YUCCA MOUNTAIN

Total Yucca Mountain dump cost to top $90 billion

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Energy Department has calculated a new

total cost to open and operate the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste

dump in Nevada, to more than $90 billion.

It's the first official estimate since 2001, when the figure

stood at $58 billion.

Ward Sproat, the Energy Department official in charge of Yucca

Mountain, disclosed the new figure to reporters after a

congressional hearing in Washington on Tuesday.

He said a report with the exact figure and cost breakdowns will

be released to Congress in the next several weeks.

The $90 billion-plus figure is in 2007 dollars, while the

earlier $58 billion number was in 2000 dollars.

PLANETARIUM DIRECTOR

UNR scientist joins NASA mission on cave studies

RENO, Nev. (AP) - The associate director of the Fleishmann

Planetarium at the University of Nevada, Reno is heading to Chile

to help NASA in its study of caves on Mars.

Instead of looking skyward, astronomer Dan Ruby will be part of

a 10-person team who will go underground in Chile's Atacama Desert

to help develop techniques for discovering and studying caves on

Mars.

Scientists say the Atacama region is the driest place on earth

and geologically similar to Mars.

The expedition that runs through Aug. 15 is the second phase of

a three year project.

WATER FIGHTS

Agency seeks more rural Nevada water to continue Las Vegas

growth

CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) - The main water supplier for Las Vegas,

already allowed to pump more than 19 billion gallons of water a

year from rural Nevada, is pressing for a January hearing on its

bid for another 16 billion gallons from a valley on the state's

border with Utah.

But opponents of the Southern Nevada Water Authority pumping

plan for Snake Valley say they need more time to prepare, and are

asking state Engineer Tracy Taylor for a hearing delay until late

2009.

The water authority's application for the Snake Valley water is

a key element in its efforts to start delivering rural groundwater

through a 200-mile-long pipeline network to Las Vegas by 2015.

IMMIGRATION SWEEP

42 arrested around Tahoe Basin in immigration raid

RENO, Nev. (AP) - Federal officials say 42 people were arrested

around the Lake Tahoe Basin during a recent sweep by immigration

agents.

Of those detained, 21 were immigration fugitives, meaning they

had previously been ordered to leave the country by an immigration

judge but refused to comply, Virginia Kice, spokeswoman for

Immigration and Customs Enforcement, told the Sierra Sun newspaper.

Six of the detainees had previous criminal convictions.

The sweep took place June 30 and July 1 around the Tahoe area

and were part of the Department of Homeland Security's Immigration

and Customs Enforcement Fugitive Operations Program.

"The majority of those encountered during the operation have

already been repatriated to their native countries," Kice said.

GARAGE FIRE

4 escape Reno house fire that damages garage

RENO, Nev. (AP) - Reno fire officials say two adults and two

children escaped harm when a fire broke out in the garage of their

home south of Reno.

Investigators believe the blaze on Andrew Lane was accidental,

and may have smoldered throughout the night before flames broke out

early Tuesday. An exact cause was not immediately known.

Fire officials say the occupants were awakened by someone

pounding on their door before 6 a.m. All evacuated without injury.

The fire was contained to the garage, which suffered heavy

damage.

TRACEABLE JEWELRY

Jewelry line can trace gold, silver to source

DENVER (AP) - Denver-based Newmont Mining Corp. is teaming with

Wal-Mart Stores to offer a new line of jewelry that traces the

source of gold and silver from the mine to the retailer.

The giant gold producer said Tuesday the partnership was formed

to create a more transparent supply chain for the Love, Earth

jewelry line.

The pieces will be sold at Wal-Mart Stores, Sam's Clubs and

Walmart.com.

Newmont says the Love, Earth line will consist of products using

gold and silver that is mined and manufactured under Wal-Mart's

standards of environmentally safe conditions.

The other partner in the program is Conservation International,

which works to protect the world's environment.

MAMMOTH RESORT-FLIGHTS

Horizon to offer daily flights from LA to Mammoth

MAMMOTH LAKES, Calif. (AP) - Horizon Air says it will offer

daily nonstop service between Los Angeles and Mammoth Lakes during

the winter skiing season.

Service is scheduled to begin Dec. 18 and continue through April

12, 2009.

Officials at Mammoth Mountain Resort say the flights will boost

the community's spring and winter tourism efforts by providing a

direct link to the Southern California market.

FATAL STABBING

Reno woman given probation in killing of boyfriend

RENO, Nev. (AP) - A Reno woman has been given probation and

ordered to undergo drug addiction treatment on her guilty plea to

fatally stabbing her boyfriend in September.

Nineteen-year-old Ana Padua pleaded guilty to voluntary

manslaughter with a deadly weapon for the death of 35-year-old

Joseph Alan Robb, who was her boyfriend for about week.

During her sentencing, Washoe District Judge Robert Perry warned

Padua she could face 20 years in prison if she fails to complete a

drug treatment program and 2 to 10 year probation.

Authorities say Robb died after he was stabbed in the heart.

Padua told police she was attempting to leave Robb when he began

beating her. She says she stabbed him in self defense to get away.

NEVADA-COACH

Meuchel returns to Nevada as head softball coach

RENO, Nev. (AP) - Matt Meuchel, (pronounced Michael), the new

coach for the University of Nevada, Reno's softball team, is no

stranger to the program.

Meuchel spent four seasons at Nevada before leaving two years

ago for a job at Oklahoma State.

He was named this week as head coach to replace Michelle

Gardner, who left this month to take over the program at Indiana.

Meuchel says he's returning to his "dream job."

Nevada finished the 2008 season ranked in both national Top 25

polls after finishing with a 44-18 record. The Wolf Pack won the

WAC regular season title and reached the championship game of the

NCAA Regional in Los Angeles.