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John L. Smith: It's Very, Very Different Out There

Empty streets in downtown Las Vegas.
Brent Holmes/Desert Companion

Empty streets in downtown Las Vegas.

From long lines at local supermarkets to a McCarran airport and Las Vegas Strip that are eerily quiet, you don’t have to drive far to find a changed Las Vegas.

Coronavirus: What You Need To Know

The new reality of the battle against COVID-19 is taking shape and altering the local landscape.

Major resorts and schools are closed. Governor Steve Sisolak has declared a state of emergency, and even those who have called the virus more political than life-threatening appear to be getting the message.

State of Nevada contributor John L. Smith has his own perspective as a native Nevadan and longtime Las Vegas journalist. 

“Definitely a lot of anxiety, but when you go out to those places, like I have, just to see what the public is up to, that anxiety kind of translates into bulk buying and long lines in grocery stores on off days and odd hours,” he said

Smith said the quiet streets are strange in a city known for its devil-may-care attitude. But it does show that people are understanding the severity of the situation.

“Slowly, I think, people are getting the message as the message becomes more consistent and it is so important," he said, "There is a reason why the press is important. Why real experts are important to have a consistent message that is fact-based. That is not hysterical. Those are essential”

Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman stirred up controversy with her speech last week that Smith believed was supposed to be a calming 'nothing-to-fear' type of speech. 

“Where that strayed into not reality and not helpful, in my opinion, was when she started blasting the media for doing what the press does. We go. We report. We ask people questions. We get answers. We bring it back and present.”

Smith admitted that not every news outlet does that perfectly and some don't provide the type of context needed, but the media does an invaluable service, especially during times of crisis, that shouldn't be "denigrated" by the White House or City Hall.

The Possible Bundy Retrial

The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals could decide whether to allow charges to be refiled against Cliven Bundy, his sons and a few others involved in the 2014 standoff at his ranch in Bunkerville.

Judge Gloria Navarro tossed the case after it was discovered that prosecutors hid evidence.

"It was absolutely the harshest rebuke that I’ve ever heard and I would wager that anyone who set foot in a federal courthouse in Nevada has heard in a very long time,” Smith said.

The judge accused the prosecutors of "intentional abdication of their responsibility," misconduct and distorting the facts of the case.

Now, an appeals team is trying to get the charges reinstated so they could take the Bundys to trial - again.

The problem, Smith noted, is that while the prosecutors made mistakes the crimes the Bundys are accused of committing are serious with undeniable facts and reams of documents. 

So, while admittedly the prosecutors made mistakes, Smith wonders about the punishment fitting the crime.

 “Whether that deserves the ultimate rebuke of not retrying the case is a good question,” he said.

John L. Smith, contributor, State of Nevada

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Joe Schoenmann joined Nevada Public Radio in 2014. He works with a talented team of producers at State of Nevada who explore the casino industry, sports, politics, public health and everything in between.