White Pine County to get courthouse

The Nevada Senate Monday unanimously approved legislation providing $10.8 million to White Pine County to build a new courthouse.

SB183 was originally requested by Gov. Kenny Guinn after the District Judges Association made the project its top priority for this session. District Judge Dan Papez testified there is almost no security for witnesses, jurors and even the officers of the court in the old courthouse.

He said it wasn't really an issue before the opening of Ely State Prison, where Nevada keeps its most dangerous inmates. Since then, he testified, there have been numerous trials involving violations by those inmates. He characterized the situation is a disaster waiting to happen.

Sen. Dean Rhoads, R-Tuscarora, amplified those comments, saying inmates, judges and witnesses must pass each other in the hallways and even use the same restrooms.

He said White Pine is near its property tax cap and unable to bond for the money to build a courthouse itself.

Committee approves mental health funding

CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) - A Nevada Assembly panel voted Monday for nearly $15 million in new mental health funding, with nearly half going to help resolve a care crisis in Las Vegas.

Supporters said AB175, approved unanimously by the Assembly Ways and Means Committee, fills the gaps that are aggravating the crisis.

There are only 131 psychiatric beds in facilities other than general hospitals in the Las Vegas area, a shortage that led Clark County to declare an emergency last July.

The bill provides funding for 90 placements in community-based housing and support services, adding to the 90 requested by the governor in his proposed budget.

Panel OKs $10 million research building

CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) - A University of Nevada, Reno building that would house labs researching cancer and chronic fatigue syndrome is $10 million closer to reality after a Nevada Senate committee's approval of the appropriation on Monday.

The funds in SB105 will go toward a new $18.5 million building at UNR that will hold medical school laboratories, the Nevada Cancer Institute and the Center of Excellence for chronic fatigue syndrome studies, said Pete Ernaut of R & R Partners, representing the Cancer Institute.

The project's supporters hope the new partnership will generate additional research and facilities for conditions such as multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer's, which is being studied at the Lou Ruvo Center in Las Vegas.