The National Speakers Conference, the largest gathering of legislative presiding officers in the country, will convene in Las Vegas in September. Presented by the highly respected State Legislative Leaders Foundation, a national, nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, the conference will bring together as many as two-thirds of the sitting speakers of state legislative bodies — a truly bipartisan gathering of colleagues amid a nationally polarized political environment.
The event will allow me talk with my colleagues about a bipartisan initiative that Nevada is leading that can truly unite our nation.
Nevada’s leadership became evident last summer when we became the first state in the nation to enact a Right to Start Act, legislation that implements policy recommendations from Right to Start, a national nonprofit organization championing entrepreneurship as a civic priority. The legislation enjoyed strong bipartisan support before being signed by Gov. Joe Lombardo.
Entrepreneurship is key, because young businesses create virtually all job growth in America. It enables individuals to pursue their dreams by starting their own businesses and to build wealth as a company grows. Entrepreneurship also benefits everyone, as research in the United States shows that for every 1 percent increase in the entrepreneurship rate, the poverty rate decreases by 2 percent.
Nevada’s Right to Start Act demonstrates our state’s unwavering commitment to removing barriers and empowering individuals to take charge of their entrepreneurial journeys. To facilitate entrepreneurship statewide, it authorized, among other features, the creation of an Office of Entrepreneurship within the Governor’s Office of Economic Development. That Office of Entrepreneurship is now led by Kyeema Peart, who is working to strengthen policies and programs supporting the growth of new businesses in the state.
Nevada’s leadership has also spurred bipartisan momentum across the nation in support of Right to Start’s policy recommendations. New Mexico created an Office of Entrepreneurship by executive department action in September 2023. Kansas established a director of small business and entrepreneurship by executive department action in March 2024. Michigan announced in May 2024 the appointment of the state’s first-ever chief innovation ecosystem officer to advance the work of innovators and entrepreneurs. In July 2024, Missouri became the second state to enact a Right to Start Act. Missouri’s act also creates an Office of Entrepreneurship.
What’s so important about these policy actions, led by Nevada, is that they reflect broad bipartisan support for a priority that will help create jobs in every community in each state and throughout the nation. That bipartisan support is not surprising, because polling shows that it reflects the beliefs and aspirations of the vast majority of Americans.
A survey conducted by a bipartisan team of pollsters for Right to Start shows that 94 percent of Americans agree that “it is important to America’s future that citizens have a fair opportunity to start and grow their own business.” Near-unanimity crosses party lines – with 95 percent of Republicans, 95 percent of independents and 92 percent of Democrats agreeing. That broad agreement is rare in politics and policymaking, and it provides a way forward for us as a nation as we seek to find common ground amid so much polarization.
That way forward will empower Nevadans — and increasingly all Americans — to grow new businesses, diversify the economy and benefit from the kinds of innovations that can enhance every community. That near-unanimity should ground and inspire our nation in the months and years ahead, underscoring commitments and ambitions that we share.
Nevada’s leadership in this respect makes our hosting of the National Speakers Conference all the more appropriate. It enables us to showcase a bipartisan development that can truly enhance and advance the nation.
Steve Yeager is speaker of the Nevada Assembly and president of the National Speakers Conference.
Mojave (Nev.) head football coach Wes Pacheco announced on Sunday morning that he’s stepping down from his position, according to a social media post.
Pacheco announced his resignation after six seasons at the helm of the Rattlers, putting together a 29-22 overall record from 2020-2025.
“I have officially stepped down as Head Coach of the Mojave Football Program,” Pacheco said in his social media post. “Thank you to Principal Cole for giving me the opoortunity make an impact on the lives of Mojave Student-Athletes. I am grateful and blessed to have labored through a 6-year journey of successes, failures, life lessons, character building and growth with the student-athletes myself and my coaching staff have served. I will forever love my Mojave Family, the Mojave Community and believe in the notion that SUCCESS can be attained by showcasing character, treating everyone with respect, and always have the courage to dream big and trust that “ATTACKING THE HARD WORK” & “HIGH MOTORING EVERYTHING” can yield SUCCESS that you want to achieve in life!”
During Pacheco’s half dozen seasons leading Mojave, his best record came in the 2024 season when the Rattlers finished with a 12-1 record. Located out of North Las Vegas, Mojave had to compete against the likes of national high school football powerhouse Bishop Gorman during the regular season.
Mojave ended the last season with a 4-6 record and as the state’s No. 23rd ranked team, according to the final 2025 Nevada High School Football Massey Rankings.
Mojave High School, located in North Las Vegas, NV, is a dynamic public high school that fosters academic excellence, personal growth, and community involvement. Home of the Rattlers, MHS offers a wide range of academic programs, athletics, and extracurricular activities. With a strong commitment to student success, Mojave emphasizes leadership, college and career readiness, and a supportive school culture that prepares students for life beyond graduation.
For Nevada high school football fans looking to keep up with scores around the nation, staying updated on the action is now easier than ever with the Rivals High School Scoreboard. This comprehensive resource provides real-time updates and final scores from across the Silver State, ensuring you never miss a moment of the Friday night frenzy. From nail-biting finishes to dominant performances, the Rivals High School Scoreboard is your one-stop destination for tracking all the high school football excitement across Nevada.
A recent Review-Journal letter to the editor mischaracterized Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto’s Southern Nevada Economic Development and Conservation Act, also known as the Clark County Lands bill. As the former executive director of the Nevada Conservation League, I wholeheartedly support this legislation, so I wanted to set the record straight.
Sen. Cortez Masto has been working on this bill for years in partnership with state and local governments, conservation groups like the NCL and local area tribes. It’s true that the Clark County lands bill would open 25,000 acres to help Las Vegas grow responsibly, while setting aside 2 million acres for conservation. It would also help create more affordable housing throughout the valley while ensuring our treasured public spaces can be preserved for generations to come.
What is not correct is that the money from these land sales would go to the federal government’s coffers. In fact, the opposite is true.
The 1998 Southern Nevada Public Lands Management Act is a landmark bill that identified specific public land for future sale and created a special account ensuring all land sale revenues would come back to Nevada. In accordance with that law 5 percent of revenue from land transfers goes to the state of Nevada for general education purposes, 10 percent goes to the Southern Nevada Water Authority for needed water infrastructure and 85 percent supports conservation and environmental mitigation projects in Southern Nevada. This legislation has provided billions to Clark County and will continue to benefit generations of Southern Nevadans. Sen. Cortez Masto’s lands bill builds upon the act’s success.
So here’s the good news: All of the money generated from land made available for sale under Sen. Cortez Masto’s bill would be sent to the special account created by the 1998 law. Rather than going to an unaccountable federal government, the proceeds would continue to help kids in Vegas get a better education, bolster outdoor recreation and modernize Southern Nevada’s infrastructure.
I know how important it is that money generated from the sale of public land in Nevada stay in the hands of Nevadans, and so does the senator. That’s why she opposed a Republican effort last year to sell off 200,000 acres of land in Clark County and other areas of the country that would have sent those dollars directly to Washington.
Public land management in Nevada should benefit Nevadans. We should protect sacred cultural sites and beloved recreation spaces, responsibly transfer land for affordable housing when needed and ensure our state has the resources it needs to grow sustainably. I will continue working with Sen. Cortez Masto to advocate for legislation, such as the Clark County lands bill, that puts the needs of Nevadans first.
Paul Selberg writes from Las Vegas.
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Las Vegas High’s baseball team claimed a 3-2 home win over Coronado on Friday.
Las Vegas (9-13-1) next hosts Rancho at 10 a.m. Saturday. Coronado (13-14) hosts Chaparral at 3:30 p.m. Monday.
Contact Alex Wright at awright@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AlexWright1028 on X.
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