News Briefs

Body found at Lake Mead believed to be missing Wisconsin man

National Park Service rangers found a man’s body March 9 near the Sunset View Overlook at Lake Mead National Recreation Area.

The deceased man is believed to be Thomas Olsen, 53, of Wisconsin, who was reported missing to the Las Crosse Police Department on Feb. 28. Olsen was last seen leaving Caesars Palace in Las Vegas on Feb. 27.

According to media reports, rangers noticed a vehicle parked at the overlook for several days. A ranger ran the license plate around 8:30 p.m. on March 7. It was found to be a rental, and the renter was later determined to be Olsen.

On March 8, the National Park Service and the Nevada Department of Wildlife led search teams on land and water. The search continued until the morning of March 9, with assistance from Red Rock Search and Rescue, when a body matching Olsen’s description was found 15 feet from the shore near the overlook.

The victim’s identity and cause of death will be determined by the Clark County medical examiner.

Workshop set for creating veterans advocates

The Nevada Department of Veterans Services will be hosting a free two-day workshop designed to help those interested in becoming a certified Nevada Veterans Advocate. Advocates connect veterans, their family members and members of the military to benefits and services earned through military service.

The workshop is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at Suncoast, 9090 Alta Drive, Las Vegas. Registration will be held from 8-9 a.m. Saturday.

The program will provide participants with 11 out of the 20 hours of required course work to apply for NVA certification through the Nevada Department of Veterans Services. The remainder of the course work is available and performed online.

Once certified, NVA volunteers help support the work of Nevada’s Veteran Service Officers, who are challenged to support the nearly 300,000 veterans living in Nevada.