Uncommon Knowledge
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Nevada
Nevada Republicans lose legal fight over mail ballots
On Wednesday, a federal judge dismissed a lawsuit filed by national and Nevada state Republicans that aimed to bar the state from counting mail ballots received up to four days after Election Day.
The case, brought by the Republican National Committee (RNC), the Nevada Republican Party, and former President Donald Trump’s campaign, alleged that Nevada’s electoral law violates federal law and gives Democrats an unfair advantage.
In the order filed Wednesday, the court stated, “Plaintiffs lack standing to challenge the Nevada mail ballot receipt deadline and dismisses this case for lack of subject-matter jurisdiction.”
Nevada’s current electoral law, passed by Democrats in 2021, allows election officials to tally ballots received by 5 p.m. on November 9, as long as they are postmarked by November 5, Election Day. If the envelopes are not clearly postmarked, they must be received by 5 p.m. three days after the election.
The judge wrote, “The causal link between counting mail ballots received after Election Day in Nevada and Organizational Plaintiffs’ alleged electoral injuries is too speculative to support standing.”
Newsweek reached out to the Nevada Secretary of State, Republican National Committee, Nevada Republican Party, and Trump’s campaign for comment via email on Wednesday night.
The Republican-backed case argued that Democrats are more likely to vote by mail and to vote later, making them more likely to cast mail ballots received after Election Day.
“Even if the first two points have been adequately pled—which is not altogether clear—it does not necessarily follow that mail ballots arriving after Election Day will skew Democratic,” the judge wrote, adding, “And even if later-arriving mail ballots have favored Democrats past elections, it is far from guaranteed that Nevada voters will behave similarly this November.”
In a statement to the Associated Press (AP), Claire Zunk, the RNC’s Election Integrity spokesperson, maintained that the post-Election Day mail ballot deadline still breaks federal law and that “a liberal judge unjustifiably dismissed our case.”
“We are committed to protecting the ballot, and we will pursue further legal action in this case,” Zunk added.
The legal move comes just under four months before Election Day in a key swing state that President Joe Biden narrowly won by 33,500 votes in 2020 against former President Donald Trump. The state carries 6 Electoral College votes.
Biden is trailing former President Donald Trump in Nevada, according to a YouGov/The Times/SAY poll of 800 registered voters in the state. The poll, which was conducted between July 4 and July 12, found Trump leading by 4 percentage points, 46 percent to 42 percent. The survey has a margin of error of 4.7 percent, which places Biden in a neck-and-neck tie in the state.
Biden has been in the state since Monday, speaking at the NAACP annual conference yesterday. He was scheduled to address the largest Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization, UnidosUS, this afternoon before testing positive for COVID-19 and self-isolating.
PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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.
A Nevada man is believed to have suffered a deadly fall while climbing in Oregon.
He’s been identified as 77-year-old Robert Pickering.
Search and rescue crews say they found his body along Mount Washington, northwest of Bend, according to a social media post from the Linn County Sheriff’s Office.
A climbing guide reported hearing a rockslide near the summit after Pickering passed his group.
The Washoe County Sheriff’s Office was one of several groups that assisted in the search.
RENO, Nev. – A homicide suspect from Montana took their own life on Thursday night after police surrounded their car in northwest Reno, reports KTVN 2 News Nevada.
The incident happened in the area of Sharlands Avenue around 9 p.m., according to a spokesperson for the Reno Police Department.
Officers located the suspect and surrounded their car, blocking them in. They then heard a single gunshot and backed away.
Reinforcements were called, and a drone was brought in by UNRPD. It was then confirmed the suspect was in their car, dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, the news agency reports.
The suspect has not been identified pending the notification of next of kin, and no additional information has been released at this time.
In addition to the Reno Police Department, the Regional Narcotics Unit and Washoe County Sheriff’s Office also responded.
The investigation is ongoing.
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