Opening remarks
Ads Ads Ads
With less than two months before early voting for the general election begins, campaign ads are in full swing. You can’t turn on the tv or watch a video without being told why you should vote for X or why you should not vote for Y. Regardless of which campaign is endorsing the ad, don’t believe everything you see on the tv, social media and the interwebs. Checking the facts is important in every race in Nevada. Below are a couple ads from some of the state’s most high-profile races, as featured in this week’s Indy 2022 Newsletter:
Catherine Cortez Masto, “Adam Laxalt, Always Looking Out for Himself.” The Cortez Masto campaign opened another negative attack on Laxalt last week with a kitchen-sink ad. The one-minute spot targets everything from Laxalt’s “elite” personal history in the Washington, D.C. area to his troubles as a teen to more well-worn attacks on his links to the oil industry.
Adam Laxalt, “Good Man.” In his first general election spot, Laxalt stayed positive, sitting beside his wife for a 30-second spot that centers on his upbringing — specifically his single mother and how his “early life wasn’t easy.”
Stronger Nevada, “Hand Picked,” “Nope!,” “Your Vote.” This series of digital ads by a political action committee focused on state Senate races takes aim at two vulnerable incumbents and one legislative hopeful in tight races — Marilyn Dondero Loop, Melanie Scheible and Julie Pazina.
Important Dates
| General Early Voting | October 22 – November 4 |
| General Election | Tuesday November 8, 2022 |
ICYMI
Nevada SOS publishes 2022 Statewide Ballot Questions booklet for public.
Review the approved language and explanations for all three 2022 statewide ballot questions.
Gubernatorial candidates commit to general election debates
The campaign for Lombardo, the Republican nominee, released a statement saying debates with Sisolak, the Democratic incumbent, will be held in Las Vegas, Reno and Elko. Specific dates and times will be announced soon.
Nevada General Election Statewide Survey Results: Slight Republican Advantage
Conducted from August 15 – 18, the Trafalgar Group asked 1,802 likely voters who they would vote for in the U.S. Senate and Nevada Governor races if they were held today and found the results echo the consensus so far in Nevada of toss-up races with a Republican advantage — though both the Senate and the governor’s race remain within the margin of error (2.9%).
ECONOMY
aha! Airlines files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, ceases all operations
Reno-based company aha! Airlines announced on Tuesday that the business has filed for protection under Chapter 11 of the US bankruptcy code and ceased all flight operations.
Aha! Airlines, an “air-hotel-adventure” powered by ExpressJet Airlines, was based out of the Reno-Tahoe International Airport and connected Reno travelers with eight cities across the west coast. In a statement, representatives cited a combination of market and economic conditions as the reasons for the bankruptcy. Aha! Airlines will not assist with alternative travel arrangements.
EDUCATION
UNLV outlaws smoking on campus after more than a decade of trying
More than a decade after advocates started pushing for the change, UNLV this month joined more than 2,000 universities nationwide, including UNR, in becoming a smoke-free campus.
Under the new policy adopted after being presented to the university policy committee and discussed with employees and students, all tobacco and marijuana products are prohibited including cigarettes, cigars, vape pens, bidis, smokeless tobacco and other nicotine products. It is one of the largest public colleges to make this change in Southern Nevada.
ENVIRONMENT
Nevada officials want drought details from feds
Nevada officials are calling on the federal government to take a stronger role in the negotiations to address the Western drought after Colorado River states failed to meet a federal deadline to propose solutions.
“We need a real plan. We need a real deadline. And we must use these once-in-a-generation federal resources for permanent systemic reductions in water use across the basin,” Southern Nevada Water Authority General Manager John Entsminger said during a news conference earlier this week.
HEALTHCARE
Las Vegas ‘medical hub’ moves closer to reality
Last week, the Las Vegas City Council approved a contract with a consulting firm tasked with determining what’s feasible for the growing 684-acre Las Vegas Medical District and providing an implementation plan. The district has been in the works for two decades with an initial allotment of 214 acres, which was expanded to 684 acres in a 2015 master plan; it will be home to the University Medical Center and the soon-to-be completed Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV. An executive summary and final report are due in October.
HOUSING
Culinary Union backs down from North Las Vegas rent control battle
“Citing the North Las Vegas City Council’s earlier refusal to place the initiative on the ballot just weeks before today’s deadline for printing election materials, union officials announced Monday that they would not challenge the city’s decision in court. Still, they vowed to continue the discussion at the county level.”
INFRASTRUCTURE
Sec. Pete Buttigieg visits Fernley, discusses $25 million infrastructure project
U.S. Secretary of Transportation, Pete Buttigieg, visited Fernley Wednesday to discuss a $25 million project to complete the Nevada Pacific Parkway connecting I-80 to Hwy 50. The grant money comes from Biden’s infrastructure law and is the largest grant in the city’s history. It’s expected to improve everything from supply chain, daily commutes, international competitiveness and create about 7,000 jobs.
Washoe County families face limited child care options as day cares struggle with demand
The number of day cares in Washoe County has declined since 2014. But the most drastic drop happened between 2020 and 2021: County data shows there were 261 child care facilities in 2014. By 2020, there were 216. By 2021? 196.
Stricken with staffing issues exacerbated by the pandemic, the day cares that remain open are struggling to keep up with growing child care demand. As parents are called back to offices, families have been left with few options.
OUTDOOR RECREATION
Travel Nevada’s Destination Development Program is going on the road!
The Nevada Division of Tourism’s new Destination Development Program, 3-D, encourages rural Nevada destinations to take a comprehensive look at their current travel and tourism programs and envision how they can evolve to attract new visitors, grow the local economy, and improve quality of life for residents.
There will be a Statewide Zoom Welcome Announcement on Sept. 9 at 10 am and several stops in rural Nevada. Click here to learn more about the program and for the list of dates and locations of the kick-off events.
New trail opens in southwest Reno
The new 3.5-mile-long Sierra Front Trail connects the existing Thomas Creek and Ballardini Ranch trails. It is open to bikers, horseback riders and hikers.
The trail is also the longest section of the Sierra Front Trail to date, according to Kevin Joell, owner of Sierra Trail works, the company that constructed the trail, and former president of the Tahoe Area Mountain Biking Association. Once completed, the Sierra Front Trail will provide continuous single-track trail from the Truckee River to Woodfords, California.
What we’re doing this Interim
The 2021 Nevada Legislature passed Assembly Bill 443, Legislation that fundamentally changed the way the Legislature operates between Sessions. The newly formed Interim Standing Committees have begun meeting, hearing overviews of their mission and setting agendas for the next eleven months.
Click here to view a list of upcoming Joint Interim Standing Committee meetings.
Click here to view the list of Bill Draft Requests (BDRs) for the upcoming 2023 Legislative Session.
2021 Redistricting Maps
The new boundaries would give 14 of the 21 state Senate districts and 27 of the 42 Assembly districts a voter registration advantage for Democrats over Republicans of more than 4.5 percent.
The Nevada Independent
Please see the links below to view the new district lines for Nevada Assembly, Senate and Congressional delegation.