Print edition for February 5, 1997

Top 3 boys teams in both divisions triumph: Top-ranked Valley and No. 4 Las Vegas, along with Basic, posted wins in the Sunrise Division, while sixth-rated Bishop Gorman, No. 2 Durango and seventh-ranked Cheyenne marched on in the Sunset Division.

Rebel recruits ready to sign on dotted line: Steve Carp; His 1-11 UNLV football team spent most of the winter rebuilding its coaching staff while trying to convince high school and junior college athletes it was worth it to come to the desert and help get the program back on its feet.

Lawmakers don't like sales tax hike plan for Vegas-area water: She was one of a dozen legislators at a presentation Tuesday by the Southern Nevada Water Authority. The authority is drafting a bill to raise sales taxes, now at 7 percent in Clark County, a quarter-cent to complete a second water pipe from Lake Mead to Las Vegas.

College Roundup: Kansas falls at Mizzou: Columbia, Mo., and Columbia, S.C., are separated by half the country, but were united Tuesday night as college towns for highly ranked teams to avoid.

Lawmakers cool to tax increase for water: Larry Henry; "Is all growth good growth?" asked Assemblywoman Chris Giunchigliani, D-Las Vegas. "Absolutely not."

State schools chief reports mediocre scores: And the state Department of Education presented statistics Tuesday that back up his assessment.

Eclipse Award Winners: 1971 - Ack Ack

Letter: Public support is vital in all Scouting programs: You obviously understand the old adage, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." For more than87 years, good people like you have taken the time to use the Scouting program as a remedy for the social ills America's youth face. You have helped save them from the dangers of drugs, gang violence, teen pregnancy, vandalism, etc. Thanks to contributions from people like you, thousands of youngsters have gained personal values, self-confidence, leadership and life skills that are helping them grow into strong role models for the next generation.

With Jokes, Serb Protesters Prevailing in 'Ironic Revolution': Paul Wood; Led by student demonstrators, the protesters seemed to come up with a new gimmick every day to keep their spirits up and people on the streets. In the face of this, the government of President Slobodan Milosevic vacillated between hints of compromise and shrill denunciation, backed up with the use of force by the police.

Sports Briefs: Bowler's perfect games sanctioned: "It's total elation," the University of Nebraska sophomore said Tuesday after learning that his feat was being officially recognized by the American Bowling Congress.

Shakur's mother rips Metro Police: Cathy Scott; Afeni Shakur's spokesman, New York attorney Rick Fischbein, told the SUN, "It's an outrage that Las Vegas police are sitting around waiting for a suspect to come to them."

NHL roundup: Penguins' Lemieux becomes 7th player with 600 goals: Lemieux became only the seventh player to score 600 goals when he capped the Pittsburgh Penguins' 6-4 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday night.

Handbill order restrained: Jeff Schweers; On Tuesday, they won a limited order restricting Clark County from enforcing its new code banning handbill distribution pending a preliminary injunction hearing next week.

Tahoe's two-month gain is four times Reno area's annual water use: December sent 78,160 acre-feet gushing into the lake. The heavy, warm rain the first week in January added another 154,500 acre-feet. Last month was a record and combined with December for the wettest two months ever.

Dean Juipe: Hilton fight sees sluggers at crossroads: While Oliver McCall's flaws are more apparent, Lennox Lewis isn't without imperfections.

Las Vegas business news: By Mike Campbell; * STATION CASINOS REVENUES RISE -- Station Casinos Inc. reported net income of $6.9 million, or 20 cents a share,for the third quarter ended Dec. 31, compared with $7.4 million, or 21 cents a share, for the year-earlier quarter. Revenue rose to $133.8 million from $122.9 million. The company said sports-book revenue declined $1.3 million in the fiscal 1997 quarter from the year-ago period at its three Las Vegas properties.

Silverado's girls humble Western: James Yodice; This was the equivalent of having to make a six-inch putt, or hit a baseball off a tee -- it really looked that easy for Silverado High School's girls basketball team.

State to bring lawsuit against designer of tax collection system: "We don't believe we got what we paid for and a lawsuit is necessary," Taxation Director Mike Pitlock said. "We attempted to negotiation with Best, but they came back with a proposal that was not acceptable."

Letter: Editor pointed out need for First Amendment: You may use my name in support of ABC concerning the Lion King vs. ABC.

EPA to test fish for contaminants: Bill Burke, a National Park Service biologist in charge of air and water quality, said Tuesday the EPA's laboratory in Richmond, Calif., plans testing on stripers.

WBA Rankings: Heavyweight

Genoa town board supports post office location in commercial area: Some residents urged the town board to take no position, but advocates of a downtown location for the new post office said the Postal Service wanted some guidance from the panel.

Environmental, reform activists hail report calling for program cuts: "Millions of taxpayer dollars are wasted every year," Justin Ruben of the U.S. Public Interest Research Group said at the coalition's news conference here.

EDI closing shocks students: Debra D. Bass; Melonie Fernandez feels like she just lost hers.

Cooperation vital when planning for LV's future: Steve Sebelius; Donna Kristaponis, who now heads Reno's planning department, said Tuesday that "stakeholders" in the community should cooperate, not fight, in efforts to develop common goals for Las Vegas' future.

Peter Benton: Brady Exber honored: To the delight of all in attendance, Brady Exber, the epitome of an amateur sportsman, was introduced as the association's 1996 Player of the Year.

LPBT Terre Haute: 1. Carol Norman, Oklahoma City, 10-6-0, 7,254. 2. Marianne DiRupo, Succasunna, N.J. 10-5-1, 7,098. 3. Cathy Dorin, Linden, N.J., 10-6-0, 7,079. 4. Nikki Gianulias, Vallejo, Calif., 10-6-0, 7,062. 5. Dede Davidson, Clearwater, Fla., 11-5-0, 7,025. 6. Kris Hall, Rockford, Ill., 9-7-0, 6,980.

Marnell imprint on gaming properties nationwide: Exciting indeed.

Letter: Retirement investments too risky for Social Security: Let's take a local casino whose stock was sold for about $10. Now, after a short period of time, it is worth about $1. This is about 10 cents on the dollar. Just suppose that all my Social Security was "invested" in this stock. It would be difficult to convince the landlady to take 10 cents on the dollar for her rent. This is an isolated incident.

With Islam's Crescent Rising Over Turkey, the Army Howls: Sami Kohen; The 20 tanks were gone almost as fast as they arrived. But to Sincan's residents - and indeed everyone in this nominally Muslim country - the message was clear: Don't threaten Turkey's long tradition of secular rule.

Opinion: Rethinking Anachronistic US Policies: Pat M. Holt; Two current illustrations are drugs and Cuba. Both policies seem beyond dispute when in fact they should be controversial.

Arnold pumped up for Inner-City Games: Lisa Ferguson; And true to his "Terminator" word, actor Arnold Schwarzenegger will once again flex his celebrity muscle at the 1997 Greater Las Vegas Inner-City Games this spring.

Navy fighters shake up rural Nevada residents: Ray Salisbury, who runs the Pony Express Bed & Breakfast, said he was on the phone when he heard the first sonic boom followed by a loud crash.

Boy's Prep Standings: SUNSET DIVISION

Letter: Las Vegas' triumvirate prevailed over homeowners: Unfortunately, though, Deskin is right. The Rome-Las Vegas triumvirate -- casinos, developers and politicians -- has decreed nothing or no one will stand in the way of their expansion and vision for Las Vegas.

County news briefs: * BIDDING WAR -- A contractor unsuccessfully argued that his competitor didn't qualify under the state's local bidder preference law for a new addition to the coroner's office at 1704 Pinto Lane. The commission on Tuesday chose B&H Construction over Meeks Contracting Inc. as the low and most responsive bidder for the job. B&H offered to do the work for $1.529 million -- $40,000 less than Meeks' proposal. While both are local companies, Meeks argued that B&H changed from a partnership to a corporation without getting a new contractor's license for 17 months.

LV men part of coffee klatches: Mike Sloan, a Circus Circus Enterprises Inc. executive, and Polo Towers owner Stephen Cloobeck attended the insider events where lobbyists allegedly got access to Clinton in exchange for donations.

IHL Standings: Northeast Division

Budget committee takes issue with mental health system: "Our organization represents 50,000 people and their family members," Johnson said. "But we don't have a powerful, sexy lobbyist to talk for us."

Box Score: Thunder 6, Blades 5 (SO): Second Period -- 5, Kansas City, Sylvester 10 (Palmer, Cirone) 13:17. 6, Kansas City, Bruce 30 (Craigwell, Purves) 17:29. Penalties: Trombley, Las Vegas (fighting) 7:18; Kimble, Kansas City (fighting) 7:18; Voronov, Las Vegas (cross-checking) 19:48.

Gaming profits: * 1996: State, $1.3 billion, or 10.6 percent profit on sales; Strip, $973.6 million or 14.2 percent; Downtown Las Vegas $20.4 million, 2 percent.

Israel Doubts Its Rule of S. Lebanon After Collision of Military Helicopters: Scott Peterson; The barbed wire is electrified. Any breach is known immediately, and Israeli troops can pinpoint the violation in seconds.

Rainbows won't miss 3 suspended players: Steve Carp; HONOLULU -- Coach Riley Wallace isn't going to let the loss of three players slow Hawaii's chase for a WAC Pacific Division title and an NCAA postseason berth.

Mental-health budget takes heat: "We can't tolerate these types of waiting lists," Sen. Ray Rawson, R-Las Vegas, told officials of the state Division of Mental Hygiene and Mental Retardation.

Letter: Columnists need a balance in discussing Ebonics issue: If all of the black problems Page espouses are solved, he would not have anything to write about. He is very one-dimensional. But I do enjoy reading his column. Maybe he should take some lessons from Bob Herbert.

President draws mixed reviews locally: Larry Tomlinson and Royse Smith of the Community College of Southern Nevada, and Eric Herzik of the University of Nevada, Reno, noted that Clinton was more detailed Tuesday night on education than any other issue.

Bill would require parents to pay for property damaged by children: "This is a bill to ensure parental involvement and accountability for the actions of their children," Herrera , D-Las Vegas, told Assembly Judiciary members.

Bash a blast in debut: Tim Graham; The newest member of the Las Vegas Thunder made his International Hockey League debut a memorable one Tuesday night. Not only did Bashkirov score the game-tying goal with less than five minutes left in regulation, he also netted the clinching goal in the ensuing shootout, giving his new team a 6-5 victory over the Kansas City Blades.

Lawmakers say healthy profits report advances gaming tax argument: The Gaming Control Board reported the clubs had pre-tax profits equivalent to a 10.6 percent return on revenues of $12.8 billion.

US Choice in Bosnia Will Sway Peace: Laura Kay Rozen; The guns in Bosnia have been silent for more than a year. But leaders of Bosnia's two entities - the Muslim-Croat Federation and the Bosnian Serb republic - are still bitterly divided over which side should get the northeastern Bosnian city of Brcko.

Paula Del Giudice: It was quite a Show: It's grown quite a bit since inception -- the Show just completed its 17th year. The first one I attended was the second annual. I remember being a "wet behind the ears" magazine editor walking the hundreds of aisles of merchandise. It was incredibly overwhelming. It still is.

Letter: Local hero stays in focus: I thought it would be nice to share what he does and why he does it. I love him and believe he deserves recognition for his unselfish, untiring acts of kindness. He's my hero!

Girl's Prep Standings: SUNSET DIVISION

Infighting not hurting PSC mission: And the National Regulatory Research Institute, which conducted the $19,500 study released Tuesday, said Chairman John Mendoza "has worked hard to minimize the level of conflict."

Where I Stand: Media pinning as painful as blood pinning for military: Maybe he was shocked because some of his troops got carried away with grinding the wings into the chests of recent paratroop graduates. There's no doubt that the film gave viewers good reason to believe that several of the pinners were completely out of control. If anything, it displayed a lack of military discipline. Not a good show, to say the least.

In N. Ireland, Book May Clarify 'Bloody Sunday': Alexander MacLeod; No anniversary casts a longer shadow over the modern politics of the province of Northern Ireland than Jan. 30, 1972 - so-called Bloody Sunday.

Aztar Corp. earnings: Aztar Corp. earnings

Letter: Use the wrong words well and win the best actor honor: Take the four letter (F) word.

Rodman on the rebound: "I think it's unfortunate for the fans and everybody else that it occurred," Rodman said Tuesday night at halftime of the game between the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers at the Anaheim Arena. "I'm glad I can come back and play like I do again.

Bible gaming panel selection delayed: Sen. Richard Bryan, D-Nev., issued a news release this week indicating President Clinton planned to name Bible, chairman of the State Gaming Control Board, to the nine-member commission by today.

Letter: Tight slot machines are driving away the locals: Come on, give us a break.

Metro's use-of-force board meets criticism: Karen Zekan; More than 45 people packed the southwest area command's substation off West Spring Mountain Road Tuesday night for the monthly "First Tuesday" meeting -- a program Sheriff Jerry Keller started two years ago as a means to open communication lines between the department and the community.

Developers win beltway change: Jeff Schweers; The County Commission Tuesday approved modifications to the segment that runs northwest from Tropicana Avenue and El Capitan Way, crossing Fort Apache Road and merging with Hualpai Way just north of Flamingo Road.

Bad day for DMV: Assemblywoman Vonne Chowning, D-North Las Vegas, directed the department to do an accounting to determine which of the 6,000 motorists may be due a refund.

A lasting impression: Steve Carp; And that's saying something, considering Carter was a forgotten man four years ago.

Big Strip gamblers enjoy record profits -- downtown slumps: And downtown Las Vegas casinos had their worst profit performance in the last five years.

Letter: Ebonics contributes nothing to blacks or whites in society: Sitting next to a black man on a bus there I commented to him on his perfect enunciation of English.

Tim Graham: Fox Sports West 2 is foundering: Tim Graham; The old slogan at MTV became the rule for all television networks to follow: "Too much is never enough."

Bill requiring NLV muni judges be attorneys ripped: "You mean the screw Gary Davis bill?" said Davis, a nonattorney who was removed from the post he had held since 1979 in December 1995 after the Nevada Judicial Discipline Commission determined he had committed acts of noncriminal misconduct.