IN BRIEF

Utility agrees to new three-year union pact

NV Energy, the electric utility formerly known as Nevada Power Co., disclosed Wednesday that it agreed to a new, three-year collective-bargaining agreement with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 396.

The agreement, which continues until Jan. 11, 2011, includes unspecified wage increases for this year and the following two years for 1,300 union members at the uility, according to a company report to the Securities and Exchange Commission.

It provides for a cash balance pension, "signing bonuses," changes in overtime scheduling rules, and a modified holiday schedule.

A spokesman for NV Energy declined to elaborate. Attempts to reach a spokesman for IBEW 396 were unsuccessful.

IBEW members staged a protest outside the Nevada Power building on Sahara Avenue in July, but the union didn't strike.

Herbst Gaming, parties agree to extend talks

Herbst Gaming and its lenders agreed to extend their talks on a financial restructuring plan covering the company's $1.2 billion debt until Nov. 5, a Wednesday filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission shows.

Herbst, a Las Vegas-based casino and slot machine route operator has been seeking a remedy for its financial troubles since last spring. The deadline was Tuesday, but both sides agreed to the extension.

Herbst, which operates 15 casinos in Nevada and the Midwest and a 7,200-machine Nevada slot route operation, said last spring it was facing a bankruptcy filing unless a restructuring agreement could be reached. Herbst has lost more than $78.8 million in the year's first six months.

INDIANAPOLIS

Lilly is secret suitor for ImClone systems

Drugmaker Eli Lilly & Co. reportedly is the secret suitor that's been courting ImClone Systems Inc. and is offering approximately $6.1 billion for the biotech company.

Indianapolis-based Lilly is in advanced talks about the deal, The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday, citing unnamed sources. The newspaper said Lilly is the unnamed large pharmaceutical company that ImClone's chairman, Carl Icahn, has said offered three weeks ago to buy the company for about $70 a share, pending a review of its books.

Lilly spokesman Mark Taylor would neither confirm nor deny that his company is the buyer.

Bally to provide gear for sites in Mexico

Las Vegas-based Bally Technologies Inc., the second-largest U.S. maker of slot machines, will supply gambling machines and software to 36 Mexican sites owned by Pringsa Corp.

The deal may include as many as 2,000 slot machines within two years, Las Vegas-based Bally said this week in a statement without disclosing the value or terms of the agreement.

Pringsa is owned by a closely held Mexican investment group and Cirsa Business Corp. of Spain, which owns casinos and bingo halls, as well as machine maker Unidesa, according to the statement.

Netflix customers will see Starz for free

Netflix Inc., the largest U.S. mail-order movie service, will give its customers access to Starz Entertainment LLC's subscription-based movie service at no extra cost.

The deal with Starz helps Netflix expand its offering of movies and television episodes that can be played online, the Los Gatos, Calif.-based company said in a statement.

Netflix members will get access to about 2,500 movies and other choices from Starz's Play service as well as the more than 12,000 items that are already now available to them.

Treasury prices rise; bill demand stays high

Treasury prices rose Wednesday as key lending rates and demand for Treasurys stayed lofty as investors awaited Congress' decision on the U.S. financial rescue plan.

The 10-year note rose 0.69 points to 102.13, and yielded 3.74 percent, down from 3.83 percent.

The 30-year bond rose 1.84 to 104.97, and yielded 4.20 percent, down from 4.31 percent.