A proclamation designating June as Nevada County Pride Month sparked debate at Board of Supervisors meeting, exposing divisions over the role of symbolic gestures in local governance. The controversy is unlikely to fade quickly, as supervisors face ongoing pressure to define their priorities.

As smoke from a controlled burn moved from Nevada City to a wider area of Western Nevada County, members of local Facebook Groups started to ask the other members about the location of a potential fire. “Anyone know about the fire we are smelling and seeing,” asked someone named Terra. Locals were showing an increasing amount of concern after receiving no warning.

Nevada County stands at a critical fiscal crossroads. As labor costs continue to rise, state and federal funding declines, and essential services come under increasing pressure, it is time to face the uncomfortable truth: Nevada County residents are paying twice for leadership—and getting half the results.

Local Officials Take Bold Step into International Diplomacy (a satire)

Nevada County Board of Supervisors must correct past mistakes by burdening taxpayers with excessive compensation packages and delayed fiscal reforms. We have the opportunity—and the responsibility—to rebuild our county government that is leaner, more responsive, and focused squarely on delivering essential services with transparency and fiscally conservative prudence.

Two terms—eight years—is more than enough time for a supervisor to make a meaningful impact. If someone can’t accomplish their goals in that time, it may be time to let someone else try.

Nevada County governance thrives only when it operates on trust — trust that staff are forthright, that transparency is not feared but embraced, and that accountability is a tool for improvement, not a weapon to be avoided. Senior county officials must resist the easy temptation to rationalize dishonesty for the sake of short-term gains.

Likely after realizing she had done nothing for students for the first two years of her term, Willoughby rushed a vague resolution onto the school board agenda.

After reading the April 2024 State Auditor’s Report: “Homelessness in California, San Jose and San Diego Must do More to Plan and Evaluate Their Efforts to Reduce Homelessness”, it is apparent Nevada County needs to apply the recommendations outlined in the report.

Nevada Union High School in Nevada County, California, students “walked out,” refusing to go to classes.

Dr. George and Jo Ann Rebane recently found an action they could take that will significantly improve cultural and civic life in their Western Nevada County community.

Nevada County Supervisor Heidi Hall formally announced her candidacy for Congress in California’s 3rd Congressional District, challenging incumbent Republican Representative Kevin Kiley in the 2026 election. Hall, a Democrat, filed her candidacy this week, aiming to represent a district that spans rural and suburban communities from the Sierra Nevada to Death Valley.

Grab your hemp-infused kombucha, Nevada County, and spark your organic cackles, because Heidi Hall, our wokest warrior queen, is preaching her way to Congress in a campaign against Kevin Kiley that’s less “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” and more “Dazed and Confused.” Your ol’ pal Rusty Dankbud, the ganja-guru of local lunacy, was toking on some primo “Sierra Skunk” when I sniffed out this fiasco weeks ago.

Imagine a foreign policy that deters aggression without endless wars, projecting power so others think twice before crossing the line. At home, it is about law and order that keeps neighborhoods safe, not as a cudgel, but as a foundation for opportunity. This vision is not blind optimism; it is founded in a humanist belief that our nation can protect its own while lifting its people, from farmers to factory workers to tech innovators.

The County’s budget totals $388 million, with 45.8%—or $167 million—sourced from federal and state intergovernmental funds. This revenue supports 908 full-time equivalent positions delivering essential services, but recent federal actions threaten this pipeline, prompting urgent advocacy by the Board. Nevada County’s complete reliance on federal funding for these services amplifies the stakes. Discretionary revenues offer little buffer against cuts to the $167 million in federal and state aid while losing tax-exempt municipal bonds could cripple infrastructure funding tied to salaries.

Reliance on the state as the primary mechanism for helping the needy not only undermines the potential of individual goodwill but also betrays a skepticism about the very people he claims to champion. True compassion, particularly from a Christian perspective, should rest on trust in mankind’s capacity for generosity and mutual aid and not on the coercive arm of bureaucracy.

On March 10, 2025, over 400 people packed the Eric Rood Administrative Center in Nevada City, California, for Congressman Kevin Kiley’s community office hours, an event touted by The Union as a platform for constituent concerns in California’s Third District. What could have been a rallying point for real change devolved into a showcase of the “woke mind virus” and a gathering of virtue signalers more intent on preaching than solving problems.

On Tuesday, February 25, 2025, the Grass Valley City Council held its regular meeting for which the agenda included a proposed resolution regarding an international conflict, specifically between Palestine and Israel. 

In a move that has left taxpayers clutching their wallets and laughing through the tears, Nevada County Executive Alison Lehman and her trusty Board of Supervisors have greenlit a $75,000 contract with Bryce Consulting, Inc., to “survey” their compensation. Because apparently, the only thing more critical than affordable housing or higher wages for lower-level county staff is figuring out if Lehman’s nearly half million-dollar annual compensation package comes with enough gold stars.

There is no “internal audit position” within Nevada County despite its critical importance to a well-functioning decentralized governance system. The Board of Supervisors rejected the re-creation of an internal audit position during post-COVID budget cuts. Recent Grand Jury reports highlighted significant fraud risks, leaving taxpayer money vulnerable.