Washoe County

Different solutions have been proposed to reduce water levels from the flooded Swan Lake in Lemmon Valley, a battle that has been affecting nearby residents since 2017. KUNR’s Lucia Starbuck spoke with ThisisReno’s Bob Conrad about what’s been done, what can be expected, and how some residents are feeling.

The Washoe County School District Board of Trustees has approved an added lesson on sexual orientation and gender identity to the recently revised sexual education curriculum. KUNR’s Stephanie Serrano has this report.

In June, the Board of Trustees for the Washoe County School District approved five updated lessons, but a lesson on sexual orientation and gender identity was sent back to the committee to be revised. Rochelle Proctor is the district’s sexual education coordinator. She’s been working with a team of advisors for over a year redefining the district’s sex ed. high school curriculum. KUNR’s Stephanie Serrano spoke to Proctor about the reasoning behind the curriculum changes and edits made to lesson 1.

Hundreds of locals attended a national community event over the weekend called Drag Queen Story Hour. The event has been at the center of recent controversy after the mayor of Sparks and the Nevada Family Alliance complained that it should be canceled. KUNR’s Stephanie Serrano spoke to one of the queens who read books to the children at Sparks Library.

Getting to know Christopher Daniels

The Washoe County School District introduced its two-way immersion program a decade ago. It’s an opportunity for students to learn a secondary language and gain respect for another culture. KUNR’s Stephanie Serrano uncovers the challenges the district has had implementing this complex program.

Lee en español.

Nevada has recently seen more suicides in youth under the age of 18. Last year, there were 27 of these deaths, compared to 15 the year before. KUNR’s Karina Gonzalez examined this growing problem and recent prevention efforts.  

Washoe County commissioners are taking steps to contain Lemmon Valley’s Swan Lake to a specified boundary, although county staff have cautioned that a solution to flooding in that area hasn’t been identified and funding questions remain. To learn more, KUNR’s News Director Michelle Billman spoke to Bob Conrad, the publisher of ThisisReno, to learn more about this issue.

Reno's median home price has jumped, according to a recently release October report by the Reno/Sparks Association of Realtors. KUNR contributor Kaleb Roedel of the Northern Nevada Business View has the details. 

The 2018 Midterm Election is over, and it appears that Nevada saw a significant Blue Wave roll over the state. To talk about some of the results, KUNR’s Bree Zender spoke with Senior Political Reporter Paul Boger to breakdown the election.

Washoe County’s Emergency Alert System is the first in Nevada to simultaneously issue a warning in both English and Spanish. Our reporter Karina Gonzalez has more.

A bike sharing program called Lime Bike is now available through a pilot program in Washoe County, including Reno and Sparks. Before launching in those areas, the company also did a trial run in South Lake Tahoe. Molly Concialdi of Reno Youth Radio visited the lake to see how the program works.

For the first time in 14 years, Washoe County is going to have new voting machines.

The new machines are large tablets, about two feet tall and one foot wide. At a price of $4.2 million dollars for the whole system, the tablets will provide a number of new accessibility and usability improvements.

Heather Carmen is the Assistant Registrar of Voters for Washoe County.

A 200-mile trail from Reno to Gerlach is being proposed to highlight Washoe County’s cultural, historic, and artistic elements. With $75,000 in grant funds from the the National Endowment for the Arts, Washoe County, working with Burning Man, envisions the trail to pass through Reno-Sparks, small towns, and tribal lands into Gerlach.

Humans account for an overwhelming majority of wildland fires, with federal agencies estimating that 80 to 90 percent are caused by people.

Target shooting is just one of several ways that people can spark flames. Reno Public Radio’s Noah Glick look at other actions worrying local officials, and finds out what happens to those caught starting fires.

While heat and thunderstorms bring heightened potential for wildfires, the majority of wildfires are human-caused.

Target shooting in particular has been the cause of several blazes this year, including the Detweiler Fire that has destroyed more than 130 structures in Mariposa County, California.

Production and cultivation of marijuana are ramping up in Nevada, but development on a commercial scale comes with certain air quality challenges.

Reno Public Radio’s Noah visited a specialized greenhouse to learn more about the potential environmental impact of the cannabis industry.

Washoe County recently conducted a citizen survey on quality of life in the area. Our News Director Michelle Billman spoke with contributor Bob Conrad of ThisisReno to learn about the results.

KUNR: What did the county learn from this study? What are residents saying about the local quality of life?

This year’s flooding has left many people in Northern Nevada either displaced or dealing with extensive property damage. But nowhere in the state may be as hard hit as Lemmon Valley.

Tensions ran high at O'Brien Middle School Wednesday night, as more than 100 Lemmon Valley residents voiced their anger at Washoe County for what they say was an inadequate response to this year's flooding. Reno Public Radio's Noah Glick reports.

Washoe County is being sued by the Truckee Meadows Regional Planning Governing Board over the county’s proposed legislation to gain more representation on that board. Our reporter Bob Conrad, of ThisisReno.com, has the story.

The planning board has 10 members -- four from the city of Reno, three from Sparks and three appointed by the county. The bill draft request to the legislature, approved by the commissioners, would change that composition.