News Briefs, Sept. 27

Bells to honor shooting victims at Monday prayer gathering

The church bells at St. Andrew Catholic Community will toll 58 times Monday, Oct. 1, evening, part of a nondenominational prayer gathering and remembrance on the anniversary of last year’s Oct. 1 mass shooting.

St. Andrew, 1399 San Felipe Drive, will host the 7 p.m. communitywide gathering that will include songs, prayers and reflections from those who were on hand at the Route 91 Harvest festival. Speakers include Brian Scroggins, who coordinated relief and counseling efforts in the aftermath of the shooting that left 58 dead and more than 500 wounded.

Boulder City United Methodist Church and St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church will share in the ecumenical program that is open to all, and Christ Lutheran Church members will provide refreshments in the fellowship hall after the service.

The bells, which normally sound the time of day, will ring once to remember each of the victims at the conclusion of the service.

“The tragedy of Oct. 1 touched everyone’s lives and we want to offer a safe place to remember those who were lost and all the lives that were changed as a result of this heinous crime,” said the Rev. Sandy Johnson of Boulder City United Methodist Church, who is coordinating the program.

Peace choir joins Oct. 1 shooting memorial event

The Interfaith Peace Choir of Southern Nevada will perform at the “Dear Love: A Ceremony of Help, Healing and Transformation” memorial to honor the victims and survivors of the Oct. 1 shooting at the Route 91 Harvest festival at 5 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 30, at Guardian Angel Cathedral, 302 Cathedral Way, Las Vegas.

The choir, directed by Boulder City resident Francyl Gawryn, is composed of members who represent a variety of religious traditions and are committed to working together toward inter-religious harmony.

Suspect in Lake Mead stabbing in custody in Colorado

A suspect wanted in connection with a stabbing Sept. 7 at Lake Mead National Recreation Area is in custody, according to the National Park Service.

The man, who reportedly fled the scene on foot leaving behind a black backpack, was identified by investigators and taken into custody on unrelated charges in Colorado on Sept. 19. Federal charges are pending.

Two other people of interest are also in custody.

Officials at Lake Mead received a call at 5:46 a.m. Sept. 7 that a man had been stabbed near Stewarts Point and Blue Point Bay.

The victim, who was transported by Mercy Air with critical injuries, has been released from an unnamed hospital.

The incident remains under investigation. No further details are available.

Lower enrollment won’t affect positions, programs at BCHS

Despite having a lower enrollment than projected, Boulder City High School will be able to keep $118,000 in money carried over from 2017-2018 school year’s budget and not cut any programs or lay off any teachers, according to school administrators.

“The good news is we’re fine,” said Principal Amy Wagner.

Clark County School District projected BCHS to have 613 students on enrollment count day Sept. 7, but it had 607.

Wagner said the school also needed to purchase three teacher preparation periods, which it was able to do, allowing those designated times to be used for instruction.

Additionally, the district gave the school a special education teacher position, which Wagner said she expects to fill after the district surplus meeting, which allows teachers whose jobs were eliminated at one school to fill an open position at another.

Nationwide emergency alert test to be held Wednesday

The Federal Emergency Management Agency, in coordination with the Federal Communications Commission, will conduct a nationwide test of the emergency alert system and wireless emergency alert Wednesday, Oct. 3.

The wireless portion of the test begins at 11:18 a.m. and the emergency alert system follows at 11:20 a.m.

The test is designed to ensure public safety officials have systems in place to deliver urgent alerts and warnings during emergencies or disasters. It will last about one minute.

This is the fourth nationwide test of the emergency alert system and first national wireless test, which will be sent to cellphones.

Both messages will note that they are tests and no action is needed.

The FEMA app, which can be downloaded on Android and Apple devices, is one way to ensure receiving preparedness tips and weather alerts. It can be downloaded at https://www.fema.gov/mobile-app.