Desert Companion - December 2023 by Nevada Public Radio

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VOLUME 21 ISSUE 6 D E S E R T C O M PA N I O N . C O M

December ALL THINGS 11

PETS

Is more shelter space the answer to our strays problem? By Gary Dymski

TRANSPORTATION

Actually, the local bus system is just fine By Nicholas Barnette

A review of the new Queen Las Vegas By Oona Robertson

FOOD + DRINK

CULTURE

A curious eater discovers the world through national dishes here at home By Kristen DeSilva

A how-to for this year’s holiday fun By Anne Davis

ENTHUSIASMS

The Dale Etheridge Planetarium is an astronomical delight By Lourdes Trimidal

SPORTS

Two experts give the Nevada play-by-play By Joe Schoenmann

FEATURE

RESTAURANT AWARDS

Excellence abounds in the dining rooms, kitchens, and bars of Las Vegas

GIFT GUIDE

Looking to shop Nevada-made this holiday season? You’ve come to the right place

DINING

FOOD

If it’s holiday time, then it must be tamale time! By Lorraine Blanco Moss

THE GUIDE

Q&A

Donato Cabrera on his last season at the Phil By Paul Szydelko

IN-DEPTH 38

SWEET TRUTH

Is sugar dating all it’s cracked up to be? By Nicole Minton

PASSIONS

Meet the mermaids who are part of our world By Reannon Muth

SURVIVAL

Our state reptile is under threat ... by us By Alec Pridgeon

( EXTRAS )

( COVER )

PHOTOGRAPHY BY

EDITOR’S NOTE

4 | D E S E R T C O M PA N I O N .

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CONTRIBUTORS

Editor’s Note

NEW AGAIN

Originally from Detroit, Gary Dymski worked at major metropolitan newspapers in the Midwest and Northwest before arriving in Las Vegas in 2017. Locally, he’s been at the Las Vegas Review-Journal and KLAS-TV Channel 8. He’s won awards for sports, feature, and headline writing, as well as news reporting.

To the future, Heidi

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DECEMBER 2023

Nicole Minton is a writer and editor based in Las Vegas, where she recently completed her master’s degree in English Literature. Her work has been featured in GASHER, Las Vegas Writes, and the Johns Hopkins Macksey Journal.

Reannon Muth is the author of the memoir Unattached: A Year of Heartache, Hiking, and Learning How to Love. Her work has appeared in numerous publications, including U.S. News & World Report and HuffPost. She lives in Las Vegas with her fiancé, daughter and 100-pound Irish Wolfhound-mix.

HEIDI KYSER: BRENT HOLMES

ne year ago, my first note as editor appeared on this page. It’s strange to mark that anniversary with another major change, but here we are. In October, Nevada Public Radio CEO Mark Vogelzang retired, and my longtime colleague Favian Perez took the reins as Interim CEO. Continuing the work Mark had started to better integrate our organization’s disparate journalism efforts, Favian made me managing editor of Nevada Public Radio, responsible not only for Desert Companion, but also for KNPR news and State of Nevada, our daily radio talk show. All the reporters, writers, editors, and producers behind those brands have moved into a combined newsroom, where we can collaborate on stories across platforms. I am humbled and honored to lead this team as we take on the monumental task of both streamlining and elevating our editorial productions. It couldn’t happen at a more challenging time. Legacy news media has long struggled to find its footing in a new media landscape; 2023 has seen yet another wave of layoffs, from NPR national cutting 10 percent of its staff in February, to the Washington Post laying off 240 people in October. That’s why I’m using this space to talk not about our fabulous annual restaurant awards (congratulations, winners!) or any of the other wonderful stories we bring you at the end of this year, but to make an ask. If you can’t wait to flip to the culture recommedations, restaurant reviews, and in-depth features in Desert Companion; if you look forward to our weekly newsletter, delivering all that to your inbox; if you tune into SON, curious to hear what Joe will be talking to the public about today; if you’re an NPR nerd who never misses an episode of Wait! Wait!; or if you simply appreciate the breaking news and weather updates on News 88.9, then please, support this work. Subscribe to the magazine, donate to Nevada Public Radio, buy tickets in our box office, share the great stories you find online — whatever makes the most sense for your budget and consumption habits. Our entire team is excited to undertake the plans we have for NVPR. Won’t you come along on this new adventure?

INTERIM CEO Favian Perez MANAGING EDITOR Heidi Kyser ART DIRECTOR Scott Lien ASSISTANT EDITOR Anne Davis GRAPHIC DESIGNER Ryan Vellinga

Your Yard: Naughty or Nice?

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

Allison Hall, Markus Van’t Hul, Britt Quintana PROJECT MANAGER

Marlies Daebritz

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Nicholas Barnette, Jim Begley, Meg Bernhard, John Curtas, Kristen DeSilva, Genevie Durano, Gary Dymski, Nicole Minton, Lorraine Blanco Moss, Reannon Muth, Alec Pridgeon, Heidi Knapp Rinella, Oona Robertson, Paul Szydelko, Lissa Townsend Rodgers, Joe Schoenmann, Lourdes Trimidal CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS

David Anderson, Ronda Churchill, Kristen DeSilva, Delphine Lee, Olga Minkevich, Michael Rudin, Rick Sealock CONTACT EDITORIAL: Heidi Kyser (702) 259-7855

heidi@desertcompanion.com scott@desertcompanion.com ADVERTISING: (702) 258-9895 sales@desertcompanion.com

SUBSCRIPTIONS: Marlies Daebritz

(702) 259-7822 marlies@desertcompanion.com WEBSITE: www.desertcompanion.com Desert Companion is published bimonthly by Nevada Public Radio, 1289 S. Torrey Pines Dr., Las Vegas, NV 89146. It is available by subscription at desertcompanion.vegas, or as part of Nevada Public Radio membership. It is also distributed free at select locations in the Las Vegas Valley. All photos, artwork, and ad designs printed are the sole property of Desert Companion and may not be duplicated or reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. The views of Desert Companion contributing writers are not necessarily the views of Desert Companion or Nevada Public Radio. Contact us for back issues, which are available for purchase for $7.95.

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A N D R E A S M I T H / A S S O C I AT E D P R E S S

as Vegans who love pets probably know local animal shelters are in crisis. The problem of pet abandonment is so heartbreaking and complex — with its constellation of socioeconomic causes — that it’s hard to think about, let alone solve. One obvious solution? More shelters. And yet, not all experts agree this is the most humane option. Some believe a focus on prevention is more important. Las Vegas’ increased population over recent decades has meant more people with pets. Meanwhile, the city’s main shelter, operated by the beleaguered Animal Foundation, is overcrowded, understaffed, and, by some measures, underfunded. It’s led one advocacy group to push for a new municipal shelter. “I have not talked to one person who can’t see the logic of another shelter,” says Bryce Henderson, the local behind Give Me Shelter Las Vegas, the group petitioning for a new facility. “Some have issues with how shelters are run, but not whether we need another shelter.”

Straining at the Leash PETS

Is a new shelter the best solution to the abandoned pet crisis? Not everyone thinks so BY Gary Dymski

The city in January said a new shelter on land next to The Animal Foundation facility on North Mojave Road would cost $35 million and have an annual operating budget of $6 million. Still, there’s opposition. Several furry friend advocates say such expensive-to-build, expensive-to-run shelters can be overcrowded, with animals neglected by an overwhelmed staff depending on far too many volunteers. Shelters, an unnatural environment for animals, also can alter pet behavior.

Instead, they urge using resources for more spay and neuter programs, owner education, animal control officers, and microchipping pets, as well as stricter ordinance enforcement. Former city veterinarian David Henderson (no relation to Bryce), who now runs Sunrise Veterinary Clinic and is medical director for Heaven Can Wait Animal Society, says the issue municipalities face is overpopulation — too many animals and DECEMBER 2023

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not enough homes for them. Shelters don’t address that problem. “It still boils down to number of animals that need homes and homes available,” David Henderson says. “You can decrease population, the number of animals who need homes, with spay and neuter. Or you can increase the number of homes, but I don’t know how to do that.” Former Clark County commissioner Chris Giunchigliani, a longtime pet advocate, agrees. She is among those who believe another shelter is not the answer. Overcrowding and surrenders will continue, even with a new shelter, she says. “Policy, enforcement, and education are the missing links that local governments have to look into,” Giunchigliani says. “Adding something like a shelter won’t deal with what policy should be.” Annoula Wylderich, founder of Las Vegas-based Animal Protection Affiliates, and Karen Layne, a former president of the Las Vegas Valley Humane Society, also pick policy over a new facility. Like Giunchigliani, they say Las Vegas’ issues with controlling its animal population mirror those of most cities nationwide; a National Public Radio story in January found rising costs in rent, pet food, and veterinary care were forcing owners to surrender their pets at alarming rates. Wylderich says a new shelter is a Band-Aid, skirting the reason for overpopulation. Plus, “shelters don’t serve the animal,” she says. “In shelters, their conditions deteriorate.” Like David Henderson, she believes more spay and neuter programs, plus a crackdown on illegal dog breeding, are better options. Layne says a shelter could even reduce per-animal funding. “If you build a new shelter, then split the money for funding The Animal Foundation, with half to them and half to the new facility, you haven’t accomplished anything.” Las Vegas, North Las Vegas, and the county contribute about $5 million annually to The Animal Foundation, about one-third of its budget (the rest comes from philanthropic sources). Critics constantly bombard the low-kill shelter with bad press, most recently because of a minimum two-week wait for those wanting to surrender animals.

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DECEMBER 2023

However, a Clark County audit released in July said the foundation is mostly complying with its contract, which expires in 2025. The audit found the foundation is not “needlessly euthanizing animals” but did say it inflated population projections to discourage control officers from bringing animals to the shelter. The audit also found insufficient staffing and a lack of service agreements with outside veterinarians, which could hinder emergency care. Las Vegas Councilwoman Victoria Seaman (Ward 2), an Animal Foundation critic, believes a new facility is a part of the solution; the city would have more oversight and could better manage its own facility. “Completely agree on education, (and) spay and neuter programs. Agree on all of it, but we still need our own shelter with proper adoption as well,” Seaman says. Since 2019, the Animal Foundation’s average yearly intake — strays, abandonments and drop-offs — is 23,219, with average euthanasias at 1,533 for dogs and 1,056 for cats. Adoptions for dogs were 3,996 in 2021 and 5,788 in 2022 and for cats 2,405 in 2021 and 4,037 in 2022. The foundation said it did not want to “participate” in this story, but its chief executive, Hilarie Grey, in April admitted in a Las Vegas Review-Journal article that overpopulation is a major obstacle. “We cannot, physically, or through our capacity for care, take (in) infinite animals,” Grey said. “That’s when you see staff burnout; that’s when you see bad conditions in the shelter.” Give Me Shelter’s Bryce Henderson is also president of No Kill Las Vegas, an animal rights nonprofit that has filed a lawsuit against The Animal Foundation accusing it of contract violations. He says the lawsuit and Give Me Shelter’s drive for a new city shelter are separate and unrelated. David Henderson says the pet population issue evokes passion, much like discussions of abortion and immigration. The Animal Foundation, no matter what it does, faces an impossible task, he says. He recalls a vet ethics lecture from the early 1980s where a speaker quizzed the audience on the leading cause of death in cats and dogs. “It was euthanasia in shelters because of overpopulation,” Henderson says. “Forty odd years later, we’re still in the same boat.” ✦

T R A N S P O R TAT I O N

Going Bused

What some time without the luxury of a car taught me about Las Vegas’ public transportation BY Nicholas Barnette

ccording to Google Maps, my morning commute is six minutes by car, 57 minutes by foot, and 39 minutes by bus. I only discovered this after I gave in to summer 2023’s hottest trend: having my catalytic converter stolen. As a Las Vegas resident and fourth-generation Ukrainian American, this I know: 1. Pierogi Village in Summerlin makes the best pierogi in town. 2. My skin will burn after two minutes in the July sun. I would not be taking the Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) bus to work as summer 2023 rocked on and Earth entered its cozily named boiling era. I would be entering my carpool era, which lasted the several days my 2008 Honda Element was in the shop. My Honda may have been outfitted with a new catalytic converter, but the car is also old enough to get a learner’s permit of its own, and it complains like a teenager. Loudly. So, I took it to the dealership earlier this fall to quiet it down. The diagnosis was grim. My serpentine belt was worn out, brake pads were threadbare, and oil was leaking from the spaghetti of pipes under the hood. The cost of repairs: $1,266. I asked the auto technician what I needed to replace so that I didn’t die driving my car off the lot. Per his suggestion, I replaced my brake pads for a couple hundred and rang and screeched my way home, where I dug out my car title, filled out an online estimate form for selling my vehicle, and have been haunted by thrice-daily calls from Findlay Honda ever since. Having been spoiled by a six-minute driving commute, a 39-minute bus commute seems like a punishment. But that punishment is easier to swallow than

D E S E R T C O M PA N I O N .C O M

$1,266 (or, using my preferred metric for conceptualizing cost, one and a half round-trip tickets to Greece), so I started commuting by RTC bus — something thousands of Las Vegans do daily, with RTC’s average number of weekday unlinked trips sitting at 100,087 in 2021 — the last week of September. I learned quickly that the 39 minutes was give-or-take. My PR is 29 minutes, and my longest morning commute, and the only time I’ve arrived late (by six minutes) took 38. My evening commute is a bit longer, averaging the Google-projected 39 minutes. ILLUSTRATION R ick Sealock

I’ve also learned that many stars must align for a bus commute to work for me. Firstly, I have the weather on my side. Neither bus stop I use has any form of shade, and most of my time commuting is spent walking (an average of six minutes to the first stop and 12 minutes from the second stop to my office). I’ve come to cherish these walks, which are, some days, the only sunlight and exercise time I get — whether that says more about me or American work culture, I’m still sussing out. Beyond the decent fall temperatures, I also have daylight on my side. When speaking with Rick, a valet driver who

also commutes by bus, he mentions that his main issue with the buses is safety. “Working late hours, the bus definitely feels different at 11 p.m. than it does earlier in the day,” Rick says. While Rick confirms that he has never been personally victimized on an RTC bus, he does say you “have to be more alert” the later you ride the bus. Local news outlets extensively covered the February murder on an RTC bus of Dominique Lucas by Aaron Cole, who was on parole on a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon that had been reduced from a second-degree murder charge. RTC Deputy CEO Angela Castro, in the wake of the tragic violence, pointed out that despite a 21-percent increase in ridership, reported incidents had decreased 12 percent from January to August 2023. Earlier this year, RTC wrapped the $7.9 million project of upgrading security cameras in each bus, and Lucas’s murder was captured by several interior and exterior security cameras from Luminator Technology Group. As of this writing, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department reports there have been 97 homicide offenses in the metro area since the beginning of the year. Lucas’s murder is one of a handful of these to be filmed from multiple angles and uploaded to the cloud, which speaks more to the ghoulish spectacle curated by security theater than to public transit safety in general. In a car-dependent city whose roads are dotted with personal injury law billboards, violent death seems to lurk in the back seat of every commute. In my experience — albeit as a man, albeit as a man whose workout routine is sometimes just a walk to and from the bus — I feel safer on the bus than I do driving a car on its last leg down a street with Vegas drivers. Ray Delahanty is an erstwhile Las Vegan who spent a year living in the Valley without a car. Delahanty worked as an urban planner for decades before pivoting to become a full-time YouTuber; he runs the channel CityNerd where he uploads “weekly content on cities and transportation.” When Delahanty moved from Portland, Oregon, to Henderson in January 2022, he knew he wouldn’t be bringing a car, “partly as a values decision, but also partly for the affordability. I didn’t want to have a car payment,” he explains. While Henderson’s extensive bike trails are what attracted him to that area of the DECEMBER 2023

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REVIEW

The Queen of My Dreams Downtown’s new bar and nightclub anchors a gay haven in the making BY Oona Robertson

n September, developer Eduardo Cordova opened Queen Las Vegas, a bar and nightclub in the front space of the Thunderbird Hotel on Las Vegas Boulevard. Seeking to step outside the usual model for gay spaces, Cordova hopes to create a safe, inclusive space for locals and visitors. These spaces are becoming a reality in other cities, but they don’t yet exist in Las Vegas. For example, on a recent visit to my hometown of San Francisco I stopped in at Mother, a queer bar that opened at the beginning of the year. Sitting among a few other customers, I had the feeling of utmost belonging, that we were all on solid and sure ground, that this space was offering to hold us, and we were agreeing, together, to be held. This is what I seek in a queer space, and it’s rare that I find it. I shy away from commercialized queer experiences, including Pride, whose logoed floats and political entanglements disquiet me. Gay bars exist, but they’re predominately for men. I look instead for this gathered feeling in my home and the homes of my friends, or that one booth at a bar that,

DECEMBER 2023

when filled with my people, feels like it changes the texture of the space within its vinyl circle. Queen aims to do this, and to create reverberations that turn the area around it — a stretch of wedding chapels and hotels at the edge of the Arts District — into an LGBTQ+ neighborhood. Cordova, who also owns The Garden and runs Temptation Sundays, a gay pool party at the Luxor, wants to create a little gay haven on the north Strip. He has plans to take over the Thunderbird in 2024, redecorating and rebranding it as a Queen property. “For me it means a lot having a gay hotel and a gay destination right on the Las Vegas Strip and having the representation. It means a lot for us and for the community, I hope, as well,” Cordova says. Queen’s bar is slightly revamped from the bar that used to be there, with pink walls, colored LED lights, a gender-free bathroom, and shirtless waitstaff. Their drag brunch, which costs $65 with bottomless mimosas, has underwhelming food. But the queens are undeniably good, all energy and flexibility, dancing nonstop for 90 minutes to the drag-classic sounds of Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, and Cyndi Lauper as yet more shirtless men with their names printed on their underwear waistbands collect the cash thrown at them, and that the queens themselves throw in the air. Queen isn’t quite the scene I long for — a cozy corner in a city whose queer spaces are predominately geared toward men — but it’s a start. Cordova is mindful of inclusivity, and on the books, or already launched, are weekly nights for trans people, women, and customers dressed in drag. In a future hotel, all 100 rooms filled, I can imagine the little gay haven Cordova talks about, even if I can’t quite feel it yet. ✦

COURTESY QUEEN LAS VEGAS

valley, he did find himself using RTC buses several times a week. “Overall, I actually think the RTC bus system is pretty good compared to U.S. city bus systems,” Delahanty says. “Actually” is a word I find myself repeating when I tell my friends I’m commuting by bus and only using my car when I absolutely need to. The buses are fine, actually. The buses are mostly on time, actually. It’s nice to be a passenger, to let someone else dodge traffic cones on Charleston, and to stretch my legs, actually. Actually, falling into the rhythm of public transit, the doors opening to the same dozen or so people every morning, noticing for the first time the gold lantana that lines the street where my 1996-built office park sits, feels European, dare I say romantic? Am I actually the Amélie of Las Vegas? Come hotter months, will I still be romanticizing the RTC commute? CityNerd weighs in: “For Sunbelt cities, there’s so much that needs to be improved. The amount (of work) that would need to happen to turn Las Vegas into Amsterdam or Copenhagen is probably trillions of dollars of infrastructure investment and that’s pure design and construction not even touching the political piece of it, which is that, probably, a majority of people in the Las Vegas area wouldn’t want things to be different than the way they are … I suspect a lot of people are fine with the way things are … Driving an air-conditioned car to an air conditioned destination is probably as good as you can do in Vegas.” Before Vegas boils over again, maybe I will have the spare $1,266 for car maintenance, or, maybe we’ll be, as I’m leaning towards, a onecar household by then. Until then, though, the bus is pretty nice, actually. ✦

D E S E R T C O M PA N I O N .C O M

DECEMBER 2023

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Starring Role The Dale Etheridge Planetarium provides a safe space for astronomers big and small BY Lourdes Trimidal

t was an unusual sight in the College of Southern Nevada’s North Las Vegas campus parking lot. People gathered outside one warm October morning, the air buzzing with anticipation. The bustle revolved around the Dale Etheridge Planetarium, in the south wing of the campus, where an annular solar eclipse event brought hundreds of visitors during the three hours that the moon’s shadow darkened the asphalt. The planetarium had set up solar-filtered tele-

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scopes and provided $2 eclipse glasses to gazers who were, to say the least, starstruck. The 100th anniversary of the world’s first planetarium this year offers a good excuse to discover Southern Nevada’s only public planetarium and its tight-knit community. Humble in comparison to L.A.’s Griffith Observatory or Chicago’s Adler Planetarium, our dome has welcomed students, families, and astronomy enthusiasts since it opened in 1977, one of many that sprung up on campuses on the

DECEMBER 2023

heels of 1960s space exploration. The 66-seat, 30-foot-domed venue with an observatory telescope outside hosts private research and space movie showings in addition to weekly public viewings and year-round astronomy events. On my first visit, I saw a 20-minute movie about the history of telescopes. It didn’t prepare me for my fellow visitors’ ardent science questions, or the knowledgeable presenter’s personable responses. To reach people outside its niche, the planetarium started events catered to other interests, such as “Meditation Mondays” and “Storytime Under the Stars.” It’s also home to monthly meetings of the Las Vegas Astronomical Society, a group planetarium manager Andrew Kerr describes as the “most selfless people … who travel all over Las Vegas to share their

time for free as ambassadors of astronomy.” Kerr took over management in 2014 after the first director, Dale Etheridge, retired. An astronomer and educator at heart, Etheridge built the planetarium to what it is today; a legacy his successor takes seriously. “We have a big responsibility to be an institution of science learning within Las Vegas and the surrounding area,” Kerr says, acknowledging the massive shadow cast by the Strip’s latest spherical spectacle. To be an educational home for young astronomers, rather than a travel destination — there’s pride in that, Kerr says. It’s rooted in the promise the planetarium has offered youth since their first elementary-school planetarium trip. In a city known for entertainment, the planetarium gazes beyond the neon lights to the stars above. ✦

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BY Gary Dymski

Joe Hawk, part of the Southern Nevada sports landscape since 1977, including as sports editor of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, provides his thoughts on UNLV football, which is eligible for a postseason bowl game for the first time since 2013. UNLV is bowl eligible in Barry Odom’s first year as coach. Does its rapid rise here surprise you? It does in that they’re 6-2 (as of late October) in a first-year coach’s run because they have not had any success of any extended period since Tony Knap was the coach, and he retired in 1981. Barry Odom is the 13th coach, and they’ve only had four of them, including Odom, with winning records at UNLV. And the other three — Bill Ireland, Ron Meyer, and Tony Knap — were the first three they had. Why such an incredible run of bad teams? The problem with football overall is that it takes so many good players to be a really successful program. The city of Las Vegas, in a weird sort of way, has made it hard for the program to get enough good players. There were times when I first came here that other coaches would recruit against the city, not so much against the program. Coaches would tell recruits’ parents, ‘You don’t want to send your son to Las Vegas because they’ll get involved in gambling and prostitution. The city has Mafia connections.’ Money for entertainment is an issue, too, right? I used to write about this all the time as a columnist. It’s about discretionary dollars. A lot of people think everyone who lives in Las Vegas is wealthy. There are a lot of people who live paycheck to paycheck ... Mom and dad are looking at the discretionary dollars saying, ‘Am I going to take the kids to see UNLV football or do I go to see the Golden Knights play?’ ... There’s only so much discretionary dollars, so how much will they be willing to spend on UNLV football? Well, the first step, I think, is winning consistently. ✦ To read the entire interview, visit desertcompanion.com. .

DECEMBER 2023

Nevada’s a sports state now. What’s next for its college and professional teams? BY Joe Schoenmann

evada is currently at the center of the sports world. The Las Vegas Aces have won the WNBA championship two years in a row. The Vegas Golden Knights won the NHL’s Stanley Cup. The city now has an NFL team, it’s about to get an MLB team, the Oakland A’s, and it won’t be long before the NBA arrives. It’s a safe bet that major league soccer will be in Southern Nevada one day. And yet, more change is on the way, from the development of new venues, to the shifting fortunes of college sports, to the effect of pro teams on the state’s sportsbooks. Ray Brewer, longtime sports reporter and now managing editor of the Las Vegas Sun, and Chris Murray, co-host of Reno-based Nevada Sports Net Daily, reflected on the regional sports scene recently on KNPR’s State of Nevada. Here’s a summary of the major points they hit.

RAIDERS COACH The Las Vegas Raiders

fired their coach midseason because the team was doing so badly. Meanwhile, there is a scandal brewing at the University of Michigan, where the football team was alleged to be cheating. Football commentators speculated that Michigan’s coach, Jim Harbaugh — who was successful in the NFL and coached for the Raiders 20 years ago — could be candidate to lead the Raiders next year. Brewer agreed, asserting that Harbaugh will have his pick of jobs when and/or if he leaves Michigan. “Obviously the scandal is not great for him in terms of his appearance … especially with some of his colleagues in college football, but the pros is a different animal,” he says. “And here’s a guy with a proven track record of getting his teams ready to play and winning games.” The Raiders would be “lucky ” to land Harbaugh in the bidding war that would inevitably ensue were he on the market, Brewer added. SPORTSBOOKS The Michigan cheating

scandal might have an effect here, too. Sportsbooks look at the past to create odds and lines. The alleged Michigan cheating could raise questions about how legitimate the results of games are, according to Murray. “You’ve seen that in the NBA. You watch any NFL game, and a call here or there can swing who wins and who covers a line,” he says. “For a long, long time, the NFL, MLB, NBA, and NHL wanted to (be) an arm’s reach away from those betting

I L LU S T R AT I O N / R YA N V E L L I N G A : J I M H A R B AU G H / D A R R O N C U M M I N G S / A S S O C I AT E D P R E S S

Joe Hawk

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Grow, Team! SPORTS

3 QUESTIONS FOR

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venues and say that they were completely isolated from them.” Murray adds that, with the obvious ability of these leagues to make revenue from partnering with sportsbooks, it will be even more difficult to safeguard the legitimacy of their results. VENUES Both Northern and Southern Nevada

are poised to introduce major playing fields for professional and university sports. In Reno, Alex Meruelo has proposed a $400 million arena, where UNR’s Nevada Wolf Pack would play basketball games. Murray says that could help improve the UNR basketball team’s status. “That’s how people are going out and recruiting and retaining players,” he says, adding that the venue would put UNR in the top 25, in terms of infrastructure, among the 360 Division One men’s basketball teams. Meanwhile, in Southern Nevada, the UNLV Runnin’ Rebels’ arena — the Thomas & Mack Center — is 40 years old. Still, Brewer says it doesn’t need to be replaced. “They ’re consistently remaking that,” HEAR he says. “They added the MORE Strip View (Pavilion), one on KNPR’s State of of the best venues in college Nevada basketball.” Then there’s the Oakland A’s stadium, planned for the site of the current Tropicana on the Las Vegas Strip. The team has a terrible record, and A’s owner John Fisher isn’t known for investing in his team. Critics say nothing indicates that will change with Nevada’s commitment to help fund the stadium in this year’s legislative session. “I was hoping that when the Nevada legislature approved the $380 million … they (would have) included a clause that said the team payroll had to be in the top 20 of payrolls of MLB,” Brewer says. “I understand that $380 million (in public funding) is a lot of money. But I also understand the value of having one of 30 MLB teams here.” In November, a Carson City judge ruled against a ballot question petition filed by the political action committee Schools Over Stadiums, which sought to nullify state funding for the stadium. Brewer adds that the team has made it clear they want to move to Las Vegas and start with a clean slate. “If it’s going to bring revenue to the city, it’s going to bring event dates to the city, (then) it’s going to help the city and give people jobs,” he says. “And it’s pro baseball … Why would you want to turn that down?” ✦ DECEMBER 2023

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Fashion Break TRENDSETTER

JEWELRY ($250 for set) by Pandora “I always wear (these). They’re just staples. I bought them for myself, so they hold a lot of value.”

Lady Rebel Alyssa Brown’s fits are a slam dunk, on and off the court BY Anne Davis

eep your eye on the ball — a motto basketballers live by, and one Alyssa Brown, a forward for the UNLV Lady Rebels, would say includes keeping tabs on street-style trends. Brown, who’s been playing basketball since she was four, sees her lifelong passions for fashion and athletics as compatible. “In high school, being an athlete full-time, I was in a lot of casual and sports attire,” she says. “Once I got to college, I had more free time, and we had more events (that were) front-facing. Street style is very comfortable, very fashionable, and versatile.” Off the court, the finance major in her junior year finds inspiration in the stylish, functional pregame fits of the WNBA stars she hopes to one day play with: the Las Vegas Aces. “Every time (I see them), I think, ‘I could do something similar with different colors.’” Here’s more, in her words.

CREW NECK ($35) by Fashion Nova “Crew necks are easy, you can dress them up or dress them down.”

CARGO PANTS ($50) by Fashion Nova “I’m not a huge jean person, but I like cargo pants — they seem to be the happy medium. I love pockets because I always have 100 things to carry. So, I always try to have a pocket.”

AIR JORDAN 1 MID SHOES ($125) by Nike “These are my first Jordans ever … I got them my freshman year of college. I wasn’t a huge Jordan person, so I got them when I first got to UNLV because we needed shoes. And I thought, ‘Oh, red and black — UNLV!’ I’ve worn them to a lot of our big events.”

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GASTROGRAPHY Experiencing the world through Las Vegas’ cultural diversity

BY Kristen DeSilva

espite being known as a transient town, Las Vegas welcomes transplants from all over the world, who often bring their food and culture with them. Many know Chinatown for its abundance of pan-Asian restaurants, but its home of Spring Valley as a whole can be seen as an international hub. This area of town is also home to a couple of blocks known as Little Ethiopia, which Clark County officially designated as a cultural district earlier this year. In a 2022 WalletHub report, Spring Valley ranked fifth among the most diverse areas of the country. And local ABC affiliate KTNV counted 120 different countries represented across Southern Nevada. I grew up in this city teeming with international life, but in a fast food and TV dinner household. According to CNN, 37 percent of American adults consume fast food on any given day, myself included — suckered by convenience. In 2014, that began to change. That year, I traveled to southeast China. I took every local suggestion, dining from many a latenight pop-up food cart, yet didn’t know enough Mandarin to ask what I was eating. I hadn’t experienced anything like it, gastronomically speaking. Wood ear mushrooms, seafood hot pot, tender dumplings, congee — every bite was an unprocessed joy. I returned home with a craving for more.

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This year, I put together a list of nations, the dishes for which they’re known, and where to find them in Las Vegas. And then, I set out to eat at all of them. On Instagram, I called my journey Around the World in Vegas. If you look up the best restaurants in the city, you’ll find an array of French, Asian fusion, Spanish, Italian, and much more peppered along the Strip. I sought out smaller, family-owned businesses for my project. So far, I’ve found about 70 such restaurants, but the list is constantly evolving. As we make our way through the list, my dining partners and I have been learning from the food, why it’s become culturally significant, and how it’s come to represent a nation. We’ve discovered that, through historical and geographical influence, global cuisines have a lot in common. Across the world you can find hearty stews, dumplings, rich spices, and filling staples. While many of the dishes appeared foreign to me, I found familiar flavors, styles, and techniques across the board. This experience has opened my eyes — not just to world cuisine, but also to the rich cultures that make up our great city. I’ve been introduced to traditions I would not have known otherwise, and I’m thankful for the opportunity to learn as I taste. Travel is the best thing you can do to open your mind, but if you can’t always do that, see what’s around your own backyard. While I’m still early in this journey, the following pages feature a few of the restaurants and dishes we’ve enjoyed the most.

MR. TOFU KOREAN

4355 Spring Mountain Rd, Suite 104 Las Vegas, NV 89102 About 25,000 Koreans live in Las Vegas, according to the most recent U.S. Census, and their food can be found throughout town, including Chinatown and the nearby Korea Town Plaza. To try (for my first time) Korean cuisine, we were guided to Mr. Tofu. Our host for this meal was Sonja Swanson, lead producer of City Cast Las Vegas, who visits the restaurant frequently with her mother. She picks Mr. Tofu for the banchan, or small, salty, and savory side dishes that are shared by the table. Some restaurants place only a few, but here we had 15 options ranging from radish kimchi to acorn jelly. Kimchi is arguably the most well-known Korean food, which is served in several varieties. Kimchi, Swanson explained, is made by fermenting vegetables in probiotic lactic acid bacteria, which eat the sugars in vegetables, then give kimchi its signature sour flavor and preserves the vegetable. “Maybe it’s because we showed up on Sunday morning, but Mr. Tofu’s atmosphere was vibrant, with

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We tried the red snapper with jollof rice ($25), the latter being the national dish of Nigeria, and red stew, or “chu” with fufu ($23). Fufu is a starchy side meant to be eaten with stews. We also sampled the maafe, or peanut stew, a Senegambian musthave. For an appetizer, we tried the black-eyed pea fritters ($10). Don’t go looking for the signature black eye, like I did, because the peas are peeled in this appetizer. Fisher also recommended the slow-cooked oxtail stew with fufu, their spicy and exotic egusi soup, and stuffed fataya pies.

FORTE TAPAS

EASTERN EUROPEAN

CALABASH AFRICAN KITCHEN

4180 S Rainbow Blvd Suite 806, Las Vegas, NV 89103

WEST AFRICAN

K R I S T E N D E S I LV A

1750 S Rainbow Blvd Suite 6-8, Las Vegas, NV 89146

dozens of families laughing away,” says Lille Allen, my dining partner through this journey and one-third of the food blog Snack Report. “The food, particularly the banchan, matched the spirit.” For our main dishes, we tried the haemul pajeon ($18.50), a scallion pancake made with a liberal mix of seafood, and bulgogi dulpan bibimbap ($26.95), or marinated beef with Korean barbecue sauce served in a hot stone plate with steamed rice, vegetables, and a fried egg. Swanson said bi-

bimbap is usually presented in a bowl, but with the plate, there’s more surface area to crisp up the rice. The star of the show for me was the jogi gui and soon tofu jjigae combo ($25.95), or grilled yellow croaker fish and a spicy soft tofu stew. Grilled fish is a staple of Korean cooking, and this one was mild, but savory. For the bubbling hot stew, Swanson showed us how you mix in a raw egg to add to the soft texture, which balances with the spice.

Trying foods and cultures with which you’re unfamiliar for the first time can be intimidating. This is what led me to a YouTube search of “how to eat fufu?” (You can laugh at me for that.) Creator and chef of Calabash, Oulay Ceesay Fisher, has expertly brought some of her Gambian homeland to a cozy corner in a Spring Valley strip mall. She says the restaurant is a 22-year-old dream that was realized in February 2022. “My clientele is very diverse, and we truly have been a melting pot. The African diaspora in Las Vegas have a beautiful place to eat authentic food that provides that sense of home away from home,” she says. “There is no simplicity in West African food, but freshness of ingredients is the key element that makes the Senegambian cuisine flavorful and unique.”

Forte Tapas is a gem for those looking for European comfort food. Bulgarian-born owner Nina Manchev offers a variety of dishes you’d be hard pressed to find anywhere else in town. Banichka ($10-13), a spiral filo dough pastry with a savory filling, is well-known in Bulgaria. The dough is crisp and fluffy, and the spiced meat filling will have you drooling. It’s served with lutenitsa, a delicious Bulgarian spread made from red peppers. Borscht ($10) can be served hot or cold, and it’s hot at Forte. The broth is fragrant and flavorful, packing a punch of color, and each bite is hearty with beets, potatoes, and a pop of dill. UNESCO considers borscht “part of the fabric of Ukrainian society, cultural heritage, identity and tradition.” In 2022, the organization listed it as a heritage tradition “in need of urgent safeguarding” because of the Russian invasion. For Uzbekistan’s famous dish, I tried Forte’s chicken kabob with plov ($18). Plov is an Uzbeki-style rice pilaf.

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Served with fresh tomatoes and marinated chicken breast, this feels like an elevated classic, but comforting in its similarities to dishes around the world.

MI CARBONCITO PERUVIAN FOOD PERUVIAN

6679 Smoke Ranch Rd, Las Vegas, NV 89108 One of our favorite meals so far took place at Mi Carboncito, an entirely unassuming establishment on the northwest side of town. Peruvian food exemplifies the melting pot better than most countries, taking influences from around the world. The first dish we ate was lomo saltado ($19), a plate of sirloin steak sauteed with onions

and tomatoes and served with French fries and rice. Lomo saltado is the most common dish representing Cantonese influence in the region, known as chifa cuisine. Piqueo el Carboncito ($25) includes one papa a la huancaina, four choros a la chalaca, four chicharrones de pescado, four chicharrones de calamar. Translated: boiled potatoes in a spicy-sweet sauce (though this one was more sweet than spicy), Peruvian-style mussels, fried fish, and calamari. If trying one dish at Mi Carboncito, we recommend this one for its variety of flavors and textures. Ceviche de camarones ($23), or shrimp cooked in fresh lemon juice, is served raw and topped with fresh red onion. Ceviche can be found in almost every

coastal Peruvian restaurant, and it’s usually served with choclo serrano (similar to corn) and cancha (similar to corn nuts). That’s the case here, creating an interesting balance. “Listen, I’ve had enough ceviche in a lifetime to keep anyone satisfied,” Allen says. “Yet, Mi Carboncito’s is unmatched. Served within minutes in the late summer in Las Vegas, Mi Carboncito’s take on the classic Peruvian dish is so refreshing it’s almost divine.” We paired this with chicha morada ($3), or a purple corn drink known for its sweetness, then topped off the meal with helado de lucuma, an ice cream made from fruit that tastes like caramel.

HAFEZ PERSIAN CUISINE PERSIAN

3900 W Spring Mountain Rd, Las Vegas, NV 89102 This beautiful family-owned restaurant in Chinatown serves a variety of Persian cuisine, and here we found a well-known dish of Iran: ghormeh sabzi. The main dish ($19.50) is described as a “fresh herbed stew sauteed along with chunks of beef and kidney beans, then cooked down with dried lime … topped with saffron-flavored basmati rice.”

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While every bite of this stew is out of this world, the beef is especially tender and almost floral. The lime really makes it pop against the earthy feel of the herbs and warmth of the kidney beans. The portion was big enough for four to share. On Hafez’s website, they say this dish is unique among Iranians since it’s one of only a few foods that hasn’t changed over time. Not only can you find details of each dish on its website, but you can also find a list of ingredients and the recipes. “Hafez Persian Cuisine’s flavors came in combinations I could have never imagined,” Allen says. “The beef alone was akin to a religious experience. Each bite released a beautiful fragrance, a complex note of flowers and fresh spices to which words can do no justice.”

THE CODFATHER ENGLISH

2895 N Green Valley Pkwy, Henderson, NV 89014 “If there is one iconic dish that the U.K. is known for around the world, it is fish and chips!” So says The Codfather in Henderson. According to them, 382 million portions are served every year by restaurants specializing in the

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dish, or chippys. The earliest known shops were opened in the 1860s by Eastern European Jewish immigrants, but the combo was around for decades prior to that. If you’re a British expat searching for a taste of home, this is it. The small shop arrived on Green Valley Parkway near Sunset Road compliments of Sheffield owner Glynn Bramhall. What brought him to Las Vegas? He worked as a chef for touring bands and musicians, and eventually met his to-bewife in a European Cirque du Soleil show. He moved here in 2011, and in his early days of living in Las Vegas, he said he didn’t see any fish and chips shops like back in England. “It’s the niche everyone looks for,” he says. “Bringing a little bit of the U.K. to America and it being accepted … how much people love fish and chips, it really surprised me,” Bramhall says. “A great comfort food for everyone young and old.” We tried the haddock and chips ($17.50), a battered sausage ($4.95), and added mushy peas and curry ($2.50 each). Don’t skip his delicious curry! Allen turned me on to this place, saying, “The Codfather had my heart the moment I heard its name. My family has been frequenting this establishment for a few years. We always come in search of the perfect comfort food, and it never disappoints.”

JUMPA LAO THAI BISTRO

LAOTIAN AND THAI

K R I S T E N D E S I LV A

4105 W Sahara Ave, Las Vegas, NV 89102 Las Vegas is absolutely spoiled for Thai food, so the national dish of neighboring Laos, larb (sometimes spelled laab or laap), was not completely unfamiliar to me.

First up was larb with duck ($17.95), which comes with a choice of meat, Thai herbs, rice powder, mint, and lime juice. The flavors in the larb with duck were divine. The duck was crisp, and using the lettuce leaves helped cut the heat a bit. Larb can be widely varied, containing any meat and served hot or sometimes raw. Khamphay Inthisorn wrote on LaoFood.org that the meat salad is traditionally a lucky food, and during the New Year, eating this dish on day one of the three-day celebration can bring food fortune for the year. We also tried the thousand-year pad ka pow ($19.95), a similar Thai-style dish served with century eggs, which come from Chinese cuisine. A century egg is a far cry from a fried one, but damn if it isn’t tasty. A clay mixture transforms the egg over weeks into a dark gray yolk with jelly-like whites.

RED RICE

CHAMORRO (GUAM)

9400 S Eastern Ave Suite 106a, Las Vegas, NV 89123 Red Rice comes to us by way of Guam, a small island in the Pacific. The casual family-owned eatery on the border of Henderson has been serving Chamorro food since 2015. In 2017, the Guam Liberation Committee of Las Vegas honored owners Frank and Carmen Tenorio for their “dedicated community service and promotion of the Chamorro people, culture and traditions …” Our main dish was the hafa adai plate ($19.95), which comes with two scoops of red rice with chicken kelaguen, barbecue chicken, barbecue pork spare rib, empanada, and one side (cucumber and daigo kimchi). Hafa adai (pronounced “halfa-day”) means “hello” in the

native language of Indigenous Chamorro people in Guam and the Mariana Islands. The foundation of the plate is the namesake red rice, which takes its color from achiote seeds. Both the chicken and spare rib were juicy with a perfect char. Kelaguen is similar to ceviche, marinated in citrus and hot peppers; we ordered the shrimp, which was on special, and the chicken (chopped and cooked) came on the side with the meal — both incredibly flavorful. “Red Rice’s barbecue chicken is my new go-to for a quick meal, in true Las Vegas fashion, the kind you have in your car after a long workday,” Allen says. “That’s the level of comfort Red Rice provides.” ✦

The evolving Around the World restaurant list thrives on suggestions. To share tips on where or what to eat, contact the writer at kristen@knpr.org.

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FOOD

Wrapped in Love What holiday tamales mean to three local chefs, and what they’re putting on the menu this year BY Lorraine Blanco Moss

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is serving a beef shank tamal with mole negro and a chocolate tamal with cafe de olla ice cream. The team is also preparing tamales for the whole staff and sharing them with Jaleo, another Jose Andres restaurant on property. “That’s our family. Everybody gets a little gift. It makes me feel good when I can feed people and make them happy,” Cruz-Santos says. It’ll take several days to prepare the tamales for both restaurants, but the process provides a nice dose of nostalgia. “I always think, is this a tamal my family would be proud of? Would my grandma eat this? I think not only, would Jose (Andres) like it, but also, would my mom like it? Because that’s our food. Tamales come from our history, our people.” ✦

KY R I A , CO U RT E SY M I L PAS

s a child, I didn’t understand the cultural significance; I just knew that every year, between Thanksgiving turkey and New Year’s fireworks, my El Salvadorean aunt gave us something besides presents to unwrap. Aunty Miriam gifted us a dozen delicious tamales. The earthy scent wafted from the deep pot, and I couldn’t wait to unfold the banana leaves filled with corn masa, shredded chicken, green olives, and carrots. It warmed my insides; I could feel the love in each comforting bite. The tamal tradition traces back to Mesoamerica, where Aztecs and Mayans consumed the portable treat. They took the humble masa-packed meal on hunting trips and brought it along for battle. Ancient people even offered tamales as sacrifices to the gods. In modern times, many Latino fami- CORN-O-COPIA lies gather for tamaladas, tamal-making Milpa’s chicken tamales with mole parties from November to February. and atole, a corn“It’s a work of art, and it’s a lot of work,” based beverage. chef Mariana Alvarado Garcia says. The owner of MasAzul will make perFor vegan holiday options, simmon mole tamales this year with try Milpa’s atole, an unforgether children, her parents, and her brother. “I table mix of guava, piloncillo (Mexican mean, tamales are delicious. Everybody has a brown sugar), corn masa, and cinnamon. recipe; there are thousands of recipes. But it’s Their seasonal tamales include a chicken the time together, the Let’s sit down and chat. mole tamal that can be made vegan with Let’s plan a vacation. Let’s cry about whatever cauliflower and a sauce created with veghappened this year. Let’s laugh about the funny etable shortening (instead of lard) and things. That’s what life’s about.” veggie stock. Flores says he’s respecting For chef DJ Flores, owner of Spring Valley tradition, but with a health-conscious restaurant Milpa, stone-ground corn masa twist. “That’s where Mexican food is will also appear in two traditional Mexican heading. We need to think about what holiday beverages. His seasonal menu inwe’re eating,” he says. cludes champurrado, a hot chocolate with On the Strip, Chef Carlos Cruz-Santos of corn masa, cinnamon, and chocolate from China Poblano is cooking up both savory the Indigenous region of Oaxaca. “It brings and sweet holiday tamales. The Chinese me back to my childhood,” Flores says. and Mexican concept at Cosmopolitan

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“I heard it on NPR.

”

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VIVA LIVE

VEGAS

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CULTURE

The Guide A jolly gift bag of holiday-themed concerts, parades, and spectacles awaits! BY Anne Davis

DEC. 8-9

Jim Brickman’s — A Joyful Christmas COURTESY THE SMITH CENTER

>>> Joyful is an apt description of Jim Brickman’s music, especially

when it’s an eclectic mix of Christmas standards and Brickman’s own non-holiday hits. For piano novices, this concert offers a festive night with smooth tunes; for piano afficionados, it’s an opportunity to appreciate Brickman’s signature virtuosity and seeming ability to play two melodies in tandem. 3p and 7p, $39-69, Myron’s at The Smith Center, thesmithcenter.com

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DEC. 2

Santa’s Electric Night Christmas Parade

NOV. 3-DEC. 31

Ethel M Holiday Cactus Garden

>>> Remember the

>>> While we might

festive parade that punctuates the middle of A Christmas Story — the one Ralphie pays little attention to as he dreams about his Red Ryder BB gun? This is the Boulder City equivalent of that — good old-fashioned floats, glittering lights, cameos by Santa Claus, and holiday music. As a bonus, the parade finishes early enough for families with littles to be home by bedtime, and for visitors who want to keep the fun going to head off to their Christmas shopping. It’s about as family friendly as it gets and, thankfully, poses no risk for shooting your eye out. 4:30p, free, Boulder City Historic District Streets, visitbouldercity.com

not have majestic forests of fir trees in Southern Nevada, we still get in the outdoorsy holiday spirit in our way — say, by draping Christmas lights on cacti. This is Ethel M Chocolate Factory’s answer to the traditional Christmas tree farm: three acres of drought-resistant, festive plants to wander through. Because what’s more Vegas than stringing twinkle lights on a cholla? 5-10p, $2, Ethel M Botanical Cactus Garden, ethelm.com NOV. 9-JAN. 7

Glittering Lights >>> There’s a reason

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EACH WEEKEND NOV. 24-DEC. 31

Magical Forest at Opportunity Village

DEC. 2

Winchester Creative Christmas

>>> If giving is better

than receiving, then buying a ticket to Opportunity Village’s Magical Forest should be an especially enjoyable experience – you receive a family-friendly evening in a winter wonderland, replete with holiday lights, rides, food trucks, a Santa meet-and-greet, and games. In return, OV directs profits to programs for locals with disabilities. Santa would be proud! Thurs.-Sun. 5:30-9p, Fri. and Sat. 5:30-9:30p, $24-125, Opportunity Village, opportunityvillage.org .

DECEMBER 2023

>>> I compare my

DEC. 2

A Very Vegas Christmas

>>> Classical music

fans who consider sleigh bells legitimate musical instruments can get their fix at the Las Vegas Philharmonic’s "A Very Vegas Christmas," where woodwinds and percussion instruments join the jolly bells to

create holiday spirit. Performing a bevy of childhood favorites conducted by music director Donato Cabrera (see p. 36), the Phil gives us plenty of reasons keep coming back to this concert, December after December. 2 and 7:30p, $39-131, Reynolds Hall at The Smith Center, thesmithcenter.com

instinctive need to craft when the holidays hit to a werewolf’s howling when a full moon emerges: inevitable, messy, and loud. Which means this year’s Winchester Creative Christmas is my crafting panacea, giving creatives space, time, and the materials for participants to make their own stocking suffers for friends and family. Lest the crafting be done on an empty stomach, there will also be milk and cookies, and the day

C AC T U S G A R D E N : CO U RT E SY E T H E L M ; M AG I C A L FO R E ST: CO U RT E SY O P P O RT U N I T Y V I L L AG E

why a third of a million people (reportedly) visit Glittering Lights annually. The drive through the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, surrounded by more than five million LED bulbs in colorful, sparkling ensembles screams, “Christmas is here!” If you spring for the Santa Tram tickets, you’ll get the bonus of meeting St. Nick himself, enjoying coldweather snacks and drinks, and posing for family photos in front of the lights. It certainly beats driving around the neighborhood judging the neighbors’ roof lights. Sun.-Thurs. 4:30-9p, Fri.-Sat. and Dec. 16-26 4:30-10p, $25 and up, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, glitteringlightslasvegas.com

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is rounded out with a theatrical performance of the "No Snow Santa Show." At only $5 a pop, it’s too much fun to miss. 11a-2p, $5, Winchester Dondero Cultural Center, clarkcountynv.gov/parks DEC. 2

The Great Santa Run

>>> The OG of Las

Vegas holiday-themed charity runs, the annual Great Santa Run lets you run like Rudolph, while also helping raise funds for Opportunity Village (which provides programs and services for people with disabilities). True to its name, the event includes a full Santa suit, medal, and swag bag with each registration. With 5k and one-mile options, and plenty of entertainment to catch your breath to, it’s a jolly good time. 8a, $55, Downtown Las Vegas Events Center, opportunityvillage.org

JARABE MEXICANO: COURTESY LAS VEGAS CLARK COUNTY LIBRARY DISTRICT

DEC. 8-9

A Bordeño Soul Christmas with Jarabe Mexicano >>> Season your

Christmas with a bit of spice from Mexico! Vocalists Tavo Alcoser, Kevin Lomes, and Eddy Valencia sing Latin renditions of beloved holiday songs from Bing Crosby, Elvis, and Tony Camargo — a bilingual feast for the ears. And listen up fellow Catholics (and devotees to Our Lady of Guadalupe): Jarabe Mexicano will be performing a Spanish language version of

“Ave Maria,” which is arguably the best part of the Advent season. Fri. 4-5:15p at Sahara West Library, Sat. 2-3:15p at East Las Vegas Library, Sun. 7-8:15p at West Charleston Library, free, thelibrarydistrict.org DEC. 14-15 AND 16-17

The Nutcracker >>> Nevada Ballet

Theatre’s rendition of the beloved holiday classic (deservedly) gets lots of love around this time of year. But, there are other equally endearing productions to attend in the valley — like this year’s performance from the pre-professional Las Vegas Ballet Company. Those looking for a classic take on Tchaikovsky’s famous ballet will find it here, without the hassle of huge crowds. 2p and 7p,

$30, Summerlin Library, lasvegasballet.org DEC. 15-16

A Cool Yule Christmas Spectacular

>>> Contemporary

West Dance Theatre’s "Holiday Spectacular" is for those who love the athleticism and grace of modern dance, and the traditional music and themes of the winter holidays. With only a two-day run, the event is a rare gift, wrapped up and topped with a bow. 7p, $15-30, Charleston Heights Arts Center, lvdance.org DEC. 16

Holiday on Broadway

>>> Don’t be fooled by

the jazz hands — Opera Las Vegas’ "Holiday on Broadway" revue is more than simply an ode

to showbiz. It’s also an homage to Christmas on the Great White Way that goes back decades. Songs from White Christmas, Holiday Inn, A Christmas Story, and (if we’re lucky) Annie will surely be on the setlist, all sung by the next generation of Vegas-based vocalists. Don’t shuffle-ballchange too slowly to this one, since seating is limited and will likely fill up fast. 3p, free, Windmill Library, operalasvegas.com DEC. 21

Earl Turner — Another Very Soulful Christmas >>> In a very online

world, with its emphasis on materialism and perfection, holidays can tend toward soullessness. Chipping away at that can be difficult, but Earl Turner

offers a good first swing with his unique brand of soul and pizzaz. This high-energy, Vegas-style jazz bash can banish lingering holiday humdrums. 7p, $39-59, Myron’s at The Smith Center, thesmithcenter.com DEC. 30

Dance in the New Year

>>> The epitome of

that old song “Let’s Face the Music and Dance” is the Nevada Chamber Orchestra’s Dance in the New Year party, where guests are encouraged to waltz 2023’s problems away. An accompanying dinner and auction make it easy to welcome 2024 with a full belly and high spirits — cheers to new beginnings! 7p, $125-150, Esplanade Ballroom at the Orleans, nvchamberorchestra.com

Through the programming and how I interact with the audience onstage and (off ), I feel most proud that I’ve been able to break down those walls of apprehension, of misunderstanding, of maybe elitism, or ‘I don’t make enough money to come to The Smith Center.’ Because they do exist. Those walls aren’t fake. Classical music and orchestras have been their own worst enemy at promulgating those ideas for years. Getting rid of those walls has been a big focus for me. Any advice for the Philharmonic or your successor? I hope that either a person of color, or a woman, or both, is chosen as the next music director. I think that’s crucial. That person should trust their background and celebrate what their gut tells them to program and to be honest and open and just be themselves in front of the audience.

Had His Phil

Las Vegas Philharmonic’s Donato Cabrera will sign off after 10 years BY Paul Szydelko

onato Cabrera will conduct seven of the Las Vegas Philharmonic’s nine concerts at The Smith Center this season — his 10th and last as conductor and music director. Cabrera, 53, whose family lived in Las Vegas before moving to Reno when he was 10, has also served as the music director for the California Symphony in the Bay Area for the past decade, where he plans to continue in an expanded role. That includes more guest-conducting engagements in Europe and North and South America when his time at the helm of the

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Philharmonic ends next spring. Cabrera talked to Desert Companion before he took the baton for the Philharmonic’s 25th season. The conversation was edited for length and clarity. Ten years is a nice round number. Why leave now? It was time for everyone concerned for a new voice. (For) all orchestras — it’s always good to have a new voice ... Let’s refresh this. I’ll still be here, my family’s here. Now, I get to be a cheering audience member and supporter of the Philharmonic and see what happens next. What are you most proud of during your time here? The relationship that I’ve been able to foster with the audience. I don’t come from a professional musical family; I had a love of this art form that developed out of great music teachers in public school and my own fascination with music. A lot of people that live in a place like Las Vegas may have had this love for music, but feel like that maybe The Smith Center, or something called the Philharmonic, doesn’t belong to them — that they don’t deserve to have that experience.

What’s the x factor at Reynolds Hall at The Smith Center? It has a lot to do with how you can feel — I hate to use the word — the energy because it sounds so unquantifiable. When I’m standing on the stage, I can hear in a good way people gasp. Or when something ends quietly, they say to the person next to them, “Wasn’t that beautiful?” They’re close enough sonically that I can hear what’s happening out there. If something is boring them, I can hear a lot of rustling. (Or) I can sense that they’re on the edge of their seat. A lot of halls, you don’t know if the audience likes it or not. They’re too far away. You can’t hear them. They’re just too dark out there. You have no idea. And that’s what makes The Smith Center very special. ✦

COURTESY LAS VEGAS PHILHARMONIC

EXIT INTERVIEW

What’s your favorite non-Vegas venue in which you’ve conducted? The most profound experience I’ve had was at the Philharmonie Berlin (in 2012 and 2015). It’s the sound! What makes halls (like this) so famous is the sound that they produce. It can be as unique as an instrument. The other x factor is how those halls, because of a ton of factors — the lighting, the height of the stage, the configuration of the seating — (affect) how you experience the audience. Berlin is like a hall in the round. There’s a lot of people behind the orchestra watching the concert. You’re just surrounded by people, surrounded by their energy.

DECEMBER 2023

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WRITER IN RESIDENCE

The Warmth of Home Can Las Vegas weather the stresses of climate change? BY Meg Bernhard

n September, as I was walking around my neighborhood, I saw a sign advertising an open house. It was late morning, with the temperature hovering around 95 degrees, and the back of my neck was slick from sweat. The house was low-slung, single-story, and midcentury modern, with an olive tree out front. I was nowhere near being in a position to purchase a home, let alone one in Huntridge. But I’m curious about how other people live, so I stepped into the cool air conditioning to take a tour. Two real estate agents greeted me. “Sorry I’m so sweaty,” I told them, certain I did not look like a person who could buy a house that was listed for $750,000. “It’s hot out there.” They nodded. “That’s summer for you,” said one of the agents.

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I strolled through the rooms, basking in the air conditioning, and walked onto the back patio, the heat hitting my body full-blast, a shock. I wondered how the real estate agents would market this house to someone coming from out of town. Is it always this hot? the potential buyer might ask as they contemplate a move to Las Vegas. Will it get hotter? On Reddit threads, people thinking about moving to Las Vegas often ask this. Locals’ responses are honest, sometimes verging on apocalyptic. “The summer heat is brutal. My highest power bill was $500.” “It’s like living in an oven May through September.” “We are legitimately running out of water. It’s not a sustainable place to live at all.”

Is Las Vegas a sustainable place to live long-term? Over the past year, while researching drought, heat, and dust, I’ve asked this question over and over. Surely, no place in the United States is immune to climate change, from wildfire-stricken California to flooded Vermont. Still, Las Vegas, with its extreme heat and reliance on the steadily drying Lake Mead, seems uniquely positioned for disaster. IN EARLY AUGUST, I met Philena Carter,

the 32-year-old singer of the local band Stanley Ave. She had a show later that night at Taverna Costera for First Friday, and despite the hundred-degree temperature, dozens of people were milling around the stalls and food trucks outside. She and I were inside at the bar. The restaurant had put up a sign warning customers to be careful of hot doorknobs. “It’s one of the few bars that actually lets bands play their own music,” Carter told me. Elsewhere, she’s often asked to play covers, a bid, she thinks, to attract tourists. Carter is petite, with a pixie cut and a sharp voice. She moved to Vegas from Oklahoma almost fourteen years ago — “I’ve lived ILLUSTRATION R yan Vellinga

D E S E R T C O M PA N I O N .C O M

here thirteen and a half years too long,” she joked — and described her upbringing in the Institute in Basic Life Principles, a Christian fundamentalist group, as a cult. She was glad to get out of Oklahoma but had to adjust to many new aspects of life in Las Vegas — including, centrally, the climate. The first thing she noticed about Las Vegas was its dry heat. It’s difficult for her to sing because she gets a dry cough, and now she runs two humidifiers in her house on a regular basis just to make sure her voice is okay to perform. Over time, she developed a personal set of guidelines for summers in Las Vegas. Don’t get into cars with leather seats. If wearing shorts, bring a shawl to sit on because benches can burn the backs of legs. As a part-time job, Carter leads scooter tours of downtown Las Vegas in the full sun. She asks all her customers to bring water, and she stops the tour to sit in the shade if they feel dizzy. Still, people sometimes don’t listen. (Floridians, she said, get into the most trouble because they believe they can handle the heat.) She received first aid and CPR certification just in case and knows to put a bottle of ice water on someone’s wrist if they overheat. The blood vessels are close to the skin there and can cool the blood down immediately, which, in turn, can cool down the internal organs. Carter was hit by a truck a few years ago and suffered a traumatic brain injury. As a result, her body can’t handle heat as well as it used to. She has to sit out the worst of the hot days. Between June 30 and July 31, Las Vegas temperatures exceeded 100 degrees every day. Heat exhaustion sets in when the body reaches 104 degrees Fahrenheit. The symptoms are, at first, easy to miss. Headaches. Excessive sweating. Then, the body feels nauseous, weak, and dizzy. Muscles cramp; it becomes difficult to walk. The heart pounds faster and faster. When the body overheats, organs can fail. Heat kills more people in the United States than any other climate emergency. As of August 16, Clark County recorded 21 heat deaths this year. IN MID-JULY, TWO Las Vegas women, aged

34 and 29, died from heat exhaustion while hiking in Valley of Fire State Park. It was a 118-degree day, and they ran out of water. One of the women was found dead a quarter mile from the parking lot. Officials presumed she was trying to get help. Earlier that week, a 71-year-old Los Angeles man died while hiking in Death Valley during 121-degree heat. He’d spoken with a Los Angeles Times reporter at Zabriskie Point

only a few hours before. In a photo the paper published, he was sitting underneath the shade of a sign and wore long sleeves, long pants, a wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses, and gloves. “It’s a dry heat,” he told the reporter. “Everything is hot here.” He was the second person to die in Death Valley that month. July was Las Vegas’ hottest month on record. That week in mid-July was the worst of the summer’s heatwave. City burn centers saw an influx in patients: Pavement can heat up to 140 degrees, hot enough for a second-degree burn. Delta Airlines canceled a flight after several passengers suffered heat-related illnesses while the plane was stalled on the tarmac for hours. An unhoused person was found dead on the sidewalk outside a shelter. LAS VEGAS HAS always been hot, yes, but

not like this. It’s one of the fastest-heating cities in the nation. Over the past 30 years, average temperatures for each month have increased by at least half a degree. Over the past half-century, the average temperature in Las Vegas has increased by 5.76 degrees. Scientists attribute the heating to climate change and urbanization. More concrete and asphalt — for new buildings and roads — create islands that absorb and retain heat. Downtown Las Vegas, around where I live, is several degrees hotter than Summerlin, which is higher in elevation and has more trees and parks to counter the absorption of heat. People of color and poor people are more likely to live in heat islands. People living in trailers with insufficient air conditioning are at high risk, as are people who work outside, in construction or mail delivery. Last year, the City of Las Vegas piloted a program to plant trees across the city. But it won’t be enough. CARTER AND I went up to Taverna Costera’s

rooftop so she could start setting up for the show. The sun was slipping behind the Spring Mountains, and a breeze listed over our heads. It was bearable out now, at least. During July’s heatwave, I found the Strip to be the most bearable outdoor space. Frigid air conditioning wafts from storefronts and casinos, and misters spray on patios. On the Strip, you can be forgiven if you forget you’re in the Mojave Desert. That’s by design. As I was leaving the bar’s rooftop, I overheard a DJ and a sound technician talking. “You can’t play vinyl in this heat, absolutely not,” the DJ said. Vinyl would melt. He always brings backup thumb drives in case his computer system overheats because if his laptop gets too hot, his signal chops up. Sometimes, he even brings a portable a/c

unit. “Some people set gel icepacks on top of their switchboards,” the technician said. I asked how long they’d lived here. “Born and raised,” said the technician. As we talked, he wiped sweat from his brow. “There’s no amount of acclimating to the heat here,” he said. “You bounce from shade to shade and stay indoors. That’s all you can really do in Vegas.” OUR LANGUAGE TO describe heat is limited.

During the July heat wave, I heard people talk about furnaces and ovens: “It is like sticking my head in an oven.” We use the descriptors like “record-breaking” and “hellish” and “excessive” and “scorching” and “sweltering.” Those are the words I use, too. But overuse of this language numbs us to heat’s lethal reality. When I interned at a newspaper several years ago, the interns were sent off to gather anecdotes about people weathering a heat wave. One intern went to the beach and talked to people who were eating ice cream. I spoke with people who were taking their children to the movie theater. Photographers took photos of kids splashing in park water fountains. Heat was, in these depictions, an inconvenience. In recent years, media coverage of heat has become more serious. When the Pacific Northwest suffered an unprecedented heatwave in 2021, journalists reported on cities that aren’t built for extreme temperatures. In Seattle, asphalt roads rose from the heat. In Portland, metro authorities stopped running light rail and street cars because the heat melted power cables. Heat has a weight. It presses down on the body, the forehead. It crushes. It kills. RECENTLY, I’VE BEEN talking with friends

about our future in Las Vegas. We’re young, in our twenties and thirties, with families and friends and lives here. Las Vegas is home. I’ve lived in Las Vegas longer than anywhere since college. I’ve hiked through Mt. Charleston’s aspen grove and the Mojave National Preserve’s Joshua tree forests, dipped in Red Rock’s creeks, swum in the icy Colorado River, camped under a brilliant sky in the Spring Mountain foothills, and watched roadrunners race across Sunset Park. It is a place that’s grounded me, literally and psychologically. It’s grounded my friends, too. We ask the same questions as everyone. Will it become too hot? Will there be water? We’re lucky. We can leave Las Vegas if we want to. But the rest of the country suffers the effects of climate change, too: drought and wildfires, flooding and blizzards and hurricanes. If we were to leave, where would we go? ✦ DECEMBER 2023

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Society

SUGAR, BABY The state of sugar relationships in Las Vegas By Nicole Minton

he nearly 40 million tourists who come Las Vegas each year see it as the epicenter of debauchery. Visitors can get their fix of harmless, kinky fun that may be frowned upon elsewhere because, after all, this is what happens in Vegas. Exploring a person’s sordid, most closely held impulses is not only welcomed, but encouraged. Nevada is the one U.S. state where prostitution is legal in select counties. A UNLV Social Health of Nevada report says brothels serve 400,000 clients every year, raking in $35-50 million in profits. While brothels can be found across the state, Las Vegas’ Clark County doesn’t permit prostitution. However, other forms of sexualized labor flourish here, as does the celebration of sexuality. Las Vegas is home to the infamous Green Door swingers club, the Erotic Heritage Museum, and the annual AVN (Adult Video News) Expo. Billboards lining the sides of I-15 promote celebrity erotic dancers holding residencies at one of the many local strip clubs. Put simply, Las Vegas and the sex industry go hand in hand. Lately, a new form of sexual labor has become a point of interest. Sugaring is an umbrella term for negotiated relationships commonly held

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between an older partner, the sugar daddy or mommy, and a younger partner, the sugar baby. Sugar relationships require elaborate negotiations to create clearly defined boundaries and expectations, meaning that no two arrangements will look identical. For some, the relationship is focused on companionship devoid of physicality while, for others, the dynamic mirrors that of a traditional relationship, including consensual sex. Babies are compensated monetarily or with gifts, such as high-end merchandise or luxurious vacations. Where

do sugar babies fit into the ever-evolving world of sex work in Las Vegas? “It’s a lot better and a lot worse than people think,” sugar baby Daisy (a pseudonym used to protect her identity) explains. Sugaring is in a gray area between traditional dating and sex work. Caught somewhere on this continuum, sugar babies navigate the tricky terrain of emotional connection, financial compensation, and legal labor. As fascinating as it is controversial, sugaring abounds in the city of commercialized sexuality. ILLUSTRATION D elphine Lee

D E S E R T C O M PA N I O N .C O M

AMONG THE MOST challenging aspects of

starting a sugar relationship, according to Hannah, a sugar baby of almost 10 years, is meeting someone to truly connect with. After a month of back-and-forth messaging, Hannah and I speak for the first time in a virtual meeting. Dried flowers and art prints hang delicately on her apartment walls. Short blond hair frames her unblemished face. Talking fast, Hannah takes small puffs from a lime green vape as she shares her vernacular for arrangements: “I call them ‘sugar dads’ because I think it’s funnier. It makes them upset because ‘sugar daddy’ is a sexy thing. But if you’re not my ‘daddy,’ that’s creepy.” Hannah’s most recent arrangement was with a frequent work visitor from overseas, who sent her $4,000 at the start of every month. Their seven-month relationship ended suddenly when Hannah’s partner revealed his wife had become fatally ill. “He decided it was time to stop being a shitty husband,” she explains, tucking her hands into the sleeves of an oversized black sweater. “He and I genuinely liked each other. We’d talk every single day on the phone. I don’t know if he was telling me the truth the entire time, because if you’re married and talking to me, I don’t know how to trust you.” Despite the trust barrier, Hannah found as much enjoyment in the arrangement as her partner. Her eyes dart wildly as she tells the story, then settle as she concludes, “It was hard, because I liked him a lot. It broke my heart honestly. But it’s not my business to be crying over somebody’s husband.” Hannah offers that she’s not an intentional homewrecker. Often, she doesn’t find out a sugar daddy is married until the end of an arrangement. Hannah’s first, and longest standing, sugar relationship was with an unmarried “prominent man” in Arizona, who feared being seen with a 21-year-old. In the near decade since first meeting, their relationship has been mostly platonic. This spring, Hannah says, he took her on a trip to Cabo strictly as friends, no strings attached. “We didn’t even hold hands or anything,” she tells me, “but he still gave me $1,000 to go on an all-expense-paid trip to a $12 million home and hang out on a 70-foot yacht. Some of it is fun and glamorous like that … but it’s not how people try to make it out in movies.” THE BIGGEST PLATFORM for sugar dating is

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Seeking.com (formerly SeekingArrangement). The site boasts over 40 million users DECEMBER 2023

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SOCIETY

across more than 100 countries with the goal of “helping singles find relationships based on open communication.” Nowhere do the terms “sugaring” or “arrangement” appear on the site. Brandon Wade, Seeking’s founder and former long-time CEO, said in a 2015 interview with CNN that he created Seeking and its sister sites “to offer the financial incentive to give myself, and others like me, a fighting chance” in the world of dating. He added, “Love is a concept invented by poor people.” In his eyes, Seeking offers a release from possessive love or unmet expectations. Hannah says she signed up for free as a student. The site used to offer free premium subscriptions to anyone with an active, college-associated student email address. Today, anyone creating an account as a sugar baby gets a free profile. Sugar mommies or daddies can create an account for free but must pay a minimum $100 subscription fee to send or receive messages. Seeking ’s consistent popularity may be explained, in part, by the increase of dialogue about sugaring on social media. A sugar dating subreddit page, r/ sugarlifestyleforum, has nearly 200,000 active members swapping advice on topics ranging from creating a well-rounded Seeking account to managing different arrangements. On apps such as YouTube and TikTok, a quick search of “sugar baby” returns thousands of videos offering advice on how to secure a sugar parent. Babies discuss the pros and cons of sugaring, where to find a potential partner, and how to maintain physical safety. Some babies even promote subscription mentorship services for those new to the lifestyle — one woman on TikTok, @_mvyvm, charges $650 a month for her expertise. A study of social media sites as hubs for sugar dating advice in the journal Sexuality & Culture found that “sugaring occupies an intricate but open culture in which sugar babies communicate and exchange knowledge to help sugar sisters succeed.” The researchers analyzed a variety of user posts to discover which words or phrases were used most frequently when discussing sugar relationships. One of the most common terms to appear on online forums? Autonomy. The concern for independence factors into allowance negotiations, partner comfort, and boundary-setting. As online discussions of sugaring have proliferated, particularly following COVID-related income losses, the topic has been met with backlash. Lisa Thompson,

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vice president of research for the National Center on Sexual Exploitation, asked, in a Sierra Nevada Ally article, “Is that really the best America can offer its young women, is (to) prostitute your way through college?” It’s unsurprising, then, that sugar babies build their own online communities, where they can share their experiences free of judgment and shame. IT TOOK ME less than 10 minutes to create

a Seeking account, and under 24 hours for my profile to be verified. Although I clearly stated I was a journalist looking for people to interview, messages from sugar daddies flooded my inbox immediately. “Hey beautiful, I’d love to chat sometime.” “I’m a gentleman looking for a mutually beneficial relationship, and you caught my eye.” “Here’s my number, text me so we can talk.” Profiles include an exhaustive list of details regarding income, career field, height, weight, ethnicity, lifestyle, marital status, and number of children. Users compose paragraphs to fill the “About Me” and “Seeking” sections detailing personality type, preferences, and type of arrangement sought. The sheer volume of people seeking relationships — a sea of crisp pastel polo shirts and half-blurred selfies taken on docked yachts — seemed impossibly vast. One evening, a message arrived in my inbox. “Hey, are you still looking for people to interview?” This is how I met Daisy. DAISY’S ACCOUNT WAS minimalistic and

charming. Her profile photo showed a short brown bob, wavy and disheveled in a way that seemed intentional. She wore a brown velvet coat with thick fur trim over a heart-patterned tank top, and at the photo’s focus were doe eyes framed with messy eyeliner. Daisy uses a fake name (which we’re using here), both to play a character and to maintain safety. She wrote that she was a “sweet girl,” educated but always looking to learn more about the world. Her “seeking” section stated that she was open to different types of arrangements, as long as they were healthy, and communication was open. We emailed back and forth, then set up a time to talk virtually. Daisy is warm, confident, and unrehearsed when we first meet. When I ask what compelled her to reach out, she says that people don’t understand sugaring. “There’s so much of a stigma surrounding sex work in general,” she tells me, adding that there’s a lot of unnecessary shame clouding sugaring.

Both Daisy and Hannah consider it a form of sex work, though they acknowledge that each baby will form their own definition. Daisy’s story is like that of many who undertake sugar relationships. Originally from Minnesota, she wanted a break from the cold weather, and the sunny Southwest offered a welcomed change of pace. She has a favorable view of Las Vegas in her first year here, though she admits, with a sigh, “It’s been hard to get a job.” Before moving here, Daisy bartended at a Minneapolis dive bar. Her goal had been to find something similar in Las Vegas — a smoky, off-Strip hole-inthe-wall, where she could serve locals and find stability to build a new life with her fiancé. She got all her Nevada certifications, applied to dozens of jobs, and received zero job offers. Against her fiancé’s wishes, Daisy decided to start sugaring again. Her first sugar arrangement had been in her hometown when she was 19, when life looked different to her. “I was struggling with drug use and alcoholism,” she says. “I was so young that I didn’t even understand my own boundaries.” Now 25, she’s more comfortable firmly setting expectations with sugar daddies. “If you don’t respect me as a human being, and you’re not willing to sit down and have a conversation with me, I have no interest in meeting you,” she says. Like most sugar babies, Daisy has a safety protocol for vetting potential partners. It begins with hours of searching through the site before finding someone that looks legit. She’ll chat on Seeking before moving to text, then a phone call, and eventually meeting in a public space. Still, she found that the search for legitimate arrangements had changed significantly since her previous experience. In Minnesota, Daisy would occasionally find a long-term relationship. The scene in Las Vegas is a different story. “The ratio is different out here. I have to message like 20 guys to get one response,” she says. I ask if the arrangements themselves differ as well. “Here, it’s all tourists … The way tourists treat the people who live here …” She furrows her brow before resuming, “I feel like the people who live here are part of the novelty (for sugar parents). It’s all entertainment for them.” Daisy says the sugar parents she meets on Seeking are typically 40-60 years old, white, male, and middle class. They’re white-collar businessmen, who want the company of a beautiful woman for a weekend visit. “Most of the guys don’t want anyone to know what they’re doing. They don’t wanna be seen

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SOCIETY

with a younger woman,” she says, adding that some take the What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas motto as fact. LAS VEGAS IS a “city of contradictions,” says

Lynn Comella, department chair of UNLV’s Gender and Sexuality Studies program and author of numerous texts on the adult entertainment industry. The city’s marketing advertises it as an adult playground, yet Comella describes it as “sexually conservative” in residents’ attitudes toward sex itself. She also sees an “uneven relationship” between the value placed on sexualized labor for the economy versus the value placed on those who work in the field. Similar disconnects can be seen in the dialogue surrounding sugaring. Some insist one party, if not both, are being exploited — young women for their beauty and naïveté, and older folks for their loneliness and money. Hannah says, “Both of us could say that we’re being used.” But sugar babies receive the most criticism, reflected in unflattering or even degrading stereotypes of them. Conversely, some argue that such relationships empower babies by giving them financial freedom. In this view, they benefit from systems that have historically limited women’s opportunity. Hannah takes issue with characterizations that encourage young people to explore sugaring. “I think there are a lot of girls who try to glamorize it for clout,” she says. When she catches social media creators being dishonest about sugaring, making up situations to imply anyone can and should do it, she calls them out for stretching the truth. Many young people, particularly young women, she says, lack the understanding of what the work truly looks like. Sugar daddies can be con artists as well, Hannah notes. She describes some men in sugar relationships as, “Splenda daddies” — not quite as well off as they claim. What’s more, she says, they can be the most vocal online, contributing to the animosity toward sugar babies. The material basis of the relationship explains an opinion I kept running into: that sugaring is a better alternative to traditional dating. In this view, all relationships are transactional; but in sugaring, every expectation has been addressed and negotiated, leading to a more honest exchange. One sugar daddy on the Reddit sugar lifestyle forum likened it to “having a fast pass at a theme park.” Hannah agrees: “I feel like with regular dating, there’s a game you kind of have to play. ‘No, thank you, I’m bored,

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this sucks. And you’re not paying my bills?’ Ew.” Labeling sugar dating a “lifestyle” further removes it from the messy emotional investment of dating, turning it into a sort of branded experience. Daisy thinks these are just ways for people in the industry to protect themselves. “Not only legally, but I think they also want to believe that,” she says. “I think that sugaring is a job.” In this job, both employer and employee bear risk. In October, local news outlets reported the story of a twenty-something sugar baby robbing her fifty-something sugar daddy of $50,000 from his hotel room safe. The two had gone to see U2 at Sphere, when the woman excused herself to go to the bathroom and never returned. Police took her into custody two days later. Hannah says that when she warned one of her sugar dads about leaving his phone, wallet, and keys on the counter, he told her he had already been robbed by a baby. Even when the worst-case scenario does occur for a sugar daddy, she says, it may not deter them from sugaring. The worst-case scenario for sugar babies, however, is much darker. AN HOUR BEFORE Daisy and I are set to meet

at a downtown cafe, I receive a text. “I had a really hard night, can we call instead?” I ask if she’d like to reschedule, and she insists we talk that day. “It’ll be good for you to see the reality of the job,” she says. Later that afternoon, Daisy appears on my laptop screen wearing a plain black shirt, no makeup, and her dark hair pulled back. She looks away from the camera as I ask what happened. “This is the first time I had met him,” she says. “He didn’t seem like the sugar daddy type and said he doesn’t do this a lot.” Between telling the story, Daisy keeps assuring me that she’s okay. Then, she reveals something painful: “I’m an addict. Some things got complicated … I ended up in a car with some random dude that beat me up pretty bad.” She lifts an arm to tuck a piece of hair behind her ear, and I see fresh bruises on her forearm. I almost ask whether Daisy called the police to report her attack, but I catch myself. What would she say? Even if police did apprehend her attacker, Daisy herself could face charges for prostitution. Victims in these situations typically fear being dismissed, disbelieved, or even blamed. One option sugar babies have for recourse is to report an attacker’s account on the site where they met. But sites such as Seeking

— despite the obvious intention to create sugaring platforms — avoid legal issues by claiming that engaging in sexual activity breaks the user terms of service. Even if the site were to remove a violent person’s account, what’s to stop them from creating another (and another, and another)? Daisy’s experience reflects the truth about autonomy: Sugar babies may not have as much control over relationships as they believe. In a Psychology Today article, “Why Sugar-Daddy Relationships Are on the Rise,” Aaron Ben-Zeév writes, “Sugar babies are in enticing circumstances where, once they take the first step on the risky slippery slope, they often slide all the way down the hill.” Because the line between sugaring and prostitution is a fine one to walk, Ben-Zeév says, “the involved coercion” between a sugar baby and sugar parents is less obvious than in a John/prostitute dynamic, and babies are “less likely to identify its risks.” I ask Daisy if her assault makes her reconsider sugaring. “I don’t do this unless I need it,” she says. “I don’t have an income. That’s the scariest part. I have to follow through on things because I need the money. I never reconsider because to me, it’s a safety net.” I ask if she considers sugaring a form of prostitution. “I’m very open with myself in the fact that I am doing sex work, and that’s fine,” Daisy says. “But I think a lot of people who do the ‘sugar lifestyle,’ people who are having sex for money, don’t consider themselves prostitutes. They are ashamed and want to be the exception.” She also says she’s happy to see sex work being recognized as an authentic form of labor, but she worries about the image young people see on social media, which is vastly different from reality. “Sugaring is dangerous,” she says, “and it’s traumatizing.” Does it have to be this way? The work of Comella and other researchers suggests Las Vegas’ identity as a site of sexual entertainment could position it to destigmatize sex workers by highlighting their role in the city’s economic growth. Public officials could establish policies protecting those facing coercion or violence, and advocates could lead national discussions about the professionalization of sex work, worker safety, and work conditions. Or, the Las Vegas sugar baby could be another addition to the list of workers who uphold the service that the city has gained a reputation for, yet whom it prefers to keep hidden. There are many kinds of sugar relationships, including healthy ones. But the dark underbelly is there, for those who choose to exploit it. ✦

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Passions

TAIL AS OLD AS TIME A deep dive into the fascinating lives of Las Vegas mermaids By Reannon Muth

t’s 7 a.m. at a beach at Lake Las Vegas, and the mermaids are singing. Farasha Deneen, who goes by the name Mermaid Farasha, hums the melody from the film The Little Mermaid, as she moves her arms above her head, ballerina-like. She’s sitting on the white sand beach of a golf course next to two other local mermaids, Rachel Novak and Madison Machen, her purple and turquoise tail partially submerged in the water. “Wish I could be …” she sings, and the red-tailed mermaid sitting next to her, Novak, joins in. “... part of your world!” They giggle. A couple of golfers on the path above stop to watch for a moment. The trio certainly makes for an unusual sight: crowns, flowing hair, shimmery seashell tops, and, of course, their tails — scaly and lifelike in vibrant reds, blues, purples. They chat about mermaid things: their favorite tail designers (Machen reveals she used to work as a designer for Fin Fun); their experience teaching mermaid classes (Deneen, the owner of Desert Siren Entertainment, ran a mermaid swim school at the Westgate); and Novak, aka Miss Mermaid Nevada, shares about her experience working as a freediving instructor and as an underwater stunt performer in the film Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.

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Three mermaids. Three vastly different backgrounds. Yet, flowing in the undercurrent of their conversation is a love of swimming, the ocean, and magical make-believe. Oh, and fish puns. Mermaids, it would seem, love a good pun. It’s not uncommon for mers to greet one another with “shell-o” and punctuate conversations with “FINtastic!” and “Shell yeah!” Mermaids purchase their tails from “mertailors,” and many adopt “mersonas.” Deneen’s mersona, for example, is a little bit Disney and a little bit siren. “You never know if I’m going to smile at you or take you under,” she says, with a laugh. Deneen, like other merfolk, understands that her passion for mythical sea creatures can be difficult for non-mers to understand. But this may soon change, because mermaiding (yes, it’s a verb) is growing in popularity, even in landlocked states such as Nevada. “You may not know it,” reads a headline for a 2019 CNN article, “but mermaids are ‘part of your world.’” Every week across the U.S., merfolk meet up at beaches and community pools to swim and splash and engage in a hobby that’s part sport, part art, and part cosplay. But mermaiding is about more than just putting on a tail and posing for Instagram photos. Mermaiding is a passion, it’s a lifestyle, and, if you’re lucky, mermaiding is also a career.

SHELL YEAH Rachel Novak (left) and Farasha Deneen are among the many locals who don a tail and master swimming in it for fun, money, or fantasy fulfillment.

IN LAS VEGAS, mermaids are nearly syn-

onymous with the Silverton Casino. The Silverton has been putting on mermaid shows in their aquarium since 2005 and runs the Mermaid School at Silverton Aquarium, where children and adults can put on a tail and swim right alongside the fish, sharks, and stingrays. “Mermaids are really popular right now,” says Kristin Janise, aquatics safety manager at the Silverton Aquarium. So much so that the aquarium recently added mermaid performances and mermaid classes to the schedule to keep up with the demand. Janise speculates that this could be because of the hype surrounding Disney’s May release of The Little Mermaid, though social media may play a role, too. PHOTOGRAPHY R onda Churchill

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PASSIONS

People don’t only want to see mermaids; they also want to be them. That’s the case with seven-year-old Connor Hetrick, from Bullhead City, Arizona. He’s at the aquarium to take part in his first official mermaid swim class. According to his mom, Connor’s love for everything mer started a couple of years ago, when Connor put on a tail for the first time at his local pool. He’s been a fan of mermaids ever since. The other children in the class have similar stories — 12-year-old Abigail Zynda, from Lake Havasu City, Arizona, for example, has been coming to see the mermaids perform at the Silverton since she was a baby. When she was just three, she took one look at the mermaids somersaulting with the stingrays, turned to her mom and told her, “I want to be a mermaid when I grow up.” She might be able to. Las Vegas has long been home to professions for the eternally young: circus performer, medieval jouster, professional video gamer. Mermaid. Many of Las Vegas’ professional merpeople come from a performance background. Novak, worked as a circus performer, for example, and Deneen is a trained belly dancer. Mermaids earn a living performing at children’s birthday parties, conventions, musical festivals, and Renaissance Faires.

FINS ON Kids learn to swim in tails at Silverton Casino’s Mermaid School. Aquatics Safety Manager Kristin Janise says classes are popular right now.

Deneen has spent the past 10 years working as a freelance mermaid, hauling a giant seashell with her to gigs that have included everything from the Electric Daisy Carnival to Pirate Fest and even the Consumer Electronics Show (CES). She explains this from her perch at the Mermaid Restaurant & Lounge in the Silverton. She isn’t “in tail” (as the mermaids call it) at the moment, but wears instead a long, turquoise dress and a jeweled seashell necklace. Beside her sits the Silverton’s 117,000-gallon tropical aquarium, where the Silverton mermaids perform daily — blowing kisses to excited kids and doing backflips for the crowds that gather on the other side of the glass. “People think being a mermaid is glamorous, and that there’s nothing to it other than posing, but it’s not as easy as it looks,” Deneen says. She gestures to the bar’s silver mermaid statue, propped up against a tank of live jellyfish floating like pale pink ghosts behind her. “You’re creating a fantasy for people … that requires constant fine tuning.” Janise, the safety manager, also wishes more people understood how physically and mentally challenging it can be to work as a professional mermaid. The Silverton mermaids must

hold their breath for long stretches and be able to breathe through hoses called “hookah lines.” “It’s not easy,” she says. “Swimming with a tail, breathing underwater … there’s a lot going on.” Mermaids at the Silverton go through a rigorous vetting process before they’re hired. Getting your foot (tail?) in the door requires scuba certification. Those asked to audition must put on a tail and “swim from the top to the bottom” of the 15-foot-deep aquarium. Once at the bottom of the tank, they must “try to look comfortable. Like they belong there,” Janise says. Looking comfortable underwater is harder than many might think. First, there’s the water temperature — the tank is kept at 77 degrees. Then there’s the fish — the aquarium houses more than 2,000 aquatic animals and more than 100 species of fish. And, of course, there’s the tail itself. Trying to move through the water with your feet bound together can feel unnatural. It’s why many U.S. pools turn away anyone looking to swim with a tail — the safety risk isn’t worth it. “It can be very dangerous very fast,” says Morgana Alba, owner of Circus Siren Pod, founder of MerMagic Con, and star of the Netflix documentary series MerPeople. “People think it’s just putting on a tail and being pretty, and it’s not.” “Those tails are not just something that you can put on and go swimming …” says Circus Siren Pod performer Del-Vaunté Scott, who goes by the name Merman Del. “A tail can weigh 40 to 50 pounds. You have to learn how to get out of your tail quickly.” The Silverton requires that divers in full scuba gear swim in the water during performances and swim classes to ensure that everyone — both humans and fish alike — stay safe. BACK AT MERMAID School, Het-

rick is sitting on a yoga mat on the platform above the aquarium, waiting for class to begin. He flaps his tail in excitement. “Wow, you’re a mermaid!” someone says, and Connor is quick to correct them: “I’m a merman!” The parents standing nearby laugh. Although women outnumber men in the mermaid community — for both professional mermaid performers and the

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PHOTOGRAPHY R onda Churchill

D E S E R T C O M PA N I O N .C O M

“You can’t hide behind clothes ... You don’t know if that person is a doctor or has a Gucci purse.” — Del-Vaunté Scott

a gender-fluid merperson named Mami Wata, who would appear to humans as alternately both male and female. In The Very Short, Entirely True History of Mermaids, author Sarah Laskow writes that mermaids have appeared in folklore for thousands of years in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. One of the first illustrations of a merperson dates back more than 2,700 years and was found in what is now Iraq, Iran, and Turkey. ALTHOUGH THE MERMAIDING community

hobbyists who enjoy cosplaying as mermaids in their free time — the community is more diverse than an outsider might imagine. The mermaids and mermen Alba recruits come from a wide range of backgrounds. One of her mermaids is in a wheelchair, for example. Another is deaf. “I’ve made representation part of the mission of my company,” Alba says. Scott is male and says, “I’m African American … I’m gay as well.” Like many merfolk, he speaks highly of the accepting and inclusive nature of the mer community. “Many of the mers I’ve met have identified in the LGBTQ community.” Scott compares being a mermaid with being a nudist, drawing similarities between the two subcultures. There’s something freeing about shedding convention and swimming outside society norms. Mermaiding, like nudism, offers an “opportunity to practice vulnerability.” “You can’t hide behind clothes,” he explains. “You don’t know if that person is a doctor or has a Gucci purse.” This space of vulnerability allows merfolk to be themselves. “We’re in our tails, and we’re having all these really interesting and deep conversations,” Scott says, adding their common status as weirdos “creates a safe space.” Many mermaids believe the community’s inclusive nature is anchored in mermaid history. “There were mermaid myths from all different countries,” Deneen says. “And they were not all red-headed.” While the word “mermaid” comes from the Old English words “mere” (lake or sea) and “maid” (young woman), the image of a mermaid as white and female is relatively new. African folklore, for example, tells of

may embrace inclusivity, it still has room for improvement, says Mermaid Chè Monique, founder of The Society of Fat Mermaids. She champions the idea that anyone can (and should) be a mermaid, regardless of shape and size. She serves on discussion panels, such as “Fat Mermaids Make Waves,” and regularly talks to tail retailers about size inclusivity. “I always wanted to be a mermaid, but I thought I was too fat and too old,” she says. Now she puts herself out there to show others that you don’t have to look a certain way to have fun swimming in a tail. “People don’t know they can do something until they see someone who looks like them doing it.” Machen also wishes more people knew that “anyone can be a mermaid ... I think a lot of people think mermaids have to be women, have to be thin, and have to fit into this idealistic image,” she says. “I’m a plussize mermaid, with short hair and glasses. I definitely don’t into fit the image of what most people think a mermaid looks like. Most mermaids don’t fit into that image.”

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IT’S 10:30 A.M. at the Silverton, and mermaid

Megan Karg is doing back flips for the crowd. A little girl presses her hands to the aquarium, and the mermaid spots her and swims over, placing her hands on the glass so that they line up with the little girls’. They study one another for a moment, before the mermaid grins and blows a kiss. Alba subscribes to the theory that mermaiding is so appealing as a subculture because it combines the fantasy of cosplay with childlike wonder. “Mermaiding creates this whole new space for play as adults,” she says. Silverton mermaid performer and Mermaid School instructor Sierra Gomez has another theory. She pauses, tilts her head and says, “I remember reading that only 5 percent of the ocean has been explored. There’s so much we don’t know … Who’s to say that mermaids aren’t real?” Then she smiles. “Everyone loves a mystery.” ✦ DECEMBER 2023

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IN THE GREEN Farmer Alex Jack stands in an alfalfa field watered by a drip irrigation system on June 20, 2023. California’s Imperial Valley has the single largest allocation of Colorado River water, and Jack says growers need funding to upgrade their systems and conserve water.

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Environment

BACK TO THE WELL Freeing up Colorado River water from California farms will take more than just money. Just ask the farmers By Alex Hager

A L E X H AG E R / KU N C

nder the broiling hot sun of California’s Imperial Valley, a canal cuts the land in two. On one side, gravelly beige sand is dotted with scrub, and shimmering waves of heat blur the mountains in the distance. On the other, sprawling fields of crops blanket the valley floor in a mat of bright green squares. Here, plentiful sun and high temperatures create a near year-round growing season. Farms sit atop the silty soils of an ancient river delta. And for at least the last 100 years, a steady supply of fresh water from the Colorado River has turned the valley from a baking desert into an agricultural oasis. “It really is an emerald gem that we have,” says John Hawk, whose family has been growing crops in the Imperial Valley since the early 1900s. “With the water, we can do miracles.” Hawk and other farmers are reluctant to further cut back on the amount of water they use to keep their fields green, despite pressure from policymakers looking to reduce strain on the Colorado River. Growers say they want to be part of a solution, but are asking for money to incentivize water cutbacks, and hint at other cultural and legal hurdles that stand in the way of reducing their water use. The Imperial Valley produces $2.9 billion in crops and livestock each year. That’s because the valley’s Imperial Irrigation District (IID) holds the largest single allocation of Colorado River water

— bigger than any other farming district or city between Wyoming and Mexico. But now, that water allocation is under increasing scrutiny from water managers looking to cut back on water use and correct a perilous gap between supply and demand on the Colorado River. The valley’s farmers are bound together by IID. The body represents growers in negotiations about water rights and wields a tremendous amount of clout. California’s share of Colorado River water is larger than any other state, and about 70 percent of it is earmarked for IID. The district has been referred to as a “gorilla” and an “elephant” and has leaned into its reputation as brash and eager to push back at critics. Since 2000, the river’s water supply has been shrinking due to climate change, and policymakers have failed to make significant cutbacks to the region’s water use. Over the past two decades, water managers have drawn up a patchwork of short-term measures to prevent catastrophe — like the loss of hydropower production at the nation’s largest reservoirs — but have been caught in a standoff over how to substantially and permanently reduce demand. IID recently signed up for some cutbacks as part of a three-state plan to reduce how much water California, Arizona, and Nevada take from the river. But the broader task of balancing the river’s supply and demand will be nearly impossible without Imperial farmers on board with using even less. DECEMBER 2023

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ENVIRONMENT FARMER JACK VESSEY started up his pickup

JOHN HAWK, ANOTHER farmer in the valley,

stepped out of his own white pickup and pulled on a ballcap to keep the sun out of his eyes. Hawk, who also serves as a county supervisor, comes from a long line of local

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growers. “Four generations going on five,” he says, and notes that his dad helped build the All-American canal, which carries Colorado River water to Imperial’s fields. Hawk watched as water slowly spread across one of his fields, drowning the dirt and gradually seeping into the mud. This method of flood irrigation, he explained, looks like a waste of water, but is needed to flush salts out of the ground between growing seasons. Across the road, that salty water splashed into a canal full of runoff, flowing away from the fields. “Do we need to conserve? Absolutely,” Hawk says. “We need to conserve, but we need to be paid for the conservation.” Hawk’s sentiment is a common one around these parts. Conservation takes a backseat to the bottom line. New technologies and methods exist that could help farmers like Hawk cut back on water use, but there’s little incentive to install them without money on the table. “We could use drip or sprinklers,” Hawk says. “But you got to remember that the cost goes way up in a crop. And so how are we compensated for doing that?”

FIGHTING WORDS Stacks of hay bales sit beside an irrigation canal in Imperial Valley on June 20, 2023. Critics have called for reductions to the amount of alfalfa grown with Colorado River water. Right: John Hawk (left) and his son Daniel stand in one of their fields on June 20, 2023. Hawk says Imperial Valley farmers will need to be compensated for any water reductions, and that cutbacks should file the longstanding legal system of prior appropriation. “Don’t crowd to the front of the line,” he said. “It doesn’t work, and you’ll get a fight out of me.”

Hawk argued that even compensated cuts would be painful — threatening local jobs and risking an increase to the cost of vegetables and the cost of beef and dairy produced with the help of Imperial hay. Imperial growers have another major sticking point, too — the Salton Sea. The Colorado used to intermittently fill the giant lake before it was dammed upstream and its flows significantly curtailed. Now, with the river confined to its channel, the sea is sustained with runoff from the farm fields of the Imperial Valley. As the valley’s farmers use less, the Salton Sea will continue to dry, reducing habitat for the flocks of migratory

A L E X H AG E R / KU N C

truck and the air conditioner roared to life. It was unseasonably cool for late June, but temperatures had already reached the 90s before the end of breakfast time. Vessey cruised along dirt farm roads, gesturing out at neatly divided plots of salad greens as far as the eye can see. “This was spring mix over here,” he says, pointing to a patch that’s resting between growing seasons. “This was iceberg lettuce over here. That was spinach and romaine back there.” Vessey’s great grandfather started the business in 1923, and the family has been growing here since the 1940s. Imperial Valley growers often court criticism for the amount of water they use, but are quick to assert just what they do with it — grow a sizable portion of America’s vegetables. Estimates vary because Imperial’s greens are packaged and counted alongside veggies from other nearby regions, but around 90 percent of the nation’s leafy greens sold in the winter are grown with Colorado River water between a few valleys in California, Arizona, and Mexico. Imperial contributes a large portion of that. This region is hot and dry, even when huge swaths of the country are covered in snow and below-freezing temperatures. “We’re not growing hot Cheetos for your kids,” Vessey says. “We’re growing medicine for your kids.” Vessey and his peers are also churning out fields of alfalfa hay, a particularly thirsty crop fed to cattle. Vessey says alfalfa is an important piece of his growing portfolio, and can be planted when fields need a break between seasons of leafy greens better suited for human consumption. Alfalfa growth in the Imperial Valley and elsewhere across the river basin has drawn widespread criticism. Cities under pressure to use Colorado River water more judiciously are quick to point out that about 80 percent of the river’s water is used for agriculture, and some critics point to alfalfa as a glaringly inefficient use within that sector. The Colorado River basin as a whole ships an estimated $880 million of hay overseas each year, with most going to China, Japan, and Saudi Arabia.

And the issue of giving up water goes even further beyond the balance sheet, and even the Salton Sea. Western water is governed by the longstanding legal structure of “prior appropriation.” In short, it means the first people to use water will be the last to face cutbacks in times of shortage. It’s a system that has proven stubbornly inflexible, even as the realities of a changing climate have forced policymakers to consider sweeping changes to how the Colorado River is shared. It’s also a system that greatly benefits farmers in Imperial Valley. Their water rights are among the oldest, and thus the most legally untouchable. That has imbued the area’s farmers with a legal entitlement to that water and a sense of indignation. The law says their water should be the last to get cut, and Imperial farmers say the law should be followed to the letter now that it’s time to make those cuts. Hawk sports a warm grandfatherly demeanor with a neat white mustache, but makes it clear that he means business when it comes to water rights. “Don’t crowd to the front of the line,” he says. “It doesn’t work, and you’ll get a fight out of me. I’ll grab you by the neck and say, ‘Listen, pal, you pay your dues just like our forefathers did.’” ONE FARMER IN Imperial Valley

birds that stop there, and producing dust storms that increase risk of asthma and other respiratory diseases in the valley’s residents. Potential solutions for the Salton Sea are varied and hotly debated, but the Imperial Valley’s water policymakers are wary of drying it any further, and likely to seek funding to tamp down the hazardous effects of putting even less water into it. A project to clean up and restore the Salton Sea was recently granted $250 million from the Inflation Reduction Act.

knows exactly what he would do if he was paid to conserve, and he’s already doing it. Alex Jack sports the same outfit as many other Imperial growers who manage farms from behind a desk — a blue button-down tucked into jeans. But many of the similarities stop there. He has made no secret of his gripes about the valley’s agricultural status quo. “If you go back and get your grandma’s car that had a big V8 in it — not very good gas mileage, made out of steel, very heavy, clunky — nowadays you look at that car thinking, ‘Oh my god,’” Jack says. “Well, unfortunately, a lot of farmers are still driving their grandma’s cars, so to speak, when it comes to irrigation.” Jack, who grows veggies and alfalfa like many other farmers, says efficiency upgrades are a must. That’s why he’s experimenting with a handful of new technologies to get more out of his water allocation. That includes a permanent drip irrigation system, which he’s buried under 70 acres of an alfalfa field.

Jack waded into the field’s neat rows, the shin-deep stalks crackling under his boots. “It’s like farming with an eyedropper,” Jack says. “Just incredible preciseness for each plant. When you can micromanage your water, your crop production goes up tremendously.” The tech doesn’t come cheap. Jack, for example, has had to install costly filtration systems to purify water before it’s pumped into the system’s narrow tubes. If he was king for a day, Jack says he would direct money towards Imperial Valley and make farmers set up similar systems to conserve water. Some holdouts are just “hard headed,” but he cites two hurdles that explain why widespread adoption of water-saving techniques is difficult under the area’s current conditions. Many of the valley’s farms have been passed down through the same families for generations, but have been gradually divided as the holdings are split among siblings, halving or quartering land and finances with each generation. That, Jack says, has left many farm owners without the capital they’d need to fund water efficiency projects on their own land. Another obstacle, he says, is the Imperial Irrigation District itself. The agency serves as a clearinghouse for federal money and other funds sent to the valley as part of regional water transfers. Jack, whose father Neal served on the district’s board of directors in the 1970s and 80s, criticized IID for “putting out fires” with new money, instead of spending it on longterm investments in water conservation. The district may soon see an influx of federal money. IID just signed on to a proposal for new water cutbacks, and would receive an unspecified total from the Inflation Reduction Act in exchange. The exact number has not yet been announced, but those funds would come out of a $4 billion chunk set aside specifically for Colorado River projects, and could amount to tens or hundreds of millions of dollars, if the proposal moves forward. Jack, in a cheeky metaphor, accused IID of keeping funds for its own programs when they should be more generously dispersed among farmers. “Let’s say there’s four kids in your family and your parents are going away for the weekend,” he says. “Your older sister is in charge of a hundred dollar bill to make sure everyone’s fed. Who gets the change at the end of the day? It’s the older sister.” For its

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part, the district’s staff say Imperial Valley farmers should adopt new watering techniques like the ones deployed on Jack’s farm, but allocating money is easier said than done. “You can’t make everybody happy,” says Tina Shields, IID’s water department manager. “If you have 10 farmers, you have 10 different opinions on what the best program is, because they’re going to advocate for what works for their business model. But the district has to look at it more programmatically and implement manageable programs and try to satisfy as many people as possible.” DEBATES ABOUT IMPERIAL Valley water are

especially pertinent as the region’s water managers wring their hands ahead of a looming deadline. The current rules for the Colorado River are set to expire in 2026, and the states that use its water have stressed the need to come up with new ones before then. While formal negotiations officially began in June, the river’s policy bigwigs have been hashing out ideas for years, and it hasn’t brought them much closer to a solution. They face a daunting task. Re-slicing the pie to bring down water demand in the face of climate change will undoubtedly end with painful cuts somewhere among the tens of millions of people who use Colorado River water — a group that includes a multibillion-dollar agriculture economy and major cities like Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Denver.

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LAKE OF IRE The Salton Sea, a man made lake mainly filled with agricultural runoff, sits behind Imperial Valley farms on October 19, 2018. Local water users are wary about cutting back on agricultural water use, which could exacerbate ecological and health problems caused by the shrinking lake.

Recent proposals for water conservation garnered plenty of positive press, but water management experts were quick to point out that they amounted to little more than the latest band-aids in a struggling river basin that has been in emergency mode for the past few years. An unusually wet winter lifted some weight off the shoulders of water managers, but that could be quickly reversed by a string of dry years. “I don’t know if we’re going to make it to 2026,” says Michael Cohen, a senior researcher at the Pacific Institute. “I’m not sure if the Lower Basin proposals will be enough. Everybody needs to step up and do something as well. So we have a little bit of time, but I don’t think it’s smooth sailing through 2026 by any stretch.” Cohen has studied Colorado River policy for three decades and has written extensively about the Salton Sea. He says any post-2026 rules for the river will need to include conservation from users in Imperial and beyond — including water

users in the Upper Basin states of Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, and New Mexico, which are often reticent to promise their own water cutbacks and say larger users, such as those in California, should do so first. States and observers alike are optimistic that any cuts in any part of the Colorado River Basin will most likely be voluntary, as mandatory water restrictions levied by the federal government would probably end up in court, creating messy legal battles that states say they want to avoid. Cohen — and Imperial Valley growers themselves — says the Imperial Irrigation District should get some credit for water conserved through the Quantification Settlement Agreement, a 2003 deal that shifted some water away from Imperial’s farms into San Diego and the Los Angeles area. The 2003 agreement was a tense and messy process, but ultimately saw the Imperial Irrigation District make cutbacks of just under 500,000 acre-feet each year going forward. The district is entitled to 3.1 million acre-feet each year. Even two decades later, the wounds can still feel fresh in an area that may have to make painful cutbacks again soon. “When your arm is twisted behind your back and you have a gun to your head,” says Tina Shields, IID’s water department manager, “You enter into these so-called voluntary agreements. It’s all worked out for the best, but it’s been a chore to get there.” Cohen is skeptical that drip irrigation could serve as a silver bullet for agencies looking to squeeze some extra water out of the Imperial Valley, and expects farmers would bristle at programs that incentivize them to fallow their fields — pausing or permanently stopping growth in some areas. The next frontier, he says, is shifting to different types of crops, exploring alternatives to alfalfa and other similar water-intensive grasses. That’s a process that could see some of the Colorado River’s biggest tensions play out in the grocery aisle. “As people start saying, ‘Maybe we’re going to eat a little less cheese on our pizza or reduce our beef consumption,’” Cohen says, “then there’s a price signal to some of the growers, and they may start shifting to other crops.” ✦ This story is part of ongoing coverage of the Colorado River, produced by KUNC and supported by the Walton Family Foundation. It was reprinted with permission of KUNC, which originally published it in July, 2023.

T E D W O O D / T H E WAT E R D E S K

ENVIRONMENT

WINTER READING CHALLENGE Go WILD for READING this WINTER!

JANUARY 2–31, 2024 • HAVE FUN & WIN GREAT PRIZES Track your progress online at LVCCLD.beanstack.org Adults & children of all ages can win cool OR prizes by reading for 5 hours during the On a bookmark available at your local Library District month of January. branch starting Monday, January 2, 2024.

Bighorn Sheep

Wild Stallions Wild Burro

Long-Tailed Weasel Scan here for details.

Desert Tortoise

Great Basin Collared Lizard

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HOME MEANS NEVADA CO. If you love your home state, then say it with a shirt (or sweatshirt) that celebrates its beauty, made with love in Reno. Men’s Skyscape T-shirt, $28, Women’s Thistle crop sweatshirt $65, homemeansnevada.com

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P H OTO S C O U RT E SY O F T H E B R A N D S

Our guide to buying Nevada-made for this year’s holiday gifts

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MUDPOT NATURAL MUD MASK - BLACK ROCK MUD CO. Restoring skin’s balance is one of the many purported benefits of illite clay. Its makers claim it’s also organic, gentle enough to use daily, and free of harmful dyes and additives. Did I mention how healing it’ll be for your inner child to slather mud on your face? $25, blackrockmud.com

PET BANDANAS - EVANNEMADE If you’re a pet parent who projects FOMO onto Fido, then you’ll appreciate this stocking stuffer: handmade, vintage fabric cat and dog bandanas that thread through pet collars to make sure they stay put! $12-14, etsy.com/shop/EvanneMade

››› DESERT FLOWER CANDLE LIBRA ~N~ A LEO (AT DESERT SHADOW) With candle season upon us, it’s hard to go wrong with Libra ~N~ A Leo’s small-batch candles, which feature natural wicks and fragrances, and come in eco-friendly reusable tins. $25, shopdesertshadow.com

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FEYWILDS CERAMIC BOWL DANGERSPAROXYSM Named after one of the magical realms in the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, this 20-ounce bowl sprinkles some sorcery on your morning cereal with vibrant cyan, navy blue, and terra-cotta colors, topped with an ultra-glossy finish. $70, dangersparoxysm.com/innkeepers-shop

››› RELAXATION GIFT BAG ZEETA BODY End-of-year stress be gone! This gift bag includes a small bottle each of aromatherapy body oil and diffuser spray, a lavender Epsom salt soak, and a lavender eye pillow. $65, zeetabody.com

CHRISTMAS DELIGHT HERBAL TEA BLEND CATALYST TEA COMPANY Like the flavors of the Christmas season distilled and put into a bag, this loose herbal tea blend contains peppermint, orange peel, cacao nibs, lemon balm, and vanilla bean. Think of it as Santa giving you a hug in a mug. $12, catalystteacompany.com

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LUMINOUS COFFEE Cult favorite coffee roaster Luminous has been roasting specialty coffee since 2019, but its outsized impact on the local java scene makes it feel like the company has been here for longer. Their coffee selections change weekly, so set a reminder for Fridays at 11 a.m. to ensure you don’t miss your chance to snap up a tasty roast at its weekly pop-up. prices fluctuate, loveluminous.coffee

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GALACTIC BUTTERFLY SERAPE DUALITY STICKER MALINALLI PRODUCTIONS Inspired by Aztec culture, this sticker represents the balance between (and duality of) the light and dark, good and evil. The design, from artists Xochil Xitlalli and Juan Quetzal (of Quetzel Visions), expresses their Indigenous Mexican heritage in ways that are accessible to younger generations. $3.33, malinalliproductions.com

DELI STYLE PICKLES NEVADA BRINING COMPANY These pickles have the classic flavor and texture of the ones you’d find at your favorite big-city deli. They’re crunchy, tangy, and ready to eat right out of the jar as soon as they’re unwrapped. $8, nevadabrining.com

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HUNTRIDGE THEATER PIN BATTLE BORN PINS Pay an inch-long homage to the historic Huntridge Theater with this enamel creation, which is one of many in Battle Born Pins’ line depicting Vegas landmarks and institutions. $10, lasvegaspins.com

TONOPAH CUFF - STONE REPOSE METALWORKS Authentic turquoise, mounted on .925 sterling and .999 fine silver, makes this bracelet a statement piece that’ll fit in the jewelry collection of your favorite desert rat. $155, stonereposemetalworks.com LARGE HANDMADE WALNUT CHARCUTERIE BOARD VALLEY ROSE WOODWORKS Ideal for holiday charcuterie boards with meats, cheeses, and sweets, this extra-large walnut serving tray will add a homey tone to your table. $229.99, etsy.com/shop/ Valleyrosewoodworks

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STELLAR PRETZEL BRAIDS IN “MAUI MONK” - STELLAR SNACKS Vegan, made in Carson City, and delicious (according to Amazon reviews), these snackable pretzel twists in the zesty and slightly sweet Maui Monk flavor are for the foodie who has everything. $26.94, stellarsnacks.com

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FREE TO BE

captivated.

Step into our world of magic. Your neighborhood library beckons with enriching experiences and local talent. It is the place where all are invited and everything is free. You will find learning and personal growth, technology skills,What homework businessfor? are help, you small searching and career support, community, culture, art, and live performances. Visit us in person or at TheLibraryDistrict.org and discover the power of a library card.

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‌ ile “’tis the season for giving” may have joined the ranks of cliché holiday h sayings quite some time ago, the concept still resonates loud and clear with many Las Vegas businesses and organizations that work tirelessly to improve the quality of life for the metropolitan area’s 2 million-plus residents. Through efforts that range from offering various forms of assistance and support, to programs that empower less-fortunate individuals and families with the capabilities necessary to successfully engage in everyday life, to providing opportunities for educational and career advancement and success, philanthropy surely is alive and well in Las Vegas.

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IN THE SPIRIT OF GIVING

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2023

Howard Hughes, developer of the Summerlin® master planned community, and its dynamic urban core of Downtown Summerlin®, is proud to sponsor for the ninth year, “In the Spirit of Giving,” a testament to Southern Nevada’s demonstrated embrace of philanthropy. As a community builder, we well understand the value of collective commitment to advance programs, initiatives and nonprofits that improve quality of life – not just for select communities – but for all who call Southern Nevada home. This year, Howard Hughes was particularly focused on helping nonprofits in the education, environmental and social services sectors, reflective of our own corporate values. •

We believe that access to a quality education is foundational to individual success and overall community wellbeing. That’s why we are proud supporters of the UNLV Foundation and the Summerlin Children’s Forum.

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We believe it is everyone’s responsibility to protect natural and historical landmarks, to build sustainability into everything we do, and to teach students the value of growing their own food. That’s why we are proud supporters of Green Our Planet, Get Outdoors Nevada, and Nevadans for Cultural Preservation.

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We believe a robust network of community and social services improves the lives of those who need our help most. That’s why we are proud supporters of The Just One Project and The Mayor’s Fund for Las Vegas LIFE.

At Howard Hughes, we believe that giving back is a right, a privilege, and an obligation for those who have the capacity to do so. We remain grateful for those who join us in giving - corporate partners, philanthropic foundations, and individuals - who each prioritize and value community betterment. We were particularly delighted that many of our team members recently had the opportunity to participate in a hands-on planting activity at the Las Vegas Wash in Henderson. We were reminded of the importance of teamwork as we worked to improve a treasured area of our valley. May the giving spirit of the holiday season carry us through the coming year.

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Connecting Students to the Wonders of the Universe through School Gardens

C O N TAC T

Get Outdoors Nevada 21 N. Pecos Rd., Suite 106 Las Vegas, NV 89101 702-997-3350 info@getoutdoorsnevada.org getoutdoorsnevada.org

MISSION

Get Outdoors Nevada connects people to the outdoors by providing opportunities to experience, learn about, and care for our outdoor spaces. We provide nature-based learning programs for children, especially those that have limited opportunity to experience the outdoors. Whether planting a native habitat, discovering the mysteries of the desert, or exploring public lands on a field trip, we love inspiring Nevada’s next generation of outdoor adventurers! We provide meaningful volunteer opportunities at community parks and trails. From removing trash to planting trees, and even building playgrounds—our volunteers are up for the challenge! We love Nevada’s outdoors and we are proud to serve as the official partner for the Lake Mead National Recreation Area through our “Love Lake Mead” initiative.

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Green Our Planet 8020 S. Rainbow Boulevard Suite 100-620 Las Vegas, NV 89139 702-624-8912 ciara@greenourplanet.org greenourplanet.org

MISSION

Green Our Planet teaches students to love and care for our planet in schools across the United States through comprehensive STEM school garden and hydroponics programs. We use gardening as a portal for understanding both life on Earth and our place in the universe. Our programs utilize outdoor gardens and indoor hydroponic setups as living laboratories and experiential learning environments, sparking inspiration for future scientists, conservationists, farmers, chefs, and entrepreneurs. Whether it's cultivating seeds in gardens or seeds of knowledge in young minds, Green Our Planet inspires growth across 44 states, spanning over 600 schools and impacting over 200,000 students. Our mission is to awaken students to the wonders of the universe - from the soil to the stars in everything we do.

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UNLV Foundation 4505 S. Maryland Parkway Box 451006 Las Vegas,NV 89154-1006 702-895-3641 unlvfoundation@unlv.edu unlv.edu/philanthropy

MISSION

The UNLV Foundation raises and manages private funds for the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. These funds help UNLV and its diverse students, faculty, staff and alumni advance community wellbeing and individual achievement through education, research, scholarship, innovative programs, and clinical services. We also stimulate economic development and diversification, foster a climate of innovation, promote health and enrich the cultural vitality of the community we serve. Through the UNLV Foundation every charitable dollar UNLV receives has an exponential impact, as it helps us leverage UNLV’s most valuable skills – research, teaching and community service – for the benefit of all Nevadans.

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The Mayor’s Fund for Las Vegas LIFE 702-229-LIFE (5433) info@mayorsfundlv.org mayorsfundlv.org

MISSION

The Mayor’s Fund for Las Vegas LIFE creates opportunities for partnerships with public and private entities that will generate the greatest impact to benefit and enhance the lives of the residents of the City of Las Vegas, especially those from our community's most vulnerable populations. These partnerships bring together businesses and corporations, foundations, business organizations, government entities, and engaged individuals so that solutions can be provided for the critical needs that are not being provided for elsewhere. The Fund’s focus areas include Livability (homelessness, youth sports, arts and culture); Innovation (increasing access to the Internet, technology); Future (workforce development); and Education (Pre-K and other learning programs).

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Summerlin® Children’s Forum 10845 Griffith Peak Dr., Suite 160 Las Vegas, Nevada 89135 702-791-4000 Randy.Ecklund@HowardHughes.com summerlin.com

MISSION

The Summerlin® Children’s Forum (SCF) is a nonprofit organization established in 1997 by leaders of the Summerlin master-planned community and its developer, The Howard Hughes Corporation®. The organization is dedicated to recognizing academic excellence. Since inception, the Summerlin Children’s Forum has provided college scholarships and school enrichment grants totaling nearly $700,000. Today, Summerlin Children’s Forum is focused on its annual college scholarship program that is open to all graduating high school seniors who reside in Summerlin.

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IN THE SPIRIT OF GIVING

C O N TAC T

Nevadans for Cultural Preservation 7925 W. Russell Rd. Box 400483 Las Vegas, NV 89140 702-466-3013 Contact@nvfcp.org NVFCP.org

MISSION

Nevadans for Cultural Preservation (NVFCP) promotes and participates in the preservation of Nevada’s archaeological and historic cultural sites through education, special projects, and partnerships. From petroglyph images carved into stone thousands of years ago to abandoned mining towns, NVFCP works to protect the places that connect us to our history. Specializing in public education and interpretation, site management, and graffiti removal, NVFCP believes that education and participation in preservation activities are key to fostering responsible citizens that will continue to value and protect these cultural sites for the enjoyment and understanding of current and future generations.

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The Just One Project thejustoneproject.org info@thejustoneproject.org

MISSION

The Just One Project, a 501(c) (3) nonprofit, serves more than 17,000 Southern Nevadans monthly who are facing food insecurity, through mobile and communitycentric grocery distribution of fresh produce and pantry essentials. The Just One Project also provides wraparound services and selfdevelopment programs to help its clients on their journey to selfsufficiency. The organization’s operational model is designed for flexibility and scalability, allowing The Just One Project to nimbly meet the needs of the community as demand grows and shifts. To learn more, visit www.TheJustOneProject. org and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and Twitter.

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Goodie Two Shoes Foundation 10620 Southern Highlands Parkway, #110-474 Las Vegas, NV 89141 702-617-4027 info@goodietwoshoes.org goodietwoshoes.org

HELP of Southern Nevada 1640 East Flamingo Rd., #100 Las Vegas, NV 89119 702-369-4357 info@helpsonv.org helpsonv.org

MISSION

For more than 50 years, HELP of Southern Nevada has remained steadfast in its mission to assist families and individuals throughout the Valley to overcome barriers and attain self-sufficiency through direct services, training and referral to community resources.

Since 2003, GTSF has outfitted over 140,000 of our community's most critical-needs students with new shoes and socks. GTSF EMPOWERS children with CHOICE by giving them the opportunity to select any properly fitting pair of new sneakers they like from our 48' mobile shoe unit. The experience boosts confidence and immediately eliminates a very visible sign of poverty. We continually have sponsorship & volunteer opportunities available! Each of our school-based shoe distribution events is staffed by volunteers who assist the children in selecting a brand-new pair of sneakers. We're always eager to introduce new funders & volunteer groups to what we do! Give children in need the gift of receiving new shoes (and so much more) through GTSF this holiday season and all year through! goodietwoshoes.org

MISSION

Please continue to support HELP's commitment to prevent and end homelessness, one person, one family and one youth at a time. Support HELP’s nine essential programs such as Behavioral Health Services, Homeless Response Teams, Family Housing Services, Framing Hope Warehouse, Holiday Assistance, Adult Housing Programs, Shannon West Homeless Youth Center, Weatherization, and Workforce Services. For additional details and to make a contribution, visit helpsonv.org.

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C O N TAC T

Las Vegas Natural History Museum 900 Las Vegas Blvd., N. Las Vegas, NV 89101 702-384-3466 dino@lvnhm.org

After-School All-Stars Las Vegas 8485 W. Sunset Rd., Suite 106 Las Vegas, NV 89113 702-259-1850 info@asaslv.org

M I S S I O N:

The Las Vegas Natural History Museum was established in 1989 by a group of citizens who knew the community would benefit from the educational resources it could provide. After very humble beginnings, this private nonprofit museum is now a Smithsonian Affiliate, accredited with the American Alliance of Museums, and is a federal and state repository for fossils and artifacts.

After-School All-Stars Las Vegas provides free, enriching, highquality, teacher-led after-school programs that keep children safe during the hours where they might otherwise find trouble, all while teaching them skills to help them succeed in school and life. We believe every child deserves a time to shine, and for many, that time is after the school bell rings.

The Las Vegas Natural History Museum is on a mission to inspire a better understanding and appreciation of the natural world, the sciences, and ourselves through educational exhibits, programming, and research and offers a global learning adventure for all ages.

Please visit lvnhm.org, follow on Facebook and LinkedIn at Las Vegas Natural History Museum; and @LVHNMuseum on Instagram.

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IN THE SPIRIT OF GIVING

C O N TAC T

Mailing Address: Dress for Success Southern Nevada P.O. Box 94194 Las Vegas, NV 89193-4194 Physical location, by appointment only: 3400 West Desert Inn Rd., Unit 25 Las Vegas, NV 89102 702-684-6412 info@dressforsuccesssouthernnevada.org

MISSION

Dress for Success Southern Nevada is the Las Vegas-area affiliate of the leading international nonprofit employment resource for unemployed and underemployed women. Our mission is to empower women across the Las Vegas valley to achieve self-determined economic independence by providing a network of support, professional attire, and development tools to help women thrive in work and life. To learn more, and to improve the lives of vulnerable women in our community please visit dressforsuccesssouthernnevada.org

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C O N TAC T

Springs Preserve 333 S. Valley View Boulevard Las Vegas, NV 89107 702-258-3258 foundation@springspreserve.org springspreserve.org

CandleLighters Childhood Cancer Foundation of Nevada 8990 Spanish Ridge Ave., Suite 100 Las Vegas, NV 89148 702-737-1919 info@candlelightersnv.org CandleLightersNV.org

Special Olympics Nevada 4000 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. 320 Las Vegas, NV 89119 702-474-0690 info@sonv.org www.sonv.org

MISSION

Special Olympics Nevada’s programs provide inclusive opportunities for people with intellectual disabilities in the areas of sports, health, education, and leadership development. We recognize that inclusion does not happen in a vacuum, so our free programs are designed to engage people with and without disabilities in activities together. This mutual benefit approach allows those participating in our programs the opportunities to share their gifts, demonstrate courage and establish genuine relationships. Our programs are also changing perspectives on the abilities that those “differently abled” bring to the table, which is allowing us to make Southern Nevada a more inclusive region. So, join us in this important work! We need your time, talent, and treasure to help us advance our efforts. For more information, go to sonv.org.

Located at the site of Las Vegas’ original water source, the Springs Preserve is a 180-acre cultural institution that celebrates our community's dynamic history while focusing on its sustainable future. Visitors to the Springs Preserve will discover boundless opportunities to explore ancient and modern history, natural landscapes, archaeological sites, native plants and animals, and current water resource challenges. The campus includes the OriGen Museum, Nevada State Museum, two interactive exhibition spaces (WaterWorks and Boomtown 1905), a colorful botanical garden, kids’ learning center, natural trails system, restored wetlands, seasonal butterfly habitat, preserved historical structures, and trackless train rides.

For more than forty-five years our mission has been to provide emotional support, quality of life programs and financial assistance for children and their families affected by childhood cancer. Approximately 80 families each year in Southern Nevada hear the words “Your child has cancer”. We are there for those families when they receive this devastating news. We help alleviate the isolation many families feel at the time their child is diagnosed by offering a variety of services which are available at no cost to the families. Candlelighters offers support through all the different stages of cancer treatment the families may experience: diagnosis, treatment, recovery, potential relapse, residual medical issues and at times, death. With donations from generous people like you, families can continue to receive the help and hope they need to bravely fight their battle with childhood cancer. Please help light the way for these families by donating, volunteering or participating in an event. ...because kids can’t fight cancer alone.

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MISSION

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IN THE SPIRIT OF GIVING

LOOK AT EVERYTHING YOU GET!

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Nevada Child Seekers 6375 W. Charleston Blvd. Bld. L-180 Las Vegas, NV 89146 702-458-7009 NevadaChildSeekers.org

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“ABDUCTION” "MISSING" "RUNAWAY" These are words that strike fear into parents, and that send Nevada Child Seekers into action. More than 8,000 children are reported missing each year in Nevada, and approximately 200 are considered in danger. Nevada Child Seekers was created in 1985 in response to these alarming statistics by business and community leaders to address the plight of missing children in our community.

As Nevada’s largest medical school, Touro University Nevada is the top producer of qualified physicians in the Silver State. The mission began twenty years ago to serve the critical needs of medical treatment, health care, and education in the great state of Nevada. As a non-profit, private University, Touro Nevada’s endeavor continues through self-funded means independent of taxpayer dollars. More than 1,500 students from around the world are enrolled in degree programs in osteopathic medicine, nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, physician assistant studies, medical health science, and education. These students are fueling Touro University Nevada’s goal of placing an additional one thousand highly skilled physicians and medical professionals in Nevada by 2030. SPONSORED BY

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Touro University Nevada 874 American Pacific Dr. Henderson, NV 89014 702-777-3100 TUN.advancement@touro.edu tun.touro.edu

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As we grow, so does the need to provide additional help and support to families and law enforcement for the location and reunification of these children. Over the years, services have expanded to include safety education programs, counseling referrals, support groups and active participation with the Nevada attorney general’s office, Nevada Amber Alert Committee and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Nevada Child Seekers mission is to prevent, identify and locate missing and exploited children. SPONSORED BY

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Obodo Collective 1300 C Street Las Vegas, NV 89106 702-608-3611 obodocollective.org info@obodocollective.org

Las Vegas Indian Center 2300 West Bonanza Rd. Las Vegas, NV 89106 725-259-1182 lvindiancenter.org

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The Las Vegas Indian Center promotes the rich culture of Native Americans and provides services that improve the social & economic self-sufficiency of the diverse populations living in the greater Las Vegas area. “No matter how our organization continues to evolve, the Las Vegas Indian Center will always make sure that we advocate for the people in our community. We will continue to gain resources and develop partnerships with other organizations to help our center grow. Our job is to help people activate the part of them that wants to leave the world a better place and work together to

Obodo is the IGBO word for both "city" and "community". The Igbo people are one of the largest and most industrious ethnic tribes of Eastern Nigeria. Obodo believes that it takes active and ongoing involvement in our neighborhoods to turn a region into a community. Under the guidance of their local executive directors, they offer strategic solutions for community problems, funding opportunities for service providers and grassroots leaders, and support for the people of these beautiful neighborhoods who have long been overlooked, marginalized, and oppressed. Obodo believes in supporting communities. “These are our homes and our neighborhoods and there is a long history of systemic issues that need to be addressed. At Obodo we are committed to the long-term work of transforming our communities into a vibrant, healthy and supportive place to live for generations to come.”

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strengthen our community and culture. I thank you for choosing to make a difference through the collective efforts of the Las Vegas Indian Center.” (Rulon Pete, Executive Director, Cedar Band of Paiutes)

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Left of Center 2207 W. Gowan Rd. N Las Vegas, NV 89032 702-647-7378 leftofcenterart.org

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Left of Center Art Gallery is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, the vision of Director Vicki Richardson. LOC in North Las Vegas serves the entire Southern Nevada community and is administered and supported by artists and educators who are committed to advancing the arts and providing a setting for cultural exchange. LOC offers a wide spectrum of art experiences and events that reflect the diversity of the local community, while also providing opportunities for artists from all over the country to share their work. The goal of LOC is to make art more accessible to the surrounding neighborhoods by taking art to sites where it can enhance, educate, and bring a sense of local pride. LOC represents an ethnically diverse group of members and resident artists. LOC holds the belief that the visual arts can serve as an educational tool to help teach respect and understanding for all cultures.

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CAN THE TORTOISE WIN THIS RACE? The Nevada state reptile faces multiple threats, mostly manmade. Concerned scientists are racing to find a solution By Alec Pridgeon

t’s 20,000 years ago, the Pleistocene Epoch. A desert tortoise emerges from its burrow in shrinking swamplands around Tule Springs and ambles down to a pond to drink. Off in the distance, Columbian mammoths are foraging, their curved, 16-foot-long tusks waving ominously. A dire wolf, made famous in Game of Thrones but smaller in real life, suddenly pounces on the tortoise from behind, its massive jaws crushing the shell in a single bite. Mojave desert tortoises (Gopherus agassizii) are the state reptile of both Nevada and California. They have remained essentially unchanged for three to five million years, says

PHOTOGRAPH D avid Anderson

wildlife biologist Kristin Berry of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Their turtle ancestors date back to the late Triassic Period, some 220 million years ago, and tortoises diverged from them about 55 million years ago. In their long evolutionary history, turtles and tortoises have survived mass extinctions, the last ice age, and, most recently, desertification of the American Southwest, all by exploiting remarkable adaptations such as recycling precious water stored in their bladder. The late expert Glenn Rogers of the Nuwuvi (Shivwits Band of Southern Paiutes) in southwestern Utah called them “warriors,” because they are such fierce survivors.

Yet in the last century, especially the last 50 years, the number of Mojave desert tortoises has dwindled by a sobering 90 percent. Consequently, they are now deemed “critically endangered” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and “threatened” by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). In December 2002, the General Accounting Office reported that the federal government has spent more than $100 million on desert tortoise recovery since it was listed in 1980. The exact investment is unknown. Nonetheless, their losses are accelerating, and the desert tortoise appears to be quickly spiraling to extinction after millions of years on the planet. How has it come to this? What is being done about it? And why should we care? THE BALANCE TIPS

Present day, in the Mojave Desert. Scooter has spent more than 90 percent of her life in the deep, desert burrow that she excavated beneath a large creosote bush with her powerful forelegs and claws, allowing her to escape the scorching heat of the summer, the freezing air in the winter, and predators. She permits other tortoises, kangaroo rats, rabbits, and birds to share it with her — every animal but the Gila monster that made relentless attempts to eat her eggs before she drove it off. Her life is about to change dramatically. Desert tortoises can live 80-100 years in captivity, but in today’s environment, females in the wild are lucky if they survive long enough to become sexually mature at 15-21 years old. Most of the direct causes for tortoise death are human in origin (anthropogenic) and lead to degradation, fragmentation, or complete loss of habitat: renewable energy projects, transportation and utility corridors, mining, livestock grazing, military activities, urban and agricultural development, vehicle recreation, roads, arson, and campfires. Then there are attacks on the tortoises themselves: poaching, disease, predation, even death from gunshot wounds and deliberate vehicular collisions. Predators such as coyotes, badgers, rodents, and eagles have been ecologically balanced with tortoises for centuries. But since the 1970s, that balance has tipped in favor of ravens and coyotes. The indirect causes of tortoise decline from starvation and dehydration can be

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traced to climate change with Desert tortoise with Removing one species increased periods of drought, radio-transmitter. In the makes another domino fall, distance is the Copper record-high temperatures, Mountain Solar Facility then another; bulldozing and fires caused by lightning (above). The Ivanpah Solar thousands of acres for a solar Electric Generating System strikes. Invasive plant species (above right). project causes an immediate without nutritional value chain reaction, in a few days quickly seed in after fires and wiping out vast biological, inhabitat disturbance on conterconnected communities struction sites, only to become tinderboxes that have evolved over millions of years and for subsequent fires. For an animal with low can take centuries to recover. mobility and a limited home range such “The desert tortoise and the pupfish as the tortoise, it all combines to create a (another endangered species) may not seem perfect storm for rapid extinction. like consequential things,” says Patrick The desert tortoise has been called a Donnelly, Great Basin director of the Center keystone species because it plays a pivfor Biological Diversity. “But together they otal role in providing burrows for other are what make life on Earth possible. If we animals — rodents such as kangaroo rats, let these species go extinct one by one, we lizards (even those Gila monsters), snakes, are truly jeopardizing our own existence.” burrowing owls, rabbits, other tortoises. In Aesop’s fable, the tortoise reached Nature’s network of relationships is more the finish line first while the haughty complex, wondrous, and delicate than we hare napped, but in this present race, can comprehend. Much remains invisible developers won’t sleep. They’re heeding to the naked eye, such as the organisms in both federal mandates for expanding the desert crust that bind the soil, which renewable sources of energy and the in turn provides nutrition for plants that constant demand for more housing and harbor and feed wildlife. commerce in the desert Southwest.

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T O R T O I S E : B E N J A M I N G OT T S A C K E R ; I VA N P A H : A L E C P R I D G E O N / B O B G A N N O N ( P I LOT )

Fortunately for Scooter’s kind, many government and grassroots groups are working to save them and their habitat — 20-plus scientists and agency officials talked to Desert Companion for this story. While their ingenuity and passion are clear, so are the challenges they face. HERE COMES THE SUN

Scooter never got the memo, the eviction notice. She hears human voices above her burrow, followed by the sound of shovels striking the centuries-old biocrust, teeming with living organisms. The blades come down only inches from Scooter’s shell as the soil around her flies in all directions. She retreats farther into her shell. The Mojave Desert stretches over 20 million acres from southeast California and southern Nevada to northwest Arizona and southwest Utah, and receives almost twice as many sunlight hours as the rest of the country. So, it’s no surprise that developers have targeted it for renewable energy sources — chiefly solar but also

wind, hydroelectric, geothermal, and biomass. Solar thermal power plants (socalled “farms”) first sprang up in the 1980s. Open since 2014, the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System near Primm, is the world’s largest concentrating power facility, according to the Department of Energy. BrightSource Energy spent $2.2 billion building its three blazing 459-foot solar towers, familiar landmarks to I-15 travelers between Las Vegas and L.A. In compliance with the Endangered Species Act, which took effect in 1973, BrightSource spent more than $56 million to translocate the sizable tortoise population on the site and install 50 miles of tortoise-exclusion fencing. (Birds are not so lucky. In September 2016, federal biologists reported that about 6,000 birds die annually while chasing insects through the area, from either collisions with mirrors or immolation in temperatures as high as 1000°F.) According to Nevada’s 2022 Status of Energy Report, the state has 45 operational solar sites, almost all of them photovoltaic (PV) power stations, rather than solar

thermal like Ivanpah. Arrays of PV cells, more bird-friendly, produce direct current electricity, which is then converted onsite to alternating current for electricity grids. Nevada has more than tripled its renewable energy production since 2011 and is aiming for 50 percent of its total energy coming from renewables by 2030. Other states with regions of the Mojave Desert have similar ambitions. California has set targets of 60 percent by 2030 and 100 percent by 2045. In collaboration with Rocky Mountain Power, 23 Utah communities, including Salt Lake City, have a goal of net-100 percent renewable energy by 2030. Arizona’s three largest utility companies are working toward 90100 percent renewables by 2050. With the 2020 Energy Act and President Joe Biden’s 2021 Executive Order Tackling the Climate Crisis, the Bureau of Land Management, or BLM, plans to accelerate the permitting process to streamline renewable energy development and meet the target of 25 gigawatts of solar, wind, and geothermal energy production on public lands by 2025.

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Responding to written questions, staff from the BLM Southern Nevada District told Desert Companion through spokesperson Kirsten Cannon that there are currently 33 pending applications for utility-scale solar projects and four applications for wind energy exploration. At the same time, however, Nevada’s Public Utilities Commission (PUC) website lists 101 applications for solar and wind projects, not counting separate applications for generation-intertie (“gen-tie”) lines that connect solar projects to substations on the electrical grid. The BLM had no explanation for the threefold discrepancy other than to say that “the BLM doesn’t manage the Nevada Public Utilities website.” In any case, almost half of the proposals are in tortoise habitat in Clark and Nye Counties. Aiming to minimize and mitigate the inevitable environmental impacts to wildlife and habitats, the BLM does communicate with other agencies and Tribal governments. It also solicits comments (but not questions) about proposed solar projects at public scopings. Armed rangers from the Department of the Interior are routinely present at these events, an unsettling sign of the superheated emotions that can bubble up during such meetings. VOICES IN OPPOSITION

In June, the BLM held three scopings — two in-person and one virtual — for the Bonanza Solar Project, proposed five miles west of Indian Springs. As designed, it would cover 2,500 acres between U.S. Route 95 and a utility corridor to the south. Ironwood Consulting estimated 50 adult and juvenile tortoises on the site in January 2022, but judging from the number of active burrows they reported there, that is probably an underestimate. Consultants estimated 53 for the 3,000-acre Yellow Pine Solar Project southeast of Pahrump in Clark County, but there turned out to be three times that number, says Kevin Emmerich. He and Laura Cunningham founded Basin and Range Watch in 2008 as an informal volunteer group with a science-based approach to conserving the Mojave Desert and educating people on the federal public lands development process. “Kevin and Laura fill a vital role in the nonprofit ecosystems that work on desert issues,” Donnelly says. Emmerich, a biologist and former National Park Service Ranger, and Cun-

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ningham, a paleontologist and former U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and U.S. Geological Survey employee, have always had an abiding love for nature and natural history. They’ve been active proponents of placing solar arrays on rooftops, parking lots, along highways, and land already stripped for mines, rather than in undisturbed desert. Donnellyagreeswiththemwholeheartedly, as do other conservationists. Kenneth Nussear, a University of Nevada, Reno, geology professor and longtime tortoise researcher, suggests solar panels could be placed along I-15 in Nevada and California instead of undisturbed desert habitats. Ed LaRue of the Desert Tortoise Council submitted extensive comments on the proposed Bonanza Solar Project, among them a mention of L.A.’s successful Feed-in Tariff program, which enables owners of large buildings with rooftop solar panels to sell the power generated back to utilities for distribution into the power grid. “This approach puts the generation of electricity where the demand is greatest, in populated areas,” he says, thereby lowering costs and reducing greenhouse gas emissions during construction. When asked what they thought of such alternatives to developing undisturbed desert habitat, the BLM succinctly replied that it does not fall within their jurisdic-

tion. Local and state governments have yet to take up the issue, putting the onus on private and commercial interests. Professor Rebecca Hernandez and her colleagues at UC Davis have pinpointed several large commercial and aircraft assembly plants, such as the Boeing Everett Factory and Lockheed Martin, that would be ideal sites for solar panels. Her team has calculated that panels atop Lockheed buildings alone, equivalent to 400 acres, could produce 55 megawatts of solar energy. USGS research ecologist Todd Esque asks why Walmarts and Costcos couldn’t have covered parking lots (with rooftop solar). “We’d be the happiest people in the world if we didn’t have to get into a car that is 150 degrees every day,” he adds.

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“The idea of using rooftop surfaces for siting our power plants is logical. It makes sense, especially when we think about meeting our goals for climate-change mitigation,” Hernandez says. More importantly she adds, it would protect important ecosystems, such as deserts. MOVING DAY

Gloved hands lift Scooter from the excavation and place her in a crate. She travels with 10 other tortoises across a fenced road and miles from the future solar energy facility site. She wonders what is happening and sees little from the safety of her shell.

H AT C H L I N G : K R I S T I N A D R A K E ; D E A D J U V E N I L E T O R T O I S E : T I F FA N Y PEREIRA; CUNNINGHAM AND JUVENILE TORTOISES: ALEC PRIDGEON

Beginning in the early 1880s, people captured tortoises for pets and food, a practice that intensified in the 1930s and 1940s. They collected not only desert tortoises, but also non-native species, such as the Russian tortoise. The USGS’s Berry says this resulted in a genetic “cesspool”

that gave rise to an upper respiratory tract disease called mycoplasmosis, caused by the bacterium Mycoplasma agassizii. Owners surrendered hundreds of sick tortoises with runny noses to local humane societies, which passed them on to fish and wildlife departments in California, Nevada, and Utah in the 1960s and 1970s. “The state agencies then released them throughout the Mojave Desert close to interstates or paved highways, often a mile or two off the road. There was no thought or concern for conservation,” Berry says. Quite the contrary. Such releases spread the fatal respiratory disease throughout the western Mojave Desert, killing thousands of tortoises, adding to the ensuing, inevitable roadkills. Here in Nevada, some of the first documented releases of captive tortoises occurred in 1973, with hundreds more in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The rate slowly diminished after the National

Opposite page, (top) desert tortoise hatchling; (below) juvenile tortoise killed by ravens at Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument. This page (above), Laura Cunningham pointing out galleta grass, favored by tortoises; (left) juvenile tortoises in headstart program at Ivanpah Desert Tortoise Research Facility.

Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1970 and Endangered Species Act of 1973. Under the latter, the Mojave Desert tortoise was not federally listed as a threatened species until 1990. The Endangered Species Act required developers to move desert tortoises out of harm’s way and adhere to project-specific translocation plans developed in coordination with the USFWS. Such plans entail huge expenses for health assessments, fencing, building road underpasses, and monitoring. Translocation is the most commonly used method to mitigate habitat disturbance from human activity. Yet there have been several failures in the past, notably one associated with the expansion of the U.S. Army National Training Center at Fort Irwin in California in 2008. Outfitted with radio-transmitters on their carapace (the upper part of the shell), 158 adult tortoises were transported to four study sites at various distances from the origin. At the end of the experiment more than 10 years later, 28 were found alive, 104 were dead, and 24 were missing. Two had even returned to the training center. “Adults have great fidelity to their home sites,” Berry says. “In certain habitats, they appear to use local cues (roads, rocks) and may use the skyline of topography.” Numerous scientific studies have also shown that sea turtles, migratory birds, and salmon can follow Earth’s magnetic fields to navigate back to the origin of a displacement — called geomagnetic imprinting — and tortoises might be similarly equipped with magnetoreception. More research is needed to discover how they can find their way home. As military bases have enlarged their training grounds, tortoises must be moved elsewhere. According to the USFWS’s Five-Year Review of the Mojave Desert Tortoise, 650 adults had to be translocated at Fort Irwin in 2012 from an area of 18,197 acres. Another planned expansion requires their removal from 62,045 acres. Both these translocations have been assigned to 100,000 acres of non-federal land. In 2017, the Department of the Navy needed to extend the training ground of the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center at Twentynine Palms, California, so it transferred 1,000 desert tortoises to the Johnson Valley Off-highway Vehicle Recreation Area. To compensate for the loss of habitat, the Navy instituted

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several conservation initiatives, including tortoise-exclusion fencing and predator monitoring in the new location. Closer to home, Olivia Curtis and Anna Johnson, managers of the 99th Civil Engineer Squadron, survey Nellis Air Force Base, Small Arms Range, and the Nevada Test and Training Range every spring and fall — including 800,000 acres of desert tortoise habitat. They record presence of tortoises (living or dead), burrows, tracks, and scat, helped by 16 biologists from the Colorado State University Center for Environmental Management of Military Lands. They also interact with the BLM, USFWS, USGS, Nevada Department of Wildlife, Desert National Wildlife Refuge, and 17 Tribes. According to Curtis, the current tortoise population density in the area is only 13 per square mile. “The persistent drought is really taking a toll,” she says. If they find a large population, they recommend that the Air Force not develop in that area or, if it does, add fences to keep tortoises out. Translocations are rarely needed, Johnson says, but when they are, they do not exceed a distance of 100 feet. A more current, long-term translocation study spanning 10 years was done by the Geological Survey’s Esque and colleagues, who used blood samples, radio-telemetry, and GPS recorders to learn how constrictions in habitat affected the movements and genetics of desert tortoises. They were surprised to find that one male at one site was dominant in producing progeny. Robert Fleischer of the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute found the same phenomenon along the southern boundary of the training center at Fort Irwin. Resident females preferred to mate with prior residents rather than translocated males, and resident males outcompete “newbie” males for access to females during the breeding season. So, even if translocations might seem successful in the short term, they could lead to less genetic variation and fitness in the long term. Still, they “are one of the few remaining options for re-establishing lost populations and reconnecting fragmented ones,” says Tracey Tuberville of the University of Georgia’s Savannah River Ecology Laboratory. The fact is, little is known about the long-term success of translocations, because they involve studies of 10 years or more, straining finances and staffing. “We really don’t know what kinds of habitats

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are suitable for tortoises,” Berry says. “There are differences between translocating juveniles or small tortoises and translocating (large) adults. And there are vast differences between a long-distance translocation and a short-distance one, like outside a fence.” ROADS TO RUIN

The car stops moving. Those same gloved hands lift Scooter from the crate and set her down in unfamiliar territory. Some minutes later, after the humans depart, she pokes her head out and looks around. Her first priority is to return to her home range to protect her eggs from that Gila monster. She trudges back and forth along the fence in triple-digit temperatures, pushing against it here and there, trying to find or make an opening to cross the road again. The searing heat radiating from the road Two desert tortoises walktoward the sunrise with raises her body temperature ing radio-transmitters and to dangerous levels. a GPS data logger. Roads, transportation corridors, and transmission corridors, which are associated with renewable energy developments and military facilities, exert both direct and indirect impacts on tortoises and other wildlife. When tortoises cross a road, they often remain on it in colder weather to warm their bodies. They view approaching vehicles as a threat and, rather than pull themselves off the pavement, withdraw into their shells. Drivers may swerve to avoid them but more often than not see them too late or even crush them intentionally. They may also stop to let the tortoises pass, move them off the road, or illegally collect them. Paved roads and highways facilitate poaching, predation, and the spread of invasive plant species. Pollutants released from the asphalt as gases and/or run-off contain oil, metals, and rust, contaminate the soil, and are absorbed by plant roots. Tortoises are next in the food chain. Plant diversity is often greater along roadsides where water collects, which encourages burrowing and foraging and often leads to vehicular fatalities. Off-road traffic collapses burrows and raises dust that causes erosion and kills surrounding vegetation. All these factors fragment the habitat and alter tortoises’ movements, contributing to a loss of connectivity and gene flow, which could result in localized extinction. “If you

go to the west Mojave Desert — Apple Valley, Victorville — you’ll still see tracts of undeveloped desert because the area is so fragmented, the connectivity is so cut off, it’s so inundated with invasive weeds, and there are so many ravens that you don’t find tortoises,” Emmerich says. “That’s really the future scenario of Nevada.” Esque and his colleagues have studied the genetics of the desert tortoise over a 10-year period. “The Ivanpah Valley is where several valleys come together. It is considered one of the key areas for the connectivity of the species,” he says. Running through it and the Mojave National Preserve, crossing from Nevada to California, is the Union Pacific railroad, visible from I-15. “We can see a statistically significant difference in the genetics of the tortoises on one side or the other due to their separation by the railroad,” Esque says. On a grander scale, gene flow is limited between the Mojave desert tortoise on the west side of the lower Colorado River and the Sonoran desert tortoise (Gopherus morafkai) on the east side, although the former occurs in a handful of populations east of the river along with hybrids between the two species. Culverts, underpasses, and overpasses offer safe passage across roads for tortoises. That’s the intent, anyway. Cunningham recalls

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J O R D A N S WA R T

a project on U.S. Route 95 in Clark County, where the developer installed culverts and placed large boulders (rip-rap) in them to stop flash-flooding. The USFWS later inspected the culverts and found dead tortoises wedged between the boulders. The developer was forced to pour in gravel to smooth out the bouldersurfacesandallowunimpededtransit. All these threats help to explain public outcries over proposed roadways and transmission lines, such as the proposed Greenlink North and West Lines that would span more than 700 miles from Las Vegas to Reno and allow for future development of solar, wind, and geothermal projects. The Greenlink West Line would run along a line just inside the boundary of the Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument bordering the 95, but the effects would be felt much farther into the national park. Conserve South Utah and several other nonprofit organizations have filed a lawsuit and lobbied the U.S. Congress and the Department of the Interior to prevent construction of the four-lane, 4.5-mile Northern Corridor Highway through Red Cliffs Desert Reserve and National Conservation Area in Washington County, Utah; it supports one of the last high-density populations of the desert tortoise and 20 other endangered, threatened, or sensitive species. Barrier fencing, consisting of galvanized wire mesh, has been highly effective in

preventing tortoise deaths on the roads and highways, at least in the short term. There are thousands of miles of road with tortoise-exclusion fences in Arizona, California, Nevada, and Utah. In Nevada, fencing was installed along about 1,660 kilometers of roads through 2011, but only 43 kilometers since then, according to the USFWS Desert Tortoise Recovery Office. The Tortoise Group, headed by executive director Sarah Mortimer, sponsors a volunteer force called Road Warriors. These citizen scientists monitor roads for tortoise mortality and look for breaches in fences in specific areas assigned by USFWS and the Nevada Department of Transportation. Fencing has clearly prevented vehicle-wildlife collisions, they say, but unless culverts and other crossings are used, it can also fragment populations, which can be more detrimental than road mortality in the long term. STARVATION DIET

Scooter looks along the road for her favorite native plants to eat — Mojave lupine, desert dandelion, dwarf milkvetch, dune primrose — but in this summer drought finds only invasive, non-native grasses, such as red brome and Sahara mustard, that have no nutritional value and lead to water loss and starvation if there’s nothing else to complement them. This is just not her day.

In solar farm construction, the next step after removal of endangered wildlife is bulldozing (“blading ”) topsoil, biocrusts, and plant life over large tracts. As of 2021, the BLM set 0.1-1.0 percent limits on new surface disturbance in tortoise conservation areas, but only in California; it is 0.1 percent in the Ivanpah Valley. There are still no such limits in Arizona, Nevada, or Utah according to the BLM, but it notes that it’s working on a revised Solar Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for 2023 that will update substantial exclusion areas and design features to protect desert tortoises and critical habitat throughout their range. It has also required two utility-scale solar energy projects to retain topography, vegetation, and soils within development areas, which scientists are evaluating to gain insight for future projects. The most obvious thing eliminated during blading is tortoise food — but there’s also history at stake. Creosote communities can reach thousands of years old. One plant named King Clone in the Mojave Desert goes back about 11,700 years. Joshua trees are sometimes well over a century old. These plants and others, such as catclaw acacia and Mojave yucca, shelter tortoise burrows and provide shade and nutrients to tortoises’ favorite edibles, mostly forbs (non-grass herbaceous plants). In the absence of these, tortoises will eat grasses and Opuntia cacti, such as beavertail and prickly pear. When developers bulldoze flora, the average time for the full re-establishment of perennial plants is 76 years, says Scott Abella of UNLV’s School of Life Sciences. Various studies estimate that it would take 335 years for a site’s flora to be restored to an undisturbed state. An almost immediate effect after disturbance, whether by commercial development, fires, or drought, is the appearance of invasive grasses such as red brome and cheatgrass, and Mediterranean grass from Europe and Asia. Some other plants are just as problematic. A single Sahara mustard plant, originally from Africa and the Middle East, can disperse thousands of seeds, which germinate even in drought conditions. All these outcompete native species for nutrients and water. Continued on Pg. 93

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2023 Restaurant Awards Desert Companion 2023 Restaurant Awards: This year, it’s personal. Okay, so every year is, to a great extent, about the people behind the food — and the places where we enjoy it. But this year’s awards include a remarkable number of restaurants launched by people who seem to have projected their innermost desires onto their concepts and menus. From the maternal legacy of Penny Chutima’s Lotus of Siam, to James Trees’ indefatigable belief in downtown Las Vegas, to Windom Kimsey’s creating, literally, the restaurant he wanted to eat in, it’s a list of dreams realized. We may not always think of chefs and restaurateurs as changing the world, but the extent to which these honorees are speaking (er — cooking) from the heart, reminds us that food, however high-end and aspirational, can be a language of love. And that’s certainly something the world needs now. Written by JIM BEGLEY, LORRAINE BLANCO MOSS, JOHN CURTAS, GENEVIE DURANO, AND HEIDI KNAPP RINELLA

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Penny Chutima

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Once named the best Thai restaurant in North America by food critic Jonathan Gold, Lotus of Siam is a pillar of the Las Vegas hospitality scene. After two decades of accumulating fans such as the late Anthony Bourdain and honors such as the James Beard Award for Best Chef in the Southwest, you might think, what else is there to accomplish? Well, in the past year, the Chutima family has opened a stunning new location at Red

Rock Resort, and they’re planning another one in Henderson late 2024. The eldest daughter of chef Saipin Chutima, Penny Chutima is now the main owner of the Flamingo location and managing partner at the Summerlin location. “We have been growing our brand organically through the right processes … taking care of our staff and guests,” Penny Chutima says. “We want to change the stigma of kitchen culture and restaurant culture.” As a diner, you’d be hard pressed to get through the whole menu, which includes almost 100 Northern Thai dishes — passed down from multiple generations of the large

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close-knit family. Always order the khao soi; it’s a wonder that you will never forget. You can keep the creamy curry sauce after you devour the crispy duck and dip anything in it. It will taste wonderful. Chutima says the original Sahara location will reopen “really soon.” In the meantime, the graduate of the James Beard Foundation’s prestigious Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership program knows her mother’s legacy is important to protect. She says the chef will probably work in the Lotus kitchen until her last day. “It’s her one true passion besides being a grandma.” — LBM

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CHUTIMA: MICHAEL RUDIN; COURTESY MAIN ST R E E T P R OV I S I O N S

Restaurateur of the Year

Neighborhood Restaurant of the Year

Main St. Provisions

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A true neighborhood spot is one that caters to locals, understands its customers, and represents its surroundings. From day one, Main St. Provisions felt like the Cheers of the Arts District in downtown Las Vegas. When owner Kim Owens greets guests, you get a quick taste of her Louisiana-born hospitality with a hug and a “y’all.” She’s a powerful force that attracts an eclectic crowd. That’s because the food represents her style — warm, comforting, and unique. The fry bread is fluffy and addictive — offered with braised chickpea and artichoke purée. The MSP burger could make a rapper rhyme: thick and juicy, and served with melted gouda cheese and caramelized onions. The cocktails are strong and imaginative, such as the popular Harvey Dent with St. George Green Chile Vodka, Lillet, and a chef-made pickle juice. It seems like Owens is working at her hot spot every day, but she’s also someone you’ll see supporting other restaurants in the area or checking out a musical across the street at Majestic RepShort rib, ertory Theatre. She’s strip steak, on her third chef since and seared opening during the scallops at Main St. Provisions pandemic in 2020 — all great chefs in different ways — but the neighborhood spirit Main St. Provisions exudes should keep locals coming no matter who’s at the helm in the kitchen. — LBM

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World Cuisine of the Year

Izakaya Go

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Critics laud Japanese dining for its diversity. Because while sushi might be the Valley’s most prevalent offering from the Land of the Rising Sun, choices extend well beyond sushi’s typical trappings, with restaurants specializing in tempura, curries, and yakitori (skewers). The easiest way to sample across styles might be at an Izakaya, which translates to a “stay-drink place,” or a drinking venue with food. Think of it as a tapas pub, and you’ve got the right idea. Izakaya Go, a tiny spot on the eastern outskirts of Chinatown lined with sake bottles proving they’re serious about their drinking, is a good representative of the style. They also have a nice mix of Japanese beers, mostly easy-drinking lagers, of which I suggest Okinawan Orion. And then, of course, there’s the food. Options are scattered across a multitude of menus, including specials, regular dishes, and, specifically, a kushiyaki (skewer) menu you order with pencil, in addition to the one written on the walls (if you can read Japanese kanji). Sample across the styles, intermixing dishes such as the addictive, nutty goma-ae — boiled spinach in a sesame sauce — and buttery enoki mushrooms with smoky grilled Wagyu nigiri or mackerel battera, a vinegary pressed sushi style rare to Vegas. Standard sashimi, nigiri, and roll options are also available, but don’t forego the aforementioned kushiyaki, which includes a swath of chicken innards alongside sizeable vegetable choices. Order the kawa (skin) — it’s the best part An array of of the chicken by far — and the fatty ramen and fresh fish from heart if you’re into the minerality Izakaya Go typical of offal. For a truly traditional experience, try dining on Izakaya Go’s central elevated platform, where you sit crosslegged sans shoes. While it may be a tad-bit uncomfortable, there’s simply something welcoming in the camaraderie of sitting on the floor around the table with friends, passing practically limitless amounts of food and drink. And that’s the best way to go to Izakaya Go. — JB

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Rising Star

Matt Meyer

MICHAEL RUDIN

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Matt Meyer already was pushing parameters in 2016 at Served, his smallish breakfast/lunch café that dished out the likes of corned beef eggs Benedict with marble rye bread pudding. After COVID -19 and its attendant challenges brought the local restaurant industry to its knees in 2020, Meyer was one of the few who emerged at an advantage, having used relief funds to turn his heavily leveraged spot in an obscure strip center behind a strip center into the larger, more visually prominent and much more

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ambitious Served Global Dining, which opened the following year. It was maybe a little too ambitious, which often indicates a lack of focus. Meyer eliminated that problem with the opening this year of 138°, in the Served Global location at 1450 W. Horizon Ridge Parkway in Henderson, near the intersection with Stephanie Street. This one is laser-focused, and still pushing the envelope. At 138° — the name refers to the optimal temperature at which steak is served — Meyer concentrates on meats, and the aging of them. Big deal, you say; beef is aged by chefs all over town. But Meyer also ages fish, duck, and pork, concentrating and

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enhancing their flavors and refining the textures. A big display near the restaurant’s entrance literally showcases the dry-aging process. Meyer uses regional producers whenever possible, such as beef from Perigo Hay & Cattle in Lund, near Ely. He uses his aged products in dishes (which change seasonally) such as salmon with citrus supremes and “everything” bagel chips; Corvus Farm’s duck breast with roasted butternut squash, plantains, chocolate mole, and mezcal beurre blanc; and certified Angus steaks. And 138° continues to evolve. As Meyer told Eater Vegas a few months ago, “We want to be the only ones who have what we have in Las Vegas.” — HKR

Hall of Fame

Sen of Japan

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For almost two decades, Sen of Japan has been a west-end stalwart. Opening at a time when Japanese options were primarily limited to AYCE sushi joints and chain teppanyaki — long before the local Japanese restaurant invasion heralded by the James Beard-nominated Raku and the subsequent advent of edomae-style sushi places and kaiseki venues — Sen has been a consistent purveyor of both sushi and other Japanese dishes. Shinji Shinchiri and Hiro Nakano founded Sen after stints with Strip and Strip-adjacent venues: Shinji-san at Shintaro — Bellagio’s opening sushi restaurant, which has since transformed to Yellowtail — and Hiro-san as head chef of Nobu Las Vegas at the Hard Rock Hotel. Nobu’s influence on the menu was clear in dishes such as buttery black cod soy lettuce wraps, a must-order to this day. But Sen has progressed well beyond the shadow of Nobu. Garlic yellowtail with yuzu soy delivers sweet and heat, while Japanese eggplant with miso sauce explodes with umami. Airy tempura selections are served from the kitchen alongside smoky kushiyaki. And then there’s the star, a meticulous sushi selection conducted masterfully by Shinji-san himself. To experience Sen’s sushi bar, omakase — Japanese for “I’ll leave it up to you” — is best, leaving the choices in the hands of their capable chefs. You’ll likely (hopefully!) receive Japanese snapper two-way — an ethereal edition with lemon juice, shiso, and a dash of salt alongside a more-savory rendition in a red wine reduction — and seared ocean trout with spicy ponzu, melding fattiness and smokiness, among others. And for regulars, there are off-menu options galore, some of which I dare not speak of for fear of getting expelled from the fraternity. Regardless of what you get, Shinji-san’s mixture of flavors and textures, complementing the myriad fresh fish without overwhelming them, is a study in subtlety. My strongly held sentiment is the depth and diversity of our Japanese culinary scene is unparalleled outside Japan itself. Sen of Japan remains at the forefront of this scene, a must-visit even as its peers proliferate. — JB

Selections, including sushi, from the omakase menu at Sen of Japan

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2023 Bar Awards

The finest libations, lounges, and Lambruscos in Las Vegas now By Lissa Townsend Rodgers

BEST COCKTAIL LOUNGE

The Chandelier

The Chandelier is three stories and millions of crystals’ worth of glitter: The contents of one’s glass are equally dazzling. Andrew Pollard’s multitiered cocktail menu blends the flashy and the elegant in one shimmering shaker. The menu features sophisticated twists on classics, such as the old fashioned and the gin and tonic, as well as exotic flavors such as bergamot. Drinks also come with Vegas-style flourishes — puffs of smoke, clouds of foam, or chocolate cigars. cosmopolitanlasvegas.com/ lounges-bars/the-chandelier BEST BEER

S E N : M I C H A E L R U D I N ; C H A N D E L I E R C O U R T E S Y C O S M O P O L I TA N O F L A S V E G A S ; TRIPLE DOWN COURTESY PUNK ROCK MUSEUM

The Silver Stamp

This downtown watering hole has only been open for two years, but already feels like an institution. The wood panel walls lined with vintage beer cans, array of Budweiser Clydesdale figurines, and Miller Lite mirrors create a throwback rec room vibe, but the beer selection features the newest brews. From Belgian Tripel to smoked beer, farmhouse saison to imperial stout, it’s all in Rose Signor and Andrew Smith’s carefully curated bottles and taps. Friendly bartenders and suburban-excess Halloween/Christmas decor are the icing on the cake — or, more appropriately, the froth on the pint. silverstamplv.com

by the glass and two or three hundred more by the bottle, at a wide range of varieties and price points. Choose from Pinot Noirs, Rieslings, and Champagnes and, while you can splash out more than $400 on a 2015 Remoissenet Père & Fils Bâtard Montrachet Grand Cru Chardonnay, most bottles are in the double digits. Garagiste also offers a thoughtful selection of craft beers, as well as cheese and charcuterie plates. garagistelv.com BEST SPORTS BAR

Sporting Life Bar

With one NHL trophy and two WNBA championships, Las Vegas sports fans have plenty to raise a toast to and plenty of places to do it. Sporting Life Bar is as comfortable during a packed playoff watch party as it is during the preseason chill, when sparser crowds nurse their beverages in relative calm. The game is visible from anywhere because of the bar’s 24 60-inch screens, and a bar top made from the hardwood of an old basketball court adds authentic flair. The menu of

BEST WINE BAR

Garagiste Wine Room

With its relaxed vibe and industrial decor, Garagiste may not seem like a James Beard nominee — until you open the wine list. It includes around three dozen selections

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burgers, nachos, and wings is expected but unexpectedly well done. sportinglifebar.com BEST THEME BAR

The Golden Tiki

Excessive themes used to be a big part of Las Vegas casinos, from the Dunes’ Arabian Nights to Vegas World’s space fantasy. Today, bars fill that adult-Disneyland niche, and no one does it better than The Golden Tiki, which serves throwback Polynesian paradise alongside your Banana Batida or Piranha Punch. Enter through a pirate’s cave, order a rum drink at the thatched-roof bar topped with celebrity shrunken heads and a foulmouthed animatronic parrot, then lounge in a booth while enjoying entertainment ranging from exotica DJs to Dean Martin impersonators. thegoldentiki.com BEST NEW BAR

Triple Down

There may be nothing less punk rock than a museum bar pushing themed drinks for tourists, but the Triple Down manages to combine accessibility and credibility with a sticker-studded, dimlylit atmosphere and drinks served in Pringles cans. An annex of the Punk Rock Museum and an offshoot of Vegas’ legendary dive, the Double Down Saloon, the Triple Down isn’t just a place to stop after viewing the exhibits, but also has its own entrance and its own happy hours, trivia nights, guest DJs and even birthday parties for punk legends, complete with cake and candles. thepunkrockmuseum.com/the-tripledown-bar

Strip Restaurant of the Year

Matteo’s Ristorante Italiano

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Even with Matteo’s impeccable pedigree, its success was hardly assured. When it first opened on New Year’s Eve 2018, it was called The Factory Kitchen — after its namesake in Southern California — a name compelling but confusing to anyone who didn’t live within a mile of downtown Los Angeles. Then co-owner Matteo Ferdinandi lent his name to the proceedings, and it came storming back as a contender for the best Italian in town, with a menu as bold and ambitious

as any on the Strip. Four years on, it now thrives on Restaurant Row in the Venetian/ Palazzo, offering a culinary tour of Italy that will open your eyes to the possibilities of real Italian food. Guiding you from Sicily to the Cinque Terre is a team of restaurant veterans who have been setting the standard for this cuisine for decades. Chef Angelo Auriana spent years helming the kitchen at Valentino in Santa Monica. He and Ferdinandi had the good sense to tap two Las Vegas virtuosos — Eduardo Pérez and Paulo Duran — to manage the back and front of the house. Guatemalan Perez is a pasta master who had worked his way up from dishwasher to running the kitchens of Spago. (You might

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recognize him from a national Modelo beer commercial.) Duran has been charming Las Vegas customers since his days at B&B Ristorante. Put all four of them in the same room, and you have a powerhouse of talent presenting authentic, highly refined cooking in a casual space, which is as far from chicken parm as Naples is from Nashville. That they do so at a reasonable price point, in a comfortable space (that feels cozier than its size belies), with a nice bar, and thoughtful, gently priced wine list, is incredible. At a time when the Strip feels ever more corporate and unfeeling, Matteo’s represents something in short supply: a restaurant where Italian aficionados can feel right at home. — JC

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M AT T E O ' S C O U R T E S Y V E N E T I A N ; P O LY C A R P E C O U R T E S Y 1 2 2 8 M A I N

Mateo’s Ristorante Italiano's Peperú and calamarata pasta Italiano

Pastry Chef of the Year

Sébastien Polycarpe

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Celebrity chefs may abound, but those laminating puff pastry or kneading dough in the wee hours largely go unnoticed by customers swooning over crispy baguettes, butter-rich croissants, and impeccably decorated fruit tarts. Sébastien Polycarpe is no stranger to both worlds — having worked below decks as assistant executive pastry chef for Caesars Palace, as well as in the spotlight of such luminaries as Alain Ducasse and Guy Savoy. A native of southwest France, he spent almost 10 years at Caesars before joining the Wolfgang Puck galaxy of pastry and savory superstars. He doesn’t think of himself as a revolutionary, but with the opening of 1228 Main earlier this year in downtown Las Vegas, he and his pastry team have transformed the Arts District into a mecca for lovers of all things buttered, caked, and baked. Having someone with Polycarpe’s résumé pushing out world-class pain au chocolat, cheese Danish, and cherry-walnut bread daily is one thing; having him and Puck executive pastry chef Kamel Guechida (a former Pastry Chef of the Year) patrolling the ovens is like having your lemon-olive oil cake and eating it, too. Between them, they’ve raised the pastry bar Downtown, and there’s no going back. “We couldn’t have done something like this 10 years ago,” he says, “but the local food scene has really changed for the best.” A decade ago, one couldn’t imagine a veteran of the world’s greatest French restaurants rolling out mille-feuille and spackling sumptuous cakes on Main Street, but there Polycarpe is every morning, plying his tradecraft in full view of appreciative, salivating customers, anonymous no more. — JC

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Barry’s Downtown Prime

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Vintage Vegas glamour ranges from wild to whimsical. It’s part of what makes our town special. At Barry’s Downtown Prime, you get both. You can gulp down a madeira poured through a bone marrow luge, or you can toast a marshmallow on a mini flame offered with tableside campfire s’mores. Although the massive space greets the diner with glitzy gold accents and red velvet opulence, the service is unpretentious. From entrance to exit, you’ll feel like a VIP next to some serious VIPs. On any night, you might see an ex-president or a heavyweight fighter, even a recent Stanley Cup champion. And although you might not be an Oscar winner, a manager or even one of the four owners will touch your table at some point, say hello, and hand you a glass of bubbly. Two of the owners, chef Barry Dakake and Yassine Lyoubi, were a key part of the original

Palms’ N9NE Steakhouse, a superstar restaurant that feted the biggest celebrities and most beautiful people of the time. They’ve re-created that “see and be seen” space at their Circa spot, but in this version, the hospitality is also hyperlocal. They get frequent repeat guests and host industry people regularly because they remember you and what you like. “Our sequence of service is written and followed in a way to anticipate our guests’ every need,” Lyoubi says. “All while making them feel at home.” The servers and food runners are always scanning the tables, looking for any signal that you may need another pour of wine or another side of their decadent lobster mac ‘n’ cheese. It’s service with a sense of urgency, but not oversolicitous. And that’s the kind of nuance that only seasoned hospitality professionals understand. There are probably too many steakhouses in Las Vegas, but crave-worthy meat, OG elegance, and a welcoming local vibe only converge at this one. – LBM

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BARRY'S: COURTESY CIRCA; NAXOS: ANTHONY M A I R / C O U R T E S Y S TAT I O N C A S I N O S

Excellence in Service and Management

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New Restaurant of the Year

Naxos Taverna

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A selection of traditional Mediterranean dips at Naxos Taverna

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This strip of desert we call our home may be worlds away from a Greek island on the Aegean Sea, but luckily for us, chef Mark Andelbradt has chosen to dock Naxos Taverna at Red Rock Resort, giving us an ocean’s bounty of fresh seafood and more. The restaurant, set off a bit from the casino floor, has a cool coastal vibe, with soft blue lighting, exposed beams with greenery, and a counter where you can watch all the chef action. While the interiors are lovely, it’s truly the food that transports you to the Greek isle of your dreams and where Andelbradt was inspired by the simplicity of the cuisine. “It’s your mom’s cooking, it’s your grandmother’s cooking, with ingredients that come locally in their own backyard,” he says. Here, you’ll find that in the presentation of the fish, the freshest catch flown in daily from around the world, simply grilled over charcoal and served with lemon and sea salt or steamed in a salt bake. Undergirding everything is top-quality olive oil, which the chef sources himself from Greece. Even before you get to that showstopping head-on, bone-in whole-fish presentation, Naxos’ menu is built around the conviviality of the Sunday supper. Everything is made to share, from the dips to the outstanding small plates such as the kataiﬁ-wrapped prawns, charred Spanish octopus, and those irresistible zucchini and eggplant chips. The salads — from beet and fennel to the classic Greek — are a showcase on their own, or as an accompaniment to seafood- and meat-forward mains. For us desert denizens parched for the coolness of an ocean breeze, Naxos Taverna is a refreshing addition to our culinary scene. Let’s raise a glass of Greek wine or a tsipouro cocktail to that. — GD

James Trees

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There have been years when this category was hotly contested, but this time it was a no-brainer. No single chef has made a bigger impact on the local dining scene than James Trees. And no one is continuing to push the envelope like Las Vegas’ own prodigal chef, who returned to the fold, after decades of working in the world’s greatest kitchens, to kick-start Downtown’s restaurant revolution. Not content with resting on his laurels after the success of the white-hot Esther’s Kitchen, he has continued to look for additional mountains to climb and, against all odds, conquered multiple challenges in the past few years, setting a new standard for excellence in the process. Coming on the heels of Esther’s triumph (surviving, even thriving through COVID), many thought Trees foolish for taking his talents to Tivoli Village. But Al Solito Posto single-handedly resuscitated the dining scene in a shopping center previously known more for restaurant roulette than a proper cacio e pepe. Neck and neck with Al Solito Posto’s accomplishments has been the resurgence of Ada’s Food + Wine — mere steps away, and an underrated restaurant in its own right — one oeno-

philes have taken to like a fat cat to a California cab. If these weren’t enough to keep him busy, Trees’ plate also holds plans to open two new places in the Arts District (one a French bistro, the other concept still on the drawing board, but certain to reset the paradigm for what it means to dine Downtown). And did we mention all of this is taking place as Esther’s gets ready to move into bigger/better digs just a few feet from its current location?

Taken together, you have not only Las Vegas’ busiest but also its most influential chef. Not bad for a kid who started out as a teenager working in the Mirage before heading to the Culinary Institute of America, and then honing his craft under the tutelage of everyone from Heston Blumenthal to Michael Mina. In an industry fraught with failure, Trees stands as a testament to moving through the ranks until you have the chance to do things your way, and then making the most of it. — JC

TREES: COURTESY ESTHER'S KITCHEN; AZZURRA: B R O N S O N LO F T I N / C O U R T E S Y A Z Z U R R A C U I N A

Chef of the Year

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Restaurant of the Year

Azzurra Cucina Italiana

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Windom Kimsey had a pretty straightforward — and eminently relatable — reason for opening Azzurra Cucina Italiana this year at 322 S. Water St. in Henderson. An early adopter of downtown Henderson redevelopment, Kimsey had moved to Water Street and was looking for a place to eat. And Kimsey knew what he was looking for. As he developed plans for the restaurant, he brought in husband-and-wife team Alessandra Madeira, executive chef, and Walter Ciccone, general manager. They were behind the immensely successful Bratalian, which had been a local favorite on Eastern Avenue in Henderson, and before The that the New York legend Rao’s. pork chop agrodolce and “We didn’t start from zero,” other dishes Kimsey told Desert Companion a at Azzurra few months ago. “The menu is 90 Cucina percent the same as Bratalian. I’m most proud of the food.” That would include dishes such as Chef Alessandra’s Meatballs, made with veal, beef, pork, basil, and ricotta, topped with marinara sauce and basil oil; squid ink linguine frutti di mare, with clams, shrimp, scallops, calamari, and mussels in tomato sauce; and pork chop agrodolce, a double-cut frenched pork chop with mild cherry peppers in a white wine sauce. The interior is charming, with accents of blue and white and whimsical portraits painted by an artist in Italy and depicting Kimsey’s three dogs in Renaissance attire. Kimsey, who also owns Public Works Coffee Bar on Water Street, had originally conceived the space as a wine bar. But Azzurra has turned out to be the toughest table in the area, with people routinely lining up well before the 4 p.m. opening, Monday through Saturday. As for Kimsey, he may be just a little biased. “We need more places like this,” he says. — HKR

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PROMOTION

2023

Desert Companion magazine celebrated the Best of the City issue party at UnCommons this September with live entertainment, hors d’ouevres and drinks. Our event showcased Las Vegas’ most excellent people, food, places and experiences. A sincere thank you to everyone that came to celebrate! SPONSORED BY

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Even worse, they’re highly flammable and often the first to set seed after fires, so they set in motion a grass/fire cycle, wiping out whole ecosystems over time. Apart from directly causing tortoise mortality by fire, the loss of nutrition and water leads to a slow death by starvation and dehydration. This is especially common among juvenile tortoises, further reducing the breeding population. The latest USFWS Recovery Plan for the Mojave Population of the Desert Tortoise encompasses several management actions, among them restoring native perennials with nursery-grown plants (“outplanting”) and seeding; improving forage quality and quantity by removing invasive species, and limiting livestock and feral burro grazing; and restoring or conserving soil health by salvaging the upper layer from disturbed sites and then reapplying it, as well as avoiding or remediating soils contaminated with toxins such as mercury and arsenic. Spraying herbicides is an effective control of invasive plants, but “the BLM does not have the manpower to deal with the red brome outbreak, especially in places where there have been numerous fires,” Cunningham says. Instead, land managers themselves are the ones who spray herbicides, or they hire a licensed herbicide applicator, according to the USFWS’s Kristina Drake. Nellis plans to treat more than 6,000 acres of cheatgrass across part of its range to reduce fires caused by lightning strikes. Abella, his students, and staff at UNLV established eight restoration sites in the Nevada Mojave Desert and set up monitoring at another 18 sites on public lands where the land management agencies conducted restoration activities, such as outplanting nursery-grown, native desert plants. Most of these efforts began in 2006 and initiated a long-term research and monitoring effort. The bet-hedging approaches of applying a mixture of treatments to restore the habitat itself in ways favorable for plants are showing some of the best success, Abella says. Phased plantings and seedings across multiple years to spread out risk also has potential. ENDGAME

At twilight, Scooter still has not found shelter and is too dehydrated to dig her own burrow. As she struggles down a wash toward some boulders to spend the night, her motion catches the eye of a hungry coyote. It races toward her, feet barely touching the ground … When day breaks, ravens flock in to scavenge the carcass.

Desert tortoises suffer no shortage of predators in the modern world: coyotes, domestic dogs, kit foxes, badgers, bobcats and mountain lions, eagles and hawks, burrowing owls, ravens, fire ants, and, yes, humans. Some of these also eat tortoise eggs, as do Gila monsters, snakes, skunks, and rodents. By far, though, the most common predators in the Mojave Desert today are coyotes and ravens. Coyotes’ chief prey are rabbits and rodents such as the kangaroo rat and pocket mouse, but during droughts they will feed opportunistically on tortoises, including those that are disoriented at translocation release sites. Adult female tortoises, juveniles, and hatchlings are particularly vulnerable because they are smaller than adult males, and their shells are therefore easier for coyotes to grasp in their jaws and break. Predation of both genders is higher close to sites of human activity such as fast-food restaurants in desert towns, where there is an ample supply of discarded hamburgers, fries, and water to “subsidize” predators. Common ravens are intelligent, social, curious, and prolific, making them at least as dangerous to tortoises as coyotes, if not more so. Bill Boarman, formerly with the USGS and now chief scientist at Hardshell Labs, Inc., notes that ravens have been here at least since the late 1800s but in much lower numbers. The population began to increase in the 1960s in the northeast Mojave Desert, and lately in the western Mojave around Barstow, California. Asked how many there are today, he ballparks the number in the tens of thousands, 17 times what they were 40 years ago, primarily because they have been supported by waste, landfills, and artificial water sources. Favored nesting sites are utility poles and billboards. As the desert has been developed, ravens and coyotes have followed, attracted by easily available food sources in uncovered trash. Empty clamshell takeout boxes can attract ravens within 10 seconds of being dropped on the ground. And ravens are now responsible for 70 percent of juvenile tortoise deaths. Famous tortoise researcher A. Peter Woodman visited a single raven nest in the Mojave Desert over the course of four years and found more than 250 carcasses of juvenile tortoises beneath it in that time span. What’s being done to stop or reduce this? Boarman and his colleague at Hardshell Labs, Tim Shields, jointly won the USFWS 2002 Theodore Roosevelt Genius Prize for promoting nonlethal human-wildlife conflict, specifically for creating a no-fly zone for

nuisance birds. They discovered that ravens are very sensitive to laser light, and whole flocks immediately scatter when exposed to it. Boarman and Shields created other technological tools such as the Techno-Tort, a booby trap that also frightens ravens. Above ground is a lifelike, 3-D-printed tortoise shell. “I have fooled tortoise biologists with these things,” Shields says. It’s attached to a canister filled with methyl anthranilate, an artificial grape flavoring, and buried below ground level. When a raven touches the shell, it’s sprayed with the solution and immediately flies off. Both the Techno-Tort and lasers are methods of training ravens to avoid tortoises. Researchers have observed a significant reduction in attack rates where the Techno-Tort was deployed. A third plan of attack is remote egg-oiling in nests, now in wide use in desert tortoise habitats. Application of a thin layer of oil to a bird egg causes the embryo to die — simple in concept, but how to deliver it high up in nests on highway billboards and cell towers? Hardshell developed its Remote Fluid Application System, which is a Go-Pro camera mounted on a telescoping pole that enables coating and monitoring eggs 20-30 feet above the ground. Three utility companies in California currently allow Hardshell Labs to treat raven eggs on transmission towers and distribution poles. Drones can also deliver the oil to nests higher than 30 feet, such as on cliffs and rock faces. Boarman and Shields are working on crowd-sourcing nest locations to expand coverage across the Mojave Desert. It’s “kind of a bizarre version of an Easter egg hunt,” Shields says. HOPE ON THE HORIZON

On eviction day, conservation biologists had removed eight eggs from Scooter’s home burrow and carried them off to a laboratory for hatching. Over a year or more, they provided nutritious food and lots of water to the juveniles for rapid growth before releasing them into safe habitats. Scooter’s progeny live on to dig their burrows, feed, mate, and do their best to survive in their rapidly disappearing world. Headstarting is a conservation technique to raise young, endangered birds, reptiles, and mammals in captivity until they are able to survive in their natural habitats. The goal for desert tortoises is to accelerate growth of hatchlings to make them less vulnerable to predation, specifically to increase their size and harden their shell.

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Although this won’t guarantee survival if we don’t also correct habitat fragmentation and degradation, and manage subsidized predators, it certainly increases the odds. Professor Brian Todd in the Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology at the University of California, Davis, has conducted several experiments in headstarting with colleagues including the University of Georgia’s Tuberville and Kurt Buhlmann. After only two years of being raised both indoors and outdoors, juvenile tortoises can grow as large as six- to eight-year-old wild tortoises; within seven months they have reached the size of wild five- or six-year-olds. Todd and Tuberville help to supervise the Ivanpah Desert Tortoise Research Facility, built 12 years ago in the Mojave National Preserve by Chevron. Staff take X-rays of female tortoises; those with eggs are kept in burrows in protected enclosures for nesting and then returned to their home range afterward. Hatchlings are reared indoors for six to 12 months and fed a diet of chopped chard, dandelion and mustard greens, and tortoise meal supplemented with calcium five times a week. Just as important, they are given unlimited water because their smaller bladders cannot store very much of it at one time; during drought many juveniles in the wild die from desiccation. After indoor rearing, they are moved into outdoor, predator-proof enclosures with native plants and burrows for another six to 12 months before release into the Preserve with a radio-transmitter attached to their carapace so that their movements can be tracked for several years. “We prioritize the (release) sites where we know we can picture the future of those species that we care about,” Tuberville says. Military bases in the Mojave Desert have collaborated with the USGS, USFWS, and universities in headstarting, fencing, field surveys, predator-control, and/or translocations (sometimes requiring land purchases as mitigation). One of the first and most successful headstart programs began in 2002 at Edwards Air Force Base in California. In 2016, the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance (SDZWA) partnered with Edwards to begin a program there, following procedures similar to Ivanpah’s. Before 2022, hatchlings were raised in predator-proof, outdoor pens at Edwards. They are now transported to the Living Desert Zoo and Garden’s conservation unit in Palm Desert, California, curated by Luis Ramirez, where they’re raised indoors

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for six months and fed a super-diet. After that, they’re returned to outdoor pens at Edwards. The project there is supported by USFWS with additional funding from the National Science Foundation and the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation (of Microsoft fame). This fall, 70 tortoises hatched in 2022 were released, and the hatch rate is 89 percent, says Melissa Merrick, SDZWA’s associate director of recovery ecology. The alliance also has a program in predator-avoidance training for young tortoises using 3-D-printed tortoise decoys supplied by Hard Shell Labs. Meanwhile, the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center at Twentynine Palms instituted a headstart project in 2006 at its Tortoise Research and Captive Rearing Site, created in partnership with UCLA. Biologists attach radio-transmitters to tortoises at release for monitoring, followed by population surveys and behavioral observations across the entire tortoise population there. Since its inception, there has been almost 96 percent annual survivorship on site. A LITTLE RESPECT

With the rapid influx of new residents from across the nation to the Southwest, there’s a never-ending need to educate newcomers on the ancient, fragile desert environment, including the desert tortoise. Several organizations take on this daunting task. One is the Desert Research Institute with campuses in Las Vegas and Reno. Among the many programs it offers is the Desert Immersion Program, open to first- and second-year students at Nevada’s state and community colleges and supervised by Meghan Collins. Every fall since 2021, students who may not even be planning a career in science can apply to work one full day or two half-days a week on specific projects in different disciplines, mentored by staff members. This year, Tiffany Pereira, DRI associate research scientist, supervised two students, Akosua Fosu and Amelia Porter. They worked at Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument surveying 20 plots for signs of desert tortoises such as tracks, scat, burrows, and tortoises themselves. Their data will be useful in assessing the environmental impact of the proposed Greenlink West Transmission Line through Tule Springs. What they’ve learned about tortoises and science in general made such an impact that one of them wants to pursue veterinary science as a career.

In addition to monitoring roads and fences, the Tortoise Group functions as a broker for rehoming tortoises so they’re not irresponsibly released into the wild. The group gives talks in schools on request, sponsors symposia, and offers after-school and internship programs at the college level. With local veterinarians, it helps to organize free health clinics with microchipping. Volunteers are always needed. Most Las Vegas residents have heard of Mojave Max. Clark County manages the Desert Tortoise Conservation Program that hosts the annual Mojave Max Emergence Contest, in which elementary school students guess the day, hour, and minute when the celebrity tortoise will emerge from his Springs Preserve burrow after brumation (the reptilian/amphibian version of mammalian hibernation). To help their prediction, kids research desert temperatures and tortoise habits. The winner and his/her teacher each win a laptop computer, and classmates get free T-shirts. Another nonprofit advocacy group, Desert Tortoise Council, sponsors an annual symposium with a wide range of educational sessions. The next one is scheduled at South Point Hotel and Casino in February. The Council also offers introductory, advanced, and health assessment training courses for desert tortoise biologists. And besides their relocation and study efforts, military facilities hold annual environmental education programs for personnel. Edwards, Fort Irwin, and Nellis officials described a variety of community outreach programs they lead, from signage to school programs. The take-home messages of these programs are all the same: Dispose of trash in covered containers. Do not touch, harass, collect, kill, feed, or move desert tortoises unless they are in imminent danger; federal penalties for violations are fines of up to $50,000 and/or a year in jail. Do not release them into the wild. Report poaching. Spread the word in schools. Remain on roads and trails, and obey the speed limit and signage for tortoises. Look under your car and around the tires before you leave a desert habitat because tortoises seek shade. Get involved at the local level. Write letters, and take photographs of infractions, fence damage, and roadkills; all are powerful tools. Volunteer in tortoise conservation organizations. “It all comes down to care and respect,” LaRue says. “It’s a hard thing to teach people if they don’t already have it.” But these committed educators will keep trying, for the sake of Scooter’s progeny — as well as their own. ✦

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GASS PEAK

Got a high-clearance vehicle? If so, then you can bag this 7,000-footer in the winter sun

What’s the best Southern Nevada trail to hike in winter?” seems an innocuous question, but it ended in a newsroom fight: Arizona Hot Spring versus Gass Peak. You can see by the headline which side I was on, and here’s why: The last time I hiked Arizona Hot Spring, I saw tourists carrying their yard-longs and wearing flip-flops. That place has been discovered. For something with a higher barrier of entry, head to the Desert National Wildlife Refuge (DNWR) and get the best city view of any nearby mountain peak. TRAIL NAME: Gass Peak

The DNWR, about 30 miles from Las Vegas off U.S. 95, is not hidden, but still a gem that many miss out on due to the trails’ inaccessibility. (If you don’t have a high-clearance vehicle, you should still go, as the Corn Creek Visitor Center is very cool and has family-friendly walks.) Gass Peak is even more daunting because of its steep climbs and lack of shade, so this is not a summer hike. In cool weather, though? Perfect for adventurers.

BY Heidi Kyser

HOW TO GET THERE: From Corn Creek, turn

right onto Mormon Well Road, go a little more than four miles, and go right again on Gass Peak Road. The parking lot and trailhead are on the right, eight miles up.

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DISTANCE: 6.2 miles ELEVATION GAIN: 2,037 feet ANCESTRAL TERRITORY OF:

Southern Paiutes

CIVICS LESSON: The refuge is comanaged by

the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Department of Interior) and the U.S. Air Force (Department of Defense). Using the annually approved National Defense Authorization Act, the defense department has, a few times, sought to shift land out of public use and into its sole jurisdiction, so that the Air Force can use it for flight training maneuvers. The most recent attempt resulted in pending compromise legislation, proposed by two Nevada senators. If approved, it would provide wilderness protection for the public side of the refuge. TREAD LIGHTLY: The DNWR was established

to protect desert bighorn sheep, but it’s home to hundreds of other species of plants and animals, including the Desert Tortoise (see p. 70), Joshua Tree, Golden Eagle, Greater Roadrunner, and Pahrump Poolfish (which you can see at Corn Creek). While on the trail, look for the Blue Diamond Cholla, Southern Nevada’s endemic, rare cactus. ✦

P H O T O : K R I S T E N D E S I LV A

“

Take a Hike!

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CA L L , VISIT A SH OWRO O M , O R FI ND U S O NLI NE TO SC HEDUL E YOU R COM PL IMENTARY DESIGN C O NSU LTAT I O N

Las Vegas Downtown Summerlin

800.274.6754

7350 Dean Martin Ave 1825 Festival Plaza, Suite 170

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HOLIDAY DATES ADDED

the sphere experience

for showtimes and tickets, visit thesphere.com

Show schedule subject to change. Accessible and companion seats are available via the Disabled Services Department at 725-258-6724.