Hey, Nevadans!

I have a couple of fond childhood memories of Halloween. When I was 10 years old, a friend had a party in their garage. It was the perfect place—it was only lit up by lasers and dancing lights, the parents had brought out snacks, candy, and soda to fuel the 30 kids to dance and play the night away (until 10 p.m.).

Looking back, this was a great way to allow kids to have fun while also being safe—parents were present, and there was no need to knock on strangers’ doors or cross streets in the dark.

We’ve rounded up some family-friendly events happening throughout the month (can’t promise they’ll be as much fun as that garage party, though).

Speaking of spooky season: How about that housing crisis? But could tiny homes provide some relief? Nevada has a new law that requires counties with over 100,000 residents and cities with more than 60,000 residents to adopt an ordinance permitting ADUs on residential properties by July 1, 2026. We’ll keep you updated on any developments!

Have a great Wednesday!

Jannelle Calderón

Newsletter Editor, The Nevadan / El Nevadense

48 free, family-friendly Halloween events in Las Vegas

This annual Halloween parade is a family-friendly event at Downtown Summerlin. (Downtown Summerlin)

By Aleza Freeman

Halloween lands on a Friday this year! Do you have plans yet?

From parades and festivals to storytime and trunk-or-treating, this guide to safe Las Vegas Halloween events is not only good for families, but also no trick, everything is free. What a treat!

If you’re looking for more kid-friendly, less hair-raising ways to celebrate Halloween, read on.

Check these out!

Nevada wants to build more tiny homes. Will they actually solve the state’s housing crisis?

Las Vegas real estate is taking a huge hit with an over 10% decline in year-over-year sales, and inventory has skyrocketed by 44.8%. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

By Naoka Foreman

Hundreds of thousands of people have moved to Nevada since the pandemic, and with that population boom expected to continue over the next 35 years, lawmakers are focused on increasing affordable housing in dynamic ways.

One approach involves authorizing accessory dwelling units (ADUs), or tiny homes.

These structures, although already approved in several municipalities, have recently gained renewed focus with the passage of Assembly Bill 396, which requires counties with over 100,000 residents and cities with more than 60,000 residents to adopt an ordinance permitting ADUs on residential properties by July 1, 2026.

But research from other states like California found ADUs are “usually priced at or above market rates” and can cost several thousand dollars per month to rent, making them unaffordable for many renters and casting doubt on their ability to solve Nevada’s housing crisis.

A contribution from Basque immigrants, ‘Picon Punch’ is having a big year in Nevada: “The Picon Punch has a lot of poetic resonance with northern Nevada. It’s quite brown, often maligned and is almost always explained as an acquired taste … It’s named for its original main ingredient, Amer Picon, an orange-rind liqueur that is flavored with cinchona bark and gentian root.” (Listen on NPR)
Lombardo announces there will be a special legislative session… at some point: “Gov. Joe Lombardo on Monday announced he plans to call the Nevada State Legislature into a special session ‘at some point over the next few months.’ His two-sentence statement did not include a timeline beyond that, nor did it identify what topics would be considered during the special session. ‘The goal will be to finish what the Legislature left unfinished — plain and simple,’ Lombardo’s statement read.” (Nevada Current)