Sierra Nevada Ally

A new battleground is forming in the state of Nevada, where an influx of federal funding and state-level tax incentives are seeking to kickstart a critical mineral economy necessary to support the renewable energy transition. But while critical minerals provide foundational components to all of our electronic devices - from everyday technologies like cell phones and laptops, to ren

Amy Ray of Indigo Girls has been penning songs for decades now. The duo had a major hit with the song Closer to Fine in the late 1980s and have continued to write and tour in the years since. Amy has also established herself as a solo artist releasing seven studio albums and three live records on her own. Her musical style is best described as folk-rock, both as the duo and a solo

For nearly 80 years, six friends from the Alabama Institute for the Negro Deaf and Blind have been singing together, starting from their first performance at WSGN, a radio station in Birmingham, Ala. The group, now known as the Blind Boys of Alabama, has traveled around the world, performing at Carnegie Hall, the White House and this month, the Nashville Social Club in Carson City.

On this week's Ally Radio, we learn about heat islands: what they are, and how they can impact health. Our contributor Richard Bednarski brings us an interview with Nevada's state climatologist.Then, we head into our personal archives and take an international audio trip to the Republic of Molossia, a micronation located in northern Nevada, and meet "benevolent dictator" Kevin Baug

In March of last year, a group of friends decided to start a new business together, a bookstore. But they didn't want to make just any bookstore, they wanted it to be more community focused.The Radical Cat is a feminist bookstore, cat adoption center, and community space. Ilya is in charge of events for the store, which covers the gamut from arts and author events, to civic engagem

On this week's Ally Radio, we’re exploring how the lack of decorum and dignity in public discourse spells trouble for democracy - one possible path forward.Then, we’ll head to eastern Nevada to learn more about a proposed mine that is hoping to extract vanadium. Vanadium is a critical mineral, like lithium, but this one could hold the answer to more long-term grid-scale renewab

A perennial challenge for renewable energy development has been and continues to be long-duration, grid-scale storage. But one proposed mine in Eureka County could be the first primary ground source in the United States of a mineral called vanadium.Science and technology reporter Scott King chats about vanadium and it's potential for rural counties, the state of Nevada and the coun

On this week’s Ally Radio, we look at an event this weekend commemorating the 160th anniversary of the Treaty of the Ruby Valley. This agreement from 1863 was between the Western Shoshone people and the U.S. government, and it allowed colonial settlers to travel through and use the land of the Western Shoshone.What it didn’t do was cede land. A conversation about that treaty, w

Hispanic Heritage Month is underway, with community celebrations of Latin culture, people and traditions through Oct. 15. But, educational opportunities remain harder to obtain for many Latino residents. What can be done to increase equality?Dr. Jafeth Sanchez is an associate professor of educational leadership at the University of Nevada, Reno and the director of the Latino Resear

On this week’s Ally Radio, we look at the need of rural food pantries in our region, and the challenges facing these local, community (and mostly volunteer-run) organizations.We chat with Lisa Selmi from the Healthy Community Coalition of Lyon and Storey counties to learn more.Then, we chat about how proposed rules governing the nation’s public lands can help increase access to