While the opinions are mixed on the Brightline West high-speed rail project meant to connect Las Vegas to its California neighbors, what's more certain is the traffic it's set to bring this weekend. Meanwhile, a celebrated sports tournament makes a return for its 25th year. Here's the rundown on your day-to-day stories.
🚘Drivers in the southern part of the valley who use Las Vegas Boulevard might want to allow a little extra time for their travel starting on Thursday. Work involving the Brightline West train will include removing the center median, installing a box culvert and realigning a sewer line to support future station and roadway enhancements. The work will be done between Eldorado Lane and Robindale Road. The median will be removed on Thursday, with travel lanes open. Starting on Monday, work on the sewer line for the Brightline station will reduce southbound lanes from three to two for about three weeks.
⚽ The Las Vegas Mayor’s Cup International Soccer Tournament is back for the 25th year this weekend as one of the largest and best-known international youth soccer tournaments. This year’s tournament expects 560 boys' and girls' teams with players ages 8 to 15 from Canada, Mexico, France, Ecuador, England and Colombia, and 12 U.S. states. They’ll be competing at five venues Friday through Sunday, with admission to the games free. You should take your own seating, they say, and carpooling is encouraged as parking lots will fill up quickly.
🔋 The Department of Energy has rescinded a $57 million grant for the Tonopah Flats Lithium Project. This American Battery Technology Company project is set to create a manufacturing plant for battery-grade lithium hydroxide near Tonopah and will likely proceed despite the grant cancellation on Monday. Chief Executive Officer Ryan Melsert said as much in a statement, affirming the company will continue working with the Trump administration to procure necessary grants to move the project forward. Melsert told Politico on Friday that this action was puzzling, given the administration’s earlier support of the project. He offered one possible explanation that the different departments were not communicating priorities effectively.
🛹 This weekend, Street League Skateboarding competition comes to Las Vegas, and Nevada Public Radio's Xander Pippin talked with their chief marketing officer Tal Cooperman to get the scoop on what you can expect to see there. Of course you have the best skateboarders like recent Skate League Paris champion Vincent Milou, or stars like Nyjah Huston and Rayssa Leal, but as Tal shared there’s also going to be some cool vendors locals will appreciate including Prince Street Pizza and “With Love Always is coming in as our burgers, for the Vegas locals, they’re going to be excited when we announce that. And then there’s a new shawarma pop-up, they’re called Yo-Baba, they’ve been going like crazy viral. They sell out every Saturday and Sunday, they’re going to be doing it as well.”
🌻 If you’re looking for some family-friendly Halloween activities, the City of Las Vegas has got you covered. This Friday, the new City Civic Center will be host to the Asteroid M Halloween Block Party. There will be live music, live visual artists, food trucks and a Halloween costume contest. If you’re looking to spend your time a little more philanthropically, Get Outdoors Nevada and Councilwoman Nancy Brune are hosting a park cleanup the following Saturday morning at the Gilcrease Brothers Park from 9 a.m. to noon. Go help our city shine, and then do something just purely fun and exciting.
