Thursday, February 24, 2005
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Crews cleaning up from valley storm

Water pumped out of northwest cemetery

The water has been pumped away from the flooded cemetery on North Jones Boulevard, and roads in the northwest are mostly cleared of debris, officials said Wednesday.

Heavy rain Monday and Tuesday, part of a record-setting winter rain season in the valley, flooded the Palm Northwest Cemetery, created potholes in the northwest, and prompted an avalanche warning in the mountains that remains in effect.

City of Las Vegas and Clark County officials said no serious damage was done to any roadways, but they'll be spending the rest of the week filling potholes.

A spokesman for the cemetery, Ned Phillips, said crews pumped water away from the cemetery and it was virtually dry Wednesday.

Damage was mostly cosmetic, he said, though he did not have an estimate on how extensive it was. Some headstones appeared to have sunk into the grass Tuesday.

County public works spokesman Bobby Shelton said there was some shoulder damage on Ann Road, but it was not serious.

Jerry Walker, streets and sanitation manager with the city, said crews have been out all week clearing debris.

Areas in need of repair or debris removal include Alexander and Grand Teton roads, and the intersection of Elkhorn Road and Durango Drive, he said.

This weekend, he said, crews probably will be out near Cheyenne Avenue and Decatur Boulevard, where the aging roadways are jutted with potholes.

He cautioned motorists to be careful, mentioning that a city backhoe was hit by a car Tuesday. No one was seriously injured, he said.

Though the repair work is flowing smoothly, the National Weather Service is forecasting a 40 percent chance of rain today and Friday.