Episodes

What new laws are on the books and what big news should Nevadans look out for in 2024? This week, host Joey Lovato talks with reporters Sean Golonka and Eric Neugeboren about new laws that took effect for Nevadans at the start of the year. After that, CEO/Editor Jon Ralston and Managing Editor Michelle Rindels go over everything that The Indy plans to cover in 2024 and what big news stories are expected. Host Joey Lovato - @Joey_Lovato_ Guests Sean Golonka - @s_golonka Eric Neugeboren - @eric_...

Reporters at The Indy reminisce about their favorite stories that they reported on this year, and we say a farewell to co-host Alex Couraud as her podcasting internship comes to a close. Hosts Joey Lovato - @Joey_Lovato_ Alex Couraud - @alexcouraud Read the stories Lyon County student-run turkey farm serving up lessons on business, agriculture skills ‘It absolutely hurts:’ Oakland fans lament possible loss of the A’s to Las Vegas Networking group for Latinas helping Vegas mom reach her entrepre...

Follow along as IndyMatters takes a deep dive into physician-assisted death. It’s an issue that has a long history in the Nevada Legislature and is the topic of much religious debate across the country. In today’s episode, host Alex Couraud gives an intimate picture of one of life’s hardest topics – death. She talks with people who have had close emotional experiences with terminally ill people who want a say in how they die, and explores how religion affects the issue and what might have led G...

A geyser is reemerging in south Reno, and a look at what we might expect from this winter. This week, host Joey Lovato and reporter Alex Couraud talk to scientist Taylor Wilson about a geyser that is reemerging in south Reno and what it could teach us about energy, space and the origin of life. After that, Joey walks along the Truckee River, talking to Chris Smallcomb with the National Weather Service about what we might be able to expect from the coming winter. Host Joey Lovato - @Joey_Lovato...

A public art project about water, a discussion about the Nevada Democracy Project and a chat about GivingTuesday. This week, host Joey Lovato chats with reporter Daniel Rothberg about a public art piece in Reno that stretches through much of downtown. Later, Joey and reporter Naoka Foreman discuss the Nevada Democracy Project and how community listening sessions are informing reporting at The Indy. At the end of the show, Joey and Indy revenue team member Caty Foley talk about GivingTuesday. H...

Happy Thanksgiving from the IndyMatters team. In today’s episode, learn about how hunger is affecting our state this holiday, and what a special flower means to Nevada. This week, host Alex Couraud focuses on food insecurity in the Silver State by highlighting work being done by The Community Food Pantry of Northern Nevada — a local nonprofit that delivers food each Saturday to residents of Reno’s weekly motels. Then, host Joey Lovato talks with reporter Amy Alonzo about why Nevada is a hotbed ...

The pros and cons of bringing one of Europe's most popular motorsports to Sin City. This week, hosts Joey Lovato and Jacob Solis talk about Formula One (F1) on the eve of the first F1 race in Las Vegas in over 40 years. They go over the possible economic benefits and the struggles Southern Nevadans have dealt with as The Strip undergoes repaving and shutdowns before the race. They talk with former Gov. Steve Sisolak, analyst Brendan Bussmann and reporter Jannelle Calderón, who braved The Strip ...

A celebration of IndyMatters after 300 episodes, some big news from Editor Elizabeth Thompson and a discussion about the state of the news industry and the history of The Indy with CEO Jon Ralston, Co-Managing Editor Michelle Rindels, Spanish Editor Luz Gray and former Assistant Editor Jackie Valley. Host Joey Lovato - @Joey_Lovato_ Guests Jon Ralston - @RalstonReports Michelle Rindels - @MichelleRindels Luz Gray - @LuzGrayNV Jackie Valley - @JackieValley Elizabeth Thompson - @elizthompsn Read ...

A journey through Carson City’s past and a visit to some haunted places, followed by a history of Nevada’s (almost) state drink. This week, hosts Joey Lovato and Alex Couraud bring you two stories to mark Nevada Day and Halloween. Alex and reporter Carly Sauvageau take a haunted tour through the state’s capital and learn a bit about Nevada's history. After that, Joey heads to a Nevada-themed bar to learn how to make a Picon punch, a traditional Basque beverage that almost became the official st...

Catching up on House speaker chaos in D.C., learning about a furry friend in Nevada’s waterways, and a cyberattack on the Clark County School District (CCSD). This week, host Joey Lovato catches up with D.C. reporter Gabby Birenbaum as the two talk about the tumult of the House not having a leader for three weeks. After that, reporter Rocío Hernández explains what happened with a cyberattack on the Clark County School District and what it means for student learning. At the end of the show, host...

An interview with outgoing Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman and a recap of the annular solar eclipse that passed over northeastern Nevada. This week, host Joey Lovato talks with reporter Carly Sauvageau about her interview with Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman – looking back on her career as mayor as she is termed out and will be leaving office in 2024. After that, co-host Alex Couraud and Joey chat about the solar eclipse that passed over Nevada. Joey also chats with photographer Daniel Clark, w...

A recap of IndyFest 2023, The Nevada Independent’s annual conference focusing on politics and policy issues in and around Nevada. This week, hosts Joey Lovato and Jacob Solis take listeners through the highlights of several of the panels from IndyFest 2023, which covered everything from the repercussions of wildfires to the Read by Grade Three policy to the economy. Host Joey Lovato - @Joey_Lovato_ Jacob Solis - @jacobsolisnv Read the stories Watch the panels

The Indy celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month by profiling two Latino-owned businesses in Nevada and their impact on their communities. This week, host Alex Couraud and reporter Jannelle Calderon explore the history of Hispanic Heritage Month and celebrate the diversity that exists within the Latino community in Nevada. Alex chats with Gerzon Chaves, owner of Tiempo Latino Dance Company in Reno. Jannelle sits down with Ernest Madrid, owner of Chops barbershop in Las Vegas to better understand wha...

The Indy goes to Fallon for the annual Cantaloupe Festival, hosts a live event on the plight of local news and discusses Latino voter trends. This week, host Alex Couraud and reporter Carly Sauvageau head out to the annual Fallon Cantaloupe Festival and County Fair. After that, we have a short segment from our event on the plight of local news. At the end of the show, Alex and reporter Jannelle Calderón talk with Indy CEO Jon Ralston about Latino voters. Host Joey Lovato - @Joey_Lovato_ Alex C...

MGM faces fallout after a major cyberattack, Republicans change messaging around vote-by-mail, and CCSD faces off with teachers union. This week, host Joey Lovato sits down with reporter Howard Stutz to talk about a cyberattack that MGM Resorts International faced, slowing hotel services and interfering with company operations. After that, D.C. reporter Gabby Birenbaum discusses a change in strategy from Republicans in regard to messaging about vote-by-mail. At the end of the show, co-host Jaco...

What happens after Burning Man, Republicans face confusion before the primary/caucus and a quick news round-up. This week, host Joey Lovato talks with AP reporter Gabe Stern, who helped cover the aftermath of a very wet and muddy Burning Man this year. After that, D.C. reporter Gabby Birenbaum explains the complicated situation happening in Nevada because Republicans may have both a primary and a caucus next year. At the end of the show, co-host Jacob Solis joins Joey to chat with editor Michel...

An update on the A’s coming to Las Vegas, the effects of nuclear testing on “downwinders,” and a new elections newsletter. This week, hosts Joey Lovato and Jacob Solis chat with reporter Howard Stutz about the Oakland A’s move to Las Vegas. Then, host Alex Couraud chats with reporter Carly Sauvageau about her story on “downwinders” — people who were affected by atomic testing in Nevada in the 50s and 60s. At the end of the show, Jacob talks about the new “Indy Elections” newsletter as well as w...

Hurricane Hilary’s effect on Nevada, Las Vegas’ manufacturing industry problem and The Indy’s new education newsletter. This week, hosts Joey Lovato talks with reporter Amy Alonzo about Hurricane Hilary’s effect on Nevada. After that, host Alex Couraud talks with reporter Eric Neugeboren about how the manufacturing industry in Southern Nevada is struggling to find land to build on. At the end of the show, reporter Rocío Hernández talks about her new education newsletter, “Indy Education,” and a...

How a 1990 campaign keeps abortion legal today in Nevada, challenges to expanding record sealing for low-level convictions after a veto, and the latest on Opportunity Scholarships. This week, host Alex Couraud talks with reporter Noel Sims about her historical research into a referendum passed in the ‘90s that helped secure abortion rights in Nevada today. After that, reporter Naoka Foreman explains how large-scale record sealing has been taken off of the table for now, making it harder for peo...

How the federal government sells off public lands, North Las Vegas uses AI to help translate during meetings, and Gov. Lombardo fights an ethics commission fine. This week, host Joey Lovato talks with reporter Gabby Birenbaum about a big story she’s been working on about how Congress privatizes federal land for Nevada's urban areas to expand and what deals are being made for that to happen. After that, host Alex Couraud talks with reporter Jannelle Calderón about the City of North Las Vegas usi...

Host Joey Lovato sits down with fellow reporters, the attorney general, public defenders and harm reduction advocates to recap how the Legislature tackled fentanyl. In the third installment of the Facing the Fentanyl Crisis series, host Joey Lovato talks with Indy reporter Sean Golonka and AP reporter Gabe Stern about what actions the Nevada Legislature took to address the drug, as well as praise and criticism for their moves. Joey and Sean also talked with Attorney General Aaron Ford, public d...

Host Alex Couraud and co-host Joey Lovato report on the psychedelic drug psilocybin in Nevada, taking listeners on a journey through the research, history and legalization efforts of “magic mushrooms” both in the state and nationally. In June, Gov. Joe Lombardo signed into law SB242, a measure authorizing a study into the therapeutic uses of psilocybin, the psychoactive component of “magic mushrooms.” To understand this further, reporter Alex Couraud talks with leaders in the world of psychedel...

Foster care faces a shortage of homes in rural Nevada, The Indy analyzes the success rate of legislators' bills for the 2023 session and street vendors in Nevada get legitimized. This week, hosts Joey Lovato and Alex Couraud hear from KFF Health News reporter Jazmin Orozco Rodrigez about her story on the foster care system in rural Nevada and how they were having to place children in hotel rooms for a time. After that, reporter Sean Golonka talks about legislators' voting records in the 2023 le...

The CCEA and CCSD face an impasse in contract negotiations, data sheds light on voter turnout in Nevada and libraries in Washoe County face criticisms. This week, hosts Joey Lovato and Alex Couraud hear from education reporter Rocío Hernández about the ongoing contract negotiations between the Clark County Education Association and the Clark County School District. Then, reporter Sean Golonka chats with Alex about new data that sheds some light on election turnout and voter registration. At the...