WEEK IN REVIEW: Reporters’ Notebook

YOU'LL NEVER SEE ERIN KENNY IN A COURTROOM AGAIN, predicted attorney Dominic Gentile after his client, development consultant Donald Davidson, benefited from the former Clark County commissioner's lack of credibility. On Tuesday, a federal jury reached an impasse on 18 of 24 corruption counts lodged against Davidson, who Kenny said facilitated a bribes-for-influence scheme.

With the government's star witness proving she's not much of a star, Gentile believes federal prosecutors will take a pass on retrying Davidson on the felony counts that hung up jurors.

Kenny's usability is now extremely limited, Gentile said, except perhaps as a government affairs consultant. Developer Jim Rhodes at one point paid Kenny $16,800 a month for that job at a time when her name was anathema to most people in government.

"I understand she's doing quite well in that area," Gentile quipped on the courthouse steps.

LISA KIM BACH

LAS VEGAS POLICE LT. TOM MONAHAN, HEAD OF THE COUNTERTERRORISM SECTION, discussed the state's new fusion center at a news conference Wednesday. The facility is intended as a hub for intelligence gathering for emergency and public safety officials.

He went on to talk about the name "fusion," which he believes might be confusing to some.

"It reminds you of something nuclear. And I am clearly not a nuclear scientist," Monahan said. "But I did sleep at a Holiday Inn last night."

FRANCIS McCABE

WITH THE NOON HOUR FAST APPROACHING DURING A RECENT MORNING IN JUVENILE COURT, Judge William Voy noticed his clerk had stepped out to grab a bite to eat before the next of many cases. "She's on the new diet plan, working for Dept. A," Voy joked. "You never get lunch. It works better than Weight Watchers."

BRIAN HAYNES

POKER PLAYER PAUL "ESKIMO" CLARK SUFFERED A SERIES OF STROKES LAST MONTH AT THE WORLD SERIES OF POKER but refused medical help and continued on in the tournament. Tracking him down is not an easy task, though it can make for some interesting explanations. To get to him, you should try to locate Ken "Barracuda" Knight. Barracuda is sometimes playing in tournaments as his wife, "Peaches," watches.

This allows a reporter to call his editors and tell them: "I didn't find Eskimo, but Barracuda and Peaches told me he'd be here tomorrow."

DAVID McGRATH SCHWARTZ

THE AFTERNOON SESSION OF WEDNESDAY'S LAS VEGAS CITY COUNCIL MEETING lasted an unusually brief 18 minutes. Public comment, though, lasted 20 minutes. The regular cadre of concerned citizens, supporters and critics made their way to the podium. The group included a woman complaining about a dog park and a regular speaker who believes that she is the subject of a government conspiracy.

When a reporter remarked on the briefness of the afternoon session, one City Hall chief said, "It feels like 6 o'clock."

DAVID McGRATH SCHWARTZ