In The News: Department of History

As the investigation continues into the tragedy in Minnesota that left State Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband dead, as well as State Sen. John Hoffman and his wife wounded, News 3 spoke with Dr. Michael Green, an associate professor in the University of Nevada, Las Vegas', Department of History about the rise in political violence across the country.
On this episode of The Middle Ground Radio Show, Tom Letizia welcomes Dr. David G. Schwartz — acclaimed author, gaming historian, and UNLV Ombuds — for a deep conversation on the rich history and evolving future of Las Vegas. From his global journey through the origins of gambling in Roll the Bones, to the golden era glamour of At the Sands, and the bold vision of Jay Sarno in Grandissimo, Dr. Schwartz shares powerful insights about what made Las Vegas what it is — and where it might be heading.
Since at least the early 1900s, Las Vegas has been known as Sin City, a place meant to be an adult playground where anything goes. Historically, that playground included a heavy dose of gambling and alcohol, along with all manner of nightlife.

With big holidays like Memorial Day –that just passed –Fourth of July, and Labor Day, Las Vegas brings in thousands of people. However, as the years have gone by Las Vegas is experiencing a mixed bag in its tourism sector, with some metrics showing positive trends and others indicating a decline.
Sure, Frank “Lefty” Rosenthal secretly ran the Stardust, Fremont, Marina, and Hacienda casinos in Las Vegas for the Chicago branch of the mafia from 1974 to 1978. That’s without even possessing a gaming license, ensuring the syndicate a “skim” of at least $1.6 million, and probably much more. But Frank “Lefty” Rosenthal was also the very first operator of a Las Vegas Strip resort to hire female dealers for table games, which makes him a champion for women’s rights. And that makes up for at least some of the bad stuff in his legacy, right?

La Concha Motel, Huntridge Theater and Mormon Fort are among three Southern Nevada locations that Preserve Nevada has designated as the state’s “most endangered historic places.” The statewide historic preservation organization this week released its annual list of 12 “Silver State treasures” at greatest risk of destruction during Historic Preservation Month in May.
Preserve Nevada this week released its 2025 list of the state’s most endangered sites, again listing Reno’s Lear Theater among the threatened entities. This year’s list increased to 12, up from 11 in past years, and it includes locations and concepts across Nevada preservation experts say should be protected.
UNLV and Preserve Nevada updated their ongoing list of the state’s most endangered historic places. New additions include La Concha, a vintage motel that’s now the lobby of the Neon Museum, but may not survive a location change, the Commercial Hotel in Elko, and Florence Mine in Goldfield. The work and employment of historians are also at risk, due to funding cuts at national parks and monuments.

The poker game was fixed — that’s the story anyway. An out-of-work miner got “caught gambling crooked,” so the dealer pulled a pistol and emptied six bullets into the man, so says the 1915 coroner’s report. Three of those bullets shot clear through the Pioneer Saloon’s prefabricated walls, marring the pressed tin near the front door. The lore and mythos of the 112-year-old Pioneer Saloon is as alive today as it was the day those bullets penetrated its walls. Steeped in American nostalgia, Nevada saloons are crucial artifacts of early Nevada history — as raucous as the men and women who packed them, as rich in community as their towns’ earth was in silver, and as roughshod and brutal as the boom-and-bust mining camps where they were built.
Melania Trump appeared to be all business to join President Trump for Monday’s signing of the Take It Down Act.
Storing more than a century of American IDs, the program’s database is a go-to resource for cultural historians — and a source of inspiration for parents-to-be.
The Korea Economic Institute of America (KEI) recently led a delegation to Las Vegas, Nevada, to gain a firsthand look at the city’s role within the U.S.-South Korea relationship and its influential network of Korean American community and business leaders. Across a range of sectors, from advanced manufacturing and clean technologies to creative industries and entertainment, the city of Las Vegas and southern Nevada more broadly offer great business incentives for Korean companies looking to expand in the United States.