Joe Schoenmann

« Older Newer »

Story Archive

Committee would study ways to lower $5 water surcharge in Las Vegas: Tuesday, May 1, 2012; A chance remains that the $5 average household surcharge for water in Las Vegas, which went into effect in April, could be lowered or changed.
Former county manager-turned-author takes on public employee pensions in new book: Sunday, April 29, 2012; Whenever we write about the compensation of county firefighters (the current average is about $175,000), someone chimes in that it’s unfair to add pension contributions to the total. Adding money that firefighters won’t see until they retire is misleading, they contend, making it look like they take home much more than they actually do.
Graffiti arrests up as Metro Police go after taggers: Sunday, April 22, 2012; The way Ed Euhling went on about it you’d think graffiti was the scourge of mankind, proof of society’s inability to care for and nurture its young.
What's behind Tony Hsieh's unrelenting drive to remake downtown Las Vegas?: Friday, April 20, 2012; By now all of Las Vegas knows that Tony Hsieh, the CEO of Zappos, is intensely interested and invested in downtown. He is moving his company there. He’s using a chunk of his fortune to help transform the urban core.
County ratifies 3-year contract with firefighters union: Tuesday, April 17, 2012; Clark County commissioners on Tuesday ratified a three-year contract with the firefighters union that eliminates longevity pay for future hires, a move that will save the county $60 million over 25 years.
County to expand parking lot at Las Vegas welcome sign: Tuesday, April 17, 2012; The 10-space parking lot at the “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas” sign has become so popular that Clark County will spend $500,000 to add 20 more spaces. On the median of Las Vegas Boulevard South, near Mandalay Bay, the 53-year-old sign is ground zero for tourists, who flock to the Las Vegas icon to have their picture taken.
Sisolak questions off-duty firefighters' use of county vehicles while doing charity work: Monday, April 16, 2012; Clark County Commissioner Steve Sisolak is questioning off-duty firefighters’ use of county fire trucks as they solicit donations for the Muscular Dystorphy Association at valley intersections.
County official on North LV's overtures to Metro: How would it save any money?: Sunday, April 15, 2012; North Las Vegas Mayor Shari Buck reached out to Las Vegas officials and Sheriff Doug Gillespie last week, in what appeared to be an attempt by the cash-strapped city to get Metro to take over North Las Vegas’ police department. But Buck ignored Clark County officials.
Report: Residents of unincorporated Clark County subsidize services used by all: Wednesday, April 11, 2012; Residents of unincorporated Clark County are, in effect, subsidizing some services that government provides all Southern Nevadans, including citizens of Henderson, Las Vegas, North Las Vegas and other smaller communities, according to a new county report.
County, North Las Vegas close to deal on Sloan Channel algae, bug problem: Sunday, April 8, 2012; The Sloan Channel’s stench, algae and bug problem might be closer to a resolution.
Commissioner says Strip 'way out of control,' as county moves ahead with cleanup: Tuesday, April 3, 2012; The Las Vegas Strip has become an obstacle course for tourists challenged to navigate overflowing trash cans, pedestrian bottlenecks, panhandlers and handbillers. But county commissioners think recommendations by a committee largely made up of casino executives will clean it up. The ideas include surveillance cameras, more police and ordinances regulating handbillers, adult-content newsracks and panhandlers. “We don’t want...the Las Vegas Strip (to become) a ‘Nightmare on Las Vegas Boulevard,’” Commissioner Lawrence Weekly said. “We have to do something because the Strip is getting way out of control.” Weekly voted with other commissioners to accept a report from the Strip Corridor Working Group, which spent six months studying the issue. Next, county staff will develop code amendments, public hearings will be set and commissioners will discuss where to find money for some of the changes.
Glowing orbs caught in Luxor beam remain a mystery: Monday, April 2, 2012; A tourist with a digital camera is convinced a group of lights filmed over the Luxor 12 days ago are from — well, he’s not sure where. Not even an executive for MGM Resorts International, which owns the Luxor, knows what the strange lights were.
Zip lines between Luxor and Excalibur waiting on federal OK: Sunday, April 1, 2012; The snail’s pace at which some federal agencies move, in this case the Federal Aviation Administration, is holding up plans for a series of recreational zip lines planned to run between the Luxor and Excalibur on the Las Vegas Strip.
Electric Daisy Carnival assures county officials that show will go on despite legal troubles: Friday, March 30, 2012; During the three-day Electric Daisy Carnival last year, officials estimate ravers poured more than $130 million into the Southern Nevada economy. The success of the music fest at Las Vegas Motor Speedway surprised many, especially those who thought the young people flocking to town would be drug-addled paupers who would buy concert tickets and little else. No question drugs were a part of the equation. But Las Vegas police, part of the festival oversight, reported virtually no problems or serious medical episodes. However, now it’s the alleged criminal activity of one of the festival organizers that has prompted questions about this year’s festival, scheduled June 8-10. About 74,000 tickets have already been sold.
Casino execs, county staff recommend 7 steps to clean up Strip: Thursday, March 29, 2012; Surveillance cameras and more police could be coming to the Strip if the county adopts the proposals of casino execs and county staff looking at ways to clean up trash and cut down on the chaos along Nevada’s most valuable real estate.
Audit of Kathleen Vermillion's charity reveals possible law violations in spending: Tuesday, March 27, 2012; A forensic audit of the fundraising arm of the Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth found some spending by the charity "could constitute a violation of criminal and/or civil law."
Zappos CEO buys motel, strikes deal to bring young talent downtown: Tuesday, March 27, 2012; Zappos’ efforts to remake downtown Las Vegas take another step forward with a real estate deal and plan to lure more young talent to the area. The Downtown Project will announce today a partnership with Venture for America to bring new college graduates to assist startup businesses.
Collins, Brager spat might foreshadow commission race loyalties: Sunday, March 25, 2012; Clark County commissioners don’t always get along, but Tom Collins and Chairwoman Susan Brager had a spat during Tuesday’s meeting that left fellow commissioners wide-eyed.
Fees keep going up as many find themselves poorly equipped to pay them: Sunday, March 25, 2012; In about a week, Southern Nevadans will see a new fee on their water bills. The “reliability” charge will for the average homeowner mean an additional $5 a month.
Tentative county fire pact calls for 2-year pay freeze, end to longevity bonus: Friday, March 23, 2012; A contract worked out between the firefighters union and Clark County management calls for a wage freeze for the next two years. The contract must be ratified by the Clark County Commission before it can take effect.
County hopes public opinion of firefighters improves before tax vote: Friday, March 23, 2012; Clark County and its firefighters union have frequently clashed in recent years. They’ve fought over firefighters’ compensation packages, which averaged $189,000 in fiscal year 2010, and alleged abuse of sick leave.
Metro recommends $100K settlement for man attacked while videotaping police: Wednesday, March 21, 2012; A man who was attacked and arrested by a Las Vegas police officer as he videotaped police activity in his neighborhood, will likely receive $100,000 to settle his lawsuit against the Metropolitan Police Department.
Auto repairs in fourplex parking lot translate into $48,000 fine against property owner: Tuesday, March 20, 2012; Clark County commissioners walked a fine line between an out-of-state property owner who testified she couldn’t sell her fourplex with an attached $48,000 lien and neighbors tired that the fourplex had been turned into a makeshift auto-repair shop.
Legislation preserving fossil-rich area north of Las Vegas as national monument expected this year: Tuesday, March 20, 2012; Long-awaited legislation to turn a large patch of desert filled with thousands of ice-age fossils north of Las Vegas into a national monument operated by the National Park Service will be filed later this year.
Commissioner sponsoring contest to find ideas for Clark County smartphone apps: Monday, March 19, 2012; Two years ago, Clark County developed a smart-phone application that lets people photograph and e-mail graffiti, which is sent to a team that cleans up the eyesore. Some 2,000 people now have since downloaded “MyDistrictD” onto their phones.
In Searchlight, a cemetery offers a window to the past: Monday, March 19, 2012; SEARCHLIGHT — A hard wind whistles through greasewood bushes. Tiny columns of dust eddy off the edge of sharp-edged stones jutting from the pale ground. Jane Overy stops and points at the grave stone of Erline Yeager Smith. “She’s the one who left us part of her estate,” Overy says. Yeager Smith died March 19, 2009, according to the marker.
With sales tax revenue down, bus fares are likely going up: Sunday, March 18, 2012; With bus ridership growing, a Regional Transportation Commission committee is recommending fare increases.
Tom Collins draws challenge from former School Board member Johnson: Thursday, March 15, 2012; A three-term former Clark County School Board member, Republican Ruth L. Johnson, will challenge Commissioner Tom Collins for the District B seat, which represents much of the northeastern county.
Firefighter terminated for sick-leave abuse could get his job back: Wednesday, March 14, 2012; A Clark County firefighter terminated for cheating the sick-leave system is fighting to get his job back. Ex-firefighter Donald Munn argued that he was wrongly fired before an arbitrator in a closed-door hearing in February.
Water rate hike could lead to more scrutiny of agency's spending: Sunday, March 11, 2012; Criticism continued after approval of a flat-rate monthly surcharge that will be added to hundreds of thousands of water bills beginning in May. The Las Vegas Valley Water District, whose members are the same as the Clark County Commission, approved the surcharge, which will raise the average residential bill $5 a month for the next three years.
'Party house' ordinance: Neighbors tire of a never-ending Spring Break next door: Sunday, March 11, 2012; The owners of a home for rent in an upscale west valley neighborhood have avoidance of government regulation down to a scripted science. At the home, near Desert Inn Road and Tenaya Way, neighbors see new tenants arrive almost daily, sometimes weekly, despite a county code prohibiting renting to tenants for less than a month. And neighbors, many of whom have lived there for decades, don’t like the transience it brings.
Study: County firefighters' average compensation dips to $175,000 from $189,000: Thursday, March 8, 2012; A new employee compensation study by Clark County administrators shows average firefighter compensation dipped to $175,000 in 2011 from about $189,000 in fiscal year 2010. Almost all of the decline stems from a drop in overtime pay to firefighters.
Unification Church will hold seminars, not build boats near airport: Thursday, March 8, 2012; Plans to build factory producing helium-filled boats didn't pan out for the business arm of the Unification Church, instead the organization led by the Rev. Sun Myung Moon plans a convention center and dormitory at its location near McCarran International Airport.
Jacob Snow to leave RTC for Henderson post in early April: Thursday, March 8, 2012; Jacob Snow, general manager of the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada, told his board he'll likely begin his new job as Henderson City Manager in early April.
Homeowner hit with $29,000 fine under ‘party house’ ordinance: Tuesday, March 6, 2012; The first real test of the county’s “party house” ordinance, approved to curb short-term house rentals, resulted in a $29,000 penalty for a homeowner in the tony Spanish Palms neighborhood.
County Commission approves Strip pet ban: Tuesday, March 6, 2012; The Clark County Commission today approved an ordinance banning pets from the Las Vegas Strip. The ban ordinance, aimed at preventing animal cruelty and animal bites, does not apply between the hours of 5 a.m. and noon and excludes working animals.
Las Vegas residential water customers to pay $5 surcharge starting in May: Tuesday, March 6, 2012; Las Vegas residents will see their water bills increase by $5 in May, after the Las Vegas Valley Water District board approved the surcharge to help cover debt payments over the next three years.
Veterans group turns to Vermillion to help with council endorsement: Tuesday, March 6, 2012; A political group for military veterans has enlisted embattled former Henderson City Council member Kathleen Vermillion to help decide whom to endorse for Las Vegas City Council.
ACTION! New Los Angeles ordinance likely to drive more porn industry producers to Las Vegas: Tuesday, March 6, 2012; Angered by an ordinance requiring actors in pornographic productions to wear condoms, some in the adult industry are threatening to move their operations from the “pornucopia” of Los Angeles to Southern Nevada. The news, first reported last month by the Los Angeles Time, has caused some to speculate on the industry’s future in Las Vegas, which is already seen by many insiders as a welcoming second home.
Clark County firefighters to stop collecting for charity while on duty: Monday, March 5, 2012; After being asked for assistance from other charities, the Clark County Fire Department has adopted a new policy that forbids from collecting charitable donations while on duty, including its annual boot drive for the Muscular Dystrophy Association.
Whispers of buyers remorse at county over Wolfson's appointment as DA: Sunday, March 4, 2012; The refusal of newly appointed District Attorney Steve Wolfson to prosecute Henderson Police Sgt. Brett Seekatz — the officer caught on tape kicking the head of motorist Michael Green, who was being held down by five other officers — has county honchos wondering if they picked the right guy for the job.
Clark County firefighters' use of sick leave falls by 57,000 hours: Thursday, March 1, 2012; Since county officials began questioning firefighters’ use of sick leave two years ago, sick-leave requests in the Clark County Fire Department have fallen by 57,000 hours. Battalion chiefs’ sick leave fell from an average of 164 hours a year two years ago to about 16 hours last year.
Water authority board approves $5 water bill surcharge: Wednesday, Feb. 29, 2012; The Southern Nevada Water Authority voted today to add a $5 charge to customers’ monthly bills for three years to pay for infrastructure costs, meaning residential users could see higher bills within months.
Developer Jim Rhodes gets tax break for mining on his Red Rock land: Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2012; The “dormant” Red Rock Canyon gypsum mine where Jim Rhodes plans to build a 2,000-plus acre development isn’t dormant after all. At least, that’s what attorneys for Rhodes told county officials last week as they argued for a property tax exemption.
Powerful firm won county contract without the lowest bid: Sunday, Feb. 26, 2012; Seven law firms were interested in landing a lucrative contract with University Medical Center. After reviewing bids from the firms, the Sun found the winning bidder, the powerful firm Lionel Sawyer & Collins, did not have the lowest bid.
Vermillion: I can’t continue to manage stress with Xanax, alcohol: Thursday, Feb. 23, 2012; The death of singer Whitney Houston had a profound impact on Kathleen Vermillion, the former Henderson City Council member who founded a homeless youth charity now under federal and state investigation.
Solar project looms over Laughlin incorporation effort: Thursday, Feb. 23, 2012; Looming over any talk of Laughlin’s future is the almost-utopian vision of it as an energy-independent home to a massive solar equipment manufacturing complex and solar array.
Opponents lining up against proposed water authority rate hike: Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2012; A week before a vote on a proposed water rate increase, the Southern Nevada Water Authority is facing efforts on several fronts to derail and/or alter its plan.
McCarran baggage-claim liquor store could open by fall: Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2012; The liquor store proposed for the baggage claim area of McCarran International Airport will likely begin selling booze by fall. The Clark County Commission voted unanimously for county staff to negotiate to get the project done.
Vermillion's former charity hangs onto $214,000 county grant: Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2012; Promising to tighten its system of tracking how it spends money, the Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth escaped a Clark County Commission meeting with its entire $214,000 grant intact.

Vegas Inc

Joe Schoenmann

Story Archive

Vegas Inc.