The G3Wire

October 25, 2024

This weekend in Carson City, Nevadans turn out in droves to celebrate something sacred: Nevada Day. And let’s face it, there’s nothing quite like Nevada Day. For a state born out of grit, silver, and gold, this annual celebration is more than a holiday – it’s a chance to honor the spirit that makes Nevada unique.

Happy Battle Born Birthday, Nevada!

Lots of election campaigning in the Silver State this week. First lady Jill Biden stumped for Vice President Kamala Harris in Las Vegas on Wednesday, headlining a pair of events to encourage voters to cast a ballot early and highlight women’s “reproductive freedom.”  Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks during Turning Point’s United for Change rally at the Thomas & Mack Center on Thursday. And the Nevada  Department of Taxation has appointed a subcommittee to monitor the budget and fiscal activities of the Clark County School District following the disclosure of a potential budget deficit last month.  Theses Nevada news links and lots more below!

State and Local Government Updates

Lack of agency coordination hinders access to early childhood systems in Nevada, report says

Early childhood systems funded by the state and federal government include childcare, nutrition, and health care programs.  In Nevada, more than 60 separate state entities serve early childhood needs. The various programs are funded by 40 different state budget accounts. (Nevada Current)

CCSD to undergo financial tracking—Subcommittee will review budget, use

The Nevada Department of Taxation has appointed a subcommittee to monitor the budget and fiscal activities of the Clark County School District following the disclosure of a potential budget deficit last month.  (Las Vegas Review Journal)

State panel assessing whether Clark County schools should be under ‘fiscal watch’

A Nevada Department of Taxation committee has appointed a subcommittee to work with the Clark County School District to decide whether to recommend placing the district under fiscal watch — a heightened state of government monitoring.(The Nevada Independent)

Metro’s new eyes in the skies–Drone as first responder unit can provide quick police assessment

Metro previously used drones to document crime scenes. Police can also use them for search and rescue missions; to respond to reports of assaults, burglaries and car thefts; to provide overhead surveillance of events; and to talk to suspects during SWAT calls. An attachment is able to break windows. All drones are outfitted with some sort of camera. (Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Growth in job market slowing–Unemployment up 0.1% in September

Month-to-month changes in employment and unemployment indicators showed signs of a softening job market in September, new data from the Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation show. (Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Interviews slated for 10 applicants looking to fill vacant seat on school board

Ten people will be considered to fill the brief remainder of a term for a seat vacated last month by a Clark County School District board member. (Las Vegas Sun)

Federal Updates

Poll: Nevadans support federal intervention to make housing more affordable

Respondents wrote about the challenges low-income renters face, difficulties in saving for a down payment and the high cost of housing. (The Nevada Independent)

Nevada lithium mine OK’d despite potential harm to endangered flower

RENO — A federal permit for a new lithium mine has been approved for a Nevada project essential to President Joe Biden’s clean energy agenda, despite conservationists’ vows to sue over the plan, which they say will drive an endangered wildflower to extinction.  (Las Vegas Sun)

Articles of Interest

F1 is helping pioneer sustainable water solutions with help of an MGM Grand cooling system

The Las Vegas Grand Prix track was doused with about 30,000 gallons of water to keep the course clean and ready for competition last year during the inaugural installment of the Formula One race. (Las Vegas Sun)

Could Elko’s Ruby Mountains be home to Nevada’s next ski resort?

A California businessman is interested in expanding skiing in Elko’s iconic Ruby Mountains. Efforts have been made before — will this one succeed? (The Nevada Independent)

Fiore suspended as justice without pay—Judicial commission acts following conviction

Michele Fiore has been suspended without pay from her position as Pahrump Justice of the Peace, according to court documents filed Monday. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

A ‘W’ on the Strip–MGM, Marriott set to bring hotel brand to Las Vegas

MGM Resorts International and Marriott International have announced plans to bring the W Hotels brand to the Strip. The two companies plan to convert the non-gaming property currently known as The Delano Hotel to W Las Vegas, according to a Monday news release. Located on the Mandalay Bay casino-hotel campus, the release states that the conversion is expected to take place later this year. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Rental rates in LV are falling—Glut of new units key to recent drop

Rental rates are dropping in the Las Vegas Valley from a glut of new supply coming on the market, according to a new study from Redfin. The median asking rent for all bedrooms in the valley was at $1,475 at the end of September, a 1.5 percent decrease from August and a 1.7 percent increase from September of last year, according to Redfin. (Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Real Water ordered to pay $5–Second award in billions for causing liver failure

A jury delivered another multibillion-dollar verdict Wednesday against the bottled water company Real Water, which was tied to an outbreak of liver failure in Southern Nevada. (Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Sands all in on global market–Heavily invested in Macao, Singapore resorts

Las Vegas Sands Corp reported a profitable third quarter on Wednesday — though not as strong as a year ago — and said it will continue to invest heavily in its resorts in Macao and Singapore. (Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Indy Environment: First-of-its-kind report reveals heat’s stark toll on Nevadans’ health

Despite thousands of visits to emergency facilities for heat-related issues each year, the state doesn’t require those visits be reported. (The Nevada Independent)

Indy Gaming: Casinos well outside city limits donating to Vegas mayor candidates

South Point Casino Resort, which is closer in proximity to Henderson than it is to Las Vegas City Hall, made the maximum campaign contribution – $10,000 – to both candidates for Las Vegas mayor. (The Nevada Independent)

Lombardo, Dem lawmakers find common ground celebrating new housing complex for seniors

Gov. Joe Lombardo, U.S. Rep. Dina Titus and other local and state officials celebrated the opening of the complex on Monday. All agreed more work needs to be done to address the housing crisis. (Nevada Current)

Indy Environment: First-of-its-kind report reveals heat’s stark toll on Nevadans’ health

Despite thousands of visits to emergency facilities for heat-related issues each year, the state doesn’t require those visits be reported. (The Nevada Independent)

Nevada Day Weekend: Celebrating the Battle Born Spirit

In Carson City, Nevada Day festivities begin Friday and run all weekend, bringing locals and visitors together for events that span history, family fun, and a bit of good-natured spectacle. (sierrarecmagazine.com)

Mine clears environmental hurdles, but suit planned

An Australian mining company’s lithium-boron mine in Nevada passed all environmental hurdles on Thursday, and an environmental group immediately notified the federal government that it plans to sue. (Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Election News

Important Dates

• General Election:        November 5^th              Days Until: 10
• Early voting for the general election begins on October 19 and runs through November 1.
• The last day for counties to receive and count postmarked mail ballots is Saturday, Nov. 9.

The early voting blog, 2024

Updated, 9:30 PM, 10/24/24

Nevada ballot questions 2024: A voter’s guide to all 7 questions this election

A primer on all seven ballot questions — which include rank-choice voting and abortion — that Nevadans can vote on in the 2024 elections. (Reno Gazette Journal)

GOP gets out early vote, at least on Day 1

More Republicans than Democrats turned out to cast their ballots on Saturday, the first day of early voting in Nevada, according to statewide totals. Those totals showed 52.8 percent of ballots were cast by registered Republicans, 28.1 percent by voters registered as Democrats and 19.2 percent by voters not registered to either party. (Las Vegas Review-Journal)

The Sun’s endorsements for the 2024 general election–Clark County voter guide

Editor’s note: The following is a list of Sun endorsements for races on the ballot. We began publishing expanded versions of our endorsements in the Oct. 20 edition. We invite voters to refer to this list when filling out their mail-in ballots or to take it with them when they go to the polls for early voting or for balloting on Nov. 5. (Las Vegas Sun)

With supermajority at stake, fundraising battle is tight in key Nevada legislative races

Across the 10 contests most likely to determine whether Democrats secure a two-thirds supermajority in both chambers, the Democratic candidate in six of those races outraised their Republican opponent from July through September. (The Nevada Independent)

On the record: Assembly District 41 candidates Sandra Jauregui and Rafael Arroyo

Assembly District 41, which straddles St. Rose Parkway and includes parts of Henderson and unincorporated parts of Clark County, has long leaned Democratic. (The Nevada Independent)

For second time, judge dismisses GOP lawsuit challenging Nevada voter rolls

In a ruling issued Friday afternoon, Judge Cristina Silva determined that Republicans had again failed to establish standing while arguing that high voter registration rates in five Nevada counties had harmed their overall mission and campaign work. (The Nevada Independent)

In long lines, Nevada early voters say this is election of their lifetimes

Each of the 10 people The Nevada Independent interviewed expressed that this was the most important election of their lifetimes. (The Nevada Independent)

Meet the candidates who want to bring change to the Clark County schools

Regardless of the outcomes of the general election, the Clark County School Board will look markedly different next year — there will be at least three new trustees joining the 11-member board after three of  the four elected incumbents decided not to run again. (The Nevada Independent)

180K ballots submitted in two days of early voting

About two weeks remain until the Nov. 5 election, but more than 181,000 Nevadans have voted so far, either through in-person early voting or by submitting a mail ballot, according to data from the Nevada secretary of state’s office. That makes up about 9 percent of total active registered voters. (Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Crunch time for campaigns—Candidates, surrogates plan visits a selection day draws near

Nevada is a critical swing state whose six electoral votes could determine who wins the presidency. It is also a bellwether state that has voted for the candidate that becomes president in all but two elections since 1912, Gerald Ford in 1976 and Hillary Clinton in 2016. (Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Voters face critical decision on abortion rights

Nevada voters will have the chance to further safeguard abortion access in the state.  Ballot Question 6 asks if the right to abortion should be codified in the Nevada Constitution. (Las Vegas Sun)

Democrats, Republicans near even in voting turnout

Registered Democrats in Nevada hold a small turnout edge against Republicans and independent voters in the initial two days of voting in the 2024 presidential election, according to the Nevada Secretary of State’s office. (Las Vegas Sun)

Immigration ,housing linked–Vance hits on leading issues of state voters

Republican vice-presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance told a rally in Las Vegas that a Trump-Vance administration would fix Nevada’s housing crisis by deporting illegal immigrants and building “millions of new homes.” (Las Vegas Review Journal)

First lady keys on abortion rights in local speech

First lady Jill Biden stumped for Vice President Kamala Harris in Las Vegas on Wednesday, headlining a pair of events to encourage voters to cast a ballot early and highlight women’s “reproductive freedom.” (Las Vegas Review Journal)

What made Sam Brown run (again)

After being severely burned in Afghanistan, Brown — devout in his faith and trained in leadership — thinks politics is his next calling. Do voters? (The Nevada Independent)

GOP asks Nevada poll observers to ensure voting machines are operating accurately

Republicans in Nevada are asking poll observers to complete a more than 15-item checklist that mostly centers on voting machine security. Critics say it invites harassment against workers and sows distrust. (The Nevada Independent)

Three takeaways from JD Vance’s visit to Nevada

The Republican nominee for vice president held events in Las Vegas and Reno, where he encouraged early voting and blamed an influx of undocumented immigrants for many of the problems facing Americans. (The Nevada Independent)

IndyFest 2024: Pollster and Sandoval optimistic that voting in Nevada will go smoothly

A Republican pollster said Nevadans are confident their votes will be counted accurately in the general election. The comments came in the opening panel Friday at IndyFest 2024. (The Nevada Independent)

JD Vance roasts Kamala Harris at Reno rally, takes questions from local reporters

Republican vice-presidential nominee JD Vance spent about 50 minutes savaging Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris on Wednesday in Reno using statistics and road-tested humor. A crowd of about 700 people filled a showroom in the Silver Legacy casino. (Reno Gazette Journal)

Nevada Republicans expand early voting advantage; polling average tilts toward Trump

Republicans expanded their early voting advantage to 4 points over Democrats after four days of Nevada early voting, and the website Real Clear Politics shows former President Donald Trump overtaking Vice President Kamala Harris in its polling average for the state. (Reno Gazette Journal)

Clinton urges voters to focus on Harris, not Trump in Las Vegas campaign stop

Former President Bill Clinton told supporters in Las Vegas’ Historic Westside on Tuesday night the best way for Vice President Kamala Harris to win the presidential election isn’t by bad-mouthing her opponent. (las Vegas Sun)

GOP asks Nevada poll observers to ensure voting machines are operating accurately

Critics say it invites harassment against workers and sows distrust. State law does not explicitly entitle poll watchers to receive much of this information. (The Nevada Independent)

The top election official in a politically crucial Nevada county says she was forced out

In a meeting with county staff, including representatives of the DA’s office, Burgess said she was forced to put a request for leave in writing despite her desire to stay.(The Nevada Independent)

Three takeaways from JD Vance’s visit to Nevada

Republican vice-presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance (R-OH) returned to Nevada on Wednesday, where he encouraged early voting and blamed an influx of undocumented immigrants for many of the problems facing Americans.  Vance also condemned Vice President Kamala Harris’ continued support of President Joe Biden, slammed the rise in housing and grocery costs and criticized allowing transgender women to participate in women’s sports. Vance’s visit came on the fifth day of in-person early voting in Nevada, which is among the battleground states likely to determine the results of the presidential race. (The Nevada Independent)

Four takeaways from Trump’s AAPI voter-focused rally in Vegas

The event, hosted by Turning Point Action, was geared toward Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander voters — the first Trump event geared toward the bloc in Nevada this cycle. (The Nevada Independent)

Elections poised to scramble House Appropriations lineup

WASHINGTON — With two long-serving and influential appropriators facing tough reelection contests, along with several others down the dais, the upcoming elections could rejigger the influential spending panel’s roster.(Nevada Current)

Trump: Nevada will flip–Calls for votes at UNLV rally

Former President Donald Trump told a large crowd in Las Vegas that Nevada will flip for him, which would mark the first time the Silver State elected a Republican for president since 2004. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Trump allies map out policy agenda in secret sessions

Late this summer, a prominent right-wing think tank invited conservatives from around the country to learn how to work in a second Donald Trump administration. (Las Vegas Sun)

Trump warns of military turning ‘woke,’ hitting familiar messaging in Las Vegas

On stage surrounded by thousands of rallygoers at Thomas & Mack Center Thursday night, former President Donald Trump celebrated what he labeled as the “greatest political movement in the history of our country,” — his own. (Las Vegas Sun)

Standing in line to vote early in Nevada? Two no-no’s:

Don’t talk about candidates or political parties or ballot measures, or else you could be guilty of a gross misdemeanor.  Don’t wear a shirt, hat or button in favor or opposition to any candidate, political party or ballot question.  If you do, you’ll be asked to cover up the messaging or to move outside the 100-foot boundary around voting locations. (Reno Gazette Journal)

Legislative Updates

Important Dates

First Day of Legislative Session         February 3^rd                Days Until: 100

Check out the 540 bill draft requests that have been submitted up until now–BDR List.

Hearing on CCSD shortfall–Legislators to probe projected deficit amid ‘record ’funding

Nevada lawmakers will explore the Clark County School District’s potential budget shortfall despite “record” public funding. (Las Vegas Review-Journal)