KKFT News

The death toll from COVID-19 rises slightly in Washoe County. It now stands at 55–increasing by one from the days prior. The latest death involves a man in his sixties with underlying health conditions The county has 29 new cases for a total of 680 active cases and more than 830 recoveries.

You can now camp overnight in Nevada’s state parks. They were given the greenlight to open at 50 percent capacity under Phase 2 which got underway today. Every other campsite will be open; all group areas within campgrounds remain closed. Visitor centers, museums, gift shops, and cabins are slated to open Monday.

Two new drive-thru testing sites are opening in Reno. They’re at CVS Pharmacies located at 55 Damonte Ranch Parkway and 1695 Robb Drive. The tests are self-swab with patients having to register in advance at www.CVS.com.

Some roads around parks will be closed on Sundays to encourage more people to get outside while keeping social distancing. The pilot program, called “Reno Recreates” aimed at preventing the spread of COVID-19 launches this Sunday with roads around Virginia Lake being closed to all non-residential traffic from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Other parks that will be tested in June include Wilkinson, Stewart and Pat Baker.

You can skate or play horseshoes again in Douglas County Parks. Those facilities will reopen in Phase 2 effective Friday. When visiting, you’re urged to practice social distancing. Basketball courts and restrooms remain closed.

Need to be connected to resources for health and social services? There’s an app for that! The state has rolled out an app for Nevada 211. You can download the free app from the Apple or Google Play stores.

Troopers say a driver ran a red light, causing a crash that sent one person to the hospital in Sparks. Police say the vehicle and an SUV collided Thursday afternoon on the southbound side of Pyramid Highway at McCarran Boulevard. Police say the driver of the SUV wasn’t wearing a seat-belt and was sent to the hospital; the victim is expected to survive.

Democratic Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada said Thursday that she’s not interested in serving as running mate to presumptive presidential nominee Joe Biden. Cortez Masto, who in 2016 became the first Latina elected to the U.S. Senate, said in a statement that she supports the former vice president but does not want to join the Democratic presidential ticket. She noted that Nevada’s economy is one of the hardest hit by the coronavirus. She said she will focus on getting Nevada residents back on their feet.

A hiker with a broken ankle was rescued Thursday afternoon in western Reno, according to the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office. Volunteers with the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office Specialized Vehicle Unit and its HASTY team helped guide medics to the injured hiker on the Steamboat Ditch Trail. The sheriff’s office reminds hikers to carry extra water and snacks in hot weather.

Nevada has the highest unemployment rate in the nation. Last month’s stats, show Nevada’s unemployment rate at 28 percent. Reno’s alone in April was 20 percent while Las Vegas’s was nearly 34 percent – all of it due to statewide closures to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Casinos-a major employer in the state-plan to reopen June 4th.