Local news briefs for December 14, 2000

Thursday, Dec. 14, 2000 | 10:45 a.m.

Deal reached over airport concession

An attorney for Clark County said Wednesday a lawsuit claiming two commissioners used their political influence to win an airport coffee concession for a political ally will be dismissed.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Lee Thompson said the county and attorneys for Ayala Inc. reached an agreement to end the litigation filed Nov. 6 in U.S. District Court.

A judge has yet to sign the agreement.

Thompson and an attorney for Ayala Inc., John Benedict, declined to discuss details of the agreement.

"We've amiably resolved our differences," Benedict said.

Dan Ayala filed the lawsuit alleging Commissioners Yvonne Atkinson Gates and Dario Herrera attempted to influence the awarding of a coffee concession at McCarran International Airport on behalf of a Sharyn Brown, the wife of Democrat fund-raiser Jay Brown.

According to court records filed two weeks ago, Atkinson Gates and Herrera denied using their political influence on behalf of Brown.

Man killed in crash is identified

A man who died Wednesday in a two-vehicle accident on U.S. 95 was identified as 55-year-old Fred Jackson Jr. of Las Vegas.

Jackson either stopped his car or was barely moving in the slow lane of northbound U.S. 95 near Charleston Boulevard without his lights on about 6:20 a.m. Wednesday, Trooper Alan Davidson, a Nevada Highway Patrol spokesman, said.

A truck hit the rear of the car, killing Jackson. A passenger in the car taken to University Medical Center was listed today in serious condition.

An investigation into the accident is continuing to determine why Jackson's car was stopped or moving so slowing, causing the accident.