Tony Cook

Story Archive

Lobbyists flout disclosure rules in talks with commissioners

Lack of penalties blamed for lack of compliance

Sunday, July 13, 2008

On more than 170 occasions this year, lobbyists failed to file disclosure forms when they visited Clark County commissioners, leaving the public in the dark about what issues they were pushing and on whose behalf.

Controversial UMC deal working out well after all

Sunday, July 6, 2008

Despite its questionable origins, a cardiology contract at University Medical Center has resulted in improvements at the public hospital, according to a report provided to county commissioners last week.

Hauler insists it can boost rates

Republic Services says a ’93 deal lets it raise residents’ bills over county commission’s objections

Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Republic Services is now saying it doesn’t need county commissioners’ approval to start charging valley residents more for garbage collection.

Commissioners approve hotel room tax proposal for ballot

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

Clark County commissioners this morning approved putting an advisory measure about raising hotel room taxes for education spending on the November ballot but only after saying a better funding solution is needed.

Same lobbyist for courts, shorter term, more money

Sunday, June 29, 2008

What’s increasing faster than the price of gasoline? Apparently, the cost of court lobbyists.

Toxic feud at SEIU’s top ends with resignations

Local’s two ranking leaders reach agreement amid union disorder

Saturday, June 28, 2008

The terms for the resignations of the top two leaders of one of Nevada’s largest unions were laid out over salad and breadsticks at a Las Vegas Olive Garden on Tuesday night.

Next target: UMC

With a California group’s bid to wrest nurses’ union representation at St. Rose hospitals from SEIU tied up, the union turns to University Medical Center, where SEIU has two years to go.

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

The California Nurses Association, unsuccessful so far in pushing aside the powerful SEIU as the preferred organizer of nurses in Southern Nevada, has set a new goal: to unseat the SEIU at University Medical Center.

Boarders getting rent help from county coffers

Sunday, June 22, 2008

A former group home whose license was revoked by Clark County continued to irk neighbors, University Medical Center introduced plans for an advertising campaign to remake its image and Commissioner Tom Collins — a frequent critic of the Sun’s reporting on the county — proposed charging the Sun and Las Vegas Review-Journal for office space at the county government center.

State delaying Medicaid payouts

Hospital officials say hold creating problems

Friday, June 20, 2008

State officials say souring economic conditions have spurred an increase in Medicaid enrollees, causing reimbursement requests to outstrip the amount of money Nevada budgeted for two Medicaid programs.

Adelson money is political baggage

Ads elsewhere have attacked ties to mogul, and heat is building here

Thursday, June 19, 2008

As the Culinary Union agitates, a divide among Democrats on the Clark County Commission is growing about whether to accept money from the companies of Sheldon Adelson, the conservative casino mogul.

Unwanted trade: Boarders for group home residents

Switch cuts short neighbors’ rejoicing

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

The neighbors of Eagle Ridge Manor, a trouble-prone group home for the elderly and the mentally ill, successfully petitioned county commissioners to revoke the home’s business license in March.

Audit report won’t tell you much

Election Department data redacted to ensure privacy

Sunday, June 15, 2008

If you’re looking for a quick read this summer — and we mean real quick — check out the recently released audit of the Clark County Election Department’s information systems.

You don’t have to come in first to win

Lobbyist beats out rivals to represent county despite low staff ratings

Sunday, June 8, 2008

How good is Dan Hart, the lobbyist Clark County commissioners picked last week?

County grumbles but OK’s $3.2 million court overruns

Thursday, June 5, 2008

Clark County bailed out the judiciary this week after learning that District Court officials had overshot their annual budget by $3.2 million.

Commissioners delay action on possible garbage fee hike

Tuesday, June 3, 2008

Clark County commissioners today delayed a scheduled discussion about increasing garbage collection rates to help fund the closing of Sunrise Landfill.

Clark County hires lobbyist

Tuesday, June 3, 2008

Hauler’s plea for rate increase gets second look

Commissioner says deal may prevent legal fight over landfill cleanup

Tuesday, June 3, 2008

Despite seemingly strong legal grounds to insist that Republic Services pay the full cost of closing Sunrise Landfill, some Clark County commissioners — led by Commissioner Chip Maxfield — continue to push a plan in which ratepayers would pick up the tab.

Degrees were fake, but good enough

Truth about man who got referrals from judge, county contract comes as a shock

Monday, June 2, 2008

Raymond Giunta is a man of many titles. Some knew him to be a clinical psychologist. Others knew him simply as Dr. Ray. In reality, he was neither.

Still spending, still no guidelines

Sunday, June 1, 2008

Clark County commissioners approved a $1.4 billion county operating budget last month amid lots of talk about limited resources, so we decided to check up on how they’re managing the dollars they control individually.

Atkinson Gates to have hand in DNC decision that could settle Obama-Clinton race

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

UMC painter blew whistle in ’05

Police took little action on his report of facilities thefts; hospital ‘brushed it under the carpet,’ he says

Sunday, May 25, 2008

We’ve got an interesting nugget this week about that Metro Police investigation at University Medical Center.

Budgeting: County heeds, state bleeds

Why one has weathered downturn, the other suffered

Saturday, May 24, 2008

Nevada’s two largest governments — the state and Clark County — are in strikingly different financial positions as the nation experiences an economic slump. There’s talk of a third round of cuts to the state budget, but the county has remained largely unscathed.

SEIU disputes outcome of nurses’ vote, gaining time

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

The Service Employees International Union is challenging the results of a recent union election in which the rival California Nurses Association fell just short of the majority vote needed to take over representation of more than 1,000 nurses at three St. Rose Dominican hospitals here.

Standoff over landfill closure possible

Sunday, May 18, 2008

Republic Services hasn’t said publicly that Clark County must help pay for the cost of closing Sunrise Landfill — a position with which the county disagrees.

Woodbury re-election bid faces legal challenge (UPDATED)

Friday, May 16, 2008

Nevada's 2008 ballot is in chaos.

On the final day candidates may file to run for office, Clark County Commissioner Bruce Woodbury's bid for a final term is likely to be challenged by the state's top election official, sources say.

Landfill decree avoids big issue

County deal with EPA won’t settle who will pay for cleanup

Thursday, May 15, 2008

Clark County is preparing to sign a consent decree that would let it off the hook with federal authorities who want the Sunrise Landfill properly closed, but would leave unanswered the key question of who will pay for the work — the garbage company or county ratepayers.

New-route noise lights up airport hotline

Sunday, May 11, 2008

This week’s main topic: Airplanes.

CNA tips status quo, but doesn’t oust SEIU

Outcome for St. Rose nurses still uncertain, but union unrest is clear

Friday, May 9, 2008

The Service Employees International Union suffered a clear vote of no confidence this week as registered nurses it represents at three St. Rose Dominican hospitals voted in greater — though still inconclusive — numbers to join a rival union.

UMC thefts on overtime alleged

Police say workers helped bosses steal goods on company time

Wednesday, May 7, 2008

Not only did University Medical Center employees help their bosses steal from the public hospital — they also charged the hospital tens of thousands of dollars in overtime while doing it, according to police.

Nurses unions’ showdown starts today

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Registered nurses — numbering 1,100 — at three St. Rose Dominican hospitals vote today and Wednesday on whether to retain the Service Employees International Union as their bargaining representative — or join a rival union.

Rent hike redux at Cactus Ridge

Mobile home community’s residents again accuse owner of attempting to force them out

Sunday, May 4, 2008

Residents of Cactus Ridge Mobile Home Community are elderly and in many cases disabled. Most live on fixed incomes, often on Social Security alone.

Commissioners’ discretionary funds still are spendable cash

Sunday, April 27, 2008

This week we’re circling back on some outstanding issues. Among our subjects: commissioner parties, county pay raises for people who don’t work for the county and doggy death row.

Rising caseloads keep probation officers from involvement in children’s lives

Sunday, April 27, 2008

Juvenile probation officers are the Jekylls and Hydes of the legal community, hybrids of cop and social worker, enforcer and buddy.

Political lesson on Election Day for students

Sunday, April 20, 2008

Registrar of Voters Larry Lomax estimates a showing of 650,000 voters, which would pass the previous record of about 550,000 in 2004.

Labor law broken during SEIU election, report says

Preliminary probe finds union misused funds, roster

Thursday, April 17, 2008

A preliminary U.S. Labor Department investigation has found that one of Nevada’s largest unions violated federal labor law during its most recent officer election, including the use of union funds and membership rosters for internal political purposes.

Public pays the bill

Audit: Take-home vehicles issued to county officials who don’t need them

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Clark County’s 106 take-home vehicles are intended to be for workers who frequently respond to emergencies at night and on weekends, but auditors found that many responded to after-hours calls only a few times a year — and in 11 cases not at all.

$41 million won’t go as far as it should, commission hears

Sunday, April 13, 2008

Clark County held its annual budget workshop last week. The tone was dismal. The only things missing among the pie charts and bar graphs were some thunderclaps and shrieking violins.

County stops retrieving the departed’s possessions

Burden will be shifted to health care workers because of budget cuts

Wednesday, April 9, 2008

Clark County Public Administrator John Cahill is ending a major part of what his obscure county office does — respond to hospitals and hospices to secure the personal property of the dead.

Silver to become UMC's permanent chief

Monday, April 7, 2008

Kathy Silver, who has been University Medical Center’s interim chief executive for 15 months, will become the public hospital’s permanent leader, county officials announced today.

On UMC theft investigation, Collins’ reaction to parking story

Sunday, April 6, 2008

Metro Police are still investigating allegations of massive theft in the facilities department at University Medical Center.

He’s a county commissioner and he’ll park where he wants

Thursday, April 3, 2008

If you don’t know Clark County Commissioner Tom Collins, here’s a tip. Don’t ask him about his parking habits. A Sun reporter made that mistake Wednesday.

As home values drop, don’t expect tax bills to follow

Thursday, April 3, 2008

One might think there would be at least one bright spot for those who have watched their home values fall in recent months — smaller property tax bills. But that won’t be the case for most Clark County homeowners.

Union woos nurses amid rift

California group’s bid comes as national SEIU leaders fight

Tuesday, April 1, 2008

A California-based nurses union is seeking to exploit a national rift in the country’s largest and fastest-growing union by poaching nurses at three local St. Rose Dominican hospitals, according to state labor leaders and national experts.

Sign-toting preachers on the Strip may see law change

After ACLU intervenes, commission could scrap body-width provision

Sunday, March 30, 2008

Perhaps the only people on the Strip more annoying than smut peddlers might be those street preachers who hold up signs with messages that say things like “God hates ____.”

County overpaid company, audit finds

Employees questioned deals beginning in 2004

Thursday, March 27, 2008

The county sewer district overpaid a company more than $227,000 through a series of questionable contracts and employment arrangements, a county audit found.

Picking up where recycling story left off

Sunday, March 23, 2008

We’re doing some house cleaning this week, with some updates on recycling and massage parlor regulations. Plus a message from Clark County Commissioner Bruce Woodbury.

County shops for sin sites

No one is saying why it wants to buy buildings housing adult social clubs

Saturday, March 22, 2008

Commercial Center caters to roller hockey jocks and transvestites, Korean grocery shoppers and swingers, churchgoers and pool hall junkies, those in need of a wig or a bong. For the past few months, it has attracted another potential client — Clark County.

Convenient gas? Not at any price

Sandy Valley residents say safe water worth more than a local pump

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Sandy Valley has one bar, three restaurants and five churches for its 2,000 people. What it doesn’t have is a gas station. The nearest pumps are almost 20 miles away in Jean, and some valley residents would like to keep it that way.

Officials believe new hepatitis case identified

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Health district officials said today that they are “pretty confident” they have identified another patient who contracted hepatitis C at a Las Vegas clinic.

Even in disguise, cell tower at day care center a tough sell

Damaging effects not yet proven, but residents still concerned

Sunday, March 16, 2008

Savvy readers might remember that debate about a cell phone tower going up at a day care center in the south part of the Las Vegas Valley.