Economic development leaders plan Mexico trade mission

In an effort to increase the region’s global outreach, Tom Skancke, president and CEO of the Las Vegas Global Economic Alliance, announced Wednesday that the organization will build off its recent success in China with a trade mission to Mexico.

Wild swings in bills for medical treatments under scrutiny

WASHINGTON — For the first time, the government is publicly revealing how much hospitals charge, and the differences are astounding: Some bill tens of thousands of dollars more than others for the same treatment, even within the same city.

Adelson won’t return to witness stand

Sheldon Adelson ended the suspense on Tuesday night by deciding to forgo another trip to the witness stand in the breach of contract case brought by former Las Vegas Sands Corp. consultant Richard Suen.
For several days, company attorneys had hinted that the chairman and CEO might opt for another crack at persuading the jurors that Suen deserved nothing for his work in trying to win a Macau gaming license more than a decade ago. Suen, on the other hand, contends he had mapped out a winning strategy that is worth $328 million, based a $5 million success fee plus 2 percent of Sands’s net profits in Macau.

Bloody mary offers many personalities to impress Mom

OK, we’re not insinuating, by running this pictorial right before Mother’s Day, that Mom could really use a drink. Rumor does have it that statistical proof exists of an affinity between mothers (particularly new mothers) and wine, especially, but we leave it to you to decide if the mothers in your life would like to imbibe on the big day. We also get that there are tons of teetotaling mothers out there, and for them we point out that the virgin mary was one of the first mocktails; most of these drinks would be fun even without the booze.

A La Carte, May 7-13

Read about dining-related events and promotions across the Las Vegas Valley.

‘Young and Restless’ star Jeanne Cooper dies at 84

LOS ANGELES — Jeanne Cooper, the enduring soap opera star who played grande dame Katherine Chancellor for nearly four decades on “The Young and the Restless,” has died. She was 84.

Things to know about renting a limo or party bus

As prom season, summer weddings and sunshine escapes beckon, here are some questions consumers may want to ask when picking a limousine company to chauffeur a special evening. Industry officials and regulators alike say there are guidelines to keep in mind when choosing among the nation’s 109,300 chauffeured limousines, party buses, SUVs and other vehicles:

Worcester police: Get suspect’s bombing suspect’s body out of city

BOSTON — The dispute over where to bury suspected Boston Marathon bomber Tamerlan Tsarnaev escalated Wednesday as a Massachusetts police chief urged someone to step forward with a cemetery plot, saying: “We are not barbarians. We bury the dead.”

Reality TV’s new stars: Small businesses

Mix the high stakes of running a small business with a dash of family drama and throw in a camera crew and you get hit reality television shows such as “Pawn Stars,” “Welcome to Sweetie Pie’s” and “Duck Dynasty.”

Belgium says 31 detained in $50 million diamond heist

BRUSSELS — Police on Wednesday claimed a major breakthrough in their investigation of a spectacular $50 million diamond heist, detaining 31 people in a three-nation sweep some three months after robbers pulled off the theft with clockwork precision at Brussels Airport

Expert witnesses in Sands trial debate influence, relationships

In trying to convince jurors that former Las Vegas Sands Corp. consultant Richard Suen should be paid for his work, an expert on Chinese business and politics who testified Monday had the unwitting endorsement of a proverb that decorates a courthouse wall.

Singer of heavy metal band arrested in murder-for-hire sting

OCEANSIDE, Calif. — The lead singer of the Grammy-nominated metal band As I Lay Dying was arrested Tuesday in Southern California over allegations he tried to hire an undercover detective to kill his estranged wife.

‘Salesman’s’ storyline all too familiar to Las Vegans

The tragedy of Willy Loman is one familiar to many of us in Las Vegas after the Great Recession, and Cockroach Theatre’s staging makes Arthur Miller’s classic as pertinent as the latest unemployment figures.

Doctor ‘destroyed my husband’s life’

The wife of hepatitis outbreak victim Michael Washington broke down on the witness stand Tuesday, accusing Dr. Dipak Desai of ruining her husband’s life.

GOP’s Benghazi probe stokes political controversy

WASHINGTON — House Republicans insist the Obama administration is covering up information about last year’s deadly assault on the U.S. diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya, rejecting administration assurances to the contrary and stoking a controversy with implications for the 2016 presidential race.

Limo driver, survivor views differ on fatal fire

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. — As smoke thickened and a fire grew in the back of a limousine, Nelia Arellano desperately tried to squeeze through a 3 foot by 1 1/2-foot partition.

Pedestrian struck by motorcycle in critical condition

A pedestrian is in critical condition after being struck by a motorcycle near Flamingo Road and Koval Lane early Wednesday morning, according to Las Vegas police.

Nevada lawmakers want to tax fun, sex and fast times

CARSON CITY — All Nevada businesses that offer live entertainment — including brothels, the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the massive Electric Daisy Carnival and Burning Man — would have to pay an 8 percent tax under a bill to be introduced Wednesday.

Nevada justices hear call for release of public workers’ retirement data

Some members of the Nevada Supreme Court seemed skeptical Tuesday when an attorney for the state public employee pension plan said information sought by a Reno newspaper about individual retirees cannot be easily generated.

Reinvent yourself: How to start your own (creative) business

Many graduates in creative fields like graphic design, interior design or Web design are opting to start their own businesses. This is because recent figures show only a slight reduction in the unemployment rate, and job growth is at its lowest in six months. So, how can you make your business a success?

Summer garden glory without the weeding and watering

Summer can be tough on gardens. In what should be their glory days, many gardens suffer from neglect. Long weekends and summer vacations leave yards untended, while summer heat is an excuse for putting off chores. But it doesn’t have to be that way. It’s possible to have both a glorious well-maintained garden and time for fun in the sun by taking some smart gardening steps now.

How to turn your backyard into the best vacation destination

There’s a reason why virtually every great hotel in a great location has a pool and hot tub: people love recreation and relaxation. When it comes to creating a resort-like vacation experience in your backyard, nothing fits the bill better than a swimming pool or hot tub.

Five swimming pool myths that are all wet

From the belief that it costs too much to operate a pool to the misconception it will go unused, myths about pool ownership abound – and they likely dissuade some homeowners from making this valuable home improvement. If you’ve been considering adding a swimming pool to your outdoor environment, here are five common myths that simply don’t hold water.