Nevada’s Jobless Rate Drops To 12.6 Percent In December, But Smaller Workforce Partly Responsible

By Sean Whaley | 12:20 pm January 23rd, 2012

CARSON CITY – Nevada’s unemployment rate fell by four-tenths of a percentage point to 12.6 percent in December, the second consecutive monthly decline that saw the number of jobless drop to 166,300, a state agency reported today.

A year ago, the rate, which is adjusted for seasonal fluctuations in the labor market, hit a record high of 14.9 percent.

“I am encouraged by the overall report of this month’s unemployment figures, with job growth slowly but surely returning to Nevada’s economy,” said Gov. Brian Sandoval. “This year, as we help businesses expand and recruit new businesses to Nevada, we will continue our focus on getting Nevada working again.”

(Continue reading…)

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School Choice Limited But Expanding In Nevada As National Event Highlights Need For More Options

By Sean Whaley | 9:41 am January 22nd, 2012
Updated 9:46 am January 22nd, 2012

CARSON CITY – As National School Choice Week gets under way today state officials say Nevada school children have more opportunities than ever before to choose a school that works best for them.

But one element of choice, a school voucher program, remains an unrealized and divisive issue for the state’s policy makers.

Successes include a strong charter school law that is helping make the semi-autonomous schools available to more Nevada students, expanding distance learning programs, home-schooling opportunities and the ability in the state’s largest school district for open enrollment, Gov. Brian Sandoval said in a Friday interview.

Another positive are the career (Continue reading…)

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Democrats Caucus In Capital To Support President Obama For A Second Term

By Sean Whaley | 5:03 pm January 21st, 2012
Updated 5:04 pm January 21st, 2012

CARSON CITY – Nearly 250 capital city Democrats took time out today to participate in the party caucus, supporting President Barack Obama in a process that held no surprises for the party faithful.

The caucus at the Carson City Middle School was one of 118 held around Nevada today as the state Democrat Party gears up for the 2012 election.

Carson Democrat caucus leader Marty McGarry reviews the process for participants. / Photo: Nevada News Bureau.

Unlike 2008, when the Democrat nominee was still undecided at the time of the caucus, the nonbinding ballot had two options: the president or uncommitted. Obama was getting strong support among participants.

The Nevada (Continue reading…)

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Reno Assemblyman Named GOP Caucus Leader In Unanimous Vote

By Nevada News Bureau Staff | 2:08 pm January 19th, 2012
Updated 4:43 pm January 19th, 2012

CARSON CITY – Reno Republican Assemblyman Pat Hickey was unanimously elected today to be the new GOP Assembly Caucus Leader.

The former minority Leader, Pete Goicoechea, R-Eureka, stepped down because of his intention to run for the Nevada State Senate in District 19.

Assembly Republicans currently hold 16 seats in the 42-member Assembly, while Democrats control 26 seats. Hickey said he is optimistic the caucus can improve on those numbers in November.

Hickey, who represents District 25 in Reno, returned to the Assembly in 2010 after an absence of several years.

Assemblyman Pat Hickey during the 2011 legislative session. / Nevada News Bureau file photo.

“As a caucus, we (Continue reading…)

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Nevada Charter School Law Strengthened In 2011, National Group Says

By Sean Whaley | 4:13 pm January 18th, 2012
Updated 4:55 pm January 18th, 2012

CARSON CITY – Nevada’s charter school law was strengthened in 2011, seeing its ranking among the states moving to 20th from 23rd as a result, a national group reported this week.

Nevada’s overall score improved from 97 points to 111 out of a potential of 208 points in the report issued Tuesday by the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools.

Keith Rheault, state superintendent of public instruction, said the primary reason for the improved ranking was the 2011 Legislature’s adoption of Senate Bill 212, which created a new entity to focus exclusively on reviewing and approving charter schools in Nevada.

The State Charter School Authority makes Nevada (Continue reading…)

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Nevada Ranks 30th In Animal Protection, National Organization Says In New Report

By Sean Whaley | 2:17 pm January 17th, 2012
Updated 3:19 pm January 17th, 2012

CARSON CITY – Nevada ranked 30th among the states in how it protects animals in 2011, scoring only 25 points out of a possible 66, The Humane Society of the United States said in a national report released today.

Ranking first with 46 points was California, followed by New Jersey and Oregon with 40 points. In last place was South Dakota with eight points, with Idaho second to last with nine points.

Courtesy of The Humane Society of the United States

Nevada improved its score from 2010, but the organization noted that the state’s laws regarding the possession of dangerous wild animals are weak. Nevada ranked 30th (Continue reading…)

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Nevada Secretary Of State Launches Aurora, A Searchable Database For Campaign Finance Information

By Nevada News Bureau Staff | 2:05 pm January 17th, 2012
Updated 2:59 pm January 17th, 2012

CARSON CITY – Nevada voters can now be better informed than ever before with the Wednesday launch of Aurora, a user-friendly, searchable database for all campaign and public officer finance disclosures, Secretary of State Ross Miller said today.

Aurora, which can be accessed directly through the Secretary of State’s homepage, will provide a new level of insight into who is funding campaigns, and how those funds are being spent, he said.

“We named it Aurora because it provides illumination as to how campaigns and our elected representatives are funded,” Miller said. “A healthy, vital democracy requires well-informed voters, and Aurora offers voters the opportunity to get more information more quickly, (Continue reading…)

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Nevada Think Tank Announces New Case Aimed at U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

By Sean Whaley | 11:00 am January 16th, 2012
Updated 1:03 pm January 16th, 2012

CARSON CITY – A conservative Nevada think tank today announced the second case taken on by its Center for Justice and Constitutional Litigation (CJCL), this one aimed at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for allegedly flooding a Pahrump church camp through negligent and illegal work on two streams.

The action is being taken on behalf of Victor Fuentes, a 1991 escapee from Cuba who in 2004 formed a church with his wife Annette in Las Vegas called The Ministerio Roco Solida Church, or Solid Rock Church.

“I’m very disappointed with the federal government right now because, coming from Cuba, I know what an overrun country by the (Continue reading…)

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Jobless Claimants Who Had Problems Filing For Benefits Urged To Re-file

By Nevada News Bureau Staff | 2:18 pm January 12th, 2012
Updated 2:19 pm January 12th, 2012

CARSON CITY – A computer glitch that caused some jobless benefit recipients to have their claims mistakenly rejected this week has been fixed, and claimants who had problems are encouraged to re-file using the state’s website.

Claimants should go online to file their claims as soon as possible, said Frank Woodbeck, director of the Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation (DETR). The telephone claims center will still accept claims, but due to the already high call volume, claimants may experience longer than usual hold times, he said.

DETR Director Frank Woodbeck.

“Staff worked during the night to correct the problem that may cause (Continue reading…)

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Gaming Policy Committee Appointments Made, First Meeting Set For Mid-February

By Sean Whaley | 1:42 pm January 12th, 2012
Updated 1:43 pm January 12th, 2012

CARSON CITY – A panel of key gaming figures and state officials will begin meeting next month to consider the impact of Internet gaming and other technological advances on Nevada’s major industry.

Gov. Brian Sandoval announced his five appointments to the Gaming Policy Committee yesterday. The full 11-member committee has not met since 1984. Sandoval will serve as chairman.

Gov. Brian Sandoval. / Nevada News Bureau file photo.

Dale Erquiaga, senior adviser to Sandoval, said the panel is expected to meet for the first time in mid-February to begin considering any regulatory changes that should be recommended to the state gaming agency and governor.

Nevada gaming regulators recently (Continue reading…)

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Nevada Moving Forward With Waiver For Flexibility From Requirements Of No Child Left Behind Act

By Sean Whaley | 3:48 pm January 11th, 2012
Updated 3:48 pm January 11th, 2012

CARSON CITY – Nevada is joining with many other states in seeking a waiver from the requirements of the federal No Child Left Behind Act, a state panel was told today.

If granted, the waiver being sought by the Nevada Department of Education will still require a major ongoing effort at measuring and improving student achievement, said Keith Rheault, state superintendent of public instruction. Rheault updated the waiver effort for the P-16 Advisory Council.

The waiver being offered by the U.S. Department of Education gives states flexibility on certain requirements of the law, which just saw its 10-year anniversary. The waiver is only valid for two (Continue reading…)

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Nevada Statewide Gaming Win Up 7.1 Percent, Strip Up 9 Percent In November

By Sean Whaley | 1:32 pm January 11th, 2012
Updated 1:35 pm January 11th, 2012

CARSON CITY – Several major events in Las Vegas, including the final table at the World Series of Poker, combined with a healthy baccarat win, pushed Nevada gaming revenues up 7.1 percent in November, the Gaming Control Board reported today.

Nevada’s casinos took in $880.1 million in November 2011 compared to $822.1 million in November 2010, the second consecutive month of solid single-digit increases, said Michael Lawton, senior research analyst for the control board.

The Las Vegas Strip saw a 9 percent gain in revenues to $495.3 million in November.

Clark County as a whole was up 7.8 percent to $771.9 million. Washoe County was up nearly 2 percent (Continue reading…)

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State Tax Department Seeks Funding To Monitor Cigarette Sales To Protect Nevada’s Tobacco Payments

By Sean Whaley | 2:16 pm January 10th, 2012
Updated 5:07 pm January 10th, 2012

CARSON CITY – A state panel today supported a request from the Department of Taxation for $260,000 to hire a team of auditors to track cigarette sales to protect a $40 million a year payment to Nevada from the nation’s major tobacco companies.

As much as $360 million paid to the state beginning in 2003 is at risk as Nevada engages in arbitration over the annual payments made by the nation’s major tobacco companies as part of the 1998 Master Settlement Agreement (MSA), said William Chisel, director of the Tax Department.

William Chisel, director of the state Tax Department, testifies today at (Continue reading…)

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Nevada Think Tank Says Issues Raised in Separation of Powers Lawsuit Not Moot

By Sean Whaley | 10:50 am January 10th, 2012
Updated 3:46 pm January 10th, 2012

CARSON CITY –A lawsuit seeking to clarify a state constitutional prohibition on public employees serving in the Legislature should proceed even though the lawmaker named in the court action has left his public sector job, a conservative Nevada think tank said in a court filing today.

The Nevada Policy Research Institute’s Center for Justice and Constitutional Litigation filed an opposition brief maintaining that Sen. Mo Denis’ resignation from his executive-branch job does not moot Pojunis v. State of Nevada, et al., because of several well-established exceptions to the “mootness doctrine.”

The lawsuit was filed on behalf of William Pojunis on Nov. 30.

“Within hours of being served with (Continue reading…)

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Rep. Amodei Rejects Congressional Earmarks, Says Projects Should Go Through Regular Budget Process

By Sean Whaley | 3:51 pm January 9th, 2012
Updated 3:51 pm January 9th, 2012

CARSON CITY – Rep. Mark Amodei, R-Nev., said today he opposes the earmark process used to fund various projects around the country, advocating instead that state priorities for federal support go through a regular budget review.

“The problem with earmarks, when you look at them, it’s symbolic largely, because it’s not that it’s a huge part of the federal budget,” he said. “But a lot of them appear at the end with absolutely no hearings and they are in bills.

Rep. Mark Amodei, R-Nev.

“It’s not that you shouldn’t spend federal money for specific things like that, whether it’s capital improvements or something else, but there should (Continue reading…)

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