Daily Archives: June 5, 2022

In the rotating restaurant at the top of the Strat hotel and casino, guests can once again enjoy $20 cocktails or a $90 shellfish display for two while taking in the expansive views of downtown Las Vegas from its landmark tower. After the Covid shutdown, Vegas is back in business. But not everyone seems happy, or sure how long it will last.

On a recent afternoon, just out of view of the hotels 1,000-plus feet (350-metre) spike, a couple of hundred hospitality service workers were gathered in a nearby car park. In baking 90F ( 32C) heat, speakers told the workers that they must fight to get improved contracts and controls for soaring rents. S, se puede yes, we can they shouted outside the headquarters of Nevadas powerful Culinary Workers Union.

While the housekeepers, chefs and other workers sang and chanted through the meeting, there was no disguising a deep sense of anger about their working conditions and the direction of the economy.

A cursory scan of Nevadas economic statistics would suggest that life has got better recently for its members. Unemployment hit 30% in Las Vegas in April 2020 when Covid closed the city down the highest rate in the nation. Now its 5%, higher than the national average but still a huge improvement.

Las Vegas has been on a roll recently. Few cities were hit as hard financially by the pandemic. Now the tables are open again, gambling revenues are at new highs, hotel occupancies are climbing, conventioneers are back in town. But the mood is strained. Worker after worker said they were still feeling the effects of cuts made by their employers during the pandemic and were now suffering as inflation drove up prices and wages failed to keep up.

Everything is going up. Gas, food, rent, everything, said Gladis Blanco, a housekeeper at the Bellagio. But not our wages. Its getting better for businesses but not for us: we are still struggling.

In many ways, Vegas holds a funhouse mirror to the deeply strange US economy. Nationally, the unemployment rate is 3.6%, close to a 50-year low. Consumers are spending and wages are rising. And yet supply chain problems persist, businesses complain they cant get staff, workers are angry about how they were treated during the pandemic and after, and tourists are unhappy with shortages and poor service.

Everyone is worried about inflation rising faster than wages for many and interest rates. Looming over all this is the threat of a recession one likely to be felt first in a city reliant on freewheeling spending, which dries up as quickly as spilled water on the hot Las Vegas Strip in leaner times.

Its becoming a more delicate situation every day, said Brian Gordon, principal of Las Vegas-based economic analyst Applied Analysis. Las Vegas was ground zero for what the pandemic meant: casinos had never shut down before, he said. Right at the time when the recovery is taking hold, global economic factors are taking a hold. Global inflation, supply chain challenges, rising interest rates, all of that is putting downwards pressure on spending, he said. Its a very unique time.

In five short months, Joe Bidens weird good/bad economy will define the US midterm elections especially important in swing-state Nevada, which only narrowly backed the president in 2020. But bigger tensions will remain. The pandemic highlighted a schism between Americas workers and their bosses, one that has created a wave of union organising not seen in a generation and that schism appears to only have widened since the pandemic was unofficially declared over.

This lack of trust is broadly felt across the US. Some 42% of Americans told Gallup they were very dissatisfied with the size and influence of major corporations in 2022, up from 36% in 2019.

At the union rally, workers argued that their employers had taken advantage of the pandemic to lay them off and were now wanting to call them in on short shifts to save money, even as business boomed.

James Loreto, 51, has worked as a food server at the Mandalay Bay hotel for 21 years. He was laid off in March 2020 and now, while he is officially back at work, he is on call for shifts. Some weeks he works two days, sometimes five. I have to sit by the phone. I cant do anything, he said. All that time, all those years blood, sweat, tears and Im still struggling to make my hours every week, he told the crowd.

Like many workers at the rally, Loreto said businesses seemed to be doing well post-Covid, but workers not so much.

The casino is packed at the weekend and business is resuming, and yet there are still so many of us struggling to make payments to cover our healthcare, he said.

Meanwhile business executives are still selling, buying, expanding and using their money so they can drive around looking nice and sharp while you and I are out here in this heat, he said.

The culinary union which represents 60,000 members in Las Vegas and Reno is pushing for legislation to cap rent rises, which have been as much as 40% in the city. It is a force to be reckoned with, knocking on 650,000 doors in the last election and claiming credit for Bidens narrow victory in a swing state.

It will be out in force to back progressive candidates again in the upcoming elections, hoping for structural change. Similar battles will play out across America as the election cycle spins faster.

Over at the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce, there are similar concerns about the economy but very different views on what has gone wrong and what can be done about it.

Its president, Mary Beth Sewald, will never forget how the pandemic closed Vegas down. I have never seen the like. It was actually a very scary and sad time, she said. Everything was shuttered. Locals were walking, riding their bicycles down the Strip. It was surreal, not a word to be taken lightly from a woman who lives in a city with a fake volcano, a pyramid and wedding chapels filled with Elvis impersonators.

Now that the lights are back on, Vegas is still going through strange times. The demand has come back but a lot of restaurants, the larger properties, dont have the employees to be able to handle the amount of demand, she said.

Tourists agree. Friends Simon Payne and Nick Wadia, over from the UK for a golf and gambling holiday, have been very disappointed with Vegas hospitality. Weve not once seen a housemaid. I had no towels, said Payne. When they had interacted with staff, they had been unhelpful and ill-informed, they said. They just seem really unhappy in their jobs, said Wadia.

Nor are they impressed with the prices. I paid $8 (6.40) for a coffee that is 2.50 ($3.15) at home. Water was $7.90. The only thing they found cheap was gas: its now more than $5 a gallon in Nevada, a huge rise for American consumers and up from $3.60 a gallon a year ago, but still far cheaper than in the UK.

Sewald described Vegass hiring problem as a headscratcher. The government stimulus cheques had gone but, she said, people didnt want to work. Childcare was a big issue and the chamber had been working on helping with that. But something bigger may be happening. Employers speculate that the pandemic has reordered priorities for many, particularly millennials.

I think there is a certain portion of the population saying work and money is not our priority, she said. I speak to our members and they say we cant find anyone who will come to work and take these jobs.

She believes there may be worse to come. The lack of staff has been compounded by inflation, which is hitting small businesses hardest.

Its kind of a perfect storm, she said. When you consider inflation, supply chain, lack of workforce, what else could you have? The cost of doing business has gone up dramatically and immediately; now, with inflation, those costs have gone up even more.

For Sewald, the answer is less regulation, not more. The chamber successfully lobbied to kill off 85 bills it argues would have increased costs on business in the last legislative session and stands ready to do it again. A lot of our legislators are well-intentioned but they dont understand the unintended consequences of legislation.

The chambers position will set it at loggerheads with the Culinary Union come November, another fight between employers and employees both struggling with the same issues but fighting from opposing sides.

Whichever party wins the election in November will inherit an economic landscape as divided as the political one, and an economy that may be turning for the worse.

Lareto fears for the future of his children. Man, it brings me to tears, he said. I have an 18-year-old and a 21-year-old. Their dreams are being destroyed, something needs to be done. I see a lot of empty houses, people being displaced, people sleeping in cars We have got to do something and we have got to do something now.

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'We are still struggling': Las Vegas economy is a funhouse mirror of the strange US conditions - The Guardian

Family and friends wearing yellow shed tears and shared hugs and doughnuts Saturday for a Metropolitan Police Department officer who died of COVID-19 in August.

Phil Closis funeral began with an escort by the Nevada Highway Patrol, Clark County School District police and local motorcycle clubs including the Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association and Patriot Guard Riders.

He gave me a beautiful life full of love and laughter and I will forever be grateful, Jenn Closi said in a video played during the funeral. He was more than a husband, he was my home. I love you so much, Phil. Half of my heart is missing. I look for you everywhere. I find you in butterflies and songs on the radio but mostly in our childrens eyes.

Closi, a father of two, worked for Metro for 21 years until his death on Aug. 11 at 48. He had been fighting for medical retirement for four years because of severe asthma, but continual appeals filed by Metro delayed the case even after his death.

The foyer of Life Baptist Church in Las Vegas had a wall with Pinkbox Doughnuts hanging on it. His son, Jacob Closi, showed the crowd his dads special way of eating a doughnut to avoid getting sprinkles on his uniform.

Pastor Chuck Williams explained that family and friends were asked to wear yellow not only because it was Closis favorite color, but because he would often enter rooms and announce, The sunshine has arrived.

Before joining Metro, Closi was a firefighter, a paramedic and worked security at the Rio, according to a eulogy delivered by retired Metro officer Bartholomew DAngelo. DAngelo and Closi worked with students as part of the D.A.R.E. program and gave an anti-hate presentation that received accommodation from former Gov. Brian Sandoval.

The reason why you have the strength and the tools to be where you are right now is because hes a fighter and he taught you guys how to be, former co-worker and retired Metro officer David Garris told Closis children, who sat in the front row.

In a video message played at the funeral, Nicola Closi, 17, said her dad was the life of the party and an avid baker.

The most important lesson he taught me is that sometimes life isnt fair and that every moment counts, so live life to the fullest, she said. That is exactly what he did. He touched so many lives and helped so many people. My dad truly was a hero.

Jacob Closi, 15, said his dad was always passionate about any sport the teen wanted to pick up. Closi coached his sons hockey team and was always willing to play catch in the yard.

With his tenacity for work, he was telling me in a way to never give up no matter how hard something was, Jacob Closi said. I was always the apprentice to all his projects.

The funeral ended with a 21-gun salute, bagpipes and the Metropolitan Police Department Honor Guard folding and presenting the flag. None of Metros executive staff was present at the ceremony, so the flag was given to Gov. Steve Sisolak, who presented it to Jenn Closi.

Line-of-duty death

Closi was one of at least three Metro officers who died while on active duty that was not considered a line-of-duty death. In a statement last month to the Review-Journal, Metro said contact tracing indicated Closi did not get COVID-19 while at work, and Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo ultimately made the decision not to rule his death in the line of duty.

Jenn Closi disagreed, arguing her family contracted the virus from her husband, and Metro did not take precautions to protect her immunocompromised husband from the virus that could be deadly for him.

Because Closis death was not considered a line-of-duty death, the family lost their health insurance the night he died, Closis casket was not escorted by any Metro vehicles, the department did not announce his end of watch call over the radio, planes did not fly overhead Saturday and his name will not go up at Metro headquarters, Police Memorial Park or in Washington, D.C.

After the service, Sisolak said he has urged Lombardo to reconsider this decision.

I wish he would be honored in the appropriate way as a line-of-duty death, Sisolak said. I would ask the sheriff to reconsider his decision. It would show some real leadership to admit sometimes when you get some new information that things should change. The family clearly deserves it as well as the other officers who died with COVID. The family has suffered tremendously and to have your name on the wall in Carson City would mean a lot to this family.

Contact Sabrina Schnur at sschnur@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0278. Follow @sabrina_schnur on Twitter.

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Las Vegas officer who died of COVID-19 remembered as hero, loving father - Las Vegas Review-Journal

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) Theres another windy weekend ahead in the Las Vegas valley, and an air quality advisory has been issued for elevated levels of dust.

The Clark County Department of Environment and Sustainability has issued a dust advisory for Saturday and Sunday, with southwest winds of 25 mph expected to start Saturday evening and continue into Sunday morning. Some gusts are expected to hit 30 mph.

Red flag fire weather warnings are also in effect for Southern Nevada on Friday and Saturday. The combination of high heat, low humidity and strong winds means increased fire danger, especially in rural and mountain areas.

The high today is expected to reach 98 degrees with partly cloudy skies. Temperatures will dip a couple degrees on Saturday before climbing on Sunday. Then look for the warmest temperatures of the year so far over the next 8 days. Monday will reach 100, up to 102 Tuesday, 104 Wednesday and 106 Thursday before dipping to 105 a week from today.

Tips to limit exposure to dust include:

Call Environment and Sustainabilitys dust complaint hotline at 702-385-DUST (3878) to report excessive amounts of blowing dust from construction sites, vacant lots or facilities.

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Another windy weekend in Las Vegas with dust advisory, red flag warnings - KLAS - 8 News Now

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OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA SEPTEMBER 15: A detailed view of an Oakland Raiders helmet before the game against the Kansas City Chiefs at RingCentral Coliseum on September 15, 2019, in Oakland, California. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/Getty Images)

The Las Vegas Raiders have some money to spend in terms of the salary cap, and these three free agents could help them in a big way, right away.

Looking at the 2022 Las Vegas Raiders, there is a lot to like about the current roster. They have done a nice job building up some position groups of need, while also bolstering some strengths, like the running back room.

Last season, the Raiders were able to win ten games, and punch their ticket to the playoffs despite a severe lack of talent on both sides of the ball. Sure, they had their playmakers, and guys stepped up in a big way down the stretch, but the current roster is in a much better shape than it was a year ago today.

For the Raiders, especially with a new head coach in Josh McDaniels, the goal has to be the same, and that is to continue to get better and become a perennial playoff team. They have done a nice job with trades and spending money in free agency, but there is still some work left to be done.

Las Vegas still has money to play with, and here, we look at three free agents the Silver and Black could bring in to make an impact immediately.

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3 free agents that could help the Las Vegas Raiders right away - Just Blog Baby

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Shooting victim shot in the head, crashes car

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) A man is accused of shooting at his ex-girlfriend and her new boyfriend when they came to his home to drop off a key and pick up her two puppies, Las Vegas Metro police said.

John Harris faces charges of attempted murder, battery, assault and discharging a gun into a vehicle, records showed.

On May 23, police responded to an area near Maryland Parkway and Ogden Avenue after receiving several 911 calls reporting about a dozen gunshots, they said. Officers said one of the callers reported hearing two men arguing. One of the men then drove off in an orange Dodge Challenger and crashed into a pole, police said.

The driver of the orange car ran off, but his passenger, a woman whose name is redacted in the report, stayed and was taken into custody, police said.

Officers followed a blood trail from the Challenger to a residence on Ogden Avenue. A person at the residence told police a shooting victim had come to his apartment and had asked for help after being shot in the head.

Police said their investigation led them to an apartment on Maryland Parkway. When police responded to the apartment, Harris opened the door with a broom in his hand and appeared to be sweeping the floor of the apartment, police said.

Harris told police that his ex-girlfriend and another man arrived at his residence and shot up his apartment. Harris reportedly told [an officer] he had to defend himself, police wrote in his arrest report.

In an interview with police, Harris ex-girlfriend said she and Harris have been fighting over the past several weeks. On May 13, the girlfriend received two puppies and had kept them at Harris home, police said.

On May 22, the girlfriend said she wanted to end the relationship, return the key to his apartment and retrieve the puppies, police said.

She called her new boyfriend [and] explained to [him] about her and Harris relationship and how he gets angry and physical sometimes, police said.

The girlfriend said she went to Harris apartment the next day on May 23. Harris opened the door and pointed a gun at her face, police said. When he saw the Challenger below, he pointed the gun at the car and began firing rounds, striking the [car] several times, police said.

The driver of the car, the ex-girlfriends new boyfriend, then got out of the Challenger and fired two rounds back at Harris but did not hit him, police said. Harris is then accused of firing more rounds at the car as the shooting victim and his girlfriend drove off, police said.

The driver, Harris girlfriends new boyfriend, was shot in the head. The bullet traveled around his skull and went from the back of his head through the front police said.

The shooting victim then lost control of the car, hitting a pole. Harris then reportedly ran up to the crash site, asking his girlfriend, Did I get him?

Police found nine bullet holes in the Challenger, they said. They also found a 223-caliber rifle in the car with no serial number.

Police said they found a handgun and a shotgun in Harris apartment.Judge Elena Graham set Harris bail at $25,000. Graham ordered Harris to stay away from the victim. Harris has posted bail as of Monday and due in court on June 15.

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Las Vegas man shoots at ex-girlfriend, new boyfriend as they retrieve puppies from his apartment, police say - KLAS - 8 News Now