News briefs for Sept. 7, 2005

Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2005 | 11:19 a.m.

Airport devices pitched to panel

Tourists making their way from Strip hotels may soon have one less thing to carry on their way to catch flights home.

In a presentation to the Clark County Commission on Tuesday, county Aviation Director Randy Walker said automated check-in devices would allow passengers to check baggage at their hotel hours before they board a plane, allowing them to bypass ticketing and head straight toward the gate.

The service, dubbed Speedcheck Plus, is designed to stave off a frequent complaint from passengers catching late flights but who must check out of their hotel rooms by noon, he said.

The bags would be secured at the hotel and taken to the airport for regular security screening, he said. Walker estimated 10 percent of all oncoming passengers would likely use the service.

The service is expected to begin at the Venetian, Bally's, Paris Las Vegas, MGM Grand, Luxor and Wynn Las Vegas by the end of the year, he said.

Commission OKs pipeline board

Clark County commissioners unanimously voted Tuesday to create a new board to address what they said could be a crippling strain on the region's key fuel pipeline.

By a 7-0 vote the board voted to create a commission to study short, medium and long-term ways to improve on two 40-year-old pipelines that now carry fuel for Southern Nevada and McCarran International Airport from outside Colton, Calif.

The pipelines bring in more than 122,000 barrels of fuel a day but were built when Las Vegas was home to about 65,000 people, Aviation Director Randy Walker said.

At the region's current rate of growth, Walker has estimated that demand for jet fuel alone will climb from 26,000 to 29,000 barrels a day by 2007, falling just shy of the 30,000-barrel limit on the jet fuel line.

"It's obvious that this is a significant issue and we need to do something to address it," Commission Chairman Rory Reid said before approving the new committee's creation.

The 11-person committee is to review the possible solutions and present its findings to the commission in the next year, officials said.

Court executive officer appointed

The Clark County Commission on Tuesday formally appointed District Court Administrator Chuck Short as the county's court executive officer.

It is part of a plan to integrate District Court and Justice Court's administrative functions, county officials said. Both courts are also expected to eventually combine information technology functions and collaborate on the installation of a new court case management system.

Integrating the two functions will make the October move into the yet-incomplete Regional Justice Center easier, officials said.

Short's salary is expected to remain at its current level, "roughly $150,000 a year," District Court spokesman Michael Sommermeyer said.

Areas chosen for conservation

The Agriculture Department has selected three areas in Nevada where ranchers and farmers can earn money for starting better conservation practices.

There are 270 farms and ranches covering 390,000 acres in the watersheds of South Fork near Elko, the Upper Carson and the West Walker rivers.

The program, managed through the Natural Resources Conservation Service in Nevada, awarded $643,000 to 45 ranchers and farmers last month in the 2005 program for management of soil, water, habitat, pest, grazing and nutrients.

The service said this year producers will also receive grants for converting to renewable energy fuels, for recycling of on-farm lubricants and for producing energy from such sources as wind, solar and geothermal. Rod Dahl, coordinator of the conservation service, said Tuesday signups for 2006 will be in October or November.

DUI charges sought against motorist

Metro Police are seeking charges of felony driving under the influence against a motorist who was involved in a fatal wreck two months ago.

Police initially said it appeared Monica Meily, 41, ran a stop sign on Windmill Lane at Decatur Boulevard on July 8. But Detective Corey Moon said an investigation showed she did stop, but Richard Maris, 33, was driving so fast that his 2005 Dodge truck still hit her 2003 Suzuki.

Maris was going an estimated 63 mph in a 35 zone, Moon said. Maris was not arrested at the scene because he was hospitalized. A warrant has been issued for his arrest.