2022-01-27- Las Vegas Weekly by Greenspun Media Group

INDULGE TOGETHER It’s time to regain what you’ve been missing. The only question is, which craving will you satisfy first?

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ONE STEAKHOUSE

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NIGHT + MARKET

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NOBU LAS VEGAS

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KASSI BEACH HOUSE

PUBLISHER MARK DE POOTER mark.depooter@gmgvegas.com ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER KATIE DIXON katie.dixon@gmgvegas.com EDITOR SPENCER PATTERSON spencer.patterson@gmgvegas.com

EDITORIAL Senior Editor GEOFF CARTER (geoff.carter@gmgvegas.com) Editor at Large BROCK RADKE (brock.radke@gmgvegas.com) Deputy Editor EVELYN MATEOS (evelyn.mateos@gmgvegas.com) Managing Editor/News DAVE MONDT (dave.mondt@gmgvegas.com) Staff Writers HILLARY DAVIS, JUSTIN EMERSON, MIKE GRIMALA, CASEY HARRISON, JESSICA HILL, BRYAN HORWATH, ARLEIGH RODGERS, AMBER SAMPSON Contributing Editors RAY BREWER, JOHN FRITZ, CASE KEEFER, KEN MILLER, JOHN TAYLOR Office Coordinator NADINE GUY

CREATIVE Art Director CORLENE BYRD (corlene.byrd@gmgvegas.com) Designer IAN RACOMA Multimedia Manager YASMINA CHAVEZ Photographers CHRISTOPHER DEVARGAS, STEVE MARCUS, WADE VANDERVORT

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IN THIS ISSUE WANT MORE? Head to lasvegasweekly.com.

08 SUPERGUIDE

NEWS

Your daily events planner, starring Deryk Engelland, Styx & Nancy Wilson, Karol G, Claude VonStroke and more.

CCSD campuses reopened after a five-day pause, but local educators are still dealing with the many effects of COVID.

FOOD & DRINK

8,000 bottles at Wally’s Resorts World, plus a hidden gem for birria lovers.

COVER STORY Vegas Inc’s inaugural C-Suite Honors spotlight the Valley’s corporate leaders.

(David Becker/ AP Photo)

52 SPORTS

FEATURE

Brayden McNabb might not be the flashiest Golden Knight, but he and his hip check are helping the team stay atop the division standings.

Guitar great Carlos Santana resumes his House of Blues residency and continues giving back to the local community.

ON THE COVER

C-Suite Honors 2022 Photographs by Christopher DeVargas/ Photo Illustration

Left to right: Mason Van Houweling, Steven Peralta and Susan Hitch

THE STRIP How should we feel about the sudden postponement of Adele’s Caesars Palace residency?

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

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SUPERGUIDE THURSDAY 27 JAN.

UNLV WOMEN’S BASKETBALL VS. NEW MEXICO 6 p.m., Cox Pavilion, unlvtickets.com.

S U P E R G U I D E

JULIAN EUSEBIO: BREATHING LIFE If art is a temporary escape, Julian Eusebio’s exhibit, Breathing Life, succeeds as a welcome vacation. The native of the Philippines laid his roots down in Las Vegas back in the early ’90s, but in his latest show, he fetches the warmth and vibrancy of island land and unveils it through more than 30 works of original art, depicting city streets and animals from his homeland. Eusebio has worn many hats, including comic book illustrator and advertising art director, but as a newly retired painter, he’s reinvesting in the quiet and colorful. This marks your last chance to catch these pieces in a naturally lit beauty like Priscilla Fowler Fine Art Gallery. You won’t regret the trip. Through January 29, free, 1300 S. Main St. #110, priscillafowler. com. –Amber Sampson

STAVROS HALKIAS 7:30 p.m.; & 1/28-1/29, 7 & 9:30 p.m., Wiseguys, vegas.wiseguys comedy.com. MICHAEL GRIMM 7 p.m., Myron’s, thesmithcenter. com. DJ FLIGHT 10 p.m., Zouk Nightclub, zouk grouplv.com. KELLY CLINTON 7 p.m., Nevada Room, vegas nevadarooms. com.

VINDATA With Pdot, AndyOowops, 8 p.m., Oddwood, odd woodbar.com. (Sylvia Studios/ Courtesy)

SOME KIND OF NIGHTMARE With Suburban Resistance, Wolfhounds 9 p.m., Double Down Saloon, doubledown saloon.com. LOUD LUXURY 10:30 p.m., Hakkasan Nightclub, hakkasangroup. com. COTTON CLUB REVIEW 8 p.m., Italian American Club, iacvegas.com.

F O R M O R E U P C O M I N G E V E N T S , V I S I T L A S V E G A S W E E K LY. C O M .

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MUSIC

PARTY

SPORTS

ARTS

FOOD + DRINK

COMEDY

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

MISC

FRIDAY 28 JAN.

LOUIS THE CHILD 10 p.m., Zouk Nightclub, zouk grouplv.com.

Though a work of fiction, director Travis Plunkett’s short film Groomed considers a real, all-too-common atrocity: men luring preteen and teenage girls into sexual abuse through social media pressure. This screening of Plunkett’s film will be accompanied by a panel discussion of the eight steps that lead to the sex trafficking of minors, with speakers including St. Jude’s Ranch for Children CEO Dr. Christina Vela, SafeNest CEO Liz Ortenburger, Cupcake Girls Executive Director Amy-Marie Merrell and Donche King, a Supervising Criminal Investigator from the Nevada Attorney General’s office. The screening is part of a fundraising event for Awareness is Prevention (AIP), an organization dedicated to battling human trafficking. 5 p.m., $30. Las Vegas City Hall, bit.ly/3FD8RPO. –Geoff Carter

GROOMED

Fifty-year-old classic rock outfit Styx has been happily returning to Vegas venues to thrill die-hard fans for years now, including some memorable 2019 shows at the Palms playing the 2017 album The Mission live in its entirety for the first time. This month’s comeback at the Venetian takes things in an exciting new direction: Not only does Styx have new album Crash of the Crown to draw from, the band will also be joined by Heart guitarist and sometime singer Nancy Wilson for all five Vegas shows. Expect to see the two acts playing together and digging into their individual catalogs. Where else can you get “These Dreams” and “Renegade” on the same night? January 28-29, February 2, 4-5, 8 p.m., $55-$172, Venetian Theatre, ticketmaster.com. –Brock Radke

TIERNEY SUTTON 7 p.m., & 1/29, Myron’s, the smithcenter. com.

STYX & NANCY WILSON

JIMMY CARPENTER 10 p.m., Sand Dollar Lounge, thesanddollarlv. com.

KAOS Midnight, On the Record, ontherecordlv. com.

MEDUZA 10:30 p.m., XS Nightclub, wynnsocial.com.

SHOTGUN JEFFERSON 7 p.m., Stoney’s Rockin’ Country, etix.com.

STARSHIP FT. MICKEY THOMAS 8 p.m., Golden Nugget Showroom, ticket master.com.

NELLY 10 p.m., Drai’s Nightclub, draisgroup.com.

10 p.m., & 1/29, Mirage Theatre, ticketmaster.com. (AP Photo/Photo Illllustration)

MELVIN SEALS & JGB 7:30 p.m., Brooklyn Bowl, ticketweb.com.

GEORGE LOPEZ

EMILEE WIRSHING READING & SIGNING 7 p.m., Writer’s Block, thewritersblock. org.

A PUBLIC FIT THEATRE COMPANY: SKELETON CREW STAGED READING 7 p.m., & 1/29, 2 p.m., Clark County Library, lvccld.org.

SHOI With Carter C, Maxwell Gang, Kangaroo Fight Club, 5 p.m., Cheba Hut, 2550 S. Rainbow Blvd.

BERT KREISCHER 8 p.m., the Theater at Virgin, axs.com.

DIA NACIONAL DE LA BANDA 8 p.m., T-Mobile Arena, axs.com.

P L A N Y O U R W E E K A H E A D

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SUPERGUIDE SATURDAY 29 JAN.

FAILED TO RENDER If we’re all fated to live out the rest of our lives in a Metaverse while the real world succumbs to a slow-motion doomsday, the least we can do is have a good laugh about it. Failed to Render is a comedy showcase set both in the universe we know and love and also “in the virtual realm.” What that means is that you can either watch Drew Marks, Cory “Showtime” Robinson, Tommy Sinbazo and Matten Stewart from a chair close (but not too close) to the StarBase stage, or you can clap on a pair of VR goggles and watch it remotely. If you go in person, you can also enjoy the LaughterDARK comedy show, immediately afterward. 8 p.m. $10-$15. StarBase, eventbrite.com. –Geoff Carter

S U P E R G U I D E

CLAUDE VONSTROKE Discopussy has made a definite impact on Downtown nightlife since its debut in 2020, and its compelling and diverse DJ bookings have started to stir things up in the overall Vegas club scene. The Fremont Street spot hits the gas pedal with a new quarterly residency starring house music favorite and Dirtybird Records and party brand founder Claude VonStroke. He’ll launch the gig Saturday with support from DJ Shaun, Dollar$ and Flashgang, and dance music fans can expect more Dirtybird collaborators and a range of funky electronica throughout the year. 10 p.m., $50, Discopussy, discopussydtlv.com. –Brock Radke

CALIBASH 8 p.m., T-Mobile Arena, axs.com.

STEVE AOKI 10:30 p.m., Omnia Nightclub, hakkasangroup. com. LIL JON 10:30 p.m., Hakkasan Nightclub, hakkasangroup. com. PAULY SHORE: STICK WITH THE DANCING, STORIES FROM MY CHILDHOOD 8 p.m., the Space, the spacelv.com. TIËSTO 10:30 p.m., Zouk Nightclub, zouk grouplv.com. BANGER BREWING 8TH ANNIVERSARY PARTY 11 a.m.-midnight, Banger Brewing, bangerbrewing. com. FRENCH MONTANA 10 p.m., Drai’s Nightclub, draisgroup.com. GEORGE LYNCH & THE ELECTRIC FREEDOM 8 p.m., Count’s Vamp’d, eventbrite.com.

UNLV WOMEN’S BASKETBALL VS. AIR FORCE 2 p.m., Cox Pavilion, unlv tickets.com. DIPLO 10:30 p.m., XS Nightclub, wynnsocial. com. SHANDA & THE HOWLERS With Frankie Lee & The Infernos, 10 p.m., Sand Dollar Lounge, thesanddollarlv. com.

F O R M O R E U P C O M I N G E V E N T S , V I S I T L A S V E G A S W E E K LY. C O M .

KAROL G (AP Photo/ Photo Illustration)

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

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MUSIC

PARTY

SPORTS

ARTS

FOOD + DRINK

COMEDY

MISC

SUNDAY 30 JAN.

ANGEL OF ARKANSAS The Composers Showcase presents a benefit concert reading of Angel of Arkansas, a new musical by Richard Oberacker and Rob Taylor, at Notoriety, the live entertainment venue at Neonopolis. Oberacker is the musical director of Cirque du Soleil’s KÀ and he and Taylor are the writers behind Tony Award-winning musical Bandstand. Their new work is inspired by the life of activist Ruth Corker Burks, and this premiere is stacked with Vegas and Broadway stars, including Ruby Lewis, Brent Barrett, Noah Rivera, Todd DuBail, Paul Johnson, Daz Weller, Chris Lash and Annette Houlihan Verdolino. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the TCS Entertainment Community Relief Fund, serving local performing arts industry workers. 2 p.m., $50, Notoriety, notorietylive.com/event/angel-of-arkansas. –Brock Radke

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2-4 p.m., Silverton, silvertoncasino.com. (AP Photo/Photo Illustration)

MONDAY 31

JAN.

I D E

DJ SHIFT 10:30 p.m., Jewel Nightclub, hakkasangroup.com.

BRAD GARRETT With Michael Somerville, Dave Burleigh, thru 2/2, 8 p.m., Brad Garrett Comedy Club, mgmgrand. mgmresorts.com.

CALI TUCKER 7 p.m., the Underground, themob museum.org.

DERYK ENGELLAND SIGNING

BLACK V NECK & CISZAK 10 p.m., Discopussy, discopussydtlv. com.

FOUR COLOR ZACK 10 p.m., Marquee Nightclub, marqueelvnc. taogroup.com.

JON LOVITZ Thru 2/2, 7 p.m., Laugh Factory, ticketmaster.com. SARA LANDRY 10 p.m., Oddwood, oddwoodbar.com.

P L A N Y O U R W E E K A H E A D

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SUPERGUIDE TUESDAY 01 FEB.

MUSIC

PARTY

SPORTS

ARTS

FOOD + DRINK

COMEDY

MISC

WEDNESDAY 02 FEB.

UNLV MEN’S BASKETBALL VS. UNR

7:30 p.m., Thomas & Mack Center, unlvtickets.com. (AP Photo/ Photo IIllustration)

FRANKY RIZARDO 10:30 p.m., Marquee Library, marquee lvnc.tao group.com.

IMAGINE: SPACE INVASION WITH MARIA ROMANO 11:30 p.m., Drai’s After Hours, draislv.com.

SANTANA 7 p.m., House of Blues, ticket master. com.

S U P E R G U I D E

F O R M O R E U P C O M I N G E V E N T S , V I S I T L A S V E G A S W E E K LY. C O M .

DIAMANTE With Eyes Set to Kill, Mother Mercury, the Space, 8 p.m., thespacelv.com.

NGHTMRE 10:30 p.m., Omnia, hakkasangroup. com.

VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS VS. BUFFALO SABRES 7 p.m., T-Mobile Arena, axs.com.

When we last checked in on the longest-running show on the Strip, Legends in Concert had wrapped a country-themed holiday run at the Tropicana and guest host Frank Marino had signed off after two years of continuing his legendary performance as Joan Rivers. Marino was considering retirement, but instead, he’s reprising the role of Rivers for the next evolution of the show, Legendary Divas, opening this week with tribute performances to Celine Dion (Elisa Furr, who recently won TV’s Clash of the Cover Bands), Cher (Lisa McClowry), Lady Gaga (Tierney Allen) and Adele (Janae Longo). The production continues Wednesday through Monday at the Trop’s classic showroom. 7:30 p.m., $70-$115, Tropicana, ticketmaster.com. –Brock Radke

OPENING NIGHT: LEGENDARY DIVAS

P L A N Y O U R W E E K A H E A D

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DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE :

Meet Made in Vegas art competition winner Kat Tatz BY AMBER SAMPSON

Right: “Top Knot” Below: Kat Tatz (Anna Olga Aristova/ Courtesy)

View Kat Tatz’s work at kattatz.com.

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“Neon Sunset” hangs permanently at Allegiant Stadium. (Courtesy)

When did you know you could actually make painting a full career, or even want to? I was walking by an interior design shop in the early ’90s. There was this very professional-looking woman walking into the store; over her shoulder was a whole bunch of bright-colored swatches, and I was inspired to stop and go in. I noticed a few murals in the store, and I told her I would love to paint a mural for her. I went home and got a few photos of work I had completed in my own home, and she hired me. When opportunities knock, I always answer. Sometimes the answer was no and sometimes yes.

You’ve said that you’re an introvert. Does that come in handy as an artist, or does it have its drawbacks? It definitely has its drawbacks, 100%. A lot of painters absolutely love the limelight. And that’s very important in our business, to be able to go to receptions and things like that, and I do. I’m very friendly and nice, but that’s not who I am. It’s funny you mention that, because I always [had this] fun idea. … I have a lot of friends who are dancers and beautiful like that, and I thought, wouldn’t it be cool to dress them up like my characters? A beautiful character of a rabbit or a beautiful woman with a dress that’s gorgeous and have them play me for that night and say, the part of Kat Tatz will be played by so and so. I thought that would be a cool idea to let me off the hook. It definitely wouldn’t be too left-field for the kind of work you put out. Even if it was left-field, I wouldn’t care. That’s one thing that artists can get away with, being weird. Everybody expects us to be weird. Your father was also an artist, and your mother was an award-winning doll maker who painted figurines. What would you say you developed from both of them? Faces from my dad,

Now here you are with more than 20 years of experience. How would you say your style has evolved? It took me a while to find my style and my confidence. I think the thing that helped me most was my husband would gift me with art workshop vacations. I studied with many modern masters and it taught me discipline and other logical steps to approach a painting. When you add those lessons to your own personality, you have a better chance of finding your style. I still enjoy those things. It brings me much inspiration. Your husband sounds like a complete angel for those workshops. He is the best. He cleans up my brushes now. Kidding!

Q & A

I agree, your work is very whimsical and clearly inspired by fictional worlds like Alice in Wonderland. What attracted you to that particular fantasy story? There’s a favorite quote … [that] goes, “How strange it is to be anything at all.” And that [statement] during our times, especially when people long to be something that

they’re not, or that they are, but it’s not showing to the public … I just love the beauty of that. A lot of my paintings have Alice, and she’s either dressed like the White Rabbit, or she’s even transitioning into the White Rabbit after drinking the liquid “drink me” bottle. [It’s] the transitioning of a person becoming who they want to be. And there’s some dark sides, too, and very humorous sides. I once painted Alice holding a knife behind her back. It was dark, but then it was humorous, too, because that’s the last thing Alice would have been doing. I just love the dimension of people.

How else did she support you? I was a very lazy kid. … I would not paint if I had to clean it up. I just would not do it, because the cleaning up was so horrifying to me (laughs). So my mom would let me paint, leave all my brushes there, and in the morning when I got up, they were all cleaned and put away, and she never said a word. At normal times, on my other chores, of course, she would get mad at me, but she never got mad at me about the paints. She did that for me, and that was such a loving way for me to understand that she cared about my art.

W E E K L Y

First off, congratulations on winning the Park West contest. Where were you when you got the call? I was in my studio at home. I couldn’t believe it, I was so excited. I knew a couple of artists that made the 10 finalists, and I was ecstatic that I won. And I feel like it’s a good fit for me, because they have [paintings by artist] Michael Godard, and his work is kind of whimsical like mine with the olives. In fact, I was just in there, and he sold a piece and I met the people that he sold it to. They were really sweet, but the piece was amazing.

for sure. That’s the first thing he taught me how to do when I was 4. He taught me how to map out a face and the dimensions of where everything goes. My mom gave me the emotional aspect of doing a painting. She would pose for me a lot of the time. I did this one I titled “Identity Confusion.” She had a problem with mental illness all her life.

T H E

ark West Fine Art Museum & Gallery stands as one of the largest art dealers in the world. Nearly 1,000 works of art are present at the Forum Shops at Caesars Palace location, including masterpieces by Picasso, Rembrandt and Dali. Now, longtime Las Vegan Kat Tatz will join those icons on Park West’s walls as the inaugural winner of the gallery’s Made in Vegas art competition, which drew nearly 500 local submissions and thousands of original pieces for consideration. Tatz, who will receive a oneyear contract with Park West, has created works for Mandalay Bay, Allegiant Stadium, local galleries and locations in California, Louisiana and Canada. We caught up with the artist to talk about inspiration, introverts and the power of a supportive family.

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LV W C OV E R S T O R Y

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H O N O R S

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2022 C-Suite Honors Special Note

n Leadership can take many forms—a boss, a mentor or a colleague. It takes specific skill sets to reach these ranks, but one thing is certain: Great leaders are admired for more than success in business; they are admired for their determination to help others rise along the way. The Vegas Inc C-Suite Honors recognize top-level executives and some of the Valley’s most accomplished business leaders from public, private and nonprofit companies. These awards were developed with strong leadership in mind. We believe that great leaders lay the foundation for those around them to grow and prosper—actively serving as innovators, trailblazers and role models. They inspire and encourage others and act as stewards in the community. For our inaugural C-Suite Honors, we couldn’t be more excited to showcase 12 individuals for their leadership, and the business and civic contributions they have made to their organizations and to the Las Vegas community. The list represents a dynamic and diverse spectrum of industries and specialties—from finance and law to marketing and architecture. These executive-level professionals exemplify what it means to positively influence economic success in their chosen industry and to effectively inspire their teams. A special thank you goes out to UNLV Lee Business School Executive MBA for supporting this publication and helping Vegas Inc recognize the visionary leadership of these outstanding business executives in our community. I’d also like to extend our gratitude to Zouk Nightclub and Fuhu at Resorts World Las Vegas for hosting our 2022 C-Suite Honors celebration. Congratulations to all of the honorees! Your incredible collective impact anchors our city—harnessing the energy of all those with whom you interact into positive change for Southern Nevada.

Jennifer Inaba   Special Publications Editor   jennifer.inaba@gmgvegas.com

LV W C OV E R S T O R Y

On behalf of the Lee Business School Executive MBA Program at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, I'd like to congratulate all Vegas Inc C-Suite Honors award recipients. High-achieving executives know what it takes to take command of their career trajectory and determine their future. This year, executives, business professionals and thought leaders from across industries will commit to the 18-month Executive MBA program at UNLV to gain the skills necessary to advance and lead in an ever-changing business environment. The UNLV Executive MBA program is a transformative learning experience designed to build better leaders, critical thinkers and strategists within the Las Vegas business community. Because the EMBA brings business leaders together to complete the program as a cohort, they experience the power of alternative ideas; build a lifetime of professional connections; and learn new ways to think about themselves, their organization and the world. 2022 is the year to invest in your future and prepare for your next career opportunity. The 18-month program is optimized for maximum learning. We are currently accepting applications from qualified candidates for our next seating which begins June 3. The application deadline is April 15. Starting the program this year means you will complete your EMBA by December 2023. If you are looking to change the way you see the world and change the way the world sees you, contact me to discuss how the Executive MBA program at UNLV can help you achieve those goals. Sincerely,

Nikkole Liesse Recruitment & Admissions, Executive MBA Lee Business School University of Nevada, Las Vegas

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LV W C OV E R S T O R Y

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PAUL STEELMAN Chief Executive Officer Steelman Partners steelmanpartners.com • IG @steelmanpartners

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Construction/Architecture

The son of a successful architect, Paul Steelman has proven over his near-45-year career that designing is in his blood. His specialty is global entertainment, hospitality and gaming architecture. Steelman has designed buildings for the mavericks of the gaming industry, including Kirk Kerkorian, Steve Wynn, Sheldon Adelson, Derek Stevens and Stanley Ho. In 34 years of operation, Steelman Partners has designed more than 4,000 projects worldwide, including the most successful casino in the world—the Sands Macau, which is the first Las Vegas-style casino in the people’s Republic of China. “We are designing entertainment buildings all over the world each week,” Steelman said. “Each building is designed in our Las Vegas office. It is an amazing journey creating new entertainment experiences and resorts.” And his visionary designs continue to be felt here at home. Steelman’s work recently transformed the Las Vegas skyline not once but twice. Circa Resort & Casino opened as the first new resort in Downtown Las Vegas since 1980, and Resorts World Las Vegas opened as the first new resort on the Las Vegas Strip in over a decade. Steelman continues to look forward to new and exciting ways to transform not only skylines but also expectations for resorts around the world. Being able to innovate for his clients is truly his passion.

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Call (702) 939-1146 or visit coxbusiness.com to switch today *Offer ends 3/31/22. Available to new commercial data and voice subscribers (excluding gov’t agencies and schools) in Cox service areas. $84/mo includes Cox Business InternetSM 50 and IPC Select. Price based on 1 yr. term agreement. Early term. fees may apply. Standard rates apply thereafter. Price excludes equipment, professional installation, construction, inside wiring, taxes, surcharges and other fees, unless indicated. Offer is nontransferable to a new service address. All Cox services are provided subject to Cox Business General Terms (including mandatory arbitration provisions), Acceptable Use Policy (including Cox’s right to terminate service for abuse of network), and other policies, which may be found at www.cox.com/aboutus/policies/business-general-terms.html. CB Internet: Uninterrupted or error-free Internet service, or the speed of your service, is not guaranteed. Actual speeds vary. Rates and bandwidth options vary and are subject to change. DOCSIS 3.0 or higher modem may be required, unless indicated. See www.cox.com/internetdisclosures for complete Cox Internet Disclosures. IPC Select: 15-seat maximum. IPC Select is limited to direct-dialed domestic calls and is not available for use with non-switched-circuit calling. Desktop app included; physical handsets may be purchased separately from Cox. Access to E911 may not be available during equipment or extended power outage. Telephone services are provided by an affiliated Cox entity. Services are not available in all areas. Discounts can’t be combined or added with other promotions nor applied to any other Cox account. †Visa prepaid card available with qualifying new services ordered and activated between 1/1/22 and 3/31/22 with min 1 yr. term agreement for Cox Business InternetSM and IPC Select. Must mention “reward promo" when placing order. Account must remain active, be in good standing, and retain all services for a min of 30 days after install. Online redemption req’d by 4/30/22 and must follow instructions rec’d after service activation. Limit one card per customer, total not to exceed $300. Allow 15 days after redemption for delivery. Card is issued by MetaBank®, N.A., Member FDIC, pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. No cash access or recurring payments. Can be used everywhere Visa debit cards are accepted. Card valid for up to 6 months; unused funds will forfeit after the valid thru date. Card terms and conditions apply. Other restrictions apply. © 2022 Cox Communications Inc. All rights reserved. PAD108324-0006

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SUSAN HITCH

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Chief Financial Officer Circa Resort & Casino Las Vegas circalasvegas.com • IG @circalasvegas Hotel/Gaming

After working as a controller at an automotive company in Detroit owned by Derek and Greg Stevens, Susan Hitch took a leap of faith and journeyed over 2,000 miles to Las Vegas to tackle an entirely new business: gaming. In 2008, she become the controller of the Stevens brothers newest venture at the time, Golden Gate Hotel & Casino—learning the gaming business from square one, at one of the smallest casinos in town. Hitch didn’t just learn the business; she has since conquered it. She oversaw the first major financial acquisition of a downtown casino property with Fitzgerald’s Hotel & Casino, now the D Las Vegas, along with the creation of the first major entertainment venue Downtown, the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center. Hitch also played an integral role in the construction and opening of Circa Resort & Casino, the first ground-up resort development in the area since 1980. Hitch now serves as the CFO of Circa, the D and Golden Gate. Active in the community and her industry, Hitch is a member of the Vegas Chamber Executive Women's Council and the Las Vegas chapter of Financial Executives International. She is also part of the Las Vegas Masters, a swim team that competes at the national level.

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“I like the idea of working in an industry where the customers arrive for the purpose of having fun and entertaining themselves.”–Michael Crome

MICHAEL CROME Chief Financial Officer Las Vegas Raiders raiders.com • IG @raiders Sports

Michael Crome still remembers the African-American gentleman who spoke to his high school class about his career in finance. The speaker was a volunteer through the organization Junior Achievement, and for Crome, it was the first time he saw someone who looked like him doing a job that he could aspire to achieve. This chance encounter not only set Crome’s professional path, but also his dedication to giving back. “One of the big reasons that I volunteer and give back today is because I never know whose life I may impact by simply being present while inspiring young people to dream big,” Crome said. Crome has held several leadership roles in his career, spanning entertainment, hospitality and sports—all of which have been anchored in his passion for finance. “I always enjoyed the precision of numbers, as well as the idea that the numbers tell the story of the business,” Crome said. As CFO of the Raiders, Crome oversees all financial aspects of Las Vegas’ NFL team, including athlete salaries, stadium sales, merchandise and much more. He plays an instrumental role in effectively transitioning the team from its previously smaller-scale operation to the massive organization portfolio it assumed with the move. From a humble high school student in Columbus, Ohio, to a top executive of a professional sports team, Crome is a living testament of how inspired youth can achieve great dreams.

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“Success is a product of efficient and creative strategic planning.”—Steve Arcana

STEVE ARCANA Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Golden Entertainment, Inc. goldenent.com

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As a young teen, Steve Arcana knew he wanted to be independent and successful. He took his first job as a busser and dishwasher at a country club in Philadelphia at age 14, with the goal of making his own money so he wouldn’t need to rely on his parents. “All I wanted to do was work,” Arcana said. “I know it sounds fairly simple but that is how I got where I am—I simply outworked everyone else.” And since he started, he hasn’t stopped. Arcana has worked in the hospitality industry for 43 years. He began his career at the Sands Casino Hotel in Atlantic City and moved to Las Vegas to join Station Casinos in 1995. He started at Golden Gaming (now Golden Entertainment) in 2003 when the company was in its infancy. Since then, he has been instrumental in taking Golden Entertainment properties from 18 taverns to 66 taverns, 10 casinos and market-leading distributed slot operations in two states. Arcana has been involved with several charitable organizations over the years, including serving on the board of the Las Vegas Business Academy that offers graduate scholarships to deserving students. He is also a supporter of Paws for the Cause, an organization founded by his wife, Dana, that fights for homeless animals. Arcana’s proudest charitable affiliation is with the ALS Association Nevada Chapter as a board member and fundraiser chair, having lost his mother, Rita, to the disease.

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“The best advice I’ve received was to always ensure my ‘audio’ matched my ‘video.’ That is to say, your actions much match your words if you are to be truly genuine.” –Richard Neal

RICHARD NEAL President and Chief Executive Officer Goodwill Industries of Southern Nevada, Inc. goodwillvegas.org • IG @goodwillvegas

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As a 25-year Air Force Security Forces veteran, Richard Neal’s lifelong commitment to service has come full circle with his current role as president and CEO of Goodwill of Southern Nevada. Today, he helps the very people he used to serve alongside, assisting with transitioning military spouses into Southern Nevada’s local workforce market, and aiding veterans in reaching their full potential in the civilian workforce. Since joining the organization in the summer of 2019, Neal has helped place more than 4,600 people into careers and provided services to more than 12,000 members of the community. “Our community is literally the ecosystem in which we and our families live,” Neal said. “It deserves our care and attention. If we fail to nurture it, we’ll be left to lament its shortcomings with only ourselves to blame.” Neal has been an integral force in launching Goodwill’s Rising Together campaign, designed to improve access to jobs and break down barriers within the workforce. This campaign is committed to creating employment opportunities for individuals regardless of a job seeker’s race, sex, religion, sexual orientation or pedigree. The campaign also leverages Goodwill’s Career Services that help job seekers overcome the financial and systematic barriers they face when seeking employment.

Congratulations TO ALL THE

HONOREES!

Best wishes

from the entire

Las Vegas Family.

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“Being instrumental in creating the vision of living in Las Vegas and especially Downtown Las Vegas and helping people achieve the American dream of home ownership is very fulfilling.” –Shahn Douglas

SHAHN DOUGLAS Chief Marketing Officer DK Las Vegas

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juhllv.com • IG @shahndouglas @juhllv Real Estate

Shahn Douglas is often credited as the driving influence in creating a vibrant Las Vegas condominium market. As the Chief Marketing Officer for DK Las Vegas, Douglas has served as the force behind its record sales, with 1,300 residences valued at more than $400 million sold during her tenure. Under Douglas’ strategic marketing oversight, Juhl, the iconic loft-style condo community, broke a record with the sale of a penthouse for $1.1 million, and during the last two quarters of 2021, Juhl set sales records with 30 contracts. At One Las Vegas, the luxury twin tower condo community, DK set a record with the sale of a $1.3 million penthouse, and the entire community of 295 homes sold out. Perhaps the secret to Douglas’ success is in her connection to the community. She works with the Downtown Vegas Alliance on its Living in the City initiatives—giving her direct insights into the happenings in the area. She also oversees the Artist in Residence program at Juhl, which selects one local artist to live and work rent-free at Juhl for a residency of up to six months. Douglas' heart is also with Makea-Wish Southern Nevada, where she has been a wish granter since 2010. “Getting to know the children and their parents and helping to grant their wishes is more rewarding than any career accomplishment,” Douglas said.

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“Our mission pushes me every day to get better, because people's lives are at stake. It's that standard that I look at how serious and gratifying my work is.” –Steven Peralta

STEVEN PERALTA Foundation President Nevada Donor Network nvdonor.org • IG @NVDonor Nonprofit

Steven Peralta is a man on a mission: to raise philanthropic funds to bring life-saving transplants to Nevada. And he is leveraging his innate passion for community engagement, team organizing, fundraising, board development and capital campaign projects to make it a reality. Right now, critically ill Nevada patients needing anything other than a kidney transplant must face the financial, physical and emotional burden of traveling to neighboring states to get the care they need, or be placed in hospice. Through the Nevada Donor Network Foundation, Peralta is working tirelessly to ensure all transplant patients can be cared for locally with expanded transplantation capabilities. “I really enjoy talking about our mission, because it can save someone’s life,” Peralta said. “Every day I am looking to grow mentally, physically and spiritually to continue to serve our community.” Peralta has been charged with leading Nevada Donor Network’s capital campaign with the goal of raising $35 million and creating a consortium of hospitals working together to share resources and services to establish a statewide transplant institute. The organization launched its "End the Wait" campaign in 2021 with a lead gift of $250,000 from the Vegas Golden Knights Foundation. UMC also committed a $12 million investment towards the transplant institute—getting Peralta’s work off to a great start. Peralta currently serves on Henderson's Police Department Community Advisory Board and as a board member of UNR's School of Public Health.

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WILLIAM MCBEATH President and Chief Executive Officer The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas cosmopolitanlasvegas.com IG @cosmopolitan_lv Hotel/Gaming

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Having grown up in Las Vegas, William McBeath always knew he wanted to be in hospitality, specifically gaming hospitality. He has since dedicated his career to the industry—joining MGM Resorts International in 1987 and holding several key management positions since then, including serving as president and chief operating officer of three of Las Vegas’ most iconic resorts: The Mirage, Treasure Island and Bellagio. McBeath’s proudest accomplishment is what his team has achieved at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, most recently tripling its operating performance in a market that was relatively flat during that time frame. Under McBeath’s leadership, the resort has undergone a complete redevelopment including the addition of 21 exclusive penthouses, high-end gaming amenities, a complete guest room renovation and a reinvigoration of more than 27 food and beverage concepts—an evolution garnering national attention and amassing over 570 awards. In addition to the overall resort improvements, more jobs were created, with employee count increasing 11%. McBeath also plays an active role in the local community, serving on numerous boards including the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department as a chairman of the Fiscal Affairs Committee and chairman of Las Vegas Events. He also supports several charitable foundations including Opportunity Village, Make A Wish and Communities In Schools. (Courtesy)

CONGRATULATIONS TO VEGAS INC C-SUITE HONOREE RICK NEAL With the support of our community, GSN President and CEO Rick Neal is building brighter futures throughout Southern Nevada.

By donating and shopping at Goodwill, you help create jobs and training programs for people in our community.

When you support Goodwill®, you support the Cycle of Giving and help create jobs.

Learn more at GoodwillVegas.org or scan the QR code

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DULCINEA RONGAVILLA Executive Vice President and Shareholder/Partner Cragin & Pike

cragin-pike.com • IG @dulcinea_vegas

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The first female partner at 113-yearold Cragin & Pike, Dulcinea Rongavilla isn’t just making her mark in the insurance industry; she is shaping its future. “I love strategizing with business owners to identify opportunities to energize their teams, reduce turnover rate, attract talent and enhance company morale,” Rongavilla said. Throughout her career, Rongavilla has held leadership positions in which she was responsible for employee benefit programs with a focus on innovation, technology, wellness and consumer driven concepts—allowing her to directly witness the positive, long-term effects of communication, education and advocacy. A dynamic and caring leader, Rongavilla’s biggest impact is on those she mentors, especially women. She believes that by modeling realistic goals and a flexible work schedule, she will ultimately help others achieve a more fulfilling life overall. Rongavilla previously served as president and CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Las Vegas—witnessing the giving and supportive nature of the community firsthand, and has carried that experience forward in her philanthropic efforts. She is a member of the Girl Scouts of Southern Nevada's board development committee and Junior Achievement's "These Kids Mean Business Capital Campaign." She also serves on the board of directors for the Leadership Foundation of Greater Las Vegas, as chair of the Vegas Chamber's Executive Women's Council and as a member of UNLV's Lee Business School executive advisory board.

GOLDEN ENTERTAINMENT IS PROUD TO CONGRATULATE

STEVE ARCANA FOR BEING NAMED A 2022 RECIPIENT OF THE VEGAS INC C-SUITE HONORS

G O L D E N E N T.C O M

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MASON VAN HOUWELING Chief Executive Officer University Medical Center of Southern Nevada umcsn.com • IG @umcsn

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Inspired by Colin Powell to serve his country, Mason Van Houweling served 24 years in the United States Air Force Reserves—including a deployment to Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom—and retired in 2020 as a Lieutenant Colonel. Van Houweling admired Powell’s leadership style as well, and he now draws on that inspiration as he leads a diverse team of 4,000 UMC employees, dedicated to delivering Nevada’s highest level of care. With over two decades of health care experience, from small community hospitals to those with more than 1,000 beds, Van Houweling has a proven track record of balancing the financial performance of a hospital while providing uncompromised patient care. As CEO of UMC, Van Houweling transformed the once-struggling public hospital into the centerpiece of Nevada’s COVID-19 response, leading the state’s COVID-19 testing efforts while delivering the highly specialized care needed to save and improve lives amid the unprecedented public health crisis. UMC’s COVID-19 Laboratory has processed more than 1.1 million tests, far outpacing any other testing provider in Nevada. Van Houweling also led UMC to become the first and only hospital in Nevada to offer public COVID-19 vaccination services, administering nearly 70,000 vaccine doses to community members in Southern Nevada. “While we have certainly grown from our humble beginnings as a one-room hospital serving workers from the Hoover Dam in the early 1930s, UMC has never lost sight of our mission to care for our community,” Van Houweling said.

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“It’s much easier to be successful when you understand and harness your unique attributes than to constantly try to be something—or someone—that you aren’t.” –Mandy Shavinsky

MANDY SHAVINSKY Managing Partner Snell & Wilmer swlaw.com Law

For Mandy Shavinsky, it was the perfect combination of luck and timing that led her to a career in real estate law after landing in the real estate department at her first firm when an associate left. She quickly found a natural fit and an appreciation of working with something tangible: land and buildings. Now, 21 years later, she loves the excitement of seeing buildings and other developments form Las Vegas’ landscape—knowing she had a small part in shaping the skyline of her hometown. Since 2000, Shavinsky has been involved in nearly every mixed-use and high-rise condominium in town, as counsel to the developer or the project lender. She has advised national, regional and local homebuilders and developers in connection with mixed-use projects and high-rise resort, condominium and condominium hotel developments. When a client’s business and legal issues intersect, Shavinsky is routinely sought out for high-stakes developments, complex transactional matters and multi-million-dollar real estate deals. Shavinsky is a former vice president and member of the board of trustees of the CASA Foundation (Court Appointed Special Advocates), which supports the unmet needs of foster children, as well as the CASA volunteers who provide pro bono service to children in the legal system. She is also a member of Snell & Wilmer’s Executive Committee and the Women’s Initiative Committee.

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BILLY VASSILIADIS Chief Executive Officer R&R Partners

rrpartners.com • IG @rrpartners

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Billy Vassiliadis loves two things: competition and variety. It’s no surprise that he found his calling in marketing and advertising. Always full of energy and never lacking fresh ideas, Vassiliadis has created a legacy of some of the most iconic and impactful campaigns seen in his 40-year career. Most notable is Vassiliadis’ passion for promoting and protecting Las Vegas as the ultimate destination for business and leisure travel—always responding to the latest cultural trends to reinvent its global appeal, while also carefully maneuvering through times of crisis. While the obvious celebration is in the success of the world’s most recognized and awarded tourism campaign, “What Happens Here, Stays Here,” Vassiliadis was also a force behind the crisis management response following 9/11, the October 1 shooting and the COVID-19 pandemic. Always acutely aware that the success of Southern Nevada’s economy is intrinsically tied to the viability of the tourism industry, Vassiliadis has remained steadfast in his efforts to ensure that Las Vegas doesn’t simply weather the storm, but rises above, stronger than ever. With community a core part of Vassiliadis’ personal value system, the employee-driven R&R Foundation supports several local organizations such as Catholic Charities, Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada and Opportunity Village—donating more than $2 million in in-kind services last year. The work he creates here might be seen everywhere, but there is nowhere else in the world where it is felt more.

“I'm an adrenaline junkie, and this is an adrenaline industry.” –Billy Vassiliadis

(Courtesy)

CONGRATULATIONS EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT

Dulcinea Rongavilla C-SUITE AWARDS HONOREE Your drive and commitment to Cragin & Pike and the Las Vegas community is inspiring!

$699

NO SUBSTITUTIONS

702.877.1111 cragin-pike.com

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K L S D K F L ; D S K F

SANTANA: GREATEST HITS LIVE January 2830; February 2, 4-6; May 18, 20-22, 25, 27-29; 7 p.m.; $100-$180. House of Blues, ticket master.com.

SMOOTH

MOVES

Carlos Santana collaborates with Habitat for Humanity— and returns to the Vegas stage

Above: Santana at a Henderson home facilitated by Habitat for Humanity Right: Reuben Nieves, Henderson Mayor Debra March and Carlos Santana sitting on the “PEACE” bench. (Patrick Gray/KabikPhotoGroup.com/Courtesy)

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BY C. MOON REED

hen Reuben Nieves became a homeowner with the help of Habitat for Humanity Las Vegas, he didn’t just get a place of his own. He also received a one-of-a-kind handmade bench—a sittable sculpture, really—thanks to Carlos Santana and the legendary rocker’s home venue, House of Blues. The “PEACE” bench is the first in a series of three created by Vegas Murals’ artist Justin Lepper and wood/metal artist Kerm Sablan. The two additional benches are themed around “LOVE” and “MUSIC,” and will be placed in future Habitat for Humanity neighborhoods in hopes of fostering a sense of community between residents. On a sunny day in November, Santana and representatives from Habitat officially presented the bench to Nieves in a heartfelt unveiling. “I love it,” the 76-year-old Naval Air Force veteran said of his new abode. “I had an apartment before, but this is just a different

feeling—it’s mine. It will probably be my last home. I’m grateful for everything I got.” Santana and Nieves conversed in Spanish, and both were all smiles. “He’s a good man,” Nieves says. “He loves people. He loves relationships.” As for Santana, the 10-time Grammy winner and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer was clearly excited to deliver some offstage joy. “I feel really grateful and honored, because I get to participate in giving birth to more hope and more courage, to invite people to embrace unity, harmony and, more than anything, to embrace your totality with totality,” Santana said. “We really are all one. We can do so much more on this planet, while we are visiting, to make it heaven on earth.” Angela Phillips, COO for Habitat for Humanity Las Vegas, said she was thrilled to see things progress. “It’s so exciting to finally be placing the first bench, in Phase 1 of our community,” Phillips says. “Having this bench placed in our neighborhood can help bring the homeowners together …and continue those con-

nections that they build through the home building process.” Now that Phase 1 is complete, attention shifts to Phase 2 of Habitat’s Pittman community, which will feature 14-single family homes. After the bench unveiling, Santana and Henderson Mayor Debra March walked over to the nearby construction site, where they wrote encouraging messages on the wooden trusses of the future homes. Santana’s read, “Change your mind, change your destiny.” “The City of Henderson is proud to host these homes in our community, knowing that we’re helping raise up residents in our community, giving them the opportunity for homeownership,” March said. Return to the stage Late last year, an “unscheduled heart procedure” forced the cancellation of Santana’s planned December performances at House of Blues, according to a press statement, but the musician is back and ready to rock in the new year. The 74-year-old has Vegas shows scheduled from January through May. “We utilize [House of Blues] like a laboratory,” Santana said. “We create an alchemy converting misery into joy.” In March and April, Santana will pause his residency while embarking on a 15-date North American tour titled Blessings and Miracles. On returning to the stage, Santana said, “I feel very, very wonderful to see people’s eyes and to really feel how thirsty they are for impeccable, integrity sounds.” For more information about Habitat for Humanity Las Vegas, visit lasvegashabitat.org.

BREWS STEWS LIVE TUNES SATURDAY, JANUARY 29TH 3-8 PM @ BIG DOG’S BREWING COMPANY 4543 N. RANCHO DRIVE IN LAS VEGAS, NV BIGDOGSBREWS.COM

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NEWS 2

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

LESSON NOT LEARNED Raiders cornerback Nate Hobbs was issued a reckless driving citation after driving in excess of 100 mph on the 215 Beltway less than three weeks after he was arrested for misdemeanor DUI.

FESTIVAL ADDS DATES The When We Were Young, featuring emo-era favorites like My Chemical Romance, Paramore and AFI, added a second date (October 23) when the first (October 22) sold out, then quickly added a third (October 29), all with virtually the same lineup. Tickets for the event, set for Las Vegas Festival Gounds, were available at press time at whenwewereyoungfestival.com.

NEVADA AT BOTTOM OF THE PACK IN ABILITY TO RESPOND TO COVID HOSPITALIZATIONS Nevada is the third-least prepared state in the country to respond to spiking hospitalizations as COVID-19 continues to surge, according to a recent report. Analysts at the online insurance comparison marketplace QuoteWizard by Lending Tree ranked Nevada third-worst, tied with New Mexico, on how prepared it is to meet patient capacity. The study looked at each state’s number of intensive care unit beds, staffing shortages, number of physicians and ICU beds in use. In Nevada, according to QuoteWizard’s report, there are 2.37 ICU beds and two physicians per 1,000 people. At the time of the report, 86% of ICU beds in the state were in use, and 25% of Nevada’s hospitals were facing self-reported “critical” staffing shortages. The report analyzed data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Kaiser Family Foundation. By comparison, the best-ranked state according to the study, New York, had 2.35 ICU beds but 4.6 doctors per 1,000 residents and an ICU utilization of 77%. Nine percent of hospitals there reported a critical staffing shortage. Only Georgia and Texas ranked lower overall than Nevada. Nevada’s physician-to-resident ratio is the second-lowest in the nation, which is a problem that preceded the pandemic and why Las Vegas leaders worked to launch the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV in 2017. While Nevada needs more doctors in the long run, it more urgently needs residents to get vaccinated against the coronavirus to reduce the likelihood of severe illness requiring hospitalization, said Nick VinZant, a senior research analyst for QuoteWizard. Attracting and training doctors is “not a relatively quick fix, whereas getting a vaccine appointment is much more of an easy way to go about it,” he said. –Hillary Davis

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WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN Max Pacioretty has been limited to just 16 games for the Vegas Golden Knights because of a broken foot and then wrist surgery, but he still has 12 goals, or 0.75 per game, which ranks as the best in the NHL.

OPIOID SETTLEMENT The Las Vegas City Council approved participation in a $26 billion settlement between the state, opioid manufacturer Johnson & Johnson and three distributors. The money will help alleviate the damage and risks the opioid epidemic causes in Nevada.

POLITICS

FUNDRAISING OFF OF LIES (Wade Payne/ Associated Press file)

UNLV LANDS 4-STAR QB The UNLV football program notched a major offseason win when former Tennessee quarterback Harrison Bailey committed to the Scarlet and Gray. A 4-star recruit coming out of high school in 2020, Bailey was targeted by the best programs in college football and eventually chose Tennessee over offers from Michigan, Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State, LSU and others. He played in six games as a true freshman and started the final three contests of that season; he completed 48-of-68 passes (70.6%) for 578 yards with four touchdowns and two interceptions.

HOT SHOT

Bailey did not win the starting job in 2021 and sat behind Virginia Tech transfer Hendon Hooker, appearing in just one game and throwing seven passes. He entered the transfer portal in October and should have at least three seasons of eligibility remaining at UNLV. As a senior at Marietta High School (Ga.), Bailey completed 69.8% of his passes and threw for 4,674 yards and 50 touchdowns. At 6-foot-5, 210 pounds, he was rated the No. 7 quarterback in the nation and the No. 3 pro-style QB according to 247 Sports, and he had blue-blood programs from every power conference lining up to recruit him. –Mike Grimala

The recently retired executive director of the Nevada Association of Public Safety Officers sent a letter to Adam Laxalt’s campaign last week asking that it donate campaign funds to the U.S. Capitol Police Memorial Fund. Richard McCann said he was inspired to write the letter after reading an Axios article detailing how Laxalt, who is running for the Republican nomination for a U.S. Senate seat in Nevada to face Democratic incumbent Catherine Cortez Masto, has been fundraising off the false stolen election claims that fueled the attack on the U.S. Capitol. “That lie fueled a deadly attack on our United States Capitol and led to the injury and death of law enforcement officers,” he wrote in his letter. –Jessica Hill

A construction worker was injured January 21 when a girder unexpectedly collapsed during demolition of a Las Vegas highway bridge. The worker suffered minor injuries, and was treated at a hospital and released. Demolition of the U.S. 95/I-515 bridge over Eastern Avenue continued, and the incident did not delay work. (Steve Marcus/Staff)

WE’VE TRIED ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN TO PUT IT TOGETHER IN TIME AND FOR IT TO BE GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU, BUT WE’VE BEEN ABSOLUTELY DESTROYED BY DELIVERY DELAYS AND COVID.” ADELE, IN A TEARFUL ANNOUNCEMENT POSTPONING HER LAS VEGAS RESIDENCY

THE SAT EXAM WILL GO DIGITAL IN THE U.S. IN 2024.

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PUSHING THROUGH Local educators press on—and some opt not to— amid another COVID surge BY EVELYN MATEOS

E D U C A T I O N

(Shutterstock/ Photo Illustration)

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students and teachers talking about using the five-day pause to go on trips. “We have no control over what people are doing during the five-day pause,” she said. “If you’re using the five-day pause to go out and potentially expose yourself or your family to COVID, then we’re going to have the same situation when we go back.” At press time, CCSD’s website listed some alarming statistics: 15,618 total COVID cases districtwide—4,320 among school staff, 1,081 among central office staff and 10,217 among students. Cases were highest at elementary schools with 6,481 cases, compared to 5,021 at high schools and 2,678 at middle schools. Krause says trying to keep her young students safe has been extremely stressful for her, making it difficult to create a joyful classroom environment. News of the pause hit particularly hard, she adds. “I was really struggling to keep [one student] social distanced, because she just wanted to sit next to me all day in class both days [prior to the pause],” she says. “I think the kids are nervous.” Keeping masks on young children has also been challenging, Krause says, explaining that she utilizes a reward system and consistently reminds her students about the importance of masks. “I don’t want to be at fault if someone in their household gets sick because they carry the illness home,” she says. “That part weighs on my heart.” Ian Latas, a social studies teacher at Legacy High, says he also faces emotional challenges with his students, some of whom are missing the normal opportunities to socialize with peers as they attempt to limit their exposure to COVID. He says it has also been tough for some to reach a level of consistency in their school work after switching from in-person learning to remote learning and back again. And, Kreidel adds, some of her students have been through additional trauma caused by the pandemic, such as deaths in the family, a parent’s job loss or having been stuck inside an

abusive household. “Tons of behavior issues, at a level I’ve never seen,” she says. “There’s so much being piled onto educators, and we’re given tasks that we don’t even have training to do, like being a counselor to the kids and trying to get to the bottom of [those] behavior issues.” Such challenges have been compounded by a labor shortage as educators walk away from the profession. According to Kreidel, the school district had 860 teaching vacancies prior to the 2021 winter break, and she says it’s likely that number has grown since. There’s also a shortage of substitutes. Marie Neisess, president of the Clark County Education Association, says that, because substitutes don’t receive benefits, it has been even tougher to attract them during the pandemic. Should they contact COVID, they would neither be able to work nor receive any pay. So local educators are working overtime, Neisess stresses, sometimes substituting for others and often working through their preparation period. “They’re just burned out. They’re extending their day [beyond] their seven hour and 11-minute contract day,” she says. “I’m concerned about the future of our schools, because so many teachers I know are saying, ‘I’m done. I’m looking for a job outside of education. This is no longer worth it,’” Kreidel says. “So, what’s going to happen is, they’re going to end up having a shortage of certificated teachers, and they’re going to end up just hiring anybody who will take the job.” On January 13, in an attempt to retain educators, CCSD approved a $1,000 bonus for regular and fulltime employees who were employed as of January 1, according to a recent press release. An additional $1,000 bonus will be paid to regular and full-time employees who are employed on May 25.

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ercedes Krause remembers the moment when Clark County School District campuses shut down in March 2020— and the sad realization that followed. “We thought we were going see our students on Monday, and I’ve never seen those kids again,” says Krause, a second-grade teacher at Gene Ward Elementary. “It’s traumatizing when you’re a teacher, [because] your class, I mean, they’re your babies.” Though CCSD campuses are currently open, the start of 2022 has served as an eerie reminder of that tough start to the ongoing pandemic. A surge of omicron, COVID’s latest—and extremely contagious—variant, recently pushed the district to take a five-day pause, from January 14-18. In a statement, CCSD explained the break was initiated “due to the extreme staffing shortages based on the high number of positive COVID-19 cases.” Dr. Monica Cortez, assistant superintendent for CCSD, expanded on that explanation in a conversation with the Weekly just before the pause. “We truly believe that this five-day pause will give us an opportunity to be healthy, to get tested, to get vaccinated or boosted and stop the spread,” she said. “So we really are encouraging [staff to stay home]. We know it’s going to be an inconvenience, but we feel it’s for the best interest of all of our students and staff in the long run.” After schools resumed in-person classes on January 19, CCSD emailed an update to parents. “The pause allowed school employees to recuperate and gave nurses time to catch up on a backlog of calls to process COVID cases within the district.” According to the email, 2,324 students and 1,068 employees who had been in contact with the district about COVID concerns had been cleared to return to school after the pause. Still, Vicki Kreidel, a second grade English teacher at Lomie G. Heard Elementary and president of the National Education Association of Southern Nevada, said she heard both

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

There’s so much being piled onto educators, and we’re given tasks that we don’t even have training to do, like being a counselor to the kids.” –Vickie Kreidel, second grade English teacher

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LOVE

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

Local

N I G H T S

Bay Area transplant Yo Yolie chooses Vegas every time

C U L T U R E

BY AMBER SAMPSON

o Yolie never expected to fall in love. Nor did she anticipate it would last this long. But Las Vegas has captivated the Bay Area DJ in a way she never saw coming. “It’s like when you’re single, and you’re like, ‘I don’t want a boyfriend.’ But then you start to fall in love. All of a sudden, you’re in a relationship,” she says, “and you just have the funnest time, and time goes by so fast.” Her Vegas romance is getting serious. When she isn’t showering crowds in spuming Champagne with Lil Jon at Hakkasan, Yolie is spinning at Omnia’s Deseo Latin Sundays, one of the hottest Latin nightlife parties on the Strip. Or she’s headlining gigs at Jewel at Aria, the Dorsey at Venetian, On the Record at Park MGM, Chateau at Paris and elsewhere.

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“It’s gonna be around eight years that I’ve been here in Vegas, and I’m finally getting my shine,” she says. It’s debatable whether Yolie even needed that shine. A known name in her home city, she still regularly plays clubs in San Francisco and works on-air for iHeartRadio’s Wild 94.9 and Pitbull’s Globalization station on Sirius XM. But Vegas still couldn’t lose her number. In her early 20s, Yolie traveled to Vegas often to perform at Downtown’s Insert Coin(s). She’d been conflicted about moving until she met Jonathan Shecter, co-founder of The Source magazine and former director of programming at Wynn Nightlife venues. Shecter imparted his wis-

dom over dinner at the former Andrea’s at Encore, Yolie remembers. “He was like, ‘If you want your master’s—if you want your doctorate in nightlife—you need to get here.” She worked her way into an initial residency at Chateau before expanding her presence. Yolie still makes time to visit her old Downtown stomping grounds, playing venues like Oddfellows and Lucky Day. “It gives me the feeling of San Francisco again,” she says. “These venues are not Top 40. Everybody there is extremely open-minded.” She experiments with different genres more frequently at those Downtown spots, and if the sounds are well-received, incorporates them into her Strip sets. She might have found success, but she isn’t taking any of these DJ privileges lightly. She says she thinks about her role model, DJ AM, often. “His quote was, ‘Feed the soul, starve the ego,’ and that has never been more real to me than coming back from a pandemic,” Yolie says. She has used her influence to uplift other DJs while serving as music director at Area15’s Emporium Arcade Bar, where she also spins regularly. “Whenever I hire DJs over there, I’m like, ‘I’m hiring you because I trust you. I trust in what you play. Do you. And they love that sh*t.” Everyone has to start somewhere, as Yo Yolie knows and has taken great care to remember. “I just want people to look at the Yolie brand and be like, that’s a dope example of somebody that worked their ass off.”

Yo Yolie (Vohn Verez/Courtesy)

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DIMPLES MUSIC

NOISE

(Wade Vandervort/Staff)

Get to know this ascending Las Vegas R&B artist

DIMPLES dimplesmusic. com spoti.fi/ 3rEBoj9

A new classic: After four years recording, comparisons to Aaliyah and H.E.R. don’t stun Dimples anymore. “As long as I don’t say that, it’s acceptable,” says the Las Vegan who calls her project Dimples Music, “because I’d never want to feel like I’m trying to emulate anybody. But [Aaliyah] was my favorite artist, [and] sometimes I’ll listen back to my music, and I’m like, Oh, sh*t.” That era of R&B stands the test of time, she says. “The way music was made back then, people actually had to make the music, the person had to touch the keyboard, had to touch the saxophone. It was a different process than just pushing a button,” Dimples explains. “When it’s made by humans, it’s received differently by humans. It feels like home.” Hometown love: Dimples showers her videos with North and West Las Vegas pride. “Dope Sh*t” depicts her at a neighborhood party straight out of a John Singleton film—tricked out cars, barbecue and dominoes. In “Fairytales,” she highlights the historic Westside, singing at Mario’s Westside Market and where the Moulin Rouge once stood. “I could’ve gone to any hotel room on the Strip and shot a video,” she says, “but I wanted to show where I was from.” Next up: “Wassup,” off Dimples’ Mood Swings EP, recently aired at a Vegas Golden Knights game, which got her thinking … “If this one is getting played like this, I gotta make a bigger record. I need to make a song for the stadium, for the Raiders, for everybody!” she laughs. More singles are coming, but “I’m still a student,” she explains, “and I’m still learning what makes Dimples Dimples. I feel people will be even more excited for the next music to come out, because there’s so much growth.” –Amber Sampson

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C U L T U R E

T H E

S T R I P

Adele (Courtesy/Photo Illustration)

nyone who saw her social media video or even just caught a clip of the audio can recognize that no one was more disappointed by Adele’s Las Vegas residency show postponement than Adele herself. The 33-year-old singer posted the 90-second clip along with a heartbreak emoji and the promise of rescheduling all two dozen concerts one week ago, some 29 hours before she had planned to take the stage at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace. “We’ve run out of time, and I’m so upset, and I’m really embarrassed. And I’m so sorry to everyone that traveled again,” she said through tears. When’s the last time you saw a superstar THE on Adele’s level INCIDENTAL say they felt TOURIST embarrassed? BY BROCK RADKE It just doesn’t happen. But vulnerability has always been a key component in her art, and that’s why people love Adele and her music so much. And that’s why they spent a lot of money and made elaborate plans to travel to Las Vegas during a global pandemic, when adventures like these and shows like hers are clearly always at risk of not happening at all. That’s not to diminish the disappointment of those fans or anyone else who went out of their way planning to attend Weekends With Adele. The last-minute announcement was still shocking, even if there are no surprises in the COVID era. There simply isn’t anything with which to compare this situation. The only other Strip headlining residency that didn’t go off as planned was a show called Domination, the second

UNEASY FEELING Uncertainty surrounds Adele’s Vegas postponement

Vegas go-round for Britney Spears, which was postponed and eventually canceled altogether three years ago. A fuzzy, family-focused initial announcement very slowly gave way to the last few years’ revelations concerning Spears’ conservatorship; most of us had no understanding of that pop star’s complicated showbiz and personal life. Adele’s issues appear to be entirely caused by COVID. As it continues

to do in communities around the world two years later, the virus messed up the planning and assembly of her production and raged through her supporting cast and crew. Several Strip shows of various sizes have quietly canceled performances each week over the past few months as the omicron variant has spread, and the same goes for some concert tours. The only reasonable compari-

son occurred in April 2021, when promoters behind Electric Daisy Carnival—one of the biggest annual music festivals in the world—postponed it for the third time because of the pandemic, just a month before it was set to occur at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Festivalgoers felt betrayed and found little consolation in refunds. Some could not adjust their lives one more time to attend when EDC finally happened on October 22-24. They posted their resounding disappointment online. But the final chapter of that saga saw a successful festival with hundreds of thousands of jubilant dance music fans celebrating their electric reunion in Las Vegas. Considering Adele’s video guarantee—not to mention the massive resources invested in the show by Caesars Entertainment and Live Nation—there’s little reason right now to doubt that another happy ending is on the way. Recent reports—mostly in U.K. tabloids—have mentioned past instances of stage fright and claimed there has been friction between the artist, her management and the co-producers of the show. It feels like gossip and rumor, but every day that passes without rescheduled dates creates more uncertainty among fans and ticketholders. There’s no substitute for Adele, but other megastars are coming to town soon. Garth Brooks, Luke Bryan, Justin Bieber, Billy Joel, Dua Lipa and Billie Eilish will all play the Strip by April 1. And then there are the Grammys, coming to Vegas for the very first time on April 3 at MGM Grand Garden Arena. Adele was set to sing the two nights before that Sunday, and it sure seems like a Vegas weekend she wouldn’t want to miss.

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WALLY’S Resorts World, 702-676-6966. Daily, 7 a.m.-4 a.m.

WALLY’S CHILL and

C U L T U R E

Truffle Caesar salad, wood oven-baked brie, steak frites and Moroccan cauliflower from Wally’s (Wade Vandervort/Staff)

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Consider the wine-centric restaurant at Resorts World a Strip spot for locals

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

BETTER

BIRRIA Birria de chivo (Wade Vandervort/ Staff)

BY BROCK RADKE

I t

Is La Cruda by El Compa the G.O.A.T. of goat? BY JIM BEGLEY

LA CRUDA BY EL COMPA 3111 S. Valley View Blvd. #101, 702-913-7918. Thursday-Tuesday, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.

D R I N K

n You’d be excused for overlooking La Cruda by El Compa, an inconspicuous Valley View storefront in the industrial area near Desert Inn Road. Highlighted with signage of a broadly smiling man and an equally cheerful goat, it gives little indication of what lies within, besides plastic tables, picnic benches and folding chairs. I suspect if that goat knew what was coming, it certainly wouldn’t be as exuberant as it is. La Cruda—Spanish slang for hangover—serves a mean birria. It should be noted that while this spiced, stewed meat dish originating from Michoacan is typically made with goat, other meats can pose as stand-ins. In fact, La Cruda has both birria de chivo (goat) and res (beef). Having eaten my way through the menu, I still gravitate back to the chivo, although if eating our little bearded buddies freaks you out, the res is a more-than-adequate substitute. I’ve found the best birria vehicle to be the quesadilla con carne ($7), a house-made tortilla oozing with cheese intermingled with the rich, saucy meat. Go with a friend and order a pair; you’ll be rewarded with a side of consommé intended for dipping, but it’s so good, it’s worth downing afterwards as a hearty digestif. Three tacos of any style will also get you the gratis consommé, and my preference are the griddled queso tacos ($4.50). Because in the end, everything is better with queso. As man cannot live on birria alone, La Cruda also delivers solid carnitas, which can be ordered by the pound ($15) with fixings, or as a torta ahogada ($9), served stuffed in a crisp roll swimming in tomato sauce—a delicious mess. And because the ultimate hangover cure is menudo ($13.50), La Cruda has an offal-y good representation of an often polarizing dish. As for my future hangovers, I believe a couple of quesadillas de chivo will suffice.

has always been one of my favorite pairings with a glass of red, and the Wally Burger ($34), available during brunch, lunch or dinner, is one of the best new burgers in the city. My beautifully charred patty was a perfect pink medium rare, topped with Old Amsterdam gouda, tomato and caramelized onions, with ideal fries riding shotgun. A nineounce New York strip steak frites plate ($56 brunch, $98 dinner) offers similar satisfaction, and other steak options have moved about the menu since Wally’s opened last summer. Horseradish-crusted king salmon ($44) and pan-roasted diver scallops ($45) lead the seafood highlights. If you’re a local giving Wally’s a chance, you’re probably thinking the entrées are a bit expensive. You might be right, but then again, you don’t need to go big here. Save your budget for the wine, and check out the addictive wood oven-baked Brie ($28) with truffle honey and baguette; the truffle Caesar salad ($29) with shaved garlic croutons; and one of the flavor-packed pizzettas ($23$27) with seasonal toppings like roasted winter squash or porcini puree. This is a grazing experience, folks. Get the chorizo-spiced grilled Spanish octopus ($30) and the Moroccan cauliflower ($26), spiced with ras el hanout and preserved lemon, and nosh slowly. Have a conversation. Take it easy. Enjoy yourself. That’s why they built this place.

F O O D

t doesn’t matter if you’re coming from Southern California or if you’ve never heard of Wally’s Wine & Spirits, the neighborhood liquor storeturned-full epicurean destination with locations in Beverly Hills and Santa Monica. It only takes one visit to those spots, or the Las Vegas Strip restaurant at Resorts World, to understand exactly what kind of place this is. It’s a go-to for oenephiles, obviously, but it’s also a chill spot with great food for less-serious wine enthusiasts. And once we get through these weird pandemic times and everyone becomes more familiar with the vast dining offerings at Resorts World, our Vegas Wally’s should ease into a role similar to Wolfgang Puck’s Spago during its Forum Shops at Caesars Palace run: a Strip restaurant loved by locals. Wally’s claims there are more than 8,000 labels of wine, spirits and beer at this casually upscale spot, and it sure feels like that’s true when you’re sitting among sky-high racks of wine bottles sharing bites of caviar, jamon Iberico, duck salami, 10-yearold Wisconsin cheddar and tangy taleggio. The cheese and charcuterie offerings are vast, and all of Wally’s menu offerings—with the exception of breakfast—are designed to go well with wine. But these dishes are delicious on their own merits. A thick, juicy cheeseburger

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Big, bad

C U L T U R E

rayden McNabb brings a throwback style to the Golden Knights’ blue line. Defensemen are trending faster and more offensive-minded in the modern-day NHL, but the 31-year-old McNabb has remained a steadying force by playing hockey the only way he knows how. The 6-foot-4, 214-pound veteran is a tree-stump of a defenseman who’s constantly looking to sacrifice his body by blocking shots and laying hits. “I pride myself on being good defensively, and I think I’ve done that,” McNabb says. “I always like to be physical, and when I can, I’m going to do that.” McNabb is quietly putting together one of his best seasons with the Golden Knights this year. He’s not a flashy offensive force, having tallied just two goals and nine points halfway through the season—though those marks are notably on pace to challenge his career-bests in Vegas—but his defensive numbers have been tremendous. McNabb has bounced between first and second in the NHL in blocked shots over the past month, taking up a mantle owned by teammate Alec Martinez last season. McNabb has been, by far, the Golden Knights’ mostused player in both penalty-killing time and 5-on-6 ice time, meaning coach Pete DeBoer consistently turns to him when the opposition has more players on the ice. “Those are the little things that maybe don’t get noticed by the normal eye that we see day-in and day-out that, especially come playoff time, help you win hockey

BRAYDEN MCNABB The Golden Knights’ remaining original defenseman contributes by sticking to his game BY JUSTIN EMERSON

games,” fellow defenseman Alex Pietrangelo says. “It’s not easy to do what he does. He plays hard minutes; he plays the game hard. It’s a real treat to have a guy like that on your team, and a guy that loves doing it.” McNabb looks like a defenseman from another age. A lot of the league’s top blue liners—think Colorado’s Cale Makar or the New York Rangers’ Adam Fox—are increasingly more slender and being asked to concentrate their games just as much in the offensive zone. Even Vegas’ own Shea Theodore fits that description to a degree. Yet McNabb is perfectly content skating around the defensive zone on patrol, waiting to strike with bone-crushing hits. The hits are what he’s known for, going back to his time as a mainstay for the Los Angeles Kings early in his NHL career. McNabb has always counted the classic hip check in his arse-

nal, though former VGK coach Gerard Gallant once hilariously remarked that it was “more of an ass check.” McNabb been using that move liberally this season, sometimes in memorable fashion on players such as Seattle’s Brandon Tanev, Vancouver’s Vasily Podkolzin and LA’s Arthur Kaliyev. McNabb says there’s a practical reason for him to keep the dying art of the hip check alive. “Guys will know it’s part of my game and might end up dumping a few more pucks in than trying to create plays,” McNabb says. “I’ve been doing that play for a long time now, and I’ve had lots of practice with it, so I’m pretty confident with that hit.” Though Marc-André Fleury and the Knights’ Misfit Line (William Karlsson, Jonathan Marchessault and Reilly Smith) are typically brought up as foundation-setters for Las Vegas’ NHL franchise, McNabb’s name

probably deserves to be mentioned more among that group. He’s one of just five players who appeared in Vegas’ inaugural game in 2017 still with the team. His future, on the other hand, remains somewhat murky. McNabb has been the subject of trade rumors, since the Golden Knights must clear cap space before star forward Jack Eichel, whom they acquired from Buffalo earlier this season, returns from neck surgery. Even if McNabb lasts the season, his current contract is set to expire this summer. McNabb, who would become an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his career, says there have been no contract talks with the Golden Knights yet. “I’d love to be here and love to be a Knight forever,” McNabb says. “But we all know it’s a business and things happen, so we’ll see how it plays out.” A part of the Golden Knights’ leadership group, McNabb is one of the most respected players in the locker room. Not only is he durable and reliable, but he’s also flexible, having played all over the lineup this year. He has spent time on the top pair with Pietrangelo, been assigned to shut down opponents’ best lines and also helped mentor young defensemen like Dylan Coghlan on the third line. McNabb might not have the offensive moves of some of his peers, and you won’t find No. 3 jerseys overflowing in the T-Mobile Arena stands, but he has set the tone for the Golden Knights’ defense for five straight seasons. “He does it all on the defensive side of pucks,” forward Chandler Stephenson says. “He’s always been that guy.

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Brayden McNabb (AP Photo/NHLI via Getty Images/Photo Illustration)

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VEGAS INC BUSINESS

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SMALL BUSINESS

HENDERSON CHAMBER HELPS SMALL BUSINESSES LAUNCH BY OFFERING FREE OFFICE SPACE

BY BRYAN HORWATH VEGAS INC STAFF hen Henderson attorney Trent Richards co-founded the boutique Sagebrush Lawyers firm several years ago, he found himself in a position familiar to many small-business owners who are starting out. Richards and his business partner, Christopher Carson, were in search of the right physical space for their business. “Initially, we were doing what would be the office version of couch surfing,” Richards said. “We had some friends who were nice enough to give us some office space, and that’s how we started.” Not long after that, Richards got wind of a Henderson Chamber of Commerce Foundation program that provides office space for startups and home-based businesses owned by minorities, women or military veterans. The program offers grants that feature six months of free office space—a value of close to $5,000—inside what used to be known as the Henderson Business Resource Center near Lifeguard Arena in downtown Henderson. Renovations are underway now at the center, which will be rebranded as Launchpad this spring. Grants for a new round of applicants for the program will be accepted through January 31, according to Henderson Chamber officials. Sagebrush still maintains space at the incubator, which has been helpful in efforts to grow the firm, Richards said. “It’s been very exciting to be in the middle of all the changes on Water Street,” Richards said. “From when we moved in to now, it’s a world away.

There are new breweries, restaurants, Lifeguard Arena … other small businesses like ourselves. There’s a revitalization going on.” Grant recipients will also get a complimentary Henderson Chamber annual membership, a $400 value. “This is a project by the business community for the business community,” said Scott Muelrath, chamber president and CEO. “You have to be in business for less than two years, so we’re really targeting new businesses. There’s so many people right now taking new career paths and starting new endeavors, which you tend to see a lot during a recession or economic downturn.” Reggie Burton, founder of a small marketing and public relations firm called RB Group, was a grant recipient in 2020.

One of the firm’s main clients is the Vegas Golden Knights. Burton said the location of the resource center space was perfect for him because it was so close to Lifeguard Arena, which opened in late 2020. “If VGK was coming over to downtown Henderson back when the arena was being built, I could offer them meeting space at my office,” Burton said. “During those times, we were able to talk about youth hockey or different events they planned to bring to Lifeguard Arena. It was perfect for me.” Before gaining the downtown space, Burton was running his company out of his home. “When I received the grant, the program was offering all the things that I was looking to level up with,” he said. “As a small-business owner, I didn’t

want to just survive this pandemic, I wanted to thrive. I think I’ve done that and I can say that this program helped.” In all, about a dozen office suites will be included at the remodeled Launchpad center, Muelrath said. The suites feature several hundred square feet of space and are meant to house four or five employees. Richards, who served in the Marines, said having office space on Water Street has been a big plus for his law firm. “If you’ve lived [in Henderson] for any time at all, you know where Water Street is,” Richards said. “People know where you are. Everyone at the center looks out for each other and is super pleasant and nice. We’re all similar people—mom-and-pop operations with less than 10 employees who are trying to do a thing.” To commission the program, the chamber relied on corporate contributions from companies and organizations like NV Energy, Cox Business, Gordon Law, the Trish Nash Team, Nevada Gold Mines, Nevada State Bank and Wells Fargo. For more information about the program, visit hendersonchamber.com/ launchpad.

Reggie Burton, founder of public relations firm RB Group, on Water Street in downtown Henderson (Wade Vandervort/Staff)

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VegasInc Notes Trosper Public Relations hired Alicia Howard as the company’s new assistant account executive. Howard joins Trosper from the Abbi Agency in Reno, where she worked as an intern. Additionally, Trosper Howard announced it received a national certification as a Women-Owned Small Business by the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council. The certification requires a business to be at least 51% owned, controlled, operated and managed by a woman or women. Gov. Steve Sisolak announced the judicial appointment of Elham “Ellie” Roohani to the Eighth Judicial District Court, Department 11. Roohani’s legal background includes both trial and appellate experience as an assistant U.S. attorney, serving as law clerk to the Ninth Circuit Judge Johnnie Rawlinson, law clerk to U.S. District Judge Roger Hunt, and teaching as an adjunct professor at the William S. Boyd School of Law at UNLV. Additionally, Sisolak appointed Lisa Cano Burkhead as the lieutenant governor.

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Tech-based real estate company Homie promoted Brad Johnson to general manager for operations in Nevada and Idaho. A Las Vegas resident for more than 15 years, Johnson has a wealth Johnson of experience in leading teams in the technology and entrepreneurial industries. Corcoran Global Living announced Emily Sherwood as equity partner in the firm’s Las Vegas region, where she has developed expertise in the luxury market for celebrities, renowned Sherwood public figures, Fortune 500 executives, professional athletes and others. UNLV President Keith Whitfield selected Erick Harper as the university’s next athletics director. Harper has served as interim athletics director since August and was selected to continue in the position permanent-

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Gary Costa, Golden Rainbow executive director, was appointed to Gov. Steve Sisolak’s Advisory Task Force on HIV Modernization. Costa is one of 15 members of this body that will Costa work to update local and state laws and definitions pertaining to persons living with HIV. After 26 years of service to North Las Vegas constituents, Police Chief Pamela Ojeda retired on January 6. She served as North Las Vegas’ first female captain, assistant chief and Ojeda police chief. Southwest Medical, part of Optum Care, added five new physicians to help meet the growing need for health services in the Las Vegas community, including Dr. John Caraway, Dr. Dino Gonzalez, Dr. Stephanie Insixiengmai, Dr. Alexandra Acosta Owens, and Dr. Adam Purviance. Additionally, nurse practitioner Kimberly Alison-Maribbay Badiola joined

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Southwest Medical’s Siena Heights Healthcare Center location. She specializes in adult medicine. Nevada Day announced Brooke Santina as the new executive director for the nonprofit. A native Nevadan, Santina has experience handling large-scale events through her Santina work in law enforcement and communications. CBRE announced that Marc Magliarditi, SIOR, CCIM and Travis Landes joined the firm’s Las Vegas office and will focus on office sales and leasing throughout the Las Vegas ValMagliarditi ley. Magliarditi and Landes specialize in executing tailored, comprehensive leasing and marketing strategies for investors and owners of office real estate. They were previously with Logic Commercial Real Estate and Landes are joined by their client services specialist, Miranda Jennings.

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