Nevada
Nevada Hotel’s Lulu’s tiki bar at York Beach now open to public: ‘I’m definitely excited’

YORK, Maine — Long Sands Beach’s newest tiki bar is open to the public after a holdup this summer in the restaurant’s approval process.
Lulu’s has been serving guests of the Nevada Hotel since its historic reopening this summer by Joe Lipton, who completely refurbished the establishment and added a third floor. Initially, town officials required the restaurant to remain exclusive to hotel guests until a change of use was approved.
However, two weeks ago, code enforcement informed Lipton that the restaurant could now open to the public. The delay was due to a stream overlay district intended to protect a non-existent stream, mistakenly marked on the town’s maps.
“They realized that they can now make a determination the stream never even existed,” Lipton said.
Lipton had been using guest day passes to give people access to Lulu’s while he awaited approval for the restaurant to be public. With Lulu’s open to guests only, he allowed people to request the passes so they could get full access to the hotel’s amenities, including the restaurant.
Now, Lulu’s is preparing to hold a celebration on Sept. 8 with a live steel drum reggae band from 3 to 6 p.m. commemorating the first summer open at the Nevada.
“We want people to know that, especially for the locals heading into September, we’re open,” Lipton said.
More: York to spruce up town with pop-up pocket parks for tourists and locals
What’s on the menu at Lulu’s at York Beach?
Lulu’s, named after Lydia, the daughter of Lipton and Michelle Friar, and her childhood nickname, offers a mix of Mexican and Polynesian cuisine. Tiki-style restaurants and décor, which gained popularity in the 1950s, complement the Pacific Rim theme that aligns with the Nevada’s naval motif. The hotel itself is designed to resemble a battleship flybridge, similar to the one founder Henry de la Pena served on during World War II.
Lulu’s focuses less on imagery like native tiki masks and more on the connection between food and nature. On the menu is a raw bar with ceviche, rice and noodle bowls and al pastor – pork cooked vertically, rotating underneath a pineapple from which juice flows down.
Lulu’s is one of three restaurants operated by Lipton and Friar at their three hotels. The other two are A Little Auk at the ViewPoint Hotel and Stones Throw, which has both a restaurant and hotel rooms.
Lipton said he plans to offer a shuttle service between Long Sands Beach, where the Nevada and Stones Throw are located, and the ViewPoint on Nubble Road, which overlooks the Nubble Lighthouse.
After completing work on all three establishments in recent years, he intends to take a break from major projects for a while.
“One of the things we really wanted to do was be able to share the Nevada and Lulu’s with the people, with the town,” Lipton said. “I’m definitely excited.”
York’s iconic Cliff Walk in jeopardy: Leaders weigh if costly repairs are worth doing

Nevada
Nevada lawmaker pushes for harsher animal cruelty laws after abuse, death of Reba the Bulldog
Nevada
Nevada offensive lineman Isaiah World transfers to Oregon Ducks

The Oregon Ducks secured their third transfer portal addition in a single day on Wednesday night.
Nevada offensive tackle Isaiah World announced his commitment to the Ducks. World — standing at 6-foot-8, 320 pounds — was the top available offensive tackle in the portal according to 247Sports.
Originally a three-star recruit out of high school in San Diego, World was a two-time all-Mountain West honorable mention at Nevada in 2023 and 2024. He spent four seasons with the Wolfpack, including one redshirt year, and has one year of eligibility remaining.
World joins fellow offensive tackle Alex Harkey (Texas State) and tight end Jamari Johnson (Louisville) in the trio of transfers to commit to Oregon on Wednesday.
Keep tabs on all of Oregon’s incoming and outgoing transfers with our live transfer portal tracker.
CFP quarterfinal at the Rose Bowl
- Who: No. 1 Oregon Ducks (13-0) vs. No. 8 Ohio State/No. 9 Tennessee
- When: Wednesday, Jan. 1
- Time: 2 p.m. PT
- Where: Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California
- TV channel: ESPN
- Stream: You can watch this game live for FREE with Fubo (free trial) or by signing up for Sling (cheapest streaming plans, $25 off your first month). If you already have cable, you can also watch this game live on Watch ESPN with your cable or satellite provider login information.
- Oregon Ducks football 2024 season schedule, scores
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— Ryan Clarke covers the Oregon Ducks and Big Ten Conference. Listen to the Ducks Confidential podcast or subscribe to the Ducks Roundup newsletter.
Nevada
Nevada Senate leader announces sweeping education reform bill

Nevada Senate Majority Leader Nicole Cannizzaro announced a sweeping education bill she will push in the upcoming Legislative Session, with proposals ranging from retaining previous teacher raises and creating universal pre-K programs to improving accountability measures for public and private schools.
The Education through Accountability, Transparency, and Efficiency (EDUCATE) Act aims to help facilitate a “broad-based conversation about accountability in the education system,” according to a statement from Cannizzaro, D-Las Vegas, on Wednesday.
“The EDUCATE Act is the result of a commitment I made a year ago to bring forward a package of education reforms that would improve outcomes for students, help us hire and retain great teachers and staff, and give parents more confidence in our educational system,” Cannizzaro’s statement said.
Her bill would retain the nearly 20 percent raises for staff passed as part of the 2023 education budget.
Cannizzaro wants to expand alternative routes to licensure and Paraprofessional Pathways Project programs to address teacher shortages. Her bill would also establish a Nevada Commission on Educator Recruitment and Retention that will replace the Nevada Department of Education’s advisory task force to identify strategies to address educator workforce pipelines.
The bill also contains provisions to expand accountability for schools. If passed, it would create a School District Oversight Board, a joint legislative and executive branch group that would oversee school districts and take action if they fail to meet certain obligations.
It would also require the State Board of Education to develop academic achievement plans for elementary schools that includes three-year goals and plans aimed at advancing student achievement.
The EDUCATE Act also create universal pre-K for all 4-year-olds.
Regarding opportunity scholarships, a source of tension between state Democrats and Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo, Cannizzaro’s bill would require all private schools receiving public funds to meet the same subject assessment requirements as public schools. It would create a mandate for schools to collect and report demographic and enrollment information of Opportunity Scholarship recipients.
“We all agree that our kids deserve the best possible educational opportunities, and I look forward to a robust conversation during the legislation session about making publicly funded schools more transparent and accountable to deliver for students, parents, and our community,” Cannizzaro said.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
Contact Jessica Hill at jehill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @jess_hillyeah on X.
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