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The process has already dragged on for decades. Now the Southern Nevada Water Authority could be forced to start all over again as it seeks state permits to supply Las Vegas with groundwater piped from across rural Nevada.

In a surprise reversal of a District Court decision, the Nevada Supreme Court ruled Thursday that the groundwater applications underpinning the authority's pipeline project might not be valid.

Now a rural District Court must decide whether Las Vegas water officials should be required to file all new applications for the water they originally targeted in a massive filing in 1989.

There is no telling how long it could take for the authority to repeat the entire state permitting process and no guarantee that the state will decide to grant the agency any water the second time around.

Water authority officials declined to estimate the potential delay, but the ruling could deal a serious blow to the pipeline, which had another court ruling go against it in October.

MONDAY

NO GOV. GOODMAN

The governor's race got a lot less boozy and quotable.

After months of speculation, Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman announced he would not be running for governor, despite poll numbers placing him among the front-runners.

The news was met with disappointed groans from columnists and reporters who have to cover the less colorful candidates left in the race.

TUESDAY

THE BLEAK GETS BLEAKER

Nevada's budget outlook is so bleak that lawmakers doubt whether state government can remain afloat without drastic spending cuts.

That was the consensus after legislators met with Gov. Jim Gibbons to discuss how they will cope with a short-term deficit of about $900 million during an upcoming special session of the Legislature.

Assemblyman John Oceguera, D-Las Vegas, said pay cuts and layoffs for state employees probably are inevitable.

WEDNESDAY

TABISH GETS PAROLE

Rick Tabish, who gained notoriety as a suspect in the 1998 death of former Las Vegas casino executive Ted Binion, could be released from prison as early as April 2.

The Nevada Board of Parole Commissioners announced that Tabish, 44, has been granted parole. He and his former lover, Sandy Murphy, were convicted and later acquitted of murdering Binion.

Tabish has been serving time for burglary and grand larceny convictions that stemmed from the theft of Binion's $7 million silver stash.

THURSDAY

FUNDING DERAILED

The federal government doled out $8 billion for high-speed rail projects, but Nevada lost out on the multimillion-dollar economic stimulus program because a route planned for a magnetic levitation train between Las Vegas and Southern California was declared ineligible.

The denial of $83 million in federal funds immediately set off a round of political finger-pointing between Republican Gov. Jim Gibbons and Democratic Sen. Harry Reid.

FRIDAY

REID RAKES IT IN

His poll numbers may be down, but his political war chest certainly isn't.

U.S. Sen. Harry Reid announced he raised more than $2 million in campaign contributions in the fourth quarter of 2009.

Overall, the Reid campaign has taken in more than $15 million and now has almost $8.7 million in cash on hand.