Latest news with #KLAS
Yahoo
15 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Lombardo's housing attainability plan shrinks, now expected to help 5,000 households
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — A scaled-back version of Gov. Joe Lombardo's Nevada Housing Access and Attainability Act will help fewer people, according to state officials. The ambitious plan to use state funds to encourage housing construction and other help for Nevadans who need affordable housing solutions has shrunk. When Lombardo presented the plan in April, it was described as a $250 million plan that would provide homes for 16,000 households. Pressure on state budgets has forced adjustments as spending plans move through the Nevada Legislature. Funding for the affordable housing plan is now set at $133 million, and it's expected to reach about 5,000 households, according to Christine Hess, chief financial officer for the Nevada Housing Division. The lower spending levels didn't seem to dampen support for affordable housing. Kathi Thomas, chief housing officer of the Southern Nevada Regional Housing Authority, called in to support Lombardo's plan. 'We are in the midst of a housing crisis, and we understand that this legislative body has a number of competing priorities and challenges with the budget. But we are all committed to building a strong economy, and there is no economic model that does not have housing at its core,' Thomas said. Hess outlined the new spending levels during a Friday hearing before the Senate Government Affairs Committee. The $133 million will fund programs in three ways: $83 million to support the development of attainable housing to serve those at or below 150% of area median income. The help will come in the form of loans, grants or rebates. This category will also support the development of low-income tax credit properties and land acquisition for attainable housing. $25 million for home ownership opportunities in the form of down payment assistance and interest rate buydowns. $25 million for incentives to develop attainable housing, expected to be in the form of matching grants Hess said previous plans to fund supportive housing development, rental assistance and eviction diversion programs will not be implemented initially as Assembly Bill 540 — the Nevada Housing Access and Attainability Act — ramps up. Those will still be eligible uses, but are not expected to be funded initially because they are available elsewhere. The bill didn't receive an immediate vote after it was heard Friday. 'This is not a fund for 3,000-square-foot homes. This is a fund to really catalyze and get the housing built,' Hess said. 'More housing to have people that are living in RV parks not have to live in RV parks.' Democratic Sen. Edgar Flores said he was concerned that the plan didn't specify goals to help people buy a starter home. He said that's the problem that's happening right now. Ryan Cherry, chief of staff for Lombardo, said that was discussed but not written into the language of the housing act because goals will change over time. He said the governor wants the agency to have the ability to adjust its goals to meet current needs. 'For-sale homes was really the impetus of this initiative,' Hess said. She said that will influence the amount of funding that goes toward helping families who can't qualify. The initial plan included $50 million for home ownership initiatives. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
18 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Judge sets July 3 date for O.J. Simpson estate claims
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — A Las Vegas judge set a date to determine some of the claims made by the Goldman family against O.J. Simpson's estate. Simpson, a football star and celebrity acquitted of the 1994 murders of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ron Goldman, died in Las Vegas on April 10, 2024, at the age of 76. While Simpson was not found guilty of the deaths, he was found liable in a civil case and ordered to pay both families $33.5 million. The money was never paid. After Simpson's death, multiple news agencies reported that Simpson's executor, attorney Malcom LaVergne, vowed he would fight any claims for settlement money from Goldman's family. Father of Ron Goldman files $117M claim against O.J. Simpson's estate Over the years, the claim increased due to interest owed, more than $20 million, and three separate judgments that renewed the amount to more than $96 million. In July 2024, Goldman's father, Fred Goldman, filed a creditor's claim of $117 million against the estate. The hearing is set for July 3 at the Clark County District Court. At that time, the judge could determine how much money the Goldmans would receive from the sale of some of the O.J. Simpson sports memorabilia, including a Heisman Trophy replica, his Lombardi Award Trophy, golf clubs, and his car. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Cowabunga Bay employee exposed to chemicals, prompting hazmat response
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — An employee at a local waterpark was reportedly exposed to chemicals Friday morning, prompting a hazmat response and delayed opening of the park. The incident happened at Cowabunga Bay, which is located in the 900 block of West Galleria Drive near Gibson Road. Cowabunga Bay said the incident involved the handling of pool-related chemicals. When the incident occurred, the waterpark was closed to the public and the facility delayed the opening while the incident was resolved. The Henderson Fire Department said the employee was taken to a nearby hospital in stable condition. HFD's Hazardous Materials Team stayed on site for a short time to ensure the area was safe before operations resumed. As of 12:40 p.m., Cowabunga Bay was fully opened and announced that the planned 21+ event for Friday evening would proceed as planned. 'The safety and well-being of our team members and guests is our top priority,' a representative of the waterpark said in a statement. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Nevada businesses hit by tourism drop from tariffs
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Democratic Senator Catherine Cortez Masto said it is currently crunch time for the National Park Service, small businesses, and the travel industry in Nevada. Cortez Masto held a press conference Thursday at Wetlands Park to discuss the decline in tourism and funding, which she attributes to the Trump Administration's tariffs. 'We are seeing a negative impact on families across the state. From food to energy, healthcare costs, clothing, you name it,' Senator Cortez Masto added. According to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, the Administration is keeping Americans from being taken advantage of. 'The President's trade policy will continue, and we will comply with the courts' orders,' Leavitt shared. As for outdoor recreation, places like Lake Mead and Red Rock, among others, draw $8.1 billion to Nevada's economy annually. Mandi Elliott, with Nevada Outdoor Business Coalition, said it is hurting businesses like rental company Basecamp Outdoor Gear, which caters to travelers and their outdoor belongings. 'The drop in tourism is affecting their bottom line, and with the tariff increase, there's a lot of uncertainty for their small business. It's not as simple to just buy all your materials from the U.S. The cost is extreme, and most can't keep up,' Elliott added. On Thursday, a federal appeals court ruled that President Donald Trump's tariffs can continue until a final ruling is made. This counteracts a ruling a day earlier from the court of international trade that blocked the tariffs. The appeals court said the President can levy tariffs using the emergency powers he declared earlier this year. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Former Las Vegas police officer denied parole in woman's 1997 killing
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Nevada's parole board denied parole for a former police officer who is in prison in connection with the murder of a woman in 1997, the 8 News Now Investigators have learned. Arthur Sewell, 58, will continue to serve time in prison for Nadia Iverson's death. Sewell began serving a six-to-15-year prison sentence in 2023 after entering a plea deal for voluntary manslaughter with use of a deadly weapon enhancement. Sewell also received credit for time already served in jail. A parole hearing was held on May 5. Iverson, 20, died of a gunshot wound in May 1997. Her body was found inside a home under construction in downtown Las Vegas. An investigation revealed that Iverson may have been sexually assaulted. Marie Coker, Iverson's sister, who lives out of state, traveled to Nevada for the parole hearing to speak against Sewell's release from prison. 'So he gets to see me and my sister,' Coker said in a previous interview. 'Every chance I get up there to stand to be a voice for her.' The crime was unsolved until 2018 after the state of Nevada tested decades-old rape kits. Sewell's DNA was found to be a match in Iverson's killing, police said. While Las Vegas Metro police said Iverson was a sex worker who struggled with a drug problem, Iverson's loved ones told the 8 News Now Investigators she was not a sex worker. Coker said that she had only been in Las Vegas for a short period and had been going through a tough time after a failed relationship, and her mother was in a serious car accident. In a video obtained by the 8 News Now Investigators, two cold case detectives interviewed Sewell and told him a gun that he owned was connected to the crime scene. For more than an hour, Sewall denied involvement before admitting to killing Iverson. 'I went out with the intention of sexual gratification, and when my .357 went off, it freaked me out and I bolted and panicked,' Sewall told the detectives. A Clark County District Court judge later determined Sewell's confession could not be used in the murder case because detectives kept questioning Sewell without an attorney. The judge also determined that his Miranda rights were violated. Months before Iverson was killed, Sewall resigned from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. He was convicted of abusing his power as a law enforcement officer after he was caught on video exchanging favors for sexual acts. Sewell is serving his time at Ely State Prison. According to prison records, Sewell has used both Sewell and Sewall for his surname. Coker said the Nevada Board of Parole Commissioners initially informed her Sewell would be up for parole in 2026. A victim services coordinator later informed her that this was incorrect and confirmed a May 2025 hearing. Sewell will not be eligible for parole again until October 2027, according to the Nevada Department of Corrections. Records show he will finish serving his sentence in May 2028. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
