Las Vegas Sun

Featured speaker at Monday's Democratic tele-luncheon will be Ed Komenda, Las Vegas reporter for the Reno Gazette Journal. His presentation's primary focus will be on how Cliven Bundy's rhetoric could help fan the flames of far-right extremism in Nevada.

Featured speakers at Monday's Democratic tele-luncheon will be two Nevada journalists who have written extensively about how Nevada responded to the Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918-1919: Bob Conrad in Reno and Bob Stoldal in Las Vegas.

Tens of thousands of Nevada small businesses and organizations — from casinos and law firms to churches and even strip clubs — received at least $3.1 billion through the Paycheck Protection Program stimulus package, according to a massive disclosure made by the federal government.

More than 100 people joined NARAL Pro-Choice Nevada (National Abortion Rights Action League) in a rally Tuesday at the Nevada State Legislature to support Senate Bill 179, also called the “Trust Nevada Women Act.” In a time when abortion is being outlawed in several states around the country, Nevada instead went in the opposite direction with SB 179, securing a woman’s right to choose.

UPDATE: Today’s blood drive in Carson City is full. Schedule an appointment or sign up for future blood drives by visiting United Blood Services website here. A Las Vegas Victims' Fund Go Fund Me page has been established here.
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UPDATE 9:16AM: At least 59 people died and at least 500 wounded in Sunday night's sniper shooting, said Las Vegas Metro Police Department Sheriff Joseph Lombardo. It is the worst mass shooting in U.S. history. Both vehicles associated with the now deceased shooter, Stephen Paddock, 64, of Mesquite, have been located as has the female person of interest, Paddock's companion Marilou Danley.

The Capital City Arts Initiative [CCAI] presents its exhibition, "Wish You Were Here", by artist Susanne Forestieri at the CCAI Courthouse Gallery. CCAI will host a reception for the artist on Friday, October 6, 5-7pm. The exhibit will be in the gallery from October 6, 2017 – January 18, 2018.

The Courthouse is located at 885 E Musser Street, Carson City. The reception and the exhibition are free and the public is cordially invited. The gallery is open to the public Monday – Friday, 8am – 5pm.

A chronic shortage of K-12 teachers isn’t just felt in Washoe and Clark counties, which feature Nevada’s two largest school districts.

The problem is statewide, even in Carson City.

Author Jack Harpster is the featured speaker at the October lecture of the Nevada State Museum, Carson City. Harpster will discuss his new book “The Genesis of Reno: The History of the Riverside Hotel and the Virginia Street Bridge” from 6:30 to 8 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 27 as part of the museum’s monthly Frances Humphrey Lecture Series.

During this year’s legislative session, my wife and I approached our state legislators about resources for Nevada’s most underserved population: The mentally ill.
There is a health crisis in our state, one which has grown into an epidemic across the nation, but one that is especially endemic right here in the Silver State.
Having lived more than twelve years in a state that seems to cater to many human vices, this comes as no surprise to me.

During this year’s legislative session, my wife and I approached our state legislators about resources for Nevada’s most underserved population: The mentally ill.
There is a health crisis in our state, one which has grown into an epidemic across the nation, but one that is especially endemic right here in the Silver State.
Having lived more than twelve years in a state that seems to cater to many human vices, this comes as no surprise to me.

Former Nevada Governor Jim Gibbons had a very interesting term as Nevada's 28th governor from 2007-2011

The District Attorney’s response to concerns about his indecision on the death penalty in the McCune murder prosecution is deeply disappointing.

Nevada Assemblyman Steven Brooks was arrested early Sunday morning in Las Vegas on suspicion of domestic violence after allegedly attacking a family member in a physical confrontation and then attempting to take a law enforcement officer's gun.

The arrest, reported at 12:30 a.m. came only days after Brooks, 40, agreed to a leave of absence while being investigated for a number of bizarre events that began with his arrest for allegedly making threats to Nevada Assembly Speaker Marilyn Kirkpatrick.

CARSON CITY – Gov. Brian Sandoval today released budget data that had been sought by state lawmakers after a weeks-long disagreement over whether the information was public.

Gov. Brian Sandoval will release his full agency budget requests, his chief of staff said Thursday afternoon, reversing his administration's position a day after the Las Vegas Sun revealed millions of dollars in agency spending requests were being kept confidential.

CARSON CITY – Nevada’s state  Senate Republican leadership today expressed support for a state policy that makes thousands of young immigrants living in Nevada eligible for a state-issued driver’s license or ID.

The Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles, with the support of Gov. Brian Sandoval, announced this week that its policy would be to honor the employment authorization card granted to successful applicants under the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Deferred Action program.

The editor must have been enjoying some holiday cheer. Sometimes I envy the guy, he sure has a fun job. Consider the last few postings. 1. ...and deservedly so! | Carson City Nevada News - Carson Now http://carsonnow.org/reader-content/11/23/2012/and-deservedly-so  Absolutely right. As the author says, there is no cure for willful ignorance. Before I give in to the temptation of pointing to this letter as one obvious illustration of that dictum, let me ask the following questions:

CARSON CITY – From double-dipping employees to the questionable use of credit cards, the newest edition of the Nevada Policy Research Institute’s “piglet book” released today offers highlights of recent questionable government agency actions.

CARSON CITY – The Nevada Taxpayer’s Association has identified several concerns with an initiative petition to impose a margin tax on Nevada businesses filed by the state teachers union, including the title.

CARSON CITY – A proposal seeking to implement a business profits tax in Nevada to support public education will be filed with the Secretary of State’s office on Wednesday.

Supported by the state teachers union and the AFL-CIO, if the groups can collect 72,352 signatures by November 13, the issue of taxes will be dumped squarely in the laps of state lawmakers in 2013.

CARSON CITY – Washoe County Republican and Democratic Party leaders may disagree on who the best choice is for president, but they agree on one point – Washoe is the “battleground” county in the battleground state that is Nevada.

Clark County is expected to go big for Democrats and President Obama, while Nevada’s rural counties are expected to go strong for Mitt Romney. But Washoe County, where Republicans lead in voter registration by 3,700, has gone for both parties in past elections.

CARSON CITY – In the Republican quest to regain control of the state Senate in the 2012 general election, two GOP candidates in a bitter primary traded accusations today in a televised debate.

Whether GOP establishment favorite Mari Nakashima St. Martin or challenger Brent Jones wins the June 12 primary, the fiercely contested primary presents another challenge for Republicans to return to dominance in the state Senate.

CARSON CITY – The leader of the Assembly Republican Caucus today used a Tuesday reporting deadline for candidates running for election this year to announce several proposals to require more accountability and transparency in the financing of campaigns in Nevada.

CARSON CITY – While Mitt Romney and Barack Obama were campaigning elsewhere today, Nevada Democrats and Republicans took up the battle for the presidency on their behalf.

Rep. Joe Heck, R-Nev., held a telephone conference call to talk up Romney’s credentials as a “turnaround specialist” who will get the country back on track. He also criticized Obama for failing to get spending or the national deficit under control as he promised early on in his presidency.

CARSON CITY – They have names like “A Better Nevada PAC”, “A Bolder Nevada” and “The Nevada Hispanic Legislative Caucus”.

They are all political action committees formed or renewed by state lawmakers this year to help promote their parties, push their candidates and protect their ranks in an effort to maintain and/or win control of the Assembly and Senate.

CARSON CITY – A consultant hired by the cities of Henderson and Las Vegas to analyze the process used to distribute taxes to the counties and cities told lawmakers today the formula now used to make the allocations has weaknesses.

CARSON CITY – The president of the powerful state teachers union said today she is “excited” that another labor organization, the AFL-CIO, plans to pursue a business profits tax initiative petition.

“It will be a big deal,” said Lynn Warne, head of the Nevada State Education Association. “We’re excited that Danny (Thompson, executive secretary-treasurer of the Nevada State AFL-CIO) has decided to move forward with this. Anything we can do about funding our schools adequately in this state is great.”

CARSON CITY – Bill Raggio, a lion of Nevada politics and the state’s longest-serving state senator, passed away during a trip to Australia on Thursday. He was 85.

Officials from around the state expressed sorrow and sympathy for Raggio’s family when news of the loss of the highly-regarded lawmaker was first reported by Las Vegas Sun columnist Jon Ralston early today.

Longtime family friend Greg Ferraro told Ralston: “Officially, Bill Raggio passed away last night at 10pm PST of respiratory illness in Sydney Australia. Funeral arrangements are pending.”

Bill Raggio, who is considered by many to be the most powerful force in Nevada politics over the last 30 years, has died while on vacation in Australia Thursday evening. He was 85.

Jon Ralston of the Las Vegas Sun broke the news.

Raggio was first elected to the Nevada State Senate in 1972. He resigned from the seat he held for 38 years after supporting Democrat Harry Reid in 2010 over Republican Sharron Angle.

Raggio ruled the Nevada State Senate as the GOP leader and chairman of the Finance Committee. It's safe to say that few bills passed the Nevada Legislature in the last 30 years without his approval.

Raggio's legislative biography is here.

RGJ has posted a profile with photo gallery on Raggio's life.

Best quote: "You show me someone who doesn't have detractors, and I'll show you someone who hasn't done a damn thing in their lives."

CARSON CITY – A Nevada think tank investigation shows that Clark County taxpayers are contributing $4.6 million a year to fund union activities by local government workers.