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Question 4 asks voters to remove slavery as a form of punishment from Nevada’s constitution

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Question 4 asks voters to remove slavery as a form of punishment from Nevada’s constitution


LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – The United States abolished slavery except as a punishment of a crime in 1865 with the ratification of the 13th Amendment.

Nevada‘s Constitution also still includes that exception. A “yes” vote on Nevada Ballot Question 4 removes it.

Proponents believe that will open the door to a new way of thinking about inmate labor.

Question 4 reads:

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“Shall the Ordinance of the Nevada Constitution and the Nevada Constitution be amended to remove language authorizing the use of slavery and involuntary servitude as a criminal punishment?”

Supporters believe the voters’ answer applies to more than just wording.

“Question 4 is a constitutional referendum process that allows the people of Nevada to determine whether slavery, and involuntary servitude will continue to be legal as a punishment for a crime,” said Dennis Febo.

Febo is the Lead Organizer with the Abolish Slavery National Network. It advocates for all states to remove all references to slavery from all of their constitutions and lobbies for prison reform.

Febo said the 13th Amendment abolished slavery, but didn’t end the practice immediately.

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“The exception clause was inserted as a means to protect labor, especially in the South, after the passage of the 13th Amendment where convict leasing was used to rebuild economy of the South,” Febo added.

The Nevada Constitution says:

“There shall be in this state neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, otherwise than in the punishment for crimes, whereof the party shall have been convicted.”

A “yes” vote would remove the punishment reference.

“Slavery and involuntary servitude shouldn‘t be necessary for justice to be justice,” said Febo. “And most of us don’t know that the products that we use and the food that we eat were made or packaged by people who were working for 83 cents a day on average.”

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But Febo believes Question 4 helps Nevada reform its prison labor system by removing references to slavery and ending exceptions for inmates.

“Here we‘re saying it didn’t end. It just transformed. We understand the legality and the language and now’s the time to end it,” he said.

The Abolish Slavery National Network believes Question 4’s passage would lead to lawsuits that ultimately lead to better pay for the inmate workforce.

Febo said the end of forced labor would allow incarcerated people to help support their families and help with their transition back into the working world after their release.

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Nye County Sheriff urges caution after deadly month on rural Nevada roads

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Nye County Sheriff urges caution after deadly month on rural Nevada roads


A string of deadly crashes in and around Pahrump has prompted Nye County Sheriff Joe McGill to push for more safety measures along dark, sidewalk-free roads.

“The worst penalty is death, if you consider that,” McGill said.

The recent deaths include a single-vehicle rollover on State Route 160 during the morning hours of the last Wednesday in January that killed one person and injured another.

Then, into February, two pedestrians were killed in less than three days.

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The first was a 7 p.m. crash on Quarter Horse Avenue. Investigators believe a 2006 Jeep Liberty was driving on the street when it hit a pedestrian, who was pronounced dead at the scene.

A few days later, this last Saturday, state troopers responded to a crash just after sundown at Charleston Park Avenue. A sedan hit a pedestrian, who was also pronounced dead at the scene.

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Nevada State Police investigators are still investigating both pedestrian cases before more details are released.

McGill said the recent crashes were enough to spur action.

“When the third one came out, I was sitting at home and watching TV. I looked at my wife and I said, ‘We got to do something about this,’” McGill said.

McGill is responding with a reflective vest giveaway, pointing to limited infrastructure as a possible factor. He noted a lack of street lights off State Route 160 and no sidewalks inside the community.

“The only light that you have is the ambient light from houses and cars so it is really dark,” McGill said.

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John Treanor of AAA Nevada said poor visibility can quickly turn dangerous for both drivers and pedestrians.

“It is very easy to be confronted with a situation that you cannot see coming because the visibility might be bad,” Treanor said.

Treanor encouraged pedestrians to carry lights and drivers to be prepared if they end up outside their vehicles in dark conditions.

“Having lights on you. Even carrying a flashlight allows something where a driver can see it,” Treanor said. “If you are a driver, make sure you have the right stuff in your car, in case you do get in a situation where you are on the side of the road and now you are in dark. Make sure you have a kit with some reflectors, some lights. Anything the trunk of your car in case you need it.”

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McGill said vigilance is important even in daylight.

“Any time of the day, you have got to be vigilant. You have to keep aware of your surroundings if you are a walker or on a bicycle or if you are the driver,” he said.

Authorities also urged caution as more people may pull off roads in rocky areas along the route toward Death Valley National Park during springtime blooms, increasing the need for drivers and pedestrians to stay alert.

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Mansion on the Nevada Side of Lake Tahoe Swiftly Sells for $46 Million

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Mansion on the Nevada Side of Lake Tahoe Swiftly Sells for  Million


A waterfront mansion on the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe just sold for $46 million, less than three weeks after hitting the market. 

The speedy deal marks a departure from the typical U.S. market.

Nationwide, homes took a median 78 days to land a buyer in January, five more than the same time last year and the 22nd straight month of homes taking longer to sell on a year-over-year basis, according to data from Realtor.com. 

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The lavish log cabin-like residence, in Incline Village, listed on Jan. 24 for $47.5 million. It sold 20 days later, on Feb. 13, listing records show. 

The more than 7,000-square-foot residence was built in 2014, and has double-height living spaces, walls of windows, beamed ceilings, fireplaces, and plenty of rustic exposed stone and wood, listing images show. 

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There’s also a gym, a wet bar, a spa, a wine room, an office, two separate game rooms, seven bedrooms and dramatic Lake Tahoe views. Outside, there’s a private sandy beach, multiple decks, a heated driveway and two exterior fireplaces, according to listing information. 

MORE: Visited by Kings and Larger Than Manhattan, Giant Scottish Estate Asks £67 Million

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The seller and the buyer are both limited liability companies, according to property records. Both parties were represented by Jeff Brown of Tahoe Mountain Realty, who declined to comment on the deal. 

The median home price in Incline Village was $1.595 million as of December, a fall of 3.3% from a year earlier, according to data from Realtor.com. Listings, meanwhile, spent an average of 130 days on the market. 



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Green Valley edges Liberty in Class 5A softball — PHOTOS

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Green Valley edges Liberty in Class 5A softball — PHOTOS