News briefs for November 7, 2001

Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2001 | 9:32 a.m.

Intelligence group to fight terrorism

The Nevada Air National Guard's 152nd Intelligence Squadron has been called up to support the war against terrorism, Gov. Kenny Guinn and Maj. Gen. Giles Vanderhoof announced Tuesday.

About 50 members, half the squadron, moved out over the weekend to undisclosed stateside and overseas locations.

The 152nd Intelligence Squadron is trained to analyze reconnaissance imagery gained from satellites and unmanned and manned aircraft. The unit most recently deployed in support of Kosovo operations. The unit also provided battle damage assessment in Bosnia and the Persian Gulf.

Mack to host cyber meeting

Las Vegas Councilman Michael Mack will host an online Town Hall meeting for Ward 6 residents at 6:30 p.m. Thursday.

To take part in the session, residents can logon to www.ci.las-vegas.nv.us/eclv and click the "sign up" button to register.

For more information call Mack's office at 229-6405.

Titus says enough not being done

Senate Minority Leader Dina Titus, D-Las Vegas, selected as Nevada's National Democratic Committeewoman, said she's concerned that federal legislation doesn't provide enough help for those laid off in the downturn of the economy after Sept. 11.

Titus was elected national committeewoman by the state Democratic Party Central Committee last weekend to fill the unexpired term of former Las Vegas Mayor Jan Jones. The committeewoman represents the state at national meetings of Democratic leaders.

She said the legislation that passed the House does not include enough assistance for laid-off workers and has no provision to help the travel and tourism industry.

As minority leader, she said she would work to see that everything is being done in the short term to help these workers, estimated at 15,000 in Nevada. And she is looking at long-term reforms to be presented to the 2003 Legislature.

The central committee met in Tonopah Saturday.

Magnesium barrel blamed in blast

The Clark County Fire Department says an apparently improperly sealed barrel of magnesium coupled with water from sprinkler systems caused a second major explosion and fire at the AeroTech model-rocket factory on Oct. 15.

AeroTech officials, however, say that a blast of water from a firefighter's hose and firefighters inside the building battling the blaze could have knocked the lid off the barrel.

When magnesium mixes with water it causes an explosive gas, county fire spokesman Steve La-Sky said, noting that an investigation has shown that sprinkler systems and a broken plumbing line contaminated the 55-gallon barrel of magnesium before firefighters arrived at the Palm Street industrial complex off Boulder Highway.

Mike Martens, spokesman for AeroTech, which was destroyed in the second blaze that caused the evacuation of area residents, said firefighters knew 15 minutes after they arrived that the magnesium was there and, after dousing the first blaze could have removed the barrel but did not.

The initial blaze injured three workers, two critically. One later died.

New ER plan is approved

University Medical Center's board of trustees Tuesday approved a new policy, nicknamed "Code Alpha," that could help prevent the overcrowding that has forced past emergency room closures.

When emergency room administrators determine the patient load is reaching its maximum, an alert of "Code Alpha" will be repeated over the public address system and on employee pagers. Department heads will then meet to discuss how resources can be consolidated to avoid closure. Possible solutions include cancelling elective surgeries, merging wards and bringing in additional staff.

When a hospital's emergency room can no longer safely accept additional patients, it must go onto divert status and close its doors.

Mother sues two suspects

The mother of a Western High School student who was kidnapped, beaten, raped and slain has filed a lawsuit against the California couple accused in the teen's death.

Las Vegas attorney Barry Levinson filed the lawsuit on behalf of Candy Curran and Michelle Curran's estate Tuesday in District Court.

According to the lawsuit, Michael Thornton and Janeen Snyder kidnapped Michelle Curran, 16, as she walked to school on April 4 and drove her to California. Once there, the pair allegedly sexually assaulted and beat her until her death of a single gunshot to the head on April 17.

Curran's body was found in a horse trailer in Rubidoux, Calif., and the pair are awaiting trial on murder charges.

City attorney moving offices

The Henderson city attorney's criminal division is moving from the downtown justice facility to modular units a few blocks west on Basic Road.

The January move will give the city attorney's 16-member staff room to hire four new employees. It will also free up space in the justice facility in preparation for a third municipal judge, a courtroom and associated staff by July 2003.

Most of the $909,000 bill to set up the 9,400 square-feet of office space at the corner of Texas Avenue and Basic Road will be paid for out of funds from traffic violations, John Simmons, city construction manager, said. The remaining 25 percent will be paid out of the building fund, he said.

The Henderson City Council approved the spending Tuesday, based in part on a study that recommends 13 immediate new hires for the city attorney's office. The study recommends another 34 new hires in the next five years.

The city will demolish a Texas Avenue home recently purchased by the city to clear the site.

The criminal division plans to work at the modular units for five to seven years until the city funds an expansion of the justice facility, Simmons said.

The sole survivor

of the Aug. 10 Grand Canyon air tour helicopter crash was upgraded to serious condition Tuesday in University Medical Center. Chana Daskal survived the crash near Meadview, Ariz., about 60 miles east of Las Vegas that killed the Las Vegas-based Papillon Grand Canyon Helicopters' pilot, Daskal's husband and four other New York tourists.