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»12/1/03 Holiday Retail
Just 24 shopping days 'til Christmas! How are Southern Nevada retailers doing at the start of their busiest selling season? What do the initial sales figures suggest for the rest of the holiday season? And bottom line, what does that mean for our local economy? Today we're looking at holiday shopping. It's also World AIDS Day, and we'll talk with the new executive director of Aid for AIDS of Nevada, William Pratt. And Robert Fielden shares a little "Aloha spirit."

»12/2/03 Homeland Security
What is the Nevada Homeland Security Commission doing at this point? Who's on it and what challenges do they have in coordinating efforts in Southern Nevada? Find out where we're going with this whole Homeland Security issue locally.

»12/3/03 Auto Theft
Auto theft may hit close to home, in parking lots, in your driveway, at work. Your vehicle may be on the list of most wanted by auto thieves. Hear the discussion about what's happening to our vehicles, who's doing it and how law enforcement and security companies are fighting back. Also, Dave Bert with Along the Way in Death Valley where some plants are super survivors.

»12/4/03 Gangs
Gwen Castaldi explores the gang problem in the Las Vegas valley. You'll hear from police detectives, youth services experts and a former gang member on the problem, why and how it occurs, and what's being done to solve it. SON will also look at the related grafitti problem.

»12/5/03 Neon - Past, Present, Future
SON examines the history of neon signs in Las Vegas. We'll discuss the Young Electric Sign Company "bone yard" where the old signs were stored for years and find out about the new neon museum.

»12/8/03 Kyle Canyon Gateway
SON takes a look at a city-driven initiative for development at the foot of the Mt. Charleston areas. What's planned for the Kyle Canyon Gateway development? How does that fit in with regional development? What are the benefits, costs and challenges? SON will talk with the key stakeholder, government and private sector, who are involved.

»12/9/03 Water Conservation
Drought is forcing Southern Nevadans to conserve water even more stringently than usual. Gwen Castaldi gets the latest on current restrictions, what restrictions are expected to be put in place in January and how various entities are handling the restriction issues. Find out how the water restriction system works and what it means for all of us in the region.

»12/10/03 Emergency Planning Committee
We'll learn how multiple agencies on the national, state, and local level coordinate their efforts to address emergency situations. We'll speak with representatives with the Las Vegas Metro Police and the Clark County Fire Department, as well as a one on one interview with the head of Clark County's Office of Emergency Management.

»12/11/03 Police Departments Update
On State of Nevada, all three top law enforcement local chiefs from Metro Police, Henderson and North Las Vegas discuss their needs for officers and the operations of their departments. All three areas are experiencing massive growth in population. We'll hear about the challenges to keep residents safe in each area.

»12/12/03 Art Museum Round-up
SON discusses the latest on art events at these local museums: Las Vegas Art Museum, the Guggenheim heritage Museum, the Bellagio Fine Arts Gallery and the Nevada Museum of Art in Reno. We'll touch on current and upcoming exhibits, community events and interaction, how locals and tourists benefit from each museum and much more.

»12/15/03 Downtown Land
The centerpiece of Mayor Goodman's effort to revitalize downtown Las Vegas is a 61-acre plot on the Union Pacific Railroad yard. The city envisions a lively "urban village" of restaurants, offices and apartments, anchored by a new performing arts center and possibly an academic medical center. Is this a turning point for Las Vegas? "KNPR's State of Nevada" looks at City Parkway Center.

»12/16/03 College Costs
How does Nevada stack up against other states in affordable secondary education? We'll talk with State Treasurer Brian Krolicki about some state sponsored programs to aid students, and representatives from UNLV will tell us about college costs in the new millennium.

»12/17/03 Aviation Anniversary
The 100th anniversary of the Wright brothers' famous flight is December 17, 2003. Nevada has a special enthusiasm for flying. We'll talk to Nevada's first woman aviator, the co-founder of McCarran International Airport, and a champion of new heliports. "KNPR's State of Nevada" celebrates the first 100 years of flight in Nevada.

»12/18/03 Las Vegas Homeless
The homeless population in Las Vegas is growing while homeless services are shrinking. We'll discuss the issues facing the homeless and the organizations devoted to aiding them. Representatives from Clark County, Catholic Charities, and a prominent homeless advocate will join us in studio to discuss solutions to the ongoing problems.

»12/19/03 Southern Nevada Zoological and Botanical Park
SON visits with Pat Dingle of the Southern Nevada Zoological and Botanical Park, along with the veterinarian who serves the zoo, Dr. Toby Goldman. Hear about this unusual desert collection of endangered cats, apes, ostriches, emus, reptiles and more. Find out which ones are native to Nevada and how the zoo acquires and cares for them, plus the challenges of housing exotic animals.

»12/22/03 Drunk Driving
State of Nevada examines the whole issue of drunk driving, from accidents that injure or kill to the trials of those charged, to the aftermath of tragedy for victims and their families. The holidays are a common time for drinking and driving. We'll hear about how we stack up compared to other cities and what is changing as a result of the law change to .08.

»12/23/03 Nursing Shortage
Despite the staggering population growth in Southern Nevada, the number of qualified health care professionals is at dangerously low levels. Today we will discuss the shortage of nurses in Clark County, and steps being taken to recruit and place new nurses into proactive roles in the medical community.

»12/24/03 Sammy Davis, Jr.
Sammy Davis, Jr. was one of the greatest showmen Las Vegas ever knew. What many people don't know is what drove him to become a superstar - a childhood in vaudeville, a coming-of-age under racist Jim Crow laws, a Civil Rights Movement that both embraced and rejected him. Wil Haygood, author of the new biography, "In Black and White: The Life of Sammy Davis, Jr." reveals the man behind the Rat Pack panache.

»12/25/03 Cirque du Soleil
Cirque du Soleil has transformed entertainment on the Las Vegas Strip. The local night scene is suddenly a technicolor fantasy land of flying horses, dancing babies and acrobats who seem to defy gravity. Cirque is already a world entertainment phenomenon. Now there's talk of a new Cirque show, and maybe even a full Cirque du Soleil resort-casino.

»12/26/03 Henderson Bird Preserve
Would you be surprised to hear that hundreds of species of birds are spotted at the Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve every year? Or that some birds populations are actually growing right along with the human population of Southern Nevada? Stay tuned for the Friday edition of KNPR's State of Nevada, when we'll give you a bird's eye view of some real Las Vegas wildlife - in the skies. We'll also hear from Dayvid Figler what it's like to grow up with Siegfried and Roy as your hometown heroes.

»12/29/03 Jury Selection Changes
Should doctors, lawyers or police officers be exempt from jury duty in Nevada? They're not anymore, since the 2003 legislature changed the state jury selection rules. Now, no group is exempt. "KNPR's State of Nevada" looks at the jury selection system and how it's changed.

»12/30/03 Atomic Testing Museum
SON looks at the new Atomic Testing Museum. It reflects the history of the Nevada Test Site and the government's testing of above and below ground nuclear testing. We'll hear from some who worked there, a professor who wrote a book about the bombing to the north of us in that era and those who are putting the museum together.

»12/31/03 Year in Review
SON looks at the year 2003's top news stories that affected our community with a journalist roundtable. Also, we'll hear highlights of KNPR's year of programming and features.