Nevada
Deadspin | No. 22 UNLV controls its destiny when rival Nevada visits
No. 22 UNLV can clinch its first 10-win season since 1984 when it faces Nevada in the Battle of the Fremont Cannon on Saturday in Las Vegas.
A win will also put the Rebels back in the Mountain West title game for the second straight season, giving them the opportunity for a rematch with Boise State.
UNLV (9-2, 5-1) enters with its highest AP and CFP poll ranking in program history following a 27-16 victory at San Jose State last week. They regained control of their own destiny with Fresno State’s 28-22 win over Colorado State on Saturday.
Colorado State had been unbeaten in conference play to that point and was in position to join Boise State in the Mountain West title game before last week’s loss.
“None of it matters if we don’t take care of business this week,” UNLV coach Barry Odom said. “That’s where our focus is and (we know) how important it is to win this rivalry game.
“It means a lot to me. It means a lot to our players. It means a lot to our organization, our fans, our donors, you know, the alumni and everything that goes into it. We know what this game means and we’re certainly excited to have the game at home.”
UNLV has lost to Syracuse and Boise State this season by a combined eight points. They’ve strung together an impressive resume, starting 4-0 with wins over Big 12 foes Houston and Kansas. The Rebels had to make a change at quarterback after the Kansas game owing to a highly publicized NIL dispute with then-starter Matthew Sluka.
Hajj-Malik Williams has emerged as one of the nation’s premier quarterbacks in the wake of Sluka’s departure. Williams has thrown for 1,567 yards and 15 touchdowns and is second on the team in rushing with 664 yards in eight starts this season.
Nevada coach Jeff Choate is one of many who believe UNLV improved at the position with Sluka’s departure.
“They present a lot of problems and it starts with (Williams),” Choate said. “I mean, it might have been addition by subtraction when the quarterback situation happened earlier in the year down there. (Williams) is a dynamic player. Really good off-schedule, runs the offense efficiently. The RPO style of offense was a really good fit for him.”
Ricky White will likely eclipse the 1,000-yard mark for the second straight season on Saturday, needing 35 more yards to get there. White has 70 receptions and 10 touchdowns on the season. Jai’Den Thomas leads UNLV with 697 yards rushing after a 135-yard performance last week.
Nevada (3-9, 0-6) is seeking its first conference win, entering on a five-game losing streak. The Wolf Pack have come within three points in losses to Fresno State and Air Force, in addition to playing an impressive game against Boise in which they lost by seven as 24-point underdogs.
Their best win was a 42-37 upset of Oregon State on Oct. 12.
Choate is in his first season at the helm in Reno after a successful stint as Montana State’s head coach 2016-20. His first season at Nevada hasn’t been as positive but they’ve improved upon last season’s 2-10 finish.
It looks unbalanced on paper, but even newcomer Choate knows anything can happen in this rivalry series.
“Sometimes one team has an advantage for a while, but usually that pendulum shifts back and forth pretty consistently in this rivalry,” Choate said. “It’s a perfect rivalry from the standpoint of how different economically, geographically, all those things Northern and Southern Nevada are.”
–Field Level Media
Nevada
Primm Valley Casino not open after recent ownership change
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Las Vegas 2026
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2025: Las Vegas Year in Review
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REMEMBERING 9/11: 20 YEARS LATER
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Looking back at the 2001 terror attacks and how they affected Las Vegas and the world.
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Nevada
Exclusive | California’s illegal fireworks trade fueled by nefarious interstate pipeline
California fireworks fans hungry for more high-powered pyrotechnics not sold in the state are heading for the Nevada border to get their illegal Fourth of July fix.
The Golden State only sells firecrackers that are certified “safe and sane” and sold by licensed sellers. But dozens of dealers in Nevada just miles from the California border have become a magnet for buyers looking for a bigger bang.
At Cosmic Boom Fireworks in Amargosa Valley, cashier Jovon Oseguera said business has picked up sharply among Californians.
“It’s making [us] busier, people from everywhere just come by in the past week or so with roughly 25 to 30% of customers in a day from California,” he said.
Oseguera said Californians are drawn to higher powered aerials “mostly mortar shells and fireworks cakes” they can’t buy in their own state.
At a Fourth of July party last year, a man lit an illegal $400 cake containing professional-grade explosives that malfunctioned and killed an 8-year-old girl.
“A lot of them ask if they can take the fireworks back across the state line, but I tell them there’s not much [they] could really take back, except… really small stuff,” Oseguera added.
While some Nevada stores require that customers fill out forms for their purchases, his shop only checks that buyers are over 18.
A worker at Blackjack Fireworks in Pahrump, Nevada, said that the shop attracts hundreds of buyers from outside Nevada, with a significant number arriving from California during the week of July 4.
“If you come to the store, there will be several hundred cars all year round,” said the employee, who declined to provide her name.
The staffer said some choose light the fireworks off near Walker Lake on the Nevada side, but the shop doesn’t keep track of where buyers go after their shopping sprees.
“I have no business asking where they are coming from or what their final destination will be, as it will be a violation of their rights,” the worker said.
Getty Images
According to the latest California Department of Public Health data from 2023, the state saw 200 nonfatal hospitalizations and 718 emergency department visits due to fireworks.
In 2024, Cal Fire reported over 1,200 illegal fireworks-related fires and hundreds of injuries.
“Each year, we continue to see illegal fireworks, particularly those purchased online or shipped into California from out of state, pose a significant threat to public safety, property, and our natural resources,” a Cal Fire spokesperson told The California Post.
While Cal Fire could not share details about sensitive operations ahead of July 4 or ongoing investigations, the department is “working in close partnership with local, state, federal, and out-of-state law enforcement agencies to investigate the illegal sale, distribution, and use of dangerous fireworks.”
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman urged the residents to report illegal fireworks activity, saying that celebrations with illegal fireworks and explosives are not harmless entertainment.
“These devices can kill people, causing devastating injuries and destroying entire neighborhoods,” he said.
The DA is also currently investigating several cases of illegal fireworks possession.
- East Los Angeles/Pico Rivera: Four individuals were charged after approximately 8,500 pounds of illegal fireworks and homemade explosive devices seized on June 22, 2026.
- South Los Angeles: Over 37,000 pounds of fireworks were discovered at a residence on May 27, 2026, leading to charges against four p eople, including child abuse charges for two defendants due to a child living in the home.
- 6th Street Bridge: Three individuals face 21 felony counts each after the LAPD Bomb Squad recovered homemade explosives from a car on May 2, 2026.
- Whittier: A seizure on January 13, 2026, uncovered over 24,000 pounds of fireworks and explosive-making materials in a storage unit near a preschool.
Nevada
How Chinese-Americans contributed to mining in Nevada
LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — We’re celebrating America’s 250th birthday this weekend, and that means looking at some of the people who helped build our country into what it is today.
One group with a large impact on the country, including Nevada, is the Chinese.
In fact, Chinese-Americans were involved in mining in Nevada, and an exhibit at the Clark County Government Center is showcasing their contributions.
Dr. Zhida Song-James, curator of the exhibit, and Moon Xia, vice president of the Nevada Chinese American Association, joined us to share more about this part of Nevada history.
The exhibit is on display now through July 16.
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