News briefs for Jan. 30, 2003

Thursday, Jan. 30, 2003 | 11:18 a.m.

Passenger in car killed in crash

A woman was killed this morning when a 1997 Honda Accord crashed into a light pole and palm tree on Silverado Ranch Boulevard between Bermuda Road and La Cienga Street, Metro Police said.

The driver of the car, Jose Bernabe-Rios, 30, of Las Vegas was in critical condition this morning at University Medical Center, a spokesman said.

The 24-year-old passenger was pronounced dead at the scene. The Clark County coroner's office said the victim's identity was pending family notification.

About 3 a.m. Rios' car was traveling west on Silverado Ranch at a high rate of speed when he lost control, police said. Rios was thrown from the car. Alcohol might have been a factor in the crash, police said. No charges have been filed.

New candidates join council races

Two new candidates filed Wednesday for Henderson City Council, and another council candidate emerged in Boulder City.

Ed Molitoris is the new candidate for Henderson Ward 1. Amanda Cyphers, who currently represents Ward 1, has announced her intent to seek re-election but had not filed as a candidate as of Wednesday.

Briana Ousley-Mitchell became the third candidate for Ward 2, joining Rocco Tucker in trying to replace incumbent Andy Hafen, who is seeking another four-year term on the council.

In Boulder City, Kevin Polk filed Wednesday as a council candidate. Polk joined Roger Tobler and Anthony Pakula in the race to fill the council seats currently held by Bryan Nix and Doug Scheppmann.

Indictment hits Weinstein's mother

Nearly four months after her arrest on racketeering charges, the elderly mother of a notorious slain bookmaker was indicted Wednesday by a grand jury.

The document charges Sylvia White, along with co-defendants Brian Foster, Chris Betschman, Jeffrey Bonebreak, Philip Lorcher and White's grandson, Marc Weinstein, with felonies that include racketeering and operating a sports book without a license.

The defendants are scheduled to make their first court appearance Feb. 12.

White's son, Bruce Weinstein, 46, was a wealthy Las Vegas bookie who was killed in 1996.

White, 76, was arrested in October when state Gaming Control Board agents raided a house in the 11000 block of Tribiani Avenue in Summerlin and discovered the operation, officials said.

If convicted, White faces a one- to 10-year prison sentence and a $50,000 fine for the charge of operating a sports book without a license. She faces a sentence of five- to 20 years on the racketeering charge.

January to end on record note

The Las Vegas Valley didn't break the high temperature record for Jan. 29 of 71 degrees set in 1971, but the month is still on track to be the valley's warmest January on record, according to the National Weather Service.

Las Vegas' previous warmest January was in 1986 when the average temperature was 51.7 degrees. This month the average has been 52.8 degrees, 1.1 degrees above the 17-year record, Weather Service meteorologists said.

February could start off similarly warm, with a high of 75 degrees predicted for Saturday.

The spring-like temperatures will retreat, returning to normal for this time of year on Sunday, when winds swoop into the valley, dropping daytime highs to the low 60s and the lows in the lower 40s and high 30s next week.

Lawsuit filed over stolen health data

A class-action lawsuit was filed on behalf of military personnel whose personal information was stolen in a computer data theft last month at a defense contractor in Phoenix.

The lawsuit stems from a burglary at the Phoenix office of TriWest Healthcare Alliance, a private firm that runs the Defense Department's TriCare HMO program.

Tucson attorneys David Karnas and Gary Bellovin filed the lawsuit Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Phoenix on behalf of Army Lt. Col. Michael Stollenwerk and his wife, Andrea De Gatica, both of Virginia. Stollenwerk works in the Washington, D.C.-area.

On Dec 14, thieves stole computer hard drives containing names, addresses, phone numbers, medical claim histories and Social Security numbers for about 562,000 military personnel.