This Is Reno Radio

Housing issues continue to be a concern for many Reno residents. Reno’s cost of living continues to rise and some community leaders say something needs to be done. We went to the Economic Development Authority’s state of the economy event in January and heard more.

This show features EDAWN’s Mike Kazmierski discussing housing and homeless issues. We also check in with a mental health expert who has concerns about a federal that, he says, is negatively impacting mental health professionals. 

Last, COVID-19 continues to sicken people in Northern Nevada. Health officials are reporting record numbers of new cases spurred by the highly contagious omicron variant. Illnesses from omicron tend not to be as serious, but the Washoe County District Health Officer explains why increasing case counts are drawing concern.  

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We recently spoke with the leading experts in the Washoe County community about the COVID-19 vaccines. This discussion dispels some of the myths about the vaccines as well as covers some information that is not yet known. Our panelists were: 

• Heidi Parker, executive director of Immunize Nevada where she leads and engages a diverse coalition of staff, volunteers, member organizations and funders so they are passionate about vaccines and access to preventive health care across Nevada’s rural, urban and frontier communities.
• Jennifer Wheeler, chief pharmacy officer for Community Health Alliance, has been practicing pharmacy since 2002, starting as a technician and eventually graduating pharmacy school. 
• Dr. Trudy Larson, dean at the School of Community Health Sciences at the University of Nevada, Reno. Dr. Larsen is on the Governor’s COVID-19 Medical Advisory Team.
• Heather Kerwin, epidemiology program manager for the Washoe County Health District. Much of her work is focused on deep diving into complex data and distilling it into understandable information. 
• Dr. Marie McCormack is a family medicine physician at Northern Nevada Medical Group. She has 28-plus years of experience in family medicine and has served in various leadership roles both in market and in rural communities in Nevada.

The Mask On, Move On campaign paid to advertise this event.

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Former Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval took over as president of the University of Nevada last year and quickly made the decision to shut down much of the in-person instruction due to COVID-19. In this podcast, Jeri Davis and Bob Conrad ask Sandoval about what he’s been doing in the past six months as president, as well as his vision for the university’s future. He answers questions about some of the legislation affecting Nevada higher education, including a new version of a bill he vetoed as governor in 2017.

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Reno historian, Dr. Alicia Barber, discusses with us some of the big development issues facing Reno, including what changes are planned for the Powning District. She writes The Barber Brief on Substack.

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Cathy Woods spent more than 35 years in prison for a murder in Reno she did not commit. Michelle Mitchell, a University of Nevada student, was murdered just across from the UNR campus in 1976.

Local prosecutors went after a woman named Cathy Woods as the main suspect. Three years after Mitchell’s murder, Woods confessed to the crime. However, she suffers from schizophrenia, and DNA evidence ultimately exonerated her. She was released from prison in 2015. 

Evidence shows the real killer is -- likely -- Rodney Halbower, who is already serving time in prison. 

For this episode, we speak with former Reno Police Lieutenant J. Andre Boles, who is now a true crime writer. Boles has two books about true crime in Reno, Nevada. His latest is Monster on Gypsy Hill, about the Gypsy Hill murders committed by Halbower.

Since this interview was conducted, Woods is set to receive $3 million in a settlement with the City of Reno. Settlements have already been made with Washoe County, the State of Nevada and Shreveport, Louisiana. Total settlements will top $10 million dollars.

Her attorney issued the following statement: 

"Although there is no amount of money that could possibly compensate Cathy Woods for what she suffered as a result of being wrongfully convicted and imprisoned for over 35 years for a crime that she did not commit, the compensation will help her recover from this terrible ordeal."

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Black Lives Matter is an international movement that has emerged in the Biggest Little City. BLM demonstrations have been held in the past few years, often in the wake of national incidences of violence against Black people at the hands of law enforcement. 

On May 30, a peaceful BLM demonstration was followed by rioting and vandalizing by a much smaller group that split off from the main protest. 

What happened in the weeks to come was the creation of art meant to depict, visually, the struggles many in the Biggest Little City face because of their skin color. 

For this episode, Jeri Davis and Bob Conrad interview muralist Joe C. Rock about the art now covering up vandalized portions of Reno City Hall. We also hear from David Gamble Sr. as he reads from his son's essay about growing up Black in Reno.

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George Floyd was killed at the hands of Minneapolis Police on May 25th. Four police officers have been charged for his death. Those charges include murder and manslaughter. 

Floyd’s death triggered reactions around the world, including here in Reno. 

Don Dike Anukam attended the rally reporting for This Is Reno. We hear from one of the rally organizers and go to the the Reno Police station where rioting began. Don also takes us into City Hall the morning after it faced hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages from vandals.

Lucia Starbuck also contributed to this report.

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An effort to recall Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak has failed. The effort came nowhere near close to the needed signatures to succeed. For this episode, Don Dike Anukam interviews Wayne Thorley with the Nevada Secretary of State’s Office.

Hundreds of businesses in the greater Reno area faced complaints from employees. Lucia Starbuck spoke with Craig Madole with the Nevada Chapter of the Associated General Contractors. 

Lastly, Lucia has been investigating the COVID-19 outbreak at Arbors Memory Care in Sparks. Six staff members and 32 residents tested positive for COVID-19, and three residents died. We discuss her reporting and what she's discovered.

Don Dike Anukam and Lucia Starbuck contributed to this episode.

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People are still dying from the coronavirus disease in Washoe County, but many businesses are starting to reopen. That’s a big change that comes with some new rules. For this show, Lucia Starbuck interviews Arlo Stockham from the City of Reno about what the city is doing to make sure businesses follow the rules during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Nurses are protesting working conditions at Saint Mary’s Hospital in downtown Reno. They say employees have tested positive for COVID-19, and they don’t have the proper protective equipment to protect not just them themselves but also hospital patients.

Kelly Heywood with the nurses union says they held a demonstration to express concern about unsafe working conditions. The lack of proper protective equipment, she told This Is Reno, is putting staff and patients at risk.

Businesses start to reopen

Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak announced the state has entered phase one. That means many businesses can reopen, but there are still a number of restrictions in place.

After the governor’s announcement, county and city officials said  local jurisdictions will follow the state’s recommendations. 

Washoe County Commissioner Bob Lucey says local governments are asking for cooperation and do not want to be heavy handed with businesses. Despite reopenings, officials say staying at home, wearing masks and social distancing should remain in place during phase one. 

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