Jeff Pope

Story Archive

Testimony: NY-NY shooter said ‘I’m going to kill you’: Steven Zegrean charged with 52 felonies in 2007 Strip shooting; Wednesday, July 8, 2009; Justin Lampert spent almost a year in Iraq clearing roadside bombs while serving in the Army National Guard. Despite having faced life-threatening danger before, Lampert testified in District Court Wednesday that he feared his life was in danger when Steven Zegrean allegedly pointed a pistol at him and said “I’m going to (expletive) kill you.”
Prosecutors: New York-New York gunman intended to kill: Trial in 2007 shooting expected to last four or five days; Tuesday, July 7, 2009; Prosecutors in the trial of Steven Zegrean said today that when he opened fire in the New York-New York hotel-casino on July 6, 2007, he intended to kill someone.
Federal funds meant to ease valley's foreclosure problems: Tuesday, July 7, 2009; Clark County and the three cities in the valley will be asking the federal government for $368.2 million to fund programs aimed at easing the foreclosure problems in Southern Nevada.
Bus driver in child sex assault to plead guilty to lesser charges: Driver, 63, faces up to 40 years in prison; Monday, July 6, 2009; A Clark County School District bus driver charged with the sexual assault of a 5-year-old girl tentatively agreed today to plead guilty to two lesser charges of attempted lewdness with a minor.
Driver critical after head-on accident: Sunday, July 5, 2009; A female driver is listed as being in critical condition after her car struck a palm tree, then another car, Sunday morning.
Crowds flock to Station casinos across valley for fireworks: Sunday, July 5, 2009; The rockets glared brightly as the music of Bruce Springsteen and John Mellencamp blared and all eyes stared skyward at Red Rock Resort on Saturday night for Station Casinos’ 4th of July Blast.
Hundreds of people gathered with family and friends and filled the lawn near the resort’s pool for a nine-minute fireworks show choreographed to music paying tribute to America — with Sinatra and Elvis thrown in to recognize the hometown spirit. Billed as the valley’s largest fireworks show, Red Rock was one of nine Station casinos to simultaneously light up the sky starting at 9:30 p.m.
Summerlin parade draws thousands for annual tradition: Saturday, July 4, 2009; Thousands of spirited local residents, many of them decked out in red, white and blue, lined the streets of The Trails Village on Saturday to watch the 15th annual Summerlin Council Patriotic Parade.
North Las Vegas city officials sworn into office: Wednesday, July 1, 2009; Family, friends and local dignitaries filled the North Las Vegas Council Chambers at City Hall Wednesday to watch one new and three returning public officials be sworn into office. Shari Buck became the first elected female mayor of the city, moving over from the council seat she filled for the past 10 years.
Second teen pleads guilty in Palo Verde student slaying: Gerald Davison, 17, facing 28 years in prison; Wednesday, July 1, 2009; Seventeen-year-old Gerald Davison said today in court that he intended to kill someone when he fired a semi-automatic pistol from the backseat of a car into a group of four boys. One of the bullets he fired struck Palo Verde High School freshman Christopher Privett in the chest. The 15-year-old would later die from the wound at Summerlin Hospital.
Judge denies change of venue for hepatitis C trials: Tuesday, June 30, 2009; Attorneys representing the Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada and its clinics fear they won’t find an impartial jury in Clark County because of “sensational publicity” in the local media and from public officials.
Residents in Henderson, NLV vie for city council appointments: Tuesday, June 30, 2009; The Henderson City Clerk’s office has certified 16 residents who filed interest statements for the appointment to fill the final two years of newly elected Mayor Andy Hafen’s Ward 2 council seat.
Survey says: NLV residents happy with city: Also: Majority feel unsafe despite drop in crime; Monday, June 29, 2009; Most North Las Vegas residents say they have a good quality of life and enjoy living in the city, despite thinking it still has an image problem and employment opportunities are scarce, a new survey indicates.
2-year-old critically injured in pool accident: Sunday, June 28, 2009; A 2-year-old is in critical condition at an area hospital after nearly drowning in a backyard pool on Sunday. Metro Police said it appears the child slipped out of sight before getting into the pool.
Hearing for woman charged in NLV standoff postponed: Friday, June 26, 2009; A North Las Vegas Justice Court judge ordered a woman involved in a standoff with police earlier this month to undergo psychiatric evaluation to determine if she is competent to stand trial. Carla Eagleton held police at bay for more than five hours on the morning of June 5 after firing several shots at them.
Survey finds most residents like living in North Las Vegas: Friday, June 26, 2009; Most residents of North Las Vegas say they have a good quality of life and enjoy living in the city, despite feeling that it still has an image problem and employment opportunities are scarce. The results of the National Citizen Survey were published this week on the city’s Web site and revealed residents’ opinions of city services, about their own civic participation and trust in their municipal leaders. City officials use the results to gauge performance and direct efforts to improve services to residents.
Lake Mead marinas buy time to move to deeper water: Lake level dropping faster than anticipated, threatening to beach floating docks; Friday, June 26, 2009; The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation has worked out a deal to keep the water level at Lake Mead a foot higher through August to give the lake’s floating marinas extra time to move to deeper water before they become beached. The marina operators had planned to move farther out into the lake as the water levels have continued to drop, but they asked for extra time after learning in April that the lake level could drop lower than expected.
Three plead guilty in NLV gang initiation beating death: Thursday, June 25, 2009; Three men arrested for murder in the fatal beating of a 21-year-old North Las Vegas man during a gang initiation agreed to plead guilty to lesser charges. Edgar Ginez, 19, pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and faces one to 10 years in prison.
Free HIV tests, town hall meeting and energy assistance: Wednesday, June 24, 2009; News briefs from around Clark County.
NLV officials to be sworn in next week: Wednesday, June 24, 2009; North Las Vegas will hold a swearing-in ceremony on July 1 for the officials chosen by voters in this year’s municipal election. Mayor-elect Shari Buck, Councilman Robert Eliason, Municipal Judge Sean Hoeffgen, and Councilwoman Anita Wood will take the oath of office and officially begin their terms. Hoeffgen will serve a 6-year term. All others will serve a 4-year term.
Man charged in shooting death pleads not guilty: Tuesday, June 23, 2009; A Las Vegas man charged in the western valley shooting death of another man pleaded not guilty at his arraignment today in District Court and asked the judge for a speedy trial.
Man pleads not guilty in Mother's Day stabbing death: Tuesday, June 23, 2009; A man accused of stabbing his girlfriend to death on Mother’s Day was arraigned in District Court today.
Two sentenced in killing of adult club doorman: Tuesday, June 23, 2009; Former Palomino Club owner Luis Hidalgo Jr. and his son, Luis Hidalgo III, were sentenced today to life in prison in the May 2005 shooting death of a doorman who was said to have bad-mouthed the North Las Vegas strip club to local cab drivers.
New law levies harsher child prostitution punishment: Nevada now has the most stringent punishments nationwide for child prostitution, pandering; Monday, June 22, 2009; Her mother and grandmother were prostitutes. From a young age, Dettrea had little doubt about the path her life would follow.
Surfing helps calm autistic children: Nonprofit Surfers Healing operates free day camps; Saturday, June 20, 2009; The roar of the ocean surf lures thrill-seekers and adrenaline junkies to ride the waves. But many autistic children, like 8-year-old Alex Acebal of North Las Vegas, find the crashing waves a calming serenity to their normally jangled restlessness. Surfers Healers, a nonprofit foundation, runs free day camps for children with autism that allows them to ride a surfboard with a professional. About 60 autistic children from the Las Vegas Valley are scheduled to attend the camp in San Diego on Aug. 5.
Commission rezones property, says use must be compatible: Thursday, June 18, 2009; Residents of a rural area of Enterprise temporarily won a battle in their fight to limit growth and preserve their bucolic lifestyle. Acting as the zoning commission on Wednesday, county commissioners gave limited approval to rezone 7.7 acres from rural to commercial property but said they would not allow a use that was too intense or incompatible with the neighborhood.
North Las Vegas mayor, councilwoman bid farewell: Montandon, Smith helped to lead city through rapid growth; Wednesday, June 17, 2009; After 12 years and about 300 City Council meetings, North Las Vegas Mayor Michael Montandon and Councilwoman Stephanie Smith presided over their final council meeting on Wednesday. Both were forced out of office because of term limits. When Montandon and Smith were first elected in 1997, North Las Vegas was home to 88,000 people. During their tenures, population grew to 216,000, and Montandon and Smith weighed in on the issues accompanying that growth.
County, cities hammer out plans for foreclosure funds: Tuesday, June 16, 2009; Clark County and the three cities in the valley are finalizing their plan to grab as much as possible of the $2 billion in federal stimulus package funds to address the foreclosure problem in Southern Nevada.
Summerlin gears up for annual July 4 parade: Monday, June 15, 2009; The Summerlin Council will host its 15th annual Patriotic Parade from 9 to 11 a.m. on July 4.
Flood control work to cause traffic snags in western LV: Monday, June 15, 2009; Construction on an $8.7 million flood control improvement project will disrupt traffic in western Las Vegas starting June 29.
Jury awards $475,000 in class action plumbing lawsuit: Award to 40 NLV homeowners comes from first Kitec lawsuit to go to trial; Monday, June 15, 2009; A jury has awarded $475,000 to homeowners in the the Dove Canyon neighborhood in North Las Vegas as part of a valley-wide plumbing defect class action lawsuit. The jurors rendered their decision at about 8 p.m. Friday in Clark County District Court after a seven-day trial. The award benefits the owners of 40 homes plumbed by Majestic Plumbing Inc. Majestic, one of about a dozen plumbers named in this class action lawsuit, is the first defendant in this lawsuit to take the case to trial.
Boulder City proposes plan to sell building to Senior Center: Sunday, June 14, 2009; The Boulder City Council has reached a tentative agreement to sell the building that houses the Senior Center to the non-profit organization that runs it. Under the deal, which is expected to come before the council for final approval at its June 23 meeting, the city would give the Senior Center of Boulder City Inc. a total of $765,242 in federal community development block grant funds. The organization would, in turn, pay the city back that same amount of money for the building.
Children get chance to win prizes for reading: Boulder City Library kicks off summer reading program; Sunday, June 14, 2009; Reading this summer could earn young people in Boulder City digital cameras and MP3 players. The Boulder City Library has kicked off its summer reading program, which includes a drawing at the end of the summer for prizes that include, along with the cameras and MP3 players, books, craft sets, toys, games and craft supplies.
Despite budget cuts, Nevada Southern Railway Museum still rolling: Saturday, June 13, 2009; The Nevada Southern Railway Museum in Boulder City has not been spared from state budget cuts, but the rolling train exhibit is still on track to meet or exceed its biggest ridership numbers this year, the museum’s director said. Museum Director Greg Corbin said one maintenance worker will be laid off and the remaining three employees, including Corbin, will scale back their hours from 40 to 32 per week. The museum train will continue to make its four runs every Saturday and Sunday and provide a unique lesson of Nevada’s railroad history for schools and other groups during the week for now, Corbin said.
City employees help coworker in time of need: Saturday, June 13, 2009; Time is on Ruby Perkins’ side thanks to her coworkers. City employees are rushing forward to donate their paid time off to Perkins, who has been away from her job as police dispatcher since her daughter was severely injured in a car wreck on April 11.
Boulder City finalizes deal for third solar power plant: Friday, June 12, 2009; Boulder City has finalized a deal with NextLight Renewable Power LLC to build a 150 megawatt photovoltaic solar power plant in the El Dorado Valley that will provide the city nearly $102 million. The City Council approved the final details on June 9 with a 4-1 vote to lease about 1,150 acres of land in the city’s energy zone for $2.53 million per year. The term of the lease is 40 years with two 10-year renewal options.
Judge: Protest of 215 Beltway paving bid too late: Friday, June 12, 2009; A Clark County District Court judge ruled today that county commissioners erred when they considered a protest letter in denying the lowest bidder for the construction of the northern 215 Beltway.
Boulder City Council certifies municipal election results: Wednesday, June 10, 2009; The Boulder City Council on June 9 canvassed the votes and approved the results from the general election in which Cam Walker won a four-year term on the council. Walker will be sworn in at the June 23 council meeting along with Duncan McCoy, who won a seat in April’s primary.
Council appoints new city clerk: Promotion of deputy clerk sparks debate over salary; Wednesday, June 10, 2009; The Boulder City Council appointed Lorene Krumm as City Clerk to replace Pamella Malmstrom when she retires on July 1. Krumm, the deputy city clerk, will assume full responsibilities the following day at a base annual pay of a little less than $115,500 — a boost of $43,000 from her current salary.
Teacher recognized for inspiring students: Friday, June 5, 2009; Teachers not only teach, they motivate and inspire their students. That’s what three residents say inspired them to create an award to honor the most motivational teacher at Boulder City High School. Heidi Lee, a theater and dance teacher, received the first Eagle Award on Friday.
North Las Vegas breaks ground on city hall: City hopes plan will draw more development to blighted area; Thursday, June 4, 2009; While construction has slowed across the valley, North Las Vegas broke ground today on a new, nine-story city hall. The new city hall not only removes blight but should spur economic development in the area when it opens by October 2011, officials said.
NLV takes a pass on downtown redevelopment plan: Thursday, June 4, 2009; North Las Vegas city leaders want to spur downtown redevelopment in the area between Las Vegas Boulevard North and Interstate 15, north of Lake Mead Boulevard, known as “the island.”
On Wednesday, a developer brought the city Redevelopment Agency a plan to turn the island into an urban village with shops, offices, apartments and condos.
NLV city manager agrees to pay cut, contract extension: Wednesday, June 3, 2009; North Las Vegas City Manager Gregory Rose won't be leaving his post any time soon. He's now locked in through 2013 as City Council approved a two-year extension of his contract Wednesday night. The extension was part of a trade off deal for Rose, who took a 5 percent pay cut, which he said was to show solidarity with city employees.
Construction set to begin on new U.S. 95 interchange: Work on Horse Drive interchange expected to take 18 months; Wednesday, June 3, 2009; Construction on the Horse Drive interchange at U.S. 95 is scheduled to start June 8 and will take 18 months to complete. The $44 million project in the northwest part of Las Vegas includes construction of an overpass and interchange, frontage roads, ramps, a bridge and extensive utility work, flood control improvements, traffic signals and lighting. Oso Blanca Road will be closed to traffic from Tee Pee Lane to Kyle Canyon Road for about 15 months.
North Las Vegas judge wins another term: Tuesday, June 2, 2009; Sean Hoeffgen will retain his seat as municipal judge in North Las Vegas’ Department 2 after capturing the majority of the vote in Tuesday’s general election. With all precincts reporting, Hoeffgen received 5,369 votes or 56.34 percent of the total. His opponent, Marsha Kimble-Simms, collected 4,160 votes or 43.66 percent.
Wood wins race for North Las Vegas council seat: Tuesday, June 2, 2009; Anita Wood beat out Angelo Carvalho in the race for the Ward 3 seat on the North Las Vegas City Council, capturing 57.01 percent of the vote compared to Carvalho’s 42.99 percent. With all 18 precincts reporting just before 9:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Wood had 1,650 votes and Carvalho 1,244.
Buck defeats Robinson in race for North Las Vegas mayor: Tuesday, June 2, 2009; Shari Buck, who defeated fellow City Council member William Robinson in the race for North Las Vegas mayor, said that voters were looking for a leader with a plan focused on jobs, avoiding further foreclosures and reducing crime and “that’s been our message since the first day.” Buck, who led the race the entire evening on Tuesday, captured 54.79 percent of the vote, compared to 45.21 percent for Robinson.
Man takes plea in teen overdose death case: Friday, May 29, 2009; A man charged in the death of a teenager who overdosed on prescription drugs has changed his plea from not guilty to guilty.
Mom charged with supplying alcohol for teen hotel room party: Friday, May 29, 2009; The mother of a 15-year-old Coronado High School student has been charged with 21 misdemeanor counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor after police said she provided her child and 20 other minors with alcohol at a party in a Henderson hotel room.
NLV mayoral candidates cordial in only debate: Robinson, Buck looking to lead city amid economic challenges; Wednesday, May 27, 2009; North Las Vegas mayoral candidates were cordial, respectful and professional to each other during a debate Wednesday night showing none of the political enmity seen in their campaign fliers.
Fundraiser draws protesters hoping to unseat Reid: Conservative group calls bailout, deficit spending ‘offensive’; Tuesday, May 26, 2009; Locals protesting President Barack Obama and Sen. Harry Reid were mixed in among tourists on the sidewalk outside Caesars Palace on Tuesday. The protest was organized by the conservative political action committee Our Country Deserves Better.