Ray Brewer

Story Archive

Anti-vax posturing on social media a grave disservice to memory of UNLV lineman

Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2023

The sorrow I was feeling Monday for someone I never had the pleasure of meeting turned to disappointment and anger early Tuesday when scrolling social media. Ryan Keeler’s death ...

Father, son open their 17th McDonald’s location in Las Vegas

Ron and Christopher Smith dedicated to making employees feel like family

Monday, Feb. 20, 2023

Ron Smith would frequently tell his son that if he didn’t do well in school, he would be forced to settle for a job at McDonald’s. Christopher Smith wound up getting a ...

Vegas company’s fractional homeownership model designed for young buyers

Monday, Feb. 13, 2023

Those in the program make monthly payments to Roots to cover all expenses—rent, HOA, insurance and utilities regulated on a cap-consumption. Roots moves 10% of that payment to an account for the renter to use as a down payment to eventually purchase the home, or another property if they decide to move.

Selfies and security: Robot a hit with guests, staff at Henderson resort

Monday, Feb. 13, 2023

The property last month debuted a new member to its security team — M-Bot, a 5-foot, 450-pound robot equipped with 50 cameras and sensors that patrols the exterior of ...

2022 Las Vegas airport numbers hit record with heavy Dec. weekend

Monday, Feb. 6, 2023

Las Vegas was busy with visitors one weekend in December, including those in town for a Raiders game, National Finals Rodeo and the Pac-12 Conference football championship. The boost helped Harry Reid International Airport ...

Southern Nevada's big year ahead culminates decade of growth in the Valley

Monday, Feb. 6, 2023

Jeremy Aguero, the principal analyst with the fiscal and policy research firm Applied Analysis, late last month detailed the economic growth experienced in Las Vegas over the past 10 years to an audience of the business community at Preview Las Vegas. Aguero, a master at presenting his findings after ...

Super Bowl Sunday springs of memories for dean of sports betting

Monday, Feb. 6, 2023

Jay Kornegay, the vice president of SuperBook Sports, sat down to reminisce with the Sun on a busy afternoon last week at the Westgate in preparation for booking Sunday’s Super Bowl between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles. We talked about ...

January home prices in Las Vegas down 2.3% from 2022

Sunday, Feb. 5, 2023

The median sale price of a single-family home in the Las Vegas area was $425,000 in January, according to figures released this morning by the Las Vegas Realtors trade group. The price is ...

Desert Pines linebacker Stinnett headed to Bethune-Cookman on scholarship

Thursday, Feb. 2, 2023

One of the first orders of business when Desert Pines High School senior Malik Stinnett arrived at Bethune-Cookman University last month for an official visit with the school’s football program was a meeting with new coach Ed Reed, the former NFL star.

Conventions, athletic events help spur post-pandemic visitation to Las Vegas in 2022

Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2023

Nearly 5 million people traveled to Las Vegas for conventions in 2022, more than doubling the number of trade show attendees from the previous year as the city emerged from the economic slowdown brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to research published Tuesday by the ...

Mission to help Vegas families achieve independence is personal for nonprofit exec

Monday, Jan. 30, 2023

Terry Ruth Lindemann was only 5 years old when the state of California determined she would be headed to foster care. “That introduced me to what it feels like to not be in your own home,” said Lindemann, who has turned her childhood experiences into a professional passion.

The big yawn: Water crisis not registering as a priority with Californians, Preview Las Vegas panelist says

Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2023

Californians, especially those in the urban core, are worried about crime, education and more, or as Kightlinger said: “In the top 10 issues they are dealing with, their concern with water is No. 37," said Jeff Kightlinger ...

Teen boxes out criticism of hijab, finds success with Green Valley basketball

Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2023

Green Valley High School’s Aiyana Alchawa walks into the opposing team’s basketball gym and gets ready for the stares. The senior guard has come to expect it. Alchawa is Muslim and competes wearing a hijab, a head covering ...

Arbor View finding a way to win, even when scoring is at a premium

Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023

Arbor View, which is three seasons removed from reaching the state tournament, started two freshmen and two sophomores last season in a campaign of many inconsistent performances. And while they finished 12-10 overall, coach Dustin Clayton sensed his team’s young core was just scratching the surface.

UNLV gaming institute’s new executive director, ‘a pure genius,’ draws rave reviews

Sunday, Jan. 8, 2023

On Jan. 1, Brett Abarbanel, the group’s longtime research director, transitioned into the role of executive director, replacing Bo Bernhard, who is now the university’s vice president of economic development.

Collapse of Buffalo Bills player reignites painful memories within Las Vegas High football community

Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023

The Las Vegas High community is, unfortunately, one of the few to have witnessed a football-related death in their beloved teammate Edward Gomez. Gomez made a jarring tackle against Desert Pines in the 2003 Sunrise Regional championship ...

Antisemitic literature found scattered around Boulder City

Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023

Boulder City resident Fred DiManno was walking his dog early Tuesday on Colorado Avenue near Nevada Way when he encountered something so distributing on the sidewalk that he was outraged. He noticed zip-closed bags on the ground filled with rice and folded pieces of paper. He opened the bags to find ...

As Southwest cancels flights, weary travelers play waiting game in Las Vegas, across US

Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2022

Reina Bravo is one of the thousands of travelers nationally affected by chaos at Southwest, which canceled more than 70% of its flights Monday and more than 60% Tuesday, part of ...

Nevada Republicans sang praises of fake elector ploy, until asked about it under oath

Attempt to steal 2020 election exposed by Jan. 6 panel

Friday, Dec. 23, 2022

The text message sent from Nevada Republican Party Chairman Michael McDonald on Nov. 4, 2020, shows the beginning of a coordinated effort here by allies of former President Donald Trump to ...

No request is too big or too small for the heroes of the hospitality industry

Saturday, Dec. 17, 2022

When Paola Crow started in the concierge industry in the late 1990s, she’d often thumb through her Rolodex searching for a phone number to assist a guest. And when customers arrived, she’d hand them the itinerary of events on carbon copy paper.

With its investment in Odom, UNLV looks to get across the finish line in football

Thursday, Dec. 8, 2022

To get someone of Odom’s pedigree — four years as a head coach in the Southeastern Conference at Missouri and successful stints at multiple stops as a defensive coordinator — UNLV had to ...

Home prices in Southern Nevada continue slow fall in November

Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2022

The impact of rising interest rates on home mortgages is being felt in the Southern Nevada housing market, according to a report released this morning from Las Vegas Realtors. The median price of an existing ...

Kings of the 4A: Silverado repeats as state champions

Monday, Nov. 21, 2022

The win caps the best two-year run in the school’s 25-year history, as the Skyhawks went 24-0 and haven’t lost a game since 2019 when the program’s core group of seniors where freshmen.

Groups call on Lombardo, all elected officials, to operate in the open

Friday, Nov. 18, 2022

In a joint statement, the Nevada Press Association, the Society of Professional Journalists and the Nevada Open Government Coalition called on all elected officials to commit to full transparency and a civil relationship with the media.

US Rep. Horsford of Nevada looks to lead Congressional Black Caucus

Thursday, Nov. 17, 2022

U.S. Rep. Steve Horsford, D-Nev., on Wednesday sent a letter to declare his candidacy as chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, which was created in the 1970s to address issues important to Black Americans and advocate for legislative items. There are 56 Black members in the House.

Governor-elect Lombardo's pledge of transparency goes by wayside at victory speech

Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2022

This photo Monday inside an auditorium at Rancho High School comes from an event where Republican Gov.-elect Joe Lombardo was to deliver his victory speech. Despite the rows of empty seats, a reporter from the Sun was told by Lombardo campaign director Elizabeth Ray that the event was at capacity ...

Clark County: More than 50,000 mail ballots remaining to process

Cortez Masto cuts into Laxalt's lead as counting of Nevada mail ballots continues

Thursday, Nov. 10, 2022

Tallies from a batch of mail ballots in Nevada’s midterm election released Wednesday night by Clark County show Republican challenger Adam Laxalt’s slim lead in Nevada’s U.S. Senate race shrinking against Democratic incumbent Catherine Cortez Masto. The results from 14,092 mail ballots gave Cortez Masto ...

Report: Magic Johnson pursuing minority ownership stake in Raiders

Saturday, Oct. 22, 2022

Semafor reports a potential transaction could set a record for sports franchise deals. It’s unknown what percent of the team Johnson’s group is negotiating to acquire.

High School Football Picks: Week 10

Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2022

This high school football season in Southern Nevada has featured little suspense.

Volunteers feel privileged to create blankets for foster children in Las Vegas

Monday, Oct. 10, 2022

Many residents have blankets on their beds and sofas. Some children use them to make forts in the living room. Even our dogs’ cages are often lined with blankets. But for the 3,400 Clark County children who are in foster care, they come mostly empty-handed when entering the system and being assigned ...

Pandemic accelerates the obvious: High school football in Las Vegas lacking participants

Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2022

What we are seeing on Friday nights is the result of years of decline, a process accelerated by the pandemic — but not solely the pandemic’s fault.

Rod Stewart extending his Las Vegas residency into 2023

Monday, Oct. 3, 2022

Rod Stewart is extending his Las Vegas residency with 13 shows next year at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace, officials announced this morning. Stewart, a two-time ...

Aces' title run a life-affirming distraction for fan with breast cancer

Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2022

Ashleigh Ahrens has a bucket list of things to do before she dies. She recently knocked one of the top items off that list: meeting Las Vegas Aces star ...

Rainbow Club celebrating 55 years in downtown Henderson

Friday, Sept. 16, 2022

The Rainbow Club in downtown Henderson, long one of the anchor businesses on Water Street, is turning 55 on Saturday. The casino will celebrate ...

Raiders’ Davante Adams named MGM Resorts brand ambassador

Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2022

Raiders star Davante Adams will be brand ambassador for MGM Resorts International, which will feature the first-year Las Vegas wide receiver in company marketing campaigns and ...

Campaign aims to dispel common myths about water use in Las Vegas

Southern Nevada Water Authority: 'We are doing less with more, so conservation is critical'

Monday, Sept. 12, 2022

As soon as the U.S. Department of the Interior last month announced that Nevada would lose 8% of its water allotment from the Colorado River next year amid the continuing drought, officials with the Southern Nevada Water Authority started fielding questions from concerned residents. And with those questions ...

Gorman brings back coaching great to lead baseball program

Monday, Aug. 22, 2022

Coach Chris Sheff is returning to the Bishop Gorman baseball dugout, the school announced this afternoon. Sheff built Gorman into a national power in the mid-2000s ...

State directs $70 million for clinic, lab at UNLV medical school

Friday, Aug. 19, 2022

An ambulatory care clinic will be built at UNLV’s Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine in the Las Vegas Medical District. Gov. Steve Sisolak and the state Interim Finance Committee awarded ...

Dick Calvert, the voice of UNLV, retiring after 52 years on the job

Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2022

Dick Calvert’s voice cues the start to one of the greatest pregame shows in college basketball. The phrase bringing the UNLV basketball team onto the court hasn’t changed for decades, as loyal supporters find comfort in Calvert’s distinct voice leading fans into another ...

President of Las Vegas Events retiring next year

Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2022

Pat Christenson, who during more than two decades as president of Las Vegas Events helped bring the National Finals Rodeo, Electric Daisy Carnival and college basketball ...

Preseason top-10: Bishop Gorman football again the team to beat in Las Vegas

Monday, Aug. 15, 2022

We asked all of the high school football coaches in Southern Nevada for their help in piecing together our preseason top-10. No. 1 appeared to be ...

Busing supervisor, umpire and officer honored as unsung athletic heroes

Wednesday, May 25, 2022

There were many industries affiliated with high school sports in Southern Nevada that struggled to find workers as a full-schedule of games returned for the 2021-22 school year after pandemic closures. The Sun Standout Awards honored three of those workers Tuesday night at ...

Former U.S. Sen. Harry Reid banned from Russia, even after his death

Monday, May 23, 2022

Former Nevada U.S. Sen. Harry Reid isn’t welcome in Russia. Same for former Sens. John McCain of Arizona and Orrin Hatch of Utah. All three are deceased, but they were ...

Las Vegas among top relocation destinations, based on truck rentals

Monday, May 9, 2022

Many people used the freedom of remote work opportunities to move during 2021, with an estimated 20% more Americans relocating compared to 2020, according to the ...

Underlying issues of school violence need to be addressed

Friday, April 22, 2022

The teenage girl was determined to charge her cellphone and found an outlet near the ceiling of the central Las Vegas fast food restaurant. She shared a soda with two friends Saturday as her phone dangled from above on the short charger cord. A few minutes later the phone ...

Verizon cellphone service down in Las Vegas, West

Wednesday, April 20, 2022

Officials with Verizon are blaming a nationwide disruption of cellphone service on its fiber network and say many impacted customers should be returning to normal use today. The problem initially was noticed about 12:15 p.m. when customers, including in Las Vegas, reported ...

Gonzaga star Las Vegas' Julian Strawther declares for NBA draft

The Liberty High graduate emerged as a potential draft pick with strong play for Gonzaga

Monday, April 18, 2022

Las Vegas native Julian Strawther has declared for the NBA draft, hoping his strong play this season at national power Gonzaga will merit consideration ...

Get a free sneak peek of UNLV football team at Allegiant Stadium

Friday, April 8, 2022

Here’s a chance to see an event at Allegiant Stadium without paying heavy ticket prices. UNLV football is hosting its annual ...

Wink Adams, thanks to memorable Sweet 16 run, picked for UNLV hall of fame

Hall to induct first class in 5 years, including Final Four hero Anderson Hunt and football great Ryan Wolfe

Friday, April 8, 2022

Wink Adams thought someone at his alma mater was playing a joke. Adams was contacted last week by UNLV athletic department officials with news that was so unexpected it left him in complete shock: Adams, the star of the Sweet 16 basketball team in 2007, was pegged for induction into the ...

Welcome back: Palms to reopen April 27 in Las Vegas

Tuesday, April 5, 2022

The Palms, shuttered since the outset of pandemic in March 2020 and then sold to a new hospitality company, will reopen April 27, officials announced this morning. The resort, west of the Strip on ...