Print edition for May 15, 1998

People in the News for May 15: Miscellany

Letter: Forecasting the valley's demise: I love Las Vegas and plan to enjoy about five to six more years here. At that time, I feel it will be prudent to exit to Wendover in Nevada.

Weekend Update: Music, Theater, Etc.: THE BLUE BLUEGRASS OF HOME -- Step out to Morrell Park, 500 Harris St. in Henderson, between 1 and 9 p.m. Saturday for a free bluegrass band festival featuring the Red Rock Mountain Boys, Lampkin Family Band, Yucca Mountain Boys, Jay's Kids and the award-winning Marty Warburton Band. Admission is free. Should all that fiddlin' and pickin' make you hungry, barbecue and beverages will be on sale.

The Boyz are back in town: Shane Gammon; Since the group's 1991 debut album, "Cooley High Harmony," the soulful, Philadelphia-bred quartet's musical maturity has evolved, evidenced by its most recent disc, "Evolution," which was released late last year. It features the songwriting talents of a pair of rhythm and blues' and hip-hop's most prominent artists.

Another award for UNLV's Crandall: Another award for UNLV's Crandall

Jones exonerated in ethics probe: Denise Cardinal; Jones went before the Nevada Commission on Ethics Thursday for a public hearing on a complaint filed by Las Vegas resident Robert Rose. He alleged that Jones used her influence as mayor to get Holland hired at the city.

Pacific Coast League standings through May 14, 1998: Midwest Division

Mark Wade completes his Degree of satisfaction: Steve Carp; At 32, Mark Wade didn't figure to still be a participant in the Thomas & Mack Center.

Columnist Joe Delaney: Prestidigitation prevails in LV: Joe Delaney; Then along came Siegfried & Roy, first as a featured act in production shows, then as stars of a Kenneth Feld production, heavy in circus values, for nearly a decade at the Frontier.

Bennett covers the classics opening night: Joe Delaney; Sharon was introduced first at the piano, then Tony entered and it's just voice and piano for "The Best Is Yet To Come," "If I Could Be With You," "Autumn Leaves," and "I Love A Piano." The full orchestra was revealed and Tony sang "When Do The Bells Ring For Me," "Just In Time," "Smile," "I Got Rhythm," with the quartet only, and "I Got Lost In Her Arms."

KOAR, Embassy Suites developer, files bankruptcy: KOAR added it was unable to find financing to retire the $53 million construction loan held by Mitsui Trust & Banking Co.

Mark Wade bus stops: 1985-87: Stars as UNLV point guard.

Woman dies in house fire: Cathy Scott; William Sherwood, 58, told investigators that he had been out. He returned home about 4 a.m. to find smoke in the small single-story house he shared with his wife, Jackie Sherwood, 68, at 7637 Via Paseo Ave., near Buffalo Drive and Cielo Lane.

Business forum marked by sparse turnout: That's despite a sparse turnout that saw fewer than 50 people attending its panel discussions.

GOP plan would pull plug on DOE: House Budget Committee Chairman John Kasich, R-Ohio, crafted the proposal as part of a plan to trim $100 billion from the $1.7 trillion spending bill. In addition to the DOE, the Department of Commerce also would be eliminated.

Work force, air service hindering Nevada diversification: Brian Seals; That may be easier said than done, however. While the state has a pro-business tax structure, it also has obstacles such as transportation woes, a largely unskilled labor force and the inability to offer incentives to lure businesses here.

Las Vegas Bankruptcies: Yarlow Inc., 444 W. Sunset Rd., Henderson, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. No assets or liabilities were listed.

Columnist Muriel Stevens: Second Street Grill is a first-rate experience: Now 5 years old, Second Street Grill was one of the first to offer diners American dishes influenced by the cuisines of the Pacific rim. Hawaii's acclaimed celebrity chef Jean-Marie Josselin, chef-owner of the noted Pacific Cafe on Maui -- there are now two Pacific Cafes on Maui, one in Kaui and two in Honolulu -- was hired as consultant to the restaurant and created the first menu. Second Street Grill's Chef Rachael Breen, who was originally hired as a sauce cook for the restaurant's opening, trained under Josselin before her promotion to room chef. Breen says, "I get my ...

ZIP code to change for 13,000 residents: "This is one of the ways we're handling the growth," said Tim Purcell, spokesman at the Las Vegas main post office. "There were too many delivery points in the 89102 and 89117 area."

Columnist Scott Dickensheets: Toss out the mess and keep the rest: Scott Dickensheets; It's entirely natural, this seasonal impulse to empty the nest of its winter accumulations, and it sounds so harmless: "spring," with its sunny connotation of lightness and renewal, and "cleaning," which brings to mind French maid outfits. It suggests a weekend spent flicking a feather duster over an end table, filling a trash can or two and chuckling over memories sparked by a rediscovered baby shoe or box of snapshots. Certainly not the drama of adversity and survival it's become at my house.

107 cited for trespassing in labor protest at Ark: Brian Seals; Well, figuratively speaking at least.

Letter: United States shouldn't put pressure on Israel: Murray continues, "Israel should accept giving up more land or face immediate termination of U.S. aid." Israel is our only friend in the Arab world. Why put most of the pressure on Israel when Arafat broke the Oslo agreement?

Editorial: Kids' behavior suffers meltdown: In fact, many adults still vividly remember the brunt of decades-ago taunts or provocations that sometimes ended in fights with the school bruiser. But the violence shown by some children today is beyond the pale, and should prompt a re-examination of the way children are raised and disciplined.

Obituaries for May 15, 1998: She is survived by her husband of 58 years, Fred Sr.; two daughters, Bonnie Massey of Hot Springs, Ark., and Jackie Hines of St. Louis; four sons, Ronald Arthur of Eolia, Mo., Frederick Arthur Jr. and Robert Arthur, both of St. Louis, and Donald Arthur of Las Vegas.

Letter: Personalizing children could boost fund raising: What about our own children in this community? The catch there is they personalize this child -- picture, info, etc. What I'm wanting to express is this: If I thought I were helping one particular child to have the camp experience, I probably would want to help the child on an extended basis -- birthday, Christmas.

Editorial: Allergies, lettuce, bees and El Nino: On the bright side, El Nino usually ushers in cooler spring temperatures, and Wednesday was no exception as the high was just 66 degrees on Wednesday. But don't get too comfortable just yet. While El Nino typically spawns cool springs, the flip side is that the National Weather Service is forecasting that this summer Las Vegas will see above-normal temperatures because of -- what else -- El Nino.

SINATRA ON DISK AND FILM: A SELECT LIST: Tommy Dorsey/Frank Sinatra: Alltime Greatest Hits, Vol. 4 (RCA)

Church request denied: Valerie Miller; The Planning Commission voted 6-1 to deny a building request by the First Missionary Baptist Church -- along with its 52-foot steeple -- based on incompatibility with the surrounding neighborhood.

Hearing set in bartender's death: Charles Randolph, 31, is charged with murder, robbery and other counts in the death of Shelly Lokken, who worked the graveyard shift in the pub at Westcliff and Durango drives.

Like his singing, Frank Sinatra's life was a study in contrasts: He was gracious in helping other performers. Decades ago, he told Life magazine that Tony Bennett was the best singer in the business. Bennett credits that comment for elevating his career to a level he has maintained ever since.

How Scholars Have Interpreted the Sinatra Icon: Janny Scott; As soon as Hofstra University announced last year that it was planning one titled "Frank Sinatra: The Man, the Music, the Legend," calls poured in from autographed-cocktail-napkin collectors, Sinatra impersonators, singing-plate manufacturers, a ventriloquist with a Sinatra puppet.

Commissioner voices concern of metro water grab: The question was brought up by Janet Carson of Reno, a board member who is water supervisor for Sierra Pacific Resources' Westpac Utilities. She raised the question after hearing Elko County concerns about placing economic values on water.

AG: Updated data critical to reapportioning districts: The Clark County district attorney's office asked for a legal opinion on what population data, other than the census, could be used for reapportioning the commission before the U.S. Census.

Three seniors removed from unlicensed home: Cathy Scott; Metro detectives, accompanied by Clark County business investigators, arrived unannounced at Dee's Adult Care, which also is known as Unique Care, 4545 Euclid Ave., near Harmon and Eastern avenues.

From Rat Pack to the 90s, Las Vegas was Sinatra's kind of town: During his prime, he would make movies during the day, play the Sands' Copa Room at night and then cavort with the Rat Pack into the early morning hours. Sinatra not only owned the town, he brought in the high rollers that helped it grow into the gaming mecca it is today.

Couple pleads guilty to child abuse, could face 40 years: Bill Gang; But after the family moved to Las Vegas it continued with the children suffering years of being beaten, choked, splashed with hot liquid and smacked with high heeled shoes.

Financier Ichan in control at Stratosphere: U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Greg Zive said the plan to rescue the resort from Chapter 11 appears feasible and is "proposed in good faith."

Highway U.S. 50 reopens, sort of: The undermined roadway has been rebuilt, but remains too wet to pave. Motorists will have to go slow over the dirt, but at least they'll be able to go, Nevada Department of Transportation spokesman Scott Magruder said on Friday.

Off-duty trooper aids in carjack arrest: Karen Zekan; Roy Burney Bell, 38, an ex-felon for robbery and burglary, was in handcuffs shortly before 6 p.m. after attempting to run from the intersection of Eastern Avenue and Russell Road where he rammed the hot car into another vehicle, Metro Lt. Wayne Petersen said.

UNLV ceremony may be broadcast on national TV: A representative of Today show, which appears locally on KVBC Channel 3, contacted Eric Coyle Thursday to arrange an interview with him at the 9 a.m. ceremony at the Thomas & Mack Center.

Letter: Boys' actions were way over the line: There is something seriously wrong with a society that will accept this as "typical horseplay." This crosses way over the line. Those boys should have been sitting in a juvenile detention center, waiting for their parents to pick them up, as well as being suspended and then made to seek counseling along with their parents.

Columnist Davey Hamilton: G Force chassis just not fast enough to win pole: Davey Hamilton; AFTER FIVE days of practice, I hate to admit that the Nienhouse Motorsports G Force/Oldsmobile Aurora V8 is not up to the task of attaining one of our goals -- winning the pole for the 82nd running of the Indianapolis 500 on Saturday.

Adoption effort gives dozens of animals new lease on life: Karen Zekan; From 8-week-old shepherd-Lab mix puppies to a 6-year-old Pekingese, dozens of dogs were heading to new homes by 10:01 a.m. when Saturday's event kicked off near the Silver Bowl Stadium.

Pataki Revives Campaign to Bring Casinos to New York: Raymond Hernandez; In a letter sent this week, Pataki told the leaders that casino gambling would allow New York to recapture billions of dollars now flowing into other states, and into Canada, where casinos are legal.

Charges dropped against 2 men in trio of slayings: Bill Gang; The only defendant left in the case is Tony Amati, who had been the only Nevadan on the FBI's 10 Most Wanted until his arrest Feb. 27.

Bayno's boys in caps and gowns: Steve Carp; Mark Wade may have waited the longest, but he's not the only former UNLV basketball player who will obtain his degree at Saturday's commencement.

Rebels beat Bulldogs in dramatic finale: Tim Graham; The whole concept of tennis is based on back and forth, back and forth, back and forth.

Reid faces GOP edge for first time: This formally sets off his battle with Republican challenger Rep. John Ensign, who signed his declaration of candidacy earlier this week.

Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: Henderson's Schmidt revs for position in Indy 500: Sam Schmidt officially doesn't have an Indianapolis 500 lap to his credit. But that isn't stopping the Henderson resident from thinking big as he prepares for Saturday's pole qualifying for the Indy Racing League's premier event.

Columnist Paula Del Giudice: Hunter now play waiting game: NOW THAT the deadline for applying for big game tags has passed and the Board of Wildlife Commissioners has met to establish quotas and other regulations, all that remains for hunters to do is to stay patient and wait for the arrival of their big game tags in the mail.

Icahn goes to court in bids for Stratosphere, Arizona Charlie's: John Wilen; If today goes as billionaire Carl Icahn plans, nightfall will find him in control of the Stratosphere hotel-casino and one step closer to his goal of taking over Arizona Charlie's hotel-casino.

Rivera trying to find groove: Steve Guiremand; Once upon a time he was being compared in the Big Apple to Mickey Mantle.

Preps: Freshman pitchers stay hot: Spencer Patterson; In a Southern Zone softball tournament that has featured the postseason debut of Las Vegas' strong freshman pitching corps, Silverado ninth-grader Keely Commerford took center stage Thursday at Sunset Park.

Singer had struggled with health for more than a decade: In late June 1984, a throat ailment forced Sinatra to cancel part of a week-long engagement at the Golden Nugget. That cancellation came just days after Sinatra appeared with country-western star Willie Nelson at the opening of the downtown resort's Theater Ballroom.

1998 Las Vegas Motor Speedway Points Standings: Points Standings as of May 12

Saturday at Golden Gate: 1st race 5-1/2 fur 4YO&up F&M Clm

Help sought in finding missing girl: Audra Cryer was last seen by neighbors boarding a city bus on the corner of Rancho Drive and Lake Mead Boulevard at 3:30 p.m. April 20. She is possibly being held against her will, according to her mother, Barbara Burns.

Wynn remembers his friend Sinatra: Adrienne Packer; The spotlight at the old Caberet showroom in the Golden Nugget illuminated the stool and microphone that served as tools for a man who for decades electrified a city that is not easily impressed.

Secret study: Nationwide spread of gaming hurts LV: Gary Thompson; Las Vegas casino operators have long argued that their expansion into other markets creates new customers for Southern Nevada.

Saturday at Belmont Park: 1st race 1 mi 4YO&up Clm

First suit filed in Sierra Chemical explosion: The suit also said many of the workers were undocumented and feared deportation.

Candidates to speak at State Democratic convention: Adrienne Packer; A barrage of candidates will speak to delegates and guests Saturday morning in Bally's Skyroom on the 26th floor. Brooks Stratmore, executive director of the state Democratic Party, said about 350 delegates and an equal number of guests are expected.

Thursday's College Baseball Scores: Columbia 9, Charleston 5

Thursday's Prep Results: Thursday's Zone Results

Entertainer made a mark with a generous heart: Although they were intended to be anonymous, many of the kind acts nevertheless found their way to the pages of newspapers.

Sinatra spent anxiously hopeful moments in Las Vegas: In the summer of 1966, Sinatra waited nervously at the airport as a chartered flight from Los Angeles brought his third wife-to-be, actress Mia Farrow, from Los Angeles. It did not arrive until an hour before the scheduled services.

Candles in the wind: Anne Hosier; The respiratory problems and sense of fatigue were the first signs that something was amiss.

Technology panel divides funds among school districts: Cy Ryan and Ben Grove; "We don't think we can hit every classroom," said Jhone Ebert, the district's technology coordinator for secondary education. She added the district will use local and federal funds to stretch the state allocation.

1998 NCAA West Regional Championship, Thursday's Results: TEMPE, ARIZ.

Hot, hot, hot: Sizzling picks for summertime flicks: And with a 114 new films scheduled for release in the next three months, The Movie Guys have their hands full!

Movie Guys: Hot, hot, hot: Sizzling picks for summertime flicks: This is the time of year that Hollywood unleashes its blockbusters, with all-star casts and lots of special effects. Join us as we take a look at what are sure to be some of this summer's biggest films.

Report shows rising dropout rate in county, state: After a one-year decline, the percentage of high school dropouts rose to 9.9 percent in 1996-97, an increase of one-half of a percent from the previous year.

Film festival mourns Sinatra's death: "He was a great Italian-American, a great American" who will be remembered for both his performing and acting, Scorsese said.

Nguyen collects $1 million with Binion's poker crown: They complained about the way he dealt the cards. They complained louder when he dealt them bad beats. They complained about just about everything.

IHL playoffs: (Best-of-5)

Sinatra Facts: * VITAL STATISTICS: In his prime, Sinatra stood 5-foot-11, weighed 155 pounds and had dark brown hair.

More lower-than-normal temperatures coming this way: This time blame it on El Nino, the phenomenon that heats up a patch of southern Pacific Ocean water, driving tropical fish north along with the storms.

507218375.html: "I think my appeal in those days was due to the fact that there hadn't been a troubadour around for 10 or 20 years, from the time Bing had broken in and went on to radio and movies," Sinatra said in Life. "And he, strangely enough, had appealed to older people ...

Special prosecutor considered in 1990 American Coin killing: Bill Gang; The attorneys for defendants Soni Beckman and her nephew Vito Bruno say it shouldn't be the Clark County district attorney's office because four members of the office have had peripheral contact with the case, including District Attorney Stewart Bell.

Preps: Boys Volleyball, Final Standings: CLASS 4A

Where I Stand -- Hank Greenspun: Las Vegas and UNLV important part of Sinatra's world: A couple of months ago, we took pictures of a building in Cairo known as the Frank Sinatra International Youth Center.

Complaint filed against three Supreme Court justices: Donald Mello, who was terminated in 1997 as head of the state Administrative Office of the Court, names Justices Miriam Shearing, Robert Rose and Cliff Young as allegedly stopping the release of the information.

Singer's gaming license yanked at Tahoe: Mob boss Sam Giancana was blacklisted from Nevada casinos because of his Mafia ties, but he also was a friend of Sinatra's.

Reid tries to block Air Force's try for more space: Mark D. Preston; Mountain Home houses the 366th Composite Wing, a group of fighter jets, bombers and tankers. It has been under consideration for an expanded flight-training area since 1989.

Allegations of mob ties haunted the chairman: The crux of the joke was that two henchmen were beating the comic severely. The punchline quoted Sinatra as telling the goons: "OK, he's had enough."

Goodbye, prime time -- hello, prison: Martin Kuz; It's over and it was spectacular.

UNLV golfers share top spot in region with New Mexico: "We had a good final nine holes today," UNLV coach Dwaine Knight said. "We were 4-over on the front, so we played pretty well at five-under on the second nine. We weren't real sharp, but we expected that with finals just finishing up.

Auto Racing standings and leaders through May 14, 1998: The 1998 NASCAR Winston Cup stock car racing schedule, winners in parenthesis, and driver point standings:

Longtime educator, civic leader Porter dies at 72: Known as "Dr. Mom," to her friends, family and members of the community, Porter attracted people wherever she went, said her daughter Maxine Porter.

No love lost with dealers: "I dealt an ace on top and was about to ask if anyone wanted insurance when Frank grabbed the card, threw it under the table and told me to deal another one," said Frank Marcus, a dealer at the Sands hotel-casino for a quarter of a century, until his retirement in 1982.

Busy weekend for preps: Busy weekend for preps

Box score: Sidewinders 5, Stars 1: Tucson

NRC promises tough Yucca Mountain review: The NRC could receive a license application from the U.S. Department of Energy for the first-of-its-kind permanent nuclear waste dump at Yucca Mountain by 2002.

Columnist Dean Juipe: Sanders back to old self with Stars: Dean Juipe; It's just that simple: He's a fastball pitcher. It's what Scott Sanders does best.

Frank Sinatra dies at 82: By Ed Koch; Sinatra was pronounced dead at 10:50 p.m. Thursday in the emergency room of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, his publicist, Susan Reynolds, said early today.

State high court examines kidnapping: During the hearing, justices focused on the kidnapping conviction that involved a 17-year-old Minneapolis girl, with Springer saying, "The kidnapping here is pretty thin to me."