Here are your local news headlines for the morning of Thursday, Apr. 1, 2021.
Washoe County COVID-19 Response Team Looking For COVID-19 Vaccinators
By Jayden Perez
Washoe County’s COVID-19 response team is looking for volunteers and temporary staff to assist with vaccination efforts.
The Washoe County Medical Reserve Corps program is specifically looking for people who can administer vaccines. They’re also looking for staff who can assist vaccinators and help with traffic flow, among other duties.
If you’re interested in volunteering, you can sign up at the Medical Reserve Corps of Washoe County website.
About 20% Of Washoe County Residents Fully Vaccinated
By Lucia Starbuck
Nearly one in three Nevadans eligible for a COVID-19 vaccination have gotten their first shot, with roughly 18% of the state’s entire population now completely vaccinated. That’s according to the latest information on the state’s online dashboard.
In Washoe County, one in five residents are now fully vaccinated.
Statistically, Nevada is averaging fewer than 200 new daily cases of COVID-19 and three deaths per day. The totals are based on a two-week rolling average.
Washoe County is averaging 43 new cases per day.
You can learn more about COVID-19 vaccinations in Nevada here, along with the state’s COVID-19 dashboard here, and Washoe County’s here.
CVS Stores In Northern Nevada Offering COVID-19 Vaccinations
By Noah Glick
CVS Pharmacy is offering COVID-19 vaccinations in 13 of its stores throughout Nevada, including two in Reno, and more in Carson City and Sun Valley.
Anyone interested must register in advance at CVS.com or through the CVS Pharmacy app.
Nevada Attorney General Speaks Out Against Anti-Asian Hate
By Jayden Perez
Nevada’s top law enforcement official is weighing in on the rise of anti-Asian hate crimes.
Attorney General Aaron Ford joined leaders from the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities during a town hall Tuesday to condemn the recent spat of hate crimes. Ford said that discrimination against AAPI residents is not a new issue and often goes unreported.
“We’ve only had 3,800 some odd reports, but we know there are more out there, and the key is, again, talking about actions we can take to push back on AAPI hate, one of those actions is to report it. You have to speak up," Ford said.
Nevadans are encouraged to call local law enforcement or reach out to the Nevada Equal Rights Commission to report racist complaints and hate crimes.
Wildfire Season Underway In The West
By Maggie Mullen, Mountain West News Bureau
It’s not quite summer, but wildfires are already here. One in Utah is the largest fire to burn in the state so far this year, and this may be a sign of things to come.
"It's not unheard of to have early fires," said Bill Crapser, the State Forester for Wyoming, but historically April, May and June are usually wet, so Crapser said the moisture normally changes things.
"Unfortunately, over the last 20 years, normal has changed, changed a lot. The definition of normal, we're not quite sure what that is," he said.
Currently, much of the region is in varying degrees of drought. The National Weather Service is predicting that a lot of that drought will persist. Plus, the Intermountain West has seen a big increase in human-caused fire.
Crapser said now is the time to prepare for wildfire season. For folks living near undeveloped, wildland vegetation, that means creating a defensible space around your home.
Two Technology Company Headquarters Moving To Northern Nevada
By Jayden Perez
Two new tech companies will soon call Northern Nevada home.
The Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada announced Wednesday that Stem Express and PayCertify are expected to move their headquarters to Reno. StemExpress is a biomedical company that offers bone marrow, blood samples and other products to researchers. PayCertify is a financial technology company that is involved with e-commerce.
The companies are expected to create more than 200 jobs over the next several years.
Reno Arch Changing Colors In April
By Noah Glick
No, it's not an April Fools' Joke. The Reno Arch is changing colors this month.
The famous landmark will be green and blue for the month of April, to raise awareness of National Donate Life Month. The month is designed to encourage more people to register for organ donation.
