The Health Issue

BUSINESS (NOT) AS USUAL: DOING GOOD IS THE PLAN PLUS NAKED HIKING, DINING WITH STRANGERS, AND MORE WEIRD FUN!

Getting to the top means going above and beyond

Admired for their dedication to healing and compassionate care, we proudly acknowledge our 2025 Top Doc honorees. Each of these devoted Optum team members is trusted by patients, an inspiration to colleagues, and living proof that we’re better, together. optum.com/nevada

Russell Gollard, MD Medical Oncology Optum Cancer Care

Blair Duddy, MD

Pediatrics

Southwest Medical

Ricardo Vinuya, MD Allergy & Immunology Optum Allergy

Margaret Hwang, MD

Pediatrics

Southwest Medical

Jason Zommick, MD Urology Urology Specialists of Nevada

Khursheeda Pathan, MD

Pediatrics

Southwest Medical

Johnson Kay, DO Rheumatology

Southwest Medical

Dinner And A Show.

BALLA ITALIAN SOUL

From James Beard Award recipient Chef Shawn McClain, Balla offers vibrant flavors and the finest ingredients, prepared with finesse. Enjoy handmade pastas, seasonal vegetables and salads, and fire-roasted meats and fish.

CHICKIE’S & PETE’S CRABHOUSE AND SPORTS BAR

Join the fun at ESPN’s #1 Sports Bar in North America. Enjoy 20 beers on tap and game-day bites including our famous Philly cheesesteaks and Crabfries®.

THE NOODLE DEN

Explore the flavors of Northern China. Indulge in hand-pulled and knife-sliced noodles, savory dumplings and classic Chinese dishes expertly crafted by master chefs in our open-view kitchen.

DUELING PIANOS

Join us for after-dinner drinks inside the all-new AZILO Ultra Lounge and our dynamic pianists will have you singing along to timeless hits with an electrifying battle of the keys.

DINING

DISH

into fall’s tastiest plates and locales

dining meets traditional flavors at this Indian resto

MAMA, I’M A BIG GIRL NOW!

MYRON’S AT THE SMITH CENTER

THREE LEADING LADIES, 16 Broadway shows, 20 years of friendship, all in one night!

Join Broadway’s beloved leading ladies —Tony® nominee Kerry Butler, Tony® nominee Laura Bell Bundy, and Tony® winner Marissa Jaret Winokur —as they reunite for the first time since opening Hairspray together for a spectacular night of music, laughter and heartfelt memories in Mama, I’m A Big Girl Now!

Saturday, October 11 for 2 shows. thesmithcenter.com

WE’RE RESOLUTE. AND WE NEED YOU

This period will be recorded as a tremendously challenging part of public media’s history. Following nearly 60 years of congressional support since the Public Broadcasting Act was written into law on November 7, 1967, with (it’s important to note) bipartisan support; and despite millions of letters, phone calls, and emails to legislators from public media supporters across the country advocating for their local stations — despite all this, the U.S. Congress passed the Rescissions Act in the early hours of Friday, July 18.

This bill’s elimination of previously approved congressional appropriations totaling $1.1 billion has devastating and immediate implications on the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, as well as the NPR and PBS stations that rely on community service grants administered by the CPB. More than 1,500 stations across the country are now faced with operational revenue decreases ranging from 5 percent to upwards of 70 percent. This will no doubt translate to reductions in services, programming, and staffing across the public media network — and, in smaller and rural-serving stations, disinvestment in transmission infrastructure and permanent closures.

Nevada Public Radio will lose approximately 8 percent of its annual funding, or about $400,000 per year. This significant reduction will require new revenue sources, additional members, and stronger community support from businesses and foundations to make up the difference. It will also require a deep review of the programming, productions, assets, and personnel that allow our organization to serve Nevadans.

In the face of these challenges, our staff remains resolute, but Nevada Public Radio needs you to build and maintain a position of resilience. If you’re a member of a public media outlet like KNPR or a subscriber of this magazine, thank you. But if you’ve been a longtime fan of any Nevada Public Radio programming, including Desert Companion, and you’re not part of the community of financial supporters, now is the time to join. We need your help.

With gratitude,

Favian Perez Publisher of Desert Companion

Favian Perez President & CEO Nevada Public Radio

PHOTO BY BRUCE GLIKAS

PRESIDENT & CEO Favian Perez

MANAGING EDITOR Heidi Kyser

ART DIRECTOR Scott Lien

ASSISTANT EDITOR Anne Davis

EDITOR-AT-LARGE Scott Dickensheets

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Ryan Vellinga

EDITORIAL INTERN Maicyn Udani

GRAPHIC DESIGN INTERN Kelvin Wong

CONTENT CREATION INTERN Rick Arevalo

KNPR PRODUCERS AND REPORTERS

Christopher Alvarez, Paul Boger, Mike Prevatt , Jimmy Romo-Buenrostro

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

Allison Hall, Markus Van’t Hul, Britt Quintana

OPERATIONS MANAGER

Marlies Daebritz

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

Jeff Jacobs

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Josh Bell, Sarah Bun, Morrigan DeVito, Aleza Freeman, Alex Hager, Janis Hashe, Andrew Kiraly, Maegan Melissa, Lorraine Blanco Moss, Reannon Muth, Lissa Townsend Rodgers, Geoff Schumacher, Lucia Starbuck, T.R. Witcher

CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS

Rick Arevalo, Tim Bower, Miguel Manich, Chase R. McCurdy, Glenda Sburelin, Jeff Scheid

CONTACT

EDITORIAL: Heidi Kyser (702) 259-7855 heidi@desertcompanion.com

ART: Scott Lien (702) 258-9895 scott@knpr.org

ADVERTISING: (702) 259-7808 sales@nevadapublicradio.org

SUBSCRIPTIONS: Marlies Daebritz (702) 259-7822 marlies@desertcompanion.com

WEBSITE: www.desertcompanion.com

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

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Editor’s Note

WELL WELL WELL

It’s hard not to be cynical about healthcare these days. Here, I’ll show you: “Unless you’re rich, the only way to get quality healthcare in this country is to not need it.”

That was my response the other day after listening to a guy I know recount his infuriating story about trying to have a simple medical test done. At each successive, futile appointment with the testing company, he was informed of a further restriction. We only do this test at a different location. Yes, this is the right place, but we only do these tests during certain hours. Well, you’re here at the right time, but we only do a certain number per day. None of this information was on the company’s website, and their phone tree led to outer space. And this was for a basic test that took just a few minutes — when it finally happened.

I can assure you the system doesn’t work much better when the stakes get higher. In the last few years, I’ve been involved to various degrees as three relatives suffered serious, ultimately fatal medical crises. Each time, we faced many similar frustrations, just scaled up to the magnitude of life and death: interminable waits, contradictory medical opinions, no one able to break down the costs of the procedure they’ve suddenly deemed necessary. And we could have used the “Benny Hill” theme song to soundtrack the runaround we got from insurance companies. (The phrase “case manager” briefly became an epithet in our family.)

But here’s the thing. The majority of these complaints are about structural aspects of the healthcare system. Most of the actual people we dealt with, however, were precisely the opposite. Sure, a few doctors were aloof or impatient with our inability to quickly grasp complex medical issues. But many weren’t. Almost every nurse who helped my family members was a marvel of compassion and efficiency — even after cleaning up a patient for the fourth or fifth time that shift. I can’t praise them enough. Likewise the phlebotomists trying to draw blood from unyielding veins, who were nonetheless patient and gentle. Hospice teams proved amazing. Even a couple of case managers were actually helpful.

It’s a rank cliché to suggest that good individuals can help redeem a broken system — but it’s the best cliché we have, so I’m sticking with it. Gotta find hope somewhere.

Meanwhile, like most convoluted systems, healthcare is continually changing. Check out recent regional developments rounded up by assistant editor Anne Davis on Page 66: new facilities in the offing, the effects of legislative decisions — including on Indigenous communities — and more.

And if all of my guff about medical-system dysfunction has you aching for relief, Morrigan DeVito offers an antidote on Page 18: Get outside for some “nature therapy.” Whether you employ one of the guides she suggests, or get out there on your own, I trust the outdoors will offer you what it provided for the great southwestern writer Mary Sojourner, who, after a dire medical episode some years ago, returned to the wilderness in search of what she called “my deepest medicine.” The best part: No prior authorization needed.

Scott Dickensheets Editor-at-Large

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

OFFICERS

NEHME E. ABOUZEID

chair LaunchVegas, LLC

AMANDA MOORE-SAUNDERS

vice chair Conduit Entertainment

KATHLEEN M. NYLEN

treasurer

FAVIAN PEREZ

secretary Nevada Public Radio

DIRECTORS

STEPHANIE CAPELLAS Carma/Connected

CYNTHIA A. DREIBELBIS Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck

ANDREA GOEGLEIN, PH.D ServingSuccess

WILLIAM GROUNDS Burraneer Capital Advisors

FRED J. KEETON Keeton Iconoclast Consulting, LLC

EDWIN C. KINGSLEY, MD Comprehensive Cancer Centers

SCOTT NIELSON Nielson Consulting, LLC

JEFFREY REIMAN The Broadband Group

ERNEST STOVALL Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino

KELLIE VANDER VEUR Retired

ROB ZIEMS Gaming Arts, LLC

DIRECTORS EMERITI

CYNTHIA ALEXANDER Dickinson Wright, PLLC

SUSAN M. BRENNAN The Brennan Consulting Group, LLC

DAVE CABRAL Business Finance Corp.

LOUIS CASTLE Amazon Games Seattle

PATRICK N. CHAPIN, ESQ. Patrick N. Chapin, Ltd.

RICHARD DREITZER Fennemore

ELIZABETH FRETWELL C4ward Strategies, LTD

DON HAMRICK Retired

GAVIN ISAACS Consultant

CHRIS MURRAY Avissa Corporation

JERRY NADAL Luna Entertainment Consulting Services

WILLIAM J. “BILL” NOONAN William J. Noonan Consulting

ANTHONY J. PEARL Crown Resorts

MARK RICCIARDI, ESQ.  Fisher Phillips, LLP

MICKEY ROEMER Roemer Gaming

TIM WONG Arcata Associates

LAMAR MARCHESE president emeritus

ALL THINGS

EDUCATION

Sounding It Out

The ongoing challenges of childhood literacy

BY Maegan Melissa

The last group of field trips I scheduled for the 2024 school year was with the now-defunct Eagle Charter School. We created stories together, with my boss collecting ideas from the children and me typing them on a large-screen projector. However, amid all the excited yells and bombarding questions, I clearly remember one interaction. While the students finished their stories, I passed a fifth-grade girl with a completely blank page and asked if I could help her. She quickly told me she couldn’t read or write — she didn’t understand a single word written by the chaperones on brightly colored sticky notes, nor the words I typed in Arial font. The only thing I could think to say was, “Do the best you can.”

“When I moved to teach fifth grade at a new school in Vegas, the fifth-graders I taught had even lower literacy skills than the second-graders,” says Mallory O’Loughlin, a teacher who had worked at Eagle Charter School. “At that grade level, the expectation is that the kids can read, and you’re teaching them to analyze what they are reading. Almost all our work time, though, was going back to those foundational skills of spelling and reading.”

As the Clark County School District begins another school year on August 11, with much attention sure to focus on new superintendent Jhone M. Ebert, childhood literacy remains a pressing issue. During the last decade, CCSD has seen ebbs and flows in its students’ reading proficiency. According to Clark County’s Assessment, Accountability, Research, and School Improvement (AARSI) Division’s Focus 2024 performance scorecard, 40 percent of students in grades 3-5 were considered proficient in reading based on their Smarter Balanced Assessment scores, compared to the 2023 target of 65 percent. When only measuring Title I Schools, the percentage of proficient students drops to 34 percent.

Some obvious factors have led to this decline in reading proficiency; namely, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which can be seen with a district-wide decline from roughly 50 percent reading-proficient students in 2019 to a bit less than 36 percent in 2021. In addition, literacy is an often-misunderstood skill, thought to be a part of a person’s natural development. In his book Reading in a Digital Age, associate professor and East Carolina University federal documents and social sciences librarian David M. Durant explains that “the ability to read is not innate — that is, we are not born able to read. It is a learned skill. The human brain is not designed for reading; rather, reading developed as a result of a phenomenon called neuroplasticity.” Neuroplasticity is the brain’s ability to grow — to rearrange its neural connections — in response to life experiences and learning. Especially rapid growth happens during the first few years of life; this is when we develop the building blocks that will lead to more advanced learning throughout someone’s lifetime.

Anna Russian, a seventh-grade CCSD English teacher, explains what happens when students continue their academic careers while falling behind their tar -

get reading levels. “Although I am not a licensed teacher in elementary school education, I found myself purchasing a phonics poster and frequently referring my students to the chart when they don’t know how to pronounce a word. Some of my students are nervous about sounding words out, and I’m not sure if it’s because they’re nervous, or because they genuinely haven’t been provided the tools to learn.”

Teaching children how to read during the early stages in their development is only part of the solution. Harrison White, a licensed 6th-12th-grade CCSD English teacher, stresses the importance of writing. “A lot of students are reluctant readers because they are also reluctant writers,” White says. “So working with them on that tends to be the way forward to show how to build confidence and get the forms down.”

Literacy is a lattice-structured skill that can be easily taken for granted because of how often it’s used. Fortunately, because of how crucial it is to children’s academic success, there are resources available to help ensure that children can gain those building blocks during those critical early years. One national example is Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, a program that sends books to children across the

country from infancy to age 5. On the Imagination Library’s YouTube channel, Parton says the project was inspired by her father. “Now, he was the wisest man I had ever known, but I knew in my heart this inability to read probably kept him from seeing all of his dreams come true. So, inspiring kids to love to read became my passion and my mission because if you can read, you can teach yourself anything.” Similarly, but on a local level, the organization Spread the Word Nevada has collected and distributed thousands of books to students at many at-risk schools across the state.

It’s not impossible for children like the girl from my field trip to eventually be able to read at a satisfactory level — as long as they’re given extensive time and practice outside of school. As it was, she did the best she could. Instead of contributing to the group story, she ended up creating her own. It was two lines long, without a single word spelled correctly; the letters were heavy, dark, and crooked. I told her I was glad she had finished, and we read her story along with the rest of the students’. Still, I spent the rest of the field trip wondering what she could have written if she’d been given the chance to understand.✦

COMMUNITY

Seeding the Future

Seed sharing takes root in Las Vegas

BY Janis Hashe

Marilyn Herrera isn’t a master gardener. But she loves growing things, and, as a mother of three, believes teaching her kids about plants and the earth is vital. After reading about the burgeoning seed library movement, she was inspired in 2022 to create East Las Vegas Seed Share, or ELVSS. The first free seed library, at the Solidarity Fridge on Blackthorn Drive, opened in February 2023. Today, there are a dozen sites, including the Veterans Memorial Community Center, Parkdale Recreation & Senior Center, and the Effervesce/ It’s Just Bubbles natural products store.

Herrera began by searching online for someone who was sharing seeds through seed libraries, thinking “Someone else will do it.” But no one was. So, motivated by gardening with her preschoolers and a desire to create community

through growing plants, ELVSS was born.

ELVSS seed libraries share vegetable, flower, and herb seeds. Popular varieties include sunflower, Armenian cucumber, and Sugar Baby watermelon. Herrera, who gardens in containers, knows not everyone has extensive yards, so there are seeds that do well in pots and raised beds, such as tomatoes, cilantro, and marigolds.

ELVSS does not “knowingly accept or share any seeds that are chemically treated, patented, or genetically modified,” according to its website. Seed library users are encouraged to harvest seeds at the growing cycle’s end to donate back to the libraries.

“I love seeing pictures of what people have grown,” Herrera says, describing one proud dad’s photo submission of a flourishing Lemon Queen sunflower grown by his child.

Herrera hopes to cultivate more sources for native seeds, joining the growing number of people and organizations working to save and restore native Nevada plants.

One of those people is Gail Brandys. Brandys is a master gardener, and in charge of the seed bank for the University of Nevada, Reno Extension Master Gardener program in Las Vegas. For the last seven years, she’s volunteered to help make native plants and seeds available to the public.

“Local nurseries were not carrying natives,” she says, but working with UNR’s own Botanic Gardens, and its native flowers wash, the master gardeners were eventually able to harvest and save more than 40 varieties of native and desert-adaptive plants. These include desert marigold, desert globemallow, brittlebush, and tufted evening-primrose.

The program distributes seeds for free in booths at home shows, during cooperative events with other community partners, and during some of their own events.

Growing native plants is also an ideal way to support native pollinators, such as bees and butterflies, Brandys notes. But native seeds need to be sown in the right soil, which is not the potting mix sold in most nurseries. “They must have at least 50/50 native soil,” she says.

One of newest organizations to focus on native plants and seeds is Desert Love, now based at the legendary Cactus Joe’s Blue Diamond Nursery. “We’ve been open since January,” said outreach coordinator Kym Martin. Originally, she explained, founders Bill Redinger and Frank Marino connected with the Southern Nevada Water Authority on a restoration project.

Its success led to working with the Bureau of Land Management’s Seeds of Success Native Seed Collection Program. This evolved into Desert Love, because of the perceived need for Las Vegans to be able to grow and share native plants.

Cactus Joe’s offered a natural fit. “All plants will be grown on the property,” Martin said. Seeds will be collected from every plant and made available to the public. The organization continues to work with the Bureau of Land Management to gather seeds, and also aims to become a native seeds donation site. It has already established connections with ELVSS, Master Gardeners, Springs Preserve, local farms, and local eco-conscious landscape designers.

The programs continue to self-seed. ✦

CONSERVATION

‘Leave Them Alone’

Indigenous leaders brace for attacks on protected sacred lands

BY Jimmy Romo-Buenrostro

Las Vegas Paiute Tribe member Fawn Douglas goes to Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area to connect with her ancestors. As an artist, she fuels her creativity there. On an April hike in Red Rock, Douglas carried water, tobacco, and a knife, as she typically does. She uses tobacco to give back to the land after foraging for medicine and tea. On the trail, she spotted native plants and herbs that she was looking for.

“Touching base with places where my ancestors walked,” Douglas says. “Where we hunted, where we foraged. We passed some agave roasting pits already, but it’s always nice to see these little identifiers of when my people were still here.”

At the end of the trail, a waterfall had formed from melted winter snowfall. Douglas stood, appreciating the land. It’s moments like these, she says, when she can imagine how her ancestors lived on the land.

“Sometimes I could just visually see people coming and going and walking and just putting pieces together,” she says. “And it feels really good. It’s like I’m looking back in time.”

A drive any direction outside Las Vegas offers a glimpse of how difficult it would be to live off the unforgiving dry terrain. Still, this place is home not only to countless species of plants and wildlife, it has also belonged to the Southern Paiute and Shoshone people since the start of time.

Today, federal protections, such as national parks or monument designations, keep some significant Indigenous homelands from being developed. Red Rock is one example in Southern Nevada. Avi Kwa Ame National Monument is another. One that’s proposed for such protection is the East Las Vegas National Monument, located between Las Vegas and Lake Mead.

Yet under the current system, all it takes to undo decades of work to protect these sites is the action of one presidential administration.

In a recent example, elected Republican officials proposed legislation to sell off millions of acres of public land across the West, including in Nevada. They said the land sales could be used to develop more housing and would help pay for the GOP tax cuts and spending bill known as the One Big, Beautiful Bill Act.

That provision was taken out of the bill. But President Trump has made it clear that he wants to open public lands for oil drilling and mineral mining. Some of the sites his administration is targeting are on land protected by the 119-yearold Antiquities Act, which grants sites national monument status, making them off-limits to development. And some of it is land that Nevada tribes consider sacred.

On May 27, the Department of Justice released a legal opinion affirming the president’s desire to strip certain sites of

their national monument status, putting sacred Indigenous lands at risk.

One of these sites is Avi Kwa Ame National Monument. The area’s name, translated, means “Spirit Mountain,” according to Fort Mojave Indian Tribe elder Paul Jackson. “It’s sacred holy land,” Jackson says. “Our beginnings, not just for the Fort Mojave Tribe, but for other tribes.” He added that Fort Mojave tribal members don’t approach the monument unless they are called to it in their dreams.

Indigenous Peoples in Nevada have a symbiotic relationship with their homeland. Tribal members perform dances on the landscape. Like Fawn Douglas was doing at Red Rock, they hunt for food, document history, and forage for medicine. One of the Las Vegas Paiutes’ dances comes from the area proposed as the East Las Vegas Monument.

ON A NAKED HIKING TRAIL

Yep, naked hiking really is a thing

BY Scott Dickensheets*

1. Eleanor realizes too late that “naked” doesn’t mean “don’t wear boots.”

2. “Does all this sunblock make me look fat?”

3. Jason learns there’s no such thing as a non-chafing backpack.

4. “Where am I supposed to carry my lip balm?!”

5. “Enough beef jerky jokes, guys.”

6. Cub Scout campers about to earn CPR merit badges by reviving shocked den mother.

*Has not naked hiked...yet

Douglas wasn’t always as connected to the land as she now is. In 2015, news outlets reported that rock sculptures in the Gold Butte area were being used for target practice. She drove there and found bullet holes in the middle of petroglyphs, the surrounding landscape trashed.

“I was mad,” she says. “I was just crying. It’s almost like you’re so angry, but there’s nothing you could do, but you have to just release that.” She knew she had to do something about it. “That really was a spark for me.”

Her part of the solution was to mobilize volunteers and get the word out. The community’s support got the attention of President Obama, who deemed it a national monument in December 2016.

For Fort Mojave’s Paul Jackson, getting Avi Kwa Ame federally recognized in 2023 was a struggle. And, he says, the work is not done yet. He’s seen the Colorado River shrink and water quality worsen over the years.

“We know we still got a battle on our hands,” Jackson says. “It’s never going to be over, because even if we educate people about it, there’s still going to be people around to try and take everything away. It’s mostly for profit gained, but to us it’s not. It’s just our spirit again, a real sacred area.”

The current administration will remain in office until 2029, and its attempts to develop protected land are expected to continue. To Jackson, there is one ideal solution.

“Leave it alone,” he says. “The mountains are old and tired. They took care of the river, and they took care of us. They’re old. Now it’s our time to take care of them. If they’re old, leave them alone.” ✦

AVI KWA AME

Natural Wonders

Nature therapies can reconnect you to what’s essential — if you’re ready

BY Morrigan DeVito

When was the last time you slowed down to listen to birdsong, touch a leaf, or gaze at clouds? Nature is not just a backdrop to our lives, but an active force, though we often forget that in our busyness. Recent research has shown that being outdoors can improve our well-being and decrease stress, depression, and anxiety. For those seeking a deeper connection with the outdoors, there’s the emerging field of nature therapy.

Sometimes called eco- or green therapy, these practices often supplement traditional modalities, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy or interpersonal therapy, with experiences in nature. That could involve anything from mindful birding to horseback riding, “forest bathing” (a Japanese practice in which you connect with your five senses in a woodland setting) to rock climbing, hiking, or creating art. (For example, I lead mindful birding walks for the Red Rock Audubon Society and am a member of the Mindful Birding Network, helping others de-stress and find presence by tuning in to the wisdom of birds.) What differentiates nature therapy from just doing it yourself is the way guides help you go deeper into your inner world and better understand the outer landscape. They structure the experience, offering reflection

prompts, information about plants and animals, and a listening ear. By collaborating with what nature presents in the moment, they tap into the lessons it so abundantly provides — such as growth, loss, and renewal — to strengthen a client’s healing journey.

Helping people uncover the best versions of themselves is what brought Kyle Kananiloa Ellis, a local adventure guide specializing in hiking and kayaking trips since 2014, to this work. After his own healing experiences in the Black Canyon Wilderness of Lake Mead, Ellis offers therapy in the same landscape that helped him. He has since founded Hike Las Vegas, operated under the Rich Wellness Collective, a nonprofit dedicated to holistic wellness.

“Nature is an extension of you,” he says, “and you learn a lot about how someone feels, what they think, and their state of living based on how you observe them in nature. I see the most results on the river. It shows your most vulnerable, authentic self.”

You don’t have to go into the wilderness to benefit from nature therapy. At The Nestled Recovery Center, an addiction rehabilitation clinic in Las Vegas that combines personalized, holistic care with evidence-based therapies, one of the treatment programs is horticulture. Clients work with a gardener weekly to grow their own vegetables and herbs.

“We treat the whole human,” clinical director Niggi Granado says. “And a lot of people have been disconnected from nature for so long.” He says gardening helps people tap into some of the “eight dimensions of wellness,” including their emotional, physical, and environmental wellness, as they navigate life without substances. By planting, watering, pruning, and checking in on the garden, clients learn to take care of the earth, their own health, and their community.

Nature therapy might still be an emerging field in Las Vegas, but the lessons of nature are all around us — if you slow down enough to learn them. ✦

HISTORY OF BUSINESS

Green Acreage

Real estate deals are a big part of every American city’s story, shaping their economies and character. In Las Vegas, they have done more than influence its history: The city we know simply would not exist without them. Here are seven that made a difference in a variety of ways.

FOUNDATION: HELEN STEWART SELLS HER RANCH

ther he nor anyone else could have foreseen what this deal would set in motion.

BEGINNING: RAILROAD AUCTIONS TOWNSITE LOTS

BY Geoff Schumacher

In 1902, William Andrews Clark, a Montana copper mining mogul and U.S. senator, bought Helen Stewart’s ranch for $55,000. One of a handful of ranches in the area, it was the best situated for Clark’s purposes. He was building a railroad between Salt Lake City and Los Angeles and wanted Stewart’s 1,800-acre spread because of the plentiful artesian springs in the valley and timber in the nearby mountains. He planned to build a division point in what was already then called Las Vegas, with railroad shops and a town. For Clark, one of America’s richest men, the purchase was important to his project but hardly momentous. Undoubtedly, nei-

After railroad service began in early 1905, Clark turned his attention to creating a town to support the railroad and its customers, who were flocking to Las Vegas from the bustling Goldfield, Tonopah, and Bullfrog mining camps to the north. The company platted a townsite of 1,200 lots on the east side of the tracks. The lots were advertised in Salt Lake and Los Angeles, and, after receiving considerable interest, the company held an auction for the most desirable parcels.

On May 15, 1905, hundreds of potential bidders descended on Las Vegas. On that first day, 176 lots were purchased for a total of $79,566. Many more were sold on the second day. The railroad netted $265,000 for the two days.

Tent structures went up immediately, soon followed by sturdier buildings. Las Vegas was born.

The story of Las Vegas in seven real estate deals

UNION PACIFIC STATION IN DOWNTOWN LAS VEGAS

HOSPITALITY: THOMAS HULL BUILDS RESORT ON HIGHWAY 91

The railroad remained the heart of the Las Vegas economy for more than 30 years. That changed in 1940, when local businessmen Robert Griffith and James Cashman persuaded California hotel developer Thomas Hull to build a resort in Las Vegas. At the time, Fremont Street featured several small casinos, but the community lacked a sprawling resort that could handle a higher volume and offer amenities that required space. Hull operated seven hotels in California, two of which offered luxury in an auto court setting — the perfect formula for Las Vegas.

Hull purchased 40-plus acres at the southwest corner of Highway 91 and San Francisco Avenue (now Sahara Avenue). The location irked some leaders because it was outside the city limits. But Hull wisely wanted to be on the highway leading into town, as well as beyond municipal regulations.

El Rancho Vegas opened on April 3, 1941, the first hotel-casino on what would become the Strip.

RESIDENTIAL: HOWARD HUGHES ACQUIRES 25,000 ACRES WEST OF LAS VEGAS

Howard Hughes, a frequent visitor to Las Vegas in the 1940s, moved here in 1953, leasing a small house just east of the Strip. During this period he engineered a massive land exchange, trading 73,000 acres he had accumulated in Northern Nevada for a 25,000-acre parcel west of

Las Vegas. He wanted to move the Hughes Aircraft Company from Los Angeles to Las Vegas. Hughes Aircraft executives balked at relocating, but Hughes kept the land. It lay dormant until the 1990s, when his heirs began to develop it into Summerlin. It was a shrewd move, yielding vast riches for Hughes’ heirs while providing Las Vegas with a middle-class wonderland of thoughtfully organized subdivisions, parks, schools, and shopping plazas. Today, Summerlin is home to more than 130,000 people and is still growing.

EDUCATION: ESTELLE WILBOURN DONATES LAND FOR UNIVERSITY CAMPUS

In the 1950s, Las Vegans started thinking they would like to have a university of their own. For years, local kids seeking a college education had to travel to Reno or out of state. In 1955, plans for a campus in Las Vegas revolved around a generous offer from Estelle Wilbourn of Modesto, California. Wilbourn had 80 acres along Maryland Parkway. She was willing to donate 60 of them for the campus if local officials came up with $35,000 for the rest. The Nevada Southern Campus Fund was created to raise money for the land as well as other necessities to start a campus. The fund raised $50,000, enough to buy the land, and to qualify for $200,000 in state funds.

In the 1960s, developers E. Parry Thomas and Jerry Mack created the Nevada Southern University Land Foundation, a land bank to buy properties to expand the campus; they acquired another 400 acres.

BUSINESS: STEVE WYNN BUYS LAND IN FRONT OF CAESARS PALACE

In the late 1960s, Howard Hughes purchased a narrow strip of land in front of Caesars Palace. The property was 100 feet wide and 1,500 feet deep. A few years later, a young entrepreneur named Steve Wynn approached Herb Nall, who handled real estate for Hughes, about buying it. Nall dismissed the idea, because, he said, Hughes “doesn’t sell, he buys.”

Undeterred, Wynn went to his mentor, Parry Thomas, who had a role in most of Hughes’ Las Vegas acquisitions. As Wynn tells it, after a couple of days he received a call from Nall telling him that Hughes would sell him the property for $1.1 million. Wynn had made his first big deal.

He announced plans to build a hotel-casino, The Godfather, on the tiny parcel. Caesars, naturally, did not want a competitor so close, so it bought the property from Wynn for $2.25 million. Wynn’s profit allowed him to take control of the Golden Nugget and eventually to build some of the Strip’s most iconic resorts.

FUTURE: CITY ACQUIRES UNION PACIFIC RAIL YARD

When Oscar Goodman became mayor in 1999, downtown redevelopment was his primary focus. Easily his biggest move occurred in 2000 when he executed a land exchange that turned over a large portion of the Union Pacific rail yard to the city.

“Oscar’s 61 acres,” as the property was often described, has evolved into the city’s crown jewel, Symphony Park. Today, it’s home to The Smith Center for the Performing Arts, Discovery Children’s Museum, Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, and more than 600 apartments. And the park’s not yet complete. A 400-room Marriott hotel is slated to open soon, and construction is underway on several high-rise condo towers. Eventually, the long-awaited Las Vegas Art Museum is expected to be built there.

It was only 120 years ago that Symphony Park was a patch of Mojave scrub selected by William Clark for a railroad depot between Los Angeles and Salt Lake. ✦

Geoff Schumacher, vice president of exhibits and programs at The Mob Museum, is the author of Sun, Sin & Suburbia: The History of Modern Las Vegas

UNLV CAMPUS, 1962

As one of the nation’s top-selling master-planned communities, many have already discovered Cadence is a unique and special place. With its combination of value, lifestyle and community; it’s the perfect place to address your future.

If you haven’t visited…come and see.

Follow a walkway. Explore Central Park. Marvel at the views. Tour model homes. Meet potential neighbors. Because once you’re here, we’re confident you’ll want to address your future too.

SOCIETY

Welcome to Filipino Town

The story behind the county’s newest cultural zone

BY Maicyn Udani

The moment you walk into Seafood City, the scent of Jollibee chicken and the sound of Taglish chatter engulf your senses, taking you to Manila, Philippines. But the supermarket on South Maryland Parkway is special compared to its chain sisters across the country. This one is the heart of Clark County’s newest official cultural district: Filipino Town.

The Las Vegas Valley is home to more than 200,000 Filipino people.

The one-mile stretch of Maryland Parkway between Desert Inn and Flamingo has always been a hangout spot for their community. But thanks to 90-year-old Rozita Lee, now they can officially call it their own.

“At one time, Filipinos gathered on Charleston and Maryland Parkway,” Lee says. “But as the years went by, most of them started to come here.”

As a highly visible community advocate and Filipino herself, Lee pitched the idea of the new cultural zone. She was inspired by how many local businesses in the area were Filipino-owned — 14 percent to be exact, according to Lee. They include Toto’s Grill, popular buffet Kusina Ni Lorraine, and Valerio’s Bakeshop. She and the rest of the Filipino Town Board hope to attract more.

Building cultural institutions is also on their list — the most ambitious being a Filipino museum in the Boulevard Mall. Lee plans to work with a curator to find ancient artifacts from the Philippines. The museum will be available to the public, of course, but she has a specific audience in mind.

“This museum has to be for the young generation,” she says. She wants the youth involved so they can learn more about their cultural roots and even

display their accomplishments. She also hopes to establish a language workshop for those looking to learn Filipino languages.

Tiffany Biscoe agrees. Also Filipino, Biscoe owns TIABI Coffee & Waffle, another business in Filipino Town. TIABI is a must for Lee when she’s nearby; hence their friendship today.

Biscoe hopes to see Filipino Nevadan figures in the museum, like the state’s first Filipina legislator, Assemblymember Erica Mosca. “I think it’s just a great way to educate the community,” Biscoe says. “Anything to do with bringing culture to our city and embracing the diversity is really something I want to be a part of.”

Biscoe incorporates popular flavors of the Philippines in her café, like ube, mango, and coconut. It’s a way for her to connect her culture with her business. In the future, she hopes to see parades in the area and a large marquee that reads “Filipino Town,” similar to the one in Los Angeles’ Filipino district.

Despite its condensed plethora of businesses, Filipino Town isn’t the only place you’ll find members of its community. Filipinos first started migrating to Las Vegas for its economy and glamor, but they also stepped up during times of labor shortages. In recent years, many became teachers, as the Clark County School District recruited heavily in the islands. Before that, in the 1990s, many became healthcare professionals. Today, about one in six local doctors are of Asian descent. Lee believes it’s because of their hospitable nature.

She recalls growing up in the sugarcane fields of Maui, Hawai‘i, with her family. Her father earned $1 a day, but he and Lee’s mother still made an effort to take care of their village neighbors.

“We (Filipinos) are a caring people,” she says. “It’s innate. We’re born with that.”

The Philippines has more than 80 provinces and 120 spoken dialects. Lee has noticed that many Filipino Americans take pride in their hometowns, and sometimes it can get in the way of getting along with each other. With Filipino Town, Lee felt inspired to remind her community that, in the end, they all come from the same place. It’s time to unite them, she says. Lee and Biscoe’s friendship is an example of the connections they hope to see in Filipino Town.

“The Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have others do unto you. And that’s what I preach,” Lee says. “And Filipino Town is a wonderful platform, a place to start.” ✦

ROZITA LEE

HEAR MORE about Filipino Town on “KNPR’s State of Nevada.”

Photo by Virginia Trudeau.

DINING

THIS GHEE-WASHED OLD FASHIONED can be found on Tamba’s menu, which reads as a love letter to South and East Asian aesthetics, culinary techniques, and flavors.

(See page 30)

DINING

The Vegas Dish

New chefs, dishes, and spots to try around the valley

BY Lorraine Blanco Moss

NUDO ITALIANO nudolv.com

Nudo Italiano brings Strip royalty to the Southern Highlands. The wood-fired Neapolitan pies are nearly perfect at Jenna and Michael Morton’s new, yet classic, Italian restaurant. It feels sleek, yet homey inside — a place to hang with family and enjoy an unforgettable pepperoni pizza with vodka sauce and honey.

PISCES BAR AND SEAFARE wynnlasvegas.com

Feast on a savory trip across the Mediterranean at Wynn’s new seafood spot, Pisces. Feel like you’re aboard a luxury yacht crunching on pane sfogliato, a buttery Italian puff pastry. Stop in Spain for a crave-worthy sea bass ceviche. And close with a banger, a Basque cheesecake inside a meringue sphere, cracked tableside. Pisces is a Wynn’er!

ZAYTINYA zaytinya.com

Mediterranean food is the meal of the moment and, with the multitude of vegetable and seafood mezze at chef José Andrés’ latest Las Vegas restaurant, you can bring your pescatarian and plant-based besties

for a tasty, affordable, family-style fete. Meat lovers, try anything with lamb in it — shoulder, chops, and, oh my! … the kebabs.

LE CAFE CENTRAL lecafeduvegas.com

Lovely, lively, and legit, Le Cafe Central offers francophiles an array of delightful options. From the folks behind Le Cafe du Vegas, this Chinatown gem excites with top-notch tarts, fancy French toasts, and a glorious duck confit galette.

CHEF MATT MEYER’S DRY-AGED POP-UPS chefmattmeyer.com

I devoured a 17-course, dry-aged extravaganza atop the Sky Las Vegas recently. Chef Matt Meyer

(former chef-owner of Henderson’s Served Global Dining and 138 Restaurant) plans to roll out a series of pop-up dinners at unexpected venues across the valley with dry-aged beef, duck, and fish. Judging from the arroz con pato I got to preview, this will be the food lover’s ticket this fall.

H MART hmart.com

So many soy sauces, so little time. Diving into a bowl of dumplings? H Mart has a specific soy for that – also for eggs, noodles, and meats. The selection of Asian food temptations feels limitless at this Korean super mart that just landed here in the desert. Find the craziest cool potato chips like octopus, fried crab, and garlic oyster! It’s a field trip for foodies. ✦

EAT UP!

Nudo Italiano (far left); chef Matt Meyers’ dry-aged pop-up (left); Zaytinya (below left); Le Cafe Central (below right)

TASTE AND SEE

PROFILE

Fire Signs

The secret spice of Tamba’s innovative Indian cuisine:

BY Andrew Kiraly

Given that Tamba is among the valley’s excitement-generating new restaurants, given that the flavors practically vibrate off the plate (and given that those plates themselves are delightful moments of dinnerware art), and given that the service consistently hits a note of briskly attentive, intuitively welltimed solicitude, reflecting serious fine-dining discipline — given all that, it might seem odd to start off by talking about the restaurant’s décor.

Or, rather, the absence of décor. Notice Tamba’s commanding tonal immensity of beige. Even the flourishes on the doorways resist colorizing; they look like they’re cast in sand. The whole normcore Amer Fort vibe is certainly an intentional design choice, but this isn’t mere pretentious monochrome minimalism at play.

“I’m very against art and stuff on the walls, unless it makes very clear sense,” owner Sunny Dhillon explains. “And, yeah, we’ve had mixed reviews about it. It’s funny because the artistic people are like, ‘Oh my God, incredible!’ And the other side is basically, ‘You guys need artwork!’ But I love the simplicity of it.”

The purpose of that simplicity is to zoom your attention in on the plate. Whether it’s the piquantly savory kimchi butter oysters or plump, smoky octopus straight from the Josper charcoal oven — or even the classic

butter chicken — the dishes at Tamba are confident, dynamic exclamations of spice, subtlety, and playful innovation. It doesn’t feel quite fair to label anything going on here as “fusion” (that overbroad category of culinary blurring), unless we’re talking about the almost scientific approach Dhillon took when he was assembling the Tamba team, fusing disparate talents with an impressive collective global pedigree. “It’s a lot of seasoned personalities, but absolutely no egos.”

Executive chef Anand Singh himself brings about half of that pedigree. From Mumbai to the Maldives to the Seychelles to Mexico (where Dhillon recruited him from the acclaimed Arbol in Cabo San Lucas), Singh boasts a résumé that’s less a list of bullet points than a narrative arc of accumulated tools and techniques from international kitchens. At Tamba, he presides over the fiery side of things with wok, tandoor, Josper charcoal oven, and mangal grill.

“If you go to a very traditional restaurant in India, they usually only use a tandoor,” Singh says. “When you take those spices and marination that you’d use in the tandoor, and cook them in a Josper or mangal grill, you get a different, smoky flavor that is very unique.” Case in point: the mangal-grilled potatoes and cauliflower in Tamba’s roasted aloo gobi masala, which bold-face the dish’s earthy richness.

collaboration

Chef Anand Singh brings his international experience to Vegas as culinary head of Tamba.

That spirit of cross-over experimentation spans the menu. In charge of Tamba’s raw program is chef Sung Park, formerly of Sushi Samba, where he’d struck up a friendship with Dhillon after regularly wowing him with his late-night omakase wizardry. If Singh’s experience is broad and cosmopolitan, Park’s is focused and deep. He’s a sushi master whose studied expertise is now finding fresh inspiration in new flavor profiles.

“With Japanese cuisine, the spices are very limited,” Park says. “I mean, they use a lot of togarashi, but that’s about it. They can’t handle a lot of spice. But playing around with chef Anand’s homemade spice mixtures is like a whole new library opening up. Like, our tamarind-spiced hamachi, with a curry emulsion and ponzu, is one of those unique combinations that melds really well together.”

Again, sure, you can call it fusion, but their talents and techniques

aren’t so much fused as choreographically intertwined — or, as Singh says, “You can create magic if you have two minds sharing all their experience.” It also helps that Singh and Park share a practical creative philosophy that aims not to invent new dishes as triumphant conceptual conceits, but rather craft them to be combinatorially delicious — which is to say they want them to be popular. When you see “kimchi butter oysters” on the menu, it might initially strike you as a fanciful flight of kitchen-lab ambition that, hmm, may not be for you. When you taste it, though, you’ll be wondering why this isn’t standard treatment anywhere oysters are served. (Expanding the scope of flavor combos into the liquid realm is an intriguing sake program that general manager Olivier Morowati is building out.)

Also working in Tamba’s favor, counterintuitively, is the valley’s abundance of neighborhood Indian eateries, which hew to a safe band-

width of “authenticity” that entails a standard regimen of samosas, naan, tandoori chicken, curries, masalas, and the good old ladle-it-yourself lunch buffet. In other words, no one’s doing what Tamba’s doing, but clearly there’s an appetite for it.

The question of how popular an upscale contemporary Indian restaurant can become in Town Square — jostling with staid and standard chain eateries such as Lazy Dog, P.F. Chang’s, and California Pizza Kitchen – is anyone’s guess. But Dhillon, whose father was a successful restaurateur (shout out to the original Gandhi on Flamingo and Paradise), chose Town Square for the long, strategic game.

“We signed three years ago, and even we didn’t know Town Square was going to go through such a boom,” Dhillon says. “Guest House and PopStroke announced after. Two hotels are coming there. The (Brightline West) train will be a mile and a half away. There’s a massive play for it becoming the central core of transport. So, we placed it on the hardest hitting corner in the city.”

Hmm, this idea of Town Square as an exciting place of arrivals and departures — rather than a mere lifestyle shopping complex — suggests that Tamba is happily cooking well ahead of schedule. ✦

Tamba, 6671 Las Vegas Blvd. South., #A-117, tambalasvegas.com

TASTE OF TAMBA

Chef Sung Park fuses classic flavors with new techniques.

TRENDS

Seeds of Discontent

Citing possible health benefits, some restaurants are cutting back on oils derived from seeds

BY Sarah Bun

BOOKS

THE KITCHEN WHERE IT HAPPENS

New cookbook turns musicals into fun family recipes

The spicy aroma of cardamom and orange zest wafts from my oven. Before this aptly named Pickpocket Cardamom Bread Pudding can make it to a plate, I steal a small taste. Wow. A recipe from local author Veeda Bybee’s new musical-inspired cookbook, A Few of My Favorite Things,

If you have driven to the southwest part of town, you may have passed a billboard that reads, “We Hate Seed Oils.” This message highlights a growing trend. So, you may wonder, what’s the culinary or health rationale behind it?

Some view seed oils — canola, corn, cottonseed, grapeseed, soybean, sunflower, safflower, rice bran, and peanut — as harmful because of their high quotient of omega-6, a type of polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA). Although research on this view is limited, many businesses are moving away from seed oils because they may negatively affect health. Nationwide chains such as Steak ’n Shake are working to eliminate them entirely. Some companies in the potato chip industry are using avocado and olive oils. In 2024, the Seed Oil Free Alliance, a third-party certifying organization, certified its first restaurant in the U.S. In Las Vegas, an increasing number of restaurants have eliminated

is one of my favorite bites this week. Considering that I spent the last seven days at many high-profile restaurant openings along our famous boulevard, that’s quite a feat.

Bybee says the idea for the book started during the COVID pandemic, when her family was looking for ways to fight the monotony. One night, they sat down together to watch the live stage recording of Hamilton. They loved it, and that sparked a new family tradition; the Las Vegas mother and author called it Family Musical Fridays. They would watch a family-friendly musical each week and cook meals either mentioned during, or relevant to the time period of, the story.

seed oils in favor of beef and Wagyu tallow, olive, avocado, coconut, and palm oils.

This eating habit isn’t new. In 2015, nutritionist Steven Macari reported on the potential benefits of a PUFA-free diet for bazaar.com, suggesting it might slow the aging process and improve overall health. Registered dietician Miriam Een, an assistant professor of nutrition at UNLV’s Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine, says, “If there’s chronic inflammation, diets high in omega-6 fatty acids can increase the potential for that inflammatory response.” She says seed oils don’t cause the inflammation, but can exacerbate an existing chronic or inflammatory condition. Een emphasizes the importance of balancing other lifestyle factors, such as getting enough sleep and maintaining a well-rounded diet.

Currently, restaurants in Las Vegas that have gone seed oilfree include El Dorado Cantina, which collaborated with Seed Oil Scout on the above-men -

Says Bybee, “This cookbook is great for families or anyone who appreciates musicals and creating a memorable meal.”

As I tested many of the recipes, I found helpful tips, like rubbing the orange zest into the sugar, in the bread pudding instructions, to infuse the citrus flavor before finishing the custard. Also, the ingredients in the recipes are easy to obtain, and the explanations are simple to follow. This is a fun find for home cooks who want to turn their kitchens into a Broadway stage and truly make it a place for dancing. It’s not challenging for an advanced chef, but I appreciated the creativity of the sections organized into Overture, Opening Number,

tioned billboard, Emilio’s Contemporary Mexican Kitchen, Carolina’s Mexican Kitchen, True Food Kitchen, Protein House, Le Café Du Vegas brands, and Tarantino’s Vegan. However, seed oils can still be found in many products, such as plant-based milk, mayonnaise, salad dressings, and nut butter. Unless restaurants prepare their own condiments and nondairy milk, these eateries might not be completely free of seed oils.

For fry lovers, Bardot Brasserie offers duck fat fries, and With Love, Always — a smash-burger joint — serves shoestring fries deep-fried in beef tallow. Additionally, some restaurants that aren’t seed oil-free can prepare dishes using alternative oils upon request. Pan Asian Thai Cuisine will cook any dish with coconut oil if asked. Harvest, Salt & Spoon, and Stubborn Seed use farm-sourced ingredients, which may help balance the healthy versus unhealthy ratios.

Going seed oil-free needn’t force a wholesale lifestyle change. “I don’t think it needs to be your main focus,” Een says. “Eliminate if you want. Can you have a healthy diet without seed oils? Absolutely.” ✦

Act I, Intermission, Act II, and Finale (desserts!).

And for those who plan to join the pride at The Lion King at The Smith Center this fall, you’ll be feeling the love tonight if you decide to bake the “No Worries Banana Bread.” My 1-year-old gave a standing ovation when I offered him a bite. Hakuna matata! — Lorraine Blanco Moss

A Few of My Favorite Things

Veeda Bybee 176 pages, $23.99 Shadow Mountain Publishing

Saturday, October 4, 2025 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Join us for a free outdoor event that promotes being a caring neighbor. Attendees engage in community-focused acts of kindness and take part in family-friendly activities. PBS KIDS’ beloved characters Daniel Tiger and Miss Elaina will be on stage for guest appearances throughout the day.

Sponsorships Available!

Become a corporate sponsor at Be My Neighbor Day and partner your organization with Vegas PBS at an exciting event that draws over 7,000 attendees. For more information contact corporatesponsorship@vegaspbs.org or 702.799.1010 x5335.

vegaspbs.org/bemyneighborday

Presented by

Las Vegas Loves Tiki

The popularity of these themed bars has ebbed and flowed for ages. What keeps people coming back?

BY Lissa Townsend Rodgers

“Every city needs a great tiki bar,” because it’s an “escape from daily stress,” says P Moss, owner of Frankie’s Tiki Room. More than other bars, he adds, “Tiki bars offer art, style, unique drinks and atmosphere.” While the taste may have faded for a time, and the flavor has changed, the spirit of tiki has remained strong for 90 years, including in Las Vegas.

Aficionados consider Don the Beachcomber, which opened in Hollywood in 1934, to be the original tiki joint. Almost a decade later, Los Angeles restaurateur Bob Brooks brought the vibe to Vegas, opening the Polynesian-themed Nevada Biltmore Hotel and its Seven Seas club. But the big Kahuna of Vegas tiki joints was the Aku Aku at the Stardust, an expansive bar and restaurant that added our city’s love for immersive experiences and floor shows to the mix. It closed in 1980, leaving one of its giant stone Easter Island-style heads to take up residence in Sunset Park.

Then Vegas, like many other cities, went tiki-less until the dawn of the twenty-first century, when two trends would pave the way for the style’s return. The resurgence of interest in mid-century design revived the aesthetic, while the rise of mixology invited a new take on the drinks. Tiki fans began to develop their own subculture, building home bars and creating conventions, such as California’s Tiki Oasis or New York’s Ohana Luau.

In 2008, Moss addressed what he calls a “glaring hole in Vegas culture” and opened Frankie’s Tiki Room on West Charleston, a place for “Polynesian and low-brow art, drinks people can’t find anywhere else, in an environment like no other bar.” The compact space is crammed with hand-carved sculptures and custom art serving drinks both classic (Zombie) and original (Lava Letch).

Frankie’s proved popular with both locals and tourists, and a wave of tropical-themed bars followed its lead. It began with the Disney-esque, elaborately appointed Golden Tiki and continued through the latest iterations, Resorts World’s Golden Monkey Tiki Bar and Fremont East’s Glitter Gulch Tiki.

“In this world, you have to be experiential, and tiki is entertainment,” Glitter Gulch Tiki co-owner Paul Hymas, says. “We wanted to

do something that’s authentic, but throw a little irreverence into it.”

The velvet curtains and bamboo paneling give a Sin City-via-Polynesia feel, and drinks served aflame or dry-iced have Vegas flair. Fans of the aesthetic have taken to the bar, which has created an informal tiki mug exchange: You can bring in your Trader Vic’s to swap for a Disney.

There’s also been a rise in bars that deploy the tiki aesthetic as just one ingredient in their style. San Diego’s Mothership tells the tale of “a crashed starship, a mysterious, forbidden tropical planet, and a bounty of reimagined exotic cocktails,” according to owner Kory Stetina. The legend is conveyed through decor that combines scavenged escape pods and neon-hued flora. Stetina says, “We like to think of ourselves expanding upon some of our favorite elements of tiki bars, but in a new and distinct realm: the psychedelic cosmos.”

Other tiki adaptations include New York City’s Friki Tiki, which adds Polynesia to the piano bar,

and Nashville’s Hubba Hubba Tiki Tonk, whose concept is right in the name. Near Las Vegas’ Paradise Palms neighborhood, Red Dwarf’s punk tropicalia means thatched roofing over booths and Iggy Pop posters on the walls. Todo Bien in the southwest is tiki via Dia de los Muertos and mezcal.

But Downtown’s Stray Pirate may have the most original backstory, locally: Pirates, shipwrecked on a Caribbean island, have been transformed into dogs. With velvet paintings of sword-wielding canines, it’s not traditional tiki, but co-owner Chris Gutierrez says the unexpectedness is part of the appeal. “We were able to craft cocktails and an atmosphere that is unique, while still valuing the immersive décor and classic recipes,” he says.

Themes aside, P Moss says, “A great tiki bar should stand the test of time.” Time has indeed tested the endurance of the Vegas tiki joint, but after a long dry spell, it appears the mai tais will keep flowing into the future. ✦

BAR NONE Tiki bars, like Mothership (above left) and Glitter Gulch (right), still hold an enduring appeal.

Friend Request

The Timeleft app brings groups of strangers together for dinner — introverts welcome

BY Reannon Muth

I’ve always been shy. As a kid, just the thought of meeting new people would cause me to throw up or have a panic attack.

Now that I’m nearing middle age, the years have sanded down the edges of my social anxiety enough that I can almost pass as comfortable in social settings; confident, even. But I still found myself nervous as I crossed the Green Valley Ranch parking lot on a recent night, about to do something I’d never done: Eat dinner with five complete strangers. The dinner had been arranged through an app called Timeleft. The process is simple: You sign up, rate yourself on a scale by answering questions such as “How extroverted are you?” or “How creative are you?,” and then you’re notified that you’ve been matched with five other people and would you like to meet them for dinner this Friday? The app picks the people and the restaurant. You just show up.

The only thing I knew about my fellow diners was that they were the type of people who voluntarily paid an app $15.99 to set them up with unknowns from the internet. And it wasn’t even with the promise of romance afterward — this was purely about making friends, or, as the Timeleft marketing materials stated, “the magic of chance encounters.” These people had to be super-extroverted, I’d reasoned. As a recovering shy person, I worried I wouldn’t fit in.

“The app is really popular in Las Vegas right now,” one of my friends who’d dined with Timeleft had said. He knew others who’d used it to expand their social circles and make new friends. With so many people coming and going, Las Vegas is an easy place to meet new people, but lasting friendships are harder to come by. I’ve lived here more than 10 years and had literally hundreds of acquaintances, but few real friends.

The hostess at Bottiglia Cucina & Enoteca didn’t bat an eye when I blurted, “I’m with Timeleft,” leading me to the table where my group was seated: two women and three men, all appearing to be in our late-30s to mid-40s. I sat down and introduced myself.

As we shared what had brought us there, one man revealed this was his 25th dinner through the app. He was somewhat of a known figure within the app’s world, frequently attending Timeleft afterparties in bars around town. He even moderated a 180-person Timeleft group chat. He held out his phone to show it to me, scrolling until a picture appeared of a recent pole-dancing fitness class that members of the chat had attended. I squinted at a blurry photo of a partially clothed man hanging from a pole in what appeared to be a dance studio. They were planning to visit a shooting range next, he said.

As I sipped my beer, the conversation bounced from topic to topic, from the superficial, like where everyone was from, to the surprisingly deep, such as someone’s struggle to parent their teenage son and another’s recent breakup.

I studied the group, trying to tease out a common thread. Other than our similar ages — apparently the app groups diners by age — we didn’t appear to have much in common. We all worked in different professions, from tech or healthcare to the arts or beauty — and had varying political beliefs, religious affiliations, and sexual orientations.

“Are you all extroverts?” I asked.

Two of the men said they scored high on the extroversion scale. “I’m 99 percent extrovert,” one said with a grin. But the guy who’d been to 25 dinners shook his head.

“I’m an introvert,” he said. “If it wasn’t for this app, I’d probably be sitting here like this.” He folded his fingers together on the table, hunched his shoulders, and looked down shyly.

“Really? I would have never guessed that about you.” This guy had been so chatty.

He told us how he’d often struggled to meet people, sitting alone at bars playing poker and wracking his brain for ways to start conversations with the regulars beside him.

Timeleft gave him a way in.

“You don’t have to try to figure out if the other person is up for meeting people,” he explained.

“Because we’re all here to meet people,” someone else said.

“Although I think this” — he gestured to the table — “has made me more extroverted.”

“Yeah, I read an article about that recently,” I said, nodding. “You can change your personality and make yourself more extroverted … simply by interacting with people more. Like, if you act more extroverted, you can become more extroverted.”

After we’d paid our checks, he turned to me. “So. What did you think?”

“It was fun! I thought it would be awkward,” I admitted. “But it really wasn’t. Not at all.”

As we headed to our cars, a few of us exchanged phone numbers and hugs goodbye. Our introverted leader added me to the group chat and made me promise I’d try Timeleft again. The next day I awoke to invitations for a hookah party, a Sunday church service, and a wine tasting. “I hope we all continue to build the friendships,” someone had written.

I hoped so, too. ✦

$25 MEMBER REWARDS CERTIFICATE

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CULTURE

It’s that time of year when school starts and the seasonal programming calendars of many venues begin. Just don’t call it fall, because it sure as hell won’t feel like it until the next issue of Desert Companion . Still, there’s a ton on offer culturally, especially during September and October. Fortunately for you, we’ve fine-tuned our event filter in anti-algorithmic fashion. Which is to say: We won’t predict what you will like — instead, we’re gonna tell you what you should like.

Can your calendar handle this much good stuff?

BY Mike Prevatt

Music seems like a good place to start, and the Encore Theater — the rare Strip venue strong in both the quality and quantity of its bookings, to say nothing of the fantastic sound and intimacy it provides — comes through with a rare Jon Batiste headlining stand (Sept. 6-7, 8p, prices vary, wynnlasvegas. com). The award-winning composer/ singer/instrumentalist has mostly performed locally in tribute and award shows, but these two Encore gigs ought to spotlight his rapidly growing reportoire, which includes a modern interpretation — and live improvisation — of (deep breath) jazz, blues, country, R&B, and soul music. If you’re overwhelmed by the sheer number of concerts timed for Mexican Independence Day, try an alternative to the usual mainstream/traditional Spanish-language shows: Cuco (Sept. 13, 7p, Brooklyn Bowl, $54-77, brooklynbowl.com/ las-vegas), the bilingual, bedroom/ indie pop sensation who might play more instruments and blend more genres than even Jon Batiste. For the whole family: The Las Vegas Philharmonic again devotes an entire show to the music of the Looney Tunes canon in time for Bugs Bunny’s 85th birthday (Sept. 27, 2p & 7:30p, Reynolds Hall, $29-131, lvphil. org). Watch the wisecracking, boundary-defying, animation legend on the big screen while the Phil cranks

out the score onstage — a shrewd way to introduce the young ’uns to the majesty of a live orchestra.

From music to plays about music that aren’t musicals: Stereophonic (Oct. 2126, times vary, Reynolds Hall, $35-161, thesmithcenter.com) was the golden child of the 2023 and 2024 theater-award seasons, ultimately nailing a record 13 Tony nominations (winning five, including Best Play). Its story about a band’s mid1970s recording session overwhelmed by interpersonal conflicts — rumours it borrowed heavily from the studio travails of a certain British-American band were greatly … settled out of court — is enhanced by former Arcade Fire principal Win Butler’s songs, all recorded live by the cast onstage. No, really.

A mobster, a singer, and a president tussle in the eighth book by P Moss, crime fiction enthusiast and dive bar proprietor (see p.36). Screwing Sinatra is a sordid tale, with Moss having fun with the mythologies of Ol’ Blue Eyes and JFK while reminding us that the backroom machinations of politics, entertainment, and the casino industry are as eternally colorful and occasionally squalid as the Double Down bathroom. Hear Moss rap about it all on September 18 with attorney/commentator/man about town Dayvid Figler — a chat we hope is equally colorful and squalid ( 7p, The Writer’s Block, free, thewritersblock.org).

Avi Kwa Ame is making headlines again as a result of government efforts to rescind its national monument sta-

tus (see p.16). Painter Alina Lindquist presents the sacred space with much more reverence in her exhibit Between Presence and Protection ( through Aug. 27, free, nevadahumanities.org ), currently holding court at the program galley for Nevada Humanities, which has also been subject to recent government edicts. Over at the Flamingo Library, stream-of-consciousness painter/illustrator Kirby M. Brownell channels his storied past in the Las Vegas arts scene and his artistic practice of what he calls “surreal automatism” with his new exhibit, Scribble (through Sept. 21, free, thelibrarydistrict.org).

Finally, Halloween season will start even earlier with the grand opening of Universal Horror Unleashed , the permanent haunt attraction by Universal Studios (opening Aug. 14, times and prices vary, universalhorrorunleashed.com). On the Immersive Vegas Attraction scale, this one’s gonna hit pants-dampening levels. And speaking of pants, they’re not even on some of the cast of Urban Death ( Oct. 9-Nov. 2 , times and prices vary, Vegas Theatre Company, theatre.vegas), a work of lurid horror-theater by Jana Wimer for the 17-and-over crowd. Or, if you’re seeking a ghoul time no spookier than a Goosebumps paperback, outdoor family alternative Haunted Harvest returns to Springs Preserve (Oct. 23-26, 5p-9p, springspreserve.org), reminding us that Halloween — like Las Vegas — is often much tamer than its reputation would indicate. ✦

All Booked Up

Amid a resurgence of bookstores in the valley, we visit four recent additions

BY Reannon Muth

If you haven’t bought a book in Las Vegas lately, you’d be forgiven for assuming that Southern Nevada doesn’t have many independent bookstores. That might have been true five years ago, but recently the number of bookstores in the valley has doubled to more than a dozen new, used, and rare bookshops. This is part of a larger trend, which has seen an increase in physical bookstores across the U.S. Barnes & Noble alone opened 58 stores in 2024 (a high not seen since 2009), including a location in Town Square.

Jen Castagno, a native Las Vegan and owner of The Book Shelf, attributes the reading community’s resurgence in part to the influence of online book communities, specifically #BookTok and #Bookstagram. “I hear from people who’ve said, ‘I hadn’t read in 10 years, and now I read all the time.’”

To witness this trend firsthand, I visited four of the valley’s newest bookstores, all of which have opened in the last two years.

THE BOOK SHELF

Opened: June 2024

››› No fixed location. Follow @thebookshelf.vegas on Instagram for appearance details.

“Cute!” is the first word that comes to mind when I spot The Book Shelf at the Makers Hive Market at The District at

Green Valley — and I’m not alone. As I chat with Castagno, several women ranging from middle schoolers to grandmothers stop to squeal at the sight of The Book Shelf or tell her, “What a clever idea!”

The Book Shelf occupies an enclosed, renovated trailer. It’s a 7-by-14-foot bookworm’s dream version of #VanLife: cozy, artfully decorated, and packed floor-toceiling with roughly 900 carefully curated volumes of fiction.

A former English teacher who regularly reads more than 75 books per year, Castagno tries to read all the books before adding them to her inventory. Any she hasn’t read, she vets with trusted friends. “The book selection is very much ‘me,’” she says.

MAD RED BOOKS

Opened: July

››› 9480 S Eastern Ave #105

When I stopped by Mad Red Books, the owner and his team were busy stocking shelves in preparation for their grand opening, which happened on July 4 — a nod to the

owner’s passion for Revolutionary War books.

Mad Red Books will carry both new and used books in a variety of genres — from children’s and manga to romance and horror — as well as a sizable rare books collection.

“Whether you’re looking for a $10,000 rare book or a $3 romance, there’s something for everyone,” the owner, Joshua Dana, says. He also plans to host author signings, game nights, and silent reading events to reach people with a range of interests.

“We’re definitely a community-based business,” he says.

XOXO, BOOK BOUTIQUE

Opened: February

››› 8868 S Eastern Ave Ste 107

Inside XOXO, Book Boutique hangs a neon pink sign that reads: “Good Girls Read Dirty Books.” But it’s not just women who shop at Nevada’s only romance bookstore; the shop sees its share of men, too. “I see growth in couples coming in to read a romance,” co-owner Monica

Marie says.

The owners — two sisters who’ve lived in Southern Nevada for 25 years — credit the surge in popularity of romance books to hit shows and movies such as Bridgerton and The Summer I Turned Pretty, which have helped renew a hunger for the books that inspired them.

The owners want to expand on their loyal customer base with a cafe that sells coffee and wine. Co-owner Gina Harris says, “We wouldn’t have survived the first months without the reading community helping spread the world.”

MULTICULTURAL BOOKSTORE

LAS VEGAS

Opened: November 2023

››› 2027 Revere St

When I stopped by the Multicultural Bookstore one Saturday afternoon, a teenage artist was showing the store’s owner a painting she’d done for the shop, while a local children’s book author stood nearby, chatting with the manager.

“We consider this the literary hub for this community,” says Carol Santiago, the shop’s owner. Santiago founded the bookstore with the vision to not only bring books to the Historic Westside, but also to be a gathering space. It operates as a community event space, hosting book signings, kids’ storytime, and a weekly gathering called Coffee & Conversations.

Though the Multicultural Bookstore sells new and used books from many genres, as its name suggests, it has a particular specialization.

The shop’s manager, Charles Holbert says, “Our hope is that someone who may feel a little underserved may see a reflection of themselves on our shelves.” ✦

Keep reading: Feed your bookworm at the Las Vegas Book Festival, Oct. 18, at the Historic Fifth Street School (lasvegasbookfestival.com).

Panel topics include Las Vegas fiction; politics and religion; romance; and nature writing.

THE BOOK SHELF

Flower Power

UNLV film professor Brett Levner’s new film,  Riot in Bloom, brings a collaborative spirit to the Nevada Women’s Film Festival

BY Josh Bell

In the late 1990s, at the tail end of alternative rock’s heyday, UNLV film professor Brett Levner worked in the documentary unit at MTV. “I feel like there was still the grunge essence,” she recalls. “Or maybe I was finding it by watching movies like Singles and my favorite movie, Reality Bites I was still wearing my Doc Martens and flannels and attracted to that world.”

Levner channels that spirit of the ’90s in her new feature film, Riot in Bloom, which combines nostalgia for the era with a showcase for its modern resurgence, via the story of a middle-aged woman reliving her youthful rebellion. On her 40th birthday, Rose (Reagan Pfifer) finds out that her husband has been cheating on her, a revelation that shakes up her entire life. She leaves her stultifying office job to work as a barista in a funky coffee shop, where she revives her grunge fashion sense and befriends her teenage trans co-worker, Holly (Kristina Hernandez).

Levner crafted the story with screenwriter and fellow UNLV professor Roudi Boroumand, drawing from their shared experiences. “We had both gone through a divorce previously,” Levner says. “We’re about the same age, and we were thinking we should write a script featuring a female in her 40s, who’s going through things that women that age go through.”

That personal artistic vision was then filtered through UNLV’s co-curricular project, in which production is incorporated into actual classes in the film department. Beginning in fall 2022, Levner spent three semesters working with students as her crew, from pre-production to post-production, in a process that ideally benefits both sides.

“It gives students an opportunity to really see what it’s like to work on a fully professional project,” UNLV film department chair Heather Addison says. “A film program is so much more than just the classes that it offers. It’s what’s happening outside of those classes as well.”

“It’s actually a great symbiotic relationship, because we get to make a film, and we get to use our resources at UNLV,” Levner says.

In this way, she is following in the footsteps of her UNLV predecessors David Schmoeller and the late Francisco Menendez, both of whom made feature films using the same model. “It’s important to keep the legacy going,” Levner says, “because the hallmarks of our program are these co-curricular projects where we are a film family, where we’re collaborating together.”

That collaboration extends to Vegas as a whole, whether it’s Public Works serving as the coffee shop where Rose finds renewed purpose, or GC Records owner Shahab Zargari offering Levner music from his label in place of the actual ’90s bands that were beyond her budget. “That saved us, because we wouldn’t have been able to afford even to get someone to do covers,” Levner says.

“He hand-selected female-fronted bands that played in that genre of ’90s grunge.”

Levner has been at UNLV for 14 years, and Riot in Bloom is the second feature film she’s made locally, following 2016’s The Track . Like many people who initially planned to stay in Vegas for a brief period, she’s become an integral part of the community, as both a professor and a filmmaker. “I’m blown away by the spirit and the vision that she brings to UNLV film,” Addison says. Riot in Bloom is a key part of that. ✦

FILM

HEAR MORE about local films from Josh Bell on "KNPR's State of Nevada."

REAGAN PFIFER (ROSE)

MY TEACHER’S IN THE BAND

Meet three music educators who teach by day and play by night

BY Mike Prevatt

The Clark County School District does right by its students more than its reputation might suggest. Take its music education program: It has earned the Best Communities for Music Education designation for the 26th consecutive year, one of only six U.S. school districts to reach that milestone. It raises the question: Where do CCSD music teachers maintain their chops? For these three, it’s the stages they grace long after that final school bell.

ORLANDO SANTOS

School: Advanced Technologies Academy

Instrument: Drums/percussion

Where they play: Freelance gigs include the Las Vegas Philharmonic, Nevada Pops, David Perrico Pop Symphonic, and Brody Dolyniuk Symphonic Rock Show

How playing music led to teaching music: “I really enjoy conveying my thought process and the things I do onstage to my students, so they’re not just reading notes, but listening to the ensemble and where they fit into the whole artistic portrait for the audience.”

How performance informs instruction: “My approach is, I don’t come at (teaching) as either a different or supplemental job. My teaching is my continuing to make music.”

Playing onstage after a week in the classroom: “I relish it for a lot of reasons, not just to refresh or relax, but (also) because it’s a reminder of what I’m doing all week.”

Learning from the kids: “Some kids are visual learners, some are aural learners

… but sometimes, in my trying to get a kid to understand a difficult concept, they'll come up with something on accident that helps me understand how to better explain it to others.”

MEGAN WINGERTER

School: M.J. Christensen Elementary School

Instrument: Violin, guitar, piano, ukelele

Where they play: Freelance gigs include David Perrico Pop Strings Orchestra and Premiere Wedding & Event Music. Member of the bands The Whiskey Fiddlers and Dusty Sunshine.

How playing music led to teaching music: “Growing up, I had very influential teachers. When I got to college, I did violin performance, but I also had a desire to teach music. I wanted to share that with other people.”

How performance informs instruction: “Being both a music teacher and performer, they really work well together. If I’m teaching music, I want to be able to show the kiddos that I can actually play what I’m teaching.”

Playing onstage after a week in the classroom: “The nine-to-five teaching job, I get a lot of satisfaction out of that. But once that’s done, I can do my gigs on the weekend, or even my own songwriting … It’s what I love to do.”

Learning from the kids: “I teach ukelele to my fourth and fifth graders, and once they get string instruments in their hands, they get so excited. As performers, we’re just going through the gigs and getting into a routine, and you sometimes lose the joy. But the kiddos remind me of it.”

MEGAN WINGERTER

GLEN COLBY

School: William E. Orr Middle School Instruments: Trumpet

Where they play: Member of Jazz Vegas Orchestra, sub for Vegas the Show How playing music led to teaching music: “My junior high school band director involved me a lot in the education process. So I knew I’d be a band director. Even as a freelance trumpet player, I was doing paraprofessional work with the schools and taught lessons.”

How performance informs instruction: “In the Jazz Vegas Orchestra, it’s high-level music. I’m learning myself … including little tricks I can pass on to the kids. I have problems figuring stuff out, and I can relate my experience to the kids, and they can learn more easily, too.”

Playing onstage after a week in the classroom: “The music I’m playing is at a high level, and it’s intense to prepare for.”

Learning from the kids: “Sometimes I’ll be helping a kid who’s not quite getting it. I’ll say, ‘Try it (this other) way,’ and he gets it, and then I think, ‘Oh, maybe I should do it that way, too.’ … When you have to walk someone through something, you’re learning as well.”✦

GLEN COLBY

ORLANDO SANTOS

‘I’LL NEVER FORGIVE THEM’

Vegas-based tech observer Ed Zitron on the empty hype of AI, clueless tech lords, and what he thinks of Las Vegas

By Lissa Townsend Rodgers

In 2025, even those who can barely operate a cell phone have heard about artificial intelligence and how it’s going to shape the future. But while many are excited about the promise, tech journalist and podcaster Ed Zitron is suspicious of the hype. “All of these companies are claiming that large language models, OpenAI, ChatGPT, and the like, is the next big thing,” he says. “The problem is, the actual efficacy, the actual abilities of these programs, have been the same for about two years now. These companies keep growing, their stock valuations keep going up. But it’s not coming from any AI sales.”

Born in England, Zitron attended college in Pennsylvania and settled in Las Vegas, where he founded a public relations company. In 2020, he began the “Where’s Your Ed At” newsletter, a caustic, clever examination of the ways we’re failed by the tech that’s supposed to improve our lives. Last year, he began the award-winning Better Offline podcast, which has featured guests from former FTC chair Lina Khan to MIT economist Daron Acemoglu to comedian Andy Richter. Zitron spoke to Desert Companion about the AI bubble, the business idiot, and the honesty of Las Vegas. Here’s an edited version of that conversation.

What were your early experiences with technology?

I was the dumbest kid in private school and did not have friends. So tech really was my lifeline. ... I was fascinated by the fact that you could connect with people all over the world, that you could play games with them. I was actually a games journalist at 16, one of the first people to cover online gaming, MMORPGs like World of Warcraft, in England. Yeah, tech was a big part of my childhood.

Is that why you’re so vexed by what’s happening to technology? It’s personal?

Absolutely. I hate these bastards. I’ll never forgive them for what they’ve done to the computer. There’s no reason it has to be like this, other than the fact that everything has

to grow at all times: We must have more revenue growth every single quarter.

If you look at the people running these companies: Sam Altman of OpenAI, not a coder, not a technical guy. Satya Nadella of Google, MBA. Tim Cook of Apple, MBA. Andy Jassy of Amazon, MBA. Mark Zuckerberg, not an MBA; however, he has not written a line of code since 2006. They all love talking big business. They don’t know anything about technology. These people have no connection to code, to software. They don’t care: They don’t use their own products.

Do you think they know that they’re making the apps and searches and the things we use worse?

They know. They 100 percent know. … Mark Zuckerberg demanded 12 percent year over year, perpetual growth, and you had people inside Facebook at the time, now called Meta, saying, “Hey, by making these changes, we’re going to give people less useful notifications. We’re going to piss people off.”

As people get frustrated, can they keep the numbers going up? We’re approaching a point where they’re going to start finding out — number is still going up, revenue is still going up, but you’re seeing weird cracks in it. Google search is so bad now, and the AI results are making things worse. On top of that, the large language models that run those things, those searches, those AI overviews, they’re expensive to run, and they’re not producing more revenue. So you’re watching the tech industry kind of get desperate, and the AI bubble is a big part of that.

Can you explain the AI bubble? So, everyone’s saying AI is going to take all our jobs. If you look even an inch below that, you’ll see that the data behind it is

complete nonsense. Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic, claimed that 50 percent of white-collar jobs will be gone in the next one to five years. Complete nonsense based on nothing. … The AI bubble is a hysterical event where these companies pretend — and straight-up lie — about what their products can do in the hopes that they can keep boosting their stock valuations.

So, you’ve got all of these companies, Microsoft, Google, Amazon, and the like, spending hundreds of billions of dollars in capital expenditures to build these massive data centers and filling them full of these GPUs sold by one company, Nvidia. But no one’s making any money. In fact, these things are extremely unprofitable. OpenAI in 2024 spent $9 billion to lose $5 billion. Imagine if you or I did that. Would we be able to get more money out of the bank?

Of course not. So how are they getting away with it?

I have this grander theory called the business idiot. I believe our economy and the large structures behind it, the people in power, are completely disconnected from any kind of production or understanding of their customers. Not just MBAs, also the middle managers that you hate — the people that don’t seem to do anything, but always seem busy. They’re like the people inside the cave that Plato talked about. They see the shadows: “Oh, AI’s big now!” And I think you’re seeing a war between the business idiots and those of us who actually do the work. I’ve heard so many stories about bosses telling people to use AI. Why don’t the bosses use it, if AI is so good? Because it doesn’t work. The main paradigm all of this is built on is large language models. They are probabilistic, which means that they generate the next thing based on how likely it’s the right one. So if you ask it for an image of a cat, these things don’t have consciousness. It says, “I’ve been asked for a picture of a cat; based on my training data, this is the thing that approximates cat.” And it’s pretty good at guessing, but it doesn’t know stuff. So you get hallucinations,

those authoritative statements that aren’t true. It’s basically chatbots. The reason that they’re petering out and they’re plateauing is because they’re trying to make a chatbot do everything. They’re stapling things to chatbots and then being shocked as the chatbot cannot really do it. If you need proof, look at the fact that there aren’t really any products. What is the thing? Where is the thing?

How much of this AI bubble has been boosted by the tech media?

The editorial class of the tech media right now has failed. The people up top don’t know anything, and so many tech journalists aren’t educated in how to even investigate the basic things, to understand the basic economics. They’re educated to follow the markets: “Well, we should tell our readers what the markets are excited about.” You should tell your readers the goddamn truth!

You read the comment sections of these outlets and see people saying, “I’m tired of this crap. This doesn’t make sense.” I think that the tech media is worried about pissing people off, which I’ve never really understood — good for me, I guess. They think the powerful wouldn’t lie to them, that the powerful wouldn’t lie to the public, that the powerful wouldn’t possibly overstate their abilities, despite them always having done so.

If you see any headline telling you that AI is taking jobs, look a little bit deeper. Make sure it isn’t just a guy saying it. And if it is just a guy, ask yourself, “Why is that guy saying it? What does he have to gain?” Because the reporters aren’t going to do it for you.

What happens when the bubble pops?

It really comes down to how it pops. OpenAI has to run out of money. … They just got another loan. It took 21 banks, it’s all insane. If it breaks, it’s probably going to break with one of the hyperscalers, Microsoft, Meta, Google, Amazon, saying, “We’re pulling back.” They won’t say it like, “We’re done with AI,” but they’ll

HEAR MORE from Ed Zitron on “KNPR’s State of Nevada.”

say, “We’re reallocating resources to focus on blah, blah, blah.”

I have a theory called the rotcom bubble, which is the reason they’re all going crazy with AI: They don’t have any other ideas. Do you see them talking about anything else? Do you see any other growth thing? They don’t have anything, so they will push AI up the hill as far as they can, because once they have to admit that AI is bubkes, they will have to admit that they spent hundreds of billions of dollars on data centers, and then admit that they don’t have another growth mechanism.

Tech has always had a next big thing. What if they don’t?

You’ve done books on PR — are you doing a book on tech?

I have one coming out next year from Penguin Random House, Why Everything Stopped Working. The beginning is a history of growth, a history of how we got here, what I call the rot economy, the growth at all costs, going back to the ’70s of Milton Friedman through to Open AI today. The rest is “Why do I get scam calls? Why are there ads everywhere? Why is Google broken? Why is Facebook broken? Why are algorithms so messed up?” I really think that the tech industry has missed something. They don’t realize how pissed people are, how frustrated they are with everything.

What do you like — or not like — about living in Las Vegas?

I like how convenient Vegas is. This is one of the best food cities in the world, and people are still sleeping on it, which is great. Keeps the prices down. I think that this is also a very honest town. It’s a working-class town. No one’s weird because everyone’s weird. There’s no judging. There are people here who have been through the wringer, who have had really hard times, and the city treats them the same. You got money, fine. We’ll treat you a little nicer — as long as you still have it. There is an honesty to Las Vegas. I appreciate that it feels like both a fake and a real city at the same time. ✦

‘IF WE FAIL, SHAME ON US’

A deadline looms for a new Colorado River plan. What happens if there isn’t one?

By Alex Hager

The clock is ticking on the Colorado River. The seven states that use its water are nearing a 2026 deadline to come up with new rules for sharing its shrinking supplies. After more than a year of deadlock, there are rumblings of a new plan, but it’s far from final.

So, what happens if the states can’t agree before that deadline?

There’s no roadmap for exactly what would happen next, but policy experts and former officials can give us some ideas. It would likely be complicated, messy, and involve big lawsuits.

“I think people are looking for a concise answer here,” says Brenda Burman, former commissioner of the Bureau of Reclamation. “But there isn’t a concise answer.”

While the details of that hypothetical future are fuzzy, experts generally agree on one thing: The states should do everything they can to avoid missing that deadline and heading into uncharted territory.

“It’s our job to make sure that we are setting the path for the next 20 or 30 years of stability,” says Burman, who now manages the Central Arizona Project. “And if we fail in that job, shame on us.”

Former federal officials can give some of the best insight into what

might happen without a state deal, because federal agencies would likely step in to make sure reservoirs and dams stay functional. The Bureau of Reclamation, which manages water infrastructure across the West, and its parent agency, the Department of the Interior, would become major power players.

FOR MORE THAN a century, the Colorado River has been governed by a legal agreement called the Colorado River Compact. It was signed in 1922, when the river — and the West — looked a lot different. Over the years, policymakers have added a patchwork of temporary rules to adapt to modern times.

In this century, climate change has driven the need to adapt. The river has been in a megadrought that goes back to 2000. With less water in the river, states have had to cut back on demand, even though the compact promises more water to users than the river itself could ever provide naturally. Drought conditions have become the new normal over the past two decades, and temporary rules that were implemented to rein in water demand aren’t keeping up with the pace of drying.

The current rules for managing water were first implemented in 2007. They were slightly modified

in 2012 and then expanded in 2019. All of those rules are set to expire in 2026. That expiration is the reason states are in a pinch to draw up new rules right now.

The absolute last-chance deadline to implement new guidelines is October 1, 2026. If the states fail to submit a plan for managing water by then, the Colorado River would fall back to management rules from the 1970s.

Experts say those rules, known as the Long Range Operating Criteria, or LROC, are “woefully insufficient” to deal with today’s drier, smaller river.

“That’s a nightmare scenario,” Anne Castle says. “And I don’t think that the states or the federal government would allow that to happen.”

Castle, a longtime water lawyer who served as assistant secretary for water and science at the Interior Department, says releasing water in accordance with those 1970s rules would quickly drain the nation’s largest reservoirs, Lake Mead and Lake Powell. That would jeopardize hydropower generation at major dams and could make it impossible to pass water from one side of those dams to the people and businesses downstream.

Interior, which would presumably prefer to avoid failure at the dams it runs — Hoover Dam and Glen Canyon Dam — would likely get involved to stop reservoirs from losing their water. In the absence of guidance from the states, the Secretary of Interior could use his authority as the river’s “water master,” a role that gives him some legal power to make decisions about who gets how much water.

And this administration has already made it clear that the current chief — Doug Burgum — would take advantage of that position. Scott Cameron, one of the highest ranking Colorado River officials in the Trump administration,  says as much to a conference of water experts gathered in Colorado in early June.

“Secretary Burgum is prepared to exercise his responsibility as water master,” Cameron says. “He’s not looking forward to that, but in the absence of a seven-state agreement, he will do it.”

SAY THE INTERIOR Secretary becomes water master and has to pull some levers on the Colorado River. The next big question is, which levers would he pull?

His first option is the path of least resistance — sticking with those 1970s rules. They would send a lot of water from the top half of the river to the bottom. So, the Upper Basin states of Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, and New Mexico might want to take Interior to court.

“No one could possibly come up with a set of rules that pleases everyone,” Castle says. “And (Interior will) do what they think they have the authority to do. But we all know that lawyers may disagree.”

His second option is a little more involved but would also likely result in a lawsuit. There’s a catch with Interior’s power on the Colorado River. It is mostly able to make changes in the Lower Basin states of California, Arizona, and Nevada.

If Interior wanted to act boldly and force cutbacks to water use, cuts would likely hit those states disproportionately.

“In either situation,” says Mike Connor, another former Reclamation commissioner, “somebody is going to object and say, ‘You’re not acting consistent with the law’ and sue the secretary to say, ‘You made a bad decision.’”

Connor, who served from 2009 to 2014, says Interior’s authority has nev-

er been specifically defined, but it mostly comes from the 1928 Boulder Canyon Project Act. That legislation created Hoover Dam, which creates Lake Mead, and the All-American Canal, which supplies water to California’s Imperial Valley. That gives the federal government some control of the nation’s largest reservoir and the water supply for the Imperial Irrigation District, the river’s single largest water user.

There are a few other options besides Interior’s two paths, but they’re much harder to predict.

While states hold most of the planning power on the Colorado River, other big entities could try to go around them. For example, the water department in a major city, or a large farm group could use their big budgets and legal teams to influence lawmakers and get a form of Colorado River rules passed by the U.S. Congress.

States could also ask for an extension, kicking the can down the

road by another year or two. The extended deadline could give them more time to coalesce around new rules, but policy experts say states should try to avoid that and agree on rules that are urgently needed to manage the shrinking river.

“That sort of takes the foot off the accelerator, and we haven’t really done anything,” Castle says.

THERE IS AT least some reason to believe the states will steer the Colorado River away from collapse or court. For all their disagreements, state water negotiators do seem to be on the same page about one thing: keeping their situation out of the Supreme Court.

Amy Haas, executive director of the Colorado River Authority of Utah, told KUNC in February that it would be “folly” to take their negotiations to court.

“We are the ones who should really shape the outcome here,” she says. “We’re the experts. We’re the water managers. We under -

This story is part of ongoing coverage of the Colorado River, produced by KUNC and supported by the Walton Family Foundation.

stand the system. Why would we want to relinquish that control and that responsibility?”

States appear to be moving closer to implementing new Colorado River rules without any messy court battles. Early details of a proposal to distribute water cutbacks are emerging, and it appears that it could push states long mired in disagreement toward consensus.

Instead of those states leaning on old rules that don’t account for climate change, they’re proposing a new system that divides the river based on how much water is in it today.

State leaders were quick to emphasize that the plan is in its early stages but cast it as a way to agree before the 2026 deadline.

“I was very pessimistic that we were on a path towards litigation,” says Tom Buschatzke, Arizona’s top water negotiator. “I’m more optimistic now that we can avoid that path if we can make this work.”

NEVADA BACK COUNTRY WATERING HOLES

Nevada’s urban cities dish up some lavish sips and eats... but, if you’re craving something a little less refined and less confined, we invite you to get out and explore a few of these rural options that are worth making a weekend trip for!

Wineries & distilleries ♦ Pahrump, NV

With several local vineyards, tasting rooms, rum distillery, and even a cider producer, Pahrump is fast becoming a hub to please every drinker’s palate.

tonopah brewing company ♦ tonopah, NV

“Proudly Tonopah”, the ownership have deep roots here. Enjoy a pint of their refreshing locally brewed beers along with some delicious pub grub.

overland hotel & saloon ♦ pioche, NV

Known for its unique spirits (and we’re not just talking about the drinks) it’s the perfect place to bump into a local storyteller while having a drink.

Santa Fe Saloon ♦ Goldfield, NV

Open since 1905, it’s known to be the oldest local business in the town. Surviving a ood and re, it still serves up cold brews and some very tasty pizzas!

The Nevada State Museum served as the perfect backdrop for this summer’s Focus on Nevada exhibition, where Desert Companion magazine showcased the 13th annual competition’s finest work. With photographers from every corner of Nevada submitting their best photos, our judges awarded prizes for the top snaps after filtering through a record number of submissions from all around the Silver State. Our thanks to the winners, participants, sponsors and guests who made it all possible.

IN THE BUSINESS OF GIVING

Can profit be made in the service of altruism?

These five local companies are doing their best to prove it can

BY CHRISTOPHER ALVAREZ, ALEZA FREEMAN, LISSA TOWNSEND RODGERS, MAICYN UDANI, AND T.R. WITCHER

Hats off to the nonprofits, which labor under rules and regulations requiring them to operate according to missions strictly educational, spiritual, or otherwise not commercial. Without them, our community would contain more suffering than it does.

But there’s another type of do-gooder, one less frequently recognized: The for-profit company whose business plan is inextricable from its benevolent purpose. Unlike companies that invest in a corporate social responsibility program and call it a day, the following five Nevada businesses exist, in whole or in part, to make the world a better place. In these fundingchallenged times, they offer an alternative approach to caring for Earth and its people. Here’s to them, too!

COLBY FREY

THE DISTILLER: FREY RANCH

They’re building a circular system, farm-to-bottle

“Be good to the land, and the land will be good to you” is embossed on the bottom of every bottle of Frey Ranch whiskey. It’s a philosophy that Colby Frey, cofounder of Frey Ranch Distillery ( freyranch.com), lives by.

“Farmers are sustainable by nature,” Frey says. “Many people just use it as a buzzword. ‘We’re gonna be sustainable, because that’s what sells.’ But we’ve always done these little things.”

The buildings where the whiskey is distilled and aged are on the same land where the wheat,

rye, and corn are grown. “Our trademark is total control from ground to glass. When we send a bottle to our distributor, none of those ingredients have left our possession,” Frey says. That allows for not only closer supervision, but also the reuse of resources and a minimized carbon footprint.

Maximizing and reusing resources has always been part of the nature of farming and is essential to the workings of Frey Ranch. Water that is circulated through the stills is reused to irrigate the fields. It creates its own version of peat from decomposed corn stalks

and compost. The ranch also has a deal with a nearby dairy farm, where the cows get feed and the fields get fertilizer. “It’s a nice little circle, where we sell them the spent grain, and they give us the manure back, and it helps us grow the next grain. It’s our own little ecosystem,” Frey says. His family has been farming in Nevada since before it was a state and have been on the current Frey Ranch land, near Fallon, for more than a century. “I always knew I wanted to create something,” he says. “Most farmers have to have a second job because they don’t make any money off being a farmer. My dad was a CPA and a farmer. I’d rather sell whiskey and be a farmer.”

And Frey Ranch has sold quite a bit of it over the past 12 years, developing varieties of whiskey, bourbon, and rye that have won dozens of awards. Their process sets them apart as much as their product.

An increasing number of distilleries are embracing the idea of growing their own grains. Big names such as Maker’s Mark and Heaven Hill grow a portion of their wheat or corn on company-owned farms, and the

University of Kentucky recently established the Estate Whiskey Alliance to encourage the idea and share practices. Frey Ranch was one of the first distilleries involved in the group. Frey feels it’s important because “in the wine world, everyone talks about the grapes and where they came from, but in the whiskey world nobody wants to talk about it. Here is a movement for that.”

“In Kentucky, they’ll haul in their rye from Canada or Germany,” he says. “Think how much energy that takes versus us growing it right here.” It also allows Frey to focus on quality over quantity and experiment with different varieties — they might grow more than 100 types of corn in one year. “I don’t want to mask the flavor of the grains, I want to bring them up front,” Frey says. And good grains make for good booze.

“As a farmer, I’m basically just a temporary steward of the land,” Frey says. “If we don’t take care of the environment or the soil or natural resources, we don’t have a future as farmers.” Or as distillers.

– Lissa Townsend Rodgers

ON THE ROCKS

Frey Ranch’s farming and distillery process puts Earth first.

THE BOOKSELLER:

ANALOG DOPE

Uplifting community through books, beats, and Black expression

Tucked away in a small nook on E. Colorado Ave. and S. Casino Center Blvd. downtown is Analog Dope (analogdope.com), a Black- and LGBTQ+-owned book and vinyl store. You can’t miss it — a tiny, dark red, old Vegas home-style building with a cute artificial lawn.

When you walk in, you’re surprised all over again by how small it is — but it’s a giant in terms of intention, purpose, and expression of Black culture. Analog Dope isn’t just in the business of selling you stuff; it’s in it to make an impact on the local community.

Owners and founders Rachelle and Charlie Luster opened the store in 2022. Rachelle, originally from California, and Charlie, originally from Ohio, moved to Las Vegas permanently in 2016. They started with a website and occasional popups, but for Rachelle, a bookstore was her dream.

“It’s something I’ve always wanted to do since I was a kid,” she says.

The Lusters are also music lovers — it’s what brought them together in the first place. So, combining music and books in one space was a no-brainer. In today’s digital age, physical media can feel like an afterthought, but for them, analog will always be dope-er.

“Analog entertainment (can be) very grounding. It’s a way to unplug from the digital world, to escape and renew yourself,” Charlie says.

At the heart of the store’s mission is a commitment to centering and celebrating Black culture in all its forms. It’s reflected on the shelves, which feature titles such as We Are Not Yet Equal: Understanding Our Racial Divide by Carol Anderson; the speculative fiction novel Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler; and the poetry collection Magical Negro by Morgan Parker.

“I remember a young lady walked in, and she just broke out in tears seeing the books and faces of Black people on the covers,” Rachelle says. “A lot of people say (they’ve) never seen a space like this before in the city.”

CHARLIE AND RACHELLE LUSTER

The vinyl selection ranges from contemporary classics like Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly to timeless albums like Stevie Wonder’s Songs in the Key of Life, and even deeper cuts like Julius Rodriguez’s Let Sound Tell All Their mission extends to the range of literary and music events they host, and collaborations they build with other local businesses. The Lusters believe that when one small business succeeds, it lifts others up, too.

“We’ve had vendor marketplaces in our courtyard outside. We also carry some local products,” Rachelle says. “It’s been rewarding collaborating with other businesses, because some that we

worked with during their first year are now just totally doing their own thing. It’s amazing being a part of someone else’s journey.”

One of Analog Dope’s collaborators is local painter Anecia Hargrove, who founded the visual culture brand Melanin Girl Culture. Some of her pieces are available at Analog Dope, where she’s also hosted some of her events, called Girls Night In Paint and Sip.

Hargrove thinks the shop’s collaborative attitude is admirable in the small business landscape, where it can be every person for themselves. The focus on Black culture also sets it apart, she says, “especially when you have so many factors against

you, or you don’t really have the resources that others may have.”

The Lusters plan to expand the store, and while they say the business is doing well, it’s ultimately about more than that.

“I can’t tell you how many times a day people come in the store and they’re like, ‘Yeah, my friend told me I need to come here,’ or, ‘I’m from out of state, I had to stop by,’” Charlie says.

“To us, all those instances equal success. Yes, money is definitely a part of it, being able to keep product in the store, etcetera. But, to us, ultimate success is hearing people’s excitement and the joy they get around the store.”

– Christopher Alvarez

THE FASHION IMPORTER:

ALISSI

Women support women, and the planet, through this Indigenous-made label

Megan Blattspieler has always admired artisanal fashion. One vintage dress, discovered during a thrifting trip in Palm Springs, was all it took for her to pursue her dream. With a background in fashion merchandising, Blattspieler was inspired not only to re-create the dress, but to do it as ethically as possible. She didn’t want to conform to the fast fashion industry or exploit underpaid factory workers.

So, in 2019, she created Alissi (alissi.co) — a sustainable fashion business forged by the women of the desert. But not just the Mojave Desert. Sure, any Southern Nevadan can shop from Alissi. But the business wouldn’t exist without its partnership with the Saheli Women of India’s Thar Desert.

“In India, fashion is a part of our DNA,” Madhu Vaishnav says.

Vaishnav founded Saheli Women in 2015 in the small village of Bhikamkor. She empathized with the village’s women, and how disadvantaged they were. When Vaishnav wed at 23, her marriage contract

MEGAN BLATTSPIELER

prohibited her from working outside her home. Looking to break cultural norms, she took it upon herself to study social welfare and sustainable development at UC Berkeley, where she could show women what they’re capable of — a way to challenge a culture where women are taught to serve men.

“Women carry the majority of the household chores, social responsibility, how we look,” Vaishnav says. “Sometimes, the whole world is on a woman’s shoulder.”

Today, Saheli Women has more than 200 women and many international partners — including Alissi.

Alissi’s production process takes time, but to Blattspieler the ethics are well worth the efforts at both ends. All Alissi’s clothing is handmade with natural dyes. More than half the time, the fabric that seamstresses use comes from upcycled saris, a traditional Indian garment. Vaishnav says they’ve also recently partnered with local Indian female farmers to grow organic cotton for their studio.

“They also don’t believe in using plastic,” Blattspieler says, “and neither do I.”

These practices are not original to Saheli Women, either.

The artisans are taught how to weave their Indigenous culture into their craft, which is why Alissi’s clothing has shapes and colors similar to those you see elsewhere in India. Vaishnav hopes to pass the culture on to younger generations.

Alissi’s production process has no element of fast fashion. Blatspieler and Vaishnav believe it’s important to understand that “we have to produce less.” Saheli Women have received large clothing orders in the past but declined them to avoid pollution. The women in the studio also are compensated fairly, unlike many workers in the industry.

“It’s also not being so strict on deadlines,” Blattspieler says. “It leaves way for slow fashion, just giving people space to actually do their work and do it well.”

Blattspieler, Vaishnav, and the Saheli Women protect Earth one garment at a time. No piece is the same as another, and those imperfections comprise Alissi’s beauty.

“With my pieces, some people are like, ‘It’s so expensive,’” Blattspieler says. “But look at the garment, read about the story of it. It’s going to be that special piece you can continue to wear.”

– Maicyn Udani

THE GROCER: THE AFTER MARKET

Compassionate commerce stocks dignity in an East Las Vegas food desert

As senior pastor at the Foundation Christian Center, DeWayne McCoy feeds his community spiritually and emotionally. As CEO and founder of The After Market (sites.google.com/view/ theaftermarketlv), he also feeds them physically.

McCoy opened the co-existing grocery store and food pantry at 4337 Las Vegas Blvd. North, next to the church, in 2023. He aimed to address food insecurity issues in the northeastern Las Vegas neighborhood, one of the city’s five food deserts, which was abandoned in 2016 by a longstanding Walmart Supercenter. McCoy says his model for a joint market and food pantry restores dignity to anyone seeking food assistance, whether they’re coming from the nearby Nellis Air Force Base or as far away as Pahrump.

“After watching people line up (at food pantries) when it’s 105 degrees outside, I started to try to think about a better way to do it,” says McCoy, whose food industry experience can be traced back to his first job at a Louisiana Piggly Wiggly. He most recently spent seven years managing the warehouse at Three Square Food Bank.

“Food pantries ... tend to scream poverty,” McCoy says, noting that many communities are hurting financially. “Here, you don’t have to line up. You can come when it’s convenient for you.”

Area resident and church member Angela Randle describes shopping at The After Market as “quick and easy.” Since many people in the neighborhood don’t have cars, and the only other stores nearby were convenience stores, she says a trip to the closest supermarket via bus used to eat up to four hours of the day.

“It’s like spending almost half the day just to go grocery shopping,” she says, adding, “It helps a lot of people, especially having that food bank right there ... and it’s a big help to actually have somewhere to go to get some groceries — even just the basics — instead of having to

spend $7 at a gas station to buy a loaf of bread.”

In the 4,000-square-foot market, customers find an intimate but airy grocery store with fresh produce, meat, frozen foods, drinks, boxed foods, canned goods, and snacks, including brand names and generic products. Aisles and freezers are well-stocked with foods that meet the needs of individuals and families in the community, with signs in Spanish and English on the front wall.

While everyone enters through one door, customers check out in the market if they’re shopping, or exit through a separate door for the

food pantry. Anyone can grab a reasonable ration of rice, beans, sauce, or whatever else is on the tall shelves — like a recent donation of frozen Pekin ducks, worth $30 each — for free. Prices in the market are comparable to, and sometimes slightly higher than, other grocery stores, but McCoy stresses that these costs are offset by the pantry.

“There is no store that can beat our prices when you look at the value of what you are getting for free, and you subtract that value from what you’ve purchased,” he says. “Everyone is welcome, whether you’re on a fixed income or make $100,000 a year. The economy is tight for everybody.”

The After Market is a self-sustaining concept, attributable to the retail side. Funding may dry up for nonprofits, but every dime spent at The After Market goes back into its operations.

“My ultimate goal was to not be a Band-Aid to a community that has a wound that needs stitches,” McCoy says. This model is meant to offer a permanent fix for food insecurity, “so now the community itself can begin to heal.”

In a recent TEDx talk, McCoy shared the benefits of compassion in commerce, a concept he hopes to spread by opening his market and food pantry model in other food deserts, eventually partnering with large grocery chains or the government.

“Honestly, I could see this model solving food insecurity in food deserts across the nation,” he says. “Food is a doorway ... the universal part of every community. The recipes may be different, but the meal itself is a core that keeps everything together.”

– Aleza Freeman

DEWAYNE MCCOY

JEFF ROBERTS

THE ARCHITECT:

JEFF ROBERTS EARTHWISE

He’s building an homage to the planet and Indigenous culture

Architect Jeff Roberts spent years as a designer with bluechip firm LGA, where he developed the Springs Preserve master plan and designed the Desert Living Center & Gardens, which helped put sustainable design on the map in Las Vegas. He went on to join SERA, a Portland, Oregon, firm specializing in sustainable design, and worked on major projects in Silicon Valley.

Sustainability helped make Roberts’ career, but now he says it’s become the status quo. “Sustainability has been completely transformative to the building industry, but that term is dying,” he says. “It’s running out of steam.”

What will replace it? Roberts aims to find out. In 2022, the architect, who splits his time

between Las Vegas and Portland, launched his own firm, Earthwise Design (earthwise.design). He also teaches architecture at UNLV.

In a world of growing ecological crises, leading green architects such as Roberts are turning toward resiliency, which considers not just a building’s energy performance, but also the way it nurtures its human occupants, protects the environment, and enhances its community’s social well-being.

Roberts is also leaning into his Indigenous heritage — he’s an enrolled citizen of the Cherokee Nation — delving deep into ITEK, or Indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge. “Indigenous communities maximize all their resources,” he says. “Everything they use, they don’t waste anything. We have to broaden our knowledge base as architects.”

Earthwise has several projects underway in Las Vegas and Portland. The first is a new union hall for IATSE Local 720 (the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees). The union’s current building is a blinkand-you’ll-miss-it spot on Valley View just north of Chinatown. Roberts says the union wants the new building to raise its social profile — a place where community groups can rent out the space.

Roberts helped IATSE find the right design firm for the project, assemblageSTUDIO. (It has yet to choose a site.) “He held our hand the whole way,” says Phil Jaynes, president of IATSE Local 720. “He does it in a way that educates you, lets you figure out where you’re going to end up. The way he treats us, he really empowers us. I couldn’t imagine going forward with this project without him.”

Roberts is also revisiting the campus that put him on the map, the Springs Preserve. He’s renovating the Origen Museum with new gallery spaces focused on the increasingly stressed Colorado River.

But the firm’s most ambitious project is the Center for Tribal Nations, a gleaming twin-tower mixed-use project on the Willamette River in downtown Portland. Roberts calls the mass timber building, designed by Indigenous architects, “a United Nations for tribes to have an iconic building that’s not associated with gaming.” The development will feature a hotel, affordable housing, Indigenous food hall, conference center, classrooms, a Native language lab, urban ceremonial grounds, and live/work spaces for artists to craft large art work such as totems and canoes.

Countless Chinatowns and Little Italy neighborhoods dot cities across the United States, but very few celebrate their Indigenous communities. The Center for Tribal Nations, expected to start construction in 2029, will be “probably the capstone of my career,” Roberts says.

– T.R. Witcher

NATURE OF THE JOB Construction on Roberts’ Center for Tribal Nations begins in 2029.

Nevada Checkup Healthcare

From new laws to forthcoming medical facilities, here’s the latest on Nevada’s healthcare system

Building for the Future

Healthcare access is a pressing issue in Las Vegas. These new facilities intend to make a difference

BY Anne Davis

Ahandful of public officials, healthcare providers, members of the community, and journalists sit quietly in one of the Southern Nevada Health District’s main meeting rooms. Eyes are directed toward a large screen displaying eight unique presentations, brimming with statistics and survey data.

This is the Community Health Assessment Prioritization Meeting, a gathering convened every five years, wherein public health authorities vote on the region’s top three health threats to funnel funding and energy toward over the next half-decade. This year, one of those was access to care.

It’s an open secret that Clark County has some startlingly bad metrics on this front. Whether it’s one in four residents failing to receive annual checkups, or up to 33 percent of East and Central Las Vegans reporting no health insurance, the region has faced longstanding barriers to connecting people with quality medical care.

While experts estimate that it’ll take years to make significant improvements to this problem, local healthcare players this year and next are attempting to make a dent through developments in the following areas.

CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL

Largest among planned facilities, and furthest down the road, is Intermountain Health’s proposed children’s hospital — Nevada’s first such freestanding facility (Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center includes a children’s hospital). It expected to break ground in early 2026, with an eye toward opening to the valley’s 500,000 children sometime in 2030.

“Everyone’s excited about it,” says the hospital’s recently named president, Lawrence “Larry” Barnard. “We’re looking at (offering) pediatric ... neurosurgery, orthopedics, oncology” — treatments that are among those that around 1,500 young people must now travel out of state to receive each year.

Intermountain Health believes that having an “anchor” hospital will help attract more pediatric subspecialists from these fields to the state.

STEM CELL TRANSPLANT CENTER

Yet, pediatric patients aren’t the only cohort forced to leave Nevada because of too few providers. For years, adult cancer patients requiring allogeneic (read: donor-supplied) stem cell transplants for blood and bone marrow cancers have been sent to neighboring states with better oncology facilities.

June marked the end of that, as MountainView cut the ribbon on an adjacent day hospital, home of the new-to-Nevada Sarah Cannon Transplant & Cellular Therapy Program. Locals with illnesses such as leukemia and lymphoma can receive treatments during the day, go home at night, and come back the following day.

This allows patients in a state where cancer is still the second leading cause of death, according to CDC data, to spend more time with

family. It also reduces their chances of catching a concurrent infection while immunocompromised, the risk of which increases the more time they spend in a hospital.

The program’s medical director, Carolyn Mulroney, says her immediate goal is making the hospital self-sufficient.

“I’m working very hard at recruiting the best practitioners, physicians, pharmacists, nurses, and then hopefully continuing to bring people here,” she says. “But we’re also training from within, so that we establish a long-term pathway for this program and other programs like it to be sustainable in Nevada.”

CRISIS STABILIZATION CENTER

An equally visible, but more acute, shortage comes in the form of outpatient mental health facilities — Mental Health America ranks Nevada 51st in the nation overall for its severe lack of providers and high prevalence of mental illness.

In response, yet another first for the region comes in the form of a new crisis stabilization center, also opened to the public in June. Its providers are attempting to reduce the burden on hospital ERs, where people experiencing mental and behavioral health

‘I Want to Help Others’

Nevada streamlines licensing for immigrant doctors, reforms prior authorizations

BY Lucia Starbuck, KUNR

crises often go first, and subsequently experience long wait times and very little specialist care.

The center is a partnership between the state — which allocated more than $11 million to the project — and various local entities, including Clark County and University Medical Center (UMC). The latter’s CEO, Mason Van Houweling, says access is at the heart of the facility’s raison d’être: “Regardless of their ability to pay or their insurance, we’re going to see every patient coming through our doors.”

DENTAL CLINIC

The champions of another community initiative, UNLV’s planned Shadow Lane dental clinic, would agree. Their goal is to increase access for another underserved population: Nevadans with intellectual or developmental disabilities. It will also serve people born with cleft palates. Upon the clinic’s opening this summer, it will offer the state’s only treatments for the condition since they were paused at the beginning of the pandemic.

It’s all made possible by a funding bill (SB280) passed in the 2025 legislative session. Through ramps and extra-wide architecture, the clinic (which will double as a training facility for future dentists) aims

Among the many healthcare-related bills introduced in the 2025 Nevada Legislature, two that passed stood out as potential game changers for the state’s fraught system.

One had to do with prior authorization, which Nevada lawmakers, patients, and doctors agreed is the bane of their existence.

Insurance companies say this process, where they approve, deny, or reduce how much they will cover, is essential to minimize fraud, but others argue it’s riddled with delays and red tape.

to reduce dental care barriers for the almost 15 percent of Nevadans living with a disability.

“We’re transforming the standard of care in Nevada,” said James Mah, dean of UNLV’s School of Dental Medicine, in a June press release.

MD PROGRAM

All these new openings are only feasible with a robust graduate medical system. That’s something Roseman University is hoping to enhance with its recently accredited doctor of medicine program, only the third in Nevada. The first 60 students, matriculated in July, will train at the University’s Summerlin campus, which is being expanded from a collection of administrative buildings to a fully functioning medical school. It’s slated to be finished by 2032.

A strong focus is on improving physician diversity, as well as medschool acceptance rates for students of color, who lack access to training at a greater rate than their white peers.

“This is a health-outcome issue for this country and our communities,” says Pedro Greer, Roseman’s founding dean. “Hopefully we can change the model from ‘What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas’ to ‘What happens in Vegas, the world gets to know.’”

Private insurance companies and Medicaid must now respond to requests within two business days, instead of the 20 days previously set by the state. The waiting game is an issue even for legislators. Republican Assemblymember Heidi Kasama said her husband, who was diagnosed with stage-four stomach, liver, and lymph node cancer, missed care when he switched to a new treatment.

“We had to start authorization again. The doctors had to apply again, and we were on a waiting timeline again, which was frightening for us,” Kasama says.

The legislation also prohibits

prior authorization for certain preventative services, hospice care for kids, substance use treatment, and blood glucose test strips.

Every county in Nevada has a health professional shortage. Another law passed this session means the state has joined a dozen others in shortening the licensing process for immigrant doctors.

Healthcare workers who have practiced in a foreign country can take U.S. medical exams and skip residency programs, which take three to seven years. They must be supervised by a licensed physician for two years or take an exam, be

English-proficient, and receive a job offer to work independently.

In Las Vegas, roughly 70 foreign medical professionals will benefit from this legislation, according to Americans for Prosperity Nevada. That’s the case for José Alberto, an internal medicine doctor from Havana, who has worked odd jobs such as driving for Uber and frying chicken since coming to Las Vegas three years ago.

“I consider myself a good doctor with a pretty good experience,” Alberto says. “I want to help others, like I did in Cuba. That’s my passion.”

Small Steps Forward

Two new laws aim to improve Indigenous access to healthcare

BY Jimmy Romo-Buenrostro

Apair of bills passed and signed in this year’s legislative session aim to increase representation in the state’s healthcare marketplace and build infrastructure needed to further serve Nevada’s Native Americans.  Tribal representation will be incorporated in the Silver State Health Insurance Exchange board of directors, the group that enables purchases of subsidized healthcare plans for Nevadans, because of the passage of Senate Bill 97. As of July 1, this board will be made up of five voting members; one will be required to be a member of a tribal nation in the state who is also an expert in healthcare administration in tribal lands.   Because of the lack of economic opportunity in Indian Country, about 80 percent of Indigenous communities across the nation rely on federal programs. Senate Bill 312 creates the Tribal Health Authority Council through the Department of Native American Affairs. This council will develop legislation to increase access to healthcare and address barriers to healthcare for Native Nevadans. The new law also increases the Department of Health and Human Services’ commitment to enroll more tribal members into Medicaid. To accomplish this, DHHS is allowing tribes to determine enrollment eligibility for their members.

Abortion Care 2025

Answering five pressing questions about reproductive rights in this uncertain moment

BY Anne Davis

In 2025, abortion news is a cacophony. In April, a Nevada judge lifted an injunction on a 40-year-old law requiring parental notification before a minor receives an abortion. Twenty-four days later, another judge renewed the injunction. That same month, Planned Parenthood said that the Rocky Mountain division, which has served the Southern Nevada area since the 1990s, would be replaced by one in Mar Monte, California — for now reducing Las Vegas abortion services from two local clinics to one.

Federal court cases, bill vetoes, ballot mandates, and more have followed, adding up to the confusing patchwork that has come to define Nevada’s (and many other states’) current reproductive laws.

Given this, is Nevada truly a reproductive care “sanctuary state,” as has been said? The short answer is sort of. The long answer is actually multiple answers, involving multiple assumptions. Here’s what you need to know.

Is terminating a pregnancy in Nevada fully legal?

Yes, at least up to 24 weeks, or just before the end of the second trimester. For now, that’s only codified in our revised statutes, not, as is commonly asserted, the state constitution. Yet. Question 6 aims to change that, bringing us into line with states like California. In 2024, 64 percent of voters said “yes” to that measure. It goes before voters for a second and final approval in 2026.

For terminations after 24 weeks,

it’s more complicated. Abortion is legal for pregnancies that jeopardize the safety of the mother. In other circumstances, even if the substance used to induce is not a prescribed drug, it’s considered felony manslaughter. A Winnemucca woman made headlines last year for her cinnamon-induced miscarriage, earning her two years in prison (her convication was set aside in 2021).

In the 2025 session, SB139 would have removed these criminal penalties, but it died before exiting committee.

Once the right to an abortion is enshrined in the state constitution, does that make it permanent?

Yes, unless one of two things happens. First, if Nevada voters so choose, the constitutional amendment can be removed by yet another ballot measure. Second, federal law — and Supreme Court decisions — supersede state law. That means, if the highest court in the land decides to go further than overturning Roe v. Wade, or the U.S. Congress enacts legislation restricting abortion, that would nullify Nevada’s laws.

Are patients who travel to Nevada from other, more restrictive states protected from prosecution?

Yes. In 2023, Gov. Joe Lombardo signed a bill that barred Nevada from cooperating in criminal investigations of people who received abortions here. And it’s still technically illegal for a state with tougher laws, say Florida or Texas, to prosecute someone if they travel to procure a legal abortion in Nevada (or other states).

Are medical records related to abortions in Nevada protected from authorities in other states?

It’s becoming murkier. In June 2025, a federal judge in Texas struck down a shield law that prevented law enforcement from obtaining health records related to abortion. However, experts say patients are still protected by federal HIPAA law.

Have more women traveled to Nevada for abortions each year since the overturn of Roe v. Wade in 2022?

Actually, no. A Guttmacher Institute study showed that rates of travel to Nevada for abortion care dropped by over 47 percent last year, compared to 2023. Nevada also ranks roughly 12th highest in the nation for self-pay abortion costs. So, experts think patients might be skeptical of the legality and price of Nevada’s reproductive care.

MEDICAL PROFILES

RED ROCK FERTILITY

EVA LITTMAN, M.D., F.A.C.O.G.

In the heart of Las Vegas, Red Rock Fertility Center stands as a beacon of hope for individuals and couples dreaming of parenthood. Founded and directed by the esteemed Dr. Eva Littman, the center is committed to helping families grow. Having positively impacted thousands of lives, Red Rock Fertility distinguishes itself by providing a different, more personalized service than traditionally found, fostering a private, intimate environment for the deeply personal journey of reproduction.

Dr. Eva Littman, a renowned figure in the field of fertility, brings a wealth of expertise and a compassionate approach to her practice. Her extensive medical training includes medical school and an OB/Gyn residency at Duke

University, followed by a Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility Fellowship at Stanford University. As the founder and practice director, Dr. Littman is dedicated to achieving successful pregnancies, striving to do so on the first attempt to keep patients' hopes high and stress levels low, a philosophy that has resulted in literally thousands of pregnancies. She is also recognized for specializing in challenging cases, offering hope even when the chance of pregnancy is less than five percent. Dr. Littman's commitment has earned her consistent recognition as a "Top Doctor" in infertility and the "Business of the Year" award from the U.S. Small Business Administration. Patients at Red Rock Fertility benefit from†personalized physician care, ensuring a consistent and guiding presence throughout their journey.

Red Rock Fertility Center offers a comprehensive range of†state-of-the-art fertility treatments and services. These include In Vitro Fertilization (IVF), which is one of the most common fertility treatments in the US and is suitable for a wide range of issues including damaged Fallopian tubes, endometriosis, age, previous surgeries, and notably, male infertility, which accounts for about one-third of all fertility issues. Other treatments include Intrauterine Insemination (IUI), Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI), and Hormonal Stimulation (COH). The center also provides services such as finding and becoming an egg donor, genetic screenings, gestational carrier options, LGBTQ family planning, and reproductive preservation. Equipped with advanced facilities like a Class 5 clean room, Red Rock Fertility Center is committed to achieving exceptional success rates year after year.

With a focus on concierge-level care and one-on-one personal attention, Red Rock Fertility Center aims to make the journey to parenthood as comfortable as possible. Dr. Littman leads a team dedicated to helping you achieve your dream of having a baby.

RED ROCK FERTILITY

EVA LITTMAN, M.D., F.A.C.O.G. 9120 WEST RUSSELL RD, STE 200 LAS VEGAS, NV 89148

DR. JP VILAI

ROSEMAN MEDICAL GROUP

Julpohng “JP” Vilai, MD—Pediatrics Clerkship Director; Assistant Professor of Clinical Sciences at Roseman University College of Medicine; and Interim Medical Director for Roseman Medical Group, the clinical practice of Roseman’s College of Medicine—is a board-certified pediatrician who joined Roseman University in 2023. He has held a variety of roles in both academic and private practice settings, as well as in rural and urban environments, including medical director of a clinic for youth experiencing homelessness and school-based health programs, pediatric and neonatal hospitalist, co-owner of a private practice, and provider of telemedicine services to tribal communities. Dr. Vilai has also consistently maintained a commitment to medical education. His current responsibilities are to assist in the development of the curriculum for the College of Medicine’s inaugural class and oversee the growth of Roseman Medical Group’s clinic focused on delivering high-quality, empathic patient care for the entire family.

He is a member of the Gold Humanism Honor Society and serves as Vice President of the Nevada Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Dr. Vilai’s clinical interests include infectious disease, children with chronic healthcare needs, underserved populations, behavioral and mental health, telehealth, transplantation medicine, and LGBTQIA+ and adolescent medicine. Dr. Vilai received awards for Faculty Educator of the Year (2022 & 2023) and Faculty Mentor of the Year (2023 & 2024) from the UNLV Pediatrics Residency Program. He is passionate about contributing to medical education and improving health outcomes in his hometown of Las Vegas by exemplifying and teaching valuebased care in the context of humanism and social determinants of health.

Dr. Vilai received his BS from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in Biological Sciences with Chemistry minor; his MD from the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine; and completed his residency in Pediatrics at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital Pediatrics following an internship in Pediatrics at Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center.

Dr. Vilai enjoys spending time with his family and credits his wife, an associate dean at Roseman’s College of Medicine, for introducing him to the Roseman family. He is the proud father of two boys, and his warm smile and affable nature underscore his ability to connect with young patients. In his role as Medical Director at Roseman Medical Group, he will see patients, train future physicians, and lead the practice in providing compassionate care to Las Vegas families in need of a medical home. ROSEMAN

THE WEEKLY ROUNDUP

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DR. CARLOS LETELIER

THE CENTER FOR ORAL SURGERY OF LAS VEGAS

Dr. Carlos Letelier has a passion for dental and medical excellence that’s exemplified through his distinguished background and his education credentials. His dentistry studies began in Chile where he earned his DDS degree. He then went to Boston, where he enrolled in Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, graduating Summa Cum Laude with a DMD degree.

After that, Dr. Letelier went on to complete his surgical residency and graduate from UCLA Medical School with both an MD and an OMFS degree. In addition to becoming board certified in both oral and maxillofacial and cosmetic surgery, Dr. Letelier has taught in the OMFS residency program at Fresno University Medical Center. His expertise covers a broad range of oral surgery, from wisdom tooth extraction and dental implants to facial and dental trauma. He is a trusted oral surgeon in Las Vegas, NV as he’s highly regarded for his treatment of patients with severe bone loss and missing teeth. Even today, Dr. Letelier continues to expand his knowledge by participating in specialty courses throughout the world. Additionally, he is a highly sought-after lecturer by his colleagues throughout the USA and other global locations. In keeping with Dr. Letelier’s mission to provide his patients with the latest and most optimal treatment options, he now offers robotic assisted dental implant placement.

THE CENTER FOR ORAL SURGERY OF LAS VEGAS 10115 W TWAIN AVE. SUITE 100, LAS VEGAS, NV 89147

702.367.6666 LASVEGASOMS.COM

DR. DODJI V. MODJINOU

ADVANCED RHEUMATOLOGY

ASSOCIATES OF NEVADA

COMPETENCY, COMPASSION, INTEGRITY

Life with a chronic condition can be challenging, but the team at Advanced Rheumatology Associates of Nevada is here to help ... We believe in more than just managing symptoms. It is our mission to provide the optimum in rheumatologic care utilizing evidenced-based practices to quickly diagnose, advise and treat a host of chronic conditions. Our practice is dedicated to a patient-centric approach to care. We evaluate a patient’s physical and emotional needs, utilizing a holistic approach to a variety of rheumatologic conditions, including all members of the team to support and complement what is offered medically. As a convenience to our patients, ARAN also offers inhouse infusion treatments including biologics for rheumatoid arthritis and other diseases.

Dedicated to your health, ARAN accepts most major insurances. Please note that our office requires a referral from your PCP or other practitioners involved in your care.

Languages spoken in our office are English, French, Spanish and various West African languages. We invite you to join us on your journey to wellness and become part of the ARAN family where competency, compassion and integrity are our core values.

CONDITIONS TREATED

• RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS

• OSTEOARTHRITIS

• PSORIATIC ARTHRITIS

• LUPUS

• ANKYLOSING SPONDYLITIS

• SJOGREN’S SYNDROME

• VASCULITIS

• GOUT

ADVANCED RHEUMATOLOGY

ASSOCIATES OF NEVADA

861 CORONADO CENTER DRIVE, SUITE 220, HENDERSON, NV 89052

PHONE: 702.984.3776

FAX: 725.228.5264

ADVANCEDRHEUMATOLOGYNV.COM

HOPE CANCER CARE OF NEVADA

For more than 15 years, Dr. Raja S. Mehdi has been a trusted presence in Nevada’s medical community. A leading cancer specialist, Dr. Mehdi treats each diagnosis as more than a medical condition—it’s a deeply personal journey for patients and families.

A graduate of Aga Khan University Medical College, Dr. Mehdi completed his residency at Case Western Reserve University, where he served as Chief Resident. He pursued his medical oncology fellowship through the Providence Cancer Institute and University of Michigan. He practiced in Kansas before moving to Las Vegas in 2009.

Recognizing the need for greater access to local oncology care, Dr. Mehdi founded Hope Cancer Care of Nevada. The practice now has locations in Las Vegas, Henderson, and Pahrump, offering patients advanced, personalized treatment without the burden of travel.

Hope Cancer Care provides coordinated care under one roof, including in-house labs, infusion therapy, immunotherapy, bispecific therapy, clinical trial access, and a specialty pharmacy. The model prioritizes continuity of care, compassion, and quality.

Dr. Mehdi and his wife, a healthcare attorney, have raised their family in Las Vegas and are active in civic and professional initiatives. Their deep commitment to the state is reflected in both their personal and professional lives.

A passionate advocate for community oncology, Dr. Mehdi launched Nevada’s chapter of the Community Oncology Alliance Patient Advocacy Network (CPAN) in 2023. The clinic also hosts

educational events, quarterly health expos, and survivorship programs— including Cancer Survivor Night at the Ballpark, which raised funds for the American Oncology Cares foundation.

Dr. Mehdi’s philosophy is simple: “Patient-centered care and decisionmaking are how we do what is right for our patients and their families.” This principle guides every aspect of the clinic.

He is supported by an outstanding care team, including Joshua Atiyeh, PA-C; Courtney Billings, DNP; Kristine Peralta, MSN, FNP-C; and Kimber Taylor, MSN, FNP-C. Together, they ensure patients receive compassionate, expert care.

Hope Cancer Care also works to support underserved populations. On-site financial counselors help address non-medical barriers to care, and the practice continues to advocate for policies that protect community oncology.

Through leadership, compassion, and advocacy, Dr. Mehdi continues to deliver what matters most: hope—right here at home.

HOPE CANCER CARE OF NEVADA 6827 W. TROPICANA AVE., SUITE 110 LAS VEGAS, NV 89103

2340 E. CALVADA BLVD., SUITE 7 PAHRUMP, NV 89048

3035 W. HORIZON RIDGE PKWY., SUITE 100 HENDERSON, NV 89052

PHONE: 702.508.9128

FAX: 702.302.4125 HCCNEVADA.COM

RAJA MEHDI, MD

KIMBER TAYLOR, MSN, FNP-C

KRISTINE PERALTA, MSN, FNP-C

COURTNEY BILLINGS, DNP

JOSHUA ATIYEH, PA-C

DESERT SMILES DENTAL

Dr. Jabran Alemi, a prosthodontist at Desert Smiles Dental, has been providing advanced dental care, with special attention to Dental Implants and Cosmetic Dentistry to the Las Vegas community since July 2012.

He is one of only a very few graduates to have earned both their BS, and DDS degrees from the prestigious UCSF School of Dentistry in 2006.

After graduating with honors and with the Senior Dental Student Award, he practiced general dentistry for 3 years, under the mentorship and guidance of his brother, Dr. Hamed Alemi, in his hometown of San Diego, California. To quench his thirst and hunger for knowledge, and to further expand his dedication to advanced dental care, he continued his education by completing a 3-year residency in Graduate Prosthodontics in June 2012, at the one and only University of Michigan. Specializing in Prosthodontics, Dr. Alemi and his team commit themselves to providing the highest standards of oral health care. His award-winning dentistry utilizes a unique combination of science and artistry to give each client a remarkable experience, and an unbelievable result. His expertise covers a broad range of dental treatments, from same day dental implants and teeth, to smile makeovers and full mouth reconstructions with crowns and veneers.

Dr. Alemi continues to expand his knowledge thru continuing education courses throughout the world, professional affiliations with the American College of Prosthodontists (ACP), and Academy of Osseointegration ( AO).

DESERT SMILES

10175 W TWAIN AVE SUITE #120 LAS VEGAS, NV 89147

702-202-2300

DESERTSMILESDENTAL.COM

DR. ALICE CHEN

ROSEMAN DENTAL & ORTHODONTICS

Dr. Alice Chen joined Roseman University’s College of Dental Medicine in 2022 and is a leader within both the Institution and the Las Vegas community. With a warm smile, kind face, and gentle way, her gift of connecting with children is obvious.  Born to parents who guided her toward a professional ethos, “be helpful and take care of others,” Dr. Chen has followed this guidance many times over.

With twenty years of experience and expertise as a pediatric dentist, Dr. Chen is ideally suited to lead Roseman Dental and Orthodontics’ expansion of its

scope of care. “My work at Roseman has allowed me to focus more on doing what I love most—treating children. I couldn’t be happier about the opportunity to focus on children while training dentists to be caring and competent providers.” In her role in academic dental practice, Dr. Chen also shapes and inspires dentists in training while focusing on research, innovation, and clinic growth.

Dr. Chen practices at Roseman Dental & Orthodontics in Henderson and at Roseman Dental – Summerlin, Roseman’s pediatric dental clinic focused on treating medically compromised children in need of specialized dental care. Dr. Chen treats patients of Roseman’s partner organization, Cure 4 The Kids (C4K). C4K treats children with cancers, blood diseases, and other life-threatening diseases. These children often put their dental needs aside, needing a dental home that can deliver specialized care.

As a mother of two children herself, Dr. Chen is passionate about forming a personal connection with her patients and treating all families with patience, warmth, and compassion, believing that every child needs a tailored approach to dental care. She is dedicated to empowering families with practical and evidence-based information about oral health.

Dr. Chen is a diplomate of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry and serves as fellow and Public Policy Advocate for the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. She serves on the American Cancer Society’s National HPV Vaccination Roundtable, is a member of the Nevada Cancer Coalition, and is an evaluator for the NV State Board of Dental Examiners. She also serves as Vice President for the NV Association of Pediatric Dentistry.

Dr. Chen received her bachelor’s degree in psychology from UCLA, graduated cum laude from Boston University, and pursued her specialty degree in pediatric dentistry at Temple University Hospital. Dr. Chen and her husband Dr. Matthew Raddue have resided in Southern Nevada for 17 years.

Caring for Families. Caring for Adults and Children. Caring for All

Roseman Dental & Orthodontics offers high-quality, compassionate, reduced-cost care to children, adults, and families in a state-of-the-art clinic. Our treatment prices are up to 50% less than standard dental and orthodontic prices.

From regular check-ups to root canals, Invisalign®, braces, and cosmetic dentistry, our mission is to make high-quality, innovative care more affordable and accessible to all.

DENTAL SERVICES:

Examinations Imaging Wisdom Teeth Periodontal Procedures

Same-day Crowns Dental Implants Veneers Botox

TMJ Standard and Specialized Pediatric Care

ORTHODONTIC SERVICES:

Traditional Braces Clear Ceramic Braces Invisalign® Brava (Lingual Braces) Infant Cleft Palate

FOR AN APPOINTMENT:

Call 702-968-5222

Orthodontic Clinic Hours: Monday – Friday 8am to 5pm

Dental Clinic Hours:

Monday – Thursday 8am to 5pm Friday – 8am to 3pm

Closed on weekends and all holidays when the university is closed.

300+300+

THE VALLEY’S BEST PHYSICIANS AND DENTISTS AS CHOSEN BY THEIR PEERS

WITH OVER 30 YEARS’ EXPERIENCE researching, reviewing, and selecting Top Doctors, Castle Connolly is a trusted and credible healthcare research and information company. Our mission is to help people find the best healthcare by connecting patients with best-in-class healthcare providers.

Castle Connolly's physician-led team of researchers follows a rigorous screening process to select top doctors on both the national and regional levels. Its online nomination process is open to all licensed physicians in America who are able to nominate physicians in any medical specialty and in any part of the country, as well as indicate whether the nominated physician(s) is, in their opinion, among the best in their region in their medical specialty or among the best in the nation in their medical specialty. Then, Castle Connolly’s research team thoroughly vets each physician’s professional qualifications, education, hospital and faculty appointments, research leadership, professional reputation, disciplinary history and if available, outcomes data. Additionally, a physician’s interpersonal skills such as listening and communicating effectively, demonstrating empathy, and instilling trust and confidence, are also considered in the review process. The

Castle Connolly Doctor Directory is the largest network of peer-nominated physicians in the nation.

In addition to Top Doctors, Castle Connolly’s research team also identifies Rising Stars, early career doctors who are emerging leaders in the medical community.

Physicians selected for inclusion in this magazine's "Top Doctors" and “Rising Stars” feature may also appear online at www.castleconnolly.com, or in conjunction with other Castle Connolly Top Doctors databases online and/ or in print.

Castle Connolly is part of Everyday Health Group, a recognized leader in patient and provider education, attracting an engaged audience of over 74 million health consumers and over 890,000 U.S. practicing physicians and clinicians to its premier health and wellness digital properties. Our mission is to drive better clinical and health outcomes through decision-making informed by highly relevant information, data, and analytics. We empower healthcare providers and consumers with trusted content and services delivered through Everyday Health Group’s world-class brands.

For more information, please visit castleconnolly.com

Health HAPPENS HERE

Wherever you are in Southern Nevada, you can rest easy knowing one of our freestanding emergency departments is nearby and ready to provide high-quality emergency care.

Staffed with emergency medicine personnel who are equipped with advanced technology, our freestanding emergency departments are always ready to diagnose and treat many conditions, including broken bones and lacerations, as well as stabilizing care for heart attacks, chest pain and strokes.

The facilities provide:

• Advanced imaging services such as CT scans, ultrasound and X-ray

• Comfortable treatment rooms

• Emergency medicine physicians, nurses and technicians

• On-site laboratory

Medical specialties are listed alphabetically. Doctors are listed alphabetically beneath those specialty areas, with subspecialties below that. Note that some physicians may require referrals.

✚

ALLERGY & IMMUNOLOGY

Bob K. Miyake, MD

Allergy Partners of Nevada, 6080 South Fort Apache Road, Suite 110, 702.342.9250

Special Expertise: Asthma

David H. Tottori, MD

Tottori Allergy & Asthma Associates, 4000 East Charleston Boulevard, Suite 100, 702.240.4233

Special Expertise: Asthma & Allergy, Food Allergy, Eczema

Ricardo Vinuya, MD

Optum Allergy, 6190 South Fort Apache Road, Suite 200, 702.724.8844

Special Expertise: Pediatric Allergy & Immunology

Sandy Yip, MD

Southern Nevada Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, 2821 West Horizon Ridge Parkway, Suite 100, 702.735.1556

Special Expertise: Allergy-Adult & Pediatric, Food Allergy, Nasal Allergy, Skin Allergies

✚

BARIATRIC SURGERY

James Dee Atkinson, MD

Surgical Weight Control Center, 2850 West Horizon Ridge Parkway, Suite 100, 702.313.8446

Special Expertise:

Bariatric/Obesity Surgery, Laparoscopic SurgeryAdvanced, Minimally Invasive Surgery

Darren W. Soong, MD

Surgical Weight Control Center, 2850 West Horizon Ridge Parkway, Suite 100, 702.313.8446

Special Expertise:

Bariatric/Obesity Surgery, Laparoscopic SurgeryAdvanced, Minimally Invasive Surgery

Francis W. Teng, MD

Advanced Surgical Care, 653 North Town Center Drive, Suite 200, 702.838.5888

Special Expertise:

Bariatric/Obesity Surgery, Minimally Invasive Surgery, Laparoscopic Surgery, Robotic Surgery

✚ CARDIAC ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY

Robert Lewis Baker, MD

Nevada Cardiology Associates, 3201 South Maryland Parkway, Suite 400, 702.233.1000

Special Expertise:

Sudden Death Prevention, Radiofrequency Ablation,

Arjun V. Gururaj, MD

Nevada Heart & Vascular Center, 401 North Buffalo Drive, Suite 100, 702.227.3422

Special Expertise: Arrhythmias, Catheter Ablation, Heart Failure

Niuton Koide, MD

Las Vegas Heart Associates, 2880 North Tenaya Way, Suite 100, 702.962.2200

Special Expertise: Arrhythmias

Foad Moazez, MD

Nevada Cardiology Associates, 3150 North Tenaya Way, Suite 460, 702.233.1000

Special Expertise: Arrhythmias, Pacemakers/ Defibrillators

✚ CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE

Sean S. Ameli, MD

Ameli-Dadourian Heart Center, 400 South Rampart Boulevard, Suite 240, 702.906.1100

Special Expertise: Cholesterol/ Lipid Disorders, EchocardiographyTransesophageal, Preventive Cardiology, Hypertension

Keshav Chander, MD

Smart Heart Care & Smart Medical Care, 8970 West Tropicana Avenue, Suite 6, 702.473.5333

Special Expertise: Cardiac CT Angiography, Echocardiography

Richard Chen, MD

Nevada Cardiology Associates, 3201 South Maryland Parkway, Suite 400, 702.233.1000

Special Expertise: Coronary Artery Disease, Interventional Cardiology, Angioplasty & Stent Placement, EchocardiographyTransesophageal

Berge J. Dadourian, MD

Ameli-Dadourian Heart Center, 400 South Rampart Boulevard, Suite 240, 702.906.1100

Special Expertise: Peripheral Vascular Disease, Interventional Cardiology, Concierge Medicine

Vanessa Gastwirth, MD

Nevada Cardiology Associates, 3150 North Tenaya Way, Suite 460, 702.233.1000

Samuel E. Green, MD

Nevada Cardiology Associates, 3150 North Tenaya Way, Suite 460, 702.233.1000

Special Expertise: Nuclear Cardiology, EchocardiographyTransesophageal

Patrick C. Hsu, MD

Nevada Cardiology Associates, 3150 North Tenaya Way, Suite 460, 702.233.1000

Thomas L. Lambert, MD Cardiology Specialists of Nevada, 3150 North Tenaya Way, Suite 135, 702.598.3999

Special Expertise: Interventional Cardiology, Heart Failure

✚ CHILD NEUROLOGY

Monica M. Chacon, MD Neurology Center of Nevada, 2380 West Horizon Ridge Parkway, Suite 120, 702.247.9994

Special Expertise: Neurophysiology, Epilepsy

✚ COLON & RECTAL SURGERY

Ovunc Bardakcioglu, MD UNLV Health, Department of Surgery, 1707 West Charleston Boulevard, Suite 160, 702.671.5150

Special Expertise: Minimally Invasive Surgery, Colon & Rectal Cancer, Robotic Surgery, Hemorrhoids

Calvin D. Lyons, MD

Las Vegas Urology, 2310 Corporate Circle, Suite 200, 702.385.4342

Special Expertise: Anorectal Disorders, Colon & Rectal Cancer, Minimally Invasive Surgery

✚ DERMATOLOGY

Miriam Bettencourt, MD

Thomas Dermatology, 2871 Saint Rose Parkway, Suite 130, 702.430.5333

Special Expertise: Melanoma, Mohs Surgery

Michael G. Bryan, MD

Las Vegas Skin & Cancer Clinics, 400 North Stephanie Street, Suite 400, 702.933.0225

Special Expertise: Hair & Nail Disorders, Mohs Surgery, Skin Cancer

Victoria G. Farley, MD

Vivida Dermatology, 2110 East Flamingo Road, Suite 213, 702.255.6647

Special Expertise:

Cosmetic Dermatology, Dermatologic Surgery, Acne & Rosacea, Psoriasis

Douglas Fife, MD

Vivida Dermatology, 6460 Medical Center Street, Suite 200 and 350, 702.255.6647

Special Expertise: Mohs Surgery

Matthew Hand, MD

Thomas Dermatology, 6170 North Durango Drive, Suite 140, 702.430.5333

Special Expertise: Mohs Surgery, Cosmetic Surgery, Scar Removal

Lionel J. Handler, MD

Strimling Dermatology, Laser & Vein Institute, 10105 Banburry Cross Drive, Suite 350, 702.243.6400

Special Expertise: Pediatric Dermatology, Laser Surgery, Cosmetic Surgery

Mac L. Machan, MD

Vivida Dermatology, 6460 Medical Center Street, Suite 200 and

350, 702.255.6647

Special Expertise: Mohs Surgery, Reconstructive Surgery, Skin Cancer Surgery

Robert B. Strimling, MD

Strimling Dermatology, Laser & Vein Institute, 10105 Banburry Cross Drive, Suite 350, 702.243.6400

Special Expertise: Mohs Surgery, Laser Surgery, Cosmetic Dermatology, Varicose Veins

Candace Thornton Spann, MD

Couture Dermatology & Plastic Surgery, 9950 West Flamingo Road, 702.998.9001

Special Expertise: Hair Loss in Women, Acne, Facial Rejuvenation, Botox

✚ DEVELOPMENTALBEHAVIORAL PEDIATRICS

Mario J. Gaspar de Alba, MD

Grant A Gift Autism Foundation - Ackerman Center, 630 South Rancho Drive, Suite A, 702.998.9505

Special Expertise: Autism Spectrum Disorders, ADD/ADHD

✚ DIAGNOSTIC RADIOLOGY

Rajneesh Agrawal, MD

Desert Radiology, 2020 Palomino Lane, Suite 100, 702.759.8600

Special Expertise: Neuroradiology, Interventional Radiology

Galen B. Hewell, MD

Red Rock Radiology Associates, 7130 Smoke Ranch Road, Suite 101, 702.527.8945

Dianne Mazzu, MD

Desert Radiology, 2020 Palomino Lane, Suite 100, 702.759.8600

Special Expertise: Body Imaging, Mammography, Ultrasound, CT Scan

Alan Weissman, MD

Desert Radiology, 2020 Palomino Lane, Suite 100, 702.759.8600

Special Expertise: Cancer Imaging, Musculoskeletal Imaging, Nuclear Medicine

✚ ENDOCRINOLOGY, DIABETES & METABOLISM

Brian A. Berelowitz, MD Ameli / Dadourian Medicine, 400 South Rampart Boulevard, Suite 240, 702.906.1100

Special Expertise: Diabetes

Amber Champion, MD UNLV Health, Department of Endocrinology, 1707 West Charleston Boulevard, Suite 290, 702.671.6469

Special Expertise: Diabetes, Thyroid Disorders, LGBTQ+ Health

Kenneth Izuora, MD UNLV Health, Department of Endocrinology, 1707 West Charleston Boulevard, Suite 290, 702.660.8658

Special Expertise: Diabetes

W. Reid Litchfield, MD

Desert Endocrinology, 2415 West Horizon Ridge Parkway, Suite 100, 702.434.8400

Special Expertise: Diabetes, Thyroid Disorders

Quang T. Nguyen, DO

Las Vegas Endocrinology, 229 North Pecos Road, Suite 100, 702.605.5750

Special Expertise: Hypertension, Metabolic Syndrome, Nutrition & Obesity

Omid O. Rad Pour, MD Palm Medical Group, 9280 West Sunset Road, Suite 306, 702.696.7256

Special Expertise: Diabetes, Metabolic Disorders, Thyroid Disorders

Maryam Rivaz, MD Palm Medical Group, 9280 West Sunset Road, Suite 306, 702.696.7256

Special Expertise: Osteoporosis

✚ FACIAL PLASTIC SURGERY OTOLARYNGOLOGY

Sina Nasri-Chenijani, MD

3150 North Tenaya Way, Suite 340

Special Expertise: Head & Neck Surgery, Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Voice Disorders, Thyroid & Parathyroid Surgery

Robert J. Troell, MD

Beauty By Design, Troell

Cosmetic Surgery and Facial Plastic Clinic, 53754 Apache Road, Suite 101, 702.242.6488

Special Expertise: Facial Plastic Surgery, Eyelid Surgery/ Blepharoplasty, Rhinoplasty

✚ FAMILY MEDICINE

Kimberly Adams, MD

Total Wellness Family Medicine, 5225 South Durango Drive, 702.253.9355

Special Expertise: Primary Care, HIV/AIDS, Adolescent Medicine, Sports Medicine

Michael Gunter, MD Canyon Trails Family Practice, 7455 West Washington Avenue, Suite 445, 702.804.5138

Special Expertise: Primary Care Sports, Concierge Medicine

Jenny C. Ha, MD

Siena Hills Primary Care, 2789 Sunridge Heights Parkway, Suite 100, 702.614.0850

Special Expertise: Primary Care, Telemedicine

Lisa Haworth, MD

2482 West Horizon Ridge Parkway, Suite 110

Special Expertise: Primary Care, Concierge Medicine

Sunita B. Kalra, MD

Intermountain Healthcare, 9077 South Pecos Road, Suite 3800, 702.947.1940

Special Expertise: Primary Care

Sungwook S. Kim, MD

Brighton Family Medicine, 1720 West Horizon Ridge Parkway, Suite 140, 702.566.5445

Special Expertise: Primary Care

Shari Klein, DO

8571 West Lake Mead Boulevard, Suite 100

Special Expertise: Primary Care, Concierge Medicine

Barry Nahin, MD

Nahin Concierge Care, 8960 West Tropicana Avenue, Suite 100, 702.385.9505

Special Expertise: Primary Care, Concierge Medicine

Darren Rahaman, MD

Nevada Health Centers, 1799 Mount Mariah Drive, 702.383.1961

Special Expertise: Primary Care

Lara Wenner, MD

Intermountain Healthcare, 1302 West Craig Road, Suite A, 702.473.8380

Special Expertise: Primary Care, Geriatric Medicine

✚ GASTROENTEROLOGY

Tarek Ammar, MD

Comprehensive Digestive Institute of Nevada, 9260 West Sunset Road, Suite 306, 702.483.4483

Special Expertise: Endoscopic Ultrasound, Pancreatic & Biliary Disease, Colon & Rectal Cancer, Digestive Disorders

Brent R. Burnette, MD

Gastroenterology

Associates, 6950 South Cimarron Road, Suite 200, 702.796.0231

Special Expertise: Gastrointestinal Disorders

Gary Chen, MD

Comprehensive Digestive Institute of Nevada, 9260 West Sunset Road, Suite 306, 702.483.4483

Special Expertise: Digestive Disorders, Barrett’s Esophagus, Celiac Disease, Colonoscopy

Vishal Gandotra, MD

Vegas Gastroenterology, 5701 West Charleston Boulevard, Suite 201, 702.750.0313

Special Expertise: Colonoscopy, Endoscopy

Nikhil Karanth, MD

Digestive Associates, 866 Seven Hills Drive, Suite 104, 702.633.0207

Special Expertise: Liver Disease, Endoscopy

Andrew I. Kim, MD

Comprehensive Digestive Institute of Nevada, 9260 West Sunset Road, Suite 306, 702.483.4483

Special Expertise: Colonoscopy & Polypectomy, Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), Barrett’s Esophagus

Gregory M. Kwok, MD

Gastroenterology

Associates, 6950 South Cimarron Road, Suite 200, 702.796.0231

Special Expertise:

Gastrointestinal Functional Disorders, Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD),

Frank J. Nemec, MD Gastroenterology

Associates, 6950 South Cimarron Road, Suite 200, 702.796.0231

Special Expertise: Gastrointestinal Functional Disorders, Digestive Disorders

David Quan Shih, MD/PhD Comprehensive Digestive Institute of Nevada, 9260 West Sunset Road, Suite 306, 702.483.4483

Special Expertise: Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), Barrett’s Esophagus, Peptic Ulcer Disease, Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Christian Diaz Stone, MD Comprehensive Digestive Institute of Nevada, 9260 West Sunset Road, Suite 306, 702.483.4483

Special Expertise: Inflammatory Bowel Disease/Crohn’s, Colitis, Digestive Disorders, Colon & Rectal Cancer

✚ GERIATRIC MEDICINE

Esteban Hennings, MD

Humanitas Primary Care, 3201 South Maryland Parkway, Suite 512, 702.685.7700

✚ HAND SURGERY

Andrew J. Bronstein, MD Bronstein Hand Center, 10135 West Twain Avenue, Suite 100, 702.458.4263

Special Expertise:

Wrist Reconstruction, Elbow Surgery, Pediatric Hand Surgery, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Valley Health Specialty Hospital, an extension of Spring Valley Hospital, offers specialized orthopedic care, outpatient therapy and inpatient rehab services in one convenient location. Our services include:

• Fracture care

• Hand, foot and ankle surgery

• Inpatient acute rehab

• Joint replacement surgery

• Outpatient physical, occupational and speech therapy

• Onsite diagnostic imaging

David Fadell, DO

Hand Surgery

Specialists of Nevada, 9321 West Sunset Road, 702.645.7800

Special Expertise: Trauma, Arthritis, Elbow Surgery, Shoulder Surgery

Kevin R. Golshani, MD Nevada Orthopedic & Spine Center, 1505 Wigwam Parkway, 702.878.0393

Special Expertise: Hand & Upper Extremity Surgery

Daniel T. Kokmeyer, MD

Hand Surgery

Specialists of Nevada, 9321 West Sunset Road, 702.645.7800

Special Expertise: Hand & Upper Extremity

Surgery, Trauma, Arthritis, Sports Injuries

Walter J. Song, MD Desert Orthopaedic Center, 2800 East Desert Inn Road, Suite 100, 702.731.1616

Special Expertise: Shoulder Surgery, Rotator Cuff Surgery, Hand & Elbow Surgery, Hand & Elbow Nerve Disorders

James Vahey, MD Hand Center of Nevada, 8585 South Eastern Avenue, Suite 100, 702.798.8585

Special Expertise: Hand & Upper Extremity Surgery

Olivia J. Wang, MD Bronstein Hand Center, 10135 West Twain Avenue, Suite 100, 702.458.4263

Special Expertise: Hand & Wrist Surgery, Sports Injuries, Upper Extremity Surgery

✚ INFECTIOUS DISEASE

Fadi El-Salibi, MD

Infectious Diseases of Southern Nevada, 825 North Gibson Road, Suite 311, 702.776.8300

Special Expertise: HIV/AIDS

Brian J. Lipman, MD 10001 South Eastern Avenue, Suite 407

Special Expertise: HIV/AIDS, Pneumonia

Ronald A. Shockley, MD Infectious Disease Partners, 3483 South Eastern Avenue, Floor 2, 702.309.2311

Chukwudum Uche, MD

Pulmonary Infectious Disease and Wound Care, 5770 South Durango Drive, Suite 105, 702.737.0740

Special Expertise: HIV, Hepatitis, Travel Medicine

Kathleen Wairimu, MD Infection Doctors, 2810 West Charleston Boulevard, Suite 48, 702.343.7610

Bashab Banerji, MD Internal Medicine Clinic, 5731 South Fort Apache Road, Suite 100, 702.740.5311

Special Expertise: Primary Care, Asthma, Pulmonary Disease, Anxiety & Depression

Afi Y. Bruce, MD

Intermountain Healthcare, 4275 Burnham Avenue, Suite 255, 702.369.0088

Special Expertise: Primary Care

Marija Dilic, MD

Intermountain Healthcare, 4275 Burnham Avenue, Suite 255, 702.369.0088

Special Expertise: Primary Care

Rama Harouni, MD Harouni Concierge Care, 8960 West Tropicana Avenue, Suite 100,

702.385.9505

Special Expertise: Primary Care, Preventive, Concierge Medicine

John S. Hou, MD Intermountain Healthcare, 4275 Burnham Avenue, Suite 255, 702.369.0088

Special Expertise: Primary Care

Mohammed Najmi, MD 2501 Fire Mesa Street, Suite 110

Special Expertise: Primary Care, Chronic Illness, Eating Disorders, Nutrition

Aditi Singh, MD

UNLV Health, Department of Internal Medicine, 1707 West Charleston Boulevard, Suite 230, 702.671.5060

Special Expertise: Primary Care

Candice H. Tung, MD

Jerry Schwartz & Associates, 7395 South Pecos Road, Suite 102, 702.737.8657

Special Expertise: Primary Care, Concierge Medicine, Diabetes

John A. Varras, MD

UNLV Health, Department of Internal Medicine, 1707 West Charleston Boulevard, Suite 230, 702.671.5060

Special Expertise: Primary Care, Weight Management, Diabetes, Heart Disease

Raji Venkat, MD Dignity Health Medical Group, 10001 South Eastern Avenue, Suite 101, 702.616.5801

Special Expertise: Primary Care

Sandhya Wahi Gururaj, MD UNLV Health, Department of Internal Medicine, 1707 West Charleston Boulevard, Suite 230, 702.671.5060

Special Expertise: Primary Care,

Preventive Medicine, Hypertension

Henry H. Wang, MD Wang Medical, 1346 South Decatur Boulevard, 702.889.8355

Special Expertise: Primary Care

✚ INTERVENTIONAL CARDIOLOGY

Dalia Hawwass, MD

Nevada Heart & Vascular Center, 4275 Burnham Avenue, Suite 100, 702.227.3422

Navid Kazemi, MD

Nevada Cardiology Associates, 3150 North Tenaya Way, Suite 460, 702.233.1000

Special Expertise: Arrhythmias, Coronary Artery Disease, Heart Failure

James A. Lally, MD Heart Center of Nevada, 700 Shadow Lane, Suite 240, 702.384.0022

Special Expertise: Arrhythmias

Sanjay Malhotra, MD

Nevada Heart & Vascular Center, 4275 Burnham Avenue, Suite 100, 702.227.3422

Tariq S. Marroush, MD

Nevada Cardiology Associates, 3150 North Tenaya Way, Suite 460, 702.233.1000

Cres P. Miranda, MD

Nevada Heart & Vascular Center, 401 North Buffalo Drive, Suite 100, 702.227.3422

Special Expertise: Coronary Angioplasty/ Stents, Preventive Cardiology

Janmejay J. Patel, MD

Intermountain Healthcare, 8205 West Warm Springs Road, Suite 210, 702.534.5464

✚ MATERNAL & FETAL MEDICINE

Wilson H. Huang, MD

High Risk Pregnancy Center, 880 Seven Hills Drive, Suite 260, 702.382.3200

Special Expertise: Prematurity/Low Birth Weight Infants, Ultrasound

Brian K. Iriye, MD

High Risk Pregnancy Center, 2011 Pinto Lane, Suite 200, 702.382.3200

Special Expertise: Prenatal Diagnosis, Ultrasound, Diabetes in Pregnancy, Multiple Gestation

Manijeh Kamyar, MD

High Risk Pregnancy Center, 2011 Pinto Lane, Suite 200, 702.382.3200

Special Expertise: High-Risk Pregnancy

Sean M. Keeler, MD

Desert Perinatal Associates, 5761 South Fort Apache Road, 702.341.6610

Special Expertise: Premature Labor

Mary L. Khine-Stickler, MD

Desert Perinatal Associates, 5761 South Fort Apache Road, 702.341.6610

Stephen M. Wold, MD

High Risk Pregnancy Center, 2011 Pinto Lane, Suite 200, 702.382.3200

Special Expertise: High-Risk Pregnancy

✚ MEDICAL ONCOLOGY

Fadi S. Braiteh, MD

Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada, 3730 South Eastern Avenue, 702.952.3400

Special Expertise: Gastrointestinal Cancer, Lung, Breast, Colon & Rectal Cancer

Stephani Christensen, MD

Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada, 1505 Wigwam Parkway, Suite 130, 702.856.1400

Special Expertise: Breast Cancer, Hematology

Khoi M. Dao, MD

Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada, 10001 South Eastern Avenue, Suite 108, 702.952.3444

Special Expertise: Hematologic Malignancies, Colon Cancer, Lung Cancer

Muhammad S. Ghani, MD

Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada, 2460 West Horizon Ridge Parkway, 702.822.2000

Special Expertise: Breast Cancer, Bone Marrow Transplant, Colon Cancer, Lung Cancer

Russell Gollard, MD

Optum Cancer Care, 2300 West Charleston Boulevard, 702.724.8787

Special Expertise: Hematology

Vikas Gupta, MD

Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada, 9280 West Sunset Road, Suite 100, 702.952.1251

Liawaty Ho, MD

Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada, 3730 South Eastern Avenue, 702.952.3400

Special Expertise: Breast Cancer, Lung Cancer, Lymphoma

Regan Holdridge, MD

Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada, 1505 Wigwam Parkway, Suite 130, 702.856.1400

Special Expertise: Breast, Lung, Colon Cancer, Hematology

Henry Igid, MD

Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada,

653 North Town Center Drive, Suite 402, 702.243.7200

Special Expertise: Anemia, Multiple Myeloma, Leukemia & Lymphoma

Karen S. Jacks, MD

Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada, 9280 West Sunset Road, Suite 100, 702.952.1251

Special Expertise: Breast Cancer, Gynecologic Cancers, Hematology

Clark S. Jean, MD

Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada Northwest, 7445 Peak Drive, 702.952.2140

Special Expertise: Hematologic Malignancies, Leukemia & Lymphoma

H. Keshava-Prasad, MD

Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada, 3730 South Eastern Avenue, 702.952.3400

Special Expertise: Leukemia & Lymphoma, Lung Cancer, Palliative Care

Edwin Kingsley, MD

Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada, 3730 South Eastern Avenue, 702.952.3400

Special Expertise: Hematologic Malignancies

Anthony V. Nguyen, MD

Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada, 1505 Wigwam Parkway, Suite 130, 702.856.1400

Special Expertise: Gastrointestinal Cancer, Lung Cancer, Anemias & Red Blood Cell Disorders, Hematology

Rupesh J. Parikh, MD

Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada, 10001 South Eastern Avenue, Suite 108, 702.952.3444

Special Expertise: Hematology

Ramalingam

Ratnasabapathy, MD

Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada, 2460 West Horizon Ridge Parkway, 702.822.2000

Special Expertise: Hematology

Hamidreza Sanatinia, MD Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada, 9280 West Sunset Road, Suite 100, 702.952.1251

Special Expertise: Hematology

Anuradha Thummala, MD Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada Northwest, 7445 Peak Drive, 702.952.2140

Restituto Tibayan, MD Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada, 2460 West Horizon Ridge Parkway, 702.822.2000

Special Expertise: Hematology

Ann M. Wierman, MD 3150 North Tenaya Way, Suite 200

Special Expertise: Breast Cancer, Lymphoma, Lung Cancer, Hematology

Steven W. Yates, MD Intermountain Healthcare, 3131 La Canada Street, Suite 140, 702.735.7154

✚

NEONATAL-PERINATAL MEDICINE

Elmer S. David, MD A Las Vegas Medical Group, 4043 East Sunset Road, 702.733.0744

Special Expertise: Neonatal Nutrition

✚ NEPHROLOGY

Adin Boldur, MD

Kidney Specialists of Southern Nevada, 1294 South Jones Boulevard, 702.877.1887

Special Expertise: Hypertension, Kidney Failure

Jay K. Chu, MD

Kidney Specialists of Southern Nevada, 1294 South Jones Boulevard, 702.877.1887

Radhika R. Janga, MD

Nevada Kidney Disease & Hypertension Centers, 5815 South Rainbow Boulevard, Suite 110, 702.732.1586

Dijana Jefic, MD

Las Vegas Kidney and Hypertension Specialists, 229 North Pecos Road, Suite 120, 702.629.7510

Samuel A. Kantor, MD

Nevada Kidney Disease & Hypertension Centers, 1581 Mount Mariah Drive, Suite 150, 702.851.7766

Special Expertise: Kidney Disease

Bindu Khanna, MD

Kidney Specialists of Southern Nevada, 1294 South Jones Boulevard, 702.877.1887

Special Expertise: Fluid/Electrolyte Balance,

Lawrence M. Lehrner, MD

Kidney Specialists of Southern Nevada, 1294 South Jones Boulevard, 702.877.1887

Special Expertise: Chronic Kidney Disease

Deepak Nandikanti, MD

Kidney Specialists of Southern Nevada, 1294 South Jones Boulevard, 702.877.1887

Chidi C. Okafor, MD

Kidney Specialists of Southern Nevada, 1294 South Jones Boulevard, 702.877.1887

Special Expertise: Hypertension, Dialysis Care, Dialysis-Peritoneal

Syed I. Shah, MD

Kidney Specialists of Southern Nevada, 1294 South Jones Boulevard, 702.877.1887

Special Expertise: Transplant Medicine-Kidney

Marwan Takieddine, MD

Nevada Kidney Disease & Hypertension Centers, 2450 Fire Mesa Street, Suite 110, 702.732.1586

Special Expertise: Hypertension, Cholesterol/Lipid Disorders

Vincent Yang, MD

Kidney Specialists of Southern Nevada, 1294 South Jones Boulevard, 702.877.1887

Special Expertise: Diabetes, Hypertension, Chronic Kidney Disease, Kidney Stones

✚ NEUROLOGICAL SURGERY

Derek A. Duke, MD

The Spine & Brain Institute, 861 Coronado Center Drive, Suite 200, 702.948.9088

Special Expertise: Brain & Spinal Surgery, Spinal Surgery

Jason E. Garber, MD

Las Vegas Neurosurgical Institute, 3012 South Durango Drive, 702.835.0088

Special Expertise: Spinal Surgery, Minimally Invasive Spinal Surgery, Spinal Surgery-Complex

Michael E. Seiff, MD

The Spine & Brain Institute, 8530 West Sunset Road, Suite 250, 702.948.9088

Special Expertise: Brain & Spinal Surgery, Chiari Malformations, Minimally Invasive Surgery

✚ NEUROLOGY

Charles Bernick, MD Cleveland Clinic, Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, 888 West Bonneville Avenue, 702.483.6000

Special Expertise: Dementia, Alzheimer’s Disease, Memory Disorders

Shanker N. Dixit, MD Neurology Center of Las Vegas, 2480 Professional Court, 702.405.7100

Special Expertise: Clinical Neurophysiology, Stroke, Epilepsy/Seizure Disorders, Headache

Lydia B. Estanislao, MD 4206 West Charleston Boulevard

Le Hua, MD

Cleveland Clinic, Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, 888 West Bonneville Avenue, 702.483.6000

Special Expertise: Multiple Sclerosis, Neuro-Immunology

Zoltan Mari, MD

Cleveland Clinic, Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, 888 West Bonneville Avenue, 702.483.6000

Special Expertise: Movement Disorders, Parkinson’s Disease

Christopher Milford, MD

Neurology Clinics of Nevada, 1621 East Flamingo Road, Suite 16A, 702.956.0996

Special Expertise: Clinical Neurophysiology, Electromyography

Abraham J. Nagy, MD

Nevada Headache Institute, 400 South Rampart Boulevard, Suite 295, 702.432.3224

Dylan P. Wint, MD

Cleveland Clinic, Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, 888 West Bonneville Avenue, 702.483.6000

Special Expertise:

Neurodegenerative Disorders, NeuroPsychiatry, Cognitive Impairment-Mild, Behavioral Neurology

✚ NUCLEAR MEDICINE

Bharat Reddy Mocherla, MD

Las Vegas Medical Research, 2851 North Tenaya Way, Suite 103, 702.750.0222

Special Expertise: PET Imaging, CT Scan

✚ OBSTETRICS & GYNECOLOGY

Golnaz R. Alemi, MD

Dr. Nader and Associates OB/GYN, 1815 East Lake Mead Boulevard, Suite 215, 702.818.1919

Amit Garg, MD

Women’s Health

Associates of Southern Nevada, 2580 Saint Rose Parkway, Suite 140, 702.862.8862

Special Expertise: Menstrual Disorders, Pregnancy, Women’s Health

Nadia A. Gomez, MD UNLV Health, Maternal Fetal Medicine Clinic, 3196 South Maryland Parkway, Suite 303, 702.660.8658

Special Expertise: Minimally Invasive Surgery, Robotic Surgery, Tubal Ligation Reversal, Pain-Pelvic

Kevin Hsiung, MD

Complete Care ObGYN, 1528 West Warm Springs Road, Suite 100, 702.213.5601

Special Expertise: Menstrual Disorders, Pregnancy, Women’s Health

Staci L. McHale, MD

Women’s Health Associates of Southern Nevada, 8850 West Sunset Road, Suite 110, 702.740.0500

Special Expertise: High-Risk Pregnancy

Philip G. McLemore, MD

My OBGYN, 6850 North Durango Drive, Suite 401, 702.463.2981

Special Expertise: Women’s Health, Pregnancy, Minimally Invasive Surgery

Edmond E. Pack, MD Women’s Health Associates of Southern Nevada, 2580 Saint Rose Parkway, Suite 140, 702.862.8862

Special Expertise: Minimally Invasive Surgery, Endometriosis, Gynecologic Surgery, Robotic Surgery

Tammy Reynolds, MD Women’s Health Associates of Southern Nevada, 2880 North Tenaya Way, Suite 420, 702.255.2022

Special Expertise: Gynecologic Surgery

Jacob Skinner, MD

Complete Care ObGYN, 1528 West Warm Springs Road, Suite 100, 702.213.5601

Special Expertise: Obstetrics Only

✚ OPHTHALMOLOGY

Brian Alder, MD

Shepherd Eye Center, 6850 North Durango Drive, Suite 404, 702.731.2088

Special Expertise: Corneal Disease

Charles M. Calvo, MD Meadows Eye Physicians & Surgeons, 1820 East Desert Inn Road, 702.358.0472

Special Expertise: Retinal Disorders

Joyce H. Cassen, MD/PhD Shepherd Eye Center, 3575 PecosMcLeod Interconnect, 702.731.2088

Special Expertise: Glaucoma

Carolyn Ann Cruvant, MD Shepherd Eye Center, 3575 PecosMcLeod Interconnect, 702.731.2088

Mark W. Doubrava, MD

Eye Care for Nevada, The Lakes Business Park, 9011 West Sahara Avenue, Suite 101, 702.794.2020

Special Expertise: LASIK-Refractive Surgery, Cataract Surgery, Corneal Disease & Surgery, Cornea Transplant

Eissa Hanna, MD

Precise Sight, 653 North Town Center Drive, Suite 212, 702.982.1360

Special Expertise: Cataract-Complex, Intraocular Lens, Multifocal IOL

Jeffrey Hart, MD Center For Sight, 5871 West Craig Road, 702.724.2020

Special Expertise: Dry Eye Syndrome

Rodney Hollifield, MD

Retina Consultants of Nevada, 653 North Town Center Drive, Suite 518, 702.369.0200

Special Expertise: Retina/Vitreous Surgery

Tigran Kostanyan, MD

Wellish Vision Institute, 10424 South Eastern Avenue, Suite 100, 702.733.2020

Special Expertise: Glaucoma, Cataract Surgery, Laser Surgery, Dry Eye Syndrome

Janet Lee, MD

Shepherd Eye Center, 6850 North Durango Drive, Suite 404, 702.731.2088

Special Expertise: Glaucoma

Ethan Wonchon Lin, MD Westwood Eye, 5380 South Rainbow Boulevard, Suite 108, 702.570.2820

Special Expertise: Cataract Surgery, Corneal Disease & Transplant, LASIK Surgery

Judy C. Liu, MD

Retina Consultants of Nevada, 653 North Town Center Drive, Suite 518,

702.369.0200

Special Expertise: Retinal Disorders, Macular Degeneration, Diabetic Eye Disease/Retinopathy, Retinal Vascular Diseases

Matthew Pezda, MD

Meadows Eye Physicians & Surgeons, 2749 Sunridge Heights Parkway, 702.358.0472

Special Expertise: Diabetic Eye Disease/ Retinopathy, Macular Disease/Degeneration, Retinal Disorders, Retinal Vascular Diseases

Helga F. Pizio, MD

New Eyes, 2020 Wellness Way, Suite 402, 702.485.5000

Special Expertise: Cataract Surgery

Tushina A. Reddy, MD

Shepherd Eye Center, 6850 North Durango Drive, Suite 404, 702.731.2088

Ravindranath Reddy, MD

Shepherd Eye Center, 6850 North Durango Drive, Suite 404, 702.731.2088

Special Expertise: Eyelid Surgery/ Blepharoplasty

Adam J. Rovit, MD

Shepherd Eye Center, 2475 West Horizon Ridge Parkway, 702.731.2088

Grace S. Shin, MD

Ideal EyeCare, 6028 South Fort Apache Road, Suite 101, 702.896.2020

Special Expertise: Pediatric Ophthalmology, Cataract Surgery, Glaucoma, Macular Disease/Degeneration

Surjeet Singh, MD

Nevada Eye Physicians, 1505 Wigwam Parkway, Suite 100, 702.930.3886

Special Expertise: Cataract Surgery, LASIKRefractive Surgery, PRKRefractive Surgery

Ksenia A. Stafeeva, MD

New Eyes, 2020 Wellness Way, Suite 402,

702.485.5000

Special Expertise: Corneal Disease, Cornea & Refractive Surgery

Matthew Swanic, MD

Las Vegas Eye Institute, 10521 Jeffreys Street, Suite 101, 702.816.2525

Special Expertise: Cataract Surgery, Corneal Disease, Glaucoma, LASIKRefractive Surgery

Robert B. Taylor, MD

Shepherd Eye Center, 6850 North Durango Drive, Suite 404, 702.731.2088

Raymond Theodosis, MD

Shepherd Eye Center, 6850 North Durango Drive, Suite 404, 702.731.2088

Kent L. Wellish, MD

Wellish Vision Institute, 2110 East Flamingo Road, Suite 210, 702.733.2020

Special Expertise: Corneal Disease & Surgery, LASIK-Refractive Surgery, Cataract Surgery, Dry Eye Syndrome

Jason Craig Wickens, MD

Retina Consultants of Nevada, 653 North Town Center Drive, Suite 518, 702.369.0200

Special Expertise: Retina/Vitreous Surgery, Macular Degeneration

Meher Yepremyan, MD

Retina Consultants of Nevada, 653 North Town Center Drive, Suite 518, 702.369.0200

Special Expertise: Retinal Disorders, Retina/ Vitreous Surgery

✚ ORTHOPAEDIC SURGERY

Andrew Cash, MD

Desert Institute of Spine Care, 9339 West Sunset Road, Suite 100, 702.630.3472

Special Expertise: Spinal Surgery, Minimally Invasive Spinal Surgery

Roger A. Fontes, MD

Desert Orthopaedic Center, 2800 East Desert Inn Road, Suite 100, 702.731.1616

Special Expertise: Knee & Shoulder Pain & Surgery, Knee & Shoulder Pain, Fractures-Complex & Non Union, Joint Replacement

Kyle J. Hancock, MD

Desert Orthopaedic Center, 8402 West Centennial Parkway, 702.731.1616

Special Expertise: Sports Medicine, Minimally Invasive Surgery, Arthroscopic Surgery-Hip, Arthroscopic SurgeryShoulder

Chad M. Hanson, MD

Desert Orthopaedic Center, 8689 West Charleston Boulevard, Suite 105, 702.731.1616

Special Expertise:

Arthroscopic Surgery, Shoulder & Knee Injuries, Hip Surgery, Elbow Surgery

Steven R. Hoer, MD

Orthopaedic Institute of Henderson, 10561 Jeffreys Street, Suite 230, 702.565.6565

Special Expertise: Joint Replacement, Shoulder Surgery, Knee Surgery, Hip Surgery

Lawrence R. Huff, MD

Desert Orthopaedic Center, 2800 East Desert Inn Road, Suite 100, 702.731.1616

Special Expertise: Shoulder SurgeryComplex, Shoulder Replacement, Shoulder Injuries, Elbow Replacement

Erik N. Kubiak, MD

University Medical Center, Orthopedic & Spine Institute, 2231 West Charleston Boulevard, 702.383.2663

Special Expertise: Reconstructive Surgery

Michael Miao, MD

Desert Orthopaedic Center, 2800 East Desert Inn Road, Suite 100, 702.731.4088

Special Expertise:

Arthroscopic SurgeryShoulder, Arthroscopic Surgery-Knee, Sports Medicine, Reconstructive Surgery

Bernard C. Ong, MD 8551 West Lake Mead Boulevard, Suite 251

Special Expertise: Joint Replacement, Sports Medicine, Fractures, Knee Reconstruction

Archie C. Perry, MD

Desert Orthopaedic Center, 2800 East Desert Inn Road, Suite 100, 702.731.1616

Special Expertise:

Spinal Surgery-Pediatric & Adult, Spinal SurgeryLow Back, Spinal SurgeryNeck, Spinal DisordersDegenerative

Deirdre D. Ryan, MD

Children’s Bone & Spine Surgery, 1525 East Windmill Lane, Suite 201, 702.434.6920

Special Expertise:

Neuromuscular Disorders, Trauma, Foot Deformities

Roman Sibel, MD

Orthopedic Foot & Ankle Institute, 3175 Saint Rose Parkway, Suite 320, 702.997.9833

Special Expertise: Foot & Ankle Deformities, Charcot Foot, Clubfoot, Diabetic Leg/Foot

Timothy J. Trainor, MD

Advanced Orthopedics & Sports Medicine, 7195 Advanced Way, 702.740.5327

Special Expertise: Arthroscopic Surgery, Shoulder & Knee Surgery, Shoulder Arthroscopic Surgery, Fractures

Carl B. Wallis, MD

Orthopaedic Institute of Henderson, 10561 Jeffreys Street, Suite 230,

702.565.6565

Special Expertise: Joint Reconstruction

Troy S. Watson, MD

Desert Orthopaedic Center, 2800 East Desert Inn Road, Suite 100, 702.731.4088

Special Expertise: Foot & Ankle Surgery

Richard S. Woodworth, MD

Desert Orthopaedic Center, 2800 East Desert Inn Road, Suite 100, 702.731.4088

Special Expertise: Hip & Knee Surgery, Joint Replacement, Shoulder Surgery, Sports Injuries

Randall E. Yee, DO Advanced Orthopedics & Sports Medicine, 7195 Advanced Way, 702.740.5327

Special Expertise: Arthroscopic Surgery, Cartilage Damage & Transplant, Knee Surgery

Joseph Yu, MD

Total Sports Medicine & Orthopedics, 10105 Banburry Cross Drive, Suite 445, 702.475.4390

Special Expertise: Sports Medicine, Joint Replacement, Shoulder & Knee Surgery, Cartilage Damage

✚ OTOLARYNGOLOGY

Jo-Lawrence Bigcas, MD UNLV Health, Ear Nose and Throat Clinic, 5320 South Rainbow Boulevard, Suite 250, 702.671.6480

Special Expertise: Head & Neck Cancer & Surgery, Skull Base Surgery, Thyroid Cancer & Surgery

Harry H. Ching, MD

UNLV Health, Ear Nose and Throat Clinic, 5320 South Rainbow Boulevard, Suite 250, 702.671.6480

Special Expertise: Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Nasal Obstruction, Sinus Disorders/Surgery, Skin Cancer/Facial Reconstruction

Matthew Ng, MD UNLV Health, Ear Nose and Throat Clinic, 5320 South Rainbow Boulevard, Suite 250, 702.671.6480

Special Expertise: Neurotology, Skull Base Surgery, Otology, Acoustic Neuroma/Schwannoma

Sean D. Palacios, MD

Nevada Ear & Sinus Institute, 3692 East Sunset Road, 702.735.7668

Special Expertise: Neurotology, Hearing & Balance Disorders, Skull Base Tumors, Sinus Disorders/Surgery

Walter W. Schroeder, MD Ear, Nose & Throat Consultants of Nevada, 3195 Saint Rose Parkway, Suite 210, 702.792.6700

Special Expertise: Head & Neck Surgery, Nasal Surgery, Throat Disorders

Mehdi Sina, MD Vegas Facial Plastics, 9418 West Lake Mead Boulevard, 702.890.8507

Special Expertise: Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Rhinoplasty, Fillers & Injectables

Robert C. Wang, MD

UNLV Health, Ear Nose and Throat Clinic, 5320 South Rainbow Boulevard, Suite 250, 702.671.6480

Special Expertise: Head & Neck Surgery

Randall T. Weingarten, MD

Southern Nevada Ear, Nose, and Throat, 10410 South Eastern Avenue, Suite 110, 702.617.9599

Special Expertise:

Head & Neck Surgery, Thyroid & Parathyroid Surgery, Sinus Disorders/ Surgery

✚ PAIN MEDICINE

Ho Viet Dzung, MD

Innovative Pain Care Center, 9920 West Cheyenne Avenue, Suite 110, 702.684.7246

Special Expertise: Pain-Back & Neck

Andrew M. Hall, MD

Relevium Pain Specialists, 6064 South Fort Apache Road, Suite 100, 702.940.8007

Special Expertise: Interventional Pain Management

S. Andrew Park, MD

Desert Orthopaedic Center, 8402 West Centennial Parkway, 702.731.1616

Special Expertise: Non-Opioid Pain Management, PainInterventional Techniques, Ultrasound, Spinal Cord Stimulation

Anthony Ruggeroli, MD

Pain Specialists of Nevada, 9159 West Flamingo Road, Suite 100, 702.307.7700

Special Expertise: Pain-Musculoskeletal, Pain-Interventional Techniques

Katherine D. Travnicek, MD

Relevium Pain Specialists, 7435 West Azure Drive, Suite 190, 702.940.8007

Special Expertise: Pain Management

✚

PEDIATRIC CARDIOLOGY

Ruben J. Acherman, MD

Children’s Heart Center Nevada, 3131 La Canada Street, Suite 230, 702.732.1290

Special Expertise: Neonatal Cardiology, Arrhythmias, Fetal Echocardiography

William J. Castillo, MD

Children’s Heart Center

Nevada, 3131 La Canada Street, Suite 230, 702.732.1290

Special Expertise: Fetal Cardiology, Echocardiography

William N. Evans, MD

Children’s Heart Center Nevada, 3131 La Canada Street, Suite 230, 702.732.1290

Alvaro Galindo, MD

Children’s Heart Center Nevada, 3131 La Canada Street, Suite 230, 702.732.1290

Special Expertise:

Interventional Cardiology, Cardiac Catheterization

Gary A. Mayman, MD

Children’s Heart Center Nevada, 3131 La Canada Street, Suite 230, 702.732.1290

Special Expertise: Fetal Echocardiography

Abraham Rothman, MD

Children’s Heart Center Nevada, 3131 La Canada Street, Suite 230, 702.732.1290

Special Expertise: Interventional Cardiology

✚ PEDIATRIC GASTROENTEROLOGY

Howard I. Baron, MD

Pediatric Gastroenterology & Nutrition Associates, 3196 South Maryland Parkway, Suite 309, 702.791.0477

Special Expertise: Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Eosinophilic Esophagitis, Gastrointestinal Motility Disorders

Elizabeth Mileti, DO

Pediatric Gastroenterology & Nutrition Associates, 3196 South Maryland Parkway, Suite 309, 702.791.0477

Rebecca L. Scherr, MD

UNLV Health, Pediatric Clinic, 1524 Pinto Lane, Floor 3, 702.944.2828

✚ PEDIATRIC INFECTIOUS DISEASES

David Di John, MD

UNLV Health, Pediatric Clinic, 1524 Pinto Lane, Floor 3, 702.944.2828

Special Expertise: Vaccines, Travel Medicine

✚ PEDIATRIC NEPHROLOGY

Michael O. Aigbe, MD Children’s Nephrology Clinic, 7219 West Sahara Avenue, Suite 120, 702.639.1700

Special Expertise: Kidney Disease, Kidney Failure, Hypertension

✚ PEDIATRIC ORTHOPAEDIC SURGERY

Jason H. Nielson, MD

Children’s Bone & Spine Surgery, 1525 East Windmill Lane, Suite 201, 702.434.6920

Special Expertise: Sports Medicine, Dance Medicine, Arthroscopic Surgery

David G. Stewart, MD Cure 4 The Kids Foundation, 1 Breakthrough Way, 702.732.1493

Special Expertise: Scoliosis, FracturesComplex & Non Union

Michael D. Thomas, MD Nevada Orthopedic & Spine Center, 7455 West Washington Avenue, Suite 160, 702.258.3773

Special Expertise: Scoliosis, Spinal Deformity

✚ PEDIATRIC PULMONOLOGY

Craig T. Nakamura, MD

Children’s Lung Specialists, 3196 South Maryland Parkway, Suite 209, 702.598.4411

Special Expertise: Asthma, Lung Disease, Sleep Disorders/Apnea, Cystic Fibrosis

David P. Parks, MD UNLV Health, Pediatric Clinic, 1524 Pinto Lane, Floor 3, 702.944.2828

Special Expertise: Lung Disease, Cystic Fibrosis, Pneumonia

✚ PEDIATRIC RADIOLOGY

Lisa K. Wong, MD Desert Radiology, 2020 Palomino Lane, Suite 100, 702.759.8600

✚ PEDIATRIC SURGERY

Michael Scheidler, MD UNLV Health, Department of Pediatric Surgery, 1707 West Charleston Boulevard, Suite 110, 702.650.2500

Special Expertise: Trauma

✚ PEDIATRIC UROLOGY

Jessica T. Casey, MD Children’s Urology Associates, 6670 South Tenaya Way, Suite 180, 702.369.4999

Special Expertise: Reconstructive Surgery, Hypospadias, Vesicoureteral Reflux (VUR), Robotic Surgery

Andrew H. Hwang, MD Las Vegas Pediatric Urology, 653 North Town Center Drive, Suite 407, 702.728.5686

Special Expertise: Transplant-Kidney

James C. Plaire, MD Children’s Urology Associates, 6670 South Tenaya Way, Suite 180, 702.369.4999

Special Expertise: Undescended Testis, Incontinence, Congenital Anomalies-Genitourinary

✚ PEDIATRICS

Zubin Amarsi, MD

Kids 360 Pediatrics, 3140 South Rainbow Boulevard, Suite 403, 725.433.8505

These

Peter Crampton | Sarasota,

James A. Bakerink, MD

Wee Care Pediatrics, 4785 South Durango Drive, Suite 101, 702.889.8444

Special Expertise: Primary Care, Newborn Care, Preventive Medicine, Adolescent Medicine

Douglas H. Barlow, MD

Anthem Hills Pediatrics, 871 Coronado Center Drive, Suite 141, 702.566.2400

Special Expertise: Primary Care

Sarah Chamanara, DO

Anthem Hills Pediatrics, 871 Coronado Center Drive, Suite 141, 702.566.2400

Special Expertise: Primary Care, Preventive Medicine, Nutrition

Blair Duddy, MD

Southwest Medical, 2704 North Tenaya Way, Suite 1500, 702.877.5199

Special Expertise: Primary Care, Diabetes, Nutrition

Diane S. Goebel, MD

St. Rose Pediatrics, 8980 West Cheyenne Avenue, 702.564.8556

Special Expertise: Primary Care

Pamela Greenspon, MD

Desert Valley Pediatrics, 10105 Banburry Cross, Suite 370, 702.260.4525

Special Expertise: Primary Care, Nutrition, Newborn Care

Heath H. Hodapp, MD

St. Rose Pediatrics, 2350 West Horizon Ridge Parkway, 702.564.8556

Special Expertise: Primary Care

Vicki Hom, MD Oshiro Pediatrics, 4570 Eastern Avenue, Suite 21, 702.733.6033

Special Expertise: Primary Care, Pediatric Care, Preventive Medicine, Vaccines

Margaret Hwang, MD

Southwest Medical, 2704 North Tenaya Way, Suite 1500, 702.877.5199

Special Expertise: Primary Care

Marcy A. Kulic, MD

Henderson Pediatrics, 1490 West Sunset Road, Suite 150, 702.566.0333

Special Expertise: Primary Care, Pediatric Care

Kim M. LaMotte-Malone, MD

Anthem Hills Pediatrics, 871 Coronado Center Drive, Suite 141, 702.566.2400

Special Expertise: Primary Care

Thanya C. Lee, MD

Henderson Pediatrics, 1490 West Sunset Road, Suite 150, 702.566.0333

Special Expertise: Primary Care, Pediatric Care

John Lepore, DO

Kidfixers Pediatrics, 10105 Banburry Cross Drive, Suite 170, 702.765.5437

Natasa Mihic, MD

Anthem Hills Pediatrics, 871 Coronado Center Drive, Suite 141, 702.566.2400

Special Expertise: Primary Care

Nudrat Nauman, MD Advanced Pediatrics, 8551 West Lake Mead Boulevard, Suite 180, 702.750.1230

Special Expertise: Primary Care

Beverly A. Neyland, MD

UNLV Health, Pediatric Clinic, 1524 Pinto Lane, Floor 3, 702.944.2828

Special Expertise: Primary Care

Ryan M. Nishihara, MD

Meadows Pediatrics, 9030 West Cheyenne Avenue, Suite 120, 702.436.7337

Special Expertise: Primary Care, Adolescent Medicine

Ineada B. Okafor, MD

Anthem Hills Pediatrics, 871 Coronado Center Drive, Suite 141, 702.566.2400

Special Expertise: Primary Care, Preventive Medicine

Andrew C. Oshiro, MD Oshiro Pediatrics, 4570 Eastern Avenue, Suite 21, 702.733.6033

Special Expertise: Primary Care, Pediatric Care, Preventive Medicine, Vaccines

Khursheeda Pathan, MD Southwest Medical, 420 North Nellis Boulevard, Suite A6, 702.877.5199

Special Expertise: Primary Care

Fatehali G. Peera, MD UNLV Health, Pediatric Clinic, 1524 Pinto Lane, Floor 3, 702.944.2828

Special Expertise: Primary Care

Wesley Robertson, MD Sunshine Valley Pediatrics, 9091 West Post Road, 702.363.3000

Special Expertise: Primary Care

Dodds P. Simangan, DO UNLV Health, Pediatric Clinic, 1524 Pinto Lane, Floor 3, 702.944.2828

Special Expertise: Primary Care

Catherine C. Smitha, MD

Anthem Hills Pediatrics, 5320 South Rainbow Boulevard, Suite 172, 702.566.2400

Special Expertise: Primary Care, Preventive Medicine

Huynh-Truong P. Vu, MD

Anthem Pediatrics, 2510 West Horizon Ridge, Suite 130, 702.263.7800

Special Expertise: Primary Care, Preventive Medicine

Laura H. Weidenfeld, MD Sunshine Valley Pediatrics, 9091 West Post Road, 702.363.3000

Special Expertise: Primary Care

Rabbi Zia, MD Desert Valley Pediatrics, 10105 Banburry Cross, Suite 370, 702.260.4525

Special Expertise: Primary Care ✚

PHYSICAL MEDICINE & REHABILITATION

Bevins K. Chue, MD Rehabilitation Specialists of Henderson, 1669 West Horizon Ridge Parkway, Suite 100, 702.386.1041

Special Expertise: Hospital Medicine, Arthritis, Musculoskeletal Disorders, Neuromuscular Disorders

Andrew B. Kim, DO Desert Orthopaedic Center, 2800 East Desert Inn Road, Suite 100, 702.731.4088

Special Expertise: Musculoskeletal Injuries, Musculoskeletal Disorders, Pain Management

Nianjun Tang, MD Relevium Pain Specialists, 6064 South Fort Apache Road, Suite 100, 702.940.8007

Special Expertise: Pain Management ✚ PLASTIC

SURGERY

Richard C. Baynosa, MD

UNLV Health, Plastic Surgery Clinic, 2724 North Tenaya Way, 702.671.5110

Special Expertise: Breast Cosmetic & Reconstructive Surgery

John Brosious, MD

Vegas Plastic Surgery Institute, 341 North Buffalo Drive, Suite B, 702.727.8500

Special Expertise: Cosmetic & Reconstructive Surgery, Gender Affirmation Surgery, LGBTQ+ Health, Vaginoplasty

Hayley Brown, MD

Desert Hills Plastic Surgery Center, 10001 South Eastern Avenue, Suite 406, 702.260.7707

Special Expertise: Breast Cosmetic Surgery

Arthur M. Cambeiro, MD

SurgiSpa, 2370 West Horizon Ridge Parkway, Suite 130, 702.566.8300

Special Expertise: Facelift, Liposuction & Body Contouring, CoolSculpting, Breast Augmentation

Christopher R. Costa, MD

Platinum Plastic Surgery, 5824 South Durango Drive, Suite 110, 702.331.1178

Special Expertise: Facelift, Rhinoplasty, Fillers & Injectables, Brow Lift

Michael C. Edwards, MD

Plastic Surgery Vegas, 8530 West Sunset Road, Suite 130, 702.822.2100

Special Expertise: Breast Reconstruction & Augmentation

Joshua J. Goldman, MD

Vegas Plastic Surgery Institute, 341 North Buffalo Drive, Suite B, 702.727.8500

Special Expertise: Breast Reconstruction, Limb Surgery/Reconstruction, Microsurgery, TraumaReconstructive Plastic Surgery

W. Tracy Hankins, MD

Hankins & Sohn Plastic Surgery Associates, 60 North Pecos Road, 702.948.7595

Special Expertise: Cosmetic Surgery-Face & Breast, Liposuction & Body Contouring

Elevating Healthcare with Multi-Speciality Concierge Medicine

We are proud to celebrate the physicians of Ameli | Dadourian Medicine, each honored as a 2025 Top Doctor. This distinction reflects their unwavering dedication to delivering concierge-level, specialty-driven care of the highest caliber.

ELHAM TAHERIAN, MD

A Top Doctor in both Rheumatology and Internal Medicine, Dr. Elham Taherian provides an advanced, concierge medical experience that blends extensive clinical expertise with highly personalized attention. She is currently welcoming new patients for both concierge rheumatology and concierge primary care.

At Ameli | Dadourian Medicine, we take a fully coordinated approach to care, integrating specialties and aligning every aspect of your health journey. With a limited panel of patients, Dr. Taherian offers direct access, unrushed visits, and customized care plans designed to optimize long-term outcomes.

Ameli | Dadourian Medicine provides highly personal, conciergelevel, multi-specialty care that integrates cardiology, endocrinology, rheumatology, internal medicine, and preventive health strategies. Our expert team of board-certified physicians delivers powerful cuttingedge diagnostics, evidence-based treatments, and personalized health management to ensure the best outcomes for our patients.

Sean Ameli, MD | Berge Dadourian, MD | Brian Berelowitz, MD | Elham Taherian, MD

Terrence B. Higgins, MD

Plastic Surgery Vegas, 8530 West Sunset Road, Suite 130, 702.822.2100

Special Expertise: Microsurgery

John M. Menezes, MD UNLV Health, Plastic Surgery Clinic, 2724 North Tenaya Way, 702.671.5110

Special Expertise: Craniofacial Surgery, Cosmetic & Reconstructive Surgery

Stephen M. Miller, MD 8435 South Eastern Avenue, Suite 100

Special Expertise: Cosmetic Surgery-Face & Breast, Liposuction & Body Contouring, Hair Restoration/Transplant

John J. Minoli, MD

Minoli Plastic Surgery, 5735 South Fort Apache Road, Suite B, 702.323.6246

Special Expertise: Facial Plastic Surgery, Rhinoplasty, Eyelid Surgery/Blepharoplasty, Botox

Brandon Reynolds, MD

Reynolds Plastic Surgery, 5550 Painted Mirage Road, Suite 217, 702.410.9800

Special Expertise: Breast Cosmetic & Reconstructive Surgery, Breast Reduction, Cosmetic Surgery-Face & Body, Skin Cancer Reconstruction

Jeffrey J. Roth, MD Las Vegas Plastic Surgery, 6140 South Fort Apache Road, Suite 100, 702.425.5260

Special Expertise: Botox, Breast Augmentation, Breast Cosmetic Surgery, CoolSculpting

Andrew G. Silver, MD Plastic Surgery Vegas, 8530 West Sunset Road, Suite 130, 702.822.2100

Lane Smith, MD

Smith Plastic Surgery, 7650 West Sahara Avenue, 702.838.2455

Special Expertise: Breast Augmentation, Facelift, Liposuction & Body Contouring, CoolSculpting

Samuel Sohn, MD

Hankins & Sohn Plastic Surgery Associates, 60 North Pecos Road, 702.948.7595

Special Expertise: Cosmetic Surgery-Breast, Body Contouring after Weight Loss, Cosmetic & Reconstructive Surgery, Botox

✚ PSYCHIATRY

Alison Netski, MD UNLV Health, Mojave Counseling, 6375 West Charleston Boulevard, Suite A-100, 702.253.0818

Special Expertise: Psychosomatic Disorders, Geriatric Psychiatry, ADD/ ADHD, Psychiatry in Physical Illness

✚ PULMONARY DISEASE

Nisarg Changawala, MD

Lung Center of Nevada, 653 North Town Center Drive, Suite 604, 702.737.5864

Special Expertise: Emphysema, Lung Cancer, Sleep Medicine

John B. Collier, MD

Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada, 653 North Town Center Drive, Suite 604, 702.737.5864

Special Expertise: Critical Care, Lung Disease, Sleep Disorders/Apnea

Joaquim Tavares, MD United Critical Care, 6040 South Fort Apache Road, Suite 100, 702.476.4900

Special Expertise: Asthma, Emphysema, Critical Care, Lung Cancer

George S. Tu, MD

Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada, 653 North Town Center Drive, Suite 604, 702.737.5864

Special Expertise: Sleep Disorders/Apnea, Emphysema, Pulmonary Fibrosis

John J. Wojcik, MD Lung Center of Nevada, 653 North Town Center Drive, Suite 604, 702.737.5864

Special Expertise: Lung Cancer, Critical Care, Sleep Medicine

✚ RADIATION ONCOLOGY

Michael J. Anderson, MD

Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada, 10001 South Eastern Avenue, Suite 108, 702.952.3444

Special Expertise: Head & Neck Cancer, Prostate Cancer, Brachytherapy, Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy (IMRT)

Andrew M. Cohen, MD

Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada Northwest, 7445 Peak Drive, 702.952.2140

Special Expertise: Breast Cancer, Lung Cancer, Prostate Cancer, Image Guided Radiotherapy (IGRT)

Dan Lee Curtis, MD

Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada, 655 North Town Center Drive, 702.233.2200

Special Expertise: Prostate Cancer, Brachytherapy, Head & Neck Cancer, Skin Cancer

Farzaneh Farzin, MD

Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada, 3730 South Eastern Avenue, 702.952.3400

Special Expertise: Breast Cancer, Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy (IMRT), Stereotactic Radiosurgery

Samual R. Francis, MD

Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada, 3730 South Eastern Avenue, 702.952.3400

Special Expertise: External Beam Radiation Therapy, Brachytherapy, Image Guided Radiotherapy (IGRT)

Matthew W. Schwartz, MD Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada, 10001 South Eastern Avenue, Suite 108, 702.952.3444

Special Expertise: Breast Cancer, Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy (IMRT), Lung Cancer, Prostate Cancer

Michael T. Sinopoli, MD Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada Northwest, 7445 Peak Drive, 702.952.2140

Special Expertise: Prostate Cancer, Lung Cancer, Breast Cancer, Stereotactic Radiosurgery

Paul Treadwell, MD Oncology Las Vegas, 2851 North Tenaya Way, Suite 100, 702.243.3340

Special Expertise: Pediatric Cancers, Breast Cancer, Gynecologic Cancers, Hodgkin’s Lymphoma

Wei-Gang A. Wang, MD Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada, 9280 West Sunset Road, Suite 100, 702.952.1251

✚ REPRODUCTIVE ENDOCRINOLOGY/ INFERTILITY

Cindy M. Duke, MD/PhD Nevada Fertility Institute, 8530 West Sunset Road, Suite 310, 702.936.8710

Special Expertise: Women’s Health, Women’s Health in Developing Countries, Telemedicine, Infertility

Jeffrey Fisch, MD Green Valley Fertility Partners, 2510 Wigwam Parkway, Suite 201, 702.722.2229

Special Expertise: Infertility-IVF, Menstrual Disorders

Bruce S. Shapiro, MD/PhD Fertility Center of Las Vegas, 5365 South Durango Drive, Suite 100, 702.254.1777

Special Expertise: Infertility-IVF

✚ RHEUMATOLOGY

Johnson C. Kay, DO Southwest Medical, 4750 West Oakley Boulevard, Suite 3A, 702.877.5199

Special Expertise: Autoimmune Disease, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Lupus/ SLE, Sjogren’s Syndrome

Dodji Modjinou, MD Advanced Rheumatology Associates of Nevada, 861 Coronado Center Drive, Suite 220, 702.984.3776

Special Expertise: Arthritis, Autoimmune Disease

Ewa Olech, MD

Ewa Olech Rheumatology Consultants, 7200 Cathedral Rock Drive, Suite 110, 702.489.4838

Special Expertise: Rheumatoid Arthritis

Elham Taherian, MD Ameli / Dadourian Medicine, 400 South Rampart Boulevard, Suite 240, 702.906.1100

Special Expertise: Arthritis, Autoimmune Disease

✚ SPORTS MEDICINE

Brian A. Davis, MD Intermountain Healthcare, 9280 West Sunset Road, Suite 140, 702.968.3240

Special Expertise: Sports Injuries, PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma), Sports Medicine

Jessica R. Zarndt, DO Desert Orthopaedic Center, 2800 East Desert Inn Road, Suite 100, 702.731.1616

Special Expertise: Primary Care Sports Medicine, Sports Medicine-Women, Sports Injuries, OrthopaedicsNon Surgical

✚ SURGERY

Peter A. Caravella, MD

Las Vegas Surgical Associates, 8930 West Sunset Road, Suite 300, 702.258.7788

Special Expertise: Vascular Surgery

James D. Curry, MD Desert West Surgery, 7200 Cathedral Rock Drive, Suite 250, 702.383.4040

Special Expertise: Robotic Surgery, Minimally Invasive Surgery, Gallbladder Surgery, Colon & Rectal Surgery

Sean D. Dort, MD Southern Nevada Surgery Specialists, 10001 South Eastern Avenue, Suite 310, 702.914.2420

Deborah Ann Kuhls, MD UNLV Health, Department of Surgery, 1707 West Charleston Boulevard, Suite 160, 702.671.5150

Special Expertise: Trauma, Critical Care, Hospital Medicine

Fikre A. Mengistu, MD Southern Nevada Surgery Specialists, 10001 South Eastern Avenue, Suite 310, 702.914.2420

Lee M. Reese, MD Desert West Surgery, 7200 Cathedral Rock Drive, Suite 250, 702.383.4040

Special Expertise: Robotic Surgery, Minimally Invasive Surgery, Vein Disorders, Breast Cancer

Irwin B. Simon, MD

Vegas Valley Vein Institute, 2450 West Horizon Ridge Parkway, Suite 100, 702.341.7608

Special Expertise: Minimally Invasive Vascular Surgery, Vein Disorders, Varicose Veins, Hair Restoration/Transplant

Charles R. St. Hill, MD

UNLV Health, Department of Surgery, 1707 West Charleston Boulevard, Suite 160, 702.671.5150

Special Expertise:

Surgical Oncology, Gallbladder Surgery, Hernia

Margaret A. Terhar, MD

Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada, 1505 Wigwam Parkway, Suite 130, 702.369.6008

Special Expertise:

Breast Disease, Breast Surgery

Timothy W. Tollestrup, MD

3035 West Horizon Ridge Parkway, Suite 120

Special Expertise: Peripheral Nerve Surgery

✚ SURGICAL ONCOLOGY

Jennifer Baynosa, MD

UNLV Health, Department of Surgery, 1707 West Charleston Boulevard, Suite 160, 702.671.5150

Special Expertise: Breast Cancer & Surgery

Souzan El-Eid, MD

Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada, 653 North Town Center Drive, Suite 402, 702.255.1133

Special Expertise: Breast Cancer & Surgery

Daniel Kirgan, MD

UNLV Health, Department of Surgery, 1707 West Charleston Boulevard, Suite 160, 702.671.5150

Special Expertise:

Breast Cancer & Surgery, Melanoma, Sarcoma, Pancreatic & Biliary Surgery

✚ THORACIC & CARDIAC SURGERY

Neel V. Dhudshia, MD

Dignity Health Medical Group, 10001 South Eastern Avenue, Suite 201, 702.616.5700

Special Expertise: Cardiothoracic Surgery

Thoracic & Cardiac

Michael G. Wood, MD

Dignity Health , Cardiovascular Thoracic Surgery Clinic, 7190 South Cimarron Road, 702.675.3240

Special Expertise: Cardiac Surgery-Adult, Heart Valve Surgery, Thoracic Aortic Surgery, Heart Valve Surgery-Mitral

✚

UROGYNECOLOGY/ FEMALE PELVIC MEDICINE & SURGERY

Geoffrey C. Hsieh, MD

Women’s Cancer Center of Nevada, 2050 Pinto Lane, Suite 200, 702.693.6870

Special Expertise: Urogynecology, Pelvic Reconstruction, Incontinence-Urinary, Pelvic Organ Prolapse Repair

✚ UROLOGY

Joseph V. Candela, MD

Las Vegas Urology, 7500 Smoke Ranch Road, Suite 200, 702.385.4342

Special Expertise: Urology-Female, Urologic Cancer

Sheldon J. Freedman, MD 653 North Town Center Drive, Suite 308

Special Expertise: Erectile Dysfunction, Vasectomy-No Scalpel, Kidney Stones, Prostate Cancer

Vijay Goli, MD

Las Vegas Urology, 7150 West Sunset Road, Suite 202B, 702.385.4342

Special Expertise: Kidney Stones,

Incontinence-Male & Female, Minimally Invasive Surgery, Prostate CancerCryosurgery

O. Alex Lesani, MD

Las Vegas Urology, 7150 West Sunset Road, Suite 201A, 702.385.4342

Special Expertise: Reconstructive Surgery, Robotic Surgery, Urinary Reconstruction

Lawrence H. Newman, MD Las Vegas Urology, 7150 West Sunset Road, Suite 201A, 702.385.4342

Special Expertise: Bladder Surgery, Prostate Benign Disease (BPH), Erectile Dysfunction

Michael P. Verni, MD Urology Center, 653 North Town Center Drive, Suite 302, 702.212.3428

Special Expertise: Pediatric Urology, Endourology

Jason Zommick, MD Urology Specialists of Nevada, 58 North Pecos Road, 702.877.0814

Special Expertise: Prostate Benign Disease (BPH), Vasectomy & Vasectomy Reversal

✚ VASCULAR & INTERVENTIONAL RADIOLOGY

Aaron Peterson, MD Red Rock Radiology Associates, Endovascular Clinic, 7130 Smoke Ranch Road, Suite 101, 702.304.8135

Bruce Hirschfeld, MD

General Vascular Specialists, 7200 West Cathedral Rock Drive, Suite 130, 702.228.8600

Special Expertise:

Endovascular Surgery, Varicose Veins

140 + 140 +

“IF YOU HAD A PATIENT IN NEED OF A DENTIST, WHICH DENTIST WOULD YOU REFER THEM TO?”

THIS IS THE QUESTION WE’VE ASKED thousands of dentists to help us determine who the topDentists should be. Dentists and specialists are asked to take into consideration years of experience, continuing education, manner with patients, use of new techniques and technologies and of course physical results.

The nomination pool of dentists consists of dentists listed online through the American Dental Association, as well as all dentists listed online with their local dental societies, thus allowing virtually every dentist the opportunity to participate. Dentists are also given the opportunity to nominate other dentists that they feel should be included in our list. Respondents are asked to put aside any personal bias or political motivations and to use only their knowledge of their peer’s work when evaluating the other nominees.

Voters are asked to individually evaluate the practitioners on their ballot whose work they are familiar with. Once the balloting is completed, the scores are compiled and then averaged. The numerical average required for inclusion varies depending on the average for all the nominees within

the specialty and the geographic area. Borderline cases are given careful consideration by the editors. Voting characteristics and comments are taken into consideration while making decisions. Past awards a dentist has received and status in various dental academies can play a factor in our decision.

Once the decisions have been finalized, the included dentists are checked against state dental boards for disciplinary actions to make sure they have an active license and are in good standing with the board. Then letters of congratulations are sent to all the listed dentists.

Of-course there are many fine dentists who are not included in this representative list. It is intended as a sampling of the great body of talent in the field of dentistry in Nevada. A dentist’s inclusion on our list is based on the subjective judgments of his or her fellow dentists. While it is true that the lists may at times disproportionately reward visibility or popularity, we remain confident that our polling methodology largely corrects for any biases and that these lists continue to represent the most reliable, accurate, and useful list of dentists available anywhere.

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This list is excerpted from the 2025 topDentists™ list, which includes listings for almost 140 dentists and specialists in Southern Nevada. For more information call: 706-364-0853 or email: help@usatopdentists.com or visit: www.usatopdentists.com

topDentists has used its best efforts in assembling material for this list but does not warrant that the information contained herein is complete or accurate, and does not assume, and hereby disclaims, any liability to any person for any loss or damage caused by errors or omissions herein whether such errors or omissions result from negligence, accident, or any other cause. Copyright 2011-2025 by topDentists, LLC, Augusta, GA. All rights reserved. This list, parts thereof, must not be reproduced in any form without permission. No commercial use of the information in this list may be made without permission of topDentists. No fees may be charged, directly or indirectly, for the use of the information in this list without permission.

X GENERAL DENTISTRY

Christine C. Ancajas University of Nevada Las Vegas School of Dental Medicine, 1001 Shadow Lane, 702.774.2522, unlv.edu

Stanley S. Askew

Island Dental Center, 9750 Covington Cross Drive, Suite 100, 702.341.7979, islanddentalcenter.com

Steven A. Avena

3117 West Charleston Boulevard, 702.384.1210, stevenavenadds.com

Stacie Baalbaky

Elite Family Dental, 7835 South Rainbow Boulevard, Suite 28, 702.898.8448, elitefamilydental.com

Will Baalbaky

Elite Family Dental, 7835 South Rainbow Boulevard, Suite 28, 702.898.8448, elitefamilydental.com

Peter S. Balle

Vegas Choice Dental, 2801 West Charleston Boulevard, Suite 100, 702.710.9252, vegaschoicedental.com

Laurie S. Bloch-Johnson

Exceptional Dentistry, 1140 North Town Center Drive, Suite 170, 702.463.8600, drlauriesmiles.com

Derryl R. Brian

Nevada Trails Dental, 7575 South Rainbow Boulevard, Suite 101, 702.367.3700, nevadatrailsdental.com

Pamela G. Caggiano

Excellence In Dentistry, 321 North Pecos Road,

Suite 100, 702.732.7878, pamelacaggianodds.com

Colin M. Campbell

Saint Rose Family & Cosmetic Dentistry, 780 Coronado Center Drive, Suite 110, 702.387.5900, strosedental.com

Sandra Chan

Moore Family Dentistry, 10624 South Eastern Avenue, Suite N, 702.407.6700, lvsmiles.com

Guy L. Chisteckoff

Island Smiles Cosmetic & Family Dentistry, 8940 South Maryland Parkway, Suite 100, 702.270.6501, islandsmiles.org

Chris S. Cozine

8579 South Eastern Avenue, Suite A, 702.739.8289, cozinedental.com

Jay Denton

Centennial Hills

Dental Care, 7425 West Azure Drive, Suite 110, 702.878.4397, chdentist.com

Jason L. Downey

8876 Spanish Ridge Avenue, Suite 100, 702.871.4903, smileslasvegas.com

Mark D. Edington

Modern Dental Care, 9895 South Maryland Parkway, Suite A, 702.372.4069, moderndentallv.com

Barton H. Foutz Foutz Family Dentistry, 2510 Wigwam Parkway, Suite 100, 702.792.5929, foutzdental.com

John T. Gallob

UNLV School of Dental Medicine, 1700 West Charleston Boulevard, Building D, 702.671.5175, unlv.edu

Sirintra Gatan 1070 West Horizon Ridge Parkway, 702.473.5100, vegastoothdr.com

Amy A. Gearin Gearin Dentistry, 1975 Village Center Circle, Suite 160, 702.367.4040, dramygearin.com

Heeyup Ghim Black Mountain Dental, 1475 West Horizon Ridge Parkway, Suite 100, 702.564.4498, blackmountaindental.com

Irwan T. Goh

Smiles by Goh, 2653 West Horizon Ridge Parkway, Suite 110, 702.732.3754, smilesbygoh.com

Steven L. Hardy

Paradise Family Dental, 6825 Aliante Parkway, 702.294.2739, drstevehardy.com

Gregory M. Heideman

6950 West Smoke Ranch Road, Suite 150, 702.304.1902, lhdentalcare.com

Gregg C. Hendrickson

Comprehensive Dental Care, 2790 West Horizon Ridge Parkway, Suite 100, 702.735.3284, nvdentists.com

Emily R. Ishkanian

Flores Family Dental, 6536 North Decatur Boulevard, Suite 120, 702.242.3373, floresfamilydental.com

Brian R. Karn

Encore Dentistry, 9406 West Lake Mead Boulevard, Suite 105, 702.331.9966, drkarn.com

Thomas P. Keating

Keating Dental, 880 Seven Hills Drive, Suite 240, 702.454.8855, keatingdds.com

Lance Jungmin Kim

6900 North Pecos Road, Suite 2A130, 702.791.9019,

James G. Kinard

2780 West Horizon Ridge Parkway, Suite 20, 702.719.4700,

William P. Leavitt

University of Nevada Las Vegas School of Dental Medicine, 1001 Shadow Lane, 702.774.2641, dentalschool.unlv.edu

Ton V. Lee

Summerlin Smiles, 9525 West Russell Road, Suite 100, 702.579.7645, summerlinsmiles.com

Robin D. Lobato

9061 West Sahara Avenue, Suite 101, 702.877.0500, drlobato.com

Nicholas E. Lords

Rainbow Park Dental, 2950 South Rainbow Boulevard, Suite 200, 702.227.6510,

Spencer Luth

Luth & Heideman Dental Care, 6950 West Smoke Ranch Road, Suite 150, 702.304.1902, lhdentalcare.com

Kent A. Lysgaard

Lysgaard Dental, 2911 North Tenaya Way, Suite 101, 702.360.9061, drlysgaard.com

David L. Mahon

Siena Dental, 10075 South Eastern Avenue, Suite 107, 702.567.0000, sienadental.com

Ronald R. Marshall

6891 West Charleston Boulevard, 702.255.6768, rrmdds.com

Nina Mirzayan

Adaven Children’s Dentistry, 2843 Saint Rose Parkway, Suite 100, 702.492.1955, adavenkid.com

D. Kevin Moore

Moore Family Dentistry, 10624 South Eastern Avenue, Suite N, 702.407.67 00, lvsmiles.com

E. Orlando Morantes 3412 North Buffalo Drive, 702.794.0820, morantesdds.com

Michael Most

Most Dental, 6392 Spring Mountain Road, 702.871.0304, mostdental.com

Johnny E. Nassar

Smile Design Center, 10120 South Eastern Avenue, Suite 375, 702.361.9611, smiledesigncenterlv.com

Jorge Paez

Nevada Dental Esthetics, 5864 South Durango Drive, Suite 100, 702.744.8007, lasvegascosmetic-dentistry.com

Sam Partovi

Desert Smiles Dental, 10175 West Twain Avenue, Suite 120, 702.202.2300, desertsmilesdental.com

Mohini Patel

Aspiring Smiles Sental and Braces, 3211 North Tenaya Way, Suite 122, 702.508.6699, aspiringsmileslasvegas.com

Marielaina Perrone 2551 North Green Valley Parkway, Suite A-405, 702.458.2929, drperrone.com

James B. Polley 1875 Village Center Circle, Suite 110, 702.873.0324, drpolley.com

John M. Quinn

Smiles for Life Family Dentistry, 8930 West Sunset Road, Suite 190, 702.795.2273, lvsmilesforlife.com

Richard A. Racanelli

Stunning Smiles of Las Vegas, 6410 Medical Center Street, Suite B, 702.736.0016, lvstunningsmiles.com

Craig R. Rose Rose Family Dentistry, 8490 South Eastern Avenue, Suite C, 702.914.0000, rosefamilydentistry.com

Douglas D. Sandquist Sandquist Dentistry, 2650 Lake Sahara Drive, Suite 160, 702.734.0776, sandquistdds.com

Tammy Sarles 8650 Spring Mountain Road, Suite 101, 702.869.0032, mydesertbreezedental.com

Nathan D. Schwartz

Henderson Family Dentistry, 537 South Boulder Highway, 702.564.2526, hendersonfamilydental. com

Patrick A. Simone

70 North Pecos Road, Suite A, 702.735.2755, patricksimonedds.com

Luke Simonis

Centennial Hills Dental Care, 7425 West Azure Drive, Suite 110, 702.878.4397, centennialhillsdentist.com

Susan S. Smith

Sweet Smiles, 8275 South Eastern Avenue, Suite 101, 702.967.1700, sweetsmilesdentist.com

Stephen W. Spelman

Willow Springs Dental, 3450 South Hualapai Way, 702.871.6044, stephenspelmandds.com

Bradley S. Strong

2931 North Tenaya Way, Suite 200, 702.242.3800, bstrongdds.com

Michael J. Tomita

Island Dental Center, 9750 Covington Cross Drive, Suite 100, 702.341.7979, islanddentalcenter.com

Karen T. Tran

Lakeview Dental, 2291 South Fort Apache Road, Suite 104, 702.869.0001, lakeviewdentallv.com

Michael Paul

Webberson

UNLV School of Dental Medicine, 4505 South Maryland Parkway, 702.774.2644,

Johnathan White

Aesthetic Dentistry, 8084 West Sahara Avenue, Suite G, 702.823.3000, jbwhitedds.com

Joseph A. Wineman

Wineman Dental, 1701 North Green Valley Parkway, Suite 4D, 702.270.4800, winemandental.com

Behnam Yaghmai

A Great Smile Dental, 3412 North Buffalo Drive, 702.804.5154, agreatsmiledental.com

X DENTAL ANESTHESIOLOGY

Amanda J. Okundaye 9500 West Flamingo Road, 310.486.6656, anesthesiabydramanda.com

X ENDODONTICS

Benjamin J. Barborka

Las Vegas Endodontics, 6655 West Sahara Avenue, Suite A-106, 702.876.5800, lvendo.com

W. Scott Biggs

Micro Endodontics of Las Vegas, 7120 Smoke Ranch Road, Suite 100, 702.463.5000, lasvegasendo.com

William D. Brizzee

Las Vegas Endodontics, 6655 West Sahara Avenue, Suite A-106, 702.876.5800, lvendo.com

Matthew O. Cox

660 South Green Valley Parkway, Suite 120, 702.492.6688, coxendo.com

Chase Crowley

Endodontics of Las Vegas, 9750 Covington Cross Drive, Suite 150, 702.878.8584, endodonticsoflasvegas.com

John Q. Duong

Lakeview Dental, 2291 South Fort Apache Road, Suite 104, 702.869.0001, lakeviewdentallv.com

David C. Fife

Fife & Steffen Endodontics, 1975 Village Center Circle, Suite 110, 702.360.2122, drdavidfife.com

Adam Gatan

Seven Hills Endodontics & Microsurgery Center, 2810 West Horizon Ridge Parkway, Suite 200, 702.384.0053, lvrootcanal.com

Chad R. Hansen

Desert Ridge Endodontics, 4450 North Tenaya Way, Suite 240, 702.536.3636

Jason T. Morris

Shipp Endodontics, 9053 South Pecos Road, Suite 3000, 702.798.0911, shippendodontics.com

Daniel I. Shalev

Nevada Endodontics, 2510 Wigwam Parkway, Suite 200, 702.263.2000, nvendodontics.com

Ryan C. Shipp

Shipp Endodontics, 9053 South Pecos Road, Suite 3000, 702.798.0911, shippendodontics.com

Joshua Steffen

Fife & Steffen Endodontics, 1975 Village Center Circle, Suite 100, 702.360.2122, fsendo.com

X ORAL AND MAXILLOFACIAL SURGERY

Michel Daccache

1701 West Charleston Blvd, Suite 520, 702.750.9444, nevadaoms.com

Mark I. Degen

Red Rock Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Centre, 6140 South Fort Apache Road, Suite 120, 702.253.9090, redrockomsc.com

Jesse J. Falk

Canyon Oral & Facial Surgery, 6200 North Durango, Suite 100, 702.867.2763, canyonofs.com

Ryan Gibson

Gibson and Leavitt Oral & Maxillofacial & Implant Surgery, 670 South Green Valley Parkway, Suite 115,

702.685.3700, ryangibsonoralsurgery.com

Steve J. Huang

Henderson Oral Surgery & Dental Implant Center, 2835 Saint Rose Parkway, Suite 100, 725.213.6143, hendersonoralsurgery. com

Gregory J. Hunter

Nevada Oral & Facial Surgery, 6950 Smoke Ranch Road, Suite 200, 702.329.7554, nevadaoralandfacialsurgery.com

Brendan G. Johnson

Nevada Oral & Facial Surgery, 6950 Smoke Ranch Road, Suite 200, 702.329.7554, nevadaoralandfacialsurgery.com

Katherine A. Keeley

2649 Wigwam Parkway, Suite 102, 702.263.9339, drkeeley.net

Matthew M. Kikuchi

Kikuchi Oral Surgery & Dental Implant Center, 5765 South Fort Apache Road, Suite 110, 702.876.6337, omssnv.com

Bryce Leavitt

Gibson and Leavitt Oral & Maxillofacial & Implant Surgery, 670 South Green Valley Parkway, Suite 115, 702.685.3700, doctorsoms.com

Carlos H. Letelier

The Center for Oral Surgery of Las Vegas, 10115 West Twain Avenue, Suite 100, 702.367.6666, lasvegasoms.com

Jeff E. Moxley

Moxley Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, 3663 East Sunset Road, Suite 403, 702.898.8350, drjeffmoxley.com

Daniel L. Orr II

Medical Education Building, 2040 West Charleston Blvd, Suite 201, 702.383.3711, orrs.org

Steven A. Saxe

Advance Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, 1570 South Rainbow Boulevard, 702.258.0085, nvjawdoc.com

Eric D. Swanson

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Associates of Nevada, 1775 Village Center Circle, Suite 150, 702.507.5555, facialsurgery.org

X ORAL PATHOLOGY

Moni Ahmadian University of Nevada, Las Vegas, 4505 South Maryland Parkway, 702.774.2616, unlv.edu

X ORTHODONTICS

Brian Chamberlain Super Smile Orthodontics, 7090 North Durango Drive, Suite 120, 702.645.5100, supersmilevegas.com

Victoria Chen

Significance Orthodontics, 6018 South Fort Apache Road, 702.213.9247, significanceorthodontics.com

David A. Chenin Chenin Orthodontic Group, 10730 South Eastern Avenue, Suite 100, 702.735.1010, cheninortho.com

Eryn E. Ence Ence Orthodontics, 8490 South Eastern Avenue, Suite A, 702.260.8241, vegascoolsmiles.com

Jedediah M. Feller

Feller Orthodontics, 2871 North Tenaya Way, 702.341.8668, fellerorthodontics.com

Michael C. Gardner

Leaver & Gardner

Orthodontics, 6005 South Fort Apache, Suite 100, 702.602.9066, leavergardner.com

Darren

John C. Griffiths

Las Vegas Braces, 8710 West Charleston Boulevard, Suite 150, 702.256.7846, lasvegasbraces.com

Nadim Guirguis

Mountain View Orthodontics, 1811 South Rainbow Boulevard, Suite 109, 702.785.0500, mountainvieworthodonticslasvegas. com

R. Cree Hamilton

Hamilton & Manuele Orthodontics, 401 North Buffalo Drive, Suite 220, 702.243.3300, hamiltonortho.com

Blaine R. Hansen

Hansen Orthodontics, 3600 North Buffalo Drive, Suite 110, 702.568.1600, hansenortho.com

Scott E. Leaver Leaver & Gardner Orthodontics, 6005 South Fort Apache, Suite 100, 702.878.0764, leavergardner.com

Jeremy S. Manuele

Hamilton & Manuele Orthodontics, 401 North Buffalo Drive, Suite 220, 702.243.3300, hamiltonortho.com

Alana Saxe

Saxe Orthodontics, 3555 South Town Center Drive, Suite 104, 702.541.7070, saxeortho.com

Douglas K. Simister

Las Vegas Braces, 8710 West Charleston Boulevard, Suite 150, 702.256.7846, lasvegasbraces.com

Robert H. Thalgott

Chenin and Thalgott Orthodontics, 1945 Village Center Circle, Suite 110, 702.364.5100, thalgott.com

Mark Truman

Truman Orthodontics, 10000 West Sahara, Suite 110, 702.360.9000, trumanorthodontics.com

Zachary B. Truman

Truman Orthodontics, 10855 South Eastern Avenue, 702.221.2272, trumanortho.com

Richard Webster

Webster Orthodontics, 7603 Grand Teton Drive, Suite 110, 702.819.9921, webster-ortho.com

Tracy D. Wyatt

Hansen Orthodontics, 3600 North Buffalo Drive, Suite 110, 702.323.5080, hansenortho.com

X PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY

Todd J. Baggaley

Dr. B’s Dentistry for Children, 5705 Centennial Center Boulevard, Suite 140, 702.998.7100, centennialhillspediatricdentist.com

Bryan Q. Bui

Cavitybusters, 5980 South Jones Boulevard, 702.362.5437, cavitybusters.org

Ryan S. Bybee

The Kid’s Dentist, 375 North Stephanie Street, Suite 211, 702.454.1008, kidsdentistofhenderson.com

Alice P. Chen

Roseman Dental, Four Sunset Way, Building B, 702.968.5222, rosemandental.com

Jeffrey A. Cox

Anthem Pediatric Dentistry, 10400 South Eastern Avenue, 702.531.5437, apdkids.com

Chad W. Ellsworth

Anthem Pediatric Dentistry, 10400 South Eastern Avenue, 702.531.5437, apdkids.com

Jon P. Galea

Pediatric Dental Care Associates, 8981 West Sahara Avenue, Suite 110, 702.254.4220, pediatricdentalcareassociates.com

Ashley E. Hoban

Summerlin Pediatric Dentistry, 635 North Town Center Drive, Suite 606, 702.838.9013, summerlinpediatricdentistry.com

Chandler Hyer

Mountain’s Edge Pediatric Dentistry, 8520 Blue Diamond Road, 702.463.4042, mepediatric.com

Jaren T. Jensen

Smile Reef, 9500 West Flamingo Road, Suite 200, 702.570.7333, smilereef.com

Todd S. Milne

Children’s Dental Center, 2085 Village Center Circle, Suite 120, 702.240.5437, cdclv.com

Gary D. Richardson

Adventure Smiles, 8995 West Flamingo Road, Suite 100, 702.838.5437, adventuresmiles.com

Joshua L. Saxe

A Childrens Dentist, 8710 West Charleston Boulevard, Suite 100, 702.255.0133, achildrensdentist.com

Michael D. Saxe

A Childrens Dentist, 700 East Silverado Ranch Boulevard, Suite 100, 702.430.6600, kidstoothdrs.com

Maryam Sina Dentistry for Children, 2551 North Green Valley Parkway, Suite 400A, 702.342.0075, kidstoothdrs.com

X PERIODONTICS

Edilberto De Andrade Anthem Periodontics and Dental Implants, 2610 West Horizon Ridge Parkway, Suite 202, 702.270.4600

Ryan S. Gifford Periodontics Unlimited, 3811 West Charleston Boulevard, Suite 201, 702.259.1943, lvperio.com

Allen W. Huang

Significance Dental Specialists, 2430 East Harmon Avenue, Suite 6, 702.733.0558, sdsdental.com

Curry H. Leavitt

Red Rock Periodontics & Implantology, 7475 West Sahara Avenue, Suite 101, 702.834.8900

Brian Mantor Periodontics Unlimited, 3811 West Charleston Boulevard, Suite 201, 702.500.1742, lvperio.com

James K. Rogers

Canyon Ridge Periodontics, 3575 South Town Center Drive, Suite 110, 702.966.0300, canyonridgeperio.com

Dane T. Swenson Periodontics Limited, 3811 West Charleston, Suite 201, 702.259.1943, lvperio.com

David J. Trylovich Periodontics Unlimited, 851 South Rampart Boulevard, Suite 240, 702.508.6714, lvperio.com

X PROSTHODONTICS

Evangeline Chen

Greater Las Vegas Dental, 8867 West Flamingo Road, Suite 100, 702.880.5858, greaterlasvegasdental.com

Marco T. Padilla

Clear Choice Las Vegas, 6460 Medical Center Street, Suite 300, 702.430.2372, clearchoice.com

Steven L. Rhodes

501 South Rancho Drive, Suite E-29, 702.384.4896, srhodesdds.com

TOP DOCTORS ARE OUR SPECIALTY

When looking for the TOP DOCTORS in education, look no further than the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV.

When looking for the TOP DOCTORS in healthcare, look no further than UNLV Health.

Both are transforming healthcare in Southern Nevada.

Congratulations to our faculty physicians on being recognized as a Top Doctor in Las Vegas!

Ovunc Bardakcioglu, MD

Richard Baynosa, MD

Jennifer Baynosa, MD

Jo-Lawrence Bigcas, MD

Amber Champion, MD

Harry Ching, MD

David Di John, MD

Nadia Gomez, MD

Sandhya Wahi Gururaj, MD

Kenneth Izuora, MD

Daniel Kirgan, MD

Deborah Kuhls, MD

John Menezes, MD

Alison Netski, MD

Beverly Neyland, MD

Matthew Ng, MD

David Parks, MD

Fatehali Peera, MD

Michael Scheidler, MD

Rebecca Scherr, MD

Dodds Simangan, DO

Aditi Singh, MD

Charles St. Hill, MD

John Varras, MD

Robert Wang, MD

To learn more about the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV and how you can support its mission, visit unlv.edu/medicine. For an appointment at UNLV Health, please call 702.660.8658.

HIKE AMID HISTORY

Toiyabe Crest Trail

By Ryan Vellinga

The rugged Humboldt-Toiyabe Wilderness, nestled southwest of Austin, is an untamed stretch of Nevada’s backcountry. In this episode of “Outdoor Nevada,” the crew takes a hike with the locals who are maintaining the Toiyabe Crest Trail, just as the Civilian Conservation Corps did in the 1930s.

“I remember my first time in these mountains,” Battleborn Adventures’ Chad Kelly says. Kelly is from the area and one of many people working to revitalize its trail system. “To be able to bring that experience to other people so they can experience that same thing is really why so many of us are out here working on this project. We want to share that and open it up to other people so they can experience the same things.”

SEE THIS episode of

by Vegas PBS.

While some mountain ranges in Nevada draw crowds for their hiking, the Toiyabe Range caters to those looking to escape. The range offers gems like the towering summit of Arc Dome, a rich history of Nevada’s mining days, and sweeping vistas that capture the state’s basin and range geography.

“It’s truly an amazing experience with a lot of diversity that should be considered for personal experience and use,” U.S. Forest Service Ranger Lance Brown says.

Being five hours from Las Vegas and three and a half hours from Reno, the range offers solitude among its bald ridge lines, making for a perfect side trip when you’re enroute between Nevada’s two largest cities.

If you only have a few hours to enjoy the Toiyabe Range, here’s a hike that will allow you to experience its variety.

Route: Toiyabe Crest Trail via Ophir Canyon. Ophir Creek Canyon was home to the town of Ophir and about 400 people back in 1863. Today, all that remains of Ophir are the ruins of its mining history. Old mines, saloons, and stone houses are littered along the canyons, hills, and along the main path of Ophir Canyon Road. Farther up the canyon, the markers of the past begin to dissipate, and the wilderness of the Toiyabe Range reappears.

Getting there: The best approach to Ophir is from Reno or Las Vegas. Both ways will lead you to NV-376.

From Reno: Head east on I-80 E toward Fernley. Then take exit 48 for US-50 Alt toward Silver Springs/Fallon and continue on US-50 Alt for about 31 miles. At Silver Springs, turn right onto US-50 E and follow it for about 90 miles until you reach Austin. Once in Austin, continue on US-50 E until a right turn onto NV-376. From NV-376, continue for 38 miles following signs for the ghost town of Ophir.

From Las Vegas: Head north on US-95 N toward Tonopah, then take US-6 E toward Ely. After a few miles on US-6 E, turn left onto NV-376 N, just before the Tonopah Airport. Follow NV-376 for approximately 67 miles, then turn left onto Ophir Creek Road.

From both directions, a Nevada Historical Marker on the side of the road marks the start of Ophir Canyon Road. This road eventually turns into an unpaved Forest Service road as you enter the canyon. This road is not maintained and is not recommended for any vehicle. Follow the road (on foot) to the remnants of the Ophir ghost town and old mining areas.

Distance: About 3 miles to the ruins (6 miles round trip), About 6 miles to the ridge (about 12 miles round trip).

Equipment Needed: Besides the necessities of hiking in Nevada, such as extra food and water, you will need sturdy clothes that can handle the ruggedness of unmaintained trails. The sagebrush is no joke, and there will occasionally be patches of rough bushwalking along the creeks in the Toiyabe Range. A personal transponder, such as a Garmin InReach, is recommended while exploring this remote region of the state.

Pro Tips: The Toiyabe Range is best hiked from May to October, although I’d argue late fall is the best time to visit. The fall colors and cooler temperatures make exploring this area less about survival and more about enjoying the beauty of this desolate part of the state.✦

“Outdoor Nevada,”

ANTHONY

MICHAEL

(JACK) COLLIER,

FCCP, DABSM Pulmonary Disease

GEORGE S. TU, MD, FCCP, DABSM Pulmonary Disease

JOHN J. WOJCIK, MD, FCCP, DABSM Pulmonary Disease

MATTHEW SCHWARTZ, MD Radiation Oncology

RAM RATNASABAPATHY, MD Medical Oncology

MICHAEL J. ANDERSON, MD Radiation Oncology

SOUZAN EL-EID, MD, FACS Breast Surgery

REGAN HOLDRIDGE, MD Medical Oncology

HENRY P. IGID, MD Medical Oncology

FADI BRAITEH, MD Medical Oncology

KAREN S. JACKS, MD Medical Oncology

ANDREW M. COHEN, MD Radiation Oncology

MARGARET A. TERHAR, MD, FACS Breast Surgery

NISARG CHANGAWALA, MD, MPH Pulmonary Disease

HAMIDREZA SANATINIA, MD Medical Oncology

CLARK S. JEAN, MD Medical Oncology

DAN L. CURTIS, MD Radiation Oncology

STEPHANI CHRISTENSEN, MD Medical Oncology

bestie.