The federal challenge to the law was brought by the American Civil Liberties Union of Nevada and attorney Robert Langford on behalf of 12 sex offenders. They argue that the law punishes sex offenders for crimes they already paid for and is cruel and unusual punishment.

MONDAY

TAXABLE SALES RISE

Taxable sales rose in April by 0.3 percent, for the first gain since October.

Taxable sales totaled $3.92 billion in April compared with $3.91 billion in April 2007, according to the report released by the state Department of Taxation.

TUESDAY

MOJAVE MAX DIES

Mojave Max, the desert tortoise whose emergence from his burrow was a closely watched harbinger of spring's arrival in Southern Nevada, died of natural causes, a Bureau of Land Management spokeswoman said. His age was estimated at 65.

WEDNESDAY

PETITIONS DISQUALIFIED

Initiative petitions seeking to divert room taxes from the Las Vegas convention authority to state needs will not be on the November ballot, a district judge ruled.

A third petition, requiring a two-thirds vote to approve ballot measures that would raise taxes, also was disqualified. Judge James Todd Russell cited problems with affidavits signed by the signature gatherers.

THURSDAY

TWO DEATHS ON LAKES

A Romanian woman and an Arizona man boating with family died in unrelated incidents Thursday in the Lake Mead National Recreation Area.

Elena Vlad, 62, of Constana, Romania, was boating on Lake Mead about 4:30 a.m. Thursday when the boat struck land and ejected her. A few hours later, Calvin A. Cummings, 49, of Bullhead City, Ariz., suffered a heart attack and died while boating on Lake Mohave.

FRIDAY

CONSOLIDATION TALK

Las Vegas City Manager Doug Selby raised the possibility of consolidation at a meeting with Clark County Manager Virginia Valentine and Gregory Rose, North Las Vegas' city manager.

"So far, only the Las Vegas City Council has indicated an interest in this," said Las Vegas spokeswoman Diana Paul, adding that Valentine and Selby "agreed to look at some operational areas that might be of mutual benefit."