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PUPPIES SAVED-RAFFLE
Rescued dogs to be raffled by Vegas shelter group
LAS VEGAS (AP) — County officials have decided to let an animal shelter organization hold a raffle fundraiser to find homes for 27 puppies rescued in a Las Vegas pet shop arson case.
The Clark County Commission on Tuesday rejected an ownership claim by Prince and Princess pet shop co-owner Donald Thompson.
Commissioners decided the puppies should go to Lied (LEED') Animal Shelter owner the Animal Foundation.
Thompson had wanted the puppies to go to another non-profit animal rescue group, Home 4 Spot.
His lawyer, Amy Chelini, says Thompson won't fight the decision. Chelini says Thompson wants what's best for the animals.
Thompson is the estranged husband of pet store owner Gloria Lee.
Lee and another man, Kirk Bills, face arson, conspiracy and multiple attempted animal cruelty charges in the early Jan. 27 fire.
SIERRA SNOWPACK
Sierra snowpack one-third normal; Outlook mixed
(Information in the following story is from: Reno Gazette-Journal, http://www.rgj.com)
RENO, Nev. (AP) — Weather watchers in the Sierra Nevada say they need a "Miracle March" to recover from an abysmal winter that's produced only one-third of the normal snowpack.
Experts say it has happened before — most recently in 2011 when nearly 17 feet of snow fell on Alpine Meadows, the biggest March total in 41 years.
In 1991, a series of late storms boosted snowpack from a low of about 16 percent on March 1 to more than 60 percent on April 1.
Federal water master Chad Blanchard told the Reno Gazette Journal another March escape from drought is possible, but not likely.
The National Weather Service's monthlong outlook for the Reno-Lake Tahoe area is calling for equal chances of a wetter- or drier-than-normal period over the next 30 days.
NEVADA CONGRESS-INNIS
Nevada congressional hopeful has lax voting record
(Information in the following story is from: Las Vegas Review-Journal, http://www.lvrj.com)
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Nevada Republican congressional candidate Niger Innis says he regrets not voting more often in the past 14 years.
The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports Innis voted only four times since 2000 while registered to vote and living in New York and Nevada.
Innis tells the newspaper that during that time he was focused grassroots organizing.
He says he's learned over the years that to bring about change you have to actively engage in the political process.
Innis is running for Nevada's 4th Congressional District seat currently held by Democratic Rep. Steven Horsford. He faces a June GOP primary against state Assemblyman Cresent Hardy.
GUN THEFT-FUGITIVE ARRESTED
FBI arrests fugitive in theft of 18 guns in Utah
LAS VEGAS (AP) — A man accused of stealing 18 guns from an eastern Utah store over the summer has been arrested by an FBI task force in southern Nevada.
Officials from the Roosevelt Police Department announced that 34-year-old Raymond Michael Livingston was arrested Monday. He's charged in the burglary of Stewart's Marketplace on June 23.
Livingston was wanted on an $185,000 warrant. Roosevelt Police Lt. Pete Butcher told the Deseret News there was a break in the case when three of the guns were recovered in the Las Vegas area, including one during a traffic stop and two during violent felonies.
Livingston is charged with 18 counts of theft and one count of burglary in the case.
He's in the Clark County Detention Center in Las Vegas pending a Wednesday court appearance.
NEVADA WEEK IN REVIEW-RESIGNATION
Longtime 'Nevada Week in Review' host steps down
LAS VEGAS (AP) — The longtime host and producer of the Vegas PBS show "Nevada Week in Review" says he's leaving to pursue other career opportunities.
Mitch Fox has been with the station for 35 years and has hosted the weekly politics program for more than two decades. His last day on the show will be Friday.
General Manager Tom Axtell says the station will be working diligently to find a new host for the program and will use guest hosts during the transition.
Fox has moderated debates including the 2010 U.S. Senate matchup between Harry Reid and Sharron Angle. He's also covered the Nevada Legislature and produced an award-winning documentary series on nuclear waste.
YOUTH RISK BEHAVIOR
Report details risky behavior of Nevada youth
CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) — A new report gives a sobering snapshot on the health risk behaviors of Nevada high school students.
The report compiled by surveys taken last year shows 32 percent of high school students experienced depression and nearly 20 percent contemplated suicide.
Sixteen percent say they've carried a weapon in the month before the survey was taken, and about 20 percent were bullied.
When it comes to alcohol, 67 percent say they consumed it at least once. Of those, 33 percent drank alcohol in the month before the survey and nearly 18 percent participated in binge drinking.
About 40 percent have tried marijuana and a third of students surveyed say they were offered, sold or given an illegal drug on school property.
Forty-three percent of students have had sex.
TAHOE SKI RESORT-BEAR CLOSURE
Injured bear halts Tahoe ski run temporarily
RENO, Nev. (AP) — Part of a ski resort at Lake Tahoe was temporarily shut down while wildlife officials captured an injured bear cub that was wandering around a mountaintop chairlift.
The 1-year-old bear was being treated on Tuesday at Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care for a puncture wound to its right shoulder and scraped up pads on the bottom of its feet.
Nevada Department of Wildlife biologist Carl Lackey says the bear was hanging Monday out at Heavenly Mountain Resort at South Lake Tahoe, Calif., near the spot where skiers disembark from the Powderbowl Express chairlift. He says it was approaching people and seemed lethargic.
Lackey shot the bear with a tranquilizer dart and the ski patrol helped him transport it downhill. A veterinarian thinks the animal may have fallen out of a tree.
CHILD ABDUCTION-VEGAS
Mother held in Vegas in Ohio child abduction case
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Authorities say a 4-year-old girl missing since November has been returned to her father in Ohio after being found in Las Vegas with her mother.
Records showed that 38-year-old Eva Villamor-Goubeaux was being held Tuesday at the Clark County jail in Las Vegas pending an extradition hearing Thursday in Las Vegas Justice Court.
U.S. marshals arrested Villamor-Goubeaux on Feb. 27 after finding her working as a home health care provider in the Las Vegas area.
Sheriff's officials in Ohio's Miami County tell the Dayton Daily News (http://bit.ly/1c5Q6pR ) the child was seen with Villamor-Goubeaux on Nov. 24, and that there were reports that the two were in New York in January.
CRIME DATA-NEVADA
FBI reports some crime data up in Nevada cities
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Police in Las Vegas reported a jump in the number of murders, and slight increases in rapes and robberies in the first six months of 2013, compared with the same period a year earlier.
In North Las Vegas, murders were down in the FBI Uniform Crime Report made public Tuesday.
But police there reported spikes in several other categories — with rapes up 51 percent, robberies up 22 percent and burglaries up 38 percent.
Henderson reported slight year-to-year increases in overall property crimes, including a 14 percent increase in thefts.
Reno police reported six murders from January to June 2013, compared with none the first six months of 2012.
Las Vegas, North Las Vegas and Reno all reported fewer vehicle thefts, and Henderson had just a 3 percent increase.
CARSON CITY GRAFFITI
1 arrested in Carson City graffiti vandalism
CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) — Carson City authorities say one teenager has been arrested and others may have been involved in the vandalism of more than 40 properties with graffiti.
Sheriff Ken Furlong says investigators began receiving tips Monday after they released surveillance video provided by one of the victims.
Because of those tips, two juveniles were interviewed. Furlong says a 17-year-old made statements of admission. He adds police found also clothing and paint residue.
Deputies are still investigating the involvement of the second teenager and Furlong says others also may be involved.
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