Print edition for January 17, 1998

Letter: Inconsistent meter usage time is annoying, you know: When Diane Keaton was interviewed with Goldie Hawn and Bette Midler about their movie, "First Wives' Club," almost every other word out of Miss Keaton's mouth was "you know." I'm so glad she can read a script and not have to improvise. I know she has the right to continuously say "you know." I change the TV to other channels such as sports, news, etc., but, if you listen, you will hear the same "you know." Stop and listen to yourself and others and see if you are one of those "you know" addicts.

Letter: Goddess Temple is sacred space, look elsewhere for sand and gravel pit: The Shoshone, from whom we borrow our space, have only these 22 acres. Corvette would lose nothing by choosing another site; even a cursory walk over neighboring land (and the product of previous "test" mines) would prove that there is plenty of rock, sand and gravel for the taking all over this valley. They do not have to put their mine at our back door. They do not have to damage the fragile desert springs.

Box score: Aeros 5, Thunder 2: Second Period -- .3, Houston, Oliver 23 (Hagwood, Yeo), 0:15; 4, Houston, Freer 8 (Valicevic, Cull), 1:15. Penalties: Christian, Las Vegas (roughing), 4:04; Kurtz, Las Vegas (hooking), 4:57; Morissette, Houston (fighting), 7:13; Potomski, Las Vegas (fighting), 7:13; McRae, Houston (roughing), 16:13; Simchuk, Las Vegas (interference), 17:40.

Abortion's split decision: From Liz Carrasco's vantage point at Planned Parenthood of Southern Nevada, Roe vs. Wade spared millions of women from often-fatal, back-alley abortions.

Letter: Community will mourn the passing of local chiropractor: Dr. Rowe healed so many people. He honored our chiropractic profession like no other person. This wonderful man died leaving a gaping hole in this city and in many people's hearts. I was sorry not to have been able to give this man a little hug, a little boost, a little encouragement back in his declining, painful years. How I will miss him, knowing he's no longer on this planet with me ... and so many of us. Our respects to his wife and family.

Editorial: Drop rhetoric, start work on real solutions: Thursday's meeting of a board studying growth in Southern Nevada was hyped as a showdown between its members and state Sen. Dina Titus, who supports a so-called ring-around-the-valley that would restrict growth in outlying areas. The Southern Nevada Strategic Planning Authority's meeting, at least in terms of emotion, lived up to its billing. Titus, a Las Vegas Democrat, accused the panel, which includes developers, of being hostile to her. At one point during the meeting, Tito Tiberti, a member of the board who represents the Nevada Taxpayers Association and owns a construction company, accused Titus of grandstanding. "These are re-election ...

Afternoon delights: Las Vegas may be a nighttime town, but daylight shows still find an audience: Lisa Ferguson; Say, however, you're in the mood for magic at 1 o'clock in the afternoon. Or maybe you could use a good laugh around 3 p.m. Where in the entertainment capital of the world can you go to be amazed or amused at such ungodly hours (at least by night owl standards) of the day?

Letter: Put a stop to abusive traveling animal shows: If these experienced trainers cannot protect themselves from death and injury, how can they protect the public? Arnie was slaughtered in his cage, shot five times with a 12-gauge shotgun by Chipperfield's brother. At least Arnie is finally out of circus life, but thousands more are left in this cruel dismal life to "perform." After all, "the show must go on."

Fast facts about afternoon shows: * Maxim "Comedy Magic: A Comedy Dayclub" at 1 and 3 p.m. (dark Sunday). Tickets are $9.95 and include two drinks, tax and gratuity. Call 597-5970.

Columnist Jeff German: Gamers try to avert GOP-labor war: The GOP, in a move that could hurt its top candidate for governor, Kenny Guinn, is gearing up to launch a petition drive to prohibit unions from making political donations without membership approval.

Letter: In its time of need, Goodwill gets boost from Southern Nevada: Goodwill Industries of Southern Nevada Inc. is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide training, employment and job placement services for people with disabilities and other special needs to maximize the quality of life for each individual served. The community can help Goodwill obtain its mission by donating used items, hiring our work-adjustment graduates and shopping in our retail stores for one-of-a-kind treasures at bargain-basement prices.

Columnist Scott Dickensheets: Holidaze craze a sheer waste of frivolity: Scott Dickensheets; That's Thursday, by the way. Get thee to a Hallmark rack.

Where I Stand - Brian Greenspun: New Frontier owner inspires a new frontier on the Strip: That approval will, barring some last-minute snafu, be one of the most looked-forward-to events in Nevada's rich and colorful gambling history. That's because when the New Frontier's newest owner, Phil Ruffin, came riding into town he did so on the shoulders of organized labor, the Nevada gaming establishment, including the regulators, every elected official in Southern Nevada and some in Carson City and practically everyone in Las Vegas who saw the labor strife at the Frontier as an unreasonable and unnecessary darkening of the bright lights of our future.

Eyesore has neighbors seeing red: Martin Kuz; The 5300 block of Holmby Avenue resembles most other streets nestled in the southwest elbow of Charleston and Decatur boulevards. Modest lawns unfurl in front of modest homes that went up in the early 1960s. A wrought-iron fence here, a bunch of kids playing football there. Placid and unassuming, the neighborhood could be Las Vegas' updated take on a Norman Rockwell painting.

John Bobbitt now working in house of prostitution: By Cy Ryan; Bobbitt put in his first full shift at the Moonlight BunnyRanch Friday night and one of the topics of conversation was the surgery that reattached his penis.

UNR researcher expects study will stir controversy: Marotta, who's conducting the survey as part of work toward a doctorate degree, will present preliminary study results at the 12th national conference on problem gambling in June in Las Vegas.

Trial begins for man charged with creating ruckus over jackpot: Casino workers testified Friday that Gomer ran into guests and slammed his chair into a slot machine, but a Silver Legacy surveillance tape played in court did not show the alleged incidents.

Letter: Nationals Final Rodeo made sure animals had proper care: In addition to the calf roping, Ms. Dean commented on what she called the "flanker strap" in the bucking horse events. In the bareback and saddle-bronc riding, a fleece-lined flank strap is used to enhance the bucking action of an animal with a natural inclination to buck. These straps will not make a horse buck that does not want to buck and, if they are pulled too tight, will cause the horse not to move. Many Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association stock contractors have specialized breeding programs to develop horses that are born to buck and add to their bucking string ...

Witness says suspect in murder warned victim's sister: The testimony came during a preliminary hearing Friday in Sparks Justice Court for two other suspects in the slaying, Gregory James Bennett, 47, and Kevin Joe Picotti, 28.

Columnist Bill Hanlon: Exam grades should reflect a standard, not a 'norm': Bill Hanlon; Three years ago, the state Board of Education directed the department to create a new, more rigorous and more appropriate high school exit exam. Most kids considered the old test a joke. The new test questions students in algebra, geometry, probability and statistics. The results are in from the October testing: The result is a statewide average of 57 percent.

Columnist Sal DeFilippo: NFL cashes in on massive TV deals: Sal DeFilippo; You know him -- the guy who's quick to point out that one time there was no bye week, Super Bowl XXV, when fans were rewarded with a one-point game -- the difference between victory and defeat a missed 47-yard field goal on the final play.

Two convicted on murder charges: Rudiberto Guerrero was arrested a short time later. He had three shotgun shells in his pocket.

Brown agrees to plead guilty to tax charges: Bill Gang; William J. "James" Brown originally was pursued on a variety of drug charges after police said that half of the methamphetamine labs raided in the months prior to the September probe had chemicals purchased from his Lab-Kem Supplies company.

Audit: Insurance errors costing state: "Without proper safeguards, fraud and abuse could occur and go undetected," the report says, adding that a lack of management controls contribute to delays and errors in processing claims.

Miners defeat Rebels 62-50: Steve Carp; A consistent offense.

State agencies owed more than $100 million in taxes, fees: About $55 million in taxes weren't collected by the Department of Taxation, while the Division of Industrial Relations failed to collect $18 million and the State Industrial Insurance System is short $17 million.

Panel sets statewide education standards for certain grades: The council decided that "performance indicators," as opposed to standards, would be established for pupils in other grades.

Falling gold prices take toll on mining company: Officials from Pegasus, which also operates four Montana mines, blamed the company's cash crunch on plunging gold prices, which hit an 18-year low earlier this month.

Leftover contributions reported: The reports were due Friday at the secretary of state's office.

Juvenile pleads guilty to spraying graffiti on historic building: The damage caused an uproar among local residents. Residents said it was the first known incident of graffiti painted on a historic structure here.