Dr. Lonnie D. Spight grew up in northern Colorado, earned his bachelor's degree at Colorado State University, and his PhD at University of Nevada Reno. His interest in astronomy dates from his early years on the farm in Colorado, star-gazing in the fields at night. Before coming to UNLV, Lonnie worked for the Department of Defense on scattering cross sections and explosions. Working between Los Alamos and the Test Site, he was often in Las Vegas and had met most of the physicists at the university. He was invited midterm to take over a physics class for a faculty member who had fallen ill, and was offered a job the following fall of 1970. In the seventies when Dr. Spight arrived, the physics department was located in trailers, and the university campus was mostly desert. Lonnie served as chair of the department on several occasions, and was responsible for insisting that faculty members get involved in research, no matter how tight the budget. He worked on solar energy and far-field microwave analysis, and helped set up safety standards for the new laser technology. One of Dr. Spight's interests outside of physics is a love for classical music. He was a volunteer "Deejay" for 12 years with KNPR once it got started in 1980. Meanwhile, after 37 years with UNLV Lonnie retains his enthusiasm and love for teaching. Today he teaches quantum mechanics and hopes that one day he will be able to teach a particle physics course which ties together cosmology, the beginning of the universe, fundamental cutting edge physics, quarks, gluon plasmas, and more. He has the course materials ready to go and is looking forward to many more years at UNLV.

Photos show Peppermill signs during the day. Two surveys were conducted to gather information about this sign. One was conducted in 2002 and one was conducted in 2017. PDFs are available for both surveys. See the 2017 survey PDF for additional information that is not included in the object description.
Site address: 2985 S Las Vegas Blvd
Sign details: The Peppermill Inn Restaurant is located on the east side of Las Vegas Blvd, just north of the now defunct Silver City Casino. The actual establishment faces west toward the strip, separated from the traffic by the front parking lot. The lowrise brown clad establishment, boasts three specific pieces of signage on the exterior structure. In the parking lot near Las Vegas Blvd, a small two-sided, ground level cabinet, mirrors the aesthetics of the actual structure. Upon the west side of the building, the shingled roofline boasts channel letters filled with neon, as well as a more secluded sign on the north side of the building, toward the rear.
Sign condition: Structure 3 Surface 3 Lighting 3 The condition of the three different pieces of signage are all in different states of repair.
Sign form: Pylon; Fascia
Sign-specific description: The pylon sign, which sits near the street, is a miniature representation of the facade of the Peppermill establishment. Two square legs, constructed of mortared pieces of stone support the two-sided cabinet. The horizontal, rectangular cabinet sits on the pole, and faces north/south. The top edge of the sign is reminiscent of a roofline, with a low rise a-frame design. The grade is very little but exaggerated by the rectangular element rising off of the top edge covered in brown wooden shingles, which also cover the top edge's surface. The effect of the top's finishing is the resemblance of the roof of the Peppermill restaurant. Just below the peak of the "roof-like" element on the surface of the sign, a rectangular metal plate possesses text. The text is stamped out of the metal to reveal recessed negative spaces of fonts. An orange transparent material resides behind the plate, providing the hue for the internally lit apparatus. The text reads "24 Hours" in all capitals. Below the small rectangle, larger, white text runs the length of the sign. The internally lit, closed face, channel letters are in all capitals. In smaller text, along the bottom portion of the face the phrase "Coffee Shop & Lounge," runs the length of the text. The letters are orange, closed faced, internally lit. The actual structure of the restaurant, further east on the property is the model for the previously mentioned sign. The low-rise pitched roofline of the facility concludes at a lowrise rectangular cap. Along the western edge the roofs overhang, large white channel letters lined on the interior with pink neon spell "Peppermill" in all capital letters. Following the brown shingled roofline around the south side of the building, a third sign, not seen by the general public, faces south. A steel cabinet is the two-dimensional representation of both the outer pylon sign as well as the structure itself. A rust colored brown cabinet houses a dork brown steel face, with plastic letters for the advertising of the establishment. "Peppermill" is spelled in all capital letters. Below the top text a two lined, series of orange all capital text spells "Restaurant Lounge." It is apparent that wooden shingles were evident on the top the top edge of the cabinet which rises in the pitched front geometric shape seen on the pylon in the front and the architectural element in the structures center. Underneath the primary cabinet a smaller, horizontal, rectangular cabinet, sits centered underneath the It too is a rust colored brown cabinet, with a dark brown face. Text, as tall as the cabinet spells, "Open 24HRS" in orange plastic all capital letters.
Sign - type of display: Neon; Incandescent; Backlit
Sign - media: Steel; Plastic; Masonry
Sign - non-neon treatments: Graphics; Paint
Sign animation: Chasing, flashing, oscillating
Notes: The text, which resides on the southern wall and reads "Casino," is filled with incandescent bulbs that all illuminate at the same time, and oscillate. They then shut off at the same time, and then repeat. The raceways of incandescent bulbs chase each other while the neon, which surrounds the back lit, plastic, screens on this wall flash on then off. The bottom two raceways sandwiching the reflective panel chase from left to right, while the remainder of the raceways surrounding the signs, run right to left. The incandescent bulbs on the pylon chase each other gracefully up the length of the pylon. The animation is patterned so as to appear as if a section of several bulbs are pulsing its way up the towers, hugging the edge of the bulbous tops. The raceways continue around the east face of the building. The umbrellas in the plaza behind the pylon, also are animated with incandescent bulbs chasing each other downward along the raceways.
Sign environment: The area surrounding the Peppermill contains several interesting properties making the entire area sort of a cove of history. Just to the north the deteriorating, and closed Silver City stands testament to the wave of constant change present on the strip. It is a reminder of the historical significance of the Peppermill and the fact that someday it might not be present at this location any more.
Sign manufacturer: YESCO
Sign - thematic influences: What is evident of the Peppermill theme works around the exterior appearance, and around the name itself. The brown wooden exterior, use of wooden shingles as adornments, and the major color palette all suggest the rustic, if not old west referenced, aesthetic.
Sign - artistic significance: This has become a statement of the "old Vegas" of the 1970s.
Surveyor: Joshua Cannaday
Survey - date completed: 2002
Sign keywords: Pylon; Fascia; Neon; Incandescent; Backlit; Steel; Plastic; Masonry; Paint; Graphics

Includes meeting agenda and minutes. CSUN Session 19 Meeting Minutes and Agendas.

Includes meeting minutes and agenda, along with additional information about letters, contracts, and attachments. CSUN Session 33 (Part 2) Meeting Minutes and Agendas.