Eddie Lorton Got the Parade, the Publicity and the Ride with the Mayor. Why Didn't Reno Get the Check that he Promised?
Lorton suggested a 4th parade, promised to financially support it, never delivered, but still got publicity and a position of prominence. Who let that happen? Will Reno tell?
Michael Leonard
Jul 07, 2026
On the morning of July 4, as Reno’s parade rolled down 4th Street for America’s 250th Birthday, a familiar figure appeared in the Grand Marshal car beside Mayor Hillary Schieve. George “Eddie” Lorton, the mayoral candidate who had spent months publicly tying himself to the parade, promising to cover its financial shortfall, and receiving extensive publicity for doing so, rode at the front of the event in a place of honor. There was only one problem. According to the City of Reno, Lorton had not contributed a single dollar to the parade as he had promised, yet here he was.
Eddie Lorton officiates at the parade that he never paid for, along with Devon Reese, Noemi Duerr and Mayor Schieve. Standing next to him is his security guard, Douglas David.
The Parade Became Lorton’s Campaign Message
Lorton began promoting the parade months before the June 9 mayoral primary. On March 12, the Reno Gazette Journal published an opinion piece under his name calling for Reno to revive a Fourth of July parade for the nation’s 250th anniversary.
The article identified him as a candidate for Mayor and was paid for by the Committee to Elect Eddie Lorton for Mayor, removing any doubt that this was a political play to get attention and votes.
Link: Reno should bring back a Fourth of July parade | George ‘Eddie’ Lorton
Eddie Lorton republished his op-ed on Facebook so that people who are not subscribed to the RGJ could read it. This was the beginning of his campaign to benefit from the 250th.
In the op-ed, Eddie Lorton said he was prepared to cover the $25,000 permit fee personally. He also said that if the City declined to help, his group could organize the parade. But none of that commitment from Eddie happened.
The parade was organized at the Mayor’s request by Landon Miller on City Staff with help from Lisa Willett, Marketing at Lotus Radio, Phil MacDougal, President of the National Automobile Museum, Ann Silver, President of the Reno+Sparks Chamber of Commerce, David Douglas, Security Operations AAAE, Lisa Miolini, Sales and Marketing Manager for J Resort, and the City of Reno Parks and Recs Department.
The Promise from Lorton to Pay Expanded
During an April City Council meeting, Lorton made a broader pledge. It was not tied to winning the election or running the parade himself. It was a straightforward promise: if fundraising failed, he would cover the gap.
The council approved the parade on a 4–3 vote. Mayor Schieve and Councilmembers Devon Reese, Naomi Duerr, and Meghan Ebert voted yes. Councilmembers Kathleen Taylor, Brandi Anderson, and Miguel Martinez voted no, citing fiscal concerns.
The publicity followed. KOLO covered Lorton’s proposal. Other outlets wrote about it. Supporters amplified it. The parade became part of his political identity.
Link: Mayoral candidate Eddie Lorton proposes Fourth of July parade to Reno city council.
March 28 KOLO TV News: Eddie Lorton promised to fund the parade in a statement before the city council, and KOLO reported it; click the link to see the video.
Lorton Reaffirmed the Promise to Pay
After the council meeting, Our Town Reno wrote about the parade costs on April 9. People were not happy about the $105,000 cost estimate and the street closures and questioned why it was being held on 4th Street. We later found out that Jacobs Entertainment got involved, and the parade would start on their G’nS and GDW properties.
Link: Proposed closures for downtown with 4th Street Parade Route.
In response, Lorton defended his commitment on Facebook, about who would pay, he wrote:
“If you watched the meeting, I said I would pay if funds aren’t raised from vendors, donars, and casinos… Since we wanted a 4th of July 250th anniversary try parade, heaven forbid I thought of it and would pay. So that puts that to rest let’s celebrate our Country we made sure of it.”
This was April 9, two months before the primary. The parade remained a political asset, and Lorton continued to receive attention for his commitment to fund it.
On April 13, This Is Reno reported that the City was relying, at least in part, on Lorton’s public pledge to cover any shortfall.
Link: Council approves six-figure July 4 parade despite fiscal concerns
The City Searched for Funding for the Parade
As the election approached, the City continued seeking sponsors.
On May 31, Ask Joe Hart reported that the River Inn owners, Lawrence McNutt and Dana Miller, had donated $5,000. The River Inn owners are Lorton supporters and have held several fundraisers on their property for Lorton.
On June 1, Our Town Reno questioned whether the City was struggling to stage the parade, citing repeated calls for sponsors and participants. The publication also asked the obvious question: Had Lorton donated anything?
On June 7 — two days before the primary — Eddie posted on Facebook that Senior Spectrum published his parade op-ed, including his statement that he was prepared to cover the $25,000 permit fee personally.
Lorton is a longtime friend of Senior Spectrum Editor Connie McMullen, the daughter of John Illiescu, a former real estate investor in Reno whom I have written about previously. Click the image to read Eddie’s post on Facebook.
Fundraising Falters — And the City Scrambles
On June 23, the City of Reno issued a news release promoting the parade. Lorton was not listed as a sponsor or participant.
Link: City of Reno Hosts 4th on Fourth Parade to Celebrate America’s 50th Birthday
The City of Reno invites the community to this year’s 4th on Fourth Parade on Saturday, July 4, 2026, in downtown Reno. Festivities start at 10 am.
On June 26, a city memorandum provided the clearest picture yet. The estimated cost of producing the parade was approximately $50,000, not including staff time. Cash sponsorships and donations totaled $34,075.
The memo stated: “Staff had hoped that sponsorships and donations would offset the cost of the event; however, at this time it does not look like that will be the case.”
The memo makes it clear that the City is organizing the parade. Eddie Lorton was not listed as a participant, sponsor, donor, or organizer. Click the image to read the memo on Reno.gov.
The City projected a funding gap of approximately $15,000. This was precisely the scenario Lorton had addressed. Donations had not covered the cost. There was a shortfall. He had promised to “take care of the shortfalls.” Where was the check?
Lorton Claims the City “Let Him Off the Hook”
On July 1, Eddie Lorton posted on Facebook that the City had let him off the hook for his payment commitment, in an effort to deflect responsibility.
Eddie wrote: “In regards to the 4th of July parade at 10 am at the Gold and Silver on 4th St., the City of Reno Government took it over so it wasn’t political. We thought it would be best. They had many organizational issues. But despite all of that, it is on and cracking. It will be a family-friendly celebration of our Country. See you there.” Click the image to see the post.
But the City had taken responsibility for organizing the parade from the beginning, at the City Council Meeting, when Mayor Schieve requested that staff handle it.
In this April 8 staff report, Jackie Bryant, the City Manager, reported to the Mayor and City Council that the cost of the parade was $105,000, outlined the tasks to be completed, and allocated the costs.
Link: Parade mini-packet Reno City Council meeting staff report
The political explanation was invalid after June 9, as Lorton was no longer a candidate. If the concern was that accepting his money before the election might appear political, that concern disappeared once he lost for the 5th time.
Lorton presents to the City Council at 1:08.23 and has a discussion with Mayor Schieve, who commits City Staff to organize the parade, while Lorton promises to pay any deficit.
The De Castroverde Donation Saves the Parade
On July 2, KOLO 8 News reported that brothers Alex and Orlando De Castroverde had donated $15,000 to help cover the deficit. Their law firm did what Lorton had publicly promised to do: step in when the parade needed money.
The Reno 4th on the Fourth America 250 parade is getting a financial boost from a pair of brothers with deep local ties. Click the image to see the article on KOLO.
Instead of stepping up and paying as he promised, Eddie Lorton responded with more damage control and deflection, always trying to shift the story and avoid accountability.
Eddie writes: I will be doing an interview on KOLO 8 tonight about our wonderful parade. We have inaccuracies to address. Let’s have a great time 10 am on 4th St. on the 4th of July for our family parade. We will be celebrating our 25th anniversary of our Country. We don’t know if the interview happened. I could not find it on their website.
The Deficit Was Still There, and $6,000 Was Needed
On July 3, This Is Reno reported that the parade was still facing an approximately $6,000 shortfall.
Link: City of Reno Fourth of July parade still facing shortfall.
This is Reno asked Lorton whether he had contributed. According to the article, Lorton claimed there was no shortfall and said he honors his obligations, but did not answer how much he had personally contributed, which we think was nothing.
The City did answer. City spokesperson Cassie Harris told This Is Reno: “Mr Lorton has not committed funds as a parade sponsor, donor, or participant.” That statement was made on July 2, less than two days before the parade.
Eddie Lorton was never listed as a sponsor, and City Staff acknowledged in an email to Our Town Reno and to Mike’s Reno Report that he never registered or paid for anything.
Then Came July 4 and the Grand Marshal’s Car
The most striking moment arrived on parade day. Despite not being listed in the official lineup, despite not being identified as a sponsor, and despite the City’s statement that he had not committed funds, Lorton rode with Mayor Schieve in the Grand Marshal car at the front of the parade, a position of importance.
Eddie Lorton rides with Mayor Schieve in a car provided by the National Auto Museum and driven by the museum’s director, Phil MacDougal.
Many people contributed money. Businesses sponsored the event. Volunteers donated time. Participants registered, prepared vehicles, and showed up at assigned staging areas. What special contribution justified giving Lorton a seat with the Mayor?
If the City believes Lorton deserved recognition for originating the parade idea, officials should say why. If he is important enough to receive credit, why is he not also accountable for the financial promise he made while seeking that credit?
A Promise Should Survive an Election Loss
The issue is larger than $6,000. Political candidates make promises when they want votes. The test of those promises comes after the political benefit has been collected.
Lorton received months of publicity from the parade. He appeared before the council. He received television coverage. He published opinion pieces. His supporters credited him with bringing the parade back. He publicly said he would pay the permit fee. He later said he would cover any shortfall. That never happened.
In a photo-op no one expected, councilmember and failed mayoral candidate Devon Reese, Eddie Lorton, Mayor Schieve, and outgoing councilmember Naomi Duerr pose for a photo.
If a politician receives publicity for promising to pay, he should not get to keep getting publicity while abandoning the promise. And if the City of Reno released him from his commitment, officials should explain when that happened, who made the decision, and why it happened, and why we were not told.
P.S. How was the parade? I attended the parade on my bicycle, joining the large group of bicycle riders. The team did a good job of organizing the parade in a short time. It was well attended. I estimated that 5,000 or more people lined 4th Street. I had a good time, and I think that many other people did too. Watch the video for a look at the crowd and the bicycle group.
Do you have a story to tell? Write to me at: mike@mikesrenoreport.com
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