Print edition for May 15, 1997

'Justice has been served' in murder case: Cathy Scott; It also marks the chance to move forward for Las Vegas' Hispanic community.

Dean Juipe: Jimmy Thunder willing to rumble: Dean Juipe; He's getting TV time. In fact, Jimmy Thunder is something of a fixture on the USA cable network.

Columnist Joe Delaney: Uncle Miltie as sharp as ever at 88: Joe Delaney; MILTON BERLE was in town with his family, holding court in his 23rd floor suite at the Horseshoe hotel-casino. ... Berle is promoting his new magazine, "Milton," which has as its slogan, "We drink. We smoke. We gamble." ... Still in top form, Uncle Miltie will be 89 on July 12. ... Our first awareness of Berle was in Philadelphia; the year, 1937.

Search for missing man takes strange twist: The search for Whitmore intensified over the weekend when blood was found at his home and his car turned up at the Reno airport. Searchers have been combing the Truckee River near his home, with no luck.

Christians Join Jostle For Turf in Jerusalem: The top-ranking Greek Orthodox official here, Metropolitan Timothy, is giving a rare tour of the patriarchate's monastery. The purpose for the unusual glimpse is to lodge a serious complaint: Virtually overnight, the clerics' living quarters have become two rooms smaller.

Prep: Track results: NOTE: The top eight, plus ties, in each event qualify for Saturday's finals at Durango. Also, 3,200 runs and 4x800 relays will be run on Saturday.

Clues sought in woman's death: Iverson was known to live in and frequent the downtown area, Metro Police said. She was last seen alive on the morning of May 5 at a downtown motel. Her body was found May 8 in an apartment undergoing renovation at 1226 W. Reed Place, near Martin Luther King Boulevard and Washington Avenue.

Sports history for May 15: 1918 - The Preakness, run in two divisions, is won by War Cloud, ridden by Johny Loftus, in the first half and Jack Hare, Jr., ridden by C. Peak, in the second half.

Campaign reform bill details: * Bars candidates from putting a mole on the staff of an opponent to disrupt the campaign. The Ethics Commission could levy a $10,000 fine if there is a violation.

Effects of reducing class sizes unclear: Whether the practice is producing tangible solutions to class sizes is unclear from the newest round of test results issued by the state Department of Education. The study examines the results of recently taken fourth-grade standardized achievement tests, comparing the scores of pupils who lived in Nevada for first and second grades vs. pupils who lived elsewhere for both or one of the years.

Indian art show to be in Henderson: Silver and goldsmiths Arvid Anderson and Brian Clark will appear at the show.

Parties war over campaign bill: After Wednesday's passage of Senate Bill 215, Senate Minority Leader Dina Titus, D-Las Vegas, accused the Republican leadership of reaching "an all-time low."

Williams claims officials want his teacher's license: Larry Henry; Debbie Cahill, a lobbyist for the teachers union, said four members of the state Board of Education were talking over lunch in a Carson City Taco Bell Saturday about drafting a bill to suspend Williams' license.

Friday at Hollywood Park: 1st race 6 fur 3YO Clm

Where You Stand for May 15, 1997: Name withheld

Obituary: Sigmund Goldberg: Nevada Funeral Service-Nevada Cremation or Burial Society, 726 S. Casino Center, Suite 208, is handling arrangements.

Assembly: Voters won't have tax say: Larry Henry; CARSON CITY -- The Assembly has defeated a provision that would have let voters decide whether to raise sales taxes for growth-related problems.

Mortensen conviction: Life without parole: Mortensen, who showed no emotion when convicted, cried at times Thursday as witnesses took the stand during his penalty hearing.

Where I Stand: Arturo Cambeiro - Proud name for an elementary school: Seven years ago, SUN writer Art Nadler wrote: "Arturo Cambeiro was a successful architect in Cuba before Fidel Castro took over and forced him to flee the island country in 1962 with his wife, small child and nothing but the clothes on their backs.

Key witness subject of sexual assault probe: But the attorney for the woman says he and the woman met with Clark County District Attorney Stewart Bell on Tuesday to discuss the allegations.

Obituary: Ella M. Carson: Palm Mortuary, 1325 N. Main St., is handling arrangements.

Mello blasts three Supreme Court justices in letter: Donald Mello, former administrator of the court, sent a letter Wednesday to all Nevada legislators, saying that Chief Justice Miriam Shearing and Justices Bob Rose and Cliff Young "are more enamored with money, power and the prestige of their office, rather than serving the citizens of Nevada."

Neal: LV council trying to keep minorities off: But Jones and three council members told the Senate Government Affairs Committee Wednesday they want a public vote to decide whether the council should be expanded from four to six members.

Softball: At Sunset Park

Neal: LV council blocking minorities: But Jones and three council members told the Senate Government Affairs Committee Wednesday they want a public vote to decide whether the council should be expanded from four to six members.

Raggio calls for law school now: Raggio, R-Reno, said it is a "long process" for a law school to get accreditation from the American Bar Association and that should begin as soon as possible.

ACLU, adult firms appeal decision on Strip fliers: Rachael Levy; S.O.C. Inc. and Hillsboro Enterprises argued Wednesday that the Clark County Commission banned smut peddlers and other handbillers in a scheme to drive outcall entertainers from the Strip.

A somber gathering: Karen Zekan; They sat in the shade of the yard off McKellar Circle, steps away from where the 21-year-old man was killed in a drive-by shooting, the bullet holes in the wall and shattered glass window permanent reminders.

Mining association sues BLM: "The mining industry is outraged that the BLM promulgated these rules without meaningful and timely public participation as required by the Administrative Procedure Act and other federal laws," association Executive Director Laura Skaer told the Elko Daily Free Press.

Las Vegas Stars scorecard: Upcoming games

Legislative summary: SENATE

Taiwanese officials visit Nevada Legislature: "We try to be useful friends of the state of Nevada," Lo told lawmakers. Lo said Taiwan has only one-eighth of the land that Nevada has, but is home to more than 10 times the number of people.

Fashion Show Mall plans expansion: The Rouse Co. of Columbia, Md. and TrizecHahn Centers of San Diego, owners of the 840,000-square-foot mall, plan to begin construction on the expansion next spring.

County commissioner says court fight with the feds done: The suit filed in 1995 officially ended May 1 when both sides signed a settlement agreement. The U.S. District Court ruling sided with federal control of public lands, but said local governments have what Carver calls "concurrent jurisdiction," which he calls a victory for the county.

Committee picks top three companies to run Elko hospital: Bob Heguy of Kafoury-Armstrong & Co. provided an analysis of what the county would receive from each corporation and told the committee and a handful of people in the audience that most of the proposals were very close.

Assembly panel looks at Heller's money-back proposal: But Assemblywoman Sandra Tiffany, R-Henderson, praised the proposal spelled out in AB437, saying, "It's about time government starts to serve taxpayers."

Obituary: Bobby Jack Durbin: Visitation is scheduled one hour prior to 11 a.m. services Friday in United Methodist Church, Henderson. Burial will be 1:30 p.m. Friday in Southern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Boulder City. Nevada Funeral Service-Nevada Cremation or Burial Society, 726 S. Casino Center, Suite 208, is handling arrangements.

Supercross title in Emig's grasp: By Ron Kantowski; Buoyed by a season-high five victories (to McGrath's two), Emig can barge right through it Saturday, when the American Motorcycle Association stages its Supercross season finale at Sam Boyd Stadium.

NevTEL set to build new facility: Bob Shemeligian; NevTEL, which has offered local telephone services in Las Vegas since November 1996, broke ground Wednesday morning on a one-story, 33,000-square-foot operation center at the northwest corner of Cheyenne Avenue and Buffalo Drive.

Letter: Leave Lamb alone; Lobby instead for more parks: It seems to me that we Nevadans are to easily influenced by a very minuscule portion of the population, that, for whatever reason, has nothing better to do than circulate petitions. It would be a much better world if those same people attacked the social ills of the community with the same zeal.

Obituary: Anna M. Harbort: Services will be 2 p.m. Saturday in Palm Mortuary, 800 S. Boulder Highway, Henderson.

Survey shows vacationers are ready to spend big this summer: Gregg Stein; Florida, California and Hawaii were picked as the favorite U.S. destinations for the fifth year in a row. Nevada and New York tied for fourth place in the top 10 ranking, followed by Colorado, Arizona, Texas, Washington, D.C., and Alaska.

Cashier sought in theft at Horseshoe: Cathy Scott; The theft took place at 3:45 a.m. Monday during the annual World Series of Poker championship at Binion's. Just one cage, called a "one-man cage," was operating because of the tournament, said Phil Roland, spokesman for Metro Police.

Obituary: Oma Carolyn Fox: Visitation is scheduled from 3-9 p.m. today in Evergreen Funeral Home, 2071 Las Vegas Blvd. North. Services will be 1 p.m. Friday in Evergreen Funeral Home. Burial will follow in Palm Memorial Park.

Obituary: Edwin R. Miles Sr.: Burial will be in Arlington National Cemetery. Desert Memorial Cremation and Burial Society, 1111 Las Vegas Blvd. North, is handling arrangements.

Letter: Ethics panel did right thing in punishing Constable Nolen: If the office is running smoothly without him being there it is probably because his workers take pride in their obligation of hard work and public service and have to worry about job security opposed to Nolen who states that he "answers to no one!"

Las Vegas, San Diego, Phoenix to market three cities: The combined campaign will first target Europeans, then eventually Asians and Latin Americans.

Rock's 'On Tour' to stop in LV: The Hall of Fame "On Tour" includes an original surround-sound film that captures the essence of the museum and offers glimpses of the annual induction ceremonies. Also included in the exhibit are prototypes of electric guitars, along with photographs of some of rock's best-known guitar innovators.

From Marx to the Market in Five Years: William Echikson; The Eesti Line steamer sets out from the Helsinki Harbor for the Estonian capital of Tallinn at 8:30 a.m.

Letter: The term downtown comes from early days of the city: It's nice to see someone who actually cares about Las Vegas' rich history!

3 teams try to end Gators' reign: James Yodice; The answer is simple. They don't.

Poker results: * TOP 6: 1. Stu Ungar, Las Vegas; 2. Ron Stanley, Las Vegas; 3. Bob Walker, Las Vegas; 4. Mel Judah, London, England; 5. John Strzemp, Las Vegas; 6. Peter Bao, Las Vegas. (Final standings and money winnings to be determined today.)

Columist Steve Carp: UNLV may lose more than it gains: Charles Cavagnaro, UNLV's athletic director, claims he understands that. Yet he's prepared to risk alienating a good segment of his boosters next month by raising the price of their scholarship donation as well as hiking the cost of Rebel basketball tickets for everyone.

Obituary: Lisa Marie Alexis: Visitation is scheduled from 2-9 p.m. Friday in Evergreen Funeral Home, 2071 Las Vegas Blvd. North. Services will be 11 a.m. Saturday in the New Jerusalem Church, 1100 N. D St. Burial will follow in Woodlawn Cemetery.

Letter: Are we teaching our children too much fear?: If we teach them to dread strangers, how will they ever learn to trust anyone in later life when they go into the workplace? I think all this dread and fear we are teaching our children is wrong, and we should do something to soften it.

Columnist John McCarron: Wolcott KOs Cefali to take Orleans tournament: John McCarron; The next Nevada Tournament Bowlers Alliance event is a mixed doubles at Sunset Lanes May 26 at 10 a.m. Entry fee is $120. Call Wally Fellman at 736-BOWL for reservations.

Stars reliever ready to take hill: Tim Graham; Every time the Las Vegas Stars relief pitcher looks over his left shoulder, two sets of eyes stare back at him. They are the masks of drama -- comedy and tragedy -- etched forever on his skin.

People in the News for May 15, 1997: Misc.

Haitians Tire of Waiting For 'Big Brother' to Help: Kathie Klarreich; On any given day in Haiti, someone is protesting something, somewhere. It could be corruption of officials, the high cost of living, or pay for civil employees.

Experts: Las Vegas has strong industrial market: Growth is occurring despite the city having among the highest industrial rental rates in the nation, according to a third report.

Carson man to get medals back: U.S. Sen. Harry Reid announced Wednesday that the Army will recognize Bowler's rank of captain and award him the decorations for bravery and patriotism, including two Bronze Star medals and a Prisoner of War medal.

Columnist Jeff German: Conservatives claim victory in battle over fed gaming czar: And they may get their way.

Obituary: Robert W. Montgomery: Palm Mortuary, 1600 S. Jones Blvd., is handling arrangements.

Mortensen sentence: Life without parole: Pauline Bell; Now a District Court jury says the former Metro patrolman must spend the rest of his life behind bars without an opportunity for parole.

Obituary: Wava Lee Meyers: Graveside services will be 10 a.m. Friday in Pioneer Cemetery, Overton. Bunker Mortuary, 925 Las Vegas Blvd. North, is handling arrangements.

Letter: Adamsen deservedly won a clean race for council: He and his challengers -- Umnuss, Brna and Lenz -- are all to be commended for running a clean campaign and avoiding the mudslinging. I respect the three challengers, all good citizens who fought the good fight.

NCAA title main goal for senior: SANTEE, Calif. -- Even if Gilberto Morales finishes his collegiate career at UNLV without winning a golf tournament, the 21-year-old senior some day will look back on his four-year stint in Las Vegas as a whopping success.

Agassi, assemblyman, former judge on late tax list: The list, which was published Thursday, shows Andre Agassi and his brother, Phillip, owe $313 plus a $12.52 penalty.

Yes, sir, that's my electronic alien cyberbaby: Geoff Carter; The persistent, programmed thud of the Chemical Brothers was shaking the Hard Rock Hotel's showroom while a thousand-odd fans boogied away. I stood in the center of the frenzy, surrounded by curious onlookers. Not because I have a small but serious local reputation, not because my dancing is noteworthy (it most certainly is not). What had piqued so much interest was the Tamagotchi hanging around my neck.

Obituary: Stanley Gus Milonas: Desert Memorial Cremation and Burial Society, 1111 Las Vegas Blvd. North, is handling arrangements.

College Minority Admissions Drop: Daniel Sneider; Both supporters and foes of affirmative action have long argued that the imposition of race-blind university admission policies would alter the look of American campuses. Now the first evidence is in, and the results are even more dramatic than many predicted.

Sports pari-mutuel betting planned: Gary Thompson; Multi-million-dollar weekly sports-betting jackpots could become the norm this fall under a pari-mutuel betting system developed by an American Wagering Inc. and International Game Technology joint venture.

Obituary: Gussie Schore: Graveside services were 10 a.m. today in Memory Gardens. Bunker Mortuary, 925 Las Vegas Blvd. North, handled arrangements.

Obituary: Lena Adele Venturino: Visitation was scheduled one half hour prior to 11:30 a.m. services today in St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church. Burial will be in California. Bunker Mortuary, 925 Las Vegas Blvd. North, is handling arrangements.

Edtorial: Wetlands protect our water: A Trust for Public Land report says the better way is to rebuild wetlands that have been lost over the years in the rush for development. Natural vegetation and water-borne life in wetlands can clean water in ways beyond the capacity of conventional treatment plants.

Power company appeals required rate reduction: But Nevada Power spokesman Tom Henley said the appeal is well-founded.

Prep Standings: Boys' Volleyball: SUNSET DIVISION

Letter: Campaign reform bill masks where the money comes from: If he were sincere about cleaning up negative campaigns, he would have introduced a separate bill addressing that issue. He would not tack it onto an existing bill as a mere afterthought. We agree with Secretary of State Dean Heller, who said in the SUN article, "I do have to question whether this is an amendment to kill the bill."

Box score: Cannons 5, Stars 4: DP--Calgary 2, Las Vegas 3. LOB--Calgary 8, Las Vegas 7. 2B--Ward, Smith, Wright, Garcia. HR--Secrist (5), Tatum (7), Helfand (1). SH--Lawrence. SB--Collier (4), Dascenzo (3). CS--Briggs.

Top Brass Tries to Sell China On US Military Role in Asia: Kevin Platt; President Clinton won over Russia. But can he win China?

Obituary: James G. Wheeler: Obituary: James G. Wheeler

Obituary: Ricardo Antonio Sisco: Visitation is scheduled from 9 a.m. until an 11 a.m. memorial service Friday in Desert Memorial Cremation and Burial Society, 1111 Las Vegas Blvd. North.

Fire destroys townhouses: Cathy Scott; The Clark County Fire Department received the first alarm at 3:15 a.m. at the condominium complex at 1447 and 1437 Hialeah Drive, near Maryland Parkway and Harmon Avenue. Damage to the buildings was estimated at $300,000.

Columnist Bob Shemeligian: Now Marcia's throwing the book at us: Bob Shemeligian; WITHOUT a doubt, the trial of the century goes on.

Police seek clues into death of woman: Iverson was known to live in and frequent the downtown area, Metro Police said. She was last seen alive on the morning of May 5 at a downtown motel. Her body was found May 8 in an apartment undergoing renovation at 1226 W. Reed Place, near Martin Luther King Boulevard and Washington Avenue.

Devers resurrected life with diagnosis: Art Nadler; But it was not to be.

Woman goes wrong way on freeway: She ignored the patrol car until the trooper finally forced a minor collision near Gold Ranch, almost at the California line.

Obituary: Dr. Gordon Edgar Harrison: Desert Memorial Cremation and Burial Society, 1111 Las Vegas Blvd. North, is handling arrangements.

Obituary: Sandra Woolworth: Nevada Funeral Service-Nevada Cremation or Burial Society, 726 S. Casino Center, Suite 208, is handling arrangements.

'Rise and Fall of Bob Stupak' a towering addition to limited Vegas bookshelf: Geoff Schumacher; Local historian Mike Green, who hopes to write the definitive history of Las Vegas someday, cites just two texts as worthy of serious readers' attention: "Resort City in the Sunbelt," by UNLV history Professor Eugene Moehring, and "Las Vegas: A Desert Paradise," by the late UNLV history Professor Ralph Roske.

Obituary: Louise Evelyn Canon: Desert Memorial Cremation and Burial Society, 1111 Las Vegas Blvd. North, is handling arrangements.

Las Vegas business briefs: By Mike Campbell; * LAYOFF ASSISTANCE PROVIDED -- State vocational trainers are assisting employees of the Service Merchandise Distribution Center on Sunset Way in Henderson who are facing layoffs. Service Merchandise plans to close the Henderson facility June 10. Carol Jackson, director of the Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation, said the state's rapid response team has already begun providing training and job referral services and education on unemployment insurance guidelines to the center's 93 employees.

School district: Bus incident a 'mishandled situation': Teresa Hinds; Ron Despenza, director of the Clark County School District's transportation department, said the 15 to 20 students who were denied transportation home from school Monday had been riding the bus on a space-available basis and should have been told they had one day to arrange alternate transportation.

Tourists Seeking Tara Find Cramped House: Elizabeth Levitan Spaid; Tourists searching for Tara in Atlanta are often disappointed to learn the "Gone With the Wind" antebellum mansion exists only in fiction. Starting tomorrow, however, they may find the city's newest cultural attraction is the next best thing.

Obituary: Phyllis Bowers: Obituary: Phyllis Bowers

Boy's courage prompts doctor's camp donation: We thank recent donors: Sands Hotel, Bruce McClenahan, Arthur W. Curtis, Justice Court, R. Accetta and Copy It Printing Center, as well as many who chose to remain anonymous.

Ungar looking for another million-dollar prize: Two-time world poker champion Stu Ungar entered today's final round of the World Series of Poker's $10,000 buy-in no-limit Texas Hold 'em finale with a commanding chip lead and his sights set on the $1 million first prize.

Media participation in rescue questioned: Karen Zekan; "It definitely sparked a lively debate in our newsroom," said Ed Chapuis, news director for KTNV Channel 13.

Internet: Unregulated Drugstore to the World: Alexandra Marks; The global computer network may be fast becoming the world's largest unregulated pharmacy. From legitimate companies that tout their latest drug discoveries to outright snake-oil salesmen who hawk "miracle cures" for everything from baldness to bad backs, the World Wide Web is a source of almost unlimited pharmaceutical information - and that has world health officials very nervous.