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Popular art display in Southern Nevada may be relocated to Washoe County

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Popular art display in Southern Nevada may be relocated to Washoe County


A 30-foot fluorescent rock sculpture that draws thousands of visitors in Southern Nevada may find a new home in Washoe County.

Washoe County commissioners voted 4-1 to approve $500,000 to fund the relocation of the “Seven Magic Mountains” art installation to Northern Nevada. The action opens the possibility it will move north, but its next stop has yet to be decided.

The multi-colored sculpture is currently housed in the Mojave Desert, about 10 miles south of the Las Vegas Strip.

Claire Muñoz, vice president of museum advancement and deputy director at the Nevada Museum of Art, told commissioners the sculpture must be moved by the end of 2026 to make way for future development in the area. Clark County is working to expand its aviation footprint in the Ivanpah Valley, just south of Las Vegas.

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“The installation is comprised of seven towers of colorful stacked boulders carved from Nevada limestone and stands more than 30 feet high,” she said. “It is an expression of human presence in the landscape and celebrates the rich diversity of Nevada’s residents and visitors alike.”

The colorful display, created by Swiss artist Ugo Rondinone, opened in Southern Nevada in 2016. It was produced by Reno’s Nevada Museum of Art and the Art Production Fund.

The sculpture was initially planned to be on display for two years.

“Due to its popularity and significant international attention that Seven Magic Mountains continues to garner, the artist has expressed a desire to explore opportunities to keep the artwork in the state of Nevada,” Muñoz said.

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The display attracts about 1,000 visitors a day, she said. Its permit with the Bureau of Land Management expires in 2026.

“Today, the Nevada Museum of Art is committed to preserving the legacy of Seven Magic Mountains while bringing its cultural and economic benefits to Washoe County,” Muñoz told commissioners during a Tuesday meeting.

Funding for relocating the sculpture will come from dollars received by the county from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. The federal dollars would assist the removal, transportation and reinstallation of the artwork in Washoe County. Possible locations in Washoe were not presented at the meeting, and it’s still undetermined as to where it will head next.

The commissioners approved the funding alongside 11 other projects totaling about $3.2 million at Tuesday’s meeting. Commissioner Mike Clark, despite his dissatisfaction with some of the items, including the cost of relocating sculpture, voted in favor. Vice Chair Jeanne Herman opposed the the approval.



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North Las Vegas man charged with killing girlfriend dies while in Nevada prison

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North Las Vegas man charged with killing girlfriend dies while in Nevada prison


A North Las Vegas man awaiting trial for allegedly killing his girlfriend during a fight is dead, according to Nevada prison officials.

Markeem Benson, 30, died at High Desert State Prison near Indian Springs on Monday, Dec. 22, the Nevada Department of Corrections said in a statement.

An autopsy has been requested, according to the department.

Benson was serving time for an attempted robbery conviction from 2024, for which he was originally sentenced to probation with a suspended prison sentence.

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He was also charged with the murder of 33-year-old Renise “Nene” Wolfe.

Renise Wolfe is pictured in this undated photo. Police allege Markeem Benson shot and killed Wolfe in a North Las Vegas apartment. (Photo provided)

North Las Vegas Police arrested him in December last year. According to an arrest report, Benson’s father called 911 saying Benson wanted to turn himself in for murder.

The father told detectives that Benson called him saying, “I killed her; I think I killed her” and “told him something to the effect of ‘she’ came at him with a gun, there was some kind of ‘tussle,’ and then the gun went off,” the report states.

An grand jury indicted him for murder and possession of a gun by a prohibited person. He pleaded not guilty to the charges.

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Following the indictment, his probation was revoked in March, and he was incarcerated at High Desert State Prison to serve a term of two to five years.

A jury trial was scheduled to begin in April next year for Wolfe’s murder. Instead, prosecutors have asked for a hearing on Dec. 30 in light of Benson’s death, per court records.



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28-year-old inmate at Southern Nevada prison dies

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28-year-old inmate at Southern Nevada prison dies


A man serving time at the Southern Desert Correctional Center for felony reckless driving died last month, the Nevada Department of Corrections said Tuesday.

Shiloh Walker, 28, died at the Indian Springs facility on Nov. 24, a news release said. Cause of death was not listed.

Walker was serving a sentence of up to six years after a plea agreement was reached in 2022 following a DUI crash that happened May 31, 2021 in Las Vegas, according to online court records.

An autopsy was requested following Walker’s death, though results were not available as of Monday evening. Attempts to reach Walker’s family members have been unsuccessful, according to the department.

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Contact Bryan Horwath at bhorwath@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BryanHorwath on X.



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Is USPS breaking vow not to use Sacramento for Northern Nevada mail?

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Is USPS breaking vow not to use Sacramento for Northern Nevada mail?


After widespread condemnation last year, the U.S. Postal Service backed away from plans to move its Reno mail-processing operations to Sacramento — but did it stay true to what it told the public?

The question arose recently after letters sent from one Carson City address to another in Carson City were both postmarked in Sacramento.

Northern Nevadans did not want first class mail sent from one Northern Nevada address to another going first to California. They sent a unified message to the USPS all the way up to the postmaster general.

Critics of the USPS plan were especially worried about delays from mail having to go back and forth over the Sierra during winter.

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The Washoe County District Attorney’s office filed a lawsuit over the plan, the Washoe County Commission voted to oppose the plan, public comment was universally opposed, and Democratic and Republican elected officials from across the state joined to stop it.

Could it possibly have happened anyway? The answer is yes, temporarily, for a brief time.

How letters sent in Carson City came to be processed at Sacramento USPS facility

A reader told the Reno Gazette Journal they’d twice had letters internal to Carson City postmarked in Sacramento, so we asked USPS if the policy had changed.

“Mail processing for First Class mail that originates in Northern Nevada and is destined to Northern Nevada has not changed,” USPS spokesperson Sherry Patterson responded by email.

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“However,” she added, “without the specific mail piece and class of mail, we cannot determined if there is an issue.”

The reader then supplied a photo of the two envelopes postmarked Nov. 5 in Sacramento, and this was shared with USPS.

“Our processing machine in Reno was temporarily out of service while we awaited a replacement part,” Patterson said after viewing the postmarks to nail down the specific date the letters went through Sacramento.

“To ensure that mail was not delayed during this time, we implemented a contingency plan that involved routing certain mail to our Sacramento facility for cancellation and processing. This measure allows us to maintain service continuity and minimize disruptions for our customers. We understand that this may cause some confusion, and we are committed to ensuring that all mail is processed efficiently and accurately.”

Bottom line: Regarding first class mail that’s being sent to and from Northern Nevada addresses, it’s still USPS policy to process that in Reno at its Vassar Street facility, she said.

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The path these particular letters took, Patterson added, “is indeed an unusual occurrence.”

Mark Robison is the state politics reporter for the Reno Gazette Journal, with occasional forays into other topics. Email comments to mrobison@rgj.com or comment on Mark’s Greater Reno Facebook page.



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