Belvedere Towers, The Bonanza Inn and the City that was Silent

This is the story of the Belvedere Towers, the Bonanza Inn demolition, and a broken promise that quietly disappeared and the city that did nothing.

Michael Leonard

Feb 03, 2026

For more than six weeks, the owners of Belvedere Towers, one of downtown Reno’s most prominent residential buildings, have tried — politely, professionally, and repeatedly — to get the City of Reno to respond to questions about the Bonanza Inn demolition project happening next door.

They received nothing.

No acknowledgment.

No timeline.

No explanation.

No meeting.

What they did receive was dust, noise, uncertainty, and a growing realization that when redevelopment involves powerful interests, existing residents are no longer part of the conversation.

The Bonanza Inn with the Belevedere Towers behind.

The Complaint: Reasonable, Documented, Ignored

On December 15, 2025, the general manager of Belvedere Towers, a downtown condominium building representing 176 property owners, emailed the City of Reno regarding the proposed demolition of the Bonanza Inn.

The email was direct and measured. The residents did not oppose redevelopment. They asked for answers and mitigation.

Specifically, they raised four issues:

Noise and dust impacts: Demolition activity had already begun, affecting residents and staff and raising health and quality-of-life concerns. The owners asked for standard mitigation measures.

No disclosed plan for the site: At the time of demolition, there was no publicly shared plan for the building’s replacement. Residents requested transparency on timelines and intended use.

Alleyway access and safety: The alley adjacent to the building is essential for deliveries, waste removal, and daily operations. The residents asked for assurances that access would remain open and that the alley’s deteriorated condition would be addressed.

A failed attempt at partnership: Belvedere Towers offered $9,000 to $12,000 of its own funds to improve Arlington Avenue through landscaping, banners, and aesthetic upgrades — and asked whether the City would partner or match those funds. They reported encountering red tape and resistance. The email closed with an offer to meet. There was no response from the City.

The $2 Billion Mirage: Has Jeff Jacobs’ Downtown Reno Vision Stalled?

Follow-Ups, Then Silence

On January 8, 2026, a follow-up email was sent. It was polite. It referenced the December message. It asked whether the City had received the email. Again: no response.

By January 30 — more than 45 days later — a third email was sent. This time, City Councilmember Kathleen Taylor and the Mayor were CC’d—still nothing. At no point did the City acknowledge receipt, explain delays, assign a staff contact, or offer a meeting. This was not a disagreement. This was non-responsiveness.

Why This Was Not a Small Issue

Belvedere Towers is not a single homeowner or a fringe interest group. It is a large, owner-occupied residential building in the downtown core—precisely the type of constituency city leaders claim to want to invest in urban revitalization.

These residents were not asking for special treatment. They were asking for:

• Communication

• Coordination

• Basic project impacts to be managed

• Transparency about what was coming next

They were also willing to contribute their own money to improve an obvious downtown corridor. That offer was effectively declined.

The Missing Context: Who Owns the Bonanza Inn

Jacobs Entertainment owns the Bonanza Inn property. That fact matters.

Jacobs is not a passive landlord. It is the dominant private landholder in downtown Reno, controlling more than 100 acres along West Fourth Street and the surrounding area. Jacob’s requests get answered quickly. Its demolition requests are granted. Its impact on West Reno is undeniable. When the City goes silent in a dispute involving a Jacobs-owned property, residents notice.

🚨 New Jacobs TIF Proposal: $21M Ask Tied to Affordable Housing, Festivals, and a Bigger J Resort

The Broken Promise: Worker Housing

What makes this case more than a standard demolition dispute is that Jacobs previously promised to convert the Bonanza Inn into worker housing. That promise mattered. Worker housing was presented as a community benefit — a justification for acquisition, demolition, and disruption. It was part of the narrative that redevelopment would serve people, not just land assembly. Today, that promise is gone. The building is being demolished.

No replacement plan has been publicly presented. No explanation has been offered for the disappearance of the worker housing proposal. And the City has not addressed the change. If a public promise is abandoned, residents deserve to know why — and what replaces it.

Downtown Soccer Fields are the New Neon Line Distraction but Where is the Infrastructure?

Empty Lots and Deferred Futures

Drive through West Reno today, and the pattern is impossible to ignore.

Jacobs Entertainment owns over 100 cleared or underutilized parcels — former motels, demolished buildings, fenced lots — with no active construction and no public timelines.

Each demolition is framed as progress. Each delay is framed as patience. But taken together, the result is stagnation.

What residents see is not revitalization, but vacancy. Empty lots do not create housing. They do not create street life. They do not support small businesses. They do not improve safety. They wait.

The Governance Failure

The most troubling part of this story is the failure, which lies with the City.

Once demolition began, the City had an obligation to:

• Communicate with adjacent residents

• Explain what happened to the worker housing commitment

• Manage basic impacts like dust, noise, and access

• Engage with residents by offering to invest their own money downtown

Instead, it chose silence. Silence is not neutral. Silence is a decision.

How Reno Lost Its Opportunity for a Modern Neon Line Resort

The Question That Still Has Not Been Answered

What replaced the promised worker housing at the Bonanza Inn site?

If the answer exists, the City has not shared it. If the plan changed, no one explained why. If there is no plan, residents were not told. Downtown residents were asked to live with disruption in exchange for a better future. They are still waiting to hear what that future is.

Closing Thought

This is not an anti-development story. It is a pro-accountability story.

Redevelopment only works when the people who already live downtown are treated as stakeholders — not obstacles. Right now, the record shows they were treated as neither. They were ignored.

The Abbi Agency, the CARES Campus, and the Karma Box Project

A story about when public policy, and “pro-bono” marketing collide with allegations of abuse, influence and neglect.

Michael Leonard

Feb 02, 2026

Recently, The Abbi Agency issued a press release announcing its initiative to offer pro bono marketing services to selected nonprofit organizations.

According to the release, in 2025, Abbi selected four nonprofits to receive free marketing and communications support. One of those organizations was The Karma Box Project.

Link: Applications Now Open for Abbi Agency’s “Do Good Stuff” Initiative

On its face, this is the kind of announcement that usually passes without scrutiny. A prominent Reno-based marketing firm donating its expertise to nonprofits appears to be a net positive for the community.

But when you look more closely at how those nonprofits intersect with publicly funded systems already facing controversy, the picture becomes more complicated.

This article examines relationships, overlaps, the role of marketing in shaping public perception, and a bad choice.

Do these cheerful-looking women know that they are promoting an organization that has had multiple women make claims of abuse against it and its director and employees?

Who Runs the Karma Box Project

The Karma Box Project is run by Grant Denton, a prominent figure in Reno’s homelessness services ecosystem.

Karma Box is not a peripheral organization. It plays a direct operational role in Washoe County’s most extensive and most expensive homelessness initiative: the CARES Campus.

Karma Box operates the intake program at the CARES Campus, the first point of contact for unhoused individuals seeking shelter.

Karma Box is at the center of a program that has drawn increasing scrutiny.

Karma Box, CARES Campus, and the Phone They Didn’t Want to Give Back to a Victim

This is the story of Marissa, who is married to an employee of Karma Box, and how she was abused by him and by them.

The CARES Campus and Public Concerns

The CARES Campus was launched with ambitious promises: coordinated services, reduced street homelessness, and better outcomes for individuals in crisis.

What has followed has been far messier.

Since opening, the CARES Campus has been associated with:

• Significant cost overruns

• Frequent police responses and emergency calls

• Ongoing complaints from nearby residents and businesses

• Questions about accountability, transparency, and effectiveness

None of this is speculative; it is reflected in public records, police logs, commission meetings, and resident testimony.

Despite this, the CARES Campus has also benefited from professionally produced messaging that emphasizes success stories, innovation, and a compassion-forward brand.

That matters — because public perception influences political will, funding decisions, and institutional inertia.

The CARES Campus: When Public Relations Becomes Public Policy

The Abbi Agency provides coverage of the CARES Campus with heartwarming articles that obscure reality.

Abbi Agency’s Dual Role

Here is where the overlap becomes relevant.

The Abbi Agency has done marketing and communications work for the CARES Campus. At the same time, it selected Karma Box—the organization that runs CARES intake—as a recipient of free pro bono marketing services. Again, this article is not alleging wrongdoing. But it does raise a legitimate question:

Should a PR firm meaningfully shape public narratives around a controversial public program while simultaneously donating services to one of that program’s core operators — influencing how criticism is framed, minimized, or redirected?

Marketing Is Not Neutral

Marketing is not just logos and social media posts. It is:

• Message framing

• Story selection

• Language choices

• Crisis response strategy

• What gets highlighted — and what quietly disappears

When a nonprofit or public initiative faces criticism, the communications strategy often determines whether the issue is perceived as systemic failure or isolated growing pains. Pro bono work does not eliminate that influence. If anything, it can deepen alignment.

Allegations and Public Trust

The Karma Box Project and Grant Denton are central to a controversy.

I published an article telling the story of Kimberly, who alleged Denton abused her during a personal relationship. That article was written at her request and based on her account and documentation she gave to me.

There has been no criminal conviction associated with those allegations. However, public trust in organizations serving vulnerable populations does not hinge solely on court outcomes. It hinges on transparency, accountability, and how institutions respond when concerns are raised.

When the same individual is:

• Running a nonprofit embedded in a significant public program

• Managing intake for a taxpayer-funded campus

• Benefiting from professional reputation-management support

…it becomes reasonable to ask whether marketing is being used as insulation rather than communication.

An Account, a Warning, and a Story About a System That Protected an Insider

This is Kimberly’s story of how she was abused by Grant Denton and how the authorities covered for him and ignored her.

Why This Matters

The issue here is not whether nonprofits deserve free marketing help.

The issue is whether powerful narrative-shaping firms should be simultaneously involved in:

• Promoting a controversial public facility

• Supporting a nonprofit that operates inside that facility

• Helping shape how the public understands both

• Helping to cover up allegations of abuse

• Performing reputation repair for individuals accused of abuse

Especially when that public facility has cost millions, generated thousands of police calls, and continues to face unresolved concerns.

The Question in the future

The Abbi Agency is entitled to select its pro bono partners.

Karma Box is entitled to seek marketing support.

But the public is also entitled to ask:

• How narratives around homelessness are constructed

• Who benefits from those narratives

• Whether marketing has replaced accountability

Those questions are not anti-nonprofit. They are pro-public. People need to know what is going on.

The Judge, the Senior Partner, the Junior Lawyer and the Scandal

This is the scandal that brought international attention to Reno and has people questioning Judicial ethics and attorney relations. I explain some of the details that are not in the newspapers.

Michael Leonard

Jan 30, 2026

Judge Bridgett Robb — and the Allegations

The story starts with Judge Bridgett E. Robb, a long-serving jurist in Washoe County’s Second Judicial District Court, where she has presided over Family Division cases for nearly two decades.

This article is based on court documents and other legal documents that I uncovered. Missing details are filled in through speculation based on what I have observed and have been told, and are opinions, not facts.

Link to Daily Mail, Respected judge who served on Supreme Court task force is accused of STALKING a female attorney.

In January 2026, Robb became the subject of attention after a temporary protective order (TPO) was granted against her following allegations that she engaged in a more than a year-long pattern of stalking a local attorney.

Link, RCP2026-000015-Application for Protection Against Stalking

According to the TPO application, the Attorney alleged that Robb repeatedly followed and appeared near her at residences, workplaces, and other locations in Reno starting in May 2024, describing the conduct as “willful, repeated, and patterned.”

The police initiated an investigation in late 2025 and documented Robb driving through areas where the Attorney was present, then confronted and questioned Robb, who admitted to stalking, according to the TPO application.

The temporary protective order was filed on January 12, 2026, and granted by a judge on January 16. The Senior Judge removed Robb from all cases and committee assignments, and the court initiated an internal review.

A hearing to determine whether the protective order should be extended was scheduled for February 13, 2026.

Amid the controversy, Robb announced her retirement, effective February 6, 2026, and withdrew from a judicial election campaign. She is currently over 60 years old and has a vested pension, according to sources.

Kelci Binau, the Attorney who made the allegations

The Attorney who filed the TPO application is Kelci Skye Binau, at the prominent Reno law firm McDonald Carano, where she practices gaming law. McDonald Carano represents the ROW Casinos according to publicly available information.

Within the firm, Kelci has held leadership roles, serving as Vice Chair of the Associates’ Committee and Vice Chair of the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee.

She is also active in professional organizations, including Global Gaming Women, where she has served in leadership and communications roles.

Link to NNBW article, People: Kelci Binau selected to Emerging Leaders of Gaming 40 Under 40

Kelci’s Marriage and Schooling

Kelci married Stephen C. Binau II in 2014, at age 25. He owns 6 autobody shops, including Steve’s Collision in Sparks. Kelci and Stephen enjoyed a wedding at the Ledson Winery in Napa Valley, complete with a horse-drawn carriage and romantic photos posted to Kelci’s Facebook.

In May 2018, Kelci graduated from McGeorge School of Law in the top 10% of her class, a milestone she marked publicly in a Facebook post thanking her “supportive and loving husband” and noting that she was beginning preparation for the Nevada Bar exam, which she passed later that year and got the job at McDonald Carano.

Kelci and Stephen Binau pose for a photo after she graduated from the University of the Pacific. People have wondered if she’s doing a “Legally Blonde” thing here.

Link, Document 5549340 Grant, Bargain, and Sale Deed

A deed dated June 26, 2025, shows Stephen Binau conveying property to Kelci as her sole and separate property, while describing her as a married woman. In filings related to this case, Binau states that she lives alone, indicating separation, though no divorce filing has been identified in the public record.

Matthew Addison: the boyfriend and a senior partner at McDonald Carano

At the center of the scandal is Matthew C. Addison, a long-tenured Reno attorney at McDonald Carano, who had relationships with both Judge Robb and with Kelci Binau.

Addison is described as a partner with a primary focus on construction law and litigation. He started at the firm as a law clerk in 1989, became an associate in 1991, a partner in 1998, and was Managing Partner of the Reno office from 2018 through 2025.

Addison has served as an Administrative Law Judge for the Nevada State Contractors Board. He is listed as a Judge Pro Tem for the Reno Municipal Court, and an active supporter of the Nevada Military Support Alliance, Northern Nevada Children’s Cancer Foundation, Nevada Women’s Fund, and WIN Nevada.

How Addison connects to Judge Robb and Kelci Binau

In an addendum to the TPO filed by Kelci Binau, Addison describes a 10-year-long “friends with benefits” relationship with Judge Robb that he says ended around late 2021.

In the TPO application, Binau described Judge Robb’s professional work as including private mediation, with mediations conducted for attorneys and clients associated with the McDonald Carano law firm and other firms in the same building.

Addison admits to beginning a romantic relationship with Kelci Binau in early 2024, in the TPO application, and circumstances frame that relationship as the catalyst for what Binau alleges became a sustained pattern of stalking by Judge Robb.

Binau’s social media presence reflects the lifestyle of an upwardly mobile young professional: fashion-forward social events, friendships with peers, and participation in community and cultural activities.

Taken together, the record shows Kelci Binau as a relatively young attorney whose legal career, personal relationships, and professional environment converged in a way that ultimately led to a scandal.

What remains contested is not her background or credentials, but how those intersecting relationships escalated into a legal dispute with significant professional consequences for others involved.

Conflicts of Interest Must be Avoided

Avoiding even the appearance of a conflict of interest is required for people in Judge Robb’s and Matt Addison’s positions. Robb has already resigned. Is Addison next? As a Judge Pro Tem, Senior Partner, and Office Manager, he must meet the highest ethical standards, yet he has brought unwanted scrutiny to the firm.

Update: I delayed this article while gathering some last-minute information, and Mark Robinson at RGJ dropped the story about Matt Addison resigning at 8 pm last night. Next, I think we will see the blame game, with Matt taking the fall. But the implications for McDonald Carano are substantial.

Link: Matt Addison resigns from Reno law firm after ties to judge revealed.

In addition to the mediations, Robb is said to have done cases outside of Family law. We don’t know whether Addison brought any of these to McDonald Carano, or how much the law firm knew about what was going on. Let’s hope that the investigation finds out because it makes one wonder.

Link to RGJ, Washoe court reviews cases tied to judge, lawyer in sexual relationship.

“We are looking into any potential of undisclosed conflict of interest in past cases,” said Court Clerk Alicia Lerud on Monday, from the RGJ article.

“Our system of justice works because people believe in its legitimacy. People have to believe the system works. That’s why lawyers have a code of ethics and judges have a code of ethics,” said Nancy Rapaport, a University of Nevada, Las Vegas law professor who teaches ethics, from the RGJ article.

Conclusion: Why This Story Matters

This is a story about power, proximity, and accountability inside Reno’s legal ecosystem. A sitting district court judge. A senior partner at one of the region’s most influential law firms. A younger attorney whose professional and personal life became entangled in a relationship that resulted in a judge’s resignation.

This is a case study in how professional communities amplify risk when personal relationships cross institutional boundaries. Judges and lawyers socialize, date, mentor, and work within overlapping circles. That reality demands higher standards because the consequences affect public trust in the courts and law firms.

The story raises questions that remain unanswered, and its implications will linger long after the headlines fade.

Why Does the Washoe GOP Try to Silence Independent Journalism?

Why is Bruce Parks and the leadership of the Washoe GOP so uncomfortable with independent reporting and journalists that aren't under their control?

Michael Leonard

Jan 29, 2026

The other morning, I received a message from Washoe GOP Chair Bruce Parks after he read one of my articles. Since he chose to question my credibility, my motives, and even my right to call myself a journalist, I think it’s worth putting the exchange on the record — not only for transparency, but also to illustrate a broader, long-running dysfunction within the Washoe GOP.

Here is what Parks wrote:

“I find it amusing that you do the exact things that you are upset about. You NEVER verified recent info you put out about the two DIFFERENT events on December 12th. among other errors you have made. I do not understand why you do not focus your vitriol on the people that are actually screwing up this country. News flash, it is NOT Republicans! You and the folks at Picon Press constantly attack the Republican Party and conservative candidates while completely ignoring the damage done by dems. Are you a dem operative disguised as a conservative? One can only wonder. The bottom line is you are NOT helping conservative Republicans to get elected when that should be your focus!”

After I explained that I’m an independent journalist and not part of their club, I got this reply:

“Accurate? Truth? Honest? Wow! By the way, I only recently became aware of your existence and did not bother to look at past articles to see where you have been critical of Democrats. I still think you are taking liberties by calling yourself a journalist. In my opinion there are three media types. First, journalists that report without bias. Second, reporters that do what their editors tell them to do. Third, propagandists who slant everything to fit an agenda. Which one are you? I have zero problem with constructive criticism of myself or the Party, but I will NEVER appreciate disparaging remarks made for the purpose of gaining more subscribers or furthering an agenda.”

Two Christmas Parties Reveal a Washoe GOP Party Split

This article really set them off. They tried to get me to promote their party, and after I explained that I’m not a member of their club and won’t do it, I got hate mail.

The question that is raised by Parks’ Message

Setting aside the irony of someone who has never read my work declaring it “propaganda,” Parks’ message raises an important question:

Why is the leadership of the Washoe GOP so uncomfortable with independent reporting that isn’t under their control?

Bruce Parks — a party chair who only learned I existed last week, but is fully confident in judging my entire body of work.

The unifying theme? The Washoe GOP cannot tolerate anyone independent, uncontrolled, or critical of their faction of the Republican Party.

Hell’s Angel, Business Owner and Candidate for Washoe District 3

I published this article about Troy Regas, who is running for Washoe District 3 Commissioner, which drew Bruce Parks’s attention, and he stated that the Washoe GOP won’t support Troy because of his association with the Hells Angels, as reported by Picon Peess.

Link, When Party Control Matters More Than Victory in Washoe County …

See this article from Picon Press for details on how Bruce Parks improperly categorized Hell’s Angels and stated that he won’t support Troy Regas in his run for Washoe County District 3. The number of views and interactions with my article indicates that people are interested in learning about Troy Regas.

“Journalist, reporter, propagandist,” Bruce asks. “Which one am I?” Here’s the answer.

Unlike the people trying to shout me down:

• I don’t work for a political party

• I don’t take money from candidates

• I don’t require anyone’s permission to publish facts

• I don’t ask whether a story is bad for Republicans or bad for Democrats

• I criticize Democrats and Republicans when they do things that deserve it

This is independent journalism — the thing political machines hate. If Bruce wants to find propagandists, he doesn’t need to look far. They tend to be the ones demanding loyalty oaths, controlling who can attend meetings, and insisting that criticism is betrayal. They call any reporting they disagree with “propaganda.” They accuse independent writers of ulterior motives because the idea of someone operating outside their hierarchy is unthinkable.

When Accusations Aren’t Anchored: A Problem for Mayoral Candidate Eddie Lorton

Instead of coaching Eddie after I sent them a preview of this article, I got more attacks from Washoe GOP leadership. They really don’t understand politics and messaging.

On his claim that I criticize Republicans more than Democrats

Bruce admits he hasn’t read my past coverage but still claims I don’t criticize Democrats. For the record, here are just a few examples:

• Reporting on Hillary Schieve’s Spooge LLC ethics issues

• Coverage of a Councilmember’s conflicts, donations, and outbursts

• Analysis of Nevada Democratic political machines

• Reporting on county failures on homelessness, CARES Campus, and budget shortfalls under Democratic leadership

• Articles critical of Washoe County’s political operations

I’m an equal opportunity journalist. I’ll write about anyone who is doing things that need to be revealed. If Bruce had spent even five minutes reading before accusing, he would have known this. But this isn’t about facts. It’s about control.

The underlying issue: the Washoe GOP wants cheerleaders, not independent media

The more the Washoe GOP leadership drifts into far-right insularity and purity tests, the more it attacks:

• Moderates

• Independents

• Anyone who doesn’t obey

• Anyone who questions incompetent leadership

• Anyone who refuses to be co-opted

They want messaging without accountability. They want the appearance of support without earning it. They want influence over people they don’t have the right to control.

This is why they reacted with anger when I declined to promote their Christmas party. They believed my platform was theirs to use. They believed that if I did not follow orders, I must be “against” them.

And now Bruce steps in to say the quiet part out loud:

I should not criticize the Party because it might hurt the Party

That is not journalism, not transparency, not how a healthy political organization behaves.

Eddie Lorton’s Facebook Problem: Patterns, Pressure, and Public Misrepresentation

Eddie doesn’t learn from his mistakes. He keeps posting falsehoods an unintelligable rants on Facebook and claims to be doing something while posturing for attention.

What my work is — and what it isn’t

I write about:

• City budgets, land deals, redevelopment, county mismanagement, candidate viability, policy failures, corruption, campaign finance, ethics complaints, and political machines.

I write about facts, not tribal demands for loyalty. If someone doesn’t want to be criticized, they can try something radical: Stop doing things that invite criticism.

The Party that cannot tolerate scrutiny cannot grow.

I’m not running for office. I’m not on anyone’s payroll. It’s not my problem. Bruce’s job is to grow the Party, not shrink it to a small circle of people who cannot handle public scrutiny.

The Washoe GOP leadership is losing moderates, business conservatives, independents, libertarians, and suburban voters faster than ever — not because of outside attacks, but because of internal arrogance and hostility.

Attacking independent media isn’t a strength. It’s insecurity. I’ll keep reporting. Bruce can keep sending angry emails.

One of us is helping the community understand what’s happening.

The other is proving why the GOP keeps losing ground in Washoe County.

Hell’s Angel, Business Owner and Candidate for Washoe District 3

This article is a profile of Troy Regas, a prominent figure in Northern Nevada, known for his life as a Hell’s Angel, a brothel manager, a business owner, and an emerging political candidate.

Michael Leonard

Jan 28, 2026

Troy Regas is a prominent figure in Northern Nevada, known for his multifaceted life as a Hell’s Angel, a brothel manager, a business owner, and an emerging political candidate for Washoe County District 3 commissioner. His journey from incarceration to becoming a respected community leader encapsulates a unique blend of rebellion, resilience, and dedication to his roots.

In this article, I delve into Troy’s story, exploring how he has impacted motorcycle culture, fought legal battles, and now aims to serve his community as a Washoe County District 3 commissioner. I have met Troy, and I got the details from this video interview. I will follow up with an article on his political platform for Washoe.

You can listen to Troy tell his story in The 4th Street Live Podcast Episode 24 | Troy Regas – Hells Angel, Business Owner, Future Commissioner.

The Early Years and Motorcycle Club Beginnings

Meeting Hell’s Angels in Prison

Troy says that his first encounter with Hell’s Angels was inside a federal prison, a setting that revealed the respect and influence the club commanded even behind bars. Despite being a motorcycle rider, Troy had no connection to any clubs until this point. The admiration he felt upon witnessing the respect a single Hell’s Angel commanded among thousands of inmates sparked his interest in joining the club culture.

Formation of the Reno Renegades

While Troy was incarcerated, he says that his brother-in-law, David Burgess, and brother, Sohn Regas, began associating with the Oakland chapter of Hell’s Angels. They were tasked with starting a new club in Reno, which led to the creation of the Reno Renegades around 1986. Upon release, Troy joined as a prospect and quickly became treasurer, advancing the club’s initiatives, including the now-famous Cat House Poker Run.

The Cat House Poker Run: Brothels and Bikers

Origins of the Poker Run

Advertising for brothels was illegal outside Story County. Troy, who was managing the Old Bridge Ranch brothel, devised the Cat House Poker Run to attract visitors without violating advertising laws. The event drew nearly 1,800 participants in its first year, successfully opening the community’s eyes to the brothel culture and fostering a new, positive form of biker engagement. The poker run became a celebrated annual event, running for over 28 years. It symbolizes Troy’s ability to merge business acumen with biker culture, helping to shape Northern Nevada’s social landscape.

Overcoming Legal Challenges and Parole Struggles

Federal Conviction & RICO Charges

Troy was convicted at age 23 for conspiracy to sell cocaine, carrying a sentence that extended into parole. Despite maintaining a legitimate business and family responsibilities upon release, he says that he faced constant violations from parole agents, including restrictions on associating with motorcycle clubs and even on legally purchasing property.

The Battle Over the Clubhouse

Troy purchased the club’s first official clubhouse through a bankruptcy court, outbidding others despite opposition by prosecutors due to his felony status. This legal victory was short-lived, as he says that parole officers attempted to penalize him for merely owning the property and for the associations depicted in photographs. His resilience through these court hearings reflected his refusal to surrender his rights.

Parole Violations and Resistance

Throughout his parole, Troy says that he was repeatedly violated for associating with club members or sending correspondence, which agents mischaracterized as gang affiliation. He vigorously fought these violations, winning a landmark case that condemned the parole department’s overreach and secured his right to maintain these associations.

Fight for Freedom of Expression & Community Respect

The Famous Hell’s Angels Sign

A significant episode in Troy’s story involves the iconic Hell’s Angels sign displayed at the clubhouse. Initially intended for the Redwood Run, the sign was red-tagged by local authorities, sparking a legal battle that Troy and the club ultimately won under First Amendment protections. Despite ongoing federal pressure to remove the sign, it remains a symbol of the club’s perseverance and presence in Northern Nevada.

Dispelling Misconceptions About Motorcycle Clubs

Troy says that motorcycle clubs like the Hell’s Angels are often misunderstood. Contrary to popular belief, these clubs promote respect, honesty, and accountability among members. He shared that the club’s culture fosters brotherhood and straight talk, with disputes handled directly and honorably.

Cultural Roots of the Hells Angels

The Hell’s Angels’ emblem and symbols stem from World War II veterans who got them as trophies against the Nazis, not as endorsements of racism or hate. Troy explained how these origins are often misconstrued, leading to unfair stigma against clubs and their members.

Community Engagement and Political Aspirations

Deep Northern Nevada Roots

Troy’s family has deep historical ties to Northern Nevada, including businesses such as wholesale flower shops and motels along Highway 40, before freeway construction changed the town’s landscape. Troy says that this legacy grounds his commitment to serving the community beyond the biker world.

The Road to County Commissioner

Currently, Troy is running for Washoe County Commissioner, District 3. His decision stems from what he says is frustration with local government spending and mismanagement, including the controversial “Moon Rocks” project, which wasted millions of dollars. He aims to bring accountability, fiscal responsibility, and a fresh perspective to the county board.

Advocacy and Local Charity Support

Troy’s involvement extends to supporting local charities, such as the Reno Toy Run, which faced political opposition due to misconceptions about motorcycle clubs. He actively challenges these narratives to highlight the positive impact of clubs on community welfare.

Mental Health, Addiction, and Personal Growth

Struggles with Addiction and Recovery

Troy candidly shared his personal battles and how he overcame homelessness, describing it as a “spiritual deficiency.” He credits his recovery to mental health treatment and sobriety, saying that jail and hospitals alone were not enough to change his path.

The Importance of Compassion and Tough Love

While Troy expresses compassion for those struggling, he also believes that some are content with their circumstances, which makes recovery difficult. His lived experience offers insight into the complex balance between empathy and accountability in addressing addiction.

Conclusion: A Legacy of Resilience and Leadership

From talking with him and watching the video, I learned that Troy Regas’s story is one of transformation, courage, and commitment to his values and community. From prison to businessman, from outlaw biker to potential public servant, Troy embodies the spirit of Northern Nevada’s culture. His leadership in the motorcycle community, combined with his business success and political ambitions, positions him as a unique voice for change and unity. It will be interesting to see how the campaign unfolds.

Reno’s Baseball Stadium Deal Is a Masterclass in How Not to Negotiate

Learn how Reno is paying a billionaire to own more Reno — forever and selling out the taxpayers while telling us that it's all about redevelopment.

Michael Leonard

Jan 27, 2026

Reno is on the verge of approving one of the most financially reckless public-private deals in recent memory — and it’s happening in plain sight.

The proposed agreement involving Greater Nevada Field, the Reno Baseball Stadium, and developer Simon doesn’t just fail the “good deal” test; it fails common sense, basic finance, and stewardship of public assets.

Here is the Deal that Nevada Land (Simon/Aces) is offering to:

• Extend the Aces’ non-relocation commitment from 2029 → 2049

• Invest $40M over 10 years in capital improvements to the ballpark

• Assume property and personal property taxes

• Remove the City General Fund as a guarantor and shift risk to RDA

• Add a clawback and profit-sharing if the stadium is sold

But, in exchange, the City/RDA would:

• Transfer full ownership of the improved Greater Nevada Field to Simon

• Give up naming rights control and all upside potential to Simon

• Lock in the remaining $1M/year payments through 2043 or $20 million

• Reno doesn’t have to pay maintenance, but pays the $1 million subsidy

• Keep the stadium embedded in RDA1 TIF until it expires

Note: The unimproved value of the land is estimated at $6 million; the improved value is estimated at $50 million.

Tax Incremental Financing (TIF) funds the RDA, meaning the taxpayer funds this agency. If that money doesn’t materialize, then who is on the hook? It’s likely to be the Reno General Fund. The RDA is composed of the City Council Members.

The City gives away valuable land and a valuable stadium, pays an annual subsidy, and gets no ownership, no revenue share, and no meaningful protection.

The $40 Million Mirage

Supporters of the Deal frequently point to Simon’s promised $40 million investment in improvements as justification.

Here’s the problem:

Simon owns those improvements outright.

There are:

• No guardrails on how that money must be spent

• No public audit requirements, so we don’t know where the money might go

• No efficiency benchmarks, so we don’t know what we get

• No obligation that improvements serve non-baseball public uses

This is not an investment in Reno. It is a capital improvement for a private owner’s balance sheet. Taxpayers will never see that $40 million CAPEX — except perhaps as spectators who buy tickets or sit at VIP tables that generate revenue the Aces keep exclusively.

Sadly, though, the taxpayer will be on the hook for the $20 million in subsidy, we get nothing for the $30 million paid when the stadium was built, and we get nothing for the land.

The economic impact numbers: treat carefully

• “$21.9M annual spending output”

• “$8.2M income from 120 jobs”

These are standard economic impact multipliers, not audited cash flows. They are helpful for justification, not valuation.

Does the Ballpark Bring Revenue to Reno?

Proponents may justify the Deal by saying the ballpark improvements will bring more revenue to Reno, but the data doesn’t support that claim.

A Stadium for a Billionaire: How Reno Subsidized Greater Nevada Field

Read this article to learn how Reno subsidized the building of the Baseball Stadium.

Subsidies Without Upside Are Just Giveaways

The City isn’t just giving away land. It’s not just giving away the $30 million it previously invested. It’s also committing to ongoing payments.

The Deal includes:

• An annual operating subsidy of $1 million

• No performance triggers

• No revenue sharing

• No protections if promised benefits fail to materialize

In the private sector, this would be called all risk, no reward.

Why should Reno taxpayers subsidize operations when they receive no ownership stake and no share of the upside?

The Parking Lot That Never Came

If you want to understand why many residents no longer trust these arrangements, look at history. Simon previously received adjacent land with an expectation — explicit or implied — that it would support the stadium district with parking.

What happened instead?

• The land was deeded to Simon

• Simon sold the land

• Simon pocketed the windfall

• Expensive apartments were constructed with no benefit to the taxpayers

• Those units now struggle to lease, and the stadium has a parking problem

So the most crucial question the City has not answered is this:

Why should the public trust new promises when the last promises were monetized and flipped?

Ballpark Apartments Pivot to Hotel in Slow Market for High Rent Units

Read this article to learn how Ballpark developer Simon sold the parking lot land for apartments.

The Negotiation Failure No One Wants to Admit

Strip away the PR language, and this is what remains:

• City gives land ✅

• City pays subsidy ✅

• Developer keeps ownership ✅

• Developer keeps all revenue ✅

• City gets no leverage ❌

This is not how competent negotiators operate.

Any real-world negotiator would call this a terrible deal.

Public officials are supposed to negotiate harder than the private sector, not roll over faster.

What a Responsible Deal Would Have Included

A defensible agreement would have included at least some of the following:

• A long-term ground lease, not a permanent land transfer

• Or sell the land and the improvements so that the City benefits

• Revenue sharing on ticket sales, naming rights, or sponsorships

• A reversion clause if promised improvements are not delivered

• Binding parking requirements with enforceable deadlines

• A City equity stake proportional to the subsidy

• Independent audits of capital improvements

• Clearly defined uses and frequency for the City and for Reno Public uses

• Clearly defined costs: current public use is expensive and difficult

If a deal cannot survive basic guardrails, it is not a good deal.

Reno’s RDA “Rebranding” Survey Isn’t About Branding

Michael Leonard

·

June 17, 2025

Read full story

The Question No One Wants to Answer

If the City receives:

• No ownership

• No revenue

• No protection

• No leverage

Then what exactly is being purchased with public money? The incentives don’t align with the public interest. This Deal looks like a giveaway to a $billionaire.

Deals like this persist because they are supported by the city council, normalized by redevelopment culture, and not scrutinized closely enough before it’s too late.

This Can Still Be Fixed — If Leaders Choose To

The solution is not complicated:

• Pause the Deal

• Release the full term sheet publicly

• Commission an independent financial analysis

• Renegotiate with a clear public upside

Public land should generate public returns. Subsidies without upside are giveaways. Reno is being out-negotiated. This is not economic development. It is asset stripping in daylight. And it does not have to happen.

What can you do?

Show up to and speak during the public comments at the Hearing:

Wed Jan 28th 10 am, Reno City Council Chamber, 1 East First Street, Reno, NV 89501.

Virtual access via Zoom: https://share.google/8fAnu1jLg0xWswWIW

Webinar ID: 886 3782 9530

Dial-In 669-444-9171 Webinar ID: 886 3782 9530 #

Greg Kidd Is Running Again: His plans for Nevada are not what you heard.

Greg Kidd is running again for Nevada’s Second Congressional District, and his recent listening event and paid article made it clear what his strategy is, and it is not what you heard.

Michael Leonard

Jan 26, 2026

Greg Kidd is running again for Nevada’s Second Congressional District, and his recent paid article in This Is Reno makes that clear.

See link, Commentary: Why I’m running in 2026 (sponsored) by Greg Kidd

The piece, written in Kidd’s voice, frames his renewed campaign as a response to rising costs, economic anxiety, and dissatisfaction with both national politics and Nevada’s representation in Washington.

It also serves a second purpose: reintroducing Kidd to voters under a new political identity — as a Democrat — positioning him as a moderate, business-minded outsider.

That framing matters because Kidd ran in the district previously as an independent and lost. What we are seeing now is not a spontaneous civic awakening, but a carefully structured campaign restart.

Kidd’s Core Message: Costs, Discontent, and a Party Switch

In his article, Greg Kidd emphasizes cost-of-living pressures:

• Wages that no longer cover rent

• Rapidly rising housing costs in Washoe County

• Higher grocery prices

• Nevada’s unemployment challenges

He pairs those issues with a critique of national politics and his opponent, Mark Amodei, accusing him of failing to protect public lands, Medicaid funding, and Nevada’s economic future.

At the same time, Kidd explains his decision to register as a Democrat, presenting it less as an ideological shift and more as a rejection of what he describes as chaos and corruption in today’s Republican Party.

The message is calibrated for disaffected independents, moderate Democrats, and business-friendly voters who are uncomfortable with national politics but still wary of progressive economic policy.

A Vision, a Resume, and an Open Question

Greg Kidd’s renewed run for CD-2 blends these elements:

1. A populist cost-of-living message

2. A technocratic fintech growth vision

3. A personal narrative built around entrepreneurship

4. Rebranding as a Democrat, not an Independent

The listening event at Reno Public Market and the paid article announcing his campaign are best understood as the opening moves of that strategy — designed to reintroduce Kidd, redefine his political identity, and test whether this message resonates more strongly than in his previous run.

Greg Kidd at his listening event at Reno Public Market on January 21. He presents as a concerned, almost folksy guy, for a $Billionaire involved in digital currency operations.

A Listening Event — Or a Visibility Event?

Kidd recently hosted a “listening event” at Reno Public Market, which he promoted as an opportunity to hear directly from Nevadans.

In practice, events like this serve a familiar political function:

• They generate early name recognition

• They produce photos and social proof

• They allow a candidate to appear engaged without taking hard policy positions

• They provide content for fundraising and future outreach

This places the event squarely in the category of campaign awareness building, not neutral civic listening. The timing, paired with a paid campaign-style article, suggests the event was designed to signal that Kidd’s CD-2 campaign is back on track.

Greg Kidd and the Choice Between Managing Decline and Building Prosperity in Reno

I called this out in his campaign angle in the article I published the day before the event. I also said that Greg Kidd should be trying to bring jobs to Nevada. Apparently, he is now proposing to bring jobs, but with a twist.

The Fintech Pitch: What Kidd Is Actually Proposing

The distinctive part of Kidd’s campaign is his fintech vision for Nevada. Kidd argues that Nevada could become a national hub for digital payments and financial infrastructure, much as South Dakota became a hub for credit card banking.

He has previously supported state-level legislation — which did not pass — to create a legal framework for so-called “payment banks.”

The idea is not about retail banking. It is about settlement infrastructure—the back-end systems that support digital operations. It needs Federal legislation to succeed.

Greg Kidd will likely team up with Nevada Senators Jackie Rosen and Catherine Cortez Masto to push for the necessary Federal legislation.

What a Fintech Settlement Operation Looks Like

A fintech settlement operation is a highly regulated financial data center.

These operations typically include:

• Secure computing infrastructure (Tier III or IV data centers)

• Encrypted links to banks, card networks, and federal payment systems

• 24/7 monitoring through Network Operations Centers (NOCs)

• Sophisticated FinTech software systems

Inside these facilities, money is:

• Validated

• Cleared

• Netted

• Settled between institutions

Just as important as the machines are the people:

• Senior software and systems engineers

• Cybersecurity specialists

• Compliance officers

• Anti-money-laundering (AML) analysts

• Treasury and liquidity managers

These are high-salary, high-skill jobs. The Fintech operations are not labor-intensive. A settlement hub employs professionals at the highest levels of data center operations, computer networking, software administration, and financial oversight.

Greg Kidd’s Failed Run for Congress: A $9 Million Lesson in How Not to Run a Campaign

I wondered why Kidd kept the campaign going after spending $1 million after not advancing in the polls, and now we know that the stakes are so high that $9 is just a small investment towards his goal of building a Fintech operations empire.

What This Means for Nevada — And What It Doesn’t

If Nevada succeeds in attracting fintech settlement operations, the benefits would be focused.

What it could bring:

• Some high-paying technical and finance jobs

• Demand for specialized legal, accounting, and cybersecurity services related to financial operations

• Data Center infrastructure investment out at TRIC or a similar location.

What it would not do:

• Reduce housing costs

• Lower grocery prices

• Create broad employment for service or blue-collar workers

• Function as a near-term cost-of-living fix

This is capital-intensive growth, not mass employment — a distinction ignored in campaign messaging. Greg’s Fintech plan will not benefit the people who came to his listening event at RPM.

A Personal Upside for Greg Kidd

If Nevada were to adopt fintech settlement or payment-bank legislation, Greg Kidd would be unusually well-positioned to benefit personally. Kidd has spent his career building companies in payments, financial infrastructure, and digital settlement.

If Nevada created a favorable regulatory framework for fintech settlement operations, it is reasonable to assume that Kidd would launch such an operation in the state.

These businesses are potentially very profitable. They are similar to Credit Card operations. A successful settlement operation can generate substantial long-term revenue with relatively limited staffing, though considerable investment in systems and data center infrastructure is required.

This introduces the alignment between public policy and private financial upside that voters should understand. Kidd’s proposal is not just a vision for Nevada’s economy — it is an environment in which his expertise, network, and capital would translate into significant personal gain.

For voters weighing Kidd’s campaign, this distinction matters. The Fintech settlement model would create high-paying jobs for engineers and finance professionals and could diversify Nevada’s economy.

It would not directly address the cost-of-living pressures Kidd highlights elsewhere in his campaign and at his listening event.

My Conclusion

Greg Kidd held the listening event to raise awareness of his campaign. The next day, he announced the campaign in the article on This is Reno.

His purpose in running for Nevada’s Congressional District 2 is to push for Fintech legislation that would allow him to open a Fintech operation in Nevada.

If he succeeds, he will be on his way to making his next $Billion. Greg Kidd is like Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and Michael Milken. $Billionaires doing billionaire things.

How Devon Reese’s Fundraising Slowed in 2025 and Where His 2024 Donors Went

This is a story following the money, of donor behavior, hedging, and institutional recalibration as the Reno mayoral race advances and the lead changes.

Michael Leonard

Jan 23, 2026

As Reno’s 2026 mayoral race takes shape, campaign finance filings offer one of the clearest signals of political momentum. A comparison of Devon Reese’s 2024 and 2025 fundraising reports — alongside Kathleen Taylor’s 2025 filings — reveals a notable shift: Reese raised significantly less money in 2025 than in 2024, while a meaningful share of his earlier donors either sat out or reappeared backing Taylor.

Reese has been sending out campaign emails every week for months. His message does not align with the data from the C&E report, and traffic to his website is low, indicating a lack of interest by voters and donors. You can click on the image to visit Reese’s campaign site.

Reese raised less in 2025 than in 2024

The topline numbers are unambiguous.

• Devon Reese 2024 (full year):

  • Total contributions (cash + in-kind): $178,086

  • Ending cash balance: $95,343

• Devon Reese 2025 (full year):

  • Total contributions (cash + in-kind): $129,726

  • Ending cash balance: $80,688

That is a drop of roughly $48,000 year-over-year, despite 2025 being close to the 2026 mayoral election and despite Reese’s incumbency advantage as a sitting councilmember.

Link to Contributions and Expense - Reese 2025

Link to Contributions and Expense - Reese 2024

In campaign finance terms, this is directional. Strong candidates typically accelerate fundraising as the race matures. Reese’s filings show the opposite: a decline.

Despite the enthusiastic wording in the email, this search engine tool estimates that only 75 visitors per month visit Reese’s campaign website. Click on the image to visit the site.

Ethics commission reopens Reno Council member Devon Reese’s first ethics complaint after new investigation - This is Reno

The reason why traffic to Reese’s campaign spiked in January 2025 was due to articles about his ethics violations, not interest in his campaign. See the “This is Reno” article linked above.

Donors who gave to Reese in 2024 but not in 2025

Several donors who supported Reese in 2024 do not appear in his 2025 filing. These are not small-dollar contributors; they are meaningful checks.

Business and individual donors who dropped off

• Frank T. Suryan — $5,000 (2024) CEO of Lyon Living

• Peter Zak — $2,500 (2024) Reno developer with Silverwing Development

• Herbert Simon — $3,000 (2024) Real Estate Developer and Ballpark owner

• Lewis Roca — $500 (2024) Law firm

• Duncan Golf Management — $1,000 (2024) associated with Lakeridge Golf

None of these donors appear in Reese’s 2025 Contributions and Expense report.

Political and cycle-specific donors who disappeared

• Nevada Republic Alliance

• UA Local 350 PAC

• Nevada Senate Victory 2024

• Northern Nevada Marches Forward

• Committee to Elect Aaron Ford

These organizations were active in the 2024 election cycle but did not return in 2025.

Possible Interpretation: Donors view Reese as a risky bet and are looking for a steadier candidate, which may explain why some donors went to Taylor.

Donors who stayed with Reese

Reese did not lose all institutional backing. Several donors supported him in both 2024 and 2025:

• McDonald Carano (Government Affairs / Law)

• Wood Rodgers (engineering/planning)

• Sunny Hills Ranchos (developer)

• Heinz Ranch Land Company (developer)

• Preston Lyon (developer)

• Gregory Lansing (developer)

These donors represent: land-use, development, legal, and government relations. Their continued support suggests they maintain ties to Reese, likely due to ongoing projects where they needed Reese’s vote.

Taylor Enters Reno's 2026 Mayoral Race: See Who Donated in 2024?

Donors who gave to Reese and to Taylor

A comparison of Reese’s 2024 donors and Taylor’s 2025 donors shows substantial overlap among institutional players.

These donors gave to Reese in 2024 and Taylor in 2025:

• Wood Rodgers - engineering firm

• McDonald Carano - law firm

• Sunny Hills Ranchos - developer

• Heinz Ranch Land Company - developer

• Preston Lyon - developer

• Gregory Lansing - developer

This is hedging. These donors did not exit city politics; they diversified their bets as the mayor’s race became more heated.

Link to Contributions and Expense - Taylor 2025

Donors who skipped Reese in 2025 but backed Taylor

More telling are donors who did not give to Reese in 2025 but did give to Taylor. Examples include:

• Frank T. Suryan (Reese 2024 → Taylor 2025)

• Peter Zak (Reese 2024 → Taylor 2025)

• Herbert Simon (Reese 2024 → Taylor 2025)

• Lewis Roca ecosystem (Reese 2024 law firm → multiple Taylor 2025 law firms)

• Expanded development and construction donors who appear only in Taylor’s 2025 filing

Taylor’s donor list also shows heavier casino and resort participation in 2025 — Peppermill, Bonanza, Boomtown, Circus & Eldorado JV, Club Cal Neva — sectors that were comparatively muted in Reese’s 2024 report.

Possible Interpretation: Taylor is increasingly absorbing the same donor class Reese relied on in 2024, while also expanding into gaming and construction at scale.

Reese Fundraising for 2024: Compared with Taylor for 2024

What changed between 2024 and 2025

Putting it together:

2024 Reese

• Higher total fundraising than in 2025

• Significant Democratic cycle money

• Party committees and PACs

• Broad but somewhat diffuse coalition

2025 Reese

• Lower total fundraising

• Narrower donor base

• Reliance on fundraising consultants

• Core establishment support, but less breadth

2025 Taylor

• Higher total raised than Reese

• Large war chest retained

• Strong development, gaming, and legal backing

• Donors overlapping directly with Reese’s earlier base

What Kate Marshall’s 2025 Financial Report Says About the Campaign Machine She’s Building

The strategic takeaway

This data suggests something more subtle — and critical: Reno’s institutional donor class is no longer treating Reese as the establishment option in the mayor’s race, despite the endorsement from Mayor Schieve.

Donors are hedging. Some are splitting support. Others are reallocating entirely. Reese’s fundraising trajectory flattened, while Taylor’s accelerated. In municipal politics, that usually signals a race moving from presumed heir to competitive contest.

Why this matters to voters

Campaign finance reveals who believes in a candidate early.

Right now, the money says:

• Reese has a shrinking base

• Taylor is consolidating momentum

• Institutional players are preparing for multiple outcomes

• A new candidate might take the lead

This shows people in power are responding to uncertainty.

An Account, a Warning, and a Story About a System That Protected an Insider

This is one Woman's Account of Abuse by Grant Denton, Director of Karma Box, and Indifference from the Authorities when she tried to get help.

Michael Leonard

Jan 21, 2026

This article explains what Kimberly’s document “An Account Against Grant Denton” is, what it alleges, and how it should be understood.

The document was sent to me by Kimberly, and she asked me to tell the story. We talked about what happened. It was shocking. So I wrote the article.

This article does not attempt to verify the claims in the document. It does not presume guilt, innocence, or motive. I’m simply recounting the story in the document.

I have talked with Grant Denton, and he has his own story to tell about Karma Box and the CARES campus. I offered to visit the CARES Campus and write a story, but I didn’t get a call back. I didn’t speak with Denton about the topic in this article.

In “An Account Against Grant Denton,” Kimberly presents a detailed story that raises uncomfortable questions, not only about one man’s conduct, but about how local institutions responded when a woman tried to report abuse, seek protection, and warn others.

Grant Denton with one of the Karma Boxes.

Kimberly’s story begins after the overdose death of a long-term partner in 2022, when she sought community and stability through a fitness-in-recovery program connected to Reno’s homelessness and recovery services ecosystem.

There, she says, she met Grant Denton, a figure publicly celebrated for his nonprofit work and widely supported by elected officials, who was working as Director of Karma Box and the intake team at the CARES campus.

According to Kimberly, Denton presented himself as a mentor, advocate, and success story in recovery — someone with influence, credibility, and deep ties to local government.

What followed, she alleges, was not support but a year-long relationship marked by grooming, isolation, manipulation, and escalating control.

Public Speakers Call Out Karma Box After Top Employee Identified in Recent Domestic Violence Arrest

See this article for details on the complaints about Karma Box

A Pattern of Manipulation and Control

Kimberly alleges that Grant Denton engaged in behavior she experienced as manipulative and controlling — not as isolated incidents, but as a pattern.

This includes claims that he:

• Used pressure, persuasion, or emotional leverage

• Framed situations in ways that benefited him and constrained her

• Gradually shifted power in the relationship in his favor

Washoe County Says It Will Look into Several Allegations against Grant Denton from Karma Box Project

Karma Box has been in the news several times in the past year after allegations and investigations.

The Police: “Be Careful — You’ll Poke the Bear”

One of the most consequential moments in Kimberly’s account occurs when she seeks help from law enforcement.

After she says the relationship deteriorated into threats, intimidation, and acts that left her fearing for her life — including a slashed tire and explicit threats — Kimberly reports going to the Reno Police Department to inquire about a Temporary Protective Order.

Instead of being encouraged to proceed, she says she was warned. An advocate, whom she describes as familiar with Denton and his political backing, allegedly cautioned her that requesting a protective order would become public before being granted — and that doing so could “poke the bear.”

According to Kimberly, she reported witnessing child and animal abuse, provided names of corroborating witnesses, and left expecting meaningful intervention.

What she says she received instead was a Wyze camera and dismissal.

In her telling, the message was unmistakable: reporting someone with political connections could make her less safe, not more.

Karma Box’s Denton cleared in ‘limited’ investigation into allegations (updated)

See this article for more information about Grant Denton of Karma Box and the investigation.

Legal Pressure: A Cease-and-Desist Before Public Testimony

When Kimberly later decided to speak publicly, she says legal pressure followed quickly. Days before she was scheduled to address the Washoe County Board of Commissioners on May 28, 2024, she received a cease-and-desist letter from Denton’s attorney.

Even more troubling to her, she says she was warned about the letter by a county employee before it was formally delivered to her — raising questions about who knew what, and when.

For Kimberly, a small business owner at the time, the legal threat was chilling. She says she seriously considered staying silent — and likely would have, had others not reminded her that telling the truth is not a crime. She ultimately chose to speak anyway.

Karma Box, CARES Campus, and the Phone They Didn’t Want to Give Back to a Victim

Kimberly’s story is similar to this article about Marissa’s experience with Karma Box and Grant Denton.

The County Commission: Dismissal, Then Funding

Kimberly’s three-minute public comment at the May 28, 2024, commission meeting is the centerpiece of her testimony. Standing before elected officials — with Denton and his attorney present — she described her experience, her failed attempt to seek protection, and her belief that Denton posed a danger to vulnerable women.

What happened next, she argues, mattered just as much as what she said.

Immediately after her remarks, the District Attorney issued a “point of order,” stating that anyone who believes they are a crime victim should report it to law enforcement. Kimberly describes the statement as carefully worded but devastating — publicly casting doubt on her credibility moments after she had explained her attempt to report Denton to police.

Despite promises of an investigation, Denton’s organization was awarded additional taxpayer funding that same day, bundled into a consent agenda alongside unrelated programs. Only one commissioner, Mike Clark, objected — asking that Denton’s funding be separated and paused pending investigation. His request was denied.

To Kimberly, the sequence was unmistakable: speak, be questioned, then watch the system proceed as if nothing had been said.

Misrepresentation and Narrative Control

Kimberly says that Denton controlled or distorted the narrative about what happened to others, to institutions, or even to Kimberly herself.

She claims that:

• Her perspective was marginalized or dismissed by authorities

• His version of events was treated as authoritative

• She was portrayed unfairly or inaccurately

OPINION: Denton investigation lacks transparency, protection for victims who speak out

An opinion article about victims who speak out and the investigation into Karma Box

The Investigation That Wasn’t

Kimberly describes the subsequent county-funded investigation as narrow, constrained, and ultimately protective of the institution rather than the public.

According to her testimony, multiple women and men who had come forward were never contacted. Employees were pressured to provide favorable statements. Allegations involving domestic violence history, sobriety violations, and misconduct with vulnerable populations were deemed “out of scope.”

Nevertheless, Denton reportedly began telling others he had been “exonerated” — a term Kimberly repeatedly challenges, noting that the most serious issues were never examined.

What followed, she says, was not caution but rehabilitation: renewed media praise, increased public visibility, and even new roles involving foster youth and children — developments that she describes as both shocking and retraumatizing.

The CARES Campus: When Public Relations Becomes Public Policy

Exploitation of Power or Position

She claims that Denton held advantages — social, professional, financial, or reputational — that he used to her disadvantage.

As she describes it, Denton was:

• Using his status or credibility to shape how others viewed her

• Creating situations where she felt dependent and trapped

• Making her feel that resistance would come at a cost

The Lawyer: “This Will Break You”

Kimberly and another woman later consulted an attorney to explore civil action. The response, she recounts, was blunt. The lawyer warned that any lawsuit would likely take years, involve intense public scrutiny, and result in character attacks — all with no guarantee of meaningful change. Because the women were not seeking money, but the removal of Denton from positions involving vulnerable people, the attorney advised against proceeding. Kimberly agreed. She says she did not have the emotional capacity to survive another prolonged fight against institutions with far greater power and resources.

Greg Kidd and the Choice Between Managing Decline and Building Prosperity in Reno

Grant Denton will be appearing on the panel at Greg Kidd’s event on Jan. 21 at 5:30 at the Reno Public Market. See this article for details on the event and the RSVP link.

What This Testimony Ultimately Alleges

Kimberly’s document is not just a personal narrative. It is an accusation of institutional failure.

She alleges:

• Law enforcement discouraged protective action rather than facilitating it.

• Legal tools were used to intimidate rather than investigate.

• County oversight mechanisms prioritized liability management over public safety.

• Political relationships insulated a contractor from scrutiny.

• Media amplification followed power, not evidence.

Whether every allegation can be substantiated is a question for investigators and journalists. But the pattern she describes — report, warn, fund, rehabilitate — is clear, internally consistent, and deeply troubling. Her testimony forces a difficult question onto the public record:

What happens when someone reports harm, and the system decides the harm is inconvenient?

Alexis Hill: The Image, the Money, and the Consultant Behind the Campaign

As with any campaign, voters should look beyond the surface presentation — at the messaging, the money, and the professionals shaping everything.

Michael Leonard

Jan 19, 2026

Alexis Hill is currently a Washoe County Commissioner (District 1). In 2025–2026, she announced her candidacy for Governor of Nevada, embarking on what she calls the “Ask Alexis Anything” tour—a series of appearances across the state framed as listening sessions with voters.

The tour, promoted heavily on social media, shows Hill meeting with county Democratic organizations, holding small-group conversations, and visiting towns like Tonopah. The visual narrative is deliberate: approachable, conversational, and statewide.

A sitting county commissioner traveling in Nevada is not a routine exercise in governance; it is a clear signal of higher-office ambition.

One wonders how county business is being handled and how the Ward 1 constituents feel about this focus on political ambition. I have heard from some who are not pleased that Alexis didn’t find time to consider the Truckee River Park Access Plan.

Washoe County Should Adopt the Truckee River Park Access Partnership with Reno River Inn

The Messaging: “Fed-Up,” Populist, and Relatable

As with any campaign, voters should look beyond the surface presentation — at the messaging, the money, and the professionals shaping both.

On her campaign website, Alexis Hill presents herself not primarily as an elected official, but as a “fed-up resident” reacting to a system that no longer works for working families.

Key themes include:

• Nevada has become too expensive for ordinary people

• The government has failed on basics like housing, schools, and public safety

• Tax incentives have favored corporations over families

• The system needs reform, not maintenance

The tone is intentionally populist. Hill emphasizes her identity as a mother and Nevadan who understands frustration at rising costs and institutional inertia.

Her message is clear: she is not the establishment — she is reacting to it.

This framing aligns neatly with the “Ask Alexis Anything” tour branding, which suggests openness, accessibility, and authenticity.

You can read the messaging on her website here: Alexis Hill for Nevada

A Campaign Largely Funded From Within

Campaign finance filings tell a more complex story. Hill’s 2025 Contributions & Expenses (C&E) report, filed with the Nevada Secretary of State, shows that a substantial portion of her campaign funding came from Hill herself and her immediate family, rather than from broad grassroots support.

Documented contributions include:

• Matthew Tuma and Alexis Hill:

  • $20,000 (September 2025)

  • $50,000 (October 2025)

  • $40,000 (November 2025)

• Adrienne Hill (family member): $5,000

• Susan Hill: $10,000 total

• Douglas Hill: $10,000 total

These family contributions exceed $100,000, accounting for a significant share of the campaign’s total receipts in 2025 Contributions Hill.

Self-funding is legal and common — but it matters in context. A candidate who markets herself as an organic, fed-up outsider is, in reality, running a campaign made possible in large part by personal and family wealth.

You can read the details here: Alexis Hill 2025 C&E Report

Changing Dynamics and Professional Message Control

Even more revealing is where the money went. Hill’s campaign spent $202,710 on a single firm: Changing Dynamics. This is the same firm used by a councilmember who is running for Mayor.

The C&E filing shows repeated, large payments to Changing Dynamics throughout 2025, all categorized as consulting expenses, including:

• $57,195.72 (January 2025)

• $26,711.15 (October 2025)

• $32,676.97 (November 2025)

• $22,680.60 (December 2025)

• $49,000.00 (September 2025)

• Numerous additional payments across the year

In total, consulting payments to this firm made it the campaign’s single-largest expense in 2025. Changing Dynamics is not a vendor that prints signs or books venues.

The Rise of Riley Sutton, and Changing Dynamics, Reno’s Most Connected Political Consultant

Changing Dynamics is a political consulting firm that typically handles:

• Campaign messaging and narrative development

• Website and platform language

• Voter targeting and persuasion strategy

• Communications discipline and brand consistency

The scale and consistency of these payments make one thing clear: this is a professionally managed, consultant-driven campaign.

The “fed-up resident” language, the populist framing, and the carefully controlled tone are likely to be constructed based on demographic research conducted by Changing Dynamics, not on Alexis Hill's organic personal convictions.

They reflect a deliberate strategy, backed by substantial financial investment.

I’m not saying that her ideas are good or bad. They are expertly constructed. You’d expect that for $202,710. I will examine them in a future article, coming soon.

Running for Governor in Northern Nevada: A Lesson for Washoe Contenders

Why This Matters to Voters

None of this is illegal or unethical. None of it is unusual for a serious statewide campaign. It’s messaging, it’s positioning, it’s politics. As someone who did product marketing for 25 years, it’s familiar to me. A candidate is a product.

Alexis Hill is not simply a frustrated citizen who decided to run for governor.

She is:

• A sitting county commissioner

• Running a statewide campaign

• Financed mainly by herself and her family

• Spending heavily on professional political consultants

• She clearly has political ambition at the top of her list

Her campaign projects accessibility and authenticity, while operating with the resources and structure of a top-down, professionally engineered political operation.

Alexis Hill presents herself as someone who understands what’s broken in Nevada. But her campaign spent more than $200,000 on political consultants whose job is to decide how issues are framed and explained to voters. Voters deserve to know the difference between lived experience that informs judgment and messaging that’s professionally constructed to sound like it does.

Voters should always look beyond the surface and get to know their candidate.