A friend of mine was staying at the Tropicana during NAB/BEA convention this past April. While he was at the Convention Center, he saw a TV report that one of the towers at the Trop had been closed because it didn't meet "code." He wasn't affected where he was staying. Which tower was it? Used to love the Tropicana till the last owners took the fun away and got rid of a lot of very experienced dealers, waitresses, pit bosses. What's happening with it now that they are in bankruptcy?

With the recent tragic passing of Danny Gans, I got to thinking, has the Strip ever gone "dark" for an hour to mourn the passing of a Vegas celebrity, like Sinatra or Elvis? If so, I'd be interested in knowing who and how many.

One of my memories of my first trip to Las Vegas was seeing the picketers outside of The New Frontier. I remember hearing that they had been there for years. Can you tell me about the history of the labor action, how long it went on for and how is was resolved?

We just bought a vacation condo and was wondering can you get a state ID card in Nevada to show "Local" residence while having a driver's license in your home state? We would like to be able to take advantage of offers for locals.

Can you please tell me what Barney Vinson is doing these days? Is he still working or did he retire from the casino business?

Deke Castleman's travelogue (QoDs 4/29-30/09) reminded me of a time I drove through a good chunk of northern Arizona and southern Nevada. I remember stopping at a small town that at the time had a some homes, gas station, a couple bar/casinos and most importantly a chamber of commerce or visitor center. After looking at brochures, I asked if anything nearby was worth seeing. The lady suggested, if I wanted to see something unusual and was open-minded (she said many of the local people did not appreciate what was on display), I should go a short drive to the home and workplace of an artist who had moved there and look at the outdoor sculptures. It seems to me there was a large Last Supper made of concrete, and I certainly remember a very large standing painted naked lady made of concrete blocks. Unfortunately I had no camera. Does anyone at Huntington Press know of what I remember?

Am I correct or just romancing the Mafia when I say that in my opinion, when the Mafia had control, the city was much safer? That is, the mob didn’t allow criminals to mess with their customers.

I've noticed that most of Las Vegas' strip clubs are located away from the Strip. Are any strip clubs located among the main Strip casinos?

In your recent QoD on Danny Gans, you said he was named "Entertainer of the Year" 11 years in a row. Was this an award or a poll that he won, or was it bestowed on him by an organization or publication?

You mentioned in your April 28, 2009, QOD that there are current and former employees who retain casino hotel room key card codes. If that is the case, is the room safe a secure place to keep your valuables or are those compromised as well?