The Daily Rundown - May 20, 2026
⛏️ Across the region, Indigenous nations have been resisting critical mineral mining. Last week, two tribal leaders from Nevada traveled to Canada to call for action against Canadian mining companies drilling for lithium on their land, according to reporting from Nevada Public Radio's Jimmy Romo. A report from nonprofit Amnesty International found that lithium mining companies in Nevada are violating Indigenous Peoples’ human rights.
Fermina Stevens and Mary Gibson are enrolled members of the Te-Moak Tribe of Western Shoshone in Nevada. They spoke during a press conference at Canada’s Parliament Hill. “A lot of mining is being done on our ancestral territory and within our treaty boundaries," Gibson said. "With the lithium min[ing] explosion happening, our land will be more toxic than it is today from other types of mining that [are] happening.”
Lithium Americas’ senior vice president, Tim Crowley, told KNPR that he disagrees with Amnesty International’s characterization of any wrongdoing near Thacker Pass. The mining company said it is not mining within Indian country, has received all approvals from the Bureau of Land Management, and has an agreement with the Fort McDermitt Paiute-Shoshone Tribe.
🩸 The Southern Nevada chapter of the Red Cross is calling for blood donations to meet increased need during what it calls “trauma season” in emergency rooms. Between Memorial Day and Labor Day, the unofficial start and end of summer, traumatic injuries sharply increase, according to the nonprofit.
The Red Cross says it supplies blood to nearly 20 hospitals across Southern Nevada. Type O blood is in high demand, particularly O-negative, which can be given to patients of any blood type. To encourage donations, the Red Cross is offering a free beach towel to people who give blood by May 31. Details are on their website at red-cross-dot-org.
☀️ Two Mountain West states have crafted their own standards to protect workers from extreme heat. Meanwhile, the federal government is shifting workplace strategy on heat mitigation. In April, the Trump administration made changes to the National Emphasis Program, directing federal inspectors to focus their efforts and outreach in workplaces where heat stress risks are most likely. However, the changes also remove the set number of inspections that need to be done.
There is no federal standard for heat protection. Federal Occupational Safety Health Administration (OSHA) officials do conduct random inspections in high-risk industries when the National Weather Service issues advisories or warnings. However, every state has different goals and regulations. Nevada’s plan requires employers to develop a written safety plan, with mandatory risk assessments.
Colorado has proposed goals to mitigate workplace heat exposure. Victoria Carreon is the director of the Division of Industrial Relations in Nevada, which oversees the state’s OSHA program. Nevada’s state plan went into effect last summer. It tracked more than 400 complaints and conducted 189 workplace inspections. Read the full story by the Mountain West News Bureau's Yvette Fernandez here.
🍽️ Menus for the annual culinary event Las Vegas Restaurant Week are now available. Diners can find a full list of locations and promotions on the event’s website. Restaurant Week encourages people to dine out at participating venues across the valley. Each restaurant then donates a portion of their proceeds to Three Square Food Bank.
One in six Southern Nevadans faces hunger, according to Three Square. Over 250 Las Vegas eateries will participate this year for the event, which is in its 19th year. The charitable event runs from June 1 through 12.
🏁 Clark County commissioners unanimously approved a resolution yesterday supporting Formula 1's Las Vegas Grand Prix through 2037. The annual event has been held the weekend before Thanksgiving since 2023. Organizers have frequently highlighted the Grand Prix's economic benefits for Las Vegas. County officials say the event has generated an economic impact of more than a billion dollars.
However, the roadwork before and after the race has garnered local concern. Before the vote, Commissioner Michael Naft addressed those concerns, saying efforts are ongoing to "shorten the timeline" for the disruptions.
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.
