w w w.davidlv.co m JUNE 2018
Packing for School
The Lockdown Generation in the Age of the Gun
PEOPLE OF THE BOOK 01_CoverForm3.indd 1
EATING THE BIG EASY
COMIC-BOOK FUNDRAISER
GRAB YOUR GOGGLES 5/24/18 1:55 PM
DISCOVER A DISTINCT COLLECTION OF CONDOMINIUMS IN LAS VEGAS
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June 2018
28
14
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Explore The month’s event listings to help plan your day or your stay.
20 Desire Sin City abounds in worldclass shopping ... these are a few of our favorite things. 22 Discover Places to go, cool things to do, hip people to see in the most exciting city in the world.
Think
Grill
28 Know Scholarship is in the DNA of the Jewish people.
42 What’s Next? How do we keep our kids safe at school?
58 JH & Wendy Williams Acclaimed comic book creators.
32 Sense YouTube provides a dynamic resource for an ever curious world.
46 Comic Relief Comic book creators collaborate on a project to benefit a / charity.
The month’s spotlight on someone to know.
36 Taste Jason Harris spends a gastronomic weekend in New Orleans. He shares some of his highlights with us.
9. 2
Devour Where to find some of the best eats, drinks and foodie happenings in the Valley.
Live
46
50 My Story in Pictures A DAVID Magazine article gets the comic book treatment
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JUNE 2018
20
52 Grab Your Goggles Are online and VR education platforms the wave of the future?
www.davidlv.com
Artwork by Steven Wilson.
J U N E 2018
On the Cover
Packing for School
The Lockdown Generation in the Age of the Gun
PEOPLE OF THE BOOK 01_CoverForm3.indd 1
EATING THE BIG EASY
COMIC-BOOK FUNDRAISER
GRAB YOUR GOGGLES 5/24/18 1:55 PM
Copyright © 2018 by JewishINK LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. DAVID MAGAZINE is protected as a trademark in the United States. Subscribers: If the Postal Service alerts us that your magazine is undeliverable, we are under no further obligation unless we receive a corrected address within one year. The publisher accepts no responsibility for unsolicited or contributed manuscripts, photographs, artwork or advertisements. Submissions will not be returned unless arranged for in writing. DAVID MAGAZINE is a monthly publication. All information regarding editorial content or property for sale is deemed reliable. No representation is made as to the accuracy hereof and is printed subject to errors and omissions.
4 | www.davidlv.com
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Apply by July 13 Visit jewishnevada.org/jleads Orientation
August 28, 2018
Federation & Leadership September 26, 2018
Jewish Identity
Space is limited to 10 participants $72 Program Fee (Non-tax deductible)
October 16, 2018
Philanthropy & Service November 13, 2018
Impact & Allocations December 11, 2018
Graduation & Mentor Partnerships
For more information, contact Megan Weintraub at 702.732.0556 or Megan@jewishnevada.org
January 15, 2019
*all sessions are at 7:00pm
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Publisher/Editor Associate Publisher
Max Friedland
max@davidlv.com editor@davidlv.com
Joanne Friedland
joanne@davidlv.com
EDITORIAL
Calendar Editor Copy Editor Pulse Editor Contributing Writers
ZoĂŤ Friedland
zoe@davidlv.com
Jaq Greenspon Marisa Finetti
Josh Bell Marisa Finetti Jason Harris Rob Kachelriess Brian Sodoma Lynn Wexler
ART & PHOTOGRAPHY
Art Director/ Photographer
Steven Wilson
steve@davidlv.com
ADVERTISING & MARKETING
Advertising Director
Joanne Friedland
joanne@davidlv.com
SUBSCRIPTIONS 702-254-2223 | subscribe@davidlv.com
Volume 09 Number 2 www.davidlv.com DAVID Magazine is published 12 times a year.
Copyright 2018 by JewishINK LLC. 1930 Village Center Circle, No. 3-459 Las Vegas, NV 89134 (p) 702-254-2223 (f) 702-664-2633
To advertise in DAVID Magazine, call 702-254-2223 or email ads@davidlv.com To subscribe to DAVID Magazine, call 702.254-2223 or email subscibe@davidlv.com
DAVID Magazine sets high standards to ensure forestry is practiced in an environmentally responsible, socially beneficial and economically viable manner. This copy of DAVID Magazine was printed by American Web in Denver, Colo., on paper from well-managed forests which meet EPA guidelines that recommend use of recovered fibers for coated papers. Inks used contain a blend of soy base. Our printer meets or exceeds all federal Resource Conservation Recovery Act standards and is a certified member of both the Forest Stewardship Council and the Sustainable Forestry Initiative. When you are done with this issue, please pass it on to a friend or recycle it.
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Contributors
Josh Bell
Marisa Finetti
Jason Harris
Rob Kachelriess
Brian Sodoma
Lynn Wexler
is a freelance writer and movie/TV critic based in Las Vegas. He’s the former film editor of Las Vegas Weekly and has written about movies and pop culture for The Dissolve, Comic Book Resources, Film Racket, LA Weekly, Kirkus Reviews and more. Find his thoughts on trashy horror movies, classic cinema and other important topics at joshbellhateseverything.com.
has called Las Vegas
writes for a number of publications and websites. He specializes in food, music, and comedy writing. He has worked in almost every aspect of the entertainment industry. He has sold multiple screenplays, written awards shows and had a tv show on ABC for a minute. He’s still broke. And he loves his daughter Scarlett the most.
stays busy writing about all things interesting in Las Vegas. No topic is off limits. He’s best known for his work with Thrillist and producing content for Luxury Estates International, a high-end real estate brokerage. Rob also contributes to several local and national publications on a regular basis. He spends time away from his laptop with his wife Mary and their dog Zoey.
is a freelance journalist and copywriter whose work has been published by Entrepreneur, Forbes. com and major daily newspapers like the Arizona Republic and Las Vegas Review Journal.
enjoys distilling, and voicing in print, the essence of topics she researches and those she interviews. Her acute and ardent style has been acknowledged throughout her years as a TV reporter, news anchor and journalist, interviewing persons of note on the world stage. As a certified Values and Manners Life Coach, Lynn trains groups and individuals on improving their personal, social and professional effectiveness. She is most proud of her three outstanding children.
home since 2005, after spending 10 years as a zinfandel grower in Dry Creek Valley. Her best of moments in writing include getting her mug shot taken at Penn Jillette’s house, covering a nudist colony while being uncovered, and interviewing a sommelier who enlightened her that there is more to wine than California. Visit her blog loveandrelish.com
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From the Publisher
Max & Joanne Friedland
In last year’s June issue of DAVID we wrote about virtual reality entertainment attractions in Las Vegas and last August in our VegasMD issue we explored the UNLV School of Medicine’s 21st century virtual reality anatomy lab. In this issue, we dig deeper into the field of V and its applications in and out of the classroom. Once the stuff of science fiction, the technology, and its applications are fast becoming ubiquitous. A hand-held device can give the user entré to almost all the repositories of man’s knowledge and thus make the access to information transactional. The impact that this has had on traditional educational models has been profound. In his piece Grab Your Goggles, pages 52-56, Jaq Greenspun looks at one local online school and some of the challenges faced in this rapidly evolving paradigm. As in so many other fields, the pace of technological advancement and the applications that flow therefrom far exceed society’s ability to adjust regulatory and institutional controls that safeguard consumers. Brave new frontiers are not without their perils. Earlier this year, I had a discussion with Brian Sodoma about sous vide cooking. My son gifted our family an Anova sous vide device, and after many months it had remained unused due to our intimidation and general ignorance of the field of immersion cooking. With an impending visit looming, a quick YouTube search provided us with thousands of instructional videos designed for the novice. Off with the cellophane and into the water, we were very soon cooking restaurant- uality steaks, chicken, and seafood. Who knew? We hope that his piece, YouTube U, pages 32-35, will similarly inspire you to follow your potential undiscovered passions. Talking about passion, it should come as no surprise to regular readers that Jason Harris has an immense passion for good food. A recent trip to New Orleans provided more than enough of an excuse to dig in. In Eating the Big Easy, pages 36-40, he shares his mouthwatering delights with us. It turns out that along with the traditional Creole fare, Nola has quite a community of avant-garde chefs and eating establishments. Jason’s footprints are all over other areas of this month’s publication. Last November as a result of the horrendous events of 10/01, we published our Vegas Strong tribute issue. In it, he wrote a story called Working the Line, which describes his life in the days and nights that followed. Las Vegas’ fine dining establishments came together to provide victims, their families and first responders hot meals, his job was to find the need and deliver the dishes with a smile. Sometime after that acclaimed comic book creators, .H. Williams and his wife Wendy reached out through social media for contributions to a comic book anthology to benefit the Route 91 Strong initiative. Our stories, Comic Relief, pages 46-49, My Story in Pictures, pages 5051, and our interview of J.H. and Wendy Williams, page 58, provide an introduction to this creative collaboration and charitable endeavor. Buy the book; it’s for a great cause and a great read too. The traumatic consequences of school shootings are all over the news these days. The gutwrenching regularity of these events has had the effect of making viewers somewhat blas . ob achelreiss interviews the authorities to find out what if anything is being done to give school children the safety and peace of mind needed to pursue their studies and socialization. His piece What’s Next?, pages 42-45, explores this further. As always at this time of year, I admonish you all to keep cool, use a superior UV protector, drink a lot of water, and oh yes read a good magazine too. I’ll see you in the racks.
Max D. Friedland max@davidlv.com
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Pulse
Your Guide to the Arts, Entertainment and Community Events. What's Hot this Month in Dining, Shopping and Local Attractions.
Top left clockwise: Kesha & Macklemore, Meshugana Klezmorim, Nine Inch Nails, Gwen Stefani www.davidlv.com | 11
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Explore JUNE
FRI
1
SALON DES REFUSES Through June 23, opens 12:30 p.m. Charleston Heights Arts Center Gallery, 800 S. Brush St., Las Vegas. 702-2292787. http://artslasvegas.org
http://thesmithcenter.com
VESSELS REDUX SCULPTURAL BOXES EXHIBITION Through June 8, opens 7 a.m. City Grand Hall Gallery, 495 Main St., Las Vegas. 702-229-2787. http://artslasvegas.org
com/las-vegas
INTRINSIC VISION: A TIME/SPACE JOURNEY ACROSS GENERATIONS Through June 2, opens 9 a.m. West Las Vegas Arts Center, 947 W. Lake Mead Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-229-2787.
http://artslasvegas.org
ARIANA SAVALAS 7 p.m. Myron's Cabaret Jazz, The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Ave., Las Vegas. 702-749-2012. http://
thesmithcenter.com
HAMILTON Through June 24, times vary. Reynolds Hall, The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Ave., Las Vegas. 702-749-2012.
http://thesmithcenter.com
301 N. Buffalo Drive
702-255-3444
www.thebagelcafelv.com
WhereTheLocalsEat.com
BEN HALE AND FRIENDS 7 p.m. Myron's Cabaret Jazz, The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Ave., Las Vegas. 702-749-2012.
TYLER FARR 7 p.m. House of Blues, Mandalay Place, 3950 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702632-7600. http://mandalaybay.com
COLORS PRESENTS: R&B ONLY 8:30 p.m. Brooklyn Bowl, 3545 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-862-2695. http://brooklynbowl. GROOVE PROJECT - JAZZ IN THE PARK 5 p.m. Clark Country Government Center Amphitheater, 500 S. Grand Central Pkwy., Las Vegas. 702455-0000. http://clarkcountynv.gov/parks
TUE
5
LAS VEGAS NEWS BUREAU AND NEVADA STATE MUSEUM LAS VEGAS: "LES FOLIES BERGERE: ENTERTAINING LAS VEGAS ONE RHINESTONE AT A TIME" Through June 30, opens 10 a.m. West Charleston Library, 6301 W. Charleston Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-507-3940. http://lvccld.org
WED
6
ANIMAL YOGA 10 a.m. Nature Center, Clark County Wetlands Park Ln., Las Vegas. 702455-0000. http://clarkcountynv.gov/parks
SAT
THU
DANE COOK 8 p.m. The Chelsea, Cosmopolitan, 3708 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-698-7000. http://
PATRIOTIC THREADS QUILT EXHIBIT Through June 30, opens 7 a.m. City Hall Chamber Gallery, 495 S. Main St., Las Vegas. 702-2292787. http://artslasvegas.org
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cosmopolitan.com
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WEDNESDAY, JULY 4, 2018 • 5 –10PM TPC SUMMERLIN • 1700 VILLAGE CENTER CIRCLE, LAS VEGAS 89134
LIVE Outdoor Concert
Zambelli Fireworks, Food & Beverage! Featuring Las Vegas singers MAREN WADE and ERIC JORDAN YOUNG Hear patriotic favorites including America the Beautiful, Stars and Stripes Forever plus music from Star Wars, West Side Story, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and more!
TICKET PRICES* General Admission: $10 each / $25 for a family 4-pack Reserved Lawn Chair Seating: $125 each • VIP Admission: $250 each
For information and to purchase tickets, visit lvphil.org. *Price increase for tickets purchased at the gate. No outside food or beverage permitted.
Star Spangled Spectacular is presented in partnership with
Thank you to our proud sponsors
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GIADA VALENTI - FROM VENICE WITH LOVE 8 p.m. Myron's Cabaret Jazz, The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Ave., Las Vegas. 702-7492012. http://thesmithcenter.com JIM ATHA: WET IS WILD WATER STORIES EXHIBIT Through June 30, opens 10 a.m. Spring Valley Library, 4280 S. Jones Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-507-3820. http://lvccld.org
FRI
8
POCO 8 p.m. The Showroom, Golden Nugget, 129 Fremont St., Las Vegas. 702-385-7111.
http://goldennugget.com
SAT
9
K POP SUMMER NIGHTS 8:30 p.m. The Chelsea, Cosmopolitan, 3708 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-698-7000. http://
cosmopolitan.com
BLINK 182 - KINGS OF THE WEEKEND Through June 23, 9 p.m. The Pearl, Palms, 4321 W. Flamingo Rd., Las Vegas. 702-9427777. http://palms.com KESHA & MACKLEMORE 7 p.m. Mandalay Bay Events Center, Mandalay Place, 3950 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-632-7600. http://
mandalaybay.com
FLUTES AND STRINGS FROM LATIN AMERICA 2 p.m. Winchester Cultural Center Theater, 3130 S. Mcleod Dr., Las Vegas. 702-455-7340.
http://clarkcountynv.gov/parks
SUN
10
FRANK LASPINA PRESENTS DRU YOUNG IN THE MUSICAL STAGE BIOGRAPHY "RAY" 2 p.m. Myron's Cabaret Jazz, The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Ave., Las Vegas. 702-749-2012. http://
thesmithcenter.com
MESHUGGINA KLEZMORIM 2 p.m. Winchester Cultural Center, 3130 S. Mcleod Dr., Las Vegas. 702-455-7340. http://
clarkcountynv.gov/parks
MON
11
DIVE IN MOVIES - FERRIS BUELLER'S DAY OFF 8 p.m. Boulevard Pool, Cosmopolitan, 3708 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-6987000. http://cosmopolitan.com
TUE
SAT
WORLD TEA EXPO Through June 14, 11 a.m. Las Vegas Convention Center, 3150 Paradise Rd., Las Vegas. 702-892-0711.
DJANGOVEGAS! GYPSY JAZZ FESTIVAL 4 p.m. Historic Fifth Street School, 401 S. Fourth St., Las Vegas. 702-229-2787. http://
12
http://lvcva.com
ROD STEWART: THE HITS Through June 30, 7:30 p.m. The Colosseum, Caesars Palace, 3570 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 866-2275938. http://caesarspalace.com
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artslasvegas.org
BLUE OCTOBER & KITTEN 7 p.m. Brooklyn Bowl, 3545 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-862-2695. http://brooklynbowl.com/
las-vegas
13
LITTLE ANTHONY AND THE IMPERIALS Through June 17, 8 p.m. The Orleans Hotel Showroom, Orleans, 4500 W. Tropicana Ave., Las Vegas. 702-284-7777. http://orleans.com
com
SUGARLAND 7 p.m. Mandalay Bay Events Center, Mandalay Place, 3950 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-632-7600. http://
WED
NINE INCH NAILS Through June 16, 8 p.m. The Joint, Hard Rock Hotel, 4455 Paradise Rd., Las Vegas. 702-693-5000. http://hardrockhotel. JCC'S THIRD ANNUAL SPORTS BANQUET 7 p.m. City National Arena, 1550 S. Pavilion Center Dr., Las Vegas. 702-794-0090. http://
www.jccsn.org
THU
14
KINGS AND QUEENS TOUR: NONPOINT AND BUTCHER BABIES 5:30 p.m. Brooklyn Bowl, 3545 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-8622695. http://brooklynbowl.com/las-vegas OUTSIDE THE BOX II Through June 30, opens 7 a.m. City Hall Grand Gallery, 495 S. Main St., Las Vegas. 702-229-2787. http://
artslasvegas.org
FRI
15
THE POETS CORNER 7:30 p.m. West Las Vegas Arts Center, 947 W. Lake Mead Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-229-2787. http://artslasvegas.org PAULA COLE Through June 16, 7 p.m. Myron's Cabaret Jazz, The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Ave., Las Vegas. 702-749-2012.
mandalaybay.com
MINDI ABAIR - JAZZ IN THE PARK 5 p.m. Clark County Government Center Amphitheater, 500 S. Grand Central Pkwy., Las Vegas. 702-4550000. http://clarkcountynv.gov/parks
WED
20
THE COMPOSERS SHOWCASE OF LAS VEGAS 10:30 p.m. Myron's Cabaret Jazz, The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Ave., Las Vegas. 702-749-2012. http://thesmithcenter.com JEFF DUNHAM: PASSIVELY AGGRESSIVE 7:30 p.m. The Colosseum, Caesars Palace, 3570 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 866-227-5938.
http://caesarspalace.com
THU
21
JAPANESE BREAKFAST 9 p.m. The Bunkhouse Saloon, 124 S. 11th St., Las Vegas. 702-9821764. http://bunkhousedowntown.com
FRI
http://thesmithcenter.com
22
EMO NIGHT BROOKLYN 11:30 p.m. Brooklyn Bowl, 3545 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-862-2695. http://brooklynbowl.com/
brooklynbowl.com/las-vegas
las-vegas
NEW FOUND GLORY 6:30 p.m. Brooklyn Bowl, 3545 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-8622695. http://brooklynbowl.com/las-vegas THE BOX TOPS 8 p.m. The Showroom, Golden Nugget, 129 Fremont St., Las Vegas. 702-3857111. http://goldennugget.com
NEO SOUL SERIES FEATURING DRU HILL 7 p.m. Brooklyn Bowl, 3545 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-862-2695. http://
ALANIS MORISSETTE 8 p.m. The Pearl, Palms, 4321 W. Flamingo Rd., Las Vegas. 702-9427777. http://palms.com GIRLS NIGHT OUT FOR LAUGHS 10 p.m. The Orleans Hotel Showroom, Orleans, 4500 W. Tropicana Ave., Las Vegas. 702-284-7777.
http://orleans.com
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SLIGHTLY STOOPID 8 p.m. The Chelsea, Cosmopolitan, 3708 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-698-7000. http://
cosmopolitan.com
SAT
NEVADA BALLET THEATRE
23
INTERNATIONAL BEAUTY SHOW Through June 25, 10 a.m. Las Vegas Convention Center, 3150 Paradise Rd., Las Vegas. 702-892-0711.
http://lvcva.com
AARON NEVILLE 8 p.m. The Orleans Hotel Showroom, Orleans, 4500 W. Tropicana Ave., Las Vegas. 702-284-7777. http://
orleans.com
MON
25
2018-2019 SEASON
FIREBIRD plus
Cirque du Soleil ® and Nevada Ballet Theatre present
A CHOREOGRAPHERS’ SHOWCASE October 7, 13 & 14, 2018
RAYMONDA VARIATIONS and a WORLD PREMIERE by Nicolo Fonte February 16-17, 2019
DRACULA
THE STUDIO SERIES
October 25-28, 2018
THE NUTCRACKER December 8-24, 2018
March 21-24, 2019
ALICE (IN WONDERLAND) May 3-5, 2019
JAZZ IN THE PARK Downtown Las Vegas Container Park, 707 Fremont St., Las Vegas.
http://downtowncontainerpark.com
DIVE IN MOVIES - THE BREAKFAST CLUB 8 p.m. Boulevard Pool, Cosmopolitan, 3708 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-698-7000.
http://cosmopolitan.com
WED
27
GWEN STEFANI: JUST A GIRL Through June 30, 9 p.m. Zappos Theater, Planet Hollywood, 3667 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-785-5555. http://caesars.com/
planethollywood
FRI
29
MICHELLE JOHNSON - SALUTE TO SINGERSONGWRITERS 8 p.m. Myron's Cabaret Jazz, The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Ave., Las Vegas. 702-749-2012. http://
thesmithcenter.com
VANS WARPED TOUR 11 a.m. Downtown Las Vegas Events Center, 200 S. 3rd St., Las Vegas. 800-745-3000. http://dlvec.com DIRTY HEADS WITH IRATION 9 p.m. Mandalay Bay Beach, Mandalay Place, 3950 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-632-7600. http://
mandalaybay.com
To submit your event information, email calendar@davidlv.com by the 15th of the month prior to the month in which the event is being held.
Packages from only $139 Visit NevadaBallet.org or Call (702) 749-2847 RESIDENT BALLET COMPANY OF THE SMITH CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS ROY KAISER, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR PHOTO BY JERRY METELLUS
NEVADA BALLET THEATRE — DAVID — 5.25” X 9.875”
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Devour Oodles of Zoodles Portion Control makes clean eating fun with their Bang Bang Chicken, made with fresh and zesty zucchini noodles tossed with lots of stir-fry veggies, grilled chicken, fresh ginger, garlic, and other spices, and finished with house-made firecracker sauce. Not too spicy, but wonderfully lathered in a delicious sauce. This would go well with a side order of brown rice. All dishes at Portion Control are freshlyprepared, preservative and additive free, nonGMO meals made with balance, nutrition, and convenience in mind. Now open in Las Vegas and Henderson. Portion Control 2560 St. Rose Pkwy., Henderson. 702-844-5680 W. ussell Ave., Las Vegas. -
Blood, Sand, & Fire The inspiration for The Barrymore’s Blood, Sand, & Fire came from the scotch itself. Scotch and smoke have a natural tendency to complement each other, and while in the smoker, the smoke bonds to the spirit both in flavor and aromatics. It deepens the flavor of the cocktail and provides a fun visual experience at the same time. • • • •
3/4 oz Glenmorangie 10 yr. 3/4 oz Cherry Heering 3/4 oz Cocchi di Torino 3/4 oz Blood Orange Juice (fresh squeezed and filtered Smoking vessel
Tacos explode Downtown
•
Could we ask for a better name for a taco joint? Bomb Tacos, inspired by executive chef and owner Robert Solano’s life in Mexico, takes everyone’s favorite food category and incorporates traditional ingredients and creativity to produce classic dishes. Go for the al pastor, grilled chicken, and cauliflower tacos, along with hashtag fries and burritos, and enjoy these within a whimsical setting adorned by handpainted murals, art, and colorful tables and chairs. His two locations include the newly opened downtown spot on Carson as well as the S. urango original. Boom
Build in a mixing glass over ice and shake vigorously. Strain into a brandy snifter. S ueeze the essential oils from an orange peel and then discard. Place into smoking vessel and smoke with apple wood chips. eliver the drink in the vessel with the smoke intact.
Bomb Tacos owntown , 702-262-0141.
The Barrymore, 99 Convention Center r. Las Vegas. 702-407-5303
East Carson Ave.
, Las Vegas.
N T M Y
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NICE TO MEAT YOU CUT OF THE WEEK THREE COURSES AND SIDES BOTTOMLESS WINE $55 11_20_Pulse.indd 17
CHARLIE PALMER STEAK LAS VEGAS 3960 LAS VEGAS BLVD SOUTH AT FOUR SEASONS HOTEL 702.632.5120 CHARLIEPALMERSTEAK.COM @CHARLIEPALMERSTEAK 5/28/18 8:56 AM
Desire
Beach Feet Chunky and shiny black, Prada’s brushed calf leather slides are comfortable statement steppers with crisscross bands, wedge heels, and a wavy rubber sole. $695. Prada, The Shops at Crystals, 3720 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-740-3000.
Comfort comes easy with the Mephisto Ivana Slide. A strappy jeweled upper adds a glamorous touch, while the cork midsole and rubber outsole provide all the exquisite comfort Mephisto is known for. $240 Mephisto, Forum Sho s t es rs S L s e sBv L s e s
A gold-tone palm shines atop a bright hibiscus floral strap on these beach-ready sandals. $130. Tommy Bahama, Forum Shops at Caesars 3500 S. Las Vegas Blvd., L s e s
Featuring a woven jute midsole, Christian Louboutin’s Pacha slide sandals showcase a jade velveteen upper. This decorative style features the French house’s signature crest embellishment, detailed with multicolored pom-poms, crystals, and beads. $795. Christian Louboutin, Grand Canal Shoppes, 3500 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-818-8444.
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Giuseppe Zanotti’s Annemarie blush flat sandal with flower and crystal embellishment is soft and understated but never un-noticed. $750. Giuseppe Zanotti, Forum Shops at Caesars, 3500 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-866-0055.
Chloé’s Lauren Suede & Leather Slide Sandals combine black suede and leather Andare, detailed with the house’s signature scalloped edges and antiqued brasstone stud embellishments. $695. Chloé, Forum Shops at Caesars, 3500 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-854-4860.
Sexy and playful for every season is the Marc Jacobs® Daisy Aqua Slide. Logo-etched dome studs punctuate the delightful daisy appliqués on a carefree slide sandal. $175. Nordstrom, 3200 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-862-2525.
Louis Vuitton’s comfortable Overcloud sandal combines Damier Azur canvas with colorful pop motifs, all inspired by Louis Vuitton’s Cruise 2018 fashion show. $845. Louis Vuitton, Shops at Crystals, 3720 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-262-6189.
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Discover The Underground When Prohibition shut down America’s distilleries and breweries, it pushed the production of alcohol underground. Stills were set up in back rooms of businesses and basements of homes. Now, The Underground at the Mob Museum takes us on a journey back in time with the opening of a distillery and speakeasy, complete with a green door located in the rear of the building. In the speakeasy, The Underground’s corn mash moonshine provides the centerpiece of the cocktail collection, while a full bar is also available. The speakeasy cocktail menu includes typical Prohibition era cocktails such as Bee’s Knees, Underground Old Fashioned, Ginger Jake, and Giggle Water. A variety of coffee cocktails, draft beer, bottled beer, wines by the glass and non-alcoholic cocktails are also available. The Underground, The Mob Museum, 300 Stewart Ave., Las Vegas. 702-229-2734
Beyond Gäbi Beyond Gäbi Coffee & Bakery’s sizeable wooden door, you enter another world, where east meets west, past meets future. Step into a bright communal setting that provides visual pleasure while sipping on artisanal coffee and nibbling on fresh- baked goods. The interior harkens to the end of the Chosun Empire, a time of multi-cultural fusion in Korea. Gäbi captures this through its décor and ambiance: vintage chairs and lounges, a dramatic and inviting wall of wooden steps for sitting criss-cross on silk mats, stacks and stacks of hardbound books, a kitchen enclosed in a greenhouse and its very own coffee roastery. Coffees and teas in Victorian china and mouth-watering desserts leave an impression long after you’ve gone. Gäbi Coffee & Bakery, 5808 Spring Mountain Rd., Las Vegas. 702-209-3880.
A Wing and a Flair For the first time, Chef Ming Yu of Wing Lei, North America’s only Forbes FiveStar Chinese restaurant, invites guests into his kitchen for an intimate cooking demonstration of his signature dishes. Learn his methods for preparing Alaskan king crab salad, wonton soup, three cup sea bass and traditional wok-tossed noodles. The workshop begins at 12 p.m. and concludes with a feast of all four dishes. Then try your skills at home! $175 per person. June 15th only. Wynn Las Vegas, 3131 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. .
20 | www.davidlv.com 11_20_Pulse.indd 20
5/28/18 11:30 AM
Mingle Touro University Nevada Annual Gala Venue
Four Seasons Hotel Las Vegas
Date 1
Sunday, April 22.
Event
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More than 550 guests enjoyed an evening that offered delicious food and drinks, incredible auction selections, and quality company, the keynote speaker however, stole the show. U.S. Congressman and civil rights icon John Lewis presented the story of his youth. Growing up in the small town of Troy, Ala., Lewis spoke of his difficult upbringing in the segregated South, his collaborations with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during the Civil Rights movement, and the importance of making healthcare a right for all Americans. After his speech concluded, Touro University Western Division CEO & Senior Provost Shelley Berkley presented Lewis with a certificate that made him an honorary adjunct professor at Touro University Nevada. The evening raised an unprecedented amount for Student Scholarships.
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Shelley Berkley and U.S. Congressman John Lewis. Leah Raab, Dr. Mark Hasten , David Raab ,Shelley Berkley, Dr. Larry Lehrner and Dr. Alan Kadish. Dr. Ikram Khan, Congressman John Lewis, Rifaat Khan, Ifaat Anwar and Dr. Javaid Anwar. Touro Student Meena Sandhu. Dr. Larry Lehrner, Shelley Berkley, Max Berkley, Kelly Chenin, Vilay Khamvongsa, and Sam Berkley. Dr. Michael Lee, Paul Stowell, Sen. Richard Bryan, and Dr. Russ Schroeder. Howard Perlman and Henry Perlman. Julian and Karla Perez.
Photos: Mona Shield-Payne www.davidlv.com | 21
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Mingle 2nd Annual Le Dîner en Blanc - Las Vegas Venue
Wayne Newton’s Casa De Shenandoah.
Date Sunday, April 29.
Event
Attracting over 1,200 revelers, Le Dîner en Blanc returns to Las Vegas after being delayed by the tragic events of 10/01. Once again, this year’s event gave attendees a chance to exhibit their fashion sense, showcase their classy taste for design and elegance and share their gastronomic delights. 2018 will mark the 30th anniversary of Le Dîner en Blanc de Paris! Since its inception, Le Dîner en Blanc has become a global phenomenon in approaching 80 cities worldwide. Some of the venues include New York, Miami, Sydney, Los Angeles, Singapore, Buenos Aires, Mexico City, London, Montreal, Hong Kong, and Nairobi.
Photos: Tony Tran
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Mingle Planned Parenthood of Southern Nevada’s 9th Annual Corks and Forks Gala Venue
The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino
Date Wednesday, April 18
Event
Attendees honored the commitment of community members to reproductive health, advocacy, and education. All funds raised went to providing highquality health care to more than 10,000 patients seen at the two Las Vegas Planned Parenthood health centers, as well as toward expanding services in the community. The Honorable Jan ones Blackhurst, Las Vegas’ first female mayor and current Executive Vice President of Public Policy and Corporate Responsibility at Caesars Entertainment, was presented with the Joyce Mack Philanthropic Award. The keynote speaker was Dr. Willie Parker, MD, MPH, MSc., a reproductive justice advocate. Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains, which includes Southern Nevada, Colorado, New Mexico, and Wyoming, has been helping individuals make responsible choices for over 100 years. Since 1916, they have been committed to delivering the highest quality reproductive health care, teaching responsible and age-appropriate sexuality education and have been working diligently to protect a woman’s right to choose. Each year more than 93,000 women, men and teens visit their 24 health centers throughout their four state region. Call 1.800.230.PLAN for the Planned Parenthood nearest you.
Photos: LV Photo
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If a small fire started in your kitchen, would you ignore it? Of course not. In much the same way, it’s critical to find breast cancer early, when it’s most treatable. Call 702.822.2324 or visit komensouthernnevada.org to learn more. Because every woman is at risk. This space provided as a public service. ©2009 Susan G. Komen for the Cure® The Running Ribbon is a registered trademark of Susan G. Komen for the Cure.
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Live
A Focus on Living in Las Vegas People and Places Arts and Entertainment Food and Beverage Philanthropy and Religion Health and Fitness and More...
Eating the Big Easy | 36 www.davidlv.com | 27
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Know
People Of The Book How Education Shaped Jewish History and Success
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By Lynn Wexler
J
ewish culture has valued education dating back to biblical times. Their tradition holds that Moses ascended Mt. Sinai some 3,300 years ago, where G-d taught him the Written and Oral Torah (the Old Testament or Bible), seven weeks after the Exodus from Egypt. Entrusted with G-d’s words, Moses was instructed to teach them to his brother Aaron, followed by Aaron’s two sons, and the seventy members of the Sanhedrin (ancient Jewish court); who in turn were to teach them to the 600,000 adult men - plus women, children, and the elderly - gathered at the base of the mountain. It was in those moments that Jewish education found its beginnings. Its subsequent transmission through the millennia was consigned to Jewish
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parents in the most important prayer in Judaism, the Shema (the Hebrew word for hear). “And these words that I command you today shall be upon your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk, when you lie down, and when you rise.” In more modern times, Jewish clergy – Rabbis – have additionally undertaken the revered responsibility of educating the community in Jewish practice, history, prayer, law, and theology. Numerous references on the importance of education are found throughout Jewish texts. The Book of Proverbs says, “My [children], do not forget my teaching, but let your mind retain my commandments; for they will bestow on you length of days, years of life and well-being.” The Book of Deuteronomy encourages children to seek education from their elders, stating, “Consider the years of many generations; ask thy father, and he will declare unto thee, thine elders, and they will tell thee.” The main purpose ascribed to the Torah is to know, and to know how, to worship the Creator. Author Nathan H. Winter, in his book Jewish Education in a Pluralistic Society, adds “Torah has been described as that dealing with the whole existence of the human being; that which touches life at every point. It connotes learning, instruction, and guidance. Jewish education is concerned with the transmission of this cultural heritage to the individual Jew.” It’s been that way since the beginning. A Greek geographer, during the reign of Alexander the Great, chronicled the movements of remote countries coming into being at that time. He noticed an interesting people who lived to the south of Syria – all of them philosophers who inquired after wisdom for wisdom’s sake. “What a remarkable people,” he concluded, “who seek knowledge in the service of truth and meaning.” Maristella Botticini, in her book The Chosen Few, writes “Jews are a nation of education. This is the one thing that kept it a nation for so long.” She explains that while the word “education” is not specifically mentioned in the Scriptures, emphasis is placed throughout on teaching, learning, and knowledge. Rabbi and author Naftali Rothenberg takes this a step further, suggesting in his lecture The Democratization of Knowledge in the Jewish Tradition that the Jewish people are the only culture to prescribe education, intellectual openness, and debate for the masses. “With knowledge comes great power,” he says. “That is why, prior to America, those in power prevented the masses from access to knowledge. Keep them ignorant! This ensured their control and position. “Even with the advent of the printing press in the fifteenth century,” he continues, “only those with money could access education through institutions of higher learning.” Judaism, to the contrary, says Rothenberg, views education from a democratic perspective. All Jews (and all peoples for that matter) – rich or poor, child or adult, male or female – are required to learn. One’s community stature is equal to one’s acquired knowledge. “The poor bastard who is a Torah scholar must be more respected than the high priest (at one time the most noble person in the Jewish nation) who is not a scholar,” explains Rothenberg. Rothenberg adds to the notion of democratization the freedom to challenge and interpret learning – within limits. “When Moses joined G-d atop Mt. Sinai, G-d revealed a future moment with Rabbi Akiva as he taught Torah to his students,” says Rothenberg.
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Moses was shocked that he did not understand any of Rabbi Akiva’s lesson… relieved only by the Rabbi’s admission that the source of the lesson derived from Moses at Mt. Sinai. From this, Rothenberg says, “…we learn that the Jewish people – as long as they remain connected to the original source of knowledge – are free to consider, reflect, debate, discuss, and arrive at various interpretations of the Scripture.” He adds that each individual interpretation is an intellectual inquiry resulting in a truth unto itself. As such, Jews have been studying and interpreting the Torah in millions of ways over the last 2,000 years, yielding volumes of philosophical and critical thought concerning one’s relationship with G-d and one’s purpose in all aspects of life and death. The number of classes and lectures available in an observant Jewish community cannot be compared to anything that happens in any other place. Jewish success is also attributed to closely held family and community traditions and observances, along with what noted lawyer, academic, and political commentator Alan Dershowitz calls “The Tsuris Theory of Jewish Survival” (Tsuris is Yiddish for troubles, suffering, grief). Under this theory, Dershowitz suggests that “the Jews need external troubles to remain successful as Jews.” Albert Einstein agreed: “It may be thanks to anti-Semitism that we are able to preserve our existence as a race.” French Philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre, a non-Jew, argued that the “sole tie that binds [the Jewish people together] is the hostility and disdain of the societies which surround them.” In Europe, in past centuries, Jews were denied access to many professions, the most common of which was agriculture and land ownership. Using their culture of education, they instead persevered to become doctors, lawyers, bank owners, and merchants. Thus the Jewish approach to education is believed to be the primary basis for the disproportionate success of ews in the world that continues to this day. The number of Jewish Nobel Prize recipients since 1901 stands as further evidence. Nobel Prizes have been awarded to 881 individuals to date, of which 201 (23%) are Jews, who comprise less than .2% of the world’s population. Jews have been the recipients of all six award categories: 41% of economics, 28% of medicine, 26% of physics, 19% of chemistry, 13% of literature, and 9% of all peace awards. “Our history of victimization,” writes Dershowitz, “has contributed to forging Jewish successes as a defense against those who would destroy us out of hatred.” Many American Jews today are assimilated into mainstream culture, yet the sentiment for being learned remains, for the most part, and is a measure of Jewish integrity with respect to education. Philo of Alexandria wrote, in the 1st century A.D., that “since the Jews esteem their laws as divine revelations and are instructed in the knowledge of them from their earliest youth, they bear the image of the law in their souls,” denoting why Jews are known as the “People of the Book.” The biblical and historical context within which the value of education and debate thrives has provided Jews throughout the ages with the impetus to aspire to high levels of achievement and success. When Isidor Rabi, the 1944 Nobel Prize recipient for physics, was asked to what he attributed his great achievements, he credited his parents. “When I came home from school, they never asked me what I learned. Rather, they wanted to know, ‘Did you ask a good question today?’”
reevaluate S
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In healthcare education programs around the country, the old saying has been “C’s get degrees”. Roseman uses frequent evaluation within its Six-Point Mastery Learning Model to insure all students are not only grasping but mastering the complex content they are learning. Students are assessed every two weeks and must achieve a 90% or better on every evaluation to move on. It’s not just a number, it’s about training students in a different way so they can maximize classroom time and learn by doing. Roseman University of Health Sciences has been reevaluating the meaning of success since our inception in 1999. Using the Six-Point Mastery Learning Model, we train students to thrive and practice in today’s complex world of medicine and patient care. Challenge. Reevaluate. Roseman. Learn more at roseman.edu
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Sense
The Video Repository Educating the Masses While its Algorithms Chase our Current and Past Desires
A screen grab of a YouTube tail light repair video.
By Brian Sodoma
W
hether you need to change the tail light on your 2003 Toyota Corolla, watch your favorite retro music video, or lock in with a group of passionate sous vide enthusiasts, YouTube is likely your vehicle for connecting to these experiences.
Founded in February 2005 out of a garage in Silicon Valley by former PayPal employees, YouTube never took the time to toil in obscurity like many other startups. By July 2006, it was hosting more than 100 million daily views. By October of that year, Google swept in to purchase it. The rest, you could say, is modern history. Today, YouTube is home to millions of daily views of people displaying talent and skill and let’s not overlook that healthy mix of absurdity.
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A screen grab of a YouTube sous vide demonstration video.
YouTube has also made its mark on education. Whether you want to join a group committed to deepening its knowledge on a subject or you’re in need of that one-off how-to tutorial, YouTube is delivering as an educational portal. How-Tos outperform all other video types, with more than 100 million hours watched annually. As the Wild West of video, YouTube does its job to help us with many needs, but as it educates, is it also indirectly shaping our views and targeting us a bit predatorily – all with the help of its good friend Google? The answer could be “yes,” but even with that, the deep fascination with these unique, albeit sometimes voyeuristic, educational journeys likely won’t end anytime soon.
Everyone’s an expert – kind of YouTube has made the amateur an expert. Most educational videos are often created by laymen who are exploring every-day subjects themselves. “I see it for women. You have these videos where you can learn to curl or style your hair. You have these beauty industry tutorials…Someone who is an amateur or hobbyist is getting hits on YouTube for this,” says Jamie Grolle, CEO of Spitfire Media, a Las Vegas-based social media marketing agency. YouTube also has a deep well of “experts” reviewing and playing with children’s toys. While experience with Shopkins or the Rocktopus are far from educational, these personalities are shaping how youngsters
interact with their toys. These “experts” are often children themselves, like 6-year-old “Ryan” whose “Ryan ToysReview” site earned him $11 million in 2017 alone. “I see it with my five-year-old daughter She will play with her toys the same way they were used in a video,” Grolle adds. Some caution should be taken with all this seemingly benign kid stuff, says Benjamin Burroughs, assistant professor of Emerging Media in the Hank reenspun School of ournalism and Media Studies at NLV. Advertisers target children, not unlike the way, decades ago, Saturday morning cartoons targeted them. However, the difference today comes with the always accessible nature of the videos. In the days before the Internet, yes, advertising around those Saturday morning cartoons targeted children, but it was for a set period of time. With YouTube videos, the content can be accessed anytime a child wants it. That advertising can literally be plugged into that child’s brain whenever that flustered or busy parent chooses to hand over the parental controls to YouTube in a grocery store, on an errand in a doctor’s office waiting room, you name it. “I think we definitely need to be critical consumers especially with children just watching for entertainment…We don’t realize how much the algorithm is working to structure their engagement,” Burroughs adds. “Kids as young as two years old can be targeted for content production.” www.davidlv.com | 33
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Education by algorithm For video watchers, the journey may often start with education in mind, Burroughs says. However, once the first video is consumed, YouTube’s algorithm kicks in and starts making suggestions for more videos to the right of the original video. These suggestions are often, at least at first, related to the first video searched. However, different suggestions start to creep in, clearly using data that has been gathered about you on previous journeys. That car you searched for the night before or that music video you watched the other day all may start to show up, too, along with other, seemingly related-to-your-tastes, video content. Then there’s the need to sift through content objectivity, Burroughs says. Some videos are created by everyday people exploring subjects while others are created by companies or organizations trying to share or “teach” a view on a subject. “I think now the content is all mixed with advertising. It’s all the same and kind of separating out what is advertising and what isn’t can be difficult sometimes,” Burroughs adds. Some may not call it education, but YouTube can do its part to shape political views by its use as a news channel. One Statista survey of those willing to share their political ties as epublicans, emocrats, or Independents showed that between and percent of the respondents trusted YouTube as a news source at least half the time and some as much as all the time. As live streams of tragedies and current events make their way to the site, seeing that raw footage can lend itself to news credibility in the eyes
A screen grab of a YouTube yan Toys eview video.
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of some, says Burroughs, but videos can also be manipulated in ways to shape a political view and even support troubling views like white supremacy and anti-Semitism. Even with events like the Charlottesville protests, there was raw footage, but also no shortage of those trying to explain away or justify the actions through videos, Burroughs explains. “The content can really intensify political emotions in really interesting ways and some problematic ways,” Burroughs adds. “These videos can be very persuasive in real time…The information is coming very fast in the wake of tragedy or something extremely controversial.”
Is it for you? With YouTube’s growth also comes the attraction for the everyday person to want to become an “expert” or even a YouTube millionaire sensation. Grolle works with a variety of businesses and the question sometimes comes up about using the tool in marketing – to brand an expert or position a company as an authority. Even without the need for a professional video, it still takes considerable time and resources to plan and shoot content, she explains. You can be an amateur, but if you are running a business and want to share your expertise, you’re going to need a more professional product. Even with that, you likely don’t stand a chance in competing with the likes of “Ryan ToysReview.” “I’ve had to break a lot of hearts in telling people ‘you’re going to be spinning your wheels and wasting a lot of time,’” she said. But with 300 hours of video uploaded to YouTube every minute, we’re sure someone else is willing to give it a try.
3RD ANNUAL JCC SPORTS BANQUET Please join us in supporting the Jewish Community Center Youth and Adult Sports Programming Special Guest Speaker
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Taste
Eating the Big Easy A Weekend of Memorable Meals in New Orleans
By Jason Harris
C
all it ignorance. Call it bad information. Call it fake news. Alright, don’t call it that last one, but whatever we do decide on calling the New Orleans culinary scene, know this: it is full of unexpected delights. There was never any question that the food was going to be high quality, as The Big Easy is known for its assortment of delectable choices, but what was surprising, upon my first visit a few weeks ago, were the types of food I was able to relish. More than any other American city, the Crescent City culinary scene is marketed based on its traditions. What you hear about is restaurant after restaurant, each a century old, doing the same favorite dishes they were doing during the time of Louis Armstrong or Huey P. Long. Heck, on an episode about crawfish boils on avid Chang’s Netflix show Ugly Delicious, which premiered
in 2018, the famous chef hammered home the point that the cuisine - at least the crawfish - are prepared the same way they have been since the beginning of time. He presents it as a delicious, yet stalled scene. I went into my trip thinking that I would find dishes hearkening back to yesteryear. And while there are certainly those places that specialize in the classics - Jacques Imo’s, Antoine’s, Gallitores, etc. – we’re not going to live in the past. This is about a vibrant scene with chefs pushing cuisine forward. This is a story about three restaurants taking the basics of their regions’ storied food traditions and building new and exciting traditions upon them. If the tourism bureau in Bayou country somehow gets hold of this magazine, this is a piece to let them know they are missing a big part of what they should advertise - not only what the New Orleans food scene was, but also what it is becoming.
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Above: Crispy Dirty Rice Arancini. Right: Chef Nina Compton
Friday Nina Compton rose to national prominence as a contestant on Top Chef Season 11 in 2013, which took place in New Orleans. Her focus on her native Caribbean food made her one of the more interesting competitors to follow in any season of the seminal show. In Season 11, she finished as the runner-up, and also the fan favorite competitor. In fact, New Orleans fell so in love with Compton that a mere two years after her season aired, she opened her first restaurant in the city. At Compère Lapin, Compton has homed in on her Caribbean background and the surrounding environment to make her to make some of the most unique food in New Orleans. Even the name of her restaurant crystalizes her point of view. As the restaurant’s website states, the title refers to, “traditional Caribbean and Creole folktales featuring a mischievous rabbit named Compère Lapin.” This swank joint is found at The Old No. 77 Hotel and Chandlery in a bustling metropolitan area of the city known as the Warehouse Arts District. Since Compton has grounded her feet in New Orleans, she has won the James Beard Award for Best Chef: South and was named one of the Best New Chefs 2017 by Food & Wine. To say the city is a good fit for her would be vastly underestimating what she has going on. Big flavors are on display as the restauranteur showcases Crescent City
favorites with tastes of her home island of St. Lucia. You can find this in the smallest of bites, as evidenced in her appetizer of crispy dirty rice arancini. The rice balls, while Italian in origin, veer Southern here with the dirty rice preparation and take a detour to the islands with the accompanying sour orange mojo sauce. While arancini usually dominates its accompaniments, here it is a compliment to the tart mojo, which shines against the salty croquette. At the beginning of her career, Compton worked for Daniel Boloud at Daniel in New York City and her French technique is on display with her roast half chicken over rice and peas. The bird comes out perfectly tender from a sous vide first treatment, and retains its juiciness even as the skin crisps up from the roasting. Meanwhile the rice and peas, a Jamaican classic, are cooked with coconut milk, a component with elevates and ties together the entire dish. Her best success of Creole meets Caribbean is found in the seafood pepper pot, which features some of the Gulf of Mexico’s sweetest and freshest crustaceans, including the mandatory crawfish. The broth is soothing, flavorful, and with a nice amount of heat. On its own, it is slurpable. With the seafood, it’s a rich take on a dish found in cultures ranging from Guyana to Trinidad and Tobago. On March 15, Compton opened her second New Orleans spot, Bywater American Bistro. I didn’t have time to go on this trip, but based on the food at Compère Lapin, it will be on the list upon my return visit. www.davidlv.com | 37
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Above Cured Lemonfish Left: Chef Mike Gulotta
Saturday While Nina Compton has direct roots to the style of cuisine she is combining with Creole, Chef Mike Gulotta does not. A Louisiana product, born and bred, he ate all the Bayou classic plates as a youngster. So how does he go from that to the exciting Vietnamese-Creole mashup he is doing at Maypop? Basically, on a whim. Gulotta admits he has no formal training in Vietnamese cooking and he isn’t even looking for something authentic in that regard. He grew up with a lot of Southeast Asian friends and what he’s done is create an ode to them and the subcontinent by bringing together his favorite elements of his and their native cuisines. The chef broke big in his hometown with MoPho, a pho creole concoction soup shop, which is still one of the more popular dining destinations in the city. His prominence among national foodies rose as he competed on Iron Chef Gauntlet in 2017. Now, with Maypop, he has a chance to explode into the stratosphere of well-known chefs. Maypop, which opened in late 2016, the same year Gulotta was named one of Food & Wine’s best new chefs, sits inside a sleek building which sits alongside other sleek buildings in The Warehouse District. While the exterior
is austere, once inside the restaurant get ready for a culinary thrill ride. Something as simple as a Bibb lettuce salad is given a new lease on life with coconut cucumber ranch, green tomato relish, and a cashew crisp with chaat spice. This salad might be all southern on the bottom, but with a quick jaunt to India on top, it is revitalized and refreshed. Lemonfish is lightly cured and then taken around the world with a crispy panisse – an Italian chickpea fritter, fermented black bean a la Southeast Asia and pickled mirliton – a version of the popular chayote squash used in Mexican cooking. The whole thing is tied together with a zippy vinaigrette and with all those flavors, the dish still feels refined and restrained, partially because of the artistic presentation. Make sure to order spicy cumin lamb with brown butter potato agnolotti. The lamb takes on Middle Eastern hints as poppy seed yogurt, green garlic, and baby carrots fill out the plate. But the real star is the agnolotti. The Italian dumplings taste like they are stuffed with a delicious cheese and herb mixture, but it’s all a trick. As advertised, the entire filling is potatoes, treated with the luxury of a Robuchon-style spud. This is high level stuff, but you can tell Gulotta is having fun and as a diner, you have no option but to join the party.
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Above: Death By Gumbo. Right: Chefs John Folse and Rick Tramanto
Sunday Walking into Restaurant R’evolution, you feel like you could be walking into a time past. The Royal Sonesta Hotel in The French Quarter, which houses the large eatery, features a courtyard you could imagine Tennessee Williams sitting in, scribbling down scenes in a drunken frenzy for A Streetcar Named Desire. The multidimensional restaurant has that same type of throwback feel with different rooms, including a Southern Parlor, a Courtyard Room, and a Market Room, along with an Expo Kitchen where diners can see some of the many chefs preparing food. Watching the huge team function in unison is a side benefit to the ridiculously good food they are putting out. The same Herculean effort is put into the front of house service with teams of three – a captain, a front waiter, and a back waiter – operating in conjunction to make sure the guest experience is impeccable. It is impressive for such a fancy restaurant to make guests feel so welcomed and appreciated. R’evolution, from the minds of Louisiana native John Folse and Chicago powerhouse Rick Tramanto, says it all in its name. On its website, Folse is quoted as saying, “Restaurant R’evolution introduces Rick’s and my new approach to Cajun and Creole cuisine, with an aim to push the boundaries and expectations of dining in Louisiana.” Though the eatery has been open for more than 5 years now, the same maverick spirit it began with remains. Start with Death By Gumbo, a
scorching take on the famous stew. Literally, they scorch the roux, which is considered a no-no by traditionalists, but here adds a deep and smoky flavor, making this a memorable broth. Of course, before said broth hits the plate, you are already treated to an unexpected and inviting presentation. The bowl arrives sans liquid, with a roasted quail stuffed with andouille sausage, oysters and rice sitting front and center. After the wait staff pours the stock over the fowl, the diner cuts the bird up, thereby constructing the gumbo by deconstructing most of the elements in it. It’s an intelligent play on the familiar with that smoky flavor carrying the dish to greatness. Just as smartly put together is the sheep ricotta gnocchi with lobster. The gnocchi are really gnudi since it’s all ricotta, but whatever the chefs want to call these dumplings, they are delicious and a fine accompaniment to the fat hunks of sweet lobster. As with the gumbo, the real star of the plate is the broth, with vanilla and tarragon comingling with lobster roe, giving the whole dish a French coastal feel. Expectations are constantly played with at Restaurant R’evolution. A bourbon cured salmon and asparagus salad sits on top of white asparagus panna cotta – more like a shmear - giving it a cream cheese and lox feel. There’s also zucchini basil pistou and pine nuts to add textures and alternative flavors. The revolution is well on its way in New Orleans, only this revolution is not about cultures fighting one another for supremacy, but rather working together to create something new and great with all traditions well represented. That’s a revolution we want to be a part of. www.davidlv.com | 39
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Essays and In-Depth Articles on Topics that Will Have People Talking all Month Long.
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What’s Next? The Threat of School Violence oes Beyond unfire
By Rob Kachelriess
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earl am released a song in called “ lorified ,” in which singer Eddie Vedder describes a firearm as a “glorified version of a pellet gun.” While one is obviously far more lethal than the other, the lyrics suggest a person who uses either weapon may be overcompensating for misplaced self-empowerment. It’s now years later and “ lorified ” might not sound out of place as the background music for a video that was posted on Snapchat in late April. It shows a young man loading what appears to be a pink pellet gun before picking the weapon up and looking out the window of a home facing Canarelli Middle School in Las Vegas. A second person can be heard saying, “He’s going to shoot the school.” Without hesitation, the man holding the gun replies, “yeah.” Word of the video spread uickly and as can be expected, didn’t sit well with students, faculty, and especially parents. Even though a pellet gun might be easily dismissed as a relatively harmless toy, it can be hard to gauge the true intention behind the threat — and why someone would make a point to post it on social media. “I saw the video. It just seemed like somebody being stupid,” says a 14-year-old eighth-grader at Canarelli. “But a lot of my friends were freaked out about it.” She mentions that teachers didn’t specifically address the video with students during class. But parents received an email from Principal Monica Lang saying she would “not stop until we see an arrest” in what she called a “serious threat” under investigation.
Police welcome students as they return to the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, in arkland, Fl. www.davidlv.com | 43
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Children being led away from the site of the Sand Hook school shooting “No arrests were made,” says Clark County School District Police Capt. Ken Young. “It was investigated by school police and Las Vegas Metropolitan Police. The activities did not rise to a level of criminality.” The incident, which was covered heavily in the local news for one day before quickly disappearing from the headlines, raises legitimate concerns about what constitutes a valid terror threat. At this point, it’s not a matter of if but when the next school shooting will take place in America. Police and school officials can’t afford to not take any threat seriously, regardless of how small or “stupid” it may seem. “Kids shouldn’t be afraid to go to school and parents shouldn’t be afraid to send their kids to school,” says Jon Castagnino. “That’s where we’re at right now. It’s really awful.” As a former reporter for KVVU FOX5, Castagnino has covered more than his share of gunfire and tragedy in Las Vegas. He is currently Manager of Sports Content and Social Media at the Greenspun School of Journalism and Media Studies at UNLV, but in recent months, he’s taken on another project. Castagnino is now also an analyst for the Academy of Threat Assessments, Countermeasures & Technology, an independent group founded by UNLV Professor Dr. Ashok Sudhakar and includes former police and FBI professionals. “Our number one priority with this group is making schools safer,” says Castagnino. “It’s a proactive approach — not reactive. Thoughts and prayers are reactive.” In pursuing his Masters degree in Public Administration, Castagnino took a class with Sudhaker and was invited to join the Academy last year
as it was getting off the ground. He’s now one of five graduate students in an “alpha team” that pores over reports by the epartment of Homeland Security, Department of Justice, and FEMA. Using that information to build a methodology, Academy members visit schools and perform what is called an assessment of campus grounds. They train teachers to develop situational awareness in identifying threats and recommend improvements — or “countermeasures” — based on different expense tiers. “Not everything costs money,” Castagnino points out. “Awareness doesn’t cost money. Training doesn’t cost that much money versus infrastructure.” Yes. infrastructure. The big problem is that most schools in Clark County were built decades ago, when student shootings weren’t an everyday topic on the news. That’s why Castagnino and his team will look at open courtyards, for example, and determine if there are barriers or places to hide if an attacker suddenly opens fire. Eventually, the Academy wants to develop a system of safety rankings for schools. “There’s going to be hundreds of factors,” says Castagnino. “How far is a police station from the school? How far is a fire station from the school? How far away is a hospital?” It’s all about retaining and expanding levels of deterrents. Not just doing everything possible to prevent school violence, but to minimize casualties if an attack does take place. “We’re not here to replace law enforcement by any means,” Castagnino is quick to point out. “We want to work with law enforcement and use
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Students become emotional at the makeshift memorial to the victims of the Santa Fe, Texas school shooting. our research to build a program that makes schools a lot safer than they are right now.” Las Vegas is one of just 127 cities that has a dedicated police force for schools. Capt. Young says the initial concept of the Clark County School District Police Department had been around since the late 60s, with activities and training in place, before full police powers were granted in . Officers take part in active shooter drills at least once a year and are frequently assigned to patrol school grounds. There’s no private security on a school campus. It’s either a police officer or campus security monitors who operate under the school district umbrella. “They handle traditional hall monitor duties,” says Capt. Young. “They act as eyes and ears. They assist in various duties that are not law enforcement-related.” And they aren’t armed. Neither are teachers. It’s one of the few hotbutton political topics the academy takes a stand on. “It’s not a good idea to give teachers weapons,” says Castagnino. “We’d rather have them in the hands of law enforcement professionals who know how to make quick decisions.” The neverending debate on the issue seems to intensify whenever yet another school shooting makes national headlines. However, the May 18 attack on a high school in Santa Fe, Texas, reflects a new level of danger that should have parents terrified. olice say the -year-old suspect behind the deadly shooting also left undetonated explosive devices on school grounds and in a nearby building. “Explosives need to be talked about,” says Castagnino, who notes
their use is alarmingly common on a global scale. “We think it’s going to happen sooner rather than later and schools need to be prepared for an attack like that.” While a gun requires an attacker to be physically present in order to pull the trigger, a bomb can be detonated remotely. “Not only do you have the human element where a lot of students can be killed, but there’s also the physical damage to the structure,” adds Castagnino. “A school might be shut down for six months because there’s an explosion that went off inside the building.” That’s not all. The Academy says drones have the potential to pose a threat and as the lines between “school shooter” and “terrorist” continue to blur, electrical grids and cybersecurity are also at risk. These are heavy topics — and something young students shouldn’t have to spend time worrying about. The same 14-year-old student who thought the Snapchat video suspect was just being stupid, says she feels safe at school, but believes more can be done — and has at least one suggestion. “Lock the doors,” she says. “Nothing’s ever locked except for the classrooms.” It may seem like a small thing, but Jon Castagnino says doors make a difference. “If they’re locked properly, it’s the number-one deterrent,” he says. “If they’re left open, it’s the number-one opportunity for somebody to execute an attack.” Unfortunately, the small things are just the beginning. It’s time to look at a bigger picture. www.davidlv.com | 45
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Comic Relief A 300-Page Comic Book Anthology to Benefit Route 91 Strong ©
By Josh Bell
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n May 30, Image Comics released Where We Live, a 300page comic-book anthology benefiting the charity oute Strong, which provides aid to victims of gun violence. The stories in the book reflect on the mass shooting at the oute Harvest country-music festival on the Las Vegas Strip last year, in which people were killed. Where We Live features contributions from some of the biggest names in the comic-book industry, including writers Neil Gaiman, Brian Michael Bendis, Mark Millar, Gail Simone, and artist .H. Williams III, who’s also the project’s founder and curator and a Las Vegas resident . But alongside those comics superstars are a number of local talents, whose contributions to the book add a level of connection and authenticity that can only come from having experienced the impact of the October tragedy firsthand. “I feel very honored to be a voice for my hometown, just growing up here,” says writer ennifer Battisti, who contributed a poem “Bristlecone in Blue” and an essay to the collection, with illustrations by comics artists eof arrow on the essay and Williams himself on the poem . Both pieces were written before Battisti had heard about the anthology, but when she saw the call for submissions, she was eager to participate. “I was really excited to be able to send them something, and just excited in general that somebody was putting together something like that, because there was definitely a need for that,” she says. Battisti is an aesthetician in a Strip resort and has worked in the hospitality industry for two decades, and she saw the ripple effect from the shooting immediately. “I had to return to work the next day, which was a very bizarre and uncomfortable feeling,” she says. “There was a sense of powerlessness and kind of a feeling of what’s the point?’ that very next day.” She found comfort in nature, taking a hike with a friend to see a , -yearold bristlecone pine tree that’s the oldest living thing in the state. “I feel like nature has a way of reminding and restoring and healing after those types
Comic Book cover, art by .H. Williams III.
of tragedies,” she says. “I wanted to capture that and share that with other people, because it didn’t feel like anything was enduring at that moment.” Matthew Sorvillo is another local writer with a day job on the Strip, and he too had to head to work as a bartender at a casino pool on the day after the shooting. In his story, a se uential piece illustrated by artist Sean hillips, he explores the reactions of the tourists he serves on a daily basis. “The thing that I found most interesting was that a lot of people who had basically saved up all year and had come to Las Vegas to have a good time were suddenly faced with this tragedy and felt really guilty for wanting to enjoy themselves in light of what had just happened,” he explains. “As people who work in this industry, we have to keep our opinions to ourselves, put on a happy face, even when we’re dealing with the same confusion and conflicting emotions that the guests themselves are,” Sorvillo continues. He translated those emotions into his story, brought to life by acclaimed artist hillips. “I was just floored by the pages,” Sorvillo says of hillips’ art. “Whatever I may have lacked in experience of writing for comics, Sean hillips is such a professional that he just knew exactly what I was looking for without even ever speaking.” Both Sorvillo and Battisti point to Las Vegas’ hospitality industry as a
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Story by Matt Sorvillo and art by Sean Phillips.
Story by James Robinson, art by Dean Kotz and Stefano Gaudian and colors & lettering by Casey Silver.
strength. “It’s possible that culturally, our community’s primary purpose, to serve, worked as an adhesive of sorts to mend the broken after the tragedy,” Battisti says. As for Sorvillo, it’s important for that tradition to continue. “We rely on people coming here and enjoying themselves,” he says, “and if that stops, that’ll do more damage to this city than any number of shootings could.” The strength of the community is a key element in pieces from many local contributors. Writer Joshua Ellis is a self-described “cynical, nasty motherfucker,” but his essay (illustrated by in-demand comics creator Jeff Lemire) is also about the way the community rallied following the shooting. “I was incredibly heartened to see the way that the city pulled together after that, to help the people who needed help,” he says. “We were banding together in a way that I found incredibly hopeful and made my heart swell.” Ellis was hosting an open-mic night at the Huntridge Tavern on the night of the shooting, getting updates about the unfolding events in real time. “You’re worried about everybody you know who works anywhere near or lives anywhere near the Strip,” he says. “It’s a thing that we’ve become somewhat weirdly accustomed to in America when these kinds of mass shootings happen. Because eventually it’s going to be somebody
you know.” Ellis was lucky enough not to know anyone involved, but in the aftermath he still felt compelled to help, as one of the many people bringing supplies to medical personnel and first responders. Journalist and UNLV English professor Jarret Keene also emphasizes his luck at not having any loved ones present at the concert that night, but several of his current and former students were survivors of the shooting, including one whose story he tells in his contribution to Where We Live, illustrated by Craig Cermak. “She showed up in my office about a month after the shooting,” Keene says of Aubri, whose experience he chronicles in his piece. “She seemed a bit out of it. I don’t know what made me ask the question, but I knew she was a country music fan.” Keene learned that Aubri had been at the concert with friends, and had been struggling emotionally ever since that night. He adapted her story into a sequential piece that deals with the aftermath of tragic events, and how the young survivor overcame her trauma. “When she came to my office and I interviewed her, I was just blown away,” he says. “I guess it was six weeks after the event, and she had gone through so much and was already beginning to triumph.” For Keene, it was important to focus on Aubri’s story without delving into
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Story based on an interview by Jarret Keene, art by Craig Cermak, color by Marissa Louise and lettering by Taylor Esposito.
302 Story by Daniel Hernandez and art by Casey Silver & Moritat.
contentious political issues. “I wanted to tell a human story of persevering, of surviving, of bearing witness to a horrible tragedy like this,” he says. “And then somehow, through the support of her friends, her family, her cheer squad, her students, she pushes through and manages to have a successful semester.” Another UNLV professor, Daniel Hernandez, deals with his own trauma in his story (illustrated by Moritat). A reporter for The Guardian, Hernandez drove down to the Strip as soon as he heard about the shooting, and was talking to survivors just as they’d escaped the chaos. “When I met people who were survivors outside the concert, the trauma in their eyes and in their voices was really contagious,” he says. “I went to bed that night feeling a kind of hopelessness, a loss of faith in humanity.” But like his fellow local writers, Hernandez eventually found hope in the community response that countered his despair. “It helped me get my faith in humanity back,” he says. “It made me realize that these are isolated events by isolated actors, and the majority of people love each other. There is still a society that we can have faith in.” As a reporter, Hernandez covered 9/11 memorials, the 2011 shooting of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords in Arizona, and the 2012 shooting at a movie theater in Aurora, Colorado. “For weeks afterward,
it makes our everyday lives feel really loaded, like anything could happen,” he says, but he still manages to end his story on a note of optimism. For all of the locals who worked on Where We Live, the book itself is part of the healing process, a way to celebrate the solidarity that Las Vegans demonstrated following the tragedy, as well as to ask tough questions about what comes next. “I think what’s special about [the book] is that it’s very thought-provoking,” Battisti says. “I think it will initiate some inconvenient and uncomfortable conversations, but very necessary conversations.” Hernandez agrees. “What’s exciting to me is that this isn’t something that I think the comic book world has ever done before,” he says, “where they’re telling the stories of real people, regular people, and engaging with polarizing issues like gun control and gun violence.” “I really think that the intention of the whole thing is just to get people thinking about it and get people talking about it honestly,” Sorvillo says. “Seeing all of these A-list comic creators come together for this is also really gratifying,” Ellis adds. “These are incredibly talented, smart people doing good work.” That goes for Ellis and his fellow Vegas-based creators just as much as their more well-known peers.
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Story and art by Larime & Sylv Taylor.
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Poem by Wendy Wright-Williams, art by J.H. Williams III and lettering by Todd Klein.
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Story by Scott David Johnson, pencils by Phil Hester, colors by Mark Englert and lettering by Bernardo Brice
Text by Neil Gaiman, art by J. H. Williams III and lettering by Todd Klein. www.davidlv.com | 49
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My Story in Pictures A DAVID Magazine Article Gets the Comic Book Treatment
Story by Jason Harris and Ollie Masters Artwork by Sina Grace and Shaun Struble
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t’s appropriate that the way I got involved with Where We Live: A Benefit for the Survivors in L s e s was through Facebook. My story, first printed in this magazine, was made so much more significant because of social media. After the / massacre, it was through Facebook that I was able to coordinate and facilitate food drops to whoever we could. Besides that, when I would post updates about how many people we were feeding, I knew it made people happy. Then Wendy Williams, one of the curators of Where We Live, put a post out to the cyber-universe asking for exciting stories from people who had some experience involving oute . Without having a proper background in comic book writing, I asked if I could adapt my magazine article into a comic-book script. I figured it would be an excellent opportunity to learn another form of writing. The curators paired me with Ollie Masters, a comic writer from Britain. These days, Ollie’s name seems to mentioned daily by the likes of The o oo e orter and e ine, since one of his books, he it hen, is becoming a feature film with huge stars like Melissa McCarthy and Tiffany Haddish attached to star in it. We talked about writing my story a few ways We could collaborate on the first draft and see how that worked. Or I could write it as a film script, since there are some similarities between that and comic-book scripts and then Ollie could bridge it from there. Or I could take a crash course in comic writing and write a draft by myself, after which Ollie would, if needed, make it professional. We went for option and Ollie sent over a ton of materials for me to study.
My background as a screenwriter certainly helped. The initial adjustment I had to make was to remember that comics are a dynamically visual medium. I ended up overfilling pages too many panels, too much information, too many details. As opposed to a feature script, where you have to paint the picture in the reader’s mind, the images in comic-books are right there for the reader to see. After I got a working draft together, Ollie took over and cleaned it up. Sina race was next up to bat. It was cool that he chose our story to draw. I sent him a few pics of myself, my daughter, and my dog, so I could work the whole family in there. When Sina sent his first drawing of me back, I responded, “Man, even comic book me is too fat ” Sina was kind enough to trim my build, but didn’t have to. From there, he and Shaun Struble tore through the art of the piece, sending panels to the entire team every now and again. What I learned from this process was that I genuinely enjoy this type of storytelling. It’s fun and exciting and as a writer, something I want to do more. In the end, though, good storytelling, no matter what the genre or form, is essential. I was lucky enough to be a rookie who was plugged in as a starter on an All-Star team. It was a rewarding process, and I hope readers feel the same way.
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Grab Your Goggles Taking a Real Look at Virtual Education
By Jaq Greenspon
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few months ago, I was invited by a friend to try out his virtual reality (VR) rig. They’re all the rage and, truth be told, are pretty cool. For those of us above a certain age, it really is like living in the future. But then I started thinking about that, and what the future would hold for my own little one. I figured that the VR world would provide a literal new world for her. That when the time came for her to go to school, instead of rushing to catch a bus, she’d go into her room and slip on a set of goggles and a pair of haptic response gloves (to give the impression of actually touching something). “School” could be wherever she was, and her teachers and classmates could be anywhere in the world, all sharing a similar experience through modern technology and an Internet connection. Then I learned about Connections Academy and realized the future may be getting very close indeed. Connections Academy is a an online virtual school which takes the
place of a traditional brick and mortar school, meaning that the student has no need to attend a physical classroom and, as long as they have an Internet connection, can make their classroom wherever they need it to be at the moment. The only catch: you have to be based in the area of the school. This makes sense since Connections Academy isn’t home schooling. The differences, though, may seem hard to spot at first. Both programs rely on a strong component of parental interaction, but in the simplest terms, home schooling allows the parents to step in and take over pretty much full responsibility for their children’s education. Shari Grimes remembers the days when she was home schooling her eldest child. “I have home schooled my children for going on twenty-two, twenty-three years now. I used to do it actually just sitting at the table with the books and teaching my kids.” Where Connections Academy differs is that the students are still part of whatever school district they happen to live in, which accounts for the need to at least have a local address. “There’s about 30 Connections Academy schools in about 26 states across the country,” explains Nevada Connections Academy principal Chris McBride. “Connections Academy itself is a subsidiary of Pearson. So Pearson online and blended learning is the Education Management Organization.” All of this means the structure of the school is absolutely in line with the students’ expected learning outcomes. Students range from kindergarten all the way up through 12th grade, and currently, according to McBride, there are about 3300 students www.davidlv.com | 53
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Connections Academy parent “Learning Coach” and student spread across the state. So with around 100,000 students nationwide, this makes Connections Academy the equivalent of a top 30 school district. The only difference, as one goes through the program, is the amount of online curricula each level receives. “Depending on the grade level span depends how much is online and how much is not,” explains McBride. “So for instance, in elementary school, maybe 20-30% is online and the rest of it is with the students working with the caretaker at home with our provided curriculum. So as the students get older, responsibility can be released from the caretaker at home and placed on the students. It’s critical to have a good solid foundation with the caretaker particularly in the younger grades.” Since that caretaker, or “learning coach,” is most often a parent, this is where the home schooling comparison begins and ends. Unlike home schooling, Connections Academy provides all the necessary curricula, as well as books and certified teachers to work alongside the caretakers. That curricula, described by McBride as “incredibly rigorous,” focuses on college prep to ensure a smooth transition from high school to university. “If our students complete all of our curriculum, they are getting a more rigorous education than they would typically receive at a brick and mortar high school,” says McBride. That “if,” though, is problematic. And McBride, who is new to the job, might possibly have been brought in to help deal with the poor, but
improving, graduation rate Nevada Connections Academy has shown. In 2017, they showed a graduation rate of 44%, up 10% from a 34% low in 2013, but still shy of the 60% threshold the Nevada State Public Charter School Authority demands of their accredited participatory institutions. Compared with the CCSD, which showed an overall graduation rate of 83% in 2017 (itself a new high-water mark), the NCA rates seem weak at best. The Academy counters by pointing out that a high number of students turn to the charter system when traditional schools have failed them, meaning they come in with a credit deficit in place, making graduation that much more difficult. Furthermore, the school claims that their graduation record for students who complete all four years of high school within their program is on par with the CCSD’s 80%. The obvious advantage provided here is that the student can work at whatever pace they feel comfortable with, within the framework of a public education. In other words, as McBride points out: “If they need to speed up, and have the ability to speed up, and say finish high school in two years, they have the ability to do that without missing any of the curriculum.” All of this curriculum is worked hand in hand with the certified teaching staff, many of whom offer live lessons online alongside the taped instructional videos and self-guided book work. Additionally, thanks to modern technology, that virtual classroom isn’t too far off.
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Connections Academy student in LiveLesson virtual classroom
Currently, teachers have the ability to hold real time classes and put students into groups for discussions and group work, which can all be monitored virtually as if it was happening in an actual classroom, which, along with organized field trips and some non-required external activities, helps to alleviate the complaint of a lack of socialization in virtual schools. “So we’re still able to provide some of that student to student interaction and allow for real time questions and feedback,” says McBride. Furthermore, the teachers reach out at least once every two weeks to have conversations with the students and prepare something the school calls a “Document Based Assessment.” The purpose is to determine, through conversation, what the students understand and what they don’t, allowing for the teacher to evaluate individual progress. With that determination in place, the teacher is free to adjust and guide the student, providing any additional support or supplemental work when needed. “It is a very hard program,” notes Grimes. “People don’t realize the work that is put into Connections Academy because the kids don’t go to a class and physically see a teacher on a daily basis and do little class work assignments…At the end of the school year, we’ll box up our box of Connections Academy books and send them back. Then every July we get their new books in.” Grimes also notes that the students follow “the same CCSD calendar as far as how many school days, how many hours
they have to be doing school, how many credits they need to graduate. We start on the same day, we have the same holidays and we end pretty much on the same day.” The difference comes with the flexibility those same students have to do other things outside of the traditional school model which are important to their lives and livelihoods. “We have several target markets,” says McBride. “One is for the athlete or the child working in show business that has a hectic schedule that doesn’t lend to a normal school schedule.” In fact, according to McBride, several of the U.S. athletes at the last Winter Olympics were current or past Connections Academy students. This is also one of the reasons Shari Grimes appreciates the Academy as opposed to straight homeschooling, which she had previously done. Her first child didn’t go through Connections Academy but did well enough at home that he was able to start college at the age of 15 ½. “We did him through a different home school program just cause we didn’t know about Connections Academy back then,” recalls Grimes. “We just kinda graduated him early and he went on to college.” Since then, however, the rest of her seven children have spent at least a little time attending Connections Academy. The benefit was immediate for her son Carter, who is an Olympic level swimmer. The Academy allows her children to get an actual high school diploma and makes sure all the requirements are fulfilled in case they www.davidlv.com | 55
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Left: Nevada Connections Academy principal Chris McBride. Right: Carter Grimes Graduation want to compete at the collegiate level as a D1 athlete. This is not a place to take anything for granted or make any kind of mistakes. “We wanted to make sure that everything for D1 athletes was being taken care of,” she says. “We looked around to go to a different program when he first started high school level.” But then they saw the possible dangers: a teammate of Carter’s had participated in a different program, and when the time came for him to move on to college and compete as a D1 athlete, they discovered he wasn’t eligible. “He ended up having to repeat two years of classes in order for him to become D1 eligible and we just did not want to run into anything like that.” Connections Academy makes sure all of that is covered, so for athletes, it becomes one less thing to worry about. Besides athletes, actors or other performers come immediately to mind, but there are other situations as well, some not nearly so romantic. There may be students who have extreme anxiety about being around other people, or those who have medical conditions making it difficult for them to work in a traditional school environment. At a recent graduation ceremony, held at the Ham Hall at UNLV, Carter Grimes was the class valedictorian. He gave a speech, walked across the stage in his cap and gown, and probably had “take with the left, shake with the right” going through his head like any other graduating senior. But for Shari Grimes, the ceremony brought up some different thoughts.
Sure, she was proud of her son, but, she recalls, “I wish I could have heard all the different stories of the kids that were graduating because it’s not just that you have a kid that’s an athlete and can benefit from staying home to concentrate on their sport… We had some kids that were graduating because they were fighting cancer or their parents had passed away or had abandoned them and they were having to work to keep them and their siblings… to live.” And the great thing is, like any other public school, it’s all free of charge. If needs be, Connections Academy will even provide a computer and subsidize the required Internet service, just to make sure those who need the school can have access to it. Right now, the Grimes family still has two children at the Academy (Sawyer, 10th grade, and Katie, 6th grade), both competitive swimmers. And Carter, the valedictorian, is still swimming and attending the University of Missouri on a full ride scholarship – for both swimming and academics. Seems to me as we move forward with these kinds of online educational programs, virtual reality isn’t such a far-fetched idea. And as Principal McBride points out “I’m sure there are virtual reality field trips that exist already. Pearson is committed to staying the leader in virtual distance education.” Maybe it’s time to grab your goggles and go to school.
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J.H. & Wendy Williams
Acclaimed Comic Book Creators
By Jason Harris Less than a week after the Route 91 massacre, acclaimed comic book artist J.H. Williams III went on a twitter burst late at night. As he says, “I was talking to the ether.” He said he wanted to put together a comic benefit for the survivors. By morning, enough people had reached out that the project became a reality. For the next seven months, curating the book and filling in any holes that needed to be filled became a 24/7 operation for J.H. and his wife, Wendy. With the release of Where We Live: A Benefit for the Survivors in Las Vegas finally upon us, I caught up with J.H. and Wendy to discuss the process of making this thing real.
J.H. A lot of times charity books will try to have an overall uplifting theme to it. But with this particular subject...it’s impossible to talk about it with a sense of…by the end of the book, it’s happy-golucky, cheery. That’s impossible. That’s one huge difference with this book. It’s a really heavy read. Hopefully it adds to the conversation and at least readers come out of it thinking, “We gotta figure this out.” Was there anything that inspired you outside of comics? J.H. One of the things that we tried to get into in the book in some capacity was how journalists, how the media covers the subject. You don’t normally get to see that point of view. Not them
How did you come up with the title of the book?
saying they are journalists and telling you what
W We were talking to our friend who works at a high-end restaurant and she had to go to work the next day. The next day, all the press was in there. All these people from CNN and MSNBC. She had to serve them. And the way they talked about our city and the incident it was like, it doesn’t even clue into them that this person lives here that’s serving them and this is the way they’re talking about the incident. It wouldn’t even occur to them that it might affect her. That’s kind of where I came up with the name for the book. It’s like, “This is where we live. You’re talking about where we live.” Every time something like this happens it’s very personal to the people that it happens to and it’s very personal to the community it happens to.
they are covering, but them telling you what they
How did you go about structuring the book?
felt and their experience covering it. How does this affect journalists? W We wanted to cover, but didn’t get to, the fact that big media dehumanizes these things. They tend to focus on the statistics. How’d this guy get all these guns? We need to come back to who it’s affected and how are these people gonna live the rest of their lives? Hopefully it demonstrates that journalism is important and that these people are important, too. What will people learn about Las Vegas by reading the book? W The news cycle has passed us, but these people are still dealing with it. Our community is forever
J.H. Because we have such a wide variety of contributors, all the stories have their own way of thinking to them. The visual presentation is unique. It’s a real mix-tape kind of quality to it. The styles, some are really realistic while others might have more of a cartoony feel to the drawings. We made sure that whatever the story is that the writer turned in, the artist we paired with him or her, seems likes a natural fit. There’s also a lot of content where the creator wanted to do it all - they wrote it, drew it, colored it, lettered it.
effected. We don’t get to move on.
What’s so different about this book as opposed to other charity comic books?
to show visitors a good time. What’s greater than
W We decided early on, because the subject was so heavy, and we were getting all these statistics about the shooting and it was becoming dehumanizing, we decided we’re not doing a pinup book. We couldn’t trivialize what happened which is what happens if you’re not really getting at it.
J.H. We chose the cover we chose - even though The Strip is the center of everything around here everything around it is communities and families and people who were raised here and grew up here and live and die here. That’s why we chose a house for the cover and The Strip is in the distance. We want people to understand we live here. We hear all the time, “You’re from Las Vegas. What’s that like?” This is a city about hospitality. We’re about wanting that when you talk about community? This is such a community oriented city that we want strangers to have a good time. That says something about the quality of people here. For order information: https://imagecomics.com/ comics/series/where-we-live
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