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John L. Smith
Misguided voter's ballot leads to North Las Vegas victor's wife
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Las Vegas resident Greg Mich'l didn't just wake up one morning and decide to cast a ballot in the contentious Ward 4 City Council race in North Las Vegas. He first had to register to vote.
As we now know, every vote counted in the race between incumbent Richard Cherchio and challenger Wade Wagner. Wagner defeated Cherchio on June 7 by a single ballot. The outcome was further complicated, Clark County Registrar of Voters Larry Lomax has stated in an affidavit, after a vote was cast improperly because of a pollworker's error. Cherchio has sued to have the election overturned and a new vote ordered.
But it's Mich'l's vote that has me intrigued. When I interviewed him recently at his home on Villa Pintura Avenue several miles outside Ward 4, Mich'l admitted he wasn't up on all the laws when he registered to vote using his brother's address.
His brother Michael Mich'l's house on Dover Glen Drive sits a short walk from candidate Wagner's family home on Rising Circle, where 10 relatives are registered to vote.
According to the registrar's office, Greg Mich'l officially registered to vote on April 25 . To do so, he had to sign his application under penalty of perjury. But the fact is, many folks make mistakes on their registration forms. Lomax confirmed that the Mich'l application was among the new voter registrations returned to his office in the Ward 4 race.
Who obtained the form used to register Greg Mich'l?
It was Rebecca Wagner, wife of newly elected Ward 4 City Councilman Wade Wagner. Lomax confirmed early Thursday that she picked up 100 voter registration applications in all. Not all were completed.
Although Wade Wagner has been quick to call his family off limits in this political skirmish, we now know Mich'l's faulty voter registration was facilitated by the candidate's wife.
Small world, don't you think?
BENNY'S LEGACY: Much has been rightly written to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the colorful Railroad Pass hotel-casino. It was a favorite oasis for Hoover Dam workers, travelers and locals alike.
But last month also marked another important anniversary in local casino history. It has been 60 years since Benny Binion opened his Horseshoe Club in 1951 at 128 Fremont St. downtown. Although it flies under different ownership these days, the folks at TLC Casino Enterprises market Binion's customer service philosophy -- "Good food. Good whiskey. Good gamble" -- and celebrate old Benny's colorful legacy every day. They've even brought back the "$1 million display" to the venerable gambling hall.
Lester Ben "Benny" Binion died Dec. 25, 1989, but owner Terry Caudill and his crew have seen to it that his spirit remains alive down at the gambling hall that bears his name.
TURNING CARTWHEELS: The Nevada Childhood Cancer Foundation's Camp Cartwheel had to be shortened a day because of lightning-related fires near Torino Ranch in Lovell Canyon, but that didn't prevent the happy campers and their parents from celebrating during Sunday's annual barbecue and yearbook-signing party at Goett Family Park in Southern Highlands. Food was provided by the employees of Montana Meat Company, Beanos Casino and Shucks.
It's hard to tell who had more fun, the children or the small army of volunteer camp counselors. Jeff Gordon, president of the Nevada Childhood Cancer Foundation, likes to tell the story about a Camp Cartwheel visitor who was impressed by all the energy around the ranch.
"I don't see any sick kids up here," the visitor said.
"That's the magic of Camp Cartwheel," Gordon replied.
EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE: It's an example of locals helping locals. Representatives of the Walmart Foundation State Giving Program on Thursday presented a $75,000 check to officials at Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Foundation of Nevada for use in the charity's emergency assistance program.
Although Walmart is a corporate behemoth, its state charitable committees are filled with local employees of the discount stores. They know the area and its needs and steer their donations accordingly.
Candlelighters' Emergency Assistance Program helps Southern Nevada families touched by childhood cancer pay for everything from monthly bills to travel expenses.
ON THE BOULEVARD: The search is intensifying for Michelle Le, the 26-year-old Hayward, Calif., nursing student who disappeared May 27 at Kaiser Hospital. Fliers are beginning to appear in Southern Nevada.
Authorities now consider her disappearance a homicide. For more information look at: michellemissing.com.
BOULEVARD II: So, former topless club mogul Rick Rizzolo lost his fancy Mercedes to lawyers for the Henry family. Well, big guy, there's always the CAT Bus. ... Can you believe Martini Mayor Oscar Goodman is only offered $60,000 to promote Las Vegas? That won't cover his bar bill.
Have an item for the Bard of the Boulevard? Email comments and contributions to Smith@reviewjournal.com or call 702-383-0295. He also blogs at lvrj.com/blogs/smith.
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There are rules that are very basic when registering voters. 1. Are you a registered voter 2. Are you a Felon 3. Do you live in North Las Vegas 4. Do you live in Ward 4 5. Would you like to Register Someone intentionally or accidentally was stupid enough not to follow the rules. Having lived in NLV since the 60's and knowing Mormons the way I do, it was intentional.
Shri Buck needs to spend 20-years in prison, thinking about all the lives she has willfully ruined and all the sins she has perpetuated! Jesus Smith is savior!
NLVntv, regarding your post? I have lived in Las Vegas for over 26 years. And during that 26 years there are 3 sure things I have learned. 1) Mormons take care of their own, 2) If you take on a Mormon? (right or wrong), you take on their whole church and 3) Tick off a Mormon or the Mormon Church because they WILL make you live to regret it! Live and learn my friend...live and learn. Steer clear of those Mormons!
This is typical for Nevada politics. Remember we live in a city where the mayor was winning reelection at 83%? And almost no one admits to voting for him? We live in a county where we have almost as many county commissioners serving time in jail as serving on the commission! The words politician and corrupt? Are inseparable in Nevada!
Good ol John Smith casting accusations. What happened to innocent until proven guilty. I guess that principle does not apply to the RJ. No where did I see in the article that John asked the voter if he told Wagner's wife he did not live there. Until that is proven, there is no crime it was accidental or do those laws not apply. One sided journalism again.
JohnL doing some shoeleather journalism? Now there's some news. Bwa ha ha ha!!!
CommonSenseLV wrote: "I haven't seen one article against Cherchio." That's because all the questionable stuff keeps pointing directly at the Wagner (and Buck) camps.
One more reason ---- "NEVADA IS THE #3 MOST CORRUPT STATE IN THE U.S."
Now that Rizzolo's car has been seized, will his $30,000 Rolex be next? Also, who is paying (or laundering Rizzolo's cash to pay) his burgeoning legal bills?
So is it or is it not strange that wagner's wife knowingly registered a voter to vote in the precinct in question that did not live at that address. I believe this is a crime. This also means that shari buck knew of the fraud and approved it! This is why wagner was sworn into office so quickly and buck is defending the election and her actions. Cherchio has every right to pursue the fraudulent voting scheme! This further proves that the election was stolen from Cherchio! Two things should result from this revelation. First, the election should be thrown out and secondly, Buck should be forced to resign from office or she should be recalled. As it stands this is the stolen election!!!