IN BRIEF

PROGRAMS CONSOLIDATED

Catholic Charities starts new jobs center

Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada has opened a newly renovated and expanded Employment Services Center that consolidates all of its job programs.

Employment programs for the charity's residential services, senior services and migrations and refugee services will now be under one roof, said Sharon Mann, a Catholic Charities spokeswoman.

The center's grand opening was Tuesday. Funding for the $1.2 million renovation was provided by the city of Las Vegas and Clark County.

The new center is on the Catholic Charities campus at 1501 Las Vegas Blvd. North, between Foremaster Lane and Owens Avenue.

VOLUNTARY MANSLAUGHTER

Shooting death brings eight-to-40 year term

A man who pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter for fatally shooting a 20-year-old was sentenced to eight to 40 years in prison on Tuesday.

John Wippel pleaded guilty to killing Branden Gillespie, who was shot with a .44- caliber handgun on Jan. 16, 2006 at Wippel's home near Decatur Boulevard and state Route 160. Wippel and Gillespie were acquaintances.

Wippel initially told police that Gillespie hit the gun, causing it to discharge. He later told police that he accidentally discharged the gun when he was trying to lower the handgun's hammer.

NEVADA SPECIES

Groups seek protection for Amargosa toad

Two environmental groups are seeking federal protection for a species of toad in Nevada.

The groups say the Amargosa toad is threatened by encroaching development and off-road vehicles and should be protected under the Endangered Species Act.

The Amargosa toad lives in a 10-mile stretch along the Amargosa River in the Oasis Valley near Beatty.

The Center for Biological Diversity and Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility say they filed a petition Tuesday with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

$24 MILLION OWED

March auction date set for Neverland Ranch

Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch in California will be put up for sale at a public auction next month unless the pop star pays the more than $24 million he still owes on the property, according to a Tuesday court filing.

Financial Title Co. filed the notice of trustee's sale with Santa Barbara County Superior Court, setting the auction date for March 19.

A spokeswoman for Jackson did not immediately return a call for comment.