Local news briefs for April 6, 2000

Thursday, April 6, 2000 | 11:11 a.m.

Driver enters guilty plea

A 34-year-old man who rolled his Chevrolet Corvette in October 1998, killing his passenger, pleaded guilty to felony driving under the influence Wednesday.

Deputy District Attorney Bruce Nelson said Darrell Eric Langton, 35, pleaded guilty in connection with the death of Dianna C. Anderson, 32.

According to police, Langton was traveling west on Alexander Road at a high rate of speed when his car went out of control and rolled over into a desert area near Jensen Street.

The car rolled several times, landing on Anderson, who was partially ejected from the car.

Nelson said blood tests taken within a short time of the accident showed Langton had a blood alcohol count of 0.20 and 0.18. Anyone with a blood alcohol count of 0.10 is considered to be legally drunk in Nevada.

In exchange for his guilty plea, Nelson said the district attorney's office agreed to recommend a two- to 10-year prison sentence and a $2,000 fine.

District Judge Sally Loehrer is scheduled to sentence Langton May 23.

Consumers to get $30.4 million back

Nevada and 47 other states have signed a settlement with a major sweepstakes company that requires the firm to pay $30.4 million in restitution to consumers.

The state attorney general's office said United States Sales Corp., of Northridge, Calif., agreed also to provide more information in the future to consumers such as the odds of winning a prize in the sweepstakes and that a product does not have to be purchased to win.

Deputy Attorney General Jo Ann Gibbs said some Nevadans bought the products believing they had a better chance to win the big prizes. Consumers who spent at least $1,870 with the company in either 1997, 1998 or 1999 will be eligible for refunds.

Gibbs said she did not know how many people in Nevada might qualify and that won't be determined for up to six months. But she said the state will receive $20,000 to cover its investigative and administrative costs.

District changes reception time

The Clark County School District has changed the time for the reception for Carlos Garcia, who is expected to be named the new superintendent at tonight's special School Board meeting.

The reception is now scheduled for 6 p.m. at the Greer Education Center, 2832 E. Flamingo Road. Prior to the reception, the School Board will hold a special meeting at 5:30 p.m. at the education center to consider approving Garcia's appointment and his contract.

Garcia is the current superintendent of Fresno Unified Schools in California.

Meeting planned at Plaza this week

The Nevada Parent Teacher Association will conduct its annual convention today through Saturday at Jackie Gaughan's Plaza in downtown Las Vegas. This year's theme is "Leading the Way to the Future."

More than 30,000 parents and teachers from throughout Nevada will be represented. Activities for delegates will include forums on advocacy, parent involvement and leadership.

Gov. Kenny Guinn; Clark County Schools Superintendent Brian Cram; Carol Ruley, vice president of programs for the national PTA, and Angela Pernatozzi of Classroom on Wheels are among the scheduled speakers.

11th Test Site experiment planned

The Department of Energy planned to continue a series of underground subcritical experiments today at the Nevada Test Site.

The latest experiment in a series, called Oboe, marks the 11th subcritical explosion designed to ensure the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile is safe and reliable without underground nuclear testing.

The experiments are called subcritical because no atomic chain reaction occurs and there is no nuclear explosion.