Preparations are underway for the mid-week 4th-of-July holiday. News Anchor Dave Courvoisier talks about that and other news stories today for the evening news on KLAS-TV (CBS) CH8 in Las Vegas, NV. Police will be out checking for illegal fireworks, and the illegal USE of fireworks. They will also be closely watching for the possibility of drunk drivers. North Las Vegas emergency vehicles — usually manned by the Fire Department — are all silent today and the city is investigating whether it’s a sick-out or legal for firefighters to remove themselves from their positions this way. And the Channel-8 newsroom says a fond farewell to Steven Jackson, a web content employee who will be sorely missed.
Posts Tagged ‘ fire ’
Council Allocates Funds for City Projects and Services
The City Council unanimously approved funding for a range of city projects and services Tuesday. $2.1 million to Tyler Technologies Inc. to upgrade the city’s finance and human resources computer systems. $253,516 for programs that aid senior citizens and low- to moderate-income Beverly Hills residents. A little more than $180,000 of the total is from this year’s estimated federal Community Development Block Grant, and the rest comes from “unallocated funds remaining from prior years,” according to a report by Human Services Administrator James Latta. $105,720 to purchase four vehicles from Galpin Ford. Two Ford Taurus sedans for the Fire Department and a Ford Edge and Explorer for the Police Department will replace “old and job-worn vehicles,” according to the agenda. $70,000 to Kimley-Horn and Associates Inc. to develop “a GIS-based parking demand model and the gathering of the necessary information to begin the population of a citywide commercial parking database,” the council meeting’s agenda states. $53,032 to purchase two motorcycles for the Beverly Hills Police Department from Long Beach BMW Motorcycles. The terms of the purchase mirror the dealership’s agreement with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, according to a report by the city’s Maintenance Operations Manger Fred Simonson and Fleet Manager Rene Biadoma. $47,492 to purchase a video conference system for firefighter training. $7,200 in the form of credit for future payment obligations to the Beverly Hills Little League and American Youth Soccer Organization to reimburse them for the cost of hiring TruGreen Landcare to hydro-seed areas of La Cienega Park . The next council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 21. B e sure to follow Beverly Hills Patch on Twitter and “Like” us on Facebook . Excerpt from: Council Allocates Funds for City Projects and Services
‘Person Of Interest’ Detained In LA Car Arson Case
LOS ANGELES — Twelve more suspected arson fires broke out early Monday in the Los Angeles area, and a “person of interest” was taken into custody for questioning in connection with the dozens of suspicious car fires that have hit the city since last week. The developments came a day after police distributed DVDs featuring footage of a man, between 20 and 30 years old with a receding hairline and a shoulder-length ponytail, whom they described as a person of interest. He was seen on grainy surveillance video Saturday after emerging on foot from inside an underground parking structure on Hollywood Boulevard where a car fire was reported. Fire department spokesman Capt. Jaime Moore said he couldn’t say whether the person of interest detained early Monday was the man seen on the video footage. “It’s still too early to say whether or not this person has any direct correlation with the number of fires that we’ve been responding to this evening,” Moore said. No arrests had been made. Early Monday, firefighters battled 12 suspected arson fires at carports and garages. Ten occurred in Los Angeles and two were in West Hollywood, Moore said. They broke out shortly after 1:30 a.m. Moore said authorities believe the latest fires were connected to the earlier ones. The number of suspicious fires now stands at 55, he said. Detectives spent Sunday analyzing security video camera footage and following up on other leads after a half dozen more vehicles were set on fire on New Year’s Eve. The outbreak of arson fires has left a trail of smoldering debris in Hollywood, West Hollywood, North Hollywood and the Fairfax district of Los Angeles since Thursday. Most of those fires were set in parked cars. In several cases, flames have jumped to carports and apartment units. A reward of $60,000 has been offered for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the arsonist. Detectives served a search warrant at a home in the San Fernando Valley, Det. Gus Villanueva said Sunday. Several interviews were conducted, but no arrests were made. “They are working on hundreds of clues, interviewing dozens of witnesses, picking up countless pieces of evidence,” police Cmdr. Andrew Smith said of the detectives. Authorities haven’t said how the car fires were sparked or what was collected at the crime scenes. They were unsure if the rash of fires were the work of one arsonist or multiple people or copycats. There have been no injuries. Extra patrols were out in force on New Year’s Eve. One of Saturday’s attacks occurred at the Hollywood and Highland entertainment complex, a popular tourist destination and hotspot for holiday revelers. Firefighters responded to a report of a small car fire in a parking structure that was out by the time they arrived. Firefighters routinely are called to put out burning cars, but this recent spate has been unusual because of the frequency and location of the fires. Crews have been responding to other emergencies despite the focus on solving the fire arsons, fire spokesman Erik Scott said. Police urged residents to check their cars for any signs of tampering and take simple precautions such as locking their cars, keeping garage and carport lights on at night and reporting suspicious activity. “We are not going to rest,” Los Angeles Fire Department assistant chief Pat Butler said Sunday at a joint police-fire news conference. “We are going to work tirelessly.” Police officials were working with Sheriff’s Department detectives, city and county fire investigators and members of the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Read more here: ‘Person Of Interest’ Detained In LA Car Arson Case
Extra, Extra: More Black Friday Chaos, Chaz Bono’s Marriage Proposal, George Michael Rushed to Hospital
In tonight’s Extra, Extra, vandals crush the green thumbs of children, Chaz Bono proposes to his girlfriend, drug smugglers get busted and a man suffers severe burns after falling into his fire pit. Plus: Keep up with us on Facebook , and follow us on Twitter: @LAist @LAistFood @LAistSports . more › Read the original here: Extra, Extra: More Black Friday Chaos, Chaz Bono’s Marriage Proposal, George Michael Rushed to Hospital
Troopers Car Catches Fire and Loses Control
A Highway Patrol state trooper’s car caught fire after a suspect ran into it during a high speed chase late Monday night. Thedriver has been identified as Allen Jackson Goodman of Troy, NC. Goodman has been charged with DUI, driving under suspension and failure to stop for a blue light.Goodman is being held at J. Rueben Long Detention Center. Lt.Myron Creel with Horry County Police says the chase started around 11:45 pm on Highway 501 near Carolina Forest Boulevard. He says when the trooper tried to stop Goodman, he took off.Police say the chase reached speeds of up to 100 miles per hour as they headed toward Conway. When they got to East Cox Ferry Road, police say Goodman rammed the troopers car. The troopers car came to a stop at University Forest Boulevard where it caught fire. The trooper got out of the car and was not hurt.Highway 501 Business at University Forest Boulevard was shut down for about an hour and a half, as Horry County Fire Rescue put out the fire and police investigated the wreck.Police say Goodman continued on Highway 501 through Conway. The chase came to an end at Cook Road when Horry County Police stopped Goodman by putting down stop sticks.