Hello, Nevadans!

Later today, Las Vegas Mayor Shelley Berkley will give the State of the City address, and The Nevadan / El Nevadense will cover it. I’ll be tuning in to see whether we’ll get an update on the city’s financial situation after the city budget took a hit following last year’s $286 million Badlands settlement.

If you live in the city of Las Vegas and have a question for the mayor, send it my way—I’ll try to get to the bottom of it.

In today’s newsletter:

Thank you for starting your day with me!

🤩 Many thanks to TeAnn L. for sharing your Nevada and this colorful sunset.

“I took this while we were staying out at the speedway for the NASCAR event in March,” TeAnn wrote. 

Related: 15 summer festivals in Nevada to look forward to

Be sure to send in your photo of what “Home Means Nevada” means to you for a chance to be featured in the newsletter. 

Cinco de Mayo dancers. (dbking/CC BY 2.0)

By Aleza Freeman

Cinco de Mayo lands on a Tuesday this year, but Las Vegas is getting the fiesta started the weekend before.

Partygoers can expect drinks, delicious Mexican food, and live Mariachi music at several Cinco de Mayo events, May 2 to 5.

While the annual celebration of Mexico’s 1862 victory at the Battle of Puebla is a popular holiday for those of Mexican heritage, it has also worked its way into the American mainstream. Folks from all walks of life will flock to downtown Las Vegas and Henderson to drown themselves in tequila and tacos for Cinco de Mayo in Sin City. 

As for those seeking a milder way to mark the holiday, there are some family-friendly events, too.

Hotels, along with residential and commercial buildings, are seen downtown on March 11, 2026, in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Kevin Carter/Getty Images)

By Naoka Foreman

A change in management at Hebron Apartments in downtown Las Vegas quickly triggered rent increases and forced relocations for low-income renters, including at least 30 Help of Southern Nevada clients, according to the nonprofit’s CEO.

The organization helps those struggling to secure housing by temporarily covering the costs of beds, while providing resources to put them on a path toward self-sufficiency.

Hebron tenants, many of whom were veterans, seniors, and people living with disabilities, had rents as low as $400 a month for several years, but have seen an increase.

Relocations followed the eviction of Caridad Charity, which managed the property and subleased it to more than 100 tenants, according to Merideth Spriggs, its founder. She said the organization owed the landlord $40,000 in back rent at the time of eviction, which she attributed to delayed and reduced public funding. 

🟣 Century-old Ely schools to be replaced after 2-decade push. The Nevada Independent

“The new school will replace David E. Norman Elementary School, built in 1909, and White Pine Middle School, built in 1913. Asbestos, mold and accessibility are just a few of the issues the schools face, [White Pine County School District Superintendent Adam Young] said, and costs related to frequent asbestos abatement and roof replacement are a drain on the district’s already limited capital funds.”

🟣 State of Nevada announces settlement with predatory realty company. Nevada Current

“As part of the settlement, MV Realty will pay $200,000 in restitution to homeowners who were forced into paying early termination fees. The money will be distributed on a pro rata basis. At least 32 states have passed legislation banning or regulating right-to-list contracts, according to the American Land Title Association, which had lobbied against such contracts in recent years.”

🟣 Las Vegas still a hub for Alzheimer’s research, education, community. KNPR

“The newest of these semi-local developments is the Lumipulse G pTau 217/β-Amyloid 1-42 Plasma Ratio diagnostic test, which is the first test of its kind to diagnose Alzheimer’s via blood samples. UNLV’s Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine contributed research to the test, which the FDA approved last year.”

🟣 Data centers’ water use is hard to track, raising concerns in the drought-prone West, study finds. KUNR

“Researchers estimate that data centers across the U.S. used about 17 billion gallons of water in 2023. That number is expected to rise sharply as demand for artificial intelligence and cloud computing continues to grow. At the same time, the study finds that consistent, detailed reporting on water use is rare.”

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

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