News briefs for July 17, 2001

Tuesday, July 17, 2001 | 10:09 a.m.

Man beaten to death on sidewalk

Metro Police officers are asking for the public's help in their investigation into the June homicide of a Las Vegas man.

Jerry Stamper, 24, was found beaten to death on a sidewalk in an apartment complex near Tropicana Avenue and McLeod Drive on June 30 about 1:15 a.m., police said.

Stamper was last seen alive about 12:20 a.m. at a convenience store at Tropicana and Pecos Road. Investigators are looking for anyone who may have seen Stamper after he left the store and started walking back to his apartment complex.

Stamper was about 5 feet 11 inches tall and 150 pounds with light brown hair. He was wearing a dark blue T-shirt and jean shorts. He had been carrying three compact discs that were missing from the crime scene.

Anyone with information about Stamper's whereabouts on the morning of June 30 is asked to call detectives at 229-3521 or Secret Witness at 385-5555.

Corrections officer arrested again

A former corrections officer released on house arrest two weeks ago has been re-arrested.

Mark Bennish, 38, was released on $10,000 bail and placed on house arrest July 3 after District Judge Mark Gibbons learned that he had allegedly been impersonating a police officer while awaiting trial on sex-related charges.

Deputy District Attorney Clark Peterson said Monday that Bennish was re-arrested Monday after his probation officers found firearms and ammunition in his residence. Also, Peterson said, the officers found Metro Police uniforms in the home which were supposed to have been returned to Metro when he was fired.

Peterson said he intends to ask Gibbons to increase Bennish's bail to $60,000 during a hearing that has yet to be scheduled.

Filing service fees increase

Before miners start digging for pockets of ore in Clark County, they'll need to dig a little deeper into their own pockets to pay higher fees for recording a claim in the county recorder's office.

The Nevada State Division of Minerals has increased fees for filing services beginning today.

Some documents relating to mining claims will increase by $2, from $4.50 to $6.50 per claim.

Added to the existing fees charged for recording mining claims, the total will be $14.50 for the first page and $1 for each additional page. The standard recording for any document remains $7 for the first page and $1 for each additional page.

State office fees to increase

CARSON CITY -- Fees will be increased Aug. 1 for transacting business in the secretary of state's office, with the money going to help finance a pay raise for school teachers.

Secretary of State Dean Heller said Monday that two bills approved by the Legislature also make changes in the recording of commercial documents. There are changes in the filing dates, time periods and fee charges.

The changes are posted on the website at sos.state.nv.us

Guinn gets national post

Gov. Kenny Guinn will be named chairman of the Education Commission of the States Saturday in Philadelphia.

The commission is a national organization dedicated to helping states improve education.

He will succeed Gov. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire and will serve a two-year term.

7,500 qualify for benefit

CARSON CITY -- About 7,500 high school seniors have qualified this year to receive Millennium Scholarships to attend either community colleges or a university in Nevada.

That's an increase of about 5 percent over last year, the first year of the program. About 18,000 seniors graduated this year from Nevada high schools.

The scholarship, financed by the state's share of the national tobacco settlement, is available to seniors who carried a 3.0 grade point average or better, passed the high school proficiency examination and have been a resident for two years.

The announcement was made Friday by state Treasurer Brian Krolicki, whose office runs the program.

Judge allows murder charges

A Nevada judge ruled Monday that a woman accused of carving her niece's unborn baby boy out of her womb with a kitchen knife -- killing mother and child -- can be tried on two murder counts.

District Court Judge Archie Blake rejected arguments by lawyers for Erin Rae Kuhn, 31, who said their client couldn't be charged in the baby's death because there's no proof it was born alive.