Oral history interview with Krystal Ramirez conducted by Monserrath Hernández and Barbara Tabach on October 30, 2019 for the Latinx Voices of Southern Nevada Oral History Project. Krystal talks about her personal history growing up in Texas and spending summers with her family in Mexico. She shares her thoughts about how Las Vegas has changed and how she has contributed to the city's art scene as a staff photographer for Vegas Seven (a local magazine), the New York Times, and the Marjorie Barrick Museum. Subjects discussed include: Texas; Chihuahua, Mexico; Latinx Identity; Vegas Seven; Beat Coffee House; Downtown Las Vegas.
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Author L. (Leslie) Paul Mercer was an enthusiast of spinning, dyeing, and weaving in the Native American tradition. Born October 2, 1903, Mercer was a former resident of Boulder City, Nevada where he worked for the Bureau of Reclamation for 16 years. Mercer was a former president of The Nevada Handweavers and Spinners Guild. He lived with a Navajo family in Arizona for three years to learn techniques in spinning, dyeing, and loom operation.
Leslie Paul Mercer passed away on April 16, 1972 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
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Marc Schorr is the former chief operating officer (COO) of Wynn Resorts, Ltd. in Las Vegas, Nevada. He served as COO of Wynn for thirteen years, until his retirement in 2013. Schorr worked in the casino gaming industry for more than thirty years, and held many senior executive positions at Steve Wynn's former company, Mirage Resorts; Schorr was president and COO of both The Mirage and Treasure Island casinos.
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William Dean Whitaker was born March 04, 1925 and raised in a suburb of Los Angeles, California. Dean, as he is known, had his youth end quickly when he joined the United States Air Force and became an aviation cadet once he turned 18 years old. The year was 1943 and World War II was raging. He became a member of the 398th Bomb Group and flew twenty missions before being captured by the Germans. He married his wife, Lucille, on May 15, 1946. They moved to Las Vegas, Nevada together in 1990.
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M.J. Christensen was born in Milford, Utah around 1896. He started out as a railroad watch inspector, out of Milford, before relocating to Las Vegas, Nevada and opening his own jewelry business and store. He considers himself a conservative Democrat and states that he led an active political life in Nevada, where he was head of the Merchant’s Bureau in Las Vegas. From there, he went on to become president of the Chamber of Commerce and later, the president of the Better Business Bureau.
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Author L. (Leslie) Paul Mercer was an enthusiast of spinning, dyeing, and weaving in the Native American tradition. Born October 2, 1903, Mercer was a former resident of Boulder City, Nevada where he worked for the Bureau of Reclamation for 16 years. Mercer was a former president of The Nevada Handweavers and Spinners Guild. He lived with a Navajo family in Arizona for three years to learn techniques in spinning, dyeing, and loom operation.
Leslie Paul Mercer passed away on April 16, 1972 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Source:
Person
Marc Schorr is the former chief operating officer (COO) of Wynn Resorts, Ltd. in Las Vegas, Nevada. He served as COO of Wynn for thirteen years, until his retirement in 2013. Schorr worked in the casino gaming industry for more than thirty years, and held many senior executive positions at Steve Wynn's former company, Mirage Resorts; Schorr was president and COO of both The Mirage and Treasure Island casinos.
Person
Joseph William LaComb was born on September 1, 1932, in Brasher Falls, New York. Joseph married Betty on June 7, 1952, and they had two children: Spike and Laura. LaComb earned a bachelor of science degree in mining engineering from Montana School of Mines.
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Musical arranger and bass player Connie (Condit) Atkinson was born New Jersey in 1929. During his high school years he played in various dance bands all over New Jersey. During his four years at South Eastern College he played in small groups and big bands in the state of Louisana. He moved to Las Vegas, Nevada in the 1970s and worked in several hotel house bands and with small musical groups. He retired to Florida in 1981 and passed away in 2009 in Del Rey Beach, Florida.
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