News briefs for April 4, 2001

Wednesday, April 4, 2001 | 11:06 a.m.

Ensign amid Senate delegation

Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., will join four other senators, led by Sen. Jesse Helms, R-N.C., on a congressional trip to Mexico for a visit with President Vicente Fox.

Ensign will leave Las Vegas April 16 to meet up with the delegation and return April 18 after planned meetings with Fox, Ensign spokeswoman Traci Scott said. The lawmakers, members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, also will meet with their Mexican counterparts.

Ensign hopes to talk to Mexican officials about locating a new consulate in Las Vegas. Several Nevada lawmakers have been urging Mexico to open a new consulate in Las Vegas, which has a fast-growing Hispanic population, a majority of which is from Mexico.

Small blaze quickly doused

A small fire at the brew pub in the Monte Carlo hotel-casino was quickly put out by sprinklers Tuesday night.

The fire started about 11 p.m., ignited by a stage pyrotechnic in the bar, forcing the bar to be evacuated. Clark County firefighters were called to the property and made some routine checks.

Woman faces charges in fatality

A Justice Court judge ordered a 34-year-old Henderson woman held on $100,000 bail this morning on charges stemming from a fatal accident on Interstate 215 and Durango Drive on March 25.

Karen B. Morris, 34, of Henderson, appeared this morning in Justice Court for the hearing. She was charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter and three counts of felony reckless driving, Trooper Daniel Solow of the Nevada Highway Patrol said.

Morris is accused of striking a car at the intersection of I-215 and Durango Drive March 25, killing two people in the car, police said.

If Morris is released on bail, the judge ordered she not be allowed to drive, Solow said.

Police say Morris was speeding, running a red light and talking on a cell phone at the time of the accident.

Shooting victim's name released

A 23-year-old man shot to death over the weekend in an apartment complex parking lot was identified as Kenyatta D. Larry, the Clark County coroner's office said.

Larry was found in the parking lot in the 3600 block of Owens Avenue near Pecos Road about 11:45 p.m. Saturday. He was taken to University Medical Center, where he died at 12:28 a.m. Sunday, Metro Police said.

Detectives said Larry might have been visiting someone in one of the apartments, but they have no witnesses to the shooting or a motive.

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

Deal is reached over Elko road

A fight over a dirt road in Elko County that garnered national attention when it became a battleground over federal land policies and the protection of the threatened bull trout habitat has been resolved.

An agreement over the South Canyon Road issue was approved this week by the federal Justice Department, the Forest Service, the Fish and Wildlife Service and the Environmental Protection Agency to settle a dispute with Elko County.