By Carly Sauvageau The Nevada Independent Sleeping on a sidewalk or in a vehicle on public property is now a criminal misdemeanor in Sparks after the city council voted unanimously Monday to approve an ordinance change. The ordinance, initially passed in August 2023 without much public outcry, was brought back to council members after city staff said the law needed … [Read more...]
‘I have something to give back:’How Washoe County’s interim registrar went from ice cream to elections
By Carly Sauvageau The Nevada Independent Cari-Ann Burgess’ favorite ice cream is vanilla soft serve mixed with a blue raspberry slushie, a concoction she consumed nearly every day while managing an ice cream shop in Ocean Isle Beach, a seaside town in North Carolina. This idyllic moment provides a stark contrast to her new reality: elections. Burgess was appointed to … [Read more...]
Much of Nevada started 2024 with an abysmally low snowpack. Odds of it recovering are slim
By Amy Alonzo The Nevada Independent Last winter, 32 atmospheric rivers — intense storms that carry moisture from the tropics — blew over California and into Nevada, dropping voluminous snow and rain. The atmospheric rivers brought record snowfall to much of Nevada and a reprieve from three consecutive years of drought. After more than two decades of nearly continuous … [Read more...]
Valentine’s Day events in Rail City
February 14th is a day when love is in the air to offset the cold temperatures, and there’s no better time to express your affection than by taking your loved ones out on the town. Here are some fun happenings going on in Sparks to celebrate Saint Valentine: Valentine’s Cards for Seniors Sparks residents Rikki Melanaphy, Jose “Chava” Espana, and Donald Abbott and heading … [Read more...]
Sparks attorney urges businesses to contact office if they are experiencing retail theft
City of Sparks Sparks City Attorney Wes Duncan is urging local businesses to contact his office and the Sparks Police Department Neighborhood Protection Unit (NPU) if they are experiencing retail theft. The request from City Attorney Duncan comes after last month’s launch of the “Back Our Businesses” initiative, a partnership between the Sparks City Attorney’s Office and the … [Read more...]
In tie vote, ethics commission finds Reno mayor didn’t violate law
By Carly Sauvageau The Nevada Independent The Nevada Commission on Ethics found Reno Mayor Hillary Schieve did not violate a state ethics law Wednesday after a 2-2 vote. The vote stemmed from an ethics complaint filed against Schieve in early April 2023 when the mayor failed to disclose a professional relationship with McDonald Carano, a law firm that represents her … [Read more...]
Blackbird crash site highlights Nevada’s key role in Cold War era aerospace testing
By Tim Lenard and Joey Lovato The Nevada Independent Almost 60 years after the crash, pieces of the world’s fastest plane still litter the Nevada desert outside of Lovelock. In a nondescript patch of high desert north of Lovelock, nestled between two dry creek beds, the only indication of where a 60-foot impact crater once was is a patch of tall grass standing out … [Read more...]
Nevada primary turnout: More than 100,000 votes cast, mostly by mail
By Sean Golonka The Nevada Independent More than 3,600 Nevadans turned out to vote early on Monday, a majority of whom were Democrats who continue to turn out in greater numbers than Republicans through mail and early voting. So far, nearly 60,000 Democratic voters have cast their ballots — about 90 percent of them by mail — according to the latest data available … [Read more...]