Hello, Nevadans!

You could help name our newest state park! After the Nevada Division of State Parks received nearly 2,500 name suggestions from the public last month, Nevadans can now vote online for their favorite out of the five finalists.

Voting will remain open until 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, August 14. And the winning name will be announced during the park’s official designation ceremony later this fall.

For some background, the new state park encompasses 4.5 miles of the Carson River corridor and 1,627 acres, preserving cultural resources dating back to the late 1800s and portions of the historic California and Pony Express Trails.

The five finalist names are: Carson River Ranches State Park, Cottonwood Trails State Park, Crossroads Canyon State Park, Heritage Canyon State Park, and River’s Edge State Park.

In today’s newsletter:

Thank you for starting your day with me!

Your next favorite thrift find is waiting. (Hugo Clément/Unsplash)

By Aleza Freeman

Just like a bag of donated items, no two Reno thrift stores are the same. Some carry brand names and trendy items. Others focus on rare, timeless finds. Then there are the ones that slap a price tag on anything and everything. 

Shopping second-hand is in style right now, but that’s not the only reason to hunt for preloved items, including clothing, furniture, and housewares at thrift stores in Reno. Many local thrift stores save the community by supporting neighbors in need. Every thrift store in the world helps save the planet by keeping second-hand items out of landfills.

And, of course, they save you money. 

From carefully curated boutique-style shops to charity-driven department stores, you’re sure to score deals by shopping sustainably at these 14 thrift stores in Reno.

President Donald Trump speaks during a roundtable discussion on his “No Tax on Tips” policy at the AC Hotel on April 16, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

By Lizzie Ramirez

President Donald Trump will be in Las Vegas today, Aug. 5, at the Red Rock Casino, Resort and Spa to tout how his tax policies have benefited Nevadans.

It will be his second Nevada visit this year as he also touted the administration’s tax cuts during an April stop at the AC Hotel in Las Vegas’ Symphony Park. 

Marty O’Donnell, the Republican nominee for the 3rd Congressional District—considered the most competitive congressional district in the state—is expected to attend the event. 

It comes as state Democrats are vying to flip Nevada from red to blue again, and have championed affordability at the forefront of their campaigns ahead of the midterm elections.

🟣 Tribal education initiatives encourage Native youth to attend college, and help make it possible. Desert Companion

“One of the students planning out her future is Brooklyn Williams, an enrolled member of the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe who’ll enter her senior year of high school in the fall. But she already knows she wants to attend UNLV to pursue either hospitality or law. Since the college is in Nevada, and she is a member of a federally recognized tribe, Williams would also qualify for the Native American Fee Waiver, which makes school even more affordable.”

🟣 BLM advances frozen solar project in Nye County. Nevada Current

“Last week, the Bureau of Land Management announced their intent to prepare an environmental analysis and resource management plan for the proposed Mosey Solar Project, a 500 megawatt solar project that could produce enough energy to power more than 200,000 homes in California and Nevada. The project would be built on more than 3,500 acres of public land in Clark and Nye counties.”

🟣 On the hunt for Nevada’s ‘fish lizards.’ KUNR

“Today, this area’s covered in crumbling shale and dry, spiky plants. But more than 200 million years ago, it was a tropical seabed, teeming with marine life … It was also home to ichthyosaurs, whose name means ‘fish lizard.’ The extinct reptiles, which resembled dolphins in size and shape, once hunted the prehistoric waters with their long snouts and needle-sharp teeth.”

🟣 Some robotaxis approved to operate without steering wheels and losing the brake pedal could be next. The Associated Press

“Zoox has already been offering free rides in Las Vegas and San Francisco since last year … The Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety group raised concerns about Zoox’s plan to operate without a steering wheel or other standard controls because the company didn’t provide detailed evidence to show that its vehicles could operate safely on public roads.”

Thanks for reading. This newsletter was written by Jannelle Calderón, featuring stories by Lizzie Ramirez and Aleza Freeman. It was edited by Crystal Niforos.

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