10 OCTOBER
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the
N E VA D A LEGAL EASE
MEET THE VALLEY’S TOP LAWYERS
IT TAKES AACOTTAGE rural town’s artsy rebirth
TRICKLEDOWN THEORY
Water-smart tech, on sale now
in
HISTORY
of
*
OBJECTS
*
MAY CONTAIN:
flamingos, bullets,
poker chips, roof tiles, boat costumes, imploded casino chunks, miner’s gear, and a very bright pair of shoes.
NUKE KID ON THE BLOCK
My crisis of conscience at the test site
THURSDAY OCT. 9TH
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ToP RAnKEd JudgEs* Judge Bob Teuton was vetted by the Judicial Selection Commission and appointed by the Governor in 2008. He was first elected in 2010. Practicing attorneys gave him an 81% retention rating in the LVRJ 2013 poll of attorneys, the 4rth highest ranking of all District and Family Court Judges. He began practicing law as a criminal JudgE prosecutor in 1978 and left the office in 2008 as Assistant District Attorney BoB TEuTon over the Family Support and Juvenile Divisions to serve as Judge. Selected by his peers and assigned by the Chief Judge to handle child abuse and neglect and termination of parental rights in 2012. He shares a caseload responsible for over 3,500 children, balancing the safety of children with the rights of parents to be free of unwarranted government intrusion. A resident since 1977 and, he and his wife, Sylvia, raised two children attending UNLV. Learn more about Judge Teuton, the attorneys, law enforcement and community organizations that have endorsed him, at www.ReElectJudgeTeuton.com
Judge Douglas Herndon has been the Clark County District Court Judge in Department 3 since 2005. one of the most experienced and respected judges on the bench, Judge Herndon has been recognized by his peers with the highest career retention rating of any judge on the November ballot. over the last several years, Judge JudgE Herndon has spent the most time in douglAs HERndon jury trials amongst all District Court Judges. Currently he serves as Chief Presiding Criminal Judge for the District Court system. Judge Herndon is the overwhelming choice of our community, receiving the endorsement of all major organizations including law enforcement, working families, and veterans. Before serving on the bench, Judge Herndon spent 14 years as a Prosecutor, including serving as head of the Special Victims Unit. Married with two daughters, Judge Herndon is involved with many local non-profit organizations, such as the Rape Crisis Center, and frequently lectures at UNLV. To learn more about Judge Herndon, visit his website at www.judgeherndon.com or find him on Facebook.
Art Ritchie was appointed to the district court by Governor Kenny Guinn in 1999, and was retained by election in 2000, 2002 and 2008. Judge Ritchie was the chief judge of the district court, and the presiding judge of the family division. During his fourteen years on the bench, Art Ritchie has received excellent ratings JudgE of 93% in 2000, and 85% in 2013, ART RITCHIE in Judicial Performance Evaluations. Art Ritchie served as a member of the Nevada Standing Committee on Judicial Ethics and was President of the District Judges’ Association. Judge Ritchie managed the Monaco Middle School Truancy Diversion Court, and he received the Pro Bono Award for Judicial Excellence in 2008. Art Ritchie graduated from the University of Virginia with a Bachelors of Arts degree in English, and earned his Juris Doctor from George Mason University School of Law. Judge Ritchie resides in Henderson with his wife, Jody, and their two sons. Judge Ritchie has participated as a manager of local baseball programs for more than twenty years. More information at: www.judgeritchie2014.com
Judge Jerry Tao was appointed to the District Court in January 2011 by Governor Brian Sandoval, and won a retention election in 2012. He was Governor Sandoval’s first judicial appointment, and earned a rating of 86% in the 2013 LVRJ attorneys’ poll, which is the fourth-highest score among the 32 judges in the civilJudgE criminal division of the District Court; in fact, Judge Tao is the highest-rated JERRY TAo judge on the ballot this year. Prior to being appointed to the bench, Judge Tao served as a criminal prosecutor in the Clark County District Attorney’s office; Chief Deputy in the Public Defender’s office; civil trial attorney; and senior aide to U.S. Senator Harry Reid. Jerry Tao is the first Asian-American in Nevada history to serve as a civil-criminal District Court Judge. Judge Tao has been endorsed by every law enforcement group in southern Nevada; the Clark County Medical Society; Clark County Firefighters; and numerous other organizations. www.JerryTao.com
*THESE JUDGES ARE THE ToP RATED DiSTRiCT AND FAMiLy CoURT JUDGES oN THE NoVEMBER BALLoT ACCoRDiNG To THE 2013 LVRJ JUDiCiAL PERFoRMANCE PoLL oF PRACTiCiNG ATToRNEyS. THE JUDGES HAVE EqUALLy CoNTRiBUTED To THE CoST oF THiS ADVERTiSEMENT AND ARE NoT SUPPoRTiNG oR ENDoRSiNG ANy CANDiDATE oTHER THAN THEMSELVES AS iNDiViDUALS.
UNITED FOR A FUTURE WITHOUT BREAST CANCER
Anne Larson
Diagnosis: Breast Cancer
One out of eight women will face breast cancer in her lifetime. Which means one out of eight wives, sisters, aunts, daughters and mothers will be stricken. When breast cancer strikes one of us, whole families suffer. This is why all of the medical oncologists, radiation oncologists and breast surgery specialists at Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada are dedicated supporters of Susan G. Komen for the CureŽ, whose tireless efforts and groundbreaking research are making a future without breast cancer more of a possibility than ever before. In addition to supporting organizations like Susan G. Komen for the Cure, Comprehensive is also practicing healing edge medicine through our affiliations with UCLA and The US Oncology Network, which gives us access to the latest innovations in cancer treatment therapies as they are developed. These emerging treatments, along with our ever-increasing body of medical knowledge, benefits every breast cancer patient we treat — more than 6,000 women every year. But to end breast cancer once and for all, it will take a united effort from all of us. Think of the eight women who matter most in your life. Imagine one of them with breast cancer, and you can begin to feel the urgency of this mission. Ask your doctor about Comprehensive. Visit cccnevada.com for more information or call 702.952.3350 to schedule an appointment today.
Partners in Healing
EDiTOR’S Note
Silver state of mind
W
ith all the chatter about Nevada’s sesquicentennial, you’ve probably got the pronunciation nailed by now, but just in case: sess-kwi-sen-TEN-ee-uhl. (Hm, for no particular reason, here in the office, we’ve fallen into calling it the “sasquatchitennial.” Anyway.) Nevada became a state 150 years ago this month. Actually, it’s kind of a feelgood origin story. Nevada was shepherded into the Union for decidedly political ends, sure, but noble ones: to help President Abraham Lincoln garner a crucial re-election and to boost support for the passage of the 13th Amendment, which abolished slavery. (Who’d’ve thought that our state was once aligned with enlightened social causes? Sigh.) Now is as good a time as any to bone up on Nevada history; it strengthens your psychic footing and steels your sense of place. A few recommended books, one new, one oldish. The new: Nevada: 150 Years in the Silver State, which serves both as a historical primer on Nevada and a crunchy grab-bag of personal essays, thinks and riffs on living in Nevada (I contributed one). The oldish: When I’m looking to séance with the mighty personalities of the state’s past, I still grab The First 100: Portraits of the Men and Women Who Shaped Nevada off the shelf. But history can be dry. That’s one reason we put together our own, slightly different celebration of the sesquicentennial, “The History of Nevada in 25 Objects.” Helmed by Scott Dickensheets, our feature (p. 48) culls the collective brainpower of numerous Nevada historians (Michael Green, EuNext MOnth gene Moehring, Dennis McBride, Claytee White, Geoff Schumacher, Mark ’Tis the season ... Hall-Patton, to name a few) to boil down for our Nevada’s 150 years into the everyday holiday items and objects through which that guide! history lives. In this virtual exhibit, our
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point of departure is the vivid thing rather than the dry fact, the concrete curiosities that resurrect those rote textbook dates. Among those curiosities: an outlandish showboat costume that snapshots a lively era of Las Vegas entertainment; a miner’s helmet that illuminated the subterranean depths; Liberace’s punishingly glittery pumps that aren’t so much shoes as small, wearable spaceships. If you love history, this is a compelling visual primer for diving in and familiarizing yourself with the broad motifs and big currents of Nevada history: mining, the dam, entertainment, the gaming industry. Underlining it all is a tireless pioneering spirit. This issue also includes a bit of personal history in the piece, “The radioactive activist” (p. 58). This memoiressay by test site bomb mechanic Mike Kirby captures a knotty and troubled period of Nevada history — one that’s all too often wrapped in the snuggie of nationalist nostalgia: Nevada’s vital role in the arms race. After seeing up close and personal the power of the atomic bomb — and the alarmingly lax safety precautions — Kirby has a crisis of conscience that impels him to take a shocking step to express his opposition to America’s nuclear testing and stockpiling campaign. And then there’s personalized history in our travel piece about Ely (p. 36), where a spontaneous preservation movement took root to save some old railroad cottages — and quickly blossomed into a community-wide renaissance. Whether it’s reflected in classic Vegas glitz, our nuclear past or an appreciation — and restoration — of the rural history that nourishes Nevada’s identity beyond the neon halo, our sesquicentennial marks an opportunity to celebrate the many facets of Nevada. Andrew Kiraly editor
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October 2014
1
Pop quiz! Which of the following comments relates to a poem that appeared on Desert Companion’s blog? (A) “A kiss can change anything.” (Jo Thompson Strong) (B) “Wow, that was pure poetry in motion.” (Tony Daniel) (C) “There are many kinds of poetry. Jerry is a poet.” (Pat Healy) (D) “Yeah, but did you hear that there’s naked pictures of Kirsten Dunst online?!” (Dany Panda) If you guessed (D), you’re probably a hormonal 14-year-old boy. Otherwise, the correct answer is (A). As blog readers have noticed, we’ve begun running poetry on (most) Wednesdays, and Ms. Strong responded favorably to a line in Paul Sacksteder’s “A Couple Purchases a House in the Suburbs.” “Love your work,” she adds. As do we. See more Wednesday poems at desertcompanion. com/Wednesday_Poem.cfm, and, as the spotted cows say in those ads, Eat Mor Pomes. Meanwhile, comments (B) and (C) were Facebooked in response to Barry Friedman’s September profile of sportswriter Jerry Izenberg, a legend for 50 years and a Hendersonian for seven. Ace R-J sportswriter Ron Kantowski joined in by email: “Jerry has a million stories. Plus, the man still can write. At age 84, he hasn’t lost anything off his fastball …” Facebooker Dave Robinson adds, “Jealous that you got to spend so much quality time with one of our heroes ...” We asked Friedman to reflect on that. “Having lunch with Jerry Izenberg has always been on my bucket list,” he tells us. “Had I known he was going to pick up the check, it would have cracked the Top Ten.”
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course, I will be forced to ridicule you.” Kelly: “Misti is asking terrific openended questions about who we really are and what kind of institution best serves us. An unwillingness to consider questions, to ask these questions, is dangerous and fearful. ... If we ask these kinds of questions and are confident enough to question, period, then perhaps we can create a new kind of institutional model that more accurately reflects the boldSINATRA Saturday, September 20 ness and idiosyncrasy of this wild and wonderful place.” Artist David Sanchez Burr, suggesting a museum miles out into the Paint it lack evocative Southwestern landscape: “W “To me it seems futile to grow a museum in front of the spectacle … better to build something further away that can be an ode to the region in a different Also in September, writer Misti way … a beacon for contemplation and Yang essayed about Las Vegas and wonder.” art museums. Her provocative Arts consultant Michele Quinn: thesis question: Would a traditional mu- “There are many counterpoints that seum really be relevant to Las Vegas, or weaken Ms. Yang’s discussion” — inwould we be better served by something cluding Yang’s reference to the outmodmore temporary and ever-changing, á la ed Learning From Las Vegas as a source Burning Man? It prompted a lively de- of ideas; invoking Burning Man, which bate when Neon Museum boss Danielle “has no place in any real discussion of Kelly posted the piece on her Facebook art”; and “most importantly — I cannot page. A sampling: entertain any discourse on this subject Barrick Museum Director Aurore that quotes ‘Joe the Bartender’ as a culGiguet: “I would love a large traditional tural resource and arbiter of taste. Are art institution in Las Vegas but I don’t these the new ‘tastemakers’?? If so, God think it’s a sustainable model (at least help us!” at this time) and reflective of the city “Las Vegas provides an opportunity to itself.” tell a new story about how people build Artist Jw Caldwell: “I’m a nerd. I a great city,” Misti emailed us after the like museums. I wish we had more. … If debate cooled. “Of course, that story you speak out against museums, I will can’t be told without a narrative or withautomatically disagree with you. If you out discussion, so I am happy that the no longer have faith in cultural institu- questions I posed about museums have tions, and offer Burning Man as your re- sparked something.” As for (D), that was one reader’s way of mocking society’s backward priorities — it was tagged to our September report on the school district’s difficulty attracting teachers. You haven’t lost anything off your fastball, either, improbably named Dany Panda!
ALL THINGS
open topic forum
C U LT U R E
Every great city deserves a museum, right? Maybe not. Maybe Las Vegas is a post-museum city B Y M I S T I YA N G
hat will happen to the Strip when the tastemakers take over?” This is a question Robert Venturi, Denise Scott Brown and Steven Izenour asked in their seminal 1972 book, Learning From Las Vegas. They delighted in the everyman practicality of our city’s architecture and spirit — majestic, but somehow forthright, neon signs, the low-slung Stardust, the original Caesars Palace flanked by a sea of cars. They feared the day this all might be lost. Recently, tastemaking in the form of curation has taken permanent root, from The Smith Center to CityCenter, and now there is the possibility of The Modern, a proposed downtown art museum. The only museum I’ve ever paid to visit in Las Vegas is the Liberace Museum. I gave tours of the Boneyard when I first moved to town. I never made it to the Erotic
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Heritage Museum, and I moved to town long after the Las Vegas Art Museum and Guggenheim(s) closed. Regardless of their subject matter, they shared the same fate. Art (and apparently sex) in sacred institutions doesn’t fly here. Even Joe, my go-to bartender at the Gold Spike, knows: “In Vegas, museums don’t work.” So why do we think we need another one? Maybe it’s because we somehow feel like less of a city. It is easy to say, “Great cities have museums,” and then conclude that Vegas must have more, but this is a simple case of false cause, or, as Denise Scott Brown might mutter, “cargo cult.” In 2009 I visited Frank Gehry’s Lou Ruvo Center alongside her, and when asked what she thought of Gehry’s creation, she said just that: “It’s a cargo cult.” The original cargo cults were created by islanders. They built makeshift runways and enacted rituals in hopes that one of the airplanes they saw flying over would bring them the wealth they presumed was being delivered elsewhere. When Scott Brown saw Gehry’s misshapen metal, this was her instant assessment. Vegas had constructed a totem to attract greatness, and, as with the original cargo cults, she knew this offering was misguided. It may be easy to understand why locals long for museums, because at their most successful they can inspire, inform and shape a community. But could it be that a community determines what a successful “museum” is, not that a museum makes a successful community? Cities that were shaped and formed during modernity evolved naturally into having museums. Rich people collected coveted items, donated them to institutions and when the institutions opened to the people, it was hoped that the experience would refine, educate and inspire the average (and below-average) citizen. In Britain, upon the opening of the first public museum, there was great concern that the unruly masses would break the exhibits. The draw was largely curiosity, and perhaps a hope that that
I L LU S T R AT I O N B R E N T H O L M E S
Las Vegas is pure festival, and it’s worked pretty well. Why would we want to run counter to the energies that make Las Vegas special?
richness was somehow contagious. I can’t help consider the parallels to Steve Wynn and the lines that waited to see his private art collection when the Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art first opened. Vegas, by contrast, came of age differently. Our patrons arrived flush with cash, not seeking things to stash in cabinets. Instead, they wanted to build something from the nothing of desert sand, test the strength of their bravado and outrun history (and often the law). Las Vegas is a question mark. We don’t offer clear answers. We don’t seek to reform our guests. The museum was offered in stark contrast to the festival, but Las Vegas is pure festival, and it’s worked pretty well. Why would we want to run counter to the energies that make Las Vegas special? Instead of running backwards to erect the markers of antiquated cities, let’s ask smarter questions. The first question: What has worked here? The answer could include the Neon Museum, an organization that has flourished by celebrating the mythos of Las Vegas. People love the story that Las Vegas has to tell, and any museum, art or otherwise, that starts from the presumption that the institution will refine or improve that story will fail. Las Vegas may or may not be many things, but we are definitely wary of outsiders who presume they know what will make us better, smarter or more respectable. The second question: What do we already have? When thinking about a new art museum, we don’t have many hallowed collections to house, but we do have a community of artists who thrive on Vegas. We also have local galleries, and surprise: a local art museum with an agreement to house and display the former Las Vegas Art Museum’s collection, the Marjorie Barrick Museum at UNLV. The third question: What would a uniquely Vegas museum look like? And when we ask this question, we should throw up a tent and drink until dawn, because this is the question we should celebrate with the full force of our story,
not the story of other cities and long unquestioned ideas of city-building. Indeed, perhaps culture, science, nature — the litany of subjects that can be contained in a museum — have outlived such institutions, and perhaps Las Vegas is the perfect city to test that hypothesis. As museum theorists from London to Perth question whether “museums” still work, Eilean Hooper-Greenhill, a prominent museum-studies scholar, proposes a post-museum. That is, an organization that reflects, encourages and captures collective experiences. In Museums and the Interpretation of Visual Culture, she writes, “Where the tangible material objects of a cultural group have largely been destroyed, it is the memories, songs and cultural traditions that embody that culture’s past and future.” In a city known for dynamiting what other cities would deem hallowed landmarks, this seems apropos. I’ve never attended Burning Man, but it is worth considering that Las Vegas has attracted a Burner community without even trying. The Burner community values experience, not permanence and white walls, and this value proposition feels right for Vegas. Instead of erecting a giant building, what if our next museum focused on cultivating artists, local and international, to create temporary structures filled with temporary installations, either at a fixed location or throughout the city? What if our next museum took a cue from local artist Justin Favela’s “The Mini Market,” a collaborative art installation and performance at his uncle’s actual mini market, El Porvenir, in North Las Vegas? By respecting what we do have — rich and singular perspectives informed by decades of formidable energy and relentless change — and what we don’t have — patience for burdensome ideologies and the buildings that house them — Las Vegas might actually create something new that will succeed — because it reflects what Venturi and Scott Brown knew in 1972: Tastemakers should never shape Las Vegas.
The Junior League of Las Vegas and the city of Las Vegas present
AN EVENING AT THE COPA: A CENTURY OF
Pre-Show: 6:30 p.m. Performance: 7:30 p.m. Historic Fifth Street School 401 S. Fourth St.
Narrated by New York Times Editor’s Choice author Tom Santopietro. Author of Sinatra in Hollywood.
Carnegie Hall Headliner Tony DeSare sings and plays the songs of Frank Sinatra. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. for dancing to Sinatra’s music played by the Las Vegas Downbeats,no-host cocktails, and a Sinatra Look-Alike Contest. After the performance, enjoy a night-cap at the historic Morelli House, hosted by the Junior League of Las Vegas.
Vintage Vegas night club attire encouraged!
Tickets: Free. Adults 21+. Limit two per person
or email account. Available starting September 2. Visit www.artslasvegas.org to obtain your tickets. call 702.822.6536 for more information. The Copa Connection Program Series is made possible by a grant from the Commission for the Las Vegas Centennial. SEPTEMBER 2014
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Features 48 pieces of our past
In the spirit of Nevada’s 150th year of statehood — have you learned to pronounce “sesquicentennial” yet? — we’ve gathered 25 objects that tell the story of this city and state.
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58 radioactive activist
Mike Kirby worked at the Nevada Test Site for years — until finally he told his bosses he’d had enough. “You write a good memo,” he says in this memoir, “and there’s no taking it back.”
64 lawyer up! Whatever your legal needs — criminal, employment, gaming, intellectual copyright and many other specialties — our list of 346 top attorneys will help you choose the right one.
F r o m t h e C o l l e c t i o n o f t h e N a t i o n a l A t o m i c T e s t i n g M u s e u m , L a s V e g a s , N V w w w. n a t i o n a l a t o m i c t e s t i n g m u s e u m . o r g
October 2014
“FANTASTICALLY
UNIQUE…
A THEATRICAL EXPERIENCE YOU
AND YOUR FAMILY WILL
NEVER FORGET”
– LONDON THEATRE
Photo by Anne Fishbein
N OVEM B ER 11
STEVE SOLOMON’S “My Mother’s Italian, My Father’s Jewish and I’m in Therapy” OCTOBER 29 – NOVEMBER 2
THE KINSEY SICKS in “America’s Next Top Bachelor Housewife Celebrity Hoarder Makeover Star Gone Wild!” NOVEMBER 20 – 23
An Evening with DAVID SEDARIS NOVEMBER 23
TICKETS STARTING AT $29 | FOR TICKETS VISIT THESMITHCENTER.COM 702.749.2000 | TTY: 800.326.6868 or dial 711 | 361 Symphony Park Avenue, Las Vegas, NV 89106
October 2014
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departments All Things
30 technology
41 Dining
86 The Guide
17 energy The sun also
Nevada tries to turn water scarcity into a surplus of business opportunity By Heidi Kyser
42 The Dish Red Rock
More culture than your phone’s calendar app can handle!
22 zeit bites Festival
36 travel
45 Eat this now
anticipation matrix
Ely isn’t the place you think it is By Lynn Davis
monetizes 20 Creative Hanging
with the Illiterati
24 outdoors Hiking (pant, pant) the (huff, huff ) Muddy Mountains 26 profile It’s cultural
preservation time 28 style How to get
your death face on
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Resort’s ambitious upscaling By Grace Bascos Grits! Gravy! Together in one great dish 46 First Bite Don’t
be dissuaded by the food in jars — Made L.V. is a Tivoli treat By Debbie Lee
96 End note Sitting in on a Tesla board meeting. Never mind the white cat. By Scott Dickensheets & Andrew Kiraly
on the cover A historic miner’s helmet Photography Christopher Smith
I l l i t E r a t i : B r e n t H o l m e s ; Sc i e n t i s t : C h r i s m o r r i s ; M u r a l a n d c h e e s e d i p : c h r i s t o p h e r s m i t h
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p u blis h e D B y n e vada p u blic radi o
Mission Statement Desert Companion is the premier city magazine that celebrates the pursuits, passions and aspirations of Southern Nevadans. With awardwinning lifestyle journalism and design, Desert Companion does more than inform and entertain. We spark dialogue, engage people and define the spirit of the Las Vegas Valley.
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BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND
OCTOBER 8-NOVEMBER 9 THE SMITH CENTER
HURRY FOR THE BEST SEATS The Smith Center Box Office – 361 Symphony Park Ave. TheSmithCenter.com • 702-749-2000 TTY 800-326-6868 or 711 • Groups 20+ 702-749-2348
Board of Directors Officers Susan malick Brennan chair Brennan Consulting Group, LLC cynthia alexander, ESQ. vice chair Snell & Wilmer TIM WONG treasurer Arcata Associates Florence M.E. Rogers secretary Nevada Public Radio
Directors kevin m. buckley First Real Estate Companies Dave Cabral emeritus Business Finance Corp. Louis Castle emeritus Patrick N. Chapin, Esq. emeritus Richard I. dreitzer, Esq. Wilson Elser Moskowitz Edelman & Dicker, LLP Elizabeth FRETWELL emeritus City of Las Vegas Jan Jones Blackhurst Caesars Entertainment Corporation John R. Klai II Klai Juba Wald Architects gavin isaacs Scientific Games Lamar Marchese president emeritus William mason Taylor International Corporation Chris Murray emeritus Avissa Corporation Jerry Nadal Cirque du Soleil William J. “Bill” Noonan emeritus Boyd Gaming Corporation kathe nylen Anthony j. pearl, esq. The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas MARK RICCiARDI, Esq. emeritus Fisher & Phillips, LLP Mickey Roemer emeritus Roemer Gaming
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14 A Day of the Dead look to die for page 28
show me the su nny!
Community
Power to the people Can rooftop solar open the door to personal energy independence in Nevada? Some sunny-minded pioneers hope to lead the way B y H e i d i K ys e r
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t’s 3 p.m. and 100 degrees on Michael Feder’s roof, where he makes a “Voila!” gesture indicating the large, flat expanse that will soon contain his own personal power plant. Ironically, the glare and heat prevent us from staying up on the exposed white surface for more than a minute before retreating back into his air-conditioned home, but it’s long enough to confirm Feder’s description of the spot as perfect for a rooftop solar array. The neighbors are pretty pumped about it, too. A group of Feder’s fellow Stone Canyon community residents, and some in sister community 22 Parkside, have banded together on a neighborhood solar project, encouraged by new leasing options that are making rooftop installations more accessible. They went with contractor SolarCity because they liked its offer — no money down, free installation, equipment insurance, lower energy bills and an option to buy the system back after five years — but the Solar Energy Industries Association counts more than two dozen installers doing business in Southern Nevada. These includes stalwarts, such as Bombard Renewable and Cooper Roofing, along with newcomers who, like San Mateo, California-based SolarCity, set up shop here following the passage of 2013 legislation designed to expand and accelerate distributed generation in the state. “The fact that SolarCity did everything, rather than subcontracting some services, and would take absolute responsibility for it was really attractive,” Feder says. “And
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tech
then, of course, the fact that Tesla and Elon Musk (chairman of SolarCity) are doing great things with battery technology assured me that, when we put the battery array in the garage (to store excess energy produced), it’s not going to blow up or burn my house down.” Working with the two homeowner associations, Feder got 10 households to join him. SolarCity gave each one a promo code for the group discount, and gave Feder $3,000 in referral fees, which he then split evenly among participants. Their installations are scheduled for mid- through late-September. The Stone Canyon-22 Parkside project symbolizes a fundamental shift in Nevadans’ relationship with their electricity. In 2013, the state’s homeowners installed 1.1 megawatts of solar capacity, more than twice the amount of the previous year. Increasingly affordable technology — and companies selling that technology — are putting the solar revolution within reach of the rest of us. The question is: Will the would-be revolution sizzle or fizzle?
Here comes the sun Converting to rooftop solar has many pros and few cons. The pros: It uses a renewable, locally abundant resource (Las Vegas is the third sunniest city in the U.S., according to one federal agency). It’s clean, silent and pollution-free. According to NV Energy, in one month, a 1-kilowatt system prevents 170 pounds of coal being burned, 300 pounds of CO2 being released and 105 gallons of water being consumed. These dovetail with the economic benefits: The rising solar energy industry is also expected to create jobs, from scientists and business owners to installers and administrators. But how would it benefit you? A lot of it depends on how you get your system and what the rules are. You can buy a system or lease one, like Feder and Cloud did. According to online consultancy SolarPowerRocks.com, the average cost for
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Sunny side up a solar glossary
Distributed generation.
Electricity creation on the customer’s side of the meter. Unlike centralized generation at a power plant, distributed generation is scattered among homes, businesses and other sites.
Federal solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC).
Thirty percent of the installation cost for residential and commercial properties that convert to solar energy by the end of 2016.
Net metering.
A billing method that allows customers to export excess energy from their site to the grid, with the utility that manages the grid giving them credit for what they produce. NV Energy currently gives customers a 1:1 credit. According to state law, up to 3 percent of NV Energy’s peak power can be made from net metering.
Rooftop solar.
A common example of distributed generation that involves placing solar photovoltaic panels on top of a structure to collect sunlight and convert it to electricity that is then used within that structure.
SolarGenerations.
NV Energy’s program for net metering credts and solar-installation incentives.
a Nevada homeowner to have a 5-kilowatt system installed is around $16,000, including deductions for incentives and tax credits. Based on our abundant sunshine, the website estimates, such a system would generate enough electricity to cut $78 from an average monthly power bill. At that rate, it would take 10 years to pay for itself. The homeowner gets a boost in property value, although he may also have to pay more for homeowner’s insurance. For people who can’t get past that huge price tag, there are many leasing options, in which the third-party owner such as SolarCity keeps the incentives and tax credits. But the greatest unknown is whether Big Energy will play nice. Perceiving a threat to their bottom lines, investor-owned utilities in several states have begun raising rates, rolling back incentives and lobbying to repeal laws encouraging rooftop solar. “The potential of this technology, this energy, is tremendous,” SolarCity spokesperson Jonathan Bass told “KNPR’s State of Nevada” in May. “It does pose a challenge to the polluting power sources of the past, and you’re starting to
see them fight back.” If such a fight was brewing in Nevada, it got doused with cold water in July, when the Public Utilities Commission published the results of a study concluding that distributed generation does not give rooftop solar customers a free ride on the utility’s infrastructure at other ratepayers’ expense, as investor-owned utilities argue. But there’s still plenty of time for a solar scrap. The PUC, which releases its own report this month, is considering creating a separate rate class for customers with rooftop solar, and benefits such as installation incentives and net metering remain vulnerable to challenge in the 2015 legislative session. But solar advocates are prepared. “Nevadans want to harness more of Nevada’s plentiful sunshine, and thousands have asked their leaders to protect their successful net metering program,” said Jessica Scott, interior west manager for the Vote Solar initiative, which says more than 4,300 citizens sent petitions to the state PUC last month urging support for the program. “We urge policymakers to keep the way clear for Nevadans to choose solar power.”
Most credit union members get started the same way – through a family member referral. And usually it’s a personal introduction. At Clark County Credit Union, we have some families who are on their fourth generation of membership. The reason? When you talk to someone at CCCU, or go in to see them at a branch, they will most likely know your dad, or sister, or a co-worker ...maybe even your grandparents. It’s that way because the tradition of service and personal connection has lasted and brings value to their accounts. Even with all the technology of the day at your fingertips, the personal touch at CCCU is still the thing that matters most. Money-saving advice about auto loans, guidance with mortgages, wise investments that are in your best interest. Your not-for-profit financial membership at CCCU will always benefit you, rather than some banking stockholder. Go ahead and decide. Will you take your daughter down to become a customer at a bank? Or will you help her become a member of something that will last a lifetime? Same name since 1951 – CCCU. Same owners for four generations – your family. Online at www.CCCULV.org, or call 702-228-2228
ALL Things
creativity
Word docs: From left, Ryan Bridger, Billie and Mason Bundschuh, Mercedes M. Yardley, Matt Czarnowski.
but no matter: Here, every voice is equal. Now that the goats have screamed and Mason has played Radiohead’s “Creep” on a ukulele, it’s time. Let the carnage begin! Yardley’s story “Last One Awake” is For The Illiterati, friends make the the first victim. “Read it,” Bundschuh best critics B y S c o t t D i c k e n s h e e t s reports. “Hated it. End of critique.” He throws the pages to the floor. Then he laughs, picks them up and begins a he screaming goats have sumdetailed analysis. He notes perspective moned Mercedes M. Yardley shifts that might confuse some readers, out of the night. It’s eerie: No and an awkward phrasing; he also sooner has Ryan Bridger hit play on a draws hearts on the pages, because he video of goats screaming the Game of loves it overall. One by one the other Thrones theme than Yardley materializes writers — Billie (Mason’s wife), Bridger at the door, late (as usual, the others and Matthew Czarnowski — take their snark), claiming to have been “lost.” Sure. turns. They dig deep but stay nice. Matt Whatever you say, Mercedes. But given offers a particularly helpful observation: her otherworldly bearing and her mojo Yardley introduces her female protagas a writer of dark fantasy fiction, we’re onist in distancing terms more approsticking with summoned out of the night. If priate to a stranger, whereas the male nothing else, it makes for a better story. protagonist, from whose perspective And better stories are what this evening this passage is told, knows her quite well. is about. The five writers gathered in the Although Yardley has several novels to living room of Billie and Mason Ian Bundher credit — Apocalyptic Montessa and schuh — creators of fantasy, horror, sci-fi Nuclear Lulu, Nameless — this roundand speculative fiction, who collectively table spit-polishing is still useful; it can go by The Illiterati — meet up a story’s quality — and weekly to critique each its salability. For each of other’s unfinished work. these five, the other four are BOOKMARK! They offer support, share perhaps their most reliable Mercedes M. Yardley and Mason tips about where to submit sounding boards. Ian Bundschuh stories and generally nerd It’s hard to know how many will appear at the out on literature and pop of these informal working Vegas Valley Book Festival to discuss culture (“Joss Whedon groups there are in Las Vegas. Lost and Found wrote Toy Story?!”). Some Surely dozens. They allow in Las Vegas, the have published more than writers — among nature’s 2014 Las Vegas Writes anthology. others, collected awards, most solitary creatures — to social
Write club
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Oct. 18, Fifth Street School, vegasvalleybook festival.org —SD
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mind-meld with others of their kind while getting (free!) expert help. Many groups leave it at that, but The Illiterati have bonded like a Tolkien fellowship. They’re all up in each other’s lives, rejoicing in milestones and mourning adversities together. They travel in a pack to conferences; they spent the time on a drive back from a recent event in Utah helping Yardley plot a book. (She referred to her latest, Pretty Little Dead Girls, as an “Illiterati production” thanks to their assistance — which included the writing of a theme song.) “We can get away with doing what we do because of the culture of trust in the group,” Mason says. There are no kid gloves, but no competitive viciousness, either. Matt remembers his first Illiterati critique with a shudder; they didn’t hold back. “But when I left I was craving it,” he says. “I was like, ‘Can we do this again tomorrow?’” “The only reason I’m any good is because you guys tore my stuff apart,” says Ryan, whom Mason’s dubbed “the king of story” (alas, an honorary title that doesn’t come with a castle), and among whose projects is “20 Bears,” about a man who, “with the help of 20 bears, must find a way to bring back the time of dinosaurs to make his father proud.” Tonight, Matt’s tense story of a psycho postman incites a debate in the group — does the fight in the first third hurt the story’s plausibility? Back and forth it goes, as a smiling Matt takes it in: “I think it’s at the stage where all it needs is a bit of fine-tuning and it’s ready to submit.”
P h oto g r a p h y B R E NT HO L M E S
Nevada Ballet Theatre and Cirque du Soleil ® present
A CHOREOGRAPHERS’ SHOWCASE
Photo by Virginia Trudeau
Mystère Theatre, Treasure Island
October 26 & November 2, 2014 at 1pm Nevadaballet.org | Tickets: $25 & $45 | (702) 894-7722
Your $45 premium ticket purchase provides you with preferred seating and supports the Future Dance Program for students in Clark County.
ALL Things
zeit bites
Festival anticipation matrix
three questions
Troy heard
Breaking down the month’s three notable cultural gatherings Endorphin explosion OutKast at LiB — maybe it’ll help expunge our memory of marching-band version of “Hey Ya” at a highschool football game.
Feed your head
Jenny Lewis at LiB
After gently surrealist writer Aimee Bender finishes closing talk, oddly dressed man asks, “Why don’t you write like Ayn Rand?”
Oscar Goodman to speak at LiB. Watch your thumbs, festival street artists!
Brainy and best-selling: essayist Leslie Jamison at VVBF. That’s right, a best-selling serious essayist!
LiB quiz: “Manifestations of a selection of universal concepts ...” Refers to (a) Skrillex, or (b) Art -Tales, a hotel filled with rooms of groovy art? If you go, tell us!
Delight that First Friday has lasted to celebrate 12th anniversary.
B.J. Novak at VVBF: an actor who can actually kinda write ...
... but who might also tell backstage tales from The Office, Saving Mr. Banks and, uh, Smurfs 2
The delicious agony of deciding among LiB chefs: Moonen, Cora, Andres ... Why isn’t my stomach infinite?!
Engage your senses
Pussy Riot to speak at LiB
"150 Years of Nevada" panel at VVBF. It’s not history in 25 objects, but it should still be okay.
director, Jonestown
Sam Davis’ whimsical sci-fi-influence art at Trifecta Gallery during First Friday
At VVBF, Beautiful Children author Charles Bock returns to his former hometown.
Sense of contentment
Lionel Richie at LiB: maybe not all night long, but for a few curiosity-slaking minutes? Possibly!
12th anniversary First Friday
Vegas Valley Book Festival
Life is Beautiful Festival
When: Friday, Oct. 3 Where: In the Arts District, Main Street and Charleston Boulevard, and on East Fremont Street. Highlights: Sam Davis at Trifecta Gallery, Stacy Rink’s Kinky at Blackbird Studios; street fair on East Fremont. Free, firstfridaylasvegas.org
When: Oct. 16-18 Where: Clark County Library (Oct. 16), Historic Fifth Street School (Oct. 18) Highlights: Oct. 16 keynote by B.J. Novak, actor (The Office) and writer; on Oct. 18, authors Sylvia Day and Tracy Wolff; panels on literary fiction, personal essays, sports, media, Nevada history, publishing how-to, horror; closing address by Aimee Bender. Free, vegasvalleybookfestival.org
When: Oct. 24-26 Where: Downtown, blocks of which will be fenced off Highlights: OutKast, Kanye West, Flaming Lips, Skrillex, Lionel Richie, Foo Fighters (music); Jose Andres, Hubert Keller, Kim Canteenwalla, Cat Cora (food); muralists, plus artists taking over Western Hotel (art); Pussy Riot, Penn & Teller (speakers). $249.40 for 3-day pass, lifeisbeautiful.com
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Jonestown by Table 8 Productions — about the doomed Peoples Temple and its charismatic leader, James Jones — is an unusual production in several ways. Including the staging: Rather than in a typical theater, audiences will see it in an undisclosed location. What’s up, we wondered. Why did you come up with this method of staging, and what does it add to the play? The play dictated the staging, in this case. There was no “play” to begin with — just the vague idea to revisit the Jonestown tragedy and explore the causes. All the transcripts and tapes of the Peoples Temple have been collated online, including the recording of the final day, so the source material provided the script. There was a natural, morbid curiosity in exploring this event and making an immersive scenario where the audience would become the congregation. But as Scott McAdam, who portrays Jones, and I started weeding through all of this text, a different story emerged. Jones wasn’t a whack-job Christian fanatic — he used the pulpit to further his socialist leanings. So to get the full story, the audience follows the Temple from San Francisco to the final day in Guyana. What were you looking for in a remote site? Part of the psychological factor was seclusion. Initially, we looked for locations outside of Boulder City. The idea was great — let’s drive 45 minutes to the middle of nowhere to tell this story about one of the largest mass suicides in the history of American civilization. Logistically, we planned to bus the guests from Henderson, but an aesthetic challenge arose: How do you keep the guests engaged during that long departure and the return? We didn’t have the resources to build a proper pre-show, so we’ve scrapped that in favor of a location within the city limits that’ll be revealed with purchase of a ticket. What challenges does this present? When performing outdoors, you’re competing with ambient noise and other natural distractions. Aside from that, the material is so naturally compelling. We’ve taken two sermons — one from San Francisco, and the final one in Jonestown — and have intercut it with testimonials, depositions and FBI reports that fill out the story. Oct. 23-Nov. 8, $30, location TBA, table8lv.com
Announcing the inAugurAl issue
The UNLV William S. Boyd School of Law has just released the premier edition of its magazine. Nevada’s Law School is proud to present UNLV Law to Nevada’s legal community.
Read the digital version now at
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outdoors
hiking
Straight, narrow and high From a slot canyon to rocky mountain highs, the Muddy Mountains hike has it all b y A n d r e w k i r a ly
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oor Lake Mead. Seen the photos viraling about lately on the Internet? Pure disaster porn: Before-and-after pictures showing dramatically receding waters, the bathtub ring (actually now a bathtub band) more jarringly white than ever, beached boats and go-nowhere piers stuck in the cracking mud. Don’t let it get you down. Remember that there’s more to the lake than visions of slow, grinding apocalypse. To wit, nine — count ’em, nine — federally designated wilderness areas within the Lake Mead National Recreational Area, which — to dispel the notion that wilderness means keep out — are open to hikers. This particular jaunt into the Muddy Mountains Wilderness Area takes place northwest of the lake, where a slot canyon leads to a steep, vigorous uphill hike to a saddle ridge. The reward: sweeping, spectacular views of the Bowl of Fire sandstone formations to the east that give Valley of Fire a run for its money.
Anniversary Narrows Anniversary Narrows is considered one of the best slot canyon hikes in Southern Nevada for a couple reasons: One, it’s comparatively easy to reach and, two, it packs a lot of visual drama (and, okay, a touch of claustrophobia) in a roughly .3 mile hike. Created by thousands of years of geologic topsy-turvy, wind
and rushing waters, Anniversary Narrows’ soaring walls curl, swoop and curve as though in silent testament to the drama that created them. You don’t so much hike through the narrows as sort of keep your feet moving while the ribbed and banded limestone formations unfurl around you like tapestry. The loose, sometimes beachy gravel floor makes for an easy hike, though you’ll have to hop up a few rock shelves and negotiate some boulders blocking the way; you may have to offer your hiking partner an occasional helping hand as well.
The Bowl of Fire Well, that was — what — a scant 20 minutes or so? You came all the way out here for that? Oh, no. The best — and, yes, the toughest — is yet to come. The narrows will spit you out onto a broad, gravelly wash that makes for a leisurely stroll as it curves east to hug the ridge bordering the Bowl of Fire; but first, look back for a dramatic tableau of the Anniversary Narrows’ soaring canyon walls seeming to snap shut like castle doors. From here, the wash will fork; take the right path to begin scaling the ridge to see the Bowl of Fire. Be warned that this portion of the hike is decidedly more strenuous than the Anniversary Narrows — but the initial leg will have you tromping easily enough through
soft scrubland, marked by occasional slabs of gypsum glittering in the dirt. Continuing up the ridge, you’ll appreciate good hiking shoes to stay yourself against the loose plates of rock breaking up beneath your feet. Thrillseekers who enjoy a good Raiders of the Lost Ark scare on their hikes will appreciate this. With the path a mere memory, aim for the notch in the ridge, which may require some patience, determination and pathfinding ingenuity where the peak mushrooms out in a rocky blossom. When you reach the top, drink in the view to the east, where the Bowl of Fire rocks stun with their orange fire and gleam.
After the hike East Lake Mead is dotted with little dives and chain bars; the clean and friendly PT’s Pub (6055 E. Lake Mead Blvd., 702-452-1737) on Lake Mead near Toiyabe Street offer plenty of draft-beer options and a decent bar-food menu to refuel.
Getting there: Take Lake Mead Boulevard east Activity Hiking, rock-scrambling
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Drive TIme 1 hour
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Distance 2 miles from trailhead to ridge
Difficulty Strenuous
into Lake Mead National Recreation Area, then left on Northshore Road. At Mile Marker 16, Anniversary Mine Road will be on the left; non-four-wheel drive vehicles can drive a decent portion of the way in. Follow the signs to the Anniversary Narrows trailhead.
P h oto g r a p h y c h r i sto p h e r s m i t h
ALL Things
people
profile
Rayette Martin Executive director, Nevadans for Cultural Preservation
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his story starts in Wasilla. Imagine Rayette Martin doing what a young, outdoorsy, third-generation Alaskan does for weekend kicks: taking her fourwheel-drive Subaru wagon into the outlands, exploring old mining sites, picking over rusty equipment for something cool to take home: Check it out, here’s an old iron ball used to crush raw rock. Nobody’s gonna miss it, right? It wasn’t like she was looting an ancient Mayan temple like Indiana Jones or something. It was all part of the ethos of using the land — a practice in line with her family’s other pastimes of hunting, fishing and camping.
denial. It’s about respecting and sharing the narrative power of place.
“It was through school that I learned to behave differently,” says Martin, who got her master’s degree in cultural anthropology at UNLV in 2010. “It was also through finding those things myself and going, ‘Wow,’ and leaving them there so the next person could have the same experience.”
Her affirmative approach defuses much of the tension between conservation activists and outdoors enthusiasts. Martin herself has a foot in each world: She’s an avid off-roader and hiker; by day, she’s a program assistant for the Nevada Site Stewardship Program. “I encourage people to go out, use our public lands, and find these things — and enjoy them while they’re there, and leave them for someone else to enjoy.” But not because these lands are fragile museum exhibits; rather, because we’re part of the story, too. Martin is reminded of a recent desert hike where she sought precious shade in a rock shelter. Inside were stone tools from a previous visitor. “I laid down and looked up at the sky, and thought about what it would have been like back then: I wouldn’t have had my moisture-wicking shirt, and my hiking shoes and my six liters of water on my back. But still, I found the same place to take a break as somebody deep in the past did. We’re no different.” — Andrew Kiraly
Leave it there. That’s the core principle of Nevadans for Cultural Preservation (nvfcp.org), a nonprofit Martin launched in August 2013. She and her crew talk to offroad groups, hiking clubs and schoolkids about responsible enjoyment of public lands. They also do workshops, site clean-ups and guided field trips. But put out of your mind the image of outdoorsier-than-thou puritans wagging their fingers at hikers and off-roaders with a quiver of thou-shalt-nots. To be sure, Martin’s aim is to preserve the petroglyphs, arrowheads, agave pits, historic ranch ruins and mining castoffs that tell the story of Nevada. But the spirit of her approach is about affirmation, not
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Pop quiz: You come across an arrowhead during a hike. What’s the big deal if you take it home — after all, if you don’t, someone else will, right? “When you take it out of context, it doesn’t have value anymore,” Martin explains. “If we leave things where we find them, it’s actually the context that tells the story. If I have an arrowhead in my house, it’s just an arrowhead. But if I leave it where it’s found, it’s an arrowhead that’s connected to the area, that creates a story. And it’s the story that has the value, not the object.”
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ALL Things
style do it yourself
Drop dead gorgeous This Halloween, be the living dead of the party with this sugar skull makeover B y Ch r i s t i e M o e ll e r
Halloween make-up is this holiday’s hot trend, and the sugar skull is all the rage. If you’re looking for an easy face-paint “mask” to complete your Day of the Dead costume, try this look created by Kelly Belmonte of Syfy’s “Naked Vegas.”
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Using a foundation brush, cover the face white, leaving the eye sockets blank.
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With a chiseled brush, color in the eye sockets with the color of your choice. Be neat about it, keeping it in tight circles around the eyes, covering the eyebrows.
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After washing the chiseled brush, use it to add pink, or the color of your choice, to the eyelids. Blend the two colors together where they meet, keeping the pink on the cup of the eye. To keep the face feminine, add a little matte black eye shadow to create a smoky-eye effect, then dab some glitter to the eyelid on top of the pink color.
Tweezerman Brush iQ makeup brushes, $14-$49, Ulta Cosmetics
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Wolfe FX HydroColor make-up, $8-$26, Star Costume and WolfeFX.com
Make Up For Ever Artist Shadow #M-110, $21, Sephora in Town Square, Miracle Mile, the Forum Shops at Caesars and the Grand Canal Shoppes at the Venetian
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Using a lip brush, create dots around the eyes, one right next to each other at the edge of the socket color. (You can also use adhesive rhinestones.) Follow up by making a smaller dot with another color in the center of each of the dots you just created, then using an eyeliner brush to line each “petal� you created with the center-dot color and then with black. Add as many colors as you want around the eyes to make them pop.
Tools: Wolfe FX HydroColor make-up brushes gray eye shadow black eye shadow mascara glitter
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Using a brush, draw a flower on the chin with any color, outlining the petals in black. Add green leaves if you like.
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With the chiseled brush, make a nesting V shape on the forehead, using two colors of your choice. Then, with black, draw a spider web. (Do this by drawing a line from the bridge of the nose to the hairline, repeating at different angles. Connect them with half-circles for a web effect.)
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Using an eyeliner brush, draw an upside-down heart on the nose in black paint.
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For the mouth, draw a line coming out from each side of the mouth, meeting in the middle of the lips, then draw vertical lines across that line, spaced out evenly. Add contour around the cheek and jaw with a matte gray eye shadow to create a jawbone effect.
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Add swirls and swoops to the cheeks.
Finish your Day of the Dead look with mascara, some showgirl lashes, a black wig topped with tons of artificial or paper flowers and a black dress or corset.
Make Up For Ever Artist Shadow #M-100, $21, Sephora in Town Square, Miracle Mile, the Forum Shops at Caesars and the Grand Canal Shoppes at the Venetian
Make Up For Ever Aqua Smoky Extravagant waterproof mascara, $24, Sephora in Town Square, Miracle Mile, the Forum Shops at Caesars and the Grand Canal Shoppes at the Venetian
Make Up For Ever Glitter in pink, $15, Sephora in Town Square, Miracle Mile, the Forum Shops at Caesars and the Grand Canal Shoppes at the Venetian
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TECHNOLOGY
Water smarts for sale Nevada is harnessing its wealth of hydrological brain power to boost conservation efforts — and drive economic growth B y H e i d i K ys e r
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t’s an engineering feat you don’t really think about: When you turn on your tap, water comes out. For that to happen, pressure has to be constantly applied across the entire water-delivery infrastructure, from water mains Kumud Acharya, a research professor at when DRI and IBM were working tobeneath the street to the pipes in your the Desert Research Institute and the gether on an environmental-data project kitchen wall. first scientist to get on board with a plan — one that could result in the type of tarWhat if, instead, there was a super- to brand Las Vegas as the center of the geted water-delivery control system decomputer connected to a bunch of sen- water technology universe. scribed above. Nevada Gov. Brian Sandosors that could collect data from every “We’re trying to attract companies that val got involved in December of that year, faucet, garden hose and toilet in Las Ve- have expertise in water to come here,” asking his Office of Economic Developgas, and tell you in real time when Acharya says. “At the same time, ment to see how DRI and IBM’s collaband where the water flows? Then there’s a lot of technology already oration might help goose the state econyou’d be able to program the sys- Hear being developed here. We have omy. They brought in the Department more tem to turn pressure on and off as professors applying for patents all of Employment, Training and RehabilLearn how needed, saving massive amounts the time. We hope to also provide itation, and by March of 2013 had hamto save waof energy, money — and water. them with the opportunity for mered out a $3.8 million deal between ter at home This idea typifies the big-data commercialization.” the state agencies and IBM to fund the on “KNPR’s State of utopia envisioned by people like The plan goes back to 2012, center. The Las Vegas Global Economic
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Nevada” at desert companion. com/hear more
I l lu st r at i o n C h r i s m o r r i s
Alliance, SNWA and the rest of the Nevada System of Higher Education (which DRI is part of ) have also gotten involved. The result is a Center of Excellence — somewhat amorphously named because water technology, it is hoped, will be only the first of several sectors that the center cultivates by bringing together public and private parties, academic institutions and commercial ventures. With so much institutional water wisdom here, good old H20 seemed like a good place to start. Can the driest state succeed in selling itself as an international hydrological expert? The answer depends on convincing the world that the center has not only the right business model, but also the brainpower to solve tomorrow’s big water problems. Fortunately for those betting on the center, scientists like Acharya are already on it. The science of money
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slight man with dark, serious eyes, Acharya settles into his chair at DRI’s Flamingo Road office to discuss his passion. Hints of it are all around. On his desk, a plaque reading “Save water, drink wine” and behind him, on the bookshelves, a collection of exotic beverages that graduate students have brought back to him from research trips abroad. Acharya is a hydrologist. Unlike most people, when he thinks about water in Nevada, he’s optimistic. Not because he knows something the rest of us don’t about the ongoing drought that’s slowly draining the Colorado River, our main water source, but because he sees a state on the cusp of benefiting from the dire circumstances it finds itself in. DRI, he says, has more than 50 hydrologists between its two campuses in Las Vegas and Reno — the greatest concentration of them in one American institution outside the U.S. Geological Service. Acharya has graduated a dozen students in the field; he’s a leading researcher on invasive species, including quagga mussels and salt cedars; he works with the Army Corps of Engineers to develop technologies for flood
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TECHNOLOGY control; and he’s a visiting professor at Hohai University in Nanjing City, China, where he’s helped establish a joint international lab with DRI for hydrological research. And he’s just one of the 50. “This is the piece that Las Vegas doesn’t do a good job of: We don’t brag about our talent very well,” says Las Vegas Global Economic Alliance’s president and CEO Tom Skancke. “I was at Singapore International Water Week with Kumud and (Center of Excellence interim director) Ken Ladd and (DRI president) Stephen Wells and (Brookings Mountain West senior fellow) Pat Mulroy in June, and people were stopping by our booth and asking Kumud and Pat for their autographs, and having their picture taken with her. This is someone we have the benefit of seeing every day.” “We don’t have enough water here,”
"We don't have enough water here," says Kumud Acharya of the Desert Research Institute. "But that has given rise to a lot of innovation. ... (The center is) trying to leverage that scarcity to the state's economic advantage." Acharya says, modestly. “But that has given rise to a lot of innovation. An online magazine a month ago identified the top 12 cities as water hot spots, and Las Vegas was one. (The center is) trying to leverage that scarcity to the state’s economic benefit.” How would this work? Acharya gives an example from his own research on quagga mussels, an invasive species discovered at Lake Mead in 2007. The little mollusk is highly reproductive (a single female can produce up to a million eggs in one spawning season) and
destructive: They filter up to a liter of water a day, polluting the food chain of other, native species, and clog pipes, necessitating expensive repairs. And every time the water authority sucks on its straws in Lake Mead, it risks bringing quagga mussel larvae along for the ride to your tap. “We understand their life history fairly well now,” Acharya says. “We know how long they live, what food they like, the environment they prefer, their production cycle. ... Now, we are also working on a number of technologies to deal
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with them. So, something like ultraviolet rays, ozonation, chlorination — we know what amount would kill them, how much exposure is required. We have a good handle on that. The thing we don’t know is how to kill them in open water without killing anything else.” In the past, Acharya has developed technology to solve this problem. Working with a company he can’t name, because of a non-disclosure agreement, he’s testing a product now. The Center of Excellence could do a few things in a case like this. It could offer the company funding for its research in exchange for a guarantee that resulting production facilities would be located in Las Vegas. It could market the product to other areas battling quagga mussel invasions. And, in cases where the developers are from outside Nevada, it could connect them with experts such as Acharya and resources such as his two quagga mussel labs to help boost their work to the next level. Then, according to the standard center of excellence model, a self-reinforcing cycle begins. Researchers of quagga mussels the world over hear about what’s happening in Las Vegas and try to get fellowships to come here and train, bringing with them both new skills and grant money. Other companies and utilities with stakes in the quagga mussel fight invest in their work. As products hit the market, facilities are scaled up, employing people all along the supply chain. Everyone wins. An excellent future?
A
ll this is in the early stages right now. There are many promising technologies being developed locally; the big-data analytics project with IBM, for instance, or one by DRI scientist Mark Hausner, who uses fiber optic cable to measure underground soil and water temperatures on a much more massive scale than traditional methods, allowing him to extrapolate valuable information about how water moves, where it pools and in what quantities. The center hasn’t announced any
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TECHNOLOGY specific projects yet, but officials say they’re on the cusp of making several announcements. And they’re counting on other revenue sources as well. The board is considering a membership model, in which anybody with a business interest in water would pay dues based on their
potential use of the center. In exchange, the center would provide the service of bringing buyers and sellers together. The new executive director, Nate Allen, hired in September, is expected to tackle the specifics of the subscription plan as one of his first duties. In any case, commercialization of
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research is a defining component of the center. Skancke describes the role of his alliance strictly in these terms: “We’re a non-financial partner. Our role is support. They give us the leads, and we bring the business.” The flow of money between business and academics, public and private entities may raise some eyebrows, and Dennis Perea, acting director of the Department of Employment Training and Rehabilitation says the public should expect accountability. “This was a three-year agreement,” he says. “We need a return on the initial investment to continue after that. We have some interesting companies on the line that look promising and some already testing technologies with SNWA, but if we don’t get a return on it, we’ll look elsewhere. This is employers’ money we’re dealing with, and we want to make sure we get results for it.” How would he measure that return? In terms of jobs. Perea says that, in an ideal scenario, five years from now there would be advanced manufacturing facilities creating products developed through the center. His agency would work with CSN and UNLV to develop curriculum for training people to staff these facilities — people who would come straight off DETR’s unemployed rolls. It may be a stretch for the water sector to scale up commercially, he admits, as it’s a little heavier on the research and development side. “It made sense (to start with this) because of our location and unique situation, but it won’t be the last thing we do,” Perea says. “We don’t yet know the full potential of water component manufacturing, but we do know that water technology is taking a pretty small bite. It gives us a broader board to expand from in the future.” That’s not to say he doesn’t believe in the potential of the water project; he does. Using a fishing metaphor without irony, Perea says, “There’s something about having a center of excellence that’s like a big shiny object. You dangle it in front of people and they can’t get off it. They want to know more.”
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TRAVEL
Keepin' it rail: Ely's restored railroad cottages
Cottage industry A rehab passion project in Ely grew into a community showcase of the town’s history, artistry and unlikely diversity B y Ly n n D av i s
H
aunted. At least three generathe pride and joy of Bill Geraghty, owntions of children in Ely whiser of a storage and freight company, mine pered that the Geraghty’s old investor, coal broker and landlord. In 1911, place, a derelict collection of cotGeraghty moved his wife and two-year-old tages, was haunted. On a dimly daughter Melba into a two-room house lit street on the northern fringes of town, near Ely’s railroad tracks. By 1925 he orbelow a steep railroad siding, underneath dered several catalog bungalows, delivered thick tangles of brambles lived Melba Gerby train and erected next to his modest aghty, a wild-haired spinster in her home, to rent out to the town’s rail nineties who was said to prowl beworkers. Each house had a tiny livhind the murky windows of one of ing room, an even tinier bedroom, Hear the ramshackle clapboard bungaa kitchen with a wood stove, and more lows. The Geraghty place was, noa modern bath complete with a Cowboy poets Riders claw-footed tub and flushing toilet. toriously, the perfect place in Ely for in the Sky teenage pranks and dares, feigned Years of neglect had turned read their scares and squeals in the dark. them into the stuff of spooky stoverse on Of course, it didn’t start out that ries — and into a shame, an eye“KNPR’s way. The buildings were originally sore, and health hazard, according State of
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Nevada” at desert companion. com/hear more
to Ely residents Donna Bath and Virginia Terry. So when Melba took sick, they rallied a group to purchase the property. To the surprise of some of their doubting neighbors, the group known as the Ely Renaissance Society tore into the place, doing what they do extremely well — effecting a makeover that would have made good reality TV, turning a crumbling property into a community attraction. The town’s women enlisted the town men. (“Strong-armed and cajoled,” says Virginia, winking.) Ely’s roofers, electricians, woodworkers — practically anyone handy with a hammer, a shovel, paint brush or broom — were recruited. Even minimum-security inmates from the nearby prison were engaged to rip out brush, and to haul rotting wood out and new lumber in. Underneath the prickly overgrowth, they unearthed nine 1920s-era mail-order cottages with peeling paint, rotting roofs and sagging front porches. Inside they found tattered wallpaper, curled-up linoleum and legions of mouse colonies. You might have thought they hit the jackpot. “When life gives you lemons, well?” says Donna.
P h oto g r a p h y C H R I STO P H E R S M I T H
As the cottages were repaired and spruced up, Ely’s long-standing families pulled pie safes, wringer washers and iron bedsteads from their garages, attics and barns, and they opened their trunks of family heirlooms and bric-a-brac. Crocheted tea towels, a delicate decanter, an infant’s baptismal dress, and grainy blackand-white photos were among hundreds of items donated. Within months, Renaissance Village (elyrenaissance.com) materialized into a historical museum, art center and gathering place for farmers markets, an annual wine walk, special performances, private parties and weddings. Restored and refurbished, seven of the nine cottages now show off Ely’s broad ethnic history; the other two serve as a gift store and a studio for an artists-in-residence program. One cottage represents the Spanish Basque who tended sheep in mountain ranges surrounding Ely. Another, the Slavic House, offers up the story of Croatians and Serbians who set aside religious differences to work side by side in Ely’s gold mines. Other cottages represent Ely’s early Chinese and Japanese residents who folded laundry, nurtured vegetable gardens and worked as domestics for the area’s mine bosses; Italians who sweatbuilt charcoal ovens and railroad tracks, vital to the area’s mines; and the Greeks, English and French who recognized and invested in the potential of copper and, later, gold ore in this remote and up-andcoming Nevada town. Bustle and bust
E
ly, once a stagecoach station along the Pony Express route, became a thriving and bustling Western town after the discovery of copper in 1906. It quickly attracted men from around the world to the tiring work of wielding picks and wheelbarrows in the town’s open-pit mines, men who eventually relocated their families to Ely and the nearby small towns of Ruth and McGill. It was hard work, but decent wages. The economy thrived with ancillary businesses — railroad builders and operators who transported minerals out and supplies in; boarding houses and hotels that accommodated the influx of workers;
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TRAVEL
Rural renaissance: Ely citizens donated furniture and accessories to bring the restored cottages to life; the Ely art trail celebrates the town's rich ethnic heritage.
hot-springs entrepreneurs who offered weekly cleansing soaks; and brothels that offered, well … While the town bustled several times over the course of a century, it also went bust just as often. By 1999, after a series of mine start-ups and shut-downs, “Ely looked like a bomb had gone off,” says Donna. It was then that Donna and Virginia organized the Renaissance Society and what continues to be an ongoing town makeover. Their first project? An art trail through Ely’s decimated downtown using blank brick walls and vacant lots to showcase Ely’s history. The idea, says Donna, was inspired by
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an oversize mural that nearly covers the side of the five-story Hotel Nevada — a simple cartoon, painted decades ago, of a donkey dressed as a cowboy holding a frying pan over a fire. That mural and the fact that small towns, like Twenty-Nine Palms in California, were mounting similar projects with great success got people in Ely talking. “Point of clarification,” says Donna. “It was the women in town that first saw potential in spiffing up this place.” Women like Lorraine Theil and Margaret Bath, an Ely-area pharmacist, alongside dozens of other women latched onto the makeover idea and haven’t let go. They started raising money through bake sales and by auctioning decorated Christmas trees. “You’d be surprised by how much we raised here and how well
we paid the artists,” says Donna. Over 13 years, they commissioned 22 art installations, paying artists an average of $25,000 for their work. She laughs. “Hey, we’re not some sleepy old podunk town.” Workers, riders and shepherds
E
ly’s Art Trail is an eclectic mix — a finely shaped bronze sculpture of a strong Shoshone woman in front of the County Courthouse; paint-smeared images of mustachioed miners cavorting in Cherry Creek Springs on an Ely side street; a linear Western landscape of a cattle roundup on a downtown corner. Other paintings and sculptures depict railroad workers and Basque sheepherders, Pony Express riders, charcoal ovens used in mining and smelting, the benev-
olence of an Ely priest, and the glacial cirque of Wheeler Peak in nearby Great Basin National Park. Some of the artwork — such as Canadian artist E. Colin William’s color-saturated portrayal of an oldtime 4th of July painted with a flattened perspective reminiscent of America’s famous folk artists — is startlingly sophisticated. “We couldn’t have done any of this, without a whole lot of support from people who live here and know this place is special,” says Donna. Both women grew up in Ely. Both have a longtime history of showing up with casseroles and baked goods during a crisis, of helping out when the sheep are dipped and the cattle branded, and in conducting kitchen-table Mary Kay makeover sessions. Donna — the daughter of a mine crane operator, wife of Jim who owns the local lumber and sporting goods stores, and former White Pine County Clerk — is relentless in her promotion of Ely and holds a vision that tourists will someday fill hundreds of Ely’s motel rooms that
were once occupied by area mine workers. Virginia — a former teacher, retired school administrator, and a current board member of the Nevada Humanities Council — has an artistic sensibility and might be called a serial renovator. Donna describes her as “someone who sees possibility in the down and broken” as she recalls the time Virginia turned an old chicken coop into a charming guest house. Virginia’s latest work-in-progress is a former brothel in downtown Ely, a two-story home with a small anteroom where the men waited to be let in and a spacious parlor where the women met their patrons. Virginia says she hasn’t yet figured out what she intends to do with the place once she fixes it up. While Donna may be practical and Virginia may be considered conceptual,
it’s clearly an odd-couple relationship that works. They’re on to their next GETTING project, turning a ’60s-era THERE bank building into an art Take I-15 north gallery and meeting space. to U.S. 93 north. Already they’ve made the From Las Vegas, most of the bank’s blockit’s about a glass windows by orienting five-hour drive. a display of local artwork in the muted light on a far wall they lined with the bark from felled aspen trees. They’ve also reconfigured the hardware from safety deposit boxes into signage that reads “Art Bank,” turned the old bank vault into a wine cellar, and incorporated bright orange Formica teller counters into the overall décor. Says Donna: “We’re just doing our part, alongside our neighbors, to make the most of what we have.”
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The Dish 42
10
14
eat this now 45 At FirST BITE 46
Our c i ty's be st sp ots to eat & drink
Greening your fish taco: Try the Baja-style taco at Mercadito the way its owner likes it: on lettuce.
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Dining out
Foodie court The ho-hum casino food court is going the way of the 99-cent shrimp cocktail. Case study: the ambitious menu at the Red Rock By Grace Bascos
I
t’s a good time to be hungry on the West side of Las Vegas. It’s been a jam-packed year of restaurant openings, including the rollout of Downtown Summerlin (upcoming: Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill, an as-yet-unnamed restaurant by Elizabeth Blau and Kim Canteenwalla), promising changes at Tivoli Village (Made L.V.), and now Red Rock Resort is in the midst of a $35 million renovation of its dining mix. How much foodie cred can $35 million buy? Stations Casinos is hoping it’s a lot. Forget the standard stable of usual suspects: the steakhouse, the 24-hour coffee shop, the buffet and the food court slinging cheap pizza and burgers. The restaurant remix at the Red Rock signals serious ambition for a locals casino — and perhaps (wishful thinking ahead) marks a larger trend in which casino cuisine caters to good taste rather than panders to the lowest common
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denominator. On tap so far at the Red Rock: an upscale Mexican eatery, a real-deal hot dog joint straight out of Chicago, a casual Asian noodle shop and a neighborhood-style restaurant serving up comfort classics like cozy rotisserie chicken and made-to-order stone-oven pizzas. The upgrades are partly about keeping up with the Joneses — in this case, Downtown Summerlin. “Just having them in our backyard is going to bring more people to the area,” says Red Rock General Manager Mark Tricano. He also notes that the Red Rock is eight years old — middle age in casino years — and an uptick in the economy marks the perfect time to spruce up the place. The food is only half the story. A redesign is part of the equation, too, one that spurns the typical formula of keeping the customer on the casino floor. The most significant change will be a facelift of the
exterior of Red Rock with the addition of Restaurant Row, along with a pedestrian walkway that connects the resort with the new neighbors in the yard, The Shops at Summerlin. In the same way that the Strip is pushing its restaurants closer to foot traffic on Las Vegas Boulevard so guests don’t have to navigate a casino floor to find a spot to eat, so will the dining options at Red Rock, with patios for nearly all the dining rooms on that side. It was also the addition of national chain Yardhouse almost four years ago that helped shape the look. “Yardhouse is the restaurant that opened our eyes to doing things a little differently in the casino business,” says Tricano. “There’s access directly from the parking lot, which you don’t traditionally see, and that patio is always busy.” Tricano is hoping the other restaurants’ patios add to the bustle and buzz. T-Bones Chophouse, with its fire pits
P h oto g r a p h y S A B I N O R R
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BUS TOUR Join Us In Celebrating America Recycles Day Red Rockin': The New York Strip from T-Bones Chophouse (opposite); the Krispy Kreme breakfast sandwich and Chicago dog from The Wiener's Circle
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and lounge seating, is one of the patios that’s been in action since the property opened in 2006, but recently underwent a renovation to brighten up the steak house. Dark red booths and heavy curtains have been redone in white to lighten up the space. The menu isn’t changing, but that’s a good thing: Its meat program still rivals those on the Strip, without the Strip prices. Carnivores like myself rejoice over the steak selection: T-Bones not only features designer-name beef such as Niman Ranch or Colorado Wagyu, but hooks in serious meat-eaters with its dry-aging game on cuts such as the 22-ounce prime ribeye that’s flavorful with the appropriate
Breakfast sandwich at The Wiener’s Circle A high-intensity grill gives the Vienna Beef dogs — and Polish sausage, and burgers — the right amount of char to enhance the snap and flavor of the franks imported from Chicago. But the Vegas-only options give the guilty pleasures a run for the money, including a bacon, egg and cheese breakfast sandwich built on a bun of Krispy Kreme donuts and a New Jersey-born Taylor ham, egg and cheese sandwich on a Kaiser roll. Fish tacos at Mercadito While the tortillas are great and made in-house, the Baja-style, battered fish tacos topped with chipotle aioli and Mexican-style slaw should be ordered on butter lettuce — a personal favorite of Mercadito owner Alfredo Sandoval. Mexican side dishes are usually relegated to rice and refried beans, but the fried plantains, mini, barely-sweet bananas served with a spicy ginger dressing, make an entrée pop in a way rice and beans never could.
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Dining out mineral funk. (And, of course, they play well to their base, with Vegas favorites of King and Queen’s Cuts of prime rib.) One of the new patios on Restaurant Row belongs to Mercadito, the Chicago-based Mexican restaurant that opened in August. Mercadito is a taste of what authentic but creative Mexican fare can be, from the juiced-up guacamoles that eschew fancy tableside prep to focus more on flavor, to — my personal favorite — traditional fish tacos made lighter and brighter than anything you’d get in Baja. Also open is Chicago institution The Wiener’s Circle. It’s the first of its kind outside of the Windy City (minus the late night, rowdy and drunken antics for which the hot dog shack is famous). If you appreciate a proper Chicago-style hot dog, “dragged through the garden” with onions, relish, sport peppers, celery salt and mustard (put the ketchup down, heathens!), this spot has the real thing.
Mercadito's plantains: great with the tacos.
And, upcoming, 8 Noodle Bar will start serving dim sum, noodle bowls and fancy fried rice near the high-limit room in early December. Of the restaurants still on the slate, high on my list — and perhaps the one that best reflects Red Rock’s intentions — is the Light Group’s Hearthstone, set
to open at the end of the month. On the Strip, the Light Group’s restaurants, including Stack, Fix and Kumi, are already a big draw for locals, but landing at Red Rock marks new territory for the hospitality group that built its empire on nightlife. The new concept has all the elements of a trendy neighborhood restaurant: small plates, communal dining and a wine program, along with casual comfort food coming from the charcuterie bar, rotisserie and pizza counter. Previously, Light Group restaurants worked in tandem with their nearby nightclubs to create a night-out experience. In their first foray off the Strip, Hearthstone’s homey vibe aims to encourage a night in, so to speak, making the restaurant the destination rather than a first stop. It’s another promising — even unusual — inclusion for a locals casino brand that’s trading food-court familiarity for a bit of culinary daring.
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5400 S. Rainbow Blvd. • Las Vegas, NV 89118 • 702-853-3000
HOT PLATE
Eat this now! Grits and gravy at The Bunkhouse
124 S. 11th St., 702-854-1414, bunkhousedowntown.com In The Bunkhouse’s previous, loveable-hellhole iteration, the kitchen could sometimes inspire you to ponder the life question, “Uh, did the cook just ash in my burger?” Thankfully, the recent revamp includes a total reimagining of the menu, for which we can thank former Herbs & Rye Chef Robert Henderson. My favorite so far: their unique take on the Southern staple of cheesy grits, served deep-fried with gravy. In this unorthodox version, the typically porridge-like consistency of the hominy is cemented by folding in some spicy melted cheese. It’s then molded into a handheld size (perfect for your heartburn-on-the-go lifestyle!), breaded and deep-fried. The process creates a golden, crispy crust surrounding a gooey, spicy inside that overflows at first bite. A five-piece portion is served with a jug of zesty vegetarian gravy on the side, ideal for dunking or just shooting back any post-grits remains. It takes three to four bites per cube to consume, making this hefty dish perfect for sharing with friends while you wait for your favorite post-indie-ungrunge-trendustrial-jazzmetal band to take the stage. — Chris Bitonti
The Cure burger
G r i t s a n d g r av y : B r e n t H o l m e s
at Distill
10820 W. Charleston Blvd., 702-534-1400; 4830 W. Pyle Ave., 702-834-5700, distillbar.com So-called “signature” burgers are often a letdown. It’s always the same solid assemblage of beef, cheese and fixings, slammed between a bun and served under the guise of being a house specialty. So I’m confident in saying that the most unusual burger in the city is currently being served at this massive new mega-bar and lounge. The all-American classic begins its makeover with a patty that combines beef with pork for extra fattiness. Soy-marinated onions scream “umami!,” jalapeño jelly adds a sweet and spicy kick, and crispy ribbons of fried parsnips lend a pleasant bitterness. What sounds like a nonsensical mishmash of ingredients will actually make sense when it hits every taste receptor on your tongue. — Debbie Lee
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Dining out
Well Made: Pimiento cheese jar, banh mi, banana pudding
at FIRST Bite
Comfort with class Made L.V. breathes new life into a corner of Tivoli Village with an artisanal take on familiar classics B y D e bb i e L e e
M
uch like fashion, dining trends tend to trickle down. What’s innovative one day is available at your local suburban restaurant the next (see: Korean tacos, kale salads, Sriracha on everything). Serveware is no exception. Consider the Mason jar. Eating and drinking from granny’s pickling supplies initially had an
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old-fashioned appeal, but after years of enduring this trend, I can’t help but wonder what’s wrong with basic bowls and tumblers. So when I came across an entire section dedicated to jarred foods at Made L.V., a new American tavern at Tivoli Village, I let out an admittedly obnoxious groan. But my disdain dissipated upon sampling the contents of the cutesy, quilted
glass vessels. Pimiento cheese, made with chopped red peppers, grated cheddar and mayonnaise, is served with saltines, pretzel chips and fresh veggies for a simple snack with Southern charm. And the chopped chicken liver, studded with chunks of hardboiled eggs, makes a tasty, rustic spread for thick slices of charred bread. As a first impression, both starters accurately capture the spirit of the restaurant. Made L.V. is an unpretentious destination for well-executed comfort food. It’s a bit of a departure for chef Kim Canteenwalla, who uses his Strip experience (Society Café) to woo legions of locals at his nearby farm-to-table venture, Honey Salt. But with his partner, wife Elizabeth Blau, and chef de cuisine Daniel Boling (The Lodge at Torrey Pines, San Diego), the trio’s new casual concept is a saving grace to the neighborhood’s chain-heavy restaurant scene.
P h oto g r a p h y C H R I STO P H E R S M I T H
Table 34
M ade L.V. Tivoli Village, 450 S. Rampart Blvd. #120, 702-722-2000, made-lv.com
Perhaps there’s a behind-the-scenes feng shui consultant who also deserves credit. How else could one explain HOURS the restaurant’s instant Wed-Sun, popularity? Until now, 11:30a-11p; the space — formerly ocMon-Tue, 4-11p cupied by Double Helix Bottles & Burgers, and later replaced with Bradley Ogden’s short-lived Hops & Harvest — seemed doomed to be a revolving door. But then again, neither of those restaurants ever offered a sandwich as drool-worthy as the Canteen banh mi. House-made pâte, ham, batons of pickled daikon and carrots — and, of course, a swipe of Sriracha mayo — are stuffed into a crusty, feather-light torpedo roll for an elevated spin on a traditional Vietnamese street snack. Spare me any lectures on authenticity: After consuming countless banh mis in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, I’d gladly inhale this version any day. If you don’t share my enthusiasm for Southeast Asian sub sandwiches, that’s okay — Made L.V. is a something-for-everyone kind of place. Health-conscious diners can settle for a Tivoli market salad (made with, you guessed it, kale) while unabashed hedonists can sample macaroni and cheese with burnt pork ends and a Ritz cracker crust. Only a couple items were lackluster. A plate of cheesy garlic toast could have come from any Italian-American pizza joint, and a pulled-pork sandwich with sweet potato fries was satisfying but not particularly memorable. Dessert ends the meal on a high note, especially if you’re a fan of old-school American classics. Donut holes arrive warm in a paper bag — just like the apple pie at Honey Salt. And a ba nana pudding with Nilla wafers (presented in yet another jar) is pleasantly sweet, smooth, and given just a tiny twist with a drizzle of salted caramel. Until the initial buzz wears off, reservations are recommended. I’d also suggest inviting the least klutzy among your dining companions. You’ll thank me when you’re up to your neck in glass jars.
Featuring Chef Wes Kendricks’ contemporary American cuisine including fresh fish, wild game, duck, lamb, Certified Angus Beef, and comfort food classics. Conveniently located off the 215 and Warm Springs. Dinner Tuesday Saturday 5pm until closing (around 10pm) 600 E. Warm Springs Road Las Vegas, NV (702) 263-0034
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In honor of this month’s Nevada se sQu ic entennial we look at
the
history of NEVADA
written by
Scott Dickensheets Heidi Kyser Launce Rake Geoff Schumacher
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It presents a curious challenge for the year that marks Nevada’s 150th birthday: Can Desert Companion reflect the story of our city and our state through objects rather than the words and deeds of people? Turns out, we can. And, as with people, selection is key: We chose these 25 items, but could have told a wholly different, equally valid story with 25 different ones, so rich is our history. For assistance, we brain-picked a dream team of historians: Dennis McBride, Claytee White, Geoff Schumacher, Bob Stoldal, Mark Hall-Patton, Danielle Kelly, Michael Green, Alan Palmer, Eugene Moehring; then we tapped our many museum curators, as well as several businesses, nonprofits and individuals. The result: this lively virtual pop-up museum that celebrates the Silver State.
Railroad lamp That Las Vegas exists at all has a lot to do with the railroads. After two battling railroad barons — one of them being William Clark, after whom our county is named — merged their Southwestern lines, a way station was needed. Las Vegas fit the bill, though, according to Southern Nevada: The Boomtown Years, “One can easily read in railroad correspondence J. Ross Clark’s (William’s brother and partner) lack of enthusiasm for ‘booming’ a town at Las Vegas, because he feared that land would fall into the hands of speculators.” So the railroad laid out its own town and, in the celebrated 1905 auction, sold off the lots — “mostly to real estate speculators from California” — and Las Vegas was born. — SD
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PAIUTE BASKET Though it dates from the last century, this lovely artifact reminds us of the Paiute presence in Nevada well before traders, trappers, miners, Mormons, railroaders, ranchers, mobsters and tourists showed up. But once they began — when, for instance, the Old Spanish Trail brought increasing numbers of people — it was only a matter of time until that traffic, in the words of the tribe’s website, “brought an end to the Paiutes’ free movement and traditional way of life.” Around the time this basket was created, rancher Helen J. Stewart, an admirer of the Paiutes’ desert hardiness, deeded the tribe 10 acres of her ranch. The Las Vegas Paiute Tribe is still based there. — SD
1876
“Las Vegas Ranch,” by Frederick S. Dellenbaugh
There’s a reason this painting is more at home in a history museum than an art one — it’s not a great painting. (That cowboy in the lower right — is he rolling his bedding, performing CPR or …?) But it’s the first known image of the Las Vegas Valley, painted when Dellenbaugh, a noted explorer, paused here on his way to California. This is the prelapsarian valley, well before America took notice of the place, other than the original inhabitants and the few settlers who’d tried, with varying success, to live here. It’s a place pretty much lost to our imagination now without a visual aid like this one. — SD
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1955
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These unusual items were used at the iconic but short-lived hotel-casino that catered to the African-American community — patrons would supplement their applause by slapping these on the tables. The casino made the cover of Life magazine with a memorably colorful photo, but the Moulin Rouge remained open less than a year. Still, its brief operating life belies its historical importance: It figures into the city’s civil rights history, and in 1960, though still closed, it was the site of the meeting that led to the overdue desegregation of the Las Vegas Strip. —SD
Atomic testing figures into our history in any number of ways — as a vital element of national security; as a manifestation of the huge federal presence in Nevada; as the pretext for “atomic parties” in the good old days of above-ground testing, and, later, as the occasion for passionate protests; in the legacy of downwinders poisoned by the fallout. In some ways, the high stakes geopolitical gamble represented by nuclear testing harmonized with the risk mentality embodied by the Strip. Among the most eerie artifacts of that era were the mannequins that populated mock structures in the blast zone, the better to study what would happen to actual people. The existential jitters of that arrangement once prompted local artist Robert Beckmann to paint a series about those doomed fake humans. “Of course, the pathos in all the images of the mannequins follows from their being our sad surrogates in the construction of a federal ‘survival town,’” he says now. “In my paintings of them, I called them ‘kin,’ picturing them as they were carted off to what has ever after been called ‘Doomtown.’” — SD
Table knockers from the Moulin Rouge
Atomic testing mannequin
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Neon sign
Neon: It’s the fourth most abundant element in the universe, but for a long time, didn’t it seem as though most of it was here? Vegas didn’t invent the neon sign (representative example: Jerry’s Nugget, left). But this city’s sign-making artisans perfected it to such a wild, iconic degree that, in the early 1960s, Tom Wolfe was moved to note that “the existing vocabulary of art history is helpless” to describe our signage. So he tried: “Boomerang Modern, Palette Curvilinear, Flash Gordon Ming Alert Spiral, McDonald’s Hamburger Parabola, Mint Casino Elliptical, Miami Beach Kidney.” Even though much signage has gone digital, the visual soul of Las Vegas still resides in that bright electrified gas. — SD
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Floor tile from MystÈre With its acrobatic intensity and dreamlike beauty, Mystère at Treasure Island inaugurated the era of resident Cirque du Soleil shows on the Strip. In place of aging comedians or crooners, Eastern European gymnasts; instead of showgirls in wowsy production numbers, supple dancers and acrobats on stage sets unlike any seen in a Vegas revue before. So vigorous were Mystère’s performances that, over its 16-year lifespan, this floor tile was repainted 90 times. —SD
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Chunk of imploded desert inn Talk about the boom years! The megaresort era, launched by Steve Wynn and the Mirage in 1989, vastly increased the density, variety and bombast of the Strip, the magnitude of its spectacle and, of course, its profitability. The churn was so pronounced that French theorists and professors of urban studies went gaga, and visiting journalists referred for years to “the New Las Vegas.” But, of course, it came at the expense of the old one. From 1993 to 2007, what the New York Times Magazine termed Vegas’ “demolition bender” took out 10 aging hotel-casinos, starting with the Dunes and ending with the New Frontier. That’s modernity for you, always with the new. But with a Vegas twist: the blasts were turned into destructo-tainment spectacles, complete with audiences, special effects and TV coverage. Something about the city mulching its own history and memory in a spasm of marketing woo-woo struck many as oh-so-Vegas — a sensibility that perhaps reached its apotheosis in Kurt Andersen’s novel Turn of the Century, in which a new Vegas megaresort has a winkingly satirical lobby attraction: a holographic simulation of its eventual implosion. Boomtown, baby! — SD
1945
Frangible bullet Fired from one plane at another, these break apart on impact — they’re training rounds. They’re here to represent the massive military footprint in Southern Nevada. Gaming and hospitality usually get the credit for creating modern Las Vegas, but it’s hard to imagine the valley without the deep and wide presence of the military. — SD
anytime
Pawned wedding ring This is a cautionary note for the ages: Be careful what happens in Vegas. — SD O C TO B E R 2 0 1 4
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Miniature decorative LDS temple The angel Moroni appears, gazing ever eastward in anticipation of the Second Coming, atop the six-spired Las Vegas temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. From those ecclesiastical heights, he has welcomed Jesus and Las Vegans alike. No kidding: Almost 300,000 of us, regardless of our faiths or lack of one, toured the building during its three-week open house in late 1989. How badly did the faithful want this temple, the first in Nevada? Asked to raise money toward its construction, local Mormons contributed $11 million, according to a church website — “428 percent of their assessment.” Among the first to attempt to live here (see the Old Mormon Fort), Mormons are now deeply woven into the city’s social fabric. — SD
1935
penstock pipe, hoover dam
1980
Singed MGM Grand poker chip The catastrophic MGM fire — 85 dead — was a watershed moment for the city and its resort industry. The worst disaster in state history, it resulted in a mass of litigation; in practical terms, it (and a subsequent fire at the Las Vegas Hilton) led to much-needed reforms in fire-safety and sprinkler laws; and it remains a touchstone of memory for old-time Las Vegans. — SD
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Filing cabinets, Las Vegas News Bureau In these drawers reside the big picture of modern Las Vegas, pixilated into approximately 5 million individual photos touting casino openings, showgirl appearances, celebrity comings and goings and thousands of long-forgotten civic events — images dispatched into the world to keep Vegas fizzing in the public mind. —SD
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First thing you register: Damn, that’s a big pipe. Yes, 30 feet in diameter; it’ll help deliver water to the power plant. Then: Who are those guys? “Members of Boulder City Consulting Board and officials of the Bureau of Reclamation and the Babcock & Wilcox Co.,” according to info from the Bureau of Rec. Then, in the background: Ah, Hoover Dam. That brings it all together: The imposing scale of the hardware, the drama of the men borne aloft — they signify the unimaginably huge scale of the project (fun fact: Workers had to drill 16,000 feet of tunnels, 50 feet wide, before they could start building the actual dam; picture that if you can), as well as its immeasurably large social, economic and human impact. Modern Southern Nevada simply wouldn’t exist without it. — SD
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King Looey brochure The mid-’90s saw some Las Vegas properties adopt an ill-advised “family friendly” posture, represented here by a slice of kitsch from the long-gone MGM Grand Adventures Theme Park. Upsized arcades, fun designed for the kids … it didn’t last, a casualty of the “What happens here” era. — SD
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1984
Liberace’s shoe
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Model of The Smith Center Consider the architectural model. Although it’s a real object itself, at the time of its creation it doesn’t yet represent a real thing — the project hasn’t been built. So the model is more like ... a promise. A huge one, in the case of The Smith Center. Once completed, the building proposed by this model would become the city’s largest, most substantial counter-argument to the grimly persistent view of Las Vegas as a cultural wasteland. Of course, over the years a lot of people worked gamely to dispel that perception, notwithstanding the long list of arts orgs that didn’t make it. But The Smith Center is different: It is, recognizably, a big-city music hall, an irrefutable cultural achievement. As such, it now ably anchors those rebuttals. No, they’re not holding Beckett festivals in it. But Philharmonic shows and Book of Mormon aren’t a bad substitute. — SD
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Screams “Liberace,” doesn’t it? And “Las Vegas,” too. “It is in Las Vegas that Liberace reached the pinnacle of his entertainment career,” cultural critic Eric Leake wrote in 2009. “Las Vegas is also a city associated with extravagance, mass and popular culture, ‘bad taste’ and the idea of personal reinvention, all ideas associated with Liberace.” This glitzed-out footwear takes us back to an older idea of only-in-Vegas entertainment. That’s why Liberace’s represented in these pages rather than Elvis or Sinatra. Those entertainers belonged to the world; Liberace belonged to Vegas. (Close second: Wayne Newton.) — SD
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Spago menu There were fine restaurants in Las Vegas before Wolfgang Puck opened Spago in the Forum Shops at Caesars, and those pioneering chefs deserve a shout out. But in retrospect, Spago was the trendsetter that eventually begat resorts packed with celebrity kitchen wizards, the rise of destination restaurants and a thorough, ongoing revolution in the city’s culinary life. — SD
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Show Boat costume from “Hallelujah Hollywood” Oh, the things dancers endure for their art. Take, for instance, this Show Boat costume, one of four similar getups used from 1974 to 1980 in a show called “Hallelujah Hollywood” at the then-MGM Grand (now Bally’s). The boat costumes weighed less than you’d think looking at this one (15-20 pounds), but were so unwieldy that they had to be hung from the rafters backstage and lowered via rope-and-pulley onto pre-coiffed and -accessorized performers, who could then do little more than walk on stage, make a few twirls and walk back off. But the costumes’ cumbersomeness was part of their over-the-top appeal, serving as the finale’s piece de résistance. Bob Mackie designed them to be worn by African-American dancers as an homage to the original 1927 Broadway musical that tackled some heavy themes, including racial prejudice. So, the topless show boats are the quintessential Strip symbol: a kernel of American truth wrapped in a thick layer of Vegas glam. — HK
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Mining hoist Really, any piece of mining equipment would suffice, from helmet to pickaxe, such is the absolute historical and economic importance of mineral extraction to Nevada. From the iconic Comstock Lode up north to the Johnnie mine near Pahrump (left), it created fortunes in Nevada, as well as boomtowns, ghost towns — and both a still-vital (and constitutionally protected) industry, and an ongoing debate about its role in meeting the state's funding issues. — SD
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Roof tile
Red terra-cotta roof tiles and taupe artificial stucco are the unofficial team colors for the powerful building and development industry in Las Vegas, an industry that helped the metropolitan population double every 15 years for much of the 20th century. Sprawling residential developments, strip malls and office complexes usually followed similar patterns, including materials and coloring, leading to some complaints of “sameness” by a few malcontents, but even though the pace of growth dramatically slowed after the real-estate-finance collapse and recession of 2008, people still move into those properties. And growth, as well as the spread of red roof tiles, has picked up again in Las Vegas. — LR
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MID-1980s (a pprox i m at ely)
Benny Binion chip from the Horseshoe Club
1946
Ceramic flamingo from the opening of the Flamingo
Horseshoe owner Benny Binion was a core enigma of Vegas — a Texas bruiser with a deadly streak reinvented as an avuncular burgher of postwar Sin City who, as you can see above, more or less had his face on his own money. (Read Doug Swanson’s new bio, Blood Aces, reviewed in these pages last month.) One of many people over the years who have laundered their pasts here, the onetime Texas gangster founded the World Series of Poker, which would go on to add considerably to the city’s mystique and appeal. He epitomizes the phrase, “They don’t make them like that anymore.” Extra cool points: This chip was owned by yet another old-Vegas legend, Jackie Gaughan, whose face was on some El Cortez chips. — SD
Over the years, Las Vegas casino openings have been momentous affairs, featuring lavish culinary spreads, marquee entertainers and gaggles of gamblers queued for a shot at what they believe are unusually loose slot machines. The tradition started almost 70 years ago, on Dec. 26, 1946, when Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel, the handsome hoodlum with anger-management issues, organized a big party to mark the opening of his Flamingo Hotel. Siegel had a grand vision for an unforgettable evening, but it didn’t unfold as he had hoped. Siegel invited all of Hollywood royalty. More might have come, but storms drenching Los Angeles grounded Siegel’s chartered plane. Another impediment was newspaper mogul William Randolph Hearst, who spread the word that he frowned on entertainment types associating with Siegel. It wasn’t a shutout on the celebrity front. Some second-tier stars, such as Siegel’s actor-buddy George Raft, showed up, as did the evening’s entertainment lineup, led by Jimmy Durante, Xavier Cugat’s band and a young singer named Rose Marie (who may be best remembered today for her long-term occupancy of the upper-center square on Hollywood Squares). People were impressed with the elegant Flamingo, and they enjoyed taking home a ceramic pink flamingo as a memento of the historic occasion. But the lackluster opening-night guest list was only the beginning of Siegel’s troubles. First, under pressure from partners who wanted to start seeing a return on their investments, he moved up the opening by several months. As a result, when the evening’s festivities wound down, everybody piled into their
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Culinary Union protest sign When visitors hear the word “culinary,” they’ll probably think of Strip restaurants and fancy kitchens. When the word is used by locals, they’re probably referring to the region’s most powerful union and its celebrated bargaining unit, Culinary Local 226. The union’s history is the story of war, ongoing in some cases, with powerful casino and entertainment companies (such as the long, contentious Frontier strike, memorialized at left); as well as cooperative peace, often, with other powerful industry giants. Other memorable union actions in Vegas include a musician’s strike in the late 1980s, and, in 1977, the murder of union president Al Bramlet. He was found dead in the desert, the victim, allegedly, of mob interests. His body’s outstretched arm and clenched fist became known as the “Bramlet salute” in labor-organizing circles. Amid such colorful history, union activity in Las Vegas has ensured many stable, well-paying jobs. No wonder this has been called “the most unlikely union town in America.” — LR
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cars and left — the Flamingo’s hotel rooms weren’t ready yet. Instead, the guests bedded down a few blocks up the road at the Last Frontier and El Rancho Vegas. And, unfortunately for Siegel, a lot of gamblers left the Flamingo very happy, because they had enjoyed an unexpected string of luck at the tables. Against the odds, at Siegel’s Flamingo the house did not win. The Flamingo’s rotten luck continued through New Year’s, and then the visitor counts nosedived in January, as they used to do in Las Vegas. The Flamingo was tanking. Toward the end of the month, Siegel temporarily closed the resort. With 100 hotel rooms and some fresh promotional schemes, courtesy of new publicist Hank Greenspun, the Flamingo reopened in March. Siegel saw improved returns, but by then his debts were piled so high that it was difficult to feel the tide had turned. Siegel knew he was testing the patience of his gangster friends, but apparently he underestimated the level of their frustration. In June, he planned to meet up with his two daughters, who were traveling by train from New York to Los Angeles, and take a vacation with them in Canada. On June 20, he flew to L.A. and took a cab to girlfriend Virginia Hill’s house in Beverly Hills. That evening he was sitting on the couch reading the newspaper when a hail of .30-caliber bullets came through the window. Nine shots were fired. Four of them hit Siegel, one taking out his left eye. He died at age 41. According to neighbors, two guys jumped into a car and sped away. Siegel’s murder remains unsolved, but police investigators, journalists and historians have made the case for half a dozen scenarios. The most famous is that the Commission, the secret committee of organized crime bosses, met in 1946 in Havana, Cuba, to, among other things, discuss what to do with Siegel, who, many of them believed, was out of control. The
Commission decided it was time for Siegel to go, and assigned the job to the Chicago mob. Chicago, in turn, gave the assignment to Los Angeles mob boss Jack Dragna, who hired the assassins. A very different storyline involves Virginia Hill. There’s no question Siegel and Hill had a combustible relationship that often resulted in shouting matches and Hill throwing things. In this version, Hill’s brother, Chick, who was upstairs in the house when Siegel was killed, was behind the hit, fed up with Siegel’s abuse of his sister. No matter who pulled the trigger, it’s clear that Siegel’s reckless spending on the Flamingo and his megalomania put him in a precarious position. As a former hit man, he probably should have recognized that he could push his partners only so far. Back in Las Vegas, with Siegel out of the picture, the mob put some more experienced operators in charge of the Flamingo, and it eventually became one of the great iconic Las Vegas resorts. Today, the Flamingo retains a prominent place on the Strip skyline. Since his death, Bugsy Siegel has become a larger-than-life character, an admixture of myth and reality. Some have dubbed him the “founding father” of Las Vegas, which is ridiculous, while others have sought to diminish his pivotal role in the city’s history. In the end, he had one good idea, and his determination to see it realized is creditable. But Siegel, a career criminal and cold-blooded killer, deserves no pedestal. — Geoff Schumacher Geoff Schumacher is director of content for the Mob Museum
1972
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, by Hunter S. Thompson A scalding, hilarious classic that, in the words of one cultural critic, “framed how thinking people thought about Las Vegas” for years. Unthinking people, too: It established the desirability of, and the template for, the debauched, overthe-top Vegas experience — which is to say, it was marketing gold — when The Hangover’s Zach Galifianakis was still a toddler. — SD O C TO B E R 2 0 1 4
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The radioactive activist
How a Nevada Test Site nuke mechanic learned to start worrying and loathe the bomb by
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Mike Kirby
I
I F r o m t h e C o l l e c t i o n o f t h e N at i o n a l At o m i c T e s t i n g M u s e u m , L a s V e g a s , N V w w w. n a t i o n a l a t o m i c t e s t i n g m u s e u m . o r g
I have worked in an atomic weapons depot, a veterans’ psychiatric hospital and a perfectly awful mental hospital for juveniles, and in all of these places I did what I was told to do, and gave my notice when I had had it with the life they offered. The fact that I was able to follow almost any order, I owe to my Navy training. I am useful. I keep my mouth shut. Sometimes. I got my “Q” clearance, giving me access to atomic weapon secrets, in July 1958 and was sent to a depot in Nevada where atomic weapons were stored. We were still using the first generation of air-droppable bombs and warheads, though they were being phased out. They were the direct descendants of Fat Man, the bomb dropped on Nagasaki. Real monsters. You saw the Mark 5 and Mark 7 bombs and you knew they weren’t firecrackers. The Mark 7 was about two-and-a-half feet in diameter, about 15 feet long and weighed 1,700 pounds. We didn’t have to assemble the TNT sphere, but the detonators that triggered the implosion wave had to be put in one by one, and attached to the cables that came off the high-voltage capacitor bank. The deto-
nators were sensitive: if you dropped them more than six inches they’d go off. A couple of times they took us out to the firing range and blew a couple up while we watched from 20 feet away. There was no question, it could blow a hole in you, and if you were in final preflight assembly and the shockwave hit the TNT sphere, you’d lose the assembly bay and everyone in it. Two hands at all times when you handled dets. Kohler, who liked to have his fun with people, sneaked a couple of dummy detonators into a case of live ones, and one day in the middle of the arming sequence, took what he knew was a dummy and tossed it to poor Horpstead, who bobbled it, dropped it and dived for cover, thinking this was it. Kohler just laughed, hah hah. Big joke. We had special pliers to secure the electrical connectors. You torqued up the connectors tight but not too tight, matched up the holes on the connector to the holes on the receptacle, threaded a wire seal through the holes, and then used these pliers to spin the two ends of the wire together and make neat little seals. This was Standard Operating Procedure to prevent the connectors vibrating loose in the bomb bay. Today all these connections are sealed at the factory. No chance of the kind of mischief I spent too much time thinking about. It was brutally hot up there on the surface, but we had air-conditioning and the twin ordnance igloos we worked in were mostly underground; just their ends showed above the surface. Ten-ton motor-driven doors sealed the entrances used to take weapons in and out. The whole area was heavily fortified. At night, jackrabbits electrocuted themselves against the security fences: distant pops and small blossoms of flame. Inside, pretty much everything was green. Pea green for the walls with dark green trim and cement floors. Bulletins about security, sermons on the dangers of high voltage. A workbench with test equipment ran along the south wall. Two names came back to me this morning: Karlsven and Katchke. God knows how Katchke was really spelled. He wore glasses and I remember him as shy, the classic nerd. He didn’t understand my jokes. He tested the radars, the twin black cans we strapped
into the fusing assemblies. In the old days when gunners and boatswain mates were working in the program, men going on leave used to stand in front of the radar transmitters. The legend was that five minutes in front of them made you sterile for 12 hours. I assume all those clowns died unpleasant deaths, or maybe it was just another sea story told to new guys. Katchke was a high-class tech who knew about radar and advanced electronics; he even did some soldering now and then. I belonged to a lower caste: I swapped black boxes, ran testing protocols and checked the tire pressure on the weapon carriers and wheeled them around on the forklift. I felt safe with this small group of technicians who clustered around the test equipment, running checks on the weapons they brought in from the storage igloos. I had a few buddies; I was off the streets; I was clean and sober and confined myself to one beer a day; I had my shoes spit-shined and wasn’t worried about where my next buck was coming from. Our main job was doing retrofits. Blizzards of retrofits, lots of factory recalls of new bombs and warheads. Bad batteries, malfunctioning radars and contact fuses, whatever. I had a crow on my dungarees, which meant I had a little rank. I had an account in the base credit union where some money went every month towards my college education. I did well in advancement tests.
A fierce wish to belong By 1960, I had been in the Navy for two years, the traumatic effects of boot camp and the Uniform Code of Military Justice were starting to wear off, and I was waking up to certain possibilities in my life. Before boot camp, I had been a street kid for about a year. Boot camp meant I could take a shower and wash my clothes. Putting up your hand and taking the oath got you 10 weeks in San Diego, without rights, subject to constant abuse. You’re marched here; you’re marched there. You yell yes sir and no sir and try your damndest to fit in and
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do everything that is demanded of you. Be clean, stand up straight, roll your socks up into balls so that the stenciled initials show in the little window. After failing inspection one day, I had my whole sea bag, all 132 pieces of clothing, thrown in the shower and was told I had until the next morning to get everything clean and pressed and ready for inspection at 08.00. I sat in the shower room for a long time staring at that huge sodden heap of clothing before I roused myself and set to work. Fairly early in that long night of ironing, I found out that I wanted to survive; I wanted to be like everyone else. I wanted to be a sailor; I didn’t want to get a general or medical discharge and go back to the streets and, more than anything else, I wanted the approval of my boot camp chief petty officer. And when I graduated with the rest of Company 341, one of 80 men standing in ranks at the San Diego Naval Training Center, I stood proud in my anonymity, staring fiercely ahead at nothing, coming to attention, coming to right face, told to stand at ease and finally mustered out, to get two weeks of leave before my first duty station. All this merely meant that I had, like everyone else, a fierce wish to belong, to obey orders. It’s nothing to boast about. I had been programmed. Deprogramming myself was much harder. But maybe surviving boot camp is something to boast about, to be proud about. When I enlisted, I said I wanted to be a hospital corpsman. I think this was an intelligent choice. I have never been that gung-ho. I enlisted not to fight a war but to get three meals a day and a warm place to sleep. And looking after people is what I ended up doing for most of my working life. Nurse’s aide, psychiatric aide, home health aide. I’m retired now, but that’s what I was doing when I started writing this: I wrote and I waited to get Peter’s dinner out of the oven. Peter got 24-hour care, and I did three seven-hour shifts a week. I enjoyed the connectedness that working always gave me, the benchmarks at the end of every shift: pill box empty, kitchen clean, patient clean and medicated, wastebaskets empty, shift annotated. In the later days of the boot camp, when some of the pressure was off, we were
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marched over to a building to talk about our future careers. Our test results were in, and I was already a pariah in my company for my high marks. The company commander made me stand at attention in front of the company while he talked about me. He walked around me, pointing to various parts of my anatomy. He wanted to reassure all the people in the company whose marks were low that they were good people and sound sailors. He wanted to tell them that if they were worried about their scores, to look at Kirby here, who got a 75 but couldn’t do anything right, who might singlehandedly, through all his fuckups, deny the company the performance pennants they deserved. When it was my turn, there was a chief petty officer looking at my file. “You want to be a hospital corpsman?” I said I did. I think he sniggered. I could do better, he said. I could still be a hospital corpsman if I wanted, but anyone could be a corpsman. My test scores were very high. Especially for electronics, and mechanical ability. He wondered if I wanted to spend my four years emptying bedpans and making beds. He said I had a higher calling. The Navy had a new rating that combined electronics and other sophisticated training in armaments. He said that someday I might have a real career in the defense industry. It was all highly classified, and until I got my top secret clearance, I would remain in the dark. And so I said yes, without too much internal struggle, I think. I was putty in the hands of anyone fatherly who told me I was underestimating myself. So I signed on the line. Three months later I was on temporary duty in the holding barracks at Sandia Base, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. We were waiting for our security clearance. One day 24 of us got our notices and marched to the “Q” area gate, where all mysteries would be revealed. We had badges that let us get into most of the buildings beyond the barbed-wire fences. The first day we went to the museum. My God, it was love at first sight. All those bombs and missile warheads, and we were going to work on them. We all talked in whispers; there were models of Fat Man and Little Boy, the bomb dropped on Hiroshima. I remember standing behind the yellow line,
Kohler, who liked to have his fun with people, sneaked a couple of dummy detonators into a case of live ones, and one day in the middle of the arming sequence, took what he knew was a dummy and tossed it to poor Horpstead, who bobbled it, dropped it and dived for cover, thinking this was it. Hah hah. looking up at an absolutely massive hydrogen bomb. The first H-blast detonated a stationary refrigeration plant, the next came from a bomb like the one we were looking at — about the size of a 40-foot boxcar. It was delivered by a B-36 whose bomb bay had to be lengthened and widened. And then we walked through more recent exhibits, when the weapons got smaller and more powerful. There was the tiny ASROC, a nuclear depth charge, and warheads for the Polaris and other ICBMs. Pictures of the tests in Nevada and Bikini. At classes for the next 10 or so weeks, we practiced procedures with dummy bombs, studied theory, saw plenty of movies and were taught radiation safety. One movie was shot in Los Alamos in the wake of a bad accident in the 1940s when a worker accidentally brought together two blocks of uranium and radiation inundated the area. They filmed his last hours. They asked him to talk about what he was feeling. I remember his face was beet red and his hair was falling out. He was polite and responsive to the last, apologizing when he didn’t remember things or started coughing.
F r o m t h e C o l l e c t i o n o f t h e N at i o n a l At o m i c T e s t i n g M u s e u m , L a s V e g a s , N V w w w. n a t i o n a l a t o m i c t e s t i n g m u s e u m . o r g
Bombs away: Above, "Charlie" from Operation Tumbler-Snapper; left, the cannon used for Operation Upshot Knothole; right, "Able" from Operation Tumbler-Snapper
‘Stop me from doing something foolish’ The Mark 7 was my favorite, an old-fashioned big bomb with all the big bomb’s glamour and allure. In the final testing phase, you simulated an airdrop. You unpacked the steel storage cans, bolted and assembled the pieces, cabling up the radome in the nose and the bomb’s fusing and firing units. After everything was double-checked and rigged up with the equipment that simulated a real drop, I would stand on a short step-ladder, and when the team leader gave the
word, reach over and yank the two wires that in real life would stay with the plane. There would be a few seconds of silence, and then a roar from two power inverters pumping 115v AC into the system. The altimeters on the test gear would spin as the air pressure against the ports increased. Time would pass, then the radars would come on and start ranging at 5,000 feet of altitude, then the main capacitor bank would come up to peak voltage, and eventually the radars would find the ground where it should be, and the weapon would fire. A big bang, needles hitting pegs followed by the sound of the inverters shutting down. The warhead was 50 feet away
in the next bay, so all that happened was that the lightning bolt that would have blown the detonators was grounded out and dissipated. When we finished the checks, the warhead and the tail section were added, and the bomb was ready to load into a B-52 and incinerate some city. But we didn’t talk or think like that. Everything was matter-of-fact and technical. Clean as a whisker. No blood or guts, no visions of Armageddon, except now and then when they would suddenly shut the place down and put us all on alert. Marines in the guard towers, sirens blowing, a lockdown for 48 hours. Planes would be loading down at the strip, and we were under the ground working with no way of knowing whether World War Three was on. One kid worked in our unit as a weapons handler for a couple of months and never knew what those weapons were that
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he was loading and positioning. He went crazy. He thought we were mad to take all these things for granted. No sooner had he started talking like that than he vanished, like I did later. In the winter of 1961-62, things were slow in the electrical bay, and I was transferred to the mechanical bay, where I worked doing retrofits and supervised the library, checking weapon manuals in and out. I inevitably did quite a bit of reading in the process of updating manuals, and it was there, sitting at my desk, that I started to do a little research that might have made me very dangerous to everyone on the planet. But it didn’t. I went to the local community college and took a couple of evening classes, and avoided talking about what I was thinking and learning to Lt. Commander Karlsven, the base commander. Karlsven was a taciturn Swede who always looked splendid in his uniform. He came to work in a green Department of Defense sedan; we came to work in a little gray school bus. There was gold on his collar buttons, gold in the braid on his hat that hung on the three-legged hat-stand, silver in his thinning hair that he wore combed straight back. When I left, Karlsven encouraged me to read the Bible. In the college library I found all these books and magazines I never knew existed: the New Republic, the Progressive, Partisan Review and Dissent. I went to see On the Beach, which portrayed the final days of life on Earth after a nuclear war. I started subscribing to the magazines and soon the base security officer wanted to talk to me. Some time in the spring, a new warhead for the Polaris arrived, the first of many that were to be shipped to the submarine fleet. I went through the
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warhead manual and found a number of things that disturbed me. This particular warhead was designed for use against cities. It was very compact, a weapon with a small bang and a small cross-section, but its ablative shield was an alloy of uranium, and it produced very heavy alpha fallout downwind. I thought about the world laid waste by these warheads. I wondered if you could be a good soldier and have an imagination. There was also this: When installed on the rocket, the main warhead connection was safety-wired in place and hidden. But in our bay and out in the storage depots these warheads were stored with an unlocked weapons connector. Unzip the weather cover, and it was right there. The safety mechanisms were in the fusing assembly, not in the warhead. Bang the right pins with the right voltage, and the warhead would blow. I wrote a technical change memo, suggesting a locked cover for the warhead connector while it was in storage. I alerted the system, but the system wasn’t listening. This memo went into a drawer in my boss’s desk. I remember him looking at me quizzically. Never a word,
but no trouble either. I think it made me angry, not being listened to. Anyone who has tried to buck the system understands how difficult it is for an enlisted man to tell an officer what to do. All I wanted was for them to put a lockable cap on the main warhead connection. I wanted them to protect these devices from me and my madness. Stop me from doing something foolish. And thinking of something foolish became an obsession. I saw myself holding the president and the program hostage, single-handedly bringing about disarmament. People would finally understand how dangerous these weapons were. I walked out in the desert nights dreaming of doomsday scenarios. I wrote my first poem about the bomb. One day, I thought I was about to laugh and cried instead. I found my symptoms in one of my college books on psychology. World War One veterans exhibited it. Reversal of emotions. And so I wrote another memo, the memo that is probably buried in classified files in the Department of Defense, the memo that was hot enough for my boss to look at me with a startled expression and send it on to Karlsven, who sent it to the security
N a t i o n a l N u c l e a r S e c u r i t y A d m i n i s t r a t i o n / N e v a d a S i t e Off i c e
Airship down: Part of an August 1957 nuclear test, a Navy blimp crashed after being hit with a powerful shockwave.
I walked out in the desert nights dreaming of doomsday scenarios. I wrote my first poem about the bomb. One day, I thought I was about to laugh and cried instead. I found my symptoms in one of my college books. Reversal of emotions. officer. “I want out,” I said. “Or else.” And this “or else” got through to them. “I will not be responsible for my actions if you keep me here in this program.”
‘Gimme a sign’ You write a good memo and there’s no taking it back; no stopping the bullet once it leaves the barrel. I lost my top secret clearance and was eventually transferred to Treasure Island near San Francisco. I cleaned urinals, swept the parade ground, and did guard duty at the brig. Every morning, thousands of men were marshalled in the parade ground. Many of us were awaiting orders to ship out. My number was 3039, and every morning I was there waiting for it to be called. As the months went by, and all my shipmates came and went to other assignments, I began to understand that this was punishment duty, that I was going nowhere until my enlistment was up. San Francisco at that time was a hotbed of the peace movement. They couldn’t have thought of a worse place to put me in cold storage. There were demonstrations all the time against atomic testing in the Pacific Ocean. The Soviet Union had violated an informal test ban earlier that year, and the Department of Defense’s desire to test its modernized missile
in Oakland. There were five or six people warheads resulted in the U.S. conducting a sitting on the front steps when I arrived, series of dramatically stupid hydrogen bomb and a small crowd milling about. They tests in the spring of 1962 near Johnston Islooked at me with some puzzlement. I land in the mid-Pacific. think one of them got up and moved out Perhaps some of the guys I trained with of the way, thinking I wanted to go inside. in Albuquerque were on Johnston Island. “No,” I said. “Gimme a sign.” There was Early-model Thor rockets, returned from one I really liked: “Why repeat Khrushyears of deployment in England, were used chev’s crime?” to test out the feasibility of anti-ICBM deI sat down. The crowd got bigger, there fense by being detonated at high altitude. were people at the windows looking down The range-safety officers had to abort four at me. The San Francisco Chronicle interof them. The fallout came down. It wasn’t viewed me. Twenty minutes later, the like other tests where the military were shore patrol arrived. My leave was canheld back a decent distance from ground celed; I was placed in custody for conduct zero. One of the Thors blew up on the unbecoming. There was cheering from up pad, making practically the whole island above when I was picked up and tossed into radioactive. There were barracks on that the paddy wagon. And for the first time in island, and probably a detachment of my my life I felt I was where I ought to be, in fellow GMTs to install the W49 bombs on full rebellion against the existing order. I the Thors. Naval aviators flew seaplanes was told on numerous occasions that I was in and out of the fallout. They brought in going to face a general court martial on six an army detachment with bulldozers who or seven charges. Then word came down pushed many acres of radioactive coral from Washington to discharge me quietly. into the lagoon. After Vietnam, the island An honorable discharge. Maybe the thinkwas used to store thousands of barrels of ing was that the peace movement didn’t Agent Orange, and then it became a disneed a martyr. On 16 June 1962, I was esposal site for chemical munitions. Today corted to the administration building. The it’s not used for anything and no one can admiral’s office on the third floor looked visit without special permission. over the great expanse of parade ground I started going to the demonstrations where we were marched and stood for against testing in civilian clothes, but I inspection, and where the mornhad my navy buzz-cut. These were ing meat market was held. I stood my people. They were raggedy-ass braced at attention for 20 minutes kids like I used to be, and they were Hear while this two-star admiral told me staging sit-ins and getting them- more what he would have done to me if selves arrested. I wanted to hold a Meet the heroes of he had his way. Shot as a goddamn sign and join them. the “atomic traitor, keelhauled, condemned to And then one day the master at comics” on life in a marine brig. arms and I had it out. I handed in my “KNPR’s And as he roared and belched fifth or sixth chit asking for an early State of Nevada” fire and pounded his desk, my discharge, and he told me that I was at desert orders were tucked safely in my here for keeps. They weren’t going companion. pocket. I touched them every now to discharge me until my four years com/hear more and then to make sure they were was up. “You’re going to serve every still there, and stole a glimpse out goddamn day you enlisted for.” So of his window from time to time at the disthat was it. tant checkerboard where, until three days “Well, if you won’t let me out early, can I ago, I had stood in square number 3039. have this afternoon off?” I said. Maybe a small smile showed itself on my I got the afternoon off. I went to my face and made him that much madder. I locker and got out my dress whites. I never was young and a little arrogant then. had the occasion to wear them because we were always in dungarees. I spit-shined my shoes. There was a sit-in that day at This article first appeared in The London the Atomic Energy Commission building Review of Books (lrb.co.uk).
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TOP LAWYERS 2014
I t ’ s ti m e to l aw y er u p. Whether you need help growing a business, planning your estate or you just want to ensure you get a fair shake in court, this is the list for you — 346 of the valley’s top lawyers. What makes them the top lawyers in their specialty? Professionalism, expertise, experience and a host of other factors. How did we determine who made the cut? This year, we turned to Avvo, a Seattle-based company that rates and profiles attorneys nationwide. Avvo’s proprietary algorithm rates all attorneys on a 10-point scale, factoring
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in peer endorsements as well as experience, education, training, speaking, publishing and awards. These dynamic ratings are continuously refreshed based on new information gleaned from attorneys, as well as from licensing and disciplinary authorities. While the list in the pages that follow is wide-ranging and carefully researched, many good attorneys don’t appear on the list. This reference is best used as just one step in the careful journey toward finding the attorney who is right for you.
Administrative Law Jeffrey Silvestri McDonald Carano Wilson 100 W. Liberty St., Floor 10, Reno; 2300 W. Sahara Ave., Suite 1000, Las Vegas (775) 788-2000; (702) 873-4100 mcdonaldcarano.com
Appeals Frederic Berkley Sklar Williams 410 S. Rampart Blvd., Suite 350, Las Vegas (702) 763-8239 sklar-law.com Tami Cowden Greenberg Traurig, LLP 3773 Howard Hughes Pkwy., Suite 400, Las Vegas (702) 792-3773 gtlaw.com Micah Echols Marquis Aurbach Coffing 10001 Park Run Dr., Las Vegas (702) 207-6087 maclaw.com Daniel Polsenberg Lewis Roca Rothgerber, LLP 3993 Howard Hughes Pkwy., Suite 600, Las Vegas (702) 474-2616 lrlaw.com
Banking Neal Gidvani Silvestri | Gidvani 1810 E. Sahara Ave., Suite 1395, Las Vegas (702) 979-4597 silgid.com
Bankruptcy / Chapter 11 Erick Gjerdingen Gordon Silver 3960 Howard Hughes Pkwy., 9th Floor, Las Vegas (702) 796-5555 gordonsilver.com
Richard Hawkins Hawkins, Boley & AlDabbagh 3143 Industrial Rd., Las Vegas (702) 435-3333 bandalawfirm.com David Riggi Riggi Law Firm 5550 Painted Mirage Rd., Suite 120, Las Vegas (702) 761-3315 riggilaw.com Samuel Schwartz The Schwartz Law Firm 6623 Las Vegas Blvd. South, Suite 300, Las Vegas (702) 385-5544 schwartzlawyers.com
Bankruptcy / Chapter 13 Malik Ahmad Law Office of Malik W. Ahmad 8072 West Sahara Ave., Suite A, Las Vegas (702) 270-9100 lasvegaslawgroup. com
Bankruptcy / Debt Ryan Andersen Andersen Law Firm, Ltd. 415 S. 6th St., Suite 203b, Las Vegas (702) 522-1992 andersenlawlv.com Dorothy Bunce A Fresh Start 2037 Franklin Ave., Las Vegas (702) 456-1920; (702) 723-7807 lasvegasbankruptcy atty.com Candace Carlyon Carlyon Law Group, PLLC 3333 E. Serene Ave., Suite 110, Henderson (702) 685-4444 carlyonlawgroup.com Rob Charles Lewis Roca Rothgerber, LLP 3993 Howard Hughes Pkwy., Suite 600, Las Vegas
(702) 949-8320
lrlaw.com David Colvin Marquis Aurbach Coffing 10001 Park Run Dr., Las Vegas (702) 382-0711; (702) 942-2145
maclaw.com William Devine Devine Law Firm, PLLC 3420 N. Buffalo Dr., 8th Floor, Las Vegas; 9017 S. Pecos Rd., Suite 4400, Henderson (702) 515-1500 devinelawfirm.com Gregory Garman Gordon Silver 3960 Howard Hughes Pkwy., 9th Floor, Las Vegas (702) 796-5555 gordonsilver.com Marjorie Guymon Goldsmith & Guymon, PC 2055 Village Center Cir., Las Vegas (702) 475-9463 goldguylaw.com Matthew Johnson Johnson & Gubler, PC 8831 W. Sahara Ave., Las Vegas (702) 471-0065 johnsongubler.com Shelley Krohn Shelley D. Krohn, Ltd. 228 S. 4th St., 3rd Floor, Las Vegas (702) 421-2210 krohnlawoffice.com Zachariah Larson Larson & Zirzow, LLC 810 S. Casino Center Blvd., Suite 101, Las Vegas (702) 382-1170 lzlawnv.com Tara Newberry Connaghan | Newberry A Law Firm 7854 W. Sahara Ave., Las Vegas (702) 608-4232 cnlawlv.com William Noall Gordon Silver 3960 Howard Hughes Pkwy., Suite 900,
Las Vegas (702) 796-5555 gordonsilver.com
Judah Zakalik Peters & Associates, LLP 4230 S. Decatur Blvd., Suite 200, Las Vegas (702) 507-6990 pandalawfirm.com
Bankruptcy / Debt, Tax Mark Segal Mark Segal, Chtd. 720 S. 4th St., Suite 301, Las Vegas (702) 382-5212
Business
Las Vegas (702) 904-9974; (702) 907-0270
cunninghambusiness law.com Nadin Cutter Cutter Law Firm 6787 W. Tropicana Ave., Suites 268 & 270, Las Vegas (702) 800-6525 cutterlegal.com Andrew Dixon Bowler Dixon & Twitchell, LLP 3137 E. Warm Springs Rd., Suite 100, Las Vegas (702) 703-6998; (702) 436-4333 nevadalegalcounsel. com
Martha Ashcraft Law Offices of Martha J. Ashcraft 7251 West Lake Mead Blvd., Suite 300, Las Vegas (702) 562-4010 ashcraftlawyers.com
Keen Ellsworth Ellsworth & Bennion, Chtd. 777 N. Rainbow Blvd., Suite 270, Las Vegas (702) 767-9987; (702) 505-4548 silverstatelaw.com
John Bailey Bailey Kennedy, LLP 8984 Spanish Ridge Ave., Las Vegas (702) 562-8820 baileykennedy.com
Pearl Gallagher Lionel Sawyer & Collins 300 S. 4th St., Suite 1700, Las Vegas (702) 383-8983 lionelsawyer.com
Christian Balducci Marquis Aurbach Coffing 10001 Park Run Dr., Las Vegas (702) 207-6071; (702) 382-0711 maclaw.com
Mark Goldstein Lionel Sawyer & Collins 300 S. 4th St., Suite 1700, Las Vegas (702) 383-8837 lionelsawyer.com
Christopher Childs Christopher Childs, Chtd. 901 N. Green Valley Pkwy., Suite 150, Henderson (702) 606-1034 childslegal.com Benjamin Comin Hutchison & Steffen 10080 Alta Dr., Suite 200, Las Vegas (702) 385-2500 hutchlegal.com Krisanne Cunningham Cunningham Law Firm, LLC 5550 Painted Mirage Rd., Suite 320,
Talitha Gray Kozlowski Gordon Silver 3960 Howard Hughes Pkwy., 9th Floor, Las Vegas (702) 796-5555 gordonsilver.com Scott MacTaggart Lewis Roca Rothgerber, LLP 3993 Howard Hughes Pkwy., Suite 600, Las Vegas (702) 474-2646 lrlaw.com Charles McCrea Lionel Sawyer & Collins 300 S. 4th St., Suite 1700, Las Vegas (702) 383-8981 lionelsawyer.com
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Blvd, Las Vegas (702) 878-8778
capandkudler.com
TOP LAWYERS 2014
Loren Piel Law Office of Loren A Piel, Ltd. 7473 W. Lake Mead Blvd., Suite 100, Las Vegas (702) 577-3789 Becky Pintar Pintar Albiston, LLP 6053 S. Fort Apache Rd., Suite 120, Las Vegas (702) 904-8082; (702) 685-5255 beckypintarlaw.com Charles Rainey Rainey Legal Group, PLLC 9340 W. Martin Ave., 24th Floor, Las Vegas; 1200 G. St., NW, 8th Floor, Washington; 45 Rockefeller Plaza, Suite 2000, New York (702) 425-5100; (855) 590-4678 raineydevine.com Glenn Truitt Half Price Lawyers 330 E. Charleston Blvd. Suite 100, Las Vegas (702) 400-0000 halfpricelawyers.com
Anthony Paglia Anthony Paglia Injury Lawyer 255 E. Warm Springs Rd., Suite 100, Las Vegas (702) 830-7070 anthonypaglia.com Jonathan Reed Reed & Mansfield 6655 W. Sahara Ave., Suite B200, Las Vegas (702) 343-0494 accidentawardslasve gas.com Jared Richards Clear Counsel Law Group 50 S. Stephanie St., Suite 101, Henderson (702) 522-0696 jaredrichardslaw.com
Civil Rights Craig Anderson Marquis Aurbach Coffing, PC 10001 Park Run Dr., Las Vegas (702) 382-0711; (702) 942-2136 maclaw.com
Class Action
Dennis Kennedy Bailey Kennedy, LLP 8984 Spanish Ridge Ave., Las Vegas (702) 562-8820 baileykennedy.com Aaron Shipley McDonald Carano Wilson 2300 W. Sahara Ave., Suite 1000, Las Vegas (702) 873-4100 mcdonaldcarano.com Michael Van Shumway Van & Hansen, Chtd. 8985 S. Eastern Ave., Suite 100, Las Vegas (702) 478-7770 shumwayvan.com
Construction / Development Cynthia Alexander Snell & Wilmer, LLP 3883 Howard Hughes Pkwy., Suite 1100, Las Vegas (702) 784-5234 swlaw.com Terry Coffing Marquis Aurbach Coffing, PC 10001 Park Run Dr., Las Vegas (702) 942-2136; (702) 382-0711 maclaw.com Eric Dobberstein Dickinson Wright, PLLC 8965 S. Eastern Ave., Suite 280, Las Vegas (702) 550-4444; (702) 382-4002 dickinsonwright.com
David Winterton David J. Winterton & Associates, Ltd. 1140 N. Town Center Dr., Suite 120, Las Vegas (702) 363-0317 davidwinterton.net
Jamie Cogburn Cogburn Law Office, LLC 2879 Saint Rose Pkwy., Suite 200, Henderson (702) 748-7777 cogburnlaw.com
Car / Auto Accident
Commercial
Mark Ferrario Greenberg Traurig, LLP 3773 Howard Hughes Pkwy., Suite 400, Las Vegas (702) 792-3773 gtlaw.com
Phillip Aurbach Marquis Aurbach Coffing 10001 Park Run Dr., Las Vegas (702) 942-2155 maclaw.com
Frank Flansburg Marquis Aurbach Coffing 10001 Park Run Dr., Las Vegas (702) 942-2154 maclaw.com
Jennifer Braster Naylor & Braster Attorneys at Law 1050 Indigo Dr., Suite
Jack Juan Marquis Aurbach Coffing 10001 Park Run Dr.,
Richard Johnson Naimi, Dilbeck & Johnson, Chtd. 5495 S. Rainbow Blvd., Suite 202c, Las Vegas (702) 823-3333 naimidilbeck.com Donald Kudler Cap & Kudler 3202 W. Charleston
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Brian Nettles Nettles Law Firm 1389 Galleria Dr., Suite 200, Henderson (702) 434-8282 nettleslawfirm.com
110b, Las Vegas (702) 420-7000
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Las Vegas (702) 830-4935; (702) 942-2177
maclaw.com Tony May Tony M. May, PC 703 S. 8th St., Las Vegas (702) 378-4514; (702) 388-0404; tmm-law.com
Contracts / Agreements Steven Pacitti Steven Pacitti, Esq., LLM 4435 S. Eastern Ave., 3rd Floor, Las Vegas (702) 380-3100
Corporate / Incorporation Joshua Gilmore Bailey Kennedy, LLP 8984 Spanish Ridge Ave., Las Vegas (702) 789-4547 baileykennedy.com Brian Hardy Marquis Aurbach Coffing, PC 10001 Park Run Dr., Las Vegas (702) 207-6096 maclaw.com Richard Rawson Ballard Rawson, Chartered 10181 Park Run Dr., Suite 110, Las Vegas (702) 425-3551; (702) 425-2284 ballardrawson.com Jeffrey Zucker Lionel Sawyer & Collins 300 S. 4th St., Suite 1700, Las Vegas (702) 383-8829 lionelsawyer.com
Criminal Defense Michael Becker Las Vegas Defense Group, LLC 200 S. Virginia St., 8th Floor, Reno; 2300 W. Sahara Ave., Suite 450, Las Vegas (702) 333-3673; (775) 348-9685 shouselaw.com
Carlos Blumberg Carlos Blumberg & Associates, PC 500 N. Rainbow Blvd., Suite 300, Las Vegas; (702) 388-0005 Mary Brown Brown Law Offices 200 Hoover Ave., Suite 130, Las Vegas (866) 215-8145; (888) 654-6340; (702) 405-0505 thelasvegasdefender. com Philip Brown Brown Law Offices 200 Hoover Ave., Suite 130, Las Vegas (888) 654-6340; (702) 405-0505 thelasvegasdefender. com David Chesnoff Chesnoff & Schonfeld 520 S. 4th St., Las Vegas (702) 384-5563 Scott Coffee Clark County Public Defenders 309 S. 3rd St., Las Vegas (702) 455-4685 Orlando De Castroverde De Castroverde Law Group 1149 S. Maryland Pkwy., Las Vegas (702) 383-0606 decastroverde.com Waldo De Castroverde De Castroverde Law Group 1149 S. Maryland Pkwy., Las Vegas (702) 383-0606 decastroverde.com Craig Denney Snell & Wilmer, LLP 3883 Howard Hughes Pkwy., Suite 510, Las Vegas; 50 W. Liberty St., Suite 510, Reno (702) 784-5200; (775) 830-2432; (775) 785-5440 swlaw.com Robert Draskovich Turco & Draskovich 815 S. Casino Center Blvd., Las Vegas (702) 997-8520 draskovich.com
Craig Drummond Drummond Law Firm 228 S. 4th St., First Floor, Las Vegas; (702) 366-9966; (702) 712-4284 drummondfirm.com Benjamin Durham Cofer, Geller & Durham, LLC 601 S. 10th St., Las Vegas (702) 631-6111 vegasdefense.com Thomas Ericsson Oronoz & Ericsson, LLC 700 S. 3rd St., Las Vegas; (702) 878-2889 lasvegas-injurylaw yers.com Mario Fenu Law Office of Mario Fenu, Ltd. 1404 S. Jones Blvd., Las Vegas (702) 868-0322; (702) 904-8389 mariofenu.com David Fischer The Law Office of David R. Fischer 7455 Arroyo Crossing Pkwy., Suite 220, Las Vegas (702) 547-3944 fischerlawlv.com Maysoun Fletcher The Fletcher Firm, PC 5510 S. Fort Apache Rd., Suite 5, Las Vegas (702) 333-6339; (702) 835-1542; (702) 904-8175 fletcherfirmlaw.com Warren Geller Cofer, Geller & Durham 601 S. 10th St., Las Vegas (702) 631-6111; (702) 330-3645 cofergeller.com Ross Goodman Goodman Law Firm, PC 520 S. 4th St., Las Vegas (702) 383-5088 goodmanlawgroup. com
Gabriel Grasso Gabriel L. Grasso, PC 231 S. 3rd St., Suite 100, Las Vegas (702) 868-8866 grassodefense.com Lawrence Hill Law Offices of Lawrence C. Hill, LLC 3430 E. Flamingo Rd., Suite 100, Las Vegas (702) 530-5688 lvlegalhelp.com Jeannie Hua Law Office of Jeannie N Hua, Inc. 1810 E. Sahara Ave., Suite 1408, Las Vegas (702) 239-5715 Christopher Jones Law Office of Christopher Jones, LLC 8565 S. Eastern Ave., Suite 128, Las Vegas (702) 505-9159 christopherjoneslaw. com Joel Mann Law Office of Joel M. Mann 601 S. 7th St., Las Vegas (702) 474-6266 legalmann.com Jess Marchese The Law Office of Jess R. Marchese 1212 S. Casino Center Blvd., Las Vegas (702) 879-5970 criminalattorneylasvegas.org Benjamin Nadig Law Office of Benjamin Nadig, Chtd. 324 S. 3rd St., Suite 1, Las Vegas (702) 545-7592 benjaminnadig.com Garrett Ogata Law Office of Garrett Ogata 3841 W. Charleston Blvd., Suite 205, Las Vegas (702) 366-0891 gtogata.com James Oronoz Oronoz & Ericsson, LLC 700 S. 3rd St., Las Vegas (702) 878-2889 oronozlawyers.com
Lester Paredes Las Vegas Defense Group, LLC 2300 W. Sahara Ave., Suite 450, Las Vegas; 200 S. Virginia St., 8th Floor, Suite 450, Reno (702) 333-3673; (775) 348-9685 shouselaw.com Cal Potter Potter Law Offices 1125 Shadow Ln., Las Vegas (702) 385-1954; (702) 595-2206 pottercriminal defense.com Christopher Rasmussen Rasmussen & Kang, LLC 330 S. 3rd St., Suite 1010, Las Vegas (702) 464-6007 rasmussenlaw.com Richard Schonfeld Chesnoff & Schonfeld, PC 520 S. 4th St., Las Vegas (702) 384-5563 Brian Smith Brian J. Smith Law Office 9525 Hillwood Dr., Suite 190, Las Vegas (702) 380-8248 bjsmithcriminaldefense.com Joshua Tomsheck Hofland & Tomsheck 228 S. 4th St., First Floor, Las Vegas (702) 895-6760 hoflandlaw.com Mace Yampolsky Mace J. Yampolsky, Ltd. 625 S. 6th St., Las Vegas (702) 385-9777; (702) 330-8098 macelaw.com Erik Zentz Law Office of Erik Zentz 517 S. 3rd St., Las Vegas (702) 800-3190 zentzlaw.com
Divorce / Separation Jennifer Abrams The Abrams Law Firm, LLC 6252 S. Rainbow Blvd., Suite 100, Las Vegas (702) 222-4021 theabramslawfirm.com Christopher Ford Ford & Friedman 2520 Saint Rose Pkwy., Suite 309, Henderson (702) 476-2400 fordfriedmanlaw.com Matthew Friedman Ford & Friedman 2520 Saint Rose Pkwy., Suite 309, Henderson (702) 476-2400 fordfriedmanlaw.com Dennis Leavitt Leavitt Law Firm 229 Las Vegas Blvd. South, Las Vegas (702) 384-3963 leavittlawfirm.com Jason Naimi Standish Naimi Law Group 1635 Village Center Cir., Suite 180, Las Vegas (702) 998-9344; (702) 802-0492 standishnaimi.com
Divorce / Separation, Criminal Defense, Juvenile, Domestic Violence, Litigation, Child Custody Tracy Rau Karris Rau, LLC 501 S. Rancho Dr., Suite I62, Las Vegas (702) 754-6700 tracymrau.com
DUI / DWI Dale Hayes The Hayes Law Firm 1050 Indigo Dr., Suite 110, Las Vegas (702) 656-0808 duilawyersoflas vegas.com
Jay Siegel Law Office of Chip Siegel, Esq. 601 S. 7th St., Las Vegas (702) 430-7531 legalchip.com
Elder Law Noel Simpson Palmer Law Group, PLLC 5532 S. Fort Apache Rd., Suite 120, Las Vegas (702) 776-7680; (702) 472-8450 plgelderlaw.info
Employment / Labor Patrick Chapin Patrick N. Chapin, Ltd. 129 Cassia Way, Henderson (702) 433-7295 chapinlaw.net Howard Cole Lewis Roca Rothgerber, LLP 3993 Howard Hughes Pkwy., Suite 600, Las Vegas (702) 949-8315 lrlaw.com Nicholas Crosby Marquis Aurbach Coffing, PC 10001 Park Run Dr., Las Vegas (702) 382-0711; (702) 942-2133 maclaw.com Matthew Durham Payne & Fears, LLP 7251 W. Lake Mead Blvd., Suite 525, Las Vegas (702) 382-3574 paynefears.com Jill Garcia Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, PC 3800 Howard Hughes Pkwy., Suite 1500, Las Vegas (702) 369-6809 ogletreedeakins.com Anthony Martin Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, PC 3800 Howard Hughes Pkwy., Suite 1500,
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Environmental / Natural Resources
TOP LAWYERS 2014
Las Vegas (702) 369-6801
ogletreedeakins.com Suzanne Martin Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, PC 3800 Howard Hughes Pkwy., Suite 1500, Las Vegas (702) 369-6805 ogletreedeakins.com Montgomery Paek Littler Mendelson, PC 3960 Howard Hughes Pkwy., Suite 300, Las Vegas (702) 862-8800 littler.com Andrew Rempfer Cogburn Law Offices 2879 Saint Rose Pkwy., Suite 200, Henderson (702) 384-3616 cogburnlaw.com Gregory Smith Lionel Sawyer & Collins 300 S. 4th St., Suite 1700, Las Vegas (702) 383-8959 lionelsawyer.com Laura Thalacker Hartwell Thalacker, Ltd. 11920 Southern Highland Pkwy., Suite 201, Las Vegas (702) 850-1074 hartwellthalacker.com
Entertainment Mark Tratos Greenberg Traurig 3773 Howard Hughes Pkwy., Suite 400, Las Vegas (702) 792-3773; (702) 938-6888 gtlaw.com
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Linda Bullen Lionel Sawyer & Collins 300 S. 4th St., Suite 1700, Las Vegas (702) 383-8970 lionelsawyer.com
Estate Planning Tiffany Ballenger Phillips Ballenger 3605 S. Town Center Dr., Suite B, Las Vegas (702) 997-5701 phillipsballenger.com Elizabeth Brickfield Lionel Sawyer & Collins 300 S. 4th St., Suite 1700, Las Vegas (702) 383-8977 lionelsawyer.com Jeffrey Burr Jeffrey Burr, Ltd. 2600 Paseo Verde Pkwy., Suite 240, Henderson; 7881 W. Charleston Blvd., Suite 240, Las Vegas (702) 433-4455 jeffreyburr.com J. Charles Coons Cooper Coons, Ltd. 10655 Park Run Dr., Suite 150, Las Vegas (702) 998-1500 coopercoons.com Jeremy Cooper Cooper Coons, Ltd. 10655 Park Run Dr., Suite 130, Las Vegas (702) 998-1500 coopercoons.com Mark Dodds Grant Morris Dodds, PLLC 2520 Saint Rose Pkwy., Suite 319, Henderson; 10161 Park Run Dr., Suite 150, Las Vegas (702) 938-2244; (702) 978-2080 gmdlegal.com Heidi Freeman Oshins & Associates, LLP 1645 Village Center Cir., Las Vegas (702) 341-6000 oshins.com
Daniel Goodsell Goodsell & Olsen 10155 W. Twain Ave., Suite 100, Las Vegas (702) 869-6261 goodsellolsen.com David Grant Grant Morris Dodds 10801 W. Charleston Blvd., Suite 170, Las Vegas; 597 N. 1500 W., Suite 110 & 120, Cedar City; 2520 St. Rose Pkwy., Suite 319, Henderson (877) 978-2080 gmdlegal.com Kirk Kaplan Kaplan & Associates, Prof., LLC 6480 Spring Mountain Rd., Suite 4, Las Vegas (702) 202-4153 rklawnv.com Steven Oshins Oshins & Associates, LLC 1645 Village Center Cr., Suite 170, Las Vegas (702) 341-6000 oshins.com Richard Oshins Oshins & Associates, PC 1645 Village Center Cir., Suite 170, Las Vegas (702) 341-6000 oshins.com Michael Potter The Estate Planning Law Center, PLLC 4771 Amber Glen Ct., Las Vegas (702) 463-3788 estateplanninglaw center.net Kristen Simmons Oshins & Associates, LLC 1645 Village Center Cir., Suite 170, Las Vegas (702) 341-6000 oshins.com Jeremy Spackman Oshins & Associates, LLC 1645 Village Center Cir., Suite 170, Las Vegas (702) 341-6000 oshins.com Scott Swain McDonald Carano Wilson, LLP
2300 W. Sahara Ave., Suite 1000, Las Vegas (702) 873-4100
mcdonaldcarano.com Travis Twitchell Bowler Dixon & Twitchell, LLP 3137 E. Warm Springs Rd., Suite 100, Las Vegas (702) 703-6998; (702) 436-4333 nevadalegalcounsel. com Kristin Tyler Gordon Silver 3960 Howard Hughes Pkwy., 9th Floor, Las Vegas (702) 796-5555 gordonsilver.com Elyse Tyrell Trent, Tyrell & Associates 11920 Southern Highlands Pkwy., Las Vegas (702) 382-2210 probatelawlv.com Jason Walker Jeffrey Burr, Ltd. 2600 Paseo Verde Pkwy., Suite 200, Henderson (702) 433-4455; (702) 254-4455 jeffreyburr.com
Ethics / Professional Responsibility Joseph Garin Lipson, Neilson, Cole, Seltzer & Garin, PC 9080 W. Post Rd., Suite 100 & 120, Las Vegas; 9900 Covington Cross Dr., Suite 120, Las Vegas (248) 593-5000; (702) 382-1500 lipsonneilson.com
Family Brian Blackham Kunin & Carman 3551 E. Bonanza Rd., Suite 110, Las Vegas (702) 438-8060 kunincarman.com Koren Boyd Boyd Law Firm 2831 St. Rose Pkwy, Henderson (702) 400-0000;
(702) 818-1062
boydlawfirmnv.com Rebecca Burton Law Offices of Rebecca L. Burton, PC 801 S. 6th St., Las Vegas (702) 676-1065 rlburtonlaw.com Christopher Carr Carr Law Office 807 S. 7th St., Las Vegas (702) 425-6301 lvdivorce.com James Claflin Claflin Law, Ltd. 3753 Howard Hughes Pkwy., Suite 200, Las Vegas (702) 564-2523 claflaw.com Chaka Crome Crome Law Firm 520 S. 4th St., Las Vegas (702) 384-5563 cromelawfirm.com Laura Deeter Ghandi Deeter Law Offices 601 S. 6th St., Las Vegas (702) 878-1115 ghandilaw.com John Eccles McFarling Law Group 6230 W. Desert Inn Rd., Suite 6g, Las Vegas (702) 565-4335 mcfarlinglaw.com Nedda Ghandi Ghandi Deeter Law Offices 601 S. 6th St., Las Vegas (702) 878-1115 ghandilaw.com Kari Hanratty Hanratty Law Group 1815 Village Center Cir., Suite 140, Las Vegas (702) 821-1379 hanrattylawgroup.com Bradley Hofland Hofland & Tomsheck 228 S. 4th St., Las Vegas (702) 895-6760; (702) 751-8818; (702) 843-5308 hoflandlaw.com
Shawn Huggins Huggins Law Office 8683 W. Sahara Ave., Suite 180, Las Vegas (702) 900-0710 hugginslawfirm.com David Jacks The Jacks Law Group 410 S. Rampart Blvd., Suite 390, Las Vegas; 1057 Whitney Ranch Dr., Suite 350, Henderson (702) 834-6300 thejackslawgroup. com F. James Law Offices of F. Peter James, Esq., PLLC 3821 W. Charleston Blvd., Suite 250, Las Vegas (702) 256-0087 peterjameslawoffices. com John Jones Black & LoBello 10777 W. Twain Ave., Suite 300, Las Vegas
(702) 869-8801; (702) 523-6966
blacklobellolaw.com Edward Kainen Kainen Law Group, PLLC 10091 Park Run Dr., Suite 110, Las Vegas (702) 823-4900 kainenlawgroup.com John Kelleher Kelleher & Kelleher, LLC 807 S. 7th St., Las Vegas (702) 384-7494 kelleherandkelleher. com Israel Kunin Cunin & Carman 3551 E. Bonanza Rd., Suite 110, Las Vegas (702) 706-0964 kunincarman.com Andrew Kynaston Kainen Law Group 10091 Park Run Dr., Suite 110, Las Vegas
(702) 823-4900
kainenlawgroup.com Regina McConnell McDonald Law Offices, PLLC 2505 Anthem Village Dr., Suite E-474, Henderson; 2850 W. Horizon Ridge Pkwy., Suite 200, Henderson (702) 385-7411 familylawcenters. com
Keith Pickard Pickard Parry, Chtd. 10120 S. Eastern Ave., Suite 140, Henderson (702) 910-4300 pickardparry.com Joseph Riccio Dempsey, Roberts and Smith, Ltd. 1130 Wigwam Pkwy., Henderson (702) 388-1216 drsltd.com
Emily McFarling McFarling Law Group 6230 W. Desert Inn Rd., Las Vegas (702) 565-4335 mcfarlinglaw.com
Amanda Roberts Roberts Stoffel Family Law Group 2011 Pinto Ln., Suite 100, Las Vegas (702) 474-7007 lvfamilylaw.com
Greta Muirhead Greta Muirhead Attorney at Law 9811 W. Charleston Blvd., Suite 2-242, Las Vegas (702) 434-6004 toughtimeslegal.com
Stacy Rocheleau Right Lawyers 600 S. Tonopah Dr., Suite 300, Las Vegas (702) 914-0400 rightlawyers.com
Bruce Shapiro Bruce I. Shapiro Pecos Law Group of Las Vegas Nevada 8925 S. Pecos Rd., Suite 14A, Henderson (702) 388-1851 pecoslawgroup.com Radford Smith Radford J. Smith, Chtd. 64 N. Pecos Rd., Suite 700, Henderson (702) 583-6867; (702) 789-7767 radfordsmith.com Brian Steinberg Steinberg Law Group 2250 S. Rancho Dr., Suite 215, Las Vegas (702) 384-9664 steinberglawgroup.com Jason Stoffel Roberts Stoffel Family Law Group 2011 Pinto Ln., Suite 100, Las Vegas (702) 474-7007 lvfamilylaw.com
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Las Vegas (702) 567-1568
TOP LAWYERS 2014
Christopher Tilman Christopher R. Tilman, Chtd. 1211 S. Maryland Pkwy., Las Vegas (702) 214-4214 christophertilman. com Natricia Tricano The Tricano Law Office 601 S. 7th St., Las Vegas (702) 476-2000; (470) 247-6200 tricanolaw.com Marshal Willick Willick Law Group 3591 E. Bonanza Rd., Suite 200, Las Vegas (702) 438-4100 willicklawgroup.com Shann Winesett Bruce I. Shapiro, Ltd. 8925 S. Pecos Rd., Suite 14a, Henderson (702) 388-1851 Heather Zana Half Price Lawyers 330 E. Charleston Blvd., Suite 100, Las Vegas (702) 400-0000 halfpricelawyers.com
Foreclosure Sandy Van Van and Associates Law Firm 8275 S. Eastern Ave., Suite 200, Las Vegas (702) 529-1011; (702) 789-7679 vanlawfirm.com
Franchising Matthew Kreutzer Howard & Howard Attorneys 3800 Howard Hughes Pkwy., Suite 1000,
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Gaming Michael Brunet Affinity Gaming 3755 Breakthrough Way, Suite 300, Las Vegas (702) 341-243 affinitygamingllc.com Anthony Cabot Lewis Roca Rothgerber, LLP 3993 Howard Hughes Pkwy., Suite 600, Las Vegas (702) 949-8200 lrlaw.com Jennifer DiMarzio Lionel Sawyer & Collins 300 S. 4th St., Suite 1700, Las Vegas (702) 383-8971 lionelsawyer.com Jennifer Gaynor Lionel Sawyer & Collins 1700 Bank Of America Plaza, 300 S. Fourth St., Las Vegas (702) 383-8971 lionelsawyer.com James Gibson Lionel Sawyer & Collins 300 S. 4th St., Suite 1700, Las Vegas (702) 383-8901 lionelsawyer.com Glenn Light Lewis Roca Rothgerber, LLP 3993 Howard Hughes Pkwy., Suite 600, Las Vegas (702) 949-8276 lrlaw.com Jennifer Roberts Lionel Sawyer & Collins 300 S. 4th St., Suite 1700, Las Vegas (702) 383-8946 lionelsawyer.com Jeffrey Silver Gordon Silver 3960 Howard Hughes Pkwy., 9th Floor, Las Vegas (702) 796-5555 gordonsilver.com
Ellen Whittemore Whittemore Gaming Group 1975 Village Center Cir., Suite 140, Las Vegas (702) 308-9987 gaminglawmasters. com
Government Todd Bice Pisanelli Bice, PLLC 3883 Howard Hughes Pkwy., Suite 800, Las Vegas pisanellibice.com Allison Herr Nevada Office Of The Attorney General 555 E. Washington Ave., Suite 3900, Las Vegas (702) 486-3799 Shauna Hughes Gordon Silver 3960 Howard Hughes Pkwy., Floor 9th, Las Vegas (702) 796-5555 gordonsilver.com Jennifer Lazovich Kaempfer Crowell Renshaw Gronauer & Fiorentino 8345 W. Sunset Rd., Suite 250, Las Vegas (702) 792-7000 kcnvlaw.com
Guardianship Dara Goldsmith Goldsmith & Guymon, PC 2055 Village Center Cir., Las Vegas (702) 873-9500 goldguytrusts.com Homa Woodrum Woodrum Law, LLC 3470 E. Russell Rd., Suite 212A, Las Vegas (702) 825-3483 woodrumlaw.com
Health Care Julia Flynn Lionel Sawyer & Collins 300 S. 4th St., Suite 1700, Las Vegas (702) 383-8956 lionelsawyer.com
Immigration Charles Bennion Ellsworth & Bennion, Chtd. 7881 W. Charleston Blvd., Suite 210, Las Vegas; 777 N. Rainbow Blvd., Suite 270, Las Vegas (702) 658-6100; (702) 830-0833; (702) 9970827 emblaw.com Jocelyn Cortez De Castroverde Law Group 1149 S. Maryland Pkwy., Las Vegas (702) 383-0606; (702) 222-9999 decastroverde.com Andrew Driggs Driggs Immigration Law Group 330 E. Charleston Blvd., Suite 100, Las Vegas; 2600 N. 44th St., Suite 104, Phoenix (702) 333-1955 driggslawgroup.com Robert West Law Office of Robert West 6235 S. Pecos Rd., Suite 110, Las Vegas (702) 319-5459 robertwest.net
Insurance Thomas Christensen Christensen Law Offices 1212 South Casino Center Blvd., Las Vegas (702) 870-1000 injuryhelpnow.com J. Cobeaga The Cobeaga Law Firm 550 East Charleston Blvd., Suite D, Las Vegas (702) 240-2499 cotomlaw.com Christopher Curtis Thorndal Armstrong Delk Balkenbush & Eisinger 1100 E. Bridger Ave., Las Vegas (702) 366-0622 thorndal.com
Jordan Schnitzer Kravitz, Schnitzer and Johnson, Chtd. 8985 S. Eastern Ave., Suite 200, Las Vegas (702) 362-6666 kssattorneys.com Thomas Winner Atkin Winner & Sherrod 1117 S. Rancho Dr., Las Vegas (702) 243-7000 atkinsonwatkins.com
Intellectual Property William Allen Lewis Roca Rothgerber, LLP 3993 Howard Hughes Pkwy., Suite 600, Las Vegas (702) 949-8200 lrlaw.com Edward Chansky Greenberg Traurig, LLP 3773 Howard Hughes Pkwy., Suite 400, Las Vegas (702) 599-8016 gtlaw.com Jennifer Craft Gordon Silver 3960 Howard Hughes Pkwy., 9th Floor, Las Vegas (702) 796-5555 gordonsilver.com Michael Feder Gordon Silver 3960 Howard Hughes Pkwy., 9th Floor, Las Vegas (702) 796-5555 gordonsilver.com Gregory Gemignani Lionel Sawyer & Collins 300 S. 4th St., Suite 1700, Las Vegas (702) 383-8989 lionelsawyer.com Vincent Kostiw Kostiw Law Group, PC 2375 E. Tropicana Ave., Suite 275, Las Vegas (301) 896-5291; (702) 508-8510 rockstarlaw.com John Krieger Gordon Silver 3960 Howard Hughes
Pkwy., 9th Floor, Las Vegas (702) 369-2666; (702) 796-5555
(702) 308-6153
paulelarsen.com
gordonsilver.com
Lawsuits / Disputes
Michael McCue Lewis Roca Rothgerber, LLP 3993 Howard Hughes Pkwy., Suite 600, Las Vegas (702) 949-8224 lrlaw.com
Joseph Bongiovi Bongiovi Dispute Resolutions 2807 Middle Earth St., Las Vegas (702) 889-4600 bongiovi.com
Linda Norcross Howard & Howard Attorneys, PLLC 3800 Howard Hughes Pkwy., Suite 1000, Las Vegas (702) 257-1483; (702) 667-4831 howardandhoward. com Edward Quirk Greenberg Traurig 3773 Howard Hughes Pkwy., Suite 400n, Las Vegas (702) 792-3773 gtlaw.com Marc Randazza Randazza Legal Group 3625 S. Town Center Dr., Suite 150, Las Vegas; 2 S. Biscayne Blvd., Suite 2600, Miami (305) 437-7662; (888) 667-1113 randazza.com
Land Use / Zoning Mark Fiorentino Kaempfer Crowell Renshaw Gronauer & Fiorentino 8345 W. Sunset Rd., Suite 250, Las Vegas (702) 792-7000 kcnvlaw.com Christopher Kaempfer Kaempfer Crowell Renshaw Gronauer & Fiorentino 8345 W. Sunset Rd., Suite 250, Las Vegas (702) 792-7000 kcnvlaw.com Paul Larsen 1601 S. Rainbow, Suite 160, Las Vegas (702) 383-8819;
Alexander Fugazzi Snell & Wilmer, LLP 3883 Howard Hughes Pkwy., Suite 1100, Las Vegas (702) 784-5202 swlaw.com
Licensing Thomas Amick Kaempfer Crowell Renshaw Gronauer & Fiorentino 8345 W. Sunset Rd., Suite 250, Las Vegas (702) 792-7000 kcnvlaw.com
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Shemilly Briscoe Briscoe Law Group 1060 Wigwam Pkwy., Henderson (702) 748-9340 briscoelawgroup.com
Litigation G. Albright Albright Stoddard Warnick & Albright 801 S. Rancho Dr., Quail Park I, Suite D-4, Las Vegas (800) 391-5827 albrightstoddard. com Paola Armeni Gordon & Silver 3960 Howard Hughes Pkwy., 9th Floor, Las Vegas (702) 796-5555 gordonsilver.com Joice Bass Lewis Roca Rothgerber, LLP 3993 Howard Hughes Pkwy., Suite 600, Las Vegas (702) 949-8345 lewisandroca.com
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TOP LAWYERS 2014
Ketan Bhirud Lionel Sawyer & Collins 300 S. 4th St., Suite 1700, Las Vegas (702) 383-8907; (702) 383-8888 lionelsawyer.com Josephine Binetti McPeak McDonald Carano Wilson 2300 W. Sahara Ave., Number 10, Suite 1000, Las Vegas (702) 873-4100 mcdonaldcarano.com Mark Connot Fox Rothschild, LLP 3800 Howard Hughes Pkwy., Suite 500, Las Vegas (702) 699-5924 foxrothschild.com Joshua Dickey Bailey Kennedy, LLP 8984 Spanish Ridge Ave., Las Vegas (702) 562-8820 baileykennedy.com Ike Epstein Lewis Roca Rothgerber, LLP 3993 Howard Hughes Pkwy., Suite 600, Las Vegas (702) 949-8200 lrlaw.com Jonathan Fountain Lewis Roca Rothgerber, LLP 3993 Howard Hughes Pkwy., Suite 600, Las Vegas (702) 949-8340 lrlaw.com David Frederick Lionel Sawyer & Collins 300 S. 4th St., Suite 1700, Las Vegas (702) 383-8828 lionelsawyer.com Puneet Garg Garg Law Firm 8945 W. Post Rd., Suite 110, Las Vegas (702) 987-0202
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Dominic Gentile Gordon Silver 3960 Howard Hughes Pkwy., 9th Floor, Las Vegas (702) 796-5555 gordonsilver.com Jason Gerber Marquis Aurbach Coffing, PC 10001 Park Run Dr., Las Vegas (702) 382-0711; (702) 207-6097 maclaw.com Jared Green McCormick, Barstow, Sheppard, Wayte and Carruth, LLP 8337 W. Sunset Rd., Suite 350, Las Vegas (702) 949-1100 mccormickbarstow. com Robert Hernquist Lionel Sawyer & Collins 300 S. Fourth St., Las Vegas (702) 383-8972 lionelsawyer.com Eric Hone Gordon Silver 3960 Howard Hughes Pkwy., 9th Floor, Las Vegas (702) 796-5555 gordonsilver.com
Kristan Lehtinen Global Business Lawyers - Lovaas & Lehtinen, PC 6128 W. Sahara Ave., Las Vegas (702) 388-1011 globalbusinesslaw yersusa.com Paul Lemcke Pecos Law Group 8925 S. Pecos Rd., Suite 14A, Henderson (702) 388-1851 pecoslawgroup.com William Levy Levy Law, LLC 6655 W. Sahara Ave., Suite E102, Las Vegas (702) 480-9161; (702) 485-1000 Aaron Lovaas Global Business Lawyers – Lovaas & Lehtinen, PC 6128 W. Sahara Ave., Las Vegas (702) 388-1011 globalbusinesslaw yersusa.com Pat Lundvall McDonald Carano Wilson, LLP 2300 W. Sahara Ave., Suite 1000, Las Vegas (702) 873-4100 mcdonaldcarano.com
Rodney Jean Lionel Sawyer & Collins 300 S. 4th St., Suite 1700, Las Vegas (702) 383-8830 lionelsawyer.com
Albert Marquis Marquis Aurbach Coffing 10001 Park Run Dr., Las Vegas (702) 942-2127; (702) 382-0711 maclaw.com
Justin Jones Wolf, Rifkin, Shapiro, Schulman & Rabkin, LLP 3556 E. Russell Rd., 2nd Floor, Las Vegas (702) 341-5200 wrslawyers.com
Christopher Mathews Lionel Sawyer & Collins 300 S. 4th St., Suite 1700, Las Vegas (702) 383-8973
Thomas Kummer Greenberg Traurig, LLP 3773 Howard Hughes Pkwy., Suite 400, Las Vegas (702) 792-3773 gtlaw.com Michael Lee Michael B. Lee, PC 2000 S. Eastern Ave., Las Vegas (702) 477-7030 mblnv.com
John Mowbray Fennemore Craig Jones Vargas 300 S. 4th St., Suite 1400, Las Vegas (702) 692-8001 fclaw.com Chad Olsen Payne & Fears, LLP 7251 W. Lake Mead Blvd., Suite 525, Las Vegas (702) 851-0302 paynefears.com
Anne Padgett McCormick Barstow, LLP 8337 W. Sunset Rd., Suite 350, Las Vegas (702) 949-1100 mccormickbarstow. com James Pisanelli Pisanelli Bice Law Firm 3883 Howard Hughes Pkwy., Suite 800, Las Vegas (702) 214-2100 pisanellibice.com Patrick Reilly Holland & Hart 9555 Hillwood Dr., 2nd Floor, Las Vegas (702) 669-4600; (702) 882-0112 hollandhart.com Yianna Reizakis Law Offices of R.S. & Associates 2030 E. Flamingo Rd., Suite 260b, Las Vegas (702) 893-3388 Candice Renka Marquis Aurbach Coffing 10001 Park Run Dr., Las Vegas (702) 207-6075; (702) 382-0711 maclaw.com
Jordan Smith Pisanelli Bice Law Firm 3883 Howard Hughes Pkwy., Suite 800, Las Vegas (702) 214-2100 pisanellibice.com Mark Solomon Solomon Dwigins & Freer, Ltd. 9060 W. Cheyenne Ave., Las Vegas (702) 853-5483 sdfnvlaw.com Doreen Spears Hartwell Hartwell Thalacker, Ltd. 11920 Southern Highland Pkwy., Suite 201, Las Vegas (702) 850-1074 hartwellthalacker.com Don Springmeyer Wolf, Rifkin, Shapiro, Schulman & Rabkin, LLP 3556 E. Russell Rd., 2nd Floor, Las Vegas (702) 341-5200 wrslawyers.com Kelly Stout Bailey Kennedy, LLP 8984 Spanish Ridge Ave., Las Vegas (702) 562-8820 baileykennedy.com
Thomas Ryan Lewis Roca Rothgerber, LLP 3993 Howard Hughes Pkwy., Suite 600, Las Vegas (702) 949-8232 lrlaw.com
Abran Vigil Ballard Spahr Andrews & Ingersoll 100 N. City Pkwy., Suite 1750, Las Vegas (702) 471-7000; (702) 868-7523 ballardspahr.com
Beverly Salhanick Beverly Salhanick, Esq., PC 2001 S. Jones Blvd., Suite I, Las Vegas (702) 227-0787 salhanicklaw.com
Jay Young Howard & Howard 3800 Howard Hughes Pkwy., Suite 1000, Las Vegas (702) 667-4804; (702) 821-2419 howardandhoward. com
Joel Schwarz Gordon & Silver Ltd. 3960 Howard Hughes Pkwy., 9th Floor, Las Vegas (702) 796-5555 gordonsilver.com Phillip Silvestri Silvestri Gidvani 1810 E. Sahara Ave., Suite 140, Las Vegas (702) 979-4597 silgid.com
Medical Malpractice Patricia Daehnke Bonne, Bridges, Mueller, O’Keefe & Nichols 2300 W. Sahara Ave., Suite 32, Las Vegas (702) 383-9882; (213) 738-5896 bonnebridges.com
A Fresh PersPective
We prefer to view things from a different vantage point. One that allows a thorough assessment of the legal landscape, and enables us to anticipate challenges for our clients before they arise. One that gives us the foresight to serve their long-term interests, not just their immediate needs. Think of it as progress meets point-of-view. Contact us, and enjoy a fresh perspective.
gordonsilver.com 3960 Howard Hughes Parkway, Ninth Floor | Las Vegas, Nevada 89169 | T: 702.796.5555
F: 702.369.2666
Las Vegas | LOs aNgeLes | PHOeNix | ReNO | WasHiNgTON, D.C.
3143 Industrial Rd., Las Vegas (702) 435-3333
TOP LAWYERS 2014
Personal Injury Ryan Alexander The Firm, A Professional Law Corporation 200 E. Charleston Blvd., Las Vegas (702) 222-3476 ryanalexander.us Ryan Anderson Morris Anderson Law 2001 S. Maryland Pkwy., Las Vegas (702) 333-1111; (877) 722-8758 morrisandersonlaw. com Troy Atkinson Atkinson & Watkins, LLP 10789 W. Twain Ave., Suite 100, Las Vegas (702) 562-6000 atkinsonwatkins.com Joseph Benson Benson & Bingham Summerlin 11441 Allerton Park Dr., Suite 100, Las Vegas; 9230 S. Eastern Ave., Suite 155, Las Vegas (702) 684-6900; (702) 463-2900 bensonbingham.com Edward Bernstein Edward M. Bernstein & Associates, Inc. 500 S. 4th St., Las Vegas (702) 410-6566 edbernstein.com Ben Bingham Benson & Bingham 11441 Allerton Park Dr., Suite 100, Las Vegas; 626 S. 10th St., Las Vegas (702) 382-9797 bensonbingham.com Thomas Boley Hawkins, Boley & AlDabbagh
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bandalawfirm.com Byron Browne Barski Drake Browne, PLLC 10191 Park Run Dr., Suite 110, Las Vegas (702) 463-1221 bdbattorneys.com Benjamin Cloward Richard Harris Law Firm 801 S. 4th St., Las Vegas (702) 444-4444 richardharrislaw.com James Crockett Crockett & Myers 700 S. 3rd St., Las Vegas (702) 382-6711 crockettandmyers.com Alex De Castroverde De Castroverde Law Group, APC 1149 S. Maryland Pkwy., Las Vegas (702) 383-0606; (702) 222-9999 decastroverde.com Robert Eglet Eglet Wall Christiansen 400 S. 4th St., Suite 600, Las Vegas (702) 948-8500 egletwall.com Christian Gabroy Gabroy Law Offices 170 S. Green Valley Pkwy., Suite 280, Henderson (702) 259-7777 gabroy.com Lewis Gazda Gazda & Tadayon, LLC 2600 S. Rainbow Blvd., Suite 200, Las Vegas (702) 220-7128 gazdatadayon.com Gerald Gillock Gillock, Markley & Killebrew 428 S. 4th St., Las Vegas (702) 386-0000 Richard Harris Richard Harris Law Firm 801 S. 4th St., Las Vegas (702) 497-4648; (702) 444-4444 richardharrislaw.com
Matthew Hoffmann Atkinson & Watkins, LLP 10789 W. Twain Ave., Suite 100, Las Vegas (702) 562-6000 atkinsonwatkins.com
William Palmer The William Palmer Law Group, PLLC 600 S. Rancho Dr., Suite 110, Las Vegas (702) 983-0795 wpalmerandas sociates.com
Michael Kane The702Firm 850 E. Bonneville Ave., Suite 200, Las Vegas (702) 776-3333
Blair Parker Parker & Edwards 1389 Galleria Dr., Suite 200, Henderson (702) 835-1301 parkeredwardslaw.com
Steven Karen Law Office of Steven J. Karen 2810 W. Charleston Blvd., Suite H82, Las Vegas (702) 382-9307 stevenjkaren.com Jay Kenyon Yan Kenyon 7881 W. Charleston Blvd., Suite 165, Las Vegas (702) 888-0000 yan-kenyon.com Shoshana Kunin-Leavitt Kunin & Carman 3551 E. Bonanza Rd., Suite 110, Las Vegas (702) 438-8060; (702) 706-0964 kunincarman.com Malcolm LaVergne Malcolm P. LaVergne & Associates 1212 S. Casino Center Blvd., Las Vegas (702) 448-7981 lavergnelaw.com Bradley Mainor Mainor Wirth Injury Lawyers 6018 S. Fort Apache Rd., Suite 150 & 120, Las Vegas (702) 464-5000 mainorwirth.com Farhan Naqvi Naqvi Injury Law 9500 W. Flamingo Rd., Suite 104, Las Vegas (702) 553-1000 naqvilaw.com Jeffrey Neeman Neeman & Mills, PLLC 1201 S. Maryland Pkwy., Las Vegas (702) 822-4444 neemanmills.com
Zachariah Parry Pickard Parry 10120 S. Eastern Ave., Suite 140, Henderson (702) 910-4300 pickardparry.com Steven Parsons Law Offices of Steven J. Parsons 7201 W. Lake Mead Blvd., Suite 108, Las Vegas (702) 384-9900 Jonathan Remmel Remmel Law Firm 6900 Westcliff Dr., Suite 504, Las Vegas (702) 522-7707 jonremmel.com Molly Rosenblum Rosenblum Law Offices 1701 W. Charleston Blvd., Suite 600, Las Vegas (702) 433-2889 rosenblumlawlv.com Eric Roy The Law Offices of Eric P. Roy 818 E. Charleston Blvd., Las Vegas (702) 423-3333 attorneyericroy.com Marc Saggese The Law Offices of Saggese & Associates 732 S. 6th St., Suite 201, Las Vegas (702) 778-8883 maxlawnv.com John Shannon Law Offices of John P. Shannon 6060 Elton Ave., Suite B, Las Vegas; 7201 W. Lake Mead Blvd., Las Vegas (702) 675-4914; (702) 215-3418
John Shook Shook & Stone 710 S. 4th St., Suite 857, Las Vegas; 200 S. Virginia St., Suite 857, Reno (888) 662-2013; (702) 385-2220; (775) 323-2220 shookandstone.com Leonard Stone Shook & Stone 200 S. Virginia St., Suite 804, Reno; 710 S. 4th St., Suite 804, Las Vegas (775) 323-2220; (702) 385-2220; (702) 996-6066 shookandstone.com William Sykes Claggett & Sykes Law Firm 8751 W. Charleston Blvd., Suite 220, Las Vegas (702) 655-2346 claggettlaw.com Afshin Tadayon Gazda & Tadayon, LLC 2600 S. Rainbow Blvd., Suite 200, Las Vegas (702) 220-7128 gazdatadayon.com George Trachtman Trachtman Law, LLC 520 S. 9th St., Las Vegas (702) 474-0404 nvtalaw.com Justin Watkins Atkinson & Watkins, LLP 10789 W. Twain Ave., Suite 100, Las Vegas (702) 562-6000 atkinsonwatkins.com
Probate Dana Dwiggins Solomon Dwiggins & Freer, Ltd. 9060 W. Cheyenne Ave., Las Vegas (702) 997-7714; (702) 589-3505; (702) 853-5483 sdfnvlaw.com Robert Graham LawyersWest of Nevada 2720 Council Tree Ave., Suite 242, Ft. Collins;
205 E. Tabernacle St., Suite 2, St. George; 10000 W. Charleston Blvd., Suite 140W, Las Vegas (970) 797-4966; (702) 255-6161
lawyerswest.com Robert Morris Grant Morris Dodds 2520 St. Rose Pkwy., Suite 319, H enderson; 10161 Park Run Dr., Suite 150, Las Vegas (702) 534-5599; (702) 938-2244 gmdlegal.com Patricia Trent Trent, Tyrell & Associates 11920 Southern Highlands Pkwy., Suite 201, Las Vegas (702) 382-2210 probatelawlv.com
Real Estate Tisha Black Black & LoBello, Attorneys at Law 10777 W. Twain Ave., 3rd Floor, Las Vegas (702) 869-8801 blacklobellolaw.com Christine Bricker Gordon Silver 3960 Howard Hughes Pkwy., 9th Floor, Las Vegas (702) 796-5555 gordonsilver.com Paul Connaghan Connaghan Newberry Law Firm 7854 W. Sahara Ave., Las Vegas (702) 608-4232 cnlawlv.com Patricia Curtis Snell & Wilmer 3883 Howard Hughes Pkwy., Suite 1100, Las Vegas (702) 784-5226 swlaw.com Mary Drury Mary J. Drury & Associates, PC 3615 S. Town Center Dr., Suite 100, Las Vegas (702) 600-3554 mjdrurylaw.com
Barry Goold Goold Patterson Ales & Day 4496 S. Pecos Rd., Las Vegas (702) 436-2600 gooldpatterson.com Robert Gronauer Kaempfer Crowell Renshaw Gronauer & Fiorentino 8345 W. Sunset Rd., Suite 250, Las Vegas (702) 792-7000 kcnvlaw.com Avece Higbee Marquis & Aurbach 10001 Park Run Dr., Las Vegas (702) 382-0711; (702) 942-2194 maclaw.com Carrie Hurtik Hurtik Law & Associates 7866 W. Sahara Ave., Las Vegas (702) 966-5200 hurtiklaw.com David Mincin Mincin Law, PLLC 528 S. Casino Center Blvd., Suite 325, Las Vegas (702) 589-9881 mincinlaw.com Terry Moore Marquis Aurbach Coffing 10001 Park Run Dr., Las Vegas (702) 942-2135; (702) 382-0711 maclaw.com Xenophon Peters Peters & Associates, LLP 4230 S. Decatur Blvd., Suite 200, Las Vegas (866) 645-4953 pandalawfirm.com Melissa Waite Jollley Urga Woodbury & Little 3800 Howard Hughes Pkwy., 16th Floor, Las Vegas (702) 699-7500 juww.com Matthew Watson Lionel Sawyer & Collins 300 S. 4th St., Suite 1700, Las Vegas (702) 383-8869 lionelsawyer.com
2014 International Trip - Budapest, Hungary - Company visit
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Anthony Wright The Wright Law Offices, PC 420 N. Nellis Blvd., A3-150, Las Vegas (702) 809-6904 wrightlawnv.com Tina Yan Yan Kenyon 7881 W. Charleston Blvd., Suite 165, Las Vegas (702) 888-0000; (702) 888-0008; yan-kenyon.com
Residential Scott Burdman Burdman Law Group 8440 W. Lake Mead Blvd., Suite 100, Las Vegas; 1215 K. St., Floor 17, Sacramento; 12555 High Bluff Dr., Suite 380, San Diego (602) 222-3023; (858) 350-4040; (888) 350-9080 burdmanlaw.com
Social Security Gerald Welt Gerald M. Welt, Chtd. 703 S. 8th St., Las Vegas (702) 382-2030 lasvegassocialsecurity disability.com
Speeding / Traffic Ticket Joseph Maridon The Maridon Law Firm 6130 Elton Ave., Las Vegas (702) 514-0102 lvtrafficticketguy.com
Tax Richard Cunningham Roland Law Firm 7521 W. Lake Mead Blvd., Suite 300, Las Vegas; 2850 W. Horizon Ridge Pkwy., Suite 200, Henderson (702) 452-1500 rolandlawfirm.com Robert Grossman Tax Law Center, LLC 6236 Laredo St., Suite 100, Las Vegas (702) 251-9696 irsproblems.com
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Steven Hollingworth Solomon Dwiggins & Freer, Ltd. 9060 W. Cheyenne Ave., Las Vegas; 555 13th St. NW, Suite 800E, Washington (702) 589-3502 sdfnvlaw.com Derek Kaczmarek Frazer, Ryan, Goldberg & Arnold, LLP 4475 S. Pecos Rd., Suite 1600, Las Vegas; 3101 N. Central Ave., Suite 1600, Phoenix (602) 277-2010; (702) 717-8945 frgalaw.com Donald Lowrey Law Offices of Donald E. Lowrey, PLLC 7465 W. Lake Mead Blvd., Las Vegas (702) 645-7452 lowreylaw.com Daniel McGuire Lionel Sawyer & Collins 300 S. 4th St., Suite 1700, Las Vegas (702) 383-8867 lionelsawyer.com Taylor Randolph Randolph Law Firm 2045 Village Center Cir., Suite 100, Las Vegas (702) 877-1313 randolphlawfirm.com
Trusts Lorraine Mansfield Reed & Mansfield 6655 W. Sahara Ave., Suite B200, Las Vegas (702) 222-4009 accidentawardslas vegas.com
Workers Compensation Jason Mills Neeman & Mills 1201 S. Maryland Pkwy., Las Vegas (702) 822-4444 neemanmills.com
Sp e c i a l A D V ER T ISI N G SEC T IO N
ATTORNEY Profiles 2014
AT T O R N E Y P R O F I L E s A77
2013
2014
Sp e c i a l A D V ER T ISI N G SEC T IO N
Callister + Associates
C
allister + Associates was established by Robert Callister in 1948, and is now run by Matthew Callister, who became managing partner in 1979. It is best known for its unique style and aggressive approach to litigation. Callister, a third-generation attorney, has been practicing law for the past 26 years and is proud to carry on the legacy that his father established for Callister + Associates. The law firm handles complex civil and commercial litigation, civil rights, personal injury, criminal defense, wrongful death, trust and estate, bankruptcy, workers’ compensation, social security and class-action cases. Its clients range from individuals to small and large businesses. Callister + Associates recently filed a class-action suit aimed at resolving the Xerox corporation’s failed attempt to develop and operate the Nevada Heath Link. This claim alleges that thousands of Nevada citizens paid for insurance they never received and remain without medical coverage. The firm additionally filed a class action against Summerlin Hospital alleging negligence in patient handling, which lead to the exposure of thousands of people to the tuberculosis virus. Awards and Memberships: Martindale-Hubbell’s AV Preeminent, a peer rating indicating the highest level of professional excellence, and 30-year memberships in both the Clark County Bar Association and American Bar Association.
Callister + Associates 823 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Ste. 330 Las Vegas, Nevada 89101 (702) 333-3334 mqc@mattcallister.com
A78 AT T O R N E Y P R O F I L E s
2014
Because no two clients are ever the same. TM
Michael Rounds
A
founding partner of Watson Rounds, Michael Rounds is a respected trial attorney whose practice is limited to intellectual property litigation and counseling, a passion he developed while working for the renowned San Francisco law firm of Townsend and Townsend and Crew (now Kilpatrick, Townsend and Stockton). Mr. Rounds has a penchant for meticulous preparation and is a formidable litigator who believes the best way to build a reputation is at the courthouse. He has achieved numerous favorable outcomes for clients in patent infringement and other cases throughout the United States, including an $11.4 million patent infringement verdict in Las Vegas, Nevada, affirmed by the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals in 2010. Mr. Rounds is licensed to practice in California and Nevada, all federal courts in those jurisdictions, and the Ninth and Federal Circuit Court of Appeals. Watson Rounds has offices in Las Vegas, Reno and San Francisco. Visit www.watsonrounds.com.
Watson Rounds 10000 West Charleston Blvd., Ste. 240 Las Vegas, Nevada 89135 (702) 636-4902 vegasinfo@watsonrounds.com
HUGHES CENTER | 3883 HOWARD HUGHES PARKWAY | SUITE 1100 | LAS VEGAS, NV 89169 50 WEST LIBERTY STREET | SUITE 510 | RENO, NV 89501 DENVER | LAS VEGAS | LOS ANGELES | LOS CABOS ORANGE COUNTY | PHOENIX | RENO | SALT LAKE CITY | TUCSON
AT T O R N E Y P R O F I L E s A79
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I
t’s time once again to let your skeletons out of the closet, Vegas — not to mention carve those pumpkins, brew up that tasty warm apple cider and put together this year’s All Hallow’s Eve outfit that will shock and awe everyone you encounter. So what are you waiting for? Get your Halloween on!
Springs Preserve
A
re you ready to brave the Springs Preserve’s 2014 Haunted Harvest? Spooktacular fun awakens nightly from 5-9, Oct.10-12, 17-19 and 24-26,
offering families the chance to explore the Springs Preserve in the magical glow of the evening hours. Join them for ghoulish live entertainment on two stages with Mad Science and Halloween High’s Monster Bash by Huntsman Entertainment, try your luck at the Midway of Madness carnival games and wander through the Kooky Spooky Maze of No Return. Enjoy special goodies at trick-or-treat stations, crafts, cookie decorating, a petting zoo and more! Climb aboard the Springs Preserve & Great Beyond train (additional ticket required) to hear spooky stories about the ghosts from Las Vegas’ past. Be sure to wear your Halloween costume — but no masks on adults, please. Haunted Harvest is made possible, in part, through the generous contributions of our sponsors: MGM Resorts International and Smith’s Food & Drug Stores. General admission to Haunted Harvest is $6 for adults and children older than age 5 and free for those 4 years old and younger. Springs Preserve members receive half off the regular admission price. Every ticket purchased online includes a $1 convenience fee. Visit springspreserve.org for more event information.
OCTOBER 10-12, 17-19, 24-26 • 5-9 PM Experience A Family-Friendly Atmosphere And Spooktacular Traditions! Spooky Maze Trick-Or-Treating Live Entertainment Petting Zoo $6 adults and children 5-12, free for age 4 and under Preserve members get half off event admission
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children’s holiday-themed activities will take place throughout the night for those who want to take a break between trick-ortreating. These activities include rides, costume contests, bounce houses and more. So, make sure to dress your best as your favorite princess, villain,
Town Square
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eware of the ghoulish family fun at Town Square this Halloween when the center transforms from its warm and re-
laxing daytime ambiance to a spooky Town SCARY at night. Collecting piles of candy has never been so easy on this eerie holiday! Town Square invites children of all ages to trick-ortreat at participating stores and restaurants from 4-7 p.m. on Oct. 31. The streets will be closed, ensuring a safe environment in which to fill up everyone’s basket with candy. Plus, several
vampire or chilling creature that fits the bill, because everyone will be watching. Children should bring their own basket for trickor-treating and be prepared for their baskets to be full. More than 2 tons of candy will be handed out during Town SCARY, so parents might want to plan their candy route out in advance. Town SCARY is free and open to the public. For more information, call 702-269-5001 or visit mytownsquarelasvegas.com.
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JOIN US FOR
HAPPY HOUR
PLATES & POURS STARTING AT $3.95 MONDAY–FRIDAY 3:30 PM–6:30 PM
Summerlin | 702.433. 1233 | BrioItalian.com
Art Walk
October 18-19 Anthem Highlands
Albertsons Shopping Center 2810-2929 Bicentennial Pkwy in Henderson
October 25-26 Boca Park Fashion Village Rampart at W. Charleston in Las Vegas
November 8-9 Sun City Summerlin 9107 Del Webb Boulevard in Las Vegas
www.vegasartwalk.com
For more information contact Mark Vranesh Studio
702.245.6077
The Desert Companion Photo Showcase has gone on tour! Check out the beautiful photography from our 2nd Annual ‘Focus on Nevada’ photo contest at participating Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf locations. More information at desertcompanion.com/events
SHOWCASE
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e k ta your Arts+Entertainment calendar for october
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Jonestown Middle of the desert
Ne-Yo House of Blues
25 The Sands: A Place in the Sun Nevada State Museum Historians Larry Gragg, Eugene Moehring and Michael Green hold forth on the fabled home of the Rat Pack, that long-gone reliquary of classic Vegas style. 1p, free, 702-486-5205
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He’s won awards, topped the R&B charts, collaborated with big names and guested on CSI — but, before all that, he worked on his chops at the Las Vegas Academy. One imagines that when he’s up on the HOB stage, he’ll measure the distance he’s come. 7p, $49.50-$73.50, houseofblues.com
26 A Choreographers’ Showcase Treasure Island The elegance of ballet meets the athletic grace of Cirque du Soleil in this annual collaboration. Ballet brings its sense of timeless movement, Cirque its acrobatic but dreamlike élan, forming a kinetic new hybrid. (Second show Nov. 1) 1p, $25-$45, nevadaballet.org
A drama about Jim Jones, Guyana, that Kool-Aid … all the elements of a tragedy, additionally heightened by director Troy Heard’s inventive staging: Buses will take audiences to an undisclosed location for the actual production. Through Nov. 8, 7p, $30, facebook.com (search Jonestown)
02 Will Roger Peterson Sin City Gallery Better known as Burning Man royalty — Peterson’s a co-founder — he is also a photographer. Though these theatrical, kinetic nudes are some 20 years old, this is their first gallery showing, appropriately in the art space most willing to take Vegas up on its promise of racy good times. Through Oct. 29, free, sincitygallery.com
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ART
TOKYO IN VEGAS: VISION COLLISION Through Oct. 5.
East and west collide gloriously as Japanese artist Sush Machida Gaikotsu blends traditions to fashion his own brand of stylized art, which is revered in fine art circles and commercial endeavors such as Burton Snowboards. Free with paid general admission. Springs Preserve
RHYTHM, LINE AND STROKE Through Oct. 10.
Christina Paulos explores “twinned and mirrored characters” and subjects drawn from life in this installation using multiple mediums: ink, paint, dye, charcoal and pastels. Free. Two locations: Winchester Cultural Center 702-455-7340; TastySpace, tastyspacelv.com
THE RHYTHMS OF AFRICA Through Oct. 11.
Tue-Fri, 12-5p; Sat, 10a-3p. This exhibition features African statues, masks, musical instruments, baskets, cloth and various other artifacts. Also featuring paintings by internationally known artist Calvin B. Jones. Free. Left of Center Art Gallery, 2207 W. Gowan Road, leftofcenterart.org
PAINTING WOMEN: WORKS FROM THE MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS, BOSTON Through Oct. 17, 10a-7p.
Featuring a series of paintings portraying female artists as confident practitioners of their craft, as well as a survey of work by women artists including Mary Cassatt, Georgia O’Keeffe and Berthe Morisot. The works are arranged thematically from the 1870s, the era when fine arts training programs first became available to women, to the mid-20th century when women (like their male counterparts) adopted more abstract, modern styles. $11-$16, children under 12 free. Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art, bellagio.com
CLARITY OF YOUTH
Through Oct. 26.
In his fourth solo show at Brett Wesley Gallery, Kevin Chupik uses
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THE GUIDE idealized images from childhood, including ships, planes and boardgame figurines to deal with larger topics of adulthood. Free. Brett Wesley Gallery, brettwesleygallery.com
WILL ROGER PETERSON Through Oct. 29.
Best known for his involvement with creating Burning Man, Peterson is still a well-known photographer. This installation is a revisit of stylish nudes he shot 20 years ago. Usually reserved for posh, ocean-side galleries, we are blessed to have them here. Free. Sin City Gallery, sincitygallery.com
KINKY
Through Oct. 31.
Stacy Rink’s exhibit is a funny and brazen look at how Sin City’s sexy-glam dream-factory jostles our everyday lives. Free. Blackbird Studios, blackbirdstudios.com
PANORAMA
Through Nov. 26.
A selection of work in every genre: painting, textiles, digital, photography, sculpture, printmaking and mixed media by some of the recipients of the Nevada Arts Council fellowships. Free. UNLV’s Barrick Museum, unlv.edu
FIRST FRIDAY
Oct. 3, 5-11p.
This month’s theme is “12 Months and Mythology,” in celebration of First Friday’s 12th anniversary! There will still be the exhibits, open galleries, live music and DJs, food trucks, vendor booths and special activities for the kids. Free. Arts District; hub at Casino Center Blvd. between Colorado St. and California St., firstfridaylasvegas.com
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Oct. 3-31. Opening reception Oct. 17, 7-9:30p. The Annual Traveling Show provided by the Society of Illustrators will feature 58 pieces of the most outstanding works created throughout the year by the most cutting-edge and popular illustrators in the world. Free. Clark
County Library, lvccld.org
DANCE
ZOMBIE BURLESQUE Every Mon-Sat, 8:30p.
With comedy, variety acts, a live Big
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Band and an award-winning cast of characters, Zombie Burlesque takes place in Las Vegas during the Atomic Era, circa 1958. Be the first living audience to experience classic burlesque, zany musical numbers and top-notch singing all performed by the sexiest zombies at the hottest, formerly zombie-only, nightclub in town. $65-$85. V Theater, 3663 Las Vegas Blvd. S., vtheaterboxoffice.com
ALICE DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE Oct. 3, 7:30p.
Led by Bernard H. Gaddis, The Las Vegas Contemporary Dance Theater will bring Lewis Carroll’s story to life, in dance. $24-$79. Reynolds Hall at The Smith Center, lvcontemporary dancetheater.org
A CHOREOGRAPHER’S SHOWCASE Oct. 26, Nov. 2, 1p.
The Nevada Ballet Theater and Cirque du Soleil are collaborating on the seventh installment of their gymnastics-influenced dance - or is a ballet-influenced tumble? Both, and more, say audience members, who applaud the boundary-pushing performances that give the city’s most talented dancers and directors a unique forum for flexing their collective muscles. $25-$45, Mystère Theater at Treasure Island, nevadaballet.com
MUSIC
BELLS FOR STOKOWSKI
Oct. 2, 7p.
MAMA’S WRANGLERS
Oct. 5, 2p.
The Wranglers are joining Jackson Family Band and Cloggers of Las Vegas to sing and dance for fans who will remember this talented family of musicians formerly known as the Kid Fiddlers. These amazing children not only play a mean fiddle but have learned to play many other instruments. America’s little yodeling sweetheart, 12-year-old Skyler, is guaranteed to bring down the house. $13. Starbright Theatre, suncitysummerlin.com/starbrighttheatre.htm
VIVA EL MARIACHI! Oct. 10, 7p.
Hear the best of the Clark County School District’s Mariachi Music program in their performance to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. Free. Main Theater at Clark County Library, lvccld.org
GREG THOMPSON’S BROADWAY SHOWSTOPPERS
Oct. 18, 7p.
Enjoy tributes to the classic musicals from the Golden Age of Broadway like “West Side Story,” “Guys and Dolls,” “Grease” and “Cabaret,” and hits from the hottest shows on Broadway today such as “Motown,” Carole King’s “Beautiful,” “Jersey Boys,” “Staying Alive,” “Mamma Mia!” and “Hairspray.” $15. Starbright Theatre, suncity-summerlin.com/starbrighttheatre.htm
MARSALIS “WELL-TEMPERED” Oct. 18, 8p.
The UNLV Wind Orchestra presents this magnificent piece led by conductor Thomas G. Leslie and featuring a guest performance by Palo Verde High School Wind Symphony with conductor David Irish. Guest conductor: Dr. Zane S. Douglass, UNLV Instructor of Conducting. Adults $10, Students/staff/military/ seniors, $8. Artemus W. Ham Concert Hall at UNLV, 702-895-2787
Award-winning saxophonist and composer, Branford Marsalis, performs with the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia in a program including baroque masterpieces by Albinoni, Bach, Handel and Vivaldi. $25-$75. Performing Arts Center at UNLV, pac.unlv.edu
RICARDO GRIEGO – SPANISH GUITAR FUSION
Celebrating its 39th season, ASQ is recognized as one of the world’s foremost quartets. Championing contemporary music and complete quartets by Beethoven, Schubert and Mozart has won ASQ critical acclaim worldwide. $25. Performing Arts Center at UNLV, pac.unlv.edu
Oct. 5, 2p.
Griego will perform classic Latin sounds accompanied by two salsa dancers. Free. Windmill Library, lvccld.org
AMERICAN STRING QUARTET Oct. 23, 7:30p.
MEMOIRS OF A CELEBRITY
Oct. 26, 3p.
Celebrity City Chorus is a dynamic group of women singing four-part harmony in the singular American style of barbershop harmony. These women, from all walks of life, have joined together in harmony for more than 50 years, performing and competing with more than 500 other Sweet Adeline Choruses in Las Vegas and around the world. $13. Starbright Theatre, suncity-summerlin.com/ starbrighttheatre.htm
THEATER
THE BUCKET SHOW Oct. 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, 10p.
Paul Mattingly (Second City) and Matt Donnelly (former writer for Penn & Teller) offer up improv at its finest. You call the shots from songs to Same Scene, Different Genre. Free - donations go in the buckets at the end of the show. Scullery Theater, 150 Las Vegas Blvd. N., mattandmattingly.com
IMPROV KINGDOM
Oct. 6, 13, 20, 27, 8p.
The Las Vegas comedy show featuring both short- and long-form improv from some of the valley’s most experienced improv actors. Wine and concessions available. Come at 6p for drop-in class with Paul Mattingly. $10 show, $15 for both drop-in and show. Baobab Stage Theatre, 6587 Las Vegas Blvd. S., baobabstage.com
THE SPOT IMPROV Oct. 8 & 22, 8p.
Long-form improv in an intimate setting, so close to the Strip you can taste it! Come early to participate in improv games and to get a good seat. $10 at the door. The SciFi Center, 600 E. Sahara Ave. #13, facebook. com/sinscityunderground
ANNIE BAKER’S CIRCLE MIRROR TRANSFORMATION
Join us October 17 at 6:00pm for a special VIP party in support of HomeAid’s Project Playhouse: Pet Edition. Enjoy light bites & cocktails, a fun doggie fashion show and participate in a live auction for luxury pet houses for your little rufus. Space is limited so please RSVP by October 14. More details at desertcompanion.com
Sponsored by Desert Companion is proud to partner with the Southern Nevada Homebuilders Association and Town Square Las Vegas for the 5th Annual Project Playhouse: Pet Edition event to help build awareness for the homeless in Southern Nevada. All proceeds benefit HomeAid of Southern Nevada.
Oct. 10-19, 7p.
This play follows a group of four theater wannabes through six weeks of drama both inside and outside a community center classroom, where role-playing exercises turn into power
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THE GUIDE plays. $10-$12, CSN’s BackStage Theater, csn.edu/pac
LAS VEGAS IMPROVISATIONAL PLAYERS
Oct. 18, 7p.
What will Witch Wanda advise? You ask the questions, for she is wise. Come play along at the Halloween edition of LVIP! Clean-burning, interactive fun that is safe for the whole family. $10 at the door, kids free. American Heritage Academy, 6126 S. Sandhill Road, lvimprov.com
LECTURES, SPEAKERS AND PANELS
TONY TASSET Oct. 2, 7p.
The artist who installed giant eyeball sculptures in Chicago and St. Louis and created a 30-foot fiberglass image of a weary Paul Bunyan will discuss his most notable pieces. Free. UNLV Barrick Museum Auditorium, liberalarts.unlv.edu/forum
WESLEY ANDEREGG Oct. 16, 7p.
Anderegg’s clay pieces are funny, enigmatic figures with comically oversized heads. Anderegg will discuss their sly social content, “such as pollution, the degradation of the environment, and the role of government in our everyday lives.” Part of UNLV’s Visiting Artist Lecture Series. Free. UNLV Barrick Museum Auditorium, liberalarts.unlv.edu/forum
An Evening with B.J. Novak: Opening Keynote for the Vegas Valley Book Festival Best known as Ryan on the TV show “The Office,” for which he is also a writer and producer, actor B.J. Novak brought yet another passion to fruition with the 2013 publication of One More Thing: Stores and Other Stories. The collection of feuilletons, which critics have hailed as funny, thought-provoking and touching, will be available for sale and autograph, along with his recent children’s book, The Book With No Pictures. Thursday, Oct. 16, 7p. Free. Clark County Library, vegasvalleybookfestival.org.
FAMILY & FESTIVALS
HOFBRÄUHAUS OKTOBERFEST
Through Oct. 31, Fri-Sat, 7p.
Drink with celebrity keg-tappers, enter drawings for free meals, compete in stein-holding contests and enjoy live entertainment, traditional German food and, of course, real brews from the homeland. Check website for details. Hofbräuhaus Las Vegas, hofbrauhauslasvegas.com
WICKED PLANTS Through Jan. 4.
Inspired by Amy Stewart’s book Wicked Plants: The Weed that Killed Lincoln’s Mother and other Botanical Atrocities, this exhibit offers up-close
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and personal experience with plants that can kill you. Free for members or with general admission. Origen Museum at Springs Preserve
POPOVICH COMEDY PET THEATER Every Tue-Sun, 4p.
The most beloved family show in the world, featuring an amazing cast of housecats, dogs, parrots, even geese and mice! A unique blend of physical comedy, world-champion juggling and the extraordinary talents of more than 30 performing pets. Gregory
Popovich has rescued these animals from shelters all over the country and has transformed them into Las Vegas stars. $35-$50. V Theater, 3663 Las Vegas Blvd. S., vtheaterboxoffice.com
IRONMAN 70.3 SILVERMAN
Oct. 5, 10:30a.
Making its debut this year, this event combines the beauty and nature of Southern Nevada with a course that, for years, has tested the world’s top triathletes. Cheer on the competitors
as they take the challenge of swimming 1.2 miles in Lake Mead, biking 56 miles through hilly terrain, and running 13.1 miles through Henderson’s scenic master-planned communities overlooking the Las Vegas Strip. Free to watch. Henderson Pavilion, 200 S. Green Valley Parkway, hendersonlive.com
WEDNESDAYS DOWNTOWN
with their incredible bike jumps, kayak drops and runs down the steepest mountains. All through the eyes of the athletes themselves and via adventure-sport filmmakers! Free. Clark County Library Theater courtyard, lvccld.org
LAS VEGAS RENAISSANCE FESTIVAL
Oct. 10-12, 10a-9p.
Local businesses come together to create a huge block party featuring the world’s greatest happy hour, a painters’ lounge, silent disco, food truck village and a downtown dirty bar fight. Free. Fremont East Entertainment District, Wednesdays. dtlv.com
Join in the fun with costumed performers, historical reenactments, jousting tournaments, medieval pageantry and more than 100 artisans, including blacksmiths, stained glass designers, jewelers, wood workers, toy makers, perfume blenders, stone carvers, armory craftsmen and authentic food vendors. Tickets start at $10.50. Sunset Park, lvrenfair.com
BANFF MOUNTAIN FILM FESTIVAL’S RADICAL REELS TOUR
SPRING VALLEY LIBRARY COMMUNITY FAIR
Oct. 8, 15, 22, 29, 6p.
Oct. 9, 7p.
Watch the professionals in the 2014 tour
agencies will be on hand to provide information about the programs and services available in the area. Meet representatives who will discuss programs promoting healthy babies and pregnancies, nutrition, exercise and adult education courses as well as services for legal, housing and financial advice. Free. Spring Valley Library, lvccld.org
Oct. 18, 11a-1p.
Local nonprofit, county and city
HENDERSON COMMUNITY EXPO
Oct. 18, 1-4:30p.
Featuring exhibits from more than 50 area businesses, community groups and the City of Henderson; showcasing products and services for health and wellness, fire and crime prevention and public safety. Enjoy interactive demonstrations and activities throughout the day for all age groups. Free. Galleria at Sunset, 1300 W. Sunset Road, cityofhenderson.com
Honor the 2014 Top Lawyers October 28, 2014
TOP LAWYERS 2014
5:30 p.m. at Downtown Summerlin Join us as we honor the 2014 Top Lawyers of Southern Nevada as featured in the October issue of Desert Companion with a lively night of networking, cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and the great company you expect from Desert Companion’s readers, writers, friends and supporters.
PA R T Y 10.28.14
RSVP before October 24
More information at desertcompanion.com EvEnT SPOnSORS
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THE GUIDE RISE LANTERN FESTIVAL
Oct. 18, sunset A traditional fire-in-the-sky festival with a green mind. Beautiful eco-friendly lanterns lift off by the thousands, creating a spectacle you won’t forget.
$50, Jean dry lakebed, Mojave Desert, risefestival.com
LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL FESTIVAL
NEVADA PUBLIC RADIO
RECYCLING DAY Saturday, November 15, 8 a.m. to noon. • Shred old paperwork • Recycle glass, aluminum, plastic, cardboard • Bring your old computers, cell phones, appliances and more • Donate clothes, jewelry, housewares, home decor, etc NEW THIS YEAR - PILL TAKE BACK. Turn in your unused or expired medications for safe confidential disposal and destruction. Excess medicines in the home are the leading cause of accidental poising and flushed or trashed medicines can pollute our drinking water. Dispose your medication the right way, we will even take the prescription bottle.
1289 S. TORREY PINES DRIVE, LAS VEGAS, NV 89146
For more information on what will be accepted, visit knpr.org
Oct. 24-26.
Musical headliners include Kanye West, Outkast and the Foo Fighters, among many others. Food booths, craft cocktails, and motivational talks abound! $105-$595. On four stages in Downtown Las Vegas, lifeisbeautiful.com
GET OUTDOORS NEVADA DAY
Oct. 25, 9a-3p.
The premise is simple: Get outside and meet community groups, non-profits, government organizations, retailers, outfitters and promoters in the playground! Free. Craig Ranch Regional Park, getoutdoors nevada.org
DÍA DE MUERTOS Nov. 1-2, 5p.
The Mexican tradition of remembering the dead celebrates our memories of them and the impressions that their lives made on us. Ofrendas, or altars, will be set aglow with flickering candlelight and covered with the food, drink and objects the dead loved in life to lure them back for a visit. Free. Winchester Park and Cultural Center, clarkcountynv.gov
FUNDRAISERS
CIRCUS COUTURE “UNLOCKED” Oct. 5, 6p.
Beginning with a cocktail party and silent auction, this event evolves into a fashion circus – complete with clowns and amazing acts. A live auction features treasures from the stage. Benefits pediatric cancer treatment and research. $35-$75.The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, circus-couture.com
PRESENTING SPONSOR:
PARTICIPATING SPONSORS:
PILL TAKE BACK SPONSORED BY:
ca e coalition
©Antonio Gudino
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WOMEN’S CLUB OF SUMMERLIN: PROM NIGHT Oct. 9, 6p.
Includes heavy hors d’oeuvres, raffles, silent/live auctions, fun entertainment and dance music provided by Ronnie Lee Twist and the Future Cats. Proceeds benefit Project 150, helping homeless and disadvantaged students in 34 local area high schools. $75 individual, $700 table of 10. JW Marriott in Summerlin, womensclubofsummerlin.org
HARVEST FOR HOPE
Oct. 10, 5p.
Party for a cause! Benefit Communities in Schools Nevada, the nation’s leading dropoutprevention program as you enjoy a sumptuous autumn spread and specialty cocktails from the kitchens and bars of The Cosmopolitan. The festival will include family games, activities for children, live and silent auctions and surprise entertainment from area performers. $100-$350. Cashman Center, cisnevada.org/ events
BOYS NITE OUT
Oct. 16, 6-9p.
The event matches men from the business community with boys from single-parent, disadvantaged homes from the 14 Boys and Girls Clubs of Southern Nevada Clubhouses for a night of fun, games, food and prizes. Free to members – funds are raised from individual and corporate sponsors. Lied Memorial Clubhouse, 2850 Lindell Road, bgclv.org
GIRLS DAY
Oct. 18, 11a-2p.
A special and unique fundraising event of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Southern Nevada. The event matches women from the business community with girls from single-parent, disadvantaged homes from the 14 Clubhouses for a day of fun, games, food and prizes. Free to club members. Lied Memorial Clubhouse, 2850 Lindell Road, bgclv.org
THE GAY AND LESBIAN COMMUNITY CENTER OF SOUTHERN NEVADA 20TH ANNUAL HONORARIUM Oct. 18, 5p.
Serving as the premier LGBTQ fundraiser in Nevada, this year’s Honorarium will be an extravagant evening of entertainment and recognition for our community heroes. During the event, The Center will recognize Diana Bennett (Person of the Year), Fred Keeton (Ally of the Year) and Wynn Resorts (Corporation of the Year). $250-$10,000. Drai’s Nightclub at The Cromwell, thecenterlv.org
LAS VEGAS INSPIRING CONNECTIONS OUTDOORS
Oct. 24, 6-8p.
Join us in celebrating our third annual “Friendraiser.” Enjoy a delicious complimentary meal, a wine bar and the music of a jazz quartet. Get a head start on
PROJECT DINNER TABLE
Oct. 11, 5:15p.
This is the season finale and is bound to be the best yet! Chefs from Caesars Palace will create a very special one-time-only menu. October’s charity partners are Safe Nest and Blind Center of Nevada. $175 members, $190 non-members includes gratuities, tax, food, beverage and philanthropy. Marjorie Barrick Museum of Art at UNLV, ProjectDinnerTable.com
Inspire a love of reading through the world of seven beloved picture books in this literacy traveling exhibit. DISCOVERY Children’s Museum is collaborating with Spread the Word Nevada holding a Book Drive for this literacy-dedicated non-profit. Through January 4, 2015, the museum will collect books for the children of Southern Nevada. As part of your visit to the museum, please donate new or gently used books (Pre-Kindergarten through 8th grade reading level) and receive $2.00 off admission.
MARCH OF DIMES’ SIGNATURE CHEFS AUCTION
Oct. 12, 4:30p.
Featuring delicious sips and bites by some of Vegas’ most renowned chefs and mixologists. The event will benefit March of Dimes’ mission to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. $250. Luo Ruvo Research Center, 888 W. Bonneville Ave., marchofdimes.org
Sept. 20 – Jan. 4
Collaboration Partner:
DiscoveryKidsLV.org © 2012 Minnesota Children’s Museum. All rights reserved. Storyland: A Trip Through Childhood Favorites™ was created by Minnesota Children’s Museum. This project is made possible by a grant from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services.
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THE GUIDE tuesdays at 9pm
your holiday shopping with our fabulous raffle prizes and silent auction items. Learn more about how you can bring our urban youth into the outdoors. Free. Las Vegas World Bridge Club, 5580 W. Flamingo Road, #101, sierraclub.org
premiering sept. 30
HALLOWEEN FUN
ASYLUM AND HOTEL FEAR
Oct. 3-4, 9-12, 16-19, 23-26, Oct. 29-Nov. 1; Fri-Sat, 6:30p-midnight; Thu & Sun, 6:30-10p.
Visit Nevada’s longest running standalone haunted attraction as it celebrates its 16th year of being a “Top Haunt.” Please bring a new or gently used coat to benefit the homeless and receive one free entry any Thursday or Sunday. $15 each or $25 for both. Meadows Mall, lvhaunts.com
HAUNTED HARVEST
Oct. 10-12, 17-19, 24-26, 5p.
Come in costume and enjoy this family-friendly event featuring a petting zoo, trick-or-treat stations, carnival games, live music and performances. $3-$6. Springs Preserve
4TH ANNUAL HALLOWEEN SPOOKTACULAR & CRAFT FAIR Oct. 11, 10a-2p.
major sponsor the eleanor Kagi Foundation – a Lynn m. Bennett Legacy presenting sponsors
the Frank and Victoria Fertitta Foundation, Ltd.
tuesdays at 10pm premiering oct. 21
Bring the kids to make some crafts, visit booths, enter raffles for cool prizes and get a goody bag (first 50 guests)! Wear your costumes and join in the trick-or-treating, costume contest, and more. Free. NW Career & Technical Academy, 8200 W. Tropical Parkway, shoppingexpos.com
CHILLS & THRILLS HALLOWEEN CARNIVAL
Oct. 22, 3:30-7:30p.
Have fun at this safe event where costumes are encouraged. Carnival games, trick or treat town, $2 laser tag, $2 haunted house, $1 carnival rides. Walnut Recreation Center, 3075 N. Walnut Road, 702-455-8402
MUNCHABLE MONSTER HOUSE
Oct. 25, 10a-3:15p.
Take some chocolate frosting, graham
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crackers and colorful candy and make your own sweet haunted house. Join us for a real Halloween treat as we make festive and edible munchable monster houses. Free. Silver Springs Recreation Center, 1951 Silver Springs Parkway, cityofhenderson.com
Gloria Miller Allen Joshua Been Doug Braithwaite Royden Card John Cogan Michelle Condrat Bill Cramer Cody DeLong Bruce Gomez George Handrahan Steven Hill Brad Holt Hai-Ou Hou Susie Hyer Buffalo Kaplinski Ron Larson Roland Lee Tom Lynch James McGrew Rachel Pettit Dave Santillanes Gregory Stocks Jim Wodark Suze Woolf
ZOMBIE RUN 5K AND FAMILY FUN WALK
Oct. 25, 3:30-8:30p.
Are you ready to run for your life? Lace up your sneakers and try to survive the post-apocalyptic world. Outsmart dozens of hungry zombies on the 5K or take the shorter, family-friendly route for those who do not dare to encounter the living dead. A monster mash of activities follow the run and fun walk. Participants are encouraged to wear zombie outfits and costumes. $12-$25 for the 5K; $6-$25 for the Family Fun Walk. Equestrian Park South, 1200 Equestrian Drive, hendersonlive.com/ special-events/zombie-run-5k
COX TREAT STREETS
Oct. 26, 3-6p.
Families are encouraged to bring their children out to join Tivoli Village’s retailers and restaurants for a night of safe trick-or-treating. This event will offer a variety of family-friendly activities including interactive game booths, costumed characters and live music performances. Free. Tivoli Village, tivolivillagelv.com
TOTS TRICK-OR-TREAT TRAIL Oct. 30, 10:30a-12:30p.
Toddlers ages 1-5 can show off their costumes and trick-or-treat in a fun, safe environment. Free to those who bring canned food to benefit the Henderson Salvation Army. Valley View Recreation Center, 500 Harris St., cityofhenderson.com
TOTS MONSTER MASH Oct. 30, noon-2p.
Bring your toddlers dressed in their Halloween finest for a safe trick-ortreating event filled with carnival games with prizes and bounce houses. A professional photographer will have picture packages available for a nominal cost. Free. Whitney Ranch Recreation Center, 1575 Galleria Drive, cityofhenderson.com
GEORGE HANDRAHAN, MORNING LIGHT–KOLOB CANYON, 2014
November 3–9, 2014 • 24 Invited Artists • Free Daily Demonstrations • Peak Fall Colors in Zion • Free Evening Lectures • Paint Out & Sale • Public Wet Paint Exhibit & Sale
Zion National Park Foundation www.zionpark.org 1-800-635-3959
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END NOTE futurecasting!
Transcript of Tesla Board Meeting September 10, 2014 B y A n d r e w K i r a ly & scott dickensheets
ELON MUSK: (voice flat, slightly amplified): Report, No. 2. NO. 2 (sweating): The Nevada project goes well, No 1. They are offering — MUSK: Is this Swiss cheese on my sandwich? NO. 2 (stammering): Why, y-yes, the caterer was out of G-G-Gouda. MUSK: We do not tolerate failure at Tesla. He presses a button. A zapping sound fills the room as No. 2 is electrocuted in his chair. As smoke curls into the chilly conference-room air, silent minions appear in silent electric vehicles; they remove the body and depart.
WHITE CAT: Mee — (yawns) — yow. NO. 3: At a special session of the state Legislature, a broken and defeated Gov. Sandoval publicly pledged his allegiance to Tesla, and now the people of Nevada cower before you in abject submission. MUSK: Very good. So now we can build the world’s largest building, and secretly beneath it, the world’s largest lair?
classic plague-from-space ploy. Some hint of Armageddon usually is required to get a deal such as this. NO. 3: Not this time, sir. They seemed quite eager to cooperate. I would suggest that Nevada is so … so desperate for the appearance of economic diversification — desperate for legitimacy, for attention — that the trembling sycophants all-too-gladly welcomed their new Musk Global Industries overlords.
WHITE CAT ON MUSK’S LAP: *Purrrrr* MUSK (turning to No. 3): So, No. 2, report the latest intelligence about the Nevada Project. NO. 3: S-sir, I’m pleased to report that Nevada has offered terms that go beyond anything we could have imagined! In exchange for the privilege of hosting our Tesla battery factory —
NO. 3: Yes. Soon the world will tremble before the might of Musk Global Industries! MUSK (sounding satisfied): Clearly, the threat of our Space X death ray satellite was persuasive. NO. 3 (gulping): Actually, sir, we didn’t have to unveil that threat.
MUSK: Evil battery factory.
Lost in amazed thought, Musk accidentally leans on the death button. No. 16, about to bite into a ham sandwich, is electrocuted in his chair. No. 17 leans over, looks at 16’s sandwich, exclaims, “Ooh, melted Gouda!” and quickly grabs it as minions carry 16 away. MUSK (to himself ): Do they know we’ve never turned a profit? (To No. 3) Is there a state that played hardball with us?
MUSK: Nonsense! Really? NO. 3: — in exchange for hosting our evil battery factory, Nevada is prepared to let us operate for ten years without paying a cent in taxes. MUSK: What about our power needs? NO. 3: Eight million dollars in discounts. MUSK: Acceptable.
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WHITE CAT: Rrrow? NO. 3: No, sir. No real extortion was necessary at all. MUSK: Incredible. Nevada’s terms of total economic surrender seem like the result of a good death-ray menacing, or quite possibly a
NO. 3: Well, sir, Texas didn’t capitulate as much as Nevada … MUSK: Input death ray coordinates for Austin! Because someone’s getting the death ray, dammit. And find me some Gouda! WHITE CAT: *Winks at camera*
I l lu st r at i o n b r e n t h o l m e s
OCTOBER 9-12 A FOUR DAY STREET PARTY TO CELEBRATE THE OPENING OF DOWNTOWN SUMMERLIN SATURDAY OCT. 11TH
+ FOOD TRUCKS + NIGHT MARKET
10 AM
EXIT #25 - SAHARA AVENUE & 215 BELTWAY 1980 FESTIVAL PLAZA DRIVE, LAS VEGAS, NV 89135 | 702.832.1000