Local news briefs for April 10, 2000

Monday, April 10, 2000 | 10:57 a.m.

Security guard charged in fire

A 19-year-old security guard was charged with arson in a fire that damaged a northwest Las Vegas apartment complex Friday.

Jeremy Michael Cauley was charged with first-degree arson in connection with a 12:47 a.m. Friday fire at the Kings Crossing Apartments on North Tenaya Way, Las Vegas Fire officials said.

When firefighters arrived they found that a small fire in a vacant apartment was already out. The fire led to about $1,500 in damage to the carpeting and minor smoke damage, officials said.

Firefighters became suspicious of the security guard's account of the fire. Fire investigators say Cauley set the fire and then notified the fire department of the small blaze, officials said.

There were no injuries and no other apartments were damaged as a result of the fire, officials said.

Van collides with Metro Police car

A 49-year-old Las Vegas man was killed early Sunday morning when his van collided with a Metro Police car.

Officer Mark Harding was driving his police car south on Nellis Boulevard and entered the Bonanza Road intersection on a green light, witnesses told police investigators.

The 49-year-old man was driving a 1995 Ford van west on Bonanza and reportedly ran a red light at the intersection. The patrol car hit the right front fender of the van, police said.

The man, who was not wearing a seat belt, was thrown from the van in the collision. He died at the scene.

Harding was taken to University Medical Center where he was treated and released for minor injuries.

The accident is the 21st fatal traffic-related accident in Metro's jurisdiction this year.

Nevada labor leader dies

Retired labor leader Lou Paley has died at the age of 87 in Reno.

A private service was held for Paley on the day of his death April 4. A notice of his death was published Sunday.

Paley served as secretary-treasurer of the Nevada chapter of the AFL-CIO for 25 years until his retirement in 1978. Before that he worked for Southern Pacific Railroad.

Survivors include a son, Lou Paley Jr. of Sparks; a brother, Art Paley of Sacramento; a sister, Hazel Paley of Reno; five grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

Alta Drive construction to create delays

Morning commuters who use Alta Drive between Shadow Lane and Rancho Drive to get to work may find things a little slow going starting Tuesday.

The $450,000 Alta Drive improvement project starts Tuesday morning at 7 a.m. The project will force traffic into one lane in each direction as 12 vacant homes are demolished and an interior loop road is constructed for residents north of Alta Drive.

Work will be done on the project from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on weekdays. The project is expected to be completed in August.

CAT warns riders of printing error

A printer glitch has caused some 30-day reduced fare and full fare passes for Citizens Area Transit to have an incorrect expiration date.

The passes show an expiration date of April 29. New passes are in the process of being printed.

The Regional Transportation Commission is asking that those with the incorrect passes hold onto them until April 20. At that date the passes can be taken to 300 N. Casino Center Blvd. and exchanged for the new passes.

Firms are lauded for clean air

Three local construction firms received Clean Air Act awards from the Clark County Health District on Friday as a result of participating in the nation's first full-scale demonstration of a new clean diesel fuel.

Nevada Ready Mix Corp., Las Vegas Paving Corp. and Hanson Aggregates are making construction vehicles available for six months to test the AAE Technologies, Inc. diesel fuel mixture called OxyDiesel.

The test program is expected to demonstrate a 50 percent or greater reduction in visible smoke.

Man may have died of natural causes

A 51-year-old man found dead in his Boulder Highway motel room Thursday appears to have died of natural causes, the Clark County coroner's office says.

Metro Police homicide detectives had been handling the scene at the motel in the 4100 block of Boulder Highway as a homicide until a cause of death is determined.

The medical examination by the coroner did not reveal any injuries that would indicate homicide, authorities said.