The Daily Rundown - February 3rd, 2026
🩺 The health insurance plan covering Nevada state workers is in trouble and could see major changes starting in July. The Public Employees’ Benefit Program was hit by a “perfect storm” of problems, according to state officials. The Nevada Independent reports it’s running out of money as the state’s contribution is set to decrease and health care costs rise. The first five months of the fiscal year saw a $16.5 million loss.
Officials say options include raising revenue by increasing premiums or reducing costs by cutting benefits. The board that oversees the program is set to meet this month to discuss different scenarios. Independent financial analysts say premiums would need to increase by 84% to cover expected shortfalls for the fiscal year. The program serves more than 70,000 state workers and retirees in Nevada.
🌡️ January ranked as the fifth-warmest on record in Las Vegas, according to the National Weather Service. The average temperature for the month was 52.1 degrees, more than two and a half degrees above normal. January was also notably dry, with just 0.14 inches of rainfall recorded. Las Vegas wasn’t alone. Reno reported temperatures nearly five degrees above its normal monthly average. From Dec. 1 through Jan. 15, temperatures in the Rockies, Cascades, and the Sierra Nevada were up to 15 degrees above normal.
💧 Federal officials have revised projections for water flowing down the Colorado River this year amid warm and dry conditions in the West. While much of the country is digging out from snow and ice after a major winter storm, conditions out West are much different. The Department of the Interior revised its prediction for water coming down the Colorado River in the coming year.
Snowpack in the Colorado Rockies, which feeds the river, is less than two-thirds of average for this time of year. The Bureau of Reclamation revised its estimated 2026 water-year inflow from 68% to 63%. Scott Franz, who covers the Colorado River for KUNC Public Radio in northern Colorado, told KNPR’s State of Nevada that much of the region is experiencing a poor water year. Hear the full story by KNPR’s Paul Boger at KNPR.org.
🐺 Police in the eastern Sierra Nevada town of Truckee are urging residents and visitors to take precautions after a wolf sighting. The Reno Gazette-Journal reports the California Department of Fish and Wildlife recently documented wolf activity in the area using the state’s wolf tracking map, which shows locations of collared wolves. Truckee is about 30 miles west of Reno and north of Lake Tahoe.
Wolf activity in the region has increased since 2011, when gray wolf packs naturally migrated south from Oregon. Police advise closely supervising pets, especially during early morning and evening hours, and taking steps to protect livestock. Authorities also remind people not to approach, feed, or harass wildlife.
🐶 A Nevada SPCA puppy named Dumpling will represent the state in Puppy Bowl 22 this weekend. Dumpling will play on Team Fluff in the annual, three-hour televised alternative to the Super Bowl on Animal Planet. The event features adoptable puppies competing in a model stadium. Organizers say this year’s Puppy Bowl is the biggest yet, with 150 rescue dogs from shelters across the United States, Puerto Rico, and the British Virgin Islands. The Puppy Bowl airs Sunday, Feb. 8.
🏈 The Las Vegas Raiders plan to hire Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak as head coach, according to multiple reports. The Seahawks are playing in Sunday’s Super Bowl, so the deal can’t be finalized until next week. Kubiak would become the Raiders’ third head coach in three seasons and their sixth since 2021. Owner Mark Davis, minority owner Tom Brady, and general manager John Spytek led the coaching search.
This is Kubiak’s first season with Seattle. He previously served as offensive coordinator for the New Orleans Saints and as passing game coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers and Denver Broncos. The Raiders went 3-14 last season under Pete Carroll, his first and only year with the team. The league’s worst record earned them the No. 1 pick in April’s NFL Draft.
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.
