City Cast Las Vegas

It’s been a big year for roads in Las Vegas, from “Dropicana” to F1 ensuring there is no shortage of orange cones on Las Vegas Blvd. Drivers have had to be more cautious than ever, which isn’t something we do well in our car-dependent city. Last year we were ranked #8 in the most dangerous states for pedestrians by Smart Growth Nevada. But is it our drivers’ fault or the roads? We are revisiting our conversation with plangineer Ray Delahanty, aka CityNerd on YouTube, to better understand why our streets are so deadly and if there’s any way to fix them. You’ll also hear why Ray chooses to live car-free in Las Vegas! What do you think the worst intersection in Las Vegas is? Let us know on social media! Follow us @CityCastVegas on Twitter and Instagram. You can also call or text us at 702-514-0719.Don’t let a road closure catch you off guard! For more traffic news and complaints, make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter here. 

Life is Beautiful is a spectacular party — the three-day arts, music and culture festival takes over downtown, and in a couple of weeks, Life is Beautiful will celebrate its 10th year. So today, host Dayvid Figler sits down with Craig Asher Nyman, director of music, programming and development, who’s been with the festival since it began. We get his behind-the-scenes insight into how they curate the lineup, reflect on a decade of highlights, and pin Craig down on a big rumor: is this the last Life is Beautiful?Do you have any favorite LiB memories? Who’s an act you’d love to see on a LiB stage? Tag us on Instagram, or call or text us at 702-514-0719.Want some more Las Vegas news? Then make sure to sign up for our amazing morning newsletter here.

The embattled Animal Foundation faces yet a new challenge this week, after a local rescue filed a lawsuit against the shelter. The group claims the foundation has been negligent in its duties, forcing rescues to pick up the slack. So today on the roundup, lead producer Sonja Cho Swanson sits down with newsletter editor Scott Dickensheets and contributor April Corbin Girnus to untangle the troubles at TAF. Meanwhile, a Nevada teachers union has launched the “Schools Before Stadiums” campaign, which wants to put a referendum on the books to block funding for the A’s stadium. And last (but most deliciously), a new ranking puts Las Vegas 3rd in its list of best taco cities. Hey, a list we’re actually at the top of? We’ll take it! (And we’ll share a few of our favorite taco spots in town, too.)What are your favorite taco spots in town? Or are you heading to one of the spots we’ve recommended? Tag us in a pic on Instagram, or leave us a voicemail at 702-514-0719.If you love to stay up on the latest (and greatest!) in Las Vegas, then make sure to sign up for our brilliant morning newsletter here.

What happens to a city like Las Vegas when supermarket competition goes away? Grocery store giants Kroger (which owns Smith’s) wants to buy Albertson’s (which owns Safeway and Vons). Last month, NV Treasurer Zach Conine signed a letter with six other state treasurers criticizing the merger — so today, host Dayvid Figler, food writer Kim Foster, and contributor April Corbin Girnus, who‘s been covering this story, sit down to discuss the implications, good and bad, of supermarket consolidation.You can take part in this conversation, too: While NV Attorney General Aaron Ford’s office hasn’t settled on a stance yet, Ford has organized a “listening tour” which could impact Nevada’s position on opposing the merger — you can attend the next sessions on September 13th or take their online survey here.Where you shop for groceries, and are you concerned about the impact of the merger? Let us know: We’re @CityCastVegas on Instagram and you can also call or text us at 702-514-0719.Want more Vegas news? Then make sure to sign up for our brilliant morning newsletter here.

We love our furry four-legged friends, but when it comes to public etiquette, have Vegas dog owners gone… too far? Recently, newsletter editor Scott Dickensheets asked readers what they thought about dogs in restaurants, and the response was overwhelming. Las Vegans, it turns out, have a lot of feelings about dogs in public spaces, and not everyone agrees — and this comes on the heels of a recent ranking that puts Nevada 5th for “most devoted” dog owners. So today, three members of the team (and dog owners themselves), Dayvid Figler, Vogue Robinson, and Sonja Cho Swanson, sit down to discuss how Vegas dog owners do when it comes to restaurants, leashing, and — the big one — picking up poo.What are your ideas and solutions for helping dogs and people live harmoniously in Las Vegas? Tag us on Instagram, or call or text us at 702-514-0719.

The staycation is a great Vegas move — being a local means never having to leave town to become a tourist. And what if you build that staycation around an event like the upcoming Life is Beautiful festival downtown? Host Dayvid Figler gets tips — about staycationing and the festival itself — from entrepreneur, LiB merchant, and seasoned in-town vacationer Jen Taler, founder of the Market in the Alley.What are your favorite Vegas tips? Tag us on Instagram (we’re @CityCastVegas) or leave us a voicemail or a text at 702-514-0719.For more Vegas tips, events, news, and culture, sign up for our amazing morning newsletter here.

Our city’s fractious relationship with wild animals is once again back in the news: This time, it’s the Lion Habitat Ranch in Henderson. An animal rights activist claims the organization made fraudulent (and disturbing) claims in a recent fundraising letter… but what does this whole debacle say about the way Vegas treats our retired animal acts? Co-hosts Dayvid Figler and Vogue Robinson are joined by contributor Andrew Kiraly to discuss the Lion Habitat, the recent Uber and Lyft ride share driver protests, and what we’d name our incoming MLB team if Oakland gets to keep the Athletics name in California.And you might notice that you’ll be hearing a little less of Vogue in the coming months — she’s stepping down from hosting — but she will be a contributor and we’ll get to chat with her in more Friday news roundups. Stay up to date with all of her creative projects by following her on Instagram @voguer316 and @pearlsofgratitude!If you’ve got thoughts on today’s episode, you can call or text us at 702-514-0719.For more Las Vegas news, events, and commentary, sign up for our brilliant morning newsletter here.

A slice by any other name would still taste as sweet — or would it? Today, co-host Vogue Robinson sits down with Al Mancini and Gemini Stevens, hosts of the podcast Food and Loathing, for a pizza tour of Las Vegas. No two slices are created equal, and as it turns out, the qualities of an excellent, greasy New York slice are very different from those of a cheesy, crunchy Detroit square, or a puffy Neapolitan. Al and Gemini tell you where to find the best in each category in Las Vegas, and attempt to answer the biggest pizza question of all: With all these international styles available in Las Vegas, does our city have its own pizza style, too?Be sure to check out Al’s app Neon Feast, a curated guide to the best places to eat in Las Vegas. And find more of Gemini’s food writing at OfftheStrip.com and her food cooking on Instagram @wishboneandvine.Places mentioned by Al and Gemini: Pop Up Pizza in the Plaza Evel Pie Good Pie Brooksy’s Bar and Grill Brooklyn’s Best Double Zero Pie and Pub Settebello Pizzeria Napoletana Solamente Pizza Naked City Pizza Northside Nathan’s Detroit Pizza Metro Pizza Dom DeMarco’s Pizzeria and Bar Yukon Pizza What’s your favorite pizza in Vegas? Tag us in a pic on Instagram, or you can always call or text us at 702-514-0719.Want more Las Vegas food, culture, and news? Then make sure to sign up for our amazing morning newsletter here.

Most people know that the mob was heavily involved in shaping Las Vegas and our casino culture. That history combined with the mob’s reputation is the perfect recipe for rumors and myths to flourish. Casino.org journalist Corey Levitan dives into these tales and more in his series Vegas Myths Busted. He leads co-hosts Vogue Robinson and Dayvid Figler through seven stories and asks them if these popular mob myths are fact or fiction.Play along with us and check out our other myth-busting episodes about celebrities and casinos!What other Vegas myths are you curious about? Let us know by leaving us a voicemail at 702-514-0719. We’re also on social media! Follow us @CityCastVegas on Twitter and Instagram. Don’t get caught up in the new Vegas myths being generated! Sign up for our morning newsletter here.

Vegas has always been a celebrity magnet, from the Rat Pack days to the red carpet Kardashian era. So what does their version of Las Vegas look like, and where do you find celebrities in town? Longtime Las Vegas celebrity photographer Erik Kabik, who’s photographed everyone from Robert De Niro to Paris Hilton, spills the tea with co-host Vogue Robinson about how to approach celebs in the wild, and why their lives aren’t always so picture-perfect.Where have you seen celebrities in Vegas? Share your stories with us on Instagram or by leaving us a voicemail at 702-514-0719.P.S. Wanna go see even more celebrities and listen to some amazing music for FREE? We’re giving away two pairs of Life is Beautiful GA tickets — get more details and enter here.