Conor Shine

Local Government Reporter

A Kansas native, Conor studied engineering at the University of Minnesota but switched to journalism because it was infinitely more fun. It was in his blood, too; he's a third-generation journalist. Conor worked for the Wichita Eagle and the St. Paul Pioneer Press before joining the Sun in 2011.

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Experience wins out over price in selection of jails' food vendor: Tuesday, June 18, 2013; Competition and controversy were on the menu Tuesday when Clark County commissioners awarded a lucrative contract to provide meals at two of its jails to a more experienced – but more expensive – company.
Plan to ease green requirements for buildings spurs colorful debate: Tuesday, June 18, 2013; A debate over just how energy efficient buildings in Las Vegas should be has people on both sides of the issue seeing green.
Commissioners give approval to fact-finding reviews, with small tweak: Tuesday, June 18, 2013; The decision to replace the controversial coroner’s inquests into officer-involved shootings with a new hearing format split the Clark County Commission in January. But six months and three hearings later, commissioners had few complaints when the new process was brought up for review.
On tap for LV council: Olympic Garden rooftop pool, new retail near Mob Museum and energy codes: Tuesday, June 18, 2013; A months-long debate about how to balance business development with sustainability could come to an end Wednesday when the Las Vegas City Council considers a bill that would loosen energy efficiency standards for older buildings.
Submitting building plans now just a mouse click away: Monday, June 17, 2013; Submitting land-use applications and plans for residential and commercial projects in Las Vegas has been made as easy as clicking a button, thanks to a new online system unveiled Monday.
Commissioners to discuss plans for new Strip casinos this week: Monday, June 17, 2013; Clark County commissioners will weigh in on a pair of hot topics – University Medical Center and officer-involved shootings – at their regular meeting at 9:15 a.m. Tuesday at the Clark County Government Center.
More turmoil for Bonaventura: Deputy constable alleges sexual harassment in suit: Friday, June 14, 2013; Nearly a year after she was terminated from her job with the Las Vegas Township Constable’s Office, former Deputy Constable Kristy Henderson is fighting back with a lawsuit.
Company dumps big Laughlin solar project, says market won’t support it: Friday, June 14, 2013; A Chinese-backed company is pulling the plug on a multibillion-dollar solar project near Laughlin after it was unable to find customers for the power that would have been generated there, a Clark County spokesman said Friday.
Ninth suspect sentenced in counterfeit credit card scheme: Friday, June 14, 2013; The leader of a group of Californians accused of stealing information from Las Vegas bank card readers and ATMs in order to make counterfeit cards was sentenced to nearly seven years in prison Thursday after pleading guilty to conspiracy and aggravated identity theft charges last year.
Police witness: Slaying victim beaten for hours in attempt to get money: Friday, June 14, 2013; Two men have been charged in the April slaying of a man they were allegedly trying to steal money from, according to a criminal complaint released Friday. Eric Orduna and Jonathan Reyes each face six charges.
Las Vegas man accused of child abuse in 16-month-old girl’s death: Friday, June 14, 2013; A Las Vegas man has been arrested on counts of murder and child abuse after a 16-month-old child he was watching died Thursday at University Medical Center.
San Jose, Calif., fire chief picked from more than 60 to head Las Vegas department: Thursday, June 13, 2013; San Jose, Calif., Fire Chief William “Willie” McDonald has been chosen to take over Las Vegas Fire & Rescue, the city announced Thursday.
Mayor hopes movie tax credits shine spotlight on Las Vegas: Wednesday, June 12, 2013; Lights. Camera. Tax credits. All Las Vegas’ fledgling film industry is missing is the action, and proponents are touting Gov. Brian Sandoval’s signing of a tax incentive bill for film productions as the next step toward bringing a bit of Hollywood to Las Vegas. The bill’s signing late Tuesday had Mayor Carolyn Goodman reminiscing the next morning about when “Casino”-mania swept the city when director Martin Scorsese filmed here in the mid 1990s. “I just remember what it did for the economy here and the amount of dollars that were spent,” she said at a press conference Wednesday at City Hall.
Council hears downside of plan to rescue underwater NLV homes: Tuesday, June 11, 2013; It started with heartfelt testimonials from homeowners struggling with underwater mortgages and ended with warnings of disaster from representatives of the banking and real estate industries.
Controversial program that uses eminent domain to bail out underwater homeowners poised for vote in NLV: Tuesday, June 11, 2013; For the past two years, representatives from Mortgage Resolution Partners have traveled to cities around the country to pitch local governments on a plan to help underwater homeowners keep their homes.
DA’s Office to respond to all police shootings, fatal or not: Monday, June 10, 2013; The District Attorney’s Office is extending its policy of responding to the scene of officer-involved shootings to include shootings where somebody is injured but not killed.
Las Vegas fire department gets 500 applications for 24 jobs in 24 minutes: Monday, June 10, 2013; The competition to land a job as a Las Vegas firefighter is heating up after a pool of 500 applicants was filled in less than half an hour Monday morning.
Henderson distiller ready to toast success at bill-signing in Carson City: Monday, June 10, 2013; When George Racz moved his “Copper Angels,” a gigantic pair of German-made pot stills, into a warehouse in Henderson in 2011 to start the state’s first craft distillery, no one but Racz was sure his distillery could make it.
Work put into Mob Museum's building honored for protecting history: Thursday, June 6, 2013; The Mob Museum has been recognized as one of the top public works projects of the year by a national organization, the city announced Thursday.
State-run program helping people stay in their homes through loan modifications: Thursday, June 6, 2013; When she received a telephone call earlier this year offering to help her refinance her underwater mortgage for $4,500, Lola Orbik was skeptical, but her skepticism led her to Home Again. "What I’m doing these days is housecleaning. These people have given me a house to clean,” she said.
Proposal to relax city's energy code conflicts with state law, Attorney General's Office says: Wednesday, June 5, 2013; A proposal to relax the city's building energy codes to make renovating older buildings cheaper for business owners has hit a snag after the Attorney General's Office found the changes conflict with state statute.
Las Vegas City Hall honored as a top public works project: Tuesday, June 4, 2013; Las Vegas’ new city hall building has been named one of the top public works projects of the year by a national organization, the city announced Tuesday.
Certification issues freeze local company out of county drug-testing contract: Tuesday, June 4, 2013; Clark County commissioners are throwing out the bids for a drug-testing services contract and starting the process over after concerns were raised about awarding the $550,000 contract to an out-of-state vendor. But those concerns aren't helping a local applicant land the bid.
Single races in three cities on the table in today's municipal elections: Tuesday, June 4, 2013; One race each in Henderson, North Las Vegas and Mesquite will be decided by voters during today’s general election. Polls in the three cities will be open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m.
Despite delays, water authority still banking on 'third straw' to deliver water to valley: Tuesday, June 4, 2013; Thomas Albert Turner’s death and the injury of another worker in a 2012 accident halted progress on the third intake straw at Lake Mead and added a stark human cost to the hundreds of millions of dollars the Southern Nevada Water Authority is spending on a project it says is crucial to ensuring long-term access to potable water in the valley, even as the reservoir levels drop in the face of a prolonged drought.
City Council decisions may go green, go to the chapel and go to class: Tuesday, June 4, 2013; Rehabbing an old building downtown could get cheaper and easier if the Las Vegas City Council decides to loosen energy-efficiency standards Wednesday. The council will vote on the proposed change, which has split developers and green building advocates, when it meets for its regular meeting at 9 a.m. at Las Vegas City Hall, 495 S. Main St.
Want to complain at a city council meeting? Now you can do it online: Monday, June 3, 2013; Las Vegans wanting to weigh in on important matters before the city council can now do so without leaving their home or office.
Drug tests, gun range fees among issues awaiting county action: Sunday, June 2, 2013; Vendor contracts and changes at the Clark County Shooting Complex are among the issues commissioners will consider when they gather for their regularly scheduled meeting at 9:15 a.m. Tuesday at the Clark County Government Center. Commissioners will meet again at 9 a.m. Wednesday to deal with zoning issues.
With marquee races decided in primary, officials pare poll workers in anticipation of low turnout in June 4 general election: Saturday, June 1, 2013; Despite expected low turnout and only three races on the ballot, hundreds of workers will roll out the voting machines and staff the polls for Tuesday’s municipal general election. High-profile races for mayor in Henderson and North Las Vegas were settled during the April primaries, while in Las Vegas three city council members swept their way to re-election, leaving little buzz for the upcoming general election.
Constable's office: Why didn't warrant for deputy's arrest surface sooner?: Thursday, May 30, 2013; An encounter between a Las Vegas Township Constable deputy and Metro Police at a Strip nightclub early Saturday led to the deputy’s arrest on forgery charges and her subsequent resignation.
Frustration erupts in testy commissioner exchanges over UMC governance: Wednesday, May 29, 2013; Tensions flared and accusations of disrespect were traded among county commissioners Wednesday when they met to discuss forming an independent board to oversee operations at University Medical Center.
Amnesty period for nonpermitted home improvements nears end: Tuesday, May 28, 2013; Homeowners have only a few days left to self-report and avoid paying penalties for any home modifications done without a permit under a countywide amnesty program that runs through May.
County official accused of soliciting underage prostitute: Tuesday, May 28, 2013; A Clark County manager has been charged with a felony after being arrested Saturday for soliciting an underage prostitute, according to Metro Police.
County manager casts ballot for new registrar of voters: Tuesday, May 28, 2013; After 18 years working elections in Clark County, Joseph Gloria was announced as the new registrar of voters Tuesday, replacing Larry Lomax, who was appointed last week to serve on a national elections committee.
Deadline strikes: A look at major legislation that made, missed cut: Saturday, May 25, 2013; Legislators slogged through dozens of bills Friday, turning the Senate and Assembly chambers into arenas for legislative triumph and death.
Campaign transparency bill passes, albeit a watered-down version: Friday, May 24, 2013; Candidates for public office will face stricter scrutiny when reporting gifts they receive after the Assembly passed a campaign finance reform bill Friday, although some critics say the bill doesn’t go far enough to improve transparency.
Sex education bill loses its momentum, dies in Nevada Senate: Friday, May 24, 2013; A controversial bill that would have updated and standardized sex education curriculum across the state won’t advance any farther after it died in the Senate Friday.
Henderson, North Las Vegas, Mesquite offer early voting ahead of June 4 election: Friday, May 24, 2013; Early voting is underway for three municipal election races not settled during the April primaries. There is one race each in Henderson, North Las Vegas and Mesquite and voters in these cities have the next week to cast an early ballot before the June 4 general election.
Independent review finds nothing 'inappropriate' at Rawson-Neal but details needed improvements: Thursday, May 23, 2013; An outside review of Rawson-Neal Psychiatric Hospital, which has been scrutinized in past months for its practice of busing mentally ill patients out of state, found room for improvement and flaws in the facility’s discharge procedures, but didn’t uncover any wrongdoing or negligence by hospital staff.
New developments downtown are backdrop for discussion on Las Vegas as health care hub: Wednesday, May 22, 2013; Leaders from some of the valley’s biggest medical institutions struck a positive tone as they laid out a vision for the future of health care in Las Vegas centered on a premier medical district downtown during a forum Tuesday night.
Fairgrounds on Las Vegas Strip will accommodate 64,000 for special events: Wednesday, May 22, 2013; 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.
Henderson council passes $479 million budget, avoiding cuts: Tuesday, May 21, 2013; The Henderson City Council approved a $479 million budget Tuesday evening for fiscal year 2014, which starts July 1, that is roughly the same size as the previous year and won’t require any cuts to staff or services.
Swinger blocked from operating sex club gets another day in court: Tuesday, May 21, 2013; A business owner who said he was improperly denied a business license to open a swingers club in a Las Vegas shopping center will get a second chance to make his case after a federal court ordered Monday that his lawsuit against Clark County be reheard.
Las Vegas City Council OKs slightly larger budget for next year: City must tap $10 million in reserves to avoid any staff cuts; Tuesday, May 21, 2013; With the deadline for submitting a final budget approaching, the Las Vegas City Council approved a $481 million general fund budget for the next fiscal year during a special meeting Tuesday morning.
Complaints about reflexology clinics could result in closer oversight: Tuesday, May 21, 2013; Complaints about misleading advertising and hidden charges at reflexology clinics around the valley have drawn the attention of Clark County commissioners, who decided Tuesday to consider tighter regulations on the health establishments.
County takes $41 million from reserves to balance budget: Monday, May 20, 2013; Clark County commissioners finalized a $1.2 billion budget Monday that will use $41 million in reserves to cover a structural deficit.
Budget, business licenses and UMC to keep commissioners busy on consecutive days this week: Sunday, May 19, 2013; A busy week of meetings awaits Clark County commissioners, who will convene on three consecutive days to conduct official business.
UMC not the only drag on Clark County’s budget outlook: Friday, May 17, 2013; Most of the services provided by Clark County are paid for using revenues from property tax collections. But several county functions — ranging from airports to the Las Vegas Township Constable’s Office — are expected to pay for their operations using fees and other charges they collect from customers, much like a private business. While some of these “self-funded” operations make enough money each year to cover their expenses, many find their budgets in the red. When that happens, the department has several options, including cutting staff, keeping vacant positions open, raising prices or drawing on their reserves.
Water delivery rates headed up, but residents shouldn’t notice: Thursday, May 16, 2013; The cost of pumping water from Lake Mead into the Las Vegas Valley is going up, but residents shouldn’t expect to see any changes in their water bills.
City rolls back fine on Silver Dollar Avenue condos, issues stern warning: Wednesday, May 15, 2013; A Las Vegas property owner will get a steep discount on the nearly $600,000 in outstanding fines tied to 19 condominium units near Valley View Boulevard and Sahara Avenue so long as he makes regular monthly payments to reimburse the city for its cost of cleaning up the property several years ago.