Hello, Nevadans!

Despite spring break and the usual tourism flow at Harry Reid International Airport, it has been spared, so far, from the extremely long TSA wait times we’ve seen across the country because of the partial government shutdown. Videos and reports online have shown the Las Vegas airport’s TSA line has been ‘business as usual’ with times averaging less than 20 minutes.

All thanks to our local agents who are showing up without pay.

Harry Reid Airport is accepting donations to help the TSA workers with food, baby diapers, formula, and other necessities. To coordinate a donation drop-off, call airport control at 702-261-7157.

Reply to this email and share your experience. Have you traveled lately? Have you experienced the 2-to 3-hour TSA lines? Or are you an agent working without pay? I’m going to a wedding out of town soon, and I’m already bracing for potential delays and chaos.

In today’s newsletter:

Thank you for starting your day with me!

The current Reno Arch with the Northwestern Nevada town’s “The Biggest Little City in the World” slogan. (Nicholas Ceglia/Unsplash)

By Aleza Freeman

Reno wasn’t the first town in the country to brandish the “biggest little city” title. Cities including Wichita, Memphis, and Sioux Falls tried it out to attract new residents.

Reno showed early signs of its eventual slogan in 1901, when a local reporter called it the “Biggest Little City on the Pacific Coast.” In 1910, promotional cards for a Reno heavyweight prizefighting championship between Jack Johnson and Jim Jeffries featured the slogan, “The Biggest Little City on the Map.”

Local news is essential for democracy.

Help us reach our goal before March 31! We can’t do this work without you.

The Nevada State Legislative Building. (Casey Harrison/The Nevadan)

By Naoka Foreman

A new law now requires campaigns to disclose when political ads use “synthetic media”—including AI-generated or manipulated images, video, or audio. 

The law took effect earlier this year, making Nevada one of a growing number of states regulating fast-evolving AI technology ahead of the 2026 midterm and state and local elections.

Under the measure, candidates, political action committees, and other groups must clearly indicate when content has been artificially altered. Failure to do so carries a $10,000 penalty, notably excluding television and radio broadcasters and social media and streaming platforms, placing the responsibility squarely on campaigns and political organizations. 

🟣 Elko planners approve California businessman’s pitch to develop private ski area in Rubies. The Nevada Independent

“The approval comes about a year and a half after the Elko County Planning Commission denied a request by Peter Christodoulo, a partner at a Bay Area technology investment firm, to rezone several thousand acres he owns to develop a public ski facility.”

🟣 New report: Nevada among top states with high rates of post-pandemic business growth. KNPR

“In particular, the state has seen substantial growth in professional services, such as law, accounting, and engineering firms. The report also noted growth in the healthcare and real estate sectors.”

🟣 DOGE cuts created medical record coding backlog at Reno VA, inspector general report finds. Nevada Current

“VA Sierra Nevada administrators [said] that VHA terminated the medical coding contract used by the facility when implementing Trump and Musk’s DOGE initiative. Medical coding ensures medical records are accurate and supports proper billing for treatment.”

🟣 Harry Reid International Airport not among TSA deployments for ICE agents. Fox 5

“An airport spokesperson confirmed to FOX5 on Monday that federal agents will not be present [at LAS], though TSA workers will continue to work without pay.”

Thanks for reading. This newsletter was written by Jannelle Calderón with stories by Aleza Freeman and Naoka Foreman. It was edited by Paula Solis.

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