The Daily Rundown - January 5, 2026
🌡️ Temperatures around the Silver State remain above normal for this time of year. That could be due to 2025 being one of the hottest years on record around the world. The summer was several notches below the warmest on record in Las Vegas, which was 2024, but the valley did hit 112 degrees two separate times. Scientists say climate change, worsened by human behavior, could be behind the rise in temperatures.
And researchers from the World Weather Attribution told The Associated Press the continued burning of fossil fuels — such as oil, gas and coal — send planet-warming greenhouse gases into the atmosphere causing the situation to worsen. In 2026, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac, northern Nevada is expected to experience winter storms and deep snow. Southern Nevada is likely to remain warmer and drier than average, despite beginning the year with rain.
🏥 Starting in 2026, Nevada is scheduled to be on a five-year plan to improve its rural health care infrastructure through the Rural Health Transformation Program, in an announcement from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. The Silver State is slated to receive less than $180 million toward improving health care in rural parts of the state. It's the eighth-lowest amount of funding from the program, out of 50 participating states.
The announcement comes on the heels of Republicans' One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which is estimated to cut Medicaid for more than 10 million recipients by the year 2034. Rural hospitals are already under the threat of closure due to finances. Industry leaders warn that a reduction from a key source of revenue could shut hospitals down nationwide.
✈️ Travel to Las Vegas was overall down in 2025. However, convention visitation remains strong, according to the most recent Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority data. Approximately 6 million convention attendees visited the valley last year. This week's Consumer Electronics Show is expected to bring in 140,000 visitors. That's according to a joint survey from YouGov and Amex Global Business Travel. The credit card company projects Las Vegas to be the top business meeting destination for the upcoming year.
🏈 The Las Vegas Raiders are looking ahead to a very different future after securing a first-round draft pick and firing head coach Pete Carroll, according to a team news release. Carroll signed a three-year deal before the season began. The Raiders went on to post the worst record in the 2025–26 season, despite a win Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs. The result: a first-round draft pick and a head coach dismissed before the end of his contract. Carroll joins Josh McDaniels in receiving guaranteed contract payments despite no longer being with the Raiders.
🏖️ Work on Willow Beach Road on the Arizona side of Lake Mead National Recreation Area is scheduled to start today and wrap up around the middle of March. It will be done Mondays through Thursdays from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. The public will have access to Willow Beach, the marina and the fish hatchery 24 hours per day, according to a National Park Service news release. Willow Beach is a popular spot below Hoover Dam, accessed from U.S. 93 on the Arizona side of the Colorado River. Flooding has damaged the road over the years.
❄️ It's official, a few of the Vegas Golden Knights are heading to the Winter Olympics. Defenseman Noah Hanifin joins alternate captain and center Jack Eichel on Team USA. Team captain and forward Mark Stone, forward Mitch Marner, and defenseman Shea Theodore join head coach Bruce Cassidy for Team Canada. And Jonas Rondbjerg will play for Team Denmark. The players will head to Italy for the 2026 Winter Olympics, which is just about a month away. NHL players haven't participated in the Olympics since 2014 in Sochi, Russia.
📷 Between Red Rocks, blue skies and violet sunsets, Nevada's got range. Literally. For our longtime supporters of Nevada Public Radio, you'll be excited to hear that Desert Companion's 2026 Focus on Nevada Photo Contest is here! Submit your best photos of the Silver State for a chance to win some big prizes, and even be featured in Desert Companion's 2026 Photo issue. For more details and to submit your photo, click here.
Part of these stories are taken from KNPR's daily newscast segment. To hear more daily updates like these, tune in to 88.9 KNPR FM.
