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OCTOBER 1ST - DECEMBER 29TH +1
22 HALLOWEEN TOWN
With undying haunts all around town, Las Vegas is a perennial spot to be spooked and celebrate the spirit of the holiday.
10 Alex Cooper brings her celebrity podcast party to the Cosmopolitan, John Mulaney humors us with a stop at Dolby Live and more this week.
18 WEEKLY Q&A
Vegas Afterlife’s Danielle Nicole hunts for our Valley’s spectral visitors.
30 NEWS Tracing Nevada’s path forward after a massive statewide cyberattack.
32 SPORTS Five big questions as the Golden Knights open a new season with Stanley Cup ambitions.
36 NIGHTLIFE Tao Group Hospitality celebrates 20 years of tastemaking on the Strip.
40 STAGE Urban Death envelops audiences in darkness at Vegas Theatre Company, plus Majestic Repertory stages cult classic The Craft’d
42 FOOD & DRINK Ada’s is moving Downtown, a redesigned Hearthstone will return to Red Rock Resort and more local news.
Want More? Visit lasvegasweekly.com.
ART Photo by Christopher DeVargas
Owner Chris Kmit, left, and manager Eleni Demoleas at Cemetery Pulp (Photo by Wade Vandervort)
SUPERGUIDE
THURSDAY OCT 9
S U P E R G U I D E
QUINN XCII
8 p.m., Pearl Concert Theater, axs.com.
CLAVE ESPECIAL
8 p.m., Theater at Virgin, axs.com.
BARRY MANILOW Thru 10/11, 7 p.m., Westgate International Theater, ticketmaster.com.
BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME With Hail the Sun, Delta Sleep, 7 p.m., 24 Oxford, seetickets.us.
VEGAS PRIDE PARADE
7 p.m., Downtown Las Vegas, lasvegaspride.org. DO IT ALL SUFFS Thru 10/12, 7:30 p.m (& 10/11-10/12, 2 p.m.), Reynolds Hall, thesmithcenter.com
8 p.m., & 10/11, Encore Theater, ticketmaster.com.
HANNAH BERNER
10 p.m., Palazzo Theatre, ticketmaster.com.
FRIDAY OCT 10
UNWELL VEGAS
Anyone who’s spent even a smidgen of time on the internet has probably seen, heard or shared a clip of Alex Cooper’s celebrity-packed podcast Call Her Daddy Everyone from Cardi B and the Kardashians to Mariska Hargitay and Simone Biles have joined her in the studio, eager to converse about real topics like sex positivity, intimacy, disaster dates and even trauma. It’s the equivalent of curling up on the couch with your bestie. Now, the podcaster will bring a slice of that with Unwell Vegas, a two-day fest full of pool parties, DJ sets, the Unwell Expo and UnWell Live featuring special guests like Paris Hilton, Trisha Paytas, Nicole Byer, Stassi Schroder, Erika Jayne, Chrishelle Stause and the cast of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives Times & ticket prices vary, Cosmopolitan, ticketmaster.com. –Amber Sampson
KILLERS OF KILL TONY
With David Lucas, Ari Matti, Harland Williams, more, 7 p.m., Theater at Virgin, axs.com.
VEGAS CITY OPERA: SCREAM QUEENS
7:30 p.m & 10/11, Charleston Heights Arts Center, vegascityopera.org
SPOTLIGHT EVENT
MARTIN GARRIX With Justin Mylo, 10:30 p.m., Omnia Nightclub, taogroup.com
Step back in time and immerse yourself in the enchanting world of the Age of Chivalry Renaissance Festival, returning for its 31st anniversary at Sunset Park October 10-12. Prepare to be captivated by a spectacle of medieval marvels—witness knights clashing in thrilling jousting tournaments, artisan craft vendors and their exquisite treasures and delectable food fit for a king. Engage with the interactive guilds and partake in activities that will transport you to a realm of magic and wonder. There’s no shortage of experiences to delight the senses. 10/10-10/11, 10 a.m.-10 p.m.; 10/12, 10 a.m.5 p.m. lvrenfair.com.
Photo by Christopher DeVargas
LAS
SATURDAY OCT 11
UNLV FOOTBALL VS. AIR FORCE
12:30 p.m., Allegiant Stadium, unlvtickets.com.
NASCAR FALL PLAYOFFS WEEKEND Times vary, & 10/12, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, lvms.com.
LAS VEGAS LIGHTS VS. OAKLAND ROOTS SC
7:30 p.m., Cashman Field, lasvegaslightsfc.com.
STEVIE NICKS
7 p.m., T-Mobile Arena, axs.com.
MARCA MP
8 p.m., BleauLive Theater, ticketmaster.com.
LOS HORÓSCOPOS DE DURANGO
8 p.m., Theater at Virgin, axs.com.
DURAND JONES & THE INDICATIONS
7:30 p.m., Brooklyn Bowl, ticketmaster.com.
LENNY PEARCE’S USA TODDLER TECHNO TOUR
1 p.m., House of Blues, ticketmaster.com.
TIGERS JAW
With Twin Cities, Crumbcatcher, 9 p.m., Backstage Bar & Billiards, seetickets.us.
ALL SHALL PERISH
6 p.m., 24 Oxford, seetickets.us.
ASIAN LANTERN FESTIVAL
5 p.m., CSN West Charleston Campus, asianlanternfestivallv.com.
AKI MATSURI JAPANESE FESTIVAL
11 a.m., Water Street Plaza, cityofhenderson.com
KYGO
11 a.m., Palm Tree Beach Club, taogroup.com.
DIPLO
With Charly Jordan, 11 a.m., Encore Beach Club, wynnsocial.com.
FISHER
11 a.m., Tao Beach Dayclub, taogroup.com.
TIËSTO
11 a.m., LIV Beach, livnightclub.com.
MEDUZA
Noon, Ayu Dayclub, zoukgrouplv.com.
LAS VEGAS PRIDE ABSOLUTION PARTY
6 p.m., the Usual Place, eventbrite.com.
LAS VEGAS PRIDE RAINBOW RAVE
8 p.m., the A-Lot at Area15, lasvegaspride.org.
WIZ KHALIFA
10:30 p.m., Drai’s Nightclub, draisgroup.com.
ZEDD
10:30 p.m., Omnia Nightclub, taogroup.com.
GORGON CITY
10:30 p.m., LIV Nightclub, livnightclub.com.
JOHN MULANEY
It’s a safe assumption that many or even most comedians dream of playing Vegas, especially of moving beyond one of our intimate comedy clubs and reaching headliner status at a luxurious casino mega-theater like Dolby Live at Park MGM. Chicago native John Mulaney, having already conquered the Strip, will realize his own dream next summer when he becomes the first comedian to perform at historic Wrigley Field. But for now, his Mister Whatever tour swings through for one night, so expect fresh material with some different creative twists from this manic comedy mind, particularly since he’s been continuing his chaotic Netflix show Everybody’s Live in between stand-up runs.
With Annie DiRusso, 8 p.m., Bel-Aire Backyard, axs.com.
PATRICK WOLF
8 p.m., the Griffin, dice.fm.
SNOW THA PRODUCT
Always outspoken but now stirring the pot more vigorously and unapologetically, Snow tha Product storms the Strip for a tour stop at Omnia at Caesars Palace this weekend. The rapper’s late summer drop “Sabado” grabbed headlines for addressing the cultural and political state of the Mexican-American community through sharp, hilarious wordplay. She’s showing up for her people and showing out with her music, and she’s still talking about the LGBTQ community, motherhood, sexuality and everything else that matters on her EveryNightNights podcast. 10:30 p.m., $34+, Omnia Nightclub, taogroup.com. –Brock Radke
EXHIBIT: AT THE HEART OF NEVADA: BASIN AND RANGE Thru 11/19, Mon.-Fri. 1-5 p.m., Nevada Humanities Program Gallery, nevadahumanities.org
EXHIBIT: HOME IS A PLACE ROOTED INSIDE MY THROAT BY SCRAMBLED EGGS Thru 10/25, times vary, Sahara West Library, thelibrarydistrict.org
S H A D O W L A N D O L N D Vegas Afterlife’s Danielle Nicole leads hunts for our Valley’s spectral visitors
BY GEOFF CARTER • PHOTOS BY WADE VANDERVORT
Every powerful light casts a shadow. Las Vegas, a city almost entirely composed of light, casts more shadows than most. And Danielle Nicole, a paranormal researcher with nearly 20 years experience, has committed to moving through those shadows, hunting for ghosts in our Valley’s oldest and sometimes abandoned spaces. Her local startup tour company, Vegas Afterlife (vegasafterlife.com), leads walking ghost tours on Fremont Street and full-on, after-dark paranormal investigations at Primm’s abandoned Whiskey Pete’s casino, Jean’s 112-year-old Pioneer Saloon and Downtown’s Monster Quest Escape Rooms.
Guests on Vegas Afterlife tours are invited to use to the company’s equipment—including digital recorders, electromagnetic frequency detectors, thermal imaging cameras, laser grids, REM-POD field detection devices, the P-SB7 Spirit Box (“It flips through radio stations, and the spirits can communicate through the radio waves. It’s really cool,” Nicole says) and other specialized gadgets—to discover presences hidden in the darkness, while lead investigator Nicole guides the searchers and shares historical context relevant to the hunt. Nicole, a relative newcomer to the Valley from Florida, recently spoke with the Weekly about her singular profession, and how she became interested in a shadowed life.
How did you get interested in paranormal investigation?
I grew up in a house in Tampa that was extremely haunted. I lived there for 10 years, and one night when I was about eight, I was having a sleepover with two friends. My friend looked into the hallway and saw a black shadow figure of a man, like a silhouette. And she was like, “Who is that?” I said, “That’s not my dad. I don’t have any siblings.” I still don’t know what that was, but there was a spirit standing there looking at us. I can still see it in my mind; I can see it exactly.
When I was about 12, we moved to Pennsylvania. I was so interested in the paranormal. My parents owned a local magazine. I had my own little section in their magazine called The Paranormal Corner, where I would write articles every month about different types of orbs, what an EVP is, things like that. … One month, my parents got a phone call from a local paranormal group, asking if I wanted to come join a paranormal investigation at this place called Old Bedford Village. My parents ended up coming on this investigation with me. We used paranormal equipment. It was the first time I ever had interacted on an investigation.
I’m familiar with orbs; they’re little floating spheres captured by cameras. I saw a few on an investigation in Seattle. But what’s an EVP?
Electronic Voice Phenomena. Spirits can communicate through an audio recorder or through a Spirit Box. If you replay a clip of audio from a recorder, sometimes you can hear answers.
Let’s talk about Whiskey Pete’s, which has been closed since December 2024. What will we find there?
Once, the spirits [there] were quiet; they were shy. Nobody’s ever tried to really communicate with them before. There’s a lot of activity in that building. You can feel it. I think as more people start going in there and communicating, and more equipment is brought in, they’re going to start coming out. They’re going to start touching; they’re going to start testing themselves.
Touching?
Not everybody can feel it. I just recently discovered that I have psychic medium abilities. I’ve always felt when they’re around, but not to the extent that I do now. … I can feel tingling where my third eye would be. It’s a very strong tingle-pulse feeling. I’m learning how to understand that, how to work with that and also how to protect myself through that. It’s just energy—getting nauseous, feeling lightheaded or just being affected by whatever energy is in that vicinity. It just depends on the location, depends on the history, depends on whatever happened there. That’s why I enjoy doing investigations so much, because you never know what you’re going to experience. It’s different every single time. I mean, one time, you may get nothing.
Another time, you may get all kinds of stuff. You may get scratched; you may get pushed…
Whoa, hold up. Have you been scratched?
Yeah, all the time. Oh my God. I get excited when I get scratched, because that’s how I know that they’re around.
Is it aggressive?
No, no. I don’t think I’ve really had any sort of aggressive, really physical scratches. Most of the time I get scratched, it’s on the back of my shoulder blade, usually three scratch marks. [She holds up three of her pointed, immaculate nails.]
I would jump straight to the moon. [Laughs.] Yeah. But I get excited when I get scratched. I get excited when stuff is pulled out of my hand. I don’t know why, but the darkness excites me.
Paranormal investigator Danielle Nicole’s toolkit is shown at Whiskey Pete’s in Primm.
If Universal Destinations & Experiences opening its first-ever yearround horror experience at Area15 shows us anything, it’s that Halloween is always in season in Las Vegas. Over the last few years, our city has quickly become a hotbed for horror, whether it be through staged productions, frightening film fests, ghost tours, themed attractions or creepy cafes. Vegas has a full-fledged fear economy now—and business is good. With the arrival of spooky season, we talked to the masterminds behind Universal’s iconic monsters, a business owner keeping creepiness alive, and one curious collector with macabre memorabilia. Las Vegas as a perennial horror destination? We’re certainly taking a stab at it. –Amber Sampson
by Christopher DeVargas
JACK THE CLOWN AND CHANCE at Universal Horror Unleashed
Photo
SCARECROW
THE REAPING at Universal Horror Unleashed
By Geoff Carter
Universal has been preparing for this day for 112 years. The studio began making horror films with Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in 1913 and have dropped one stone cold classic after the next: The Lon Chaney-starring The Phantom of the Opera in 1925; the immortal Tod Browning-directed, Bela Lugosi-starring Dracula in 1931; the James Whale/ Boris Karloff Frankenstein in 1931. It released Bride of Frankenstein in 1935; The Wolf Man, 1941; Creature from the Black Lagoon, 1954; Psycho, 1960; An American Werewolf in London, 1981; The Thing, 1982; The Mummy, 1999; Drag Me to Hell, 2009 … dozens of movies all told, counting numerous sequels, spinoffs, do-overs and farcical meet-cutes with Abbott and Costello.
And they’re still at it. In 2017 Jordan Peele began making gold-standard horror for Universal with Get Out. In 2020, Leigh Whannell rebooted The Invisible Man to enormous critical acclaim. And the studio’s deal with Jason Blum’s horror indie Blumhouse Productions has created a string of fresh horror
Universal Horror Unleashed, a year-round horror attraction, screams its way into Vegas
franchises for 21st-century audiences—Insidious, The Purge, Happy Death Day, M3GAN, Unfriended, The Black Phone—and refreshed The Exorcist and Halloween franchises. Universal has pretty much owned American horror cinema since the beginning of cinema itself. A24 can try all they want.
But Universal also dominates horror in another sphere: its theme parks.
Halloween Horror Nights—a spooky season takeover featuring themed shows, transformed attractions, “scare zones” of actors in costume and, most significantly, top-tier haunted houses— has been an annual fixture at Universal’s parks since 1991. Perhaps it was only a matter of time before Universal Destinations & Experiences realized it could take all that nightmare fuel and put a roof on it. Astonishingly, that roof is in Las Vegas.
Universal Horror Unleashed, a permanent horror attraction at the north end of the newly expanded Area15 experiences and retail district, packs the HHN experience into a 110,000-square-foot “abandoned warehouse.” Horror Unleashed boasts not
one, but four world-class haunted house walkthroughs; multiple themed areas, including the body horror-inspired Kill Vault and a “prop graveyard” populated with creepy dolls and wax figures that may not be wax figures at all; multiple bars and restaurants, including the Blumhouse-themed Premiere House and a “chainsaw-carved” small plates counter called Rough Cuts; and a properly creepy variety show hosted by cheerfully grotesque HHN mainstay Jack the Clown and his deranged, but sassy partner Chance.
Horror Unleashed is “all fear, all year,” as its denizens say. And to hear it from Universal Destinations & Experiences’ vice president of entertainment art and design TJ Mannarino and show director Nate Stevenson, distilling Halloween Horror Nights down to its most concentrated and combustible form— and in so doing, creating a ground-up attraction outside of the company’s theme parks—wasn’t just a challenge to be met and bested. It was a monster point of pride.
“I have 30 years with this product; he has 15,” says Mannarino, gesturing to Stevenson. “A lot of what’s experienced here comes from that long history of working with audiences and finding what scares them best, what wonderful stories to tell them, what characters they’re most afraid of. And we’ve taken the best of the best and brought it here.”
That care shows in the … well, the scare, at the risk of veering into Dr. Seuss territory. (Universal owns the theme park rights to Dr. Seuss’ books, should Horror Unleashed ever decide to relax its “not recommended for children under 13” advisory by doing the funniest thing ever.) Its four mazes— The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, based on Tobe Hooper’s 1974 classic; Blumhouse’s The Exorcist: Believer, adapted from David Gordon Green’s 2023 franchise reboot; Universal Monsters, featuring all the OGs from Dracula to Frankenstein’s monster; and Scarecrow: The Reaping, a fan-favorite HHN original set on a Dust Bowl-era farm ravaged by nature and possessed by the
Courtesy Universal Horror Unleashed
supernatural—aren’t the same idea repeated four times with di erent characters and sets. They stand apart from each other in fascinating ways, from the closeness and claustrophobia of the frights to the sheer bloody integrity of the storytelling.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacremaze is a perfect example of both. It begins, ttingly, with the cult lm’s opening text crawl (“The lm which you are about to see is an account of the tragedy which befell a group of ve youths…”) hanging in the sky above the queue; it’s like walking into a drive-in movie screened by the night sky itself. Once you get inside the maze, not only does it o er faithful versions of the lm’s set pieces—the gas station with the van parked out front,
the terrifying house—but it introduces virtually all its characters, rather than just one guy endlessly chasing you around with a gas-powered saw, as a lesser scare attraction might have done.
“It takes you room by room, and in a linear fashion, goes along with what happens in the lm. When you get to that dining room scene, that’s where the chase begins with Sally [Hardesty, the protagonist]. But also, as you’re going through the house, you’re now being chased by all the characters,” Stevenson says. Turns out that bloodied victims popping out of nowhere, begging for help you can’t give, is also pretty damn terrifying.
“We wanted to make sure we didn’t just
have Leatherface as the aggressor,” Stevenson adds. “We have all the other aggressors from the lm—the Hitchhiker, the Old Man, Grandpa. And every single victim from the lm is represented in the house. We really wanted to tell a complete story.”
And then there’s the strange case of the Universal Monsters, which is more of a vibe than a straight narrative; every one of those monsters occupies its own distinct story, after all. But just as Marvel Comics gave the MCU a Nick Fury to introduce its heroes and antiheroes, Universal gifted Stevenson with his own connecting element. “We start you o with Van Helsing, who fought every one of these creatures. We have very distinct moments with each creature, but
Van Helsing is the tie that binds the whole thing,” he says. The monster hunter narrates the maze, giving it a feel that’s more impressionistic than the others … and, in places, even kind of beautiful.
Victims … er, guests are sent through the mazes in small groups, which gives performers and sets time to reset. It also allows time for a special, personalized scene that Stevenson says is in every one of the houses.
“It’s a moment where we stop you and you actually stand there and experience the story instead of just walking,” he says. In Universal Monsters, it’s Frankenstein electrifying his creature (“It’s alive!”). In Scarecrow, it’s a dust storm; in Exorcist, it’s the eponymous exorcism; in Chainsaw Massacre, it’s—well, use your imagination.
A year-round haunted attraction in Vegas may seem a bit like a chancy roll of the bones. Filmmaker Eli Roth’s Goretorium opened on the Strip in 2012 and closed after a year, but on the other hand, Zak Bagans’ The Haunted Museum has been going strong since October 2017. Horror Unleashed has all the thematic impact of the former, but also the brand recognition of the latter. It seems likely to carve out a space for itself, even during spooky season, when local competition is heavy. (Freakling Bros is taking a year o while its co-proprietor, The Long Walk and Strange Darling screenwriter JT Mollner, devours Hollywood whole. But they’ll be back.)
Universal has likely delivered yet another horror institution in Horror Unleashed, one that’ll grow and ourish (fester?) as the years go by. Jack and Chance are home to stay, and may even nest and redecorate over time.
Horror Vibes Co ee makes space for the spooky
BY SHANNON MILLER
From the Human Centipede-inspired trim around its order window to the blood-smeared bathrooms, Horror Vibes Co ee has haunted surprises around every corner. Founder and CEO Omaira Mahan says she designed the 1,500-square-foot space on Paradise Road as a gathering place for the horror community.
“I wanted to do something where people like me, more outcasts and alternative people, can go and feel like themselves, and be able to express themselves and feel welcome,” she says.
Horror Vibes resident artist Phil Borque sets the scene with original, detailed wall paintings that depict decades of horror history. It’s the perfect atmosphere for sipping on Stumptown Co ee-based creations like the Carrie White Mocha with strawberry drizzle or the Call of Cthulh-ube matcha latte.
“Our history has shown we love to evolve with our audience. Tell stories that change. They become bigger and grander, or we nd whatever niches that are popular within a given year. This building should see that same type of evolution,” says Mannarino, adding mischievously, “We won’t tell you how it might evolve. But it will be a part of this world of horrors, have that sense of discovery and mystery.”’
The original Horror Vibes Co ee in Hollywood built its following by collaborating with horror-adjacent businesses and even celebrities. Emo band My Chemical Romance and actors like Jennifer Love Hewitt and Late Night with the Devil’s David Dastmalchian have all done meet-and-greets there. And Mahan plans to bring that same collaborative spirit to Las Vegas.
“I was born and raised here, so this location feels like home to me,” she says. “I noticed with Vegas, it was hard to find places ... where there’s something spooky year-round. Because for us, this is a normal, everyday lifestyle.”
Every event o ers an opportunity for the cafe to bond with its community. The killer clowns of Adventuredome’s Fear Zone recently stopped in for a meetup. There’s also an ongoing horror movie poster and ticket giveaway in partnership with Brenden Theatres. Horror Vibes Co ee might be new, but locals are warming up to it, one ca einated beverage and blood-curdling visit at a time.
Photos by Wade Vandervort
Rattan Wheelchair
($500)
This antique wheelchair dates back to the late 1800s and has “nope” written all over it.
“It’s got that horror movie vibe,” says Chris Kmit, owner of Cemetery Pulp. “It would freak everybody out, especially at night.”
Those who’ve seen the 1980 horror film The Changeling will recall the terrifying moment Trish Van De Vere’s character gets chased by a similar wheelchair of a paraplegic ghost boy. That unsettling fear sticks with these creepy contraptions. We
Chris Kmit breaks down three eerily cool items at his local oddities shop
BY AMBER SAMPSON
Wicker Coffin
($1,300)
This Civil War-era transport co n once served a grim purpose. “This is actually where the term ‘basket case’ comes from. When [soldiers] were so messed up, they’d put ‘em in this co n and carry’ em around if they [had] amputated legs and things,” Kmit explains. “Then, if they passed away, they’d put a lid on. If you were in this co n, you had hours to go.”
The co n also served as a prop for the 1939 Sherlock Holmes film The Hound of the Baskervilles—and it’s pretty haunted.
Kmit says paranormal investigators get hits on it regularly. One morning, he even found the co n cracked open without explanation. His creepy collectible of cursed monkey bones were nearby.
“I think the spirits were talking to each other,” he says. “I always just joke that they’re all having a party here.”
Human Skeleton Torso
($2,200)
This encased human skeleton torso that Kmit bought from England is rare. “You really can’t get bones out of England anymore— not human bones anyway,” he says.
For a body donated for science, it’s remarkably preserved with real cartilage still intact on the rib cage.
Kmit estimates the anonymous subject—a male based on the size of his pelvis—died about 80 years ago. And unlike other freaky finds at Cemetery Pulp, these bones are oddly ... peaceful.
Photo by Wade Vandervort
IN THE NEWS
TRANSPORTATION
RTC to expand AI gun detection program
The Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada is ramping up its use of arti cial intelligence to detect guns across the Valley’s transit system, announcing that it will expand its pilot program by more than 300% in an e ort to better protect passengers and sta from rearm threats.
The RTC launched the pilot program in 2024 at four facilities and then expanded the ZeroEyes AI-powered gun detection system to eight of its transit centers. State law allows concealed weapons permit holders to carry guns; however, RTC policy prohibits “illegal” weapons.
ZeroEyes is an AI system that uses existing security cameras to detect visible guns in real time. The software analyzes billions of images daily and can alert
authorities within a few seconds when a rearm appears on camera. Each alert is veri ed by trained military and law enforcement veterans at the company’s 24-hour operations center, who then notify Metro Police and RTC security.
With the success of the pilot program, the RTC will install ZeroEyes in “many additional strategic sites,” though o cials are not disclosing where for security reasons.
“Our agency has made major safety improvements, and the results are clear in consistently low incident numbers,” said M.J. Maynard, CEO of the RTC, at a September 30 press conference unrelated to ZeroEyes.
In scal year 2020, the RTC recorded 179 passenger-on-passenger assaults, peaking two years later at
almost 200 passenger-on-passenger assaults, according to data provided by the RTC. That number dropped to 99 assaults in 2024, but jumped again to 190 in 2025.
RTC data also shows the number of passenger-on-bus operator assaults in scal year 2020 was 42—the highest in the six years of available data—but has decreased to 28 as of 2025.
Since adding 300 armed security o cers, providing bus drivers with GPS-enabled panic buttons and deploying the ZeroEyes software, the RTC has seen a 40% reduction in passenger-on-passenger assaults and a 26% drop in operator assaults, according to data from the RTC and ZeroEyes. –Grace Da Rocha
“I am very pleased with the court’s decision to uphold our country’s separation of powers and ensure that our constitutional protections will continue to remain safe from executive overreach. For over 150 years, the Constitution has been clear—if you are born in our country, you belong in our country.”
Cyndi Lauper announces first Vegas residency
Cyndi Lauper, the powerful soprano behind ’80s pop hits like “Girls Just Want to Have Fun,” and “Time After Time,” is bringing her Grammy, Emmy and Tony-winning talents to Las Vegas next spring for a brief residency at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace from April 24 through May 2. The announcement comes on the heels of the global 68-stop Girls Just Wanna Have Fun Farewell Tour and ahead of her induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame next month. Tickets are available starting October 10 at 10 a.m. at ticketmaster. com –Tyler Schneider
HOT SHOTS The outdoor horror convention Nightmare in Vegas was held at the Silverton last weekend with a classic car show, a beauty pageant and meetand-greets with scary celebrities including Kevin Keppy, who played the terrifying monster in Smile.
Photos by Wade Vandervort
–Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford after a federal appeals court on October 3 a rmed a preliminary injunction order barring President Trump’s executive order that would overturn birthright citizenship
Celebrate the season in style
Sick today. Seen today. At ArchWell Health, we make it easy for members to get same-day sick appointments when you need care fast. Our team is here to help you feel better quickly and comfortably, so you can get back to doing what you love. Because when you’re not feeling your best, waiting isn’t an option. Healthcare for what’s next.
BY TYLER SCHNEIDER
Tracing Nevada’s
path forward after statewide cyberattack
UNLV cybersecurity director Greg Moody phone was blowing up after news broke of a massive August 24 cyberattack on the state of Nevada’s network. When the dust settled, the general consensus among his peers was that it was unprecedented in scope.
“De nitely, some cities have been attacked, but I haven’t been aware of any of this nature that has hit a state at this level,” Moody tells the Weekly.
He says the state “responded appropriately” by closing ofces and taking down websites and phone lines that “might be contaminated.” But that precautionary move ended up halting DMV services for nearly two weeks, while the online Medicaid application system remained down through September 12.
With systems now restored, many frustrated Nevadans are still wondering how it happened, as well as how the state can better prepare for future attempts.
To date, little is known about the attacker’s identity, motives, or the extent to which they gained access. But the state has con rmed that the breach was ransomware, a method through which hackers seize critical digital infrastructure like databases and threaten to sell or release private information if they’re not paid a hefty fee. A 17-year-old was recently arrested on charges related to a similar 2023 attack on MGM Resorts International and Caesars Entertainment. The attack on MGM impacted credit card transactions, the casino’s sports betting mobile app, and prevented digital access to guest rooms and some slot machine play.
access—and it worked,” Moody says.
word resets and other “expanded” security measures—the
At a September 12 press conference, Gov. Joe Lombardo said the state had no evidence that Nevadans’ personal information was compromised. Throughout the recovery process—which included implementing statewide password resets and other “expanded” security measures—the state also saw a more than 300% increase in “direct attack attempts” on its network.
In some ways, e orts to insulate the state from this threat were already well underway ahead of the incident. The Nevada Legislature has been gradually increasing its cybersecurity budget in recent sessions, while Lombardo’s administration unveiled a new O ce of Information Security and Cyber Defense in July. Following the attack, Assembly Speaker Steve Yeager also announced his intent to form a new legislative group focused on cybersecurity.
“The state has been aware of the need to do more. It wasn’t that they just magically created that new o ce. It’s taken years of e ort to move toward getting more resources and working toward those goals,” Moody says.
Although Moody believes the state will “do better going forward,” keeping pace with an increasingly sophisticated network of anonymous hackers can be a tall order.
“If you think of it like a tree, all an attacker has to do is get inside one of the branches and they can eventually worm their way all the way down into the trunk. And as we get more advanced in our technological connectedness, there are more and more branches—or potential avenues for attack,” Moody says.
“It’s not like these hackers speci cally targeted Nevada or MGM, per se. They were just trying di erent known attacks where, if something just wasn’t done right, they might get
Cameron Call, an executive with the Valley-based IT rm Blue Paladin, o ers some informed speculation on what may have caused the breach.
“This could have come in via a system that a MGM, per se. They were just trying di erent known attacks
“This could have come in via a system that a
state IT person just didn’t patch, but it could have also been some state employee who opened a malicious link in an email,” he says. “It’s really tricky, because you could have 300 ways into your network, and a successful attack just needs one.”
to help o set that disparity.
When his department launched its inaugural undergraduate cybersecurity program this semester, he was expecting to see 50 to 75 students enroll. The nal tally was 280.
To help mitigate those possibilities, Mack Jackson Jr., founder of local tech consulting rm Vanderson Cyber Group, says the state can’t overlook “the human element.”
“It doesn’t matter how many millions of dollars they spend on cybersecurity. All it takes is just one individual to click on an email for the whole house of cards to fall,” Jackson says. “My recommendation would be to continually have cybersecurity awareness training for their employees so they can better understand and recognize the threat.”
Nevada in general is a somewhat unique case in the larger picture. According to the FBI’s 2024 Internet Crime Report, the Silver State ranks second behind only Washington, D.C., in the number of reported cybercrime losses per 100,000 citizens—at $8,225,617. Moody is training tomorrow’s industry professionals
“Students are aware of this need, since I don’t think you can go a week now and not see some cybersecurity story in the news,” Moody says. “The rst thing I tell students is that a good cybersecurity professional needs to be motivated to keep learning, adapting and trying new things—a jack-of-all-trades. And that’s really hard to train.”
Despite the challenges, Moody says the increased interest bodes well for the future of the eld. The hope is that many of his students nd success without leaving the state.
In the meantime, should regular, everyday Nevadans be concerned about the state attack?
“What’s your individual risk like, speci cally, with this breach? Probably not much,” Moody says. “I tell people to monitor their nancial accounts. If those are staying in line, it’s unlikely that any of your information is being actively used to your disadvantage.”
“If you think of it like a tree, all an attacker has to do is get inside one of the branches and they can eventually worm their way all the way down into the trunk. And as we get more advanced in our technological connectedness, there are more and more branches—or potential avenues for attack.”
–Greg Moody, UNLV cybersecurity director
Photo Illustration
JACK EICHEL
KNIGHTS WATCH
Five big questions as the Golden Knights open a new season with Stanley Cup ambitions
BY CASE KEEFER
Year Nine arrives for Las Vegas’ most beloved professional sports team with no signs of contentment or stagnation in sight from the franchise.
The Vegas Golden Knights are still pushing as hard as ever to win at the highest level possible as they open the new season October 9 against the San Jose Sharks. Concepts like rebuilding or lowering expectations are foreign to the likes of owner Bill Foley, president of hockey operations George McPhee, general manager Kelly McCrimmon and coach Bruce Cassidy.
The powers that be are all in on chasing a second Stanley Cup to pair with the 2023 championship. Here are ve questions they’ll need to help answer to give the Golden Knights the best chance to get back to the top.
How much will Jack Eichel and Mitch Marner play together?
The top question coming into the season is certainly a luxury problem, and nothing better illustrates the Golden Knights’ current position of strength. Vegas has the best one-two punch of repower in franchise history after executing a sign-and-trade for the former Toronto Maple Leafs superstar Marner to pair with Eichel. The challenge becomes whether supercharging a top line with both of them playing alongside each other, or spreading their minutes out is more bene cial.
In training camp and the preseason, Cassidy has gone more with the former, though he’s not committed to Eichel and Marner being an inseparable duo all season long. The veteran coach likes to tinker with personnel combinations, especially if his team is underperforming.
Expect Marner, Eichel and Ivan Barbashev to get the initial crack as Vegas’ rst forward line—with Mark Stone, William Karlsson and Reilly Smith looking cemented as the second—but it might not be permanent. Marner and Eichel are guaranteed to log a lot of ice time together on the power play, but the even-strength plan could be a work in progress.
Will the rearranged defense jell and remain a strength?
The primary reason the Golden Knights were able to commit nearly $100 million to Marner over eight years is because of the kind-of, sort-of, now-not-really retirement of assistant captain/defenseman Alex Pietrangelo.
It’s a swap any team would take considering Pietrangelo is now past his prime at 35 years old, with his game and health declining in the last two seasons. But that doesn’t mean the future Hall of Famer wasn’t still vital to the Golden Knights.
Cassidy has always been a defense- rst coach, and Pietrangelo has long been his standard-bearer. Pietrangelo led the Golden Knights in ice time per game in all three of Cassidy’s seasons at the helm, and two more before the coach arrived in Vegas.
He’s now on long-term injured reserve with hip injuries. Pietrangelo says he’s not ruling out returning to play this season, but all indications are that it would be a long shot.
That leaves a lot of solid minutes production to replace. Vegas should have the talent to adjust, especially with All Star-caliber blue-liners in Noah Hani n and Shea Theodore.
They’ve both been inconsistent in the recent past, but with Pietrangelo always there to help clean it up. That security blanket is now gone, meaning everyone else in the unit needs to step up.
Will they get good enough play in net?
Stanley Cup hero netminder Adin Hill was average at best last season, and that was with a stronger projected defense playing in front of him than he will have this year.
The Golden Knights also prefer a more modern plan where Hill plays only about 60% of the regular season games to conserve for the playo s, especially since he’s struggled with injuries. That’s where the real concern comes in.
Akira Schmid, who was mediocre with the Henderson Silver Knights last season, is currently Hill’s backup. Carl Lindbom, who was better in Henderson, could also push for the role, but he’s considered not quite ready yet at only 22 years old.
Vegas has been linked with several lower-tier veteran goalkeepers via trade or free agency—most notably Carter Hart, who was recently acquitted in a highly-publicized sexual assault case in Canada—but none have come to fruition as of publication time.
Goaltending might be the one undeniable weakness on the roster unless Hill can regain his top form.
Can they be more competitive with the best teams in the league?
Vegas won an astounding fourth Paci c Division championship in eight years last season, but largely did it as a result of fattening up on the dregs of the group.
The Golden Knights went 16-0-2 against the ve division opponents that failed to make the playo s—the Vancouver Canucks, Calgary Flames, Seattle Kraken, Anaheim Ducks and San Jose Sharks. They struggled against the pair of fellow contenders, going 3-5 versus the Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings.
Vegas’ mediocrity against strong teams really showed in the playo s, where it escaped Minnesota in a razor-thin, six-game best-of-seven series, and then were dominated in a ve-game best-of-seven series loss to back-to-back Western Conference champion Edmonton.
The Golden Knights must perform better in their own weight class this year instead of serving as the NHL’s ultimate bullies of bad teams.
What roster additions are on the way?
No front o ce has been more aggressive than the Golden Knights’ over the last decade, so fans should be accustomed to not getting attached to every player going into a season.
Much to the chagrin of fans from other teams across the league, McPhee and McCrimmon have mastered the trade market and overall roster management. The Golden Knights are really up against the salary cap this year, but don’t ever doubt their ability and drive to improve where they nd it possible.
One name has stood out above the rest as far as rumors this o season in Calgary defenseman Rasmus Andersson, who’s expected to be dealt by the March 2026 trade deadline with an expiring contract. The Golden Knights are reportedly Andersson’s top choice for his next stop after nine seasons with the Flames.
Marner was subject to similar rumors a year ago, and he ultimately landed in Vegas. Andersson might be even trickier nancially, but it’s hard to rule anything out.
Maybe this year’s deal won’t be so ashy, but it feels like all but a certainty that someone new will surface during the season.
The best of Halloween costumes, décor and party supplies are waiting for you at the thrift store. Forget overpriced, flimsy costumes that wilt after one night of candy-induced chaos, or cheap, plastic decorations that won’t survive the season. Thrift shopping is where real Halloween magic happens. It’s part treasure hunt, part creative exercise and part spooky science experiment. Thrifting makes Halloween wildly affordable and creative, where every aisle is a choose-your-own-adventure. Here are some tips for how to level up your Halloween this year.
+WHY GOODWILL?
The sale of donated items at Goodwill stores provides skills training, job placement and support services to people in Southern Nevada. Shopping at Goodwill also supports environmental sustainability by helping communities extend the life of usable items and preventing them from piling up in landfills. Last year, Goodwill organizations across the U.S. and Canada collectively recovered more than 4.3 billion pounds of used goods, diverting them from landfills and giving them a second life.
POP CULTURE
From rock stars to TikTok trends, pop culture costumes keep you current, clever and guaranteed to get double takes all night.
Cowboy Carter
Dune
Ted Lasso
’90s grunge
Chappell Roan
CREATED AND
PRESENTED
BY GOODWILL OF SOUTHERN NEVADA
DECORATING FOR HALLOWEEN
Halloween decorating should be about transforming your space into a delightfully eerie wonderland without draining your wallet. Think flickering candles, cobwebbed corners and thrifted treasures that suddenly look sinister under orange and purple lights. Mismatched candelabras are perfect for haunted mansion vibes. Old picture frames can be filled with creepy portraits. Even inexpensive curtains or tablecloths can become ghostly drapes with the right accessories and mood lighting. The trick is layering textures, playing with shadows and maybe even sneaking in a few playful surprises, like plastic spiders or a skeleton lounging on the couch. Whether you go full haunted house or cozy pumpkin patch, decorating sets the stage for all your spooky fun.
THE BENEFITS OF THRIFTING
Why pay full price to look frightful when you can haunt the thrift store instead? Whether searching for the stand-out costume, unique Halloween décor, planning a creepy soiree, or all of the above, you’ll find something spooktacular at your local thrift store.
1
Save money for candy
Costumes in a bag can be scary expensive. At a thrift store, you’ll spend a fraction of the price and still have money left for kingsized Snickers.
2
One-of-a-kind costumes
Want to guarantee you won’t show up in the same vampire cape as three other people? Thrifting promises originality—no duplicates, just pure creativity.
’70s couple ERAS
Travel through time with era-inspired costumes— groovy ’70s disco, neon ’80s glam or grunge ’90s vibes for instant nostalgia.
3
Endless DIY potential Old prom dress? Zombie queen; Carrie. Trench coat? Detective; Carmen Sandiego; offduty model. Cowboy boots? Undead outlaw; ghostly rodeo star; space cowboy. With a little imagination, anything becomes a costume.
4
Killer décor on the cheap Thrift stores are goldmines for candlesticks, vintage frames, creepy dolls and quirky knick-knacks that scream Halloween without draining your wallet. If you’re really lucky, you might even find something that’s genuinely haunted.
5
Sustainable scares
Shopping secondhand gives forgotten items a second life. It’s eco-friendly and spooky chic.
6
The thrill of the hunt
Thrifting is half the fun. Every aisle feels like a treasure hunt, where random finds can become the highlight of your haunted setup.
Tao Group Hospitality celebrates 20 years of setting trends and breaking records in Las Vegas
BY BROCK RADKE
Twenty years of success and survival on the Las Vegas Strip is an incredible accomplishment; only a few venues and experiences have been able to do it.
What Tao Las Vegas has accomplished in two decades is something di erent. When it opened in fall 2005 at Venetian, it was an extension of the trendy original restaurant and lounge in Midtown Manhattan, but also a next-level nightclub that set a new standard on the Strip.
Then and now, it has created the perfect paragon of Las Vegas nightlife—a single destination to dine, drink and dance, an experience where music and mood and celebration are inescapable and in nite.
“Looking back to that time, Wynn had opened La Bete nightclub and had closed it around the time we were opening. Everyone was saying, ‘If Steve Wynn opens a world-class nightclub and has to close, how are you going to make it work, in a convention hotel, on the second oor of the mall?’” recalls Jason Strauss, co-CEO of Tao Group Hospitality. “It was also a challenge because no one [in Las Vegas] knew what the Tao brand was, or wanted to work for an unknown group. We were trying to meet waitresses and bartenders and bouncers in the food court at Venetian. It was de nitely an uphill battle in the beginning.”
innovation, and innovation is the key to Las Vegas. Tao capitalized on the immense appetite for nightclub fun and managed to deliver a superior “vibe dining” experience, and the restaurant remains one of the top grossing establishments across the country. When it expanded a couple years later with the opening of Tao Beach, it created the rst dedicated dayclub experience for 21-and-over guests and completed the one-stop shop blueprint.
Strauss and his team are certainly proud of carving out that often imitated model— and the longevity of the company’s initial venues including Lavo and Marquee—but the most pride is found in the team itself.
“There are people who have worked at Tao Las Vegas for 20 years, bled in that room,” Strauss says. “We are nothing without the team here that delivers that experience day in and day out, and that’s what makes this such a momentous occasion for us.”
The nightclub and dayclub operations, encompassing nine venues along the Boulevard, dominate the landscape, but Tao’s Las Vegas restaurants—especially the original—are equally important to the company’s success and perhaps overlooked in the vast ocean of Strip dining.
The battle is to be able to execute on
“We get branded as a club-staurant— and we invented this—and it was sort of a knock on us. Now it’s a red badge of courage,” says Ralph Scamardella, chief culinary o cer and 18-year veteran of
Photos courtesy Tao Group Hospitality
TAO VEGAS TIMELINE
SEPT 2005
Tao Asian Bistro and Nightclub opens with the launch of Worship Thursdays, Jermaine Dupri’s birthday party on Friday with Janet Jackson, Mariah Carey, Usher and more, followed by the grand opening night Saturday with Paris Hilton, Chelsea Clinton and others.
APRIL 2007
The original Tao Beach opens. Guests include Tommy Hilfiger, Helen Mirren and Tyler Perry.
SEPT 2008
FEB 2017
The Madison Square Garden Company acquires a 62.5% interest in Tao Group Hospitality.
APRIL 2021
Tao Group acquires Hakkasan Group and absorbs its many venues in Las Vegas and around the world.
APRIL 2022
The new, expanded Tao Beach Dayclub opens on the Venetian’s rooftop.
Tao Group Hospitality. “I put our food up against anybody, anywhere else in the world, and we have restaurants all over the world.”
While that blueprint exists, “each restaurant needs its own personality and character,” he continues. “Our commitment to the guest experience is never settling on, this is what we do and how we do it. We’re always looking for the next level, how we can give our guests exactly what they’re looking for.”
But how does Tao create and stay on top trends?
“There’s no magic pill, it’s just a lot of hard work,” Scamardella says.
Strauss puts it bluntly: “We have a theory in our company—if you don’t change, you die.” He and other execs travel to other markets, analyze new trends and data, and spend a lot of time with the younger members of the team to understand what’s relevant to those demographics.
see more—Marquee Nightclub and Dayclub at the Cosmopolitan is about to unveil a full makeover including a new sound system, LED lighting and kinetic features “bringing the technology up to par with world-class nightclubs around the world,” Strauss says. “Marquee has had an unbelievable run for 15 years as the rst club to bring EDM residencies every night of the week, and every club from that point followed that model. But it’s never been renovated, and the impact is going to be dramatic. For guests, it will feel like a whole new experience, and our artists and DJs are really going to have a Ferrari to drive.”
We’ve seen some of those updates and changes in Tao’s most recent venues, Palm Tree Beach Club at MGM Grand and Caramella Restaurant and Lounge at Planet Hollywood, and we’re about to
And there’s even more: the company will soon debut the biggest investment in its history with Omnia Dayclub in front of Caesars Palace.
“While other companies are pulling back, we’re betting on our brand, betting on our team and our ability to innovate with the times and stay relevant,” Strauss says. “Our team has given us the ability to deliver for 20 years and still be on top, and it’s something we’re super proud of.”
Lavo Italian Restaurant opens at Palazzo with celebs Will.I.Am, Amber Heard, Busta Rhymes and Jamie Foxx.
DEC 2010
Marquee Nightclub opens at the Cosmopolitan with a performance by Florence + The Machine. Rihanna, Jay-Z, Beyoncé, John Mayer, Chris Martin, Gwyneth Paltrow, Alex Rodriguez, Cameron Diaz and others are in attendance.
OCT 2011
The Lavo Champagne Party Brunch makes its debut.
MAY 2016
Beauty & Essex opens at the Cosmopolitan.
MARCH 2023
Stanton Social Prime opens at Caesars Palace.
MAY 2023
Mohari Hospitality acquires a majority interest in Tao Group Hospitality from MSG.
NOV 2023
Luchini opens at MGM Grand.
MAY 2025
Palm Tree Beach Club opens at MGM Grand in the former Wet Republic space.
Sydney Sweeney, Jessica Alba, Patrick Schwarzenegger and Kygo celebrate the new dayclub concept.
Photos courtesy Tao Group Hospitality
BY AMBER SAMPSON
In 2023, Jana Wimer and Robert Bullwinkel staged Vegas Theatre Company’s most successful run ever with Abandon, a terrifyingly taboo, R-rated horror experience that won the Weekly’s Best of Vegas award for Best Theater Shock.
“They took a risk on us,” says Bullwinkel, Abandon executive producer and co-writer with Wimer. “We walked into Daz [Weller’s] office and we had a little pitch deck. He bought the show on the pitch deck. That’s just the kind of spirit they have. They’re really willing to step outside of their comfort zone.”
The play, created through the duo’s production company Las Vegas Horror Show LLC, returned the following summer and over Halloween, whetting audiences’ appetite for immersive horror.
“There’s definitely an audience for what we’re doing,” Bullwinkel says. “Vegas has shown us that they are ready for this kind of sick, twisted and demented production.”
Let’s hope so, because their psychological horror production, Urban Death, will require some serious guts from the audience. Two decades ago, Wimer co-created the show in Hollywood with Zombie Joe’s Underground Theatre Group. She has since directed versions of it in LA, Edinburgh, Cape Town, and now Las Vegas.
“I like to say that Urban Death was birthed from the darkness … because when I first saw a show with Zombie Joe’s, the first thing that struck me was the lights went out and it was pitch black. You couldn’t see your hand in front of your face,” Wimer says. “You could just have anything in front of the audience, those lights come up and it’s a total surprise. They have no idea what they’re going to see.”
And therein lies the fun. Unlike Abandon, Urban Death features no character
arcs or plot lines. It’s dialogue-less but no less provocative. The group creates vignettes, horror stories that play out onstage before the darkness snuffs them out. “We really partner with the audience’s imagination,” Wimer says. “We imply a lot and the imagination fills it in.”
Over the last 20 years, they’ve accumulated somewhere between 800-900 vignettes. And returning cast members from Abandon will bring them to life onstage. Bullwinkel says new pieces get added with each iteration of Urban Death, and the one at VTC will feature its own Vegas-centric horrors. But all those hair-raising moments come with humor, too.
“One of the most successful things about Urban Death is that you’ll be scared, you’ll be grossed out, you’ll be really scared, and then you laugh,” Bullwinkel says. “The laughter is like the Zamboni cleaning the ice. It refreshes your palate and makes you ready to be scared again.”
Bullwinkel suggests watching Urban Death on an empty stomach and with an open mind. It will challenge you. It will scare you. And it will also help you escape.
“We are living in probably the most terrifying time in the history of America, in the world,” Bullwinkel says. “This show gives us a little bit of catharsis that we can come together as a community, feel this together, cry, laugh, scream together. And we’ll leave feeling better about the world around us because of what we’ve seen.”
URBAN DEATH
October 10-12, 17-20, 24-26, 31, November 1-2, 7:30 p.m., $25-$45. Vegas Theatre Company, theatre.vegas
Courtesy
BY AMBER SAMPSON
Before Majestic Repertory Theatre’s Scream’d took a stab at satirizing ’90s horror films, creator Troy Heard’s The Craft’d: An Unauthorized Musical Parody took Andrew Fleming’s 1996 witch flick to new comedic heights. After that breakout in 2022, the coven has reunited for a refreshed staging that’s so off-the-wall witchy, we weirdos can’t get enough.
The plot follows teenage girls Sarah, Rochelle, Bonnie and Nancy, who unite at Catholic school as they navigate racist bullies, scummy boys and troubled home lives. Each girl’s struggles are relatable and well executed through gothic ’90s rock songs, supported by a live all-female band. Nine Inch Nails’ “Closer,” Seal’s “Kiss From a Rose” and Gerard McMahon’s “Cry Little Sister” all get the star treatment here as the witches cast spells, hilariously navigate
iconic scenes like “light as a feather, stiff as a board,” and perform sexy summoning rituals to their deity Manon—with Nancy shamelessly throwing ass in the background.
THE CRAFT’D Thru November 15, Thursday-Sunday, 8 p.m., $50-$60. Majestic Repertory Theater, majestic repertory.com
Most of the original cast reprise their roles, but Samantha Souza stepped in as the menacing ringleader Nancy—and she was a brilliant choice. Souza, donning a jet-black bob, fully embodied Fairuza Balk’s rageful witch, starkly contrasting the shy, queer-coded Bonnie, headstrong Rochelle and confident Sarah. Actress Coco Rigbye will pick up where Souza’s Nancy left off, completing the circle once more. The show’s a blast of clever pop culture references, praiseworthy stage magic and fantastic music. The film version of The Craft already had a cult following—now The Craft’d has its own.
Read more of this review at lasvegasweekly.com.
Courtesy
Hearthstone’s comeback, Ada’s relocation, P.O.P.S.’s renovation and more
BY BROCK RADKE
Boa Steakhouse is back. After closing its Forum Shops restaurant in 2012, Innovative Dining Group—which still operates Sushi Roku at Forum Shops—is bringing Boa back to the Strip with a new location at the Grand Canal Shoppes at Venetian, set to open October 17. And another one: Hearthstone is returning to Red Rock Resort. The popular and homey Clique Hospitality restaurant closed in 2023 after nearly a decade in Summerlin, and now a redesigned version will make its return in its original space in early 2026 with Michelin-starred chef Jason McLeod at the helm.
Viva at Resorts World kicks off its first drag brunch on October 11 with performances from RuPaul’s
Drag Race stars Jaymes Mansfield and Kimora Blac, with two seatings at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. priced at $85 per person. The family-style menu includes breakfast tacos, chilaquiles and tres leches French toast with bottomless cocktails. You can make a reservation at rwlasvegas.com
P.O.P.S., aka Pride of Philly Steaks, recently announced a full-scale renovation at its classic A-frame building at 501 S. Decatur Boulevard. To ensure no disruption in 24-hour service, the eatery debuted its Pride of Philly Food Truck P.O.P.-Up in late September, serving the full menu of cheesesteaks and sides in the parking lot. For more info, visit popscheesesteaks.com.
Co-owners James Trees and the Lev Group have announced Ada’s Food + Wine at Tivoli Village will
be relocating to the Arts District, closing at the end of November and reopening in the former Esther’s Kitchen space on E. California Avenue in December. And speaking of Trees, his High Steaks Vegas at the Rio is accepting reservations and is expected to open on October 14.
Beloved breakfast, brunch and lunch restaurant First Watch has opened its first Valley location at 1020 E. Craig Road in North Las Vegas. The new 4,400-square-foot restaurant is open daily from 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and you can get a look at the goods at firstwatch.com.
Hawaiian Bros has opened at 6071 W. Craig Road. The island-inspired plate lunch franchise is open Sunday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. until midnight.
Prince St. Pizza is set to expand to Henderson with an opening this week at 2390 E. Serene Avenue. The first local spot for the NYC Sicilian pie joint opened in the food court at Durango Resort.
Now open at the Lexi: RSK, a seven-course “aphrodisiac” tasting menu with wine pairings. It’s open Thursday through Sunday at 6 p.m. and reservations are available at Opentable.
The Silverton has launched its third annual Cider Fest at the Shady Grove Lounge, continuing through November 9, Thursday through Sunday from 5 to 9 p.m. Settle in for cozy fall vibes and taste seasonal ciders and innovative cocktails. Meanwhile, the property’s popular Twin Creeks Steakhouse has launched an elevated Sunday brunch from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. every week, with bottomless beverages and specialty dishes such as short rib hash, crab cake benedict, roasted chicken and biscuits and more.
Holsteins Shakes & Buns, long a Strip favorite that recently opened Downtown in the Arts District, has launched a weekend brunch menu available Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Among the offerings are smoked salmon carpaccio, the avocado “toast-ada,” breakfast poutine and corned beef hash.
From left, sommelier Kat Thomas, chef Jackson Stamper and James Trees are taking Ada’s Downtown, including the shrimp and garlic chile toast, below. (Courtesy)
PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRISTOPHER DEVARGAS
NOMINATIONS
Friday, October 10 7:00 - 10:00 PM (VIP entry at 6:00 PM)
Junior Achievement Inspiration Center 4440 E. Tropicana Ave., Las Vegas, NV 89121
Pumpkin Pecan Pancake Slam®
SOUTHERN HILLS HOSPITAL PROVIDES A CIRCLE OF CARE FOR MOMS AND BABIES
BY HEATHER MILLS
Welcoming a new baby is one of life’s greatest joys, but also one of its biggest challenges. Between sleepless nights, new routines and the emotional highs and lows that come with motherhood, many moms look for guidance and support. Southern Hills Hospital offers that support with compassion, and it’s completely free.
Prenatal support
The journey begins before the baby even arrives. Expectant mothers and their support team are invited on a free maternity tour, where they can see the hospital’s amenities, meet the care team and ask questions that ease worries and calm nerves.
Southern Hills also offers a free childbirth class that goes beyond medical facts to focus on the real experience. From understanding the changes of the third trimester to learning comfort techniques for labor, the class prepares mothers with both knowledge and confidence. It’s a place where questions are met with empathy and reassurance, something an online search can’t replicate.
Every Tuesday, moms-to-be can gather for free prenatal yoga. Through stretching, breathing and mindful focus, the class nurtures strength and calm in preparation for labor. It also gives expectant mothers a space to connect with others and build community.
Support for new dads, too
Soon-to-be dads are not left out. The hospital’s free Daddy Boot Camp is designed just for expectant fathers, giving them a space to ask questions and prepare for the big changes ahead. Topics range from supporting the mother through pregnancy to introducing the baby to pets, adjusting to new relationship dynamics and learning the hands-on basics of feeding and diaper changes. The class
offers practical, real-world advice that helps dads feel prepared from the start.
Bereavement support
When parenthood takes an unexpected turn, Southern Hills extends its embrace to families walking through grief. The Infant Bereavement Support Group welcomes parents who have experienced miscarriage, stillbirth or infant loss, providing a space for connection and understanding. Meetings include a welcome, a brief reading and conversation, and a remembrance activity such as painting rocks, making butterfly suncatchers or creating beaded key chains. Guided by women’s services caregivers and behavioral health professionals, the group offers comfort, creativity and the reassurance that families don’t have to face loss alone.
Postnatal support
Postnatal support at Southern Hills goes beyond medical care. After delivery, mothers are welcomed back for Baby and Me Yoga. This gentle practice encourages bonding, supports the baby’s motor development and helps moms recover physically and emotionally. Many describe it as one of their first cherished activities to share with their little one. Of the many challenges new parents may face, breastfeeding can be among the most difficult. To
help, Southern Hills offers a breastfeeding support group staffed by two certified lactation consultants, available at no cost. They assist with everything from latching difficulties to transitioning between bottle and breast. “Breastfeeding is natural, but it isn’t always easy,” says lactation consultant Agnes Schaffer. “We’re here to make sure moms never feel like they have to figure it out alone.”
The hospital is also launching a New Infant Care class that will offer parents practical advice on feeding and positioning their baby, diaper changes and even the basics of infant CPR. The class helps parents navigate common worries with clear, practical guidance. Parents will also have 24/7 access to Consult-A-Nurse, a free phone line for questions and guidance anytime.
When families leave, they go home not only with their baby, but also with knowledge, confidence and a community ready to support them. From the first hospital tour to those first yoga stretches with their baby, Southern Hills provides not just a place to give birth, but a circle of care for life’s most tender moments.
For more information, registration and class times, visit southernhillshospital.com.
Heather Mills is the director of communications and community engagement at Southern Hills Hospital & Medical Center.
Prenatal yoga (Courtesy)
By Andrew Stanton, DO
Aside from certain types of skin cancer, colorectal cancer is the third most diagnosed cancer and the second-leading cause of cancer death in the United States, according to the American Cancer Society.
The ACS estimates that colorectal cancer is expected to cause about 52,900 deaths in 2025.
WARNING SIGNS
Colorectal cancer begins in the colon or rectum and often develops slowly from small growths called polyps that can become cancerous if untreated. While it is a serious condition, early detection and awareness can make a significant difference in outcomes.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, warning signs include: a change in bowel habits; blood in or on your stool; diarrhea, constipation or feeling that the bowel does
not empty all the way; abdominal pain, aches or cramps that don’t go away; and unexplained weight loss.
REDUCING YOUR RISK
While individual risk factors vary, risk typically increases with age and factors may also include inflammatory bowel disease (e.g., Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis), a family history of colorectal cancer or colorectal polyps, or genetic syndromes such as familial adenomatous polyposis or hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer, also known as Lynch Syndrome.
Some studies suggest that living a healthy lifestyle such as increasing physical activity, keeping a healthy weight, limiting alcohol consumption and avoiding tobacco may help reduce the risk of developing colon cancer. Based on ongoing research, medical experts often recommend a diet high in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low in animal fats to possibly help reduce
the risk of other chronic diseases.
PREVENTIVE STEPS
The most effective way to reduce your risk is to get routinely screened for colorectal cancer. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends adults who are at average risk for colorectal cancer begin regular screenings beginning at age 45. People at a higher risk may need to start screening at a younger age.
Screening helps find colorectal cancer early, when treatment can be very effective, and there are several screening test options—so don’t wait for symptoms before you get screened. Keep in mind that precancerous polyps and colorectal cancer don’t always cause symptoms, especially early on, making screenings for this form of cancer crucial.
Andrew Stanton is a family medicine doctor with Southwest Medical, part of Optum.
THE POWER OF FOR YOU 2
Puts You First
Put our partnership to work for you. You get high-quality personalized care from Intermountain Health and 24/7 concierge service from Alignment Health Plan. Together, a new standard for your Medicare Advantage plan in Clark county.
LET’S PUT YOU FIRST.
10/9 & 11/17 @ 10 am
Mom’s Kitchen
650 East Horizon Drive Henderson
10/16 @ 2 pm
AmeriBrunch Cafe (SPA) 316 East Bridger Avenue Las Vegas
11/3 @ 10 am Egg Works
2025 Village Center Circle Las Vegas
10/15 & 11/10 @ 11 am
Rainbow Library 3150 North Buffalo Drive Las Vegas
10/17 @ 10 am
Mimi’s Cafe 596 North Stephanie Street Henderson
11/6 & 11/20 @ 11 am
Heritage Park Senior Facility 300 South Racetrack Road Henderson
10/23, 10/30 & 11/11 @ 1 pm
Famous Dave’s BBQ 2630 East Craig Road North Las Vegas
10/27 & 11/25 @ 10 am
Mimi’s Cafe
6760 North Durango Drive Las Vegas
11/14 @ 1 pm
Famous Dave’s BBQ 4390 Blue Diamond Road Las Vegas
With the Alignment Health + Intermountain Health (HMO) plan you can access Intermountain Health’s award-winning senior primary care with benefits including:
Intermountain Health’s senior primary care clinics offer:
u 35 convenient locations
u Twice the time with your care team
u Same-day urgent appointments
u On-staff specialists
Alignment Health Plan + Intermountain Health (HMO)
u $0 plan premium
u $0 primary care and specialist doctor visits
u $0 in-patient hospital coverage
u $15 monthly over-the-counter allowance
u Comprehensive dental, hearing and vision coverage
u $0 copay for Tier 1 and Tier 2 drugs
(TTY:
Join us for a seminar near you to explore your plan options, ask questions, and feel empowered to choose the plan that’s right for you. LET’S MEET VIRTUALLY
10/16/2025 9:30 am 10/30/2025 9:30 am
To meet virtually, go to: Alignmenthealthplan.com/join Or to call, on the day and time of your seminar call: 1-866-789-6243; Conference ID: 929 259 974#
To register for a seminar, or to view a complete list of all seminars call 1-888-690-1452 (TTY: 711) or go to: AlignmentHealthPlan.com/seminars
Alignment Health Plan is an HMO, HMO POS, HMO C-SNP, HMO D-SNP and PPO plan with a Medicare contract and a contract with the California, Nevada, North Carolina and Texas Medicaid programs. Enrollment in Alignment Health Plan depends on contract renewal. Alignment Health Plan complies with applicable federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex. For accommodation of persons with special needs at sales meetings, call 888979-2247 (TTY: 711) 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday - Sunday. Benefits based on Alignment Health + Intermountain Health (HMO) plan H9686-009. Y0141_26367EN_M
BACKSTORY
BELLAGIO WELCOMES FORTUNA | OCTOBER 3, 2025 With the addition of Fortuna, the 33-foot Riva yacht that will become part of the Carbone Riviera experience at Bellagio, we are one step closer to all the other boating opportunities just waiting to happen. Bumper boats, boat races, aquatic acrobatic shows, Andy Samberg and T-Pain and Christopher Cross, together at last. For a desert, this city has been very lucky with boats and water attractions. We’ve had pirates, a Nile, a submarine, log rides, and surely a few others that I’ve repressed. The city is full of dreams, boats, boat dreams and dreamboats. I can’t be the only one that felt it giving Miami Vice Let’s sail away. –Corlene Byrd
