Nevada

Nevada’s newest state park celebrates grand opening after years of delay

Published

2 years ago

January 16, 2024

Nevada’s newest state park celebrates grand opening after years of delay

After seven years, three governors and much anticipation from community members and paleontology lovers, Ice Age Fossils State Park is finally opening to the public.

The park celebrated its long-awaited opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Tuesday, though the park won’t officially open to the public until Saturday.

With 3 miles of trails and an interactive visitors center for kids of all ages, the 315-acre park tells the story of Las Vegas 25,000 years ago, when dire wolves and prehistoric camels roamed the valley’s lush marshlands that have since dried up.

Originally announced under Gov. Brian Sandoval’s “Explore Your Nevada Initiative” in 2017, the park was set to open in mid-2018. But, supply chain issues and a global pandemic threw a wrench in the park’s plans, Park Supervisor Garrett Fehner said.

“We were really optimistic about our timeline starting out, and then, of course, COVID happened,” Fehner said. “That was a challenging time to be a state employee because the state didn’t have money all of a sudden — we had money that had been allotted to this project that got taken back by the state.”

Support from local nonprofits Protectors of Tule Springs and the Ice Age Park Foundation, along with the Helmsley Charitable Trust, which gave $3.5 million to the project, helped bring the park to fruition, Fehner said.

“That was a challenging time, but we worked through it and it makes it even more meaningful on a day like today when you can see the end result of that work,” he said.

‘We have got to save this’

Ice Age Park Foundation President Helen Mortenson was lauded during the ribbon-cutting ceremony for being instrumental in getting land protected as a state park.

Mortenson said that when she first moved to Las Vegas in 1962, she quickly became enamored with the “Big Dig” project at Tule Springs — a massive archeological excavation that began that year where scientists moved more than 200,000 tons of dirt to uncover fossils thousands of years old.

The project’s remnants are protected by the state park today.

“It opened a whole new world for me, and I said, ‘We have got to save this,” Mortenson said.

Soon, scientists, the Nevada State Museum and politicians, including Mortenson’s husband, Harry Mortenson, who served as a state legislator, were working together to tell people about the area and find a way to protect the ice age fossils, she said.

“(Sen.) Harry Reid said ‘I had no idea that was out there,’” she recalled. “We just kept growing and growing — and look at what we’ve accomplished today.”

Sandy Croteau, vice president of Protectors of Tule Springs, said that when she learned in 2006 that the area was going to be sold off by the Bureau of Land Management for development, she worked with other members of her community to form a coalition to protect the area.

“We contacted our senators, congressmen — anybody that would listen to us about how this land needs to be saved.” Croteau said. “With all the fossils out here, they were going to build houses, but this land needed to be saved for future generations.”

Croteau said people in Las Vegas who have supported the area’s protection for years are waiting eagerly for the park to finally open.

“They are so excited. … This has been high up on people’s list of things to do,” she said.

Future plans

Though the park hasn’t even opened to the public yet, Jonathan Brunjes, deputy administrator for Nevada State Parks, said the park hopes to one day facilitate research opportunities for UNLV students at the park’s archaeological sites.

“We’d love to have a repository here where people can come and actually see them working on the fossils in real time,” Brunjes said. “Hopefully, we find more out here. That’s a neat thing about a state park is there’s always something new to discover.”

The park also plans to host guided hikes to show people where fossils are located along the trails, and field trips for students to learn more about Las Vegas’ history, Brunjes said.

Fehner said the park will start out being open only on Saturdays and Sundays, with hopes of expanding to more days of the week in the future.

“This park is just gonna get better and better.”

Contact Taylor Lane at tlane@reviewjournal.com

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Nevada

California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks to Nevada Democrats in Las Vegas

Published

2 hours ago

March 5, 2026

Press Room

California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks to Nevada Democrats in Las Vegas

California Gov. Gavin Newsom addressed Nevada Democrats who packed a Las Vegas brewery Wednesday evening for a discussion about his upbringing, his political life and efforts his state has taken to combat the Trump administration agenda.

Newsom, who has been floated as a possible White House contender for 2028, sidestepped a quip from former Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak who introduced him as the next U.S. president amid cheers from the crowd.

“I’m very grateful for your friendship, and a friendship that’s only strengthened over the course of the last year or so,” Newsom told Sisolak.

Book tour stop

The event, which served as a book tour stop for the California governor, was organized by the Nevada Democratic Party. It took place at Nevada Brew Works near Summerlin.

Nevada Assemblymember Daniele Monroe-Moreno, the state party chair running for North Las Vegas mayor, moderated the discussion.

It was part of the party’s Local Brews + National Views series that’s been bringing Democrats for similar discussions at intimate venues. Past speakers have included former President Joe Biden, Arizona U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly, and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker.

Criticizing President Donald Trump, Newsom spoke about the immediate aftermath of the 2024 general election.

“We were handwringing, a lot of finger pointing, and a sense of weakness,” Newsom said. “And just incapable of dealing with this moment, this existential moment.”

He said he is taking account for what he described as his own complicity.

“This happened on my watch. This is all happening on our watch,” Newsom said. “And so I realized that I needed to be better.”

That included his advocacy to redraw California’s Congressional map after Trump called for the same in Texas, he said.

“They’re not screwing around, nor are we,” he said about Trump and his administration. “All of us.”

‘You’re giving us a voice’

Newsom spoke out against the surge of federal immigration enforcement operations in California and later Minnesota, calls from the Trump administration to nationalize elections, and cuts to government funding due to the One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act.

He said that pushback against Trump’s policies, including dozens of lawsuits filed by California, were making the president retreat on some of his proposals and policies.

“You’re filling the void, you’re giving us a voice, you’re giving us courage,” he told the crowd. “For things to change, we have to change. And it’s changing.”

The Republican National Committee reacted to Newsom’s Las Vegas visit. Earlier in the day, Newsom attended a private Boulder City event.

“Democrats are selling out to the spoiled, phony rich kid governor from California for years,” RNC spokesperson Nick Poche wrote in a statement. “President Donald Trump and Republicans are delivering major tax cuts and keeping Nevadans safe, unlike Democrats.”

The national Republican Party also criticized California’s policies, and tied them back to Nevada Democrats.

Most of Newsom’s remarks weren’t specific to Nevada. He didn’t take any questions from media.

Polling shows Newsom and Vice President JD Vance leading in hypothetical races for their parties’ nomination. That includes a survey of likely Nevada voters conducted one by Emerson College Polling in November.

Contact Ricardo Torres-Cortez at rtorres@reviewjournal.com. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Nevada

Second annual Nevada Nordic Freeheel Festival celebrates Tahoe winter recreation at SnowFest

Published

14 hours ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

Second annual Nevada Nordic Freeheel Festival celebrates Tahoe winter recreation at SnowFest

INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev. – It’s time to “free your heels” and embrace Tahoe’s winter recreation at the Nevada Nordic Freeheel Festival on March 7. Whether you’re a seasoned pro at cross-country skiing or snowshoeing, or you’re trying to get your feet wet, Saturday’s event is teeming with nature, brews, and camaraderie.

The Nevada Nordic Freeheel Festival takes place Saturday, March 7

Provided/SnowFest

Travel North Tahoe Nevada (TNTNV) is teaming up with Nevada Nordic, Tahoe Multisport, Alibi Ale Works, UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center, Nevada Division of Outdoor Recreation and other local partners in the wondrous Tahoe Meadows, providing attendees a chance to engage with outdoor recreation experts, check out free cross-country and snowshoe rentals, and more.

“We’re excited to see the Nevada Nordic Freeheel Festival enter its second year, building on last year’s strong community response. In collaboration with our local partners, this event is thoughtfully curated with residents in mind – offering free equipment for the day, expert instruction, locally crafted brews, and other experiences in a welcoming setting,” said Andy Chapman, President and CEO of Travel North Tahoe Nevada. “It’s designed to make it easy for residents to get outside, try something new, and bring people together. Events like this reflect the spirit of North Lake Tahoe and what’s possible when our community comes together.”

Along with opportunities to test out free demos and rentals, there will be live music, beer tasting and races.

Tahoe Meadows is known for its gentle trails, and is a popular spot for snowshoeing due to its flat terrain. This event, located near Chickadee Ridge, will offer stunning views of the surrounding mountains.

This family-friendly event is on the second to last day of the 10-day SnowFest winter festival that’s been taking place in the North Lake Tahoe area. It starts bright and early at 9 a.m. and will close out at 2 p.m.

“Nevada Nordic is thrilled to be a part of SnowFest again this year,” said Meghan Pry, Nevada Nordic Board Member. “We love sharing our passion for cross-country skiing and watching our community grow. We are proud to keep winter recreation accessible by offering free access to our 20km trail network. This is the perfect opportunity for our community to gather together and free our heels!”

For more information about the Nevada Nordic Freeheel Festival or to check out the SnowFest schedule, visit tahoesnowfest.org.

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Nevada

Earthquake swarm rattles central Nevada near Tonopah along newly identified fault

Published

1 day ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

Earthquake swarm rattles central Nevada near Tonopah along newly identified fault

A swarm of earthquakes has been rattling a remote stretch of central Nevada near Tonopah, including a magnitude 4.0 quake that hit near Warm Springs Tuesday morning.

Seismologists said the activity is typical for Nevada, where clusters of earthquakes can flare up in a concentrated area. “This is a very Nevada-style earthquake sequence. We have these a lot where we just see an uptick in activity in a certain spot,” said Christie Rowe, director of the Nevada Seismological Lab.

The latest magnitude 4.0 quake struck east of Tonopah near Warm Springs. The largest earthquake in the swarm so far has measured a 4.2.

What has stood out to researchers is the fault involved. Rowe said the earthquakes are occurring along a fault stretching along the southern edge of the Monitor and Antelope ranges — and that it was previously unknown to scientists. “We didn’t know this fault was there. It’s a new fault to us — not to the Earth, obviously — but it was previously unknown,” Rowe said.

For now, the earthquakes have remained moderate. Rowe said the lab would not deploy additional temporary sensors unless activity increases to around a magnitude 5 or greater.

Seismologists said they are continuing to watch the swarm closely as Nevada works to bring the ShakeAlert early warning system to the state. The program, already active in neighboring states, can send cellphone alerts seconds before shaking arrives. “For me, it’s a really high priority. That distance to the faults gives us enough time to warn people — and that can make a big difference in reducing injuries and damage,” Rowe said.

Seismologists encouraged anyone who feels shaking to report it through the U.S. Geological Survey’s “Did You Feel It” system, saying even small quakes can help scientists better understand Nevada’s seismic activity.

Experts said the swarm is worth monitoring but is not cause for alarm. They noted that earthquakes like the 5.8 that hit near Yerington in December 2024 typically happen in Nevada about every eight to 10 years, and said they will continue monitoring the current activity closely.

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