Print edition for May 20, 1997

Obituary: Dale L. Dennison: Services will be 3:30 p.m. Wednesday in Palm Mortuary, 1600 S. Jones Blvd.

Pershing County senior gets scholarship: She also is involved in pep band, choir, student council, 4-H and SADD and is a member of the National Honor Society.

Tennis Glance: AP Sports Writer

Property tax cut to be OK'd: The Las Vegas City Council was expected to approve this morning a 1997-98 budget that will reduce property taxes by 9 percent.

Column Jeff German: Attorney general keeping the heat on Constable Nolen: Last month, Nolen was stung by a state Ethics Commission ruling that recommended his removal for allegedly misusing office resources.

Higher runoff will raise lake: The latest prediction is 12 million acre feet, or a runoff of 155 percent above normal. In a mid-April forecast, the service projected 11 million acre feet, or 142 percent of normal.

North-South split over slot tax revenues: A portion of state gaming taxes flows into the state's Special Higher Education Capital Construction Fund, with that money going to the University of Nevada, Reno and UNLV.

Obituary: Albert J. Ardura: Visitation is scheduled from 5-8 p.m. today and 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Wednesday in Bunker Mortuary, 925 Las Vegas Blvd. North. Services will be 9 a.m. Thursday in Bunker Chapel. Burial will follow in Paradise Memorial Gardens.

Broken neck may have killed man working on truck: Karen Zekan; The victim, whose identity has not been released, was beneath his older-model pickup truck when the vehicle shifted and began to roll down the driveway about 6:45 p.m. Monday, said Clark County Fire Department Capt. Gina Hall.

Obituary: Randy L. Donoho: Visitation is scheduled from 3-8 p.m. Wednesday in Palm Mortuary, 1600 S. Jones Blvd. Services will be 2 p.m. Thursday in Palm Chapel, Jones. Burial will follow in Palm Valley View Memorial Park.

Radioactive soil to be moved to Test Site: The site, known as Clean Slate 1, was scraped down 6 inches in an effort to remove the contaminated soil. The scraped-off soil was placed inside polypropelene wrappers, then placed in covered compartments for trucking to Area 3, a disposal area at the Nevada Test Site.

Sports history for May 20: 1967 - Damascus, ridden by Willie Shoemaker, wins the Preakness Stakes by 2 1/4 lengths over In Reality.

Magazine: Area 51 gear moving to Utah: The magazine's science editor, Jim Wilson, explores the signs in government budgets and in the dust rising from the Groom Lake bed about 110 miles northeast of Las Vegas. He concludes that fighters and bombers and other invisible aircraft believed to be tested at Area 51 are moving to Utah.

Music-themed megaresort planned: Bob Shemeligian; The company that developed Virgin Megastore Times Square in New York City plans to develop a $450 million music-themed hotel-entertainment center on the Las Vegas Strip within two years.

Body identified as that of missing Reno man: His caretaker told police he last saw Whitmore on May 5, when Whitmore said he was going to go visit a friend. The caretaker, Charles May, 37, has since been arrested for forging checks written to himself but drawn on Whitmore's account.

Letter: Letter writer infested with host of bad ideas: Next, a couple of weeks later, Cook claimed that CAT bus drivers should be paid $20 per hour. Let's take a reality break. While the drivers do a fine job, there are people with high levels of education and/or skill who do not make $20 per hour.

Legislative summary: SENATE

Letter: Woolworth responds quickly to needs of handicapped: After more deliberations, however, they informed us that they would aggressively seek to re-enter into negotiations with the landlord for the installation of a lift in spring/summer of 1998. This development pleased us greatly; however, we have since been informed that their plans have been accelerated to begin the installation of a lift in early spring of 1997.

Community Health Centers gets $1 million IRS break: The deal was disclosed Monday.

Weekend brawl between teens started small but soon involved 40: But bats, clubs, pipes and rocks came out as more than 40 people started swinging to settle a dispute the Douglas County sheriff's office said started between one boy from Carson City and one from Douglas County who shared a mutual interest in the same girl.

Where I Stand: Some thoughts on Children's Home, politics and taxes: Writing a column can be compared to a restless night. You suddenly realize there are a dozen things to write about, but nothing very earthshaking. It's hard to get started, so you just wing it.

Guilty plea expected in man's death: Paul Lyons, 32, had faced a charge of murder with the use of a deadly weapon in the April shooting at 1716 Pomerado Drive, near Vegas and Buffalo drives. He was scheduled for preliminary hearing Monday but decided to accept a plea bargain with prosecutors instead.

Obituary: Al Koncewicz: Graveside services will be 10:45 a.m. Wednesday in Southern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Boulder City. Desert Memorial Cremation and Burial Society, 1111 Las Vegas Blvd. North, is handling arrangements.

Mine shaft closed in Virginia City: The abandoned shaft is a remnant from the region's mining heyday in the 1800's.

Letter: Mortenson jury should be proud of courageous work: I'm also proud that Metro did not employ the blue-line thinking that was epidemic in New Jersey.

Letter: Why punish a principal for having safest school?: How is it possible that they demeaned Dr. Steven Weiner, suspended him and told him that there was not any discipline in his school? Yet, the Clark County School District's report, rates Knudson Middle School as the safest school during his tenure.

Editorial: It's time to catch our breath: The Environmental Protection Agency is working on deadly carbon monoxide emission regulations which will be released this summer. Those regulations will alter the Las Vegas Valley's rating from "moderate" to "serious".

Slaying to end in plea bargain: Paul Lyons, 32, had faced a charge of murder with the use of a deadly weapon in the April shooting at 1716 Pomerado Drive, near Vegas and Buffalo drives. He was scheduled for a preliminary hearing Monday but decided to accept a plea bargain with prosecutors instead.

Man sentenced to prison in drunken driving case: Joe and Barbara Archuleta, both 52, were visiting Reno last year for the annual Hot August Nights Event when they were run down while walking along North McCarran Avenue.

Supreme Court rejects appeal on power plant: More than 1,200 residents, citing environmental concerns, signed a petition to place the issue on the June 3 ballot as a referendum question. Many hoped that voters would then overturn the city's unanimous approval of the project.

Ethics complaint hits three BC leaders: Rachael Levy; Hamilton Moore, who unsuccessfully ran for a City Council seat in the May 6 primary, accused council members Iris Bletsch and Bob Ferraro and Mayor Eric Lundgaard of supporting the projects without disclosing conflicts of interest.

UNLV takes one global step for its writing program, one local step for the literary community: Scott Dickensheets; And lo, these many years later, it is about to come to pass. The university regents have said "Verily" unto the plan, and more importantly, have authorized money for it, and at last a sign has appeared: an unassembled computer, sitting as of this writing on the floor of novelist Doug Unger's sixth-story office at UNLV. As you know, in the '90s there is no more potent an omen than the appearance of a computer.

Man robs, rapes clerk at Boulder City Motel: Police say the rapist told the victim he knew where she worked and lived, and not to tell anyone.

Wednesday at Belmont Park: 1st race 6-1/2 fur 3YO&up F&M Mdn Clm

Mining project moves forward: Mining project moves forward

Obituary: Mary Arcuri: Visitation is scheduled from 4-8 p.m. today with a 7 p.m. prayer service in Bunker Mortuary, 925 Las Vegas Blvd. North. Burial will be in Salt Lake City.

Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: Dutt switches from Badlands to Desert Pines: After spending two years developing The Badlands Golf Club into one of the most popular local resort courses, Eric Dutt has left his position as general manager at the northwest Las Vegas course.

Letter: Circus tragedy shows it's time to end animal acts: There were victims that night besides Wayne Franzen. Perhaps he was prepared to take the risks he took. None of the 200 children in the audience, however, had the choice of not being traumatized for life by what they saw. The children who were on the elephant Janet's back when she rampaged in Palm Bay, Fla., (February 1992), the hundreds who witnessed a tiger being burned while jumping through a flaming hoop (Aug. 4, 1994), the hundreds of others who saw the elephant, Tyke, kill her trainer in Honolulu (Aug. 20, 1994) and the dozens of children terrorized when two ...

M&Ms joins crowd with a Strip address: But seeing a pair of giant M&Ms emerge from an escalator and climb atop a stage amid a flurry of pyrotechnics on Monday was a little hard to swallow.

Obituary: Pauline Bartlett: Visitation is scheduled from 1-2 p.m. Wednesday in Palm Mortuary, 7600 S. Eastern Ave. Graveside services will follow in Palm Valley View Memorial Park.

Golf Glance: Colonial

Castration measure faces fight in Assembly: Larry Henry; "I'm more inclined to support (voluntary chemical castration)," said Assemblyman Bernie Anderson, D-Sparks. "We aren't certain whether it's an effective tool."

Columnist Bob Shemeligian: Columnist skips out on tab, insults waitress!!: Bob Shemeligian; "HOW COULD the Globe do such a thing?" I asked a group of reporters at a casino coffee shop.

White Pine cities suffering financially: "I don't mean to be Mr. Doom and Gloom here, but at this point there isn't much bright about the situation," he said.

Son says he never had any role in video poker business: The company is at the heart of federal allegations that Fred Goodson bribed or agreed to bribe two former state senators, Larry Bankston and B.B. "Sixty" Rayburn, to protect video poker truck stops from unfavorable legislation.

Taylor tries, fails to stop skid: But Taylor, who has pitched just 43 innings in the past two years after undergoing Tommy John surgery in 1995, was the most sullen player in a somber Stars clubhouse following the Stars' 5-2 loss Monday night at Cashman Field.

Las Vegas growth explodes without any letup in sight: Pauline Bell; The demographic profile prepared by the Center for Business and Economic Research at UNLV and released Monday shows a 1996 population of 1,119,705 as compared to 867,600 people in 1992, a growth of 252,100 people in five years.

What's Delta?: Jeff Schweers; For more than a year, this group of mid-level management wonks has tried to find a way to simplify a process that currently involves three different departments and five divisions.

Celebration of a lifesaver: Art Nadler; Lying unconscious with a broken left collar bone, three smashed ribs and a punctured lung, his diagnosis didn't look good.

Collective bargaining bill clears panel: Voting "no" were John Marvel, R-Battle Mountain, Lynn Hettrick, R-Gardnerville, and Jack Close, R-Las Vegas.

Panel OKs mental health budget: The subcommittee agreed to spend more than $600,000 to start a new program to treat the severely mentally ill in the community, rather than having them sent to the adult center for inpatient treatment.

Columnist Steve Carp: Majerus did right thing by staying: Steve Carp; But in the end, Rick Majerus, as he usually does, stayed put.

Obituary: Anna Pumper: Palm Mortuary, 7600 S. Eastern Ave., handled arrangements.

Neal vows fight for city wards: Neal said will "go to the mat" over this one.

No new taxes needed for $601 mil. budget: Jeff Schweers; The County Commission approved a $601 million budget Monday without raising the government's operating and debt rates.

Help send hardworking sister to camp: Sissy's mother is in a wheelchair, a victim of a debilitating disease. Her dad works hard to cover the family's needs and medical expenses, which have taken most of the family savings.

Correction to journalism fair story: * In a Monday story on the Greenspun Junior High School Photo Journalism Fair, the wrong students were listed as taking third place. "The Ups and Downs of Gymnastics" was produced by Sarah Kingsley, Karlie Simpson and Cassie Catania.

Senate OKs bill to make cloning of cellular: During an April 25 hearing, a Secret Service agent testified that criminals acquire electronic boxes that pick up cellular phone calls and allow them to clone or copy the frequencies onto their own phones. Then the legitimate phone owners are billed for calls they never made.

Man sentenced to at least 21 years for hotel thefts: He was declared an habitual criminal and sentenced by District Judge Nancy Becker to three different prison terms on grand larceny and burglary convictions.

Tape: Senator viewed job as keeping anti-gambling legislation bottled: Also on trial are Goodson, Goodson's daughter, Maria Goodson; Goodson's attorney, Carl Cleveland; and Goodson's accountant, Joe Morgan.

Estranged husband of LaToya Jackson in jail: The 39-year-old Jackson filed for divorce in May of 1996 in Las Vegas, charging that Gordon beat her during their stormy seven-year marriage.

Senate sales tax bill likely won't include public vote: Larry Henry; A majority of the seven-member Senate Taxation Committee is open to a public vote, but that doesn't seem likely to happen, based on comments from legislative leaders.

Prisoner pleads to reduced charge in 1995 slaying at Leavenworth: He will be sentenced Aug. 18, and faces a maximum of life in prison and a $250,000 fine. Had he gone to trial and been convicted of the premeditated first-degree murder charge against him, Storey could have been sentenced to death.

Aide: Miller giving priority to Family to Family: Asked if he told Jarvis that Miller's support for the UNLV law school hinged on the chancellor's support for Family to Family, Mulhall replied, "I can't remember the exact words but that quote capsulates our meeting."

Obituary: Rosalind Maria Joslin: Visitation is scheduled from 2-5 p.m. Wednesday in Davis Paradise Valley Funeral Home, 6200 S. Eastern Ave. Services will be private.

Bill aids laid off workers: "That employee did not get rehired and ended up losing her pension."

Blazers' Carr parks future in San Diego: James Yodice; Durango High School's Deldre Carr Monday became the third Trailblazer basketball player this school year to sign a Division I national letter of intent.

LV business park offers rejuvenation: Debra D. Bass; Few business complexes rank as stellar events for anyone but the owners, and even fewer still are saddled with the hopes of an entire community.

Box score: Dukes 5, Stars 2: E--Fonville. DP--Albuquerque 2, Las Vegas 1. LOB--Albuquerque 5, Las Vegas 7. 2B--Fonville, Konerko, Pennyfeather, Velandia. S--Ahearne. SB--Fonville 2 (10). CS--Pennyfeather.

Aide: Miller giving priority to Family to Family program: Jim Mulhall, Miller's chief of staff, confirmed today he talked with Jarvis last week about getting him to approach lawmakers to back the Family to Family program, a proposed support system for parents and young children that has drawn sharp criticism from some legislators.

Says man made $300,000 promising to recover fraud funds: As part of the scam, Dittmar's companies said they would be assisted by law enforcement agencies and attorneys, according to the Nevada U.S. attorney's office.

Gaming panel chair met with skepticism: Her appointment, by House Speaker Newt Gingrich and Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, was being met with skepticism from Nevada and casino industry leaders.

Wealthy GOP candidate in Nevada's U.S. Senate race: Reid, who first won the seat in November 1986, hasn't declared whether he'll seek a third six-year term.

Actor uses stick to fight disease: Tim Graham; When he came to and stumbled back to the bar, cue stick in hand, his face was a hilariously hideous mishmash of lipstick, blush, mascara and eye shadow. Carla had embarrassed Cliff Clavin again.

Recall bid nixed: Timko is not seeking re-election. Basso's support among voters will be decided when he faces challenger Jean Kneese in the regular June 3 election, Griffin said.

Murder case goes to jury without defense witnesses: Pauline Bell; During closing arguments Monday, Prosecutor Peggy Leen told the panel that three days worth of evidence pointed to Leonard as the killer of Tony Antee, whose body was found under Leonard's bed at his Twain Avenue apartment in January.

Obituary: Nona Allen: Bunker Mortuary, 925 Las Vegas Blvd. North, is handling arrangements.

Boulder City Police hope sketch provides answers in robbery, rape: Cathy Scott; Boulder City Police are hoping a composite drawing will help identify a gunman who robbed and raped a night clerk at a Super 8 Motel.

Business climate changing in Japan: Kiyohiko Nanao, consul general of Japan, admitted it's a slow process, but he's confident the Liberal Democratic government of Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto is making progress "at a realistic pace."

Assembly OKs Nevada Day bill: Assemblyman Mark Amodei, R-Carson City, said the state capital experiences "dwindling participation" at the Nevada Day celebration Oct. 31 when it falls in the middle of the week.

Burglar gets life: Pauline Bell; As part of a plea bargain, Buckner previously pleaded guilty to nine felony counts of burglary and grand larceny that alone carried the possibility of 90 years in prison.

Restrictions sought for swimming pool builders: Art Nadler; Lee, D-Las Vegas, is introducing a bill in the Assembly's Commerce Committee today that attempts to regulate residential swimming pool contracts. If it passes the Senate and Assembly, contractors will no longer be able to charge large amounts of money up front for work not completed.

Suspect doesn't give up easily: Karen Zekan; Banking upon a tip the department received, undercover narcotics and patrol officers were lying in wait Monday for the suspect's dark colored older model Buick Regal with California plates that was expected to exit off Interstate 15 and head west on Charleston Boulevard, said Lt. Dennis Cobb.

County plans to consider seizing land from Strip resort: Caesars spokesman Phil Cooper said there is a "shroud of secrecy" over the vote and suggested county officials have "a hidden agenda."

Judicial pay raise withdrawn: The proposal incensed several lawmakers who thought the court was trying to hide the pay increases in a study of the Family Court system.

Yerington voters to pick two City Council members: The top two vote-getters in the at-large election will be sworn in July 1.

Obituary: Petra Cortez: No local services are scheduled. Kingsley & Gates Mortuary, Santa Monica, Calif., is handling arrangements.

People in the News for May 20, 1997: Bad week

Obituary: Howard D. Johnson Sr.: Palm Mortuary, 7400 W. Cheyenne Ave., is handling arrangements.

Cigarette billboard ban introduced: A City Council committee, composed of Councilmen Arnie Adamsen and Gary Reese, recommended Monday an ordinance that would prohibit billboards from advertising tobacco products near areas where children commonly gather.

Las Vegas woman sentenced to 6.5 years for bankruptcy fraud, perjury, other charges: Marsh was convicted in March of seven counts of mail fraud, two of bankruptcy fraud, 10 of perjury and three of money laundering.

Softball: Skyhawks ready for state: James Yodice; Since Silverado High School was last in the state softball tournament 12 months ago, those two items have been at the top of the agenda of Skyhawks coach Chuck Pope.

Millionaire Republican plans run against Reid: Bruce James, a resident of Crystal Bay in Northern Nevada since 1993, is the first declared candidate for the post that will be contested next year. Reid, who first won the seat in November 1986, hasn't declared whether he'll seek a third six-year term.

Obituary: Diana Lynn Abrams Chisholm: Visitation is scheduled from 1-7 p.m. today in Palm Mortuary, 7600 S. Eastern Ave. Services will be 11 a.m. Wednesday in Palm Chapel, Eastern. Burial will follow in Davis Paradise Valley Funeral Home, 6200 S. Eastern Ave.

Two governors appear before committee to support university: Leavitt, a Republican, said the university has already obtained $2.5 million from various states and private donors.

Columnist Muriel Stevens: Goolsby, a friend of education, receives high honor: Goolsby is well known for his efforts on behalf of Clark County children. His generosity includes serving on numerous boards and committees and for contributing funds through the Howard Hughes Corp. to such worthy programs as Safekey and in-school Discovery Centers. The money contributed to PEF for 30 mountain bikes used by the CCSD School Bike Patrol gives schoolchildren an added sense of security. Just mention a cause involving children and education, and Goolsby is there.