Local news briefs for June 7, 2000

Wednesday, June 7, 2000 | 11:37 a.m.

Boulder Highway project OK'd

The Clark County Commission unanimously approved an ordinance Tuesday creating a special improvement district to help spruce up portions of the Boulder Highway.

Fees will be assessed to businesses along the Boulder Strip between Lamb Boulevard and the Boulder Station hotel-casino and between Flamingo Road and the Nevada Palace casino.

The two-year program will help pay for desert shrubs and trees, irrigation and lighting for the landscaping project in the median. County officials said the improvements will increase property values and offer visitors a more aesthetically pleasing entry into Las Vegas.

Fluoridation panel appointed

Six Clark County residents were selected to serve on a committee assembled to prepare arguments advocating and opposing a November ballot question related to the fluoridation of drinking water.

Following a state mandate, Clark County began fluoridating tap water in March, eight months before the issue was scheduled to be placed on the November ballot.

The following question will appear on the ballot: Should the water authority and each public water system in the county that serves a population of 100,000 persons or more cease the fluoridation of the water?

The Clark County Commission chose attorney Bill Curran, dentist Scott Brown and UNLV Professor Mary Hausch to offer arguments opposing the discontinuation of fluoridating the water.

Rainbow's End Natural Food owner Charlise Suzanne Felts, Nevada Environmental Coalition President Robert Hall and Nevada Concerned Citizens president Kristine Jensen were selected to present arguments to cease the use of fluoride in drinking water.

Body found in lake identified

The body of a man found floating in Lake Mead National Recreation Area Monday was identified as 32-year-old Scott Treat.

A visitor found Treat, of Las Vegas, about 11 a.m. Monday. He had been reported missing last week.

The investigation was turned over to Metro Police, who are awaiting autopsy results from the Clark County Coroner's Office. The cause and manner of Treat's death were not released this morning.

Body in car was missing woman

The Clark County Coroner's Office this morning confirmed the body found in a car was that of Danielle Piccolo, who was reported missing last week.

A cause of death is still undetermined, but Metro Police consider the 26-year-old's death a homicide.

Employees of a Vons grocery store at Martin Luther King Boulevard and Craig Road called North Las Vegas Police after noticing a strong odor coming from a black Pontiac Firebird about 7 p.m. Monday

Metro Police were called to the scene when a body was seen in the back seat of the car, which belonged to Piccolo. The woman was reported missing May 31 and last seen alive the afternoon of May 30, police said.

She was last seen leaving her job at an Arby's restaurant on North Rancho Drive.

Anyone with information about this case is asked to call Metro's homicide unit at 229-3521 or Secret Witness at 385-5555.

Warden named for new prison

George Grigas, former warden of the Northern Nevada Correctional Center in Carson City, has been named warden of the new High Desert State Prison in Southern Nevada.

The 2,016-bed prison is due to open in September near the present prison at Indian Springs. In the interim, Grigas will be warden of the Southern Nevada Correctional Center at Jean.

The appointment was announced Tuesday by Prison Director Jackie Crawford, who said Grigas will spend his time preparing for the opening of the new prison. After High Desert is opened, the Jean prison will be closed.

Grigas has more than 25 years' experience in corrections in Massachusetts, Nevada and in private corrections in Australia. His most recent job in Nevada was warden in Carson City, where he served from December 1995 until resigning in May 1998.