IN BRIEF
REDEVELOPMENT EXPANSION
City of Las Vegas plans to study older neighborhoods
Over the next year, Las Vegas will study expanding its redevelopment area so that more of the older neighborhoods downtown are eligible for incentives that could spur new growth.
On Wednesday, the council ordered a study of several areas in Wards 1, 3 and 5 to see if they qualify as blighted and in need of assistance.
The largest study areas are the residential portion of the West Las Vegas neighborhood, historically the center of the city's black community, and the commercial corridor on and around Decatur Boulevard from Sahara Avenue to Meadows Mall.
There will be several public hearings to discuss the additions, and Councilman Ricki Barlow said the city needs to reach out to school district and legislative leaders to ensure everyone knows what the city is doing.
In the long run, the effort could entice businesses to locate in areas that now are full of empty lots and vacant buildings, Councilwoman Lois Tarkanian said.
"They don't want to come in the way it is now," she said.
UNDER INVESTIGATION
Arson suspected in fire at auctioned condominium
A Las Vegas condominium that was sold at auction on Tuesday was intentionally set on fire later that night, according to a Las Vegas Fire Department spokesman.
Tim Szymanski said firefighters responded to the blaze at 1045 Collingtree St., near Charleston and Rampart boulevards, at 10:54 p.m. Firefighters had the fire under control by 10:58 p.m.
The fire, which was ruled arson, started in an upstairs bedroom of the vacant unit, in which no utilities were connected.
The fire caused about $75,000 in damage to the two-story townhouse, which was built in 2000.
It's not clear what price the unit sold for at auction. The incident remains under investigation, Szymanski said.
UNIVERSITY APOLOGY
UNR officials, comedy troupe under fire for Obama skit
University of Nevada, Reno, officials and a student comedy troupe are apologizing for a skit where a white actor appeared in dark makeup to portray President Barack Obama.
The Wolf Pack Comedy Troupe skit included segments where the actor playing the president instructed a Secret Service agent on holding a gun like a "gangsta," portrayed him eating chicken and talking about his love of basketball.
The skit was performed at a Feb. 22 leadership conference.
Some students commenting on the student newspaper Web site defended the skit, but others said they were offended .
A university official sent an e-mail last week apologizing to students and community members, saying there was a "disconnect" between the skit and the goal of the leadership conference.
