Nevada

Burning Man survived a muddy quagmire — Will the experiment last 30 more years?

Published

2 years ago

January 3, 2024

Burning Man survived a muddy quagmire — Will the experiment last 30 more years?

RENO, Nev. — The blank canvas of desert wilderness in northern Nevada seemed the perfect place in 1992 for artistic anarchists to relocate their annual burning of a towering, anonymous effigy. It was goodbye to San Francisco’s Baker Beach, hello to the Nevada playa, the long-ago floor of an inland sea.

The tiny gathering became Burning Man’s surrealistic circus, fueled by acts of kindness and avant-garde theatrics, sometimes with a dose of hallucinogens or nudity. The spectacle flourished as the festival ballooned over the next three decades.

Some say it grew too much, too fast.

Things came to a head in 2011 when tickets sold out for the first time.

Organizers responded with a short-lived lottery system that left people out of what was supposed to be a radically inclusive event.

As Burning Man matured, luxurious accommodations proliferated, as did the population of billionaires and celebrities.

Katherine Chen, a sociology professor in New York City who wrote a 2009 book about the event’s “creative chaos,” was among those who wondered whether Burning Man “would be a victim of its own success.”

Exponential growth led to increasing questions about whether organizers had veered too far from the core principles of radical inclusion, expression, participation and the pledge to “leave no trace.”

That last hurdle was never harder to clear than this year as “Burners” tried to leave over Labor Day weekend after torching the 80-foot (24-meter) wooden sculpture that is “the Man.”

A rare rainstorm turned the Black Rock Desert into a muddy quagmire 110 miles (175 kilometers) north of Reno, delaying the departure of 80,000 revelers. Once out, organizers had six weeks to clean up under terms of a federal permit.

By the smallest of margins, they passed the test last month, with a few adjustments recommended for the future. The verdict from the U.S. Bureau of Land Management means Burning Man is in line to use federal land again next year.

Debate over the event’s future, however, is sure to continue as divisions grow between the aging hippie types and wealthier, more technologically inclined newcomers. Veteran participants fear the newer set is losing touch with Burning Man’s roots.

The event has made a quantum leap from a gathering of hundreds to one that temporarily becomes Nevada’s third largest city after metropolitan Las Vegas and Reno. The festival drew 4,000 in 1995 and topped 50,000 in 2010.

It’s no wonder seasoned Burners sound a bit like griping cribbage players on a rural town square when they mutter: “It ain’t like it used to be.”

“Back then, it was much more raw,” said Mike “Festie” Malecki, 63, a retired Chicago mortician turned California sculptor who made his 13th trip this year to the land of colorful theme camps, towering sculptures, drum circles and art cars.

“There are more (people) who come out to party and don’t participate. We call them spectators,” he said.

Senior organizers long have wrestled with whether to become more civilized or remain what co-founder Larry Harvey described as a “repudiation of order and authority.”

Ron Halbert, a 71-year-old from San Francisco, has worked support for Burning Man’s 90-piece orchestra for 20 years and remains optimistic.

“It’s still the gathering of the tribe,” he said.

The event is permitted tentatively for the same 80,000 attendance cap next year.

Organizers are considering some minor changes, though generally resist making new rules, said Marian Goodell, Burning Man Project’s chief executive officer.

Critics on social media howled at the mayhem left behind this year, posting photos of garbage piles, abandoned vehicles and overflowing portable toilets while ridiculing the “hippies” and their leave-no-trace mantra.

But that mayhem may have actually helped bring Burning Man back to its roots.

Katrina Cook of Toronto said it forced people to be true to the founding principles of participation and radical self-reliance.

“The rain weeded out the people who didn’t want to be there for the right reason,” Cook said.

Mark Fromson, 54, was staying in an RV, but the rains forced him to find shelter at another camp where fellow burners provided food and cover.

Another principle of Burning Man, he said, centers on unconditional gift giving with no expectation of something in return.

After sunset, Fromson set off barefoot through the muck for a long trek back to his vehicle, slogging through thick clay that clung to his feet and legs. The challenge, he said, was the mark of a “good burn.”

Nevertheless, Jeffery Longoria of San Francisco, who marked his fifth consecutive voyage to Burning Man last summer, said its core principles are going to evolve no matter what as a new generation takes over.

“The people that created this community, a lot of them are getting older and retiring and there’s a lot of new young people coming in, the kind that have, you know, a couple $100,000 RVs and are kind of just careless about the environment.”

Soren Michael, a Los Angeles technology worker who made his 11th trip this year, said the biggest change has been the ability to communicate with the outside world from the desert.

“It was almost part of the appeal to be disconnected,” he said.

Twenty years ago, the psychedelic celebration like none other already was attracting academic scholars — anthropologists, sociologists, political scientists, economists and communications professors — curious about how the makeshift civilization functioned without real-world rules.

Burning Man references started popping up in TV episodes and talk show punchlines.

The rich and famous began venturing to Black Rock City, as the festival’s temporary metropolis is called.

A full-blown exhibit about the phenomenon debuted in 2018 at the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington. Even then, veteran Burners complained about the event becoming as much a curiosity to see as to do.

That’s in part the problem veterans have with the advent of glamor camping, or glamping, in which private companies provide packaged trips to concierge camps with luxury RVs and lavish meals under chandeliers. Some believe the camps violate Burning Man principles.

The growing number of billionaires and celebrities who fly in on private jets to Black Rock City’s temporary airstrip “seems to be everyone’s favorite thing to hate,” Goodell said. But wealth shouldn’t be a cause for shame, she said.

“The question is not about glamping,” she said. “Comfort doesn’t assume lack of engagement. It’s whether you have a glamping camp and you’re not really engaging.”

Burning Man’s purpose remains the same: building a creative, stimulating environment, the essence of which people can take back to their own communities.

“We thought that from the beginning,” Goodell said. “We just didn’t know it would be 80,000 people.”

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Nevada

Meet the 2025 Nevada Preps All-Southern Nevada girls soccer team

Published

3 hours ago

December 18, 2025

Press Room

Meet the 2025 Nevada Preps All-Southern Nevada girls soccer team

First team

Kloe Abdalla, Faith Lutheran — The junior was named the Class 5A player of the year by the coaches and helped the Crusaders win the state title. She is committed to Kansas.

Posie Armstrong, Faith Lutheran — The senior defender was a 5A all-state selection for the 5A state champion.

Julia Anfinson, Faith Lutheran — The junior scored 14 goals for the 5A state champion.

Anabelle Coe, Faith Lutheran — The senior was a first-team All-5A league midfielder to help the Crusaders win the 5A state title. She is committed to California Lutheran.

Cate Gusick, Coronado — The senior was named the 5A defensive player of the year for the 5A state runner-up. She is committed to Montana.

Emma Flannery, Bishop Gorman — The senior midfielder was a 5A all-state selection with six goals and 11 assists. She is committed to UNLV.

Allison Kleiner, Coronado — The senior was a 5A all-state selection for the 5A state runner-up. She is committed to Vanderbilt.

Emily Marks, Arbor View — The junior was named the 5A goalie of the year and helped the Aggies finish third in the 5A Southern League.

Kenadie Mashore, Doral Academy — The senior goalie was named the 4A player of the year. She recorded 14 shutouts and 141 saves for the 4A Southern Region and state champion.

Daniela Mayorga, Canyon Springs — The senior scored 67 goals, a state record in a season by a player in the top classification (5A/4A), and added 27 assists.

Jazmine McCallum, Coronado — The senior midfielder was a 5A all-state selection for the 5A state runner-up.

Alexandra Milano, Coronado — The senior midfielder was a 5A all-state selection for the 5A state runner-up.

Olivia Petty, Faith Lutheran — The 5A all-state goalie recorded 74 saves and allowed six goals in 20 games for the 5A state champion.

Allie Rabe, Faith Lutheran — The senior defender was a 5A all-state selection for the 5A state champion. She is committed to UC Irvine.

Ella Schultz, Coronado — The junior defender was a 5A all-state selection for the 5A state runner-up.

Olivia Stark, Faith Lutheran — The senior 5A offensive player of the year scored 22 goals and added 14 assists for the 5A state champion. She is committed to UC Irvine.

Taylor Takahashi, Coronado — The sophomore scored a team-high 17 goals and added seven assists for the 5A state runner-up.

Sienna Turco, Doral Academy — The senior was named the 4A Mountain League offensive player of the year and scored 50 goals and added 18 assists for the 4A Southern Region and state champion.

Coach of the year

Kurt Divich, Doral Academy – Guided the Dragons to the Class 4A Southern Region and state titles, the program’s first state title.

Second team

Audrey Ancell, Green Valley — The senior was named the 4A Desert League defensive player of the year as the Gators allowed just eight goals in 18 games.

Taylor Bringhurst, Palo Verde — The senior was the 4A Sky League goalie of the year and helped the Panthers reach the state tournament.

Darien Cox, Green Valley — The senior was named the 4A Desert League offensive player of the year and scored 27 goals and 13 assists.

Gianna Davis, Doral Academy — The senior was a 4A all-state defender to help the Dragons win the 4A Southern Region and state titles.

Olivia Gastwirth, Palo Verde — The sophomore was named the 4A Sky League offensive player of the year and scored 34 goals to help the Panthers reach the state tournament.

Olivia Geeb, Green Valley — The senior was named the 4A Desert League goalie of the year as the Gators allowed just eight goals in 18 games.

Devyn Giraldo, Bishop Gorman — The senior was a 5A all-state selection who scored 10 goals.

Peyton Hedstrom, Doral Academy — The junior was a 4A all-state defender who helped the Dragons win the 4A Southern Region and state titles.

Taylor Johnson, Shadow Ridge — The senior was a 5A all-state selection for the state semifinalist. She is committed to Utah Tech.

Brooke Kramer, Liberty — The senior was a 5A all-state goalie. She is committed to UNLV.

Cristal Lara, SECTA — The senior scored 38 goals and led the state with 39 assists.

Elliott Lujan, Faith Lutheran — The senior scored nine goals and had six assists for the 5A state champion. She is committed to St. Mary’s (California).

Alayna Malloy, Centennial — The freshman scored 12 goals for the 5A state semifinalist.

Danielle Morales, Arbor View — The junior was a 5A all-state selection and scored seven goals.

Dasha Rosas, Doral Academy — The junior scored 19 goals and added 18 assists to help the Dragons win the 4A Southern Region and state titles.

Briana Salguero, Equipo Academy — The senior was the 3A region player of the year and scored 29 goals and added 15 assists to help the Yeti reach the state tournament.

Sophia Sachs, Arbor View — The junior was a 5A all-state selection and scored seven goals.

Aleah Warner, Bishop Gorman — The freshman scored nine goals and was a 5A all-league selection.

Honorable mention

Sophia Aragon, Sierra Vista

Grace Aznarez, Palo Verde

Anabel Alvarez Leon, Cimarron-Memorial

Melina Clavel, SECTA

Kimberly Dominguez, Eldorado

Emily Farnsworth, Las Vegas High

Lilian Foss, Coronado

Hannah Gutierrez, Silverado

Paige Hooiman, Silverado

Jasmyne Johnson, Basic

Linita Kioa, Virgin Valley

Briana Lee, Faith Lutheran

Layla Lindsey, Arbor View

Alexandra Miranda, Centennial

Ella Ostler, Eldorado

Melanie Mendez, Equipo Academy

Angelie Mendoza, Palo Verde

Caitlynn Nick, Palo Verde

Ryan Neel, Coronado

Natalie Rodriguez, Canyon Springs

Alexa Sandoval, Las Vegas High

Lupita Silveyra, Virgin Valley

Isabella Simental, Sierra Vista

Harmony Taylor, Shadow Ridge

Sanyi Thompson, Doral Academy

Natalia Vallin, Pahrump Valley

Xophia Vong, Eldorado

Contact Alex Wright at awright@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AlexWright1028 on X.

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Nevada

Nevada reaches settlement with Hyundai and Kia over anti-theft technology

Published

15 hours ago

December 17, 2025

Press Room

Nevada reaches settlement with Hyundai and Kia over anti-theft technology

LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — Attorney General Aaron Ford’s office says Nevada and other states reached a settlement with Hyundai and Kia for selling cars that lack industry-standard anti-theft technology.

“Hyundai and Kia did not meet their responsibilities to the public and created a public safety issue by neglecting to use industry-standard technology on their vehicles,” Ford said. “I strongly urge any impacted Nevadans to make use of this settlement agreement to install these safety measures and, if eligible, to seek monetary restitution.”

As part of the settlement, the automakers agreed to equip all future cars with the anti-theft technology and offer ignition cylinder protectors to owners or leasees of eligible vehicles.

In statements, both companies affirmed their commitment to work with law enforcement to combat car theft.

According to a media release, consumers who previously installed the software update on their vehicles (or were scheduled to do so) but nonetheless experienced a theft or attempted theft of their vehicle on or after April 29, 2025, are eligible to file a claim for restitution for certain theft and attempted-theft related expenses.

For more information about eligibility and how to submit a claim for compensation, Ford’s office says to visit the following:

Hyundai: www.HKMultistateimmobilizersettlement.com
For Kia: https://customercare.kiausa.com/SWLD or call (800) 333-4Kia(4542)

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Nevada

Clark County prepares for second annual Missing in Nevada Day event

Published

1 day ago

December 17, 2025

Press Room

Clark County prepares for second annual Missing in Nevada Day event

Las Vegas (KSNV) — The Clark County coroner will host the second annual Missing in Nevada Day event, providing families with a vital opportunity to file reports of missing loved ones, receive updates on existing cases, and connect with investigators and advocates.

The event will take place on Saturday, Jan. 31, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at UNLV’s University Gateway Building. Clark County Coroner Melanie Rouse highlighted the addition of new resources this year.

Families are encouraged to bring photographs, dental records, and fingerprints.

MORE ON NEWS 3 | US House passes bill for new Southern Nevada water pipeline

DNA samples may also be collected from close biological family members to help build a profile for the missing loved one.

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