The Daily Rundown: August 19, 2026
💼 Nevada’s Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo has signed an order directing agencies to recommend eliminating or changing state regulations. Signed Monday, Aug. 17, Lombardo said in a statement that his new order is aimed at reducing what he calls unnecessary regulations and red tape, according to reporting by KNPR's Paul Boger.
Executive Order 2026-003 requires state agencies to work with stakeholders to review their regulatory enforcement policies and streamline, clarify, reduce or otherwise improve them. It also requires agencies to hold public hearings to find ways to improve the regulatory process.
It’s similar to an executive order Lombardo signed in January 2023, the first month of his administration, in which he froze implementation of any new regulations and ordered a review of existing policies.
The governor’s office says more than 900 regulatory changes were approved as a result of that original order. State agencies must make between 5 and 10 recommendations on policy reforms by the end of the year. Lombardo says he will then take action on regulations in 2027, but that’s only if he’s reelected.
⚖️ A federal appeals court has ruled that President Trump’s original pick to lead the U.S. Attorney's Office in Nevada was improperly appointed. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously ruled that Sigal Chattah has unlawfully served as the top federal prosecutor in the state because she was never confirmed by the Senate.
Chattah was appointed interim U.S. attorney in 2025 — a position she could only legally hold for 120 days. She has since held different positions within the office.
The decision marks another setback for the Trump administration’s efforts to keep handpicked U.S. attorneys by leveraging vacancy rules.
In February, the White House nominated Las Vegas lawyer George Kelesis to assume the role on a permanent basis.
🎨 The Las Vegas Museum of Art has unveiled the next step in its planning process: a multipurpose exhibition space.
The LVMA: Grand Central Galleries announced the space will be on the bottom level of the parking garage between the World Market Center and the Smith Center.
It will house the museum’s administrative offices, a gallery and a media lab featuring year-round shows.
The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports groundbreaking for the project will begin in September, with a targeted opening date of spring 2027. The museum is expected to open in the fall of 2029.
🙌 Both MGM Resorts and Caesars Entertainment are working with local communities to provide help and services to different charitable causes. The MGM Resorts Foundation has awarded grants to 49 Southern Nevada organizations through contributions from employees and guests.
These organizations range from local grassroots nonprofits to groups making an impact in the community, according to a press release. Caesars Entertainment has partnered with Meals on Wheels and the Just One Project to bring food to food-insecure individuals across the region.
The Meals on Wheels annual expo is currently being held at Caesars Palace. Surplus food from this expo will be packaged and redistributed to people in need.
🌲 As the climate warms, some mountain trees are moving higher up, while others are spreading downhill. Scientists say something inside the trees may explain why. And that split could reshape watersheds and wildfire risk.
For years, scientists have expected mountain trees to move upslope in search of cooler conditions. But a new global study found nearly one-third of tree species are moving downhill instead.
That matters because where trees grow can affect how forests burn and how much water they soak up before it flows downstream to rural communities, cities and farms.
So why are some trees moving in one direction while others head the other way?
The answer may lie in how trees move water. Read the full story by the Mountain West News Bureau's Kaleb Roedel 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.
