News briefs for May 21, 2004

Friday, May 21, 2004 | 9:20 a.m.

Panel looks into gasoline prices

A congressional subcommittee looking into national energy policy will hold a meeting in Henderson on May 28 to address escalating gasoline prices in the Southwest.

The subcommittee, made up of energy policy advisers from the House Government Reform Subcommittee on Energy Policy and a AAA representative, will study the issues that contribute to gasoline prices and supply. The average price for a gallon in Las Vegas is $2.23, according to AAA.

The meeting will come just a week after the national average for gas prices crept above $2 a gallon for the first time.

The meeting will begin at 10 a.m. in the Sierra Room at the Henderson Convention Center, 200 Water St.

Man, 19, arrested in shooting death

A 19-year-old Las Vegas man was charged with murder in the Wednesday morning death of 22-year-old Lennell Bell of Las Vegas, Metro Police said.

Brandon Jamar Olds was arrested Wednesday night, police said.

Bell was shot about 1:30 a.m. outside an apartment in the 3900 block of Algonquin Drive.

Bell and a group of people had been gathered at one of the apartments, and Bell and Olds got into an argument prior to the shooting, police said.

Electrical panels cause accident

An electrical arc that burned two workers at the Bellagio on Thursday morning was a construction-related accident involving the installation of electical panels in the resort's new spa tower, officials said.

The incident occurred about 10 a.m. The victims were subcontractors hired to work on the construction's electrical system, Yvette Monet, spokeswoman for MGM Mirage.

"There was no interruption to guest services," she said. "Our backup system worked very well."

Thursday's electrical problem was not related to the three-day power outage last month, Monet said. The electrical systems for the hotel and the spa tower under construction are separate.

The workers suffered burns and were taken to University Medical Center for treatment.

Bellagio officials are trying to determine what caused the arc, Monet said.

GOP outnumbers Democrats

Republicans increased their lead over Democrats in the latest voter registration figures, Secretary of State Dean Heller said Thursday.

As of April 30 there were 355,527 Republicans compared to 343,954 Democrats, a margin of 11,563. At the end of March, the GOP had an advantage of 8,690.

Total registration statewide fell to 856,599 at the end of April from 872,632 at the end of March. Heller said the drop follows Clark County placing 34,606 voters on the "inactive list."

The number of nonpartisan voters stood at 128,469 at the end of April. There were 18,342 Independent American, 4,874 Libertarian, 2,544 Green, 860 Natural Law, 192 Reform and 1,837 other.

Thousands of phones were silenced

in the southern Vegas Valley Thursday night when a contractor working at McCarran International Airport cut Sprint phone cables. An estimated 9,800 lines lost service about 6:30 p.m. south of Tropicana Avenue and north of Wigwam Parkway, a Sprint spokesman said.

Service was restored after 10 p.m.

A North Las Vegas road

will be closed tonight until early Monday for construction work. North 5th Street will be closed from Gilmore Avenue to Craig Road beginning at 7 p.m. today, and will reopen to traffic at 5 a.m. Monday, a city statement said.