Lands bills for Clark and Washoe counties passed out of the Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee on Tuesday, clearing a key procedural hurdle as the time for full Senate passage dwindles. The two bills, which would expand the amount of land available for development in each county and add permanent conservation protections for millions of acres of wilderness, were each introduced this year.
CARSON CITY — As colder weather approaches, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is reminding residents that firewood cutting permits are required for gathering firewood on public lands in the Carson City District. Permits are now available online and at several local locations for individuals wishing to collect firewood for personal use.
ELKO —The Elko District, Wells Field Office has issued a Decision Record (DR) and Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the O’Neil Project Planning Area Final Environmental Assessment (FEA) for the treatments on 208,000 acres to improve and protect Greater sage-grouse (GRSG) habitat in Northeastern Nevada.
LAS VEGAS (AP) — An ecstatic George Russell had just won the Formula 1 race Saturday night when he exclaimed in his radio, “Vegas!” He was ready to start celebrating in America's party capital, saying he would skip his flight back to his home in the United Kingdom to make the most of his Las Vegas Grand Prix victory. “I'm definitely not getting on that flight,” Russell said in the post-race podium interview with actor Terry Crews and the Bellagio fountains in the background. “I'm going to enjoy this evening.”
Republican President-elect Donald Trump announced Saturday he wants Chris Wright, a Colorado oil and gas executive, to serve the new administration as Department of Energy secretary. Wright will also be a member of the Council of National Energy, the formation of which was announced Friday. Details on the council are scarce, but it’s widely viewed as a further indication that the Trump administration intends to boost domestic fossil fuel and other energy production.
The federal government is asking a judge to rule that it has the power to impose staffing requirements on nursing homes that collect billions of federal tax dollars through Medicaid and Medicare. The request was made recently in the form of a motion for summary judgment in a lawsuit filed by the nursing home industry. That lawsuit challenges the legality of newly imposed regulations that mandate minimum staffing levels in the Medicaid-certified care facilities that now provide care for 1.2 million elderly and disabled Americans.
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Nevada Democrats will maintain their power in the statehouse but have fallen short of securing a two-thirds supermajority in both chambers that would have stripped Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo of his veto power when they convene early next year. Democrats lost their razor-thin supermajority of 28 seats in the state Assembly after Republicans successfully flipped a competitive district on the southern edge of Las Vegas.
When Vice President Kamala Harris replaced President Joe Biden at the top of the ticket in July, Democrats in Nevada were ecstatic. Something needed to change. Throughout the year, former President Donald Trump — who had never won Nevada in two prior attempts — was leading Biden in polling by significant margins. On the day that Biden dropped out, Trump’s lead in the polling average was nearly 6 percentage points.
WASHINGTON — Republicans will hold on to their majority in the U.S. House and regain control of the Senate when Congress convenes in January. The GOP hadn’t clinched the 218 House seats needed for a majority until late Wednesday, when The Associated Press, the news organization that States Newsroom relies upon for race calls based on decades of experience, called control of the chamber. The AP called 208 seats for Democrats so far, with nine yet to be decided as of early Thursday.
Nevada broke its record for signature cures completed of mail ballots, as well as for votes that were not counted because of ineligible signatures in this month’s election. The signatures on more than 23,000 mail ballots were successfully cured in this month’s election — meaning election officials confirmed an eligible voter was linked to a ballot with a signature not matching the one in the state’s voter file, and the issue was resolved. Meanwhile more than 9,000 mail ballots had inadequate signatures and will not be counted.
BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — President Joe Biden's administration on Friday proposed tighter restrictions on oil, solar and wind energy development across more than 6,500 square miles of federal land in the U.S. West to protect a declining bird species. However, it is doubtful the changes would survive under President-elect Donald Trump. Greater sage-grouse — chicken-sized birds known for an elaborate mating ritual— were once found across much of the U.S. West. Their numbers plummeted in recent decades due to various factors such as wildfires, disease, development and other pressures.
Imagine you are 18 years old, from a rural town, and figuring out your next steps. You want opportunities to learn, meet new people, and travel the world. This is exactly what BreAnna Martinez was experiencing when she enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in 2003. What started as a way to pay for college, quickly turned into a lifelong mission of serving her country in the military and in public service.
— The Bureau of Land Management Nevada State Office opened a 30-day public comment period to receive public input on 12 oil and gas parcels totaling 23,202 acres that may be included in an upcoming lease sale in Nevada. The comment period ends Nov. 28, 2024. The BLM completed scoping on these parcels on August 2024 and is now seeking public comment on the parcels, potential deferrals, and the related environmental analysis.
Christian Daniels, a high school senior and founder of the Desert Balloon Project, was selected as the 2023 recipient of the Wayne E. Kirch Nevada Wildlife Conservation Award. This honor is bestowed upon individuals or organizations who demonstrate significant achievements in the conservation, management, or enhancement of wildlife.
One of Nevada’s most heralded World War II veterans who survived the attack on Pearl Harbor more than 80 years ago and saw the battleship guns blazing against the shores of Normandy died Sunday at his home in Mankato, Minnesota. Charles Sehe, 101, who served his entire military career during the second world war aboard the battleship USS Nevada (NN36), had been in declining health.