The Daily Rundown - March 24, 2026
🛂 Nevada’s two U.S. senators, Catherine Cortez Masto and Jacky Rosen, joined 45 other Democrats in voting against President Donald Trump’s pick, Oklahoma Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin, who is now confirmed as secretary of Homeland Security. In separate statements, Rosen and Cortez Masto raised concerns about Mullin’s experience and what they described as his willingness to appease the White House.
The confirmation vote comes as the administration has begun using ICE agents to assist the TSA. That agency has recently faced staffing shortages at airports. Lawmakers have not paid TSA workers in more than a month because of a partial government shutdown over ICE tactics.
✈️ Federal officials will not deploy ICE agents to Harry Reid International Airport, an airport spokesperson confirmed to KVVU-TV. TSA agents will continue performing their usual duties without pay as a partial government shutdown continues.
A food pantry for airport workers in need will remain open throughout the shutdown. It is accepting donations of household supplies, baby diapers, formula and other necessities. Companies and organizations interested in donating can contact the Airport Control Center.
⚡NV Energy will no longer provide power to Liberty Utilities in the Lake Tahoe area after 2027, according to CalMatters. NV Energy currently supplies about three-quarters of the electricity used in the Lake Tahoe region. The Nevada utility says it will end service there to meet its own rising resource needs. Data centers have recently tripled local demand for energy.
Liberty does not have a physical connection to California’s main power grid. Instead, the utility plans to use new Nevada transmission lines to access other providers. Regulators must still approve the final selection process and the eventual contract.
📈 Small businesses are the backbone of the American economy. More than 33 million operate nationwide, employing more than 61 million Americans, according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. A new white paper from UNLV’s Center for Business and Economic Research — or CBER — shows Nevada saw a significant increase in small-business creation during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
While the state experienced some of the nation’s deepest job losses in 2020 because of its tourism-dependent economy, the disruption also sparked an entrepreneurship boom that could help reshape Nevada’s economic landscape. Hear the full story by KNPR’s Paul Boger here.
🏀 The Las Vegas Aces are on track to open their season May 9 at home against Phoenix. That comes after WNBA players unanimously approved a new collective bargaining agreement, according to an announcement made Monday, March 23.
More than 90% of players participated in the weekend vote. The seven-year agreement begins this season and runs through 2032. Once the WNBA Board of Governors approves it, the deal will become official.
Before the regular season starts May 8, the league will hold an expansion draft for its two new teams — Toronto and Portland. Teams will then be able to sign free agents and take part in the college draft. Training camps open April 19.
📉 Since the U.S. and Israel began strikes against Iran, oil prices have gone up. Stock markets have gone in the opposite direction, driven by uncertainty about the war’s future and its effects on the economy. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is down around 9% since its February high, which it hit about two weeks before the war began.
That’s far from a crash or what’s typically considered a bear market, which usually describes a market that has fallen 20% from recent highs. But the market decline has pulled down the value of Americans’ investments, from college to retirement plans.
What should you do if that makes you feel as jittery as the markets? Financial advisers say it depends on when you need to tap into your funds. For most people who are 10 years or more away from needing those funds, the advice is simple: Leave your accounts alone. Hear the full story by NPR’s Stephan Bisaha 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.
