City Cast Las Vegas

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.

You saw the news earlier this summer about a string of casino heists — a guy posing as the owner of the Circa walked away with $1 million in cash. While that number is stunning, it’s not the biggest heist Vegas has ever seen. In fact, this year is the 30th anniversary of the biggest casino heist in Las Vegas history, totaling $3 million — and it’s a wild ride involving a 21 year old woman trained in firearms who disguised herself as an old lady, a co-conspirator and lover some 27 years her senior, and ultimately, the change of heart that brought her right back to Las Vegas. Co-host Dayvid Figler watched the Netflix documentary about this heist and breaks it all down for co-host Vogue Robinson.Did you love this episode? Here’s what you can do: Hit the share button and share it with all your friends on social media — and tag us! We’re @CityCastVegas on Twitter and Instagram. 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 morning newsletter here.

For over 50 years, Nevada has been the only U.S. state with legalized prostitution — but it’s only allowed in brothels, and even then, only in a few rural counties. A small grassroots effort is underway this summer to expand legal brothels to Douglas and Churchill Counties — but why not Clark County? How did Sin City opt out of this particular “sin”? Today, co-host Dayvid Figler chats with UNLV sociology professor Barb Brents, a leading expert on sexual commerce, about how we got here, and if (and how) Clark County could get brothels, too.What are your thoughts on legal brothels coming to Clark County? Should we get brothels here? Let us know what you think: We’re @CityCastVegas on Twitter and Instagram, or you could leave us a voicemail or text us at 702-514-0719.For more on what’s going on in Southern Nevada, check out our amazing morning newsletter here — it’s got news, events, commentary, and more!

It’s been a turbulent week in Las Vegas! First, a downtown food pantry is at risk of shutting down after neighbors contest their new operating license. Then, a confrontation between Metro and a street food vendor at the Welcome to Las Vegas sign draws criticism from both sides of the aisle. Lastly, the North Las Vegas government gives AI a shot at translating public meetings in real-time. Co-hosts Vogue Robinson and Dayvid Figler are joined by Nevada Independent reporter Jacob Solis to break it all down.Do you trust the use of AI in public meetings? Let us know on social media! Follow us @CityCastVegas on Twitter and Instagram. You can also call or text us at 702-514-0719.Stay up to date on all the latest Las Vegas news by signing up for our morning newsletter here.

A new trend is sweeping Mexican food — and it’s actually ancient. Nixtamalization is a cooking method that uses calcium hydroxide (naturally found in limestone) to break down corn, unlocking essential nutrients and flavors, resulting in pliable, fragrant tortillas — a far cry from the preservative-laden grocery store tortillas that most of us know. Today, Chef Mariana Alvarado joins co-host Dayvid Figler to talk about why nixtamalization and heritage corn is at the heart of her business, Masazul, and where around the Las Vegas Valley you can try it.Restaurants named by Chef Mariana: Casa Playa at the Wynn B.S. Taqueria at the UnCommons Milpa in Spring Valley Have you tried nixtamalized corn? Tag us on social media if you go! We’re @CityCastVegas Instagram. 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 brilliant morning newsletter here.