Nevada
California high speed rail update as work starts on Nevada border
![California high speed rail update as work starts on Nevada border California high speed rail update as work starts on Nevada border](https://d.newsweek.com/en/full/2464090/california-landscape.jpg)
California’s two high-speed rail efforts are progressing, with environmental protections secured in the Central Valley and work starting on Brightline West’s Los-Angeles-Las Vegas route near the Nevada border.
Last Friday, the California High-Speed Rail Authority, which is working on the line connecting Los Angeles and San Francisco via the Central Valley, completed a settlement agreement with several entities in the Grassland Ecological Area, which the rail line will pass through.
The agreement resolved potential California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) claims from the Grassland entities over the San Jose to Merced portion of the state’s high-speed rail project.
It ensures environmental safeguards in the Grassland Ecological Area, as well as in other sensitive areas, Coyote Valley and Pacheco Pass.
The Authority has committed to further mitigating noise and wildlife disturbance by incorporating wildlife crossings, avian enclosures, and sound barriers.
Reed Saxon/ASSOCIATED PRESS
Chief executive Brian Kelly said in a statement that the Authority is dedicated to balancing development with environmental stewardship. “This settlement reflects the hard work of state and local public agencies striving to protect natural resources and provide the public with new, state-of-the-art transportation that is clean, sustainable, and reduces our collective carbon footprint,” Kelly said.
“This agreement further reflects our organizations’ understanding that the best way to deliver these services is through collaboration.”
The project, first proposed in 2008, aims to connect Los Angeles and San Francisco via the Central Valley, with speeds exceeding 200 mph.
At the time, the project was anticipated to be operational by 2020 and cost $33 billion.
Though delays and cost increases have plagued the project, substantial progress has been made.
Currently, 119 miles of track are under construction in the Central Valley, part of the 171 mile section between Merced and Bakersfield.
The estimated cost for this segment alone is now estimated to be $35 billion, and the full Los Angeles-San Francisco route could potentially cost $100 billion.
Completion of the Central Valley segment is now expected between 2030 and 2033.
Meanwhile, Brightline West, the private company constructing a Las Vegas-to-Southern California high-speed rail line, began work near the Nevada border on Tuesday. Crews have been working near the Nevada-California border on I-15, carrying out field investigations, utility potholing, and geotechnical testing.
This 218-mile line is slated for completion by 2028, just in time for the Los Angeles Summer Olympic, with trains running at 186 mph.
Brightline has already laid the groundwork for high-speed rail in the U.S. with its Florida line between Miami and Orlando, which reaches speeds of 125 mph.
Newsweek has contacted the California High Speed Rail Authority and Brightline via email for comment.
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Nevada
California wildfires grow as heatwave worsens, sending smoke into Nevada
Growing wildfires in California forced evacuations as a heat wave Wednesday threatened to make fire conditions worse. In the Midwest, a wildfire kept residents of South Dakota’s second-largest city on edge, ready to flee if flames moved dangerously close.
A blaze near the remote Northern California mountain community of Sierra Brooks was uncontained. Authorities expanded evacuation orders for a total of more than 530 residents Tuesday evening after strong winds pushed flames through dry brush and timber about 50 miles (80 kilometers) north of Lake Tahoe. The Bear Fire grew to more than 4.7 square miles (12 square kilometers) and sent up a plume of smoke visible some 25 miles (40 kilometers) away in Reno, Nevada.
“Due to steep and rocky terrain, crews have experienced difficulty in gaining access to some areas of the fire, slowing progress,” the U.S. Forest Service said in a statement. Flames damaged power lines, knocking out electricity to more than 750 residents, the service said.
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Central California wildfire scorches 17 square miles
In central California, firefighters working in triple-digit temperatures were battling a blaze that scorched more than 17 square miles (44 square kilometers) of dry brush in mostly open space. A handful of homes were evacuated outside of Coalinga in Fresno County. The Boone Fire was 5% contained Wednesday.
Across the state, red flag warnings for increased wildfire risk were issued. The desert communities of Palm Springs, Twentynine Palms, Needles and Barstow were heating up, with highs of up to 118 F (47.7 Celsius) in Death Valley’s Furnace Creek expected at week’s end.
In Southern California’s Santa Barbara County, officials issued a health alert due to spiking temperatures in inland areas. The health department urged residents to stay indoors during the day and take other measures to avoid heat-related illnesses. Cooling centers were set up across Los Angeles County.
The wildfire news was better in South Dakota: The battle to contain the First Thunder Fire got a boost Wednesday from cooler weather and lighter winds. Officials were optimistic homes in Rapid City would remain safe.
The First Thunder Fire was reported Monday just a few miles (kilometers) from Rapid City, a community of 80,000 residents near Black Hills National Forest. Mount Rushmore National Memorial, about 25 miles (40 kilometers) away, is far out of harm’s way.
The fire burning nearly 160 acres (65 hectares) was fueled by uncommonly hot and dry weather — Tuesday’s high in Rapid City was 96 degrees Fahrenheit (35.6 Celsius), well above the normal early-September high of 75 (23.9 Celsius). Winds gusted to 45 mph (72 kph).
As late as Tuesday evening, residents in an evacuation warning area of Rapid City were being told to pack their bags, gather vital belongings and be prepared to leave at a moment’s notice.
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Wildfire contained in South Dakota, officials urge residents to remain prepared
By Wednesday morning, the temperature was far cooler, the winds calmer and the air more humid.
“Firefighters got a good handle on the wildfire last night,” an update from the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office said. “It’s currently at 157 acres. Weather conditions are very favorable today. They are mopping up a large portion on the west side and are hoping to get everything contained and under control today.”
Officials don’t yet know what caused the fire that burned across a steep, rocky area. No structural damage was immediately reported.
Pennington County, South Dakota, Fire Administrator Jerome Harvey said those residing in the Rapid City area are in a “red zone” where wildfires can occur at virtually any time.
“You need to be prepared for that,” Harvey said at a news conference Tuesday. “These kinds of events can happen on a year-round basis. There is no longer a defined fire season.”
Rapid City Mayor Jason Salamun on Tuesday urged residents to gather up key documents such as birth certificates, Social Security cards and vital financial information, along with cherished photographs and prescriptions.
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Residents in areas near the fire also were urged to have a plan for what to do with pets should evacuations become necessary. A Rapid City animal hospital was prepared to take in small animals. For larger animals, a fairground was set up for displaced livestock.
Nevada
United Way of Southern Nevada | 9/4/24
![United Way of Southern Nevada | 9/4/24 United Way of Southern Nevada | 9/4/24](https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/2c59e9d/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1280x672+0+24/resize/1200x630!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fx-default-stgec.uplynk.com%2Fause%2Fslices%2F116%2Fb9cd621bb5cc43d8b6bdc641d1acdca8%2F1163c29cba354deea649d5c2c6c0f1ab%2Fposter_eabcdf3627cd401e9f0dd81167060cdd.jpg)
United Way of Southern Nevada (UWSN) is proud to host its ninth annual Day of Caring, presented by PNC Bank, a powerful day of community service that unites hundreds of volunteers.
UWSN invites volunteers to join forces with local nonprofits, school and community organizations in a shared commitment to making a difference in Southern Nevada.
The event’s kickoff celebration begins at 8:30 a.m. at Town Square Park located in Town Square Las Vegas, Friday, Sept. 13.
Following the celebration, volunteers will disperse across the valley at 10 a.m. to engage in nearly 40 impactful projects aimed at supporting the community.
Volunteer projects will take place starting at 10 a.m. through various times throughout the day.
People interested in volunteering can register and find more information, here.
Nevada
Literacy in the H.O.O.D. shifting operations to Nevada next year, encouraging donations
![Literacy in the H.O.O.D. shifting operations to Nevada next year, encouraging donations Literacy in the H.O.O.D. shifting operations to Nevada next year, encouraging donations](https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/45f20dc/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1280x672+0+24/resize/1200x630!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fewscripps-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F73%2Fea%2F746e800d49a7a9cf8a08bc5191b3%2Fwe-follow-through.jpg)
CLEVELAND — News 5 is Following Through by highlighting the importance of boosting children’s literacy rates across Northeast Ohio. You can join us in helping the cause by donating to our “If You Give a Child a Book” campaign.
You can scan the QR code on your screen during our newscasts or text WEWS to 50155 to help get books for children needing them.
Data shows that 66% of Cleveland residents are functionally illiterate, and in some neighborhoods, the illiteracy rate is a staggering 95%.
A Cleveland-area mom and her son have worked tirelessly since 2017 to get books in homes and the hands of area kids and families.
Their nonprofit, Literacy in the H.O.O.D., has garnered national attention and critical acclaim. But it’s now entering a new chapter and closing out another.
Chrishawndra Matthews says she’s ready for a new journey, a new story of her own.
She and her son, Derrick Smith Jr., are moving from Cleveland to Nevada next year. She has 11 months left here at home.
She says that although you won’t physically see them after that, the nonprofit will operate in a different capacity.
She says, after all, every city in America has a hood, and she’s here to “help out our disenfranchised.”
“Literacy in the H.O.O.D. is coming to a city, a state, a hood, and country near you,” Matthews told us.
Nearly 700,000 free books were handed out, and countless community events later, Matthews and her son are entering a new chapter in their lives.
“We really do just try to go out and give away as many books as we can,” Smith Jr. said. He’s the founder of Boys Do Read.
“We’ve outgrown Cleveland. So we’re gonna go and we’re gonna expand,” Matthews said.
Proudly known to many as “the book lady in the bright blue van,” Matthews says she has a much larger purpose.
She says her mobile mission isn’t stopping, and she’s not closing the book, so to speak.
It’s just going to look and feel different in the next year as she prepares for a cross-country move.
“Books will still be available in Cleveland, but we’re going to some bigger demographics, we’re going to another country, going to another hood, and we’re going to another state,” Matthews said.
She’s partnered with an organization in Japan, taking their mission internationally.
They will distribute books to overseas children who are often bullied for their reading ability.
Her son experienced it first-hand, which prompted him to start his own organization.
News 5 followed every step of his journey.
“I’m just trying to help create a safe environment for younger boys like me to share their feelings and emotions,” Smith said.
“That’s why he started Boys Do Read because he was bullied for being the only kid in kindergarten who could read. But that’s his fire under his feet,” Matthews said.
Derrick, now 13 and in eighth grade, has since created “Brothers Bonding Over Books, a monthly support meet-up.
Matthews Literacy in the H.O.O.D. is reaching new audiences and ages as well, including senior citizens who don’t have access and are on a fixed income.
“We’re going in there, we’re going to low income housing, we’re going to the rec centers, we’re going to the playgrounds,” Matthews said.
While Matthews says Cleveland will always be home, she’s eager for the next step in her giving journey.
“Children need to read! Studies show 20 minutes a day changes your life,” Matthews said.
After all—she says she’s a girl who loves a good book and loves her son more than life itself.
“I love you, baby, and I’m proud of you,” she said.
She says the work will never stop when it comes to improving literacy rates.
“Books are still gonna be available—ya know. Generally I pull up in my cute little van that Kelly Clarkson bought me, but I’m taking that to Las Vegas,” Matthews said.
Matthews stresses Literacy in the H.O.O.D. is not going away.
It’s just going to operate differently locally.
It will be more of a free pick-up and drop-off situation with free books instead of her cruising around town in her van.
She says she has multiple events planned over the next year. She plans to start a new chapter of the nonprofit in Las Vegas.
To donate to Literacy in the H.O.O.D. or contact Matthews, CLICK HERE.
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