News briefs for March 28, 2002

Thursday, March 28, 2002 | 9:24 a.m.

Six pay stations set for water bills

The city of North Las Vegas has six locations where utility customers can pay their bills.

The city has an agreement with Western Union allowing customers to pay their water bills at any of the six locations, giving them extended hours and more options.

Customers using the convenience pay option will pay up to a $1 transaction fee. The convenience pay locations can accept cash only. Other options for paying water bills include phone payments by Visa/MasterCard, payments by mail and payment drop boxes. Full services are available at city hall.

The six locations are Fiesta Supermarket, 3210 E. Lake Mead Blvd., No. 1; Quick Stop Market, 3407 E. Lake Mead Blvd.; Marias Market, 2500 Cheyenne Ave.; American Check Exchange, 1995 N. Nellis Blvd.; Cashland, 2117 E. Lake Mead Blvd.; and Mail and More, 2039 Civic Center Drive.

Road renovation planned for area

A $1.6 million road construction project in the Mayfair neighborhood north of Charleston Boulevard and east of 15th Street starts the week of April 3, city of Las Vegas Public Works Department officials say.

For the next several months traffic disruptions may affect motorists along sections of Mayfair Place, the alley next to Charleston Boulevard, Lewis Avenue, Carson Avenue, 15th Street, 16th Street, Earl Street, 17th Street, Spencer Street, Circle Drive and Bruce Street as crews remove and replace the roads.

The construction project is scheduled for completion in March 2003.

$17 million project to begin Monday

The $17 million Ann Road improvement project begins at 9 a.m. Monday, when city of Las Vegas officials break ground.

The project includes work along a four-mile section of Ann Road between Ferrell Street and the U.S. 95 freeway ramps. Ann Road will be widened to two travel lanes in each direction and new traffic signals will be installed on Ann Road at Decatur Boulevard, Bradley Road, Jones Boulevard, Torrey Pines Drive and Rainbow Boulevard.

Work also includes installation of flood controls and sewer lines, curbs, gutters, sidewalks and streetlights as needed.

Motorists can expect traffic disruptions at various locations along the project route during the next 13 months.

Las Vegas Councilman Michael Mack and representatives of the Clark County Commission, North Las Vegas, Regional Transportation Commission and Regional Flood Control District will attend the ground breaking.

Spring break traffic is heavy

Spring break is bringing heavy traffic and delays to Hoover Dam for motorists traveling U.S. 93 during the Passover and Easter holidays.

About 17,000 passenger vehicles cross the dam each day on a typical weekend. On a holiday weekend, many more vehicles cross the dam.

Traffic volumes at the dam are highest between 10 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., which coincides with peak visiting hours. The large volume of vehicles plus pedestrians can result in a one- to two-hour backup.

The Bureau of Reclamation recommends drivers plan to cross the dam at non-peak hours.

All drivers are reminded to drive cautiously on the winding roadway, watch for pedestrians and obey all speed limits and police directions.

Victim, 83, is identified

A woman hit by a car and killed Tuesday night while trying to cross Boulder Highway has been identified as 83-year-old Irene Martinez.

Martinez of Henderson was crossing Boulder Highway near Warm Springs Road about 9:45 p.m. in a poorly lit area outside of a crosswalk when she was stuck, Henderson Police said.

Martinez died at the scene. The driver of the car had minor injuries. The accident remains under investigation.

Reid gets a B, Ensign a D

An annual report card from environmental and public interest groups gave Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., high marks for his votes on a national energy bill, but Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., barely made the grade.

U.S. Public Interest Research Group, the Sierra Club, Defenders of Wildlife and the Natural Resources Defense Council issued the report card today.

Reid received a "B" and Ensign a "'D" based on their votes for amendments to the energy bill. Almost half the Senate -- 41 members -- received an "F."

Ensign voted against fuel efficiency and renewable energy amendments, while scoring high for his vote on nuclear waste.

Reid led the pack by supporting renewable energy, opposing increased nuclear waste and supporting strong fuel efficiency standards, the report card said. The senator failed to vote in the public interest on an amendment that allows oil and gas exploration and development by hydraulic fracturing, a process that uses high-pressure water streams to recover oil in rock, but creates polluted runoff.

The report calls for the senators to oppose efforts to drill for oil and gas in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.