Here are the local news headlines for the morning of Friday, Aug. 13, 2021.
Federal Lawsuit Filed Against Las Vegas School Mask Mandate
By The Associated Press
A coronavirus pandemic mask mandate in Nevada has drawn a federal lawsuit from attorneys seeking class-action status for claims that the constitutional rights of thousands of parents and children at Las Vegas-area schools are being violated. The complaint filed Thursday against Gov. Steve Sisolak, state Attorney General Aaron Ford and the Clark County School District invokes rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. It seeks an immediate court order to invalidate a directive the governor enacted last week requiring K-12 students and school employees in the Las Vegas and Reno areas to wear masks on buses and inside school buildings, regardless of vaccination status.
Carson City School District Updates COVID-19 Testing Plans
By Jayden Perez
Carson City schools will require all unvaccinated students, staff and volunteers to undergo weekly COVID-19 testing.
The district announced the policy Thursday, citing Governor Steve Sisolak’s most recent emergency directive, which gives smaller school districts the leeway to determine the best way to prevent the spread of the coronavirus for themselves. The district will also require COVID-19 testing for all athletes who participate in full or close-contact sports.
The Carson City School Board recently announced students will not be required to wear face masks for the upcoming school year, which begins Monday.
Nevada Ranked Fifth Fastest-Growing State, According To Census Data
By Paul Boger
Nevada grew by 15 percent over the last decade, which pushed the state to more than 3.1 million residents. The numbers are part of the latest data released by the U.S. Census Bureau and provide the first glimpse of how the state has grown since 2010.
Overall, the state added 400,000 residents, mostly in suburban Clark County and the Reno-Sparks area; however, Mineral, Lander, Pershing, Eureka, Lincoln, White Pine and Esmeralda Counties lost residents.
The numbers also break down demographic trends, and Nevada is now the third most ethnically diverse state in the country behind Hawaii and California, respectively.
State lawmakers will now use this data to draw new district maps ahead of next year’s midterm elections, and while Nevada may be among the fastest-growing states, it does not appear to be in line for a new congressional seat.
Reno To Remove Stead-Area Flood Barriers
By Paul Boger
The City of Reno plans to remove the flood barriers around Silver Lake, north of Reno, starting next week.
The city announced plans to remove the barriers in the Stead area Thursday, which were installed in the spring of 2017 to protect the industrial buildings from flooding.
Crews will work weekdays from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. along Moya Boulevard until the project is complete.
