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NORTH LAS VEGAS-BUDGET
North Las Vegas submits balanced budget to state
LAS VEGAS (AP) — North Las Vegas administrators say they've submitted a balanced tentative budget to the Nevada Department of Taxation after facing down the prospect of a state takeover.
Mayor John Lee said Wednesday that the $441 million proposal will preserve services for residents and helps put the city on a more solid financial footing. A City Council ratification vote is set May 21.
The city reached tentative agreements last week with key employee unions to overcome a projected budget deficit of nearly $18 million.
Its financial prospects had been so bleak that it faced state receivership, which could lead to large tax increases.
CASINO UNION AGREEMENT-GOLDEN NUGGET
Casino union reaches agreement with Golden Nugget
LAS VEGAS (AP) — The largest union in Las Vegas has reached a tentative agreement with the Golden Nugget casino three weeks after clearing the way for a strike there.
The Culinary and Bartenders unions announced Wednesday that they'd agreed with the casino on a five-year contract, which is the first the unions have struck with a downtown property since contracts expired citywide in June.
The two unions have new five-year deals with most large Las Vegas casino operators, although talks are continuing with Binion's, El Cortez, Four Queens, Fremont, Golden Gate, Las Vegas Club, Las Vegas Plaza, Main Street Station and The D.
Some 2,000 union members picketed in downtown Saturday to draw attention to ongoing contract talks.
Members voted March 27 to authorize a strike at any time if agreements aren't reached.
SUSPICIOUS TEST SCORES
3 school staffers on leave in Vegas cheating probe
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Three Clark County School District employees have been placed on leave after a state investigation concluded adults had altered standardized test answer sheets at a Las Vegas elementary school.
The Nevada Department of Education issued a statement Wednesday saying the 2011-2012 test scores at Kelly Elementary School will be invalidated, and the findings will be forwarded to the Clark County School Board for possible disciplinary action.
A school district spokeswoman says Principal Patricia Harris, Assistant Principal Steven Niemeier and Associate Superintendent Andre Denson have been placed on leave. They couldn't immediately be reached for comment.
The state started investigating after the low-performing school submitted scores showing dramatic improvement from one year to the next.
An analysis of erasure marks found a suspiciously high number of wrong answers had been corrected.
CANDIDATE RESIDENCY
Nevada Supreme Court removes Schaefer from ballot
CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) — The Nevada Supreme Court has upheld the removal of a state controller candidate from the June primary ballot because of his residency status.
Justices unanimously agreed with a lower court ruling that Democratic candidate John Michael Schaefer is not qualified to run for the constitutional office.
The secretary of state's office challenged Schaefer's eligibility after obtaining information that he was registered to vote in California and last year ran for the Los Angeles City Council.
Under Nevada law a candidate for controller must be a resident for two years before being eligible to seek the office.
Schaefer's ouster from the ballot leaves Assemblyman Andrew Martin as the only Democrat in the race.
Three Republicans also are running to replace termed-out Democrat Kim Wallin.
RENO MAYOR CANDIDATE
Reno mayor candidate dies; will remain on ballot
(Information in the following story is from: Reno Gazette-Journal, http://www.rgj.com)
RENO, Nev. (AP) — The name of a Reno mayoral candidate who was found dead this week in his apartment will remain on the June 10 ballot.
Washoe County Registrar Luanne Cutler tells the Reno Gazette-Journal that Tony Perri's name will appear with 18 other candidates on the ballot.
Cutler says that under state law, a name is removed if a candidate dies before 5 p.m. on the second Tuesday in April before the primary election.
Notices will be posted at polling locations informing voters of Perri's death. In the unlikely event he wins the primary, the name of the next highest vote-getter will take his place on the general election ballot.
Perri was found dead in his apartment on Monday. He was 48 years old.
Autopsy results are pending.
NEVADA CONGRESS-CONTRIBUTIONS
Heck leads Bilbray in campaign contributions
CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) — Republican Rep. Joe Heck is leading Democratic challenger Erin Bilbray in campaign fundraising in the race for Nevada's 3rd Congressional District seat.
Reports filed the Federal Election Commission show Heck raised $365,000 in the first quarter of the year and has $1.2 million cash on hand.
Bilbray's campaign reports raising about $271,000 from January through March, ending the period with $426,000 cash on hand.
Heck is seeking a third term in the House of Representatives. The 3rd Congressional District seat is a major target of Democrats, who hope to reclaim it in the November election.
In Nevada's 4th District, incumbent Democratic Rep. Steven Horsford raised $220,000 during the period and has $287,000 cash on hand.
Republican challengers Niger Innis and Cresent Hardy each reports about $100,000 in the bank.
SHOOTING DEATH-SOUTH VEGAS
Coroner IDs man dead in desert area in south Vegas
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Authorities have identified a 25-year-old man found shot dead in a desert area in south Las Vegas earlier this week.
Clark County coroner's officials say Las Vegas resident Rashard Felipe Acuna died of a gunshot wound to the back before being found Monday evening not far from the Henderson Executive Airport.
Authorities say gunshots were reported about 7:30 p.m. Monday near La Cienega Street and Neal Avenue. Acuna was found about 100 feet off the road and pronounced dead at the scene.
Police say the Acuna had been having a conversation with two people near a dark-colored vehicle just before shots rang out.
Authorities haven't identified any suspects, and say a motive is unclear.
BODY FOUND-FLOOD CHANNEL
Partially decomposed body found in Vegas canal
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Las Vegas police say they've found the body of a person who had apparently been stabbed and then left in a flood channel for two or three weeks.
Authorities say the discovery was reported about 3 p.m. Tuesday in a canal about 300 yards north of B Street and Owens Avenue.
Officers say the partially decomposed body belongs to a male, although his identity has not yet been released.
Police have not identified suspects in the case, and a motive is unclear.
The death marks the 30th homicide in Las Vegas police jurisdiction so far this year.
MULROY-BROOKINGS
Pat Mulroy named senior fellow at Brookings
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Former longtime Southern Nevada Water Authority boss Patricia Mulroy is being named a senior fellow at UNLV's Brookings Mountain West.
Mulroy will also serve as a senior fellow in the Brookings Institution's Metropolitan Policy Program in Washington, D.C., and work on environmental and water issues through a faculty appointment with Desert Research Institute.
Mulroy served as general manager of the water authority from 1993 until her retirement in February. During her tenure, she faced the challenges of balancing the needs of a rapidly growing region with the reality of dwindling water supplies.
In her new role, Mulroy will build upon her experience to promote discussion on new ways to address environmental challenges affecting the arid Southwest.
COPPER WIRE-UNR
Reward offered in theft of copper wire from UNR
RENO, Nev. (AP) — Secret Witness is offering a $1,000 reward for information into the theft of two huge spools of copper wire from a construction site on the University of Nevada, Reno campus.
UNR police say the construction zone in the married student's housing area was burglarized Saturday.
Officials say one spool weighed about 3,000 pounds and the other weighed 1,200 pounds.
The combined loss is estimated at more than $22,000.
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