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SPARKS-HIT AND RUN
Sparks man charged in hit-and-run
SPARKS, Nev. (AP) — A 19-year-old Sparks man has been arrested after allegedly leaving the scene of an accident involving a pedestrian.
Police say James Garoutte is charged with suspicion of fleeing the scene but is not at fault for running over a man who was lying in the road on Rock Boulevard on March 1.
Investigators say one driver had stopped to check on the condition of the downed man when another vehicle ran over him.
The witness got Garoutte's license plate number. Police arrested him on Saturday.
Detectives say a preliminary investigation indicates the 35-year-old pedestrian, Matthew Tittor, was at fault in the incident and may have been under the influence of alcohol. His injuries were not believed to be life-threatening.
VEGAS BANK ROBBER
Vegas man arrested in 3 attempted bank robberies
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Las Vegas police have arrested a suspect in three attempted bank robberies.
Police say Kenyatta Stepps tried to rob different banks within about a half-hour Saturday morning but apparently got money at only one.
The string of holdups began about 10:30 a.m. at the Bank of America on West Sahara. He fled with no money in a silver Nissan and showed up 15 minutes later at the Wells Fargo bank on South Rainbow, where he did obtain an undisclosed amount of cash.
The third heist was reported at the US Bank on South Rainbow about 11 a.m.
Lt. Michael Wallace says police chased him into the Circus Circus parking lot before he collided with a police cruiser.
No one was injured. The FBI is assisting in the investigation.
TODDLER DROWNING
Vegas woman charged in 3-year-old son's drowning
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Las Vegas police have arrested a woman on suspicion of murder in the drowning death of her 3-year-old son.
Police Lt. Ken Romine says the boy's mother, 30-year-old Christine Allen, called 911 just before 6:30 p.m. Saturday.
Firefighters tried to resuscitate him at the home in Rock Springs Vista Condos, near Buffalo and Vegas Dr. But he later was pronounced dead at Sunrise Hospital.
A preliminary investigation indicates Allen may have been experiencing a medical crisis when she allegedly drowned her son in the bathtub.
No other children were home at the time.
The toddler's name has not been released. The coroner's office has not released a cause of death.
YUCCA MOUNTAIN-ELKO COUNTY
Elko County will hear pro-Yucca Mountain backers
(Information in the following story is from: Elko Daily Free Press, http://www.elkodaily.com)
ELKO, Nev. (AP) — Elko County has joined a half dozen other rural Nevada counties that are not ready to close the door on proposals to store nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain.
The county commission approved a resolution on Wednesday to reopen discussions about the nuke waste repository long opposed by Nevada's governor and congressional delegation.
Nye County Commissioner Dan Schinhofin told the panel his county believes Yucca Mountain is safe.
White Pine, Churchill, Esmeralda, Mineral, Lander and Lincoln counties have supported similar resolutions.
The Elko Daily Free Press reports a draft of the pro-Yucca document asks that it's relicensing process move forward with a detailed review of the application.
Commission Chairman Charlie Myers says it doesn't mean they back the plan, only that they're open to hearing the scientific evidence.
TAHOE CASINO-RENOVATION
Tahoe casino to close April 1 for renovations
STATELINE, Nev. (AP) — The Horizon Casino Resort at Stateline will close April 1 for multi-million-dollar renovations.
Brothers Jon and David Park of Neva One LLC, which recently acquired the property, say they want to bring the 539-room hotel and casino up to current standards.
The resort on Lake Tahoe's south shore opened as Del Webb's Sahara Tahoe in 1965.
Neva One gave no indication when the Horizon would reopen, saying additional plans for the property and a timeline regarding the renovation would be announced in coming weeks.
The company says current employees will have a chance to meet with Nevada JobConnect regarding other employment opportunities in the Lake Tahoe area.
TREE WATERING-RENO
Drought prompts warning to water trees in Reno
RENO, Nev. (AP) — With the start of spring only a couple of weeks away, experts are urging Reno-area residents and businesses to water trees to help them survive the drought.
The Reno Urban Forestry Commission says trees are under duress after another unusually dry winter.
Commission spokesman Steve Churchillo says the region has seen a significant increase in tree deaths over the past several years because they are not being watered properly or not being watered at all.
When a tree dies and poses a threat to public safety, the owner is required to remove it, which can cost up to thousands of dollars. Experts say it's far less expensive to keep the tree alive by watering it on a regular basis.
Mature trees should be watered once a week with the equivalent of about 50 gallons of water in the summer.
NEON MUSEUM-FIRST YEAR
Neon Museum in Vegas hits targets in first year
LAS VEGAS (AP) — The Neon Museum in Las Vegas says it hit its projections almost perfectly by drawing about 60,000 visitors during its first full year in operation.
Museum board chairman Bill Marion told the Las Vegas City Council Wednesday that the tourist attraction has been running in the black since its official opening in October 2012.
The outdoor museum features more than 150 giant signs retired from casinos throughout Las Vegas. Some are fully restored and light up on their own, while most are lit by external spotlights.
The museum offers guided tours and special programs. It also hosts events, including parties and weddings.
The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports the city is the land owner and the initial creator of the museum, which is now an independent entity with nonprofit status.
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