J. Patrick Coolican

Story Archive

A single Saturday shows the best—and strangest—of Las Vegas: Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2011; Columnist J. Patrick Coolican hits the Stiletto Dash, a phone bank and Freakshow wrestling.
Stats on Metro Police shootings show need for reforms: Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2011; We have long suspected that Metro Police officers shoot their guns more often than police in other cities, and that our process for investigating those shootings is faulty.
Elected regent has no business working on CSN theft case: Saturday, Dec. 3, 2011; Let me paint a scenario: Let’s say an employee of your company is accused of embezzling company money. Would it be appropriate for a member of the board of directors to work on behalf of the employee’s defense team?
A look at the political races everyone will be talking about in 2012: Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2011; Sun columnist J. Patrick Coolican gives his thoughts on the upcoming political season.
In wake of real estate collapse, crazy deals abound: Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2011; What if I told you I could offer you a two-bedroom, two-bath condo in Summerlin — well, basically Summerlin — for the price of an Acura MDX: Is that something that would interest you? It’s the opportunity of a lifetime. We’ve heard this before from the real estate pitchmen.
The quintessential Las Vegas novel has yet to be penned: Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2011; Like God before it, the novel is dead, or so we are told. “The book can’t compete with the screen,” Philip Roth, the old master, has said. The hegemony of digital media is now assured — our culture given over to what the novelist Jonathan Franzen once called “attractively priced electronic panderings.”
Addicted to gambling? There's going to be an app for that: Monday, Nov. 28, 2011; A UNLV professor is developing a smart phone application that could be important to the future of the gaming industry. Its name: HealthE Gambling.
Reunion gives brothers reason to be thankful: Thursday, Nov. 24, 2011; David Wolner holds his hand over his mouth as passengers of Flight 1289 from Chicago glide down the escalator at McCarran International Airport.
NV Energy has power to seek a rate hike — and blur the details: Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2011; There were as many police officers as protesters when I left a recent demonstration at NV Energy. But if people in Southern Nevada knew more about the electric utility rate hike, I think there would have been thousands there.
Vegas real estate porn—the upside of our crappy economy: Serious dealers await willing buyers; Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2011; J. Patrick Coolican explains how a terrible economy translated to great property values
Did CSN try to silence whistleblower?: Lawsuit accuses school president of trying to sweep theft under the rug; Friday, Nov. 18, 2011; An explosive lawsuit filed in District Court this week alleges that College of Southern Nevada President Michael Richards retaliated against employees who cooperated in the attorney general’s investigation of Bob Gilbert, the former construction chief and associate vice president convicted of theft of CSN materials.
HealthE Gambling app fights gaming addiction: Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2011; With online gambling seemingly on the horizon, how about an app that keeps us in check?
Benefits of a medical school in Las Vegas would far outweigh the cost: Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2011; Build a medical school. There’s a lot to chew on in a 178-page report presented to the Economic Development Board on Monday, but that one stood out to me for its short- and long-term benefits.
Farm-to-table event turns sour when health inspector crashes party: Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011; They don’t make it easy for those of us who believe in vigorous government. By “they” I mean our public employees, who sometimes leave us shaking our heads.
Floored by the Lamborghini experience: Friday, Nov. 11, 2011; As I steer my Lamborghini Gallardo LP 560-4 Spyder through downtown Henderson, I pass JobConnect, our state’s unsubtle euphemism for the unemployment office. As I pass by, I yell, “Losers!”
Did the Health District go too far to regulate a farm-to-table event?: Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2011; A recent dinner at Quail Hollow Farm in Overton was squashed by regulators. Was it necessary?
A strategy for pedestrian safety in perilous Las Vegas: Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2011; We do not notice them, but we should. Pedestrians are our city’s second-class citizens, as has become all too clear with the recent spate of deadly incidents. And while rage at the drivers may make us feel better, we should also have a feeling of collective guilt.
Take a long look in the mirror, Las Vegas: Saturday, Nov. 5, 2011; Las Vegas has never been much for introspection. We were like the guy at the party with the high-grade Bolivian marching powder, our own bottle of fine single malt Scotch and a bevy of women leaning in to hear our witticisms.
Former customer: Indicted doctor was easy source of drugs for addicts: Friday, Nov. 4, 2011; Not everyone was surprised by the indictment Thursday of Dr. Sebastian M. Paulin Jr. for selling prescription drugs to people who don’t need them. That’s because among painkiller addicts and recovering addicts in the Las Vegas Valley, Paulin was well known as an easy source of drugs.
Is it time to start embracing the decay of Las Vegas?: Wednesday, Nov. 2, 2011; Local writers explore the idea in a new book titled 'Fade Sag Crumble.'.
A better community starts with better education: Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2011; College isn’t worth it. That was the message from a Pew Research Center study this year that reported 57 percent of Americans think the higher education system doesn’t give students a good value for the thousands of dollars in tuition and expenses they spend. Seventy-five percent said college is too expensive, and two-thirds of respondents who didn’t continue their education beyond high school cited financial reasons for leaving the classroom.
Scenes from a Halloween weekend on the Strip: Monday, Oct. 31, 2011; Saturday night, talking to Jesus. Or at least a guy who looks like Jesus as traditionally depicted: robe, beard, hair, sandals. It's Halloween season and we're at the Cosmopolitan, at the edge of the Chandelier Bar. But who knows, maybe he's chosen this moment and this place to make his return.
If you thought HOAs were bad now, just wait: Friday, Oct. 28, 2011; Who needs caffeine when you’ve got today’s topic: homeowners associations! Yes, your blood pressure is spiking at the sight of the dreaded acronym, HOA.
Higher education's weaknesses are UNLV's opportunities: Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2011; American higher education’s significant weaknesses give UNLV an opportunity to distinguish itself.
Fremont Street: With a protest sign in one hand and a beer-filled football in the other: Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2011; The early evening crowd at the Fremont Street Experience is typical — jiggly, a little buzzed, wearing the tribal gear of Oregon Ducks and Green Bay Packers — except this night is different.
Romney may sound callous, but he may also be right: Friday, Oct. 21, 2011; Early this week, Mitt Romney, in town for the Republican presidential debate, had this to say to Las Vegas residents who have thrown their money into the black hole of the real estate market: Tough luck.
Making sense of Occupy Las Vegas: Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2011; Sun columnist J. Patrick Coolican spends a night on Fremont Street with supporters of the movement.
National media here for the debate should look into the big story: Monday, Oct. 17, 2011; A message to the assembled national press corps here for the Republican debate: Welcome to Las Vegas. If at all possible, avoid the following clichés in your debate stories: Sin City, “What happens in Vegas” and any and all poker and gambling references.
Need, competition for charitable dollars is great: Friday, Oct. 14, 2011; Nevada Women’s Philanthropy has a creative way of doling out the significant money it raises every year: It holds a competition, with dozens of the valley’s best nonprofits making proposals.
Horsford would be a waste in Washington: Thursday, Oct. 13, 2011; I received an important news release Wednesday: “BERKLEY RECOGNIZES 100th ANNIVERSARY OF LAS VEGAS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IN HOUSE FLOOR REMARKS.” Later, another important item arrived from the ether: Video of Rep. Shelley Berkley’s floor remarks had suddenly become available and ready for broadcast.
The story behind the embattled Mob Experience is straight out of the 'Sopranos': Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2011; “It’s a Mob story. It really is.”
Owner of Gaetano's Ristorante has more to offer than Italian fare: Monday, Oct. 10, 2011; Gaetano Palmeri has an imposing mustache, a crisp striped shirt, double-breasted jacket and a lilting Sicilian accent. The food and service at his Henderson restaurant, Gaetano’s Ristorante, are known for their delectable simplicity and elegance. Gaetano likes to drop by the table and offer choice fillets of wisdom, gratis.
How 5 homes have fared on the real estate roller coaster: Friday, Oct. 7, 2011; If there’s a single property in the Las Vegas Valley that typifies the extremes of the housing boom and bust, it may be this little house for sale on Walcott Drive.
Finally, the 99 percent has had enough: Thursday, Oct. 6, 2011; For two years I’ve been wondering where they are — the long-term unemployed, the people who have lost their homes to foreclosure, the still-employed who have lost all their savings. Why aren’t they marching on Washington, demanding an end to three decades of right-wing economic policies that delivered incredible riches to a tiny minority of Americans while everyone else struggled to get by?
The owner of Gaetano's Ristorante has more to offer than Italian fare: Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2011; At his Italian eatery, your pasta is served with Gaetano Palmeri's choice fillets of wisdom.
Life through the eyes of yesterday's treasures: Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2011; I’m touring yard sales, and I’m searching for the saddest item I can find. Of course there’s a certain sadness to all yard sale items — they’ve been rejected, ostracized, their value just a fraction of what they were when new.
At the problem gambling conference, thinking about self-discipline: Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2011; At the National Center for Responsible Gaming Conference on Sunday, I got bored and my mind began to wander. That in turn caused me to think about some recent journalism I’d been reading about willpower. Fitting.
Big Gaming in Nevada can make life difficult for the little guy: Monday, Oct. 3, 2011; The spread of sports betting kiosks at bars certainly seems like a great innovation: Your beer, your sweat-inducing chicken wings and your action on your team. And all without the annoyance of being in a casino.
Republican's stance on education puts wife's job in cross hairs: Friday, Sept. 30, 2011; State Sen. Michael Roberson is a rising star in the Republican Party. He caught the attention of conservatives during his first legislative session this year with tough rhetoric attacking teachers unions.
Want to make a difference in Nevada? Don't go to Washington: Thursday, Sept. 29, 2011; I went to see Ruben Kihuen kick off his congressional campaign Tuesday at Rancho High School with low expectations. And he failed to meet them. Kihuen, 31, has an inspiring personal history.
American tchotchke: A tour of Vegas Valley yard sales: Thursday, Sept. 29, 2011; A tour of sadness, defeat and ’90s pop culture at Vegas Valley yard sales.
The blunt truth: Medical pot situation is an unclear mess, thanks to Legislature: Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2011; Nevada’s medical marijuana statute is a cruel farce, like a dark Kafka story for those in need of weed. Shocking: The Legislature largely ignored a mandate and told patients to fend for themselves.
Culinary picks a ﬁght with UFC to get at Station: Saturday, Sept. 24, 2011; Culinary Union Local 226 set up a website recently at unfitforchildren.org that details the foul-mouthed tirades of Dana White, president of Ultimate Fighting Championship.
Trying to nab cabbies who long-haul fares isn't easy: Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2011; How much did your last cab fare cost? There's a chance it could have been less.
Coolican: Why MTV should film 'Jersey Shore' in Las Vegas: Monday, Sept. 12, 2011; MTV: Please just get it over with already and do a season of “Jersey Shore” here in Vegas. Why anyone would want to go to a club because there are some cut-rate, 99-Cent-Store celebrities pumping their fists in a VIP section is beyond me, but regardless, it’s happening.
Romney's flawed economic plan is stuck in 1980: Thursday, Sept. 8, 2011; Listening to Mitt Romney detail his economic plan in North Las Vegas on Tuesday, I was reminded of the Talking Heads lyric “same as it ever was” from the song “Once in a Lifetime,” released in 1980.
Why the stars of 'Jersey Shore' need to film a season in Las Vegas: Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2011; Sun columnist J. Patrick Coolican gives a few reasons why MTV should take the pop culture phenomenon to the city.
Hey, Kate Marshall: Stop talking. Now.: Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2011; I try to be civil with this column: I don’t use the words “stupid” or “dumb” or “idiot.” I don’t tell people to “shut up.” I try to assume good faith motivations. And so it seems as if God has sent Kate Marshall to test me.
Why UNLV's TV contract is a raw deal: Friday, Sept. 2, 2011; Even as I write this, the TV in our newsroom is tuned to ESPN a half-hour before our boys from UNLV get ready to take on the 11th-ranked University of Wisconsin Badgers.
Energy Secretary Chu delivers powerful history lesson: Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2011; Steven Chu is energy secretary, but maybe he should be crafting the message for Democrats instead. Chu is a Nobel Prize-winning physicist, but at the National Clean Energy Summit at Aria on Tuesday, Chu played historian, and it was a refreshing message.