Local news briefs for August 30, 2005

Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2005 | 9:14 a.m.

Guinn announces mining positions

Gov. Kenny Guinn on Monday announced the appointments of Richard DeLong of Reno and Richard Perry of Elko to the state Commission on Mineral Resources to represent large-scale mining.

They replace Jim Chavis of Reno, who moved to Colorado, and J. Parmer, also of Reno, who did not seek reappointment.

The commission establishes policy for the division of minerals and advises the governor and Legislature on mining, oil, geothermal and other mineral resource issues. DeLong is president of Enviroscientists Inc., an environmental permitting and consulting firm. Perry is managing director of North American Operations for Newmont Mining Corp.

Baby listed in stable condition

The 17-month-old girl who was left in parked vehicle on Thursday for more than 90 minutes was listed in stable condition at Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center, Metro Police said on Monday.

Brianna Rodriguez was previously listed in critical condition after she was pulled unconscious from the inside of a white Nissan Stanza on the 3700 block of Rochester Avenue.

Police said the temperature inside the vehicle reached 137 degrees.

"She is stable and making good improvements," said Lisa Teele, supervisor of Metro's Abuse and Neglect Detail.

Teele said Metro will send the case file to the Clark County district attorney's office later this week for possible prosecution of Teofilo Rodriguez, Brianna's father.

Rodriguez left Brianna inside the vehicle while he was visiting a friend or family member, police reported previously.

Man dies from crash injuries

A 60-year-old Las Vegas man died Sunday at University Medical Center from injuries he suffered in a collision between his motorcycle and a tractor-trailer earlier in the day.

The coroner's office identified the man as John Burfening on Monday.

The man was riding his motorcycle on American Pacific Drive in Henderson when a tractor-trailer turned into the driveway of a business in front of Burfening about 7:30 a.m. on Sunday, Henderson Police said.

The tractor-trailer driver was not injured, police said.

Westbound American Pacific Drive was closed for several hours Sunday morning as police investigated the crash.

Settlement made in ethics case

A settlement has been reached to pay the former legal counsel of the state Ethics Commission $5,000 to withdraw her claim against the state.

The Ethics Commission last week met in closed session to hear the complaint and then in open session authorized the settlement. But the identity of the individual who filed the claim was not disclosed by the commission until the settlement was signed and filed Monday.

Nancy Lee Varnum, who had worked for the commission since 1999, announced her resignation in May, saying there was a conflict with Commission Executive Director Stacey Jennings. She accused Jennings of trying to subordinate the job of legal counsel.

Jennings did not respond to the allegation and Varnum left her job. Under the agreement the ethics panel must remove from the state files any disciplinary action taken against Varnum.

And the two parties agree not to talk about the problems or disciplinary actions. Both sides agree "never to disparage" the other.