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I-215 and Durango
This week at UnCommons
Thurs 1/11
Highballs & Handrolls @ The Sundry 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Sat 1/13
Weekend Brunch @ Amari 11:30 AM – 3:00 PM
Sun 1/14
Brunch & Good Vibes @ The Sundry 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Tues 1/16
Taco Tuesday @ The Sundry 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM
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Roberto’s Taco Shop (Wade Vandervort/Staff)
IN THIS ISSUE
T A B L E O F C O N T E N T
PLAN YO U R WEEK D! AHEA
S
(Wade Vandervort/Staff)
08 18 40 34 36
SUPERGUIDE
Catch a Kaskade-Deadmau5 team-up, laugh with Kevin Nealon and Marlon Wayans, and ride that “Pony” with Ginuwine at Virgin.
ON THE COVER
BRIGHTLINE WEST
Photo Illustration by Ian Racoma
COVER STORY
Brightline West is set to break ground this year on a highspeed rail project that should make going back to Cali a lot easier and faster.
FOOD & DRINK
Often imitated and never quite duplicated, late-night institution Roberto’s celebrates 60 years in business.
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MUSIC
Local underground source Asteroid M Records pushes the scene forward.
NIGHTS
Soulful listening lounge Seven:45 adds cocktails and vibes to the Arts District.
SPORTS
We’re not quite sure what the Las Vegas Raiders will look like next time they take the field, but they might have a budding star in running back Zamir “Zeus” White. WANT MORE? Head to lasvegasweekly.com.
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SUPERGUIDE THURSDAY JAN 11
FRIDAY JAN 12 QUINN AYERS 8 p.m., the Space, thespacelv.com.
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THE SPONGES With Cheechmo, 9 p.m., the Wall at Area15, area15.com.
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CLINT HOLMES 7 p.m., Myron’s, thesmithcenter. com. FRANKIE VALLI & THE FOUR SEASONS Thru 1/14, 7:30 p.m., Westgate International Theater, ticketmaster.com.
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TRAPT With Kilgroov, Rhythm Affair, 8 p.m., Backstage Bar & Billiards, back stagebarlv.com. STEVE AOKI 10:30 p.m., Omnia Nightclub, events. taogroup.com. THE CHAINSMOKERS 10:30 p.m., XS Nightclub, wynnsocial.com. JUICY J 10:30 p.m., Drai’s Nightclub, drais group.com.
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AFROJACK 10:30 p.m., XS Nightclub, wynn social.com.
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NELLY 10:30 p.m., Hakkasan Nightclub, taogroup.com.
THE BEEKEEPER SCREENING & PIECING IT TOGETHER LIVE PODCAST 6 p.m., Art Houz Theaters, piecing pod.com. VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS VS. BOSTON BRUINS 7 p.m., T-Mobile Arena, axs.com.
AMERICAN RODEO CONTENDER WEST REGIONAL FINALS Thru 1/13, 7:30 p.m., South Point Arena, ticketmaster.com. THE DOCKSIDERS 5 p.m., Notoriety, notorietylive.com.
MARY DROPPINZ With Collelo, 10 p.m., Discopussy, tixr.com. LAS VEGAS DESERT DOGS VS. SAN DIEGO SEALS 7 p.m., Michelob Ultra Arena, axs.com. HENDERSON SILVER KNIGHTS VS. MILWAUKEE ADMIRALS 7 p.m., Dollar Loan Center, axs.com. KEVIN NEALON 7 & 9:30 p.m., & 1/13, Wiseguys Town Square, wiseguys comedy.com. BRAD GARRETT With Percy Crews, Drew Dunn, 8 p.m., Brad Garrett’s Comedy Club, mgmgrand.mgm resorts.com. FILM: FOUR DAUGHTERS Thru 1/14, times vary, Beverly Theater, thebev erlytheater.com.
KASKADE & DEADMAU5 Kx5, the eponymous debut album by electronic superduo Kaskade and Deadmau5, is nominated for Best Dance/Electronic Music Album in the 66th annual Grammy Awards set for February 4 in LA. Released last March, the album was well-reviewed for its comfy, even nostalgic take on melodic house, and if I’m being honest, I listen to some of its tracks almost weekly—often while compiling this very Superguide you see before you. That’s because its chill sonics calm me down and take me back to a time when I bounced around Vegas casinos and dayclubs quite often, when one of this duo’s first collaborations, “I Remember,” could be heard on repeat in the Encore casino. The lead Kx5 single “Escape” brings the same vibes. And the fact that both of these influential DJs are resident artists at Zouk means Las Vegas might be the only place to catch them playing together outside of a major festival environment. 10 p.m., $20-$30+, Zouk Nightclub, zoukgrouplv.com. –Brock Radke
F O R M O R E U P C O M I N G E V E N T S , V I S I T L A S V E G A S W E E K LY.C O M .
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SEBASTIAN MANISCALCO 7:30 & 10:30 p.m., & 1/14, Encore Theater, ticketmaster.com. MIKE EPPS 8:30 p.m., & 1/14, Venetian Theatre, ticketmaster.com. IMPRACTICAL JOKERS 8 p.m., Resorts World Theatre, axs.com. VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS VS. CALGARY FLAMES 7 p.m., T-Mobile Arena, axs.com. UNLV MEN’S BASKETBALL VS. UTAH STATE Noon, Thomas & Mack Center, unlvtickets.com.
(Courtesy)
AL STEWART & THE EMPTY POCKETS 6 & 8:30 p.m., Myron’s, thesmithcenter. com.
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MARLON WAYANS When it comes to the Wayans brothers, funny is all in the family and has been for the better part of 30 years. Emmy Award-winning sketch comedy series In Living Color was a breakthrough for many of the siblings, and they’ve since gone on to create a comedic legacy as actors, comics, producers and directors. Influencing pop culture with timelessly meme-able films like White Chicks and Scary Movie, the Wayans are a steadying force in the comedy scene. So it’s surprising that Marlon Wayans only recently debuted his first standup comedy special, 2018’s Woke-ish. In 2023, he followed it up with God Loves Me, an hour-long Max special featuring his indelible talent for being one of the funniest physical jokers around. There’s no telling what this hysterical mastermind has in store this time, but we can assure you, it will be a rib-tickling ride. 8 p.m., $39-$175, Theater at Virgin, axs.com. –Amber Sampson
MUSIC
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BARRY BLACK & M3CCA 9 p.m., Easy’s Cocktail Lounge, easysvegas.com.
COMEDY
S CUPCAKKE 8 p.m., 24 Oxford, etix.com. CAPSTAN With Pure Sport, Lie for Fun, 8 p.m., the Usual Place, pulsarpresents. com. RILE With Sympathy Pain, Shelter Red, Lifes Torment, 7 p.m., the Griffin, pulsarpresents. com. HESH 9 p.m., the Portal at Area15, area15.com. CEDRIC GERVAIS 11 a.m., Marquee Dayclub, events.taogroup. com. MARSHMELLO 10:30 p.m., XS Nightclub, wynnsocial.com. CHRIS LAKE 10:30 p.m., Hakkasan Nightclub, events. taogroup.com.
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FINESSE MITCHELL 9:30 p.m., & 1/15, Jimmy Kimmel’s Comedy Club, ticketmaster.com. DJ SHIFT 11 a.m., Marquee Dayclub, events.taogroup. com.
MONDAY JAN 15 (AP Photo/John Locher)
SUNDAY JAN 14
DRU HILL & GINUWINE If the past few sold-out Lovers & Friends festivals have taught us anything, it’s that ’90s R&B is an ageless, undying era. Ginuwine’s “Pony” is still one of the most widely circulated strip club songs to date (we have our sources), and the Sisqó-led, multi-platinum group Dru Hill dominated the airwaves with hits like “In My Bed” and “How Deep Is Your Love.” Now the two acts have committed to turning back the clock for their R&B Rewind tour—a kickback, really—saturated in sweat-soaked soul and heart-rending ballads. Bring the ladies, bring the moms, bring the fans because this is going to get steamy. 8 p.m., $66$164, Theater at Virgin, axs.com. –Amber Sampson
DJ FIVE 10:30 p.m., Marquee Nightclub, events.taogroup. com.
VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS VS. NASHVILLE PREDATORS 3 p.m., T-Mobile Arena, axs.com.
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G LEAGUE IGNITE VS. STOCKTON KINGS 1 p.m., Dollar Loan Center, axs. com.
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GEOFF KEITH Thru 1/21, 8 p.m., LA Comedy Club, ticketmaster.com.
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KRUELTY With Khasm, Sledge, Sea Of Sorrow, Eyes of Perdition, Run Your Luck, 6 p.m., Eagle Aerie Hall, seetickets. us.
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TUESDAY JAN 16 NGHTMRE 10:30 p.m., Omnia Nightclub, events.taogroup. com.
BADVRIL With Laminate, Style Cramps, Spring Breeding, 8 p.m., the Griffin, black sheepbooking. ticketbud.com.
WEDNESDAY JAN 17
JOHN CAPARULO 9:30 p.m., Jimmy Kimmel’s Comedy Club, ticketmaster.com.
ROBERT KELLY Thru 1/22, 7 p.m., Comedy Cellar, ticket master.com.
S U P E ACRAZE 10:30 p.m., XS Nightclub, wynnsocial.com. BLACK CIRCLE 10:30 p.m., Marquee Nightclub, events.taogroup. com. G LEAGUE IGNITE VS. MEXICO CITY CAPITANES 7 p.m., Dollar Loan Center, axs. com. JOI JAZZ ORCHESTRA 7:30 p.m., Notoriety, notorietylive. com.
(Courtesy/Jeremy Daniel)
CHRIS FRANJOLA With Eddie Pence, Kathleen Dunbar, thru 1/21, 8 p.m., Brad Garrett’s Comedy Club, mgmgrand. mgmresorts.com.
(Courtesy)
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 .
(Courtesy/Mike Kirschbaum)
CHICAGO Thru 1/21, times & dates vary, Reynolds Hall, thesmithcenter. com.
DO IT ALL
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FOR MORE INFO & EVENTS, VISIT: WISEGUYSCOMEDY.COM/NEVADA 1511 SOUTH MAIN STREET LAS VEGAS, NV 89104
6593 S. LAS VEGAS BLVD, B-222 LAS VEGAS, NV 89119
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Q & A
BREWING KINDNESS
Las Vegas’ Dig It! Coffee founder Taylor Gardner Chaney advocates for all abilities in the workplace
(Courtesy/Quincy Walker/Velv Media)
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BY AMBER SAMPSON Transitioning into adulthood can be hard. Doing it with a disability can feel impossible. Taylor Gardner Chaney understood this when she realized her little sister, Lindsay, born with Down syndrome, deserved much more. “When you’re an individual with a disability in the State of Nevada, you can stay in school up until you’re 22. At that point, you’re left to navigate on your own,” says Chaney. “When I left high school, it was like, ‘Do I want to travel? What job do I want to have? What do I want to study in school?’ I had all of these opportunities at my fingertips. My sister being around the same age, it was like, ‘Wait, what? These are her opportunities?’ I don’t even know if you would call them that.” Unsatisfied with available resources, Chaney created the Garden Foundation (thegardenfoundationlv.org), a Las Vegas nonprofit aimed at helping adults with disabilities to learn to live their lives to the fullest, through vocational training, recreational classes and acts of community service. In 2022, she went a step further by opening Dig It! Coffee, a Downtown shop where adults with disabilities serve the best in coffee class. The Weekly spoke with Chaney about inclusion, being proudly atypical, how a vocational training program transforms into a business and more.
Dig It! Coffee opened in 2022, but before that, you were already experimenting with on-the-go coffee at the Garden Foundation. How did Dig It! evolve? I was just trying to recreate opportunities for people with disabilities that I had in my typical life as an adult. I looked at that and said, “I also have the choice to explore careers and work and find fulfillment. How can we do that and teach these skills in a supportive environment?” We wanted people to work with money, [to have] these transferable skills … and we did that by making our own coffee. We were teaching those skills and pushing a cart through our office building at the Garden Foundation. I got to see our people having so much fun. They love being in the community, they love meeting new people. They’re finding a lot of value when
they’re serving that cup of coffee. But what I got to see, too, were people who may not have ever had an experience with a person with a disability. They were having this experience of … It just made my whole morning getting my coffee from Sarah, which wasn’t that different from getting it from Joe at Starbucks. This experience was meaningful for me. About two years in, when we started working at these pop-up events and farmers markets, I was like, “We cannot make this much coffee. This is crazy to go out to a 5K [race] and we’re brewing in a coffee pot.” So the owner of Sin City [Coffee & Beverage] met with me at the Garden Foundation. He said, “I will bring you free coffee. Let me know what you need and when you have events and the coffee is yours. I love what you’re doing. I believe in what you’re doing.” I said, “One day, I’m gonna have a shop, and I’m gonna be able to pay you.” To this day, we still work for him. And I held up my end of the bargain.
The shop itself has such a unique vibe. I love the 2 Chainz song quote “I’m different, yeah I’m different” on the walls. What’s the story behind that? I wanted this to be such a fun and funky place. We’re not a charity. I wanted people to really want to come here wheth-
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er you were into the mission or not. That you wanted to love our coffee, you wanted to think that the vibe was so cool, and it was one of the most aesthetically pleasing cafes in Vegas. But with 2 Chainz, I also just wanted it to be meaningful and to speak to who we are. It’s embracing this whole, “Yeah, I’m not the same, and I actually love it.” I’ve always wanted to really celebrate people’s differences. The other sign that we have in there is “Not typical.” I don’t want to be your typical coffee shop, I don’t want to be your typical employee. We’re taking a spin on, oh, it’s different, but it’s a great different.
We actually mentioned Dig It! in the Weekly’s 2023 coffee issue because of its mad scientist coffee creations, like the dirt cup latte with gummy worms. How do you come up with these?
That’s amazing. So in some cases, this is your employees’ first job? Yes, I would say for 75% of our employees, if not more, it’s their first job. Jobs that are typically given to people with disabilities … are segregated. They might be in a workshop-type setting where people are stuffing packets, or shredding paper or folding towels and doing these very menial, repetitive tasks. Subminimum wage is still legal here in the state of Nevada, which means that you’re legally able to pay people with disabilities under minimum wage. And when I say under, I mean drastically, disgustingly under. It could be as low as 30 cents. It’s not even close to living wage. So to be able to not only offer people a job that is purposeful, that they find meaning in, that they’re included in the community, that it’s a job that their typical peers have as well and that … people are paid an equitable wage, it’s literally the dream.
L A S V E G A S W E E K LY
DIG IT! COFFEE
1300 S. Casino Center Blvd. #110, 702-246-2331, digitcoffeeco.com. Tuesday-Friday, 9 a.m.-2 p.m.; Saturday & Sunday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
I wanted to appeal on all levels. I wanted it to be kind of kid-like, nostalgic and very playful. My sister loves gummy bears. It’s like her trademark. We have gummy bear wallpaper in the bathroom, and we also have a gummy bear lemonade. Those are kind of in honor of her. It’s not really what people think of when they think of disability. People are often intimidated, or it’s a very serious topic, and you don’t want to talk about it. I wanted to make it the complete opposite of that.
There’s a lot of misconceptions around disabilities. This place knocks them all down. Obviously I love being unique, and I love what we’ve done, but my hope is that the community doesn’t [just think], “Wow, Dig It! is this amazing, special thing because they do this.” I hope it’s normalized. I hope that we show people that this representation can be duplicated anywhere, and it’s not just Jacob working our front counter. He could work yours too and give people a great experience. I hope that if someone wants to work at a clothing store or a race car track, or whatever that looks like, that someone could say, they could do that too. They have the skill set. They’re super capable and can provide a really cool experience for people because they’re just people like us. They just want to find value and happiness.
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BY BROCK RADKE Nevada Congresswoman Dina Titus has been working on a proposed high-speed rail line between Las Vegas and Southern California for some 25 years. That’s long enough for something that once seemed like a futuristic dream project to be mostly forgotten by skeptical local residents. But Titus believes this dream project is on the right track at last, thanks to a multi-jurisdictional strategic effort, careful planning by upstart rail service company Brightline, and a $3 billion grant from the federal government’s Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. “We’ve put together different plans, different companies have been involved, worked on different routes and been involved with different commissions over a long time with this project,” Titus tells the
Weekly. “This was the cherry on the sundae, to get that federal commitment of dollars, and it came through the [2021] recovery bills we passed. We’re really excited about it.” President Joe Biden joined Titus, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, Gov. Joe Lombardo, Senators Jacky Rosen and Catherine Cortez Masto and other officials on December 8 at the Carpenters International Training Center in Las Vegas to formally announce the grant for Brightline West, the planned 218-mile, all-electric passenger rail service to be built within the median of Interstate 15 between Las Vegas and Rancho Cucamonga, California. Biden called it the “first world-class high-speed rail project in the nation.” In a statement, Brightline founder and chairman Wes Edens called the grant “a historic moment that will serve as a foundation for a new industry, and a remarkable proj-
ect that will serve as the blueprint for how we can repeat this model throughout the country.” He’s planning to raise the rest of the money for the $12 billion project through private investors, start construction early this year and be up and running in time for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. All-new tracks will be built for trains running at speeds of up to 200 MPH—powered by solar and geothermal energy from California and Nevada operating a catenary system of overhead wires suspended over the tracks—for an expected travel time of 2 hours and 10 minutes to Rancho Cucamonga. Additional stations are planned in Hesperia and Apple Valley, with the flagship Las Vegas station based south of the Strip on Las Vegas Boulevard between Warm Springs and Blue Diamond Roads, where Brightline purchased 110 acres in 2021.
(Rendering courtesy of Brightline West/Photo Illustration)
A high-speed train to California is closer than ever to becoming reality
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Brightline, which purchased the previous development Xpress West in 2018 and its valuable, previously negotiated right-of-way, operates an express train in Florida between Miami and Orlando, with stops in Aventura, Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton and West Palm Beach. It’s not as fast nor is it electric, but it creates greater connectivity between major cities and tourism routes with its three-hour trip from Miami to Orlando. The Vegas-LA train is the next evolution. Titus says she believes Brightline West’s budget and timeline plans are reasonable. “So much was already in place, from the labor contract agreements to the environmental studies that have been done and the way the financing has been calculated. They want to get it ready in time for the LA Olympics so all those international travelers can come to Las Vegas as part of their Olympic experience.” A Las Vegas connection to the Olympic Games is a dream that hasn’t really ever been explored, but it’s just one of the possible effects that could come as a result of an efficient high-speed rail line. Those skeptical locals might assume the benefits begin and end with Southern California tourism getting a boost and travelers having an alternative to driving or flying, but the impact of this project on Southern Nevada is much more wide-ranging. Harry Teng, a professor of civil and environmental engineering and construction at UNLV since 2004 and a commissioner for the Nevada High Speed Rail Authority, says this connection has been explored for decades because it’s absolutely necessary.
“There was Amtrak passenger train service from Las Vegas to Los Angeles up until 1997,” Teng says of the Desert Wind route that began in 1979, part of the California Zephyr line from Chicago to LA. “People living in this area of the country need access to a larger transportation system. This has to be provided. To have these two big clusters of population without having a passenger train connection is something unbelievable.” Teng says he has used high-speed rail for years in China, routes connecting Beijing to surrounding cities that reduce hours-long commutes to minutes. “People can live in one city and work in another and go back and forth. I can imagine something like that will happen in Las Vegas in the future, and there will be more business moving to Las Vegas from California,” he says. “Fortune 500 companies might choose to move here because we have a better business environment.” Edens discussed the concept of an LA-Vegas commute beyond tourism with Forbes last year, just
as Brightline was opening another Florida station at the Orlando International Airport. And as Biden touted in Las Vegas, Edens noted that this project is only the beginning for high-speed rail in the U.S. “Nine major cities in Japan are connected with true high-speed rail; China has 26,000 miles of high-speed train routes. We have zero,” he said. “Vegas to LA is probably the best system in the world that hasn’t been built yet. … What I’m very focused on is it being viable economically because that means there’ll be more of them.” The Las Vegas station will certainly be much more than a train station. Teng says the location near the Strip and the airport is perfect to create a transit village and commercial center, the core of a bigger “center of population to be developed.” Edens co-owns the NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks and the English Premier League’s Aston Villa soccer club, and there’s already been speculation that a long-elusive professional soccer stadium could be part of the development on the
SOCAL TO VEGAS: An estimated
people travel between Las Vegas and Los Angeles annually. In 2022,
of all Las Vegas visitors came from Southern California.
RANCHO CUCAMONGA STATION LOS ANGELES UNION STATION
(Via Metrolink Regional Rail)
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Brightline land. That site is also close to the 66-acre plot where Oak View Group is developing a potential NBA arena and casino resort project. “Every place you see trains being built, any kind of train, development is part of the calculation that comes around with those stations,” Titus says. “It really will make a difference, especially in the southern end of Las Vegas which is already becoming a real theater for development with [Allegiant] Stadium and the baseball team [Oakland A’s] and those kinds of activities. And that’s part of my district.” Those major league sports arrivals have reignited discussion and support in recent years for better public transportation around the Las Vegas Valley, so imagine what a high-profile national innovation will bring. “There’s no doubt about the economic impact to Las Vegas and you can clearly see that the transportation landscape in Las Vegas will see that change,” Teng says. “If the density increases, there will be more high-rises to be built. Some already think there will be light rail con-
necting Downtown Las Vegas to Maryland Parkway and the airport, and with these people moving to Las Vegas … there will be more advanced transportation systems built in Las Vegas.” That’s the future-future. If Brightline West stays on course and starts sending people back and forth by 2028, the more immediate impacts should include 35,000 construction jobs, a lot less carbon monoxide in the air, fewer short-distance flights, and a lot more people visiting Las Vegas for business and/or fun. Edens told Forbes the train will move about 3 million cars off the road, cutting 20% of car traffic between the two cities. Significant progress has been made but there are still a lot of questions, none bigger than the obligatory, Is this going to happen? “One thing I can tell you is if you have the money, the work can be done quickly,” says Teng. “This is not planned like the California (San Francisco to LA) high-speed rail, where the money comes piece by piece. If you have the money already, construction can be really fast, and it can be started from any place along the line.”
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BY EVELYN MATEOS
The average daily auto traffic on Interstate 15 at the Nevada-California border for 2022 was
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(Shutterstock/Photo Illustration)
vehicles.
California is the top air travel feeder market among all states, with
arriving passengers in 2022.
For 40 hours a month, I stare at the back of some sedan going about 10 miles an hour. I spend two hours in traffic every day. That’s 10 hours a week. As a native Southern Californian, dealing with traffic is normal. When I lived in Las Vegas, if I hit all the green lights, I could be pulling into the parking lot at my job in a whopping 8 minutes. The drive home from Vegas to Orange County on the weekend—going against traffic—took about four hours or so. If the stars align, which they rarely do because unfortunately I do not live inside of a Taylor Swift song, I can hope for a five-hour drive from Orange County to Vegas. And that’s just time. I have become very aware of how these miles rack up on my odometer every time I ask my car to make this trek. With traffic, gas prices and nothing but miles of desert to look at, Vegas feels too far to drive. If I were to take a flight from John Wayne Airport or Long Beach Airport, both relatively close to me, it would take me about three and a half hours to reach my destination. This accounts for travel to the airport, getting through TSA (with my “personal item,” as most airlines charge $60+ for a carry-on bag) and to the gate, and time in the sky, plus boarding and deboarding. Planes can also be delayed for various reasons ... and we should also talk about how LA-to-Vegas planes can arrive early, since it is such a short flight, and have to wait for an arrival gate. I am also lucky if I booked ahead of time to get a good price on the flight. Dealing with all these issues makes Vegas simply too close to fly. So there are quite a few things about the Brightline West bullet train that could attract people like me, who travel between the cities so frequently— possibly money, time and convenience. Here’s what I need to know before committing to a new way of life: How close is my local Metrolink station? How long is the ride from that station to Rancho Cucamonga? How much will I be paying for both tickets? How much will I be charged for luggage? How much will I be charged to park my car at my local Metrolink station, or how much is that rideshare going to cost? And most importantly, how long will this total journey take me? My hope is that the train tickets are reasonable. Brightline says pricing will be determined closer to the start of operations, “but can be expected to be priced on par with the cost of gas and parking.” I hope I save time by not having to deal with long TSA lines or plane schedules, and that my train ticket is easily paired with a Metrolink ticket to get to the station. Brightline is touting “seamless service to Downtown Los Angeles” via Metrolink’s system. Overall, my hope is I will never have to drive or fly to Vegas again.
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IN THE
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ORGAN DONATION EVENT
The ninth annual Chris Ruby Memorial Cup will be staged January 13 at Lee Canyon to benefit Nevada Donor Network. The event helps educate people about organ and tissue donation. Visit leecanyonlv.com for more information and to register.
A WAY TO HELP THOSE IN NEED
GreenDrop, a nonprofit that collects gently used clothing and household items, has added three new donation centers in Southern Nevada, which are open 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily to accept dropoffs. For more information, go to gogreendrop.com.
MAN WHO WENT VIRAL FOR ATTACKING JUDGE SENTENCED
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A man who leaped over a judicial bench and attacked a Nevada judge on video was shackled and closely watched January 8 as he appeared before the same judge and was sentenced to up to four years in state prison. The punishment was handed down in connection with an attempted battery charge dating to last year that the defendant pleaded guilty to in November and was in court to be sentenced for January 3 when he rushed the judge. “I want to make it clear I am not changing or modifying the sentence I was in the process of imposing last week before I was interrupted by the defendant’s actions,” Clark County District Court Judge Mary Kay Holthus said as Deobra Delone Redden stood before her. He was flanked by jail security guards, with a mask covering part of his face and orange mitts on his hands. While the sentence could last up to four years, Redden could be paroled in 19 months, depending on his behavior in prison and decisions made by a parole board. Neither Redden nor his lawyer, Caesar Almase, was asked to speak during the brief court appearance. Redden was slated to appear before a different judge January 9 regarding 15 new felony and misdemeanor charges related to the courtroom attack. He could face decades in prison if he’s convicted. Redden, 30, had been telling Holthus on January 3 that he was “in a better place” mentally and didn’t think he should be sent to prison. But when the judge made it clear she was going to have him locked up, he vaulted the defense table and dove over the judge’s bench, landing atop Holthus. Video shared widely on social media showed her fall back against a wall and an American flag toppling forward onto the bench. –Associated Press
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BABY SNUGGLERS NEEDED Silver State Pediatric needs volunteers who can lend an extra pair of loving
arms to cradle newborns and infants. Interested volunteers must be 18 years old or older, undergo a thorough background screening and complete an entrance interview. Apply at silverstatepediatricsnf.com/volunteer.
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ELECTION 2024
WILD HORSE ROUNDUP
The Bureau of Land Management plans to gather and remove 2,875 mustangs from what the agency calls the East Pershing Complex. The roundup started December 28, and as of January 3, had netted 733 animals.
SAMPLE BALLOTS ON THE WAY TO VOTERS
(Courtesy)
AMERICAN NINJA WARRIOR GYM OPENS IN LAS VEGAS Michael Pericoloso, a two-time finalist on American Ninja Warrior, is bringing the ninja sport workout to the masses with the opening of Ninja Lair, a fitness studio featuring a variety of obstacle courses inspired from the show. Ninja Lair also features a variety of classes catering to people of all skill levels. The classes involve running, jumping, climbing and swinging. Featured studio obstacles include a
HOT SHOT
14-foot warped wall, salmon ladder, rock wall and wingnuts. In addition to weekly classes, the studio also hosts daily open gym time, as well as school break camps, competitions and private birthday party packages. Weekly class packages start at $99 a month and feature five 60-90 minute classes. For more information, visit NinjaLairLV.com or call 725-204-8845. –Staff
The Clark County Registrar of Voters announced that sample ballots were being mailed as of January 9 for the Presidential Preference Primary. Early voting will take place January 27-February 2. Election Day for the primary is February 6. In the primary, voters can cast a ballot only if they are registered in the Democratic or Republican parties. Per state law, the only candidates on Nevada’s primary ballots are those who filed with the secretary of state’s office to run for president. Those who filed and suspended their campaigns, but did not formally withdraw, still will appear on ballots. “Voters are encouraged to check their registration information online and make any changes they need to make as soon as possible,” said Clark County Registrar of Voters Lorena Portillo in a partial statement. To check your registration status or to look up registration dates and deadlines, visit registertovote.nv.gov. –Staff
From left, Zee Jaydi, 5, Hanane Djemamar and Kamal Jaydi build a snowman January 3 in Mountain Springs. A winter weather advisory on Mount Charleston called for up to 7 inches of snow possible above 6,000 feet, according to the National Weather Service. (Wade Vandervort/Staff)
130K
THAT’S HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE EXPECTED TO ATTEND CES, WHICH RUNS THROUGH JANUARY 12 AND MAKES USE OF MORE THAN 2.5 MILLION SQUARE FEET OF EXHIBIT SPACE IN LAS VEGAS.
ELEVEN OF NEVADA’S 17 COUNTIES HAVE HAD TURNOVER IN TOP COUNTY ELECTION POSITIONS SINCE THE 2020 ELECTION.
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N E W S
ARTS DISTRICT ATTACK Police crack down on bicyclists after a violent assault Downtown BY SHANNON MILLER
December 6 is remembered as the day a gunman walked on campus at UNLV, shot four professors and killed three. But on that same day, another violent incident happened in an unexpected place—the Arts District. Underneath decorative lights strung from streetlight to streetlight, 62-year-old Gary Costa was driving his Dodge Charger north on Main Street, a high-traffic area for shoppers, diners, barhoppers and tourists. He stopped at a red light at Colorado Avenue around 7:30 p.m. when a group of bicyclists blocked all sides of the intersection, he said. When he honked in an attempt to drive forward, they surrounded him and pulled him from his car. “This happened so fast. I was shocked,” Costa recalled in a December 20 interview with the Weekly. “I was literally being beaten on the ground. And people were standing around videotaping it. Nobody once said, ‘Hey, stop that!’ I was laying in the middle of the street. Nobody came to my aid. One of the bicyclists came back and poured beer over my face. That’s what woke me up. I couldn’t walk so I jumped into my car and waited for an ambulance to show up.” According to a witness report, Costa was “dragged out of his car, pulled to the ground and beaten.”
The report states that three to four people were hitting Costa, and a few more surrounded him. “Once the victim was up again and in his car, I drove past feeling unsafe myself as one of the men seemed to see me on my phone,” the witness told Las Vegas police. Costa, who is the executive director of the local nonprofit Golden Rainbow, which helps people living with HIV/AIDS with housing and emergency assistance, opted for police to investigate the incident as a battery. However, he said he initially pushed for it to be investigated as a hate crime based on the perpetrators calling him gay slurs and the manner of their attack. “They took turns stomping on my genitals and kicking me in the crotch … [calling] me faggot. So it started off just as an attack … a road rage kind of violent battery. And then it turned into a hate crime.” Costa said he went to the emergency room and was released on crutches the next morning. As of January 3, he said he’s still in “excruciating” pain and needs to see a specialist for medical care. In addition to the assault, the perpetrators did $3,500 worth of damage to his vehicle, he said. The unknown offenders are described in the police report as a
white male, age 25 to 30 and 6 feet tall, and a white female with auburn hair, age 20 to 30. They are accused of battery and tampering with a vehicle. Police would not say whether they knew the identities of suspects because of the ongoing investigation. When Las Vegas Weekly requested security footage, Metro responded that footage was being withheld because police “interest in nondisclosure outweighs the public’s presumed right to access.” “It’s been [weeks]. There’ve been no arrests. These people are still out there bicycling every Wednesday [with] no permits. And I’m sitting here learning to walk again,” Costa said. “I had to go to California and hide in an undisclosed location … because I don’t know if these guys are going to come kill me, because they’re not used to the police closing in on them.” Aside from bringing his attackers to justice, Costa also has concerns about the group of bicyclists they were with. The group is known to do weekly rides—sometimes with attendees in the hundreds—organized on social media. Before the attack, the group would meet in the Arts District at places like Berlin Bar’s parking lot, or Fremont East’s “Llama Lot.”
But the scene on Wednesday, December 20, was largely subdued compared to past rides. The Weekly observed approximately 40 cyclists in East Fremont, the Arts District and on Las Vegas Boulevard. Carlos Vivaldo, co-proprietor of Crank and Grind bicycle shop Downtown, which has been a meetup and organizing hub for the cyclists, says the smaller turnout is partly the result of police cracking down. In a statement to the Weekly, Metro said “we have increased our presence in the area when we have advanced knowledge of the rides and have enforced traffic violations when they occur.” “These rides have only recently become violent, and this is an isolated incident. The main issue is the bicycle riders are not obeying traffic laws and this causes friction between the riders and motorists,” the statement reads in part. According to Vivaldo, police stopped him on his way to the December 13 group ride, told him about the December 6 assault and directed him to not ride with the group and to cancel that night’s ride on social media. Vivaldo also said police told him he would
need to get a permit through the city for future rides. A week later, Metro officers assisted the City of Las Vegas business licensing department with a “compliance check” at Vivaldo’s business, according to a police statement. “City officials came in and left another letter about filing for permits to congregate or events,” Vivaldo said. “I don’t think I need a permit to ride my bike, if that’s all I’m doing.” Vivaldo told the Weekly he does not plan to apply for a permit. He has refrained from riding with the group rides in recent weeks to comply with police’s requests, he said. “I felt really targeted. … We never went out to set dozens of people on bikes to block the streets and have mobs endangering the public,” he added. For Costa, the crackdown on the group of bicyclists hasn’t come soon enough. He sees a double standard in how the authorities treat the bicyclists compared to how they treat other groups that congregate and have planned events Downtown. “I’ve been working in the LGBTQ community for many years. Whenever we want to have
a protest or a march or gay pride parade, we have to have permits, we have to have porta-potties, we have to hire security. We have to go through all kinds of hoops just to have a one-day event. And here these people get to, week after week, block every street, slow traffic [and] vandalize. And the police don’t do anything. To me, that is totally discrimination,” Costa said. “White guys on bicycles can do whatever they want. Gay people, Black Lives Matter—we would all be hauled off to jail if we attempted one time to do what they’re doing.” Costa added that he plans to pursue a lawsuit against the City of Las Vegas for allowing the large group rides to continue over the years unabated. He also believes police could do more to find his attackers. “I feel that it’s just being ignored and stuffed under the carpet. There’s been no mention of it anywhere in public by anybody except by me on social media.” Las Vegas Weekly asked the City of Las Vegas what prior action the city has taken to abate the disobeying of traffic laws associated with the group of bicyclists. “The City of Las Vegas is aware
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of this situation and is working with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department,” reads the City’s statement. “If a crime is committed, Metro is the lead agency in the investigation. The city does have jurisdiction over business licensing and can take disciplinary actions against businesses. In this case Metro contacted Crank and Grind Bicycle Shop about ongoing issues regarding this bicycle group. If someone feels they are in danger or witnessing a crime they should always call 911.” The Weekly also asked the City of Las Vegas if deputy city marshals, who provide public safety in tourist corridors in the jurisdiction, support Metro police in patrolling the group rides. The following statement was provided: “Police respond if a crime is being committed. The deputy City Marshals provide public safety at city parks and facilities, including more than 130 buildings, parks and trails. The city of Las Vegas is aware of the situation you describe and is working with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.”
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(Shutterstock/Photo Illustration)
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L A S V E G A S W E E K LY
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MR. RECORD MAN
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CODY’S 2024 Asteroid M Records founder Cody Leavitt finds purpose as a mentor to Las Vegas’ musical outcasts BY AMBER SAMPSON Close to 100 projects have been mixed, engineered, produced and recorded out of Cody Leavitt’s labor of love studio, Asteroid M Records. Out of that number, countless local bands— from Desert Island Boys and Anti-Vision to Francia and Rose Levee — have been given a chance to create whole bodies of work. In some cases, several. But if that was all it was about, Leavitt likely would have jumped into manning his own label and studio years ago. Instead, he’s devoted precious time to forging lasting relationships with the Las Vegas music scene and its characters, using film to document their biggest moments, becoming a sort of punk rock archivist and investing in the up-and-comers who need a guiding force. “I love being able to have good, qualitative captures of the local culture. It’s my religion, it’s my life,” says Leavitt, a Henderson native who doubles as the bassist and vocalist of local punk outfits Not for Sale and New Cold War. “I come from the same very similar story of broken kid backgrounds that a lot of the kids come from. [Music’s] like a life raft for a lot of kids who could have gone down to gangs, drugs. It becomes this really positive thing that teaches you self-reliance, trust with others, being able to build relationships, business sense. It’s so positive when kids get into this music thing.” Immersed in the Vegas underground punk scene since the early 2000s, Leavitt previously performed with the cowpunk band The People’s Whiskey. He worked with the celebrated and now defunct indie punk label SquidHat Records, as well as Camel Hump Studios, where he and co-owner John Brown developed the Desert Rats with Baseball Bats compilation, a series that showcased many of the rising acts shaping the punk community of the moment. Leavitt found his niche in the studio, finding that the engineering circles he ran in were starting to pay off in experience. “I was just obsessed with always making music,” he says.
By the time of the pandemic, he was fully running Asteroid M Records out of his home, inviting bands like the Dollheads, Pure Sport and Twist Off (formerly known as White Noise) to film and record live sessions and throwing heavily attended shows, some of which have been sponsored by the City of Las Vegas and drawn fans from as far away as St. George, Utah. Kaesen Samson, lead vocalist and guitarist of Twist Off, met Leavitt at Punk Rock Bowling last year. They immediately solidified plans to record a live session at his studio. “The session we did with him came out amazing. The audio was immaculate. I think what he’s doing for the punk scene in Vegas, as well as the other smaller groups, is putting bands into light for other locals to see the raw talent our city holds,” Samson says. “I’ve found some great bands through his channel. I find it similar to what the YouTube channel hate5six is doing, recording live sessions of all the hardcore bands. And it branches off to finding more and more bands. It’s a fantastic rabbit hole to go down.” As for the mentoring of some of these bands? That comes naturally, too. It’s easy when you know how to spot a cry for help. “I was a huge f*ckup,” Leavitt laughs. “If anyone is so bold, they can look up my arrest records. As a kid, I was really unhappy inside. I had low self-esteem, so that manifested in me being a sh*tty kid with all the basic sh*tty stuff you would associate with a kid who goes through these sorts of things. Because of that, I’ve done everything wrong. I know exactly what not to do.” Having been in the game this long, Leavitt has had the privilege of watching Las Vegas music redefine itself many times over. He applauds other homegrown studios like 10khz, Good Girlfriend Records and American’t for continuing to put out quality, while genre-bending bands continue to keep us guessing. “Nowadays ... music’s a supermarket,” he says. “You can do an ’80s vibe on Monday and on Thursday you want to listen to death metal. Kids f*ck with that.” Moving forward, it’s Leavitt’s mission to keep hitting record, documenting how the scene evolves so we have something worthwhile to look back on. “This ability to do what I do is a very small fraction of where I think humans want to be, which is just loving each other, having fun, enjoying whatever art form makes you relate to people around you,” he says.
BANDS TO WATCH
(Courtesy)
MERCY MUSIC
PURE SPORT
DESERT ISLAND BOYS
THE DOLLHEADS
“Brendan and Jarred have been busting their ass for decades and are finally getting their justified international recognition as some of the best songwriters out there.”
“The boys are putting out their long-awaited, heavily anticipated sophomore follow-up album to their eponymous 2018 debut.”
WYATT AND THE ASHES
“WATA recently assembled an A-list roster of players to back up frontman AJ Fucillo’s extremely talented A-list writing on their Asteroid M debut.”
“Everyone’s favorite up-and-coming corporate rockers keep getting better and better. I wouldn’t be surprised to see even bigger things from them this year.”
“They’re super talented, have great synergy together and craft super memorable pop-punk.”
LIFE’S TORMENT
“Larry Brough … has been perfecting his brand of punch-youin-the-face hardcore out here for years! LT is starting to get a real buzz in the West Coast hardcore scene.”
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VINYL DREAMS
Seven:45, an R&B listening lounge from Vegas native DeAira Williams, is filled with love notes to the genre (Courtesy/Jordan Mathews)
BY GABRIELA RODRIGUEZ Seven:45, the Art District’s newest speakeasy, beckons with an irresistible coolness that transcends the ordinary. The spot feels like one in a million, standing out against Vegas’ extravagant but at times predictable nightlife experiences. Seven:45’s overarching theme revolves around a profound respect for R&B music and its soulful rhythms— paired with well-crafted cocktails and sophisticated bites. It’s a chill vibe, marking the sweet spot where the buzz of daytime eases into the laid-back feel of the evening. Owner DeAira Williams says that every inch of Seven:45 is carefully curated, and every one of its details is intentional. This intimate, warm and inviting space, imagined in collaboration with Toronto-based interior designer Sean Brown, is powered by a melodic backdrop of perfectly-chosen playlists bumping over 50-year-old hi-fi speakers. “This space is as shallow or as deep as you want it to be,” says Williams. “Each piece of art represents R&B culture to me.” The pillars of this culture are represented in various ways. Vibe and Ebony magazines are laid out for guests to peruse; framed art and memorabilia, like a FUBU jersey and a blown-up 2001
Destiny’s Child concert credential, adorn the space; and custom-crafted tables are lined with embedded vinyl album sleeves. Williams’ adoration for rhythm and blues didn’t just happen overnight—this lifelong passion has generational roots that goes back to her mother and grandmother. “Realistically, it’s my longest relationship,” says Williams. “I can remember being five years old and recognizing a connection.” She connected this emotion-rich genre to certain vulnerabilities, like heartbreak and love, before she ever experienced them herself. Her mother would play cassettes of artists like Jon B, Gladys Knight and Brownstone, and her grandmother had an affinity for similar artists, which resulted in a deeper connection. In fact, most of the vinyl at Seven:45 once belonged to her grandmother, which Williams had no idea she collected during her lifetime. After her passing in 2018, crates of records were passed down, and she honors her memory by displaying and playing them at the lounge. This essential connection to music and heritage became the driving force behind Williams’ entrepreneurial journey. After completing all the objectives that society deems neces-
sary—like earning a college degree, becoming a homeowner and landing a stellar corporate job as a marketing manager—there was a void that conventional success alone couldn’t fill. Becoming the owner and visionary behind Seven:45 wasn’t just a career move, Williams suggests; it was more akin to a natural evolution. The ball got rolling during 202o, and her dedication never lost momentum once it picked up. Williams’ decision to sell her home and move back in with her mother was a sacrifice she had to make. With the help of friends and family the space was able to meet its full potential. They helped her finalize the song-themed cocktail program; her stepfather and uncle helped to tile the bathroom and bar areas; her mother makes the bites from scratch. Since opening in September 2023, the response from locals and travelers is making an impact that reaches well beyond the speakeasy’s stylish walls. ”As a Black-owned business, sometimes we run straight to the corner of the industry and box ourselves in, and I’m grateful for the fact that we have something here that everyone can identify with,” says Williams. “I want to reiterate that we’re not a traditional bar. …We’re building a community.”
SEVEN:45 1531 S. Commerce St. #130, instagram.com/seven45lv. Thursday-Sunday, 7:45 p.m.-late.
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DON’T HAVE CONSISTENT ACCESS TO ENOUGH FOOD TO LIVE A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE?
T H I S H O L I DAY S E A S O N , H E L P YO U R N E I G H B O R S I N N E E D B Y G E T T I N G I N VO LV E D O R D O N AT I N G T O T H E S E O R G A N I Z AT I O N S T H AT H E L P TAC K L E F O O D I N S E C U R I T Y I N T H E L A S V E G A S VA L L E Y.
The Just One Project serves more than 20,000 food-insecure Southern Nevadans per month. 96% of every dollar given goes directly into The Just One Project’s programs. Volunteer opportunities are available for all ages. To volunteer, donate or to learn more, please visit thejustoneproject.org. If you are in need of assistance email appointment@ thejustoneproject.org or call 702-462-2253.
Last year, Three Square distributed nearly 43 million pounds of food. Every dollar donated provides 3 wholesome meals. Long-term volunteer opportunities include helping clients apply for programs and serving seniors 60+ through community meals and delivering groceries. Individuals and groups may volunteer by visiting threesquare.org.
The Las Vegan Food Pantry provides plant-based supplemental food through distributions on the second and fourth Saturdays of each month. To volunteer visit lasveganfoodpantry.org. To receive a free box of food, visit lasveganfoodpantry.org, click on the Reserve Grocery Box icon. Please note: You must be able to pick up the box on the day of distribution at 10:30 a.m.
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DECADES OF TACOS
The iconic Roberto’s turns 60 years old, a local favorite since 1990
(Wade Vandervort/Staff)
ROBERTO’S TACO SHOP 55 locations, robertostacoshop. com.
BY BROCK RADKE Get out the birthday candles and position them securely in that massive plate of carne asada fries, because Roberto’s is 60 years old and this is the only way to celebrate appropriately. Although it wasn’t founded in Las Vegas— the first Roberto’s Taco Shop opened in 1964 in San Ysidro, a district of San Diego, California—there’s no doubt this humble eatery is an institution in the local community. Roberto’s expanded to Las Vegas in 1990, and when its founder Roberto Robledo (who moved here to run the business) passed away nine years later, there were 18 taco shops scattered around the Valley. Today there are a mind-boggling 55 Southern Nevada locations, all open 24 hours a day with the exception of one store in the slightly sleepy community of Anthem in Henderson. There are only about 20 stores in the San Diego area, plus four shops in Reno. Vegas is Roberto’s country. “I’m not sure the business model has changed much from the original store in San Diego,” says Reynaldo Robledo, one of Roberto’s youngest children and the owner of the local taco empire. “The 24-hour model comes from San Diego, and of course being in such a 24-hour town in Las Vegas, Dad never thought about not being open 24 hours. That part has been a really big hit.” During the pandemic years when all restaurants were forced to make major adjustments, he reached out to his franchisees and allowed stores to close from midnight until 8 a.m., and some 18 locations took him up on the offer. Now they’re all back to ‘roundthe-clock operations, except for Anthem. Many of Roberto’s original Vegas stores surrounded the campus of UNLV, a natural fit for hungry students craving affordable tacos, burritos, enchiladas and more. That strategic placement has been a path to success for the Reno stores as well. “I go to a lot of meetings in the community and I’ve been in front of a lot of attorneys and judges and professional people,” Robledo explains, “and as soon as the name Roberto’s comes up, everyone always says, ‘Oh, Roberto’s! I remember eating there back in college
all the time.’” The ultra-approachable Mexican menu is nothing short of legendary when it comes after-hours Vegas party people; sharing those carne asada fries or a pile of taquitos slathered in cool guac after a long night out is a rite of passage for any resident. You simply aren’t Vegas enough if you skipped this experience. And just as it was in Southern California, Roberto’s has been highly influential in Las Vegas, inspiring a host of similar taco shops with remarkably familiar menu offerings. “Starting in 1976, there were employees that used to work for dad who started opening their own stores. That’s one of the reasons he moved to Las Vegas, because in San Diego there were at least 30 different taco shops with similar names and food,” Robledo says. “In Las Vegas, there is and there was competition, but it’s not as saturated as in San Diego. “But we have those here, too. Don Tortaco is probably the biggest one, and Fausto’s also came out of Roberto’s. There are a couple others who didn’t work for us, but they’re from the same village my parents are from, so they have the same food.” To celebrate the 60th year of Roberto’s, the store is hosting radio remote events two or three times a week at different stores and giving away Apple iPads and Watches, along with Roberto’s merch, through the month of February. The chain has expanded its weekly food specials as well, with discounted dishes four days a week. Those legendary fries, topped with sizzling steak, beans, guacamole, sour cream, salsa and cheese? They’re half-off on Mondays, just $6.60. (For the record, it’s a slightly smaller portion, but you still can’t finish them. Just like back in your college days.)
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‘ZEUS’ RISING
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Raiders have an emergent star at running back going into an uncertain offseason
Las Vegas Raiders running back Zamir White carries the ball against the Kansas City Chiefs on December 25 in Kansas City. (Reed Hoffmann/ Staff)
Casa Playa’s tuna tartare with house-made crispy tostada. (Wade Vandervort/Staff)
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BY CASE KEEFER One of Zamir White’s favorite things about playing college football at the University of Georgia was the way the home crowd would chant his nickname, “Zeus,” every time he touched the ball. Although it wasn’t quite 92,000 people like at Georgia’s Sanford Stadium, the rallying cry showed up for the first time professionally on January 7 at Allegiant Stadium in the Raiders’ 27-14 win over the Broncos. A smattering of Raiders’ fans cheered on the 24-year-old running back by yelling “Zeus” both when he first ran onto the field and after at least one big run in the second half, though White missed it. “Bro, like on the field, you’re zoned out,” he said. “But back in college, I used to hear it. The whole crowd used to hold it out like, ‘Zeeeuuuusssss.’” White can consider hearing it more often again something to look forward to next season. Las Vegas concluded this season with the win over Denver, finishing with an 8-9 record, to enter an offseason with several unknowns—especially on offense. Interim general manager Champ Kelly and interim coach Antonio Pierce might keep their jobs full-time, but owner Mark Davis is required to go through a full search first. The new power duo, whether it’s Kelly and Pierce or another pair, will likely make settling on a quarterback one of the first acts of business, as current starter/rookie Aidan O’Connell looks more suited as a backup. Rumors have already circulated regarding star receiver Davante Adams, who could request a trade going into the final guaranteed year on his contract depending on the franchise’s direction (he’s been an outspoken proponent of keeping Pierce and Kelly). All-Pro running back Josh Jacobs is set to become an unrestricted free agent after playing this season on a one-year, near $12
million deal when he and the franchise couldn’t come to terms on a long-term contract. White therefore is perhaps the biggest weapon all but guaranteed to be back. That may sound hyperbolic, but not with how the former fourthround pick finished the season. Getting his first extended action with Jacobs nursing a quad injury over the final month, White became the first running back in the Raiders’ history to run for more than 100 yards in two of his first four career starts. “He’s a dog,” Jacobs said of White after the Broncos’ win. “I’ve been saying it for a long time. I’m glad he got to go out there and showcase what he can do and show people that he’s special, too. I definitely tell him all the time I’m proud of him and hopefully he can keep getting a bigger role and develop more as a running back.” Jacobs has praised White since the Raiders first drafted him, and it’s always been ironic that he’s such a big supporter of the player likely brought in to take his job. That’s the cruel reality of the NFL, especially at running back where teams are more commonly refusing to dole out big-money contracts to veterans and going younger. Jacobs will likely be hoping for a deal that pays him around $10 million per season, while White is on a cost-controlled rookie contract where he’ll only make around $1 million in each of the next two years. Primes tend to come earlier for running backs, and though he’s only a year-and-a-half younger, White arguably looked spryer than Jacobs this season. White averaged a whopping .8 yards more per carry than Jacobs, though some of the discrepancy can be chalked up to opposing defenses game-planning more around the latter. Jacobs also had 129 more carries. But it’s never been competitive between the two former SEC stars— Jacobs came out of White’s rival University of Alabama—and they
White is the first running back in Raiders history to run for more than 100 yards in two of his first four career starts. He averaged a whopping .8 yards more per carry than Josh Jacobs.
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both welcome staying together and sharing the workload. “Me and Josh were talking about how we’re the same type of guy,” White said. “We’re both laid back and chill. We think alike. We’ll be in meetings, we’ll hear something, and we’ll look at each other like, ‘Yeah.’ It’s been huge for him to be there for me this whole time.” “I’m here if JJ needs a break or something. I’m fine.” If Pierce is retained, White might be the perfect back to instill the mentality the former NFL linebacker likes to employ. The 6-foot, 215-pound White can be a little shifty and showed progress in the pass game this season, but he’s at his best when he’s running through— not around—defenders. Pierce has never strayed from his desire to implement a throwback, run-first offense that values machismo over trickiness. “To be honest, I get the pretty stuff—throwing the ball around— but at the end of the day, football is meant to be physical and violent and hitting one another,” Pierce said. “That’s what we want to be.” That’s who White is, as he proudly describes himself as “a country boy,” who got into his best shape going into his second year by spending a whole offseason on his farm in southern North Carolina. That’s the plan again this year as White said the next several months leading up to training camp in August will he spent “pushing hay bales, training with horses (he owns 12), having fun with family, bonfires and hunting.” White enjoys the isolation of rural life, but he’ll be happy to return to the bright lights of Las Vegas when it’s time—especially if the big crowd starts chanting his nickname a little louder. “Raider Nation, do that for me, please,” White said. “I love that.”
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GREEN BURIALS GAIN TRACTION AS PEOPLE’S FINAL TRANSACTION BY EMMA BROCATO VEGAS INC STAFF
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eath isn’t the most comfortable topic to think about, but it’s something everyone must deal with. The rising popularity of green burials, which allow for remains to go into growing new life, may offer comfort for some more than traditional methods like cremation. For those seeking an affordable and eco-friendly option for their departed loved ones, Green Farewells in Las Vegas offers an aquamation service. Green Farewells has been open for business since October 23 and specializes in aquamation, also known as alkaline hydrolysis. “And what that is, is cremation by water as opposed to cremation by fire,” says Lennette Smith, the managing funeral director. “The process is a gentle wash cycle, 95% water and 5% potassium, and it does take a lot longer than a normal cremation cycle.” Start to finish, the aquamation process takes between 14 and 18 hours. After the wash cycle, the remains go through a warming period. “And then we turn what is our bones leftover into cremated remains, and that is what is returned to the family,” Smith says. This final step involves a little bit of traditional cremation, using minimal fire at the end of a primarily water-based practice. This drastic decrease of fire use is part of the business’s commitment to being eco-friendly. Green Farewells is a carbon-neutral crematory. It cancels out its carbon output by participating in reforestation. The company donates 25 trees for each cremation it performs. Although its primary service is aquamation, it also offers traditional cremation by fire. Tree donation is also done for fire cremations. Cremation is especially popular in Nevada,
Parting Stones are displayed at Green Farewells. The company offers aquamation (alkaline hydrolysis), an eco-friendly alternative to flame cremation, using a water and alkalai treatment to break down the body into ashes. The ashes can be turned into Parting Stones though a third-party service. (Steve Marcus/Staff)
which boasts one of the highest rates for the service in the U.S. Alexis McCurdy, managing partner at Green Farewells, attributes this to the transient nature of this region. “So, people have moved for work, people have moved for jobs, people have moved for families,” she said. “And so you have [an] essentially distributed family that may not all be in their hometown anymore. “A lot of our families, I would say almost all of them that we have served, have taken their loved ones on a plane with them thereafter.” Green Farewells provides biodegradable bamboo urns that can go through TSA machines without having to be opened. Another appealing part of cremation, McCurdy said, is the cost. According to the National Funeral Directors Association, the national median cost for the combined embalming and casket is $3,275, whereas the national median cost for the combined cremation and urn is $663. Green Farewells offers its service at a cost of $1,075. Customers must factor in the additional cost of a memorial service from a third party if they want one, as Green Farewells only handles the remains. Last year, Nevada legalized natural organic reduction, also known as human composting or
“green burials.” This is a separate service from aquamation, sought by customers for similar environmental goals. In October, green burials provider Return to Nature Funeral Home in Penrose, Colorado, found itself in legal trouble when neglected, unburied decomposing bodies were discovered in its facility, according to a report from The Guardian. “For us in particular, it’s super unfortunate because we definitely want to spread the goodwill of green burial,” McCurdy said. Green Farewells uses QR code technology to prevent such an incident from happening at its facility, and to provide transparency and accountability. Each family is provided with a QR code, which they can scan with their smartphone and use to track their loved one’s remains through each step in the process of cremation. McCurdy says she believes that everyone deserves a dignified death, just like how they deserve housing. She predicts the funeral industry will see more use of green options and what she calls “community death care.” “So, we’re starting to see in the green movement, kind of this intermingling between caring for the Earth and caring for our people, kind of come into harmony again,” she said.
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SafeNest, a nonprofit organization devoted to ending domestic and sexual violence, named Latoya Rogers vice president of marketing and development. Rogers brings over a decade of strategic marketing experience across the tech, financial, and retail sectors. StartUpNV used its affiliated venture funds, including FundNV and AngelNV, to invest nearly $4.5 million in 22 businesses in 2023. Anticipating greater investment interest, StartUpNV plans to start investing from two new funds, FundNV 2 and Fund 1864, this year. FundNV 2 is a continuation of the original pre-seed FundNV, and Fund 1864 is a $10 million seed fund making much larger investments in more mature startups.
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UNLV Health, the clinical arm of the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine, is expanding by opening a third Gynecology & Obstetrics Clinic at 700 Shadow Lane,
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