Southern Nevada residents woke to an unusual sound this morning—rain pattering on rooftops across the valley the city had already broken a 43-year-old precipitation record with meteorologists reporting 0.05 inches of rainfall and counting The early morning downpour has already surpassed the previous May 4 record of 0.03 inches set in 1982 What makes this particularly notable is how quickly the record fell — before most residents even had their morning coffee The National Weather Service in Las Vegas forecasts continued shower and thunderstorm activity throughout the day across much of the region Officials warn that today's storms could produce gusty outflow winds and moderate rainfall Residents are advised to plan accordingly if traveling or participating in outdoor activities While the rainfall amounts may seem modest by other regions' standards even light precipitation can create hazardous conditions on Las Vegas roadways where oil buildup from extended dry periods can make surfaces slick though flash flooding in washes and low-lying areas remains a concern whenever precipitation occurs in the valley Locally owned and independent since 1950; Winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service best news website in the nation & DuPont Award for broadcast journalism LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — Illuminarium Las Vegas has reintroduced its popular Dual Pass ticket option, allowing guests to enjoy back-to-back shows for the price of one. has brought back the special ticket package by popular demand The Dual Pass transforms a singular attraction experience into an extended adventure giving guests the opportunity to fully explore the technological innovations and transformative narratives across multiple themed shows This includes the venue's newest debut presented by Rolling Stone The Dual Pass is available in three options: Illuminarium currently features three distinct immersive experiences for guests to enjoy with the Dual Pass: The day is divided into a morning and afternoon schedule that features two shows offered hourly within each schedule block: For more information and to purchase Dual Pass tickets, visit www.illuminarium.com/lasvegas. Trump accused public media in general of failing to remain impartial in its news coverage WATCH | White House orders halt on federal funding for NPR and PBS "Which viewpoints NPR and PBS promote does not matter. What does matter is that neither entity presents a fair, accurate, or unbiased portrayal of current events to taxpaying citizens," the order reads. An accompanying fact sheet released by the White House provides examples the administration claims prove that point The Corporation for Public Broadcasting objected to the order today, saying Congress controls its funding, not the president alerting viewers and listeners to the consequences of removing federal funding VegasPBS President and General Manager Mare Mazur, in a statement posted to the television station's website called the order "the latest in a series of troubling developments aimed at weakening public media." and more consequential," Mazur's statement reads "But one thing is certain: we will continue to adapt And we will continue to serve the Las Vegas community." VegasPBS provides not only PBS programming including "Antiques Roadshow" and the PBS NewsHour job training and the weekly "Nevada Week" public affairs program Mazur said federal funding for VegasPBS is critical and that she's able to leverage $8 for every $1 in federal funding the loss of funding would hurt the organization's mission She encouraged viewers not to remain silent "Continue to make your voices heard at VegasPBS.org and let your representatives know how much you value VegasPBS," she said A link on the stations' website takes viewers to a comment form Asked what she would say to President Trump if she had the chance Mazur said she'd remind him that PBS stations serve local and rural communities including those without cable TV access or reliable internet "I would emphasize the location nature of every single PBS station We all serve our communities in unique ways," she said "And just as I'm able to leverage our one federal dollar into eight my colleagues across the country operate similarly." said in a statement that losing federal funding would hurt In addition to national NPR programs such as "All Things Considered" and "Morning Edition," KNPR produces the local daily "State of Nevada" broadcast and publishes the award-winning Desert Companion magazine A third-party website — ProtectMyPublicMedia.org — has been set up to allow viewers listeners and readers to contact their elected officials to share their views about the proposed cuts Report a typo The trio spent time together at the grand opening of the Palm Tree Beach Club in Las Vegas on May 3 By Cody LeePublished: May. 5, 2025 at 5:56 AM PDT|Updated: 3 hours agoEmail This LinkShare on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInLAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) - The search for the suspect in a fatal hit-and-run crash early Monday morning is still ongoing, police say. Las Vegas Metro Police said a 34-year-old woman was running across Flamingo Road east of Palos Verdes Street outside a marked crosswalk. At the same moment, the driver of a black 2013 Dodge Challenger drove eastbound on Flamingo behind another vehicle. Police said a collision occurred when the Dodge switched lanes and struck the pedestrian. The driver would swerve with the pedestrian still hanging onto the front of the vehicle. The pedestrian would then get caught underneath the Dodge as the driver continued eastbound until she was let go. Metro Police found the Challenger, but the search for the driver continues. “This collision remains under investigation by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department’s Collision Investigation Section,” police said. Anyone with information is urged to call the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department’s Collision Investigation Section at (702)828-3595 or, to remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at (702) 385-5555, or visit www.CrimeStoppersOfNV.com or use the mobile app ‘P3’. Message and data rates may apply. Tips directly leading to a felony arrest, or an indictment processed through Crime Stoppers, may result in a cash reward. Armstrong Williams takes on the news of the week and asks the questions you want answered. Don’t miss our weekly town hall. Pedestrian dead following hit and run crash near Las Vegas Stripby News 3 Staff Las Vegas (KSNV) — One person is dead following a pedestrian crash near the Las Vegas Strip The incident was reported early Monday morning at the corner of Flamingo Road and Palos Verdes Street Police say a dark colored sedan was traveling east on Flamingo when it struck a female pedestrian who was walking across the street outside a marked crosswalk The pedestrian was pronounced dead at the scene The driver of the sedan took off before officers could arrive LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — A man was fatally stabbed in a Las Vegas apartment on Sunday following a verbal altercation that escalated into violence according to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Officers responded to a report of a stabbing at approximately 11:24 a.m they found a male victim suffering from apparent stab wounds inside an apartment Medical personnel transported the victim to a local hospital Homicide detectives were called to the scene and learned that the victim had been involved in a verbal altercation with another individual and the suspect stabbed the victim before fleeing the scene The Clark County Coroner’s Office will provide the identification of the victim LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Authorities are searching for a person wanted in connection to a fatal stabbing in east Las Vegas they found a man suffering from apparent stab wounds inside an apartment officials learned the victim was in an argument with another person The suspect stabbed the victim before running away from the scene Anyone with any information about this incident is urged to contact the LVMPD Homicide Section by phone at 702-828-3521 contact Crime Stoppers by phone at 702-385-5555 or on the internet at www.crimestoppersofnv.com 3B14D29 Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty poses with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell after being chosen by the Las Vegas Raiders with the sixth overall pick during the first round of the NFL football draft In their first draft of calling the shots for the Raiders, Pete Carroll and John Spytek worked some magic to put together a class full of talent. Headlined by elite prospects at the top and a mix of value picks in later rounds, Vegas’ 11 selections profile as one of the best draft classes in the NFL, earning praise in PFF’s draft grades A generational talent in the backfield in Round 1: The Raiders needed a difference-maker at running back after finishing with just a 57.9 PFF rushing grade last season His 152 missed tackles forced were nearly 50 more than any other FBS running back last season and he was the only back in college football with 10 or more touchdown runs of 20-plus yards (12) A high-potential receiver in Round 2: The star of the Senior Bowl game, Jack Bech is another weapon for newly acquired quarterback Geno Smith Bech showed good potential as a freshman before injuries derailed his next few seasons but he broke out as a senior with 1,034 yards and nine touchdowns in 2024 Rookie to watch: DI JJ Pegues, Ole Miss Pegues isn’t a versatile player only due to his ability to play all over the defensive front; his versatility extends to the offensive side of the ball where he showcased his exceptional agility at over 300 pounds as Lane Kiffin’s wildcat quarterback That ability to make plays on both sides of the ball — 74.6 PFF defensive grade and 92.3 PFF offensive grade — will make Pegues a fan favorite Position/role battle to watch: CB Darien Porter vs. CB Jakorian Bennett The Raiders ranked dead last in team PFF coverage grade (30.4) last season Bennett was one of many in the secondary who struggled having earned a 61.0 PFF coverage grade before going down with an injury Porter is a rare prospect — a wide receiver-turned-cornerback with ideal ball skills who ranks above the 95th percentile in height and length and has an elite track background that translates to the field earning a 90.1 PFF coverage and surrendering just 0.34 yards per coverage snap Draft grade: A PFF's Big Board for the 2026 NFL Draft offers three-year player grades and in-depth player analysis for all of the top draft prospects featuring the most in-depth collection of NCAA player performance data adding several talented pieces to a roster that needed as much talent as possible Las Vegas looks to turn around its recent misfortune they will need to continue adding to their roster over the next few weeks and months Las Vegas has already addressed their most pressing needs but their flawed roster undoubtedly has more holes on the roster that must be figured out After addressing their quarterback situation by trading for Geno Smith and addressing their skill positions on offense by drafting the best running back in the draft the Raiders must soon focus on the defense more than they have so far Raiders general manager John Spytek had a solid first NFL Draft with the team but he is always looking to improve when it can be done reasonably That is the case with more than a few remaining position openings on the team Although Spytek and the Raiders added to their group of cornerbacks this offseason Jacob Camenker of USA TODAY believes the Raiders should be one of the teams in the running for veteran cornerback Jalen Ramsey "Ramsey would provide the Raiders with that Pete Carroll would likely be interested in acquiring a bigger-bodied physical cornerback to help him try to recreate the "Legion of Boom" in Las Vegas Ramsey's contract may make it difficult or illogical for the Raiders to try to make a move for the talented corner the Raiders have spent their money responsibly this offseason Considering how depleted their cornerbacks are Find us on X (formerly Twitter) @HondoCarpenter and Instagram @HondoSr and weigh in on Jalen Ramsey You can also give your take when you check out our Facebook page WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE. The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Sports Illustrated or its affiliates All picks and predictions are suggestions only and not a guarantee of success or profit If you or someone you know has a gambling problem crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER — Jon Gruden is getting back into professional football The former NFL coach is joining the Nashville Kats of the Arena Football One league as both a part-owner and what the club called “consulting and advisory roles in all aspects of the team’s football and business operations.” Gruden, 61, hasn't been involved in a U.S. professional team in an official capacity since resigning as head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders midway through the 2021 season over emails he sent before being hired that included racist Gruden did some consulting with the New Orleans Saints in 2023 but did not officially join the staff The Super Bowl-winning coach later filed a lawsuit against the NFL, claiming contract interference and conspiracy. A three-justice panel of the Nevada Supreme Court sided 2-1 with the NFL last year ruling the league could force the civil case out of state court and into private arbitration that might be overseen by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell Gruden appealed the decision and the lawsuit will not be reviewed by the full seven-person court The Gruden family has deep ties to the AFL won four league titles as a player and two more as a coach in the 1990s and early 2000s before eventually moving on to a coaching career in the NFL who announced Gruden's partnership on Monday have an ownership group that includes former Tennessee Titans head coach Jeff Fisher "I have been a fan of indoor football for a long time and jumped at the opportunity to be involved with Jeff and the Nashville Kats as part of the ownership group,” Gruden said “I have so much respect for what Jeff has done over his career and continues to do with the Nashville Kats and as commissioner of AF1 Visitation to Las Vegas in March fell 7.8% from March 2024 and the city's tourism agency is anticipating less room tax revenue in its next budget as a result The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority noted March's decline followed an 11.9% drop in February -- although that month's double-digit plunge was perhaps a bit deceiving because Las Vegas hosted the Super Bowl in February 2024 and had an extra day due to the leap year 1.1% compared with January of the previous year which saw the city welcome about 3.4 million visitors had a "slightly less-packed event calendar and as-yet-unclear impacts of evolving federal policies ripping through international and domestic markets," wrote Kevin Bagger • Related: What's in the cards for Vegas in 2025? partly because of the Healthcare Information & Management Systems Society conference (48,000 attendees) The average daily room rate increased by 3.1% the LVCVA said visitor volume is down 6.9% and hotel occupancy is down 0.9 percentage points at Harry Reid Airport fell by 3.9% in March from the same month in 2024 its second-straight monthly passenger decline Among the reported declines were a 14.5% dip from Canada's WestJet a 62.2% decrease from Flair and a 5.9% slip from Air Canada Aeromexico also had a decrease of 17.9% from March 2024 While it is too soon to know for certain whether Canadians and Mexicans are less inclined to visit the U.S and specifically Las Vegas because of heated U.S that hasn't stopped the speculation and planning Casino.org reported that Jeremy Aguero principal analyst at research firm Applied Analysis said in a presentation to the LVCVA board in March that diminishing foreign travel and flagging consumer confidence are likely to lead to reduced visitation That in turn will result in reduced room taxes earmarked for the LVCVA The agency is projecting a 5% decline in room tax revenue when it discusses its upcoming budget this month LVCVA president Steve Hill said in the Casino.org report The authority budgeted $360 million from room taxes for the fiscal year ending June 30 A 5% decrease would result in an $18 million drop Hill called the projection decrease a "conservative approach ... in recognition that there's some uproar," according to the Las Vegas Sun "I've said repeatedly that one month does not make a trend although we do expect that this is the start of a decline in international visitation," Hill told the Sun the conversation around the tariffs has also alienated some of our potential visitors." Your handy guide on where to eat this weekend It’s the most pressing question of the weekend: “Where should I eat?” Here Eater editors issue tried and true recommendations for places to check out this weekend Cinco de Mayo is Monday, but it’s never too early to eat tacos. Mexican food is not in short supply in Las Vegas; street tacos with flame-licked al pastor shaved from a vertical spit and packed with verdant cilantro abound. But when I crave stellar San Diego-style fish tacos an amplifier for its salty and citrusy pico de gallo and finely sliced cabbage The shop also piles crunchy tostadas with ahi tuna and guacamole or marinated shrimp with serrano aguachile But the real standout is the spicy octopus taco A tortilla becomes the lightly charred foundation for sautéed octopus Sliced octopus gets seasoned with smoky and potent chile de arbol then finished with chipotle sauce and melted mozzarella cheese for bites that are warm and practically the beach itself in a tortilla Chef James Trees of Esther’s Kitchen returns to his culinary roots with Bar Boheme Located just down the street from his fan-favorite Italian restaurant service at the restaurant begins with crackly crusty baguettes — a flavorful foundation for pats of rich French butter Trees’ interpretation of French food reads traditional Steak frites come with fries that are meticulously sliced ensuring they remain smooth and silky before finishing with oils and fresh herbs The red wine-braised beef in boeuf bourguignon is fall-apart tender A heaping bowl of cracked mussels in moules au safran comes drenched in a buttery sauce of white wine and tarragon mustard that pools indulgently at the bottom of the pot — good reason to spare a wedge of baguette for dunking and a dessert menu of macaron sundaes that are worth saving room for Before opening in Las Vegas, Komodo started in Miami The restaurant brings that coastal swagger to its new digs at the Fontainebleau with a high-tempo soundtrack and see-and-be-seen atmosphere that demands to be photographed Komodo’s menu consists of Southeast Asian fusion dishes that are thoughtfully plated and meant to be shared A small plate of truffle honey salmon makes an impressive start to a meal: Seven slices of silky salmon sashimi are rolled into spirals and bathed in a delicate sauce of honey and black truffle with minced scallions for texture Rich and buttery Chilean sea bass gets glazed with a sweet mild saikyo miso that enhances rather than overwhelms the fish’s already umami flavor And a surf-and-turf fried rice is deceptively simple teeming with briny Maine lobster and savory wagyu steak Legendary rockers TESLA are returning to House Of Blues Las Vegas inside Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino later this year Performances of "Tesla: The Las Vegas Residency" will take place on October 17 During this exclusive five-day run of shows TESLA will touch all sides of their unique discography including the heavier edge of electric songs like "Modern Day Cowboy" as well as their acoustic driven songs such as "Signs" and "Love Song" (two Top 10 Billboard-charting hits) Die-hard fans from all over the world are headed to Las Vegas to witness TESLA during this special limited-time engagement And TESLA is ready to rock and show fans an unforgettable time Tickets for "Tesla: The Las Vegas Residency" at House of Blues Las Vegas go on sale to the public starting Friday Tickets are available by visiting HouseofBlues.com/LasVegas Ticketmaster.com or by calling 702-632-7600 Fan pre-sale tickets will be available beginning Wednesday Citi is the official card of TESLA at House of Blues Las Vegas Citi cardmembers will have access to pre-sale tickets beginning Tuesday For complete presale details visit www.citientertainment.com Live Nation and Ticketmaster customers will receive access to a pre-sale starting Thursday That they are still roaring and soaring should be no surprise soulful sound is strongly embedded in the roots of organic The same roots that produced bands like BAD COMPANY California in 1984; gold country that would soon be producing some platinum honoring the eccentric inventor Nikola Tesla who pioneered all things electrical included Top 40 hits "Modern Day Cowboy" and "Little Suzi" 1989's double-platinum "The Great Radio Controversy" included hits "Heaven's Trail (No Way Out)" and "Love Song" who had been touring with bands such as DEF LEPPARD and David Lee Roth TESLA helped reshape the face of modern rock music by stripping down to the "Five Man Acoustical Jam" an informal collection of their biggest hits peppered with rock and roll classics by THE BEATLES This album produced their biggest hit single to date a cover of FIVE MAN ELECTRICAL BAND's "Signs" Other 1990s albums from TESLA include platinum-selling "Psychotic Supper" and "Bust A Nut" The band continues to record and release new material featured on their "All About Love" EP — now available as a special edition collector's 12-inch vinyl They also celebrated two highly successful Record Store Day events since their last residency with both volumes of their limited-edition double LPs "Real 2 Reel Vol Both are cover-song studio albums that pay homage to classic rock tunes from the late 1960s and early 1970s TESLA brings their unique touch to these iconic tracks recorded using analog tape and vintage equipment The albums showcase the band's exceptional talent without the use of pro tools or an automated mixing console TESLA's legacy is alive and well as they continue to record and sellout venues all over the world and dependable as your favorite pair of boots TESLA is a celebration of the greatest spirits of rock and roll Vocals: Jeff KeithGuitar: Frank HannonBass: Brian WheatGuitar: Dave RudeDrums: Steve Brown EDMONTON -- Connor McDavid said he believes the Edmonton Oilers are better equipped to face the Vegas Golden Knights in the Western Conference Second Round than they were two seasons ago The six-game loss to Vegas in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs stung the Oilers and their captain considering they had the lead in Game 5 with the series tied 2-2 and let it slip away to the eventual Cup champions Edmonton is looking forward to its shot at redemption starting with Game 1 of the best-of-7 series at T-Mobile Arena on Tuesday (9:30 p.m “It’s definitely helpful when you’re going up against a veteran team like Vegas who is also more experienced and played a lot of playoff hockey and played in big moments In 2023, Game 5 in Vegas proved to be the turning point in the series. Edmonton led 2-1 on first-period goals from McDavid and Zach Hyman and were in control through the middle of the second However, a holding penalty assessed to defenseman Philip Broberg at 12:49 and a high-sticking minor to forward Mattias Janmark 44 seconds later put the Golden Knights on a two-man advantage Forwards Mark Stone and Reilly Smith then scored power-play goals 29 seconds apart to give Vegas a 3-2 lead. A goal by forward Nicolas Hague a minute later made it 4-2 going into the third period McDavid scored on the power play at 2:40 of the third to make it 4-3 but that was as close as Edmonton would get The Oilers were eliminated with a 5-2 loss at home in Game 6 two nights later Vegas then defeated the Dallas Stars in the Western Conference Final and the Florida Panthers in the Final to win the Stanley Cup “It’s difficult anytime you lose in the playoffs especially when you feel you had a good team,” McDavid said and obviously they had a great team as well We feel like we have another good team this year and we have as good a chance as anyone We look forward to getting to Vegas and getting started.” Edmonton advanced by defeating the Los Angeles Kings in six games in the first round and Vegas also needed six games to eliminated the Minnesota Wild Edmonton has played five playoff series since losing to Vegas in 2023 advanced to the Stanley Cup Final last season where they lost 2-1 in Game 7 to the Panthers “You learn from your failures and that [Vegas loss] was one of them,” McDavid said “Definitely we changed some things systemwise from that series The Oilers applied the lessons from the loss to the Golden Knights last season and are looking to put that knowledge to good use again Edmonton was able to battle back from 2-0 series deficit against Los Angeles and win four consecutive games understanding certain situations,” McDavid said “I think about that Game 5 (against Vegas) we had the lead and we found ourselves in a 5-on-3 and we can’t put ourselves in that position We had to grab it there and gave up three in however minutes and the game kind of flipped Those are all learning lessons along the way and hopefully we can use them moving forward in this series.” Edmonton was a playoff savvy team going into the series against Vegas in 2023 having made it to the Western Conference Final the previous season before being swept by the Colorado Avalanche The Oilers are now a battle-hardened team after nearly winning the Stanley Cup last season “They’re a division rival and they beat us and went on to win the Cup so we definitely want to even things up,” Hyman said “It’s different teams and different players but when you lose against a team you want to win it the next time.” Vegas is expected to present a different challenge to Edmonton than Los Angeles did in the first round The Golden Knights are expected to press the issue a little harder “They’re both really good teams and completely different so we have to be really careful at the [blue] lines and make sure we have guys going back They also play a completely different [defensive] zone one plays man-on-man and the other kind of zone Edmonton had a number of players recovering from injury heading into the series against Los Angels and it took a while for the team to find its rhythm Going into Vegas, Edmonton is healthy, with the exception of defenseman Mattias Ekholm who was ruled out of the series by coach Kris Knoblauch because of an undisclosed injury “I think Games 1 and 2 were definitely clunky with a lineup that hadn’t played together a whole lot,” McDavid said “I think we’re getting more in the rhythm of things guys are getting healthier and healthier and getting their timing back It’s starting to look a little bit more like it’s supposed to look and I expect our best coming into this series.” There’s a major difference between contenders and pretenders a difference that was evident in both Vegas’ and Edmonton’s first-round series the Golden Knights and Oilers showed exactly why they’ve been frequent fliers past the first round — and why the Minnesota Wild and Los Angeles Kings were first-round fodder once again Now comes the true test: a battle between two teams equally equipped to win it all The Oilers start with a modest 52-48 edge in this series but there are a lot of variables that could tilt the scales in either direction The main one is the status of Pavel Dorofeyev which is one reason the Oilers are favored the Golden Knights’ odds would improve to 49 percent There’s also the matter of Edmonton’s goaltending situation As admirable as Calvin Pickard’s performance was against the Kings he’s still far from a safe bet as a career backup but his game has higher highs — enough to be considered a stronger option but more starts for Skinner would increase Edmonton’s odds further The teams weren’t all that different at five-on-five this year They both hovered around the 54 percent mark in expected goals to round out the top five in the league Their expected goal creation and suppression weren’t far off each other either — Vegas just had better results on both ends of the ice Scoring goals wasn’t a problem for Edmonton in Round 1 The Oilers poured chances on the Kings with a league-high rate of 3.44 xGF/60 (and scored 2.83 per 60 Vegas generated some good looks against Minnesota there may be an opportunity to do more damage at five-on-five which was one of the highest-scoring power plays in the regular season were red hot on the advantage in the playoffs so this may come down to whose penalty kill can return to form after a leaky first round The Oilers’ and Golden Knights’ expected goals against each jumped by more than three goals per 60 in Round 1 compared to the regular season The difference was Vegas’ goaltending controlled chaos with only three goals against in six games Can Vegas’ defense slow down Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl It stands to reason that having Minnesota as their first-round opponent was an ideal bit of practice for the Golden Knights the Wild have sublime offensive talents at the top of the forward group and then Vegas should hope its top pair learned a lesson With Alex Pietrangelo and Noah Hanifin on the ice together at five-on-five Vegas was outscored 5-2 and controlled just 43 percent of the expected goals That’s probably not going to work against McDavid and Draisaitl It’s also a bit of deviation from Pietrangelo/Hanifin’s regular-season numbers; in more than 770 minutes together they solidly controlled the run of play with an expected goal share of about 55 percent Vegas was outscored 38-32 with them on the ice but that had plenty to do with goaltending If the Games 3-5 version of Adin Hill shows up for the Golden Knights What should be a bit more concerning for Vegas is that it wasn’t always Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy doing the damage against Pietrangelo/Hanifin A lot of it came with Ryan Hartman on the ice — Minnesota held a 3-1 goal edge and 60/40 expected goal share with him on the ice against Pietrangelo The Shea Theodore-Brayden McNabb pair also got plenty of minutes against the top line and did an OK job territorially — playing to about an even split in expected goals — but was outscored 4-2 with Kaprizov on the ice even if it’s only forced upon the Golden Knights when they’re on the road and Theodore individually was outstanding against Minnesota It’ll also be interesting to see if Bruce Cassidy sticks with the pairings he rolled out for Game 6 against Minnesota but was chasing the puck for most of the night Pietrangelo’s most frequent partner was Zach Whitecloud; in about 10 minutes together Minnesota outshot Vegas 8-2 and scored a goal Theodore-McNabb was the only pairing to win its minutes overall but still lost in scoring attempts (8-5) and shot attempts (21-12) It’s ultimately a two-pronged issue for the Golden Knights Stopping McDavid and Draisaitl is one thing; we know teams can survive simply by not letting those two run wild taking their lumps and truly handling business with the rest of the forwards group showed real signs of scoring depth in the first round against one of the best defensive teams in the league but it’s fair to wonder whether it’s equipped to handle a team with two of the world’s best at the top of the lineup and a handful of competent players dotting the rest of it Are we witnessing a John Klingberg renaissance who do you think had the highest average Game Score for Edmonton in the first round If you guessed someone — anyone — other than John Klingberg whether it was a flash in the pan or a legitimate sign he’d turned back the clock finished the series against Los Angeles with three really strong outings Edmonton outscored the Kings 4-1 with Klingberg on the ice and controlled more than 63 percent of the expected goals When Klingberg was paired with Jake Walman The two of them (or even just Klingberg) managing something similar against the Golden Knights would be a major development That Klingberg is contributing at all to a playoff team in 2025 is a development in itself; he missed more than a year after double hip surgery and spent years in decline before that he was a force as a skater and playmaker along the blue line injuries and chaotic defensive play seemingly took their toll and Edmonton’s signing of him in January seemed like a Hail Mary We all know exactly why the Oilers win games The two best players in the world are an unstoppable force capable of dragging an otherwise middling (if that) roster to some very high places Edmonton’s top duo has a combined projected Net Rating of plus-51 If you ever wondered how good a team would be with the two best players in the world and an otherwise average lineup their combined plus-5.9 Net Rating in six games translates to plus-81 per 82 games As gruesome as the rest of the roster looks on paper they actually delivered when it mattered in the opening round That’s sparked some real optimism in Edmonton Zach Hyman and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins finally looked closer to their usual selves with five points apiece and Hyman earning 66 percent of the expected goals Evander Kane provided a vital offensive spark after a year on the shelf Corey Perry and Vasily Podkolzin all found the scoresheet at least three times with Brown earning a surprising five points Mattias Janmark scored as many goals in six games as he did in 80 games this season And Adam Henrique was a stabilizing defensive presence in the bottom six For a team whose top concern was forward depth going into the playoffs the Oilers couldn’t have scripted a better opening round for the entire group While the expectation should still be that the depth is probably a weakness their ability to rise to the occasion and elevate their games when it matters most is extremely notable It makes the Oilers much more difficult to game plan against as they’re starting to prove they are capable beyond McDavid and Draisaitl It was especially true in the final two games; those very depth players combined for eight goals while McDavid and Draisaitl sat back and relaxed with a single assist between them That duo may have brought the Oilers back from the brink but the team’s depth put them over the top where the depth stepped up in Mattias Ekholm’s absence; Walman Klingberg and Brett Kulak all played incredible hockey against the Kings The new concern: Can Evan Bouchard and Darnell Nurse handle the heat at the top of the lineup that pair has been on the ice for seven goals in 58 minutes with a middling xG percentage The Oilers allowed only seven goals in 254 minutes otherwise (1.65 GA/60) Bouchard at least added enough individual offense to make up for it the team’s top pair has not been good enough allowing 3.24 xGA/60 is a recipe for disaster given each player’s penchant for adventurous chaos but their performance so far shows just how valuable Ekholm is — as a stabilizing presence next to Bouchard and as someone who allows Nurse to thrive in secondary matchups Vegas’ top four is as solid as it gets with four legit top-pair options Where Vegas’ blue line differs from Los Angeles’ is in the amount of offense coming from the back end the Golden Knights have the horses to go toe-to-toe with Edmonton’s dynamic blue line They can keep up with the run-and-gun hockey in a way the Kings couldn’t and are also stable enough defensively to hold the fort it’s noticeable how defensively sound everyone is from top to bottom Mark Stone and William Karlsson — are complete players The difference between Vegas’ best and Los Angeles’ best up front is that their offensive game is more reliable Eichel is obviously a massive part of that a true franchise player capable of putting up 90 points It’s not just about slowing down Edmonton’s best Eichel is better equipped for that than any Kings player Eichel and Stone struggled early in the series at five-on-five but were dynamite once Karlsson moved up to the top line Can Vegas afford to stack the deck like that against the Oilers That probably depends on how the Oilers line up and whether they choose to split up McDavid and Draisaitl the Golden Knights do have real depth down the lineup Tomas Hertl is still an effective top-line player anchoring the second line while Ivan Barbashev Brandon Saad and Nicolas Roy provide an edge in the middle six It’s those players that need to be the difference in this series for Vegas They need to be able to make up for whatever damage McDavid and Draisaitl do The top guys can only do so much in that battle the biggest question mark for Vegas right now might be between the pipes The Oilers made a Vezina finalist look mortal and Adin Hill hasn’t exactly been sharp in these playoffs His .880 save percentage and minus-1.3 GSAx ranked third last in the playoffs among starters Vegas has the goaltending edge no matter who starts for the Oilers the Golden Knights will need Hill’s best self The last time the Oilers and Golden Knights faced off in the playoffs Eichel and McDavid didn’t see much of each other at five-on-five Neither team opted for a power-versus-power matchup Eichel’s all-around game has taken strides over the last couple of years and now he takes on matchup minutes for the Golden Knights McDavid always sees his opponents’ best shutdown talents but few have the offensive game that Eichel brings These are elite skaters in transition who can play end-to-end against each other It should make for a star-powered battle between two of the West’s best centers If you’re more about depth and “heavy hockey,” you’re with Vegas Stylistic differences can make for great entertainment and everything about this series suggests it’ll deliver in a big way How these projections work Understanding projection uncertainty  Evolving Hockey Natural Stat Trick Hockey Reference NHL All Three Zones Tracking by Corey Sznajder (Top photo of Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel: Ethan Miller / Getty Images) AmaWaterways Celebrates Travel Advisor Appreciation With Incentives and Rewards Bowman’s Travel Brief: Avoid Newark Airport Mastering the Art of Group Travel Bookings Fiesta Americana Travelty Celebrates Travel Advisors The Top 24 Most Powerful Travel Agencies of 2024 The Strategic Art of Pre-Planning Luxury Vacations: A Perspective for Travel Advisors Las Vegas is feeling the impact of a wider travel downturn, with a new report from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) revealing a nearly eight percent drop in visitor numbers compared to the same period last year The data shows that just 3.39 million people visited the city in March 2025—a notable decline from the 3.68 million recorded in March 2024 The decrease in tourism has been accompanied by dips in hotel occupancy rates and casino revenue with occupancy at 82.9 percent compared to 85.3 percent a year earlier Even with more than half a million attendees flocking to conferences across the city Las Vegas couldn’t counteract the overall slump casinos along the iconic Strip reported revenue losses of nearly five percent over the past year with gaming earnings across Nevada down 1.1 percent The average daily rate for rooms along the Strip rose by 3.9 percent compared to March 2024 Figures from the Clark County Department of Aviation also found that Sin City’s Harry Reid International Airport saw a 3.9 percent year-over-year decrease in passenger traffic traffic volumes on I-15 near the Nevada-California border dipped by 3.1 percent Their worries have been fueled by several widely publicized cases involving foreign nationals such as German backpackers Charlotte Pohl and Maria Lepère Welsh traveler Rebecca Burke and Germany’s Lucas Sielaff President Trump’s rhetoric, combined with such policy changes as new tariffs has drawn criticism abroad and also appears to be discouraging foreign travelers International Trade Administration reveal that the number of visitors from Western Europe fell by 17 percent in March 2025 compared to the previous year For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter Editor Assistant Editor true lbaratti@travelpulse.com 9174 14744 Laurie Baratti is an Assistant Editor for TravelPulse She is a San Diego-based journalist whose work has previously appeared in publications like TravelAge West Beyoncé-Knowles-Carter made a change to the visuals used on her "Cowboy Carter" tour after receiving a cease-and-desist letter from Las Vegas Sphere owner James Dolan The Grammy-winning singer took hold of the stage at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles for the third night of her Cowboy Carter and the Rodeo Chitlin Circuit Tour on May 4 The groundbreaking concert seemingly went on without a hitch Prior to the change, Sphere Entertainment Group Co. reportedly demanded the singer remove the visual by May 5 claiming she used Sphere’s imagery “without permission." According to the letter it amounted to "unauthorized use of the company’s intellectual property.” The entertainment group accused Beyoncé of “impermissible use and violation” of the company’s intellectual property rights which “has resulted in significant speculation that Beyoncé will end her tour with a Sphere residency.” We've got Beyoncé covered: Sign up for USA TODAY's Entertainment newsletter different music genres and most notably country music and political commentary including by playing the most dates at SoFi Stadium of any artist Follow Caché McClay, the USA TODAY Network's Beyoncé Knowles-Carter reporter, on Instagram, TikTok and X as @cachemcclay. “It shows that just because you have a shitload of money, it doesn’t mean you’re going to do entertaining, fun fights,” Top Rank Chairman Bob Arum said after stirring TKO finishes recorded at T-Mobile Arena by his undisputed junior-featherweight champion Naoya Inoue and unbeaten featherweight champion Rafael Espinoza. “We know, being in this business, that if you don’t entertain the public and give them exciting fights, your clientele is going to drift off. It apparently isn’t their business. They have some other idea of what they’re doing that I really don’t understand.” Arum is referring to Saudi Arabia boxing financier Turki Alalshikh’s highly panned Friday and Saturday cards that were filled with lucrative purses but devoid of drama (and punches), leaving the fate of the traditional boxing weekend to this third and final show, staged in its usual place. “I did the things I wanted to do for the people to be entertained,” Mexico’s Espinoza said after combining with challenger Edward Vazquez to land 330 punches in the seven-round fight – just 14 less punches thrown in the 36 combined rounds of three of Alalshikh’s high-profile bouts (Canelo Alvarez-William Scull, Ryan Garcia-Rolly Romero, Devin Haney-Jose Ramirez). “I want to be the next Mexican idol,” Espinoza 27-0 (23 KOs) said. “In order to achieve that, I need to have great fights. I want to demonstrate that. This was more than pressure. It was about excitement. I knew if I gave everything, people would notice. “I knew [those other] fights this weekend weren’t that good, but I told myself I’m going to try to steal the night, and I think we did it. We saved this weekend.” Espinoza even stuck around to serenade the crowd of 8,000-plus with a variety of Spanish songs, while Japan’s Inoue 30-0 (27 KOs) air-gunned T-shirts out to the masses following his captivating bout.   By comparison, Arum reasoned that Alalshikh sabotaged his own shows. Not only did he foolishly turn his back on millions in live-gate earnings by not going to Madison Square Garden or Barclays Center in favor of a curtained-off, chain-link fence spot allowing for an audience of 300 in Times Square, he set high-profile fighters in three bouts who were eagerly anticipating their next, more lucrative fight. In that scenario, said Arum, “there’s no incentive for guys to take risks. The next fighter’s lined up, with money that’s already set.” Arum was pointing directly at both Alvarez, who formally announced his planned September 12 bout with fellow four-division champion Terence Crawford after defeating Scull, and Garcia and Haney, who were supposed to be headed to a rematch before Romero upset Garcia by unanimous decision. The fate of Garcia-Haney II is now unknown. “[Alvarez] had already been promised $100 million to fight Crawford. Why would he take a chance [versus Scull]?” Arum asked of a bout that offered the least total punches in CompuBox’s 40-year history of tracking 12-round fights. “That’s terrible for boxing. The incentive to look great is gone, and the only sure way to get to the great money is to not engage in a fight,” Arum said. “Canelo has shown in his last few fights that he’s just a businessman. “Take Haney. … That fight was an absolute disgrace. He came in there knowing he had to fight Garcia next, and so [Devin’s father-trainer Bill] Haney instructed his fighter to not take a lot of chances, give him a lot of movement. You’re with a guy whose best days are behind him. Stink up the joint. It doesn’t matter, because he cashes Turki’s check,” Arum said. “That was an awful fight.” The polar opposite was Inoue overcoming a second-round knockdown by 15/1 betting underdog Ramon Cardenas of San Antonio to unleash a final, hammering barrage that led to the TKO when Cardenas slumped backward in his corner during the eighth round. “Cardenas was much stronger and tougher than I expected,” Inoue said. “This was the [weekend's] most attractive fight.” Inoue revealed his inner warrior by rising from the canvas to batter and drop Cardenas in the seventh, setting up the finish. As he anticipates a September 14 date in Tokyo versus former unified 122lbs champion Murodjon “M.J.” Akhmadaliev and a May 2026 bout against unbeaten countryman and bantamweight champion Junto Naklatani, Inoue told BoxingScene he does not anticipate a move up to featherweight to meet either Espinoza or someone like fellow 126lbs champion Nick Ball, who was rumored as a December foe in Saudi Arabia. “As long as I can make the weight in this division, I will stay in this division,” Inoue said. Given that 115lbs champion Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez is intrigued to move up in weight for Inoue, along with the presence of the coming opponents and Cardenas, the decision appears highly logical. Cardenas’ manager, Mike Miller, told BoxingScene Cardenas may move to bantamweight to pursue another title shot, and Cardenas promoter Sampson Lewkowicz said Cardenas has been invited to fight in Japan, where all four 118lbs champions reside. Cardenas stunningly dropped Inoue late in the second round, and was deprived of moving to follow up quickly because the bell soon rang after Inoue arose. The champion rallied impressively, pounding Cardenas and skirting wildly flung blows before dropping Cardenas on four consecutive right hands in the seventh. At times during the hail of Inoue barrages, Cardenas would smile. “As funny as it sounds, I love being in there, giving the fans a show,” Cardenas said. “For me, I’ve dreamt of stuff like this – fighting on a big card in Vegas. I was just here to give my all. I told my trainer, ‘If I go out, I go out on my shield.’ I gained a lot of fans because of this.”  Knowing who carries that attitude matters. Cardenas was driving for Lyft as recently as 2023. He trained mercilessly in the California desert under trainer Joel Diaz, another detail Top Rank’s Hall of Fame matchmakers considered before inviting Cardenas to take the significant fight that marked Inoue’s return to the U.S. after a four-year absence. Based on the night’s riveting events, he said he’ll entertain coming back soon. And Cardenas knows his stock has risen for going out on his shield. He wrote on X: “How about this Lyft driver now?” Top Rank has been in business since 1966. Turki Alalshikh’s operation is still in hiring mode, making missteps that both boxing insiders and the general public are taking account of. Arum fully admitted he, like other promoter peers, would send his fighters to fight for Alalshikh if the money was right for a favorable mismatch. “Let’s be honest about it: There’s no medals on any of us in boxing, and if the Saudis offer one of my fighters really big money in a fight I believe will be non-competitive and boring, yeah, I would send him. The money is the money,” Arum said. “This is a business. We’re not amateurs.” Still, the stench of those first two weekend cards was lingering and on the minds of the Sunday combatants. “I want to say sorry to the people about the other fights we saw this weekend, but we came here to bring the fans a great fight,” trainer Diaz said. “I know what I’ve got, and, tonight, Ramon Cardenas showed what kind of warrior he is. Even in a loss, you gain.” Arum smiled at the contrast, seeing his 21-year-old prospect Emiliano Vargas bounce on his feet while watching Inoue as Friday Times Square winner Teofimo Lopez attended and expressed awe about Inoue’s triumph.   “A brilliant performance on a great show, and boxing needed that after swallowing and paying good money for Friday’s show from New York and Saturday’s show from Riyadh,” Arum said. “This was what boxing is really about. The other stuff defies what it’s about. It’s not entertaining. It’s agonizing.” This website may contain adult language. TM & © 2025 BoxingScene.All Rights Reserved. This website may contain adult language TM & © 2025 BoxingScene.All Rights Reserved 2025 3:27 PM EDTSydney Sweeney seems to have enjoyed herself in Las Vegas on Saturday who is now single after calling off her scheduled wedding to longtime partner Jonathan Davino spent time with some famous friends at the grand opening of the Palm Tree Beach Club in Sin City yesterday.  The Anyone but You star partied with actor Patrick Schwarzenegger and rapper MGK (Machine Gun Kelly) at the second of a three-day opening party at the new hotspot Sweeney shared a photo of herself posing with Schwarzenegger also posted a photo of himself with Sweeney and Schwarzenegger behind his DJ booth Other photos of Sweeney chatting individually with MGK are circulating online The two have been longtime friends and also worked together on multiple projects he just finished starring in the third season of HBO's The White Lotus which featured Sweeney in a major role in its debut season Sweeney was scheduled to wed businessman Davino TMZ reported that the two postponed the nuptials While the pair were together since 2018 and got engaged in 2022 CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 10: Sydney Sweeney attends the Variety Power of Young Hollywood Presented by For the Music at NeueHouse Hollywood on August 10 (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Variety via Getty Images) Frazer Harrison/Getty Images "She's not ready to settle down," a source told PEOPLE "They only lasted for this long because it was hard for her to break it off They didn't split because there is no love They split because she just wants to focus on her career right now." "She's exactly where she wants to be," the PEOPLE source added. "Most people would feel overwhelmed by her working schedule this year, but not Syd. She's all about working right now and very excited about all her projects." Sweeney turned heads recently when she showed up at the wedding of her fellow Anyone but You star Glen Powell's sister. Sweeney and Powell have been the subject of romantic rumors for some time, but the bride said Sweeney was simply there as a guest of the family. By Andrew Holleran is a trending news writer on Men's Journal He's covered sports and pop culture for more than a decade Things you buy through our links may earn Vox Media a commission Update 10:50 p.m.: Now Beyoncé is holding the Allegiant Stadium, per Pop Crave Pop Crave.) That is where the Cowboy Carter tour is set to conclude in July “Beyoncé — many orders of magnitude larger than the Sphere venue — leans over Things you buy through our links may earn Vox Media a commission. Password must be at least 8 characters and contain: As part of your account, you’ll receive occasional updates and offers from New York, which you can opt out of anytime. There was an error processing the request. Please try again later. Luke Otto is a Content Producer for the Epson Tour. He is a Professional Golf Management grad from Ferris State University and has spent three years in professional golf. ShopLas Vegas Aces If you are having difficulty accessing any content on this website Published: Invalid Date ACTOR Ryan Reynolds is splashing out £500,000 to send his Wrexham squad on a trip to Las Vegas to celebrate promotion — for the third year in a row He and fellow owner Rob McElhenney promised to reward the players and staff if they made it to the Championship It will be his first trip to Sin City in Nevada but the third for some of the club — with Ryan and Rob picking up the tab the Welsh side will be in the second tier of English football Manager Phil Parkinson, who is not going, said: “They deserve it. Unlock even more award-winning articles as The Sun launches brand new membership programme - Sun Club Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/ LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Cirque du Soleil's KÀ is celebrating two decades in the Las Vegas valley this year and I got a special look behind the scenes to see what sets it apart WATCH: Cirque du Soleil's KÀ celebrates 20 years in Las Vegas and it's not often the stage itself is considered a character Company manager Cathy Poochigian-Pratt tells me it's almost one of the stars of the show It has 80 steel pegs that pop out of it so the artists use it as acrobatic handholds," she said The 50-ton stage — and the talent who grace it — have been dazzling audiences in Cirque du Soleil's KÀ for 20 years now "This is now one of the longest-running Cirque shows here in Vegas What do you think has contributed to the longevity of the show?" I asked we have some elements in the show that no other Cirque show has no other show in the world has," Poochigian-Pratt said She used her family as an example of how the show can mean different things to different people I have an 80-year-old uncle who is super impressed by the mechanics behind the show how we intertwine the technology with the artistic elements," Poochigian-Pratt explained I've got my 70-year-old mother who is deaf and can't hear anything She uses American Sign Language to communicate know we don't really have a specific language It's really cool to be able to cater to the masses." It takes the largest cast and crew of any Cirque show to put this $165 million production on — 250 people A majority of them make up the technical crew "We have a day crew that comes in around 6 o'clock in the morning every day and they are doing maintenance checks on everything from harnesses to wire rope to the stage to the mechanics behind it," Poochigian-Pratt said They use innovative elements like debuting touchscreen technology two years before touchscreen cellphones became popular in 2007 Some examples of other artists that are now using similar technology include country superstar Carrie Underwood who used a platform with pegs for the final number of her Las Vegas residency and she used the same type of cork that the KÀ crew uses for the beach scene during the show It's all to bring a powerful story to life "We are truly a narrative-based show," Poochigian-Pratt told me and they're trying to find each other in the end." She says most Cirque shows are based on a loose narrative What stands out to Poochigian-Pratt is one specific part involving shadow puppets which harkens back to one of the simplest forms of storytelling "What a lot of our guests don't understand is when the creators they really wanted guests to witness the original form of storytelling KÀ recently expanded its schedule to include earlier weekend performances with Monday through Wednesday shows continuing at 7 p.m At a private baccarat table near the back of the El Cortez Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas on a chilly January afternoon a crowd of fans gathered to watch one of the world’s most famous gamblers at work Some had come all the way here just to watch him play They savored every detail—how he cut chips His gray hair was molded into a tight crew cut and he wore a knitted gold necklace low across his collarbone and a Super Bowl–sized ring with a Ruby 777 jackpot dangling from his hand except in one way: This man absolutely sucked at gambling I’d been with Vegas Matt—the YouTube tycoon whose millions of followers salivate over his every bet—for only a few hours His four-figure slot machine deposits had gone bust an unyielding blackjack jet had hoovered up his teetering stacks of chips and his rare victories had been reinvested into more audacious There was no way he’d end the night with dignity the dealer wordlessly organized Matt’s money into thick columns of $100 bills pleating their edges at a slight diagonal so she could slash through them all at once with counterfeit-detecting iodine ink But Vegas Matt was making this bet with a ticket he had just extracted from a slot machine Baccarat is as close as a gambler can get to flipping a coin: Two pairs of cards are dealt players add up the numbers printed on them and the combination that comes closest to nine is declared the winner slinging the cards across the felt while his 30-year-old son he has managed to turn losing money into an enviable living—and is one of the only people on Earth to do so “People give estimates of what they think we’re making and it’s always way low,” he told me from the plush interior of his Rolls-Royce which was still scented with a synthetic new-purchase aroma “Our watch hours on YouTube [in December] were And there’s a commercial every 10 minutes.” Vegas Matt was on the cusp of a remarkable achievement his YouTube channel would cross the million-subscriber mark—a metric that pairs nicely with the million or so people who follow his Instagram account and they all follow the same format: First Vegas Matt counts out a hefty wager in front of a blackjack table or a slot machine The camera is framed to provide the illusion that the viewer is in the captain’s chair preparing to immolate $3,000 on the altar of chance He does not claim to have an insider’s edge or an esoteric jackpot-juicing technique No one watching his videos is going to pick up tips to improve their approach But that’s the magic: He’s utterly relatable One of the enduring axioms of the gambling world is that despite anyone’s best efforts these videos are the closest we can get to the intoxicating precarity of a big bet without risking a dent to the checking account This is the fantasy that Vegas Matt is selling: an everlasting bro paradise where the bankroll never runs dry and the weekend stretches out into eternity “It’s like watching a reality show,” he said of his channel’s appeal I am not the only person in my circle to be seduced by this Mixed in among his army of followers are an old college buddy and a fellow thirtysomething colleague who was absolutely enthralled after he learned that I was profiling Vegas Matt (“I love his videos when he’s losing at blackjack,” he said awesome.”) When Vegas Matt posted an Instagram clip from the El Cortez in which I could briefly be seen in the background my brother-in-law instantly shot me a text “I’ve got a lot of questions about that guy.” I did as well. While I’ve thought of him mostly as a gambling cryptid—Bigfoot if he were in way too deep at the roulette wheel—I was also mystified by his persona. His fans are too I wanted to know if his life was as enticing as it looked on camera The practice—once cordoned off to the scant few alcoves on the map where gambling was already legal—is now established in 39 states and counting Our citizens are hooked: Americans are estimated to have wagered $150 billion on sports in 2024 a seismic increase from the $7 billion risked during the first year of legalization are breaking ground on casinos in formerly verboten territories Officials in New York City are currently mulling 11 proposals from betting companies which is eyeing an eight-story game room in the heart of Times Square millimeters from breaking into a hoard of diamonds The caption reads: “99% of gambling addicts quit right before their big win … never give up.” Perhaps it makes sense I first discovered Vegas Matt—real name: Matt Morrow—when he appeared on my Instagram during a listless weekday morning while I was trying to stave off a variety of financial anxieties: credit card debt a lease-renewal negotiation that was sure to get ugly Those obligations were briefly alleviated when Matt (It was on yet another hand of baccarat.) I was entranced: With the flick of my thumb I saw him replicate the routine again and again sloughing off whole down payments—whole net worths—into the maw of the casino he needed a miracle to rebound from a $9,000 deficit He was dealt the ace and queen of hearts and went looking for the other pieces to complete a royal flush He whipped out his phone and filmed the $12,060 jackpot When his son EJ reviewed the clip later that evening They came up with the name Vegas Matt and posted the video to TikTok where it garnered a modest but promising 40,000 views EJ and Matt returned to the scene of the crime to try and film a second royal flush “Absolute shit sandwich,” said Matt in that clip Morrow kept at it. He uploaded video after video of his trips to the casino, fleshing out the character his fans know today. The Vegas Matt persona is a stubborn gambler who cherishes his wins and mourns his losses without ever growing outright despondent. He avoids the tactics of other gambling influencers, who seem to mostly post their massive jackpots you never quite feel as if you’re watching an addict burn it all down because it’s clear this enterprise is at least somewhat moneymaking Morrow didn’t tell me exactly how much money he’s generating from his social media enterprise but EJ has suggested that 70 percent of their net revenue comes from YouTube advertisements while the other 30 percent is divided between sponsorships and Vegas Matt’s own merchandise store a $55 pink hoodie featuring one cursive word: Gamble.) So the digital engagement has allowed him to scrub away the incredible risk of a night at the casino Vegas Matt can keep the engine churning only if he is making bets Morrow told me that he finished 2024 on a nasty losing streak that forced him to take some money that wasn’t reserved for gambling out of his bank account so he could keep making videos I’m sick of this,” he said; he briefly considered paring down his filming schedule from seven to five days a week to stay solvent But for as much as Vegas Matt does take a beating he is always safeguarded by a tide of YouTube residuals which is not something I can assert for anyone else in the process of losing $30,000 at the El Cortez The man is unshackled by the burden of temperance He has jury-rigged his arcane revenue streams in such a way that he can continue to do something he truly loves It all makes Morrow vaguely intangible: an immaterial man in a very material world just know that Vegas Matt is famous—much more famous than even I knew He is famous enough to provoke titters of glee and bewildered revealing a warm and accommodating interior the thousands of tourists ambling around southern Nevada pushing against the limits of language to muster a halting “I watch your videos.” A roving band of bros beckon him to their table hoping for a selfie and a single hand of blackjack asks for advice about increasing viewership on his own F1-themed YouTube channel before passing along a key card to a 63rd-floor suite the place Vegas Matt is most famous is the El Cortez where people know they have the best chance of running into him Morrow entered the game room with a Starbucks coffee in hand “I knew we were going to get lucky!” shouted a fan who had joined this impromptu meet and greet flashing a big smile for everyone in line—after all One sticker takes the shape of a blackjack table Around its perimeter are the words Get Even Many of these people came here just to watch Vegas Matt make some bets they tail him back and forth across the corridors of the El Cortez forming jittery semicircles around his seat in the same way one might jostle for a glimpse of Tiger Woods teeing off at Augusta They wince at his defeats and toast his victories and all are fluent in the jargon Morrow deploys on his YouTube channel (Innage refers to how much money one has inserted into a slot machine Sando is slang for a wager that bricks out in spectacular fashion.) Joe Schachinger and Kathy Wiese told me that Vegas Matt’s videos have become their go-to after-dinner entertainment “We’ll sit there and watch him for an hour,” said Schachinger who owns an IT company and plays slots at $30 a spin who never lets Vegas Matt out of his sight He is tasked with giving Morrow and his friends the high-roller treatment Wiesberg will adjust the music to Vegas Matt’s liking enforce a tight perimeter around the camera after Morrow has finished his long shift of losing bets escort him and his posse toward a plush leather booth at the rear of the casino’s marquee restaurant for a complimentary dinner of New York strips and stone crab claws Any money the man bleeds comes from his own bank account it’s been one of the few casinos in the city that allow patrons to shoot video of their table games especially in such an infamously paranoid business If players could record the intricacies of casino procedure would they then be able to scratch out an advantage Wiesberg’s peers in the industry thought he was out of his mind But Wiesberg is a believer in the power of social media he thinks this association with Vegas Matt has clearly paid off The El Cortez was packed on this languid Friday afternoon and there was no question that Vegas Matt was the main attraction Wiesberg has leaned into the partnership to the point that the casino’s gift shop is brimming with Vegas Matt–branded shirts and sweaters “People come in here to buy my merchandise and then they lose $5,000,” quipped Morrow unshy about the revenue he generates for the game room Morrow would like to replicate this business model across Las Vegas He hopes that one of those gleaming casinos on the Strip—away from the low-slung ceilings of the El Cortez—will offer him an exclusive deal he’d swarm the floor with a convoy of his fans “I could have this place as busy as the El Cortez but the geniuses who run these companies don’t get it yet,” Morrow said from the middle of the alabaster Crockfords game room “This place will pay Carrie Underwood $2 million a weekend to get 2,300 people into that theater If I did a meet and greet and they promoted it Vegas Matt has correctly identified a sea change in the gambling industry The hobby’s inherent vice has become a feature rather than a bug It’s never been easier to lose a bet in the United States the glittery lures casinos used to rely on to get people inside the building—the Carrie Underwood concerts Morrow is referencing spectacles that have historically been positioned to conceal the sin of Sin City—aren’t as necessary as they once were That was another hurdle Wiesberg needed to navigate: Was he OK with someone showcasing the brutality of the El Cortez’s baccarat tables He told me that other properties around Las Vegas ones that have historically obfuscated the misery of this business “They’ve been projecting an image to the world forever of excitement and celebration,” he said Wiesberg has put faith in the idea that people like me have become immune to the traditional ways the gambling industry has marketed itself Gone are the phony assurances of million-dollar payouts the only way I know how to gamble—is just like Vegas Matt it became clear that he intended to impress me all the blessings that were available to him after conquering Las Vegas—as if to emphasize and the rest of us are right to be envious that meant that I too was wreathed with VIP treatment for as long as I stood beside him The reason I was in that Rolls-Royce in the first place was so Vegas Matt could show me that 63rd-floor suite near the vertigo-inducing apex of the Crockfords resort We zoomed into the sky on the express elevator and gazed through floor-to-ceiling windows at the shimmering rooftops of hotels far less regal than ours I’m still unable to pierce Vegas Matt’s gaudy persona None of my questions connect: Morrow isn’t much of a sports fan even though he wagered $12,500 on the Chiefs to win Super Bowl 59 (another loss) and the only pop-culture artifact he mentions to me throughout the day is the film Coming to America which he describes as the “best movie ever.” In fact the only time Vegas Matt truly opens up to me is when we talk about wealth—the way he pursued it and the luxurious perks it entails Morrow was raised in the Bay Area and has had a few past lives: He quit a college internship in Hawaii to spend his days at the beach while driving a pedicab. He lived in Los Angeles, where he unsuccessfully tried his hand at stand-up comedy and ended up helping finance a couple of kitschy horror movies in the late 1980s, including the infamous Night of the Demons Before I could even mount a follow-up question to Morrow about this he instinctively launched into his defense It’s as simple as this: MLMs get a bad rap because the wrong people are involved in them His good name has been tarnished by too many creeps and weirdos Their failures aren’t just that they can’t motivate others to sign up to sell weight-loss products The problem is much bigger than that—they don’t have any friends in the first place and they don’t want to take responsibility for their failure For the first time in our entire day together and you failed because you couldn’t get anyone to join.” It’s a sentiment that clarifies the twinge of humiliation I felt after watching him cut out a baccarat bet of roughly the same value as my 401(k) simply unlikable—and is that where it all went wrong Vegas Matt is a master at stoking a poisonous sense of inadequacy That’s when one of the great ironies of Morrow’s existence comes into focus I was attracted to his videos for their effervescent bachelor-party texture a vision of a life unencumbered by anything but gratification the more I detected an elemental craving just below those gold chains Morrow told me about the future he envisions for the Vegas Matt brand: He’d like to be flown from casino to casino in a private jet so he may make bets in their businesses as a featured VIP The fantasy is so ridiculous I can hardly wrap my mind around it: Imagine exploring the country exclusively through the prism of smoke-filled game rooms The world has rewarded Vegas Matt with incredible spoils he can’t quite stop himself from wanting more I suppose that is one of the few things Vegas Matt and I have in common Because I too have sat at a blackjack table deep into the witching hour I don’t think I’ve ever wandered to the payout window feeling totally satiated Vegas Matt has managed to nullify the perils of gambling but he has done so by leveraging social media—yet another casino replete with long odds and enthralling opportunity—where the numbers can always get bigger The horrible truth is that the iridescent desert sun can be refracting through the tinted windows of your blacked-out Rolls-Royce and still the only thing on your mind is the next bet is much more of a thrill for him than the money is Morrow told me he was bullied as a kid and felt like an outcast growing up it’s a rewarding experience when people from your past but for someone who had a hard time getting a date to the prom or who wasn’t picked to be on the basketball team at recess Howie Mandel was due onstage in five minutes when Mandel hosted him on his podcast and probed Morrow about his financial solvency (“Are you up or down?” asked an inquisitive Mandel at the beginning of the episode.) Morrow We’ve been escorted behind the curtains of the David Copperfield Theater—located in the bowels of the MGM—for a quick flutter of Instagrams “Let’s shoot some content tomorrow,” he said to Morrow we were sitting in a swank booth in the second row of the auditorium while a trickle of gray-haired snowbirds fill in the cheap seats I was reminded again of just how easy life in Las Vegas appears to be for Morrow how this citadel of scams seems to loosen at his touch the one I shared with the other 40 million tourists who come to Las Vegas every year composed of $10 baccarat bets and gouging ATM premiums and Vegas Matt left me standing in the wide-open chambers of the MGM Grand My eight hours as a high roller were officially over Now it was time to become reacquainted with the city as I’ve always understood it after a couple of way-too-strong gin and sodas I was actually on a bit of a hot streak by the time I hit the poker table where a quintet of players much richer than I bled me dry in record time I found myself in a very familiar place: bereft and alone in a buzzing casino talking myself out of the wish to get even I held firm and rode the elevator back to my room I drifted off to sleep while taking solace in the idea that for as glitzy as the Vegas Matt reverie might be The thrill of risking money that I can never recover there isn’t a private dinner of stone crab claws waiting to balm my sorrows I might be playing at much smaller stakes—I’ve never come close to losing $30,000 in a day—but of the two of us Vegas Matt will never understand the rawness of my vice maybe I will never understand the drudgery of his craft consists of a sudden and violent psychological displacement All of my frugalities are thrown out the window I’m buying a pack of Marlboro Reds at 4 in the morning Those doses of depravity—meted out in 36-hour intervals—are the spice of life is unable to take a break from reality with the intoxicating assistance of excess There are plenty of things I will always envy about Morrow brain-healing ritual of a Saturday night at the casino with the boys will never become routine I don’t think I would have understood this if I hadn’t come to see him Vegas Matt crossed the million-subscriber threshold He celebrated the only way he knows how: risking a million bucks in a single day Morrow supplied half of the sum himself with a gratuitous pile of cash secured with rubber bands The other half was cheerfully loaned out by the casino A blackjack dealer ripped away his $10,000 wagers A slot machine repossesses a $20,000 investment in record time Morrow made the single biggest bet he’s ever recorded on camera: $100,000 Vegas Matt was the one to turn over an eight “I think I’m going to pass out!” he shouted toasting both his winnings and the viewers who’ve come along for the ride Morrow was wearing the newest item available in the Vegas Matt merch store It’s a T-shirt emblazoned with a jackpot counter The white-and-gold letters across his chest spell out four words: One in a Million LAS VEGAS -- The Athletics are moving toward the next major step in their relocation to Las Vegas They cleared a significant hurdle last week when the Clark County Commission approved land-use permits That approval followed the unveiling of new stadium renderings and the announcement of a Las Vegas patch on players' uniform sleeves for the next three seasons under a sponsorship with the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority There are some documents that still need to be completed and submitted but there appears to be nothing major that would block putting shovels in the ground A's president Marc Badain said the team is on track for a June groundbreaking for the $1.75 billion 33,000-person capacity ballpark intended to open for the 2028 season The club is playing the first of at least three seasons in a Triple-A ballpark at West Sacramento everybody knows this project's going to happen," Badain said There's a lot of people that make a living out of questioning the success of sports venues and what they actually do for a community You're never going to eradicate that negativity Badain went through a similar process as then-president of the Raiders He was instrumental in that NFL team's move from Oakland to Las Vegas and the approval and construction of $2 billion Allegiant Stadium "The team of people the A's put together before I even got on site is phenomenal," Badain said "A lot of the same people that were involved with Allegiant are on the ballpark project So that familiarity and that knowledge and that experience has served the A's organization well both before I got there and just in the last month I've been there." The A's were well into the process of going through the necessary steps for stadium construction when they hired Badain on March 6 who had been acting president and now is vice chairman was the lead person and remains heavily involved "We're working every day to get to the groundbreaking in the second quarter," Dean said There was significant opposition to the A's receiving up to $380 million in public money for their stadium until the Las Vegas Stadium Authority cleared the way Dec When Clark County commissioners met last week all 15 people who spoke during the public-comments portion favored the project Many union workers wore A's kelly-green shirts that read The A's would become he fourth major professional team in Las Vegas "The community has obviously seen the impact that the sports facilities and the sports teams have had on the diversification of the economy as well as the enhancement of the Las Vegas brand and what the city can offer," Badain said "It used to be the entertainment capital of the world everybody refers to it as the sports and entertainment capital of the world." The mega-popular Korean grocery outlet opened in true Las Vegas style with showgirls and lion dancers on April 24 After being in development for nearly three years, Las Vegas’s first H-Mart is finally here More than 400 people lined up outside of the Korean grocery store ahead of its 10 a.m with some arriving well before the sun came up At the front of the line were Mel and Alex Laureno for Las Vegas’s first H-Mart location to open its doors “We want to get first dibs on the freshest produce like the cases of Champagne mango,” says Mel Laureno get Hello Kitty toilet paper and Lotte melon ice cream.” Customers arrived armed with detailed shopping lists — curated by visits to the store’s other locations or recommendations found on social media — and eager to get their hands on the store’s robust selection of Asian snacks The Korean grocer celebrated with traditional Chinese lion dancers backed by tanguu drums and cymbals feather-headdress-wearing showgirls danced to “Viva Las Vegas” just before the doors opened located at 2620 South Decatur Boulevard near Sahara Avenue had snaked around the perimeter of the parking lot ending out on the sidewalk on Decatur Boulevard Local fans of the Korean grocery store have waited far longer than a few hours to get inside — rumors circulated about an opening for years before the company finally put a banner on the wall and officially announced an anticipated 2024 debut “I’ve been waiting five years for it to open,” says Erin Koch who picked up a $31.99 store-brand hot pot kit discounted to $19.99 for the grand opening There’s more variety here and there’s food from everywhere The store occupies a sprawling 54,552 square feet and was delightfully unmarred by the reaching fingers of customers — untouched rows of snacks were perfectly uniform stacks of vibrant produce flowed from shelf to shelf and refrigerators storing meat and fish brimmed with pork belly “There’s more of everything than I expected,” Alex Laureno told me after getting inside there are no boxes lying around like at Greenland [Supermarket] with far fewer lines and nary a showgirl to be seen Las Vegas locals were eager to show off their must-buy products “We came to get the TikTok peach ice cream,” says Tiffany Castro and they don’t sell them anywhere.” The TaoQi Peach Ice Cream Bars are presented under plastic domes as upside-down peaches with a perfectly orange-pink hue The Propitious Mango Ice Cream bars look convincingly like mangos with mildly sweet ice cream enrobed in a white chocolate shell “They look so satisfying and make the most satisfying crunch when you bite into them,” added Castro’s friend Jessenia Montenegro expected only Korean people to attend the grand opening and didn’t anticipate nearly 400 people in line A manager let her skip the queue shortly after the doors opened she recommends getting super fragrant and almost minty perilla leaves (ggaenip) and cilantro and green onion and roll it all up in the perilla leaf,” she says Carreen Chau hefted two boxes of Soon Kimchi noodles “It’s rare to find good vegan ramen,” she says Aaliyah Judkins had a cart brimming with snacks hoisting a bag of flaky Orion Choco Churros Turtle Chips pointing at two bags of Honey Butter Chips Just a little bit sweet and buttery.” She says that a bag of butter- and soy sauce-flavored roasted seaweed flakes is something she used to have to order online “This is what I came for,” Marlette Bernabe says about a six-pack of Binggrae Banana milk drink boxes “And you can’t leave without getting the steamed sweet potatoes I went to Korea and everyone lined up at the street vendors to get it.” The sliced purple potatoes are steamed in-house and served warm but here it’s pre-marinated and I got a family pack for $30 Marco Diaz’s shopping trip focused on the meat section He added two boxes of delicately sliced and rolled cuts of Wagyu beef (packs are sold frozen) “I cook it up hot pot-style with broth and eat it with sesame sauce,” he says Marketing manager Douglas Kim says that he expects the line to span about 200 people throughout opening day but that crowds should level out by Friday So while Las Vegas locals have waited years for H-Mart to open they needn’t wait that much longer to get in Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Texas legislators have introduced a bill that could make zoning changes easier That's after Las Vegas Sands proposed rezoning a mixed-use development in Irving that would have included casino gaming in its destination resort The proposal led to considerable blowback from Irving residents and others opposed to casino gambling Senate Bill 844 was filed on Jan During the Senate Committee on Local Government hearing on Monday Hughes said the bill was about property rights and would address obstacles that can come up when a city is making changes to an area's zoning changes in zoning can be quickly and significantly disrupted by a small number of property owners even if some don't even own the land that would be affected by the change," Hughes said The companion to Hughes' senate bill, House Bill 24 Angelia Orr and has four joint authors and eight co-authors have received campaign contributions from the Texas Sands PAC which is connected to Las Vegas Sands Corp Las Vegas Sands has lobbied to legalize gambling in Texas for years and formed the Texas Sands PAC in 2022 backed by the Texas Conservative Coalition “Corporate entities were not consulted in the drafting of this bill nor was this bill intended to help them,” Rep Hughes has also been supported by the Texas Sands PAC according to campaign finance report filings KERA reached out to Las Vegas Sands and other state representatives connected to the bill but did not receive a response by the time of publication Las Vegas Sands Corp. was recently involved in a rezoning case in Irving for a high-intensity, mixed use development which would have included a destination resort with a casino gaming element Las Vegas Sands would have been poised to quickly begin casino operations if Texas legalized casino gambling HB 24 was filed the same day the planning and zoning commission held a work session over the development Following strong pushback from Irving residents Sands took out the casino-related portion of the development plans senior vice president of global real estate development at Las Vegas Sands defended the proposed destination resort as a “valuable product" during the March 20 City Council meeting “In previous meetings we’ve committed to working with the residents of this city and I again make that commitment,” Boekenheide told council members during the work session prior to the meeting “How that is best structured to accomplish Currently it takes 20% of property owners to protest a rezoning adjacent to their land which would then require a three-fourths super majority vote of the city council to approve the change it would change the protest threshold from 20 to 60% of property owners within 200 feet of the adjacent proposed rezoning This could impact the University of Dallas the private Catholic university that is a significant landowner of property in and adjacent to the Planned Unit Development Sanford said in a statement that they were opposed to any legislation that "weakens the rights of adjacent property owners." He added that Texas is a state built on strong communities and recognizing the fundamental importance of property rights "Efforts to make it easier for developers to ignore neighbors’ concerns erode property rights and undermine the principle of neighborliness; this is not the Texas way," he said in the statement "As a significant landowner in the City of Irving The "high intensity mixed-use" development will sit on 1,001 acres including the site of the former Texas Stadium There are about 452 acres of buildable land on the site Las Vegas Sands entered into an agreement to buy the land in 2022 and finalized the purchase in 2023 months before primary Las Vegas Sands shareholder Miriam Adelson acquired a controlling stake in the Dallas Mavericks Plans for the development also include an arena but Las Vegas Sands have not said whether it would be for an athletic team While plans for the land have been in the works since 2022 the Irving City Council had not heard details on the development until January of this year Within two months council members were set to approve the rezoning The first and only town hall about the project was held less than a week before council met to finalize the rezoning Days later the city's planning and zoning commission heard seven hours of public comment from a majority of people opposed to the rezoning and its casino element including lifelong Irving resident Deborah Malain Malain called the proposal unprecedented and was not convinced the rezoning needed to be done while casino gaming was still illegal what other illegal proposals will you be given?" she asked commissioners "What other compromises will you be asked to make If they are asking for a compromise and exception to the rule at the very beginning of this process the rezoning passed the planning and zoning commission in a 5-4 vote Planning and Zoning Commissioner Daniel Denny was one of the four who voted against the rezoning During the meeting he said he was skeptical about approving a project before casino gaming is legalized "If it doesn't pass the state legislature this year it's going to be two years before it comes up again," Denny said "How much work could we expect on that site if it's uncertain it's going to get passed?" In a letter the University of Dallas addressed to the Irving City Council on March 20 Sanford said they strongly opposed the inclusion of the casino gaming element in the destination resort plans The university — along with UD Land Holdings LLC and UD Land Corporation — own land on Tom Braniff Drive Because the university owns significant acreage in Tracts E F and H of PUD 6 along with additional adjacent properties Sanford said they should have been given official notice from the city to confirm suitability of the proposed use for PUD 6 "Casino gaming would threaten the wholesome and truth-seeking climate we have worked hard to cultivate over many years at the University of Dallas and it would negatively impact the family friendly environment that the city of Irving has fostered so well over so many years," Sanford said in his letter city officials say property owned by the University of Dallas does not fall within 200 feet of the recent destination resort zoning case so Sanford's letter would not have invoked the state’s zoning protest law While the Irving City Council approved an amended rezoning proposal on March 20 without the casino gaming element some city council candidates say the casino issue is far from over Following the public backlash over the casino gaming Place 2 candidate Sergio Porres updated his website to include an anti-casino message along with campaign flyers paid for by the Anti-Predatory Gambling Association telling residents to "stop the predatory casino." Even though casino gaming is illegal in the state Porres said the May 3 election would determine whether it could have a future in Irving "[Las Vegas Sands] is just waiting to see if they get candidates that are going to give them what they want instead of being the tough negotiators that the city needs to make sure that we protect Irving and its character," he said Las Vegas Sands previously said during the March 14 town hall that they were not financially involved in the May 3 election which includes three city council seats on the ballot Sands' Senior Vice President Andrew Abboud said during the town hall that they would not directly nor indirectly influence the proposed zoning change through financial donations we would never do that," he said during the meeting." the Texas Sands PAC has not only supported authors of the bill in Austin but it has also supported committee members that have overseen the bill On March 27, House Bill 24 was sent to the Committee on Land and Resource Management. Six of the nine members have been supported by the PAC. And out of the seven Senate Committee on Local Government members who heard the bill on Monday PACs having influence on what legislation gets attention is nothing new in Texas University of Houston political science professor said there's an old adage that says there's only one political party in Texas "The reason is because money moves mountains in the legislature." The most consistent success story for legislation is one that has the financial backing to it. And a PAC like Texas Sands has that multimillion dollar contribution power When it comes to legalizing casino gaming in the state Rottinghaus said that legislation has been met with a non-financial hurdle: moral opposition Legislators who are morally opposed or who see economic liabilities have been one of the stoppage points to getting it passed statewide Another reason is the lack of buy-in from political leaders like Dan Patrick "The third reason is that major changes in how especially gaming operates in legislature While the casino gaming issue has become a talking point on the Irving City Council campaign trail for some Place 2 candidate David Pfaff said it is currently a state issue "This should go to vote of the Irving citizens at the appropriate time when we know if it's even legal from the state Texas and what does that even entail," Pfaff said "So we're kind of running blindly right now with it being illegal." Got a tip? Email Megan Cardona at mcardona@kera.org KERA News is made possible through the generosity of our members. If you find this reporting valuable, consider making a tax-deductible gift today “Just Stop Oil” an environmentalist group protesting the largest EV maker in the world yet the J6ers are running around FREELY... Are you so certain that there is no organizing group jor groups behind this that you are willing to stake your career on it If you are wrong and it turns out that these attacks are in fact coordinated I am just wondering whether there are any consequences for you if you are wrong single-action-bias\" activism implied by the movement's call to \"sell your Tesla\" if performed by Sheryl Crow with her media stardom selling their Tesla simple makes the former owner feel good enables those who don't care about speaking out against Elon and encorages those who want to stick it to environmentalists who bought EV to literally help save the planet by reducing CO2 and NOx emissions Any such sales transaction is completely outside the Tesla corporate sphere exactly how do people selling their Tesla help bring down Musk Tesla Owners: Drive your Tesla to a #TeslaTakedown protest...show up But don't think selling your Tesla changes anything The Justice Department announced it arrested an Arizona man on arson and property damage charges for allegedly setting fire to Tesla vehicles at a dealership the seventh person to be federally charged in a recent spate of vandalism targeting Teslas as an apparent form of protest against company CEO Elon Musk Tesla protests—including instances of arson and vandalism—have taken place nationwide 19-year-old Kansas City resident and college student Owen McIntire for allegedly using Molotov cocktails to commit arson against a Tesla dealership in Kansas City last month accusing him of setting fire to two Cybertrucks and two Tesla charging stations whom prosecutors accuse of setting fire to two Tesla vehicles at an Albuquerque showroom in February and committing arson at the Republican Party New Mexico headquarters in March smashed up a 2014 Tesla car in London with sledgehammers spray-painting phrases like “Billionaires suck” and “Tax the rich,” stating the car will be auctioned and the proceeds will go to food bank charities police and charged with defacing property for allegedly vandalizing Tesla vehicles with anti-Musk messages March 31The New York City Police Department told CBS News it is investigating at least five incidents of vandalism across the city that occurred in March including one incident in which two men allegedly spray-painted swastikas and the word “Nazis” onto a Cybertruck in Brooklyn’s Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood Texas police said multiple “incendiary devices” were discovered at a Tesla showroom made crude gestures at a Tesla vehicle and dragged an object against it while the vehicle’s owner ate inside a nearby restaurant among the largest instances of Tesla vandalism in recent weeks March 17Two Tesla Cybertrucks caught fire at a Kansas City dealership in an incident police suspect may be arson, the Kansas City Star reported whom organizers said in a statement is “throwing hundreds of thousands of people out of work jeopardising climate science and denying healthcare to vulnerable people.” March 11Three Tesla vehicles at a Dedham, Massachusetts, Tesla dealership were vandalized, police said with all four wheels on each vehicle damaged and two others defaced with spray paint though the origin of the fire is unclear and under investigation March 6At least seven shots were fired at a Tigard, Oregon, Tesla dealership, police said which caused damage to three cars and the store’s windows sustained heavy damage in fires that appeared to be intentionally set which said “No Musk” alongside what appeared to resemble a swastika with police finding a “container of gasoline plus a box of bottles and wick material” in her car according to the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Colorado and who police say previously vandalized the dealership in January 11Nelson allegedly sprayed graffiti using an expletive on the front windows of the Loveland Tesla dealership leading to a confrontation with a security guard 7Nelson was accused of using red graffiti on a wall of the Loveland Tesla dealership and a possible arson with police finding “multiple broken bottles consistent with incendiary devices,” according to the U.S 2Police accused Nelson of spray-painting the word “Nazi” on the Loveland Tesla dealership sign 29Nelson allegedly threw a Molotov cocktail aimed at a Cybertruck on display at the Loveland Tesla dealership accusing the individual of using Molotov cocktails and an AR-style firearm to “damage and destroy five Tesla vehicles” in Las Vegas has been viewed more than 55 million times “To those who might think that something like this is justifiable or potentially even admirable we want you to know this is a federal crime,” Evans said as incarceration has dramatically increased under Bukele’s presidency you better watch out because we're coming after you,” Bondi said despite many attacks against our stores and offices.” slamming the “Radical Left Lunatics” for protesting the car company or to impact the government through “mass destruction grassroots protest movement formed by many thousands of concerned citizens,” hitting back at Trump’s claim the Tesla protests are “illegal.” Many Voices. Create a free account to share your thoughts.  Forbes Community GuidelinesOur community is about connecting people through open and thoughtful conversations We want our readers to share their views and exchange ideas and facts in a safe space In order to do so, please follow the posting rules in our site's Terms of Service.  We've summarized some of those key rules below Your post will be rejected if we notice that it seems to contain: User accounts will be blocked if we notice or believe that users are engaged in: Thanks for reading our community guidelines. Please read the full list of posting rules found in our site's Terms of Service. Beyoncé receives cease-and-desist over Sphere Las Vegas videoby News 3 Staff LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — Beyoncé has been hit with a cease-and-desist letter after sharing a video during her "Cowboy Carter" tour in Los Angeles which shows the singer walking along the Las Vegas Strip as a giant and picking up what appears to be the Sphere They stated that Beyoncé did not ask for permission to use the Sphere in the video and gave her until today to make changes responded by posting a video on social media with the caption "What happens in Vegas starts with a bang." The Vegas Golden Knights have reached the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the fifth time in franchise history and will take on the Edmonton Oilers for the right to reach the Western Conference Final Edmonton knocked out the Los Angeles Kings in the first round for the fourth consecutive season as the Oilers won the series in six games Los Angeles jumped out to a 2-0 series lead before Edmonton rattled off four wins in a row including a 6-4 win in Game 6 to advance to the second round Connor McDavid led the Oilers with 11 points (2G 9A) in the first round while Leon Draisaitl posted 10 points (3G Eichel led the Golden Knights with nine points (3G, 6A) in the series against the Oilers. Barbashev contributed six points (3G, 3A) in the series and Reilly Smith had five points (2G Connor McDavid led the Oilers with 10 points (5G 5A) against the Golden Knights during the six-game series while Leon Draisaitl (6G 6A) each had seven points during the series in 2023 2025) – The National Hockey League announced today the schedule for the second round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs The Pacific Division champion Vegas Golden Knights will face the Edmonton Oilers in a best-of-seven series that opens on Tuesday Puck drop between Vegas and Edmonton on Tuesday for Game 1 is scheduled for 6:30 p.m Fans can watch the series on ESPN or TBS (U.S.) and Sportsnet or TVA (Canada) All seven games will be broadcast on the VGK Radio Network presented by Lee’s Discount Liquor 1340 AM) and in Spanish on Deportes Vegas (1460 AM) and Jack Bech usher in a new era of Raiders football while the defense looks to dominate in 2025 the Raiders were ranked 26th in NFL.com's Eric Edholm's recent power rankings "If I had to select one team with the most individual draft picks that got me excited, the Raiders would be in the running for that distinction." Wrote Edholm. "Running back Ashton Jeanty should be a star Don't be shocked if receiver Jack Bech follows suit and perhaps quicker than you might think." "The Darien Porter pick was a home-run swing at attempting to address the cornerback need Caleb Rogers and Charles Grant help the O-line Even a few of the Day 3 picks -- such as JJ Pegues and two FCS standouts Tommy Mellott and Cam Miller -- had me clapping at home." "What is the total package going to look like? Who knows? But Maxx Crosby chose to stick around, and he might just be rewarded for it (beyond the money, of course). Geno Smith adds professionalism but there's some legit excitement brewing in Vegas." the Chiefs are ranked third in the rankings While it would be understandable to see that big of a gap if this was last year's team and Jeremy Chinn plus the 2025 NFL Draft class should boost the Raiders stock once the season begins Smith will be playing behind a competent offensive line and with several playmaking weapons Expect Las Vegas to close the gap this season Ensure you follow us on X (Twitter) @HondoCarpenter and IG @HondoSr and never miss another breaking news story again on the Raiders Please let us know your thoughts on the 2025 Radiers now when you like our Facebook pageWHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE BROCK VIERRA With the league set to release each team's schedule for the upcoming season Dharya Sharma of the Sporting News took a look at the Raiders' strength of schedule "The Raiders haven't made the playoffs since 2021 and have suffered three straight losing seasons as [Pete] Carroll will look to establish a gritty culture and lead Las Vegas back into relevancy The team also added some exciting new pieces this offseason including a massive upgrade at quarterback with Geno Smith," Sharma said "Reaching the playoffs in 2025 would be a remarkable turnaround from the Raiders According to Warren Sharp of Sharp Football Analysis Las Vegas has the 15th toughest schedule in the NFL Sharp calculates strength of schedule by using projected 2025 win totals from Vegas oddsmakers Carroll's squad has the sixth-toughest schedule in the AFC." Sharma noted that although the strength of schedule gives an idea of how difficult each team's upcoming season may be as it is based on last season's results and teams have changed over the offseason Still, strength of schedule is a relatively good measurement of what to expect, as most teams do not change that drastically from season to season. Furthermore, the Raiders are arguably one of the teams that have changed the most from last season to this upcoming season "Though strength of schedule can also be measured with 2024 win totals, that isn't an accurate way to do so, as teams go through a ton of change throughout the offseason, which can be good and bad," Sharma said "We'll see if the Raiders can find some success in 2025 with all the changes that occurred this offseason There is a ton of optimism right now in Las Vegas and it could lead to an exciting or disappointing season." The Raiders' front office has repeatedly said they are focused on the Raiders and only the Raiders With all of the changes that have happened inside of the Raiders organization and on its roster focusing on themselves is likely the best idea for the Silver and Black Find us on X (formerly Twitter) @HondoCarpenter and Instagram @HondoSr so you never miss another story on the 2025 Raiders While here, do not forget to check out our Facebook page WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE. has been accused of spending more of his time in nightclubs than at his workplace – raising the amount of unanswered questions about his absence from the headquarters of the investgative agency who was FBI’s Assistant Director for Counterintelligence under Robert Mueller claimed that US President Donald Trump's high-ranking officer is seldom spotted at the Federal Bureau of Investigation's office However, Kash Patel has often been spotted spending his time elsewhere he’s been visible at nightclubs far more than he has been on the seventh floor of the Hoover building,” Figliuzzi told Morning Joe co-host Jonathan Lemaire Patel allegedly does not receive his briefings daily anymore “And there are reports that daily briefings to him have been changed from every day to maybe twice weekly,” Figliuzzi claimed Speaking further at the American talk show Frank Figliuzzi claimed that Kash Patel has been dividing his time between Washington DC and his home in Las Vegas He accused the FBI director of working remotely for the ‘past week’ that Patel spent a lot of his time at his home in Las Vegas—he’s been sort of working remotely for at least part of the week,” he said the headquarters in Washington is “chaos” behind the scenes Figluizzi warned that if Kash Patel kept spending more time at his home than in office because if he’s really trying to run things without his experience But he’s allowing agents to run things so we don’t know where this is going,” he said The former FBI officer further claimed of hearing reports of chaos inside the FBI headquarters “But the one word that keeps coming back at me from inside is that the building is chaos,” he said during the talk show Figluizzi's claims come at a time when Senate Democrats are demanding an investigation into Kash Patel's use of government aircraft particularly the FBI’s private fleet of jets Catch all the Business News , Breaking News Events and Latest News Updates on Live Mint. Download The Mint News App to get Daily Market Updates. Download the Mint app and read premium stories Log in to our website to save your bookmarks. It'll just take a moment. Active weather continues across Las Vegas Monday before heat trickles inby Chloe Koast Las Vegas (KSNV) — We're starting the week with active weather in Southern Nevada we broke the daily record for rain at Reid International Airport The previous record daily amount was .03” set back in 1982 We’ll see cloudy skies throughout the day on Monday with rain chances in the morning and rain likely this afternoon Scattered thunderstorms will also be possible with daytime highs around 15-20 degrees below normal Highs will reach around 68 degrees in Las Vegas (the normal high is 84 degrees) Winds will be out of the north up to 10 mph becoming stronger in areas where thunderstorms develop Not every neighborhood will see measurable rain so rain amounts will range from .00” to .50” around .04” to .10” of rain has fallen in parts of the west and northwest valley since midnight Air quality is ‘good’ and pollen levels are ‘moderate’ for grass Skies will be cloudy this evening with more showers and t-storm chances with skies becoming partly cloudy after midnight Valley low temperatures will be around 58 degrees The storm will still start clearing out of the area on Tuesday with slight shower/storm chances possible as the system moves east Valley highs will be in the upper 70s on Tuesday Temperatures keep soaring to highs in the 90s Friday and into the Mother’s Day weekend Looks like winds may start picking up on Mother’s Day with temperatures dropping beyond the 7-day LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The Venetian Las Vegas is addressing concerns about possible contaminated drinking water at the resort Channel 13 received multiple reports of possible contamination on Friday evening One viewer reached out to share a video that showed soda machines taped off in a dining area inside the resort At least two sources have told us they were briefly asked to stop serving water and ice on Friday night We asked a resort spokesperson about those reports and if there is any reason for guests to be concerned Channel 13 was told the Venetian experienced "a temporary disruption to the water service in isolated areas due to construction," but that "operations are now functioning normally." LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The Vegas Golden Knights claimed victory over the Minnesota Wild in the first round of the Stanley Cups playoffs pushing them forward into round two against the Edmonton Oilers WATCH | What we learned from the first round with Channel 13's Nick Walters The Golden Knights will face the Oilers in a best-of-seven series beginning May 6 at T-Mobile Arena Below is the full second-round schedule (Times are PT): This Saturday, downtown Las Vegas comes alive for the annual Helldorado Days Parade Bring the family to Fourth Street between Gass and Stewart avenues for a celebration of community and history and features over 100 entries — from high school marching bands to car clubs Grab a spot at the shaded grandstands on Bridger Avenue and enjoy food trucks and giveaways As we honor the 120th anniversary of Las Vegas’ founding you’ll see entries that reflect the city’s past Visit LasVegasNevada.gov/Helldorado for parking info and don’t forget — Fourth Street and cross streets between Charleston and Stewart will be closed Saturday morning This segment was paid for by Geary Company by Martha Cruz Las Vegas (KSNV) — Celebrate mom this Mother's Day with offerings across the Las Vegas valley At both Cowabunga Bay and Cowabunga Canyon moms receive free admission with the purchase of a full-price day ticket at the gate on Mother's Day Pinkbox Doughnuts has a variety of fun and flavorful doughnuts to show your love for Mom this upcoming Mother’s Day weekend the Mother’s Day menu of doughnuts includes: The STRATHotel Casino & Tower will honor the moms in guests’ lives with an elevated dining experience above the Las Vegas Strip Top of the World Steakhouse will host a spectacular Mother’s Day champagne brunch followed by a curated dinner menu in the evening Treat mom to a relaxing spa day this Mother's Day with a variety of options offered at Oleksandra Spa & Salon located at Treasure Island Resort and Casino Celebrate Mother’s Day at South Point Hotel, Casino & Spa with delicious prix-fixe menus served all day This Mother’s Day, Pancho’s Mexican Restaurant in Downtown Summerlin invites guests to celebrate the special women in their lives with a festive and flavorful brunch mothers will be treated to a complimentary “mom-osa” to start their celebration from 11 a.m Bottiglia Cucina & Enoteca located at Green Valley Ranch Spa and Casino invites families to celebrate Mother’s Day with a festive dining experience filled with fresh flavors and Tuscan charm with exclusive specials continuing into dinner service from 4 to 9 p.m Families can enjoy a lively atmosphere inside the bright dining room or al fresco on the picturesque patio La Fontaine and KYU inside Fontainebleau are celebrating mom this Mother's Day with specials for everyone to enjoy ONE Steakhouse at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas will honor moms with an elevated evening that combines coastal flavors and sparkling moments The experience includes an exclusive petite shellfish platter paired with two glasses of Prosecco AMARI Italian Kitchen & Wine Shop located at UnCommons in Southwest Las Vegas will honor moms with a beautifully curated Mother’s Day brunch the three-course menu blends seasonal ingredients with classic Italian inspiration In honor of Mother’s Day, participating locations will pamper moms with complimentary Recovery services and exclusive specials on family add-ons