2023-04-27-Las-Vegas-Weekly

PUBLISHER

MARK DE POOTER mark.depooter@gmgvegas.com

EDITOR

SPENCER PATTERSON spencer.patterson@gmgvegas.com

EDITORIAL

Senior Editor GEOFF CARTER (geo .carter@gmgvegas.com)

Editor at Large BROCK RADKE (brock.radke@gmgvegas.com)

Sta Writer SHANNON MILLER (shannon.miller@gmgvegas.com)

Sta Writer AMBER SAMPSON (amber.sampson@gmgvegas.com)

Contributing Writers GRACE DA ROCHA,HILLARY DAVIS, MIKE GRIMALA, CASEY HARRISON, KATIE ANN MCCARVER, TERESA MOSS, RHIANNON SAEGERT, DANNY WEBSTER

Contributing Editors RAY BREWER, JUSTIN HAGER, CASE KEEFER, DAVE MONDT

O ce Coordinator NADINE GUY

CREATIVE

Art Director CORLENE BYRD (corlene.byrd@gmgvegas.com)

Senior Designer IAN RACOMA

Photo Coordinator BRIAN RAMOS

Photographers CHRISTOPHER DEVARGAS, STEVE MARCUS, WADE VANDERVORT

DIGITAL

Publisher of Digital Media KATIE HORTON

Web Content Specialist CLAYT KEEFER

ADVERTISING & MARKETING

Publisher of Branded Content & Special Publications EMMA WOLFF

Special Publications Editor SIERRA SMART

Senior Advertising Managers MIKE MALL, ADAIR NOWACKI, SUE SRAN

Account Executives MARY CHARISSE DIMAIN, DEREK EIGE, LAUREN JOHNSON, ANNA ZYMANEK

Sales Executive Assistants APRIL MARTINEZ, NANCY RAMOS

Events Director SAMANTHA PETSCH

Events Manager HANNAH ANTER

Events Coordinator ALEXANDRA SUNGA

PRODUCTION & CIRCULATION

Vice President of Manufacturing MARIA BLONDEAUX

Production Director PAUL HUNTSBERRY

Market Research Manager CHAD HARWOOD

Production Manager BLUE UYEDA

Associate Marketing Art Director BROOKE EVERSON

Marketing Graphic Designer CARYL LOU PAAYAS

Production Artist MARISSA MAHERAS

Senior Tra c Coordinator DENISE ARANCIBIA

Tra c Coordinator ALEX HAASE

Distribution Relations Liaison JIDAN SHADOWEN

Fulfillment Operations Coordinator CASANDRA PIERCE

Route Administrator KATHY STRELAU

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CEO, Publisher & Editor BRIAN GREENSPUN

Chief Operating O cer ROBERT CAUTHORN

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ADVERTISING DEADLINE EVERY THURSDAY AT 5 P.M.

Henderson Mayor Michelle Romero, one of this year’s Women Inspiring Nevada honorees (Christopher DeVargas/ Sta )

SUPERGUIDE

BENNY BENASSI 10:30 p.m., Hakkasan Nightclub, events. taogroup.com.

JON LOVITZ Thru 4/29, 7 p.m., Laugh Factory, ticketmaster.com.

SETH ANDERSON With Brock Frabbiele, No Red Alice, Jesse Pino, 8 p.m., the Gri n, eventbrite. com.

UNLV SYMPHONIC WINDS 7:30 p.m., Artemus W. Ham Concert Hall, unlv.edu.

NIC FANCIULLI

With Zen Freeman, 10 p.m., Zouk Nightclub, zoukgrouplv.com.

JAKOBS CASTLE

With Roe Kapara, King Falcon, 7:30 p.m., Backstage Bar & Billiards, seetickets.us.

THE JAZZ REPUBLIC

7 p.m., Myron’s, thesmithcenter. com.

ONLY IN THEATERS WITH GREG LAEMMLE Q&A 5 p.m., the Beverly Theater, thebeverlytheater. com.

COSMIC BOYS

10 p.m., Commonwealth, seetickets.us.

MICHAEL RAY

10 p.m., Stoney’s Rockin’ Country, etix.com.

CHIME

With Skybreak, Lazarus, 10 p.m. We All Scream, seetickets.us.

VIVA

ROCKABILLY WEEKEND

Coi those pompadours and break out the high-waisted skirts, because Las Vegas’ annual rockabilly festival returns to the Orleans with more hot rods, burlesque and rock bands than ever before. Viva has been a pillar of the retro rockabilly scene for 26 years, attracting more than 20,000 fans from all over the world for a swingin’ weekend with a full lineup of performers. Founder Tom Ingram, who launched his first big weekender in England, debuted Viva Las Vegas at the Gold Coast in the mid-’90s before moving it to the Orleans. “I didn’t know if it was gonna be long term or not, so we treated each one as a special event,” Ingram told the Weekly last year. “But it got to a stage where the Gold Coast was bursting at the seams.” The festival has not only helped to preserve the culture of rockabilly, it has expanded upon it. Viva now boasts one of the largest 1960s-era car shows on this side of the country, along with fashion shows, tattoo artists, vendors, meetup groups, pool parties, wedding chapels and burlesque over the span of its four days. This year’s music lineup includes Charlie Hightone, The Bellfuries, Al “Lil Fats” Jackson, Ruby Ann, Scotty Baker, Star Mountain Dreamers and the Flea Bops. $230, the Orleans, vivalasvegas. net. –Amber Sampson

LAS VEGAS

(Courtesy/Julie Bergonz)

8:30

IMAGINARIUM

The ever-warming spring is the perfect time for a new family-friendly attraction, and it’s opening this week in the parking lot at Westgate Las Vegas. Imaginarium is an experiential, outdoor 3D light festival spread across five acres—a collection of illuminated forests, mazes and fantastical landscapes with games to play and huge storybook creatures to snap for your ’gram. Themed areas like the Crystal Chandelier and the Rose Garden (which houses more than 35,000 roses made of lights) promise to captivate every member of your group, and locals with ID will receive discounted ticket prices of $19 for seniors and kids 3-12, and $25 for adults. Snacks and treats will be available for purchase, too. 4/28-5/7, opens nightly at 7 p.m., $19$33, imaginarium360. com. –Brock Radke

AMAZING COMIC CON

Thru 4/30, times vary, Las Vegas Convention Center, amazing comiccon.com.

ALI WONG

7:30 & 10:30 p.m., & 4/29, Encore Theater, ticketmaster.com.

THE BACKSEAT LOVERS

With Renata Zeiguer, 7 p.m., Brooklyn Bowl, ticketmaster.com

STEVE ANGELLO 10:30 p.m., XS Nightclub, wynnsocial.com.

NEVADA CONSERVATORY

THEATRE: VIOLET 7:30 p.m., & 4/29 (& 4/30, 2 p.m.), Judy Bayley Theatre, unlv.edu.

USHER 9 p.m., & 4/29, Dolby Live, ticketmaster.com.

DAVID BLAINE 8 p.m., & 4/29, Resorts World Theatre, axs.com.

CHELSEA HANDLER 10 p.m., Mirage Theatre, ticketmaster.com.

VEGAS KNIGHT HAWKS VS. NORTHERN ARIZONA WRANGLERS 7 p.m., Dollar Loan Center, axs.com.

CSN SPRING DANCE CONCERT 7 p.m. (& 4/29, 2 p.m.), Horn Theatre, csn.edu.

TIËSTO 10 p.m., Zouk Nightclub, zoukgrouplv.com.

KOFFIN KATS With Crimson Riot, Blvd Bullies, Ghostwood Murder, 8 p.m., Backstage Bar & Billiards, eventbrite.com.

CEDRIC GERVAIS 11 a.m., Tao Beach Dayclub, events. taogroup.com.

38 SPECIAL 8 p.m., Westgate International Theater, ticketmaster.com.

ALINGON MITRA

7 & 9:30 p.m., & 4/29, Wiseguys, vegas.wiseguys comedy.com.

RICK ROSS 10 p.m., Drai’s Nightclub, draisgroup.com.

BULLETBOYS With Void Vator, 8 p.m., Count’s Vamp’d, eventbrite.com.

THE UNWIELDIES & BIG LIKE TEXAS 9 p.m., Sand Dollar Downtown, thesanddollarlv. com/downtown.

DILLON FRANCIS

Noon, Encore Beach Club, wynnsocial.com.

MOSTLY KOSHER 6 p.m., Jackie Gaughan Plaza, jewishnevada.org.

JONAS BLUE With Madds, 11 a.m., Ayu Dayclub, zouk grouplv.com.

UNLV SINGERS

7:30 p.m., Beam Music Center, unlv.edu.

FOR MORE UPCOMING EVENTS, VISIT LASVEGASWEEKLY.COM.

DAVID SPADE & NIKKI GLASER

p.m., & 4/29, Venetian Theatre, ticketmaster.com.

(Courtesy)

SATURDAY SUPERGUIDE

WINE SPECTATOR GRAND TOUR

7 p.m., Resorts World, grandtour. winespectator. com.

KASKADE 11 a.m., Ayu Dayclub, zoukgrouplv.com.

JASON MRAZ With Dean Lewis, Michael Richter, 8 p.m., Theater at Virgin, axs.com.

WIZ KHALIFA 10 p.m., Drai’s Nightclub, draisgroup.com.

MAHALO HALO Noon, Downtown Container Park, downtown containerpark. com.

ELLE KING 8 p.m., Westgate International Theater, ticketmaster.com.

TACOS AND TAMALES FESTIVAL 10 a.m., Desert Breeze Park, seetickets.us.

IGGY POP

ZEDD 10 p.m., Zouk Nightclub, zoukgrouplv.com.

DESERT DOGS VS. SASKATCHEWAN RUSH 7:30 p.m., Michelob Ultra Arena, axs.com.

KENNY G 7:30 p.m., Reynolds Hall, thesmithcenter. com.

DAVID GUETTA 11 a.m., Encore Beach Club, wynnsocial.com.

SKYE & STARS STARGAZING EVENT

6 p.m., Skye Canyon Park, skyecanyon.com.

DUSTIN LYNCH

8 p.m., Sandbar at Red Rock Resort, ticketmaster.com

KYGO

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

He’s just a modern guy. Iggy Pop has been making brilliant, fist-punch rock ’n’ roll for most of his natural life; the man born James Osterberg Jr., currently 76 years old, is nearly 60 years into his professional career. As the singer and lyricist of powerhouse Ann Arbor, Michigan, band The Stooges, he had a hand in creating punk rock—and as a David Bowie-produced solo artist, he similarly shaped the contours of post-punk (Joy Division is unimaginable without The Idiot). These days, he’s touring with a new all-star band, The Losers (Chad Smith, Du McKagan, Josh Klingho er and Andrew Watt) and performing a batch of classic tracks mixed with some new songs that nod to every twist and turn of his career. Yeah, it’s a victory lap, but Iggy Pop is giving it all he’s got— as he will on the next few victory laps after this one, too. It’s entirely possible that Iggy Pop is immortal. 8 p.m., $54+. Pearl Concert Theater, ticketmaster.com. –Geo Carter

CITY OF LIGHTS

JAZZ AND R&B FESTIVAL

1 p.m. (& 4/30, 2 p.m.)

Clark County Amphitheater, cityoflightsmusicfestival.com.

ALESSO

10:30 p.m., Omnia Nightclub, events.taogroup. com.

TRISH TOLEDO With The Escapers, No Que No, 8 p.m., Fremont Country Club, eventbrite.com.

CHARLOTTE DE WITTE

8 p.m., Downtown Las Vegas Events Center, factory93. frontgatetickets. com.

POST NC With Diiphen, Elevated Undergrounds, Clementine Was Right, 7:30 p.m., SoulBelly BBQ, eventbrite.com.

11 a.m., Tao Beach Dayclub, events. taogroup.com.

SAM WOLFE & WESKA

With Jack Spaidz, Discopussy, seetickets.us.

K2own, 10 p.m.,

MUSIC

FOOD + DRINK SPORTS PARTY

ARTS

COMEDY

(Amy

FISHER

Harris/ Invision/ AP Photo)

NINAJIRACHI With Izzy Camina, 9:30 p.m., the Wall at Area15, area15.com.

(Courtesy)

His headlines have long been dominated by gossip about his dating life, but in Las Vegas, Tyga’s best known for cranking up club parties on the Strip. In recent years, he’s been setting fire to Jewel and Tao Beach Dayclub, but the 33-year-old Compton rapper behind epic collaborations like “Taste” (with O set) and “Freaky Deaky” (with Doja Cat) has spent plenty of Vegas downtime relaxing (and partying) at Wynn. It only made sense for him to launch a new residency there this year; it began in March and continues this weekend with a Sunday set at Encore Beach Club. As one of the rare non-DJ regulars, Tyga will bring a new dimension to Wynn all year long. Noon, $20+, Encore Beach Club, wynnsocial.com. –Brock Radke

(Photo Courtesy)

TOO SHORT Noon, Daylight Beach Club, tixr.com.

CITY MORGUE

With Vein, 7 p.m., House of Blues, concerts. livenation.com.

GORDO 11 a.m., Marquee Dayclub, events. taogroup.com.

TWO FRIENDS 10:30 p.m., XS Nightclub, wynnsocial.com.

MICHELLE JOHNSON

7 p.m., Myron’s, thesmithcenter. com.

SOFI TUKKER 11 a.m., Tao Beach Dayclub, events. taogroup.com.

CASH CASH 11 a.m., Ayu Dayclub, zoukgrouplv.com.

LAS VEGAS MEN’S CHORUS SPRING CONCERT 4 p.m., Artemus W. Ham Concert Hall, lvmenschorus.org.

LEI DAY PARADE

6 p.m., Downtown Summerlin, summerlin.com.

GARY CANNON

With Jackie Kashian, Landry, Michael Yo, thru 5/6, 7 & 9:30 p.m., Comedy Cellar, comedycellar.com.

AZURE MCCALL & THE WAYNE DE SILVA QUARTET

7 p.m., Maxan Jazz, maxanjazz.com.

MIKE ATTACK

10:30 p.m., Jewel Nightclub, events. taogroup.com.

ALONZO BODDEN

With Lenny Schmidt, Fritz Nothnagel, 5/1-5/7, 8 p.m., Brad Garrett’s Comedy Club, bradgarrettcomedy. com.

LOST FREQUENCIES 10:30 p.m., Omnia Nightclub, events. taogroup.com.

BAD COMPANY With Justin Hawkes, Saint Rigal, 10 p.m., Discopussy, disco pussydtlv.com.

DR. CHANG C. CHEN: HERSTORY, A LEGAL HISTORY OF CHINESE-AMERICAN WOMEN

Thru 6/27 (Mon-Thu, 10 a.m.-8 p.m.; FriSun, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.), Spring Valley Library, thelibrarydistrict.org.

STEEL BEANS

Jeremy DeBardi is Steel Beans, and Steel Beans is … well, that seems to depend on the prevailing winds. A “multi-genre” musical group and multimedia art collective of “like-minded weirdos” that varies in size from a solo act to a 10-piece ensemble with horns, there seems to be only one constant to Steel Beans, and that’s DeBardi himself—a mustachioed, enthusiastic showman who can chunk out mean, dirty blues-rock jams all by his lonesome. That is to say, he plays the drums with his right hand and both feet, and works the frets of his guitar with his left hand … Look, if you don’t believe it, search for “Molotov Cocktail Lounge” on YouTube and see for yourself. Better still, go to the Sand Dollar at the Plaza, and witness this miracle in person. 8 p.m., $15-$20, Sand Dollar Downtown, thesanddollarlv. com/downtown. –Geo Carter

THE CHICKS

8 p.m., Bakkt Theater, ticketmaster.com.

ST. PAUL & THE MINNEAPOLIS FUNK ALL STARS

7 p.m., Myron’s, thesmithcenter. com.

FORESTS & BEN QUAD With Sani Bronco, So as to Be, 8 p.m., the Gri n, eventbrite.com.

DURANTE With Leiru, The Trash Pandas, 10 p.m., We All Scream, weallscream.com.

ROD STEWART 7:30 p.m., the Colosseum, ticketmaster.com.

SHADED 10:30 p.m., Marquee Nightclub, events.taogroup. com.

RICO NASTY With Omeretta the Great, 7 p.m., 24 Oxford, etix.com.

FOR MORE UPCOMING EVENTS, VISIT LASVEGASWEEKLY.COM.

(Courtesy)

(Photo Courtesy)

Rose Signor at the Silver Stamp (Christopher DeVargas/Staff)

SHE POURS, SHE REIGNS Q+A

Meet Rose Signor , co-owner of the Silver Stamp beer bar and a literal Vegas tastemaker

BY GEOFF CARTER

Rose Signor is out here teaching everybody about beer. The co-owner, with her partner Andrew Smith, of homey Arts District beer bar Silver Stamp, has an easy and genial way of steering you out of your habits and into tasty new discoveries, and it’s often just as easy as her sliding a taster across the bar. Recently, she took a moment away from the wildly popular spot—“we’re looking for more staff right now,” she says—to offer the Weekly a seat at the bar.

How did you become such an expert in what makes a good beer?

I went to college for a few years in upstate New York for broadcast journalism and decided that wasn’t what I wanted to do, so I moved out here, where I have some family. I got into beer when I was about 22ish. I ended up moving to Seattle for a year, [because] I was starting to get into craft beer, and I just didn’t feel like Vegas had much of a craft beer scene in 2010.

I moved up to Seattle and took it all in, then came back here with the intention of doing a beer program. I ended up working at the original Bunkhouse and managing that bar, and the owner at the time let me do my own little beer program. When the original Bunkhouse sold, I went over to Atomic [Liquors], and that’s where I synced up with [owner] Lance [Johns]. He let me do my own thing, which was great.

Is Lance involved with Silver Stamp? No, he’s just my landlord. We always joke about how he used to pay me a lot of money, and now I pay him a lot of money. There was talk of him investing, but Andrew and I really wanted to do it on our own.

You and Andrew didn’t just invest cash in this venture. You backpacked across the country together collecting the elements of Silver Stamp’s lived-in decor, down to that cool wall of vintage beer cans. Yeah, we literally became hoarders for a few years! It was really fun. I mean, we’re still kind of hoarders (laughs). I love thrifting. I love funky vintage things. It’s always been just in my blood to thrift. To this day, we still love to go and pick and hunt for things. The can wall was especially fun to collect; we collected probably double what you see in the bar. We picked and researched what we thought were the best cans to highlight.

You picked right. The Stamp doesn’t feel created; it feels discovered. It’s funny, because Andrew and I always feel like we built out more of a European-feeling bar, but it comes across as more Midwestern. The idea was to create a space that was nostalgic for people, no matter where you came from.

When we were building out the bar— we did much of it ourselves—we were scared that it was going to look like a DIY project, like a real Pinterest kind of thing. We were scared that we were just

building something just for us. … We put wood paneling up halfway through construction, and we’d show the bar to friends and family, and they’d be like, “Oh, this is great. When are you going to tear the wood paneling down?” We put that up intentionally! It took us a long time to source that stuff, because nobody makes it anymore.

And now the Stamp is the heart of beer central. You’ve got a half-dozen breweries within walking distance. It’s wonderful. The city’s made some strides so that folks can open breweries a little bit easier now, which is wonderful. Gosh, when I moved here—you remember [now-defunct Valley brewery] Joseph James, right? I loved their beer. When I discovered it, I was like, “Where can I go drink their beer at the source?” At the time, it was not legal; you couldn’t have a taproom connected to a brewery. It’s just wild to see the strides the city has made since then. I think the beer scene is wonderful right now; it’s strong. And I think it’s only gonna get better. There’s a lot of talent in this town.

Do those brewers drink at your place? Definitely. We’re such a supportive beer community; it’s really wonderful. If you’re not supportive, you stick out like a sore thumb. But we’ve become a little bit of an industry hangout, and I think it’s because we provide a European selection.

All right, I’m gonna test you. Let’s say I’ve been a Rolling Rock man since college, but I want to try something new. What do you suggest? If you’re a Rolling Rock man, I’ll go light in style; I don’t want to shock your palate. We’ll start with a nice kolsch which is a super-light German Pilsner, Czech Pilsner. And I won’t even tell you what I’m tasting you on; I’ll just be like, “Hang tight, I’ll be right back. I’ll give you a taster, and then we’ll talk about it.” And if you don’t like something, I’ll ask you why: Is it too bitter, too sweet, too boring, too fruity? And then I’ll just go from there. I really get off on that. I love hearing people tell me, “You gave me my first sour at Atomic eight years ago, and I’ve never looked back.”

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

BIDEN MAKES IT OFFICIAL

President Joe Biden on April 25 formally announced that he is running for reelection in 2024, asking voters to give him more time to “finish this job” and extend the run of America’s oldest president for another four years.

A’S FORGE DEAL WITH SOUTHERN NEVADA BUILDING TRADES

The Oakland Athletics have reached a labor deal for the construction of their proposed $1.5 billion stadium near the Strip, vowing to create 10,000 prevailing wage jobs for workers based in Southern Nevada.

The deal was reached with the Southern Nevada Building Trades, a coalition of local unions ranging from iron workers to electricians and other industrial trades, according to a news release from the A’s. Details of the agreement were not provided.

“We are thrilled to have reached this agreement with the A’s which will ensure that our members have access to good-paying, union jobs on this important project,” Vince Saavedra, executive secretary treasurer of Southern Nevada Building Trades, said in a statement. “Our members are ready and eager to get to work on this project and we look forward to partnering with the A’s to create a state-of-the-art stadium.”

On April 18, A’s President Dave Kaval announced that the team purchased 49 acres of land northwest of the intersection of Tropicana Avenue and Dean Martin Drive. He added that the team is no longer focusing on building a new ballpark in Oakland, where the team has played at the Oakland Coliseum since relocating there from Kansas City in 1968.

The team is also asking for approximately $500 million in public funding through the creation of a special tax district and transferable tax credits.

The project is expected to require 10,000 workers, made up entirely of Nevada-based construction contractors and tradesmen, the team said. If a public-private partnership is passed in time for Major League Baseball’s self-imposed January 24 relocation application deadline, construction could begin later next year with hopes of the new stadium opening in time for the 2027 season. –Casey

Harrison

NEWS

VGK LOOK TO CLOSE OUT JETS

The Vegas Golden Knights, having won three consecutive games in the first-round Stanley Cup Playoffs series against Winnipeg, have a chance to end the series April 27 at 7 p.m. at T-Mobile Arena. If not, they will play again April 29, and possibly May 1.

BUILDING BLOCKS The Las Vegas Raiders enter the NFL Draft, which runs April 27-29, tied for a league-high 12 picks. They have picks 7, 38, 70,

220 and 231. (See story, Page 34.)

TEACHERS UNION VOTES NO CONFIDENCE IN JARA

U2 SETS SPHERE DATES

U2 will open its Las Vegas residency and perform the first shows at the $2 billion Sphere on September 29 and 30, followed by additional shows on October 5, 7-8, 11, 13-14, 18, 20-21 and 25, Sphere Entertainment Co. and Live Nation announced.

The largest teachers union in the Clark County School District has issued a vote of no confidence in Superintendent Jesus Jara’s ability to e ectively spend the proposed influx of state funding for public schools.

“We are now going on five years under Jara’s tenure as superintendent. From the very beginning, he’s told the community to judge him not by his rhetoric, but by his record— and that record couldn’t be more clear,” the Clark County Education Association said in a statement.

“Graduation rates are suspect, proficiency levels continue to be chronically low, the disparities between our most at-risk students and everyone else continue to widen, and our students are fundamentally not college- or career-ready upon leaving CCSD.”

The union said it surveyed “several thousand educators” and that three-quarters of them have no confidence in Jara’s ability to spend the added $400 million that CCSD is projected to receive next year alone if Gov. Joe Lombardo’s ambitious budget goes through.

HOT SHOT

Jara has been an embattled leader since taking CCSD’s helm in 2018, but a no-confidence vote will not directly threaten his job. This is the second time in four years that a CCSD employee union has said it has no confidence in his leadership.

The district responded to CCEA’s announcement with skepticism.

“With the questionable nature of this purported survey, this is an attempt by CCEA—who barely represent half of the teachers in CCSD—to influence contract negotiations in a bad faith attempt to leverage what little credibility they have left with teachers,” the district said in a statement. “It is unfortunate that their focus is not on improving the salary schedule and health expectations to retain our hard-working educators. They deserve better from their bargaining association.” –Hillary

Davis

NEVADA DEMOCRATS PRAISE COURT RULING ON ABORTION PILL

Abortion advocates in Nevada received good news April 18, when the U.S. Supreme Court issued a stay in a lower court’s ruling that sought to reverse the Food and Drug Administration’s approval for a drug used in more than half of all terminated pregnancies nationally.

“Nevadans and all Americans have made it clear they support a woman’s right to reproductive freedom, and I welcome the Supreme Court ruling keeping the abortion pill legal as the FDA defends this safe and e ective medication in court,” said Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nevada.

Nevada voters in 1990 approved a ballot measure protecting the right to abortion through 24 weeks gestation. That measure could only be undone by a similar voter referendum. Lawmakers in Carson City this session, however, have worked to advance a measure that would enshrine the right to an abortion in the state constitution. –Casey Harrison

WORLDWIDE MILITARY SPENDING REACHED AN ALL-TIME HIGH OF $2.24 TRILLION IN 2022.

Source: Stockholm International Peace Research Institute

WBA super middleweight champion David Morrell Jr. poses after his victory against Yamaguchi Falcao at T-Mobile Arena on April 22. Morrell, who used his ring attire to raise awareness about autismn, retained his title with a first-round knockout. (Steve Marcus/Sta )

MOJAVE MAX, THE DESERT TORTOISE WHO HERALDS SPRING’S ARRIVAL IN SOUTHERN NEVADA, EMERGED FROM HIS WINTER BURROW APRIL 24 AT LAS VEGAS SPRINGS PRESERVE, SIGNALING THE END OF WINTER. IT’S THE LATEST HE HAS EMERGED SINCE THE TRADITION DURING THE 1990S.

Jesus Jara

(Steve Marcus/Sta )

LAY OF THE LAND

BY SHANNON MILLER

More than 80% of the land in Nevada is managed by the federal government. And “managed” can be a loose term. That’s because the level of public stewardship for the land can depend on what type of land it is. Many Las Vegans are familiar with the cleanliness and amenities of Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Mount Charleston Wilderness and Avi Kwa Ame—Nevada’s newest national monument.

A group of Southern Nevada residents are pushing for the designation of an East Las Vegas National Monument that would include Sunrise Mountain, Frenchman Mountain and Rainbow Gardens. The area is currently designated as an Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC).

“There’s a lot of illegal dumping that happens … a lot of trash in the area, especially around Lake Mead Boulevard’s edges, and some around Rainbow Gardens,” says resident and advocate Bertha Gutierrez. “So there’s a lot of need for better management and monitoring that the current designation as an ACEC does not address, because of limitations in terms of funding and the kind of work that the agency can do with that.”

Get Outdoors Nevada, a UNLV professors group and a citizens group join Gutierrez, a program director for the nonpro t Conservation Lands

Foundation, in the e ort to designate more than 32,000 acres east of Las Vegas as a national monument. The push has been underway since 2021, when state and county lawmakers passed resolutions to protect the area with a new federal designation, be it a national conservation area like Red Rock Canyon, a national recreation area like Lake Mead or a national monument.

“It’s an area worth protecting and enhancing and really restoring for the Las Vegas community,” Gutierrez says.

Not only is the area a prime location for potential recreation for East Las Vegas families, she says, it’s also home to a rare ower and a geologic phenomenon that mirrors what can be seen at the bottom of the Grand Canyon.

“The [bear-paw] poppy only grows around the gypsum mine sites,” she explains, adding that geologists and UNLV scholars value the area for “the Great Unconformity,” or a formation of rock that is covered by younger layers of rock and sediment.

“That’s an outdoor classroom, right there!” Gutierrez says, excited at the possibilities for local residents and schools to use the lands for educational purposes. “There are so many opportunities for the community to guide this process.”

In addition to large-scale dumping, Gutierrez says the area is plagued by other issues like people holding parties in the desert and leaving trash, or even abandoning pets there. But there’s potential for it to be an accessible park.

Looking to Avi Kwa Ame

“What we are really taking from the Avi Kwa Ame example is the power of really engaging tribal communities, doing things together and following the lead of tribal communities,” Gutierrez says, referring to a widely supported movement that led to the designation of Nevada’s fourth national monument. President Joe Biden on March 21 designated 500,000 acres of land surrounding Searchlight south of Las Vegas as the new Avi Kwa Ame National Monument.

The Fort Mojave Indian Tribe had been advocating for improved management and protection of the land,

A push for an East Las Vegas National Monument, plus improvements at Ice Age Fossils State Park

A view from the proposed East Las Vegas National Monument (Courtesy/Get Outdoors Nevada)

The Newberry Mountains, part of Avi Kwa Ame National Monument (Justin McAfee/Courtesy)

which it believes to be an ancestral “spiritual birthplace.” Unwelcome off-roading, shooting, littering and illegal dumping plagued the area, tribal members said.

There were also concerns about protecting the land from solar development, and a conflict of those arose during the campaigning process and public meetings with the Bureau of Land Management. Ultimately, a 9,200-acre renewable wind project, proposed within the current Avi Kwa Ame boundaries, did not go through.

Advocates attribute much of their success to the broad coalition of environmentalists, hikers, off-roaders, hunters, businesses, local governments and federal delegates who supported the national monument

designation. Opposition came, most notably, from Gov. Joe Lombardo, who called the designation a “historic mistake.”

“This kind of ‘Washington knows best’ policy might win plaudits from unaccountable special interests, but it’s going to cost our state jobs and economic opportunity, all while making land more expensive and more difficult to develop for affordable housing and critical infrastructure projects,” Lombardo said in a statement after Biden announced the designation.

Lombardo’s office didn’t respond to the Weekly’s request for comment about whether he’d support the creation of a national monument east of Las Vegas.

To ensure their success, the East Las Vegas National Monument advocates are in the process of building a coalition of stakeholders. “We are at that level of building partnerships, because we do want this to be a community-led effort,” Gutierrez says, adding that the name of the proposed monument could change, depending on input received.

Ice Age Fossils State Park

When it comes to state-owned land, a recent donation from a trust fund will enhance features and accessibility of a little-known state park in the north part of the Valley. On April 12, Nevada State Parks officials announced a new state-of-the-art visitor center made possible by a $3.5 million donation from Helmsley Charitable

Trust. In recent years, the foundation has invested millions in health care initiatives throughout the state, including rural health infrastructure. The grant for the visitor center “[fits] into our healthcare portfolio,” Trustee Walter Panzirer tells the Weekly “We believe getting people outside is good for their physical health and for their mental health,” Panzirer says. “[If] you look at how Las Vegas is growing, it’s important to have the park open; to have this park protected, because there’s so much history out there; and also to give people access to their lands, to have recreation out here.”

Adjacent to Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument, the 315-acre Ice Age Fossils State Park initially was announced in 2017 by then-Governor Brian Sandoval. The visitor center and a developed trail system, which are anticipated to open in fall, will offer interpretive exhibits educating about the biologic and geologic histories of the area, which has fossils of mammoths and other large mammals

dating back 2.4 million years.

One of three trails will guide visitors through the history of the Big Dig, a large-scale, multidisciplinary science experiment that took place in 1962.

“It’s one of the largest scientific expeditions ever. … They bulldozed excavation trenches, almost two miles,” says park supervisor Garrett Fehner. “People forgot about the site for a while. It’s kind of moving toward people rediscovering what is actually out here, and people are starting to fully appreciate the fossils.”

Administrator Bob Mergell, who oversees Nevada State Parks, says Ice Age Fossils, like any other place, has its own story to tell.

“Most people just see a big, empty lot, [or] a future housing development. … A lot of people have just seen a place to dump their refrigerator or a place to go shooting,” Mergell says. “When you get out there with somebody who knows what to point out, you see that it isn’t just a vacant, barren desert. There’s a lot of really cool things that you wouldn’t expect to find there.”

Ice Age Fossils State Park (Christopher DeVargas/Staff)

TAKING THE WHEEL

The Backseat Lovers

fi nd comfort in their collective growing pains

BY AMBER SAMPSON

Growing up is hard enough without being a flourishing indie rock band with a near sold-out North American tour and two highly acclaimed albums under your belt. In response, The Backseat Lovers have made a habit of chronicling their coming of age story through song.

The Utah-based band, featuring Joshua Harmon (lead vocals and guitar), Jonas Swanson (lead guitar and vocals), KJ Ward (bass) and Juice Welch (drums), wrote their 2019 breakout hit, “Kilby Girl”—about a college-aged girl with a “fake ID and a nose ring”—while still in high school. In retrospect, the material feels fitting for a group of teens.

Now in their early 20s, and in a highly visible season of their lives, The Backseat Lovers have encountered a new set of headwinds unique to adulthood—and fame. In “Snowbank Blues,” off the band’s October 2022 LP Waiting to Spill, Harmon sings, “There’s something on my chest/It’s really messing with my health/Just because I’m smiling doesn’t mean that I am/Smiling for myself/Take the stage and put the mask back on the shelf.”

benefited from those sessions.

“There’s something special about being out in nature and with the other guys and our instruments and kind of leaving that space just for music,” Welch says. “It’s one of my favorite things to do, giving all of our time and energy and life to let the music breathe and just see what happens. Some really cool stuff has happened with those trips.”

Whereas the band’s first album, 2019’s When We Were Friends, announced itself from the Utah mountaintops, Waiting to Spill whispers with gauzy fuzz and cabin-shaking acoustics. And though Harmon’s resounding vocals drive the heart of the melodies, Swanson and Welch’s instrumental contributions pump it full of richness.

“I love the kind of guitar playing that feels almost like singing,” Swanson says, naming Explosions in the Sky as an influence. Welch mentions the work of late Rush drummer Neil Peart.

THE BACKSEAT LOVERS

With Renata Zeiguer. April 28, 7 p.m., $36-$46. Brooklyn Bowl, ticketmaster.com.

“I’ve come to really appreciate how I’m not alone in this,” Welch tells the Weekly during a phone chat from northern Utah. “I can’t imagine being a solo artist. I’m really grateful that there’s four of us in this band that are going through the same stuff. We have our different lives, but that new element of this kind of lifestyle … it’s really special to me that we have each other to lean on.”

It took time to build that bond, Swanson admits on the same call. “I was always really shy growing up and not really sure of myself and how much I could share with the world,” he says. “But being in this band has definitely taught me that I don’t really need to be afraid of sharing what’s going on inside of me.”

That helps make The Backseat Lovers’ music so visceral. As co-writers, the four members regularly dive into one another’s psyches, collectively mining experiences, heartaches and fears. They’ve achieved that level of vulnerability in part by taking private writing retreats together. Waiting to Spill, Welch says,

“There’s a YouTube video of one of his drum solos that shouldn’t be able to be played by one person,” Welch laughs.

“I remember watching it and being in complete awe that someone could actually play the drums like that.”

Anything and everything is an instrument to The Backseat Lovers, evidenced on Waiting to Spill opener “Silhouette,” during which a recorded passing car drifts by, and on album closer “Viciously Lonely,” where a downpour of rain leads the song out. It’s cinematic in all the right ways.

“We’ve always been really interested by the sounds in the natural world, and a lot of that stuff was taken from voice memos on our phone,” Swanson says. “I think we seek it out now. It’s like our ears are more attuned to hearing the potential in sounds.”

The Backseat Lovers are set to play a sold-out gig at Brooklyn Bowl on April 28, the group’s first Vegas performance since Life Is Beautiful 2021. Swanson and Welch tease that there might be new songs in the setlist. The band is still adjusting to its newfound fame, “but I think the best way for me to just enjoy everything is to buckle in,” Swanson says.

The Backseat Lovers (from left): Ward, Welch, Harmon and Swanson (Courtesy/Allyson Lowry)

PLAYING IT COOL

BY AMBER SAMPSON

High noon hits differently in the desert, and we’re only partly talking about the hard seltzer. Out here, the midday sun’s a relentless, even-handed dealer of Vitamin D. So when the temperatures start to rise, Las Vegans don’t run for the hills. We head for the pools.

Ayu Dayclub has been a sort of island since Zouk Group opened it at Resorts World in 2021. It’s separated enough from the Strip to feel exotic—and its Bali aesthetic certainly helps—but what truly sets the 41,000-square-foot venue apart is its willingness to evolve with each pool season. In keeping with that theme, Ayu recently launched Beach House, a new Sunday party guaranteed to shake the palm trees of the daylife landscape.

“Ayu Beach House is a festival-like pool party concept that we came up with in the last few months,” says Matty Salazar, Zouk’s director of experiences. “We really wanted to create a brand that is consistent throughout the year and adaptable to everything that’s going on in town—festivals, sporting events, spring breaks.”

Nearly every Beach House bash keys into a specific vibe and theme, and Salazar says Zouk has partnered with several local promoters to host parties that should also attract daytime revelers who actually live here.

Opening weekends saw global hip-hop artists like A$AP Ferg, but this month Simp City hosted a localized R&B rager, and the hotly tipped Las Vegas Latin promoter Altura took over for a sexy, reggaeton day party.

Paired with Ayu’s lush backdrop of palm

trees, piñatas, clear rippling waters and a throng of bikini-clad bodies grinding to Bad Bunny and “Gasolina,” the scene lived up to what Beach House is so obviously going for— immersion. Vacation isn’t necessarily a place; it’s a state of mind you embrace when you come to pool parties like this.

Doubling down on Beach House’s festival-oriented strategy, LA music collective Soulection will also host a special Lovers & Friends weekend party on May 7 featuring Bryson Tiller.

“It’s always upbeat, it’s always fresh, and it’s always new,” Salazar says of the parties, adding that Ayu will rotate in Zouk residents like Cash Cash and DJ Five from time to time, but the emphasis is on providing something for everyone. “We don’t want to get ourselves in that position where you don’t come here

because we play certain music,” he says. “We want everyone to have a day and a time that we can kind of speak to them.”

Salazar says breaking newer artists into the Las Vegas market through the daylife scene is also a priority, given the flexibility Ayu offers.

“Being in nightlife, I feel like the daylife is a nice, breath of fresh air. Musically, I feel like you can get away with a little bit more than what you’re playing in the nightclubs,” he says. “Artists can be a little bit more creative. The new curated sets that these artists are pushing out there during the day are completely different from playing a dark room at night.”

With Beach House ongoing and Zouk Group continuing to evolve its programming, chances are high we’ll see a slew of new talent in town. “We’re working really hard on pushing the limitations of what’s being booked on the Strip,” Salazar says. “It’s going to be something that’s special, and it’s going to be something that might even change the landscape of what Vegas is used to.”

(Above left) A$AP Ferg onstage during Ayu Beach House (Courtesy/Zouk Group)

Talking DiscoShow , Nipton and more with Spiegelworld’s Ross Mollison

BY BROCK RADKE

THREE RING CIRCUS A

recent announcement has the long-awaited DiscoShow, Spiegelworld’s celebration of the music and culture of 1970s New York City, opening at the Linq next summer. It might be coming a bit later than we hoped, but the Las Vegas-based company has been busy since it reopened its three Strip shows—Absinthe, OPM and Atomic Saloon Show—after the pandemic. DiscoShow is the second of three huge projects for Spiegelworld in collaboration with Caesars Entertainment. In June, previews begin for The Hook, a new show and venue that will be joined by a second Superfrico restaurant in a historic theater space at Caesars Atlantic City. Next year brings DiscoShow to the Las Vegas Strip, and then another show and entertainment complex will launch at Caesars New Orleans, with details yet to be announced.

To top it all off, folks have been talking about Spiegelworld’s acquisition of the town of Nipton, California, 65 miles south of Las Vegas and its apparent intentions to turn the tiny desert stop into some kind of circus city. We figured the man in charge, Ross Mollison, has some explaining to do, and he was happy to oblige.

What can you tell us about the Glitterloft— home to DiscoShow at the Linq—and what the venue will look and feel like? We don’t have an exact date yet, but we’re looking at July 2024 for either previews or opening, and we just started demolition, so it will get real quickly. I think it’s a bit like the Ski Lodge [at the Cosmopolitan] in that it could be anywhere. I think DiscoShow could actually be anywhere, but the Linq happens to be the most fantastic location, directly on the Strip, where you will be able to walk straight in off the Strip opposite Caesars. It’s the heart of all the energy on the Strip, and you’ll go straight into the bar on the ground floor and transformed back to the early or mid 1970s in New York City. Then you’ll go upstairs, like you would in any old New York building, and discover all sorts of things—the show venue, a large DJ party area and a restaurant.

You just celebrated 12 years of Absinthe at Caesars Palace and also debuted the new speakeasy, Pier 17 Yacht Club. How are you feeling about the state of Spiegelworld’s three Vegas shows? I think they’re doing ne. I’m not complaining about our business, but we do miss the convention business … [which is] especially good for us, because those people come to town with the mindset of, “What else is there to do?” The shows themselves are doing ne … and we’re coming out with a project [DiscoShow] that we’ve workshopped extensively and put onstage in New York several years back. It was in fact meant to go to the Wynn, but they did not complete the deal. But it is fantastic to have something you’re passionate about and have been working on for years speci cally for Vegas.

You must be excited about opening a second location of Superfrico, Spiegelworld’s rst fullscale restaurant, in Atlantic City. I think we’ll do a better job the second time, though we did a great job the rst time, and our partners at the Cosmopolitan really were fabulous. We designed that space way back in 2013 to launch Rose. Rabbit. Lie., when we were mere babes crawling through the dark trying to nd our way, and now we’ve had this experience and [others] and we’re pushing it all back together to design and build it exactly the way we want [in Atlantic City]. I’m super-pumped for people in Pennsylvania and the New Jersey-New York area to come down to Atlantic City and see this hundred-year-old façade of the Warner Theatre and walk in to experience our show The Hook and Superfrico and all the crazy bars and things we have planned there.

You grabbed some headlines when you announced the purchase of Nipton. What do you plan to do out there? Well, people don’t really believe us, but there’s not some grand plan. There really isn’t. We’ve owned it for about a year, and we’re just feeling our way through it. We’ve got a big day coming up [April 23], joining with the Mojave National Park Service for what I call the Moop-a-palooza—three days of cleaning up the desert—and we did our workshop out there for two weeks for Box Box, a Grand Prix [themed] show we’re working on. We weren’t even trying to get publicity; we’ve just been developing shows and acts and working toward what a Spiegelworld festival might look like out there.

The Spiegelworld crew is preparing forDiscoShow.

(Courtesy/Spiegelworld)

GIVE ’EM A SHOW

Celeb chef Chris Santos gets flashy and fun at Caesars Palace

BY BROCK RADKE

Chris Santos knows how to translate a hip New York City dining concept for a varied Las Vegas audience. The Tao Group managing partner and executive chef—and familiar face from Chopped and other Food Network programs—has already done it with his Lower East Side hot spot Beauty & Essex, which he expanded to the Cosmopolitan in 2016.

When Tao acquired the Hakkasan Group and its megaclub Omnia at Caesars Palace, and the adjacent restaurant space (formerly Searsucker) became available after its pandemic closure, Santos was invited to bring back his game-changing Stanton Social concept on the Strip, with a fresh steakhouse twist.

“We wanted to grab it, because we knew it would be a great partner with the club,” Santos says. “I opened Stanton Social 15 years ago and only closed

it because the lease ran out. We were going to move it to another location in New York before the pandemic brought everything to a halt.

“It was important to me to resurrect the brand but also to bring a steakhouse into the Tao Group portfolio … so it was the chance to kill two birds with one stone. I’d spent a long time wondering if I’d have this chance to bring it back, and now I’m just really excited. It hasn’t sunk in yet, to bring something back that had so much to do with my early success.”

The fun shareable plates that distinguished the original Stanton Social (and continue to play a big role in Beauty & Essex’s popularity) are on full display in Las Vegas, including crab cake corn dogs ($26), black truffle Wagyu ribeye cheesesteak sliders ($15 each) and the beloved French onion soup dumplings ($23). Santos is particularly proud of

his latest take on steak tartare ($38), prime Wagyu filet served atop a Comté cheese “quesadilla” that blends hot and cold for an indulgent new classic.

A crucial part of any Vegas steakhouse experience, the sides are grouped into “hot potatoes” and “not potatoes,” including herb-crusted shoestring fries ($15) or “dirty tots” ($36) for those obsessed with spuds, and blue cheese creamed spinach ($17) or miso-glazed crispy eggplant ($18) for other veggie lovers.

Every Strip chophouse needs a showcase, and Stanton Social Prime has been blowing up social media with the 64-ounce “super tomahawk” ($395) served with sake-braised short ribs and bone marrow, which is flambéed tableside with cognac. But you can’t ball out every night, so there are also steak frites ($55) and other favorite cuts, including Beef Wellington for two ($85).

Santos says he’s seen the style of dining in Las Vegas and New York change a lot in recent years, noting “the showbiz aspect of dining has never been stronger. When I was rst coming up, there was no such thing as food needing to be Instagrammable. I was a little stubborn about it for a while, but I’ve come to accept it.”

He still loves it when diners put away the phones and enjoy the meal and the conversation, but he’s happy to oblige those who want to capture the majesty of the experience. Operating in Las Vegas, Santos says, has helped him make that adjustment.

“This menu lends itself both to my culinary philosophy and realizing, this is Vegas, let’s embrace that,” he says. “Let’s give dinner and a show with some fun, interactive dishes brought out to the table, and we’re going to have more tableside presentations rolling out slowly. The rst thing is still quality, but I’m letting the show in uence me more.”

BOWLED OVER

Noodlehead ’s take on comfort cuisine makes for a Chinatown must-try

 In this city, everyone has a feed full of noods on their phone. For fans of fresh, hand-pulled goodness, how could you not? Las Vegas has no shortage of Asian noodle spots, but if your cravings take you to Chinatown, you’ll find an authentic bowl at Noodlehead.

Emerging on the scene in late 2021, Noodlehead sports a bounty of comforting dishes: hot and cold tapas for the table, chow mein and fried rice, and hearty, heaping bowls of dry and soup noodles. Stick to the buddy system at this unpretentious gem, where food is best enjoyed family-style—though it might be hard to share the addictive popcorn chicken ($9) and spicy pork wontons ($8).

The noodles are where things can get heated. Spice levels range from one to three peppers, and they’re nothing to play with. The Yibon burning noodles ($12) have

the kind of kick that’ll break you

the kind of kick that’ll break you out into a sweat, but they o er such a fragrant aroma with their pickled veggies and light sprinkle of peanuts, it’s worth every lip tingle. By comparison, the Malaysian curry chicken noodles ($13) crank down the spice with coconut milk, allowing generous portions of chicken, broccoli and thickly cut potatoes to soak up that heat and balance the dish out.

Another standout: the dan dan noodles ($12), saturated in a thick chili oil sauce and topped with ground pork and fresh green onions. These chewy snarls with a hit of sweet umami are great for yearround dining—never let another noodle lover tell you a hot bowl should be seasonal. Comfort food is comfort food, and Noodlehead hits the spot. –Amber

Sampson

A5 Kobe beef at Stanton Social Prime (Courtesy/ Caesars Entertainment)

Dan dan noodles at Noodlehead (Brian Ramos/Sta )

DARE TO DREAM

The Raiders have many needs to fi ll—and past failures to atone for—in

year’s draft

BY CASE KEEFER

Ever since the middle of last season, Raiders general manager Dave Ziegler and coach Josh McDaniels have emphasized changing the team’s culture and building something sustainable for the rst time in decades within the organization. The biggest step in that process will take place April 27-29 during the 2023 NFL Draft.

In their rst draft together with the Raiders a year ago, Ziegler and McDaniels were reduced to virtual non-factors at an event held locally on the Las Vegas Strip. They traded away their top two picks to the Green Bay Packers for All-Pro receiver Davante Adams, and were left with the fewest selections of any team. This year should be the polar opposite. The spectacle shifts to Kansas City, leaving the Raiders’ brain trust hunkered down in its West Henderson headquarters to make a series of decisions certain to have a massive impact on the future of franchise.

The Raiders came into draft week with a league-high 12 selections, including at least one pick in each of the seven rounds. The powers that be resisted cutting into that capital by making any big-name trades when the new league year began last month. They also proceeded cautiously in free agency, openly stating an intention to construct a younger team, starting with a core unearthed in the draft.

This all must make Raider fans extremely uneasy, given how poorly the franchise has performed in recent drafts. The team’s inept-

itude, or unluckiness, in nding the right college prospects has reached catastrophic levels.

Las Vegas ranks last in the NFL with players it drafted accounting for only 11,904 snaps over the past ve years, according to a study by NFL analyst Warren Sharp. That’s a staggering 35,340 snaps behind the next-worst team in the rankings (the New York Jets) and 79,997 behind the rst-place Dallas Cowboys.

Long-term, lasting success will remain unsustainable if Ziegler and McDaniels can’t solve the drafting issues that plagued their predecessors. The last time a Raiders draft was billed as potentially foundational was in 2020 after the team moved to Las Vegas, and it played out disastrously.

Only one selection—fourthround cornerback Amik Robertson—remains on the roster from that draft three years ago. The 2020 draft class is already regarded as one of the worst in NFL history.

Ziegler and McDaniels won’t be around much longer if the 2023 rookies approach that level of unproductivity. The duo in charge are ghting against recent history, but it’s a battle they must win.

Here are the positions they most need to address in this year’s draft, and some of the players they could target. It’s near-impossible to link players to speci c teams, especially deep in the draft, so don’t put too much stock into the exact names.

Round grades are rough estimates based on consensus from various scouting outlets.

QUARTERBACK

Las Vegas signed presumed starter Jimmy Garoppolo in free agency and brought in journeyman backup Brian Hoyer, but Ziegler admitted he doesn’t foresee ignoring the sport’s most important position in the draft. The only question is how early the Raiders will target a quarterback, and if they would perhaps even trade up from their current No. 7 overall slot to get a potential superstar.

Potential targets: C.J. Stroud, Ohio State (high first-round grade), Hendon Hooker, Tennessee (second-round grade), Jake Haener, Fresno State (fourth-round grade).

CORNERBACK

This is the most pressing need of all, as the Raiders have perennially struggled with pass defense and currently lack a top-end coverage option.

Potential targets: Devon Witherspoon, Illinois (high first-round grade), Christian Gonzalez, Oregon (high first-round grade), Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson, TCU (thirdround grade).

this

OFFENSIVE LINE

Right guard was the weakest spot on the Raiders’ o ense a year ago, and some would say right tackle wasn’t much better. All of last year’s starters are back, but Ziegler might want new faces to push right-side incumbents Alex Bars and Jermaine Eluemunor.

Potential targets: Chandler Zavala, NC State (fourth-round grade), Emil Ekiyor, Alabama (fourth-round grade), Nick Saldiveri, Old Dominion (fifth-round grade).

TIGHT END

The Raiders scooped up veteran free agents O.J. Howard and Austin Hooper after trading away star Darren Waller, but they still need more muscle and playmaking ability at an important position in McDaniels’ o ense.

Potential targets: Luke Musgrave, Oregon State (second-round grade), Darnell Washington, Georgia (thirdround grade), Brenton Strange, Penn State (fourth-round grade).

DEFENSIVE TACKLE

Superstar edge rusher Maxx Crosby got no help pressuring opposing quarterbacks a year ago, especially from the interior, where the Raiders also received mediocre production stopping the run.

Potential targets: Keeanu Benton, Wisconsin (third-round grade), Kobie Turner, Wake Forest (fourth-round grade), Keondre Coburn (fourthround grade).

LINEBACKER

Robert Spillane arrives as a free agent from Pittsburgh expected to be Las Vegas’ leader among the linebacking corps, but there’s work to be done in surrounding him with more talent.

Potential targets: Byron Young, Tennessee (third-round grade), Ventrell Miller, Florida (fifth-round grade), Cam Jones, Indiana (sixthround grade).

Everything you do for us, you do for our community.

Congratulations to Jennifer Bergdoll on being named one of Vegas Inc’s Women Inspiring Nevada 2023

As our Senior Vice President, People Team, Jennifer is responsible for finding, hiring, and developing the very best medical professionals across all levels of our organization. And in doing so, she’s improving access to quality health care for her fellow southern Nevadans. Jennifer’s commitment to doing her part to meet the valley’s ever-growing and evolving health care needs inspires all of us, every day.

Jennifer, we are very proud to call you one of our own. And, while this special honor recognizes your professional accomplishments and community service thus far in your career, we know your leadership and dedication—at Optum and throughout southern Nevada—will make a difference for many years to come.

It has been such an honor to be involved in this year’s Women Inspiring Nevada. Growing up in Vegas, I was always surrounded by spectacular women and had no shortage of role models from which to choose. I firmly believe that the guidance and leadership of good women elevate our society. It is my immense pleasure to introduce you to nine women who have been nominated by the community for their inspirational e orts.

These women have a vast array of talents and accomplishments, each bringing her own personal experience and background to her work. Their lives are testaments to hard work, intentionality, passion and courage. They do not just inspire—they lead, they empower, they motivate and they love our community. This year’s class includes public servants, artists and philanthropists, and I hope that as you read their stories, you will be touched and encouraged by them.

On behalf of Vegas Inc, I would like to thank the past honorees who judged the nominations this year. We are grateful for your time and your thoughtfulness with these awards.

We would also like to thank our sponsors, UNLV Lee Business School EMBA Program and Southwest Medical Associates, for their support of this publication. A special thank you also goes to Virgin Hotels Las Vegas for hosting an intimate celebration to honor these remarkable women.

Congratulations to this year’s honorees. The work you do and the people you are make Southern Nevada a better place to live and work. Your leadership doesn’t go unnoticed, and it is an honor to recognize you.

Sierra Smart Special Publications Editor

Alexandra Arrieche says that her heart is with young artists. As a young girl, Arrieche dreamed of being part of an orchestra but lived in a region of Brazil that provided little opportunity to pursue classical music. When her family moved to Sao Paolo during her teenage years, she suddenly had access to music schools and more instruments than the piano she had learned to play as a child. During that period of her life, Arrieche began writing music for her friends and took up conducting for the first time. She has seen the powerful effect music has as a universal language, especially on young people. Arrieche is dedicated to providing opportunities for others to experience that magic.

Now, Arrieche is the Music Director of the Henderson Symphony Orchestra and Olympia Symphony Orchestra, as well as the principal conductor of the Antwerp Philharmonic Orchestra. At the Henderson Symphony Orchestra, Arrieche spearheads education and youth programs such as the Young Artists Competition. Another educational program near and dear to her heart is the Conductor Camp. Arrieche launched it for her friends in Brazil to help overcome the lack of opportunity available to them. That program grew into a multidimensional training program, and, in 2019, the Henderson Symphony Orchestra launched its own Conductor Camp. The annual program is set on expansion and looks forward to hosting conductors from around the country and internationally.

In addition to Arrieche’s work as director and conductor, she has collaborated with numerous well-known artists including Natasha Bedingfield, Earth Wind & Fire and Seal. Arrieche also hosts a podcast called Beethoven Was a Rockstar, on which she explores the boundaries between pop and classical music.

Music Director & Conductor Henderson Symphony Orchestra

(Wade Vandervort/Staff)

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Vice President, People Team Optum

As Optum’s people team vice president, Jennifer Bergdoll works at the intersection of health care and human resources, and truly is all about the people. The shortage of medical professionals has become a heavy topic in the minds of many in recent years, and Bergdoll is one of the creative minds working to ensure quality health care for Southern Nevadans despite national and local service gaps.

Bergdoll has spearheaded several programs in Nevada to address this problem. Earlier this year, she helped launch the medical assistant apprentice program, which helps identify and recruit individuals from underserved communities who want to work in medicine. Through this program, they’re able to learn the skills required to enter the medical workforce while on the job, eliminating the need to take time away from work to gain their education and easing the financial burden. Her regionally based physician pathway program, developed in 2017, also helps attract physicians to Southern Nevada through residencies.

In 2018, when Optum opened the Optum Care Cancer Center, Bergdoll was at the forefront of the recruitment and hiring efforts. Due to her diligent work, nearly 100 new medical professionals joined our community. Bergdoll is tireless in her work and never lets achievement inhibit progress. Her goal is to build sustainable communities and provide the best care possible to health care professionals and the Nevadans they serve.

Meeting the needs of Nevada’s healthcare system isn’t the only way Bergdoll serves the community. She was recently appointed to a board position for the Public Employees’ Retirement System. She also serves on the board of the American Red Cross and supports Project 150, Just One Project, Dress for Success, LVMPD and the Tyler Robinson Foundation.

Chief of Police Jacqueline Gravatt represents and serves North Las Vegas, Nevada’s largest minority-majority municipality.

As the first Black woman to serve as police chief of the North Las Vegas Police Department, she is committed to proactively recruiting and employing a diverse team.

“My goal for the future is for residents to see police o cers who they feel represent them, out in the community every day, building connections,” Gravatt

said. “When the public believes their police department represents them, understands them, and responds to them, it deepens trust in law enforcement and instills public confidence in their local government.”

As a woman in law enforcement, Gravatt had to learn to play to her strengths early on. The police department is often perceived as a place where physical strength and masculinity are keys to success. When Gravatt

joined the North Las Vegas Police Department in 2001, she nearly quit during training; however, she discovered that her strengths were her communication, people skills and desire to help others.

Since then, Gravatt has become an excellent leader on the force. She helps cultivate people’s individual strengths while also promoting a culture of collaboration. Gravatt has implemented leadership training and expanded

community policing and citizen engagement initiatives. In the past 10 years, the crime rate in North Las Vegas has decreased by 35%. She was also invited to attend the FBI National Academy in 2018.

Gravatt’s advice to young women entering the workforce is to seek growth. She encourages them to do this by taking risks, stepping out of their comfort zones and finding mentors who can help identify and build upon their strengths.

Chief of Police North Las Vegas Police Department

(Brian Ramos/Sta )

Assistant Fire Chief Ashanti Gray found her career in saving lives through a happy accident. In an interview for the position of Communications Specialist with the City of Las Vegas, she was given a simulation assessment for taking 9-1-1 calls. She was taken aback by the screaming on the other end of the phone, but finished the test and ended up with the highest score of all applicants. Thus began what Gray calls the career of her dreams.

“I am overwhelmed sometimes that my job is to make sure that I take care of those that take care of the community,” Gray said. “I literally wake up to make sure the heroes of the world have everything that they need to save lives—what better job is there in the world!” One of the life-saving procedures that Gray has prioritized is training dispatchers in dispatch-certified CPR. The national average of cardiac arrest patients leaving the hospital neurologically intact is 35%. For patients under Gray’s jurisdiction, the average is 73%.

In a field that has been traditionally dominated by men, Gray brings new perspectives to the force as a Black woman. She is innovative in her approach to patient care as well as employee management. She is committed to diversifying the fire department and helping those around her find new opportunities and break barriers to improve the future of the industry.

Gray’s motto is “be better.” As a visionary leader, she shares her passion for improvement with everyone around her. Her leadership inspires and encourages—and quite literally saves lives.

Assistant Fire Chief Las Vegas Fire & Rescue

(Wade Vandervort/Sta )

2023 WOMEN INSPIRING NEVADA HONOREES from your friends at UNLV Lee Business School

Chief Operating Officer

Fontainebleau Las Vegas

Fontainebleau Las Vegas, set to debut later this year, is the pride of Colleen Birch’s career so far. “All of my work and experience—more than 25 years in this industry—has led to this,” Birch said, “and I’m incredibly proud to take on the responsibilities of Chief Operating Officer and lead our team through our opening and beyond.”

Birch knew that hospitality was the industry for her after her first course on the subject at UNLV in 1997. Her parents had both been involved in hospitality in different ways, but this was the first time she saw the industry as an opportunity to combine her interests and as the direction she wanted for her career.

Since then, Birch has been busy making her mark on the Las Vegas community. She served as a member of the opening team of the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas as its Vice President (and later Senior VP) of Revenue Optimization. During her time there, she worked closely with hotel operations, convention and conference services, brand marketing, entertainment and food and beverage, giving her a well-rounded outlook of operations. All those experienced prepared her to become Chief Operating Officer at Fontainebleau.

Even with all of her responsibilities, Birch is hands-on in her efforts to lift the individuals in her community. In addition to the personal mentorship she provides for other women in the hospitality industry, she also serves as the Chairwoman of the Board for Epicurean Charitable Foundation. “I was fortunate to have people and financial resources to help me navigate and fund my education, but not all children are in that position,” Birch said. “It’s our job as community business leaders to serve as an example and offer opportunities to our students.”

Birch is also a member of Women Leading Travel and Hospitality, and regularly returns to her alma mater to speak to students about her professional experience.

(Wade Vandervort/Staff)

President & Chief Executive Officer Lexicon Bank

The mission of Lexicon Bank includes empowering clients and bankers and unleashing the economic potential of Southern Nevada. President and CEO Stacy Watkins does an excellent job of embodying those goals.

Though Watkins says she fell into a career in banking, she has dedicated the past 29 years to perfecting her craft. In her time at Lexicon Bank, she has helped expand new product offerings, tripled its team size and hit profitable revenue targets. She oversees client services and operations, as well as building community awareness and partnerships.

Watkins is heavily involved in the community and has a passion for progressing economic mobility and financial literacy in Southern Nevada. In doing so, she has partnered with several nonprofits. Watkins is a past Chairman of the Board for Junior Achievement of Southern Nevada and currently serves as co-chair of the Capital Campaign, Family Gifts Division.

She also participates with the bank’s community spotlight program highlighting other local charities, including Three Square Food Bank, Communities in Schools of Nevada, Leaders in Training, the National Association of Women Business Owners and the LGBTQ Center of Southern Nevada.

Her advice to young businesswomen is simple and bold: “Do what you love, because when times get tough you will be able to remind yourself that you are in it for the right reasons. Never give up. Work hard and have grit.”

Christopher DeVargas/Staff)

Mayor City of Henderson

Mayor Michelle Romero has spent her entire career in public service to the city of Henderson. After earning her degree in Public Administration from Upper Iowa University, Romero returned to her hometown, where she has been improving the community ever since. “I chose public service for my career, because I was taught from an early age to leave a place better than you found it,” Romero said.

The proudest achievement of Romero’s career has been the transformation of the Water Street District. As the Henderson manager of redevelopment, and later as a councilwoman, she led revitalization efforts in downtown Henderson, changing the area from an aging and deteriorating locale to a bustling hot spot hosting new and existing businesses, including community gathering places such as restaurants and the new Lifeguard Arena ice rink. Romero and local businesses formed the Water Street District Business Association and have kept the momentum going.

Henderson has been recognized as one of the best places to live in America—and one of the nation’s safest cities. Romero raised four sons in Henderson and knows firsthand how great it is to live there. Her goals for the future include ensuring that Henderson maintains its safest city designation. She has prioritized her community involvement in many ways throughout the years. From serving as a Boy Scout leader to participating on the Community Advisory Board for Henderson Hospital, Romero wants to see the city, and the people living in it, thrive.

“Leading our city is truly an honor. I look forward to going to work every day for those living, working and playing in Henderson.”

SEIZE THE SUN

STEP INTO PARADISE

Immerse yourself at Vegas’ Mykonos beach oasis, where toes belong in the sand and heads stay among the clouds. A new summer has begun in the Vegas pool scene – and it’s your time to shine.

AT VIRGIN HOTELS LAS VEGAS

President & Chief Executive Officer

Junior Achievement of Southern Nevada

Michelle Jackson is all about strengthening the community by empowering its youth. As the president and CEO of Junior Achievement of Southern Nevada, Jackson believes that addressing the economy at the grassroots levels of youth and education has far-reaching impact.

“When you have youth that grow up and know how to manage their resources, what is expected of them in their careers and know how to act professionally, then we have less need for other services like food, shelter and clothing,” she said. “We then have more citizens who can contribute to our communities’ other needs and invest in other areas of community education.”

The goal for Junior Achievement of Southern Nevada is to bridge the gap between what students are learning in school and life outside the classroom. Under Jackson’s leadership, the nonprofit has expanded and thrived. Last year, JASN received national recognition when it received Junior Achievement’s Five Star Award following six Four Star years. The honor highlights the growth of the nonprofit, including a 78% increase of students and a 124% increase of contact hours, which is well above the national average.

Jackson is dedicated to providing financial education to students in the Clark County School District, in which financial literacy courses are not offered. Over the course of the pandemic, she and her team provided innovative solutions through online courses and even a virtual career fair.

In addition to her extensive work at Junior Achievement of Southern Nevada, Jackson also serves on the Nevada JumpStart board of directors and is a fellow with the Jameson Fellowship. She finds great satisfaction working with up-andcoming leaders in the nonprofit industry and spends time giving back by mentoring those professionals and participating as a member of the Nonprofit Female CEOs.

Director of Operations TSK Architects

Wendy Sun is one of only a handful of people to have licenses to practice architecture in both the United States and China. Originally from Shanghai, Sun has been living in Las Vegas for more than 15 years, and she uses her professional experience and native language of Mandarin to explore commercial opportunities in China, manage TSK’s project portfolio there and foster relationships with Chinese developers in the U.S. Sun appreciates the dynamism of architecture and values the encouragement to foster lifelong growth and the learning that it provides her. “Knowledge and theories from other fields are openly welcomed within architecture, and these sources could be as varied as social work, psychology, sustainability, philosophy and economics,” she said. She encourages young women entering the workforce to continue learning, too. Leadership is defined and built by learning from peers and mentors and improving skill sets.

Sun also cares deeply about giving back to the community and is heavily involved in education. She’s an active member of the PTA at Vanderburg Elementary School and has served as a judge for NEF Design Drafting Competition, which exposes high school students to the creativity and problem-solving skills necessary in the construction and architecture industries. Sun also volunteers on the Las Vegas Asian Chamber of Commerce, where she champions and inspires Asian business owners. “In the future, I hope to be afforded an opportunity to help further the education of the next generation of talented architects, designers and leaders in our community,” Sun said.

Finding balance between career and family is another important endeavor for Sun. She loves being a wife and a mother and is always striving for “that magic balance.”

WOMEN ARE PUTTING THEIR STAMP ON THE SLOT MACHINE INDUSTRY

BY KATIE ANN MCCARVER VEGAS INC STAFF

There might be more men working in gaming than women, but Kimberly Cohn—senior director of game design at Las Vegas-based Light & Wonder—said she doesn’t view the industry as “male-dominated.”

Cohn said the number of women who are creating some of the top products in gaming has gone up since she began working as a designer in the industry two decades ago.

“We have women at all levels of executive management and throughout game design, and a lot of our teams have women engineers and artists, and there’s female mathematicians,” she said. “We’re starting to see women in STEM [science, technology, engineering and math] really making a di erence and coming in.”

Cohn and Jamie Knight, another senior director of game design at Light & Wonder, head up design studios at the leading cross-platform global gaming company, which creates slot machines and other forms of gaming entertainment played around the world.

Both designers have also recently debuted new machines on the market.

The latest from Knight’s studio include Zodiac Lantern, Money Link Revolution and Money Link Power 4. The latter is especially exciting because the Monkey Link and Power 4 brands are very popular, she said, and designers had the opportunity to pull from the history of both games while making a new, creative experience for players.

She said Zodiac Lantern—which is rolling out in Light & Wonder’s “cosmic cabinet,” one of its newest slot machine designs—will be popular among players.

“Zodiac Lantern, I’m really proud of,” she said. “I think it looks very di erent from a lot of games. It’s another dragon game, but dragon games are very popular. And we were able to make it look a

little bit more unique.”

Cohn’s studio recently produced both Quick Hit Explosion—which she said elevates and adds a twist to a brand with which players already connect—and Ultimate Firelink Cash Falls, a mix of two successful products also debuting in the cosmic cabinet.

Ultimate Firelink Cash Falls is the rst game Cohn said she has designed that will be intentionally released in a short period of time across multiple channels, so people who enjoy the slot machine can nd and play it on other platforms.

Cross-platform gaming, including taking popular products not only to the casino oor but social and digital spaces, is changing the industry and providing companies like Light & Wonder with a powerful tool, Knight said.

“We have a unique advantage to make those games work across all those platforms,” she said. “We’re focusing on that more than we ever have. And there are new challenges that come with changing the way we design so we can work across multi-platforms. So there’s really great planning and great people who have come on board to help make that happen for us and make that ow a little bit easier.”

Change is constant in gaming, and Cohn pointed to the evolution of Light & Wonder’s player base as an example. Many of today’s players grew up enjoying video games and utilizing smart technology, so designers work to create experiences that pique

their interest and meet their expectations.

A team of gaming designers with di erent backgrounds and points of view is important, she said, citing how a female perspective bene ts an industry in which many slot-machine players are women.

“It’s nice to add breadth to the perspectives that make these games,” Cohn said, noting that everyone at the company brings something di erent to the table. She came in as an animator; Knight as a mathematician. “I think it adds to the titles that get created, as well as the game play.”

Multiple people play a role in getting games from the studio to casino oors and other channels, she said, including artists, engineers, audio teams and more.

“Being able to be close to the casinos and watching players play your games is one of the best parts of seeing all that hard work,” Knight said, emphasizing that working with her team is another one of her favorite parts of the job.

Cohn said she ‘s thankful to work somewhere that recognizes the need for and promotes women designers, emphasizing that she and Knight represent the many female designers at Light & Wonder making a di erence.

“We’ve gotten to a pretty good place where we feel like there’s a lot of women now that are good designers in this industry,” Knight said. “We can make a good mark.”

Game designers Kimberly Cohn, left, and Jamie Knight with video slot machines in the Light & Wonder showroom. (Steve Marcus/Sta )

VEGAS INC GIVING NOTES

Nevada Donor Network appointed Dr. Zahra Kashi as its associate laboratory director. She has over 32 years of experience in the field of clinical laboratories, biologics and pharmaceuticals and will support Laboratory Medical Director Dr. Phillip Ruiz with managing the direction of the clinical laboratories, collaborating with physicians, nurses, and transplant personnel, and building and maintaining relationships with other laboratories and state/federal government agencies.

Special Olympics Nevada, which works to create inclusive opportunities for children and adults with intellectual disabilities through health, education, leadership devel-

SLICKDEALS DATA SCIENTIST

— LAS VEGAS, NV —

opment and year-round sports training, appointed Natasha Mosby as clinical consultant for its new Mindset Matters program. A licensed clinical social worker, Mosby brings more than 20 years of experience in the mental health field, working in community agencies, inpatient psychiatric hospitals, non-for-profit agencies and private practice. She will be responsible for developing and overseeing the K-12 mental health curriculum for Mindset Matters, which provides mental health and stress management techniques to students in Clark and Washoe County school districts.

The Ability Center of Southern Nevada and Brooklyn’s Best Pizza & Pasta raised

$8,542.55 during “Pizza for a Purpose” on March 31, to empower those with disabilities.

Harris Associates, the construction and design management company, raised $28,500 for Shine A Light, a nonprofit homeless outreach and placement service, during its charity golf tournament. Presenting sponsors of the tournament included Mono Wind Casino, Southwest Specialty Contractors and Standard Drywall Inc.

Las Vegas Cannabis Tours launched a “Seeds & Weed” package, with each package sold planting 25 trees through the nonprofit One Tree Planted, which works to restore damaged ecosystems.

Sripadha Inc, a Las Vegas NV-based IT Solutions Firm

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HUNGER NEVER SLEEPS

Local philanthropy making a difference

Dr. Zahra Kashi

Natasha Mosby

PREMIER CROSSWORD HOROSCOPES “BODILY ACTIVITY”

BY FRANK LONGO

WEEK OF

APRIL

27 BY ROB BREZSNY

ARIES (March 21-April 19): According to a study by Newsweek, 58% of us yearn to experience spiritual growth; 33% report having had a mystical or spiritual experience; 20% say we have had a revelation from God in the past year; and 13% have been in the presence of an angel. You will exceed all those percentages in the coming weeks. Make excellent use of your sacred encounters.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Charlemagne (747–814) united much of what we now call Western Europe. He was unusual in many respects. For example, he sought to master the arts of reading and writing. Most other rulers of his time regarded those as paltry skills that were beneath their dignity. It’s a propitious time to consider learning things you have previously regarded as unnecessary or irrelevant or outside your purview. What might these abilities be?

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Nigerian poet Ijeoma Umebinyuo has three messages you need to hear. 1. “Start now. Start where you are. Start with fear. Start with pain. Start with doubt. Start with hands shaking. Start with voice trembling but start. Start and don’t stop.” 2. “You must let the pain visit. You must allow it to teach you. But you must not allow it to overstay.” 3. “Write a poem for your 14-year-old self. Forgive her. Heal her. Free her.”

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Chinese Emperor Hungwu (1328–1398) periodically dealt with overwhelming amounts of decision-making. During one 10-day phase of his reign, he was called on to approve 1,660 documents concerning 3,391 separate issues. You may soon be called on to deal with a similar outpouring. Strive to handle it all with dignity and grace.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Humans may aspire to declare independence from dread, but 200,000 years of evolution ensures that our brains are hard-wired to be ever-alert for danger. However, if anyone could approach a state of utter dauntlessness, it will be you in the next three weeks. This may be as close as you will ever come to an extended phase of bold, plucky audacity.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Sunny, bright, cheery astrological predictions can cause unforeseen complications. Good changes often require as much modification and adaptation as challenging changes. Another truth: One astrology specialty is helping readers manage those good changes. The next two weeks will deliver a wealth of interesting and buoyant changes.

2020 KING FEATURES SYNDICATE

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Poet Pablo Neruda wrote, “Let us look for secret things somewhere in the world on the blue shores of silence.” You’ll be wise to go in quest for what’s secret, concealed and buried. You will generate fortuitous karma by smoking out hidden agendas and investigating the rest of the story beneath the apparent story. Be politely pushy.

ACROSS

1 Hair salon workers

8 Visits briefly

15 Sharp-image flatscreens, e.g.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): We’ve all done things that make perfect sense to us, though they might look nonsensical or inexplicable to an outside observer. Keep this fact in your awareness during the next two weeks. Just as you wouldn’t want to be judged by uninformed people who don’t know the context of your actions, you should extend this same courtesy to others.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): It’s understandable if you feel some outrage about the lack of passion and excellence you see in the world around you. You have a right to be impatient with the laziness and carelessness of others. But find ways to express your disapproval constructively. The best approach will be to keep criticism to a minimum and instead focus on generating improvements.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): In the 17th century, renowned church leader James Ussher announced he had discovered when the world had been created. It was at 6 p.m. Oct. 22 in the year 4004 BCE. From this spectacularly wrong extrapolation, we might conclude that not all Capricorns are paragons of logic and sound analysis 100% of the time. Now is a favorable time to indulge in wild dreams, outlandish fantasies and imaginative speculations.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): We often evaluate prospects quantitatively: how big a portion do we get, how much does something cost, how many social media friends can we add? But a few close, trustworthy friends may matter more than hundreds of Instagram friends we barely know. Examine areas of your life that you evaluate quantitatively and determine whether there are qualitative aspects neglected in your calculations.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Should you do the good thing or the right thing? Should you be kind and sympathetic at the risk of ignoring selfish needs? Or be a pushy stickler for what’s fair and true, even if I look like a preachy grouch? try to figure out how to be half-good and half-right, half-self-interested and half-generous? That will generate the most gracious, constructive results.

WALLET-SMART CANNABIS

FIND SAVVY AT A ZEN LEAF NEAR YOU

GERVONTA DAVIS VS. RYAN GARCIA WEIGH-IN | TOSHIBA

Corlene Byrd

| APRIL 21, 2023

I wonder if these are just their facial expressions when they are exchanging stories about what they had for lunch or maybe talking about the weather. They could be singing. You can kinda hear it. Look at this photo and imagine any voices saying anything, and it makes it that much better. I hear boxers love a good punch line. –

PLAZA

(Steve Marcus/Staff)