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GovernmentEconomyElectionsEducationHealth CareEnvironmentLegislatureCourtsEnergyImmigrationCommunity Search Support Our Work THE NEVADA INDEPENDENT Your state. Your news. Your voice. 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NEVADA’S ONLY SPACE FORCE JROTC PROGRAM CHARTING ITS OWN PATH December 19th, 2023 at 7:00 AM In this week's Indy Education newsletter, a look at Nevada's only Space Force JROTC program at Durango High School in Las Vegas. Plus, Storey County schools superintendent announces retirement. DALLAS LAND PURCHASE LATEST TEXAS MOVE FOR SANDS AFTER ADELSON PURCHASE OF NBA TEAM December 19th, 2023 at 2:00 AM Las Vegas Sands acquired nearly 260 acres near Dallas. The company has long been interested in bring casinos to Texas and follows Miriam Adelson's acquisition of ownership in the Dallas Mavericks. NEVADA GOP ‘FAKE ELECTORS’ PLEAD NOT GUILTY TO FELONY CHARGES IN LAS VEGAS December 18th, 2023 at 10:34 AM Despite the criminal charges, McDonald has continued to closely embrace Trump. He appeared at a Trump campaign rally in Reno on Sunday, telling the crowd to “cast your ballot for Donald J. Trump.” OPINION NEVADA’S RURAL DENTISTRY — A WORKFORCE IN PROGRESS Zil Joyce Dixon Romero Opinion CITY’S PUSH FOR SPECIAL ELECTION SHOWS NEED FOR TRANSPARENCY REFORM Michael Schaus Opinion RANKED CHOICE VOTING LOWERS VOTER TURNOUT Bob Zeidman Opinion GOVERNOR IS FAILING ON CLIMATE CHANGE AND CLEAN ENERGY B Fulkerson Opinion FACULTY OF COLOR: UNLV MUST DO MORE TO PROTECT DIVERSITY AND EQUITY IN WAKE OF SHOOTING Vincent Pérez Opinion FIELD NOTES LEGALITY OF PUBLIC EMPLOYEE STRIKE BAN SET FOR COURT HEARING A district court judge will hear arguments Jan. 10 on whether the state should maintain its public employee anti-strike law. A lawsuit filed in October by the Clark County Education Association (CCEA) argues that five state statutes related to strikes are unconstitutional. CCEA says they violate the union’s right to freedom of speech , and called the state’s definition of a strike “overly broad.” But according to a recent motion to dismiss by the Clark County School District (CCSD), other courts have determined that public employees “do not have an inherent constitutional right or fundamental right to strike.” The state incorporated CCSD’s arguments in its own motion to dismiss filed this week. CCEA Executive Director John Vellardita has said if the lawsuit is successful, the union would ask its members to authorize a strike in response to the standstill on contract negotiations with CCSD. Rocio Hernandez 11 days ago UNLV CANCELS IN-PERSON FINAL EXAMS AFTER CAMPUS SHOOTING UNLV administrators announced Friday morning that in-person final exams originally scheduled for next week will be canceled following an on-campus shooting that left three faculty members dead and another seriously injured on Wednesday. According to an email sent to academic faculty from top administrators, professors will instead have two new options. The first would allow students to keep their grades based on work prior to Dec. 6. The second would allow students to opt-in to an online final or a take-home project in order to improve their grade, or stick with their existing grade. Students will also have the option to opt-in to “S/U” grading between Dec. 22 and Jan. 5, allowing them to convert their grades into “satisfactory” or “unsatisfactory” completion scores, instead. UNLV’s two professional schools — the Kerkorian School of Medicine and the Boyd School of Law — were both exempted from the policy. Jacob Solis 12 days ago TRUMP TO RALLY IN RENO ON DEC. 17 Former President Donald Trump will make his third visit of the year to the Silver State next Sunday, Dec. 17, at a “commit to caucus” rally in Reno. The event will mark the former president’s first visit to Northern Nevada since October of last year. It also comes as Nevada Republicans prepare for the state’s dueling presidential primary (hosted by the state) and caucus (hosted by the Nevada Republican Party). Trump will appear only on the ballot for the caucus, set to be held Feb. 8. Trump’s visit will come on the eve of the Dec. 18 arraignment of six pro-Trump “fake electors,” who each will be charged with two felonies. Democratic Attorney General Aaron Ford announced the indictments Wednesday of the Republicans who falsely pledged Nevada’s electoral votes to Trump following the 2020 election despite President Joe Biden’s victory in the state. Sean Golonka 12 days ago WASHOE SCHOOLS MAY HIRE FORMER SUPERINTENDENT DURING INTERIM Retired Washoe County Superintendent Kristen McNeill may return to lead the district once again — on an interim basis, according to the agenda for the Washoe County School Board’s meeting next Tuesday. McNeill’s potential hiring comes almost two weeks after her successor, Superintendent Susan Enfield, announced plans to leave the district in February for personal reasons. Enfield’s resignation came less than two years after her hiring. McNeill became the district’s interim superintendent in July 2019 after the school board terminated the previous superintendent. McNeill later became the full-time superintendent in April 2020 and retired last June. If approved, McNeill’s first day back will be Dec. 13. According to a draft employment agreement, the board is considering paying McNeill a gross annual salary of $285,000. The agreement states McNeill would stay in the role until a permanent superintendent is appointed. Rocio Hernandez 12 days ago NV ENERGY RATES TO INCREASE IN 2024 FOR SOUTHERN NEVADA Southern Nevadans will see slightly higher energy bills starting Jan. 1. NV Energy had requested the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada approve a 3.3 percent rate increase, which regulators approved Monday, but not at the full amount. “Our teams are still calculating and analyzing what the average rate increase will be,” NV Energy spokeswoman Meghin Delaney said in an email. Unlike rate adjustments to cover energy costs, this requested increase covers costs for investments owned by the company. The rate increase covers upgrades made since 2020 to transmission and distribution lines, replacement of old wooden poles with metal poles, undergrounding select overhead facilities and upgrading grid technologies. It marks NV Energy’s first requested increase for day-to-day operating expenses since 2011. Amy Alonzo 9 hours ago JUDGE: CLARK COUNTY SCHOOLS MUST TURN OVER BODYCAM FOOTAGE The Clark County School District (CCSD) has been ordered to release body camera footage and other records related to a February incident in which school police detained students near Durango High School. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Nevada, which is representing the students, took CCSD to court after it refused to fulfill a public records request for body camera footage and other records. CCSD denied the request, arguing that the records are confidential. But a Monday order by Judge Danielle Chio directed CCSD to release the footage within 30 days. The incident report and other notes on the situation must be released within two weeks. A hearing is scheduled for Tuesday morning over the ACLU’s request for emails related to the incident. Rocio Hernandez 13 hours ago CULINARY ANNOUNCES CONTRACT AGREEMENT WITH THE MIRAGE Culinary Workers Local 226 announced a tentative agreement Wednesday on a new five-year contract covering 1,700 workers at The Mirage. The deal is the first that the union and its affiliate, Bartenders Local 165, reached with one of the 25 independent operators separate from contracts approved in November covering 40,000 workers with MGM Resorts International, Caesars Entertainment and Wynn Resorts. The Seminole Indian Tribe-controlled Hard Rock Entertainment owns The Mirage. The property will be expanded and renovated over the next few years and be renamed Hard Rock Las Vegas. Terms of the contract, which still requires a ratification vote by workers, were not disclosed. The union said last month's agreements with MGM, Caesars and Wynn contained a cumulative 32 percent wage increase and language covering workload reductions, daily hotel room cleaning, increased safety protection and expanded technology. Howard Stutz 6 days ago NEW GOLD MINE IN LANDER, EUREKA COUNTIES GETS GREEN LIGHT Nevada Gold Mines’ Goldrush Mine project in Lander and Eureka counties has been approved, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announced Tuesday. The underground mine, part of the Nevada Gold Mines Cortez Complex, is expected to operate for 24 years and employ around 570 people. It will operate 24 hours a day. The project is expected to contribute $108 million in direct labor income and $43 million in indirect and induced labor income. In addition, the mine is expected to generate $288 million in net proceeds of minerals taxes to the state and direct business taxes of $48 million over the life of the mine. It will span nearly 20,000 acres across the two counties, 772 of which are owned by Nevada Gold Mines. The remaining acreage is owned by the BLM. Amy Alonzo 7 days ago WASHOE SCHOOL BOARD APPROVES FORMER SUPERINTENDENT AS INTERIM The Washoe County School Board voted Tuesday to bring back former Superintendent Kristen McNeill to serve as the district’s interim superintendent while it looks for a permanent leader. Her first day will be Wednesday, Dec. 13. McNeill’s hiring comes after her successor, Superintendent Susan Enfield, announced plans to leave the district in February for personal reasons. Enfield said she’s committed to supporting McNeill to ensure a seamless transition. Board members said McNeill, who led the district from April 2019 to June 2022 as both interim and acting superintendent, has all the qualifications necessary to keep the school district on track with its strategic plan. Board President Beth Smith said McNeill will pause her retirement and pension while she’s serving as interim superintendent. McNeill will stay in the role until a permanent superintendent is appointed. Smith said McNeill isn’t interested in staying on as superintendent in the long term. Rocio Hernandez 7 days ago AMODEI A 'YES' ON BIDEN IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY Rep. Mark Amodei (R-NV) will vote to authorize an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden later this week. Amodei supported former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) opening an inquiry in September without a vote, saying it was the “right step.” He said voting to officially open the inquiry represents following standard procedure, which he criticized Democrats for skipping in 2021 when they initiated impeachment proceedings against then-President Donald Trump over his role in the Jan. 6 insurrection. “That’s the next procedural step,” he said Tuesday. “I was a big critic of people who didn’t follow the procedure last time, so let’s formally do it, see what it produces.” House Republicans have said making the inquiry official will allow them to compel Biden family members to testify. Their investigators have yet to show evidence that Biden engaged in any financial misconduct. The White House has denied their allegations. Gabby Birenbaum 7 days ago LEGALITY OF PUBLIC EMPLOYEE STRIKE BAN SET FOR COURT HEARING A district court judge will hear arguments Jan. 10 on whether the state should maintain its public employee anti-strike law. A lawsuit filed in October by the Clark County Education Association (CCEA) argues that five state statutes related to strikes are unconstitutional. CCEA says they violate the union’s right to freedom of speech , and called the state’s definition of a strike “overly broad.” But according to a recent motion to dismiss by the Clark County School District (CCSD), other courts have determined that public employees “do not have an inherent constitutional right or fundamental right to strike.” The state incorporated CCSD’s arguments in its own motion to dismiss filed this week. CCEA Executive Director John Vellardita has said if the lawsuit is successful, the union would ask its members to authorize a strike in response to the standstill on contract negotiations with CCSD. Rocio Hernandez 11 days ago UNLV CANCELS IN-PERSON FINAL EXAMS AFTER CAMPUS SHOOTING UNLV administrators announced Friday morning that in-person final exams originally scheduled for next week will be canceled following an on-campus shooting that left three faculty members dead and another seriously injured on Wednesday. According to an email sent to academic faculty from top administrators, professors will instead have two new options. The first would allow students to keep their grades based on work prior to Dec. 6. The second would allow students to opt-in to an online final or a take-home project in order to improve their grade, or stick with their existing grade. Students will also have the option to opt-in to “S/U” grading between Dec. 22 and Jan. 5, allowing them to convert their grades into “satisfactory” or “unsatisfactory” completion scores, instead. UNLV’s two professional schools — the Kerkorian School of Medicine and the Boyd School of Law — were both exempted from the policy. Jacob Solis 12 days ago TRUMP TO RALLY IN RENO ON DEC. 17 Former President Donald Trump will make his third visit of the year to the Silver State next Sunday, Dec. 17, at a “commit to caucus” rally in Reno. The event will mark the former president’s first visit to Northern Nevada since October of last year. It also comes as Nevada Republicans prepare for the state’s dueling presidential primary (hosted by the state) and caucus (hosted by the Nevada Republican Party). Trump will appear only on the ballot for the caucus, set to be held Feb. 8. Trump’s visit will come on the eve of the Dec. 18 arraignment of six pro-Trump “fake electors,” who each will be charged with two felonies. Democratic Attorney General Aaron Ford announced the indictments Wednesday of the Republicans who falsely pledged Nevada’s electoral votes to Trump following the 2020 election despite President Joe Biden’s victory in the state. Sean Golonka 12 days ago WASHOE SCHOOLS MAY HIRE FORMER SUPERINTENDENT DURING INTERIM Retired Washoe County Superintendent Kristen McNeill may return to lead the district once again — on an interim basis, according to the agenda for the Washoe County School Board’s meeting next Tuesday. McNeill’s potential hiring comes almost two weeks after her successor, Superintendent Susan Enfield, announced plans to leave the district in February for personal reasons. Enfield’s resignation came less than two years after her hiring. McNeill became the district’s interim superintendent in July 2019 after the school board terminated the previous superintendent. McNeill later became the full-time superintendent in April 2020 and retired last June. If approved, McNeill’s first day back will be Dec. 13. According to a draft employment agreement, the board is considering paying McNeill a gross annual salary of $285,000. The agreement states McNeill would stay in the role until a permanent superintendent is appointed. Rocio Hernandez 12 days ago NV ENERGY RATES TO INCREASE IN 2024 FOR SOUTHERN NEVADA Southern Nevadans will see slightly higher energy bills starting Jan. 1. NV Energy had requested the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada approve a 3.3 percent rate increase, which regulators approved Monday, but not at the full amount. “Our teams are still calculating and analyzing what the average rate increase will be,” NV Energy spokeswoman Meghin Delaney said in an email. Unlike rate adjustments to cover energy costs, this requested increase covers costs for investments owned by the company. The rate increase covers upgrades made since 2020 to transmission and distribution lines, replacement of old wooden poles with metal poles, undergrounding select overhead facilities and upgrading grid technologies. It marks NV Energy’s first requested increase for day-to-day operating expenses since 2011. Amy Alonzo 9 hours ago JUDGE: CLARK COUNTY SCHOOLS MUST TURN OVER BODYCAM FOOTAGE The Clark County School District (CCSD) has been ordered to release body camera footage and other records related to a February incident in which school police detained students near Durango High School. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Nevada, which is representing the students, took CCSD to court after it refused to fulfill a public records request for body camera footage and other records. CCSD denied the request, arguing that the records are confidential. But a Monday order by Judge Danielle Chio directed CCSD to release the footage within 30 days. The incident report and other notes on the situation must be released within two weeks. A hearing is scheduled for Tuesday morning over the ACLU’s request for emails related to the incident. Rocio Hernandez 13 hours ago CULINARY ANNOUNCES CONTRACT AGREEMENT WITH THE MIRAGE Culinary Workers Local 226 announced a tentative agreement Wednesday on a new five-year contract covering 1,700 workers at The Mirage. The deal is the first that the union and its affiliate, Bartenders Local 165, reached with one of the 25 independent operators separate from contracts approved in November covering 40,000 workers with MGM Resorts International, Caesars Entertainment and Wynn Resorts. The Seminole Indian Tribe-controlled Hard Rock Entertainment owns The Mirage. The property will be expanded and renovated over the next few years and be renamed Hard Rock Las Vegas. Terms of the contract, which still requires a ratification vote by workers, were not disclosed. The union said last month's agreements with MGM, Caesars and Wynn contained a cumulative 32 percent wage increase and language covering workload reductions, daily hotel room cleaning, increased safety protection and expanded technology. Howard Stutz 6 days ago NEW GOLD MINE IN LANDER, EUREKA COUNTIES GETS GREEN LIGHT Nevada Gold Mines’ Goldrush Mine project in Lander and Eureka counties has been approved, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announced Tuesday. The underground mine, part of the Nevada Gold Mines Cortez Complex, is expected to operate for 24 years and employ around 570 people. It will operate 24 hours a day. The project is expected to contribute $108 million in direct labor income and $43 million in indirect and induced labor income. In addition, the mine is expected to generate $288 million in net proceeds of minerals taxes to the state and direct business taxes of $48 million over the life of the mine. It will span nearly 20,000 acres across the two counties, 772 of which are owned by Nevada Gold Mines. The remaining acreage is owned by the BLM. Amy Alonzo 7 days ago ‘SERVANT OF THE PEOPLE’: LONGTIME RENO-SPARKS INDIAN COLONY CHAIR RETIRES AFTER 31 YEARS December 18th, 2023 at 2:00 AM After 31 years as chairman and 36 years on the tribal council, Melendez retired Dec. 13. During his time in office, Melendez and the tribal council significantly expanded the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony’s land, made strides in tribal health care and created a unique tax system that is known across Indian Country as the “Nevada system.” QUESTIONS OVER CAMPUS SECURITY, REPAIRS LINGER IN WAKE OF UNLV SHOOTING December 18th, 2023 at 2:00 AM Nearly two weeks after a shooting at UNLV's campus left three dead and one wounded, few questions about what comes next have firm answers. IN RENO, TRUMP LOOKS TO STAKE CLAIM ON NEVADA GOP AHEAD OF FEBRUARY CAUCUS December 17th, 2023 at 6:32 PM Sunday’s rally marks the first Trump visit to Nevada since six Republicans were indicted by a Clark County grand jury earlier this month over a 2020 scheme from his campaign to submit “alternative” slates of electors in key swing states. ELECTION 2024: TRACKING NEVADA LEGISLATIVE CANDIDATE ANNOUNCEMENTS September 25th, 2023Updated December 5th, 2023 at 4:11 PM Our spreadsheet and rolling updates show who is in and who is out for the dozens of Nevada Legislature seats on the ballot in 2024. FACT BRIEFS IS INFLATION THE SINGLE REASON NEVADA’S UNHOUSED POPULATION WAS UP IN 2023? NO Similar to any demographic, the unhoused population in Nevada — as well as how people became unhoused — is complex and multifaceted. As a result, the reasons for the overall increase of homelessness statewide reported in 2023’s latest point-in-time count are varied as well. Overall, the population across the state has increased, meaning the number of people experiencing homelessness could be a byproduct of Nevada's total population increasing by more than 2% from 2020 to 2022. Nevada’s unique summary eviction process, the recent expiration of COVID-19 eviction protections and the lack of affordable and supportive housing units are also among the reasons experts say there are increased rates of homelessness this year. Though rents are decreasing and vacancy rates are increasing, the average rent for Nevadans is still above what is considered affordable — 30% of the average resident’s monthly income, according to the Department of Housing and Urban Development. This Fact Brief is responsive to conversations such as this one. SOURCES US Census Population, percent change - April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2022 Department of Housing and Urban Development HUD Archives: Glossary of Terms to Affordable Housing Reno Gazette Journal Total Washoe homeless number still much higher than in pre-COVID years, new survey finds DocumentCloud Interview with Catrina Peters transcript DocumentCloud Interview with Aaron MacDonald transcript excerpt Read More IS CYBERSECURITY ONE OF THE LEAST DIVERSE INDUSTRIES? YES Women and minorities are underrepresented in the cybersecurity industry, with employment rates lower than the STEM industry as a whole. A 2021 Aspen Institute study found Black people make up 9% of the cybersecurity industry, even though they represent 13% of the U.S. population. Hispanic workers represent just 4% of the industry, despite making up 19% of the country’s population. Women also make up more than half of the U.S. population but less than a quarter of cybersecurity jobs. Cybersecurity jobs tend to be less diverse than the broader STEM field. A National Science Foundation (NSF) study this year found Hispanic workers make up 15% of the STEM workforce, while women make up 35%. Science and engineering jobs are usually less diverse, while jobs that do not typically require a bachelor’s degree are more diverse, according to the NSF study. This Fact Brief is responsive to conversations such as this one. SOURCES National Science Foundation The STEM Workforce aspeninstitute.org Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Cybersecurity Read More HAS NEVADA BANNED TRUMP FROM THE BALLOT? NO Nevada has not banned the former president from the 2024 ballot, because no candidate is as yet on the state’s ballot — formal candidate filing for the 2024 presidential election will not open until October. However, two activist groups — Mi Familia Vota and Free Speech for People — launched a campaign in late June to disqualify Donald Trump from the presidential ballot in several key states. That included sending a letter to Nevada Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar, citing the potential use of a little-used clause in the Civil War-era 14th Amendment. That clause bars from public office any person who "shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof.” Used during Reconstruction, it has reemerged following the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, though whether it could apply over Trump’s role remains legally untested. This Fact Brief is responsive to conversations such as this one. SOURCES Nevada Secretary of State 2024 Nevada Election Information Free Speech For People Letter to Nevada Secretary of State Seeks to Bar Trump from the Ballot Congressional Research Service The Insurrection Bar to Office: Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment The Hill Activists want to disqualify Trump from ballot in key states under 14th Amendment Read More DO NEVADANS SUPPORT LEGALIZING ABORTION AT A HIGHER RATE THAN CALIFORNIANS? YES A higher percentage of Nevadans support legalizing abortion than Californians, polling shows. In a 2022 poll from Public Religion Research Institute, 80% of Nevadans said abortion should be legal in all or most cases, compared with 69% of Californians. The same poll found 4% of Nevadans backed making abortion illegal in all cases, compared with 10% of Californians. However, the poll also found 32% of Nevadans were in favor of overturning Roe v. Wade, compared with 31% of Californians. Even with Nevadans leading in support of abortion rights, only California has enshrined those protections in its constitution, which makes repeal more difficult. The Nevada Legislature this year passed SJR7, the first step in enshrining abortion rights in the constitution. It must also pass the Legislature in 2025 and be approved by voters in 2026 to become part of the constitution. This Fact Brief is responsive to conversations such as this one. SOURCES Public Religion Research Institute Abortion Attitudes in a Post-Roe World: Findings From the 50-State 2022 American Values Atlas Ballotpedia California Proposition 1, Right to Reproductive Freedom Amendment (2022) Nevada Independent Lawmakers pass abortion protections, putting them one step closer to Nevada Constitution Read More HAS NEVADA SEEN AN INCREASE IN ABORTIONS SINCE ROE V. WADE WAS OVERTURNED? YES Reporting from the Society for Family Planning indicates there has been a 33.5 percent increase in the monthly average number of abortions in Nevada from before the Dobbs decision in July 2022 to the year after. Across all abortion providers in Nevada, there were an average of 1,035 abortions a month in April and May of 2022. After the decision, the monthly average number of abortions from July 2022 to June 2023 was 1,382 — a 33.5 percent increase. Guttmacher Institute’s Monthly Abortion Provision Study assesses a different timeframe but shows a similar result, with an increase of 2,730 abortions (50 percent) in the first 6 months of 2023 compared to a similar period in 2020. Abortion rights in Nevada have been protected for more than 30 years by state law that can only be changed by a referendum. This Fact Brief is responsive to conversations such as this one. SOURCES The Society for Family Planning #WeCount Report April 2022 to June 2023 Guttmacher Institute Monthly Abortion Provision Study The Nevada Independent Indy Explains: What happens to Nevada’s abortion laws if Roe is overturned? Read More DID A STATE JUDGE RULE AGAINST MAKING ABORTION A CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT IN NEVADA? NO Though a Nevada judge blocked a ballot initiative “establishing the fundamental right to reproductive freedom” from being placed on the 2024 ballot, he did not rule against making abortion a constitutional right in principle. District Court Judge James Russell ruled that the proposed ballot question — which would have guaranteed a right to “all matters relating to pregnancy,” including birth control, abortion care and prenatal care — violated Nevada law because it was too broad for a single ballot question. He also said the question's implications were unclear and would implicitly require a funding source. The Nevadans for Reproductive Freedom PAC spearheaded the ballot measure and is affiliated with Planned Parenthood’s advocacy arm. The PAC plans to appeal Russell’s ruling to the Nevada Supreme Court. Four states (California, Vermont, Ohio and Michigan) have enshrined abortion protections into their state constitutions. Eight others will vote on similar ballot measures in the 2024 election. This Fact Brief is responsive to conversations such as this one. SOURCES Judge Ruling DocumentCloud Nevada Secretary of State Ballot Initiative Guardian Abortion rights across the US: we track where laws stand in every state NBC News Abortion rights groups seek ballot measures in 9 more states in 2024 Read More IS THE LAS VEGAS STRIP LOCATED IN LAS VEGAS? NO The 4.2-mile stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard lined by hotels and casinos and known as the Strip is located in unincorporated Clark County, not within Las Vegas city limits. The hotel corridor is part of Paradise, an unincorporated town that was formed on Dec. 8, 1950. The City of Las Vegas was mainly contained to the downtown area that was established in 1905. In 1941, the El Rancho Vegas Hotel and Casino became the first resort on what is known today as the Strip. The Strip’s location outside of city limits enticed hoteliers seeking to avoid municipal taxes. In 1950, then-Las Vegas Mayor Ernie Cragin proposed annexing the Strip to capture tax revenue, but casino owners pushed the county to create an unincorporated township to block the mayor. Today, the “room tax” in unincorporated Clark County is 12 percent, while the City of Las Vegas’ is 13.38 percent. This Fact Brief is responsive to conversations such as this one. SOURCES maps.clarkcountynv.gov Clark County Map City of Las Vegas City of Las Vegas History Timeline Las Vegas Review-Journal Knowing Vegas: Why isn’t the Strip in Las Vegas? Google Books “Las Vegas: The Fabulous First Century” - By Thomas Ainlay, Judy Dixon Gabaldon files.lasvegasnevada.gov City of Las Vegas Transient Lodging Establishment Room Tax Instructions and Guidelines clarkcountynv.gov Amendment to Clark County Code updating transient lodging tax rates Read More ARE ALL THE HOTELS AND CASINOS IN LAS VEGAS UNIONIZED? NO Culinary Workers Union Local 226 and Bartenders Union Local 165 represent about 60,000 workers in Las Vegas and Reno, including non-gaming employees in most of the casino resorts on the Strip and in downtown Las Vegas. Properties owned by Red Rock Resorts are among those that do not have contracts with the Culinary. These properties employ more than 10,000 people. The Culinary is working to organize Sphere Las Vegas, The Venetian complex and Fontainebleau Las Vegas. As of late November, the union was negotiating with downtown Las Vegas casinos, including three Boyd Gaming resorts, operating under contract extensions. Not every employee within a casino that has a contract with the Culinary is a member of the union. Some occupations and private vendors could be represented by a different union or not unionized, though the Culinary has attempted to organize employees at restaurants not owned by casinos. This Fact Brief is responsive to conversations such as this one. SOURCES Culinary Union Local 226 Culinary Union launches campaign to organize 10,000 non-union restaurant workers in Las Vegas FairHotel Boycott List Las Vegas Review-Journal Dealers at 4 Las Vegas casinos vote to join United Auto Workers union Focus Gaming News | Latest Gambling Industry News & Updates Boyd Gaming agrees with union Read More DOES NEVADA HAVE A HIGH UNIONIZATION RATE? YES Nevada’s union membership rate was 18th in the nation in 2022 and has historically been at or above the U.S. average, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Nevada had about 146,000 union members among its 1.5 million wage and salary workers in 2022 — making up 11.3 percent of the workforce, compared with 12.2 percent in 2021. Nationwide, union members accounted for 10.1 percent of wage and salary workers in 2022. Hawaii had the highest percentage of unionized workers at 21 percent, while South Carolina had the lowest percentage at 1.7 percent. Nevada’s union membership rates have been declining since 2020. Nevada is also a right-to-work state, which prohibits union membership as a condition of employment. The Culinary Union alone has about 60,000 members who work in hospitality. This Fact Brief is responsive to conversations such as this one. SOURCES US Bureau of Labor Statistics Union Members in Nevada — 2022 : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics State of Nevada Nevada Department of Employment, Training & Rehabilitation - Current Employment Statistics Nevada Legislature Research Division, Nevada Legislative Counsel Bureau - Policy And Program Report, Labor and Employment - April 2016 culinaryunion226.org Culinary Workers Union Local 226 Read More DOES THE U.S. MILITARY OWN AND OPERATE GOLF COURSES? YES The U.S. military owns 146 golf facilities in 40 states, the District of Columbia and in 11 overseas countries, according to the nonprofit Operation Support Military Golf. U.S. Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI), a former Marine, criticized the ownership of non-military assets such as golf courses in a Sept. 29, 2023, interview. “We can recycle those assets and take the savings and invest it” in training and improved living conditions for troops, he said. The courses include Monterey Pines in Monterey, California; Carney Park in Naples, Italy; and six courses in Hawaii. None are in Wisconsin. Sports Illustrated reported in January that the military is one of the top golf course operators in the U.S. Federal law generally prohibits Defense Department appropriations from being used to run golf courses. Exceptions are made for courses outside the U.S. or in remote locations in the U.S. This Fact Brief is responsive to conversations such as this one. SOURCES Operation Support Military Golf Where Is Military Golf WLUK-TV FOX 11 Rep. Mike Gallagher on UAW strike, government shutdown Sports Illustrated Golf in the Military Continues to Thrive at a Number of Under-the-Radar Courses Cornell 10 U.S. Code § 2491a - Department of Defense golf courses: limitation on use of appropriated funds Read More IS THE NUMBER OF CLARK COUNTY EDUCATORS AT A FIVE-YEAR LOW? YES The Clark County School District (CCSD) has the fewest number of licensed educators in at least five years, according to county data. The county reported 18,029 teachers for the current school year, a drop of more than 100 educators from the year before. School officials said in July that the county had hired 20% more teachers than the year before, indicating the drop in educators could be because of teachers leaving the county. The data comes as the district, which oversees nearly two-thirds of the state’s public school students, has struggled to hire teachers. The district’s careers portal shows more than 1,000 vacant teaching positions. For months, the Clark County teachers union has been at odds with district leadership over teacher salaries. CCSD this month said it had proposed a 17.4% pay increase over the next two years. This Fact Brief is responsive to conversations such as this one. SOURCES Clark County School District Staffing Report, July 2023 Clark County School District Career Portal Las Vegas Review-Journal CCSD Expected Enrollment Drop X: CCSD Latest Salaries Offer Clark County School District Five-Year Educator Data Read More DID CULINARY UNION MEMBERS GO TO JAIL FOR PROTESTING OVER VEGAS RESORT CONTRACTS? NO Ted Pappageorge, secretary-treasurer of Culinary Workers Union Local 226, clarified during a press conference last week in Las Vegas that members who had volunteered to be arrested during a planned civil disobedience demonstration last Wednesday were detained and cited but not taken to jail. The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department said in a statement that officers responded to a planned protest on the Las Vegas Strip where thousands of Culinary workers gathered to send a message to the industry’s largest employers as parties seek to settle on the terms of a new five-year contract. According to police, 58 of the protesters “failed to disperse from the public roadway,” had their hands zip-tied by police and were cited with blocking the street, which is a misdemeanor. They then were released. Pappgeorge said Culinary expects to represent its members facing charges in court. This Fact Brief is responsive to conversations such as this one. SOURCES Culinary Workers Union Local 226 Press conference Oct. 27, 2023 KSNV Culinary Union's "civil disobedience" on the Strip brings mixed reaction to the message, 58 arrests made Nevada Legislature CRIMES AGAINST THE PUBLIC PEACE Read More DOES THE DEFENSE DEPARTMENT FACILITATE ABORTIONS FOR MEMBERS OF THE MILITARY? YES The Defense Department has policies to help service members obtain reproductive health care, including abortion. The policies, announced Feb. 16, 2023, reinforce a “commitment to taking care of our people, ensuring their health and well-being, and ensuring the force remains ready and resilient." U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wisconsin, alluded to the policies in a Sept. 14 interview. To obtain an abortion or other reproductive care not available locally, service members can request time off without losing pay or being charged for administrative leave, and receive reimbursement for transportation and other travel expenses. Politico reported Sept. 15 that U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Alabama, is blocking more than 300 senior military promotions until the Defense Department rescinds the policy, which has been used by about a dozen women. Twenty-one states ban abortion or restrict it earlier in pregnancy than the standard set by Roe v. Wade, according to The New York Times. This Fact Brief is responsive to conversations such as this one. SOURCES US Department of Defense DoD Releases Policies to Ensure Access to Non-Covered Reproductive Health Care Fox News Sen. Ron Johnson: McConnell is completely out of step with our conference US Department of Defense Defense secretary memo: Administrative Absence for Non-Covered Reproductive Health Care US Department of Defense Defense Department memo: Military Advisory Panel Item 86-22(R), Paragraph 033013 'Travel for NonCovered Reproductive Health Care Services' Politico Troops avoid abortion travel policy fueling Tuberville blockade New York Times Tracking Abortion Bans Across the Country Read More HAVE FOUR MAJOR MEDICAL ASSOCIATIONS STATED THAT GENDER-AFFIRMING CARE SAVES LIVES? YES Four major medical groups support gender-affirming care for transgender youths, each citing research indicating the treatment can reduce the risk of suicide. The American Academy of Pediatrics in August 2023 said transgender youth should have access to gender-affirming care. The American Psychological Association in July asked congressional leaders to oppose bans on the care. The American Medical Association in June supported protecting access to gender-affirming care. The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry in March 2022 opposed state restrictions on the care for youths. Republican Wisconsin state lawmakers released a bill Sept. 27 to ban gender-affirming treatment for minors. An April 2023 article in a peer-reviewed medical journal said it is “reasonably well established" that puberty blockers are "not accompanied by serious adverse effects.” But “there is a need for research into the capacity of” youths “to understand the implications of the use of puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones.” This Fact Brief is responsive to conversations such as this one. SOURCES American Academy of Pediatrics Ensuring Comprehensive Care and Support for Transgender and Gender-Diverse Children and Adolescents Endocrine Society AMA strengthens its policy on protecting access to gender-affirming care American Medical Association Protecting Access to Gender Affirming Care Voter Voice Letter to congressional leaders AACAP Statement Opposing Actions in Texas Threatening the Health, Mental Health and Well-Being of Transgender and Gender Diverse Youth and Their Families WisPolitics Rep. Allen: Releases the ‘Help Not Harm Act’ BJPsych Bulletin Transgender children and young people: how the evidence can point the way forward Read More IS THE WEEKLY WAGE OF THE AVERAGE US WORKER LESS THAN IT WAS 50 YEARS AGO? YES By one key measure, the average weekly wage for U.S. workers, adjusted for inflation, is less than 50 years ago. U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) made the claim during a Sept. 22, 2023, speech in Madison. His staff cited U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data reported by the Federal Reserve Bank for private-sector production and nonsupervisory employees. That group includes workers who produce goods or provide services; it includes occupations such as doctors and lawyers. The group’s average weekly earnings were $823 in August 2023, according to the latest monthly data. That’s $31 lower than the inflation-adjusted $854 in August 1973, 50 years earlier. The August 2023 amount is $149 higher than the $674 in August 1993, 30 years earlier. The earnings generally trended downward from 1973 until the mid-1990s, a period that included high inflation. Then earnings trended upward, peaking at $862 in May 2020. Since then they have declined. This Fact Brief is responsive to conversations such as this one. SOURCES The Capital Times One-on-one with Bernie Sanders FRED (Federal Reserve Bank Of St. Louis) Average Weekly Earnings of Production and Nonsupervisory Employees Read More DO ONLY ABOUT A THIRD OF YOUNGER ADULTS APPROVE OF JOE BIDEN’S JOB PERFORMANCE AS OF SEPTEMBER 2023? YES Polls show about one-third of younger U.S. adults approve of President Joe Biden’s job performance. Kayleigh McEnany, who served as President Donald Trump’s press secretary, said in a Sept. 20, 2023, speech in Milwaukee that Biden’s approval rating among members of Generation Z is 37%. Gen Z generally refers to people born between 1997 and 2012, who are now ages 11 to 26. Here is how many younger adults approve of Biden’s job performance, listed with the poll and when the poll was released: 32% among adults ages 18-34 and 38% among registered voters in that age range; Quinnipiac, Sept. 13. 38%, adults 18-39; Reuters/Ipsos, Sept. 12. 39%, registered voters 18-34; Fox News, Aug. 17. 36%, registered voters 18-29; New York Times/Siena, Aug. 1. 36% among 18-29 and 38% among registered voters in that range, Harvard Youth Poll, April 24. Biden announced in April he will run for re-election in 2024. This Fact Brief is responsive to conversations such as this one. SOURCES Young America's Foundation Behind the Scenes in the White House | Kayleigh McEnany LIVE at Wisconsin Lutheran College Pew Research Defining generations: Where Millennials end and Generation Z begins Quinnipiac University 2024 Primary Races: Nearly 3 In 10 Trump Supporters & Half Of Biden Supporters Signal They Are Open To Other Options, Quinnipiac University National Poll Finds; Voters Support Age Limits On Candidates For President & Congress Reuters Biden approval rating tracker Fox News Fox News national poll (Conducted August 11-14, 2023) New York Times Cross-Tabs: July 2023 Times/Siena Poll of the 2024 Race and National Issues Read More WERE 20% OF CLARK COUNTY EIGHTH GRADERS MATH PROFICIENT LAST YEAR? YES Around 20% of eighth graders in Clark County public schools were proficient in math during the 2022-23 school year, according to data from the Nevada Department of Education. That is roughly the same proficiency rate for high schoolers in Clark County and across the state. Across the county, math proficiency increased slightly in elementary and middle schools from the 2021-22 school year but saw a small drop in high schools. The countywide high school math proficiency rate of 19.4% was more than 5 percentage points lower than the proficiency rate in the 2018-19 school year, the final school year before the pandemic shifted classes online. Nevada education officials say it's further evidence that the pandemic’s effects are still lingering. This Fact Brief is responsive to conversations such as this one. SOURCES Nevada Department of Education Clark County 8th Grade Proficiency Nevada Department of Education Clark County Data, 2022-23 Nevada Department of Education Clark County Data, 2018-19 Read More DID NEVADA HAVE THE HIGHEST FORECLOSURE RATE IN THE NATION IN AUGUST 2023? YES ATTOM, a leading curator of real estate data, released a report ranking Nevada the top state for foreclosures in August, a jump from last quarter's ranking of eighth. One in every 2,224 housing units in Nevada had a foreclosure filing. In Las Vegas, one in every 1,796 households had a foreclosure filing. Although foreclosure filings were up 7% in August compared with July, housing experts don’t anticipate foreclosures to continue to climb in Nevada or anywhere else in the country. “That [wave] could have been due to a jump in homeowners falling behind on their mortgages. Or, it could have been simply a timing thing, with banks and other lenders pursuing an accumulated batch of cases in August,” ATTOM CEO Rob Barber said in a statement. This Fact Brief is responsive to conversations such as this one. SOURCES ATTOM US Foreclosure Activity Sees Uplift In August 2023 Reuters Home foreclosure filings up 55 percent in July Realtor.com Tax Implications Following Foreclosure: What You Need to Know Realtor.com Foreclosures Tick Up, Especially in These Cities Read More ARE CAR INSURANCE PREMIUMS INCREASING SIGNIFICANTLY IN NEVADA? YES Car insurance premiums in Nevada have increased considerably in recent years. Nevadans on average paid $2,023 on car insurance premiums in 2022, according to the latest findings from Insure, an organization that collects car insurance data. That was a steep increase from 2021, when Nevadans on average paid $1,380 in annual premiums. Over the past decade, Nevadans’ insurance rates have increased by 51%, the third-highest rate hike in the country, according to data collected by FINN America. If that trend continues, Nevadans would pay an average of $3,055 in annual premiums in 2033. Rising insurance costs represent a nationwide trend. In the past decade, car insurance prices increased by 64% across the country, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This Fact Brief is responsive to conversations such as this one. SOURCES Insure Average car insurance cost in Nevada (November 2022) Insure (archive) 2021 car insurance costs, by state FINN State Car Insurance Report US Bureau of Labor Statistics Nationwide car insurance prices Read More ARE TEACHER STRIKES ILLEGAL IN NEVADA? YES In 1969, Nevada passed a law making it illegal for local government employees, including public school teachers, to strike. The Local Government Employee-Management Relations Act allows for government employees to be represented by organizations such as unions, and for these groups to be recognized by employers and bargain collectively on behalf of the employees they represent. In exchange, the law prohibits strikes by public sector employees. State law defines a strike as any concerted stoppage of work, slowdown or interruption of operations by public employees, including absences based on false pretenses, such as illness. Potential consequences for striking include a fine of up to $50,000 per day to the organization; a fine of up to $1,000 per day for an organization officer; imprisonment for contempt of court, and suspension, dismissal or pay deduction for any employee who participates in a strike. This Fact Brief is responsive to conversations such as this one. SOURCES Nevada Legislature Nevada Revised Statutes DocumentCloud Briefing document on Nevada’s law on strikes by Government Employee-Management Relations Board Commissioner Bruce Snyder Read More IS INFLATION THE SINGLE REASON NEVADA’S UNHOUSED POPULATION WAS UP IN 2023? NO Similar to any demographic, the unhoused population in Nevada — as well as how people became unhoused — is complex and multifaceted. As a result, the reasons for the overall increase of homelessness statewide reported in 2023’s latest point-in-time count are varied as well. Overall, the population across the state has increased, meaning the number of people experiencing homelessness could be a byproduct of Nevada's total population increasing by more than 2% from 2020 to 2022. Nevada’s unique summary eviction process, the recent expiration of COVID-19 eviction protections and the lack of affordable and supportive housing units are also among the reasons experts say there are increased rates of homelessness this year. Though rents are decreasing and vacancy rates are increasing, the average rent for Nevadans is still above what is considered affordable — 30% of the average resident’s monthly income, according to the Department of Housing and Urban Development. This Fact Brief is responsive to conversations such as this one. SOURCES US Census Population, percent change - April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2022 Department of Housing and Urban Development HUD Archives: Glossary of Terms to Affordable Housing Reno Gazette Journal Total Washoe homeless number still much higher than in pre-COVID years, new survey finds DocumentCloud Interview with Catrina Peters transcript DocumentCloud Interview with Aaron MacDonald transcript excerpt Read More IS CYBERSECURITY ONE OF THE LEAST DIVERSE INDUSTRIES? YES Women and minorities are underrepresented in the cybersecurity industry, with employment rates lower than the STEM industry as a whole. A 2021 Aspen Institute study found Black people make up 9% of the cybersecurity industry, even though they represent 13% of the U.S. population. Hispanic workers represent just 4% of the industry, despite making up 19% of the country’s population. Women also make up more than half of the U.S. population but less than a quarter of cybersecurity jobs. Cybersecurity jobs tend to be less diverse than the broader STEM field. A National Science Foundation (NSF) study this year found Hispanic workers make up 15% of the STEM workforce, while women make up 35%. Science and engineering jobs are usually less diverse, while jobs that do not typically require a bachelor’s degree are more diverse, according to the NSF study. This Fact Brief is responsive to conversations such as this one. SOURCES National Science Foundation The STEM Workforce aspeninstitute.org Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Cybersecurity Read More HAS NEVADA BANNED TRUMP FROM THE BALLOT? NO Nevada has not banned the former president from the 2024 ballot, because no candidate is as yet on the state’s ballot — formal candidate filing for the 2024 presidential election will not open until October. However, two activist groups — Mi Familia Vota and Free Speech for People — launched a campaign in late June to disqualify Donald Trump from the presidential ballot in several key states. That included sending a letter to Nevada Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar, citing the potential use of a little-used clause in the Civil War-era 14th Amendment. That clause bars from public office any person who "shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof.” Used during Reconstruction, it has reemerged following the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, though whether it could apply over Trump’s role remains legally untested. This Fact Brief is responsive to conversations such as this one. SOURCES Nevada Secretary of State 2024 Nevada Election Information Free Speech For People Letter to Nevada Secretary of State Seeks to Bar Trump from the Ballot Congressional Research Service The Insurrection Bar to Office: Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment The Hill Activists want to disqualify Trump from ballot in key states under 14th Amendment Read More DO NEVADANS SUPPORT LEGALIZING ABORTION AT A HIGHER RATE THAN CALIFORNIANS? YES A higher percentage of Nevadans support legalizing abortion than Californians, polling shows. In a 2022 poll from Public Religion Research Institute, 80% of Nevadans said abortion should be legal in all or most cases, compared with 69% of Californians. The same poll found 4% of Nevadans backed making abortion illegal in all cases, compared with 10% of Californians. However, the poll also found 32% of Nevadans were in favor of overturning Roe v. Wade, compared with 31% of Californians. Even with Nevadans leading in support of abortion rights, only California has enshrined those protections in its constitution, which makes repeal more difficult. The Nevada Legislature this year passed SJR7, the first step in enshrining abortion rights in the constitution. It must also pass the Legislature in 2025 and be approved by voters in 2026 to become part of the constitution. This Fact Brief is responsive to conversations such as this one. SOURCES Public Religion Research Institute Abortion Attitudes in a Post-Roe World: Findings From the 50-State 2022 American Values Atlas Ballotpedia California Proposition 1, Right to Reproductive Freedom Amendment (2022) Nevada Independent Lawmakers pass abortion protections, putting them one step closer to Nevada Constitution Read More HAS NEVADA SEEN AN INCREASE IN ABORTIONS SINCE ROE V. WADE WAS OVERTURNED? YES Reporting from the Society for Family Planning indicates there has been a 33.5 percent increase in the monthly average number of abortions in Nevada from before the Dobbs decision in July 2022 to the year after. Across all abortion providers in Nevada, there were an average of 1,035 abortions a month in April and May of 2022. After the decision, the monthly average number of abortions from July 2022 to June 2023 was 1,382 — a 33.5 percent increase. Guttmacher Institute’s Monthly Abortion Provision Study assesses a different timeframe but shows a similar result, with an increase of 2,730 abortions (50 percent) in the first 6 months of 2023 compared to a similar period in 2020. Abortion rights in Nevada have been protected for more than 30 years by state law that can only be changed by a referendum. This Fact Brief is responsive to conversations such as this one. SOURCES The Society for Family Planning #WeCount Report April 2022 to June 2023 Guttmacher Institute Monthly Abortion Provision Study The Nevada Independent Indy Explains: What happens to Nevada’s abortion laws if Roe is overturned? Read More DID A STATE JUDGE RULE AGAINST MAKING ABORTION A CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT IN NEVADA? NO Though a Nevada judge blocked a ballot initiative “establishing the fundamental right to reproductive freedom” from being placed on the 2024 ballot, he did not rule against making abortion a constitutional right in principle. District Court Judge James Russell ruled that the proposed ballot question — which would have guaranteed a right to “all matters relating to pregnancy,” including birth control, abortion care and prenatal care — violated Nevada law because it was too broad for a single ballot question. He also said the question's implications were unclear and would implicitly require a funding source. The Nevadans for Reproductive Freedom PAC spearheaded the ballot measure and is affiliated with Planned Parenthood’s advocacy arm. The PAC plans to appeal Russell’s ruling to the Nevada Supreme Court. Four states (California, Vermont, Ohio and Michigan) have enshrined abortion protections into their state constitutions. Eight others will vote on similar ballot measures in the 2024 election. This Fact Brief is responsive to conversations such as this one. SOURCES Judge Ruling DocumentCloud Nevada Secretary of State Ballot Initiative Guardian Abortion rights across the US: we track where laws stand in every state NBC News Abortion rights groups seek ballot measures in 9 more states in 2024 Read More IS THE LAS VEGAS STRIP LOCATED IN LAS VEGAS? NO The 4.2-mile stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard lined by hotels and casinos and known as the Strip is located in unincorporated Clark County, not within Las Vegas city limits. The hotel corridor is part of Paradise, an unincorporated town that was formed on Dec. 8, 1950. The City of Las Vegas was mainly contained to the downtown area that was established in 1905. In 1941, the El Rancho Vegas Hotel and Casino became the first resort on what is known today as the Strip. The Strip’s location outside of city limits enticed hoteliers seeking to avoid municipal taxes. In 1950, then-Las Vegas Mayor Ernie Cragin proposed annexing the Strip to capture tax revenue, but casino owners pushed the county to create an unincorporated township to block the mayor. Today, the “room tax” in unincorporated Clark County is 12 percent, while the City of Las Vegas’ is 13.38 percent. This Fact Brief is responsive to conversations such as this one. SOURCES maps.clarkcountynv.gov Clark County Map City of Las Vegas City of Las Vegas History Timeline Las Vegas Review-Journal Knowing Vegas: Why isn’t the Strip in Las Vegas? Google Books “Las Vegas: The Fabulous First Century” - By Thomas Ainlay, Judy Dixon Gabaldon files.lasvegasnevada.gov City of Las Vegas Transient Lodging Establishment Room Tax Instructions and Guidelines clarkcountynv.gov Amendment to Clark County Code updating transient lodging tax rates Read More ARE ALL THE HOTELS AND CASINOS IN LAS VEGAS UNIONIZED? NO Culinary Workers Union Local 226 and Bartenders Union Local 165 represent about 60,000 workers in Las Vegas and Reno, including non-gaming employees in most of the casino resorts on the Strip and in downtown Las Vegas. Properties owned by Red Rock Resorts are among those that do not have contracts with the Culinary. These properties employ more than 10,000 people. The Culinary is working to organize Sphere Las Vegas, The Venetian complex and Fontainebleau Las Vegas. As of late November, the union was negotiating with downtown Las Vegas casinos, including three Boyd Gaming resorts, operating under contract extensions. Not every employee within a casino that has a contract with the Culinary is a member of the union. Some occupations and private vendors could be represented by a different union or not unionized, though the Culinary has attempted to organize employees at restaurants not owned by casinos. This Fact Brief is responsive to conversations such as this one. SOURCES Culinary Union Local 226 Culinary Union launches campaign to organize 10,000 non-union restaurant workers in Las Vegas FairHotel Boycott List Las Vegas Review-Journal Dealers at 4 Las Vegas casinos vote to join United Auto Workers union Focus Gaming News | Latest Gambling Industry News & Updates Boyd Gaming agrees with union Read More The Nevada Independent is a proud participant in The Gigafact Project — an initiative to safeguard democracy and spread accurate information. Have you seen a claim online that you want fact-checked? Send us a link here. 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Subscribe JEREMY AGUERO’S NEVADA: HOW A WELL-CONNECTED CONSULTANT SHAPED THE STATE OVER TWO DECADES December 17th, 2023 at 2:00 AM Vassiliadis described Aguero’s work with state government as similar to a “monopoly” — but “not because someone else can't do it, because someone else hasn’t.” D.C. DOWNLOAD: DEFENSE ACT DELIVERS MILLIONS FOR NEVADA MILITARY INSTALLATIONS December 16th, 2023 at 2:00 AM The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) passed the Senate on Wednesday and the House on Thursday by bipartisan margins, authorizing the Pentagon to spend $886 billion once signed by the president. All six members of the Nevada delegation voted for the bill. SCHOOL DISTRICTS UNCLEAR ON WHY REQUESTS FOR FUNDING FOR EDUCATOR PAY RAISES WENT IGNORED December 15th, 2023Updated at 9:10 AM Confusion remains days after lawmakers decided they wouldn’t consider funding requests from two school districts, including Clark County, to provide additional pay increases for educators. AMIDST THEIR GRIEVING, UNLV PROFESSORS’ QUESTION OF RACIAL TARGETING LINGERS December 17th, 2023 at 2:00 AM Patricia Navarro Velez, Cha Jan “Jerry” Chang and Naoko Takemaru were part of the 38 percent of UNLV faculty that are Black, Indigenous, Hispanic, Asian or Pacific Islander. PODCASTS INDYMATTERS Listen THE INDY’S BEST OF 2023 December 19th, 2023 at 11:07 AM Reporters at The Indy reminisce about their favorite stories that they reported on this year, and we say a farewell to co-host Alex Couraud as her podcasting internship comes to a close. Hosts Joey Lovato - @Joey_Lovato_ Alex Couraud - @alexcouraud Read the stories Lyon County student-run turkey farm serving up lessons on business, agriculture … Continue reading "The Indy’s Best of 2023" CAFECITO NEVADA Listen MERCADO DE SEGUROS DE SALUD DE NEVADA: OPCIONES DE PLANES Y AHORROS December 18th, 2023 at 6:15 AM Ya está abierta la inscripción para Nevada Health Link, el mercado estatal de seguros de salud. Nuestra invitada nos habla a detalle cómo funciona, qué planes ofrece, opciones para reducir pago mensual, alternativas para familias de estatus migratorio mixto, y más. También: Qué recomiendan bomberos locales para celebrar de forma segura en esta temporada. FEATURED VIDEOS NEVADA OFFICIALS APPROVE $27 MILLION FOR INCARCERATED PEOPLE’S MENTAL HEALTH CARE December 15th, 2023 at 2:00 AM The funding seeks to increase the number of patients that the state can treat. More than half of the money will go toward a program to provide certain patients with social skills training and types of therapy. REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS GROUP SEEKS SECOND INITIATIVE TO PROTECT ABORTION IN NV CONSTITUTION December 14th, 2023 at 3:49 PM Pro abortion groups have sought similar ballot initiatives across the country to juice Democratic turnout and give voters a say on abortion access in red states where lawmakers have largely restricted the practice since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last year. TROPICANA AND CULINARY AGREE ON A NEW CONTRACT, BUT FOR HOW LONG? December 14th, 2023 at 11:39 AM The Tropicana and Culinary union reached a tentative five-year contract agreement, even as the Strip resort may be demolished next year for baseball stadium. WHY DID NORTH LAS VEGAS PUSH FOR A PROPERTY TAX SPECIAL ELECTION? OFFICIALS WON’T SAY. December 14th, 2023 at 2:00 AM Key city officials have declined interviews with The Nevada Independent, and a records request regarding city emails resulted in pages of redactions. The Indy is exploring its legal options. LAWMAKERS DOLE OUT EXTRA FUNDS FOR EDUCATOR RAISES, DELAY DECISION ON CLARK COUNTY SCHOOLS December 13th, 2023 at 4:44 PM The Interim Finance Committee on Wednesday authorized more than $15 million to support pay raises at five school districts, but deferred requests from four other school districts including Clark County. INDY ENVIRONMENT: JANUARY OPENING ANNOUNCED FOR SOUTHERN NEVADA’S ICE AGE FOSSILS STATE PARK December 14th, 2023 at 7:00 AM Ice Age Fossils State Park, the newest addition to Nevada's system, is set to open Jan. 20. ‘BUILT FOR 2023, NOT 2009;’ FONTAINEBLEAU HOPES TO MAKE HIGH-END PRESENCE ON NORTH STRIP December 13th, 2023 at 2:00 AM The $3.7 billion Fontainebleau Las Vegas, which sat dormant on the north end of the Strip for more than a decade until its original developer bought it back, opens Wednesday night. LOMBARDO SPURNED ETHICS COMMISSIONER'S REAPPLICATION AHEAD OF MAJOR VOTE, EMAILS SHOW December 13th, 2023 at 2:00 AM Emails obtained by The Nevada Independent indicate that Lombardo made the new appointments despite a former Republican commissioner expressing interest in serving another term. 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