Nevada
Nevada Is Ground Zero for Climate Change | Election Letters | Zócalo Public Square
More than 400 people have died from heat-related illnesses in southern Nevada in 2024, the largest recorded number of heat-related deaths documented in the region in a single year. That’s not the final tally, either. Officials only report “cases” where identification is confirmed and next of kin is notified.
While the largest number of heat-related deaths documented in a single year should be enough to garner headlines, it’ll much more likely become a grim statistic in a state where the climate crisis is unfolding before our very eyes.
Data shows that Reno and Las Vegas are the fastest-warming cities in the country, with the average annual temperature increasing by more than seven and five degrees, respectively, since 1970. Excessive heat has contributed to a water crisis and has exacerbated the near-constant threat of wildfire. In Nevada, the average number of wildfires larger than 1,000 acres has doubled each year since 1970. Last month, a 5,828-acre blaze fueled by high winds and dry pine threatened thousands of homes in Reno forcing evacuations, now common for many living along the eastern Sierra.
Nevadans have, by and large, noticed. Most understand that climate change is real and already affecting how we live and that more needs to be done to mitigate its effects. A 2022 poll found that more than half of Clark County (Las Vegas) and nearly two-thirds of Washoe County (Reno) respondents said climate change impacts them on a daily basis.
And yet, climate doesn’t appear to be making an impact on this election cycle. Poll after poll has shown that voters here are more concerned about the economy, immigration, abortion rights, and defending democracy from “the other guy.”
Why? Perhaps because when Nevadans think about climate change, it’s almost always couched in faraway-seeming discussions about energy production.
The state has become ground zero for developing and implementing large-scale “green energy” projects. That’s thanks in part to the Inflation Reduction Act. Since its passage in 2022, the Biden Administration has poured billions of dollars into the state to support Nevada’s water infrastructure, wildfire restoration and mitigation efforts, and the clean energy economy.
In recent months, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management—which oversees the roughly 85% of Nevada land owned by the federal government—has greenlit several industrial solar developments and the construction of a massive 350-mile energy transmission project that includes power lines running through desert tortoise and sage grouse habitat as well as Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument.
Historically known for mining, Nevada is also seeing a new boom focused on lithium, the mineral needed to manufacture batteries for electric vehicles and renewable energy storage. The state has the only operating lithium mine in the U.S., with more on the way.
When Nevadans think about climate change, it’s almost always couched in faraway-seeming discussions about energy production.
However, those investments have failed to resonate with voters because they often happen in incredibly rural areas like Silver Peak, Nevada. Take a drive out there, I dare you. It’s in the middle of nowhere in a state filled with nowhere.
Roughly four hours from the heart of Las Vegas, the hamlet is nestled on the side of a mountain. A sea of fine, white powder and evaporative pools used in the extraction process stretch across the basin. Rock outcroppings with names like Alcatraz Island, Angel Island, and Goat Island lend to the illusion that you’re driving across the San Francisco Bay.
Yet, on the other side of that mountain is land virtually untouched since colonization, valleys home to Tiehm’s buckwheat, a species listed endangered in 2022.
According to the Bureau of Land Management, this land is now open for solar energy development and lithium extraction. Many environmental groups have voiced support for the increased focus on renewable energy development, but they have also questioned the federal government’s approach, leading to mixed feelings from even the most diehard green energy proponents.
Such controversies place Nevada at the forefront of climate change regulation debates, yet they happen almost entirely on the fringes. For most Nevadans, the effects of climate policies are still too abstract to sway their votes. Talking points about whether families can cool their houses in the summer and pay for the gas needed to make it to work are far easier to grasp than potential carbon reduction if X policy is implemented over Y agenda.
Who can blame voters?
Nevada’s economy has remained sluggish since the pandemic. The unemployment rate is the worst of any state in the country, while wage growth among hourly employees is the slowest. And that’s saying something, considering Nevada’s wages are already among the lowest in the country.
There’s also the rising cost of … everything. Housing is the most obvious, fueled by the relentless tide of Californians pulling up stakes from their Golden State and moving east for cheaper pastures. Nevadans also pay more for childcare, groceries, and gas than just about anywhere else in the country.
So it’s unsurprising that climate change has again taken a back seat to pocketbook issues in Nevada this election cycle.
Let’s hope that voters here recognize their role in addressing the climate crisis in their backyard sooner rather than later.
And if they don’t, let’s hope the casino air conditioners never go out.
Paul Boger lives in Reno and is the politics and state government reporter for Nevada Public Radio.
This “Election Letter” is part of a year-long Zócalo inquiry, “Can Democracy Survive This Election Year?,” looking at countries holding elections in 2024.
Primary editor: Jackie Mansky | Secondary editor: Eryn Brown
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
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
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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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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.
• WATCH: Centennial vs. Liberty basketball is livestreaming on NFHS Network
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How to watch Centennial vs. Liberty basketball livestream
What: Defending champ Centennial faces resurgent Liberty in 5A Southern showdown
When: Tipoff is set for 6:30 p.m. PT on Wednesday, January 7
Where: Liberty High School | Henderson, Nevada
Watch live: Watch Centennial vs. Liberty live on the NFHS Network
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