Top Stories

State gaming analysts are starting to sound like a broken record. A really bad broken record. David Hasselhoff bad.

Their latest report on Nevada gaming revenues shows a 12.5 percent decline in July from a year ago, and that marks the 19th straight monthly drop for the state's largest industry.

Gaming revenues have fallen by more than 10 percent in nine of the past 10 months.

"It seems like I keep on telling the same story," Gaming Control Board Tax and License Division Chief Frank Streshley said on Thursday.

Las Vegas visitor volume also seems to be stuck on repeat.

In July, it fell 1.3 percent, the 14th straight year-over-year decline.

MONDAY

TELETHON ROLLS ON

A sour economy failed to slow the 44th annual Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon. The Labor Day broadcast originating from South Point in Las Vegas pulled in nearly $60.5 million for the fight against muscular dystrophy and related diseases.

Last year, the telethon raised a record $65 million.

TUESDAY

SPEECH QUIETS NOISE

Clark County students seemed to react favorably to President Barack Obama's national back-to-school speech on personal responsibility and the importance of education.

His reference to the XBox didn't hurt either.

County schools treated the president's remarks as optional viewing.

Afterward, district officials reported little negative reaction to the speech, which was initially attacked by conservative critics as political indoctrination.

WEDNESDAY

AMODEI JOINS THE FRAY

State Sen. Mark Amodei announced his candidacy for the U.S. Senate seat occupied by Harry Reid, the Senate majority leader.

Amodei, R-Carson City, joins an increasingly crowded field for the Republican primary.

Former UNLV basketball star Danny Tarkanian, former Assemblywoman Sharron Angle, and Reno attorney Chuck Kozak already have announced plans to run. Former Nevada Republican party chairwoman Sue Lowden and banker John Chachas are expected to run but have not officially entered the race.

THURSDAY

INSURERS BACK OBAMA?

Nevada health insurers offered conditional support for the insurance mandates President Barack Obama reeled off in his Wednesday health reform speech to Congress, including a cap on out-of-pocket expenses for patients and a ban on denying coverage to people with pre-existing conditions.

But they warned that rules won't be fiscally sustainable unless they are balanced with strict mandates requiring all Americans to buy health insurance.

Officials at the state's largest managed-care insurer, UnitedHealthcare-Nevada, refused to comment on health reform at this point.

FRIDAY

BUCKLEY WON'T RUN

A key Democratic challenger has decided not join the race to unseat Republican Gov. Jim Gibbons.

Citing the impact the campaign would have on her family, Assembly Speaker Barbara Buckley announced she will not be a candidate in 2010.

A Review-Journal poll in August showed Buckley as the favorite among Democratic voters in Nevada.