I came ‘pert near’ to getting the story

I could’ve kicked myself when I ran across the account on the Internet.

After Sen. Harry Reid took to the floor of the Senate and defended federal money spent on Elko’s National Cowboy Poetry Gathering, I did a few online searches to see if I could find out just how much money that was and how many people attend each year. After awhile, I got distracted by something trivial and forgot about the fact quest.

But the folks at FactCheck.org did what I should’ve done in the first place — the old-fashioned pick up the phone and call or send an e-mail to the guy what’s in charge.

According to FactCheck, Charlie Seemann, executive director of the Western Folklife Center, which sponsors the gathering, said Reid’s statement that 10s of thousands attend each year is a bit high. The figure is closer to 6,000 or 8,000.

Seeman also said federal funding only accounts for about 3 percent of the sponsorship money.

I pert near had the story.