News briefs for December 6, 2004

Monday, Dec. 6, 2004 | 10:53 a.m.

Market manager shot in robbery

The manager of a Smith's grocery store on West Sahara Avenue near Fort Apache Road was shot in the shoulder Sunday night during a robbery attempt, Metro Police said.

The shooting occurred about 11:30 p.m. at the store at 9200 W. Sahara. Sgt. Chris Jones said the employee's wound was not life-threatening. The two would-be robbers left the store without stealing any money.

Police had not made any arrests in the case as of this morning.

Fire burns LV apartments

Twelve people were burned out of their apartments this morning by a fire that caused about $25,000 in damage at an eastern Las Vegas complex, authorities said.

Careless smoking is believed responsible for the fire, which began about 2 a.m. at the Elmwood Villa Apartments in the 400 block of North 28th Street near U.S. 95 and Eastern Avenue.

Las Vegas firefighters said the blaze started in the bedroom of a third-story apartment belonging to a husband and wife who lived across a breezeway from the 10 residents in the other apartment.

The fire was confined to one of the two bedrooms of the couple's apartment, firefighters said, but heavy smoke damage kept all 12 from returning to their apartments this morning.

The woman living in the apartment told firefighters she was in the bathroom when her husband told her their room was getting hot. She returned to find the mattress on fire, she said.

No one was injured in the fire, and the Red Cross is assisting the residents.

Chance for more rain continues

National Weather Service forecasters said there was enough energy in a storm system off the Southern California coast Sunday to push a trace of rain into Southern Nevada and keep temperatures below normal.

Although no measurable rain fell at McCarran International Airport Sunday, the official weather station in the Las Vegas Valley, a gauge in the southwest valley at Durango Drive measured 0.03 of an inch and one in Henderson recorded 0.01 of an inch.

There will be another chance for rain on Tuesday before drier air is expected to move into the valley.

The Spring Mountains received 1 to 2 inches of snow on Sunday, with the greater amount falling on Mount Charleston.

Sunday's high was 46 degrees while the normal temperature for this time of year is 54 degrees. The low was 34 degrees.

Temperatures should stay in the 50s during the day this week and could reach 60 degrees by the weekend, the weather service forecast said.

Detours planned on LV Boulevard

Clark County Public Works officials have scheduled road closures around Las Vegas Boulevard South, Sands Avenue and Spring Mountain Road.

The closures are necessary for construction crews while they hang pedestrian bridge girders in the area.

From 2 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Wednesday Las Vegas Boulevard between Sands Avenue and Desert Inn Road will be closed to through traffic.

From 9 p.m. Dec, 14 to 5 a.m. Dec. 15 Sands Avenue from Las Vegas Boulevard to Koval Lane will be closed.

From 9 p.m. Dec. 22 to 5 a.m. Dec. 23 Spring Mountain Road between Las Vegas Boulevard and Fashion Show Drive will be closed.

While the roads are closed, motorists traveling in the area will be directed to detours.

Flu shots are still available

Clark County Health District nurses vaccinated 2,418 people at the flu shot clinic Friday.

Since the clinics began on Tuesday, 11,162 flu shots have been given, officials said.

The Health District has received additional flu shots from area clinics and providers with surplus vaccines. With those donations, the district will have enough vaccine to continue clinics through Tuesday, officials said.

The vaccine distribution still is limited to high-risk individuals.

Pediatric vaccine doses remain available in the regular immunization clinic at the Ravenholt Public Health Center, 625 Shadow Lane, near Charleston Boulevard and Interstate 15, and additional district clinics at: East Las Vegas Public Health Center, 560 N. Nellis Blvd., Suite 12; Henderson Public Health Center, 129 W. Lake Mead Drive, No. 10; North Las Vegas Public Health Center, 1820 E. Lake Mead Blvd., Suite F.

Inmate walks away from prison camp

Danny Bounsall, a convicted burglar, walked away from the Indian Springs Conservation Camp sometime after 5 a.m. on Saturday, officials of the Nevada Department of Corrections said.

Bounsall is 6 feet tall, weighs 168 pounds and has hazel eyes and brown hair, officials said.

The 51-year-old man was serving a six-year sentence for burglary and was due for release in 2006.

He now could receive another eight years, Howard Skolnik, assistant director of Department of Corrections, said.

Woman dies after SUV crash

An 18-year-old Las Vegas woman who was ejected from her sport utility vehicle on Industrial Road near Serene Avenue early Friday has died, Metro Police said.

Ashly Wyllie was heading north on Industrial at a high rate of speed just after midnight when her GMC Jimmy drifted toward the curb. She over-corrected and lost control, police said. The vehicle rolled over and Wyllie was ejected.

She was not wearing a seat belt, police said. Alcohol and speed appear to be factors in the crash.

Fire in garage called accident

A fire that destroyed a northwest Las Vegas garage Saturday morning was ruled accidental, according to a statement from Las Vegas Fire & Rescue.

Firefighters responded to the blaze in the 2500 block of Seabiscuit Street near Michael Way and Smoke Ranch Road about 9 a.m. Saturday and found smoke pouring from the garage of a one-story home.

Fire investigators ruled the blaze, which led to $35,000 in damage, accidental. The homeowner told investigators he had been welding in the garage before the fire started.

He called the fire department after a neighbor told him about the smoke coming from his garage.