Nevada
Nevada County considers legalizing RV living in effort to address housing crunch
NEVADA COUNTY – Living in an RV is illegal in Nevada County, yet the RV living community estimates there are more than 1,000 of them living under the radar. But county leaders could be bringing those people into the light with a potential new ordinance that would legalize RV living.
“What people don’t realize is that people are already doing it. We tend to be very discreet because we’re paranoid, ya know, don’t want to get reported,” said Nevada County resident Tom Durkin, who lives in a trailer.
Durkin has been a leader in advocating for alternative housing for more than six years.
“I’ve got excellent credit, no criminal history, I’m well educated and I couldn’t find a place to live,” he said.
Having been homeless himself, he’s since found refuge in a trailer in an undisclosed location, because living there is illegal in Nevada County.
The county’s current ordinance says you can only live in an RV or trailer for up to 90 days between April and October.
“Housing is extremely hard to find, and RVs and trailers aren’t the ideal solution, but they’re the best solution for right now, because there’s no place to go,” Durkin said.
After passing an ordinance to allow for permanent living in tiny homes on wheels in January, Nevada County is now considering making RV trailer living permanent, too.
“It’s part of the direction and leadership from the board of supervisors who felt that we could do more to help our citizens in Nevada County with housing needs,” said interim director of housing with Nevada County, Tyler Barrington.
The county said they want the community’s input for a draft ordinance. They’ll be holding four public meetings over the next few months.
“RVs are not typically designed for long-term habitation, so health and safety will be a primary thing we’ll be looking at, to make sure adequate water and safety is there,” Barrington said.
“Must have septic, must have running water. Minimum health and safety standards, but it’s insane for us to say it’s illegal to live in a trailer, but then making people live outside,” Durkin said.
The county said they want to hear it all: concerns, complaints, advocacy. Ultimately, they’re trying to address the housing crisis while keeping low-income residents in mind.
“My goal is to get people housed. Getting into a trailer is the first step, then you have an address. You can get your job going, get the kids enrolled in school, then you can look for housing,” Durkin said.
The county expects to have a draft ordinance ready in June or July.
Sunday marks the beginning of a weather pattern change across northern Nevada, bringing cooler temperatures and increasing cloud cover after Saturday’s triple-digit heat.
Sunday’s forecast in Reno
Reno reached 100 degrees on Saturday, but Sunday’s forecast high drops to 93 degrees. Around 8 a.m., temperatures will be in the lower 70s before climbing into the 80s by noon. Skies will become mostly cloudy throughout the day, with a slight 20% chance of showers during the evening. Most areas, however, are expected to remain dry.
Sunday’s wind-gust future-cast
Temperatures around Lake Tahoe will also trend cooler. Early morning temperatures will start in the lower 60s before warming into the upper 70s by noon. South Lake Tahoe’s forecast high is 81 degrees. Clouds will increase through the day, with a slight 20% chance of evening showers.
Sunday’s Euro Model: Some areas may see a shower or two during the evening hours (20% chance)
Southwest winds will be present, sustained between 5 and 10 mph, with gusts up to 20 mph.
Be sure to stay with News4 for the latest weather information, both on-air and online. Check out the latest forecast with our Weather Authority team here.
Growing communities, and new, large-scale projects popping up left and right.
It’s a time of rapid growth here in the western United States, and experts say over the next decade, electricity demand is expected to jump more than 20% across the region.
In anticipation of the bump, Nevada and 10 other western states formed a group called the Western Transmission Expansion Coalition, aiming to bring more power to those who need it.
They want to establish a regional framework and prioritize high-impact transmission lines, while urging Congress and the Trump administration to move projects along faster.
This agreement comes after several solar plans have been delayed in Nevada, following the order last year that Interior Secretary Doug Burgum must personally review all projects.
Joe Lombardo detailed the Silver State’s continued economic success depends on reliable, affordable energy, saying in a statement… “As our state expands and attracts new businesses, we need the infrastructure to support that growth. This agreement shows that western states can work together to modernize our grid, protect ratepayers, and build the transmission network needed to power the next generation of economic opportunity.”
Olivia Tanager, Executive Director of the Sierra Club Toiyabe Chapter, says the region is growing rapidly, and new transmission is needed. But she noted that when the new power is going to data centers or natural gas plants, she’s not in favor.
“We were promised that the green link transmission projects were going to help decarbonize our grid and be the answer to renewable energy in Nevada. And instead, what we’re seeing is we’re seeing data centers and natural gas plants being hooked up directly to those projects,” said Tanager.
How smartphone apps turn your night sky into a space map
Astronomy apps help you spot constellations, planets and satellites in real time using your smartphone.
Skywatchers across the U.S. are about to be treated to a dazzling weekend filled with not only two active meteor showers, but a celestial alignment starring the moon.
For two nights, Earth’s only natural satellite will host a cosmic party with three planets — Mars, Saturn and Uranus.
The phenomenon, often called a planet parade, presents spectators with a rare opportunity to see not only multiple planets, but also the moon, appear close together in the night sky — at least, from Earth’s vantage.
The best part of the show? Most of the striking spectacle — with the exception of Uranus — will be visible to the naked eye.
Here’s everything to know about the rare sight, as well as when, how and where you can see it across the United States.
Moon to appear in sky with Mars, Saturn, Uranus
The moon will appear in the night sky before sunrise on Saturday, July 11 and Sunday, July 12, NASA said in a monthly skywatching guide.
What is a planet parade?
While the term “planet parade” is not an official astronomy term, it is an unofficial way for astronomers and stargazers to refer to certain celestial events.
The planets in our solar system orbit the sun essentially along a line across the sky in a flat disc-shaped plane called the ecliptic.
Another term for a certain kind of planetary alignment, planet parades are what happens when planets line up along the ecliptic in a straight line and appear to us on Earth to be marching across the night sky, according to NASA. So, while planetary alignments themselves aren’t special, it is notable to have an opportunity to observe multiple planets at once.
How full will the moon be? What to know about lunar phase
During the celestial alignment, the moon will be entering a waning crescent phase before we have a new moon, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac. That means Earth’s only natural satellite is getting less and less full and bright each night as its crescent gets thinner and thinner, NASA explains.
That’s good news for stargazers, as the moon will still be visible without outshining the planets nearby.
Where to see the planet parade in Nevada
Look toward the eastern sky to catch the cosmic lineup in the early morning.
While the moon will of course be the easiest to locate, Mars will look like a small reddish point of light, while Saturn is also bright and easy to spot, NASA explained in a video.
For the clearest views, there are several places that are an easy drive from Reno where you can get a clear view of the stars, including:
- Lake Tahoe: Multiple locations around the lake are excellent for stargazing that are less than an hour from Reno.
- Fort Churchill State Park The park on Alt. 95 south of Silver Springs provides a dark night sky ideal for evening astronomical events among the ruins of Fort Churchill. Park entrance costs $5 for Nevada residents and $10 for non-residents.
- Pyramid Lake: A popular spot for Renoites seeking a night of stargazing, the lake is less than an hour from The Biggest Little City. It offers beautiful natural wonders and dark skies that give a clear view of lunar eclipses, meteor showers and full moons.
Northwestern Nevada weather forecast for planetary parade
Cloudy conditions may bring relief from the recent heat wave, but they could spoil the early-morning view of the planetary parade in much of northwestern Nevada.
Reno, Carson City and Minden
- Friday: Clear and breezy overnight; lows 56-66.
- Saturday: Partly cloudy, then mostly cloudy overnight; lows 60-70.
- Sunday: Mostly cloudy overnight; lows 61-71.
Lake Tahoe and the central Sierra
- Friday: Clear and breezy overnight; lows 45-55.
- Saturday: Partly cloudy, then mostly cloudy overnight; lows 48-58.
- Sunday: Mostly cloudy overnight; lows 49-59.
Do you need a telescope to see celestial alignment?
Mars and Saturn are among the five planets in our solar system visible without optical aid — along with Mercury, Venus and Jupiter. Telescopes certainly will enhance the view but spectators don’t need any equipment to spot those planets joining the moon in the pre-dawn sky.
As for Uranus, the planet is typically not as bright — despite being the third largest in our solar system — and will require a telescope to see, NASA said.
Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at elagatta@usatodayco.com. The Reno Gazette Journal’s Carly Sauvageau and Brett McGinness contributed to this report.
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