Las Vegas, USA

Behind the glitz and glamor of the Strip, Las Vegas is a real city with real people. Kids graduate from high school. Women sleep on the street. People die. Soldiers come home. Sometimes Las Vegas looks like any other town in America. Here's a smattering of news and feature work that has occupied my days the first half of this year. It's the regular newspaper stuff, and a reminder that it's not just Strippers and Elvis impersonators in this town.

Miss Nevada Pride

Being backstage at a pageant is not glamorous. That's why I love it. The women and girls vying for Miss Nevada and Miss Nevada's Outstanding Teen last Tuesday, July 3 didn't have spacious dressing rooms and fruit platters awaiting them backstage at the Casablanca Resort in Mesquite. The Miss contestants crowded into the two hot dressing rooms, which left all the Teen contestants vying for mirror space in what looked like a supply closet for the tech crew. What I enjoyed most about the pageant and all the contestants is that, despite the adverse dressing room conditions, they still managed to look beautiful and put together on stage. There was no backstage sabotage, only the sharing of hairspray, helpful assistance with the application of fake eyelashes, hugs, support and general camaraderie.  I must admit that I felt a tiny swelling of Nevada pride at the time.

If crowning photos are your cup of tea, check them out here.