Nevada
Union urges Mesquite police chief’s ouster
Many of the residents who packed Tuesday night’s Mesquite City Council meeting said they were “disappointed” by the police union’s complaints against the chief of their city’s police department.
While meeting attendees spilled out of the overflow rooms, a union leader told the mayor and council that the Mesquite Police Officers Association held a vote of “no confidence” in Chief MaQuade Chesley’s ability to run the Mesquite Police Department.
Andrew Regenbaum, who is executive director of the Nevada Association of Public Safety Officers, said a “strong majority” voted that they weren’t confident in Chesley’s leadership.
Nepotism and retaliatory behavior on the part of the chief, Regenbaum alleged, spurred the Mesquite association to hold the vote.
Regenbaum implored city leaders to act Tuesday night.
“I urge you to consider the significance of his actions and this vote of no confidence and take appropriate action,” Regenbaum said.
After Regenbaum spoke, dozens of residents lined up behind him to make their own comments. Many said they backed Chesley and expressed frustrations about what they said was the vagueness of Regenbaum’s statements.
One resident, Sue Hanks, said she “wanted the facts.”
“I want to know exactly what Chief Chesley has done to the detriment of our Mesquite community,” Hanks said.
Another, Jeffery Smith, who has worked as an officer with the department for years, said that the Mesquite Police Officers Association does not “speak for” him. For more than 30 minutes, residents came to the podium to share their disdain for the allegations. Several called it a “witch hunt.”
One called members of the MPOA “cry babies.”
“You better consider that he (Chesley) has done one heck of a job,” said Ron Richmond, a former Mesquite Police Department detective. “I started in 1996, and we never used to do this. (You) work and shut up. You’re not going to get everything you need.”
Chesley, who sat in the audience for the meeting, gave one of the final remarks of the forum. He said that his commitment to the department had never wavered. He also shared that since he became aware of the concerns that the union has with his leadership, he has created a five-year “plan for improvement.”
“The plan focuses on critical areas designed to enhance our internal operation and the service we provide to our community. Some of those areas are open communication and active listening,” Chesley said. “We want to make sure our officers are supported and that their wellness is maintained throughout their careers.”
Unlike one woman whom Mayor Allan Litman interrupted after exceeding the allotted three minutes, the council allowed Chesley’s remarks to go longer than the time limit. The crowd gave him a standing ovation after.
A handful of people dressed in MPOA T-shirts sat near the back of the chambers. One scoffed while Chesley spoke.
During their comments to the council, Mindy Hughes and Brent Horlacher, who had been sitting with the MPOA supporters, insisted that a thorough investigation be done. They said the police union should not be villainized.
“It is the union’s job to demand transparency and honesty from the government entity, as well as any citizen would expect,” Horlacher said. “That is the mission of MPOA. It’s not to hurt anyone. It’s not to talk bad about anyone. It’s not to ruin anybody’s life. It is, however, an essential function of the MPOA to seek truth and accountability from those elected and appointed by the city of Mesquite.”
In an interview after the meeting, Regenbaum told the Review-Journal that he could not discuss specific incidents but that Chesley had “weaponized internal affairs against people in the department who disagreed with him.” According to Regenbaum, the chief had also hired out-of-state friends and given them more favorable pay scales.
“It is not unusual that he (Chesley) would bring out all his supporters,” Regenbaum said. “What is important is that the MPOA rank and rile had the courage to do something of this magnitude.”
Contact Akiya Dillon at adillon@reviewjournal.com
California Gov. Gavin Newsom addressed Nevada Democrats who packed a Las Vegas brewery Wednesday evening for a discussion about his upbringing, his political life and efforts his state has taken to combat the Trump administration agenda.
Newsom, who has been floated as a possible White House contender for 2028, sidestepped a quip from former Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak who introduced him as the next U.S. president amid cheers from the crowd.
“I’m very grateful for your friendship, and a friendship that’s only strengthened over the course of the last year or so,” Newsom told Sisolak.
Book tour stop
The event, which served as a book tour stop for the California governor, was organized by the Nevada Democratic Party. It took place at Nevada Brew Works near Summerlin.
Nevada Assemblymember Daniele Monroe-Moreno, the state party chair running for North Las Vegas mayor, moderated the discussion.
It was part of the party’s Local Brews + National Views series that’s been bringing Democrats for similar discussions at intimate venues. Past speakers have included former President Joe Biden, Arizona U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly, and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker.
Criticizing President Donald Trump, Newsom spoke about the immediate aftermath of the 2024 general election.
“We were handwringing, a lot of finger pointing, and a sense of weakness,” Newsom said. “And just incapable of dealing with this moment, this existential moment.”
He said he is taking account for what he described as his own complicity.
“This happened on my watch. This is all happening on our watch,” Newsom said. “And so I realized that I needed to be better.”
That included his advocacy to redraw California’s Congressional map after Trump called for the same in Texas, he said.
“They’re not screwing around, nor are we,” he said about Trump and his administration. “All of us.”
‘You’re giving us a voice’
Newsom spoke out against the surge of federal immigration enforcement operations in California and later Minnesota, calls from the Trump administration to nationalize elections, and cuts to government funding due to the One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act.
He said that pushback against Trump’s policies, including dozens of lawsuits filed by California, were making the president retreat on some of his proposals and policies.
“You’re filling the void, you’re giving us a voice, you’re giving us courage,” he told the crowd. “For things to change, we have to change. And it’s changing.”
The Republican National Committee reacted to Newsom’s Las Vegas visit. Earlier in the day, Newsom attended a private Boulder City event.
“Democrats are selling out to the spoiled, phony rich kid governor from California for years,” RNC spokesperson Nick Poche wrote in a statement. “President Donald Trump and Republicans are delivering major tax cuts and keeping Nevadans safe, unlike Democrats.”
The national Republican Party also criticized California’s policies, and tied them back to Nevada Democrats.
Most of Newsom’s remarks weren’t specific to Nevada. He didn’t take any questions from media.
Polling shows Newsom and Vice President JD Vance leading in hypothetical races for their parties’ nomination. That includes a survey of likely Nevada voters conducted one by Emerson College Polling in November.
Contact Ricardo Torres-Cortez at rtorres@reviewjournal.com. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev. – It’s time to “free your heels” and embrace Tahoe’s winter recreation at the Nevada Nordic Freeheel Festival on March 7. Whether you’re a seasoned pro at cross-country skiing or snowshoeing, or you’re trying to get your feet wet, Saturday’s event is teeming with nature, brews, and camaraderie.
Travel North Tahoe Nevada (TNTNV) is teaming up with Nevada Nordic, Tahoe Multisport, Alibi Ale Works, UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center, Nevada Division of Outdoor Recreation and other local partners in the wondrous Tahoe Meadows, providing attendees a chance to engage with outdoor recreation experts, check out free cross-country and snowshoe rentals, and more.
“We’re excited to see the Nevada Nordic Freeheel Festival enter its second year, building on last year’s strong community response. In collaboration with our local partners, this event is thoughtfully curated with residents in mind – offering free equipment for the day, expert instruction, locally crafted brews, and other experiences in a welcoming setting,” said Andy Chapman, President and CEO of Travel North Tahoe Nevada. “It’s designed to make it easy for residents to get outside, try something new, and bring people together. Events like this reflect the spirit of North Lake Tahoe and what’s possible when our community comes together.”
Along with opportunities to test out free demos and rentals, there will be live music, beer tasting and races.
Tahoe Meadows is known for its gentle trails, and is a popular spot for snowshoeing due to its flat terrain. This event, located near Chickadee Ridge, will offer stunning views of the surrounding mountains.
This family-friendly event is on the second to last day of the 10-day SnowFest winter festival that’s been taking place in the North Lake Tahoe area. It starts bright and early at 9 a.m. and will close out at 2 p.m.
“Nevada Nordic is thrilled to be a part of SnowFest again this year,” said Meghan Pry, Nevada Nordic Board Member. “We love sharing our passion for cross-country skiing and watching our community grow. We are proud to keep winter recreation accessible by offering free access to our 20km trail network. This is the perfect opportunity for our community to gather together and free our heels!”
For more information about the Nevada Nordic Freeheel Festival or to check out the SnowFest schedule, visit tahoesnowfest.org.
A swarm of earthquakes has been rattling a remote stretch of central Nevada near Tonopah, including a magnitude 4.0 quake that hit near Warm Springs Tuesday morning.
Seismologists said the activity is typical for Nevada, where clusters of earthquakes can flare up in a concentrated area. “This is a very Nevada-style earthquake sequence. We have these a lot where we just see an uptick in activity in a certain spot,” said Christie Rowe, director of the Nevada Seismological Lab.
The latest magnitude 4.0 quake struck east of Tonopah near Warm Springs. The largest earthquake in the swarm so far has measured a 4.2.
What has stood out to researchers is the fault involved. Rowe said the earthquakes are occurring along a fault stretching along the southern edge of the Monitor and Antelope ranges — and that it was previously unknown to scientists. “We didn’t know this fault was there. It’s a new fault to us — not to the Earth, obviously — but it was previously unknown,” Rowe said.
For now, the earthquakes have remained moderate. Rowe said the lab would not deploy additional temporary sensors unless activity increases to around a magnitude 5 or greater.
Seismologists said they are continuing to watch the swarm closely as Nevada works to bring the ShakeAlert early warning system to the state. The program, already active in neighboring states, can send cellphone alerts seconds before shaking arrives. “For me, it’s a really high priority. That distance to the faults gives us enough time to warn people — and that can make a big difference in reducing injuries and damage,” Rowe said.
Seismologists encouraged anyone who feels shaking to report it through the U.S. Geological Survey’s “Did You Feel It” system, saying even small quakes can help scientists better understand Nevada’s seismic activity.
Experts said the swarm is worth monitoring but is not cause for alarm. They noted that earthquakes like the 5.8 that hit near Yerington in December 2024 typically happen in Nevada about every eight to 10 years, and said they will continue monitoring the current activity closely.
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