Nevada
US judge to hear legal battle over Nevada mustang roundup where 31 wild horses have died
Brad Horn/AP
RENO, Nev. (AP) — A legal battle over the U.S. government’s ongoing capture of thousands of wild horses in Nevada where 31 mustangs have died in a weekslong roundup goes before a judge Wednesday as opponents try to prove it’s illegal and should be stopped.
Federal land managers said in new court filings ahead of the Reno hearing that the deaths among 2,500 horses gathered since July 9 are an unfortunate — but expected — part of necessary efforts to cull the size of large herds.
They said the free-roaming animals pose a threat to the ecological health of public rangeland.
Advertisement
Article continues below this ad
Horse advocates said the deaths were unnecessary, resulting from inhumane tactics being used to expedite removals from public lands where pregnant mares and young foals are being chased in summer heat across rocky, high-desert into makeshift corrals.
U.S. District Judge Larry Hicks scheduled Wednesday’s hearing to get details from both sides as he considers the non-profit Wild Horse Education’s bid for a temporary restraining order halting the gather in northeast Nevada scheduled to run through Aug. 22.
Government lawyers said in court filings Monday the horse advocates are trying to inflame emotions with photos and videos of injured mustangs trying to flee helicopters and wranglers on horseback. One with a broken leg was chased for 35 minutes before it was euthanized.
“Deaths are tragic, but they are a known and anticipated part of wild horse gathers that must be weighed against the harm the same horses face under drought and overpopulation conditions if the gather cannot be completed,” Justice Department lawyers representing the bureau wrote.
Advertisement
Article continues below this ad
The agency says the 31 deaths are within the average mortality rate of 1% and 1.2% for wild horse gathers conducted from 2010-19.
“Plaintiffs list the number of deaths that have occurred during the gathers but fail to mention the thousands of horses that have been gathered safely,” government lawyers wrote.
“Despite plaintiffs’ sensational allegations, there is nothing out of the ordinary … and nothing to suggest the conditions of these gathers have been unusually dangerous to the horses,” they added.
Horse advocates said the mustangs have been made scapegoats for damage most-often caused by taxpayer-subsidized cattle grazing the same limited forage on the high-desert range at much higher numbers.
Advertisement
Article continues below this ad
Among other things, they said in a lawsuit filed July 26 the roundup halfway between Reno and Salt Lake City is illegally based on an outdated environmental review that fails to reflect current conditions on the range. They said it also ignores evidence the herds are still in the midst of foaling season when the use of helicopters is largely prohibited.
Democratic U.S. Rep. Dina Titus, of Nevada, is pushing legislation in Congress to outlaw the use of helicopters altogether.
The lawsuit also claims the agency is failing to comply with requirements that the public be allowed to witness the roundups, frequently parking trucks and trailers to obscure distant views from the designated observation area.
Above all, the lawsuit argues the roundup violates a 1971 U.S. law that mandates that the animals be treated humanely.
Advertisement
Article continues below this ad
“The physical and emotional toll of watching BLM wrap abuse in layers of bureaucracy and simply take no real action to stop inflicting unnecessary suffering on these sensitive and family-oriented beings is sickening,” said Laura Leigh, founder of the Nevada-based Wild Horse Education.
Leigh says the bureau has erroneously concluded that peak foaling season is the same for all herds — from March 1 through June 30. During this period the agency grounds helicopters to minimize potential harm to the young foals.
Leigh said she’s documented seasonal distinctions throughout western rangelands in 10 states. She said some begin as early as late January and others continue through September.
NEVADA, MO – When it comes to golf, there really isn’t much Emree Cameron can’t do. The next stop for the Nevada senior is the U.S. Girls Junior Golf Championship.
Picking up the sport at the age of six, Emree began competing at just seven years old. The division one Louisville commit said it’s her younger brother that drives her success.
“I was in the spotlight for awhile, and now he’s playing baseball and it’s his turn,” said Emree.
“I love it, and I want to show him that he can go be successful, and can play his sport long term.”
With Nevada now home, golf takes the Cameron’s from coast to coast.
No matter where Emree goes however, her father, is with her every step of the way. The longtime golfer and former caddie, said he couldn’t be more proud of his daughter.
“It’s hard to put into words how proud I am,” said Eric Cameron.
“When I think about it, it almost brings me to tears, and it just speaks for itself.”
In 2024, Emree is a division one golf commit, and her school’s first ever state champion for girl’s golf. Despite the accolades, Emree would emphasize that her father and family would always be the most important over the course of her career.
“My dad is my number one supporter, and so is everyone in my family,” Emree said.
“I don’t think I would be where I am, and have the mental state with golf right now if it wasn’t for my dad.”
In addition to competing in the U.S. Girls Golf Championship, Cameron will also play in the Junior PGA Championship in Bethesda, Maryland.
The Junior Golf Championships will take place at El Caballero Country Club in California on Monday, July 15th through Saturday, July 20th. The Junior PGA Championship will take place from July 30th through August 2nd.
CARSON CITY, Nev. (KOLO) -Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo last week announced 30 appointments to boards and commissions.
They include Ben Kieckhefer, Lombardo’s former chief of staff, to the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, and Terry Reynolds, recently retired as the Nevada Department of Business and Industry director, to the Nevada Ethics Commission.
“Both Terry and Ben bring decades of wisdom and experience to their respective appointments, and I’m grateful for their honorable service to their fellow Nevadans,” Lombardo said in a statement.
Prior to serving as Lombardo chief of staff, Kieckhefer served on the Nevada Gaming Commission, appointed in October 2021 by Gov. Steve Sisolak, and served as a member of the Nevada State Senate for three consecutive terms representing the Washoe and Carson portions of the Tahoe Basin.
Before working for state government, Reynolds previously served as city manager for the cities of Prescott, Ariz., Elko and Sparks. Reynolds served in municipal government for over 20 years. Reynolds will fill the seat formerly held by Ethics Commissioner Thoran Towler.
The appointments:
Shane Kraus Advisory Committee on Problem Gambling
Scott Kichline Air Service Development Commission
Christopher Abraham Air Service Development Commission
Eric Smith Board for Regulation of Liquefied Petroleum Gas
Justin Johnson Board of Agriculture
Jennifer Stepp Board of Examiners for Marriage and Family Therapists and Clinical Professional Counselors
Salome Balecha Board of Optometry
Adriana Fralick Cannabis Compliance Board
Kent Lay Contractors’ Board
Shatawna Daniel Interagency Advisory Council on Homelessness to Housing
Gilbert Hernandez Northern Nevada Veterans Cemetery Advisory Committee
Kevin McKinney Peace Officers’ Standards and Training Commission
Robert Straube Peace Officers’ Standards and Training Commission
Valerie Clark Silver State Health Insurance Exchange
William Dolan Southern Nevada Veterans Cemetery Advisory Committee
Elizabeth Smith Southern Nevada Veterans Cemetery Advisory Committee
Megan Labadie State Land Use Planning Advisory Council
Ben Kieckhefer Tahoe Regional Planning Agency
Sandra Schneeberger Women Veterans Advisory Committee
Clayton Eugean Comstock Historic District Commission
Tammy Hendrix Comstock Historic District Commission
Mercedes de la Garza Comstock Historic District Commission
David Bates Comstock Historic District Commission
Nancy Cleaves Comstock Historic District Commission
Joseph Curtis Comstock Historic District Commission
Julie Workman Comstock Historic District Commission
Calvin Dillon Comstock Historic District Commission
Jessica Todtman Commission on Postsecondary Education
Terry Reynolds Commission on Ethics
Copyright 2024 KOLO. All rights reserved.
SPARKS, Nev. (KOLO) -A crash closed westbound Interstate 80 at Pyramid Way on Sunday morning. Traffic is getting past onusing the freeway shoulder.
A Nevada Department of Transportation traffic camera shows a tractor-trailer rig on its side on the freeway.
The Nevada Department of Public Safety reports the crash happened at 4:38 a.m. and that no one was seriously injured.
The Nevada State Police said there is no estimated time for all lanes to reopen.
Copyright 2024 KOLO. All rights reserved.
Residents of popular Southern California city on edge amid wave of violence
How do Metro Detroit kids & parents feel about school lunches?
San Franciscans sound off on study labeling city 'worst-run' in the US for second consecutive year
Dallas investors plan to restore historic shopping center
TODAY: Tri Rail launches pilot express route to Miami
See it: Tesla crashes into Columbus convention center at 70 mph
Colorado Rockies game no. 116 thread: Zac Gallen vs José Ureña
Fox News Politics: Georgia the whole day through
Death of missing Oregon girl found in stream ruled homicide
At least 2 dead as tornadoes hit Alabama, damage homes across Southeast
California GOP lawmakers slam Newsom-backed budget as unsustainable, say Republicans left out of negotiations
The Take: The art of the debate – What the Biden-Trump face-off was missing
Biden’s family reportedly tell him to stay in presidential race as blame shifts to advisers
Ex-Rep. Charlie Rangel, 94, questions whether Biden belongs in nursing home, not White House
French far-right leader Marine Le Pen announces her re-election
-
News1 week agoTracking a Single Day at the National Domestic Violence Hotline
-
World1 week agoIsrael accepts bilateral meeting with EU, but with conditions
-
News1 week agoA Florida family is suing NASA after a piece of space debris crashed through their home
-
World1 week agoIs Israel’s Smotrich fulfilling his dream of annexing the West Bank?
-
News1 week agoSupreme Court upholds law barring domestic abusers from owning guns in major Second Amendment ruling | CNN Politics
-
Politics1 week agoSupreme Court upholds federal gun ban for those under domestic violence restraining orders
-
World1 week agoNew Caledonia independence activists sent to France for detention
-
World1 week agoIsrael will be the ‘ultimate loser’ in war with Hezbollah, Iran says