Governor

Veterans In Politics International, Inc. presents the Veterans Valentines Ball and Gala, hosted by the Plaza Hotel and Casino, 1 South Main Street, Las Vegas, Nevada 89101
Guests will be received by: Crowned members of the Miss Nevada Organization including Miss Nevada 2011 Alana LeeMrs. Clark County United States 2012 Melissa Jeanne Arias
— Opening Ceremonies to be performed by Nellis Honor Guard
— National Anthem will be performed by Miss Vanessa Bayot
— Masters of Ceremonies are Miss Rowena Richards of Shine Foundation, and Mr. Les Krifaton of Fox 5

Unemployment figures released this morning show the state's overall unemployment rate held steady at 13.4 percent, still the highest in the nation and well above the 9 percent national average.

Carson City's jobless rate dropped to 12 percent in October, down from 12.4 percent the previous month. In October 2010, the unemployment was 13.1 percent.

Unemployment in the Las Vegas metro area dropped to 13.1 percent, down from 13.4 percent in September. The Reno metro area also saw a drop, from 12.6 to 12.1 percent.

Full press release below.

The charred body of a convicted sex offender who was recently questioned about the fondling of a 6-year-old Carson City girl was found in a burning boat Friday night by Washoe Lake.

James Floyd Raines, 70, was questioned last week about fondling the girl at his Bel Aire Way home. He was a Tier 1 sex offender, having been convicted in 1989 of lewdness with a child in Henderson and served four years in prison. He allegedly told detectives last week that he was not going back to prison.

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The Nevada Tax Commission is scheduled to vote on a measure on Dec. 12 that would limit some of the tax deductions that mining companies take. During the last legislative session, lawmakers learned the mining companies were taking deductions for activities not related to mining in Nevada, such as executive pay. The Nevada Mining Association says the changing in deductions could cost mining companies and extra $48 million a year.

Nevada mining operations are taxed on net proceeds, which allows them to deduct expenses, whereas most other states tax gross income. A controversy erupted earlier this year when it was revealed that the state didn't have any qualified auditors to oversee what the mining companies were claiming for expenses.

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Silver State Charter School's plan to move into their new location on Mallory Way has been delayed until early next year. The school's principal Alan Staggs is frustrated with some of the "loopholes" because the building has to be retrofitted to bring it up to a higher standard because it will be used as a school and not an office. The Nevada Insurance Division vacated the building last year when workers were sickened by a chemical used to clean bird droppings. The Staggs said that problem has been fixed.

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Gov. Brian Sandoval led the celebration of a new Native American cultural exhibit at Reno-Tahoe Airport on Monday. The governor said he got the idea for the exhibit from visiting other airports where there were similar displays. The event coincides with his signing of a proclamation declaring November as Native American Heritage Month. See the video below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5prbco90554

Gov. Brian Sandoval said Friday that he will convene the state Gaming Policy Committee to focus on technology, including the potential legalization of Internet gaming.The full Gaming Policy Committ...

Nice to have governor whovalues educationWe were pleased that Gov. Sandoval attended the dedication of Sierra Lutheran High School on Oct. 16. The governor took time on a Sunday afternoon to attend...

He left office in disgrace after a highly publicized affair with his Argentine mistress. He told his staff and the press he was “hiking the Appalachian trail” in June 2009 when he was in fact visiting his mistress, in Argentina.

He was considered a potential 2012 Republican presidential contender before a scandal ended his political aspirations.

Instead of doing the honorable act of resigning from his political office, he refused this option and finished his term as governor, leaving office in 2010.

By the Nevada Department of Wildlife
CARSON CITY, Nev. — Nevada Department of Wildlife director Ken Mayer has been named a co-recipient of the 2011 Secretary’s Honor Award, the most prestigious award given by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture (USDA).
Mayer received this honor for his role as a partner on the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Sage-Grouse Initiative Team.

CARSON CITY – Attorneys for the Nevada Republican Party today filed a brief with the Nevada Supreme Court opposing Secretary of State Ross Miller’s emergency petition seeking to intervene on the question of the authority of the courts to decide the state’s political boundaries instead of the Legislature.

The -'s "Silver Dollar" and "Wooden Nickel" feature recognizes positive achievements from the capital region and, when warranted, points out others that missed the mark.SILVER DOLLAR: To GCopyright...

by Guy Rocha, former Nevada State Archivist
Why all the fuss about Nevada's birthday on October 31? The battle lines were drawn between "traditionalists", and the "grinches" who would steal Nevada Day by calling for the last Friday of October to be the state's official holiday. The parade and other festivities would follow on Saturday; thus making for a three-day weekend for some Nevadans as well as state and local government employees. With the passage of AB396 by the 1997 legislature, Nevada voters, on November 3, 1998 advised the 1999 legislature they wanted to celebrate Nevada Day on the last Friday in October beginning in 2000. The legislature, after much heated debate, complied.

Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval commended Sierra Lutheran High School's strong academic program and its overall approach to education during his special address at the school's Campus Consecration & Open House event yesterday.

Before an estimated audience of over 400 students, parents, and community members, Sandoval traced SLHS's success to the words of Matthew 7:24, "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock."

CARSON CITY – The National Governors Association (NGA) announced today  that Nevada has been selected as one of six states to participate in a Policy Academy on strengthening post-secondary education performance measures.

Anyone who knows me will tell you that I'm a history buff. I enjoy reading about historical events, and one of the things I enjoy most about being your Governor is the opportunity to be a small par...

CARSON CITY – Ten months after a legislative audit first raised serious questions about current and former state employees working as contractors for state agencies, the Board of Examiners earlier this week approved administrative changes to prevent future abuses.

Carson City has made its first payments to the state to cover assessments ordered by the Legislature and governor despite objections to the decision to shift costs to the local levels for those pro...

CARSON CITY – Nevada State Controller Kim Wallin announced today that a Fraud Hotline has been posted on her agency’s website in order to assist both the public and state employees in reporting questionable practices.

"The Ides of March," currently showing at the Fandango Galaxy cineplex in Carson City, is a welcome change from the summer fare of bare-chested shoot 'em ups. It's a serious film about American politics with a fine cast headed by Ryan Gosling as Stephen Myers, a sleazy press secretary to George Clooney's Mike Morris, seeking the Democratic nomination for president at a hotly contested Ohio vote.

Clooney is almost just a supporting actor but even in his shorter screen time manages to impress. He also directs, produces and co-writes the script, which is tight and intelligent.

Gov. Brian Sandoval yesterday signed an executive order directing the P-16 Advisory Council to review education data systems in Nevada.
The Council, created by state statute, is intended to help coordinate education efforts in Nevada from the preschool through postsecondary levels and has the authority to address the data information system for public school students.

CARSON CITY – Nevada ranks well overall in an analysis by the nonpartisan State Budget Solutions of spending trends over the past decade, coming in 12th in the review of how states have managed their money in times of growth and recession.

CARSON CITY – Gov. Brian Sandoval has appointed Claudia Vecchio as the first director of the new Department of Tourism and Cultural Affairs. She will begin her job Nov. 14.
The newly constituted department is comprised of the Nevada Commission on Tourism, Division of Museums and History, Nevada Arts Council and the Nevada Indian Commission.

NEWS RELEASE – Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval has appointed Claudia Vecchio as the first director of the new Department of Tourism and Cultural Affairs. The Department of Tourism and Cultural Affairs is comprised of the Nevada Commission on Tourism, Division of Museums and History, Nevada Arts Council, and the Nevada Indian Commission.

Governor Brian Sandoval and the Nevada Department of Public Safety and Transportation are this weekend reminding Nevada drivers that handheld cellphone use while driving is now prohibited in the state.

Governor Brian Sandoval, the Nevada Departments of Public Safety and Transportation and other traffic safety partners held an event in Carson City to remind drivers that handheld cellphone use while driving is prohibited in the state as of Oct. 1.

As of Oct. 1, law enforcement is giving motorists a warning for driving while talking, typing or reading on a handheld cellphone or similar device. Beginning Jan. 1, 2012, fines of up to $250, depending on the number of offenses, will be imposed for any driver using a handheld phone or device to talk, type or read.

The newly appointed director of the Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation held down two state jobs last fiscal year, earning almost as much as the governor.

Frank Woodbeck, who will join Gov. Brian Sandoval’s cabinet Monday, was, from July 2010 to March, both the full-time Southern Nevada director of the state’s Commission on Economic Development and a paid contract consultant to the state on “green jobs” training, according to records obtained by the Las Vegas Sun.

We%u2019ve known that our governor Brian Sandoval is a fan of Google's self-driving cars. He's gotten legislation passed to make them street-legal in Nevada. So Google's people must be fans of Carson City as well. These photos sent in by a reader shows one of the robot cars parked in the Casino Fandango parking garage, spotted just a few minutes ago.

RENO (AP) - More than 400 people gathered Sunday night to pay their respects to the victims of a deadly crash at an air race and to dedicate a tree that the state's governor said would serve as ...

The fireworks display scheduled for tonight at the Harley-Davidson Street Vibrations show in Carson City has been cancelled. This comes after the motorcycle gang shooting at the Nugget in Sparks on Friday night and shooting early this morning on Victorian Avenue.

CARSON CITY – Brian Sandoval has made it clear in his first eight months on the job that he is going to be a “hands on” chief executive, as evidenced by decisions he has made to be personally involved on issues ranging from economic development to homeland security.

Governor Brian Sandoval this morning sent a letter to President Obama asking for assistance in making changes at the federal level that could clear the way for new jobs in Nevada.
“This is my first request of President Obama since becoming Governor,” Sandoval noted in a press release. “I need his help to get Nevadans working again, and we have identified a very specific step he can take to spur job creation in our mining industry.”