Print edition for November 18, 1998

Santa Fe Gaming faces bankruptcy: John Wilen; Accusing Santa Fe Gaming Corp. of trying to "set the terms of its own bankruptcy," the Culinary Union's local research director urged bondholders to reject a Santa Fe debt exchange offer during a conference call Tuesday.

Obituaries for November 18, 1998: He is survived by one daughter, Michele Alexander of Las Vegas; and three grandchildren.

Thunderbird sued over Comdex rate hike: Brian Seals; Las Vegas gambling legend Bob Stupak, original developer of the Stratosphere Tower, is a shareholder in the low-rent Thunderbird. Stupak said today that after being informed that inadequate notice was given, nobody at the roughly 300-room hotel was evicted.

Court overturns PUC on Southwest Gas rate case: Bill Gang; The result is that Southwest Gas customers across the state could see an increase in their bills that the regulatory body and the Attorney General's Consumer Affairs Office contend the company doesn't deserve.

A Maverick, of the Violin and Generally: Allan Kozinn; In the tradition of Madonna, Prince (in his pre-glyph days) and the British pianist Solomon, he is now listed on concert programs and recordings simply as Kennedy. At the end of his program note for a recent Elgar recording, he added: "P.S. I've changed my name because I never liked the name Nigel. Cheers!"

Las Vegas news briefs: Surveillance video shot by the hotel security cameras on Oct. 28 showed Reed and another man, who police say is Trumble, entering a room at the Gold Strike at about 4:30 p.m. About an hour later, the video shows Trumble leaving the room alone, police said.

Comdex tangles hotel phone exchanges: Thousands of Comdex attendees overloaded the phone systems of some Las Vegas hotels Tuesday when they all came up with the same idea at the same time -- check in with the office or home first thing in the morning.

Columnist Elizabeth Foyt: Couture met classics at Philharmonic benefit: Elizabeth Foyt; Gilbert Rebillet, president of Escada Retail USA, attended and provided commentary for the 1999 spring Escada couture collection. Arriving guests -- among them Donny and Madeleine Andress, Denise Reichartz, Susan Molasky, Lovee Arum and Nancy Deaner -- were equally charmed by a violinist from the Las Vegas Philharmonic and the bounty of fashions inside the spacious boutique.

Land swap may solve problems with proposed Sunset Village: Lisa Snedeker; The City Council gave a unanimous nod Tuesday for a resolution stating the city's intent to exchange 106.5 acres of city property at the entrance of the Seven Hills master-planned community for 144 acres known as the Sunset Village project owned by Pacific Properties.

Thursday at Golden Gate: 1st race 6 fur 3YO Fil Clm: 1 Naturally Nosy (Schvaneveldt) 116; 2 Gallant Love (Lopez) 116; 3 Lunar Miss (Baze) 116; 4 Mrs. Piggle Wiggle (Carr) 118; 5 Pyramid Falls (Warren) 116; 6 Orbit Rose (Meche) 114; 7 Optimistic Con (Delgadillo) 116.

Decision nears in Hinson case: Lisa Snedeker; District Attorney Stewart Bell said Tuesday that his office has received a copy of a canceled check that was holding up his decision on whether Hinson committed a crime while she was city manager.

Environmentalists say DOE rules disqualify Yucca for nuclear dump: Mary Manning and Mark D. Preston; The Sierra Club, Public Citizen, Nuclear Information and Resource Service, U.S. Public Interest Research Group representing 39 states in the international community signed a petition telling Richardson to end the nuclear dump project, 90 miles northwest of Las Vegas, based on DOE's own rules.

Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: Webb looks for happy ending to 1998 season at Desert Inn: Karrie Webb has won two LPGA Tour tournaments this season, finished in the top 10 in 10 others and is fifth on the money list with more than $600,000.

County bypasses casinos' rancor on funding of pedestrian bridges: Adrienne Packer; An SID would have shifted more of the costs to affected hotels. The lack of an SID means the county will pay an additional $2.4 million out of resort-corridor funds generated by taxes collected from tourists.

'Between the Madness' examines Tarkanian: It will be an opportunity for people to sit back on the sofa after gobbling up turkey and trimmings, count their blessings and be thankful they aren't Jerry Tarkanian.

Thursday at Aqueduct: 1st race 1-1/16 mi 2YO Mdn: 1 North Creek (Velazquez) 119; 2 My Secret Flag (Nelson) 119; 3 Cobblers Rock (Bailey) 119; 4 Ben's Bluesman (Gryder) 119; 5 Watrals Home Run (Mickens) 119; 6 Top C Jim (Samyn) 119; 7 Cidelsia's Prince (Teator) 119; 8 a-Cure The Synful (Lovato) 119; 9 Time Off (Chavez) 119; 10 Fire Canyon (Espinoza) 119; 11 Tommy's Tank (Johnson) 119; 12 Rate Base (Castillo) 119.

Guinn backs indefinite lockup of Nellis range: His first public policy statement since being elected puts him at odds with recreationalists, miners, environmentalists and military watchdog groups who want Congress to allow the Air Force to use the land for another 15 years, not forever.

Thunder eyes 3rd straight victory: The Thunder handed the Ice Dogs their first home loss on Sunday, beating them 4-3.

Elvis inspiration Sumner dies at 73: "J.D. had this incredible bass voice," said longtime Sun entertainment columnist Joe Delaney. "When he'd go for the real low note, you could actually feel the booths vibrate."

Thursday at Hollywood Park: 1st race 1-1/16 mi 3YO Clm: 1 Report To Me (Gonzalez) 116; 2 Big Bing (Pincay) 115; 3 Love A Prince (Garcia) 115; 4 Disguys Dalimit (Martinez) 116; 5 Precise Direction (Smith) 108; 6 Dixie Embers (Enriquez) 116.

Doctors in conflict at murder trial: Bill Gang; The question for the jury in District Judge Mark Gibbons' courtroom is whether Wegner was responsible for the skull fracture that caused the death of 14-month-old Kierra Harrison on March 3, 1997.

UNLV signs Gorman pitcher: Bishop Gorman pitcher Nate Fouts, who helped his team get to the American Legion World Series last summer, has signed a letter of intent to play at UNLV next year.

Woman accused of selling daughters for sex is freed: Bill Gang; Connie Marie Behymer pleaded guilty Tuesday to two gross misdemeanor counts of child neglect and was sentenced by District Judge Joseph Pavlikowski to the time she already has served in jail.

Constitutional issue delays advertising plan for McCarran: Adrienne Packer; A decision on the policy, which would prohibit advertising spaces at McCarran International Airport to be used as forums for debate for non-commercial issues like politics and religion, was delayed indefinitely.

Las Vegas aims to be home for new conference: Steve Carp; It's time for Las Vegas to put its best foot forward, and the head of the Nevada Development Authority says it's ready.

Hearing set on sales tax increase: Adrienne Packer; The tax increase, which was approved by 72 percent of Clark County voters during the Nov. 3 election, will go toward improving water and wastewater facilities throughout the valley.

Circus sells debt at 9.25 percent: The seven-year notes were priced 450 basis points above comparable U.S. Treasuries and about 2 percentage points above the average yield of the casino company's existing debt.

Rebels' Collins picked by WAC: UNLV women's volleyball coach Deitre Collins has been named the WAC's Mountain Division Co-Coach of the Year.

Cavagnaro vows to land 'recognizable' replacement: Tim Graham; It appears Charlie Cavagnaro wants to play Santa Claus at UNLV's office Christmas party.

Western states unite to build political clout: Erin Neff; Elected and party leaders from eight Western states concluded a two-day meeting in Salt Lake City on Tuesday by agreeing to hold each of their primaries on March 11 that year. The strategy is designed to position the region as a powerful political bloc that candidates can't ignore.

Horseshoe owner to appeal order to cash chips: Jeff German and Gary Thompson; "I'm definitely going to appeal," Behnen told the Sun. "I need to look more at the paper trail of his activities at the Horseshoe."

McCarran concessions contracts receive OK: Adrienne Packer; The same controversial Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) subleases that landed Commission Chairwoman Yvonne Atkinson Gates and Commissioner Lance Malone in the middle of a state ethics probe were up for final approval.

Horton taking firing in stride: Steve Guiremand; Jeff Horton sat back in his office chair and took a well-deserved deep breath.

Megabucks winner has no big wish list: The 67-year-old longtime Las Vegas resident hit the Megabucks jackpot for more than $27.5 million Sunday night at the Palace Station while waiting for a table in one of the resort's restaurants. She talked to reporters Tuesday from behind a curtain.

Opponents of NLV casino project lining up for protest: Jace Radke; But at tonight's North Las Vegas City Council meeting, the plan to put a hotel-casino and entertainment center at Martin Luther King Boulevard and Coralie Avenue may be in for more of a fight.

Thursday's LPGA Pairings: Thursday's LPGA Pairings

Cimarron continues tradition with faculty play: "We look at it as donation of a month out of our lives for the kids," said Principal Ken Bedrosian, who has appeared in all of the staff productions.

Editorial: Homebuyers will get better information: While this is better than it is now, new homeowners shouldn't be lulled into believing that the zoning will never change, considering that local governments too frequently rezone parcels of land, deviating from land use plans. Although Clark County is making progress in notification, let's hope it also finds the will to resist indiscriminate rezoning, making good on its word to develop the valley in a reasonable manner.

Agency won't push enforcement of casino chip ban: Robert Macy; "This is not an issue with us," Steve DuCharme, chairman of the state Gaming Control Board, said Wednesday. "We don't plan on changing any of our enforcement efforts."

Officials move quickly on sites for new high schools: School trustees say the North Valleys site will be on Washoe County school district land on the south side of Golden Valley drive at Spearhead. Some residents had been pushing for an alternate site in Stead.

Editorial: Tough call on tobacco settlement: The tobacco industry's most recent settlement offer is a far cry from last year's $368.5 billion agreement with the state attorneys general. But Congress, which had to approve the deal struck by the states and the tobacco industry, ultimately killed anti-tobacco legislation at the industry's request. Tobacco lobbyists were upset by legislation that would have raised the cost to $516 billion for the tobacco industry instead of the lower amount agreed to by the states.

Columnist Paula DelGuidice: Commission funds urban fishery for Boulder City: Paula DelGuidice; Wildlife Commission Supports Boulder City Fishery

Washoe County may get highest sales tax in the state: That would put the county's sales tax at 7.25 percent, three-fourths of a cent higher than most other counties in Nevada.

Gasoline prices drop: That's about 3 cents lower than the statewide average last month and the lowest November average in Nevada since 1989, AAA said.

Columnist Dean Juipe: Kazor finds UNLV job appealing: Dean Juipe; Ron Meyer came out last week, even before Jeff Horton was told he would be fired, and publicly said he wanted the UNLV football coaching job.

Columnist Peter Benton: Graduates of Nike Tour have earned their degrees: Peter Benton; THE GRADUATING CLASS from the 1998 Nike tour comprises 15 young men who have endured tension, sleepless nights, nerves and a great deal of anguish on the way to obtaining their 1999 PGA Tour cards.

Two missing inmates from Carson City captured: The inmates pulled over and surrendered without incident Monday night after the troopers set up a road block on the north end of East Lake Boulevard in Washoe Valley.

Columnist Muriel Stevens: No art to shopping in museum stores: On sale in this captivating store are replicas of many of the award-winning designs on display in the section of the museum devoted to designs for the home. Ordinary things such as teapots and brooms become works of art in the hands of a talented contemporary designer.

Pak has turned heads in 1998: All Se Ri Pak wanted to accomplish this year when she began her rookie season on the LPGA Tour was to play consistent golf, finish high in some tournaments and, maybe, place in the top 10 on the money list.

NBA game in Las Vegas on hold: Steve Carp; The only basketball that will be played this weekend in Las Vegas is Friday's UNLV-Southern Cal game, as plans for an exhibition game Saturday at the Thomas & Mack Center featuring some of the NBA's top stars have been scrapped.

Letter: Only president's faults get attention: I realize the president should be a trustworthy person, and it is not good that he lied, but what he did was personal and should not have been made so public. Why did everyone need to know all about what he did! The only one he should have had to confess that to was Hillary. How many other presidents do you suppose have committed adultery? And lied about it?

Community briefs: On Friday, a "Small Mammals" program will be on the patio but will include a short walk to learn about animals like the White-tailed Antelope Ground Squirrels. For more information, call 363-1921.

Letter: Scouting for food, and to help build character: As Abraham Lincoln put it, "A child is a person who is going to carry on what you have started. He is going to sit where you are sitting, and, when you are gone, attend to those things which you think are important."

Letter: Responsibility rests with the gambler: Nobody can make me gamble against my wishes. Nobody can stop me from participating in a good game. I don't have to smoke or drink, either. Yet, I love my sour mash on the rocks and enjoy the smoke of a good Corona. Only I am responsible for bending my elbow. John Q. Public is getting tired of those crybabies trying to implement their agenda on the backs of hard-working culinary workers, wheeler-dealers, and others enjoying the fruits of gaming.

LV scientists enjoy fiery light show: One fireball was so bright, it almost cast shadows under nearby bushes, said Robert Pippin, manager of the Community College of Southern Nevada's planetarium.