The G3Wire

Election news, of course, is dominating the G3Wire this week. New polling finds President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump are in a statistical dead heat in Nevada six months before the November election.  Brightline announced that it has designated Siemens as its preferred bidder to build train sets for the 218-mile rail line to be constructed between Las Vegas and Rancho Cucamonga, California. Siemens Mobility trains capable of hitting 220 mph on its Las Vegas-to-Southern California high-speed rail line. Leaders in Nevada’s multimillion-dollar legal cannabis industry are welcoming news that the Biden administration is working to reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous drug, but they say the devil will be in the details. These Nevada news links and more below! And don’t forget to check out the upcoming fundraisers!

State and Local Government Updates

New rules to improve air quality

Clark County is making changes to its air quality regulations in an effort to decrease ozone levels in the valley. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Site of the nation’s ‘dirtiest coal plant’ is now part of Nevada’s clean energy transition

A decade after lawmakers ordered the coal burning Reid Gardner Power Station shuttered, it has new life as a battery storage facility. (The Nevada Independent)

D.C. Download: After decades of duds, Brightline may be the engine that could

Nevada’s political avengers assembled Monday for a groundbreaking ceremony more Coachella than press conference. (The Nevada Independent)

Jara’s parting gesture: Raises for his cabinet

Before leaving the Clark County School District this year, then-Superintendent Jesus Jara gave members of his executive cabinet significant raises, including a pay hike of 40 percent to the chief of police. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

DMV upgrade could cost Nevada extra $300M amid rollout woes

The Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles’ modernization of its computer system could take longer than anticipated and cost the state more than $300 million in additional funding. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Here’s who will build the trains for Brightline’s Vegas-to-LA rail line

Brightline announced Wednesday that it has designated Siemens as its preferred bidder to build train sets for the 218-mile rail line to be constructed between Las Vegas and Rancho Cucamonga, California. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

A ‘huge deal’: Nevada cannabis businesses, consumers may see lower costs

Cannabis businesses and consumers could likely enjoy lower costs under a federal proposal to reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous drug, according to experts. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Price hikes for leasing land for oil, gas exploration could force industry out of Nevada

Nevada has produced nominal amounts of oil over the decades, but updates to federal onshore oil and gas leasing rules could dry up exploration in the state. (The Nevada Independent)

Nevada gaming regulators recommend license for media mogul Barry Diller

Billionaire investor Barry Diller was recommended for an unlimited license by the Nevada Gaming Control Board. (The Nevada Independent)

Nevada gaming regulators file complaint against embattled casino exec

The action follows a guilty plea by the former casino president over failure to comply with anti-money laundering programs with the MGM Grand. (The Nevada Independent)

Sibella common thread in state and federal probes of money laundering 

The Nevada Gaming Control Board, which has been silent since news broke last summer of a federal investigation of Las Vegas casinos and executives, filed a complaint Tuesday against Scott Sibella, the former president of MGM Grand and Resorts World, that mirrors the federal case that resulted in Sibella’s guilty plea in January to one count of violating anti-money laundering law. (Nevada Current)

UNLV sees record enrollment after years of steady decline

In recent years enrollment at many Nevada higher education institutions — like higher education institutions nationally — has plateaued compared to pre-pandemic levels. But at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas the tide has finally turned. (Nevada Current)

CCSD kicks off new hiring push

The Clark County School District is launching a recruitment campaign that will primarily target teachers in California with digital video ads aimed at attracting them to the relatively more affordable Silver State, officials said Tuesday. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

UNLV planning to lease 42 acres

UNLV has proposed entering into a 99-year ground lease for 42 acres it owns near the Strip that could generate over $1 billion in revenue for the university.(Las Vegas Review Journal)

Post-Roe challenges in focus as abortion rights advocates navigate the future in Nevada

Fifteen percent of the women seeking abortion care in Las Vegas since the U.S. Supreme Court in 2022 reversed its ruling in the landmark Roe v. Wade case are from out of state, according to data from Planned Parenthood. (Las Vegas Sun)

Federal Updates

Nuclear waste storage at Yucca Mountain could roil Nevada U.S. Senate race

More than 3.5 million pounds of highly radioactive nuclear waste is buried on a coastal bluff just south of Orange County, near an idyllic beach name-checked in the Beach Boys’ iconic “Surfin’ U.S.A.” (Los Angeles Times)

Nevada joins six western states demanding more water investments 

Nevada’s senators joined federal lawmakers from six other western states Monday to demand additional funding to address the region’s long-term drought, worsened by climate change. (Nevada Current)

Legislation aims to cut prescription drug prices

The Reducing Drug Prices for Seniors Act would require prescription drug coinsurance payments for seniors on Medicare to be determined based on the lower net price of the medication, rather than its higher list price, according to Rosen’s office. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Change for pot possible benefit

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration will move to reschedule marijuana from Schedule I — a category reserved for drugs with no accepted medical use — to Schedule III, a category of drugs with recognized medical uses and a lower potential for dependency and abuse, according to a Tuesday report by The Associated Press. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Nevada cannabis industry leaders cautiously optimistic about DEA’s rescheduling move

Leaders in Nevada’s multimillion-dollar legal cannabis industry are welcoming news that the Biden administration is working to reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous drug, but they say the devil will be in the details. (Las Vegas Sun)

Botched FAFSA rollout leaves students across US in financial limbo

By May 1, students usually know where they’re headed to college in the fall. This year most still haven’t received financial aid offers. Three months before the start of fall classes, many don’t know where they’re going to college, or how they’re going to pay for it. (Las Vegas Sun)

Nevada’s lawmakers sign on for drought aid

Nevada lawmakers signed onto a letter with more than 30 other members of Congress on Monday, calling for more federal funds to help address drought in the West, which is only expected to intensify. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Yucca Mountain could roil Nevada’s race for US Senate

Vociferous opposition from a broad, bipartisan coalition of political, business, environmental and tribal leaders in Nevada has blocked the creation of a long planned federal nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

GOP discord over House leadership tanks Amodei’s pro-mining bill, at least for now

Where waste can be dumped and what will best promote clean energy has made allies of Amodei and Cortez Masto and pitted both against the Biden administration. (The Nevada Independent)

Articles of Interest

LV’s tallest resort in works

A team of Las Vegas real estate developers is planning to build what could be the city’s tallest resort on the 27-acre site that formerly held the Wet ‘n Wild waterpark and for years was targeted for Jackie Robinson’s All Net Arena project. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Las Vegas veteran headed to Normandy, 80 years after D-Day

The last known D-Day veteran in Las Vegas will return to Normandy. Again. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

How many homes are being built in Las Vegas right now?

New home construction in Clark County appears to be returning back to pre-pandemic levels, according to new statistics from residential construction data company Zonda. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Study links sports betting with binge drinking

A new study shows that sports bettors are more likely to binge drink than individuals who are not gambling at all or who are gambling in another way. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Indy Gaming: International flights on the rise in Las Vegas

International passenger volume at Harry Reid International Airport is nearing it pre-pandemic levels., which would be a good boost for the Las Vegas resort industry. (The Nevada Independent)

Long-awaited Nevada DMV modernization likely delayed, may cost $300M more

Officials said in March the project was on track and within budget. Now, the DMV is shifting tasks to a contractor because its IT staff could not complete them. (The Nevada Independent)

As Washoe, others adopt anti-camping laws, advocates and homeless fear fallout

On March 26, the Washoe County Commission became the latest municipality to pass an ordinance making it a misdemeanor to camp or live in a vehicle on county-owned properties or public places. (The Nevada Independent)

Home building in county slows

New home construction in Clark County appears to be returning back to pre-pandemic levels, according to new statistics from residential construction data company Zonda. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Devils Hole pupfish population reaches a 25-year high in census

A population spurt for the Devils Hole pupfish, a critically endangered fish at Death Valley National Park, is giving scientists cause for optimism, the National Park Service said. (Las Vegas Sun)

Here is where Tesla is laying off 700 workers in Nevada. Will it affect incentives?

Tesla notified Nevada of its plans to lay off 693 employees at various locations in the area as part of the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act. The WARN Act requires employers to provide notification 60 days in advance when laying off 100 or more workers. (Reno Gazette Journal)

Reno expected to get new VA hospital in new location after bill announced in US Senate

Instead of remodeling its Veterans Administration Medical Center, Reno will be getting a new VA hospital in a new location. (Reno Gazette Journal)

Historic Westside’s new job training center wants to ‘get people working’

Construction on the Westside Workforce Education and Training Center will begin in August and should be complete in a year. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Stan Colton, former Nevada state treasurer, justice of peace, dies at 85

Stan Colton, a longtime political and legal figure in Southern Nevada and friend of the late U.S. Sen. Harry Reid, died April 25 in Henderson, his family members said. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

No rush to build new resort attached to A’s ballpark, Bally’s says

An executive explained why Bally’s is in no hurry to produce plans for a resort that would be attached to the Oakland Athletics’ stadium at the Tropicana site. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

‘Blank canvas’: 5K acres to be developed by NLV, UNLV

The land will soon be transferred to UNLV and the city of North Las Vegas from the Bureau of Land Management. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Musk’s Boring Company makes list of ‘Dirty Dozen’ workplace safety offenders 

Two companies doing business in Las Vegas, the Boring Company and Black Iron, are among the “Dirty Dozen” identified by the National Council of Occupational Safety and Health as workplace safety offenders. National COSH is an organization dedicated to worker safety. (Nevada Current)

Studio project eyes ’27 for build

The UNLV Research Foundation said the groundbreaking for the 34-acre Nevada Studios Campus at the Harry Reid Research and Technology Park could happen in 2027, but that is subject to the state’s film tax credit program being expanded in the next legislative session. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

A’s consider firm for financing

The Oakland Athletics are considering hiring an investment firm to assist team owner John Fisher in securing financing for construction of their planned Las Vegas ballpark. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Nevada is adding more manufacturing jobs than ever. Will it boost the industry?

Manufacturers say Nevada is a business and labor-friendly spot for their industry. But there are still barriers to future growth. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Brightline bid to Siemens

Brightline West will feature Siemens Mobility trains capable of hitting 220 mph on its Las Vegas-to-Southern California high-speed rail line. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

RJ agrees to turn over most data on slain reporter’s phone

The Las Vegas Review-Journal has agreed to give prosecutors, police and defense attorneys the majority of data on slain investigative reporter Jeff German’s phone. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Election News

Important Dates

Primary Early Voting              May 25                        Days Until: 22

Primary Election                     June 11                        Days Until: 39

General Election                     November 5                Days Until: 186

Senate hopefuls sound off on aid

Many House Republicans opposed aid to Ukraine and only wanted funding for Israel, while Democrats wanted a bill that included funding for both.

These Three States Will (Probably) Decide the 2024 Elections

Democratic nominees have won Nevada in the past four presidential elections, but Biden is at risk of losing the state in 2024. (Impact)

After losing three straight times, are Republicans as invested in Vegas House seats?

After Democrats held on to all three Las Vegas-based House seats for two consecutive election cycles, national Republicans again took aim at flipping the seats in 2022, with one key GOP PAC pouring more money into the districts of Rep. Susie Lee (D-NV) and Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV) than any other in the country. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Board of Regents primary attracts crowd of candidates, despite new shorter terms

Voters in Nevada will soon need to narrow down which candidates can advance to the general election for the chance to govern Nevada’s public system of higher education. (Reno Gazette Journal)

Election 2024 guide: Here are primary candidates for Sparks City Council Ward 1

Despite being relatively unknown, Chris Garvey got 49% of the vote in 2022 for Sparks mayor and nearly toppled incumbent Ed Lawson. (Reno Gazette Journal)

Election 2024 guide: Here are primary candidates for Reno City Council Ward 5

Reese was first appointed and then elected to Reno City Council’s at-large ward covering the entire city, but that ward goes away in 2025. It will be replaced by a new Ward 6. (Reno Gazette Journal)

Election 2024 guide: Here are the primary candidates for Reno City Council Ward 3

Reno’s Ward 3 incumbent – Miguel Martinez – was appointed to the Reno City Council in October 2022 after Oscar Delgado resigned. (Reno Gazette Journal)

Election 2024 guide: Here are primary candidates for Reno City Council Ward 6

The Nevada Legislature created it to replace Reno’s old “at-large” council seat that covered the whole city. Because of this, there’s no incumbent. Seven candidates who have never held office want to be the first. (Reno Gazette Journal)

Election 2024 guide: Here are GOP primary candidates for Nevada’s US House District 2

U.S. Rep. Mark Amodei seeks to keep his streak alive representing Nevada’s District 2 for the past 13 years. (Reno Gazette Journal)

Trump holds edge over Biden in seven key swing state polls

New Emerson College Polling/The Hill swing state polls find President Biden trailing former President Trump in the states of Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin; the differences are within each survey’s margin of error. (Emerson College Polling)

Election 2024 guide: Here are GOP primary candidates for Nevada’s US House District 2

U.S. Rep. Mark Amodei seeks to keep his streak alive representing Nevada’s District 2 for the past 13 years. (Reno Gazette Journal)

Even after district was redrawn to be competitive, Senate Dems give it the cold shoulder

The Nevada Democratic Senate Caucus, which has a credible chance of winning a veto-proof majority this year, has yet to endorse a candidate in Senate District 18, while Republicans in the primary race have a sizable lead on fundraising. (Nevada Current)

Culinary-backed nurse challenges Democratic incumbent in State Senate District 3

The Culinary union is flexing its political muscle this election cycle, backing the daughter of their former secretary-treasurer in a primary challenge against Democratic state Sen. Rochelle Nguyen because she supported a bill the union vehemently opposed. (Nevada Current)

Brown: Failure to bring nuclear waste to NV is an ‘incredible loss of revenue for our state’

While campaigning for U.S. Senate in 2022, Sam Brown, now the Republican frontrunner for the U.S. Senate nomination in 2024, told a campaign gathering that he supported bringing nuclear waste from the nation’s nuclear power plants to Yucca Mountain in Nevada. (Nevada Current)

Biden, Trump in a dead heat

NEW polling finds President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump are in a statistical dead heat in Nevada six months before the November election. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Biden cuts into Trump’s lead in Nevada, new poll finds

In Nevada, 45% of the respondents indicated they prefer Trump, and 44% are supporting Biden, according to the survey by Emerson College Polling/The Hill. Undecided voters are 11%. Results were released Tuesday. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Will AI deepfakes , robocalls influence the nation’s choice in November?

A new survey by the Polarization Research Lab pointed to the fears Americans have over artificial intelligence: 65% worry about personal privacy violations, 49.8% expect AI to negatively affect the safety of elections and 40% believe AI might harm national security. (Las Vegas Sun)

A match made in MAGA: Friendship helped Vance land on Trump’s VP list

Today, Vance is one of the former president’s most reliable allies and a leader of a band of politicians pushing Senate Republicans to the right. And his star has only continued to rise: Vance is on the list of Trump’s possible running mates, according to two people familiar with the discussions. (Las Vegas Sun)

Is That ‘Tight’ Swing State . . . Really That Tight?

You can justify the headline, “Poll: Tight race between Donald Trump, President Biden in Nevada.” Emerson just came out with a new survey in the state that has Trump at 45 percent and Biden at 44 percent. (National Review)

Election 2024 guide: Here are Republican primary candidates for Nevada’s US Senate seat

Nevada is in the national spotlight again as Democratic control of the U.S. Senate may hinge on Jacky Rosen winning re-election. (Reno Gazette Journal)

‘Latino Loud’ campaign looks to amplify Latino voices in Nevada elections

Latino voters could change the tide of this year’s elections as a growing wave becomes eligible to vote, and local organizations are joining together to ensure that all of Nevada’s Latino voters — from the new 18-year-old to the grandfather who hasn’t cast a ballot in years — show up to the polls this November. (Las Vegas Sun)

Campaign aims to energize Latinos

As political parties continue to target the coveted Latino vote, organizers launched a nonpartisan campaign encouraging Nevada’s Latino community members who are less engaged to participate in the electoral process. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Trump campaign sues Nevada for accepting mail ballots that trickle in after Election Day 

The Trump campaign and its allies filed a lawsuit Friday challenging a Nevada law allowing elections officials to accept mail ballots for up to four business days after Election Day, as long as they are postmarked before polls close. (The Nevada Independent)

Lombardo endorses Marty O’Donnell in Nevada’s 3rd District Republican primary

The endorsement represents the governor’s second time weighing in on Nevada’s most competitive House race. (The Nevada Independent)

Upcoming Fundraisers

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.

________________________________________

Re-Election Kickoff Fundraiser

Danielle Gallant

Wednesday, May 8, 2024

6:00-8:30 PM

Smoke and Mirrors Lounge

2975 Sammy Davis Jr. Drive

Las Vegas, NV 89109

RSVPs are appreciated but not required

Danielle@Danielle4NV.com

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Las Vegas Justice Court

Dept. 8

Nancy Bernstein

Thursday, May 9, 2024

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

Bagel Cafe

301 N. Buffalo Drive

Las Vegas, NV 89145

For More Information or to RSVP,

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

_______________________________________

Governor Steve Sisolak Hosts

Sharifa Wahab

Thursday, May 9, 2024

5:30-7:30 PM

Pure Indian Cuisine

1405 E. Sunset Road, Ste. 200

Las Vegas, NV 89119

_______________________________________

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

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Fundraiser to Support

Heidi Kasama for Assembly District 2

Brian Hibbetts for Assembly District 13

Gregory Hafen for Assembly District 36

 Thursday, May 23, 2024

11:30AM-1:30PM

Panevino

246 Via Antonio Ave.

Las Vegas, NV 89119

Questions: eric@gopnevada.com