Nevada
‘Tremendous contributions:’ Southern Nevada’s top health official is retiring
Dr. Fermin Leguen’s family had expected him to become physician since he was a child growing up in Cuba.
He initially thought that he might study aviation technology. He wanted travel the world.
“Honestly, medicine wasn’t one of my top things to do,” he said in a recent interview. “But at the same time — like every other kid — you really have no idea about what any career is about.”
Leguen, 71, eventually made a choice he said he’s never regretted.
“Finally, I decided to go with medicine,” Leguen said.
Southern Nevada’s Health District top official is retiring at the beginning of March, marking an end to a decades-long career that dispatched him across the globe to serve in public health.
“I have never (spent) a long period of time doing nothing, so I don’t know what to expect,” he said about his upcoming retirement.
Leguen — who became the face of the valley’s COVID-19 response as acting chief health officer— said he will miss his team and their dedication.
He will simply miss “just being here.”
Leguen said he believes the Health District will remain in good hands, supported with a “very strong team.”
“We have very professional people here with a lot of skills, highly trained,” he said. “Regardless of who’s leading the organization, the biggest strength we have is the people we have here. And they are fully capable of responding to multiple public-health threats that we could face.”
The Health District board appointed Dr. Cassius Lockett — deputy district health officer — to succeed Leguen.
‘Tremendous contributions’
Leguen, who speaks softly and has a shy demeanor, was honored at Las Vegas City Hall earlier this month.
Shortly after the room cleared from the festivities that welcomed new Mayor Shelley Berkley and Councilwoman Shondra Summers-Armstrong, Councilwoman Olivia Diaz took the microphone to issue a proclamation honoring Leguen for his “tremendous contributions.”
“Dr. Leguen, gracias,” Diaz said. “I just want to say ‘thank you’ for everything that you have done.”
Leguen joined the health district in 2016 as director of clinical services. In October 2019 — a few months before the global pandemic broke out, he was named acting chief health officer.
“Little did we know when we selected him… what we were going to be reeling and dealing with as the world and as a community,” Diaz said. “I don’t think this man would get a shut eye.”
As the health district searched for a permanent agency head, “the board leadership just decided Dr. Leguen has already proven himself as the right leader for this agency.”
Leguen was officially promoted in early 2021.
During his tenure, he spearheaded the opening of two community health hubs that offer immunizations and primary health services for patients with no health insurance, Diaz noted.
He said he’s proud of his administration’s program that helps address a congenital syphilis crisis that’s “devastating” children.
During the pandemic, Leguen led the rollout of a bilingual education campaign for Spanish speakers at a time when Latinos accounted for 25 percent of COVID-19 deaths, Diaz said.
When Clark County commissioners faced backlash in the fall of 2021 over a resolution declaring vaccine misinformation a source of increased demand for unsafe treatments, Leguen supported the motion.
“While it is essential for public agencies to provide a forum for people to comment and give input on issues that impact them, it is critical that information impacting the health and safety of the public be based on proven science and accurate data,” he said at the time.
“He’s made it a priority for the Southern Nevada Health District to reflect the community it serves,” Diaz said. “And to forge partnerships with diverse community organizations in order to better reach and serve underserved residents.”
Diaz said Leguen headed the region’s response to other public health emergencies, such as the opioid epidemic and the West Nile virus.
“I wish COVID was the only one,” Diaz said.
A life of service
Leguen was born in Guantanamo, Cuba. His parents moved the family to the capital city of Havana when he was a toddler.
He studied medicine at the University of Havana.
Leguen worked for Cuba’s social services. He fled the communist country in 1991, eventually migrating to the U.S. where he began a residency in Puerto Rico before completing a pediatric residency at Johns Hopkins Hospital.
Throughout his career, he was a vaccination consultant in Africa, Caribbean countries and South America.
He credits vaccinations for saving lives during the pandemic.
“When you’re seeing the number of deaths increasing day by day and there is nothing telling you that this is going to get better, it’s very, very depressing,” he said.
While nobody can fully prepare for a future pandemic, Leguen said that the agency has learned lessons to hamper the impact. Community in Southern Nevada collaboration was crucial, he added.
“We must be ready to learn every single day,” he said. “Nobody has the 100 percent answer for anything. We must be willing to communicate with our peers and the public our concerns, our limitations. And also make sure our community is aware of the multiple threats that could be there.”
Leguen, who has a wife and a daughter, said he’s looking forward to having more time to read fiction and watch Korean movies.
Asked to reflect about being an immigrant of color in the U.S. with a life of service under his sleeve, Leguen spoke generally about living out a dream.
“What I would say to anybody is that you have to follow your dreams,” he said. “You must be consistent with your beliefs. You must be able to sacrifice yourselves and be confident.”
Contact Ricardo Torres-Cortez at rtorres@reviewjournal.com.
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.
A swarm of earthquakes has been rattling a remote stretch of central Nevada near Tonopah, including a magnitude 4.0 quake that hit near Warm Springs Tuesday morning.
Seismologists said the activity is typical for Nevada, where clusters of earthquakes can flare up in a concentrated area. “This is a very Nevada-style earthquake sequence. We have these a lot where we just see an uptick in activity in a certain spot,” said Christie Rowe, director of the Nevada Seismological Lab.
The latest magnitude 4.0 quake struck east of Tonopah near Warm Springs. The largest earthquake in the swarm so far has measured a 4.2.
What has stood out to researchers is the fault involved. Rowe said the earthquakes are occurring along a fault stretching along the southern edge of the Monitor and Antelope ranges — and that it was previously unknown to scientists. “We didn’t know this fault was there. It’s a new fault to us — not to the Earth, obviously — but it was previously unknown,” Rowe said.
For now, the earthquakes have remained moderate. Rowe said the lab would not deploy additional temporary sensors unless activity increases to around a magnitude 5 or greater.
Seismologists said they are continuing to watch the swarm closely as Nevada works to bring the ShakeAlert early warning system to the state. The program, already active in neighboring states, can send cellphone alerts seconds before shaking arrives. “For me, it’s a really high priority. That distance to the faults gives us enough time to warn people — and that can make a big difference in reducing injuries and damage,” Rowe said.
Seismologists encouraged anyone who feels shaking to report it through the U.S. Geological Survey’s “Did You Feel It” system, saying even small quakes can help scientists better understand Nevada’s seismic activity.
Experts said the swarm is worth monitoring but is not cause for alarm. They noted that earthquakes like the 5.8 that hit near Yerington in December 2024 typically happen in Nevada about every eight to 10 years, and said they will continue monitoring the current activity closely.
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