The Local Newsroom
The Local Newsroom
The Hero Business
Local comic book stores thrive, despite the economy
September 23rd, 2010
Ralph Mathieu seems like a proud father as he gives a tour of his comic book shop, Alternate Reality Comics, which he just moved—after 16 years—into a new retail pad double the size of his previous space. Read more »
Politics
If they only had a conscience
September 16th, 2010
After reading about Sen. John Ensign and now-former Assemblyman Morse Arberry, I’d rather talk about Ralph Denton. You’ll see why. For newshounds, Ensign is the gift that keeps giving. A recent New Yorker article on the C Street house where he and some fellow hypocrites live, called “Frat House for Jesus,” detailed how they dealt with discovering that Ensign regards the Ten Commandments as highly as he does the 10 amendments comprising the Bill of Rights. The New York Times mentioned the Republican in an article about members of Congress whose charities get considerable financial help from companies and industries with business before them. Read more »
The Local Newsroom
All Bets Are Off
Sports books and the NFL season are a Las Vegas tradition. But what happens if the fields go dark next year?
September 16th, 2010
Walking into a Las Vegas sports book on a Sunday during the NFL season is like visiting a shopping mall on the day after Thanksgiving. The bustle of activity can overload the senses with multiple games on TV screens overhead, fans living and dying with every snap of the ball as they consume hot dogs and beer, and bettors lining up at the windows to collect money or put down more. Read more »
Green Felt Journal
Making sure the kids are all right
September 16th, 2010
Southern Nevada has had legal casinos for a long time—almost 80 years, to be precise. So while other states that have just legalized slots are learning how to integrate casinos into their communities, we’ve got a head start. That can translate into big differences in what people believe is and isn’t appropriate at casinos. Read more »
The Local Newsroom
Seven Policies for a Low-Carbon Diet
Or, what I learned during Clean Energy Week
September 16th, 2010
The problem with summits, as any world leader or mountain climber will tell you, is that you have to come down. Big inspirations have a way of getting lost in the workaday stuff of life. Revelatory visions wind up set aside or watered down in the course of implementation. Read more »
Politics
The woebegone state of Nevada
September 9th, 2010
Democrat Rory Reid and Republican Brian Sandoval, each of whom would like to become governor of our cash-strapped state, refuse to say they’ll raise taxes. Reid says he can balance the budget with cuts, reorganization and smarts. Maybe. One insider who knows him well calls Reid an incredibly talented administrator who would run the state brilliantly, but the question is whether he can be elected. Read more »
The Local Newsroom
Should You or Shouldn’t You?
Short sales offer a way out of underwater mortgages, for some
September 9th, 2010
If Las Vegas’ lousy housing market has achieved one good, it’s that people are more forthcoming about their financial difficulties. The stigma of unemployment or foreclosure—of failure—has lessened because many of us are in the same boat. Read more »
The Local Newsroom
Construction Ahead
If nothing else, they’re still building roads around here
September 9th, 2010
Bulldozers, gravel, orange cones and construction traffic abound around town, thanks in part to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Without those funds injected into Southern Nevada roadways, the economic downturn would likely have meant smaller budgets for transportation projects, according to Tracy Bower, spokeswoman for the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada (RTC). Read more »
Green Felt Journal
Gaming show finds a new home
September 9th, 2010
Over the course of a week, Las Vegas hosts conventions and trade expos for industries from baking to sheet metal. So it’s not surprising that the world’s premier casino industry trade show, the Global Gaming Expo, is held here each fall. A recently announced change of venue for the convention highlights the important role the meeting plays in the national casino landscape. Read more »
The Local Newsroom
Nobody Bikes in Las Vegas
That’s the traditional wisdom in our car-centric city. But it may be changing
September 9th, 2010
Solar power and wind power have always made sense in Las Vegas. Lately, pedal power is making inroads, too. Read more »
