City Cast Las Vegas

The Southern Nevada Public Lands Management Act of 1998, or SNPLMA, is one of those wonky, obscure federal laws that most of us have never heard of. But SNPLMA has had a huge impact on Las Vegas — it basically gave power brokers like Harry Reid the ability to play chess with public lands, giving Vegas lots of room to grow while protecting important conservation areas. And one very clever legislative move puts a lot more money in Nevada’s coffers, paying for things like bathrooms at Lake Mead and a brand-new pickleball complex. But it’s not without controversy, even within conservationist circles. Nevada Independent reporter Gabby Birenbaum recently penned a two-part deep dive into SNPLMA and breaks it all down for co-host Dayvid Figler.Thoughts? Questions? Wanna tell us how much you love City Cast? Leave us a voicemail or send us a text at 702-514-0719. You can also tag us in a pic of your next outing to a conservation area near Las Vegas! We’re @CityCastVegas on Instagram.For more deep dives and hot takes on the latest in Vegas, be sure to sign up for our brilliant morning newsletter here.

A lot of y’all scoffed when Hurricane Hilary actually reached our desert shores. Despite the state of emergency, the storm’s effects were pretty underwhelming — in most of the valley, that is. Today, co-hosts Dayvid Figler and Vogue Robinson, along with journalist John L. Smith, talk about the devastation Hilary wrought on Mt. Charleston, and how we talk about storms like these in an era of increasingly unpredictable weather. Next, the team takes on notorious gambler, developer, and convicted inside-trader Billy Walters, whose new tell-all book just might be something of a redemption tour. And last, we explore the wild side of Strip hotels, where bedbugs have been found in no less than seven venues, and a recent bat incident led to a lawsuit.How did you weather Hilary? Let us know by giving us a call at 702-514-0719 or tagging us in our weather photos and videos on Instagram (we’re @CityCastVegas).For more on the latest and greatest in Las Vegas, make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter here.

Cottage kitchen laws allow people to run certain small food businesses out of their private residences and since 2018, Brett Boyer and his husband have been doing just that with Desert Bread, a sourdough bread and bakery oasis. With new seasonal items about to hit the selves (looking at you, pumpkins!), we’re bringing back this conversation with Brett and co-host Vogue Robinson about how and why they started Desert Bread and the challenges of operating a business from home.Tag us on social media if you visit Desert Bread after listening to this episode! Follow us @CityCastVegas on Twitter and Instagram. You can also call or text us at 702-514-0719.Want some more Las Vegas food reviews and recommendations? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter here for all the goods and more! 

Once again, school district drama is in the news: Southern Nevada’s largest teachers’ union, the Clark County Education Association, has given CCSD until Saturday to resolve a dispute over teacher pay. But there’s also a fight about, well, how to fight: A back and forth legal battle over whether the “work actions” the union has threatened are in fact an illegal strike, or whether teachers’ free speech is being curtailed — though a new ruling handed down yesterday appears to be a win for the union. To help us untangle this mess upon mess, contributor April Corbin Girnus, a reporter at the Nevada Current, sits down with co-host Vogue Robinson. April gives us the play by play of what exactly the two sides are fighting about, and how their plans are trying to solve the teacher vacancy crisis our district is facing.Do you have thoughts on the school district showdown? Let us know: We’re on social media @CityCastVegas on Twitterand Instagram, or you can also 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.

Nevada State College’s president, Dr. DeRionne Pollard, says the state college has been acting as a university for many years — the only thing missing was the title, which officially changed to Nevada State University on July 1st, and goes into effect on their website today. But what does something as simple as a name change mean for a state college that welcomes so many of the Valley’s non-traditional students? And what doors does a university distinction open for them? Dr. Pollard joins co-host Vogue Robinson in today’s episode to explain why the change is significant, how it will affect students and the community, and what’s next for the newly-minted university.Celebrate the name change with Dr. Pollard and Nevada State University with fireworks and more on August 30th. Get more details and RSVP here.What would you like to hear next on the pod? You can let us know by giving us a call or text at 702-514-0719. We’re also on social media! Follow us @CityCastVegas on Twitter and Instagram.Want some more Las Vegas news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter here. 

Dive into a playful critiquing of Las Vegas as the hosts reveal the city's most undesirable tourist spots. From the Spaghetti Bowl to Circus Circus, they craft hilariously terrible itineraries perfect for that annoying ex or uneasy acquaintance. Expect humorous tales of public transportation woes, frustrating traffic, and cheeky tips for navigating the city's pitfalls. This entertaining banter balances a love for Vegas with a cheeky poke at its less appealing attractions.

Today, we’re bringing you a special guest episode from our friends at Compassionate Las Vegas, hosted by Will Rucker. In this episode, you’ll hear Will interviewing Julian High, president and CEO of United Way of Southern Nevada. Julian talks about the leaders he observed growing up in Las Vegas and how they inspire his work now. Compassionate Las Vegas just launched season 5, and the first episode is up right now — so be sure to check it out and subscribe wherever you get podcasts!

Clark County is busy setting up new rules for “PDDs,” or personal delivery devices — these are the food delivery robots that bring pizza, burritos and Thai takeout right to your door. A recently-passed bill will now allow them on sidewalks, so today, co-hosts Vogue Robinson and Dayvid Figler, along with food writer Lorraine Blanco Moss, get into the specifics of how they’ll work, and the upsides and downsides of more robots in our lives. Plus, we talk about why Las Vegas is the number 1 most researched destination for people looking to move (and what 115 people moving here daily will mean for us), and the ninth island connection between Las Vegas and Lahaina as we look to support Maui in the wake of last week’s devastating fire. (NOTE: The Maui Strong fundraiser at the Downtown Container Park has been postponed to Sun., Aug. 27th due to weather.)So: How do you feel about food delivery robots? Let us know on social media (we’re @CityCastVegas on Instagram) or by giving us a call at 702-514-0719.Last but not least…***GIVEAWAY ALERT!!!*** We’ve got 2 pairs of GA tickets to Life is Beautiful 2023! To enter, head over to lasvegas.citycast.fm/lib and enter your email address. It’ll also sign you up for our brilliant morning newsletter, with the latest in Las Vegas news, events and commentary. Good luck!

If you’re looking for the best grits, collard greens, and fried catfish in town, contributor Brent Holmes has some soul food recs for you — he’s a longtime Las Vegan with deep family roots in Texas. But, as Brent tells co-host Vogue Robinson, soul food restaurants here in Vegas tend to open and close on the regular. So why is it so hard to keep a soul food joint open in this town? What is authentic soul food, and where can a hungry local find the best soul food in Las Vegas?Restaurants mentioned by Brent: Gritz Cafe EllaEm’s Soul Food Soul Foo Young Mario’s Westside Market LoLo’s Chicken and Waffles Sista Kim’s Kitchen What’s your favorite soul food in Las Vegas? Tag us in a pic on social media — we’re @CityCastVegas on Instagram and Facebook. You can also call or text us at 702-514-0719.Want some more Las Vegas news? Sign up for our morning newsletter here — it’s chock full of great tips, events, and news for locals.

It has all the makings of an HBO special: A pro-athlete turned illegal sports betting bookie. A secret black book of names. And possibly even money laundering through comped chips in a scandal that could reach as far up as the President of Resorts World. And this isn’t fiction — it’s the subject of new investigative reporting from Dana Gentry at the Nevada Current. So what the hell’s going on? Co-host Dayvid Figler sits down with Dana to untangle this web of allegations and scandal, and discuss what this could mean for Las Vegas.Thoughts? Questions? Give us a ring (702-514-0719) or tag us on social media (we’re @CityCastVegas on Twitter and Instagram.For more Las Vegas news, events, and commentary, sign up for our brilliant morning newsletter here.