Nevada
Nevada bill seeks to crack down on websites that “scalp” DMV appointments, restaurant reservations
LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – An advancing Nevada bill seeks to crack down on websites accused of “scalping” appointments from the DMV and restaurants.
The founder of one of the most popular websites argues that countless consumers want options to “trade.”
Senate Bill 169 requires permission from a business or entity to sell spots or reservations. It creates penalties for sites that engage in sales without permission.
New York has already passed legislation in 2024 against restaurant “scalping,” and other states pursuing legislation include California, Florida, Illinois, Hawaii, Louisiana, according to the National Restaurant Association.
“Consumers are also misled into overpaying for reservations that were originally free, believing that they were directly booking with the establishment. The deceptive practice exploits limited availability, damages consumer trust and undermines fair business operations,” said State Sen. Fabian Donate at a hearing.
One of the most popular websites, appointmenttrader.com, was inspired by the creator’s two-day-long ordeal to get an appointment at a Las Vegas DMV. Though State Sen. Fabian Donate describes the practice as “pay to play” for a public service, founder Jonas Frey tells FOX5 his perspective.
“It’s not about making that appointment… now a ‘good that costs something,’ where it was free before. The reality is, before, it wasn’t available at all,” Frey said.
“The idea of Appointment Trader is to provide an efficient marketplace where you can exchange a time slot. So if you have a reservation for the DMV or if you have a reservation for a restaurant, you can give it to someone else and you get paid for giving it,” Frey said.
He told FOX5 that his site curbs excess listings and only allows a handful of posts from each user; users will be penalized for chronic unfulfilled listings.
The practice saves people money when they have to pay a no-show fee for a last-minute cancellation, Frey said, also stating that the site protects users’ information.
Restaurants like the popular Golden Steer, with a massive social media following and fan base from tourists and locals, explain how sellers and “scalpers” abuse the reservation system and make the wait and backlog even longer for legitimate customers.
“It really flared up last fall, when we had a guest call in attempting to make a reservation. They gave us their phone number and what popped up were something like 43 or 44 reservations that this single guest had over the next four to six weeks. It set off, of course, a huge red flag to us of what’s going on,” he said.
The practice among these sites, according to Nick McMillan, also creates a rise in “no shows”– which ultimately hurt small businesses and staff; restaurants also have no way to communicate with customers about crucial information for their reservations, he said.
Though legitimate booking sites have looked into the issue for Golden Steer, McMillan said there’s no telling how many of the reservations, which are made several months in advance, are from “scalpers.”
“Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Friday night, Saturday night: every every restaurant has these high-demand days. They’re just hurting all of these small businesses that can’t really fight back,” McMillan said.
FOX5 reached out to the Nevada DMV on the issue. A spokesperson provided the following advice for all Nevada residents:
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Nevada
28-year-old inmate at Southern Nevada prison dies
A man serving time at the Southern Desert Correctional Center for felony reckless driving died last month, the Nevada Department of Corrections said Tuesday.
Shiloh Walker, 28, died at the Indian Springs facility on Nov. 24, a news release said. Cause of death was not listed.
Walker was serving a sentence of up to six years after a plea agreement was reached in 2022 following a DUI crash that happened May 31, 2021 in Las Vegas, according to online court records.
An autopsy was requested following Walker’s death, though results were not available as of Monday evening. Attempts to reach Walker’s family members have been unsuccessful, according to the department.
Contact Bryan Horwath at bhorwath@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BryanHorwath on X.
Nevada
Is USPS breaking vow not to use Sacramento for Northern Nevada mail?
After widespread condemnation last year, the U.S. Postal Service backed away from plans to move its Reno mail-processing operations to Sacramento — but did it stay true to what it told the public?
The question arose recently after letters sent from one Carson City address to another in Carson City were both postmarked in Sacramento.
Northern Nevadans did not want first class mail sent from one Northern Nevada address to another going first to California. They sent a unified message to the USPS all the way up to the postmaster general.
Critics of the USPS plan were especially worried about delays from mail having to go back and forth over the Sierra during winter.
The Washoe County District Attorney’s office filed a lawsuit over the plan, the Washoe County Commission voted to oppose the plan, public comment was universally opposed, and Democratic and Republican elected officials from across the state joined to stop it.
Could it possibly have happened anyway? The answer is yes, temporarily, for a brief time.
How letters sent in Carson City came to be processed at Sacramento USPS facility
A reader told the Reno Gazette Journal they’d twice had letters internal to Carson City postmarked in Sacramento, so we asked USPS if the policy had changed.
“Mail processing for First Class mail that originates in Northern Nevada and is destined to Northern Nevada has not changed,” USPS spokesperson Sherry Patterson responded by email.
“However,” she added, “without the specific mail piece and class of mail, we cannot determined if there is an issue.”
The reader then supplied a photo of the two envelopes postmarked Nov. 5 in Sacramento, and this was shared with USPS.
“Our processing machine in Reno was temporarily out of service while we awaited a replacement part,” Patterson said after viewing the postmarks to nail down the specific date the letters went through Sacramento.
“To ensure that mail was not delayed during this time, we implemented a contingency plan that involved routing certain mail to our Sacramento facility for cancellation and processing. This measure allows us to maintain service continuity and minimize disruptions for our customers. We understand that this may cause some confusion, and we are committed to ensuring that all mail is processed efficiently and accurately.”
Bottom line: Regarding first class mail that’s being sent to and from Northern Nevada addresses, it’s still USPS policy to process that in Reno at its Vassar Street facility, she said.
The path these particular letters took, Patterson added, “is indeed an unusual occurrence.”
Mark Robison is the state politics reporter for the Reno Gazette Journal, with occasional forays into other topics. Email comments to mrobison@rgj.com or comment on Mark’s Greater Reno Facebook page.
Nevada
Holiday loneliness affects thousands in Nevada as many face Christmas away from loved ones
LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Loneliness has become a significant health issue for people everywhere, and the holiday season sometimes intensifies those feelings. For many, December looks like family gatherings, matching pajamas and bustling homes. But this time of year can also be very difficult for those who may be battling distance, work commitments or recent life changes.
Marc Valli, an Army veteran who served in Vietnam, has lived in Las Vegas since 1988. He moved to Nevada to join a ministry and be closer to his wife’s parents.
WATCH| Shellye Leggett talks to an army vet who’s recently moved into Escalante at the Lakes assisted living facility
Holiday loneliness affects thousands in Nevada as many face Christmas away from loved ones
“I wanted to come and join ministry here. Also my wife’s parents lived here,” Valli said.
Valli’s wife Barbara, known to friends and family as Bobby, passed away in 2018 after 54 years of marriage.
“I’m still counting the years. We’ve been married 54 years,” he said.
His children moved him into Escalante at the Lakes assisted living facility in June, making this his first holiday season in his new home.
“People are very nice, they treat you good,” Valli said.
Come Christmas Day, the facility’s common room will be filled with residents ready for holiday activities, but Valli hopes to get outside these walls to see his family that still lives nearby.
“I have grandkids. One goes to Cal Poly. He’s here right now, but he’s on vacation, and then I have two little granddaughters, one’s 11, one’s 7,” Valli said. “I don’t know if they’re gonna come for Christmas or I’m going there.”
Gus Farias, the executive director of Escalante at the Lakes Assisted Living, says many of his residents don’t have family nearby. Keeping their spirits high throughout the holidays is an important task.
“We can tell when our residents are feeling down. There’s a lot of pressure during the holidays because some of our residents don’t have families that are nearby, but they have us,” Farias said.
The organisation A Mission for Michael released a study showing just how many people are expected to spend the holidays alone this year. Nevada ranked 43rd on the list of loneliest states, with more than 212,000 people expected to spend Christmas by themselves.
“It’s pretty surprising that there’s so many Nevadans that are gonna spend the holidays by themselves,” Farias said.
He says combating loneliness will take a community effort.
“When you’re at the grocery store or whatever, reach, look back and ask them, you know, wish them a merry Christmas or happy holidays and ask them how they passed their holidays in the past because we, we as a younger generation than our seniors, we can learn a lot from that,” Farias said.
It’s an effort that Valli says makes the holidays a little brighter.
“Oh, it makes a big difference,” he said.
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