Monthly archive

Picking the top 10 – it must be 10! – Nevada political stories of the year is always a tortuous task. But choose I must, and choose I have, as you will see below (along with a few extra honorable mentions, leaving out too many, I’m sure.) Please argue with my choices or rankings in the comments section. It’s always more difficult in a non-election year, but I expect not everyone will agree with me (he said with a bit of understatement). So what’s ranked too high? Or too low? What did I leave...
I have already told you about this memo about the American Gaming Association's new approach: More offense, an anti-web gaming push. There were two attachments to that memo, which I have now obtained and have posted here -- the AGA's annual budget and its strategic plan. Highlights: ►The group's 2014 budget is $2.2 million higher than 2013, coming in at $11.1 million. Most of that ($8.9 million) comes from revene garnered at the G2E gaming conference. (Wow.) ►You can see large boosts in "...
The American Gaming Association's chief, Geoff Freeman, recently sent an update to his board. No, I'm not on the board. But I have it, with annotations: AGA Board of Directors – Thank you to those of you who joined us on December 12 for our final board meeting of 2013.  We had a thought provoking discussion that touched on many of the most pressing issues facing the industry today, including online gaming, the current regulatory environment and the AGA’s 2014 strategic plan.  Key takeaways from...
It's a done deal. Warren Buffett can now flip a switch and Nevada will go dark. News release attached.
As the airwaves are soon inundated with ads about what state Senate Minority Leader Michael Roberson reflexively calls “the job-killing margin tax,” the teachers union really has only one way to win the campaign. That method is as old as campaigns, one where an effective grass-roots organization defeats a moneyed array of groups. In this case, it’s the teachers and progressives vs. the gamers, the retailers, the miners, the chambers and more. So the union has begun to build what it hopes will...
The Brian Sandoval cocoon opened briefly Wednesday for News 3’s Kelsey Thomas, and here’s some of what the governor said, with my annotations: “When I learned about the issue...that happened a couple years ago, I was appalled. It was unacceptable and we were ere going to get to the bottom of it and ensure it doesn’t happen again ...As a parent it concerns me there was a sexual offender out in the community.” If he was appalled at the beginning, Sandoval didn’t show it. The administration...
      TONIGHT'S RALSTON REPORTS: Ex-Rep. Shelley Berkley. DAYS UNTIL FILING FOR OFFICE OPENS IN 2014: 75 DAYS UNTIL PRIMARY ELECTION DAY 2014: 174 DAYS UNTIL GENERAL ELECTION DAY 2014: 321       Good morning, everyone. That awful shooting Tuesday afternoon at a Reno medical building near Renown still has many unresolved questions, but I’m sure that won’t stop opportunists from calling for new gun control measures or, perhaps, arming hospital...
      TONIGHT'S RALSTON REPORTS: Immigration reform update. DAYS UNTIL FILING FOR OFFICE OPENS IN 2014: 76 DAYS UNTIL PRIMARY ELECTION DAY 2014: 175 DAYS UNTIL GENERAL ELECTION DAY 2014: 322       Good morning, everyone. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has unveiled a new government website that looks good, has social media savvy, has updating voting records and----is much more political. Just look at what is at the top: Stats on how many nominees...
      TONIGHT'S RALSTON REPORTS: UNLV's Stephen Brown on the economy. DAYS UNTIL FILING FOR OFFICE OPENS IN 2014: 77 DAYS UNTIL PRIMARY ELECTION DAY 2014: 176 DAYS UNTIL GENERAL ELECTION DAY 2014: 323       Good morning, everyone. Spent a relaxing weekend up in The Biggest Little City and had a great time at Mayor Bob Cashell’s Christmas Party on Friday evening. Lots of warm, fun folks, including the Cashells, the Satres and various Caranos. Nice to see how many Reno denizens...

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