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Latest COVID strain doesn’t appear to pose a threat in Las Vegas Valley

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Latest COVID strain doesn’t appear to pose a threat in Las Vegas Valley


Wastewater is an early warning system for COVID and other diseases, and a collaborative effort in Nevada appears to be the first in the nation to detect a new strain of the disease — known as FLiRT.

“We detected it as early as March 29,” said UNLV Professor Dr. Edwin Oh, director of the UNLV lab that monitors wastewater in southern and northern Nevada, adding that his check of various websites from labs across the country that do such wastewater monitoring, indicates UNLV was first in finding the new variant.

The goal of the wastewater surveillance and research is to determine if any new strain of the constantly evolving disease — that once killed 25,000 Americans a week at its height in 2020 — might pose a problem for humans.

“So far it does not look like it (FLiRT) poses any major threats,” Oh said of the the two variants — KP.1 and KP.2. — that are mutations of FLiRT.

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“We nerd out a lot on the different pathogens and variants,” Oh said of his crew that includes UNLV undergrads and wastewater treatment plant operators. About 15 different sites are checked weekly in Clark County and three or four sites in Northern Nevada.

The effort is to warn and protect the community from COVID variants that could raise the risk of major sickness potential.

Genetic material from the virus that causes COVID-19 can be found in human waste even when individuals have no symptoms. Tracking the amount of viral genetic material (viral load) in wastewater is an emerging method of monitoring increasing and decreasing trends of the virus in communities.

Wastewater surveillance has been ongoing for years. The most recent variant that raised eyebrows was JN.1 around Christmas time, Oh said. “It had about 50 mutations and a lot of us were concerned that it might bring added risk to the immunocompromised (population) or the vaccine resistant (population).”

The wastewater monitoring project is a collaboration between Southern Nevada Health District, Southern Nevada Water Authority, Desert Research Institute and UNLV.

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Contact Marvin Clemons at mclemons@reviewjournal.com.



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Nevada

RFK Jr. meets signature requirements to appear on Nevada ballot

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RFK Jr. meets signature requirements to appear on Nevada ballot


Robert F. Kennedy’s presidential campaign submitted the required number of valid signatures in order to appear on Nevada’s ballot in November, the secretary of state’s office confirmed Friday.

Kennedy’s campaign in Nevada submitted more than 22,000 valid signatures to county clerks in early July in order to qualify as an independent presidential candidate.

In a notice sent Friday, the secretary of state’s office said that based on the examination conducted by county election officials, the office determined that the total number of signatures exceeds the number of valid signatures necessary to declare the petition for candidacy necessary.

The Kennedy campaign must next submit the names of the six primary and six alternate electors that would certify the election for Kennedy if he were to win.

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Notice of Sufficiency of Petition for Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Independent Candidate for United States Preside… by Jessica Hill on Scribd

Contact Jessica Hill at jehill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @jess_hillyeah on X.



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Nevada

Planning phase underway for College of Southern Nevada's northwest campus

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Planning phase underway for College of Southern Nevada's northwest campus


LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The development of the College of Southern Nevada’s Northwest campus has taken another step forward after the state allocated $4.5 million for the planning phase, said CSN’s Vice President of Academic Affairs James McCoy.

He showed me the plans that they’ve come up with so far, which includes photos from similar campuses in other parts of the country.

“The blue would be a 60,000 square foot law enforcement academy coupled with some general education and student support services to support those students and others throughout the northwest,” he told me as he pointed to the tentative plans. “It would include the parking as we talk about the land development. You need that. It will include the central plant to operate the campus and the building.”

They’re still deciding on whether an emergency vehicle operations course will be included in phase one.

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The reason he calls them potential plans is because the project is based on funding by the state legislature.

“Our goal is to be 100% construction documents in hand by the time the legislative session is wrapping up, so June of 2025,” he said.

Then come the inspections and everything else needed before construction can begin.

As for the cost of the actual construction, it’s yet to be determined.

“Still a work in progress,” said McCoy. “We’ll know much more as the state public works prepares for the presentations of all the capital projects for the entire state. That is slated for Aug.28 and 29.”

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By the time it’s all said and done, the first phase has to be shovel ready by June 2026, or else they risk losing the land.





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Nevada

Shelter in place ordered in Dayton

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Shelter in place ordered in Dayton


RENO, Nev. (KOLO) – The Lyon County Sheriff’s Office is asking people in Dayton to shelter in place as deputies search for an armed suspect.

Specifically those who live in the area of Woodlake/Brookfield/Woodside should use caution.

Deputies are searching the area for a male subject last seen wearing a black shirt and possibly has a large cut on his neck, forehead and wrists. He is reportedly armed with a knife and possibly a danger to himself especially and others.

If you see someone who matches the description, please do not approach or attempt to apprehend the subject, CALL 911.

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