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City Cast Las Vegas

Rob Kachelriess

Veterans Day is tomorrow, Wednesday, November 11. I want to send a digital salute to all who have represented our county in uniform, including my father Wayne, who served with the U.S. Marines in Vietnam 🙏

While Memorial Day honors those who died in service to their county, Veterans Day is a celebratory day of recognition for all who served in the military. It was first 

 as Armistice Day in 1919, marking one year since the treaty that ended World War I. It was declared an official federal holiday in 1938. Following World War II and the Korean War, Congress changed the name to Veterans Day to honor all who served.

 performs “Voices Raised For Vets” at the Winchester Dondero Cultural Center on Tuesday, Nov. 10 at 6 p.m.

 begins at 10 a.m. at 4th Street and Garces Avenue on Wednesday, Nov. 11. Billed as the largest Veterans Day parade west of the Mississippi, the event begins with a flyover and travels eight blocks to Stewart Avenue, wrapping up by noon.

A grand opening ceremony with military flyover for the 

 is Wednesday, Nov. 11 at 4:30 p.m. at the Thunderbird Family Sports Complex in Centennial Hills.

Downtown Summerlin is welcoming veterans to showcase their businesses on The Lawn at the 3rd Annual 

 is now open for the season at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The drive-thru holiday lights display is hosting 

, giving free admission to current and former military members and their families 5 - 9 p.m. on Veterans Day.

 on the Strip is giving veterans and active-duty military 

All who’ve served get a free max car wash (the best one!) at any 

All veterans with a valid military ID receive a free bingo blue pack at Arizona Charlie’s on 

 (known for large doggie-friendly patios with fire pits) is honoring veterans and active military with a free Fireside Favorites entree, dessert, and soda. Lazy Dog has locations in Town Square, Downtown Summerlin, and Henderson.

 near Charleston and Decatur is giving all military service members and veterans a free Country Biscuit Breakfast, plus 20% off everything else.

 at South Point has a “free buffet for two” offer for veterans and active military between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. (My advice: come early for the breakfast buffet, which includes bloody marys 👀)

Vets get a free burger from the Main Bar or Market Place at 

, 12-8 p.m. with an A-Play rewards card. (Veterans get 

 is giving those who’ve served a beef and lamb or chicken gyro at any of its four local locations.

, where veterans and service members get a meal of burger, fries, and drink 

Learn about the history of Veterans Day and how current or former members of the military can get a bite on the house.

Veterans Day Free Meals and More in Las Vegas

Free Food and Fun on Veterans Day for Those Who Served

What Las Vegans have been wondering. We break down why things in Las Vegas are the way they are and how they work.

Las Vegas, Explained

Jacob Solis

If any union was ever Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo’s biggest cheerleader, it was the Clark County Education Association. After snubbing then-Gov. Steve Sisolak in 2022 by endorsing neither gubernatorial candidate, the state’s largest teachers union — led by 

longtime executive director John Vellardita

 — worked closely with Lombardo’s office in the 2023 and 2025 legislative sessions.

It was no surprise, then, when CCEA endorsed Lombardo in 2026. More surprising was how vigorously the union campaigned on his behalf. That came in everything from the full-throated support of Lombardo’s 

 from an affiliated PAC that pilloried his opponent, Attorney General Aaron Ford, as a “career politician.”

Amid the campaign, a complicating factor: A 

 disagreed with the union, and backed Ford, 52% to 32%.

But now, Lombardo’s lost. Ford is the governor-elect. Democrats won a supermajority in the Assembly, and will likely fall just shy in the Senate. So what will happen to CCEA’s relationship with the Democrats now steering the ship? [Nevada Independent, Las Vegas Review-Journal, KVVU, Las Vegas Sun]

: “One party controls all state government. That’s not the ideal situation from our experience, but we’ll work with it.” [Las Vegas Review-Journal]

, in essence luring data centers to Nevada while cutting school support tax abatements. In theory, it would boost the state’s education tax revenues without touching notoriously dicey political third rails. [Nevada Current]

 how that would meld with Ford’s campaign pledges, which aimed at 

 and a “systemic” review of how the tax breaks work. Nor is it clear how Ford — who still backs increasing per-pupil funding — 

. [Nevada Independent, Las Vegas Review-Journal]

 in Nevada politics that has tangled itself into the state’s singular gordian knot. How can the state increase education funding (which politicians acknowledge 

) if Nevadans will revolt against the tax increases needed to pay for it? [Nevada Independent]

. Since 2021, politicians in Carson City have had 

 (commissioned by the state Legislature, no less) to boost education funding per-pupil to the national average in 10 years. However, because the document suggests raising property tax revenues, it has since collected dust. [Nevada Independent, Commission on School Funding]

All to say: The 2027 legislative session should be a fun and interesting time had by all.

The Clark County teachers union went all-in on Lombardo. So what happens under Gov.-elect Aaron Ford? 

After CCEA’s governor endorsement backfired, what happens next?

What Happens When an Endorsement Goes Wrong?  

Welcome to the City Cast Las Vegas news quiz. These questions are based on stories in the newsletter over the past week. Up to the challenge? Answer the following questions to see how well you’ve been paying attention — and how well you know Las Vegas.

Looking for a previous Hey Las Vegas news quiz? Find it here.

Ready for a challenge? Take our weekly quiz, based on the news and stories of this past week in Las Vegas. 

Test Your Knowledge on Las Vegas News

Take This Week's Las Vegas News Trivia Quiz

If you’re sick of the junk mail, texts, TV ads, and everything else that comes with election season, just know it’s almost over. Kinda. At least until the recounts end and the lawsuits begin.

Between mail ballots and early voting, Nevada makes the election process incredibly easy. But today is officially Election Day. Your last chance. No excuses.

. Just bring your Nevada ID or driver's license to a 

. If you need further assistance to register, the DMV 

 until 6 p.m today. You’ll leave with an interim document to bring to a polling location.

You can vote from anywhere. The days of having one specific polling place for your address are gone. Throughout early voting (which saw 

 in Clark County alone), the Galleria at Sunset was the busiest local polling location, followed by the Las Vegas Athletic Club in North Las Vegas. 

 gets in on the act today. Voting hours run 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

And if you have a long shift at work, Nevada law requires employers to 

give employees sufficient time off to vote

 if it’s impractical to do so before or after work. Paid.

Mail ballots will be counted if postmarked by Election Day and received up to four days after voting ends, but at this stage, it’s 

 at a polling station to avoid potential delays.

 is giving 50% discounts (up to $10 off) to help voters reach their polling locations with the code VOTE26.

. Anyone under 18 accompanied by a registered voter receives a free scoop of ice cream when voting for their favorite ice cream flavor.

Those who show an “I Voted” sticker can purchase any entrée and receive a second entrée of equal or lesser value for free at 

. Just sign up for the rewards club at no cost.

It doesn’t get any more “Vegas” than this: 

 has an "Undress for the U.S.” promotion, offering one free lap dance to visitors on Election Day.

 is giving out a free original glazed doughnut to those who voted.

 is giving reward members an online BOGO deal on eligible eight-inch sandwiches with the code “SANDWICH.”

 (11 a.m. to 2 p.m.) with food trucks, free ice cream, a drive-thru ballot drop box, and showgirl-themed “I Voted” stickers.

Prediction, a new lounge that follows prediction markets, will have an 

 (3-11 p.m.) with results and election “odds” playing out on dozens of screens.

 (5-9 p.m.) with food specials. According to the advertising, all political affiliations are welcome, although Ahern is known to host GOP campaign events.

 requested by the ACLU against a woman accused of harassing and intimidating voters with a bullhorn during early voting at Desert Breeze Park. [KTNV]

looks at the case of “Bullhorn Becky” and discusses the legalities and limits of political activity near polling places in our 

The Biggest Election Storylines, Civil Rights Tested at Polling Place, and Weeknight Outings

Your guide to last-minute voting, watch parties, and where to get free stuff on Election Day.

Las Vegas Election Day Freebies 2026

Election Day Freebies & Voting Guide 2026

 at Bonnie Springs. According to Save Red Rock, the Clark County Planning Commission voted Tuesday to approve a related zoning amendment that would 

allow bodies of water for fire suppression

 and other safety purposes. The proposal now heads to the Clark County Commission for a vote on Nov. 18.

, which raised questions about the lake's size, design, and source for water in a desert environment where it’s already scarce.

Consider the request a sign of progress for a development that's moved slowly since a ceremonial groundbreaking in 2022. Water lines, fire hydrants, and other infrastructure 

 last year on properties where lots alone have a starting price of $6.6 million. It’s worth noting that 

 next to The Reserve for single-family homes were 

The legacy of Bonnie Springs dates back to 1843, when it was a stop for wagon trains traveling to and from California on the Old Spanish Trail. It later became a tourist attraction as a 

 that included a motel, petting zoo, restaurant, and staged gunfights before it was closed in 2019 and demolished. The ranch was also home to the annual Bonnie Screams Halloween attraction. A petition 

, but failed to preserve the property as a historic landmark.

The family of Bonnie Springs Ranch founder Bonnie Levinson, who 

, sold the 64-acre site for $25 million to Joel Laub and J. Randall Jones in 2019. The two developers grew up visiting the area as children and 

promised an environmentally sensitive residential community

 that would also welcome the general public with a restaurant and other amenities.

Although located within the boundaries of the federally protected 

Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area

, Bonnie Springs is a privately owned inholding, much like Blue Diamond, Calico Basin, Spring Mountain Ranch, and portions of the gypsum mine property.

 have memories of Bonnie Springs to share? 

A vote is scheduled on a proposed lake in Bonnie Springs as a new luxury home development slowly takes shape. 

Man-Made Lake Proposed at The Reserve at Red Rock Canyon

Developers Plan to Build a Lake in Bonnie Springs

With the midterm election a mere two weeks away, we are now in what the experts call “the Cool Zone,” where real votes are finally being cast — and everyone freaks out because we’ve started prognosticating with incomplete information. Though election 

 there’s not much you can understand from early vote data alone, they also agree there’s one exception: Nevada. [New York Times, PollVault]

Or, more specifically, longtime Nevada political reporter Jon Ralston, who’s soothsaying powers have foreseen seismic shifts in election land just before they happened, from former Sen. Harry Reid’s impossible victory in 2010 to 

. (Full transparency: This writer used to work for Ralston in a past life). [The Nevada Independent]

So why Nevada? It turns out, funny things start to happen when nearly three-quarters of the state’s active voters 

. Turnout trends that emerge in Las Vegas during early voting can become increasingly predictive, especially as they relate to what Ralston refers to as the “

” for state Democrats, a historic offset for deep Republican strongholds in the rurals (and until the last 10 years, Washoe County, too). [Nevada Secretary of State, Nevada Independent]

As goes the firewall, so goes the state. This year, early voting began over the weekend with more than 23,000 ballots cast in Clark County alone. Quite a bit! But still only a fraction of the hundreds of thousands that will come in by Election Day. What have they told us? 

 Vote-by-mail numbers (historically favored by Democrats) are increasingly competitive, while in-person voting, traditionally dominated by Republicans, is similarly topsy-turvy. What gives? In part, it may be Democrats dubious not of mail ballots, but of 

looking at numbers? You’re in luck. The Secretary of State publishes regular data through its 

, including data on mail ballots, early in-person voting, and (soon) Election Day in-person turnout. [Nevada Secretary of State]

 For those of us still tethered to Twitter/X, 

 regularly posts data updates with comparisons to past elections. For those blissfully free of the Elon Musk hellsite, then 

 is your best bet. [X, The Nevada Independent]

 for former video game composer and Republican congressional candidate Marty O’Donnell found it littered with “racial slurs, minimizations of Nazi Germany and defenses of white nationalist conspiracy theories.” O’Donnell’s campaign said in a statement that he “has zero tolerance for hate” in that forum, and has banned 200 members. [Associated Press]

Separately, a PAC linked to President Trump 

 boosting O’Donnell just days earlier, as Republican campaign committees still flush with cash have rushed to triage House races across the country. [ABC News]

But as Election Day nears, expect campaign visits to accelerate until morale improves. House Speaker 

 to boost Republican hopefuls, while Rep. Steven Horsford (D-NV) is set to 

stump alongside Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

 (D-NY) in North Las Vegas this weekend. [Las Vegas Review-Journal, Facebook]

Early vote data is usually a poor barometer for election results. So why’s Nevada different? 

Can Early Vote Data Tell Us the Future? 

Can Anyone Read the Election Tea Leaves? 

Here are the rules at the “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas” sign: There are no rules. Yes, there’s usually a line that people follow out of respect and politeness — but it’s not official. And anyone offering to take your photo in exchange for any form of payment is not directly affiliated with operations at the landmark.

Some of those hustlers have become more aggressive over the years while trying to pull people out of line. In response, Clark County plans to 

 that say tipping is voluntary and not required, along with guidance on reporting harassment. The county may also increase the presence of police and business licensing officials. (It’s technically illegal if a photographer demands payment without a proper license.)

Tipping culture has become a source of contention in Las Vegas, especially in recent years. Costumed performers on the Strip and Fremont Street are notoriously aggressive in demanding high-dollar tips after offering to pose for photos. Just last month, two “showgirls” were arrested for 

 in front of Planet Hollywood over a $20 tip. According to the police report, the women 

As a hospitality destination, Las Vegas has relied on tips for years — a practice that’s more established in traditional settings like bars, restaurants, tours, and casino floors. With that said, Nevada 

, making it the fourth-lowest tipping state in the country.

But back to the “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas” sign … In an ironic twist, the landmark was designed to be free for everyone. While YESCO owns the physical sign and leases it to Clark County, the design itself 

, allowing anyone to use it on art, T-shirts, coffee mugs, or anything else without royalty concerns.

Photographers have become aggressive in demanding tips at the iconic landmark. Has it gone too far?

Are you Obligated to Tip at the ‘Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas’ Sign?

Clark County Addresses Harassment at the ‘Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas’ Sign

Laura Tsutsui

The election is a mere three weeks away 😱 and this cycle we have a lot to consider: Nevada’s governor, your congressional rep, possibly your mayor, and a slew of other state leaders. Where to start? Here are a few races we’re looking closely at:

 on the podcast, focusing on the frontrunners: Republican (and current governor) Joe Lombardo and Democrat Aaron Ford. We got into how Lombardo is running on his economic record, Ford's strategy of tying the governor to Trump at every turn, and whether these two will ever actually debate each other. [City Cast Las Vegas 🎧]

Henderson and North Las Vegas residents are 

 — again after neither candidate in either city captured more than 50% of the vote in June. [City Cast Las Vegas ✍️]

 There are four congressional districts in our state — three in southern Nevada and one capturing much of rural and northern Nevada. We break down some of the 

 (and other statewide races) in our latest City Cast Las Vegas episode. [City Cast Las Vegas 🎧]

If you’re still struggling to fill out your ballot, check out the guides and election coverage from 

Everything You Need to Know Before Voting in Las Vegas. Plus, the Best Voting Sites

So you know who you’re voting for, but let’s back up just a bit and make sure you’ve got all your ballot ducks in a row first:

Counties began sending out mail-in ballots 

, so check your mail. They’re coming to every active registered voter who did not opt out. [Las Vegas Review-Journal]

 and runs through Oct. 30, during which you can go to 

 to cast a ballot. You can even register and vote on the same day! Just be sure to bring a valid Nevada driver’s license or state ID card with your current residential address. [Clark County]

 Take it to a drop box, a polling location, or drop it in the mail — it doesn’t even need a stamp.

Well then, you have your pick of voting centers. The Las Vegas Raiders just announced Allegiant Stadium will be one on Election Day; in 2024 the facility 

. It was the state’s busiest polling place! [Las Vegas Sun]

Elections bring no shortage of data and pundits who wax poetic about what it all means before election day arrives. Here are a few things to know about Nevada’s voter trends:

, and more new voters identify as Democrats than Republicans. The largest voting bloc, however, is nonpartisan, making up nearly 40% of active voters. [Las Vegas Sun]

If you want to get really nerdy, Jon Ralston at the Nevada Independent is running his 

 where he’s looking at the latest data from ballots received thus far. He updates it regularly so you can start at the bottom and work your way up to follow the trends.

Explore Nevada’s crucial upcoming election. Inside: Deep dives into the Lombardo vs. Ford gubernatorial race, Henderson & North Vegas mayoral runoffs, and more

Nevada 2026 Election: Key Races, Candidates & Polling Insights

What to Know Before Early Voting 

Ahh, the promise of 2024. The sun was shining and Brightline West had 

 on the once-mythical high speed rail line finally connecting Las Vegas and Southern California. Permitting would be fast-tracked by following I-15, and if the chips fell right, the whole thing would open in time for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.

Then came the clouds. Immediately upon starting construction, the company announced the total cost had ballooned by 40 percent, now soaring past $21 billion. The opening date slipped past the Olympics into 2029, and a $6 billion loan from the feds — promised under Biden — had stalled under Trump. And despite starting work on the Las Vegas station last year, 

 at the parking garage construction site in months. Now, Florida-based sister-company Brightline is filing for bankruptcy.

Anyone want to buy a train ticket? [KTNV, Las Vegas Review-Journal]

: Brightline and Brightline West are two 

 under the umbrella of the private equity firm Fortress, which applied the Brightline name to the California-Nevada project in hopes of a boost from the existing high speed rail line in Florida. [KTNV]

, regular Floridian passengers enjoy their zippy trains. Ridership and revenue have 

. But it hasn’t increased nearly fast enough to offset the burden of $5.5 billion in outstanding debt, largely from loans used to build the rail lines in the first place. [WKMG Orlando]

has killed so many people crossing the tracks

Once a surefire promise for the 2028 Olympics, Brightline West faces skyrocketing $21B costs, stalled federal loans, and a sister-company bankruptcy. Is the Vegas high-speed train dead in its tracks?

Las Vegas, Explained

Free Food and Fun on Veterans Day for Those Who Served

What Happens When an Endorsement Goes Wrong?

Take This Week's Las Vegas News Trivia Quiz

Latest articles

Election Day Freebies & Voting Guide 2026

Developers Plan to Build a Lake in Bonnie Springs

Can Anyone Read the Election Tea Leaves?

Clark County Addresses Harassment at the ‘Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas’ Sign

What to Know Before Early Voting

Just How Doomed Is the Train to California?

How Big Can Las Vegas Get?