Nevada
‘You felt like you were poisoned and you were dying’: Nevada jury awards over $3 billion in damages against Real Water
(WJET/WFXP) — A jury has awarded $3 billion in punitive damages to 8 Las Vegas residents who suffered from sudden-onset liver failure after consuming the recalled and discontinued Real Water brand drinking water.
The Las Vegas residents, including 5 children and 3 adults, claimed that Real Water contained a toxic chemical known as hydrazine, which led to their sudden-onset liver failure.
A jury has awarded $3 billion in punitive damages to 8 Las Vegas residents who suffered from sudden-onset liver failure after consuming the recalled and discontinued Real Water brand drinking water.
The Las Vegas residents, including 5 children and 3 adults, claimed that Real Water contained a toxic chemical known as hydrazine, which led to their sudden-onset liver failure. Hydrazine is a toxic chemical used in the production of rocket fuel. The children involved ranged from 7 months old to 5 years old and had to be flown to a children’s hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah for treatment which was a result of drinking Real Water in the fall of 2020.
Real Water argued that they did not anticipate that hydrazine would be present in the water.
You felt like you were poisoned and you were dying.
Christopher Wren, Plaintiff
The emotional testimony revealed the pain and fear endured during the moments from hospitalization to recovery. All those affected now suffer from permanent liver damage and mental trauma.
After the Las Vegas-based health district made the FDA investigation public in mid-March 2021, company president Brent Jones issued a statement calling for stores nationwide to pull Real Water from shelves. The company termed the move voluntary.
A federal lawsuit, settled in June 2021, claimed that Real Water personnel had not properly cleaned and sanitized the water tanks in which they mix processed municipal tap water with E2 Concentrate, potentially leading to chemical and microbial contamination.
While the companies marketed their products as a healthy alternative to tap water, the government alleged that the products, in fact, consisted of municipal tap water that the defendants processed with various chemicals in violation of current good manufacturing practices, relevant food safety standards and hazard prevention measures
In June 2021, the FDA announced that Real Water had agreed to cease operations until they could comply with federal regulations.
However, just two months later, on August 20, 2021, the company officially filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy amid several pending lawsuits.
This is not the first case where a jury awarded millions in damages. In October 2023, a jury awarded over $228 million in damages to several plaintiffs who also suffered from liver failure, including the family of a 69-year-old woman who died from liver failure in 2020.
The children involved ranged from 7 months old to 5 years old and had to be flown to a children’s hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah for treatment which was a result of drinking Real Water in the fall of 2020.
Real Water argued that they did not anticipate that hydrazine would be present in the water — hydrazine is a toxic chemical that is used in the production of rocket fuel.
You felt like you were poisoned and you were dying.
Christopher Wren, Plaintiff
The emotional testimony revealed the pain and fear endured during the moments from hospitalization to recovery. All those affected now suffer from permanent liver damage and mental trauma.
After the Las Vegas-based health district made the FDA investigation public in mid-March 2021, company president Brent Jones issued a statement calling for stores nationwide to pull Real Water from shelves. The company termed the move voluntary.
A federal lawsuit, settled in June 2021, claimed that Real Water personnel had not properly cleaned and sanitized the water tanks in which they mix processed municipal tap water with E2 Concentrate, potentially leading to chemical and microbial contamination.
While the companies marketed their products as a healthy alternative to tap water, the government alleged that the products, in fact, consisted of municipal tap water that the defendants processed with various chemicals in violation of current good manufacturing practices, relevant food safety standards and hazard prevention measures
In June 2021, the FDA announced that Real Water had agreed to cease operations until they could comply with federal regulations.
However, just two months later, on August 20, 2021, the company officially filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy amid several pending lawsuits.
This is not the first case where a jury awarded millions in damages. In October 2023, a jury awarded over $228 million in damages to several plaintiffs who also suffered from liver failure, including the family of a 69-year-old woman who died from liver failure in 2020.
Nevada
Primm Valley Casino not open after recent ownership change
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REMEMBERING 9/11: 20 YEARS LATER
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Nevada
Exclusive | California’s illegal fireworks trade fueled by nefarious interstate pipeline
California fireworks fans hungry for more high-powered pyrotechnics not sold in the state are heading for the Nevada border to get their illegal Fourth of July fix.
The Golden State only sells firecrackers that are certified “safe and sane” and sold by licensed sellers. But dozens of dealers in Nevada just miles from the California border have become a magnet for buyers looking for a bigger bang.
At Cosmic Boom Fireworks in Amargosa Valley, cashier Jovon Oseguera said business has picked up sharply among Californians.
“It’s making [us] busier, people from everywhere just come by in the past week or so with roughly 25 to 30% of customers in a day from California,” he said.
Oseguera said Californians are drawn to higher powered aerials “mostly mortar shells and fireworks cakes” they can’t buy in their own state.
At a Fourth of July party last year, a man lit an illegal $400 cake containing professional-grade explosives that malfunctioned and killed an 8-year-old girl.
“A lot of them ask if they can take the fireworks back across the state line, but I tell them there’s not much [they] could really take back, except… really small stuff,” Oseguera added.
While some Nevada stores require that customers fill out forms for their purchases, his shop only checks that buyers are over 18.
A worker at Blackjack Fireworks in Pahrump, Nevada, said that the shop attracts hundreds of buyers from outside Nevada, with a significant number arriving from California during the week of July 4.
“If you come to the store, there will be several hundred cars all year round,” said the employee, who declined to provide her name.
The staffer said some choose light the fireworks off near Walker Lake on the Nevada side, but the shop doesn’t keep track of where buyers go after their shopping sprees.
“I have no business asking where they are coming from or what their final destination will be, as it will be a violation of their rights,” the worker said.
Getty Images
According to the latest California Department of Public Health data from 2023, the state saw 200 nonfatal hospitalizations and 718 emergency department visits due to fireworks.
In 2024, Cal Fire reported over 1,200 illegal fireworks-related fires and hundreds of injuries.
“Each year, we continue to see illegal fireworks, particularly those purchased online or shipped into California from out of state, pose a significant threat to public safety, property, and our natural resources,” a Cal Fire spokesperson told The California Post.
While Cal Fire could not share details about sensitive operations ahead of July 4 or ongoing investigations, the department is “working in close partnership with local, state, federal, and out-of-state law enforcement agencies to investigate the illegal sale, distribution, and use of dangerous fireworks.”
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman urged the residents to report illegal fireworks activity, saying that celebrations with illegal fireworks and explosives are not harmless entertainment.
“These devices can kill people, causing devastating injuries and destroying entire neighborhoods,” he said.
The DA is also currently investigating several cases of illegal fireworks possession.
- East Los Angeles/Pico Rivera: Four individuals were charged after approximately 8,500 pounds of illegal fireworks and homemade explosive devices seized on June 22, 2026.
- South Los Angeles: Over 37,000 pounds of fireworks were discovered at a residence on May 27, 2026, leading to charges against four p eople, including child abuse charges for two defendants due to a child living in the home.
- 6th Street Bridge: Three individuals face 21 felony counts each after the LAPD Bomb Squad recovered homemade explosives from a car on May 2, 2026.
- Whittier: A seizure on January 13, 2026, uncovered over 24,000 pounds of fireworks and explosive-making materials in a storage unit near a preschool.
Nevada
How Chinese-Americans contributed to mining in Nevada
LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — We’re celebrating America’s 250th birthday this weekend, and that means looking at some of the people who helped build our country into what it is today.
One group with a large impact on the country, including Nevada, is the Chinese.
In fact, Chinese-Americans were involved in mining in Nevada, and an exhibit at the Clark County Government Center is showcasing their contributions.
Dr. Zhida Song-James, curator of the exhibit, and Moon Xia, vice president of the Nevada Chinese American Association, joined us to share more about this part of Nevada history.
The exhibit is on display now through July 16.
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