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09 COMMUNITY Cataloguing the artifacts of October 1 By Dan Hernandez 14 PROFILE Meet the city’s most enthusiastic amateur hockey player By John M. Glionna 18 LOOKING BACK As Circus Circus turns 50, a Vegas 26 transcend bar clichés native reflects ENTERTAINMENT By Lissa Townsend By James P. Reza Good vs. evil, with Rodgers masks: It’s 20 time! 36 DRAMA By Jessica Keasling BEER FEATURES A graphic account of Everything you need a perilous rescue at 29 to know, and then 56 Lake Mead SUBCULTURAL some, about the The Dark Arts Mar- current state of beer ket offers a home for in Las Vegas. Get GOLDEN KNIGHTS artisans “too weird” hoppin’! PREVIEW 23 for traditional venues As the city’s first pro sports team launches CULTURE By Veronica Klash the followup to its Cinderella first season, Thoughts on the Las DEPARTMENTS we profile defenseman Deryk Engelland, Vegas Book Festival, 32 the team’s hometown hero; spotlight the writing, and the West DINING 40 games, players, and X factors to watch; and By Claire Vaye Plenty of beer, Thai PROFILE chronicle one newbie’s conversion to Watkins and Derek food, and authentic Spurred by his fami- Golden Knights fandom. Palacio memorabilia help ly’s never-quit ethic, Nevada Taste Site de- fies his losing record 70 in what might be his final race RESCUE + By Steve Friess REUNION 48 Many kinds of heroes emerged on the night SOCIETY of October 1. A year later, victims and The valley’s women rescuers find themselves redefining architects are making heroism in post-tragedy Las Vegas. progress in a profes- By Heidi Kyser sion still dominated by men By T.R. Witcher ENGELLAND: SABIN ORR; TASTE SITE: SABIN ORR; LAKE RESCUE: RYAN INZANA INZANA RYAN ORR; LAKE RESCUE: SITE: SABIN ORR; TASTE ENGELLAND: SABIN

( EXTRAS ) ( COVER ) DERYK ENGELLAND 06 77 PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR’S NOTE THE GUIDE Sabin Orr Here we are now, entertain us — exhibits, concerts, shows, events, and miscellaneous chee-chee to fill your calendar

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7 PEOPLE, ISSUES,A OBJECTS, EVENTS, LLAND IDEAS INYOU SHOULD BE AWARE OF THIS MONTH

ONE | COMMUNITY

regret to make your acquain- tance under such awful cir- ‘We I cumstances,” the email reads. It was October 2, eight hours after the Route 91 concert shooting, Have to and Pamela Schwartz, a history mu- seum curator in Orlando, Florida, was reaching out to her counterparts in Southern Nevada. The subject line: Tell the “Collecting after the Shooting.” “We had hoped that we would never lose the designation of being the loca- History’ tion of the largest shooting by a single gunman in American history, but here just 15 months after our nightclub At the Clark County Museum, shooting, we have. … There will be cataloging the October 1 temporary memorials, there will be memorial objects is an exercise items from the families and stories in institutional purpose — and from the survivors and it will be a diffi- simple humanity cult task, but rapid response collecting

BY Daniel Hernandez

Photo caption if needed placed here needed if captioned elder- stiff vantage gat

PHOTOGRAPHY Christopher Smith OCTOBER 2018 . DESERT COMPANION | 9 is important in memorializing these events, that prefer to discard the heartbreaking Shortly after the shooting, the Nevada interpreting the story much later, and plays relics, and in areas with wet climates, the State Museum in Las Vegas, the Mob Muse- a huge role in community healing.” posters and teddy bears and artwork that um, UNLV Library Special Collections, the Las Vegas, Orlando and Charleston, collect can become too ruined to retain Oral History Research Center at UNLV, the South Carolina — to name just a few cities their meaning. Here, though, cultural in- Las Vegas News Bureau, and Clark County impacted by mass shootings — belong to a stitutions were willing and able to collect Museum leaders gathered to coordinate growing network of communities that share memorial artifacts in the wake the effort. Public works em- best practices when news breaks of mass of the shooting. So far, the Clark ployees did the heavy lifting. violence. The first responders send cards. County Museum has catalogued Road and park maintenance Victims’ families and survivors connect. more than 15,000 of these sym- “We don’t always crews kept the memorials Grief and trauma counselors share treat- bols of grief and resiliency, the remember things tidy and transferred items to ment methods. And museum officials reach most poignant of which will be because we’re the archival institutions six out with guidance on saving memorial items on display for the anniversary. proud of them,” weeks after October 1, when because, after all, these are historic events. “We don’t always remember Sanford says. county officials decided that “Our job is to educate,” says Cynthia San- things because we’re proud of “We have to tell normalcy should return to the history, and ford, registrar at the Clark County Museum, them,” Sanford says of the col- sometimes that’s the “Welcome to Las Vegas” which has led the effort to save October lection. “We have to tell the uncomfortable.” sign, where crosses and flowers 1 memorial items. It’s not something all history, and sometimes that’s began to appear within hours afflicted communities do. There are those uncomfortable.” of the shooting.

10 | DESERT COMPANION . OCTOBER 2018 DESERTCOMPANION.VEGAS America’s Most A 25-foot trailer made the first delivery to the Clark County Museum. At Heritage Street, a set of relocated historic buildings Popular Shutters on museum property, Sanford and two ® volunteers began cataloging the items in Polywood Shutters are Beautiful, an old Boulder City train depot. Durable and Environmentally Friendly There were 58 wooden crosses bearing the names at the shooting’s 58 fatal victims. The symbolic grave markers sat in boxes with the items that surrounded them — paintings, hearts, cowboy hats, boots, candles, alcohol bottles with messages on the labels, stuffed toys, and more. Every- thing was separated into categories to streamline the documentation process. All personalized items would be preserved for future exhibits, but it was impractical to save unmarked candles or coins, so only those that had been altered in some way (marked with an “R.I.P.” or “RT91LOVE,” for example) were kept. The exhibit includes a description of the shooting, but is focused on these moments from the aftermath. “We’re trying to tell the story of the community,” says Sanford. “This was an event that happened, but what’s far more important to us is how the com- munity reacted, because that’s what tells us about who we are.” They performed minor cleaning, but in the interest of authenticity, nothing is spotless. If a stuffed animal is shaken, dust will come out. Many of the items remain covered in candle wax, and though that’s Give your windows the treatment they deserve with Polywood® not good for the artifact, Sanford said, it’s Shutters. Polywood is exclusive to Sunburst Shutters and adds part of what happened. They sat in the sun for several weeks, in desert wind and dust. tremendous value to your home. The feeling is that without the wear, these ❖ items might not have the same impact. Reduce your energy bills To preserve the story, the museum is also ❖ Add equity to your home asking people who laid these items at me- ❖ 100% lifetime warranty morial sites to share their narratives for reference in future exhibits. Some of the artwork obviously took many hours to produce, and there are many personal notes Get up to $ Off written on candle labels and T-shirts. “In ®500 most history museums, the story behind Polywood Shutters the object is almost more important than Minimum Order Required. the object itself,” Sanford says. “And that is Design Center: 6480 W. Flamingo Rd., Suite D, Las Vegas definitely true of this collection.” A volunteer, Lynn Lenart, is engaged in the tedious work of labeling and bagging rosaries when I visit. In all, the Clark County Museum received 12 trailers’ worth Free in-home consultation: of memorial items. For the past 10 months, a team of 25 volunteers has worked under Sanford’s supervision to catalogue each 702-367-1600 piece. They described, numbered, and SunburstShuttersLasVegas.com photographed each item for the museum database as well.

OCTOBER 2018 . DESERT COMPANION | 11 “I just moved here three months before the shooting,” Lenart says. “I guess I felt since I didn’t know any of the victims and I’m not from here, it would be something emotional I could do, where people who wanted to help who knew the victims would have a harder time dealing with it.” Lynn Mertens, another volunteer, put the necklaces into heart shapes 2 for the photos because “everyone should have a heart for what happened to those people.” She and another woman, Chris Barker-Stone, both BRAIN DRAIN mentioned that they were unable to Election results notwithstanding, a lot of donate blood, so this was their con- experience will be leaving the Legislature soon tribution to the healing process: sweat and tears. “It keeps you emotionally BY STEVE SEBELIUS involved with what happened,” Mer- tens says. “I don’t want to lose that. I’m glad people are still keeping it in the news because it shouldn’t be NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS IN THE MIDTERMS, NEVADA’S LEGISLATURE WILL forgotten.” be a much different, much less-experienced place when the 2019 session begins. At The cataloging work took more least six members of the Senate won’t be back, and a seventh — state Sen. Aaron than 7,000 volunteer hours. Of the Ford, the majority leader — would abandon his seat if he’s elected attorney general. 15,000-plus items, there are 405 Those seats comprise fully a third of the Senate’s membership. In the Assembly, at least 10 members are leaving, nearly a quarter of the body. All told, the Legislature rosaries, 416 stuffed toys, 450 candles, stands to lose at least 105 years of experience. about 1,400 painted rocks, and about Although some would argue new blood is good in politics, lawmakers — like the 1,500 artificial flowers. Barker-Stone holders of any job — get better the longer they practice. Time spent crafting bills, says, “In the beginning, we were all vetting legislation, and forging the kind of compromises that get measures through crying. It was tough going for a while, the process and to the governor’s desk is hard-won. It can’t be taught by anything but but we’re okay now.” experience. Anyone who’s watched the final night of a Legislative session — as bills race between the houses, lobbyists jockey for the attention of elected officials, and Some victims’ families have been last-minute amendments come in a torrent — knows the value of that experience. granted private tours of the collec- The six definitely leaving the upper house represent a combined loss of 69 years of tion, and many out-of-state survivors service, ameliorated slightly by the fact that some experienced Assembly members told Sanford they intend to visit for will seek some of those Senate seats. But even if every one of them is elected, we’re the one-year anniversary. According still looking at a net loss of four decades of experience in the Senate. In some cases, senators decided not to seek re-election, such as nonpartisan Patty to Schwartz, the Orlando-based Farley, or Don Gustavson, R-Sparks. In another case, a job beckoned: In January, Sen. memorial curator, the people most Becky Harris, R-Las Vegas, was named chairwoman of the Nevada Gaming Control impacted by these tragedies often Board. Two others are pursuing higher office: , R-Henderson, and feel grateful that a museum honored Tick Segerblom, D-Las Vegas, are running for lieutenant governor and the Clark their loved one’s memory, and for County Commission, respectively. And state Sen. Mark Manendo, D-Las Vegas, those participating in the collection resigned after years of sexual harassment allegations. He had the most combined experience of any senator, with 23 years spent in the Senate and Assembly. work, there’s solace too. There may be some familiar faces on the Senate floor come February, however. “After these events, a lot of people Former Assemblywomen Valerie Weber, a Republican, and Marilyn Dondero Loop, struggle,” she says. “Some go give a Democrat, are facing off to replace Farley. Term-limited Assemblyman James blood, some donate water, some peo- Ohrenschall, D-Las Vegas, is vying to replace Manendo. Freshman Assemblyman ple make memorial items, and for Keith Pickard, R-Henderson, is looking for a promotion to Roberson’s seat. And other people, what we do is preserve Assemblyman Ira Hansen, R-Sparks, will likely replace Gustavson. But those departures will leave the Assembly with less experience, too: Thanks to the memorial items somebody else is new jobs, members not seeking re-election, or runs for higher office, the Assembly making. Everybody tries to find the will lose 10 members with 64 combined years of legislative service. role that they can fulfill. We’re incred- That includes Minority Leader Paul Anderson, R-Las Vegas, who took a job heading ibly honored to be able to serve our the Governor’s Office of Economic Development. Five more — Elliot Anderson; Irene community in that way.” ✦ Bustamante-Adams; Justin Watkins, all D-Las Vegas; Amber Joiner, D-Reno; and Melissa Woodbury, R-Henderson — are not seeking re-election. The others are seeking higher office, including Nelson Araujo, D-Las Vegas, who is running for secretary of state. How We Mourned: Selected Artifacts One group that won’t be seeing much turnover is the legislative lobbying corps, an from the October 1 Memorials is on experienced group of advocates that doesn’t change much from session to session, exhibit through February 24 at the and which vastly outnumbers the 63 elected lawmakers. In many cases, institutional Clark County Museum, 1830 S. Boulder knowledge reposes with the people paid to get bills passed (or, more commonly, Highway, 702-455-7955. killed), rather than with the people elected to actually pass those bills. Decide for yourself whether that’s good or bad. ✦

12 | DESERT COMPANION . OCTOBER 2018 your 14 | DESERT COMPANION . OCTOBER 2018 DESERTCOMPANION.VEGAS

THREE | PROFILE Steven Poscente To this lifelong amateur player, hockey is much more than a sport

BY John M. Glionna

t’s another sweltering late-summer evening and Steven Poscente is on the I ice, like he always is, playing hockey. He wears No. 88 for the Shamrocks, and they’re skating hard against a team from Nellis Air Force Base in the cool, 60-degree confines of a casino rink in North Las Vegas. Near the end of the first NEVADA BALLET THEATRE PRESENTS period, Poscente takes a pass just outside the crease and gracefully flips a shot over the shoulder of the Nellis goalie, putting the Shamrocks up 2-1. Poscente is no schoolboy. In his day job, the 55-year-old manages eight funeral homes. Most of his teammates in this adult amateur league are about his age. There’s a helicopter pilot, a college professor, a baker, and a guy who sells auto loans. They’re among some 200 avid players who compete in the Average Joes league at the Fiesta Music by Franz Liszt Rancho hotel-casino rink, skating for teams with names like Puck Dynasty, Ice-a-Holics, Choreography by Ben Stevenson, O.B.E. and Drunk Deplorables. Poscente grew up in , Alberta, where hockey is life. And that didn’t change October 25–28, 2018 when he moved to Las Vegas in 1991. In a desert city where ice usually means the cubes that tumble inside a cocktail glass, Poscente is part of a thriving hockey fra- ternity that has existed for decades, long before the NHL’s ignited a fan frenzy this spring by reaching the Stanley Cup playoffs in the team’s first year of existence. Poscente says the passion for hockey here makes perfect sense: “A lot of people move to Las Vegas from cold places. And what do people do in cold places? They play hockey.” Only one of the dozen Shamrocks is a Las (702) 749-2000 • NevadaBallet.org Vegas native; most speak in clipped East Coast accents honed in Boston or Long Island. One Michigan native says he was attracted to Las Vegas not only by such PHOTO BY JERRY METELLUS

PHOTOGRAPHY Christopher Smith OCTOBER 2018 . DESERT COMPANION | 15 former semi-pro teams as the Outlaws, Gamblers and Thunder but by the thriving amateur circuit: 4 Pop Quiz “I didn’t come here for the weather or the women. I came for the hockey.” Along with the Fiesta rink, skaters slap sticks DO YOU TAKE at the Las Vegas Ice Center in Spring Valley and at Summerlin’s City National Arena, where the TOO SERIOUSLY? Golden Knights practice. There are plenty of That is a fake skeleton in your players to fill amateur squads. front-yard decoration, right? Right? “If I type the word ‘hockey’ in my iPhone BY Scott Dickensheets address book, 300 names come up, including a guy in his 70s. The word ‘goalie’ brings up 20 names,” Poscente says. “People think the hockey culture Your costume will be … arrived with the Golden Knights, but I’ve played ❑ Normal clothing, because “I’m going as myself” (0 pts) three nights a week for 27 years. I tell my wife ❑ Handmade superhero outfit (3 pts) that I shower with my hockey guys after games ❑ Clown suit, with a little of the original clown still inside (10 pts) a lot more than I do with her.” Poscente has 8mm film of his parents putting What phrase best describes your front-yard display? him on the rink at age four. He played in college ❑ “You’ll scream — with delight!” (3 pts) and continued skating after he married and started ❑ “It’ll scare the bejesus out of you!” (5 pts) a family. His father was a hockey player; his son ❑ “We have paramedics on speed dial!” (8 pts) plays college hockey. He says there’s nothing sweeter than five teammates touching the puck What word best describes your party? before it slides in for a . ❑ “Spooktacular!” (3 pts) He’s played all the positions: goalie, defenseman, ❑ “Boo-riffic!” (5 pts) and forward. Before the Nellis game, as he changes ❑ “Donner” (8 pts) into his green-red-and-white Shamrocks uniform in the locker room, he explains there’s no check- The best thing about Halloween is … ing in the Average Joes league. “Just incidental ❑ Adorable trick-or-treaters (2 pts) ❑ contact,” he says and laughs. (Gray-haired and Dissipating my real-life fears with a few harmlessly macabre husky at six-feet tall and 226 pounds, he later antics (5 pts) ❑ sent an opponent sprawling to the ice.) “When Really getting into Jigsaw’s headspace (8 pts) you get in my way, you fall over.” Poscente doesn’t just play hockey; he’s also been Instead of unhealthy candy, you give trick-or-treaters … ❑ Sugar-free candy (2 pts) a coach. On Monday nights in North Las Vegas, he ❑ Bags of celery and granola (4 pts) sponsors “Hockey Nights in Vegas,” an open skate ❑ Embalming tools (6 pts) for all ages that features competitive games with music during warmups, and drinks afterward. He’s Hey, nice skeleton by your door! also the public-address announcer for events such ❑ “Thanks! I bought 30 of ’em for $12 at Costco!” (3 pts) as UNLV hockey, the Las Vegas Storm semi-pro ❑ “Do you have a warrant?” (10 pts) team, and the Mountain West Hockey League. ❑ “You do have a warrant? But not for the clown suit, right?” (Eek!) Poscente even recently got married on the ice. In February, during a Golden Knights game against Your jack-o’-lantern … the Edmonton Oilers, Poscente staged what may ❑ Is carved in the traditional manner (2 pts) very well be a sports first: He made a surprise ❑ Has a complex scene cut into it by a skilled artisan (6 pts) proposal to his girlfriend, Cari, during a TV break ❑ That’s not a pumpkin, is it? (10 pts) in the first period — and the couple was married in an on-ice ceremony (officiated, of course, by Your favorite part of It’s the Great Pumpkin, an Elvis) before the third period that same night. Charlie Brown, is … As the arena roared its approval, the team ❑ Snoopy dresses up as a WWI flying ace (3 pts) presented the newlyweds with “Mr. and Mrs. ❑ The whole gang joins Linus in the pumpkin patch (5 pts) Golden Knights” jerseys. ❑ Your imagined post-credit sequence in which Charlie Brown In the end, the game against Nellis went into finds himself in the Blair Witch’s basement, standing silently overtime before the Shamrocks lost 6-5. “I had in the corner, as Pigpen keels over in the foreground … (9 pts) the final shot and I messed up,” Poscente says. But in the Las Vegas hockey fraternity, there are SCORE: 18-30 You’re as boring as cheap plastic fangs no hard feelings. 31-45 You can understudy Jack Skellington! “You can be mad at a guy on the ice,” Poscente 46-59 We’re backing slowly away … says, “but five minutes after the game, you’re having a beer together.” ✦

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BY James P. Reza

rom Downtown to the Strip, from Nellis Air Force Base to the Nevada Test Site, Las Vegas scampered about as circus acts ca- in 1968 was bursting with ambition and enthusiasm like any good boomtown should. reened wildly above the gaming F We were a desert island of opportunity, one not just isolated from the upheaval found floor, a massive net placed to catch in much of the country, but also providing an escape from it. Savvy entrepreneurs and any falls. Ringmasters booming risk-takers like Jay Sarno knew it. It was Sarno who, in 1966, opened Caesars Palace. though the public-address system. As grand as it was, Caesars was not unique to Las Vegas. It was, rather, the culmination of Sar- Elephants and trained poodles no’s obsession with highly stylized, mid-mod Greco-Roman hotels. Historic photos of his Cabana prancing. Acrobats and trapeze Hotel in Palo Alto, (1962), depict a Caesars Palace in miniature, replete with a breeze- artists tumbling and swinging. block façade, a row of sexily lit fountains, and statues that reportedly made the move to the Strip. G-string-clad showgirls tossing It wasn’t until two years later, in October 1968, that Sarno’s only-in-Vegas phantasmagoria — Cir- phallic balloons from a “pony pa- cus Circus — would forever color the myth of Las Vegas. rade in the sky” to the kids on the Ironically, despite Circus Circus being featured in Diamonds Are Forever, Caesars was the second-flood midway. Not even James Bond setting, all posh and demure and civilized. Meanwhile, at Circus Circus (described kidding. by Hunter S. Thompson as “what the whole hep world would be doing on a Saturday night if the It was that midway that captured Nazis had won the war”), parents furiously pumped quarters into the machines downstairs my preteen attention. Permanent while kids did the same upstairs. Cocktail waitresses in circus-styled leotards and fishnets carnival games like Kentucky Derby

18 | DESERT COMPANION . OCTOBER 2018 DESERTCOMPANION.VEGAS

Hear More and the Clown Water knpr.org, search “Grandissimo” Balloon Race (both still operating!) of- fered giant prizes (I once won a Sylvester the Cat bigger than I was). Later, into adolescence, weekend nights at Circus Circus were essentially the Las Vegas version of the malt shop. Teens would hang out in the sizable arcade, socialize, meet for dates (or find one), scarf pizza, and spend the evening making laps around the midway, waiting for something to happen. One night, it did; a park- ing garage confrontation with older kids from another high school left my friend Jeff with a sizable black eye. I don’t remember going back to Circus Circus as a teen after that. Years later, Circus Circus served as the go-to for cheap eats while my girl and I put ourselves through school and survived on soup and potatoes. We’d save quarters we’d get in tips, and treat ourselves to a buffet gorging ses- sion — endless hot food! piles of soft serve! $3 a person! — once a week. More recently, a group of us rented a party bus on New Year’s Eve, starting our night at the leg- endary Circus Circus Steakhouse. Sadly, by that time, the notorious Horse-A-Round bar had stopped serving alcohol. Today, it’s just an- other ho-hum snack bar. Even the FrightDome Halloween attraction has ended its run. As a Las Vegas native, I was born between the arrival of Sarno’s two gifts to the Strip. Thus it makes sense that I often find myself walk- ing an emotional high wire, bal- ancing between my own highbrow and lowbrow instincts. As much as ROLLING THROUGH MEMORY I like the overarching influence of Reliving the unchanging past at Crystal Palace Caesars — the fancy dinners, the pricey martinis (stirred, with apol- When I was in elementary school, my mom enrolled me in the Crystal Palace ogies) — there is something won- skating program. I never perfected my T-stop, but all 9-year-old me cared about was skating backwards and beating everyone in our after-class rac- derful in knowing that all these es. I still enjoy skating, but this place offers so much more. I love having a decades later, Circus Circus still corner in Las Vegas that still exists from my childhood, that remains almost stands to remind us of what Las the same every time I go back 20 years later. It’s such a rare occurrence for Vegas once was: a kaleidoscopic a Vegas kid. You walk in and the rows of blue and red metal picnic tables atop sapphire-colored carpet with the confetti pattern are exactly the confluence of the id and the ego, same. You hear skates whirring, mixed with all your favorite ’80s and the adult and the child, coexist- ’90s R&B, while the lights from the disco ball bounce off the walls Sense ing in a place on the fringes where in the darkened skating hall ... Krystal Ramirez of Place one can indulge the desire to have In which creative people find meaning in specific it all, without decorum or apology, sites around town for what appears to be lowest price possible. ✦ OCTOBER 2018 . DESERT COMPANION | 19 SEVEN Rescue on the Lake With all the other disasters that occupied headlines last summer, you may have missed the news of a dramatic night rescue at Lake Mead. On June 24, National Park rangers rescued 17 people from two boats, one sunken and the other swamped.

STORY Heidi Kyser | ILLUSTRATION Ryan Inzana

After midnight, the remaining nine — including two toddlers — piled into the smaller boat to A group of friends took two boats to Lover’s Cove for an make a run for afternoon barbecue. By the time they were ready to leave, it home. Thir- was getting windy. A group of eight took the larger boat to ty-eight mph unload heavy gear at the marina, planning to return for the wind gusts others. But the boat was beached before reaching the marina. whipped up four-foot and higher waves. The boat took on water, flipped over and dumped the group into the water.

At nearly 2 a.m., someone from the sinking boat reached 9-1-1. A Lake Mead dispatcher could only hear faint screams, as the caller held the phone in his mouth and treaded water. Using GPS tracking, rangers located the call.

By the time search and rescue arrived, the boat was submerged except for the bow, and the group had been treading water for nearly an hour. In news reports, those rescued described bright searchlights arriving in the cold dark like a scene from the movie Titanic. A second ranger crew located the larger, beached boat and group of eight. All 17 friends, including two infants and an expectant mother, were rescued by 4 a.m.

The park superintendent lauded search and rescue’s effort for returning everyone to safety. Three people went to the hospital; all recovered. 20 | DESERT COMPANION . OCTOBER 2018 DESERTCOMPANION.VEGAS

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Derek: Claire, we made it! We live in the West now, which has been CULTURE | EXCHANGE a dream of ours for quite some time. We’ve talked a little bit about how that feels, but now that we’ve settled a little more into our Las Vegas lives, I was curious how you’re thinking about our relocation. We spent 10 years in the Midwest, and now we’re in the big city over the mountain from your childhood home of Pahrump. Do you feel like Coming this is a homecoming? Or are you still just taking in Las Vegas, notic- ing all the ways it’s changed since the last time you lived out here? Claire: I’ve never lived in Las Vegas, but it’s been my city since I can re- member, destination of many long car trips from Pahrump or Tecopa. Home, We’d come here about once a month for groceries and supplies and to visit my relatives, and you and I have come through town just about every summer for the past five years to do the Mojave School, our free workshop for teenagers in Pahrump. So, I feel a kind of uncanny sense of homecoming — homecoming to a city where I have never actually MarriedSort authors Claire Vaye Watkins of and Derek lived. I think it will take me some time to articulate just what it means Palacio discuss the Las Vegas Book Festival, to me to be back under this sky. And of course, it’s a tremendous honor haunted writers, and returning to the West to be here as a Shearing Fellow at UNLV’s Black Mountain Institute, which has already done so much to invigorate the city’s literary and cultural scene, the Believer Festival, and beyond. They’ve got a stel-

. ILLUSTRATION Delphine Lee OCTOBER 2018 DESERT COMPANION | 23 lar season of programs this fall. I’m super Everybody in Las Vegas has a good story. stoked about the Las Vegas Book Festival, I’m working to capture that, now that I’m BOOKMARKS which is always amazing. immersed in it. What are you working on Derek: Yes, I’m really excited, as this will during your Black Mountain fellowship? be my first appearance at the Las Vegas Derek: That sounds really exciting. I SELECTED Book Festival! I’m fortunate to be talking hope you let me read it ... I’m working on HIGHLIGHTS about immigration and fiction with Joe a new novel about a swimmer, an Olym- Milan Jr., award-winning au- pic hopeful. The book is also OF THE thor and one of the current about sex and religion, and it Black Mountain Institute does venture into some mys- LAS VEGAS Ph.D. fellows. My novel, The “Hauntings tical terrain (or at least it does BOOK FESTIVAL Mortifications, concerns a Cu- are crucial for right now — I’m only halfway ban family moving back and writers, don’t there!). But I wanted, in the forth from the island, and I’m you think? All my wake of The Mortifications, excited to revisit some of the favorite writers to explore a little more di- conversations surrounding circle the same rectly my own ambivalence KEYNOTE SPEAKERS few obsessions, that kind life-changing reloca- even when about my Cuban identity, to Colson Whitehead tion and exile. I made my first they’re branch- find a way to engage the mod- (The Underground trip to Cuba after the book ern tenuousness of the Cu- Railroad), Sara Shepard ing out in other came out (just three weeks ban-American experience. (Pretty Little Liars), ways.” Luis J. Rodriguez (Always after), so it will be really in- My swimmer is of Cuban her- Running: La Vida Loca, teresting, now that I’ve had itage, and at some point, he is Gang Days in L.A.) some time to process that ex- going to defect to the island perience, to dig into questions of home in order to compete at the Olympics. I’m AFROFUTURISM PANEL and identity. I think in the end we might curious as to what this might look like, Nnedi Okorafor leads an be covering similar ground at the festi- how a character might engage one of their all-star discussion val. As I recall, you’ll be on a panel about identities as a response to their ambition. writing about the American West. I’ve I also think there might be wonderful GREGORY CROSBY always marveled at your ability to engage and revealing tension in a character’s un- Former local poet in the mythos of the West without glori- settled experience of a country he claims returns to read from his new collection fying the propaganda, and I wonder now but does not know. At the same time, the if you feel your writing responding to this book, I hope, is also about Catholic mysti- POP CULTURE sort-of homecoming. Do you think your cism, about a sense of the self in relation AND POLITICS current projects will shift from the re- to larger spiritual mysteries. I do think Culture critics turn? Do you think coming back is going there is some exciting overlap between Hanif Adburraqib, to affect your writing with the same force the two, as the call toward an unknown Carina Chocano, and as leaving the West did 10 years ago? “home” does not feel too distant from the Tom Carson discuss Well, I hope so! As you know, this call toward an unknown god. More likely the intersection of Claire: entertainment was one of the many reasons for moving I just can’t think of anything new to write and politics back here: The writer I want to be lives about, so I’m returning to old haunts. in the West. For years I’ve been describ- Claire: Old haunts are the very best WRITING ing myself as a Westerner in exile in the haunts! I mean it. Hauntings are crucial ABOUT PLACE Midwest, which you always roll your eyes for writers, don’t you think? All my favor- Amanda Fortini at. I’ve made so many trips back here to ite writers circle the same few obsessions, moderates a talk research the novel I’m working on, but even when they’re branching out in other featuring locally ultimately, I knew I needed to be out here ways. That Rachel Cusk trilogy we de- connected novelist Claire Vaye Watkins for good. The first Westerns were written voured this summer? Circles, hauntings. and others by folks who only visited the West, about The main character Faye’s family is spec- a place and a way of life (open-range agri- tral in those novels, yet they’re central to TRIBUTE TO culture) that they had never experienced. Cusk’s inquiry — her kids, that jettisoned DOUGLAS UNGER Propaganda and nostalgia filled the void. husband. I think one of the spider-senses The venerable UNLV Literature of the American West grew in a writer must develop is a sensitivity to English prof is feted by response to this flattening, and many of what haunts them. And then, of course, former students including us are still working against this narra- you have to somehow summon the brav- George Saunders, Maile Chapman, Vu Tran, tive. That being said, nowhere has stories ery to run toward that thing, to not run and more like Nevada. I love the way people talk away from it. That’s the advice I give to here, the frankness and the music of it. writers most: Write what scares you. COMPLETE SCHEDULE lasvegasbookfestival.com 10 LAS VEGAS BOOK FESTIVAL Begins at 9 a.m., Historic Fifth Street 20 School, free, lasvegasbookfestival.org

24 | DESERT COMPANION . OCTOBER 2018 DESERTCOMPANION.VEGAS

Derek: I love this, and I can see in your feel equally haunted by their obsessions. own work how seriously you take this ad- Really, I’m saying it’s a two-way street, vice. I think in each of your books, you’ve that when a writer finds her materials tried to engage some deeper level of Ne- — the obsessions — that content exerts a vada and/or the American West. Some force on her. It shapes and influences the element of the culture and places you resulting text as much as the writer’s own come from that feels both true but also impulses and aesthetic. It’s easy to treat unnerving, a bit unsettling. In Battle- the writer as an authority, and what I love born, you wrote so stunningly about how about our obsessions is how they lean on the landscape governs our sensibilities, us, consciously and subconsciously, such and in Gold Fame Citrus, you confronted that we can never claim complete control the limits of the myths of the American over a novel or a short story. The best ma- West, the decay of a philosophy in the face terial, when we engage it openly and hon- of environmental crisis. So perhaps you estly, resists absolute power. That’s the would agree with me on this idea, that the mystery I sense in my favorite books, and writers we both love to read (like Rachel I think it’s also what allows us to return Cusk, Louise Erdrich, Tommy Orange, to certain subjects, to make of each new Joy Williams, Toni Morrison) probably project a homecoming. ✦

PRO TIPS NURTURE YOUR VENUE: Once you choose a location, develop the relationship. Some sites Create charge fees. Others require food minimums. In Las Vegas, plenty of Your businesses will provide space pro bono to Own support the community. Whether you are blessed with one of these or tied Book to restrictions, you cannot succeed without this partnership. Be Event! vocal in your apprecia- Veteran literary tion, online and in person. Your success is organizer Tonya tied to theirs. Todd tells you how minutes to read); the 25-minute excerpts for CREATE HANDOUTS: Las Vegas provides a Writers Group of Word-of-mouth won’t wealth of cultural Southern Nevada’s beat a tangible flier, opportunities, but we Painted Stories; and yes, take-home postcard, or can always use more. As Dime Grinds, where online presence. the coordinator of the three authors have 30 reading series Dime minutes each. This will BE PREPARED: Cancel- Grinds for the Hender- help you determine your lations happen. The son Writers Group, I’m event’s goal, whether it’s show must go on. Have familiar with the showcasing unpublished a list of backup authors challenges of organizing talent, providing in case you need a literary events. These genre-themed readings, short-notice replace- tips will help you start or bringing the public ment. Once your event your own. within reach of estab- builds momentum, you lished authors. may find authors ATTEND LITERARY jumping at the chance to FUNCTIONS: It’s the DECIDE YOUR FORMAT: fill an earlier slot. best way to meet your Establish logistics up pool of authors. See front. Event length Above all, enjoy firsthand how venues are determines how long yourself. Learn as you arranged and what each author may read. go. Smile. Snap lots of types of crowds to Decide attendance fees pictures. You’ll need expect. Study successful (if any), qualifications them to celebrate your examples: the EXPO for featured authors, and success. (For more on series hosted by the other details before you Dime Grinds, see Writer’s Block (five approach venues or hendersonwritersgroup. writers each get five prospective talent. com) ILLUSTRATION: SCOTT LIEN SCOTT ILLUSTRATION:

OCTOBER 2018 . DESERT COMPANION | 25 , and King’s Ran$om. Also featured in the July event was an intermission appearance by El Matemàti- co, a legend in the lucha libre community — his name is reflected in the numbers that decorate his màscara — who signed memorabilia, posed for pictures, and greeted fans. “I’ve been in wrestling for over 50 years, so I’m amazed that people still remember,” El Matemàtico says through a translator. “The people still know us, so it’s very rewarding.” In addition to its high-flying moves and athleticism, not to mention the ex- citement of letting go of your nonviolent 9-to-5 demeanor, lucha libre brings a storytelling element to the mayhem. It’s all about good vs. evil. Cvjetkovich describes the técnico, the beloved good guy: “The good guy is this good-looking Mexican hero who’s waving to the crowd and smiling.” Then out comes out the rudo (the bad guy, disliked by the crowd), which in July’s lucha libre event was none other than Sinn Bodhi. As the luchadores jump, hit, and slam each other, the 400-500 people surrounding the ring cheer the choreographed violence. When the rudo appears to get the upper hand, everyone boos. And when the técnico pins ENTERTAINMENT | WRESTLING his opponent, the crowd counts in unison. “When we have our matches,” Cv- jetkovich says, “when they get to see what the good guy does to the bad guy, It’s Lucha Time! the little kids get to see, ‘Ahh it doesn’t Lucha Libre Las Vegas brings playful action, colorful masks, pay to be the bad guy.’ You’re kind of and tales of good and evil to Sin City shrinking the heads of these little kids, letting them see the fight between good BY Jessica Keasling and evil. You know, it’s a really powerful tool, and I’m super flattered that we n a sweaty summer after- cha Libre Las Vegas. A veteran wrestler, wield that tool.” In the end, the hero noon, a line forms outside Cvjetkovich has performed all over the almost always prevails. O the Sahara Events Center. world, including time spent in WWE as A week later, there’s a different dy- Kids, families, couples, and KiZarny. He also produced Freakshow namic between performers. Bodhi and friends are waiting to see a theatrical Wrestling and coaches wrestlers. Matemàtico are in the same place, not as battle between good and evil — which is “In all of Las Vegas there is such a big rudo and técnico but as friends enthusi- to say, Lucha Libre Las Vegas. Lucha libre Latin population, but there’s no lucha astic about lucha libre. They are there for translates in Spanish as “free fight” and is libre,” Cvjetkovich says. “Well, I’ve been wrestling students Cvjetkovich coaches. a Mexican style of wrestling dating back in Mexico wrestling, and I’ve wrestled Matemàtico is giving them a seminar. more than a century. It’s distinguished luchadores all over the world, and I “People deserve smiles,” Cvjetkovich in part by its aerial and acrobatic combi- thought, ‘I live in Las Vegas. This would says, “and this is how I know to give it to nations, and even more so by the iconic be a wonderful place to do lucha libre.’” them. Like, if I knew how to solve world masks (màscaras) worn by many, though For two years now, Lucha Libre Las Vegas peace or cure cancer, I would do that. not all, luchadores. has brought in fighters with names like But I’m not that smart. What I can do is The show begins when the deep, raspy Mariachi Loco, Ricky Mandell, Socal be a fun-to-watch bad guy, and deliver voice of the announcer signals the fighters Crazy, Psychosis, Bestia 666, , fun-to-watch good guys, and deliver a to come out and rev up the audience. As Funnybone, Gabriel Gallo, “The Juice” smile that way.” ✦ they jump into the ring, you hear the uproarious echoes as they hit the floor. Nicholas Cvjetkovich — known in the 10 LUCHA LIBRE LAS VEGAS October 28, 1:30p, Sahara Event Center, ring as Sinn Bodhi — is the creator of Lu- 28 800 E. Karen Ave., $15-$45 ($5 for children) ILLUSTRATION: SCOTT LIEN SCOTT ILLUSTRATION:

26 | DESERT COMPANION . OCTOBER 2018 THE DESERTCOMPANION.VEGAS Hot Seat

Culture ART WALK UNLV UNLV’s fine and performing arts programs kick off the fall with a campus-wide kulcha stroll. You’ll begin at the Barrick Museum, with the gotta-see-it installa- tion Jubilation Inflation — bounce houses of art! — and then you’ll meander through the Dance university’s various galleries, theater Dracula spaces, and more, to see what the music, THE SMITH CENTER dance, theater, Nevada Ballet Theatre puts its vamp stamp on the architecture, art, spooky season with Dracula, an epic gothstravaganza and film people of Ben Stevenson’s choreography; Franz Liszt’s mu- have in store for sic; lush costumes and sets; and rich, evil atmosphere. you. October 12, There’s also a love story! October 25-28, 7:30p and 2p, 5-9p, unlv.edu/ $29-$139, nevadaballet.org calendar

THE BIG (SOCIAL) D: Come on, you know the words: “Well, it’s been 10 years and a thousand tears/And look at the mess I’m in …” Ha! Now you’ve been earwormed by Social Distortion’s insistently catchy “Ball and Chain.” Good luck with that! October 27, 7p, $40-$60, brooklynbowl.com

Recreation Dance LAKE MEAD BALLET FOLKLORICO BIRTHDAY DE MEXICO LAKE MEAD VISITOR CENTER THE SMITH CENTER Lake Mead? Let’s call it Cake Broaden a cultural horizon or two Mead on this, the 54th anni- — especially at this fraught moment versary of the Lake Mead in U.S.-Mexico relations — with this National Recreation Area’s troupe’s vast repertoire of traditional birth. There will be a celebra- Mexican dances, newly reinvigorated tion, complete with birthday with fresh choreography for this Amer- cake served at 12:30p — but ican tour. Look for the Ballet Azteca, what flavor? Chocolate? Angel a tribute to the ancient Aztec people, food? Carp? You’ll have to which the company hasn’t performed in show up to find out. October America for some 50 years. October 15, 8, 702-293-8990. 7:30p, $26-$79, thesmithcenter.com

OCTOBER 2018 . DESERT COMPANION | 27 THE Discover Hot Seat Bishop Gorman

Prospective Student Opera A NIGHT WITH THE OPEN HOUSE FLYING DUTCHMAN CHARLESTON HEIGHTS ARTS CENTER Whatever outdated notion you have of SUNDAY, OCTOBER 21 • 1:00–3:00 PM opera — women in horned helmets singing in a foreign language; men in odd suits singing in a foreign language; APPLICATION NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE Elmer Fudd bellowing “Kill da wabbit” — is sure to be retrofitted for the 21st visit: century by a production like Sin City BISHOPGORMAN.ORG Opera’s latest. A contemporary reworking of the Richard Wagner classic (about a cursed pirate seeking love), it mashes up the old (a 14-piece orchestra) with the new (“multimedia video, projections, and movies”) in what almost can’t help but be a fascinating MAKE ROOM FOR endeavor. October 25-28, 7:30p and SOMETHING NEW. 2p, $15-$50, sincityopera.com

Donate furniture, housewares and clothes WRITE ON: Joseph Cassara reads Recycle glass, plastic and cardboard from The House of Impossible Beau- ties, his debut novel about gay and Bring your old computers and appliances trans club kids. Presented by Black Shred paperwork and magazines Mountain Institute. October 4, 7p, We’ll even take your unused and The Writer’s Block, free, black - expired medications mountaininstitute.org

Film BANFF MOUNTAIN FILM FESTIVAL: RADICAL REELS CLARK COUNTY LIBRARY Whether you’re an extreme sportster RECYCLE DAY yourself or prefer to shred vicariously, this batch of big-action films will November 17 challenge your ability to sit still. So much bike jumping, kayak dropping, FREE from 8 a.m. to noon. and ski stunting! Live on the edge, and For the full list of items we can accept then go over it. October 3, 7p, free (but please visit NevadaPublicRadio.org. wristbands are required and will be distributed beginning at 6p), lvccld.org

28 | DESERT COMPANION . OCTOBER 2018 DESERTCOMPANION.VEGAS

FINCH OSSUARY What does one find at a Dark Arts Market? Erin Emre’s “finch ossuary,” a tiny terrarium of bird bones, for one. $80.

CRASS STITCHING Artist Slade Vegas fashions these embroi- dered doodads, with prices that range from $10 and up. Preview her work at sladevegas.com/ shop

FIGURINES These cuties were devised by artisans Chris- topher Moore under the name We Become SUBCULTURE Monsters. Time for a new spirit animal!

FIRE SKULLS Turn your The Rising Dark barbecue into The Dark Arts Market is finding an audience for its celebrations a macabrecue of the charmingly macabre and the strangely beautiful with these fire- pit skulls. “We BY Veronica Klash strive to make the most realis- tic portrayal of a human skull,” t’s a Friday the 13th. We park in the crowded dirt lot by Artifice. As we wait for the insists FKAfire light to change at the Charleston Boulevard crosswalk, I notice the population Skulls. Various prices. I around us. They’re clad mostly in black, fishnet stockings make an appearance or two, and there are piercings, tattoos, and hair in magnificent colors only found in rainbows. But there are also strollers, toddlers, teens, and everything in between. The Dark Arts Market at Cornish Pasty is for the whole (Addams) family. After all, the family that’s weird together stays together. And, according to founder Erin Emre, “lots of weirdness” table, as a charismatic sword-swallower is one of the market’s best features. takes the stage. As the name implies, the event showcases vendors who deal in the macabre, dabble in Emre began The Dark Arts Market as a the peculiar, but, most important, deliver artistry. Once inside Cornish Pasty, we — along small gathering after traditional festivals and with many others; the back room and billiard area are both brimming — examine tables arts venues rejected her for being “too weird.” decorated in chilling craftsmanship. An assortment of jars containing reptiles suspended in But something about this small gathering clear liquid churns my stomach. In stark contrast, the neighboring table is home to dainty has struck a chord in the community, and tea cups, each emblazoned with a single, shiny gold, not-safe-for-work word. There are also attendance has been increasing steadily. I coffin-shaped shelving units and intricate jewelry in all the many shades of black. meet Emre at the urban farm McKee Ranch, My husband lingers by a fluffy white taxidermied jackalope with millennial-pink glossy her workplace, to discuss the Market. While eyes, wearing a floral prairie dress. I recognize the look in his eyes and tell him we should redressing a fly-covered bandage for Duncan, take her home; he sighs and reveals the price tag. It’s completely justified, but sadly out of a burro, she explains the increase in turnout our range. My luck is better, and I snag a matte sea-foam-green tiki mug starring a menacing 10 THE DARK ARTS MARKET October 13, 7p-midnight, Cornish Pasty and beautifully textured aquatic creature. We 13 Company, 10 E. Charleston Blvd., $5, facebook.com/darkartsoddities continue to navigate the crowd, waiting for our

. PHOTOGRAPHY Brent Holmes OCTOBER 2018 DESERT COMPANION | 29 as a response to the event’s humility and lack of pretension. She describes it as “dinner with friends” — particularly challenging for someone who characterizes herself as an “antisocial hermit type.” She makes a concentrated effort because what started out as a defiant middle finger to the venues that rejected her has morphed into a platform for emerging artists, some who are still figuring out how to make money creating the unusual things they love. In our conversation, punctuated by rooster crows and goat bleats, Emre stresses time and again the importance of that platform and getting those artists seen. “The biggest challenge is to keep pushing forward so that these kids have a platform, ’cause it’s not about me anymore,” she says. At first glance, this “accidental promoter” might seem like a contradiction — a warm, welcoming smile surrounded by labyrin- thine face tattoos, the bright sunshine of McKee Ranch in contrast to the darkness of the Market. Emre, however, is nothing if not consistent: The care provided to Duncan sprouts from the same heart that’s pushing boundaries and encouraging creativity. Thinking about the future, she says, “Some people want it to get bigger; I really like the homey feeling.” The Market feels DIY in the best sense of the acronym — it’s the embodiment of forging something out of nothing. “The owners of Cornish Pasty, they’re amazing,” she says. “For the last three times that we’ve done the Dark Arts Market, they’ve allowed us to come and set up for no charge. To me, that’s what supporting the artist really means.” This allows Emre to charge vendors a smaller fee, helping ensure the evening will be profitable for them. The one-night-only Market normally takes place on Fridays the 13th. However, since we’ve run out of those this year, Sat- urday the 13th will have to do. There was no way Emre would pass up the chance to mount Dark Arts Market during October, the most appropriate month. Cornish Pasty is on board to host the free bizarre bazaar again, but keep an eye on social media YOU REALLY just in case. During this month’s event, Market-goers can look forward to artists LOVE OUR selling ghoulish wares, more arresting sideshow performances, insect pinning, and the Hearse Kids, who will have a variety MAGAZINE. of hearses on display for the funereally NOW YOU CAN LOVE IT VIRTUALLY, TOO. inclined. What better way to set the mood Visit us at desertcompanion.vegas and check out our website. for Halloween celebrations to come? Between editions of our Maggie Award-winning magazine, Of course, the real draw will be the sense you’ll get web-exclusive stories, breaking cultural news of camaraderie and family among those who and fresh perspectives from our writers. might be just a little too strange or different for the rest of the world. ✦

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4C Print Ad CCO: AM: Abbey Jenkins Live: 7.625” x 10” CD: Randy Hughes AP: Trim: 8.375” x 10.75” AD: Bob Berken PP: Peg Layer Bleed: 8.875” x 11.25” CW: Sheldon Clay PM: Mitch Thompson 1SOA180135_DC Photo: PRF: Jay Ditzer COLORS PRODUCTION NOTES APPROVALS Cyan • All line art & logos are repro Proof_____ AD_____ CW_____ GCD_____ AE_____ Prod_____ Client_____ • Unless specified by workorder, all other images Magenta Last Touched :tabitha.herbranson, 9-7-2018 1:01 PM, Studio:2018:Subaru:_Page_ are FPO Yellow Ads:Regional:WE04_19ASC_BigLife_DC_Vegas:SOA180500_19ASC_WSTRegion_BigLife_ Black DcVegas_01.indd Scale: 1” = 1” Printed at: None Revision #: 1 FOOD History in the Tasting Nevada Taste Site celebrates a sense of place with a little Vegas camp — and a lot of flavor

BY Lissa Townsend Rodgers

veryone’s gotta multitask these days. Your receptionist is also a dancer, dog- E walker, and Uber driver. Your phone is a camera, computer, and form of crack. And Nevada Taste Site is equal parts bar, restau- rant, and archive. The Main Street hangout is the latest establishment opened by Derek Stonebarger, one that refines his Silver State-centric aesthetic from thrift shop to museum. “I’m originally from California, but I love Ne- vada,” Stonebarger says. “This is where I can just drink around the things that I love.” A collage of casino showroom menus from Don Rickles to Casino de Paris adorns one wall, alongside a 11.3 percent APV. All the beers poured at portrait of Vegas legend Buffalo Jim and a set of crude police dispatch maps with flashing Nevada Test Site are made in-state, from lights, props from a Kenny Rogers movie. The bar itself is constructed of woods repurposed Reno to Henderson, porter to saison, Pigeon from both the Nevada State Supreme Court building and the Palms casino, lined with Head Black Lager to Imbibe Cucumber Key stools made from beer kegs. But its most revered relic of vintage Vegas is the remains of Lime. “We’ll have our standards that don’t the once-legendary Davy’s Locker sign, a neon fish that swam above a bar on East Desert change, about eight beers, but 12 to 20 we’ll Inn Road for decades. change out regularly. Sometimes, even if we “I read about it being thrown away — it was one or two in the morning, and I just couldn’t can only get one keg, we’ll go for it,” says sleep,” Stonebarger recalls. “‘Maybe there’s a very small chance that there’s a dumpster it’s Stonebarger. Can’t decide? Go for a flight, still sitting in.’ And I was like, ‘I have to go look, the dumpster could be gone in the morning.’ which comes on a tray shaped like Nevada I show up and there’s a huge pile of garbage in the parking lot. I see a piece of the tail and I go, and inset with a shiny Silver State quarter. ‘No way!’” He packed up what he could in his truck and got a friend to rebuild and refurbish Of course, interesting surroundings and the remains with new neon, but, he says, “That’s the original face and shell and tail.” abundant brews cannot be fully appreciated The sign now glows above a row of beer taps that are a less obvious but equally potent without something on your plate. Taste product of Nevada — well, more potent if you have the Revision Dr. Lupulin Pale Ale at Site’s kitchen is known as the Bunker Grill,

. 32 | DESERT COMPANION OCTOBER 2018 PHOTOGRAPHY Sabin Orr DESERTCOMPANION.VEGAS

D E S E R T C O M P A N I O N PUBCRAWL THE DISTRICT at GREEN VALLEY RANCH

SILVER STATE PLATTERS Left, Nevada Taste Site’s beer sampler features brews from all over the state. Above, the vegan sliders have a tang of Korean barbecue. Next page, the salt-pepper baked wings are crisp and flavorful. which serves a small menu of Thai-inspired food courtesy of chef Nikki Hughes. The chicken wings put the basic bar version to shame. Baked wings can have a soggy texture and bland taste, but these are firm and satisfying. The salt-pepper rendition gets a flavor and crispy texture out of those simple spices, while the sweet chili will put any thoughts of Buffalo out of your mind. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18 6-9PM The chicken satay sliders are a welcome variation on the skewer staple, topped with a slice of cucumber and a smear of salty, slightly crunchy peanut sauce; vegan sliders feature a Ruse meat substitute, which has a satisfyingly garlicky-sweet taste, a bit like Korean barbecue. All of the establishments Stonebarger has launched defy the usual Vegas drinking es- tablishment rules of dimly lit spaces with au courant cocktail menus and stripped-down chic. “Millennials like us because they are able to take really good photos. This stuff is very Instagrammable. Neon always is,” he explains, adding, “We run the gamut of all Space is limited. RSVP required. kinds of people. One guy came into ReBar Details at desertcompanion.vegas and said, ‘This is my grandmother’s favorite bar!’ I should put that on a T-shirt.” Stonebarger’s latest project takes the tack of preserving a building, rather than filling it with relics: He’s taken over management of the venerable Hard Hat Lounge and its glorious Damon Runyon/

OCTOBER 2018 . DESERT COMPANION | 33 Diner, Meet World Street The area adjacent to UNLV offers knowledgeable eaters Foodie a university of culinary diversity PHOTOGRAPHY & CAPTIONS BY Brent Holmes

James Cain nightworld mural of men in shirtsleeves drinking bourbon, playing poker, and ignoring the imprecations of the Salvation Army lasses to ogle the 1 4 topless broad across the airshaft. Soul City Deli has taken over the kitchen, turning out spicy jerk chicken sand- wiches and smoky pulled-pork tacos, as well as a satisfyingly creamy mac ’n’ cheese that will reward a hard day’s work or fuel a long night’s drinking. Stonebarger hopes to put the liquor store back in effect, as well as renovate the upstairs apartments into an Airbnb or event space. Back at Nevada Taste Site, there’s still space on the walls — space that will be filled with more than just objects. The plan is to have notable Nevadans donate items of historic significance, then host a night devoted to explaining the new addition, with journalist and Area 51 2 5 expert George Knapp on tap. It fits in with Stonebarger’s view of bars and restaurants as part of the Downtown community, whether it’s partnering with local chefs, donating to local arts organizations, or even helping the City of Las Vegas kick off the newly upgraded Main Street. “Here, we have a lot of support,” he says. “I like to do what I like, and it turns out other people like it.” ✦

NEVADA TASTE SITE 1221 S. Main Street 702-381-0812 nevadatastesite.com Sun 11:30-10p; Mon-Thu 5a-10p 3 6 Fri-Sat 11:30a-midnight WINGS: SABIN ORR WINGS: SABIN

34 | DESERT COMPANION . OCTOBER 2018 DESERTCOMPANION.VEGAS

PHO THANH HUONG (1) Start Early. Would banh mi by any other name be as beautiful? Street Foodie thinks not. This no-frills Vietnamese spot Start Right. provides beautiful flavors at a wonderful price. The grilled-pork banh Challenger School offers mi is a smoky-sweet thing with a spicy uniquely fun and academic kick — cool it down with an avocado classes for preschool to eighth boba and you’ll be mighty fine. 1131 E. Tropicana Ave., phothanhhuonglv.com grade students. Our students learn to think NIGERIAN CUISINE (2) for themselves and to value Nigerian Cuisine has been serving deli- independence. ciously spiced sub-Saharan food to those in the know for some three years, but it was a new experience for The results are unmatched at this chronic masticator. Tried the jolof any price! rice. The beef was perfectly spiced — think curry-like flavors but with a Come see for yourself! Observe slightly sour hit — and the rice and plantains were lovely. Street Foodie is our classrooms any time—no excited to find a new culinary world to appointment needed. explore. You should be, too. 5006 S. Maryland Parkway #11, 702-798-0303

FELIPITOS (3) Street Foodie visits this grande dame of greasy taco stands for one thing and one thing only, the chile relleno burrito — a wondrous mixture of lettuce, cheese, fried chile, and guac. (No beans or rice; this is so crucial to the flavor it cannot be overstated.) 1325 E. Tropicana Ave., 702-739-8585

INDIA CAFE (4) Ohhh, boy, is this place good! A newcomer to the University District, it An independent private school offering preschool through eighth grade combines traditional and contempo- rary dishes under the Indian flavor profile. There’s much to recommend Desert Hills 410-7225 Los Prados 839-1900 here, but start with the curry of the day, always a classic set of layered 8175 West Badura Avenue 5150 North Jones Boulevard flavors combining the old and the new. Or the Hara Bara burger, which Green Valley 990-7300 Summerlin 878-6418 brings many of this culture’s beautiful 1725 East Serene Avenue 9900 Isaac Newton Way flavors into a new and exciting expression. 1435 E. Tropicana Ave., 702-786-0171 Inspiring Children to Achieve Since 1963 ALOHA KITCHEN (5) © 2018, Challenger Schools Challenger School admits students of any race, color, and national or ethnic origin. Some things never change — thankful- ly. The quality of the food and the affordable prices at Aloha Kitchen fall into that category. Don’t doubt Street Foodie on this: Try the Local Plate, a mix of seared chicken and grilled beef smothered in teriyaki sauce, with two spam musubi on the side. 4745 Maryland Parkway, 702-895-9444

STEPHANOS (6) Long-timers remember when this place had a big sign reading “Your daily chicken.” Even then, Street Foodie loved the delicate Mediterra- nean flavors — especially the bright pink pickled turnips smashed into a pita loaded with lamb shawarma, which you can still get today. So much good Greekness! 4632 S. Maryland Parkway #14, stephanoslv.com

OCTOBER 2018 . DESERT COMPANION | 35 DRINK Quench

Tap Dance Tuscany Suites (255 Time! E. Flamingo Road, Whether it comes from taps, bottles, or cans, HOT tuscanylv.com) here’s a pitcher of the current Vegas beerscape For a sip of every BY Greg Thilmont SPOTS Silver State brew: FOR Nevada Taste Site (1221 South Main COLD Street, nevadataste- site.com) BREWS BEER TREND: SAISONS For gastropubbing on A tough sell at first, rustic saisons — with their sharp For selection and the Strip: Public tangs and farmhouse wafts — have taken hold in neighborhood House in the Southern Nevada, still led by CraftHaus Brewery character: Aces & Venetian (venetian. with its marquee Evocation, a lemony big seller. The Ales (2801 N. Tenaya com) brewery’s P Is Silent (Pfunky) American wild ale Way, 3740 S. Nellis introduces Brettanomyces yeast for lactic dryness. Boulevard, For gastropubbing in Triple 7, the venerable Downtown brewery in Main 702-436-7600. the ‘burbs: Public Street Station, joins in the extravaganza with its acesandales.com) School 702 Saison Du Trip featuring five beefy hops — Motueka, (, Rakau, Simcoe, Chinook, and Citra. For a loud and lively psontap.com) scene: Beerhaus at the Park (thep- For upscale local bar arkvegas.com) hanging: PKWY Tavern (9820 W. October Flamingo Road, For sports-watching 20: Sample on the Strip: Beer pkwytavern.com) Park at Paris Las away at the Vegas (beerpark.com) For solid brews at a seventh an- locals’ watering hole: nual Las Vegas For downtown Rebel Republic drinking amid (3540 W. Sahara Downtown Brew beards: Atomic Ave., rebelrepub- Festival along Liquors (917 lic702.com) with fellow beer Fremont St., atomic. vegas), Cornish For rotating beers fans and breweries Pasty Co. (10 E. and a killer bar menu: galore. (Clark County Charleston Blvd., Slater’s 50/50 (467 BEER FESTS Amphitheater, down- cornishpastyco.com) E. Silverado Ranch All October: It’s oom-pah band and Blvd., slaters5050. townbrewfestival.com). For tasty suds at a com) lederhosen time at the Hofbräuhaus October 25: Drink some 25-year brewing icon: Las Vegas (hofbrauhauslasvegas. beevos for a good cause at the Big Dog’s Brewing For krieks, lambics, com), including celebrity keg tap- Stoked for Charity! fundraiser on Company (4543 N. tripels and other Rancho Drive, exotic pours: World pings on weekends with entertainers Big Dog’s Brewing Company’s Front bigdogsbrews.com) of Beer (1300 W. like Murray Sawchuck, Zowie Bowie Porch stage. (bigdogsbrews.com) Sunset Road, and the Australian Bee Gees. Prost! October 28: Celebrate Nevada For craft brews on worldofbeer.com) Sip on a classic Guin- East Fremont: October 4-7: Day with a chili cook-off and cold Eureka! (520 E. For reliable and ness Irish Stout at the Las Vegas Food & quaffs of Silver State blonde ale at Fremont Street, convenient access to Wine Festival in (vegas- CraftHaus Brewery (crafthausbrew- 702-570-3660, life-sustaining craft foodandwine.com). eurekarestaurant- beer: Yard House ery.com). group.com) (Town Square, The LINQ, Red Rock For pup-friendly Casino Resort and patio drinking: Lazy Spa, yardhouse.com) 3 GAMES BEST PLAYED DRUNK Corhhole (702 Dog Restaurant & Bar (Downtown For a surprising Public School, Gold Spike, PKWY Tavern, ameriCAN at the LINQ Summerlin and Town selection of bottles Promenade) • giant Jenga (Public School 702, Beer Yard, Beer- Square, lazydo- and drafts: 90 grestaurants.com) NINETY Bar + Grill haus, PKWY Tavern) • Connect Four (Beer Yard, Big Dog’s (Suncoast, Brewing Company, Shady Grove Lounge at the For rotating craft suncoastcasino. taps: Pub 365 in the com) Silverton Casino Hotel, Beerhaus)

36 | DESERT COMPANION . OCTOBER 2018 DESERTCOMPANION.VEGAS

Head Games the-kitchen). It’s Company of Burgers and Brews an unfiltered sour Longmont, Colo- FLAVORS that’s secondarily rado. Effervescent fermented in the with nitrogen Sippers for THAT bottle with Bret- gas, it’s a cream tanomyces yeast ale cascade filled Your Stackers MAKE and a kick-starter with a rumble of Bar Code Burger Bar (1590 E. YOU GO of sweet pear tart berry flavor. Flamingo Road, barcodeburger- juice. OMG! Before you man- bar.com) With the house burger’s Settle in at the gia on pasta at blend of short rib, brisket, and At 595 Craft and tasting room at Esther’s Kitchen chuck adorned with onion jam, Kitchen (4950 S. Khoury’s Fine (1130 S. Casino blue cheese-bacon aoli, go for the Rainbow Blvd., Wine & Spirits Center Blvd., smooth taste of Hawaii’s Kona (9915 S. Eastern 702-570-7864, 702-596-1050, Big Wave Golden Ale. The mead- 595craftandkitch- Ave., 702-435- estherslv.com), en.com), enjoy 9463, khourys- start the evening owy flavors of the New Zealand the floral aroma finewine.com) for at the bar with lamb burger with goat and feta and glowing pink a dazzlingly dark a potent pour of cheeses with spicy harissa call hue of a Rosée pour of velvety Petrus Aged Red for the hoppiness of an Elysian Blackcurrant from Belgium’s d’Hibiscus by Space Dust IPA from Seattle. Brasserie Dieu du Nitro from Left Brouwerij De Ciel! of Quebec. Hand Brewing Brabandere. A It’s a citrusy complex blend, Slater’s 50/50 (467 E. Silverado wheat beer it starts with Ranch Blvd. #100, slaters5050. infused with tart pale ale that’s com) This new spot is all about hibiscus flowers. aged in gigan- the bacon, like its signature half- tic, 5,811-gallon Pop the bees- foeders — or beef and half-bacon patty. For wax-sealed top barrels — made of the Original 50/50 with avoca- off a bottle of French oak. This do, Pepper Jack cheese, and a Seizoen Bretta is later combined sunny-side-up egg, the Breakfast from Logsdon with double Stout from Founders Brewing brown beer Farmhouse Ales Company is a natural. Piled of Hood River, flavored with Oregon at the sour cherries. with rosemary-parmesan bacon, Kitchen at Atom- Lip-smacking, smoked Gouda, and veggies, the ic (atomic.vegas/ indeed. Rosemary Turkey burger calls for a juicy 21st Amendment Hell or High Watermelon wheat beer.

DRUNKALINI YOGA? Stretch your boundar- 595 Craft & Kitchen (4950 ies one sip at a time with a namaste-riffic session of beer S. Rainbow Blvd. #100, yoga at Lovelady Brewing. Every third Sunday morning of 595craftandkitchen.com) Meld the Tuna Furikake burger with the month, get refreshed with a cold pint and a downward-fac- shitake mushrooms and arugula ing dog pose in the company of fellow hoppy yogini and yogi. (20 with Tenaya Creek’s El Charro South Water Street, 702-857-8469, loveladybrewing.com) Shandy. The Pork Belly Burger with cabbage slaw and gochujang aïoli goes well with the lemon- grass-enhanced Passion Grass ROAD TRIIIP! Along the highways around BEER TREND: Pale Ale. Las Vegas, you’ll find brewpubs waiting to pour you FRESH FRUIT a pint in the picturesque landscapes of the Ameri- Brews featuring fresh can Southwest. On the long, parched road to Reno, fruit as ingredients Tonopah Brewing continue to draw stop by for a Yankee Girl Pome- drinker enthusiasm, granate Hefeweizen (tonopahbrewing.com). On like Abel Baker the way to Sedona? Take a Route 66 breather with a Brewing’s bombas- mellow Sunset Amber Ale at Grand Canyon Brew- tic Cherry Cherry BANG! BANG! Ale ery (grandcanyonbrewery.com). Tip back a pint with namesake of nutty Burnt Mountain Brown at Zion Brewery Oregon fruit and a (zionbrewery.com) at the entrance of majestic Zion bump of raspberries and lemon. Joseph National Park. On the way to Death Valley Nation- James has a line al Park, cool your heels at Death Valley Brewing of lactic Berliner for a limited-run witbier brewed Weisses with plucked combos like passion with wild hops and blackberries fruit-guava and blood (deathvalleybrewing.com). orange-cranberry.

OCTOBER 2018 . DESERT COMPANION | 37

© Nao Yoshigai

An Exhibition of Japanese Contemporary Art

Noe Aoki | K ji Enokura | Noriyuki Haraguchi | Yayoi Kusama | Sadamasa Motonaga Yukio Nakagawa | Fujiko Nakaya | Ukichiro Nakaya | Rei Naito | Machiko Ogawa Yasuaki Onishi | Motonao Takasaki | Sh ji Ueda | Nao Yoshigai

June 29 – October 21, 2018

TICKETS & INFORMATION 702.693.7871 OR BELLAGIO.COM/BGFA 40

PROFILE or the seventh or so time in the first hour that I watch Danny Tarkanian campaign at the Fourth of July parade in Boulder City, he is forced to answer F The Question. “Hey Danny,” says gruff-voiced George Cox. The 82-year-old’s “Make Boulder City Great Again” cap falls askew as he practically leaps out of his lawn chair RUNNING to clasp Tarkanian’s hand. “You gonna finally win this time?” Nobody wants to know the answer more than the candidate himself. This is Tarkanian’s fifth general-election run in 14 years, and the third time this decade running as the Republican nominee for a seat in the U.S. House. Including his particularly brutal 2010 loss in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate, he talks MAN about his would-be political career as having an 0-5 record — one never endured by his father, the late, legendary UNLV basketball coach , whose Danny Tarkanian keeps fame gave his son a political head start; or his mother, Las Vegas City Councilwom- running — even though he an Lois Tarkanian, who has lost just one election in nearly 30 years of running. keeps losing. Why? On the Danny Tarkanian has several versions of an answer to The Question. He has a long occasion of his fifth time on the one and a short one, a peppy one and a wonky one. In Cox’s case, perhaps because he’s racing to get to his place in the parade, Tarkanian is brief: “I feel like we got a good ballot, notes on a perennial shot, but I need your help. Can I count on your help?” candidate saddled with a Cox nods as Tarkanian loosens his grip and moves up the sidewalk. “Of course, I’ll dynasty to live up to vote for him,” Cox tells me moments later. “He’s a good man, and I only vote Repub- lican. I would never vote for that, uh, Susie Whatsit?” He means Tarkanian’s Demo- BY Steve Friess cratic opponent, , herself on her second run for Congress.

. 40 | DESERT COMPANION OCTOBER 2018 PHOTOGRAPHY Aaron Mayes DESERTCOMPANION.VEGAS

Nevada politics is replete with longshot THE BEVERLY ROGERS, CAROL C. HARTER perennial candidates who become more BLACK MOUNTAIN INSTITUTE PRESENTS obscure and irrelevant the more races they lose, but Tarkanian is unique in that he’s suffered so many high-profile losses while, intriguingly, coming closer and closer to a victory. His most recent defeat, in 2016 to Dem- ocratic Rep. in the same suburban and rural Clark County district he’s vying for this fall, was by all accounts the most agonizing. Rosen, who’s vacating the seat for a Senate run against Republi- can , won by just 1.3 points, or fewer than 4,000 votes out of almost 311,000 cast. “I was so close in that last election,” Tar- kanian tells me a few days later at his Las Vegas home. “How do you try so hard and get so close and then say, ‘Look, I’m going to walk away from it’?” If you’re the would- be scion of a much-mythologized Las Vegas family name, you can’t.

THE COMEBACK KID

TO UNDERSTAND HOW Tarkanian can keep coming back for more after such humiliat- ing beatings, it’s instructive to rewind to a different November contest nearly 40 years ago, one that taught him the glory awaiting those who never give up. As some 7,000 people jammed into the Silver Bowl that Friday night in 1979 to watch the Bishop Gorman Gaels take on the Reno High School Huskies in the high school football cham- pionship, the Tarkanian they were eager to see triumph, for once, was not the famed UNLV basketball coach, but his 17-year-old TRUE STORIES quarterback son. The Huskies had a 19-0 lead before Tar- kanian threw three touchdown passes to TOLD LIVE end the first half ahead, 21-19. When the second half started, the Huskies amped up the ferocity — “They hit me harder than WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2018 anybody ever has,” Danny told the Reno Gazette-Journal later — and forced him out ARTEMUS W. HAM CONCERT HALL of the game in the third quarter with a groin injury. With three minutes left in the game, 4505 S. MARYLAND PARKWAY after the Huskies hit a field goal to move ahead 28-27, a limping Tarkanian insisted on returning to the field. Vegas fans were DOORS OPEN AT 6:30 PM riveted as they watched Tarkanian method- ically move the ball from the 10-yard line straight up the field. He completed four of five passes — “Each one of them is caught with feet off the ground,” recalls journalist TICKETS: $10 STUDENTS, $15 GENERAL ADMISSION Ray Hagar, then a reporter covering high school sports for the Reno Evening Gazette BLACKMOUNTAININSTITUTE.ORG/MOTH — to move his team 83 yards against the Huskies. That assured Huskies victory then

OCTOBER 2018 . DESERT COMPANION | 41 PROFILE

vanished into the arc of a Gael field goal with 13 seconds on the clock that also minted a Tarka- nian legend. The legend grew through countless media reports about him in the late 1970s and early 1980s, when his athletic prowess drew coverage from the likes of the L.A. Times and Sports Illustrated. He confirmed that persistence and grit when he later played basketball at UNLV for three years under his father. Recognizing that an NBA career was unlikely, Tarkanian went to law school at the Uni- versity of San Diego, where he finished third in his class. But a career as an attorney, he says, was merely intended as a step- ping stone to his true interest: elected office. “I always wanted to get into politics from a very young age,” he says. “The problem was, when I got out of law school, I didn’t want to talk in front of anybody, so I didn’t want to run for office anymore. I was too scared.” The myth-making high school quarterback, star college basket- BEFORE THE FIREWORKS ball player, and ace law student, Danny Tarkanian, far left, and Susie Lee, in white pants, campaign at the Boulder City Fourth of July Parade. terrified of public speaking? This is how his first court appearance went: “I had to go in and say, ‘My name is litical rise in Las Vegas. Her three elections statue on the UNLV campus. Danny Tarkanian, and I’m appearing on to the Clark County School Board were Likewise, by the time Lois Tarkanian behalf of the debtor.’ I’m sweating. I said it breezy; the Tarkanian name certainly helped completed her third term on the school as fast as I could and sat down. And it was but, also, her career as a speech pathologist board in 2000, most of her CCSD detractors the most terrifying thing I had done at that compelled her to call out the school district had departed or lost their sway. The first point in my life. And that was on how it treated children with board vote after she left, she relishes in just that one line. Because of disabilities. Her populist rhet- telling me, was to name an elementary that, I did transactional work oric made her popular with school in her honor. And, after a narrow instead of doing courtroom “I always voters, but made her 12-year loss in a 2000 race for Clark County Com- work.” wanted to get tenure on the board nearly as mission, she unseated Las Vegas City Coun- into politics from His legal career lasted just a very young age. tumultuous as her husband’s cilwoman Janet Moncrief in a 2005 special eight years. But he did use his The problem coaching career. recall election, and won full terms in 2007, credentials and his family ties was, when I got But here’s the part that helps 2011 and 2015. to vociferously defend his father out of law school, explain why Danny Tarkanian “Because of all that, we, all of us kids, have as the NCAA investigated Jerry I didn’t want to doesn’t give up: Both of his got a little bit of a thicker skin,” says Tar- Tarkanian for recruiting viola- talk in front of parents were vindicated. In kanian’s sister, Jodie Tarkanian Diamant. tions at UNLV and then, in 1992, anybody. ... I was 1998, after one of many court “We all realize what’s true and what’s fac- when the university pushed him too scared.” battles with the NCAA, Jerry tual, and you can’t change people’s minds out. “If anybody still thinks Tarkanian received $2.5 million if they want to believe something negative there isn’t a vendetta against in a settlement that concluded about you.” my father after this thing, then a lawsuit the coach filed against In Danny Tarkanian’s mind, his setbacks they are just not thinking straight,” he told the league alleging a two-decade harassment and defeats aren’t an exception to the fam- the Reno Gazette-Journal in July 1990 after campaign against him. By the time he died ily lore — they’re signs he’s ultimately the NCAA sanctioned the Runnin’ Rebels in 2015, he had been inducted into the Na- destined for triumph, too. — fresh off its NCAA national championship ismith Basketball Hall of Fame, his name “My family taught me not to quit, to keep — for a year’s probation. graced the basketball court at the Thomas fighting if I believe in myself,” he says. “We

The 1990s also saw Lois Tarkanian’s po- & Mack Center, and he got a street and a don’t give up.” FRIESS STEVE PHOTO: TARKANIAN/LEE

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PROFILE

TRUMP IS THEIR COACH NOW decided to help him get elected. I have jumped on and have been helping Danny ALL OF THAT helps explain why, when Pres- ever since.” ident tweeted at him on In June, Danny Tarkanian had something March 16, it set up what Tarkanian says was he hadn’t enjoyed since the very first of his Financial options “the hardest decision I’ve ever had to make political runs: An easy Republican primary in my life.” Trump wrote: “It would be great victory and the full-throated backing of for every phase for the Republican Party of Nevada, and it’s “the establishment.” The National Repub- (sic) unity if good guy Danny Tarkanian lican Congressional Committee, for in- of your life would run for Congress and Dean Heller, stance, anointed him one of its 23 “Young who is doing a really good job, could run for Guns” — candidates to receive the highest Senate unopposed!” level of financial and organizational support Tarkanian had jumped into the Repub- from the GOP. lican primary in the summer of 2017 seek- And he got what has become the most ing to exact political revenge on Heller. important gift in Republican politics, a Heller’s crime? Disloyalty. Heller had dis- presidential endorsement via Twitter: avowed Trump in the waning days of the “Congratulations to Danny Tarkanian on 2016 campaign, after Trump’s infamous his big GOP primary win in Nevada. Danny “grab them by the p---y” audio surfaced worked hard and got a great result. Looking from a 2005 Access Hollywood taping. Then, good in November!” in June, Heller and Gov. announced their opposition to a Trump-led ‘WHY DOES HE DO THIS effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act TO HIMSELF?’ percolating in the U.S. Senate. It offended Tarkanian, the athlete and team player. “I’VE SAID IT myself many times, ‘Why? Why Whether you want to save for Trump is their coach now. How dare anyone does he do this to himself?’” Lois says. the future, secure a personal question the play? “Because I know how hurt he feels. I can loan, utilize exclusive online and With the backing of like-minded Nevada feel it with him. And he said, ‘Mom, I’ve telephone banking services, or conservatives, Tarkanian appeared on Fox never given up on anything. You know that.’ & Friends in August 2017 to announce his He says, ‘Is it embarrassing? Yes. When I enjoy the convenience of our candidacy for the primary. But national call people and I ask them to donate, peo- ATMs and many locations, we party insiders thought Heller had a better ple will donate two, three times. I feel so are here for you. Call, click, or chance than an orthodox Trumpist to hold embarrassed doing that. But I believe in stop by and talk with a banker. his seat in an increasingly left-leaning state. it. I’m going to keep trying.’” It was conveyed to Tarkanian that the pres- There’s another reason why he keeps ident wanted him to step aside and make going. Because, like his parents before him, wellsfargo.com another run, perhaps, for Congress. he has enjoyed vindication in a way few After some soul-searching, he ultimately politicians ever do. followed orders. Tarkanian could see Trump’s After a coaching stint in Fresno with his logic. “This is what he’s looking at: Heller’s father, Tarkanian returned to Las Vegas never lost a race, Tarkanian’s never won a with his wife and their first child, ready to race. Why would Tarkanian win? He can’t pursue his political dreams by running for win. But what they didn’t look at is — Heller’s a seat in 2004. He lost by run in safe seats; when he had a tough race, seven points to incumbent Democratic he won by 1 percent. If I had a chance to talk Sen. Mike Schneider, a result Tarkanian with the president, because he’s a sports guy, blamed on an attack ad that accused him I would try to explain that I was playing Duke of setting up telemarketing companies in North Carolina on the road with their later found to be running scams. officials; Dean was playing Cal State Fuller- Tarkanian sued Schneider for defamation ton at Irvine at home. There’s a big difference — and won. Five years after the race, a with the races you’re in.” Clark County jury ruled in his favor. With- What made the decision tougher was that in days, Schneider agreed to pay $150,000 entering the 3rd congressional district race in damages to settle the matter. meant challenging a longtime friend, Vic- “Do you realize what it was for him to toria Seaman, who had filed to run at Tar- win?” Lois says. “He was the first person kanian’s encouragement. “I was very upset, ever in the state of Nevada that has ever I’m not going to lie. But I came to realize won that type of lawsuit. Because there All loans are subject to application, credit Danny didn’t have a lot of choice,” she says. was always no proof, no anything. … Has qualification, and income verification. “He was asked by the president of the Unit- he ever been arrested? Any of the things © 2017 Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. All rights ed States. He had a lot of money from his that they’re telling you about, has he ever reserved. Member FDIC. (3686202_19725) Senate campaign, so I (dropped out and) even been interrogated? No! Nothing! They

44 | DESERT COMPANION . OCTOBER 2018 DESERTCOMPANION.VEGAS

print this stuff, and it goes and it goes and Rosen resurrected the telemarketing-scam just to win by 1 point, and I should then it goes.” allegations that cost Schneider so dearly. walk away? Such a victory put an asterisk beside (Tarkanian has filed a defamation suit “Third thing is this: My dad never talk- that first loss. And the Tarkanians offer against Rosen. His latest opponent, Susie ed about winning and losing. He always lots of asterisks to explain other losses, Lee, has also dredged up the telemarketing said, ‘You need to go out on the floor, give too. In his 2006 race for Neva- scam allegations — and has everything you got. You got to be mental- da secretary of state, his wife received a cease-and-desist ly, emotionally, physically ready to play Amy Tarkanian says, eventual order from Tarkanian’s attor- and give every ounce of effort on the floor. winner rode the “Do you allow neys.) By Tarkanian’s math, And if you lose, you could be proud of coattails of his own famous people to say he’s had more than $14 million yourself.’ … I’ve beaten very, very tough what they’ve said parents and benefited from the about me and in “negative character assas- primary opponents, getting to the general endorsement of America’s then walk away sination spent against me. in bad districts, and I made those races Most Wanted’s John Walsh. In from it when you There hasn’t been anyone who very, very close. 2010, Tarkanian split the vote can still win and hasn’t run for senator or gov- “And the final factor is this: Do you allow with , and both turn the negative ernor who’s taken that kind of people to say what they’ve said about me were sunk by a surge of spend- into a positive? beating. So people say, ‘Why and then walk away from it when you can ing by the out-of-state Tea Why wouldn’t would you want to go through still win and turn the negative into a pos- Party Express that helped you want to try that again?’” itive? If I didn’t have a chance to win, I to turn this thing catapult Republican Sharron around?” He kicks off a soliloquy to certainly wouldn’t be running. Why Angle to the Senate candidacy. answer the question. wouldn’t you want to try to turn this thing In 2012, Obama’s re-election “First and foremost, I was around? It’s like a big bully comes up to year, he ran against Democrat so close last election. How do you, slaps you around, throws mud in your for Congress, and still you try so hard and get so close and then face, but every time he does it, you’re get- lost by only 8 points, despite the fact that say, ‘Look, I’m going to walk away from it’? ting closer to getting up and punching them the district had 10 percent more registered … And the second thing is, I was so close back, and you’re on the verge maybe being Democrats. And in 2016, when he lost by and she had to lie about me with that same tough enough to get it done — do you walk fewer than 4,000 votes, now-Rep. Jacky exact defamation. So she had to do that away after all that?”

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‘HE’LL BE SOMEONE picture for Tarkanian’s underdog comeback shows, a view that puts him in conflict with TO RECKON WITH’ story: In Congressional District 3, Demo- the National Rifle Association. crats have a 5,700-voter edge in registration Sue Lowden, the former state senator and WHAT THIS OVERLOOKS is that there have over Republicans, and at press time, Susie longtime ally, believes this is Tarkanian’s been other allegations of questionable Lee’s campaign fund of $2.1 million dwarfs year. And if he does win, she says, he’ll have business dealings, most notably his 2013 Tarkanian’s $1.2 million. an outsized impact for a freshman. “He’ll be bankruptcy brought on by a $17 million But Ray Hagar, who later served as po- a celebrity because of his last name and be- judgment against him related to a failed litical reporter for the Reno Gazette-Journal cause he’s met so many other top Republicans California land deal. This time around, there and has since retired, suggests another over the years. He’ll be someone people listen are new allegations outlined in a June memo reason Tarkanian keeps losing. “He’s always to. He’ll be someone to reckon with.” from the Democratic Congressional Cam- had a problem with the mainstream because Tarkanian doesn’t let himself think that paign Committee titled “The Case Against his political leanings are just too far to the far ahead anymore. If he wins, to be sure, Danny Tarkanian,” including a charge that right for many people.” it will make all the losses worth it. If he he paid himself handsomely as founder of Tarkanian disagrees. He believes in loses? Tarkanian worries about the impact the charitable Tarkanian Basketball Acad- Trump’s “America First” policies, and views on his family, which fell into a huge funk emy in Las Vegas, even as the organization the never-ending scandals swirling around after the 2016 failure. lost money. Tarkanian, taking a page from Trump as the work of antagonists gunning “I certainly wouldn’t want them to go Trump, has dismissed this as “fake news.” for him — similar to the story arcs of Jerry through this again and, if I am not success- The memo also referenced a Nevada Inde- and Lois. And Tarkanian moderated some ful, they won’t have to go through it again,” pendent report that he took $200,000 out positions, shifting from opposing almost he says. of his parents’ life insurance policy without all abortions to supporting it prior to the So this is it? Tarkanian won’t run again their knowledge in 2012 to pay off his mort- fetus’s viability because, he says, “I should if his record goes to 0-6? gage. His mother says the family is not not be able to impose my faith on other “No, I don’t believe I will,” he says. Then bothered by the latter claim, so why should people.” The October 1 massacre in Las he grins. “I said that once before, and I got anyone else care? Vegas prompted him to rethink gun rights. myself in trouble.” Another pause. And then there are the cold facts of this Now, he says, he supports background “But no, I don’t believe so. That would be race, which don’t paint an encouraging checks for all purchases, including gun it. I think.” ✦

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Women are building careers in the traditionally male business of architecture — but many challenges remain

By T.R. Witcher

Men rule, and their power is made real through archi- tecture.” So wrote architect and writer Aaron Betsky 20 years ago in a book “called Building Sex. Last October, Betsky was in town giving STRUCTURING CHANGE the keynote at the regional conference of Jenn Wong helped launch a symposium focused on women architects. the American Institute of Architects. At the end of his talk, a UNLV architecture student, Jenn Wong, stood up to ask him a question. the University of Hawaii but burned out as a others, who’s going to be my role model?” Though his talk was not about gender, substance-abuse counselor. She moved to But the symposium sent Wong on a path gender issues were on Wong’s mind — they San Francisco for a year and fell in love with that culminated in her helping to launch a were on everyone’s mind. That same week design. Moving to Las Vegas and the master’s new design symposium — and showing Las The New York Times had broken the Harvey program at UNLV, Wong began in interior Vegas just how many talented women ar- Weinstein story. “When that happens, you design but was drawn to the technical side of chitects and designers are shaping our in- think of your own industry and career path,” architecture. “I want to do the whole thing.” creasingly urban community. Wong says now. So she stood up at the So there she was, at a symposium filled, Less than a week later she was having symposium and asked Betsky a question not surprisingly, with mostly white mid- dinner with one of her professors at UNLV, about that line in his book. dle-aged men. As soon as she asked her architect Eric Strain. The symposium was “I asked him, does he still think that question, the atmosphere in the room became still fresh in her mind. A UNLV architecture today, 20 years later? And if so, what does charged. Wong could feel the stares. “It was graduate, Amanda Telleria, who works at that mean for me as a woman designing in probably just me being nervous,” she says. the firm BWA, was also at dinner that night. Las Vegas, a city arguably built on two very Betsky had no answer. He told her if she The group talked about the lack of female powerful constructs: sex and money? Where wanted to effect change, she had to be a role role models. Architects as famous as Frank do I fit in if that’s still the case today?” model for other women. That did not sat- Lloyd Wright, Louis Kahn, and Le Corbus- Wong had come to architecture through a isfy her. “It doesn’t help me. It doesn’t leave ier all had important female colleagues and circuitous route. She studied psychology at me anywhere. If I had to be a role model to collaborators who shaped their work but

. 48 | DESERT COMPANION OCTOBER 2018 PHOTOGRAPHY Joe Buglewicz DESERTCOMPANION.VEGAS received very little recognition, Telleria says. There may be no more glaring example than the architect and urban planner Denise Scott Brown, co-author of Learning from Las Vegas, the seminal book that helped usher in a generation of irreverent, playful postmodern design. But it was her husband and partner, Robert Venturi, who won ar- chitecture’s highest prize, the Pritzker, in 1991; Brown’s name was left off, even though some of the work judges cited were a col- laboration between the two. Strain, not wanting to waste the moment, pushed the pair. “If we do a symposium,” he asked, “are you guys participating?” Strain did his part: The founder of assemblageSTU- DIO put in money to support the event, and reached out to other city firms to do the same, including Carpenter Sellers Del Gatto, Simp- sonCoulter Studio, LGA, and BWA. A few others came on to help organize the event, including Jaclyn Roth, another UNLV architecture student who works for assemblageSTUDIO, and UNLV architecture professor Maria Del C. Vera. The event came together in just a few months. “They’re dreamers,” Vera says of the organizers. “They are warriors for what they believe.” Students found an eclectic mix of speak- ers for the event, held at UNLV in February: Curator and writer Mimi Ziegler; L.A.- based designers Catherine Johnson and Rebecca Rudolph, who run a firm called Design, Bitches; and Meredith Bostwick, a project manager at the New York office of blue-chip firm SOM. The idea was to give a platform to women who had forged successful design careers. Figuring out what to call the symposium was another, perhaps deeper, challenge. “Naturally we were calling it the women’s symposium,” Telleria says, but some worried that the title would not celebrate the work and achievement of women in design so much as pigeonhole them as “women archi- tects.” After all, as many of the professionals Desert Companion spoke to pointed out, no one ever talks about “men architects.” They finally settled on a name: See Me. I’m Here. “It’s not just (that) they’re female,” Telleria says. “They have really cool work. They have an impact in their communities and our professional environment. Check them out. See me for my talent, not because I’m a woman.”

THE GREAT RECESSION hit Las Vegas hard — and few industries in Las Vegas felt the blow more than architects and designers. Firms downsized or moved away or went out of business. But now that Las Vegas is

OCTOBER 2018 . DESERT COMPANION | 49 SOCIETY

building again, designers are in high demand. try that number shrinks drastically,” Wong Alexis Bailey, are working on a mixed-use There’s a heady energy in the city, but es- says. “By the time you get to principals or project called the Monarch Castle, featur- pecially Downtown, where rents are still managers, that number is insignificant.” ing wedding and event spaces, gardens, cheap, and young firms can plant their flag Landscape architect Anna Peltier, prin- hotels, and restaurants. on their dream of a brighter future. cipal of Aria Landscape Architecture, which If male-dominated architecture firms Women who are architects and designers has completed work ranging from the Neon represent one level of challenge, the tough- in Las Vegas are not simply a feel-good story Museum to the Southwest Career and Tech- er hurdle is dealing with construction trades about increasing diversity in the profession. nical Academy, described the atmosphere in the field. “There is, especially in the trades, Just as women across the nation and world at a prominent firm where she’d once worked a sense of machismo that can be hard to ... are putting their stamp on significant insti- as “pretty male-centric.” “It felt like a culture be taken seriously in that type of situation,” tutional projects — Sharon Johnston in L.A. that considered women as being drama Roth says. “You feel like you have to come and Houston, Jeanne Gang and Carole Ross queens, they weren’t respected as much as in overprepared and all guns blazing just Barney in Chicago, Billie Tsien and Elizabeth the male professionals.” That firm asked her to balance that.” Diller in New York — women here have es- to complete a 12-month training program “Construction is a man’s world,” says Tina tablished themselves, quite simply, as among for a managerial position, but after 10 months Wichmann, co-founder of Bunnyfish Studio, the best practitioners of shaping the built a man was hired for the slot. “Two years which has played a leading role in Down- environment. They’re actively rethinking, later I was running my own firm.” town’s rebirth, designing spaces as varied reimagining, and building a cooler, more Carly Mossman, who spent years in the as the interiors of the Gold Spike and Car- sustainable, more urban city — a better city. Las Vegas office of international powerhouse son Kitchen. “A lot of the guys have the “There are plenty of opportunities right firm Gensler, almost quit the business during advantage of having done construction as now for men and women,” Wong says. “The her first job at a local firm. There were no summer jobs. Usually when you see a wom- city as a whole is booming.” 2018 is a moment other women in leadership positions. She an, she’s holding that sign that says, SLOW.” in which women are asserting their talent remembers seeing a male colleague receive Guys in the field can be gruff and can whis- in a field long associated with men. “There’s a promotion and raise for equal work. “That tle — “that has happened,” she says. “Auto- an old-boy attitude here,” says Anne John- was so frustrating for me,” she says. “I kind matically, they just assume you don’t know son, founder of Sparkflight Studios, “but of turned inward and did a lot of research how to build things.” this is a city of reinvention where people on women in business, how to survive in a “It is intimidating,” says Yanina Allord, come to be who they want to be. … That man’s world.” But, she realized, “I don’t a UNLV graduate who spent years working spirit overrides male bias.” want to fit another mold. I want to be me.” for Bunnyfish. “I definitely feel the intim- Still, there are plenty of challenges. Ar- She eventually spent years working in resort idation factor being on site with people who chitecture programs are slowly approach- and hotel design at Gensler before starting have been building buildings all their life. ing parity between female and male stu- her own firm, Kora Architecture (the Greek “I have to work twice as hard, stay up dents, but numbers in the industry have yet word kora translates as “authenticity of most of the night, and research things to to catch up. “As you progress in the indus- place”). Mossman and her business partner, make sure I have a good grasp on the week ahead to make sure I don’t look like an id- iot in front of someone else,” Allord says. “The men can roll their way through it, even if they don’t know it, either.” Even the simple act of wearing heels — and women’s professional attire in general — becomes (intentionally or not) a political act. “If you wear heels to a job site, why are you wearing heels?” Allord says. “Tina would show up in her big stilettos for a site walk, and she’d own it. If you’re confident in yourself, your attire should be the last thing you’re worried about.” Women architects were leery about de- fining their design acumen solely in terms of gender — women tend to design one kind of project, men another. But some were keen to point out the advantages of being a woman in the design fields. “I don’t know if our view affects design so much, but it does effect relationships a little bit. Client relationships. Women tend to soften things a little bit,” Wichmann says. Roth is practical: “Women bring into the discussion and the career the points CORE VALUES of view of the other 50 percent of the world. Tina Wichmann, co-founder of Bunnyfish Studio, has been a notable figure in rebuilding Downtown. Both genders are very capable of doing the

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same work, but when you just have one gender, you’re missing a huge population of the world.” Amy Finchem, a residential designer with custom homebuilder Blue Heron, staged her own symposium in 2012 championing women designers through her innovative Downtown gallery/studio COLAB. She found herself walking the same tightrope the See Me organizers experienced — the desire to celebrate women in design without losing sight of the high quality work they produce. Today, Finchem wants to see more focus on celebrating the differences between women and men in design. “How do we co-exist in the work place? Thrive? Let’s celebrate these differences so we’re more powerful and successful.”

BECOMING A LICENSED architect is a rigorous affair — years of internships and a series of exams. The process can take years, and often just as women are approaching the moment to seek licensure, they may also be trying to start a family. When students graduate with their mas- ter’s degree, they may be in their mid- to late 20s. Add three years of internship and a year of prep and test-taking. “Where the process puts you, you’re right in the sweet spot,” Wichmann says. It’s hard to be test- ing and working … and thinking about starting a family. “As driven as some of these women are, and I’ve hired some myself, once that baby’s in your arms, it’s over,” Peltier says. “Once WINDOWS OF OPPORTUNITY that connection happens, your priority chang- Yanina Allord of RAD Studio seeks to challenge gender stereotypes in the architecture field. es. They scale back, they take off time …” But doing so can cost women their careers, especially in a field that is slow to help them Increasingly, more and more women in introduces her as an equal, it doesn’t always do both. Roth suggests firms just listen to Las Vegas are simply starting their own firms. register in the minds of clients. Many are the “issues we’re facing as a gender and see Anne Johnson began her own architecture more apt to tell her she’ll get along with the if they’re surmountable.” The firm of an and graphics firm, Sparkflight Studio, in client’s wife and have fun picking the fin- acquaintance of Roth set up a nursery after part to have flexibility in raising her 9-year- ishes. “I haven’t been in a meeting yet where she had a child. Having several people work- old son. She also worked with one of her the same questions being asked to Ryan are ing on a project part-time can also allow employees who was starting a family, to being asked to myself. The architecture women to navigate family and career. offer a part-time schedule. “It was recog- questions are directed to him, and the fin- “Let people share one position,” Moss- nizing she was an amazing employee and ishes and interior decor are more my role, man echoes, so that it’s no longer a “death had the right to start a family. Now I have and that’s not how we operate. We do ev- sentence to go on maternity. I think our a really loyal employee because we worked erything together.” industry will continue to suffer until there’s together to make it happen.” Cecilia Schafler, who runs Lage Design more focus on family development.” But obstacles remain. Allord recently left Inc., a landscape architecture firm whose Finchem recalls a male colleague and Bunnyfish to join RAD Studio, with her projects include CSN and the Historic mentor noting that when an important husband, Ryan. “What I see the most in my Westside School, says a manufacturer of meeting ran late, the women in the meeting interactions with clients and construction products the firm uses has sales reps — all had to leave to get children. Finchem was and (general contractors),” she says, “is the men — who never market to any of the a single mom for many years and says it architect is always seen as the male, and I women in her firm, only the men. The men impacted her ability to get licensed. “There feel like the women — we’re seen as the get invited to dinner or tours of the factory. are folks who have been in the industry 20 decorator or the secretary. It doesn’t seem The women do not. years, raising kids, still trying to work on to change.” “As the owner of the firm, it’s a little an- registration,” she says. Allord says that even when her husband noying, and also from the perspective of,

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everything is ultimately on me,” she says. “If they don’t spend the time to educate and It’s Just Like engage all of us, then I’m not comfortable with their company and products, and we’re not going to use it.”

the Feeling You ALL THE WOMEN we spoke to talk about the need to mentor younger professionals on the ins and outs. “It was huge, so big, so Get When important, for me seeing Tina in that leadership role, and seeing how she held her own and dealt with clients and kept her composure … and seeing how strong You Reach the you have to be to do what they do on an everyday basis,” Allord says. “For me it can be very emotionally draining and feel like Summit. a hurdle — not just career-wise, but for being a woman in general. We have such a great community. It’s important to keep and have those relationships.” (The AIA offers a mentorship program for young women and men graduating from UNLV.) “Right now, we have a great pool of wom- en graduates from UNLV, a talented group,” Allord says. “I think we’re seeing more of that group deciding to stay and build their careers here, which I think is exciting and the most important thing. More and more women are getting licensed. I think we’re building a bigger, better community pool.” UNLV is planning a follow-up See Me symposium on November 2. The list of confirmed speakers includes Susan Sellers, founding partner and creative director of 2x4 in New York; Julia Koerner, assistant adjunct professor at UCLA, who teaches courses in Architecture and 3-D Printed Fashion; and Katherine Darnstadt, princi- pal of Latent Design, Architecture + Urban- ism, in Chicago. As with the February event, one of the keys is to highlight the range of careers possible with an architecture degree. “I don’t think every student in our school (of archi- tecture) wants to be an architect or have their own firm,” Telleria says. “You can be a set designer, architectural photographer. There’s more out there, and it’s okay if you take that path.” Wong landed a job with Caesars — and is now working on the company’s bid to win one of three gaming licenses in Japan. Get home delivery of Months after we first spoke, Wong says Desert Companion for she was still considering what Las Vegas just $1.00 an issue. would look like if it had been designed principally by women. “I think Las Vegas wouldn’t revolve around sex and money,” DESERTCOMPANION.COM she says. “I think the arts would play a lot larger role in Las Vegas. We still don’t have a world-class art museum. We have a ton of strip clubs.”✦

54 | DESERT COMPANION . OCTOBER 2018

VEGAS VEGAS

56 DESERT COMPANION . OCTOBER 2018 DESERTCOMPANION.VEGAS t’s fitting that the 2017-2018 season of the Vegas Golden Knights was the stuff of fairy tales: A first-year expansion team of “Golden Mis- fits,” widely dissed and dismissed, shatters expectations with win af- ter thrilling win. Unreality, after all, is our city’s most abundant natural resource. And just as happily unreal was the team spirit that seemed to take hold overnight and keep us rapt in our seats — whether in the arena, the living room, or the neighborhood bar. In the blur of a slapshot, our reputation for being a town of rootless transients with no claim to any unifying civic ethos was suddenly outdated. The Vegas Golden Knights play some pretty incredible hockey. But maybe there’s something more going on here. The Vegas Golden Knights align with our city’s moment and mood in a way that makes a strange sense. That’s also a way of saying you don’t have to be a hardcore hockey fan to enjoy the team or their story — or the feature in the following pages. In it, we profile defenseman Deryk Engelland, a Knight and transplant who’s truly made Las Vegas home; we supply you with all the crib notes you need to better enjoy this season; and we marvel at how hockey fandom can strike the most unlikely people — for instance, the person writing this introduction. Andrew Kiraly

ILLUSTRATION BY PAUL RYDING

OCTOBER 2018 . DESERT COMPANION 57 58 DESERT COMPANION . OCTOBER 2018 DESERTCOMPANION.VEGAS LONG SKATE TO HOME ICE

HOW A KNOCKABOUT HOCKEY PLAYER FROM CANADA FOUND LOVE, LIFE, AND A FOREVER HOME IN LAS VEGAS — JUST WHEN THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS AND THE CITY NEEDED HIM

BY MATT JACOB L PORTRAIT BY SABIN ORR

early 500 games, regular season and playoffs included. Hundreds of minor-league hockey games. Thousands of amateur hockey games. Years of struggle, of crisscrossing two countries, of clinging to the dream that one day, someday, the big break would come, and then when it finally does, taking full advantage of it, and being forever grateful for it. All of this — every last bit of it — brought Deryk Engelland to this moment in time: his first NHL game in his adopted hometown, wearing the sweater of that adopted hometown’s very first major professional sports team. To call it a dream come true would be disingenuous, because nobody is foolish enough to really dream this sort of thing. Yet there he was, the Canadian from rural Edmonton — who some 17 years earlier met an American woman from rural Wisconsin at an Irish pub in Las Vegas after one of those minor-league hockey games — now standing center ice at T-Mobile Arena as a starting defenseman for the expansion Vegas Golden Knights. Goose bumps, sweaty palms, nerves — check, check, and check. But for all the wrong reasons. Because this moment in time, long expected to be drenched in jubilant celebration, was instead awash in sorrow. It was October 10, 2017, just nine days after a madman gunned down 58 people and wounded 869 at a country music festival on the Strip. And here stood Engelland, surrounded by dozens of first responders, with a hockey stick in his left hand and a microphone in his right. A man who says, “I don’t really speak well in front of people” was aglow in the only light shining in an otherwise dark arena — an arena that greeted Engelland with a warm round of applause before quickly falling silent. All eyes and ears were on No. 5, especially those of that woman from rural Wisconsin. “I was so nervous for him,” says Melissa Engelland, who helped her husband craft a speech that was all of 74 words, beginning with these: Like all of you, I’m proud to call Las Vegas home.

OCTOBER 2018 . DESERT COMPANION 59 Deryk Engelland was The solved that prob- eat for free; all they had to do was pay WHEN born on April 3, 1982, lem when they called in June 2003 and their bar tab and kick a few bucks to the his hometown of Edmonton in Alberta, invited Engelland to their summer camp. servers. “Most games, three-quarters Canada, was on the verge of becoming He played well enough that the Flames of the team would go eat there,” Engel- the hockey capital of the world. Led by let him train at their facility for the entire land says. “The deal was tip $5 and buy a young phenom named Wayne Gretz- summer, showing enough potential that all your beers. You couldn’t beat it.” ky, the Edmonton Oilers would win four the team signed the rugged defenseman After one particular Wranglers game Stanley Cup titles between 1984-88. It to a contract. Engelland did not, howev- — the day after Thanksgiving in 2003 was right around the time of those first er, head to Calgary with the big club. — Engelland got his free meal … and a Oilers championships that Engelland Instead, the Flames assigned him to their life-changing encounter. first found himself on a sheet of ice, minor-league affiliate in the East Coast learning to get his bearings on a make- Hockey League — a brand-new franchise shift rink his dad made in the backyard. called the . I met my wife here, my kids were born “As far back as I can remember,” En- So, in late September, Engelland here, and I know how special this city is. gelland says, “all I wanted to do was play headed south to a city he’d never been hockey.” to, arriving just a few weeks before the was born and raised His father’s job as a welder took the Wranglers’ inaugural season began. MELISSA in a small Wiscon- family — which included middle-child “Our assistant coach picked me up sin suburb north of Milwaukee, sur- Deryk and his two sisters — from one from the airport,” Engelland recalls. “I rounded by dairy farms. Her mother small town to the next in northern Brit- was expecting him to drive us down the was a secretary, her father a firefighter, ish Columbia, before eventually settling Strip, but instead he took the airport and she and her brother enjoyed a typ- in Chetwynd, on the foothills of the Rocky bypass and went around. At that time, ical Midwestern upbringing. But after Mountains. By then, Engelland was play- the 215 was pretty much the end of the earning her degree in communications ing organized hockey in youth leagues city — it didn’t go much further west. and public relations from Concordia and club tournaments, with his parents Our whole team basically lived in the University Wisconsin, a private liber- transporting him from town to town same apartment complex at Flamingo al-arts Lutheran college in the small during the harsh Canadian winters. and the 215. town of Mequon, Melissa was ready to By his admission, Engelland was a spread her wings. She zeroed in on UNLV. solid but not exceptional player. But he “I came out here with my girlfriend for made up for his shortcomings with the I THOUGHT HE a weekend trip, and I thought, ‘Oh, that kind of physical toughness that defines WAS REALLY would be a good place to move to. It the sport — and opens the eyes of scouts. NICE — VERY would be fun and so different from where He wasn’t much of a fighter, though, off PUT TOGETHER, I grew up.’” or on the ice. The latter changed during ATTRACTIVE, Too different — much too different the 1999-2000 season, his second with SWEET, AND — as far as her parents were concerned. the in the Western FRIENDLY. THEN I “They basically said, ‘You’re on your own Hockey League, a junior club based in ASKED HIM HOW — figure it out. We’re not helping you Saskatchewan. Engelland estimates he OLD HE WAS, with this move at all,’” she says. “So I was fought 10 times in the final 15 games. AND HE SAID 21. like, ‘All right. I’m going to show you!’” “From there,” he says, “it just occurred AND I WAS LIKE, She spent the next year working and to me that that’s what I would need to ‘UGH. I DON’T saving, and in June 2003, she moved to do to get where I wanted to go.” KNOW.’ the desert. Two months later, at 24, she Shortly after Engelland’s 18th birthday, began studying for her master’s in com- the selected him with munications at UNLV. the 194th overall pick of the 2000 NHL “I knew I liked public relations,” she Entry Draft. Rather than turn pro, though, “To come to Las Vegas as a 21-year-old, recalls, “having previously worked for he chose to remain with Moose Jaw, it was pretty exciting.” a radio station where I did a lot of pro- piling up ice time — and minutes Not so exciting? Pulling in $500 a motions, and Vegas is such a good spot — as a regular defenseman over the next week. With money tight, Engelland and for that type of career. So I was hoping three seasons. At that point, he was 21 his teammates ripped a page right out something would work out. But then all years old and an elder statesman by of the Vegas 101 handbook: They looked my plans changed.” Canadian junior hockey standards. Re- for comps, scoring one at McMullan’s Specifically, they changed the night alizing that his hopes of making it to the Irish Pub on Tropicana Avenue, a few after Thanksgiving, when Melissa and NHL were fading with each turn of the hundred yards from the Orleans Arena, her friend Andrea went to McMullan’s calendar page, Engelland returned to where the Wranglers played their home and posted up at the bar. Engelland was Chetwynd following the 2002-03 season games. in the back room scarfing down anoth- at a crossroads. “I went home and tried McMullan’s and the Wranglers struck er free postgame dinner when she caught to figure out what I was going to do.” up a deal: After games, the players could his eye.

60 DESERT COMPANION . OCTOBER 2018 DESERTCOMPANION.VEGAS GROUP PHOTO COURTESY OF THE MOOSE JAW WARRIORS; FIGHT: STEVE SPATAFORE guy is stillHe’s going. a little crazy. And Melissa recalls. “Iwas like, ‘Man,this “I busted uptheguy’s nosepretty good.” Deryk getting the better oftheexchange: the gloves andbegan flingingfists, with game, Deryk and an opponent dropped at McMullan’s. At onepointduringthe next week,followed by ameet-up back vitation toattend aWranglers gamethe tohearfromhim.Buthecalled.”going me yournumber?’” call me, are you? How about yougive walked outofthebar, hestopped me.” paper. ItoldhimI’d callhim,butasI he hadtowriteitdown onapieceof number.’ We didn’t have cellphones, so ber.” I wasn’t sureabout his(maturity).” you can’t start drinkingtillyou’re 21,so Idon’t know.’‘Ugh. BecauseinAmerica, he was, andhesaid 21.AndIwas like, and friendly. ThenIasked himhow old — very puttogether, attractive, sweet, to besmooth.” of guys and went up to the bar and tried deep at that point. So I grabbed a couple probably onlyaboutthreeorfourbeers “It was a really long fight, time-wise,” And sheanswered, accepting hisin- Melissa: “So Idid,thinkingwasn’t Deryk: “Isaid, ‘You’re to not going Melissa: “Isaid, ‘Sure, I’lltake your Deryk: “Isaid, ‘Here, take my num- Melissa: Deryk: “I’m pretty shy, and Iwas We’ll let themtake itfromhere: “I thought he was really nice “Ithoughthewas reallynice season over, Deryk moved into Melissa’s ed all of one game. With the hockey a playoff run that, afterhearrived, last- to LasVegas tojointheWranglers during spring of2004,whenDerykreturned friendsfirst.”good hours. We became what I would say is some nights, we’d beonthephonefor we just started talkingonthephone— to seethisguyagain,’” Melissa says. “But Massachusetts. League affiliate. Location: Lowell, signed toCalgary’s AmericanHockey ple of days later that Deryk was reas- about chemistry. So it wasn’t but a cou- organizations couldn’t give twopucks ty muchrightaway,” Melissa says. two wenttoanightclub, andtherest … meet himatMcMullan’s. From therethe control, eventually convincing herto forcing Deryktodosomeseriousdamage keep Melissa fromshowing atthebar, I don’t needany crazyin my life.” Wranglers, right. skills withtheLasVegas honed hisenforcement the MooseJaw Warriors, the Canadianjuniorclub left, withteammates from young Engelland,above Before theKnights:The They reconnectedinperson the “I thought,‘Oh, well,I’m never going Unfortunately, professional hockey “We knewtherewas chemistry pret- The brutalfisticuffsto wereenough OCTOBER 2018 OCTOBER 2018 I started at$35,000 ayear.” alittle2006), thingsgot better —Ithink bare-bones budget. vania. AllinMelissa’s SUV, andallona and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Pennsyl- Pennsylvania; Redding,Pennsylvania; Charleston, SouthCarolina;Hershey, Calgary; Lowell; Las Vegas; North during the next six years: Chetwynd; ing fromcitytocity.” forit.Fromand go thenon,itwas mov point, youjust kindoftake aleapoffaith toworkout,”going shesays. “Butatthat school andmy jobifthingsweren’t about muchofanything. minor-league hockey, withnoguarantees mit tothevagabondexistence thatis year intohermaster’s program,orcom- her studies atUNLV, whereshewas one important lifedecision:Continuewith relationship blossomed. apartment forafewweeks, andthe Melissa: “Yeah, wewerestill broke. toHershey Igot (in Deryk: “When Melissa: “Financially, itwas hard.” Among thecitiestheytraveled to “At first, I was worried about leaving All of a sudden, Melissa was facing an .

DESERT COMPANION - 61 We shared a car. We lived in a one-bed- room apartment. We didn’t go out to THRILLERS, dinner. But it was the way things should be when you’re a young couple — strug- OCTOBER 4 NAIL-BITERS, plus Paul Stast- gling, working hard, trying to make it vs. Philadelphia ny switching all work.” Flyers AND SCORES sides (the for- mer Jet signed All the while, the couple spent each The season open- TO SETTLE a three-year off-season back in Las Vegas (where er is special for deal with the Deryk ended up playing for the Wran- every team, but 7 Must-Watch Knights), you glers for the entire 2004-05 season it’s extra special VGK Games can expect the before his career took him East). It’s for the Golden same this match. Knights, who’ll be This Season Winnipeg won’t where they got engaged in summer 2005 waving a Western soon forget the — he popped the question during a Conference way their season gondola ride at the Venetian, which cost Championship BY KEN BOEHLKE came to a close $200 they didn’t necessarily have — and banner. The game in 2018, either, where they settled after marrying in itself is import- so expect a vig- ant for Vegas orous game. Wisconsin a year later. as well, as it’s Why make Las Vegas home? the Knights’ only home David Perron are really MARCH 17 “It was a little bit of everything,” Deryk game in the first six the only two significant vs. Edmonton Oilers says. “We had mutual friends here, we games of the season. A Knights departures, so loss to the Flyers could there won’t be many op- One of the very few had separate friends here, the weather, send VGK into an early portunities to welcome teams the Golden the training, the cost of living. My home- tailspin (remember, the back — and attempt to Knights couldn’t solve a town is much too small. We did spend Golden Knights were 8-1- destroy — old friends. year ago was the Oilers. some time in Wisconsin in the summers, 0 to start 2017-18); but Plus, the Flames have Oilers center Connor but I just don’t do humidity very well.” a win, and they’re once a chance to be much McDavid’s dazzling again flying high. improved, and could speed was consistently Two words, otherwise buried in the certainly challenge the a problem and, despite above paragraph, would change the OCTOBER 10 Golden Knights for a Edmonton’s struggles, Engellands’ lives: the training. Pacific Division crown. they had Vegas’ number. at Washington Capitals After the signed The Oilers were one of Deryk to a contract following the 2006- It doesn’t get much bet- JANUARY 1 just three teams to de- ter than an early rematch feat the Golden Knights 07 season, he languished in the minors vs. L.A. Kings of the Stanley Cup Final. twice. This late-season for three more seasons with Hershey, The Golden Knights There’s no better way to affair could have major Redding, and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. won Game 1 of the final, start the new year than playoff implications … On November 10, 2009 — a little more or the Oilers will suck but then dropped four with a grueling matchup than a month after he was the last straight — their only four- against the hated L.A. again and it’ll be a nice game losing streak of the Kings, who will be look- easy two points for the player the Penguins cut in training season. Vegas will clearly ing for some payback Golden Knights. camp — Deryk’s dream of playing in be out for revenge with after Vegas obliterated the NHL was finally realized when a Stanley Cup Champs them in four games in APRIL 6 Pittsburgh called him up to replace an banner taunting them the playoffs a year ago. at L.A. Kings from the rafters — and These games are usually injured player. But after playing in expect to see that thirst brute physical wars, The final game of the nine games, Deryk was shipped back for revenge in energetic, and that’s probably not regular season is either to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton for the aggressive play. Winning going to change despite the most important — or remainder of the 2009-10 season. this one would be sweet the holiday date. You the most meaningless. That summer, back in Las Vegas, revenge. never know, though, If this game has playoff as both teams will be meaning for either Melissa body-checked her husband with some tough love. “Basically, I gave him NOVEMBER 23 spending New Year’s team, this game will be Eve in Vegas. Hangover a treat. Imagine if it’s a vs. Calgary Flames an ultimatum,” she says. “I said, ‘You Part IV? winner-take-all-scenar- need to quit drinking, take your training It's James Neal's return io between two rivals seriously, and go for it. I’ll do whatever to T-Mobile Arena; after FEBRUARY 22 on the final day of the helping the Knights year. That’s the kind of it takes to make it work financially.’” vs. Winnipeg Jets snag the Western stuff hockey dreams are She connected Deryk with Mark Conference title and The Jets and Golden made of. Philippi, who spent 15 years as the make it to the Stanley Knights play nothing strength and conditioning coach for Cup final in their first but thrilling, up-tempo, Ken Boehlke is the UNLV athletics, and was a former World’s season, Neal signed a high-scoring hockey founder of sinbin.vegas, five-year deal with the games. With a majority a website that covers the Strongest Man competitor. Deryk went Calgary Flames. He and of both rosters returning, Vegas Golden Knights. to work with Philippi, and Melissa went to work wherever she could. “I took every crappy job I could find just to pay

62 DESERT COMPANION . OCTOBER 2018 DESERTCOMPANION.VEGAS the bills,” she says. “We moved into the Three productive seasons in Pitts- season with the Flames, rumors cheapest one-bedroom apartment we burgh set Deryk up for free agency in began to bubble that the NHL was could find here. We were still sharing a summer 2014. As fate would have it, the considering adding a 31st team. Their car. All he did was train and skate, and Calgary Flames — the first NHL orga- No. 1 target city: Las Vegas. all I did was work.” nization that gave him a look, the one Within three months — in November The sacrifice paid dividends the fol- that signed him more than a decade 2014 — the league tapped Bill Foley as lowing season, when Deryk — now 28 earlier and sent him to Las Vegas — made a potential owner of a Las Vegas fran- and in the best shape of his life — made the Engellands and offer they couldn’t chise. By February 2015, with the NHL’s the Penguins’ roster out of training refuse: three years, $8.7 million. permission, Foley launched a sea- camp. He played in 63 games and re- “I wasn’t expecting the deal that I son-ticket drive to gauge local interest. mained with the club for the entire got from Calgary, that’s for sure,” Deryk The goal: 10,000 deposits. Within two says. “It was tough to leave Pittsburgh, days, Foley was halfway there; within but you’re grateful and excited for a six weeks, the goal was fully met. new chapter in your life, and Calgary Some 1,800 miles north, Melissa WE MOVED INTO was not far from back home. So it was Engelland tracked the ticket drive with THE CHEAPEST exciting to go up there and be part of excitement and hope. “I thought, ‘Oh, ONE-BEDROOM that organization for three years.” my gosh — they’ve got this many ticket APARTMENT WE In 226 games with Calgary, Deryk commitments already. This is going to COULD FIND tallied just nine goals and 30 assists, happen!’ We just didn’t know at the time HERE. WE WERE STILL SHARING A but he wasn’t signed for his offensive what year the team would start. I was CAR. ALL HE DID acumen; he was signed to do what he hoping that every star would align per- WAS TRAIN AND does best, and that’s be an enforcer. For fectly. Then, when we found out that SKATE, AND ALL that, he earned his keep, racking up a the expansion draft was going to happen I DID WAS WORK. combined 163 penalty minutes. the year his contract was up in Calgary, we really got excited about the possi- a year after Deryk re- bility.” ABOUT ceived his On June 26, 2016, it became 2010-11 season, during which Pittsburgh first contract extension with The puck drops: official: In exchange for $500 signed him to a three-year contract Pittsburgh, the Engellands Hockey fever million, Foley was awarded overflows at an extension through the 2013-14 season. solidified their roots in Las event unveil- an NHL expansion franchise Average annual salary: $566,700. Vegas when they purchased ing the team's that would be placed in Las name at the Vegas and begin play in Octo- “It was huge,” Deryk says. “To finally and renovated a foreclosed T-Mobile Arena make it and get that three-year extension home, moving into it in 2012. (below left). On ber 2017, the first time the city was a dream come true. But I don’t think A month later, they welcomed expansion-draft would be home to a team in day, new Knights either of us were satisfied. We both their first son, Cash. Marc-Andre Fl- one of America’s four major looked at it like, the day that I’m satisfied Two summers later, just as eury, Engelland, professional sports. and Brayden The Vegas Golden Knights is probably the day I’d start being on my the family was about to head McNabb take the

JOHN LOCHER/AP PHOTOS JOHN LOCHER/AP way out.” to Calgary for Deryk’s first stage in LV. were formally christened in

OCTOBER 2018 . DESERT COMPANION 63 November 2016, and by this time team officials, led by general manager George McPhee, were traversing the NHL to scout talent for an expansion draft to be held on June 20, 2017. Three days prior, the league’s 30 existing teams submitted names of “protected” players — those players the Knights were not permitted to select with one of their 30 expan- sion-draft picks. To nobody’s surprise, Deryk Engel- land’s name was not on Calgary’s pro- tected list; he was, after all, a free agent. But that didn’t mean he was a lock to become a Golden Knight. “I never thought I’d get taken in the expansion draft,” Deryk says. “We figured with free agency starting a week later, that would be our only chance. Then they called (two days) before the draft and said they were interested.” Allowed to select only one player from each team, McPhee made it official by swiping Engelland from Calgary. “He really stood out as a guy who Family and philanthropy: Deryk and Melissa Engelland (with sons Cash, left, and Talon), would be a good fit here,” McPhee says. formed the Vegas Born Heroes Foundation to honor locals who go above and beyond. “When we looked at Calgary’s team, there really wasn’t a close second. Of all came the person who all the other sidering the family had expanded in May the decisions we made in the expansion players would seek out when they need- 2016 after the arrival of son Talon. It draft, taking Deryk was a fairly easy one.” ed answers to things. And we liked that would be up to Cash, though, to share Made easier by the fact that Engelland we had someone here who was part of the good news with his mom. “I was at was already entrenched in the Las Vegas this community. work, and I called Deryk, and Cash got community. “In terms of how much it factored on the phone and said, ‘Guess what, “It certainly helped having someone into the decision, it was probably 10 Mommy? We’re not moving this year! here who knew his way around and could percent. The other 90 percent was be- Daddy’s going to be a Golden Knight!’ I really help the other players when they cause we really liked the way he played.” just started crying.” got to town with whatever they needed For the Engellands, getting to stay Four months later, Melissa would be — school needs, housing needs, those home to play for the NHL’s newest team brought to tears again. This time for an sorts of things,” McPhee says. “He be- was an incredible relief, especially con- entirely different reason.

THE X

NATE SCHMIDT Jon Merrill or Brad Hunt FACTORS of time through training MAX PACIORETTY SUSPENSION filling the skates left by camp to figure out which TRADE Losing Nate Schmidt, Schmidt, instead it’ll be Four of those four deserves The Golden Knights arguably the Knights' best Deryk Engelland, Shea Thoughts the job. acquired a bonafide star defenseman, for a quarter Theodore, Brayden Mc- The biggest challenge in the NHL when they of the regular season (due Nabb, and Nick Holden to Heading Into this presents the Golden traded for former Mon- to testing positive for pick up the slack. Schmidt the Season Knights is that it takes treal Canadiens Captain a banned substance) is logged the most minutes away one of the few plac- Max Pacioretty. Vegas not an ideal way to open of any Golden Knight last es on the roster they have did have to give up To- the year. However, unlike year, but also missed a some depth. They should mas Tatar, star prospect in other sports where four-game stretch in early be able to withstand and former 1st round a direct replacement is March, so the Golden Schmidt out: Hunt, Merrill, the loss of a player like pick Nick Suzuki, and a necessary when a player Knights at least have and youngsters Zach Schmidt for 20 games. future 2nd round pick. drops out, in hockey, it some experience playing Whitecloud and Erik But if they lose another The price was high, but causes a more subtle without him. There are Brannstrom. Anticipating body due to injury, things the juice will be worth shift in the depth chart. four probable addi- Schmidt’s absence gives could get dicey in a hurry. the squeeze. Pacioretty Rather than a player like tions to the lineup with the coaching staff plenty is a terrific scorer and

64 DESERT COMPANION . OCTOBER 2018 DESERTCOMPANION.VEGAS demoted to the3rd line. right wing,orhe'llbe be forced to move to center last season,may lineup. Haula,whoplayed in theGoldenKnights one spotremains open six forwards, but only are bothconsidered top- Erik HaulaandAlex Tuch of alogjamforwards. cioretty doescauseabit the 2ndline. Adding Pa- be instant chemistry on Stastny, sothere should previously withPaul defender. He'splayed SABIN ORR IT’S course — they’re coercing their parents course —they’re coercingtheirparents ey onthewoodfloor—rubberpuck,of mimicking theirfatherby playing hock valley. Whentheboys aren’t spiritedly house” inthesouthwest partofthe what Melissa calls the family’s “forever boundless energyasguests infiltrate you. throughout thiswholetragedy, we thank worked (tirelessly) andcourageously To all the brave first responders that have Talon are filled with Engelland A ugust 10, 2018, andCash have thesamenumbers trophies. He’s not goingto (top defensive forward) and theFrank J. Selke the HartMemorial(MVP) finishing inthe top 10 for manship award), and Trophy (on-ice sports- the LadyByng Memorial plus-49 rating, winning 43 goals,racking upa ages in2017-18, scoring Bill, hadaseasonfor the William Karlsson, aka Wild TO DOMINATE? KARLSSON CONTINUE CAN WILLIAM - something was wrongandcalledback. friend Chelsi, she immediately sensed time, butwhenshenoticed itwas her 11 p.m. Shecouldn’t answer thecallin when Melissa’s phonerangshortlyafter Jose Sharks. Everyone was soundasleep final preseasongameagainst theSan October 1,2017, aftertheGoldenKnights’ stark contrast totheatmospherelateon house isfilledwithlaughterandjoya — participate inaphoto shoot. togetthem and Daduseascurrency into giving them M&Ms, which Mom

On thishot summer afternoon, the ing, keeping possession They better continue scor- keep dominating games? Marchessault beableto Reilly SmithandJonathan will heandlinemates to score somegoals,but defensively, he’s going He’s going to beexcellent about two months’ time. of theleague’s best in from unknowns to one Knights top linethat went the engineofaGolden on histeam. Karlsson is have amassive impact statistically, buthecanstill OCTOBER 2018 OCTOBER 2018 a few gamesinarow. made amistake, orlost of repercussions ifthey to play withoutafear tions. Everyone was free was alackofexpecta- Golden Knights’success many attributed to the One ofthemainreasons EXPECTATIONS SWORD OF THEDOUBLE-EDGED could beintrouble. or theGoldenKnights opponents’ best players, of thepuck,andstifling gural game in Dallas and rallied for a 6, whenthe Knights played theirinau- cane-like wave onthenightofOctober simply lendemotional support. give blood, donate food andwater, or itself intothecommunity, offeringto Golden Knights’organizationthrust days following the tragedy, the entire with similarovertures. Infact,inthe wives andgirlfriendsreachedouttoher do,” Deryksays. Melissa says theplayers’ to seewherestuff was, whatthey could morning, guyswerealreadytexting me to assist inany way needed.“The next quickly cametogether andvolunteered were just tryingtofigureitallout.” attended the concert that night that we I personallyknewsomany peoplewho on,”going Melissa recalls. “Derykand tersecting withthenext. “So muchwas the Engellands, withoneemotion in- back andsaid, ‘Ican’t talk,butI’m OK.’” Melissagot finallytheword: “She texted frantic hoursandcountlesstexts andcalls, she andDerykfirst met. Afterseveral who was with heratMcMullan’s thenight was attheconcert—Andrea,friend sheer panic:Sheknewoneofherfriends shooting was immediatelyfollowed by Melissa, theinitialshockofmass called LasVegas homethatnight.For moments thatwilllive withinallofuswho on. Now!’” Melissa just says tome,‘TurntheTV The latter wouldcomeinahurri- For theirpart,Deryk’s newteammates The next several days wereablurfor It’s oneofthoseWhere were you when? “I’m halfasleep,” Deryksays, “and .

DESERT COMPANION year ago. close to experiencing a they didn’teven come vicious circle, something collective psyche ina turn, impact the Knights’ base —whichcould, in through thenew fan games could sendpanic or arough patch of playoffs. Atough start have to make itto the the Knightsessentially Conference Champions, Division andWestern As thedefending Pacific Things are different now. KB

65 2-1 victory that raised the spirit of an entire community. “I think everyone in that locker room knew we had to come GRACE out and try to win that game for Las (AND GRIT) Vegas,” Engelland says. “But I don’t think we knew to the extent it would help.” Another 2-1 road victory — this one TOMAS UNDER out in training in overtime against the Arizona Coyotes NOSEK #92 PRESSURE camp to see Nosek was a who’ll make the — followed the next night, setting the stalwart on the The Knights to team — and stage for a Knights-Coyotes rematch at Golden Knights’ who will head T-Mobile Arena three nights later. excellent fourth Watch This Season either to the line last year — AHL, or out of that’s the tough town complete- group of “pests” ly. Reaves is To the families and friends of the victims, and enforcers the much more know that we’ll do everything we can to whose tussling, physical There’s a spot open on experienced player and help you and our city heal. play gives offensive the defensive third line just signed a pretty teammates a chance to for the Golden Knights, strong contract, but Golden Knights’ game-day rest. This year, he has a and Carr could fill it in a Carrier has a bit more THE chance to take a huge big way. speed and possibly more operations staff spent months step up in responsibility. upside. Odds are that planning a raucous celebration for the If he performs well in ERIK Reaves wins the job, but October 10 home opener. But after the BRANNSTROM #26 training camp, he might if Carrier has a great shooting, those plans, at least for open- find himself playing as The diminutive defense- camp season, there high as the offensive, man whom the Golden could be a very tough ing night, were scrapped. Rather than goal-focused second Knights selected in the decision for Knights GM pomp and circumstance, pregame fes- line. Nosek was one of first round of the 2017 George McPhee. tivities would include honoring the 58 Vegas’ best players in draft is one of the few victims who lost their lives and recog- the Stanley Cup final, Vegas draft picks with BACKUP nizing survivors and first responders. and has shown an ability a legitimate shot of GOALIE SPOT to score as well as play playing in the NHL this The Golden Knights' As the plan evolved, Eric Tosi, the sound defense. Last season. He’s unlikely to starter is about as team’s vice president of communications year was full of “Golden make it on the big club locked in as can be and content, approached the only play- Misfits.” This year, they out of training camp, with Marc-Andre Fleury, er on the roster with ties to Las Vegas need to find misfits but if he can prove but the backup goalie among the misfits, and himself enough to head position is wide open. and asked him to close the ceremony by Nosek might be that to the AHL, he’ll likely Malcolm Subban held addressing the crowd. Engelland was guy. make an appearance the spot for the major- reticent. Then he asked his wife. Her in the NHL soon after. ity of last season, but response: “You should probably do that.” DANIEL CARR #43 Brannstrom is a joy to multiple injuries leave Deryk and Melissa worked with Tosi’s Carr has a similar watch, and keeps fans some room for worry. It story as many Golden on the edge of their should be a two-horse staff on the wording, and once they got Knights, except he’s seats. He might make an race with Oscar Dansk that down, they practiced it. Over and coming to the team one incredible pass to set up and Subban, but Max over. year later than every- an amazing goal — or Lagace took strides a “I told him, ‘You need to memorize one else. A free-agent he might turn the puck year ago, and got the this speech. It also needs to be something acquisition from the over in his own end. call as the backup in the Montreal Canadiens, Don’t expect to see #26 Stanley Cup final. Sub- that’s poignant and straight to the point Carr has shown an ex- on the ice in Vegas early ban remains the most and that can hold the attention of 18,000 cellent scoring instinct on, but he could be a athletic of the three; people,’” Melissa says. “Sometimes when when given a chance. In late-season addition Dansk has all the tools I fell asleep, I would dream it, because every league leading up who could change the but has never really we went over it so many times.” to the NHL, he’s scored makeup of an already gotten an opportunity; nearly a point (goal or good team. and Lagace leads the At least she slept. assist) per game. In the bunch in experience. “It’s the only thing that was going NHL he started out hot, WILLIAM The craziest part of this through my mind for three or four days,” CARRIER (#28) but cooled off as he battle: The two who Deryk says. “I’d lie in bed and couldn’t settled in with the Can- VS. RYAN don’t make the team adiens. He has high-end REAVES (#75) will both be subject to fall asleep.” offensive upside, and There probably isn’t waivers — which means The practice paid off. Deryk delivered it may have just never room on the roster for they could be stolen the 74-word speech smoothly and sin- shown due to his lineup both of these bruisers in from VGK for absolutely cerely, and everyone was impressed. placement in Montreal. 2018-19. They’ll battle it nothing in return. KB That includes the crowd, which offered a rousing ovation; the opponent (“Every Arizona player tapped me on the shin pads and said, ‘Unbelievable job!’”); his

66 DESERT COMPANION . OCTOBER 2018 DESERTCOMPANION.VEGAS general manager (“It could not have been done better”); and his wife (“I was very proud—it was amazing”). The responsibilities didn’t end with that speech, of course. There was still a game to play — make that a game to win. “Once the ceremony was done,” Deryk says, “everyone knew we had a job to do.” And, boy, did they do it: In the first 10 minutes, 42 seconds, the Knights tallied four goals en route to a 5-2 blowout victory. The second goal? It came off the stick of the guy not paid to put the puck in the net. “That was probably the most excited I’ve ever been for a goal,” Deryk says. “Everyone in our locker room knew we were winning that game. And it wasn’t about getting two points (in the stand- ings) like it normally would be, or beat- ing a desert rival. It was all about winning for the city.” It was a win that gave the NHL’s new- Strong words: Shortly after October 1, an est team a 3-0 record. A win that will be YOU know the rest of the story: emotional Engelland addresses fans at the remembered as the launching point for The 2017-18 Vegas Golden Knights' first-ever home game. Knights set dozens of records on their way to the greatest season by an expan- last year. And I’m pretty sure I can speak sion franchise in the history of profes- for every guy in that locker room that YOU NEED TO sional sports — one that fell three vic- we want to finish it this year.” MEMORIZE THIS tories short of the Stanley Cup. Along Now 36, Engelland says he wants to SPEECH. IT ALSO the way, the team unified the commu- play “as long as I can.” McPhee sounds NEEDS TO BE nity to the point that you can’t turn two optimistic: “He’s a tremendously fit SOMETHING corners in this valley without seeing a athlete and a very good player. We may THAT’S POIGNANT Golden Knights sticker, cap, shirt, or get many more years out of him than AND STRAIGHT license-plate frame. Deryk and Melissa we anticipated.” TO THE POINT Engelland’s adopted hometown has Eventually, though, the end will come. AND THAT CAN turned into a hockey town — one the And while he says he hasn’t given his HOLD THE Canadian player walked through anon- post-playing career much thought, En- ATTENTION OF ymously for 14 years. No longer. gelland is certain of two things: He wants 18,000 PEOPLE “Before I started playing for the to somehow remain involved with the Knights, if I went to the hockey rink, Knights’ organization, and absolutely will the kids would know who you were,” remain part of the Las Vegas community. Deryk says. “But that was it.” “Once hockey’s done, I’m sure we’ll what turned out to be a magical season. Counters Melissa: “I don’t ever once go elsewhere in July and August,” he “Not only did we come out and score remember anyone recognizing us in Las says with a laugh. “But, no, this will be four goals right away and give people Vegas before this year!” home, for sure.” something to cheer about, but it set the As the Golden Knights embark on The gal he met at an Irish pub 17 years tone for the rest of the year,” Engelland their second season this month, they ago wholly concurs. “Vegas has probably says. “That building was amazing that do so with some new faces and without been who we are for a long time,” Me- night and for every game after it.” some old ones. Such is how the cogs in lissa says. “We couldn’t be happier.” “The game and the days leading up to the professional sports machine turn Oh, one last thing about that speech the game didn’t matter,” McPhee says. these days. But Engelland says his and — the one Deryk had to be coaxed into “The ceremony mattered. And it went his teammates’ expectations remain the giving, the one that will forever live in so well and so right that, when it was same: Pick up those three additional Golden Knights lore, the one that has over, you could really feel all of the wins and hoist the Stanley Cup. more than a quarter-million YouTube emotion building. And for the first time, “Is there an unfinished-business el- views. He ended it with these four words: I said to myself, ‘We’ve got to win this ement to this season? For sure, 100 We are … Vegas strong. game. And we have to keep on winning percent,” he says. “We want to win it all, And he ended it in precisely …

COURTESY OF THE VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS OF THE VEGAS COURTESY to help this community.’” and so do 30 other teams. We got a taste 58 seconds.

OCTOBER 2018 . DESERT COMPANION 67 GETTING MEDIEVAL How I became a Vegas Golden Knights fan, one ecstatic tribal cheer at a time

BY ANDREW KIRALY ILLUSTRATION BY CHRIS MORRIS

IT WAS the Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals between the Vegas Golden Knights and Winnipeg Jets — tonight’s winner would advance one step closer to the Stanley Cup. I was perched in the press box at T-Mobile Arena, trying mightily to maintain some semblance of journalistic composure as my limbic system started losing its shit. The game hadn’t even started yet. It was the intro part where there’s lots of amplified bluster and blinding, sweeping lights, and blazing celebrity heads on the video cube. The Jets were already swirling around the rink. Then the emcee thundered the name of the Vegas Golden Knights — and this gigantic uterine medieval helmet disgorged in traffic I saw a Knights bumper sticker, and I reflexively smiled. the team onto the ice. The arena roared. The clamor was choral, Bumper stickers typically foist a binary on you: You either agree seismic. It was living myth. It was rousing spectacle. It was one of with my views or you’re wrong. You’re either in my tribe or you’re the most transcendently dumb things I ever saw, and I nearly wept the enemy. Traffic jams — all those stickers — can turn into a freaky with joy and gratitude. On May 18, I became a hockey fan. tensor field of cognitive nausea. But you can’t intellectually disagree I always had a unilateral grudge against sports. I grew up in an with a Knights sticker, or a Jets sticker, or even a Raiders sticker. obscure and puritanical religious cult called punk rock. I considered (Okay, maybe a Raiders sticker.) organized religion, organized sports, or organized anything to be forms It wasn’t long before I was watching the Stanley Cup Finals at my of a dangerous tribalism that was an atavistic regression from my neighborhood bar — and the I melted into a hooting, shouting we. noble utopian project of, I can’t even remember, worldwide vegan Inevitably, the beauty of the game came into focus. What at first socialism or something. (The only true sport was skateboarding, looked like men covered in diapers swashbuckling with toothpicks because it wasn’t a sport. It was the anti-matter of sports.) And, I resolved itself into a visceral ballet: the offensive line’s tactical bursts mean, plus, look around! Tribalism is winning everywhere: in presi- into liquid speed, the surgical slams, the graceful snipes and wrap- dential elections, on rage-pundit political programs, on nutty con- arounds, the amoebal passing frenzy toward a score — yes, that spiracy subreddits and 4chan boards. The internet was supposed to quantum cat’s-cradle puck-shuffling at the opponent’s goal, andoh be a crystal palace of informed dialogue and indulgent weltgeist; instead, wow how you feel your brain pushing against your skull as you find it’s become a giant panoptical fly eyeball through which we magnify yourself telekinetically willing the puck into the net— and multiply our grievances. No tribalism for me, kthanksbye! As a lifelong Las Vegan, I thought myself immune to team spirit. But there was something about the fabulous and harmless Our city’s transience and perpetual nowness suggested the immu- silliness of grown men dressed in Transformers drag wielding nity was constitutional or chromosomal, and therefore proper. improbably dainty sticks in pursuit of a spastic chiclet of rubber Weirdly, though, the Vegas Golden Knights’ instaneity and artifici- that reminded me there can be such a thing as a benign, and even ality — a construction as arbitrary and sudden as a Strip casino — make positive, tribalism. It reminded me that fandom, while always them a quintessentially Las Vegas team. So: See you at the barn, arbitrary at its source, can be fundamentally affirmative. One day hosers! I think that’s one of the phrases. I’m still learning.

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Reu nion Many kinds of heroes emerged on the night of October 1. A year later, victims and rescuers find themselves redefining heroism in post-tragedy Las Vegas.

by Heidi Kyser

OCTOBER 2018 . DESERT COMPANION | 71 Clinical counselor Dan Ficalora During press conferences following the shooting, Metro Police Chief Joe Lombardo somehow manages to both lean also mentioned civilians’ considerable in, perched urgently on the edge contribution to the rescue effort; officers’ of his desk chair, and yet convey body-camera footage, released during the a bottomless well of patience: eight months after the shooting, confirmed it. In a video titled “The Ordinary Heroes “There’s nothing positive about of the Oct. 1 Las Vegas Shooting,” the Las this,” he says. “Even the person Vegas Review-Journal compiled a selection who maybe saved 15 lives — he’s of moments from that footage showing happy he did it, but he’s not happy non-uniformed individuals approaching officers and asking how they could help. that he had to do it. To find a silver One such person was Devin Gray, who lining is very difficult, because it’s was at Route 91 with his mom, brother, and overall a very negative situation.” a close friend. A well-trained gun owner, The remark snaps me out of a soothing stupor induced Gray recognized more quickly than many others that they were being shot at and what by the soft light and overstuffed couch of Ficalora’s to do. Keeping everybody’s head down, he standard talk therapy space. I’ve come to his office at shepherded his family out of the venue and Bridge Counseling Associates, next door to Metro’s into the parking lot where his truck was sprawling police headquarters on Alta Boulevard, to get parked. Along the way, Gray and his family C encountered a young woman, Taylor Barr, a psychotherapist’s perspective on rescue and reunion, and her parents. Barr was shot in the arm a prevalent phenomenon resulting from the Route 91 and bleeding badly. (The father was also Harvest Festival shooting a year ago. Like many journalists shot in the foot, although they didn’t notice covering the massacre, I’ve heard countless stories of it until later.) After getting his own family to his truck, Gray drove back around to where victims reconnecting with the people who saved them Barr and her parents were. Gray’s family that night, sometimes forging strong bonds. I’m curious helped them into the back of the pickup, about the role that those connections have played in both drove through snarled traffic on Interstate individual and communal recovery. Ficalora reminds me 15, and — with the help of a State Police escort — to UMC. Although they waited at that, no matter how you frame it — and despite the alluring the hospital for some time, Gray and his impulse to just move on — this is not a feel-good story. family had to leave before learning Barr So, let’s start there. and her parents’ fate. In the wake of the shooting, private social media groups for Route 91 survivors sprang ‘I WISH I COULD’VE SAVED MORE’ On October 1, 2017, Stephen Paddock up. During the week following October 1st, used an arsenal he’d assembled in a 32nd-floor suite of Mandalay Bay casino to fire Gray started getting an unusually high on a crowd of 22,000 people who were enjoying the festival’s final act on the concert number of friend requests and messages grounds below his window. He killed 58 of them and injured 869, creating a horrifically on Facebook. In a survivor group, someone chaotic scene that has since been replayed in myriad interviews and videos. tagged him #LVHero. A mother had created By the following day, a narrative of heroism amid the chaos had emerged. In the a “Wanted” poster looking for the person news media, witnesses described how first responders, security guards, event staff, and who’d saved her stepdaughter’s life. The

laypeople carried victims to safety, drove them to hospitals, used articles of clothing poster found its way to Gray, who recognized LOCHER AP/JOHN 1 AFTERMATH: AP; OCTOBER IMAGES: CAMERA BODY to bandage their wounds and stanch their bleeding, performed CPR, and even stayed with them while they died — accounts similar to those summarized in FEMA’s After-Action Report, issued two months ago: Civilians were heavily involved in providing first aid to victims — making makeshift tourniquets out of belts and transporting patients to local hospitals in privately owned vehicles. They provided festival attendees with food, blankets, and offers to house people. … The high numbers of wounded, as well as the volume of fleeing concertgoers, created challenges for first responders trying to quickly access the scene. Without emergency medical care, the first aid provided by concertgoers served an essential life-saving function for some victims.

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It was easy for the two himself in the description: This was the family he drove to UMC that night. Soon families to Gray: I guess. But there were his and Barr’s families were talking on the phone. mesh, and other people who could’ve used “That was a huge relief,” Gray says. “I was having serious emotional a ride to the hospital. There were problems until then. After I got the news from them, it was like a huge weight Gray feels people who bled to death. … But had been lifted.” bound to for Taylor’s sake, we had to get The two families now check in with each other regularly. They had their Barr for out. She could’ve been No. 59. first in-person reunion at Barr’s home in Southern California in February, and they’ve gotten together a couple other times since then. They’re planning life — as if The connection between to meet up in Las Vegas for the events marking one year since the shooting. she’s the Gray’s and Barr’s families Gray says it was easy for the two families to mesh, and he feels bound to Barr sister he continues this process: Those for life, as if she’s the sister he never had before. who survived horror and According to Ficalora, who specializes in treating trauma, uplifting stories never had. death together reunite to like these can help to disrupt PTSD’s painful memory loop. People can’t remember those who weren’t delete memories of their trauma, but they can teach themselves to invoke so lucky and to remind one positive memories related to the trauma and substitute them for the bad ones. another that they’re okay. In doing so, In Gray’s case, for example, having saved Barr helps diminish the guilt he feels for they reaffirm life. not saving more people — a form of survivor’s guilt that Ficalora says is widely shared among his October 1 patients. Here’s how that thought process plays out: ‘I FEEL BAD ABOUT THAT ALL THE Gray: I know I could have helped other people if I’d taken my time, but bullets were flying. If I TIME’ Gray insists that he’s not a hero. The could go back, I’d help other people, but until I made it to the truck, I couldn’t risk my family rest of society insists that he is. By October getting hurt. … I feel like I was being selfish. I could’ve done more, I should’ve done more. 2, one day after the shooting, cable and TV Me: But you saved seven people, including yourself. news networks were already airing tearful

Left, body camera images released by Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department show concertgoers attending to the fallen. Above, a scene from the aftermath of October 1.

OCTOBER 2018 . DESERT COMPANION | 73 encounters between the rescued and their rescuers. Many used words like “guardian the time. William told me, ‘Babe, give that angel” and “savior.” In one such segment, on The Today Show, anchor Savannah Guthrie first-aid kit to her. We can’t use it.’ I did it says, “A story like this makes us remember who we really are.” because my husband is such a good-hearted Is that who we really are? I asked cultural critic and University of Massachusetts person, but to me, it was her taking something professor Kirby Farrell, who recently wrote the article “A Psychology of Rescue,” away from my husband. There were so many excerpted from his latest book, A Swim in Denial, for Psychology Today. people stopping to help other people, and all “Humans are the only creatures who, as far as we know, are aware of the limitations that I was thinking about was helping my of life,” Farrell says. “We’re all, as it were, destined to die. One way we cope with this husband. I don’t hold it against anyone who is to devise cultures that seem to protect or shelter us. So, for example, everywhere didn’t help me, because I don’t know what you look you see monuments to special or larger-than-life meaning. You can see it in they were going through. You never know.” politics, in religion, in law, and so on.” Was someone running for his life because In other words, rescue is mutual. The person who is saved slips the bonds of mor- without him a child would be parentless? tality, and the one who does the saving is immortalized with a statue — or, according Was he running to a car so he could come to current custom, in the media. back for a loved one? Was he simply in shock? But, Farrell adds, there’s a dark side to heroism, too. For instance, in Munchausen As Kimberly points out, no one truly knows Syndrome by Proxy, a caregiver attributes an imaginary sickness to his charge in order how he would respond in a crisis until he’s to justify administering care. In the case of October 1, it’s subtler. The emphasis on there; nor does he know what’s in the hearts heroism can inadvertently suggest a contrasting class of villains. Think of it this way: If and minds of others as they respond. This heroes restore our faith in humanity, then do those who run for their lives diminish it? insight into the subtleties of human nature “I saw a different type of humanity that night,” says Route 91 survivor Kimberly can get lost in conversations about heroics. King. “I saw guys climbing over their wives to escape, and I saw other guys taking Asked what determines who stops to help bullets for their wives. People react differently, you know.” and who saves himself, Ficalora says both Like everyone who was there, Kimberly King has complicated feelings about what are natural reactions. “The more unnatural happened that night. She and her husband, William King, were about 100 feet from the thing would be to run toward danger,” he main stage when the shooting began. During the sixth volley, a bullet struck William in says. “Those who did that or stopped to the back and exited his chest below the collarbone. The couple fled the concert grounds help others, that would be less natural than and made it to the Tropicana Hotel, taking refuge in an open back-of-house department those who ran for their lives.” along with many others. A stranger named Joey Nolan, an ex-Marine, came to their Ficalora adds that the impulse to stop and aid, plugging the hole in William’s chest with his thumb. Nolan’s wife, Paola, calmed help may come from past training — as with Kimberly as she frantically looked for help. This came in the form of a Lyft, driven by the many October 1st rescuers who were Paloma Solamente, who got the group of four to Sunrise Hospital. A client of Kimberly’s also helped carry William to safety. The Kings have kept in touch with their rescuers and gone to great lengths to thank them for helping to save William’s life. They flew the Nolans from Southern California to Las Vegas and spent a weekend together celebrating their new lease on life. They arranged to have Solamente, who suffers severe PTSD, treated to a restorative trip overseas by her employer. But there’s more than just heroics to this story. “In the beginning, no one helped us,” Kimberly remembers. “When I was finally able to speak — because I wasn’t able to speak until William was shot and he needed help — I started grabbing people and asking for help. When they saw the blood, they would run because they saw it was real.” She’s not proud of her own behavior at times that night, either. After a Tropicana worker brought the Kings a first-aid kit, William suggested that Kimberly give it to Nurse Sydney Patton, facing camera, hugs an October 1 a nearby young woman with an injured leg. survivor at a gathering at Spring Valley Hospital on Decem- “I threw that first-aid kit at her,” Kimberly ber 8. Right, memorial objects after the shooting; far right, says, through tears. “I feel bad about that all people pray as workers remove a memorial on November 12.

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“There is one person who’s ex-military, off-duty law enforcement, and first responders — or from a responsible for are people in need of help ev- sense of duty, as with the security guards and event staff. But not everyone what happened erywhere you look in Las Vegas. has that experience to draw from. They may not be bleeding, but This, he stresses, is the critical thing to remember: “There’s one person that night. they’re suffering in other ways, who’s responsible for what happened that night. Everyone else was a victim Everyone else unable to work, get counseling, or tried to make the situation better however they could.” or pay the rent; paralyzed by fear, was a victim or grief, and guilt. tried to make “It’s sad that there’s so much ‘I CAN TELL YOU WHAT EACH PERSON WAS WEARING’ the situation going on right now, so much Not everyone who rejects the hero label does so out of humility. For better however negativity,” says William King. others, such as Jason Price, the specter of loss looms so large that it “I don’t know if the world is overwhelms everything else. they could.” smaller because of communi- Price is a Gulf War veteran and former police officer. Because he and cation, but it seems like there’s his girlfriend work in the entertainment business, they were backstage always a shooting. Every day is when the shooting began. Price rushed his girlfriend and a couple acquaintances they a roller coaster. There are a lot of triggers. … were with into one of the production trailers parked behind the stage. As the group But so many people have done great things huddled under tables inside the truck, Price connected to a police scanner app and for us and our family. When I get down I learned that towels and tape were needed under the stage, where victims were being think about that.” treated. He grabbed an armful of concert T-shirts and a couple rolls of industrial The Kings point to survivor Shawna Bart- tape from the trailer and ran out, through gunfire, to deliver the makeshift bandage lett as an example of someone who’s shown equipment. In less than a quarter-hour, he’d make another trip back to the bus for her heroism in the aftermath of October 1. more T-shirts and tape, and end up, with his girlfriend, in an impromptu triage set Bartlett is vice president of the Love Wins up on Giles Street. EMTs divided the more than 30 wounded people who were being nonprofit that helps families affected by the lined up on the street among the volunteers who’d stepped up to help with triage, shooting. She’s also an administrator of the including Price. He assisted four people, none of whom survived. Route 91 survivor social-media groups and “It’s something that I’ll never forget,” he says. “I can tell you what each person has organized several IRL reunions. There was wearing. I can tell you what the ones who were still alive were saying to me. You was a big one planned for September 29, can never take that away. … Nobody lived, but later on — it sounds crazy — but if you marking one year since the shooting. were the last voice that they heard and they had somebody there who was talking to “When I looked around (at the first re- them, there’s some comfort in that. I was holding hands, trying CPR, but also talking union) and saw everybody laughing and to them and looking in their eyes. I don’t know if I’ve come to terms with everything enjoying each other’s company, I realized personally ... I wish I had a good feel-good story for you, but I don’t.” that at that moment, we weren’t thinking Price says October 1 shook him much more than anything he encountered in the about what he did to us that night,” Bartlett military or law enforcement, where he was prepared for and expected danger. Seeing says. She chokes up, continuing: “When revelry suddenly turn to carnage has robbed him, like countless others, of his sense of people ask why we want it to be just us, it’s security. In December, a therapist told him he was showing 11 of the 12 signs of PTSD. because others don’t realize what we’re going Slowly, though, he’s recovering. He says the faces of those he tried to help haunt him through, that we’re jittery and looking for less. He sleeps better. Counseling has helped, but the best support comes from his a way out wherever we go. … Other friends girlfriend, because she lived through the ordeal with him and can truly understand and family who knew us before that night what he’s going through. The couple joined a local hiking group, resisting the urge to don’t understand. It’s easy to be with people isolate themselves and, instead, finding refuge in nature and the company of others. who get it. When it’s just us you can say, ‘If Price says he never joined one of the Route 91 survivor groups, however. He felt the you need a hug, I’m here for you.’ Our family less he heard or talked about the situation, the better. I ask, “What if a loved one of and friendships have grown so much. It was someone whose hand you held while they were dying is looking for you to say thank a night that strangers became friends, and you?” He says he honestly hadn’t thought of that. What he did, in his mind, is not heroic. heroes became family.”

PATTON: AP/ REGINA GARCIA CANO; MEMORIAL: AP/GREGORY BULL; WORKERS: AP/JOHN LOCHER AP/JOHN BULL; WORKERS: CANO; MEMORIAL: AP/GREGORY REGINA GARCIA AP/ PATTON: “You talk to people and, of course, they have your best interests in mind, but they’d Given the one-year reminder, mental be like, ‘Oh my god, you’re a hero!’” he says. “And I’d tell them I appreciate them saying health professionals are urging the com- that, but please don’t say it again. munity to be extra aware of and sensitive Initially, that was my mindset: to the strong feelings that may come up. A hero saves somebody.” “As the date comes back, we want to encourage people to prepare,” Ficalora says. “Recognize that it’s coming, prepare WE CAN BE HEROES In for the stress and the memories, and find a a way, it’s not too late for Price way that you can commemorate it, whether — or anyone else — to rescue that’s lighting a candle or going to a rally or someone or be rescued from the being on the news. Do what it takes to make nightmare of October 1. There you feel like you’re making a difference.” ✦

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band. They’ll start this season with a look back at 25 77 years of musical magic. 2P, free. Main Theater at Clark County Li- The brary, lvccld.org OCT. 10 Jazz Ensemble Guide II and the Con- temporary Jazz Ensemble ▼ Theater at Clark Part of the UNLV County Library, Jazz Concert Se- ART lvccld.org ries, this interna- tionally recognized THROUGH DEC. OCT. 5–6 group will perform 16 Landau Eugene several pieces. VESSEL: Ceram- Murphy Jr. 7P, free. Main ics of Ancient Salutes Sinatra Theater at Clark West Mexico and the Magic of County Library, The exhibition Motown lvccld.org is organized by The sixth-season shape; visitors are America’s Got OCT. 10 invited to con- Talent winner The Composers template how the performs standards Belly Bliss Showcase of Las form of each vessel and soul classics. Vegas Providing nurturing mind and body care for informs both prac- 7P, $37–$45. Local musicians women and their families before, during tical use and com- Myron’s Cabaret and performers and after pregnancy. Belly Bliss offers the municates ideas Jazz at The Smith present new songs of power, identity, Center, thesmith by up-and-coming best prenatal treatments in Las Vegas! Our and belief. Free. center.com and established spa technicians are specially trained and Barrick Museum songwriters. licensed in prenatal care. In addition, we of Art at UNLV, OCT. 6 10:30P, $20–$25. proudly carry pregnancy safe and doctor unlv.edu Rachel Tyler Myron’s Cabaret approved skin care and body products. — Broads from Jazz at The Smith THROUGH Center, thesmith Looking for classes? We offer a variety to Broadway DEC. 31 A musical cele- center.com suit your needs. Education is key and the Nevada Reflec- bration explor- best way to build confidence and ensure tions: The Silver ing Broadway’s OCT. 12 healthy living and positivity during and State in Black greatest divas Bassett Brothers and their iconic after your pregnancy. and White Guitar Concert Photographer performances. 2P, The Bassetts are Cody Brothers free. Performing identical twins Gift certificates are available for any service presents a photo Arts Center at whose guitar or denomination, and are a perfect gift for essay of many of Windmill Library, performances the holidays! the water resourc- lvccld.org showcase a wide es within the state range of music of Nevada. Free OCT. 6 from medieval 5761 South Fort Apache, for members or Psycho to Metallica. 6P, 2nd Floor Las Vegas NV 89148 with paid gen- The classic Hitch- free. Jewel Box 702.597.5158 eral admission. cock film will be Theater at Clark , presented with the County Library, Desertperinatalspa.com springspreserve. Las Vegas Philhar- lvccld.org org monic performing Bernard Hermann’s OCT. 12 ▼ score. 7P, Pre- Mandy Harvey show discussion The deaf sing- MUSIC at 6:30P, $30– er-songwriter was $109. Reynolds a finalist on NBC’s OCT. 5 Hall at The Smith America’s Got Tal- ¡Viva el Maria- Center, thesmith ent. 7P, $35–$45. chi! center.com Myron’s Cabaret Celebrate Hispanic Jazz at The Smith Heritage Month OCT. 7 Center, thesmith with an evening of Las Vegas Brass center.com popular mariachi Band’s 25th music performed Anniversary OCT. 13 by the talented Concert An Evening with young mariachi Professional and J.D. Souther musicians from amateur musicians The legendary sing- Clark County from all walks er-songwriter has School District. of life form this penned hits for the 7P, free. Main British-style brass Eagles and Linda

OCTOBER 2018 . DESERT COMPANION | 77 The Guide

Ronstadt as well as OCT. 21 himself, including Pasquale Esposito 2018-2019 SEASON “You’re Only Lonely.” Celebrates Italian 7P, $39–$59. Piazzas Myron’s Cabaret The tenor dedicates Jazz at The Smith songs to the most Center, thesmith beautiful piazzas GABRIEL ROYAL center.com (public squares) in Friday, October 12, 2018 • 7:30 p.m. Italy. 7P, $65–$85. OCT. 14 Myron’s Cabaret $50 · $40 · $30 · $20 ¡Latin Fiesta! — Jazz at The Smith Opera Las Vegas Center, thesmith Singer-songwriter and cellist, Gabriel In honor of Hispanic center.com Royal, plays his “grown-up lullabies” Heritage Month, this presentation is OCT. 26 in New York’s subways, where he a tribute to opera Sade vs. Badu - connects to his inspiration: New York’s superstars Placi- A Night of Bullet- do Domingo, José proof Soul commuters. But, you can hear his jazzy, Carreras, and others. This popular party poppy brand of crossover right here in 3P, $35–$50. includes flips, re- Myron’s Cabaret mixes, and original Las Vegas. Jazz at The Smith tracks by Sade and Center, thesmith Erykah Badu with center.com selectors Mr. E, Cut- so, and special guest OCT. 16 The Whooligan. 18+ Journey Through only. 11P, $10–$15. Jazz — Hispanic Brooklyn Bowl at Heritage Month The Linq, brooklyn Hosted by saxo- bowl.com phonist and UNLV assistant professor OCT. 26–27 Adam Schroeder, it’s Bob James an all-ages, commu- The respected nity-based concert contemporary jazz series engaging, keyboardist per- encouraging, and forms his originals showcasing jazz in spanning decades. an interactive and Fri 7P; Sat 6P and educational setting. 8:30P, $39–$64. GRISHA GORYACHEV 7P, free. Audito- Myron’s Cabaret Friday, October 5, 2018 • 7:30 p.m. • $45 rium at Windmill Jazz at The Smith Library, lvccld.org Center, thesmith Sponsored by the center.com Lawrence Livingston Downs Trust OCT. 18 “Homeland” OCT. 30 Reviving the tradition of solo, concert, From America to Night of The Austria Living Dead with flamenco guitar, prize-winner Goryachev is The Las Vegas original live score renowned for his musical sensitivity and Academy band, by Morricone choir, and orchestra Youth virtuosity. perform the music Formed in NYC in of Austrian and 1999, the band still American compos- follows its mission to ers. 7P, $15–$100. compose, re-inter- HERMITAGE PIANO TRIO Reynolds Hall at pret, perform, and Tuesday, October 23, 2018 • 7:30 p.m. • $30 The Smith Center, record music written thesmithcenter. for the moving A UNLV Chamber Music Society Concert com image. 21+ only. 6P, $10. Brooklyn Violinist Misha Keylin, cellist OCT. 19–20 Bowl at The Linq, Sergey Antonov, and pianist Ilya The Brothers brooklynbowl.com Brown Kazantsev perform works from This American NOV. 4 Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninov, and roots band is led Las Vegas Brass by two men: one Band: A Salute to Shostakovich. a keyboardist, the Veterans other a guitarist and The talented, Brit- singer, both named ish-style brass band Paul Brown. 7P, celebrates veterans $39–$55. Myron’s with special music. 702-895-2787 .unlv.edu Cabaret Jazz at 2P, free. Main The Smith Center, Theater at Clark thesmithcenter. County Library, Although unanticipated, artists, dates, and times are subject to change without notice. com lvccld.org

78 | DESERT COMPANION . OCTOBER 2018 DESERTCOMPANION.VEGAS Channel10

▼ Indian classical mu- THEATER & sician has performed COMEDY at the most presti- gious concert halls, OCT. 9–14 music festivals, and Waitress universities world- A new Broadway wide. 7P, $35–$55. musical hit brought Myron’s Cabaret to life by an all-fe- Jazz at The Smith male creative team, Center, thesmith telling the story of a center.com waitress who dreams her way out of a NOV. 3 loveless marriage and Glass, Mozart, small town. Tue–Sun & Bach 7:30P; Sat–Sun 2P, The Las Vegas Phil- $36–$127. Reynolds harmonic presents Hall at The Smith Mozart’s Overture To Center, thesmith Cosi Van Tutte and center.com Symphony No. 40 in G Minor, Glass’s OCT. 20 Piano Concerto No. Poldark, Season 4 The Spooktacular 3, and Bach’s Con- Special with LVIP certo for Keyboard on Masterpiece Spooky, scary, and No. 7 in G Minor. funny, the Las Vegas 7:30P, $30–$109. Sundays at 9 p.m., beginning September 30 Improvisational Reynolds Hall at Players make up their The Smith Center, fun, kid-friendly show thesmithcenter. on the spot, based on com the audience’s sug- gestions. 7P, $10; $5 ▼ kids, seniors, and military. Show Cre- FAMILY & ators Studio, 4455 FESTIVALS W. Sunset Road, lvimprov.com OCT. 12–28 Haunted Harvest NOV. 2–4 The family-friendly Eclipsed event features trick- Their lives set on a or-treat stations, nightmarish detour carnival games, a by civil war, the maze and petting captive wives of a zoo, monster train- Liberian rebel officer ing, craft activities, form a hardscrabble live entertainment, Native America sisterhood. Fri –Sat food vendors, and NOVA: Volatile Earth 7P; Sat 2P; Sun 3P, much more. Fri–Sun Tuesdays at 9 p.m., $39. Troesh Studio 5P–9P, $8; children Wednesday, October 10 at 9 p.m. beginning October 23 Theater at The 2 and younger Smith Center, the free. Springs Pre- smithcenter.com serve, springs preserve.org ▼ ▼ DANCE FUNDRAISERS OCT. 7, 13–14 A Choreogra- OCT. 21 phers’ Showcase Mimosas & The showcase de- Mozart buts dozens of bold Notes with a new works filled with Purpose hosts this athleticism, grace, benefit brunch-con- and kinetic move- cert that includes ment. 1P, $25–$45. classical and jazz Mystère Theatre musicians, five chefs, FRONTLINE: at Treasure Island and four cock- Hotel & Casino, tail bars. 10:30A, Nature: Super Cats The Facebook Dilemma nevadaballet.org $50–$125. Domsky Wednesdays at 8 p.m., Part 1: Monday, October 29 at 10 p.m. Glass, 2758 S. beginning October 24 Part 2: Tuesday, October 30 at 10 p.m. NOV. 2 Highland Drive, Ustad Shafaat noteswith Khan — East apurpose.org Meets West VegasPBS.org • 3050 E Flamingo Road, Las Vegas, NV 89121 • 702.799.1010 The world-renowned

OCTOBER 2018 . DESERT COMPANION | 79 80 END NOTE LIQUID COURAGE

A marijuana novice tries the latest pot product: cannabeer. Its measured mellowness signals an industry moving beyond its stoner roots

BY Kristy Totten

he guy at the counter says I look later he’s clearly feeling it. Redness creeps have embraced it as well. Two Roots from like an expert. I am definitely into his eyes and his smile droops a little. He San Diego is the first cannabeer to be sold T not an expert. I’m a weed-shy says it tastes good but he doubts the THC locally, and its website makes it sound like lightweight who gets anxiety at is brewed into the beer. It’s more likely, he a panacea. “Non-alcoholic beer is good for the idea of getting high. It was fun when I insists, that a liquid psychoactive is added you,” marketing materials say. “Filled with was younger, back in the days of impotent later. He repeats this hypothesis a couple electrolytes and carbohydrates, in some dirt weed, but now it’s all hyper-crystal- of times and I ask why it matters. He shrugs. senses it’s more closely related to a sports lized, lab-perfected stuff that glows in the Weed beer isn’t new necessarily, but drink. Unlike alcohol, no damaged brain dark and makes you levitate. Smoking pot it’s new to the state and it’s expected to cells and no hangovers!” now forces every life choice I’ve ever made grow in popularity. Cannabeer represents I take two sips, and go for a walk. It takes 5 under a microscope of self-loathing that a tiny share of the legal pot sales so far, to 7 minutes to kick in, and as I’m rounding takes a 10-hour nap and a sluggish half-day but old boys like Coors, Heineken and the corner, crickets begin to chirp and the to recover from. I’d choose a drink any day Corona are banking on it as beer sales de- streetlights grow a little brighter. The music of the week. cline across the nation, and craft breweries playing in my living room floats from the Turns out, they have that now — weed beer, speakers, crisp and catchier than I remem- or “cannabeer” as it’s called. It’s a low-THC, ber. I’m tempted to ask my dog if it’s just me, nearly non-alcoholic beverage that comes in but I’m afraid he’ll answer. I take two more familiar flavors like lager, stout and IPA. It sips and sink into a comfortable head change. made its Nevada debut in September, and I’m buzzed, but not incapacitated or anxious. it’s supposed to convert non-believers like I pick up a book and find myself completely me. I reluctantly agree to try it. absorbed. Maybe this is good for me? Aside from entering a nondescript It’s impressive that the industry has building and being detained in a small evolved so much that we now have room while a man behind bulletproof glass edible weed, drinkable weed and checks my ID, the dispensary experience even weed for people who don’t is surprisingly normal. Inside, it’s bright, even like weed. That modes of clean and the employees are supernatural- getting high are as varied as alcohol ly friendly. I choose the Two Roots brand choices, and probably say as much IPA at the budtender’s suggestion, and about you: Purple Urkle? Expert. drive to meet some friends. Watermelon gummy? Newbie “No way,” Tony says when I offer with a sweet tooth. Low-dose, him one. “Last time I had an edible non-alcoholic beer in a slender I was stoned for two days.” It’s not can? Kush-curious. an edible, it’s a drinkable, I assure I suspect cannabeer is more him, and it’ll be nice, I say as if I than a novelty or fad. It’s know what I’m talking about. He fast-acting and low-dose, and declines. So I push it on another it fills a distinct niche for the friend, one who’s already been emerging, broader market of drinking and is an admitted fan of recreational users: People the “crossfade,” a term for being who want to chill out, but drunk and high simultaneously. don’t necessarily want to He downs one, and five minutes levitate. ✦

80 | DESERT COMPANION . OCTOBER 2018 ILLUSTRATION Brent Holmes ONE-NIGHT-ONLY

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