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City Council in brief—

At its regular meeting on March 19, the Winnemucca City Council (with all members present):

Elko County Commission votes to study feasibility of hand counting

Elko County commissioners voted Wednesday to have the clerk’s office analyze the suitability of using hand counting and paper ballots in the 2024 general election to ease voter worries about election fraud.

State lawmakers wary about approving another housing study, but approve it anyway

When in doubt, just make it a study. It’s a common narrative in Carson City: When a promising but controversial bill has no realistic path forward, the bill becomes a study, conducted in the name of gathering more data and insight that might convince future lawmakers to take action. But some lawmakers this week expressed frustration at the prospect of “yet another survey” on an issue many feel is nearing crisis levels.

Rosen, Cortez Masto ask HHS to improve tribal access to mental health services

Nevada U.S. Democratic Sens. Jacky Rosen and Catherine Cortez Masto called on Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Xavier Becerra to improve tribal access to federal mental health services via a letter sent earlier this month.

Purple Heart recipient seeking Democratic Sen. Rosen’s seat in key US match

CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) — Retired Army Capt. Sam Brown filed his formal candidacy Thursday for the seat held by first-term Sen. Jacky Rosen in a race Republicans have targeted nationally as one of their best chances to knock off an incumbent Democrat.

Nevada Farm Network launches to support Nevada agricultural producers

RENO — After nearly a year in the works, a grower-led initiative has launched the Nevada Farm Network, a new online hub where Nevada agricultural producers can connect and share information with one another, as well as find resources to help them increase farm efficiency and economic return, while using best practices to sustain their businesses and our natural resources.

Battle Mountain General Hospital announces data security incident

Battle Mountain General Hospital ("BMGH") has become aware of a data security incident that occurred on January 25, 2024, potentially affecting the electronic records of both employees and patients, including personal health information (PHI).

Rosen, Cortez Masto push for hearing on Washoe lands bill

Nevada’s senators sent a letter Friday to leaders of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee requesting a hearing for Sen. Jacky Rosen’s (D-NV) Washoe County lands bill.

BLM seeks funding for permanent horse sterilization

The Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) proposed fiscal year 2025 budget includes $15 million for permanent sterilization efforts for wild horses and burros.

People don’t want to go the DMV. The DMV is trying to make it so you don’t have to.

The DMV is rolling out a new mobile appointment system, offering online written driving tests and preparing to close its Henderson location, lawmakers were told last week. DMV officials updated the legislative Interim Growth and Infrastructure Committee on new programs that are being implemented to help direct people toward online services and alleviate long wait times from in-person visits.

In letter, Lombardo urges Biden to make more public land available for housing development

As President Joe Biden continues to campaign around the country, Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo sent a letter to the president highlighting the state’s housing crisis and requesting Biden streamline the process of making federal land available for affordable housing development. With 85 percent of Nevada’s land owned and managed by the federal government, Lombardo wrote that the federal government’s lack of collaboration with the state had limited Nevada’s ability to build affordable rental housing — a problem Lombardo wrote that Biden’s administration could help solve by allocating more federal land for housing development.

Secretary of state delays rollout of top-down voter registration system to July

The Nevada Secretary of State’s Office is pushing back its rollout of a long-anticipated, centralized voter registration and election system from April to July amid concerns raised by more than a dozen county clerks who were uncertain that the system could be fully vetted ahead of the June primary.

Union secures longevity pay for eligible state employees after suing

The union representing a large number of state employees in Nevada has reached a deal to ensure that eligible employees can participate in an incentive program that boosts salaries for the state’s longest-tenured employees.

Nevada’s moose population has erupted in recent decades. For the first time ever, the state will allow hunting to ease a gender imbalance

Standing roughly 6 feet tall at the shoulder with spindly legs and bulbous torsos, moose are lanky, awkward and the second-largest mammal in North America. With a propensity to spend their time in thick stands of vegetation and brush, they are populous in cold northern states such as Alaska (home to 175,000 moose) and Maine.

Commissioners updated on lithium projects in the region

Mining lithium in Humboldt County has been a hot topic, especially as Lithium Americas has just secured conditional approval of a loan for their multi-billion-dollar project, and another company, HiTech Minerals, has requested a letter of support from the Humboldt County Board of Commissioners to the Department of Energy (DOE) for their funding application.