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Federal agency given deadline to explain why deadly Nevada wild horse roundup should continue

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Federal agency given deadline to explain why deadly Nevada wild horse roundup should continue


RENO, Nev. (AP) — A judge has asked federal land managers to explain why they should be allowed to continue capturing more than 2,500 wild horses in northeastern Nevada — a roundup opponents say is illegal and has left 31 mustangs dead in 26 days.

Wild Horse Education, a nonprofit seeking to protect the horses, has sued the Bureau of Land Management and is seeking a court order to temporarily halt the roundup halfway between Reno and Salt Lake City.

Among other things, it says the agency is violating its own safety standards that prohibit roundups in extreme heat and the use of helicopters to assist in the capture of the animals when foals are present.

More than 260 foals are among the 2,643 animals that have been rounded up for transport to government holding pens since July 9, the agency said on its website Saturday. Several-hundred more are expected to be gathered before the roundup ends Aug. 22.

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Democratic U.S. Rep. Dina Titus, of Nevada, has introduced a bill that would outlaw the use of helicopters under any circumstances to assist wranglers on horseback chasing the mustangs into traps — makeshift corals on the high-desert range.

She urged the chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee this week to expedite a hearing on her proposal due to the horse deaths, including one with a broken leg that was chased for 35 minutes before it was euthanized.

“Despite BLM’s directive to `humanely capture’ wild free-roaming horses and burros … the use of helicopters routinely creates frightening and deadly situations for horses as demonstrated in recent weeks,” Titus said.

“These horses have suffered through a host of tragic injuries, ranging from broken necks, broken legs and even dehydration due to the oppressive triple digit heat,” she wrote in a letter to the committee chairman, Republican U.S. Rep. Bruce Westerman, of Arkansas, and ranking U.S. Rep. Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz.

“Without meaningful reforms, BLM’s operations will continue to kill off these icons of the West in completely avoidable circumstances,” she wrote.

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So far, U.S. District Judge Larry Hicks in Reno has declined to grant the Aug. 1 request for a temporary restraining order to halt the Nevada roundup. But on Friday, he put the agency on notice it has until 4 p.m. Monday to formally respond to the allegations of illegal mistreatment of the animals.

He set a hearing for Wednesday to hear more detailed arguments if necessary from lawyers on both sides.

Nevada is home to nearly two-thirds of the 68,928 wild horses the bureau estimated on March 1 were roaming federal lands in 10 Western states stretching from California to Montana.

The bureau said in a court filing Wednesday that its latest roundup, which began July 9 between Elko and Ely near the Utah border, is a “crucial gather” because overpopulated herds are seriously damaging the range.

It said the estimated 6,852 horses there is nearly 14 times what the land can ecologically sustain. It says roundups typically have a mortality rate of less than 1%.

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Critics say the real purpose of the removals is to appease ranchers who don’t want horses competing with their livestock for precious forage in the high desert, where annual precipitation averages less than 10 inches (25 centimeters).

Wild Horse Education’s motion for a temporary restraining order says there’s no legitimate reason to conduct the current roundup in extreme heat with helicopters when foals are present, “especially when the BLM has plenty of time to conduct this gather in a humane manner as the law requires.”

“Without injunctive relief, plaintiffs will continue to be permanently and irrevocably harmed in witnessing the atrocious and horrific sights of wild horses and burros dying due to the inhumane handling, extreme heat and use of helicopters during foaling season.”





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Nevada

Southern Nevada team heading to Atlanta for hurricane response

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Southern Nevada team heading to Atlanta for hurricane response


LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – Friday, Nevada Task Force One was notified of possible deployment to assist in Hurricane Helene.

Program Manager Kenyon Leavitt received an alert notification around 3 a.m. Around 8 a.m., it was upgraded to a Type III activation. According to Clark County, that consists of 45 personnel.

Friday, Nevada Task Force One was notified of possible deployment to assist in Hurricane Helene.(Clark County)

NV-TF1 is one of 28 FEMA teams. It includes personnel from the Clark County Fire Department, Las Vegas Fire and Rescue, North Las Vegas Fire Department, Boulder City Fire Department, Henderson Fire Department, and private civilians.

The county says they are headed to Atlanta. It will take the team about 30 hours to travel and the mission could last for 14 days.

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The capabilities of this team consist of: Search, Recovery, Rescue, Heavy Rigging, Water Operations, Rescue K’9s, Intelligence Gathering, etc., and whatever else the community needs.

“We would like to thank all the supporting members on helping get this team out the door,” Clark County says. “We will periodically update Southern Nevada with how their efforts are going.”

Southern Nevada’s Red Cross team is also deploying two volunteers to Hurricane Helene.



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In August, Nevada sportsbooks generated $25 million in sports betting revenue, a YoY increase

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In August, Nevada sportsbooks generated  million in sports betting revenue, a YoY increase


On Thursday, the Nevada Gaming Commission reported $25 million in sports betting revenue. That was a notable year-over-year increase for operators in the state. Compared to their numbers from August 2023, the revenue was up 38.2%. That comfortably outpaced a 5.8% rise in the handle to $455.8 million. 

Revenue was down 3% from their figures in July despite a 21.3% upswing in their betting handle. In August, the $4.86 billion handle was down 3.9% compared to their figures in the first eight months of 2023. However, the $289.9 million is up 15.5%. Their 6.4% hold in 2024 is over one percentage point higher. Nevada’s year-to-date totals for state taxes are $19.6 million, roughly $2.6 million ahead of their pace last year.

Where did Nevada sportsbooks see the most wagers in August?

August has Week 0 of college football, NFL pre-season, MLB, and other various sporting events to bet on. While it’s not as busy as the fall, Nevada still saw increased revenue last month. Operators collected more than $8.7 million in revenue in August from football. That was a 72.9% increase from their figures in 2023. Additionally, Nevada’s $84.6 million handle was up 62.2% last year. That also beat their previous record of $72.3 million in August 2019. 

The “catch-all” category took a jump in revenue for August 2024. This includes golf, tennis, soccer, boxing, MMA, and auto racing. Nevada sportsbooks collected $7.6 million in revenue, a 64% YoY increase. Their betting handle from the “catch-all” category in August was $112.3 million. 

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This helped Nevada sportsbooks offset a negative shift in baseball wagering last month. Their revenue for baseball in August was 1.8% higher at $9.7 million. However, the betting action from April – August has decreased compared to 2023. Nevada’s $1.14 billion handle in that fourth-month span is down 15.4% YoY. Their $$61.5 million in revenue is also 10% lower.

How did mobile sportsbooks fare in Nevada?

Despite $14.8 million in revenue from mobile sportsbooks in August, Nevada’s 4.7% hold on $313 million worth of wagers is their lowest in 2024. Digital wagering accounted for 61.4% of the total revenue. That is on pace to be the highest percentage since the NCGB first published those figures in 2020. Retail sportsbooks had a 7.1% win rate in August, enough for $10.2 million in wagers from $142.8 million in wagers.



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Attorney weighs in on Nevada 'Stand-your-ground-laws' after deadly home robbery

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Attorney weighs in on Nevada 'Stand-your-ground-laws' after deadly home robbery


As Las Vegas Metro Police continue investigating a suspected home invasion case that left a suspect dead early Thursday morning, News 3 talked to local attorney Joseph Gersten of The Gersten Law Firm, who specializes in Criminal defense and Nevada Gun law about the rights homeowners have when it comes to protecting oneself while at home.

Gersten says cases where a victim opens fire against a suspected intruder vary, but in the incident that left an adult male dead, early Thursday morning, Gersten says it could be seen as self-defense.

“You are presumed essentially innocent if you’re in your own home and somebody comes in to commit a crime,” Gersten said.

According to Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department investigators around 7:30 Thursday morning, the residents at a home along Placer Drive near Torrey Pines and Harmon Avenue called 9-1-1 on a suspect who had just broken the glass to their front door and was attempting to break into their home.

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“The male was acting extremely irrationally and was not listening to what they were telling him. As they continued to tell him to leave the property at which time he moved towards the doorway where they were at, at where the homeowner felt the need to shoot the male,” said LVMPD Homicide Lieutenant Jason Johansson.

“As officers were dispatched towards this location, our dispatcher heard a shot being fired over the 9-1-1 call and the people who called 9-1-1 relayed that they had just shot the male who tried to break into their house,” Lt. Johansson added.

Once officers arrived at the scene they located the suspect, who is believed to be around 30-40 years old, suffering from a gunshot wound.

“Medical arrived shortly after and transported him to University Medical Center where unfortunately he was pronounced deceased,” said Lt. Johansson.

Gersten, says when it comes to ‘stand your ground laws’ in the state, Nevada has three main components ensuring homeowners are protected.

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“You’re allowed to stand your ground as long as you’re not the original aggressor. Meaning you didn’t bring the fight to wherever it is, you have a right to be present where the deadly force is used. So you’re not a trespasser or an unwelcome guest, something like that; and lastly you’re not engaged in legal conduct yourself,” Gersten added.

Essentially, Gersten says Nevada law gives victims the presumption of a justifiable homicide if the danger is imminent at the time the incident occurs.

“To avoid any issue all you need to do is close your door right? Close your door and call the police. So, again if the danger comes to you, you’re doing good. If the danger is something that you go to; not so good. That is where the laws will sort of turn on you.” Said Gersten.

LVMPD says no arrests were made in the case. However, police say once the investigation is complete, then it will be up to the Clark County’s District Attorney to determine whether charges will be filed.



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