Local news briefs for August 8, 2000

Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2000 | 10:50 a.m.

Starved puppies get foster home

A Metro Police undercover officer has taken in the five puppies found starving in a closet on July 28 after nearly one week with no food or water, the Animal Foundation said.

The officer, who wished to remain anonymous, took the animals from the shelter at 700 N. Mojave Road on Thursday. He is nursing them back to health and has already found homes for them, the shelter said.

Metro officers found the shepherd, mixed-breed puppies and took them to the Animal Foundation. It is believed that the puppies were left to die by their owner.

Officials at the shelter described the dogs as bone-thin and severely weakened. They are about 15 weeks old.

LV man gets 100 years in shooting

A Las Vegas man was sentenced to 100 years in prison Monday for shooting his landlady to death because she was "asking for it."

Attorneys for Joel Marks, who was convicted of first-degree murder, have said the 59-year-old kidney dialysis patient likely won't live two years. He wouldn't be eligible for parole for 40 years.

Marks called 911 on June 16, 1999, to report he had shot and killed Mary Banister, 75, about five hours earlier.

Marks told the dispatcher he shot the elderly woman because she was trying to kick him out, even though he had paid his rent.

Defense attorneys had tried to convince jurors that the diabetic flew into a temporary rage and was unable to control his actions.

New 911 center goes online

Metro Police's new 911 center went online this morning, creating the fourth-largest emergency call center in the country.

This morning Metro, telephone and computer officials were continuing to check the system to make sure it was running correctly. If there was a problem at the center -- Metrocomm -- police would switch back to the old system in the building down the street, Metro spokesman Lt. Marc Joseph said.

The new center will have room to expand to accommodate the area's rapid population growth, Joseph said.

The new building is at 4591 W. Russell Road, near Arville Street. The cost of the new building and 911 system was about $12 million.

Police department to get new home

A resolution on the Boulder City Council consent agenda tonight would retain H.S.A. Architects to prepare the necessary construction plans for the renovation of the current library building to accommodate the police department.

The library is moving to the Adams Boulevard Community Park.

Other items to be considered at tonight's meeting include approval of a tentative map for a 51-lot subdivision north of Nevada Highway and Quartzite Road, presentation of a corridor study of U.S. 95 through Boulder City, and a resolution to allow Boulder Sand and Gravel to reinstall a hot mix plant in the Bootleg Canyon Detention Basin.