The Daily Rundown - May 29, 2026
⛽ Nevada's average for a gallon of regular gasoline dropped six cents in the past week. But prices could remain elevated as the summer travel season gets underway. AAA says crude oil prices have been going down this week amid reports of peace talks with Iran.
The Silver State is ranked sixth among the most expensive gasoline markets in the country. The average price for a gallon of regular gasoline is $5.21, AAA reports, while the fuel price in Las Vegas is $5.24 and Reno is $5.42. Officials say gas prices remain the highest they’ve been in four years.
⚡ NV Energy’s new demand charge is set to take effect in January, but state officials are challenging its implementation. A petition to overturn it by the Attorney General’s Bureau of Consumer Protection was denied on May 26 in Clark County District Court.
State Attorney General Aaron Ford says he will appeal the ruling and take the case to the state Supreme Court. The demand charge bases a customer’s daily rate on the highest 15 minutes of use.
💼 More than 3,500 administrative and clerical workers for the state of Nevada are joining a union. The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees said, following a vote on May 27. The new bargaining unit includes administrative assistants from state agencies, colleges and universities.
It also includes accounting assistants, library assistants, supply clerks and other clerical staff. Next up is a new collective bargaining agreement. The state will have 60 days to begin contract negotiations once election results are certified.
🐦 Birding has become a popular way to get outside and connect to nature. But newcomers to the hobby might have a skewed baseline of what to consider normal as climate change disrupts the typical progression of seasons. So, what are some of the patterns that longtime birders are noticing in the Las Vegas Valley? Nature is dynamic, not a still life.
As climate change and other pressures, such as urban development, affect our world, it’s difficult to attribute one reason to changes in bird abundance and behavior. One example is migration. Typically, in the springtime, hormonal cues triggered by increasing day length spark the urge for many birds to migrate north, beginning with the males racing to secure the best breeding territory. “It doesn’t take much to disrupt the vital flyway that birds have to go through twice a year,” says Tim Almond, a local who’s been birding here since 2000. “And we’re seeing earlier migrations.”
Warmer temperatures cause plants to bloom and insects to emerge sooner, so some migrants are arriving and breeding earlier in the calendar year. Whether they reap the rewards of coming early or suffer from a sudden cold snap is part of migration risk and will affect which genes are passed onto the next generation. Read the full story by Morrigan DeVito in Desert Companion's newest summer issue available now, or find it here.
🥾 National Trails Day is Saturday, June 6, and advocates say it’s a chance for people to rediscover public lands — or find a favorite trail for the first time according to reporting by the Mountain West News Bureau's Jenny Kinsey. The annual event, founded more than 34 years ago by the American Hiking Society, has grown into what organizers call the “largest single trails event of the year.”
The U.S. Forest Service has been a partner since the beginning and is stepping up its involvement this year, said Tyler Ray, senior director of programs and advocacy at the American Hiking Society. “We just hit over 1,000 events this year, including 284 events at Forest Service sites,” Ray said. ” Events range from volunteer trail work to guided hikes and family-friendly outings on public lands throughout the country.
And, according to Ray, there are more than 100 events planned in Mountain West states — including Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Nevada, Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana. Many events will be led by Forest Service rangers or trail partner organizations — groups that Ray noted do about 60% of the trail maintenance across Forest Service lands and over 165,000 miles of trails.
People can search the National Trails Day page for a map of activities near them, with details on time, location and type of event. The site also includes information about accessibility, including whether a trail is paved and what accommodations may be available for people with disabilities. Ray hopes the day will inspire people to get outside, give back and see their public lands in a new way.
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.
