After previously voicing opposition, Senator Dean Heller voted “yes” to let debate begin on repealing Obamacare. Elaine Wilson/Las Vegas Review-Journal
• Former Las Vegas showgirl Barbara Sinatra has died. She was the fourth and last wife of singer Frank Sinatra. They were married more than 20 years. She was 90 years old.
• The Las Vegas 51s will become the Silver Kings during Tuesday night home games in August. It’s part of a new initiative catering to Hispanic and Latino baseball fans.
• And a $1 million dollar gift will help restore a long-closed trail in Zion National Park. The Middle Emerald Pools Trail was destroyed by mudslides in 2010. Work is expected to be finished by 2020.
1. Two people were shot after a man and police exchanged gunfire Monday night. Police say they tried to pull over a suspect in a Honda from a Sunday shooting when he took them on a chase. When the man bailed from the car, he shot toward officers two to three times and officers returned fire. The man was struck multiple times and a woman in the Honda was shot in the wrist, though police believe the suspect was the one that shot her. The man is in critical condition.
2. Police are looking for suspects in an attempted robbery at an east valley Walmart. Witnesses say masked robbers with handguns demanded money from store employees and four fled in a light-colored newer sedan at about 10 a.m. Monday before officers arrived. Anyone with information may contact Crime Stoppers at 702-385-5555 or www.crimestoppersofnv.com.
3. A flash flood warning has been issued for parts of Clark County. The National Weather Service warning area covers northeast Clark County and the Lake Mead recreation area through 9:45 a.m. with a flash flood watch extending through 8 p.m. Tuesday. Meteorologist Reid Wolcott says rain should clear out this afternoon.
• A vintage military plane has crashed. It happened near Henderson Executive Airport. The pilot, who was the only person on board, survived with minor injuries. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
• A man accused of being a fake doctor hanged himself at the county jail. Rick David Van Thiel was awaiting trial in January. He claimed he could cure HIV and cancer. Records show he was working out of a trailer. Authorities say as many as three people who sought treatment from him died.
• A woman’s body was found in the desert near Lake Mead. A helicopter tour company reported a car parked in the same spot for a few days. The incident is under investigation.
• The Golden Knights’ practice facility now has a name. The hockey team headquarters will be called City National Arena. The facility is expected to open next month.
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Sheldon and Christine Smith talk about their Las Vegas casino memorabilia collection. (Bailey Schulz/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Why would someone want to use liquid nitrogen when it came to serving ice cream? Let one of the owners of Sweetspot Nitrogen Ice Cream & Boba Tea explain why. (Gabriella Benavidez/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
1. UFC superstar Conor McGregor makes his boxing debut next month. And to get ready for it, he recruited boxing hall of fame referee Joe Cortez to teach him the ropes. McGregor has a little over a month to learn the rules of boxing. The highly anticipated fight against Floyd Mayweather is on Aug. 26 at T-Mobile Arena.
2. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke will soon step foot in Nevada to review the Gold Butte and Basin and Range national monuments, but Rep. Ruben Kihuen says he feels left out of the process. He calls it “highly disrespectful” for Zinke not to tell him about his upcoming visit. The review ordered by President Donald Trump could reverse a number of environmental protections set by former President Barack Obama.
3. Thumping music, flowing champagne and over-the-top energy took over the Strip one hotel at a time nearly 10 years ago, and the dayclubs are still going strong. Industry professionals estimate that Las Vegas dayclubs pull in as much as $250 million a year in revenue, even though they’re only open about half the year.
The Clark County School District and Cox Las Vegas partnered for their 10th annual back-to-school fair at the Galleria at Sunset mall.
Coach Manleo Miranda talks about winning a youth soccer national championship after returning to Las Vegas on July 21, 2017.
The mother of Tashii Brown, who died in Las Vegas police custody in May, spoke in public about her son’s case for the first time this week. Trinita Farmer spoke at a Thursday night screening of the documentary film, “What Happened in Vegas,” during the FreedomFest conference at the Paris Las Vegas. The film takes a critical look at the Metropolitan Police Department’s most controversial officer-involved deaths in recent years. (Rio Lacanlale/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Police should be protecting private property, not profiting from how much of it they can get their hands on. Unfortunately, civil asset forfeiture laws give law enforcement officials a financial incentive to take your money and property. (Victor Joecks/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
1. A mother is facing child abuse and neglect charges after leaving her two children inside her car for 10 minutes while going to the bank. Police say Mary Lagle was inside an east valley Smith’s when a security guard noticed the two children in the backseat of a vehicle. Lagle came outside after a loud speaker announcement inside the store and noted that her air conditioning was running and asked if she could go back inside to complete her personal banking. Police also found an open container and marijuana in the car.
2. The Clark County coroner’s office says a man who died at Electric Daisy Carnival in June died from drug intoxication and heat exposure. Michael Adam Morse, 34, of California had ecstasy and a synthetic drug called Legal X in his system at the time of his death. At least seven people have died at EDC since 2011 with at least six of those deaths being substance-related.
3. Scott Blumstein of Morristown, New Jersey holds a commanding chip lead in the World Series of Poker Main Event. Las Vegas resident Ben Lamb was the first player eliminated from the final table Thursday. Play begins at 5:30 p.m. Friday with only seven players remaining and is expected to run until only 3 players are left.
Susan Tosches-Deneau, an artist and business woman from the southwest valley, explains her art subscription service Art Box Surprise, and shows off some of the artwork from Las Vegas artists that is available through the service. (Madelyn Reese/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
1. A former Las Vegas firefighter convicted of hiring a hitman to kill his wife now admits to committing the crime. George Tiaffay claims that prescription drugs prevented him from knowing right from wrong and that God directed him to commit the crime to protect his child. Tiaffay is appealing his conviction, saying his lawyer failed to help him with his psychiatric condition.
2. Numerous Las Vegas-area high school football players are in hot water for causing trouble at a Utah football camp. Southern Utah University police say in late June, two Cimarron High School players threw firecrackers and smoke bombs into dorm rooms housing Palo Verde High School players. In a separate incident in mid-July, between eight and 12 camp attendees assaulted a man trying to sell them marijuana. One player cited was from Desert Oasis High School and another was from Mojave High School.
3. OJ Simpson will go before the Nevada Parole Board today. If the board rules favorably, Simpson could be released by October 1. Simpson has been at Lovelock Correctional Center for over eight years after being found guilty on 12 charges related to a 2007 robbery of sports memorabilia.
Pedro Lopez talks about the win over Fresno on July 19, 2017, at Cashman Field. (Betsy Helfand/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
MMA middleweight Gabriel Checco will compete on the third episode of Dana White’s Contender Series airing on UFC Fight Pass. If he impresses the UFC president in his fight, he’ll be signed to the UFC and may be able to stop driving for Uber.
Review-Journal sports reporter Adam Hill and videographer Heidi Fang returned Tuesday, July 19, 2017, for their weekly UFC and MMA update on the Covering The Cage Facebook page. This week the pair welcomed UFC fighter Justin Gaethje. (Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Scattered thunderstorms flooded parts of the Las Vegas Valley early Wednesday, causing numerous traffic accidents, transportation delays and relatively minor damage.
1. A Kentucky mom is demanding $300 million for her son’s October 2016 death inside the Clark County Detention Center. Police say Jeremiah Bowling was strangled and beaten to death by Franklin Sharp, who police say tried killing another prisoner less than a month before Bowling. The mom’s attorney says she hopes the high dollar amount sends a wake up call to the Metropolitan Police Department.
2. The end of a sexual harassment investigation also brings an end to state Sen. Mark Manendo’s senate term. The investigation concludes that he violated the legislature’s anti-harassment policy, and the senator stepped down yesterday. The investigator says Manendo repeatedly engaged in inappropriate and offensive behavior towards female staffers and lobbyists. Manendo also contacted a witness in late June pressuring her to change her statement.
3. A man shot by police yesterday in a parking lot in the northwest valley is in critical condition. Police say an officer was dispatched to the parking lot after a 911 caller reported a distraught man. That’s when police say the man was found next to a stolen car and took off. “The suspect continued to run away from the officer, and with his right hand he reached into his waistband and pulled out a firearm and at which time the officer fired multiple rounds striking the suspect,” Metropolitan Police Department Sgt. Jeff Clark said at the scene. “County booking logs from overnight show two men are in custody in connection with the incident on several charges, but no word yet on how the two men are connected to the shooting.
Bantamweight competitor Sean O’Malley earned a contract with the UFC when he knocked out Alfred Khashakyan in the second episode of Dana White’s Contender Series.
Brett Lashbrook awaits a Las Vegas City Council vote Wednesday for his USL soccer franchise to play home games at Cashman Field in 2018.
The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department is investigating an officer-involved shooting in the northwest valley. (Rachel Crosby/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
The Metropolitan Police Downtown Area Command held an event, “Chill with a Cop,” at Anderson Dairy to interact with kids and community members and share bowls of ice cream. (Patrick Connolly/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
1. A suspect in a deadly shooting following a dominoes game may have continued had he not run out of ammunition. An arrest warrant states that Frederick D. Martin Jr., 57, got angry during the dominoes game because he thought someone was making fun of him and shortly after grabbed a gun from his waistband, shooting 3 people. The report says when Martin attempted to shoot a fourth person, the gun had no more bullets.
2. A second suspect in the Miracle Mile Shops shooting last Thursday has been arrested. Jaime Gonzalez, 35, turned himself in on Saturday, just two days after Jonathan Ozuna, 34, was arrested. Two security guards were shot in the parking garage at the Miracle Mile Shops attempting to apprehend two suspects who reportedly stole merchandise from Sunglass Hut.
3. The Oakland Raiders might not be in Vegas yet, but there’s already activity at their stadium site. A homeless encampment has moved in, setting up wooden pallets, a mattress and more along Dean Martin Drive. Construction for the new stadium is expected to being in January.
The Los Angeles Lakers and the Portland Trail Blazers will face off Monday, July 17, 2017, in the NBA Summer League championship game at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.
From the archives: OJ Simpsons arraignment hearing before a judge for a 2007 robbery at Palace Station.
OJ Simpson has been at Lovelock Correctional Center since December 2008. Now, he has the chance to walk free this October. Elaine Wilson/Las Vegas Review-Journal
Wag!, a dog-walking service, offers something for dog owners and dog walkers. (John Przybys/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
• A threatening letter was left at the Las Vegas office of Senator Dean Heller. Police won’t say what was in the letter. They were notified after a burglary alarm went off but determined a burglary did not occur.
• If you’re driving from Las Vegas to Hoover Dam, you’ll get to zoom along two miles of the new Interstate 11 by the end of this month. Vehicles will get to use a new 600-foot-long flyover bridge. However, it’s not open for northbound drivers yet.
• A 4.1 magnitude earthquake struck the Nevada National Security Site this morning. That’s about 33 miles southeast of Yucca Mountain. No injuries or damage were reported.
• And UNLV’s medical school starts its first classes today. The first class includes 60 students.