Energy rate plan harms lower income families
The Reno City Council approved a partnership agreement in May with Nevada Energy (NVE) to collaborate to reduce emissions, increase local renewable energy and support energy-related solutions that are accessible and equitable.
NVE has requested that the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada (PUCN) approve a monthly increase in the base service charge from $16.50 to $45.30—the second-highest in the U.S. This is the amount you pay before flipping a single light switch—the amount you pay just to be an NVE customer.
The average customer’s bill will increase nearly 9%. If you use nothing electric in your home, or if your home is powered by solar, your NVE bill will nearly triple. Low- and fixed-income families, who typically use little electricity, will be financially burdened, while higher-income, high energy users will be rewarded by a concurrent decrease in electricity rates. Those who have installed solar will be penalized, and future solar installation will be disincentivized. Meanwhile, profits to NVE investors will increase to more than 10%.
NVE’s proposed base service charge increase conflicts with the vision of the partnership agreement. Reno: Call NVE on the carpet and protect low/fixed-income families. You and NVE agreed to increase renewable energy. The Nevada Clean Energy Fund was recently awarded $156 million to encourage solar installation for low-income families. The base service charge increase discourages solar.
The city and NVE customers can submit comments through the PUCN’s website or via mail, received by Aug. 12, to: PUCN, Attn: Docket No. 24-02026, 1150 E. William St., Carson City, Nev., 89701.
Robbin Palmer, Reno
Election results were due to name recognition, not issues
In response to “Extremists defeated: School board president says voters put an end to ‘manufactured chaos’” (RN&R, July 2024): Baloney. People didn’t even know who they were voting for. I overheard numerous people in the grocery store saying they didn’t even know who any of the people running were. Several said they voted for the name that sounded best to them.
By and large, most of the voters do not take the time to look up the candidates and see what they really stand for, and many of the candidates didn’t have any information out there to read about. It was a poorly attended election, and certain candidates took advantage of that! It wasn’t about issues! It was all about name recognition! There was no voter agenda!! So don’t pretend there was!
April Overfield, via RenoNR.com
Exercise, herbal remedies have helped my husband fight Parkinson’s
In response to “Navigating Parkinson’s in a ‘neurology desert’: As the population ages, diagnoses increase—and advocates cite a lack of local care” (RN&R, April 2024): My partner, who is 66 years old, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease last year. We noticed that he was experiencing hallucinations, slow movement, disturbed sleep and twitchy hands and legs when at rest. He had to stop taking pramipexole, carbidopa/levodopa, and biperiden because of side effects. Our family doctor recommended a PD-5 treatment from a natural herbs center, which my husband has been undergoing for several months now. Exercise has been very beneficial.
He has shown great improvement with the treatment thus far. He is more active now and feels less apathetic. He has more energy and can do more activities in a day. As far as tremors, he has improved drastically.
I thought I would share my husband’s story in case it could be helpful, but ultimately you have to figure out what works best for you.
CarolineMcGaughey, via RenoNR.com
Regarding racism in Virginia City: VC used to be one of my favorite places to go, but ever since the MAGA crowd took over I quit going there. As a liberal snowflake I don’t feel welcome there and have been treated very rudely by a shop owner because I did not respond well to his hateful racist and anti-democrats signs in his window. Maybe after the election this crap will die down. In the meantime I will spend my money elsewhere.
A few years ago, I might agree with April regarding what the latest school board election indicates, but times and politics have changed. In the old days, we didn’t have an entire political party calling for and instigating things like book bans and rules to limit history classes to what folks from places like FOX News decide what is proper.
Before this election season, I too wouldn’t pay much attention to most of the local races. But these days are different. I’ve become woke to the need for proper attention to be paid to offices at all levels, particularly the local elections. And if that means just finding out who espouses MAGA craziness from a quick internet search, that’s enough for me.
Mike Rottmann
VC Highlands