News briefs for Jan. 23, 2003

Thursday, Jan. 23, 2003 | 10:02 a.m.

Rundle prosecutors to reveal evidence

Attorneys prosecuting the man accused of killing his wife with a baseball bat will have to share their findings with defense attorneys, a District Court judge ruled Wednesday.

District Judge Kathy Hardcastle granted a motion by Deputy Public Defenders Curtis Brown and Nancy Lemcke to compel prosecutors' discovery in the case of William Rundle.

Chief Deputy District Attorney David Schwartz did not oppose the motion.

Schwartz said he would make his entire file available to defense attorneys with the exception of a few items, which he declined to specify.

Rundle, 57, is charged with murder and robbery in the August 2002 death of his wife, Shirley, 63. He faces the death penalty.

Rundle's trial is scheduled to begin Feb. 10.

Workshops set on strychnine use

The Nevada Agriculture Department has scheduled a series of public workshops in January and February to discuss restrictions on pesticides containing strychnine.

Strychnine is used to kill burrowing rodents, such as gophers and ground squirrels. The state is not issuing a total ban, but restricting the pesticide to those with a legitimate need for it.

"Strychnine is becoming the poison of choice for homeowners to deal with problem neighborhood dogs," department environmental scientist Charles Moses said. Since 1995, 49 dogs have been confirmed or suspected of dying from strychnine in Nevada, he said.

A workshop from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Jan. 31 has been scheduled at the Agriculture Department, 2300 McLeod, north of Sahara Avenue. Two others have been set for February in Elko and Reno.

Reward increased in dogs' killings

The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals is now offering $2,000 for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of whoever drowned two dogs in a backyard pool in North Las Vegas in September.

The group previously offered a $1,000 reward to catch whoever duct-taped the dogs legs and threw them into the pool behind a home on Agave Avenue.

According to a PETA statement, North Las Vegas Police report no solid leads in the case and the animal rights group hopes the increased reward will encourage someone to come forward.

PETA asked that anyone with information about the cases contact police at 385-5555.

Carey Avenue project to start

A $3.2 million road-widening project for Carey Avenue between Rancho Drive and Clayton Street in North Las Vegas will begin Monday, according to a statement from City Hall.

The project includes widening that part of the road so there will be two lanes in each direction, repaving, installation of new curbs and gutters, streetlights, and drainage improvements and construction of a raised median with landscaping.

Federal funds will pay $3 million toward the $3.2 million construction cost, the city statement said.

Construction should take about eight months and should be completed in September.

The city recommends motorists use alternate east-west routes, such as Lake Mead Boulevard or Cheyenne Avenue, especially during peak commute times.

Scuba permits protect B-29

Scuba diving permits for part of the Lower Overton Arm of Lake Mead have been extended to protect the site of the sunken B-29 Beetle Bomber, officials said.

Diving restrictions will be re-evaluated in January 2004.

The B-29 and the site where it rests are managed by the National Park Service under the National Historic Preservation Act.

Permits for scuba diving may be obtained by contacting the Chief Ranger's Office at (702) 293-8908.