Vegas TMI Podcast

Hear from two key staff members from the UNLV School of Nursing about the nursing shortage, what is being done to fix the nursing shortage, the education required for nursing and much more. Learn more about the Las Vegas Medical District: lasvegasmedicaldistrict.com

According to the National Low Income Housing Coalition, there is a shortage of rental homes affordable and available in Nevada for households whose incomes are at or below the poverty guideline; there are only 20 affordable and available rentals for every 100 extremely low-income renter household in Nevada. The data shows that there is a deficit of more than 100,000 affordable and available rental units in Southern Nevada. The Nevada Housing Coalition was created to develop strategies and goals to address the state’s affordable housing shortfall through community action and policy changes. We are joined by the Coalition’s Executive Director Christine Hess and board member Patrick Petrie from our very own city of Las Vegas Office of Community Services team.

On Aug. 16, 2021 the federal government, prompted by the low water levels in Lake Mead, issued a water shortage declaration on the Colorado River. In January 2022, Southern Nevada’s water allocation was reduced by 7 billion gallons, enough water to serve 45,000 homes This #WorldWaterDay we spoke with the Southern Nevada Water Authority about the community's allocation & conservation efforts. Learn more: https://www.lasvegasnevada.gov/News/Blog/Detail/lake-mead-water-shortage

People sometimes wonder if there is a homeless problem in Las Vegas. Like most communities there is but in this conversation on Twitter Spaces we hear from the city's Community Services Director and The Salvation Army on the many programs and services available to help the homeless like a homeless recuperative center, the new improved Homeless Courtyard, feeding and clothing the homeless, the MORE Outreach program , the Salvation Army and more. Learn more at lasvegasnevada.gov/homeless

The pandemic has continued to challenge how our children are being educated. However, community partnerships have emerged as a bright spot and helped transform these challenges into manageable circumstances for many students. We’re discussing how our community partners are all working to support students.

There are estimated to be more than 24.9 million people, adults and children, subjected to human trafficking around the world, including the United States. Sadly, Nevada ranks ninth in the nation for human trafficking. Many organizations in the community are working daily to support individuals who have been impacted by this issue, often on a 24/7 basis to meet the myriad needs of clients.

As we approach the end of 2021,we mark a tragic milestone - the deadliest year on our roadways in a decade. There has been a 24% increase in fatal accidents this year. We are joined by two experts in the traffic safety field to talk about the state of roadway safety and what more can be done to prevent this tragic loss of lives. Guests: Joey Paskey, Deputy Director/Transportation Manage, city of Las Vegas Public Works department Andrew Bennett, the public information officer for the Office of Traffic Safety and Zero Fatalities initiative for the state of Nevada.

Today, the Fremont Street Experience drives 24 million visitors annually to downtown Las Vegas and covers five city blocks with direct access to eight downtown hotel-casinos. However, when the space opened in December 1995, no one was quite sure how everything would turn out. We’re joined by experts to talk about how the Fremont Street Experience changed the tourism experience in Las Vegas when it opened and, 26 years later, has only continued to do so. Guests: Andrew Simon, Chief Executive Officer Fremont Street Experience and longtime Las Vegan. Bill Marion, principal and partner of Purdue Marion & Associates Public Relations, native Las Vegan and historian Jan Jones Blackhurst, who was the city of Las Vegas mayor from 1991 to 1999, including during the opening of the Fremont Street Experience in 1995. She also sits on the board of directors of several organizations: Caesars Entertainment the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority and the Las Vegas Stadium Authority, which owns Allegiant Stadium. She is also CEO-in-residence at the International Gaming Institute at UNLV.

By 2050, it is projected that Las Vegas’ population will grow by 300,000 people! As you can imagine, this is expected to put a strain on our already limited resources. For example, water, which is already dealing with a shortage from the due to climate change affecting the Colorado River. But anticipating these factors, we decided to be proactive, and this has put us ahead of the curve in ensuring our city and our residents continue to flourish. Thanks to the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED for Cities rating system framework -- we crafted our 2050 Master Plan, which is a 30-year comprehensive plan to make us a leader in resilient, healthy cities that foster community-driven implementation while improving the quality of life for all residents. The 2050 Master Plan will also give residents access to services, education, and jobs: masterplan.vegas Guests: Hilari Varnadore of LEED for Cities program at USGBC Marco Velotta, city of Las Vegas’ sustainability team.

When it comes to the COVID-19 vaccine -- experts say it is safe, effective, and free, but it's also a hot-button issue because some folks aren't on board. And when you mention the vaccine and kids, well, that creates even more of a mixed bag of reactions and emotions. Experts join us to talk about everything you need to know about the FDA and CDC-approved Pfizer vaccine for kids ages 5-11. JoAnn Rupiper -- Chief Administrative Nurse at the Southern Nevada Health District Rebecca Dirks Garcia -- President of the Nevada PTA Dr. Tal Minuskin, MD -- Pediatrician Find a vaccine location: https://covid.southernnevadahealthdistrict.org/vaccine/distribution/

On Aug. 16, 2021 the federal government, prompted by the low water levels in Lake Mead, issued a water shortage declaration on the Colorado River. The shortage will reduce the amount of water Southern Nevada will be allowed to withdraw from Lake Mead beginning in January 2022. The good news is that thanks to the strong water conservation efforts Southern Nevada has achieved over the last 25 years, the shortage declaration will have little impact initially. Our area already uses less water than what the new allocation is to be, even with the cut factored in. However, it has generated a lot of questions about how our future looks where water is concerned. Our speakers: Assemblyman Howard Watts Nevada Assembly District 15 Assembly Committee on Natural Resources – Chair Assembly Committee on Growth and Infrastructure – Vice Chair Dr. Nicholas Irwin Assistant Professor of Economics UNLV Lee Business School Bronson Mack Media Relations and Public Outreach Manager Southern Nevada Water Authority Marco Velotta Senior Management Analyst City of Las Vegas For more water information and tips: snwa.com Follow the city of Las Vegas on Twitter: twitter.com/cityoflasvegas

Welcome to our short-form series - What The? We answer over 96,000 questions every year on social media. That’s a lot. This short-form series will tackle some of our most frequently asked questions or interesting topics that don’t need a full podcast. Episode 13 deals with the little-known history of Las Vegas divorce ranches. Today Las Vegas is one of the marriage capitals of the world, but during the Great Depression Vegas tourism got a boost from divorces. Some divorce ranches still exist as parks, but what is a divorce ranch? Why were they mostly used by women? Listen and find out. See pictures from the divorce ranch era: https://www.lasvegasnevada.gov/News/Blog/Detail/las-vegas-divorce-ranches In 1931, with the country in the grips of the Great Depression, the Nevada legislature passed two important bills to spur economic growth. One legalized gambling and the second changed the divorce residency requirements from six months to six weeks while adding nine grounds for divorce including the catchall “extreme cruelty entirely mental in nature”.  The rest is history. Starring Shane Savanapridi and Jennifer Davies. Find us on social media @cityoflasvegas and #VegasTMI to give us feed back and high-fives. Give us a nice review on iTunes, why don’t you? Find Shane & Jen on Twitter: @Savanapridi @jendavies26 This podcast will publish twice a month - more or less. www.lasvegasnevada.gov/podcast

Welcome to our short-form series - What The? We answer over 96,000 questions every year on social media. That’s a lot. This short-form series will tackle some of our most frequently asked questions or interesting topics that don’t need a full podcast. Episode 12 deals with the Covid-19 Coronavirus affecting everyone right now. Nonessential businesses are closed, but what businesses are nonessential? How can I find help? How can I help others and still maintain social distancing? Listen and find out. Read the latest coronavirus updates at: https://lasvegasnevada.gov/coronavirus State of Nevada updates: https//nvhealthresponse.nv.gov Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department officers will enforce the closure of businesses deemed nonessential. The Las Vegas City Attorney’s Office will then either pursue a criminal complaint or civil complaint based on Metro’s findings. The criminal option entails the filing of a misdemeanor. The civil option would consist of the city securing a temporary restraining order to close the business more quickly should its owners not comply with the Metro order.   At the same time, the city plans to take several steps to ease the burdens on businesses that have been forced to close. These include: ▪          A 60-day grace period for business license renewals with due dates of March 1 or April 1. ▪          Options to close general or privileged licenses and no cost to reinstate them ▪          A liquor license option to pay a reduced fee during the temporary closure ▪          A gaming license option to pay a reduced fee during the temporary closure ▪          An ongoing acceptance of applications during this time How to help: Donate blood. There is a dire need in our community right now.  Visit http://RedCrossBlood.org to make an appointment.  Nextdoor, the private social network for neighborhoods, has a help map where you can ask for help or offer help to your neighbors.  The Tyler Robinson Foundation, Imagine Dragons’ nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting families facing a pediatric cancer diagnosis, is looking for pen pals to help families facing isolation right now.  Send scanned letters, drawings and videos to penpal@trf.org, and they will be shared with the families Starring Shane Savanapridi and Jennifer Davies. Find us on social media @cityoflasvegas and #VegasTMI to give us feed back and high-fives. Give us a nice review on iTunes, why don’t you? Find Shane & Jen on Twitter: @Savanapridi @jendavies26

Welcome to episode 26 of VegasTMI- the official city of Las Vegas podcast. In this episode, we talk about the new homeless ordinance approved by the city council on Nov. 6. City of Las Vegas Communications Director David Riggleman sits down with the Director of Community Services Kathi Thomas Gibson and Veterans Community Advisory Board member Nina Ridgeway. They discuss and clear up misconceptions about the new ordinance that makes it a misdemeanor to camp or sleep in the public right-of-way in the downtown and residential areas. The ordinance was designed to help direct people to the city’s Courtyard Homeless Resource Center and other existing nonprofits to connect those in need to services and help break the cycle of homelessness. Learn more about the homeless ordinance: https://www.lasvegasnevada.gov/News/Blog/Detail/city-council-to-hear-first-reading-of-new-ordinance-designed-to-connect-homeless-with-services-and-off-the-streets Find us on social media @cityoflasvegas and #VegasTMI to give us feed back and high-fives. Find David, Shane & Jen on Twitter: @TDavidRigg1958 @Savanapridi @jendavies26 This podcast will publish twice a month - more or less. www.lasvegasnevada.gov/podcast

Welcome to episode 25 of VegasTMI- the official city of Las Vegas podcast. In this episode, we talk about the new parks being built and renovated and recreation programs coming soon. City of Las Vegas Communications Director David Riggleman sits down with new Director of Parks and Recreation Greg A. Weitzel. Weitzel holds more than 20 years’ experience in the urban parks and recreation administration field. Most recently he served as the Department Director of two of the largest parks and recreation agencies in Pennsylvania and Idaho. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for the National Recreation and Park Association and chairs the Public Policy Committee. Learn more about city of Las Vegas parks and programs: https://www.lasvegasnevada.gov/Government/Departments/Parks-Recreation Find us on social media @cityoflasvegas and #VegasTMI to give us feed back and high-fives. Find David, Shane & Jen on Twitter: @TDavidRigg1958 @Savanapridi @jendavies26 This podcast will publish twice a month - more or less. https://www.lasvegasnevada.gov/podcast