Las Vegas news briefs for June 3, 1999

Thursday, June 3, 1999 | 1:28 a.m.

A Las Vegas man has been given a two- to five-year sentence for the shooting death of a neighbor he had been feuding with, although he maintained the slaying was an accident.

Stephen Cory had pleaded guilty in March to voluntary manslaughter rather than stand trial on murder charges that could have resulted in a life prison sentence.

Cory, 45, had faced a maximum sentence of four to 10 years on the reduced charge over the Dec. 16, 1998, death of 39-year-old Randall King.

Pet store raided in meth probe

Metro Police narcotics officers raided a pet store Wednesday morning they say was serving as a front for the sale of chemicals used in methamphetamine laboratories.

"The business is a legitimate business, but we believe 50 percent of its proceeds are from the sale of iodine crystals," Lt. Steve Gammell said.

Gammell said operators of 25 meth labs that were closed down in recent months purchased their crystals at the Animals Paradise Pet Store, 4884 E. Lake Mead Blvd.

He said charges against the store owner, who was not arrested, are pending the outcome of the investigation.

Cuomo to speak at Las Vegas forum

Those involved in housing low-income families in Southern Nevada will have a chance to learn about the Department of Housing and Urban Development Uniform Relocation Act.

HUD is hosting a workshop on how to assist low-income families in improving their quality of life.

HUD Secretary Andrew Cuomo will be a guest speaker at the June 19 event. Tipper Gore, wife of Vice President Al Gore, is also scheduled to attend.

The workshop will begin at 6 p.m. at the Las Vegas Art Museum, 9600 W. Sahara Ave. The cost is $100 per person.

Dealer accused of not paying loan

The state Manufactured Housing Division has suspended the license of mobile home dealer S.C. Homes Inc. of Las Vegas, which is accused of accepting a $35,000 payment but never delivering the title of the home to a buyer.

The division has set July 12 for a hearing on whether the license should be permanently revoked. Attorney General Frankie Sue Del Papa said Tuesday that S.C. Homes agreed to sell a mobile home with the understanding it would give part of the payment to the sellers and use the rest to pay off their outstanding loan.

Del Papa said S.C. Homes failed to apply any of the $35,000 to satisfy the loan. The purchasers never received title and a finance company is preparing to repossess the home.

Minority percentages higher in county

Clark County has a greater percentage of blacks, Hispanics and Asians than Nevada as a whole.

The statistics were released this week by state Demographer Dean Judson. The report is a recap of prior studies by Judson and represents predictions of the population as of July 1.

Judson reported 14 percent of those living in Clark County are Hispanic, compared with 13.2 percent in the state. The county is 10.4 percent black, compared with the state's 7.7 percent, and its Asian population totals 3.3 percent, compared with 3 percent statewide.

Suspect will not be prosecuted

The Clark County district attorney's office will not prosecute a North Las Vegas Police Department employee suspected in the theft of about $30,000 from the police evidence vault last fall.

Deputy District Attorney Valerie Adair said this morning the decision not to prosecute was based on a lack of evidence.

The Nevada Division of Investigations, which conducted the investigation of the vault theft at the request of the police department, submitted a file to the district attorney's office on one of five evidence custodians who had access to the vault.

City officials refuse to comment on personnel matters. The civilian employee, who remains on administrative leave with pay, was placed on leave in December pending the investigation.

Wednesday's chill breaks 1948 record

Unseasonably cool temperatures settled over the Las Vegas Valley Wednesday with the high temperature of 76 degrees breaking the record for the lowest high mark set in 1948.

National Weather Service meteorologist Scott Cordero said the 78-degree record for June 2 was broken because "we're getting a series of low-pressure systems developing over the Northwest part (of the country) and they're scooting down here."

Normal highs for this time of the year are right around 95 degrees, Cordero said. The series of low-pressure systems are expected to continue for the next week, bringing rain and continued low temperatures.

"June is one of the least precipitous months of the year," Cordero said. McCarran International Airport recorded 0.08 inches of rain Wednesday. The normal amount of rain for June is 0.12 inches, he said.