Mayor to meet with Panthers

Jace Radke

Tuesday, April 17, 2001 | 11:02 a.m.

Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman on Monday will meet with members of the Black Panther Party to discuss improvements to West Las Vegas neighborhoods, which party officials say are deteriorating and in need of repair.

Ron Current, who heads the Las Vegas Black Panther Party, said a planned march on Fremont Street in May is on hold pending the outcome of the meeting with Goodman and a tentatively scheduled phone conference with Gov. Kenny Guinn on April 24.

Earlier this month the Panthers presented a list of "people's demands" to Goodman. The list included calls for repaving streets, a new drug rehabilitation center, a new recreation center and more job opportunities in West Las Vegas.

"We can't keep doing the same things," Current said. "What we need to do for sure is head off another Cincinnati, because black communities across the country are sitting on time bombs. We have elected leaders that don't do anything, and it results in a place that turns into Beirut."

Cleve X, chairman of the National Alliance Against Racial and Political Oppression, said the needs in West Las Vegas are obvious and should be addressed.

"Anyone that comes through here can see that this is a disaster area compared to other parts of town, like Green Valley or Painted Desert," Cleve X said. "Those areas are developed, but here we have cracked streets and no sound walls and no jobs, and that leads to the gangs and other problems.

"We're not saying that this has to happen overnight. We just want to see things put in place and worked on."

Current said a protest march June 1 on the Strip is still being planned. He said the march could be called off, but that decision hinges on the result of meetings with government officials.

The Panthers' demands include the rebuilding of the Doolittle Community Center at 1940 N. J St., repaving streets, putting together a committee to bring new business to the community, implementing an employment center and appointing a liaison from the community to Guinn's office. In addition, the Panthers are demanding that construction contractors in the community hire at least half of the needed laborers from West and North Las Vegas.

Some steps are already being taken to improve the quality of life in West Las Vegas, a City Hall spokesman said.

H Street was recently repaved, and Owens and Washington avenues are scheduled to be repaved next year. A $9.8 million expansion of the Doolittle Community Center is expected to be completed in late 2002 and will include new parking, a computer lab, a new gym and a remodeled swimming pool.