Does it seem like everyone’s getting snow but us? While most of the country is digging out from a round of snowstorms, northwestern Nevada and the Sierra are struggling through low-precipitation conditions.

This week might bring a degree of relief, with a chance of precipitation from Wednesday through Sunday, especially around Lake Tahoe.

We might not have much of a snowpack, but the calendar is packed. Nevada men’s basketball has a pair of home games this week, including a big one on Friday night against in-state rival UNLV, and the Reno Ice Raiders will host a two-game set against San Diego. The Sierra Arts Foundation’s annual beer-and-music fundraiser is set for Saturday night, and the concert lineup includes everything from country-rock to indie to jazz and funk.

Here’s a look at the week ahead for Reno, Sparks, Lake Tahoe and northwestern Nevada as the calendar rolls into February.

Reno-Tahoe events, Jan. 26-Feb. 1

Carnival of Chaos Tour, Jan. 26: Quite a mixed bill here, as rapper Ouija Macc and Wacco The Kidd team with humorous punk/metal band Green Jelly and a troupe of wrestlers — all hosted by Insane Clown Posse member Violent J. It all begins at 6:30 p.m. at Virginia Street Brewhouse, 211 N. Virginia St. Tickets are $35-$40. Details at jmaxproductions.net.

Weakened Friends, Jan. 27: For a decade, this band from Portland, Maine has been beguiling indie rock fans with its post-punk influenced sound. They play at 7 p.m. at Holland Project, 140 Vesta St. Tickets are $17-$19. Details: 775-742-1858 or hollandreno.org.

Nevada men’s basketball vs. Grand Canyon University, Jan. 27: The Wolf Pack hosts the Lopes in a Tuesday evening matchup at Lawlor Events Center, 1664 N. Virginia St. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. For details and tickets, call 775-348-7225 or visit nevadawolfpack.com.

Dexter and the Moonrocks, Jan. 27: A country-rock group from Texas that has dubbed its sound “Western space grunge,” this band plays at 8 p.m. at Virginia Street Brewhouse, 211 N. Virginia St. Tickets are $30-$40. Details at jmaxproductions.net.

“Lonely Planet,” Jan. 28-31: It’s the final week for this two-person play about gay friends navigating loneliness and connection against the backdrop of the AIDS epidemic in the 1990s. Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday; Wednesday’s performance includes a 60-minute pre-show, “Living Memory: An Intergenerational Conversation.” It’s happening at Brüka Theatre, 99 N. Virginia St. For details and tickets, visit bruka.org.

Dave Mason, Jan. 29: The famed singer/songwriter/guitarist known for his time with Traffic, session work and a solo career will be sharing stories from his new book, “Only You Know And I Know” at this spoken-word event and will answer audience questions during this show. It takes place at 6 p.m. at Nashville Social Club, 1105 S. Carson St., Carson City. Tickets are $130-$140. Details at thenashvilleclub.com.

Your Arms Are My Cocoon, Jan. 29: A lo-fi emo-pop concoction from Chicago, this solo artist plays at 7 p.m. at Holland Project, 140 Vesta St. Tickets are $12-$15. Details: 775-742-1858 or hollandreno.org.

The Bunny The Bear, Jan. 29: This band from Buffalo, New York that mixes electronic music with metal plays at 8 p.m. at Club Underground, 555 E. Fourth St. Tickets are $5. Details at clubundergroundreno.com.

Sang Matiz, Jan. 29-31: With a myriad of influences, this Bay Area band combines funk and jazz with music from South American and Africa. They play at 7 p.m. the first night and 8 p.m. subsequent nights at Terrace Lounge, Peppermill Resort Casino, 2707 S. Virginia St. Details at peppermillreno.com.

“The Cottage,” Jan. 29-Feb. 1: A comedy about marriages, secrets and human relationships, set in a cottage in the English countryside. Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday at Reno Little Theater, 147 E. Pueblo St. For details and tickets, visit renolittletheater.org.

Nevada men’s basketball vs. UNLV, Jan. 30: It’s rivalry time! The Wolf Pack hosts the Rebels in a Friday night matchup at Lawlor Events Center, 1664 N. Virginia St. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. For details and tickets, call 775-348-7225 or visit nevadawolfpack.com.

Reno Ice Raiders vs. San Diego, Jan. 30-31: Reno’s semipro hockey team hosts the Renegades in a two-game set at Reno Ice, 15500 Wedge Parkway. For details and tickets, visit renoiceraiders.com.

Magique, Jan. 30-31: A show that blends magic, comedy and dance takes place at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Shows are at the Celebrity Showroom, Nugget Casino Resort, 1100 Nugget Avenue, Sparks. Tickets are $60-$140. For details, call 775-356-3300 or visit cnty.com/nugget.

Winter Band Wars, Jan. 31: A contest show featuring 16 bands or artists from Reno. It takes place at 7 p.m. each night at Club Underground, 555 E. Fourth St. Shows are Jan. 31, Feb. 7 and 21. Tickets are $10-$20 for each show. Details at facebook.com/clubundergroundreno.

Shane Dwight, Jan. 31: The blues/Americana guitarist from Nashville will play at 7:30 p.m. at Nashville Social Club, 1105 S. Carson St., Carson City. Tickets are $30-$35. Details at thenashvilleclub.com.

Brew HaHa 2026, Jan. 31: A fundraiser for Sierra Arts Foundation, this annual event includes a live band among the beer sampling from regional brewers. It begins at 8 p.m. at the Grand Ballroom, Nugget Casino Resort, 1100 Nugget Avenue, Sparks. Tickets are $75-$95. For details, call 775-356-3300 or visit cnty.com/nugget.

Hashtronaut, Jan. 31: A stoner/doom band from Colorado that’s gaining a big audience from touring, Hashtronaut plays at 8 p.m. at The Alpine, 324 E. Fourth St. Tickets are $15. Details at thealpine-reno.com.

Analog Dog, Jan. 31: Not beholden to a particular genre, but having elements of modern indie pop, jazz fusion and neo-disco, this group from San Francisco plays at 8:30 p.m. at Lo-Bar Social, 445 California Avenue. There is a $5 cover charge. Details at lobarsocial.com.

Boogie T, Jan. 31: This bass music DJ/artist, whose real name is Brock Thornton, performs at 9 p.m. at Cargo, Whitney Peak Hotel, 255 N. Virginia St. Tickets are $35-$45. For details, call 775-398-5400 or cargoreno.com.

Multiple Nevada U.S. officials issued statements regarding the shooting in Minneapolis on Saturday.

A federal immigration officer shot and killed a man, resulting in hundreds of protesters taking to the streets in a city already shaken by another fatal shooting weeks earlier.

Senator Catherine Cortez Masto says federal agents are being deployed to the city streets without any accountability.

“The Trump Administration and Kristi Noem are putting undertrained, combative federal agents on the streets with no accountability. They are oppressing Americans and are at odds with local law enforcement.” Senator Cortez Masto states.

She adds, “This is clearly not about keeping Americans safe; it’s brutalizing U.S. citizens and law-abiding immigrants. I will not support the current Homeland Security funding bill.”

Read Senator Cortez Masto’s full statement on her website.

Senator Jacky Rosen also joined the conversation by saying she believes what’s going on in Minneapolis cannot be normalized.

“As a member of the U.S. Senate, I have the responsibility to hold the Trump Administration accountable when I see abuses of power — like we are seeing from ICE right now.

“That is why I’ll be voting against any government funding package that contains the bill that funds this agency [ICE], until we have guardrails in place to curtail these abuses of power and ensure more accountability and transparency,” stated Senator Rosen.

Read the full statement from Senator Jacky Rosen by visiting her website.

Congressman Steven Horsford condemned the killing of the man, who was fatally shot by a federal immigration agent. 

Congressman Horsford says, “No community should have to live in constant fear. What we are seeing in real time is a failure of judgment, training, and leadership, and it must end. Public safety is not defined by force alone. It requires trust, transparency, and respect for civil liberties, and it must be grounded in the fundamental value of human life.”

He also states, “That is why I am calling for a full, transparent investigation with state and local involvement: not a closed federal review conducted behind closed doors.”

To read the full statement, visit his website here. 

BOSTON – A former Massachusetts man, currently residing in Las Vegas, Nev., was sentenced in federal court in Boston for distribution of methamphetamine.

According to a release from the Massachusetts Department of Justice, 39-year-old Samuel Jean-Baptiste, a/k/a “Jett Black,” was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge William Young to 10 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. In September 2025, Jean-Baptiste pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and one count of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Jean-Baptiste was arrested in May 2024 and was subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2024.

In early July 2023, Jean-Baptiste was identified as a significant distributor of controlled substances in the Boston area. A confidential source made three controlled purchases totaling over 680 grams of fentanyl from Jean-Baptiste. In the subsequent months, Jean-Baptiste communicated with a second confidential source to set up a sale of approximately 10 pounds of methamphetamine. On May 29, 2024, Jean-Baptiste arrived at an agreed-upon location for the sale of methamphetamine and was subsequently arrested. At the time of his arrest Jean-Baptiste was carrying a backpack that contained approximately 10 pounds of suspected methamphetamine.

United States Attorney Leah Foley and Ted Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian J. Sullivan of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.

This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Boston is comprised of agents and officers from HSI, FBI, DEA, ATF, USMS, IRS-CI, USPIS, DOL-OIG and DSS, as well as several state and local law enforcement agencies, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts.