Nevada
Nevada National Guard state safety specialist receives national award
LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — A Nevada National Guard state safety specialist and Southern Nevadan is being recognized for his work to keep soldiers safe.
State safety specialist Sgt. 1st Class Don Gibbs has received the Army National Guard’s Distinguished Ground Safety Award for 2023. He is one of only two soldiers nationwide to receive the award.
The Army Ground Safety program includes oversight of all Army ground activities including vehicle operation, ammunition storage, and potential environmental hazards. To be eligible for the award, a state must go two years without recording fatalities, disabling injuries, or injuries and incidents that cause up to $1 million in damages.
Under Gibbs’ watchful eye, no incidents of that nature have happened in Nevada since he was hired as the state safety specialist in 2019.
“We have all had moments of second guessing in our lives,” Gibbs said. “It’s my goal to make sure we are not second guessing about the safety precautions and measures we could have taken in the event of any mishap in our lives.”
Gibbs grew up in Clark County and graduated from Las Vegas High School in 1981. After he graduated, he served with the Marines Corps through 1987 and began a civilian career as a first responder and law enforcement officer in Alaska as a firefighter and emergency medical technician. He then got married and eventually moved to South Dakota, where he was a Custer County Sheriff’s Deputy and a Sturgis police officer from 2010-2019. He enlisted in the South Dakota Army Guard in 2009 as a medic.
Army Guard officials said selecting Gibbs was “an easy choice”. According to state safety officer Capt. David Henry, Gibbs goes above-and-beyond to keep people safe. One example he gave was Gibbs leading more than 30 motorcycle safety classes across the state and putting together an internal safety newsletter, all on his own time.
The sun is setting on Gibbs’ time with the Nevada Guard. He’s planning on retiring in April and said he’s looking forward to spending more time with his wife, two daughters, and two grandsons.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom won’t admit it, but a move by President Donald Trump is especially helpful to drivers in California — and Nevada.
Gasoline prices are pressuring consumers around the country. On Friday, the average U.S. price was $4.55 a gallon. In California, that would be a bargain. The average there was $6.16 a gallon. Nevada’s average was $5.23 a gallon, the result of around 88 percent of the state’s gasoline coming from California.
It might be getting worse — regardless of what happens in Iran.
In recent months, two major California refineries have shut down. That represented a 17 percent reduction in California’s refining capacity. Their closures weren’t caused by the Iran war, but by Gov. Newsom and California’s relentless attacks on fossil fuels.
To make up for the fuel it won’t extract or refine in-state, California depends on imports from foreign countries.
“We are importing 30 percent of our crude oil from the Middle East,” Mike Ariza, a former control board supervisor at the Valero Benicia Refinery, said in an interview. He has been warning the public about California’s potential fuel shortage. “There are not very many ships left on the way that have fuel,” he said last month.
Last week, KCRA-TV in Sacramento reported that “about 2 million barrels of oil are in the process of being unloaded in Long Beach off of the last California-bound tanker that got through the Strait of Hormuz.”
At a California legislative hearing Tuesday, Siva Gunda, the vice chairman of the California Energy Commission, said the state has enough gasoline to accommodate demand for the next six weeks. That’s not a very long time, especially given that it takes weeks or months for oil to travel from the Middle East to California. And that process won’t begin until the Strait of Hormuz reopens.
There is a region, however, with abundant oil available for sale and safe passage — the southeastern United States. Unfortunately, the Jones Act, an antiquated 1920 law, mandates that only U.S.-flagged ships may move cargo between U.S. ports. But only 55 of the more than 7,000 oil tankers worldwide comply with this requirement.
This is where Mr. Trump rode to the rescue. Late last month, the White House announced Mr. Trump would suspend the Jones Act for another 90 days. In March, he originally waived it for 60 days. This will make it easier for California and Nevada to obtain domestic product.
If only Mr. Trump could also suspend the destructive energy policies imposed by Gov. Newsom and California Democrats.
LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — An adoptable pet is in the spotlight for “Furever Home Friday,” with Amy from the Nevada SPCA featured in a segment highlighting an animal available for adoption today.
The Nevada SPCA encouraged viewers looking to add a pet to their family to consider adopting.
-
Arkansas4 minutes agoOklahoma Responds Well But Collapses Late to Drop Series With Arkansas
-
California10 minutes agoTwo GOP candidates for California governor participate in Bakersfield forum
-
Colorado16 minutes agoColorado man sentenced to over 40 years in prison for murder of ex-girlfriend
-
Connecticut22 minutes agoBody recovered from Connecticut River near Chester-Lyme Ferry, DEEP says
-
Delaware28 minutes agoFormer Delaware police officer accused of raping woman he met on dating app
-
Florida34 minutes agoFlorida man taken into custody related to call threatening business
-
Georgia40 minutes ago
Leschber Named to 2026 ACC All-Tournament Team
-
Hawaii46 minutes agoFlames engulf van on H-1 Freeway near Punchbowl
