Amateur exhibitors of all ages can compete in dozens of categories, from photography and fine arts to sewing, knitting, food preservation, gardening, and flowers. The festival's 2026 premium booklet includes entry requirements, judging information, and exhibit rules.

Nevada residents may enter work completed within the past year, provided it meets the requirements for its department. Youth exhibitors compete in Peewee, Junior, Intermediate, and Senior divisions based on age.

Exhibits are judged using the Danish Judging System, which evaluates each entry against established standards rather than against other exhibitors. More than one blue ribbon may be awarded in a class if multiple entries meet those standards. Visitors also vote for People's Choice Awards during the festival.

Among the festival's best-known competitions is the Special Cantaloupe Growing Contest. Growers may enter Hearts of Gold cantaloupes in categories recognizing the largest, roundest, most unusual, and ugliest melons. Participants may also receive complimentary seeds through the festival and share photographs of their progress throughout the growing season using #TheColossalCantaloupe.

Visitors can browse exhibits ranging from heirloom recipes and handcrafted quilts to original artwork, flowers, preserved foods, and locally grown produce.

The 41st annual Fallon Cantaloupe Festival & Country Fair will be held Aug. 28-30 at the Rafter 3C Event Complex. Premium booklets are available through the Fallon Cantaloupe Festival & Country Fair.

Five Ways to Join the Competition

• Photography: Landscape, wildlife, portrait, and creative photography classes are open to amateur exhibitors.
• Home Arts: Quilts, sewing, knitting, crochet, embroidery, woodworking, and other handcrafted projects have their own divisions.
• Food Preservation: Home-canned fruits, vegetables, jams, jellies, pickles, and other preserved foods are judged in multiple categories.
• Flowers and Gardens: Exhibitors may enter fresh-cut flowers, floral arrangements, fruits, vegetables, and other garden produce.
• Special Cantaloupe Growing Contest: Growers compete for awards recognizing the largest, roundest, most unusual, and ugliest Hearts of Gold cantaloupes.

Thinking About Entering?

The 2026 Fallon Cantaloupe Festival & Country Fair Premium Booklet includes complete competition rules, exhibit classes, judging information, entry requirements, and department-specific instructions for exhibitors.

Premium booklets are available through the Fallon Cantaloupe Festival & Country Fair.

Because of these changes, the Moriah herd gather in eastern Nevada is being moved up almost an entire week. The BLM’s tentative national gather schedule has the Moriah gather listed as running from July 27 through Aug. 13. However, they recently announced that the gather will start on July 20 instead. This is possibly due to the Saylor Creek gather being completed early. 

The Moriah gather will remove up to 500 wild horses from the herd area and nearby public lands. Located about 48 miles northeast of Ely, the Moriah Herd Management Area (HMA) has an Appropriate Management Level (AML) of zero wild horses under the BLM's 2008 Ely Resource Management Plan. The agency says the area is no longer designated for long-term wild horse management because it does not meet the criteria for maintaining a thriving ecological balance alongside other public land uses. Temporary public land closures will be in effect during this time. 

Although the Saylor Creek roundup was scheduled to run from July 10 through 17, the BLM completed the entire gather in a single day, on July 15. The BLM’s original plan for Saylor Creek was to gather roughly 150 wild horses, permanently remove about 105, and treat 22 mares with fertility control before releasing them back to the range. After conducting a survey in May that estimated the herd's postfoaling population at only 118 horses, the BLM revised its plan to gather approximately 100 horses, remove about 68 and treat 16 mares. The roundup concluded with 103 horses captured, all of which were then transported to the Boise Off-Range Wild Horse Corrals. 

Meanwhile, the northern Nevada Callaghan Complex gather remains in progress. As of July 17, the BLM had gathered a cumulative total of 1,240 wild horses, including 516 stallions, 501 mares and 223 foals. The Callaghan Complex gather is one of the largest planned wild horse gathers in the country this year, with up to 2,000 horses scheduled for removal over approximately 1,145,515 acres. This gather is intended to reduce the herd to its established AML of 323- 552 horses. Additionally, wild horses have been reported moving frequently along State Route 305, creating public safety issues.  

The Bureau of Land Management conducts horse gathers and removals to protect the health of horses and well as rangelands. Large-scale gathers such as the Callaghan Complex are intended to reduce wild horse populations to appropriate management levels, or levels public rangelands can sustain. According to the BLM, “By balancing herd size with what the land can support and avoiding an overpopulation of wild horses on the range, the BLM aims to protect the habitat for other wildlife species such as sage-grouse, pronghorn antelope, mule deer and elk.” 

During some gathers, mares are treated with fertility control vaccines, including porcine zona pellucida (PZP) or GonaCon-Equine, before being released back to the range. Fertility control has been used since 1978, and is intended to slow herd growth between gathers and reduce the number of horses that need be removed in future years. According to research funded by BLM and the National Park Service, two doses of GonaCon-Equine can provide four years or more of contraception. The BLM says it plans to increase use of GonaCon-Equine because of this. 

During gathers, helicopters are used to drive horses into temporary holding facilities, where information is collected on herd characteristics and herd health can be determined. Photo Courtesy Bureau of Land Management - Idaho Facebook 

Following capture, horses are transported to off-range holding facilities for veterinary examinations and processing before becoming eligible for adoption through the BLM's Wild Horse and Burro Program. Horses gathered from the Moriah Herd Area will be taken to the Winnemucca Off-Range Corrals in Paradise, Nevada. 

Several additional Nevada wild horse gathers remain on the BLM's tentative schedule this year. The Callaghan Complex gather is expected to continue through Aug. 31, the Lake Lahontan Herd Management Area gather is scheduled for July 20-30 with up to 700 horses planned for removal, and the Jackson Mountains Herd Management Area gather is scheduled for Sept. 20-30 with up to 500 horses planned for removal.

“These awards recognize an outstanding commitment to workplace safety,” said NVMA President Amanda Hilton. “Every operator and contractor recognized is committed to sending their crew home safely, shift after shift. More than recognizing strong safety records, these awards reflect the shared responsibility and effort that define our industry.”  

Operator Safety Awards are based on Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) data from the previous year. The evaluation considers factors such as employees on site, total hours worked in 2025, penalties for lost-time accidents, reportable incidents and lost-time days. Several recipients also achieved the industry's "triple zero" designation, meaning they completed the year without a reportable injury, restricted duty case or lost-time incident. 

Additionally, the Contractor Safety Awards honor third-party companies whose employees work alongside mine operators across Nevada. Five contractors were recognized this year, reflecting high standards of safety and collaboration. 

Award recipients will be recognized, along with the 45 winners of the 2026 Individual Safety Awards, during the Celebration of Excellence at the Tahoe Blue Event Center. The awards ceremony is part of the Nevada Mining Association's annual convention, and will take place on Sept. 11 at 6:30 p.m. The three-day event brings together mine operators, contractors, suppliers and other industry professionals for networking, educational presentations, a reverse expo, golf tournament and discussions on issues affecting Nevada's mining industry.

According to NVMA, recognizing strong safety performance is one way they encourage mines to continue improving workplace practices. The annual awards program highlights successful safety efforts, promotes the exchange of effective strategies and reinforces the importance of making worker safety a priority throughout Nevada's mining industry. 

For more information about the NVMA and its commitment to safety, visit www.nevadamining.org.

 The 2026 NVMA Operator Safety Award Winners: 

Aggregate

1st Ames Construction Inc. 

Ames Backfill Portable Crusher 

1st Granite Construction Company 

Lockwood Quarry 

1st Western Nevada Materials

Spanish Springs Quarry

Non-Metals

1st Arcosa Specialty Materials 

Arcosa Adams Claim #1850 

1st Empire Mining Company 

Empire Mine 

1st Lhoist North America 

Amargosa Quarry and Plant 

1st U.S. Silica Company 

Clark Operations 

1st U.S. Silica Company  

Colado Mine 

1st U.S. Silica Company 

Colado Plant 

1st U.S. Silica Company 

Fernley Operations

Surface - Large (300+)

1st KGHM International 

Robinson Operation 

2nd SSR Mining 

Marigold 

3rd Nevada Gold Mines 

Twin Creeks

Surface - Medium (100-299)

1st McEwen Mining

Gold Bar

Surface - Small (20-99)

1st Mining Americas Inc. 

Pan Mine 

1st Hycroft Resources 

Hycroft Mine 

1st Lithium Nevada Corp. 

Thacker Pass 

1st Kinross Nevada 

Bald Mountain South Operation 

1st i-80 Gold 

Ruby Hill Mine

Underground - Large (300+)

1st Nevada Gold Mines

Cortez 

2nd Nevada Gold Mines 

Turquoise Ridge 

3rd Nevada Gold Mines 

Leeville

Underground - Medium (100-299)

1st Nevada Gold Mines

Exodus 

2nd Nevada Gold Mines

Pete Bajo

Underground - Small (20-99)

1st i-80 

Granite Creek 

1st Nevada Gold Mines 

El Nino 

1st Kinross Nevada 

Round Mountain Underground

The 2026 NVMA Contractor Safety Awards

Small Mine Development (SMD) 

Leeville 

Small Mine Development (SMD)  

North Post - Meikle Underground 

Small Mine Development (SMD)  

Rita K 

Cementation USA Inc.  

Gold Rush Underground 

GenX Mining Contractors

Wherever you fall on the political spectrum, it’s important to note at the outset that I do not view tariffs as an inherently partisan issue. America is part of a global economy and fair trade offers our domestic businesses a real chance to compete. This is sorely needed in the brewing industry because American beermakers, be they craft brewers or large manufacturers, face massive structural disadvantages in the global market.

Beer imports have almost doubled their share of the American market over the past decade, growing from about 14 percent in 2013 to nearly one in four beers consumed today. More than 80 percent of those imports come from Mexico, where large breweries have been scaling up rapidly with the American market as their explicit target. Workers in those facilities earn approximately $3,700 a year. American brewery workers earn nearly $80,000. Mexican producers also pay substantially lower taxes and face far less burdensome regulatory requirements than American companies. 

Farmers have an important stake in the success of the U.S. brewing industry. American brewers purchase more than one billion dollars in agricultural products every year, including the barley and hops used in making beer. As domestic production contracts, that demand contracts with it, traveling through the distribution network into the restaurants and bars that carry American brands, and into the communities that depend on all of it.

What I see in my day-to-day work is the pressure this places on independent operators. Restaurants and bars in Nevada are already navigating one of the most difficult operating environments in recent memory. Food costs, labor costs, and overhead have all climbed steeply. Operators who built their businesses on thin margins are now making difficult decisions about what beverage products to carry. Most consumers only ever get a glimpse of the vast beverage supply chain in this country, but all of it is heavily dependent on a robust and thriving American brewing industry. 

Nevada is an instructive case precisely because our economy is so heavily weighted toward hospitality and tourism. The servers, bartenders, distributors, and small-business owners who make this state work are downstream from the trade policy decisions made in Washington, D.C.  If current trends hold, beer imports are projected to account for as much as 40 percent of total U.S. consumption, with estimated GDP losses of up to $23 billion. Those losses will be felt the most by the workers and smallbusiness owners who have the least capacity to absorb them. These are people I work with on a daily basis, and I can tell you that is the last thing they need right now.

We have watched too many oncethriving American industries lose ground to foreign competition. The fallout always comes in the form of lost jobs and struggling communities, particularly rural ones. Tariffs on beer imported from Mexico will help to give America’s breweries a fighting chance. I urge the Trump Administration to defend our U.S. beverage economy by enacting these tariffs. 

Mary Ellen Tsunis is a Nevada-based wine and beverage industry professional with extensive experience across the beverage, hospitality, and restaurant sectors.

The Office of the State Fire Marshal has been operating under the oversight of the Nevada State Police Investigation District since February, when previous Fire Marshal Joseph Rodriquez was fired following his arrest on a misdemeanor DUI charge. According to the Department of Public Safety, Zahara was selected through the appointment process outlined in Nevada Revised Statute 477.143, which requires a competitive recruitment and review of applicants by the Nevada Board of Fire Services before an appointment is made by the department.

Throughout his career, Zahara has served in both Wyoming and California in a variety of fire service roles, including fire suppression, emergency medical services, fire prevention, fire investigations, code enforcement, emergency management and executive leadership. Most recently, he served as fire chief in Bar Nunn, Wyoming, where he led the community's fire department before accepting the Nevada appointment. 

"Chief Zahara's extensive experience in fire service leadership, emergency management, and public safety will be an asset to Nevada," Nevada State Police Director George Togliatti said. "His commitment to protecting lives, strengthening partnerships, and supporting Nevada's fire service community will help advance the important mission of the Office of the State Fire Marshal."

Rather than using sheep for traditional livestock production, the Forest Service uses them to consume fine fuels before they can dry out and contribute to fires. Fine fuels include fast drying, lightweight vegetation such as cheatgrass, small twigs, and pine needles. Sheep are brought into front-country areas where grazing can help lower wildfire risk near communities and popular recreation areas. To support that work, the Carson Ranger District currently has seven active grazing permittees, including three livestock use permits dedicated specifically to targeted grazing. Those permits allow sheep to graze specifically for fuel reduction projects, helping reduce the buildup of vegetation that can rapidly spread wildfire. 

During the presentation, Se. Ira Hansen asked whether targeted grazing is now an established Forest Service practice or still experimental. The discussion focused on how long the practice has been used, whether it has proven effective and what additional research is still needed before expanding it further. Zumstein explained that it’s both, noting the district has used targeted grazing in some areas for decades while continuing to partner with the University of Nevada, Reno to evaluate and refine the practice. Researchers establish monitoring plots in grazed areas and collect long-term data to better understand how targeted grazing affects vegetation over time. 

Zumstein said the research is also helping determine whether spring grazing during green-up or fall grazing provides the greatest reduction in fine fuels and the most effective use of resources. “We've been providing data as they'll go out, create plots and start to track that in some of the ones that have a longer-term grazing history. So I think that we are seeing benefits from it,” Zumstein said. “We have a good relationship with UNR and I think there's desire and impetus to continue that research, and certainly we are seeing good effects from having them out there.” 

Zumstein also explained how targeted grazing projects are different from traditional grazing permits. Ranchers operating under traditional grazing permits pay standard grazing fees, while those participating in targeted grazing projects generally have those fees waived because they are providing a wildfire mitigation service.

 “The point of these isn't so much to provide browse for the sheep as to mitigate the fine fuels. It's a little bit different than our other grazing permits.” He explained. Hansen pointed to a long-running targeted grazing project as an example of the practice’s effectiveness. “It was in 2008 Carson City area, I actually hired the Borda Sheep Company to go and graze the C- Hills,” he explained, “and it's been extremely successful.” Hansen said the area, which had been dominated by cheatgrass, has not experienced a significant wildfire since the project began. He also noted that reducing cheatgrass has allowed native perennial plants and shrubs to return, helping restore the landscape while reducing hazardous fuels. 

While the program has received broad support, Zumstein acknowledged some challenges, particularly conflicts between sheep and off-leash dogs in popular recreation areas. The Forest Service works with homeowners’ associations, animal control, permittees and the public to minimize conflicts through education, outreach and scheduling.

Despite those issues, Zumstein said the district has found that public support has grown over the past decade as more people recognize the role targeted grazing plays in reducing wildfire risk. Zumstein emphasized that targeted grazing is not intended to replace other vegetation treatments, but instead complements prescribed fire, thinning and mechanical treatments. "It's a tool in the toolbox," he said, explaining that no single method can address every landscape or wildfire risk.

 Legislators noted that preventing fires through targeted grazing appears to be a far less expensive approach than suppressing large wildfires and rehabilitating burned landscapes afterward. Zumstein agreed, describing sheep grazing as one of several tools used in the Forest Service's active management strategy. He said the district plans to continue expanding the practice where conditions are appropriate, with the goal of preventing catastrophic fires before they begin.

The three-day music festival will be held July 23-25 at The Grange. Known as Nevada’s longest-running country music festival, the event combines nationally recognized country artists, camping and around-the-clock entertainment while continuing its longtime support of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Mason Valley.

Shenandoah will headline the Toyota Main Stage on Thursday, following a performance by Phil Vassar. Friday’s lineup will feature Cole Swindell, Priscilla Block, Greylan James and Atlus. Jordan Davis will close out the festival Saturday night, along with Kameron Marlowe, Sam Riggs and Ian Harrison.

Additional artists will perform on the Parlor Stage and Stampede Stage and at the Full Moon Saloon Aftermath, where DJs will keep the music going after the main concerts end.

In addition to live music, Night in the Country offers a variety of festival activities. Guests can participate in “Caught in the Country,” where professional photographers capture festival moments and send the photos directly to visitors’ phones at no cost. The festival also includes camping, food vendors, bars, games and other activities.

Night in the Country is the largest annual fundraiser for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Mason Valley. Proceeds from passes, campsites and merchandise help support programs serving more than 1,500 children and teens in Yerington, Silver Springs, Dayton and Hawthorne.

The club provides a safe place for young people before and after school and during school breaks. Programs focus on education, leadership, health and wellness, the arts, sports and recreation.

Founded in 1998, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Mason Valley began by serving a small group of children from a single room in Yerington. Since Night in the Country launched in 2002, both the festival and the organization have continued to grow.

The club has since expanded into four communities, opened a teen center and an early learning center, and now serves more than 500 young people each day.

Three-day and single-day general admission, VIP and other pass options are available. Discounted passes are offered to military members, first responders and students, and payment plans are also available.

Attendees who receive their wristbands in advance are encouraged to register them before arriving to allow for quicker entry and cashless purchases throughout the festival.

Western Skies RV Rentals are also available and include a travel trailer, a quiet 3,000-watt generator and on-site support during the festival.

For more information, visit nightinthecountrynv.org.

Formerly known as the Silver & Sage Fair, the fair is dedicated to preserving the science of farming, homesteading and livestock production while showcasing the importance of agriculture throughout western Nevada.

Visitors can enjoy the MAYHEMilition Demolition Derby, youth livestock shows and sale featuring steers, goats, pigs, sheep, rabbits and poultry, along with a variety of food and merchandise vendors.

Indoor exhibits will showcase canned goods, homemade breads, fresh vegetables, artwork and educational displays, highlighting the talents and traditions of local residents.

Livestock exhibitors will check in on Wednesday, July 16, with public events taking place Friday through Sunday, July 17–19, at the Douglas County Fairgrounds.

The free event begins at 10 a.m. and will feature traditional Basque food and drinks, folk dancing, live music, sporting events, contests and cultural exhibits. Visitors can also browse Basque arts, crafts and souvenirs while learning about one of Northern Nevada’s longstanding cultural communities.

Festivities begin with Mass at 10 a.m., followed by Basque dancers at 11 a.m. Lunch will be served at 12:30 p.m., with traditional weightlifting demonstrations at 2 p.m. More dancing is scheduled for 2:30 p.m., followed by traditional Basque contests at 3:30 p.m., including weight-carrying and wood-chopping exhibitions.

Audience members will also have opportunities to participate in select activities and learn informal Basque folk dances.

The celebration will continue with a social dance at 8 p.m. at Lead Dog Brewing, featuring music by Izen Gabe.

The festival is hosted by the Zazpiak Bat Reno Basque Club. The club was founded in September 1966 by 33 members, each contributing $3 for membership.

According to the club’s website, its principal mission is to “preserve and maintain the traditions and culture of the Basque people in this area, while teaching others about the culture as well.”

The club is also a charter member of the North American Basque Organizations, a federation of Basque clubs across the United States and Canada. Through that membership, the Reno club participates in regional gatherings and helps strengthen connections within the larger North American Basque community.

The Reno Basque Festival is also one of dozens of events featured during Artown, Reno’s monthlong arts and culture celebration held each July.

Since its founding in 1996, Artown has showcased hundreds of performances, exhibitions and cultural events celebrating the region’s artistic diversity. As part of this year’s lineup, the Basque Festival offers visitors an opportunity to experience the music, food and traditions that have long been part of Northern Nevada’s cultural heritage.

The California Institute of Technology announced in June that its Deep Synoptic Array has passed its final engineering design review and secured construction funding from Schmidt Sciences. The project would place 1,650 radio dishes across northern Spring Valley in White Pine County, northwest of Ely.

Each dish would measure slightly more than 20 feet across. Together, the dishes would stretch across an area approximately 12 miles long and 10 miles wide, functioning as one enormous telescope. Caltech plans to complete construction by 2029, with scientific operations beginning soon afterward.

The project, however, still faces federal environmental review before full construction can proceed on public land.

The Bureau of Land Management approved limited geotechnical testing on approximately 16 acres in April. That testing will allow engineers to examine soil and ground conditions in the proposed project area.

The BLM release emphasized that the decision is an interim approval required for the project’s review under the National Environmental Policy Act and is not a final right-of-way grant for the larger telescope array.

Caltech submitted its federal right-of-way application in September 2023. Earlier BLM documents described the proposed project area as approximately 63,250 acres of public land in northern Spring Valley. The agency also established a working group involving state and federal wildlife officials and Caltech to examine potential effects on wildlife and other resources.

When completed, the Deep Synoptic Array would survey the sky approximately 100 times faster than any existing radio telescope, according to Caltech.

Radio telescopes do not capture ordinary visible light. Instead, they detect radio waves produced by stars, galaxies, black holes and other objects throughout the universe. Scientists combine signals collected by multiple dishes to create detailed images.

The Nevada array’s 1,650 dishes would continuously send data through fiber-optic lines to a powerful computer system. The computer would process the signals immediately, producing what Caltech researchers describe as the world’s first real-time “radio camera.”

Traditional radio-telescope data can take weeks or months to process into usable images. The new system is intended to produce those images almost instantly.

Caltech estimates that the array will collect raw information at a rate comparable to all internet traffic in the United States. Storing all of that raw data would require approximately 5 million computer hard drives. Instead, the system will process the information as it arrives and save the completed images.

Researchers expect the telescope to identify approximately 1 billion previously unknown radio sources during its first five-year survey. Caltech says the array could match, on its first day of operation, the roughly 20 million radio sources discovered by all other radio telescopes combined.

Scientists intend to use the telescope to study black holes, pulsars, exploding stars, dark matter, gravity and the expansion of the universe.

It will also search for fast radio bursts, intense flashes of radio energy lasting only fractions of a second. Although astronomers have traced some of the bursts to distant galaxies, their origins remain one of astronomy’s major unanswered questions.

The project is expected to detect more than 100,000 of the bursts and identify the galaxies from which they came.

Caltech says images produced by the telescope will be available freely to scientists and members of the public without a proprietary waiting period.

MW+ will carry all Nevada home events that are not selected for television, including conference and nonconference games, along with Mountain West championship events.

More than 1,000 live events from across the conference are expected to be available each year.

The service will cost $79.99 annually or $10.99 per month. Fans who purchase an annual subscription in July, August or September can receive a discounted rate of $67.99.

A majority of the money from subscriptions purchased through Nevada’s dedicated MW+ page will go directly to Wolf Pack athletics.

Fans who subscribe through the Mountain West website or the MW+ app will need to select Nevada during registration to make sure their subscription supports the Wolf Pack.

Nevada football will have two games shown exclusively on MW+ this fall. The Wolf Pack will host San José State on Oct. 24 and Northern Illinois on Nov. 14.

The platform will also carry Nevada women’s soccer and volleyball games, although the full nonconference home schedules have not yet been announced. Both teams are scheduled to begin Mountain West play Sept. 24.

In addition to live games, subscribers will have access to replays, press conferences, coaches shows, highlights, conference football and basketball media days and original features on Nevada athletes and programs.

Nevada Athletics Director Stephanie Rempe said the platform will give fans more access to Wolf Pack teams and student-athletes.

“Wolf Pack Athletics is embarking on an exciting next chapter with the Mountain West, and MW+ will be a transformative platform for connecting our fans more deeply with our programs,” Rempe said.

Nevada has also built a new central control room inside Lawlor Events Center to prepare for the increased number of broadcasts.

The upgraded facility includes new instant replay equipment, graphics systems and a production switcher used to change camera angles and add effects during broadcasts.

The control room will also create more opportunities for University of Nevada students and student-athletes interested in broadcasting and production.

MW+ will be available through web browsers, iPhone and Android devices, Apple TV,

On the field, the Aces built an early lead entirely through two-out rallies. Five consecutive batters reached base during a four-run rally in the first inning after the first two batters were retired. In the bottom of the third, Christian Cerda hit his second double of the game to drive in two more runs, stretching the Aces’ lead to 7-2.

The stands filled quickly as more than 1,000 Nevada miners, their families and other fans took advantage of discounted tickets to witness the collision of industrial grit and classic comic-strip nostalgia. Mining Night is an annual celebration of the industry’s role in Northern Nevada. The event was sponsored by the Nevada Mining Association.

The evening highlighted the state’s mining workforce and included several features on and off the field. Evette Nevarez, winner of the Nevada Mining Association’s America 250 Art Contest, threw out the ceremonial first pitch. Empire Cat displayed equipment outside the stadium, and a personal protective equipment race underscored the importance of safety in mining.

Angelique Martinez of the Nevada Mining Association won the balloon pop contest, while interactive booths from KGHM and AngloGold Ashanti Nevada Projects offered demonstrations showing how mining supports everyday life.

The Aces offered discounted tickets for the event, which has become one of the team’s larger themed nights of the season.

The America 250 art contest winner, Evette Nevarez (center) with her mother, Adrianna Nevarez on the left, and Becky Hall from the NVMA on the right.

He previously served as the director of athletics for Clark County School District (CCSD) and athletic director at Durango High School.

It was a rough 2025-26 school year for Jackson and the NIAA, as the realignment battle in football raged for much of the year, mostly in southern Nevada and Clark County.

The new playoff format was flawed and brackets for the 5A Open and 5A had to be redone twice.

Recently all the large public schools in Clark County decided to play as independent in football in oppose to facing Bishop Gorman. That charge was led by Cimarron-Memorial principal Colin McNaught and other principals.

As of now, private schools in the Las Vegas area will compete for a state title. The schools that went independent will play in their own playoff system that will not be recognized by the NIAA. However, they still have to abide by NIAA bylaws. There are 30 4A and 5A schools that made that decision to play independent. 

In a release from the NIAA, the organization stated that he led the association through a period of significant legislative change and administrative modernization, and Jackson will step down to pursue new opportunities. 

"It has been an honor to serve Nevada’s member schools and student-athletes," said Jackson. "I am proud of the strides we have made in professionalizing our operations, expanding opportunities for students, and strengthening our relationships with state leaders.” 

Earlier in 2026 at one of the NIAA board meetings, McNaught and many Clark County principals voiced concerns about granting a three-year extension to Jackson’s contract. They felt that Jackson and the NIAA are not treating the school district fairly and not listening to their concerns.

During his tenure, Jackson prioritized the professional development of Nevada’s athletic administrators, and the NIAA achieved large increases in coaches' education and educational programs. 

He was key in launching the inaugural Nevada Athletics Summer Institute, a statewide professional learning event providing free training to hundreds of administrators. To further support school staff, Jackson 

developed a comprehensive digital NIAA Video Library, offering on-demand guidance on eligibility, scheduling, and compliance. 

Jackson was a steadfast advocate for the Association at the state level. He worked closely with the Nevada Legislature to navigate the complexities of Assembly Bill 184, ensuring that transfer regulations remained equitable and transparent. 

He was instrumental in securing a formal Legislative Liaison position on the Board of Control to foster direct communication with lawmakers. 

Jackson’s term saw the historic sanctioning and implementation of Boys' and Girls' Lacrosse and girls wrestling as a standalone state championship sport. 

Furthermore, Jackson oversaw the modernization of the association’s internal policies, including the first major update to the NIAA Policy 

Manual in over a decade and the transition to cost-saving digital activity cards. 

"The Board of Control thanks Mr. Jackson for his dedicated service and his commitment to the students of Nevada," said Pamela Sloan, President of the NIAA Board of Control. 

The NIAA Board of Control will meet in the coming weeks to discuss the transition plan and the search for a new executive director. Bartt Davis, an assistant director with the NIAA could not confirm if a new executive director would be in place for the 2026-27 school, saying that will be determined by the NIAA Board of Control.

Davis also did not comment when asked if this decision will affect the independent status of the Clark County schools. He added that is a board de

The change took effect June 1 and includes the Reno-Sparks Livestock Events Center. Anyone interested in booking an event or using the fairgrounds will now work directly with the Reno Rodeo Association.

The management shift follows the passage of Assembly Bill 333, which returned oversight of the Nevada State Fairgrounds to the Department of Agriculture. The state originally endowed the property for agricultural purposes in 1867.

Before the transition, the Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority operated the property under a lease held by Washoe County.

The Reno Rodeo Association already has a long history at the fairgrounds and has invested in the property over the years, making it a logical choice to handle day-to-day event and facility management.

“The Reno Rodeo has demonstrated its ability to manage the Nevada State Fairgrounds through its longstanding presence and investment in the property,” Nevada Department of Agriculture Director J.J. Goicoechea said. “We look forward to working together to support the continued success at the facility and the events it hosts.”

The fairgrounds remain one of Northern Nevada’s primary venues for livestock shows, rodeos, agricultural events and other large public gatherings.

For event bookings or information about using the Nevada State Fairgrounds, contact the Reno Rodeo Association at 775-329-3877.

Director of the Nevada Department of Agriculture, J.J. Goicoechea, thanked the exhibitors, participants, partners and visitors who helped make this year’s fair a success.

One of the fair’s highlights was a competition celebrating Nevada’s official state drink, the Picon Punch.

The cocktail, rooted in Nevada’s Basque heritage, was designated the official state drink in 2025. The State Fair invited Picon Punch makers from across Nevada to put their recipes to the test before a panel of judges and more than 100 tasters.

Judges included Goicoechea; Deputy Director Doug Farris; “Piconland” writer and director Mark Maynard; Reno fashion and travel blogger Gabbi Hall, known online as @HereGoesGabbi; and Reno food blogger Sydnye Helu of @EatingReno.

Scotty Ygoa of The Star Hotel in Elko earned the title of Best Picon Punch in Nevada. Heyday Inn received the People’s Choice Award, while Ferino Distillery received the White Ribbon for its newly released canned Picon Punch.

The return of the official State Fair of Nevada marked a memorable milestone during Nevada Agricultural Heritage Month, bringing together communities from across the state to enjoy educational exhibits, youth competitions, live entertainment and traditions that highlight the importance of agriculture in Nevada. 

“We are grateful to the exhibitors, participants, partners and visitors who helped make this year’s fair such a success,” Goicoechea said.

Seed program accepting proposals

The Nevada Department of Agriculture is also accepting proposals for its Contracted Seed Grow-out Program through Aug. 1.

The program is designed to expand native seed production in Nevada by providing participating growers with seed and technical support.

Producers with at least 1 acre of land and access to irrigation are encouraged to apply. The seed produced through the program may be used for habitat restoration, conservation and land management projects throughout the state.

For information or application details, call 775-399-0284 or email seeds@agri.nv.gov.

Residents asked to report Mormon crickets

Nevada residents are being encouraged to report Mormon cricket sightings to help state officials track populations and support management efforts.

Early reporting helps officials identify population trends and respond to outbreaks that could threaten agricultural operations and surrounding communities.

Sightings may be reported online at agri.nv.gov/Entomology.

Contestants included Blakely Jensen of Idaho, Kelly Cordill of Washington, Lilly Lefanto of Nevada, Liv Thurgood of Utah, and Liberty Vrska of Idaho. Lefanto previously served as the Nevada Junior High School Rodeo Princess.

That’s why a sweeping new European Union regulation, the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive, or CS3D, deserves closer attention at home. While CS3D aims to promote corporate accountability, its far-reaching requirements impose unnecessary costs and obstacles on U.S. companies, with real consequences for Nevada.

The directive requires many large companies, including those located in the United States and complying with U.S. laws, to identify and report their environmental and human rights impacts across their operations and suppliers. For industries such as fuel distribution and retail, that creates a real challenge. Most convenience stores are small, family-owned businesses with broad supply chains involving the production, refining, transportation and storage of gasoline, along with the delivery of packaged goods across multiple entities.

Yet CS3D could subject them to extensive new paperwork requiring them to track and report activities across many suppliers. A recent Hudson Institute analysis underscores what is at stake, estimating that between 680,000 and 865,000 American jobs could be at risk and nearly $1 trillion drained from the U.S. economy through compliance costs and supply chain disruptions.

At the local level, the impact is even more alarming. The research projects that CS3D could cost Nevada nearly 5,000 jobs and reduce Nevada worker pay by more than $400 million. The one-time costs of complying with CS3D are expected to approach $3.5 billion for our state alone. With over 59,000 Nevada small businesses operating in the industries most vulnerable to these regulations, absorbing these complicated rules will not be financially viable for many local operators.

These costs will be passed to consumers through higher prices at gas stations and other Nevada businesses. In a state where tourism, logistics and travel are central to the economy, those ripple effects can hit especially hard. Higher fuel and operating costs can influence travel decisions, increase prices for visitors and put additional pressure on local businesses that depend on steady traffic.

None of this suggests businesses should not operate responsibly. American companies already follow strong federal and state environmental and labor standards, and many go beyond them. But there is a clear difference between common-sense accountability and a sweeping foreign mandate attempting to govern complex global supply chains from afar.

Policies such as CS3D risk creating obligations that are difficult to implement, particularly for industries like ours. They add costs without improving outcomes and shift decision-making away from the local communities most affected.

This is why we need our leaders in Washington to step up. The Protect USA Act, which would prohibit American companies from being required to comply with CS3D, could receive a committee hearing this summer. Sen. Jacky Rosen, through her position on the Foreign Relations Committee, and Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto are in a strong position to support this legislation and defend Nevada’s economy. The rules that shape our markets should be written by the people we elect, not regulators an ocean away.

Fuel retailers keep people moving, goods flowing and communities connected. To protect that role and the thousands of Nevada jobs that come with it, our policies must support businesses, not burden them.

At a time when businesses are managing costs and consumers are watching prices closely, adding new regulatory burdens is not a small decision. Something as simple as filling your tank should not come with costs driven by decisions made half a world away.

Miranda Hoover is executive director of the Energy & Convenience Association of Nevada.

The proposal would make wide-ranging changes to the way the BLM administers livestock grazing permits, evaluates land health and handles appeals of grazing decisions. Comments received after July 13 do not have to be considered as the agencies prepare a final rule.

As of this week, about 230 comments had been submitted through the online federal docket, where members of the public can also read comments filed by other individuals and organizations.

Comments may be submitted online at Regulations.gov by searching for docket BLM-2026-0001 and following the submission instructions. Comments may also be mailed or delivered to the Bureau of Land Management in Washington, D.C.

The proposed rule represents the first substantial effort in years to rewrite the federal regulations governing grazing on BLM land. The agency administers nearly 18,000 permits authorizing about 12.3 million animal unit months of grazing each year on approximately 155 million acres of public land. The regulations now in force largely date to 1995 after a later set of revisions adopted in 2006 was blocked by federal courts.

One of the most significant changes would expand BLM land health standards beyond livestock grazing and apply them to other programs and uses administered by the agency.

Under the current system, grazing permittees can bear much of the responsibility when an allotment does not meet rangeland health standards, even when wildfire, invasive species, wildlife populations, recreation, mineral development or other factors may have contributed to the conditions.

The proposal would require the BLM to identify the factors substantially contributing to poor land health and take action on causes within the agency’s control. The BLM says the change is intended to create a broader view of the landscape rather than assuming livestock grazing is responsible for every failure to meet standards.

The rule would also allow more flexibility within grazing permits. With BLM approval, permittees could graze livestock as many as 21 days before or after the dates listed in a permit to respond to weather, forage availability and other changing conditions. It would also revise temporary nonuse rules and allow some permits to include flexible terms that could be used without seeking separate approval for every operational adjustment.

Another major provision would change what happens when a grazing decision is appealed.

Under the proposed rule, filing an appeal would generally suspend the BLM decision while the appeal is considered. The current rules generally allow a decision to take effect unless the permittee separately requests and receives a stay. The BLM could still put a decision into immediate effect when necessary to protect rangeland resources.

Other proposed changes include limiting new grazing permits to production-oriented livestock operations, expanding opportunities for beginning ranchers who are not the children of existing permittees, revising rules for transfers of grazing preference and requiring more formal documentation of unauthorized grazing.

The proposal would also reduce some mandatory consultation requirements involving the broader “interested public” and resource advisory councils during certain allotment and permit decisions. Public participation would continue through environmental reviews, proposed decisions, protests and appeals, but some preliminary consultation would be limited to affected permittees and states.

The BLM is asking for comments on all parts of the rule, including how land health should be measured, how causal factors should be identified, how much flexibility permittees should receive and how appeals should affect grazing decisions.

Comments are most useful when they identify a specific section of the proposed regulations and explain how it would affect an operation, community, resource or public-land user. Commenters may include examples, operational records, monitoring information, economic estimates or recommended changes to the proposed language.

The full proposal, supporting documents and public comments can be found by searching BLM-2026-0001 at Regulations.gov. Comments can be summitted at this site as well: publiclandscouncil.org/get-involved/comment-now.

The comment period closes July 13.

Meeting in Fernley, the committee received updates from Lyon County, Washoe County, Carson City and the U.S. Forest Service on land conveyances, housing, energy projects, wildfire prevention, recreation and public access.

Officials said public-land decisions affect nearly every part of local government, from roads and sewer systems to fire protection, housing and economic development.

Lyon County plans new lands bill

Lyon County Manager Andrew Haskin, Commissioner Tammy Hendrix and Emergency Management Director Taylor Allison said about 75% of the county is publicly owned, with most of that land managed by the Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service or Bureau of Reclamation.

The county uses public land for mining, livestock grazing, recreation, off-highway vehicle events and other activities that contribute to the local economy. Officials said the county also works with federal agencies on wildfire prevention, stormwater projects, illegal dumping, wildlife management and land-use planning.

But major energy and development projects are creating new challenges.

Lyon County has received applications or proposals for solar projects, battery storage facilities, data centers and transmission lines. Officials said local governments are often brought into the federal environmental-review process too late, after important decisions about location and infrastructure have been made.

The county has adopted a renewable-energy and battery-storage ordinance addressing project siting, setbacks, fire protection and reclamation. It is also drafting a data-center ordinance based on lessons from other communities experiencing rapid industrial growth.

Officials said they are not opposed to renewable energy but want projects located where they will not conflict with homes, public access, wildlife or other community priorities.

Lyon County commissioners approved a resolution June 6 supporting a new federal lands bill. The proposal includes 2,747 acres for direct conveyance to the county, another 3,989 acres for possible future conveyance and 1,642 acres for the Yerington Paiute Tribe.

The county also wants 1,181 acres along the Carson River protected from most development and mining activity.

Officials said the conveyed land could support roads, water and wastewater systems, communications, workforce housing and economic development. The county hopes to have the proposal ready for the next Congress in January.

Forest Service emphasizes fire prevention

Matt Zumstein, district ranger for the Carson Ranger District of the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, described the agency’s work along the Sierra Front.

The district covers more than 400,000 acres from Loyalton to Topaz and serves an area near hundreds of thousands of residents.

Zumstein said wildfire suppression remains a priority because of the homes, roads, power lines and other infrastructure near Forest Service land.

Unlike more remote forests, where fire may sometimes be managed for resource benefits, crews along the Sierra Front generally try to suppress fires quickly before they threaten communities.

The district also uses mechanical thinning, prescribed fire, hand crews and targeted sheep grazing to reduce fuels before a fire starts.

Zumstein said the district has treated about 6,000 acres so far this year and generally completes around 10,000 acres annually.

He cited the Davis Fire as an example of the value of previous fuels work. Although severe weather conditions developed as forecast, treated areas helped slow the fire and gave crews more time to protect homes.

The district also participates in Nevada’s shared-stewardship program, coordinating federal, state, local, tribal and private projects across jurisdictional boundaries. Zumstein said the Carson Ranger District and its partners treated nearly 16,000 acres last year.

Targeted grazing drew particular interest from lawmakers.

Zumstein said sheep have been used for more than a decade in some areas to reduce cheatgrass and other fine fuels. The district is also working with the University of Nevada, Reno to determine the most effective seasons and conditions for grazing.

He said the approach is not appropriate everywhere, but where it works, it can provide a relatively low-cost way to reduce fire danger.

Access remains a central concern

Public access ran through nearly every presentation.

Committee members questioned counties about historic RS 2477 roads and whether required road maps had been filed with the Nevada Department of Transportation.

Sen. Ira Hansen said those maps are increasingly important as solar developments, transmission lines and other projects change access across public land.

Lawmakers also discussed shoreline access at Lake Tahoe, where Nevada law allows some beaches to remain privately controlled. Several committee members said limited access puts too much pressure on a small number of popular sites.

County representatives said any broader change to shoreline-access law would need to come from the Legislature, not local governments.

The committee is expected to use testimony from the meeting as it develops recommendations and possible bill draft requests for the 2027 legislative session.

Much of the discussion focused on how state agencies plan to improve communication, reduce permitting delays and prepare for increasing pressure on Nevada’s limited water supplies.

Vinson Guthreau, the newly appointed director of the Nevada Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, told lawmakers he is emphasizing public engagement, transparency and customer service across the department’s eight divisions and four standalone programs.

Guthreau said the department employs more than 1,000 full-time and seasonal workers statewide, but continues to struggle with recruiting and retaining engineers, hydrologists, biologists and other specialized employees.

He said the department must also respond to growing threats from catastrophic wildfire, invasive species and drought while managing increased demand created by population growth and new industries.

Guthreau pointed to wildfire-prevention work as one of the department’s recent successes. Through coordination with federal, tribal and local partners, Nevada agencies have treated more acres than have burned in four of the past five years. Since 2020 or 2021, shared stewardship projects have treated more than 538,000 acres, including about 344,000 acres during the past two years, he said.

The state has also helped secure more than $100 million in federal funding for landscape-scale wildfire mitigation projects covering approximately 3.5 million acres along the Sierra and Elko fronts.

State Engineer Joe Cacioppo told lawmakers the Division of Water Resources is working to modernize its records and permitting system.

The division is scanning more than 122,000 permits and 145,000 maps and is developing a permit-tracking system that will initially be used internally. Cacioppo said the system could eventually allow applicants to see where their water-right applications are in the review process.

The division receives about 1,000 water-right applications and 4,000 extension requests each year. He said that the average processing time for extensions from 136 days to about 78 days since January.

Cacioppo also addressed Nevada’s shift toward conjunctive management, which recognizes the connection between surface water and groundwater.

He said curtailment remains one of the state’s limited tools for addressing overuse, but he would prefer locally developed solutions that reduce water use before the state is forced to curtail existing rights.

“The last thing we want to do is curtail anybody,” he said, adding that communities often understand their water systems better than anyone and should help develop solutions.

Lawmakers also heard from the Nevada Association of Conservation Districts, which asked the Legislature to increase base funding for Nevada’s 28 conservation districts and support a statewide soil health program.

Executive Director Kevin Piper said each district currently receives about $5,500 annually from the state, provided it remains in good standing. Nevada has historically ranked near the bottom nationally in state funding for conservation districts.

The districts are local political subdivisions governed by volunteer boards. They work on wildfire recovery, watershed restoration, invasive weeds, irrigation efficiency, soil health, wildlife habitat and conservation education.

Piper said stronger and more predictable funding would allow districts to hire staff, pursue grants and expand on-the-ground projects. Many districts are operated almost entirely by volunteers, making it difficult to compete for federal and private funding.

The association also wants Nevada to revisit legislation to create a statewide soil health program. Seven other Western states have already adopted soil health laws, Piper said.

Groundwater-dependent ecosystems were another major topic.

Laurel Saito, Nevada water strategy director for The Nature Conservancy, said more than one-third of the groundwater wells examined in a recent analysis showed significant declines over several decades.

The group estimates that about 20% of Nevada’s 256 groundwater basins are pumped beyond their perennial yield and that at least 40% of several types of groundwater-dependent ecosystems face risks from overpumping.

Saito said Nevada needs policies that encourage reduced groundwater use, prevent unsustainable future withdrawals and consider water availability when approving major development projects such as mines, energy facilities and data centers.

She also pointed to the state’s voluntary groundwater-right retirement program. A pilot funded with $25 million in federal recovery money retired more than 20,000 acre-feet of groundwater rights, but demand exceeded the available funding.

A water-law stakeholder group presented eight possible concepts for an omnibus water bill in the 2027 legislative session.

The proposals include increasing the state’s bonding authority for water projects from $125 million to $200 million, creating a long-term funding source for voluntary water-right retirement, allowing agricultural land to retain favorable tax treatment after water rights are retired, and giving counties the option to create local groundwater boards.

The group is also considering changes to county participation in monitoring, management and mitigation plans, commonly called 3M plans, and greater transparency in the collection and use of groundwater basin assessment fees.

Jeff Fontaine, speaking for the stakeholder group, said members representing agriculture, cities, mining, rural communities and environmental interests have been working toward consensus while trying to avoid creating new costs for state agencies.

The committee ended with a briefing on the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Sackett v. EPA, which narrowed the federal definition of wetlands protected under the Clean Water Act.

Presenters from the National Conference of State Legislatures, Tom Klein and Nicole Ezeh, said states are responding in different ways. Colorado and New Mexico have moved to create their own state permitting systems for wetlands and surface waters no longer covered by federal law, while North Carolina and Tennessee have aligned their regulations more closely with the narrower federal standard.

The committee’s final interim meeting is scheduled for Aug. 12.

Thirty-five qualified bidders attended the competitive auction in Carson City, including adopters from across the country. The horses averaged $4,247 each, despite bidding opening at $150. 

The top bid of the day was $9,500 for Jaro, a 3-year-old, 15.1-hand buckskin gelding from Nevada’s Grant Range Herd Management Area. Ace and Honey Badger each brought $8,000, while Bucky was adopted for $7,000 and Brave for $6,500.

Two burros also found homes. Cletus, a 3-year-old jack, was adopted for $1,100, while Shaggy, also a 3-year-old jack, brought $800. 

The animals came from Bureau of Land Management herd management areas in Nevada and Oregon and had spent approximately four months in the correctional center’s inmate training program. During that time, inmates taught the horses to accept a saddle and rider, respond to a lead rope and perform other basic skills needed for handling and riding.

The animals leave the program saddle-started, but the BLM cautions that they are still considered green-broke and need continued daily training by experienced handlers. The Northern Nevada Correctional Center program trains and places roughly 60 to 80 wild horses and burros each year through three or four public adoption events.

“The weather was nice and the turnout by the public was great for this event,” said Ruth Thompson, BLM Nevada Wild Horse and Burro lead. “To see what the inmates and the animals accomplished ensures that the horses and burro are going to good homes where they will be able to use their training for any job they are asked to do.” 

The Carson City training program began in 2000 as a partnership between the Nevada Department of Corrections’ Silver State Industries and the Nevada Department of Agriculture. The BLM joined the effort in 2004, and inmates now train wild horses and burros removed from BLM-managed public lands.

The events are officially adoptions rather than outright sales. Successful bidders must provide proper care for the animal for one year before they may apply to receive title from the federal government. Prospective adopters must also complete a BLM application and demonstrate that they have suitable facilities before receiving a bidder card. 

The BLM uses adoption as one of its principal methods for placing wild horses and burros into private care after animals are removed from overpopulated herds. The agency reports that more than 313,000 wild horses and burros have been placed into private care since 1971. 

The next competitive-bid adoption at the Northern Nevada Correctional Center is scheduled for Oct. 24. Catalogs showing the available animals are generally posted by the BLM before each event. 

Busselman explained that the Nevada Farm Bureau is a general farm organization representing members involved in crops, beef cattle, and other agricultural commodities. He noted the organization began in 1919 after a Lyon County legislator attended an American Farm Bureau convention in Chicago and introduced legislation to establish a Nevada chapter. 

The Farm Bureau was initially associated with the Cooperative Extension Program, which provided educational support to the agriculture community, before branching off to advocate for farmers and ranchers. Becoming a 501(c)(5) organization allows the Farm Bureau to participate in legislative and political activities.

There are 11 Farm Bureau chapters statewide in Nevada, while the American Farm Bureau includes all 50 states plus Puerto Rico. Busselman said their primary goal is the protection of agricultural production.

Churchill County has the largest number of farms and ranches in Nevada. The most recent USDA agricultural census counted 540 farms in Churchill County and 3,122 statewide, a number Busselman said is expected to decline in the next census.

Nevada’s top agricultural commodity is beef cattle, which are considered a commodity because they are sold and leave the state. Alfalfa is another major commodity for Fallon and Churchill County.

Busselman also discussed efforts by Farm Bureaus nationwide to work with the Department of Agriculture to combat the New World screwworm. Once eradicated in the United States, the pest has reemerged in Texas after infected cattle entered from Mexico. He said a major concern is that screwworm flies could use feral pigs as hosts, allowing larvae to spread quickly. He emphasized that the best defense for animal owners is cleanliness, from livestock housing to even the smallest wounds.

Busselman concluded by taking questions from attendees about Farm Bureau membership, member benefits, and agricultural concerns related to the current dry year.