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District Judge Kathleen Delaney ruled that the Nevada State Board of Medical Examiners violated the state's open meeting law during a Sept. 18 hearing, invalidating regulations that would have permitted medical assistants to give flu shots and other vaccines, but also prohibit them from administering injections of cosmetic drugs such as Botox.

The board had voted to enact emergency rules to allow medical assistants to give flu shots, which had been illegal but largely unenforced.

The new rules were blocked after attorney Jacob Hafter -- who represents medical spa owners who want medical assistants to be permitted to inject Botox -- argued recently that the board violated the open meeting law by cutting off public comment at the meeting.

MONDAY

FIREBALL, NO FATALITIES

Local and federal authorities were investigating a helicopter crash that occurred Sunday night on Mount Charleston.

Two people were taken to local hospitals, but there were no fatalities.

The crash caused a fireball atop the mountain.

TUESDAY

POLICE SHOOT, KILL TEEN

Las Vegas police shot and killed a teenager who they said was holding his mother hostage and brandishing a knife.

The 15-year-old boy, Tanner Chamberlain, died at the scene, near Vegas Valley Drive and Nellis Boulevard.

The boy's mother, Evie Oquendo, said that they had been arguing over homework when he became violent. He held a knife and wrapped his other arm around her throat.

Police officer Derek Colling, a four-year veteran, was named as the officer who shot Chamberlain.

WEDNESDAY

ACORN TO STAND TRIAL

ACORN, the controversial grass-roots community organizing group accused of participating in an illegal voter registration scheme, will stand trial on felony charges, a Las Vegas Justice of the Peace ruled.

Prosecutors say ACORN and co-defendant Amy Busefink permitted a field director to run an illegal cash incentive program to encourage employees to register voters.

ACORN attorneys say the law is unconstitutional and they will challenge it.

THURSDAY

ALMOST LIKE MARRIAGE

Local gay and lesbian couples celebrated as a new state law took effect that officially recognizes them as domestic partners.

About 750 same- and opposite-sex couples had registered by Thursday afternoon to receive their certificates, which guarantee them many of the same rights and responsibilities as married couples.

FRIDAY

ENSIGN TROUBLES GROW

Fallout from a sex scandal involving Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., now includes new allegations of an illegal cover-up.

A front page article in Friday's New York Times detailed allegations that Ensign helped aide Doug Hampton violate so-called revolving door laws by helping him get lobbying work with Nevada firms.

Hampton is the husband of Cindy Hampton, another former Ensign employee with whom Ensign acknowledged having an affair.

The lobbying work, according to Hampton's account, was part of an effort by Ensign to get the Hamptons out of the senator's way without the affair coming to light.