The G3Wire

April 20, 2024

Former President Donald Trump’s political operation said that it plans to deploy more than 100,000 attorneys and volunteers across battleground states to monitor — and potentially challenge — vote counting in November. Cannabis is a hot topic this week in Nevada,  Sen. Jacky Rosen introduced a bill to create a federal grant program to fund the expunging or sealing of state-level cannabis offenses and as the recreational industry expands, the ability to legally consume marijuana in a social setting is happening at several locations.  Nevada joins six other states that now allows cannabis lounges.  Clark County has approved regulations for streetvendors to have a business license, permits from the Southern Nevada Health District and the Nevada Department of Taxation, and proof of liability insurance. They would also have to detail to the county the products they are selling and structure they are selling from. These stories and many more Nevada news links below!

Updates from the Governor’s Office

Retired Justice Abbi Silver appointed to Nevada Gaming Commission

Gov. Joe Lombardo has appointed retired Nevada Supreme Court Justice Abbi Silver to the Nevada Gaming Commission to replace Ogonna Brown, whose last day will be April 27. (The Nevada Independent)

State and Local Government Updates

Cannabis lounges provide a new lure for Las Vegas visitors

As the recreational industry expands, the ability to legally consume marijuana in a social setting ‘will do well,’ one patron said. (The Nevada Independent)

Analysis: Resolving open meeting law complaints can take years — and is taking longer

 Since 2022, investigations into open meeting law complaints have concluded around 17 months after the alleged violation occurred, more than three times longer than six years ago. (The Nevada Independent)

Nevada pharmacy board’s regulatory role over cannabis in limbo

Nevada Supreme Court justices are weighing arguments in a lawsuit that seeks to remove the Nevada Board of Pharmacy from its administrative role in regulating cannabis. (Las Vegas Sun)

Lawmakers fund mental health, youth programs with pandemic aid dollars; $6 million left

Nevada lawmakers last week assigned around $39 million in repurposed American Rescue Plan (ARP) money to various projects, putting about half of that money into mental health efforts a month after Gov. Joe Lombardo said the state should prioritize spending in that area. (The Nevada Independent)

State commits nearly $200 million for overhaul of behavioral health care system

The state’s health and human services director says the new program will help the state come into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. (The Nevada Independent)

How to regulate sidewalk vendors: County officials to vote on ordinance

The Clark County Commission will hold a hearing and vote Tuesday on a proposed ordinance that would create a process for licensing sidewalk vendors. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Sidewalk vendor rules head to vote

Community members interested in sharing their thoughts on a proposed ordinance that would create a licensure process for sidewalk vendors can do so on Tuesday. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Commissioners can’t recollect text request in Red Rock housing case

Commissioners Jim Gibson and Marilyn Kirkpatrick told a District Court judge Monday that they “don’t recall” if they were told to preserve communications related to a Red Rock housing development lawsuit. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

SNWA workers collect nest egg upon retirement

Five employees at the Southern Nevada Water Authority and sister agency Las Vegas Valley Water District cashed out more than $100,000 in sick and vacation leave pay in 2022. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

John Doe’s name must be revealed in Reno mayor GPS tracker case, Nevada Supreme Court rules

The private detective who spied on Reno and Washoe County officials cannot keep the name of the person who hired him secret. That’s the unanimous ruling Monday of the Nevada Supreme Court. (Reno Gazette Journal)

Nevada Secretary of State’s Office investigates 146 cases of double voting

Nevada’s top election agency investigated 146 cases of double voting in the 2022 general election, and it has referred five total instances of possible election violations for prosecution from the 2022 election cycle. (Reno Gazette Journal)

Nevada households seeing increase in SNAP theft

Nevada families in need of food assistance are at risk of losing their monthly benefits to cybercriminals as the state faces a large spike in stolen benefits through skimming and cloning. (Reno Gazette Journal)

Shortage of health care providers on Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo’s radar

Gov. Joe Lombardo wants the state’s Patient Protection Commission to help find a cure for the state’s shortage of health care professionals. (Reno Gazette Journal)

State commits nearly $200 million for overhaul of behavioral health care system

The state’s health and human services director says the new program will help the state come into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. (The Nevada Independent)

Glitches in new simplified financial aid application creates headaches at Nevada colleges

An attempt to make it easier for students to apply for federal financial aid to attend college has led to a series of issues that has delayed Nevada colleges’ ability to get that assistance out to students. (The Nevada Independent)

Clark County OKs street vendor regulations despite pushback

The new rulesalso call for streetvendors to have a business license, permits from the Southern Nevada Health District and the Nevada Department of Taxation, and proof of liability insurance. They would also have to detail to the county the products they are selling and structure they are selling from. (Las Vegas Sun)

Embattled Nevada vaccine nonprofit director departs for new job in Tennessee

The Nashville-based nonprofit’s announcement comes after the state terminated millions of dollars in grant agreements with Immunize Nevada in mid-March. (The Nevada Independent)

Five finalists named in Washoe County superintendent search

Two internal and three external candidates are among the five finalists being considered for the vacant Washoe County School District superintendent position. (The Nevada Independent)

Storey County gears up to block tax grab in Legislature

Storey County officials are concerned legislation will surface to draw off tax revenues when state-approved abatements end for the companies at the Tahoe-Reno Industrial Center. (Nevada Appeal)

Metro program aims to expand use of drones

The Metropolitan Police Department is launching a pilot program to expand the use of drones in its daily operations. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Federal Updates

D.C. Download: Yucca Mountain rises again in Congress

In a Wednesday hearing on the management of spent nuclear fuel in the House Energy & Commerce Committee — no Nevadans are members — leaders took turns lamenting that the Yucca site, first chosen as the sole site in 1987 and approved for funding in 2002, still houses no nuclear waste due to the power of multiple generations of Nevada politicians. (The Nevada Independent)

IRS urges Nevadans to utilize Direct File, its new, free tax filing program

With Tax Day around the corner, some locals are taking advantage of an IRS pilot program that allows earners with “simple tax filing needs” to file their tax return free of charge, according to the agency’s website. (Las Vegas Sun)

Sparks fly as Sen. Rosen grills USPS chief on Reno mail plans

Democratic U.S. Sen. Jacky Rosen lambasted Postmaster General Louis DeJoy and the U.S. Postal Service in a Senate committee hearing Tuesday over what Nevada’s junior senator called their misguided proposal to downsize and relocate mail processing operations from Reno to Sacramento, Calif. (Las Vegas Sun)

Public input sought on lithium mine plan, Tiehm’s buckwheat 

The document considers impacts to the endangered Tiehm’s buckwheat, a perennial flower that grows on only 10 acres around the mine site. (The Nevada Independent)

Amodei appointed Appropriations Homeland Security Subcommittee chairman

U.S. Rep. Mark Amodei was named chair of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on the U.S. House Committee on Appropriations. (Nevada Appeal)

EPA report shows ‘forever chemicals’ in Truckee Meadows public water system

Truckee Meadows Water Authority’s recent testing revealed eight “forever chemicals” at or above the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s reporting levels for drinking water sources. (Reno Gazette Journal)

Nevada Supreme Court rulings hand setbacks to gun-right defenders and anti-abortion activists

RENO, Nev. (AP) — Nevada’s Supreme Court upheld a state ban on ghost guns Thursday, overturning a lower court’s ruling that sided with a gun manufacturer’s argument that the 2021 law regulating firearm components with no serial numbers was too broad and unconstitutionally vague. Separately the court handed a setback to anti-abortion activists in a fight over a voter initiative that no longer was headed to the November ballot anyway, a decision that abortion rights’ advocates say nonetheless helps establish important legal guidelines regarding overall reproductive health care. (Associated Press)

Nevada Supreme Court upholds state’s ‘ghost gun’ ban as constitutional

The Nevada Supreme Court has upheld the state’s contentious “ghost gun” ban, reversing a lower court’s ruling that the law banning the sale of unfinished frames and receivers of a firearm was unconstitutionally vague. (The Nevada Independent)

Rosen introduces bill to federally fund automating cannabis record sealing at state level

Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-NV) introduced a bill today to create a federal grant program to fund the expunging or sealing of state-level cannabis offenses — using federal dollars to achieve a goal of legislative Democrats who passed a similar bill in 2023 but were stymied by Gov. Joe Lombardo’s (R) veto pen. (The Nevada Independent)

NV Supreme Court says broader abortion ballot question is constitutional

The measure would protect contraception, fertility and abortion procedures, but backers are focusing more narrowly on safeguarding abortion rights. (The Nevada Independent)

Nevada tribes push for a monument to commemorate historic massacres

The proposed designation of Bahsahwahbee National Monument would protect a religious site known for its juniper groves. (The Nevada Independent)

Bad day for City of Las Vegas as Nevada Supreme Court rules in Badlands lawsuit

As the battle over the 250-acre defunct Badlands Golf Course continues, the Nevada Supreme Court is handing down another ruling against the City of Las Vegas. (Newsbreak)

BLM to finalize rule allowing federal leases targeted at protection of natural areas 

The Bureau of Land Management will publish a final rule soon allowing the nation’s public lands to be leased for environmental protection, a Thursday news release from the Interior Department said. (Nevada Current)

New DOT partnership will streamline airline consumer complaints

A new partnership between the U.S. Department of Transportation and a bipartisan coalition of state attorneys general aims to streamline efforts to resolve airline consumer complaints. (Nevada Current)

USDA suspends UNR’s slaughterhouse operations again for inhumane treatment 

For the fifth time in as many years, the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture has suspended operations at Wolf Pack Meats, the slaughterhouse operated by the University of Nevada Reno, after it took five shots from a bolt gun to render a ram unconscious on March 15. (Nevada Current)

Conservation gets equal footing

Gov. Joe Lombardo spokesperson Elizabeth Ray said in a statement that the vast majority of land in Nevada is managed by federal agencies, and rules like this one have a disproportionate impact in the Silver State. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Articles of Interest

Ioneer’s Rhyolite Ridge Project Moves Toward Construction

Release of U.S. Federal Government’s Draft Environmental Impact Statement Positions Nevada Project to Commence Operations in 2027. (in.investing.com)

Lives Destroyed in Tragic Conflict

A prominent Las Vegas trial attorney and his wife were shot and killed at a deposition inside a Summerlin law office before the gunman, another lawyer, turned the gun on himself. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

How many Californians have moved to Nevada since 2020?

Nearly 158,000 people relocated to Nevada from California since 2020, making up 43 percent of all new residents to the Silver State during the past four years, according to data from the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

The biggest takeaways from MGM Resorts’ lawsuit against FTC

The Las Vegas casino operator accuses the consumer watchdog of violating its Fifth Amendment rights during its investigation of a cyberattack. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

MGM Resorts sues FTC, agency chair over cyberattack investigation

The Las Vegas company says FTC Chairwoman Lina M. Khan has a conflict of interest because she personally experienced the September cyberattack. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Vegas Loop begins boring operations for station near UNLV

The Boring Company broke ground on a new tunnel that will mark the Vegas Loop’s furthest expansion from the Las Vegas Convention Center campus. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

The Las Vegas Valley Water District is always listening for leaks

The Las Vegas Valley Water District is working to make Southern Nevada’s water delivery system even more dependable in the coming years by finding leaks before they even happen.  The LVVWD is expanding its already robust leak detection program by testing all pipelines 24 inches in diameter and larger every five years across the district. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

VP Kamala Harris raises abortion issue during Las Vegas visit

The vice president spoke to a crowd at the women owned Bottega Exchange, a coworking and event space in southwest Las Vegas. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Waldorf Astoria project on former Tahoe Biltmore site hit with notice of default

The Waldorf Astoria Lake Tahoe project developer was hit with a notice of default Tuesday over an unpaid principal balance of $82 million. The default notice, which was filed against EKN Tahoe LLC, also stated that the balance was due last Thursday with interest and late charges. (Reno Gazette Journal)

Nevada ‘fake electors’ accuse state of withholding exculpatory evidence

Attorneys representing several of the Nevada Republican fake electors are accusing the state of withholding crucial evidence from the grand jury that indicted them over their role in falsely pledging the state’s six electoral votes to Donald Trump in the 2020 election. (The Nevada Independent)

Indy Education: Carson City high schoolers help seniors navigate technology

A new club at Carson High School is working to make a difference, starting with an effort to provide tech support to local senior citizens. (The Nevada Independent)

Nevada ‘fake electors’ accuse state of withholding exculpatory evidence

The motion was filed Monday by the lawyers for three of the six defendants — Nevada GOP Chairman Michael McDonald, Clark County GOP Chairman Jesse Law and Eileen Rice. Evidence cited in the motion appears to reinforce and rebut the defense’s claim that certain communications from Trump campaign lawyer Kenneth Chesebro would weaken the case against the fake electors. (The Nevada Independent)

Hundreds at UNR protest university’s response to racist incidents

The protest was meant as a call to action for university officials after video began circulating of a white male student repeatedly shouting a racial slur in an area of Argenta Hall designated for Black scholars. The video was recorded by a Black student studying alone in the early morning hours of April 6. (Reno Gazette Journal)

Election News

Important Dates

Primary Early Voting             May 25                        Days Until: 42

Primary Election                     June 11                        Days Until: 59

General Election                     November 5                Days Until: 206

It’s time to make our primary elections make sense

 It’s primary season in Nevada, and once again our state’s complicated mixture of open and closed primaries is on full display. (Nevada Current)

GOP bids to bounce Rosen

Nevada residents are paying more for groceries than residents of almost any other state, and home prices continue to rise. The state’s unemployment rate continues to be one of the highest in the country, and inflation increased by 9 percent between May 2020 and June 2022. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Trump’s repeated escapes from political damage to be tested in NYC trial

Donald Trump on Monday in a New York City courtroom will make history as the first former U.S. president to stand trial in criminal proceedings. (Nevada Current)

Las Vegas program seeks to prepare LGBTQ+ candidates for future runs

The Nevada LGBTQ+ Leadership Academy will give LGBTQ+ individuals a deeper understanding of the state’s political system, build the skills to seek elected office, run successful campaigns, and learn about appointed opportunities with agency boards and commissions, officials with Silver State Equality said in a statement Wednesday. (Las Vegas Sun)

A year after reclaiming state party from socialists, are NV Dems building back better?

Chair Daniele Monroe-Moreno has emphasized retail politics as the state party’s calling card.

(The Nevada Independent)

Rosen, House Democrats keep war chest lead; self-funding GOP candidates narrow gap

Several Republicans made six-figure donations to their own campaigns, with minimal outside support. (The Nevada Independent)

SOS: Most election fraud reports in Nevada don’t warrant criminal prosecution

The Nevada Secretary of State’s Office has referred 14 cases of potential election fraud for criminal prosecution since 2020 out of hundreds of reports received and more than 2.4 million votes cast, reinforcing that voter fraud is not widespread in the Silver State, according to a report the office released this week. (The Nevada Independent)

GOP rival closes fundraising gap

Nevada’s closely watched Senate and congressional races are gaining momentum as candidates seek donations from supporters — and in some cases, give hefty sums to themselves, candidates’ April quarterly fundraising reports show. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

County GOP’s leader arrested

Clark County Republican Party Chairman Jesse Law was arrested last weekend on suspicion of domestic battery. (Las Vegas review Journal)

Electors accuse state of withholding evidence

Attorneys representing Nevada’s Republican electors who submitted fake electoral documents falsely declaring Donald Trump the winner of the Silver State are accusing the state of withholding evidence that could clear them of wrongdoing. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Man accused of stalking Gov. Lombardo ruled incompetent

A man accused of stalking Gov. Joe Lombardo and his family has been deemed incompetent to face charges. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Millions roll in to Nevada ballot initiatives from unions, Uber and dark money groups

Left-leaning “dark money” groups gave more than $750K in the first quarter, and the PAC trying to undo the A’s stadium deal reported few large-dollar donations. (The Nevada Independent)

Trump campaign says it will deploy thousands of election workers to monitor poll sites

Former President Donald Trump’s political operation said Thursday that it plans to deploy more than 100,000 attorneys and volunteers across battleground states to monitor — and potentially challenge — vote counting in November. (Politico)

Votes, Voters, and Populations, Part 1: Does Anyone Have an Accurate Count for Rural Nevada? (art. 17) Wading back into the political controversies as the 2024 Election hysteria gets underway. (Rurals of Nevada)

3 competitive NV congressional districts attract a crowd of Republican primary hopefuls

As Congressional Democrats look to flip the House this election, which Republicans currently control with a razor-thin margin, Nevada’s three Democratic congressional incumbents are running to retain their current seats. (Nevada Current)

Senate Dems pass over assemblywoman, endorse NSHE regent to join their ranks

The Nevada Senate Democratic Caucus endorsed Michelee “Shelly” Cruz-Crawford, a first-term Nevada System of Higher Education Regent, over Assemblywoman Clara Thomas, in the Democratic primary for Senate District 1. (Nevada Current)

Upcoming Fundraisers

NV State Assembly District 35

Dr. Rebecca Edgeworth

Wednesday, April 24, 2024

6:00-8:00PM

Doma Korean BBQ

10640 Southern Highlands Parkway

Las Vegas, NV 89141

RSPV: by emailing oso@refstrat.com

____________________________________

Family Court Dept. N

Kerri Maxey

Thursday, April 25, 2024

5:30-7:00 PM

1301 S. Commerce St. #130

Las Vegas, NV 89102

Please call (702) 545-8777 or Tom@LetiziaAgency.com

_______________________________________

Joint Fundraiser in Support of

Assemblywoman Elaine Marzola

Assemblywoman Sandra Jauregui, and

Assemblywoman Shea Backus with special guest

Senator Catherine Cortez Masto 

Friday, May 3rd, 2024

6:00 – 7:30 PM PT 

Home of Hon. Jan Jones Blackhurst, Las Vegas, NV.

Full Address Upon RSVP.

_________________________________________

Join Governor Joe Lombardo in supporting

Nevada Way PAC

Friday, May 10, 2024

12:00-1:30PM

Durango Casino and Resort Lantana AB

6915 South Durango Drive

Las Vegas, Nevada 89148

RSVP Tim Perez 702-242-1414 tperez@octoberinc.org