News briefs for July 21, 2004

Wednesday, July 21, 2004 | 9:48 a.m.

Woman dies in highway crash

A 61-year-old woman was killed this morning on State Route 160, about 22 miles north of Las Vegas.

The woman was heading north in a Hyundai Sonata about 12:45 a.m. when she veered off the road, overcorrected, spun, overturned and hit a mesquite tree, the Nevada Highway Patrol said.

The driver was partially ejected and she was pronounced dead at the scene. Her name had not been released this morning.

Execution for killer scheduled

CARSON CITY -- District Judge Janet Berry on Tuesday scheduled the execution of convicted killer Terry Dennis for the week of Aug. 9.

Dennis, 57, was scheduled to die Thursday at the Nevada State Prison in Carson City, but the execution warrant was found to be defective and a new date had to be set.

Meanwhile, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Monday is to hear oral arguments on a petition by Reno lawyer Karla Butko. Butko wants the court to allow her to be a "next friend" of Dennis. Dennis has rejected further appeals on his behalf but Butko says he is not mentally capable of making that decision.

Dennis pleaded guilty to the March 1999 strangulation of Ilona Straumanis, 56, in Reno and was sentenced to death by a three-judge panel.

Water reclamation bonds approved

The Henderson City Council today unanimously approved issuing $110 million of bonds, most of which will be used to expand one water reclamation facility and build another.

About $73.4 million will go toward improvements and expansion of the city's Water Reclamation Facility on Athens Road. The expansion, which is already underway thanks to some existing utility funds, is expected to increase the plant's capacity from 24 million gallons a day to 32 million gallons a day by spring 2008, said Kurt Segler, the city utility services director.

Some of the money will also help pay for the planned $40 million Southwest Water Reclamation Facility, to go on land off St. Rose Parkway between Eastern Avenue and the Las Vegas Beltway. That plant is expected to open in 2009 or 2010, and to be able to treat up to 10 million gallons a day, Segler said.

City documents estimated the 30-year bonds, with a 6 percent interest rate, would ultimately cost the city about $238 million by 2034.

Kyle Canyon housing OK'd

The Clark County Planning Commission approved 39 houses on 80 acres off Kyle Canyon Road Tuesday night over the objections of about 30 neighbors to the project.

The protestors said they were concerned that the upscale development would affect the wildlife in the area adjacent to Bureau of Land Management's Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, bring crime and traffic to the area and dry up wells.

However, Richard Moreno, representing developer Cherokee Land Development, noted that the development on 2-acre parcels conformed to the zoning plans for the area. He said the developer would work with the Nevada State Engineer, whose office governs the use of groundwater, to protect wells in the rural area.

The vote to approve the project was 5-0. Protestors have promised to appeal to the full Clark County Commission.

Delays expected on Charleston

Traffic is expected to be brought to a crawl this weekend on a busy stretch of Charleston Boulevard as workers finish the last phase of the city's $7 million Charleston Boulevard Sewer System Improvement Project.

Workers expect traffic to be slowed starting about 6 p.m. Friday and continuing through Sunday night, during which time westbound travel on Charleston Boulevard between Nellis Boulevard and Arden Street will be restricted, according to a statement from Las Vegas Public Works.

The Charleston Boulevard sewer project started in June to improve sewer systems on Charleston, from Honolulu Street to Nellis Boulevard.

Simmons traffic signal ready

Las Vegas Councilman Lawrence Weekly on Friday is scheduled to turn on a much-needed traffic signal at the busy intersection of Vegas Drive and Simmons Street.

The new light is part of an $11.6 million contract the city awarded to Frehner Construction to build new signals, a regional storm drainage system and improve the roads. Other projects include lights at Vegas and Tonopah drives and widening Owens Avenue and Vegas Drive to two travel lanes in each direction.

The projects are designed to alleviate traffic snarls in the north-central part of the city.

Funding was provided through the Regional Transportation Commission, the Regional Flood Control District and the city of Las Vegas.