Two assasins ambushed two police officers during their lunch break earlier today, then took their weapons and ammunition before heading into a near-by Wal-Mart to continue their spree.

Joe Schoenmann at the Las Vegas Sun:

Two suspects declaring the start of "a revolution" shot and killed two police officers this morning at a pizza restaurant on Nellis Boulevard, then ran into a nearby Wal-Mart and shot at least one other person before killing themselves, according to Metro Police.

Sheriff Douglas Gillespie, in an afternoon news conference, identified the dead officers as Alyn Beck, 41, and Igor Soldo, 31. The two were patrol officers in the area.

"What precipitated this event, we do not know," a subdued Gillespie said. "My officers were simply having lunch when the shooting started."

He did not identify the dead assailants or the victim shot in the Wal-Mart.

A woman who said she witnessed the start of the bloodshed described an execution-style assault on two officers who were eating pizza and probably never saw the attack coming.

Assistant Sheriff Kevin McMahill said the two suspects ambushed and shot the two officers shortly before 11:30 a.m. at the CiCi's Pizza at 309 N. Nellis Blvd., near Stewart Avenue. Officer Larry Hadfield, a Metro spokesman, said one of the suspects yelled, "This is a revolution." Gillespie, however, said at the news conference he could not confirm the revolution comment.

For more of the story: Las Vegas Sun

"From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be remembered-
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother"

Henry V, William Shakespeare

We remember the landings on Normandy Beach,

To read more: ClassicLasVegasBlog.com

Our annual July 4th fireworks listings for Las Vegas and the surrounding Valley is one of the most popular non-history features we highlight and with long holiday weekend only a month away, we thought it was time to start gathering the information.

Remember, we will be updating this page between now and July 4th, so be sure to book mark us and check back often.

If you make Las Vegas your home, we have plenty of information for fun, family events to attend.  Or if you are planning a visit to the Bright Light City over the holiday, plan early as the town will be crowded with tourists! Check out our sidebar for great deals for hotels and shows!

Remember, the heat in Las Vegas (and especially down in Laughlin and Boulder City) can be deceiving. Wear plenty of sunscreen and stay hydrated with water (not alcohol). If you do drink, do so responsibly.

Have FUN!!!!

July 3rd Celebrations:

Annual Night of Fire at the Bullring

Las Vegas Motor Speedway

Features:  Fireworks, SMRA Supermodifieds 

 The Bullring, Las Vegas Motor Speedway’s NASCAR-sanctioned 3/8-mile asphalt oval, will kick off the Independence Day holiday weekend on Tuesday, July 3rd, with its annual Night of Fire. The night of family fun features fireworks and NASCAR Whelen All-American Series stock car racing, a jet car and SMRA Supermodifieds.

Spectator gates will open at 5 p.m. with racing at 7 p.m. Fireworks are tentatively scheduled for 9:30 p.m. 
Stock car racing classes include: SMRA Supermodifieds (50 laps), MetroPCS Super Late Models (76 laps), Chargers, Outlaw Enduro Bombers (76 laps), twin Legends Cars features, Bandoleros.

Advanced Spectator admission: 
Adults: $15. 
Senior citizens and military personnel with ID: $15. 
Children (6-12): $8. 

Day of Spectator admission: 
Adults: $20
Senior citizens and military personnel with ID: $15. 
Children (6-12): $8. 

The Bullring's concession stand offers a family-friendly dollar menu, including $1 hot dogs, $1 soda and $1 beer. For more information, please call the LVMS ticket office at (702) 644-4444 or visit Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Read more at ClassicLasVegasBlog.com

Back in August, 2007 we did a story on the Downtown Las Vegas embedded historical sidewalk medallions/markers. Some of the medallions/markers, installed in the sidewalks of Fremont Street,  touted wrong historical facts.  We called it Bad History and pointed out Las Vegas history was not a John Ford film where legend supersedes fact, especially in the creation of the embedded medallions.markers that were installed by the City of Las Vegas.

With the number of historians and historical resources available all around the Valley, the writer on the City sponsored project didn't have to resort to Google to get their historical facts. After much press not only by us but others and grandstanding by the Mayor and other officials, the bad history medallions.markers were corrected and replaced.

So, imagine our surprise, seven years later to discover that Wrong History is still being published, this time not in sidewalk medallions/markers but in the book written especially for the 150th anniversary of the State of Nevada.

Read more of this article at ClassicLasVegasBlog.com

You may know Clay Heximer. He recently was profiled by writer Geoff Carter in Vegas Seven as "The Man Who Would Be Mid-Town"

But many of us have known Clay for quite some time. He and his wife Denise live in Paradise Palms, the wonderful Mid-Century Modern housing tract that surrounds the National Golf Course, just off Desert Inn behind the Boulevard Mall.

When I was growing up in Las Vegas in the 1960s, the National Golf Course was then known as the Stardust Golf Course. But it wasn't the golf course that caught my eye. It was the houses, most of which were visible from the car as you drove down East Desert Inn.

Those wonderful Palmer and Krisel were space age wonders and very different from the Sproul homes in my own neighborhood in Charleston Heights.

Clay and Denise live in Paradise Palms and their successful community outreach and history sharing has inspired many of their neighbors to learn more about their homes and the history of the neighborhood.

Clay started a website dedicated to the neighborhood, called appropriately enough, Paradise Palms and, like Joel Rosales, has been photographing the changing landscape of the city and the county.

Clay has been organizing and fighting to bring Historic Preservation ordinances to Clark County and he has been successful in convincing others to join his cause.

As we close Preservation Month and the Preservation Spotlight series winds down, it was important to me to include a grass-roots leader of history and preservation in the series.

Clay graciously agreed to answer some questions and spread the word about the importance of our neighborhoods, all of our historic neighborhoods.

CLV Blog:  How did you become interested in preserving Southern Nevada history?

 Heximer: Before moving to town I remember taking a family trip to Las Vegas. I recall sitting in the back of my uncle’s station wagon, driving down the strip. I was in awe of all the neon but I specifically thought the Stardust sign was the coolest thing ever. Since then, I just knew there was something special about this place and had gained an appreciation for classic Vegas.

 When I was 19, I worked with a construction company that was contracted the prep the Dunes for implosion. I remember being taken back by the celebration of the destruction of our history and was shocked by the disregard for

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