News briefs for July 29, 2003

Tuesday, July 29, 2003 | 10:28 a.m.

Four die in Utah plane crash

Ten-year-old Brianna Michelle Garcia just wanted to return home to celebrate her upcoming birthday. She never got the chance.

She was killed Saturday morning in a plane crash along with everyone on board, including her grandfather, brother and sister.

Wayne G. Connolly, 55, of Las Vegas, was piloting the single-engine plane when it plummeted to the ground shortly after takeoff about 10:50 a.m, San Juan County sheriff's officials said.

Connolly's other grandson and granddaughter were identified as 6-year-old Robert Garcia III and 5-year-old Hunter Chase Garcia, sheriff's Lt. Monte Dalton said Monday.

The children, who lived in Aurora, Colo., had been spending time in Las Vegas with Connolly and wife, Patricia, before heading home for Brianna's birthday on Monday.

Las Vegas get top rating

The Insurance Services Office has granted Las Vegas Class 1 rating for another 10 years. The top rating reflects the city's success in providing public safety to the community and ensures lower fire insurance premiums for residents.

The city first received its class one rating on May 1, 1990, the first city in Nevada to obtain the classification.

Las Vegas is one of only 47 communities around the United States to receive a Class 1 rating. Clark County and Fallon are the other entities with the top rating in Nevada.

Test Site company gets $300,000

The Energy Department announced Monday a $300,000 award to the Nevada Test Site Development Corp. for continuing support for current projects and programs, including a partnership with the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee.

The Nevada-Tennessee partnership assists both Energy Department sites with commercializing new technologies developed at Oak Ridge's laboratory.

Funds will also be used to support a project with Kistler Aerospace Corp., the developer of the world's first fully reusable launch vehicle. Kistler is working on launch-recovery operations at the Test Site, 65 miles northwest of Las Vegas.

The Energy Department and the NTS Development Corp. have created or retained 1,945 jobs and estimate that 3,000 jobs will be created or retained by 2005.

NTS Development recently formed an alliance with the University of Nevada, Las Vegas' Research Foundation to combine resources to enhance job creation, develop technology and diversify initiatives.

Comment sought on Lake Mead

The National Park Service is asking the public to comment on an amendment to the general management plan for Lake Mead as the lake's level continues to drop after four years of drought.

The plan provides direction for long-term management of the Lake Mead National Recreation Area.

Lake Mead is a major flood control reservoir and the Bureau of Reclamation, which manages the flow of the Colorado River through Hoover Dam, can cause the lake's level to change over hundreds of feet.

As the lake's level dropped, the Las Vegas Boat Harbor Marina and Lake Mead Cruises had to move with other marinas farther away from the expanding shoreline.

The launch ramps at Government Wash and Pearce Ferry have been closed and other ramps may also be in danger of closing if the lake continues to decline.

The National Park Service is planning to evaluate nine public launch ramps and six marina locations to measure the effects of lower lake levels.

Some solutions might involve modifying or extending facilities where they exist, or identifying alternative locations for visitors. The Park Service is also considering combining visitor facilities or closing some.

People may write to: Park Planner Jim Holland, Lake Mead National Recreation Area, 601 Nevada Way, Boulder City, NV 89005.

Comments may also be e-mailed to: lame-gmpa-lowwater@nps.gov.

Comments will be accepted until Aug. 30.