In Brief

SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH

Local pastor killed on vacation in Arizona

An associate pastor of the Mountain View Seventh-day Adventist Church in Las Vegas was killed Tuesday while vacationing with family in southern Arizona.

Jose "Tony" Arias was fatally injured when the bicycle he was riding was struck by a pickup truck about three miles northeast of Safford, Ariz., said Graham County Sheriff Preston "P.J." Allred. He said Arias' bicycle was hit from behind by a vehicle driven by Pablo Garcia Jr., 35, of Safford.

Arias was taken to Graham Regional Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Allred said Garcia was not injured and did not appear to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol. He said Garcia has cooperated in the investigation.

ENERGY EFFICIENT MODELS

City wants $5.8 million for new streetlights

The city of Las Vegas is looking to borrow $5.8 million to replace about a third of the city's streetlights with models that are more energy efficient.

When installed, the new lights will use 30 percent less energy and last up to seven times longer, according to information presented to the Las Vegas City Council.

The funds would be repaid with savings on electricity costs, with payoff projected within four to seven years.

Public works Director Jorge Cervantes said city employees and contractors would share the work of replacing the streetlights.

The city needs approval from the Clark County Debt Management Commission to take on the obligation.

Las Vegas has about 52,000 streetlights.

COLLEGE ENTRANCE EXAMS

Nevada ACT scores beat U.S. average

The average score on the ACT college entrance exam among 2009 high school graduates in Nevada was 21.5 out of 36, two-tenths higher than in 2008.

Nationally, the average composite score for 2009 was 21.1.

A new report shows that 6,396 seniors graduating from high school in Nevada in 2009 -- 30 percent -- took the ACT.

A record 1.48 million students graduating in 2009 took the ACT. That's up 4 percent from the year before.

In Nevada, the average English score was 20.9; the average math score was 21.4; the average reading score was 22; and the average science score was 21.

In the state, 45 percent of 2009 graduates earned ACT scores showing they're ready for college-level algebra and 71 percent for English composition.