Top News

The trial of Chester Stiles began Monday, and the week ended with jurors watching a 15-minute videotape that authorities say shows Stiles sexually assaulting a 2-year-old girl.

Stiles faces a potential life prison term if convicted of multiple counts of sexual assault and lewdness with a minor.

District Judge Jennifer Togliatti described the video as "child pornography in its most graphic form."

Jurors showed little outward emotion when watching the tape, but two male jurors bowed their heads when it concluded.

In addition to the child depicted on the video, Stiles is accused of molesting a 6-year-old girl.

The trial continues this week.

MONDAY

BOYD BIDS ON STATION

Boyd Gaming made a $950 million offer to acquire a portion of troubled rival Station Casinos.

The offer involves all but four of Station's 18 properties in Southern Nevada. Station would retain ownership of the Red Rock Resort, Palace Station, Boulder Station, and Sunset Station.

Boyd operates nine Las Vegas Valley casinos.

TUESDAY

OBAMA TESTS WELL

President Obama's first speech before a joint session of Congress received high marks from a bipartisan focus group of Las Vegas voters, a poll showed.

A Democratic pollster tracked real-time feedback from the group of 50 swing voters from Las Vegas, half of whom supported Obama and half of whom supported John McCain in the election.

Throughout the speech, the president's favorable ratings improved among voters in both groups. By the end, Obama's job approval rating stood at 82 percent, up from 68 percent before the speech.

WEDNESDAY

FORCING SEAT BELT USE

Police would be permitted to pull over vehicles anytime they believe a driver is not wearing a seat belt under a bill approved 12-9 in the state Senate.

Nevada currently has a secondary seat belt law. Police cannot stop a vehicle and cite drivers for a seat belt violation, unless they first charge them with another driving offense.

Senate Bill 116 would let police pull over drivers just for not wearing seat belts.

THURSDAY

AX MAY FALL ON PARKS

Faced with an 18 percent cut in funding and the loss of as many as 33 positions, the Nevada Department of Conservation and Natural Resources is trying to figure out how to do more with less.

The agency that manages state lands and water resources is considering a number of options, including closing some state parks on a seasonal basis or altogether.

The good news: The budget plan includes money for a conservation camp in Southern Nevada, which means more inmates picking up litter and fighting wildfires in this part of the state.

FRIDAY

EDUCATION APOCALYPSE

More than 20 college students pleaded with legislators to keep the higher education system's budget from being cut.

Also on hand were higher education leaders, who were no less apocalyptic.

System Vice Chancellor Dan Klaich says the system cannot even plan for such a large cut. Doing so would mean elimination of one of the universities or all of the community colleges.