Local news briefs for May 17, 2000

Wednesday, May 17, 2000 | 11:41 a.m.

Police seek info on human remains

Metro Police are searching for anyone who may have information about a Jean man whose identification was found in the clothing of human remains buried in the desert.

Geologists checking mining claims May 10 in the desert about 3.5 miles from Sandy Valley found the remains and called police. Identification for Lewis Arden Albright was found in the clothing, police said.

The cause of the man's death was determined to be from gunshot wounds, police said.

Police are searching for anyone who might have known Albright. The identification found with the remains described Albright as 43 years old, 6 feet, 4 inches tall and weighing 255 pounds. Albright listed a P.O. box in Jean as an address. Other identification showed a connection to Goodsprings, police said.

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

Henderson official cited by group

The director of public works for the city of Henderson was named one of the "Top Ten Public Works Leaders of the Year" by the American Public Works Association.

Mark Calhoun, who has served as Henderson's public works director since 1988, was presented the award at Tuesday's City Council meeting.

"We are very proud of Mark and his department," Henderson City Manager Phil Speight said. "This is not only an award for Mark, but for public works and the city as a whole."

Calhoun credited his staff of 300 for the honor.

"Everyone pulls their weight. Everyone works together," he said.

Trash chute catches on fire

A fire in a trash chute in the Excalibur hotel-casino Tuesday was put out in less than 10 minutes, causing no injuries. The brief blaze did cause some smoke and a little panic, fire officials said.

About 50 people were evacuated from the coffee shop because of smoke, but no floors of the hotel were evacuated, Steve La-Sky, a Clark County Fire Department spokesman, said.

The 4 p.m. fire when to two alarms, but was quickly put out.

La-Sky said the second alarm went out, because smoke was seen coming from the hotel and "it's better to have too many firefighters than not enough."

While the fire was quickly extinguished, firefighters spent more than three hours at the hotel helping to clear smoke out of the building, La-Sky said.

Many people waited outside the hotel-casino once the fire alarms went off, but others continued gambling as the alarms sounded.

"I heard the alarms, but I thought somebody had won," said Noreen Waldron, a tourist from Vancouver, British Columbia.

Frontage road to be closed

The west frontage road adjacent to U.S. 95 and between Deer Springs Way and Centennial Parkway will close Wednesday and remain closed until September.

During the closure, work crews will complete the construction of the Las Vegas Beltway's initial bridge structure over U.S. 95 and realign the frontage road and Centennial Parkway.

Clark County Public Works department suggests using Deer Spring Way -- heading north on the frontage road west to U.S. 95 -- or Durango Drive to Centennial Parkway to U.S. 95.

For more information, call 645-7574 or 655-0061.

Mount Charleston cleanup planned

Members of the Spring Mountains Association are inviting all residents to help during a cleanup of Mount Charleston Saturday.

Association members say recreation activity this past winter resulted in the worst litter problem in recent memory. They are asking for volunteers to help them clean up bottles, paper and other debris.

Volunteers will meet at 10 a.m. at the U.S. Forest Service's visitor parking lot off State Route 157 in Kyle Canyon or at the 2 1/2-mile marker on State Route 156 in Lee Canyon. That's just past the Deer Creek turnoff.

Bring gloves, drinking water and a sack lunch. Trash bags will be provided.