Print edition for December 21, 1998

Brief: Hundreds of firms charged with allowing underage gambling: The Times-Picayune in New Orleans reported anti-gambling lawmakers say the citations are proof of a widespread underage gambling problem. They point to high violation rates in a similar sting in New Orleans in August and say stricter regulations could be in store.

Brief: High-tech wiring available in Summerlin: Gibbons said many home buyers desire this wiring option.

Brief: LV escapes bank cuts: Colonial has acquired two Nevada banks within the past year, Commercial Bank in Las Vegas and Interwest Bancorp in Reno. The acquisition of Commercial Bank gave Colonial three Las Vegas branches.

Columnist Dean Juipe: It's deja vu as showtime grips Mack: Dean Juipe; Here was the Thomas & Mack Center all but jampacked for UNLV basketball and the crowd was in a festive mood. People were loud and hungry for action.

Hooked on Looks: Congratulations, Alyson McCarthy, on the birth of your new child: a healthy baby boy.

School official resigns over solicitation case: Benjamin Grove; School officials say Ronald Malcolm, who supervised the hearing- and vision- impaired programs for the district, filed his resignation papers on Friday.

Planning Commission OKs Margheritaville: Valerie Miller; The long-awaited project, which was approved for zoning and comprehensive plan amendment changes in June 1997, was OK'd Thursday for a use permit to build a hotel and casino on its 30-acre site at 1300 East Paradise Parkway (formerly Foothills) in the Mission Hills area, but the decision was not without controversy.

Postal Service Santas deliver plenty of cheer on Christmas Day: Or, so it will seem, as about 40 postal workers will dress as the jolly ol' elf as they deliver Christmas-Day mail throughout the Las Vegas valley.

Letter: Pity the Scrooges who ignore needy: I continue to follow, with great interest, the letters printed in the Sun, and feel sad about the Grinch/Scrooge mentality of some of the writers. Thank you to the kind writers who responded to them.

LV residents weather hazards of wintry blast: Jace Radke; Sub-freezing temperatures and gusting winds late Sunday and early this morning in the Spring Mountain area on State Route 160 to Pahrump created hazardous driving conditions, causing three accidents because of ice on the roadway between mile markers 18 and 24.

Brief: New book studies federal gaming law: It includes articles by James Frey, dean of the College of Liberal Arts at UNLV; Kevin Doty, a colleague of Cabot's at the law firm Lionel, Sawyer & Collins, and other lawyers from around the country.

LVCVA pleased overall with SDSU-NC outcome: Steve Guiremand; Inviting San Diego State and North Carolina to Las Vegas Bowl VII turned out to be a win-win situation for the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.

UNLV graduates hit home runs with first December ceremonies: Jace Radke; Instead there were approximately 500 students walking up to a stage that was right about where the pitcher's mound should be to accept their diplomas as graduates during the university's first winter commencement.

Free coffee to be offered: The "Coffee Campaign" program kicks off Tuesday and will feature participation in Primm by the coffee shops and McDonald's at Primm Valley hotel-casino as well as Buffalo Bill's and Whiskey Pete's. In Mesquite, free coffee will be available at the Oasis hotel-casino.

No results released in NLV jail audit: Lisa Snedeker; While Importuna said he has received a draft of the audit, he said he could not reveal any of its findings before it was presented to the council.

DeChant will get no parole: Bill Gang; District Judge John McGroarty on Friday decided she would have no chance for parole and also would have to serve a 12-year term for robbing 46-year-old Bruce Weinstein.

Brief: 300-room hotel-casino planned: The hotel would be designed as a Spanish Mission building on the ground level and in an art decco style on the second and third levels.

Plenty of chances to comment on Yucca report, DOE insists: The first public meeting will be scheduled in Las Vegas with local officials at the end of January.

91 percent pay hike asked by lawmakers: Under the bill, pay for legislators would go from $130 a day to $250 a day for the first 60 days of the session. The bill would also include a $100-a-month telephone and travel allowance for each lawmaker during the off-session.

Boxer fighting bout of life: By Ed Koch LAS VEGAS SUN

Tahoe storm generating excitement among ski resort operators: Martin Griffith; Resort officials said a string of December storms has left Lake Tahoe with above-average snowfall as other western resorts, particularly in the top ski destination state of Colorado, have snow machines in overdrive.

LV business events: Sheldon Adelson -- Venetian developer speaks to Women in Communications. Jan. 14. 736-3750.

Prep Schedule -- December 21-26, 1998: Boys Basketball

Judge's ruling paves way for Rio golf course trial: Brian Seals; The ruling paves the way for a trial to begin today on what fees the hotel-casino can charge residents to play on the course.

Lawyers for Binion estate heighten inheritance battle: Harry Claiborne, one of the lawyers, said Sunday that civil litigation will be pursued to get back a valuable coin and currency collection he believes Murphy took from Binion's Las Vegas home following his Sept. 17 death.

Culinary agitates for contracts at downtown casinos: Brian Seals; That plan surprised some casino executives.

Mission of change: rehab program alters name to avoid confusion: "They do wonderful work and we do wonderful work but we are two different organizations," said Jackie Davis, executive director of the Las Vegas City Mission.

Las Vegas news briefs: "It almost looks like he came around the corner and was about to miss his turn, and swerved over, but we are still investigating the accident," Albert said.

Youth Rules Finish of USA Table Tennis: Eleven-year old Joshua Bernstein captured two national titles and 10-year old phenom Mikhail Kazanstev defeated five opponents more than twice his age to capture another USATT Rating event national championship.

Reid puts new clout behind president: "We're trying to find some alternative rather than tying the Senate up for months with a trial," Reid told the Sun this morning from his home in Searchlight.

Buoncristiana carries load as Galena squad looks to rebuild: Spencer Patterson; The last time Lance Buoncristiani played in the Holiday Prep Classic, the event served as a coming out party for he and his 1997-98 Galena Grizzlies teammates.

Assemblyman rips plan to fly lawmakers to Guinn speech: "It's a waste of money," says Assemblyman Tom Collins, a Democrat.

Thunder loses fight-marred game: A crowd of 5,689 watched the game at Winnipeg Arena, as well as the end-of-game brawl that resulted in 12 game misconduct calls and a total of 164 penalty minutes assessed.

LV business people: Beverly Gomes is service coordinator for ATI Title of Nevada's Flamingo office.

Ethics hearing scheduled for Gates: The hearing is scheduled for 1 p.m. in the first-floor board room of the Nevada State Contractor's Board, Building D, 4220 S. Maryland Parkway. Because it is only a preliminary hearing, to determine whether the complaint is valid, the proceedings will be closed to the public.

Columnist David Broder: Udall embodied both ambition, honor: David Broder; The last years of his life were terrible -- a time of immobility and forced silence -- but what had gone before earned him a place as one of the most loved and admired politicians of his time.

Letter: GOP will pay at next election: The Republicans have really shortchanged the people. About the only thing they have done is give themselves a raise while we struggle to make ends meet. And they don't care if they make the United States a laughingstock.

Reebok Holiday Prep Classic Schedule -- December 21, 1998: Durango Main

Chelating treatment wins approval: But they made an enemy of Assembly Majority Leader Richard Perkins, who said he won't trust their representatives in the 1999 Legislature.

Reebok Holiday Prep Classic -- tournament leaders: Points

Letter: Cable service fails to justify costs: Service of the '90s? I didn't realize service of the '90s meant I would have to pay for shows I didn't like in the '70s. Cox Communications, your service is garbage, your quality of programming is garbage and the next time I get a bill announcing a new lineup of quality programming and another rate increase, your bill may just go in the garbage.

Local hoops tournament not kind to local teams: Spencer Patterson; It's been nine years since a local team won the annual Holiday Prep Classic, and if Saturday's results are any indication, it looks like that streak will be extended to a full decade.

Merchants sell $2.28 billion in goods for 8.1 percent increase: In the Reno area, sales totaled $382.2 million for a 7.7 percent increase.

Marion limps off court with injury, returns to lead UNLV: Steve Carp; In a game of can-you-top-this highlight-reel plays, Shawn Marion was looking to make his own contribution to ESPN's Sportscenter.

Box Score: Cincinnati 86, UNLV 73: 3-Point Goals: 2-14 .143 (Logan 0-1, Mickeal 0-2, Levett 2-10)

Columnist Melissa Schorr: No rooms at the inn? Hard to belive: Melissa Schorr; "It's hard to turn somebody away," sighs Shade Tree director Brenda Dizon, who is sometimes forced to do exactly that.

Brief: LV firm's profit falls as it diversifies: American Vantage attributed the lower profits to costs incurred trying to diversify its operations.

Brief: Study ordered on gambling and bankruptcies: Another study will compare the level of gambling in a given area with the number of mortgage defaults, the incidence of spousal and child abuse and other problems.

Editorial: Pay raise will be met skeptically: In 1989, for instance, the Legislature tucked a 300 percent pension increase inside a bill dealing with the public employees' retirement system, hoping no one would figure out the complex formula used to calculate legislators' pensions. But controversy erupted after it was disclosed the increase was being sought. Still, legislators overrode Gov. Bob Miller's veto of this controversial legislation. Once they got home, however, the public outcry was so great they begged Miller to call a special session so they could repeal the hike.

Columnist Ralph Siraco: Horse racing takes full advantage of new millennium: Ralph Siraco; T'is the season.

1998 holiday season marked by jump in Internet retailing: Brian Seals; People like UNLV student Yvonne Westfall point to two reasons they prefer to shop via computer: convenience and selection.

Brief: Hilton, Park Place shares traded: Shares of the parent company, Hilton Hotels Corp., were trading at $19.1875.

IHL Standings -- December 21, 1998: Northeast Division

Obituaries for December 21, 1998: He is survived by his wife, Catherine Marie Demtom of Arizona; three sons, Richard Brummett of Yuba City, Calif., Gary Brummett of Oregon and Gene Brummett of Arizona; and one sister, Mildred Petersen of Bellflower, Calif.

Rebels can smile despite loss: Steve Carp; The team may be sub.-500 and in the throes of a three-game losing streak, but discouragement doesn't get to linger in the UNLV locker room for very long.