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New Guinn Center Report Examines Youth Outcomes

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The Guinn Center released a report titled “Youth Outcomes in Nevada.” This report summarizes key demographic indicators for youth in Nevada. The report also presents data for various outcomes among youth in the areas of employment, health, substance abuse and educational attainment. Here are some key findings: Nevada has a relatively young population. Approximately one-third… Read more

Extreme Heat Exposes Critical Gaps in Nevada’s Built Environment

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This opinion piece was originally published in the Las Vegas Sun. Nancy Brune and Lorena Rodriguez Every once and awhile, our professional and personal lives merge. That happened last week as we were finishing up our report, Strengthening Heat Resiliency among Communities of Color in Southern Nevada, (which was completed in partnership with Morrison Institute… Read more

Nevada is failing people with disabilities who want to work

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Nancy Brune and Meredith Levine Policymakers in Nevada and elsewhere are laser-focused on ways to support and invest in our workforce to spur the pandemic-ravaged economy to return to its full potential. This exercise involves identifying people who are missing and thinking about ways to support them and reimagine a much more inclusive workplace. Women… Read more

First cut on census data: Nevada is diversifying, but it’s complicated

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This piece was originally published in The Nevada Independent. By Nancy Brune and Kenneth Retzl In mid-August, the U.S. Census Bureau released the first tranche of data collected from the 2020 Census. There are a few interesting trends, one of which could have possible implications for decision makers and policy leaders in Nevada. 1.  … Read more

It’s not a worker shortage, it’s a worker renaissance in a post-pandemic economy

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This opinion piece was originally published by The Nevada Independent. Headlines continue to call attention to a shortage of workers in the leisure and hospitality sector here and around the country. Workers are supposedly staying at home and avoiding work given federal unemployment insurance benefits — or so the story goes. But the commentaries fail to fully acknowledge that the… Read more

Nevada’s May 2021 Economic Forum

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What Is the Economic Forum? The Economic Forum is a state-mandated panel that convenes periodically to submit revenue projections for the General Fund—Nevada’s major operating fund—to the Governor and the Legislature. It is a five-member committee drawn from the private sector, with three members selected by the Governor and one nominated by each the Assembly… Read more

African Americans in Nevada enjoy political success, but still struggle economically

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This piece was originally published in The Nevada Independent. As we remember the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. and his quest for racial equality, we observe that African Americans in Nevada have made tremendous political gains. However, they continue to struggle economically, revealing the damaging and stubborn effects of historical discriminatory policies, which limited… Read more

The Nevada for which I am grateful

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This piece was originally published in The Nevada Independent.  As the director of a policy center, I spend much of my time identifying gaps, analyzing problems, and drawing attention to Nevada’s policy challenges — with the singular focus of improving our state. Not surprisingly, this work can often lead to frustration and disappointment. The coronavirus… Read more

Nevada’s economic recovery requires a rural development strategy

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This piece was originally published by The Nevada Independent.  Nevada is facing an unprecedented economic challenge brought about by the global pandemic. Our recovery as a state must be ambitious and include a strategy that encompasses all of Nevada—urban and rural.  Recent events have highlighted our need for a comprehensive rural development strategy. Last month,… Read more

Nevada’s October 2020 Economic Forum

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by Meredith Levine Nevada’s Economic Forum: Background The Economic Forum is a state-mandated panel that convenes periodically to submit revenue projections for the General Fund—Nevada’s major operating fund—to the Governor and the Legislature. It is a five-member committee drawn from the private sector, with three members selected by the Governor and one nominated by each… Read more