IN BRIEF

online voting under way

LV among finalists for Best Tennis Town honor

Las Vegas is one of 10 cities competing to be the United States Tennis Association's 2009 Best Tennis Town, a designation that comes with bragging rights and $100,000 to be used for public needs.

The contest is being decided by online votes at www.besttennistown.com.

This is the first time the USTA has sought a top tennis community, and the 10 finalists were chosen from 56 submissions. Each community submitted a video and letters from city officials and community leaders, all of which are available on the Web site.

Voting continues until 8:59 p.m. Saturday. The top three and seven runners-up will be announced Sunday, and the first, second and third place award winners will be unveiled during the U.S. Open, which starts Aug. 31.

The other finalists are Baton Rouge, La.; Cary, N.C.; Independence, Kan.; Ojai, Calif.; Hickory, N.C.; Grand Junction, Colo.; Midland, Mich.; Springfield, Mo.; and Tempe, Ariz.

VALLEY INCIDENT

5-year-old shot in head in critical condition

A 5-year-old boy who was shot in the head was in critical condition Monday night, Las Vegas police said.

Lt. Mark Reddon said detectives were working to gather information.

"We're not sure what happened," Reddon said. "Detectives are out right now trying to figure everything out."

Reddon said the boy's father took him to Spring Valley Hospital about 8:45 p.m.

WALKER OWES $822,500

Ex-NBA star mum on bad check charges

Former NBA All-Star Antoine Walker said nothing in a Las Vegas court Monday about criminal charges that he failed to repay $822,500 in casino gambling debts.

The 6-foot-9 Walker also declined to comment outside the courtroom after appearing briefly with his lawyer, Jonathan Powell, on three felony counts of writing bad checks. Powell also declined to comment.

Walker was not asked to enter a plea before Las Vegas Justice of the Peace Melanie Andress-Tobiasson set a Sept. 16 evidentiary hearing date.

Walker is accused of failing to make good on 10 checks totaling $1 million written last July through January at Caesars Palace, Planet Hollywood and Red Rock Resort.

LAKE TAHOE TAXPAYERS

Board upholds rollback on property values

The Nevada State Board of Equalization has unanimously ruled in favor of Incline Village and Crystal Bay homeowners by upholding a county tax board's decision to roll back property values for 8,700 property owners.

The Monday decision means the homeowners on the northeast shore of Lake Tahoe might get up to $13 million in property tax refunds for the 2006-07 tax year and smaller refunds for the tax years since then.

Property owners had challenged the way the Washoe County assessor's office valued views of Lake Tahoe, beaches, and homes that were demolished and replaced.

WILDFIRES NEAR RENO

Firefighters nearly have blazes contained

Firefighters are nearing containment on two wildfires near Reno that have burned nearly 12,000 acres.

The Sierra Front Interagency Dispatch Center reported that the Red Rock fire, the largest of the two, was expected to be contained Monday. The Trailer 1 fire is targeted for containment by today.

Both broke out on Wednesday along U.S. 395 on the Nevada-California line. Officials believe sparks from a trailer with a flat tire started the fires.