International

KENYA BANS THE USE OF PLASTIC BAGS

In an effort to help protect the environment, Kenya has banned the use of plastic carrier bags. Manufacturers claim that the ban will cause 80,000 people to lose their jobs, but a court has already rejected an opposition to the ban.

It is estimated that over 24 million bags are used each month. If an individual is found producing, selling, or carrying a plastic bag, they could face up to four years in prison or up to $38,000 in fines. However, officials are saying that for now they will be confiscating bags and issuing warnings to shoppers.

Kenyans have resorted to using newspapers, envelopes, or their bare hands to carry their goods.

Kenya is not the first African country to ban the bags. Eritrea, Rwanda, and Mauritania have also outlawed them.

National

FOLLOWING AMAZON BUYOUT, PRICES DROP AT WHOLE FOODS

Just as the ink dried on Amazon’s deal to buy Whole Foods Market for $13.7 billion, the company is already taking steps to making their products more affordable. The internet company has dropped prices up to 43 percent on some of Whole Foods’s best sellers. Prices were lowered for avocados, bananas, salmon, almond butter, baby kale, and other popular grocery items.

“Price was the largest barrier to Whole Foods’ customers,” said Mark Baum, a senior vice president at the Food Marketing Institute, in an interview with Bloomberg. “Amazon has demonstrated that it is willing to invest to dominate the categories that it decides to compete in. Food retailers of all sizes need to look really hard at their pricing strategies, and maybe find some funding sources to build a war chest.”

As a result of Amazon’s plan to beat other competitors such as Walmart and Costco, these price cuts are not temporary and will increase to over 400 stores across the U.S.

Local

USA PARKWAY EXTENSION TO OPEN NEXT WEEK

Governor Brian Sandoval announced Monday that a 12-mile extension of USA Parkway is set to open next week. The USA Parkway will connect the I-80 and Highway 50, adding millions of dollars in an economic boost.

“This highway symbolizes the resiliency of the Silver State and its unmatched ability to redefine itself,” Governor Brian Sandoval said at a ribbon-cutting ceremony Monday.

The extension will be called the “Infinity Highway,” and will save approximately 20 minutes of travel time.

“You don’t have to go through Reno and I-80 to get here if you are employed out here. You can come the back way now,” said Rudy Malfabon, Director of the Nevada Department of Transportation, in an interview with KOLO 8.

Karolina Rivas can be reached at mpurdue@nevada.unr.edu and on Twitter, @karolinarrivas.