 |
Many residents have swimming pools in their backyards. Those with children in the household should be aware of thes sobering statistics about infant and child drownings in Las Vegas:
These were the Top 10 stories reported on local news website earlier this week:
#1 Police shoot gunman dead at St. Rose Dominican Hospital
Geez, the hospital is supposed to be a place people go to get better, not shot.
#2 Steve Wynn and wife divorcing… again
So much for Las Vegas being the Wedding Capital of the World.
#3 Expectant couple attacked during nightly walk
You’re kidding me, right?
#4 Herbst Gaming to file for bankruptcy
Another sign of the ailing gaming industry. Herbst Gaming owns the Terribles chain of gas station and convenience stores. They also own what used to be Primm Valley at the California border.
#5 Mother hopes to find body of missing daughter
Very sad. Too many of these headlines involve children as you will see.
#6 Lawmakers seek harsh penalties for child prostitution involvement
Um, yes.
#7 Vegas: All the break travelers need this spring
We’re a discount destination!
#8 Senate bill aimed at banning texting while driving
Probably a good thing considering how bad drivers in Las Vegas are to begin with.
#9 Infant killed in bicycle-television stand accident
This is probably just bad luck and not related to Las Vegas in any way but still really sad to hear.
#10 Henderson man charged in infant’s death
Not related to #9.
So we have established that I won’t be visiting Aliante Station but I probably will check on the M Resort. After all, it was “built by locals, for locals.” And the marketing was awesome: it made me want to go.
There were ads all over the place, they flew a blimp over the city and residents received all kinds of promotional materials in the mail (an invitation to join their rewards club, coupons for the restaurants and gaming vouchers). I am particularly excited about 32 Draft which will have a selection of 96 different beers.
They are trying really hard to make Aliante Station seem like “the place to be”. Problem is the commercials airing on local television are cheesy and the people shown are not that attractive nor does the casino look that nice.
We locals have lots of choices as far as gaming goes. Opportunities abound (you can even play video poker at the supermarket — sadly, it seems many people do). The Strip is right in the middle of the city, local casinos are strategically located around town and there are always the taverns, burger places and pizza joints that all offer counter-top gaming alongside your meal.
So who wants to drive all the way to the far northern end of the city to visit Aliante Station?
Leaving Las Vegas over July 4th weekend is a popular strategy for savvy locals looking to avoid the peak of tourist season and triple-digit temperatures. The Economy Parking Lot at McCarren Airport was completely full when we arrived so we were directed to overflow parking near UNLV. To our surprise we didn’t have to pay for parking when we picked up our car a few days later.
It pays to be a casino pit boss. “Gaming Manager” is mentioned in this article about jobs paying six-figure salaries.
We had our first 100 degree day yesterday. Many forecasters predicted we wouldn’t push the mercury this high until the first week of June. It will be another hot day today with a high of 106 but then things cool off a bit going into the latter part of the week.
Believe it or not, there’s more to Las Vegas than hotels and casinos. Just a few minutes west of the madness is Red Rock Canyon. I took my uncle there this weekend. We spent about an hour and a half driving slowly through the park on the 13 mile scenic loop stopping often to take photos.
The cost of admission is $5 per vehicle or $20 for an annual pass.
I recently received a notice from the Southern Nevada Watering Authority that spring watering restrictions are in effect from March 1st through April 30th. I’m part of “Group B” so that means I get to water on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
It’s important to keep to your schedule so that we can help conserver water. You can also receive a “water waste” citation if you’re caught watering outside of your assigned day!
Most people visit Las Vegas in the middle of the summer when temperatures are the hottest. Few realize that it gets pretty cold in the high desert. My observation after living here for one winter is that the cold season stretches from approximately Halloween to Valentine’s Day. So pack your sweaters and coats if you plan to visit. Don’t be one of those tourists shivering in shorts and t-shirts!