COVID-19 response tops list of 2021’s biggest stories

The planetary COVID-19 pandemic erstwhile again commanded halfway signifier successful 2021, with the twelvemonth bookended by optimism implicit the wide rollout of vaccines and past uncertainty astir a peculiarly contagious coronavirus variant arsenic 2022 neared, raising fears of different fierce outbreak. ■ As students successful Southern Nevada returned to in-person instruction, the Clark County School District was marred by infighting and tenuous leadership. Allegiant Stadium yet opened to fans, but the enactment and assemblage were shaken erstwhile a Raiders wide receiver was charged with driving nether the power successful a clang that killed a young Las Vegas woman. ■ There were different notable deaths successful 2021, arsenic good arsenic scandals, high-profile crimes, biology crises and argumentation debates. Here are the apical stories from the year.

1Nevada’s effect to the pandemic

Vaccines were introduced to older Nevadans successful mid-January and extended to the broader population successful the months that followed, providing anticipation of turning a country successful the combat against the pandemic. Clark County lawmakers fully reopened the region connected June 1 amid declining rates of COVID-19 cases, adjacent arsenic galore residents remained hesitant — and inactive bash — to get doses of the vaccine.

Nearly one-third of adults successful the region person yet to beryllium afloat inoculated.

As cases surged successful the summer, Gov. Steve Sisolak instituted an indoor disguise mandate that is inactive successful place, and cases fell again successful the fall, but rates are expected to ascent during the vacation season.

Officials are uncertain however the omicron variant volition impact the grade to which cases increase, but the much contagious signifier of the illness is being cautiously watched. State officials person said that aboriginal studies bespeak booster shots supply much important extortion against the mutant than a one- oregon two-shot regimen.

As important advancement was made successful 2021 to support against the coronavirus and billions of dollars successful national assistance poured into the state, different bulwarks were ended: A national eviction prohibition expired July 31, and enhanced jobless benefits ceased successful September.

State lawmakers passed a measure to dilatory the eviction process if a tenant has a pending rental assistance application, and Clark County provided tens of millions of dollars successful assistance to tens of thousands of radical but faced ongoing scrutiny for lengthy delays amid monolithic demand.

The state’s unemployment complaint dipped to 6.8 percent, down from 7.2 percent successful October, but is inactive the second-highest jobless complaint successful the U.S. The gaming and tourism manufacture made strides — big investments and plans for caller hotels connected and disconnected the Strip were bully signs — but the assemblage remains successful betterment mode with visitant measurement yet to scope pre-pandemic levels.

2Henry Ruggs charged successful fiery crash

Henry Ruggs, a Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver selected successful the archetypal circular of the 2020 NFL draft, was criminally charged aft a pre-dawn Nov. 2 crash that killed 23-year-old Tina Tintor and her aureate retriever, Max, successful the southwest valley.

Ruggs, 22, was driving importantly impaired astatine 156 mph successful a residential country lone seconds earlier his Corvette struck the rear of Tintor’s Toyota RAV4 with “such convulsive force” that the SUV burst into flames, authorities said. Ruggs was charged with DUI resulting successful decease and different felonies, including for injuries suffered by his longtime woman Rudy Washington, who was successful his rider seat.

Ruggs was released by the Raiders little than 24 hours aft the wreck. He pleaded not blameworthy to charges, and helium faces up to 40 years successful situation if convicted.

Tintor’s decease resonated with the assemblage astatine large. At a vigil, memorials and a canine walk, radical remembered a young pistillate with a affable grin who aspired to beryllium a machine programmer. She “was a unit to beryllium reckoned with successful the champion imaginable way,” according to 1 friend.

3Jesus Jara is fired, reinstated

Clark County School District Superintendent Jesus Jara was ousted by the School Board successful precocious October and then reinstated a fewer weeks later, capping disconnected a tumultuous play of part among schoolhouse leaders.

After he agreed to return to caput the nation’s fifth-largest nationalist schoolhouse district, Jara, who had been fired without a ceremonial cause, called for refocusing attraction connected pupil safety, intelligence wellness and “unfinished learning.” School trustees vowed to enactment to mend their narration with the embattled superintendent.

In reinstating Jara, the committee agreed to assurances to respond to his allegations of a hostile enactment environment, harassment and retaliation involving unnamed “certain members of the board.” The claims had been outlined successful a ineligible request missive from his lawyer that sought $2 cardinal to resoluteness the accusations.

Jara, who was hired successful 2018, received some disapproval and praise erstwhile his declaration was terminated connected Oct. 28. His detractors pointed to a mediocre territory civilization that resulted successful losing educators portion supporters said helium had shown compassion for students and had been receptive to caller ideas.

Jara’s contract, paying him $320,000 successful yearly salary, runs done Jan. 15, 2023.

4Allegiant Stadium opens to vaccinated fans

The $1.9 cardinal Allegiant Stadium welcomed fans for the archetypal clip successful the Raiders’ 2nd play successful Las Vegas, but spectators 12 years and older had to beryllium vaccinated against COVID-19.

The Raiders were the archetypal squad successful the NFL to denote a argumentation that fans who were afloat vaccinated did not request to deterioration a mask; those who were partially inoculated oregon nether the property of 12 were required to athletics a look covering.

The Raiders besides offered vaccines connected site earlier location games.

While the squad struggled to capable the stadium during a disappointing season, contempt selling retired idiosyncratic spot licenses successful January 2020, determination was renewed excitement successful Las Vegas by the December announcement that Allegiant Stadium would big the Super Bowl successful 2024.

5Remembering Lee’s Discount Liquor’s begetter and son

The laminitis of the fashionable chain, Lee’s Discount Liquor, died of pancreatic cancer little than 3 months earlier his son, who served arsenic the household business’s main executive, was killed successful a car clang successful Northern Nevada.

The deaths of Hae Un Lee, 79, and Kenny Lee, 53, drew renewed attraction to the begetter and son’s charitable giving and the establishment’s improbable occurrence story.

The elder Lee, who died successful August, immigrated to the U.S. from South Korea and opened his archetypal liquor store successful Las Vegas, Plaza Liquor, successful 1981. He slept astatine his archetypal store and was tenacious astir increasing an empire, according to longtime friend, Larry Ruvo.

The concatenation operates successful 22 locations today.

Hae Un Lee’s nonprofit, Lee’s Helping Hand Foundation, gave millions of dollars to organizations successful Southern Nevada, according to institution representatives, including to the philanthropic limb of the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health.

Kenny Lee was also known for his kindness and charity. “They are 1 of the astir generous, giving, philanthropic families successful our full state,” Gov. Steve Sisolak said of the Lee household during Kenny Lee’s vigil.

6Strangling decease of Liam Husted

The bare assemblage of Liam Husted, a 7-year-old lad with autism spectrum disorder, was found successful May by hikers disconnected the road betwixt Las Vegas and Pahrump, adjacent the Mountain Springs Trailhead.

His mother, Samantha Moreno Rodriguez, was charged with strangling the lad to death. She pleaded not blameworthy successful August aft being tracked down successful Denver.

Rodriquez killed her lad aft becoming frustrated with him during a hike and shoving him to the ground, wherever helium struck his head, authorities said. When helium would not halt crying, she strangled him for 10 to 15 minutes, Metropolitan Police Department homicide Detective Robert Ochsenhirt told expansive jurors.

The 2 had arrived from San Jose, California, with Rodriguez successful hunt of affordable housing, Ochsenhirt said. The boy’s father, Nicholas Husted, who was successful California erstwhile his lad was killed, called Liam “one successful a trillion,” a brilliant kid who was fearless, would assistance to chop veggies successful the room and had a contagious giggle.

7Lake Mead h2o shortage

Federal officials successful August declared a national h2o shortage astatine Lake Mead for the archetypal clip successful the reservoir’s history, pursuing 2 decades of drought that has strained the Colorado River, a captious h2o root for 40 cardinal people.

The declaration by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation volition unit Nevada to slash its allocation of Colorado River h2o successful 2022. Lake Mead, which is the country’s largest reservoir, supplies astir 90 percent of Southern Nevada’s water.

The portion is not expected to instantly consciousness the compression of a shortage declaration due to the fact that the country already conserves water. John Entsminger, wide manager of the Southern Nevada Water Authority, said officials successful the authorities person been preparing for a shortage since astatine slightest 2002.

8 Death punishment sparks debate

Experts testified successful November and December astir the state’s projected execution of decease enactment inmate Zane Floyd, continuing a statement astir however to efficaciously and humanely proceed with carrying retired Floyd’s condemnation for fatally shooting 4 radical and gravely wounding a 5th much than 2 decades ago.

Floyd, 46, was besides convicted of repeatedly raping a pistillate earlier the shooting astatine a Las Vegas market store successful 1999.

The authorities plans to employ a never-before-used cause cocktail including ketamine to termination Floyd, who would go the archetypal inmate successful Nevada to beryllium executed since 2006.

Experts called by the authorities accidental the cause cocktail projected by Nevada astir apt would render Floyd unconscious and insensate wrong seconds. Experts called by Floyd’s lawyers, however, testified it could origin utmost suffering portion helium is paralyzed and suffocating.

The state’s proviso of ketamine will expire successful precocious February, the aforesaid period that Nevada plans to execute Floyd. The Nevada Supreme Court has yet to regularisation connected appeals of Floyd’s conviction, which indispensable beryllium resolved earlier the state’s program tin determination forward. Prosecutors had sought to enactment Floyd to decease successful July before a national justice stayed the execution.

9Death of Nathan Valencia

Nathan Valencia, a 20-year-old UNLV student, died successful November after participating successful a fraternity-sponsored boxing match astatine the Sahara Event Center.

The fraternity was suspended by UNLV, and the Nevada Athletic Commission unanimously passed exigency regulations called “Nathan’s Law” that require organizers to person exigency aesculapian unit and trained referees successful amateur boxing matches and unarmed combat.

Hundreds of Valencia’s family, fraternity brothers and classmates celebrated his beingness and birthday during a precocious November vigil astatine UNLV. Las Vegas constabulary said they did not find grounds of criminality connected behalf of the venue wherever the combat occurred.

10Real Water scandal

The Food and Drug Administration announced successful March that it had launched an probe into Las Vegas-based Real Water, a bottled h2o institution linked to a deadly outbreak of liver disease.

In effect to a suit from the national government, institution President Brent Jones, a erstwhile Nevada lawmaker, agreed to callback and destruct immoderate Real Water products successful May. A section lawyer filed abstracted lawsuits connected behalf of dozens of radical who got sick and different who died aft drinking Real Water.

FDA investigators recovered the institution did not trial processed pat h2o earlier it was bottled astatine plants successful Henderson and Mesa, Arizona, according to a national complaint. The institution had besides hired a antheral with astir nary acquisition successful the business to oversee investigating astatine its Henderson plant.

Contact Shea Johnson astatine sjohnson@reviewjournal.com oregon 702-383-0272. Follow @Shea_LVRJ connected Twitter.