Channel 13 Should Be Ashamed of Themselves!

It's one thing to try to grab ratings by revealing shyster businesses and dirty restaurants, but it's quite another to go after a non profit organization because it is poor. That's what the interlopers from Milwaukee who own Channel 13 have been doing by bashing the Las Vegas Zoo in recent years. It's bad enough that we have a zoo that receives precious little support from the City of Las Vegas and none at all from the Casinos in town. But the misleading and inflammatory bilge spewed out by Darci Spears Channel 13 is just plain wrong. When we saw the recent hatchet job on the zoo on Channel 13, we decided to see for ourserlves just how horrible this place had to be. What we found was that the only thing horrible about the zoo was Darci Spears' depiction of it. First of all, its not a full fledged zoo...more like a 'Boutique Zoo' on a mere three acres of land on Rancho by the Texas Station Casino. We found an earnest, caring, and hard working zoo director in Pat Dingle, and a devoted staff. We found animals who are well fed only the best foods and lovingly cared for. We found that- while it's a meager zoo with limited resources, that it's a place that deserves the support of the community. Shame on Channel 13. Why not help this zoo? It needs money, it needs attention, it needs community support.

We are planning to do our part. We have adopted the zoo as our local charity and will provide services and fundraising for it. We are reaching out- one by one- to civic leaders to have them come with us to personally see the zoo and see for themselves the lies and misleading representations that Darci Spears and Channel 13 are making in hope of getting ratings.

Remember, these are the people who treated beloved, long time Las Vegas media institution Ron Futrell so horribly with a public shaming and humiliating firing after an incident caused by an opportunist that ended up being totally dismissed. They threw this guy in the trash in hopes of saving the money they owed him on his contract. Ron still suffers from this nasty treatment, and still has not been hired back in a media position two years later.

For decades, Channel 13 has been the least respected news organization, and the least watched newscasts in Las Vegas. Now, they are resorting to vapid sensationalism that is not in the best interests of our community. Las Vegas is a wonderful city. It deserves to have a zoo. Let's all take a positive stance on this and call on Mayor Goodman and the City of Las Vegas, as well as business leaders in town, and -of course- our citizens, to all support the fine efforts of Pat Dingle and the Las Vegas Zoo. It needs our help!

As for Channel 13.... ratings are still in the crapper....along with their corporate character. You can start helping the zoo by watching Channel 3, 5, or 8! All three of these channels care about Las Vegas.

Why Not Las Vegas For the Maloof NBA Team?

It hardly gets mentioned, but George and Gavin Maloof have been busy making preparations to move their NBA team from Sacramento. Why, when they are so strong in Las Vegas, are they not bringing the team here? Its going to Anaheim, the market that already has the Lakers and the Clippers. Where is Mayor Oscar Goodman during this? This was the chance for the erstwhile mayor to realize his dream of attracting a pro team. Were we thwarted by the fact that the Thomas and Mack isn't a state of the art facility? Or is it that the NBA just doesn't want a team where there is sports book gambling? Too bad. Las Vegas is the largest city in the USA that doesn't have a major league team.

Hello, Darlings!

It's good to see things picking up on the strip.....and downtown as well. Why things are even going gangbusters up in Mesquite, at the CasaBlanca Resort Casino Hotel (about an hour North of Vegas). Owner Randy Black is running some huge discounts on golf (for him) and the spa (for us!), that even make the price of gas not matter! And- if you haven't been to that spa, you're missing out --- I could live there! I'm told the golf courses (CasaBlanca and The Palms) are top notch as well. They just played the Nevada Open at both courses, so they must be excellent. Meanwhile, if you're in town, and looking for a really cool place to go, take a trip to 'Old Vegas' at the Bootlegger on the weekends when Denise Clemente is performing there. Denise has been a fixture in Vegas since the Frank Rosenthal days at the Stardust. She even opened for Liberace in the good old days. She's a classic! Harder to find nowadays, but there is still some lounge superstars in Vegas. Make your way to Bally's some night and catch Jonathan and Music Magic....they'll knock your socks off! Legendary Vegas piano star Charlie Shaffer is a pround papa as his daughter Laura Shaffer, a Vegas singing legend in her own right, is currently completing her first album for RKO Records. Called "The Julie London Songbook", it promises to be awesome! Go to Laura's website at MidnightRefrain.Com and listen to some of the tunes that will be on the album. Wow! The classy Terry Fator is back for another year at the Mirage, and has introduced a new puppet character to his fabulous show. Terry is the new Wayne Newton in town. A great show. A classy guy. And a great representative of Las Vegas.