News briefs for January 14, 2005

Friday, Jan. 14, 2005 | 9:45 a.m.

Some roads reopen near Hoover Dam

Several roads and access areas in and around construction activities near the Hoover Dam bypass bridge have reopened.

The roads were temporarily closed for public safety in December 2003 because of heavy road construction.

Kingman Wash Road is again open to motor vehicle travel, hiking and other recreational activities in the land-based area in Arizona off Highway 93 at mile marker 2. Kingman Wash South Mine Road, Kingman Wash North Mine Road and Fortification Hill Road are also open.

The bridge construction is still under way and not open for public use.

Also, Goldstrike Canyon and all land-based access to Goldstrike Canyon and the hot springs remain closed to motor vehicle traffic, hikers and other recreationists. This area will remain closed until at least March 2005, but water-based activities and access from Black Canyon to the popular hot springs are not affected by the closure.

EPA fines union over training

The Environmental Protection Agency fined the United Carpenters and Joiners of America $4,200 for falsely claiming that its Las Vegas training center, at 6801 Placid St., had been certified by the EPA to teach carpenters how to safely remove lead-based paint.

The training center has already corrected the violations since last month's violation notice and must pay the fine by the end of January, the federal agency says.

Prior to the corrections, the center had trained 15 students and issued certificates to three students in how to handle lead-based paint. Facilities are required to obtain accreditation from the EPA before training workers how to safely handle lead-based paint in order to minimize risks to human health.

Lead poisoning can retard mental and physical development in young children.

"Exposure to lead-based paint is the most common source of lead poisoning in children," Enrique Manzanilla, director of the cross media division for the EPA's Pacific Southwest office, said.

Fugitive murder suspect arrested

A man wanted on charges of murder in Swiftwater, Pa., was arrested Wednesday in Las Vegas, Metro Police said.

Frederick Davis, 42, is a suspect in the killing of a 60-year-old woman, police said. Authorities arrested Davis at an apartment at 5018 S. Rainbow Blvd. near Tropicana Avenue, after an alert from Pennsylvania State Police.

Davis remained jailed at the Clark County Detention Center this morning while awaiting extradition.

Oregon fugitive found in LV

Authorities on Wednesday arrested a fugitive from Oregon wanted for a parole violation in connection with a conviction for transporting a minor across state lines for prostitution.

Robert Wimbish, 33, was taken into custody without incident at Tropicana Avenue and Industrial Boulevard and is jailed while awaiting extradition to Oregon.

Wimbish was living in Las Vegas with a 20-year-old female from Portland, Ore., who he was allegedly pimping for prostitution, according to a statement by the U.S. Marshals Service.

He allegedly has a criminal history spanning more than a decade that includes kidnapping, assault, drugs and prostitution charges.

Ziser named GOP official

Former Republican Senate candidate Richard Ziser will serve as the vice chairman of the Nevada Republican Party, chairwoman Earlene Forsythe announced this week.

Ziser made his first run for office in November, when he lost to Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., by more than 25 points.

He spearheaded the Coalition for the Protection of Marriage, which led the movement to define marriage as between a man and a woman in Nevada. Previously, Ziser owned several manufacturing companies, including Casino Tokens Inc., which manufactured coins and tokens, before selling his businesses to manage his investments.

Ziser will replace Trudy Hushbeck, who has served as vice chairwoman since 2001 and submitted her resignation earlier this month. Hushbeck will remain the Northern Nevada Director for the state party, Forsythe said.

Also this week, Nevada Democratic Party Executive Director Rebecca Lambe left her post to work in Reid's Southern Nevada office. Former Field Director Alison Schwartz will take her place.

Youth reformatory back to normal

Things were back to normal at the state reformatory in Caliente Thursday after 116 juvenile detainees were returned to the center.

They had been evacuated by helicopter Tuesday because of the floods. The road to the youth center and the athletic field were flooded. But the water did not rise to the buildings, Robert McLellan, assistant administrator of the state Division of Child and Family Services, said Thursday. McLellan said the electricity is working and the education programs have been resumed.

He also said there had been no problems involving the boys and girls during their temporary stay at a gymnasium in Panaca.

Amber Alert receives grant

The technology company SBC Communications has awarded a $77,000 grant to Nevada's Amber Alert program, the emergency system that notifies law enforcement of a child's kidnapping.

The money is to be used to improve the program's Emergency Alert System, which broadcasts urgent messages to police officers, highway patrolmen and the media. Quickly relaying such messages to as wide an audience as possible is crucial to the program's effectiveness.

Nevada has had its Amber Alert program since 2003.