I couldn’t help but notice the irony in the Friday Review-Journal article about the Nevada State Parks’ new mascot, “Carson Kit Fox.” A cute little caricature of a fox in a park rangers uniform.

But it wasn’t that long ago that a couple with their kids and dogs found a kit fox in a steel leg-hold trap just outside of Las Vegas. Their children were upset at the tiny fox’s suffering, and so the couple freed the fox from the trap — a trap where it would have suffered immensely in a long, slow death over many days, probably dying of dehydration.

So what did officials with the Nevada Department of Wildlife? They were going to arrest the couple for taking the trapper’s “personal property,” but instead they just fined them $700. The Department of Wildlife, just out there protecting Nevada’s wildlife!

A steel leg-hold trap is a cruel, barbaric way of killing an animal. Maybe before the kit fox represents the state of Nevada, the state of Nevada should represent the kit fox a little better.

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — The Nevada Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that Backstreet Boys’ Nick Carter can go forward with his countersuit against a woman who accused him of sexually assaulting her after a concert in 2001.

The ruling, filed Tuesday, Nov. 27, comes more than a year after Judge Nancy Allf denied an anti-SLAPP motion filed by Shannon “Shay” Ruth. The anti-SLAPP law, which stands for strategic lawsuits against public participation, is intended to prevent one party from intimidating another in the legal process.

Ruth was part of a 2022 lawsuit that claimed Carter sexually assaulted several young women in the early 2000s. Ruth claimed in the lawsuit that she was 17 years old when Carter, who was 21 at the time, gave her alcohol, raped her, and threatened her if she told anyone, documents said.

In February 2023, Carter filed a countersuit against Ruth and another woman named Melissa Schuman, who claimed he assaulted her in the early 2000s, however, the statute of limitations in that case expired before charges could be filed.

Carter denied both accusations. His countersuit against the women claimed defamation, civil conspiracy, abuse of process and intentional interference with contractual relations.

In August 2023, Allf denied the anti-SLAPP motion filed by Ruth. Ruth then filed an appeal which brought the case to the Nevada Supreme Court in an attempt to overturn Allf’s decision.

On Tuesday, the court affirmed Allf’s decision, meaning Carter can go forward with his countersuit.

According to the ruling, Carter produced affidavits from several witnesses that, if true, show that the assault Ruth described could not have happened.

Ruth said she met Carter in an autograph line after a Backstreet Boys concert, however witness affidavits state that Carter and the rest of the band left the venue right after the show and there were no autograph lines after that concert, the ruling stated.

Additional affidavits from the band’s security detail said the band, including Carter, performed a “quick out” after the concert in question, meaning the band “would rush to their individual tour buses and leave the venue,” stating “it would be impossible for any fan to be alone with any of the band members on their tour bus” due to security protocols, according to the ruling.

Carter also produced an affidavit from Ruth’s close friend who said she believed that Ruth did not even attend the concert in question.

“We conclude that Carter’s evidence, if believed, establishes that Carter did not sexually assault Ruth following the Backstreet Boys concert in 2001, such that Ruth’s statements describing such an incident would perforce be made with knowledge of their falsity,” the ruling filed Tuesday read.

A Supreme Court ruling on Schuman’s similar appeal is also anticipated.

Ruth and Schuman were named because they chose to identify themselves as victims of sexual assault. 8 News Now does not identify victims of sexual assault unless they choose to publicly come forward.

Many of the residents who packed Tuesday night’s Mesquite City Council meeting said they were “disappointed” by the police union’s complaints against the chief of their city’s police department.

While meeting attendees spilled out of the overflow rooms, a union leader told the mayor and council that the Mesquite Police Officers Association held a vote of “no confidence” in Chief MaQuade Chesley’s ability to run the Mesquite Police Department.

Andrew Regenbaum, who is executive director of the Nevada Association of Public Safety Officers, said a “strong majority” voted that they weren’t confident in Chesley’s leadership.

Nepotism and retaliatory behavior on the part of the chief, Regenbaum alleged, spurred the Mesquite association to hold the vote.

Regenbaum implored city leaders to act Tuesday night.

“I urge you to consider the significance of his actions and this vote of no confidence and take appropriate action,” Regenbaum said.

After Regenbaum spoke, dozens of residents lined up behind him to make their own comments. Many said they backed Chesley and expressed frustrations about what they said was the vagueness of Regenbaum’s statements.

One resident, Sue Hanks, said she “wanted the facts.”

“I want to know exactly what Chief Chesley has done to the detriment of our Mesquite community,” Hanks said.

Another, Jeffery Smith, who has worked as an officer with the department for years, said that the Mesquite Police Officers Association does not “speak for” him. For more than 30 minutes, residents came to the podium to share their disdain for the allegations. Several called it a “witch hunt.”

One called members of the MPOA “cry babies.”

“You better consider that he (Chesley) has done one heck of a job,” said Ron Richmond, a former Mesquite Police Department detective. “I started in 1996, and we never used to do this. (You) work and shut up. You’re not going to get everything you need.”

Chesley, who sat in the audience for the meeting, gave one of the final remarks of the forum. He said that his commitment to the department had never wavered. He also shared that since he became aware of the concerns that the union has with his leadership, he has created a five-year “plan for improvement.”

“The plan focuses on critical areas designed to enhance our internal operation and the service we provide to our community. Some of those areas are open communication and active listening,” Chesley said. “We want to make sure our officers are supported and that their wellness is maintained throughout their careers.”

Unlike one woman whom Mayor Allan Litman interrupted after exceeding the allotted three minutes, the council allowed Chesley’s remarks to go longer than the time limit. The crowd gave him a standing ovation after.

A handful of people dressed in MPOA T-shirts sat near the back of the chambers. One scoffed while Chesley spoke.

During their comments to the council, Mindy Hughes and Brent Horlacher, who had been sitting with the MPOA supporters, insisted that a thorough investigation be done. They said the police union should not be villainized.

“It is the union’s job to demand transparency and honesty from the government entity, as well as any citizen would expect,” Horlacher said. “That is the mission of MPOA. It’s not to hurt anyone. It’s not to talk bad about anyone. It’s not to ruin anybody’s life. It is, however, an essential function of the MPOA to seek truth and accountability from those elected and appointed by the city of Mesquite.”

In an interview after the meeting, Regenbaum told the Review-Journal that he could not discuss specific incidents but that Chesley had “weaponized internal affairs against people in the department who disagreed with him.” According to Regenbaum, the chief had also hired out-of-state friends and given them more favorable pay scales.

“It is not unusual that he (Chesley) would bring out all his supporters,” Regenbaum said. “What is important is that the MPOA rank and rile had the courage to do something of this magnitude.”

Contact Akiya Dillon at adillon@reviewjournal.com