UNR students and faculty sign letter to administration demanding action vs. white nationalism
Reno Gazette-Journal / rgj.com / 10-9-2019

Wyoming football honors black players dismissed from team in 1969
Racism destroyed the football program for more than a decade
By Mead Gruver / Associated Press / Idaho Spokesman-Review 9-13-2019

 

Boffo reviews!
74th Annual Reno-Sparks NAACP
Freedom Fund Awards Banquet Oct. 19, 2019

Tale of 2 city halls: Cancer kids & brain damage
+Freedom Fund Banquet Update
Barbwire by Andrew Barbáno / Expanded from the Wednesday 10-30-2019 Sparks Tribune

Full page photo gallery
By Tom Smedes
rgj.com 10-22-2019 / Reno Gazette-Journal Sunday 10-27-2019

EDITORIAL: BOSS LADIES
It was the “year of the woman” at 74th annual Freedom Fund Awards banquet hosted by the Reno-Sparks branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People on Oct. 19.
Reno News & Review 10-24-2019

Top of Her Class
Emily Hernandez Medina was valedictorian of the 2019 North Valleys High School class but was not allowed to give her commencement speech. She gave it on Oct. 19 at the 74th Annual Freedom Fund awards banquet hosted by the Reno-Sparks NAACP.
By Jeri Davis / Reno News & Review 10-24-2019

Housing advocates
At this year’s National Association for the Advancement of Colored People’s Freedom Fund Awards Banquet—in its 74th year—two female policy makers received the group’s Eddie Scott/Bertha Woodard Human Rights Advocacy Award.
By Jeri Davis / Reno News & Review 10-24-2019

Written in the stars: UNR football for racial justice
Freedom Fund Banquet Update
Barbwire by Andrew Barbáno / Expanded from the Wednesday 10-23-2019 Sparks Tribune

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT Andrew Barbano, First VP & Event Chair (775) 882-TALK [882-8255] <barbano@frontpage.reno.nv.us> NAACP 74th Freedom Fund Dinner — Warriors & Trailblazers RENO, NV (18 Oct. 2019) — The expected and unexpected will be the order of the evening when the Reno-Sparks NAACP convenes its 74th Annual Freedom Fund Awards Banquet Saturday evening, Oct.19, in the main ballroom of Reno's Grand Sierra Resort. The local branch of the nation's oldest civil rights organization will honor two elected officials who have braved the headwinds of money and power and even won while losing. Three African-American overachievers will be recognized for going where none have gone before. The identity of the keynote speaker is being kept under wraps. "The moment our keynoter takes the microphone, history will be made," stated NAACP First Vice-President Andrew Barbano. Nevada State Sen. Julia Ratti, D-Sparks, and Reno City Councilmember Jenny Brekhus will receive the organization's highest honor, the Eddie Scott/Bertha Woodard Human Rights Advocacy Award. They will be recognized for responding to the plight of Nevada renters where other elected officials would not act. Earlier this year, Ratti introduced Senate Bill 398 which proposed to give new powers to local governments to foster affordable housing. Without a single co-sponsor, it passed the state senate with bi-partisan support only to be tabled in the lower house. Las Vegas lawmakers asserted that the bill was unnecessary because current law grants municipalities all the power they need to regulate rentals. "Sen. Ratti won by losing," Barbano said. "She secured a legislative finding that all local governments need is courage." Shortly thereafter, Brekhus proposed that the City of Reno establish a Tenants Issues and Concerns Board charged with exposing rent gouging and other complaints. The Reno City Council passed it unanimously, 7-0. It will provide a forum for the aggrieved and gather information. Fact-finding leads to legislation. The Inaugural Scott/Woodard Award, named after two legendary Reno-Sparks Branch presidents, was first given in 2015 to the late Dennis Myers and his colleagues at the Reno News & Review. Myers will be memorialized at the event. Last year, the honor went to the courageous Lyon County family that stood up to fear, intimidation and death threats at Yerington High School. An investigation of the Yerington chief of police for illegally shredding police reports is still pending. Two generals and a congressman will also be recognized. Outstanding Professional Achievement awards will go to Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford and Nevada National Guard Adjutant General Ondra Berry. Rep. Steven Horsford, D-Nev., represents part of Clark County and six central Nevada counties. All are the first African Americans to hold those posts. Their awards will be presented by former Sen. Joseph M. Neal, Jr., D-N. Las Vegas, the first African American elected to Nevada's upper house. He served for 32 years. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. with dinner at 6:30 in the Reno Ballroom at the Grand Sierra Resort. Principal sponsors include Wells Fargo Bank, Laborers' Union Local 169, Washoe County, MGM Resorts International, the Nevada State AFL-CIO, the Northern Nevada Central Labor Council and philanthropist Tom Steyer's presidential campaign. "We made it known that all presidential candidates would be welcome and any who attend would be allowed to speak," Barbano said. "The NAACP is a non-partisan organization, so I contacted the campaign of former Massachusetts Republican Gov. William Weld and asked the Nevada GOP to notify President Trump. We have received no response from either. 'The president is well aware of the Grand Sierra. Years ago when he was shopping Nevada hotels, he flew over the property which had recently been acquired from MGM by Bally's. He dissed Bally's for installing 'cheap plastic signs' on the exterior," Barbano remembers. "We all know the president prefers gold, so perhaps he didn't like Bally's plum purple presentation priced at a paltry $500,000," Barbano said. In addition to philanthropist Steyer, Democratic presidential frontrunners Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren as well as Sen. Cory Booker are supporting the event. All four are sending delegations. Several local Republican leaders have also made reservations. All seats are reserved. Sponsors who have not yet submitted their guest lists are reminded to do so immediately. Reservations for non-members are $105.00 per person in advance, $115.00 at the door and include a one-year regular membership. Reno-Sparks NAACP members are $75.00 per person in advance, $85.00 at the door. Youth, students (with i.d.) and seniors are $50.00 in advance, $55.00 at the door. Vegetarian or special needs entrées are available by prior request. Reservations may be made via the secure PayPal portal at RenoSparksNAACP.org. Any made after 1:00 p.m. Saturday should be done by calling Barbano directly at (775) 747-0544.

BREAKING NEWS AND THEN SOME—>

We Don't Need No Education Part XCII—>
People get ready, that train's a comin'
Barbwire by Andrew Barbáno / Special Barbwire Confidential Internet Edition 11-12-2019 / Updated 11-14 & 11-15-2019
A version of this column appeared in the Wednesday 11-13-2019 Sparks Tribune
An excerpt was included in Andrew Barbano's address to the school board on Nov. 12.
SPECIAL REPORT FROM THE SCENE OF THE CRIME:
Clever maneuver prevents vote after 4 of 7 trustees announced support for Dolores Feemster.

FROM THE WASHOE COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT (7 Nov. 2019) — Procter Hug was the only name option the group choose to forward to the Board of Trustees for the new high school at Wildcreek. The committee picked three options for the future Career and Technical Education facility that will be built at Hug's current campus. The top choice was Debbie Smith (24 points), second was Feemster [family] (19 points), third was Michael Landsberry (12 points). The Board of Trustees is scheduled to vote on November 12 to finalize the names. SO — > To e-mail all seven school board trustees, click here:<BoardMembers@washoeschools.net> Tune in, turn on, show up (in the East 9th Street school board chambers). This is important!

School may be named in honor of Dolores Feemster

UPDATE: On Nov. 6, Reno City Councilmember Oscar Delgado submitted a letter to the school naming committee asserting the same positions as Reno-Sparks First Vice-President Andrew Barbano's letter of Nov. 1 regarding the two schools. Great minds think alike.

BREAKING NEWS (From KTVN TV-2 11:00 p.m. PDT 10-2-2019) — Washoe County School District Trustees have placed the name of former Branch President Dolores Feemster in nomination for a new high school or for the current Hug High School after it is repurposed as a trade school (and perhaps Procter Hug's name transferred to a new facility). Mrs. Feemster (1929-2018) was a longtime counselor at Hug High. Also nominated: the late Sen. Debbie Smith, D-Sparks; late Sparks Middle School eighth-grade math teacher Michael Landsberry who died protecting students in a 2013 mass shooting; former Superintendent Paul Dugan and author Sessions "Buck" Wheeler (1911-1998).

Proposed names for the new high school at the current Wildcreek Golf Course: Hug, Debbie Smith, Dolores Feemster, Feemster, Battle Born     
                                   
For the repurposed Hug High: Feemster, Debbie Smith, Hug, Sessions Wheeler, Landsberry, Battle Born, Paul Dugan

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VOTE FOR DOLORES. The Washoe school naming committee meets Nov. 6 to make final recommendations for the new Wildcreek and re-purposed Hug High. NAACP matriarch and longtime Hug counselor Dolores Feemster, as well as her family name, are in the hunt for both. Send your comments about nominees to Riley Sutton at <rsutton@washoeschools.net> The committee meets at 5:30 p.m., Wednesday Nov. 6 in the East 9th Street school board chambers. The board will make final decisions on Nov. 12. To e-mail all seven school board trustees, click here:<BoardMembers@washoeschools.net> Tune in, turn on, show up. This is important!

Dolores Feemster 1929-2018