IN BRIEF
INITIALLY PRONOUNCED DEAD
2-year-old boy on life support after near drowning in pool
A 2-year-old boy was found in a backyard swimming pool in North Las Vegas on Thursday.
Capt. Cedric Williams of the North Las Vegas Fire Department said family members found the child unresponsive in a pool at a home at 1300 E. Brooks Ave., near Cheyenne Avenue and Civic Center Drive. First-responders arrived at the home about 11:15 a.m.
A family member or a friend performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation on the toddler, Williams said. The boy was initially pronounced dead at University Medical Center, but after medical personnel detected a heartbeat, they placed the boy on life support.
Williams said it appeared family members at the home were eating inside the house when the child went missing. Williams didn't know how long the boy had been submerged.
NEVADA JOINS OTHER STATES
Gold Star license plates to be available for fallen vets' kin
Nevada is joining more than 40 other states that have special license plates for families of those who died while serving in the military.
Gov. Jim Gibbons plans to present the state's first Gold Star license plates on Monday to the parents of two soldiers killed in action in Iraq. The Legislature authorized the plates during the past session and Gibbons signed the measure into law in May.
"The memory of those who fought and died for our safety and liberty must be remembered by all freedom-loving Nevadans," Gibbons said.
The plates, which will be available starting Monday, have a single gold star and are coded "FV" for "Fallen Veteran."
Plate No. 0001 will go to Roger Varela of Fernley, founder of the Gold Star Families of Northern Nevada. His son, Ray Varela, was killed near Baghdad on May 19, 2007.
Sally Wiley, of Gardnerville, will receive license plate 0002. Her son, Sean Diamond, was killed in Iraq Feb. 15.
The plates are available to the spouse, parent, stepparent, grandparent, child, stepchild, dependent, sibling, half-sibling or step-sibling of a service member killed in the line of duty.
A set of the plates costs $1.
'WHERE'S MY REFUND?'
$2.2 million in undeliverable tax refunds due Nevadans
Internal Revenue Service officials say they have $2.2 million in undeliverable tax refunds due to more than 1,700 Nevada taxpayers.
IRS spokesman Raphael Tulino in San Diego says most of the checks were returned by the post office due to mailing address errors.
Tulino says most are owed to Clark County and Las Vegas-area residents.
Nationally, the IRS wants to deliver more than 100,000 refunds to taxpayers who are owed a combined $124 million. Checks average a little more than $1,100.
The IRS urges taxpayers to use the "Where's My Refund?" tool on IRS.gov to see if their address is up-to-date.
NATIONAL ADOPTION DAY
More than 80 children become adopted members of families
More than 80 children officially became members of adopted families during ceremonies marking National Adoption Day in Las Vegas.
A court spokesman said Family Court judges conducted adoption proceedings Thursday in the atrium at Clark County Family Court in Las Vegas.
Clark County Adoption Day was a joint effort involving the Clark County Department of Family Services, state courts, the Court Appointed Special Advocate program and CASA Foundation, Family Mediation, The Adoption Exchange, and Wendy's Wonderful Kids.
Officials said that in Washoe County, 23 children will become part of "forever families" when their adoptions are finalized during ceremonies Nov. 21.
National Adoption Day is usually held every year on the Saturday before Thanksgiving.
