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»2/2/09 NV State Legislature and Tip Earners and Gardening
Nevada's legislative sessions begin Monday, and commentators Chuck Muth and Steve Sebelius will join us to set the scene. Then IRS spokesman Raphael Tulino returns to explain how the economic meltdown is affecting the wages of tip earners and their tax bills.

Then we talk more dirt with the gardening crew, Norm Schilling, Frank Rauscher and Dr. Angela O'Callaghan. We take your phone calls and email questions.

»2/3/09 I-15 Closures and Clark County's Centennial
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is up for reelection next year and political yakkers are handicapping Reid's vulnerability. We take a look.

We also hear the latest about the I-15 roadwork that's halted traffic between Primm and Baker. And we look at the 100th anniversary of the naming of Clark County.

»2/4/09 Comedian George Wallace and New Credit Card Rules
Credit card debt could be the next bubble to burst in the nation's troubled economy. We hear how that could affect people throughout this region. Then we'll discuss the impending bankruptcy of Station Casinos.

We also talk with comedian George Wallace. And Nevada Corrections Division boss Howard Skolnik joins us to discuss the challenges his agency faces in tough budgetary times.

»2/5/09 Who's Hiring and Christopher Kenny
Nevada's unemployment rate is at 9.1% and climbing and could jump over 11% next year. So is anyone hiring? We hear the answer.

And LVRJ columnist Doug Elfman talks with the transvestite M.C. of Cirque du Soleil's ZUMANITY^TM show.

»2/6/09 Atlantic Yards and More Cowboy Poetry
Forest City is pushing to build a new Las Vegas City Hall, but major Forest City projects have stalled elsewhere in the country. We hear what's happened with the company's multibillion-dollar plans in Brooklyn.

And we hear more sounds from the recent Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Elko.

»2/9/09 Executive Pay and Shakespeare Education Tour
First we examine the effects of President Obama's plan to cap executive salaries at institutions accepting government money. What about other firms? We examine these issues.

Then, every summer, thousands of Las Vegans head to Cedar City, UT for the Utah Shakespearean Festival. But every spring, the Shakespearean Festival comes to us. The members of the Shakespeare Education Tour join us.

»2/10/09 Green Energy, Shovel Ready, Atheism and Anne Frank
Nevada was set to be the Saudi Arabia of solar energy but the economic crisis has crippled the solar industry. What is the future of alternative energy in a world of cheap oil and coal? We tackle that question. Then, it's the buzz phrase of the day - shovel ready. So what projects in this region are awaiting federal dollars - and no, it's not just Oscar Goodman's mob museum.

Then we talk with one of Nevada's most famous atheists. We've talked with rabbis, priests and imams, so it only seemed right to talk about atheism.

»2/11/09 Layoffs and the Recession and Lem Banker
It's a difficult move for business owners and operators throughout this region - layoffs must be made, but where to begin? And whom to cut? We talk with business owners about the tough choices they've been forced to make.

And in our second hour, LVRJ columnist John L. Smith talks with professional sports bettor Lem Banker.

»2/12/09 Oscar's Letter to Obama and Twittering for Good
Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman chastised President Obama for criticizing companies that have taken federal bailout dollars and sent employees on Las Vegas junkets. What exactly did President Obama say? And do Goodman's words reflect well on the mayor and the city? We tackle that question.

We also hear how such social networking tools as Twitter are being used to mobilize people for charity events throughout the region. And we hear the sounds of three local musicians who perform Middle Eastern music.

»2/13/09 Obama's Stimulus Plan and Zuill Bailey
So what could the Obama Stimulus Plan mean for people facing home foreclosure? We look for answers with Daniel Gross of Newsweek and Slate Magazine. And we talk with award-winning cellist Zuill Bailey. He's set to perform Saturday evening with the Las Vegas Philharmonic.

»2/16/09 Presidents' Day
We talk with two historians about the life of Abraham Lincoln and his connection to the West. Then commentator Bob Fielden tells us about the opportunity presenting itself during this economic downturn. Finally, we explore the plight of wild horses in the West.

»2/17/09 Older Workers and Ensign on the Stimulus Bill
We talk about Sen John Ensign's opposition to President Obama's economic stimulus plan.

But first, as the state's unemployment rate climbs to double digits, we hear about the challenges faced by seniors seeking work in a town long-known for being tough on job candidates over the age of 60.

»2/18/09 Metro Prostitution Crackdown and Media Treatment
Sunday's Review-Journal ran photos of 24 women charged with prostitution or crimes related to prostitution. It was a part of a larger story about a Las Vegas police crackdown on sex industry workers,.

News outlets have run similar photos in past decades. But in the era of Facebook and Google, are these women at greater risk to their personal safety because of the published photos? We discuss the police crackdown and the RJ's decision to run the pictures.

»2/19/09 Dina Titus and Card-Check Bill
First, we look at the latest controversy pitting organized labor and management against one another. Then we talk with Congresswoman Dina Titus about Obama's stimulus and mortgage plans and other issues that affect our state.

In our second hour, we talk with one of the great novelists of the past 40 years - Russell Banks. He's set to work in the coming weeks at UNLV's Black Mountain Institute.

»2/20/09 Legalizing Pot and Trump Hotels Bankruptcy
We hear how legal marijuana shops in California are affecting Nevada's pot supply. Then we look at the latest bankruptcy filing by the Atlantic City-based casino company that bears Donald Trump's name.

»2/23/09 Adult Day Care and Robots on the Battlefield
They're known as the 'tweener generation, millions of Americans who are caring for children and parents. We hear about the challenges they face, and the relief provided by what's known as adult day care.

Then, Creech Air Force Base, north of Las Vegas, is the center of operations for the nation's unmanned predator drone fleet that flies above Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Author P.W. Singer will join us to discuss the role of Creech and robotics in the changing U.S. military. He's written the book: Wired for War: The Robotics Revolution and Conflict in the 21st Century.

»2/24/09 Learning Communities and Creech AFB
We explore a different kind of learning style which involves smaller classes and more individualized attention that may be gaining ground in NV. Then, we take a look at Boyd Gaming's offer to buy a large chunk of the troubled Station Casinos.

In our second hour, Col Christopher Chambliss, the commander of the 432rd Wing and 432rd Air Expeditionary Wing at Creech Air Force Base joins us. The Air Force base operates combat surveillance and attack operations using 100 MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aircraft worldwide.

»2/25/09 FAIR Report, State Budget and Ruben Navarette
First we look at a report that talks about the cost of illegal immigration on Nevada. Then there is more discussion on what it will take to balance the state budget - more taxes or more budget cuts.

In our second hour, columnist Ruben Navarette Jr from the San Diego Union-Tribune joins us.

»2/26/09 Sen Harry Reid, Yucca Mountain, Marathon Woman
Sen Harry Reid about the stimulus package and whether NV is getting its fair share. Then we talk about a recent GOP push to support Yucca Mountain as a nuclear waste repository.

In our second hour we talk to former Clark County Commissioner, Bruce Woodbury about his contributions during his tenure. Then we talk to a woman who is running 150 miles through the Sahara Desert to raise money for Boys Town.

»2/27/09 iPhone Card Counting Controversy and Zen Buddhism
We talk with an Australian businessman who's developed card-counting software for blackjack players with iPhones.

Then, we talk to the author of the bestseller Friday Night Lights, to discuss his latest piece in Vanity Fair. It details how John Ford westerns set in Utah's Monument Valley helped shape our images of the West.