As wind roars and trees bloom, officials say pollen levels in the Las Vegas Valley are the highest they’ve been in years. UNLV Pollen Monitoring Program Lab Supervisor Asma Tahir says mulberry pollen levels are “extremely high,” with pine and grass pollen levels following closely behind. Tahir says last year’s colder and longer winter delayed the spring season, which could be partially to blame for the high pollen count.

Clark County students can now enter for the chance to see their art on the Sphere this summer. On Thursday, Sphere Entertainment Co. announced the inaugural Sphere XO Student Design Challenge, which will give select Clark County students the chance to see their artwork on the Exosphere. The challenge is a collaboration between the Sphere, Clark County School District, and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, according to organizers.

The Sphere in Las Vegas announced it will launch a new student challenge with the prize of featuring artwork on the Exosphere. The inaugural Sphere XO Student Design Challenge is described as a collaboration between the venue and Clark County School District and UNLV. More than 100,000 Clark County-based students will be able to create art for the Exosphere, according to Sphere Entertainment.

The Chickasaw Nation is forming a private capital investment firm in Dallas. The firm, Pennington Creek Capital, will be led by Dallas-based Hicks Equity Partner managing director Curt Crofford. It’s the Native American tribe’s second public investment in private equity after it launched Good Springs Capital out of New York in July 2023.

Sphere Entertainment Co. today announced the inaugural Sphere XO Student Design Challenge – a first-of-its-kind partnership with the greater Las Vegas community that, for the very first time, gives select members of the general public the opportunity to see their art featured on the Exosphere. The Sphere XO Student Design Challenge is a collaboration between Sphere and the Clark County School District (CCSD) and University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) that will provide more than 100,000 Clark County-based students with an unprecedented opportunity to create art for the Exosphere.

Desi-Rae Young had 18 points, 10 rebounds and six steals to lead No. 21 UNLV to its third consecutive Mountain West Championship, defeating San Diego State 66-49 on Wednesday night. Top-seeded UNLV becomes the first Mountain West team to win both the regular season and tournament championships three years in a row.

Someone needed to liven up the proceedings. Moments after the UNLV women’s basketball team had won the Mountain West tournament for the third straight year, cut down the net at the Thomas & Mack Center for the third straight year, punched their ticket to the big dance for the third straight year, the postgame press conference started to take on a “same old, same old” vibe.

The UNLV women’s basketball team was closing in on winning its third straight Mountain West tournament championship and making its third straight NCAA Tournament appearance. But senior center Desi-Rae Young had to make one more play. The top-seeded Lady Rebels were less than a minute away from officially punching their ticket with a 66-49 win over No. 7 San Diego State on Wednesday night at the Thomas & Mack Center.

During this year’s Super Bowl in Las Vegas, fans were stunned to see hotel rates skyrocket, with budget properties charging ultra-luxury prices. The following month, I received my own surprise: A night at some of the same lodgings on the Strip cost less than a stadium beer and pretzel.