🌳 What’s killing trees in Vegas?

🌳 Did a Ban on Grass Kill Thousands of Trees?

We do our best in Vegas to preserve water, but did a ban on ornamental (or “useless”) grass go too far? A new lawsuit against the Southern Nevada Water Authority says the policy starved more than 100,000 trees, causing them to die. [KLAS]

• City Cast Las Vegas looks at the merit of the case, plus our obsession with master-planned communities and a Wing Bowl for chicken-wing fanatics in the latest Friday news roundup. [City Cast Las Vegas 🎧]

🚨Playin’ Politics with ICE

Democrats in Washington are threatening to defund ICE — and possibly allow another federal shutdown over it. Nevada’s two U.S. Senators are pitching something more moderate: shifting $75 million of President Trump’s $175 million immigration enforcement budget to local law enforcement instead. [Nevada Current]

🏠 Is Housing the Key to the Governor's Mansion?

Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford unveiled a housing plan in his quest to become governor. The Democrat wants to free up federal land for affordable housing and cut down on red tape for development (not unlike Gov. Lombardo, the guy he wants to replace). He also wants to ban home price fixing while cracking down on corporate homeownership (drawing a far greater contrast between the two). Notably absent from the plan: anything on rent control. [Nevada Independent]

🍔 Five Guys 2.0 Is Coming to Vegas

A new Five Guys burger joint is coming to the Venetian’s Grand Canal Shoppes, promising to be bigger, better, and BEEFIER 🐮 Well, maybe. The first-of-its-kind version of Five Guys will have a full bar, boozy shakes, and an all-day breakfast (making it sound an awful lot like Black Tap at the same property). [KSNV]

• Zippy’s is getting ready to open a fourth Las Vegas location for Hawaiian food, this time in Summerlin. [Las Vegas Review-Journal]

😃 Hey!

The Hey Las Vegas news quiz is back to test how well you pay attention to me. As always, the questions are based on stories featured in the newsletter over the past week.

Here’s the first question to get you started:

Who holds the record for most nights booked during the same tour at Allegiant Stadium?

• BTS
• Taylor Swift
• Morgan Wallen
• Beyoncé
• The International Brotherhood of Jazz Dancers, Pastry Chefs, and Nuclear Technicians

Once again, our City Cast Las Vegas Neighbors get to shout out their favorite local people, places, and things.

• 📣 Nate E. is a fan of the Las Vegas Brewing Company, “where the food is as good as the beer (except the beer is better because it's beer).”
• 📣 Sandy A. can’t get enough of Juan’s Flaming Fajitas.
• 📣 Sam U. and Kris S. both rave about the Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve in separate shoutouts. Sam says it’s a “beautiful place to stroll” with “the friendliest of staff,” while Kris says “it provides an opportunity for calm” to “see different birds every time and if you're lucky, you’ll see the tortoise!”

Become a City Cast Las Vegas Neighbor to share your own shoutout in our newsletter and podcast.

🙏 A big thank you to our latest City Cast Las Vegas Neighbors who signed up: Jeffrey C., Anna A., and Leslie A. Your support means the world to us!