Wednesday, Sept. 8, 2004 | 9:35 a.m.
Man carjacked near Bellagio
A man was carjacked outside the Bellagio this morning by two men who forced him to drive about five miles before letting him go, Metro Police said.
The incident occurred about 1:10 a.m. in a parking lot at the hotel, Officer Jose Montoya, spokesman for the department, said.
Two men in their 20s approached the man, believed to be a tourist, pointed a semi-automatic weapon at him and jumped into his rented sport utility vehicle.
The suspects made the victim to drive to a gas station at Warm Springs and Paradise roads, where they released him unharmed and fled in the vehicle, Montoya said.
Yvette Monet, spokeswoman for the Bellagio, this morning declined to comment, referring all calls to Metro Police.
Fire restrictions lifted on U.S. land
Federal fire restrictions were lifted Tuesday for public lands in Southern Nevada after weather conditions became milder.
The Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and U.S. Forest Service lifted restrictions on public lands with one exception: No campfires are allowed within one mile of homes in Kyle and Lee Canyons, Deer Creek, Cold Creek, Mountain Springs and Trout Canyon until Nov. 15.
While current fire danger is no longer extreme, federal officials said, those on public lands still need to extinguish campfires and take care that smoking materials are put out.
Fireworks are never allowed on public lands.
From Jan. 1 to Aug. 31, interagency wildland firefighters responded to 167 fires which burned about 11,600 acres in Southern Nevada.
Brush fire doused in Red Rock Canyon
Federal firefighters quickly doused a brush fire on the Red Rock Canyon Scenic Loop that burned roughly an acre of dry grass on Tuesday.
The Bureau of Land Management sent two tankers and a helicopter to a curve on the western half of the 13-mile long loop of road after a caller reported flames and smoke shortly after 6 p.m., Kirsten Cannon, a BLM spokeswoman, said.
A dozen firefighters had the flames out in less than half an hour.
The cause of the fire had not been determined Tuesday night.
Porter offers tourism proposal
Tourism-dependent cities like Las Vegas need a high-level liaison inside the Office of Homeland Security, Rep. Jon Porter, R-Nev., said Tuesday.
Porter introduced a bill that would create an undersecretary for local government and tourism. The undersecretary would be sensitive to cities that depend on tourism and might need additional federal money to implement new federal rules, such as airport rules.
Porter said the undersecretary would give city officials more say in the development of federal security policies that affect local areas most.
"The goal is to have someone at the table in the decision-making process that understands local governments," Porter said.
Porter said he was trying to schedule a hearing for the bill in the Homeland Security Committee, but it is not clear if that will be possible by the end of the session this year. Congress returned this week from a month-long break, and lawmakers have a long list of important tasks to tackle before a planned adjournment in early October for final campaigning.
LV house fire ruled an accident
A fire in the kitchen of a northwest Las Vegas home has been ruled an accident, Las Vegas Fire & Rescue investigators said.
Neighbors called firefighters at 1:12 p.m. on Tuesday to a house in the 5600 block of Grand Entries Drive, near Ann Road and U.S. 95, Fire & Rescue spokesman Tim Szymanski said.
Firefighters were slightly delayed by a pickup truck that was parked in front of a fire hydrant near the house, Szymanski said. Metro Police ticketed and towed the truck, he said
When firefighters arrived smoke was pouring from the two-story, wood-frame house and they had to force their way into the home, finding the kitchen in flames.
No one was home at the time, although six adults and two children live in the house, Szymanski said.
No one was injured in the fire.
The heat and smoke damage throughout the first floor was estimated at $50,000.
Fire investigators did not find a cause, but the fire may have started near the refrigerator.
The homeowner was shopping at a nearby Wal-Mart when a relative notified her of the fire, Szymanski said. The American Red Cross is assisting the residents.
Not-guilty plea entered in battery
Twenty-year-old Jose Marbo pleaded not guilty Tuesday to one count of battery with substantial bodily harm for allegedly punching and kicking a man who spit in his face after Marbo found the man sleeping in Marbo's car.
Marbo is scheduled to stand trial on Jan. 10 before District Judge Jackie Glass.
Willborne Trammel, 32, had been chased out of Marbo's 1986 Isuzu several times before the violent confrontation June 7 on West Boston Avenue, according to a police report.
Trammel remains hospitalized, though he is no longer on life support, according to Dr. Deborah Kuhls. Kuhls said Trammel is paralyzed on the left side of his body, has a tracheotomy to assist his breathing and also suffered renal failure and had to be put on dialysis.
Marbo faces anywhere from probation to up to five years in prison as well as a fine of up to $10,000 if he is convicted of battery causing substantial bodily harm.
Metro officers named Top Cops
Four Metro Police officers have been selected for Top Cop awards by the National Association of Police Organizations.
Officers Gary Casper, Clint Malburg and Jim Mitchell along with Sgt. Rick Servoss were selected for rescuing seven people during the Aug. 19, 2003 flash flood.
The Top Cops awards pay tribute to men and women in law enforcement for their outstanding service to America's communities. Casper, Malburg, Mitchell and Servoss were chosen from hundreds of nominations nationwide, the National Association of Police Organizations said.
The association launched Top Cops awards in 1994. Fellow officers nominate hundreds of their peers every year and an awards selection committee chooses one Top Cops case from each state and U.S. territory.
The local officers are to receive their awards at the 11th annual Top Cops ceremony Saturday in Washington, D.C.
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