No winner in the Powerball
Nevadans will continue heading across the border to either California or Arizona after nobody matched all six numbers to win the Powerball jackpot last night.
Saturday’s prize will be an estimated $1.5 billion, making it close to the record $1.58 billion in 2016. Nevada is one of five states that does not offer the Powerball game.
Legal battle over power plant and toad
In a highly unusual move in a legal battle over a Nevada geothermal power plant and an endangered toad, the project’s developer is asking a judge to allow it to scale back by 80% the original plan U.S. land managers approved last November. The Bureau of Land Management and Ormat Technologies both have filed requests to put the case on hold. They cited the Fish and Wildlife Service’s listing of the Dixie Valley toad as endangered on a temporary, emergency basis in April. The Center for Biological Diversity petitioned for the listing and sued to block the project. Its lawyers say they intend to oppose the new request.
Nye County's hand-counted ballots
The ACLU of Nevada has asked the Nevada secretary of state to investigate what it called a “coordinated partisan election administration effort” during a rural county's hand count of mail-in ballots that was shut down last week. The ACLU said Wednesday a hand-count volunteer openly carrying a firearm removed an ACLU observer from a hand count tally room last week. It said it recently discovered the armed volunteer was vice chair of the Nye County GOP Central Committee. The ACLU said the situation “poses questions” surrounding the Nye County interim clerk's delegation of authority to partisan officials to remove observers, particularly during a hand count process that deals with ballot tabulations.
Elections hiring process unfair?
A Nevada judge is considering whether to order Las Vegas-area election officials to hire more Republican poll workers. The GOP national committee had argued that the partisan makeup of a 64-member ballot signature verification board was unfair. The judge in Las Vegas said Wednesday he expects to rule by Thursday. A lawyer for the Republican National Committee declared that all political parties “should have a seat at the table.” A county lawyer representing the registrar of voters told the judge that hiring isn't done by political party, and comparing signatures on mailed ballots with signatures on file with the Department of Motor Vehicles isn't a partisan job.
Bonneville Salt Flats are shrinking
The glistening white salt of the world famous Bonneville Salt Flats is shrinking near the Utah-Nevada line. The prehistoric lakebed has long been a mecca for daredevil speed racers, as well as a backdrop for famous movie scenes and destination for selfie-seeking tourists. Concerns are mounting about the future of the treeless expanse of salt crystals and yet another study has been launched as researchers try to pinpoint the cause and solution. They know a century of mining a potassium-based salt called potash has played a role and are also trying to assess how racing, tourism and climate change factor in.
April date set for Rob Telles trial
An April trial date has been set for a former Las Vegas-area elected official who has pleaded not guilty to killing a veteran investigative journalist who wrote articles about him. Defendant Robert Telles appeared with his lawyer for the brief scheduling hearing on Wednesday. Telles didn't speak in court. He remains jailed without bail in the Sept. 2 stabbing death of Las Vegas Review-Journal reporter Jeff German outside German’s home. Telles could face a maximum sentence of life in prison without parole. His trial date could be delayed pending a Nevada Supreme Court ruling about whether police and prosecutors can access German’s cellphone and electronic devices over objections raised by his newspaper about revealing confidential sources.
Republican turnout strong in Clark County
Republican turnout in early voting has been strong in Clark County with early balloting closing Friday night. Clark County Election Department records show that more than 59,000 Republicans have voted early compared to more than 42,000 Democrats. Another 25,000 votes came from voters who don’t belong to either party. Clark County vote totals through last night stand at just over 127,000. Voters can still cast early ballots through Friday, but there is no early voting over the weekend. Election Day is next Tuesday.
Adele sells out
All Adele residency shows are now officially sold out. The “Weekends with Adele” residency was postponed a day before it was supposed to start due to COVID-related production delays earlier this year. The shows had been previously scheduled to run on weekends from January through April, and they’re now set to begin Nov. 18. But trying to get a chance at tickets does not come without a hefty price. A check of tickets online shows a ground floor seat is going for as much as $6,000.
