The old saying is true: It’s not paranoia if they’re really out to get you.
For those arriving late to the party, I own and operate some two dozen businesses in Nevada where I have been operating successfully and lawfully for over 40 years. That includes the Love Ranch adult entertainment center in Nye County, which I’ve owned and operated legally since 2010.
In large part due to passage of the largest tax hike in state history by the Nevada Legislature in 2015 – which our assemblyman, James Oscarson, voted for, along with 29 other tax and fee hikes! – I announced in December 2016 that I was going to run against Mr. Oscarson in the 2018 Republican primary this June.
And it’s been raining bureaucrats ever since!
I won’t repeat here all the nit-picking, back-biting harassment that’s come down on my businesses and my workers over the past the year. Instead, here’s an update on the most outrageous and egregious: Closure of the Love Ranch.
On August 28, 2017 an inspection by the Nye County Planning Department was done and a list of “violations” was reported. It included a number of minor items such as a water heater missing “earthquake straps” and a bathroom window that was stuck. Those sorts of things.
The ranch was re-inspected on December 28, 2017. Most of the “violations” had been corrected. But there was one biggie unresolved: Absence of a fire sprinkler system – which according to the county was required but according to the fire marshal is not since the buildings are older and “grand-fathered” in.
Nevertheless, late on Saturday night, February 22, 2018 Nye County Commissioner Lorinda “Witch-Hunt” Wichman ordered Nye County Sheriff Sharon Wehrley to raid the Love Ranch and immediately close it down even though Sheriff Wehrley requested a one day delay so the dispute over the fire sprinkler issue could be resolved.
According to a press statement from the sheriff’s office, Commissioner Wichman declared “that this was an emergency life safety and health issue and, as such, could not wait until Monday for action to be taken.”
So at 2:30 in the morning on Sunday, February 23, the sheriff’s office was left with no choice but to officially enter the Love Ranch and shut it down, putting two dozen of our employees out of work.
An official inspection by the Nevada State Fire Marshal was arranged and conducted yesterday of the entire facility. Inspectors went through every nook and cranny of every square foot. And the conclusion of Fire Marshal Bart Chambers and crew?
There is no fire sprinkler requirement for the buildings and there is absolutely no “life safety and health” emergency justifying closure of the business.
Proving that Commissioner Wichman’s fire code witch-hunt – likely aided and abetted by fellow Commissioners Butch Borasky and Dan Schinhoffen, along with Planning Director Darryl Lacy and other county officials – was nothing more than political retribution for daring to run against Assemblyman Oscarson or a personal grudge. Or both.
In fact, the only danger here is government vultures abusing their power to put people out of work for no reason.
Make no mistake. The Love Ranch will eventually re-open. And I’m going to beat serial tax-hiker Oscarson (I officially filed to run on Tuesday). After which some witch-hunting witch heads in the Nye County swamp are gonna roll.
Leave A Comment