Las Vegas News Briefs — May 17, 1999

Monday, May 17, 1999 | 11:11 a.m.

DEMOCRATS

Reid's son named new state chairman

The son of U.S. Sen. Harry Reid was elected the state Democratic Party chairman Saturday.

Rory Reid, 36, of Henderson replaces Paul Henry, who has held the job since 1996 and did not seek re-election.

The party also re-elected Carol Cox of Sparks as vice-chairwoman, Dorothy North of Elko as second vice-chairwoman and Naomi Millisor of Las Vegas treasurer.

ROBBERY

Sunset Station slot worker attacked

Henderson Police are looking for a man in connection with a Sunday morning robbery at the Sunset Station hotel-casino.

Just after 5 a.m. police received a report that a man entered the casino and pepper-sprayed a slot change employee.

The man escaped with an undisclosed amount of money from the employee and then fled the casino, police said.

Anyone with information on the robbery is asked to call Henderson Police at 565-8933 or Secret Witness at 385-5555.

ARREST

Woman held in slaying, robbery

Metro Police have made a second arrest in connection with the homicide of a 42-year-old Las Vegas man, who is believed to have died in a struggle inside his apartment.

Sharon Elizabeth Fletcher, 42, was arrested Thursday about 10 p.m. in the 500 block of Martin Luther King Boulevard, and booked into the Clark County Detention Center on charges of murder and robbery, police said.

Police found the 42-year-old man's body in his apartment in the 900 block of West Bonanza Road on May 5, and discovered that his VCR and some cash were missing from the apartment.

Police arrested Edward Dale Moore, 30, in connection with the murder on May 5 and charged him with robbery and murder.

FIRE BOMB

Man says bottle ignited house fire

An early Sunday morning house fire in northwest Las Vegas is under investigation after a resident told firefighters that a bottle was thrown through a bedroom window and ignited a couch.

Just after 3 a.m. Sunday Las Vegas firefighters arrived at 6745 Riverdale Way, near the intersection of Rainbow Boulevard and Alexander Road, to find heavy flames coming out the home's windows.

The fire was brought under control in about 10 minutes, but damage was still estimated at about $45,000, department spokesman Tim Szymanski said.

A 23-year-old man told investigators that he was sitting on a couch in his bedroom when a bottle crashed through the window, setting the couch on fire.

CONVENTION

Arson investigators gather in Las Vegas

One of the largest gatherings of arson investigators was to begin this morning at the Tropicana hotel-casino convention center.

More than 600 people were scheduled to attend the 50th annual International Association of Arson Investigators Conference, which will run through Friday.

This year's event is sponsored by the Nevada chapter of the International Association of Arson Investigators.

John W. Magaw, director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms was to give the keynote address today at 10:30 a.m.

DROWNING

Man dies Sunday at Lake Mead

A Las Vegas man swimming in Government Wash, about 6 miles east of Las Vegas Bay in Lake Mead, drowned Sunday afternoon.

Witnesses say the 18-year-old man had been swimming from a raft about 3:30 p.m. when he started to have trouble. He went under several times and came back up before going down for a final time, National Park Service spokeswoman Kay Rhode said.

Park Service divers arrived at the wash at 3:40 p.m. and found the body in 35 feet of water about 100 yards from shore.

The incident, which is still under investigation, was the third drowning at the lake in the past week.

FIRE

Blaze damages military store

A fire at a North Las Vegas military surplus store was quickly put out after firefighters were able to pinpoint the fire's location in the building.

It took firefighters from both North Las Vegas and the Las Vegas Fire Departments about 15 minutes to locate a fire in the back of Hahn's World of Surplus, 2908 E. Lake Mead Blvd.

The fire started about 8 p.m. in the store's second floor office and was put out about four minutes after firefighters found it.

About $20,000 in damage was reported but was contained in the business' office area, a spokesman for the North Las Vegas Fire Department said.

THUNDERBIRDS

Training resumes for Air Force team

The Air Force Thunderbirds demonstration team will soon be back in the air after retooling and added training, a Nellis Air Force spokesman said.

The Thunderbirds have undergone a thorough review after two F-16 jets made contact in midair during an April 25 show at Florida's Patrick Air Force Base.

The review has resulted in Capt. Russell Mack, one of the pilots involved in the mishap, being replaced by former Thunderbird Maj. Mark Arlinghaus. The team has canceled demonstrations through May 29 in order to train.