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EDITORIAL
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Sat 11/4
Blues & Brunch @ The Sundry 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Sun 11/5
Market in the Alley Campus Wide 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Tues 11/7
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IN THIS ISSUE WANT MORE? Head to lasvegasweekly.com.
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SUPERGUIDE
Your daily events planner, starring Doja Cat, Red Leather, Men I Trust, Sin City Roller Derby, Chappell Roan and more.
NIGHTS
We the Beat has been crafting memorable musical events around the Valley for 10 years now.
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FEATURE STORY
Kylie Minogue opens Voltaire at Venetian this week, an intriguing new venue with plenty of style.
Las Vegas writer and community advocate Kim Foster's new book is an intimate portrait of hunger and humanity.
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FOOD & DRINK Fresh Mexican eats await at the Strip's El Segundo Sol and Red Rock Resort's upcoming Leoncito.
NOISE
Backstage Bar & Billiards hosts a show from Actors, a band always ready for a wild night in Vegas. (Wade Vandervort/Staff)
ON THE COVER
Double covers this week! Collect them both!
UNLV BASKETBALL Photograph by Wade Vandervort
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COVER STORY
UNLV men's basketball coach Kevin Kruger has tapped back into the Las Vegas high school hoops pipeline and this year's squad, opening a new season November 8 at the Thomas & Mack, is loaded with local talent.
DECEMBER 1, 2023 9PM-12AM Mark the start of the holiday season atop the 60th floor. With the jingle of the bell, twirl your way through a holiday soiree. Find warmth and delight in our festive small bites, live music, and enchanting dance floor. Dress to impress and enjoy the million-dollar views as we make this a night of magical festivities.
F O R M A L C H I C AT T I R E
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SUPERGUIDE THURSDAY 02 NOV.
MUSIC
PARTY
SPORTS
S U P E R G U I D E
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MEANING: THE SEARCH FOR Core Contemporary gallerist Nancy Good debuts her first Las Vegas solo exhibition in almost three years with Meaning: The Search For, a body of work previously shown— and lauded—in Reno. Good’s installation, featuring 30 mural-sized canvases and paintings, challenges the human eye to interpret what lurks just beyond the surface. “I have found a way to hide things within the paintings that can only be seen when the viewer changes position,” Good said in a statement. “This physical change of position (to see elements that may be in plain sight but still unseen until viewed in a “new light”) alludes to how we, in day-to-day life, may be unable to accept or even see what is right before our eyes until we change the ‘light,’ i.e. our attitudes, beliefs, opinions, etc.” Meaning: The Search For becomes an interactive game at that point, ensuring that for every piece, there’s two sides to the story. Thru 12/29, Tuesday-Friday, noon-6 p.m., free, Core Contemporary, corecontemporary.com. –Amber Sampson
IVAN CORNEJO With Arath Herce, 7:30 p.m., Brooklyn Bowl, ticketmaster. com. VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS VS. WINNIPEG JETS 7 p.m., T-Mobile Arena, axs.com. AN EVENING WITH CAPTAIN LEE 7:30 p.m., Westgate International Theater, ticket master.com.
UNLV HOCKEY VS. SAN DIEGO STATE 7:30 p.m., City National Arena, rebelhockey.com. ARKADIA FESTIVAL With Chromeo, Jai Wolf, TroyBoi, Elderbrook, Dr. Fresch, Glitch Mob, more, thru 11/5, times vary, Area15, tixr.com.
LUDACRIS 10 p.m., Zouk Nightclub, zouk grouplv.com. UNLV VOLLEYBALL VS. FRESNO STATE 6:30 p.m., Cox Pavilion, unlvtickets. com.
SOLARSTONE With Jay Sanada, 10 p.m., Discopussy, seetickets.us. MICHAEL RAPAPORT 11:30 p.m., & 11/3, Jimmy Kimmel’s Comedy Club, ticketmaster.com. LYNY With Magoh, Jetxson, 10 p.m., We All Scream, seetickets.us.
RED LEATHER With the Dollheads, 7 p.m., Beverly Theater, thebeverlytheater.com.
FOOD + DRINK
COMEDY
(Courtesy) MISC
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FRIDAY 03 NOV.
FIRST FRIDAY 5 p.m., Downtown Las Vegas, ffflv.org. HOZIER 8 p.m., the Chelsea, ticketmaster.com.
KATY PERRY 8 p.m., & 11/4, Resorts World Theatre, axs.com.
SEMA FEST With Imagine Dragons, Incubus, Wiz Khalifa, Third Eye Blind, more, noon, & 11/4, Las Vegas Festival Grounds, semafest. com.
UNLV ART WALK 5 p.m., UNLV Academic Mall, unlv. edu.
ADELE 8 p.m., & 11/4, the Colosseum, ticketmaster.com.
NEVADA BALLET THEATRE: CARMINA BURANA 7:30 p.m., & 11/4 (& 11/4-11/5, 2 p.m.), Reynolds Hall, the smithcenter.com.
KYLIE MINOGUE 9:30 p.m., & 11/4, Voltaire, ticket master.com.
U2 8 p.m., & 11/4, Sphere, ticketmaster.com.
KEITH URBAN 8 p.m., & 11/4, Bakkt Theater, ticket master.com.
USHER 9 p.m., & 11/4, 11/711/8, Dolby Live, ticketmaster.com.
JAY CHANDRASEKHAR 7 & 9:30 p.m., & 11/4, Wiseguys Arts District, wiseguys comedy.com.
EARTH, WIND & FIRE 8:30 p.m., & 11/4, Venetian Theatre, ticketmaster.com.
DIA DE MUERTOS Thru 11/5, 5 p.m., Springs Preserve, springspreserve. org.
DOJA CAT With Doechii, 7:30 p.m., T-Mobile Arena, axs.com.
ARTURO SANDOVAL 7 p.m. (& 11/4, 5 & 8 p.m.), Myron’s, thesmithcenter. com. SANTANA Thru 11/5 & 11/8, 7 p.m., House of Blues, concerts. livenation.com. DIPLO 10:30 p.m., XS Nightclub, wynnsocial.com. TIËSTO 10 p.m., Zouk Nightclub, zoukgrouplv.com. RON FUNCHES 7 & 9:30 p.m., & 11/4, Wiseguys Town Square, wise guyscomedy.com. JEEZY 10:30 p.m., Drai’s Nightclub, draisgroup.com.
MEN I TRUST Simplicity breeds musical warmth from Quebec-based trio Men I Trust. The group blossomed from a childhood friendship to music school classmates and eventually into the jazzy dream-pop band we know and love today. Fans across the country are getting a taste of the sway-worthy instrumentals, hazy grooves, and ethereal vocals from frontwoman Emmanuelle “Emma” Proulx and bandmates Dragos Chiriac and Jessy Caron during their current three-month tour. Expect to be mentally transported to your happy place during their set. The synth-forward and musically sophisticated group Tops is scheduled to open and set the tone for the evening with their moody ballads and indie-rock tunes. 7:30 p.m., $32-$109, Theater at Virgin, axs.com. –Gabriela Rodriguez
(AP Photo)
F O R M O R E U P C O M I N G E V E N T S , V I S I T L A S V E G A S W E E K LY.C O M .
SUPERGUIDE
ANDY GRAMMER 7 p.m., Grand Events Center, ticketmaster.com.
CIGAR AFICIONADO BIG SMOKE 5:30 p.m., & 11/4, Resorts World, lasvegasbig smoke.com.
PRISCILLA PRESLEY Thru 11/5, 7:30 p.m., South Point Showroom, ticket master.com.
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SUPERGUIDE SATURDAY 04 NOV.
VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS VS. COLORADO AVALANCHE 7 p.m., T-Mobile Arena, axs.com.
S U P E R G U I D E
VEGAS VALLEY COMIC BOOK FESTIVAL 9:30 a.m., Clark County Library, thelibrarydistrict.org. CEDRIC GERVAIS 11 a.m., Marquee Dayclub, events. taogroup.com. LAS VEGAS PIZZA FESTIVAL 1 p.m., Industrial Event Space, vegaspizzafest. com. FIDLAR & THE FRIGHTS With Mind’s Eye, 7 p.m., Brooklyn Bowl, ticketmaster. com.
HEATHER MCDONALD 9 p.m., Summit Showroom, ticket master.com.
THE CHAINSMOKERS 10:30 p.m., XS Nightclub, wynnsocial.com.
LOVERBOY 8 p.m., Pearl Concert Theater, ticketmaster.com.
JAMES KENNEDY 10:30 p.m., Jewel Nightclub, events. taogroup.com.
KASKADE 10 p.m., Zouk Nightclub, zoukgrouplv.com.
CALIFORNIA GUITAR TRIO 7:30 p.m., Artemus W. Ham Concert Hall, unlv.edu.
THE MANHATTANS FEATURING GERALD ALSTON 8 p.m., Sam’s Town Live, ticketmaster. com. ACCUSEFIVE 8 p.m., the Chelsea, ticketmaster.com.
CHALMER With Beyond the Arrow, Casmass, 7 p.m., SoulBelly BBQ, eventbrite. com.
STEVE AOKI 10:30 p.m., Omnia Nightclub, events.taogroup.com.
(Photo by Christopher DeVargas, Grooming by Imogene Marrone)
FABULOUS SIN CITY ROLLER DERBY Between the winning exploits of our WNBA and NHL franchises, it’s probably been a minute since you’ve thought about roller derby in Las Vegas. But the WFTDA (Women’s Flat Track Derby Association) proudly and defiantly rolls on, and Vegas’ WFTDA member league Fabulous Sin City Roller Derby continues to jam, block and pivot its way through our city’s ever-changing sports landscape. On November 4, two Sin City squads—Ace of Spades and Black Spade Bruisers—take on El Paso Roller Derby’s Tex Pistols and Pistol Whip-Hers in what’s sure to be a fast, entertaining and tense set of bouts. If you’ve never seen Sin City skate, you’ll be astonished at how much passion, power, sweat and blood these volunteer skaters invest in their sport—without a home stadium, without paid endorsements, without fear. 3 p.m., $10, Dula Community Center, instagram. com/sincityrollerderby. –Geoff Carter
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SUNDAY 05 NOV.
CHAPPELL ROAN 8 p.m., 24 Oxford, etix.com. LAS VEGAS RAIDERS VS. NEW YORK GIANTS 1:25 p.m., Allegiant Stadium, ticketmaster.com. STORY OF THE YEAR With Four Year Strong, Youth Fountain, 6:30 p.m., Brooklyn Bowl, ticketmaster.com.
ACTORS With Close To Modern, Luxury Furniture Store, DJ Paulie, 8 p.m., Backstage Bar & Billiards, seetickets.us. DILLON FRANCIS 10:30 p.m., XS Nightclub, wynnsocial.com.
MONDAY 06 NOV.
MUSIC
PARTY
BRAD GARRETT With Kevin Bozeman, Jim Flannigan, 8 p.m., & 11/7, Brad Garrett’s Comedy Club, mgmgrand.mg mresorts.com.
NAISMITH BASKETBALL HALL OF FAME SERIES 11 a.m. & 4:30 p.m., T-Mobile Arena, axs.com.
SPORTS
ARTS
MONDAYS DARK 8 p.m., the Space, mondaysdark.com.
BLACKOUT ANNIVERSARY 10:30 p.m., Jewel Nightclub, events. taogroup.com.
FOOD + DRINK
MESSA With Maggot Heart, Kadabra, 8 p.m., Artifice, eventbrite.com.
COMEDY
F O R M O R E U P C O M I N G E V E N T S , V I S I T L A S V E G A S W E E K LY.C O M .
SUPERGUIDE
(Courtesy/Ryan Lee Clemens)
ICON OF LAS VEGAS: THE SPECTACULAR SHOWGIRL Thru 11/22, times vary, Nevada Humanities Program Gallery, nevadahumanities.org.
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MUSIC
NAOMI MAURO 7 p.m., Myron’s, thesmithcenter. com.
MAIJA DIGIORGIO Thru 11/9, 8 p.m., Westgate Comedy Cabaret, ticketmaster.com.
NESSA BARRETT 6:30 p.m., House of Blues, concerts.live nation.com.
USHER AFTERPARTY 10 p.m., On the Record, onthe recordlv.com.
JIMMY MCMURRIN With Noah Gardenswartz, Amy Miller, Gabriel Rutledge, Michael Yo, 7 & 9:30 p.m., Comedy Cellar, ticketmaster.com.
DEADCROW 10 p.m., Discopussy, nfbnlv.com.
PARTY
WEDNESDAY 08 NOV.
SPORTS
DARYL HALL AND THE DARYL’S HOUSE BAND With Todd Rundgren, 7:30 p.m., Venetian Theatre, ticketmaster.com. VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS VS. LOS ANGELES KINGS 7 p.m., T-Mobile Arena, axs.com. UNLV OPERA THEATER: PRIMA LA MUSICA E POI LE PAROLE & LA DIVINA 7:30 p.m., Beam Music Center, unlv.edu.
S U P E R G U I D E
FOOD + DRINK
COMEDY
MISC
UNLV MEN’S BASKETBALL VS. SOUTHERN 7 p.m., Thomas & Mack Center, unlvtickets.com. VACATIONS & LAST DINOSAURS 7:30 p.m., 24 Oxford, etix.com. A-TRAK & THE MAGICIAN 10 p.m., We All Scream, tixr.com.
Daryl Hall (AP Photo) F O R M O R E U P C O M I N G E V E N T S , V I S I T L A S V E G A S W E E K LY.C O M .
SUPERGUIDE
ARTS
ENTERTAINMENT
A Retro Modern
Burlesque Show
an evening with
GENERAL A D M I S S I O N $4 5 ** NOVEMBER 11
PURCHASE TICKETS ONLINE AT SILVERTONCASINO.COM/ENTERTAINMENT OR SCAN FOR TICKETS TICKET PRICE IS SUBJECT TO LIVE ENTERTAINMENT TAX (LET) AND FEES WHERE APPLICABLE. ENTERTAINMENT IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE. MANAGEMENT RESERVES ALL RIGHTS.
I-15 & BLUE DIAMOND | 702.263.7777 SILVERTONCASINO.COM
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(Wade Vandervort/Staff)
11.2.23
11.2.23
BY GEOFF CARTER
THE GOOD NEIGHBOR
With The Meth Lunches, Kim Foster lends Las Vegas an empathetic ear
“You kinda ran out of the book fair. Are you OK?” Kim Foster is at my front door. That’s not unusual; we’re neighbors. She comes by to collect our dog when we leave town, and my girlfriend and I feed their family’s chickens and other critters when they go on vacation. I’ve shared meals with Kim’s family; talked comics and pop culture with her husband David; waved to her daughters Lucy, Edie and Desi as they walk their dogs around the neighborhood; built Lego doohickeys with her son Raffi. But this visit is different. It’s a little weird. Kim’s here so we can talk about her just-published book, The Meth Lunches. We initially agreed to talk at the Las Vegas Book Festival following her panel discussion, but I woke up wrong that day and asked if we could meet on home turf instead. Less than an hour later she knocked at my door, visibly concerned: What’s going on? Can you talk about it? Foster’s benevolence begins in her marrow. “She’s the most naturally nurturing person that I know,” says her friend, Writer’s Block bookshop co-owner Drew Cohen. If you’re in turmoil, she leans in to help you out of it; if you’ve accomplished something for yourself, she all but lifts you up on her shoulders. It’s a reflexive thing for her, one that often manifests through timeless acts of nurturing: patient, empathetic listening and homecooked food. The Meth Lunches—a personal memoir that often veers into sharp, engaging journalism—is Foster’s consideration of the ways food impacts behavior, character and community. She writes about the ways that food scarcity changes the chemistry of the brain, especially in children; how the belief that good food is an entitlement reinforces ugly ideas about class; how the jailed improvise more appetizing meals for themselves as an act of self-affirmation and rebellion; how fast food can provide comfort in heartbreaking situations, and much more. Most notably, she writes about methamphetamine— how its users reject the enjoyment of food, while simultaneously perceiving
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it as central to the lives they lost when they began using. Foster tells the stories of lives in turmoil, which she assiduously strives to remedy—by stocking a free community pantry during the height of COVID, by providing hands-on help for foster children and their birth parents, by hiring a meth-addicted handyman to build a casita. These stories are, sadly, universal; you’ll find them most anywhere you go. But Foster unearths them in Las Vegas, finding the small, fragile human stories lost behind our city’s blockbuster facade. “The publishers were focused on this being a national book and not being about the insider Vegas stuff that only pertains to Vegas,” Foster says. “It forced me to really look at our city in the same way that I would look at New York or San Francisco or LA or Detroit. I had to really look at who we are as a community … “Things are never just one thing, right? Like, things are hard, and beautiful. The whole idea [behind the book] was to talk about the discomfort between those things, and to say to people that it’s okay to feel uncomfortable. It’s okay to not be completely comfortable with the fact that there’s a house on the street that houses eight schizophrenic adults. Maybe you’re uncomfortable with that, and that’s okay. You sit in that uncomfortableness. But they’re your neighbors now, do you know what I mean? It’s on you to embrace them, to go over with some Christmas cookies, to make friends. It’s on us to do that sort of connecting work.”
THE FRONTPERSON
The first chapter of The Meth Lunches was originally published in Desert Companion as a feature essay. Foster didn’t know the magazine’s editorial staff, and asked Cohen to make an introduction. Cohen is mildly surprised to hear that: “A position that my husband and I have in running the bookstore is that we are sort of people connectors … I don’t remember making that introduction. But if I did, I’m glad.” She submitted the essay, “The Dysfunction of Food,” to the magazine’s then-deputy editor Scott Dickensheets,
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who immediately recognized its strength. “The original version I got was, like, 6,000 words. And we had room for, I think, 4,500,” Dickensheets says. “I have never tweezered a story as much as that one, because it was already so great; it would be easy to ruin it by subtraction. I had to pore over it and oversee every sentence, trying to figure out how I can nibble the tiniest bit away without hurting what she was accomplishing. So, I was fortunate enough to be one of the first people in town to really get a bead on who she was and what she was capable of.” Oh yeah, almost forgot to mention it: Foster’s prose is pure dynamite. Her dialogue sticks and moves, and her narrative voice is relatable and modest. She swings effortlessly from research to anecdote, from joy to heartbreak. And she punctuates the spaces between them with food descriptions that colorfully explode, Ratatouille-like, in your head. One example from early in chapter 1, now titled “The Care + Feeding of a Drug Addict”: David and I are eating a pan of Bacalhau No Forno a Portuguesa, salt cod baked on top of thin wafers of potato, onions, peppers, briny olives, blistered cherry tomatoes, and charred lemon halves that gets squirted warm and tart over the fish. We eat and talk about this dude like
he isn’t passed out in our backyard. We talk about firing him. We talk about what is good for us and what is enabling. We talk about boundaries. How I struggle with mine. How David has them drawn in great, bold, permanent strokes around him and us. The essay won her a James Beard Foundation award in 2020. Foster credits that prestigious award with precipitating the writing of The Meth Lunches, but anyone who’s read her long, exquisite social media posts can see that she has several books in her, and probably would have written The Meth Lunches even if “The Dysfunction of Food” had only earned her a pat on the back. Words just spill out of her, uninhibited and true. For her own part, Foster is quietly amazed this collection of words exists at all. “I’ve always wanted to be a writer, but I’ve spent a lot of years not being able to write because my anxiety really made it impossible,” she says. “I always knew that I could write well, naturally. And because of that, I didn’t want to go to writers’ groups because I felt like I should be working at a particular level. It was just a confluence of dumbness, you know, thinking that I was better than I was.” In those ramp-up years, Foster wrote three novels that she locked away with-
Kim Foster and her family; The Meth Lunches was released on October 10. (Courtesy)
out sharing them; she calls them “my master’s program,” the handson learning she needed. “I became very practiced at it,” she says. “But emotionally, I couldn’t be the frontperson for a book. I couldn’t take the attention and the anxiety around people criticizing it. … When we moved out here to Vegas, like eight years ago, I said to myself, it’s a new place. This is not New York City; it’s smaller. You know, like baby steps; you could do something here.” Though she doesn’t say it, it sure feels like writing The Meth Lunches gave Foster the confidence to actually publish The Meth Lunches. She took the writer who wasn’t wholly confident in her work and revised her out of the story in rewrites. Perhaps unknowingly, she alludes to that process in the finished book, when she confesses that some of her early, unformed opinions of people and situations evolved between drafts—in part because she’d written them down and considered them. She caught herself saying the wrong things, called herself out on them, and kept the receipts. “I think her self-awareness is her greatest strength, because she is writing about issues in which her own privilege and position is potentially implicated. I think she’s good at being aware of that, and it makes for a more complicated, interesting and nuanced narrative because she is talking about her own feelings and her own relationship to the situations she finds herself in,” Cohen says. “For instance, with the community pantry [chapter], she doesn’t just write, ‘Oh, it’s so great. I’m such a good person. I started a pantry in my front yard.’ She grapples with the mixed feelings that she has in dealing with the complicated characters that she helps, and it makes for a much richer book as a result.” “People get into writing for a lot of reasons. For people like me, it’s the music of the words; that’s why I do it. But she is just like she wants to communicate very directly and with no bulls**t, and I think there’s a tremendous value in that,” Dickensheets says. “There are plenty of writers, me included, for whom irony is an essential part of the toolkit, if not the toolbox. But Kim has no ironic distance. I think that’s
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“The system we have in place isn’t good enough. It doesn’t always function in the way that we need it to as a city or as a community. So, the idea is to sort of see how we can make changes.”
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enormously valuable when you do the kind of work that she does.” It’s a reflection of who I am as a writer that I once believed that a lack of ironic distance was something you could cultivate in yourself—that you could somehow get over yourself in favor of cozying up to your subject. But in reading The Meth Lunches, I was reminded that a lack of ironic distance isn’t a writerly trait. It’s a trait belonging to the empathetic, who just happen to be able to write damn well. And now that the book is out there, Foster is directing a lot of that empathy at herself. “If could do it all over, I’d stress a lot less. I’d be like, just f**king write,” Foster says. Then she changes tack, saying, “You know, I
have a therapist just for my book launch. I’ve been going to her for a year. Just to manage the terror of the exposure.” “That’s actually brilliant,” I say. “I went and got a Xanax prescription, in case I needed it to get through the talks. I have all these coping strategies in place, because it’s a really hard thing for me and I didn’t want it to be. I knew it would be painful, but I didn’t want it to be, like, utterly awful and painful. I wanted to really be able to meet the book. I knew the book was decent, and I wanted to be able, as a person, to meet the quality of the book. The problem was never the writing. The problem was me.”
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Foster’s book launch event at the Beverly Theater on October 12. (Courtesy)
RIPPLES
I haven’t talked much about Kim Foster’s day-to-day life. I’d rather you read The Meth Lunches and hear directly it from the source, but suffice it to say, her days are packed. She cooks up dinners for hundreds of hungry locals at a go. She engages in community work almost nonstop. Her oldest children, Edie and Lucy, are fast becoming young adults; her younger adoptive children, Desi and Raffi, were born into households decimated by substance abuse, and often struggle with deep-seeded hurts they can’t reconcile or explain. She was able to complete the book only by narrowing her focus to a pinpoint. “I had to rid of everything. I wasn’t a very
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Foster is looking to become a Court Appointed Special Advocate to continue her work in the foster care system. (Wade Vandervort/Staff)
good friend. I just had to go, ‘For a year, life is just gonna be book and family, book and family, book and family, and I’m just going to eat it,” she says. Now, with The Meth Lunches out in the world, Foster is still invested with the energy and focus she drew on to write it, but her big picture has changed somewhat. Having delivered an arguably definitive book on food inequality, her interest in food writing has waned, and she’s thinking about taking on some of the challenges she bookmarked over the past decade. “I’ve been working with moms who have lost their kids in the foster care system,” she says. “I’m probably going to become a CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) volunteer
to work with the court system and represent kids, probably teens. And I’d like to write about the system of child removal, but to do it in a complex way that’s not about saying, ‘Everybody who works for Child Protective Services is bad and every biological parent should have their kids.’ “For me, it’s about the system,” she says. “The system we have in place isn’t good enough. It doesn’t always function in the way that we need it to as a city or as a community. So, the idea is to sort of see how we can make changes. For instance, now there’s a real focus in Clark County to really make sure that kids go to family members. People are doing the right things, but it’s still a disordered system. And in other places, the systems are even more disordered. You can
write about a system like the one we have here in Las Vegas and still touch on the truth of other places.” In the meantime, we have The Meth Lunches to digest. We can discuss its unflinching appraisals of the Valley’s weekly-stay hotels, neighborhood supermarkets, school lunches, mental health resources and sagging, frayed social net. We can take on its raw truths about ignorance and privilege and relish its hardearned moments of hope and redemption. But most importantly, we can borrow on, and share, its empathy. We can ask our neighbors if they’re OK. “We’re just all doing the best we possibly can,” she says, “helping to bring change that ripples upward.”
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IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
IN THE
1 NEWS
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HEALTH INSURANCE SIGN-UPS
Open enrollment on Nevada Health Link began November 1. NevadaHealthLink.com is ideal for those who don’t qualify for Medicare or Medicaid; don’t have employer-sponsored health insurance; new residents; or anyone seeking health coverage.
RANCHERS SUE OVER WILD HORSES
Nevada ranchers are suing the federal government for not rounding up the wild horses that roam on the same lands where their cattle graze outside of Tonopah. The Bureau of Land Management estimates that the land can support 242-404 horses, but 900 were there at last count.
N E W S
GOP CANDIDATES UNITED: SUPPORT OF ISRAEL, BLAME FOR BIDEN Eight Republican presidential contenders on October 29 sought to differentiate themselves in their support for Israel in its ongoing war with Hamas while condemning antisemitism at home. The candidates, who headlined the Republican Jewish Coalition Annual Leadership Summit at the Venetian, strayed slightly on particular messaging, and some said a two-state solution between Israel and Palestine seemed untenable, but all attacked the decisions made by President Joe Biden. “This is the most important election in the history of our country,” said Trump, who made his first in-person appearance with the other GOP hopefuls since announcing his third White House bid last year. “Because if we don’t win this election, you’re not going to have Israel anymore and you are not going to have the United States of America anymore.” Many of the speakers also juxtaposed Hamas’ October 7 terrorist attack in Israel with domestic issues such as security at the southern border, and accused Biden of appeasing Iran. They criticized the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, and, more recently, a hostage release deal in mid-September between the U.S. and Tehran in which $6 billion in Iranian oil revenue was unfrozen for humanitarian aid. That money was ultimately transferred to a restricted account in Qatar, and the Biden administration
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has said the money could only be used for food, medicine or medical equipment, and that none of the money had been distributed at the time of the October 7 attack, according to The New York Times. Former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley—who is polling near Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for a distant second in the field—used her platform to support Jews while urging attendees to pick a candidate other than Trump. “We need to ask a critical question: We all know what [Trump] did in the past. What will he do in the future? We’re living through the most dangerous period in our lifetimes,” she said. “We cannot have another four years of chaos, vendettas and dramas,” she added, in a thinly veiled swipe at Trump. Mentioned several times were a group of four House Democrats first elected in 2018 known as “the Squad”—Reps. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez of New York, Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, the only Palestinian American in Congress. Those four have been vocal opponents of Israel’s treatment of the Palestinian people. “Nobody is making Joe Biden put up with all of this stuff,” said Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C. “Nobody is keeping (House minority leader) Hakeem Jeffries from kicking them out of their committees and out of their conference.” -Casey Harrison
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L A S V E G A S W E E K LY
RESORTS WORLD LAS VEGAS IS NOW POWERED BY 100% RENEWABLE ENERGY.
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RETURN TO GLORY DAYS
Among the renovations underway at Circus Circus are a refresh for its iconic roof, a $10 million project to redo the property’s elevators, and new attractions for the Adventuredome such as miniature bowling and axe throwing.
COMMUNITY
Geoconda Argüello-Kline, right, former secretary-treasurer for the Culinary Workers Union Local 226, and D. Taylor, international president of Unite Here, are arrested October 25 after blocking traffic during a Culinary Union civil disobedience protest on the Strip. (Steve Marcus/Staff)
STRIKE STILL A POSSIBILITY DESPITE MOVEMENT ON TALKS The lead negotiator for Culinary Workers Union Local 226 says Las Vegas Strip resorts have shown “some movement” in contract talks on wages and health care, job safety and job training, technology and other issues. But on other issues, including workload reduction and the reinstatement of daily room cleaning, the resorts are not “nearly” where they need to be, Ted Pappageorge, secretary-treasurer and chief negotiator for Culinary, said October 30. “We’ve been able to make some movement, but if we were having to make the decision today, it wouldn’t be enough,” he said. “And I think these workers would authorize a strike.” That means a strike deadline for the thousands of members of Culinary and the Bartenders unions working at three major resort companies on the Las Vegas Strip could be
coming shortly. Culinary met October 23 with MGM Resorts International, October 28 with Caesars Entertainment and October 30 with Wynn Resorts, all of which have been in talks with the union since April to establish a new five-year contract for about 40,000 unionized hospitality workers. Those talks have resulted in some progress—but not enough, Pappageorge said. “When these companies are making incredible profits—record profits—workers deserve record contracts,” Pappageorge told reporters in a conference call. “Cost of rent, the cost of groceries and gas, electricity—all are increasing. These companies must be prepared to share the wealth.” He said Culinary and Bartenders union members, who voted last month in favor of a strike authorization, do not want to strike but will if they must. -Katie Ann McCarver
COUNTY IN NEED OF FOSTER PARENTS Clark County has about 3,000 children on any given day who are in foster care, according to the Department of Family Services. In August alone, 1,944 children had been taken in by the Department of Family Services. The average number of children 18 or younger at Child Haven—the county’s emergency shelter— was about 91. Their average length of stay was almost 23 days, according to department data. That’s why Clark County decided to go all-in on a new, expedited foster training program that would help prospective foster families become licensed in only two weeks. Those who are interested can sign up to attend an information session on Clark County’s website at tinyurl. com/foster-care-CC. -Grace Da Rocha
Cars drive over a bridge built to bypass construction on Flamingo Road for the upcoming Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix. (Wade Vandervort/Staff)
HOT SHOT
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A NEW LEAF CANNABIS FOR
(Shutterstock/Photo Illustration)
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N E W S
Washington considers policy changes that could transform Nevada’s dispensary businesses
BY SHANNON MILLER Nevada cannabis businesses have their eyes on Washington right now for a couple of reasons. For one, a Senate committee for the first time has passed bipartisan legislation to give legal cannabis businesses the same access to banking that other businesses have. The SAFER Banking Act passed through the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee in late September and would allow licensed cannabis businesses to access banking and insurance services without having to worry about federal law enforcement cracking down. On top of that, the Department of Health and Human Services in August recommended to the Drug Enforcement Agency that cannabis be rescheduled from Schedule I to Schedule III. Schedule I drugs are defined by the DEA as having “no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse,” and the category includes heroin and methamphetamine, while Schedule III is defined as having “moderate to low potential for physical and psychological dependence,” including ketamine and anabolic steroids. Layke Martin, Executive Director of the Nevada Cannabis Association, says members and people in the industry have been waiting for these developments. “It’s been important for our members since the beginning. … When the
industry first launched, it was all cash. And obviously, there are many risks associated with that for public safety,” she says of the SAFER Banking Act. With regard to the federal government’s moves to reschedule cannabis, she says it would correct a misclassification of the drug under federal law. “To have it classified alongside heroin and other drugs that are deemed to have no medicinal use is just an improper classification,” she tells the Weekly. The SAFER Banking Act Nevada Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, who sits on the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, introduced SAFER Banking legislation in 2017 and has pushed for it ever since. In a statement, Cortez Masto called the committee’s vote a “historic step forward that will help keep Nevadans safe.” “There are so many Nevada business owners who have opened legal cannabis businesses and created jobs across our state, and they should be able to access the same banking services as all other businesses,” Cortez Masto said. When the industry started, allcash transactions posed safety risks, Martin says. In Nevada and across the country, cannabis businesses have had no choice but to run a cash payroll and pay vendors in cash. Aside from safety, there’s also a lack of convenience, as businesses have not been able to offer normal credit or debit card transactions. Credit unions have helped fill the gap for financial services. “Having the business be all cash at the beginning was incredibly challenging. We wanted to make sure that our employees who were transporting the cash were safe and that the locations were safe and not targets for crime, and that our customers were safe,” she says. “A lot of credit unions are doing business ... and so that has reduced the amount of cash and the ability for businesses to pay vendors with checks, to do regular payroll.”
In addition to safety and smoother business operations, legislation also could open up access to loans and capital. In 2022, Nevada Sen. Jacky Rosen introduced the Fair Access for Cannabis Small Business Act to provide legal cannabis small businesses access to loans and programs provided by the Small Business Administration. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has said he intends to bring the SAFER Banking Act to the Senate floor with “all due speed,” with some possible amendments related to expunging records for cannabis offenses. “I’ve long advocated for the expungement of records for cannabis offenses, and with SAFER Banking moving through the committee in such a strong, bipartisan way, I believe now is the time to get it done.” Rescheduling cannabis The Department of Health and Human Services’ recommendation to reschedule cannabis comes after President Biden in 2022 ordered a review of the drug. Now, it’s up to the Drug Enforcement Agency to decide whether to follow the recommendation. Rescheduling cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III would not legalize marijuana. But it would change the steep taxes cannabis businesses currently are subject to, Martin says. “The typical business expenses that any other business will deduct, cannabis businesses—even if they’re legal in the states in which they oper-
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ate—cannot deduct those expenses from their federal taxes,” she says. “The effective tax rate comes in anywhere from 60% to 80% for legal cannabis businesses. Obviously, it’s very challenging for them to pay such a high effective tax rate.” Martin says the tax code comes from an old law that says any business selling a product that is Schedule I or II cannot deduct ordinary business expenses. “Rescheduling would move cannabis to Schedule III, so that section of the tax code that doesn’t allow deductions would no longer apply to cannabis businesses,” she explains. There already is an effort in the state, brought by the Cannabis Equity and Inclusion Community, to remove cannabis from the state’s Schedule I list. In 2022, the nonprofit, represented by the ACLU, sued the Nevada Board of Pharmacy over the classification and won. But the Board of Pharmacy has appealed to the Nevada Supreme Court. According to the Nevada Independent, the Nevada Supreme Court has issued a stay of the district court’s order, meaning cannabis remains a Schedule I drug in Nevada. A’Esha Goins, founder of the Cannabis Equity and Inclusion Community, says she believes the lawsuit will lead to wider efforts to not just reschedule, but fully decriminalize cannabis. “I think that our lawsuit in the state is the first step in watching national scheduling. … I think it will change here and … will start a domino effect of decriminalization,” Goins says. “I think most people are looking at rescheduling as an incremental step in the right direction,” Martin says. “There’s still certainly more steps that need to be taken to get to full decriminalization, and rescheduling from one to three doesn’t fully address that.” Nevada’s Cannabis Advisory Commission has a subcommittee “exploring cannabis rescheduling or descheduling.” Currently the subcommittee is working on a report, required by Senate Bill 277 from the 2023 Legislative Session, to present to the Legislature by March 2024.
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N O I S E
TIME TO ACT
C U L T U R E
BY AMBER SAMPSON
Timing has proven to be everything for Jason Corbett, lead singer and guitarist of Vancouver post-punk band Actors. Before founding the band in 2012, “I worked in the restaurant industry for just about 20 years,” he tells the Weekly. “It all seems like a lifetime ago.” Since then, Actors, also featuring Shannon Hemmett (keys), Kendall Wooding (bass) and Adam Fink (drums), has assembled a loyal following enamored by the four-piece’s icy, shimmering synths and driving drum machine beats that recall the leather-clad era of the ’80s. Your last Vegas show was pre-pandemic with Boy Harsher. What did you think of the city? I loved it. It was a great crowd. There were a lot of fans we knew from that general area. I also toured and played at a couple of dive bars in the late ’90s, so it was interesting to not be there for a long time and then return to play at a better venue (laughs). Do you remember which bars you played? I don’t. The only thing I remember is ... one of the shows fell through and we ended up going to the Crazy Horse Too. Is
Actors frontman Jason Corbett reflects on a crazy night at Crazy Horse, the power of timing and more
that place still there? touch into that stuff, but we do it our way. I think we’re on Crazy Horse 3 now. Both Shannon and Kendall are also seriOh, really? Well, we showed up and we’re in ously talented, as we’ve seen with Shannon like, leather pants, eyeliner. I gave a credit doing her [electro-pop] project Leathers, card behind the bar, and I guess they thought and Kendall can play guitar. She plays circles we were rock stars or something for real. around me, and I’ve been playing my whole And they just took me to the cleaners. I think life. They’re the real deal and really, it’s about they put like $2,000 on my credit the male and female energies that card in Jägermeister and tequila mingle in the band. And that’s how shots. I got so drunk, it was literally the music wants to be presented. It’s ACTORS like a movie. A bouncer grabbed me very honest. With Close to by my belt and my neck and threw Before Actors you played Modern, DJ me out a back door. It was crazy. in 10 other bands, but only Paulie. November 5, 8 p.m., $20. That’s a good introduction a handful actually recorded Backstage Bar to our city. (Laughs) Yeah, it was albums. What made this time & Billiards, great. The next day we were playing different? I think I just wasn’t ready seetickets.us. in Costa Mesa and I was so hungovfor it [before]. When you’re younger, er I was dry-heaving into a change sometimes you chase the idea that you bucket from the casino the whole have to attain success, or try to achieve drive. success in a certain way that doesn’t align with You certainly have the bad boy rocker your artistic goals or how you want to present archetype down. The whole band’s pretyourself. Actors started at a time when I had ty stylish too, especially Shannon and started producing other artists ... and I really Kendall. I showed someone a picture of just said, I give up on chasing that stuff. I just Actors, and we agreed you were “servwant to make music that I really want to make ing Depeche Mode.” Oh, that’s cool. We love and listen to. Depeche Mode. There’s that whole kind of ’80s For more of this interview, visit lasvegasthing that I really love and we all are fans of. We weekly.com.
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SKATE PUNKERS FIDLAR HANG ON TO THEIR EDGE
C U L T U R E
FIDLAR AND THE FRIGHTS With Mind’s Eye, November 4, 7 p.m., $28+. Brooklyn Bowl, ticketmaster.com.
BY GABRIELA RODRIGUEZ “I remember almost getting kicked out of the Cosmopolitan when we played with The Hives,” recalls Fidlar frontman Zac Carper. “We were just kids and played in our f*cking bathrobes and they were like, ‘Dude, we gotta get these guys out.’” Carper’s memory of this 2012 gig is hazy, which makes sense considering this was Fidlar’s most prolific party era. And for a band whose name is an acronym for “F*ck It Dog, Life’s A Risk,” nearly getting booted from a Las Vegas resort should surprise no one. Fidlar’s debut album follows suit. With tracks titled “Cocaine,” “Wake Bake Skate” and “Cheap Beer,” it’s easy to see how it played a part in many fans’ unconventional upbringing, and helped the band thrive in the local house show scene. But that was over a decade ago and a lot has changed here and for this infectious LA skate punk group. “I went to rehab, I got sober. And I was really into it because it was tough being a heroin addict and a meth head on tour,” says Carper. “Now I have this new lease on life.” Follow-up albums Too and Almost Free carry this new perspective and expand on heavy topics while keeping the sound punk. Even on latest single “Nudge,” the band was able
to write a thrashy rager for those in need of a friendly shove in the right direction. The track carries simple opening riffage into a shifting distortion and Carper’s sneering vocals get the point across. Despite the great feats the band went through to get to where they are today, Carper found the internet was ripping into them for changing. “You know what was the crazy thing about it? The more sh*t talk was happening, the bigger we were getting,” he says. Now Fidlar is ready to get back to what they know best—the road. But before taking off to the U.K. to support Oliver Tree on tour, Fidlar is playing a short desert run here and in Phoenix with longtime buds The Frights. They’ve come a long way from writing setlists on paper towels, so what does a semi-mature band like Fidlar do to prepare these days? Carper notes exercise, vocal warm ups, and rest ensures the band’s endurance. “You can’t smoke a bunch of ciggies and party all night. You won’t last,” he says. Even if pre-show rituals change, the crowds are still primed to party, sweaty and ready to crowdsurf. But there’s one major difference at recent shows that Carper noticed after the pandemic. “It’s a younger audience and more young girls, and I didn’t understand why, but I think girls just want to mosh,” he says. “It’s kind of a wild thing—we’re used to punk dudes, you know, barfing in the pit and sh*t.”
(Courtesy/Alice Baxley)
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N I G H T S
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From left, We the Beat partner Max Amster, partner James Hammer, co-founder Kirk Reed and co-founder Blake Nania. (Wade Vandervort/Staff)
11.2.23
THE BEAT GOES ON ALUNA With Yeisukee, Midnight Affair. November 3, 9 p.m., $15. We All Scream, wethebeat.com.
L A S V E G A S W E E K LY
Music collective We the Beat marks a decade of musical parties in Las Vegas BY AMBER SAMPSON If you’ve discovered new music at a show recently, chances are good it happened at a We the Beat event. For the past decade, co-founders Kirk Reed and Blake Nania have built a reputation around their curated concerts, bringing unknown acts to Vegas before they go viral. “Yes, we are concert promoters, but I look at us more as a community, a culture that is here to support music discovery and art and appreciation,” says Nania. “Vegas, it’s still a city that’s in its infancy, that’s still growing, and even with the emergence of AI, there’s always going to be a need for curation and human touch. That’s what we try to bring through our concerts.” Reed and Blake’s paths crossed in college in Santa Barbara, while they were writing music blogs and Reed worked at SoHo Restaurant & Music Club. “I did everything I could just to be around live music,” Reed adds. “I didn’t know how I would end up where I am now.” Sharing a niche love for the rising nu disco movement and dance vanguards like Roosevelt and Rüfüs Du Sol, the friends started throwing shows together. “The first show we ever booked in Vegas was French Kiwi Juice [at Bunkhouse Saloon], which I don’t think anyone really knew who that was at the time,” Nania says. “It was We the Beat just starting out in Vegas. Now of course, he’s mega performing all over the world.” That’s historically how We the Beat shows have gone. The co-founders, who now run the collective with partners and best friends James Hammer and Max Amster, set out to feature acts no one else was booking at the time. That’s how the collective brought Khruangbin to the Hard Rock Hotel in 2018, during the band’s Con Todo El Mundo era. That’s how it booked Louis the Child in 2015 at the
SoHo Music Club in Santa Barbara, years before the DJ duo ever had a residency locked down at Zouk Nightclub. “It’s cool to just be a part of this trajectory with them,” Nania says. The originality of We the Beat’s programming is what made it stand out early on, but booking undiscovered talent also posed challenges. “It’s hard to find those fans,” Reed says. “That was part of We the Beat building a community of people that are looking for new music and hopefully gaining that trust to come to a show.” Ten years in, We the Beat has proven it knows what the next big thing is, and more businesses are starting to open their doors to it. This August, the collective partnered with Circa for its first Stadium Swim After Dark concert series, featuring the Grammy-nominated duo The Knocks and several local artists. More cool shows are also already being planned for next year. “We’ve always loved Downtown Las Vegas. We like how cool and weird it is down there,” Reed says. “So for Circa to be the biggest, coolest dude on the block, to partner with them and for them to give us a platform to do what we love but bigger and better, it’s super cool.” We the Beat’s Downtown footprint continues to expand. Fergusons Downtown has become a resident venue for the collective’s biggest shows and holiday fests like Halloween’s Freak the Beat and St. Patrick’s Day’s Get Lucky, featuring dance music virtuosos Disco Lines and Whethan, respectively. We All Scream has also seen its share of We the Beat gigs, with Aluna from the U.K. electronic duo AlunaGeorge playing there on November 3. For Reed and Nania, the goal is to keep bringing club-sized experiences to town without the bottles and the tables. “We’re trying to re-mold a new, cooler outlook on experiencing art, culture and music,” Nania says.
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T H E
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Venetian’s Voltaire brings residency shows and more into a fresh environment
(Courtesy)
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CHRISTINA AGUILERA AND KYLIE MINOGUE (Courtesy)
BY BROCK RADKE
VOLTAIRE BELLE DE NUIT Venetian, voltairelv.com. Friday & Saturday, 9:30 p.m.-late.
It’s not a Las Vegas nightclub, but there will be music, dancing and DJs. It’s not a sprawling theater, but there will be superstar residencies performed by Kylie Minogue and Christina Aguilera, for starters. It’s not a supper club—there’s no supper—but it’s ready to provide a unique night of entertainment with the sophisticated ambiance you’d find at those glamorous venues on the Strip. Voltaire Belle de Nuit is something new, a creative hybrid of familiar, big Vegas experiences, neatly packaged in an intimate and stylish environment. Located at Venetian in the former 1,700seat Opaline Theater, it’s set to debut November 3 with Minogue’s first Strip residency show, but the space will be nothing like the previous theater. Capacity allows no more than 1,000 people at Voltaire, which will feel more like a cabaret-style room than the much larger venues along the Boulevard that could accommodate a string of concerts from a pop star of her magnitude. “The creative team has designed an environment where people can get up and dance at their tables and revel in the night,” Minogue said in a statement when the show was announced in July. “That’s what Voltaire is and I can’t wait to perform in this intimate and exciting setting.” Founder Michael Gruber—a producer and former Caesars Entertainment exec and partner at Drai’s Group where he was instrumental in bringing live, fulllength concerts to the rooftop nightclub—says Voltaire will fill a special void in Vegas entertainment and nightlife; it’s all about adding another layer of intimacy when live entertainment keeps getting bigger and bigger. “Everything is getting supersized, so how do you bring back a little bit of what Vegas was, at least when I grew up, when you saw Elvis and Frank and Don Rickles and Dean Martin with a few hundred people,” he says. “Those people all felt special that they got to be a part of that evening, and I think that still lives on somewhat with the Adele and Bruno Mars [shows] and others. But I think we’re taking one step closer to that, with high sophistication and intimacy for a great evening out.”
When there’s a headliner at Voltaire, the warm-up act will be a show of its own that invokes “burlesque, drag, cirque and cabaret,” Gruber says, for about an hour and 15 minutes. When there’s no headliner, that performance will be the main attraction, giving way later in the evening to DJs and a different energy. Minogue, the 55-year-old Australian icon who’s long been rumored for a Vegas run, has memorable throwback dance hits like “Can’t Get You Out of My Head” and new smash material like “Padam Padam” at her disposal. She released new album Tension to acclaim in September, perfect timing for this project, Gruber says. “We both lucked out in her album being as strong as it is, the singles as strong as they are,” he says. “This is an artist who, for four decades, has No. 1 hits across the world, quite rare. If you look at other [resident] artists here, they put out albums, but do they really have something that sits atop the global numbers game the way she does?” Minogue’s dates stretch into the spring, while Aguilera, whose The Xperience residency ran for a year at Planet Hollywood in 2019, will make her Voltaire debut for New Year’s Eve weekend. Both shows are expected to amp up the production in their own respective ways to take advantage of each singer’s musical legacy and the more stylized environment. No matter who’s onstage, Voltaire brings an intriguing addition the entertainment landscape at Venetian and Palazzo. The connected resorts already offer legacy-act headliners at the 1,800-seat Venetian Theatre; comedy, music and more at the 750-seat Summit Showroom; Spiegelworld’s riotous Atomic Saloon Show; and established club programming at Tao Nightclub and Tao Beach Dayclub. And then, of course, you have U2 at Sphere just behind the hotel towers, the perfect example of Gruber’s supersized entertainment trend. “We are trying to give the customer the option to fill the void from 9:30 until 1:30 a.m.,” and that timeframe has not traditionally been Venetian’s strength, he says. “When Apollo [Global Management] bought [Venetian], it was made a big goal to elevate our entertainment, and this is part of that goal.”
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F O O D
&
D R I N K
LET THE LITTLE LION ROAR C U L T U R E
LEONCITO Red Rock Resort, leoncitolv.com. Opening November 7; Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Friday, 11 a.m.-11 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m.-10 p.m.
11.2.23
(Courtesy)
BY BROCK RADKE
For all its culinary success through the years, Summerlin’s still-stunning Red Rock Resort has never offered a Mexican restaurant that truly resonated with the neighborhood. That’s not the way I’ve felt about Mexican food at my all-time favorite neighborhood casino; I was always a fan of the Cabo concept that served it up for years in the space where Yard House stands today, and I still miss the incredible, creative tacos that took a turn in Summerlin in 2014 thanks to Chicago transplant Mercadito. For this next at-bat, Station Casinos is bringing in designated hitter Wish You Were Here, the hospitality company that already shook things up at Red Rock with the delightful Rouge Room lounge, and before that, anchored the restaurant portfolio at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas with the impressive and vibey Kassi Beach House. Leoncito is its brand new Mexican concept, set to open on November 7 in the space vacated by Hearthstone. Like that friendly venue, Leoncito will be open for lunch, dinner and weekend brunch. It’s a sure bet the cocktails will be a homerun, based on the libations we’ve sampled at Kassi and Rouge, and margarita flights will be on the menu so we can taste to our heart’s content. Leoncito’s namesake cocktail ($16) will bring the heat with lemon, strawberry and coconut blending with jalapeño and lava salt, and your choice of spirit, all poured into a traditional Cantarito Cup. What’s that, you need more of a menu tease? There’s a watermelon “tuna” tostada ($18), an offbeat vegan interpretation with salsa macha, cilantro and avocado crema. New and different taco options ($12-$18) include green chorizo, beef barbacoa, suckling pig and lamb. There’s more green chorizo in the chimichanga ($16) with scrambled eggs, Oaxacan cheese, tomatillo salsa and crispy potatoes. And the chicken mole Poblano ($38) and grilled whole branzino ($95) with multiple salsas, house-made tortillas, chipotle aioli and herb salad sound to us like idea table shares.
LET’S TACO ‘BOUT FRESH FLAVORS AT FASHION SHOW Lettuce Entertain You’s El Segundo Sol brings a new menu and vibe El Segundo Sol has long been a favorite of Fashion Show mall shoppers who crave more than a food-court stop but don’t want to commit to a full formal meal or a restaurant where they should have made a reservation. The cozy cantina with the prime patio for Strip people-watching has always offered quality eats and drinks, but recent renovations to the space and the menu requires regulars—locals included—to stop by for a taste of something new. “We wanted the new design to create the feeling of being in Tulum, so we brought in lots of lush, dense greenery, hand woven light fixtures, leather booths and rustic pottery,” says Ryan Richardson, managing partner at LEY. “We really wanted to capture that vibe of a taqueria in coastal Mexico and we’ve gotten a lot of positive feedback on both the new look and the new menu items.” Don’t fret, your favorite guac, fajitas and taco options haven’t gone anywhere. New stuff includes the Torre de Mariscos seafood tower ($23), stacked with shrimp, scallops, octopus and avocado with black salsa, and charred octopus ($20) with crispy potatoes and a saucy duo of chimichurri and garlic aioli. The pollo al pastor ($29) may be the new star of the entree section, a half chicken smothered in those spicy, bright achiote flavors served with caramelized pineapple, chimichurri, fresh tortillas and rice and beans. It’s a natural complement to El Segundo Sol’s variety of house margaritas made with Basico Blanco, and you can’t people-watch on the patio without one of those. –Brock Radke EL SEGUNDO SOL Fashion Show, 702-258-1211, elsegundosol.com. Daily, 11 a.m.-10 p.m.
(Courtesy/David Borzkowski)
Red Rock and Wish You Were Here team up for a bold Mexican concept
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11.2.23
S P O R T S
HOMEGROWN HOOPERS
C U L T U R E
LEFT TO RIGHT: Isaiah Cottrell, D.J. Thomas and Jalen Hill. (Wade Vandervort/ Staff)
11.2.23
UNLV MEN’S BASKETBALL EARLY SEASON SCHEDULE Nov. 8 vs. Southern, 7 p.m. Nov. 11 vs. Stetson, 4 p.m. Nov. 17 at Pepperdine, 7 p.m. Nov. 20 vs. Florida State in Daytona Beach, Fla., for Sunshine Slam, 2:30 p.m. Nov. 21 vs. Colorado or Richmond in Daytona Beach, Fla., 1 p.m. or 3:30 p.m. Nov. 28 vs. Akron, 7 p.m. Home game tickets available at unlvtickets. com, $11-$121.
BY MIKE GRIMALA The UNLV men’s basketball team hasn’t made the NCAA Tournament since 2013, but that doesn’t mean the Valley has been devoid of collegiate-level talent all that time. On the contrary, Las Vegas has produced dozens of star players since that tourney run—All-Americans, Final Four participants and NBA lottery picks alike. They’ve just played for other colleges. So when Kevin Kruger was remaking his roster in the offseason with the NCAA Tournament as a goal, it made sense for the UNLV head coach to act locally. First, Kruger convinced Vegas native and former Clark High standout Jalen Hill to transfer back home to UNLV after four productive years at Oklahoma. Then Kruger really put on a recruiting fullcourt press to land Liberty High superstar D.J. Thomas, who not only committed to join the Scarlet and Gray, but moved up his graduation date a year so he could get to campus early. Hill and Thomas join returning junior center Isaiah Cottrell—a former 4-star prospect and three-time state champion during his time at Bishop Gorman High— to form a nucleus of local Vegas ballers intent on restoring UNLV to its rightful place in March Madness. It’s part of Kruger’s plan to use the local pipeline to keep UNLV stocked with bluechip players. Heading into his third year as coach, Kruger believes this local class will help inspire the next wave of stars from powerhouse programs like Gorman, Clark and Liberty to consider UNLV. “You talk about Jalen coming home, you talk about Isaiah coming home, you talk about D.J. staying home, I think what those guys did is they stood up and stuck their chest out that they’re proud to be at UNLV and proud to be in Vegas,” Kruger says. “I think the effect with D.J. and Jalen and Isaiah, it may not be immediate, but we’re going to see it.” Kruger has made recruiting local high schools a priority since taking the job three years ago. He and his staff are courtside regulars at big games, and they’re putting in work behind the scenes, too. The Las Vegas Sun surveyed nine local high-school coaches whose programs have produced a combined 20 Division-I college recruits over the past three years.
Of those nine, seven coaches said that Kruger and his assistants have attended at least one of their practices or workouts; seven also said they’ve spoken directly with Kruger about recruiting. That doggedness paid off with Thomas. After leading Liberty to a state championship in 2021-22 and another run to the title game last year, the 6-foot-1 point guard had his choice of premier programs—Gonzaga, Arizona, Houston and UCLA were among his finalists. UNLV had an inside track, though. His father, Dedan Thomas, played at UNLV from 1991-94, and that local connection was a major reason why D.J. decided to stay home. Kruger also had a head start with Hill, as he initially recruited the 6-foot7 forward when he was an assistant coach at Oklahoma. Kruger earned his commitment back then, and when Hill put his name in the transfer portal in the offseason, Kruger knew his toughness and defensive versatility would be crucial to UNLV’s tournament hopes. Hill says that prior relationship made it easier for him to return to Las Vegas. “At the end of the day, you want to go to a coaching staff that you trust,” Hill says. “That’s how I felt coming back home with Kev.” That transferring-home model could become a blueprint for UNLV. Because Las Vegas produces so many Division-I basketball players, it makes sense for Kruger to blanket the local high schools. Even if he doesn’t get a commitment the first time around, he’s nicely positioned to resume a dialogue with those players if they enter the transfer portal a year or two later. “The advantage is, we’re able to have enough conversations, especially face to face, that there is no confusion,” Kruger says. “Sometimes guys decide they want to try somewhere else and go out of town. Because we have that relationship, if the portal does become an option at some point, we have that foundation.” With the Vegas trio leading the way this season, UNLV expects to be included when tournament brackets are revealed in March. The way Hill sees it, Las Vegas’ team is
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building a self-sustaining cycle of success. “If you’re winning, the city is going to love you,” Hill said. “This is a basketball town and everybody knows it. I think now, especially with the program coming up and getting better, I believe we’re going to have a great year and make the tournament. That will make it easier for guys to stay home.” YOUNG MONEY The UNLV women’s basketball team is already reaping the benefits of staying local with Desert Oasis High graduate Desi-Rae Young, a three-time All Mountain West Conference team selection. Young goes into her senior year looking to extend one of the greatest runs in program history. The Scarlet and Gray has won 24 consecutive Mountain West games, including back-to-back league championships (regular season and tournament). They’ve got the best coach in the conference in Lindy La Rocque, who says the game plan this season is simple. The 6-foot-2 Young had a monster campaign last year with averages of 17.9 points per game and 10.1 rebounds, so there’s no reason for UNLV to change its approach. “We have Desi on the block,” La Rocque says. “She’s been our rock. We’re going to rely on that. We’re not totally changing our style of play. We’re going to stick to what has really worked.” That’s been good enough to get UNLV to two straight NCAA Tournaments. Now the goal is to win a game in the “Big Dance,” with Young leading the way and senior forward Nneka Obiazor, junior guard Kiara Jackson and freshman guard Amarachi Kimpson providing support. But don’t expect anything more than light tinkering from La Rocque, as Young continues to be the focal point. “We’re not going to fix anything that’s not broken,” La Rocque says. The Lady Rebels start the season on the road November 6 at Loyola Marymount before returning home for a three-game home stand against College of Charleston (November 10), Utah Tech (November 14) and New Hampshire (November 18).
Desi-Rae Young (Courtesy/ Josh Hawkins)
UNLV basketball embraces local talent to turn around program going into new season
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11.2.23 FINANCE
FINANCIAL LITERACY COURSES AT UNLV AIM TO PREPARE STUDENTS FOR LIFE
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BY KATIE ANN MCCARVER
B U S I N E S S
VEGAS INC STAFF
tudent loans, housing and ever-increasing inflation are just a few of the fiscal challenges facing college students nationwide, and a new UNLV initiative has aimed itself at helping students weather the financial storm. UNLV unveiled the Institute for Financial Literacy and Wellness, as well as a slew of related academic initiatives, to combat a lack of financial preparedness among younger generations, teach students how to manage their money responsibly and ultimately invest in the “third stool” of their health—the financial—in addition to the mental and physical. “Financial health is an inescapable element of life,” said Daniel Chi, chair of the UNLV Lee Business School’s finance department. “We cannot avoid it even if we want to. … So, we really want to emphasize the essentiality of financial health and to make the third leg of the stool also really strong, so we have a fulfilling life.” The university has begun offering two financial literacy courses, including one dedicated to financial independence and a second dedicated to financial success. Both courses are completely packed, with more than 700 students enrolled between them. A potential third class would look at financial risks, said Darwin Hopwood, a UNLV lecturer, Commercial Banking Advisory Board faculty fellow and co-director of the Institute for Financial Literacy and Wellness. “So, we’re putting in academic content to inform our students about the major areas that deal with their personal finances and how to achieve their financial goals,” Hopwood said. The institute will offer a plethora of services, including career and budget planning for students, outreach to faculty, staff and alumni, ed-
ucation on retirement finances or student-loan forgiveness, individual financial counseling and more. Many students have different financial backgrounds, and the institute will be able to respond accordingly with the appropriate financial advice, Hopwood said. He pointed to first-generation students who may not have a family member to guide them through college financially, as well as several students at UNLV who may experience homelessness while pursuing their education. “So financial counseling for that person starts from someplace different than someone who’s a second-generation student coming on campus and wants to know a little bit more about investments, for instance,” Hopwood said. “So, if we can do some one-on-one counseling, in that we can identify needs, and that helps us develop ways we might be able to help or guide them to needed resources.” But financial literacy doesn’t have to—and shouldn’t—start in college, Hopwood said. So, UNLV is also doing outreach to the Clark County School District and local education programs, including by offering a couple of dual-credit courses to high school students.
(Shutterstock/Photo Illustration)
“I just think it’s really important we get out there,” he said of the institute. “We make sure people have information and awareness of tools that are available to them to help them achieve their financial goals. The sooner they learn habits like budgeting … the better. It’ll serve them over their lifetime to prepare for things like retirement.” The response from students has been so great that UNLV will increase the number of sections of its financial-literacy courses to 15 next semester—for an estimated 900 students—and 20 sections the following semester—for an estimated 1,200 students, Hopwood said. “We want to seize the momentum and ramp up the supply to the students,” said Chi, who added that students at UNLV have displayed “tremendous interest” in financial literacy. “We want to have enough sections that every student that wants to be in this course … can.” There’s a dire need for financial literacy across the board, Hopwood said. “We just feel like there’s just a lot of good we can do,” he said. “We’re excited to do it. And hopefully, we’ll be able to gather the resources from the community across campus and be able to do a good job doing it.”
Software Engineer: Develop, implement, maintain, & deliver software solutions. Requires: Master’s degree in Computer Engineering, Robotics, or related field & 2 years of experience in the job offered or related position. This can be substituted with a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering, Robotics, or related field & 5 years of experience in the job offered or related position. Knowledge and experience in Systems Design, C/C++, Objective C, MATLAB, Minitab, Python, DBMS, & JavaScript. Incidental travel–1% throughout Las Vegas, NV. Salary: $150,000.00/ per year. 40 hrs/wk. Job Site: Las Vegas, NV.
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MGM Resorts Satellite, LLC seeks a Senior Data Engineer II in Las Vegas, NV to lead, develop and execute production-grade data integration and engineering code end-to-end through vision, definition, development, deployment and sustainment. Telework Permitted. Apply online at: https://careers.mgmresorts.com/global/en job number: 239209 or E-Mail resume to resume@mgmresorts.com and reference job number: 239209.
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We are now accepting nominations for the 24th annual 40 Under 40 Awards! If you know a young professional in Southern Nevada who is making a difference in their industry and community, we want to hear about them.
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11.2.23 FINANCE
GUEST COLUMN
Financial literacy has critical role in the support of affordable housing within our growing communities BY ANGELA PHILLIPS
F
or many households in Southern Nevada, the COVID-19 pandemic was not an event they financially planned for. It crippled our primary industries and resulted in job loss for the masses. Layoffs experienced during the pandemic left many across the country struggling to make their housing payments, many are food insecure and struggled to survive with Clark County’s unemployment rate peaking at 33% in 2020 during the mandatory closures. The loss of employment and income during a major life event poses a threat to housing stability, which leads to a larger ripple effect for communities, causing more uncertainty for households. Most Americans do not have a financial cushion for emergencies and do not know where to start to create a plan. During the pandemic, stimulus payments and eviction moratoriums provided some short-term relief, but financial planning knowledge provided by programs like Habitat for Humanity Las Vegas’ Financial Peace Project helps participants develop good financial habits leading to long-term success. The Financial Peace University curriculum has been taught for nearly 25 years to over 5 million people worldwide. According to the Ramsey Solutions Q1 State of Personal Finance study released in May 2021, 34% of Americans didn’t believe they would recover from the financial setback of the pandemic.
Forty-two percent of those with consumer debt say the pandemic was a financial setback they don’t believe they can come back from, compared with only 27% who are consumer debt-free. Providing financial education and the tools to help people increase their financial literacy is crucial for supporting affordable housing and contributing to community development in several ways: n Empowering informed decision-making. Financial education prepares individuals with the knowledge and skills to make informed decisions about their finances. This includes understanding budgeting, saving, investing and debt management. With this knowledge, people are better equipped to make sound financial decisions, which can lead to more stable housing situations and overall financial well-being. n Sustainable homeownership. Homeownership is a significant aspect of affordable housing. Financial literacy can help people better understand the mortgage process, interest rates and the costs associated with homeownership. Informed homeowners are less likely to
face foreclosure or default on their mortgages, contributing to the stability of the housing market. n Access to affordable loans. Financial education can improve people’s credit scores and financial histories. This, in turn, can make it easier to access affordable loans, including those offered by community development financial institutions. These loans can be essential for low-income individuals and communities seeking to build or maintain affordable housing options. n Savings for down payments. Increasing financial literacy can encourage people to save for down payments on homes. This reduces the barriers to homeownership and can lead to a more stable and secure living environment. n Understanding government-assistance programs. Many governments offer housing-assistance programs, but these can be complex and difficult to navigate. Financial education helps people understand the eligibility criteria, application processes, and benefits of these programs, making it easier for them to access affordable housing options. n Community investment. Finan-
cially literate individuals are more likely to invest in their communities. They may participate in community development initiatives, support local businesses and contribute to the overall economic health of the area. This can lead to increased job opportunities and a stronger sense of community. n Support for nonprofits and community organizations. Nonprofits and community organizations working on affordable housing projects can benefit from financially informed supporters and volunteers. These individuals can better understand the organization’s mission, financial needs, and the impact of their contributions, leading to more effective fundraising and advocacy efforts. n Preventing predatory practices. Financial education can help people recognize and avoid predatory lending practices that can lead to housing instability and financial decline. This knowledge is essential for protecting vulnerable communities from exploitation. n Reducing financial stress. Housing instability and financial insecurity often go hand in hand. By equipping people with the tools to manage their finances effectively, financial education can help reduce financial stress and promote overall well-being, which is vital for community development. Financial literacy plays a critical role in supporting affordable housing and community development by empowering individuals and families to make informed financial decisions, manage their resources effectively, and advocate for policies that promote housing affordability. Promoting financial literacy can be a valuable strategy for addressing housing challenges and fostering stronger, more resilient communities. Angela Phillips is executive director of Habitat for Humanity Las Vegas.
According to the Ramsey Solutions Q1 State of Personal Finance study released in May 2021, 34% of Americans didn’t believe they would recover from the financial setback of the pandemic. Forty-two percent of those with consumer debt say the pandemic was a financial setback they don’t believe they can come back from, compared with only 27% who are consumer debt-free.
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VEGAS INC BUSINESS
VEGAS INC NOTES Highlighting the best in business
11.2.23
Cashless payment companies Koin and Marker Trax made two additions to assist in expanding into new markets. Sean Salce assumes the role of vice president of business development, eastern region, and Mark Wiedemer is the new senior director of business development. Salce has served in leadership positions for several gaming and technology heavy hitters, including as a key client support manager for Konami Gaming, and a director of sales at software company Joingo and Sightline Payments. Most recently, Wiedemer led sales teams at several sports wagering companies, including Suzohapp and the Score, in addition to his past business development and sales leadership roles at IGT Europe, Bally Technologies, and IGT North America. The Mayor’s Fund for Las Vegas LIFE, a vehicle for companies and individuals to support city initiatives that improve
quality of life for Las Vegans, named Sallie Doebler as CEO. Doebler served as vice president of corporate partnerships for the Vegas Chamber. Southwest Medical has added three new providers to help meet the growing need for health services in the Las Vegas community: Dr. Dino Lorenzo A Dy, specializes in adult medicine at the 540 N. Nellis location in Las Vegas. Dr. Ian Weng Lam (4475 S. Eastern Ave., Las Vegas) specializes in family medicine. Emeka Madu, APRN (888 S. Rancho Drive, Las Vegas) specializes in cardiology. Gov. Joe Lombardo appointed Iris Ramos Jones as director of the Governor’s Office for New Americans (ONA). Ramos Jones previously served as a real estate agent with Engel & Volker and as a manager at Las Vegas en tu Idioma. In 2021, she was appointed by the Clark
County Commission to serve a threeyear term as a Citizen Review Board member at the Las Vegas Metro. Comprehensive Cancer Centers hired medical oncologist and researcher Dr. Kyaw Zin Thein. Dr. Thein is seeing patients at Comprehensive’s Central Valley treatment center (3730 S. Eastern Ave., Las Vegas), providing medical care for a wide range of cancer and severe blood disorders with a special interest in thrombosis, head and neck, thyroid, genitourinary and rare cancers. Agate Construction completed a 17,000-square-foot concrete paver manufacturing facility for Las Vegas Paver, located at 6645 Gomer Road. This facility will produce more than 200,000 square feet of concrete pavers for homebuilders, pool contractors and more throughout Nevada, Utah, and Arizona.
JOB LISTING
JOB LISTING
SQL Database Engineer III sought by Aristocrat Technologies, Inc. in Las Vegas, NV. Develop, test, debug, extract, and implement all data conversions for new and existing Oasis customers. Domestic and International travel required up to 70%/year. May work from home.
FEA Engineer sought by Aristocrat Technologies, Inc. in Las Vegas, NV (Hybrid work permitted- when not working from home, must report to Las Vegas, NV office): Lead FEA and CFD for all engineering programs (across all sites). Requires: Bachelor of Science +7.
Apply by email to: Aristocrat Technologies, Inc. Attn: K. Henry, totalrewards@aristocrat.com (Reference Job code: NV0504NS)
Apply by email to: Aristocrat Technologies, Inc. Attn: K. Henry, totalrewards@aristocrat.com (Reference Job code: NV0524RM)
JOB LISTING Multimedia Marketing Specialist (Henderson, NV) Develop and maintain multimedia marketing content. Bachelor’s degree in Marketing or Visual Communication Design or foreign equivalent required. 2 years experience in Marketing.
Apply to L&L LUCKY LLC, 605 MALL RING CIR, Ste 120, Henderson, NV 89014.
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LV W P U Z Z L E & H O R O S C O P E S
11.2.23
PREMIER CROSSWORD “WRITING SWEET NOTES” BY FRANK LONGO
HOROSCOPES WEEK OF NOVEMBER 2 BY ROB BREZSNY ARIES (March 21-April 19): “Our bodies sometimes serve as the symbolic ground where order and disorder fight for supremacy,” writes storyteller Caroline Kettlewell. Here’s good news, Aries: Order will triumph over disorder in the coming weeks. You will tame the forces of chaos and enjoy a phase when most everything makes sense. TAURUS (April 20-May 20): I recently endured a three-hour root canal. The endodontist gave me nitrous oxide, and the resulting euphoria unleashed a wild epiphany—I had vivid visions of all the people in my life who love me. I was overwhelmed with the kindness they felt for me. I invite you to induce a similar experience—no nitrous needed. It’s a perfect time to meditate on how well you are appreciated. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Do you have any notion of what your grandparents were doing when they were your age? Have you said a prayer of gratitude recently for the people who have given you so much? I don’t mean to put you on the spot with my questions, I’m merely hoping to inspire you to get into closer connection with everything that nourishes and sustains you. CANCER (June 21-July 22): Cancerian singer-songwriter Suzanne Vega has had a modest but sustained career. She has said, “I always thought that if I were popular, I must be doing something wrong.” I interpret that to mean she has sought to remain faithful to her idiosyncratic creativity and not pay homage to formulaic success. You can be more appreciated than ever before simply by being true to your soul’s inclinations and urges. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): “Everything in the world has a hidden meaning,” wrote Greek author Nikos Kazantzakis. Did he really mean everything? Your dream last night, your taste in shoes, your favorite TV show, the way you laugh? As a fun experiment, let’s say yes. Do you have the courage and determination to go deeper than you have ever dared? I believe you do. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): How many glowworms would have to gather in one location to make a light as bright as the sun? Probably over a trillion. Luckily for you, the cumulative small efforts you need to perform so as to accomplish big breakthroughs won’t be nearly that high a number.
2020 KING FEATURES SYNDICATE ACROSS 1 Sailing guy 8 Dump vermin 12 Increased, as security 20 Singer with the 2018 hit “Let You Love Me” 21 Morales of “Bad Boys” 22 Still growing 23 Charms strongly 24 Pottery flaw 25 Cereal with a Honey Clusters variety 26 Start of a riddle 29 Reluctant 30 Suffix with ranch 31 Sty dweller 32 — Lankan 33 Reggae forerunner 36 Overhead railways 37 Riddle, part 2 41 Sell directly to consumers 44 Very secretive org. 45 Mysore dress 46 Completely 47 Old Palm smartphone 49 — -de-sac 52 Blasting stuff 54 Riddle, part 3 60 Old Pontiacs 61 Parks of civil rights 62 — monster 63 Flight check-in stand 66 Mob group 69 Likely 70 Riddle, part 4 73 “Monsters, —” 74 City known for its Heat 76 Clan emblem 77 — -mutuel betting 78 PC whiz
79 Watch over 81 Riddle, part 5 84 Frat party containers 88 Road no. 89 Emphatic assent in Acapulco 90 First play part 91 Horse pace 93 Saints’ and Cardinals’ gp. 96 Twangy vowel sounds 100 End of the riddle 105 “Prob’ly not” 106 Bagel fish 107 Britain’s Lord Sebastian — 108 Patterned after 109 Issa of “Insecure” 110 Neopagan practice 112 Riddle’s answer 116 Liqueur in some biscotti recipes 119 Nile goddess 120 Most lofty 121 Guys with pitches 122 Faxed, e.g. 123 Tempo faster than larghetto 124 Singer Julio or Enrique 125 Picnic intruders 126 Dawn crower DOWN 1 Free-for-all fighter 2 Opening for a lubricant, as in a drill 3 No less than 4 Razz 5 Change form little by little 6 Zone 7 Sadat’s predeces-
sor 8 Intersect again 9 Wan 10 Slow-movement martial art 11 Suck out with a tube 12 Bully in “Back to the Future” 13 Go-between 14 Going aboard 15 Spenser’s “The — Queene” 16 Gigi’s “to be” 17 Band of two 18 Fancy vase 19 Baseball’s — Wee Reese 27 Video game or scifi film 28 Food items with shells 33 Fully content 34 Shoelace snarl 35 Carpenter’s curved tool 37 Grow feathers large enough for flight 38 Food item with a shell 39 Ill-bred guy 40 It’s ENE of Fiji 42 “Right back —!” 43 Gershwin or Levin 48 Poet like Keats 50 Disheveled 51 San — Obispo 53 Dispensers filled with bills 54 Disney World conveyance 55 Pueblo tribe 56 Legacy levy 57 Additionally 58 Old Iraqi political party 59 Like thick fog 64 Strike defier
65 Davis who was the 2018 major league home run leader 67 Atahualpa, e.g. 68 Sore, as a muscle 70 Weasel’s kin 71 Equipment 72 Ventilating 75 Be worthy of 78 The thing here 80 Neighbor of Windsor, Ont. 82 Remain unsettled 83 Luggage inspection org. 84 Weep noisily 85 Cavern effect 86 Drink like Sencha or matcha 87 Hard drinker 92 The thing there 94 Timberlands 95 Bella’s “Bye!” 97 Really old 98 Maker of crocodile-logo shirts 99 Tam-o’- — (Scottish cap) 101 Gain entry to 102 Alexander Pope’s “— to Abelard” 103 Chinese revolutionary Sun — 104 Bee juice 110 Ralph — Emerson 111 Bits of land in el agua 112 “So it is!” 113 USMC VIPs 114 Pointer 115 Baseball’s Robinson — 116 “— always say ...” 117 Badger 118 Indisposed
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): In the 17th century, John Milton wrote the long narrative poem Paradise Lost. I feel I should engage with a work that has had such a potent influence on Western philosophy and literature. On the other hand, I’m barely interested. I’ve decided to read the Cliffs Notes and in accordance with astrological omens, I suggest you call on similar shortcuts, Libra. If you can’t do the completely right thing, try the partially right thing. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): On a trip to Thailand, Scorpio musician Dave Soldier discovered that if given sticks and drums, some elephants kept a steadier beat than humans. A few were so talented that Soldier recorded their rhythms and played them for a critic who couldn’t tell they were created by animals. I propose that you Scorpios seek out comparable amazements. You now have the potential to make unprecedented discoveries. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Sagittarian novelist Shirley Jackson wrote, “No live organism can continue for long to exist under conditions of absolute reality; even larks and katydids dream.” Since she wrote that, scientists have gathered evidence that almost all animals dream. With that as our inspiration, I urge you to enjoy an intense period of tapping into your dreams. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Capricorn writer Kahlil Gibran believed an essential human longing is to be revealed. We all want the light in us to be taken out of its hiding place and shown. If his idea is true about you, you will experience major cascades of gratification in the coming months. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): November is Build Up Your Confidence Month. In the coming weeks, you are authorized to snag easy victories as you steadily bolster your courage to seek bigger, bolder triumphs. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): I’m glad we have an abundance of teachers helping us learn how to be here now—to focus on the present moment with gratitude and grace. But I also want to advocate for the importance of letting our minds wander freely. Please give your mind the privilege of wandering far and wide in the coming weeks, Pisces.
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