News briefs for Oct. 16, 2002

Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2002 | 11:10 a.m.

Mall complex's fate discussed

Commercial Center business owners told Clark County commissioners Tuesday that a special tax to improve streets, sidewalks and the parking lot would be devastating to their strip mall shops.

Commissioners agreed the $3.9 million price tag on the improvement project was high and asked public works staff to re-evaluate the county's options to fix up the aging complex in the 900 block of East Sahara Avenue.

Property owners filed a lawsuit against the county, claiming it violated a 40-year-old agreement in which landowners claim commissioners consented to pay for the maintenance of the sidewalks and parking lots. The trial is set to begin in January.

While most board members agreed the county should play a role in improving the shopping mall, Commissioner Chip Maxfield was less sympathetic.

"I'm not going to spend the public's money when you won't spend money of your own," Maxfield said.

Charges reduced against teacher

A teacher accused of kidnapping and having sex with a 15-year-old student had a felony charge against her reduced to a misdemeanor in San Bernardino, Calif.

Tanya Hadden, 33, who taught at Cajon High School, still faces six felony counts of having unlawful sex with a minor and committing lewd and lascivious acts with a child.

On Tuesday Superior Court Judge Robert Macomber reduced the child-stealing charge from a felony to a misdemeanor.

Hadden is accused of abducting Richard Pena, a student in one of her classes, on April 29 and driving to Las Vegas. The two were found days later at a Las Vegas Strip hotel. Hadden was arrested and Pena told police the two had sex repeatedly.

Hadden pleaded guilty last month to similar charges in Las Vegas and was sentenced to probation.

County inspects businesses

Following up on promises to scrutinize hazardous materials plants in light of last year's deadly AeroTech blaze, Clark County officials conducted their first unannounced inspection Tuesday.

Fire inspectors' descent on Univar USA, Inc., a chemical distribution plant on Valley View Boulevard, is the first inspection in what will become routine unannounced visits to high-risk businesses.

Clark County Manager Thom Reilly vowed to inspect the businesses after an explosion caused by water-soaked magnesium rocked the AeroTech model rocket-fueling plant in southeast Las Vegas, killing an employee.

The results of Tuesday's inspection will not be immediately released.

Woman dies after collision

Shayla Brooks, 21, of Las Vegas died today of injuries she suffered about 9:30 Tuesday night in a crash on Sahara Avenue, east of Sandhill Road, Metro Police said.

Brooks was heading east on Sahara Avenue in a 1996 Plymouth Neon when she lost control on a curve and went into the westbound lanes. The right side of the Neon hit the front of a Ford van driven by James Sitas, 22, of Las Vegas.

Brooks was taken to University Medical Center. Sitas was hospitalized with moderate injuries, police said.

The cause of the crash appears to be speed and improper steering, police said. This is the 108th fatal traffic crash handled by Metro this year.

Mistrial declared in shooting trial

The trial of a 42-year-old Oregon resident charged with trying to kill his former girlfriend came to an abrupt end Tuesday.

District Judge Joseph Bonaventure was forced to declare a mistrial in the John Spisak case when a detective divulged information the jury should not have heard.

The judge was expected to reschedule the trial today.

Spisak, 42, is accused of beating and shooting his former girlfriend Diane Norte in the neck outside a Las Vegas Boulevard South bar in July 2001.

Norte survived despite spending five weeks in a coma. Spisak of Oregon is facing a charge of attempted murder with use of a deadly weapon. If convicted, Spisak could receive a four- to 40-year sentence.