Benjamin Leffel In The News

K.S.N.V. T.V. News 3
Reno and Las Vegas are the two fastest-warming cities in the entire country. Tonight we take a look at what neighboring Arizona is doing to address similar heat challenges, and whether those steps can work in Nevada.
K.S.N.V. T.V. News 3
The Vegas Valley was experiencing extreme heat on Monday, leading Clark County to activate its cooling stations around town.
Brit Brief
A ride on Elon Musk's Vegas Loop reveals an underwhelming, slow tunnel system far from original promises. Critics call it a private transit scam benefiting developers, not the public.
The Guardian
Ten years ago, after complaining that traffic was ‘driving him nuts’, Musk’s Boring Company began building underground tunnels to ease congestion on the roads. Did he overpromise and underdeliver?
Las Vegas Review Journal
Reno and Las Vegas have again topped the list of the nation’s fastest-warming cities, according to an annual Earth Day analysis of temperatures since 1970. Climate Central, an independent nonprofit made up of scientists, says the average annual temperatures of Reno and Las Vegas have risen 7.9 and 6 degrees, respectively, during that period. It’s a challenge as those cities work to prevent heat-related deaths by increasing tree canopy, shade in public spaces and designated cooling centers.
Nashville Scene
For a project billing itself as “express public transportation,” little about The Boring Company’s proposed Music City Loop follows the traditional playbook. State officials, including Gov. Bill Lee, have promoted the tunneling project as fast, privately financed and built without taxpayer dollars. Critics argue that the framing may be misleading and question whether the proposed Loop project functions as public transit at all.
The Cool Down
An image showing dozens of private jets clustered at a Las Vegas airport was shared in the r/vegaslocals subreddit recently, quickly catching attention as users tried to make sense of the sudden surge in luxury air traffic. The post asked, "Why so many private jets? What's going on in the city?" Commenters agreed that a crowd of private jets could mean a major conference, high-profile sporting event, or entertainment event was drawing wealthy visitors into town.
The Cool Down
Regulators have hit Elon Musk's The Boring Company with fines for almost 800 different environmental violations they said have taken place as part of the company's Las Vegas tunneling project, ProPublica reported.