These days, two versions of Las Vegas occupy the public imagination. One is of Sin City, the City of Lights, home to The Strip, to glitter and entertainment. The other is as a dramatic victim of the recent economic recession, a city where whole neighborhoods have been foreclosed upon, where the jobless rate shot up to double digits, where massive casino and hotel constructions were suspended, leaving hulking ghosts to remind residents of the boom times.
Both versions are true, to a certain extent. This week on The VPR Saturday Special, State of the Re:Union explores stories of people working to cultivate community in a place that has a reputation for being impersonal.