Archives for November 2018

A drug trafficking ring in South Lake Tahoe is shut down. Undercover agents say a nine-month investigation has led them to eight arrests-seven men and one woman from South Lake Tahoe, Gardnerville, Oregon, and California. The drug ring expanded into Douglas County and Carson City. Sheriff’s deputies say they seized counterfeit cash and hundreds of grams of meth, cocaine, and heroin worth about $20,000.

An inmate already behind bars is convicted of drug trafficking from inside prison walls. Edward “Smitty” Smith was found guilty of conspiracy to possess and distribute meth as well as money laundering. Prosecutors say he arranged for his daughter’s ex-boyfriend to sell drugs to another inmate’s associate in the Reno and Sparks area. He was caught because he used the prison phone to talk about how to get meth behind bars. His last sale involved a pound of meth sold for $7,000.

A body is found in treacherous terrain on Peavine Mountain in northwest Reno. The discovery was made Thursday. Deputies say a hiker found a truck that had rolled over an the body not far from the scene. Off-road vehicles were needed to access the body that was in steep, rugged terrain. Deputies say foul play isn’t suspected.

A big honor for a Carson City woman. Florence Phillips, whose the founder of English as a Second Language In-Home Program of Northern Nevada, has been nominated to become CNN’s Hero of the Year. Phillips says she saw a desperate need to increase in literacy in adults especially among those who don’t speak English. Your votes can determine whether she wins the grand prize of $100,000 to continue her community work.

A woman who was missing has been found safe. 54-year-old Candy Dean walked out of a facility on Hammill Lane in Reno. They say she has medical issues that limit her mobility, and she could easily fall. She’s also non-verbal so she often appears confused and disoriented.

A pastor is accused of extorting a UNR student. Campus police say 40-year-old Santino Cantalupo and a female student exchanged a series of texts over the course of a few weeks about alcohol. When the student said she didn’t want to be involved, officers say Cantalupo threatened to blackmail her. He’s under investigation.

Democrat Kelvin Atkinson has been named the new Majority Leader of the state Senate. Atkinson was elected to the state Senate in 2012 after serving 10 years in the Assembly. He’s the first black, openly gay member of the Nevada legislature. He came out during a debate in the state Senate on same-sex marriage. He says his priorities will be improving public schools and protecting healthcare.

Meantime, Republicans in the state Senate have picked James Settelmeyer of Minden as their leader. Senator Joe Hardy of Boulder City will serve as assistant minority leader while Senator Heidi Gansert of Reno and Senator Scott Hammond of Las Vegas will serve as whips.

A Carson City car wash employee was arrested after deputies say he came to work drunk and fell asleep in the bathroom. The Nevada Appeal reports when deputies tried to escort him out, he became physically aggressive. He was charged with obstruction and disorderly conduct.

Reno police are looking for a man accused of attacking a person in Paradise Park. Police say the suspect was observed hitting someone Wednesday night, leaving them severely injured. When a woman intervened, police say he began hitting her as well. Anyone with information is asked to call Secret Witness at 322-4900.

Nevada brothel owner Dennis Hof who was running for a seat in the Assembly is elected posthumously. Now, Lyon County officials will appoint a Republican to take his place. Residents of the county also voted to keep brothels. The question came about after claims the workers were being exploited.