Top News

Thousands of people lined up in front of the Southern Nevada Health District office this week to receive vaccinations against the H1N1 flu virus.

High demand prompted officials to stop giving the shots on Thursday so they could maintain a stockpile in case of emergency.

Although lines for injectable vaccinations wrapped around the building at times, far fewer people came out to get the FluMist nasal spray, which is made with a weakened live virus.

The shot contains a dead virus.

MONDAY

SCENIC INDEED

A stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard dotted with bars, pawn shops and nude dancing joints has been named a National Scenic Byway.

The honor capped a nine-year effort to win recognition for the 3.5 miles between Sahara and Washington avenues.

TUESDAY

DEATH 'PREVENTABLE'

Las Vegas police officer Milburn "Millie" Beitel was not wearing a seat belt or using lights and sirens when his speeding patrol car crashed, claiming his life.

That was the report from Sheriff Doug Gillespie, who called the Oct. 7 crash predictable and preventable.

Beitel was the second officer in five months to die in a crash involving excessive speed.

Gillespie said he would be instructing supervisors to discipline officers who fail to wear their seat belts and that the department would continue a review of driving policies that began after the first fatal accident in May.

WEDNESDAY

NO JOB FOR NAMESAKE

A community activist criticized School Board member Linda Young for lobbying the Clark County School District on behalf of a former state lawmaker who had applied to be a substitute teacher at the campus that bears his name, Wendell P. Williams Elementary School.

Young denied she was using her influence to get Williams a teaching job, but she criticized school district staff for not responding to Williams' application.

Williams lost his Assembly re-election bid in 2004 after a series of scandals eroded his support.

THURSDAY

OPEN HOUSE CLOSED

Dr. Lonnie Hammargren canceled the annual Nevada Day open house at his one-of-a-kind home near Flamingo and Sandhill roads.

For the past 15 years, Nevada's former lieutenant governor has invited the public to tour his vast and eclectic collection of stuff, but this year's event is off.

Hammargren decided to hold off on the Saturday event because he wouldn't have time to prepare and still needs to get the property up to building codes.

Also, Hammargren's wife, Sandy, is recovering from knee surgery to repair an injury from when she was a teenager.

FRIDAY

SPLIT DECISION

The second of two women accused of snatching a 6-year-old boy off the street near Mackey Elementary School in September 2008 was convicted of felony conspiracy to commit kidnapping and false imprisonment, a gross misdemeanor.

Authorities said Elaine Clermont and another woman took the boy to make a point about lax school security.

In May, the other woman involved in the case, Laurinda Drake, was acquitted of similar charges by a different jury.