Local news briefs for December 28, 2000

Thursday, Dec. 28, 2000 | 10:53 a.m.

Arrest made in strip club death

The 53-year-old son of the owner of a North Las Vegas strip club was booked Wednesday on murder charges in connection with the slaying of the club's manager.

Jack Perry was questioned by North Las Vegas Police detectives after the 3:30 a.m. Wednesday slaying of Kenneth R. Rowan, 53, and was arrested about 11 a.m., said Lt. Art Redcay, a department spokesman.

Paramedics were called to the Palomino Club in the 1800 block of Las Vegas Boulevard North about 3:30 a.m. to treat a victim of a fall. But when they treated Rowan, they found that he had been shot in the stomach, police said.

Rowan was taken to University Medical Center, where he later died, police said.

Police said Rowan was working in his office at the time of the shooting and there was apparently an argument between Perry and Rowan, Redcay said.

DRI president lauded for research

Desert Research Institute President Stephen G. Wells has received the Farouk El-Baz award for his research into the evolution of natural desert pavement.

The award is from the Quaternary Geology and Geomorphology Division of the Geological Society of America during the association's annual meeting in Reno during November.

The award recognized the research of Wells and colleague Leslie D. McFadden of the University of New Mexico on the natural formation of armored soil surfaces in desert valleys. The process creates a thin, protective top layer in the desert, helps stabilize the soil surface and affects plant patterns, precipitation runoff and wind erosion.

Wells became president of the nonprofit statewide division of the University and Community College System of Nevada in January 1999.

The award was named after geology professor Farouk El-Baz of Boston University, a native of Egypt who became an American scientist recognized for his dramatic advances in remote sensing of arid lands by satellite.

Assistant chief gets top job

The new superintendent of the Lake Mead National Recreation Area will be a familiar face to the employees and service providers at the park.

Assistant Superintendent William Dickinson has been appointed to take over the top administrative post in the recreation area by John Reynolds, director of the National Park Service's Pacific West Region.

Dickinson replaces Alan O'Neill, who recently retired to head up the Outside Las Vegas Foundation.

Dickinson, 48, has held two previous superintendent positions, the USS Arizona Memorial in Hawaii, and at Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area and Obed Wild and Scenic River in Tennessee.

"I've had an incredible opportunity of working with the staff at Lake Mead National Recreation Area on the operational and resource issues," Dickinson said. "This grounding will serve well in changing roles to that of superintendent where I envision an increasing role with park partners and park policy."

Voter registration rises in state

CARSON CITY -- The number of voters registered at the end of November reached 898,347, or 19,357 more than were signed up for the general election earlier in the month.

Secretary of State Dean Heller reported Wednesday Republicans still outnumber Democrats 366,431 to 365,593.

Clark County had 562,476 voters registered or 62.6 percent of the statewide total.

One major change is that Douglas County has surpassed Carson City in voter registration for the first time.

Douglas County is now in third place with 28,352 voters; Carson City has 26,412 and Washoe County continues in second with 186,058.