Nevada
COVID-19 proved Nevada's unemployment system is broken, former Gov. Steve Sisolak says
LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — If you lived in Nevada five years ago, you remember what happened on March 17 — the day former Gov. Steve Sisolak closed all non-essential businesses in our state, including resorts on the Strip and downtown, to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Learn why is took so long to get unemployment checks during COVID here.
COVID-19 proved Nevada’s unemployment system is broken, former Gov. Steve Sisolak says
Overnight, the closures left thousands of workers and independent contractors with no income. Locals were desperately applying for federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, or PUA — but the checks weren’t coming.
I helped hundreds of our viewers at the time get paid, advocating and calling on our governor and Nevada lawmakers to help with the broken Department of Employment, Training & Rehabilitation (DETR) system.
“I’ve been without a paycheck since around March.”
Those were the words from freelance photographer Richard Brian Salmeron in an interview I did with him in March 2020.
▶ Looking Back PUA claimant: ‘I feel let down’: Nevadans, Channel 13 seek answers on unpaid unemployment
Nevadans continue to face unemployment issues
I reported on dozens of independent contractors during the pandemic — people like Salmeron, who applied for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance just days after the state launched the portal.
Like tens of thousands of Nevadans, Salmeron got an approval letter, but the money didn’t come fast enough. Trying to get any help from the hotline turned into frustration.
“Every time you’re on hold, you think you’re going to get through, and then they hang up on you, and it’s kind of a defeating moment when the phone system just says ‘goodbye,’” Salmeron told me.
Like many of you, Salmeron wanted answers from then-Gov. Sisolak on what was being done with what he called a “broken unemployment system” unable to handle the massive number of claims during the pandemic.
I followed up with Sisolak, outlining your concerns. Watch the full interview here.
[FULL INTERVIEW] Five years later, former Nevada Gov. Sisolak on state’s COVID response
TRICIA KEAN: Suddenly, there are people with no paychecks and no money coming in, and that was a very scary space to be in.
STEVE SISOLAK: It was tremendously scary. And to make that decision, there were a lot of sleepless nights.
Handling consumer issues for many years, I wanted to do my part during the pandemic, answering desperate Channel 13 viewer emails, messages and social media posts. Some people even told me they felt suicidal with no money.
I called on the governor to do more for our community.
“I’ve met Sisolak, I’ve taken his pictures, I’ve voted for him… but I feel let down by him right now,” Salmeron said.
Many Nevadans resorted to selling off personal items, maxing out credit cards with negative balances in their bank accounts — not to mention suffering depression by not receiving money from the state.
SISOLAK: We were dealing with tens of thousands of cases. And you get one viewer that’s calling in. And I understand their problem is the most important problem.
KEAN: Well, I got more than one viewer. We were getting hundreds of viewers. I was staying up until 4:30 in the morning answering every viewer because there was such a need. And I just wanted the Thomas & Mack [Center] to open and gift cards to be handed out for people because they were literally dire. Do you know, to this day, governor, I still hear from people who say thank you so much for trying to help people during that time because we were freaking out. Families were so scared.
SISOLAK: Yeah, they were. And I understand why they were scared. I totally get why they’re scared. But the system was never set up to deal with any of that.
And now, five years later, the former governor tells me there have been some upgrades, but the DETR system is still broken.
SISOLAK: If you think it’s fixed, it’s not fixed.
KEAN: That’s a problem.
SISOLAK: Yeah, it’s definitely a problem. I hope that we’ll never need it like we needed it then. I mean, you never would have anticipated handling the number of claims in a week that you normally would handle in a year. I mean, I was going through staff at DETR. They were quitting. They couldn’t take it anymore. They were getting abused.
With eight state adjudicators working 12 claims a day during the pandemic, it was a slow process to get Nevadans who desperately needed money just to put food on the table.
The former governor says massive fraud was also slowing things down.
SISOLAK: Hundreds of millions of dollars have [been] lost to fraudsters as a result of this because we couldn’t get the money into the right hands. The logistics of reaching out to the number of people that needed help; we just don’t have an infrastructure in place to do that. And there wasn’t one. There isn’t one today.
Looking back, Sisolak tells me he was dealt a once-in-a-lifetime situation. It came with making tough decisions that he believes cost him the 2022 election to current Gov. Joe Lombardo.
SISOLAK: We did what we had to do to protect people’s lives. I mean, we lost 12,000 that we could quantify, that we categorize as losing them to COVID. How many more it could be, I don’t know. But I don’t know how many tens of thousands of lives we saved as a result of what we put in place.
KEAN: And that, you feel good about?
SISOLAK: I feel very good about that…I know it cost me the election. It’s not in my mind. And my people told me they’re going in, but I wouldn’t change that.
KEAN: Would you ever run again?
SISOLAK: I don’t know. I get asked all the time. We’ll see. Maybe. Maybe two years.
COVID-19 Five Years Later, Channel 13 is bringing you special coverage all day Monday as we explore the lasting impacts and lessons learned.
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LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — Authorities have canceled an AMBER Alert after they say a 10-month-old child taken by a non-custodial parent was found safe.
North Las Vegas Police said Thursday that Leilani Williams (aka Leilani Duke) was taken by her father, Roderick Duke.
Duke and Leilani were last seen at an apartment complex in the area of Martin L. King Boulevard and Cheyenne Avenue at 1:40 a.m.
“An AMBER Alert has been activated due to Roderick being in emotional crisis and making threats to harm himself and 10-month-old Leilani,” NLVPD said in a statement.
By 10:05 a.m., NLVPD said that Leilani was located unharmed.
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Officers took Duke into custody without further incident, and the AMBER Alert has been canceled.
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.
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