With Passover coming up, you might just have brisket, kugel, rugelach, and matzo ball soup on your mind — so where can you get the best Jewish deli food around town? Co-hosts Dayvid Figler (who grew up in Las Vegas's Jewish community) and Sarah Lohman (a culinary historian) bring back a conversation about the history of the Jewish deli, how "kosher-lite" cuisine came to Las Vegas, and how they rate the Jewish delis in the valley. Learn more about the sponsors of this April 10th episode: The Neon...
Apr 10, 2025•24 min
Well, we've really done it now — even the famously nice Canadians are avoiding travel to the U.S. And for Las Vegas in particular, that's a big problem, because our number one source of international visitors is (you guessed it) Canada. About 1.4 million of them visited Vegas in 2023. But, as the Nevada Independent recently reported , that number is starting to plummet. Today, co-host Dayvid Figler talks with Graham MacLennan, a lawyer, podcaster, and Canadian who loves Las Vegas. Graham explain...
Apr 09, 2025•23 min
Nevada is one of America’s most diverse states for insect life but many of these species are at risk of extinction with no statewide protections. And as the City of North Las Vegas begins planning for a new development on 7,000 acres of land received from the Bureau of Land Management, how should we ensure the safety of endemic species? Could these protections actually streamline development? Co-host Sarah Lohman sits down with Amy Alonzo from The Nevada Independent. Alonzo explains a proposal i...
Apr 08, 2025•23 min
Clark County had 11 cyclist deaths on our roads last year — bike safety advocates say our road design and driving culture are partly to blame. They're backing a counterintuitive bill this legislative session: AB 168 would allow cyclists to disregard stop signs and keep pedaling through intersections. Co-host Dayvid Figler talks with Ky Plaskon, secretary at the Nevada Bicycle Coalition, and David Swallow, Deputy CEO at the Regional Transportation Commission, about why AB 168 is needed, the stats...
Apr 07, 2025•24 min
Thirty-four of the Wetlands Park's 210 acres burned this week in a wildfire that took on surprising proportions — so what does it mean when a fire is "human caused," and what common plant could be at the root of the problem? Co-hosts Sarah Lohman and Dayvid Figler talk with Battle Born Progress press secretary Jacob Solis about the wildfire, explore how a decades-old abortion law was brought back to life, and rate the news about the unlicensed seven tigers seized on Wednesday: How "Pahrump" is t...
Apr 04, 2025•34 min
Not all Las Vegans are vegan, but we've actually got a surprisingly robust vegan food scene — and it's good enough that omnivores and plant-eaters alike can appreciate our diverse vegan food scene. Co-host Sarah Lohman talks with Jackie Sobon, food stylist and blogger at Vegan Yack Attack , who gives us the lay of the land and shares her favorite vegan restaurants in Las Vegas that are actually delicious. Bonus: she's also got a list of non-vegan restaurants with great vegan options for mixed-di...
Apr 03, 2025•25 min
The new administration's sweeping spending cuts have reached the USDA, which cut two pandemic-era relief programs in Nevada last week. Southern Nevada's only food bank, Three Square, won't receive about 1 million pounds of food that it had been expecting this spring, and Home Feeds Nevada won't be able to pay local farmers and ranchers to supply food pantries, either. So what happens now? Co-host Dayvid Figler sits down with Three Square CEO Beth Martino, who explains why food insecurity is wors...
Apr 02, 2025•24 min
As the wind blows us into April, we have your guide to make the most out of this month in Las Vegas. From a magical exhibit at Springs Preserve to the hottest tickets to get your hands on. Co-hosts Dayvid Figler and Sarah Lohman are joined by poet and artist Vogue Robinson to share their best tips, can’t miss events, and tastiest food recs for April. If you're new here, welcome! We’ve put together a starter pack for you , with episodes and articles to welcome you to the City Cast Las Vegas commu...
Apr 01, 2025•31 min
The 83rd Legislative Session is in full swing, and we've already got well over 1,000 lobbyists registered in Carson City this year. But how exactly do lobbyists work, and why do they say they're so essential to Nevada's citizen legislature in particular? Today, co-host Dayvid Figler talks with the Nevada Independent's capital bureau chief Tabitha Mueller. She demystifies the lobbying process for us and answers a big question: Could our legislature even function without them? Learn more about the...
Mar 31, 2025•25 min
Today on our weekly news roundup, Uber and Nevada trial lawyers settle a dispute in the legislature with a big compromise, the $200 million residential homeless center, The Campus of Hope, draws opposition from neighbors, and we discuss our favorite moments after 3 years of the City Cast Las Vegas podcast and Hey Las Vegas newsletter! Writer and City Cast Las Vegas alum Scott Dickensheets joins Nevada Current deputy editor April Corbin Girnus and co-host Dayvid Figler to break down this week’s h...
Mar 28, 2025•32 min
On March 29th, Muslims across Southern Nevada will celebrate Eid al-Fitr, the holiday that marks the end of Ramadan and a month of fasting. To mark the occasion, families will host big dinners and order food from the many delicious halal restaurants around the Valley. So today, co-host Dayvid Figler talks with producer Layla Muhammad about her favorite halal restaurants in Las Vegas and what to order there. Learn more about the sponsors of this March 27th episode: Tedx Las Vegas Want to get in t...
Mar 27, 2025•21 min
Who would give a one-star review to Mother Nature? A lot of people, it turns out. Today, we’re bringing back a collection of the funniest one-star reviews of natural wonders around Las Vegas. Executive producer Sonja Cho Swanson reads the reviews and quizzes our hosts, Dayvid Figler and Sarah Lohman, on which Mojave Desert icons got flamed online. Learn more about the sponsors of this March 26th episode: Tedx Las Vegas Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastVegas on Instagram , or email us at ...
Mar 26, 2025•19 min
Las Vegans love to complain about our “lack” of public transit. But with recent reports of violence on buses, the conversation has intensified. So, what does the agency running our public transportation system of buses, bike shares, and more have to say about these concerns? We are revisiting a conversation co-host Dayvid Filger had with MJ Maynard, CEO of Southern Nevada’s Regional Transportation Commission (RTC). Maynard talks about how they address safety, sets the record straight about how m...
Mar 25, 2025•24 min
If you thought we’d get a quiet start to the year, well, you’d be wrong: The headlines have come in fast and furious. So today, executive producer Sonja Cho Swanson quizzes our two hosts, Dayvid Figler and Sarah Lohman, on quotes from the wildest stories of the year so far. Learn more about the sponsors of this March 24th episode: Tedx Las Vegas Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastVegas on Instagram , or email us at lasvegas@citycast.fm . You can also call or text us at 702-514-0719. For mo...
Mar 24, 2025•19 min
With all the world’s events happening fast and furious, you may be wondering “what am I missing at home?” That’s where we come in with our Friday news roundup of the biggest stories to hit our hometown this week. We discuss the local and federal response to five Teslas set on fire with Molotov cocktails, UNLV graduate students testifying to the legislature about union representation, and snow in Las Vegas this month! Co-hosts Dayvid Figler and Sarah Lohman are joined by Nevada Current journalist...
Mar 21, 2025•33 min
City Cast Las Vegas is turning three next week! If you’ve also got a birthday coming up in the next year (and we’re pretty sure all of you do), then you’ll want to bookmark this episode — co-host Dayvid Figler and Hey Las Vegas newsletter editor Rob Kachelriess are giving you the rundown of the best free stuff you can get for your birthday in Las Vegas. And in true Vegas fashion, it’s not just donuts and coffees, we’ve also got free Bingo, free shots, and yes, free limos to the strip club. Learn...
Mar 20, 2025•20 min
Is there any belief more entrenched, more sacred, in Las Vegas than our right to free parking? (No, there is not.) But over the last few years, the slow creep of paid parking has invaded our casinos, garages, and business districts — and we’re not happy about it. What’s going on? Today, co-host Dayvid Figler and Hey Las Vegas newsletter editor Rob Kachelriess sit down with writer Brent Holmles to mourn the loss of free parking, discuss why it’s changing, and share a few of our best free parking ...
Mar 19, 2025•25 min
Las Vegas is no stranger to the spotlight, but what about all those times we’ve gone truly viral, with millions of eyes on our city — for better and for worse? Today, co-hosts Dayvid Figler and Sarah Lohman sit down with Kip Kelly, chief experience officer at the Beverly Theater (and noted internet commentator) to talk about the best (and worst) times Las Vegas has gone viral, from Evel Knievel to the Sphere climber, and what it says about our city. Learn more about the sponsors of this March 18...
Mar 18, 2025•28 min
We drive everywhere. We get mad when bars close. We keep the AC on 24/7. For all the amazing things people do in Vegas, there is an equal and opposite amount of toxic traits that drive us crazy about this city, and really, about ourselves! In this episode, Hosts Sarah Loman and Dayvid Figler are joined by artist Justin Favela to talk about our own toxic traits – even the ones we’ll defend. Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastVegas on Instagram , or email us at lasvegas@citycast.fm . You can...
Mar 17, 2025•24 min
Will they, won’t they … Wherever they land, the Athletics are finally repping Las Vegas — at a cost. Our city’s marketing arm, the LVCVA, will pay the baseball team $8 million in exchange for a Las Vegas patch on the players’ jerseys. But with a Sacramento patch on their other arm, where do their allegiances really lie? Co-hosts Dayvid Figler and Sarah Lohman chat with writer Kim Foster about our city’s increasingly expensive courting of the A’s, a new proposal to hire fired federal workers in N...
Mar 14, 2025•33 min
Anyone can make a pretty decent sandwich — but a truly great sandwich? That’s a little harder to find. Luckily, co-host Sarah Lohman has writer and man about town Brent Holmes here to guide us through the best sandwiches in Las Vegas, from banh mis to cubanos and more. Want to get in touch? Follow us @CityCastVegas on Instagram , or email us at lasvegas@citycast.fm . You can also call or text us at 702-514-0719 . For more Las Vegas news, make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter, Hey Las V...
Mar 13, 2025•21 min
Is Las Vegas safe? Las Vegans are certainly concerned about public safety — and if you listen to local town halls, what voters are telling their elected officials, and our local media’s crime beat, you might begin to wonder, how much violent crime is really taking place here? Today, co-host Dayvid Figler sits down with Dr. Joshua Donnelly, professor of criminal justice at UNLV, to discuss what the stats actually tell us, and what shapes public perception of safety in our city. Mentioned in episo...
Mar 12, 2025•26 min
Once upon a time, Las Vegas loved all things atomic: In the 1950’s, we were the nuclear testing capital of the country, and atomic “tourists” flocked to mushroom cloud vantage points, secret societies held viewing parties with celebrities like Zsa Zsa Gabor, and Miss Atomic Bomb famously posed for a photo wearing nothing but a tiny, poofy mushroom cloud. So when did that all start to change? How did protests, progress, and the controversy over Yucca Mountain change local attitudes about nuclear ...
Mar 11, 2025•22 min
Nevada has been an outlier in allowing all kinds of legalized gambling — except for one: we've never had a lottery. This year, the Nevada legislature is considering a constitutional amendment that would allow Nevada to have a state lottery. Nevada Independent reporter Howard Stutz joins co-hosts Sarah Lohman and Dayvid Figler to break down the proposal and how the lottery could affect our state, for better and for worse. Learn more about the sponsors of this March 10th episode: UNLV Want to get ...
Mar 10, 2025•26 min
Today on City Cast Las Vegas’s weekly news roundup, UNLV’s President Keith Whitfield surprised the community by announcing his sudden resignation from the university, the bill to lure movie studios to Las Vegas with tax credits is back in the legislature, and an iconic Vegas restaurant sets its eyes on New York City! Executive producer Sonja Cho Swanson and thelist.vegas editor Andrew Kiraly joins co-host Dayvid Figler to break down the top headlines from this week. Learn more about the sponsors...
Mar 07, 2025•33 min
With spring in full swing, food festival season is back as well. So which Las Vegas food festivals should you hit up? Co-host Dayvid Figler sits down with Review-Journal food critic Johnathan Wright, who recently penned a foodie fest guide — they chat about the best old gems (hello, Greek Food Festival!), the new creations (we’re lookin’ at you, Asian Night Market!), and if there’s an elegant way to eat a slice of pizza on the street (spoiler alert: no). Learn more about the sponsors of this Mar...
Mar 06, 2025•21 min
A politician’s first 100 days are often seen as a forecast of their tenure — what can they get done in this political grace period? Today, co-host Dayvid Figler sits down with Las Vegas Mayor Shelley Berkley, whose 100th day in office is coming up next week. They talk about the headway she’s making on the Badlands settlement, animal welfare, and homelessness … and if she’ll run for a second term. Learn more about the sponsors of this March 5th episode: Treefort Music Fest Vegas PBS Want to get i...
Mar 05, 2025•28 min
Among the many organizations affected by the federal budget cuts, our national parks and monuments are also facing job losses and belt-tightening measures. Locally, we’ve seen jobs cut at Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Death Valley National Park, and Zion National Park. So what does this mean for your summer vacation plans? Co-host Sarah Lohman talks with Bertha Gutierrez, the Nevada Program Director for the Conservation Lands Foundation, about budget cuts and other new attacks on our publi...
Mar 04, 2025•25 min
The search for the next leader of the Clark County School District is heating up, with just three candidates left in the running. A lot’s at stake: CCSD is the state’s biggest employer, the nation’s fifth largest school district, and, frankly, kind of a hot mess. So who exactly are these three superintendent candidates, and what sets them apart? Today, co-host Dayvid Figler sits down with school district observer and education advocate Patricia Haddad Bennett to discuss how the search is going a...
Mar 03, 2025•25 min
After a few days of speculation, the mysterious donor of 11 Cybertrucks to the Las Vegas Metro Police Department has been revealed : Tech investors and philanthropists Ben and Felicia Horowitz. So why does that matter? Today, co-hosts Dayvid Figler and Sarah Lohman chat with Nevada Current deputy editor April Corbin Girnus about the revelation. They also discuss April’s recent reporting on landlords outnumbering renters in the Nevada Legislature, and the proposal to build a “ spaceport ” in the ...
Feb 28, 2025•34 min