2020-03-19 - Las Vegas Weekly by Greenspun Media Group

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The Palms Casino Resort has been heralded as one of Las Vegas’ “must see” gaming and entertainment destinations since its opening in 2001. Following its acquisition by Station Casinos in 2016, the iconic property is now undergoing a $690 million renovation that will touch virtually every aspect of the property and yet again transform Palms into Las Vegas’ most elevated destination by creating a mix of classic Vegas hospitality and extraordinary new art, culinary, music & entertainment experiences with worldclass partnerships.

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L A S V E G A S W E E K LY

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CORONAVIRUS CLAIMS FIRST VICTIM IN NEVADA The first person has died in Clark County from complications of COVID-19, health officials announced March 16. The person who died was a man in his 60s who had underlying medical conditions, according to the Southern Nevada Health District. No additional details were released about the patient. The Health District also announced that the number of people infected with the coronavirus in Clark County had risen to 42 as of March 17. “This loss of life is a tragedy, and we want to express our condolences to the family,” said Dr. Fermin Leguen, acting chief health officer of the Health District. “We must continue to emphasize how important it is to protect those who are most vulnerable to the impacts of the virus and urge our community to support the public health measures and recommendations that are in place.” Gov. Steve Sisolak said he was “absolutely heartbroken” to learn of the state’s first coronavirusrelated death. It is a day “we knew would happen, but it doesn’t make that reality any less painful or difficult to face,” he said. He said people should take precautionary measures against the virus, including social distancing, avoiding people who are sick, washing their hands and seeking medical care if they get sick. “We are all in this together,” Sisolak said.

WEEK IN REVIEW WEEK AHEAD EV E N T S T O F O L L OW A N D N EWS YO U M I SS E D

Meat shelves are empty March 14 at a grocery store in Las Vegas. Clark County officials say residents should be strategic with their purchases to allow stores to catch up with demand and leave merchandise for others. For advice from officials and information on the dangers and laws regarding price gouging, see our feature package, which begins on Page 24.

L A S V E G A S W E E K LY

IN THIS ISSUE

12 24 38 42 44

Binge This Week: A few ways to keep yourself busy Cover Story: The local fight against the coronavirus Food & Drink: How best to stock your pantry Sports: A virtual March Madness viewing guide VEGAS INC: Local businesses adapt to survive

STORIES FROM LAST WEEK GARTH BROOKS SELLS OUT ALLEGIANT STADIUM It took just 75 minutes March 13 for country music star Garth Brooks to sell out 65,000 seats at Allegiant Stadium. The first major concert at the venue is scheduled for 7 p.m. August 22. PRANK OR MORE NEFARIOUS? A Las Vegas retail store was evacuated Saturday night after a man dressed in a hazmat suit went into the business and sprayed an unknown substance onto items, according to Metro Police. The suspect, whose license plate number was given to police by a citizen who trailed him out of the store, was arrested. It wasn’t clear what charges he could face. UTILITY COMPANIES HALT DISCONNECTIONS Southwest Gas, NV Energy and the Las Vegas Valley Water District each announced emergency policies March 13 for late and nonpayments in light of coronavirus. The three will not shut off service to customers for failure to pay their bills.

HE SAID IT

“We’re running very low. We have the capacity in our lab to do about 60 tests per day. ... “We’ve emphasized and stressed the importance of getting additional test kits. The governor himself, I know, has reached out on multiple occasions to the highest levels of the Department of Health and Human Services federally to emphasize the expedition of these kits.” –Dr. Michael Johnson, director of community health for the Southern Nevada Health District

RAIDERS SIGN TWO LBS AND A QB Las Vegas wasted no time shoring up one of its biggest needs—linebacker—once the NFL’s free agent signing period began. Nick Kwiatkoski, who made 76 tackles last year for Chicago, agreed to terms on March 16, and the next day, Las Vegas signed Cory Littleton, who racked up 259 tackles with 7.5 sacks the past two years with the LA Rams. The Raiders, who had been linked during the offseason to former Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, instead signed former Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota. WORKING OT ON UNEMPLOYMENT The Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation has expanded its services for residents who have lost work and are seeking unemployment insurance. Claims can be filed online at ui.nv.gov by clicking the “For UI Claimants” tab. Those without internet can call a representative Monday-Wednesday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 702-486-0350.

Gov. Steve Sisolak on March 15 called for unity in fighting the spread of the coronavirus. After the October 1, 2017, mass shooting on the Strip, “the citizens of this state showed the nation what it meant to stand together, to unite against all odds and put our neighbors before ourselves,” Sisolak said at a news conference. “Tonight, I am asking my fellow Nevadans to do it with more commitment and more compassion than ever before.” In the same news conference, he announced the closing of all K-12 schools in Nevada and offered advice to private businesses on social distancing, employees working from home where possible and encouraging workers staying home if they feel sick. (Christopher DeVargas/Staff)

GOVERNOR ORDERS SHUTDOWN OF CASINOS, NONESSENTIAL BUSINESSES In an unprecedented act March 17, Gov. Steve Sisolak ordered casinos and all other nonessential businesses in Nevada to close for 30 days to help slow the spread of the coronavirus. “What are you willing to do to save your life and the life of the ones you love?” Sisolak said. “Please take this seriously. Please stay home for Nevada.” Nonessential businesses such as dine-in restaurants, gyms, bars and malls will be closed for 30 days. Essential businesses such as grocery stores, banks, pharmacies, hardware stores and businesses offering takeout food will remain open. Sisolak, in consultation with medical experts, federal officials and business and labor leaders, will determine after 30 days whether to lift the order. “I know this directive will cause many of our friends and neighbors to distress,” Sisolak said. “But I ask you: What are you willing to do to save your own life and the lives of those you love? We absolutely must take this step for every Nevadan’s health and safety.” A number of casino-resort companies, including MGM Resorts International and Wynn Resorts, had already announced temporary closures on the Strip. Sisolak’s order ensured the closures of others that had not. “Although this is a devastating time for our country and our community, I’m confident the Las Vegas resiliency will allow us to rise again, stronger than ever,” said Derek Stevens, owner of the D Las Vegas and Golden Gate in Downtown Las Vegas. –John Sadler Stay tuned to lasvegasweekly.com and lasvegassun.com for updates.

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CULTURE

YOUR ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE

SEND US AN ANGEL After three long years, the Blue Angel has returned to public view. The 63-year-old Angel—fully restored, though without her makeup and halo—now stands at Charleston and Fremont.

(Wade Vandervort/Staff)

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WATCH AT HOME Stargirl (now streaming, Disney+); Curb Your Enthusiasm Season 10 finale (March 22, HBO)

Nandor the Relentless (Kayvan Novak) knows What We Do in the Shadows

THIS

WEEK

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MUSIC

POLVO DISCOGRAPHY Merge Records just reissued Polvo’s first two albums—1992’s Cor-Crane Secret and 1993’s Today’s Active Lifestyles—on vinyl, and even if you don’t spin wax, the occasion serves as a good reminder to discover (or get reacquainted with) one of indie rock’s most unique and enjoyable acts. Swirling together strange time signatures, Eastern influences, noisy intensity and esoteric lyrics, the nimble North Carolinians shined brightly on four LPs and several EPs and singles before disbanding in 1998 (1994’s Celebrate the New Dark Age EP makes for a superb first dip into the band’s twinguitar attack), then returned a decade later to provide two more excellent full-lengths before vanishing again in 2013. –Spencer Patterson

TELEVISION

COMEDY

NEXT IN FASHION

END TIMES FUN

Hosted by Queer Eye’s Tan France/London It Girl-turned-designer Alexa Chung, this competition features bona fide designers vying for a $250,000 grand prize. Like all your BBC favorites, NIF is less about drama and more about talent—and it packs the fabulous feel-good vibes we all could use right now. Netflix. –Leslie Ventura

While you can’t entirely excise anxiety in these times, you can at least hang with someone who mines laughs from it. Marc Maron just released his third Netflix special, End Times Fun, in which the comedian explores his thoughts on, well, the end of the world. Don’t be deterred by the topic— watch all the way to the end and be treated to the most absurd encounter between Jesus, Iron Man and Mike Pence. Then go back and watch Maron’s earlier Thinky Pain and Too Real for even more much-needed laughs. –Genevie Durano

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LISTEN UP Adam Lambert, Velvet; Myrkur, Folkesange; The Weeknd, After Hours (March 20)

READING

AUTHOR ERIK LARSON He turns dramatic histories—a sinking ship, the first serial killer, the rise of the Nazis—into nonfiction books that read like novels. Award-winning author Erik Larson has written six New York Times bestsellers; start with his latest tome, The Splendid and the Vile: A Saga of Churchill, Family and Defiance During the Blitz. –C. Moon Reed

TELEVISION

OUR PICKS FOR THE

WEEK AHEAD

PODCAST

WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS

INVISIBILIA

What We Do in the Shadows is a gift (wrapped in “creepy paper.” You’ll get it). This modern-day vampire comedy, created by two of the funniest New Zealanders alive—Thor: Ragnarok director Taika Waititi and Flight of the Conchords’ Jemaine Clement—is perfectly cast, outrageously dirty and consistently hilarious. Binge Season 1 on Hulu now, then jump into Season 2 next month. Second season debuts April 15 on FX & April 16 on Hulu. –Geoff Carter

Human behavior is a mystery we may never come close to understanding, but the podcast Invisibilia sheds a glimmer of light through insightful, incisive storytelling. Each episode leaves much to ponder, and it’s no exaggeration to say some of them could even change the way you see and live your life. The sixth season just premiered, so you have a lot of catching up to do, but there’s no better podcast to binge when you have all the time to reflect. Apple Podcast and Spotify. –Genevie Durano

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The STrip

Vegas, interrupted

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Bally’s staged a one-night Extravaganza before the shutdown By Brock Radke he newest resident production on the Strip is a variety show paying tribute to Vegas itself, set in one of the most storied showrooms on the Boulevard. But Extravaganza was performed only once, on March 14, at Bally’s Jubilee Theater before Caesars Entertainment shuttered all live ticketed entertainment at its properties due to the coronavirus pandemic. “Every time I’ve worked on any show, you always have some problems with the opening and think maybe it should be postponed, and with this one I was saying to myself, I don’t know if it’s ready,” says Hanoch Rosénn, creator and director of Extravaganza. “There’s a lot of stuff, different sets, moving stairs, hologram screens. I was thinking, maybe I need another day, but the people were ready, the crew was ready, and we did it. “We had a very nice house of about 600, and everything was good. All the different acts were accepted well; people were cheering. It was a wonderful success, and I’m so happy we did it, because it would have been a shame for these artists who worked so hard for months to not get this chance.” Extravaganza is a significant addition for Bally’s, which hasn’t had a consistent show in the 1,000-plus-seat casino-level theater since Jubilee! ended its 34-year run in February 2016. The magical Masters of Illusion took a brief turn, as did Dionne Warwick before her special engagement moved across the street to Caesars Palace. A Nitro Circus motorcycle stunt show was announced for the space in the summer of 2018, but it never landed. Extravaganza uses over-the-top sets, massive LED screens and holograms of famous headliners of the past like Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley as the backdrop for performances by dancers, acrobats, aerialists, skaters, ventriloquists, comedians and, yes, showgirls. It’s a modern take on a familiar style of show, created by a veteran producer and director who found Vegas success with the similar WOW production, which opened at the Rio in 2017. Extravaganza could very well become a staple at the 46-year-old center-Strip property that’s

(Courtesy)

rumored for sale as the Caesars Entertainment-Eldorado Resorts merger wraps up. “Jubilee! was the Vegas show, the last show of that type, and it’s absolutely iconic. For me, the past is something you have to honor and learn from and take in a new direction,” Rosénn says. “Nowadays, everything is very quick, and that has an effect on the way people want to be entertained, so we’re trying to use all the up-to-date technology that is available. “The whole Extravaganza concept is about Las Vegas,” Rosénn continues. “It’s my tribute to this amazing city. When I came here 25 years ago I was amazed, going from one casino to another. It was like Disneyland for adults, a roller coaster of excitement. And when you go to Vegas, you want to see a Vegas show, which is something everybody in the world knows about. In the past few years, it’s been hard to see. It’s been all about headliners and magicians and Cirque du Soleil and comedy, but [not] that typical Vegas-style show.” Rosénn said the initial closing period was set at two weeks, then it doubled. As other casino resorts ceased operations—Caesars properties were still open as of this writing—he was told it could take up to eight weeks before the show might return. He was planning to return to his native Israel this week while the casts of both shows will stay in Las Vegas and stay in performing shape, ready to take the stage. Rosénn has dealt with showbiz interruptions before while producing and touring various events around Europe and the Middle East. He created a concert production for Israeli pop star and actress Rita in 2006, which he says was a “huge success” for weeks before war put an end to its tour. “Maybe this is a lesson,” Rosénn says of the current pandemic. “Maybe we wait a little bit, stay at home, read a book and rest, and when it’s over, everybody will want to be out enjoying themselves, and people from California will be in the car coming over here to party. Our shows will be even bigger and ready.”

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NOISE

Sound Judgment GUIDED BY VOICES

R E S D

Rock Electro-Pop singer-songwriter Disco-pop

SURRENDER YOUR POPPY FIELD aaaab

Phantogram

Ceremony aaaac

Soccer Mommy Color Theory aaaac

HEAVY LIGHT aaabc

In troubled times, we turn to the familiar—cherished friends, comfort foods and personal pop culture pillars. I never have to dig back far for sublime sounds from my go-to rock band, Guided By Voices, a big reason it’s my go-to rock band. Leader Robert Pollard’s songwriting never stops, and while the quantity’s impressive, the consistent quality outshines it. Last month’s Surrender Your Poppy Field ranks at the very top of the recent heap. Like many Pollard leadoff tracks through the years, “Year of the Hard Hitter” grips the sonic wheel and begins steering—in this case all over the road. The record’s longest cut (4:02) plays like a suite of mini-songs blended seamlessly and building to dramatic effect. Also notable right away: Travis Harrison’s production, which recalls both the band’s lo-fi origins (“Whoa Nelly”) and the weirdness of Pollard’s Circus Devils ( “Arthur Has Business Elsewhere”), while coming off entirely fresh. Still, it’s Pollard’s preternatural ability to bounce around the pop/rock spectrum—from gorgeous slow jam “Andre the Hawk” to twisted misfit “Stone Cold Moron” to erupting party starter “CulDe-Sac Kids”—that makes Poppy Field a real contender for GBV’s upper upper pantheon. –Spencer Patterson

Some years ago, a friend of mine described a band as “being such a rip-off of (other, earlier band) that they’re almost good.” Though I’m reminded of that faint praise in listening to the latest from Phantogram, it isn’t quite fair to these trip-hop revivalists—Sarah Barthel and Josh Carter, of Greenwich, New York—who have successfully revived that idling genre and refined its sample-happy aloofness into warm dream-pop luminescence. Ceremony delivers a hot streak of potential singles, beginning with the strutting “Dear God” (“Hey, dear God, show me how to rope-a-dope/Don’t know why, I want you to see it,” Barthel sings, with a boldness fan Billie Eilish might enjoy deconstructing) and continuing through the splendidly New Wave-ish “Into Happiness,” whose desperate, Carter-sung verses lead into a lush, big-hearted chorus by Barthel (“Fall into happiness/Wish you could be here/No more loneliness/You’d make it perfect).” Phantogram tilts toward its influences and ancestry—a little Portishead here, some Eurythmics there—but with songs as catchy as “Pedestal,” what does it serve to obsess over where it all came from? It’s so good that it’s almost great. –Geoff Carter

Nashville-based singer-songwriter/guitarist Sophie Allison, who records under the moniker Soccer Mommy, deserves every plaudit directed toward her band’s second proper studio album, Color Theory. Although the record possesses a decidedly ’90s vibe—Allison’s nostalgic voice and shimmery guitars specifically compare to Juliana Hatfield and Lisa Loeb—her songs offer a thoroughly modern take on winsome indie pop. Dreamy, stair-step riffs swirl throughout highlight “Crawling in My Skin”; “Royal Screw Up” is a stark ballad driven by crisp acoustic guitars; and “Night Swimming” is a hazy gem that resembles the gentle seaside dreampop of The Sundays. Color Theory’s themes match its meditative music. Songs offer thoughtful commentary on weighty issues, including Allison’s experiences navigating anxiety and depression, along with her mother’s terminal illness. The result: vivid lyrics with arresting imagery. On “Circle the Drain,” she describes her malaise as “a mold in my brain” permeating “through my heart and my body.” Color Theory plays like a balm for those grasping for meaning and solace in an uncertain and frightening world. –Annie Zaleski

Toronto’s Meghan Remy, the mastermind behind U.S. Girls, has returned two years after her riveting 2018 release, A Poem Unlimited, with Heavy Light—and as the saying goes, it took a village to get there. Remy has grown her band into a community of 20 session musicians as vital to U.S. Girls’ sound as the vision itself, moving together in a celebration of unity at a time when often there is none. Remy picks up in familiar territory with the disco-laden single “4 American Dollars,” its upbeat music paired with a lyrical assault on capitalism and wealth disparity. “You can do a lot with 4 American dollars/No matter how much you get to have/You will still die, and that’s the only fact/ You gotta have boots if you wanna lift those bootstraps.” Heavy Light is an ode to childhood and to growth (“Advice to Teenage Self”), even as it critiques the status quo on songs like “State House (It’s a Man’s World).” With her soulful range, experimental tendencies and fervent desire for change, Remy’s latest work feels made for these trying times. –Leslie Ventura

U.S. GIRLS

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Stage

Dallisa Hocking (Courtesy)

Spirit rally Psychic medium Dallisa Hocking brings a positive message from beyond to local stages By C. Moon Reed rom the outside, Dallisa Hocking doesn’t seem supernatural in any specific way. She’s poised, professional and positive. She’s pretty and nonthreatening. She has worked corporate casino jobs. So it might come as a surprise to learn that Hocking is a fifth-generation psychic medium. “I grew up in a family that always talks openly about communicating with spirits, with angels and seeing apparitions in the room,” Hocking says. “I will see things in my third eye. It almost looks like a daydream playing out in front of my eyes. Then I will hear words and phrases generally through the right ear, and then I will get physical confirmations in my body.” In early 2018, Hocking opened Spirit & Spark in Henderson. Described as a “boutique soul center,” Spirit & Spark offers classes, meditation and yoga sessions, psychic readings, coaching, reiki, a small spiritual store and more. With the success of Spirit & Spark, Hocking added an intimate live show at Binion’s this year to reach more

people. Psychics & Spirits: The Live Show is a 90-minshe’s booked out for weeks, but given recent events she’s ute journey beyond this realm. Audience members subopening up her availability to get everybody scheduled mit questions before the show starts and select “angel for sessions “within one to two weeks.” ) numbers” if they want the opportunity to go onstage for In the show, Hocking shares her life story and tells of psychic readings, angel communications her deep connection with her female ancesPsychics & Spirits: and/or contact with deceased loved ones. tors, who also share her gift. She explains The Live Show Audience questions center on the spirihow thoughts are energy, inviting the audi(Show postponed tual and metaphysical: “How do I know if ence to come onstage to bend spoons using indefinitely) Wednesday-Thursday, I have an angel nearby? How do my loved their own brain signals. “I ask them to take 3 & 8 p.m., $49-$65. ones communicate with me from the other that [spoon] home as a reminder of how Apache Showroom at side? What happens when we pass away?” their thoughts become their life and what’s Binion’s Gambling Hall, 702-382-1600. (Note that Hocking’s show at Binion’s is manifesting to them,” Hocking says. postponed for at least two weeks due to the The show ends with a channeled mesSpirit & Spark coronavirus; even the supernatural world sage, which consists of “whatever the 9480 S. Eastern Ave. must practice “social distancing.” In the universe feels that audience needs to hear.” #269, 702-561-6943, spiritandspark.com. meantime, Hocking will host smaller “unThe room darkens, everybody closes their plugged versions” of the show at Spirit & eyes and Hocking goes into a light chanSpark. She says she’s also helping audiencneled state. “It ends in a very inspirational, es and clients deal with fear by giving out meditation uplifting tone,” Hocking says, “one where people walk and mindfulness tips. Hocking says that she’s “trying to out feeling reenergized about their life or more conhelp more people during this chaotic time.” Normally, nected to their loved ones.”

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Art

Pieces by artist group United Catalysts, on display for Margaret, Are You Grieving at Nevada Humanities. (Yasmina Chavez/Staff)

Good grief Nevada Humanities’ Margaret, Are You Grieving offers positivity in the face of a somber theme By Dawn-Michelle Baude rief, mourning, death, pain—Nevada Humanities Program Gallery tackles taboo subjects in Margaret, Are You Grieving. Curated by Angela M. Brommel, the exhibit includes works by 21 artists expressing loss through poetry, prose, painting, video, sculpture, textiles, photography, installations and mixed media. Online and physical versions of the show will run through May 27, with the gallery hoping to open to visitors again when possible. Margaret takes its title from Gerard Manley Hopkins’ “Spring and Fall” (1880), an elegy about a child’s intuition of her own death. Given the somber theme, it’s surprising that Margaret has, in the main, a hopeful, life-affirming vibe despite subject matter ranging from a decimated earth to genocide to imprisonment. Avoiding both trauma porn and sentimentality, several of the visual works in the show rely on color and texture to compensate for Kanosh” is a colorful, strident painting commemothe bleak terrain of suffering, while the literary rating Corey Kanosh, a Southern Paiute brutally works, following Hopkins’ lead, largely rely on killed by a Utah sheriff. Douglas’ monochromatic stoicism. portrait of Kanosh in regalia against aaabc Among the standouts is Lance L. a questionably bright U.S. flag—with Margaret, Smith’s “44 (‘Forty Fo’),” a mesmerizing birth/death dates instead of stars Are You Grieving and biographical epigrams in the sky oil painting veering away from tradiThrough May 27. tional portraiture into an expressive stripes—makes an urgent statement for Nevada Humanities realm that owes more to the mysteries social justice. Program Gallery, 1017 S. 1st St., of identity than to a mere likeness of the Nancy Good also opts for color and vibit.ly/38Vr5vS. painter’s deceased father. Smith’s virbrancy in “Requiem,” which conveys the tuoso compositional techniques—trianemotional depths of grief and recovery gles of light and dark reinforcing focus, via a palimpsest of sinuous lines, prickly adding and removing paint to produce a range of hot zones and swirling eddies embodying both pain texture—create a ghostly apparition of a man’s face and process. Myranda Bair takes a more restrained as haunting as it is beautiful. If the dead can speak, approach, contributing three tender watercolor porthen “Forty Fo” does so here. traits of tattered stuffed animals on empty ground, In contrast to Smith’s subtle rendering, Fawn the abandoned toys sad surrogates for the extincDouglas’ “Native Lives Matter! Rest in Power Corey tion of wild creatures. Gemma Marmalade’s “Silent

Lecture” video on Brexit-prompted grief, with its eerily attentive students, makes for an ironic political statement about the loss of cultural memory. Among the many poems included in Margaret are Gayle Brandeis’ touching meditation on the mighty molecular power of her mother’s ashes; Heather Lang-Cassera’s trio of imagistic nature lyrics; Erica Vital-Lazare’s jazzy, life-affirming narrative on family gatherings; and Vogue M. Robinson’s lovely and melodic “duplex” on her grandmother’s passing. Margaret successfully testifies to a dimension of human experience often bereft of expression. That said, the visual-art-and-writing combo is a challenge for a gallery setting in which numerous, lengthy poems are difficult to absorb. Thanks to the online exhibition, viewers can savor the poems’ nuances and music and contemplate the artworks until Nevada Humanities Gallery is back to business.

n Editor’s Note: Though Nevada Humanities’ Arts District gallery is currently closed, all of the visual and literary works comprising Margaret, Are You Grieving will be viewable online at nevadahumanities.org.

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CRISIS RESPON Managing COVID-19 in Southern

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By Emma Cauthorn

Nevada

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Learning from Italy: What happens if you’re slow to respond Within weeks, Italy’s outbreak jumped from some 60 cases in the north to tens of thousands of cases countrywide. The health care system there is deeply overwhelmed, and the death toll continues to climb. People who might otherwise survive can’t get medical care, and they perish. The entire nation is in quarantine as the system struggles to catch up to the ever-increasing demand. Over the weekend, The Telegraph uncovered an Italian crisis-management document that outlines a grim protocol: Patients over 80 years old or in poor health might be denied access to intensive care treatment if the demand for beds increase.

he Strip is quiet. The rooms are empty. The shows are postponed. The restaurants are closed. A scene that would once feel apocalyptic for Las Vegas has become a testament to our city’s determination in the face of COVID-19 and a symbol of our commitment to beat this virus together. If it seems like this escalated quickly, it did. Globally, the exponential growth of the disease has been met with frantic pumping of the social brakes. At press time, there are 42 confirmed cases in Southern Nevada. If it grows as it did in Italy, that number could double every six days. That’s the scary thing about exponenHow will Nevada fare? tial growth, but it’s not the most On one hand, Nevada has some important thing. The cornerstone PLEASE NOTE potentially troubling markers in of growth trajectories like this is This is a fast-moving, the fight against COVID-19. A 2019 that a single person can make a constantly changing study conducted by the Commonbig difference. Moving among story. The stories here reflect what was known wealth Fund ranked Nevada 48th groups of people, one individat press time. Stay tuned in the country for overall health ual can be responsible for hunto lasvegassun.com for system performance. The Ameridreds of new infections within the latest breaking developments. can Hospital Directory reports that the course of a month. This isn’t Nevada has 5,726 staffed hospital beds to assign blame—it’s a reminder in the state, putting us below the national of the power of the individual within average there, too. We also have a high number the context of the collective. Like vaccines, of residents who are 65 or older and/or have preventative measures like social distancing preexisting respiratory illnesses. And none only work if we all commit to them. of that includes provisions for the more than Remember, this isn’t about you. It’s about all 730,000 visitors we see each week when the of us slowing this down together. Strip is fully functioning. The exponential growth trajectory is On the other hand, Las Vegas might underparamount when considering the strain a stand surge capacity-related issues differently pandemic can put on the health care system. than other places in the country. “As a city we’re The impact of 10,000 patients over the course very fortunate, because we plan for our large of one month is substantially different than events, which can also mean surges of potential 10,000 patients within a single week. If the patients such as New Year’s Eve. The whole Titanic had two weeks to get everyone off the city applies that learning to being better and sinking ship, it wouldn’t have mattered that being prepared,” said Dr. Jeff Murawsky, chief there weren’t enough life jackets. Similarly, medical officer at Sunrise Hospital and Medical there aren’t enough hospitals beds and not Center, who also was the commander during nearly enough ventilators to provide for a the heroic October 1 response. sharp spike in serious cases. It’s up to the com“We learn from every opportunity in managmunity to stop this ship from sinking. And Las ing any kind of emergency situation, be that a Vegas is doing its part. traumatic mass casualty event or a pandemic Health care surge capacity is a concern across like this. Those lessons help us to provide care,” the country with just 2.8 hospital beds per 1,000 Murawsky said. people, according to data from the Organisation Hospitals across the Valley are preparing for Economic Cooperation and Development. for an influx of patients. Sunrise Hospital and Italy, which has become a case study for the dire Medical Center has put up tents outside its impact of hospital surge capacity, has 3.2.

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s Health and safety information, posted along with hand sanitizer inside New York-New York Hotel & Casino on March 15. Soon after, MGM Resorts International announced it would temporarily suspend operations at its Las Vegas properties to help stop the spread of the coronavirus. (Sun Staff)

“Have faith that the medical community in Vegas is doing everything it can. ” help create a healthier and more efficient triage owing to its pandemic and surge capacity environment. Staff are screening everyone policy and training. for COVID-19, the flu and other respiratory While the World Health Organization has illnesses, regardless of the reason for the visit. raised alarms for global shortages of personal MountainView Hospital and Southern Hills protective gear and medical supplies, our local Hospital and Medical Center, both part hospitals say they’re ready to care for those in of Sunrise Health, are implementing need. similar measures. “What people need to understand is SCARY Beyond triage, the Sunrise that hospitals are built and designed N.Y. STAT On March 16, New Health Hospitals are prepared to take care of patients who need York Gov. Andrew with negative pressure wards intensive medical services or emerCuomo said 17% of that use special air circulation gency care,” Murawsky said. “What that state’s confirmed coronavirus cases systems to keep germs at bay for you have individual control over is required hospithose who will need to be isolated washing your hands, doing it often, talization. with infectious disease. The VA following the guidance from our health Southern Nevada Healthcare System district about social distancing and [to] is implementing similar measures, with stop touching your face.” rooms that can be quickly converted for isolatSome public health experts are estimating as ing as needed. many as 1 million deaths in the United States as a Officials at University Medical Center say result of the COVID-19 outbreak—many of which they’re fully equipped to respond to a surge of can be prevented if forceful action is taken in the patients. Dignity Health, which owns 10 locashort term to slow the spread of the disease. tions in Nevada, is also confident in its ability To avoid putting excess and unnecessary to handle a sudden, large number of patients, strain on the health system, use your best judg-

ment on what constitutes as an emergency and follow the CDC guidelines pertaining to whether or not you should be tested for COVID-19. If it’s something for which you would normally head to your primary care physician or urgent care, do the same now. Using your typical care options, when available, will help stretch the capacity of the health care system. Most importantly, do what you can to keep the community healthy. If you can avoid getting sick, and avoid getting others sick, the hospital surge capacity won’t be tested. The decision to not go to a party, grab a drink at a bar, see a movie or go shopping unnecessarily could all be decisions that save someone’s life—maybe even your own. “Have faith that the medical community in Las Vegas is doing everything it can to be ready and prepared and to handle the contingencies that may happen,” Murawsky said. “What we need from everyone right now is to do the things they can do to limit the spread of the disease.”

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How does a ventilator work? By Jennifer Inaba

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In a small number of severe COVID-19 cases, a patient may be placed on a ventilator to supply oxygen if her or she is having difficulty breathing or has completely lost the ability to breathe on their own. The average person breathes in and out at a staggering 22,000 times a day without even thinking about it. But when you can’t, a ventilator might be your only solution. It’s important to note, a ventilator isn’t a treatment, it is critical life support. Ventilators work by getting fresh oxygen into the airways and ultimately into the lungs, while also removing toxic carbon dioxide from the lungs. This happens in a few steps. First, a breathing tube must be placed into the patient’s windpipe. It may be inserted through the mouth or nose. This tube will serve as the passageway for air and oxygen to move from the ventilator into the lungs. One end of the tube is placed in the windpipe, while the other is attached to the ventilator. Once connected, the ventilator uses pressure to blow a mixture of oxygen and air down the tube and into the lungs. Typically, the patient has the ability to breathe out on his or her own, but if that is not the case, the ventilator will exhale for the patient. The ventilator can be scheduled to “breathe” for the patient a set number of times each minute, or it can be set so the patient can trigger the machine to deliver air. If the patient fails to trigger the machine after a set period of time, the ventilator will automatically blow air into the breathing tube. When a patient gets to the point of needing a ventilator, it can be scary. Our bodies experience a suffocating or drowning feeling when they can’t get an optimal oxygen supply. A ventilator can give you this relief and help you breathe better while recovering from an illness—and for some, it may be the only way for them to have a fighting

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chance against it. But do we have enough ventilators available for patients in need during this critical time? A 2013 study published in the Cambridge University Press estimates that the U.S. has about 62,000 ventilators nationwide. The Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) reports that there are an estimated 8,900 ventilation machines federally stockpiled for emergency supplies, to be distributed upon request. They also note that some hospitals retain older machines for emergency purposes, estimating that those could add an additional 98,738 ventilators to the U.S. supply. States may have their own stockpiles as well, and some modern anesthesia machines can act as ventilators. Including anesthesia machines capable of ventilating patients, the SCCM concludes that there might be more than 200,000 units across the country. We weren’t able to locate a public health official who was able to provide a tally of the available ventilator capacity in Southern Nevada, but Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center confirms it has more than 150. The Nevada Current reports that UMC has 115 and MountainView Hospital has 50. The SCCM report mentioned an American Hospital Association webinar that estimated 960,000 patients would require ventilatory support during the COVID-19 pandemic. Ventilators can be rented from medical supply companies and borrowed between hospitals locally, and in other states if need be. If there’s a capacity surge at one hospital, another can help alleviate it if it’s not experiencing the same staffing and supply limitations. The SCCM report also raises concerns about adequate staffing for critically ill patients in the event of surge capacity at hospitals. The best way we can prevent that as a community is by staying home and following CDC guidelines.

What about smoking? In case you need one more reason to quit smoking or vaping, coronavirus is it. The University of California San Francisco reports that people who smoke or vape generally experience much more severe consequences of the flu or other respiratory infections. An analysis of coronavirus deaths in China found that men are more likely to die than women, and that men are more likely to experience serious complications such a pneumonia. Some researchers speculate that this might be attributed to the fact that more men smoke in China than women do.

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We asked an expert U N LV

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By Kelcie Grega

The World Health Organization has officially declared COVID-19 a pandemic, with more than 150,000 cases confirmed around the world. Still, for many of us, uncertainty remains. ¶ We sent questions about the virus and how best to defend against it to Dr. Brian Labus of UNLV’s School of Public Health. For 15 years, he served as senior epidemiologist for the Southern Nevada Health District, where he was responsible for disease surveillance and outbreak investigation. n Where do coronaviruses come from and how do they spread? There are dozens of coronaviruses that infect mammals and birds. Only four of these regularly infect humans, and they are one of the causes of the common cold. Three [others] cause more serious disease in humans (SARS, MERS and COVID-19). Given the right circumstances, viruses can jump from animals to humans and cause an outbreak like we are seeing now. The virus that causes COVID-19 probably originated in bats and infected an intermediate animal host, which infected humans. n Who is most vulnerable to the virus? There are two things that make someone vulnerable to the virus: a weakened immune system and underlying health problems. Older people unfortunately face both of these issues. As people age, the immune system weakens. Also, chronic health problems occur more often as people get older. The highest death rates in China have been seen in people over 80, but people 50 and older had much higher death rates than people under 50. Dr. Brian Labus, professor at UNLV’s School of Public Health (Christopher DeVargas/Staff)

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n Do you think we’ll see cases slow down as the weather warms up? It’s impossible to predict what is going to happen with a new virus. We don’t understand much about it, including how it will be affected by changes in the seasons. n Can the coronavirus spread through animal products imported overseas? It isn’t spread by food, so that shouldn’t be a concern. We also haven’t seen the virus infecting animals. As for other products, the virus is thought to survive up to nine days under ideal conditions, so even if [the products were] contaminated, the virus will be long dead by the time [they] reach your store shelves.

n We know this virus is different from the flu, because of how it affects the body and because it has a higher fatality rate. But is it more contagious than the flu (taking the flu vaccine out of the equation)? We use a concept called the basic reproduction number, which we abbreviate R0, to talk about how contagious a disease is. It tells us how many people each case of disease would create in a completely susceptible population. Measles is the most contagious, at around 18-20. Flu is around 1.5. From the early calculations, this coronavirus seems to be around 2.5. That means each case of this disease will create two and a half more cases if we do nothing to stop it. n Do we know how long the virus can live on a surface? We are trying to understand that, but we don’t know for sure yet. Looking at other coronaviruses, we can make some educated estimates. Viruses like SARS can live for up to nine days given the right conditions.

n Why do health experts advise people not to stock up on masks? The particles that carry coronavirus are too small to be stopped by surgical or dust masks, so all they provide is a false sense of security. You need a special type of mask, called an N95, to provide any protection. They need to be fitted to your face, worn properly and removed in a way that keeps you from infecting yourself. These masks are in short supply right now, even in hospitals. Stocking up on these masks makes it harder for medical providers treating patients with the coronavirus to protect themselves. n Why are we so limited in our capacity to test for the virus? It takes time to ensure that the test works correctly and to produce the kits. More test kits will be available as the test is rolled out to commercial laboratories all over the country, and testing bottlenecks will disappear. Keep in mind that from the first reported case, it only took Chinese scientists a month to discover the virus. Once they found it, they created a test for it in two weeks. A month later, we can test for it in labs all over the country. It took twice as long just to identify SARS in 2003. The speed at which the laboratories have responded to this new virus is nothing short of incredible.

“Everyone wants a vaccine or a pill, but these basic things go a long way to protect your health.”

n How does the response to COVID-19 compare with other past global pandemics, such as H1N1 in 2009? The early response we are seeing reminds me a lot of what happened in 2009. That is mostly because every public health response is built upon the previous one. We are using things we learned about public communication, testing and surveillance to make our response better this time. The public response is similar as well, with a lot of fear and anxiety driving decisions like stockpiling essential supplies. I don’t expect human behavior to change from outbreak to outbreak, but I do expect us to get better in our response to disease. n What else can I do to protect myself? The recommendations we have are the less-thansatisfying basic public health steps of washing your hands and limiting your exposure to other people. Everyone wants a vaccine, a pill or some novel step they can take, but these basic things go a long way to protect your health. n Is there any estimate on when this will all be over? Disease modeling is useful to evaluate how a disease may be spreading and how different control measures are likely to affect that spread, but it is not very good at predicting what is going to happen. We don’t understand the virus well enough, we don’t understand the exact conditions that exist in each community, and we can’t model the hundreds or thousands of interactions people have each day. It would be nice to be able to make an estimate of when it will be over, but we can’t even predict what is going to happen tomorrow.

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Clark County has a significant shortage of testing kits

BY EMMA CAUTHORN

imited availability of COVID-19 tests and testing capacity is an issue in Clark County and the rest of the country. There are conflicting numbers about the actual quantity of tests administered nationwide since January, but most estimates hover around 10,000-15,000. This number, even at the highest end, is woefully inadequate. State officials, including Gov. Steve Sisolak, have complained of a lack of test kits available, making it difficult to know the true extent of cases within Nevada. Though the Trump administration has claimed that more tests are coming and will be widely available at drive-up test sites, at press time Nevada had yet to benefit from that promise. The CDC recommends calling your doctor if you believe that you’ve been exposed to COVID-19 or develop symptoms such as a fever, cough or difficulty breathing. The lack of adequate testing could be very damaging in the attempt to slow the spread of COVID-19, and the U.S. is far behind other countries in its testing protocol. There are a few reasons for this, one of them being the federal government declined to use a test approved by the World Health Organization in January, opting instead for a test developed by the CDC. However, the CDC’s initial testing kit had manufacturing defects that caused the test to return inconclusive results. The subsequent rollout of corrected tests has not been able to meet demand.

Glancing at early reporting numbers, Vox reports that as of March 11, the U.S. has tested only 23 people per million. Compare that to Guangdong, China, which had tested 2,820 per million as of February 28. Or South Korea, which had tested 3,692 per million as of March 8. Or even Italy, which had tested 826 per million as of March 8. In the past week, the testing rate in the U.S. has increased, but so have the number of cases and exposures. Under-testing in the U.S. causes a number of issues, including underreporting of the pandemic. It might also leave health care providers more susceptible to catching and spreading the disease themselves. “Testing doesn’t drive the need for hospitalization; the overall condition of the person does,” Dr. Jeff Murawsky, chief medical officer at Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center, says. “The impact of testing is that we have different precautions that we follow inside the hospital if you’re positive for the flu or COVID-19. We need the testing capacity to know what precautions to take, because keeping the staff healthy in the hospital is critical to us being able to function and serve the community.” If you are able to get tested, the process of obtaining the sample is fairly simple and similar to that of a flu test. Patients will be swabbed through their nose or back of the throat to collect cells. The sample is then sent to the testing lab for evaluation.

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LEFT The Centers for Disease Control’s laboratory test kit for the new coronavirus. (CDC via AP, File)

Though COVID-19 testing will be free, Nevadans could face financial difficulties from there BELOW Physician assistant Paige Lehrer takes samples from a patient for testing in Dallas. (Smiley N. Pool/ The Dallas Morning News via AP)

Staff Report

Testing for COVID-19, the virus that causes coronavirus, is vitally important, because a diagnosis can get people appropriate treatment if they’re infected. It also can get them into isolation to prevent the virus from spreading. The good news: Testing is free for all Nevadans. Gov. Steve Sisolak signed an emergency regulation last week requiring health insurance companies in the state to cover testing. And the uninsured can get tested for free by visiting a federally qualified health center, Southern Nevada Health District spokesperson Jennifer Sizemore said. That is, of course, if you can find a test. At press time, fewer than 15,000 Americans had been tested, and there are nationwide reports of citizens who have symptoms of coronavirus and simply can’t get it confirmed. Clark County officials this week complained of a shortage and asked for the federal government to send them more kits. For its part, the White House announced that it’s ramping up testing, and that it will prioritize health care workers and those ages 65 and older with breathing difficulties or a fever. When it comes to treatment for those who contract coronavirus, there’s no guarantee that those costs will be covered, even

for those with insurance. And Nevadans are some of the most at risk: Nearly 400,000 Nevadans—almost 14% of the state’s population—are uninsured, the sixth-highest rate in the nation. That means infected persons who are underinsured or have no insurance will face the financial strain of any condition requiring a hospital stay. The financial toll on everyday workers, ranging from layoffs to lack of paid sick leave or health insurance, should concern all Nevadans, said Erika Washington, executive director of Make It Work Nevada. “I think what concerns me the most is there are a lot of folks who are living paycheck to paycheck and barely scraping by,” Washington said. “Something like an illness is what puts people under. You end up in that cycle of poverty that is difficult for people to get out of.” Governor Sisolak is urging residents to stay strong, hearkening back to our togetherness following the October 1, 2017, mass shooting on the Strip. “The citizens of this state showed the nation what it meant to stand together, to unite against all odds and put our neighbors before ourselves,” Sisolak said. “I am asking my fellow Nevadans to do it with more commitment and more compassion than ever before.”

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(Photo Illustration)

THE RISE OF

TELEMEDICINE A

BY GENEVIE DURANO

s our health care system braces for an influx of patients infected with the novel coronavirus, one first line of defense could be something for which we already have the technology: telemedicine. Telemedicine—a visit with a health care provider either virtually or by phone—has been around for years, used initially as a concierge service or in rural areas where doctors aren’t easily accessible. Telemedicine can allow doctors to distinguish between those who need immediate care and those whose symptoms are mild enough not to warrant a visit to an urgent care center or a hospital, freeing up vital resources for only the most severe cases. Andy Slavitt, who ran Medicare and Med-

icaid under Barack Obama, tweeted Thursday that “telemedicine needs to be the norm for more things,” and Dr. Stephen Parodi, an infectious disease specialist and executive with the Permanente Medical Group, told The New York Times that telemedicine will be critical in managing the pandemic. Telemedicine is also advantageous given the CDC’s urgent recommendation of social distancing. It allows patients—not just those with suspected COVID-19 but also those who need existing care for chronic conditions—to get care at home and limit their exposure to the virus in public places like doctors’ waiting rooms. The stress brought on by the pandemic can also wreak havoc on mental health, as the population grapples with the anxiety of losing jobs and caring for loved ones. Therapists and mental health counselors are also available virtually.

Congress’ $8.3 billion emergency funding measure for fighting the pandemic, passed last week, includes waiving certain federal rules in order to increase the number of doctors who can participate in telemedicine programs by making it easier for them to practice in states other than those where they’re licensed. To encourage policyholders to use telemedicine, many insurance companies are waiving the copay, which range anywhere from $10-$50 for a medical consultation. For the insured, the easiest way to access telemedicine options is to log onto your providers’ website. An appointment can be made with the click of a button. If you don’t have insurance, visit your preferred pharmacy’s website, such as Walgreens or CVS, where you can make a virtual appointment with a doctor. Fees vary for these services.

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who are stockpiling are doing so out of personal concern, it can have unintended consequences for others—possibly leaving vulnerable residents without essential products needed to survive. Older people with fixed monthly incomes, families with infants who need formula and individuals with financial limitations might be especially endangered by this behavior. We’re all in this together, and it’s important to be mindful of the community when buying for yourself and your family. Officials also note that groceries will return to the shelves once the stores and suppliers have time to catch up to the demand. –Emma Cauthorn

Price gouging and supply hoarding— just don’t do it n Price gouging for essential items—such as hand sanitizer, soap and toilet paper— is a violation of the consumer protection act. Online outlets have been cracking down on sellers up-charging for certain goods. If you see this happening locally, you can report it to Attorney General Aaron Ford at ag.nv.gov/Complaints/File_ Complaint or by calling 775-684-1100. Clark County officials are also calling on residents to stop any stockpiling of supplies for personal use, including food, medicine and other essentials. Clark County Chairwoman Marilyn Kirkpatrick says it’s OK to buy two weeks’ worth of supplies, but it’s not OK to buy a month’s worth or more. Though many people

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CCSD Food Service Supervisor Raquel German hands out meals to a parent at Basic High School on March 16. (Wade Vandervort/Staff)

Where students can get food

Hours after Gov. Steve Sisolak ordered all Nevada schools to close due to the spread of the novel coronavirus, the Clark County School District announced locations where free breakfast and lunch will be provided for students during the closure. Food distribution centers have been set up at the 15 schools below from 8-11 a.m. daily. Those obtaining food must have schoolage children present with them, the district said.

Empty shelves at a Las Vegas grocery store on March 14 (Sun File)

n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n

Basic High School Canyon Springs High School Centennial High School Chaparral High School Cheyenne High School Cimarron-Memorial High School Clark High School Desert Pines High School Las Vegas High School Mojave High School Shadow Ridge High School Sierra Vista High School Silverado High School Spring Valley High School Veterans Tribute Career & Technical Academy

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UNDERSTANDING COVID-19 FACTS ABOUT THE VIRAL THREAT WREAKING HAVOC ON THE WORLD BY JENNIFER INABA

n March 11, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 to be a pandemic—the first pandemic to be caused by a coronavirus. As we navigate this new reality, it’s important to ground your understanding of the virus in facts and understand the role

we all play in the spread of infection. ¶ The key is recognizing that the term pandemic shouldn’t cause pandemonium. Now more than ever, we all need to remember these three Cs: remain calm, be careful of your actions and be considerate of others. Don’t rush into stores in hysterics to buy up all the toilet paper. Be conscious of your health and personal hygiene. And consider how you might affect others if you go out in public spaces. We’re all in this together, and as with past pandemics, we will get through it. It’s up to all of us to do whatever we can to halt the continued spread of COVID-19.

CLASSIFYING A DISEASE Endemic: a disease or condition found among a specific group of people or in a certain geographic area. Epidemic: the widespread occurrence of a disease (one derived from a common source) spreading at a frequency clearly above what is normally expected. Pandemic: a worldwide epidemic. COVID-19 was characterized as a pandemic due to its alarming levels of spread and the increased and sustained person-to-person transmission of the virus. It’s the first pandemic caused by a coronavirus and the first time the World Health Organization (WHO) has called an outbreak a pandemic since H1N1 (the “swine flu”) in 2009.

OFFICIAL EMERGENCY On March 12, Gov. Steve Sisolak declared a state of emergency in Nevada, allowing State aid to supplement local resources to prevent or alleviate damages, loss, hardship or suffering due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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RATE OF INFECTION “The rate of infection spread doesn’t change with the term ‘pandemic,’” explains Dr. Karen M. Duus, Ph.D., an immunology and microbiology professor at Henderson’s Touro University. “People infected with a given virus are generally able to infect a number of susceptible people. This number is calculated using studies of viral transmission. Different viruses are able to infect different numbers of people. The statistic we use to describe this is called R0, or R-nought.”

What does that mean? Consider this. Measles has an R0 of 12-18, which means that one person infected with measles will infect 12 to 18 other susceptible people. Influenza A virus (during a severe season) has an R0 of 1.53, which means that one person infected with influenza A that year infected 1.53 other susceptible people. As more people become infected and then infect other people, the virus spreads. It seems like the rate of infection is increasing, but it’s actually the fact that there are more infected people in a community spreading it to others. The current R0 prediction for COVID-19 is 2.5.

LIFE SPAN OF A PANDEMIC

STAYING POSITIVE “Most people will not have any problems and are unlikely to get the virus,” Touro University’s Dr. Amy Stone said. “Coronaviruses are not new, and we will learn to adapt to this virus just like we have for the coronaviruses we have seen in the past.”

“The life span of pandemics varies based on the cause of the pandemic, the rate of transmission, the number of susceptible people and the public health measures taken to combat spread of an infection,” Duus says. “As more and more people are infected and recover, the pandemic wanes due to the reduced number of susceptible individuals remaining in the population.” The 1918 influenza pandemic lasted 15 months, while the H1N1 pandemic of 2009 lasted 18 months. We won’t know how long the COVID-19 pandemic will last until it’s declared over by the WHO. FREEING FUNDS On March 13, President Donald Trump declared a national emergency under the Stafford Act to free up billions of dollars in Federal Emergency Management Agency funds to confront COVID-19.

RAPID MUTATION OF CORONAVIRUSES

VI D19 0 : R

Coronaviruses are RNA viruses—a family of viruses that can cause the common cold but also contain the epidemic strains of the SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) and MERS (Middle Eastern respiratory syndrome) viruses. RNA viruses are notorious for their ability to mutate rapidly and change to escape our immune systems. “The machinery these viruses use to replicate their genetic material make mistakes,” says Dr. Amy Stone, Ph.D., a viral innate immunologist and assistant professor at Touro University. “These mistakes can lead to changes that allow the virus to move from an animal to a human. These mistakes are one of the reasons that we need a new flu shot every year. We expect that COVID-19 will mutate about as fast as SARS, which is to say on par with other RNA viruses at about one mutation every five and a half days. For context, humans gain mutations in a similar way except much slower (one mutation every 277 days or every nine months). This means the virus will evolve and change over time.” That will make treatment and the development of a vaccine difficult. As of now, there’s no vaccine and antibiotics are ineffective, since COVID-19 is a viral infection, not a bacterial one. According to the WHO, however, about 80% of people recover without needing hospitalization or special treatment.

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LV W F O O D & D R I N K

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EATING IN HOW TO STOCK YOUR FRIDGE AND PANTRY FOR HEALTHY HOMEMADE MEALS BY GENEVIE DURANO

ith the possibility of a Valleywide quarantine looming, it’s important to keep your fridge and pantry stocked with the right ingredients so you can whip up meals throughout the day. For those with children, it’s even more essential to plan ahead now that school has been canceled for a few weeks. And while grocery shelves might seem emptier these days, you can still make healthy meals, even with limited options. ¶ First, take a moment to assess what you already have. Throw out all expired items to make room for at least two weeks’ worth of food for your household. Then hit up the grocery stores with a list, preferably during non-peak times, and make a meal plan for a week or two. A silver lining in these times of austere choices? Moving closer to a zero-waste kitchen.

FRUITS AND VEGETABLES With people focusing their attention on canned goods and packaged food, the produce aisles are still plentiful. But be strategic about buying perishables. Select hardier vegetables like cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, carrots and broccoli, which will last in the fridge at least through your first week at home. Make and freeze vegetable soup, like broccoli, asparagus or corn. Stock up on whatever fruits you can find, and freeze the ones you can’t eat right away, such as berries and bananas, for smoothies. For your second week at home, opt for frozen vegetables, which have just as much nutrition. Dried fruits like mangoes, figs, apricots and prunes are also good to keep in the pantry, as they make excellent toppings for oatmeal or as additions to —whole and homemade muffins. For canned goods, tomatoes—whole diced—are a must-have for sauces and chili.

3 .1 9 . 2 0 LV W F O O D & D R I N K

FOOD & DRINK PROTEINS Protein is a major building block, so make sure you have enough to tide you through the coming weeks. Freeze lean proteins like chicken breasts and ground turkey, while canned meats like tuna, salmon and sardines are good for getting seafood into your diet. Beans pack a wallop of protein: The best-tasting are those you make yourself from dried beans, but keep a few cans on the shelf. (Garbanzo beans are especially convenient for making hummus, which takes only minutes to prepare using just a few ingredients.) Eggs will keep for weeks in the fridge; or boil a few, which will keep for about a week with the shells on. The shelf life of cheese can be extended if you store it properly; better yet, freeze it. For sustaining energy throughout the day, have a variety of nuts within easy reach.

GRAINS Grains and grain alternatives store for a long time in the pantry. While pasta has been flying off the shelves, consider alternatives such as quinoa, millet, farro and amaranth. Visit Asian markets for large bags of brown or white rice; they keep indefinitely as long as you store them in a cool, dry place. Visit local bakeries and stock up on freshly made bread, which freezes well if wrapped properly. Crackers are also another pantry staple that are versatile carriers for cheese or fruit. Keep a few boxes of low-sugar cereals for breakfast; add fruit, nuts or seeds for extra flavor and protein.

ALWAYS KEEP ON HAND Try to keep aromatics like garlic, onion and ginger on hand. They’ll go a long way toward giving depth to whatever you cook. Other pantry suggestions include a fresh bottle of olive oil and chicken stock. And now is the time to freshen up those spices to give your cooking more punch.

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lv w s p o r t s 3 .1 9 . 2 0

Virtual Madness Five NCAA Tournament games to stream while missing this year’s action By Case Keefer

f all the sporting events canceled because of the coronavirus, the NCAA Tournament hits the hardest. It’s not March without college basketball, so even in the midst of a global pandemic, let’s indulge in some. Hundreds of games from past tournaments are up on YouTube; here are five worth revisiting to keep the March Madness tradition alive.

1990 National Championship Game UNLV vs. Duke

2006 Elite 8 Connecticut vs. George Mason

2007 Round of 64 UNLV vs. Georgia Tech

Some fans took to social media this past season to bemoan the lack of celebration for the 30-year anniversary of the Rebels’ lone national championship. The solution? Celebrate for yourself. UNLV’s championship-game blowout of Duke remains the best moment in Las Vegas sports history, and many still consider the 1990 Rebels to be the greatest college basketball team of all time. Get reminded why by watching Anderson Hunt, Larry Johnson, Greg Anthony and Stacey Augmon combine for 76 points against Christian Laettner, Bobby Hurley and the rest of the hated Blue Devils.

Loyola-Chicago and Wichita State have captivated the masses as the most recent mid-major teams to reach the Final Four, but there’s been no greater modern Cinderella run than the one No. 11 seed George Mason went on 14 years ago. The Patriots shocked blue bloods Michigan State and North Carolina in the first two rounds, respectively, but their run was expected to end against UConn, the overall No. 1 seed. Instead, George Mason stood toe-to-toe with UConn in a fast-paced contest before prevailing in overtime of a game that showcased everything great about the NCAA Tournament.

Rebels’ fans waited 18 years for this one, the program’s first tournament victory since the end of coach Jerry Tarkanian’s tenure. The win over the Yellow Jackets showcased the 2007 team’s grittiness, as UNLV prevailed despite two of its best players, Kevin Kruger and Wink Adams, suffering off-nights. Wendell White was unstoppable, though, and the whole team played better in a round of 32 win over Wisconsin that delivered No. 7 seed UNLV to the Sweet 16. The Wisconsin game isn’t on YouTube, but the eventual Sweet 16 loss to Oregon is, and is also worth a watch. The Rebels arguably outplayed the Ducks but were undone by unconscious 3-point shooting.

3 .1 9 . 2 0 LV W s p o r t s

Kentucky’s Trey Lyles (41) shoots against Wisconsin’s Sam Dekker (15) during an NCAA Final Four semifinal game, April 4, 2015, in Indianapolis. (David J. Phillip/AP)

2015 Final Four Kentucky vs. Wisconsin

2016 National Championship Game North Carolina vs. Villanova

Missing the NBA as much as college basketball? This might be the closest thing to a professional game in a recent tournament. Kentucky had a record six players selected in the NBA Draft three months later—including No. 1 overall pick Karl-Anthony Towns —and entered the national semifinal 38-0 on the year. The Badgers weren’t without talent either, as senior superstar Frank Kaminsky had recently been named the consensus National Player of the Year. Kentucky had no answer for Kaminsky’s inside-out game, and the Wildcats fell just short of completing the perfect season.

The greatest championship game of the past decade undoubtedly came four years ago in Houston. North Carolina and Villanova spent all season at the top of polls, and showed why in an instant-classic, backand-forth battle to the finish. And what a finish it was. Hitting a buzzer-beater is one thing. Hitting a buzzer beater to win a national championship is quite another, securing the Wildcats’ Kris Jenkins as a trivia answer for decades to come.

When might sports return? NCAA President Mark Emmert confirmed what everyone in sports suspected in an interview with ESPN when he said the NBA suspending its season was the “exclamation point” in determining the cancellation of the tournament. The NBA made the announcement on the evening of March 11, and by the next afternoon, the NHL, NCAA, Major League Baseball and virtually every other active sports league followed suit. There are rumblings that the other major leagues are still following the lead of the NBA, which is reportedly eyeing mid-June as a “best-case scenario” to resume play. Early reports indicated the NHL and Major League Baseball were hoping for only a twoor three-week pause but might now see June as a potential starting point. If the NHL jumped straight to the Stanley Cup Playoffs, as some have speculated, it wouldn’t be a negative for the Vegas Golden Knights. Vegas would be the No. 1 seed in the Pacific Division playoff pod regardless of whether the league used points or points percentage to determine the bracket. It’s widely expected the league would lean toward the latter to account for a discrepancy in games played from team to team, which would mean the wild-card Nashville Predators would await the Golden Knights in the first round. Golden Knights aside, the loss of the 2020 NFL Draft has hit Las Vegas hardest. The NFL announced that the public portion of the event—scheduled from April 23-25 on a footprint stretching from the Caesars Forum to the Bellagio Fountains—is off. The league has promised to return to the area for a future draft, but it’s unclear when that might happen. The 2021 NFL Draft is already scheduled for Cleveland. The NFL season—including the debut of the Las Vegas Raiders—is set to start in September and has yet to be affected. The major leagues could decide to scrap the season altogether, but expect the NHL, NBA and Major League Baseball to do everything possible to avoid that fate. Minor leagues, including the Las Vegas Lights’ United Soccer League and the Las Vegas Aviators’ Pacific Coast League, are likely to use the major sports as a guide and wind up on the same timetable. Local college athletes have no such hope for their own seasons. The NCAA has canceled all spring and remaining winter sports, while the Clark County School District has “suspended” sports with hopes to re-evaluate before the end of the school year. –Case Keefer

V E G A S I N C B U S I N E S S 3 .1 9 . 2 0

Local businesses get creative to combat the coronavirus

BY LESLIE VENTURA as Vegans are feeling the economic impact of coronavirus as the city responds to the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic. Resorts, restaurants and shops continue to close, and service industry workers have been among the hardest hit. In response to the myriad layoffs across the city, one restaurant is offering free meals to laid-off service workers in exchange for … a six pack of beer. “I know our city is hurting, so right now, if you’re laid off, we’d love to cook for you,” Esther’s Kitchen owner and chef James Trees posted March 14 on Instagram. “Come in, bring us a six pack of beer [and] we’ll feed you, your significant other [and] if you have a couple of kids, we’d love to have [those] guys in, too. We’re going to do that for free until this whole thing blows over.” Trees says he made the offer because everyone deserves a good meal, especially during hard times. The deal includes bread, appetizers and pasta, according to the chef. “This is a town built on hospitality, and I care so much about my hometown. I don’t want [customers] to feel like because they can’t pay once or twice, they shouldn’t be going out,” Trees says. “The most important thing to remember is we’re Las Vegans; we’re Americans; we’ve been through tough times before. We need to go about our daily lives and wash our hands. Get out in the fresh air. Come to Esther’s. Let us feed you, and let us take care of you.” In response to Gov. Steve Sisolak’s March 16 remarks on COVID-19, Trees cut his restaurant’s seating capacity by half and is now offering delivery at no extra charge. Patrons can place orders by phone or email.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention currently recommends putting distance between yourself and others if the virus is spreading in your area. If a quarantine is mandated, Trees says Esther’s Kitchen will deliver food to people’s homes. In the meantime, he assures that the restaurant is doing “everything in our power to take care of our community and our neighbors. I’ve told all my staff, if they feel like they’re getting sick to self-quarantine

and we will pay them for their time off, no questions asked.” When it comes to sanitation, Trees adds, “as cooking chefs and servers, we wash our hands a hundred times a day.” So how can you get that free meal? Trees says to simply bring in the beer and ask for it. Businesses across the Las Vegas Valley, including Thrive Cannabis Marketplace, have come up with other inventive ways to keep patronage up. Compliance Director Ashley Blackwood says Thrive has seen a “spike in sales” since the coronavirus pandemic hit Las Vegas. “We’re seeing higher ticket averages, and people are purchasing higher quantities,” she says. The dispensary launched a reduced-price $20 value menu and has begun offering free delivery for orders over $65. Blackwood says all delivery vehicles are equipped with sanitary wipes and that “everything is done in a sanitary environment.” Blume Kitchen & Cocktails in Henderson is also offering free meals to children 12 and under, with the choice of buttered noodles, a cheeseburger and fries, chicken tenders and fries or a grilled cheese and fries, from 3 p.m. till close until further notice. Other businesses in town have had to think outside the box to keep customers coming in. Vegan deli NoButcher has offered a “no-contact” drivethru for pickup orders. Chef Jainine Jaffer launched a delivery option for her Indian/Mediterranean restaurant Shiraz. And gentlemen’s club Little Darlings is advertising its “coronavirus-free lap dances.”

Chef James Trees is offering meals in exchange for beer donations at his restaurant Esther’s Kitchen. (Sun File)

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Las Vegasâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Asian businesses felt the coronavirusâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; financial effects sooner than most

3 .1 9 . 2 0 v e g a s i n c b u s i n e s s

By RIC ANDERSON t’s lunch hour Friday in Chinatown, and the kitchen staff at a highly rated noodle house is going about its business. Out comes a fusion rice platter, a plate of pork belly bao and a bowl of spicy tan tan udon soup that will make your temples sweat. The restaurant— Cafe Sanuki, although it could be one of many in the district where business has fallen off—prides itself on the quality of its ingredients, the care of its preparation and the affordability of its menu pricing, which have combined to inspire comments like “perfect!” and “hidden gem” in online reviews. In normal times, the place draws a brisk lunch crowd. Yet on this day, the spacious eatery is practically empty. At 12:38 p.m., there are nine diners seated in a room that could hold several times that many. It’s a scene that has been playing out across Chinatown for weeks, since shortly after the new coronavirus began spreading in Wuhan. “I’ve talked to several [local Asian business owners], and they’re estimating that they’ve seen a 40% to 60% drop in business,” says Sonny Vinuya, president of the Las Vegas Asian Chamber of Commerce. “I don’t have concrete figures— these are just people estimating. But some are laying off people, sending them home. We’ve also heard of three establishments that have temporarily closed.” The Asian community in Las Vegas was the first to feel the economic effects of the outbreak and therefore has suffered the longest, starting in late January, when the Trump administration imposed restrictions on travel to the U.S. from China. Vinuya says the impact was immediate and widespread, affecting not only Chinatown but businesses throughout the Valley. Unjustified fears of the disease prompted local diners to stop patronizing Asian restaurants. And as the travel restrictions took hold, the daily busloads of Chinese and California tourists streaming to Chinatown dwindled and then disappeared. Meanwhile, local companies that specialize in tourism and convention business from China and other Asian companies virtually came to a standstill, Vinuya says. In response, the Asian Chamber held

meetings with Rep. Susie Lee, D-Nev., and the Nevada office of the federal Small Business Administration to advocate for federal emergency relief funding for businesses. On March 17, the chamber’s efforts bore fruit when the SBA signed off on an economic disaster relief loan program available to Nevada small-business owners, allowing them to apply for low-interest 30-year loans (see sidebar). “We’re just telling people to hang in there, and we’re trying to help anyone we can,” Vinuya says. Another bright spot in an otherwise bleak time came when the Asian Chamber’s counterpart organizations—the Vegas Chamber, Latin Chamber, Urban Chamber, etc.—reached out early on to offer support and assistance. “That felt really good, because one of the things we’re working on—especially the minority chambers—is collaboration and working together,” he says. Still, as Vinuya notes compassionately, what happened in Chinatown turned out to be a dismaying preview of how the outbreak would affect the entire Valley. Within 72 hours of his interview with the Weekly came a series of dramatic announcements—Strip resort closures, cancellation of the NFL Draft’s public events in Las Vegas, cancellation of classes in the Clark County School District and across the state, and more. But as Las Vegas deals with the deepening economic uncertainty over the virus, Vinuya says the chamber was working to dispel the myth that patronizing Asian businesses in the Valley would increase the risk of contracting the disease. As with other businesses, he says, the chamber’s members have taken precautions to protect their customers’ health. “We’re struggling like everybody else,” he says. “But we live here locally, and we use American products from American distributors.”

Chinatown Mall exterior, January 2019 (Wade Vandervort)

Small-business assistance On March 17, the Small Business Administration’s central office signed off on an economic disaster relief loan program available to Nevada smallbusiness owners. Joseph Amato, director of the SBA’s Nevada office, breaks down the basics: n Loans available for up to $2 million. n As long as a business isn’t publicly traded, it will likely qualify. (Even some nonprofit organizations will qualify.) n Applicants for the program will have to show that an economic disadvantage is occurring. Amato suggests that businesses document fixed costs like rent and payroll expenses first. n Loans will be for a fixed 30-year term and carry an interest rate of 3.75%. n Depending how quickly the federal government processes applications, funds could be available within 2-3 weeks. n Business owners can apply at sba.gov.

V e g a s i n c b u s i n e s s 3 .1 9 . 2 0

VegasInc Giving Notes The Las Vegas chapter of Financial Executives International donated $2,000 to Make-A-Wish Southern Nevada during its March meeting, where Make-AWish President and CEO Caroline Ciocca was the featured speaker. The donation was presented by Paul Katauskas, president of the FEI Las Vegas Chapter, to support Make-A-Wish’s efforts to help children and their families in the Las Vegas community cope with life-threatening illnesses.

tossed in the indoor rainstorm will be donated to HELP of Southern Nevada to further its mission to assist people in becoming selfsufficient through direct services, trainings and referrals. Nevada State Bank donated $250,000 to UNLV’s Lee Business School to support the planning and construction of a business academic building.

Health Plan of Nevada presented United Citizens Foundation with a $20,000 check to further benefit the foundation’s mission to promote healthy social, emotional and behavioral skills for children, adolescents, adults and families by compassionately serving their mental health, addiction and community support needs.

Las Vegas Sands honored the Marty Hennessy Inspiring Children Foundation as the inaugural graduate of the Sands Cares Accelerator Program and announced the addition of Green Our Planet as the newest member of the three-year nonprofit mentorship program designed to help fast-track rising star organizations on the tipping point of making a leap in community impact.

Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood announced HELP of Southern Nevada as the nonprofit recipient for the shopping center’s Caring, Giving and Changing coin collection campaign through the end of the year. All change

The Ronald McDonald House Charities of Greater Las Vegas collected more than five tons of food and $11,500 in cash and gift cards during the 19th annual Fill The Pantry food drive in partnership with Smith’s. More than 250

volunteers helped make the food drive possible by passing out wish lists at local Smith’s locations; collecting, sorting, dating and weighing the donations; and stocking the pantry shelves and storage cabinets at the House. Longtime supporters also made donations, including $1,000 in gift cards from Smith’s and a $500 donation from the Nevada Farm Bureau. Google awarded Unshakeable, a Las Vegas-based nonprofit, the “People’s Choice” winner in the inaugural Google.org Impact Challenge. Unshakeable received $125,000 in funding on top of the $175,000 grant awarded to it as one of five nonprofits selected from Nevada. Unshakeable plans to use the funding to expand the number of women it serves in Nevada and reduce their barriers to employment. Silverton team members raised $10,000 for Goodie Two Shoes Foundation, a nonprofit organization that strives to outfit 10,000 children in need annually with new shoes and socks.

Las Vegas-based charity Miracle Flights received a $30,000 Quality of Life grant from the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation National Paralysis Resource Center’s 2019 High Impact Priority grants program. The program supports nonprofit organizations that empower people living with paralysis. Five local nonprofits received more than $470,000 donated to the Light the World program at Downtown Summerlin Giving Machines. A program sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Giving Machines offer patrons options to donate to local or worldwide charities with the swipe of a credit or debit card. The five beneficiary organizations include Communities in Schools of Nevada, EyeCare 4 Kids, Future Smiles, Opportunity Village and Three Square. Sarah Cooper, a science teacher at Southeast Career and Technical Academy, received a $3,000 STEM research grant from the Society for Science & the Public to help secure much-needed equipment and amenities for her classroom. The CSN Foundation received $6 million in donations to build the Betty Engelstad School of Health Sciences on the CSN Henderson Campus.

Community leaders and CSN employees donated $3 million to meet the $3 million challenge match offered by the Engelstad Foundation. The $6 million adds to state funding to construct the 73,000-square-foot facility, scheduled to open in fall 2021. Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada and Kemp, Jones & Coulthard announced a donation of over $700,000 to the Nevada Community Foundation as a result of a class-action lawsuit. Interest from an endowment fund at NCF is designated for HELP of Southern Nevada to assist those struggling with housing and rental assistance. The Cure 4 The Kids Foundation Valentine’s Day blood drive and bone marrow registry event impacted the lives of 177 people who will benefit from the blood donations and many more who may find a bone marrow match. Fifty-nine units were collected by the Vitalant team, a 211% increase above the event’s goal. Get Outdoors Nevada received a $68,500 grant from Tesla. The money will be allocated into two initiatives. A total of $48,500 will support the GON Next Generation Science Standards Program, and an additional $20,000 will be used to help expand the GON Microgrant Program.

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