Friday, May 6, 2005 | 10:56 a.m.
Traffic signals get good marks
A national study of traffic signal operation has scored Las Vegas above average.
The national average in the first-ever National Traffic Signal Report Card is an overall 62 percent, a "D-" grade. Las Vegas scored 79.5 percent overall, a "B-" grade.
A total of 378 agencies in 49 states participated in the study.
The report card scored traffic signal operations for proactive management, coordinated systems, individual intersections, detection, and maintenance.
Las Vegas scored lowest -- 72 percent -- in proactive management. The score is based upon a city's documented management approach and if roadways and signals are annually reviewed.
The city scored highest -- 87 percent -- in detection. The score is based upon programs to monitor roads and check results against other date.
Approximately 472 signaled intersections are located within Las Vegas city limits. New signals are installed at about 20 intersections every year.
The report card was produced by the National Transportation Operations Coalition, which includes private and governmental representatives with the mission of improving operation of the nation's transportation systems.
Driver killed in traffic crash
A motorist driving erratically on North Decatur Boulevard crossed the center line and struck a northbound vehicle Thursday, killing a man and injuring a 7-year-old girl, North Las Vegas Police said.
Police found that 27-year-old Pablo Martin of Las Vegas, who was allegedly driving erratically, was wearing a seatbelt. However, the man and child in the other vehicle were not wearing seatbelts, North Las Vegas Police spokesman Sean Walker said.
All three people were taken to University Medical Center after the 3:45 p.m. accident, police said.
The names of the driver who died and the child with him were not released by police.
It is unknown if alcohol was a factor in this accident, Walker said.
Execution date set for killer
An execution date has been set for June 9 for killer Robert L. McConnell, convicted of shooting and stabbing a man in Reno who was dating his ex-girlfriend.
Jackie Crawford, director of the state Department of Corrections, announced the date Thursday for McConnell to die by lethal injection at the state prison in Carson City.
McConnell, now 32, pleaded guilty to murder and burglary in the death of Brian Pierce who was shot 10 times and stabbed three times in August 2002. McConnell then called the victim's mother and left a message on her answering machine, "Your son died like a coward."
The Nevada Supreme Court rejected McConnell's latest appeal earlier this year.
While upholding the death penalty for McConnell, the court said prosecutors cannot use a felony committed during the murder to bolster its claim for a conviction of first-degree murder and then use the same felony as an aggravating circumstance to justify the death penalty.
District attorneys in Clark and Washoe appealed that ruling but the court refused to overturn its decision on the aggravating circumstance.
Barring further court appeals, the execution is set for 9 p.m.
McConnell is also serving time for obtaining money under false pretenses and sexual assault, related to other cases, according to prison records.
$13.9 million accepted for floods
The Legislative Interim Finance Committee today agreed to accept $13.9 million in federal funds for repairs and other costs required during the flooding in January this year in Clark and Lincoln counties.
Frank Siracusa, administrator of the state Division of Emergency Planning, said this money will be transferred to the two counties that have submitted plan.
He said the $13.9 million is 75 percent of the repair costs. Local governments in Clark and Lincoln will have to come up with the 25 percent.
Siracusa said the money will be used to repair public structures such as roads, bridges and government buildings. It also will be used to reimburse local governments that had to call out emergency personnel to do such things as direct traffic or other chores.
The committee also approved accepting $7.2 million in federal money to repair the damage suffered in snowstorms in December 2004 and January in northern Nevada.
President Bush had issued declarations of emergency to make these the money available.
Rise in sexual diseases noted
Washoe County health officials said they are surprised by an increase in the number of sexually transmitted diseases.
The rise in cases last year comes after a decrease the year before.
A new report showed gonorrhea rates in Washoe County jumped 70 percent to a rate of 92 cases per 100,000 people in 2004. Chlamydia rates increased by 13.5 percent.
HIV and AIDS rates had a slight increase. Syphilis was the only key sexually transmitted disease to show a decline.
Health officials are trying to determine the reason behind the increases. Factors that might be unique to the area include a high transient population, especially if people are moving from areas with higher STD rates, health officials said.
School tries for duck record
Wolff Elementary School in Henderson planned an attempt to break a world record today by having its entire campus community play a giant game of "Duck, Duck, Goose."
The current world record was set Aug. 14 by 432 Boston Red Sox fans in Lowell, Mass. With 750 students in grades one through five, Wolff officials say they're optimistic their attempt will pass muster.
The Wolff students' effort, masterminded by teachers Kevin Nellis and Greg Fitzpatrick, will be part of the school's annual Field Day events. In order to seize the world record the number of players in the game would need to be authenticated by the Guinness Book of World Records.
Crash injures Las Vegas man
A Las Vegas man was in critical condition this morning after the SUV he was riding in crashed into a tour bus on Desert Inn Road, police said.
Metro Police said 28-year-old Nicolai Bolken was driving his 2001 Dodge Durango eastbound on Desert Inn Road when he failed to stop at a red light, crashing into the 2004 Bluebird tour bus driven by Lloyd Joseph, 70, of Las Vegas. Joseph was the only occupant of the bus and suffered minor injuries.
Bolken's passenger, 30-year-old Thomas Draa of Las Vegas, suffered critical injuries and was taken to University Medical Center. Bolken suffered moderate injuries and two other passengers were in serious condition this morning, police said.
The crash was under investigation by Metro's Accident Investigation Section this morning.
Police led on 20-mile pursuit
Metro Police were investigating this morning why a Henderson man led police on a 20-mile pursuit in northwest Clark County, a department spokesman said.
Officers this morning tried to stop the GMC pickup registered to a Henderson man this morning on U.S. 95 near Snow Mountain Road in northwest Las Vegas after the pickup was seen traveling about 85 mph in the 65 mph zone, Officer Jose Montoya, a Metro spokesman said. When the officer began following the truck indicating for the driver to pull over, the truck slowed to about 60 mph but did not stop for several miles, Montoya said.
The chase ended near Indian Springs, he said.
By 9 this morning, officers were still citing the man, whose name was not immediately available, he said. The driver will likely be charged with evading police and speeding, Montoya said.
The truck is not believed to be stolen and investigators are looking into whether the driver had other warrants for his arrest, he said.
Henderson man killed in wreck
A Henderson man was killed Thursday night when he drove in front of an oncoming semi-truck on Boulder Highway, Henderson Police said.
The man, whose name and age were not released by the Clark County Coroner this morning, was traveling west on Foster Road about 8:45 p.m. Thursday when he failed to stop at a posted stop sign, Officer Todd Rasmussen, a police spokesman, said. The truck then struck the man's car, the make and model for which were rendered unrecognizable, killing him instantly.
Rasmussen said the victim had not been positively identified, but that he was a man in his 30s.
The deceased man was later determined to be at fault in the crash. The truck driver was not cited, Rasmussen said.
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