Policy, politics and progressive commentary As Congressional Democrats look to flip the House this election, which Republicans currently control with a razor-thin margin, Nevada’s three Democratic congressional incumbents are running to retain their current seats. A slew of Republican candidates are hoping to take on the three Democrats in the general election. The overwhelming majority of them have previously lost […] The post 3 competitive NV congressional districts attract a crowd of Republican primary hopefuls appeared first on Nevada Current.

Policy, politics and progressive commentary An initiative petition circulated by Nevadans for Reproductive Freedom, an organization working to enshrine abortion rights in the Nevada Constitution, can proceed, thanks to the Nevada Supreme Court’s affirmation Thursday of the petition’s language, which focuses on reproductive rights, including contraception, vasectomies, tubal ligation, and infertility treatment.   Donna Washington and the Coalition for Parents and […] The post Abortion rights petition okayed by Nevada Supreme Court  appeared first on Nevada Current.

Policy, politics and progressive commentary The Bureau of Land Management will publish a final rule soon allowing the nation’s public lands to be leased for environmental protection, a Thursday news release from the Interior Department said. The rule, which both proponents and detractors say marks a shift in the agency’s focus toward conservation, directs land managers at the agency to […] The post BLM to finalize rule allowing federal leases targeted at protection of natural areas  appeared first on Nevada Current.

Policy, politics and progressive commentary WASHINGTON — U.S. House Democrats on Thursday began coalescing behind Republican Speaker Mike Johnson’s plan to provide assistance for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan through a series of three bills, though far-right members of his own party grew increasingly frustrated with the Louisianan’s bipartisan streak. Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who is leading an effort […] The post U.S. House speaker gains Dem backing for foreign aid plan, as far-right Republicans seethe appeared first on Nevada Current.

Policy, politics and progressive commentary Gov. Joe Lombardo announced Thursday he’s appointing retired Nevada Supreme Court Justice Abbi Silver to the Nevada Gaming Commission. Silver will replace Commissioner Ogonna Brown, whose term ends next week.  “Justice Silver is one of Nevada’s brightest visionaries and trailblazers, and I’m confident that she will greatly enhance the work of the commission in her […] The post Silver appointed to Gaming Commission  appeared first on Nevada Current.

Policy, politics and progressive commentary Some Republican in the U.S. House of Representatives went full-on blast-from-the-past last week, re-upping the idea of putting the nation’s nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain in Nevada. And so at a Senate Energy Committee hearing Tuesday, Nevada Democratic Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto had U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm confirm yet again that nope, the Biden […] The post Yucca 2025 appeared first on Nevada Current.

Policy, politics and progressive commentary The Nevada Senate Democratic Caucus endorsed Michelee “Shelly” Cruz-Crawford, a first-term Nevada System of Higher Education Regent, over Assemblywoman Clara Thomas, in the Democratic primary for Senate District 1.  In an interview with Nevada Current, Thomas attributed the party caucus’s decision to back a regent instead of a fellow state legislator to Thomas’s opposition to […] The post Senate Dems pass over assemblywoman, endorse NSHE regent to join their ranks appeared first on Nevada Current.

Policy, politics and progressive commentary An open seat on the Henderson Justice Court has attracted half a dozen attorneys, including several who previously ran for the position, while in another department, a candidate appointed to the bench late last year faces a lone challenger.  Six candidates are vying to fill the vacancy in Henderson Justice Court Dept. 1, resulting from […] The post Two seats on Henderson Justice Court in play for primary election appeared first on Nevada Current.

Policy, politics and progressive commentary WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate on Wednesday dismissed two articles of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. The Democrat-controlled chamber voted, 51-49 along party lines, to adjourn the impeachment trial after finding that the impeachment articles accusing Mayorkas of not complying with federal immigration law and breaching the public trust did not rise to […] The post Senate rejects two impeachment articles against DHS Secretary Mayorkas appeared first on Nevada Current.

Policy, politics and progressive commentary WASHINGTON — U.S. House Republicans unveiled three bills Wednesday that would provide $95 billion overall in assistance to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, instead of voting on a similar bipartisan Senate-approved package that’s been waiting around for months. The Ukraine bill would provide $60.84 billion, the Israel bill would appropriate $26.38 billion and the Indo-Pacific bill […] The post U.S. House GOP rolls out aid for Ukraine, Israel; votes planned on TikTok, border security appeared first on Nevada Current.

Policy, politics and progressive commentary Street food vendors can now legally operate in Clark County, but the strict regulations on the iconic sellers will likely curb their presence throughout the valley.  During an hours-long Clark County Commissioners meeting Tuesday, commissioners unanimously voted on regulations for street vendors, bringing the county in line with state law. Last year, Gov. Joe Lombardo […] The post Clark County approves strict regulations on sidewalk vendors appeared first on Nevada Current.

Policy, politics and progressive commentary A new memo from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation is raising concern about the infrastructure at the Glen Canyon Dam and its ability to deliver water downstream should levels at Lake Powell continue to decline. Environmental groups are calling it “the most urgent water problem” for the Colorado River and the 40 million people who […] The post Problems with Glen Canyon Dam could jeopardize water flowing to Western states appeared first on Nevada Current.

Policy, politics and progressive commentary A new partnership between the U.S. Department of Transportation and a bipartisan coalition of state attorneys general aims to streamline efforts to resolve airline consumer complaints. Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg announced the program at Denver International Airport Tuesday. The program comes in response to the record numbers of airline […] The post New DOT partnership will streamline airline consumer complaints appeared first on Nevada Current.

Policy, politics and progressive commentary The former chief operating officer of Hope for Prisoners, a non-profit reentry program for former inmates, can proceed with his wrongful termination suit against the organization but not against its founder and chief executive officer, Jon Ponder.  The Current reported Monday that the organization’s former COO Grant McCandless was terminated in 2020, after an internal […] The post Hope for Prisoners’ founder Ponder dismissed from lawsuit against non-profit appeared first on Nevada Current.

Policy, politics and progressive commentary For the fifth time in as many years, the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture has suspended operations at Wolf Pack Meats, the slaughterhouse operated by the University of Nevada Reno, after it took five shots from a bolt gun to render a ram unconscious on March 15. After the first firing of the captive bolt, the […] The post USDA suspends UNR’s slaughterhouse operations again for inhumane treatment  appeared first on Nevada Current.

Policy, politics and progressive commentary A year after 44-year-old Christian Walker died in prison after being beaten by corrections officers, his family  sued the Nevada Department Corrections over what they say was excessive use of force that led to his death. But families of people incarcerated in Nevada have warned Walker’s death is not the only instance of excessive use […] The post Lawsuit against NDOC seeks answers on man who died while in custody appeared first on Nevada Current.

Policy, politics and progressive commentary Ed. note: Las Vegas and Henderson are among numerous cities nationwide that have filed amicus briefs in support of the Grants Pass law against sleeping in public even if people have nowhere else to go. On April 22, 2024, the Supreme Court will hear a case that could radically change how cities respond to the […] The post Supreme Court to consider outlawing sleeping outside even if no inside space is available appeared first on Nevada Current.

Policy, politics and progressive commentary Vice President Kamala Harris urged Nevadans to deny Donald Trump a second term in order to protect access to abortion and birth control via the ballot box in November. Harris’s visit to Las Vegas Monday follows a decision by the Arizona Supreme Court last week to reinstate a Civil War-era law banning all abortions, except […] The post Harris warns a second Trump term would endanger abortion rights in Nevada appeared first on Nevada Current.

Policy, politics and progressive commentary A former official of the nonprofit Hope for Prisoners is asking a Nevada court to force the group to release documents that could detail misconduct by the group’s high-profile founder. HFP’s former chief operating officer Grant McCandless is suing the nonprofit, a widely lauded re-entry program for individuals recently released from prison, for wrongful termination. […] The post Lombardo, Metro, DA mum on allegations against Hope for Prisoners founder  appeared first on Nevada Current.

Policy, politics and progressive commentary Nevada families in need of food assistance are at risk of losing their monthly benefits to cybercriminals as the state faces a large spike in stolen benefits through skimming and cloning. Skimming and cloning is a high tech form of fraud allowing thieves to electronically steal Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) account information as customers swipe […] The post NV households seeing increase in SNAP theft appeared first on Nevada Current.