News briefs for May 20, 2002

Monday, May 20, 2002 | 10:15 a.m.

New tower to open at NLV airport

Federal, state and local officials will celebrate the grand opening of the new air traffic control tower at North Las Vegas Airport 10 a.m. Thursday.

The North Las Vegas tower, on the eastern side of the airport, is the first of its kind for medium activity airports, according to airport officials.

The North Las Vegas Airport is the second busiest in the state in terms of takeoffs and landings, Randall Walker, Clark County Department of Aviation director, said.

The new tower is located at 3700 Thunderbird Road, off Simmons Road between Carey and Cheyenne avenues.

A brief respite in the weather

For a couple of days Las Vegas residents and visitors can forget the summer-like temperatures, the National Weather Service forecast says.

A strong spring cold front moving off the West Coast will pull Las Vegas daytime highs into the 70s today and Tuesday, meteorologist Ernie Cobb said.

Strong and gusty winds, 25 to 35 mph with higher gusts, are expected today.

Instead of highs in the 90s, temperatures will dip into the 70s and low 80s today, Cobb said.

But, Cobb said, "It's back to summer by the end of the week."

Warden named for prison

James Schomig, who has 25 years' experience in corrections in Illinois, has been named warden of the High Desert State Prison near Indian Springs, succeeding George Grigas, who resigned unexpectedly earlier this year.

Schomig, who has been a warden of minimum, medium and maximum security prisons, was appointed by Jackie Crawford, director of the state Department of Corrections.

Crawford said Schomig is experienced in establishing mental health and behavioral units in prison. His most recent job was warden at the Pontiac Correctional Center in Pontiac, Ill.

Schomig will take over at the 2,016-bed prison on June 3.

Jarvis to head Oregon system

Richard Jarvis, Nevada's former university chancellor and the founder of an online university that will close next month, has been named chancellor of Oregon's higher education system Friday.

Jarvis, 53, will succeed Joseph W. Cox to oversee the state's seven campuses that educate 75,000 students.

Board members said they chose Jarvis because of his experience as chancellor of a state system and his willingness to takes risks in higher education, as he did launching Open University, which at its peak drew only 700 students.

He headed the Nevada system for five years but left after clashing with some members of the Board of Regents over shifting more resources from the Reno campus to the Las Vegas campus.

Predator crashes are explained

Air Force investigators have determined the causes of the crashes of two unmanned Predator reconnaissance airplanes based at Nellis Air Force Base.

The first plane crashed on Jan. 22 because of operator error, and the second went down on Jan. 25 as an operator tried to land it in high winds. The Air Force is not releasing the location of the crashes, and would only say that they were flying in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

Both of the $3.2 million aircraft were part of the 11th Reconnaissance Squadron, which flies out of the Indian Springs Air Force Auxiliary Air Field.

Probe begins in crash that killed 6

An investigation was under way Sunday into what caused a deadly roll-over accident that claimed the lives of six people in an SUV driving toward Las Vegas.

The accident occurred about 9:30 p.m. Saturday just north of Barstow on Interstate 15. A Ford Expedition carrying five passengers swerved into a brushy area and rolled violently after the driver apparently lost control, California Highway Patrol Officer Matt Hunt said. Four occupants were thrown from the vehicle and two others were partially ejected.

All six were pronounced dead at the scene.

Authorities identified the passengers Sunday as Eve Rodriguez, 48, and Jose Rodriguez, 50, of Hinkley, Calif., along with Maria Lucero, 68, and Antonio Lucero, 75, of Wilmington, Calif. Authorities withheld the names of the driver, a 48-year-old Norwalk woman, and her 50-year-old husband, pending notification of next of kin.

More than 127 people have been killed in the last three years on the highway between Barstow and Nevada.

Tighter traffic control planned

Metro Police will step up law enforcement Tuesday through Thursday in selected areas.

Officers on Tuesday will conduct block enforcement in an area between Decatur Boulevard and Torrey Pines Drive and Desert Inn Road to Sahara Avenue.

On Wednesday officers will conduct intersection enforcement at and around Charleston and Lamb boulevards, Flamingo Road and Maryland Parkway and Koval Lane and Tropicana Avenue.

On Thursday officers will conduct enforcement along Maryland Parkway from Sahara to Tropicana avenues, focusing on aggressive driving, following too closely and unsafe turns.

Nevada historian Wright honored

Frank Wright, recently retired longtime curator of history at the Nevada State Museum and Historical Society of Las Vegas, is one of seven individuals or agencies statewide to be honored for their contributions to historic preservation.

The recipients received their awards Sunday in Virginia City from the Nevada State Historic Preservation Office.

Wright was honored for "promoting Southern Nevada history and its resources, and his contribution continues into retirement," the state preservation office said.

Suspect sought in sexual assault

Metro Police are searching for 48-year-old man wanted in connection with a May 5 sexual assault.

Warrants are on file charging Albert Medina, also known as Luis Medina and Albert Figueroa, with sexual assault of a victim over 65 and battery with intent to commit sexual assault. He is a registered sexual offender and charged with failure to notify change of address. Medina was last registered and living in the 2900 block of East Charleston Boulevard.

He may be driving a 1998 Nissan pickup with Nevada license plate 128 MPF, according to police. Medina is described as a Hispanic male, 5 feet 6 inches tall, weighing about 160 pounds, with a surgical scar on his left knee.

Suspect sought in sexual assault

Metro Police are searching for 48-year-old man wanted in connection with a May 5 sexual assault.