Syndication News Column:
Nevada

The Desert Bighorn Sheep is the State Animal of Nevada.  This specific Desert Bighorn Sheep was
found east of Las Vegas near Lake Mead in Nevada.  According to the Office of the Secretary of
State of Nevada, “The Desert Bighorn Sheep (Ovis canadensis nelsoni) is smaller than its Rocky
Mountain cousin, but has a wider spread of horns. The bighorn is well-suited for Nevada’s
mountainous desert country because it can survive for long periods without water. The large rams
stand about 4.5 feet tall and can weigh as much as 175 pounds.”
(The photograph was produced by Mr. Jon Avery on January 1, 2009,
and provided courtesy of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service through Flickr.)

The State of Nevada is named after the Sierra Nevada Mountains in California.  According to the Office of the Secretary of State of Nevada, “Nevada” means “snow-covered” in Spanish.

A portion of the lands that are now part of Nevada were at one time part of New Mexico Territory, while other sections were part of Utah Territory.  Portions of Clark (including Las Vegas), Lincoln, and Nye Counties were initially part of New Mexico Territory when sections of Mexico were added to the United States of America as part of the implementation of the terms of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo between the two countries.

Nevada is known as the “Silver State” for the importance of silver mining in that state.  The Comstock Lode was the first major discovery of silver ore in the United States.  At the time of the announcement of the silver ore in northern Nevada in 1859, much of today’s state was part of the Utah Territory.  Within a couple of years, parts of present-day Nevada were separated from Utah Territory and became their own separate territory.  That territory then became the State of Nevada in 1864.

In addition to mining and casinos (who can forget the casinos?), Nevada is known for allowing certain activities that are considered illegal in the rest of the United States.  Brothels, for example, can be found in a number of communities in Nevada.  While prostitution is illegal in Las Vegas, Reno, Carson City, and other larger municipalities, the activity is legal – and highly regulated – in some of the more rural areas of the state.

One thing Nevada does not have – that most states do have – is a state income tax.

This was a view of a Sagebrush landscape near Reno, Nevada, in May of 2020.  The state flower of Nevada, “The
Sagebrush (Artemisia tridentate or trifida) grows abundantly in the deserts of the western United States,” according
to the Office of the Secretary of State of Nevada.  “A member of the wormwood family, sagebrush is a branching
bush (1 to 12 feet high) and grows in regions where other kinds of vegetation cannot subsist.  Known for its pleasant
aroma, gray-green twigs, and pale yellow flowers, sagebrush is an important winter food for sheep and cattle.”
(The photograph was produced by Ms. Joanna Gilkeson and provided courtesy of the
United States Fish and Wildlife Service through Flickr.)

© 2020 Richard McDonough