TREKS FOR RX: Medical tourism, the practice of people traveling outside their localities to get health care, gained prominence as Americans flew abroad to get surgical procedures at a fraction of the domestic cost. Some observers want Las Vegas to use its mix of hospitals and hotels to promote medical tourism here in hopes of boosting the valley’s economy.
Local business owners Eva Zalewski and Robert Vitto didn’t know what they’d stumbled across. The partners, also a couple outside the professional world, were running an orchid-growing company in 1999 when they bought out another dealer’s entire stock of exotic plants.
Tom Letizia started his career in the 1970s as a disc jockey with a bad habit of talking back to bosses. Over three years, he learned radio and television skills on the job at several stations in Las Vegas. He switched careers from radio disc jockey to television advertising salesman.
It’s not guaranteed a new year will bring change. The Yankees still will win in 2011. The Pirates won’t. LeBron James still will speak in the third person. Clay Guida will have long hair and fight as if intravenously fed with sugar. Rex Ryan will prefer feet.
GARDNERVILLE — A small earthquake bumped western Nevada on New Year’s Day, but no damage was reported.
The Center for Biological Diversity announced that, on New Year’s Eve, they would be giving away 50,000 endangered species condoms in an effort to “raise awareness about the devastating impacts of human overpopulation” on endangered species. Why New Year’s Eve? “Because New Year’s Eve is one of the biggest days of the year for condom use.”
For a good chunk of the last decade, the state of Nevada and local cities had gobs of money to spend on major transportation projects. The days of plump budgets are certainly in our rearview mirrors now, but it’s important to reflect on what was accomplished around the Las Vegas Valley to improve our commute.
