Local news briefs for September 26, 2000

Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2000 | 10:38 a.m.

Turning car blamed in crash

A Las Vegas motorcyclist was killed during rush hour Monday when a station wagon turned in front of him causing a collision, Metro Police said.

The 21-year-old was headed east on the 9800 block of West Charleston Boulevard just east of Hualapai Way about 5:45 p.m. when the car made a left turn from westbound Charleston into a shopping center, Metro detective Rick Hart said.

The motorcyclist died at the scene, and the driver of the station wagon, Tara Sonnenberg, 23, of Las Vegas, was taken to University Medical Center and treated for moderate injuries. The motorcyclist's name was not released this morning pending notification of his family.

Residents rescued from balcony

Las Vegas Fire Department officials are investigating a Monday fire that gutted two apartments and caused minor damage to six others, forcing 23 people from their homes.

Las Vegas and Clark County firefighters were called to the Sahara Palms Apartments, 2900 El Camino Ave. near West Sahara Avenue and Rancho Drive, about 11:50 p.m. Flames were seen coming from the patio door of a downstairs apartment and rising into the apartment above, fire officials said.

Firefighters rescued two people from an upstairs balcony. They were not injured.

Investigators said the blaze apparently started in the downstairs apartment, where no one was home at the time. The cause is under investigation.

Pharmacist placed on probation

District Judge Joseph Bonaventure has placed pharmacist James B. Beck of Las Vegas on probation for five years and has ordered him to pay $15,000 in restitution to the state's Medicaid program after being found guilty of one count of fraud.

Beck, 50, was also ordered to perform community service and pay court costs. He could have been sentenced to four years in prison and fined $5,000.

Tim Terry, director of the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit in the state attorney general's office, said Monday the charge stems from an investigation into allegations Beck improperly billed for drugs he claimed to have provided to Medicaid recipients. In fact, Terry said, Beck diverted the drugs to other entities.

The investigation is continuing into the other places that received the drugs, Terry said.

Naturopath panel not in violation

The state Board of Naturopathic Examiners is having troubles with Nevada's open meeting law.

But Deputy Attorney General Tina Leiss, who advises the board, said Monday there have not been any violations.

The board sent out a notice for its Sept. 15 meeting in Reno, but it was not posted at the appropriate places within the designated time of three days. When the board was informed of the discrepancy, it canceled the meeting.

A second meeting was called for Thursday, during which the board went through its business, voting on amendments to regulations, Leiss said. But during the session, a question was raised about the posting of the agendas again.

So the board, out of caution, nullified everything it had done, Leiss said.

Businesses urged to contact AG

A number of restaurants and casinos throughout Nevada have received bogus bills for services that were never performed.

The billing statements were sent by the fictitious United Pumping Co. and payments were returned to an abandoned office in California, state attorney general Frankie Sue Del Papa said.

Companies that have received a bill from United Pumping Co. are encouraged to contact the attorney general's office at (775) 684-1100, or send the materials to the Office of the Attorney General, 100 N. Carson St., Carson City, 89701-4717.

County building is evacuated

About 300 employees were evacuated from the County Government Center this morning after propane being used by work crews leaked into a rooftop air intake valve.

Clark County spokesman Doug Bradford said the odor quickly spread through the building shortly before 9 a.m. Employees sat outside for about 15 minutes while the Las Vegas Fire Department went through the building. No injuries were reported.

The crew was on the roof doing work to prevent leaks, Bradford said.

UNLV officials

have received reports of individuals using the university's name to sell magazine subscriptions. When approached, residents in southern Las Vegas were told the peddlers were in a broadcasting class and were selling magazine subscriptions to earn a trip to London. According to school officials, UNLV does not participate in magazine subscription sales.