Political leaders and clean energy experts from all over country are in Las Vegas for an energy summit.

The summit will take place at UNLV on Monday, August 18 with discussion on how to shift to a clean energy economy that creates less expensive energy and more efficient energy.

Senator Harry Reid believes Nevada can lead the revolution to transform the country into the renewable energy mecca.

It is hoped that the summit will result in a plan to help the United States to kick their oil addiction and begin using cleaner energy sources; like solar power and wind.

Las Vegan Chris Brooks' company installed solar panels at UNLV. He says Nevada spends about $9 billion  a year importing energy from other states. He says if elected officials would stop partisan bickering and pass legislation giving tax credits for renewable energy — the local economy would boom.

Brooks says, “We've seen tax credits and production credits make the industry explode. Creating jobs and pumping money into the economy and it all came to a halt as a result of tax credits not being renewed.”

Brooks says enough sun falls in a small section of Nevada to power the entire nation for a year. He believes if there was strong federal leadership behind clean renewable energy, Nevada could export energy to several states. That money could be used to fix the budget deficit and to help fund education.

President Bill Clinton will speak when the Summit opens on Tuesday. The governors of Colorado and Arizona and New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Also attending is oil tycoon T. Boone Pickens who wants to build the largest wind farm in the country.

Senator Reid and clean energy experts are hoping to hammer out a plan at this week's clean energy summit and present that information to both political parties at their national conventions.  

You can watch live coverage of the summit starting at 5 p.m. on Monday on Las Vegas ONE, Channel 19. The summit will also be live streamed on LasVegasNOW.com.

Construction on the $5 billion Plaza casino-hotel on the Las Vegas Strip is being delayed until 2009, according to an article in the Wall Street Journal.

The project was set to begin construction by the end of 2008 but Michelle Tsang, a spokeswoman for Elad IDB Las Vegas, told the Wall Street Journal that the owners plan to move forward with the project sometime next year. She said, “They're doing what everyone else is doing.”

Tsang is referring to the recent announcement by Boyd Gaming that they are postponing the construction of the $4.8 billion Echelon while they seek additional financing.

The Plaza partners has also deferred payment of a $625 million loan used to by the property for the project.

The Plaza project is the result of a partnership between the Elad Group, which owns the New York Plaza, and  IDB Group of Israel.

Convention and tourism has dropped off in Las Vegas. Because of that, plans may slow for a nearly $900 million renovation of the Las Vegas Convention Center.

The Las Vegas Visitors and Convention Authority is considering breaking the project into three phases in an effort to save money. When convention business was booming, the LVCVA planned for a massive renovation of the building at Paradise and Desert Inn.

The original goal was to finish all the work by 2011. It's still unknown if the project will be delayed.

Spectrum, a Motown tribute group, performed on the strip for nine out of the 13 years the group has been together. They’re just one of many Las Vegas acts that have been hit hard by a slow economy and major changes in the type of acts being booked.

 ”It appears that a lot of the lounges have closed, the lounges have been closing one by one and we’re in a period of ultra lounges and the hot clubs. The DJs are making a lot of money, and I think a lot of the entertainers are in trouble and are not working,” said Pierre Jovan, the group’s bass and baritone singer.

“We have found that a lot of our colleagues have been losing their contracts and jobs at some of the lounges. Fortunately, we are not a lounge act - we originated as a showroom act at legends in concert and American superstars and then graduated to performing a showroom act on our own in a tiny showroom at the Boardwalk,” explained Cushney ‘Cush’ Roberts, the group’s founder and a Henderson resident.

After the Boardwalk Casino was imploded to make way for City Center, Spectrum was at the height of their success. They had just been voted Las Vegas’ number one lounge act by the Review Journal for two years in a row, but they haven’t performed on the strip since then.

 ”If you want to call us a semi-showroom, semi-lounge act because we’ve had the versatility to do both in Las Vegas, then we have successfully been able to transition into competing on a national stage and that has enabled us to keep afloat in these hard times,” Roberts said. 

The group says that their heart has always been in Las Vegas, but they’ve had to turn to unconventional venues to keep the cash flow steady. They still get a big turnout for their symphony tours and have received some international success following their performances on cruise ships.

The Utah man accused of failing to report his cousin was making the deadly poison ricin has pleaded guilty. Thomas Tholen entered the guilty plea to a felony charge in district court in Salt Lake City Monday.

He will be sentenced up to three years probation in October.

It was just last week when his cousin, Robert Bergendorff, pleaded guilty to federal possession of a biological toxin and weapons charges.

However, he did deny any criminal intent or that he had any plans to release it.

Metro police have made an arrested in a murder that happened Thursday. Mauricio Melendez, 34, was arrested for the shooting death of a woman in an apartment near Maryland Parkway and Tropicana.

The woman's name has not been released.

Metro says it's still investigating to try to determine a motive for the shooting.

A new high rise project on the Strip is about to go into foreclosure.

According to an article on Bloomberg's website — Deutsche Bank AG will reportedly foreclose on the $3.5 billion Cosmopolitan Resort and Casino.

The developer defaulted on a $760 million loan.

Deutsche Bank will take over the Cosmopolitan and is talking with companies including MGM Mirage and Hilton about finishing the hotel and running it.

The 2008 Star Trek Convention at the Las Vegas Hilton has brought costumed fans to the strip from all over the world. 

SLIDESHOW: Trekkies United!

This year’s convention is open through Sunday August 10th and is the last convention to be held at The Hilton while the Star Trek Experience ride is still operating.

The Department of Homeland Security wants your help to prevent a terror attack in Las Vegas. But would you know what tell- tell signs to look for?

What would you think if you saw someone with a map and binoculars? Or if you saw that same person walking up and down the Strip? In a tourist environment, it all may seem normal. But these are just two of seven signs of possible terrorist activities.

These are things everyday people may spot and think — it just doesn't seem right. That's why officials say your eyes can help derail a terrorists plan of attack.

The RJC is where you'll find Larry Threadgill — pounding the pavement, passing out fliers. On these side walks of justice, you wouldn't believe the things he's seen. “From naked women, to guys trying to kill themselves.”

From the street corner Threadgill has an up close view. “Being the observant person that I am, I watch them anyway.”

Nevada's Department of Homeland Security says Threadgill's watchful eye makes him key to preventing terrorists attack in the valley. “The government thinks I could be apart of the first line of defense,” said Threadgill. Shocking news to him – because he wouldn't know what to look for.

UNLV'S Institute for Securities Study put together a DVD, “The Seven Signs of Terror” — made for people who could help spot terrorist activity such as school police. The DVD lists what to look out for and gives a resource to call for help.

Ross Bryant works at the institute and says if this program would have been in place before 9/11, hospitality workers may have been able to spot the 9/11 hijackers. They came to town leading up to the attacks and stayed in a motel on the Strip.

“It is important that people who work in the industry, when they see something suspicious, they feel comfortable calling,” he said. “Maybe that one incident doesn't bring actionable intelligence but that combined with other Intel can piece together the puzzle.”

Although terror attacks aren't top of mind for most people, knowing what to look for is a wake up call for everyone.

The seven signs of terror are:

1. Surveillance — watch out for people standing around surveying or taking video or pictures.

2. Information gathering – be on the lookout for people requesting maps of blue prints of buildings.

3. Testing security — terrorists may watch to see how long it takes emergency responders to get to a scene.

4. Planning

5. Suspicious behavior

6. Rehearsal — terrorists may rehearse for the attack over and over so look out for that and

7. watch for people getting into positions that may not seem normal.

The DVD, “The Seven Signs of Terrorism” will be used throughout the state. Officials are making 20,000 copies in English and Spanish.

If you see or witness something suspicious, you can call 1-877-828-8386.

John Mealey Jr., listed in the state's “black book” because of slot-cheating and other crimes, has been arrested and charged with nine counts of breaking a state law that bars anyone in the book from entering Nevada casinos.

The state Gaming Control Board said Mealey, 67, was arrested Wednesday at Diamonds Casino in Reno. He had been under surveillance since June and had been spotted placing sports bets at several clubs in Reno and Sparks, the board's enforcement division said.

Mealey, of Sparks, faces up to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine on each of the gross misdemeanor counts.

Casinos can be penalized for allowing “black book” members on their premises, but the Control Board said Mealey, who had lost weight and grown facial hair, didn't look like his photo in the book. He was listed in the document seven years ago.

Mealey had been convicted of using slot cheating devices including a device that disables part of a slot machine that stops payouts once the right amount is paid to a gambler. He also has convictions for forgery and heroin possession and trafficking.

He's one of 35 people in the state's List of Excluded Persons.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)