Some officials are claiming that the termination letters that dismissed 2,000 probationary, non-firefighting employees of the U.S. Forest Service mean fewer people and less resources will be available to help prevent and fight wildfires. The Forest Service firings are part of a wave of federal worker layoffs, as President Donald Trump’s cost-cutting measures reverberate nationwide.
On Valentine’s Day, thousands of probationary federal employees — typically those who have been in their current role for less than a year — received similar notices that they were being fired for “performance”-related reasons. The firings were swift and often confusing, with employees being locked out of their government emails before they could get any answers. Federal agencies have not released data on firings by state. But in a state where the federal government owns more than 80 percent of the land, job cuts coupled with the federal hiring freeze implemented by President Donald Trump could lead to a slowdown of services everywhere from wildfire management to veterans’ hospitals to nuclear research.
In a response to rising traffic fatalities throughout Nevada, state lawmakers are proposing to increase traffic penalties and authorize harsher enforcement. But laws already exist to punish reckless driving, and legislative efforts being considered this session won’t address the underlying conditions that make roads hazardous, argue critics of the proposals. Nick Shepack, the Nevada state Director of the Fines and Fees Justice Center, urged lawmakers to consider ways to make roadway infrastructure better to increase safety and reduce speeds.
Bills in Brief —
RENO — Researchers at the University of Nevada, Reno have unveiled 200 sorghum varieties that could be a game-changer in the food, brewery, dairy feed and biofuel industry. Preliminary research underscores their exceptional drought tolerance, with some varieties also exhibiting record levels of protein and digestible starch. The breeding program for the sorghum varieties was established in 2017 at the University’s Experiment Station, a unit of the College of Agriculture, Biotechnology & Natural Resources, to develop water-efficient crops suited for the semi-arid Western U.S.
CARSON CITY — Optimism among the nation’s small business owners dipped slightly in the latest monthly Small Business Optimism Index from the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), but it was still above its 51-year average and for a third consecutive month. “That it came in above its 51-year average for the third month in a row is huge,” said Tray Abney, state director for NFIB in Nevada. “For 34 consecutive months prior, it always registered below the 51-year average. What it means is that the optimism we are seeing coming from Main Street entrepreneurs might become the permanent feature we need to finally have a robust economy extended over time and not an occasional occurrence. Something Congress could help by not letting the 20% Small Business Deduction lapse at the end of the year and the Nevada Legislature could support by resisting any proposals to tax and regulate more.”
Lombardo pens letter to state senate majority leader; assembly speaker
What the world needs
Testing for Alzheimer's
RENO — Registration is now open for the College of Education & Human Development’s Nevada Math and Technology Camp. The camp will host 50 Nevada middle schoolers July 13-18, 2025, on the University of Nevada, Reno campus. This residential camp for middle schoolers aims to enhance mathematics skills and build awareness of mathematics-based careers.
The State of Nevada Judicial Branch is proud to announce that the state-wide legal self-help website selfhelp.nvcourts.gov now includes features aimed at providing free resources to empower individuals who are navigating the legal system.
A Long Line of Tough ol Chicks
CARSON CITY, Nev. – This March, staff from the Nevada Division of Water Resources will be measuring the depth to groundwater in irrigation and stock water wells throughout various regions in the state.
SPARKS — The Nevada Department of Agriculture (NDA) State Quarantine Officer Director J.J. Goicoechea, DVM, has temporarily suspended Nevada’s cage-free egg law. Eggs for retail sale can be sourced from any egg producer meeting food-safety guidelines, regardless of whether the eggs originated from hens in a cage-free housing system. This order was issued to address the strain on egg supplies and high egg prices in Nevada.
CARSON CITY, Nev. – Lane reductions will begin March 3 on Interstate 80 east of Battle Mountain in Eureka County as the Nevada Department of Transportation makes routine bridge surface repairs.