🏛️ As the dust settles on midterm election results, it’s clear that Democrats will have simple majorities in both chambers of Congress in 2027. KNPR's Jimmy Romo spoke with Nevada’s representatives about what they see for the future of tribal-focused legislation.
On election night, Nevada’s two U.S. senators attended an election watch party near downtown Las Vegas. They watched as Congress flipped control from Republican majorities to Democratic majorities. The senators represent 3.2 million Nevadans and 28 tribal communities within Nevada.
Sen. Jacky Rosen has seen how tribes have been treated since the president took office. “And so we need to restore the funding for health care, for support services for law enforcement. They have problems with voting. And so we're going to continue to fight for those, particularly those sacred spaces on our public lands that we have to take care of.”
For Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, a member of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, a Democratic-led Congress means passing more tribal-related bills. “Not only we are looking out for their sovereignty, we're getting that tribal input that is necessary at all issues and we're listening not only to our tribes but then actually incorporating legislation that is going to make a difference in their lives for the future.”
Democrats will soon have simple majorities in the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate in 2027. But President Donald Trump will still have veto power through the remainder of his term.
🚗 A campaign aimed at educating the public about the dangers of not wearing a seat belt is now in effect. The Click It or Ticket campaign will run through the end of the month [Nov. 30].
For the campaign, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department has joined forces with participating law enforcement agencies throughout the state. LVMPD reminds residents that “Click It or Ticket” isn’t just about issuing citations; it’s also about saving lives and preventing serious injury.
By buckling up when driving or riding in a car or truck, the risk of a fatal injury is cut in half.
💧 Recent flooding across the U.S. Southwest is providing rare relief to thirsty reservoirs that had fallen to record lows amid a yearslong megadrought.
Storms in late October and early November sent torrents of water through normally small or dry creeks that overflowed their banks and flooded local communities.
Hundreds of people were told to evacuate, and the flooding cut off access to some areas. Yet most of that water will end up feeding depleted lakes and underground aquifers, said Martin Hoerling, a climate scientist and hydrologist at the University of Colorado, Boulder.
“That’s somewhat of an unexpected boost from Mother Nature,” Hoerling said.
Last winter's lackluster snowfall did little to recharge water bodies when it melted in the spring and summer, when they typically get their biggest bump of the year.
Then came the chaotic climate phenomenon El Niño, which has intensified heavy rain and floods. Experts say its impacts will last several more months, potentially further boosting water supplies across the West, where water primarily is stored in lakes, aquifers and snowpack.
Lake Powell, the second-largest reservoir in the U.S., rose more than 20 feet (6.1 meters) from its mid-September low — dwarfing its gains from this year's snowmelt, Hoerling said. Still, the lake remained just over a quarter full, and 15 of its 17 boat launches remained unusable as of Friday.
The floodwaters and additional rain could raise the lake along the Arizona-Utah border further, for a total of more than 1.2 million acre-feet — enough to support around 4 million average families for a year, Hoerling estimated.
🚑 A Clark County workforce initiative that prepares residents for careers in emergency medical services is graduating more than two dozen students. The Advanced Emergency Medical Technician, or AEMT, Academy addresses the region's growing need for trained emergency medical responders.
In a statement, the county says participants complete accelerated training and graduates leave prepared to pursue careers where emergency medical training is valued. County officials will hold a public ceremony this afternoon [Monday, Nov. 9] to recognize the sixth cohort to complete the program since its launch early last year.
🏠 Clark County Family Services held an open house for prospective foster parents over the weekend. FOX5 reports the Roadmap to Success open house was held for people already in the licensing process or anyone thinking about stepping up as foster parents.
Clark County officials said nearly 60 households registered for the event. Staff were on hand at the event, helping families go through the online process, as well as offering free physicals and tuberculosis, or TB, tests.
The county hopes to get more households signed on for the next event if this one proves successful.
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.
