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RENO APARTMENT FIRE
Reno apartment fire critically injures 2 men
RENO, Nev. (AP) — A Reno apartment fire on Thursday night critically injured two men and injured a woman.
Fire officials say both men suffered third-degree burns to 90 percent of their bodies and were in critical condition at a hospital.
The woman remains at Renown Regional Medical Center after suffering first- and second-degree burns and significant smoke inhalation.
Their names were not immediately released.
Investigators say the fire in the center unit of a large two-story apartment complex on Manhattan Street is believed to have originated in the garage while the occupants were repairing a vehicle.
They say while the cause remains under investigation, gasoline may have contributed to the start of the blaze.
It took firefighters 10 minutes to control the 9:35 p.m. fire.
FAKE ALARM INSPECTOR
Washoe sheriff warns of fake alarm inspector
RENO, Nev. (AP) — The Washoe County sheriff's office is warning residents north of Reno to beware of a suspicious person masquerading as an inspector for a security company.
Deputies said in a statement Thursday the man has been going door-to-door in the Cold Springs area with a white ID badge on a lanyard around his neck.
Residents say he demands to inspect security system alarms and insists law officers won't respond to any emergency if the homeowner denies him access.
The sheriff's office says it's extremely unusual for an inspector to show up unannounced without the alarm company contacting the resident to set up an appointment.
Anyone who spots any suspicious activity is asked to call non-emergency dispatch at 775-785-9276.
TWO SHOT-SOUTHWEST VEGAS
1 dead, 1 wounded near southwest Vegas businesses
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Police are investigating after one person was found dead and another wounded near businesses in southwest Las Vegas.
Authorities say someone called them a little before 9 p.m. Thursday to say a man came into a business and reported he was shot. The victim was taken to University Medical Center.
Police say they got another call shortly after from someone saying a vehicle had crashed into another car in the parking lot, which is near South Jones Boulevard and West Robindale Road.
Officers who arrived on scene found a man in the backseat of the vehicle with a gunshot wound. He was later pronounced dead.
Detectives are investigating what led up to the shootings.
GEORGE WALLACE-INJURY LAWSUIT
Comedian George Wallace testifying in injury case
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Veteran comic George Wallace returns to a Nevada courtroom Friday to tell a jury how he tore his Achilles tendon during a stand-up comedy show for a corporate audience at a Las Vegas Strip resort.
The 61-year-old comedian is seeking $9 million in a civil negligence lawsuit against the Bellagio resort.
Wallace told jurors Thursday that he can't do things he used to do before his leg injury in December 2007.
Bellagio attorneys say Wallace was careless and that he voluntarily assumed the risk of injury.
Wallace has headlined since 2004 at the Flamingo hotel-casino.
CASINO WIN-NEVADA
Nev. gambling revenue falls 14 percent in February
LAS VEGAS (AP) — State officials say Nevada gambling revenues tumbled 14 percent in February and took an even bigger dive on the Las Vegas Strip.
The Nevada Gaming Control Board reported Friday that the state's casinos won $926 million in February, down from more than $1 billion in February 2013.
Las Vegas Strip gambling revenues fell more than 20 percent last month to $556 million. The story was happier in downtown Las Vegas, where casino revenue rose 3 percent to $43 million in February.
Reno casino revenue grew less than 1 percent to $44 million, while South Lake Tahoe casino winnings dropped almost 10 percent to $15 million.
Nevada collected almost $59 million in taxes on the February gambling revenue, which is down about 5 percent from the same time a year ago.
NEVADA JOBLESS
Nev. jobless rate down to 8.5 percent in February
CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) — State officials say Nevada's jobless rate continued its downward slide in February.
The Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation reported Friday that Nevada had 8.5 percent unemployment last month, down 0.2 percentage points from January. It's the lowest it's been since October 2008.
State economist Bill Anderson says the job growth rate last month was the highest in the nation. Jobs grew 3.4 percent year-over-year.
Gov. Brian Sandoval says he's encouraged to see continued improvement in Nevada's economy, but says it's important to keep focusing on job creation.
REFRIGERATOR RECYCLING
NV Energy offers rebate for old refrigerators
RENO, Nev. (AP) — NV Energy is offering rebates on old refrigerators and freezers.
Under the refrigerator recycling program, customers can have their old appliances hauled off from free and receive a $50 rebate check.
Officials say the goal of the program is to help customers reduce energy costs and get old inefficient refrigerators and freezers off the electric grid.
Old appliances can use up to four times the amount of electricity required by new Energy Star models and increase a household's annual electric bill by as must as $140.
Since 2004 about 72,500 old refrigerators and freezers have been recycled in Nevada.
To qualify, the old appliances must be in working condition and have a storage capacity of at least 10 cubic feet.
Free pickups can be scheduled online or by calling 1-877-289-8260.
HEPATITIS EXPOSURE-FEDERAL CHARGES
Plea deals could come before federal hep C trial
(Information in the following story is from: Las Vegas Review-Journal, http://www.lvrj.com)
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Plea deals are possible in a federal health care fraud case against a former physician already serving time in state prison in a Las Vegas hepatitis C outbreak and a former clinic manager.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Crane Pomerantz made the revelation Wednesday while briefing Senior U.S. District Judge Larry Hicks on preparations for a rescheduled trial for Dipak Desai and Tonya Rushing.
Trial has been pushed back from July to Aug. 8.
The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports that Pomerantz said Rushing is considering a plea offer.
An agreement with Desai depends on whether doctors determine he's competent to understand it.
Desai is serving 18 years to life in prison after being found guilty in state court of second-degree murder and 26 other criminal charges in the 2007 hepatitis outbreak.
IMMIGRATION PROTEST-AMODEI OFFICE
Immigration rally set outside Amodei's Reno office
RENO, Nev. (AP) — About two dozen women pushing for immigration reform are expected to protest in front of Congressman Mark Amodei's Reno office.
The demonstration set for Friday is organized by the We Belong Together immigration advocacy organization. It's part of the national "Fast for Families" project, in which women fast for 24 hours.
The initiative is targeting Republican lawmakers such as Amodei who have expressed some support for immigration reform. Protesters plan to approach Amodei and ask him to take more steps toward passing a comprehensive reform bill.
The protest mirrors a rally held Monday outside Rep. Joe Heck's office in Henderson.
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