Opinion

When news of the sudden death of Assembly candidate and brothel owner Dennis Hof reached us last Tuesday, we were quite stunned by it. We had gotten to know Dennis, and James had seen him several times in the weeks preceding his sudden departure.

One of his great gifts was the ability to make you feel you were the most important person in the room. Two occasions involving James come to mind, but Ron felt the same way.

My name is Colleen Bannister and I was a victim of a violent crime. This is a bit lengthy so I apologize but so is the ride through the justice system. Entering the justice system is nothing like people think. You think it's as easy as you are a victim and the bad guy will be punished.

Every year folks ask what day Halloween trick-or-treating occurs in Carson City.

In any other state and in any other Nevada community, there is no question. Trick-or-treating happens each year on Halloween night, Oct. 31.

“Write this down; take a little note, to remind you in case you didn’t know...”

These memorable lyrics from country music legend George Strait’s 35th No. 1 hit, Write This Down, are indelible and beloved by King George fans everywhere.

Please indulge us as we ask you to re-elect Ron as Nevada Controller. If Ron wins, James also gets reappointed Deputy Controller.

Ron’s running on his record and qualifications. When we discuss below things we’ve done, it’s both of us, but also 39 other people in the office. We’re blessed with an outstanding team of professionals led by talented managers.

Never assume, a pertinent lesson to learn as we approach Columbus Day.

Christopher Columbus, an Italian explorer and navigator sponsored by the Spanish crown, set out in 1492 to find sea passage to the Orient of Far East Asia.

On this date in 1781, the Continental Army under the commands of American Gen. George Washington and French commander, Comte de Rochambeau, began its siege of Yorktown, Virginia, a key colonial port and peninsular settlement where the Marquess Charles Cornwallis, a British Earl and lieutenant general of His Majesty's royal army in the South, had positioned his forces on orders from British General-in-Chief Henry Clinton.

Question 6 in the coming election asks whether Nevada’s Constitution shall be amended to require that, beginning in 2022, all Nevada sellers of retail electricity increase the amount of “renewable” energy resources they use so that at least 50 percent of their electricity comes from those resources by 2030.

We have long supported increasing diversity in energy supplies via economic development of renewables. But the mandates proposed by Question 6 are a big mistake and we strongly counsel voting against it.

There's a lot of chatter right now about voting, especially with one particular statewide ballot initiative coming up for public vote on Nov. 6.

What’s happened to us? Many citizens of Carson City were whining after the results of the June 5 primary, even the complacent “registered” 3,305 non-voters, who didn’t brave the sunny weather.

Money, it’s gotta be shoes! It was thirty years ago that Mars Blackmon, Michael Jordan’s famed fanboy played by Spike Lee in the legendary Nike Air Jordan commercials, opined that it was the shoes that made the man.

Autumn has arrived. With it comes the promise of cooler temperatures and, hopefully, some moisture.

But don't let Summer's exit fool you into thinking we are leaving wildfire season behind, too. Across the Great Basin, wildfire has no season.

Democrats have hit a new low. Beyond Antifa. Beyond plain socialism. Beyond the Clinton lies and corruption. Beyond any reason and decency.

They dug up and then hid an accusation that Supreme Court Justice nominee Brett Kavanaugh was involved in sexual misconduct when he was in high school.

Not a series of continuing transgressions. Not an incident ten years ago, or from law school, or from his undergraduate college days. But in high school.

We guess they couldn’t find the girl with whom Kavanaugh played “post office” in kindergarten.

Housing should not be a privilege afforded only by those who can pay for it.

Shelter actually meets the physiological need for warmth as well as the emotional need for safety and security, per renowned American psychologist Abraham Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs pyramid.

American culture has been focused on being great for as far back as I can remember.

Striving for greatness is a good thing. I certainly believe in doing and giving my best in all of my daily tasks or endeavors.

Nevadans, prepare yourselves for lower utility bills. And thank tax cuts for the drop. According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Global Energy Institute, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act — passed and signed last year — will save Nevada investor-owned utility residential ratepayers an average of $200 per customer over the next five years.

When I open a document and see a grid full of data that I am tasked to make sense of, I immediately want to go hide under a rock.

Okay, maybe not quite that dramatic, but too much information all at once can cause a certain amount of angst.

I had already written out this morning's column ahead of time when I learned of U.S. Sen. John McCain's passing.

His death has changed the course of my day, because now I am writing to remember the man who earned the media moniker of "Maverick," and the reputation of someone who usually went his own way.

Document protection is more important than ever these days with virus threats seemingly omnipresent in cyberspace, the online world of the Internet and Worldwide Web.

Upon retiring from the Army in 2016, I quickly felt as though I had no direction or purpose anymore. Although I only served for 7 years personally, and always felt supported by others, something unexplainable was missing inside of me. It felt as though my purpose adapted from helping people and upholding values, to simply working for money to support my family.

Recently, President Donald Trump revoked the security clearance of former Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director John Brennan, who now works as a pundit for MSNBC.

People can argue the politics of this decision until they’re blue (or red) in the face. The larger issue is: Why would anyone still retain a security clearance after leaving a government position in which they were granted that status?

I told myself some time ago that I would not infuse my columns with politics, so I will tread lightly here to (marginally) "walk the line," as Johnny Cash once sang.

CARSON CITY — If success in business starts with three words — location, location, location — then the Ormsby House must have seemed like a surefire winner when it opened in 1972 almost directly across the street from the Nevada Capitol.

Several years ago, the movie comedy “Man of the Year”, starring the late Robin Williams, was based on a strange premise. His character, a comedian on the presidential ballot in just enough states to carry a majority of the Electoral College, was elected president via a computer flaw.

In case you are wondering just how great the economy is doing, look no further than job creation.

Since President Trump took office, more than four million jobs have been created, with over 157,000 jobs being added in July alone. Essentially, if you want a job, you get a job, which is refreshing news for hardworking Americans across the country.

Persistence. That's the difference between life's winners and its losers.

Winners don't quit, and quitters don't win. It's as simple as that.

One will never accomplish goals in life or realize dreams if one gives up the chase. I've had to learn some hard lessons about that over the years.

I recently helped a person figure out how to copy text from a web page onto a Microsoft Office document without all of the Internet hitch hikers along for the ride.

Primary and secondary education (K-12) has been the second fastest growing category of Nevada state spending over the past decade, rising from $1.24-billion in fiscal year 2006 (FY06) to $2.22-billion in FY17. It grew 33 percent faster than the incomes of Nevada families and businesses.

There are few work practices as inefficient and costly to a business as redundancy. Reinventing the wheel on every project only makes work harder, not easier.

Recently, we explained why U.S. Appeals Court Judge Brett Kavanaugh is probably the best person President Donald Trump could have picked for the upcoming Supreme Court opening.

We noted his outstanding record as a lawyer and appellate judge and reviewed his glowing recommendations from legal scholars and colleagues. He’s a good and decent man with outstanding credentials and judicial temperament.