News briefs for July 8, 2003

Tuesday, July 8, 2003 | 9:54 a.m.

Reid reaches out to rural residents

In an effort to reach out to rural constituents, Sen. Harry Reid will launch a mobile office that will travel to local post offices.

The mobile office will be staffed by Burk Morrison and offer citizens all the resources of the senator's regular office.

"Coming from a small town myself, I've always worked hard to reach out to rural communities," Reid, a native of Searchlight, said in a written statement.

The mobile office will be making stops in: Pahrump, July 20 from 2-6 p.m.; Armagosa Valley, July 21 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.; Beatty, July 22 from 11 a.m.- 2p.m.; Tonopah, July 23 from 2 p.m.- 6 p.m.; Ely, July 25 from 2 p.m.-6 p.m.; McGill, July 26 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.; Caliente, July 27 from 2 p.m.-6 p.m.; Moapa, July 28 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.; and Mesquite, July 29 from 2 p.m.-6 p.m.

Harmon ordered to pay attorneys

An arbitration committee ordered former state Assemblyman Harley Harmon to pay his former attorneys nearly $50,000 in overdue fees for legal representation during his federal trial last year.

The panel determined that Harmon, 55, owed the local law firm of Wright Judd & Winckler $47,999.25 in legal fees that were incurred when Richard Wright defended Harmon against mail fraud charges.

Bruce Judd, one of the firm's attorneys, declined to comment on the details of the decision except to say that the matter had been resolved.

"As far as we're concerned it's over," he said.

Wright represented Harmon until August, when Wright withdrew himself from the case and local attorney Frank Creman took over. Harmon had claimed he was overcharged for services rendered and for work that was never performed, according to the decision.

The decision states that Harmon "agreed to pay for services rendered at the rate of $225.00 per hour."

Harmon was found guilty of 34 counts of mail fraud in connection with a multimillion-dollar mortgage scandal. He faces a 170-year prison sentence when he is sentenced in August.

Police seek help in accident probe

Henderson Police are asking for the public's help in investigating an accident that happened Friday.

Officers arrived at Pabco Road, less than a mile north of Sunset Road, about 10 p.m. and found a 1997 black Chevrolet S-10 pickup truck that had been traveling southbound on Pabco.

Apparently the truck had been traveling at a high rate of speed, the driver lost control and the pickup truck flipped, police said.

A 36-year-old man driving the vehicle was pronounced dead at the scene and a 15-year-old passenger was uninjured.

Alcohol is believed to be a factor in the crash, police said.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Henderson Police Dept. at 565-8933 or CrimeStoppers at 385-5555.