The Daily Rundown - March 3rd, 2026
🎟️ Opening statements begin Tuesday for the federal antitrust trial against Live Nation, one of the largest entertainment companies in the world. In a New York City courtroom, prosecutors are expected to argue that Live Nation and its subsidiary, Ticketmaster, engaged in anticompetitive practices that harm musicians, venues and ticket buyers. The trial is the result of a lawsuit originally filed by the U.S. Department of Justice in 2024, though calls for reforms to the ticketing industry have been building for much longer.
Back in 2022, chaotic sales for Taylor Swift’s blockbuster Eras Tour — which included high pricing, long queues and a crashing platform — resulted in outcry from the singer and legal action from coalitions of fans. That event led to scrutiny from government officials, laying the groundwork for this week’s events. In recent years, artists including The Cure and Olivia Dean have also criticized Live Nation and Ticketmaster for their pricing models and fought for fans to receive partial refunds.
Despite Live Nation’s repeated attempts to get the government’s lawsuit dismissed, U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian ultimately ruled to move forward with a trial. Read the full story at KNPR.org.
🎰 State gaming regulators can block prediction platforms in Nevada now that a federal judge has sent two cases back down to State District Court in Carson City. Kalshi and Polymarket argued that they operate under federal rules and, therefore, the case should be heard in federal court. The judge ruled that Nevada and other states can retain regulatory authority despite that argument. The state has already issued a temporary restraining order against Polymarket, preventing it from operating in the state. It is likely Kalshi will now face the same restrictions.
🥕 The Southern Nevada Health District will open its annual pop-up produce stands starting today, March 3. The stands are located at the Bonneville Transit Center and are open from noon to 3 p.m. on the first and second Tuesdays of the month. In addition to traditional payment methods, shoppers can use SNAP and EBT funds. Roughly 16% of Clark County residents were considered food insecure in 2023. Last year, the stands helped distribute more than 1,000 pounds of fresh produce to the community at greatly reduced prices.
📸 There are less than five days left to submit your photo to Desert Companion's Focus on Nevada photo contest! Whether you're an amateur or a professional, we want to see the Silver State through your eyes.
Winning photographers will have the opportunity to have their work published in Desert Companion's summer issue and exhibited at local galleries, with the grand prize winner receiving a Nikon Z5II FX-format mirrorless camera with NIKKOR Z 24-50mm lens, courtesy of our partners at B&C Camera and Nikon. Learn more about the contest and submit your photos today!
🚁 Modern drones map farmland, inspect power lines and help fight wildfires across the Mountain West. Nationwide, the drone industry now employs more than 100,000 people, and demand for trained pilots continues to grow. Inside a gym at the Boys and Girls Club of Truckee Meadows in Reno, Nevada, that workforce pipeline is taking shape.
A small drone zips under a pink arch, darts through a green hoop, wobbles — then settles onto a purple landing pad. The staff members celebrate. They’re the ones learning this week — not the kids. The club partnered with researchers from the Desert Research Institute to host a multi-day drone certification training. The goal: equip employees with the skills to bring aviation technology, coding and flight safety lessons directly to the students they serve. Hear the full story by the Mountain West News Bureau’s Kaleb Roedel here.
🎬 Search for Bobby or Renee Peoples on Tubi, and 20-plus feature films will pop up, the majority of them released within the last five years. The married couple may be the most prolific filmmakers in Las Vegas, and they’ve found a home in free streaming. With titles such as “Blood Pact,” “Mistress for Hire,” and “Memoirs of a Vixen,” their dramas and psychological thrillers draw in curious viewers with titillating premises and stories of betrayal, murder and sexual intrigue — and their audience is always eager for more.
The Peoples clearly haven’t been bored since moving to Vegas from Atlanta in June 2020. They were already established professionals before coming to town, but moving here seems to have supercharged their focus. Bobby cites legendary low-budget producers Lloyd Kaufman and Roger Corman as inspirations, and the Peopleses are similarly scrappy and tenacious. Read the full story by Josh Bell in the newest spring issue of Desert Companion, available today.
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.
