News briefs for March 9, 2004

Tuesday, March 9, 2004 | 11:08 a.m.

Two arrested in NLV bar robbery

An armed man robbed a bar Monday at the Fort Cheyenne Casino in North Las Vegas, police said.

Ernest Houston, 22, and Lamar Harvey, 33, were quickly arrested.

The robbery occurred about 2:30 a.m. at the casino at 2418 E. Cheyenne Ave. Officer Tim Bedwell, spokesman for North Las Vegas Police, said Harvey served as the lookout for Houston, who allegedly held a gun on a bartender.

Police allege Houston ran away with an undisclosed sum of money. He was arrested in the 2400 block of Venus Avenue, less than a mile from the casino.

Harvey was detained by casino patrons as he tried to flee, Bedwell said.

Both were booked into the North Las Vegas Detention Center on charges of armed robbery. Houston was also charged with possession of a stolen gun.

Passer-by helps thwart burglary

Three boys and an 18-year-old man were arrested Monday on burglary charges after a passerby saw them breaking into a home on West Hammer Lane, near Ann Road and Valley Drive.

The burglary occurred just before 11 a.m. A man driving by the house saw the front door being kicked in and called police, Bedwell said.

As officers arrived they saw people running from the house. Two were immediately caught and the others were found hiding in neighboring yards, police said.

Dwayne Jones, 18, two 17-year-olds and a 16-year-old were all arrested and charged with burglary.

Boulder City recall petition OK'd

Boulder City's April recall election will feature a replay of the June mayoral contest.

The recall election will pit Mayor Bob Ferraro against former City Councilman Bill Smith, whom the mayor beat by 18 votes in June. The recall election also will give voters a chance to choose between City Councilman Mike Pacini and retired businessman Arn McLean.

Supporters of the recall collected signatures on petitions to recall Ferraro and Pacini and put Smith and McLean on the ballot against the incumbents simultaneously.

Acting City Manager Vicki Mayes said the secretary of state's office notified her Monday that petitions to put Smith and McLean on the recall ballot had enough valid signatures, and both candidates have filed to run on the April 6 ballot. Early voting will be April 1-3.

Other candidates wishing to appear on the ballot have until March 17 to gather enough signatures to qualify for the ballot.

Council to vote on Boulder Creek

The Boulder City Council is scheduled to vote tonight on a $500,000 buyout of the private firm that has been running the city's Boulder Creek Golf Club since it opened in January 2003.

In addition to the $500,000 buyout to Triad Golf Management, the agreement would require the city to pay $6,176 to Triad for unpaid management fees, $51,590 to the construction company that built the golf course, and $77,000 to cover the remainder of the golf course's contract with golf pro Stephanie Keever Loudon for marketing.

The city will pay a total $634,766 to get out of the contract and is expected to run the course with city staff.

Triad is about 18 months into a 10-year contract under which the city was to pay the group $650,000 a year, plus bonuses based on profits, to run the course.

City officials have been unhappy with Triad because the course lost about $2.2 million during its first 12 months and continues to lose thousands of dollars a month.

Shares in Ely store planned

Approval is pending by the secretary of state's office to issue shares in Ely's community-based clothing store.

Money raised through the stock sale would be used to establish a downtown store in the rural town to replace JC Penney, which is scheduled to close in July.

State officials said the stock issue application is under review and a decision is expected this week.

Meanwhile, a town meeting is scheduled Saturday to update residents on the Community Owned Mercantile Project and launch the stock sale if approval is granted.