Nevada
Nevada lawmakers respond to bump stock ruling; devices used in Las Vegas mass shooting
Accessory allowed shooter to fire 1,000 rounds in 11 minutes during 1 October
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Nevada’s congressional delegation and state leaders responded Friday to the U.S. Supreme Court’s 6-3 ruling striking down a Trump-era ban on bump stocks, a gun accessory restricted following the 1 October shooting.
The majority of the high court found Congress, not the executive branch, has the authority to ban bump stocks. In 2019, the Trump Administration banned the devices through regulatory means by defining them as machinegun components. Bump stocks remain illegal under Nevada state law.
Stephen Paddock killed 58 people attending the Route 91 Harvest festival on Oct. 1, 2017 — an event now known in Las Vegas as 1 October. Two subsequent deaths have since been added to the total, now 60. Bump stocks allowed Paddock to fire more than 1,000 rounds in 11 minutes, officials said.
In the wake of the shooting, southern Nevada’s congressional delegation pushed Congress to pass a ban. Specifically, Democratic Rep. Dina Titus, whose district encompasses the Las Vegas Strip, has pushed for passage of a federal ban.
“What a travesty this court is,” Titus said in a video posted outside the Supreme Court. “The American public knows we don’t need weapons of war on our streets so now let’s pass my BUMP stock bill and take care of this problem.”
“Bump stocks like the one used in the Route 91 Harvest Music Festival massacre in Las Vegas that left 60 people dead and hundreds more injured have no place on our streets,” Democratic Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto said “I am extremely disappointed in the Supreme Court’s decision to strike down President Trump’s 2019 regulation. Now, I’m calling on Congress to urgently pass my commonsense legislation to save lives by permanently prohibiting these devastating devices.”
“I’m outraged by the Supreme Court’s decision to reverse a Trump-era federal ban on bump stocks, which were used in the 1 October shooting – making it the deadliest in U.S. history,” Democratic Sen. Jacky Rosen said. “For years, this ban has been a common-sense, bipartisan approach to keeping communities safer and this shameful decision will put more lives at risk. It’s more important than ever for Congress to come together in a bipartisan way and pass legislation to permanently ban bump stocks.”

“Once again, Donald Trump’s handpicked Supreme Court has put the interests of corporations, in this case the gun lobby, over the lives of everyday Americans,” Democratic Rep. Steven Horsford said. “October 1, 2017 was a traumatic day for the Las Vegas community and a seminal moment for our nation. Sadly, on this day, the largest mass shooting event in our country occurred at the hand of a shooter and their use of bump stocks – killing sixty people and injuring 867 survivors who are still dealing with the lingering effects to this day. Today, the Supreme Court sided with violent criminals and against our right to live free from gun violence in our communities. This must not stand. It’s why I voted to pass the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which is now law, co-sponsored legislation to end bump stocks and authored the Break the Cycle of Violence Act to stop crime before it starts, save lives and break the cycle of violence in all of our communities.”
“The ban on bump stocks was a direct consequence of the Oct. 1 shooting, which caused so much pain and sadness in our community,” Democratic Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford said. “Las Vegans and Nevadans saw firsthand the carnage these devices can cause, and it saddens me that such violence was not enough for six of the justices sitting on the court. The decision today is the most recent example of a court that has abdicated its responsibility to the American public. The court would rather, it seems, take an ideological stance and ignore the blood in our streets than allow such common-sense regulation as a bump stock ban to take effect. I am saddened by today’s decision, and I am calling on Congress to act quickly to reinstate a bump stock ban through legislative efforts.”
There were more than 500,000 bump stocks in circulation when the 2019 regulation went into effect, according to the Associated Press.
Nevada
28-year-old inmate at Southern Nevada prison dies
A man serving time at the Southern Desert Correctional Center for felony reckless driving died last month, the Nevada Department of Corrections said Tuesday.
Shiloh Walker, 28, died at the Indian Springs facility on Nov. 24, a news release said. Cause of death was not listed.
Walker was serving a sentence of up to six years after a plea agreement was reached in 2022 following a DUI crash that happened May 31, 2021 in Las Vegas, according to online court records.
An autopsy was requested following Walker’s death, though results were not available as of Monday evening. Attempts to reach Walker’s family members have been unsuccessful, according to the department.
Contact Bryan Horwath at bhorwath@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BryanHorwath on X.
Nevada
Is USPS breaking vow not to use Sacramento for Northern Nevada mail?
After widespread condemnation last year, the U.S. Postal Service backed away from plans to move its Reno mail-processing operations to Sacramento — but did it stay true to what it told the public?
The question arose recently after letters sent from one Carson City address to another in Carson City were both postmarked in Sacramento.
Northern Nevadans did not want first class mail sent from one Northern Nevada address to another going first to California. They sent a unified message to the USPS all the way up to the postmaster general.
Critics of the USPS plan were especially worried about delays from mail having to go back and forth over the Sierra during winter.
The Washoe County District Attorney’s office filed a lawsuit over the plan, the Washoe County Commission voted to oppose the plan, public comment was universally opposed, and Democratic and Republican elected officials from across the state joined to stop it.
Could it possibly have happened anyway? The answer is yes, temporarily, for a brief time.
How letters sent in Carson City came to be processed at Sacramento USPS facility
A reader told the Reno Gazette Journal they’d twice had letters internal to Carson City postmarked in Sacramento, so we asked USPS if the policy had changed.
“Mail processing for First Class mail that originates in Northern Nevada and is destined to Northern Nevada has not changed,” USPS spokesperson Sherry Patterson responded by email.
“However,” she added, “without the specific mail piece and class of mail, we cannot determined if there is an issue.”
The reader then supplied a photo of the two envelopes postmarked Nov. 5 in Sacramento, and this was shared with USPS.
“Our processing machine in Reno was temporarily out of service while we awaited a replacement part,” Patterson said after viewing the postmarks to nail down the specific date the letters went through Sacramento.
“To ensure that mail was not delayed during this time, we implemented a contingency plan that involved routing certain mail to our Sacramento facility for cancellation and processing. This measure allows us to maintain service continuity and minimize disruptions for our customers. We understand that this may cause some confusion, and we are committed to ensuring that all mail is processed efficiently and accurately.”
Bottom line: Regarding first class mail that’s being sent to and from Northern Nevada addresses, it’s still USPS policy to process that in Reno at its Vassar Street facility, she said.
The path these particular letters took, Patterson added, “is indeed an unusual occurrence.”
Mark Robison is the state politics reporter for the Reno Gazette Journal, with occasional forays into other topics. Email comments to mrobison@rgj.com or comment on Mark’s Greater Reno Facebook page.
Nevada
Holiday loneliness affects thousands in Nevada as many face Christmas away from loved ones
LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Loneliness has become a significant health issue for people everywhere, and the holiday season sometimes intensifies those feelings. For many, December looks like family gatherings, matching pajamas and bustling homes. But this time of year can also be very difficult for those who may be battling distance, work commitments or recent life changes.
Marc Valli, an Army veteran who served in Vietnam, has lived in Las Vegas since 1988. He moved to Nevada to join a ministry and be closer to his wife’s parents.
WATCH| Shellye Leggett talks to an army vet who’s recently moved into Escalante at the Lakes assisted living facility
Holiday loneliness affects thousands in Nevada as many face Christmas away from loved ones
“I wanted to come and join ministry here. Also my wife’s parents lived here,” Valli said.
Valli’s wife Barbara, known to friends and family as Bobby, passed away in 2018 after 54 years of marriage.
“I’m still counting the years. We’ve been married 54 years,” he said.
His children moved him into Escalante at the Lakes assisted living facility in June, making this his first holiday season in his new home.
“People are very nice, they treat you good,” Valli said.
Come Christmas Day, the facility’s common room will be filled with residents ready for holiday activities, but Valli hopes to get outside these walls to see his family that still lives nearby.
“I have grandkids. One goes to Cal Poly. He’s here right now, but he’s on vacation, and then I have two little granddaughters, one’s 11, one’s 7,” Valli said. “I don’t know if they’re gonna come for Christmas or I’m going there.”
Gus Farias, the executive director of Escalante at the Lakes Assisted Living, says many of his residents don’t have family nearby. Keeping their spirits high throughout the holidays is an important task.
“We can tell when our residents are feeling down. There’s a lot of pressure during the holidays because some of our residents don’t have families that are nearby, but they have us,” Farias said.
The organisation A Mission for Michael released a study showing just how many people are expected to spend the holidays alone this year. Nevada ranked 43rd on the list of loneliest states, with more than 212,000 people expected to spend Christmas by themselves.
“It’s pretty surprising that there’s so many Nevadans that are gonna spend the holidays by themselves,” Farias said.
He says combating loneliness will take a community effort.
“When you’re at the grocery store or whatever, reach, look back and ask them, you know, wish them a merry Christmas or happy holidays and ask them how they passed their holidays in the past because we, we as a younger generation than our seniors, we can learn a lot from that,” Farias said.
It’s an effort that Valli says makes the holidays a little brighter.
“Oh, it makes a big difference,” he said.
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