🚔 Police pay up for a beatdown

👮 The Price of a Police Beating? $450K

He was beaten, struck by a Taser, and hit in the head with a rifle by Henderson Police. Now, after a two-week trial, a jury has awarded James Herndon $450,000 in damages. Herndon was a sporting goods store manager who confronted a suspected shoplifter and both ended up on the wrong end of a beatdown by police. [Las Vegas Review-Journal]

🛎️ String of Burglaries Reported at the Rio

At least three people have reported burglaries during recent stays at the Rio with thousands in cash and property lost. One guest even said it happened while he was sleeping. The Rio is in the middle of renovations under new ownership, but there are no cameras in the hallways. Thus, no leads on any suspects. [KTNV]

• So about those renovations… I’m a big fan of the Rio’s new food hall 😋 [Hey Las Vegas ✍️]

🥇 We’re #1!

In unemployment 😒 Despite job growth overall, Nevada continues to have the nation’s highest unemployment rate at 5.3%. While hiring at new resorts like the Fontainebleau and Durango helped, the Silver State still hasn’t bounced back to pre-pandemic employment rates. [KLAS]

• It doesn’t help that A.I. is threatening to take over Las Vegas hotel jobs. [City Cast Las Vegas 🎧]

🌊 Lake Mead Dwindling Again

It was too good to last. After rainy weather and melting snowpacks helped refill Lake Mead in recent months, we’re back down in the opposite direction. The lake is expected to drop 19 feet over the next six months. So get ready to see more bodies and abandoned boats resurface. [KLAS]

• It makes you wonder if Las Vegas could survive without Lake Mead. [City Cast Las Vegas 🎧]

Okay, even with a blurry background, you’ve probably figured out this photo was taken at a casino. But who is this stern-faced, tired-looking cowboy?

Is this…

A. Whiskey Pete at Whiskey Pete’s in Primm.

B. Buffalo Bill at Buffalo Bill’s in Primm.

C. An unnamed cowboy guarding the exhibit of a million dollars in cash at Binion's on Fremont Street.

D. A miner standing near a bucket of gold at Mystic Falls in Sam’s Town.

Scroll down for the correct answer!

An Inside Look at Las Vegas’s New Marijuana Lounge

The first non-tribal cannabis consumption lounge is now open in Las Vegas. What's it really like to step inside and order from the menu? City Cast Las Vegas co-host Dayvid Figler and myself paid a visit with producer Layla Muhammad and discussed the experience with co-host Sarah Lohman.