News briefs for Nov. 7, 2002

Thursday, Nov. 7, 2002 | 11:02 a.m.

Woman shot at least seven times

Metro Police are investigating the shooting of a woman who remained in critical condition this morning at University Medical Center.

The 33-year-old woman was shot several times about 11:30 p.m. Tuesday in the 1400 block of South 11th Street, said Officer Tirso Dominguez, a Metro spokesman.

Police responded to the area for a call of shots fired and found the woman suffering from nine gunshot wounds, Dominguez said. UMC officials said they counted only seven bullet wounds.

Police believe that the victim may know who shot her, but have not yet had the chance to interview her.

Arrest warrant issued in stabbing

Metro Police have issued a warrant for the arrest of Michael Ramirez Santiago, 29, in connection with a stabbing death.

Santiago is described as an Asian male, 5-foot-8 and 170 pounds.

The warrant was issued after a man was stabbed to death in an apartment complex in the 500 block of South Maryland Parkway on Saturday.

Witnesses told police that two men were arguing before the stabbing.

The Clark County coroner's office said this morning that the identity of the victim is being withheld pending family notification.

Guinn to push fight against Yucca

Gov. Kenny Guinn said he is renewing his battle against the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository by taping radio ads that will encourage Nevadans not to give up the fight against the dump.

Guinn recorded his anti-Yucca Mountain message in 60-second radio spots that will also feature past broken promises made by the Energy Department in regard to nuclear waste disposal, a Guinn spokesman said.

"It's important for people to know that the fight over Yucca Mountain has only begun," Guinn spokesman Greg Bortolin said.

While President Bush and Congress approved Yucca Mountain as a repository site this year, Nevada has filed five lawsuits to stop the project, Bortolin said.

Tax district set for Aliante project

The creation of a special tax district for the Aliante master-planned community in North Las Vegas was approved Wednesday by the City Council.

The council voted 4-0 to establish a special improvement district for the 1,905-acre development. The council also voted 4-0 to authorize the issuance of $50 million in bonds, which will pay for infrastructure such as streets and water and sewer lines.

Property owners in the special improvement district will pay a fee, probably about $4,000 each, to pay off the bonds, city Public Works Director James Bell has said.

Special improvement districts, which are sometimes called local improvement districts, are common in master-planned communities throughout the Las Vegas Valley.

City Manager Kurt Fritsch has said that the 7,500 homes planned for Aliante will pay about $30 million of the debt, with commercial properties in that community paying about $20 million.

Aliante is a project of North Valley Enterprises LLC, a partnership between developers American Nevada Corp. and Del Webb Corp. American Nevada is owned by the Greenspun family, which owns the Las Vegas Sun.

Comments sought on Calico Basin

The Bureau of Land Management will host a meeting for public comment on the Calico Basin management plan from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Wednesday at the Red Rock Canyon Area visitor center.

The BLM is collecting information and comments on protecting sensitive species, restoring the Red Springs area, Calico Spring, Ash Spring, wild horse and burro management, recreation uses and cultural resources.

For those unable to attend the meeting, send comments to: Patrick Putnam, BLM, 4701 N. Torrey Pines Blvd., Las Vegas, NV, 89130.

New road replaces old at Lake Mead

Road 108, leading to Blue Point Bay on Lake Mead, will be closed at 6 a.m. on Tuesday because National Park Service rangers are concerned that the road is not safe, Lake Mead National Recreation Area Supt. William Dickinson said.

To reach Blue Point Bay, a new road designated Road 108A has been built near the old one.

By closing the old, eroded road, the Park Service can begin to restore sections of the old road, plants and wildlife habitat, Dickinson said.

Three reappointed to surveyor panel

Gov. Kenny Guinn today announced the reappointment of three people -- two of them from Clark County -- to the state Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors.

Named to new three-year terms were Todd Kenner, a civil engineer in Henderson; Dennis Anderson, a senior design engineer in Las Vegas; and James Gardner, a mechanical engineer from Reno.

The board licenses and regulates professional engineers, land surveyors and certifies people as interns for engineering and surveyor status.