News briefs for Oct. 14, 2003

Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2003 | 11:09 a.m.

County takes on Strip work

Clark County is gearing up to take on the roadway and sidewalk maintenance for the Las Vegas Strip from the state Transportation Department.

The county will take over maintenance on the Strip from Sahara Avenue to Russell Road.

Strip residents, property owners, developers and visitors having questions about the Strip can call the county at 455-6000. The county plans to add personnel and equipment to its maintenance plan. Under the county's plan, the Strip roadways and adjacent public sidewalks will be swept every Monday, Wednesday and Friday between 6 a.m. and noon. During these operations, the roadways will be swept between the hours of 6 and 8 a.m.

The county's assumption of this maintenance responsibility is a direct result of an NDOT resolution of relinquishment, which was originally proposed and approved in 2002. The resolution does not include the elevated pedestrian crosswalks at the intersection of Las Vegas Boulevard and Tropicana Avenue.

Man dies after burning weeds

A 28-year-old man who was severely burned last week after pouring gasoline on weeds died Monday at University Medical Center's burn unit, fire officials said.

The man, whose name was not released, suffered burns on more than 60 percent of his body on Oct. 5.

Las Vegas Fire Department spokesman Tim Szymanski said he was trying to kill weeds behind a condominium in the 8000 block of West Charleston Boulevard, but his clothing ignited when he went inside.

This is the third time in the past several weeks that gasoline being used improperly caused a fire.

Henderson named agriculture chief

Don Henderson, acting director of the state Department of Agriculture since August 2002, has been named permanent director by the state Board of Agriculture.

The board interviewed four candidates Monday and selected Henderson, who has been with the department for 5 1/2 years. Henderson has been acting director since Paul Iverson took leave because of an illness and eventually died in May this year.

The department has about 100 full-time employees and about 120 "intermittent" workers such as brand inspectors, Henderson said.

Other candidates for the job were Dennis Hellwinkel, Karen Grillo and Phillip Ward.

Health inspectors shut down brothel

State health officials have shut down the only remaining brothel in Churchill County, citing a lack of potable water as well as concerns about the potential for rodents and insects.

Dave Evans, state health inspector for Churchill County, determined last week that the Salt Wells brothel on U.S. Highway 50 east of Fallon had insufficient, safe water, the Lahontan Valley News and Fallon Eagle Standard reported.

Clark cancels LV appearances

Retired Gen. Wesley Clark, a Democratic candidate for president, has canceled public appearances planned for Wednesday and Thursday.

Clark had planned "service events" in Las Vegas in a campaign stop on Thursday, campaign spokeswoman Andrea Evans said. He is now scheduled to go to Tucson, Ariz., and Oklahoma City that day, but no public events are scheduled in Las Vegas.

Clark had already canceled a speech he was scheduled to deliver Wednesday at the Rio hotel in Las Vegas after critics said paid speaking engagements may violate federal campaign finance laws.

"Our lawyers said it would be OK for him to speak but in order to make a clean break, he decided to cancel the speech," Clark spokesman Clayton Parker said.