Jose Rodiguez-Quezada

A Stateline murder case is taking a back seat to the defendant’s immigration case that will be heard in federal court.

Jose Rodriguez-Quezada, 44, is accused of fatally stabbing Kevin Edwards, 56, of Reno in October in a hotel room at the Hard Rock.

A jury on Sept. 25 is scheduled to begin hearing the deportation case of Rodriguez-Quezada, who is considered a transient.

October is likely to be the earliest he would be arraigned on the local charges.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report

Updated 11:15am:

By Kathryn Reed

Former El Dorado County Superior Court Judge Steve Bailey faces 11 counts from the state Commission on Judicial Review.

The 22-page document filed this week lays out in detail how on multiple times Bailey allegedly violated the Code of Judicial Ethics. He is charged with “willful misconduct in office, conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice that brings the judicial office into disrepute.”

Steve Bailey

Bailey officially resigned from office in August 2017. His term did not expire until 2020. The seat has remained vacant since then, with visiting judges picking up some of the workload.

Bailey, who worked in the South Lake Tahoe courthouse during his tenure, could not be reached for comment.

However, after this story was originally published, Corey Uhden, communications director of Bailey’s AG race, issued this statement to Lake Tahoe News, “This is merely an inquiry that the commission dominated by liberal appointees admits is ‘not a finding of judicial misconduct’ because there is no misconduct to find. It’s simply an attempt to disparage a respected former judge and a highly qualified candidate for attorney general. These proceedings will conclude that this is a waste of time and taxpayers’ money.”

Details of the complaint include:

·      On multiple occasions ordering criminal defendants to use an electronics monitoring firm where his son works. This dates to 2009, the first year he was a judge.

·      Giving legal work to a friend who was not on the court-approved list of special masters without disclosing their relationship, or the fact he had received gifts from the man and presided over his wedding.

·      Acceptance of gifts from various individuals and entities. Judges are not ethically allowed to accept any gifts.

·      Failure to declare on state disclosure forms reimbursements from two law schools where he attended judicial education programs.

·      Inappropriate comments to other judges about homosexuality.

·      Using the judicial office to raise funds for his bid to be attorney general.

·      Raising funds for the attorney general race prior to filing a candidate intention statement.

·      Engaging in on-going political activity without taking a leave of absence without pay from his judgeship.

The next step is for Bailey to respond to the charges. The commission will then issue a notice of admonishment, which could be public or private. Bailey could accept the punishment, reject it or ask for a hearing before the commission.

The Commission on Judicial Review “is the independent state agency responsible for investigating complaints of judicial misconduct and judicial incapacity and for disciplining judges.”

Even though Bailey is not on the bench anymore, he is running for attorney general this year. His website for that campaign is still active.

By Thomas Beaumont, AP

When Ivanka Trump assembled a group of Republican senators at her tony Washington home last fall, the guest list included one particularly notable name. Sen. Dean Heller of Nevada had been publicly chided by President Donald Trump months earlier and had, at times, kept the president at arm’s length.

But within weeks of dining with the president’s daughter and adviser, Heller, who is up for re-election this year, was working closely with the White House, writing part of the Republican tax bill.

The tax collaboration was part of steady rapprochement between the swing-state senator and loyalty-loving president. Through a series of White House meetings and phone calls, a round trip on Air Force One, and work on multiple issues with Ivanka Trump, Heller has quietly mended an awkward relationship with the president.

Read the whole story

Smoke from a controlled burn on the South Shore has residents worried. Photo/LTN

Smoke from a controlled burn on the south end of Fallen Leaf Lake has prompted several calls to local fire agencies. Officials say the fire is under control.

A helicopter flew over as well to ensure it was fine, Lake Valley Fire Chief Tim Alameda told Lake Tahoe News.

Winds are carrying the smoke over Heavenly Mountain Resort. Wisps of smoke can be seen from the Carson Valley as well.

Members of the Tahoe Fire and Fuels Team, which includes local, state and federal agencies, will continue prescribed fire operations this week in numerous locations around Lake Tahoe. 

Weather permitting, Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District and U.S. Forest Service operations will take place on Brockway Summit above Kings Beach, from Logan Shoals to Spooner Summit, on Kingsbury Grade near Edgewood Creek, above Pioneer Trail off Fountain Place Road and near Big Meadow off Highway 89.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report

By Meghin Delaney, Las Vegas Review-Journal
 
Nevada is normally at the bottom of national education rankings, but new data released Wednesday gave the Silver State a rare opportunity to celebrate.

For the second year in a row, Nevada’s performance on Advanced Placement exams was highlighted in an annual report by the College Board for showing one of the biggest year-over-year increases.

“Nevada is sort of the star of this year’s AP report, alongside Massachusetts,” said Trevor Packer, who administers the AP program for the College Board. Massachusetts, for the second year in a row, led the nation in overall passing rate, but Nevada posted one of the sharpest gains to finish 14th overall.

Read the whole story

By Associated Press

CARSON CITY — Nevada’s Board of Examiners has approved a $5.1 million contract with an outside legal team to help fight President Trump’s proposal to restart the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste dump 100 miles northwest of Las Vegas.

The panel chaired by Republican Gov. Brian Sandoval voted unanimously this week to extend the state’s contract for another two years with the Austin, Texas-based firm Egan, Fitzpatrick, Malsch & Lawrence.

Robert Halstead, the head of Nevada’s Nuclear Projects Agency, said the state lacks the expertise in dealing with the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission to do the work itself.

Read the whole story

By Associated Press

The privately held owner of Safeway, Vons and other grocery brands is plunging deeper into the pharmacy business with a deal to buy Rite Aid, the nation’s third-largest drugstore chain.

Albertsons Companies is offering either a share of its stock and $1.83 in cash or slightly more than a share for every 10 shares of Rite Aid. A deal value was not disclosed in a statement released Tuesday by the companies.

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By David R. Baker, San Francisco Chronicle  
 
The cost of preventing power-line wildfires could rise so high that California’s top utility regulator recently suggested a new way to pay for it — charge residents of high-risk areas more money for electricity.

Michael Picker, president of the California Public Utilities Commission, floated the idea during a Jan. 31 meeting on fire safety for utility companies. With more Californians moving into rural areas prone to fires, he questioned the fairness of forcing all utility customers to pay the costs of preventing rural wildfires sparked by utility lines.

“Should we actually start to charge differentially for the use of the distribution system for those sections that are in the high-fire-hazard zone and people who choose to live there?” Picker said.

While it wasn’t a formal proposal, Picker said in a follow-up interview that it’s an idea worth discussing.

Read the whole story

By Associated Press

LOS ANGELES — Nearly two months after recreational marijuana became legal in California, less than 1 percent of the state’s known growers have been licensed, according to a report released Monday by a pot industry group.

The 38-page report from the California Growers Association says 0.78 percent, or 534, of an estimated 68,150 marijuana growers were licensed by the state as of Feb. 7. The association cited such obstacles to licensing as cost and regulatory barriers.

A study published last year by the University of California Agricultural Issues Center estimated the newly created state market for recreational marijuana should produce $5 billion in taxable revenue this year.

Read the whole story

By Kathryn Reed

Apparently whatever rattled the South Lake Tahoe City Council members to the point they stripped City Manager Nancy Kerry of all her duties isn’t that egregious based on the decision to keep her on the payroll.

The council in closed session on Tuesday again were discussing Kerry. The closed session items for Feb. 20 and Feb. 12 were listed as: public employee discipline/dismissal/release.

No reason has been given as to why the taxpayers are paying to keep Kerry at home.

Mayor Wendy David during council comments on Tuesday said she recognizes the council is being scrutinized for what appears to be a lack of transparency, but added that they are “absolutely prohibited from speaking about personnel issues. It ensures confidentiality.”

David said the goal is to be cautious, deliberate and decisive. She gave no indication of when a resolution to the conflict would be forthcoming.

Interim City Attorney Nira Doherty said she will be going on vacation starting Thursday. It is not known if someone else from her law firm of Burke, Williams & Sorensen will be handling the city manager legal work during her absence or if it will be tabled until her return. The city’s contract is with the actual firm, with Doherty being the appointed attorney to handle South Lake Tahoe because of her prior full-time employment with the city.

Doherty did request that at the March 20 meeting that the contract with her firm be discussed in open session.

It’s possible the council will be looking for a new city manager and new city attorney this year. And with it being an election year, (the seats of David, Austin Sass and Tom Davis are up) the future of those two top level positions in the city become political fodder.

The city manager and city attorney are the only two positions the council has a say over.

For now, Fire Chief Jeff Meston is the acting city manager.