Public Health

Water is scarce in much of the Mountain West. That’s why, every spring, one tribe spends days cleaning ditches that are vital to irrigating their farmlands. But aging infrastructure and the effects of climate change are making it harder for farmers to get enough water – even after the cleanings.

KUNR held its second Pints and Purple Politics event on Wednesday at IMBĪB Custom Brews in Sparks. Purple Politics Nevada host Lucia Starbuck moderated the conversation with three state lawmakers who represent the Reno-Sparks area. This week’s episode highlights what everyone had to say.

Purple Politics Nevada is KUNR’s weekly show about the 2023 Nevada Legislative Session. In this week’s episode, host Lucia Starbuck checks in with two journalists about bills to allow physician-assisted death and solidify protections for transgender community members. Editor’s note: This episode involves discussions of suicide, which may be upsetting for some.

Harris’ appearance at the University of Nevada, Reno came as Supreme Court justices weighed whether to support a lower court ruling to revoke approval of a common drug used for medication abortion.

The Nevada Legislature passed a major deadline on Friday, where all bills must have passed out of their first committee. Those that didn’t are dead for the most part. Now, they’ll need to be passed by both houses with identical language and signed or vetoed by Nevada’s Republican governor to become law.

Purple Politics Nevada is KUNR’s weekly show about the 2023 Nevada Legislative Session. In this week’s episode, host Lucia Starbuck spoke with Nevada Democratic Treasurer Zach Conine about his proposed legislation to create trust funds for babies covered under Medicaid, a loan repayment program for health care workers, and funding for rural schools and workforce housing.

March 5th marked three years since the first COVID case in Nevada. In that time, treatments have emerged to give relief to patients now suffering the effects of long COVID.

Purple Politics Nevada is KUNR’s weekly show about the 2023 Nevada Legislative Session, which spans 120 days and reached its halfway point. In this week’s episode, host Lucia Starbuck checks in with Democratic Senate Majority Leader Nicole Cannizzaro and Republican Senate Minority Leader Heidi Seevers Gansert about bills to improve health care and toughen punishments for trafficking fentanyl.

A new analysis shows that states in the Mountain West suffered some of the highest COVID-19 death rates in the U.S. between January 2020 and July 2022.

A new rule issued by the Environmental Protection Agency aims to reduce pollution from coal-burning power plants and factories in nearly two dozen states. That’s to improve the air quality for people living downwind – an issue in the Mountain West.