Nevada

Conservation groups oppose potential sale of federal lands highlighted in land mapping tool

Published

4 weeks ago

June 19, 2026

Conservation groups oppose potential sale of federal lands highlighted in land mapping tool

LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — Conservation groups are pushing back against a new state mapping tool that identifies federal lands potentially available for development in Nevada.

The governor’s office, in partnership with the Bureau of Land Management Nevada, unveiled the interactive map this week to make it easier to find federal land that may be available for development throughout the state and in the Las Vegas Valley.

“It is shocking to look at the map and see how many lands could potentially be sold off,” said Olivia Tanager, executive director of the Sierra Club Toiyabe Chapter.

Tanager said she was surprised at how many federal lands were identified for disposal when she first looked at the map.

“Places like Red Rock and Sloan Canyon in Southern Nevada are what draw people to live in Southern Nevada. We cannot continue to develop right up onto the boundaries or perhaps even in these precious places,” Tanager said.

The conservation group says the mapping tool is the latest effort to treat Nevada’s public lands as a real estate inventory rather than a shared public resource.

“We know that a lot of these areas are environmentally sensitive. We know that there are endangered species on these lands,” Tanager said.

MORE ON FOX5: Nevada unveils interactive tool mapping federal lands available for possible development, other uses

Housing concerns

Lawmakers have proposed using federal lands to create more affordable housing. Several areas at the edges of the Vegas Valley have been identified for potential development on the mapping tool. Tanager said she does not see that as a viable solution.

“The areas on the outskirts or far outside of existing urban areas are wholly inappropriate for affordable housing. Housing that is located that far away from services will never be truly affordable,” Tanager said. “As folks have to live further and further away from resources like schools and grocery stores, transportation costs go up substantially.”

The conservation group says the valley should fill in open lots and build upward within the existing urban core instead of building outward.

“We know that sprawl and developing on the outskirts of the valley worsens air quality as well from increased transportation,” Tanager said. “We know that sprawl is incredibly water-intensive. The further out you build, the harder it is to recapture that water.”

The Sierra Club Toiyabe Chapter says treating federal lands as disposable assets could set a dangerous precedent that accelerates privatization efforts and undermines the principle that public lands should remain in public hands for future generations.

Approximately 85% of Nevada’s total land area is owned by the federal government.

The state says the tool is designed to bolster information sharing about federal lands. The mapping tool is available here.

Source link

Nevada

Rural Nevada ice cream shop named best in the state by Yelp

Published

3 hours ago

July 16, 2026

Press Room

Rural Nevada ice cream shop named best in the state by Yelp

When foodies think of the best ice cream in Nevada, their minds might immediately go to the world-class eateries in Las Vegas or the independent dessert shops in Reno. As it turns out (or at least according to Yelp) the best ice cream isn’t in either of Nevada’s most urban areas.

Last year, Yelp released its list of 100 best U.S. ice cream shops ahead of National Ice Cream Day on July 20, naming one rural spot as the best place to get a frozen treat in the entire state.

Luckily for Renoites, the best ice cream spot in Nevada isn’t far away. Here’s a look at the only Silver State location that made the list.

What is the best ice cream shop in Nevada?

Steve’s Homemade Ice Cream in Fernley was the only Nevada location to make Yelp’s best ice cream spots list. Steve’s is at 1360 US Hwy. 95A N., Suite 5, or just off the second highway exit going into Fernley from Reno, in the outdoor mall across the street from the Starbucks.

Yelp reviewers appreciated Steve’s variety of homemade ice cream flavors, the shop’s cleanliness and aesthetic appeal, and the owner’s friendliness.

How did Yelp make its Top 100 Best Ice Cream Shops list?

Yelp used the reviews of businesses in the ice cream category, then used factors such as the total volume of ratings and reviews to create its “all-time list of the Top 100 Ice Cream Spots in the U.S..”

When is National Ice Cream Day 2026?

Sunday, July 19, 2026, is National Ice Cream Day.

Source link

Nevada

Sparks weekend road closures are slated

Published

15 hours ago

July 16, 2026

Press Room

SPARKS, Nev. (KOLO) – From Friday, July 17, at 10 a.m. through 6 a.m. Monday, July 20, Southbound Pyramid Way will be closed from Oddie Boulevard to C Street in Sparks for repaving and reconstruction work, according to a Wednesday, July 15, Nevada Department of Transportation news release.

• Southbound vehicles will be detoured via McCarran Boulevard

• Business access will remain available via side streets and marked with signs

• Westbound and eastbound Prater Way will remain open during the closures

• Drivers are asked to leave extra time to detour around the closures

The $14 million improvement project will improve Pyramid Way for bout 28,000 drivers who use it daily, the release said.

In 2010, the road was fully repaved, with minor resurfacing in some areas more recently.

Source link

Nevada

Nevada’s modern boomtowns are these fast-growing cities, study said

Published

1 day ago

July 15, 2026

Press Room

Nevada’s modern boomtowns are these fast-growing cities, study said

Nevada’s history as a mining and entertainment state has made it synonymous with boomtowns. Perhaps more than any other state, cities in Nevada can feel like they practically explode overnight (like Las Vegas) and at times are abandoned as quickly as they were inhabited (like the state’s many ghost towns)

SmartAsset, a financial technology company, said in a recent report that Nevada is still home to several boomtowns. SmartAsset defines as cities that “stand out for attracting people, investment and development at a pace that sets them apart.”

“Boomtown status does not mean growth benefits everyone equally, but it does reflect a city’s expanding economic capacity and the new opportunities that come with it,” wrote SmartAsset.

The list was compiled by analyzing more than 400 U.S. cities with populations of 65,000 or more. Each city received a score based on five-year changes in three factors: economic output, housing units and labor force size. Four Nevada cities landed in the 75 highest-scoring cities, which SmartAsset said represent America’s new boomtowns.

Here’s what else to know.

Nevada is home to these four ‘boomtowns,’ according to Smart Asset

North Las Vegas was the highest-ranked Nevada city on the list, at No. 39. It had a 21% increase in housing units, a 24% increase in the labor force, and a compound annual real GDP growth rate of 3.5%.

Nevada’s runner-up was Sparks at No. 53, which saw housing units grow by 16%, labor force increase by 14%, and a 3.8% compound annual GDP growth rate.

Henderson followed at No. 63, posting a 13% increase in housing units, an 18% rise in labor force, and a 3.5% annual GDP growth rate.

Reno came in last among Nevada cities on the list at No. 66, with housing units up 14%, a labor force increase of 11%, and a 3.8% compound annual GDP growth rate.

Methodology

In order to determine the country’s boomtowns, Smart Asset looked at U.S. cities with populations of more than 65,000.

Each city was scored across three metrics: five-year labor force change, five-year housing unit change, and county-level compound annual real GDP growth.

Changes in the labor force (which includes residents ages 16 and older who are employed or actively seeking work) and in housing units were calculated using 2019 and 2024 ACS data.

Real GDP growth was calculated using Bureau of Economic Analysis data for 2019 and 2024; county-level real GDP was used as a proxy for city-level economic output.

Cities were assigned composite scores based on the three metrics and ranked accordingly.