That's kind of the point: Average citizens working in the private sector whose tax dollars are supporting benefits they don't get and having services cut, in part, because of that.

‘Employees are our biggest expense’: A look at local government pay (part 1 of 6) Reno's independent, online news and events source. Established in 2009.

This started as a simple data story, but it grew into much more. Looking at local government budgets for @thisisreno.bsky.social

Legislative bill will allow Reno council members to remove planning commissioners at will Reno's independent, online news and events source. Established in 2009.

A bill at the Nev. Legislature intended to improve master planning has morphed into legislation that allows Reno City Council members to have more control over planning commissioners. The changes come after council members criticized commissioners who raised concerns about data centers.

Legislative bill aims to protect access to books in libraries Reno's independent, online news and events source. Established in 2009.

Using the First Amendment to argue that others' First Amendment rights should be curbed, from people who should probably read a more diverse selection of materials.

Trump Said Cuts Wouldn’t Affect Public Safety. Then He Fired Hundreds of Workers Who Help Fight Wildfires. The White House and DOGE have sought to eliminate thousands of jobs from the Forest Service. The wildland firefighting force is one of many targets within the agency.

Great overview of what's happening in the Forest Service. This won't just have negative impacts in the wildfire prone West; the southern region has in the past burned more land in prescribed fire than the rest of the nation combined. Fire risk in the South is going to go up.

Fire consolidation bill criticized by Washoe County residents at legislative hearing Reno's independent, online news and events source. Established in 2009.

The gaslighting from a state senator was so blatant during this hearing. It'll be interesting to see if legislators move this bill forward or wind up striking all but the study from it. Story only on @thisisreno.bsky.social

State and local health departments cut vaccine staff and services Reno's independent, online news and events source. Established in 2009.

Ugh.

Editorial: Washoe County fire regionalization bill is a disaster Reno's independent, online news and events source. Established in 2009.

"Senate Bill 319 will allow a fire board to merely proclaim taxes are needed to fund a new fire protection district, and the Board of County Commissioners has to approve taxes be levied by Washoe County’s treasurer."

This could mean thousands of $$/yr more taxes for the avg homeowner in Washoe Co.

And it gets worse. The investigation was confirmed to be by the U.S. Secret Service, so there are apparently some financial crimes happening as well.