Vegas TMI Podcast

Hear from two key staff members from the UNLV School of Nursing about the nursing shortage, what is being done to fix the nursing shortage, the education required for nursing and much more. Learn more about the Las Vegas Medical District: lasvegasmedicaldistrict.com

According to the National Low Income Housing Coalition, there is a shortage of rental homes affordable and available in Nevada for households whose incomes are at or below the poverty guideline; there are only 20 affordable and available rentals for every 100 extremely low-income renter household in Nevada. The data shows that there is a deficit of more than 100,000 affordable and available rental units in Southern Nevada. The Nevada Housing Coalition was created to develop strategies and goals to address the state’s affordable housing shortfall through community action and policy changes. We are joined by the Coalition’s Executive Director Christine Hess and board member Patrick Petrie from our very own city of Las Vegas Office of Community Services team.

On Aug. 16, 2021 the federal government, prompted by the low water levels in Lake Mead, issued a water shortage declaration on the Colorado River. In January 2022, Southern Nevada’s water allocation was reduced by 7 billion gallons, enough water to serve 45,000 homes This #WorldWaterDay we spoke with the Southern Nevada Water Authority about the community's allocation & conservation efforts. Learn more: https://www.lasvegasnevada.gov/News/Blog/Detail/lake-mead-water-shortage

People sometimes wonder if there is a homeless problem in Las Vegas. Like most communities there is but in this conversation on Twitter Spaces we hear from the city's Community Services Director and The Salvation Army on the many programs and services available to help the homeless like a homeless recuperative center, the new improved Homeless Courtyard, feeding and clothing the homeless, the MORE Outreach program , the Salvation Army and more. Learn more at lasvegasnevada.gov/homeless

The pandemic has continued to challenge how our children are being educated. However, community partnerships have emerged as a bright spot and helped transform these challenges into manageable circumstances for many students. We’re discussing how our community partners are all working to support students.

There are estimated to be more than 24.9 million people, adults and children, subjected to human trafficking around the world, including the United States. Sadly, Nevada ranks ninth in the nation for human trafficking. Many organizations in the community are working daily to support individuals who have been impacted by this issue, often on a 24/7 basis to meet the myriad needs of clients.

As we approach the end of 2021,we mark a tragic milestone - the deadliest year on our roadways in a decade. There has been a 24% increase in fatal accidents this year. We are joined by two experts in the traffic safety field to talk about the state of roadway safety and what more can be done to prevent this tragic loss of lives. Guests: Joey Paskey, Deputy Director/Transportation Manage, city of Las Vegas Public Works department Andrew Bennett, the public information officer for the Office of Traffic Safety and Zero Fatalities initiative for the state of Nevada.

Today, the Fremont Street Experience drives 24 million visitors annually to downtown Las Vegas and covers five city blocks with direct access to eight downtown hotel-casinos. However, when the space opened in December 1995, no one was quite sure how everything would turn out. We’re joined by experts to talk about how the Fremont Street Experience changed the tourism experience in Las Vegas when it opened and, 26 years later, has only continued to do so. Guests: Andrew Simon, Chief Executive Officer Fremont Street Experience and longtime Las Vegan. Bill Marion, principal and partner of Purdue Marion & Associates Public Relations, native Las Vegan and historian Jan Jones Blackhurst, who was the city of Las Vegas mayor from 1991 to 1999, including during the opening of the Fremont Street Experience in 1995. She also sits on the board of directors of several organizations: Caesars Entertainment the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority and the Las Vegas Stadium Authority, which owns Allegiant Stadium. She is also CEO-in-residence at the International Gaming Institute at UNLV.

By 2050, it is projected that Las Vegas’ population will grow by 300,000 people! As you can imagine, this is expected to put a strain on our already limited resources. For example, water, which is already dealing with a shortage from the due to climate change affecting the Colorado River. But anticipating these factors, we decided to be proactive, and this has put us ahead of the curve in ensuring our city and our residents continue to flourish. Thanks to the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED for Cities rating system framework -- we crafted our 2050 Master Plan, which is a 30-year comprehensive plan to make us a leader in resilient, healthy cities that foster community-driven implementation while improving the quality of life for all residents. The 2050 Master Plan will also give residents access to services, education, and jobs: masterplan.vegas Guests: Hilari Varnadore of LEED for Cities program at USGBC Marco Velotta, city of Las Vegas’ sustainability team.

When it comes to the COVID-19 vaccine -- experts say it is safe, effective, and free, but it's also a hot-button issue because some folks aren't on board. And when you mention the vaccine and kids, well, that creates even more of a mixed bag of reactions and emotions. Experts join us to talk about everything you need to know about the FDA and CDC-approved Pfizer vaccine for kids ages 5-11. JoAnn Rupiper -- Chief Administrative Nurse at the Southern Nevada Health District Rebecca Dirks Garcia -- President of the Nevada PTA Dr. Tal Minuskin, MD -- Pediatrician Find a vaccine location: https://covid.southernnevadahealthdistrict.org/vaccine/distribution/