2023-09-14-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)

Deputy Editor SHANNON MILLER (shannon.miller@gmgvegas.com)

Sta Writer GABRIELA RODRIGUEZ (gabriela.rodriguez@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, 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

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

GREENSPUN MEDIA GROUP

CEO, Publisher & Editor BRIAN GREENSPUN

Chief Operating O cer ROBERT CAUTHORN

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SUPERGUIDE

Your daily events planner, starring Maná, RBD, Swedish House Mafia, Flo Rida, a film about Syd Barrett and more.

COVER STORY

Been wanting to report a faulty street light? Interested in volunteering during the next election? Here’s how to do those things and many more!

IN THIS

NEWS

A regulated future is fast approaching for street food vendors in Southern Nevada—what will it look like?

NOISE

Vegas DJ Yo Yolie gushes about Rumbazo fest and picks some other Mexican Independence Day weekend favorites.

THE STRIP

The Paradox Museum will bend your mind like you’re a spoon in The Matrix

FOOD & DRINK

00 Pie & Pub pops into Chinatown, bringing delicious pizza and Japanese whiskey drinks with it.

The Aces bring the WNBA’s best regular-season record into the playoffs. Now, can they achieve their true goal by repeating as champs?

Paradox Museum

(Courtesy)

ACOLORFUL EVENT IN LASVEGAS BENEFITING

September 27, 2023

September 27,2023

7:00 - 10:00 p.m. PT

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PLAN YOUR WEEK AHEAD

SUPERGUIDE 14

THURSDAY

SEP.

The edgy new Proper Eats Food Hall is raising the stakes and elevating its flavors for Mexican Independence Day weekend, with an assist from local food favorite Milpa and chef/owner DJ Flores. The southwest eatery known for its fresh, handmade tortillas, tasty grain bowls and inventive tacos will be dishing up the goods at the Aria culinary centerpiece throughout the weekend, with birria queso tacos, adobo chicken tacos and skirt steak asada tacos ready to be devoured. Proper Bar’s capable mixologists will complement the grub with bottomless Patrón margaritas ($29 per person) in case you really wanna party, and a DJ will be spinning tunes all weekend long. Thru 9/17, times and prices vary, Proper Eats Food Hall at Aria, propereatslasvegas. com. –Brock Radke

CARÍN LEÓN 8 p.m., T-Mobile Arena, axs.com.

LES MISERABLES

Thru 9/17, 7:30 p.m. (& 9/169/17, 2 p.m.), Reynolds Hall, thesmithcenter. com.

J BOOG With Through the Roots, Haleamano, 7:30 p.m., Brooklyn Bowl, ticket master.com

TAYLOR TOMLINSON 7:30 p.m., & 9/15, Encore Theater, ticket master.com.

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

GERARDO ORTIZ & EL YAKI

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

BARRY MANILOW

7 p.m., & 9/15, Westgate International Theater, ticketmaster. com

AUTHOR: NANA KWAME

ADJEI-BRENYAH

6 p.m., Judy Bayley Theatre, unlv.edu.

THE BRONX WANDERERS

6:30 p.m., South Point Showroom, ticketmaster.com

ADAM CAROLLA

7:30 p.m., Jimmy Kimmel’s Comedy Club, ticketmaster. com.

RENEE HALE AND FRIENDS

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

DJ DRAMA

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

RBD

8 p.m., MGM Grand Garden Arena, axs.com.

MILPA POP UP

(Courtesy/Edwin Rodríguez)

FRIDAY

RUMBAZO

With Ivy Queen, Lenny Tavarez, Guaynaa & more, 5 p.m., Downtown Las Vegas Events Center, dlvec.com.

LAS VEGAS GREEK FEST

Thru 9/17, times vary, St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church, lasvegasgreek fest.com.

SEP.

15

KASKADE 10 p.m., Zouk Nightclub, zouk grouplv.com.

MARCO ANTONIO SOLÍS 8 p.m., T-Mobile Arena, axs.com. LA INDIA YURIDIA 9 p.m., the Theater at Virgin, axs.com.

BILL MAHER 9 p.m., & 9/16, David Copperfield Theater, mgmgrand. mgmresorts.com.

RESONATE 9 p.m., the Usual Place, theusual place.vegas.

THE ALPINE CAMP 10 p.m., Sand Dollar Lounge, thesanddollarlv. com.

TOKYO MACHINE

With CPR, Gokuce, 10 p.m., We All Scream, weallscream. com.

FLO RIDA

With DJ Josh Bliss, 8 p.m., M Pool, themresort.com.

BANDA MS

With Eden Munoz, 8 p.m., Michelob Ultra Arena, axs.com.

ALEJANDRO FERNÁNDEZ 9 p.m., & 9/16, MGM Grand Garden Arena, axs.com.

GABRIEL IGLESIAS Thru 9/17, 8 p.m., the Chelsea, ticketmaster. com.

LUIS MIGUEL Thru 9/17, 9 p.m., Dolby Live, ticketmaster. com. EMMANUEL 8:30 p.m., & 9/16, Venetian Theatre, ticket master.com.

RAY ROMANO & BRIAN REGAN

10 p.m., & 9/16, Mirage Theatre, ticketmaster. com.

ADELE

8 p.m., & 9/16, the Colosseum, ticketmaster. com.

SANTANA Thru 9/17, 7 p.m., House of Blues, concerts. livenation.com.

JEEZY 10:30 p.m., Drai’s Nightclub, draisgroup.com.

LAST HEROES

9 p.m., the Wall at Area15, area15.com.

LIL REL HOWERY

7 & 9:30 p.m., & 9/16, Wiseguys Town Square, wiseguys comedy.com.

FILM: HAVE YOU GOT IT YET?

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

RALPH BARBOSA

9:30 p.m., Summit Showroom, ticketmas ter.com.

TREY KENNEDY

8 p.m., & 9/16, Red Rock Ballroom, ticketmaster. com.

By the time I’d heard of Pink Floyd, Syd Barrett had been out of the band for nearly a decade. The band that I knew was the Roger Waters/David Gilmour-fronted band that made “Another Brick in the Wall,” “Money” and “Shine on You Crazy Diamond”— not the eccentric, hallucinatory Floyd led by the troubled, but enormously gifted Barrett, one of psychedelic rock’s foremost architects. Have You Got It Yet? The Story of Syd Barrett and Pink Floyd, co-directed by Roddy Bogawa and the celebrated graphic designer Strom Thorgerson (who created most of Floyd’s iconic album covers, along with those of Peter Gabriel, Led Zeppelin and Muse), features footage of Barrett in his creative prime, as well as interviews with his Floyd bandmates and other musicians—Pete Townshend and Blur’s Graham Coxon, among others—who proudly claim this brilliant diamond in the rough as their inspiration. Thru 9/17, times vary, $10, the Beverly Theater, thebeverlytheater.com. –Geo Carter

FOR MORE UPCOMING EVENTS, VISIT LASVEGASWEEKLY.COM.

(Photo courtesy)

SUPERGUIDE

KASKADE

Noon, Ayu Dayclub, zoukgrouplv. com.

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

JOSEY SCOTT’S SALIVA

With the Nocturnal A air, 8 p.m., Count’s Vamp’d, eventbrite.com.

AUTHOR: HANIFA JACKSON

1:30 p.m., the Wall at Area15, eventbrite.com.

GALACTIC ZOO

THE CHAINSMOKERS 11 a.m., Encore Beach Club, wynnsocial.com.

CHAR MARGOLIS 8 p.m., Sahara Theatre, eventbrite.com.

SNAILS

With Rated R, 7 p.m., Citrus Grand Pool Deck, seetickets.us.

MARIE VAUNT

With Clawz, Brian Michaud, 10 p.m., Discopussy, seetickets.us.

SWEDISH HOUSE MAFIA

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

LOS ÁNGELES AZULES 8 p.m., Bakkt Theater, ticketmaster. com.

CAIFANES 9 p.m., Pearl Concert Theater, ticketmaster. com.

NOCHE UFC: GRASSO VS SHEVCHENKO 2 4 p.m., T-Mobile Arena, axs.com.

NEON TREES 9 p.m., Fremont Street Experience, vegas experience.com.

BANDA WORLD 9 p.m., Brooklyn Bowl, ticket master.com.

UNLV FOOTBALL VS. VANDERBILT 4 p.m., Allegiant Stadium, unlvtickets.com.

ZEDD 10 p.m., Zouk Nightclub, zouk grouplv.com.

QUAVO 10:30 p.m., Drai’s Nightclub, draisgroup.com.

JOHN CRUZ 8 p.m., Side Lawn at Sunset Station, ticket master.com.

FEMMES OF ROCK 6 & 8:30 p.m., Myron’s, the smithcenter.com.

KANPAI: A SAKE EXPERIENCE 7 p.m., Tivoli Village, tivolivillagelv. com.

The most stellar rave of the summer has reached us from a galaxy far, far away, and we’re not alone … in our excitement. Galactic Zoo, one of Area15’s festival-sized massives, lifts o with a killer dance music lineup anchored by house heavyweights Noizu (“Summer 91”), Bleu Clair (“Make You Mine”) and San Pacho (“Amor”), plus funked up tunes from Flamingosis, rising Bay Area producer Alltalk, Ana M, Yasmina, Shapeshftr and a takeover by the cosmic creatures of the performative puppet troupe Big Nazo. Space cadets aged 18 and up are invited to embark on this intergalactic journey—in their best star-gazing attire. “A multiverse of light, lasers and sound will be o ered to attendees, creating an immersive and sensorial experience,” Noah Kessler, Area15’s head of entertainment, said in a statement. 8:30 p.m., $40-$45, Area15, area15.com. –Amber Sampson.

FOOD + DRINK COMEDY MISC

(Courtesy)

Swedish House Mafia (Courtesy/Wynn Las Vegas)

DIPLO 11 a.m., Encore Beach Club, wynnsocial.com.

SEP.

17

WAKA FLOCKA FLAME Noon, Daylight Beach Club, daylightvegas.com.

THE 90S POP TOUR With Moenia, The Sacados, JNS & more, 8 p.m., Bakkt Theater, ticketmaster.com.

STEVE AOKI 11 a.m., Wet Republic, events. taogroup.com.

MANÁ 8:30 p.m., T-Mobile Arena, axs.com.

FILM: THE THING 7:30 p.m., the Beverly Theater, thebeverlytheater.com.

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

CRYPTOPSY With Abysmal Dawn, Hate, Reaping Asmodeia, Warforged, 6:30 p.m., Backstage Bar & Billiards, eventbrite. com.

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

JESSICA ROSADO 6 p.m., Easy’s Cocktail Lounge, easysvegas.com.

ERIC KNOWLES 8 p.m., thru 9/24, L.A. Comedy Club, bestvegas comedy.com.

RÜFÜS DU SOL With Arodes, 10:30 p.m., XS Nightclub, wynnsocial.com

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

FOR MORE UPCOMING EVENTS, VISIT LASVEGASWEEKLY.COM.

(Courtesy)

PLAN YOUR WEEK AHEAD

SUPERGUIDE

TUESDAY

LAS VEGAS AVIATORS VS. RENO ACES

7 p.m., thru 9/23 (& 9/24, noon), Las Vegas Ballpark, ticketmaster. com.

TODRICK HALL 7 p.m., House of Blues, concerts. livenation.com

FRANKIE MORENO 7 p.m., Myron’s, thesmithcenter com

UNLV WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL VS. SAN DIEGO STATE

6:30 p.m., Cox Pavilion, unlvtickets. com.

WEDNESDAY

DEVON ALLMAN & DONAVON FRANKENREITER

With Goodnight Texas, 7 p.m., Brooklyn Bowl, ticketmaster.com

FELIX DA HOUSECAT 10:30 p.m., Marquee Nightclub, events.taogroup. com.

I SET MY FRIENDS ON FIRE

With Sink In, Graey, High Sierra Club, Retrogrvde, 8 p.m., the Usual Place, eventbrite. com.

AUTHOR: EDGAR GOMEZ

LADY WINEHOUSE 7 p.m., the Space, thespacelv. com.

AUTHOR: MYRIAM GURBA

7 p.m., the Writer’s Block, thewriters block.org.

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC LIVE: MESOAMERICA

ILLUMINATED

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

THE RIGHTEOUS BROTHERS

6:30 p.m., thru 9/21, South Point Showroom, ticketmaster.com

IT’S OK! With Cromm Fallon and the P200, Suburban Resistance, 8 p.m., Dive Bar, eventbrite.com.

Each year, the Black Mountain Institute invites four writers to live and work in our city as Shearing Fellows, conducting internal workshops with UNLV students, along with public readings. In addition to hosting three meetings of the Latinx book club at the Writer’s Block this fall, Fellow Edgar Gomez will read from High-Risk Homosexual at UNLV. The 2023 memoir was called a “breath of fresh air” by The New York Times and recently won the prestigious American Book Award. And, perhaps, the Florida-born writer will also read from a second memoir, Alligator Tears, slated for release by Crown in 2025. 7 p.m., free, UNLV’s Beverly Rogers Building, blackmountaininstitute.org. –Shannon Miller

FOR MORE UPCOMING EVENTS, VISIT LASVEGASWEEKLY.COM.

Frankenreiter (left) and Allman (Courtesy/Rodney Bursiel)

FRESH INK

BY BROCK RADKE

Showgirl and model

Sabina Kelley on her new shop and her stage legacy

Sabina Kelley has the distinct honor of being the first heavily tattooed showgirl to headline a show on the Las Vegas Strip. The model and TV personality has parlayed her personal style into a truly unique career, and she took another new step earlier this year with husband and artist Nixx Gessner by opening Smiles N Cries on the east side, the couple’s first co llaborative ink shop. We caught up with the former cast member of Jubilee and Pin-Up to find out when she might return to the Vegas stage and why tattoos are such a big part of her life.

Since you were a showgirl in Jubilee who moved on to burlesque, we can’t help but ask you about your thoughts on Dita Von Teese’s upcoming burlesque show at the Jubilee Theater. Those are some big shoes she’s trying to step into with Jubilee being such an iconic show, but I’m super excited for it. I hope she does amazing. The art of burlesque is definitely different than the art of the showgirl. When I was in Jubilee, we trained really hard six days a week to learn the walk, the poses, everything. I know her, and I sent her an email and offered my assistance on anything I could help with. Vegas definitely needs more showgirl shows.

Do you have any performances in the works these days? I’m working on some stuff right now, but I can’t say what it is. I was doing some guest spots

in X Burlesque and X Country [in recent years], and I did A Touch of Burlesque . I just shot for the cover of Playboy in the Czech Republic and flew to the U.K. to shoot that. There’s definitely something in the works.

How are things at the new tattoo shop? It’s really cool. We opened up Smiles N Cries, and we took over the next room over for City of Sin, which is clothing, streetwear, so we have both. That’s where I’ve been since we opened three months ago. We’ve both owned tattoo shops before, but this is the first one we’ve done together, and we have both have respected names in the tattoo industry.

Is there a niche for this shop in the local tattoo landscape?

Definitely high-quality black and gray tattooing is what we specialize in, but we have artists that do

color work also. Our artists can do anything, especially Nixx. A true artist can draw anything; there’s no copying off a computer.

How have you seen the local industry change through the years? I think there are over 400 shops in Vegas, and some are the kind of place you can just walk in and get a $10 tattoo. Some are really incredible shops, high-end, [shops] that have taken it to the next level, and I think we’re one of those. Our artists take the time to really make it a custom experience. We make sure, if it’s a full day appointment, that we feed the client and really make it a whole experience.

You started getting tattooed after you thought you were done performing. What was it like to transition into other styles of performance after that? To be a showgirl in a show like Jubilee, you couldn’t have tattoos. You have to look like the other girls. You can’t have tan lines; you’d get pulled offstage. That’s why I turned to burlesque, because that was one of the art forms where you could be tattooed, you could have curves, there was no criteria. And it went side-byside with being a pin-up [model] and the whole rockabilly scene that I became a big part of. I did some TV shows, and then the show Pin-Up opened at the Strat and I was asked to guest headline that show, and I was scared to do it because I was tattooed. No casino has used a girl who was heavily tattooed to headline, so it was taking a big chance. But it sold out the first week, and they ended up keeping me on. It just worked out really well. So tattoos are definitely more mainstream now, but I think if I didn’t have a name and showed up to audition back then, I don’t think they would hire me. I have a name and a fanbase, and that’s why it works.

Nixx Gessner and Sabina Kelly (Courtesy/ MichellexStar)

CAIFANES

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 16

BLANCO BROWN

SATURDAY

SEPTEMBER 23

DEREK HOUGH

Feeling restless? Here are a few ways to improve your community (and yourself)

We hate to keep bringing this up, but it wasn’t all that long ago that we were stuck inside with little to do but binge TV shows and perfect sourdough starter. When COVID struck, our lives instantly de ated, then slowly re lled with social media and streaming services. We lost our community connections, and in a way, we disconnected from ourselves. Enough of that. While COVID is still skulking around out there (and, by the way, you should strongly consider getting that fall booster, and hang onto those masks in case there’s a surge), it’s time that we reinvested time and e ort in the world outside, in ways that can enrich both our neighbors and ourselves. That means volunteering for local entities, groups and organizations that always require help—some even more so now, with our post-COVID world as fractured as it is—but it also means getting out and having fun, interacting with old friends and friends you haven’t yet made. It means getting involved

Here are some ways you can get involved with your city. It’s by no means a complete list of the charities, social groups and playing elds that would be glad to have you, but we think it’s a good place to start. We’ll see you out there.

HELPING YOUR CITY HELPING YOUR CITY HELPING YOUR CITY GET INVOLVED

HOW TO CLEAN UP TRAILS AND PARKS

There are few more immediate ways to help your community than picking up its trash. According to a 2021 study by Keep America Beautiful (kab.org), there are nearly 50 billion pieces of litter scattered across the country—or 152 pieces for every citizen. We haven’t done a scienti c poll on this, but we suspect that if we asked you if you prefer your parks, trails and public spaces covered in garbage, you’d say “nah.”

The Las Vegas Valley is festooned with the trash of tourists and locals alike, so we have a good number of volunteer organizations devoted to picking it up. City of Las Vegas residents can go full Wall-E on their neighborhoods through the AdoptA-Spot program (shorturl.at/guzIS), and a similar program is available in Henderson (shorturl.at/ciAJX). Get Outdoors Nevada organizes multiple cleanups of the Valley’s parks and trails every month; see getoutdoors nevada.org/get-involved for sign-up details. And if you’d like to lend a hand in keeping Red Rock Canyon’s trails pristine, visit redrockcan yonlv.org/canyon-clean-up-16

Geo Carter

HOW TO HELP THE UNHOUSED

unhoused community in the Valley, and one of the best ways is donating to and volunteering with organizations that are already embedded in that work.

In the heart of the Corridor of Hope north of Downtown, where homeless services are concentrated, Catholic Charities is always seeking volunteers to help with its daily community meal service. It also has a list of items needed for in-kind donations at catholiccharities.com. Donations can be dropped o Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Across the street, CARE Complex (carecomplex.org) helps the unhoused population with essential services including identi cation assistance, locker storage, mail services, internet and phone access. Their website has a list of in-kind donations that can be dropped o during operating hours. They’re also seeking volunteers in a variety of functions including sorting donations, overseeing the locker storage program and teaching life skills classes.

Just south on Las Vegas Boulevard, United Movement of Kindness is seeking volunteers for its monthly community relief event, which takes place the third Saturday of each month and provides haircuts and showers. Those who are interested can sign up on the nonpro t’s website umokindness.org. The website also has information about how companies can donate items.

And the Shade Tree (theshadetree. org), which serves homeless women and children, accepts in-kind donations by appointment. The nonpro t also is seeking volunteers to help with activities and meals for clients, teaching life skills, data entry, sorting donations and transportation. Those who are interested can ll out an application on their website.

–Shannon Miller

HOW TO PARTICIPATE IN PUBLIC MEETINGS

If you’re looking to make your voice heard in public meetings, the Board of Clark County Commissioners’ meetings every rst and third Tuesday of each month would be a good place to start.

The meetings follow an agenda posted online before the meeting and discuss matters impacting the community, including the creation of local ordinances and regulations. Agendas can be found on Clark County’s website (just Google “Clark County meeting agendas”).

Public comment can be given at the Clark County Government Center and varies, depending on which agenda item you want to comment on. If the item is marked “For Possible Action” on the agenda, you’re asked to ll out and submit an interest card located at the front of the commission chambers. If the item isn’t listed as “For Possible Action,” you’re asked to wait until the public comment period at the end of the meeting, which can last hours.

When stepping up to the podium in front of the Board of Commissioners, commenters are asked to clearly state their name, address and spell their last name for the record. A three-minute time limit on comments can be extended by the Chair or a majority of the Board.

Cities within Southern Nevada, including Boulder City, Henderson, Las Vegas and North Las Vegas, hold their own City Council meetings with varied ways for people to watch and give public comment online and in person. More information is available on their respective city websites.

–SM

HELPING YOUR CITY

YOUTH SPORTS

“Without o cials, there’s no games,” Vince Kristosik likes to say, and he’s right. “You can have the coaches ready, the bus drivers, the school police, but without o cials, you can’t have a game.”

The Southern Nevada O cials Association (SNOA) is always in

That’s where you come in. (SNOA) need of new o cials—at the high school, middle school and even youth sports levels—and experience is not a prerequisite. “As long as someone pays attention and takes it seriously,” says Kristosik, SNOA’s president. “It’s good exercise, and you can pick up some supplementary income, so there’s no better time to get involved.”

To do so, head to snoao cials. com/join-snoa and ll out the information form. You’ll soon be attending training sessions, and before long you can be out on the eld or court for football, basketball, volleyball, soccer, baseball, softball and more, earning $45$73 per game. And if you’re not up for strenuous physical activity, don’t stress. SNOA also needs lots of auxiliary helpers—clock operators, scorebook keepers and the like—to keep the Valley’s countless athletic contests running smoothly, day after day.

–Spencer Patterson

AN ELECTION WORKER

ensure safe and fair elections in your community. The role of a poll worker is nearly as vital to democracy as the act of casting a vote. Election season is fast approaching, and Clark County needs volunteers now more than ever—to oversee voter registration, set up voting machines, answer voter questions and alleviate long wait times at the polls. Volunteers are needed for Election Day, as well as the 14 prior days of early voting. The requirements are simple: You must be a registered voter or enrolled

in high school (age 16 and over);

HOW TO QUALIFY A STATEWIDE BALLOT MEASURE

Five statewide ballot measures have been certi ed to appear on Nevada’s ballot in 2024, meaning voters will have ve more opportunities to get involved in the legislative process. But how did they get there in the rst place? The answer is kind of complicated, but it helps to break down types of petitions that lead to a ballot measure—initiatives and referendums.

HOW TO REPORT EVERYDAY PROBLEMS

you cannot be related to or be a candidate for election; and you cannot be a poll watcher. (And bilingual poll workers are always welcome—Spanish speakers, but also volunteers uent in Tagalog and Mandarin.) Upon meeting the requirements, the Clark an afternoon to complete. Visit shorturl.at/irxF4

County Election Department will provide training, which we’re told generally takes about an afternoon to complete. Visit for details.

–Gabriela Rodriguez

Statutory initiatives seek to create a new law or amend an existing state or local law. They start as a petition, which must be led with the Secretary of State prior to circulating. If they get a designated number of signatures (at least 10% of registered voters who voted at the last preceding general election), they can go to the Legislature for a vote. “If the Legislature approves the initiative, it becomes law. However, if the Legislature rejects the initiative or fails to act on the initiative within 40 days, the initiative is presented to the voters at the next general election,” reads the Secretary of State’s website.

HELPING YOUR CITY HELPING YOUR CITY

Not all statutory initiatives have to go through the Legislature. Petitions that seek to amend the Nevada Constitution can go immediately to the general election ballot, if they get enough signatures.

Referendums seek to approve or disapprove an existing state or local law. They also start as a petition led with the Secretary of State prior to circulating, and require a number of signatures that equals at least 10% of voters who voted in the last general election. But rather than going to the Legislature, they go straight to the state’s general election ballot.

Complete information about how to qualify for a statewide ballot measure is available from the Secretary of State’s website, nvsos.gov. –SM

Potholes, gra ti, deserted vehicles, trash and noise from short-term rentals are some the common problems we often come across while going about our day. These issues might seem small, but it’s a good idea to tackle them sooner rather than later, before they grow into bigger, more entrenched problems. Fortunately, there’s a convenient way to report these issues immediately and make sure they’re addressed swiftly.

FixIt Clark County is an app that invites the county’s residents to report various issues within its jurisdiction. Help requests can include those issues named above, along with animal control, broken streetlights, water leaks and more. The requests are then relayed to the appropriate entity—code enforcement, business licensing, public works and so on. You provide photos and details, and the user-friendly GPS feature allows the County to pinpoint the exact location of the problem. The app even provides status updates.

Fixit Clark County is available for both iPhone and Android; visit shorturl.at/nzDG7 for more information. –GR

HOW TO FIND A BOOK CLUB OR JOIN A BOARD GAME NIGHT

Ah, so you’re the bookish and board-gamish type, are ya? Well, there’s plenty of ways to connect with your literary and board game communities.

The Writer’s Block (thewritersblock.org) hosts a plethora of book clubs every month, tailored to a variety of interests. There are book discussions paired with whiskey, cookbook book clubs, Latinx book clubs, graphic novel book clubs— the list goes on. There’s no registration process; simply show up, having (preferably) read the book, and ready to indulge in engaging conversation.

(preferably) themed libraries o er monthly book clubs covering classic lit, quick read

HELPING YOURSELF HELPING YOURSELF HELPING YOURSELF HELPING YOURSELF

HOW TO GET INTO … PICKLEBALL?

The pickleball thing is crazy. In recent months, this oddball hybrid of badminton, pingpong and tennis, played with a lightweight, Wi e-like ball, has exploded in popularity. Locals of all age groups have taken up the sport. Pickleball courts have sprung up in parks across the Valley, from Skye View to Oak Leaf. Sunset Park boasts an entire pickleball complex, with 20 courts open to the public from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily. And Dapper Companies is partnering with Eureka Restaurant Group to open Electric Pickle—a luxe restaurant, bar and pickleball concept—at Dapper’s Bend entertainment and retail complex in southwest Vegas sometime next year.

The reason for pickleball’s meteoric rise in Vegas is the same as its ascent everywhere else: It’s a fun social activity. The racket and balls are relatively inexpensive. The learning curve isn’t terribly steep, and the intensity of play is adjustable—you can play a fast, competitive game and enjoy it, or a pokey, easygoing game and enjoy that, too. The potential for social interaction

is high; you need at least one other person to play (but, ideally, three others), and according to folks who play at Sunset Park, it’s not at all unusual for players to show up alone and nd partners. And novices don’t need to worry about jumping in at the deep end, because experienced pickleball players seem only too happy to share what they know. Pickleball is currently the hottest of what we’ll call the “social sports,” but it’s not the only game you can play while engaging in conversation and good-natured smack-talking. Electric Pickle will also feature regulation courts for bocce, the Italian lawn bowling-like game that you can play today on one of the 10 courts at Justice Myron E. Leavitt & Jaycee Community Park, 7 a.m.-11 p.m. daily. (Bocce sets, like pickleball gear, are inexpensive and available at most sporting goods shops and on Amazon.) It, too, is a very social game—though with the Italian American Club just steps away, it can get a little bit competitive, in a good way. Visit bocceclubof lasvegas.com to learn more. –GC

The Valley’s libraries are also a reservoir of themed book clubs. The libraries o er monthly book clubs covering classic lit, quick read clubs featuring short poems and impactful novel chapters, manga book clubs and more. Find the reading lists at thelibrarydistrict. org/bookclubs.

If you prefer dice towers to bookmarks, Meepleville Board Cafe (meepleville.com) hosts board game meetups on Wednesdays, where games will be set up for play, including the fast-paced strategy title Werewolf. And social games of euchre happen every Thursday. Pay a $10 nominal fee and you’re in. Vegas’ LGBT boardgamers also have some fun options. Las Vegas Gaymers, an LGBTQ+ video gaming group, holds monthly meetups at Meepleville, as well as a monthly table-top day at Henderson Equality Center. Check the group’s Instagram for upcoming events at instagram.com/lasvegasgaymers. –Amber Sampson

HOW TO ENGAGE WITH LOCAL ARTS & CULTURE

HELPING YOURSELF

The easiest way to engage with the arts in Las Vegas, whether they’re onstage or on the gallery wall, is to simply show up. Attend gallery openings; check out theatrical productions; see local bands; experience weekend arts fairs; explore the Valley’s museums. The next level of support is nancial—making onetime or recurring donations to arts groups, sticking a few bucks in the donation jar at events, or simply giving money to the artists directly, either by purchasing their work or by seeking out their Patreon accounts. But if you’re strapped for cash, another great way to engage with the arts—both as a supporter and as a fan—is to volunteer.

The Smith Center is looking for ushers, ASL interpreters, tour guides and more; visit thesmithcenter.com/ about/volunteer to learn more.

UNLV’s Barrick Museum (unlv.edu/ barrickmuseum/volunteer) could use help in admin, collections, guest services and many other areas. The City of Las Vegas’ O ce of Cultural A airs needs you to help run Concerts in the Park, cultural festivals and other open-air events, especially in the busy fall and winter; see shorturl.at/J1278 for details. And First Friday ( lv.org/blog/volunteer), the Springs Preserve (springspreserve.org/support/volunteer.html) and the Burlesque Hall of Fame (burlesquehall.com/support/ volunteer) are all looking for helpers.

Even in a metropolis of 2.3 million people, support for Vegas arts has traditionally been spare. If you’re at an arts and culture event and grateful to be so, nd someone in charge and ask how you can help with the next one. As a side bene t, you’re pretty much guaranteed to meet people who share your interests. And if not at this event, then at the next one—which you helped to make happen. –GC

HOW TO ADOPT OR FOSTER A PET

Adopting or fostering a furry friend is one of the most rewarding acts of service you can do, both for your community and for your own home.

“Shelters and rescues are overflowing with requests to take in animals, and when you adopt you not only save a life, but you open up a space for another life to be saved,” says Nikki Martinez, director of feline solutions at Hearts Alive Village.

And fostering a pet temporarily is just as impactful. “Our foster parents are the bridge from life on the streets for these animals to life in a forever home,” Martinez says. “Fostering is a great way to test out having that animal in your care without making the commitment of adopting.”

How to Foster

Apply to foster online (heartsalivevillage.org), and sta will find the right foster for you.

Pet supplies (food, litter, bedding and toys) are covered by Hearts Alive Village, as well as medical costs (spay/ neuter, vaccinations and so on).

How to Adopt

Apply to adopt online (heartsalivevillage.org), and sta will contact you. Expect foster parents to aid in the screening process. Adoption fees range around $100, but consider medical, boarding and pet sitting costs. Pet insurance is recommended for any unexpected health expenses.

... I don’t have a yard? Yes! “We have older dogs, large and small, that … do very well in apartments, as long as they can be taken out for potty breaks,” Martinez says.

... I already have a pet in the home? Most foster parents do already have pets. Just ensure your new animal can isolate in a separate area during the quarantine period, which lasts up to two weeks.

... My work schedule is intense, and my hours are irregular? Avoid newborn animals because they might require bottle feeding, Martinez says. Opt for older, adult animals that can eat on their own.

... I have a very active lifestyle, and I’m accustomed to being outdoors? “If you’re an outdoorsy person, and you want to have a companion with you, you can borrow a dog for the day and take a dog on a field trip,” Martinez says. “It not only helps them get exposure to show other people that the dog’s available for adoption, but it also helps them mentally, so they’re not stuck in a kennel all day.”

... I have a small child or baby? With proper supervision, exposing young animals to kids can be great, Martinez says. It allows them to get used to possible children in their forever home.

... I am a senior who lives alone? There’s plenty of senior and adult pets that would match up great with a senior owner’s lifestyle. Just avoid the jungle kittens. –AS

SHOULD I ADOPT OR FOSTER IF …

SEPTEMBER 5 - OCTOBER 26

MONDAY - THURSDAY 9AM TO 4PM

Grand Gallery, Las Vegas City Hall | FREE

Featuring the collection of Todd Fisher and the Debbie Reynolds estate.

BUILDING CHARACTER

Las Vegans seek connection and adventure on Dungeons & Dragons game nights

BY AMBER SAMPSON

We’re awakened at knifepoint by the bandits from the bar. Lord knows how they managed to sneak into our quarters undetected, but if they want our gold, they’ll have to earn it. I foolishly surrendered my mace to the Edgewater blacksmith for repair, so bludgeoning our unruly guests is out of the question. That doesn’t stop our holy knight and bard from charging in for the assault. As the whistling steel of a sword wallops down on one ru an’s leg, I conjure the power of the divine clergy, thrusting a devastating sacred ame at the others who dare run. They’re de nitely smart to try.

popping up around town.

“It’s become more socially accepted,” says Timm Metivier, owner of Meepleville Board Game Cafe, a place lled with thousands of board games and all the D&D supplies you need to get started.

“I’m turning 60 this year, and when I was growing up, there was a thing called the ‘satanic panic.’ If you played Dungeons & Dragons, people thought you were gonna kill your parents,” he says. “People understand now that it’s just a game. There’s nothing demonic or evil about it. It’s just fantasy. It o ers people a really great escape.”

Dungeons & Dragons has had many “moments” during its 50-year run. Like a formidable necromancer, the tabletop role-playing game has a way of resurrecting itself in pop culture, most recently through Stranger Things storylines, in the 2023 lm Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves and in the new Baldur’s Gate 3 video game. Hell, even Chris Pine digs it.

Meanwhile, D&Ders around the Valley continue to embark on their own adventures within the game, with more D&D nights than ever

Meepleville has run as many as 10 D&D sessions a week, but the cafe ultimately ran out of dungeon masters—the experts who lead players through the adventures— and couldn’t keep up with demand. These days, individual D&D groups, some featuring longtime regulars, gather there on a regular basis. “People come in religiously every week,” he says. “It’s a big part of their life.”

Red Dwarf owner Russell Gardner and grand dungeon master Justin DiMatteo launched a biweekly Drinks & Dragons night shortly after the tiki dive bar opened in 2021. A self-professed board game nerd, Gardner always dreamed of making it a regular part of his programming, and it wasn’t di cult to convince customers to roll the dice.

“I’ve talked to some people that are still on the same campaign for ve or 10 years,” Gardner says. “They get together once a month, they pull out their characters, they’ve got all these bu s and powers and they have fun. It’s this inside joke of guys who started playing when they were in college. Now they’re retiring, and they’re still playing together.”

heart are still kind of kids who like stories,” DiMatteo says.

“The crowd we bring here at Red Dwarf is a fantastic microcosm of the role-playing fan base across the world. You’ve got young people, old people, men, women, non-binary.”

I drop into Red Dwarf on a Tuesday night, and the place is predictably packed with D&D players. It takes mere seconds to nd a group of girls(!) readying themselves in the corner. They blink up from their pints, their character sheets and pouches of dice pushed aside. And with a resounding “Yes!” they welcome me into their party, making room for a stranger. The acceptance is so immediate, so instinctual, it throws me.

Such is the overlooked beauty of D&D. You show up, meet some strangers, save a princess and head home—until next time, heroes.

“It’s this really cool, shared experience where I think a lot of us at

An IT guy during the day, DiMatteo debuts all of his creative writing material during his Drinks & Dragons nights. In his 20s, he went to school for video game art and worked on a few indie video games, but he says he didn’t play “proper D&D” until 2020.

“I still have that logical mindset that I exercise in my daily work, but there’s always going to be that little part of me that’s creative and wants to scratch that itch,” he says.

“I couldn’t really nd out how to do that. Doing this brought that back.”

DiMatteo ddles with di erent storylines and themes to keep it fresh. Some weeks, Red Dwarf will do a steampunk D&D night; on others it’ll be cyberpunk. They’re essentially bite-sized novels, propelled by a strong and fanciful imagination, and DiMatteo takes the work seriously.

(Continued on Page 30)

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (Paramount Pictures); Baldur’s Gate 3 (Larian Studios); Stranger Things (Netflix)

Playing Dungeons & Dragons at Red Dwarf (Wade Vandervort/Sta )

(Continued from Page 29)

“I like world building and storytelling way more than I like being just one person inside the story,” he says. “That speaks to me.”

The women I join for Drinks & Dragons know DiMatteo’s campaigns well. “We play D&D every week,” says Jasmine Davis, who learned to play by attending the events. And when she, and her 30-something friends, Rachel Nash and Lillian Olney, aren’t playing at Red Dwarf, they’re rolling dice elsewhere.

“After we played this and had so much fun, we actually started a home campaign,” Davis says, glancing at Olney, who plays a musical bard. “She’ll literally have a recorder and a ukulele in her car, and she’ll bring it inside.”

The best part? “I can’t play any of them,” Olney says.

Despite that total dedication to her character, Davis admits she had to warm up to the idea of playing Dungeons & Dragons at a bar. “Oh yeah, I de nitely thought it was gonna be, like, weird people

in their mom’s basement. But then we turn around and our home campaign is in my garage and my mom’s in the living room fully bringing us chips,” she laughs.

Just after 7 p.m., DiMatteo lays down the ground rules of the night’s campaign—a four-hour adventure, broken into 30-40 minute chapters. Purchasing a beer shot special adds powerful bu s to your character.

“Rule No. 1, have fun. I recommend you f*ck around,” he says. “You can play it straight or you can improvise.”

Our heroes choose to do a bit of both. Nash, who has played D&D for ve years, accepts the role of table dungeon master for us, using DiMatteo’s story binder to set the scene. I choose the mace-wielding (and somehow holy?) cleric, mostly because her “sacred ame” ability can scorch a monster into next Tuesday with the right damage roll.

“I play a paladin, and her name is Persephone. I pretty much just kick ass,” Davis says. “I enjoy making up a character that is what I would be if I was in that situation. You know when you watch a movie or you watch something in sci- , and you’re like, ‘Well I would do this. This is the character I would be’ ... I like that I can nally make that almost a reality in a way.”

So a bard, a paladin and a cleric walk into a bar—er, tavern. There’s a sketchy gang checking us out. Or are they? Roll for perception. OK, better luck next time.

Our time in the ctional town of Edgewater goes on like this for hours. We chat with a goblin bartender. We foolishly give almost all of our party members’ weapons away to the town blacksmith (who has a terrible freaking repair rate, by the way). We wind up at a lighthouse, where a mysterious quiet girl knows more than she’s letting on. Oh, and did I mention some of the townspeople have gone missing? The plot thickens. And I can’t

remember the last time I laughed this much at a bar.

“D&D is super fun. It’s great to come here, meet new people and have an extra place to socialize with people you never would meet before, which is really hard, because everyone’s just on apps,” Olney says. “I work in social media full-time, so all I do is stare at computers and message people. This is a great way to be in the moment.”

She’s right. I haven’t peaked at my text threads once. “People want to get out of their normal day-to-day, but still be social,” Gardner adds.

The pandemic, he says, accelerated that need. And more people have realized that D&D is just a nerdier means of connecting—and kicking your imagination into overdrive.

“You don’t necessarily have to be friends or even know the people that you’re in a campaign with,” Metivier says. “But as soon as you sit down with your character and you start playing and become part of the adventure, you’re all of a sudden like a family. You’re a team.”

Diggin’ into D&D at Red Dwarf (Wade Vandervort/Sta )

IN THE NEWS

Political landscape in state shifts

NONPARTISAN REGISTRATIONS SURGING IN VOTER ROLLS

Nonpartisans continue to be the largest share of the Nevada electorate after overtaking Democrats in July for the first time in state history, according to voter registration figures published this month by the secretary of state’s office.

There were 611,889 voters who identified as nonpartisans, or roughly 32% of Nevada’s active registered voters, according to the report. Approximately 601,000, or 31.6%, identified as Democrats, and 551,00, or 28.9%, of the state’s active voters, called themselves Republicans.

By comparison, Democrats in 2020 had a state-best 669,056 active voters, followed by Republicans at 638,169 and nonpartisans with 439,927.

“There are more nonpartisans in part because of the adoption of automatic voter registration,” said Dan Lee, a political science professor at UNLV, noting that nonpartisan is the default designation for those registering but not selecting a party preference. “That’s been one factor that contributed to this increase in unaffiliated, nonpartisan voters.”

But just because there are more so-called nonpartisans than ever, Lee said, it doesn’t necessarily translate to a more moderate electorate.

“The term we use in political science, we like to call them ‘closet partisans,’ ” Lee said. “They’re people who vote a lot like partisans, so people that pretty consistently vote either Democrat or Republican.”

–Casey Harrison

COMMUNITY

CELEBRATING HENDERSON LITTLE LEAGUERS

EDUCATION DEPARTMENT PUSHES FOR LATER SCHOOL START TIMES

The Nevada Department of Education is moving ahead with regulations to push back school start times statewide despite opposition from some district officials—including from the Clark County School District, which has threatened legal action.

The state board is considering guidance to require that all public schools start after 8 a.m., citing research into the biological rhythms of adolescents and the

health and wellness benefits of accommodating young people’s natural functioning with later start times. The proposed regulations have schools phasing in later start times beginning with the 2024-25 school year.

CCSD standardized its start and dismissal times to streamline busing, scheduling high schools to start around 7 a.m., middle schools around 8 a.m. and elementary schools around 9 a.m. –Hillary Davis

Sabrina Frett, 4, plays in foam shot from a Foam Daddy Cannon following a ceremony honoring members of the Henderson Little League at Water Street Plaza in downtown Henderson. The team represented the Mountain region this year at the Little League World Series. (Steve Marcus/Staff)

NEVADA

SHE SAID IT

WATCH THIS

BY THE NUMBERS

$287K

The median sales price of local condos and townhomes reached an all-time high of $287,000 in August. That’s up more than 8% from the same time last year, toppling the previous high of $285,000 in May 2022. “I attribute that to the demand for lower-priced housing options exceeding our supply,” said Lee Barrett, Las Vegas Realtors president.

9.11.2023

FOREVER REMEMBERED

Retired City of Las Vegas Fire & Rescue public information o cer Tim Szymanski rings a bell during a 9/11 tribute ceremony at City of Las Vegas Fire Station 5. A piece of a steel beam recovered from the rubble of the World Trade Center is shown at left. (Steve Marcus/Sta )

THE STRIP

Cybersecurity issue prompts computer shutdowns

A “cybersecurity issue” led to the shutdown of some casino and hotel computer systems at MGM Resorts International properties across the United States.

The incident began September 10. The extent of its e ect was not immediately known on reservation systems and casino oors in Las Vegas and states including Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York and Ohio, company spokesman Brian Ahern said.

The FBI is “aware of the incident,” the bureau said in a statement from its national press o ce. It characterized the event as “still ongoing” and did not disclose details.

MGM Resorts said in a statement it identi ed a “cybersecurity issue a ecting some of the company’s systems” and that its investigation involved external cybersecurity experts.

The nature of the issue was not described, but the statement said e orts to protect data included “shutting down certain systems.” It said the investigation was continuing.

The company has tens of thousands of hotel rooms in Las Vegas at properties including the MGM Grand, Bellagio, Cosmopolitan, Aria, New York-New York, Park MGM, Excalibur, Luxor, Mandalay Bay and Delano.

–Associated Press

“I have to be two hours early to work and be two hours late to get out. Even though we wanted this Formula One race, it’s diffi cult taking care of four kids and our life for work.”

Fdil Ismail , a single mother and employee at the Horseshoe

The Raiders play at Bu alo on September 17 at 10 a.m.

STREET HASSLE

Sidewalk vendors face a bumpy pathway to licenses and legal operation

(Shutterstock/Photo Illustration)

BY SHANNON MILLER

Walking into the annual Electric Daisy Carnival festival at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, one typically sees sidewalk vendors lined up near the festival entrance, serving up hot dogs and other street foods for thousands of hungry partiers. That could all change, however, following the passage of a bill meant to decriminalize the practice.

Like short-term rentals, sidewalk vending is widespread; technically, though, it’s illegal and can result in penalties for operating an unlicensed business. Senate Bill 92 was signed into law by Gov. Joe Lombardo in July, and requires Clark and Washoe Counties to establish ordinances to allow sidewalk vendors to apply for a business license and to operate legally in certain areas.

Nevada Sen. Fabian Doñate, the bill sponsor, says this hopefully will improve conditions for sidewalk vendors and their businesses, instead of a pattern of confiscation and criminalization. “Many of them are vulnerable. We hear stories of repeated harassment, intimidation, humiliation,” Doñate tells the Weekly

But while the bill creates a pathway for licensure and legality, it also imposes restrictions on where vendors can operate. “The bill formally sets a restriction that did not exist before, that says if you are on the Las Vegas Strip or near, say, Allegiant [Stadium], you cannot be there any more,” he explains.

The law requires vendors to be at least 1,500 feet away from resort hotels, large sports stadiums and arenas, convention facilities and the Welcome to Las Vegas sign. The rule goes into effect on October 15.

“The bill was written so that, yes, these areas are prohibited. But there is an exception if the facility itself is open and welcoming them onto the private property,” Doñate says. “So if a facility like Allegiant Stadium or T-Mobile Arena or the Speedway were open to welcoming those street food vendors, [then] the prohibition would be removed.”

Violation of the distance requirement could result in a criminal,

civil or administrative penalty, with the highest possible criminal penalty a misdemeanor. Doñate points out that those penalties existed even before the bill passed.

“It is already illegal to operate without a business license or a health permit if you are this type of business. … The resulting pattern is a misdemeanor. That has already been pre-established, whether you’re a street food vendor or not,” he says.

Although the rule has not yet taken effect in Clark County, officials and vendors are preparing for October. Make the Road Nevada and the

telling me to move or throwing my things away. [That] has happened often to me. If it’s not the health department, it’s the police or even people who have gone and called the police. … So it’s a great relief to be able to work without having that.”

Phased Implementation

Clark County will introduce the first of two ordinances on September 19 to impose the 1,500-feet distance requirement. “After the introduction, the Board of County Commissioners will hold a hearing on October 3 and vote to approve

“However, Clark County is working diligently to get our second ordinance done before the July deadline,” the statement says.

In the meantime, sidewalk vending remains illegal, and vendors could be cited. Doñate says local law enforcement has been supportive of the bill, however, and is working to adjust enforcement as the bill is implemented.

“I will say that in my conversations with our sheriff, Sheriff [Kevin] McMahill understands the importance of this being a community issue. And he recognizes the value that street food vendors bring to our community. That’s why he came in and was a part of the bill signing that we had in July,” Doñate says. “We’ve worked hand in hand to make sure that we’re educating his officers, of course, of the new laws as they get implemented, new ordinances, but that we’re also protecting public safety. They’ve been great partners.”

Clark County Commissioner Marilyn Kirkpatrick was scheduled to host the first of what will be a series of town halls on September 12. She says each commissioner will host more than one such event, and adds that an online survey will be made available so the public can provide input on the ordinance regulating where street vendors can operate.

Nevada Immigrant Coalition, both of which advocated for SB92 in the Legislature, hosted an August 31 town hall, in English and Spanish, to provide accurate, up-to-date information about the law and inform vendors of their rights.

Teodora Tepetzi Serrano, a sidewalk vendor in Las Vegas for 22 years, was in attendance. Through a Spanish language interpreter, she told the Weekly that she believes the bill will benefit many vendors’ businesses.

“This will help not only me, but a lot of people,” Serrano said. “My main concern is being able to work in peace with no problems with police or the health department

the ordinance. The ordinance will be effective two weeks after its passage on October 17,” reads a statement from Clark County.

Clark County will pass a second ordinance to address licensing fees and designate zones in neighborhoods and commercial areas where sidewalk vending can take place. Per the bill, counties can also impose additional operating restrictions regarding farmers markets and other special events, and the distance requirements near schools, child care facilities, community and recreation centers, polling places, churches and parks.

SB92 requires the second ordinance to be in place by July 1, 2024.

“We want to make sure there’s a balance, so that we’re not impacting existing businesses, so that we don’t have somebody setting up in front of an existing business in a residential area,” Kirkpatrick tells the Weekly. “There’s a lot of food truck people who’ve invested a lot of money into having a food truck and have had to go through a lot of hurdles. They’re not allowed at the parks. … So we just really want to take our time with that to see what those impacts may have on current business, as well as where those might be in the public right-of-way for safety.

“This is a new thing, a big thing,” Kirkpatrick continues, “and we want the entire community to have a say in how it’s going to work for all of us.”

Many of them are vulnerable. We hear stories of repeated harassment, intimidation, humiliation.

CULTURALJUKEBOX

Las Vegas

DJ Yo Yolie breaks down the Mexican Independence Day Weekend concerts you shouldn’t miss

BY AMBER SAMPSON

Mdence Day Weekend is a game of endurance. Between all

September 15 and 18, some of the biggest names in Latin music will hit the Strip, and if you’re inclined to attend multiple estas, you can catch many of these legends all in the same weekend.

RUMBAZO (September 15-16, Downtown Events Center) Yolie says: “They’re really pushing reggaeton artists, and I’m very happy that they’re bringing up and coming people. But not only up-and-coming people but even people like Lunay and Guaynaa. They’ve been in the game for a while. Lunay did a show at Hakkasan, and I was DJing over there for Cinco de Mayo. He smashed it.

is Peso Pluma, it’s Grupo Frontera, it’s Fuerza Regida. T3R Elemento [are] the people to watch. If they work as hard as they really want to, I predict they’ll be on the next Coachella stage.”

DESEO LATIN ANNIVERSARY

“I’m excited to see T3R Elemento having a bigger stage in Vegas, as they deserve. They are a Las Vegas-based corridos band. Corridos

two-time Latin

Anchoring the holiday is Downtown’s Rumbazo, a two-day fest curated by Altura, a local company known for throwing Latin ragers in Las Vegas. On the lineup this year are reggaeton pioneer Ivy Queen, two-time Latin Grammy nominee Jay Wheeler, Puerto Rican rappers Guaynaa and Lunay and local acts like DJ Yo Yolie, who heads up Deseo Latin Sundays, a weekly party at Omnia Nightclub that has been drawing hundreds-strong crowds since 2017.

“We’re doing so much even outside of the party that is bringing in the people and the culture,” says Yolie, who splits her time performing at Omnia, Wynn’s Casa Playa and clubs around the U.S. “As soon as you walk in the doors, it’s not like you hear the Top 10 of Spotify Latino playlists. You hear actual culture. You hear actual things that we listened to when we were kids.”

With so many kinds of concerts in town,the break down her must-sees.

gas-based corridos band. Corridos sh*t. Go in on reggaeton, go in on ban-

that see him, they’re not going to go to

WITH DEORRO (September 17, Omnia Nightclub) Yolie says: “If you’ve heard his sets at EDC, what [Deorro’s] going to be doing at Deseo is completely di erent. I talked to a lot of people around him, and was like, ‘FYI, Deseo is not regular Vegas sh*t. Go in on reggaeton, go in on banda, go in on cumbia, go in on corridos.’ We want that real sh*t. When he goes to other cities that are super Latin concentrated, he lets his f*cking wings y. He’s a big representative in the Latino community. This speci c date is gonna be so special because people that look up to him, Latinos that see him, they’re not going to go to a Marquee and hear the same thing. They’re gonna go to Deseo and hear a completely di erent Deorro, a more comfortable Deorro.”

MANÁ (September 17, T-Mobile Arena) Yolie says: “One thing a lot of people are going crazy over is Maná. They’re iconic, point blank. Before Deseo, [people] are de nitely going over there, and the afterparty will de nitely be at Deseo. They’re always going to be there for Mexican Independence Week, but there’s rumblings that this might be their last concert. The band members are getting older. When Maná comes into town, everybody and their baby momma shows up. I’m so excited.”

over is Maná. They’re iconic, point

MORE MEXICAN INDEPENDENCE DAY WEEKEND SHOWS

 Carin León

September 14, T-Mobile Arena

 Banda MS

September 15, Michelob Ultra Arena

 Marco Antonio Solís

September 15, T-Mobile Arena

 Gloria Trevi

September 15, Bakkt Theater

RBD ( or Backstreet Boys coming back for a world tour. The ’90s Latino ba-

 Emmanuel

September 15-16, Venetian Theatre

 Alejandro Fernández

September 15-16, MGM Grand Garden Arena

 Luis Miguel

September 15-17, Dolby Live

 Caifanes

September 16, Pearl Concert Theater

 Los Ángeles Azules

September 16, Bakkt Theater

 ’90s Pop Tour

I’m excited for anybody who bought a ticket to anything.”

September 14, MGM Grand Garden Arena) Yolie says: They’re a ctional group, but it’s based on a Latino soap opera in the ’90s. It’s legit like the Spice Girls or Nsync or Backstreet Boys coming back for a world tour. The ’90s Latino babies, they are ready for that. … No matter if you’re my tía, or you just turned 21 in Vegas, you’re going to have a good time, and there’s going to be a plethora of amazing events and shows happening. Out of all the years, I’m excited about this year. I’m excited for anybody who bought a ticket to anything.”

September 17

Bakkt Theater

DJ Yo Yolie (far left) (Courtesy/ Samuel Marshall Photo); Ivy Queen (center) and Deorro (above) (Courtesy)

BODY IN MOTION

Raquel Reed (Courtesy/Anneli Adolfsson)

(right) The Jigggle Room at Cheapshot (Courtesy/Chase Stevens)

Raquel Reed’s Jiggle Room shakes up Las Vegas’ burlesque scene

BY SHANNON MILLER

Burlesque performer and show producer Raquel Reed aims to leave an impression. “You want something where people go home, and they’re like, ‘What the heck did I just see?’ … That’s a great feeling,” she tells the Weekly

The former Absinthe performer and creator of Downtown’s new burlesque revue The Jiggle Room says that impression doesn’t have to be any one thing. Each performer puts their own, daring spin on the art form, and that’s something Reed hopes to amplify in the show.

For her, it’s performing a striptease to Nine Inch Nails’ “Closer” in a full gorilla suit, an act she has perfected over the years.

“Burlesque isn’t polished and perfect. It’s edgy and dangerous and reckless, and you take chances,” she says.

On top of producing and performing in The Jiggle Room, held each fourth Friday at Fremont East’s Cheapshot, the 35-year-old also recently produced the first-ever Sin City Burlesque Festival. The Weekly sat down with Reed to talk about that event, the new show and the state of burlesque in Las Vegas.

You produced the Sin City Burlesque Festival (held September 8-9 at the Space). What does it mean to you? The burlesque festival is just me and my husband. … He’s building all of the set pieces. I took, basically, a lot of the money I’ve made from Absinthe from five years, and I’m trying to start this burlesque festival. It’s a dream and a goal of mine to have something that I’m connected to when I’m older in burlesque. If I’m not even able to perform any more, I wanted to be able to hopefully give an opportunity to other performers around the world. I’m not making any money off of this festival. But I wanted to try and do something for my industry.

Unfortunately, a lot of people in our industry and burlesque, we’re very unknown. You know, even me. We’re not seen a lot, because it’s very risqué. So I wanted to try and have an opportunity for people around the world to be seen by actual Vegas producers. That’s literally the whole point of the festival.

The acts in The Jiggle Room offer a lot of surprises and unexpected turns. Would you say there’s a lot of deviation from traditional burlesque? I love all kinds of burlesque. And I wanted to show different sides of burlesque for

people who’ve never seen it before. In this show, we have a mixture. So, usually an artist will do a classic burlesque striptease, and then they’ll do a neoclassic, which is more alternative burlesque, something a little quirky, a little different. … Everyone kind of shows two sides of themselves. That’s the idea behind the show.

In New York, this is kind of the traditional cabaret show. … It’s very raw and not polished and you can hear people yelling from the back, that’s the fun of it. It’s just a raw burlesque show … not choreographed, it’s very free. And that’s why I like it so much.

Would you say burlesque is having a moment in Las Vegas? I’ve been performing on the Strip, and it was good. People understand burlesque ... [but] outside of the Strip, they’re a little weird with the laws here about nudity in Las Vegas. You’d be really surprised. So a lot of shows off the Strip, the more local shows, sometimes have issues [where] we’re not allowed to show our breasts, so we have to wear a sheer bra, or [on] our bum, we have to wear full fishnet. So I hope that gets a little better.

It’s still not mainstream [in Vegas]. The local shows off the Strip are really thriving, and the burlesque scene here is very good. We have the Burlesque Hall of Fame here, and the Burlesque Hall of Fame festival every year. So there is burlesque here.

THE JIGGLE ROOM October 27, 8:30 & 11 p.m., $20. Cheapshot, thejiggleroom.com.

REALITY

BY AMBER SAMPSON

I think about the spoon scene in The Matrix a lot. As Keanu Reeves’ Neo contemplates the silver utensil in his hand, a young and mysterious child insists that Neo isn’t, in fact, holding anything at all: “There is no spoon.” And with that, we’re urged to leave our logic at the door.

That, in a nutshell, is what entering the new Paradox Museum feels like.

The 11,000-square-foot attraction, opened in July on the upper oor of the Strip’s Showcase Mall, is labyrinthine in nature, as complex and winding as the human mind. A series of more than 80 optical illusions and exhibits will enlighten and elude you. Patterns, shapes and colors are designed to trick the brain, while more interactive displays, such as Paradox’s spinning carousel of changing objects, outright test the con nes of reality. (There is no horse.)

“I think people come in expecting it to be more like a sel e museum, and we’re so much more than that,” says Billy Pierro, sales and marketing manager. “It’s a workout for everybody’s mind by the time that they’re done.”

With the help of a little science, a little engineering and a whole lot of technical magic, Paradox Museum thrives as something Pierro a ectionately calls “edutainment.” Every illusion and paradoxical

The Strip’s new Paradox Museum presents challenging, mind-bending art for the curious

C CHECK

exhibit comes with a placard beside it, explaining what you’re looking at and why you’re perceiving it the way you do.

There are entire sections devoted to holography and in nity mirrors, a spinning tunnel vortex, a poker room full of your clones, a sofa that makes your legs disappear and gravity-defying photo ops that give you the illusion of oating.

It’s worth it to bring a camera buddy along to help you capture all these feats, but some exhibits are so puzzling, strangers have teamed up to learn.

“More than ever, we need to bring people together, and I think that’s really what our museum does,” Pierro says. “It brings you back to your childhood. I always joke and say, ‘If you liked Highlights magazine, or the Magic Eye [books], you’re gonna love all this stu .”

Pierro says Paradox Museum worked with a group of Croatian researchers to design these visual brain-twisters, and the museum opens its space up for private events and school eld trips to educate aspiring young scientists.

Las Vegas is only the third museum in the country—the other two are in Miami and New Jersey—but Pierro says it was an important place to plant a ag. “Because now you’re playing with the big dogs,” he says. “Once you go to Vegas … you’re really on a di erent level.”

Learning is probably the last thing you’re expected to do on the Strip. But this unprecedented museum makes every moment of it feel like a blast.

PARADOX MUSEUM 3767 Las Vegas Blvd. S. #200, 702-998-7106, paradoxmuseumlasvegas. com. Daily, 10 a.m.-8 p.m.

The Paradox Museum (Courtesy/The Paradox Museum)

Pizza, salads, tiramisu and more at 00 Pie & Pub (Wade Vandervort/Staff)

DOUBLE O HEAVEN

00 Pie & Pub brings great pizza to Chinatown, where it belongs

BY GEOFF CARTER

Pop Up Pizza felt like a godsend. When Michael Vakneen began offering his delicious pizza from an unassuming counter at the Plaza casino in 2012, we Downtowners rejoiced, gorging ourselves silly with crispy pepperoni and rib-sticking veggie pie. For several years, I’d see Pop Up boxes crowding the tables at nearly every Fremont Street party and event I attended.

Now, Vakneen has set down in another fast-growing district. It’s just as transformative an arrival, although the circumstances, and the city itself, have changed substantially in 11 years. 00 Pie & Pub, located near the western edge of the restaurant-stu ed Chinatown district, appears in a Las Vegas that Pop Up helped make—a city that now boasts scores of great local restaurants, with many of them mere steps from 00’s front door. That this sublime Tokyo-inspired pizza pub has what it takes to stand out in that crowded eld speaks volumes about Vakneen’s talent and smarts.

00 PIE & PUB

3853 Spring Mountain Road, 702-463-0755, doublezeropie. com. Wednesday-Sunday, 4 p.m.-11 p.m.

($23). This white pie, topped with or di latte, mozzarella, salsa verde, arugula, lemon vinaigrette and Parmesan, is a rock-solid convincer. My bartender said it was his favorite pie on the menu: “It almost tastes like a cream pasta,” he said, and he was right. The avors are rich, but perfectly balanced, and 00’s pillowy, lightly charred crust gives every slice a light smokiness. I washed mine down with a Hitachino Ale ($11) that was absolutely the right choice—a Italian-Japanese power duo.

The next choice is a tough one. Do I go with the pepperoni ($22), with its enticing combo of vodka sauce, or di latte, chili crunch, basil, EVOO and dry-aged pepperoni? Go hale and hearty with the Eggplant Caponata—red sauce, or di latte, Dorati tomatoes, Calabrian chili oil, olive tapenade, herb labneh, chives and the namesake nightshade? Or brave the ery Diavola, with its spicy sausage, pickled vegetables and roasted peppers? Watching other patrons’ plates go by, one gets the sense there are no wrong answers.

SEPTEMBER MEANS OKTOBERFEST AT HOFBRÄUHAUS

 Oktoberfest events and bar specials are starting to spread out all over the Vegas Valley, but there’s really only one place you need to go to properly celebrate a traditional Bavarian beerfest.

If you’ve never tasted Vakneen’s pizza, 00 Pie & Pub can sell you on looks alone. A red-lit, brick-walled space that looks simultaneously brand new and comfortably lived-in, 00 exerts a powerful pull the second you walk through the door. Once you’ve peeked at the menu, you’ll want an immediate seat at a table or at the long bar. And once you’ve tasted the o erings—the sublime wood red pies, the Japanese beers and whisky cocktails, the killer bar snacks, the top-shelf 00 Caprese—you’ll begin planning your next visit well before they drop the check.

Take, for example, the Bresaola

It’s worth noting that 00 o ers happy hour specials Wednesday through Sunday from 4-5 and 9-11 p.m., with $7 beer, wine and cocktails and a trio of $7 snacks: tru e chips with pecorino, goat cheese balls and a plate of “Pickled Things” that includes piparra peppers, lemon pickles and 20-month aged Parmesan chunks. And the desserts, particularly the creamy tiramisu ($6), are exceptional.

It’s a rare spot that can win you over both coming and going, but 00 Pub & Pie manages it with aplomb. We’re lucky it popped up where it did.

Hofbräuhaus Las Vegas at the corner of Paradise and Harmon is the only local spot where one can sample the same Oktoberfestbier served at the Oktoberfest in Munich. It’s the only big beer hall serving up an extensive menu of authentic smoked meats and sausages, the crispy pork shank known as Schweinshaxe and more familiar favorites like schnitzel with mushroom sauce to go along with all those brews. And nowhere else can you hang with special Vegas celebrity keg-tappers during Oktoberfest—the men of Chippendales helped launch the party last weekend, and our favorite ladies of Fantasy are on the upcoming docket, along with former Golden Knight Deryk Engelland, magician Jen Kramer and “original influencer” Perez Hilton.

Find daily food specials and party plans at hofbrauhauslasvegas.com, gather your entourage and Lederhosen and keep your beer stein full all the way through Halloween. –Brock

Radke

Dancers from Fantasy tapping the keg at Hofbräuhaus in 2019 (Courtesy)

BY DANNY WEBSTER

The Las Vegas Aces entered a July 7 game against the Dallas Wings looking almost unbeatable. They were 16-1 at the time, the only loss having come June 8 at Connecticut, and Las Vegas had responded to that setback by winning nine straight, mostly in blowout fashion.

The Aces were somehow looking even better than the version that won the WNBA title a season before.

But that night in Dallas put a damper on the Aces’ dominance. Not only did they lose 80-78 to the Wings, but prized free agent acquisition Candace Parker suffered a foot injury. Parker later had surgery and remains out indefinitely.

Parker elevated the Aces when she was on the floor, but they won the championship without her last year, and there’s growing confidence they can do it again. Las Vegas narrowly maintained its spot at the top of the league standings without Parker, finishing with a 34-6 record to earn the No. 1 seed in the playoffs for the second straight year.

That means the Aces will have homecourt advantage throughout the postseason, including in their best-of-three first-round series against the Chicago Sky, which tipped off September 13 and continues September 17 at Michelob Ultra Arena.

“We’re at a point of our season where the days don’t matter; games do,” forward A’ja Wilson says. “We’ve got to be ready for the approach of that game when the ball goes up.”

No team begins the season with eyes

SHOOTING FOR HISTORY

on being the best of all-time, but the Aces were mentioned in that category with their hot start and gladly accepted the challenge. Winning 16 of their first 17 games put them in rarefied air.

They looked like a legitimate threat to top the 1998 Houston Comets for the best winning percentage in league history (.900) and were well on pace to smash the 2014 Phoenix Mercury’s all-time wins mark of 29. They ultimately achieved the latter but fell short of the former, largely because of the WNBA’s schedule expansion this season.

The Aces were averaging an all-time best 93.4 points on 50% shooting through those 17 games while boasting the league’s best defense at 78 points allowed per game. But efficiency slightly tailed off without Parker.

Las Vegas still finished with an average of 92.6 points per game, but it gave up

SKY AT ACES GAME 2

When

September 17, noon

Where Michelob Ultra Arena

Tickets

$12-$100, axs.com

Television ESPN

three more points per game and lost five times in the second half of the season. The Aces’ advanced metrics are still ahead of the rest of the league, but the second-place New York Liberty closed the gap significantly after Parker’s injury.

It doesn’t seem like a major cause for concern inside the Aces’ Henderson headquarters, though. The goal of the regular season was to claim the top seed, and they achieved it.

“This group, I feel, is ahead [of last year’s team],” Aces coach Becky Hammon says. “Last year [was] the first year under the system. This year, they have familiarity with my expectations with how we’re going to play. They really bought in on the defensive end.”

Even though the Aces wouldn’t face New York until the WNBA Finals, the Liberty stand out as the greatest challenger to Las Vegas’ back-t0-back quest.

Can the Aces become the first back-to-back WNBA champions in more than 20 years?

New York’s trio of superstars—Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu and Jonquel Jones—have given the Aces ts.

The two sides technically split the four-game regular-season series, but the Liberty also beat the Aces in the nal of the Commissioner’s Cup—the league’s in-season tournament, in which the championship game doesn’t count in the standings.

An Aces vs. Liberty nal has been expected ever since the o season signings that landed Parker with New York and Stewart with Las Vegas. If Parker can return in time for the potential Finals matchup, it would help the Aces signi cantly in slowing the Liberty’s explosive o ense.

Even without her, however, adversity hasn’t a ected the Aces much this season. They did go 2-3 during one stretch in August, but that was during the busiest

RAIDERS

part of the schedule, when they played 12 games in a span of 22 days.

After nally getting a ve-day break from September 2-8, the Aces looked rejuvenated. They closed the season on a four-game win streak—with all the victories coming by double gures—to fend o the Liberty’s late-season rally up the standings by two wins.

Las Vegas is now the odds-on favorite to become the rst repeat WNBA champion since the Lisa Leslie-led Los Angeles Sparks did it in 2001 and 2002.

And no matter who winds up in their lineup throughout the playo s, the Aces sound ready to try to make history.

“Forget everything that happened in the regular season. It’s a di erent season,” guard Kelsey Plum says. “It doesn’t matter, 8-seed versus 1-seed. We’ve got to treat it as a one-and-done type of thing in terms of our sense of urgency.”

■ Last Week: Raiders 17, Broncos 16

The Raiders sit alone at the top of the AFC West division after Week 1, with the three other divisional rivals having su ered upset losses. That includes the Broncos, who battled the Raiders in as evenly matched a game as possible. Both teams had 22 first downs. The Raiders had 261 yards, the Broncos 260 yards. But Denver made one more mistake, namely a missed extra point after an opening-drive touchdown. New Raiders quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo had an excellent debut, leading a game-winning drive in the fourth quarter, capped by a touchdown pass to fellow newcomer Jakobi Meyers. The veteran ex-Patriots receiver had nine catches for 81 yards and two touchdowns before su ering a concussion late in the game.

■ This Week: Raiders (1-0) at Bills (0-0 at press time)

When: Sunday, September 17, 10 a.m.

Where: Highmark Stadium, Bu alo

TV: KLAS Channel 8

Radio: 920 AM, KOMP 92.3

Betting line: Bills -10, over/under 47.5

■ Matchup: The Raiders could really shock the NFL and announce themselves as contenders with a second straight road win to start the season. It won’t be easy; Buffalo spent most of last season rated as the league’s best team before getting upset by Cincinnati in the divisional round of the playo s. Bills quarterback Josh Allen and wide receiver Stefon Diggs provide one of the best onetwo punches in the NFL, and the defense has been just as lethal when healthy—and it’s healthy to start the year. Las Vegas will spend the week preparing at the Greenbriar Resort in West Virginia to avoid cross-country travel.

Against Las Vegas in Week 2, Bu alo is the biggest favorite in any game over the first two weeks of the season.

■ Raider to Watch:

Linebacker Divine Deablo

The Raiders’ defense stiened and held the Broncos to three points in the second half of Week 1, and this third-year linebacker was a big reason why. He made a number of plays, including a diving pass deflection in the end zone and a tackle for loss. Deablo is ultra-athletic by linebacker standards, allowing him to excel both in pass coverage and against the run. Las Vegas will need him in both areas against Bu alo, with Allen a threat to either throw 50 yards down the field or take o and run. The onus may largely fall on Deablo to keep the quarterback contained while also patrolling his usual spot in the middle of the field.

–Case Keefer

Raiders receiver Jakobi Meyers (16) pulls in a touchdown pass as Denver cornerback Damarri Mathis defends. (AP Photo)

Aces guard Chelsea Gray (12) shoots over Phoenix Mercury forward Michaela Onyenwere (Steve Marcus/Sta )

MORE THAN JUST A GAME: CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE NEED NOT END AT REGISTER

BY KATIE ANN MCCARVER VEGAS INC STAFF

Shall We Play? The Games and More Store is crammed with popular board games, divided into sections so customers can easily nd a new favorite—from classic family games to two-player games for date night, and from an array of dice and card games to an entire nook with games for kids.

Peppered among game displays on the Las Vegas store’s colorful shelves are miniature paintings completed by one of the store’s two owners, Derrick Taylor.

“I actually like painting it more than I do playing it right now,” Taylor said of one of his favorite board games. “So, I’ve really gotten into the miniature painting. It’s just kind of relaxing. I’m old, so now I get to paint little minis and have fun with it.”

Shall We Play, which recently marked its 10th anniversary, came about not long after Taylor—who called himself a “comic book guy” at heart—began playing board games with his daughter, as a way of teaching her the bene ts of both winning and losing.

The shop, located at 7575 Norman Rockwell Lane in northwest Las Vegas, has become more than a store—it’s also a space for the community, Taylor said. Fans of popular multiplayer games like Magic: The Gathering play regular tournaments there, homeschooling groups meet there weekly and the store also hosts local bands for packed shows.

Ultimately, Taylor said, Shall We Play is a space for local Las Vegans who may want an alternative to hanging out at the casinos and resorts. “Until you’re 21 in Vegas, there’s absolutely nothing for you to do,” he joked.

Shall We Play has grown exponentially since it opened more than a decade ago, which Tay-

lor attributes to listening and responding to customers and their needs. Most of the games brought into the store have been recommended or requested, he said.

If one new person comes into the shop every day and feels like they can come back, he said, then that day’s been a success. “Your store is going to be what your customers want it to be,” he said. “You’ve just got to listen.”

Amanda Rael, a Shall We Play customer who also participates in the weekly home-school group with her daughter, said coming to the store has become one of her favorite parts of the week.

“We nd the coolest games,” she said, noting that her daughter’s latest interest is Wingspan, a bird-themed board game. “And it’s like, ‘I never would have thought to look at this game.’”

The shop is so unique, Rael said, and she loves being able to rent games or just sit down in the middle of the store and try them out before buying—something she certainly wouldn’t be allowed to do at Target or a similar chain.

“It’s a super inviting environment,” said Rael, who emphasized the importance of how welcoming Shall We Play is to all groups and particularly her daughter and other home-schoolers, who

meet and hang out there each week.

One of his favorite aspects of playing board games is the community involvement, Taylor said. “The thing I like the most is … you’re sitting across from somebody, or sitting with a group of people and you’re talking and you’re helping, too,” he said, adding that his current favorite item in the store is an intricate board game called Twilight Imperium

As an avid board game player himself, Taylor said, he also has a unique perspective on a variety of games—which comes in especially handy with customers who are looking for something new to play.

He always asks customers to pick a game out on the shelf, bring it to him and he can tell them what it’s about, Taylor said. He also helps them just based on their preferences—if they prefer card or dice games, or if they are interested in space, animals or conquering the world.

Chain stores may carry board games, he said, but there’s just not that same guarantee of knowledge.

“I don’t want you to buy a game and just take it and it just ends up in the closet,” Taylor said. “I want you to enjoy it. … That’s one of the things that I think we do a really good job at.”

Shall We Play? The Games and More Store owner Derrick Taylor (Christopher DeVargas/Sta )

GIVING NOTES

The Grey Muzzle Organization announced that Heaven Can Wait Animal Society, a provider of accessible veterinary care for pets and their families, received a $5,000 grant geared toward improving the lives of at-risk senior dogs.

City National Bank donated over 200 backpacks filled with school supplies to students at Lincoln and Helen Jydstrup elementary schools in Las Vegas as part of the bank’s 14th annual Back-toSchool Supplies Drive, which saw more than 6,000 such backpacks donated to 39 schools and nonprofits in eight states and Washington, D.C. The bank also donated a book vending machine to Oran K. Gragson Elementary School in Las Vegas.

The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Foundation appointed Karen Marben as executive director. She

comes to the foundation after serving as chief mission services o cer for Goodwill of Southern Nevada.

Young adults ages 16 to 24 in North Las Vegas can now find no-cost career resources at a new EmployNV Youth Hub inside the Alexander Library, 1755 W. Alexander Road, North Las Vegas. The EmployNV Youth Hub sta works with young adults to help prepare them for the workforce and provide valuable hands-on work experience and internships. The hub o ers workshops, one-on-one support, and new technology, such as virtual reality headsets, to help expose young adults to Nevada’s in-demand careers while helping them achieve their goals.

Communities In Schools of Nevada received a $225,000 donation from Health Plan of Nevada, a UnitedHealthcare company. The donation will be

used to expand and sustain the nonprofit’s Integrated Student Supports, otherwise known as wraparound services in CIS’ schools in Clark and Washoe County school districts.

Representatives from the Just One Project, a nonprofit that serves more than 17,000 Southern Nevadans monthly who are facing food insecurity; Health Plan of Nevada; and the Clark County School District celebrated the grand opening of the Family Support Center Community Market. This is the first project in a two-year collaboration between through which HPN has pledged more than $668,000 to support three no-cost markets at CCSD sites and an innovative “Groceries-on-the-Go” program. The market, located inside CCSD’s Family Support Center, 1720 S. Maryland Parkway, is a by-appointment, no-cost market o ering wrap-around services and support to CCSD students and their families.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRISTOPHER DEVARGAS

PRESENTED BY

RECORD BREAKING

Charity Weekend Celebration

SEPTEMBER 21-23

BENEFITTING CHARITIES:

Barbara Sinatra Children’s Center

Manilow Music Project

Musicians on Call

Three Square

Victoria’s Voice

Youth Villages

TICKETS INCLUDE:

Collector’s Commemorative Coin

Copacabana Boa

Record Breaking Celebration hat

2 free drinks (in a collectible cup) at the Copa Bar

VIP Pass to the Saturday afternoon private screening of COPACABANA–TheMovie!

All Manilow 2023 show tickets are available at