Top News

The state's budget mess took center stage in Carson City as the 75th session of the Nevada Legislature got under way Monday.

The session's first day was mostly spent on ceremonial tasks, but Democratic leaders found time to warn of looming spending cuts, albeit not the ones proposed by Gov. Jim Gibbons. They also promised to spare essential services.

By Tuesday, the talk had turned to taxes. The warning came from a familiar source: Senate Taxation Committee Chairman Bob Coffin, D-Las Vegas, who said no business will be immune from tax increases if legislators decide the state needs additional revenue to cover essential program costs.

Coffin's party controls both the state Senate and the Assembly.

The 75th session is expected to last until June.

MONDAY

MAX'S PREDICTION: ZZZZ

While that famous rodent back East spotted his shadow and predicted more winter, all Southern Nevada's reptilian soothsayer saw was the inside of his own eyelids.

Mojave Max slept right through Groundhog Day with nary a twitch, though no one was really surprised. It's too early for the desert tortoise to stir from his winter den at the federally managed conservation center in the southwest valley.

Turns out Max's closely watched emergence is really more of a harbinger of spring, not a seasonal forecast.

TUESDAY

PLAYING HOOKY PAYS

Clark County officials reacted with glee to news that hundreds of employees have opted to skip work.

By taking about 8,640 hours of voluntary unpaid leave, 811 workers saved the county almost $400,000 over a five-week period.

The experiment with voluntary furloughs was such a success that county commissioners decide to extend the program to Sept. 4.

WEDNESDAY

BLUE IN SHACKLES

The man accused of chaining his teenage daughter to her bed agreed to plead guilty.

Robert Blue appeared in court in shackles to politely answer questions from the judge.

The plea deal, due to be entered this week, is expected to prevent Blue's children from having to testify in court.

THURSDAY

A CALL FOR MORE JOBS

Some happy economic news came calling from Canada.

Telus International, a branch of a Canadian telecommunications company, announced plans to open a call center in Las Vegas that is expected to add 1,000 jobs to the local economy over the next five years.

The company plans to open in March with 100 employees, expanding to 500 workers by the end of the year.

FRIDAY

POLICE SHOOT DOG

Police searching for a DUI suspect shot and killed a family dog in the back yard of a home.

A neighbor described the pit bull named Coco as "always gentle," but police say the animal confronted officers when they jumped over the fence and into the yard of the home near Nellis Boulevard and Sahara Avenue.

The dog's owners expressed outrage over the incident.

The suspect the officers were pursuing was later found a few doors down.