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KUNR Today: New workforce housing for Tahoe, Nevada adds rapid tests to COVID-19 data

An image of people exploring new apartment complexes.
Courtesy
/
Placer County

Here are the local news headlines for Tuesday, Oct. 5, 2021.

Nearly 300 affordable and workforce housing units open in North Lake Tahoe area
By Lucia Starbuck

Nearly 300 affordable and workforce housing units have opened at five different locations in Truckee and Placer County. Some of the housing is specifically for people who work within the geographical boundaries of the Tahoe Truckee Unified School District.

“These will provide homes not only to young architects and filmmakers and dreamers, but to hospitality workers, dishwashers, our firefighters, our teachers, our nurses. People throughout our community need places to live,” said Placer County District 5 Supervisor Cindy Gustafson.

Some of the units are for households earning no more than 80% of the region’s median income. In Placer County, that percentage comes out to more than $78,000 a year.

According to the Tahoe Prosperity Center, less than a fifth of Lake Tahoe residents could afford to buy or rent a median priced home in 2018.

Nevada adds rapid tests to COVID tally, joining most states
By The Associated Press

Nevada health officials are now counting results from rapid antigen tests in the coronavirus data that they present to the public instead of only counting the traditional molecular tests processed in laboratories. The state updated its health response dashboard on Monday and added more than 600,000 tests to its count. Before Monday, only Nevada and Maryland did not publicly display probable case data from rapid tests in their online tallies. Nevada health officials say the change will give them a more comprehensive picture of the pandemic as the rapid tests become increasingly common in the United States.

Nevada organizations getting federal grants to support victims, public safety
By Noah Glick

The U.S. Department of Justice is awarding organizations across Nevada with more than $21 million to help enhance and support victim services and public safety. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Nevada made the announcement Monday.

The grants will go to the Nevada Department of Public Safety, the Inter-Tribal Council of Nevada, and the Division of Child and Family Services, among several others.

The goal of the funding is to prevent and reduce crime, advance racial equity in justice, and assist victims.

U.S. Supreme Court takes on complicated water battle
By Madelyn Beck, Mountain West News Bureau

The highest court heard oral arguments for the case Monday, which involves Mississippi alleging that Tennessee takes too much water from an aquifer that runs beneath both states.

Attorneys general from Colorado, Idaho, and Wyoming support Tennessee, and they don’t want to further complicate water law by opening up a new kind of lawsuit over groundwater. That is what Mississippi has done.

“It’s going to create a lot of controversy, and I do think it would result in increased lawsuits,” said Dylan Hedden-Nicely, who teaches environmental law at the University of Idaho.

Hedden-Nicely said we’ve long dealt with surface water disputes and have legal tools to help deal with those, but it’s not clear how that applies to water underground.

No matter what happens with this case, he said climate change will likely increase friction between states over groundwater. He said it’d be best if we didn’t have to fight legal or physical battles over it, but instead figure out how everyone can get enough water.

Sen. Rosen co-introduces bill to help solve medical supply shortages
By Lucia Starbuck

In response to the strain COVID-19 has put on manufacturers, a new bill in Congress would create a list of domestic suppliers who can produce masks, ventilators and other equipment during severe shortages.

The Strategic Planning for Emergency Medical Manufacturing Act was co-introduced by Nevada Senator Jacky Rosen and Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy.

The legislation would also allow manufacturers to identify their production capacity and raise a hand when they need technical assistance or federal help. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services would create and maintain this list.

Nevada RB Taua, Kicker Talton named MWC players of week
By The Associated Press

Nevada running back Toa Taua has been named the Mountain West Conference Offensive Player of the Week after he rushed for a season-high 124 yards on 12 carries to lead the Wolf Pack to their first road victory over Boise State since 1997. The senior from Lompoc, California averaged 10.3 yards per carry and scored twice from 12 and 22 yards in Nevada’s 41-31 win at Boise on Saturday. He also caught seven passes for 44 yards. Nevada kicker Brandon Talton also was named the league’s Special Teams Player of the Week. He made all four of his field goal attempts from 33, 37 and twice from 38 yards.

Noah Glick is a former content director and host at KUNR Public Radio.
Lucia Starbuck is an award-winning political journalist and the host of KUNR’s monthly show Purple Politics Nevada. She is passionate about reporting during election season, attending community events, and talking to people about the issues that matter most to them.
Madelyn Beck is a regional Illinois reporter, based in Galesburg. On top of her work for Harvest Public Media, she also contributes to WVIK, Tri-States Public Radio and the Illinois Newsroom collaborative.
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