Around the State

Associated Press

2 Nevada executives charged in college bribery scheme

LAS VEGAS — Two Nevada residents are facing charges in part of a wide-ranging college admissions bribery scheme involving about 50 others, including coaches, parents and Hollywood actresses.

Federal prosecutors on Tuesday named former casino executive Gamal Abdelaziz and media executive Elisabeth Kimmel with charges of conspiracy and fraud.

Prosecutors say in court documents that Abdelaziz paid $300,000 to get his daughter into the University of Southern California as a purported athletic recruit.

Prosecutors say Kimmel paid $525,000 in bribes to ensure her daughter’s admission to Georgetown University and her son’s admission to USC, also as purported athletic recruits.

Abdelaziz, a former Wynn Resorts and MGM Resorts executive, did not have a publicly listed number where he could be reached for comment.

Kimmel did not immediately respond to a telephone message seeking comment.

It’s unclear if Kimmel or Abdelaziz has an attorney.

Trump budget would restart licensing of Yucca Mountain

RENO — Gov. Steve Sisolak and Nevada members of Congress are vowing to fight to block President Donald Trump’s request to restart the federal licensing process to build a nuclear waste dump in the state.

Trump included a request for $116 million Monday for the Yucca Mountain repository in his proposed budget for the Department of Energy next year.

Sisolak said it’s another example of the U.S. government “ignoring the will of Nevadans by attempting to shove even more unwanted toxic material down our throats.”

In addition to opposing the waste repository near Las Vegas, the state is involved in a legal battled aimed at blocking DOE for shipping weapons-grade plutonium to a site near Yucca Mountain.

Democratic Reps. Dina Titus and Steven Horsford also vowed to fight any attempt to build the dump.

Nevada man imprisoned for DUI wreck arrested for DUI again

ELKO — A northeast Nevada man who spent time in prison for a drunken driving crash that injured a toddler in 2009 has been arrested again for driving under the influence in Elko County.

The Elko Daily Free Press reports 35-year-old Leonard Treis Jr. of Spring Creek was arrested at about 11 p.m. Friday on the Jiggs Highway south of Elko.

Treis pleaded no contest to a felony DUI charge after a crash in July 2009 in which a 2-year-old suffered a broken pelvis.

Deputies said Treis was drunk, speeding and failed to properly restrain the child. His vehicle struck a fence and rolled over. He was sentenced in September 2009 to 32 months to 12 years in prison.

Treis was being held Monday on $50,470 bail. It’s not clear if he has a lawyer or will be appointed one.

Nevada Democratic Party hires director for 2020 caucuses

LAS VEGAS — The Nevada State Democratic Party has hired an organizing director who worked on Democrat Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign to direct the state party’s presidential caucuses next year.

Nevada Democrats announced Wednesday that the party hired Shelby Witz to help run the neighborhood meetings where the party’s members will gather in February 2020 and express their preferred candidate for the party’s presidential nomination.

Witz was hired by the party in 2018 to work as an organizing director boosting turnout in the midterm elections.

Nevada’s Democratic caucuses are the first contest in the West and the third in the country. The party is planning to expand the caucuses next year by offering early voting and virtual participation.