Monthly Archives: January 2021

The science is real: Coastal experts hope Biden will partner to combat sea level rise – USA TODAY

Posted: January 19, 2021 at 9:34 am

The Atlantic Ocean poured into streets and neighborhoods from Maine to Florida during seasonal high tides last fall, and scientists feared it would only get worse. But now, with Joe Biden becoming president, climate experts and government officials have a simple reason to hope for help in combating the problem.

Theyll finally have a president who actually believes sea levels are rising.

Were eagerly looking forward to change and action that will assist states in preparing themselves and their residents, said Ann Phillips, a retired Navy rear admiral who serves as special assistant to Virginias governor for coastal adaptation and protection. It all starts with acknowledging climate change is happening and the science is real.

While its still unclear what form new help would take, the need is obvious, with increased flooding fulfilling predictions that scientists have been making about warmer water temperatures and melting ice sheets for decades.

High-tide flooding occurs on average twice as often in coastal communities as it did 20 years ago, federal data shows. And a report last year by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration showed 19 locations along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts broke or tied records for flood days in 2019, including Miami, Savannah, Georgia, Charleston, South Carolina, and Annapolis, Maryland. With sea levels nationally up 1.1 feet relative to 1920 levels and rising, flood days are forecast to increase exponentially.

Coastal officials hope to see a new wave of cooperation, financial assistance, coordination and support in their battle with the sea, but the specifics of how Biden intends to carry out campaign pledges to address climate change remain elusive.

The press office with Bidens transition team declined to answer specific questions for this story, referring reporters to his previously published climate and clean-energy plans. Those plans pledgeto make climate change a national security priority, pointing out the threat of rising sea levels to coastal military bases.

The earlier plans also support the creation of a Civilian Climate Corps, modeled after the Great Depression-era Civilian Conservation Corps, to protect and restore coastal ecosystemssuch as wetlands, seagrasses and oyster reefs to protect vulnerable coastlines.

Phillips and others said they'reencouraged by Bidens appointment of former Secretary of State John Kerry and former Environmental Protection Agency administrator Gina McCarthy to White House-level positions to advise him on climate policy.

Bidens public remarkshave pointed outthe economic opportunities in climate and energy projects that create jobs. He said in December, We can put millions of Americans to work modernizing water, transportation, and energy infrastructure to withstand the impacts of extreme weather.

While environmental issues often get wrapped up in the polarized politics of Washington, much of what Biden might want to do over the next four years is based more on economic arguments than a liberal agenda, a consensus of scientists agree.

A good first step? Phillips sees an urgent need for Biden and his administration to help manage risk by funding federal agencies to collect and analyze the most current data to make projections and funding decisions,especiallywhen it comes to things like road improvements and utility systems.

More frequent flooding in recent years takes away money set aside for maintaining roads and water and sewer systems and makes it more difficult to prepare for the future, Phillips said. In her state of Virginia, for example, nine major flood events in 2018 and 2019 caused $1.6 billion in damage.

Weve seen more water, high tide cycles that are higher and they last longer, she said.

Additionally, a recent study by the Johns Hopkins University 21st Century Cities Initiative and the American Flood Coalition estimated that investing $1 billion in projects to prevent or manage flooding would create 40,000 jobs.

The study also looked at counties that had received large payouts from the National Flood Insurance Program. If just 10% of the $4 billion spent on flood insurance payments had been put into building stormwater retention areas or other projects that would make buildings, roads and utilities resistant to or safe from future flooding, it would have created 160,000 construction and retail jobs and prevented tens of millions of dollars in losses from flooding.

'The new normal': Amid rising seas, East Coast on pace for record-breaking tides

Such paybacks for protecting property can far surpass the initial costs, said Kelly Kryc, director of ocean policy at New England Aquariums Cabot Anderson Center for Ocean Life. She cited two court-ordered projects to clean up Boston Harbor that cost $4.7 billion, and a 2018 study published in the online journal ScienceDaily estimated the value of the restored ecosystem at $30 billion to $100 billion.

Thinking of coastal resilience projects as an investment against future disaster relief costs may be essential to meeting needs, scientists said. Already the demand far outstrips funding.

In 2017, the National Coastal Resilience fund awarded $13.8 million to 19 projects, not quite 10% of the money requested among 167 proposals, Kryc said. Funding doubled in 2018 and 2019 to almost $30 million, but the demand remained 10 times the amount of available money.

These were projects that were shovel-ready and demonstrably effective, Kryc said.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers alone has a $98 billion backlog in resiliency projects and spends about $2 billion a year, Phillips added: At that rate were never going to get there from here.

A fall high tide floods a coastal road in Southeastern New Jersey during an October 2019 king tide. [Photos by Life on the Edge Drones, provided by Jacques Cousteau National Estuarine Research Reserve]Rob Auermuller

Another step scientists hope the Biden administration will move forward on is bringing together federal agencies to build in resiliency and protect at-risk communities in development plans. Such policies were underway during the Obama administration but were never adopted, Phillips said. Without them, projects remain skewedtoward more valuable properties that produce greater tax revenue.

Obama-era recommendations for elevating facilities, roads and other projects based on predicted water levels also were never enacted. Beefing up those standards could help drive state departments of transportation to take definitive measures to address sea level rise, said Jason Evans, director of the Institute for Water and Environmental Resilience at Stetson University in DeLand, Florida.

More on flooding: NASA satellite to monitor sea level rise, effects of climate change over next decade

Having such rules in place can help ensure that new development is built with higher sea levels in mind, said Daniel Moon, president and executive director ofthe Environmental Business Council of New England.

High tide causes flooding in Venice as tidal barrier fails to deploy

Storyful

For example, billions have been spent on new office and apartment buildings in Bostons Seaport District, one of the citys fastest-growing and trendiest sections. Many conform to newer coastal flood resilience guidelines based on a projected sea level rise of 40 inches over the next 50 years with heating and other critical systems on upper-level floors.

Butbuildings that allow water to pass through the first floor without causing significant damage dont help residents navigate flooded streets, Moon said. The Seaport community was a huge missed opportunity.

Tougher federal flooding standards could compel changes to private development, scientists said.

In early January, the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Association of State Floodplain Managers filed a petition to try to prod theFederal Emergency Management Agency to set stronger standards for building in flood plains and protecting against future flood risk.

If the federal government, through the National Flood Insurance Program, limited federal payouts and started telling people theyre on their own if they build in a hazardous location, said Stetsons Evans, that would probably drive the conversation on retreat and on not advancing as much into vulnerable areas.

Evans works with local governments along the coasts of Georgia and Florida in safeguarding stormwater systems against intruding ocean water and placing new public buildings in safe locations. He said federal officials need to move quickly toward taking sea level rise into account when planning federal projects in coastal regions.

If federal funding for high-dollar construction projects were contingent on planning for sea level rise, that would make a big difference, Evans said.

Its really overdue, he added. We should have been doing it 25 years ago.

View original post here:

The science is real: Coastal experts hope Biden will partner to combat sea level rise - USA TODAY

Posted in High Seas | Comments Off on The science is real: Coastal experts hope Biden will partner to combat sea level rise – USA TODAY

Rigorous management practices have led to successful rebuilding of several West Coast groundfish stocks – Tillamook County Pioneer

Posted: at 9:34 am

Portland, Oregon (1/14/21) A new paper published inNature Sustainability, Identifying Management Actions that Promote Sustainable Fisheries, demonstrates that rigorous management practices have helped rebuild depleted fish stocks worldwide and underscores the fact that greater investment in fisheries management generally leads to better outcomes for fish populations and the fisheries they support.

The Pacific Fishery Management Council, which manages commercial and recreational ocean fisheries on the West Coast, was one of two dozen international management and research entities collaborating on this study.

The study was led by Michael Melnychuk, research scientist at the School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences at the University of Washington. Management practices and outcomes adopted by the Pacific Council to rebuild West Coast groundfish stocks contributed to the study.

Rebuilding these overfished stocks was a painful process for West Coast fishermen, said Pacific Council Executive Director Chuck Tracy. This study shows that their short-term sacrifices paid off in the long run, leading to more sustainable fisheries for future generations.

Rebuilding these stocks required collaboration between a lot of different people, from fishermen to scientists to environmentalists, said Pacific Council Chair Marc Gorelnik. It was a tough process, but in rebuilding these stocks, we also built long-lasting, valuable relationships. Responsible fisheries management requires sacrifices, but it pays off. This is a really hopeful story.

Nine of ten West Coast groundfish stocks have successfully rebuilt since the stocks were declared overfished or depleted in 1999. Most recently, the stock of cowcod south of 4010 N lat. was declared rebuilt in 2019, decades ahead of the expected date. Only one stock, yelloweye rockfish, is under arebuilding plan, and yelloweye are rebuilding faster than expected, according to the 2017rebuilding analysis.

Beginning in 2000, the Pacific Council adopted stringent management measures to achieve stock rebuilding success, including large area closures; low annual catch limits, quotas, and harvest guidelines; gear modifications; retention prohibitions or limitations; and adaptive management practices responsive to closely monitored fishery impacts and stock fluctuations. Such management practices are key to promote sustainable fisheries, according to the University of Washington study.

According to Melnychuk, the study confirmed what many researchers already expected.

In general, we found that more management attention devoted to fisheries is leading to better outcomes for fish and shellfish populations, he said. While this wasnt surprising, the novelty of this work was in assembling the data required and then using statistical tools to demonstrate what everyone has always taken for granted to be true.

The research team used an international database that is the go-to scientific resource on the status of more than 600 individual fish populations, or stocks. They chose to analyze 288 stocks that generally are of value economically and represent a diversity of species and regions. They then looked over time at each fish populations health and management practices and were able to draw these conclusions:

The study builds on previous work that found, by using the same database, that nearly half of the fish caught worldwide are from stocks that are scientifically monitored and, on average, are increasing in abundance. The new paper takes a closer look at specific management actions and how they have impacted fishing pressure and the abundance of each stock examined, Melnychuk explained.

The international research team looked at a spectrum of fish stocks, such as hakes in South Africa and Europe, orange roughy in New Zealand, tuna species on the high seas, anchovies in South America and scallops off the Atlantic coast of North America. Most of the stocks they examined had a history of being depleted at some point, usually due to historical overfishing.

On the West Coast, for example, a Pacific Council rebuilding plan for canary rockfish specifying very low annual catch limits was put in place in 2000. The plan affected every West Coast fishing sector that targeted groundfish stocks, and all West Coast fishing communities that were dependent on groundfish fishing.

In order to reduce fishing pressure on canary rockfish, the Council prohibited or limited fishermens ability to retain groundfish, required gear modifications, and created Rockfish Conservation Areas that stretched the length of the entire West Coast. In these areas, fishing at certain depths and using certain gear types was prohibited.

The Council also made constant adjustments to management measures to manage the catch of canary rockfish. These actions significantly reduced the harvest rate of canary rockfish (Figure 1), leading to a full recovery of the stock by 2015, which was decades ahead of the original rebuilding target.

Currently, the canary rockfish stock is estimated to be as large as it was in the 1960s when the stock was lightly exploited (Figure 2).

The University of Washington study omits fisheries that lack scientific estimates of stock status, even though these account for a large amount of the worlds catch, including most fish stocks in South Asia and Southeast Asia.

The paper presenting the University of Washington study can be freely viewedhere.

This research was funded by The Nature Conservancy, The Wildlife Conservation Society, the Walton Family Foundation, and a consortium of Seattle fishing companies.

Council Role

The Pacific Fishery Management Council is one of eight regional fishery management councils established by the Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act of 1976 for the purpose of managing fisheries 3-200 miles offshore of the United States of America coastline. The Pacific Council recommends management measures for fisheries off the coasts of California, Oregon, and Washington.

Originally posted here:

Rigorous management practices have led to successful rebuilding of several West Coast groundfish stocks - Tillamook County Pioneer

Posted in High Seas | Comments Off on Rigorous management practices have led to successful rebuilding of several West Coast groundfish stocks – Tillamook County Pioneer

Coronavirus Update From City of Las Vegas

Posted: at 9:33 am

For more information about the city's reopening plans, please visit http://www.lasvegasnevada.gov/welcomeback.

On Jan. 11, Governor Sisolak announced current mitigation measures will continue to be in place for another 30 days.

Brothels, adult entertainment establishments, day clubs and night clubs will remain closed.

All restrictions are statewide. Local governments have the ability to enact stronger measures, especially if counties are experiencing outbreaks and a large amount of hospitalizations.

For a full list of measures, please visithttps://nvhealthresponse.nv.gov/current-status-mitigation-measures/.

Visitors

There are currently notravel restrictions in place but we recommend staying tuned to the latest news from our governor's office here: https://nvhealthresponse.nv.gov/travel-visitors/.

Vaccine Information

Getting Tested

Here is a list of testing locations:https://nvhealthresponse.nv.gov/find-covid-19-testing-in-nevada/

ACOVID-19 testing site is now open inside Cashman Center.

A calendar of testing events sponsored by the health district is available in English and Spanish on its website at http://www.SNHD.info/covid.

If you testpositive for COVID-19, you will receive a text message from 844-990-0029 with additional information. The Health District asks that you answer the call so we can prevent more infections in our community.

The city has made adjustments to its services in response to the coronavirus outbreak.The public can call 702-229-CARE (2273) from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday. The line will give callers automated options on weekends.

The below list will be regularly updated.

Municipal Court

The city of Las Vegas and the Las Vegas Municipal Court's top priority ishealth and safety of our staff and visitors.

We are taking precautions due to COVID-19, including extending continuance to those who are not comfortable visiting the Regional Justice Center, who may be exhibiting potential signs of illnessor who are in a high-risk category.To avoid high-risk crowding, the traffic windowsare closed until further notice.If you need to make apayment, or reschedule your court date and cannot do so on our website, please call 702-229-5257.

Until December 31, all scheduled in-person appearances (traffic and criminal) will be suspended and continued not less than 60 days. In-custody transport of defendants to Municipal Court will also be suspended during this time and will be accommodated through telecommunication and/or video conferencing. Any requests for release on own recognizance for medical reasons that arise during this time will be granted until further notice. The defendant will be given a date to return not less than 60 days from the date of release.

BusinessLicenses

If you have a city of Las Vegas business license, please email license@lasvegasnevada.gov with reopening or compliance questions. If you have a Clark County business license, please email chap@clarkcountynv.gov

Sewer Services

The citywill waive sewer bill late fees and property liens normally filed on delinquent sewer bills until 30 days after the current city emergency declaration ends. Those who are employed or not suffering financial hardship are encouraged to keep current on their sewer bills.

City of Las Vegas sewer bills may be paid online at https://www.lasvegasnevada.gov/sewer. Those with questions regarding sewer bills may email sewerservices@lasvegasnevada.govor call 702-229-1289.

Housing Assistance

The Nevada Attorney Generals Officehascreateda template Lease AddendumandPromissory Note toassist andencourage landlords to work with tenants on a repayment planto keep people in their residencesand to avoid overwhelming the courts.This voluntary document is intended to help landlords receive delinquent rental amounts while helping keep tenants in their homes or places of businessunder a payment plan for back due rents that they can afford.

Utilities & Services

NV Energy, Southwest Gasand the Las Vegas Valley Water District are willing to work with customers right now.

Republic Services remains fully operational in Southern Nevada with no changes to residential collection service at this time. Bulk pickups are continuing as scheduled. For more information, visit http://www.republicservicesvegas.com.

Three Square Food Bank has emergency food centers at 15 schools and 43 other locations for anyone who needs help.Three Square is offering grocery delivery for those in need that are 60+. Visithttp://threesquare.org/helpor call 702-765-4030 to see if you qualify.

Lost Pet ReunificationFees Waived

To help families who might be struggling, fees will bewaived for when the owner picks up their lost petas long asownership can be verified and required documentation provided.This applies to animals that arepicked up by city of Las Vegas Animal Control officers and taken to the Animal Foundation.Call the shelter at 702-955-5932 for more information.

Have You Been Exposed?

COVID-19 is a respiratory disease caused by a new virus called SARS-CoV-2. The most common symptoms of the disease are fever, persistent coughand shortness of breath. Most people with COVID-19 will have a mild disease but some people will get sicker and may need to be hospitalized.Please click here if you think you have been exposed to or are developing potential symptoms.

Unemployment

Governor Steve Sisolak instructed the Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation (DETR), Employment Security Division to waive the work search requirement and the 7-day wait period for approved unemployment insurance benefits.

To file for unemployment in the State of Nevada, please use the online application available 24/7 athttp://ui.nv.gov/css.html. People unable to file online may file via telephone by calling a UI Claims Call Center between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Monday through Friday. Northern UI Call Center: 775-684-0350; Southern UI Call Center: 702-486-0350; Rural areas & Out-of-State: 888-890-8211.

Online users canrefer to the resources listed onui.nv.govand the updatedNV Unemployment Insurance (UI) Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) document athttps://detr.nv.gov/Page/COVID-19_(Coronavirus)_Information_for_Claimants_and_Employers.

ThePUA program is one provision under the federal CARES Act and is designed to offer unemployment benefits to independent contractors and others historically unable to qualify for traditional unemployment insurance benefits:www.employnv.gov.The new filing system is independent of the traditional Unemployment Insurance (UI) system and will facilitate a streamlined method for the public to file for PUA benefits. Claimants will have a dedicated call center for all PUA related questions with a new phone number: 1-800-603-9681.

The following individuals may be eligible for PUA:

Claimants must also be able and available for work as defined in state law, must have prior earnings in Nevada or a job offer to work in Nevada and must not be eligible for any UI benefits, including regular UI, Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation, and State Extended Benefits.

We want your stories about how the Las Vegas community is coming together to help each other. Fill out this form: https://cityoflasvegas.link/InItTogetherSNV,Big or small, if it makes you smile, we'd like to know about it!

Donate blood. There is a dire need in our community right now.Visit http://RedCrossBlood.orgorhttps://www.vitalant.orgtomake an appointment.

Nextdoor, the private social network for neighborhoods, has a help map where you can ask for help or offer help to your neighbors.

The city of Las Vegas is coordinating with Clark County andthe Southern Nevada Health Districtto address health risks posed by the pandemic. Standard precautions already in place at the Courtyard Homeless Resource Centerincludefrequent cleaning and disinfecting of surfaces, making hand-washing stations availableand providing alcohol-based hand sanitizers.Anyone who needs help can visit lasvegasnevda.gov/homeless.

Is Our Water Safe?

COVID-19 is a respiratory illness, like the flu, which is spread person to personthere is no indication that transmission can occur via drinking water supplies.

Southern Nevadas drinking water is treated using a combination of ozonation, filtration and chlorination, which are on the leading edge of water treatment processes and effective at removing contaminants from water. To ensure your water meets or surpasses drinking water standards, we also monitor water quality around the valley 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

The Southern Nevada Water Authority & Las Vegas Valley Water District do not anticipate any current scenario that would interrupt water availability to our community.We are committed to ensuring your water quality, reliability and security because we know you depend upon it every day.

Rumor Control

For a full list from FEMA, visit https://www.fema.gov/coronavirus-rumor-control.

Is 5G Cell Phone Technology Linked To The Cause Of Coronavirus?

A worldwide online conspiracy theory has attempted to link 5G cell phone technology as being one of the causes of the coronavirus. Many cell towers outside of the U.S. have been set on fire as a result;5G technology does NOT cause coronavirus.

I Got A Call, Text, Or Email Saying I Could Get Financial Help. Is It Legitimate?

There have been reports that scammers are pretending to be the government, contacting people by robocall, text message, email and other outreach. These scammers say they can get people financial help during the COVID-19 pandemic, and then ask for money or personal information, like your Social Security, bank account or credit card number. This is aSCAM.

Dont trust anyone who offers financial help and then asks for money or personal information. Federal and local disaster workers do not solicit or accept money. The Department of Homeland Security, FEMA, U.S. Health and Human Services and the Centers for Disease Control staff never charge for disaster assistance.

The Federal Trade Commissionscams pagehas tips to help youavoid scamsonline, on thephone, by text andthrough email. If you see a scam, please report it to the Federal Trade Commission:ftc.gov/complaint.

Listen to the city coronavirus podcast update

Watch the KCLV coronavirus video update.

Follow the Health District on Twitter.Subscribe to their tweets by clicking on the bell on their profile here.

Follow the Health District on Facebook.

Official information about travel and major events via theLVCVA

Official updates from CCSD

Official info from the CDC

Or subscribe to the weekly CDC newsletter.

If you have been victimized by any crime related to the COVID-19 pandemic, please report your experience to the Attorney Generals Office (ag.nv.gov/Complaints/File_Complaint/) and the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) hotline at 1-866-720-5721 or by e-mailing the NCDF atdisaster@leo.gov. In your email, please provide the following information:

The rest is here:

Coronavirus Update From City of Las Vegas

Posted in Las Vegas | Comments Off on Coronavirus Update From City of Las Vegas

When tourists are prepared to travel again, Las Vegas will be ready – Las Vegas Sun

Posted: at 9:33 am

The first signs of widespread tourist demand returning for Las Vegas arent quite visible, but several experts who track visitation trends say theyre ready to bubble up this year.

The coronavirus pandemic might have crippled visitation to Las Vegas, but the end could be relatively near as vaccine distribution begins ramping up.

Theres clearly enthusiasm for what a successfully implemented vaccine rollout could do for the Strip, said Barry Jonas, a gaming industry analyst for investment firm SunTrust Robinson Humphrey. The question is when people will get comfortable.

Steve Hill, president and CEO of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA), called vaccine distribution the key for Las Vegas to get humming again. The theory is that people worldwide will be ready to let loose once its free to go out from the safety of their quarantine, and Las Vegas is the perfect place to celebrate.

Hill is optimistic about this year, though he cautioned that shows and conventions are likely to initially have a smaller footprint when they return.

Once we get into May and June, I think the city will feel close to what it normally is, Hill said. Room rates may not be quite as high, but it will be different. [In] the second half of 2021, well see strong recovery.

The economic crisis brought on by the pandemic has been especially hard-felt in Nevada, which relies on tourism as its main revenue generator and source of employment for residents. The downturn has brought historic jobless ratesonce as high as 30%, but 10.1% in Novemberand $1 billion-plus deficit to Nevada.

Consider this: In 2019, the LVCVA reported that 42 million visitors came to Southern Nevada, whether for conventions and business travel, sporting events, to get married or for leisurely fun. In the initial 11 months of 2020, only 18 million camethe product of nearly 80 days of closures on the Strip, plus air travel coming to a near halt.

The resort corridor has already made small gains during the summer and fall with drive-in visitors, mostly from California. The gridlock of vehicles driving back to Southern California resembles any normal Sunday afternoon.

Mark Vitner, a Wells Fargo economist who tracks Las Vegas and other regional economies in the Southwest, said he expects tourism to start to come back in a noticeable way in a matter of weeks.

After February, we see a strong recovery taking hold, at least in leisure travel, Vitner said. I do think were past the scariest part of all of this. Things will get progressively better.

For Las Vegas to return to its pre-pandemic selfor something close to itits necessary, experts say, for two main developments to take place.

First, mass distribution of the various COVID-19 vaccines must be successful. Then, once enough people receive the vaccines, they need to feel comfortable enough to partake in air travel.

McCarran International Airport, one of the busiest airports in the country, reported in 2019 that about 51.5 million passengers enplaned and deplaned. Airport officials reported only 20.5 million people passed through the first 11 months of 2020. But there are positive signs that air travel will eventually regain its footing.

Discount carrier Frontier Airlines recently announced six new 2021 routes to and from Las Vegas, including stops to places like Oakland, California, and Wichita, Kansas.

A Frontier spokesman said the airline listened to our customers and recognized the pent-up demand for travel, particularly as the COVID-19 vaccine becomes more widely available.

In a statement, Frontier executive Daniel Shurz said the airline has made a strong commitment to Las Vegas and that it hopes to continue to build on our partnership through the addition of new service.

As the airline noted, though, vaccine availability is likely the most important factor for the return of leisure travel.

As for business travel, its expected that corporate gatherings and trade shows will take longer to return, Jonas said.

In 2019, about 9% of the 42 million people who visited Las Vegas came for a convention, trade show or corporate meeting, according to the LVCVA.

The annual CES show, which normally takes place every January at the Las Vegas Convention Center, became an all-virtual event this year. That trade show alone would have brought about 170,000 visitors to the Valley.

When we speak to companies like MGM [Resorts International], theres some conservatism about the cadence of the recovery, said Jonas, the gaming industry analyst. It wont just be snap your fingers and everythings back. Conferences will have a mix of in-person and virtual components, and its reasonable to assume that companies will be cautious about sending employees to conferences.

When tourists do return to the city in full force, they will get to see some new attractions, including the $2 billion Allegiant Stadiumhome to the Las Vegas Raidersjust off the Strip, the new Circa Las Vegas resort Downtown and, soon, the new Resorts World property.

To a large extent, weve built the next era of what Las Vegas will be, Hill said. Thats ready. It adds a level of attraction to what the city already was.

This story appeared in Las VegasWeekly.

Originally posted here:

When tourists are prepared to travel again, Las Vegas will be ready - Las Vegas Sun

Posted in Las Vegas | Comments Off on When tourists are prepared to travel again, Las Vegas will be ready – Las Vegas Sun

Winds may gust to 20 mph in Las Vegas on warm Monday – Las Vegas Review-Journal

Posted: at 9:33 am

Winds up to 20 mph are possible for Las Vegas on Monday, according to the latest National Weather Service forecast.

The Monday high should reach about 67 with sunny skies after overnight lows mostly in the upper 40s. North-northeast winds of 6-14 mph could gust to close to 20, said weather service meteorologist Andy Gorelow.

Winds Monday night and Tuesday morning may reach up to 40 mph, especially in the northern parts of the Las Vegas Valley.

Residents and boaters in the Colorado River Valley will experience steady winds of 20-30 mph with gusts up to 40 mph. Boaters will encounter rough waves and hazards conditions.

The area is under a wind advisory from 10 a.m. Monday through 5 p.m. Tuesday. The advisory covers Lake Havasu, Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Fort Mohave and San Bernardino County in California.

On Tuesday, the high will drop about 10 degrees to a forecast 57, just a degree below average.

The rest of the week will be sunny with high temperatures in the low 60s, Gorelow said.

Rain and changing conditions are possible next weekend, Gorelow said.

Contact Marvin Clemons at mclemons@reviewjournal.com. Follow @Marv_in_Vegas on Twitter.

View post:

Winds may gust to 20 mph in Las Vegas on warm Monday - Las Vegas Review-Journal

Posted in Las Vegas | Comments Off on Winds may gust to 20 mph in Las Vegas on warm Monday – Las Vegas Review-Journal

Grading the 2020 rookie draft class for the Las Vegas Raiders – Raiders Wire

Posted: at 9:33 am

The 2020 season for the Raiders is becoming more and more hindsight. Mainly because they didnt make the playoffs, despite going 6-4 against the tough part of their schedule and then 2-4 the rest of the way.

In Grudens third year, with the last picks from the Khalil Mack trade on board, he needed to see those rookies step up for him. How did they do? Lets see.

Ruggs was the first wide receiver taken in this draft. Ahead of the likes of CeeDee Lamb, Jerry Jeudy, and Justin Jefferson all of whom significantly outperformed Ruggs and his 452 receiving yards. You can include 25th overall pick Brandon Aiyuk, 33rd overall pick Tee Higgins, 34th overall pick Michael Pittman Jr, 42nd overall pick Laviska Shenault, and 49th overall pick Chase Claypool. The only WR in the top 50 with fewer TDs than Ruggss two was Pittman (1).

Ruggss issues seemed to be about getting open and gaining separation, which is incredibly important for him considering he was drafted to be the teams deep threat receiver.

Arnette was named the starter out of camp. Three games into the season, he suffered a thumb injury and was placed on IR. He returned week ten, started three games, but was concussed early in the final two of those starts, causing him to miss two games. He also landed on the reserve/COVID-19 list, returning to play the final two games.

His six full games were rough too, routinely getting beaten for big plays, including the one that cost them wins against the Chiefs in week 11 and the Dolphins in week 16. He had just two pass breakups and no interceptions on the season.

See the article here:

Grading the 2020 rookie draft class for the Las Vegas Raiders - Raiders Wire

Posted in Las Vegas | Comments Off on Grading the 2020 rookie draft class for the Las Vegas Raiders – Raiders Wire

What to expect when you get your COVID vaccine in Las Vegas – Las Vegas Sun

Posted: at 9:33 am

Steve Marcus

Public safety workers prepare to get COVID-19 vaccinations at Cashman Field Thursday, Jan. 14, 2021. From left: Ray Anderson, a county water reclamation center mechanic; Dennis West, center, personnel director for the Urban Search and Rescue Nevada Task Force; and Jasmine Ghazinour, a Clark County Firecaptain.

By Hillary Davis (contact)

Sunday, Jan. 17, 2021 | 2 a.m.

Dennis West didnt feel the needle going into his upper arm, quickly learning that receiving the COVID-19 vaccine was an easy and painless process.

West was one of about 1,000 Clark County officials who wereinoculated last week at the Cashman Center with their initial vaccine dose. Although a limited number of doses landed in Las Vegas a month ago for front-line health care professionals and nursing homes residents, last week marked the start of the broader second wave of inoculations with clinic megasites like Cashman.

Public safety workers and people over age 70 have first crack, along with other critical infrastructure and industry workers.

West, a supervisor with the Federal Emergency Management Agencys Vegas-based urban search-and-rescue team, was dually qualified to be at the forefront of the second wave of recipients, as a 73-year-old member of the public safety corps.

The more folks that do it, the more will feel free to do it, he said. Theyll come around.

Ray Anderson, a longtime maintenance mechanic for the Clark County Water Reclamation District, received a shot in a chair 6 feet to Wests right. Anderson, who is 64 and has a heart condition, wants to get the economy back to normal. Hes hoping this is the start of a better year.

The downtown Cashman Center is one of the key locations in the valley for mass COVID-19 testing. It also served as an isolation and quarantine facility for homeless people exposed to COVID-19 early on in the pandemic. A purposefully well-spaced vaccine line reached nearly to the parking lot off Maryland Parkway, but the scene was orderly as the snap of isopropyl alcohol scented the air.

Critical infrastructure and workers in some industries qualify to receive the COVID-19 vaccine in Clark County. Heres a glance at those industries. A complete list is on the Southern Nevada Health District website.

Public safety and security

This group includes: Nevada Department of Corrections, law enforcement officers, public safety, national security, and state and local emergency operations staff

Front-line community support

This group includes: Educators and child care workers private and public schools, and those affiliated with the Nevada System of Higher Education; community front-line workers, including legal and social services, and workers who support food banks and shelters; essential public transportation such as Citizen Area Transit workers; mortuary services.

Front-line supply chain and logistics

This group includes workers in the grocery and supply chain of essential items, utilities and communications infrastructure, Nevada Department of Transportation, front-line airport workers and local road emergency personnel.

Front-line commerce and service

Food service and hospitality workers, hygiene products and service, and workers at credit institutions.

Front-line infrastructure

Construction workers and mining operations.

Others

College students living on campus or campus-sponsored apartments.

Im happy to see that Cashman can once again play a key role in helping our residents, said Las Vegas City Councilman Cedric Crear, whose district includes Cashman. Weve all been waiting for this. It is a long time coming.

Clark County Commission Chairwoman Marilyn Kirkpatrick said the site processed 300 people in less than four hours to start the day, and she expected 1,000 by days end. At full capacity, Cashman should see up to 4,000 recipients per day, health officials predict. Along with the Las Vegas Convention Center, another megasite expected to come online within a week or two, and other public clinics, the Health District anticipates distributing as many as 40,000 to 45,000 shots per week as the campaign ramps up.

Want to get one of them? Here are some pointers:

Before your appointment

Get in your lane. The county is accepting more residents through the states bifurcated lane system. Workers in certain essential industries, ranked by priority starting with public safety workers, occupy one lane, while the general public, starting with seniors age 70 and up, populates the other.

Book a spot online. For seniors and those in the priority worker groups, go to the Southern Nevada Health Districts online portal at http://covid.southernnevadahealthdistrict.org/vaccine/distribution/ to make your appointment. This portal will put you in the queue at the health district headquarters or with a partner agency, which includes UNLV and other local universities and Henderson and North Las Vegas. Private pharmacies, such as Walgreens, are slated to start offering vaccines on Wednesday.

If youre not in one of the identified industries, and are 64 or younger without underlying health conditions, you can preregister online.

Keep your appointment. This helps with planning. Because the vaccines have sensitive storage and handling needs, and are released in limited batches, authorities want to ensure none go to waste once vials are taken out of the freezers and punctured.

Appointments are also important for crowd management.

If you take the time to make an appointment please show up, because were relying on you to be there, Kirkpatrick said. Theres a reason why were limiting them, because we know how many clients that weve got to see in that timeframe to make sure that we do not waste any vaccines.

At your appointment

Bring the following: Government-issued photo identification; proof of current employment in a priority industry, such as an employee badge or pay stub; and an insurance card if you have one. Though there is no out-of-pocket cost and the health district is not currently collecting insurance information, it may in the future, said JoAnn Rupiper, the health districts director of clinical services.

Here are the steps youll go through once you get to the head of the line:

Youll be given a brief questionnaire that gathers demographic information and asks, among other things, if youve ever had a severe allergic reaction to anything or previously had COVID-19.

You will then be seated. Once your row of seats fills up, a team of vaccinators will roll over a cart with the vials and syringes.

Roll up your sleeve and receive the shot. Its as quick as a flu shot.

Remain seated for 15 minutes for observation.

After that, youre good to leave.

You will receive a CDC-issued card as proof that you have received your first dose. Do not lose this card. It contains the pertinent details of your vaccine, plus serves as a reminder for your second dose.

All vaccine recipients must leave their vehicles. There are no drive-thru clinics at this time. The health district is working on accommodations for people with disabilities, including mobility and cognitive issues.

After your appointment

Be aware that you may feel some mild side effects, including muscle soreness, tiredness, low fever, chills and headache. These are indications that your body is building up protection against COVID-19. They should pass in a few days.

Return for your second dose even if you experience side effects, unless your doctor or vaccinator tells you not to. Current vaccines need two doses to be fully effective. The second shot should come three to four weeks after the first, depending on the manufacturer.

Consider signing up for free text messaging reminders. The CDC-endorsed VaxText sends out weekly text reminders for your second dose of COVID-19 vaccine and a reminder if you are overdue. Text ENROLL to 1-833-VaxText (829-8398) to opt in.

You can also register with v-safe, the CDCs combination health checker and reminder tool. The voluntary program sends daily and then weekly texts asking how youre feeling. This allows the CDC to gather data on side effects. Register online at vsafe.cdc.gov or by scanning the code on the flyer provided with your vaccine.

Continue to wear a mask in public and keep up the physical distancing and hand-washing.

Its important for everyone to continue using all the tools available to help stop this pandemic as we learn more about how COVID-19 vaccines work in real-world conditions, the CDC says.

Link:

What to expect when you get your COVID vaccine in Las Vegas - Las Vegas Sun

Posted in Las Vegas | Comments Off on What to expect when you get your COVID vaccine in Las Vegas – Las Vegas Sun

Las Vegas Raiders: Would Jason Witten work as the new TE coach? – Just Blog Baby

Posted: at 9:33 am

The Las Vegas Raiders will need a new tight end coach in 2021, as current tight end coach Frank Smith is leaving to join Brandon Staleys staff in Los Angeles. Smith has done a great job with the tight end group during his three years with the team, helping develop star Darren Waller, while also getting good growth from Foster Moreau.

With Los Angeles, Smith will be the run-game coordinator, staying within the division to coach for one of the Raiders rivals.

This past season, Smith also had the luxury of having Jason Witten as part of the group, and while his arrival stunted some of the growth for Moreau, he was seen as having an extra coach in the room. A sure-fire Hall of Famer, Witten does not have the physical gifts to be a tight end in the league anymore, but would he work as a coach at the NFL level?

With Smith leaving for the Chargers, Witten would be a guy the Raiders may decide to vet for the position. However, nobody has any idea whether or not he wants to be a coach, or whether or not Jon Gruden would trust him with a young tight end room in that capacity, a position group that is a strength for the team.

Also, elite players dont always translate to good coaches, so that is another thing to consider. Witten was an elite player in this league for many years and has a wealth of knowledge and experience, and the word is that he helped the young group in a big way this past season.

Gruden brought Witten in this season due to the fact he could be a leader in the tight end room, so a transition to being the teams position coach would not be that far-fetched.

Witten is definitely done being a contributor on Sundays within the white lines, but having him on the coaching staff would be a positive for this team. Gruden is building a culture in Las Vegas with players and coaches he can trust, and Witten definitely earned the head coachs trust during the 2020 season.

Witten as the TE coach in 2021? Why not.

Continue reading here:

Las Vegas Raiders: Would Jason Witten work as the new TE coach? - Just Blog Baby

Posted in Las Vegas | Comments Off on Las Vegas Raiders: Would Jason Witten work as the new TE coach? – Just Blog Baby

European aviation agency: 737 Max to be cleared next week – Las Vegas Sun

Posted: at 9:33 am

Published Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2021 | 3:51 a.m.

Updated 2 hours, 39 minutes ago

BERLIN (AP) The Boeing 737 Max will be approved to resume flights in Europe next week, following nearly two years of reviews after the aircraft was involved in two deadly crashes that saw the planes grounded worldwide, the head of the European aviation safety agency said Tuesday.

Patrick Ky, executive director of the European Union Aviation Safety Agency, or EASA, told reporters the planes will be permitted to fly so long as they meet conditions specified by the agency and that pilots are up to date on their training.

It will be cleared to fly again from next week, he said at an online event hosted by Germany's Aviation Press Club.

The planes were grounded in March 2019 following the crashes of a Lion Air flight near Jakarta on Oct. 29, 2018, and an Ethiopian Airlines flight on March 10, 2019, killing a total of 346 people. Investigators determined that the cause of the crashes was a faulty computer system that pushed the planes nose downward in flight and couldnt be overridden by pilots.

Changes mandated by EASA, based in Cologne, Germany, include a recertification of the plane's flight-control system, called the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System, or MCAS, which was not a part of previous 737 models.

When EASA published its proposed air worthiness directive for the Max in November, Ky said the agency's review of the aircraft began with the MCAS but went far beyond.

He said the agency reviewed the entire flight control system and broadened its assessment to include all aspects of design that could influence how the flight controls operated, which resulted in other changes required.

It also investigated human factors, which led to new pilot training requirements to ensure they are familiar with all aspects of the aircraft's flight control system and will react appropriately to typical failure scenarios.

The proposed air worthiness directive was open for public comments for a month, which have now been analyzed and incorporated into the final air worthiness directive where needed, Ky said.

We expect to publish it next week, which means that the Max will be cleared to fly again in Europe from our perspective, he said.

Airlines will still need to ensure their pilots have received the training needed to fly the plane, and that the maintenance and changes necessary have been carried out after the long grounding. Some EU states will have to lift their own individual grounding notices as well.

The 737 Max returned to the skies in the United States last month, after the Federal Aviation Administration approved changes that Boeing made to the automated flight control system.

It has also been allowed by Brazil to resume flights, and Transport Canada said earlier this week that it had been cleared to start flying again Wednesday.

Read the rest here:

European aviation agency: 737 Max to be cleared next week - Las Vegas Sun

Posted in Las Vegas | Comments Off on European aviation agency: 737 Max to be cleared next week – Las Vegas Sun

Celebrity birthdays for the week of Jan. 24-30 – Las Vegas Sun

Posted: at 9:33 am

Published Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2021 | 5:43 a.m.

Updated 47 minutes ago

Celebrity birthdays for the week of Jan. 24-30

Jan. 24: Fiddler Doug Kershaw is 85. Singer Ray Stevens is 82. Singer Aaron Neville is 80. Singer Neil Diamond is 80. Actor Michael Ontkean (Twin Peaks) is 75. Country singer-songwriter Becky Hobbs is 71. Comedian Yakov Smirnoff is 70. Actor William Allen Young (Code Black, Moesha) is 67. Keyboardist-turned-TV personality Jools Holland (Squeeze) is 63. Actor Nastassja Kinski is 60. Drummer Keech Rainwater of Lonestar is 58. Comedian Phil LaMarr (Mad TV) is 54. Singer Sleepy Brown of Society of Soul is 51. Actor Matthew Lillard (Scooby-Doo, Shes All That) is 51. Actor Merrilee McCommas (Friday Night Lights, Family Law) is 50. Singer Beth Hart is 49. Actor Ed Helms (The Office) is 47. Actor Christina Moses (A Million Little Things) is 43. Actor Tatyana Ali (The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air) is 42. Guitarist Mitchell Marlow of Fliter is 42. Actor Carrie Coon (Leftovers) is 40. Actor Daveed Diggs (black-ish) is 39. Actor Justin Baldoni (Jane the Virgin) is 37. Actor Mischa Barton (The O.C.) is 35.

Jan. 25: Country singer Claude Gray is 89. Actor Leigh Taylor-Young (Peyton Place, Soylent Green) is 76. Actor Jenifer Lewis (The Preachers Wife, The PJs) is 64. Actor Dinah Manoff (films Grease, TVs Empty Nest) is 65. Drummer Mike Burch of River Road is 55. Singer Kina (Brownstone) is 52. Actor-TV personality China Kantner is 50. Actor Ana Ortiz (Devious Maids, Ugly Betty) is 50. Drummer Joe Sirois of Mighty Mighty Bosstones is 49. Guitarist Matt Odmark of Jars of Clay is 47. Actor Mia Kirshner (The L Word, 24) is 46. Actor Christine Lakin (Family Guy, Step By Step) is 42. Singer Alicia Keys is 41. Actor Michael Trevino (The Vampire Diaries) is 36. Bassist Calum Hood of 5 Seconds to Summer is 25. Actor Olivia Edward (Better Things) is 14.

Jan. 26: Sports announcer-actor Bob Uecker is 86. Actor Scott Glenn is 82. Singer Jean Knight is 78. Actor Richard Portnow (Trumbo, The Sopranos) is 74. Drummer Corky Laing of Mountain is 73. Actor David Strathairn is 72. Musician Lucinda Williams is 68. Percussionist Norman Hassan of UB40 is 63. Comedian Ellen DeGeneres is 63. Keyboardist Charlie Gillingham of Counting Crowes is 62. Guitarist Andrew Ridgeley (Wham!) is 58. Singer Jazzie B. of Soul II Soul is 58. Actor Paul Johansson (One Tree Hill) is 57. Actor Bryan Callen (The Goldbergs) is 54. Gospel singer Kirk Franklin is 51. Actor Nate Mooney (American Odyssey, Its Always Sunny In Philadelphia) is 49. Actor Jennifer Crystal (House, Once and Again) is 48. Drummer Chris Hesse of Hoobastank is 47. Actor Gilles Marini (Sex and the City) is 45. Actor Sara Rue (Mom, Less Than Perfect) is 43. Actor Colin ODonoghue (Once Upon a Time) is 40. Guitarist Michael Martin of Marshall Dyllon is 38.

Jan. 27: Actor James Cromwell (Murder in the First, Babe) is 81. Drummer Nick Mason of Pink Floyd is 77. Singer Nedra Talley of The Ronettes is 75. Dancer Mikhail Baryshnikov is 73. Country singer Cheryl White of The Whites is 66. Guitarist Richard Young of The Kentucky Headhunters is 66. Actor Mimi Rogers is 65. Guitarist Janick Gers of Iron Maiden is 64. Actor Susanna Thompson (Arrow) is 63. TV host Keith Olbermann is 62. Singer Margo Timmins of Cowboy Junkies is 60. Keyboardist Gillian Gilbert (New Order) is 60. Actor Tamlyn Tomita (TVs Teen Wolf) is 58. Actor Bridget Fonda is 57. Actor Alan Cumming (Spy Kids) is 56. Singer Mike Patton (Faith No More) is 53. Country singer Tracy Lawrence is 53. Rapper Tricky is 53. Guitarist Michael Kulas of James is 52. Comedian Patton Oswalt is 52. Actor Josh Randall (Ed) is 49. Country singer Kevin Denney is 43. Drummer Andrew Lee of St. Paul and the Broken Bones is 35. Drummer Matt Sanchez of American Authors is 35. Actor-musician Braeden Lemasters of Wallows (TVs Men of a Certain Age) is 25.

Jan. 28: Actor Nicholas Pryor (Risky Business) is 86. Actor Alan Alda is 85. Actor Susan Howard (Dallas) is 79. Marthe Keller (Marathon Man) is 76. Actor Barbi Benton is 71. Director Frank Darabont (The Green Mile, The Shawshank Redemption) is 62. Guitarist Dave Sharp of The Alarm is 62. Singer Sam Phillips is 59. Guitarist Dan Spitz (Anthrax) is 58. Bassist Greg Cook of Ricochet is 56. Gospel singer Marvin Sapp is 54. Singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan is 53. Rap artist DJ Muggs with Cypress Hill is 53. Rapper Rakim is 53. Actor Kathryn Morris (Cold Case) is 52. Humorist Mo Rocca is 52. Keyboardist Jeremy Ruzumna of Fitz and the Tantrums is 51. Singer Anthony Hamilton is 50. Singer Monifah is 49. Actor Gillian Vigman (The Hangover films) is 49. Keyboardist Brandon Bush (Train) is 48. Actor Terri Conn (One Life To Live) is 46. Rapper Rick Ross is 44. Singer Joey Fatone of N Sync is 44. Actor Angelique Cabral (Life in Pieces) is 42. Actor Rosamund Pike (Gone Girl) is 42. Singer Nick Carter of Backstreet Boys is 41. Actor Vinny Chhibber (The Red Line) is 41. Actor Elijah Wood (The Lord of the Rings) is 40. Rapper J. Cole is 36. Actor Alexandra Krosney (Last Man Standing) is 33. Actor Yuri Sardarov (Chicago Fire) is 33. Actor Ariel Winter (Modern Family) is 23.

Jan. 29: Actor Katharine Ross is 81. Actor Tom Selleck is 76. Singer Bettye LaVette is 75. Actor Marc Singer is 73. Actor Ann Jillian is 71. Drummer Louie Perez of Los Lobos is 68. Singer Charlie Wilson of The Gap Band is 68. Talk show host Oprah Winfrey is 67. Country singer Irlene Mandrell is 65. Actor Diane Delano (The Ellen Show, Northern Exposure) is 64. Actor Judy Norton (The Waltons) is 63. Guitarist Johnny Spampinato of NRBQ is 62. Drummer David Baynton-Power of James is 60. Bassist Eddie Jackson of Queensryche is 60. Actor Nicholas Turturro (NYPD Blue) is 59. Singer-guitarist Roddy Frame of Aztec Camera is 57. Director-actor Ed Burns is 53. Actor Sam Trammell (True Blood) is 52. Actor Heather Graham is 51. Actor Sharif Atkins (White Collar, ER) is 46. Actor Sara Gilbert is 46. Actor Kelly Packard (Baywatch) is 46. Actor Justin Hartley (This Is Us) is 44. Actor Sam Jaeger (Parenthood) is 44. Former The View co-host Jedediah Bila is 42. Actor Andrew Keegan (Party of Five) is 42. Actor Jason James Richter (Free Willy) is 41. Guitarist Jonny Lang is 40. Singer Adam Lambert (American Idol) is 39. Country singer Eric Paslay is 38.

Jan. 30: Actor Gene Hackman is 91. Actor Vanessa Redgrave is 84. Country singer Jeanne Pruett is 84. Country singer Norma Jean is 83. Horn player William King of The Commodores is 72. Musician Phil Collins is 70. Actor Charles S. Dutton (Roc) is 70. Actor Ann Dowd (The Handmaids Tale) is 65. Comedian Brett Butler (Anger Management, Grace Under Fire) is 63. Singer Jody Watley is 62. Actor Wayne Wilderson (Veep) is 55. Country singer Tammy Cochran is 49. Actor Christian Bale is 47. Guitarist Carl Broemel of My Morning Jacket is 47. Actor Olivia Colman (The Night Manager) is 47. Singer Josh Kelley is 41. Actor Wilmer Valderrama (That 70s Show) is 41. Actor Mary Hollis Inboden (The Real ONeals) is 35. Actor Kylie Bunbury (Pitch) is 32. Actor Jake Thomas (Lizzie McGuire, AI) is 31. Actor Danielle Campbell (The Originals) is 26.

Continue reading here:

Celebrity birthdays for the week of Jan. 24-30 - Las Vegas Sun

Posted in Las Vegas | Comments Off on Celebrity birthdays for the week of Jan. 24-30 – Las Vegas Sun