Saturday News Roundup

So, that's what you get for being behind on your news roundup. A whole lot of stories to write about in one roundup. Bear with me.

The reason I didn't blog in the last two days was that it was generally just too hot. We had so many days now in the 90's and 100's that it's hard to count. It will turn out to be the hottest July in Germany on record. So, if you think only Americans are suffering from the heat, most of Europe isn't doing much better. Yesterday, I was grocery shopping in France. And while it may sound a little over the top, it's pretty much like living at Tahoe and driving to Reno to shop at Costco. It's about an hours drive to the border and they have a lot of different things in stock in French supermarkets than they have in German ones and the other way around. So, there's a lot of border-crossing going on. Thankfully, nowadays with the open borders and the Euro it's very easy to do so.

But on with the news roundup. Since it's so much I've seperated by paper to make it easier on the eye:

• Apparently, many people in Incline Village don't like campaign signs. At least there were a lot of written complaints recently. The North Lake Tahoe Bonanza reports. (Link)
• Andrew Pridgen writes a good editorial in the Bonanza on affordable housing and Incline Village. (Link)

• 62 employees of Albertson's lose their job in South Lake Tahoe due to the grocery store closing this week. The Tahoe Daily Tribune tells the story of two of those 62. (Link)
• An elected official going awol. It happens. In Tahoe. The Tribune has more. (Link)

• Early Voting for the primaries on August 15th begins today. The Reno Gazette-Journal has a story with voting info. The Nevada Appeal also has some info. (Link) and (Link)
• The Gazette-Journal also reports on the four Republican candidates in Assembly district 39 vying to win the primary and take on Democrat JoEtta Brown in November. (Link)
• Former State Sen. Lawrence Jacobsen of Gardnerville died this week at age 85. He was Republican member of the State Senate for 40 years. There are several editorials and stories in Nevada papers. Reno Gazette-Journal. (Link) The Record-Courier. (Link) and (Link)
• There is an interesting letter in the RGJ that suggests that the negative ads by Krolicki might backfire. (Link)

• The Record-Courier says it's your duty to vote in a very good editorial. Some quotes. On candidates: "Some are famous, some obscure, and some are infamous." On uninformed voters: "We've said it before and we'll say it again - an uninformed voter is like a monkey with a hand grenade." On why you should vote: "So while you're thinking about vacation, think about who will be hanging around in the heat deciding your future. And then vote." (Link)
• There was a report a couple of days ago about the west-nile virus being detected in Tahoe. Seems, it wasn't just one case. The Record-Courier and the Nevada Appeal. (Link) and (Link)

• The Appeal also carries an AP story on a memorial service in the Nevada Assembly chambers held for Kathy Augustine this week. (Link)
• Imagine raising $4 million and then losing the primary. Could happen to Goverwannabe Jim Gibbons in a couple of weeks. Just a feeling I have. An AP story on his fundraising in the Nevada Appeal. (Link)
• The editor of the Nevada Appeal is so fed up with negative campaign ads that he proposes reality TV for candidates. I propose the editor get himself another beer and rethink this horrible suggestion. Yikes! (Link)

• J. Patrick Coolican of the Las Vegas Sun has the same feeling I have: Jim Gibbons just may lose his primary against Bob Beers. Now, that'd be funny. (Link)
• The sun also takes a look at the TV debate between Dina Titus and Jim Gibson. (Link)
• And another look by Coolican at the Democratic primary and the mud-slinging between Titus and Gibson. He cites the positive (say what?) and negative effects for the eventual victor. Me, personally, I'm just really turned of by it all. (Link)

• The Las Vegas Review-Journal takes a closer look at the primary between the two Democratic candidates for State Treasurer, Kate Marshall and Geoffrey VanderPal. (Link)
• Two Republicans fighting over who's the real fiscal conservative. Answer: none. Molly Ball of the LVRJ reports. (Link)
• The LVRJ also sees Gibbons campaign "stuck on the gaffe track". Fun, fun, fun. (Link)
• The Review-Journal also provides you with its very own voter guide. You can find the list here. (Link) One wonders, though, why they couldn't find a picture for Melody "Mimi Miyago" Damayo...

• As everyone knows, there is a difference between talking and acting. So, the majority of California's legislature talk about the importance of the environment. Yet, a lot of them drive gas guzzling SUVs - provided by the state. Reading their explanations is actually quite fun. The Sacramento Bee. (Link)
• Who would've thought? The majority of voters want illegal immigrants to stay, even if they voice some requirements. Wonder how good a campaign issue sending illegal immigrants home will be for Republicans. The Bee. (Link)
• The Bee also reports on the El Dorado supervisor's ousting from his job writing "colleagues turn lame duck into dead duck." (Link)
• My favourite two columnists are at it again. Molly Ivins writes about the drawbacks of 24/7 coverage and Helen Thomas writes about the renomination of John Bolton as Ambassador to the UN. (Link) and (Link)

• The Arnold polls better on environmental issues than his Democratic challenger. How'd he do that? Trash his Humvee? The San Francisco Chronicle takes a closer look. (Link)
• The Arnold's also ahead of Angelides in the fundraising department. Well, duh! The Arnold didn't have a primary challenger forcing him to spend his money, did he? The Chronicle. (Link)

• The LA Times reports that Angelides is out campaigning on environmental issues, specifically childhood asthma and polution. (Link)
• He just wanted to be a governor. Now, he'll be in jail for three months. David Charles Scully because he faked petitions to get on the ballot. An AP story in the LA Times. (Link)
• An editorial in the Times about the good (Nevada) and the bad (caucus instead of primary) of the DNC's decision to change the primary schedule. (Link)
• LA mayor Anthony Villaraigosas seems to believe he's all that. Apparently his personal agenda in Sacramento is more important than getting behind the Democratic nominee for Governor. What a joke. You should be ashamed of yourself! The Times reports. (Link)