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Lee, Horsford sign off on Harris as nominee while other NV Democrats noncommittal for now • Nevada Current

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Lee, Horsford sign off on Harris as nominee while other NV Democrats noncommittal for now • Nevada Current


Nevada Democrats praised the achievements of President Joe Biden and his administration after he announced he was bowing out of the presidential race Sunday, and some Democrats and allied organizations wasted little time before echoing Biden’s endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris to be the Democratic presidential nominee.

“I cannot thank President Biden enough for saving America’s democracy in 2020 and paving the way for a new era of leadership, said Democratic Rep. Susie Lee in a statement. “I look forward to supporting Vice President Kamala Harris at the top of the ticket so we can once again defeat Donald Trump and far-right extremism.”

Democratic Rep. Steven Horsford, chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, had been an outspoken defender of Biden continuing at the top of the ticket in recent weeks. But Sunday Horsford, in a statement issued jointly with Gregory Meeks, chair of the CBC’s Political Action Committee, said they were “fully supporting Kamala Harris as our party’s nominee.” 

While stopping short of explicitly endorsing Harris as the nominee, the Nevada State Democratic Party issued a statement saying “President Biden is absolutely right that Kamala Harris has been a phenomenal choice to serve as his Vice President. Her commitment to expanding health care coverage for thousands of Nevadans, lowering costs, and keeping our communities safe has helped grow Nevada’s economy, create good-paying union jobs, and protect our fundamental rights.”

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Sen. Jacky Rosen, who is being challenged in a competitive relection contest by Republican Sam Brown, has refrained from endorsing or even mentioning Biden’s name in statements since Biden’s shocking debate performance last month.

In a statement Sunday, Rosen continued keeping the Democratic presidential ticket at arm’s length, saying she is “focused on my job working for Nevada and continuing my record as one of the most bipartisan, independent, and effective Senators.” 

Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto and Rep. Dina Titus likewise refrained from commenting on the top of their party’s ticket Sunday. 

“I respect his deeply personal and courageous decision and look forward to working with him as he finishes his historic term,” Cortez Masto said of Biden.

“President Biden has made the most difficult decision of his five decades of public service,” said Titus. “Ultimately, he chose to put the interests of his nation above himself. That is the essence of a great President.”

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Similarly, Nevada Democratic Attorney General Aaron Ford, in a joint statement with his Democratic Attorney Generals’ Association co-chair  Kathy Jennnings of Delaware, did not explicitly back Harris as the nominee.

We know exactly what a second Trump presidency would mean,” the AGs said. “For four years, Democratic AGs were the last line of defense and the biggest check on the Trump Administration, holding Trump accountable to the rule of law. We will do everything we can to ensure Democrats win up and down the ballot this fall in order to protect democracy, our constituents, and the rights of all Americans.”

The Nevada Republican Party issued a statement seeming to relish Biden’s announcement, saying it “underscores the deep divisions and uncertainty within the Democratic Party.”

That statement was also included in a fundraising email to supporters from the party, in which the Nevada GOP said Biden’s “dropping out of the race brings a whole new set of challenges against whatever Democrat we will face in November.”

Obama and the Clintons

Former President Barack Obama, in a statement praising his vice president, said the the decision to leave the race is “a testament to Joe Biden’s love of country — and a historic example of a genuine public servant once again putting the interests of the American people ahead of his own that future generations of leaders will do well to follow.”

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“We will be navigating uncharted waters in the days ahead,” Obama wrote. “But I have extraordinary confidence that the leaders of our party will be able to create a process from which an outstanding nominee emerges.”

Several other prominent national Democratic figures and organizations quickly declared who they want that nominee to be.

“Now is the time to support Kamala Harris,” said Bill and Hillary Clinton in a joint statement.

Priorities USA, one of the Democrats’ largest Super PACs, said “Coming off of the past month, it is imperative that voters online hear clarity and not chaos for the remaining weeks of the election,” said the PAC’s executive directory, Danielle Butterfield.

“Priorities USA fully stands behind Vice President Kamala Harris as our next Democratic nominee. She is the best candidate to beat Donald Trump this November,” Butterfield said.

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Nevada

28-year-old inmate at Southern Nevada prison dies

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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.

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Contact Bryan Horwath at bhorwath@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BryanHorwath on X.



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Is USPS breaking vow not to use Sacramento for Northern Nevada mail?

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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.

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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.

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“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.

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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.



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Holiday loneliness affects thousands in Nevada as many face Christmas away from loved ones

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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

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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.

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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.

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“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.

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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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