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President Barack Obama jetted into Las Vegas last week for a pair of stump speeches to raise campaign cash and stir supporters for fellow Democrat Sen. Harry Reid, who faces a tough race against Republican Sharron Angle.

In his speech Thursday at Aria at CityCenter, Obama fired up 3,000 supporters with a plea to return the Senate majority leader to Washington, D.C., to help Democrats turn around the economy.

"I need you to work for Harry Reid," Obama said, urging them to make phone calls, knock on doors and tell others to help re-elect Reid.

Obama followed up with a Friday morning speech at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, where he again urged support for the four-term Democratic incumbent .

On the same day, Angle began running her first TV ad of the general election campaign, blaming Reid for the state's hard economic times.

Monday

DEADLY EXPLOSION

Relatives remembered Kacey Barlow, a 22-year-old killed the day before when an Independence Day fireworks celebration turned deadly in northeast Las Vegas.

Barlow died at University Medical Center after shrapnel pierced his heart during the explosion of a "metal pipe" device, said his cousin, Nikki Fisher.

A teenage neighbor suffered shrapnel wounds .

Tuesday

FIREFIGHTERS REACH DEAL

Las Vegas firefighters ratified an agreement that eliminates or reduces expected raises and cuts benefits.

The concessions total $5.6 million in the 2011 fiscal year, which started July 1, along with an expected $900,000 in savings in 2012. Elements of the deal included eliminating a 3.5 percent cost-of-living raise and a $1,500 uniform allowance.

The City Council approved the agreement the next day.

Wednesday

PIPELINE GOES UNDER

Officials continued assessing the damage in a cavern that unexpectedly filled with water, halting underground work on an intake pipeline under construction at Lake Mead.

The setback could delay completion of the $700 million intake by several months.

The flood occurred when workers in the cavern 60 stories underground hit a water-filled fault, allowing it to empty into the chamber.

Before the underground work can resume, crews will have to drill into the fault and try to shore it up by injecting it with grout. Once the leak is plugged, the water will be pumped out and the work area inspected to make sure it is safe for excavation to resume.

Thursday

HIGH-ROLLER CASE FOLDS

High roller Terrance Watanabe struck a deal to dismiss his criminal case and end a court fight with Harrah's Entertainment over a $14.7 million gambling debt.

Prosecutors dismissed theft charges against Watanabe, a 53-year-old Nebraska philanthropist, as a result of a "global settlement" in the civil litigation between Watanabe and Harrah's over the unpaid gambling markers.

Both sides will go to binding arbitration to resolve Harrah's claim against Watanabe, who paid an administrative fee of $500,000 to the district attorney's office.

Friday

STEELE CALLS FOR UNITY

Michael Steele, chairman of the Republican National Committee, rallied about 300 party faithful at the state convention at Green Valley Ranch in Henderson.

He threw his support behind Sharron Angle in her bid to unseat Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and called for the party to unify behind the Tea Party darling.

"We don't need the fight inside our own house," Steele said.