Las Vegas Convention Center project slated to be complete by the end of 2020
 
Las Vegas Convention Center project slated to be complete by the end of 2020

The Las Vegas Convention Center’s 600,000-square-foot exhibition is slated to open in time for CES 2021 It will feature iconic Las Vegas imagery, a broad welcoming entrance and a rooftop terrace for gatherings The main entrance off Convention Center Drive will be highlighted by a broad entry with an atrium and a food court with upstairs access to meeting rooms and the rooftop terrace The new exhibition hall, to be built on land currently used as the Gold and Diamond parking lots, will extend at an angle from Convention Center Drive to Elvis Presley Boulevard with pedestrian access toward Las Vegas Boulevard.

Aaron Rodgers, Packers Agree to Largest Deal in NFL History
 
Aaron Rodgers, Packers Agree to Largest Deal in NFL History

Aaron Rodgers, Packers Agree to Largest Deal in NFL History According to ‘ESPN,’ the quarterback and Green Bay have agreed to terms on a huge contract extension. The deal will reportedly be the largest in NFL history. It surpasses the five-year, $150 million pact signed by Matt Ryan with the Falcons earlier this offseason. The extension is expected to keep Rodgers in Green Bay for the remainder of his NFL career. Rodgers has two years remaining on the five-year, $110 million contract extension he signed back in 2013. Those two years will pay him base salaries of $19.8 million and $20 million. Rodgers is considered to be one of the top 10 players in the NFL.

UNLV has high hopes for a bowl this football season
 
UNLV has high hopes for a bowl this football season

Coach Tony Sanchez will try to lead UNLV to a December bowl game Sun Belt power Arkansas State will be an early road test for the Rebels UNLV also will have a tough game at Utah State A late-season trip to Hawaii could feel like anything but paradise Upstate rival UNR will be waiting at the end of the regular season

County continues to fund constable’s office despite police investigation.
 
County continues to fund constable’s office despite police investigation.

Police seized Henderson Constable Earl Mitchell’s bank accounts. The move came after a Las Vegas Review-Journal investigation… found Mitchell wrote himself thousands of dollars in checks… and withdrew county money at casinos and video poker bars. But Clark County continues to give Mitchell money… despite the police investigation. County spokesman Dan Kulin

The Mountain West football season begins in earnest this week
 
The Mountain West football season begins in earnest this week

Hawaii’s win over Colorado State shows this could be a wide-open Mountain West season. Colorado State’s season already is in jeopardy. Wyoming opened its season on Saturday with a victory over New Mexico State. UNLV begins play this Saturday against USC at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The Rebels have high hopes of making a bowl.

Olympia Sports Park Opens in Southern Highlands
 
Olympia Sports Park Opens in Southern Highlands

Olympia Sports Park opened in Southern Highlands on Tuesday, Aug. 28 2018. The 17-acre park features three full-size, lighted, multi-purpose fields that can be used for soccer, football, lacrosse and other sports Six basketball courts A splash pad A full playground with state-of-the-art equipment and shade And a scenic walking trail with workout stations and picnic areas Olympia Sports Park offers something for everyone. (Mat Luschek / Review-Journal)

Larry Fitzgerald to Speak at Senator John McCain’s Funeral
 
Larry Fitzgerald to Speak at Senator John McCain’s Funeral

Larry Fitzgerald to Speak at Senator John McCain’s Funeral NFL star Larry Fitzgerald will read a tribute at the funeral for U.S. senator John McCain. Fitzgerald has spent his entire 13-year NFL career with the Arizona Cardinals. During that time, he became a friend of McCain’s. Last year, Fitzgerald penned a piece for
Sports Illustrated explaining why he so greatly admires the senator. Following McCain’s passing last week, Fitzgerald posted a picture of himself and the politician in Washington, D.C. In addition to Fitzgerald, former Phoenix Coyotes star Shane Doan and Diamondbacks player Luis Gonzalez will serve as pallbearers.

Las Vegas home prices rising fastest in the U.S.
 
Las Vegas home prices rising fastest in the U.S.

Southern Nevada home prices were up 13 percent year-over-year in June. Las Vegas led price gains in June, according to the S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller index . Seattle and San Francisco came in second and third, respectively. Locally, the median sales price of previously owned single-family homes in July was $290,000, up 11.5 percent from a year earlier.

2 die when suspected drunken driver slams into car
 
2 die when suspected drunken driver slams into car

A man and a woman were killed early Tuesday morning after their car was struck by another vehicle on Interstate 11, south of Las Vegas. The crash was reported at 2:18 a.m. after a BMW crashed into the back of a sedan that was stopped on the side of the highway. NHP troopers believe the driver of the BMW was impaired. A child, under the age of 5, was in a car seat in the back seat. Both were taken to UMC and in stable condition. A female passenger from the sedan that was struck by the BMW was taken to St. Rose Dominican Hospital, Sienna campus, where she is in stable condition, This is the second fatal crash on the new stretch of highway, which opened less than a month ago.

Nevada leads nation in credit card debt growth
 
Nevada leads nation in credit card debt growth

A large number of Nevada residents have been struggling to curb their credit card debt, according to a recent study. A report from Experian ranked Nevada as the state with the highest year-over-year growth in credit card debt in the U.S. with 9.3 percent growth in the second quarter of 2018. Nevada’s booming population is most likely the biggest contributing factor for this growth, said John Luis Alcantara, a wealth management advisor at The Alcantara Financial Group in Las Vegas. Clark County reported that its population grew to nearly 2.25 million in August 2017, a 10 percent increase from the 2.04 million residents in 2010. Alcantara said some of those new residents may be bringing in credit card debt from other states. John Luis Alcantara

Versus Pro Wrestling body slams Vegas
 
Versus Pro Wrestling body slams Vegas

On May 4, at the LVL UP Expo at the Las Vegas Convention Center, the city’s newest wrestling company made its debut at the annual comics, video game and anime fan festival. Versus was founded by hitmaker Kane Churko, who’s worked with such hard rock heavy hitters as Disturbed, Five Finger Death Punch, Papa Roach and many more.
Versus joins a robust, growing local wrestling community, as the city has become a bull market for brutes in Spandex. With an average of one show a month thus far, Versus enters the Vegas wrestling fray with elbows flying, poised to become the next serious local player.

Lights FC head trainer Kori Jeffries stands out
 
Lights FC head trainer Kori Jeffries stands out

The Lights FC have one of five female head athletic trainers in the USL. Kori Jeffries has done invaluable work for the team this season. She’s also worked hard to pick up Spanish to communicate with players. Kori Jeffries

UNLV in crowded local sport market
 
UNLV in crowded local sport market

UNLV football coach Tony Sanchez has high hopes entering this season. Basketball coach Marvin Menzies hopes to build on nine-win improvement. Athletic director Desiree Reed-Francois oversees a critical year for UNLV sports. The Rebels were overshadowed by the Golden Knights’ success. And UNLV will have the Raiders to compete with in 2020, but will share the stadium.

Lights FC repeats starting lineup
 
Lights FC repeats starting lineup

The Lights FC repeated a starting 11 Saturday for the first time all season. The Lights used 22 different lineups in their first 22 games. But for games 23 and 24 they elected to use the same starters. The team liked the results despite losing twice. Midfielder Eric Avila

Man found dead in pickup
 
Man found dead in pickup

Homicide detectives are investigating the death of a man who was found Tuesday morning inside a vehicle in the central valley.
Police received calls about gunshots before 1 a.m. on the 2200 block of Sunrise Avenue. When they arrived they found a man in a pickup, dead from a gunshot wound to the head. The truck was running. Police said the pickup was in reverse gear and had rolled out of a parking space and into a block wall. Witnesses saw a person running from the area after the shots were heard, but as of 4:30 a.m. police didn’t have a clear description of the shooter.
Detectives are reviewing surveillance video from the area.

Event at Wayne Newton’s property prompts federal investigation
 
Event at Wayne Newton’s property prompts federal investigation

A wedding, a car show and an outdoor dinner party angered neighbors. Another event drew the eye of federal investigators. Wayne Newton’s Casa de Shenandoah closed its gilded gates for renovations in April. Last month, property owner and operator CSD LLC abandoned plans to reopen the 52-acre ranch and mansion to the public. Clark County records reveal the decision followed months of government scrutiny into illicit events held on the property. CSD LLC, headed by Texas businessman Lacy Harber, purchased the property for $19.5 million in 2010 to turn it into a museum highlighting Newton’s career. Neighbors say they hope the party has come to an end.

The week’s best photos from RJ photographers, Aug. 13-Aug. 19
 
The week’s best photos from RJ photographers, Aug. 13-Aug. 19

Photo by Richard Brian Photo by Chase Stevens Photo by Marcus Villagran Photo by Chase Stevens Photo by Erik Verduzco Photo by Rachel Aston Photo by Bizuayehu Tesfaye Photo by Chase Stevens Photo by Benjamin Hager Photo by Rachel Aston

Nevada’s venture capital money doesn’t stay in state
 
Nevada’s venture capital money doesn’t stay in state

Zach Miles, associate vice president for economic development for UNLV, said there’s venture money in Southern Nevada, “but trying to find the right groups to tap into for that money is different.” According to a 2017 report from the Kauffman Foundation, Las Vegas ranked number 34 out of 40 metropolitan areas for growth entrepreneurship, a metric of how much startups grow. With a lack of growing startups in Las Vegas, investment money is being sent outside of state borders. The southwest region of the U.S. received $386 million in funding in the second quarter, with about $25.2 million in Nevada. The San Francisco area alone received about $5.6 billion. (source: CB Insights)

Bicyclist suffers major head trauma in hit-and-run
 
Bicyclist suffers major head trauma in hit-and-run

A bicyclist was hospitalized with life-threatening injuries after a Thursday morning hit-and-run crash near the school formerly known as Agassi Prep. Police said the bicyclist was hit by a white SUV, which fled the scene. The injured man suffered multiple injuries including major head trauma. As of 9 a.m., Lake Mead remained closed between Martin Luther King and Revere Street while police investigate.

Dave Dave, whose dad set him on fire in 1983, dies
 
Dave Dave, whose dad set him on fire in 1983, dies

Dave Dave, a respected Las Vegas artist who was badly scarred as a boy when his father tried to burn him to death in Southern California, died at Sunrise Hospital on July 15. He was 42. When he was 6, Dave’s father tried to kill him by setting him on fire. He was given a sleeping pill and his bed at a Buena Park, California, motel was doused with kerosene. “I remembered being in a lot of pain,” Dave told the Review-Journal in 2016. “When stuff happens to you at that young of an age, you tend to block it out, but I remember the pain was excruciating.” Dave, who was born David Rothenberg, became close friends with Michael Jackson, who met him after the attack, which burned more than 90 percent of his body. “I wanted to meet him, and he wanted to meet me, and that just turned into a lifelong relationship that never ended,” Dave said. “It was amazing being friends with Michael Jackson. He was an amazing person.” Dave attended ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena, California, and collaborated with various artists around Las Vegas, eventually selling his art to private collectors. Despite his challenges, he continued to live, thrive and create. Dave Dave

Homicide detectives investigate woman’s death
 
Homicide detectives investigate woman’s death

Las Vegas police were called to Tahiti Village Resort early Wednesday after calls that someone had been shot. Police found a woman’s body between a parking garage and boiler room on the resort’s property. A guest first reported hearing gunfire. There are no witnesses, but police will examine surveillance videos and look for clues. The woman was not identified, but a purse was found near the body. She did not appear to be a guest at the resort.

Omar Salgado scores goals, learns law with Lights FC
 
Omar Salgado scores goals, learns law with Lights FC

Lights FC forward Omar Salgado has a unique side hustle. The 24-year-old wants to go to law school in the near future. The El Paso native recently took the LSAT and is a semester away from getting his master’s. Omar Salgado

Visitors Authority CEO failed to take vacation time when he was away.
 
Visitors Authority CEO failed to take vacation time when he was away.

Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority CEO Rossi Ralenkotter… has been under fire for using taxpayer-funded gift cards for personal trips. The Las Vegas Review-Journal found during some of those trips… Ralenkotter didn’t take vacation time as authority policy requires. Board Member John Lee called for an audit of the missing time. But Ralenkotter said he isn’t planning to cash out any time he accrued.

Former WWE Star Jim ‘The Anvil’ Neidhart Passes Away
 
Former WWE Star Jim ‘The Anvil’ Neidhart Passes Away

Former WWE Star Jim ‘The Anvil’ Neidhart Passes Away The former pro wrestler had died at the age of 63 after suffering a
medical emergency. Neidhart, the founding member of the Hart Foundation faction, became a pro wrestler in 1979. In addition to wrestling, Neidhart also played in the NFL with the Oakland Raiders and Dallas Cowboys. The Florida native leaves behind three children, including current WWE star Natalya Neidhart.

Shooting leaves 1 dead in southeast valley
 
Shooting leaves 1 dead in southeast valley

A man was found fatally shot in the doorway of a squatter apartment after an argument ended in gunfire on Sunday night. Officers responded about 10:30 p.m. to the Silver Pines apartments and discovered the man in a breezeway in one of the buildings. The wounded man died at the scene, despite the efforts of another person, who tried to administer medical aid. Witnesses saw a man and a woman flee the scene, but were unable to give police a clear description.

The week’s best photos from RJ photographers, Aug. 6-Aug. 12
 
The week’s best photos from RJ photographers, Aug. 6-Aug. 12

Photo by K.M. Cannon Photo by Benjamin Hager Photo by Chase Stevens Photo by Marcus Villagran Photo by Erik Verduzco Photo by Chase Stevens Photo by Marcus Villagran Photo by Benjamin Hager Photo by Bizuayehu Tesfaye Photo by Richard Brian

Lights have stabilizing presence in Daigo Kobayashi
 
Lights have stabilizing presence in Daigo Kobayashi

The Lights FC has a stabilizing presence in Daigo Kobayashi. The 35-year-old midfielder completes 79.5 percent of his passes, the most on the team. He’s also scored four goals this season, tied for fourth most on the Lights. Daigo Kobayashi

Kelsey Martinez strengthens Raiders as 1st female assistant coach
 
Kelsey Martinez strengthens Raiders as 1st female assistant coach

Meet Kelsey Martinez The first female assistant coach for the Raiders. The 26-year-old joined in March and is nearly 2 weeks into her first training camp. Previously, Martinez worked for 4 years at Tom Shaw Performance at ESPN Wide World of Sports in Orlando. Martinez grew up in Pueblo, Colorado and earned a degree in exercise science from Colorado State University. Kelsey Martinez

UNLV coach Marvin Menzies had a hand in NCAA rules changes
 
UNLV coach Marvin Menzies had a hand in NCAA rules changes

The NCAA announced several changes to how college basketball operates. Condoleezza Rice oversaw committee trying to improve the sport. NCAA president Mark Emmert supported the commission’s suggestions. UNLV coach Marvin Menzies was on committee that helped craft changes. Ex-Rebel Brandon McCoy could have returned to UNLV under new system.

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