Homeland Security chief cancels tour of Nevada Test Site
Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2002 | 12:44 p.m.
LAS VEGAS AP) - Homeland Security chief Tom Ridge won't visit the Nevada Test Site this week with state officials who want to make it the nation's main counterterrorism training center.
Ridge canceled Wednesday's tour of the vast test site with Nevada Sens. Democrat Harry Reid and Republican John Ensign, Ridge's spokesman said Monday.
Gordon Johndroe said Ridge was forced to postpone trips to Nevada and New Mexico because of meetings in Washington on budget issues and President Bush's upcoming State of the Union address.
"Gov. Ridge hopes to get out there sometime in the future," Johndroe said.
Ridge still plans to travel this week to Salt Lake City to discuss security issues for the Winter Olympics, Johndroe said.
Reid, the Senate's No. 2 Democrat, has been leading the effort to turn the 1,350-square-mile site northwest of Las Vegas into a center to train police, firefighters and public health workers to respond to terrorism.
Nevada lawmakers have advocated the proposal for years, but it has received renewed attention since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
The test site already is used several times a year for limited bioterrorism training for emergency responders from around the nation.
Underground tunnels served as laboratories for some of the nearly 1,000 nuclear weapons tests conducted at the site from 1951 until such tests were banned in 1992.
Reid envisions diverse exercises, from special operations forces and military officers training to hunt terrorists to emergency workers training for a biological weapons attack.
--
archive
- Most Read
- Discussed
- Most E-mailed
- Corrections officer with Metro killed in U.S. 95 crash
- The pull of a drug, a push to the brink
- Was there an ulterior motive in parking the stripper-mobile?
- Harry Reid’s hopes hitched to health care reform bill
- CityCenter hotel welcomes new employees with gala
- Reid clears major health care hurdle, daunting weeks ahead
- Notebook: The Shark and LJ circle
- Politicians waste no time spinning latest jobless numbers
- Forrest Griffin writes his own ending at UFC 106
- Willis makes big difference in UNLV’s 78-69 victory
Blogs
Culture and Entertainment
UFC 106 walk-in music: Griffin changes his tune, secures win over Ortiz
The Kats Report
For props, Lewis Black needs only his manic delivery and torrid material (9 Comments)
Elsewhere
Sands China raises $2.5 billion in Hong Kong IPO (2 Comments)
Marquardt v. Sonnen scheduled for UFC 109
Bloggity, Bloggity, Bloggity
Will a fourth consecutive title by Jimmie Johnson be good or bad for NASCAR? (4 Comments)
Top Chef: Las Vegas
The Jet Stream: And then there were four
Top Chef Episode 12: On keeping it simple
- Live chat
- Tuesday, noon PST
- Chat with Krista Creelman
- Problem Gambling Center executive director Krista Creelman will answer questions about gambling addiction from Las Vegas Sun readers from noon to 1 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. ... Submit question
Calendar »
- 23 Mon
- 24 Tue
- 25 Wed
- 26 Thu
- 27 Fri
-
DJ Scooter at Prive
Prive | 10 p.m. to 11:59 p.m.
-
Fabolous's birthday at Jet
Jet | 10 p.m. to 11:59 p.m.
-
Mixology Monday at Downtown Cocktail Room
Downtown Cocktail Room | 8 p.m. to 11 p.m.
-
DJ Red at Tabu
Tabú Ultralounge | 10 p.m. to 11:59 p.m.
-
The Automatic Tour at The Square Apple
The Square Apple
The Sun
Locally owned and independent for more than 50 years.
Technorati













