((Brian's Note: Calvert Collins is a member of my extended broadcast family. She works as a reporter and weather anchor at KLAS Television in Las Vegas. She started there after I left but I can tell you she does a good job and is a talented broadcaster. It was a no-brainer to ask her to 'guest write' this column.))

Hello Sioux Falls viewers! I must say I'm envious you live in a place with four full seasons. While Las Vegas has it's mountains, the Spring Mountains to the west and the Sheep Range to the north, Sin City does not rival the natural beauty of the Midwest. I spent six years and six long winters in the Midwest. I worked as a reporter and anchor in Columbia, Missouri and in Omaha, Nebraska, so I feel I understand the people, the values and the concerns of Midwesterns. That being said, I'd like to enlighten you about my experiences in Las Vegas after living in the Midwest.

Las Vegas didn't get the nickname "Sin City" by mistaks, it's for a good reason. You can do anything any time anywhere in this city. I was used to bars and (some) restaurants in the Midwest closing at 1am. In Las Vegas, that's considered "just getting started". Dance clubs don't even open until 10:30PM and most don't close until 4AM at the earliest! Since I am the morning live reporter, I don't venture into these places except on special weekend occasions. Don't even get me started on food and drink prices.

Moving on, as you probably know, Las Vegas is the gambling capital of the world, so why should gambling be limited just to casinos, right? Wroong. Most Americans go to a gas station to fill up or get a soda or bottle of water. In Las Vegas, you can also gamble! That's because there are video poker machines and slot machines in virtually every convenience store in Clark County..that's something I'll truly never get over!

My first week on the job encompasses Las Vegas perffectly and it's a week I'll most certainly never forget. I started November 12, 2007, the week of OJ Simpson's preliminary hearing. He's charged with armed robbery, kidnapping, conspiracy and a slew of other lesser charges for allegedly holding up three sports memorabilia dealers in a Palace Station Casino Hotel room last September. I thought this was a pretty common occurrence in Las Vegas, but when I waled up to the Regional Justice Center, I realized how wrong I was. You would've thought the President was on trial because there were so many media satellite trucks, there was no room for anyone to park. We were standing next to  CNN who was next to MSNBC who was next to ABC who was next to Fox News, and so on. It was an absolute media circus!

Two days later, the Barnum & Bailey media circus moved two miles South to the University of Nevada-Las Vegas campus for a Democratic Presidential debate which was a first for the city. By the time Friday rolled around, I was exhausted. I had finally checked off my first week of work and was sitting on my couch watching TV. Around 3PM my work cell phone rang. I answered it and the lady on the other end of the line proceeded to give me a story idea from the group she represented, Hookers For Jesus. I thought I was dreaming, but Hookers for Jesus really exists! They're a group of former pimps, prostitutes and exotic dancers who have turned to Christianity for help and salvation. She told me they were hosting a recruitment event outside one of the Strip resorts in an attempt to gain attention and recruit new members. Granted, it had been a long week, but no one could've prepared me for this. I immediately called my parents back in Dallas and recounted the story...it's still a favorite to this day! The bottom line is: I had no idea what this city had in store for me..and it's been a wild ride so far, but I'm going to keep hangin' on waiting to see what comes my way next!

((Brian's Note: Calvert is finding life is Las Vegas isn't like living anywhere else. I look forward to hearing about her other experiences as she goes through life in Sin City. Feel free to leave a comment below or send me an e-mail by clicking here.))