IN BRIEF

Official warns of fraudulent letter offering tax savings

Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto on Thursday warned consumers about a fraudulent letter offering to lower property taxes for homeowners.

The official-looking letters are being sent out by "Homeowners Property Tax Review," claiming taxpayers can save hundreds of dollars on their property taxes for a $179 fee. Interested homeowners must sign and return the letter within two weeks, according to the letter.

The promised savings are based on faulty information and the Nevada property owner will probably see no tax savings, according to the attorney general's office.

Consumer who paid the fee should call the Nevada attorney general's Bureau of Consumer Protection at 775-684-1169.

Work progressing for new parking garage at McCarran

McCarthy Building Cos. is halfway through concrete construction for the Terminal 3 parking structure at McCarran International Airport.

McCarthy, the 10th-largest general contractor is the United States, is performing all of the concrete work and recently completed the pour of the 63rd concrete deck. The contractor will pour a total of 126 structural post-tensioned garage decks, with 14 additional pours for the structure's circular concrete helix entry ramp.

The eight-level parking structure is north of the new terminal and will have about 6,000 spaces for employee parking, valet parking and short- and long-term public parking.

The $121.7 million project also includes construction of an 11,275-square-foot office building, toll plaza and roadway for passenger pickup and drop-off.

UNLV director Schwartz hired to consult for company

Nevada Gaming Xchange has hired David G. Schwartz as a consultant to help the marketing and communications firm with strategic planning and corporate affairs.

Schwartz will continue in his role as the director of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas' Center for Gaming Research.

The firm, co-founded by former MGM Mirage public relations executive Reggie Burton, supports the meetings and convention industry in managing negative perception.

Schwartz will create a training and certification program for Nevada Gaming Xchange that will be aimed at teaching meeting and convention sales professionals ways to increase business through social responsibility.

BOSTON

Wells Fargo executives denied cash bonuses, will get stock

Wells Fargo & Co.'s four top executives won't get cash bonuses for 2009, but are receiving performance-based stock awards currently worth a combined $25 million that are designed to keep rivals from luring them away.

Wells Fargo announced the compensation moves on Thursday, a week after saying it had repaid $25 billion it received under a government financial rescue program that imposes restrictions on executive pay.

The so-called "retention" shares would be forfeited if CEO John Stumpf or three other high-ranking executives leave San Francisco-based Wells Fargo for a competitor. They vest after three years if the nation's fourth-largest bank meets certain performance goals.