The Nevada Gaming Control Board has an exemption that most other law enforcement in Nevada do not enjoy and that, experts say, prevents transparency and accountability in a government charged with overseeing the state’s top industry.

A song by pop megastar Taylor Swift has brought new attention to Clara Bow, a major Hollywood film siren in the 1920s who famously left Tinsel Town for Southern Nevada to start a new life with with her cowboy actor husband, Rex Bell.

Every year the non-profit Casino Collectibles Association features four fascinating and free educational seminars related to gaming history at the World’s Largest Casino Memorabilia Show. This year, they are the next best thing to being a fly on the wall during the golden years of the iconic Las Vegas Strip casinos.

The song’s opening line tells the story of Las Vegas — then and today. “Bright light city, gonna set my soul, gonna set my soul on fire.” “It showed you there was more to Las Vegas than mobsters and the Rat Pack. That message had value,” Las Vegas historian Michael Greene says of the titular tune from the 1964 film “Viva Las Vegas.”

Modern downtown Las Vegas’ origin can be traced back to 119 years ago Wednesday, when a land auction made history by making the desert settlement into a town.

All eyes will be on Nevada in November as a swing state likely to determine who will be the next president. After all, the Silver State has a long-standing reputation for picking the candidate who will head to the White House.

All eyes will be on Nevada in November as a swing state likely to determine who will be the next president. After all, the Silver State has a long-standing reputation for picking the candidate who will head to the White House.

Las Vegas is no stranger to worker walkouts. Pickets have appeared in front of our hotel casinos throughout recent gaming history. Workers at Virgin Las Vegas told News 3 they had hoped it wouldn't come to this, but the Culinary Union is not afraid to stand up for better pay and benefits.

►How we gambled before ash economy?
►Are religion and gambling somehow connected?
►How did risk-taking change after humanity settled down?
►How did 2nd chances - the concept of starting again - develop in America's gambling?
►Why did Las Vegas and Atlantic City seesaw on legalizing gambling?

“Community.” “Curious.” “Expectant.” “Unified.” In one word, each person explains his or her feelings at this particular moment. Seated in a circle of red plastic chairs, an array of community spiritual leaders and UNLV students and faculty pass a microphone to introduce themselves at the “How to Be a Peacemaker” discussion group, part of the university’s ongoing Diversity Dialogues series.

It’s a question that puzzles long-time residents and new transplants alike: What do you mean, I don’t live in Las Vegas? That isn’t an unreasonable question. After all, Las Vegas is what’s listed on mail, Amazon packages, drivers’ licenses and leases for most Clark County residents who don’t live in North Las Vegas or Henderson.

More than 3.5 million pounds of highly radioactive nuclear waste is buried on a coastal bluff just south of Orange County, near an idyllic beach name-checked in the Beach Boys’ iconic “Surfin’ U.S.A.” Spent fuel rods from the shuttered San Onofre nuclear power plant were supposed to be sent to a long-planned federal repository in Yucca Mountain, located in Nevada about 100 miles northwest of Las Vegas.