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.

A 42% payroll expense in one year with big percentage raises each year is unsustainable, especially in light of the downturn in state funding. Given the outrageously high salaries of senior executive staff and elected officials, the tax-paying public is questioning the rationale of the Nevada County CEO Alison Lehman.

On January 16, 2025, the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office (NCSO) recently released a list of child predators that it had arrested thanks to the work of its detectives who had conducted a “large-scale crime sweep”  over the holiday season.

The Nevada County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved an ordinance (4-1) allowing tiny homes on wheels to be used as permanent residences.

“Gina Will should return the public’s money of $50,000 and resign.'“

The swearing-in ceremony for the Nevada County Board of Supervisors was held on January 6, 2025, formally initiating the start of their new term.

In 2024, Nevada County, California, experienced several significant events that shaped the community and garnered attention.

The Fire Safe Council has been investigated for fraud (or at least gross mismanagement of taxpayer dollars) for years. District Attorney Jesse Wilson has started looking into how bad things are.

The CDC, unlike other major agencies, has never received full Congressional authorization. There is no single enabling statute that defines the agency’s overall mission and structure. The lack of authorization has blurred the lines on the agency’s responsibilities to lead on issues related to communicable disease, resulted in rampant mission creep, and has led many to question whether the CDC is able to execute on its intended and primary mission of detecting and combatting public health threats, as evidenced by the CDC’s botched handling of the COVID-19 response.