Northern Nevada Briefly 10/8

Justice criticizes consultant's report

Supreme Court Chief Justice Jim Hardesty made it clear this week he wasn't pleased with the quality of a consultant's report on how to improve legal services the indigent get when charged with a crime.

Nevada has been told by the bar association and study groups that the care indigents receive in the state is substandard and must be improved. The primary criticism is that public defenders have caseloads that are far too big and, therefore, can't devote adequate time to each case.

The state paid the Spangenberg Group $215,000 to produce a report guiding their decision-making process.

But Robert Spangenberg was unable to give the Supreme Court any specifics when he appeared at Tuesday's meeting.

"It was my belief the Spangenberg report would come forward and recommend caseload standards," Hardesty said. "For myself, here we are today with this report that offers the court no guidance whatsoever on caseload standards."

The Bar Association issued a directive several years ago requiring public defenders to refuse new cases unless they have the resources to handle them. Federal Public Defender Fran Forsman said the court needs to move forward and mandate improvements in the state's public defender system.

Neidert to run for Storey County DA

Senior deputy attorney general Dave Neidert has announced plans to run

for Storey County district attorney.

Neidert, 48, has been with the attorney general's office since 1997. Before that, he was an assistant district attorney in Pershing County and chief deputy in Humboldt County.

He currently represents the state in six death penalty cases and has served two years as the state's capital case coordinator.

"The district attorney needs to be accessible to the community, responsive to victims of crime and tough on criminals," he said.

Nevada tops nation in geothermal projects

RENO (AP) - A new report shows Nevada has more geothermal projects under way than any other state in the nation.

The report released by the Washington D.C.-based Geothermal Energy Association at a convention in Reno this week shows 144 geothermal projects are under way in 14 states.

Sixty-four of those are in Nevada, mostly in Northern Nevada. California is a distant second on the list with 37.

If all Nevada's projects were operational, officials say they would generate an estimated 3,473 megawatts of electricity - more than enough to meet existing demand statewide.

Health information project starts

The task force organizing Nevada's Health Information Technology Project holds its first meeting Friday.

Lynn O'Mara has been appointed to manage the project, which was designed to develop a statewide health information exchange. Its goals include quicker access to test results, expanding the use of electronic prescriptions and electronic health records.

The state will start receiving stimulus funding next year to develop the statewide exchange.

The meeting is set for

9 a.m. Friday in Las Vegas but will be teleconferenced to the legislative building in Carson City as well.

Apparent stabbing death of Tahoe man

INCLINE VILLAGE (AP) - Washoe County sheriff's deputies are investigating the apparent stabbing death of an elderly man as well as injuries suffered by his wife at their home in Incline Village.

Deputies say they were called to check on the couple's welfare at their condo on Lakeshore Drive on Monday.

When they arrived about

8 p.m., they found 73-year-old Charles Baymiller dead, apparently as a result of the stabbing. His 72-year-old wife, Mary, was unconscious and in need of medical assistance. She was transported by Care Flight to Renown Medical Center where her condition was not immediately known on Wednesday.

Deputy Brooke Keast said the case remains under investigation.

- Nevada Appeal Staff and Wire Reports