Nevada
‘Massive confusion’: Nevada officials worry over looming federal funding pauses
Nevada elected officials and advocates raised alarms Tuesday following the Trump Administration’s pause on federal funding for grant, loan and federal financial assistance programs implicated by recent executive orders.
A federal judge temporarily blocked Trump’s push Tuesday afternoon, though some leaders worry the funding freezes on federal grants and funding will jeopardize services many Nevadans use — if the plan moves forward.
Trump Administration calls for funding pause
On Monday, President Donald Trump’s acting director of the Office of Management and Budget sent a memo requiring federal agencies to identify and review federal financial assistance programs, projects and activities “that may be implicated by any of the President’s executive orders” — citing specific orders, including ones on foreign aid, energy and diversity, equity and inclusion programs.
“The use of Federal resources to advance Marxist equity, transgenderism, and green new deal social engineering policies is a waste of taxpayer dollars that does not improve the day-to-day lives of those we serve,” the memo reads.
The memo said in the interim, federal agencies “must temporarily pause” all activities that might be implicated by the executive orders, “including, but not limited to, financial assistance for foreign aid, nongovernmental organizations, DEI, woke gender ideology and the green new deal.”
Sowing confusion
Trump’s order, which was set to go into effect 2 p.m. Tuesday, was met with confusion across the country and in Nevada, where leaders worried about the status of funding for a variety of services with federal funds. Judge Loren AliKhan’s administrative stay pauses the freeze until Monday.
Related: AG Ford, other attorneys general sue over Trump administration funding pause
Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nevada, said Tuesday she heard from Nevadans worried about accessing Medicaid and VA benefits, as well as concerns about law enforcement funding, housing assistance, Meals on Wheels and Head Start, a program for early learning and development.
Nevada’s Democratic legislative leaders, Senate Majority Leader Nicole Cannizzaro and Assembly Speaker Steve Yeager, said the freeze could impact Nevada’s state budget, as federal funding accounts for more than one-third of Nevada’s budget. It also funds services by local governments, the court system and local nonprofits.
“Trump’s funding freeze will cause massive confusion for Nevada families, delay delivery of vital services in health care and education, and could plunge our state budget into further chaos,” the legislative leaders said in the Tuesday morning statement.
Following the federal judge’s temporary block, Cannizzaro accused the Trump administration of reversing itself and saying the freeze doesn’t apply to as many programs vital to Nevadans. She called the judge’s decision a “temporary victory” and claimed Republicans in D.C. intend to target programs like food stamps and Medicaid.
The directive has already led to some questions from local education officials. The Clark County School District said it was seeking “further clarity on the language contained in the memo” from Trump’s budget office.
“Based on current information, we do not anticipate an immediate interruption to District programs and students’ services,” according to a Tuesday statement. “As we learn more about the impacts of this decision, we will inform our employees, families, and the community.”
Cannizzaro and Yeager urged Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo’s office to demand answers from the federal government and to call on reversing the decision.
Governor’s office on the lookout
Lombardo’s office said it is in communication with the White House and will participate in a larger meeting with the Office of Management and Budget to discuss the potential impacts to state agencies.
The office highlighted those programs with direct benefits to Nevadans such as Medicaid, Medicare, SNAP and Head Start, will not see interruptions.
“Despite the shameless political theater on this issue, the Office of the Governor will continue to provide state agencies and Nevadans with timely, accurate and correct information,” the governor’s office said in the statement.
A spokesperson for Rep. Mark Amodei, R-Nevada, said the office is engaged in ensuring scheduled payments like Medicaid and education programs are still flowing.
“We’re confident that they are, but that’s where the focus is right now,” Amodei Communications Director Carrie Kwarcinski, said in an email.
Rep. Susie Lee, D-Nevada, expressed concern that hospitals and health care providers will be forced to discontinue services, and federally funded infrastructure projects will halt. She also warned that people won’t get the food they need, and federal research into cancer treatment and cures will also pause, she said.
“All of this is just a fraction of what could be affected by Trump’s order,” Lee said. “It’s not just a presidential power grab – it’s plain wrong.”
National outlets reported Tuesday that states’ Medicaid payments were paused. A spokesperson for the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services said the agency was “reviewing funding sources and evaluating the potential impact of the federal grant and loan pause on programs,” but did not specify whether it still had access to funds.
Contact Jessica Hill at jehill@reviewjournal.com and McKenna Ross at mross@reviewjournal.com. Follow @jess_hillyeah and @mckenna_ross_ on X.
Katie Futterman contributed to this report.
LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — Nevada is teaming up with a screen tourism app to help visitors find, and go to, the real-world locations behind famous movie and TV moments.
The Governor’s Office of Economic Development and Film Nevada announced a new partnership with SetJetters, an app that maps filming locations around the world and encourages users to visit them in person.
Film Nevada Director Kim Spurgeon says the app makes it easier for fans to “relive their favorite cinematic moments,” pointing to Nevada staples like The Shootist house in Carson City, Genoa’s main street featured in Misery, the Ocean’s Eleven closing scene at the Fountains of Bellagio, and the Hangover quote many visitors still repeat in Las Vegas: “Did Caesar live here?”
AMPLIFIED: New guidebook highlights hidden gems across Las Vegas for locals, visitors alike
So what changes for movie fans—and for Nevada tourism?
Through the SetJetters campaign, users will be able to discover more movie, TV, and video-game locations across Nevada, along with additional film-related points of interest. There’s also a new Las Vegas-area badge users can earn by visiting 12 select scenes, and the app allows people to submit filming locations they think should be included.
“Screen tourism is no longer a niche campaign idea; it’s a core travel channel,” said SetJetters CEO Erik Nachtrieb. “Nevada’s cinematic history, from mountain and desert backdrops to the neon of Las Vegas and Reno, makes it a natural stage for this next phase of bringing films to the state. The real opportunity now is conversion, and this is exactly where Film Nevada’s partnership with SetJetters comes in. What we’re really looking at is the evolution from destination marketing to destination storytelling with screen content at the center.”
You can download the app from Apple or Google.
Copyright 2026 KVVU. All rights reserved.
LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — State officials say they are ready to provide assistance to the 999 people laid off from Spirit Airlines.
The Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation (DETR) said it will support former Spirit employees with reemployment services, retraining opportunities and more.
Impacted workers can also file for unemployment insurance at NUI.nv.gov.
“DETR is committed to supporting every Nevada worker affected by the Spirit Airlines layoffs,” department Director Christopher Sewell said in a statement. “Our team is ready to provide timely resources, guidance, and individualized assistance to help impacted employees navigate their next steps.”
Rapid Response is a free program that provides strategies for layoffs and plant closures. It quickly coordinates services and provides immediate support to employers and affected workers.
Employees can access no-cost career and training services through EmployNV. This includes career counseling and job-search assistance, skills assessments and re-skilling opportunities, and training grants for high-demand career fields.
Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo encouraged anyone who was laid off to use DETR’s resources.
“Our priority is getting folks back to work right away, and the state stands ready to assist with no-cost employment services to help with the transition,” Lombardo said in a statement.
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Spirit ceased operations on May 2 after failing to secure a government bailout. The company notified Nevada DETR that it was laying off 999 employees based at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas as a result.
LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — A case out of Southern California is raising new concerns for parents across Nevada as high-powered electric motorcycles grow in popularity.
In the California case, a mother is facing criminal charges after prosecutors said her 14-year-old son hit and killed an 81-year-old Vietnam veteran with an e-motorcycle. She is now charged with involuntary manslaughter after law enforcement reportedly warned her about her son using the device a year ago.
Legal experts said similar consequences could apply in Nevada, depending on the circumstances.
“I think that warning is what’s triggering the criminal liability and this intention of involuntary manslaughter case,” Ray Johnson, a Nevada attorney and former FBI assistant special agent in charge, said. “In Nevada, you would have something similar, but it’s got to be around willful misconduct and delinquency. So, if a mom, the dad, the parent, or the guardian is willfully involved with not teaching them to do the right things, or it’s improper equipment, or they’re allowing them to do things, they could get a criminal charge.”
Across the Las Vegas Valley, electric motorcycles and other high-speed e-devices are becoming more common, especially among young riders. Law enforcement said some can reach speeds of 60 miles per hour, raising safety concerns when used by minors.
Under Nevada law, parents can be held financially responsible, up to $10,000, for damages caused by a minor’s willful misconduct, which results in any injury or death to another person or injury to the private property of another or to public property.
In some cases, parents could also face criminal consequences if they knowingly allow a child to engage in illegal or unsafe behavior involving vehicles.
Officer Luis Vidal with Las Vegas Metropolitan Police said those situations are evaluated on a case-by-case basis, with investigators looking at the circumstances.
“I think it’s very important for parents to understand that when the police department investigates anything that is something that we look at.”
The Clark County District Attorney’s Office would formally file charges in a case. News 3 has reached out to the office and is waiting for a response regarding what prosecutors would consider in a case involving a minor and an e-motorcycle.
North Las Police shared with News 3, “The topic of potential parental liability related to incidents involving e-motorcycles or e-bikes is best addressed by the City Attorney’s Office, as it involves legal interpretation and potential charging considerations.
Additionally, the City of North Las Vegas does not currently have a finalized version of specific e-bike or e-motorcycle ordinances in place. As such, any enforcement or liability would be evaluated on a case-by-case basis under existing laws.”
As these devices continue to surge in popularity, authorities said awareness and supervision are key to preventing serious accidents and potential legal consequences.
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