Week in Review: Top News

With a speech heavy on optimism but peppered with talk of shared sacrifice, Brian Sandoval was sworn in Monday as Nevada's 30th governor and the first Hispanic to hold the post.

He told a crowd of 400 gathered outside the Capitol in subfreezing temperatures that by the state's 150th anniversary on Oct. 31, 2014, Nevada will have a smaller, more efficient government, better schools and "a supply of good jobs transformed by a forever-changed economy."

Sandoval was sworn in by Michael Douglas, the first black man to be appointed chief justice of the state Supreme Court.

The governor followed his address with two executive orders and a proclamation.

Now the real work begins: a painful budget process with a Legislature sure to push back against the governor's pledge not to raise taxes.

Monday

Snow fades quickly

The west side of the Las Vegas Valley was blanketed by snow, with as much as 3 inches reported in Summerlin.

Twice that amount fell in Pahrump, prompting a rare snow day for school children there.

Even the official weather station at McCarran International Airport got a trace of snow, a record because it had never snowed there on Jan. 3, according to the National Weather Service.

But by midday, most of it was gone, even at Red Rock Canyon.

Tuesday

O.J. cohort freed

Clarence "C.J." Stewart was released into house arrest after 27 months in prison for his role in a 2007 armed robbery that also landed O.J. Simpson behind bars.

The 56-year-old's release came under a deal with prosecutors in which he pleaded no contest to one count each of robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery.

In 2008, Stewart was sentenced to 7½ to 27 years in prison after being convicted of charges including armed robbery and kidnapping stemming from a confrontation with sports memorabilia dealers at Palace Station the year before.

Wednesday

Raggio resigns

State Sen. Bill Raggio, the lion of Northern Nevada politics for half a century, announced he will resign from the Legislature on Jan. 15 because of health concerns.

The Reno Republican's bombshell set off a political battle royal over who the Washoe County Commission should appoint as his successor.

Nevada's longest-serving state senator was elected to the upper house in 1972 after 18 years as the Washoe County district attorney.

Thursday

Guard soldiers deploy

In the second-largest Army National Guard deployment in Nevada history, 400 soldiers in the 422nd Expeditionary Signal Battalion left Las Vegas for two months of training at Joint Base Lewis-McChord south of Seattle before going to Afghanistan.

The unit will provide communications for various bases and combat outposts in Afghanistan during a yearlong tour of duty.

Friday

Reefer raid protested

With a couple of supporters protesting outside, 14 defendants appeared in court after the latest federal raid on valley medical marijuana dispensaries.

Among those arrested Thursday was outspoken marijuana activist and felon Pierre Werner.

The arrests followed the September raids of several Las Vegas dispensaries, including Dr. Reefer, a business operated by Werner's mother and brother.