Top News
Nevada investors reeled as wave after wave of jarring financial news rolled in throughout the week.
Mixed in with daily accounts of the Wall Street meltdown were depressing reports on Nevada's flagging economy, which has posted the largest decline of any state since January 2007.
First came evidence that the credit crisis is beginning to exact a toll on commercial real estate. Then came the latest statewide gaming figures, which showed the lowest monthly take in more than two years.
The single biggest loser may have been Las Vegas Sands Chairman Sheldon Adelson, who has seen his net worth decline by at least $13 billion so far this year, $4 billion of it between Aug. 29 and Oct. 1.
MONDAY
CITIES FEEL CRUNCH
Las Vegas moved forward with a package of cost-cutting measures aimed at plugging a $150 million deficit in five years while avoiding layoffs, provided that employee unions and the city can agree on how to keep personnel costs from breaking the bank.
Meanwhile, department heads in Henderson were told to identify cuts of at least 10 percent as Nevada's second largest city stares down sagging tax revenue and a $28 million shortfall.
TUESDAY
VOTER GROUP RAIDED
State authorities raided an organization that registers low-income people to vote, alleging that its canvassers filed forms with bogus names, fake addresses or famous personalities.
The secretary of state's office launched a probe after noticing that names did not match addresses and that most members of the Dallas Cowboys appeared to be registering to vote in Nevada.
The subject of the raid is the Las Vegas headquarters of the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, or ACORN.
WEDNESDAY
JUSTICE FOR CRYSTAL
Marc Anthony Colon and Gladys Perez were found guilty of first-degree murder and child abuse in the death of Perez's 3-year-old daughter, Crystal Figueroa.
The girl's body was found in a trash bin in 2006. For the next six weeks, she was known only as Jane "Cordova" Doe until police identified her and arrested her killers.
Colon and Perez were sentenced Friday to life in prison.
THURSDAY
NEW LICENSE UNVEILED
The Department of Motor Vehicles unveiled new driver's licenses with features that make them difficult to counterfeit.
The first of the new licenses were issued last week. Unlike before, drivers will not be given their new licenses immediately after they pay for them and have their pictures taken. The new licenses will be mailed to drivers within 10 working days of their visit to the DMV.
FRIDAY
BUDGET CRISIS DEEPENS
Gov. Jim Gibbons announced he may have to call a special session of the Legislature after the Nov. 4 election to deal with the state's slide into recession.
By January, unemployment is expected reach 7.1 percent nationwide and 7.6 percent in Nevada, he said.
Because tax revenues have fallen $18 million below estimates made in June, Gibbons said he may need to call lawmakers together before their next regular session in early February to discuss additional budget cuts, which may mean layoffs.
Week In ReviewMore Information
THE NUMBERS
1st
Nevada's rank among states in terms of economic decline since January 2007.
46
Number of vacant full- and part-time jobs eliminated by the city of Las Vegas this week as part of a package of cost-saving measures.
934 million
Dollars in statewide gaming revenues in August 2008, the lowest monthly figure since the $921 million posted in June 2006.
607 million
Total dollars paid out on the 71 Megabucks jackpots that have hit in Nevada since the game debuted in 1986.
4 billion
Dollars lost by Las Vegas Sands ChairmanSheldon Adelson between Aug. 29 and Oct. 1.
MULTIMEDIA
Lou Ruvo Brain Institute
Colon, Perez guilty of murder
Grand Slam For Kids
Dawson Workout
Tarver/Dawson fight
QUOTES
"And then I thought, 'Oh, I guess we're not cooking anything.'"
Elizabeth Halverson
District Judge, telling a grand jury about the night she says her husband beat her with a frying pan.
"I think the difference is, hippies and liberals are ornery and obnoxious. The conservatives are just quiet and go to class and do their thing. And I think it's always been like this."
Ryan Hamilton
UNLV College Republican, when asked why liberals and hippies seem more likely to show up at political events.
"We basically had the starting lineup for the Dallas Cowboys. Tony Romo is not registered to vote in Nevada."
Ross Miller
Secretary of State, on some of the fraudulent registration cards that triggered a Tuesday raid on An organization that signs up low-income people to vote.
