State briefs

Nevada

Las Vegas lawyer disbarred in child porn case

Las Vegas lawyer David Whittemore has agreed to a Supreme Court order disbarring him after his admission to a felony charge of receiving child pornography.

Whittemore, the 51-year-old brother of prominent Reno businessman and attorney Harvey Whittemore, pleaded guilty in February to using his computer at the law firm of Lionel, Sawyer and Collins to download hundreds of images of child pornography.

He was ordered to serve five years in prison and pay a $10,000 fine in that case.

The state provides that lawyers can be disbarred for criminal acts that adversely reflect on a lawyer's honesty, trustworthiness or fitness as a lawyer.

Whittemore voluntarily consented to disbarment.

He also faces lifetime supervision as a sexual offender once released from prison.

New system helps the disabled sign official documents

The state has new regulations designed to help those with severe physical disabilities sign their name on official documents.

The signature stamp bill was approved by the 2005 Legislature and implemented this past month when the Legislative Commission adopted regulations for it.

Todd Butterworth, chief of the Office of Disability Services, said the system is designed to allow those unable to sign their name to use a rubber signature stamp for official purposes such as signing in to vote, signing real estate contracts and other documents.

According to Butterworth, no special certification is required and signature stamps can be purchased from any retailer who sells them.

He said businesses, government agencies and other organizations which routinely require signatures should encourage their staff to educate people about the new law.

Titus wins Reno tribal council endorsement

The Reno-Sparks Indian Colony tribal council has voted unanimously to support Democrat Dina Titus as Nevada's next governor.

"Dina is a powerful, proactive force in Nevada and an advocate for the interests of Native Americans," said chairman Arlan Melendez. "We know she'll serve the Native American community well, and be just as strong an advocate for all people across this great state."

Titus, minority leader of the Nevada Senate, is regarded as the front runner among the two Democrats seeking the office. Her opponent is Jim Gibson, mayor of Henderson.

The Reno-Sparks Indian Colony is a sovereign tribal government consisting of more than 800 Washoe, Paiute and Shoshone members. It has been federally recognized since 1936 and governs more than 2,000 acres of both residential and economic development properties.

Chairman Arlan Melendez has served as head of the Tribal Council for over 15 years and was recently appointed to the United States Commission on Civil Rights.

White Pine rejects initial offer to pipe water to Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS (AP) - A northeast Nevada county has rejected a $12 million offer for a 75-year deal, but talks are continuing on a proposal to pump and pipe millions of gallons of water to the fast-growing Las Vegas area, officials said.

The opening offer by the Southern Nevada Water Authority "doesn't hold water," White Pine County Commission member John Chachas told the Las Vegas Sun for a Friday report. Chachas said he favors telling the Las Vegas-based water agency to look elsewhere.

Most speakers at a public hearing in Ely on Wednesday said they oppose the $2 billion plan to pump groundwater from the Snake and Spring valleys and send it to Las Vegas through a yet-to-be-built 345-mile network of pipelines across federal land. But White Pine County Commissioner Gary Perea said there was "overwhelming sentiment" from the public to continue negotiating.