Local news briefs for November 2, 2001

Friday, Nov. 2, 2001 | 10:22 a.m.

Victim identified as woman, 38

A motorcyclist who was killed when she collided with a commercial truck early Wednesday morning has been identified as 38-year-old Susan Holman of Las Vegas.

Holman was riding south on Industrial Road near Spring Mountain Road when the driver of the truck, turning left into a parking lot from the northbound lanes of Industrial, struck Holman, police said.

Holman was taken to University Medical Center, where she died. No charges have been filed pending the outcome of an investigation, police said.

Support sought for winter shelter

Homeless advocates are planning a vigil Saturday on the Strip to urge the gaming industry to support the immediate opening of the MASH Village winter shelter for the homeless.

The vigil, which is being organized by the Homeless Advocacy Task Force, will be held from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. and will begin at the Mirage and end at Treasure Island.

The task force, a coalition of religious and lay advocates for the homeless, has been holding nightly vigils in the downtown area since Oct. 5 in support of opening the tent, which has 250 beds.

The tent normally opens from December to March, but the task force has lobbied for moving up the date this year due to a lack of emergency shelter space to serve the homeless. About $95,000 is needed to fund the opening of the tent.

ATF agents seeking clues

Agents for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms today continued to sift through the remains of a shooting range storage facility, which exploded Sunday and forced the evacuation of residents in a northeast Las Vegas neighborhood.

"We're still working to clear the debris," said Keith Heinzerling, ATF resident agent in charge of the Las Vegas office. "There isn't much left."

ATF officials say that a preliminary investigation shows that a magazine, a safe-like unit in which ordnance is stored, exploded and caught fire in the bunker at the Metro Police firing range, 3700 E. Carey Ave.

"We don't really know the exact cause at this point in the investigation," Heinzerling said.

The ATF and Metro maintain two shed-like bunkers on the range property to store explosives. Inside each bunker are steel and concrete magazines, where the explosives are kept, ATF officials said.

Residents were evacuated from their homes in the area of Carey and Hollywood Boulevard Sunday. They were evacuated again on Monday as safety officials worked to ensure that there would be no more explosions at the site.

Guinan leaves state post

State Health Officer Dr. Mary Guinan, who has held the post for about two and a half years, has resigned "for personal reasons." Her resignation is effective Dec. 7.

Guinan could not be reached for comment, but Michael Willden, director of the state Department of Human Resources, confirmed that Guinan formally submitted her resignation letter Thursday.

Guinan has been involved in the cancer cluster investigation in Fallon.

Willden said she will do "wrap-up" work before she leaves, detailing what needs to be done and outlining the duties of the new health officer.

Willden does not plan to name an acting health officer and said other officials in the division will be assigned Guinan's duties.

Willden said he would begin recruiting a replacement "as soon as possible."

One adult, four juveniles arrested

Metro Police robbery detectives have arrested four juveniles and an adult in connection with 12 armed robberies of small businesses.

Nicholas Pope, 21, and four teenage boys -- 15, 16, and two 17-year-olds -- are charged in a string of robberies, ranging from pizza parlors to video rental stores.

In the robberies, employees were ordered to the floor, and then the robbers stole cash from the businesses people who were at the establishments, Metro robbery Sgt. Lori Crickett said.

Clinic to host health fair

The Enterprise Health Care and Dental Center, a community-based clinic, will host a health fair Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Located at 1700 Wheeler Peak St. behind the post office, the clinic is marking its first anniversary. The public is invited to take advantage of free cholesterol and diabetes screenings, mammograms and gynecological exams, dental evaluations and HIV testing.

A variety of children's activities are planned, and each person attending the health fair will receive a free gift bag. The health center is a joint project of University Medical Center, Clark County, the cities of Las Vegas and North Las Vegas, the Economic Opportunity Board of Clark County, the MLK Family Health Center and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas' School of Dentistry.