The Daily Rundown - July 17th, 2026
🏢 Nevada’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in June dropped to 5.1% when compared to May. That’s down a tenth of a percentage point, the Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation said today.
The labor force decreased by nearly 6,900. Employment in the Las Vegas Metropolitan Statistical Area was up by 3,000 jobs compared to May and up by more than 25,000 since May of last year.
According to the Governor’s office, the seasonally adjusted total number of nonfarm jobs in Nevada increased to more than 100,000 since the December 2022 numbers. He took office in January 2023.
🏀 Three members of the Las Vegas Aces are heading to the WNBA All-Star game. Center A’ja Wilson was chosen in the first round of the draft for Team Spoon by General Manager Teresa Weatherspoon.
Guard Jackie Young was drafted to Team Coop by General Manager Cynthia Cooper. Aces Head Coach Becky Hammon is the Head Coach for Team Coop. Coaches are chosen by having the two teams with the best records in the league. The two teams will battle it out in Chicago on July 25. The game will benefit charities that focus on keeping girls in sports.
⚖️ Video footage of two Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents tackling a man at the airport in Las Vegas drew public outrage and criticism from elected officials.
One video posted on social media showed a man yelling and crying on the ground in Terminal 3 at Harry Reid International Airport on Monday when a man and a masked woman, both in plainclothes, tried to control, handcuff, and detain him. When the pair realized they were being filmed, they walked away, leaving the man with a handcuff attached to one arm.
The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police found no outstanding warrants for the man, removed his handcuffs, and notified ICE.
According to the Department of Homeland Security, ICE officers on Monday did not proceed with the arrest at the Las Vegas airport of Phu Nguyen, a 57-year-old citizen of Australia who overstayed his visa. ICE arrested him at his flight departing the Los Angeles International Airport on Tuesday, the Department of Homeland Security said.
“ICE is continuing to act with impunity — instilling fear in our communities and scaring tourists, which hurts our tourism economy,” Democratic U.S. Senator for Nevada Jacky Rosen said in a statement. “Enough is enough. ICE must follow the same commonsense guardrails as other law enforcement agencies.
"The Nevada Latino Legislative Caucus and the Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander Caucus are calling for a full investigation into the aborted arrest by ICE at Harry Reid International Airport, urging Governor Joe Lombardo to explain the transparency and accountability for federal law enforcement agencies operating in Nevada.
🌊 The drop in water levels at Lake Mead will continue, according to the latest 24-month projection from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. By November, its surface should be about 1,036 feet above sea level, the lowest since the reservoir was filled.
June 2028 should see it at 1,010 feet, which would be a 33-foot drop over two years. The lake is currently at 27% capacity, says the bureau, down two percentage points from last week.
⚽ In 39 days spanning the months of June and July 2026, big-screen broadcasts, sights of colorful jerseys, and sounds of cheerful fans were nearly impossible to miss in Las Vegas. By the end of the week, 78 matches will have been played across 11 U.S. cities as part of the World Cup tournament, and enthusiasm for soccer is at a high point.
For the Las Vegas Lights, the city’s USL Championship soccer team, this enthusiasm has brought stronger engagement and first-time fans to the sport locally.
CEO Shawn Mcintosh told “KNPR’s State of Nevada” that community efforts — such as hosting watch parties and “themed nights” — have the soccer enthusiasm trickling down to smaller teams. For him, the sensation has been driven by the culture that comes with it.
“You're seeing people falling in love with Erling Haaland, who has become such a big deal because of his personality on social media. You're seeing the streets littered with diverse cultures, and we can bring that,” he said. “We're really encouraging people to support your local football club.”But unlike the rest of the world, in the U.S., long-term enthusiasm for soccer doesn’t seem to stick.
The biggest goalkeeper standing in the way of soccer’s traction is market saturation, according to UNLV sports management professor Nancy Lough. The sport consistently trails behind its competitors: American football, basketball, baseball, and sometimes hockey. Hear the full story by KNPR's Rafaela Gandolfo Bustamante 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.
