Weekly Newsletter

This week, I wanted to highlight and share some important and encouraging updates for Nevadans. Our daily new cases, hospitalization and deaths continue to fall. Our test positivity rate is moving downward steadily as well. This is a great start to our Roadmap to Recovery Safe Reopening plan that began a little more than ten days ago.

The declines in cases and hospitalizations is great news and proof that the mitigation measures Nevadans are using are working. As Nevada begins to reopen businesses and activities, it will be important to track cases, hospitalizations, and deaths for any sign of increasing spread. Any changes will likely not be visible for at least 2-5 weeks given how long it takes for persons to develop symptoms and infect others.

We are also tracking our COVID-19 immunization efforts. Through tremendous State and local collaboration, we are using our limited allocation from the federal government as fast as we can. We've used 91 percent of our allocated vaccines, the national average is 85 percent.

The trends are positive, but we must remain vigilant. Remember that masks & social distancing remain the most effective mitigation measures and we must continue these practices as we vaccinate our communities.

It’s easy to let your guard down when our trends get better, but we’ve been through this before and we know we can’t do that this time around. We are so close & we’ve made it so far. Let's all commit to remaining vigilant & getting through this together.

Thank you -
Governor Steve Sisolak

Make a Plan: Knowing How and Where to Get Your Vaccine

Nevada is receiving small, weekly allocations of COVID-19 vaccine from the federal government which are being provided to counties statewide to vaccinate our seniors and prioritized occupational groups. We know it is difficult, but we urge Nevadans to be patient and make a plan to get vaccinated when the time comes.

Each county is moving at its own pace and more information on when, where, and how to be vaccinated can be found at NVCOVIDFighter.org To schedule your vaccine appointment over the phone & receive county-specific information call our recently launched COVID-19 Vaccine Call Center at 1-800-401-0946.

Governor Sisolak Orders Flags to Half-Staff in Honor of the 500,000 Americans, more than 4,900 Nevadans who have passed away due to COVID-19

This week, we joined President Biden in lowering our State flags to commemorate and honor the lives of the 500,000 Americans and the more than 4,900 Nevadans that have passed away due to COVID-19. This represents a significant and historic loss for our nation and for the state of Nevada. Their presence in our communities and in our hearts will never be forgotten. The First Lady and I extend our love and condolences to the families of those that have lost a loved one and have been tragically impacted by this pandemic. To view my full press release, click here.

Governor Sisolak Congratulates Nevada Highway Patrol Graduating Class

Last week, I had the honor to stop by and congratulate the Nevada Highway Patrol’s graduating class during an outdoor, socially distanced graduation ceremony in Carson City. I grateful for the services they provide the State of Nevada and for always going above and beyond to keep Nevada's highways and communities safe.

Biden Administration Special Enrollment Period Feb. 15 – May 15, 2021

In accordance with the Executive Order issued by President Biden last month, and in response to the ongoing national emergency presented by COVID-19, the Nevada Exchange will offer a forthcoming Special Enrollment Period for uninsured Nevadans.

The SEP began on February 15th and ends at midnight on May 15th.
This SEP is intended to allow consumers with no existing coverage to enroll in ACA health/dental plans.
Consumers with existing coverage through the Exchange will not be allowed to modify current plan selections.
Find more information using this direct link.

Plan for Play! Nevadans encouraged to participate in outdoor recreation survey

Do you enjoy exploring Nevada’s public lands, parks, trails, and waterways? Would you like to see new bike paths, playgrounds, or other outdoor recreation infrastructure in your community? Right now, all Nevadans have the opportunity to weigh in on key topics like these to help shape the future of outdoor recreation in their neighborhoods, communities, and Nevada-wide. Let your voice be heard by completing a quick survey on outdoor recreation, brought to you by the Nevada Division of Outdoor Recreation and Nevada Division of State Parks. To learn more, click here.

America’s First Female African-American POW featured speaker at 2021 Virtual Women’s Conference

It was shortly after dawn and already it was the worst day of U.S. Army Specialist Shoshana Johnson's life. Little did she know; her day was about to get even worse. Not only was Johnson’s convoy lost in the Iraqi desert, but she was about to make history by becoming the first U.S. female African-American Prisoner of War. Johnson will share her story of resiliency and courage during the 2021 Virtual Women Veterans Conference on March 3, at 9:00 a.m., hosted by the Nevada Department of Veterans Services. It is FREE and open to all Nevada women veterans as well as women military members. Learn more and register here.

Heroes for Heroes program takes aim at reducing COVID-19 isolation

The Nevada Department of Veterans Services Heroes for Heroes program focuses on social support to ease the isolation that can come with staying at home to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and protect yourself against the virus. Heroes for Heroes pairs volunteers who want to connect with veteran participants in phone calls or video chats twice per week. To read more and learn how you can get involved and stay connected, click here.

Nevada 211 Youth app launched - Zip code-based information and resources

The Nevada Department of Health and Human Services has announced the release of a Nevada 211 Youth resource app to complement the Nevada 211 app launched earlier this year. The app, which focuses on youth resources including counseling, education, emergency food and shelter as well as youth employment is free to download and can be searched based on zip code.

Nevada 211, a free service that includes information about health and human service programs and resources that are available throughout the state, can also be accessed online at Nevada211.org, by dialing 2-1-1 or by texting your zip code to 898211.

The Nevada 211 app was announced in May 2020 to help more Nevadans connect with the resources they need. Money Management International (MMI) administers the program.

Available in the Apple App Store and Google Play, the Nevada 211 Youth app is free to download.

COVID Trace App: Protecting your community. And your privacy.

More than 652,388 of your neighbors have downloaded the COVID Trace App. It's a free and easy-to-use mobile phone app that gives you the information you need to fight COVID-19, without compromising your privacy. Nevadans have answered the call since Nevada day, and have doubled the number of downloads. Join your friends, family and neighbors on the app today! Together, we can help slow the spread of COVID-19 in Nevada!

Join the fight! To download the fight on your Apple device or Android, click here.

School zone safety is always in session

As certain schools across the state increase in-person learning, the Nevada Department of Transportation is launching a school zone safety campaign reminding drivers, pedestrians and students of life-saving school zone traffic laws.

No speeding in school zones
No passing in school zones
No U-turns in school zones

Having a year away from traditional school zone driving routines doesn’t mean that safety should take a break. For more school zone safety tips, click here.

Protecting Nevada’s Wildlife Habitat

In partnership with the U.S. Forest Service, the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) recently seeded more than 1,000 acres burned by the Poeville Fire in 2020 on Peavine Mountain. This is an example of the habitat restoration work NDOW does to restore native plants that are critical to a wide range of wildlife and to prevent invasive species. Each year, NDOW works on habitat restoration projects on almost 80,000 acres, which is critical to wildlife and preserving wildlife habitat! Watch this video and learn more about the project here.

Nevada DMV and DOT Warn of Text Scam

The Nevada Departments of Motor Vehicles and Transportation are warning drivers of a texting scheme circulating in Nevada. These illegitimate messages ask recipients to update their driver's license contact information with the Nevada Department of Transportation. Anyone who receives this or a similar message should not provide any personal data and should delete it right away. To read full press release, click here.

Funding offered to enhance specialty crops in Nevada

The Nevada Department of Agriculture (NDA) is pleased to announce funding for the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) through the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Approximately $269,000 is expected to be awarded to projects that will enhance the competitiveness of Nevada’s specialty crops. Specialty crops are defined as “fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, legumes, dried fruits, horticulture, and nursery crops (including floriculture).” Letters of intent are due March 1. To view the full press release click here.

Unemployment Update

Finalized data from the Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation (DETR) show initial claims for unemployment insurance (UI) totaled 7,509, up 131 claims, or 1.8%, compared to the previous week’s total of 7,378 claims. Regular continued claims totaled 71,634 claims, a decrease of 5,676 claims, or 7.3% from the previous week’s total of 77,310.

The Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program, which provides benefits for self-employed, 1099 contract workers, and gig workers saw 6,413 initial claims filed in the week ending February 20, a decline of 6,019 claims, or 48.4%, from last week’s total of 12,432. Initial applications for the PUA program continue to be highly variable due to ongoing high levels of fraudulent applications. Through the week ending February 20, there have been a total of 1,086,957 PUA initial claims filed.

COVID-19 Task Force Updates

The COVID-19 Mitigation and Management Task Force met on January 28, 2021. For more information on these meetings and more, please visit the links below.

Boards & Commissions

In December, I was proud to announce 52 appointments were made to State of Nevada boards, commissions, and agencies during the month of December. I have appointed hundreds of individuals since assuming office, and I encourage anyone who might be interested in serving Nevada and their community to review opportunities posted on the Governor’s WEBSITE, which is updated on an ongoing basis.

WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS?

The Governor makes appointments to three types of boards and commissions:

Advisory - An advisory board, commission or council serves as a formal liaison between a state agency and the public, in addition to making recommendations on how to address specific issues.
Regulatory Board - Regulatory boards are those that oversee the licensing, handle complaints, and enforce disciplinary actions of individuals or industries that fall within the jurisdiction of the board’s authority.
Task Force - A task force is created for the purpose of accomplishing a definite objective and goal.

If you are interested in serving, apply now!

Board Vacancies *Vacancies are updated once a month
Frequently Asked Questions
Boards and Commissions Application

Stay up to date on the latest news from Governor Sisolak by following his social media accounts or by visiting his website.

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