Las Vegas will take over ownership of part of the Las Vegas Wash and begins its plans to create three new parks.

The trust for public land will hand over the deed for the land to the city so renovation can begin. The city used federal money to buy the 13 acres of land along the Las Vegas Wash. The wash is the corridor of land where the city's runoff flows into Lake Mead and right now, it's mostly empty, barren land.

But the city plans to build a 20-mile trail that'll run through of the wash from Floyd Lamb Park to Lake Mead. Along the way there will be three new parks added because the area is currently undeserved with parks.

“The Las Vegas Wash does provide a great opportunity to get multiple uses of the land. It serves primarily as flood control to protect the neighborhoods from the big rain storm events but it will also now serve as a trail that we're developing all the way from the very far northwest down to the wetlands preserve in Clark County,” said Tom Perrigo, city of Las Vegas planning board.

The three parks will built at Washington and Lamb, Sandhill and Owens, and Marion and Harris but there's no date set for construction to begin.

Because the wash is an important ecological resource for Southern Nevada, the hope is the new trail and parks will enhance and protect the wash's ecosystem while providing a recreational experience for locals and tourists.

A 39-year old Henderson man is dead after his motorcycle collided with a pickup truck on Friday night.

The accident happened at an intersection near Stephanie Street. Police say the man was heading eastbound on American Pacific Drive when a driver, Charles Gresser, in a truck made a turn in front of the motorcyclist killing him.

Toxicology tests will determine if drugs and alcohol were a factor in the crash.

Police have issued an arrest warrant for Isidro Munoz Garduno. He also goes by the name Diego. Garduno was the boyfriend of 20-year-old Mariela Moreno.

Moreno was the Henderson woman last seen alive on New Year's Day. Her body was found in Sunset Park back in March.

The warrant charges Garduno with murder with the use of a deadly weapon.

Police say he may be with family in Mexico.

In an effort to make sure every child is immunized, there will be a series of free shot clinics during the month of April.

• April 21, Otto Merida Desert Villas, 50 N. Honolulu, 10 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
• April 22, Martinez Academy of Health, 360 Judson, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
• April 22, Helping Kids Clinic, 968 E. Sahara, 4 p.m. - 8 p.m.
• April 23, Wal-Mart Store, 6151 W. Lake Mead Blvd., 4 p.m - 8 p.m.
• April 24, Cambridge Family Health Center, 3900 Cambridge Ave., 8 a.m. - 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. - 3 p.m.
• April 25, Hope Pediatrics, 2255 Renaissance Dr., Suite C,  9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
• April 25, Las Vegas Paiute Tribe Health Clinic, 1257 Paiute Circile, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
• April 26, Victory Missionary Baptist Church, 500 W. Monroe Ave., 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
• April 26, Wal-Mart, 5198 Boulder Hwy., 10 a.m - 4 p.m.

A new robot-assisted program in Henderson is helping stroke victims regain the use of their arms. We stopped by health-south for a look at the new system called REO. For Las Vegas resident, Barbara Homans, who was active her whole life — a stroke was the last thing she expected.

“I kinda got dizzy and passed out. A half hour later, I wake up and I'm crippled,” said Homans.

Since her stroke a month ago, Homans hasn't been able to use her left arm or move her fingers.

Healthsouth in Henderson has teamed her up with REO, a new robotic program that helps patients regain mobility in their upper extremities.

“That's my one wish — is to get this arm back,” said Homans.

Occupational therapist, Bill Wrightsman says REO is used primarily for someone who's suffered a brain injury, such as stroke. The device engages the entire arm in highly repetitious movements, which helps reestablish the patient's range of motion.

“We can set it up so it works specific areas of the arm as well by either increasing or removing some of the flexibility that occurs in the accessories that we put the hand in. So we can create more wrist movement,” said Wrightsman.

Therapist, April Adriano is also trained to use REO. She says they customize each workout according to the needs and strength of the individual. So getting to know the patient is still a much needed human requirement for the robotic system is to be effective.

“No stroke is the same. So it really depends on the therapist getting to know the patient, getting to know what they can and can't handle as far as the strength and resistance they can have on it,” said Adriano.

“You know, it's taken me for a ride and it's bringing me back,” said Homans.

Healthsouth paid more than $60,000 for REO. Wrightsman says its value as a rehabilitation tool makes the cost well-worth it.

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Some local residents, including a father and son got the chance to be a part of the Pope's first U.S. visit. But they weren't just part of the celebration, 7-year-old Ricky Gordon was blessed by Pope Benedict himself.

Ricky Gordon and his dad traveled to Washington to get a glimpse of the Pope. They got what they hoped for — and lot more.

“That's my favorite picture right there,” said Ricky.

It's 15 seconds, Ricky Gordon will never forget — being blessed by Pope Benedict XVI. There's a shot of Ricky being held up by his dad at the Vatican Embassy as the Pope briefly stops to place his hands on Ricky's head.

“He's praying for me,” said Ricky.

Ricky and his dad Rick got the chance to make the trip to Washington, D.C. to be a part of the Pope's first U.S. visit — a visit where he would also be celebrating his 81st birthday.

Ricky, who is just weeks away from making his first Holy Communion, made the Pope a birthday card.

“It said – happy birthday Pope Benedict. I love you and can you pray for me when I make my first Holy Communion in June. And it said to pray for my mom because she is having a baby,” said Ricky.

To his surprise, he was able to personally hand the Pope his gift.

“I gave him the card; he said thank you and I said I love him and he said I love you back,” said Ricky.

It was also an emotional day for his dad Rick. He able to kiss the Pope's fisherman ring, this moment was something he had prayed for.

“Here is a man that is a leader of a billion Catholics and was on his way to the White House and was on his way to talk to the President on world peace. But for those 15 seconds, it was as if we were the only ones there for him. He paid such close personal attention to each one of us — a remarkable gift,” said Rick.

He says there's no greater joy than having your child blessed by the Pope. But after that blessing, little Ricky got some strict orders from Mom back in Henderson.

“Ricky – don't wash your face, okay. I want to kiss your cheek when you come home,” said Ricky.

But even though he's already washed his face, the memories of this moment will never wash away. After he was blessed by the Pope, Ricky tells us he was interviewed by several media outlets including the Washington Post.

He says he's tired from his trip and after our interview — he was looking forward to a nap.

Email your comments to Reporter Melissa Duran.

The family of a woman killed by Henderson police says they are planning to file a lawsuit against the police department.

On Friday, jurors in a coroner's inquest, ruled that an officer was justified in shooting Deshira Selimaj during a confrontation that started when Deshira's husband, an ice cream truck driver, was pulled over for a traffic violation.

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During the two-day inquest, there was conflicting testimony over when the woman had a knife and was threatening police.

Officer Luke Morrison says he shot the woman because she was threatening her children and officers.

The ACLU is also criticizing the inquest. Gary Peck of the American Civil Liberties Union says the inquest was “a sham” and there are still unanswered questions about the shooting.

A more complete picture has taken shape about the events that led up to a woman being shot by police, in front of her children. One by one, eyewitnesses took the stand. Some had similar accounts; several said they did not see Deshira Salimaj lunge at officers as police testified.

So many people were eyewitnesses to this deadly shooting, the inquest just ended minutes ago, and it is not done.

From the beginning, this has been a case of conflicting stories and contradicting testimony. The jury now has three choices, whether this shooting was justified, excusable or criminal.

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After two full days of testimony about what transpired before Salimaj was shot by Henderson Police, the jury in the coroner's inquest finally got to hear from the officer who pulled the trigger.

“A million thoughts running through my mind at that point in time,” said Officer Luke Morrison.

Morrison, a two-year veteran of the Henderson police force, testified he arrived to the scene to find police whisking away Deshira's Selimaj's two children to safety.

“The knife was going back and forth in between her hand,” he said.

Officers say she threatened police, herself, and her own children, and refused to listen to them.

“Ma'am, put the knife down. Ma'am, you don't need to do this, just put the knife down, we'll work this out with you,” he said.

Police say she was an immediate threat and they took action with a Taser.

“I believe at that point, she was going to try to kill me with that knife,” said Officer Anthony Pecorella.

“Seemed like she got really intense and she immediately stood up on her feet,” said Morrison.

They say the taser wasn't enough.

“She stood up, she raised the knife with her right hand and she advanced toward Officer Pecorella. I'm not sure of how many steps she took. I just remember seeing her lunging towards him and at that point, I fired my weapon at her,” said Officer Morrison. “I saw Officer Pecorella in a bad situation. His back was to the ice cream truck. He was pretty much ambushed at that point.”

“I think he saved my life,” said Officer Pecorella.

Eyewitnesses saw the situation play out in several different ways.

“Her hands were in a forward position, but not in a lunging position at all,” said witness Maria Saltonstall.

“From my point of view, she didn't look like a threat,” said Sean Trejo.

“She was threatening to kill the children and waving the knife around,” said Benjamin Perez.

This inquest has been an emotional one for family members, who wait to hear the jury's final word.

Thousands of people have moved to Las Vegas to find the dream home in the perfect neighborhood. Yet economic times have been tough, stalling home construction projects and leaving many homeowners marooned.

Inspirada is behind in loan payments and is now in default. Solista Park seems like an abandoned theme park. It's a bit of perfection hiding some serious problems.

It is supposed to be the perfect afternoon for Abby, Larissa and dads Donnie and David.

“We're waiting for the wives, so we thought we'd bring our kids out here and play in the park,” said Donnie Crouch. He recently bought a house in Inspirada.

“The community as a whole is what really drew me here,” he said.

Now family friend David Hewe is moving from San Jose and he wants one too.

“Really good development all the way around,” he said.

Houses are going up and Inpirada is taking shape. Yet, like so many things in Las Vegas, you peel away the layers of perfection and you see something else entirely.

The company behind Inspirada is now $760 million behind in payments. The project is in default. It hasn't shut down yet, but the two dads could be marooned in the Las Vegas version of a desert island.

“In the end, you keep plugging away and get it all worked out in the end,” said Hewe.

Only 200 homes have been sold and completion has been pushed back by 10 years. Until then, the perfect park may stay empty and the pool will be quiet as a tomb. Two dads and two daughters may have just a few neighbors, even if hope springs eternal.

“Do your part. keep buying homes, keep living life like you normally would and that'll help everybody get out,” said Crouch.

No one from Inspirada would comment. If the project continues to go under, homeowners are confident they will keep their homes. There just won't be much else out there.

Email your comments to Reporter Jonathan Humbert

More Henderson police officers were on the stand to testify in the coroner's inquest into the officer shooting of a mother in front of her husband and children.

A Clark County jury will decide if the Henderson police were justified in the killing. The chaotic scene erupted after Deshira Selimaj's husband was pulled over for a traffic violation while driving his ice cream truck.

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Witnesses, including Deshira's husband, Zyber, gave different accounts on Thursday of what took place on Feb. 12, near Coronado High School.

Police, and some eyewitnesses, say 42-year-old Deshira Selimaj had a knife. Police say Zyber began acting suicidal after he as pulled over for not stopping at a stop sign. His wife and two sons arrived at the scene. Police say Deshira threatened her children and police before she was shot.

“It changed the whole situation from hurting herself to holding her kids hostage,” said Alan Olvera, Henderson police officer.

A taser was used on Deshira, but police say continued to walk toward officers and then is when 23-year-old officer Luke Morrison fired the fatal shot. He is expected to testify later this afternoon.

Email your comments to Reporter Edward Lawrence