The Aug. 22, 2019, RN&R cover story was a lot like many, many other Dennis Myers stories we ran over the years.
It was extremely newsy. It was wonky and perhaps a bit dry in spots—but if you read it, you almost certainly learned a thing or three, because Dennis had an encyclopedic knowledge of Nevada politics arguably unmatched by any other journalist in the state.
The story was a recap of the 2019 Legislative session, which had made history: For the first time ever in the United States, a state legislature was majority female—hence the headline, “Majority rules: The 2019 Nevada Legislature was the nation’s first majority-female legislature. Does it matter how women govern?” That was only one element of the story, which looked at the successes, failures and dramas of the 2019 session.
This Dennis Myers story, however, was unique in one very sad way: It and several news briefs in that issue were unexpectedly Dennis’ final stories.
Here’s the first portion of the cover story:
The 2019 Nevada Legislature will probably be best remembered for being the nation’s first majority-female legislature. That’s fine, but somewhat sad. It should be remembered for so much more. If this legislature had been led by men, it would be basking in praise for working miracles. This staid, hidebound state now has a new gun background check law and other gun curbs, new protections for abortion, new renewable energy requirements, a minimum wage hike, incorporation into state law of provisions of the Affordable Care Act, voter rights protections, collective bargaining for state workers, and less prison for nonviolent offenders. An open records measure was passed unanimously, but that was deceptive—it nearly did not get a vote at all, because of an overbearing newspaper campaign.
Failings are that it did not deal with payday loan predators, anti-death penalty bills were more or less ignored to death, and a new funding formula for schools was approved by lawmakers, most of whom who did not really know what was in it.
It should not be a surprise that the Democrats found themselves opposing each other more than the Republicans. In 2015, when Republicans suddenly and unexpectedly found themselves with majorities in both houses, Democrats were not really a factor. In fact, the GOP members fought each other more than the Democrats (“Chaos theory” RN&R, June 4, 2015). That happens for a reason.
When Nevada Independent reporters this year wrote a piece titled “Legislative leaders tout friendly relations, prepare for high-stakes session,” it once would have been the usual story at the beginning of session about the two parties’ leaders working well together. Instead, it was also about Democratic leaders getting along. Since the Gingrich cohort in Congress began intentionally polarizing the political system in the 1990s, it has done more than just change the two parties from adversaries into enemies.
It means that when one side is in charge, the other side has little to do. The minority party can no longer bring its skills and expertise to bear. Polarization means just that. But there is still conflict, because any policy proposal spurs debate and creates divisions between those who want action now and those who approach all problems gradually. So whichever party is in charge must endure factional fights. They showed up early this year and often pitted the leaders against the rank and file.
In the Assembly, Speaker Jason Frierson had a strong sense of the legislature’s prerogatives, which worked fine because his Democratic members were suspicious of the new governor of their own party. Many assemblymembers had not forgotten the brutal primary fight Gov. Steve Sisolak had waged against the party’s beloved Chris Giunchigliani, at one point by calling her soft on child sexual predators. They wanted Sisolak on their side, but they felt he needed to join them, not the other way around. And they, not the governor, set state policies.
In the Senate, Democratic floor leader Kelvin Atkinson gave an interview to the Las Vegas Review Journal on Feb. 1, and it ran the first day of the session, on Feb. 4: “I do believe we’ll have to do a yeoman’s job to temper some of our allies. Some have this mentality that we have all three chambers, so let’s go after everything we haven’t been able to do in the last 25 years. I don’t think that’s good.”
Members quickly let Atkinson know that how much they did and when was for them, not the leaders, to decide. And then they went to work building achievements.
A month later, Atkinson resigned, leaving because of a federal prosecution against him for misusing campaign funds. When he left, he was replaced as leader by a much more activist lawmaker, Nicole Cannizzaro.
On Aug. 26, 2019, Dennis Myers died following a stroke. He was 70 years old.
Large portions of the next two RN&R issues featured remembrances of Dennis—including the Sept. 5 cover story, a 13-page series of some of Dennis’ best stories, and remembrances by myriad fans, friends and colleagues.
In the Aug. 29 edition, Bruce Van Dyke used his “Notes From the Neon Babylon” column to tip his hat to his longtime editor:
A compliment from Dennis meant something. The guy was a stone cold pro’s pro. On occasion, I would harken back to our old fart roots and Boomer cultural context, and quote good ole Perry White, the editor of The Daily Planet, that great metropolitan newspaper that was home to reporters Clark Kent, Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen. I would borrow Perry’s timelessly memorable favorite oath, and say something along the lines of, “Great Ceasar’s Ghost, Myers, I’ve given you the lede of the century!” (A statement to which D.M. rarely agreed.)
So, yeah, my Perry White has departed The Daily Planet. His replacement will not be easily found.
In 2020, Dennis Myers was inducted into the Nevada Newspaper Hall of Fame. Those of us at the RN&R today can confirm Dennis’ replacement has never been found—and never will be.
—Jimmy Boegle
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