Former Midwesterners making

a positive difference in our

adopted home of Nevada
chicagoansinthedesert.com
FORMER CHICAGOANS...you should know

WINTER 2015
Newsletter 14

IN THIS ISSUE
Former Chicagoans
Founders Note
What's New
Smiling Faces
Cornhole League
#BETTERWORLD
Shop Chicagoan

SHOP OUR CHAMBER

FOR
AUTO REPAIR
DESIGN SERVICES
EYE CARE
FAMILY LAW
MAILING
MEDICAL EDUCATION
PRINTING
SIGNAGE
PHOTOBOOTH
PROMOTIONAL
MATERIALS
SCENTSY PRODUCTS
WEBSITE DESIGN
AND MUCH MORE...

At Chicagoans In The Desert, our mission is to promote and support our fellow former

Chicagoans in business and in friendship. In this issue, we are proud to introduce you to
some of the former Chicagoans who are active within our community and making us proud.
Meet RON ERICKSON. Ron is the owner of 112th St. Design.
He grew up in the Chicago neighborhood known as South Chicago
and graduated from George Washington High School. In 1997 Ron
and his family moved to Las Vegas. Ron loves hockey! He's
played his whole life starting out in his basement being a goalie
so his older brother would have someone to shoot at. Currently he
plays hockey at the Las Vegas Ice Center. He also referee's
Men's League, Youth Hockey and Tournaments. "Reffing isn't as
much fun as playing because everyone blames the ref when the
game isn't going their way. On the upside, I get great exercise"
said Ron. This is a picture of Ron with Chris Chlios.
We first met ARETUS SMITH JR. when he attended a Bears event at
Brando's back in 2012. Aretus was born and raised in the inner city of
Chicago. He moved to Las Vegas in October 2012. Currently, he is a
Promotions Host for SBE at the New SLS Las Vegas Hotel & Casino
promoting venues such as LiFE, Foxtails, Sayers Club and Hyde
Bellagio. Did you know that Aretus can offer Las Vegas locals a
comped table with a bottle during your birthday week? Contact
Aretus at http://nightlife.slslasvegas.com/AretusS
Introducing...MIKE McNEESE. Mike is a Air Force Viet Nam Vet
from the town of Algonquin, Illinois. In 2011, Mike became involved
with The Air Force Association, a 501c3 non profit. He is a
"liaison" between Nellis Air Force Base and the community
seeking donations and sponsorships for the Air Shows. Mike was
instramental in securing Palms Hotel & Casino, Nevada Energy,
Aliante Hotel & Casino, Circus Circus Hotel & Casino and
South Point Hotel & Casino as sponsors for the recent 2014
Air Show. Mike is a Bears fan and is active within our social
member community.
Introducing...Business Member BRETT BAUGHMAN. Brett, a native of Peoria, IL is a Life Coach, Business Coach, Professional Speaker
and Author. He came upon our community on FaceBook and we are
blessed he did. Brett has been consulting and coaching in Las Vegas
since 2001. He told us, "I measure my success each day by the lives
I have touched; not by the amount of Likes on my facebook page!"
Currently, Brett is working with fellow Business Member SONIO'S
CAFE with their "Eat Clean in 15" campaign. We urge you to visit
brettbaughman.com

FOUNDERS NOTES

Happy 2015! I'd like

to start this issue off

by dealing with the elephant in the room the
2014
Chicago
Mary Romano
Bears football season.
Founder
We can all agree it was the worst we've
ever seen. And just like surviving a
snowstorm, we can now say "I survived the 2014 Bears Football Season".
Wait til next year!
On the otherhand, our BULLS and
BLACK HAWKS are making us proud
with Win after Win. Even our CUBS and
WHITE SOX are making moves towards
a great season; with the addition of new
Manager Joe Madden and Pitcher John
Lester to the CUBS and former Cubs
pitcher Jeff Samardzija along with left
fielder Nelky Cabrera to the White Sox.
Enjoy your Chicago sports my friends.

WHAT'S NEW

Congratulations to Tim Korney owner

of Windy City Beefs N Dogs and Windy

City Beefs N Pizza on the launch of
PAPA'S GIARDINERA. Papa would be
proud of you Tim! Available in Mild, Medium and Hot Mix at either location.

It is with great pleasure that we welcome

CAPO'S RESTAURANT & SPEAKEASY

located at 5675 W. Sahara to our former Chicagoan family of Business Members. Capo's owner,
Nico Santucci along with his brother and Genereal Manager Dominick welcome all to stop in
and experience their Mob themed Speakeasy.
Capo's serves true family-style Italian meals,
freshly made pasta dishes and prime steaks.

Business Member Tom Rossi owner of EXPERT

FLOORING SOLUTIONS has a new showroom/
design center in Las Vegas, located at 6485 S.
Rainbow.
EFS offers Free furniture removal
& replacement, Free old carpet removal, Free
upgraded pad and Free on time estimates.
Check them out on Angie's List and on Yelp!

FRIENDLY FACES

For a full gallery of our Event photos visit www.chicagoansinthedesert.com

*** Brando's has the NBA PACKAGE *** Happy One year Anniversary to Windy City Wash & Wax ***
Congratulations to Bridget Griffin, Member of Bishop Gormans Cheerleading Team on winning the National
Championship *** Congratulations to Jackie Nelson on her engagement *** High 5's to Frank Kunovic on his
promotion to Manager of Caesars new 16-table poker room. ***

BENZTEK PERFORMANCE
Kevin Pietsch
Owner

702 - 956 - 2369

www.benztekperformance.com
4710 W. Dewey Drive #102 Las Vegas, NV 89118

THE CORNHOLE LEAGUE

That look you get when you tell people you play in a Cornhole League.

Only a fellow former

Midwesterner will ask, "Really? They got a league out here?" Let's start off with the origins of Cornhole.
There are various versions of who and where Cornhole began. Was is in Cincinnati or the Foothills of Kentucky?
Was it an ancient civilization game or was a midwestern farmer named Jebediah Magillicutty responsible for
inventing the game? The only thing that truly matters is that most of us were raised playing this game at
family gatherings, picnics and block parties. Joe Signore, Jr. owner of La Piazza Restaurant and Sports Bar
located at 1000 N. Main Street has been hosting a Cornhole League for the past 5 years. Thursday nights are
League night at La Piazza. As you pull into the parking lot you see the boards all lined up. According to
the American Cornhole Association (don't laugh...it's for real!) the distance between the boards must be a
minimum of 45 feet, of which a distance of 33 feet from cornhole to cornhole. Each Cornhole platform is
48" x 24" rectangle made of half inch plywood. The hole in the Cornhole platform must be six inches

in diameter and be centered nine inches from the top and 12 inches from each side of the Cornhole
platform edges. The final 3 Teams were Here For The Beer, Baggin and Braggin and Missing Link.
This years winner of the Cornhole Tournament at La Piazza was Team Baggin and Braggin. Signup for the 2015
Cornhole League begins in January. Stop in at La Piazza or contact Joe at 702-382-6487 for details.

Members of Team
Baggin & Braggin:
Lefty, Joe, John Paul
and James.
LaPiazza owners Joe
and Karen Signore.

#BETTERWORLD by Brett Baughman

Social Media has become a part of our daily lives. We use it for business; to share our experiences through
videos, photos & posts. We use it to connect with family, friends & brands that matter to us. So why is it that the
trend keeps moving towards 'Consumer Media' not 'Social Media'? The way I see it, social media is like a cocktail
party. You want to have a presence and let people get to know you. You want to be 'likable' through being valuable;
maybe you post witty jokes to make people laugh, or you provide useful information, or great recipes or even
work out plans. When you go to a party, who do you want to mingle with and why? You usually gravitate towards
happy people, friendly people, people who have something GOOD to say! It's not the place to complain, it's not
the place to be inappropriate, it's not the place to be negative and tear someone else down. That should be saved
therapy! Negativity is not the path to a solution. And I think we can all agree that more than ever, we need to
work together as a community and the last job we should put effort into with creating a MORE SIMPLIFIED
method for hate to grow! I believe that we need to embrace an ideal that when something is wrong or their is
a problem to that needs to be solved, we work together to find a solution. A community should be a group of
peers that share the same interests and have the greater good in mind for everyone associated. If something
bad happens to you or your disagree with a viewpoint, that is your right but what is your intention in commenting?
Is it to fix the problem or is to complain about it? Because if the intention is to complain...I'm not interested
in playing! And I don't want to be a part of your 'Social Media' cocktail party.
#BETTERWORLD

SHOP CHICAGOAN...IT WORKS!

702-562-9000

MLR

Pizza
Beef
BBQ Ribs
Pasta

Law Office Of

MicheLe L. RObeRts, esQ.

www.amoretasteofchicago.com

CCF OL_CMYK_B.pdf

10/24/13

11:49 AM

702-358-0620

G & B FENCE
COMMERCIAL RESIDENTIAL

CUSTOM DESIGN AUTOMATED SYSTEM

FREE ESTIMATES

396-9664
George Hanson
Fax: (702) 396-9670

Cell: (702) 491-9585

email: gbfence1@cox.net

D r. N i co l e Yo n t z

702.893.3937

5905 S Eastern Ave, Ste 101

Las Vegas, NV 89119

Optometrist

702.876.2020

2580 S Decatur Blvd, Ste 6

Las Vegas, NV 89102

nicoleyontzod@gmail.com
w w w.OpticGallery.com

blue (100c 46m 2y 0k)

black

Darcy A. Dougherty, MBA

office

702-565-1522 cell 702-423-4590

email shirtzzz@cox.net

11145 S. Eastern Ave. Suite 110 Henderson, NV 89052

www.lasvegaslogoz.com
From conception to implementation,
building your brand one stitch at a time.

EXODUS FAMILY & GUIDANCE SERVICES, LLC

Helping Families Succeed in Life

DR. KAREN D. LEE

Owner/Operator

(702) 466-4360
Lic. #NV20131436018
Fax: (702) 395-0392
E-mail: DrKDLee@ExodusFGS.com

SENIOR
CITIZENS
DISCOUNT

P.O. Box 34149

Las Vegas, NV 89133

miketsolinas.com

Matthew Baker
3753 Howard Hughes Pkwy, Ste. 200
Las Vegas, NV 89169
Office: 702.784.5183
Cell: 702.767.9891