News briefs for January 30, 2002

Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2002 | 10:35 a.m.

Staluppi officially drops action

An East Coast car dealer has officially dropped a lawsuit filed against Las Vegas Councilmen Michael Mack and Larry Brown.

Attorney Stan Hunterton, who represents Brown, said Wednesday that he has received a $20,000 check from John Staluppi Jr. The payment ends the suit filed against the councilmen last summer.

Staluppi offered to drop the lawsuit -- which alleged Brown and Mack tried to broker a deal that killed his application for a car dealership in northwest Las Vegas -- after he was granted a new dealership north of Ann Road.

Holding up the settlement was a lawsuit Brown filed against Staluppi in January. The suit alleged he was trying to extort the councilmen in an attempt to gain zoning for a car dealership from the city. Brown agreed to settle that lawsuit if Staluppi paid a portion of his legal fees.

Hunterton said he will officially file dismissal papers in District Court.

Driver loses control of SUV

A 16-year-old Las Vegas boy was killed Tuesday night when he lost control of the sport utility vehicle he was driving, Metro Police said.

The accident happened about 5 p.m. on Euclid Street north of Patrick Lane. A Jeep Cherokee traveling south on Euclid went onto the dirt shoulder on the east side of the road, and the driver over-corrected, causing the SUV to slide across two travel lanes and into a light pole on the west side of the street, police said.

The driver of the SUV died at the scene. Speeding and failure to maintain a travel lane appear to be the causes of the accident, police said.

The 1991 Cherokee was reported stolen on Monday, police said.

Reid to visit New Mexico labs

Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., plans to travel to New Mexico Thursday and Friday to visit the nation's top nuclear laboratories and assess the security of America's nuclear weapons stockpile.

Sandia National Laboratory officials conduct scientific and engineering research that bolsters the safety and reliability of weapons. Los Alamos scientists monitor the weapons, research nuclear security and health issues and study methods to clean up nuclear messes left by the Cold War. The labs also track nuclear weapons issues in other nations.

"I hope we will get a first-hand look at what our nation is doing to keep al-Qaida's finger off a nuclear trigger," Reid said.

Sens. Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., and Pete Domenici, R-N.M., will accompany Reid for tours and briefings. Reid is the top Democrat on the Environment and Public Works Committee and on the Appropriations subcommittee for energy and water issues.

Police seeking two people

Metro Police are looking for two people in connection with a domestic violence kidnapping.

Police say that Rae Ann Cuesta, 40, and Rodney Lydell Barnes, 35, have not been seen since about 11:15 p.m. Monday, when Cuesta was beaten and dragged into her apartment at 154 Albert Ave., near Koval Lane and Flamingo Road.

Police arrived at Cuesta's apartment at 11:25 p.m., but Cuesta and Barnes were already gone.

Cuesta is described as Asian, 5 feet tall, 115 pounds with brown eyes and hair. Barnes, who police say has a history of violence, is white, 5 feet 8 inches tall, 180 pounds with black hair and brown eyes.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Cuesta or Barnes is asked to call police at 229-3111 or Secret Witness at 385-5555.

A bank account

has been established to help pay the medical costs of an 11-year-old boy who was attacked and critically injured by four Great Danes last week. Money donated to the Michael Foley account at Business Bank of Nevada, 7280 W. Lake Mead Blvd., will go toward surgeries, skin grafts and physical rehabilitation. The account number is 3205444. Foley is now in fair condition at University Medical Center.