Print edition for December 3, 1998

Reid blasts Hyde panel's 'witch hunt': Reid criticized the Republican-controlled panel for expanding the inquiry into Clinton's campaign fund-raising at the last minute beyond the report of independent counsel Kenneth Starr.

Matt accomplished his mission in 1997: Mission accomplished.

Columnist Ron Kantowski: Rebel hiring -- You heard it here first: By now, John Robinson, one of college football's coaching messiahs, will have been introduced as UNLV's eighth football coach.

Monorail wins approval despite protests: "We think a monorail is absolutely essential for the future of this community," Commissioner Bruce Woodbury said of the project, which could be completed by mid-2002. "As tough as it is to do, we need to move forward with this project."

Consistency paying big dividends for Gleason: What they do win is world championships.

Friday at Aqueduct: 1st race 1 mi. & 70 yds 2yO Mdn Clm: 1 Release Me (Madrid) 119; 2 Carpenter's Halo (Velasquez) 119; 3 Prime Prospector (Castillo) 119; 4 a-Walkonby (Douglas) 119; 5 Weather Call (Pezua) 119; 6 My American Dream (Johnson) 119; 7 a-Gun Hill (Luzzi) 119; 8 Moi Ciel (Espinoza) 119; 9 Free Fly (Gryder) 119; 10 Quick Line (Migliore) 119.

Title was birthday gift for Speed Williams: On Dec. 14 -- Williams's 30th birthday -- the Florida team roping header and his partner, Rich Skelton, put on a stellar performance in the 10th and final round of the $3.4 million National Finals Rodeo at the Thomas & Mack Center.

Wednesday's Prep results -- December 3, 1998: Bonanza 65, Basic 61 (OT)

Friday at Golden Gate: 1st race 6 fur 3YO Clm: 1 Azllee's Boys (Tohill) 117; 2 Rugged Gold (Meche) 117; 3 Dollar Hunter (Hummel) 119; 4 Honey's Half (Bisono) 117; 5 Captain Kid (RBaze) 119; 6 Boot Scat (Schvaneveldt) 117; 7 Worker (Delgadillo) 119.

State Supreme Court blocks Prop. 5: Without the court order, some of the 44 tribes that have filed plans for expanded casino gambling under the measure would have received automatic state approval as early as Friday, and could have begun operations 45 days later unless U.S. Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt objected.

Rebels receive needed boost: Steve Carp; RENO -- Sometimes, good fortune can come from one's own misfortune.

Friday at Hollywood Park: 1st race 1-1/16 mi 3YO Fill Clm: 1 Checked Queen) 116; 2 Starlight Dreams (Delahoussaye) 116; 3 Glorious (Vergara) 111; 4 Puddy Cat (Valdez) 108; 5 Ms Ly Beau (Solis) 116; 6 Lucky Raisin (Smith) 104.

Former casino operator faces misdemeanor battery allegation by former bodyguard: "That's silly. I never heard of anyone punching their bodyguard," Stupak said of the allegation.

County Commission finalizes plans for pedestrian bridges: The commission granted the bridge to the Barbary Coast despite arguments from a Flamingo Hilton representative that the Barbary Coast is too small to deserve an exclusive bridge.

Children take fantasy flight to North Pole: United Airlines took the group on a 90-minute flight around the city. They returned to McCarran International Airport to a terminal decorated as the North Pole and received gifts from Santa Claus.

Dickel-Daniels combo clicking: Steve Carp; RENO -- It's an old remedy, one that Bill Bayno has used with mixed success.

Skelton finally broke through for gold buckle: But Skelton of Llano, Texas, was running out of patience.

Mortensen continues to strive for excellence: "I wasn't real pleased with the way I rode this week," he said immediately after the 1997 NFR in Las Vegas. "But a guy's got to keep his head in the game and got to keep going out and try to do well the next night. It makes for a long week, but it's pretty rewarding at this point."

Rebels new coach already lining up his coaching staff: Steve Guiremand; He has coached national championship teams.

Fight schedule -- December 3, 1998: At Bay St. Louis, Miss., (Fox), Hector Camacho Jr., Puerto Rico, vs. Wayne Boudreaux, New Orleans, 10, junior welterweights; Ray Anis, Brooklyn, vs. Phil Jackson, Miami, 10, heavyweights.

Mouton just aims to stay healthy again: He just wanted to stay healthy.

Columnist Ruthe Deskin: The aches and pains of a doctor's visit: Ruthe Deskin; Having gained the status of a senior citizen some years ago, I have earned the right to explore the weird world of aches and pains that call for periodic visits to a diagnostic clinic.

Peterson on a roll in Las Vegas: The most remarkable part of Peterson's climb to a second straight and third overall world title was her continued success at the National Finals Rodeo.

Study supports banning two-stroke engines at Lake Tahoe: The TRPA last year passed an approved an ordinance to ban watercraft and boats powered by two-stroke engines from the lake beginning next June.

Crash sidelines top cowboys: Thad Bothwell, a bull rider from Rapid City, S.D., who had qualified for his first National Finals Rodeo this year, suffered a broken back in a plane crash and will not be among the top 15 bull riders in Las Vegas this month.

Young, Lehmkuhler Capture 1997 Coors rodeo clown awards: Young and Lehmkuhler received their awards during last year's NFR at the Riviera Hotel at the annual PRCA Stock Contractors banquet.

World championship fulfilled a dream for Scott Mendes: Scott Mendes of Weatherford, Texas, was among those 15 world-title-hungry competitors. In fact, Mendes, a five-time NFR qualifier, was one of only six bull riders to be making a return appearance at the prestigious year-end rodeo. Mendes was the runner-up to Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association world champ Daryl Mills in 1994.

Popular Coors rodeo bingo back at NFR for fifth consecutive year: Original Coors Rodeo Bingo allows fans to interact with the rodeo action in the arena and win prizes. It is focused on a game card with numbers selected at random that fit with possible scores in the scored rodeo events. Marking their Rodeo Bingo cards, fans win by matching five numbers in a row in any direction.

A fan's guide to the National Finals Rodeo: The following is a brief primer on each of the 11 pro rodeo events:

Coors, PRCA have long relationship: Through the Original Coors brand, Coors has an all-encompassing multi-million dollar investment with the PRCA and the popular sport it represents. The current contract will take the Original Coors sponsorship to the dawning of the next century.

Baby sitter guilty of murdering child in her care: Prosecutors contend Wegner, who ran a day-care facility out of her home, was the only one who could have caused the massive skull fracture that killed Kierra Harrison.

Money wasn't everything for champ Allen: It would take more than that to make "The Legend" happy.

Bareback Rider Kelly Wardell latest favorite cowboy: Rodeo fans from across the country voted the two-time National Finals Rodeo bareback riding qualifier the special honor and he received the award publicly on the arena floor during the awards ceremony following the final round of the 1997 NFR at the Thomas & Mack Center.

Rodeo's Favorite Band returns to Stardust: The Redstreaks' annual command performance is a two-week stint during the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas. The 25,000-square foot convention area at the Stardust Hotel is packed each night as the popular group plays from 11 p.m. to the early hours each night of the NFR.

Greenwich Village as a Satirist's Milieu and Muse: Herbert Muschamp; Her glittering novels, especially those set in New York, offer a rare opportunity to reflect on the dependence of cities and books for mutual survival. Take home a stack. You'll thank me.

Reigning queen is living a dream: "I would look up at the clouds and make images of horses," Shaw said.

Firearms firm sets its sights on rodeo: All seven members of Team Colt '98 are competing in the NFR, the legendary firearms manufacturer will present the inaugural Colt Celebrity Mounted Shooting Invitational, and Colt has manufactured two special limited-edition pistols to help commemorate the 40th anniversary of the NFR.

1999 Rodeo season began last month in Kansas City: The $184,285 American Royal Rodeo in Kansas City, held Nov. 6-14, marked the start of the 1999 rodeo competition and sent several rodeo contestants home with their first checks of the new season.

NFR schedule: 52nd Annual PRCA Convention & Trade Show, 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m., Riviera Hotel.

Six-time world champ Murray returns after 3-year absence from Las Vegas: Six-time world All-Around champion Ty Murray, sidelined for the past three NFRs due to an assortment of injuries, will be back in the saddle and gunning for not only his seventh All-Around title, but his second bull riding crown, as well.

Weapon used by hostage taker was a pen: Smith had taken the girl hostage and ordered all 25 passengers off the bus at Elko. No one else was hurt.

Ohl wrapped up big 1997 season with victory at NFR: The Texas speedster earned $154,951 last year to become the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association's 1997 world calf roping champion. He edged three-time world champ Fred Whitfield by $5,031 and accumulated $168,900 in the all-around competition to finish a close third in that race.

Rodeo Money Leaders -- Through November 30, 1998: 1, Ty Murray, Stephenville, Texas, $173,246. 2, Trevor Brazile, Decatur, Texas, $131,032. 3, Herbert Theriot, Poplarville, Miss., $120,662. 4, Joe Beaver, Huntsville, Texas, $97,166. 5, Kurt Goulding, Duncan, Okla., $91,200. 6, Stran Smith, Tell, Texas, $85,621. 7, Tee Woolman, Llano, Texas, $79,314. 8, Brad Goodrich, Everett, Wash., $74,462. 9, Chad Klein, Jackson, La., , $71,774. 10, Lee Graves, Calgary, Alberta, , $66,300. 11, Marty Becker, Manyberries, Alberta, , $66,028. 12, Todd Suhn, Laramie, Wyo., , $62,952. 13, Roy Cooper, Childress, Texas, , $62,741. 14, Mike Beers, Powell Butte, Ore., , $58,165. 15, Bubba Paschal, Winnie, Texas, $57,524.

Rodeo's biggest show turns 40: The first National Finals Rodeo was staged in 1959 in Dallas with a modest purse of $50,000. After three years in the Lone Star State, the NFR went west to Los Angeles for three years before settling in Oklahoma City for two highly successful decades.

1998 National Finals Rodeo Facts: When: December 4-13.

Letter: Gamers have responsibilities to the city: Jack L. Cook

Brief: Race and sports book seminar set: It is titled "Race & Sports Books -- what the player demands, expects and comforts are." Speakers are Bob Smith of Leroy's Race & Sports Book and Vic Salerno of American Wagering, parent of Leroy's.

Thunder drop fifth straight game: Rob Valisevic scored once in the first and once in the second period for the Aeros (15-3-4), and assisted on Mike Yeo's goal in the third.

Brief: UNLV economic indicator rises: Six of the index's 10 factors rose in September including residential construction, taxable sales, gasoline sales, gaming revenue, visitor volume and convention attendance.

NAACP casts eye to new leadership: Jace Radke; On the message, Rogers asks the caller if he or she is a member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, and invites the caller to, "come home to the NAACP," something that Rogers himself has been unable to do since he and the branch's executive board were suspended in August.

Offensive player of the year Turner gave Cheyenne plenty of options: Spencer Patterson; Lawrence Turner's 1998 season will forever serve as a reminder that statistics often tell a very incomplete story about a player's contribution to his team.

Brief: New progressive game goes live: Silicon Gaming, based in Palo Alto, Calif., said the Big Win has a two-tiered, three-game bonus structure and a top award that resets at $250,000.

California court delays Prop 5: Without the court order, some of the 44 tribes that have filed plans for expanded casino gambling under the measure would have received automatic state approval as early as Friday, and could have begun operations 45 days later unless U.S. Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt objected.

Commission puts Bally's-Sahara monorail on track: Commissioners on Wednesday voted 6-1 to approve a 50-year franchise agreement and a use permit to the MGM Grand-Bally's Monorail LLC for a four-mile monorail route corridor linking Bally's and the Sahara hotel-casino.

Where I Stand -- Brian Greenspun: Unearthing a solution: Clark County Commissioners may be digging themselves deeper into the unending hole of indecision as they try desperately to find a way over, under, around or through the Las Vegas Strip at Harmon Avenue. At last glance, they decided to create another study that might tell them which of yet more financially indecent proposals will get the backing of the greatest number of Strip players affected by any east-west movement.

Tougher laws regulating mortgage investments urged: The recommendations made Wednesday in Las Vegas by the Legislative Commission's Subcommittee to Investigate Regulation of Mortgage Investments will be forwarded to the 1999 Legislature.

Community briefs: The group will meet on the third Tuesday of each month from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Southwest Medical Associates building, at 2350 West Charleston Blvd.

USC AD Garrett supports Rebels' hiring of John Robinson: Southern Cal athletic director Mike Garrett, the man who forced new UNLV head football John Robinson out at USC a year ago following a bitter power struggle, nonetheless believes the Rebels made a good choice by hiring Robinson.

Obituaries for December 3, 1998: He is survived by one sister, Lillian B. Rhodes of Las Vegas.

Test Site budget cutbacks may quell cleanup effort: Instead of digging more wells for ground-water testing, the DOE may delay such an issue that is a top priority with the state, said Paul Liebendorfer, representing the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection on a Community Advisory Board that met Wednesday night.

R&R requests bidding for LVCVA ad contract: Gary Thompson; R&R Chief Executive Billy Vassiliadis sent LVCVA board members a letter Wednesday suggesting the move after questions arose about the propriety of awarding the five-year contract without competitive bids.

Internet gambling perplexes feds: Mark D. Preston; A National Gambling Impact Study Commission subcommittee wrapped-up hearings Wednesday on how to regulate Internet gambling. And while fresh with new knowledge, commissioners are still perplexed about how they should deal with the situation.

Columnist Dean Juipe: Tapia steps up to face bantamweight champ: Dean Juipe; The print ads in Atlantic City feature a large photo of promoter Don King.

Ensign files request for statewide recount: The request was made in the Las Vegas office of the Secretary of State's in the Sawyer state office building at 555 E. Washington Ave.

Query over Morgan's ankle continues: Steve Guiremand; If Air Force starting quarterback Blane Morgan has heard it once, he has heard it a hundred times this week.

Columnist Joe Delaney: Gans honored for entertaining Las Vegas audiences: Joe Delaney; Gans expressed his gratitude to Bill Cosby and Joan Rivers for prior engagements at the LV Hilton and Desert Inn, respectively, and to the Stratosphere and Rio management for the opportunity to perform, settle here, and live in Las Vegas with his wife and three children.

Audit shows state insurance overpaid providers $10 million: Kafoury, Armstrong & Co., the accounting firm which performed the audit, reported Wednesday that its sample of payments showed there was an error rate of more than 10 percent, compared to past years when mistakes were in the 2-3 percent range.

Panel approves recommendation to alter Lake Mead area zoning: Valerie Miller; The CAC voted 7-3 in favor of recommending a change in the zoning on a 660-foot frontage of land along Lake Mead Drive to allow for somewhat higher density residential development to be mixed with commercial uses in an area close to the custom home community known as Section Four.

Columnist David Broder: Searcing for the right words? Why bother: David Broder; In this government, where lawyers play an uncommonly large role, thanks to the president and first lady's preference for those who share their profession, we are getting full exposure to the use of language as camouflage.

Editorial: Happy ending to a renter's nightmare: Hunt acknowledged feeding the ducks -- which she says she will no longer do -- but denied the other accusations. The board agreed Monday to let the family stay through the end of its lease next summer, as long as she pays any fines if the board determines that she is guilty of any of the allegations.

Columnist Jeff German: Nevada unites with Cold War foes against nuke dump: Not too long ago, Nevada and its nuclear testing facilities outside Las Vegas symbolized the nation's resolve to stand up to the communist threat of the Soviet Union.

Growth panel draws mixed reactions as vote nears: Scott Reeder; Las Vegas Mayor Jan Laverty Jones sees a bleak future for the coalition.

Vegas cops recruiting in Big Apple: The thought of warm weather, a high starting salary and no state income tax were enough of a draw for future cops - and even some NYPD veterans.

Tyson-Botha set for Jan. 16 at MGM Grand Garden: Dean Juipe; The fight is on and even the undercard is falling into place.

Brief: Nordstrom may reveal LV plans: Nordstrom Inc. is a Seattle fashion specialty retailer with 97 stores in 22 states, including 67 full-line stores, 24 Nordstrom Racks, one clearance store, two free-standing shoe stores and three Faconnable boutiques. Experts have speculated that Nordstrom has been evaluating the Las Vegas market and is considering stores in some of the new malls to be built in the city in the next decade.

Eminent domain-taken land near airport to be returned: Bill Gang; Yet a question remains for a District Court jury: How much is the convoluted maneuvering over control of two aging mobile home parks going to cost Clark County taxpayers?

Nevada Legislature may assist builders with ADA compliance: Brian Seals; They submit their plans to a building department for approval. The plans meet local building codes and zoning requirements.

Miller to press energy chief to discard Yucca plan: Richardson said he plans to visit Yucca Mountain on Friday. The secretary also promised to meet with Miller, Gov.-elect Kenny Guinn and other state officials to hear their concerns after he tours the mountain.

Brief: Nevada orders halt to sales of reputed securities: Consolidated Mortgage would sell interest in the companies, whose purpose was to invest money in the purchase of notes secured by a deed. Investors would make money as those notes were paid off, said Consolidated attorney Paul Michaelson.

Letter: Column doesn't tell whole story: Associations are not always the horror he described and for many of us they are our only salvation against the evil side of individualism. Apparently he's never had tasteless wonders for neighbors who paint their home turquoise blue with bright orange trim then try in vain to find a buyer for this; or had to deal with those terrible creatures, better known as slobs, who have no pride of ownership and no regard for other people's; creatures who don't believe in watering let alone mowing grass and who are perfectly content to have their part of the street looking like ...

NLV police file complaint over 'bad faith' talks: Lisa Snedeker; The complaint, which was filed Tuesday with the state's Local Government Employee-Management Relations Board, also alleges that acting City Manager Pat Importuna was charged with representing the city to renegotiate the police officers' 1998 contract.

Las Vegas news briefs: Officials say use of the new area code will be voluntary until May 15, then becomes mandatory.

Winter hikes scheduled for Lake Mead area: Reservations can be made at the visitor center in person or by calling 293-8990 starting Sunday, two weeks prior to each hike. Scheduled hikes for the next three weeks are:

Froehlich's play as good as her word for Rebels: Fortunately for the UNLV women's basketball team, Linda Froehlich is a woman of her word.

Sun All-State football teams: OFFENSE

Stupak pestering Icahn over Stratosphere: Gary Thompson; The former Stratosphere Corp. chairman believes stock in the newly reorganized company is dirt cheap and he wants to buy some of it.

Box score: UNLV 84, UNR 69: 3-Point Goals: 5-9 .556 (Daniels 2-2, Keefe 2-3, Dickel 1-2, Simmons 0-1).

Rodeo wants to build LV business contacts: The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association plans to beef up its business contacts in Las Vegas in the wake of a 10-year contract extension for the National Finals Rodeo.

National group targets federal caps on Medicare HMO payments: Art Nadler; Karen Ignagni, president and chief operating officer of the American Association of Health Plans, said that the capitation percentage -- a lump sum paid for the care of each patient rather than negotiated fees for service -- is unfair for health maintenance organizations to provide services to seniors. She said HMOs in many parts of the country have had to cut benefits and in some areas discontinue coverage.

State threatens DOE on nuke shipments: The shipments, from all over the country, have been coming through Las Vegas since the Test Site opened in the 1950s. They come on Interstate 15 and across Hoover Dam on U.S. 95 and head through the Spaghetti Bowl in the center of town on their way to Mercury, 65 miles northwest of Las Vegas.

Fifth Flamingo-Strip bridge on hold: Adrienne Packer; The commission chose to cross that bridge when it comes to it.

Advent sued for third time over design of New York-New York: Brian Seals; Domingo Cambeiro Professional Corp. accuses Advent of breach of a confidentiality agreement and misappropriation of trade secrets. It is the third time Cambeiro has sued Advent.

Editorial: All Nevada wants is a square deal: It was no coincidence that the leadership in Congress at the time, and the size of the Washington and Texas congressional delegations, contributed to Nevada getting shafted. After Congress' decision, the Department of Energy, which was designated to study Yucca Mountain as a candidate, often turned a blind eye to any scientific evidence showing the dangers of placing nuclear waste in Nevada.

Cimarron's Parker sacrificed rushing yards to state his case on defense: Spencer Patterson; Coming into 1988, much of the talk in the Las Vegas area was about the area's top returning running back, Cimarron-Memorial senior Arnold Parker.

Organization gives students chance to earn degrees on the Internet: In early 1999, Western Governor's University -- a so-called "university without walls" that offers courses and degrees over the Internet -- will merge with the Open University of the United States, another university without walls that was created earlier this year as an affiliate with the 29-year-old Open University of the United Kingdom.

Head of state nuclear agency unsure of future under Guinn: Loux has tangled with GOP senators in the last year over allegations that his Nevada Nuclear Projects Office has misspent more than $600,000 in federal funds. One of those most critical of Loux has been Senate Majority Leader Bill Raggio, R-Reno, a member of the Guinn transition team.

Cox seeks cable TV rate hike: Clark County received notice of the proposed 5.1 percent increase Wednesday. If approved, customers would see their rates go up about 53 cents a month, from $9.70 to $10.23 for basic service, Channels 1-17; or $27.51 to $28.04 for the "preferred" package of Channels 1-49.