MORNING LINE: F Street neighbors speak out

  Now that the neighbors and litigants involved in the F Street closure have had a chance to address Mayor Oscar Goodman and members of the City Council, the mystery of how the street got closed is becoming clearer. The idea to close it was boiled down to a sentence or two in a lengthy report on the future plans for the area, which borders the city’s new redevelopment district. Current County Commissioner Lawrence Weekly was the area’s councilman at the time.

  Whether it was an intentional oversight or something that slipped past him isn’t clear. Weekly says he never saw the proposal, and sources close to the story contend it’s understandable how he might have missed it.

  But now the more important question is whether the city will help the neighbors to reopen the street. After a good scolding from Goodman about using the word “racist” in his litigation, attorney Matthew Callister was wisely contrite and even apologetic to the mayor and council. He is himself a former city councilman and member of the Nevada Legislature. He knows how to provide political cover, and he did just that. He even appeared to offer to drop the city from the lawsuit if it was determined the neighbors would get the help they needed.

  With members of the neighborhood clergy addressing the council, there was no shortage of biblical references floating on the air Wednesday morning for what proved to be an interesting, entertaining and well-attended early session.
 
  Side note: Area Assemblyman Harvey Munford, a resident of the neighborhood for decades, helped lead the group and proved once again why he was the right choice for his job.