Random Thoughts
May 10, 2026
In this reporter’s humble opinion, it is impossible to ignore the passing of Ted Turner, whose impact on contemporary life cannot be overstated.
Like many highly accomplished people, Ted Turner was a complicated mix of the good and the imperfect. But the good greatly outweighed the less-than-good.
An outstanding sailor who won the Americas Cup.
A risk-taker who flirted with bankruptcy and financial ruin more than once, only to turn his misfortunes around, such as when he bought the Atlanta Braves and turned them around from a sorry baseball team to an entity valued at well over $3 billion today.
A conservationist who became the fourth-largest landowner in the nation, dedicating his vast holdings to the preservation of his land for future generations to enjoy.
An internationalist who donated a billion dollars to the United Nations.
A 10-year marriage to Jane Fonda, an “interesting” combination if there ever was one.
But more than anything, he almost singlehandedly invented cable news and the 24-hour news cycle, creating CNN —the Cable News Network— and its several offshoots, a trusted news source followed by hundreds of millions around the world.
I began the formal development of my writing skills, such as they are, at a fairly early age when, as editor of my high school newspaper, I was hired for a summer job by the daily newspaper in my home town. There, under the mentorship of a veteran editor-in-chief, I was trained in the art of writing obituaries, most of them about local luminaries who were still alive at the time.
Because of this early writing education, I have a deep appreciation for the skill it takes to write a good obituary, never exemplified better than the obits of the New York Times.
I mention this because if you really want to know Ted Turner and the fascinating man he was, you really need to read the Times’ nearly 5,000-word obituary published earlier this week.
For copyright reasons, I cannot publish Turner’s full obituary here, and I don’t want to settle for giving you just a short excerpt. So if you’d like to read it, just send me a request to davidinlv15@gmail.com and I will send you the obituary, minus the numerous photos that were in the original, formatted as a pdf document.
Lake Las Vegas
While not directly related to Sun City Anthem, there are a couple of recent news stories that may interest you.
Years ago, SCA had to deal with two major construction issues involving the Del Webb Construction Company, which developed Anthem, and its later owner, Pulte Homes.
One of the issues was the presence of Kitec-based plumbing systems that were prone to premature failure, corrosion due to chemicals in our harsh desert water, and resultant bursting that caused severe water damages to our homes. It cost Del Webb/Pulte and/or its insurers millions of dollars to rectify, as many of you might remember.
The other issue was home damages caused by the failure to use rebar in the construction of the foundations of SCA homes. Rebar, for those not familiar with it, is a high-strength steel rod or mesh used to strengthen concrete. Because concrete is strong in compression but weak in tension, rebar is embedded within it to act as a skeleton, enabling it to withstand tension, bending, and cracking. It features ridges to bond securely with concrete.
Well, Pulte Homes of Nevada is back in the news via a lawsuit filed by the Del Webb at Lake Las Vegas Community Association.
The lawsuit alleges that nearly 90 of the HOA’s homes are sinking and causing damage. “Some of the backyards in the community are sinking,” an attorney for the plaintiffs was quoted as saying. These are people’s retirement homes that have turned into their worst nightmare.”
While this reporter has no skills as a hydrologist, it is perhaps worth noting that the Lake Las Vegas community is built around a large man-made lake.
The other item that may be of interest to you also concerns a lawsuit.
Beginning January 1, 2027, Nevada law (Assembly Bill 356) prohibits the use of Colorado River water to irrigate "nonfunctional" or "decorative" turf in Southern Nevada. This legislation is designed to combat water scarcity by targeting grass that serves no recreational or functional purpose, such as that found in streetscapes, medians, and commercial entrances.
Sun City Anthem got out ahead of the law’s requirements by embarking on, and completing, several large projects to put us in compliance with the new law by replacing nonfunctional and decorative turf with water-tolerant desert landscaping.
But some entities have resisted compliance with the law and have filed a class-action lawsuit against the Southern Nevada Water Authority, aimed at the compliance requirement. Individual resident plaintiffs and HOAs allege the forced removal of grass, driven by Assembly Bill 356, has resulted in the destruction of over 100,000 trees, increased heat, and nearly $300 million in damages.
HOA plaintiffs in the lawsuit include Sun City Summerlin, The Vineyards, Spanish Trail and several others, as well as The Silver State Golf Industry Alliance as representative for many Southern Nevada golf courses.
As we approach the early voting period in the Clark County Primary Election, I am planning to editorialize on the subject of Ballot Question 1, passage of which would maintain the 30-year-old tax rate of $0.12 per $100 of assessed home valuation to help fund the costs of operating and maintaining City of Henderson parks and recreational facilities.
If you would like to be quoted in my planned editorial, either for against Question 1, you are welcome to submit comments to me on the subject by Friday, May 15.
Write to me at davidinlv15@gmail.com.
If submitting comments, I’m asking for more than just “I’m for it” or “I’m against it.” Rather, please explain why you favor or oppose the ballot question.
