Ohrenschall to face stiff competition in primary

Jeff Schweers

Thursday, May 7, 1998 | 10 a.m.

Beleaguered Assemblywoman Genie Ohrenschall, D-Las Vegas, is facing a three-way September primary to retain her Sunrise Mountain seat.

Kelvin Atkinson, an analyst for the Clark County Human Resources Department, was among the 12 people Wednesday who filed for office at the county Elections Department. He joined Clark County School Board member Judy Witt in running against Ohrenschall for the District 12 Assembly seat she's held since 1994.

Atkinson said Ohrenschall's legal problems over her daughter's medical treatment "crystallized his decision" but he was not going to focus on the issue while running a competitive campaign.

A Juvenile Court in March found that Ohrenschall was legally negligent by failing to provide timely medical care for her ailing teen-age daughter. Judge Gerald Hardcastle ordered 60 days of supervision. The daughter lives at home, but has been charged to the custody of her 25-year-old brother.

Ohrenschall has appealed the ruling.

Atkinson, who used his lunch break to file for office, said he could better represent the district and the constituent's needs and concerns regarding crime and family.

Two people have filed for the District G seat Witt is giving up to run for the Assembly.

Assemblyman Morse Arberry, D-Las Vegas, also picked up a primary challenger Wednesday when Louise G. Banks of North Las Vegas filed against him for a second time. Banks ran in the 1996 primary for the District 7 seat Arberry has held for 14 years and got 23 percent of the vote in a three-way race.

Banks, a six-year resident and substitute teacher who retired from the Illinois State Police, said she has learned from her past mistakes.

"I was a novice and learned a lot from the first time," said Banks, noting that the four precincts she won were those she walked door to door. "I felt that was the key. People want to see the candidates."

By a fluke of red tape and timing, Nevada Power Co. employee Stephen P. Knowles won't get to run under the party of his choice for Assembly District 42, the North Las Vegas seat held for 24 years by Democrat Bob Price. Knowles had been registered as non-partisan when he worked for the utility company's government affairs office, and changed to Republican last September when he bought a new house.

Because he missed the deadline for changing registration by eight days, Knowles had to file and run as an independent candidate in the general election.

Embattled Family Court Judge Fran Fine finally filed for re-election to her Department E court seat, a field already crowded with three private attorneys who want her job: Robert Lueck, Stephen Minagil and Pat Nohrden.

Other filings Wednesday include:

* Gina D. Reese, a Republican challenging incumbent Public Administrator Jared Shafer, a Democrat.

* Herbert L. Brown, for North Las Vegas Constable. Brown was appointed Tuesday by the County Commission to that post to fill out the term of retired constable Lou Tabat.

* Thomas Welsh, a Democratic challenging incumbent Republican Assemblywoman Kathy Von Tobel for her District 20 seat. North Las Vegas Fire Department Captain John Oceguera, a Democrat, planned to file for the seat today.

Also planning to file today are Assembly Majority Leader Richard Perkins, D-Henderson, and fellow democrats Lynette Boggs McDonald and Vince Triggs.

Boggs, UNLV's marketing director, is running against Republican Merle Berman for her District 2 seat. Triggs, a former assemblyman and executive director of the Nevada Association for the Handicapped, will file for the District 4 seat now held by Republican Deanna Braunlin.

Braunlin is leaving the Assembly to pursue a business opportunity.

The first withdrawal of the season came Wednesday -- Richard Diekmann for Clark County Sheriff. But incumbent Jerry Keller drew a challenger in George "Mac" McLain of Las Vegas.