10 stories that put Vegas on the map in 2013
Sometimes it seems as though Las Vegas couldn’t go a day without making national headlines if it tried.
The city captured the attention of the nation early in the year as tragedy struck on the Strip. As Las Vegans continued to follow the Strip shooting story throughout the year, other news coming out of the city was getting attention elsewhere.
Here’s our list of the top 10 stories that put Las Vegas in the national spotlight in 2013:
1. If you lose your cellphone, don’t blame Wayne Dobson
Applications like Find My iPhone are generally pretty useful if you leave your phone at Starbucks or it ends up in the hands of someone with more nefarious intentions than a barista. But a North Las Vegas man found out the hard way that sometimes technology works against you in the most annoying way possible.
Apps that provide location data to worried cellphone owners tend to tell the owners their phone is in Wayne Dobson’s house, even though it never is. In January, Dobson shared his story with the RJ, noting that he’s been awoken in the middle of the night multiple times by people looking for their phones and has had police come to his home four times because of it.
2. Shooting, crash on Strip leaves three dead
In February, a shooting and fiery crash at the intersection of the Strip and Flamingo Road left three dead.
Aspiring rapper Kenny Cherry, also known as “Kenny Clutch,” was shot dead on Feb. 21 after an altercation outside a Strip hotel.
After being shot, Cherry crashed his car into a taxicab, causing an explosion that killed the cabdriver and his passenger.
The shooting led to a multi-state manhunt that ended when Ammar Harris, then 27, was arrested in Los Angeles on Feb. 28.
Harris faces nearly a dozen charges stemming from the incident, including three counts of first-degree murder.
3. Scrotum surgery leaves Las Vegas man 132 pounds lighter
A Las Vegas man who got international attention for his struggles with a 132-pound scrotum underwent surgery in June to remove the mass.
Wesley Warren Jr., 48, had been living with one of the most severe cases of scrotal lymphedema doctors had ever seen until its successful removal.
In August, Warren appeared in a TLC documentary about his experience.
4. Lawyer trashes Las Vegas luxury suite ‘Hangover’ style
In a scene straight out of “The Hangover,” a California lawyer was arrested and sued in June for drunkenly causing nearly $100,000 in damage to a high-roller suite at the Encore.
Furniture was overturned, shards of glass lined the floor and food covered the carpet, police said. And all in the name of the lawyer’s birthday.
Police didn’t say at the time whether they found a tiger in the bathtub.
5. Underground home was built as Cold War-era hideaway
An underground bunker on Spencer Street captured the attention of the nation in June and continued to get play well into December.
The underground house was built for comfort, with two hot tubs, a sauna and an in-ground pool. It was also built to withstand a nuclear blast.
The man who built the house in 1978 planned to wait out the end of the world inside the structure, but it was put on the market in June for $1.7 million.
6. Full scream ahead: Company proposes 650-foot-tall roller coaster on Strip
In case you thought there wasn’t enough to do on the Strip, a company made plans earlier this year to add something extreme: the world’s tallest rollercoaster.
The 650-foot tall coaster would be taller than all but one building on the Strip: the Fontainbleau. The Stratosphere, at 1,149, is far taller.
The coaster has to be approved by the Federal Aviation Administration before it’ll see the light of day.
7. Las Vegas 12-year-old swats 11 homers in a row at Cooperstown tourney
In August, a Las Vegas 12-year-old became Internet famous for a day after his antics caught the attention of a big-leaguer.
Trace Evans hit a home run in 11 consecutive at-bats during a Cooperstown tournament, propelling his team to an easy victory.
When Washington Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper tweeted the story, thousands of sports fans picked up on the story. It helped that national media had an eye for talent, as well.
8. Wayne Newton’s yacht sinks at Lake Mead
In October, Mr. Las Vegas lost his yacht in Lake Mead.
No one was on board when the yacht sunk in 45 feet of water, leaving the bow sticking straight up out of the water.
Investigators weren’t sure what went wrong or if foul play was involved.
9. Judge’s son killed himself at Las Vegas Mormon temple
The son of 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Jay Bybee shot and killed himself at the Las Vegas Mormon Temple in November.
Police said they had received calls from Scott Greer Bybee’s family with concerns that he was going to the temple to kill himself. They said he walked into the courtyard and shot himself as church members attended services inside the building.
There was no threat to temple attendees, according to police.
10. Zappos responds to Kanye jab with potty humor
In November, Zappos found itself in Kanye West’s crosshairs and responded in a way that set the social web on fire.
After West said Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh sells “sh-t product,” the online retailer responded by putting sh-t product up for sale.
The online description called the item, which appeared to be a toilet and a plunger, “the perfect gift for the man that has everything.”
Contact Stephanie Grimes at sgrimes@reviewjournal.com. Find her on Twitter: @steph_grimes
