This Sunday the Department of Cultural Affairs, as part of Historic Preservation Month, is holding a Film Festival of Historic films about Nevada and Las Vegas.  We are thrilled to have "The Story of Classic Las Vegas" included in the festival.

LIST OF FILMS:
Historic Preservation Month Film Series
Sunday, May 17, 2009

11:00 AM –5:00 PM Auditorium of the Fifth Street School
1401 S. Fourth Street
FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Presented By:
Historic Preservation Commission
Planning & Development
Office of Cultural Affairs

FILM SCHEDULE:
11:00 Tah Gum: The Washoe Pine-Nut Harvest
University of Nevada Oral History Program, 23 minutes
The film documents the annual autumn harvest of pine nuts by members of the
Washoe Tribe. Filmed in the pinon forests east of the Sierra Nevada, with historic
photos and film footage, the story celebrates a seasonal activity that links past to
present-- where the pine nut harvest celebrates feasting and other social
traditions.

11:30 Rabbit Boss: The Survival of A Washoe Tradition

University of Nevada Oral History Program, 26 minutes
The film follows a group of Washoe hunters, led by “Rabbit Boss,” Marvin
Dressler, repeating an ancient tradition of a rabbit drive amidst the spectacular
landscape basin east of Sierra Nevada; a ceremonial hunt where the rabbits are
killed for their meat and pelts, honoring an enduring and binding tradition.

12:05 People of the Marsh
University of Nevada Oral History Program, 34 min, Filmed on location in the
austere and beautiful landscape of the Carson Sink basin east of Lake Tahoe, the
film features the evocative stories of members of the Fallon Paiute Shoshone
Tribe, sharing their knowledge of the past and the life ways that have sustained
them in this unique natural environment.

12:45 That Was Happy Life: A Paiute Woman Remembers
UNR producer, 27 minutes, A documentary on the life of Katie Frazier, a Paiute
born in 1891, who lived the “old ways” at Pyramid Lake. The film is a saga of
her dignity and survival, told in her own words, a long life she attributes to living
“happy life.”

1:20 Cactus Range: End of an Era
Nellis AFB producer, 33 min, Several depression era families and individuals who
lived and worked in the mines of the Cactus Range, revisit the sites they called
home over 65 years ago. Combined with photos and research, the film presents the
stories of two families involved in the brutal hard rock mining for gold and silver,
viewed through the eyes of their children.

2:00 The Story of Classic Las Vegas
Lynn Zook producer, 52 min, The story of Las Vegas as told by the people who
lived and worked here, through their own words, a larger narrative of how the city
grew and prospered over the years.

3:00 Film Antics of Las Vegas: the 50’s
Bob Stoldal/KLAS TV producer, 12 min, A Collection of vintage clips from
newsreels of the 1950’s with the focus on Las Vegas.

3:15 Las Vegas Scenes 1954-1959
Nevada State Museum producer, 30 min. Home movies by a great cameraman
feature Las Vegas neon, the Hacienda, Tropicana Hotel and other historic hotels
on the Strip featuring celebrities of the 1950’s with vintage footage of several
Helldorado parades of the era.

3:30 Is anybody Listening?
Bob Stoldal/KLAS TV producer, 19 min. A series of news stories from the
1980’s about the loss of landmark buildings or those being threatened including;
The Ice, Plant, Las Vegas Hospital, Big Springs, Keil Ranch and the Old Fort.

3:55 Las Vegas Through the Ages: A Pictorial History
LVCVA producer, 17 min, A montage of still photos and film set to music,
produced for the city’s Centennial in 2005.

4:15 Helldorado Through the Years
Lynn Zook / the Nevada State Museum Archives, 25 min
Home movies of the Helldorado parade with floats, marching bands, horses
and more.

4:45 City of Destiny: A Las Vegas Centennial Film
A Lawrence Middle School producer, 13 minutes
Middle school students under the direction of art teacher, Clavin M. Stroble, created a short film
celebrating the City’s Centennial.

Well, tomorrow is the Helldorado Parade and we hope to see you there.

We are partnering with Jack LeVine and VeryVintageVegas and FCLV member Dr. Lonnie Hammagren on our float so it should be a lot of fun.  We hear the Las Vegas High School Alumni crew has an awesome float as well and we excited to see it!  In addition, there are plenty of marching bands, the Shriners, antique cars, the County Centennial float and more.

The parade starts at 7:00 pm Saturday evening.  The parade route is along 4th Street from Charleston to Stewart.

We are float #46 so we hope to hear y'all yelling and shouting as we go by!

Here's the schedule for the other activities tomorrow night:

Fireworks Show, 9 p.m.

Carnival

noon to midnight
PRCA Rodeo 9 to11 p.m.
Downtown Rodeo Grounds

First Street Stage - John Encino Band, 8 to 11 p.m.
Third Street Stage - T.J. Weaver Band, 8 to 11 p.m.

______________________________________________________________________

Sunday, May 17
Carnival

Noon to11 p.m.
PRCA Rodeo7to9 p.m.
Downtown Rodeo Grounds

Third Street Stage - Hazard County Rebels, 8 to 11 p.m.

Rodeo tickets available from noon to 6 p.m:

We hope to see you there!

John Smith at the Las Vegas Review Journal remembers the woman who reached for the glass ceiling, Las Vegas style:

Claudine Williams, a hard-working Louisiana girl who grew up to become a top Las Vegas casino executive and community philanthropist, has died after a lengthy illness. She was 88 years old.

Williams is recognized as the first woman in Nevada to lead a major casino, operating the Holiday Casino on the Strip for many years following the death of her husband, gambling pioneer Shelby Williams. In a rare husband and wife partnership, Shelby and Claudine operated the Silver Slipper until they sold it at a handsome profit to Howard Hughes in 1969.

After Shelby’s death in 1977, Claudine emerged as president and general manager of the Holiday, a first in Nevada for a woman.

Claudine took her first job in the casino business at 15 in an effort to support her family. She soon did that and more and left high school before graduation. Many years later she would become known as one of UNLV’s most reliable donors.

He life at times was rough and tumble. She operated an after-hours night club before coming to Las Vegas, and once told me in an interview that she’d had to hock her own jewelry on more than one occasion in order to hold a piece of real estate.

According to Nevada’s official online encyclopedia, Williams in 1981 became the first woman in Nevada history to chair a bank board of directors when she took over the helm at American Bank of Commerce. More recently her generous donations to UNLV created dormitories and provided scholarships for a generation of students who received the educational break life’s circumstances denied her in youth.

Helldorado Celebrations begin this week so here's your easy to find schedule. And yes, we expect to see many of you along the parade route on Saturday evening cheering us on. Drop by Mickey Finnz after the parade and join us for drink!

Wednesday, May 13
Helldorado Roundup Party

Fremont Street Experience
6 to10 p.m.
First Street Stage - Randy Anderson, 8 to 11 p.m.
Third Street Stage - Third Town, 8 to 10 p.m.
Food, drinks and entertainment

__________________________________________________________________________

Thursday, May 14
Carnival Midway opens 5 to 11 p.m.

Featuring mutton busting, media events, bull riding and local barrel racers
First Street Stage - Scotty Alexander Band, 8 to 11 p.m.
Third Street Stage - Third Town, 8 to 11 p.m.

_______________________________________________________________________________

Friday, May 15th
Whiskerino Contest Finale 4:45 p.m.

Fremont Street Experience, 3rd street stage

$10 entry fee

Preservation Association of Clark County Yearly Event

PACC is once again holding their annual event. This year it is taking place at the historic 5th Street School. Stoney Douglas from the City of Las Vegas will be giving tours and a brief presentation about the restoration of the building.

6:30 pm

5th Street School

401 S. 4th Street

Admission is free but RSVPs are required.

RSVP to Corinne Escobar at CorinneEscobar@pacc.info

Light Refreshments will be served.

Carnival 5 p.m.to midnight
PRCA Rodeo 7to 9 p.m.
Downtown Rodeo Grounds

First Street Stage - John Encino Band, 8 to 11 p.m.
Third Street Stage - T.J. Weaver Band, 8 to 11 p.m.

________________________________________________________________________________

Saturday, May 16th

Helldorado Hold’em Texas Hold ‘em Poker Tournament
Binion’s Horseshoe Hotel & Casino, 9 a.m.

Helldorado Parade

Once again we are joining forces with Jack LeVine at VeryVintageVegas and Dr. Lonnie Hammagren to celebrate Helldorado! We will be using Dr. Lonnie's truck float filled with some cool Las Vegas historical artifacts.

If you would like to join us along with the parade route and help out, contact me or Jack. Last year we finished the parade and celebrated at Micky Finnz. Look for us to do something similar this year!

7:00 - 9:00 pm

Fourth Street (between Charleston and Ogden)

Fireworks Show, 9 p.m.

Carnival

noon to midnight
PRCA Rodeo 9 to11 p.m.
Downtown Rodeo Grounds

First Street Stage - John Encino Band, 8 to 11 p.m.
Third Street Stage - T.J. Weaver Band, 8 to 11 p.m.

______________________________________________________________________

Sunday, May 17
Carnival

Noon to11 p.m.
PRCA Rodeo7to9 p.m.
Downtown Rodeo Grounds

Third Street Stage - Hazard County Rebels, 8 to 11 p.m.

Rodeo tickets available from noon to 6 p.m:

10:00 am - 3:00 pm

Carey Burke and I will be there selling and autographing copies of "Las Vegas Postcard History: 1905-1965"

If you live out of state or can't make the book-signings but would still like an inscribed and autographed copy of "Las Vegas Postcard History: 1905-1965", here's the link for you:

www.classiclasvegas.com/coolstuff/coolstuff.htm

So there is plenty going on! We hope you will join us in celebrating all month long! Check back for added events as the month goes on!

It's a sad story but not one you would have found in the local papers forty (even thirty) years ago.  Today it reads like the police blotter:

The body of a young man was found among the bushes at a bloody scene near the Caesars Palace loading docks early Monday.

The slaying was the second homicide in less than a week to occur at a resort on the south end of the Strip.

Las Vegas police said the victim was a white man in his 20s.

Homicide Lt. Lew Roberts said the victim suffered blunt-force trauma to his head. Police did not release the victim’s identity, but a source who asked to remain anonymous identified him as Brad Flamm.

Police found the body about 7:30 a.m. Las Vegas police spokeswoman Barbara Morgan said he may have been beaten to death.

A woman who said she was Flamm’s friend told the Review-Journal that he worked at the resort as a waiter and had been missing since Sunday night. The woman said Flamm regularly walks near the area where the body was discovered. She said he had a dragon tattoo on his shoulders.

Roberts said the victim’s body showed no apparent signs of stab wounds or gunshots.

As of Monday night, police had not made an arrest but were pursuing leads, Roberts said.

“We’re asking for the public’s help,” Roberts said. “We’re continuing an attempt to find video or locate witnesses.”

Roberts said the man’s body was found on the east end of the property near the Forum Shops.

“It’s an unusual area,” Roberts said. “If you didn’t know exactly where it was, you wouldn’t pay any attention to it.”

Police didn’t classify the case as a homicide until well into the afternoon. That is when the Clark County coroner removed the body from its location, which was kept intact for hours so evidence wouldn’t be altered, Roberts said.

Roberts said there was a possibility that someone had attempted to hide the victim’s body under the bushes.

This is the second slaying to happen on the Strip in consecutive weeks.

Las Vegas police arrested 18-year-old Tanner Rousseau Friday in connection with the stabbing death of a 35-year-old Cleveland man in a Tropicana parking lot.

The victim, Gregory Dominique, suffered cuts to his abdomen and legs, according to Rousseau’s arrest report.

The stabbing happened about 4:16 a.m. after Rousseau and Dominique began fighting during a botched drug exchange. According to the report, Rousseau and Dominique agreed to trade six dollars and a small amount of marijuana for a unspecified drug.

Dominique handed Rousseau an empty envelope and refused to return Rousseau’s money and marijuana, which started the fight, the report said.

Dominique died of his injuries at University Medical Center.

The arrest report said Rousseau admitted to the stabbing to a police officer about 30 minutes after the altercation. The officer, who was attempting to establish containment of the hotel’s property, initially thought Rousseau was kidding. He told Rousseau he didn’t have time to joke around, he was looking for a suspect.

According to the report, Rousseau walked out of a black Honda Civic, “put his hands up from his waist and told the officer ... “You got me.”

Rousseau then told police where the bloody knife was.

Deadly violence on the Strip is infrequent but does happen.

In October 2008, a California woman used a broken bottle to kill a man who was distributing handbills in front of the Hawaiian Tropic Zone. Desiray Ortiz was indicted in January for fatally stabbing Martin Antonio Guadalupe in the shoulder area. He died from his injuries at UMC about an hour after authorities found him bleeding on the ground.

The same year, two prostitutes fought inside Bally’s over their pimp. Latrovia Reed stabbed and killed 20-year-old Taleasha Jamerson in the reception area of the resort. Reed was sentenced to three to 10 years for the slaying.

In 2006, a California man killed a 22-year-old prostitute at Mandalay Bay and left her naked body in a 25th-floor hallway. James Flansburg, 40, was sentenced to 10 years to life in prison for the murder of Bridget Gray.

He was at the hotel for a convention when he met Gray. The two went up to his room and Flansburg told police he caught her going through his pockets. He told police he was drunk when he choked her to death.

In September of 2005, Stephen Ressa drove his car into a crowd on the Strip and killed three people near Bally’s. Authorities said Ressa stole his mom’s car after beating her unconscious in California. He told authorities he was consumed by thoughts of strangers trying to kill him.

Ressa was sentenced to three life sentences without the possibility of parole in 2007.

Anyone with information pertaining to the slaying at Caesars is urged to call the Las Vegas police Homicide Section at 828-3521 or Crime Stoppers at 385-5555.