News briefs for October 5, 2004

Tuesday, Oct. 5, 2004 | 11:12 a.m.

Christensen asked to reply

The Secretary of State has asked Assemblyman Chad Christensen, R-Las Vegas, to reply to allegations that he improperly took an interest-free personal loan out of campaign funds.

Christensen's opponent in the upcoming election, Democrat Justin Jones, filed the complaint last month. He said Christensen lent himself $3,500 in January and repaid it in August.

The complaint also alleges that Christensen failed to detail all of his expenses and that he listed some expenses in the wrong category of his filing, according to the letter from Ronda Moore, deputy secretary for elections.

Christensen has said he considered that violation an honest mistake by a staffer and hired an accountant to make sure it didn't happen again.

He is due to respond to the complaint by Oct. 19.

Detour planned at Rainbow, U.S. 95

Drivers who regularly use the Rainbow Boulevard exit to reach U.S. 95 will have to find another route beginning Saturday, according to the Nevada Department of Transportation.

The exit, previously a key artery linking the eastbound Summerlin Parkway to northbound U.S. 95 is being rerouted to make way for a new bridge structure that will link the parkway to the heavily traveled highway, Bob McKenzie, a spokesman for NDOT, said.

Traffic that would have taken Rainbow will be detoured to Buffalo Drive, which will then route drivers to U.S. 95, McKenzie said. The Rainbow exit will be closed for roughly eight weeks as workers demolish the old bridge and begin routing traffic to the new bridge, reopening in late November, he said.

In the meantime, NDOT recommends drivers find alternate routes tailored to their commutes to avoid congestion along the detour, McKenzie said.

The $42 million bridge project is slated for completion in May 2005. For more information, drivers can visit the NDOT Web site at nvroads.com.

LV Fire & Rescue getting funds

Las Vegas Fire & Rescue will get $400,000 in federal anti-terrorism project money.

The Department of Homeland Security's Metropolitan Medical Response System grants are aimed helping big-city fire departments and other first-responders responders prepare for terrorist attacks.

The money was awarded in two categories: $250,000 for projects aimed at responding to new types of threats and $150,000 for planning, training or equipment for mass-casualty attacks. It was not immediately known how the department plans to spend the money, department spokesman Tim Szymanski said.

Surprise storm sprinkles valley

A thunderstorm surprised weather forecasters by brushing across the northern end of the Las Vegas Valley Monday night, bringing a trace of rain and a spectacular lightning display to the northwest valley.

The weather disturbance began building up northwest of Las Vegas before sunset, National Weather Service meteorologist Donald Maker said.

North Las Vegas Airport reported a trace of rain, none measurable, Maker said.

A weather spotter reported winds from 40 mph to 45 mph in the northwest valley, Maker said.

As the thunderstorms collapsed about 9 p.m., clouds, driven by north winds of 15 to 25 mph, streamed across the Las Vegas Valley.

Isolated showers brought spotty traces of rain across Las Vegas from the Sheep Mountains, north of the valley. The storm also blew into Echo Bay on Lake Mead.