We apologize to anyone who had difficulty getting into the news blog last week. We had some issues with one of the web servers that, fortunately, have now been resolved. So here's the latest news.

Complaints filed with Attorney General's Office

The courts have upheld a citizen's right to question and even be critical about his/her government. Furthermore an effort of a governmental body or official to restrain the "content of expression" of any citizen is a violation of the First Amendment - a civil rights violation.

In The New York Times v. Sullivan, the Supreme Court determined, "debate on public issues should be uninhibited, robust, and wide-open, and that it may well include vehement, caustic, and sometimes unpleasantly sharp attacks on government and public officials.'' However this interpretation of the First Amendment does not extend protections to governmental officials who may attempt to restrain free speech and criticism through such acts as intimidation and defamation. Officials who violate the civil rights of lawful citizens are generally held accountable.

It appears that Department of Agriculture Spokesperson Ed Foster may be about to learn a lesson about civil rights and the First Amendment.

Twelve Horses is a major media development company with a number of significant clients associated with Nevada's tourism industry. They decided to produce a promotional video about Nevada's Virginia Range horses. The video covered the wild horse issue in a positive way and also promoted northern Nevada's eco-tourism. Lacy J. Dalton, Craig Downer and Willis Lamm appeared in the video as did a number of Virginia Range horses.

The film shoot was no secret, although due to difficult weather conditions an exact shoot date could not be determined in advance. The Department of Agriculture's Virginia Range Estray Program Manager, Mike Holmes, had been contacted and he had been invited to appear on the video to explain the Department's role, and concerns, with respect to managing the horses. Holmes is the one person in the Department who actually knows what is going on with the Virginia Range horses. While he represents the Department's viewpoint, Holmes tells the truth and he has historically been the person the media goes to in order to get brief but relevant explanations about the Virginia Range herd.

Holmes politely advised that Department policy now required him to get permission to appear in any planned media activities. As a result the proposed "talking points" for the shoot were sent up the pipeline to Holmes' boss. The Department was unresponsive.

Twelve Horses came out, shot the video and put together a nice short subject on the Virginia Range horses - which, in fact, has stimulated some interest in northern Nevada's eco-tourism. (A Youtube version of the video can be seen here.)

After the video was released, Nevada Department of Agriculture spokesperson Ed Foster contacted Twelve Horses and wrote the following about Twelve Horses' blog on the subject.

“After reading your horse story I believe that you are misleading the public regarding at least one statement. Faxing the Department a “shoot list” the night before you start shooting is not really a request for our input. Willis Lamm took it upon himself to recruit a State employee to appear in your video and that doesn’t fly with us. Our response was 'no, we’d like more notice.' I would hardly call that unable or unwilling.If you were truly interested in 'what’s going on up there' you would have done a much better job of 'trying to contact us.' For the record, as a taxpaying Nevada native, I find it laughable that you picked two of Earth’s most famous, chronic drug addicts to help deliver this message. That doesn’t do much for your or the horse people’s Nevada 'cred'.”

This is the same Ed Foster that ISPMB President Karen Sussman claims threatened her. This is the same Ed Foster who lied about the comments he made on KTVN. This is the same Ed Foster who called Silver Springs resident Kathy Graves a "threat" to his department when she questioned Foster's "facts."

(You can read more about the video and Ed Foster's comments on Home Means Nevada For Wild Horses.)

A formal libel and defamation of character (civil rights) complaint has been filed with the Nevada Attorney General. Aside from Mr. Foster's mischaracterization of the events leading up to the video shoot, we have been advised that it is illegal for any public official to harass, libel or defame any citizen who is exercising his/her rights to lawfully criticize any government official or agency.

Changes involving the Inmate Horse Training Program

Some folks were startled to see that the horse training facility had disappeared from the Warm Springs Correctional Center. The corral and covered arena had to be moved to the NDOC Stewart Facility to make room for a new dormitory at Warm Springs.

Not to worry. The training program will resume at the Stewart Dairy (behind the Northern Nevada Correctional Center on Snyder St.) as soon as the corrals and arena can be reassembled. It will no longer be possible for motorists to observe the inmates training the horses as the new facility will be out of sight from the public street, but hopefully the new facility will eventually become more "user friendly."

Upcoming Events of Interest

Carson City Rendezvous, June 13, 14, 15, Mills Park, Carson City

Virginia Range Horse Adoption, June 28, 2008, in conjunction with Customer Appreciation Day at S & W Feeds, 2292 S. Carson St., Carson City.