The United States Postal Service (USPS) is moving forward with its plan to transfer certain mail processing operations from Reno to Sacramento, a change that has drawn bipartisan opposition among Nevada elected officials over its potential impact on the region’s economy and fears that it would slow the processing of mail ballots. The USPS said Tuesday that its Reno building will be converted into a local processing center — a facility that prepares mail before it is placed on carrier routes. The agency will also spend up to $13.4 million in Reno for new workplace amenities and expanded distrib ..read more

Indy Elections is The Nevada Independent’s newsletter devoted to comprehensive and accessible coverage of the 2024 elections, from the race for the White House to the bid to take control of the Legislature. In today’s edition: An analysis of campaign finance reports in races with Democratic and Lombardo-backed candidates, an explanation of why a legislative candidate reported a more than $129,000 donation, a new abortion rights-related legislative campaign ad and a response from the secretary of state to a lawsuit over voter roll cleanup. Click this link to manage your newsletter subscriptions ..read more

Una oportunidad para no tener que ocultarse y ejercer un negocio legítimo y legal, es lo que representó una ley estatal aprobada el año pasado para cientos de vendedores ambulantes de alimentos que hasta ahora habían estado operando al margen en Nevada. La iniciativa SB92, patrocinada por el Senador estatal Demócrata Fabian Doñate y firmada como ley en junio por el Gobernador Joe Lombardo, ofrecía una vía para que dichos vendedores trabajaran con una licencia, pero sólo una vez que gobiernos locales de los Condados Clark y Washoe establecieran reglas sobre cómo se podrían administrar dichos ne ..read more

The legislative fundraising battle is tight between GOP candidates backed by Gov. Joe Lombardo and their likely general election opponents supported by the Democratic establishment. The Nevada Independent identified 10 legislative elections that are expected to be competitive in the general election — based on voter registration data and past results — and have establishment-backed candidates in both parties. In these races, there is an even split of contests in which the Lombardo-backed candidates raised more money from January through March and races where the Democratic candidate had a fund ..read more

It’s been two months since I told you about The Indy’s restructuring. I am thrilled to tell you that 60 days later, we have stabilized the ship, and I see smooth sailing ahead. There is still work to do, and we still need your help in achieving long-term sustainability. But thanks to a dedicated revenue team opening new fundraising doors and a talented group of reporters continuing to produce stellar stories, we are well on our way. There’s a lot happening on the fundraising and journalism fronts: — IndyTalks: A Las Vegas mayoral forum on May 15 at the Fontainebleau Las Vegas that will end up ..read more

With less than two months to go before Nevada’s June 11 primary, establishment-backed candidates in key legislative races generally have the financial edge over their opponents heading into the final pre-election stretch. In nine legislative races tracked by The Nevada Independent, all but one of the candidates backed by either Gov. Joe Lombardo (R) or their party’s caucus in their respective chamber held a significant lead in money raised from January through March, according to an analysis of first quarter campaign finance reports released last week. Though 10 state Senate races and 42 Assem ..read more

Apparently, the Clark County Commission is fine with Formula One converting the resort corridor into a private raceway each year — but heaven forbid a taco cart is allowed to operate near a public park.  Last year Gov. Joe Lombardo signed Senate Bill 92, providing street vendors with the promise that their line of work would soon be legitimized throughout the state. However, local governments were still free to impose their own slew of regulations, restrictions and permitting requirements as part of a “legalized pathway” for vendors — and last week the Clark County Commission did precisel ..read more

Almost a year after major pharmacy chains began waffling at the prospect of filling mifepristone prescriptions, Walgreens and CVS began dispensing the abortion pill in Nevada during the last few weeks. The decision comes after a concentrated push by Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), who called on the chains to follow through with Food & Drug Administration (FDA) guidance updates finalized in 2023 allowing mifepristone to be dispensed and sold at pharmacies. Now the most common means of terminating a pregnancy, mifepristone is the first of a two-pill drug regimen that patients can take wi ..read more

Un nuevo club en la Preparatoria Carson está dirigiendo sus esfuerzos para hacer una diferencia, empezando con una iniciativa para brindar apoyo tecnológico a personas mayores. El Club Interact, afiliado al Club Rotario de Carson City en el norte de Nevada, y que se enfoca en el servicio comunitario, empezó en enero. La trabajadora social de la escuela, Bailee Barber, es la asesora del club y dijo que decidió iniciar el club después de hablar con los estudiantes que participaron en el campamento de verano del Club Rotario. "Ha sido muy hermoso ser testigo de todos estos estudiantes que simplem ..read more

One of the most critical steps the Biden administration can take to improve public health for all is to ban menthol cigarettes. This isn't just about curbing smoking rates nationwide. It’s about addressing a deadly, cancer-causing product that has been aggressively marketed to minority communities for far too long. As a pediatrician, son of a daily smoker and proud Latino, I urge the White House to act now to save lives, protect kids and reduce health disparities. The industry’s efforts perpetuate a particularly vicious cycle in Hispanic and Latino communities, where significant health care ba ..read more