City Cast Las Vegas

Las Vegas is buzzing ahead of the largest In-N-Out and Five Guys openings on the Strip, so we dig into where locals are actually finding the city’s best burgers right now. Food influencers break down what makes a real smash burger, where pub-style classics still shine, and which low-key spots and fancy kitchens are worth the drive. Jeremy “Bullet Head” Johnson and Giselle D’souza of NothingToDoLVE...

After a brutal season, the Raiders finally have something fans can feel cautiously optimistic about. With a top coaching prospect headed to the Super Bowl this weekend and big decisions looming, we ask if this could be the moment things start to turn around. Las Vegas Review-Journal sports anchor Heidi Fang joins host Sonja Cho Swanson to break down what went wrong, what a new coach and No. 1 draf...

The federal funding whiplash has left Nevada’s nonprofit sector bracing for impact, with cut programs, lost staff, and unanswered questions about what comes next. We zoom out on why uncertainty can be just as damaging as outright cuts, and how shaky federal dollars ripple through healthcare, housing, and food access across Southern Nevada. Miles Dickson, founder of Nevada GrantLab, joins host Sonj...

It's officially February, which means we are full of love for our city and all it has to offer! Between the Death Valley superbloom, a new Elvis doc, and the James Beard semi-finalists announcement, there's plenty of reasons to be out and about this month. Host Sonja Cho Swanson is joined by newsletter editor Rob Kachelreiss and Nevada Current reporter Michael MJ Lyle to share the events they can'...

Nevada Prep Charter School was already planning a closure after reports emerged about hundreds of disciplinary issues — but now it's facing calls for the Attorney General's office to investigate possible financial misdoings. What's going on here, and what does this incident say about the state of charter schools in our state? Host Sonja Cho Swanson sits down with Channel 8 morning anchor John Lang...

Across the country, concerns about immigration enforcement are mounting. Host Sonja Cho Swanson sits down with Athar Haseebullah, Executive Director of the ACLU of Nevada, to break down the practical realities of encounters with Immigration and Customs Enforcement here in Las Vegas — what the law actually allows and what every resident should know. With community fears rising and ongoing debates a...

Las Vegas just notched a record-breaking 14 James Beard Award semifinalist nominations, and the city’s food scene is feeling the heat — in a good way. Host Sonja Cho Swanson sits down with Eric Gladstone, founder of restaurant PR group Feast of Friends, to unpack what this moment means for chefs, restaurants, and Vegas’ national reputation. From surprise nominees to long-overdue recognition, they...

While Las Vegas is known as the gambling capital of the country, newer online vices are popping up that could be competition for our city's biggest offer – casinos. Prediction markets like Kalshi and Polymarket allow users to "trade real-world events" by predicting anything from the outcome of a sporting event to the weather in New York City. It sounds a lot like gambling, but is it? Rick Velotta,...

While Nevada has a long history of old family names in politics (think the Goodmans, the Reids), the list of candidates that have filed to run in 2026 in Southern Nevada contains a shockingly low number of legacy names. How much power do these famous families still hold? Co-hosts Sarah Lohman and Dayvid Figler talk with UNLV history professor Michael Green to talk about the political dynasties of...

Amid rallying cries on the left of "defund ICE," the Senators from Nevada, Catherine Cortez-Masto and Jacky Rosen, have proposed a middleground solution: Diverting close to half of the $175 billion in Big Beautiful Bill funds earmarked for the agency towards local law enforcement. Will it work? And does it matter? Today, host Sonja Cho Swanson talks with Nevada Current editor April Corbin Girnus a...

Because we have new restaurants popping up all the time in Las Vegas, that unfortunately means that we lose a lot of great spots too. So many of our favorite eateries closed in 2025, so City Cast Las Vegas contributor and man about town Brent Holmes joined host Dayvid Figler to discuss substitutes for the places they were sad to see go. Plus, they chat about what last year's closures say about the...

Earlier this month, the CDC dropped several vaccines from its list of recommended childhood vaccinations. What does that mean for us here in Southern Nevada, and should we be concerned? Host Sonja Cho Swanson talks with medical epidemiologist Dr. Rosanne Sugay from the Southern Nevada Health District about how Nevada's vaccination rates stack up against neighboring states, and the challenges that...

Huntridge Park has been fenced off since 2020, stranded in the middle of Maryland Parkway and stuck in decades of controversy. Host Sonja Cho Swanson talks with Friends of Huntridge Park co-founders Freddy Godinez and Randy Mendre about the park’s turbulent history, from its postwar heyday to repeated closures tied to safety, access, and homelessness. They lay out why some neighbors would rather k...

Back with another Friday News Roundup, host Sonja Cho Swanson is joined by Battle Born Progress press secretary Jacob Solis and Nevada Independent opinions editor Andrew Kiraly to unpack the week's biggest and buzziest headlines. This week, they discuss the lawsuit against the Southern Nevada Water Authority over its ornamental grass ban and the new master-planned community coming to the northwest...

A recent Wall Street Journal article spelled doom and gloom for the pizza industry, citing the closure of multiple chains and the rising cost to buy a slice. Are Las Vegans following suit? Longtime pizza industry veteran John Arena of Metro Pizza and Robby Cunningham, owner of the newly-opened Guerilla Pizza, tell us what Vegas customers want, why margins are especially precarious in pizza, and wh...

After all the ups and downs of the last year, Las Vegas needs something to look forward to. And that's the year 2028, newsletter editor Rob Kachelriess tells host Sonja Cho Swanson. Our city has some enormous ambitions shaping up that year, from the political to the architectural, and it could transform Las Vegas as we know it. Learn more about the sponsors of this January 14th episode: Nevada Hea...

At this year's Consumer Electronics Show, AI was the acronym on everyone's lips. From AI agents to smart toilets, it seems like there's no corner untapped by artificial intelligence. Host Sonja Cho Swanson is joined by tech commentator and podcaster Ed Zitron and newsletter editor Rob Kachelriess to discuss what they saw at CES this year. Plus, they debate whether AI will change Las Vegas tourism...

Will there ever be another Nevadan as powerful as Harry Reid? In his new biography of the late senator, Nevada Independent CEO Jon Ralston dissects Reid's legacy in Las Vegas, his ruthlessness, and why rural Nevadans hated him so much. Plus, host Dayvid Figler asks about some of the stories that ended up on the cutting room floor. "The Game Changer: How Harry Reid Remade the Rules and Showed Democ...

The first Friday News Roundup of the year takes stock of what’s already shaping 2026 in Las Vegas, from the uncertain future of New Orleans Square in the Historic Commercial Center to what preservation could cost the city. Host Sonja Cho Swanson is joined by Nevada Current reporter Michael MJ Lyle and executive producer Layla Muhammad to unpack a new Vegas Loop airport drop-off service and what it...

Is your New Year's Resolution to branch out and try more restaurants and bars in Las Vegas this year? Well, you're in luck! Food writer Jason Harris and @nothingtodolveats founder Giselle D'souza join host Sarah Lohman to discuss their most anticipated new restaurants coming to Las Vegas in 2026. Plus, their picks for which existing restaurants deserve more hype this year.  Learn more about the sp...

The Michelin Guide is returning to Las Vegas in 2026, and not everyone is popping Champagne. Food writers John Curtas and Lorraine Blanco Moss join host Sonja Cho Swanson to debate whether the once-gold standard still means something — or if it’s just expensive hype — and what it could actually change about the city’s dining scene. Plus, their picks for the Vegas restaurants most likely to earn st...

Bingo is making a surprising comeback on the Las Vegas Strip, and it’s not just for retirees anymore. We talk with Plaza Hotel CEO Jonathan Jossel about how bingo never really left town and why it’s suddenly clicking with new generations. From packed super bingo tournaments downtown to Circus Circus’ big bet on the game, Jossel explains how payouts, hospitality, and community keep players coming b...

Nobody understands a city’s pulse quite like a City Cast host — and that makes them the best predictors for 2026’s biggest local stories. City Cast Las Vegas host Dayvid Figler joins CEO David Plotz and the other 12 hosts from across the network to talk about the big changes coming to our cities, from political shifts to data centers. We’re on social media! Follow us @CityCastVegas on⁠ Instagram⁠....

After the fireworks of NYE fizzle out, Vegas goes a little quiet in January. Whether you're hibernating at home or looking for excuses to get out and about, we've got you covered: Dayvid Figler and Sarah Lohman are joined by Melinda Sheckells, editor of the Town Magazine, to talk Indian cuisine, local theater, and the best Elvis reenactment in town. If you're new here, welcome! We’ve put together...

Can you imagine if the mob still ran Las Vegas today? Co-host Sarah Lohman talks with Geoff Schumacher, VP of Exhibits and Programs at The Mob Museum, about what life used to be like in our city — and why nostalgia for this era is so prevalent today. Also, heads up: We've got an extended cut in the members-only feed that goes into the origins of the Vegas mob and all the businesses they ran in tow...