News briefs for July 29, 2004

Thursday, July 29, 2004 | 9:36 a.m.

Smoke, dust did little harm to air

Smoke and dust that enveloped the Strip and parts of the Las Vegas Valley late Tuesday evening had no significant effect on air quality, according to Clark County meteorologists.

Official records measured spikes in dust and smoke particles at about 8 p.m. Tuesday. The elevated levels of pollutants subsided quickly, along with the dust storm that swept through the area in about an hour, Phillip Wicker, a meteorologist for the Clark County Department of Air Quality Management said.

Though the spikes showed significant temporary increases in the concentrations of smoke and dust particles in the air above the valley, 24-hour averages of the levels of particulate matter in the air weren't high enough to cause concern, Wicker said.

For a three-hour period Tuesday, dust pollution reached the moderate zone. But officials still classified pollution level averages as "in the good range" that day, Wicker said.

The smoke had a measurable effect on air quality here, but not an unhealthy effect, Wicker added.

Councilwoman a Kennedy graduate

North Las Vegas Councilwoman Stephanie Smith graduated earlier this month from the John F. Kennedy School of Government Program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government, the city announced Wednesday.

Taxpayers covered $5,865 of the cost for Smith to attend the program. Taxpayers' money was used to pay for Smith's travel, other expenses, and for half the cost of the three-week, $9,800 course conducted by Harvard University.

Smith paid for the other half of the course cost, city spokeswoman Brenda Johnson said.

North Las Vegas Councilwoman Shari Buck and Mayor Michael Montandon have also graduated from the program. Montandon's program was paid for with a fellowship. Buck used campaign contributions to pay for her participation in the program.

City Manager Gregory Rose said the city was right to pay for Smith's participation.

"I think that it's good for the citizens of North Las Vegas for them (the city's elected officials) to receive that training. It trains them to make better policy and better decisions," Rose said.

The Kennedy program touched on many topics, including political management, policy analysis, the relationship between citizens and government and the ethical and professional responsibilities of leadership, the city statement said.

Program participants must be senior-level executives or elected officials from state or local governments.

Third West Nile case is reported

Results from a preliminary test show a third person in Nevada may be infected with West Nile Virus.

The state Health Division said Wednesday the person, who is over the age of 50, lives in a small northern rural county. The division has declined to identify the individual or say whether he is in the hospital.

Two other cases were previously identified -- one in Clark County and one in Washoe County.

The division said the individual in rural Nevada had a severe form of illness and appears to have acquired the virus in Nevada since he had not traveled outside the state recently enough to have become infected elsewhere.

The preliminary test was done by the state Health Lab in Reno and the final testing is being conducted by a federally certified lab in Richmond, Calif. It should be completed in one to two weeks.

West Nile Virus is most often spread by the bite of an infected mosquito.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says most people infected with the virus will not have any type of illness or symptom. It is estimated 20 percent of the people infected will develop a fever that includes headache, tiredness and body aches.