News briefs for March 19, 2002

Tuesday, March 19, 2002 | 10:58 a.m.

Mother arrested on abuse charges

A 21-year-old woman was arrested Monday in connection with the beating death of her 7-month-old daughter, Metro Police said.

Tiffany Clay was charged with murder by child abuse Monday in the Saturday death of her daughter, Ariel Mathews, Sandie Durgin, supervisor of Metro's abuse and neglect unit, said.

The girl was taken to Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center Friday and died Saturday. The cause of death was determined to be blunt force injuries.

Apartments on Eastern evacuated

The Las Vegas Fire Department bomb squad removed five small explosive devices from an Eastern Avenue apartment complex Monday night.

The devices, described as low yield, were discovered by Metro Police officers who responded about 4 p.m. to a domestic disturbance at the Fountains of Villa Cordova apartment complex, 2800 S. Eastern Ave., Lt. Joe Lombardo said.

Metro officers evacuated about 90 percent of the complex and closed Eastern from Karen Avenue to Desert Inn Road. Few residents were forced to leave their apartments because many had not returned from work, Lombardo said.

Residents were allowed back into their homes, and Eastern was reopened about 7 p.m.

LV man charged with arson

A 32-year-old Las Vegas man was arrested Sunday night and accused of setting fire to a mobile home where his ex-girlfriend was staying.

Nick Chavez was booked into the Clark County jail on first-degree arson, attempted murder and violation of a temporary restraining order, Clark County fire officials said.

Chavez is accused of setting fire to a home in the 3600 block of Boulder Highway about 8:35 p.m. Sunday. The fire was started on the porch and extinguished before it destroyed the mobile home, officials said. No one was injured.

Molasky, Realtors pledge money

Las Vegas developer Irwin Molasky has given $50,000, and the Nevada Association of Realtors pledged $25,000 to fight a nuclear dump at Yucca Mountain, Gov. Kenny Guinn announced this morning.

The donations represented an effort to kick-start fund-raising to fight the repository from the business community, Guinn said.

Gaming executives last month said they would spend $750,000 to lobby against the proposed dump. The state also has a $5.4 million fund for the legal and public relations fight.

President Bush last month approved a plan to build a repository for highly radioactive waste at Yucca Mountain. Guinn said this morning he expects to veto Yucca Mountain in early April.