Poor Unfortunate Souls

  • Law

  • The District Attorney and Metro dispute whether there was enough evidence to charge ex-Raider. [RJ]
  • Is the City of Las Vegas about to settle Badlands cases for $64 million? [TNI; RJ]
  • Motivation key for sellers as real estate market steadies. [Nevada Current]
  • Will this be the year that the LA to Las Vegas high-speed train finally leaves the station? [RJ]
  • 5th Circuit rules ADA didn’t protect employee fired for sleepwalking. [LegalDive]
  • RIP Stephen Stein. A gofundme is set up to assist his family with funeral services. 
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Anonymous
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Anonymous
August 1, 2022 6:05 pm

Victorville or Rancho Cucamonga is NOT L.A.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
August 1, 2022 6:21 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Let's see. Drive from Santa Monica to Victorville 1.5 hours on most evenings.
Park car, go through security, wait in terminal for train. 45 min. (Will there be a parking fee?)
Train arrives, boarding, get all passengers in seats, luggage stowed. 0.5 hrs.
Take train to Las Vegas. Time dependent on actual speed, but the RJ article mentions 3 hrs travel time. (What will be the cost of a tickets for 4 people?)
Arrive in Las Vegas terminal, disembark from train. Get luggage. 0.5 hrs.
Wait for taxi, Uber etc for ride to hotel 0.5 hr

Personally, If I had drive more than an hour to catch a train that takes almost 7 hours to travel 270 miles, I would just keep driving.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
August 1, 2022 7:00 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

It looks like the 3 hour travel time needs some clarification by the RJ. I read it to say that the whole trip basically from Rancho Cucamonga to Vegas would be 3 hours. However, considering it's ~30mins from RC to Victorville, your timeline is about the same as if the person went to Rancho Cucamonga anyway. I completely agree – I'd rather just hit the road and drive from LA to Vegas and have a vehicle here then take the train. When we drive to LA (really towards LA and divert to Newport Beach), I wouldn't even consider a train – just leave the house in one vehicle, arrive ~4 1/2 hrs later.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
August 1, 2022 8:00 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

You all are missing the point. The point of the train is not to provide convenient access to California beaches and amenities for Las Vegas residents. The purpose is to provide access for California punters to come to Las Vegas. While it may be 4 hours on a friday evening going to LA that traffic can easily be 8 hours come sunday afternoon and evening. The chance of adding a lane between Vegas and barstow is nil, and Given that 85% of the way is on California freeways there isn't much for Nevada to do to increase the roads. If the route connects to Metrolink in LA this will provide a viable alternative for a large segment.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
August 1, 2022 8:47 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

@1:00
Apparently you have not lived in LA. I can't imagine doing the hassle with connecting to another train for the last part of the trip. Metrolink, is a vastly different experience commuting to downtown for work than riding at night.

The proposed train connect to nothing. The proposal, as I understand it, is only two (2) trips per day to LV. Then there is the ticket price ( which I have not seen stated). Let's say the tickets are only $75 each way. I can assure you, that LA and Orange County residents with a family of 4 will not pay $600 for the hassle described @11:21, but will instead choose to drive. The train has a novelty factor, which will quickly wear off.

Yes, I understand the traffic issue. But human nature won't change. There is an argument circulating that the congestion you mention will be relieved by the train, but given the number of people coming to LV versus the passenger capacity of the train, I think its a drop in the bucket without any real relief.
If we are worried about commerce and supply chain issues, it would be significantly more efficient to run a train line from Long Beach ports to LV to carry shipping containers to warehousing in LV for breaking down and parceling loads onto trucks.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
August 1, 2022 9:09 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

I'm all for the train. I think it will definitely improve traffic. I'm usually driving the opposite direction of the traffic, but it is insane. Four hours of gridlock makes the four hour drive more of an eight hour slog. That said, having the train stop in Victorville or Rancho Cucamonga is just stupid. It needs to go all the way to LA. 1:47 doesn't have a bad idea re Long Beach and shipping. Could be a good idea for both sides – LA frees up space for housing and we bring in a non-gaming industry.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
August 1, 2022 9:24 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

@1:47pm – That has got to be the most intelligent solutions I have heard to the Long Beach Port and California to Nevada I-15 congestion issue. Long Beach Port to a huge warehouse facility in the APEX industrial warehouse area in North Las Vegas. However – I don't see Amtrak being open to competition among its existing train facilities, and getting a huge train of shipping containers going 180mph would be interesting to see.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
August 1, 2022 10:45 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

sorry: this would have been better: https://tinyurl.com/yktpwrad

Anonymous
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Anonymous
August 1, 2022 11:47 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

One of my origin stories. I arrived in Las Vegas July 2, 1976. The RJ headline that day or the next was "High-speed train LA – Las Vegas Planned"

Anonymous
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Anonymous
August 1, 2022 11:57 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

1:47 You say that the train will relieve congestion. I don’t think so, and I don’t think that 100 is suggesting that either. Planes fly to vegas, and provide an alternative to driving for those in a hurry. Train would be an alternative without the TSA screening and a bit more room perhaps.
But I don’t think anyone would disagree that the train would ideally go further than Victorville. But have you priced right of ways lately? Can you imagine the cost for a dedicated high speed line? Look at the HSR from LA to SF. The project is several times its initial budget and on schedule for 2 decades. Sometimes the perfect is the enemy of the good.
But there would need to be an easy connection somewhere besides Lancaster, Victorville etc.
But where we are going, we can likely anticipate autonomous vehicles and other facilities that will make a car less necessary, even in LA.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
August 2, 2022 3:01 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

I attended law school in Southern California and am NOT a California fan. I avoid the state like the plague. When I have 5 hours to travel, I skip the car trip and get in an airplane and head east. Florida, North Carolina, New York, DC, Philadelphia, Caribbean, Mexico etc.

On the other hand, I appreciate Californians coming to Las Vegas and depositing all of their paycheck at our hotels, restaurants, and entertainment venues and then leaving.

Anonymous
Guest
Anonymous
August 1, 2022 6:06 pm

I can't focus on today's headlines as I'm still sensorily reeling from the mention of downtown "puss and piss" from last week. It burns my nostrils (with apologies to Black Panther cologne).

Anonymous
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Anonymous
August 1, 2022 7:16 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

I think you meant "Sex Panther cologne"

Anonymous
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Anonymous
August 1, 2022 7:35 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

haha you are correct!

Anonymous
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Anonymous
August 1, 2022 9:46 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Speaking of piss,I just had to go in an octopus bathroom.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
August 1, 2022 9:47 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Octopi get their own bathroom now? Now THAT is progress!

Anonymous
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Anonymous
August 1, 2022 6:22 pm

SBN website is showing that Steve Stein died. Did I missing something on the blog? Does anybody have details?

Anonymous
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Anonymous
August 1, 2022 6:29 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Relatively new to area. Who is Mr. Stein? If this is true, Condolences to the family.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
August 1, 2022 6:37 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

He was an old-time lawyer who went back to the mob days.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
August 1, 2022 6:49 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Yes, he died about a week ago. His daughter has a GoFundMe page for funeral expenses. Steve was a sweetheart.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
August 1, 2022 9:45 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

RIP,Steve. A nice man.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
August 2, 2022 3:46 am
Reply to  Anonymous

About 30 years ago, the partner I was working for at the time had a criminal law question and suggested I call Steve and pick his brain about it, which I did. Didn’t know him from Adam, and he didn’t know me, a first or second year associate. He was very gracious with his time. Good guy. Lawyers like that are few and far between today.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
August 2, 2022 3:06 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

I remember practicing in the old courthouse that had the signs about dress code and there was this guy practicing in jeans and white tennis shoes. I remarked to one of the court clerks that the judge would never let me get away with that. Her response "Well you aren't Steve Stein"

Anonymous
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Anonymous
August 2, 2022 9:29 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

We loved Steve.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
August 1, 2022 10:36 pm

Is anyone else concerned about the economy? How are you preparing for a potential recession?

Anonymous
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Anonymous
August 1, 2022 10:41 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

I don’t care about a recession. I just want to get my new ride that o bought from Post Malone that I am suing for.

Anonymous
Guest
Anonymous
August 1, 2022 11:47 pm

Wow! A-18-781255-C | Kurt K Harris, ESQ., P.C., Plaintiff(s) vs. Ernest Del Casal, Defendant(s). Apparently Harris bought "Equal Rights for Divorced Fathers" and then sued Ernest Del Casal for 50k and then alleged that Del Casal defamed him. 218 pleadings deep. 5 days of jury trial to get $13,000 in damages and $5000 in puni's. What a waste of time, effort and money. Did anyone else hear about this case?

Anonymous
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Anonymous
August 2, 2022 12:46 am
Reply to  Anonymous

Couldn't have happened to a more deserving couple of litigants.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
August 2, 2022 3:40 am
Reply to  Anonymous

Don’t these people have anything else to do with their time? They should be required to split the cost of the courtroom personnel’s salary as well as rent on the space. Why should we pay for this crap?

Anonymous
Guest
Anonymous
August 2, 2022 3:08 pm

Speaking of Steve Stein, I know he practiced with Luis Rojas as Stein & Rojas and sort of used Luis to cover his cases. Whatever happened to Luis?

Anonymous
Guest
Anonymous
August 2, 2022 3:22 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

He's been suspended for a while. Disciplinary. Got caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Heluva nice guy though.

Anonymous
Guest
Anonymous
August 2, 2022 5:31 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

It saddens me that someone who had such a lengthy and successful career such as Steve Stein, left no funds for a funeral or an estate of any kind. I feel very sad for his family.

Anonymous
Guest
Anonymous
August 2, 2022 6:12 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Shit happens. He was always nice to me as a young attorney. I think a lot of attorneys are not as well off as you think.