Week of July 3, 2024

From the editor’s desk:

Over the last week, the U.S. Supreme Court has issued some landmark rulings that will affect all Nevadans. 

Municipalities may now ban unhoused people from camping in public places, so it looks like the camping bans that Sparks and Washoe County initiated over the last few months are likely to remain in place.

Courts will no longer be required to defer to federal agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency and the Food and Drug Administration when making federal policies, thus removing a lot of scientists and other experts from the process of setting rules that will surely affect public health and the environment. 

I plan to keep my eye on these and other recent Supreme Court decisions, and how they’ll affect the people in our region. For now, if you are (or think you will be) directly affected by any of these policies, I’d like to hear your perspective. Are you unhoused? Has your business been affected by people sleeping nearby? Has an EPA or FDA policy affected your health? Your livelihood? Whatever your position, drop me a line at krisv@renonr.com. 

Meanwhile, scroll down to read our story about a Reno man who spent 22 years in solitary confinement and is now working for prison reforms. We also have the latest in movies, food and more.

And don’t forget to vote for your favorite chiropractor, DJ or personal trainer—and dozens of other people, places and things—in the final round of the RN&R’s Best of Northern Nevada poll by Sunday, July 21.

Take care,

—Kris Vagner, managing editor