The G3Wire

September 20, 2024

In Election news this week, former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris are neck and neck in the swing state of Nevada with less than two months to go until the November election. A survey from Emerson College Polling/The Hill of voter attitudes in swing states released Thursday showed the candidates tied, each with 48 percent support in the Silver State, a marginal change from when the group last polled in late August before the presidential debate. In the Articles of Interest section, the number of solar-related jobs in Nevada increased 14 percent in 2023, more than twice the nationwide average, according to the Interstate Renewable Energy Council’s National Solar Job Census. While gas prices have dipped significantly elsewhere in the U.S., Nevada has yet to see a meaningful drop, according to a transportation expert. And the Clark County School District has parted ways with its chief financial officer. These Nevada news links and so much more below!

State and Local Government Updates

‘I actually did care;’ Ousted Clark County schools trustee on her reluctant resignation
Although Katie Williams formally resigned from her position as a trustee on the Clark County School Board — hours after the Clark County District Attorney’s Office began legal proceedings to declare her seat vacant — Williams said she didn’t want to quit.(The Nevada Independent)

Lawyer: Fiore classified a terrorist—Wire fraud, conspiracy trial begins Sept. 24

Former Las Vegas City Councilwoman Michele Fiore has been classified a domestic terrorist by the government based on Department of Homeland Security and FBI threat levels, her lawyer said in new court documents. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Nevada Medicaid to expand abortion coverage after state declines to appeal court decision

The state-managed health insurance program will now include abortion services alongside its other medically necessary health care options. (The Nevada Independent)

Planet 13 expands Vegas footprint with acquisition of rival cannabis dispensary

Cannabis dispensary Planet 13 is buying a rival dispensary in the resort corridor for $6.9 million. A consultant said the deal would help in evaluating the value of the Las Vegas cannabis industry. (The Nevada Independent)

Las Vegas City Council to debate tougher measures to combat homelessness

A new city ordinance to be introduced at Wednesday’s Las Vegas City Council meeting would ban people from sitting, lying down or camping on public streets, alleys, trails or highways. (Las Vegas Sun)

City looks to bolster camping ban—Would restrict encampments in public spaces

 The city of Las Vegas is weighing whether to strengthen its camping ordinance banning homeless encamp men The city of Las Vegas is weighing whether to strengthen its camping ordinance banning homeless encampments on public spaces — including the power to arrest repeat offenders. (Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Judge rules Fiore can’t argue she’s being politically persecuted during wire fraud trial

Fiore has argued that her fraud indictment this summer stemmed from her right-wing political beliefs and her outspoken support of the Bundy ranching family. A judge ruled this was irrelevant to the case. (The Nevada Independent)

Audit: State improperly vetted small businesses that received pandemic relief funds

The Governor’s Office of Economic Development was tasked with overseeing awards for two pandemic relief programs. More than 10 percent of the awardees had questionable eligibility. (The Nevada Independent)

CCSD finance chief Goudie out—Schools facing budget challenges after raises

Jason Goudie no longer serves as the district’s deputy superintendent of business administration and chief financial officer, according to a district statement provided to the Review-Journal Thursday evening. Deputy Chief Financial Officer Diane Bartholomew will serve in the interim. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Chronic absenteeism decreases at Nevada schools, proficiency rates improve

Math, English Language Arts proficiency rates increase for the 2023-34 school year, but continue to lag behind pre-pandemic levels. (The Nevada Independent)

Federal Updates

D.C. Download: What to know with another government shutdown on the horizon

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) proposed a six-month stopgap with attached legislation requiring proof of citizenship when registering to vote — a nonstarter with Democrats, who point out that noncitizen voting is already illegal and incredibly rare. (The Nevada Independent)

Horsford intros his own bill ending taxes on tips, while also raising subminimum wage

Horsford’s plan, unlike Republican-led proposals to solely exempt tips from federal taxation, includes eliminating the federal tipped subminimum wage, aiming to improve tipped workers’ pay by raising their baseline earnings and easing their tax burden. (The Nevada Independent)

Complaints prompt federal investigation into Nevada’s immigration detention centers

Many of the complaints mentioned detainees’ problems accessing health care services — ranging from being ignored by medical staff to one patient accidentally being injected with insulin. (The Nevada Independent)

Fed cut brings relief—Interest rate down from two-decade high as inflation slows

THE Federal Reserve on Wednesday cut its benchmark interest rate by an unusually large half-point, a dramatic shift after more than two years of high rates that helped tame inflation but also made borrowing painfully expensive for American consumers. (Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Speaker’s budget proposal rejected—Deadline nearing for government shutdown

The House on Wednesday rejected Speaker Mike Johnson’s proposal that would have linked temporary funding for the federal government with a mandate that states require proof of citizenship when people register to vote. (The Associated Press)

U.S. agency review says Nevada lithium mine can co-exist with endangered flower

The review is likely to face challenges from environmentalists who say will cause the desert flower to go extinct at the only place it exists in the world. (The Nevada Independent)

Articles of Interest

Nevada is joining the list of states using Medicaid to pay for more abortions

Nevada is primed to become the 18th state to use Medicaid funds to increase access to abortion for lower-income women. (apnews.com)

A week of fear and fire: A look back at the Davis Fire

Davis Fire tore through a path of destruction from Washoe Valley to southwest Reno. A heroic response from fire crews kept it from being much worse. (Reno Gazette Journal)

Camp closed over illegal roads

Officials: Influx of visitors harmed ecosystems, raised crime rate—The Government Wash camping site closed in July after an “impromptu community” began “living” in the park, leading to damaged natural resources and high rates of crime, Garel said. During peak times of the year, there could be between 300 and 500 visitors staying at Government Wash. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Should state constitution’s language be updated?

Question 2 is one of seven questions on the November ballot and is being proposed to make Nevada’s guiding document more modern and inclusive. (Las Vegas Sun)

Southwest Airlines is experiencing one of the biggest shakeups in its 53-year history

Southwest Airlines is entering a new era, whether its shareholders, customers and leaders like it or not. (Las Vegas Sun)

Indy Education: Vegas-based law firm standing up for students with special needs

The law firm says it helps families get access to the educational services and accommodations their children need. (The Nevada Independent)

Control of the Murdoch media empire could be at stake in a closed-door hearing in Nevada

A probate court in Nevada is set to begin reviewing evidence behind closed doors in a case that could determine who will control Rupert Murdoch’s media empire after his death. (The Nevada Independent)

PUC denies NV Energy bid to triple service charge in Northern Nevada

In a rare victory for NV Energy consumers, the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada voted Tuesday to reject the utility’s bid to nearly triple the basic service charge for Northern Nevada customers from $16.50 a month to $45.30 a month, “a number that I believe is much too high,” Commissioner Randy Brown said during the hearing. (Nevada Current)

Poll: Nevadans support expanding universal preschool funding, child tax credits

Across all six swing states surveyed, researchers indicated that majorities of Republicans and Democrats favor federal actions to help families. (The Nevada Independent)

Indy Gaming: Are declining Strip room rates during Formula One weekend a yellow flag?

A gaming analyst described Strip hotel room rates as being “stuck in neutral” for the last night of the Formula One Las Vegas Grand Prix. Prices are off almost 50 percent compared to a year ago. (The Nevada Independent)

Nevada outpaces national average for solar-related job growth

The number of solar-related jobs in Nevada increased 14 percent in 2023, more than twice the nationwide average, according to the Interstate Renewable Energy Council’s National Solar Job Census. (The Nevada Independent)

$70M split in Wynn settlement

Hundreds of Wynn Resorts Ltd. shareholders will split a $70 million class-action lawsuit settlement in a case stemming from allegations the company didn’t disclose the sexual misconduct of former CEO Steve Wynn. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Gas drops elsewhere, but not in this region—Refinery maintenance in California to blame

While gas prices have dipped significantly elsewhere in the U.S., Nevada has yet to see a meaningful drop, according to a transportation expert. (Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Reno posts 2nd-highest median home price; Fed cuts rates

The median home sales price in the city of Reno remains way above $600,000. Will Fed rate cuts help homebuyers? (Reno Gazette Journal)

A’s owner John Fisher says he is excited to watch Aaron Judge hit homers in Sacramento ballpark

The Oakland A’s made it official on Thursday that they will play several seasons in Sacramento while they wait for their new ballpark in Las Vegas to be built. (sports.yahoo.com)

Audit: Seven mental health facilities for children fail state standards

Nevada Homes for Youth, Aurora Center for Healing, Shannon West Homeless Youth Center and four Advanced Foster Care Homes, run by Nevada’s Division of Child and Family Services (DCFS), all fell short of state standards. (The Nevada Independent)

Election News

Important Dates

General Early Voting                                      October 19^th                Days Until: 30

General Election                                             November 5^th              Days Until: 47

Election 2024: Voter guide to key races on Northern Nevada ballots

The presidential race isn’t the only key contest on Washoe County ballots.  Here’s a quick rundown of the top federal, state and local elections and why they matter. (Reno Gazette Journal)

Election 2024: Q&A with Sam Brown, Jacky Rosen running for Nevada’s U.S. Senate seat

The Cook Political Report analyzing national races had categorized the Nevada Senate race as a toss-up in April but, based on fresh polling, changed it to “lean Democrat” in August. (Reno Gazette Journal)

Survey warns Latino voter outreach could fall short

Unidos US released results Thursday from its 2024 Pre-Election Poll of the Hispanic Electorate, which surveyed 3,000 swing state voters, including 300 voters in Nevada, from Aug. 5-23 on key issues and races. (Nevada Current)

Confounding texts, private school blessings make for muddled choice in school board race

Only 361 votes separated Emily Stevens and Karl Catarata in the five-candidate primary for District A in June. Stevens placed first, with 25.7% of votes. Catarata placed second with 24.8%. (Nevada Current)

Trump peddles anti-immigrant rhetoric at Las Vegas rally

Between attacks on Vice President Kamala Harris and haranguing the media for what he saw as a rigged primetime debate, former President Donald Trump used much of his Las Vegas rally on Friday night to stoke fears about immigrants.  (Nevada Current)

Trump makes promises to Nevada voters on tips, overtime, housing at Las Vegas rally

Former President Donald Trump rolled out promise after promise in an 80-minute speech to a crowd of about 6,000 Friday in Las Vegas, bouncing from topic to topic and from jokes to apocalyptic predictions. (Reno Gazette Journal)

How Nevada and Washoe County have voted in every presidential election since 1980

Nevada is often called a battleground state because races tend to be close, and its voters don’t reliably pick the candidate of one party as evidenced by its Republican governor and two Democratic U.S. senators. (Reno Gazette Journal)

Native Americans fight barriers to voting, 100 years after being recognized as U.S. citizens

In stark contrast to Montana, Nevada’s 28 tribal nations have made great strides toward making voting more accessible for members. (Reno Gazette Journal)

FBI investigates new Trump assassination attempt; suspect identified

The incident occurred on the same day Trump posted “I hate Taylor Swift” on his Truth Social platform and his running mate said he had no regrets for propagating fake stories about Haitian migrants. (Reno Gazette Journal)

Trump retargeted

Man set up outside golf course seen by Secret Service is fired at and later apprehended. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

Democrats dominate list of most vulnerable senators

The Democrats’ fragile hold on the Senate majority is likely to come down to the fates of a dirt farmer from north-central Montana, a Rust Belt populist and a trio of senators from battleground states. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

GOP focusing on issue that experts say is not a problem

LOS ANGELES – Heading into what is expected to be another tight presidential race. Republicans are laying the groundwork for an updated version of the false “voter fraud” claims made four years ago after then-President Donald Trump lost the election. (Las Vegas Review Journal)

In Nevada, clean energy divides the Senate race

If Democrats lose both the White House and the Senate, it could allow Republicans to reverse the climate wins of the Biden administration. (The Nevada Independent)

Nevada Latinos have more voting power than ever. Here’s what that means for 2024

A Nevada Independent analysis found voting-age Latino population growth has outpaced statewide growth, while a Census survey shows Latino voters participate less often than Black and white voters. (The Nevada Independent)

Indy Explains: How Question 7 would require voter ID in Nevada

The proposal would amend the Nevada Constitution to require all voters in Nevada to present a valid photo identification before voting, or part of a personally identifiable number while voting by mail. (The Nevada Independent)

Trump defends debate performance at Vegas rally, vows to free up federally owned land

In a freewheeling speech, Trump delivered his usual rhetoric against illegal immigration and once again predicted that a victory for Kamala Harris would mark the undoing of America. (The Nevada Independent)

Concerns about school board, down-ballot races heard at Nevada Democracy Project

The participants of the fourth community listening session encouraged voters to engage in races with high stakes on their day-to-day lives. (The Nevada Independent)

Harris-Rosen? Brown-Trump? Do the Nevada Senate candidates mirror presidential hopefuls?

The Nevada Senate campaigns (and supportive outside groups) are each spending millions of dollars to try to get voters to think of their opponent in the same breath as their party leader. (The Nevada Independent)

Harris condemns Trump rhetoric, says voters should make sure he ‘can’t have that microphone again’

PHILADELPHIA — Vice President Kamala Harris on Tuesday decried Republican Donald Trump for inflammatory rhetoric about migrants in Springfield, Ohio and on other topics, saying voters should make sure he “can’t have that microphone again.” (Las Vegas Sun)

Gwen Walz Campaigns in Las Vegas

Minnesota first lady Gwen Walz, wife of Democratic vice-presidential candidate Gov. Tim Walz, on Tuesday will make her first visit to Nevada since her husband joined the ticket. She will meet in Las Vegas with campaign volunteers and participate in an Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander celebration.(Las Vegas Sun)

Harris, Trump campaigns scuffle over migrants and abortion bans 7 weeks out from election

WASHINGTON — With seven weeks until Election Day, the campaign machines for Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump appealed to coveted voters in the battleground states with events and rallies targeting Black and Gen Z populations, rural voters and conservative Christians. (Nevada Current)

In Nevada, clean energy divides the Senate race

The development of solar energy is a dividing line between the two Nevada Senate candidates as the state sees a rapid buildout of renewable energy projects. (The Nevada Independent)

Barbershop chain owner challenges incumbent for North Las Vegas City Council

Home to more than 275,000 residents, the City of North Las Vegas is the state’s fourth most populous incorporated city – behind Las Vegas, Henderson, and Reno. (Nevada Current)

With supermajority in play, Dem assemblywoman faces Lombardo-backed challenger in swing district

Incumbent Democratic Assemblywoman Shea Backus, who will face Republican David Brog in the general election, said though the seat in Clark County currently has a slight Democratic edge, retaining the seat will “still be hard work.” (Nevada Current)

Harris, Trump campaigns scuffle over migrants and abortion bans 7 week out from election

WASHINGTON — With seven weeks until Election Day, the campaign machines for Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump appealed to coveted voters in the battleground states with events and rallies targeting Black and Gen Z populations, rural voters and conservative Christians. (Nevada Current)

In Las Vegas stop, Gwen Walz slams Trump and Vance on reproductive rights, school safety

First lady of Minnesota Gwen Walz said she had to put on her “stern teacher voice” to send a message to Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and his running mate JD Vance on Tuesday morning. (Las Vegas Sun)

Unions gear up to boost Harris’ campaign in Nevada

Every day, more and more people are signing up to help knock on doors and make phone calls for Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign, a Las Vegas union official said. (Las Vegas Sun)

Public defender challenges Family Court judge appointed by Lombardo

“The public can trust that families and preservation of relationship between parents and children will always come first in my Courtroom,” says the website of Family Court Judge Paul Gaudet, who was appointed to the bench in March 2023 by Gov. Joe Lombardo. (Nevada Current)

Harris blasts Trump deportation pledge as poll shows a majority of voters support it

Former President Donald Trump has made immigration a core campaign topic and has often demonized immigrants such as in Aurora, Colorado, and in Springfield, Ohio. Trump has pledged to conduct mass deportations of immigrants in the country without legal authorization. (Nevada Current)

Nevada poll total toss-up—Emerson’s latest has Trump, Harris tied

Former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris are neck and neck in the swing state of Nevada with less than two months to go until the November election, new polling shows. (Las Vegas Review-Journal)

On the Record: Assembly District 4 candidates Lisa Cole and Ryan Hampton

In the open seat, Democrat Ryan Hampton, an addiction recovery advocate is facing off against Lisa Cole, a lawyer and the vice president of an economic development small business. (The Nevada Independent)

Green Party cannot land on Nevada presidential ballot, U.S. Supreme Court rules

There were no noted dissents in the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling, which did not provide a reason for denying the Green Party’s emergency application to qualify for the ballot. (The Nevada Independent)

Legislative Updates

Important Dates

First Day of Legislative Session         February 3^rd                Days Until: 137

Bill draft would make NV Energy publicly report data on household power shut offs

Nevada does not require utilities to disclose the number of customers they disconnect, leaving little transparency of the magnitude of the problem. NV Energy, a regulated utility monopoly with more than a million captive customers, has shown little interest in publicly sharing the number of disconnected customers.  (Nevada Current)

Upcoming Fundraisers

Campaign Fundraiser

Re-Elect

Cynthia Cruz

Las Vegas Justice Court, Dept. 5

Wednesday, October 2, 2024

6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Foundation Room

Mandalay Bay

3950 S Las Vegas Blvd,

LAS VEGAS, NV 89119

For More Information or to RSVP,

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