Print edition for June 8, 1998

Bullhead City man drowns in Lake Mohave: National Park Service spokeswoman Karen Whitney said friends found Wohlford's body about three hours later in water 12 to 15 feet deep.

Banking deregulation to boost Japan's economy: Ambassador Thomas Foley met with Gov. Bob Miller today on the first day of his five-day tour of Japan and Taiwan. Miller arrived in Tokyo on Sunday leading a 10-person contingent for meetings with airline executives and leaders of Japan's tourism industry in an effort to secure more air service between Las Vegas and the Pacific Rim.

List of Nevada volunteer executions since 1979: 1985: Carroll Cole, 47, was executed Dec. 6 for killing Marie Cushman in Las Vegas. Cole was the first to die by injection and, like Bishop, wanted to be executed.

Condemned man had troubled childhood, mental problems: But Michael Pescetta, the federal public defender handling an appeal filed by Calambro's mother, Lydia, says that when Calambro faced execution three years ago, he didn't really think he would die but would "go to sleep and then wake up, in the manner of a vampire."

Officer's own son wrote note threatening school killings: The 15-year-old boy, who has not been identified, was booked on two misdemeanor charges and was being held at a juvenile detention center Monday awaiting a psychological examination, KRNV-TV reported.

Two Nevadans killed in plane crash in lake: The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board were investigating the cause of the crash.

Springs dot landscape near Mead: But Karl Pohlmann, an assistant research hydrologist for the Desert Research Institute's Water Resources Center in Las Vegas, is no fool.

Jones confident race will conclude with victory lap: Mark D. Preston; These words did not have much meaning for the hotel guests passing the mayor in the lobby of Washington's Sheraton-Carlton, but to Jones they represent the past six months of her life -- literally -- and the next six months which will determine her political future.

People in the News for June 8, 1998: Odds and ends, mostly odds

Japan nuclear waste plan: 'regeneration': Apologizing in advance to members of the 10-member contingent who had come to talk tourism, Miller picked the brain of Milton Eaton, a representative of the U.S. Department of Energy stationed at the Tokyo embassy.

Children injured by suspected drunken driver: Joshua Thompson, 7, and Cristina Guzman, 14, were treated and released at University Medical Center while Nicole Thompson, 11, and Daisy Guzman, 10, remained hospitalized Monday evening in serious condition. A fifth student, whose name was not available, was not injured.

Jury recommends life term for airman: The girl's mother, Dawn Mathiesen, 20, was acquitted of second-degree murder, but found guilty of child abuse. Prosecutors alleged Mathiesen ignored police warnings to keep the girl away from Parish.

Robber who knocked out store clerk sought: The robber has been described as a black male, 5 feet 9, 190 pounds, about 25-30 years old, and was last seen wearing a gray and black striped shirt, blue shorts and a blue baseball cap.

Man pleads guilty to setting estranged wife's car on fire: He admitted that on Jan. 31 he called his estranged wife in Las Vegas, threatened to destroy her car and told her she better move out of the country because he would be coming after her, U.S. Attorney Kathryn Landreth said.

Procedures followed during Nevada executions: The inmate also can send out last letters to reporters and his family, and possibly make some final phone calls. He also can get visits from the chaplain, warden or prison director.

Nevada unemployment rate steady at 4.7 percent: DETR statistics show there were 917,700 people working in all Nevada industries during April, up 4,500 from March. There were 40,600 people without jobs, up from 39,400 in March.

Letter: Conservatives shouldn't criticize Clinton as being 'sex addict': Maybe, in a future Bennett presidency, his policy will be to issue licenses to engage in it with only holy rollers being eligible.

Group says money bought legislature influence, campaign finance reforms needed: Brendan Riley; PLAN's "Cashing-In" report shows the five industries or organizations accounted for just over $2 million, or more than 70 percent, of identified contributions. Leaders of the reform-minded group said that demonstrates the need for fundamental changes such as public financing of campaigns.

Skull found on Tahoe Rim Trail: The skull appears to be that of a white male, 40 to 50 years old, and may have been in the area since last August or September.

Obituaries for June 8, 1998: She is survived by her husband, Gerald B.; two daughters, Linda Higley of Atchison and Dawnia Clements of Anchorage, Alaska; five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Dentists debate need for school at UNLV: Jerry Fink and Art Nadler; Sen. Raymond Rawson, R-Las Vegas, himself a dentist for 30 years, sees a dental school as a godsend for two groups in Clark County -- children and senior citizens.

Rural counties crucial to initiative petitions: The big concern for backers of the petitions is whether they'll comply with a law that requires 10 percent of the voters in each of 13 of Nevada's 17 counties to sign petitions to qualify the questions.

State workers again seek bargaining right: The Nevada Employees Association has revealed its legislative program, which was adopted by the board of directors.

Shuttle, Mir may be seen over Las Vegas: The shuttle and the Mir will appear as two bright dots chasing each other across the sky for only moments at a time, said Robert Pippin, planetarium manager of the Community College of Southern Nevada's Cheyenne Campus facility.

Groundwork laid for pharmacy school: Art Nadler; The move represents a preliminary commitment toward establishing the first school of pharmacy in Nevada, university officials said.

Saturday's results at Las Vegas Motor Speedway: Pro ET --Doug Schneider, Dodge, 12.129 seconds at 12.129 mph, def. Chris Naffzinger, Chevy Nova, 14.290 seconds at 114.802 mph.

Vandal leaves calling card: But this time, the youth left behind fishing tackle - complete with his father's fishing license.

Editorial: Happy trails for bicyclists, joggers: The Sun's Cathy Scott reported last week that some flood control maintenance roads, which are being identified on a map expected to be released in three weeks, can now be used instead as running and bike trails. And two utilities, Nevada Power and Southwest Gas, also agreed to let joggers and bicyclists on their maintenance and utility roads. In the past, these paths were only available to maintenance vehicles.

Police seek clues in two slayings: Karen Zekan; Several hotel guests heard the single deadly blast that killed the 43-year-old tourist shortly after 11 p.m., though police have found no one who saw the gunman, said homicide Lt. Wayne Petersen.

Large section of western Nevada and Sierra under flood watch: Along with an ongoing chance of rain, soils are saturated and small streams are running near bank full from two days of heavy showers.

Where I Stand -- Mike O'Callaghan: Election years can be dangerous for our court system: Yes, the vote was 11-1 for conviction. A review of that trial transcript shows that the prosecutor had easily identified the holdout as a problem and did his best to keep her off the jury. The sitting judge denied every effort to remove her, and the results cost Nevada taxpayers thousands of dollars.

Seven inmates allege excessive force in Ely: Cathy Scott; In their lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court late last month, the inmates -- William McKinney, Juan High, Tomas Joe, James Beverly, Willie Thurman, Terrence Brothers and Leonardo Luna -- allege that excessive force was handed down by corrections officers at the maximum-security facility.

Counties prepare for battle over court fees: But local officials say that would financially cripple justice and municipal courts around the state - including Carson City, which gets close to $400,000.

Charges dropped against boy who scribbled graffiti in concrete: Meanwhile, an arbitrator is considering the boy's civil lawsuit against a police officer and the owner of a development company.

Civic leader, talent agency pioneer Griffith dies at 68: Services are set for Tuesday at 1:30 p.m. at Christ Episcopal Church, 2000 S. Maryland Parkway.

Wells, Norwest merger impacts LV: Steve Green; Still smarting from its fouled-up and unfriendly 1996 takeover of First Interstate Bank, Wells Fargo & Co. said today it's merging with Norwest Corp.

Askew has long line of obstacles: Jeff Schweers; To top it off, the County Commission to which he answers has been under unprecedented ethical scrutiny for 10 of those first 14 months -- leading Askew to appoint an ethics task force to create some guidelines on disclosure and abstention.

Transplant in doubt for organs of Kevorkian client: Art Nadler; Joseph Tushkowski, 45, apparently died Sunday somewhere in Michigan. Kevorkian, a retired pathologist who has gained national notoriety for helping people to commit suicide, would not say where he died or where the kidneys were removed.

Columnist Ralph Siraco: Real Quiet comes up short in bid to win Triple Crown: Ralph Siraco; The beat was loud and clear, and it was anything but Real Quiet.

Nevada officials back plan for western primary: Assemblyman Lynn Hettrick, R-Gardnerville, who will attend the meeting, said the states would achieve greater clout if they band together and hold primary elections the same day.

LV company settles deception case: Consumer Credit Services Inc., owned by Eric A. Petersen, 31, of Las Vegas, did not admit any wrongdoing in the stipulated judgment filed Friday in U.S. District Court in Las Vegas.

Close race may bring spark back to racing: Steve Carp; The trappings for a victory celebration were there for the connections of Real Quiet. He was poised to become thoroughbred racing's first Triple Crown winner in 20 years. The horse with the skinny features, who had been nicknamed "The Fish" by trainer Bob Baffert, was ready to deliver a much-needed shot in the arm to a sport that has struggled to keep up with the financial times.

All Nippon set to try Nagoya-Vegas flights: Ryogo Inoue, senior executive vice president for Tokyo-based All Nippon, announced the charters today during a meeting with Gov. Bob Miller, who is leading a delegation of 10 Nevadans to Japan and Taiwan on a mission to secure more nonstop air service between Asia and Southern Nevada.

Taxation studied for deregulated utilities: Administrators are studying the impact the arrival of competitors will have on tax revenues and Department of Taxation Executive Director Michael Pitlock told a legislative oversight committee last week that his staff expects to maintain an existing formula for property taxes as its prime means of collecting revenue.

Zanardi wins two ways at Detroit: In the first race, the defending CART FedEx Series champion pressured his closest rival in this year's title chase into a series of uncharacteristic mistakes.

Columnist Dean Juipe: Outrageous shoe deals about to end: Dean Juipe; Yet here's a big whoopie! for the athletic-apparel industry which, after needlessly losing millions and millions of dollars for the past decade, has come to the realization it may be a waste of money to sign every professional athlete it can find to some sort of product-endorsement deal.

Only 20, Shepherd plays like a veteran: Geoff Carter; And the most amazing part: even if he wanted to, Shepherd couldn't enjoy half the amenities his hosts had to offer. He's all of twenty, you see. Which raises the question: is the genius coming from him, or through him?

Chaparral player takes first step toward the majors: Spencer Patterson; Because after signing to play for the Detroit Tigers over the weekend, the 6-3, 210-pound catcher has a 7 a.m. flight to catch -- for a trip that will take him his new club's spring training site in Lakeland, Fla.

Park Service lands in Nevada win youth grants: "This initiative helps the National Park Service to clear up some of the critical maintenance projects while building character and encouraging a sense of responsibility among young people participating in the program," Babbitt said Monday.

LV office developers attracted to suburbs: Brian Seals; That was the recent message from Tom Thomas, managing partner of the Thomas and Mack Co., to about 50 commercial real estate professionals at a breakfast sponsored by the Commercial Marketing Group.

Hajek: A quiet success: Steve Guiremand; George Arias has opened eyes while battling for the Pacific Coast League lead in home runs and RBIs.

State installs devices to help sleepy motorists: One of every four fatal accidents in Nevada in 1997 involved a vehicle that drifted off a roadway and overturned. Such single-vehicle rollovers claimed 106 lives last year.

PUC lays out electric competition rules: The Public Utilities Commission of Nevada last week issued an order identifying potentially competitive services, a long-awaited document that spells out what power companies will be able to offer customers when the monopolistic system currently in place gives way to the free market.

Sister to buy Binion's casino: The agreement, if approved by regulators, would end a bitter Binion family dispute over control of the legendary downtown casino that began nearly three years ago.

State transportation department denies bulls permit: "The applicants had indicated that 12 bulls would chase 1,000 people through the main road of Mesquite in front of 5,000 spectators," Deputy Director Jeff Fontaine said. "It's our decision that a state highway (S.R. 144) should not be used for a risky event such as this."