Local news briefs for May 11, 2000

Thursday, May 11, 2000 | 11:17 a.m.

Judge won't raise bail in Strip death

The District Court judge who unsealed an indictment Wednesday against a woman accused of driving the car that killed a pedestrian last month declined to increase her bail.

Chief District Judge Lee Gates said he would not take action since Justice of the Peace Tony Abbatangelo has already heard arguments on increasing Juanita Kim McDonald's bail and kept her bond at $100,000.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Gary Booker asked Gates to increase the bail to $1.5 million, noting the recent death of one of the people McDonald hit on April 19.

According to police, McDonald drove up on the sidewalk in front of the Aladdin hotel-casino, striking six pedestrians with her car while high on marijuana, methamphetamine and ecstasy.

One of the pedestrians McDonald hit, Mike Wienkes, 36, of Mineral Point, Wis., died Sunday after spending three weeks in a coma.

McDonald was indicted on four counts of driving under the influence of a controlled or prohibited substance, four counts of reckless driving, one count of involuntary manslaughter and one count of being under the influence of a controlled substance.

Parking lot crash proves fatal

A Las Vegas woman critically injured in a Friday car accident died from her injuries at University Medical Center Wednesday.

Beverly Mahin, 70, was driving a 1990 Dodge Caravan in a parking lot at 501 E. Twain Ave. when the van hit the side of a building, Metro Police said. The impact from the accident broke a Southwest Gas meter and caused Mahin's fatal injuries.

Mahin was not wearing a seat belt. This was the 27th traffic related fatality in Metro jurisdiction this year.

Nevada would see added benefit

Nevada would get more than $300 million in defense money from the federal government if an initial budget in the House survives the appropriations process.

The House Subcommittee on Military Procurement's National Defense Authorization Act 2001 includes money for military aircraft and equipment that would end up in Nevada: $72.3 million for a heavy assault bridge; $52 million for new engines for the KC-135E (Air Force in-air refueling plane); $51.7 million for three Air Force F-16 fighters; $43.9 million for modification work for the RC-135 Rivet Joint (an Air Force surveillance aircraft); $40.2 million for three UH60A helicopters.

"Jim Gibbons was a strong leader in making the case for these programs," the committee chairman, Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., said in a written statement, referring to the Nevada Republican congressman who also sits on the committee.

The House Armed Services Committee passed the bill Wednesday. The full House could vote on the bill as early as next week.

Gibbons says more money is needed

Money is needed to preserve the health of the Lake Tahoe area, Rep. Jim Gibbons, R-Nev., said today. Gibbons testified before the House Forest and Forest Health subcommittee on the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act.

"(The bill) addresses the most environmentally important issues facing Lake Tahoe, which are air quality, water quality, soil conservation and forest health," Gibbons said in a prepared statement.

The bill authorizes $300 million over 10 years for Tahoe preservation, including $100 million for water clarity work, including erosion control. A similar bill is winding its way through the Senate.

The alpine lake bordering California has become less clear in recent years, in part due to development and tourism. The lake hosts more than 2.5 million tourists a year.

Deputy police chief to retire

North Las Vegas Police Deputy Chief Tim Ryan will retire next week after 26 years with the department.

Ryan, 50, started with North Las Vegas Police in 1974 and has been an accident investigator, a sniper on the SWAT team and a homicide detective before being promoted to sergeant in 1983. He was promoted to lieutenant in 1985, to captain in 1990 and to deputy chief in 1993.

Ryan plans to remain in the Las Vegas Valley and enter into private business, police said.