✈️ Avelo Airlines will end its contract for deportation flights at Harry Reid International Airport this month. The company cited high costs and operational issues as the reason for the change. The decision follows a major increase in Immigration and Customs Enforcement-related air travel through Las Vegas, according to the Nevada Independent. Often, these were what are referred to as "shuffle flights." A shuffle flight involves moving detainees between domestic facilities.
The process makes legal representation difficult, especially when relocation can occur immediately before court filings or before deportation. Critics and Democratic lawmakers previously pressured Avelo to end the deal. The airline claims the decision was purely financial and that it saw no significant impact from public boycotts or protests.
🏛️ Censured Henderson City Councilwoman Carrie Cox is alleging pervasive corruption in the governing body. Cox was indicted on the charge of "monitoring or attempting to monitor a private conversation" in June. She spoke with police regarding this indictment, and a transcript of her statements surfaced recently as a result of a records request.
During discussions with Las Vegas Metropolitan detectives, Cox alleged that Henderson City Council members were using consulting firms to solicit monetary donations from parties with business before the council. In a statement to 8NewsNow, Mayor Michelle Romero encouraged interested Henderson residents to read the original investigative report from the Nov. 17 City Council meeting leading to Cox's censure.
🗳️ The 2026 election cycle is already well underway. In recent months, a rash of candidates have emerged for everything from governor to congressperson to sheriff. And while voting in the November midterm elections is still nearly 11 months away, some trends are already taking shape. Rebecca Gill, an associate professor of political science at UNLV, said it's becoming clear that the candidates will have to find a way to connect with the growing number of voters no longer identifying as Republican or Democrat.
One primary sure to gain a lot of attention is for the Democratic nomination for governor. So far, two prominent Democrats have announced their intent to run for the seat: Attorney General Aaron Ford and Washoe County Commission Chair Alexis Hill. However, both parties may face challenges in appealing to unaligned voters in November. Hear the full story from KNPR's Paul Boger here.
😷 A measles outbreak on the Arizona-Utah border about 160 miles northeast of Las Vegas continues to grow, KLAS-TV reports. About 340 cases have been reported in the area around Colorado City, Arizona, and Hildale, Utah. That includes five counties in southwest Utah and Mohave County in Arizona. There were 296 confirmed measles cases in the region reported on Dec. 23.
The count has grown by about 20 per week since late October. Only one confirmed case of measles in a Las Vegas resident has been reported. Two others involved travelers from out of state at Harry Reid International Airport. The largest measles outbreak in 2025 occurred in the area around Gaines County in West Texas. Cases there totaled 803. Hear more of KNPR's coverage of Measle's in Las Vegas here.
🚑 Clark County is looking to put a $1 monthly surcharge on telephone lines to help pay for improvements to the local 911 system. The County Commission approved the move on Tuesday, paving the way for a public hearing on Jan. 20, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports. The ordinance would require a final commission vote before taking effect on April 1. The county approved a five-year master plan for overhauling the analog 911 system in November, with the $1 surcharge being the first step.
Clark County Fire Department Chief Billy Samuels previously told commissioners about the system crashing for reasons outside the county's control. He added that a digital system would allow 911 callers to send video and text messages and provide emergency responders with more accurate locations.
🥒The City of Las Vegas is embracing the pickleball revolution. Officials tomorrow will break ground on what they say will be the largest pickleball complex in the city. It will have 24 courts with lighting and fencing, to be completed in early 2027. The $12 million project in an undeveloped part of the park will also include shade structures, seating, lighted pathways, parking, landscaping and vehicle access. Pickleball is among the fastest-growing sports in the country, and when this complex opens the city will have 59 public pickleball courts.
Part of these stories are taken from KNPR's daily newscast segment. To hear more daily updates like these, tune in to 88.9 KNPR FM.
