Leadership

Here is a video ahead of Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval's State of the State address on Monday, 6 p.m. at the Assembly Chamber of the Legislative Building in Carson City.

The video is from Bob Fulkerson, executive director of the Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada speaking on behalf of the Nevada Values Coalition, a new group of activists and organizations formed to propose innovative strategies to create balanced solutions to the state's budget crisis. The Coalition represents or provides services for more than 600,000 Nevadans.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_Kq3t6zYGI&feature=player_embedded

Here is the Coalition's view on the State of the State.

By Sean Whaley / Nevada News Bureau
CARSON CITY – Nevada’s budget process is broken and needs fundamental change to bring about reasonable spending and improved performance in public education and the delivery of other government services, a free market think tank says in a new report.

By Sean Whaley / Nevada News Bureau
CARSON CITY – Gov. Brian Sandoval delivered the bad news in an email to state employees today: His budget will propose a 5 percent across-the-board salary reduction for state employees instead of continuing with a furlough program.
“We must also continue the suspension of merit pay and longevity pay,” he said in the letter.

Dear Editor: Once again the Dayton community has come together and made a difference for so many families during the holidays.

The Dayton toy drive received applications for over 650 kids this year and we were quite concerned that there would not be enough to go around. Fortunately a large, eager, group of volunteers came together who were quick to get down to business and get the donations and interest pouring in. It wasn’t long before businesses, as well as community organizations and individuals were giving.

On Saturday, Jan. 22 only, the Dayton Food Pantry will operate from Sutro Elementary School at 190 Dayton Village Parkway from noon until 4 p.m.

Sutro Elementary School offered an indoor venue for the pantry on January 22 so that people can come in out of the cold January weather.

By Andrew Doughman / Nevada News Bureau
Democratic legislators this year are again lining up bills that would outlaw texting while driving and, in some cases, ban hand-held phone use while driving.
They’re continuing efforts in the 2009 session from Sen. Shirley Breeden, D-Henderson, whose text-banning bill died in committee. She’s sponsoring a similar bill this year.

Jan 7, 6:34 PM (ET)

RENO, Nev. (AP) - Six girls have been arrested after students were invited on Facebook to take part in "Attack a Teacher Day" at two middle schools.

One girl was accused of inviting about 100 students on the social networking website to participate in the event Friday, and the other five were accused of responding with online threats against specific teachers, Carson Middle School Principal Dan Sadler said.

By Sean Whaley / Nevada News Bureau
CARSON CITY – Gov. Brian Sandoval wasted no time getting to work after being sworn into office today, signing an executive order freezing many proposed administrative regulations as evidence that Nevada is a business friendly state.

CARSON CITY – Brian Sandoval has announced his final cabinet appointments prior to being sworn in as Nevada’s 29th governor today, including naming Bruce Breslow to head up the Department of Motor Vehicles.
Breslow has been serving in outgoing Gov. Jim Gibbons’ administration as executive director of the Nevada Agency for Nuclear Projects.

A new group has formed to propose innovative strategies to create a healthy State with well-supported public systems and services and an improved fiscal system.

Members of the Nevada Values Coalition have met twice for “big tent”, nonpartisan meetings to discuss the complex issues, and members then further examined ideas through subcommittees.

The liberal blogs are all in a tizzy about how President Barack Obama "caved" to Republicans, agreeing to extend the Bush tax cuts for everyone, not just those making under $250,000 a year as he said he wanted.

Some are saying that Obama has been seriously damaged by this episode, looking weak and handing the narrative and momentum to the GOP, and that he might have a tough time getting reelected in 2012.

By Nevada News Bureau
CARSON CITY – Deputy Secretary of State for Elections Matt Griffin is leaving his post next month to return to private law practice with the Capitol Company, Secretary of State Ross Miller said today.
Miller appointed Griffin as his elections deputy when he took office in January 2007.

In case anyone has any doubts about the wisdom of keeping troops in Afghanistan to defend the government of President Hamid Karzai, then you should read about one of his latest conversations with top American officials in that country. Meeting with Gen. David Petraeus and U.S. Ambassador Karl W. Eikenberry, Karzai was less than gracious for the hundreds of billions of American dollars and thousands of American lives that have been lost in this war:

By Sean Whaley / Nevada News Bureau
CARSON CITY – Gov.-elect Brian Sandoval today announced two more appointments to his administration, naming Stacey Crowley as director of the Nevada State Office of Energy.
Sandoval also named Leo Drozdoff as director of Conservation and Natural Resources.
Sandoval will take office in January.

At least 24 million people in the U.S. struggle with addiction to alcohol and other drugs. The good news is that millions in recovery stand as evidence that there is hope – people can stop using, reconnect with family, and go on to productive, happy lives. The Healthy Communities Coalition of Lyon and Storey is one group promoting the fact that recovery is possible, prevention works and treatment is effective.

By Nevada News Bureau
CARSON CITY – Chancellor Dan Klaich has announced the formation of a new lobbying team that will represent the Nevada System of Higher Education free of charge at the 2011 legislative session.
The team will be chaired by former U.S. Sen. Richard Bryan and will include Alfredo Alonso, Michael Hillerby, Rose McKinney-James, Keith Lee, John Pappageorge and The Capitol Company.

By Nevada News Bureau
CARSON CITY – State Treasurer Kate Marshall announced today that despite the current volatile treasury market, her office has successfully completed the sale of five series of general obligation bonds totaling $161.3 million at an average interest cost of 3.6 percent, one of the lowest interest rates the state has ever received.

Healthy Communities has scheduled their winter and spring line up of special speakers on the 2nd Thursday of each month during their public meetings.

Each meeting also includes resource sharing, updates and discussion on issues of regional importance such as health and wellness, substance abuse prevention and recovery, education, job training, etc.

With the big distribution day for the holidays on Thursday, Dec. 16, the Dayton Food Pantry will operate that day only from the Dayton Community Center at 170 Pike Street from noon to 5 p.m.

With unemployment in Lyon County at nearly 20 percent, donations are especially welcome this holiday season, explained Freida Carbery, director for the Pantry.

On the other days of December, the Food Pantry will be open for emergency food needs as usual, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 4 Enterprise Way and Highway 50 (east of Smith’s Grocery) Monday through Friday.

By Sean Whaley / Nevada News Bureau
CARSON CITY – A campaign report filed by the Senate Democratic Caucus shows the group’s political action committee received about $20,000 before ending a short-lived proposal to give lobbyists access to lawmakers in exchange for campaign contributions.

By Sean Whaley /Nevada News Bureau
CARSON CITY – Reno Mayor Bob Cashell said this week he expects to see Harry Reid continue to help northern Nevada in a variety of ways now that he has won re-election in a bitterly contested Senate race.

Squaw Valley USA will have a new owner after a Denver-based equity firm bought virtually all of its shares.

KSL Capital Partners LLC of Denver, which owns stakes in resort-related businesses, announced Tuesday that it hopes to complete the sale by the end of the year and that it will put $50 million into the exclusive Lake Tahoe area resort, home of the 1960 Olympic Winter Games.

Squaw was opened in 1949 by the late Alexander Cushing. It has about 4,000 acres and 2,850 vertical feet that spans over six peaks.

Family TIES of Nevada announced today that it has appointed Melanie Kauffman as its new Executive Director. Ms. Kauffman will oversee the organization’s operations, achievement of its mission, and strategic planning objectives.

Family TIES of Nevada is dedicated to increasing the hope, confidence and independence of people with disabilities and chronic health conditions through training, information, support and advocacy.

Christy McGill likes to use a gardening metaphor when she explains Healthy Communities Coalition of Lyon and Storey's mission to reduce substance abuse and promote recovery.

“The Coalition is planting the seeds of hope that alcohol, tobacco and other drug abuse prevention works, treatment is effective, and people do recover,” said McGill, who serves as director.

By Nevada News Bureau staff
Assembly Speaker-elect John Oceguera has announced the Assembly Democratic leadership team and the chairs of the nine standing committees.

Sharron Angle is by no means done with politics. So she said to a crowd of 70 conservative grassroots activists during a surprise visit to a Republican town hall meeting Wednesday evening in Las Vegas.
“I have a lot of options,” said Angle. “I am looking at these options. I can’t stop.”
When the crowd welcomed her with a standing ovation and loud cheers, Angle’s eyes filled with tears. She expressed her gratitude to the small group in a voice filled with emotion.
“Thank you so much,” said Angle quietly. “That means so much to me.”

Nevada News Bureau staff
CARSON CITY – Rural Nevada lawmaker Pete Goicoechea was elected as minority leader today by the 16-member Assembly Republican caucus.

By Sean Whaley / Nevada News Bureau
CARSON CITY – Veteran Republican state Sen. Bill Raggio, R-Reno, won’t be minority leader in the upcoming 2011 session, withdrawing his name from consideration for the leadership post today after getting GOP criticism for backing Sen. Harry Reid in the Tuesday general election.

Assemblyman John Oceguera, D-Las Vegas, has been unanimously elected as Speaker for the upcoming legislative session.
Oceguera has served as majority leader under former Speaker Barbara Buckley, who could not run again because of term limits.
The vote of the 26-member Democratic caucus on Wednesday will be formalized on the first day of the legislative session on Feb. 7.

We have just witnessed political history on a scale that we may never see again…maybe at a level that no one will ever see again. Riding in on the back of the Tea Party and a message of limited government, the republicans have been given a second chance, but many questions arise. Will they blow it again? Will the Tea Party be able to keep their incredible enthusiasm for the next two years, or will they self-destruct through trivial differences like Ross Perot’s Independent Reform Party in the nineties?