WEEK IN REVIEW: Top news
A one-time political power broker accused of funneling thousands of dollars in illegal campaign contributions to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid was indicted Wednesday by a federal grand jury in Reno.
Harvey Whittemore, 55, is an influential attorney and former lobbyist who dreamed up the now-languishing Coyote Springs development.
Whittemore faces four counts: making excessive campaign contributions, making contributions in the name of another and two counts of making a false statement to a federal agency.
An arrest warrant was issued for Whittemore, but he surrendered to the FBI on Thursday.
He appeared in court in Reno a few hours later to enter a plea of not guilty while wearing a dark suit and ankle shackles.
If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine.
Monday
Deadly force disclosed
Declaring an unprecedented new "level of accountability," Sheriff Doug Gillespie announced the release of internal documents that detail fatal encounters between Las Vegas police and civilians.
Such deadly force incidents have for decades been publicly scrutinized at the coroner’s inquest, but changes to the system and an ongoing legal challenge by police unions have stalled inquests for 19 months.
Gillespie said the public deserves to know what happened when someone dies at the hands of his officers.
Tuesday
Plea deal for Hampton
Doug Hampton, a one-time top aide to former Sen. John Ensign, agreed to plead guilty to a misdemeanor charge of violating federal lobbying law.
Hampton would enter the plea on Thursday as part of a deal reached with federal prosecutors who had pressed multiple charges that the former Las Vegan had broken the law that restricts Senate aides from lobbying for a year after they leave Capitol Hill.
Wednesday
Death penalty sought
Prosecutors announced they will seek the death penalty for Bryan Clay, the suspect in what they called the "savage" slaying of a 10-year-old girl and her mother with a claw hammer.
Clay was indicted by a Clark County grand jury the same day fifth-grader Karla Martinez was supposed to graduate from Hoggard Elementary School.
He is accused of raping and killing the girl and her mother, Ignacia "Yadira" Martinez, 38, in their home on April 15.
Prosecutors called the evidence "overwhelming."
Thursday
President stops at UNLV
During a lightning-quick visit to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, President Barack Obama urged supporters to telephone, use Twitter and find other ways to press Republicans in Congress not to let student loan interest rates double in July.
Although Obama slammed GOP leaders in Congress for inaction, both Democrats and Republicans are trying to prevent Stafford student loan interest rates form doubling in July from 3.4 percent to 6.8 percent.
But they can’t agree on how to pay the $6 billion cost.
Minutes after Obama concluded his speech, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid in Washington proposed a possible compromise to fund the student loan subsidy.
Friday
It’s all the rave
Las Vegas Valley residents began to feel a pulsating beat in their bones as the Electric Daisy Carnival made its second return to Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
The three-day annual electronic music festival – complete with seven stages, including the biggest free-standing stage in North America – is expected to draw 345,000 people.
NUMBERS2,500
How many boxes of Thin Mints the Girl Scouts of Southern Nevada will have to sell to cover a new water fee that will cost the organization $10,000 annually.
867
The number of people waiting to check out the erotic novel "Fifty Shades of Grey" from the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District, which has 195 copies of the book.
4th
Where Miss Nevada USA Jade Kelsall of Las Vegas finished in last week’s Miss USA pageant. It was the best showing by a Miss Nevada since 2001.
2022
The year Lake Tahoe will host the Winter Olympics, if Lt. Gov. Brian Krolicki and other boosters have their way.
QUOTES
"To have them working on the fire lines after this is more than we would like to ask firefighters."
Don Smurthwaite, from the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho, after fire crews were temporarily pulled off the White Rock Fire on the Nevada-Utah border following an air tanker crash that killed two men. The more than 6,000-acre blaze was expected to be fully contained Saturday.
"We use plumber’s epoxy. That works pretty well."
Angie Covert, senior research coordinator for the Desert Tortoise Conservation Center, talking about the best way to secure a GPS tracker to a tortoise shell.
"I don’t know how we’re going to absorb that while we are filled to capacity with homeless and abused women and children. I can’t pass the charges along to my customers."
Marlene Richter, executive director of the Shade Tree shelter for battered women, complaining about a water rate hike that will cost the nonprofit organization about $6,000 a year.
"Think about that – I’m president of the United States!"
President Barack Obama, drawing a laugh during a speech at UNLV Thursday by noting that he and his wife, Michelle, finally paid off their student loans just eight years ago.
MULTIMEDIA
lvrj.com/multimedia
VIDEO & SLIDE SHOW: Electric Daisy Carnival
SLIDE SHOW: President Barack Obama visits Las Vegas
SLIDE SHOW & VIDEO: Transit of Venus seen from Las Vegas
VIDEO: Las Vegas police to release some internal documents in officer-involved shootings
SLIDE SHOW: Rhode Island cellist wins Miss USA; Miss Nevada finishes fourth
