¡Hola Nevadenses!

I’m happy to announce and give a nice welcome to the team, our new political correspondent, Naoka Foreman!

You might know her for her News, From The Margin dinner and podcast series, where she seeks to foster conversations with elected officials and community advocates to highlight topics affecting those often sidelined by society.

She describes herself as a “thoughtful and colorful storyteller who’s blazed a trail that few can claim in Nevada.” Her non-traditional journalistic journey started when she founded News, From The Margin in 2019, which specializes in community journalism to address critical news gaps in Las Vegas. Naoka has an M.A. in Journalism and Media Studies from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

She has previously worked at The Nevada Independent, where she spearheaded a timely community news event which sparked collaboration between news organizations. She also earned several awards her first year full time reporting.

Today is her first day at The Nevadan and we’re very excited to have her, so keep an eye out for her work.

Have a good Monday!

Jannelle Calderón

Newsletter Editor

The Nevadan/El Nevadense

📖 Neon Lit: This month’s Neon Lit will be hosted at The Marjorie Barrick Museum of Art at UNLV on Friday, April 18 at 7 p.m. (Doors open at 6:30 p.m.) You can expect an art-filled soiree full of fashion icons, poets, and performance artists. There will be snacks provided and drinks for sale. This is a free event.

🎡 Reno Fest : This 11-day festival, running from April 17 – 27 at the Reno-Sparks Livestock Center, will have rides, fun games, and carnival treats like deep-fried Oreos, funnel cakes, and BBQ! Explore a variety of local sales vendors offering unique crafts, art, and goods. The festival vendors will operate from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m., and amusement rides until 10 p.m.

🤟 Rock en español VS Cumbia: If you’re a fan of 80s music in Spanish, Area15 (3215 S Rancho Dr.) in Las Vegas is hosting a rock en español versus cumbia night on Saturday, April 18, from 9:30 p.m. to 2 a.m. to dance the night way. Tickets can be found online.

7 Nevada dispensaries with deals for first-time customers

(H_Ko/Shutterstock)

Almost every dispensary in the Silver State offers cannabis deals, rewards, and specials for consumers. Veterans, seniors, first responders, students—there are savings for almost everyone.

If you’re new to the cannabis world or are a longtime consumer looking for a new dispensary, you’re in luck, too. Some local dispensaries offer a special discount for first-time customers. It’s a win-win scenario: Consumers get a great deal, while dispensaries get to build a loyal clientele.

Take a look!

US House advances bill requiring passports to register to vote

The Republican-controlled US House of Representatives on Thursday passed the SAVE Act, a bill that will make registering to vote and updating voter registration complicated, time-consuming, and impossible for many who do not have a passport or access to paper copies of their birth certificates or other required documents.

A staggering number of voting-eligible US citizens do not have ready access to the types of documents they would need to prove their citizenship status if H.R. 22 is enacted. About 146 million US citizens do not have a current passport, and nearly 70 million women do not have a birth certificate that matches their current legal name.

The bill comes on the heels of President Trump’s executive order on elections and an explosion of related state legislation this year: 22 states considered similar mandates this legislative session, up from 14 last year and seven in 2023.

The bill still has to pass the Senate to be made law and would likely face lawsuits if passed.

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ICYMI: In Walworth County, neighbors rallied for rides—and rediscovered what it means to be a community

Selfie of members of the Groundswell Collective, as group of Walworth County, Wisconsin, residents who organized a successful campaign to expand Sunday transportation services, not just for errands or appointments, but to help people connect with each other and combat rural isolation.

(COURTESY PHOTO/GWEN FRISBIE-FULTON)

Check out this guest article from Gwen Frisbie-Fulton, a writer and organizer at Addition Project who is based out of Greensboro, North Carolina. She writes about working-class people, places, and organizing on the Substack Working Class Storytelling.

For this piece, she visited Walworth County, Wisconsin, where a group of residents—now known as the Groundswell Collective—organized a successful campaign to expand Sunday transportation services, not just for errands or appointments, but to help people connect with each other and combat rural isolation.

Their campaign, “Fight Isolation, Win Transportation,” highlights the broader loneliness epidemic affecting many Americans, especially in rural areas with limited infrastructure.

Tap to read here

Former Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak says he’s weighing rematch with Lombardo. Former Democratic Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak says he is considering another run for executive office in 2026. Speaking with The New York Times this week, Sisolak said he’s received encouragement from others to challenge incumbent Gov. Joe Lombardo, a Republican, in a rematch of 2022’s race. (Via KSNV )
Pediatricians, families of trans youth seek a shield law for providers of gender-affirming care. Senate Bill 171, sponsored by Democratic state Sen. James Ohrenschall, seeks to enact a shield law for medical providers who offer gender-affirming care and prevents a medical license board from punishing or disqualifying providers. He sponsored a similar bill in 2023. It passed both houses in a party-line vote and then was vetoed by Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo. (Via Nevada Current )

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