KUNR Public Radio

07/02/2025

This year, Artown brought eight 22-foot Alebrijes and Nahuales sculptures to the Pioneer Center Plaza for an outdoor exhibit. Alebrijes are spirit guides and often associated with Day of the Dead. A Nahual is a human who can transform into an animal.

The original one-foot carvings will be on display in the old post office. There will also be a hands-on children's art workshop every Saturday — where they’ll create their own Alebrijes.

The exhibits will be up until the end of July. After Reno, the spirit animals will continue their tour across the country.

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Reporting and photos by Ally Ibarra

07/02/2025

The Trump administration’s proposed budget bill would cut funding to the U.S. Geological Survey, potentially impacting funding relied on by survey offices in several Mountain West states.

State geological surveys use federal funds to map where mineral deposits and energy sources are located. These maps are used by mining companies, fossil fuel producers, geothermal developers, and even homebuilders.

Simon Jowitt, Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology and State Geologist, said this would eliminate 10 graduate student positions, and cut their total budget in half.

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Reporting by Kaleb Roedel for

07/01/2025

In a 6–3 decision on June 27, justices ruled that lower courts can’t block federal policies nationwide. This means President Donald Trump’s plan to end birthright citizenship could move forward in some states – even while legal challenges continue in others.

Nevada was one of 17 states that filed a joint lawsuit on Jan. 28 against the administration. The ruling will go into effect after 30 days.

Democratic assemblymember Cecelia González, who is also a member of the Nevada Latino Caucus, said this gives opponents time to fight the policy in court, but warns that families in Nevada remain at risk.

Reporting by Manuel Holguin JR

07/01/2025

On Thursday morning, the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony (RSIC) hosted a memorial service for former Chairman Arlan D. Melendez. The ceremony began with a performance by the tribe’s Eagle Wings Pageant Dancers, Powwow Dance Group, and the Truckee Paiute Singers.

For more than two hours, over a thousand people listened as Melendez’s former colleagues shared fond memories of the late leader.

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Reporting by Ally Ibarra

06/30/2025

Kings Beach is one of several locations around the lake selected for the Tahoe Blue Beach program. It was able to join with support from the North Tahoe Community Alliance, which funds community and environmental projects through local tourism dollars.

Laura Patten, Natural Resource Director at the League to Save Lake Tahoe, said visitors can help, too, by bringing a reusable water bottle and utensils, and using trash and recycling bins.

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Reporting by KUNR’s Maria Palma

06/30/2025

A new report, by the nonpartisan Center for Western Priorities, shows the rate of spills from oil-and-gas drilling is dropping in some of the Mountain West’s top fossil fuel-producing states.

Combined, companies in Colorado, Wyoming, and New Mexico had 2,709 spills last year, causing more than 7 million gallons of hazardous liquids to leak onto Western soil.

Conservation groups warn these spills are still significant and can harm area waters, lands and wildlife.

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Reporting by Kaleb Roedel for

06/28/2025

On Tuesday, June 24, federal, state, and local partners celebrated the launch of the Kahle Drive Complete Street Project, a major infrastructure initiative.

Kahle Drive is a half-mile residential street linking the Stateline-to-Stateline Bike Trail, Rabe Meadow, and the Douglas County Community and Senior Center. The project is expected to be completed by the fall of 2026.

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Reporting by Maria Palma

06/28/2025

The rural healthcare shortage has hit some tribal nations hard, but the Fallon Paiute-Shoshone Tribe has found a solution: a mobile health clinic.

Funded by a $673,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture aimed at expanding rural healthcare access. Dr. Christopher Chai, who works at the clinic in Lovelock said they act as an urgent care and help tribal members be proactive about their health.

Other tribal nations in the mountain west like the Navajo Nation, the White Mountain Apache Tribe in Arizona and the Fort Peck Tribes in Montana, are using mobile health clinics.

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Reporting by Kaleb Roedel for

06/26/2025

Annie Allen, Chief Operating Officer of Northern Nevada Catholic Charities, said the lost funding could trigger reductions in hours or higher fees for legal programs to avoid staffing cuts. Meanwhile, the nonprofit’s clients are worried that could affect when they can get their food and supplies.

Allen said clients may also have to wait longer for services. But no matter what happens, she made one thing perfectly clear: “We’re not in danger of shutting down.”

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Reporting by Ally Ibarra.

06/25/2025

Two Nevada bills aimed at protecting libraries and staff were vetoed by Governor Joe Lombardo. While the Washoe County Library System said it has strong local policies to handle matters like book challenges, other parts of Nevada may not.

Reporting by Manuel Holguin JR

06/24/2025

Authorities have released the names of the eight people who died after a boat capsized Saturday afternoon near D.L. Bliss State Park, on the shore of Lake Tahoe.

Most of the victims were from California and New York. They had come together to celebrate a 71st birthday.

Authorities have released the names of the eight people who died after a boat capsized Saturday afternoon near D.L. Bliss State Park, on the shore of Lake Tahoe.

06/24/2025

Local governments struggled to balance their budgets for the current fiscal year. While Reno and Washoe County avoided layoffs, the City of Sparks lost staff, including 5 new firefighter recruits.

Mike Szopa, who serves as vice president of the firefighters’ union and works out of Sparks Fire Station 1, said the department has been understaffed since the Great Recession — while at the same time, calls have tripled. He’s worried the increased workload could lead to burnout.

“We have to balance our personal safety and well-being with what we're doing, because we need to be at the top of our game at two o'clock in the morning when someone calls for their child who is choking,” Szopa said.

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Reporting and photos by Bert Johnson.