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PUBLISHER

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EDITOR

SHANNON MILLER

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EDITORIAL

Senior Editor GEOFF CARTER (geo .carter@gmgvegas.com)

Managing Editor BROCK RADKE (brock.radke@gmgvegas.com)

Sta Writer GABRIELA RODRIGUEZ (gabriela.rodriguez@gmgvegas.com)

Sta Writer AMBER SAMPSON (amber.sampson@gmgvegas.com)

Contributing Writers EMMA BROCATO,GRACE DA ROCHA,HILLARY DAVIS, MIKE GRIMALA, KATIE ANN MCCARVER, AYDEN RUNNELS, RHIANNON SAEGERT, JACK WILLIAMS

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CREATIVE

Art Director CORLENE BYRD (corlene.byrd@gmgvegas.com)

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This week at UnCommons Mon 5/27

Fri 5/24 Sun 5/26 Sat 5/25 Summer Melodies @ The Quad 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM All- Day Happy Hour @ Amari 3:00 PM – 9:00 PM Brunch & Good Vibes @ The Sundry 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM

18

FEATURE STORY

Your guide to blockbuster movies and unexpected delights hitting theaters this summer.

Terry Fator takes over the Strat, Gabriel Iglesias brings the laughs and Broadway in the HOOD puts on a show for a cause this week.

46 NIGHTS

25

ELECTION GUIDE

Everything you need to know to cast your ballot in early voting and the June 11 primary. 42 MUSIC

Punk Rock Bowling secures new blood in its lineup, and the Acid Sisters’ fresh LP brings it home.

Drai’s Beachclub and Nightclub hits a milestone anniversary. 50 FOOD+DRINK

Legendary Bellagio restaurant Picasso closes and more local food and beverage news. 52 STANDOUT AWARDS

The seventh annual awards recognize the best in high school athletics across the Valley.

Photographs by Wade Vandervort

(Rick Ross at Drai’s Nightclub Courtesy/Drai’s Management Group)

SUPERGUIDE

THURSDAY MAY 23

TERRY FATOR

Texas-born entertainer Terry Fator is one of the Strip’s steadiest headliners; his name has been on a casino marquee for more than 15 years. But the ventriloquist, impressionist and singer is also a pioneer—the first America’s Got Talent champ to land a Vegas gig, paving the way for many others— and a survivor in the scene. His unique, do-it-all performance connects the Vegas of today with a bygone era of entertainment. After his landmark residency at the Mirage and a more recent turn at New YorkNew York, Fator opens his new show, One Man, a Hundred Voices, a Thousand Laughs, at the classically styled Strat Theater this week, and he’s bringing all his characters and musical influences along for the ride. 5 p.m., dates vary, $59$119, Strat Theater, tickets.thestrat. com.

–Brock Radke

(AP Photo/ Ben Hider/Invision)

THE WAILERS

7 p.m., Sand Dollar Downtown, plazatix.com.

OVATION VARIETY

SHOW: DAYDREAMS

6 p.m., Opportunity Village Engelstad Campus, opportunityvillage.org

HUMAN NATURE

6:30 p.m., South Point Showroom, ticketmaster.com

SANTANA

7 p.m., House of Blues, concerts.livenation. com

SHANIA TWAIN

8 p.m., & 5/25-5/26, Bakkt Theater, ticketmaster.com

CAROLINE BARAN

5:30 p.m., One Steakhouse, onesteakhouselv.com

MELON COLLIE

7 p.m., Composers Room, the composersroom.com

FROM GRAIN TO PIXEL: CONTEMPORARY CHINESE PHOTOGRAPHY

Thru 10/6, daily 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art, bellagio.mgmresorts. com

HANGING BY A THREAD Thru 6/1, days and times vary, Left of Center Gallery, leftofcenterart.org

MURDA BEATZ 10:30 p.m., Tao Nightclub, taogroup.com

LOUD LUXURY 10:30 p.m., Hakkasan Nightclub, taogroup.com

DAMANTE 10:30 p.m., Zouk Nightclub, zoukgrouplv.com

FRIDAY MAY 24

GABRIEL “FLUFFY” IGLESIAS

If you’re into podcasts that show a more thoughtful, human side of your favorite celebrities and entertainers, better check out Trevor Noah’s What Now?, where Gabriel Iglesias was a recent guest and spoke openly—and as always, hilariously—about his remarkable rise to comedy stardom, growing into a supportive mentor for other comedians including Noah, and his increasing commitment to getting healthy—event if that means becoming less “Flu y.” As Noah points out, Iglesias is a rare draw in the world of stand-up, a performer who can sell out huge arenas and unite diverse audiences. And he’s been doing it for years on the Las Vegas Strip, most recently at the Cosmopolitan where a weekend-long takeover has arrived. Thru 5/26, 8 p.m., $97+, the Chelsea, ticketmaster.com. –Brock Radke

JEFF DUNHAM

8 p.m., Bakkt Theater, ticketmaster.com

TUFF-N-UFF 137 5 p.m., Theater at Virgin, axs.com

BIGHORN RODEO Thru 5/26, times vary, Horseman’s Park, ngra.com

AMON AMARTH

With Cannibal Corpse, Obituary, Frozen Soul, 7 p.m., Pearl Concert Theater, ticketmaster.com

ADELE

MOLLY HATCHET 9 p.m., Count’s Vamp’d, eventbrite.com

LON BRONSON BAND 7 p.m., Myron’s, thesmithcenter.com

RVSHVD 10 p.m., Stoney’s Rockin’ Country, tixr.com

LIL JON 11 a.m., Wet Republic, taogroup.com

8 p.m., & 5/25, the Colosseum, ticketmaster.com

KOOL & THE GANG

7:30 p.m., & 5/25, Westgate International Theater, ticketmaster.com

JASON DERULO 9:45 p.m., & 5/25, Voltaire, ticketmaster.com

DOM DOLLA 11:30 a.m., LIV Beachclub, livnightclub.com

SEAN PAUL Noon, Drai’s Beachclub, draisgroup.com

DEAD & COMPANY Thru 5/26, 7:30 p.m., Sphere, ticketmaster.com

JAY & THE AMERICANS Thru 5/26, 7:30 p.m., South Point Showroom, ticketmaster. com

AFROJACK With Charly Jordan, 10:30 p.m., XS Nightclub, wynnsocial.com

STEVE AOKI 10:30 p.m., Hakkasan Nightclub, taogroup.com

METRO BOOMIN 10:30 p.m., LIV Nightclub, livnightclub.com

IAN POOLEY 9 p.m., We All Scream, tixr.com

SUPERGUIDE

SATURDAY MAY 25

BROADWAY IN THE HOOD: FROM BROADWAY WITH LOVE

When we spoke with Broadway in the HOOD’s Torrey Russell last year about the nonprofit’s Legacy Theater Project, he said it would be “the first time in the history of Nevada that African Americans have owned and operated an arts education facility.” The project, now in a $25 million fundraising campaign, would include a 1,000-seat venue and event hall complete with dance and recording studios, a restaurant and African American Entertainment Museum. Broadway in the HOOD (which stands for Helping Others Open Doors) knows better than anyone that it’s going to take a village to stand up such a project. And what better way to help than with an evening of top-notch talent, including Clint Holmes, Earl Turner, Skye Dee Miles, Genevieve Dew, Michelle Marshall and four-time Grammy Award winner Bubba Knight, at the Smith Center?

7:30 p.m., Reynolds Hall, thesmithcenter. com. –Shannon Miller

CLUELESQUE

Thru 7/26, days and times vary, Vegas Theatre Company, theatre. vegas

LAS VEGAS ACES VS. INDIANA FEVER

6 p.m., Michelob Ultra Arena, axs. com

STREET LEAGUE

SKATEBOARDING

3 p.m., UFC Apex, onlocationexp. com

AEW COLLISION/ DOUBLE OR NOTHING

4:30 p.m., & 5/26, MGM Grand Garden Arena, axs. com

PUNK ROCK BOWLING FESTIVAL

Thru 5/27, 2 p.m., Downtown Las Vegas Events Center, seetickets. us

SUPER PIANO BROTHERS

6 p.m., Industrial Event Space, theindustrialvegas. com

LORD HURON

With Clover County, 8 p.m., Theater at Virgin, axs.com

CARDI B 10:30 p.m., Drai’s Nightclub, draisgroup.com.

(Courtesy/Drai’s Management Group)

SEAN PAUL

8 p.m., House of Blues, concerts. livenation.com

BABYFACE

8 p.m., & 5/26, Pearl Concert Theater, ticketmaster.com

CARRIE

UNDERWOOD

8 p.m., & 5/26, 5/29, Resorts World Theatre, axs.com

MAROON 5

8 p.m., & 5/26, 5/29, Dolby Live, ticketmaster.com

RINGO STARR & HIS ALL STARR BAND

8:30 p.m., & 5/26, 5/29, Venetian Theatre, ticket master.com

JERRY’S MIDDLE FINGER

11 p.m., & 5/26, Brooklyn Bowl, ticketmaster.com

ANDREW SCHULZ

7 & 10 p.m., BleauLive Theater, ticketmaster.com

SEBASTIAN MANISCALCO

7:30 & 10:30 p.m., & 5/26, Encore Theater, ticketmaster.com

ALESSO 11 a.m., Tao Beach Dayclub, taogroup.com

TIËSTO 11:30 a.m., LIV Beach, livnightclub.com

KASKADE Noon, Ayu Dayclub, zoukgrouplv.com

SENCILLA CONEXION

10 p.m., Daylight Beach Club, daylightvegas. com

DJ SNAKE

10:30 p.m., Zouk Nightclub, zoukgrouplv.com

MARSHMELLO 10:30 p.m., XS Nightclub, wynnsocial.com

ZEDD 10:30 p.m., Omnia Nightclub, taogroup.com

ELECTRIC FEELS

8 p.m., the Portal at Area15, area15. com

MAYER HAWTHORNE

8 p.m., Azilo Ultra Pool, eventbrite.com.

(Courtesy/Janell Shirtcliff)

CATTLE DECAPITATION

With Carnifex, 4 p.m., House of Blues, concerts. livenation.com

AFRICA DAY FESTIVAL

Noon, Desert Breeze Park, eventbrite.com

LAS VEGAS EXCHANGE VINTAGE SNEAKER & COLLECTIBLES EXPO

11 a.m., the Portal & A-Lot at Area15, area15.com

DAVID GUETTA

11 a.m., Encore Beach Club, wynnsocial.com

TIP

11 a.m., Marquee Dayclub, taogroup.com

NELLY

11 a.m., Wet Republic, taogroup.com

T-PAIN

Noon, Ayu Dayclub, zoukgrouplv.com

LUDACRIS

10:30 p.m., Zouk Nightclub, zoukgrouplv.com

RÜFÜS DU SOL

With Yulia Niko, 10:30 p.m., XS Nightclub, wynnsocial.com

CALVIN HARRIS

10:30 p.m., LIV Nightclub, livnightclub.com

LAVELLE DUPREE

11:30 p.m., Club Ego, posh.vip

DOWN SOUTH JUKERS

6 p.m., Composers Room, the composersroom. com

JC TRIO

9 p.m., Easy’s Cocktail Lounge, easysvegas.com

COOL BEATS

7 p.m., Maxan Jazz, maxanjazz.com

JT

Noon, Daylight Beach Club, daylightvegas.com

BLUEPRINT SOUND TAKEOVER

Noon, Drai’s Beachclub, draisgroup. com

JEFF LEACH

With Rocky Dale Davis, Kathleen Dunbar, Forrest Shaw, thru 5/30, 7 & 9:30 p.m., Comedy Cellar, ticketmaster.com

(Courtesy/Danny Mahoney)

SUPERGUIDE

TUESDAY MAY 28 WEDNESDAY MAY 29

LAS VEGAS AVIATORS VS. SUGAR LAND SPACE COWBOYS Thru 6/1, 7 p.m., Las Vegas Ballpark, ticketmaster.com

WES WINTERS

7 p.m., Composers Room, thecomposersroom. com

SIREN

10 p.m., Discopussy, posh.vip

DRAI’S 10TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

10 p.m., Drai’s Nightclub, drais group.com

ROB GUSON

10:30 p.m., Omnia Nightclub, taogroup.com

FRANKIE MORENO

6:30 p.m., & 5/30, South Point Showroom, ticketmaster.com

THE GET DOWN BY HYBRIDS CREW 8 p.m., the Wall at Area15, area15.com

KIM LEE With Deux Twins, 10:30 p.m., Encore Beach Club, wynnsocial. com

PHIL HANLEY 7:30 p.m., Wiseguys Town Square, wiseguys. com

TRIXX & PAUL CONYERS

9:30 p.m., Jimmy Kimmel’s Comedy Club, ticketmaster.com

— Shari S., REAL CUSTOMER

Arts Festival Arts Festival

SURPRISES IN THE DARK

Go to theaters this summer for the blockbusters, but stay for the unexpected

BY GEOFF CARTER

Recently I walked into a Las Vegas movie theater with absolutely no idea of what to expect and was rewarded for it. It happened to me twice, actually: the rst time at a Town Square IMAX screening of Jonathan Demme’s Talking Heads concert lm Stop Making Sense, where I was surprised by people getting up to dance in the aisles, and again at a Beverly Theater screening of Mike Cheslik’s riotously funny Hundreds of Beavers, which is … no, I don’t wanna tell you what is. Just go see it. In both instances, we gathered in the lobby afterward and talked excitedly about what we’d just seen. In most instances, when we loiter after a screening, it’s to get a good look at the dude who wouldn’t stop texting during the lm, or the woman who propped her shoeless feet on the seatrest next to ours. No, this was a di erent feeling, a good feeling. We looked at each other conspiratorially, gifted with insight others didn’t yet possess. We’d been somewhere we couldn’t fully explain, but we were ready to tell our friends and family to go there and report back. It’s a great feeling, and I hope to have it again very soon.

This summer at the movies is a bit subdued, compared to (non-pandemic) years past. A variety of factors—last year’s WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, Hollywood’s continuing e orts to make streaming happen—have chilled business at the multiplexes. There are only a handful of buzzy “event” pictures: an assortment of sequels (Furiosa, Deadpool & Wolverine, Inside Out 2, A Quiet Place: Day One), new installments of

elderly franchises (Bad Boys: Ride or Die, Despicable Me 4, Alien: Romulus) and some “sure, why not?” remakes/reboots (The Crow, Twisters, The Gar eld Movie). Compared to last summer’s crop of big budget audience-pleasers—Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Fast X, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, the “Barbenheimer” juggernaut—it feels a bit thin.

But that may be a good thing. Looking back at previous editions of this summer movie preview, I see several surprise favorites—The Green Knight, Marcel the Shell with Shoes On and Past Lives, among others—that were initially relegated to the margins. (It’s not lost on me that these are all A24 lms, just like that Stop Making Sense re-release. A24 makes a giant showing this summer, too.) We discovered them together, in theaters. And we remembered them, and talked about them, long after we’d forgotten Net ix’s expensive but mediocre Ghosted, Red Notice and The Gray Man Those “margin” lms stuck to us, in part because we shared them in theaters—treasures we discovered, together, huddled in the dark.

It feels weird to keep saying this, but movies belong in theaters. And Las Vegas has some terri c theaters—state-of-the-art “luxury” multiplexes, an independent arthouse cinema and one of America’s relative few remaining drive-ins. I’ll visit many of them in the weeks to come to visit with Furiosa, with Deadpool, with the colorful Inside Out crew. But I’ll hope, I’ll strive, to discover the unexpected. I hope you’ll join me at a theater of your choosing, with your phone o and your shoes on.

The 2024 summer action movie caravan began its roll a few weeks back, with The Fall Guy and Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes leading the way. But the rst of summer 2024’s big-assed muscle cars, George Miller’s Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, peels out on May 24. A prequel to his 2015 masterwork Mad Max: Fury Road, this new installment happily looks like more of the same, with two charismatic leads in Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth. Hopefully, Bad Boys: Ride or Die’s Will Smith and Martin Lawrence have even half as much star power left in their tank; we’ll nd out on June 7.

Twisters (July 19) seems tailor-made for 4DX—those crazy theaters with the motion seats and smell-o-vision decanters. That should make up for a story that looks nearly identical to the 1996 lm it’s based on, but

nobody saw the original movie for its script, either. It’ll have a good week to itself before Deadpool & Wolverine comes out on July 26 and probably dominates multiplexes for a solid month. Anticipation for the teaming of Ryan Reynolds’ “merc with a mouth” and Hugh Jackman’s X-Man is high, to put it mildly—and the result will probably put Marvel’s foundering cinematic brand solidly back on track.

An Eli Roth adaptation of a popular video game franchise, Borderlands, drops on August 9. The buzz around it is surprisingly muted, considering its stars (Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart, Jack Black and Jamie Lee Curtis) and fun trailer. And if The Crow (August 23), the very de nition of an unnecessary remake, manages to get over, it’ll be because of its o eat lead actors: It’s terrifying Pennywise Bill Skarsgård, and inventive singer-songwriter FKA twigs.

for August 23’s Between the Temples, which unites two of my favorite actors, Jason Schwartzman and Carol Kane. May at least one of these nd its way into our consciousness in a big way, so we can have comedies in

I nearly didn’t include this category. The major studios have all but given up on making comedies for theaters, instead dumping them on to streaming services, where they disappear from public consciousness after only a few days. (Alas, Jerry Seinfeld did all that Unfrosted press for nothing. Also, the movie is mid.) But Hundreds of Beavers also last summer’s No Hard Feelings—reminded us that longform comedies need an audience full of people. Hearing other people laughing at stu can be funny, too.

In that spirit, I wish good luck to the Diane Keaton/Kathy Bates/Alfre Woodard/ Eugene Levy comedy Summer Camp (May 31), the June Squibb/Richard Roundtree caper Thelma (June 21) and to the stars of The Fabulous Four (July 26), Bette Midler, Susan Sarandon, Megan Mullally and Sheryl Lee Ralph. And I’ll de nitely be in the house

(Courtesy/Warner Bros. Pictures)

(Courtesy/Roadside Attraction)

Wow, there are a lot of dramas opening this summer. Reckon that’s what happens when studios become apprehensive about making and marketing dozens of $200 million-dollar movies a year and dropping them like they’re hot. Their reticence has created a summer marketplace rich with character-driven stories, which I’ll kinda speed-run here because there’s a lot of them.

May 31 brings Ezra, a father-son road trip movie with Bobby Cannavale, Robert De Niro and Rose Byrne; The Dead Don’t Hurt, an old west love story directed by and starring Viggo Mortensen; and Backspot, a competitive cheerleading thriller with Evan Rachel Wood and Reservation Dogs’ Devery Jacobs. Bowing on June 14 is Treasure, with the sure-to-bewitty combination of Lena Dunham and Stephen Fry, and A24’s Tuesday, a heart-rending fairytale with Julia Louis-Dreyfus.

June 21 is a big deal. The Bikeriders, an honest-to-Harley motorcycle gang story with Austin Butler, Tom Hardy and Michael Shannon, drops on that day, as does A24’s Janet Planet, the directing debut of Pulitzer

Prize-winning playwright Annie Baker, and Kinds of Kindness, which reunites the Poor Things team of star Emma Stone and director Yorgos Lanthimos. On June 28, Daddio, a New York-based two-hander with Sean Penn and Dakota Johnson, and the rst “chapter” of Kevin Costner’s expansive western Horizon: An American Saga, make their debuts. (Horizon’s “chapter 2” arrives less than a month later, on August 16.)

Didi, coming July 26, is an English/Mandarin coming-of-age story with Twin Peaks’ Joan Chen. On August 2, Academy Award nominee Colman Domingo stars in A24’s Sing Sing, a based-on-a-true-story prison lm that may well return Domingo to the Oscars. August 9 sees the arrival of It Ends With Us, an adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s 2016 New York Times bestseller, starring Blake Lively; the self-descriptive My Penguin Friend, with the great French actor Jean Reno (The Professional); and Good One, a family drama that made its critically acclaimed debut at Sundance. Finally, August 16 brings Close to You, starring Elliot Page—who, bringing things full-circle, is the executive producer of May’s Backstop

This year’s crop of summertime family lms is dominated by too-big-to-fail sequels and reboots, but there may be some surprises in this category as well.

The Gar eld Movie (May 24) is a new animated adaptation of the syndicated comic strip, replacing Bill Murray with Chris Pratt. On May 31, Robot Dreams, a dog-and-his-robot “tragicomedy” animated in a traditional 2-D style, makes its U.S. debut a year after showing at Cannes. The same day, Disney’s live-action Young Woman and the Sea tells the story of an American Olympic gold medal winner who swam the English Channel; Daisy Ridley stars. And Haikyuu!! The Dumpster Battle, based on the popular anime and manga series about competitive volleyball (the word translates

(Courtesy/Focus Features)

roughly to “high jump”), digs in on May 31. Disney/Pixar takes all of June for itself with Inside Out 2 (opening June 14), a direct sequel to its giant 2015 hit. Stars Amy Poehler and Phyllis Smith return, alongside franchise newcomers Maya Hawke and Ayo Edebiri. Not to be outdone, Universal claims July with Despicable Me 4 (July 3), the sixth lm in the franchise, counting two Minions spino s. And Harold and the Purple Crayon (August 2), a freewheeling adaptation of the beloved 1955 children’s book starring Shazam’s Zachary Levi, draws a circle around the dog days of summer. Two-time Oscar nominee Carlos Saldanha (2003’s Gone Nutty; 2018’s Ferdinand) directs.

Fans of jump scares, creeping terror and lingering dread have a lot to digest this summer, beginning May 31 with Norway’s Handling the Undead, an atmospheric zombie lm written by Let the Right One In’s John Ajvide Lindqvist, and In a Violent Nature, a reimagining of the slasher-in-the-woods trope that’s already racking up critical raves.

June 7 brings a visit from The Watchers, the directorial debut of Ishana Night Shyamalan— yes, the daughter of M. Night Shyamalan. (What a twist!) A Quiet Place: Day One, the third lm in the series but a prequel to the two that preceded it, lands June 28. It stars Lupita Nyong’o and is helmed by Michael Sarnoski, director of the acclaimed Nicolas Cage drama Pig

A24’s MaXXXine, the latest lm of the X franchise, makes its mark July 3 with Mia Goth once again in the title role. And Cage, who’s made some incredible late-career horror movies (see Mandy, Color Out of Space and Willy’s Wonderland, in that order), has likely made another one in Longlegs (July 12).

Tightening the family’s grip on the season,

M. Night Shyamalan springs his Trap on theaters on August 9, with Josh Hartnett as a serial killer who’s cornered at a concert by ctional singer-songwriter Lady Raven—played by another member of the family, real singer-songwriter Saleka Shyamalan. And speaking of big, ever-growing families, everyone’s favorite xenomorphs are a-steppin’ out in August 16’s Alien: Romulus, from Don’t Breathe mastermind Fede Álvarez. While we’re in that space where no one can hear us scream, let’s drop in on August 23’s Slingshot—a psychological thriller from director Mikael Håfström, who’s best known for the solid Stephen King adaptation 1408. It stars Casey A eck as an astronaut succumbing to space madness. And it wouldn’t be a proper scary movie season without a release from horror stalwarts Blumhouse, whose They Listen, a holdover from last summer, nally drops on August 30. It stars John Cho and Katherine Waterston and is directed by American Pie’s Chris Weitz. Truth: It was the nal lm mentioned in the summer movie preview I wrote last year, and I still can’t nd out anything about its story. Guess we’ll all be surprised together.

(Courtesy/Disney/Pixar)

(Courtesy/ Paramount Pictures)

CELEBRATING THE CULINARY WORLD AND ALLURE OF DIVERSE DINING EXPERIENCE

JUNE 3 – 7

The west rim is heart-pounding, soul-searching, bucket-listchecking adrenaline rushes you’ve never felt or seen before, including one of the largest glass cantilever bridges in the world that will have you stepping 4,000 feet out over the Grand Canyon floor. Skywalk is just one of the ways you can jolt your senses and ignite your spirit at Grand Canyon West. Plan your adventure today.

Packages starting from $68

WHY VOTERS SHOULD TURN OUT FOR THE JUNE PRIMARY ELECTION

When America’s founders declared our independence in 1776, they promised a new kind of nation that would derive its power “from the consent of the governed.”

Almost a century later, Abraham Lincoln reaffirmed the promise of the United States that “government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”

Just months after the Gettysburg Address, Nevada joined the union by transmitting our state constitution, which declares that “All political power is inherent in the people[.]”

Despite these platitudes, every two years more than a million Nevadans and hundreds of millions of Americans choose not to participate in primary elections, and thus surrender their right to have a voice and vote in their government.

According to the Nevada Secretary of State’s office, in 2022, only 25% of active registered voters cast a ballot in the primary election. Since 2002, participation in the Nevada primary has never surpassed 30% of active registered voters, even in Presidential election years. (At the same time, voting in the general elections has increased.)

pecially those for critical local roles like judges, local council members and state legislators—often turn on narrow margins, with only a few hundred votes determining the outcome.

In fact, due to voter registration patterns that favor one party by at least a 2-to-1 margin, the winners of the primary elections for Assembly districts 6, 7, 11 and 18; as well as Senate districts 4 and 19—all of which are located within Clark County—are all but guaranteed to win the general election. Not to mention, tiny participation and narrow margins means that special interests could easily distort the elections and wield disproportionate control.

You don’t need to be a registered Democrat or Republican to vote in nonpartisan races.

In nonpartisan races, candidates who secure at least 50.01% of the total vote can be declared the winner without going to a November runoff. That possibility is fueling the mayoral campaign of Victoria Seaman, who is looking to consolidate conservative voters in the primary while Shelley Berkley, Cedric Crear and Kara Jenkins fight for voters on the left. Even in circumstances where the primary does not determine the final outcome, it still determines which candidates voters will decide between in November.

legislated at the state and local level, learning about local candidates and participating in primary elections is just as important as casting a vote for president.

MAGA extremists who control the Republican Party are engaged in years-long campaign to weaponize state and local government and force it to serve a single partisan ideology. If they are successful, they’ll have the ability to manipulate the polls, ban books and limit the rights and freedoms so many of us take for granted. Most importantly, they’ll be able to do it all without a single act of Congress or the president.

Fortunately, we have the power to stop them. But only if we make the choice to pay attention to state and local elections and cast a ballot

We know that being informed on state and local elections isn’t a simple, easy or cost-free task. Finding reliable information about candidates for public office requires time, energy and patience—resources few of us have in abundance.

Election day for the primary is June 11.

Clark County is holding early voting May 25 to June 7.

Due to this low turnout, primary elections—es-

Given that education, housing, transportation, small-business licensing, criminal justice, social welfare and even climate reform are all

DUE TO THIS LOW TURNOUT, PRIMARY ELECTIONS–ESPECIALLY THOSE FOR CRITICAL LOCAL ROLES LIKE JUDGES, LOCAL COUNCIL MEMBERS AND STATE LEGISLATORS–OFTEN TURN ON NARROW MARGINS, WITH ONLY A FEW HUNDRED VOTES DETERMINING THE OUTCOME.

Primary elections can be even more challenging as there is generally a greater number of candidates, each of whom has less name recognition and fewer sources of information available than in the general election. While the internet can make searching for some information easier, it can also add a lot of noise to the conversation.

We hope that this election guide helps clear some of that noise. Civil service and democracy need your help and your vote, as well as the votes of your friends, family and neighbors. The future of our schools, communities and indeed Nevada, is relying on you, and all of us, to do our part to ensure that the decisions about state and local elected officials are just as well informed and have just as much participation as federal elections that dominate our national political discourse.

LOCAL LOWDOWN

Unraveling the tapestry of local governments in Southern Nevada

BY JUSTIN HAGER

The patchwork of local government jurisdictions in the greater Las Vegas Valley can be confusing for even the most dedicated politicos. In addition to the Clark County Commission, the Valley is governed by the councils of three incorporated cities, a sovereign tribal colony and a cluster of federal agencies that oversee military bases and federal lands. Additionally, the county takes formal advice and provides limited authority to the boards of six unincorporated townships and a special community advisory council. Not to mention the numerous agencies with special jurisdictions over speci c elds such as the Clark County School District, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, the Regional Transportation Commission and Southern Nevada Water Authority, to name a few. Collectively, these local governments form a tapestry with authority over everything from public safety policy to land-use planning, infrastructure, parks and recreation, social services, economic development and more.

 With a population of more than 650,000 residents, the City of Las Vegas is the largest city within Clark County and boasts a robust municipal government headed by the Las Vegas City Council. Comprising six council members and the mayor—who are elected by residents—the council exercises authority over a range of municipal functions and is responsible for passing ordinances governing active and diverse areas in Downtown Las Vegas—including the Fremont Street Experience and Fremont East—the Historic Westside and Summerlin.

The council’s responsibilities encompass both policy formulation and operational oversight, ensuring the e cient delivery of services to city residents and businesses. Through strategic planning initiatives, budget allocations and community engagement e orts, the council strives to enhance the quality of life and promote economic prosperity within the city.

One aspect of the City of Las Vegas that is unique among most other cities in the United States is that Las Vegas does not operate its own independent police department. Instead, the city provides one-third of the funding for LVMPD, a county-wide law enforcement agency that formed from a merging of the Clark County Sheri ’s department and Las Vegas Police Department in 1973.

LAS VEGAS PAIUTE COLONY LAS VEGAS

 Located on 10 acres of land in Downtown Las Vegas and 4,000 acres in the northwest corner of the valley, the seven-member tribal council of the Las Vegas Paiute Tribe governs a sovereign nation. The colony includes a police department with 10 o cers, a health and human services department, community recreation facilities and numerous businesses.

 As the primary legislative and executive body in Clark County, the seven members of the county commission oversee everything from public health and safety to business licenses and code enforcement.

CLARK COUNTY NORTH LAS VEGAS

The commission is also responsible for managing county-wide public agencies such as the o ces of the county clerk, coroner, district attorney, public defender and more. While their jurisdiction is somewhat curtailed within the boundaries of incorporated cities like Las Vegas, North Las Vegas and Henderson, they have authority over almost all government functions in unincorporated areas of Clark County, including the Las Vegas Strip, the UNLV campus corridor and Harry Reid International Airport. By passing ordinances, resolutions and policy directives, the commission serves as the linchpin of regional governance, shapes the county’s regulatory framework, allocates resources, and tries to address the needs of the county’s 2.3 million residents.

Advising the county commission are 13 town advisory boards and six community advisory councils who serve local unincorporated communities within the county such as Paradise, Spring Valley, Enterprise, Sunrise Manor, Whitney and Winchester. (“Unincorporated” means not incorporated in a formal city.) While town advisory boards generally have little or no formal authority, as the elected representatives of their respective communities, recommendations of a town council are rarely ignored by the commission or other government o cials.

 Nestled along the Colorado River, Boulder City embodies a unique blend of history, charm, and natural beauty. Governed by the Boulder City Council, the municipality operates under a council-manager form of government, wherein the council sets policy direction and the city manager oversees day-to-day operations.

Comprising four council members elected at large, along with the mayor, who is elected separately, the council has long focused on historic preservation and maintaining the city’s distinct character while fostering sustainable growth.

 As a separate incorporated city of more than 280,000 residents, North Las Vegas operates under its own municipal government overseen by the North Las Vegas City Council. The council comprises four members and the mayor, whose jurisdiction encompasses a wide range of municipal functions, including public safety, infrastructure maintenance, land use planning and community development. Unlike Las Vegas, North Las Vegas maintains its own independent police force.

 With approximately 330,000 residents, Henderson is often heralded as one of the fastest-growing cities in the United States and is led by the Henderson City Council. Comprising four council members and the mayor, who are elected by residents, the council serves as the legislative and policy-making body for the city.

Like the Las Vegas neighborhood of Summerlin, Henderson is home to numerous master-planned communities, many of which add a new layer of local governance in the form of homeowner’s associations, or HOAs.

Like North Las Vegas, Henderson has its own local police force and recent campaigns have called for Henderson to establish its own school district, separate from Clark County School District.

 Education is not only essential for individual success, it’s essential to a functioning society. Good education doesn’t simply impart facts, it also improves our ability to reason and problem-solve, develops our vocabulary of other tools of communication and helps place each of us as individuals into the larger context of society.

When we think of the role that elected officials play in education, we might imagine the role of school board members, who set policies and make hiring decisions that impact schools directly. However, almost every other level of government also impacts education.

Federally, Congress can use its power of the purse to pass mandates on schools, as it did with the No Child Left Behind Act, which mandated standardized testing for any school in the United States receiving federal education funds.

At the state level, the Nevada State Board of Education sets vision and

policy goals for student achievement, including minimum curriculum requirements. In some Republican-controlled states, that authority has been used to eliminate curriculum related to slavery and the U.S. Civil War, and to discriminate against LGBTQ students.

Like Congress, state legislators can also influence education by funding certain initiatives and passing legal requirements for teachers, schools and districts. In Nevada, GOP lawmakers have fought for years to privatize education by changing state laws to allow taxpayer dollars to be redirected to private, sometimes religious, institutions.

Even local elected officials like city council members and county commissioners play a role in education as they can boost investments in preschool, early literacy and quality childcare; provide policing near campuses to keep schools safe; provide quality after-school programs; and champion bonds for improved facilities. Some city councils have even sought to attract high quality teachers by providing financial incentives such as no-interest home loans for teachers in the communities in which they teach.

TOP ISSUES

How elected officials can influence four top issues in Southern Nevada

PUBLIC SAFETY

 Public safety is the backbone of thriving neighborhoods. When people don’t feel safe, they don’t go out, causing businesses and civic organizations to suffer, eliminating jobs and opportunities. Similarly, when students don’t feel safe, their learning suffers and behavioral challenges increase.

Local lawmakers who serve on city councils and the Clark County Commission work directly with local law enforcement to try and create safer communities, but that is not the only role of government in promoting public safety. Federally, lawmakers can prioritize funding for federal agencies like the Drug Enforcement Administration and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to stem the flow of weapons, drugs and other instruments of organized crime in our communities. They can also work to secure funding and partnerships for local law enforcement needs. Earlier this year, Senators Jacky Rosen and Catherine Cortez Masto

There are a lot of issues to consider when choosing who to vote for. And it’s important to understand that elected officials alone don’t always have the power to address issues single-handedly. Local, state and federal governments must work together to affect change in our communities. Here’s a breakdown of how different levels of government work to address Southern Nevadans’ most pressing issues.

secured millions of dollars in federal funds to help LVMPD and North Las Vegas PD replace outdated technology and vehicles.

In Nevada, the large percentage of federal land means that the federal government also has an outsized role in direct law enforcement and prosecution compared to many other states.

State lawmakers define most felonies and other major crimes, giving them the most direct ability to update criminal laws and protect public safety. Additionally, state governments are a major source of funding for law enforcement agencies, court systems, prison systems and state social services agencies that can help prevent crime from occurring in the first place.

Local governments often define the most common criminal offenses and exercise direct authority over local law enforcement agencies. Moreover, local governments have the greatest ability to prevent crime and promote a culture of public safety by tackling issues such as homelessness, drug addiction and mental health crises. They can also ensure that neighborhoods are clean and have robust access to parks, community centers and social services.

Collins Castillo-John, graduate of Moapa Valley High School and a member of the Moapa Band of Paiutes, receives a beaded cord during the Indian Education Opportunities Program senior celebration at UNLV on May 17. (Wade Vandervort/Staff)

LVMPD vehicle on the Strip. (Shutterstock)

AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS

 Despite a popular belief that homelessness is exclusively an issue of addiction and mental health that is unrelated to the crisis of affordable housing, a 2023 study by the Pew Charitable Trusts found that “changes in rents precipitate changes in rates of homelessness: homelessness increases when rents rise by amounts that low-income households cannot a ord.”

This finding was backed up in a report by the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University, which found that “the most fundamental driver of the nation’s growing homelessness is the ongoing housing a ordability crisis.”

Perhaps most disturbing, a study by the University of California, San Francisco revealed that nearly a quarter of all homeless people in California didn’t experience homelessness for the first time until after the age of 50,

at which point they were priced out of their homes.

Those sobering statistics mean that governments that hope to address the crisis of homelessness must also address the lack of a ordable housing.

According to the National Low Income Housing Coalition, the Las Vegas Valley has the worst a ordable housing shortage out of 50 U.S. metropolitan areas, with only 13 a ordable housing units for every 100 renter households in need.

Homeless shelters, addiction recovery centers and mental healthcare facilities are all necessary and vital, but they cannot alone solve the crisis of homelessness if finding an a ordable, long-term place to live remains out of reach for so many Americans.

As such, the federal government must step up to the plate and secure funding for increases in social security, Medicare, Medicaid, SNAP and other programs designed for basic subsistence.

State lawmakers also have a role to play in keeping housing costs down. A bill recently passed the housing committee of the Minnesota House of Representatives, for example, that would limit corporations, LLCs and investment funds from purchasing and renting more than 10 single-family homes.

Local governments can also invest in a ordable housing, as Clark County has done over the past few years in allocating more than $200 million for building and rehabilitating 5,000 homes.

 Southern Nevada is in the midst of a transportation boom. Work is finally underway on the Brightline West high-speed rail line to Southern California. The Boring Company is expanding its network of tunnels under the Strip. And as any frustrated commuter knows, there are road improvement projects occurring on what feels like every mile of highway in Clark County.

Much of this progress is thanks to the infusion of money provided by President Joe Biden’s infrastructure bill, combined with the e orts of the Regional Transportation Commission, or RTC. The RTC is a special government entity that streamlines communication and cooperation among the various government jurisdictions in Southern Nevada and o ers a unified voice for lobbying state and federal o cials.

This is important, because while local governments generally approve transportation projects, the high costs of those projects generally require state and/or federal funding to reach

completion. This means that elected o cials at every level of government play a role in creating robust transportation infrastructure.

If you’re frustrated by road conditions, the lack of synchronized tra c lights or the absence of bicycle lanes, local government o cials at the city and county level have the power to create change.

If you dream of a light rail system to connect the airport and the Strip to Downtown and the Arts District, county o cials could greenlight such a project, but funding from the state or federal government would almost certainly be required.

If you wish there was an interstate highway connecting Clark County’s 2.3 million residents to the state capital in Carson City, the Federal Highway Administration is where the conversation might start.

Carpenter Roxana Callender helps carry a sink base cabinet into a unit at the SHARE Village Las Vegas, an a ordable housing complex for veterans, families and those with special needs, near Downtown Las Vegas on March 27, 2021. (Steve Marcus/Sta )

People pose for a photo as they hammer railroad spikes during Brightline West’s groundbreaking ceremony on April 22. (Wade Vandervort/Sta )

COULD VEGAS’ NEXT MAYOR UNIFY THE VALLEY?

SHELLEY BERKLEY

CEDRIC CREAR

VICTORIA SEAMAN

KARA JENKINS

Whoever Las Vegas’ new mayor is, they’ll have to work with Clark County and other jurisdictions

BY SHANNON MILLER

The relationship between Clark County and the City of Las Vegas can be described as a sibling rivalry. The older sibling (Clark County) is constantly reminding the younger one (City of Las Vegas) of their second-place status. They’re constantly trying to one-up each other while vying for the title of favorite child. (“You have a Key to the City? Well, I have the Key to the Strip!”) They even blame one another when the household chores aren’t done.

“You’ll often hear anecdotal stories about ‘Oh, that tra c light is not in the county. Call the city.’ So that sort of back and forth is confusing to a citizen, because their postal address says Las Vegas, but they actually may not live in Las Vegas. I think that creates a tension there,” says David Damore, executive director of the Lincy Institute and Brookings Mountain West.

There’s also the city’s and county’s disparate responses to homelessness. The city in 2019 passed an ordinance that made it a misdemeanor to camp on public sidewalks if there were spots available at the Courtyard Homeless Resource Center or at shelters–a policy that was publicly condemned by county commissioners.

The Las Vegas mayoral election is an open primary for the residents who live in the jurisdiction of the City of Las Vegas.

Residents depend on their local governments for more than just broken tra c lights. Local jurisdictions are supposed to work together on issues such as animal control, homelessness, infrastructure and public safety.

The city-county relationship we see today is partly the result of the leadership of the outgoing Mayor Carolyn Goodman and her husband and predecessor, Oscar. The couple’s 25 years in o ce—Carolyn with 13 years and Oscar with 12—has seen great economic development and many accomplishments. Their tenure has also marked a period of dysfunction, at times, between regional governments.

Take Mayor Carolyn Goodman’s response to stay-at-home orders in the rst few weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic in Southern Nevada. While county commissioners were adhering to the governor’s and public health o cials’ guidance to close businesses, Goodman went on CNN and volunteered the city as a “control group” to test whether it was safe to reopen.

Now with the mayoral election where former Congresswoman Shelley Berkley, Las Vegas Councilman Cedric Crear, Las Vegas Councilwoman Victoria Seaman and Nevada Equal Rights Commission administrator Kara Jenkins have emerged as the frontrunners—there’s an opportunity to change that rivalry to a dynamic of greater cooperation. A lot of that cooperation hinges on “informal conversations,” Damore says.

“We don’t have a council of governments, [whereas] you see this in a lot of the big municipalities—you’re able to nd this common ground and think about regional-based approaches to economic development, homelessness, housing. We just don’t have that formal organization,” Damore says.

If any of these candidates receives 50.01% of the total vote in the June 11 primary, then they automatically win the election, and don’t have to go to a November runo .

In Nevada, mayors’ authority is limited. His or her vote counts the same as everybody else’s on the city council. It takes charisma and consensus-building to push the city’s interests forward in the wider landscape of regional governments.

To their credit, the Goodmans have demonstrated that mayoral in uence can extend far beyond their formal powers. It can permeate public opinion and drive development. Whenever Mayor Carolyn Goodman says anything about the I-15 corridor between California and Las Vegas, or about the Oakland A’s, news outlets pick it up, and Las Vegans and the nation take

note. And the completion of the Smith Center for Performing Arts and designation of the Las Vegas Medical District happened on the Goodmans’ watch.

“[The Goodmans] have been cheerleaders for our Valley. They’ve become a point of contact for the media … And I think because they’re so well-known here and have such strong ties to the city, that all facilitated the elevation, at least in the public eye, of the mayorship,” Damore says.

For better or worse, the new mayor of Las Vegas will likely inherit the role of spokesperson for the entire Valley. Moreover, the new mayor has an opportunity to coordinate with Clark County and the other cities—Boulder City, Henderson and North Las Vegas—that make up the Las Vegas metropolitan area.

He or she also will inherit economic development projects, including the growing Medical District and Mayor Goodman’s nascent, tech-focused “Innovation District.”

“And they’ll have to deal with limited land,” Damore says. “I think the new mayor faces a lot of challenges because they’re out of land … whereas Henderson and North Las Vegas still have space to grow. That’s really not the case for the City of Las Vegas.

“And can they really stand up the Medical District and realize the potential that I think a lot of people hope to see … That would be a way they could boost the economy and get more jobs. I know there’s a lot of hope to get investment for some of the ancillary services that would support the health economy in that space.”

These challenges only underline the importance of working with Clark County, whose jurisdictions overlap with the city. Ultimately, the mayor of Las Vegas’ responsibility remains his or her 650,000 constituents, and making the city work for them. And that necessitates being in step with other regional governments on issues that bleed over jurisdictional boundaries, for the sake of all the Valley’s residents.

Shelley Berkley, Victoria Seaman, Kara Jenkins (Courtesy)

Cedric Crear (Wade Vandervort/Sta )

ENDORSEMENTS

U.S. CONGRESS

U.S. Senate Democratic Primary JACKY ROSEN*

Building relationships across the political aisle isn’t easy, especially in the current era of MAGA-fueled divisiveness. But for Jacky Rosen, the task is never too great.

In her first term in the U.S. Senate, she demonstrated that the effort is worth the reward.

Earlier this month, and for the third year in a row, Rosen was recognized as being among the top 10 most bipartisan Senators by the Lugar Center and the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University. Previously she was recognized by the nonpartisan CQ Roll Call as one of the top three most independent Democratic Senators for her 2023 voting record.

Her willingness to think independently, break with party lines and build relationships across the political aisle led Rosen to be named the 7th most effective Democrat in the U.S. Senate, according to the Center for Effective Lawmaking—an unprecedented honor for a first-term senator.

Her deliverables have benefitted every region of the state and include billions of dollars in federal grants, including money to expand broadband access in rural communities and build a new VA hospital in Reno.

She also successfully passed legislation to combat drug smuggling, recruit and retain more police officers, train more nurses and in-home care providers, make childcare more affordable, expand opportunities for STEM training and workforce development and support small businesses and entrepreneurs.

All the while, she has been a champion of ensuring robust access to healthcare, defending women’s rights, taking meaningful action on climate change and passing sensible gun control laws.

In short, Rosen has proven herself to be an independent thinker who is among the hardest working lawmakers in Washington D.C. She delivers meaningful legislation on issues that matter to Nevadans. She’s the kind of leader the Silver State should have in Washington. In fact, she’s the kind of leader every state should have. We endorse her without reservation.

U.S. Senate Republican Primary GARN MABEY

Put simply, Garn Mabey is the only candidate in the GOP primary who is not a MAGA extremist or election denier. Rather, he is a rare representative of the old guard of big tent Republican politics who promotes traditional conservative values and small government conservative policy positions.

His specific policy positions include increasing opportunities for career and technical education and training programs, housing-first homelessness policies, and developing robust mass transit systems.

While he may not have the same level of name recognition as Sam Brown, he also doesn’t have the same track record of extremism, support for Yucca Mountain or questionable ethics.

U.S. House District 1

Republican Primary

FLEMMING LARSEN

We endorsed Flemming Larsen in his 2022 run for Assembly District 12 and continue to believe that he is a moderate and sensible Republican who can build relationships across the political spectrum. Republicans would be served well by having Larsen as a candidate for a prominent office heading into the November general election.

U.S. House District 3

Democratic Primary SUSIE

LEE*

Susie Lee has emerged as the kind of consensus-driven leader Americans say they want and which our democracy desperately needs. Lee is a member of the Problem Solvers Caucus and was recognized as the single most bipartisan members of Congress by the Lugar Center and the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University. She deserves a third term and the opportunity to assume greater leadership roles.

U.S. House

District 4

Democratic Primary STEVEN HORSFORD*

Horsford just completed his fourth term in the House and has risen to become the chair of the powerful Congressional Black Caucus. He has also become a champion for affordable housing, a strong advocate for technical education and job training programs and ensuring access to affordable healthcare for all. He is the model for effective and forward-thinking leaders and deserves another term in Congress where he will be a powerful voice for all Nevadans.

U.S. House

District 4

Republican Primary BRUCE FRAZEY

Frazey is a moderate who wants to return the Republican party to the “big tent” rhetoric of the past. He acknowledges the existence of systemic inequality and has challenged people of faith, like him, to use their beliefs as a guiding force, “not a system to be forced on others.” He speaks frequently of the bipartisan compromise that Rosen, Lee and the Democrats in the Nevada delegation have shown is necessary to get things done.

Congressional races in which no candidate earned our endorsement:

U.S. Congress, District 3

Republican Primary

* = incumbents

NEVADA STATE SENATE

District 1

Democratic Primary CLARA THOMAS

Thomas is a current Assemblywoman whom we endorsed in 2022 in her run for Assembly District 17. She has proven to be an independent thinker who puts people above politics.

District 3

Democratic Primary ROCHELLE NGUYEN*

An unconventional incumbent who was appointed to serve in the Senate following a four-year stint in the Assembly, Nguyen has worked quickly to build strong relationships that have enabled her to quickly become an effective leader.

District 4

Democratic Primary DINA NEAL*

With 11 years in the Assembly and four years in the Senate under her belt, Dina Neal is among the most accomplished and respected leaders in the Nevada Senate.

District 5

Democratic Primary Dual Endorsement

JENNIFER ATLAS and CHRISTIAN BISHOP

Atlas has built strong relationships with nonprofit and elected leaders across the state, while Bishop has built strong relationships with a diverse array of local community leaders within his district. Both candidates would make excellent legislators and challengers to incumbent Republican Carrie Ann Buck.

District 5

Republican Primary CARRIE ANN BUCK*

We have questions about Buck’s support for Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, as well as her voting record on anti-discrimination bills However, Buck has proven herself an effective leader with intriguing ideas on K-12 education.

District 11

Republican Primary LORI ROGICH

Rogich built a name for herself fighting CCSD over discrimination against students with learning disabilities. Now she wants to take her passion for education to Carson City. She was one of the few candidates who offered detailed policy proposals including a universal screening process to identify struggling readers and evidence-based curriculum changes.

District 18

Republican Primary JOHN STEINBECK

Steinbeck is a firefighter who, by all appearances, believes in compromise and principles of good governance.

Nevada Senate races in which no candidate earned our endorsement:

District 6 – Republican Party

District 18 – Democratic Primary

District 19 – Republican Primary

FROM PAGE

YOUR VOICE

NEVADA STATE ASSEMBLY

District 7

Democratic Primary TANYA FLANAGAN

Flanagan is an accomplished professional with an impressive track record of advocating for the people of Clark County. We are excited to see what she can accomplish in Carson City.

District 9

Democratic Primary STEVE YEAGER*

Steve Yeager became the speaker of the Nevada Assembly in 2022, where he was forced to navigate the pitfalls of a divided government. He rose to the occasion and is deserving of another term.

District 10

Democratic Primary VENISE L. KARRIS

Karris is a journeyman wireman who quite literally helped build the current Las Vegas Strip. Her strong ties to the district and decades of relationships with tradespeople make her an excellent choice to represent this blue-collar district.

District 11

Democratic Primary CINTHIA MOORE

As a Latina immigrant whose family moved to the Valley more than 30 years ago, Moore has a unique insider’s perspective on the challenges facing Nevada’s large immigrant and first-generation communities. Combined with her excellent track record as an environmental justice advocate, that makes Moore exactly the type of legislator needed in Carson City.

District 11

Republican Primary JEFFREY A. LUSTICK

We may not agree with all of his proposals, but Lutsick’s knowledge, enthusiasm and willingness to think outside the box to solve real-world issues are palpable.

District 16

Democratic CECELIAPrimaryGONZÁLEZ*

We have good reasons for repeatedly endorsing Gonzalez over multiple election cycles. She is a staunch advocate for education, including vocational and technical training opportunities and she cares deeply about healthy communities, including treatment for mental health and substance abuse— all of which are important issues that require strong advocates.

District 42

Democratic Primary

TRACY BROWN-MAY*

A champion for the working class, Tracy Brown-May has a track record of success in Carson City, including legislation to eliminate sub-minimum wage for people with intellectual and other disabilities. That’s servant leadership at its finest.

Nevada Assembly races in which no candidate earned our endorsement:

District 5

Republican Primary

District 6

Democratic Primary

District 12

Republican Primary

District 16

Republican Primary

District 21

Republican Primary

District 29

Republican Primary

District 34

Republican Primary

District 41

Republican Primary

District 42

Republican Primary

Regent

State University

District 1

CARLOS D. FERNANDEZ

Fernandez is an experienced leader and executive director of the Nevada chapter of the American Institute of Architects. More importantly, he is also a graduate and former employee of UNLV, giving him personal knowledge and experience as both a student and employee of NSHE’s largest campus.

Regent State University

District 4

AARON BAUTISTA

Aaron Bautista is a public-school teacher and advocate for Nevada’s community colleges. He provided detailed policy proposals that are worth exploring, including a pilot program to allow all students to attend a college course for free to help them see what the college experience is like.

NEVADA SYSTEM OF HIGHER EDUCATION NEVADA STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION

Nevada State Board of Education

District 3

RENE CANTU

Rene Cantu is an incumbent being forced to run in a new district due to redistricting. As the founding executive director of Jobs for Nevada’s Graduates, he has direct experience helping high school students identify successful educational and career pathways. He also provided some of the most thoughtful answers to our candidate questionnaire among any candidate for any office, connecting seemingly unrelated topics to his role in higher education.

Las Vegas Mayor SHELLEY BERKLEY

The first mayoral race without a Goodman in more than two decades saw a wealth of capable and qualified candidates who have served their communities with distinction. However, former U.S. Representative Shelley Berkley has repeatedly proven that her knowledge, experience and commitment to the people of Southern Nevada are unmatched.

CLARK COUNTY CITY COUNCILS

Clark County School Board Trustee

District A

Dual endorsement

MERCEDES MCKINLEY and ANNA BINDER

Four of the five candidates for District A (the exception being Rachel Ann Puaina) are qualified to hold the office. However, Mercedes McKinley stands out as the only candidate to work in the classroom as a CCSD educator and the only candidate who provided us with detailed information about her policy aspirations once in office.

Anna Binder stands out for her years of active involvement in public K-12 education at the state and local level, as well as for her fierce advocacy on behalf of teachers.

Clark County School Board Trustee

District B

EILEEN EADY

Eileen Eady is a former teacher who has earned the trust and respect of numerous nonprofit and educational leaders, as well as our endorsement.

Clark County School Board Trustee

District C

EVELYN GARCIA MORALES*

Evelyn Garcia Morales is the incumbent President and one of the few stabilizing forces on the CCSD Board of Trustees over the past two years. If she hopes to earn our endorsement in the future, she must demonstrate her ability to bring order to the chaos at CCSD.

City of Las Vegas Council

Ward 1

BRIAN KNUDSEN*

Ward 3

OLIVIA DIAZ*

Both incumbents broke barriers when they earned their seats on the Las Vegas City Council, Knudsen as the first openly gay member and Diaz as the first Latina. Both have proven to be thoughtful leaders, effective policymakers and dedicated ambassadors for the wards they represent.

City Of North Las Vegas Council

Ward 2

RUTH GARCIA ANDERSON*

Ruth Garcia Anderson is an incumbent who was appointed in 2022 and has served her community with distinction. She deserves another term in office. However, Lamont Riley’s response to our candidate survey demonstrated an impressive breadth and depth of knowledge about his community that would benefit any municipal council.

Henderson City Council (Nonpartisan office)

Ward 1

JIM SEEBOCK*

Ward 2

DAN K. SHAW*

Ward 3

DAN H. STEWART*

 Despite leading Nevada’s second-largest city through a continued period of unprecedented growth, the three incumbents in the race for Henderson City Council did not rest on their laurels or assume that they were entitled to their seats. Instead, they have remained active in the communities they represent, worked to identify new priorities moving forward and provided thoughtful policy-driven responses to our endorsement questionnaire. All three should be returned to office.

County Commissioner District C

Democratic Primary SHANNON

BILBRAY-AXELROD

Shannon Bilbray-Axelrod is a current assemblywoman who has proven herself a capable leader and fierce advocate for families, women, veterans, and seniors. That type of advocacy is needed on the Clark County Commission.

County Commissioner District C

Republican Primary

THOMAS WAGNER

A retired Metro police detective sergeant, Thomas Wagner was nominated twice for police officer of the year. He is active in civic and charitable life and regularly collaborates across ideological and partisan lines for the benefit of the community.

Boulder City Council (two at-large seats available)

DANIEL PATTERSON

MATT FOX*

SHERRI JORGENSEN*

 Daniel Patterson stands out for offering bold proposals including phasing out HOAs and increasing the affordable housing unit requirements on developers seeking permitting approvals. Matt Fox and Sherri Jorgensen are both incumbents whom we have no reason to believe should be ousted from office.

Local races in which no candidate earned our endorsement: Clark County School Board Trustee - District E County Commissioner, District A – Republican Primary City of Las Vegas Council, Ward 5

Municipal Court Judge, Dept. 5, City Of Las Vegas

YOUR VOTE, YOUR VOICE

EARLY VOTING SITES AND MAIL BALLOT DROP-OFF SITES

These locations are open 5/25 through 6/7 (check hours below).

Arroyo Market Square

7225 Arroyo Crossing Parkway (parking lot near Men’s Wearhouse) 5/25-6/6, 9 a.m.-8 p.m.; 6/7, 9 a.m.-8 p.m.

Blue Diamond Crossing 4100 Blue Diamond Rd. (parking lot between Target and Kohl’s) 5/256/6, 9 a.m.-7 p.m.; 6/7, 9 a.m.-8 p.m.

Cambridge Recreation Center 3930 Cambridge Center, 5/25-6/6, 9 a.m.6 p.m.; 6/7, 9 a.m.-7 p.m.

Craig Ranch Regional Park 628 W. Craig Rd. (South of Baseball Diamonds, parking lot) 5/25-6/6, 9 a.m.-7 p.m.; 6/7, 9 a.m.-8 p.m.

Deer Springs Town Center 640 Deer Springs (parking lot near Home Depot) 5/25-6/6, 9 a.m.7 p.m.; 6/7, 9 a.m.-8 p.m.

Desert Breeze Community Center 8275 Spring Mountain Rd., 5/25-6/6, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.; 6/7, 9 a.m.-7 p.m.

Galleria at Sunset 1300 W. Sunset Rd. (Kohl’s Court, 1st Floor), 5/25 and 6/1, 11 a.m.-8 p.m., 5/26 and 6/2, 11 a.m.-6 p.m., 5/27-5/31 11 a.m.-7 p.m., 6/3-6/6, 11 a.m.-7 p.m., 6/7, 11 a.m.-8 p.m.

Henderson City Hall 240 S. Water St. 5/25, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., 5/28-6/1, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., 6/3-6/7, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

West Flamingo Senior Center 6255 W. Flamingo Rd., 5/27-31, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.; 6/3-6/6, 9 a.m.-6 pm.; 6/7, 9 a.m.-7 p.m.

Whitney Recreation Center 5712 Missouri Ave., 5/25-6/6, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.; 6/7, 9 a.m.-7 p.m.

These locations are open on select dates between 5/25 and 6/7 (check dates and hours below).

Las Vegas Athletic Club 6050 N. Decatur Blvd. (tent) 5/25-6/6, 9 a.m.-7 p.m.; 6/7, 9 a.m.-8 p.m.

Las Vegas Athletic Club 1725 N. Rainbow Blvd. (tent) 5/25-6/6, 9 a.m.-7 p.m.; 6/7, 9 a.m.-8 p.m.

Las Vegas City Hall 495 S. Main St. 5/28-5/30, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.; 6/3-6/6, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

Meadows Mall 4300 Meadows Ln. (near Round 1, 1st floor) 5/25 and 6/1, 11 a.m.-8 p.m.; 5/26 and 6/2, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.; 5/27-31, 11 a.m.-7 p.m.; 6/3-6/6, 11 a.m.-7 p.m.; 6/7, 11 a.m.-8 p.m.

Mountain’s Edge Regional Park 8101 W. Mountains Edge Pkwy. (tent) 5/25-6/6, 9 a.m.-7 p.m.; 6/7, 9 a.m.-8 p.m.

Nellis Crossing Shopping Center 1250 S. Nellis Blvd. (tent) 5/25-6/6, 9 a.m.-7 p.m.; 6/7, 9 a.m.-8 p.m.

North Las Vegas City Hall 2250 Las Vegas Blvd. North 5/28-5/30, 8 a.m.-5 pm., 6/3-6/6, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

Silverado Ranch Park 9855 Gilespie St. (parking lot) 5/25-6/6, 9 a.m.7 p.m.; 6/7, 9 a.m.-8 p.m.

Thunderbird Family Sports Complex 6105 N. Durango Dr. (tent) 5/256/6, 9 a.m.-7 p.m.; 6/7, 9 a.m.-8 p.m.

Walnut Recreation Center 3075 N. Walnut Rd., 5/25-6/6, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.; 6/7, 9 a.m.-7 p.m.

Enterprise Library 8310 S. Las Vegas Blvd. 5/255/26, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

Green Valley Library 2797 N. Green Valley Pkwy. 6/5-6/6, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; 6/7, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Henderson Executive Airport 3500 Executive 3500 Executive Terminal Dr. 6/3-7, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.

Albertsons 3010 W. Ann Rd. 5/29-31, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.

Albertsons 10140 W. Flamingo Rd. 5/30-6/1, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.

Aliante Library 2400 W. Deer Springs Way. 6/36/4, 10:30 a.m.-7 p.m.; 6/5, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.

Boulder City Recreation Center 900 Arizona St. 6/4-6/7, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.

Centennial Hills YMCA 6601 N. Buffalo Dr. 6/16/3, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

Chinatown Plaza 4205 Spring Mountain Rd. 5/25-5/31, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

Clark County Building Department 4701 W. Russell Rd. 5/27-5/28, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.

Clark County Department of Family Services 2900 N. Torrey Pines Dr. 5/27-5/28, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.

Coleman Senior Center 2100 Bonnie Ln. 6/46/6, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.; 6/7, 9 a.m.-7 p.m.

Desert Vista Community Center 10360 Sun City Blvd. 5/25-5/26, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.

Doolittle Community Center 1950 J St. 6/36/6, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.; 6/7, 9 a.m.-7 p.m.

East Las Vegas Community Center 250 N. Eastern Ave. 6/1-6/6, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.; 6/7, 9 a.m.-7 p.m.

Heritage Park Senior Facility 300 S. Racetrack Rd. 5/25-27, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.

Hollywood Recreation Center 1650 S. Hollywood Blvd. 5/31-6/6, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.; 6/7, 9 a.m.-7 p.m.

La Bonita Supermarket 2203 Civic Center Dr. 5/31-6/2, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.

Laughlin Library 2840 S. Needles Hwy. 6/1, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; 6/2, 1 p.m.; 6/3 10 a.m.-7 p.m.

Mesquite Jimmie Hughes Campus 150 N. Yucca St. 5/26-5/28, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.

Moapa Valley Community Center 320 N. Moapa Valley Blvd. 5/29 9 a.m.6 p.m.

Mountain Crest Community Center 4701 N. Durango Dr. 5/25-5/31, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.

Mountain Shadows Community Center 9107 Del Webb Blvd. 5/25-5/27, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.

Paradise Recreation and Community Center 4775 S. Mcleod Dr. 6/2-6/4, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.

Parkdale Recreation and Senior Center 3200 Ferndale St. 5/31-6/1, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.

Paseo Verde Library 280 S. Green Valley Pkwy. 6/3, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.

Pearson Community Center 1625 W. Carey Ave. 5/25-5/31, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.

Rainbow Library 3150 N. Buffalo Dr. 6/6, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; 6/7, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.

Regional Transportation Commision (Room 108) 600 S. Grand Central Pkwy. 5/25-5/26, 9 a.m.6 p.m.

Donald W. Reynolds Boys & Girls Club 2980 E. Robindale Rd. 6/1-6/2, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.

Sahara West Library 9600 W. Sahara Ave. 6/3, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.; 6/46/7, 10:30 a.m.-7 p.m.

Seafood City Market 3890 S. Maryland Pkwy. 6/2-6/7, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.

Silver Mesa Recreation Center 4025 Allen Ln. 5/28-5/29, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.

Skye Canyon Community Center 10111 W. Skye Canyon Park Dr. 5/305/31, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.

SkyView YMCA 3050 E. Centennial Pkwy. 5/28, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.

Solera at Anthem Community Center 2401 Somersworth Dr. 5/255/26, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.

Sun City Aliante Community Center 7390 Aliante Pkwy. 5/27, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.

Sun City Anthem Center 2450 Hampton Rd. 5/285/30, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.

Sun City MacDonald Ranch Community Center 2020 W. Horizon Ridge Pkwy. 5/29-5/30, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.

Sunrise Library 5400 Harris Ave. 5/29, 10 a.m.6 p.m.

Veterans Memorial Community Center 101 N. Pavilion Center Dr. 6/1-6/6, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.; 6/7, 9 a.m.-7 p.m.

Winchester Dondero Cultural Center 3130 McLeod Dr. 6/4-6/6, 9 a.m.- 6 p.m.; 6/7, 9 a.m.-7 p.m.

Windmill Library 7060 W. Windmill Ln. 5/28, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; 5/29-31, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.

IN THE NEWS

“I take full responsibility for my actions in that video. I was disgusted then when I did it. I’m disgusted now.”

-

Sean “Diddy” Combs, referring to a video released by CNN of the rapper beating his ex-girlfriend, Cassie, in a hotel hallway in 2016

sioner

BY THE NUMBERS

The Raiders have fewer prime-time games this season than in any of their previous four campaigns in Las Vegas. The NFL’s flex scheduling, which begins Week 5, could change that, but the Raiders are currently only in two stand-alone games—at Kansas City on Black Friday and at home Monday, December 16 against Atlanta.

The Las Vegas Aces host Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever at 6 p.m.

HOT SHOT Clark County Commis-

William McCurdy holds the World Boxing Council’s belt in honor of the legendary “Brown Bomber” Joe Louis. The county hosted a celebration with the boxer’s family on May 17 at the Government Center in honor of Louis’ life and legacy. (Courtesy/Clark County)

Nevadans for Reproductive Freedom turn in more than 200,000 signatures from Nevadans in 17 counties who want to see a ballot question on the state’s November ballot about whether to add a reproductive rights amendment to the state constitution. (Courtesy Nevadans for Reproductive Freedom)

POLITICS

Abortion advocates on May 20 celebrated completion of the first step to codifying abortion into the Nevada Constitution, having gathered over 200,000 signatures for a ballot initiative.

Members of the group Nevadans for Reproductive Freedom gathered outside the Clark County Government Center along with other local groups to highlight the success of their signature-gathering. Ballot initiatives in Nevada require around 102,000 signatures from across the state, making the over 200,000 a significant achievement for abortion activists in the state.

“The constitutional amend-

Abortion on the ballot

ment to protect abortion rights builds on the current statutory protection by adding another layer of legal protection for abortion care, which is vital to our current national abortion crisis,” Las Vegas resident Brittney Kemp said during the gathering.

The collection of signatures is only the first leg of a long process toward amending the Nevada Constitution. The secretary of state must verify the signatures before issuing a “notice of qualification,” which would put the ballot question officially up for a vote in November. If Nevadans vote yes to the question, the amendment

itself would appear on the 2026 general election ballot.

Nevada already has a voter-affirmed statute that guarantees a woman’s right to abortion up to 24 weeks; however, the statute is much easier to change than an amendment. While legislators can overturn a statute, removal of an amendment protecting abortion would require a whole new ballot initiative process. That added security is part of why activists feel it’s so important to push for the amendment, and why they expect significant resistance from anti-abortion politicians and advocacy groups.

–Ayden Runnels

THE STRIP

The Mirage, the decades-old staple beloved for its outdoor volcano show, The Beatles LOVE by Cirque Du Soleil and other attractions, will temporarily close its doors July 17 to transition into the Hard Rock Casino and Guitar Hotel Las Vegas, officials said May 15. The rebranded resort is slated to feature a nearly 700-foot guitar-shaped hotel tower, and double the current number of jobs at the property, per the release. The project is targeting a spring 2027 opening. The renovation will generate over 2,500 construction jobs alone, the release added, and Hard Rock will pay approximately $80 million in severance packages for eligible union and non-union employees remaining with the property through the pause in operations. Hard Rock International, owned by the Seminole Tribe of Florida, purchased the Mirage property from MGM Resorts International in 2022, as part of a more than $1 billion cash transaction. –Katie Ann McCarver

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

SUMMER FIREWORKS

The Plaza Hotel & Casino will celebrate the start of every weekend this summer with a live fireworks show Friday nights at 9:15 p.m., beginning May 24 for Memorial Day weekend through August 30 for Labor Day weekend.

MARIJUANA DEBATE

Several current and former Drug Enforcement Agency officials told the Associated Press they believe the Justice Department is moving forward with the reclassifying marijuana as a less-dangerous drug because President Joe Biden wants to use the issue to woo voters in his reelection campaign and wasn’t willing to give the DEA time for more studies that likely would have dragged beyond Election Day.

MISBEHAVIN’ AT THE PLAZA

Starting October 2, performer Miss Behave and her crew will take over the Plaza Hotel & Casino Showroom with Miss Behave’s Mavericks The ever-changing variety show finds a fitting match in the historic, vintage hotel. Tickets are available at mavericksdtlv.com

NAS TEAMS UP WITH CLASSICAL ENSEMBLE Grammy Award-winning rap icon Nas has announced three performances featuring the Las Vegas Philharmonic over Labor Day Weekend. Shows will take place August 29 and 31 and September 1. Tickets for all performances go on sale to the public May 24 at 10 a.m. at ticketmaster.com

LAKERS, WARRIORS TO PLAY IN LAS VEGAS

The Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors will play a preseason game at 7 p.m. October 15 at T-Mobile Arena. The Lakers regularly play a game here in the preseason, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in 1984 broke the NBA’s then-scoring record when the Lakers played the Utah Jazz at the Thomas & Mack Center. The Jazz played 11 games here because their arena in Salt Lake City was too small.

NEXT GENERATION

Punk Rock Bowling secures new blood in its lineup Devo

BY SHANNON MILLER

Punk Rock Bowling is 24 years old now. The DIY bowling tournament-turned festival has many return attendees who’ve been going since the beginning.

“The festival is a meeting place for this community. A lot of these people have been coming to the festival for 23 years,” says founder Shawn Stern.

“There was a big boom in punk rock in the early ‘90s with Green Day and Offspring, and then Rancid and Bad Religion coming back and Social Distortion, NOFX. And that was our sort of bread and butter. … Now, our crowd’s median age is between 30 and 60.”

He knows the importance of bringing revered bands like Devo, Descendents and Suicidal Tendencies to the festival stages year after year. Stern also knows, for longevity’s sake, younger bands need to have a place in the lineup, too. That’s why the festival (and its myriad club shows at Downtown venues) has included fresh local bands like the Dollheads, Detective Frog, Horripilation, Johnny Ruiz and the Escapers, Pure Sport and Twist Off.

“Trying to reach out to younger people means trying to involve younger bands. A lot of these younger bands have been heavily influenced by the bands that have been playing Punk Rock

Bowling for many, many years. And so to me, that’s the bridge.”

Katie Overbey cites Bad Religion, Adolescents and T.S.O.L.—all bands that have played the festival before—as some of her biggest punk influences.

The 18-year-old’s folk-punk style, “sort of instrumental with folk-y lyrics,” as she describes it, will debut when her band plays the festival’s opening day, May 25 at the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center.

A classically trained violinist, Overbey made the transition to folk and punk while studying songwriting in high school. She now plays guitar and is lead singer of Katie Overbey and the Backlash.

“I started off with more folk stuff, I would say like Indigo Girls-inspired … big influences like Gordon Lightfoot, Jim Croce and all the ‘60s and ‘70s folk greats. And then I started to get into punk and I shifted into all of that,” she says.

“There’s so much energy and love. And a lot of times, it’s anger. But no matter what emotion is happening, it’s coming at you full force. … You can’t get much better than that in terms of emotional transmission and music. And that’s what music is

Descendents

for, to make you feel things. I feel like punk does a really good job of that.”

That’s palpable with Punk Rock Bowling. Stern hopes the festival leaves a legacy of altruism and activism. To him, the community gathering of punks both new and seasoned is really an opportunity to spark discussions and engage with music and other like minded people, to ultimately make a difference.

“In my lifetime, punk rock music has inspired me and a lot of other people to go out and try and make change. And I hope the legacy for what I do … is inspiring people to go out and try and make change in their lives and the lives of other people,” he says.

“Listen to most of the bands, and they’re political. Even if they’re not saying outright political stuff, the music has always been about, think for yourself. Don’t listen to anybody. Question everything.”

It’s younger bands who will be the ones carrying these tenets for posterity, he adds.

“Punk rock will not survive if there’s not young new bands carrying the torch forward in the future.”

(Courtesy/Sam

Katie Overbey

(Courtesy/Jay Spencer)

MUSIC

DESERT DOTING

BY AMBER SAMPSON

There’s no place like home. In the case of the Acid Sisters, there’s no place like the desert. It took leaving Las Vegas for Elayna (vocals) and Nick Thompson (guitar) to realize they were homesick, aching for the tight-knit community they once had. On Neon Graveyard, the psychedelic rock band’s first LP in six years, that yearning can be felt as much as it’s heard.

“Everything I was writing, all of my inspiration was the Nevada desert, Las Vegas and this weird bubble we live in,” says Elayna. “This city is like no other. We live in the middle of a desert. There shouldn’t be life here. There’s still nuclear activity in the dirt. Yet, I love this place.”

The husband-and-wife duo currently lives in Los Angeles for work, while the rest of the Sisters—Jacob Savage (drums), Lizzie Schieb (keys) and Steve Cooper (bass)— reside in Las Vegas. Regardless, the band’s chemistry remains electric, as evidenced on Neon Graveyard

“It just seems more natural, and we’re definitely having more fun doing it,” Elayna says of the album Savage mixed and recorded. “The best thing ever is when we all just jam out and we create a whole song all in one sitting. The

The Acid Sisters return home on Neon Graveyard , its first LP in six years

majority of the songs were that.”

The desert itself seems to whistle through these tracks, conjuring the sounds of spooky ghost towns and old spaghetti western wastelands. Riffs howl and bend like the wind here, hooks gallop, steed-like and spirited. And much of that, Nick and Elayna ascribe to vintage gear and Savage’s unorthodox methods—like having Elayna sing into a telephone he turned into a microphone on “Green Die.”

The Acid Sisters have certainly come a long way. The Thompsons and Cooper are now parents; Savage and Schieb are now married. Essentially, the band has grown up together.

“I think it, in a way, has brought us a little bit closer to feeling like we’re our own little family,” Nick says.

Fans won’t have to wait as long between projects again, he says. They’re recording as they go, eager to release more music as significant as Neon Graveyard.

“It felt good to look back on this album and really feel like it’s an ode to Las Vegas,” Nick says. “We met each other there. We met the band there and spent 13 years there. Listening to it now, it feels like a Vegas album.”

THE ACID SISTERS linktr.ee/theacidsisters

(Courtesy/Deed DeBruno)

PARTY OF THE DECADE

BY AMBER SAMPSON

Not many people can boast about opening a nightclub before they turn 21. Dustin Drai isn’t most people.

Leading up to the launch of Drai’s Nightclub and Beachclub in 2014, Drai had a hand in nearly everything pertaining to his father’s next mega-project at the Cromwell on the Las Vegas Strip. After the success of Drai’s After Hours and XS Nightclub at Wynn, all eyes were firmly affixed on nightlife

legend Victor Drai.

“It was like, ‘What’s Victor Drai’s next project going to be? Is it going to be better than XS?’

There always was that comparison between the two clubs, especially when we first opened,” says Dustin Drai, president of Drai’s Management Group.

“There was definitely a sense of him wanting to make something bigger, better, more extravagant, more luxurious, and kind of competing with himself,” he continues.

“It’s a testament to his skill in the nightlife world, the fact that he’s designed XS, Drai’s and both of them are still there over 10 years later.”

Swedish house heavyweight Eric Prydz christened the 65,000-square-foot rooftop oasis during its Memorial Day weekend grand opening, and the pursuit of high-profile talent only continued from there. Over the next decade, Drai’s would become a hip-hop and R&B concert destination, buck-

Drai’s Beachclub and Nightclub hits a milestone birthday

ing against EDM trends to create a platform for artists like Chris Brown, Migos, 50 Cent, Gucci Mane and Big Sean to shine.

“We’ve established ourselves into the fabric of the Las Vegas community,” Drai says. “A big factor in our longevity is that people have become so attached to the brand over the past 30 years that it almost would be hard to see it go away.”

Drai’s will soon expand its portfolio once again with Drai’s Dallas,

The Las Vegas Aces celebrate back-toback championships at Drai’s. (Courtesy/ Drai’s Management Group)

DRAI’S 10TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

May 28, 10 p.m., $20-$30+. Drai’s Nightclub, draisgroup.com

a modern supper club that Drai describes as a return to “the roots of what the Drai’s brand started as.”

“Drai’s Vegas will always be the crown jewel of what we do, but my vision for the next 10 years is to create something that’s a little bit smaller, more intimate,” he says.

Drai’s celebrates the holiday and birthday weekend in a big way, with Sean Paul, Wiz Khalifa, Trey Songz, Cardi B and Moneybagg Yo on the day-and-night lineup May 24-26.

MEMORABLE MOMENTS

Dustin Drai looks back at some standouts from the first 10 years

HOSTING BASKETBALL CHAMPS

“We’re able to celebrate a lot of championship parties at Drai’s for all of these different sporting events, starting with the Golden State Warriors. They came and had a huge championship celebratory party a couple years ago. We [also] got to celebrate the Las Vegas Aces’ back-to-back years. It’s really awesome to see what the Aces have been doing over the past couple of years, and for them to call Drai’s home.”

THE WEEKND’S RESIDENCY

“He was doing full hour-long performances on our stage consistently. He was already a superstar and we could all see it, but he had not gotten to that level yet. To say he was a Drai’s resident at one point in his career, and now he’s selling out massive, 100,000-person arenas ... that’s definitely a big memory.”

ED SHEERAN’S SURPRISE

“We had a night where Ed Sheeran, another megastar, popped up on stage and just started singing and dancing. He was there visiting somebody and next thing you know, he’s backstage being like, ‘I want to jump on.’”

KEVIN HART’S COMEDY HOUR

“He was having a good time, and he jumps on stage, grabs a mic, stops the music, tells everyone basically to shut up and starts cracking jokes about the artists. Everyone looks at each other like, ‘Is Kevin Hart really doing a full stand-up comedy show in the middle of a nightclub at 2:30 in the morning?’”

UNLIKELY COLLABS

“It was a Meek Mill performance and the club was packed. Next thing you know, we end up with about five or six of our artists all on stage. Meek Mill, Jeezy, I think Chris [Brown] was there, and James Harden jumped on stage. Imagine a house party with this level of celebrity, talent and so forth, and you also have 3,000 of your other best friends in the club.”

FUTURE’S POST-COVID PERFORMANCE

“When he performed ‘Mask Off,’ I swear the building was shaking. It was in June. We had just come back from [COVID] restrictions. The symbolism of the song and the symbolism of the night, the fact that we’d reopened, the fact that we had Future performing—he was also one of our original superstars back in the day—it was this checklist of wow.”

F1 ON DECK

“Last year, when they brought a McLaren [Formula 1] car and lifted it up off the Strip and put it onto our pool deck ... If that’s not the most Vegas thing you could think of.” –Amber Sampson

Dustin and Victor Drai

Gucci Mane

Travis Scott

2 Chainz

PERFORMING WEDNESDAY

FOOD & DRINK

FOOD & DRINK NOTES

Picasso is closing, elevated Mexican food is coming to the northwest and more local F&B news

One of the most impactful chefs in the history of the Las Vegas Strip is getting ready to retire. Julian Serrano has stepped away from supervising the kitchen at Lago at Bellagio, and while the decorated chef remains at the helm of Julian Serrano Tapas at Aria, his landmark fine-dining destination Picasso is set to close in August. Opening with Bellagio in 1998, Picasso is one of only two Las Vegas restaurants to receive two Michelin stars.

“From our front of house staff to our wonderful chefs and the executive team, none of this would have been possible without everyone’s immense talents coming together,” Serrano said in a statement. “I’m forever grateful to everyone who contributed to making memories every night at Picasso.”

Longtime favorite Strip burger joint Holsteins at the Cosmopolitan is closing up shop on July 9. Gen3 Hospitality president Stacia Stephens said in a statement that details on a new concept will be shared in the coming months.

An all-star team of local hospitality veterans is bringing La Casa de Juliette Mexican Cocina to Centennial Hills this summer. Nathan Grates, Anthony Jamison and Chase Gordon—the team behind the Sand Dollar Lounge and Sand Dollar Downtown—are collaborating with chef Lalo Saavedra of Charlie Palmer Steak on the Strip and the Honest Hospitality company to create an elevated take on classic Mexican cuisine showcasing fresh

ingredients, seasonal flavors and a focused cocktail program. Stay tuned at lacasadejuliette.com

Gong Cha, a bubble tea brand with more than 2,200 stores around the world, is set to open its first Las Vegas location May 24 in Chinatown at 4215 Spring Mountain Road #106B. Special promotions and giveaways are planned all weekend long, including buy-one-get-one drinks; more info is at gongchausa.com

Naxos Taverna at Red Rock Resort has launched its weekend Mediterranean brunch, available Saturday and Sunday from 11:30 a.m. until 3 p.m., featuring dishes like strapatsada with Loukaniko sausage, shakshuka, lemon poppyseed pancakes, melomakarona waffles and more. Find info or reservations at naxosredrock.com.

The Mad Hatter’s Tea Party at Silverton’s Shady Grove Lounge has been extended through July 7, offering plenty more opportunity to experience Alice in Wonderland-themed specialty cocktails, decor and more. For details, visit silvertoncasino. com/madhatter

The Cabinet of Curiosities at Horseshoe

Las Vegas has launched a mixology masterclass educating guests on cocktail history, flavor profiles and technique. The 90-minute sessions are set for 1 p.m. Thursday through Saturday for $100, with info and reservations available at thecabinetlv.com –Brock Radke

Julian Serrano at Picasso (Courtesy/Roberty John Kley)

(Courtesy/Anthony Mair)

than ever in seventh

Sun Standout Awards are bigger and better than ever in seventh year recognizing high school athletics

BY RAY BREWER, MIKE GRIMALA, CASE KEEFER AND JACK WILLIAMS

A record 15 winners collected honors at the 2024 Sun Standout Awards May 20 at the South Point Showroom.

The increase in trophies for the seventh edition of the awards show wasn’t some masterplan; it was forced as a result of so many undeniable feats of greatness in prep sports throughout Southern Nevada over the past academic year. We felt obligated to recognize more people than ever before, ranging from nationally decorated players and coaches to those more typically in the shadows like administrators and support sta .

The Sun Standout Awards originated in 2016, modeled after ESPN’s ESPY Awards, and have turned into an annual can’t-miss athletic gala to conclude the school year.

Here are this year’s winners, nalists and their stories.

2024

Sun Standout Award of Excellence Bishop Gorman football

■ This honor is not bestowed every year. Rather, it’s reserved for the best of the best—an accomplishment so noteworthy that it merits special recognition.

The best of the best might be the only way to describe the Bishop Gorman football team.

Out of 16,000 high school programs in America, the Gaels were voted as national champions by USA Today and MaxPreps.

Yep, No. 1 of 16,000 is special.

Gorman’s undefeated season included wins over

cally. We had to come together and get through it.”

Gorman’s lineup was elite. Take quarterback Micah Alejado, who was picked as the national player of the year after completing 77% of his passes for 2,700 yards and 35 touchdowns.

He had no interceptions. Correct—not one single turnover.

Eight Gorman seniors received scholarships to some of the nation’s top collegiate programs, including wide receiver Audric Harris signing with Washington. Harris had more than 1,000 receiving yards

the determination to win the national championship. We had the dedication to go after our goals.”

Gorman is far from nished.

More than 20 players on next season’s roster have scholarship o ers. That includes wide receiver Derek Meadows, who had eight touchdowns in the championship season and is being courted by Michigan and Notre Dame. Safety Jett Washington and defensive lineman Prince Williams are two of the nation’s premiere defenders—and just sophomores.

notable foes from California, Florida and Utah. The Gaels outscored opponents 596-185. And in the nal seven games, they surrendered just 65 points.

“It was such a great way to end our high school career,” linebacker Charles Correa said. “I wouldn’t want to do it with anyone else. It was a lot of challenges that we had to face, both mentally and physi-

and 13 touchdowns as Gorman averaged 49 points a game. Others signed with Kansas State, Nebraska, Iowa State and UNLV.

Alejado said the drive to be national champions was a constant theme in training. Players embraced the challenge during the initial workouts last winter.

“It started in January,” he said. “This team had

That means Gorman will likely enter the season ranked in the top 5, and again pursue another run of excellence.

“Bringing attention to Las Vegas high school football is truly special because there are so many great players in the city,” Correa said. “More importantly, there are so many great people, especially at Gorman. These guys are my brothers for life.”

(Photograph

VISIT ONE OF OUR 15 LAS VEGAS RESTAURANTS

HANK GREENSPUN LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Marc Ratner

■ Marc Ratner is known as the man who helped get the UFC regulated in various countries, paving the way for the league to extend its global popularity.

But for those in Las Vegas’ high school sports community, Ratner is much more. He’s the authority.

Ratner is retiring this month as the commissioner of the Southern Nevada O cials Association, stepping away from a post he’s proudly served in since the early 1990s. He’s the liaison between game o cials and the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association, the Clark County School District and local high schools.

“After all these years, I still get excited going to the games,” Ratner said. “Above all else, I’ve always been a high school sports fan.”

He takes his position seriously, all while balancing duties as the UFC’s vice president for regulatory a airs. He formerly was the head of the Nevada Athletic Commission.

When he’s traveling for the UFC—say to Paris for a fight card— he doesn’t miss a beat with his duties to the association, even if it means missing a few hours of sleep.

“You just don’t replace that knowledge,” said Vince Kristosik, president of the Southern Nevada O cials Association, when Ratner announced his retirement last fall. “Marc deals with 10 sports, and he has knowledge of all of them inside and out. Working around high school sports, that’s his real passion. With all he has going on, you must have that passion.”

If there’s an ejection in a prep game, he determines the penalty. When it’s time for a state championship game, he picks the referee crew. When there’s a meeting with o cials from CCSD or the NIAA, he’s at the front of the table to give input.

“High school sports are a big part of my life,” he said. “I’m proud of my contributions.”

FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

Iyonna Codd Centennial track

■ Iyonna Codd didn’t start running track until late in her freshman year of high school and never took it totally “serious” until her junior year.

Since then, she’s won virtually every race she’s entered to emerge as one of the top track athletes in the country and rewrite both her school and state record books in the process. Codd has the top two all-time Nevada times in both the 100-meter dash (11.64 seconds this year) and the 200-meter dash (20.63 seconds this year).

And she doesn’t even consider those events her “favorite” as she prefers the challenge of the 400-meter dash where she’s also a twotime state champion.

“It takes a lot and not everyone wants to do it,” Codd said of the 400. “But, if you come in with the purpose and idea of, ‘I want to do this. I want to run this. I want to get better,’ then it’s not that hard.”

Codd has made everything look easy since crossing into track after initially planning to spend her high school years playing basketball. She’s committed to the University of Miami and is on path to one day qualifying for the Olympics, according to legendary Centennial track coach Roy Session.

“There’s fast and then there’s next-level fast,” Session said. “As an athlete, she has that God-given talent.”

FINALISTS

Hunter Borgel

Bishop Gorman soccer: Posted a Southern Nevada-best 23 goals and 22 assists en route to winning 5A Player of the Year honors and committing to the University of North Dakota.

Kacey Hu

Coronado diving: Claimed a third straight diving state championship and plans to further pursue the sport collegiately at the Air Force Academy.

Hannah Pemberton

Coronado volleyball: Led the Cougars to a state runner-up finish with 931 assists, 253 digs and 44 aces.

Campbell Ricci

Palo Verde tennis: Ranked as one of the top 30 tennis players nationally for her class after winning a singles state championship and committing to Tulane University.

MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

Max Carlsen Palo Verde swimming

■ As one of the nation’s top distance swimmers, Max Carlsen knows a thing or two about determination and consistency.

That makes him a perfect fit for the dynastic Palo Verde swimming and diving program, which won its 10th straight state championship this year. Carlsen, a 6-foot-3 junior, dominated in the distance events, winning the 500 freestyle by eight seconds at 4:21.37 to establish a new state record. He also won the 200 freestyle state title and was part of a relay-race state title team.

Carlsen is an Olympic Trials qualifier, and in December he took first place in the mile at the prestigious Winter Junior Nationals East finals.

He has committed to swim for NC State, but before heading o to college he’ll have one more year at Palo, which means he’ll be back to try to extend the Panthers’ state streak to 11 in a row.

Carlsen is looking forward to the challenge.

“It’s definitely a cool thing,” Carlsen said. “We’re just trying to keep that streak alive. It’s nice to be a part of the Palo streak.”

FINALISTS

Brady Dallimore Palo Verde baseball: Batted .565 with five home runs, 32 RBIs and 35 runs scored.

Nathan Nations Sierra Vista cross country: Won the Desert League and Class 4A state championships.

Andre Porter Liberty football, basketball and track: Committed to UNLV football after nabbing first-team all-state spots in both football and basketball.

Manuel Saldate SLAM Nevada wrestling: Set a state record with 203 takedowns en route to winning a third straight state championship.

(Marc Ratner, Iyonna Codd, and Max Carlsen by Wade Vandervort; headshots by Christopher DeVargas)

2024

BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCE

Alissa Perkins Desert Oasis softball, volleyball and basketball

■ When new Desert Oasis softball coach Vanessa Alvarado first noticed Alissa Perkins’ prosthetic left leg, she told the freshman not to feel obligated to do everything in practice.

Perkins could skip directions or opt out of drills, “if there’s anything you can’t do,” Alvarado told her. That wouldn’t be necessary, Perkins responded.

“I’ll figure it out,” she said.

The 14-year-old has more than figured out how to contribute in sports despite having undergone amputation surgery at 9 months old after being born missing her left tibia. She’s emerged as one of the most gifted athletes on the Desert Oasis campus at a young age.

Perkins might have been the best hitter on the Diamondbacks’ roster, helping guide the team to the state tournament.

She was named the Most Valuable Player of the freshman volleyball team months after trying the sport for the first time. In basketball, she was voted the Lady Diamondback Award winner for having the best work ethic and commitment to team on the junior varsity squad.

Perkins is also eyeing the 2028 Paralympic Games after setting national paralympic records in discus, javelin, long jump, shot put and archery.

Breakthrough Performance is a new category at the Sun Standout Awards created after receiving an all-time inspirational and impressive nomination for Perkins.

MOMENT OF THE YEAR Jaylein Hudson Amplus Academy

It’s senior night for Amplus Academy’s boys basketball team in its game against

Student manager Jaylein Hudson is suited up for the first time this season and is even inserted into the starting

And he’s looking to make the most of his opportunity. Hudson is part of the school’s special needs

CITIZEN OF THE YEAR

Elaine Caballero Chaparral

■ Whether it be at Chaparral, one of her former schools, or with the Las Vegas Rescue Mission, Elaine Caballero could be spotted trying to grow her community.

FINALISTS

Sumner

Bergenfield Doral Academy cross country: Performed standup comedy at local senior centers and assisted living facilities.

Despite that, he hasn’t allowed that to limit him from being a helpful manager, friend and teammate.

“I took it upon myself to get involved because I wanted to help our community be a better place,” she said. “It’s important to get more Latino representation in our neighborhood.”

Amplus wins the tip and Hudson quickly gets open along the arc. Channeling his favorite basketball player, Stephen Curry, he gets the ball and lets it fly. Splash!

Caballero manages the boys volleyball team, staying long after everyone is gone to clean up the gym.

Isabella Montenegro Amplus Academy cross country and flag football: Volunteered within church to give back to the needy while helping run her family’s business.

She’s the president of both the student body and the Key Club, organizing blood and clothing donation drives.

At her former elementary and middle schools, Caballero helps coordinate dances and reads to the younger students.

Caballero has also dedicated her time making sandwiches for homeless residents.

multiple organizations including the Miracle League, Make a Wish Foundation and Cure 4 the Kids.

Christian Thatcher Arbor View football: Assisted

(Alissa Perkins, Jaylein Hudson, and Elaine Caballero by Wade Vandervort; headshots by Christopher DeVargas)

VEGAS SUN

MALE SCHOLAR ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

Nathan Sherrard Mojave basketball and volleyball

■ Nathan Sherrard won two basketball state champions, made the All-State academic team on multiple occasions and was named school valedictorian during his time high school. That’s only an abbreviated list of his accomplishments.

“Nathan’s performance on the court is exceptional, but his attitude and work ethic truly set him apart,” Mojave volleyball coach John Engel said in nominating Sherrard. “He maintains a team-first mentality that reflects his unselfish nature and genuine interest in his teammates’ success.”

Volunteering is also a big part of Sherrard’s life as he served at the Salvation Army, in the nursery of his church, at Opportunity Village and on the student council.

FEMALE SCHOLAR ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

Lynzee Zrebiec

Southeast Tech flag football and soccer

■ Lynzee Zrebiec starred on the flag football team with 17 touchdown catches as a senior, on the soccer team with 22 points this season and in the classroom with a 4.8 weighted grade point average.

Oh, and she won Girl Scouts Nevada’s coveted Gold Award for an initiative she headed to foster “healing and encouragement” in the local homeless teenage population.

During sports seasons, she grew accustomed to “long, long hours” that saw her typically wake up at 4 a.m. to prepare for the school day and not finish practices and homework until 9 p.m. Zrebiec will start her time in college abroad in Italy as part of a Marist College program.

TEAM OF THE YEAR SLAM Nevada wrestling

■ It was another banner year for the wrestling crew at SLAM Academy, as the team claimed its third straight state championship in dominant fashion.

An astonishing seven wrestlers won individual titles. Josiah Maestas (113 pounds) and Manuel Saldate (138) were three-peat champs, while Brenden Jorden Agcaoili (126), Drake Hooiman (132) and Gabriel Delgado (165) repeated. First-time state champions Nataani Prado (120) and Isaac Balden (150) were in the minority.

With that kind of talent along multiple weight classes, it’s no surprise SLAM set a new state record for pins with 389.

“We never settle,” SLAM coach Zach Hocker said. “This was the goal from the beginning—to be the most dominating program.”

FINALISTS

Bishop Gorman girls’ basketball: Rallied to overcome a nine-point deficit in the state title game against national power Centennial.

Legacy football: Won the first state championship in school history by knocking o Galena in the final.

Shadow Ridge flag football: Allowed only 16 points combined in three playo games to win a third straight state title.

(Photographs

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RISING STAR FEMALE Ayanna Watson Bishop Gorman

■ Ayanna Watson has cemented herself as the best volleyball player in the state in only her second high school season.

She had 605 kills to earn Nevada Gatorade Player of the Year honors and help lead the Gaels to the state championship.

Watson credits the success in her game to her ability to help bring the best out of her teammates.

“I just communicate well with the people around me,” Watson said. “I feel no matter who I’m playing next to, I feel like everything can look kind of fluid.”

Watson isn’t the first member of her family to achieve athletic success at Gorman. Her father, former NBA guard C.J. Watson, has his jersey hanging up in the gym.

While it’s easy to make comparisons, Watson is making a name for herself.

“It’s more fun now that people know who my dad is, and they know me as a person now,” Watson said. “I’m not just C.J.’s kid. They know me for me.”

FINALISTS

Akemi Higa Desert Oasis flag football: Passed for a state record 7,020 yards and added 121 touchdowns.

Taylor Johns Palo Verde softball: Batted .451 with nine home runs, 44 runs scored and 30 RBIs.

Aaliah Spaight Bishop Gorman basketball: Averaged 17 points, seven rebounds, five assists and four steals as the Nevada Gatorade Girls Basketball Player of the Year.

Mika Yo ee SLAM Nevada wrestling: Ranked 15th nationally and won the 126-pound state championship with a 43-3 record that recorded only one loss to an instate opponent.

RISING STAR MALE

Jett Washington Bishop Gorman basketball, football

■ It was a productive year for the trophy case at Bishop Gorman, and Jett Washington played a big part in adding to the Gaels’ shiny display.

In the fall, Washington was a blur in the back end of the Gorman defense, playing safety and racking up 37 tackles and two interceptions to help the Gaels to a perfect 12-0 record. In the state semifinals, Washington picked o a pass in a 63-12 win over Coronado, and he capped his sophomore campaign with five tackles in the state championship victory over Liberty.

When winter rolled around, Washington swapped out his cleats for a pair of hightops and led the Bishop Gorman basketball team to a state title on the hardwood, averaging 13 points and eight rebounds on the season.

Washington collected a little hardware of his own, too: He received a ring when the Bishop Gorman football team was named national champions, and another ring from the basketball title is on the way.

Washington couldn’t choose between the two.

“They’re both equal, because you put in so much work in both,” Washington said.

FINALISTS

Dylan Flores, Coronado soccer: Tallied 18 goals and 19 assists in earning an All-State nod for the state champions.

Thaddeus Thatcher, Arbor View football and basketball: Passed for 942 yards and eight touchdowns as the freshman quarterback on one of the best teams in the state.

Prince Williams, Bishop Gorman football: Racked up 10 sacks to earn a spot on the sophomore All-American team.

Mikael Vela, Cheyenne wrestling: Went 29-6 and won the state title at 106 pounds.

(Ayanna Watson and Jett Washington by Wade Vandervort; headshots by Christopher DeVargas)

COACH OF THE YEAR

Nicole Murphy

Durango volleyball

■ The trudge in the first half of the season paid o at the end for Durango as the Trailblazers claimed the school’s first volleyball state championship in two decades.

After going 2-5 at its fall classic in late September, the Trailblazers rattled o 13 straight wins.

They defeated Legacy 3-1 to win the Class 4A state title.

“One of their goals was once we finished the Fall Classic against all these tough teams, let’s go win out our season,” Durango coach Nicole Murphy said.

GAME OF THE YEAR

The Meadows vs. Boulder City volleyball

The Trailblazers stayed the course and dominated the entire second half of the season.

“Right now you might not see rewards. But if you’re truly disciplined in being your best self...good things will happen,” Murphy said.

■ When The Meadows girls’ volleyball team met Boulder City in the Class 3A state final, it felt like the showdown had been years in the making.

The Meadows claimed back-to-back titles in Class 2A in 2021 and 2022, while Boulder City stood as the reigning 3A champs. And the two teams faced o three times during the 2023-24 regular season, with The Meadows earning a 2-1 split.

The title bout came down to a fifth and final set in front of a raucous crowd, with The Meadows prevailing, 15-10, to win the 3A crown.

It was a fitting culmination to a hotly contested rivalry.

“They obviously were the best in our division,” Meadows coach Ray Fafard said of Boulder City. “It’s a great rivalry.”

On the season, freshman Piper Kennedy and junior Sydnee Clark led the Mustangs with 199 and 192 kills, respectively. Junior Grace Evans tallied 380 assists.

FINALISTS

Joseph Bedowitz

Sierra Vista basketball: Guided the Mountain Lions to victories over Reno High and Damonte Ranch in the Class 4A state tournament to win the championship.

DJ Campbell Centennial football: Coached Centennial to first state title in program history with an 11-1 record after the program went 1-17 the previous two seasons.

Matt Nighswonger Shadow Ridge flag football: Won a third straight state championship with the Mustangs, which posted a

UNSUNG HERO AWARD

Clark County School District

Edgar Thomas might be used to receiving odd looks when he responds to people asking him if he has any children.

“You will always hear me say that I have 300,000 kids,” he says. The always-cheery, 56-year-old security specialist is a lifer in the school district where he takes pride in watching over every student. He routinely works 14-hour days, serving in attendance enforcement in the morning throughout North Las Vegas before going on to events (usually sports) all across the valley in the evenings.

He’s in such high demand that the activities o ce had to start booking and coordinating his schedule. Thomas says he’s just doing his job to the best of his ability, and would prefer for his passion to

stay unsung.

He asked the awards committee to recognize someone else before finally relenting and accepting the honor after reading him years’ worth of nominations from di erent colleagues.

FINALISTS

Rennica Gonsalves

Desert Oasis football. Served as “team mom,” preparing weekly meals and running the concession stand in addition to working as vice chairwoman of the school’s organization team.

Emely Portillo Bonanza cheer and dance. Took it upon herself to build up the program when she noticed it was lacking participation and coordination.

Nicholas Talbott Shadow Ridge trainer. Refused to let a hospital stint at the start of the school year a ect athletes as he coordinated appointments and physicals while bedridden.

(Meadows Vollyball, Nicole Murphy, and Edgar Thomas by Wade Vandervort; headshots by Christopher DeVargas)

BABYFACE

LIVE IN LAS VEGAS

SATURDAY & SUNDAY | MAY 25 & 26

SATURDAY & SUNDAY MAY 25 & 26

GEORGE CLINTON & PARLIAMENT FUNKADELIC

FRIDAY | JUNE 7

TANK

THE R&B MONEY TOUR WITH KERI HILSON & CARL THOMAS

SUNDAY | JUNE 23

YÄCHTLEY CRËW

THE TITANS OF SOFT ROCK

FRIDAY & SATURDAY | JULY 5 & 6

CONSUMER SPENDING DRIVES FAST-GROWING CREDIT CARD DEBT

BY KATIE ANN MCCARVER VEGAS INC STAFF

As revolving credit card debt and high financing costs persist, experts are raising doubts about whether credit can keep bridging the gap between growing, but not momentous, income growth and aspirational spending.

Households are pulling out all the stops to keep spending, and a heavy reliance on credit card debt is one of the ways they’re doing it, according to Shannon Seery Grein, an economist for Wells Fargo and co-author on a recent report, Like There’s No Tomorrow: Unpacking Consumer Credit

“Credit card debt has grown three times as fast over just the past four years as it did during the almost 12-year stretch in the prior credit cycle,” Seery Grein said in an email to Vegas Inc. “In the context of rising incomes, this elevated debt burden still looks manageable, but when considering consumer credit card rates north of 20%, servicing this debt is growing more challenging.”

She pointed to evidence like an uptick in credit card delinquency rates, as well as an uptick in personal interest expense, which has reached levels not seen since prior to the 2008

financial crisis.

“While we’re not yet worried of a full-blown credit crunch in the household sector, the recent run-up in credit card borrowing doesn’t look sustainable,” Seery Grein said.

Prior to the pandemic, consumer spending was relatively proportionate to disposable income growth. Per the Wells Fargo report, “more income meant more spending.” Income soared at the start of the pandemic because of fiscal stimulus programs, but inflation eventually began to outpace income growth.

Spending has nevertheless “roared ahead,” the report says, in part due to easy access to reasonably cheap credit.

Though consumer debt and revolving credit has undeniably increased, UNLV professor and Chair of the Lee Business School’s department of finance, Daniel Chi, said he’s not particularly alarmed.

“I think it’s very important that we not only look at the level of debt, but the level of debt relative to what?” he said, citing a strong labor market among other positive indicators.

He used a trip to the grocery store as an example. Where a normal trip for groceries may have

cost $80 at one point, that same trip could now cost $150, he said. The increase in cost doesn’t necessarily mean the economy is “worse off,” he said. Debt will naturally increase alongside growth of income and the economy overall.

“It’s not as dire as one may expect,” he said.

Chi recommended that people manage their savings, budgeting and investing well, to prepare for their future. He also advised against carrying any credit card debt, if possible, and using savings to build up “financial resilience.”

“We are resilient,” he said. “Meaning if we fall, we can come back up.”

Though he believes it’s good to be aware of the circumstances of the economy, and to take responsibility for one’s own finances, he reiterated that the run-up in revolving credit card debt does not have to be alarming.

“Households have begun to grow a bit more choosy with their purchasing patterns and we’re seeing some signs of a prioritization of non-discretionary items,” Seery Grein said in an email. “We expect credit card borrowing and broader consumer spending to slow in the second half of this year amid a moderation in the labor market.”

BY DANIEL CHI

Remember the toilet paper crisis in April 2020? Not only was toilet paper hard to find, but even if you did find a few rolls, the price probably had quadrupled. While busy contemplating how to do our daily business without toilet paper, the entire nation also felt bewildered. How could this have happened? Fast forward to today. We are happy that the toilet paper crisis passed, but the bewilderment and discontent has persisted—this time not regarding any specific item, but rather the widespread increase in prices, which we call inflation. Almost everything has become more expensive, and by a lot. A Big Mac hamburger that cost $4.71 before the pandemic now goes for $5.69—a 21% increase in price. Coincidently, the overall inflation, as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI), also increased by 21% during the same period.

If we take a longer-term view, over the past 100 years, CPI has increased by 1,727%; or the purchasing power of money has decreased by 95%. That is, what cost $1 in 1924 now costs $17.27; and $1 then is worth only five cents now. The inflation monster eats away your money.

What causes inflation? One cause is the imbalance between supply and demand. Taking the toilet paper crisis as an example, in aggregate we did not start using more toilet paper in April 2020, but because we started working from home, the demand for at-home toilet paper (as opposed to the office kind) did increase, and it took time

What you can do to fight an inflation monster with a voracious appetite for your money

for the manufacturers to adjust their production to meet the altered demand. Eventually, supply was adjusted to meet the demand, and the price settled down.

But what about everything else? We are not eating more Big Macs or using more of other stuff. How come their prices have also increased? The second cause of inflation is increased money supply that outpaces the underlying economic growth. Consider this fantastic proposal: If I were elected president of the United States, I would double everyone’s wage so that you will all be twice as rich. (By the way, I am not running, but if this sound good to you, you can write my name on the ballot.)

Will you be twice as rich? You will make twice as much money, but what will happen to the price of everything? The price of everything will probably double. When the money supply outpaces the underlying economic growth, prices go up—that is, inflation occurs. At the onset of the pandemic, the government implemented enormous fiscal and monetary policies to prevent the collapse of the economy and to supplement lost income for a large proportion of the population—all well-intentioned moves that mostly achieved their intended goals. But the unintended consequence has been runaway inflation. Inflation has been coming down and the trend is

promising, but the scar will be noticeable for quite a while.

So what shall you do to protect your money from the inflation monster?

First, understand the detrimental effect of inflation on your wealth. For the past 100 years, the average annual inflation was a modest 2.9%. But even this modest inflation has eaten away 95% of money’s purchasing power. So, first be mindful that if your savings are not generating a return high enough to offset inflation, you are losing money.

Second, once you understand the effect of inflation, find a savings or money market account that offers you a higher rate. Nowadays you can easily open an online savings or money market account at no cost. Currently a money market account should give you an annual return around 5%.

Third, if you want to protect your wealth from inflation in the long run, you have to move out of cash and invest in long-term assets, such as bonds and stocks. Bonds will generally protect you from expected inflation. But when inflation spikes unexpectedly, such as in the past few years, bonds get crushed, and the main reason is that the coupons of most bonds are fixed, hence the name “fixed income”—that is, the coupons are not adjusted to compensate you for unexpected inflation.

For the long run, stocks provide much better protection against inflation because stocks represent ownership in businesses. What did businesses do in the past few years? They raised the prices of their products. As a stockholder, and hence an owner of a business, the return on that stock will increase with inflation, and hence provide inflation protection for your wealth.

But again, as I’ve written before, unless you are well trained for investments, do not try to pick individual stocks. Rather, invest in a well-diversified stock index fund. In the long run, you will actually outperform most of the investment professionals.

The inflation monster is voracious, but you can protect your money (and your Big Mac) from it.

Daniel Chi is professor and chair in the Department of Finance at UNLV’s Lee Business School.

VEGAS INC NOTES

Major Food Group, the luxury hospitality company founded by Mario Carbone, Rich Torrisi and Jeff Zalaznick, is enhancing its collection of restaurants in Las Vegas with the addition of the first Parm Famous Italian outside of the East Coast. Parm joins Major Food Group’s lineup of restaurants in Las Vegas that includes Carbone at Aria and Sadelle’s at Bellagio. Opening inside Proper Eats Food Hall at Aria, Parm brings classic Italian-American soul food to the Strip.

Workforce Connections, Southern Nevada’s local workforce development board, welcomed Nevada Superintendent of Public Instruction Jhone Ebert as a new board member. Ebert was appointed to a two-year term on the board. As superintendent, Ebert works to ensure that the 500,000 students at the state’s 750 schools have a pathway to thrive in school and life. In her role,

Ebert has expanded career and technical education opportunities to ensure students are college and career ready, spearheaded effective educator retention and recruitment efforts, and turned Nevada into a leader for computer science education. The board oversees activities under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) of 2014. It is comprised of a diverse group of people familiar with the local labor market and the economic forces impacting Southern Nevada who work to align resources toward effective workforce development to meet local area needs.

Boys Town Nevada announced that long-time Nevadan Debra March has joined its board of directors. March’s service career began directly after graduating from UNLV. She has served as the deputy administrator of the Nevada Real Estate Division, where she

created and implemented policies for responsible homeownership. She served as director of UNLV’s Lied Institute for Real Estate Studies and led efforts to develop livable communities. She was part of the founding board of the Henderson Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Leadership Henderson Program and later appointed to the Henderson Planning Commission. She was elected as a city councilwoman and then mayor.

Junior Achievement of Southern Nevada welcomed Shannon Oroz as the newest addition to its board of directors. A longtime volunteer with the nonprofit organization that teaches students about financial literacy, workforce development and entrepreneurship, she is the assistant vice president at Credit One Bank responsible for mitigating risk for the business and has over 20 years of financial services experience in process improvement, risk and controls.

JOB LISTING

Database Administrator sought by Magma Holding Inc. to modify company’s information database programs, analyze current business operations databases, and monitor database security measures, etc. Job site: North Las Vegas, NV. Resume to 3010 E. Alexander Rd. #1002, North Las Vegas, NV 89030. Attn. Jimmy Cheung.

THE ULTIMATE GRADUATION DO-OVER POOL PARTY