Nevada briefs

     Man shot to death
     near downtown LV
     
      A man was shot to death Saturday night as he drove his car through an alleyway north of downtown Las Vegas.
      Las Vegas police found the body of the man, believed to be in his late teens or early 20s, in his compact car near the intersection of E and Jackson streets. His name was not immediately released.
      Police received a call about the shooting at 9:10 p.m. When officers arrived, they found the car had run into a light pole after the driver had been shot.
      The victim appeared alone in the car and was dead at the scene.
      Las Vegas police Lt. Cliff Davis said police were trying to determine if the gunman fired from a car alongside the victim or if the assailant was on foot.
     
     Sailplane accident near Minden kills one
     
      MINDEN -- A man has been killed in a sailplane crash in the Pinenut Mountain Range east of Minden.
      The victim was identified as Thomas Schwager, whose age and hometown weren't immediately released.
      Schwager left Friday morning from the Douglas County Airport and became the target of a search when he failed to return several hours later, sheriff's deputies said.
      The downed sailplane was found Saturday morning about eight miles east of the airport.
     
     Reno man convicted
     of killing girlfriend
     
      RENO -- A 35-year-old man has been found guilty of second-degree murder in the June 1995 shooting death of his longtime girlfriend in Reno.
      A Washoe District Court jury late Friday convicted Eloy Padilla-Saldana in the killing of Sofia Diza Perez, 27, the mother of his two children.
      Padilla-Saldana originally maintained that Perez had a 9 mm Taurus handgun that fired when he tried to take it away from her.
      Police said she was shot in the abdomen as they struggled in their Neil Road home.
     
     Man waiting rape trial
     facing more charges
     
      CARSON CITY -- A Carson City restaurant co-owner, already awaiting trial on a rape charge, now is facing trial on a drunken driving charge.
      Carson City Justice of the Peace John Tatro on Friday bound over Eugene Pizzetta, 48, to District Court on charges that he drove under the influence while out on bail awaiting the rape trial.
      Pizzetta was barred from drinking as a condition of bail following his Jan. 16 arrest in connection with the rape of a 16-year-old girl.
     TCI Cablevision
     in Reno raising rates
     
      RENO -- Citing inflation and rising costs, TCI Cablevision has announced about a 4 percent rate increase for its Reno-area customers.
      The cable operator said most customers in Reno and Sparks will see their monthly rates increase by 80 cents to $1 beginning in June.
      But TCI officials said some equipment charges also will rise as much as $1, making the total increase more than $2 per month for some customers.