Week of Jan. 18, 2023

From the editor’s desk

On the day after Christmas, a Carson City landlord notified 23 families that they would have to vacate their apartments in six days, because the building was about to be condemned. He failed to fix safety problems he had known about for nearly two years. Tenants’ lives were thrown into disarray; many had nowhere to go and are asking the community for help.

Phil Hannifin, the gaming regulator who helped turn the tables on the mob in Las Vegas and dealt with Howard Hughes’ entry into the business, has died. Buddy Frank penned a tribute to the gaming giant who shaped the state’s signature industry.

Nevada’s geologic history can be read like a book—if you know where to look. Maggie Nichols takes readers on a tour of Incandescent Rocks Scenic Area, just 20 minutes from Reno, where a layer cake of spectacular colors tells the tale of ancient volcanoes that belched rivers of lava millions of years ago.

The Last of Us, a new series on HBO, is yet another zombie apocalypse story adapted from a video game. But based on its 90-minute premiere, the weekly series portends a survival story done well, with an outlandish plot told credibly, writes Bob Grimm. Familiarity with the video game upon which the series is based is not required.

Our movie reviewer was less impressed with A Man Called Otto, a remake of a Swedish movie about a curmudgeon whose icy heart is melted by his bemused neighbors and a curious cat. While Mr. Grimm praises Tom Hanks’ performance as the title character, he says the reboot pales in comparison to the Nordic original.

I’ll see you in the funny papers.

Take care,

—Frank X. Mullen, Editor