As we usher in the new year, I am delighted to share a snapshot of the noteworthy events and initiatives my office has been involved in during the first weeks of 2024.

If you have any questions, ideas, or concerns, my office is ready to listen. Your feedback is not just welcome, it is essential to creating a positive impact in our community.

Nevada stands at the threshold of exciting opportunities and collective growth, and it is my honor to serve as the state’s Lieutenant Governor. Thank you for your support and trust. I look forward to our continued collaboration as we build a stronger and more prosperous community.

Additionally, if you know of someone who would like to receive this newsletter, please forward it to them using this link.

PS - I have been documenting my work as Nevada’s Lieutenant Governor on my social media pages. Follow @NevadaLtGov to stay up-to-date.

Off-Road Recreation on Nevada’s Lands

Update from Nevada Division of Outdoor Recreation Administrator Denise Beronio

TreadLightly!, a non-profit organization that leads a national initiative to promote the responsible use of motorized vehicles when recreating outdoors, installed a new kiosk sign and several riparian area signs at the Wilson Canyon Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Area in Smith Valley.

Visit ohv.nv.gov for more information about registering your off-highway vehicle and nvtrailfinder.com to learn more about the thousands of miles of off-highway vehicle trails and roads in Nevada!

Nevada Commission on Tourism Approves 3D Grants

The Nevada Commission on Tourism approved funding for three Destination, Development, Demonstration (3D) projects to expand tourism in rural communities. Funding was awarded to White Pine County, Lincoln County, and Friends of Black Rock High Rock to be used for projects that:

• Improve and create new trailheads,
• Install of interpretive signage,
• Build engaging visitor experiences in unproductive retail spaces,
• Create a sense of place and community through public art,
• Restore and preserve cultural heritage elements, or
• Expand tours and other guided offerings. 

“As Lieutenant Governor, I have had the opportunity to visit many Nevada communities and have seen first-hand the impact tourism has on these towns. These projects will provide a boost to further develop their tourism offerings, leading to additional jobs, economic vitality, and increased visitation. I fully support White Pine County, Lincoln County, and Friends of Black Rock High Rock as they embark on these projects to grow their destinations.” 

Stavros Anthony,

Nevada Lieutenant Governor and Chair for the Nevada Commission on Tourism

Southern Nevada’s Economic Future Relies on the Release of Additional Lands

By 2030, the massive amount of land owned by the federal government could halt economic development in Southern Nevada.

According to a study commissioned by the Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED), the Las Vegas Valley will face a shortage of developable employment-purposed land by the end of the decade.

Nevada has prioritized and accomplished a lot in terms of diversifying the economy but has attracted many industries (such as advanced manufacturing, logistics, and clean energy) that require large parcels of land. If land is unavailable or made overly expensive due to scarcity, companies leaving states like California will bypass Nevada for states with more abundant land opportunities. 

85.9% of Nevada is owned and controlled by various federal entities.

UNR Designated as Competitive EDA Tech Hub

Nevada’s drive to be a global leader in the critical technology ecosystem has been boosted by its designation as a Regional Technology and Innovation Hub (Tech Hub) by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA).

In a highly competitive process, Nevada was selected from a pool of nearly 400 applicants from across the United States and its territories.

The University of Nevada, Reno is leading the endeavor with the Nevada Lithium Batteries and Other EV Material Loop (“Loop Tech Hub”) which is a full lithium lifestyle ecosystem (extraction, processing, manufacturing, and recycling).  

 2023 Initiatives To Improve Entrepreneurship in Nevada

Among the initiatives highlighted in a recent Nevada Independent article was the Lieutenant Governor’s Office of Small Business Advocacy (OSBA).

OSBA’s mission is to make it easier to start and grow a business in Nevada. Their team assists Nevada’s business owners when they encounter issues with state and local government agencies, and serves as a watchdog for much-needed licensing and regulatory reforms.

Other programs created in 2023 to help Nevada’s entrepreneurs were:

Battle Born Growth Microloan Program – A project of GOED that aims to help underfunded and underbanked communities and businesses access up to $250,000 at competitive rates

SilverFlume – The Nevada Secretary of State’s Office received $15 million to improve the state’s business portal. 

Our community is at its best when everyone is actively engaged. In that spirit, the Lieutenant Governor’s Office and OSBA hosted a town hall that brought together elected officials and government representatives for a one-on-one conversation with community members.

The event created an open platform for dialogue and encouraged attendees to participate by asking questions and engaging in discussion.

We’re grateful for the participation of Senators Edgar Flores and Fabian Doñate; Assemblyman Reuben D’Silva; Deputy Secretary for Southern Nevada – Secretary of State’s Office, Maggie Salas Crespo; and Dyana Melchor from Clark County Commissioner William McCurdy’s office. 

Mark Your Calendar:

Northern Nevada: A Reno + Sparks Town Hall will be held on March 5 from 9:30 – 11 AM (location TBD).

Southern Nevada: The next community event in Southern Nevada is planned for March 12 from 6 – 7 PM at the Windmill Library.

Benevolence Temple opened its doors on January 18 with Lieutenant Governor Anthony helping to mark the occasion with a ceremonial ribbon cutting.

“I want to congratulate you on this significant milestone for your temple and your efforts to unify local residents and people from different religions and races. The community will benefit from the sanctuary that your temple provides”

Lieutenant Governor Stavros Anthony

The Lieutenant Governor participated in a panel discussion focused on the importance of small business to Nevada's economy at the International Innovation Center in downtown Las Vegas. This event was sponsored by the Global Entrepreneurship Network and the Office of Small Business Advocacy.

On January 4, Lieutenant Governor Anthony celebrated the winner of the Nevada Department of Agriculture’s (NDA) 2023 Small Business of the Year, Blue Lizard Farms, at Hudl Brewing.

This event also signified the launch of the NDA and Made in Nevada’s 2024 Nevada Craft Beverage Passport. The passport contains detailed maps to help you plan your visit to participating distilleries, breweries, and wineries that produce their brewed, distilled, or fermented beverages locally.

Each establishment has its own page in the passport and, when you visit, they will stamp and date their page (some may even have a special incentive!).

Learn more and get your own Craft Beverage Passport.

On January 9, Lieutenant Governor Anthony and the Office of Small Business Advocacy were pleased to host the Latino Stakeholders meeting at the Nevada State Capitol in Carson City.

Lieutenant Governor Anthony and Assemblyman P.K. O’Neill toured the Stewart Indian School Cultural Center & Museum in Carson City.

The mission of the Stewart Indian School Cultural Center and Museum is to tell the stories of the thousands of American Indian children from Western tribes who were educated at Stewart. These stories tell of a complex past that changed the course of generations of these children.

The Lieutenant Governor’s Office toured Three Square and met with Beth Martino, Chief Executive Officer, and her staff to learn more about food collection and distribution in Southern Nevada.

Food and grocery products are donated directly to Three Square by manufacturers, retailers, corporations, and the public. Three Square then sorts, inventories, stores, and repacks donated food items for distribution to their partners to reach struggling individuals and families.

In 2022, Three Square distributed more than 42 million meals, the equivalent of more than 51 million pounds of food and grocery products, through their community partners. More than 100,000 men, women, and children receive food through Three Square and their program partners every month.

Lieutenant Governor Anthony attended Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman’s final State of the City Address on January 11. This event marks the end of the “Goodman Era” where, for 25 years, either Carolyn or her husband Oscar served as mayor of the city.

During her Address, Mayor Goodman looked back on the accomplishments of the last 25 years and looked ahead to the future.

Lieutenant Governor Anthony is proud to have served alongside both Carolyn and Oscar Goodman on the Las Vegas City Council.

Watch Mayor Carolyn Goodman’s final State of the City Address here.

Marko Bajzer, an Artist in Residence at Great Basin National Park, has composed a first-of-its-kind concert piece based on the recorded sound of the Bristle Cone Pine in the Great Basin National Park.

Bajzer attached electrodes to some of the pines to track changes in the electrical conductivity of the organisms as they moved water through their trunks and branches. He then used software to map those changes onto a sound wave.

Bajzer’s composition is scheduled to be performed by the Reno Philharmonic in March 2025 in Reno.

Lieutenant Governor Anthony is excited to travel to Elko for one of Nevada’s top annual events, the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering (NCPG) happening January 29 through February 3.

Over the years, the NCPG has blossomed into an incredible “six days of poetry, music, dancing, workshops, exhibits, conversations, food, and fellowship,” drawing revelers from all walks of life.