💦 If Lake Mead rises an inch, that’s how many gallons?

🤔 Stepping Down

Whether government employees should also serve as legislators is a hot constitutional topic. But it won’t be an issue if Democratic Assemblywoman Sabra Smith Newby is confirmed next week as Las Vegas deputy city manager: She says she’ll step down from the Legislature. She was appointed in January. [Nevada Current]

• Context: Many lawmakers have day jobs. Should they? [City Cast Las Vegas 🎧]

🌊 How Much Water Is an Inch?

Nice bit of water math from Channel 8: Every inch Lake Mead rises means another 2 billion gallons, or about 6,000 acre-feet, or about what my neighbor uses to wash his car every Saturday. The lake has risen 27 billion gallons in the last week or so — you do the math. (I can’t. 🤷) [KLAS]

• Context: A water-woes primer. [City Cast Las Vegas 🎧]

🐴 Where’s the Horse Sense?

Nevada is a central stage for one of the West’s urgent land-use issues: wild horse management. If you’re only glancingly familiar with the issue, this story will illustrate the tragic, probably unbridgeable divergence between the federal agency tasked with managing the horses, and the advocates who want the process reformed. [Nevada Independent]

🎤 The Adele Thing

Still not sure what to think of Adele berating security at her Colosseum show for removing a standing fan? Well, follow along as Scott “Vital Vegas” Roeben evolves his own opinion beyond his initial “sit down and shut up” response. [Casino.org]

🎙️ This Podcast Was Better When the Mob Was in Charge

Journalist Corey Levitan joins the podcast to myth-bustingly quiz co-hosts Vogue Robinson and Dayvid Figler about seven tales of the mob in Las Vegas. [City Cast Las Vegas 🎧]

🗑️ Trash Decisions

Thanks to this reader for pointing out how much rubbish we apparently toss from our vehicles:

Karel Munao: “As I drive down 215 to the airport, I can't believe the amount of litter and garbage on the side of the road! I decided to use Summerlin Parkway. Tons of litter also. Trash on Town Center Road. I have driven long distances throughout our beautiful country and never see the trash on the side of the road as I do in Las Vegas. Just one question: Why?”

🚘🚘🚘 Paved Paradise

Responses to an item noting that 32% of downtown Las Vegas is devoted to parking, far more than in some very large eastern cities. Is it too much?

RDM: “32% parking is too much. Build affordable housing over retail, or plant open space to cool the environment. Never understood why people don’t or can’t put houses on top of parking garages.”

Melissa: “If I have to pay for parking or drive around for 30 minutes to find a parking space two miles from where I want to be, I won't go. I will make the effort at first, but the harder it gets the more likely I am to find another business that has more accessible parking.”

Te Ann: “East Coasters have a walking culture. They have nearby stores and bodegas. Parking isn’t a necessity. West Coasters drive everywhere, even the corner store. Parking is essential if you want to be in business. The West Coast has space and was developing after cars were invented. It’s a totally different mindset.”

👉 Reader Cathy R. urges you to use the City of Las Vegas’ downtown shuttle if you have to park far from your destination.

Department of Good Questions

📚 Reading by James Norman, Tohm Bakelas | Thursday | 7:30 p.m.

Poets Norman (from Las Vegas) and Bakelas (New Jersey) read from their new books. Also, music by No Red Alice and Davey Francis. [Dive Bar, Maryland and Flamingo; free]

• Context: A bouncy short interview with Norman about poetry for the people. [Hey Las Vegas 📧]

🎻 ‘Music for Emily Dickinson’ | Thursday | 7:30 p.m.

Violinist Karen Bentley-Pollick and UNLV piano professor Timothy Hoft perform two works by local composer Virko Baley that include or were inspired by the works of the American poet. [Doc Rando Recital Hall, at UNLV; free]

🥃🎭 Shotspeare’s ‘Othello’ | Thursday, Saturday, Monday | 8 p.m.

A bawdy, adults-only, booze-intensive, alterna-Bard presentation of Shakespeare’s great tragedy. Sounds wild! [Vegas Theatre Company, in the Arts District; $22.50]

🐇🦫🦉🦎🦂🦄 Living With Wildlife | Friday | 11 a.m.

Learn from the Nevada Department of Wildlife about the creatures great and small that live in and around the valley. [Centennial Hills Library; free]

• For more: We have a whole bunch of brief stories about local nature. [Hey Las Vegas 📧]
• Even more: Let’s talk about all the coyotes coming to town. [City Cast Las Vegas 🎧]

Busting the Biggest Mob Myths in Vegas

The mob’s violent reputation and history of shaping Las Vegas together create the perfect conditions for myths to flourish. Casino.org journalist Corey Levitan leads co-hosts Vogue Robinson and Dayvid Figler through seven popular mob myths and challenges them to determine whether these stories are fact or fiction.