The Nugget Hotel-Casino plans a huge amphitheatre where the Silver Club (later briefly known as Bourbon Street) used to stand. Despite more than a full page of gaga boosterism in Sunday's Incredible Shrinking Reno Gazette-Journal (nobody reads national news anymore, right?), expensive questions remain.

How many high-rise windows in nearby buildings could help turn the proposed outdoor concert venue into another Gomorrah South turkey shoot? What? City Hall and the Nugget haven't researched it?

When will the Sparks City Council impose new taxes to pay for confiscating all existing guns within the new downtown redline area around which a 30-foot steel security wall must be built? (I know a guy who likes to build walls. Maybe he'll help.)

A gun ban and total security like an airport is necessary to make sure no firearms penetrate that area. Ever.

Since guns don't require refrigeration to retard spoilage, an absolute artillery ban must be implemented for anyone entering the redline area as a worker, resident, guest or just casual pedestrian/runner.

Since Sparks PD is always understaffed, they won't have enough cops to provide tight 24/7 security. City taxing capacity was zeroed when three sources of corporate welfare were required to subsidize the Marina/Scheels project. A special taxing district for all downtown area businesses and residents must thus be instituted.

At least this project will one-up Reno for adding warts to a hog. Reno City Hall bulldozed half of the venerable and historic Riverside Hotel for a vacant lot. The remaining building was deeded to a corporation for conversion to artist lofts. So far, so good.

Then, the Black Tower allowed a bunch of grotesque steel shipping containers to be moved onto the lot, now home to noisy late-night events which inhibit the artists living next door. By the standards of Syrian or Yemeni refugee camps or the US southern border, the container venue is downright posh. But it also uglifies the Truckee riverfront, recipient of tens of millions in special taxing district beautification money.

Sparks has long experience building goofy walls downtown. In the 1970s, the city fathers constructed four-foot high center divider-planters along "B" Street...er, "Victorian" Blvd. Pedestrians could not surmount the sloped brick and concrete median, thus creating hazards as well as a great nickname: The Berlin Wall. At least they never made cops dress like 19th Century British bobbies, part of the original and tasteless "Victorian England" marketing plan.

Zounds.

I'm going to enjoy watching the totally Republican Sparks administration squirm while imposing cartoonish gun controls and ridiculous new taxes. Not to worry. They are desensitized to criticism. They wiped out longstanding construction standards so that the downtown plaza could be turned into a cheaply built apartment complex (Barbwire 12-14-2015). Now they want to make "Victorian Square" and environs unlivable for a projected 5,000 residents. And tax them for the privilege.

Check all guns at the security wall and prepare to remove your shoes, all ye who enter here.

And don't forget to have fun. Rock 'n' roll!

BREAKING NEWS just in from the prestigious Northern Nevada International Center: Saudi Judges for Valentine's Day.

"A delegation of fifteen judges from Saudi Arabia will visit Reno to learn about the administration of justice in the US," a news bulletin says. "They are looking for a home hospitality dinner on February 14 or 15."

This just begs lotsa questions. (Send me yours and I'll publish them.)

He was severely beaten by Bush's bodyguards, then horribly tortured while in detention. Bush heard his screams and said "That's what people do in a free society, draw attention to themselves."

Rumor has it that Dubya wanted to keep the shoes. Mr. al-Zaidi is now running for office in Iraq.

Sparks City Hall should ask the Saudis about proper security to keep unruly citizens from any mischief, like having fun.

RE-MARK YOUR CALENDAR. Nevada César Chávez Celebration XVII will take place on Wednesday evening, March 27, at the Grand Sierra-Reno. Please change your schedule if you highlighted another date. I apologize for any inconvenience. Thanks for your patience. Monitor CesarChavezNevada.com for updates.

Be well. Raise hell.
Esté bien. Haga infierno. (Pardon my Spanglish.)
être bien, élever l'enfer (And my French.)
Stammi bene. Scatenare l'inferno. (And Italian.)

Andrew Barbano is a 50-year Nevadan, executive producer of Nevada's annual César Chávez Day celebration, first vice-president and political action chair of the Reno-Sparks NAACP, superannuated labor/consumer/civil rights advocate, member of Communications Workers of America Local 9413/AFL-CIO and editor of NevadaLabor.com and BallotBoxing.US and SenJoeNeal.org and DoctorLawyerWatch.com/ As always, his opinions are strictly his own. E-mail barbano@frontpage.reno.nv.us. Barbwire by Barbano has originated in the Sparks Tribune since 1988 and received its ninth Nevada Press Association award (6th first-place) at the 29 Sept. 2018 NPA annual convention in Las Vegas. (Such ephemera and about six bucks will get you a Latte Mocha Cotsafracas Chingade at just about any Starbux worldwide, guaranteed.)

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