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President Joe Biden to visit Nevada, Arizona, Texas this week

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President Joe Biden to visit Nevada, Arizona, Texas this week


WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is embarking on a three-day campaign swing aimed at shoring up his standing in the Sun Belt as part of an aggressive play to reenergize vital parts of his 2020 electoral coalition.

Much of Biden’s time on this trip this week, which includes stops in Nevada, Arizona and Texas, will be geared toward courting the Latino voters who helped power his coalition in 2020 and to emphasizing his pro-union, pro-abortion rights message.

The Democratic president’s first stop Tuesday is in Reno, Nevada, where he will meet with local officials and campaign volunteers in Washoe County before heading to Las Vegas to promote his administration’s housing policies.

Next he’ll travel to Phoenix for another campaign stop in a critical swing county paired with an event talking up what he has done to bolster the computer chip manufacturing sector.

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Biden’s push with Latino voters this week, which includes the formal launch of the Latinos con Biden-Harris (Spanish for Latinos with Biden-Harris) initiative on Tuesday, is also part of the campaign’s broader efforts to put in place the infrastructure to re-engage various constituencies that will be critical to the president’s reelection. That effort is all the more crucial as key parts of Biden’s base, such as Black and Hispanic adults, have become increasingly disenchanted with the president’s performance in office.

In an AP-NORC poll conducted in February, 38% of U.S. adults approved of how Biden was handling his job. Nearly 6 in 10 Black adults (58%) approved, compared to 36% of Hispanic adults. Black adults are more likely than white and Hispanic adults to approve of Biden, but that approval has dropped in the three years since Biden took office.

Biden’s reelection campaign, along with allied Democratic groups, has opened offices in Washoe County and in specific areas of Las Vegas that aides said will help the campaign to target Black, Latino and Asian American voters.

Bilingual campaign organizers are already in place in Arizona, and the campaign has opened an office in Maryvale, a major Latino community in Phoenix. The campaign has hired more than 40 staffers in Nevada and Arizona.

Campaign officials believe that tuned-out voters are starting to pay attention to the reality of a rematch between Biden and former President Donald Trump now that the two candidates have clinched their respective nominations. They’re trying to boost coalition-building efforts in battleground states now that the matchup is set, using the energy coming out of Biden’s State of the Union earlier this month to jolt their campaign momentum.

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That includes, for example, ensuring that chapters are in place across college campuses so that students have a place to organize and that campaign offices are open and stocked with yard signs, campaign literature and other materials. Democrats are hoping that Trump and the GOP will struggle to catch up in key states.

The campaign has already established Women for Biden-Harris, an effort led by first lady Jill Biden to mobilize female voters who were a vital part of Biden’s winning coalition in 2020, as well as Students for Biden-Harris, which will focus on getting young voters organized and active. Latinos con Biden-Harris will formally launch at Biden’s Phoenix stop on Tuesday and include other campaign events, such as volunteer trainings and house parties, in other battleground states including Nevada, Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Wisconsin later this week.

“This isn’t stuff that you can just stand up. This is stuff that requires work,” Quentin Fulks, principal deputy campaign manager for the Biden campaign, said in an interview. “It does require training. It does require making sure that your volunteers and supporters have what they need on the ground.”

Meanwhile, the Republican National Committee dismissed dozens of staffers after new leaders closely aligned with Trump took over last week. Those let go include people who worked at the party’s community centers that helped build relationships with minority groups in some Democratic-leaning areas. The committee’s new leadership has since insisted that those centers will remain open.

The RNC, already strapped for cash, is also trying to bat away assumptions that it’ll pay for Trump’s ever-escalating legal bills as he faces multiple criminal cases.

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Still, the Biden campaign and the broader Democratic Party are confronting their own struggles, despite their cash and organizational advantages. On top of Biden’s weaker job performance numbers, Democrats are seeing less support from key voting blocs come election time: While Biden won 63% of Hispanic voters in 2020, that percentage shrunk to 57% for Democratic candidates in the 2022 midterms, according to AP VoteCast, a survey of the national electorate.

Despite the waning approval numbers, campaign officials say they are confident that once the contrast between the president’s agenda and Trump’s plans for a second term are presented to disillusioned members of Biden’s coalition, they will ultimately back the president.

“I can say this as a Latina, we always come late to the party. We like to make a grand entrance,” said Democratic strategist Maria Cardona. “I think that’s what you will see again because when it comes down to people making a real decision that is consequential to their future, the future of their children, the future of their communities, it’s not some random phone call from an anonymous pollster — I think that the Democratic coalition will come home.”

Alongside the campaign stops, the administration is pairing official White House events on matters that have particular significance in the two states. In Arizona, Biden will continue talking up a law he signed encouraging domestic manufacturing of computer chips, which has already spurred significant private investment in the state, especially in Phoenix.

And in Nevada, Biden will continue promoting a new housing proposal that would offer a mortgage relief credit for first-time homebuyers and a seller’s tax credit to encourage homeowners to offload their starter homes. The issue of housing is sure to resonate in Nevada, where home prices have nearly doubled since early 2016, according to Zillow, the online real estate marketplace.

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“As the president has said, the bottom line is, we have to build, build, build,” said Lael Brainard, the director of the White House National Economic Council.

Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., stressed that Democrats cannot take the state — which has not voted for a Republican presidential candidate since 2004 — for granted, even as she dismissed some polling that shows Trump with an edge in Nevada.

“You got to be there talking to voters, particularly in Nevada,” Cortez Masto said. “It’s still small enough, it’s 3 million people, they expect you to show up, right? It’s a swing state. It’s very diverse. And people just expect that type of engagement, so they can decide for themselves.”

Biden’s three-day trip will wrap up in Texas, where he will host a trio of fundraisers in Dallas and Houston.

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Nevada

Nevada receives grant to establish state-run hate crime reporting hotline

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Nevada receives grant to establish state-run hate crime reporting hotline


LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — A new grant from the Department of Justice will be used to set up a Nevada hate crime reporting hotline.

Earlier this month, Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford announced his office will receive $1,164,424 in funding.

Nevada is the only state this cycle that will receive the grant.

“In seeking justice for hate crimes, it is important to remember victims need resources and support to feel safe and valued in their communities,” Ford said. “This funding will aid in bridging the gap between hate crime victims and the services available to them.”

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The funding will be used to establish policies and procedures for the hotline, implementing focused training for staff regarding the new hotline, hiring new staff members, and integrating the hotline into the Attorney General office’s preexisting Constituent Services framework.

The FBI defines a hate crime as a “criminal offense against a person or property motivated in whole or in part by an offender’s bias against a race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, ethnicity, gender, or gender identity.”

According to the latest data from the Department of Justice, which includes statistics from 2020 to 2022, overall hate crimes in Nevada are down.

Department of Justice

If you believe you are a victim or a witness of a hate crime, you can report it to the FBI by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI or by submitting a tip at tips.fbi.gov.

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LETTER: There’s more to improving Nevada schools than money

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LETTER: There’s more to improving Nevada schools than money


I agree with Chas Catania’s Thursday letter about having a lottery to help fund education in our state. I also agree that the gaming industry can definitely withstand an increase in the gaming tax rate.

However, governors from both parties have boosted educational spending over the past decade, yet we are still at the bottom of the education ladder nationally. I think we need systemic changes in how our school system functions. Nevada is seen as a transient state. Therefore, no one really makes an effort to improve the school system because they are not here long enough to care. This is the wrong approach.

We need to change how parents interact with the schools that their children attend, and how our children act when they are in the classroom. Neither of these issues can be solved by throwing money at the school system.

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7 Most Idyllic Small Towns in California's Sierra Nevada

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7 Most Idyllic Small Towns in California's Sierra Nevada


The Sierra Nevada is a long (400 miles) and narrow (50 miles) mountain range that runs almost entirely in California and includes Yosemite, Sequoia, and Kings Canyon National Parks. Known for stunning natural features like Mount Whitney and the “General Sherman” giant sequoia tree, the Sierra Nevada is also home to a wonderful collection of idyllic mountain towns. Most of the seven towns on our list date back to the California Gold Rush of the late 1840s and all of them exude historic charm.

Quincy

The entrance to the Plumas County Courthouse in Quincy, California. Editorial credit: davidrh / Shutterstock.com

Quincy is the offshoot of a Gold Rush community formerly called Elizabethtown and has maintained much of the look and feel of its Old West heritage. The Plumas County Museum recounts the history of the area, while the quaint downtown includes historic buildings such as a classic movie theater and a schoolhouse from 1905. Main Street is also home to several art galleries, which reflects the fact that artists and photographers flock to Quincy for stunning natural vistas, most especially of fall foliage. Autumn also marks the arrival of Quincy’s popular Mountain Harvest Beer Festival.

Nevada City

Nevada City is a California Gold Rush era town in Northern California. Editorial credit: EWY Media / Shutterstock.com
Nevada City is a California Gold Rush-era town in Northern California. Editorial credit: EWY Media / Shutterstock.com

Located only about 60 miles from Sacramento, Nevada City is a genuine step back into the past as a well-preserved town from the Gold Rush era. The entire downtown is on the National Register of Historic Places and is filled with Old West Victorian homes and historic structures like the 1865 Nevada Theater. For visitors seeking outdoor recreation, Tahoe National Forest and South Yuba River State Park are close by, and the Lake Tahoe ski areas are less than two hours away. Along with several fine dining establishments and wineries, Nevada City is also home to the Nevada City Film Festival each June.

Murphys

Murphys, California. In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murphys,_California By Jakobemerson - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=63791146
Murphys, California. In Wikipedia. By Jakobemerson – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikipedia

Settlers originally came to the Sierra Nevada foothills that surround Murphys looking for gold, but today, those same hills are covered with grape vines. Both gold and wine brought wealth to Murphys, as reflected in the numerous fine 1800s brick buildings along Main Street, several of which now house tasting rooms and restaurants. Murphys is great to visit any time of year but really comes to life in autumn with the wine harvest when the town hosts popular events like the Calaveras Grape Stomp and Gold Rush Street Faire. When winter hits, the nearby Bear Valley Ski Resort takes center stage.

Auburn

Foresthill Bridge in Auburn, California.
Foresthill Bridge in Auburn, California.

The seat of Placer County, Auburn, sits along the west side of the Sierra Nevada and is yet another Gold Rush mining town. Visitors can explore this history in the restored Old Town section of Auburn, as well as at the Placer County Museum in the former county courthouse. Auburn is also gaining a reputation for its surrounding wineries, but the area’s outdoor attractions still serve as the main draw for visitors. The Auburn State Recreation Area offers hiking trails for all skill levels, while extreme athletes come each summer for the Western States Endurance Run, a single-day, 100-mile race that ends in Auburn.

Bishop

Main Street of Bishop, California looking north. Editorial credit: Michael Kaercher / Shutterstock.com
Main Street of Bishop, California, looking north. Editorial credit: Michael Kaercher / Shutterstock.com

Downtown Bishop looks like a classic Hollywood western movie set slightly updated for modern times, and more than 400 movies have been filmed in the beautiful Alabama Hills just outside of town. This idyllic setting is perfect for parades and festivals, such as the annual Mule Days celebration. Also downtown, the Laws Museum presents the important history of the railroads in the Sierra Nevada. Meanwhile, lovers of outdoor beauty and natural wonders simply must explore the nearby Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, home to the world’s oldest trees, some more than 5,000 years old. Now, that is some history!

South Lake Tahoe

Sunset in Emerald Bay, South Lake Tahoe.
Sunset in Emerald Bay, South Lake Tahoe.

Unlike the Gold Rush era towns that populate this list, South Lake Tahoe is a true resort town. As its name indicates, the town sits on the southern shore of famous Lake Tahoe, and South Lake Tahoe is directly adjacent to Stateline, Nevada—the border would be indistinguishable if not for all the casinos on the Nevada side! Whether you prefer boating, skiing, hiking, shopping, fine dining, or gambling, South Lake Tahoe offers an essentially endless supply of things to do and see. You can also find some history amidst all the glitz, such as the opulent Vikingsholm Mansion, which is open for tours.

Truckee

The Old Town of Truckee, on Donner Pass Road, is well known for great restaurants, art galleries and gift shops. Editorial credit: David A Litman / Shutterstock.com
The Old Town of Truckee, on Donner Pass Road, is well known for great restaurants, art galleries, and gift shops. Editorial credit: David A Litman / Shutterstock.com

Truckee is only about 20 minutes away from Lake Tahoe but has a different vibe than the resort towns along the lake. Famous in earlier times as the endpoint of the tragic Donner Party and as an important railroad hub, Truckee is best known today as a center for outdoor adventure. Premier ski slopes and hiking trails surround the town, and the lovely Lake Donner holds up well compared to its bigger and more famous neighbor. Downtown Truckee still has several Old West buildings, now housing wineries and eateries, making it perfect for an evening stroll after a day of enjoying the outdoors.

From ancient trees to towering mountains to shimmering lakes, the Sierra Nevada region offers one of the most spectacular natural landscapes in the world. In addition to tapping into the tourist potential of the surrounding environment, several of the small towns in the Sierra Nevada effectively showcase the region’s Gold Rush and Old West history. These idyllic towns let you step back into the past, step out into nature, and step away from everyday life for a little while. So, make your travel plans today!

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