Print edition for September 9, 1998

Las Vegans enjoy a slice of baseball history: Jace Radke; But McGwire's homer may have been the shot seen around the world as millions tuned in to watch the slugger make history Tuesday night.

Columnist Dean Juipe: Public frenzy with homers beyond belief: Dean Juipe; Conversation at the bar doesn't stop so much as it streamlines at a heightened pitch to a singular topic. Even the video-poker addicts look up for a few seconds between hands.

Del Mar's season ends today: Ralph Siraco; The 43-day meet where the turf meets the surf has a 10-race finale with the seaside trainer's title still in a three-way mathematical scramble. Going into today's curtain-dropping program, Bob Baffert leads Barry Abrams by two wins at 16-14.

LPGA Tour schedule, winners: Jan. 21-24 - The Office Depot (Helen Alfredsson)

Wednesday's Prep results: Silverado 3, Vo-Tech 1. Goals: Silv-Eshragh 2, Callihan; VT-Acevedo.

Columnist Peter Benton: Etiquette on course appreciated: Peter Benton; With that in mind, here is my annual reminder to those who enjoy the game, but A, couldn't care less how they leave the course, or B, lack the necessary knowledge regarding etiquette and manners that apparently does not come naturally to some players.

Editorial: Honoring those who served U.S.: Southern Nevadans appreciate the high quality of men and women stationed at Nellis. They are a respected and valued part of our society and we know the importance of the roles they play in the defense of our country. When there are serious conflicts in other parts of the world, the sounds of airplanes taking off to train and to face the enemy have been heard over and over again by local residents. When they fail to return alive, all of us feel a loss.

Senior PGA Tour schedule, winners: Jan. 24-25 - x-Senior Skins Game (Ray Floyd)

LV broadcaster donates $50 million to UA law school: His earlier donation, to start in 1999 and provide $2.5 million annually through 2008, was intended to help expand the law school's facilities, provide for scholarships and improve its library.

Driver getting back on track: Roberto Guerrero's career has been a series of second chances and this season has proven to be no different for the likeable Indy Racing League driver.

Clinic aims to help kids stay in school: Cathy Scott; The clinic, headed by Christopher Kearney, an associate professor of clinical child psychology at UNLV, opens today to assist children between the ages of 5 and 13 conquer their fears. The clinic runs through Dec. 31.

Columnist Elizabeth Foyt: Rodman hosts annual western benefit for Opportunity Village: Elizabeth Foyt; Chefs' conference

UNLV golfers still No. 1: UNLV, which finished the 1997-98 campaign as the No. 1 team in the nation in all collegiate golf polls, is followed in second by Georgia. Georgia Tech, which finished third at the 1998 NCAA Championships, is third, while 1998 NCAA runner-up Clemson is fourth. Oklahoma State rounds out the top five.

Harmon plan angers investors: A majority of Harmon's investors remain in limbo, however.

Rebels start 2-0 in soccer: Steve Carp; To win the season-opening tournament with strong play out of the back and an opportunistic attack, the UNLV soccer coach is smiling today after the Rebels took the Coors Light Classic over the weekend at Peter Johann Field.

Older schools enjoy face lift: Benjamin Grove; "This school has never been renovated," Douglass said. "I don't think it's even been painted."

Former Hilton boss Fitzgerald's wife dies: Fitzgerald, 68, died Sunday following a long illness.

Two more Tahoe wells in question: STPUD announced Tuesday that laboratory tests conducted last week indicate that MTBE may be present in its Julie and South "Y" wells. The MTBE plume is believed to be coming from a nearby service station that voluntarily shut down in August.

Letter: Stock market editorial, cartoon missed the point: It's the American people. It's you, whether you're in it or not. It's your productivity, inventiveness, innovative ability. Your vision, drive, imagination and dreams turned into reality.

Storm slows traffic, cuts power in LV area: Today's forecast calls for a 40 percent chance of scattered showers and thunderstorms this afternoon, with hail possible in some areas.

Columnist Paula Del Giudice: Striper weighs nearly 61 pounds: LAS VEGAS angler Herman Britz, Jr., landed a potential new state record striped bass near mile marker 61 on the Colorado River between Hoover Dam and Willow Beach recently. The lunker tipped the scales at 60 pounds, 14 ounces.

Where I Stand -- Brian Greenspun: Commission's refusal to act on Strip land is a shame: Coming back from an entire month off from column-writing responsibilities is not as easy as it may seem. First, there were some incredible efforts made by those who guest-wrote in this space so that the normal contributors could take a little time off to recharge the creative batteries or, in my case, just take off. Trying to compete with Joe Williams, Tom Kaplan, Jerry Lewis, Irwin Molasky or any of the rest of those who took the time to share their thoughts is not a task I relish.

Las Vegas business briefs: sgreen@lasvegassun.com; BOSTON FIRMS BOOST INVESTMENT IN STATION CASINOS -- A group of Boston investment firms appears to have increased their stake in Station Casinos Inc. to 7.4 percent. According to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the companies, Par Investment Partners LP, Par Group LP and Par Capital Management Inc., own 2.6 million common shares. They also own 63,300 preferred shares, or 3.3 percent of that class of stock. According to Station Casinos' most recent proxy filing, the Par companies were not among the holders of more than 5 percent of Station stock as of May 31. A spokesman ...

Columnist Tim Graham: Caray's HR call topped rehearsed babble: Tim Graham; As much as baseball fans miss Harry Caray, they should be thankful his grandson was the one behind the microphone for Mark McGwire's historic 62nd home run Tuesday night.

Columnist Muriel Stevens: Harrod's unique feel to spread: Harrod's of Knightsbridge in London is arguably the world's most famous department store. My love affair with this world-renowned emporium began almost 30 years ago when I did three radio shows from Harrod's remarkable Great Food Halls. It was through those radio shows that I got to know the store's director, the late Lord Redmayne.

Editorial: Local voting better this election year: Washoe County should take solace in the fact that Clark County experienced difficulties in the 1996 elections: a new electronic voting system without enough machines and polling places led some people to wait more than two hours to vote. But Clark County Registrar of Voters Kathryn Ferguson responded admirably, overseeing a well-run election this time. She put in place more voting machines, more polling places and encouraged people to take advantage of early voting.

Labor tension grows at LVCVA: Both sides say they'll resume negotiations Friday, but it's apparent that rifts between the two groups may have grown after the Nevada Service Employees Union's appearance at the LVCVA meeting.

Letter: It's time to let Clinton get on with business of presiding: A lot of men who cheat on their wives commit perjury by lying about an affair? So what else is new.

Foraging black bear returned to the woods: "I had kind of given up," said Carl Lackey, a biologist with the Nevada Division of Wildlife. "It is not a typical place for a bear. He shouldn't be there."

Letter: People need to realize their vote does count: Another defeatist mind-set is, "If you don't have money, I don't care how many times you vote. It doesn't matter."

Bank of America phasing out check guarantee cards: The Versatel Check Card will be phased out over the next three years as San Francisco-based B of A gears up to merge with NationsBank, a Charlotte, N.C., company that doesn't offer customers guarantee cards.

Purse for WAC's football championship game takes big hit: Capitalizing on its improved bargaining position over the broken-up Western Athletic Conference, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority has approved a revised financial agreement that slashes its guarantee in the football championship game from $1 million to $250,000.

LPGA Money Leaders through Sept. 6, 1998: LPGA Money Leaders through Sept. 6, 1998

Strohmeyer's plea saves $1 million in trial costs: Bill Gang; Strohmeyer, 19, pleaded guilty Tuesday to first-degree murder, kidnapping and sexual-assault charges in the rape and strangulation of 7-year-old Sherrice Iverson in a Primm casino restroom on May 25, 1997.

Recall petition keeps election workers busy: Adrienne Packer; County Registrar Kathryn Ferguson said Tuesday her office is in the middle of confirming that 4,709 signatures were indeed listed on a petition to recall Clark County Commission Chairwoman Yvonne Atkinson Gates.

Scouting uniforms offered: The agreement between the two organizations was to be announced at a press conference at 3:30 p.m. today.

Lowered flags will honor copter victims: Gov. Bob Miller today ordered flags on state buildings to be flown at half staff from dawn to sunset Thursday, and local governments followed suit.

LPGA Tour statistical leaders through Sept. 6, 1998: Scoring Leaders

Rebels Sunia wastes no time showing leadership: Steve Guiremand; It usually isn't very difficult to figure out which players will be the captains on a college football team.

Vasser happy to stay with Ganassi team: The glamour and prestige of Formula One racing was not enough to entice Las Vegas resident Jimmy Vasser to leave one of the most dominant teams in the CART FedEx Championship Series.

PGA Tour schedule, winners: Jan. 8-11 - Mercedes Championships (Phil Mickelson)

Ex-mobster going before gambling study panel: William Jahoda, who ran illegal gambling operations for the Chicago mob before "rolling over" on his associates in 1989, is listed as a speaker under the alias Bobby Jay, of the Portland-based Americans Against Organized Gambling.

Murder suspect slips away again: Bill Gang; "Justice for Ron Rudin is going to have to wait," said Deputy District Attorney Gary Guymon after learning the slain Realtor's fugitive wife had eluded capture in Phoenix.

Obituaries for September 9, 1998: He is survived by his wife, Joyce; two sons, William Abatte and Charles Abatte, both of Minneapolis; four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Navy asks jury verdict be thrown out in Dixie Valley land case: They pointed to a steadily decreasing series of offers by the Navy over the years beginning at $189,000. Finally, after a condemnation suit in 1995, the Navy had a new appraisal done and offered just $40,000.

County planners choose retail over housing: Currently, the land is designated for multi- and single-family homes and neighborhood commercial enterprises like convenience stores.

Flooding concerns stall casino bid: The seven-member planning board voted unanimously to uphold a staff recommendation against master plan and zone changes for the full 30.5 acres. The matter will go to the Douglas County Commission for final action.

Commission resets vote on proposals for golf course: Adrienne Packer; On Tuesday, commissioners will first vote on whether they want to consider the proposals, which have been submitted by United States Grand Prix-Las Vegas, the Walters Group and Club Corporation of America.

Serving Your Community: * RUMMAGE AND BAKE SALE -- The Las Vegas Humane Society will have a rummage and bake sale beginning at 6 a.m. Sunday at Johnson's Automotive, 1845 N. Rancho Drive (located between the Las Vegas Zoological Park and Texas Station hotel-casino). For more information, call Pat at 648-5175.

Abortion foes protest Whitman at GOP fundraiser: Sandra Chereb; About two dozen people representing a coalition of anti-abortion groups demonstrated Tuesday outside the Peppermill Hotel-Casino, where Whitman was the guest speaker at a breakfast focusing on women's issues.

Arrests made in two murder cases: Karen Zekan; John Edward Butler, 26, was already in custody at the Clark County Detention Center on a separate charge when Metro Police on Tuesday rebooked him on two counts of murder with a weapon in connection with the July 4 deaths of Daniel Shersty, 20, and Lin Newborn, 25.

House approves bill to name federal courthouse after judge: George, 67, on the federal bench since 1984, took senior status in December.

Anti-nuclear group demonstrates at federal building: "We are saying to the U.S. government 'Don't be hypocritical, stop the subcritical,' " Ms. Snyder said before climbing the building.