Veteran Reporter to Retire

By ED VOGEL

CARSON CITY

Brendan Riley, the Associated Press's capital correspondent, will retire July 27 after serving 39 years with the wire service.

Riley, 64, was offered an early retirement buyout as part of changes being implemented by the not-for-profit news cooperative. He had planned on retiring in a couple of more years.

He became the correspondent for AP's capital bureau in Carson City in March 1972, and has directed the work of other reporters during legislative sessions. His stories on Nevada state government and politics since that time have been carried in the Las Vegas Review-Journal and other newspapers.

"If was a difficult decision to make," Riley said about his decision to retire. "I love the job. Covering Nevada politics is fun. There are really interesting characters, fascinating stories to cover with each administration. I have no regrets. This has been a great place to have a career."

He anticipates the AP will fill his position quickly.

What he appreciated most about working in Carson City was his access to governors and other political leaders of the state.

Riley said there isn't a governor in Nevada you can't easily get into a one-on-one discussion with, adding, "The fun of covering Nevada politics is the access you have to people. In bigger markets, it isn't the same."

He intends to do some unspecified writing in his retirement, but he will not be looking for another job in the media.

He and his wife, Maggie Tracey, own a home in Genoa and a cabin at Lake Tahoe. Riley enjoys hiking, boating, working on old cars, including his restored 1957 Triumph.

Over the years, he has climbed many mountains and intends to climb more "while I can still get around."

His physical fitness proved beneficial in his writing career. He accompanied searchers two years ago on their abortive hunt for famed pilot Steve Fossett. Fossett's remains ultimately were discovered a year later in the mountains near Mammoth Lakes, Calif., by a hiker.

He also accompanied and wrote a story about Kelly Perkins when she climbed 14,495-foot Mount Whitney, also in California. Perkins had earlier received a heart transplant that saved her life.

He later wrote about the same woman when she climbed Half Dome in Yosemite National Park. This time, Riley took the easier back route, while Perkins climbed the face of Half Dome.

Riley's parents were both writers and one of his first jobs was delivering newspapers for the Vallejo, Calif., publishing company they worked for.

His father, Wyman, was managing editor for the newspapers, while his mother, Marjorie, who is still living, was a "pretty funny columnist," Riley said.

Riley planned on a career teaching school until serving on an ammunition ship in the Navy in Vietnam in 1968-70.

"In the military, I had a lot of time to think. I thought what my parents had been doing was pretty cool. In the military, other people are basically in total control. I realized the independence you have as a journalist," he said.

Once he returned to the United States, Riley quickly found a job with AP in San Francisco. A few months later, he transferred to the capital bureau in Sacramento where his assignments included covering Gov. Ronald Reagan.

"Reagan was very punctual. He left about the same time every day. If any of us had not heard back an answer to a question we really needed answered, then we went to the basement and stood by the elevator doors," Riley recalled.

The governor had to walk out of elevator to get to his car a few feet away.

"You had time to ask him one or two questions," Riley said. "Reagan was a very scripted politician. He was already a national figure."

Then Riley moved to Carson City where Mike O'Callaghan was governor. "Wow, what a difference," Riley said. "O'Callaghan was a populist and a real intense person."

Not only was O'Callaghan available to reporters and everyone else, he even attended media parties and joined in on the drinking.

Riley remembers that O'Callaghan, who lost a leg during the Korean War, would even take his artificial leg off in full view of other swimmers when at Carson Hot Springs.

Riley said he won't criticize current politicians, especially since he has a few more weeks to work. He said politicians deserve credit for their willingness to give up their personal time for often what is a thankless job.

"It is hard to be on the rubber-chicken circuits of rasing money and attending endless meetings to get your name out to get elected. No one is totally happy with what you do. I respect politicians who work hard. There are people who believe in the system and attempt to genuinely help the state," he said.

Carson City provided him with the small-town atmosphere that was more conducive to family life. He is the father of four children, Dylan of Reno, Annie Caliendo of Chicago, Megan Riley and Erin Bakke, both of Las Vegas, and five grandchildren.

Riley covered five national political conventions and passed on opportunities to move to larger media markets.

"When I originally joined AP, I thought about moving all over the place. Once I got to Nevada and had my family, I really liked being in one place with my kids."

Riley said that in all his years in Nevada, he never has seen such a harsh recession affect Nevada. The gaming industry, in particular, used to be impervious to revenue declines, he said.

"The problems the state faces are increasing every budget cycle. The solutions are harder to accomplish," Riley said.

Contact reporter Ed Vogel at evogel @reviewjournal.com or 775-687-3901.