Nevada

Egg shortages and Christmas trees: Looking back at Nevada’s top 2025 environmental stories – The Nevada Independent

Published

2 weeks ago

December 25, 2025

Egg shortages and Christmas trees: Looking back at Nevada’s top 2025 environmental stories – The Nevada Independent

Merry Christmas and a happy new year loyal Indy readers!

Remember the challenge of finding eggs during the bird flu outbreak, or when federal lawmakers were considering selling hundreds of thousands of acres of public land in Nevada? It feels like eons ago, but in reality, it was just a few months! A LOT happened in Nevada this year, so as 2025 wraps up, join me in taking a few minutes to look back at some of the biggest stories of the year.

I also wrote this month about the economic impact of outdoor recreation on Nevada — turns out, it’s no slouch, eking out several other major industries. So once you finish reading this newsletter, get outside — it’s good for your health, and, as I reported earlier this month, good for the state’s economy!

🥚💧🎄

January — With utility infrastructure nationwide causing a growing number of wildfires, NV Energy asked state regulators to allow it to charge customers additional costs to pay for a $500 million self-funded insurance policy. State energy regulators agreed the utility needs additional insurance, but wasn’t convinced that customers should pay for it. Stay tuned for a decision in 2026.

February — As bird flu swept through Nevada, trying to find eggs in early 2025 was a bit like searching for toilet paper during the pandemic.

March — Staff turnover, an archaic paper billing system and “lack of proper oversight” were highlighted in an eye-opening state audit of the Nevada Division of Forestry after it provided nearly $33 million in firefighting services it never billed for. The division has since made a sizable dent in recouping those costs.

April — Nevada wrapped up the 2024-25 water year with a fairly mediocre snowpack in much of the state, interspersed with abysmal conditions. This winter’s snowpack is starting off where last winter left off — underwhelming.

May — May was a packed month. Word spread that NV Energy had overcharged customers millions of dollars over roughly two decades; later in the month, the utility’s CEO abruptly departed after six years. And, a potential federal move that would have released hundreds of thousands of acres of public land across Nevada for sale and/or development faced serious pushback from both sides of the aisle. Former D.C. reporter Gabby Birenbaum wrote about it extensively, including this piece in which Rep. Mark Amodei (R-NV) defended his involvement.

June — Gov. Joe Lombardo signed a slew of environmental bills, including one to strengthen the state’s wildland firefighting capabilities, two bills that stand up unfunded water buyback programs and others to increase protections for utility customers.

July — The One Big Beautiful Bill Act rolled back utility-scale solar tax credits much sooner than anticipated. Was it a coincidence that just three months later, permitting for a massive solar project planned for Southern Nevada appeared to get scrapped?

August — The third time wasn’t a charm for Southern Nevada, which saw cuts for the third year in a row to its water allocations because of declining Colorado River flows. This water year isn’t starting too hot either — I’ll have a story on that in the coming weeks.

September — I was on vacation when the federal government announced it would take a 5 percent stake directly in Thacker Pass and another 5 percent stake in the project’s developer, Lithium Americas, before it would release the initial chunk of a critical, several billion-dollar loan necessary for construction. My co-workers Eric Neugeboren and Mini Racker looked into the Trump administration’s new trend of partial ownership of private enterprise while I was off.

October — The feds (sort of) announced the cancellation of a Vegas-sized solar project in rural Nevada. This one was tricky to report on because of the lack of information put out during the federal shutdown. Time will tell what, if any, parts of the project go forward in the wake of substantial federal cuts to solar tax credits.

November — The question of what to do about coyote killing contests in Nevada has been a hot topic in wildlife circles for years. Passage of regulations authorizing the contests were approved by the state wildlife commission and finalized several weeks later by state lawmakers, marking a (not-so-satisfying) end of the saga.

December — Toilet wax rings, competitive antennas and zombie trees — my co-worker Mini Racker and I had a great time writing about how a Nevada fir tree dubbed “Silver Belle” became our Capitol Christmas tree.

Great Basin National Park on Sept. 22, 2019. (Amy Alonzo/The Nevada Independent)

In the weeds:

Pricey park passes — Starting Jan. 1, annual passes to enter all parks managed under the National Park system — including Nevada’s Great Basin, Red Rock and Lake Mead — will cost more than three times as much for nonresidents than U.S. residents. Residents will pay $80 for annual passes while nonresidents will pay $250, according to the Department of the Interior.

Where’s the beef? — With limited options for in-state meat processing and inspections, the Nevada Department of Agriculture and the United States Department of Agriculture have created the Nevada State Meat and Poultry Inspection Program, allowing locally raised meat to be processed, inspected and sold in Nevada. The initiative was a priority of Gov. Joe Lombardo.

Not so clean — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has settled with Chedraui USA Inc., a Mexican company that owns El Super and Smart & Final, after the company sold unregistered disinfectants with labels making unverified statements in Nevada. Under the settlement, the company will pay more than $470,000 in fines; it has also removed the illegal products from its stores.

Cows grazing in Nevada. (Photo via iStock.com)

Here’s what else I’m reading (and listening to) this week:

I’ve shared stories on access to public land before; now, 99 Percent Invisible has a great breakdown of a yearslong legal battle between a Wyoming billionaire and some Missouri hunters he claims trespassed to access public land.

From ProPublica and High Country News: How wealthy ranchers profit from public lands with declining oversight.

The Daily Yonder writes that as winter approaches, rural Americans are struggling to afford heat.

And from the Los Angeles Times: California will now allow some mountain lions to be killed.

A closer look:

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Related Topics:Featured joe lombardo Mark Amodei

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Nevada

Travel Nevada Presents The Neon in Nature Series, Featuring Artwork by DARIUSTWIN, at the Nevada State Museum, Las Vegas, January 15 – April 6, 2026

Published

5 hours ago

January 8, 2026

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Travel Nevada Presents The Neon in Nature Series, Featuring Artwork by DARIUSTWIN, at the Nevada State Museum, Las Vegas, January 15 – April 6, 2026

Nevada Division of Tourism

Unique exhibition marks DARIUSTWIN’s first museum show in the U.S.

LAS VEGAS, NV / ACCESS Newswire / January 8, 2026 / Travel Nevada is proud to present The Neon in Nature Series, which features artwork by light painting photographer and animator Darren Pearson (better known as DARIUSTWIN)at the Nevada State Museum, Las Vegas, beginning January 15, 2026. The exhibition is DARIUSTWIN’s first U.S. museum show. To celebrate the exhibition opening, Travel Nevada will pay admission fees for the first 200 guests to arrive directly at the Nevada State Museum, Las Vegas on Thursday, January 15, 2026.

Created exclusively in Nevada, The Neon in Nature Series captures just some of the stunning landscapes and striking night skies that you’ll find in Nevada when you get a little out there – all juxtaposed with DARIUSTWIN’s signature light paintings infused with and inspired by Nevada character (and characters). The exhibition will inspire museum guests to visit the Nevada ghost towns, state parks, historical landmarks, and more that take center stage in this unique, vibrant, and whimsical exhibition.

“Nevada’s diverse surroundings and dark night skies provided an ideal backdrop to compose this series,” said DARIUSTWIN. “I’m grateful to the Travel Nevada team for commissioning the work and to the Nevada State Museum, Las Vegas, for housing my very first museum exhibition in the country. I’m hopeful that it will encourage museum guests to travel throughout Nevada, which I found was so rich in history and ripe with adventure opportunities.”

“When the Travel Nevada team first saw DARIUSTWIN’s work, we immediately knew that a partnership with him would inspire people to get a little out there in the state. The Neon in Nature Series is a creative take on what makes Nevada special,” said Rafael Villanueva, chief executive officer of Travel Nevada. “Additionally, we’re thrilled that this exhibition will be housed in the Nevada State Museum, Las Vegas. We share a mission with the museum to enhance the quality of life for Nevada’s visitors and residents, and what better place to host The Neon in Nature series than a city whose history is intertwined with neon?”

The Neon in Nature Series, Presented by Travel Nevada will be on view at the Nevada State Museum, Las Vegas through April 6, 2026.

“The Nevada State Museum, Las Vegas is delighted to host this art- and Nevada-focused installation by DARIUSTWIN,” said Hollis J. Gillespie, director of the Nevada State Museum, Las Vegas. “The Neon in Nature Series exemplifies our mission of educating the public about the history and natural history of the state, and it does so in an electrifying way. We look forward to sharing it with our visitors.”

EDITORS:  Select high-resolution images from The Neon in Nature Series, Presented by Travel Nevada are available here. Photo credit for all images: “Photo courtesy of Travel Nevada/DARIUSTWIN. ©️ 2024 DARIUSTWIN.”

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About Travel Nevada

The heart of Nevada shines through Travel Nevada, an organization focused on sharing the experiences, landmarks and living legends that make the Silver State a one-of-a-kind destination. Through community collaborations and strategic partnerships, we aim to connect with both locals and visitors alike, showcasing the sometimes-surprising, always-exciting treasures that keep people coming to Nevada. It’s theirs to explore-and ours to safekeep, from preserving our wild-at-heart way of life to our wide-open spaces. For more information, visit TravelNevada.com.

About the Nevada State Museum, Las Vegas

Founded in 1982, the mission of the Nevada State Museum, Las Vegas, serves to educate a diverse public about the history and natural history of Nevada. The museum collects, preserves, exhibits, and disseminates material that contributes to an understanding and appreciation of the state. For more information, visit https://www.lasvegasnvmuseum.org/

About DARIUSTWIN

Darren Pearson, known as DARIUSTWIN, is a light painting photographer and animator whose glowing creations have illuminated landscapes around the world. Using long-exposure photography and custom crafted LED lights, Darren “paints” with light in real time, creating skeletal figures, dinosaurs, aliens, and fantastical characters that exist for only a moment before disappearing into the night. His work has been featured by National Geographic, Intel, Honda, and Apple, among others.

Based in Southern California, Darren has been creating light paintings for more than a decade, transforming the ordinary into the extraordinary, one exposure at a time. See more at dariustwin.com and follow @dariustwin.

Contact:
Tracie Barnthouse, Chief Communications Officer
tbarnthouse@travelnevada.com; 775-624-0618

SOURCE: Nevada Division of Tourism

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire

Information contained on this page is provided by an independent third-party content provider. XPRMedia and this Site make no warranties or representations in connection therewith. If you are affiliated with this page and would like it removed please contact pressreleases@xpr.media

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Nevada

Nevada gets thrilling overtime win against Wyoming at home 70-60

Published

17 hours ago

January 8, 2026

Press Room

Nevada gets thrilling overtime win against Wyoming at home 70-60

RENO, Nev. (Nevada Athletics) – Nevada Women’s Basketball won its second straight game Wednesday night, getting a thrilling 70-60 overtime win against Wyoming at Lawlor Events Center.

Reigning Old Trapper Mountain West Freshman of the Week Skylar Durley led the Pack (6-9, 2-3 MW) in scoring with 18 points and led both teams in rebounds with a career high 14, recording her first double-double of her career.

Ahrray Young went 5-for-10 from the field for 11 points to go with eight boards.

Nevada’s resilience in the latter part of the fourth, which was punctuated by a key block from Young, forced the game into overtime.

The Pack’s shutdown defense held Wyoming (4-10, 1-4 MW) at bay in the final five, only allowing one point off of a free throw.

On the other end, the offense of Nevada went on a 6-0 run and shot 83.3 percent from the field.

Nevada outscored Wyoming 11-1 and held the Cowgirls without a field goal in OT.

The Pack opened regulation in perfect fashion, shooting a 7-for-7 from the field, 2-for-2 from three and 2-for-2 from the line in the first five minutes of action.

Nevada had a 10-0 run that was capitalized by holding Wyoming to a two-and-a-half minute scoring drought.

Through the first quarter, Nevada shot 64.3 percent and remained perfect from both deep and free throws.

Nevada’s hot start simmered in the second, only getting six points and closing the quarter on a field goal drought of just under four minutes.

Meanwhile, Wyoming’s shooting improved from the first, closing the gap to two.

Despite the slower quarter, Nevada carried its lead into the second half, 45-41.

The third quarter was nearly even, Nevada only shooting slightly better and outscoring Wyoming, 15-14.

The game stayed close through the fourth with three ties and four lead changes, leading to extra time.

As a team, the Pack outrebounded the Cowgirls, 40-28, and had 24 bench points to their six.

Nevada will hit the road and look to even its conference record as it faces New Mexico Saturday at 12 p.m.

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Nevada

Centennial vs. Liberty: Watch Nevada girls high school basketball showdown live

Published

1 day ago

January 7, 2026

Press Room

Centennial vs. Liberty: Watch Nevada girls high school basketball showdown live

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The defending 5A state champion Centennial Bulldogs (7-3) open conference play with a challenging road test Wednesday night when they travel to Henderson to face the Liberty Patriots (10-7) in a Nevada 5A Southern basketball clash.

Coach Karen Weitz’s Bulldogs, seeking their second consecutive state title, will rely on their formidable frontcourt duo of forwards Nation Williams and Inieye Oruh, complemented by standout guard Sanai Branch. They will face a Patriots squad that has shown marked improvement under head coach Lorenzo Jarvis, powered by senior leaders Samantha Chesnut and Kiana Harworth alongside junior standout Neviah Nick.

With Liberty’s home court advantage potentially neutralizing Centennial’s championship pedigree, this early conference matchup could set the tone for both teams’ title aspirations in the competitive 5A Southern division.

Opening tipoff is set for 6:30 p.m. PT on Wednesday, January 7 with a live TV broadcast on NFHS Network.

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