Reno Sparks Convention Center

Palin draws big crowd to workday morning rally in Reno

With two weeks left until Election Day, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin worked Tuesday to rally Republicans in a speech at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center, pushing back on claims that her campaign is too negative and continuing the ticket's effort to cast doubt on U.S. Sen. Barack Obama's true motives.

Displaying her trademark sarcasm, Palin also mocked her Democratic rival U.S. Sen. Joe Biden for recent comments he made that Obama would face "an international crisis, a generated crisis" in the first six months of his administration if elected.

Saying Biden didn't specify what the crisis might entail, Palin offered her own hypothetical scenarios drawn from comments Obama has made about his foreign policy proposals. Sitting down with hostile leaders, invading Pakistan and failing to fund America's troops and pulling out of Iraq could all become international crises, Palin argued.

But her closing zinger was aimed at Biden's propensity for gaffes.

"I guess the looming crisis that most worries the Obama campaign right now is Joe Biden's next speaking engagement," Palin said.

Obama has said he would open dialogues with world leaders, both hostile and friendly and would take military action if he had "actionable intelligence" on the whereabouts of terrorists inside Pakistan and advocates for a safe withdrawal from Iraq. He also voted against a troop-funding bill because it did not include a timeline for withdrawal.

Jeff Giertz, Obama's Nevada spokesman, said the Bush-McCain approach is "erratic and ideological."

"With our nation facing two wars and 21st century threats abroad, our next president will face challenges from day one," he said. "America's most respected military leader, Republican and former Secretary of State Colin Powell, has endorsed Barack Obama's approach to bring the change we need to our foreign policy. After eight years of a failed foreign policy, we need Barack Obama's good judgment and steady leadership."

U.S. Sen. John McCain has been struggling against a narrow but consistent deficit in national polls and in battleground state polls. Democratic turnout in Nevada's early voting also has been far outpacing Republican turnout.

Palin's 9:30 a.m. speech on a workday, to which people were asked to arrive beginning at 6:30 a.m., drew about 3,000 people, about half the size of her crowd on a September Saturday in Carson City.

In a final campaign push, the McCain-Palin ticket is seeking to sustain questions about Obama's foreign policy acumen and convince voters his domestic policy would raise taxes and redistribute wealth.

Stadium renovation? :: Bowlers Journal International

Reno city officials are serious about keeping the USBC Open Championships and USBC Women’s Championships coming to town after the current tournament-hosting contract expires in 2018.

On Wednesday, the City Council voted unanimously to impose a $2 room tax on seven downtown hotels with non-restricted gaming licenses: the Silver Legacy, Circus Circus, Eldorado, Sands Regency, Siena, Cal Neva and Harrah’s.

The fee is expected to generate about $2.3 million per year, which would be used for revenue-backed bonds to fund improvements to publicly-owned tourism and entertainment facilities within a one-mile radius of the downtown area, including the National Bowling Stadium and the Livestock Events Center.

The Livestock Center already has lost several major events due to its deteriorating condition, and officials fear the Bowling Stadium could lose USBC tournaments unless improvements are made to that facility, which opened in 1995.

Although the Council did not mention specific improvements, Joe Kelley, acting President and CEO of the Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority, said the building could receive a new facade, as well as modernization of its fourth floor, where the bowling lanes are located.

Approval of the room tax came just a week before city officials are scheduled to meet with USBC officials about a contract extension during International Bowl Expo in Texas.

Cities of the United States, a compilation of current information on economic, cultural, geographic, and social conditions

Trade show & convention guide

California builder & engineer

Let's Go Southwest USA Adventure, 3rd Edition

Jet