Category Archives: Las Vegas

Jason Gates spends a lot of his time thinking about trash, and how we can generate less of it.

Since 2013 his San Francisco-based startup, Compology, has used cameras and artificial intelligence to monitor what's thrown into dumpsters and trash containers at businesses such as McDonald's restaurants and Nordstrom department stores. The point is to make sure dumpsters are actually full before they're emptied and to stop recyclable materials like cardboard from being contaminated by other junk so it, too, doesn't become waste.

"We've found that most businesses and people have the right intentions about recycling, but oftentimes they just don't know what the proper way to recycle is," Gates, CEO of Compology, told CNN Business' Rachel Crane.

To help them do it correctly, Compology puts trash-monitoring cameras and sensors inside industrial waste containers. The cameras take photos several times each day and when the container is lifted for dumping. An accelerometer helps trigger the camera on garbage day.

AI software analyzes the images to figure out how full the container is and can also let a customer know when something is where it shouldn't be, such as a bag of trash tossed into a dumpster filled with cardboard boxes for recycling. Gates said the company's cameras can cut the amount of non-recyclable materials thrown in waste containers by as much as 80%.

With McDonald's dumpsters in Las Vegas, for instance, Compology's cameras and sensors showed the company was generally doing a good job recycling cardboard packaging. But occasionally garbage bags were thrown in there, too, Gates said.

"Once we saw the bags of trash go inside the cardboard containers, we sent a notification to the people on site via text message, letting them know that they should remove it before the truck comes the next morning and telling them that putting trash in the recycling container is a form of contamination, which they should not do in the future," he said.

Brent Bohn, who owns and operates dozens of McDonald's restaurants in the Las Vegas and Phoenix areas, uses Compology at restaurants in Las Vegas to help ensure restaurant workers are recycling properly.

"The cameras have really streamlined that for us and provided accountability for us, but also for our suppliers and the haulers that we work with," he said.

Compology trained its system to sort trash with tens of millions of images, Gates said, and it uses pictures taken from within dumpsters that are now in use to get better at determining fullness and what's inside. So far, it has processed over 80 million images from the 162,000 cameras it has installed.

"The more images we get of the inside of dumpsters, the more accurate we can be," he said.

Part of why Gates sees Compology's work as vital is because the United States, which used to send much of its scrap and waste to China, is no longer doing so. China began banning the imports of recycling materials in 2017, citing environmental concerns from mixed-in contaminants, and expanded its ban in 2018.

Since then, the US has struggled to determine what to do with its recyclables, with some cities simply halting recycling programs. Cleaning up materials stateside could make it easier for the country to recycle on its own (and, in fact, it's one of the US Environmental Protection Agency's goals to raise the domestic recycling rate to 50% by 2030; it currently hovers around 32%).

Compology's service costs businesses between $10 and $20 per month per dumpster. It's saving them generally thousands of dollars per dumpster per year on waste-hauling costs, Gates said, as it can also use AI to predict what the service schedule for each dumpster should be, so it will only be picked up when it's likely to be full.

Over time, Gates hopes Compology can help standardize how waste is measured and reported something that isn't currently consistent in the US.

"You've been able to measure how much electricity, water, gas you've used for decades," Gates said. "What we're doing is being able to meter how much waste you produce."

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Here's why Las Vegas McDonald's restaurants are putting cameras in their dumpsters - FOX5 Las Vegas

A Las Vegas woman with multiple prior arrests for financial crimes and drugs has been arrested while in possession of other individuals credit cards and personal financial information, police said.

Las Vegas police said Chiffon Johnson, 31, was arrested during a traffic stop of a sport utility vehicle in the 3500 block of Paradise Road on Tuesday at 6 p.m.

We conducted a vehicle stop on the SUV, police said. The passenger of the vehicle was not wearing a seat belt. When I asked the passenger for her information, she handed me a fake Nevada identification card.

Police said in an arrest report for Johnson that a search of the womans pockets turned up tin foil with heroin in it. The woman told police she didnt know her own Social Security number. Police finally confirmed the woman was actually Johnson, who had multiple felony warrants for possession of narcotics and possession of a financial forgery lab. Johnson is also a two-time convicted felon for possessing credit cards without owners consent and possessing documents of another persons identifying information. Police said she also had multiple fraud priors and drug cases.

An inventory of Johnsons backpack revealed more than twenty credit cards, police said. Multiple laptops, multiple phones, flash drives, a note book with multiple peoples names, date of births, social security numbers, account information with passwords, social security cards, laminating sheets, an id printer, multiple checks, multiple fake IDs and fake military identification cards.

Johnson was booked on charges of obtaining persons identification of another, possession of documents to commit forgery, establishment of a financial forgery lab with intent to commit an unlawful act and possession of drugs. A criminal complaint has not been filed in the case. Johnson remains in custody at the Clark County Detention Center. She is scheduled to be back in court Monday.

Contact Glenn Puit by email at gpuit@reviewjournal.com. Follow @GlennatRJ on Twitter.

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Police: ID theft suspect previously arrested on similar charges - Las Vegas Review-Journal

Published Friday, Dec. 18, 2020 | 11:38 p.m.

Updated Friday, Dec. 18, 2020 | 11:38 p.m.

Kyrie Irving circled the Boston Garden parquet floor performing a spiritual cleansing ritual by waving burning sage in his hands before tipoff, then proceeded to torch his former team.

After receiving hugs and high-fives at midcourt before tipoff from former teammates Tristan Thompson, Marcus Smart and others, the Nets point guard got down to business and handed out some punishment to the Boston Celtics. Irving scored 17 points on 7-of-15 shooting and had seven rebounds, five assists and two steals helping the Nets rout the Celtics 113-89 Friday night in the final preseason game for both teams.

Coming here is easy, Irving said. Basketballs the easy part. Its the external stuff.

Irvings full game was on display.

He knocked down a 3-pointer over Semi Ojeleye from the left wing after creating a smidgeon of space with a pump fake. He drove the lane and canned a 15-foot step-back jumper with Jaylen Brown draped over him. And he delivered a picture-perfect pass to teammate Kevin Durant for another bucket.

Its like going to another day at the job, Irving said. Im grateful to have relationships with guys here.

Kyrie's mother, Elizabeth Irving, was a member of the Standing Rock Sioux tribe and Kyrie was welcomed into the tribe in a 2018 ceremony. Native Americans practice smudging, which is a spiritual ritual to "cleanse a person or space, and to promote healing and wisdom," according to WebMD.

"Just to cleanse the energy," Irving said after the game.

Irving opted out in the summer of 2019 and was heckled persistently when he returned to Boston with the Nets, though he didnt play because of a sore shoulder. There were no fans in the new Boston Garden on Friday night, and his introduction was greeted with a faint, fake cheer.

NETS 113, CELTICS 89

At Boston, Kevin Durant was 9 of 16 from the floor and scored 25 points and Caris LeVert had 18 points as the Nets jumped out to a 62-44 halftime lead and didn't look back. Jarrett Allen had nine points and 11 rebounds in the victory.

Those guys are in a good position to start the season, coach Steve Nash said of Durant and Irving. Obviously it's not ideal. But considering what weve been able to put together here in 18 days, couldnt ask for much more.

Jayson Tatum had 19 points and Jaylen Brown added 16 but the Celtics couldn't get much of a contribution with from anyone else and continued to struggle without injured point guard Kemba Walker on the court.

HEAT 117, RAPTORS 105

In Tampa, Fla., the Raptors made their debut in their temporary home, but KZ Okpala scored 24 points and Max Strus added 22 as the Heat pulled away in the second half to win.

Okpala and Strus both made six 3s for Miami. Precious Achiuwa scored 13 points and grabbed 15 rebounds for the Heat, while Bam Adebayo scored 13 points and Tyler Herro scored 10.

Miami played without Jimmy Butler, who sat out both Heat preseason games.

Kyle Lowry made his preseason debut and scored 25 points in 27 minutes for the Raptors. Pascal Siakam scored 14 and Chris Boucher had 11 for Toronto. A handful of fans were at the game, some waving Canadian flags in tribute.

The Raptors 2019 NBA championship banner was hanging from the rafters when they walked onto the floor of Amalie Arena.

76ERS 113, PACERS 107

At Indianapolis, the 76ers got 15 points and five assists from Shake Milton and defeated the Pacers without Joel Embiid. Ben Simmons chipped in with nine points and eight assists.

Furkah Korkmaz and Dwight Howard each added 14 points for Philadelphia.

Domantas Sabonis had 26 points and 11 rebounds in 26 minutes to lead to the Pacers. Malcolm Brogdon scored 21 points and Victor Oladipo added 20 for Indiana, which was limited to 37% percent shooting from the field.

KNICKS 119, CAVALIERS 83

In New York, Immanuel Quickley scored 22 points and Kevin Knox knocked down 6 of 7 3-pointers and finished with 20 points as the Knicks routed the Cavaliers.

New York shot 51.7% from 3-point range to run away early. Quickly and Reggie Bullock combined to hit 6 of 9 3-point attempts in the win.

The Cavaliers got 19 points from Cedi Osman but finished with 21 turnovers while shooting 39.1%.

BULLS 105, THUNDER 103

At Oklahoma City, Lauri Markkanen had 22 points and Zach LaVine added 20 and the Bulls outscored the Thunder 34-13 in the fourth quarter to pull out the win.

Al Horford led the Thunder with 17 points and Aleksej Pokusevski had 12 points and 13 rebounds for Oklahoma City.

The Bulls won despite shooting 26.8% from 3-point range.

PELICANS 127, BUCKS 113

At New Orleans, Kris Middleton made 9 of 16 shots and finished with 29 points, but the Bucks still lost to the Pelicans without Giannis Antetokounmpo, who sat out with a sore back.

Zion Williamson was dominant with 31 points and nine rebounds for the Pelicans, creating even more anticipation for the start of his second NBA season. Lonzo Ball had 19 points and eight assists and Eric Bledsoe added 14 points to help lead the Pelicans to a strong outing in their final preseason game.

Its just tight, just a little bit of starting camp and getting in shape and all kind of the normal stuff, Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said of Antetokounmpos back. I think were very hopeful it will resolve and not be any issue.

NUGGETS 129, TRAIL BLAZERS 96

At Denver, the Nuggets got 24 points from Paul Millsap and 20 points and nine rebounds from Michael Porter Jr. in a rout of the Trail Blazers.

Millsap was 9 of 13 from the field and Nuggets had just nine turnovers. Bol Bol had a big game for Denver with 16 points and eight rebounds. Nikola Jokic scored 14 points and six rebounds in just 16 minutes of action in his final tuneup before the start of the regular season.

C.J. McCollum led the Blazers with 26 points on 8-of-20 shooting and Gary Trent Jr. added 18 points in the loss.

LAKERS 114, SUNS 113

At Phoenix, Anthony Davis scored 35 points, LeBron James added 20 and Los Angeles finished the preseason undefeated with a win over the Suns..

Davis shot 11 of 16 from the field, including 6 of 7 from 3-point range. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scored 15 points for the Lakers.

The Suns were winless in four preseason games. Devin Booker led Phoenix with 27 points.

The Suns jumped out to a 39-21 lead in the first quarter and led by as many 21 points during the first half. But the reigning NBA champs slowly cut into the deficit, pulling within 69-56 at halftime and 92-91 by the end of the third quarter when Davis hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer.

New Suns point guard Chris Paul, who was acquired in a trade with the Thunder last month, missed the game because of right ankle soreness.

___

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Irving leads rout of Celtics in return to Boston Garden - Las Vegas Sun

Courtesy of Save Red Rock

A memorial ride is set to take place virtually on Saturday, December 19 to honor the lives of five cyclists who were killed by a truck driver while on a group ride outside of Las Vegas.

On December 10, a group of about 16 cyclists was on an annual 130-mile ride they called the Nipton Loop. This years ride was organized to help celebrate a recent retirement and a birthday of two of the cyclists. It attracted the largest group in its 15 years of existence.

About 40 miles in, on a highway near Searchlight, Nevada, a person driving a box truck reportedly went off the road, swerved back on, hit the cyclists who were behind a support vehicle, and hit the support vehicle.

Five of the ridersAksoy Ahmet, 48, Michael Murray, 57, Gerrard Nieva, 41, Erin Ray, 39, and Tom Trauger, 57were pronounced dead at the scene. Four others, including the driver of the support vehicle, sustained injuries.

The driver of the truck was found to have methamphetamine in his system at the time of the crash, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. He was charged with five counts of DUI resulting in death, six counts of reckless driving resulting in death or substantial bodily harm, and one count of DUI resulting in substantial bodily harm.

Michael Anderson, a former Las Vegas Metro police officer who was on the group ride when the incident occurred, is now organizing a 100K virtual group ride for the friends he lost. The Nipton Loop Cyclists Memorial Ride starts at 7 a.m. PT on December 19 and will be hosted on Zwift. Anyone interested can register for the free event here.

The hope is to raise $100,000 to help the families of the victimsas of publish, more than $97,000 has been donated. You can contribute to the GoFundMe here.

Im leading the ride [on Saturday], and were gonna cry, were gonna laugh, and were gonna share stories. That is my hope, Anderson told Bicycling. We have people committed from all over the world so far. I even know some Australian cyclists who told me they were going to stay up until 1 a.m. to do it because it affected them so much.

Anderson added that anyone interested in doing the ride and does not have Zwift is encouraged to get out and ride this weekend on their own in solidarity.

I hope this never happens in your community, no matter what city, state, or country you live in, he said. I hope you dont ever have to go through this in your lifetime. I was a cop for almost 22 years. Ive seen stuff. I was able to operate. But when my friends are in the middle of the highway, torn to bits and shredded, I felt so helpless. I felt like I couldnt do a damn thing. I hope no one has to go though that, but I ask that we not stop cycling. I ask that we get back on the bike again and continue to be supportive.

Anderson and the local cycling community have received messages from all over the world. They even received a touching story about a young daughter of a cyclist who wanted to donate the $3 in her piggy bank to the GoFundMe fundraiser because she wanted to help.

There have been a few other organized events and fundraisers set up by local cycling groups in the wake of this tragedy. A vigil was held on Saturday, December 12, and the Las Vegas Cyclist Memorial Fund was also established for the families (you can donate to that here).

Donations have come in from all over so far, including a $20,000 personal contribution from Specialized founder and CEO Mike Sinyard.

We are so grateful for the generosity of people in Las Vegas and cycling, Heather Fisherthe president of Save Red Rock, which helped set up the memorial fundsaid in a press release sent to Bicycling. While we grieve this unthinkable loss and work to support the families of our friends, we realize that how Nevada responds to this tragedy will have significant impact. Our residents deserve peace of mind while cycling. Economically, outdoor recreation tourism is Nevadas future. Electric bikes are blowing up the market because they make cycling accessible to more people, so Nevada must cultivate safe outdoor recreation experiences for residents and visitors. Our state must be exemplary in leadership for safe cycling.

Additionally, Lamar Advertising, a local advertising agency, has donated 68 digital billboards to direct people to donate to the memorial fund, including billboards at Allegiant Stadium, where the NFLs Las Vegas Raiders played the Los Angeles Chargers on Thursday Night Football on December 17.

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Cyclists Killed Near Las Vegas Will Be Honored With a Virtual Memorial Ride - Bicycling

A 26-year-old mother of two was struck and killed by a vehicle Tuesday in the central Las Vegas Valley, police said.

At about 2:15 p.m., a 1996 Nissan Pathfinder heading west on Bonanza Road collided with a 2004 Ford Mustang that was heading north on Eastern Avenue and ran a red light at the intersection, Metropolitan Police Department Lt. Bret Ficklin said in a briefing at the scene. The crash forced the Nissan into the woman and her two kids, a 5-year-old boy and a 1-year-old girl in a stroller, who were on the sidewalk at the northwest corner of the intersection.

The 1-year-old remained in the stroller but was knocked to the side, and the 5-year-old was pinned under a car, according to Shannon Laviguer, a witness. All three were transported to University Medical Center, where the mother died and the children had nonlife-threatening injuries, police said.

After the Nissan hit the woman, she was pinned against a light pole until two pedestrians put the car in neutral and pushed it off her, according to Laviguer.

It was the most horrific accident Ive ever seen in my life, Laviguer said. Speeding through an intersection to get where you have to go is not worth it.

The driver of the Nissan, a 44-year-old woman, was transported to Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center with nonlife-threatening injuries, Ficklin said.

The driver of the Ford, a 15-year-old boy, remained at the scene, police said. He and his passenger, a 16-year-old girl, had minor injuries, according to a release from Metro.

Impairment was not suspected in the crash. This was the 97th traffic fatality investigated by Metro this year.

The woman lived in Las Vegas, police said, and will be identified by the Clark County coroners office.

Contact Mya Constantino at mconstantino@reviewjournal.com. Follow @searchingformya on Twitter. Review-Journal staff writers Katelyn Newberg and Sabrina Schnur contributed to this report.

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Mother of 2 struck, killed in central Las Vegas - Las Vegas Review-Journal

LAS VEGAS (KTNV) Although there will not be a massive fireworks display on the Las Vegas Boulevard on New Years Eve this year, the boulevard will still be closed.

According to Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, the world-famous Las Vegas Strip will be closed to vehicular traffic on New Years Eve.

The Strip will be closed from Spring Mountain Road to Russell Road. In previous years, it was closed from Sahara Avenue to Russell Road.

RELATED: Las Vegas no longer on Top 20 list of best cities for New Year's Eve, according to WalletHub

Additionally, there will be fewer Las Vegas police officers patrolling the Strip since they expect fewer people in the area, but the same number of officers will be on duty for the Las Vegas valley.

The only fireworks in the valley that are planned at this time will be from the roof of The Plaza hotel-casino in downtown Las Vegas.

New Years Eve celebrations, events in Las Vegas | 2020-2021

The Fremont Street Experience has canceled their NYE party plans and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority will host an online celebration to replace the fireworks show on the Strip.

RELATED: New Year's Eve party in downtown Las Vegas blocked due to uptick in coronavirus cases

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Las Vegas Strip will be closed to cars on New Year's Eve - KTNV Las Vegas

Steve Marcus/AP

Pre-game fireworks explode before the Las Vegas Bowl NCAA college football game at Sam Boyd Stadium, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2019, in LasVegas.

By Case Keefer (contact)

Friday, Dec. 18, 2020 | 2 a.m.

The Strip and other resorts feel particularly empty this week, and college football is part of the cause.

A pair of opposing fan bases would traditionally be descending on the destination this week with plans on attending the Las Vegas Bowl. Instead, bowl season starts on Monday, and for the first time in 28 years, Las Vegas will not be a part of it.

The Las Vegas Bowl was one of several postseason games canned as part of this most-fraught college football season contested amid a global pandemic. It wouldnt have been in its traditional spot this weekend anyway, but in a way, that makes its absence hurt worse.

The 2020 Las Vegas Bowl was supposed to be the start of a new era for the game, with SEC and Pac-12 teams squaring off at Allegiant Stadium in its first-ever post-Christmas date.

I guess theres always next year, the same message Im repeating to myself about betting on college football as this season continues to get away from me. Going into conference championship week, I sit at 205-229-4 against the spread picking every game that kicks off Friday or later 37-41-2 on plays, 53-54 on leans and 115-134-3 on guesses. So close to the first overall winner in more than a month last week, I crashed on the night slate to finish 17-17-1.

Read below for this weeks picks, separated by conference and labeled with one of three confidence categories. Lines are the best currently available in Las Vegas on the chosen side.

AAC

Tulsa +14.5 vs. Cincinnati, over/under: 46.5. Cincinnatis defense rates second in the nation in EPA (expected points added) per play. Tulsas inconsistent offense wont be able to score enough points to keep up. Lean: Cincinnati -14.5.

ACC (27-40-1)

Notre Dame +10.5 at Clemson in Charlotte, over/under: 60. Im hearing a lot of support for Notre Dame, so my real strategy here is to sit back and hope the number on Clemson drops a little bit. Either way, despite their loss earlier in the season, this is not a game the Tigers should have trouble with when theyre at full strength as they should be Saturday. Play: Clemson -10.5.

Florida State +6.5 at Wake Forest, over/under: 66. Contrasting results a week ago Florida State crushed Duke 56-35 as 3-point favorites while Wake Forest got demolished 45-21 as 1-point favorites has dropped this line a point or two. Based on the year as a whole, Wake Forest should be more than a touchdown favorite. Guess: Wake Forest -6.5.

Big Ten (21-23-2)

Nebraska -6.5 at Rutgers, over/under: 54. Rutgers has one more win than Nebraska this season 3 to 2 but its gotten outgained in every victory. The Scarlet Knights are now overvalued and havent beaten a team as talented as the Cornhuskers. Play: Nebraska -6.5.

Northwestern +20.5 vs. Ohio State in Indianapolis, over/under: 58.5. Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald is no dummy; hell slow the pace and increase the variance against a much more talented Ohio State side. If this gets to 21 or more, then the Wildcats become a play. Lean: Northwestern +20.5.

Illinois +15 at Penn State, over/under: 52. Number seems about right, but its hard to know what to expect out of Illinois under interim coach Rod Smith. Penn State, on the other hand, appears to have been on a mission the last few weeks to erase memories of its 0-5 start. Lean: Penn State -15.

Minnesota +12 at Wisconsin, over/under: 47.5. This pick might not be coming from the most rational perspective considering how often Wisconsin has burned me this year, but how could I lay 12 points with a team that usually cant score 12 points? Guess: Minnesota +12.

Michigan State +2.5 at Maryland, over/under: 50.5. Not only have both programs battled with COVID-19 outbreaks but now players are opting out before the final game. With uncertainty on who will even be available, this is a real coin flip. Guess: Michigan State +2.5.

Big 12 (21-24)

Oklahoma -6.5 vs. Iowa State in Arlington, Texas, over/under: 58. For the first time in years, Oklahomas defense has looked suffocating over the past couple months. Considering the competition level, Im not buying it; the Cyclones will be the best offense the Sooners have seen all season. Play: Iowa State +6.5.

Conference USA

UAB +5.5 at Marshall, over/under: 42. Marshalls 20-0 loss to Rice as 24.5-point favorites its last time out is one of the most inexplicable results of the season. But it might be best to just throw out considering the Thundering Herd had already clinched their spot in this conference championship game, and if you throw it out, they deserve to be a bigger favorite against the Blazers. Lean: Marshall -5.5.

MAC

Ball State +13.5 at Buffalo, over/under: 67.5. Ball State is experienced and tough, but Buffalo has been so far ahead of the rest of the MAC this year that it hasnt even played a close game. Its hard to bet against the Bulls right now. Guess: Buffalo -13.5.

Mountain West

Boise State -6.5 vs. San Jose State in Las Vegas, over/under: 54.5. San Jose State has been a terrific story but it's reached the conference championship game without facing any team anywhere close to as strong as Boise State. Theres a roster discrepancy here. Guess: Boise State -6.5.

Pac-12 (9-14-1)

Washington State +10.5 at Utah, over/under: 56. Utahs defense has played well but hasnt seen anything quite like Washington States version of the run and shoot. The Cougars are undervalued because theyve lost two in a row both straight-up and against the spread but those defeats came to USC and Oregon, the two teams in the Pac-12 Championship Game. Lean: Washington State +10.5.

Oregon +3 at USC, over/under: 64. In all likelihood, it looks like this game will turn into a shootout, and in a shootout, its hard to trust Oregons defense. The Ducks are already giving up 7.1 yards per pass attempt and havent seen anyone near as efficient as the Trojans Kedon Slovis. Lean: USC -3.

Stanford +7 at UCLA, over/under: 59. UCLA ranks 49th in the nation in EPA per play; Stanford sits at 82nd. Thats a big gap, maybe big enough to justify a number of more than a touchdown. Lean: UCLA -7.

Arizona State -7 at Oregon State, over/under: 54. The Sun Devils showed a level of efficiency and explosiveness that the Beavers dont have available in a 70-7 win over Arizona last week. Theres no guarantee they can keep it up, but this asking price isnt too high in the chance that they can come close. Guess: Arizona State -7.

SEC (34-30-1)

Mississippi -1.5 at LSU, over/under: 78.5. LSUs postgame win expectancy in its 37-34 victory over Florida last week by the SP+ ratings was 0.6%. In other words, it was one of the flukiest results ever and holds no predictive value going forward. Play: Ole Miss -1.5.

Alabama -17.5 vs. Florida in Atlanta, over/under: 74.5. Refer to the first sentence in the above game. This spread inexplicably rose 4.5 points based on a game where the Gators played poorly, sure, but didnt deserve to lose. If it squeaks out a victory over LSU, Florida would only be around a 14-point underdog here. Play: Florida +17.5.

Texas A&M -14 at Tennessee, over/under: 51. The Aggies arent explosive enough offensively to command this large of a point spread. The only team theyve beaten by this much all year is a South Carolina squad that was plummeting with injuries and opt outs. Lean: Tennessee +14.

Missouri -2 at Mississippi State, over/under: 49.5. Behind freshman quarterback Will Rogers, Mississippi State is on the rise. Behind a 35-point loss to Georgia where it was outgained by nearly 5 yards per play, Missouri is on the decline. Lean: Mississippi State +2.

Independents

Air Force -2.5 at Army, over/under: 37. Its an advantage that Air Force got a week to rest while Army engaged in a 15-0 physical win over Navy, but a 2.5-point advantage? That feels like too much, as I make this game near a straight pickem. Guess: Army +2.5.

Sun Belt

Louisiana-Lafayette +3.5 at Coastal Carolina, over/under: 55. Number seems right on, which is a little jarring with Coastal Carolina. The Chanticleers numbers have seemed high all year, and theyve covered anyway. Guess: Coastal Carolina -3.5.

Case Keefer can be reached at 702-948-2790 or [emailprotected]. Follow Case on Twitter at twitter.com/casekeefer.

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College football by the odds: Vegas picks and preview of every Week 16 game - Las Vegas Sun

A room at Elara booked for Monday through Airbnb is $79 with no resort fees. A nearly identical room booked for Monday through the hotel is $159.80, not including resort fees.

Condo or timeshare owners inside resort properties on and around the Strip are renting out their places on short-term rental sites like Airbnb and Vrbo. Their guests get many of the same amenities of a hotel stay in the resort corridor while avoiding some oft-maligned fees.

Its technically allowed, despite Clark Countys rocky relationship with short-term rental providers. Some resorts are friendlier than others to the practice, even though the Strip has historically viewed house-sharing platforms as a rival.

Its been a thing, and its been a thing for a number of years, according to Ted Newkirk, the founder of gaming and tourism tips website Access Vegas.

Rules, rules, rules

Clark County ordinances outlaw short-term rentals in residential areas.

But private owners inside of a Strip property can legally rent out their units, as long as they maintain a business license to operate the short-term rental, according to county spokesman Erik Pappa. The county enforces the ordinance through complaints.

Each Strip property has its own rules on short-term rentals as well.

MGM Resorts International permits its condo owners at The Signature at MGM Grand and Vdara to rent out their places through a company program or independently, the company said in a statement. The company added that independent renters must maintain a Clark County business license and pay applicable taxes.

More than 1,600 units at The Signature are privately owned out of 1,728, while just 148 of 1,495 units at Vdara are privately owned, the company said.

Westgate, while just east of the Strip, falls within the same set of county requirements that would permit short-term rentals. The property features just over 200 timeshare units, said Gordon Prouty, vice president of public and community relations.

Yet, Westgate doesnt offer a program for owners to rent out their timeshare units to third parties, and doing otherwise would violate property policies, he said.

However, the Owner does have the ability to send family and friends as Guests in the Owners place, Prouty wrote in an email.

That didnt stop someone from listing on Airbnb a boutique hotel room purportedly hosted by Westgate Las Vegas Resort. The ad highlighted a 400-square-foot room with a 60-inch TV, blackout curtains, an in-room safe and a mini-fridge.

As in-the-heart as it gets, adjacent to the Las Vegas Convention Center and just a block off the strip, the listing boasts. Vegas-y in all the right ways, with a Benihana restaurant and the Worlds Largest Race & Sports Book plus a monorail stop right onsite.

The listing remained up Friday. Its host didnt return a request for comment.

Additional short-term rental listings advertised stays at timeshare resort Jockey Club and hotel-condo Palms Place. Representatives for each didnt return requests for comment, nor did listed hosts for multiple short-term rentals at resorts on and around the Strip.

Airbnb declined to comment. Vrbo didnt return requests for comment.

So, whats the difference?

Guests will get many of the same amenities of a hotel stay as they would in a short-term rental stay.

This is my personal condo that I live in when Im in Vegas, but it has the feel of a hotel room, reads an Airbnb advertisement for a mans 540-square-foot Vdara suite, complete with a small kitchen, king-sized bed and living room. The listing notes several services available to guests, like pools, concierge, spas and fitness centers, though the COVID-19 pandemic may affect availability.

But the phrase most likely to grab peoples attention: No resort fees.

Stays booked through Airbnb frequently skew cheaper than those booked through the hotel itself, though savings could be offset by other fees.

The Vdara listing advertises an all-inclusive price of $50 for a Tuesday stay, but upon a room availability check, the Airbnb listing tacks on $87 in cleaning and service fees for a $137 stay. A similar room for the same night booked through Vdara would cost $187.08, including a $120 room rate, a resort fee and taxes.

A Palms Place ad for a penthouse condo with a kitchenette, a balcony and a view of the Strip advertises a $99 room rate with no resort fees for a late-December stay. Booking a similar room on the same date through the hotel website costs $219 per night with a $42.22 resort fee. Yet, the Airbnb ad also charges a $90 cleaning fee and a $27 service fee. Including taxes, the Airbnb room costs $241 and the hotel room costs $292.52.

Wouldnt want to give an inch

Its possible to own a room inside of a hotel thanks to a short-lived trend in the 2000s.

Many of the Strip or Strip-adjacent listings are relics of a bygone era: condos or timeshares in properties built during a condo boom during the mid- to late aughts, like Trump Tower, Elara and the CityCenter campus.

The Great Recession spelled the booms end and prompted some properties like The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, previously planned as a condo property, to pivot toward hotel operations, according to UNLV hospitality professor Mehmet Erdem. At the time, he said, short-term rental providers didnt pose the same threat of competition to resorts as they do now.

In an ideal world they obviously wouldnt want to give an inch to Airbnb, Erdem said.

A report by Telsey Group Advisory found Strip resorts may have lost out on as much as $150 million in revenue in 2018 as more visitors to Las Vegas book accommodations through Airbnb.

The president of an advocacy group for the states resorts said the group is monitoring the issue of short-term rentals.

Overall, strong enforcement measures are critical to effective regulations as is an equitable playing field that regulates and taxes these properties similarly to other highly regulated public accommodation facilities, Nevada Resort Association President Virginia Valentine said in a written statement.

Still, its not clear why a company like MGM would allow a resident to essentially run their own hospitality business. A company representative deferred questions to associated homeowners associations. Messages left at resident service desks for Palms Place, The Signature and Vdara werent returned.

Newkirk said a typical short-term rental guest is unlikely to throw money at the slots or go and rack up a $300 Wolfgang Puck deal. However, he said, some luxury resorts may put up with short-term rental guests inside their buildings because theyre willing to pay for a higher-end hotel in the first place.

I cant think its something theyre super happy about, Newkirk said of the resorts, if for nothing else, its competition, and now you have competition in your own building.

In some respects, it might make sense for a hotel operator to quasi-collaborate with a competitor to make more money where it can, Erdem said.

MGM permitting private renting within their properties can still bring in revenue via food, beverage, shopping, gambling or other means, Erdem said.

And, listings on short-term rental platforms could also be free advertising.

MGM is a well-known brand, Erdem said, but it doesnt have the advertising reach for its rooms in the same way a household brand like Airbnb does.

In a way, he said, Airbnb is doing the job of selling the room for them.

Condos and timeshares comprise just a fraction of the tens of thousands of rooms on the Strip, Erdem said. Fewer still are the private owners renting out their places.

Short-term rentals didnt pose a significant enough threat to topple the hotels prior to the pandemic, and the same likely goes for a post-pandemic economy, Newkirk said.

Still, he said, nobody likes competition.

Contact Mike Shoro at mshoro@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5290. Follow @mike_shoro on Twitter.

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Las Vegas Strip rooms listed on Airbnb, and without resort fees - Las Vegas Review-Journal

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Mother killed in east Las Vegas Valley crash identified by family - FOX5 Las Vegas

A month after the house fire that led to the death of tech entrepreneur Tony Hsieh, answers about what happened that night remain limited.

And an investigation that could reveal additional details is not expected to be finalized until next month at the earliest, according to Jeffrey Londregan, law director for the city of New London, Connecticut.

Hsieh, the former CEO of online shoe retailer Zappos, died Nov. 27 from complications of smoke inhalation following a fire that occurred nine days earlier at a home in New London. The Connecticut Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled the 46-year-olds death an accident.

Fire officials and police are conducting a joint investigation into the Nov. 18 fire.

What caused the fire remains unclear. There also are unanswered questions about whether Hsieh was trapped or barricaded during the fire, as both terms were used in archived emergency responder radio traffic.

Calls on Thursday to Fire Chief Thomas Curcio, an assistant for Police Chief Peter Reichard and Fire Marshal Vernon Skau were not returned.

Reports of drug use

Multiple news reports have indicated that Hsieh was abusing drugs in the months leading up to his death.

In August, the same month he retired as CEO of Zappos, Hsiehs family and friends were concerned for his welfare and were trying to get him into rehab, records obtained by the Las Vegas Review-Journal show.

However, the medical examiners office has offered no indication that substances played a role in Hsiehs death. The office did not perform a toxicology screening on Hsieh after he died, according to Linda Sylvia, executive secretary for the office.

Whether the hospital conducted a toxicology screening is unclear. A spokesman for Bridgeport Hospital, where Hsieh died, would not provide any information about the care Hsieh received or any tests that may have been performed, citing patient privacy.

And whether the autopsy conducted by the medical examiners office becomes public depends on whether Hsiehs family consents to its release. No one was available to handle media inquiries at the medical examiners office on Thursday.

At the moment, the Hsieh family are grieving a beloved son and brother and have nothing to say on the question of the autopsy report, Miguel Head, a spokesman for the family, said in a statement.

What Hsieh wanted done with his fortune also remains a mystery because he died without a will. Hsiehs father and a brother were appointed administrators of his estate early this month.

Contact Blake Apgar at bapgar@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5298. Follow @blakeapgar on Twitter.

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Questions linger after house fire that killed Tony Hsieh - Las Vegas Review-Journal