WEEK IN REVIEW: Reporters’ notebook

The Clark County Commissioners serve as the board of directors for the Las Vegas Valley Water District, and they got an earful Tuesday from angry customers who just got slapped with a new surcharge on their water bills.

One ticked-off woman said she sent an email about the rate hike to her commissioner several weeks ago, but she never received a reply.

Which commissioner was it?

“I won’t mention anyone by name,” the woman announced to the crowd, “but I voted for her for mayor.”

HENRY BREAN

Political junkies can argue all day about whether President Barack Obama’s visit to Las Vegas on Thursday was official business or a campaign stop.

What we question is the use of the word “stop” to describe something that lasted just 102 minutes.

So how else could the president have spent his brief time in Las Vegas? Here are a few suggestions, courtesy of the Week in Review staff:

■ Taken three round trips on the Las Vegas Monorail or 38 rides on the New York-New York roller coaster.

■ Enjoyed the first five courses of Joel Robochon’s five-hour, 16-course meal at the MGM Grand, all for the GSA-approved price of $425 per person.

■ Listened to “Viva Las Vegas” by Elvis Presley 43 times in a row.

■ Caught “Phantom – The Las Vegas Spectacular” at The Venetian, assuming Sheldon Adelson would sell him a ticket.

■ Stayed on the plane and watched all of “The Hangover,” with two minutes to spare.

One thing he definitely did not have time to do: Unfortunately for the Secret Service, the drive to Pahrump takes at least 60 minutes each way.

In the breaking news game, being first isn’t always such a good thing.

On Monday, for example, KLAS-TV, Channel 8 beat everyone with an Internet flash that Metropolitan Police Department officers in Laughlin were investigating the discovery of a body in the Colorado River.

Then came the slightly embarrassing update less than an hour later: “Metro Police called to investigate a body in the Colorado River in Laughlin, Nevada have determined there is no foul play. The body was actually a woman floating in the river who was not in any danger.”

This just in: Woman takes a swim.

HENRY BREAN