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Behind the Bar: Vibe checking the State of the State

Two days after the State of the State, The Nevada Independent’s legislative team brings you the inside scoop on some of the policies discussed during the address. Keep an eye out Sunday for our annotated edition of the State of the State.

This photo taken Dec. 23, 2024, in Las Vegas shows a Colt .45-caliber pistol that once belonged to mob boss Al Capone. It is going on display for the first time at the Mob Museum in Las Vegas, starting Jan. 15, 2025.

Al Capone called it his sweetheart. The pistol that saved his life is coming to Vegas

For the first time, the public can get an up-close look at Capone's favorite personal weapon and a short home movie shot by the mob boss himself in 1929.

Indy Environment: Maps show heat hits much differently from one Reno neighborhood to next

Scientists with Desert Research Institute have released the results of an early August project that captured a snapshot of heat disparity across the Reno-Sparks area. What the data reveals is startling.

Amazon tops list of companies tapping into taxpayer-funded Nevada Medicaid

Workers aren’t booted from the insurance program for low-income families if they have a job, but critics say it’s a quiet subsidy for profitable corporations.

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Lombardo State of the State takeaways: Permanent teacher raises, stricter theft laws

The Republican governor also pledged to split the Department of Health and Human Services and increase education accountability measures, as he kicks off the final legislative session before his 2026 re-election bid.

Sisolak appointee Watkins announces her departure from the Gaming Control Board

After Watkins' departure, all three members of the panel that regulates the state’s largest industry will be Gov. Joe Lombardo’s appointees.

Indy Gaming: Despite hype, Strip gaming revenue stayed flat during second F1 Las Vegas race

Visitor spending and gambling totals declined in November despite the race. Also, what does a merger offer for Howard Hughes mean for its Las Vegas businesses?

Fact check: Analysis undermines claims that GOP switched votes to Trump in Nevada

A viral Reddit post accusing Republicans of switching votes in Nevada from Kamala Harris to Donald Trump has been viewed thousands of times, but it fails to account for other factors that easily explain certain highlighted disparities in voting data.

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Indy Elections

Compiled by The Indy's elections team, this newsletter rounds up the latest news and trends from the 2024 Nevada campaign trail.

Indy Environment

Written by energy and environment reporter Amy Alonzo, this weekly newsletter is a roundup of environmental goings-on in Nevada and the West.

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Howard Stutz’s weekly dive into what’s innovative and interesting in Nevada’s gaming, sports and hospitality industries and how it’s shaping the rest of the world.

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Gabby Birenbaum’s Saturday newsletter brings you the latest news on Nevadans in Washington and how federal policy affects Nevada.

Indy Education

A recap of the top education stories from the week, profiles of interesting staff and students, plus details of family-friendly events and resources throughout the state.

Behind the Bar: We’re so back

Welcome to our first edition of Behind the Bar for the 83rd legislative session. The newsletter will have a slightly different format this year but still provide you with essential updates on the Legislature twice a week (possibly more).

Longtime Nevada lobbyist Neena Laxalt remembered for mentorship in male-dominated industry

Colleagues say she shaped the lobbying corps by taking younger lobbyists under her wing, coordinating coffee meetings and celebrating their successes.

Lombardo raised $3.2M in 2024, setting fundraising record 2 years ahead of re-election bid

Gov. Joe Lombardo raised more than $3.2 million in 2024 and has more than $5.5 million in cash on hand as the Republican governor gears up for his second legislative session and a high-profile re-election campaign.

Supreme Court turns back Utah's push to wrest control of public land from the federal government

It marks the latest roadblock for states in a running feud with the U.S. government over who should control huge swaths of the West and the enormous oil and gas, timber, and other resources they contain.

Caseworkers coax homeless people out of Las Vegas’ tunnels for treatment

Outreach workers who travel into the tunnels said they have noticed an uptick in the number of people living underground as housing costs have skyrocketed and local officials have adopted a zero-tolerance approach to homelessness.

Indy Education: New trustees take their place on Nevada school boards

Last Monday, new trustees Emily Stevens, Lydia Dominguez, Tameka Henry and Lorena Biassotti took their seats on the Clark County School Board. It’s higher than the turnover the school board saw four years ago when it welcomed three new members.

‘Waiting list to nowhere’: Homelessness surveys trap Black men on the streets

Vulnerability questionnaires, created to determine how likely a person is to get sick and die while homeless, are being singled out for systematically placing homeless white people at the front of the line for housing, ahead of their Black peers.

With outside firms reluctant to shoulder wildfire risks, NV Energy wants to insure itself

Between 2016 and 2020, it is estimated utility infrastructure caused nearly one-fifth of all wildfires. Major utilities found responsible for some of them, such as California’s PG&E, were forced to file for bankruptcy after being unable to pay for damages caused by the fires, an outcome NV Energy is looking to avoid. Now, the utility is now asking state energy regulators to approve a $500 million wildfire self-insurance policy to protect it in case its equipment sparks a blaze.

D.C. Download: Why all Nevada Democrats voted to advance House GOP immigration bill

Policy changes pertaining to undocumented immigrants — be they congressional or executive — have the potential to upend Nevada, which has the highest percentage of undocumented workers in its workforce of any state.

Audit: Unpaid bills stacked up from state veterans home without clear collection process

Much of the debt stemmed from coverage gaps as residents did not qualify or lost eligibility for Medicaid to help cover the costs of the nursing home.

Lieutenant governor’s new task force continues debate over transgender student athletes

A new task force announced Monday by Lt. Gov. Stavros Anthony (R) will support a bill barring transgender athletes from women’s sports and block them from competing against cisgender female athletes.

What a Trump presidency means for Biden-approved federal spending in Nevada

Despite the laws authorizing the spending passing in 2021 and 2022, the slow speed of the federal bureaucracy and the lengthy planning processes around grants mean that many projects have yet to begin implementation before President-elect Donald Trump is set to take office later this month.