In a dizzying twist of local political irony, Washoe County Library Trustee Marie Rodriguez — once a recipient of Commissioner Mike Clark’s support — appears to be smearing him as the secret ringleader of a so-called “mob” that attends commission meetings for about a year now.

In a public email to Washoe County Sheriff Darin Balaam, Rodriguez paints a scene fit for a made-for-TV thriller: she claims that emotionally charged public commenters, whom she labels as followers of political figure Robert Beadles, descend on county meetings and — get this — are silenced only when Commissioner Clark allegedly gives a “gesture.”

Let’s rewind the tape on a little episode of government dysfunction that Washoe County officials would now really prefer we forget — but we won’t.

At center stage is Sober 24 Testing Services, the county-run operation that was supposed to ensure accountability in the courts but instead became a hub of questionable leadership, opaque operations, and now — surprise — the focus of multiple investigations.

Try Seven Layers of WTF.

Why was the Media excluded from "transparency" effort following years of quality concerns

Nothing says "we take senior nutrition seriously" quite like scheduling a crucial kitchen tour with two days notice during the Fourth of July holiday weekend, then excluding the media from what's supposed to be a transparency initiative.

That's exactly what Washoe County pulled off this week with their Senior Advisory Board kitchen tour of the TRIO facility where senior meals are prepared. The county sent out their notification on July 2nd—two days before a major holiday.

County Manager Eric Brown's June 30th retirement marks the end of a five-year stint—and the beginning of some uncomfortable questions about how Washoe County hires, and potentially rewards, its top executives.

As the county gears up to hire another pricey headhunter firm to find Brown's replacement, it's worth remembering how well that worked out last time. In 2019, Washoe County paid handsomely for professional recruitment services, only to end up with a candidate pool so thin that former Commissioner Marsha Berkbigler had to personally call her old friend and former boss Eric Brown to convince him to apply.

In a move that left many political watchers blinking in disbelief, Washoe County Commissioner Mike Clark—long known for his rocky history with Assistant County Manager Kate Thomas—cast a yes vote to appoint her as interim County Manager.

Yes, ‘that’ Kate Thomas. The same one Clark has previously clashed with over records, process, and power.

So what changed?

What better way to celebrate Older Americans Month than by telling seniors at the last minute: “Never mind”?

The much-anticipated reopening of the 9th Street Senior Center — originally scheduled for May 1st as a kickoff for Older Americans Month — has been delayed. No explanation. No apology. Just silence from Washoe County. Because who needs clarity when you’ve got chaos?

In a rare display of unified resistance, Washoe County's independently elected officials have issued a pointed letter to the Board of County Commissioners expressing serious concerns about proposed budget reductions. The April 22nd letter—representing the County Clerk, Recorder, Treasurer, Public Administrator, and Assessor—reveals deepening tensions between these constitutional officers and County Manager Eric Brown's administration.

Is Washoe County playing a shell game with building priorities? Commissioner Mike Clark's persistent quest for radon test results at the Washoe County Courthouse raises some interesting questions about project sequencing.

Clark has reportedly been trying for months to obtain radon testing data from 2017/2018, along with results from tests supposedly conducted in February 2025. His struggle to access this basic public safety information is curious, to say the least.

Last week County Manager Eric Brown took a vacation and left one of his Assistant County Managers in charge - seems like lack of transparency has a trickle down effect at Washoe County.

In what has become Washoe County's standard operating procedure, deflect, deny, hide the facts, officials sat on news of a deputy public defender's Las Vegas arrest for four days—miraculously finding their voices only when the Las Vegas Review-Journal prepared to publish the story. Apparently, the county's definition of "public information" is "whatever we can no longer hide."

Picon was going to let this story go, yes, it is questionable, but hey everyone likes to make a buck. Was the sunscreen business intentionally named using an inflammatory word, seems like it. Did Schieve and her partner not know the meaning of the word, or have they suddenly become marketing geniuses, maybe? How many moms and dads are going to let their kids take a bottle of Spooge to the pool?

Who knew our culinary adventure sampling a $4 gourmet disappointment at the Washoe County Senior Center's makeshift cafeteria would lead to such bureaucratic pearl-clutching?

Picture this: while digesting our questionable meal at the "under renovation" center (a phrase we use loosely, as "planning" appears to be a foreign concept in county vocabulary), we took a little constitutional and snapped a few innocent photos of some rather interesting signage.

Someone at the county is singing like a canary. What prompted the RGJ to suddenly request badge data for IT Director Behzad Zamanian? Our sources inside the 9th Street building tell all.

It seems Zamanian's IT staff have had ENOUGH of their boss's ghost routine. Five years in, and he's still playing the "remote work" card with zero effort to actually move to Nevada. But wait—there's more.

Please read to the bottom of this article and look at the complaint filed by criminal attorney Theresa Ristenpart. You’ll want to note the troubling information about Sober 24 and their testing methods “Including Forcing Pretrial Client to Strip Search Before Testing” - say what? Was County Manager Eric Brown and his staff aware this was taking place at Sober 24?

Has County Manager Eric Brown suddenly morphed into a legal expert, "warning" commissioners to keep quiet about the Justin Roper investigation. His excuse? Speaking might "risk of possibly interfering" with the law enforcement investigation or is it an "HR matter." Keep up Eric, choose one.

Hold onto your seats, Washoe County residents.

What in the name of governmental incompetence just happened? In a jaw-dropping turn of events that would make even the most seasoned political watchers spit out their morning coffee, the Washoe County Sober 24 program has collapsed.

Remember when Commissioner Alexis Hill was singing Justin Roper's praises like he was the second coming of rehabilitation management? "Amazing program!" she gushed. "Congratulations on the impact award!" Those words are now echoing with a haunting irony that could shatter glass.

FEDERAL MARSHALS. SEIZED. DOCUMENTS.

At the Washoe County Board of County Commission Meeting on Tuesday, February 25, 2025 after the presentation from the newly appointed Registrar of Voter Andrew McDonald there were questions.

One asked by Commissioner Mike Clark wondered if he could be sent The Elections Group list of categories which was highlighted by McDonald on Page 11 of his presentation. Clark noted that some recommendations (96) have been completed, others are in progress, not started, or no action at this time. Clark asked if a list of the categories could be sent to him.

When did selecting a Registrar of Voters become a classified operation?

County Manager Eric Brown has turned what should be a transparent process into a closed-door affair, complete with non-disclosure agreements. Let that sink in: A committee filled with county employees selecting someone to oversee our elections are being sworn to secrecy.

Welcome to the latest episode of "Who Really Cares About Seniors?" starring our very own Washoe County Commission.

In this corner: Commissioner Mike Clark, actual admitted senior citizen and long-time champion of senior issues. In that corner: Commissioner Clara "Photo Op" Andriola, suddenly discovering seniors exist. Behind the curtain: Chair Alexis Hill, puppet master, and motivated to make sure Mike Clark is not reelected in 2026.

Once again, Washoe County is playing fast and loose with taxpayer dollars, serving up a masterclass in how NOT to manage public funds. Let's break down the latest installment of "Who Benefits?"

Exhibit A: The Seven Magic Mountains Boondoggle Remember those rocks that Commission Chair Alexis Hill decided must be relocated Northern Nevada via the Nevada Museum of Art? A cool $500,000 of taxpayer money, and what do we get?

At the January 21, 2025, Washoe County Board of Commissioners meeting, Commissioner Mike Clark highlighted a striking contrast: the county hired over 300 new employees in 2024 while simultaneously facing what Our Town Reno reports as a $27 million budget deficit in 2026.

When contacted for comment, Clark offered to provide documentation from Washoe County explaining the rationale behind these hires. The county's defensive stance raises questions, particularly given County Manager Eric Brown's October 2024 warnings about reduced funding for the 2026 budget due to stagnant or declining tax revenues.