Nevada

Protections are coming for a rare Nevada butterfly

Published

1 year ago

January 8, 2025

Protections are coming for a rare Nevada butterfly

A 1-inch butterfly that can only be found beside hot springs near the Nevada-Oregon border will soon be awarded federal protections under the Endangered Species Act, the law meant to protect plants and animals at risk of extinction.

The bleached sandhill skipper’s largest population is found at the Baltazor Hot Spring — a spring that’s located next to what is planned to become a geothermal energy plant.

Some environmentalists worry that the 84-acre plant operated by Ormat, which has received all required permits from the Bureau of Land Management, could alter the flow of nearby groundwater. Ormat’s media representative did not respond to a request for comment on Tuesday.

The final environmental assessment for the project does mention the bleached sandhill skipper, with some facilities moved to accommodate the habitat. The BLM ultimately declared that any impacts to the species would be “unlikely and minor,” and Ormat committed to doing assessments of the species every year for the first five years of the project.

“The wetlands these butterflies need to survive will dry up and blow away unless we can protect the water that sustains them,” Patrick Donnelly, Great Basin director at the Center for Biological Diversity, said in a statement. “Endangered species protections can help ensure this rare butterfly is still here for future generations.”

Only about 1,000 of the butterflies were found in recent annual surveys, according to the nonprofit conservation organization. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service declined to list the species in 2012.

With the proposal for protections on Tuesday, the Fish and Wildlife Service began a 60-day public comment period. Within a year, a final rule awarding protections will be issued.

In Southern Nevada, the Mount Charleston blue butterfly is another species that has similar federal protections.

The new proposed protections are paramount for the longstanding fight to protect rural Nevada’s water, according to Donnelly.

“The bleached sandhill skipper needs the same thing to survive that we do: water,” Donnelly said. “With these endangered species protections, we aren’t just protecting charming little butterflies and their wetland habitat. We’re protecting the water that sustains all life in the desert, including our own.”

Contact Alan Halaly at ahalaly@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AlanHalaly on X.

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Nevada

Travel Nevada Presents The Neon in Nature Series, Featuring Artwork by DARIUSTWIN, at the Nevada State Museum, Las Vegas, January 15 – April 6, 2026

Published

2 hours ago

January 8, 2026

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Travel Nevada Presents The Neon in Nature Series, Featuring Artwork by DARIUSTWIN, at the Nevada State Museum, Las Vegas, January 15 – April 6, 2026

Nevada Division of Tourism

Unique exhibition marks DARIUSTWIN’s first museum show in the U.S.

LAS VEGAS, NV / ACCESS Newswire / January 8, 2026 / Travel Nevada is proud to present The Neon in Nature Series, which features artwork by light painting photographer and animator Darren Pearson (better known as DARIUSTWIN)at the Nevada State Museum, Las Vegas, beginning January 15, 2026. The exhibition is DARIUSTWIN’s first U.S. museum show. To celebrate the exhibition opening, Travel Nevada will pay admission fees for the first 200 guests to arrive directly at the Nevada State Museum, Las Vegas on Thursday, January 15, 2026.

Created exclusively in Nevada, The Neon in Nature Series captures just some of the stunning landscapes and striking night skies that you’ll find in Nevada when you get a little out there – all juxtaposed with DARIUSTWIN’s signature light paintings infused with and inspired by Nevada character (and characters). The exhibition will inspire museum guests to visit the Nevada ghost towns, state parks, historical landmarks, and more that take center stage in this unique, vibrant, and whimsical exhibition.

“Nevada’s diverse surroundings and dark night skies provided an ideal backdrop to compose this series,” said DARIUSTWIN. “I’m grateful to the Travel Nevada team for commissioning the work and to the Nevada State Museum, Las Vegas, for housing my very first museum exhibition in the country. I’m hopeful that it will encourage museum guests to travel throughout Nevada, which I found was so rich in history and ripe with adventure opportunities.”

“When the Travel Nevada team first saw DARIUSTWIN’s work, we immediately knew that a partnership with him would inspire people to get a little out there in the state. The Neon in Nature Series is a creative take on what makes Nevada special,” said Rafael Villanueva, chief executive officer of Travel Nevada. “Additionally, we’re thrilled that this exhibition will be housed in the Nevada State Museum, Las Vegas. We share a mission with the museum to enhance the quality of life for Nevada’s visitors and residents, and what better place to host The Neon in Nature series than a city whose history is intertwined with neon?”

The Neon in Nature Series, Presented by Travel Nevada will be on view at the Nevada State Museum, Las Vegas through April 6, 2026.

“The Nevada State Museum, Las Vegas is delighted to host this art- and Nevada-focused installation by DARIUSTWIN,” said Hollis J. Gillespie, director of the Nevada State Museum, Las Vegas. “The Neon in Nature Series exemplifies our mission of educating the public about the history and natural history of the state, and it does so in an electrifying way. We look forward to sharing it with our visitors.”

EDITORS:  Select high-resolution images from The Neon in Nature Series, Presented by Travel Nevada are available here. Photo credit for all images: “Photo courtesy of Travel Nevada/DARIUSTWIN. ©️ 2024 DARIUSTWIN.”

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About Travel Nevada

The heart of Nevada shines through Travel Nevada, an organization focused on sharing the experiences, landmarks and living legends that make the Silver State a one-of-a-kind destination. Through community collaborations and strategic partnerships, we aim to connect with both locals and visitors alike, showcasing the sometimes-surprising, always-exciting treasures that keep people coming to Nevada. It’s theirs to explore-and ours to safekeep, from preserving our wild-at-heart way of life to our wide-open spaces. For more information, visit TravelNevada.com.

About the Nevada State Museum, Las Vegas

Founded in 1982, the mission of the Nevada State Museum, Las Vegas, serves to educate a diverse public about the history and natural history of Nevada. The museum collects, preserves, exhibits, and disseminates material that contributes to an understanding and appreciation of the state. For more information, visit https://www.lasvegasnvmuseum.org/

About DARIUSTWIN

Darren Pearson, known as DARIUSTWIN, is a light painting photographer and animator whose glowing creations have illuminated landscapes around the world. Using long-exposure photography and custom crafted LED lights, Darren “paints” with light in real time, creating skeletal figures, dinosaurs, aliens, and fantastical characters that exist for only a moment before disappearing into the night. His work has been featured by National Geographic, Intel, Honda, and Apple, among others.

Based in Southern California, Darren has been creating light paintings for more than a decade, transforming the ordinary into the extraordinary, one exposure at a time. See more at dariustwin.com and follow @dariustwin.

Contact:
Tracie Barnthouse, Chief Communications Officer
tbarnthouse@travelnevada.com; 775-624-0618

SOURCE: Nevada Division of Tourism

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire

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Nevada

Nevada gets thrilling overtime win against Wyoming at home 70-60

Published

14 hours ago

January 8, 2026

Press Room

Nevada gets thrilling overtime win against Wyoming at home 70-60

RENO, Nev. (Nevada Athletics) – Nevada Women’s Basketball won its second straight game Wednesday night, getting a thrilling 70-60 overtime win against Wyoming at Lawlor Events Center.

Reigning Old Trapper Mountain West Freshman of the Week Skylar Durley led the Pack (6-9, 2-3 MW) in scoring with 18 points and led both teams in rebounds with a career high 14, recording her first double-double of her career.

Ahrray Young went 5-for-10 from the field for 11 points to go with eight boards.

Nevada’s resilience in the latter part of the fourth, which was punctuated by a key block from Young, forced the game into overtime.

The Pack’s shutdown defense held Wyoming (4-10, 1-4 MW) at bay in the final five, only allowing one point off of a free throw.

On the other end, the offense of Nevada went on a 6-0 run and shot 83.3 percent from the field.

Nevada outscored Wyoming 11-1 and held the Cowgirls without a field goal in OT.

The Pack opened regulation in perfect fashion, shooting a 7-for-7 from the field, 2-for-2 from three and 2-for-2 from the line in the first five minutes of action.

Nevada had a 10-0 run that was capitalized by holding Wyoming to a two-and-a-half minute scoring drought.

Through the first quarter, Nevada shot 64.3 percent and remained perfect from both deep and free throws.

Nevada’s hot start simmered in the second, only getting six points and closing the quarter on a field goal drought of just under four minutes.

Meanwhile, Wyoming’s shooting improved from the first, closing the gap to two.

Despite the slower quarter, Nevada carried its lead into the second half, 45-41.

The third quarter was nearly even, Nevada only shooting slightly better and outscoring Wyoming, 15-14.

The game stayed close through the fourth with three ties and four lead changes, leading to extra time.

As a team, the Pack outrebounded the Cowgirls, 40-28, and had 24 bench points to their six.

Nevada will hit the road and look to even its conference record as it faces New Mexico Saturday at 12 p.m.

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Nevada

Centennial vs. Liberty: Watch Nevada girls high school basketball showdown live

Published

1 day ago

January 7, 2026

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Centennial vs. Liberty: Watch Nevada girls high school basketball showdown live

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The defending 5A state champion Centennial Bulldogs (7-3) open conference play with a challenging road test Wednesday night when they travel to Henderson to face the Liberty Patriots (10-7) in a Nevada 5A Southern basketball clash.

Coach Karen Weitz’s Bulldogs, seeking their second consecutive state title, will rely on their formidable frontcourt duo of forwards Nation Williams and Inieye Oruh, complemented by standout guard Sanai Branch. They will face a Patriots squad that has shown marked improvement under head coach Lorenzo Jarvis, powered by senior leaders Samantha Chesnut and Kiana Harworth alongside junior standout Neviah Nick.

With Liberty’s home court advantage potentially neutralizing Centennial’s championship pedigree, this early conference matchup could set the tone for both teams’ title aspirations in the competitive 5A Southern division.

Opening tipoff is set for 6:30 p.m. PT on Wednesday, January 7 with a live TV broadcast on NFHS Network.

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