G3Wire

August 16, 2024

Elections, water reclamation, and back to school are the hot topics in the news this week. The one state where Trump still holds a slim lead is Nevada, though Harris has narrowed Trump’s margin by six points since May. Nevada will face cuts in how much water it can use from the Colorado River for the fourth year in a row, triggered by new Bureau of Reclamation projections for Lake Mead, the country’s biggest reservoir. Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle (and both sides of the lake) met at the 28th annual Lake Tahoe Summit at Round Hill Pines on Wednesday to discuss the future of transportation in the Tahoe Basin. The new school year began Monday morning after a summerlong effort by the Clark County School District to fill classroom vacancies, battle chronic absenteeism and improve safety. And Legislative Session is just around the corner. September 1 is the next major deadline for certain entities, including legislative committees, constitutional officers, and local governments, to submit their BDRs. The 2025 Legislative Session will begin February 3, 2025. Get all your Nevada news links below!

State and Local Government Updates

Lombardo among donors allegedly defrauded by Fiore

As Clark County Sheriff in 2019, Lombardo gave $5,000 to Fiore’s PAC to help fund a fallen officer’s memorial. Prosecutors allege that the money instead went to cover Fiore’s rent. (The Nevada Independent)

School year starts with positive view–CCSD’s summer concerns minimal

The new school year begins Monday morning after a summerlong effort by the Clark County School District to fill classroom vacancies, battle chronic absenteeism and improve safety. Despite labor shortage challenges, district officials say they are entering the new year with a positive attitude. (Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Thousands sign petition opposing CCSD policy on cellphones

The metallic bags are sealed with Velcro closures. The district says that while exact procedures may vary by school, students will be able to access their phones in an emergency or an evacuation drill. Under existing policy on electronic device usage, students can also use their phones during lunch and snack breaks, at school-sponsored events, and on the bus. (Las Vegas Sun)

Phone pouches, rebuilt campus, career programs: Clark County’s first day of school

Clark County schools kicked off the new academic year on Monday with a series of back-to-school events highlighting schools and programs around the district. (The Nevada Independent)

Boosting health services at schools among proposals being eyed by state lawmakers

A new state office of children’s health expanded Medicaid reimbursements for health services provided at schools, and implementing social work apprentice program are among priorities a panel of state lawmakers will recommend to their colleagues when the Nevada Legislature convenes in February. (Nevada Current)

At Beam Hall, site of campus shooting, increased safety measures to greet staff, students

About eight months after an active shooter on Dec. 6, 2023, killed three professors and wounded another in Beam Hall, the building is reopening for UNLV’s fall semester with $38 million in enhanced safety measures. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Reno’s former homeless shelter to be converted to 136 units of affordable housing

In a tight vote, the City Council approved Ulysses Development Group as the developer for the vacant Record Street properties, pending negotiations. Plans are in place to convert Reno’s former homeless shelter off Fourth Street into 136 units of affordable housing following a narrow vote by the Reno City Council. (Reno Gazette Journal)

Will Nevada cannabis, gaming industries converge? Don’t bet on it, experts say

A discussion during a UNLV seminar offers varying opinions on whether or not legal marijuana and casinos can co-exist in Nevada. (The Nevada Independent)

State swimming upstream–Nevada faces Colorado River usage cut for 4th straight year

Nevada will face cuts in how much water it can use from the Colorado River for the fourth year in a row, triggered by new Bureau of Reclamation projections for Lake Mead, the country’s biggest reservoir. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

NGCB files complaint against Resorts World

The Nevada Gaming Control Board on Thursday filed a disciplinary complaint against Resorts World Las Vegas and its affiliated companies, alleging it allowed gamblers with ties to illegal bookmaking and histories of federal felony convictions to play at its casino. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

CCSD seeking input on superintendent search with survey

A new survey sent out Wednesday by the Clark County School District offers the community a chance to provide input on the ongoing superintendent search. (Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Lawsuit challenging state-managed public health insurance option dismissed

To bring a lawsuit in the future, the order dismissing the case noted that plaintiffs would need to demonstrate the legislation caused actual harm. (The Nevada Independent)

Arizona, Nevada and Mexico will lose same amount of Colorado River water next year as in 2024

The reduction for Nevada — which receives far less water than Arizona, California or Mexico — will stay at 7 percent. (The Nevada Independent)

Lake Tahoe Summit: Transportation, trail projects aim to help with overcrowding

Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle (and both sides of the lake) met at the 28th annual Lake Tahoe Summit at Round Hill Pines on Wednesday to discuss the future of transportation in the Tahoe Basin. (The Nevada Independent)

Federal Updates

Cortez Masto provision relaxing mine waste dumping included in permit reform bill

Legislation meant to speed the development of mining projects on public lands in Nevada and elsewhere cleared a crucial huddle last month, prompting objections from conservation groups and cheers from extraction industry allies. (Reno Gazette Journal)

D.C. Download: Can permitting reform turn Nevada into the next ‘energy highway?’

It includes modified versions of two Cortez Masto bills — the Mining Regulatory Clarity Act, which would overturn a 2022 legal decision that limited how mining companies can use public land adjacent to their claims, and the STEAM Act, to ease the process of geothermal permitting. (The Nevada Independent)

Horsford: If you like no tax on tips, you should love banning subminimum wages for tipped workers

Culinary Workers Union Local 226 members and a Nevada congressman hope to capitalize on a popular proposal to eliminate taxes on tips and push for a federal ban on letting employers pay tipped workers subminimum wages. (Nevada Current)

Indy Education: A nonprofit founded by students working on addressing literacy needs

In this week’s Indy Education newsletter, read about a nonprofit by two Clark County high school students working to address students’ literacy needs. (The Nevada Independent)

Rosen says Republicans can’t be trusted in election year

U.S. Sen. Jacky Rosen prides herself on being one of the most bipartisan senators in Congress, but on Thursday at a Las Vegas roundtable on reproductive freedom, Rosen unloaded on Republicans – including her 2024 election opponent, Sam Brown. (Nevada Current)

Dozens of pregnant women, some bleeding, turned away from ERs despite federal law

Even as the Biden administration publicly warned hospitals to treat pregnant patients in emergencies, facilities continue to violate the federal law. The issue became a focus for the administration following reports of women being improperly treated in emergency rooms after the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the constitutional right to an abortion more than two years ago. (Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Nevada Democrats set up 2025 fight with Lombardo over free school meals

Democratic lawmakers plan to introduce legislation in 2025 that would revive funding for free school meals — setting up a standoff with Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo, who vetoed a similar measure last year. (The Nevada Independent)

Articles of Interest

Indy Explains: Are pharmacy benefit managers to blame for high drug prices?

Nevadans pay too much for prescription drugs. And if there’s one culprit that doctors, pharmacy companies, elected officials and others in the health care world blame for those exorbitant prices, it’s pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs). (The Nevada Independent)

It’s not easy being green–Solar panels in Mojave Desert stress environmental tensions

PAHRUMP VALLEY— Laura Cunningham can see the invasive grass through the fence. The yellow plant that coats the ground under new colossal solar panels thrives on disturbance— a telltale sign that clues her in to how this swath of Mojave Desert has been altered forever. (Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Print reporter reluctantly tries new media, excels. Remembering Jeff German 1953-2022

The murder trial of Robert Telles, who is accused of killing Review-Journal reporter Jeff German in Septem­ber 2022, is scheduled to begin today. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Jury selection to begin for ex-politician accused of killing Las Vegas investigative reporter

The trial of a Las Vegas-area politician accused of killing an investigative reporter who wrote articles critical of him will take center stage in Nevada on Monday. (The Nevada Independent)

Buttigieg celebrates start of major Maryland Parkway transit overhaul in Las Vegas

Considered a “vital corridor for the Las Vegas Valley,” the project will upgrade 12.5 miles of the Maryland Parkway between the Las Vegas Medical District and South Strip Transfer Terminal off Gillespie Street and Sunset Road in central Las Vegas. (Las Vegas Sun)

Clark County GPA cap of 4.95 goes into effect–Rule installed to curb over-competitiveness

Grade point averages will also be capped for the class at a 4.95, maximizing the potential number of students in the running for valedictorian. (Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Trump returns to X for chat with Musk—Assassination attempt discussed amid glitches

NEW YORK — Donald Trump recounted his assassination attempt in vivid detail and promised the largest deportation in U.S. history during a high-profile return to the social media platform formerly known as Twitter — a conversation that was plagued by technical glitches. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Vance backs Trump’s call for say in Fed rate policy

 WASHINGTON — JD Vance has endorsed former President Donald Trump’s call for the White House to have “a say” over the Federal Reserve’s interest rate policies — a view that runs counter to decades of economic research suggesting that politically independent central banks are essential to controlling inflation and maintaining confidence in the global financial system. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Uber, facing sexual-assault litigation, pushes plan to curb suits

The company is seeking to place a measure on Nevada’s ballot that would drastically limit the amount of money that lawyers could collect when they brought successful lawsuits. If the measure passes, it will make it less attractive — and in some cases financially impractical — for plaintiffs’ lawyers to file such suits. (Las Vegas Sun)

Official asks court to seal records—Fears ‘improper’ use of settlement

Las Vegas Councilwoman Victoria Seaman is asking a court to block the release of a lawsuit settlement she and her husband received after they sued the city and three contractors following a 2015 injury crash. (Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Construction milestone–Convention center renovation hits high point

The $600 million Phase 3 renovation project for the Las Vegas Convention Center won’t be completed until next year, but the shape of the facade is similar to the design of the Convention Center’s West Hall project and features an arc over the new lobby. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Las Vegas Realtors CEO accused of board election tampering

 Las Vegas Realtors Chief Executive Officer Wendy DiVecchio has been suspended from her post for 30 days due to allegations of interfering in the 2025 election of LVR board officers and directors, multiple real estate agents confirmed to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Summer heat deaths spike–More than 100 die in Clark County, victims skew older

Southern Nevada’s brutal summer has killed 123 people this year, according to the most recent numbers released by the Clark County coroner’s office. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

LVCVA buying $1.7M in F1 tickets—Total well below its 2023 purchase

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority Board of Directors approved the purchase of $1.7 million in Formula One Las Vegas Grand Prix tickets at its meeting Tuesday. This year’s race ticket purchase is $5.3 million less than last year’s $7 million buy by the Las Vegas tourism arm. (Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Paul White, Mark Lawson lawsuits dismissed over Washoe County primary election recounts

Two Washoe County election lawsuits demanding hand counts and individual inspection of ballots have ended with no action taken. (Reno Gazette Journal)

Hope for Colorado at water summit–Lee touts $141M in funds for state

Two years after Lake Mead hit an all-time low and concern swelled for the Colorado River’s long-term sustainability, water managers and lawmakers generally see a healthier basin. But that didn’t come without sacrifice in Las Vegas. (Las Vegas Review-Journal)

AI’s threat to election integrity in focus at Las Vegas summit

Nina Jankowicz, the former head of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s short-lived disinformation governance board, said the Russian government was using artificial intelligence to improve its tactics in spreading disinformation in the 2024 presidential election. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Draft A’s lease totals 99 years with extensions–Four agreements need stadium authority OK

The Oakland Athletics could exercise the right to extend their lease at their planned Las Vegas ballpark to as long as 99 years. (Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Local Realtors stage protest–Independent, transparent election investigation demanded

More than 50 real estate agents showed up to the Las Vegas Realtors headquarters Thursday demanding an independent investigation and transparency into alleged election interference. (Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Panel explores future of cannabis us eat Las Vegas casinos amid federal and state restrictions

It’s illegal to smoke or consume cannabis products in Nevada casinos, but marijuana use on the Resort Corridor is still prevalent. (Las Vegas Sun)

Real estate commissions drop–Agent predicts massive upheaval after lawsuit

Real estate commissions have dropped in the Las Vegas Valley, according to a report from Redfin as the industry braces for massive change this weekend. (Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Vaccination suits vs. MGM Resorts may merge

The lawsuits of several former MGM Resorts International employees claiming they were wrongfully terminated after refusing to receive a COVID-19 vaccine are likely to be consolidated
by a federal judge this week. (Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Vegas stadium officials hope to wrap A’s ballpark contracts by December

Las Vegas Stadium Authority officials hope to have all agreements surrounding a $1.5 billion ballpark completed by December including an understanding of the A’s financial commitment. (The Nevada Independent)

Harris unveils policy proposals to address affordable housing crisis

The proposals build off plans pushed by President Joe Biden by calling for more home construction and greater financial relief for homeowners. (The Nevada Independent)

Election News

Important Dates

General Early Voting                          October 19^th                Days Until: 71

General Election                                 November 5^th              Days Until: 88

First Day of Legislative Session         February 3^rd                Days Until: 171

Washoe County DA disagrees with Secretary of State in election certification case

The Washoe County District Attorney’s office disagrees with the Secretary of State’s office over whether the Nevada Supreme Court should take up the case of commissioners refusing to certify election results. (Reno Gazette Journal)

Kamala Harris emphasizes joy and policy differences at Las Vegas rally

At the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas before 17,000 boisterous supporters Saturday, Harris emphasized joy, shared values and specific policy differences with Trump. (Reno Gazette Journal)

At massive Vegas rally, Harris energizes Democrats, pledges to end tax on tips

In front of more than 12,000 people, Harris and Walz pitched themselves as the only candidates in the race fighting for people’s freedoms. (The Nevada Independent)

Five takeaways from Harris-Walz visit to Las Vegas

Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz made their Nevada debut as the likely 2024 Democratic presidential ticket in Las Vegas on Saturday at what was one of the largest Democratic rallies in the state, representing a surge of momentum since the ticket changed in July. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Indy Explains: Question 2 on the 2024 Nevada ballot

Advocates say that Question 2 on the 2024 ballot would update antiquated language — that has been in the state’s governing charter since Nevada’s statehood in 1864 — to be more inclusive toward people with disabilities and their spectrum of needs. (The Nevada Independent)

Early Harris-Walz rallies feature big crowds, talk of ‘joy’ and unsolicited GOP counterprogramming

These were common themes during the first big campaign swing for Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, as the new Democratic ticket barnstormed through five battleground states this past week on a get-to-know-us tour. (Las Vegas Sun)

How many people attended the Kamala Harris rally in Las Vegas? Here’s what we know

The best current estimate, based on new information from the campaign, is about 15,000 with 4,000 turned away. (Reno Gazette Journal)

Harris says Trump will repeal Obamacare. Trump now claims he’ll make it ‘better.’

Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, have quickly made the Affordable Care Act central to their campaign, raising the specter of another Republican repeal effort next year if former President Donald Trump wins the White House. (Las Vegas Sun)

Rosen posts big lead over Brown in latest Nevada Senate poll

Though Rosen has consistently led Brown since he announced his bid for Senate, the poll’s results are some of the best for Rosen this cycle. (The Nevada Independent)

‘We’re happy again’: Harris and Walz bring new enthusiasm to presidential race in Nevada

Saturday’s rally — an hours long affair that was bigger (and louder) than any Nevada event held by Biden — captured the wave of enthusiasm that has supercharged the Harris campaign in recent weeks. (The Nevada Independent)

Judge allows Green Party to remain on Nevada presidential ballot

The party’s appearance on November’s general election ballot will be the first in Nevada in 16 years. (The Nevada Independent)

FBI looks into Trump hack–Harris campaign also targeted by suspected Iran cyber intrusion

WASHINGTON —The FBI said Monday it is investigating allegations that sensitive documents from Donald Trump’s presidential campaign were stolen in a cyber intrusion days after the campaign declared it had been hacked by Iran. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Clark County identifies more than 100,000 voters as inactive

The status of more than 100,000 registered voters in Clark County has been set to “inactive” after election officials could not reach them at home. (Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Elections office asking voters to update signatures on file

Clark County is undertaking an effort to update its voter signature verification database ahead of the November election. All active registered voters — about 1.4 million people — will receive a form asking them to confirm or update their signature. (Las Vegas Review-Journal)

The Fight To Redefine the 2024 Race for President

The one state where Trump still holds a slim lead is Nevada, though Harris has narrowed Trump’s margin by six points since May. (cookpolitical.com)

2025 Legislative Session Updates

Important Dates

First Day of Legislative Session         February 3^rd                Days Until: 171

2025 Legislative Session – Bill Draft Requests

Currently, 342 bill draft requests (BDRs) have been submitted to the Legislative Counsel Bureau by legislators, committees, state agencies, and local governments. August 1 was the first deadline for current legislators to submit a portion of their allotted BDRs. September 1 is the next major deadline for certain entities, including legislative committees, constitutional officers, and local governments, to submit their BDRs. Topics are numerous, including child welfare, education, economic development, elections, health care, housing, and public safety. The 2025 Legislative Session will begin February 3, 2025.

Upcoming Fundraisers

Fundraiser to Support

Sandy DiGiacomo

Henderson Justice Court, Dept. 1

Thursday, August 22, 2024

5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Johnny Mac’s

842 S. Boulder Hwy.

Henderson, NV 89015

For More Information or to RSVP

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

________________________________________

Fundraiser in Support

Holly Stoberski

Las Vegas Justice Court, Department 4.

Thursday, August 22, 2024

5:30 PM – 7:00 PM 

 Atomic

917 Fremont Street, Las Vegas

Please RSVP to Tom@LetiziaAgency.com.