Nevada
Latest COVID strain doesn’t appear to pose a threat in Las Vegas Valley
Wastewater is an early warning system for COVID and other diseases, and a collaborative effort in Nevada appears to be the first in the nation to detect a new strain of the disease — known as FLiRT.
“We detected it as early as March 29,” said UNLV Professor Dr. Edwin Oh, director of the UNLV lab that monitors wastewater in southern and northern Nevada, adding that his check of various websites from labs across the country that do such wastewater monitoring, indicates UNLV was first in finding the new variant.
The goal of the wastewater surveillance and research is to determine if any new strain of the constantly evolving disease — that once killed 25,000 Americans a week at its height in 2020 — might pose a problem for humans.
“So far it does not look like it (FLiRT) poses any major threats,” Oh said of the the two variants — KP.1 and KP.2. — that are mutations of FLiRT.
“We nerd out a lot on the different pathogens and variants,” Oh said of his crew that includes UNLV undergrads and wastewater treatment plant operators. About 15 different sites are checked weekly in Clark County and three or four sites in Northern Nevada.
The effort is to warn and protect the community from COVID variants that could raise the risk of major sickness potential.
Genetic material from the virus that causes COVID-19 can be found in human waste even when individuals have no symptoms. Tracking the amount of viral genetic material (viral load) in wastewater is an emerging method of monitoring increasing and decreasing trends of the virus in communities.
Wastewater surveillance has been ongoing for years. The most recent variant that raised eyebrows was JN.1 around Christmas time, Oh said. “It had about 50 mutations and a lot of us were concerned that it might bring added risk to the immunocompromised (population) or the vaccine resistant (population).”
The wastewater monitoring project is a collaboration between Southern Nevada Health District, Southern Nevada Water Authority, Desert Research Institute and UNLV.
Contact Marvin Clemons at mclemons@reviewjournal.com.
Nevada
New campaign helps fans find Nevada’s iconic movie, TV scenes
LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — Nevada is teaming up with a screen tourism app to help visitors find, and go to, the real-world locations behind famous movie and TV moments.
The Governor’s Office of Economic Development and Film Nevada announced a new partnership with SetJetters, an app that maps filming locations around the world and encourages users to visit them in person.
Film Nevada Director Kim Spurgeon says the app makes it easier for fans to “relive their favorite cinematic moments,” pointing to Nevada staples like The Shootist house in Carson City, Genoa’s main street featured in Misery, the Ocean’s Eleven closing scene at the Fountains of Bellagio, and the Hangover quote many visitors still repeat in Las Vegas: “Did Caesar live here?”
AMPLIFIED: New guidebook highlights hidden gems across Las Vegas for locals, visitors alike
So what changes for movie fans—and for Nevada tourism?
Through the SetJetters campaign, users will be able to discover more movie, TV, and video-game locations across Nevada, along with additional film-related points of interest. There’s also a new Las Vegas-area badge users can earn by visiting 12 select scenes, and the app allows people to submit filming locations they think should be included.
“Screen tourism is no longer a niche campaign idea; it’s a core travel channel,” said SetJetters CEO Erik Nachtrieb. “Nevada’s cinematic history, from mountain and desert backdrops to the neon of Las Vegas and Reno, makes it a natural stage for this next phase of bringing films to the state. The real opportunity now is conversion, and this is exactly where Film Nevada’s partnership with SetJetters comes in. What we’re really looking at is the evolution from destination marketing to destination storytelling with screen content at the center.”
You can download the app from Apple or Google.
Copyright 2026 KVVU. All rights reserved.
Nevada
Nevada DETR ready to help laid-off Spirit Airlines employees
LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — State officials say they are ready to provide assistance to the 999 people laid off from Spirit Airlines.
The Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation (DETR) said it will support former Spirit employees with reemployment services, retraining opportunities and more.
Impacted workers can also file for unemployment insurance at NUI.nv.gov.
“DETR is committed to supporting every Nevada worker affected by the Spirit Airlines layoffs,” department Director Christopher Sewell said in a statement. “Our team is ready to provide timely resources, guidance, and individualized assistance to help impacted employees navigate their next steps.”
Rapid Response is a free program that provides strategies for layoffs and plant closures. It quickly coordinates services and provides immediate support to employers and affected workers.
Employees can access no-cost career and training services through EmployNV. This includes career counseling and job-search assistance, skills assessments and re-skilling opportunities, and training grants for high-demand career fields.
Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo encouraged anyone who was laid off to use DETR’s resources.
“Our priority is getting folks back to work right away, and the state stands ready to assist with no-cost employment services to help with the transition,” Lombardo said in a statement.
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Spirit ceased operations on May 2 after failing to secure a government bailout. The company notified Nevada DETR that it was laying off 999 employees based at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas as a result.
Nevada
After California case, what Nevada parents need to know about e-motorcycles and liability
LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — A case out of Southern California is raising new concerns for parents across Nevada as high-powered electric motorcycles grow in popularity.
In the California case, a mother is facing criminal charges after prosecutors said her 14-year-old son hit and killed an 81-year-old Vietnam veteran with an e-motorcycle. She is now charged with involuntary manslaughter after law enforcement reportedly warned her about her son using the device a year ago.
Legal experts said similar consequences could apply in Nevada, depending on the circumstances.
“I think that warning is what’s triggering the criminal liability and this intention of involuntary manslaughter case,” Ray Johnson, a Nevada attorney and former FBI assistant special agent in charge, said. “In Nevada, you would have something similar, but it’s got to be around willful misconduct and delinquency. So, if a mom, the dad, the parent, or the guardian is willfully involved with not teaching them to do the right things, or it’s improper equipment, or they’re allowing them to do things, they could get a criminal charge.”
Across the Las Vegas Valley, electric motorcycles and other high-speed e-devices are becoming more common, especially among young riders. Law enforcement said some can reach speeds of 60 miles per hour, raising safety concerns when used by minors.
Under Nevada law, parents can be held financially responsible, up to $10,000, for damages caused by a minor’s willful misconduct, which results in any injury or death to another person or injury to the private property of another or to public property.
In some cases, parents could also face criminal consequences if they knowingly allow a child to engage in illegal or unsafe behavior involving vehicles.
Officer Luis Vidal with Las Vegas Metropolitan Police said those situations are evaluated on a case-by-case basis, with investigators looking at the circumstances.
“I think it’s very important for parents to understand that when the police department investigates anything that is something that we look at.”
The Clark County District Attorney’s Office would formally file charges in a case. News 3 has reached out to the office and is waiting for a response regarding what prosecutors would consider in a case involving a minor and an e-motorcycle.
North Las Police shared with News 3, “The topic of potential parental liability related to incidents involving e-motorcycles or e-bikes is best addressed by the City Attorney’s Office, as it involves legal interpretation and potential charging considerations.
Additionally, the City of North Las Vegas does not currently have a finalized version of specific e-bike or e-motorcycle ordinances in place. As such, any enforcement or liability would be evaluated on a case-by-case basis under existing laws.”
As these devices continue to surge in popularity, authorities said awareness and supervision are key to preventing serious accidents and potential legal consequences.
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