Walking groups, marching bands and classic car owners are being invited to take part in the upcoming 2009 Helldorado Parade.

The long-running event, which went dark for several years, was revived in 2005 as part of the city's Centennial Celebration. It's scheduled Saturday, May 16. Click here for applications.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Officials say voter turnout was extremely low for municipal elections during the first weekend of early voting for primary elections.

Fewer than 3,000 people cast ballots since early voting started Saturday in most municipalities. Early voting continues through April 3. The primary election is April 7.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Police detectives are working to solve Las Vegas' latest murder. A man was gunned down Wednesday and the killer is still on the loose.

What's alarming is that homicides this year are up dramatically. Metro had investigated 15 homicides by this time last year. So far in 2009, police say that number is already up to 28 deaths. That's an 87-percent increase.

Detectives work long hours to solve these crimes and this year, their caseload is on the rise.

Gunfire shattered the quiet of the neighborhood of D Street and Alexander. Metro Police rushed to the area after shots rang out. It was a call they're all too familiar with this year.

“This is definitely a homicide. The victim was shot, it appears to be multiple times,” said Metro Homicide Lt. Lew Roberts.

The man met with foul play and left for dead on the street is metro's 28th homicide case of 2009. That's one homicide nearly every three days.

“It's a hard pill to swallow,” said one resident. “It's sad. Basically it's sad anytime somebody looses their life.”

North Las Vegas Police have also seen an increase homicides. Their count for the year stands at five. Last year by mid-March, three people were murdered. But Sgt. Tim Bedwell says you shouldn't read too much into the numbers at this point, “When you're analyzing statistics, you need a much longer period of time to determine whether this is a serious threat or just an anomaly.”

Last year's homicide rate in North Las Vegas was one of the lowest in years.

Henderson Police have not seen an increase in their jurisdiction. Their homicide count for 2009 stands at one, exactly where it was one year ago.

Metro Homicide Detectives have seen some cases this year with unusual circumstances. A man stabbed to death at a Walmart on Boulder Highway over a shopping cart hitting a car. A doctor shot to death by an elderly patient she was caring for. A man accused of killing his wife, in part, over money troubles. In North Las Vegas, a Nellis Airmen killed himself and his wife.

It may be a bad start, but police say it's far too soon to declare this a deadly and dangerous year.

“Homicides are one of those things that they're unpredictable. You can't look at crime trends and know where to be to prevent a murder like maybe you can burglaries, or some of the other things that happen in mass in different areas,” said Sgt. Bedwell.

In this economy, it seems like everyone could use a helping hand, and the Las Vegas community is reaching out to help our local homeless.

The regional group that coordinates homeless issues says it appreciates the goodwill, but it says the way some are helping is not the best way to solve the homeless problem.

Along Main Street, just north of Downtown Las Vegas, tents are pitched where many of the valley's homeless live their lives. Local social service providers say churches and individuals frequently come by to drop off clothes and food for some of the valley's neediest.

“What we want to do is encourage is all of our folks who are out there doing feedings and giving donations to really partner with the established non-profits that provide the housing, so that we can not only give someone a meal but we can actually move them in towards ending their own homelessness,” said Shannon West with the Committee on Homelessness.

To help get the word out on the issue of responsible donations, the Southern Nevada Regional Planning Commission is now handing out brochures on the do's and don'ts of helping the homeless community.

For example, the Salvation Army provides a daily meal service to about 400 homeless residents. Rather than an individual church providing a meal service on the street, the Salvation Army would like the church to join the existing effort.

“To come in to our homeless dining room, to provide the type of ministry that they could on the streets, certainly if they would like to help us serve the meal, prepare the meal, even bring fresh food for us to prepare for the meal. We welcome them into our fold,” said Susan Markham with the Salvation Army.

Jerome Davis was homeless last November. Thanks to the Salvation Army, he is now working to rebuild his life, “It has been a great benefit to me.”

It is the kind of positive long-term outcome outreach groups hope to see.

In 2007, a census of the homeless found more than 11,000 people living on the streets and in shelters. The final numbers from the 2009 homeless census have not yet been released, but that number is expected to be much higher.

The homeless census is taken every other year.

The Culinary Union is now suing the City of Las Vegas over the proposed new City Hall. The union collected enough signatures to put the controversial project on the ballot, but the city isn't allowing an election to happen. Now that fight is headed to the Nevada Supreme Court.

The new City Hall would be built near Main and Lewis where the old Queen of Hearts casino now stands. The union says the city took the law into its own hands, so the union filed suit and demanded an election.

The city says a new $150 million City Hall would boost downtown development. The Culinary Union says the price tag is closer to $267 million and says a fancy building is a waste of time and waste of money in a bad economy.

“We filed a lawsuit today saying what the city is doing is unconstitutional,” said Chris Bohner with the union.

Culinary brought in piles of petitions, 14,000 signatures to be exact, to put the new City Hall issue and downtown redevelopment on the ballot. But Wednesday the Las Vegas City Council said there will be no public vote and now Culinary is suing.

“If the mayor thinks he has a good argument, why is he scared of the voters? Why are they trying to keep it off the ballot?” asked Bohner.

The new City Hall would be built near Main Street Antiques and Art. Owner Richard Burgel believes it's a good investment, “It would be across the street. It'd be a big neighbor, but we're hoping to cash in on that.”

The City says a new City Hall and downtown redevelopment projects would bring at least 13,000 new permanent jobs, over $4 billion in private investment, and $16 to $20 million in new tax revenue.

Burgel believes this new project could be a jackpot for downtown. Culinary says it's a bad bet.

For now, the union is confident the state Supreme Court will order the city to let the voter's voice their choice, “I think it sets a very dangerous precedent, not only for the City of Las Vegas for the whole state.”

The City Attorney had no comment because this litigation is ongoing. At last week's council meeting, he said putting this issue on the ballot was unconstitutional because it would have the unintended effect of dissolving the Las Vegas Redevelopment Agency, which was created by the legislature to turn around the urban decay in Downtown Las Vegas.

The union wants the measure on the June 2, 2009 ballot. No word on how soon the Supreme Court could take up the case.

Las Vegas City Council members voted against two controversial measures that attempted to put the decision of building a new city hall to the voters.

The Culinary Union was behind the measures saying it was to risky to build at this time due to the economy.

City Attorney Brad Jerbic said, “That although the ballot measures meet the technical requirements of having enough signatures, they are not legally sufficient or proper to be placed on the ballot.”

More than 200 construction workers gathered at the Wednesday meeting in advance of a City Council vote to show their support for the project moving ahead. It's estimated that the city hall project could translate into 1,000 jobs.

“Just by the numbers you saw up there, that could put this whole room to work,” said Tommy White, Laborers Union 872.

City leaders said that the Culinary Union took up the fight against the project partly because the city refused to mandate union representation in a new hotel that is to be built downtown.

The city plans to take out $267 million in loans for the new city hall building and Culinary Union members contend that that is too much money.

“It doubles the debt. “It's an extraordinary transaction. Let the voters decide. Let's have a good public debate about it and let the voters decide in June,” said Chris Bohner, Culinary Union spokesman.

But the voters will not be deciding because Jerbic pointed out that the initiative was unconstitutional.

The jury in the Chester Stiles trial has seen the infamous videotape which allegedly shows Stiles sexually assaulting a toddler.

Viewing the tape was the last thing the jury did Friday. As they left the courtroom, you could see many of them looked upset after watching the 15 minute tape.

From the beginning of the trial, it has been what the prosecution has led up to. An FBI Agent was the last to talk about the tape, giving the jury an idea of what they were about to see.

“About 17 minutes contains footage of Mr. Stiles and (the victim),” he said. “In that 17 minutes, you see Mr. Stiles engaging in various sex acts with (the victim).”

He detailed some of the acts on the tape and said that the video actually had the 17 minute sex act recorded on a loop, one after another.

Police first found out about the tape when it was turned in by Darren Tuck. He said he found it under a sign while riding a motorcycle in Pahrump. He admitted in court he held on to it for four months before giving it to police.

“A little girl gets moved in front of the camera,” he said in court. “I see somebody start to pick up the little girl's dress.”

Police released pictures of the man on the video, later identified as Chester Stiles, and the girl to try an identify her. Eventually her mother saw the images and called police.

During Friday's testimony, letters were read that Stiles had written. In one, he admitted to being abused when he was young and says that could be a reason he abused others, adding that he was sorry for what he did to the two young victims in this case.

During a reading of one of the letter Stiles wrote, he yelled out that it was being taken out of context. It was an outburst that earned him a warning from the judge.