Naturally we are told that his resignation had nothing, absolutely nothing, to do with recent questions raised about the rather odd idea that cash-strapped citizens of Clark [...]]]> Don Turner, former boss of the Clark County Shooting Park and darling of the gun-nut circuit, pulled the plug on his career with the failed park today. (RJ)

Naturally we are told that his resignation had nothing, absolutely nothing, to do with recent questions raised about the rather odd idea that cash-strapped citizens of Clark County should continue throwing bad money after bad into the park, despite rumors that the Clark County Commission has plans to rename the spot the North Valley Lead and Money Pit. My, no! It must simply be a complete coincidence that Mr. Turner decided to leave just as County Commission Steve Sisolak began complaining about the load sucking sound coming from the base of the Sheep Mountains.

Not to worry, Commissioner Tom Collins assures us. All we have to do is hire marketers to sell the place. Besides, we are told, the park isn’t simply about making money.

For Collins, the shooting park is not just about making money. He’s put so many hours of work into it and so much of his well-known cowboy character is built into it, it’s become his hill to die on. (Sun)

No doubt the vast majority of Clark County citizens who are funding the park–and who will never visit it–will be rather puzzled about why they are funding the thing if not to make money. Is it meant instead to serve as the equivalent of a Presidential Library for Mr. Collins, a mausoleum to preserve his quirky legacy?

Or is it simply a nice backdrop for filming some campaign film at county expense, like this:

Huh, wonder what targets Mr. Collins used to shoot in the Wash? Mammoth fossils, maybe?

Granted, the clip above is not the best performance delivered by the Commissioner. It hardly rivals this:

No doubt Mr. Turner won’t be needing a U-Haul to leave Vegas, given how well he was paid by the County for his work on the park. Not everyone lost money on the deal, it seems.

So, what’s new?

Clark County officials, including Commissioners Chris Giun­chigliani and Tom “Nortowners should move out” Collins, are against a plan from Nor’Town water experts to discharge North Las Vegas toilet water down Sloan [...]]]> Well, at least the hopes of a cheap way to discharge water coming from Nor’Town’s brand new waste water facility–oh, pardon me–water reclamation facility.

Clark County officials, including Commissioners Chris Giun­chigliani and Tom “Nortowners should move out” Collins, are against a plan from Nor’Town water experts to discharge North Las Vegas toilet water down Sloan Channel, an open flood channel designed for, well, floods.  (RJ)

The original plan was to shoot the poop down a regional pipeline, a plan that was shelved awhile ago, and the money for which was recently raided by the state legislature to pay for the state’s budget shortfall. The board that oversees that pipeline, the Clean Water Coalition recently voted to sue the state for trying to steal the money from the pipeline, in a 3-1 vote. (Sun)  Nor’Town’s representative on the board, Councilguy Robert Eliason, voted for the suit.

The pipeline was originally killed because, we are told, better water treatment technology made it unnecessary. (Sun) Now, perhaps members of the Clark County Commission might want to explain how is it that Nor’Town’s new water plant–which is, apparently an instance of that new technology–can’t function without the pipeline.

As usual, Mr. Collins’ reasoning is, shall we say, daunting in its intricacy. We are told the Sloan Channel cannot be used because children with a death wish ride bikes in it, a practice I’m sure is not supported by the Regional Flood Control District.

Also, how reassuring is it to hear two Clark County Commissioners scream about the dangers of the effluent, and yet blithely assure us that the fact that the swill is oozing into Lake Mead, our primary source of drinking water, is perfectly fine? So, which is it? Is the stuff safe or not?

For heavens sake, dear leaders, please make up your minds about which lie you are going to tell us. Let’s coordinate, people!

I jest, [...]]]> Look who’s hanging out with our newly divorced governor Jim Gibbons! Why, it’s Clark County Commissioner Tom Collins, sporting a black hat despite the connotations of doing so, and North Las Vegas Mayor Shari Buck. The Gube apparently was unable to find a white flag to signal his capitulation of the governor’s race.

I jest, of course, being a stalwart supporter of Jim Gibbons…for the Republican primary anyways. The Gube is seen here celebrating the only successful endeavor of his first term: the early completion of the I-15 widening project. Course, there were about five or so other highway projects scheduled a few years back that the Gov had to throw overboard along the way, but, hey, that’s how Jim gets things done.

Grateful Norftownies will no doubt be using the now broader freeway to take Mr. Collins’ advice, abandon the upside-down house, load up the U-Hauls, and move to greener pastures.

Still, perhaps the most notable aspect of the picture is that Mr. Collins and Ms. Buck are seated so close to one another.

Why I still have a copy of the robocall Collins made on behalf of William Robinson in the recent mayoral slamfest. Someday I’m gonna clean that off my hard drive–before it corrupts other files.

According to the commissioners, the new ordinance will actually conflict with the city’s own spay and neuter laws. The laws require that animals be “fixed” [...]]]> Clark County Commissioners Tom Collins and Chris Guinchigliani have sent letters to Nor’Town City Councilfolk protesting a proposed ordinance designed to regulate the sale of animals in public places. (KTVN)

According to the commissioners, the new ordinance will actually conflict with the city’s own spay and neuter laws. The laws require that animals be “fixed” by 12 weeks, yet the ordinance will allow the sale of animals as young as seven weeks.

The new ordinance would disallow the sale of animals in extremely hot or cold temperatures. But commissioner Guinchigliani says merchants will defy that provision easily.

I had a student member of the County Animal Advisory Committee confront a man at a swap meet because the puppies were in the direct sun. He pulled out his thermometer and moved it to the shade and told her, “See, I’m complying.” She told him he was not acting fairly and that the animals need to be shaded not the thermometer. He laughed at her and yelled at her. These types of games will go on under the proposed ordinance. (KTNV)

Guinchigliani also suggested that the requirement in the ordinance for sellers to obtain a breeder’s license would only legitimize “puppy mills” and encourage more backyard breeders.

Both Collins and Guinchigliani want Nor’Town City Council to consider a complete ban on the sale of animals at swap meets.

Council will be considering the ordinance at the regular meeting tonight down at City Hall at 6pm. Should be fun!

If I can get my act together, I’ll try to tweet the meeting on the old Twitter feed.

“This is almost like tree-hugger frustration. Can’t find no trees to protect in the desert so it’s tortoises.” [...]]]> So here’s Clark County Commissioner Tom Collins, expressing his excitement with the thought Clark County won’t be caring for abandoned desert tortoises anymore and his hatred of all small animals getting in the way of unrestricted development:

Senator Harry Reid and tons of the usual suspects were up near Nor’Town brandishing weenie surrogates and expounding their love of guns, and, if Freud’s right, weenies, at a dedication for the Clark County Gun Park. (Sun)

Nothing apparently gave them pause, such as the fact that the [...]]]> Did I say cigar? I meant weenie.

Senator Harry Reid and tons of the usual suspects were up near Nor’Town brandishing weenie surrogates and expounding their love of guns, and, if Freud’s right, weenies, at a dedication for the Clark County Gun Park. (Sun)

Nothing apparently gave them pause, such as the fact that the park may still face some tough environmental reviews from the Environmental Protection Agency. (Sun) Or that the park wasn’t set to open for a month or two. Or that Nevada is a leading exporter of illegal guns used for crimes. (NorT) Or that Nor’Towners feel like we already live in a gun park, what with the weekend shoot outs at the local waterholes and débutante balls.

Perhaps our overlords simply wanted to signal that all talk of environmental review is a sham to be squashed under the thumb of the Nevada delegation like a desert tortoise under a landmover.

It’s enough to tempt one to look for a new Republican senator in 2010, except that both parties seem to fear such a lack of mojo that they feel the need to join in the lord-of-the-flies dance that we Americans dance around our powder-filled weenie surrogates.

Still, the occasion was not without amusement. One can imagine Clark County Commissioner Collins staying up all night washing the hand that shook the Gøøbers’ paw, all for naught. After all, the Gube now reeks of mojo, we hear, so much so that…

Then again, Mr. Collins has had his hand in so many pockets, a judge has recently pronounced that he can’t vote on a construction project. (Sun) So a little Gøøber mojo on the dactyls might not bother him.

Say, is it me, or does Nevada politics now look like a bad Austin Powers sequel?

Cross posted from Vote Gibbons Out!

Greenspun, Inc., has largish article about possible expansion of environmental studies vis the Clark County Shooting Park and Lead Dump up near the proposed Ice Age national monument. (Sun) Looks like the interest in turning the area into a national monument might put pressure on the feds to do more thorough studies [...]]]>

You're Peeking!

Greenspun, Inc., has largish article about possible expansion of environmental studies vis the Clark County Shooting Park and Lead Dump up near the proposed Ice Age national monument. (Sun) Looks like the interest in turning the area into a national monument might put pressure on the feds to do more thorough studies of the environmental impacts of the shooting park.

The reasons offered for an upgrade in environmental studies are worth a read.

Folks behind the push for an upgrade of environmental studies at the park: Nevada Environmental Coalition

Elsewhere: Nor’Town’s representative on the County Commission, Tom Collins, who assures us that the County will be shoving the shooting park down neighbor’s throats, flipped flopped royally on Prive licensing yesterday. (Sun)

Check out my new Twitter feed dedication to North Las Vegas: http://twitter.com/NortownNV