City Council subdued in tragedy aftermath
Las Vegas city employee Cameron Robinson could tell if someone needed to smile, so he’d walk by and make a face to draw out a grin.
A records specialist in the city attorney’s office, Robinson often sang while he was working. And if someone needed help, “he was who you asked,” City Councilwoman Lois Tarkanian said at Wednesday’s council meeting.
“He was a remarkable human being,” Tarkanian said. “He will be deeply missed.”
Robinson, a southern Utah resident, was one of 58 victims killed Sunday night when gunman Stephen Paddock aimed roughly 10 minutes of sustained gunfire toward thousands of people attending the Route 91 Harvest country music festival from a 32nd floor room at Mandalay Bay.
Robinson was shot in the neck, his sister Meghan Ervin told the Las Vegas Review-journal on Monday. He was at the festival with his boyfriend, who survived.
Other Las Vegas city employees, who have not been publicly identified, were also injured in the attack, Tarkanian said.
Wednesday’s City Council meeting went on, but it was far from business as usual.
The council canceled its usual ceremonial agenda, an often lighthearted start to each meeting that recognizes employees and citizens.
Instead, the council members had a moment of silence and talked about the deadliest shooting in modern U.S. history, and its aftermath.
“Our country finally sees us not just as a city where you go and have fun and everything stays in Las Vegas, or Sin City or anything like that,” Tarkanian said. “It knows what we are: human beings who care.”
Mayor Carolyn Goodman missed Wednesday’s meeting, because she was among the local and state officials waiting to greet President Donald Trump when Air Force One landed in Las Vegas.
Council members on Wednesday largely praised the first responders, or grew emotional talking about the victims.
“God bless this city for responding the way it did,” Councilman Stavros Anthony said. “And I think we’re going to be OK.”
The discussion then turned to gun control.
“How stupid do we have to be to allow this to continue to happen?” Councilman Bob Coffin asked.
Michelle Fiore, a Republican former state assemblywoman who joined the council in July, asserted that “politicizing” the shooting “takes our eyes off the true cause.” She then said “psychotropic drugs” are to blame, holding up Wednesday’s Review-journal and pointing to a story about Paddock, the shooter, being prescribed in June the anti-anxiety drug diazepam.
“These drugs were originally formulated in the military to make an aggressive soldier. To change your mindset. And it’s the mindset that pulls the trigger — it’s not the gun,” Fiore said. “And when we look at this morning’s headlines, we’re talking about psychotropic drugs that make you aggressive. That are passed off as antidepressants. … These drugs were formulated as a killing machine.”
Contact Jamie Munks at jmunks@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0340. Follow @ Jamiemunksrj on Twitter.
■ AT&T: Customers of AT&T and other wireless providers can text the message VEGAS to 50555 to donate $10 (which is charged to your phone bill) to the University Medical
Center Foundation, to support treatment of patients in need.
■ Blondie’s Sports Bar & Grill, Miracle Mile Shops: Will donate $5 to the Las Vegas Victims’ Fund for every bucket of beer purchased during October.
■ Bootlegger Italian
Bistro, 7700 Las Vegas
Blvd. South: Free meals for first responders; ask for first responders menu.
■ Burgerim, 9635 Bermuda Road: 50 percent off for all onduty police officers, firefighters and paramedics.
■ Capriotti’s, all locations: Accepting donations to Las Vegas Victims’ Fund, with free upsize to medium for anyone who makes a donation. Free 9-inch subs for lawenforcement officers, through Oct. 13.
■ Chick-fil-a, all valley locations: Free meals to local first responders through Friday.
■ Club Tattoo, Miracle Mile Shops: $50 Las Vegas tattoos, with all proceeds donated to the Las Vegas Victims’ Fund, Friday through Tuesday.
■ Chica in The Venetian: free meal Thursday for all uniformed first responders.
■ Craftkitchen, 10940 S. Eastern Ave.: Free meals for first responders 7:30 a.m. through 3 p.m. through Friday. Fifty percent of all proceeds from Friday sales will go to the Las Vegas Victims’ Fund.
■ Dirt Dog, Grand Bazaar Shops and 8390 S. Rainbow Blvd.: Free meal (hot dog and drink) for first responders through Sunday.
■ Drai’s, The Cromwell: All revenue from Drai’s Nightclub and Drai’s After Hours on Thursday to be donated to Las Vegas Victims’ Fund.
■ Evolution Yoga, 1225 W. Warm Springs Road, Henderson: Free yoga classes for the public Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Friday at 4:45 p.m., Saturday at 8 a.m. and Sunday at 11:15 a.m. All donations will go to the Las Vegas Victims’ Fund.
■ Firstmed Health and Wellness Centers, 3343 S. Eastern Ave. and 400 Shadow Lane: Free medical, counseling, prescription review and refills (as appropriate) and support services. Also help to victims and their families with costs associated with the tragedy, including airfare, temporary housing, food, clothing, personal hygiene items and prescriptions.
Call Marisela Quintero at 702-859-2210 or Mona Lisa Paulo at 702-859-2253.
■ Kitchen Table, 1716 W. Horizon Ridge Parkway, Henderson: Free meal to first responders, through Thursday.
■ Las Vegas Philharmonic: Oct. 14 performance at the Smith Center for the Performing Arts, free admission to first responders, hospital employees, victims and families or anyone who seeks the refuge and solace of music.
■ Lobster ME, Miracle Mile Shops: Free meal to all first responders (including doctors and nurses) in uniform or with ID, and 25 percent off for anyone with proof of having donated blood, through Friday.
■ Station Casinos: Free rooms for victims’ families. Email reservationrequest@ stationcasinos.com.
■ Tropical Smoothie Cafe, all locatons: Free combo meal for uniformed firefighters, police officers and paramedics until 8 p.m. Wednesday.
■ Unitedhealthcare and Southwest Medical Associates: Free help line staffed by mental health specialists open 24/7, 866-342-6892. Resources also at liveandworkwell.com.
■ U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration: Free Disaster Distress Helpline, 24/7, 800-985-5990 or text talkwithus to 66746 for English or hablanos to 66746 for Spanish.
■ Vegas PBS: Resources to Help Families Cope web page at vegaspbs.org/kids-families/ resources-help-families-cope.
■ Yardbird Table & Bar in The Venetian: free meal Thursday for all uniformed first responders.