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Paul Takahashi / Las Vegas Sun

Clark County Superintendent Pat Skorkowsky and Clark County School Board President Carolyn Edwards address the media after the seven-member board unanimously appointed him as the leader of the nation's fifth-largest school system on Wednesday, May 22, 2013.

Skorkowsky appointed CCSD superintendent in unanimous vote

May 21, 2013 (8:15 p.m.)

By Paul Takahashi

The Clark County School Board unanimously appointed Pat Skorkowsky as superintendent of the nation's fifth-largest school district on Tuesday night.

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Sun Editorial: Lawmakers should support efforts to tap Teach For America

May 22, 2013

State lawmakers are fighting over a proposal by Republican Gov. Brian Sandoval to spend $2 million over the next two years on the nonprofit education group Teach For America to help it hire 100 teachers in Clark County.
Democrats cry uncle on taxes, accuse Republicans of obstruction

May 22, 2013

By Anjeanette Damon,
Andrew Doughman

If there’s one promise Democrats have kept so far this session, it’s to have a discussion about taxes. But with the majority party’s capitulation on the Senate floor Tuesday that their payroll tax hike proposal is dead, it appears that discussion is all it’s going to be.
Little Church of the West marks 70 years of walking down aisle, making memories

May 22, 2013

By Alison Saclolo

When Dudley Moore knocked on Greg Smith's office door a few years ago, it was business as usual for the wedding chapel owner. Moore, an Oscar-nominated actor, was getting married the next day and wanted to see the Little Church of the West before he walked down its aisle. “He was scheduled to be married with us and I had no idea. We chatted a bit and he came in and played the organ,” Smith said. Little Church of the West will celebrate its 70th anniversary on Wednesday, and Smith said it still would be business as usual for the wedding chapel.
Rebel gets up-close look at the teams that may select him in June’s NBA Draft

May 22, 2013

By Taylor Bern

The next time he’s interviewed on national TV, Anthony Bennett will likely be without an arm sling, the better to pick up and put on the official NBA Draft hat of the team that selects him June 27 in New York City.
Summerlin stadium project could learn from hype of UNLV Now

May 22, 2013

By Ray Brewer

New Las Vegas 51s owners might want to take a page out of UNLV football coach Bobby Hauck’s playbook when talking about their plans to build a state-of-the-art Triple-A baseball stadium in Summerlin.
Pyle stays humble, hungry ahead of UFC 160 by remembering his roots

May 22, 2013

By Case Keefer

Mike Pyle experienced a revelation in the most proper place possible for a hard-working Southern boy. The Las Vegas-based, Tennessee-raised UFC veteran picked up his phone to plan the next step of his career while clearing his head and relaxing on a lake.
Developer breaking ground on an office project — a rarity these days

May 22, 2013

By Eli Segall

With office construction at a near standstill, a Las Vegas developer is breaking ground this week on a project for a residential brokerage firm.
Narrow definitions in new health care law could penalize some Nevada Indians

May 22, 2013

Michelle Rindels, Associated Press

On one hand, Angie Wilson said she’s looking forward to when the health care overhaul takes full effect in 2014 — it’ll allow the Northern Nevada tribal health clinic she directs to maximize its limited resources. But on the other hand, the director of the Reno-Sparks Tribal Health Center is worried about the federal government’s plans to use a narrow definition of American Indian in the law — one that could mean an estimated one-third of her clinic’s 7,000 regular clients will be hit with a $695 annual fine for not carrying insurance.
Death becomes Rob Barger—death racing, that is

May 15, 2013

By Sarah Feldberg

Would you worship a frozen beaver? Rob Barger would.

Pedestrian struck and killed by truck along U.S. 95: May 22, 2013; By Riley Snyder; A 37-year-old Henderson woman died after she was hit by a truck Tuesday night as she walked along U.S. 95 near the Railroad Pass Hotel and Casino.

Firefly Tapas Kitchen & Bar on Paradise Road sits closed Tuesday, April 30, 2013.

Sausage at Firefly tests positive for salmonella; number of sick now at 294: May 22, 2013; By Ed Komenda; Health officials say cooked chorizo collected from the Firefly Tapas Kitchen & Bar on Paradise Road has tested positive for salmonella. The discovery comes after a salmonella outbreak last month that sickened at least 294 people from 27 states and two foreign countries who ate at the popular off-Strip restaurant, according to a report released by the Southern Nevada Health District today.

Median CEO pay rises to $9.7 million in 2012: May 22, 2013; By Christina Rexrode, Associated Press; CEO pay has been going in one direction for the past three years: up. The head of a typical large public company made $9.7 million in 2012, a 6.5 percent increase from a year earlier that was aided by a rising stock market, according to an analysis by The Associated Press using data from Equilar, an executive pay research firm.

Fans enjoy the sounds of Seether during the second day of the Rockstar 48 Hours Festival at the Luxor Festival Grounds on Sunday, Oct. 16, 2011.

Fairgrounds on Las Vegas Strip will accommodate 64,000 for special events: May 22, 2013; By Conor Shine; An overflow parking lot across from the Luxor will be converted into a fairgrounds for music festivals and other special events, after the plan was approved by the Clark County Commission today.

Former MLB all-star Jose Canseco participated in Brad Garrett's Maximum Hope Foundation Poker Tournament at the Tropicana on Sept. 17, 2011.

Metro IDs former MLB all-star Jose Canseco as suspect in sexual assault: May 22, 2013; By Jackie Valley; After Metro Police contacted Jose Canseco on Wednesday morning about sexual assault allegations raised against him, the former Major League Baseball player publicly proclaimed his innocence.

Convicted killer Jodi Arias makes a point as she answers a question during an interview at the Maricopa County Estrella Jail on Tuesday, May 21, 2013, in Phoenix. Arias was convicted recently of killing her former boyfriend Travis Alexander in his suburban Phoenix home back in 2008, made a plea in court for life in prison, instead of execution, saying she can contribute to society if allowed to live.

Jodi Arias speaks out about case in jailhouse interview: May 22, 2013; By Brian Skoloff and Josh Hoffner, Associated Press; In a surprise jailhouse interview just hours after a jury began deliberating her fate, Jodi Arias spoke out about her murder trial, her many fights with her legal team and her belief that she "deserves a second chance at freedom someday."

Firefly owner enlists new PR firm after salmonella outbreak: May 22, 2013; By Ed Komenda; John Simmons, the embattled owner of Firefly Tapas Restaurant & Bar, has hired a new public relations firm to represent his restaurant. The Ferraro Group on Wednesday announced it would replace Purdue Marion & Associates.

Bears star linebacker Brian Urlacher announces his retirement: May 22, 2013; By Andrew Seligman, Associated Press; Star linebacker Brian Urlacher is calling it a career after 13 seasons with the Chicago Bears. The eight-time Pro Bowl player announced his retirement on his Twitter account Wednesday. In a statement, he said, "After spending a lot of time this spring thinking about my NFL future, I have made a decision to retire."

IRS official Lerner: 'I did nothing wrong': May 22, 2013; By Alan Fram and Stephen Ohlemacher, Associated Press; The Internal Revenue Service official at the center of the storm over the agency's targeting of conservative groups told Congress on Wednesday that she had done nothing wrong in the episode, and then invoked her constitutional right to refuse to answer lawmakers' questions.

Anthony Weiner launches bid to become NYC mayor: May 22, 2013; By Jennifer Peltz, Associated Press; Anthony Weiner's run for redemption is officially on. The ex-congressman whose career imploded in a rash of raunchy tweets two years ago said in a YouTube video announcement late Tuesday that he's in the New York City mayoral race. He'd said last month he was considering it.

Jimmy Hodges helps Chad Heltcel and his wife Cassidi salvage the wreckage of Chad Heltcel's family home, which was destroyed Monday when a tornado moved through Moore, Okla., Tuesday, May 21, 2013. The huge tornado roared through the Oklahoma City suburb, flattening entire neighborhoods and destroying an elementary school with a direct blow as children and teachers huddled against winds.

Oklahoma tornado damage could top $2 billion: May 22, 2013; By Christopher Sherman and Ramit Plushnick-Masti, Associated Press; The tornado that tore through an Oklahoma City suburb destroyed or damaged as many as 13,000 homes and may have caused $2 billion in overall damage, officials said Wednesday. State authorities meanwhile said two infants were among the 24 people who perished in the twister.

Investigators stand outside an apartment complex where a man was fatally shot when a team of FBI agents swarmed his home early Wednesday, May 22, 2013, in Orlando, Fla. The FBI says the man, being questioned by authorities in the Boston bombing probe, was fatally shot when he initiated a violent confrontation.

Man shot to death while being questioned in Boston bombing probe: May 22, 2013; By Kyle Hightower, Associated Press; A Chechen immigrant who was being questioned about his ties to one of the Boston Marathon bombing suspects was shot to death by authorities early Wednesday after he lunged at an FBI agent with a knife, officials said.

Steve Wynn meets with the media in a villa at Wynn Las Vegas on Wednesday, April 27, 2011.

On top of big salaries, companies like Wynn Resorts pile on perks for CEOs: May 22, 2013; Associated Press; Wynn Resorts kept a suite open all year at its tony Las Vegas hotel and casino for founder and CEO Steve Wynn, at a cost of nearly $452,000. Former IBM CEO Samuel Palmisano was guaranteed an administrative assistant and furnished office for life.

Madonna backstage at the 2013 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on Sunday, May 19, 2013.

Photos: 2013 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand a ratings hit with stars, outrageous outfits: May 22, 2013; By Robin Leach; Las Vegas was the center of attention on three simultaneous and competing TV network primetime shows Sunday night and wound up the winner. ...

Developer breaking ground on an office project — a rarity these days: May 22, 2013; By Eli Segall; With office construction at a near standstill, a Las Vegas developer is breaking ground this week on a project for a residential brokerage firm.