L AS VEGAS
OCTOBER 17-19, 2024
PUBLISHER
MARK DE POOTER
mark.depooter@gmgvegas.com
EDITOR
SHANNON MILLER
shannon.miller@gmgvegas.com
EDITORIAL
Senior Editor GEOFF CARTER (geo .carter@gmgvegas.com)
Managing Editor BROCK RADKE (brock.radke@gmgvegas.com)
Sta Writer GABRIELA RODRIGUEZ (gabriela.rodriguez@gmgvegas.com)
Sta Writer AMBER SAMPSON (amber.sampson@gmgvegas.com)
Contributing Writers KYLE CHOUINARD, GRACE DA ROCHA,HILLARY DAVIS, HAAJRAH GILANI, MIKE GRIMALA, KATIE ANN MCCARVER, AYDEN RUNNELS, JACK WILLIAMS, ILANA WILLIAMS
Contributing Editors RAY BREWER, JUSTIN HAGER, CASE KEEFER, DAVE MONDT
O ce Coordinator NADINE GUY
CREATIVE
Art Director CORLENE BYRD (corlene.byrd@gmgvegas.com)
Senior Designer IAN RACOMA
Photo Coordinator BRIAN RAMOS
Photographers CHRISTOPHER DEVARGAS, STEVE MARCUS, WADE VANDERVORT
DIGITAL
Publisher of Digital Media KATIE HORTON
Web Content Specialist CLAYT KEEFER
ADVERTISING & MARKETING
Associate Publisher ALEX HAASE
Special Publications Editor SIERRA SMART
Senior Advertising Managers MIKE MALL, ADAIR MILNE, SUE SRAN
Account Executives CRISTAL BLAKEMAN, LAUREN JOHNSON, GIANNA PUCCI, ANNA ZYMANEK
Events Director SAMANTHA LAMB
Events Manager HANNAH ANTER
Events Coordinator APRIL MARTINEZ
Event Sales Coordinator MELINA TAYLOR
PRODUCTION & CIRCULATION
Vice President of Manufacturing MARIA BLONDEAUX
Production Director PAUL HUNTSBERRY
Production Manager BLUE UYEDA
Associate Marketing Art Director BROOKE EVERSON
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Production Artist MARISSA MAHERAS
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Tra c Coordinator KIMBERLY CHANG
Distribution Relations Liaison JIDAN SHADOWEN
Fulfillment Operations Coordinator CASANDRA PIERCE
Route Administrator KATHY STRELAU
GREENSPUN MEDIA GROUP
CEO, Publisher & Editor BRIAN GREENSPUN
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18 FITNESS & OUTDOORS LIFE
Get ready to ride this fall with bike maintenance tips, plus a group of new friends.
10 SUPERGUIDE
The When We Were Young Festival returns, Vavo and Brandi Cyrus take the rodeo to XS Nightclub and more this week.
50 STAGE
Back to the Future: The Musical is a blast from the past at the Smith Center.
25 COVER STORY
Will the women’s vote decide the 2024 election?
Plus, what Nevada stands to lose from book bans, and our endorsements.
46 MUSIC
54 FOOD & DRINK
A culinary hot spot on Paradise Road adds a new gem in Bramàre.
56 SPORTS
Lenny Kravitz walks onstage at Dolby Live “more comfortable” than ever.
Betting on the teams with the best chance to wind up in Las Vegas to play for the NBA Cup.
Photo Illustration
(Photo Illustration)
SUPERGUIDE
THURSDAY OCT 17 FRIDAY OCT 18
HAUNTED HARVEST
Thru 10/20, 5 p.m., Springs Preserve, springspreserve.org.
ANA GABRIEL
8 p.m., MGM Grand Garden Arena, axs.com
BARRY MANILOW Thru 10/19, 7 p.m., Westgate International Theater, ticketmaster. com
A DAY TO REMEMBER
With August Burns Red & Stand Atlantic, 6:30 p.m., BleauLive Theater, ticketmaster.com
COBRA STARSHIP & 3OH!3
With Millionaires, 7 p.m., Brooklyn Bowl, ticketmaster.com
GWAR
7 p.m., House of Blues, concerts.livenation.com
PARTICLE KID
8 p.m., the Usual Place, theusualplace.vegas
BLACK SUN EMPIRE
With Bushido Brown & Red, Zaiaku, 10 p.m., Discopussy, seetickets. us
VEGAS CITY OPERA: INTRIGUE
7 p.m., & 10/19, Charleston Heights Arts Center, vegascityopera.org
NEVADA BALLET THEATRE: CINDERELLA
7:30 p.m., & 10/19 (& 10/19-10/20, 2 p.m.), Reynolds Hall, the smithcenter.com
PBR TEAM SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP
Thru 10/20, times vary, T-Mobile Arena, axs. com
HENDERSON SILVER KNIGHTS VS. CALGARY WRANGLERS
7 p.m., Lee’s Family Forum, axs.com
EAGLES
8:30 p.m., & 10/19, Sphere, ticketmaster. com
LENNY KRAVITZ
8 p.m., & 10/19, 10/23, Dolby Live, ticketmaster.com
CARRIE UNDERWOOD
8 p.m., & 10/19, 10/23, Resorts World Theatre, axs.com
BRAD PAISLEY
8 p.m., & 10/19, Encore Theater, ticketmaster. com
TONI BRAXTON & CEDRIC THE ENTERTAINER
8 p.m., & 10/19, the Chelsea, ticketmaster. com
EARTH, WIND & FIRE
8:30 p.m., & 10/19, Venetian Theatre, ticketmaster.com
THE USED & TAKING BACK SUNDAY
With L.S. Dunes, Taylor Acorn, 7 p.m., BleauLive Theater, ticketmaster. com
KNOCKED LOOSE
With Spanish Love Songs & more, 6 p.m., House of Blues, concerts.livenation.com
CHRIS BOTTI
7 p.m., Grand Events Center, ticketmaster. com
SIMPLE PLAN & BOYS LIKE GIRLS
With Madina Lake, 8 p.m., Brooklyn Bowl, ticketmaster.com
LESS THAN JAKE
With Kill Lincoln & Title Holder, 7:30 p.m., Fremont Country Club, seetickets.us
ZEDD
10:30 p.m., Omnia Nightclub, taogroup. com
WHEN WE WERE YOUNG
Since its viral debut in 2022, the When We Were Young festival has prefaced the resurgence of several poppunk and emo bands, including Something Corporate, Blink-182 and My Chemical Romance. This year, the festival will one-up that hype with the return of My Chemical Romance, joined by co-headliner Fall Out Boy and an undercard of more than 50 bands. The majority of the acts, including MCR, will perform signature albums like The Black Parade in their entirety, likewise for Jimmy Eat World’s Bleed American, Pierce the Veil’s Collide With the Sky, The Used’s In Love and Death, Mayday Parade’s A Lesson in Romantics and more. The When We Were Young sideshows at various venues are mostly selling out, so act quickly if you’re skipping the festival. And you can cap the weekend with an afterhours dance party at Brooklyn Bowl’s Emo Night Saturday and Sunday. 10:30 a.m., & 10/20, $325+, Las Vegas Festival Grounds, whenwewereyoung festival.com.
–Amber Sampson
SATURDAY OCT 19
LUPITA
D’ALESSIO
8 p.m., Pearl Concert Theater, ticketmaster.com
PARKER MCCOLLUM
7:30 p.m., PH Live, ticketmaster.com
PORTER ROBINSON
8 p.m., BleauLive Theater, ticketmaster.com
NASCAR INFINITY SERIES: AMBETTER
HEALTH 302
4:30 p.m., Las Vegas Motor Speedway, ticketmaster.com
LAS VEGAS LIGHTS VS. OAKLAND ROOTS
7:30 p.m., Cashman Field, lasvegaslightsfc. com
NICK SWARDSON
8:30 p.m., & 10/20, Summit Showroom, ticketmaster.com
DOWNTOWN BREW FEST
5 p.m., Clark County Amphitheater, down townbrewfestival.com
COCO PERU
6 & 8:30 p.m., Myron’s, thesmithcenter.com
SIN CITY WITCHES SAMHAIN SOIRÉE
6 p.m., Jackpot Bar & Grill, sincitywitches. com
MARSHMELLO
11 a.m., Encore Beach Club, wynnsocial.com
KASKADE Noon, Ayu Dayclub, zoukgrouplv.com
DJ PAULY D
11 a.m., Marquee Daylub, taogroup. com
DJ SNAKE
10:30 p.m., Zouk Nightclub, zoukgrouplv.com
TREY SONGZ
10:30 p.m., Drai’s Nightclub, draisgroup. com
TRAVIE MCCOY
10:30 p.m., Jewel Nightclub, taogroup.com
GALANTIS 10:30 p.m., LIV Nightclub, livnightclub.com
FLEMING & LAWRENCE
10 p.m., Discopussy, seetickets.us
THE CHAINSMOKERS
10:30 p.m., XS Nightclub, wynnsocial.com
SUPERGUIDE
NASCAR CUP SERIES: SOUTH POINT 400 11:30 a.m., Las Vegas Motor Speedway, ticketmaster.com
NF HOPE CONCERT
1 p.m., Myron’s, thesmithcenter.com
FRANK MARINO’S DIVAS, DRAG & DRINKS
4 p.m., 24 Oxford, etix.com
JEREMY RENNER HEROES FORE KIDS ALL-STAR CONCERT
With Gavin Rossdale, Robin Zander, Robin Thicke, Rob Base, more, 6:30 p.m., Brooklyn Bowl, ticketmaster. com
DESTROYER
7 p.m., Swan Dive, swandivelv.com
MONDAY OCT 21
JEFF DUNHAM
8 p.m., PH Live, ticketmaster.com.
VAVO & BRANDI CYRUS
Lest you think the Vegas soundtrack this weekend is exclusively emo, rest assured there’s a major dose of country-tinged dance-pop to be had—in one of your favorite megaclubs, naturally. The o cial afterparty of the 2024 PBR Camping World Team Series Championship (at T-Mobile Arena) brings boundary-breaking DJ duo Vavo (Jesse Fischer and Alden Martin) back to Wynn, following up on major performances at this year’s ACM Awards, Electric Daisy Carnival and Stagecoach fests. And the boys are teaming up with the eldest Cyrus sib, actress and DJ and TV host Brandi, who’s more than comfortable returning to the booth at XS. Considering NASCAR is in town as well, this is shaping up to be the biggest weekend-closing party on the Strip. 10:30 p.m., $30-$45+, XS Nightclub, wynnsocial.com.
MONDAYS DARK
8 p.m., the Space, mondaysdark.com
EXHIBITION:
JOSÉ BELLVERA CONJUGATION OF LIGHT Thru 11/5, times vary, Sahara West Library, thelibrary district.org
EXHIBITION:
DAY OF THE DEAD Thru 11/23, times vary, Winchester Dondero Cultural Center, clarkcountynv.gov
EKOH
10:30 p.m., Jewel Nightclub, taogroup.com
LANDRY
With Roberto Rodriguez, thru 10/27, 8 p.m., LA Comedy Club, bestvegas comedy.com
JOSH WOLF
7:30 p.m., Jimmy Kimmel’s Comedy Club, ticketmaster. com
SUPERGUIDE
TUESDAY OCT 22
VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS VS. LOS ANGELES KINGS
8 p.m., T-Mobile Arena, axs.com
INDIAN NATIONAL FINALS RODEO
Thru 10/26, times vary, South Point Arena, ticketmaster.com
BOHEMIAN QUEEN
6:30 p.m., & 10/23 (& 10/24, 6:30 p.m.), South Point Showroom, ticketmaster.com
SARAH HESTER ROSS
7:30 p.m., Notoriety, notorietylive.com
MIKALAH GORDON Thru 10/24, 8 p.m., Nowhere, fontaine bleaulasvegas.com
MIKEY FRANCIS
10:30 p.m., Omnia Nightclub, taogroup.com
THE WIDDLER With Magoh, 10 p.m., We All Scream, posh.vip
WEDNESDAY OCT 23
SILVER KNIGHTS VS. SAN JOSE
7 p.m., Lee’s Family axs.com.
Forum,
BACK TO THE FUTURE: THE MUSICAL Thru 10/27, 7:30 p.m. (& 10/24, 10/27, 2 p.m.), Reynolds Hall, thesmithcenter. com
DENIM & RHINESTONES
10 p.m., Gatsby’s Cocktail Lounge, gatsbysvegas. com
MOCHAKK 10:30 p.m., XS Nightclub, wynnsocial.com
DJ FRANZEN 10:30 p.m., Hakkasan Nightclub, taogroup.com
GHOUL With Haggus, 7 p.m., Sinwave, dice.fm
(Courtesy/Silver Knights)
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READY TO RIDE
Essential bike maintenance tips for every cyclist
As the seasons transition from unbearably hot to not-so-hot, the call of the outdoors can be irresistible. We nd that hopping on a bike is one of the best ways to get out there, enjoy the fresh air and get those leg muscles pumping.
ting started, cycling taps into joy as well
Whether you’re a daily rider or just getting started, cycling taps into joy as well as community. But before you break out your mountain, xed-gear or BMX bike, it’s essential to make sure everything is in working order.
Smith, a bike mechanic at Southwest bike
Doing your ABCs—checking the air, brakes and chain—can prevent unnecessary wear and tear and the possibility of being stuck on the side of the road. Kade Smith, a bike mechanic at Southwest bike and co ee shop Pedal & Pour, walked us through the must-know maintenance tips and checks that every rider should follow to keep their bike in top condition and make the most our of their rides.
This may seem like common sense, but the easiest thing to overlook is low tire pressure. Over-in ated? You risk blowing the tire out. Under-in ated? You’ll lose e ciency, grip and can end up with a pinch at.
Although many of us may think a quick pump is enough to get rolling, experts warn that it does more harm than good to eyeball the in ation level.
“Bike tires are like car tires, they’re going to lose air over time,” says Smith. “Depending on the tire size, there are certain pressures.”
Find the tire’s recommended PSI on the sidewall of the tire. Using a pressure gauge is the easiest way to get it right the rst time, and nowadays many pumps come with an attached gauge.
Shutterstock/Photo Illustration
+ Pedal & Pour community rides (see page 20)
CHAIN AND CRANKS
BRAKES
Unless you’re an expert in skid stopping, brakes are your safety net, so it’s best to not cut corners here. Lift one end of the bike at a time and give each tire a spin, making sure they both move freely. “If your bike is routed with cables, the more miles you put on, the more it’s going to stretch,” Smith says of the brake pads.
Give the hand levers a the rotor itself isn’t warped.
squeeze—when working properly, they should feel rm, with no need to yank them all the way down to the handlebars. If they’re loose or take too long to engage, adjust the cable tension or replace the brake pads if worn down. If you have disc brakes, inspect the rotator and make sure there is no rubbing and that the rotor itself isn’t warped.
make
The chain and cranks are essential for transferring power to your wheels. A poorly maintained chain can sti e momentum, cause gear slips or even snap mid-ride. Smith suggests starting by checking the chain for wear, rust or stretching—if it shows signicant wear, it’s time for a new one. Additionally, keeping your chain clean and lubricated extends its life. After every ride, especially in dusty conditions, wipe it down with a rag to remove grime. Smith says, “if you don’t wipe it o , and then you go on a ride, all the dirt is going to cling to that lube and just make it really gunky.”
RIDE, SIP AND CONNECT AT PEDAL & POUR’S GROUP RIDES
Now that you’ve dusted o and greased your bike chain, pumped your tires full of air and completed a brake check, it’s time to get to the fun part. Solo rides can be satisfying, but there’s something special about joining up with a group of cyclists. And community bike rides o er more than companionship; they’re a great way to explore new routes, push yourself and improve your skills.
Pedal & Pour (9742 W. Maule Ave., 702-992-3462, pedalpour.com) currently o ers two group rides starting from the shop, catering to both social and serious cyclists.
Every Sunday, the Sunday Co ee Ride is a relaxed, 20-mile route, perfect for the casual rider looking to en-
joy the morning with good company. On Fridays, more experienced riders can tackle the Friday Loop Ride, a 41-mile road ride designed for those who want a faster, more challenging outing. You can RSVP to join both at pedalpour.com/shop-rides.
It’s not just about the miles, it’s about nding your tribe. Group rides do more than keep your personal momentum going—they push you beyond your comfort zone. You’ll learn about road etiquette, pacing and safety in numbers, all while discovering new paths and feeding o the energy of the group. Plus, you’ll get to indulge in a perfectly crafted beverage in the shop cafe with your newfound friends after each ride. –Gabriela Rodriguez
(Pedal &
EARLY VOTING IS OCTOBER 19-NOVEMBER 1 IN NEVADA.
JOY IS BACK ON THE BALLOT
The last time we had this choice to make, the stakes were plain. Over the course of four years, Donald Trump demonstrated, time and time again, his complete unfitness for the office of President of the United States. He was, and still is, racist, misogynist and childishly vindictive. He cozied up to dictators and belittled veterans. He was impeached for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. All of that, and too much more to mention here, happened before he denied the results of a fair election, incited a riot to prevent the peaceful transfer of power—for which he was impeached a second time—and was found guilty of 34 felony counts in a New York State courtroom. Amazingly, we’re at that crossroads again, and the stakes for our democracy have only risen since Joe Biden won the presidency. But the feel is a bit different this time. In 2020, we’d been worn down by four years of bullying and lies, and to add injury to insult, COVID made going to the polls a risky proposition. When we voted, it felt like a last-ditch effort: Sure hope this works.
This time, there are other emotions in play, stuff we didn’t expect to feel even a few months ago. This year, with only weeks before election day, “the pursuit of happiness” has found its way back into the race—in the character of Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. When President Biden passed the baton to VP Harris on July 21, he did more than cement his legacy with a selfless, country-over-party act. He awakened an optimistic, hopeful vibe that’s lied mostly dormant since Barack Obama first won the presidency in 2008.
Kamala Harris stands opposite to Donald Trump in virtu-
2024 ELECTION VOTE
ally every way. Where Trump serves only his own interests, Harris has made a career of serving the public good. Where Trump offers bluster and half-baked ideas, Harris offers empathy and solutions. And where Trump’s campaign rallies are awash in the candidate’s unending self-pity, hate speech and threats of retribution, Harris rallies are forward-looking, energetic and joyful. It’s been a while since we’ve been encouraged to envision a future in which moving forward, and moving upward, is a right of citizenship.
At his most generous, Trump insists that America is a failed nation that only “he, and he alone” can save from imagined “carnage.” Harris says that America is an ideal, a promise—and offers to put in the hard work, alongside and on behalf of its people, to see that promise realized. When she and Walz talk to voters, they’re smiling, effusive, and above all, genuine. It’s easier to believe them when they say America’s best days are ahead, as opposed to the man who couldn’t care less for the pursuit of happiness—or the rest of the Constitution, for that matter. He values America only insofar as it allows him to hawk cheap, China-made goods branded with his own name.
When Obama won on November 4, 2008, it felt like a well of optimism and joy had sprung up beneath us. We were buoyed up by it, and when the hard work began on inauguration day, we went at it eagerly and with a reinvigorated sense of possibility.
Now, our “joyful warriors,” Harris and Walz, are tapping that well once again, looking to restore joy and purpose to the American character. On November 5, let’s dig in and help them to do it. Let’s choose to help ourselves.
–Geoff Carter
ELECTION 2024
VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE
WOMEN’S VOTE ASCENDANT
Women have the power to restore order in U.S. politics
BY SHANNON MILLER
Since Donald Trump arrived on the national scene, the women of America have been central to the fight to keep him from amassing power. On January 21, 2017, the day after Trump’s thinly-attended inauguration, hundreds of thousands of women flocked to the streets of Washington, D.C. for the worldwide Women’s March, protesting the ascension of an acknowledged sexual predator who would be found liable for rape years later. In Downtown Las Vegas, hundreds dressed in pink and donned pussy hats, carrying signs saying things like, “Healthcare is a human right,” “My body, my choice,” and “This pussy bites back.”
In the 2018 midterms, women voters largely contributed to what has been called a “blue wave,” in which Democrats gained a majority in the House of
Representatives with a net 40 seats in the chamber—the largest Democratic House gain since 1974.
In 2020, 55% of women voters turned out for Joe Biden. Women of color, in particular, gave Biden a winning edge and pushed him to victory, with 90% of Black women voters and 69% of Latina voters casting their votes for him, according to exit polls. College-educated women also supported Biden in greater numbers than they had Hillary Clinton in 2016. And Democrats gained control of the Senate while maintaining control of the House.
Leading up to the 2022 midterms, women railed against the overturning of Roe v. Wade, made possible by Trump’s three conservative Supreme Court Justice appointments. One month after the Supreme Court overturned the constitutional right to abortion, more than 1,000
Nevada women and their allies marched in 107-degree heat outside Treasure Island while Trump was inside praising anti-abortion Republican candidate for U.S. Senate Adam Laxalt. (Laxalt lost to Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto.)
In 2022, a record number of women members had been elected to Congress, at 28%. Also that year, voters in six states that had abortion-related questions on their ballots (Kansas, California, Michigan, Ohio, Vermont and Kentucky) chose to secure access to the procedure or reject further limits on abortion.
But while women’s activism has delivered some victories for pro-abortion Democrats, far-right extremism has infiltrated every level of government in Republican-controlled states. From Trump all the way down to governors and lawmakers, the far right has shown a
determined interest in using the state to control women’s bodies.
This is well illustrated in Trump’s selection of running mate JD Vance, the U.S. Senator from Ohio. The pronatalist characterized people who don’t want to have children as “sociopaths,” and has even suggested that people with children should be allocated more votes in elections.
In Texas, state lawmakers created and passed a near-total abortion ban that offers a $10,000 cash reward to private citizens who successfully sue anyone who performs or aids an abortion. The law has allowed for a Texas man to request a legal deposition that would investigate his former partner for allegedly traveling out of the state for an abortion.
Far-right conservatives have also floated the idea of repealing the 19th amendment, which gave women the right to vote in 1920. In 2016, the hashtag #repealthe19th started trending after FiveThirtyEight posted a poll suggesting that Trump would win the election if only men voted. Taking cues from figures like Michael Walsh, pundit Ann Coulter and former Trump staffer John Gibbs, conservative Twitter has rallied behind the idea of women losing the right to vote.
These attacks on women’s autonomy are just the beginning, as Project 2025 waits in the wings. The blueprint for the next Republican president was created by
the conservative think tank the Heritage Foundation and former Trump staffers. Experts and civil rights groups say the plan would also undermine voting rights and democracy itself.
Project 2025 paints a grim picture for women. It would reverse the FDA’s approval of mifepristone, one of two drugs that compose the abortion pill; make it illegal to mail abortion medication and equipment through the U.S. Postal Service; eliminate access to free emergency contraception; and establish a federal abortion surveillance program. The plan would also eliminate women’s and gender studies departments in higher education.
UNLV associate professor of political science Rebecca Gill says the elements of Project 2025 already exist in some parts of the country. And that likely will be a motivating factor for women to turn out and vote, especially in the 10 states where constitutional amendments to protect abortion are on the ballot, she says.
“In the reproductive health space, we’re getting previews of this. … And now, people are having to come to terms with what an abortion ban actually means in practice, and what abortion actually is in practice, and who needs that care,” Gill says.
In political messaging, Democrats have highlighted the strata of women who are impacted by abortion bans, including
“The gender gap certainly right now looks bigger with younger voters. And what that means is, there’s just a greater difference between what are increasingly progressive Gen Z women, and Gen Z men.”
—Kelly Dittmar, director of research at the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers
women living in poverty and mothers with children. Vice President Kamala Harris and running mate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz have spoken about Amber Thurman, a 28-year-old medical assistant and single parent who died after not receiving proper care for a complication from the abortion pill. After taking the medication to end her pregnancy, Thurman developed an infection and needed dilation and curettage (D&C), a procedure that is now criminalized in Georgia and is routine for abortions and miscarriages. According to reporting by ProPublica, it took doctors 20 hours to finally operate. But by then, it was too late.
In 2023, 31-year-old mother of two Kate Cox gained national attention as the first woman reported to ask the court for permission to get an abortion. The Texas Supreme Court rejected her challenge of Texas’ abortion ban. The total ban would not permit her to end her pregnancy despite her carrying a fetus with a fatal condition, which jeopardized her health and ability to have more children. She ended up traveling out of the state to receive health care.
“I think there has been a successful campaign to define abortion and abortion patients in the popular mind,” Gill says. “People are really having to come to terms with the fact that this is actually what regular, everyday run-ofthe-mill moms might need.”
These post-Roe abortion scenarios are increasingly playing out, driving a change in public opinion on abortion and also widening an existing gender gap—the difference between the proportion of men and women who prefer the leading candidate—Gill says.
Kelly Dittmar, director of research at the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers, says the widening of the gender gap appears to be driven by younger voters.
“The gender gap certainly right now looks bigger with younger voters. And what that means is, there’s just a greater difference between what are increasingly progressive Gen Z women and Gen Z men, who at this point are
2024 ELECTION VOTE
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more likely than older men and women to have that disparity in party alignment and vote choice,” Dittmar says.
According to Gallup, women ages 18 to 29 today are more liberal than previous generations on specific issues, particularly the environment and abortion. On the other hand, the Trump campaign has moved to appeal to young men by making appearances and getting cozy with manosphere figures like podcaster Joe Rogan and UFC president Dana White. They’re appealing to a certain male malaise, Dittmar says.
“I think that particularly with young men, the first part of that [is]: you go to college, and they tell you that white men are the problem. … The Trump campaign, over time, has been able to tap into white male sentiment that they don’t want to be blamed for these problems. In fact, they want to return to a time when their privilege was more secure,” she says.
When it comes to voting, the conservative movement among young men might be canceled out by the progressive movement among young women. “Will it be enough to make the difference or to counteract the progressive move and mobilization among other young voters? That’s what we’ll be watching for in the election,” Dittmar says.
Gill partly attributes the divergence in young women’s and young men’s political preferences to the “siloing of information environments” on social media, especially among younger voters.
“We’ve seen a lot more divergence in terms of the kinds of media that women and girls are consuming, as opposed to the kind of Barstool Sports side of the media ecosphere that men tend to consume. And we’ve seen the rise of these manosphere influencers that also have served to drive a bigger wedge in terms of policy preferences and partisan alignment by gender,” Gill says.
NEVADA WOMEN
Abortion is legal in Nevada up to 24 weeks of pregnancy. The law was overwhelmingly approved by voters in a 1990 referendum. Since the Dobbs decision that overturned Roe, Nevada has become a haven for safe abortions, with Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains saying they’ve seen a 40% increase in abortion care in their Las Vegas health centers from 2021 to 2023.
Out of concern that the state law protecting abortion could be overturned by a one-time majority vote of the people, reproductive rights advocates have successfully petitioned to get a constitutional amendment protecting abortion, Question 6, onto this year’s ballot. Voters must approve of the question in 2024 and, if it passes, in 2026 again for the amendment to be approved.
“What we’re hearing from voters is that permanently protecting abortion rights and keeping extreme bans out of Nevada is absolutely top of mind,” says Tova Yampolsky, campaign manager with Nevadans for Reproductive Freedom, the organization behind the ballot measure. “With ongoing attacks on abortion rights and reproductive healthcare, Nevada voters, particularly women but also their families, are very motivated to turn out and vote yes on Question 6 to keep the government out of our personal, private medical decisions.”
Gill says that having abortion on the ballot also prods politicians to pay attention to other issues that are important to women. “The fact that we have the abortion measure on the ballot this cycle is something that would tend to raise the salience of women’s issues up and down the ballot,” she says.
Voters tell the Weekly the issue of abortion is motivating them to get to the polls, as well as other issues including the economy, threats to democracy and immigration. According to a Kaiser Family Foundation poll, 24% of women cite threats to democracy as the “most important” issue in their vote for president.
Communications director Paysha Rhone, 53, has campaigned for Democrats ever since she moved from Massachusetts to Las Vegas in
2017.
“Trump is incredibly motivating for me,” she says. “I definitely feel the fear for my children and the future to be in a country where we might not have a democracy anymore, or we have rigged voting, or whatever it is that Donald Trump would come up with for us.”
She references a speech Trump gave in front of the conservative Christian group Turning Point Action in West Palm Beach, Florida, where he said, “In four years, you don’t have to vote again. We’ll have it fixed so good, you’re not gonna have to vote.”
“Those statements have been terrifying to me, because it’s kind of what we all fear, that we could end up in a dictatorship or lose our right to vote,” Rhone says.
Along with more than one-third of women surveyed by Kaiser Family Foundation, UNLV student Carolyn Salvador Avila, 20, says the economy is her most important issue in the presidential election. Harris’ plan to provide $25,000 in down payment support to first-time homebuyers is promising to her.
“To see a candidate who doesn’t even have concepts of a plan in place, like [Trump] said at the debate, and then on the other hand to see Kamala Harris, who’s got a plan not just for the economy as a whole is a contrast. I am looking to be a first-time homeowner relatively soon, and she’s trying to make that happen,” Avila says.
UNLV student Jiromi Peña Martinez, 19, has been canvassing for Harris with the immigrant advocacy group Make the Road Nevada. As a first generation Hispanic, she says immigration is her top issue—specifically how candidates talk about immigrants. Along the campaign trail, Trump has preached about selfcoined “migrant crime,” the idea that migrants commit crime or are incarcerated at higher rates than native-born Americans. According to numerous studies, migrants are typically associated with lower crime rates.
“[Harris] has been really good at defending immigrants. She’s been making sure that when it comes to the media and people and other
candidates calling immigrants illegal, and basically calling them criminals, [saying] that immigrants were eating people’s pets, she’s defending the immigrant community,” Martinez says.
At a Nevada National Organization of Women letter writing and phone banking event, 63-year-old veteran and poll worker Robbie Moore says this is the first election she’s getting politically active in, and points to a sticker on her shirt that says “Keep abortion legal.”
“I’m not a single-issue voter. But the overturning of Roe, it shook me. I’m sure it did a lot of women, girls, nieces, kids who are coming up and don’t have the same rights I had as a young woman,” she says.
Nevada women are also paying attention to state races. And with a Legislature that was the first-ever female-majority Legislature in the country, Nevada lawmakers have delivered for women. In 2023, they passed a law that made it illegal to assist other states seeking to prosecute women who travel to Nevada for abortions. They also passed a senate joint resolution that would need to pass out of the Legislature again in 2025 and then go before voters in the 2026 general election to add abortion protections to the state constitution.
However, during Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo’s first legislative session in 2023, he vetoed a 75 bills passed by the Democratic majority, including The Right to Contraception Act supported by Republicans Sen. Carrie Buck and Sen. Heidi Seevers Gansert that would have locked the right to contraception into state law, as well as a bill that would have provided state-funded health care coverage to pregnant people who don’t qualify for Medicaid because they are undocumented.
That’s why it’s important to Democrats to gain a supermajority, which would allow them to override vetoes. And they’re hoping to do that by flipping at least one Senate seat in swing districts like District 5, where the incumbent Buck faces off against Democratic newcomer Jennifer Atlas.
ELECTION 2024
WOMEN’S ‘PROTECTOR?’
Amid polling showing that Trump is struggling with support among women, the candidate has added a bit to his stump speech in an attempt to appeal to them.
“You will no longer be abandoned, lonely or scared. You will no longer be in danger. … You will no longer have anxiety from all of the problems our country has today. You will be protected, and I will be your protector,” Trump said in a September 23 speech in Indiana, Pennsylvania.
“Women will be healthy, happy, confident and free. You will no longer be thinking about abortion,” he said. His comments are tactless, considering that citizens and lawmakers in 16 states have considered the issue important enough to be on the ballot since the Dobbs decision.
“The universal response from women is, ‘Ugh.’ I mean, it’s really off-putting. It does not land. … And I think attempts to reach out to women demonstrates the misogyny that underlies his overall approach,” Gill says.
It’s a continuation of Vance’s “childless cat lady” trope that all childless women are depressed and “want to make the rest of the country miserable, too.”
In a 2022 interview with Fox News host Tucker Carlson, Vance bemoaned that prominent Dems “without children,” including Harris, were in positions of power. His obsession with
women bearing children also underlines his view that they’re unfit for leadership.
“It wasn’t just about women who have cats, but no kids. It was about, ‘How dare they have anything to say about our lives? And how dare they presume to be in positions of authority?’” Gill says.
Despite what Trump, Vance and the far right believe, women have the wisdom, skill and strength to determine their own future. And their greatest strength is their vote. Women are the largest group of registered voters and since 1980 have turned out in higher numbers than men. In 2020, 68.4% of eligible women voted compared to 65% of men, according to the Center for American Women and Politics. And in the swing state of Nevada, they have undeniable influence over the presidential and congressional elections.
Women’s vote will help determine which version of the future becomes reality—a dystopia in which the state controls women’s most private reproductive decisions and silences their voices; or a progressive future in which women have self-determination. They are a powerful voting bloc that shouldn’t be dismissed or underestimated. And they have the power to pull America over the finish line in rejecting MAGA government for good.
What Nevada stands to lose if it starts enacting book bans
BY AMBER SAMPSON
Analog Dope Store’s banned book section isn’t without its surprises—or impassioned questions.
In what world is E.B. White’s Charlotte’s Web too controversial for classrooms? Who decided that titles by Maya Angelou and Toni Morrison should be hotly contested? Why is George Johnson’s All Boys Aren’t Blue topping the Most Challenged Books of 2023, when its author has openly described it as a “love letter to Black queer stories?”
Charlie Luster, who founded the Arts District bookshop with her wife, doesn’t have all the answers. But that doesn’t make book bans any less personal.
“Being Black in America, o the top, our stories are banned just because they’re our stories,” Luster says. “There’s a lot of trauma in our stories, so a lot of times, people don’t want to face trauma, even their own trauma. It just made sense to have those stories there in our space, especially because every voice needs to be heard.”
In recent years, lawmakers, school boards and political groups have taken it upon themselves to challenge books about racism, sexuality, gender identity and history, many of which are written by LGBTQ and BIPOC authors. And to a chilling degree, they’re succeeding.
A startling report by PEN America, a nonpro t organization committed to defending free expression, found that 10,000 books had been banned in public schools between 2023 and 2024. Florida and Iowa lead that wave of censorship by a large margin, but even neighboring states like Utah have issued a blanket ban of 13 books statewide.
With tensions mounting so close to home, some have wondered if Nevada might start banning books next. Alexander Marks, director of strategy for the Nevada State Education Association, says it’s highly unlikely.
“I think the right people are
SHELVING FREEDOM
getting into trusteeships. The right people are getting into the Legislature. These are not issues that are on the tops of a lot of parents’ minds,” says Marks. “A lot of times, this is just certain politicians or parent groups trying to distract or fuel fear. They’re the Moms for Liberty folks just intent on dividing citizens by challenging books that represent marginalized and oppressed peoples.
“But when it comes down to it, when folks are casting their votes, that’s not where Nevada citizens are at.”
Nevada remains one of the few states in the country currently without a book ban, but there are e orts in place. Moms for Liberty, a political group that gained traction during the pandemic, has adamantly fought to ban books.
Two CCSD school board candidates—Lorena Biassotti and Lydia Dominguez—were once tied to a local chapter of Moms for Liberty but have since distanced themselves.
In the last year, Washoe County in Northern Nevada has been the target of an aggressive number of book challenges, facing o against anti-LGBTQ activists, religious leaders and parents—all in the vocal minority.
“Do parents have the right to monitor and select or disagree with certain materials? Of course they do,” Marks says. “But it’s inappropriate for them to do that for everybody and everyone else’s kids.
“There are a lot of dangerous attempts to stoke fears, rewrite history, diminish folks’ stories, whitewash injustices, and that prevents educators from challenging our students to live in a more equitable society,” he continues. Much is at stake when it comes to banning the voices of our communities. For one, you’re silencing “a whole demographic,” Luster says, and dooming future generations to repeat the mistakes of our forebears. Children also run the risk of losing quality
POLITICAL PARTY
How to make filling out your mail ballot fun and social
BY SHANNON MILLER
Since 2020, mail ballots have helped Nevada run safe and convenient elections by eliminating voting accessibility barriers. They also present an opportunity to civically engage and have a conversation about who you’re voting for and why. ¶ Politics doesn’t have to be drab or inflammatory; it can actually be a party, and early voting on October 19 through November 1 is the perfect opportunity to throw one.
education. And by denying students access to different worlds, cultures and stories, they’re in danger of losing much more than that.
“A lot of times when these groups ban the books, it’s trying to erase a portion of history, not just a story,” Luster says. “If you can control the books, you can control the narrative, the information, then you can control the masses. By having it available, it’s keeping history rightly told or told in the most accurate way.”
The majority of Nevadans are right where they need to be on the issue, which explains why book challenges are so strongly opposed.
“We don’t want to limit intellectual freedom,” Marks says.
“This is just something that stifles curiosity and creativity, denies representation, and now, more than ever I think, is a time we should be exposed to more ideas and people we’ve never encountered, and take away what we can to learn and improve ourselves. That’s what reading books is supposed to be about.”
INVITE YOUR FRIENDS
The personal is the political, and it’s likely you’ve had conversations with your friends about topics like the economy, abortion, gun control, climate change, etc. Use that as a jumping-off point when looping friends into a celebratory voting party. Explain that Black Americans, women and Native Americans had to fight for their voting rights, and it’s a privilege that should be exercised and celebrated, rather than taken for granted. Also, make sure they’re registered to vote by October 22 at registertovote. nv.gov so they’ll be eligible to receive a mail ballot.
SET UP THE PARTY SPACE
Your kitchen table would most likely be the best space for carefully inking in those empty bubbles on mail ballots, but you can also provide clipboards and comfortable seating areas. A laptop or two could be useful for looking up information about candidates and ballot questions. Provide blue or black pens, and tea and coffee to help your party stay focused through the entirety of the ballot. If you don’t have party space or time to set one up, consider throwing a virtual mail ballot party.
SHARE THE RESEARCH LOAD
When you receive your mail ballot, you’ll see there’s a lot more to do than cast your vote for president. There are state offices, county commissioners, judges, Supreme Court Justices and ballot questions that need to be researched in order to make an informed decision. And as the saying goes, two minds—or 10—are greater than one. Use reliable news sources to look up candidates and information about ballot questions, and share that with the party in real time as you weigh whether you will be voting one way or the other.
GIVE THEM A PROPER SENDOFF
Do something special when dropping the mail ballots in the mailbox, like popping confetti and Champagne, or filming a dance for social media. Make sure the mail ballots make it to the mailbox by November 4 to be safe. (Mail ballots must be postmarked by the close of polls at 7 p.m. on November 5, so the earlier you can get it in, the better.) Once you’ve dropped your ballots, pat yourselves on the back for doing your civic duty.
Rachelle (left) and Charlie Luster
ENDORSEMENTS KAMALA
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U.S. PRESIDENT HARRIS
U.S.
Kamala Harris is the leader America needs to move forward.
As a former prosecutor and attorney general she proved her ability to ght for safer and more prosperous communities by holding criminals accountable while creating opportunities for rehabilitation, redemption and a second chance.
As a U.S. Senator, she demonstrated her legislative and policy chops, pushing through legislation to protect working class families while pushing back against the corrupt authoritarian regime of Donald Trump.
And as Vice President, she has proven that she is a champion for all Americans, ghting to protect the jobs, homes, healthcare, civil rights, natural environment and human dignity of every American, no matter their race, culture, creed or identity.
Perhaps most importantly, however, she is a steady leader who believes in the values of liberty and democracy. These
are key traits that give her the unique opportunity to unite Americans of all backgrounds as well as to rally support for America’s interests and allies on the global stage. Traditional Republicans have ocked to her as a chance to heal the wounds our nation has endured since 2016. She is a force of renewal and has a bracing vision to improve the lives of Americans, help business thrive and expand our stature internationally.
As the rst woman of color elected vice president, Kamala Harris has already broken through barriers that once seemed impenetrable, but she is not done yet. She is ready to lead the country toward a more equitable and sustainable future. We o er her our unreserved endorsement and hope Nevadans will join us in standing behind her to build a future that works for everyone. A vote for Harris is a vote of pure patriotism.
PRESIDENT: KAMALA D. HARRIS (D)
U.S. SENATE
U.S.
SENATE: JACKY S. ROSEN* (D)
HARRIS JACKY ROSEN
In her rst term, Democratic Senator Jacky Rosen has proven herself to be an independent thinker and a hard-working advocate for the state. She doesn’t shy away from working across the aisle, a quality that has earned her recognition as one of the top 10 most bipartisan Senators by the Lugar Center for three years running. Rosen’s ability to bridge divides has also made her the 7th most e ective Democrat in the U.S. Senate, according to the Center for E ective Lawmaking— an unprecedented achievement for a rst-term senator.
Rosen’s dedication to Nevada is clear in her track record. She has helped secure billions in federal funding for the state and passed critical legislation to tackle drug smuggling, support law enforcement, train nurses and healthcare providers, and expand opportunities for small businesses and entrepreneurs.
Like Harris, Rosen has consistently defended women’s rights, advocated for climate change action, and supported sensible gun control measures—all issues that re ect the values of most Nevadans.
In contrast, her Republican opponent Sam Brown seems to care little for the opinion of Nevadans and is instead concerned exclusively with championing the interests of his billionaire benefactors and far-right MAGA extremists, including Thomas Klingenstein, the chairman of an extremist organization that partnered in the creation of Project 2025. Brown refuses to answer. Unfortunately for him, the millions of dollars in donations from Klingenstein in support of
Brown’s campaign speak for themselves. The America Brown and his allies want to make a reality is a dystopian and repressive nightmare on the road to dictatorships and modeled after the likes of Hungarian strongman Victor Orban.
But even more disturbing than Brown’s loyalty to extremists is his complete disconnect from Nevadans. He referred to the closure of the Yucca Mountain Nuclear Waste Repository as an “incredible loss of revenue for our state,” a position so out of touch with Nevada’s values and safety that even members of his own party criticized him.
Brown is a dangerous choice for Nevadans while Rosen is a proven leader who is committed to bipartisanship and e ective legislation.
This point underscores the larger context of the campaign to represent Nevada in the U.S. Senate: GOP control of Rosen’s seat is vital to the Republican plans laid out in Project 2025 and elsewhere, including implementing an abortion ban, and con rmation of even more extremists on the U.S. Supreme Court and at every other level of the federal judiciary.
Democratic control of the Senate is vital and the stakes of Rosen’s seat cannot be overstated.
Americans deserve a Senate that will defend the rule of law and uphold constitutional rights and the values of democracy, not serve as a puppet institution for the authoritarian cult of MAGA.
Moreover, Nevada deserves a senator who will ght for the state, not one who serves a far-right agenda. Jacky Rosen is that Senator.
ENDORSEMENTS
(Kamala Harris/AP Photo; Jacky Rosen by Wade Vandervort/Sta )
U.S. HOUSE
U.S.
With 30 years of legislative success, Dina Titus knows how to get things done and has consistently delivered for Nevadans.
As a member of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, she has successfully fought for federal infrastructure improvements that will create good paying jobs and promote local businesses, all while helping address southern Nevada’s historic water and housing shortages and bringing significant investments into the state.
Titus is also a responsive and engaged representative who returns home almost every week to connect with local communities, businesses and organizations. Far from the stereotypical trope of a disconnected career politician, Titus blends her deep expertise in Washington politics with a passion for her community.
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Her ability to represent all Nevadans stands in sharp contrast to her opponent, Mark Robertson, whose more extreme conservative religious values threaten the quality of life for women, LGBTQ+ people, and senior citizens.
We strongly endorse Titus to continue serving Nevada.
Susie Lee is the kind of consensus-driven leader our democracy urgently needs.
As a member of the Problem Solvers Caucus, she has been consistently recognized as one of the top 10 most bipartisan members of Congress by the Lugar Center and Georgetown University’s McCourt School of Public Policy.
As a mom who had her two children through IVF, Lee has fought to ensure that women have the right to make their own health care decisions, championing compassion for mothers and families, regardless of their circumstances.
As an expert in education policy and a fierce advocate for children, schools, education and safer and healthier communities, Lee has shown a unique ability to achieve the policy goals of parents, students and educators while promoting fiscal responsibility for generations to come.
Lee also understands the importance of the climate crisis, particularly its impact on water, power and agriculture. She has clear, achievable plans for these and other issues, and deserves a fourth term to continue her work and assume greater leadership roles.
Steven Horsford is a rising star and Chief Deputy Whip in the U.S. House of Representatives, chair of the influential Congressional Black Caucus, and a member of the Problem Solvers Caucus. Mark our words: Horsford is a significant leader now, and clearly a leader for the future who has great works ahead of him.
With over a decade of combined service in Congress and the Nevada Senate, Horsford has been a tireless and highly effective champion for Nevada families and businesses.
In his most recent term, Horsford introduced legislation to lower prescription drug costs, make housing more affordable, prevent private corporations from buying up single-family homes for profit, help families gain increased access to career and technical education and promote entrepreneurship and small business success. The scope and ambition of these initiatives demonstrate his focus on the lives of Nevadans.
By ensuring that his bills serve rural Nevadans and other underserved communities, Horsford has earned bipartisan support for many of his bills and the admiration of his colleagues, Democrat and Republican alike.
Horsford is exactly the kind of leader Americans say they want: a working-class legislator who fights for the working class. He consistently delivers for Nevada and deserves another term to continue his work in Congress.
(Dina Titus and Susie Lee by Steve Marcus/Staff; Steven Horsford by Wade Vandervort/Staff)
U.S. HOUSE DISTRICT 1: DINA TITUS* (D)
HOUSE DISTRICT 3: SUSIE LEE* (D)
STEVEN HORSFORD* (D)
STATE LEGISLATURE
State Senate
State Senate District 1: Michelee “Shelly” Crawford (D)
State Senate District 3: Rochelle Nguyen* (D)
State Senate District 4: Dina Neal* (D)
State Senate District 5: Jennifer Atlas (D)
State Senate District 6: Nicole Cannizzaro* (D)
State Senate District 7: Roberta Lange* (D)
State Senate District 11: Dallas Harris* (D)
Dallas Harris is an incumbent with a solid track record of fighting for children and families in Nevada. We believe she should continue to serve in Carson City. However, we would be remiss if we failed to acknowledge the outstanding work of her opponent, Lori Rogich, who is a champion for disabled and disadvantaged children and a thoughtful policy leader who we hope will continue to serve and seek office in the future.
State Senate District 18: John Steinbeck (R)
State Senate District 19: Anti-endorsement of John Ellison (R)
You know that something has gone terribly wrong when a candidate running unopposed can’t earn our endorsement, but such is the case with John Ellison. At the top of his website, Ellison proudly displays a photo of himself with former president and now convicted felon Donald Trump. The rest of Ellison’s website reads like a manifesto for a MAGA cult member. He is undeserving of our endorsement or your vote.
* = incumbent
State Assembly
State Assembly District 1: Daniele Monroe-Moreno* (D)
State Assembly District 2: Ron Nelsen (D)
We have endorsed Ron Nelson’s opponent, Heidi Kasama, in multiple prior elections. However, Kasama’s hard stance against universal free lunch for school children led us to reevaluate our continued support. Given the demographics of the district she is likely to succeed regardless, but we cannot offer our endorsement.
State Assembly District 3: Selena Elizabeth Torres* (D)
State Assembly District 4: Ryan Hampton (D)
State Assembly District 5: Brittney M. Miller* (D)
State Assembly District 6: No endorsement
State Assembly District 7: Tanya Flanagan (D)
State Assembly District 8: Duy Nguyen* (D)
State Assembly District 9: Steve Yeager* (D)
State Assembly District 10: Venise L. Karris (D)
State Assembly District 11 : Cinthia Moore (D)
State Assembly District 12: Max Carter II* (D)
State Assembly District 13: Daniel Andrews (D)
Daniel Andrews is a Former NASA scientist and current schoolteacher who works with young people in the prison system, experiences that bring unique and valuable knowledge and expertise to the Legislature.
His opponent Brian Hibbetts is also worthy of recognition. As one of the 10 Republicans most likely to break with their party, Hibbetts has demonstrated a level of independence that we admire. Unfortunately, he used his independent voice to champion legislation giving significant tax relief for cigar smokers and then, just one day later, voted against providing free lunches for schoolchildren. That’s disqualifying in our book.
State Assembly District 14: Erica Mosca* (D)
State Assembly District 15: Howard Watts* (D)
State Assembly District 16: Cecelia González* (D)
State Assembly District 17: Linda F. Hunt (D)
State Assembly District 18: Venicia Considine* (D)
State Assembly District 19: Thaddeus “Toby” Yurek* (D)
State Assembly District 20: David Orentlicher* (D)
State Assembly District 21: Elaine Marzola* (D)
State Assembly District 22: Melissa Hardy* (R)
State Assembly District 23: Danielle Gallant* (R)
State Assembly District 28: Reuben D’Silva* (D)
State Assembly District 29: Joe Dalia (D)
State Assembly District 34: Hanadi Nadeem (D)
State Assembly District 35: Sharifa Wahab (D)
State Assembly District 36: No endorsement
State Assembly District 37: Shea Backus* (D)
State Assembly District 41: Sandra Jauregui* (D)
State Assembly District 42 : Tracy Brown-May* (D)
ENDORSEMENTS
EDUCATION: BOARD OF REGENTS, STATE BOARD OF ED, & CCSD TRUSTEES
BOARD OF REGENTS, NEVADA SYSTEM OF HIGHER EDUCATION
District 1: Carlos D. Fernandez
District 4: Aaron Bautista
District 12: Amy J. Carvalho
BALLOT QUESTION #1
NEVADA STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION
District 1: Tricia Braxton
District 3: Rene Cantu*
Proposes amendments to modify the authorities of the Board of Regents of the Nevada System of Higher Education.
Our position: YES, support.
Nevada is currently the only state where a single elected board with constitutional status controls and manages the state’s entire system of public higher education. Question 1 seeks to change that by removing the constitutional status of the Board of Regents, making it accountable to the legislature.
Perhaps more importantly, Question 1 represents the first step towards having some positions on the board appointed rather than elected. By moving away from a purely elected board, the level of expertise and experience in higher education would almost certainly increase, while the constant electioneering that defines the current Regents would likely decrease.
Reforming the Regents is long overdue and would put the Board of Regents on par with every other governing board and agency within the state. Empowering the legislature to make future changes to the membership, structure and management of the Regents will create greater efficiency, effectiveness and responsiveness in a rapidly changing higher education landscape.
BOARD OF TRUSTEES, CLARK COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT
District A: Karl Catarata
District B: Eileen Eady
District C: Evelyn Garcia Morales*
District E: Kamilah Bywaters
BALLOT QUESTION #2
Proposes to revise certain terms within the Nevada Constitution for individuals and entities who receive support from the State. Our position: YES, support.
Question 2 on the 2024 ballot proposes removing outdated terms like “insane,” “deaf,” and “dumb” from the Nevada Constitution and replacing them with modern, inclusive language.
This update, suggested by a middle-school special education teacher, aims to reflect current social norms and reduce stigmatizing language in the law.
The terminology has not been updated in 160 years, despite frequent use by legal professionals and social workers. There is no formal opposition to this measure, and it passed unanimously in two legislative sessions without any objections. We proudly offer our support now.
BALLOT QUESTION #3
Proposes to amend the Nevada Constitution to allow for open primaries and ranked-choice voting.
Our position: NO, oppose.
There are legitimate concerns about how to address the growing number of Nevadans, and indeed Americans who feel disillusioned with all political parties and the subsequent primary push to more extreme positions. Unfortunately, Question 3 poses two unrelated issues that fail to directly address the disillusionment of Nevadans with political parties or the push toward extremism.
The first proposal introduces open primaries, allowing anyone to vote regardless of party affiliation. While proponents argue this might indirectly combat extremism, there is not compelling evidence to support that position and voters already have the ability to change their party registration to participate in closed primaries or to simply not vote for extremists.
The second part introduces ranked choice voting (RCV) for general elections, where voters rank up to five candidates. RCV, however, is vulnerable to manipulation, particularly through the order of candidates on the ballot or stacking of candidates. It may also reward mediocrity. While the goals of reducing extremism and partisanship are admirable, the risks of election manipulation are too significant to support Question 3, especially in its current form which packages the two questions together.
ENDORSEMENTS
JUDICIAL
STATE SUPREME COURT JUSTICES
The Supreme Court is Nevada’s highest judicial authority, reviewing appeals from District Courts to ensure fair verdicts and correct legal procedures and establishing binding law based upon their decisions. The Supreme Court can also create commissions and committees to study the judicial system and recommend changes and improvements.
Justice of the Supreme Court, Seat C: Elissa Cadish*
Justice of the Supreme Court, Seat F: Patty Lee*
Justice of the Supreme Court, Seat G: Lidia Stiglich*
STATE DISTRICT COURT JUDGES
District Courts hear a wide variety of cases that range from juvenile and family law disputes to civil cases and even felony criminal cases. They also have appellate jurisdiction over Justice Courts.
Eighth Judicial District, Department 7: Danielle K. Pieper*
Eighth Judicial District, Department 14: Tina Talim*
Eighth Judicial District, Department 27: Terry Coffing
Eighth Judicial District, Department 29: Jacob Reynolds*
Eighth Judicial District, Family Division, Dept. C: Gregory G. Gordon*
Eighth Judicial District, Family Division, Dept. N: Paul M. Gaudet*
Eighth Judicial District, Family Division, Dept. O: Gina McConnell*
JUSTICE COURTS – JUSTICES OF THE PEACE
Justice Courts are county or township courts that have limited jurisdiction over misdemeanor criminal matters, traffic cases, civil matters up to $10,000, protection orders, landlord/tenant cases and preliminary hearings and arraignments.
Henderson - Dept. 1: Sandy Allred DiGiacomo
Las Vegas - Dept. 2: Joseph S. Sciscento*
Las Vegas - Dept. 4: Triple endorsement: Jessica Smith-Peterson, Holly Stoberski & Suzan Baucum
Las Vegas - Dept 5: No endorsement
Las Vegas - Dept 8: Amy Ferreira and Nancy Bernstein
North Las Vegas - Dept 2: Jonathan Cooper
* = incumbent
BALLOT QUESTION #4:
Proposes the removal of language authorizing the use of slavery and involuntary servitude as a criminal punishment from the Nevada Constitution. Our position: YES, support.
Question 4 asks Nevada voters to remove language from the state’s constitution left over from the passage of the 13th Amendment, which abolished slavery and involuntary servitude in the United States except as punishment for a crime—a disturbing loophole that, historically, allowed for sham convictions of mostly Black and Brown people to be forced to labor against their will for little to no wages.
By passing Question 4, Nevadans can finally rid the constitution of this outdated language and demonstrate that slavery, whether in name or practice, has no place in the Silver State.
While legitimate concerns exist about the potential impact of Question 4 on the finances of prison operations, work programs and community service opportunities, those concerns can and should be addressed in the Legislature and should not be allowed to outweigh the simple truth that no person should be subject to slavery or involuntary servitude.
BALLOT QUESTION #5:
Proposes the exemption of child and adult diapers from certain taxes.
Our position: YES, support
Infants, the elderly and people with disabilities and incontinence are among our most vulnerable citizens. Question 5’s proposed sales tax exemption on child and adult diapers is a simple and reasonable way to help support those who rely on diapers to manage a biological reality.
MUNICIPAL AND COUNTY ELECTIONS
VOTE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
District A: Michael Naft* (D)
District B: Marilyn Kirkpatrick* (D)
District C: Shannon Bilbray-Axelrod (D)
District D: William McCurdy II* (D)
MAYOR, CITY OF LAS VEGAS:
Shelley Berkley
Shelley Berkley has a long history of public service and a deep commitment to Las Vegas. Her public service began in 1983 as a Nevada State Assemblywoman, where she strengthened consumer protection laws, cracked down on drunk driving, and created lasting programs like the Senior Law Project and the Lemon Law.
She then served 14 years in Congress, where she was a strong advocate for veterans, helping to establish the VA medical complex in Southern Nevada while championing healthcare reform and increased funding for medical education.
Berkley’s long and distinguished career will bring both policy chops and gravitas to the position of mayor. She is eminently qualified, has served our communities with distinction and repeatedly proven that her knowledge, experience and commitment to the people of Southern Nevada are unmatched.
Boulder City Council: Matt Fox* Henderson Council, Ward 2: No endorsement North Las Vegas Council, Ward 2: Ruth Garcia Anderson* Las Vegas Council, Ward 5: Shondra Summers-Armstrong
BALLOT QUESTION #6:
Proposes to amend the Nevada Constitution to make abortion access individual right. Our position: YES, support.
Just one month ago, we issued a warning to Nevada voters that the GOP candidates in this year’s election want to police and control women’s bodies and impose their personal religious views on society. They have an ally in Gov. Joe Lombardo, who vetoed a bipartisan bill supported by Republican Senate Minority Leader Heidi Seevers Gansert and Assistant Minority Leader Carrie Buck that would have established the simple right to access contraception.
That’s why passing Ballot Question 6 is so important. By enshrining abortion as an individual right in the Nevada constitution, we can secure the basic health and livelihood of women across the Silver State for generations to come, regardless of the whims (or predation) of politics.
BALLOT QUESTION #7:
Proposes to amend the Nevada Constitution to require voter ID. Our position: NO, oppose.
Ballot Question 7 is a solution in search of a problem as an ID is already required to register to vote and voter fraud is not a significant problem in Nevada or anywhere else in the United States.
The barriers are especially burdensome for vulnerable groups, such as the elderly, people with disabilities, people who lack access to reliable transportation, people whose jobs do not allow them to take time off during business hours and rural residents who may lack access to government facilities where IDs can be obtained.
Moreover, voting is a fundamental right, not tied to activities like driving, attending school, or owning a firearm. Requiring IDs primarily obtained through these activities essentially forces participation in at least one of these activities as a precondition for voting.
Allowing the use of Social Security numbers for mail-in voting is also not acceptable as – unlike the ballot itself –the social security number would be written outside the envelope, in plain view to any number of potential identity thieves. Nor does such a requirement actually promote increased security, given the ease with which many social security numbers can be found or purchased via the dark web. Such a requirement essentially creates the circumstances for both mass identity theft and mass voter fraud.
While both of the candidates in this race would make excellent councilmembers, Summers-Armstrong brings a lifetime of experience working in government, an in-depth knowledge of how government does (and does not) work and a finely-tuned ability to get things done for the people of Las Vegas.
Put simply, voter ID laws is a false security measure that actually serves as a stealth method to discourage mail-in ballots, suppress the vote, and discourage minority participation in elections. It’s bad public policy that responds to a non-existent problem: voter fraud is not an issue in Nevada.
ENDORSEMENTS QUICK REFERENCE
FEDERAL
President of the United States:
Kamala D. Harris (D)
United States Senate:
Jacky S. Rosen* (D)
Representative In Congress, District 1:
Dina Titus* (D)
Representative In Congress, District 3: Susie Lee* (D)
Representative In Congress, District 4: Steven Horsford* (D)
STATE SENATE
District 01: Michelee “Shelly” Crawford (D)
District 03: Rochelle Nguyen* (D)
District 04: Dina Neal* (D)
District 05: Jennifer Atlas (D)
District 06: Nicole Cannizzaro* (D)
District 07: Roberta Lange* (D)
District 11: Dallas Harris* (D)
District 18: John Steinbeck (R)
District 19: No endorsement
STATE ASSEMBLY
District 01: Daniele Monroe-Moreno* (D)
District 02: Ron Nelsen (D)
District 03: Selena Elizabeth Torres* (D)
District 04: Ryan Hampton (D)
District 05: Brittney M. Miller* (D)
District 06: No endorsement
District 07: Tanya Flanagan (D)
District 08: Duy Nguyen* (D)
District 09: Steve Yeager* (D)
District 10: Venise L. Karris (D)
District 11: Cinthia Moore (D)
District 12: Max Carter II* (D)
District 13: Daniel Andrews (D)
District 14: Erica Mosca* (D)
District 15: Howard Watts* (D)
District 16: Cecelia González* (D)
District 17: Linda F. Hunt (D)
District 18: Venicia Considine* (D)
District 19: Thaddeus “Toby” Yurek* (D)
District 20: David Orentlicher* (D)
District 21: Elaine Marzola* (D)
District 22: Melissa Hardy* (R)
District 23: Danielle Gallant* (R)
District 28: Reuben D’Silva* (D)
District 29: Joe Dalia (D)
District 34: Hanadi Nadeem (D)
District 35: Sharifa Wahab (D)
District 36: No endorsement
District 37: Shea Backus* (D)
District 41: Sandra Jauregui* (D)
District 42: Tracy Brown-May* (D)
* = incumbent
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
District A: Michael Naft* (D)
District B: Marilyn Kirkpatrick* (D)
District C: Shannon Bilbray-Axelrod (D)
District D: William McCurdy II* (D)
STATE SUPREME COURT JUSTICES
Seat C: Elissa Cadish*
Seat F: Patty Lee*
Seat G: Lidia Stiglich*
DISTRICT COURT JUDGES, EIGHTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT
Department 07: Danielle K. Pieper*
Department 14: Tina Talim*
Department 27: Terry Coffing
Department 29: Jacob Reynolds*
Family Division, Dept. C: Gregory G. Gordon*
Family Division, Dept. N: Paul M. Gaudet*
Family Division, Dept. O: Gina McConnell*
NEVADA SYSTEM OF HIGHER EDUCATION, BOARD OF REGENTS
District 01: Carlos D. Fernandez
District 04: Aaron Bautista
District 12: Amy J. Carvalho*
NEVADA STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION
Member, State Board of Education, District 1: Tricia Braxton
Member, State Board of Education, District 3: Rene Cantu*
CLARK COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF TRUSTEES
District A: Karl Catarata
District B: Eileen Eady
District C: Evelyn Garcia Morales*
District E: Kamilah Bywaters
MUNICIPAL COUNCILS
Mayor, City Of Las Vegas: Shelley Berkley
Las Vegas City Council Ward 5: Shondra Summers-Armstrong
North Las Vegas City Council Ward 2: Ruth Garcia Anderson*
Henderson Council Ward 2: No endorsement
Boulder City Council: Matt Fox*
JUSTICES OF THE PEACE
Henderson - Dept. 1: Sandy Allred DiGiacomo
Las Vegas - Dept. 2: Joseph S. Sciscento*
Las Vegas - Dept. 4: Triple endorsement
Jessica Smith-Peterson, Holly Stoberski & Suzan Baucum
Las Vegas - Dept. 5: No endorsement
Las Vegas - Dept. 8: Dual endorsement of Amy Ferreira & Nancy Bernstein
North Las Vegas - Dept. 2: Jonathan Cooper
BALLOT QUESTION #1
(Modify the authorities of the Board of Regents): YES, support.
BALLOT QUESTION #2
(Revise certain terms within the Nevada Constitution related to disabilities): Our position: YES, support.
BALLOT QUESTION #3
(Allow for open primaries and ranked-choice voting): Our position: NO, oppose.
BALLOT QUESTION #4
(Remove language authorizing the use of slavery and involuntary servitude as a criminal punishment): YES, support.
BALLOT QUESTION #5
(Exempt child and adult diapers from sales tax): YES, support.
BALLOT QUESTION #6
(Make abortion access individual right): YES, support.
BALLOT QUESTION #7
(Require voter ID): NO, oppose.
2024 ELECTION VOTE
EARLY VOTING SITES
AND MAIL BALLOT DROP-OFF SITES
These long-term early voting sites are open October 19 through November 1. Check location hours before visiting.
n Arroyo Market Square 7225 Arroyo Crossing Pkwy.; 10/19-10/31, 9 a.m.-
7 p.m.; 11/1, 9 a.m. -8 p.m.
n Blue Diamond Crossing 4100 Blue Diamond Rd.; 10/1910/31, 9 a.m.-7 p.m.; 11/1, 9 a.m.-8 p.m.
n Cambridge Recreation Center 3930 Cambridge St.; 10/19-10/31, 9 a.m.6 p.m.; 11/1, 9 a.m.7 p.m.
n Craig Ranch Regional Park 628 W. Craig Rd.; 10/1910/31, 9 a.m.-7 p.m.; 11/1, 9 a.m.-8 p.m.
n Deer Springs Town Center 640 E. Deer Springs Way; 10/19-10/31, 9 a.m.-
7 p.m.; 11/1, 9 a.m.8 p.m.
n Desert Breeze Community Center 8275 Spring Mountain Rd.; 10/19-10/31, 9 a.m.-7 p.m.; 11/1, 9 a.m.-8 p.m.
n Galleria at Sunset 1300 W. Sunset Rd.; 10/19 & 10/26, 10 a.m.-8 p.m., 10/20 & 10/27, 11 a.m.-6p.m.; 10/21-10/25, 10 a.m.7 p.m.; 10/28-10/31, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; 11/1, 10 a.m.-8 p.m.
n Henderson City Hall 240 S. Water St.; 10/21-10/25, 8 a.m.5 p.m.; 10/28-11/1, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
n Las Vegas Athletic Club (Decatur) 6050 N. Decatur Blvd.; 10/19-10/31, 9 a.m.-7 p.m.; 11/1, 9 a.m.-8 p.m.
n Las Vegas Athletic Club (Rainbow) 1725 N. Rainbow Blvd.; 10/19-10/31, 9 a.m.7 p.m.; 11/1, 9 a.m.-8 p.m.
n Las Vegas City Hall 495 S. Main St.; 10/21-10/24, 8 a.m.5 p.m.; 10/28-10/31, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
n Meadows Mall 4300 Meadows Ln.; 10/19 & 10/26, 11 a.m.-
8 p.m.; 10/20 & 10/27, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.; 10/2110/24, 11 a.m.7 p.m.; 10/25, 11 a.m.6 p.m.; 10/28-10/30, 11 a.m.-7 p.m.; 10/31, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.; 11/1, 11 a.m.-8 p.m.
n Mountain Crest Community Center 4701 N. Durango Dr.; 10/19-10/31, 9 a.m.6 p.m.; 11/1, 9 a.m.7 p.m.
n Mountain’s Edge Regional Park 8101 W. Mountains Edge Pkwy.; 10/19-10/31, 9 a.m.-7 p.m.; 11/1, 9 a.m.-8 p.m.
n Nellis Crossing 1250 S. Nellis Blvd.; 10/19-10/31, 9 a.m.-
7 p.m.; 11/1, 9 a.m.-
8 p.m.
n North Las Vegas City Hall 2250 Las Vegas Blvd. N.; 10/2110/24, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., 10/28-10/31, 8 a.m.5 p.m.
n Silver Springs Recreation Center 1951 Silver Springs Pkwy.; 10/19-10/31, 9 a.m.-7 p.m.; 11/1, 9 a.m.-8 p.m.
n Silverado Ranch Community Center 9855 Gilespie St.; 10/19-10/31, 9 a.m.-
7 p.m.; 11/1, 9 a.m.8 p.m.
n Thunderbird Family Sports Complex 6105 N. Durango Dr.; 10/19-10/31, 9 a.m.- 7 p.m.; 11/1, 9 a.m.-8 p.m.
n Veterans Memorial Community Center 101 N. Pavilion Center Dr.; 10/19 & 10/26, 9 a.m.-7 p.m.; 10/21-10/24, 9 a.m.7 p.m.; 10/28-10/31, 9 a.m.-7 p.m.; 11/1, 9 a.m.-8 p.m.
n Walnut Recreation Center 3075 N. Walnut Rd.; 10/19-10/31, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.; 11/1, 9 a.m.-7 p.m.
n West Flamingo Senior Center 6255 W. Flamingo Rd.; 10/21-10/24, 9 a.m.6 p.m.; 10/28-10/31, 9 a.m.-6 pm.; 11/1, 9 a.m.-7 p.m.
Operating hours may change. Visit clarkcountynv.gov/government/departments/elections/index.php for the most up-to-date information.
These short-term early voting sites are open on select dates between October 19 and November 1. Check location days and hours before visiting.
n Albertsons (Ann/ Simmons) 3010 W. Ann Rd.; 10/21, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.
n Albertsons (Flamingo/Hualapai) 10140 W. Flamingo Rd.; 10/26-10/27, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.
n Aliante Library 2400 W. Deer Springs Way; 10/23, 10:30 a.m.-7 p.m.
n Boulder City Recreation Center 900 Arizona St.; 10/2610/29, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.
n Cardenas Market 4421 E. Bonanza Rd.; 10/19-10/20, 9 a.m.6 p.m.
n Centennial Hills YMCA 6601 N. Buffalo Dr.; 10/24-10/25, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.; 10/26, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
n Chinatown Plaza 4205 Spring Mountain Rd.; 10/19-10/25, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
n Clark County Building Department 4701 W. Russell Rd.; 10/21-10/22, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.
n Clark County Department of Family Services 2900 N. Torrey Pines Dr.; 10/21-10/22, 9 a.m.6 p.m.
n Coleman Senior Center 2100 Bonnie Ln.; 10/23-10/25, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.
n College of Southern Nevada, Henderson Campus 700 College Dr.; 10/22, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.
n College of Southern Nevada, North Las Vegas Campus 3200 E. Cheyenne Ave.; 10/29, 9 a.m.6 p.m.
n Desert Vista Community Center 10360 Sun City Blvd.; 10/22-10/23, 9 a.m.7 p.m.
n Doolittle Community Center 1950 J St.; 10/26, 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m.; 10/28-10/30, 9 a.m.7 p.m.; 11/1, 9 a.m.8 p.m.
n East Las Vegas Community Center 250 N. Eastern Ave.; 10/26-10/31, 9 a.m.7 p.m.; 11/1, 9 a.m.8 p.m.
n East Las Vegas Library 2851 E. Bonanza Rd.; 10/1910/20, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; 10/21-10/24, 10 a.m.7 p.m.
n Enterprise Library 8310 Las Vegas Blvd. S.; 10/20-10/21, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
n Green Valley Library 2797 N. Green Valley Pkwy.; 10/26, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
n Henderson Executive Airport 3500 Executive Terminal Dr.; 10/28-10/31, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.; 11/1, 9 a.m.-7 p.m.
n Heritage Park Senior Facility 300 S. Racetrack Rd.; 10/19, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.; 10/21, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.
n Hollywood Recreation Center 1650 S. Hollywood Blvd.; 10/24-10/27, 9 a.m.6 p.m.
n Laughlin Library 2840 S. Needles Hwy.; 10/30, 10 a.m.6 p.m.; 10/31, 10 a.m.5 p.m., 11/1, 10 a.m.6 p.m.
n Mesquite Jimmie Hughes Campus 150 N. Yucca St.; 10/20-10/23, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.
n Moapa Valley Community Center 320 N. Moapa Valley Blvd.; 10/24, 9 a.m.6 p.m.
n Mountain Shadows Community Center 9107 Del Webb Blvd.; 10/1910/21, 9 a.m.-7 p.m.
n Paradise Recreation and Community Center 4775 S. McLeod Dr.; 10/2710/28, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.
n Parkdale Recreation and Senior Center 3200 Ferndale St.; 10/2410/25, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.
n Paseo Verde Library 280 S. Green Valley Pkwy.; 10/31, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.; 11/1, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
n Pearson Community Center 1625 W. Carey Ave.; 10/1910/25, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.
n Rainbow Library 3150 N. Buffalo Dr.; 10/19-10/20, 10 a.m.6 p.m.
n Regional Transportation Commision (Room 108)
600 S. Grand Central Pkwy.; 10/24, 9 a.m.6 p.m.
n Donald W. Reynolds Boys & Girls Club 2980 Robindale Rd.; 10/19-10/20, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.
n Sahara West Library 9600 W. Sahara Ave.; 10/2810/30, 10:30 a.m.7 p.m.; 10/31-11/1, 10:30 a.m.-6 p.m.
n Seafood City Market 3890 S. Maryland Pkwy.; 10/27-11/1, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.
n Silver Mesa Recreation Center 4025 Allen Ln.; 10/2910/30, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.
n Skye Canyon Community Center 10111 W. Skye Canyon Park Dr.; 10/27-10/28, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.
n SkyView YMCA 3050 E. Centennial Pkwy.; 10/31, 9 a.m.5 p.m.; 11/1, 9 a.m.7 p.m.
n Solera at Anthem Community Center 2401 Somersworth Dr.; 10/27, 9 a.m.6 p.m.
n Sun City Aliante Community Center 7390 Aliante Pkwy.; 10/22, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.
n Sun City Anthem Center 2450 Hampton Rd.; 10/29-10/30, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.; 10/31, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
n Sun City MacDonald Ranch Community Center 2020 W. Horizon Ridge Pkwy.; 10/28, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.
n Sunrise Library 5400 Harris Ave.; 10/23, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
n UNLV Lied Library 4505 S. Maryland Pkwy.; 10/30-11/1, 9:30 a.m.-6 p.m.
n Whitney Recreation Center 5712 Missouri Ave.; 10/2610/27, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.
n Winchester Dondero Cultural Center 3130 McLeod Dr.; 10/29-10/30, 9 a.m.6 p.m.
n Windmill Library 7060 W. Windmill Ln.; 10/22, 10 a.m.6 p.m.; 10/23-10/24, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; 10/26, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
These mail ballot drop-off locations are open on select dates between October 21 and November 5. Check location days and hours before visiting.
n Clark County Election Department 965 Trade Dr.; 10/2110/24, 10/28-11/1, 11/4, 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.; 11/5, 7 a.m.-7 p.m.
n Henderson City Hall 240 S. Water St.; 10/21-10/25, 10/2811/1, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.; 11/5, 7 a.m.-7 p.m.
n Las Vegas City Hall 495 S. Main St.; 10/21-10/24, 10/2810/31, 11/4, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.; 11/5, 7 a.m.7 p.m.
n North Las Vegas City Hall 2250 Las Vegas Blvd. N.; 10/2110/24, 10/28-10/31, 11/4, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.; 11/5, 7 a.m.-7 p.m.
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IN THE NEWS
“One of the biggest problems with the failure to have a comprehensive plan for immigration is that we have not given them the pathway to earn their right to citizenship.”
—Vice President Kamala Harris responding to a question about Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals at an October 10 town hall hosted by Noticias Univision at Cox Pavilion at UNLV
HOT SHOT
Las Vegas Raiders fan “Violator” cheers during the first half of the Raiders-Steelers game at Allegiant Stadium on October 13, 2024. The Raiders lost 32-13. (Steve Marcus/Sta )
THINGS YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED
1 MYSTÈRE HONORED Mystère by Cirque du Soleil, which has performed more than 14,000 shows over three decades, was honored with a permanent street sign along the iconic Las Vegas Boulevard. Mystère Dreams Avenue has replaced the former Siren’s Cove Boulevard serving as the main entrance to Treasure Island Hotel & Casino.
HEALTH CARE
Linking to health insurance connection
BY THE NUMBERS
On Nevada Health Link, the state’s online health insurance marketplace, residents can now explore and compare 141 health insurance plans among eight insurance carriers. Ideal for those who do not qualify for Medicare or Medicaid and do not have employer-sponsored health insurance, the plans are available to view ahead of the open enrollment period for the 2025 plan year (November 1, 2024 to January 15, 2025). Nevadans can also assess eligibility for federal assistance to help reduce the cost of monthly premiums. According to Nevada Health Link, nine out of 10 enrollees qualify for assistance. All plan options can be viewed using the “window shopping” feature at enroll.nevadahealthlink.com. Dental and vision plans are also available. –Staff
That’s how many acres of public land the Bureau of Land Management sold to Clark County to develop affordable housing. The parcel on Cactus Avenue and Buffalo Drive was appraised at almost $20 million and the BLM sold it to Clark County for $2,000.
POLITICS
Election-related threats
Federal agencies issued a warning late last week to state election officials about domestic threats from extremists with “election-related grievances” targeting election workers, political candidates and lawmakers in the coming weeks with Election Day approaching on November 5.
Nevada Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar said in a joint letter from the Department of Homeland Security and FBI that the caution did not come as a surprise, noting there had been collaboration between his office and the FBI ahead of the November 5 election.
The Department of Homeland Security, in a separate notice, said October 2 in its Homeland Threat Assessment that “lone offenders and small groups continue to pose the greatest threat.”
That bulletin Aguilar’s office received warned officials of domestic violent extremists who
“continue to create, exploit, and promote narratives about the election process or legal decisions involving political figures, and we are concerned that these grievances could motivate some domestic violent extremists to engage in violence, as we saw during the 2020 election cycle,” according to CNN, which obtained a copy of the notice.
The notice was not made available for public consumption.
The extremist action the bulletin warns about was most profound January 6, 2021, when a group of loyalists to then-President Donald Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol looking to prevent the certification of Joe Biden’s win in the 2020 presidential election. Hundreds of rioters were convicted of federal crimes—misdemeanors for trespassing, and more serious felony charges for assaulting police officers and conspiracy—for their actions
culminating in the storming of the Capitol. More than 1,265 people have been charged, according to the Department of Justice, in the largest criminal investigation in American history.
Trump remains in legal battles for his role in the scheme.
Special counsel Jack Smith released new evidence last week in the case against Trump, including troves of accounts detailing how Trump inaccurately claimed victory in Nevada (and other swing states) before ballots were fully counted and spread debunked claims of election fraud online.
The former president continues to spew his falsehoods of victory, recently telling the crowd at a Michigan campaign event that he won in 2020. He made his comments at the rally the day after Smith’s court filing was unsealed.
The Republican lost Nevada by about 30,000 votes.
–Haajrah Gilani
2 3 ICE RINK COMING TO STRIP Fontainebleau announced it will open the Oasis Ice Rink, the “largest real ice rink on the Strip” on November 27 as part of the resort-wide Winter Wonderland celebration. The skating fee, including rentals, is $35 on site.
EVENTS Navy Week in Vegas
For the first time since the creation of Navy Week in 2005, the program has arrived in Las Vegas. Starting October 14, more than 100 sailors will participate in education and community outreach events throughout the city, including a Navy Week proclamation, a recognition ceremony at the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign and a presence at the Raiders and Golden Knights games and Shriners Children’s Open PGA Tour. Residents can participate in various community events including engagements with youth at the 2024 Scout Expo, Discovery Children’s Museum and Boys & Girls Club of Southern Nevada. Sailors are also volunteering at organizations in the cities of Las Vegas, North Las Vegas and Henderson, including Project 150, Habitat for Humanity and Ice Age Fossils State Park, among others. Performances by the Navy Band Northwest are scheduled for October 17 at Nevada State University, October 18 and 19 at the PBR Camping World Teams Championship, and October 19 and 20 at the South Point 400 NASCAR series. A schedule of events is available at outreach.navy. mil/Navy-Weeks/Las-Vegas-2024 –Staff
SICK NEW WORLD BRINGS BIG HEADLINERS
The Sick New World festival has announced Metallica and Linkin Park will headline next year’s event at the Las Vegas Festival Grounds on April 12. The festival brings together more than 50 acts spanning heavy metal, hard rock and alternative genres, including Queens of the Stone Age, The Flaming Lips and Acid Bath. Tickets go on sale October 18 at sicknewworldfest.com.
‘CONSTANT REFINEMENT’
Still cool, always consistent, Lenny Kravitz fi nally plays Vegas
When we saw Lenny Kravitz sign on for a short series of concerts at Park MGM, we thought, of course. He’s an icon, famous on every level, and his generation-spanning blend of funk, rock and soul is as accessible as it gets. And he won’t need to wear that big scarf when he visits Vegas in October.
He’s kicking o the U.S. portion of his tour behind this year’s 12th studio album, and the Weekly caught up with the ageless (he’s 60!) rock-and-roller to dissect his process of performing, writing and recording, and just being Lenny Kravitz.
Why was this the right time for you to do some Vegas shows?
It never lined up before. I wanted to do it, and I was asked to do it, but it never worked out, and I made it a priority this time early in the tour. It’s a short run, kind of a nice introduction, and I’m really happy to be doing it. I’ve never done a gig where it’s two weeks staying in one place and I’m looking forward to that.
It feels like a sneak preview to a possible residency gig. Are you open to something like that in the future?
BY BROCK RADKE
comfortable before. I’m up there to be completely open, to be a conduit, and I feel more comfortable onstage than I ever have. I’ve been doing this 35 years, since the rst album, so to feel more comfortable, more open, more relaxed is a great place to be at this point in my life. I’m extremely grateful.
Your first album came out in 1989, and your latest, Blue Electric Light, came out this past May. Has your approach to songwriting and the process of putting an album together also evolved since the beginning?
We’ll see what it turns into. Whatever life has for me, that’s where I go. But I have no idea what to expect because they’re not normal shows. You’ll have your fans but also there might be people who just might be in Vegas and want to catch something, and wouldn’t necessarily come to your show in their town. It should be a mixed crowd and I’m looking forward to seeing what it actually turns into.
Are you making some space for spontaneous moments in order to take advantage of that?
I always react to the energy. Every night is something di erent based on the people in front of you. It’s an exchange of energy. This is a very interesting place to be right now because I’ve been touring for so long—I just did Europe for three months—and there are some di erences every [night], but you also kinda know what to expect based on playing these places for so many years. But I really have no idea what this is gonna be.
How has your approach to live performance changed through the years? Has that part of your life as an artist evolved?
I think that I’ve grown tremendously, and I’ve become more at ease with it, not that I wasn’t
It’s the same approach, which is: I don’t try to do anything. I stay out of the way. I’m an antenna, waiting to receive the signal, and when I do, my job is to go into the studio and make what it is I’m hearing in my head. It’s the same process now and I trust it more and more every year, every time I make music. Be patient, live your life, take in all these emotions and feelings and experiences and wait for them to come out in the music. I never go into the studio to write. I know who people who do, and they keep a schedule. I don’t do that, I wait until I hear it. Most of the time it comes to me in sleep, in the middle of the night, and I go into the studio and get to it. As I’m getting into that process of making an album, that vortex opens up more and more. … And when the album is done, I can’t tell you how I did it. Honestly, I don’t remember doing it. When I’m in the moment, it just comes through me.
Was it harder to be that antenna when you were younger?
It wasn’t harder, I just think as you do things you get to a place in life after this much time, you’re now in a place of mastery of your craft. What comes with mastery? Being better at it, being more uid and more open and having more faith in what you’re receiving. It’s constant re nement—every time I make a record I learn more and that becomes part of the repertoire. You just become smoother at it. It’s still hard work. The way I do it requires a lot of faith. You’re waiting for something to happen. Will it happen again? That requires a certain level of faith.
LENNY KRAVITZ October 18-19, 23, 25-26, 8 p.m., $54$750. Dolby Live, ticketmaster.com.
DESTROYER BRINGS ITS EVOLVING SOUND BACK TO LAS VEGAS
BY GABRIELA RODRIGUEZ
Dan Bejar, founder of Vancouver-based band Destroyer, obliterates any notion of stasis when approaching songwriting.
DESTROYER October 20, 7 p.m., $20+. Swan Dive, swandivelv. com.
“When I rst started Destroyer, I stopped looking at records as documents of what a band sounds like, and more just like studio constructions,” he tells the Weekly By kicking the crutch of genre, the band’s massive 13-album discography ranges from folk to lounge pop to ambient spoken-word experiments.
Bejar’s ability to reinvent himself has kept Destroyer’s sound as unpredictable as it is resonating. But no matter how often the sound shifts, captivating and often cryptic lyrics have been the constant.
“The writing part has always been the most natural, most thoughtless part of it for me, while the music part has always been the toil, the labor,” he says. “It’s kind of the exact opposite of most musicians, who whip up music and play and generally, at the last minute, they’ll come up with some words—with me, the song is always
written word rst.”
On the synth-pop forward track “Tinseltown Swimming in Blood,” Bejar exposes the pseudo-glamour of Hollywood and how the corrupt cycle only continues. He o ers a form of escapism through dreams: “Now let me tell you about the dream/I had no feeling/I had no past/I was the arctic/I was the vast/Spaces without reprieve/I was a dreamer/Watch me leave.”
Not only is the track honest, thoughtful, and provocative, it’s so damn danceable.
Bejar notes that he’s in the homestretch of completing his latest project. And although this will be the band’s 14th stage of evolution, he’s “walking on pins and needles.”
Understandably so, given his tendency to shed his musical skin. “There’s momentum,” he says. “But it can waver between the excitement of the nish line and the dead-eyed stare of being bludgeoned by combing over songs for months on end.”
Bejar is preparing to hit the road again, this time taking a stripped-down
approach, only enlisting his longtime collaborator David Carswell on electric guitar. “It’s more of a ritual now,” he says. “There’s a lot of older songs that I play that the band doesn’t really touch. Normally, when we tour, it’s like a seven-piece, quite loud. So this is a di erent style of singing, a di erent approach to the music. It’s more intimate.”
Destroyer’s upcoming show at Swan Dive is bound to be special. The last time Bejar graced a Vegas stage was in 2018, at the now-defunct Bunkhouse Saloon, where he played to a small yet attentive crowd. Before that, a decade earlier, he played Beauty Bar with the full band, “kind of a gnarly show,” as he recalls, where the group went on super late and played to a crowd he assumed washed up at the bar to end the night.
Bejar never quite knew what to expect from Vegas, and neither does Vegas know what to expect from Destroyer. The sound is a moving target and we’ll be here to bask in the result every time.
(Courtesy/Nicolas Bragg)
BLAST FROM THE PAST
(Courtesy Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman/The Smith Center for the Performing Arts)
BACK TO THE FUTURE: THE MUSICAL
October 23-November 3, days & times vary, $40-$200. Reynolds Hall, thesmithcenter. com.
BY AMBER SAMPSON
The original script for Back to the Future, the 1985 time traveling classic starring Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd, was rejected by studios more than 40 times before Universal Pictures picked it up. Disney deemed it too dirty. Columbia Pictures thought it wasn’t dirty enough.
Without the struggle, we may never have seen one of the most iconic films of 1985, or its beloved sequels, or Back to the Future: The Musical, an award-winning Broadway production set to run at Reynolds Hall for two weeks beginning October 23.
“People have always been saying, ‘Are you guys ever going to do Back to the Future Part IV ?’ We always said no, because we felt like we had told the story that we wanted to tell, and there was really no good place to go with it,” says Bob Gale, who co-created Back to the Future with Robert “Bob” Zemeckis. “But when people would ask that, I realized what they were really saying was, ‘I want to see a movie that makes me feel as good as I felt the first time I saw Back to the Future.”
Gale and Zemeckis decided to revisit the material after Zemeckis’ wife saw a Broadway production of the 1967 black comedy The Producers and suggested the duo adapt Back to the Future for the stage. The co-creators reunited with Alan Silvestri for the project, since he composed the film’s original score, then brought in songwriter Glen Ballard (Alanis Morissette, Goo Goo Dolls) to collaborate and tapped Tony-winning director John Rando to direct.
In 2020, Back to the Future: The Musical premiered at the Manchester Opera House, then went to London’s West End in 2021. By 2023, it had hit Broadway and clinched an Olivier Award for Best New Musical. “Great Scott,” indeed.
“What’s been extremely gratifying about the process of making the show is that everybody that signed on to work on it were fans, and so they came at it with an attitude of, I love that movie, and I’m not going to be the one to screw it up,” Gale says. “We had people really going not just the extra mile, but the extra 20 miles.”
One of those longtime fans is Don Stephenson, who plays Christopher Lloyd’s quirky mad scientist Doc Brown on the North American tour.
“I love the fact that it’s bringing in new fans, and if you’re an older fan of the movie, you’re certainly going to be happy with everything you see,” says Stephenson. “It lends itself to being a musical, because the emotions are so heightened. I told Bob,
‘Every one of your lines has an exclamation point at the end of it.’”
Working with Gale was an ultimate treat for Stephenson, who says he loved his work even before Back to the Future. They had a lot of time to bond over filmmaking, as Gale was present for rehearsals every single day.
“If you thought the line needed adjustment, he would adjust it, or he would come in with a new page of dialogue,” Stephenson says. “It wasn’t just a carbon copy of, let’s do it the way they did it in London, or let’s do it the way they did it on Broadway. It was fresh, and it was our production.”
Stepping into Lloyd’s shoes was “an interesting needle to thread,” Stephenson says. It was a matter of paying homage to that “childlike wonder” of Lloyd but also infusing a sense of himself into the role. Gale teases the musical will also get more into Doc’s head and give minor characters from the film larger roles, like busboy-turned-mayor Goldie Wilson.
The screenwriter wanted to avoid a “slavish retelling of the movie.” That meant cutting out anything that didn’t work for the stage. Marty McFly’s skateboard escape was removed to avoid actor injury, though there’s still a fun homage to the scene. Doc gets plutonium radiation poisoning instead of being shot by terrorists. Still, favorite scenes like the clocktower climax remain. And of course, there’s no Back to the Future without the DeLorean. “We call it one of the co-stars in the show,” Stephenson jokes.
“I didn’t have any idea how we were going to be able to do it, but we had to have the DeLorean. We had to have it go 88 miles an hour,” Gale says. “People say, ‘Well, does the car fly at the end, Bob?’ And I say, ‘Well, don’t you want to see a car fly?’ These are things we had to figure out.”
Neither Gale or Stephenson could extrapolate on how they managed to get the time-traveling sports car running inside Reynolds Hall. But with the help of an amazing team, they’ve mastered an illusion you’ll just need to see to believe.
Gale says there’s a nest of musical Easter eggs to find, but even if you haven’t seen Back to the Future, you’ll still love it, just as much as he does.
“Every writer’s dream is to write something that affects millions, if not a billion people,” says Gale. “Bob Zemeckis and I have had this conversation on numerous occasions, that when we die, the words Back to the Future will be in the first line of our obituary.”
BY JIM BEGLEY
Spaghetti alla chitarra among other dishes at Bramáre. (Wade Vandervort/Staff)
The Collective, the newly remodeled Paradise strip mall just east of Hughes Center, has become an eastside culinary epicenter. Longtime tenants Tacos & Beer and Marrakech have received facelifts, while Cleaver continues to be a late-night destination favorite. And now Batch Hospitality’s Bramàre joins the fray.
Batch, conceived by local industry veterans Evan Glusman and Constantin Alexander, started with the revamp of longtime Valley fixture Table 34 under executive chef Joe Valdez. The trio’s next concept is what they refer to as “inspired Italian”. In a rustic-yet-sexy room which wouldn’t feel out of place on the Strip, this extended-hours destination delivers.
Valdez’s inspirations at Bramàre begin with the innocuously named “Toast” ($14). This decadent gem is a substantial starter: spicy ‘nduja, caciocavallo cheese and caramelized onion-laden breadsticks hit with a generous helping of nutty pecorino. A little lighter is the funghi fritti ($14), skinny, lightly battered and fried hon shimeji mushrooms accompanied by a sharp garlic and chili sauce.
Other lighter options reside elsewhere on the menu. Table 34 already had one of the Valley’s best Caesar salads, which Valdez co-opts for Bramàre’s shrimp Caesar ($26), gilding the lily of his anchovy-laden ruffage with the grilled crustacean. And his grilled broccolini ($14) is as close as a vegetable can be to a destination dish, wading in an unctuous black garlic cream and finished with a healthy serving of breadcrumbs and, once again, pecorino cheese. It’s a must-order.
Bramàre’s Italian pedigree is legit with all pastas made in-house. Creste de gallo ($26), cockscomb-shaped pasta akin to penne, is served in a slightly smoky mezcal pomodoro—an uncommon sauce for an uncommon pasta. And tagliatelle ($28) in a savory wild boar ragu laced with sage is a hearty, heartwarming bowl.
Another Italian staple here is pizza, but don’t expect these pies to be sopping with sauce as Valdez is judicious with its use. The ‘nduja ($21) delivers the namesake spicy spreadable sausage with mushrooms, while the artichoke ($21) offers an earthy vegetarian option with truffle cream. But my go-to is the Anacardi ($19). This treat is a Valdez family favorite, spicy Calabrese salami and salty olives interspersed with cashews for a textural contrast. It’s nice to be part of his family. Alexander’s previous life as Hakkasan Group’s director of beverage shines through in the cocktail selection. My current favorite of the seasonally rotating menu is the Nordic Wonderland ($16), a bright, floral Aquavit concoction reminiscent of summer, even as ours never seems to end. And the Sonora Signora ($18) sparkles while combining cultures, melding Mexican tequila and Italian amaro with Thai makrut lime leaf as aromatic garnish for a refreshing quaff.
Only a couple of months in, Bramàre is still finding its footing on the front-of-house side. Service is well-intentioned but can vary between wonderfully doting to conspicuously absent across a single visit. But the dining and libations absolutely make this newcomer worth a visit.
DREAM PUFFS
Until recently, Las Vegans may have only known as Beard Papa as a bit of an authority figure in animated favorite Wreck-It Ralph. But that movie character is loosely based on the real-life Beard Papa, Yuji Hirota, known for his fluffy white beard and the even fluffier cream puff creations that made his Osaka, Japan bakery famous. It opened in 1999 and expanded quickly behind its sweet treats, currently inching toward 500 stores worldwide. Beard Papa’s arrived stateside 20 years ago but really only began proliferating across the country in the last five years.
Now with two recently opened Valley locations at Town Square and at Rainbow and Warm Springs, Beard Papa’s is on its way to becoming a Vegas favorite, and that’s due to the consistency of its cloudlike pastries. It’s all about the lovely contrast of a perfectly crisp outer shell and a tender interior, which gets filled with luxurious custard only when you choose your own flavor combo. Don’t skip the classic chocolate eclair with vanilla cream ($4), but feel free to try out the honey butter topping, the subtle green tea custard or the over-the-top s’mores eclair (with chocolate and toasted marshmallow, of course).
Just be careful; these cream puffs could easily become an addiction. –Brock Radke
BEARD PAPA’S
6601 Las Vegas Blvd. S. #J103, 7325 S. Rainbow Blvd. #110, 702-333-1730, beardpapas. com. Sunday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-8 p.m.; Friday & Saturday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m.
(Courtesy)
HANDICAPPING THE CUP
BY CASE KEEFER
The second-most popular professional sport to bet on is back, as the 2024-2025 NBA season begins on Tuesday, October 22.
The sheer amount of future betting options is overwhelming, so let’s hone in on the most locally-relevant ones to preview the season. Last year’s inaugural In-Season Tournament was a smashing success, so it will return this year with the same format but new branding—it’s now called the Emirates NBA Cup.
The semifinals and championship game will take place at T-Mobile Arena on December 14 and 17, respectively. Group play, which includes all 30 teams in the NBA, begins at home sites on November 12.
Last year, teams were motivated to earn a trip to Las Vegas and the $500,000 per-player award that goes to the winning team. Who will earn the prize this season?
Let’s fill out the bracket below, finding a bet to win each group before arriving at a championship game. Listed odds come from the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook but picks are the best available in town on the chosen side with the sports book noted.
Betting on the teams with the best chance to
wind
up in Las Vegas as part of the NBA Cup
Eastern Conference Group A
New York Knicks +140 (i.e. risking $100 to win $140), Philadelphia 76ers +150, Orlando Magic +360, Charlotte Hornets +1500, Brooklyn Nets +5000
n Orlando took great pride in knocking off tournament favorite Boston in the group stage last year and ended up falling short of the knockout stage only on a point-differential tiebreaker. The Magic have demonstrated how much this event means to them, and they should be even better this year with underrated defensive stopper Kentavious Caldwell-Pope joining the promising young core of Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs. Philadelphia and New York had the splashier offseason acquisitions—led by Paul George and Karl-Anthony Towns, respectively—but a sea change at the top of the roster usually takes time to sync.
Pick: Magic at +360 (SuperBook)
Eastern Conference Group B
Milwaukee Bucks +135, Indiana Pacers +200, Miami Heat +300, Toronto Raptors +1800, Detroit Pistons +1800
n The Pacers lost to the Lakers in the championship game at T-Mobile Arena last December and look like a threat to get back behind tournament breakout star Tyrese Haliburton. The Bucks have the oldest roster in the NBA, so they’re likely to place more of a priority on health and rest early in the season to chase a playoff run. Some of the same concerns exist with the Heat, though star Jimmy Butler and others within the organization have pledged to play more and “load-manage” less this season. They’re not as far back from the Bucks and Pacers as the odds indicate if they’re properly motivated.
Pick: Heat at +300 (SuperBook)
Eastern Conference Group C
Boston Celtics -150 (i.e. risking $150 to win $100), Cleveland Cavaliers +200, Atlanta Hawks +700, Chicago Bulls +3000, Washington Wizards +4000
n Boston just achieved the ultimate goal, winning the NBA Finals in June, so it’s unlikely the Celtics place an emphasis on the NBA Cup. They’ll also be playing without starting center Kristaps Porzingis to start the year. Cleveland, unlike when the two teams met in the second round of the playoffs, looks healthier and has a dangerous starting five led by the inside-out duo of Evan Mobley and Donovan Mitchell. The Cavaliers underachieved last year amid a disconnect between the coaching staff and players, but shrewd new head coach Kenny Atkinson should clean that up.
Pick: Cavaliers at +200 (SuperBook)
KENTAVIOUS CALDWELL-POPE
JIMMY BUTLER
EVAN MOBLEY
Western Conference Group A
Minnesota Timberwolves +150, Sacramento Kings +275, Houston Rockets +325, Los Angeles Clippers +450, Portland Trail Blazers +3000
n The Timberwolves are another contending team that might start slow while they break in a new rotation that includes a pair of pieces acquired in the trade that sent Towns to the Knicks, Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo. The Rockets are intriguing because they have so much young talent, but progression isn’t always linear; they may take a step back this season after being last year’s big surprise. The Kings look like the undervalued side here. The addition of DeMar DeRozan could make them a regular-season powerhouse—tournament games are counted as part of the regular-season standings, after all— that racks up more victories than the Timberwolves.
Pick: Kings at +350 (Boyd Sports)
Western Conference Group B
Oklahoma City Thunder +110, Phoenix Suns +225, Los Angeles Lakers +450, San Antonio Spurs +1100, Utah Jazz +2000
n The Lakers landed in a tough group for their NBA Cup title defense. They just barely edged the Suns in the quarterfinals last year, 106-103, in what was perhaps the best game of the tournament.
Phoenix should be better this year, with Bradley Beal healthy coming into the season next to Devin Booker and Kevin Durant. But both teams are staring up at the Thunder, which enter the year with the most complete roster in the NBA because of Porzingis’ injury.
Oklahoma City is so much better than every other team in not only this group but the whole conference that it should never be available at a plus-price.
Pick: Thunder at +115 (Caesars/William Hill)
Western Conference Group C
Denver Nuggets +250, Dallas Mavericks +250, Memphis Grizzlies +400, New Orleans Pelicans +425, Golden State Warriors +550
n Everyone got hurt for the Grizzlies last year, including superstar Ja Morant. Now back at full strength and adding Rookie of the Year favorite big man Zach Edey, Memphis projects evenly with the last two Western Conference champions, Denver and Dallas, going into the season.
So why are they available at such a large price?
This is the traditional “Group of Death,” considering all five teams have a shot with the Pelicans having reached the semifinals a year ago and the Warriors still capable of outshooting any team on any given night.
The Warriors’ price is almost big enough to call for Steph Curry to lead a late-career run similar to the one eventual Tournament MVP LeBron James put together with the Lakers last year. But the rest of the roster is weakened while the Grizzlies look more well-rounded.
Pick: Grizzlies at +440 (Boyd Sports)
Semifinals and Championship
n Miami threatens to make it two titles in seven months in Las Vegas after winning the NBA Summer League, but falls to Cleveland in the matinee of the semifinal doubleheader. Oklahoma City blows out Sacramento in the nightcap. That sets up a Thunder-Cavaliers showdown in the championship that delivers with plenty of suspense. Oklahoma City ultimately prevails with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander claiming Most Valuable Player honors, but both teams are worth a bet at their current prices.
Picks to win: Oklahoma City Thunder at 8-to-1 (SuperBook) and Cleveland Cavaliers at 22to-1 (Caesars/William Hill)
DEMAR DEROZAN
CHET HOLMGREN
JA MORANT
SHAI GILGEOUS-ALEXANDER
CREATIVE COWORKING CONNECTIONS DISTINGUISH VESTRA AT UNCOMMONS
BY KATIE ANN MCCARVER
INC STAFF
The intention behind Vestra, the residential complex located at UnCommons in the southwest Las Vegas Valley, was to bring a “ rst of its kind, modern, sophisticated, mature” and elegant apartment community to the city, according to Jim Stuart, partner at Matter Real Estate Group, the developer behind UnCommons.
Vestra was integral to UnCommon’s mission as a mixed-use neighborhood, Stuart said, with restaurants, cafes and tness studios, to name just a few o erings, within walking distance for residents looking to exercise and grab a co ee or a bite to eat.
“All these pieces can be done over the course of your day or your weekend without ever setting foot into your car,” he said. “That is the great promise of modern mixed-use environments. It is the best of urban living in a very protected, safe, pleasing and organized aesthetic.”
The three-building apartment complex houses more than 350 residences. In addition to opulent lobbies and curated artwork, Vestra also o ers an indoor-outdoor gym, a dog park, a resort-style pool, a wellness center and more. The complex is also home to what he described as “some of the most beautiful coworking o ces you can come across.”
Though luxury living may seem to be increasingly gaining ground in Las Vegas, Stuart said Vestra’s location in UnCommons, a $500 million mixed-use campus, makes it unique compared to its peers.
“So, where others may have great amenities and be well-designed, Vestra stands alone in its access to community events, to walkable bars and neighborhoods, to your workplace being yards away from where you live,” he said.
In addition to dining, lifestyle and tness destinations, at the heart of what UnCommons is doing in its location near the Durango Resort is inverting the design of coworking and o ce spaces by bring-
ing them down to the “human scale,” Stuart said.
“While there’s been this long standing conversation about amenities, amenities, amenities, we concluded that the single greatest amenity that you can have is other people,” Stuart said. “We used that … to inspire the design thinking of UnCommons.”
Contrary to the “narrative that people are not going back to the o ce” following the COVID-19 pandemic, Stuart said, a slew of tenants have already leased the unique coworking spaces located at UnCommons.
Tom van Betten, vice president of strategic partnerships at Matter Real Estate Group, attributed the success of the o ce spaces to a lack of supply in the Las Vegas market, and the special experience for tenants at UnCommons.
Companies today really value the exibility of coworking o ce spaces that can be leased based on space and length of stay, van Betten said.
“It’s a wonderful option for smaller companies, or even smaller o ces of a larger company, to be able to have a footprint in a big mixed-use project like UnCommons, without making a major longterm or high-capital investment,” he said.
Flex o ce space leader Kiln is slated to debut a 30,000-square-foot-plus workspace at UnCommons in spring 2025, and its adjacent pavilion the Assembly by Kiln serves as a 5,000-square-foot event space, according to the company’s website.
Coworking spaces like Kiln’s create a sense of
community among tenants, van Betten said, so that they get to know each other and even go into business together.
“We always wanted coworking as a component of UnCommons, to help complete the vision,” he said.
“Because it brings in energy from all types of people and companies and startups and tech companies and real estate and nance, and they all kind of create this ecosystem that, many times, can support each other and help each other grow and be successful, and that’s a special opportunity.”
That face-to-face connection rings true at Vestra, as well, where Stuart said the team of resident managers, concierge assistants and maintenance workers has seemed to garner positive feedback from consumers.
It’s all about making people feel more connected, he said, despite the potential stresses of everyday life, politics or social isolation.
The latter re ects the overarching mission of UnCommons as a whole, Stuart added, to form connections between people and give them a refuge to celebrate their uniqueness.
“We can celebrate the fact that we’re all uncommon, which, in a twist of irony, is what makes us all relate to one another,” he said. “And I think when we really break down what we’re after at UnCommons and Vestra, [it] is to remind ourselves and to remind one another that the beauty of life is found in these small moments, most often shared with other people.”
VEGAS
Vestra entrance (Courtesy/UnCommons)
PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRISTOPHER DEVARGAS AND WADE VANDERVORT
BY NICHOLAS IRWIN AND SHAWN MCCOY
With overall inflation down from a summer 2022 peak, the Federal Reserve’s effort to tame inflation through monetary policy has been on many accounts successful. However, households across the United States are still feeling the pinch in one specific area: housing. In this sector, inflation is running two points higher than the mainline rate.
Housing cost increases have particularly affected Nevada as the number of cost-burdened households—defined as spending more than 30% of pre-tax monthly income on housing— has been growing for both renters and owners, meaning less money is left over for other household needs. These increases in cost are so great that recent research from the Lied Center for Real Estate at UNLV found that over 47% of Nevada renters face excessive cost burdens (35% or more on housing), second behind only Florida. While this itself is a troubling finding for Nevada, the fundamental issue with comparing cost burdens across the country is that we may overlook stark differences in housing affordability between neighborhoods within the state. Just as home prices vary from neighborhood to neighborhood, so too will other measures of housing market health. Simply put, the price
The housing cost crunch: What is happening in your legislative district?
we pay for aggregating data is that we get a topline average number that is simple to interpret but ignore what is going on under the curtain.
So, what is happening when we peer into the neighborhoods of Southern Nevada? Thanks to recent work from the Lied Center for Real Estate that maps the housing market by state legislative districts, we can now do so, and it becomes clear that conveying the story of rising cost burden across the Las Vegas Valley is more complicated and nuanced than previously thought.
Every single area is suffering from some amount of cost burden, particularly those areas within the 215 Beltway, where up to three out of every five renter households spend more than 30% of their monthly income on housing.
While renters represent the most severely affected side of the housing market, homeowners are being affected by rising housing costs as well. Across these same districts, excessive
owner cost burden impacts up to one in six households throughout the Valley. This means these households are on a veritable knife’s edge and may be teetering on the brink of mortgage default if they were to confront an unexpected expense or medical bill.
Solving this cost burden affordability problem in Las Vegas is complicated, as several factors are at play.
The fact that the federal government owns over 86% of the land in Clark County constrains our ability to respond to our collective housing needs but it is not the only impediment.
Reforming zoning across Southern Nevada’s jurisdictions to allow for the development of denser housing units would help, particularly when it comes to the development of housing types like duplexes, fourplexes and townhomes.
Streamlining the permitting process would allow for more responsive building by developers and remove some amount of the uncertainties that
drive up construction costs.
These latter two issues can be addressed at a local and state level and would not require actions from our distant federal agencies.
The high cost of housing is not a partisan issue; rising costs do not care who you voted for in the past or will vote for this fall. Failing to address these issues through reform will jeopardize efforts to grow and diversify our local economy by providing a strong disincentive for business relocation or startups for fear of finding affordable workforce housing. It will also discourage teachers from relocating to the Clark County School District to help educate our children, leaving us further behind than we already are in national education rankings.
In a similar vein, housing is one of the greatest nonpartisan equalizers in a regional economy, as it is linked to both economic growth and quality of life. As household income rises, so too will housing demand, but the extent to which housing costs subsequently change is linked to the efficiency by which a city can facilitate new housing supply. When supply is slow to adapt, demand will outpace it and lead to shortages, worsening renter and owner cost burdens.
Policies geared toward improving the quality of life by targeting growth in the regional economy may be less effectual than originally intended if they do not concurrently support one of the most important parts of the equation: the housing economy.
Nicholas Irwin is research director at Lied Center for Real Estate and Shawn McCoy is director at Lied Center for Real Estate.
While renters represent the most severely affected side of the housing market, homeowners are being affected by rising housing costs as well. Across these same districts, excessive owner cost burden impacts up to one in six households throughout the Valley. This means these households are on a veritable knife’s edge and may be teetering on the brink of mortgage default if they were to confront an unexpected expense or medical bill.
VEGAS INC NOTES
Highlighting the best in business
The City of Henderson recently swore in its newest fire chief, Scott Vivier, a 24-year veteran of the Henderson Fire Department. Vivier spearheaded the development of the department’s paramedic training programs and established the Emotional First Aid & Peer Support class, which supports the mental well-being of emergency responders. He is the 12th chief for the department, having been selected by City Manager Richard Derrick following the retirement of Chief Shawn White
SafeNest, a nonprofit organization dedicated to ending domestic and sexual violence, named Linda Bridges chief marketing and communications officer. Bridges has 15 years of experience helping nonprofits create and amplify their brand stories. Before joining SafeNest, she led marketing and brand strategy for Miracle Flights and the
City of North Las Vegas, driving local and national brand awareness for both organizations. Bridges has also served as the Girl Scouts of Southern Nevada’s chief communications officer.
Workforce Connections, Southern Nevada’s local workforce development board, welcomes William Kibler, acting president of College of Southern Nevada, and Lori Calderon Flahive, general manager of recruiting for Empire Cat, as new board members. The board is comprised of a diverse group of people familiar with the local labor market and the economic forces impacting Southern Nevada. It works to align resources toward effective workforce development to meet local area needs.
ULI Nevada, part of ULI’s network of 53 district councils in the Americas region, has selected Debra March as its new
district council chair. A founding member of ULI Nevada, March was selected because of her experience as planning commissioner, councilwoman and mayor of the City of Henderson, and chair of the Regional Transportation Commission. March has an extensive track record in the real estate industry, having served as executive director of UNLV’s Lied Institute for Real Estate for 16 years and served as chair of Southern Nevada Strong.
Nevada Donor Network Foundation (NDNF) announced the appointment of Gordon Prouty as its new president. Before joining the foundation, Prouty served as vice president of public relations and communications at Westgate Las Vegas and served on the NDNF board as well as on Three Square’s Culinary Council. He brings years of experience in public relations and community affairs to the role.
PREMIER CROSSWORD HOROSCOPES
BY FRANK LONGO
ARIES (March 21-April 19): Now would be an excellent time for you to put strong psychic protections in place. You’re not in physical danger, but now is a good time to start shielding yourself better against people’s manipulative gambits, bad moods, emotional immaturity and careless violations.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Here’s how to become available for guidance from the still, small voice of your inner teacher. 1. Go someplace quiet. 2. Shed all your ideas and theories about the nature of your dilemma. 3. Tenderly ask your mind to be empty and serene as you await an intuition. 4. Feel sweet gratitude for each breath as you inhale and exhale. 5. Visualize your inner teacher smiling. 6. Make yourself expectant to receive an insightful blessing.
Former NPR talk show host Diane
Hand-reading fortuneteller
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GEMINI (May 21-June 20): See if you can coax or hire helpers to clear a path for you in everything you do. I want you to be able to concentrate on the essentials and not get bogged down or distracted by trivial obstructions. You need spaciousness and ease.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): When you are at your best, you nurture others but don’t smother them. You give your gifts without undermining your own interests. You are deeply receptive and sensitive without opening yourself to be abused or wounded. You are currently expressing these qualities with maximum grace. Congratulations! I trust you will be rewarded with grateful favors.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Here’s the deal that life is offering: You temporarily suspend your drive to possess crystalline certainty, and you agree to love and thrive on ambiguity and paradox. In return, you will be given help in identifying unconscious and hidden factors at work in your destiny. You will be empowered to make confident decisions without needing them to be perfect.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): I hope you will mostly keep fussy perfectionism to yourself in the coming weeks. It’s fine if you want to indulge it while alone and doing your own work, but don’t demand that others be equally fastidious. Providing this leeway now will serve you well in the long run. You can earn slack and generate good will that comes in handy when you least expect it.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Your bulboid corpuscles are specialized nerve cells in your skin that can experience intense tactile pleasure. They are located in your lips, tongue and genitals. These ultra-sensitive receptors will be turned on extra high in the coming weeks. So will their metaphysical and metaphorical equivalents. I predict you will gather in more bliss than you have in a long time.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Once, you were more hazardous to yourself than you are now. I’m pleased with the progress you’ve made to treat yourself with greater care and compassion. There’s still more work to be done, though. Your inner troublemaker isn’t completely redeemed and reformed. But you have a chance to bring it more fully into its destined role as your ally and helper.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): You may soon discover new details about old events. Stories you have told and told about your history will acquire new meanings. You will be wise to reinterpret certain plot twists you thought you had figured out long ago. You will ultimately be pleased to revise your theories about how you came to be the resilient soul you are now.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): I suggest that in the coming weeks, you do what I do: Give your utmost in every situation, even if some people are resistant to or doubtful of your contributions. Be confident as you offer your excellence.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): You are ready to graduate to a higher octave of maturity and wisdom about everything related to love, romance and sex. It will be instructive to meditate on your previous experiences. So I invite you to ruminate on the following questions. 1. What important lessons have you learned about the kind of togetherness you want? 2. What important lessons have you learned about the kind of togetherness you don’t want? 3. What important lessons have you learned about how to keep yourself emotionally healthy while in an intimate relationship?
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): You are due for a phase of expansion. You will thrive on the challenges of big riddles and intriguing teases. Please take full advantage of this fun opportunity to hone your intuition and move way beyond random guesswork. For extra credit: Prove the theory that it’s very
BACKSTORY
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THE DROP OF THE TROP | OCTOBER 9, 2024 | BEFORE AND AFTER The Tropicana was an introverted Aries. A mysterious, liminal ghostgoth wallflower to its last days, the hotel was probably hiding a whole couple tons of historical secrets. If the rubble could talk ... never mind, it probably shouldn’t. The personality of this building knew better than to talk, just to look pretty until it’s all over. Good thing destruction is beautiful, even if only for a few seconds. —Corlene Byrd
(Steve Marcus/Staff)
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