Community briefs for August 18, 1999

Wednesday, Aug. 18, 1999 | 11:46 a.m.

Assemblywoman asks for end to filing fee

CARSON CITY -- Assemblywoman Ellen Koivisto, D-Las Vegas, has asked the Las Vegas Justice Court to stop charging a $36 filing fee for protective orders, usually sought by victims of stalking and harassment.

Koivisto said Tuesday the charge is a roadblock to those who need protection.

"The people requesting these protective orders live in fear for their own safety and often for the safety of their children," she said. "We need to make the process of protecting these victims as easy as possible."

She made her request to Chief Justice of the Peace Nancy Oesterle to reconsider the fee the court started on July 1. Many people, Koivisto said, don't have the money to pay for the order. She said Henderson and North Las Vegas justice courts don't charge the fee.

She also said she would ask a bill be drafted for the 2001 Legislature to prohibit these fees being charged.

Community college receives grant

A federal grant to help student parents with child care will be available to the Community College of Southern Nevada on Sept. 1, Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., announced this week.

The $38,000 in federal funds will be used to develop a new child-care center at the Charleston Boulevard campus of the college and to help create a sliding fee scale for the existing child-care facility on the Cheyenne Avenue campus.

Man shot in school parking lot

North Las Vegas Police and the Clark County Coroner's office today are trying to determine the identity of a man who was found shot to death at the Marion Cahlan Elementary School parking lot.

The dead man, found by construction workers about 6:30 a.m. at the school at 2801 Fort Sumter Drive, is described as Hispanic, about 25 years old, 5 feet 6 inches tall, 140 pounds, brown hair, brown eyes with a mustache and a goatee. He was wearing tan pants and a tan shirt.

Initially, the construction workers thought the man was sleeping, but later discovered he was an apparent gunshot victim and called police.

Anyone with information about the slaying can contact the NLVPD at 633-9111 or Secret Witness at 385-5555.

Smoke-free eateries receive support

A majority of patrons who took part in a smoke-free weekend at 10 area restaurants in July said they would support the eateries if they continued to be smokeless, the Clark County Health District reported Monday.

A district survey of the "Take A Bite Out of Smoking" event that took place July 24-25 showed that 87 percent of patrons were in favor of the smoke-free restaurants. Another 85 percent said they were "very likely" to frequent restaurants that are totally smoke-free.

Restaurants that participated in the event included Country Inn restaurants, Dragon Sushi, The Egg & I, Harbor Palace Seafood, Mary Tierra, Panini on South Rainbow Boulevard and Ricardo's on East Tropicana Avenue and on West Flamingo Road.

McDonald spends $449,491 on election

Incumbent Las Vegas City Councilman Michael McDonald spent $449,491 on his recent re-election bid, according to his third campaign expenditure report filed in the city clerk's office.

The report shows McDonald spent $9,953 after June 1 and received $7,400 in contributions. He won easy re-election in the May 4 primary, forgoing the need for a general election in June.

McDonald, who garnered 63 percent of the Ward 1 votes, finished with a $59,000 campaign surplus.

The closest of his four opponents, Steve Miller, spent $23,000 and earned 23 percent of the vote, according to his campaign report, which became available Tuesday.

Goodman to listen to residents

Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman will hold his second open door meeting with residents on Friday 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the City Council chambers at City Hall, 400 E. Stewart Ave.

This month's meeting is being held on the third Friday due to scheduling difficulties. The open door meetings are normally held on the last Friday of the month.

Upcoming meetings will be Sept. 24, Oct. 29 and Nov. 19.

For information call 229-6241.

One dies, three injured in crash

One person was killed and three others were injured in a head-on collision today on State Route 160 west of Buffalo Drive.

Nevada Highway Patrol and the Clark County Fire Department's heavy rescue team arrived at the scene following the 5 a.m. accident that closed the road for an hour and snarled morning commuter traffic.

The accident occurred in the westbound lane when an eastbound vehicle collided with a westbound car on what is commonly called the Blue Diamond Road, official said.

At least four people were transferred to the University Medical Center, at least two by helicopter, officials said.

Clark County Fire Department spokesman Bob Leinbach said the Jaws of Life were used to extract the occupants from both vehicles and that the injured people were alive when they were taken from the scene.

Leinbach said he later learned that one of the accident victims, possibly the driver of the eastbound vehicle, died at UMC. The NHP confirmed that one of the victims died.

A UMC spokeswoman said another victim from that accident was in serious condition and two others were in fair condition. None of the victims were identified.

UNLV students up by 6.5 percent

UNLV classes will begin Aug. 30, with undergraduate enrollment expected to be up by almost 6.5 percent.

Officials say more than 22,000 students and about 150 new faculty and professional staff will be on campus for the start of the upcoming fall semester.

Courses also will be offered at the Henderson campus of the Community College of Southern Nevada and at the new Foothill High School.

A number of new majors will be offered, including bachelor of science degrees in health sciences and nutrition sciences, a bachelor of fine arts degree in dance, a master of science degree in construction management, a master of education degree in health promotion and a doctoral degree in psychology.

First-year law students began their studies this week.