Forty years ago, Hank Greenspun wrote a book about his life and how a great portion of those exciting years was intertwined with the amazing growth of an American phenomenon called Las Vegas. A lifelong passion for justice was the hallmark of everything Hank Greenspun built. He devoted his career to making Las Vegas a positive place to live and work, and his love for the community was matched only by his love for the Greenspun family. As he explained it, \"This is the town where my children were born and are growing up. I don't want them ever to be ashamed of it. That goes for all the other kids - the children of Las Vegas' blackjack dealers, schoolteachers, cocktail waitresses, atomic scientists and showgirls. We're decent, hard-working people no different from anyone else. We belong to this town and this town belongs to us.\"
Whether it meant campaigning for clean government, battling organized crime, or standing up for his beliefs in a popular newspaper column, Hank Greenspun never stopped working toward his vision of a better Las Vegas. And in founding the company that grew with the city, he stamped it with his own personal philosophy every step of the way.
"; event_1944 = "1944
While stationed in Ireland, awaiting the invasion of Europe, Hank Greenspun met Barbara Joan Ritchie. They married in 1944. Today she is the publisher of the Las Vegas Sun.
1946
After resuming his law practice in New York, Greenspun decided to check out the small town of Las Vegas. Describing his reaction as \"love at first sight,\" he sent for his family and launched a magazine about the city's nightlife called Las Vegas Life.
1947
For about two years, Greenspun penned the Flamingo Chatter column in the Review Journal. After leaving the Flamingo, Hank bought an interest in the Desert Inn and was a partner in the opening of radio station KRAM 920-AM in December 1947.
1949
With war on the horizon and Israel short on weapons, Greenspun bought machine guns and airplane parts in Hawaii and accompanied them through Mexico to ship to the Israeli freedom fighters who were fending off the Arab invaders. But Greenspun was caught and pleaded guilty to violating to the Neutrality Act in 1950.
He was fined $10,000 but received no prison time. Greenspun called it one of his proudest moments because his cause was just and he played a role in the founding of Israel, where to this day he is remembered as a hero.
"; event_1950 = "1950
Union members locked out of Las Vegas' only daily newspaper started one of their own, which was a financial failure. Believing that \"there can only be a free press when a competitive spirit prevails,\" Greenspun bought the paper. As publisher of the newly named Las Vegas Morning Sun, he made a promise to the community: \"I pledge that I will always fight for progress and reform; never tolerate injustice or corruption; (and) always remain devoted to the public welfare.\" His front-page editorial, \"Where I Stand,\" soon became one of the most widely read columns in Nevada.
1952
During the McCarthy investigations, the re-named Las Vegas Sun achieved wide-spread recognition for Hank's scathing editorials against the witch hunts. When McCarthy falsely accused him of being an ex-Communist, Greenspun drew national attention by challenging the Senator: \"Show me your proof!\" Those words started an avalanche of public criticism that led to McCarthy's downfall.
1954
With other investors, Hank starts KLAS Channel 8, the city's first commercial TV station.
1955
The Las Vegas Sun starts it's annual Youth Forum, in which high school students debate world, national and local issues.
1961
President John F. Kennedy pardons Hank on his July 10, 1950, conviction of violating the federal Neutrality Act, in connection with helping to supply arms to Israel. Hank regains his civil rights, including the right to vote.
1962
Hank made his first and last venture into politics when gubernatorial candidate Rex Bell died of a heart attack during a political rally. Republican party leaders prevailed upon Greenspun to run for Governor, even though he felt he could work for clean government more effectively as a publisher than as a politician. Although Hank lost the race, he left an indelible mark on Nevada politics.
1963
Two days before John F. Kennedy's assassination, the Las Vegas Sun building burned down. As staffers posted news reports on cardboard signs outside the ruined building, Hank arranged to have the newspaper printed in other cities and flown into Las Vegas until he could rebuild.
1970
In May 1970, Barbara Greenspun outbid casino moguls Jay Sarno and Harold Smith for an Apollo 12 moon mission American flag, bidding $25,000 at a charity event for the American Cancer Society. Upon making what was the highest bid of the entire auction, Barbara was congratulated by actor John Wayne, the event's master of ceremonies, who that year had won the Academy Award for best actor for the film \"True Grit.\"
1970
Following a three-year quest for the local cable television franchise, Hank's Community Cable Television, Inc. won the right to serve Clark County.This ultimately resulted in CCTV doing business as Prime Cable of Las Vegas, which served over 210,000 households in the metro area before it was sold to Cox Communications in 1998.
1971
Hank launched the first Sun Camp Fund to send handicapped and needy children to summer camp. Now as Las Vegas tradition, the fund provides \"camperships\" for about 900 children each summer.
1977
For Hank Greenspun's years of service to the state and community that Greenspun loved, Hank was given an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from UNLV in 1977.
1982
The Sun wins the top award from the Nevada Press Association for a seven-part series exposing Justice Department misconduct as it investigated Judge Claiborne.
1989
The death of Hank Greenspun in 1989 brought an outpouring of sympathy and respect from around the state, the nation and the world. The Sun Publisher died on a Saturday morning after fighting a valiant year-long battle with cancer. He was 79.
1989
The Greenspun Family sold Prime Cable of Las Vegas and its subsidiary Hospitality Network, which provides in-room movies to Cox Communications of Las Vegas, a division of Cox Communications.
1990
Hank's vision for a center devoted to the study of communications came true with the establishment of UNLV's Greenspun School of Communications, offering programs in advertising, print and broadcast journalism, telecommunications, public relations, rhetorical studies and communication theory.
1991
Greenspun Junior High School, located in Henderson, Nevada, became part of the Clark County School District and first opened for the 1991-1992 school year.
1991
On May 19, 1991, nearly 22 months after Hank died, Barbara was named a Distinguished Nevadan by the University and Community College System of Nevada.
1994
The Barbara Greenspun Lecture series was implemented and has brought to town prominent speakers including journalists Linda Ellerbee and Carl Bernstein and Hillary Rodham Clinton.
1996
Hank Greenspun won numerous civic awards and honors, including the naming of Jewish War Veterans Post 30 in northwest Las Vegas in his honor in October 1966, the year the JWV turned 100. The JWV created an annual Hank Greenspun Distinguished Citizen Award. Former two-term Nevada governor and longtime Sun Executive Editor, Mike O'Callaghan was the first recipient of the honor. Also in 1996, The Sun pulled onto the information super highway, ultimately launching website VEGAS.com.
1998
As a joint venture with local CBS affiliate KLAS-8 Cox Communications of Las Vegas and the Las Vegas Sun, was launched a 24-hour, all-news cable channel known as Las Vegas ONE.
1999
CineVegas, a film festival held annually in Las Vegas, was started by an enthusiastic group of film/art lovers, independent filmmakers, and movie industry veterans. Under the direction of festival owners Danny and Robin Greenspun, who serves as president, CineVegas has established itself as one of the hottest and fastest growing film festivals in the world, with recent profiles in the New York Times, Los Angeles Times and TIME Magazine. CineVegas was mentioned as one of the top 5 small fests to visit by Canada's Globe and Mail newspaper and was also named one of the top 5 gem festivals in the world by Variety, one of the top 12 film festivals in North America by San Francisco Magazine and one of the top 7 events occurring in Las Vegas in 2007 by LA Weekly.
2000
In the April 2000 issue of Nevada Contractor magazine, the industry's official publication, Hank Greenspun was named one of Southern Nevada's top five land developers of all time. Also in 2000, the Sun announced plans to move to a new headquarters in Green Valley. The building became part of a complex housing Greenspun business enterprises, including Greenspun Media Group - a diversified media, internet and broadcasting group, which now serves as the largest magazine publisher in the state.
2005
The afternoon edition of the Las Vegas Sun was published until September 30, 2005. On October 2, 2005, the Las Vegas Sun began distribution with the Las Vegas Review-Journal, a newspaper with which it has a joint operating agreement.
2006
Niche Media Holdings LLC CEO Jason Binn along with The Greenspun Corporation Chairman Brian L.Greenspun, announced a strategic partnership, which extended the reach of Greenspun Media Group (GMG) publications into the luxury market served by Niche Media publications.
2007
The Greenspun family has made a significant investment in the Tribune Company upon its going-private transaction with an acquisition subsidiary of the Tribune Employee Stock Ownership Plan (Tribune ESOP) with Sam Zell now serving as its Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive.
The Greenspun Legacy
The philanthropic vision and combined business acumen of the Greenspun family has been carried forward by the second generation of Greenspuns - Hank & Barbara's children - Susan, Brian, Janie and Danny.
Susan Greenspun-Fine directs the family's civic and charitable efforts in the Las Vegas community as Director of the Greenspun Family Foundation.
Brian Greenspun, corporate chairman and editor of the Las Vegas Sun moves in the circles of power, politics and prestige. He has championed causes in education and the public welfare.
Janie Greenspun-Gale, works tirelessly with animal rights groups and her background in television broadcasting provides her a strong foundation in communicative arts.
Daniel Greenspun has moved the Greenspun Corporation companies into the world of cyber communications, Internet marketing and dynamic partnerships with blue chip companies.
All of Hank and Barbara's children sit on countless boards of non-profit organizations - a continuing dynamic that gives to the community their father loved so much.