Tony Cook

Story Archive

Judges rethink upgrade, taxpayers clean up: Friday, Dec. 7, 2007; A second look at how the courts' budget helped save Clark County taxpayers more than $2 million this week:
LOOKING IN ON: CLARK COUNTY: Monday, Dec. 3, 2007; Loyal readers will recall the Sun reported last week that Clark County District Attorney David Roger planned to meet with his deputies to discuss what's next with the Lacy Thomas case.
UNION SPLIT OVER LEADER: Monday, Dec. 3, 2007; Union leaders commonly use the tactic against their foes.
LOOKING IN ON: CLARK COUNTY: Monday, Nov. 26, 2007; We're still reeling from turkey overdose, so let's get right to it.
County proceeding carefully on lawyer with possible conflict of interest: Tuesday, Nov. 20, 2007; Clark County officials are taking an extra precaution before trying to resolve a potential conflict of interest involving the attorney who advises the county on Sunrise Landfill issues.
Hauler wants help paying for landfill fix: Tuesday, Nov. 20, 2007; Republic Services is putting the squeeze on Clark County to increase collection rates to pay for the higher-than-expected cost of closing Sunrise Landfill, even though the garbage company's existing contract with the county says the business is responsible for the work.
THE WEEK IN REVIEW: CLARK COUNTY: Monday, Nov. 19, 2007; For many, the old Sunrise Landfill has become a symbol of Clark County's cushy - and often controversial - relationship with garbage company Republic Services.
Week in Review: Clark County: Monday, Nov. 12, 2007; Smut peddlers are returning fire in what is shaping up to be a feisty battle over Clark County's plan to quadruple its news rack permit fee.
In Clark County, DA sees surge in black sheep related to his employees: Friday, Nov. 9, 2007; Every family has its black sheep. The families of employees in the Clark County district attorney's office are no exception.
WEEK IN REVIEW: CLARK COUNTY: Monday, Nov. 5, 2007; Like an army with several lines of defense, smut peddlers on the Strip have several lines of offense, or offensiveness.
Coroner's inquest is up for debate: Monday, Nov. 5, 2007; Clark County's controversial coroner's inquest process is likely to be revamped under one of two competing proposals to be introduced at Tuesday's county commission meeting.
WEEK IN REVIEW: CLARK COUNTY: Monday, Oct. 29, 2007; Certain subjects we write about tend to attract more phone calls from readers than others. Garbage service and massage parlors, for example, seem to stir up in readers an urge to call the newspaper and express themselves. That's just fine with us.
LOOKING IN ON: CLARK COUNTY: Monday, Oct. 22, 2007; During discussions about University Medical Center's financial woes, it's not unusual to hear Clark County commissioners emphasize that the hospital is a public service. And, they'll tell you, public services cost money.
No hearing for night court yet: Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2007; Rather than expand hours to nights or weekends, Clark County officials plan to spend $14.7 million on courthouse renovations to make room for six new District Court judges who will take the bench in 2009.
WEEK IN REVIEW: CLARK COUNTY: Monday, Oct. 15, 2007; There are basically two ways to chip away at the county hospital's ever-present financial losses - cut spending or boost revenues.
Raid rubs massage parlors wrong way: Friday, Oct. 12, 2007; In what massage parlor operators call an intimidation tactic, Metro Police raided a parlor last week where a group of owners have been meeting to plan their fight against a proposed Clark County ordinance that would restrict their operating hours.
News to lawmakers: County's lawyer also works for other side: Thursday, Oct. 11, 2007; Since 1999, Clark County has awarded California attorney Scott W. Gordon more than $368,000 in contracts for his advice on Sunrise Landfill, the former dump that has been a source of contention among the county, garbage company Republic Services and federal regulators.
Massage parlors struggle to keep it clean: Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2007; It's after midnight and Ben Lee is tending the front desk at Kingdom Massage in Chinatown.
WEEK IN REVIEW: CLARK COUNTY: Monday, Oct. 8, 2007; Clark County commissioners took a pass Tuesday on implementing development impact fees. They did, however, ask staff to come back with other ideas.
Who gets to ask questions after deaths?: Tuesday, Oct. 2, 2007; After more than a year attempts to change the Clark County coroner's inquest process have stalled again.
Bush wasn't just talking about delays at airport: Monday, Oct. 1, 2007; Q: In addition to the usual airplanes and smog, what else was in the air Thursday at McCarran International Airport?
Cell towers can't hide from their opponents: Thursday, Sept. 27, 2007; They are disguised as flagpoles, lampposts and palm trees. They are hidden behind billboards and inside church steeples. And if they haven't yet, chances are they are coming to a neighborhood near you.
For those who live by golf course, a new worry: Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2007; Homeowners around Las Vegas National Golf Course have feared for months that the sale of the course might mean they will lose their views and, thus, thousands of dollars in property values.
Tenants worry what's next: Monday, Sept. 24, 2007; This is a story of eminent domain gone awry. It's a story about the anxiety that mobile home dwellers experience as the land beneath their homes swaps hands. And it's a story about a bunch of feisty senior citizens who want to know how it got to this point.
WEEK IN REVIEW: CLARK COUNTY: Monday, Sept. 10, 2007; Turns out that Clark County staff and judges might be giving night court some thought. But before we go there, here's one to get the wheels turning :
Smelly questions bubble over tax dollars, sewage deals: Monday, Sept. 10, 2007; Dealing with sewage is messy business.
UMC fixes not expected to include service cuts: Sunday, Sept. 2, 2007; Wrapping up a nine-month look at how to improve the financial health and management of the troubled University Medical Center, the Clark County commissioners are expected to scratch possible service cuts and a new oversight structure for UMC on Tuesday.
UMC fixes not expected to include service cuts “What happened before with (then-CEO Lacy Thomas) was we gave him too much leeway and trusted him more than we should have. What we need to do is demand: Saturday, Sept. 1, 2007; UMC fixes not expected to include service cuts “What happened before with (then-CEO Lacy Thomas) was we gave him too much leeway and trusted him more than we should have. What we need to do is demand more periodic reports and monitor more closely what’s going on at the hospital.” Rory Reid, County Commission chairman
He saw to county’s rise: Friday, Aug. 31, 2007; Defying corruption, Woodbury shaped how we live, drive and fly
WEEK IN REVIEW: CLARK COUNTY: Monday, Aug. 27, 2007; A fairy tale character and Clark County Commissioner Tom Collins walk into a bar ...
Just a preview: Pay to skate: Friday, Aug. 24, 2007; Just a preview: Pay to skate
WEEK IN REVIEW: CLARK COUNTY: Monday, Aug. 20, 2007; This week, we look at some Clark County legal actions. What's that? You didn't sign up for law school when you decided to read this column?
Recycling could cost residents one trash pickup: Friday, Aug. 17, 2007; Clark County is to consider a sweeping new plan to boost recycling across the Las Vegas Valley, including testing a proposal to cut back regular trash pickups to once a week.
Context deflates manager's salary: Sunday, Aug. 5, 2007; We're going to start off with a quiz, but to make it simpler, we'll make it multiple choice.
Turnberry residents allege turnabout by developer who's ruining their views: Monday, July 23, 2007; When Jerry Wayne looks out from the balcony of his luxury condominium at Turnberry Place, he sees Strip hotels and , behind them, the big Nevada sky.
It's par for the course in Vegas: Links may give way to houses: Wednesday, July 18, 2007; To Dick Weisbart, the golf course that surrounds his back yard is as much a part of his home as his kitchen sink.
County: Whose side are lobbyists on?: Tuesday, July 17, 2007; When Clark County Commission Chairman Rory Reid looked over the agenda for today's meeting, a request from District Court officials left him shaking his head.
County wants bigger cut of room tax pie: Monday, July 16, 2007; Clark County is close to muscling Southern Nevada cities into a deal that would redistribute hotel room taxes among local governments.
Work at night, on weekends to save taxpayers money? Judges balk: Tuesday, July 10, 2007; As county and court officials grapple with where to put six new District Court judges, most of the discussion has revolved around building new courtroom space at a cost of millions of dollars.
LOOKING IN ON: CLARK COUNTY: Sunday, July 8, 2007; Two of Clark County's three new commissioners will pass up a pay increase.
LOOKING IN ON: CLARK COUNTY: Sunday, July 1, 2007; In a cost-cutting move, University Medical Center administrators will ask Clark County commissioners Tuesday to shut down the McCarran Quick Care Center.
Lobbyists paid by Clark County sometimes work against it: Sunday, July 1, 2007; When the need to curb tax breaks intended to encourage "green" building projects arose late in this year's legislative session, it not only sent lawmakers into a tizzy - it also drove a wedge between Clark County and its lobbyists.
Is Clark County flush? Depends on the math: Sunday, June 24, 2007; In March Clark County commissioners found $60 million to bail out the financially struggling University Medical Center.
LOOKING IN ON: CLARK COUNTY: Monday, June 18, 2007; Accounting firm Ernst & Young brought bad news to Clark County officials earlier this year when its audit revealed that University Medical Center had lost more than $34 million in fiscal 2006, far more than the $18.8 million that former Chief Executive Lacy Thomas had told commissioners to expect.
How to give yourself a raise without taking flak: Sunday, June 17, 2007; Rare is the job that allows you to set your own salary.
Want something done locally? That gets decided in Carson City: Sunday, June 17, 2007; During the four months of the 2007 legislative session, state lawmakers dealt with some of the most pressing issues of the day - such as allowing Clark County to tow cars from its parking lots and permitting McCarran International Airport officials to give refunds at airport parking garages.
LOOKING IN ON: CLARK COUNTY: Monday, June 4, 2007; Less jail space and fewer parks in Clark County are some of the potential consequences of the deal state lawmakers and special interests cobbled together late last week to pay for $1 billion in desperately needed highway construction costs.
Trying to restore a trashed reputation: Monday, June 4, 2007; When Bob Coyle took over Republic Service's garbage empire in Southern Nevada, his predecessor welcomed him with a lawsuit.
LOOKING IN ON: CLARK COUNTY: Wednesday, May 30, 2007; Some local property managers say Republic Services is not living up to its end of the deal the two groups struck in December regarding fees for overflowing trash containers.
Southern Nevada switching over to 'green' cabs at moderate speed: Monday, May 28, 2007; As the nation's largest city seeks to replace its entire taxicab fleet with hybrid vehicles over five years, Southern Nevada is taking a much less aggressive approach toward the environmentally friendly cars.