Print edition for September 19, 1997

Former Nellis chief Taylor dies at 78: By Ed Koch; Two days after learning how to fly the F-4 fighter, Air Force Gen. Zack Taylor, a World War II ace, refueled the jet in mid-flight and, with great coolness and demeanor, landed it in a driving rainstorm.

Police investigate man's shooting death: Police were called by a neighbor who said Walker's wife had asked her to get help.

Drug bust nets pot harvest: Steve Lee Smith, 43, is in the Elko County jail for investigation of drug cultivation and trafficking. He's being held in lieu of $100,000 bail.

Pinkston jury to decide: murder or self-defense: Mark Miller; Pinkston's attorney, Patricia Erickson, conceded that her client had fatally shot Payne, Pinkston's live-in boyfriend and father of her daughter, but that the shooting was justified as Pinkston felt reasonable fear for her life. That fear, Pinkston's other defense attorney, Laura Melia, argued, was based on Payne's past abuse, his repeated threats to Pinkston's life, a video-taped hand gesture that he was about to kill her, and Payne's attempt to retrieve a gun from his truck.

Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: Team owner wants to get the lead out: It may seem cynical, but it fits what has happened to the owner of the three BMW M3s that Milner fields in Professional SportsCar Racing's Exxon Supreme GT series.

Mayor exceeds pet limit: Jones had a special fanciers permit to have more than three dogs and three cats at one residence at her old house, but has not transferred it to her new home since she moved in November.

Senate backs Reid amendment on Indian gaming: The NGIC recently proposed new rules that would have allowed tribal casinos offering only bingo and lotto games to add slot machines and video games, a change that could threaten Nevada casino operators already chafing over stiff competition from illegal machines in California.

Subcritical nuke tests inside, protests outside: Code-named "Holog," the experiment at 1:20 p.m. Thursday gave scientists from the DOE's Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory a chance to study plutonium the size of a 50-cent piece after it is bombarded with chemical high explosives.

Exploding taxicab accidental: Fire department spokesman Tim Szymanski said the explosion of the Yellow Checker-Star cab was accidental.

Rebel Soccer: Fast facts: * WHEN: Tonight and Sunday.

New York star's teammate could be on way to LV too: Steve Carp; One down, four to go.

Samoan War Chant to pump up Rebels: Tim Graham; Hawaii fans will understand the Rebels' new pregame ritual better than UNLV fans will.

Saturday at Bay Meadows: 1st race 1 mi 3YO&up F&M Mdn Clm

UNLV Volleyball: Team presses on without star: Steve Carp; The question has a one-sided answer as far as UNLV volleyball coach Deitre Collins is concerned.

Belafonte fast facts: * WHEN: 9, tonight

Practice cut short at LVMS: "The track's starting to come up out there and they've got to do something about it," said World SportsCar Championship driver and actor Craig T. Nelson. Nelson and the other WSC drivers had both their afternoon practice runs canceled as a result of the track damage.

Even Gordon is amazed by his recent success: "It's amazing that we have won 10 races this season," he said on the eve of qualifying for the MBNA 400. "... The competition has been real tough."

Take a dip in the 'Waterin' Hole': Joe Delaney; The Winchester Community Center seems better suited to concerts, festivals and one-night events. In fairness, the stage setting, sound and lights were uniformly good. What was really lacking is community support.

Can the troubled New West Theater direct a comeback?: Melissa Schorr; The 12-year-old community theater group has recently lost its second artistic director in all of two years and has canceled its first two productions of the season, "Days of Wine and Roses" and "Witness for the Prosecution."

Order a BS&T 'Blue Plate Special' (hold the mayo) this weekend: Shane Gammon; But the past is just prelude to the future. BS&T's new album, "Blue Plate Special," will be released Oct. 15. They also plan on another album to be released next spring.

Slugfest expected in LV-Valley game: Steve Cunningham; A whole new set of lightbulbs for the scoreboard.

Columnist Dean Juipe: Crisis time as 0-2 Rebels face Hawaii: Dean Juipe; Back then Hawaii's immediate football prospects appeared dim. The Rainbow Warriors were coming off a two-win season, had lost 10 starters and had little reason for any overt optimism.

Gator golfers remain unbeaten: Steve Cunningham; Foes of the Green Valley girls' golf team know it. Gators coach Del Sagers knows it. And the rest of the valley knows it.

Columnist Joe Delaney: Meredith gave us Mostel on stage: Joe Delaney; Our personal memory was an early evening in the late 1950s. ... The Delaney apartment was on the rooftop of the Belnord, 86th and Broadway in Manhattan. ... There was a rap on the door. ... It was Meredith who asked if he might use the table and chairs on our part of the roof for a chat with Zero Mostel who lived two floors below.

Rebels attempt to bounce back: Steve Carp; Tuesday's disappointing sud den-death 2-1 loss to Seattle Pacific can't be changed. And there are two important matches ahead for the 2-3 Rebels this weekend as they host Kentucky at 7 tonight and Michigan State at noon Sunday, in the 15th Snickers/Fila Rebel Classic at Peter Johann Field.

Only 4 entered in the Pegasus: Ralph Siraco; Belmont Park stages its Super Weekend of Stakes, and six graded stakes are on tap for a trio on Saturday and Sunday. Saturday's centerpiece feature is the $500,000 Woodward Stakes, and a field of five is set to battle the 1 1/8 miles of Belmont tan. Horse racing's handicap three amigos -- Skip Away, Will's Way and Formal Gold -- will square off against last year's Belmont Stakes winner Editor's Note and longshot Pacific Fleet. Six times, two or more of the "amigos" have competed against each other during their careers, and they have managed to beat each other in ...

Auto Racing Standings and Leaders through September 19: The 1997 NASCAR Winston Cup stock car racing schedule, with winners in parentheses and driver point standings:

SUN Board: Community events, meetings, classes: Special interest

Rebels host Rainbows in first big home test: Tim Graham; The eve of the first of five Judgment Days is upon the UNLV football program.

Holding no grudges, Horton keeps Johnson in the lineup: Tim Graham; And while it is uncertain how often the senior running back will touch the football in UNLV's home opener Saturday against Hawaii, it is not because of a banishment to head coach Jeff Horton's doghouse.

Columnist Muriel Stevens: Nooner's Cafe becomes a favorite: Tucked away in the corner of the Smith's Food King shopping center at Maryland Parkway and Sahara is Nooner's Cafe, a no-frills little lunch spot offering delicious food at excellent prices. Nooner's is an offshoot of Platinum Party Productions, a full-service catering and party company.

Saturday at Belmont Park: 1st race 6 fur 3YO&up Clm

Hydros begin new chapter: Boat racing on Lake Mead dates to 1950: That's the way the Las Vegas Cup is being billed, which only is technically correct. This year's race actually is the fourth installment of unlimited racing at Boulder Beach dating to 1950.

Local theater info: * Signature Productions: 878-7529

Roy getting better all the time: Steve Carp; So if people think Patrick Roy's best days are behind him, guess again. The Colorado Avalanche goaltender is coming off his best season ever and has added motivation fueling his preparation for the upcoming 1997-98 season.

Mayor's nanny's complaint dismissed: Denise Cardinal; In her complaint, the nanny, Kathy Taylor, had charged that Jones wasn't paying her the amount she had originally agreed to.

Sierra snow surprises: The Nevada Highway Patrol reported snow on the summit south of Reno along with several spinouts, none of them serious.

RN claims union efforts led to her termination: Service Employees International Union organized a press conference and protest Friday morning on behalf of Gina Hendershot, who has been employed at Sunrise for eight years.

Ellis Island casino expands: "Business has been pretty good over the past few years and we felt it was time to add machines and a little live gaming as amenities because we had many requests to do so," Ellis said.

State needs another $196 mil. to hit national pupil spending: According to a report released Thursday by the Census Bureau, Nevada spent $4,658 for each pupil in 1994, the most recent year for which figures are available. That put Nevada at $705 less per student than the national average. Sixteen states spent less money per student than Nevada.

Construction supervising company coming up for another board vote: Teresa Hinds; Fred Smith, assistant superintendent in charge of facilities for the Clark County School District, told an oversight committee on Wednesday that the administration anticipates an approval when the extension of PFT's contract comes up for a School Board vote.

Chef, owner of Captain's Galley dies at 54: "He took great joy in preparing new items and specials," said Toni Cooper, a waitress at the Captain's Galley, 455 S. Decatur Blvd., for the past eight years. "Franco called his restaurant one of the most well kept secrets in Las Vegas -- and he liked it that way."

Profit from long lines: Now, the company will pay if it keeps a customer waiting too long.

Skelton's memory lives across valley: "If laughter is the best medicine then Red Skelton is single-handedly responsible for the well-being of millions of Americans," Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., said in a Senate resolution introduced Thursday.

506310496.html: By SUN STAFF REPORT

'Coach' becomes first-class racer.: He plays a football coach on the hit television series "Coach" but, in real life, actor Craig T. Nelson's passion is auto racing.

PSC OKs building of natural gas power plant: The PSC asked El Dorado, the energy company planning to build the plant about 15 miles southwest of Boulder City, to report on its progress on obtaining all other permits to build by Oct. 1.

Hydroplanes blow back into Las Vegas -- literally: This weekend's Las Vegas Cup will mark the fourth installment of unlimited hydroplane racing on Lake Mead and naturally, the sport has changed a lot since a flame-belching boat called My Sweetie won the APBA Unlimited Trophy off Boulder Beach in 1950.

Editorial: Support crackdown on pimps: That's what a pimp does, and it's really no different from being a slave trader.

Burt Reynolds will donate Harley parts to new Vegas cafe: Reynolds will autograph the various parts, including the metal tanks and front and tail fenders, during Tuesday's opening.

Rockers sing the blues at concert: Melissa Schorr; Adam Duritz, the Counting Crows' lead singer, confided his woes to last night's audience at the Aladdin Theater.

Columnist Sal DeFilippo: Eagles' office fumbling around for answers: Sal DeFilippo; "Good afternoon, thank you for calling the office of the Philadelphia Eagles. May I help you?" beamed the cheerful voice on the other end.

Letter: Catholic Charities makes a difference in people's lives: It crosses over into all of our lives, regardless of our religious affiliation. A special thanks to Maffy Forrester, whose leadership with senior citizens is unparalleled. She certainly has made all the difference in my life and to hundreds of others.

UNR slaps fraternity with stiff sanctions: Washoe County sheriff's deputies said the seven stole about 30 trees and plants Sept. 11 to decorate the fraternity house for a party with a tropical theme. They face charges of grand larceny, felony destruction of property, possession of stolen property and criminal conspiracy.

Letter: Home alone at age 9 was fun, not case of neglect: My favorite dinner was chicken noodle soup right out of the can. Cream-style corn sprinkled with sugar was good too.

Letter: Smoker's last dying words-- Lung cancer, don't smoke: Smokers speak of their civil right to do so. Yet there is nothing either civil, nor right, about inflicting injurious cigarette smoke on others.

PBA Senior Open, Thursday's Results: 1, Teata Semiz, Haskell, N.J., 227 (1 game), $10,000.

Sports History for Sept. 19: 1951 - Ford C. Frick, president of the National League, is elected baseball commissioner by the team owners.

Letter: Car storage, repair code violates property rights: Title 19A with Bill 97-61 turns good citizens into criminals with misdemeanor penalties of $1,000 and/or six months in jail for each day of violation for such acts as:

Where I Stand: What some Southern Nevadans are doing and thinking: NLV Constable Lou Tabat will be hosting the upcoming World Boxing Association's 76th Annual Convention at the Rio Suite hotel-casino. Lou's a big man on the international boxing scene. ... Las Vegan Larry Johnson writes, "Both the president and the leaders in Congress have publicly stated that they are committed to saving the Social Security system. They plan to initiate a bipartisan study to determine how to achieve this goal.

Clinton accuser gets free audit representation from Las Vegas firm: The organization's marketing director, Kevin Roalson, said two specialists based in Las Vegas would be handling Jones' case. They were described as a former top IRS official and a member of the network's technical staff.

Stamp honoring Thunderbirds unveiled: On Thursday, he bought 15 first-day cancellation envelopes -- called "covers" by philatelists -- of the 50th anniversary of the Air Force issue. He said he would send a dozen of them to relatives.

UNLV law school dean says school will be tops: "This law school will be a great law school from Day One, and that is my plan and my commitment to you," he told attorneys at a Clark County Bar Association luncheon Thursday. "When we open the doors of this law school in August of 1998, it will be a great law school."

City freezes accounts of Paddlewheels: "We feel the city simply made a mistake," he said.

Metro officer's punishment blasted: Cathy Scott; At 8:25 p.m. on Aug. 2, off-duty Metro Police Detective Glenn Thomas, 43, drew his weapon and pointed it at 21-year-old Matthew Adams. This happened after Thomas stopped Adams, because of a traffic altercation, in the parking lot of the Sahara Pavilion shopping center on Sahara Avenue at Decatur Boulevard.

Pinkston found guilty of murder in Father's Day killing: Pinkston's attorney, Patricia Erickson, had conceded during closing arguments Thursday that her client had fatally shot Greg Payne, but that the shooting was justified because Pinkston feared for her life.

Southern Nevada Children's Home prepares for closing: Shaw told the legislative Interim Finance Committee on Thursday that most of the 44 children remaining in the home after the Legislature voted this summer to discontinue its funding have been placed in residences. The children range in ages from four to 15.

City Council mulls trash pick up times: Denise Cardinal; Monday, the City Council will decide whether or not to limit the times that garbage trucks pick up trash. McDonald's ordinance proposes that the trucks stop picking up garbage in residential neighborhoods and commercial locations within 300 feet of residences at 10 p.m. rather than midnight. The starting time of 6 a.m. would remain unchanged.

Man arrested for killing neighbors' dog: According to police, "Porsche," a 3-year-old Australian shepherd and chow mix, knocked Voit's girlfriend down and then attacked one of her dogs.

ACLU angry with detective's punishment: At 8:25 p.m. on Aug. 2, off-duty Metro Police Detective Glenn Thomas, 43, drew his weapon and pointed it at Adams after Adams was stopped because of a traffic altercation.

State needs another $196 million to hit national pupil spending: Doug Thunder, deputy superintendent for public instruction, said the Legislature would have to allocate $196 million more dollars to equal the national per pupil average of $5,363.

Push to reopen historic library in home stretch: Central Nevada Construction of Gardnerville has the $2.2 million interior renovation contract, and 330 days in which to get the work done.

Prostitute dumps fetus in trash bin: The woman then grabbed the bag and dumped it in a trash bin outside.

Miller on list for Mexico: "White House staff called our office to indicate the governor is officially under consideration as a potential designee for the appointment," Miller Press Secretary Richard Urey said today.

UNLV careful about software licensing: Debra D. Bass; "Anytime something like this hits the media, it makes an organization look at itself to make sure we're doing everything we possibly can to guard against that," said Lori Temple, director of academic computing.

Day-O!: Harry comes and we welcome him home: Anne Hosier; Her words proved prophetic: More than 40 years after recording "The Banana Boat Song," -- more popularly known as "Day-O" -- Belafonte continues to be deluged with demands for live performances of the song.

Insurance rip off angers lawmakers: Larry Henry; Lawmakers also want to know when a backlog of medical claims created by the scam will be honored.

People in the News for September 19, 1997: Dino might!

Hughes almost got nuke bomb designs: "They proposed to give Howard Hughes actual bomb design information," said Pat Bodin, the Department of Energy person in charge of shedding light on a mountain of secret documents concerning nuclear weapons experiments.

Harter praises growth at UNLV: Debra D. Bass; And the message came through loud and clear, according to many of the nearly 500 faculty, students, staff, alumni and state dignitaries who crowded the library of the newly opened Sogg Architecture building to witness Harter's multimedia presentation.

Local theater companies gear up for a season of stage magic: Melissa Schorr; And that's just in the first act.

It takes a lot of manpower to stage Las Vegas Cup races: As the largest free sporting event in Nevada, the Las Vegas Cup is produced by a team of several hundred volunteers, many of whom work on the massive special event on a year-round basis.

SportsCar points: World SportsCar Championship

Chang looking for revenge vs. Rafter: Seemingly on the way to his first Grand Slam title in eight years, Chang was run off the court in straight sets by Patrick Rafter in the semifinals of the U.S. Open earlier this month.

Las Vegas man found shot to death after argument: Billy Ray Watts, 26, was found lying on the landing outside an apartment just after midnight at 1040 Sierra Vista Drive near Cambridge Street and Desert Inn Road after Metro Police were called to the complex, homicide Sgt. Ken Hefner said.