IN BRIEF

CANYON SPRINGS HIGH

Loaded gun taken from student

A loaded gun was confiscated Tuesday from a male student at Canyon Springs High School, Principal Ronan Matthew said.

Matthew said the student was detained by school officials and police officers at the end of the school day. A gun was found in the student's backpack just before school let out at 2:15 p.m.

Matthew didn't know details of the arrest or what grade the student was in.

Lt. Ken Young, a spokesman with the Clark County School District police, said he was unable to provide details about the incident because his officers were busy Tuesday monitoring student walkouts related to immigration demonstrations.

Matthew has been vocal about his desire to make Canyon Springs the first traditional high school in the district to use walk-through metal detectors during school hours. He said Tuesday's incident marked the third time in six weeks a loaded gun was confiscated at the North Las Vegas school.

"We're lucky we find the guns," Matthew said. "I'm worried about the ones we don't find. The school district should consider putting in metal detectors and honoring my request."

The Clark County School District is studying the effectiveness and feasibility of walk-through metal detectors.

NEAR CALIFORNIA LINE

Pilot dies in crash of home-built plane

A pilot died Tuesday morning in the crash of a single-seat, home-built aircraft in the desert near the California-Nevada state line.

The "Vegas Sport Flyer" took off from the Sandy Valley Airport about 7 a.m. and crashed about 15 minutes later about three miles from the airport, said Ian Gregor, spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration.

Gregor said the pilot was going to Pahrump when the plane went down.

The owner of the aircraft had held a private pilot license since 1994, Gregor said. The owner also had an aircraft repairman certificate since January that allows him to certify his own work on aircraft, Gregor said.

Authorities couldn't confirm that the victim was the owner of the aircraft.

HUMANITARIAN AWARD

Review-Journal columnist honored

Review-Journal columnist John L. Smith was awarded a certificate of merit for the Will Rogers Humanitarian Award presented by the National Society of Newspaper Columnists.

The award recognizes columnists whose work in civic journalism produces tangible benefits for the community.

Smith was nominated for a collection of 2006 columns, including those about childhood cancer. Smith's 11-year-old daughter, Amelia, has battled cancer for three years.

"Your writings about childhood cancer from a personal point of view have done much to raise public awareness of this dread disease," award coordinator Robert L. Haught wrote in a letter to Smith.

"It's nice to be recognized for doing my job, but it's even nicer to know that something I've written has helped make a difference for people," Smith said.

The 2006 award winner was John Boston of the Signal newspaper in Santa Clarita, Calif.

DUST ADVISORY

High winds prompt air quality warning

Expected high winds have prompted Clark County air quality officials to issue a dust advisory today through Thursday morning.

County officials will monitor the air quality and issue an alert if dust levels become unhealthy. The air quality forecast is available at www.accessclarkcounty.com.

High dust levels can aggravate bronchitis, asthma and other respiratory diseases, so children, the elderly and people with breathing problems should stay indoors during a dust storm.

The county sent notices to construction sites to prevent blowing dust, and officials encourage people to avoid driving through vacant lots, drive slowly on unpaved roads and fence off barren property or cover it with gravel or rocks.

To report excessive amounts of blowing dust, people can call 385-DUST.

U.S. HIGHWAY 93

Rollover accident victim from Wyoming

The 62-year-old man who died on Saturday when he rolled his sport utility vehicle off U.S. Highway 93 near state Route 168 was Jimmy C. Bentsen of Rawlins, Wyo., the Nevada Highway Patrol reported Tuesday.

Bentsen was northbound on the highway about 3:30 p.m. when his 2003 Ford SUV went across the southbound lane and off the road, Trooper Kevin Honea said.

The vehicle rolled, and Bentsen, who wasn't wearing a seat belt, was thrown from the SUV and was pronounced dead at the scene.