Print edition for August 10, 1998

Ensign, Gibbons hit on campaign reform: Ensign replied part of the bill is unconstitutional.

Where I Stand -- Father Herbert A. Ward Jr.: Children of Southern Nevada need positive role models: It was there that I first encountered the phrase "...visiting the sins of the fathers upon the children unto the third and the fourth generation..." (Exodus 20:5).

Prison guards off hook: Hearing Officer Pat Dolan, who reversed the suspensions of Senior Correctional Officer Richard Truce and Officer Michael Washington, said the blame for the foul-up must be shared by upper management which never trained the two officers at the Tonopah Conservation Camp. Inmate Earl Flores was released from the Tonopah camp in June 1997 after the expiration of a six-year term. Flores, however, had an additional six-year sentence to serve for a criminal gang enhancement penalty.

Scientist: Radiation could contaminate milk: Nevada is fighting a proposed dump for high-level nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain, 90 miles northwest of Las Vegas, with studies done by geologist Steve Frishman. He is a contractor to the Nevada Nuclear Waste Projects Office.

Viagra living up to billing: Art Nadler; Las Vegas urologist Dr. Sheldon Freedman says he is seeing three times as many men seeking treatment for impotence since the introduction of Viagra on April 10. He says this is good because it has allowed urologists to detect early stages of prostate cancer and other health problems that otherwise would have gone undiagnosed.

Analysts say Station Casinos is in a tough position: That's despite the collapse of its merger with Crescent Real Estate Equities, the threat of long and costly litigation, a massive debt load and a plummeting stock price.

AG Del Papa faces non-lawyer primary foe: Brendan Riley; Del Papa, planning to spend $250,000 in her bid for a third term, says that in her campaign stops around the state she has yet to run into her primary election foe, non-lawyer Marilyn O'Connor of Fallon.

Big LV lender sued over mortgage fees: Brian Seals; Norwest Mortgage, which claims to be top mortgage lender in Las Vegas, was sued in Riverside, Calif. The suit was filed under California's Unfair Competition laws, but lawyers say customers nationwide could be involved.

Reactions mixed on specializing of judges: Bill Gang; At the time, 16 District Court judges were handling both civil and criminal cases and rotating the types of trials they heard every three weeks.

Father of NASCAR driver Mark Martin killed in plane crash: "It caught the forest on fire," Romero said, adding that U.S. Bureau of Land Management fire crews were on the scene within a half hour and discovered the wreckage.

Miller promotes Nevada tourism in Ecuador: Gov. Bob Miller's unexpected detour to Ecuador for a presidential inauguration is giving him a bigger audience for his Nevada tourism message.

Viagra fast facts: During the initial weeks of Viagra being released, 42 percent of the prescriptions were written by urologists and 34 percent by primary care physicians. Recently, more primary care physicians are writing prescriptions, 55 percent, compared to urologist specialists.

Editorial: Seniors need a place to live, too: But in recent years a phenomenon has developed in the Las Vegas Valley: A growing number of residents oppose these types of projects near their neighborhoods, even though they've traditionally been considered coveted amenities. The complaint heard often from residents is that the addition either will create too much traffic or simply is incompatible with the neighborhood.

Harrah's buys Rio, boosting stake in airline: Gary Thompson; The merger gives Harrah's an upscale all-suites Las Vegas property and a bigger stake in a new airline that will help transport Harrah's customers between its 20 casinos around the country.

News photographers jailed at Reno riot: Scott Sonner; Reno Police Chief Jerry Hoover said he encouraged the photographers from the Reno Gazette-Journal to file a formal complaint with his internal affairs unit.

LV resorts struggle to find, keep good housekeepers: Steve Humm; Las Vegas would pretty much shut down without its army of maids cleaning the city's 100,000-plus hotel rooms.

Box score: Stars 5, Zephyrs 4 (10 innings): New Orleans

Court OKs use of Strohmeyer's computer: Bill Gang; Strohmeyer is scheduled to stand trial Aug. 17 on charges he raped and murdered 7-year-old Sherrice Iverson in a Primm casino women's restroom during the early morning hours of May 25, 1997, while her father gambled.

Las Vegas Stars scorecard -- August 10: Upcoming games

Pastor, others arrested for pedestrian interference: But the Rev. Michael Robinson, 38, claims they were not blocking anything but heading toward another part of a downtown neighborhood when Collins stopped them on Aug. 2. The incident occurred three blocks east of the canopied Fremont Street Experience.

Obituaries for August 10, 1998: She is survived by one daughter, Teresa Benito of Las Vegas; two brothers, Santiago Benito and Felix Benito, both of the Philippines.

Appeals court says tribal member was wrongly convicted: James' lawyer, Joe Orzano, said prosecutors handled the case terribly.

Analysts skeptical of Caesars' riverboat project: The Harrison County, Ind., development, plagued by delays over environmental concerns, has the ambitious goal of creating a riverboat casino that does more than just cater to local gamblers.

Letter: Letter writer who backed Tripp had it all wrong: McKay, MSNBC and CNBC find it hard not to lash the president two times a day. Let's stop it.

Pacific Coast League standings through August 9, 1998: Midwest Division

Skydiver falls to her death in Lemmon Valley: A family friend identified her as Kathleen Auld, 41, an osteopathic physician with a private practice in Reno.

Harrah's buys Rio hotel-casino: Gary Thompson; The merger gives Harrah's an upscale all-suites Las Vegas property at Flamingo Road and Valley View Boulevard with a highly popular brand name, as well as a bigger stake in a new airline that will help transport Harrah's customers between its 20 casinos around the country.

Education secretary to visit LV schools: Riley will speak at a breakfast, hosted by the Las Vegas Sun, on his Partnership for Family Involvement in Education. He believes that employers can play an important role in improving schools by enabling employee participation in students' academic success and implementing programs and partnerships with schools.

Weather causes jet distractions: Jace Radke; Some Green Valley residents say they are getting edgy about all the noise associated with a recent change in McCarran International Airport flight paths.

Box score: Zephyrs 18, Stars 10: WP--Lomon. PB--Meluskey. HBP--Miller by Murray. T--3:24. A--5,323.

U.S. abas wins gold medal: PRIMM -- Stephen Abas of Fresno, Calif. (Sunkist Kids) won the gold medal in the 123.25 pound division, highlighting action at the 1998 Junior World Freestyle Championships Sunday at the Star of the Desert Arena in Primm.

Columnist Ralph Siraco: Trainer Mott, others join horse-racing hall today: Ralph Siraco; WHEN TRAINER Bill Mott steps from the podium at the Museum of Racing in Saratoga Spring, N.Y., today, it will cap off another memorable weekend for the 45-year-old horse trainer from South Dakota.

Vasser knocked out early: After watching Dario Franchitti qualify for the pole for Sunday's CART Miller Lite 200 at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Jimmy Vasser joked that he and Bryan Herta would team up to deny the Scotsman a chance at a $300,000 bonus for winning the race from the pole.

McGwire, Sosa keeping fans interested in baseball even though football is near: Steve Carp; The man wanted to leave the sports book at Caesars Palace. As he began making his exit, he asked his friend, "You coming?"

Columnist Ron Kantowski: Sports of all sorts are featured here: What the story didn't point out is that there are at least 27 sporting ways for The Rick to entertain himself in our fair city (unless you're betting a Chicago team, when the number is never fair) before and after March Madness:

Gubanich injury bad timing for Stars: Steve Guiremand; Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Brian Anderson made headlines recently when he somehow injured his elbow while riding in a taxi.