When Reno resident Ky Plaskon’s air conditioning unit stopped working as a record-setting heat wave gripped both ends of Nevada this week, he inquired about a subsidized replacement through NV Energy’s PowerShift program. Funded by ratepayers, the program offers customers a rebate of $340 to $2,000 on energy-efficient units, depending on the type and size.
RENO — The weather forecast for the West continues to be scorching temperatures, low humidity and high winds – the perfect recipe for wildfire ignition and spread. Already this year, more than 23,400 wildfires have burned over 2,800,000 acres in the United States. More than 10,500 wildland firefighters and support personnel are assigned to incidents across the country.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s independent presidential campaign said recently it gathered enough signatures for its petition to place him on the November general election ballot in Nevada, and county election officials will now undertake a signature verification process.
A handful of new laws enacted during the 2023 legislative session went into effect on July 1, including measures related to Medicaid coverage of mental health care and the interrogation of children during custody hearings. After July 1, aspects of only six remaining laws enacted by the 2023 Legislature will not have gone into effect. Portions of more than 400 laws passed by lawmakers last year went into effect last July, October and January.
WASHINGTON — The stalemate over the current farm bill may be solidifying a new era in farm politics as it joins the last three farm bills in a trend of delays and partisan division — a contrast from the legislation’s history of bipartisanship. Every five years, Congress is tasked with drafting a new federal farm bill. The omnibus law that began 90 years ago as various kinds of payments to support farmers now has an impact far beyond the farm, with programs to create wildlife habitat, address climate change and provide the nation’s largest federal nutrition program.
Before Nevada voters passed Question 2 in 2022, Nevada operated under a two-tier minimum wage system that allowed an employee to be paid a lower minimum wage if an employer offered qualified health benefits. But because of the constitutional amendment — and a multiyear effort to raise the minimum wage that was approved in the 2019 legislative session — Nevadans now make no less than $12 an hour as of July 1. That’s up from the previous minimum wage of $11.25 an hour, or $10.25 an hour if an employer offered qualifying health benefits.
In late October, Reno was named one of 31 Tech Hubs by the Commerce Department — a designation given to less than 10 percent of applications as a site worthy of federal investment to diversify the growth of key industries geographically. Northern Nevada is at the epicenter of the Biden administration’s economic agenda — there’s been growth in manufacturing jobs, the lithium loop is expanding and its mining-based economy is being repurposed for the 21st century clean energy boom.
RENO, NV — With summer temperatures rising, Nevadans are heading to the state's lakes and reservoirs for recreation and relief from the heat. However, state officials are issuing warnings about the increasing presence of harmful algae in these water bodies.
INCLINE VILLAGE, NV. – The Nevada Division of State Parks is pleased to announce the implementation of a new day-use reservation system for vehicle entry at Sand Harbor State Park. This initiative aims to alleviate traffic congestion on Highway 28, assist with trip planning, and prevent overcrowding on the beach.
WINNEMUCCA – The Bureau of Land Management is seeking public comments on the proposed Dutch Flat Exploration Project in Humboldt County. Osgood Mountains Gold, LLC, proposes to assess gold mining potential across more than 4,000 public and private acres by disturbing the surface of approximately 110 acres, with 76 of those acres on public lands.
LOVELOCK – The Bureau of Land Management is seeking public comment on a proposal to expand the Colado Mine Project in Pershing County. BLM has analyzed potential impacts from the proposed modification and expansion of the current 969-acre silica operation across an additional 1,811 public and private acres.
ELKO – Each semester thousands of students attend GBC courses, and each semester there are those students who go above and beyond to excel in their classes. This past Spring 2024 semester students with a declared major, a 3.5 to 4.0 grade point average, and confirmed enrollment for 12 or more credits are honored by inclusion on the Dean’s List.
On July 1, the Nevada Highway Patrol (NHP) marked its 75th anniversary, commemorating a legacy of dedicated service and unwavering commitment to the safety and security of Nevada’s roadways.
CARSON CITY — The Biden-Harris administration, through the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA), announced that the Nevada Lithium Batteries and Other EV Material Loop (“The Loop”) consortium led by the University of Nevada Reno, in the Carson City-Reno region was designated as one of the 31 inaugural Tech Hubs in regions across the country that show potential for rapid growth in key technology sectors.
Nevada is experiencing a push for a self-contained “lithium loop,” where the Silver State would be home to all stages of the process of turning the “white gold” ore into electric batteries for cars and other uses. Nevada is well on its way to closing that loop but still has a way to go, said Greg Kidd, a non-partisan candidate for Nevada’s 2nd U.S. House District seat. The investor/entrepreneur, running in Nevada for the first time, would push the “lithium loop” concept in Washington D.C. if elected. “You’ve got both the start and the tail end of the dog there,” Kidd said recently on Nevada Newsmakers.