In 1976, Jacqueline "Jaki" Baskow was an aspiring actress when she and a friend accepted an invitation to worked in a movie studio in Las Vegas. She had three-hundred dollars to her name, a dream and lots of dynamic energy. Though the movie studio offer did not quite materialized as she hoped - the invitation had come from Batman co-creator Bob Kane - Jaki's trajectory into Las Vegas, working with talents and planning events became an over forty year career. In this interview, she talks about growing up Jewish in Camden, New Jersey where her father was a murder victim; her tenacious effort to find the perpetrator included the help of celebrity detective Joe Schillaci. She shares stories of the colorful array of A-list entertainers she has worked with to build her successful business, Baskow and Associates. She has built a niche of handling large corporate events, hiring talent and attention to details for exciting events. She reflects on the people and moments that impelled her on; mentors such as Bobby Morris and Frank Sinatra and Jilly Rizzo.
At top of map: 'United States Department of the Interior. Geological Survey. Open-file report 84-130, plate 5.' 'Prepared in cooperation with the Clark County Department of Comprehensive Planning.' At bottom of map: 'Base from U.S. Geological Survey, 1:100,000, Boulder City, Ariz.-Nev., Las Vegas, Nev.-Calif., Mesquite Lake, Nev.-Calif., 1978; Lake Mead, Nev.-Ariz., 1979.' 'Geology from Malmberg (1965); Longwell and others (1965); Haynes (1967); Bell and Smith (1980); Bell (1981) and J. R. Harrill, 1976. Thickness of valley-fill deposits by R.W. Plume, 1981.' Includes three profiles. Shows township and range lines. Scale [ca. 1:95.040. 1 in.=approx. 1.5 miles] (W 115°30´--W 115°00´/N 36°30´--N 36°00´). Series: Open-file report (Geological Survey (U.S.)), 84-130. Originally published as plate 5 of Ground-water conditions in Las Vegas Valley, Clark County, Nevada. Part I. Hydrogeologic framework / by Russell W. Plume, published by the U.S. Geological Survey in 1984 as Open-file report 84-130.
Oral history interview with Rabbi Sanford Akselrad conducted by Barbara Tabach on March 7, 2018 for the Remembering 1 October Oral History Project. In this interview, Rabbi Sanford Akselrad discusses the response of the Jewish community of Congregation Ner Tamid to the October 2017 mass shooting in Las Vegas, Nevada. He discusses the healing service he led the day after the shooting, how the community paid respect to the victims, and the concert held to raise money. In addition to the actions of the Jewish community, Rabbi Akselrad discusses the congregation's work with the interfaith community to heal from this tragedy.
Gordon Smith was born in Utah, but moved with his family to Babbitt, Nevada in 1947. His father, a barber, moved the family to Las Vegas in 1955. In this interview, Gordon recalls school and after-school pursuits; changes in the town; summer jobs; and college. He also talks about his military service and returning to Las Vegas to take up the razor himself - starting a successful barbering business of over 30 years.
The Maurine and Fred Wilson Papers (1888-1991) contain family papers and the historical research of Fred Wilson. It includes correspondence between Maurine and Fred Wilson, as well as Maurine Wilson’s diaries, calendars, and materials related to her career as a music teacher. The collection also contains Fred Wilson’s research files about the history of Southern Nevada as well as the First Methodist Church in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Oral history interview with Gregory Koehler conducted by Claytee D. White on May 15, 2019 for the Remembering 1 October Oral History Project. Koehler begins talking about his family, early life, and occupation. He explains the line of jobs he has had, his history with firefighting, and how he moved to Las Vegas, Nevada in 2003. Koehler then recalls how he had attended the Route 91 Festival concert and the events that unfolded during the shooting. He describes what he saw, felt, and how he tried to help the people who were shot. Lastly, he talks about the aftermath of the event and the struggles he had gone through.
James Deacon was born at home in White, South Dakota. For the first few years of his life, the family moved around a lot to accommodate his father's job as school superintendent. Their summers were spent in a cabin on a lake, where Jim helped his grandparents in their store, seining minnows, clerking, and putting up ice. From his eighth grade year through high school graduation, the family lived in Aberdeen, which was the largest city (population 25,000) they had lived in Jim attended college on a tuition scholarship in Wichita Falls, Texas. He majored in biology and education, and then went to grad school at the University of Kansas. His favorite undergraduate professor knew the fish expert there and encouraged Jim to study fish. Instead of completing a master's degree, Jim went straight into the Ph.D. program. He graduated in the summer of 1960, and started applying for jobs. He interviewed with Dean Bill Carlson for a job at UNLV, which was then called University of Nevada Southern Regional Division. In 1964, Jim and his family moved to Reno and he taught two summers at UNR. As professor of biology, Jim focused on getting students involved in field studies as well as classroom work. He was instrumental in organizing the Department of Environmental Studies, which started in 1992. He also helped develop a master's program and a Ph.D. program in biology. He is best known for his expertise and involvement in the study of the Devil's Hole pup fish, an endangered Nevada species of fish.
Mary Laub and husband William “Bill” Laub first came to Las Vegas in 1954, eventually establishing permanent residency with their five children four years later. Bill’s work with his family’s business, Southwest Gas Corporation, brought the Laub’s to the city from their lifetime home of California. Unable to find a home adequate for their large family, the Laubs ordered a home, which was shipped to Las Vegas and built on their lot in Rancho Circle. Mary’s “claim to fame” is founding the Las Vegas Assistance League chapter in 1976, serving her community through this organization for decades after. Her concern for the viability of Assistance League led her to start a thrift store to finance organizational operations, as well as solicit donations from entities like the Reynolds Foundation and Andre Agassi Foundation. To this day, the Assistance League continues many of the programs Mary started, including providing clothing to local children and the thrift store. Mary still lives in the family’s Rancho Circle home, in a community to which her and her husband dedicated themselves. In addition to his successful career with Southwest Gas, Bill was appointed by then Governor Laxalt as chairman of the Nevada Equal Rights Commission, and he also served as a Republican National Committeeman for over a decade. Mary’s work with the Assistance League was so meaningful that it established an annual Mary Laub award for other enduring volunteers. She also served on the local library board of trustees, and was involved with the Junior League for many years.
Terry Miller-Newcomb was born at Southern Nevada Memorial Hospital in Las Vegas, Nevada. Her grandparents on both sides were Nevada residents, and her mother and father were born in Reno and McGill, respectively. Her younger sister Linda was born at Sunrise Hospital shortly after it opened. Terry vividly remembers the way Vegas was in the '50s, '60s, and '70s. Las Vegas was very small in the '50s, and one of the town's boundaries was Tropicana Avenue. Beyond that was dirt road and desert. Terry and her sister and friends rode horses out in that area. Terry's father, Chub Drakulich, taught drafting and Phys Ed and coached the basketball team at Rancho High School from 1955 to 1958. Her mother, Theresa Drakulich, was hired at the new Ruby S. Thomas Elementary School to teach kindergarten. Terry attended kindergarten through second grades at Tom Williams, and from third grade on went to Ruby Thomas E.S. Her junior high school years were spent at Orr Middle School, and she attended Valley High School through graduation. "Chub" Drakulich was hired at Southern Nevada University (now UNLV) in 1958 to start the Phys Ed program there. Terry remembers Frazier Hall and the old gym where she played on the gymnastics equipment while her father conducted basketball practice. Her parents would host a party every Christmas as part of the basketball Holiday Classic program. Terry chose to attend UNR after she graduated high school in 1974. She was hired at R&R Advertising in the summer of '78 and worked at the Reno office for two years. She then transferred to the Las Vegas office to work as account executive. She oversaw all advertising for Democrat and Republican campaigns, including road signs, radio and TV spots, and billboards. Between 1984 and 1987 Terry made several major changes in her life. She started a master's program in a totally new area, worked as a church administrator for an income, and was remarried. She finished her master's in 1987 and opened a private practice in marriage and family therapy in 1988, which she continues with today. Her oldest daughter is currently enrolled at UNLV on the Millennium Scholarship.