Hello, Nevadans!

September is here! And despite it still being over 90 degrees in Vegas, it’s fall for me. I don’t care that the autumnal equinox is on Sept. 22. I’m ready for all the spooky things, community events, and cozy vibes. 

I love summer—don’t get me wrong, sunsets at almost 9 p.m. are the best—but the extreme heat gets tiring. What’s your hot take on Nevada’s seasons?

In today’s newsletter:

Thank you for starting your day with me!

In Northern Nevada, there are snowy hills and open spaces along the 22-mile Mount Rose Highway (NV-431) between Reno and Tahoe. (Photo Frank Alejandre / The Nevadan)

By USA Today Network via Reuters Connect

A potentially historic El Niño is developing in the Pacific Ocean, and forecasts show it could increase the chances of a wetter-than-normal winter around Lake Tahoe and the Sierra.

But that does not guarantee a blockbuster Sierra snow season. The coming winter is “still a toss-up.”

The National Weather Service’s winter outlook favors above-normal precipitation around Tahoe from December through February. It also favors above-normal temperatures.

Past El Niño winters around Tahoe have delivered everything from heavy precipitation to dry conditions.

Duane Davis, right, and his attorney Michael Sanft sit in a courtroom after a jury found Davis guilty of first-degree murder in his trial related to the 1996 killing of rapper Tupac Shakur, at Clark County District Court Regional Justice Center, Monday, Aug. 31, 2026, in Las Vegas. (Bizuayehu Tesfaye/Las Vegas Review-Journal via AP, Pool)

By The Associated Press

After nearly 30 years since Tupac’s death, a jury found Duane “Keffe D” Davis guilty on a single count of murder with a deadly weapon.

The trial brought to a head a decades-old case that for years has drawn the attention of hip-hop fans and true crime experts alike. 

Shakur, who was considered one of the most influential rappers of all time, was in Las Vegas on Sept. 7, 1996, and stopped at a red light when a white Cadillac pulled up beside him, and shots were fired. He died six days later.

For years, nobody had been charged in the rapper’s death until Davis began making public statements, saying he was in the Cadillac and gave the gun to others in the backseat, calling the shooting a retaliation for the earlier beating of his nephew. Davis is the only person still alive among the four men prosecutors say were in the Cadillac.

🟣 Reno woman badly attacked by river otter in Lake Tahoe on Sunday. Reno Gazette Journal

“‘At first I thought it was a person pulling on me because it was so strong,” Lynnette Bellin told the Reno Gazette Journal on Monday. ‘And then I felt the teeth and claws, and it was relentless.’ Bellin said the more forcefully she fought back, the more aggressive the otter became … She received 22 stitches in her feet and is undergoing a series of rabies treatments that includes injections over several days administered into her deepest wounds.”

🟣 Judge orders pause on Boulder City data center. The Nevada Independent

“The decision followed two appeals of the BLM’s original approval of the project this June, one filed by the city and another by the Sierra Club and the Center for Biological Diversity. A stay means that construction will be paused until the matter is settled in courts, a process that can take years.”

🟣 Feds investigating voter fraud in Nevada, 8 other states, reports say. KOLO

“The move comes following previous attempts by the [Department of Homeland Security] for these nine states to share their voter rolls for audit. The federal government also vowed to withhold grant funding from states who refuse. Officials say the investigative action is expected to last through mid-October.”

Thanks for reading. This newsletter was written by Jannelle Calderón, featuring stories by USA Today Network via Reuters Connect and Associated Press. It was edited by Crystal Niforos.

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