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HEALTH OVERHAUL-NEVADA
Even with late push, Nevada exchange signups lag
CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) — A late push of public outreach events helped escalate signups on Nevada's health exchange, but final tallies still fell short of enrollment goals.
Officials say nearly 42,000 people selected qualified health plans through the state's online web portal, Nevada Health Link. Of those, about 26,000 have actually paid for coverage.
The deadline to enroll was midnight Monday.
Exchange officials initially set a goal of 118,000. But in February they tamed expectations to 50,000 because of ongoing flaws in the system built by Xerox that left many people frustrated and unable to enroll.
Because of those problems, the state approved a 60-day special enrollment period through May 30 for anyone who attempted to sign up since Oct. 1 to complete the process.
GPS-WARRANTLESS ARREST
Nevada court denies appeal of cellphone tracking
CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) — The Nevada Supreme Court has rejected a convicted stalker's claims that his rights were violated when a Douglas County sheriff's deputy tracked him down through his cellphone's Global Positioning System without first obtaining a separate search warrant.
A three-judge panel on Thursday affirmed Michael Meisler's conviction, saying officers had obtained a valid arrest warrant before requesting his phone's GPS coordinates.
Justices said because an arrest warrant would have allowed entry into Meisler's home, it likewise justifies a digital entry into his cellphone to retrieve GPS coordinates to locate him.
Meisler is a disbarred lawyer who had a previous stalking conviction. He was convicted in 2012 and sentenced to four to 12 years in prison for stalking a woman and her teenage son.
VEGAS STRIP STABBING
Details emerge in Las Vegas Strip casino stabbing
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Details are emerging about a Las Vegas Strip casino stabbing that left one man with leg and hand injuries and a 38-year-old man facing felony battery charges.
A police report made public Thursday accuses Aaron Vogel and his brother, Bryan Vogel, of brawling with two other men after a bump and an exchange of words a little before 8 p.m. Monday in a men's restroom at the Planet Hollywood resort.
Aaron Vogel was the only one arrested.
Records show he was not in custody Thursday.
He's accused of using a folding knife to cut the man who was taken to University Medical Center with injuries that were not described as life-threatening.
Police say a witness who wasn't involved in the fight identified Aaron Vogel as the assailant with a knife.
NORTH VEGAS DOUBLE SLAYING
Head injury killed sister in North Vegas home
LAS VEGAS (AP) — A head injury killed a woman whose body was found with severed legs in the bathtub of a North Las Vegas home where her brother is accused of killing her and their mother.
The Clark County coroner corrected earlier reports and said Thursday that Natasha Nicolle Sorrells was 34 when she died last week.
North Las Vegas police had said she was 33.
The coroner hasn't said what killed the mother, Janice Burden.
Burden's body was found wrapped in plastic sheeting in the living room of the stucco home about 9 miles north of downtown Las Vegas.
Police say 30-year-old Darius Davon Sorrells killed the women before beginning to dismember his sister's corpse.
He's jailed awaiting a court appearance.
Police say they found a bloody chain saw in the house.
DEVELOPER CONTRIBUTIONS
Whittemore cites US Supreme Court ruling in appeal
RENO, Nev. (AP) — Lawyers for Nevada developer and ex-lobbyist Harvey Whittemore argue his conviction for illegally funneling money to Sen. Harry Reid should be overturned based in part on a new ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court that struck down some limitations on individual campaign contributions as unconstitutional.
Whittemore's lawyers say in filings to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that placing limits on the amount of money he can contribute to an individual candidate violates his First Amendment right to free speech.
Whittemore is appealing his conviction and 2-year prison sentence.
Prosecutors say he wrote checks in 2007 for more than $130,000 to family and employees who became "straw donors" and simply handed the money over to Reid's campaign. Reid was not accused of any wrongdoing.
AGENT SHOT-VEGAS
Wounded FBI agent cleared in fatal Vegas gunfight
LAS VEGAS (AP) — The district attorney in Las Vegas has cleared an FBI agent who was wounded before he fatally shot a 32-year-old ex-convict during a foot chase in a residential neighborhood more than a year ago.
Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson said Thursday that his investigation found the agent was legally justified in the Feb. 19, 2013, slaying of Javier Salomon Reyes.
The DA withheld the name of the agent and more than 20 other area police and federal agents from his 28-page report on the case.
The agent was shot in the chest and back but was protected by a ballistic vest.
Reyes had been pursued by members of a regional criminal apprehension team on felony warrants on charges including armed robbery, burglary, assault, auto theft and domestic battery strangulation.
GIRL HOSPITALIZED-SCHOOL FIGHT
Girl hospitalized after fight at Vegas school
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Authorities are investigating a fight at a Las Vegas middle school that sent a girl to the hospital.
Clark County School District officials say the fight Wednesday involved students at Mike O'Callaghan Middle School, located in the northeast part of the Las Vegas valley.
District spokeswoman Penny Ramos-Bennett says the girl was taken to University Medical Center, but couldn't release information on her medical condition due to privacy laws. The circumstances of the fight are under investigation.
The district issued a statement describing the incident as a "terrible situation" and saying chief student achievement officer Mike Barton would be reemphasizing the importance of student safety with all school employees.
HOMICIDE-VEGAS WETLANDS PARK
Coroner IDs man dead in Clark County Wetlands Park
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Authorities have identified a 32-year-old man who was found shot dead in the Clark County Wetlands Park earlier this week.
Clark County coroner's officials say Chester Cullen died of multiple gunshot wounds and was found in the park Tuesday afternoon.
Las Vegas police Officer Laura Meltzer says authorities responded to reports of gunfire in the area a little after 4 p.m. Tuesday.
Police found Cullen dead a short time later.
The nature preserve is located on the eastern side of the Las Vegas valley and features a visitors' center and walking paths.
CANDIDATE RESIDENCY
Judge to hear controller candidate residency case
LAS VEGAS (AP) — A judge in Las Vegas is due to hear candidate residency questions about a man who ran for Los Angeles City Council a little more than a year ago and now wants to run for Nevada controller.
Nevada election officials argue that John Michael Schaefer isn't eligible because state law requires candidates for state office to live in Nevada for two years preceding an election.
Nevada Secretary of State Ross Miller says Schaefer was a registered voter in Los Angeles as recently as last year.
Schaefer is a 76-year-old disbarred former lawyer who has challenged election law residency requirements before, and won.
He argues that his only home is a Las Vegas condominium.
Schaefer plans to represent himself at Thursday's hearing before Clark County District Court Judge Carolyn Ellsworth.
GUN SAFETY ADVOCATE-NEVADA
Nev. gun safety activist honored by White House
LAS VEGAS (AP) — A Henderson woman is one of nine being honored by the White House for advocating gun safety laws.
Teresa A. Crawford has been named a Champion of Change and was scheduled to be recognized Thursday morning.
Crawford leads gun violence prevention efforts in Nevada for Organizing for Action, a group that promotes President Barack Obama's legislative agenda.
She's a retired nurse and a board member of the organization ProgressNow Nevada. Crawford has organized rallies, vigils and press conference on gun safety topics, and has given TV interviews on the topic.
She's also asked questions about background checks during town hall events hosted by a congressman.
The White House issued a statement saying Crawford encourages collaboration between different groups working on gun issues, and is helping make the community safer.
MCKINLEY TIARA
Pawn shop may sell McKinley wife's tiara to museum
CANTON, Ohio (AP) — The McKinley Presidential Library and Museum in northeast Ohio is hurriedly fundraising in hopes of buying a tiara that once belonged to President William McKinley's wife.
The Akron Beacon Journal reports that the owners of Ida McKinley's diamond-accented headpiece recently sold it to the Las Vegas pawn shop featured in the History Channel show "Pawn Stars."
Museum curator Kim Kenney says Gold & Silver Pawn co-owner Rick Harrison has offered to sell the piece to the Canton museum for $43,000, the amount he paid for it. Kenney calls that "a good deal" because the tiara was appraised at $75,000.
The catch is that the offer expires June 24. The nonprofit museum doesn't have a budget for acquisitions, so it is soliciting donations in an effort to purchase the tiara.
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