Print edition for December 2, 1997

US Military Checks Its 21st-Century Weak Spots: Timothy Cornell; Although the United States military's dominance is unmatched by any nation in the world today, America's top military strategists say there are vulnerabilities that must be addressed.

Editorial: Uranium tailings pose danger: While the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission wanted to allow the tailings, produced by Atlas Minerals from 1960 to 1984, to be capped and remain where they are, other agencies raised the warnings.

Philadelphia Regains Faith in Itself: Douglas Herbert; Philadelphia is the storied city of cobblestones and Quakers where, once upon a Colonial time, the yeoman's work of American democracy was done. It is where Benjamin Franklin lived and legislated and Thomas Jefferson invented the Republic.

Charges dropped against Binion in alleged gas station altercation: Bill Gang; Deputy District Attorney David Barker said Monday the felony counts were dismissed in part because of the murder charge filed against Thomas Lee Woodward and in part because a witness has surfaced who contradicts the attendant's story.

US Watches California's Muddled Experiment With Election Reform: James Blair; In backing three ballot measures - one to put term limits on lawmakers, another to cap campaign spending, and a third to open state primaries to voters of any party - voters hoped to reshape a political system that many saw as gridlocked, exclusionary, and driven by special interests.

Clearing Out the Political Elite in Eastern Europe: Kevin Drew; PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC -- Vaclav Klaus's resignation as prime minister of the Czech Republic last weekend signals the end of an era. And observers here say his departure can provide important lessons for the fledgling democracies of post-communist Europe.

Scrappy Scrabblers: Melissa Schorr; In the end, will Scrabble players save the English language?

Another candlelight vigil held for jailed ex-cops: Cathy Scott; Hours earlier, members of the Las Vegas chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People gathered on the courthouse steps supporting District Judge Lee Gates' Nov. 17 order to incarcerate the three former cops. Gates is black, while the officers are white.

Israel's Big Peace Offer: Eye-Opener or Eyewash?: Ilene R. Prusher; JERUSALEM -- Israel's hard-line leader has often said he might surprise the world and reach a lasting peace with the Palestinians.

Even a Room With No View Is Booked Solid: Leon Lazaroff; NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. -- The way hotel manager Tom Grippi explains it, the key word is overflow.

Pressures can give social workers a case of burnout: Your "private" office has no front door and is about the size of a small closet. You have enough paperwork to keep the lumber industry happy.

Plan for Ocean Heliport Sends Okinawa Spinning: Takehiko Nomura; A plan to construct a gigantic sea-based facility for US armed forces has shaken a tiny community called Henoko near Nago city on the Japanese island of Okinawa.

Columnist Jeff German: Clinton, cabinet members flocking to Las Vegas: The latest Clinton cabinet member to sign up for the red-eye out of Washington is Transportation Secretary Rodney Slater.

Columnist Scott Dickensheets: How not to clean a mess of biblical proportions: Scott Dickensheets; I THINK of my garage as the Batcave -- not as a hip allusion to Batman's secret refuge, but rather as a place where you might plausibly find bats. It's dark and mysterious, and every so often one of the kids says, "I'm sure I heard something in there."

Obituaries for December 2, 1997: He is survived by his wife, Maria; two sons, Mike A. Alvarez and Randolph Alvarez; one sister, Catalina Alvarez; seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Columnist Muriel Stevens: Cancer claims a good man, but memories are healthy and strong: The insidious disease struck suddenly last December. It came without warning. One day he was well, the next day he was desperately ill, fighting for his life.

Boys' Basketball standings: SUNSET DIVISION

Wedbush finds edge with advanced technology: The Los Angeles-based securities and investment banker, which first opened its doors in Southern Nevada in a building leased to the company by Howard Hughes, has relocated to new quarters in the Howard Hughes Business Center.

People in the News for December 2, 1997: Unsettling settlement

Case-by-case struggles for Child and Family Services: Try telling caseworkers to do a thorough job when they are serving nearly twice as many kids as the recommended national standard.

Bickering starts trial for ex-judge: Bill Gang; Thomas Pitaro argued in federal court Monday that information in the Metro Police Intelligence Bureau files might help clear Bongiovanni of a slew of charges that he took bribes and committed other crimes.

Where I Stand--Ruthe Deskin: Pet owners should remember their commitment: This is the season of the year when people start thinking about pets as Christmas presents.

Columnist Steve Carp: UCLA can relate to BYU snub: Steve Carp; UCLA, arguably the hottest football team in America with nine straight wins and a top-five ranking, may find itself on the outside looking in on the bowl alliance. Southern Cal, which has a winning record and a whole bunch of tradition along with the nation's No. 2 television market, may be on the outside looking in, period.

CCSN's probation figures subject to interpretation: Bob Shemeligian; Whether that number represents a somewhat tolerable 8 percent or an alarming 18 percent of the student body is the subject of debate at the college this week.

Girls' basketball standings: SUNSET DIVISION

Chancellor may become highest paid college system executive: The board of regents will vote this week on a recommendation to boost the salary of Jarvis from its present $181,162 to $195,000. The board meets Thursday and Friday in Reno.

Retailers optimistic about strong holiday sales: Bob Shemeligian; Industry experts note that a healthy economy and low unemployment should translate to a healthy Christmas shopping season for retailers.

Rebels invade USC: Steve Carp; LOS ANGELES -- It has only been 10 days since UNLV last played a basketball game. But to the players and coach Bill Bayno, it seems like the clock has been turned back to Oct. 18.

Two young men hurt in possible gang-related shooting: Karen Zekan; Yet Metro Police said that the crime could just as easily have been drug related.

Strohmeyer to provide hair, saliva samples: District Attorney Stewart Bell explained that the handwriting sample is necessary to prove that a purported suicide note found in Strohmeyer's Long Beach home was written by the high school honor student.

Girls' Box Score: Gorman 88, Valley 25: Bishop Gorman (88)

Lawmakers off to Hawaii for meeting: That's where 15 state legislators are heading this week for the annual convention of the Council of State Governments. The high-end estimated cost of the trip is $38,000.

Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: Callaway Center's 'Divine Nine' challenging: The Las Vegas area is blessed with several top-notch golf practice facilities. But the folks at Saint Andrews Golf Corporation have raised the bar with the new Callaway Golf Center and its "Divine Nine" par-3 golf course.

Lobos, Rams set to roll: Tim Graham; Confidence is not in short supply.

Gorman boys, girls look to another bright season: Steve Cunningham; There's plenty of excitement around Las Vegas' high school basketball gyms this week with the regular season about to begin in full force.

Home health care moratorium leaves state reeling: Art Nadler; The state's 37 nursing home facilities, with nearly 4,000 beds, are currently operating at 92 percent occupancy, Chris Thompson, administrator for the Division of Health Care Financing and Policy, told members of the Legislative Committee on Health Care Monday. He expects demand to easily surpass availability when baby boomers turn 65 in the year 2010.

Planners establish guidelines: Denise Cardinal; The panel is made up of local government and association representatives to look at growth in the Las Vegas Valley. Monday night, they found themselves holding brightly-colored rubber-like, jelly balls in their hands.

Appeal to release jailed ex-cops filed with high court: Cathy Scott; The 20-page document, filed by the attorneys for former Sgt. James Campbell, was delivered today by Andy Anderson, president of the Police Protective Association.

World AIDS Day marked in county: Elizabeth Dutton; The theme of this year's World AIDS Day was "Give Children Hope in a World with AIDS."

Pack covers despite stilted line: Simply put, the Packers are a popular team with the NFL betting masses and, as a result, the lines for their games are inflated. For instance, they opened as a --3 favorite for their Monday night game at Minnesota and were bet to a --3 1/2 even though every trend and every bit of background information supposedly vital to predicting the outcome of the game indicated the Vikings should have been favored.

Health care committee must find solutions: Art Nadler; "The next meeting or two, we may have to close the door where no one can leave until we've reached a decision," Chairman Sen. Raymond Rawson, R-Las Vegas, said Monday in a meeting at the Grant Sawyer State Office Building that was teleconferenced to Carson City. "It's coming to that."

NFR Rides Into Town: Las Vegas is brimming with country-themed activity, and ShowBiz has the lowdown on all the bustle that rides into town with NFR.

Columnist Jack Sheehan: If it rhymes, is it a poem?: I was interested in the project until I learned that I would be expected to follow the cowboys from town to town, recording their misadventures, but without the cushion of an expense account. In other words, I would be expected to do all the work on my own nickel in hopes that the book made money. The offer was sort of like rodeo itself, in that nothing was guaranteed except the joy of the experience. I took a pass, but I did so with a certain amount of regret, because the cowboys I've known in my life have been a ...

Letter: Farm animals raised for slaughter suffer terribly: K. Sjolie

Letter: Aladdin will hire back very few laid-off workers: The Aladdin's had financial woes because of its location -- too far south? Does this family think anything is going to change? It's still the same location. What kind of cigarettes do they smoke? Where do they come from? How do they get to dream such "wonderful" dreams?

TNN takes Vegas by the horns: Jeannette Carrillo; "PRIME TIME COUNTRY" HOST GARY Chapman puts an extra special spin on his evening talk show as he steers the series into the Las Vegas Hilton during National Finals Rodeo, Dec. 8-12.

Letter: Military not going soft; training has changed: In today's war, an Apache helicopter with infrared vision can find the enemy in the dense jungle or open desert faster and less costly than a foot patrol can. That same helicopter can do the work of 1,000 or more infantry troops.

Roddy McDowall: The Las Has Come Far From 'Lassie': Mel Gussow; NEW YORK - Here is a heart-stopper about the passage of time: Roddy McDowall, the child star of "How Green Was My Valley" and other memorable movies of the 1940s, has been acting for 60 years.

Prison officials probing one-legged convict's escape: He was found early Sunday hiding in an abandoned house in Hawthorne, about 120 miles south of here. Officers had to tackle him when he tried to flee.

NCAA Men's Div I Soccer Championship: First Round

Neal McCoy delivers Rip-roarin' show: Jeannette Carrillo; "You know, we don't have a set list, we wing it every night," said McCoy, who will be performing at the Hard Rock Hotel on Dec. 13.

Ralph Siraco's Selections For Hollywood Park: Selections made for clear racing conditions before scratches.

Letter: Let casinos, tourists pay for new water pipeline: If we raised the gaming tax on slots by 1 percent, it would be pari-mutual. If you put one dollar in the machine and lost, would you know it? If you hit a $14 million megabuck jackpot, would you miss $14,000 less?

Bill Engvall Kicks Up a Storm With Hit Single: Jeannette Carrillo; "I love every bit of the gaudiness of Vegas. It's great to do NFR. I get to see some of the people I never get to see 'cause we're always on the road," said the former team roper who cautions you just never know what might happen when the dust begins to stir.

Letter: Metro Police should protest jailing of three former officers: How could anyone want to be a police officer after this case based on politics. I think all of the Metro Police officers should stand up and show that they are not going to take it anymore. They should stage a walkout to prove their point; maybe people would listen. They risk their lives every second to protect us from degenerates like Andrew Dersch and in a matter of minutes, escalating to years, they could lose everything.

New cameras allow firefighters to see through smoke: With funding from the city, the Las Vegas Fire Department purchased four of the $25,000 cameras. Only the Metro-Dade, Fla., fire department, which has six, has more cameras, Trevino said.

Mine cleanup will take time, money: Acid drainage from Leviathan Mine has produced a constant flow of arsenic, mercury, copper, zinc and other heavy metals into Leviathan Creek in remote Alpine County in the eastern Sierra.

Alabama Rekindles Mountain Music: "We spent so many hectic years touring and recording," said lead singer Randy Owen. "It was difficult to find the time to write. ... Our fans have been telling us they wanted to hear more of our own songs, so this collection is something truly special. As an artist, this is something you reach for--a project that represents your own life's experiences and influences and allows you to express all those inner thoughts and feelings."

NCAA Women's Volleyball: EAST

Chris LeDoux Spins Tales of the West: LeDoux, who performs at the Hard Rock Hotel on Dec. 12, is a world champion bareback bronc rider, a cattle rancher, a builder, an award-winning bronze sculptor, a husband, a father and a cowboy. Did we mention that he's also a very gifted singer-songwriter? He's recorded 28 albums, fills 20,000-seat arenas, and has a devoted fan base that encompasses the old-timers who followed him on the rodeo circuit and the next generation that know him as a loud, rowdy entertainer.

Travis, Carter carry on tradition: Penny Levin; Travis, one of country music's most re-nowned and loved stars will showcase his talents Dec. 11-13 at 10 p.m. in the Hilton Theater.

Monday's College Hockey Scores: Bentley 15, Suffolk 5

Wednesday at Golden Gate: 1st race 5-1/2 fur 3YO&up Clm

LeAnn Rimes, Ty Herndon raised on classic Country: Joe Delaney; LeAnn was the recipient of two Grammy Awards this year. She was named Best New Artist (the first time a country artist was ever given this award) and Best Female Country Performance for her album "Blue." Composer Bill Marks also received a Grammy for "Blue" as the Best Country Song. "Blue" was originally written for Patsy Cline some 30 years ago.

Joe Diffie Gets the House Jumpin': "It still amazes me," Diffie said, describing the way it feels to make a record. "No matter how many times I've done it, it's still a thrill--the idea you can begin with a blank tape and then come out with something extraordinary."

Charlie Daniels Plows His Own Road: A Renaissance man at heart, Daniels, who heads up the Charlie Daniels Band, which moves into the Imperial Palace on Dec. 7, is at ease playing a variety of styles, from country to Southern rock, gospel and jazz. To be sure, this virtuoso of musicianship totals much more than the sum of his parts.

Wednesday at Aqueduct: 1st race 6 fur 2YO Mdn

Estelle Neal, state senator's wife, dies: She is survived by her husband and five children.

Letter: Family Court needs judges who are advocates of children: Judge Gerald Hardcastle states, "But we don't make bad people into good people. We just make decisions." That is true. Unfortunately, some judges make bad decisions with no rational or logic supporting them. Sometimes, as in my case, the law is ignored.

Letter: Quarter-cent tax increase unfair to longtime residents: Las Vegas property values have appreciated less than anywhere in the West. The solution is, keep connection fees where they should be, raise the gaming tax a quarter-percent and then raise the sales tax a quarter-percent, if needed.

NCAA Women's Div I Soccer Championship: First Round

Modern film's last cowboy greets fans: Ed Dodrill; Taylor is one of the few people in the motion picture industry who can do his own riding, shooting and stunt work and then complete a painting capturing the excitement of the scene and the spirit of the characters.

NFR draws top cowboys to Vegas: Ed Dodrill; But today, with substantial prize money and increased exposure on television, rodeo has made it to the ranks of a national sport. Names like Ty Murray, Joe Beaver, Marvin Garrett and the Etbauer brothers are known to many more people than rodeo champions of the past.

For British, The Trick is Distribution: Sarah Lyall; In fact, more than half the films made in Britain each year never make it to a movie theater. And although the British film industry seems to be undergoing something of a renaissance, fueled by a noticeable upturn in production and a huge gift of more than $156 million from the National Lottery last spring, people in the industry warn that the dawn will turn out to be a false one if the country's film distribution system doesn't improve quickly.

Walker Sizzles on 'Rumor': FOUR YEARS AFTER HIS DEBUT SINgle "What's It to You" topped the country music charts, Clay Walker continues to head up play lists with hit after hit. To date, he's sold more than four million albums, totaling three platinum records, eight No. 1 singles and a colossal head start on his latest entry "Rumor Has It."

Country Superstars Heed NFR's Entertainment Requests: Joe Delaney; MANY CHOICES: The Charlie Daniels Band, for real, is the Imperial Palace attraction, Dec. 7, while Gary Allan will do two shows Dec. 7 (Palace Station). ... Diamond Rio is scheduled to play the Orleans on Dec. 7-10. ... Clay Walker follows Diamond Rio, Dec. 11-13. ... Monday, usually a dark day, has three openings this week.

Going Home, American Shoots Film in Vietnam: Criag Whitney; All of them hope Bui's "Three Seasons" will create as much excitement when it is released in the spring as "The Quiet American" did nearly 40 years ago.