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A shot in the arm: New stimulus bill should bring a boost to Nevadans on many fronts; A $24 billion economic stimulus bill signed Friday by President Barack Obama should bring much-needed relief to Nevadans who are out of work or interested in purchasing a new residence. Struggling businesses also stand to benefit.

Help for struggling students: College program gives potential dropouts new outlook on education; Project Crossroads, started by Nevada State College in 2007, gives academic and personal attention to struggling middle school students. The goal is to get the students to overcome their difficulties, stay in school and eventually enroll in college.

Restoring Lake Tahoe: Congress should quickly approve legislation to help save national treasure; The water clarity of Lake Tahoe decades ago was greater than 100 feet deep but environmental degradation, caused in part by development, has taken its toll. Today the clarity is less than 70 feet.

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Give credit where it’s due: Harry Reid saved jobs

Stimulus provision he’s taking heat for was a safety net for Nevada

We have a credit problem in the United States. The same is true in Nevada.
Here’s hope for a smarter future for Nevada
Rory Reid’s first moves stir hope for leadership

Jon Ralston »

Jon Ralston laments the campaign spin from members of both major parties

There is a distinction between stupidity and ignorance.
Nevada’s bizarro political world
GOP in disarray won’t assure Dems an easy ride here in 2010

The latest release of stimulus jobs numbers has set off the expected partisan nonsense. Democrats are gushing about how the stimulus is working, and Republicans continue to question its efficacy. It’s not surprising that the Obama administration and its supporters would boast of the job creation, even though the recovery is being described as “jobless” in many circles. But what is most sick about this colloquy is how you almost get the sense the Republicans want the economy to stay tanked so they can use it as a political issue. When was the last time I felt this way? Oh, yes. When Democrats almost seemed as if they wanted the economy to stay tanked during the 2008 presidential race. Statesmen all.

Flashpoint archive »

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Las Vegas’ dilemma: America’s, only more so

By Mark Muro

The truism, of course, is that Las Vegas is the great exception — a bizarre, completely unrepresentative aberration thankfully isolated in the middle of the Mojave Desert. And yet, I find myself thinking less about the ways Las Vegas is strange and more about how it is representative, even emblematic, of America’s current predicament.
South Korea’s transformation an awe-inspiring wonder

By Richard Wiley

Recently President Barack Obama noted that “… when my father traveled to the United States from Kenya to study, the per capita income of Kenya was higher than South Korea’s, (and) now South Korea is industrialized and relatively wealthy while Kenya … is still struggling economically.”
Protect fighters from themselves

By Margaret Goodman

As a former ring physician and someone who worked with the Nevada State Athletic Commission for more than 13 years, I have been privy to numerous instances where a fighter needed to retire. Sadly, commissions, promoters, trainers, and family often become enablers for a fighter who needs to “hang them up.”
Labor Department seeks a new reality: Good jobs for all

By Hilda L. Solis

We are facing the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. Our unemployment rate is 9.7 percent and close to 14.9 million Americans are jobless and looking for work. Behind these numbers are real families, struggling to make ends meet.
A Vegas classic who will be missed

By Tom Breitling

I was proud to call Frank Fertitta Jr. a mentor, a friend, a leader and one of the kindest and smartest men I have ever known. We knew this day was coming for a while, and now that he has passed away it feels like it came too soon.

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Today's editorial cartoon by Mike Smith, plus archives since 1998 »

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Titus shows how legislating is done
: Isn’t this the duty and responsibility of legislators to review proposed legislation and then work toward changes to best protect the interests of Americans?; Continues…; Tom Harper, Henderson
Leaders elected to sort through complex issues
: Health care reform is a complicated and important issue. Politics needs to be put aside, and the focus should be on making quality health care, among other things, affordable, adequate, accessible and, hopefully, administratively simple.; Continues…; Delia Oliveri, Las Vegas
Term limits might curb congressional money lust
: Subjecting Congress to term limits would be a big step in minimizing the money-raising issue. But I would like see it taken a step further by limiting both the House and Senate to a single eight-year term. A one-and-done deal. No reelection for anyone.; Continues…; Richard Pratt, Las Vegas
Sports arena would be a bad investment here
: Once again our mayor is living a pipe dream. A sports arena? This has to be a joke.; Continues…; Marie Westmoreland, Las Vegas