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Geoff Dornan

Stories by Geoff

School vouchers lawsuit tossed by Nevada Supreme Court

The court ruled the Education Freedom PAC failed to provide a funding source to pay for what it wanted to do.

State officials OK nearly $620 million in service agreements

The governor, secretary of state and attorney general approved 146 Master Service Agreements during the 10-minute meeting.

Climate change driving Tahoe environmental impacts, lawmakers told

Nevada lawmakers were told climate change is driving environmental changes in the Tahoe Basin, including a significant increase in wildfires.

Lawmakers discuss how best to pay college athletes

The committee called on Congress to develop a national policy on how the so-called Name, Image and Likeness system would work.

Sisolak silent on federal gas tax issue

Nevada law automatically raises the state gasoline tax if and when the federal government lowers or suspends its gas tax.

Free school lunch program gets another year

Lawmakers approved $75 million in federal pandemic funding to continue providing all K-12 pupils with free breakfast and lunch during the coming school year.

Nevada Supreme Court: Senior water rights holders must join in drought pain

Opponents, including three members of the high court, say the ruling effectively punches a hole in 155 years of Nevada water law.

Krasner calls for limits on governor’s emergency powers

Krasner defeated appointed incumbent Sen. Don Tatro in Tuesday’s Republican primary. She will face Democrat Aaron Sims in November’s general election.

Amodei looks toward November after primary win

Rep. Mark Amodei will face Democrat Elizabeth Mercedes Krause in the November general election.

O’Neill wins primary for Carson City’s Assembly seat

O’Neill, the incumbent in District 40, advances to face Democrat Shannon McDaniel and Libertarian Sam Toll in November’s general election.

Revenue $800 million ahead of forecast, state economist says

The seven major revenue streams brought in $689.6 million more than forecast this fiscal year, about $3.5 billion so far.

Lawmakers asked to address ‘unreasonable’ library charges

Carson City Library Board chair asks lawmakers to help do something about the unreasonable amounts electronic publishers are charging public libraries.

Legalizing pot didn’t eliminate street dealers, study says

The head of Nevada’s Cannabis Compliance Board says he agrees with a Canadian university study that legalization of recreational marijuana use didn’t eliminate the illegal dealers.

Gardnerville man arrested on multiple child porn charges

Daniel Phillips, 61, was arrested Wednesday on multiple charges of possessing child pornography.

Gaming win tops $1 billion 14 months straight

The Carson Valley area, which includes valley portions of Douglas County as well as the capital, managed a small increase of 2.23 percent, raking in $11.8 million.

Vegas Sen. Chris Brooks resigning from Legislature

Brooks, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, said he will pursue a business opportunity in the renewable energy industry.

Carson City unemployment falls to 3 percent

In Carson City, the work force totals 25,410 with 775 seeking employment.

Many pregnant women don’t see pot as danger to baby, Nevada lawmakers told

The Centers for Disease Control and the Food and Drug Administration strongly advise mothers to avoid using pot while pregnant or breast feeding.

Nevada lawmakers urged to study taxi, transport rules

The director of the agency that oversees the Nevada Transportation Authority and the Taxicab Authority urged lawmakers not to combine the two agencies.

Storey County mailing corrected sample ballots to voters

Legislative maps drawn this year added Storey County to the boundaries of Assembly District 40 and Senate District 16, races left off the original sample ballots.

Brown, Laxalt debate in race for GOP nomination for U.S. Senate

Republican U.S. Senate candidates Sam Brown and Adam Laxalt squared off on Nevada Newsmakers on Monday, largely agreeing on most major issues.

Officials: Nevada can expect rough wildfire season

Gov. Steve Sisolak pointed to the “sweeping impacts” of climate change, drought, heat and invasive grasses that are making controlling those fires a huge challenge across the West.

Nevada child care providers to get $30 million in grants

The Legislative Interim Finance Committee on Thursday approved a $30 million grant program to help child care providers.

Nevada gaming win tops $1 billion for 13 straight months

Total win for the month was $1.355 billion. That is a 26.8 percent increase compared to March 2021 and the second highest monthly win of all time.

Treasurer sells $75 million in bonds for Infrastructure Bank

After all three major rating services confirmed that Nevada’s bonds are rated as Double A, the state was able to sell the bonds for just two-hundredths over 3 percent interest.

Exterior repairs on Capitol planned

There are serious leaks in the rain gutters atop the building, leaky windows and doors as well as peeling paint, among other issues.

ACLU sues to change Nevada cannabis listing

Nevada voters amended the state constitution in 2000 to recognize the medical uses of pot. Then, in 2016, voters legalized possession of pot for recreational purposes.

Nevada continues recovery as jobless rate falls to 5%

DETR said total private sector jobs are just 2,600 below the pre-pandemic peak, Reno set a record for employment and jobless claims are at multi-decade lows.

Nevada launches affordable housing initiative

The Home Means Nevada initiative is intended to provide affordable, accessible housing for nearly 13,000 households.

State OKs engineering contract for Marlette/Hobart dam

The historic Marlette water system has provided some water to Carson City and all of Virginia City’s water for more than 100 years.

March sees 23 more people die on Nevada roads

Statewide, 24 pedestrians have been killed so far in 2022.

Judges tell legislators new rules will hit rural courts hard

Rules going into effect in 2023 will require defendants get an initial hearing before a judge within 48 hours of their arrest.

Over objections, lawmakers OK $250M for affordable housing

Members of both parties objected strongly that the spending plan essentially cut the legislative branch out of a say in exactly how it would be spent.

Election deadlines approaching for Nevada voters

April 15 is the last day voters can “opt out” of receiving a mail-in ballot for the June 14 primary election.

Nevada may miss deadline for voter registration system

That new system is required to put an accurate and unified list of registered voters at the state level.

Strip drives record win for Nevada casinos

Nevada casinos reported their 12th consecutive billion-dollar month in February.

Nevada adds 6,300 jobs as hospitality continues recovery

More than half the jobs, 3,400, were in the hard-hit sector that supports Nevada’s tourism and gambling industry.

Nevada Guard to end its COVID response mission April 1

At 700 days and 1,139 guardsmen and women deployed at its April 2020 peak, Lt. Emerson Marcus said it was the largest and longest deployment in Nevada Guard history.

Unvaccinated state workers won't have to pay COVID test charge

The Public Employee Benefits Program voted to eliminate the proposed surcharge intended to make unvaccinated state workers pay for their weekly COVID tests.

State tax collections running ahead of predictions

Through the first six to eight months of this fiscal year, actual state tax collections are running well above what the Economic Forum predicted.

Problems at prisons, child services blamed on staff shortages

Lawmakers were pointedly reminded the state is not competitive in pay and benefits for many positions.

GOP leader calls for Nevada Legislature to meet on gas tax

Senate Minority Leader James Settelmeyer says if the U.S. government temporarily suspends the federal gas tax, Nevada law will block drivers from seeing any relief.

State awards tax abatements to 6 companies to invest $164 million

The companies are required to invest $164 million in capital improvements, create 750 new jobs and pay an average hourly wage of $25.17.

Affordable housing is a crisis, Nevada lawmakers told

Nevada Rural Housing Authority Director Bill Brewer said that inflation, labor costs and demand are driving prices through the roof.

Nevada moves to new phase of COVID-19 fight

Nevada is shifting to community measures that focus on minimizing the impact of severe illness and protecting the most vulnerable.

Tax hikes to fund Nevada schools won’t be on ballot

Carson District Judge James Wilson barred two education funding petitions from the November ballot.

State department heads told to plan flat budgets

The goal is to produce budget plans that lay out the cost of, “continuing the same level of service as the current year.”

Senate Republicans reimbursed for court fight over tax

Minority Leader James Settelmeyer said the $150,000 is about half the total cost of the legal battle.

Nevada's unemployment rate falls to 5.2 percent

The biggest change was in the Las Vegas area where a significant improvement was reported in the hotel casino industry.

Pay hikes OK’d for unionized state employees

Board of Examiners approved agreements with collective bargaining units that will cost the state $26 million in added pay for several categories of state workers.