Episodes

The struggle to find a new higher ed chancellor, Sam Brown announces his run for Senate and Trump visits Las Vegas. This week, hosts Joey Lovato and Jacob Solis discuss the Nevada System of Higher Education’s ongoing search efforts for a new chancellor after the Board of Regents decided not to move forward with any candidates the previous search turned up. After that, reporter Gabby Birenbaum chats about Republican Sam Brown’s announcement that he’ll be running for Senate against incumbent Demo...

Indy staff participates in a lively debate between Northern and Southern Nevada, and one team member debates with the fine folks over at City Cast Las Vegas. This week, hosts Alex Couraud and Jacob Solis chat about their preferences in Northern and Southern Nevada, and then they jump over to a debate recorded a few weeks ago between regular IndyMatters host Joey Lovato and City Cast Las Vegas host Dayvid Figler. Host Alex Couraud - @alexcouraud_ Guests Joey Lovato - @Joey_Lovato_ Dayvid Figler...

The Indy explores the experiences of LGBTQ+ community members who live in rural Nevada, focusing on how smaller, rural places can be shaped by trans perspectives. This week, host Alex Couraud talks with Evie La Rue, Kimi Cole, Nathan Robertson and Fernando Gonzalez about their experiences as LGBTQ+ folks in Goldfield, Carson City, Ely and Reno. And she dives into recent anti trans legislation that has been introduced across the country at the same time that pro-trans bills that have been signed...

The Indy’s legislative team goes over the entire 82nd session of the Legislature, from education to criminal justice, the budget and more. This week, host Joey Lovato sits down with legislative reporters Tabitha Mueller, Jacob Solis and Sean Golonka to go over the entire session. They’ll discuss the budget, K-12 education, higher education, criminal justice, the A’s, health care, the economy, elections, environmental bills, vetoes and more, plus analyze what it all means. Host Joey Lovato - @J...

The regular legislative session wrapped up, but now a second special session is underway. Learn about the action in Carson City, The Indy’s two new team members, and the headway the Nevada delegation is making in Washington. This week, hosts Joey Lovato and Alex Couraud chat with legislative team members Jacob Solis, Sean Golonka and Tabitha Mueller about what is going on in the Legislature as a second special session is underway. They also sit down with new Indy team members Amy Alonzo and Noe...

The 82nd session of the Nevada Legislature has wrapped up, but there are still a few things left to do, and Team Indy has all you need to know. This week, host Joey Lovato chats with legislative team members Jacob Solis and Sean Golonka about the special legislative session Nevada is now in and how we got here. Also, co-host Alex Couraud runs through the building on the last day of the regular legislative session to get vignettes of lawmakers, lobbyists, reporters and staffers as they wrap up t...

Legislative reporters discuss the final days of the session, reporter Daniel Rothberg talks about protecting workers in extreme heat and we get an update on the federal debt ceiling. This week, hosts Joey Lovato and new Indy team member Alex Couraud chat with the legislative team as they prepare for the end of the 82nd session. Then, reporter Daniel Rothberg discusses extreme heat in Nevada and a failed effort to provide workers with more protections. At the end of the show, Alex and Joey are j...

Part two of a deep dive into the fentanyl crisis in Nevada: looking at the harm, effects and proposed solutions to the crisis. This week, host Joey Lovato has a story months in the making looking into the deadly fentanyl crisis that Nevada is facing. Policymakers, policy experts, law enforcement, harm reduction advocates and those struggling with addiction discuss what the drug is, how it works and whether proposed bills will help curb the effects of the drug in Nevada. In this second part of t...

A deep dive into the fentanyl crisis in Nevada: looking at the harm, effects and proposed solutions to the crisis. This week, host Joey Lovato has a story months in the making looking into the deadly fentanyl crisis that Nevada is facing. Policymakers, policy experts, law enforcement, harm reduction advocates and those struggling with addiction discuss what the drug is, how it works and whether proposed bills will help curb the effects of the drug in Nevada. This is the first in a two-part seri...

The Indy puts out a poll, a possible train connecting Las Vegas and LA, and an overview of the economic forum. This week, hosts Joey Lovato and Jacob Solis are joined by D.C. reporter Gabby Birenbaum to go over a new poll of voters in Nevada from The Indy. After that they all talk about Brightline, a company that hopes to connect Southern Nevada and Southern California by train. At the end of the show, reporter Sean Golonka explains the economic forum and what its findings mean for the rest of ...

An overview of the 95-page education omnibus bill, a discussion on sundown sirens and a chat about the Oakland (Las Vegas?) A’s. This week, hosts Joey Lovato and Jacob Solis chat with reporter Rocio Hernandez about the big education omnibus bill presented by Gov. Joe Lombardo. After that, Tabitha Muller comes on the show to discuss sundown sirens, their racist past and a bill that looks to end their use in Nevada. Then, to wrap up the show, Howard Stutz goes over the possibility of the Oakland ...

Rolling back restorative justice measures in schools, the governor looks to veto a bill to expand the North Las Vegas City Council, a legislative update and baseball news. This week, hosts Joey Lovato and Jacob Solis chat with reporter Rocio Hernandez about bills that look to roll back some restorative justice measures in schools. After that, reporter Naoka Foreman discusses a bill that would expand the North Las Vegas City Council and why Gov. Joe Lombardo said he would veto the bill if it pas...

A discussion on abortion and contraception access in Nevada, heavy snows bring possible flooding, and the next legislative bill deadline is already here. This week, hosts Joey Lovato and Jacob Solis chat with reporters Gabby Birenbaum and Jannelle Calderón about a federal ruling that has removed a popular abortion pill from the market, they also go over the response from the Nevada delegation and abortion and contraception access bills that are going through the Nevada Legislature right now. Af...

Rosen announced her campaign for reelection, lotteries may enter the Nevada market, legislators look to pass gun control bills and more. This week, hosts Joey Lovato and Jacob Solis chat with reporter Gabby Birenbaum about Sen. Jacky Rosen’s campaign for reelection. After that, reporter Howard Stutz goes over a bill that might bring lotteries to Nevada. At the end of the show, the legislative team chats about gun bills, train bills, bills about disabilities and more. Hosts Joey Lovato - @Joey_...

A feature episode exploring the structure of Nevada politics and where it all takes place. This week, host Joey Lovato and photographer David Calvert go on a tour of the Nevada Legislative Building guided by Facilities Manager Jon Vietti and also by lobbyist Lea Case. Later, Nevada Independent CEO Jon Ralston talks about the structure of the Nevada government and talks about how politics has changed or stayed stagnant here in the Silver State. Hosts Joey Lovato - @Joey_Lovato_ Guests David Cal...

IndyTalks highlights and the second attempt at a bill deadline at the Legislature. This week, hosts Joey Lovato and Jacob Solis chat about The Indy’s recent event with legislative leaders on major policy issues and how the legislative session is going so far. After that, the legislative reporting team comes on the show to chat about deadline day… well, the second attempt at a deadline day, as dozens of bills were introduced before the cutoff. Hosts Joey Lovato - @Joey_Lovato_ Jacob Solis - @ja...

Digitizing water records, higher ed employees miss out on state bonuses, legislative accessibility and the deadline day delayed. This week, hosts Joey Lovato and Jacob Solis chat with Indy reporters about how some water records are only on paper and are now being digitized. Then, Jacob goes over the complicated mess of the Nevada System of Higher Education employees being cut out of the first round of state employee retention bonuses. After that, Managing Editor Michelle Rindels joins the conve...

A nursing shortage in Nevada, the president takes aim at resort fees, a bill to protect people experiencing homelessness and more. This week, hosts Joey Lovato and Jacob Solis talk with Indy reporters about the continuing shortage of nurses in Nevada and a push to end resort fees. After that, our team goes over everything #NVLeg, including a big bill that looked to give homeless individuals more protections. Hosts Joey Lovato - @Joey_Lovato_ Jacob Solis - @jacobsolisnv Guests Tabitha Mueller -...

Internal Democratic Party strife, COVID relief dollars for K-12 education, Tesla gets more tax breaks and a roundup of legislative goings-on. This week, hosts Joey Lovato and Jacob Solis talk with Indy reporters about the contentious Democratic Party chair election, federal pandemic aid dollars going to help fund K-12 education, Tesla’s expansion plans and the subsequent tax abatements the Governor’s Office of Economic Development granted the company, the snow in Carson City, legislative goings...

What happens when a clown retires? Often, they move to Las Vegas. This week, host Joey Lovato and freelance reporter Savanna Strott dive into the world of retired clowns and circus performers in Las Vegas — a place that seems to attract them. Learn about why and how they all ended up there, the community they have built and how they help one another in times of hardship and heartbreak. Hosts Joey Lovato - @Joey_Lovato_ Savanna Strott - @SavannaStrott Guests Danise Payne - danisepayne.com Jon W...

A pilot program that lets state employees bring their babies to work, a collaboration between state libraries and parks, and a discussion on the Reno and Nevada flags. This week, Assistant Editor Michelle Rindels and Visual Content Editor Tim Lenard have a story on babies coming into the office as the state treasurer’s office looks to accommodate new parents better. After that, host Joey Lovato chats with Jenny Jackson with Nevada State Parks about their new program offering free park passes th...

A glimpse into the Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Elko, an effort to better the environment for antelope and an update from our D.C. reporter. This week, host Joey Lovato talks to Avery Hellman (aka Ismay), a performer from the 38th National Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Elko. After that, reporter Richie Bednarski has a piece on the removal of fencing in far Northwestern Nevada in an effort to rehabilitate the natural habitat for antelope and other desert creatures. At the end of the show, reporter Ga...

Interviews with former Assemblywoman Maggie Carlton and Attorney General Aaron Ford, plus audio scenes from the Legislature. This week, CEO Jon Ralston and reporter Sean Golonka sit down with longtime Nevada lawmaker Maggie Carlton to talk about how the Legislature has changed over a quarter century, her thoughts on Gov. Joe Lombardo and more. After that, we have an interview with Attorney General Aaron Ford. You’ll also get audio scenes from day one of the legislative session in Carson City fr...

Gov. Joe Lombardo sits down with NV Indy CEO Jon Ralston for an evening of questions and answers. This week, The Indy’s CEO, Jon Ralston, sits down with Gov. Joe Lombardo on stage in Las Vegas to talk about everything Nevada – from the governor's first weeks in office to his plans for the future. Jon and the governor discuss the policies Lombardo’s implemented and the budget he’s proposed. The full 90-minute interview is available on our YouTube channel, but here on the podcast, we’ve got the h...