In the wake of rising traffic fatalities in the valley, Clark County officials held a Traffic Safety Forum at UNLV on Thursday to discuss new ways of keeping both drivers and pedestrians safer. The number of Nevada’s traffic fatalities continue to rise, exceeding more than 300 for the past four years.

This week's Indy Environment looks at the disagreement between Burning Man's organizers and the Bureau of Land Management, which released its final environmental impact statement for the annual event. It also looked at Truckee River restoration and NV Energy's decision to temporarily cut power when there is high-risk of wildfires.

Between casting votes and attending committee meetings, GOP state Sen. Scott Hammond offered his perspective as a member of the Republican minority — and the reason for his staunch opposition to extending the payroll tax rate. As the sponsor of the bill in 2015 that created the Education Savings Account, he also discussed his support of the Opportunity Scholarship program — another school choice initiative — and other topics.

Clark County commissioners approved $6.1 million on Tuesday for programs that would help homeless people transition into permanent housing and heard a presentation about 1,200 new affordable housing units that will debut in several months.

For the first time in a decade, Nevada’s minimum wage will increase; state workers will soon have the right to collectively bargain; oversight boards of legal marijuana and health care have been established; funds for teacher raises were secured, and the state is closer than ever to updating its long-criticized 52-year-old funding formula for K-12 education.

In a filing last week, NV Energy attorneys withdrew the utility’s pending application for its Optional Pricing Program Rate (OPPR), stopping regulatory approval on an alternative pricing mechanism proposed by the utility last year as a way to keep multiple large businesses from filing or continuing with applications to leave the utility.

The Washoe County School District announced Tuesday that superintendent Traci Davis was taking an indefinite leave of absence “due to personal reasons,” according to a statement from the school district. Deputy Superintendent Kristen McNeill will serve as superintendent during Davis’ leave.

The fact that the Nevada System of Higher Education had a shortfall in the money needed to enact raises promised to state employees by Gov. Steve Sisolak came to light on the final night of the legislative session, but it was never addressed.

A lack of understanding within both parties on issues surrounding immigration and concerns that they could affect lawmakers’ political futures played a decisive role in the fate of some bills during the Legislature, a key proponent of the measures argued in an exclusive interview.