Kudos to Reno Air - one of the true airline success stories of the decade. Reno's mayor should declare a "Reno Air Day" to honor this company and its talented employees.
In just 5 years Reno's Hometown Airline grew from 2 airplanes to 28. It serves 16 cities with 190 daily departures.
In the last year, cash and cash equivalents increased to $34.9 million, and working capital increased to $18.3 million. Reno Air's president recently said, "We're in the strongest position ever. We have a strong balance sheet, money in the bank and can suffer a substantial economic downturn and still be OK." Some questions now beg asking:
Where should Reno Air go from here?Reno Air is currently talking with the Airport Authority about building a new terminal at a cost of $65 million - in today's dollars. What will the employees think if the money is spent for something like that; while their hard work goes almost unrewarded? Maybe the casinos should step in and help pay for any airport expansion. Reno Air's hard work and success have played a big role in helping swell the casinos' pocketbooks.
Maybe a happy medium should be met - with the casinos, footing their share of the bill. That way there will be some money left to give the employees a much-deserved pay raise...
At this stage one is left to wonder if there is as much peace at Reno Air as appears on the surface? Or is there a possibility that Reno Air's workers might be disgruntled with their below-industry wages, benefits, and working conditions?
Reno Air management should be alert enough to be pro-active on this critical issue...
Official documents and actions taken by the Airport (AAWC) and the Air Guard (NAG) indicate that there has been a concerted effort to keep an attempted military buildup in Reno a secret from the citizens. The truth has been misrepresented, not only by quibbling statements, but by what has been deliberately left out of public documents:
Has what started out as a concealment of the ill-advised landgrab scheme; now turned into a cover-up? The facts are obvious, but you be the judge. Stay tuned...
Among numerous other adverse repercussions, this military buildup in Reno will:
It is way past time for our government representatives to step into this mess and clean it up. An intelligent and impartial investigation has to conclude that the obvious solution is to move the NAG to Fallon NAS or Southern Nevada...
Note: Late breaking news is that Senator Reid "adamantly opposes granting the airport's $17 million federal appropriation request to move the Guard.". Now he needs to contact the FAA and put a stop to the attempted misappropriation of "Noise Study" taxes for the landgrab...
What does Reno's Plumb Lane have to do with Job Security? At the east end we have the Airport. At the west end, the fancy houses. Lots of Job Security at each place...
But what about the street in between? Isn't it fast becoming the ultimate in Job Security. Does anyone know how many times it has been repaved and/or rebuilt in recent years? Will they get it right this year? Are they doing it for free? Really?
Even if they are, what about:
Street disrepair is one of the biggest problems in Reno today. Of course, the biggest correctable scandal is the Airport's attempt to force citizens off their land in Rewana Farmlands - so they can build a giant military complex in the middle of Reno... Submitted by L. Izquierdo (with editing)
Reno Citizens continue to advise the Airport of unwarranted military fighter jet activity at Reno's Civilian airport; that is turning this airport into a defacto fighter base.
Two different bands of navy/marine fighter jets flew into Reno and stayed for the weekend of 15 & 16 June, 1996. The Airport should be doing all in its power to discourage military flights at the Reno Casino Airport. Citizens find it ironic that, on the one hand, the Airport talks about expansion of airline services and the problems with crowding at the airport. Yet, on the other hand, 18 fighter jets (12 Harriers, and 6 Hornets) were allowed to exacerbate the problems with their presence - camped out at the golf course over the weekend.
And then there are the questions of noise and danger. (These 18 jets made more noise than all the civilian aircraft added together.) What if one of them crashed on takeoff or landing? What are they doing in Reno of military significance, anyway?
Citizens suggest that the Airport give briefings, circulate advisements through NOTAMS, and do whatever else is appropriate - telling the military that it is not only bad judgment, but an improper waste of USA taxes for military fighter jets to stage operations at the Reno Airport. Why not suggest they go to San Francisco or Los Angeles?
What were they thinking?
Congratulations are due to Senator Harry Reid for listening to Reno citizens. It has been a long hard struggle; starting with efforts at correcting the Nevada Air Guard mission away from the F-16 to the C-130. Patriotic Reno citizens were delighted to find that Senator Reid "adamantly opposes granting the airport's $17 million federal appropriations request to move the Guard."
Senator Reid's letter was sent to many Renoites. And in it, he showed that he is beginning to recognize the problems involved with the ill-advised scheme by the Reno Airport Authority. This is the biggest correctable problem facing Renoites and Nevadans today. It is as critical as the railroad merger.
Item of interest: In his letter of 6 June he said that the Airport Authority told him they approved a budget to "establish a master plan". There was no item establishing a master plan in any of their public budget meetings. The $250,000 allocation he refers to (which was not in their publicly published budget as late as March of 1996, and which was increased to $400,000) is really for "NANG Reloc".
The truth is - there already is a master plan. As a matter of fact, at a recent meeting the Airport voted to reaffirm that master plan. Why are they telling Senator Reid otherwise? He should check into that. Contempt of Congress is a serious act.
However, citizens suggest that he not contact the foxes to ask how the chickens are doing. Come to citizens who attended the meetings and who know the truth...
Again, thanks are due Senator Reid for getting involved in this attempted waste of vast amounts of USA taxes. We respect him for that. The business of America is business. But those appointed Airport officials must be responsible to all of the public - not just the casinos.
The Reno Citizen extends an open invitation for a meeting with Senator Reid to give him evidence that he is not getting from the Airport...
SPECIAL NOTE on redundancy: The Reno Citizen continues to vigilantly try to expose the biggest correctable problem facing Reno today. That is, the landgrab scheming between the Airport, the Air Guard, and the FAA; as these bodies try to run roughshod over citizens' rights.
Thank God somebody else is finally exposing the fact that the FAA is too cozy with the airlines. It's only been that way for about 50 years.
Is that why the FAA won't take back that excess Airport "noise" money here in Reno? Because the Airport landgrab and Air Guard move would benefit their cozy friends? Did you know that just about every other FAA inspector is later hired by the airlines?
1. The Reno Gazette and Maria Padilla deserve credit for exposing what is going on at the Reno Airport. It was surprising to see that usual surrogate for the Fat Cats tell Renoites that there are lots of problems with some of the "Authority" and staff.
1a. She forgot to report on the noise and danger of the weekend fighter jet visitors.
1b. Right after this partially neutral report though, the Gazette reporters reverted to their distorted reporting of the Rewana Farms land grab.
2. Citizen Gadfly played a part in the correction of the NAG mission. The subsequent improvement in the quality of life around the Reno airport is nice. Stop the $$$ landgrab!
3. All these professional politicians. Don't you think you could govern just as well? What do they know that you don't know? How to raise campaign funds - that's all. Remember, when they ask people for money, they owe them favors...
4. A great deterrent to crime would be for citizens to go to the Court House and sit in on criminal trials.
5. The Reno Gazette continues to publish letters from people at the Nevada Air Guard - trying to defend its presence in Reno. Same old excuse - they pump money into the community. Give anybody $35,000,000 of America's taxes, they will gladly pump it into the community. America needs a strong military. But bases are being closed. It is nonsense to build military bases in the middle of large civilian cities. Move the NAG to Nellis AFB, or Minden, or Wendover...
6. There is so much pork involved in this issue that it is very difficult to get reasonable and logical action from our reps in Washington. Although Senator Reid is coming around...
7. More reasons why smoking is not just a crime against one's self: More than 50% of heart and lung diseases can be directly or indirectly blamed on smoking. More than 50% of fires are caused by careless smokers. What a tremendous burden on the rest of humanity...
8. Shouldn't smokers be forced to purchase some sort of recirculation gadget to keep the smoke self-contained to the person smoking? The smoke should not be allowed to go into air that other citizens have to breathe. Doesn't smoking give a lot of otherwise nice people a bad name?
9. Isn't it interesting to watch the way Washburn Carpets has gradually introduced the owner's dogs - until they are now the stars of the show commercial? Proves what ingenuity and originality can do...
10. April's TRC reported that gambling was now THE National Pastime. We said that revenue is $40 now billion. NOT TRUE. It is profit that is now $40 billion. Revenue is reported at over $400 billion...
How many homeless people were created by legalized gambling?
11. After watching the candidates in action and hearing what they stand for, Citizen Gadfly says Jessi Winchester is best for the job...
12. Shouldn't most of the illegal alien problem can be blamed on a Republican congress. Why? Republicans, representing Big Business employers, love it when Fat Cats can hire cheap labor - legal or not. They refuse to address the negative impact on America's society. Big profits and campaign contributions; that's all that matters. Look what has happened to Reno in just the last 5 years...
13. Why don't smokers put their cigarettes out? Do they leave them smoldering on purpose? Have you ever just walked along and counted butts?
14. Isn't the South-West Reno City Council's approval of a giant Home Depot right in the middle of a neighborhood akin to dereliction of duty? Why not the mayor's back yard?
15. It's about time someone investigated and challenged high CEO pay. And what about Congress's high pay and benefits?
16. What's the difference between what Rostenkowski did and some other house/senate people turning their heads and ignoring the fact that the FAA is sending tax money to Nevada under the pretense of a known defunct "Noise Study"? Those unused taxes must be returned to Washington.
17. As usual the NAGs only excuse for basing in Reno continues to be - "It provides jobs for some people." Is that like... welfare?
18. Did you know that citizens in only 3 states have worse health problems than people residing in Nevada? Could it be because 50%of Nevadans smoke - by far the largest percentage in America?
19. Those old NAG RF-4s weren't exactly defunct. Some are being used as pilotless target drones. Planes and missiles try to shoot them down...
20. When companies dump employees during downsizing, the stock usually goes up. Those disenfranchised workers should get some shares of the company stock. Instead of the Fat Cat CEO's who are often already engorged with big salaries, bonuses, stock options and golden parachutes...
21. Reno Airport "Trustees" approved the budget that contained $400,000 for a study of an ill-advised and tax-wasting move of the Nevada Air Guard to Rewana Farms. Hooey. The study should have been to move the NAG to a military base.
21a. Where did the $400,000 come from? Was it co-mingling of FAA Noise Study money? You bet!
22. Citizen Gadfly attended numerous public budget meetings. Never was the $400,000 Study mentioned. Just the week before the budget approval, the Airport's fancy Budget Document did not have one word about the $400,000 Study. Then, right before the voting, and after public meetings were over, the Airport Authority snuck the $400,000 into the official document. In effect , they camouflaged the truth from the public in a fraudulent breach of ethics and the law. What would the Department of Justice do with this?
23. Airline crashes: What about the crash of that "big" airline? Almost twice as many people killed. What about those "body parts"? Those "black boxes"? Those law suits? Why hasn't America heard about that? Can you remember where it happened? That major carrier also took off from Miami... Where's the FAA? Where's the media?
24. What is the one dirty habit that can be prevented? Cigarette smoke and butt litter! Next time you go for a walk, or just walk to your car in a parking lot, check the ground for butts. They're everywhere... Why aren't there more complaints - like panhandler complaints?
25. Why don't our law enforcement agencies enforce the campaign sign ordinances? There is one candidate who has so many big signs (in obvious defiance of some city ordinances) that they are creating a driving hazard and endangering citizens safety...
26. Someone once said: "Build an airport and they will come." Do Reno citizens want "them" to come? What ever happened to Reno?
27. Isn't it time to convene a Grand Jury to investigate the truth about the Reno Airport landgrab scheme?
28. Airport Authority member, Glenn Carano, stated that: "Cities are devastated when Air Guards move away." He is wrong on that. Besides, if the NAG moved out of Reno, would he even notice it?
29. Who would have believed an ABC Good Morning America discussion about "Unprotected Oral Sex"? You know what that means...
30. When the media intentionally leaves important information out, is that the same as lying?
31. We still ask how Authorities can be allowed to make decisions about airlines - when those airlines give them free travel passes, usually first class.
32. When the NAG says moving to a Navy base is not an "option", they are wrong. The Louisiana Air Guard flies from New Orleans Naval Air Station...
33. Why does The Reno Citizen continue to report on the Airport landgrab. Along with the railroad merger, this will cause the most blight, danger, and noise-pollution to citizens. Oh, and incidentally, it will cost tax payers more than $250,000,000.00.
34. Did you know the Airport is using your tax dollars to force citizens off of about 140 acres of land? Then they are going to trade those 140 acres for 60 acres! Rocket Scientists they ain't. But then, it's not their money...
35. Reno Councilman Herndon doesn't think Council candidates should appear at the City Council. Isn't he a Council candidate? Does that mean he can no longer attend Council meetings? Not a bad idea...
36. Reno Airport trustee, Phil Miller, thumbed his nose at the City Council's order that he appear before them. He boycotted the meeting without even a note of explanation. The City attorney said the trustees "serve at City Council's pleasure." Why?
37. The FAA Airport "Noise" rules do not address what to do when noise is reduced or eliminated. That is why the scandal-ridden FAA keeps throwing millions of tax dollars at the Reno airport...
38. So far, only one person has died since the Airport started its assault on the Rewana Farmlands citizens...
39. Why was Channel 4 reporter, Patty Haverty, fired one day after she tried to report about the Reno Airport landgrab and proposed military buildup in Reno?
40. Isn't it ironic that whenever the Air Guard is asked why it should be allowed to have a military complex in downtown Reno, it has said "We were here first."? Now the glove is on the other foot, and they want to force citizens off of land that THEY were on first...
41. THE "LANDGRAB GAME". It is far more original, clever, and funny than Monopoly. It was created by some talented teenagers in Reno. Guess where it takes place?
42. The Reno City Council thinks a "workshop" with the citizens of Rewana Farms is the answer. That's a joke. All the Airport plans to do is tell them how to get off their land. The "workshop" needs to go back to square one and cancel the expensive landgrab/military buildup. In the LANDGRAB game above, the Airport "Authority" gives itself big bonuses for eliminating civilians.
43. Some of the Airport Board members asked for answers to 42 questions on the attempted military buildup at the Reno airport. Who answered the questions? They were "answered" by the same foxes who were guarding the chickens all along...
44. Airport Board member McCabe estimates, "We have spent $177 million and we estimate we'll spend $366 million over the next ten years.". What's this "we"? Like it was HIS money; coming out of his savings account... Those are YOUR taxes! Do Reno citizens want that kind of growth and blight?
45. Levi Corp announced that it will give each worker a full year's pay - if they reach their financial goals in 2001. Great! Two questions though: What are those goals and who decides if they are met? And what if they fall, say, a million dollars short?
46. On 7 June, a Reno Gazette article read: "Duel uses planned for Rewana Farms." Did they mean there were going to be duels between the citizen-owners and the Airport "Authority" that is trying to drive them off their land?
47. Let's call a spade a spade. The big boys (airlines and news media) are out to get the little boys. In this case it's Valujet and Kiwi Air. Just like with Pan Am back in 1991. Pan Am was the only airline that had a Security Force - yet the news media and other carriers and USA government maligned them until they were forced out of business. Just like they are doing with Valujet!
47a. If the Transportation Department is really serious, when is it going to get off Valujet's back and ask American Airlines about "human remains" and "body parts" from their crash that killed in 180 in Columbia. And how did two pilots got lost?
47b. Did you know that CNN (that incessant, unfair critic of Valujet) and Delta Airlines are both big king-pins in Atlanta? Think they wanted an upstart like Valujet around? Surprise...
48. It is gratifying to see that the Reno News & Review is not afraid to investigate and write about issues that might expose its own advertisers. That is fortitude! Is it possible to write a story about the rigors of death and the tombstones and have it be polite and interesting? RN&R did...
48a. As a matter of fact, the RN&R writes about mundane subjects and puts very interesting spins on them all the time.
49. One TRC reader wrote in and told about the "tongue-dum". It's for people who can't control their appetites. It suppresses the taste buds...
50. The new Citifare contract looks reasonable... ($109 dollars for an 8 hour day of driving.)
51. Want some great coffee (or an excellent microbrew) while you're surfing the World Wide Web? Try the Pneumatic Diner - off the river just west of Arlington Ave. They have an Internet Computer, and it's free. You can even read The Reno Citizen in Technicolor on it... at: WWW.RENOCITIZEN.COM
52. Why isn't the FAA examining the biggest airlines? After all, didn't one of them have the worst crash in the last 6 months? Didn't lost pilots run into mountains - killing 180 people? What about that? Fair is fair. Or is this just a conspiracy by the Fat Cat airlines to destroy the Skinny Cat airlines? Valujet Air. Kiwi Air. Could Reno Air be the next victim of this plot?
53. Let's condemn Skyline Blvd. and put an amusement park there... Throw the homeowners out. Give 'em peanuts for their land...
54. Should Reno become a defacto alternate military base for Fallon NAS? Patriotic citizens want to know who pays if there is a crash?
55. Citizen Gadfly regrets not having more time to devote to Congressional Candidates. At this stage, its Jessi Winchester.
And - Just say "NO" to sign blight... Remember somebody owes somebody for those big signs.
56. Why can't the Reno Gazette get its headlines right? Too often they distort the true picture of the story that follows:
57. Our talented Reno Manager, Charles McNeely, should listen to his own words: "...what's encouraging to us is that it may be beginning to sink in with Union Pacific railroad that there is a problem here." When is it going to sink in with McNeely that there is a problem at the Airport?
58. We're still searching avidly for some more pleasant things to write about... Any ideas?
59. If, as reported, the Airport Authority Trustees "serve at the City Council's pleasure", why haven't at least two of them been dumped?
60. Is the Airport Authority too cozy with the airlines it is supposed to regulate? Gratuities, such as free first class tickets pose a definite conflict of interest between Board members and the airlines...
61. Too bad there isn't a casino at Rewana Farms. There would be no landgrab...
62. When properties are condemned "for the common good", the former owners should get at least 18% of profits generated for a period of 10 years...
THE RENO CITIZEN SPONSORED THE LITTLE LEAGUE METS. THEY WON BOTH THE LEAGUE AND PLAYOFF CHAMPIONSHIPS. IF YOU ATTENDED ANY GAMES, YOU KNOW THEY HAD FUN TOO! CONGRATULATIONS TO THE TEAM AND ITS COACHES.
Surfing the WEB we found your site - through RENO.NET. We love it! Beautiful pictures and so readable. Sharon & Ted Jaggers (Miami)
Ever since the Air Guard got their C-130s, they have been making repulsive rumbling propeller noise while the planes are on the ground. Is there some way to get them to stop this? Are they trying to irritate their neighbors? They are also annoying Donner Springs, Smithridge, and folks over in Sparks. Maurice Mooneyhammer (Sparks)
Four suicides in Reno in one month! Let's hope CNN doesn't find out. They'll do a number on Reno like they did on Valujet. Sally Dametrious (Reno)
Why don't Nevadans hear more about Jessi Winchester? After reading her platform and hearing her speak, there is no doubt she's the one who should go to Congress. Fred Rittenhouser (Reno)
Why doesn't the Airport Board have to observe the Nevada Open Meeting Law? People have to sign in and wear badges when they go to meetings. The City Council, Washoe County Commission, and Nevada Legislature don't make you do that. What's going on? Hector Lemuski (SE Reno)
When fighter airplanes land, fuel, and stay in Reno, do they have to pay the Airport any fees? Why? How much? Mick Gruberly (Reno)
As a Reno City Council member, Sam Dehné says he will continue to oppose Secret Meetings (now disguised as "caucuses").
He continues to be adamantly opposed to ENEMA DOMAIN - whether it be downtown or over at Reno's Airport. The business of America is business. But, as an enlightened capitalist, Dehné wants business to pay for its share of NEGATIVE IMPACTS...
Check out last months issue here!
June 1996, Vol.2, Number 6
May 1996, Vol.2, Number 5