Print edition for August 5, 1999

Where I Stand--Danny Gans: Making an impression: EVER SINCE I can remember, my dream was to become a major league baseball player. My dad shared that dream with me, and spent most of his free time teaching me the finer skills of America's game. He instilled in me that with enough hard work, belief in myself and faith in God, dreams can come true.

Columnist Joe Delaney: New Year's Eve performances on Strip can be affordable: Joe Delaney; Master magician Lance Burton's New Year's Eve prices at the Monte Carlo will be a comparatively modest $59.95 for the mezzanine and main floor and $54.95 for balcony seating. Both prices will be tax inclusive. ... Burton will be on hiatus from Sept. 6-21. ... When he returns, the current $39.95 and $34.95 prices will be raised to $44.95 and $39.95, respectively. ... The LV Hilton will also have seats priced under $100 for Pat Benatar on New Year's Eve.

Canyon Plan at a Glance: Details of two alternatives the National Forest Service is considering for housing and related aspects at Grand Canyon National Park:

Community news briefs for August 5, 1999: The Federal Management Agency has a toll-free disaster information helpline. After registering for disaster assistance, victims can have detailed questions answered about the assistance process, programs available and use of grant money received. Or they can check on the status of an application. Call (800) 525-0321. For the speech and hearing impaired, TTY (800) 462-7585. For those who still need to register for assistance, please call the toll-free registration line at (800) 462-9029.

Letter: 'Kudos' to anyone who bans smoking: Since it appears that our elected officials have been able to ignore any pressure regarding this serious public health and public image issue, maybe the time has come for them to be shoved.

Facts and figures on Indian gambling: Facts about Indian gambling:

Editorial: Doubts over B-52 burn tests: Many Western states with small populations, such as Nevada, frequently are viewed as dumping grounds by Washington policymakers and bureaucrats. For instance, the efforts by Congress to place a high-level nuclear waste repository in Nevada without any regard to its impact on safety or the environment has been well documented. Add to this the since abandoned above-ground nuclear weapons tests at the Nevada Test Site, which sent radiation fallout across the nation. Some of the "downwinders" who live in Nevada, Arizona and Utah attribute the cancers they've developed to these tests. More recently the federal government successfully fended off a ...

Columnist Ruthe Deskin: Cat ownership has distinct pleasures: Ruthe Deskin; Let's start with the news which reported that the LV Humane Society has more than 80 kittens available during "kitten season." If the Humane Society has more than 80, multiply that by the number being put up for adoption by other animal organizations and you have an astounding number of homeless kitties.

Editorial: County pitches in money for beltway: Originally the Howard Hughes Corp. had agreed to pay for and complete the 1.9-mile leg of the beltway connecting Cheyenne Avenue to Summerlin Parkway, but company officials said the work wouldn't be completed for at least another three years -- well beyond the county's wish to have that stretch done by the year 2000. This delay prompted the commission's decision to take over this project.

This week's races: Brickyard 400

Group gets out word on blacks, health care: Art Nadler; Black Americans have the highest incidence of diabetes and hypertension in the United States and probably don't know it, a national organization of African-American physicians says.

Nevada State American Legion Baseball Tournament: Friday's Results

Letter: Greenspun column was inspirational: If all countries had the respect and love that the United States and Israel have, there would not be any major problems in the world.

Everyone's invited as weddings go out over the Internet from a Las Vegas chapel: Lisa Ferguson; White dress? Check.

Ruelas stepping back into the ring: Dean Juipe; Every fighter has to someday retire and both Rafael Ruelas and his long-time trainer, Joe Goossen, thought that time had arrived for the former IBF lightweight champion to call it a career last fall.

Friday at Del Mar: 1st race 6 fur 3YO Clm: 1 Star Maker (Desormeaux) 118; 2 Divine Design (Nakatani) 118; 3 Mister Really (Ramsammy) 116; 4 Fortifier (Gomez) 118; 5 Pam's Request (Solis) 118; 6 Glowing Gold (Enriquez) 116.

Columnist Dean Juipe: Reid not bothered by quick turnaround: Dean Juipe; A mere six weeks after something of a grueling fight with Kevin Kelly, David Reid will return to the ring to defend his WBA junior middleweight title against Keith Mullings at the Hard Rock in Las Vegas.

Killer's mental state in doubt: Bill Gang; A Sept. 3 competency hearing has been set for a Las Vegas woman convicted in May of first-degree murder for the shooting death of her husband while he was standing near a Nevada Highway Patrol trooper.

Ralph Siraco's selections for Friday's races at Del Mar: 1ST RACE:

Columnist Ron Kantowski: To Maloof family, hospitality is good business: The Maloof family of Albuquerque and Las Vegas has given a whole new meaning to the shot-and-beer business.

Tyson reportedly to fight Douglas Oct. 2 at MGM: The cable TV network reported Wednesday that Tyson will return the ring Oct. 2 against Douglas at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. There was no word of an official announcement from either of the fighter's camps or from the MGM.

Fight schedule: At Irvine, Calif., Naoya Hirahara, Japan, vs. Isreal Correa, Oxnard, Calif., 10, lightweights.

Grime fighter battles sanitation department: Bill Gang; The biological grime fighter marketed by Earth Guard Environmental Inc. has been touted as an ecologically sound solution to the great globs of grease that plague restaurants and other businesses in Clark County.

Sparks man comatose after lightning strike: Lisa Carr said clouds were looming but skies were blue over their Sparks home when the bolt hit her husband Steve, stopping his heart. She experienced only ringing in her ears.

New-look Tracy contending for CART title: For the better part of the past 18 months, Paul Tracy has been known as the "bad boy" of the Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) series.

Silverado, Gorman to meet for title: Spencer Patterson; After six days and 14 games, the American Legion State Baseball Tournament will conclude tonight with a fitting final matchup: the top seeds against the defending champs.

Columnist Steve Guiremand: Don't expect any miracles from Rebels: Steve Guiremand; Something unusual is happening around UNLV these days.

Lightning-sparked fires burning 200,000 acres across Nevada: SCOTT SONNER; The fires had charred more than 200,000 acres of grass and scrub by early today, threatening ranches and forcing sporadic closures along Interstate 80.

Local briefs for August 5, 1999: Local security guard Cornell Madison was honored Wednesday as the Las Vegas Citizen of the Month for rescuing a mother and her 3-month old boy during the July 8 flood.

Masters meet at Mojave High: Twenty-four events -- 12 each in running and field -- will be held, starting at 5 p.m. Fees are $10 for the first event, $5 for each additional event and $20 per relay. Medals will be given for the first three places in each event in five age divisions. Deadline to enter is Aug. 11. For more information, call Al McDaniels at 895-4179 or Brent Moorhead at 579-4100.

Bond proposed for contractor protesting bid process: CARSON CITY -- In an effort to stop frivolous protests, the state Public Works Board is considering a policy to require posting of bonds by unsuccessful bidders who file complaints that delay the awarding of building contracts.

Friday at Saratoga: 1st race 7 fur 3YO&up Mdn: 1 River Emperor (Smith) 117; 2 Chasethewinterwind (Sellers) 122; 3 Boodles (Bailey) 122; 4 Cat Scan (Chavez) 122; 5 Gun Play (Day) 122; 6 Early Report (Santos) 122; 7 Hunter Peak (Albarado) 122; 8 Scatter Roads (Prado) 122.

Mayweather, Norwood eye bout in 2000: Dean Juipe; Each man was there to hype another fight, yet the day may come when Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Freddie Norwood are paired in the ring.

Senator says trucks ruining his neighborhood: Jace Radke; Joe Neal appeared before the North Las Vegas City Council Wednesday night not as a member of the state Senate but as a private citizen.

Money OK'd for Windsor Park moves: About 50 homeowners and their families still live in the sinking development off Martin Luther King Boulevard and Carey Avenue.

Letter: Build an arena that serves needs of working class: We have had five arenas, each built for a special purpose. Cashman Field is a baseball diamond. Sam Boyd Stadium is for football. The Thomas & Mack Center is for basketball.

Fishing report -- Las Vegas area -- Aug. 5, 1999: LAKE MOHAVE --There have been several reports during the past week of boaters catching striped bass that weighed from 10 to nearly 30 pounds between mile markers 51 and 54. Boaters fishing out of Cottonwood Cove have been catching stripers that range from 10 to 12 inches on the Arizona side of the lake near the 18 mile marker. Stripers measuring 12 to 17 inches are being taken by trolling with bait at Owl's Point in Davis Basin. Approximately 3,500 rainbow trout are scheduled to be stocked today at Willow Beach by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Letter: Fremont Street has great shows: Why doesn't some club contact them and put them in their lounge act? They wouldn't be sorry.

National racing schedules and standings: Feb. 14 - Daytona 500, Daytona Beach, Fla. (Jeff Gordon)

Bank expands in New Mexico, Colorado: Wells will pay 4.6 million of its shares for all of First Place, New Mexico's largest independent financial institution with $923 million in assets.

For-profit hospitals blamed for higher Medicare costs: David Strow; For-profit hospitals drive up the cost of all health care for Medicare patients in their communities, a study found, contradicting arguments that they manage costs and services more efficiently than nonprofit hospitals.

Changes sought in adult-store laws: Adrienne Packer; Two ordinances created to prevent clusters of adult-oriented businesses from popping up in neighborhoods is expected to keep entrepreneurs from running to the county after being denied permits in other jurisdictions.

County deals Rosewood two blows in feud with Venetian: Adrienne Packer; As the walls close in on an old Las Vegas Strip restaurant, its owners are scurrying to keep their small building in view of tourists and out of the shadows of looming mega-resorts.

Tahoe ski areas record banner season: "We're moving in the right direction, that's for darn sure," Ribaudo told the Reno Gazette-Journal.

Radioactive fallout victims seek compensation: Douglas "Mac" Trone dreamed of traveling when he retired from his job monitoring radiation released from underground nuclear blasts at the Nevada Test Site.

Deja vu again for juror: At the noon break during the daylong jury selection process, the woman approached the bailiff with tears in her eyes to say that the lanky defendant in the trial was the same man who had robbed her.

Injunction issued in game dispute: "The Nevada court's ruling granting our motion for preliminary injunction is a very positive development for Mikohn. In issuing the injunction, the court found that we had made a clear showing that our jackpot patents covering live casino table games are valid and enforceable, and that they were infringed by the Shuffle Master game," said Charles H. McCrea, Jr., Mikohn's executive vice president and general counsel.

Feds hit actor with child-support charge: Kim Smith; One of Nicolas Cage's co-stars in the movie "Snake Eyes" was indicted by a federal grand jury Wednesday on willful failure to pay child support.

City workers complaining of sick-building problems: Art Nadler; City employees who have complained for three years that their office building is making them sick were told Wednesday it may take three months until remedial improvements are made to their working environment.

City will get more info about developer partners: Erin Neff; Developers who want the city to chip in funds for their projects will now have to disclose all partners in their proposal thanks to a resolution approved Wednesday by the Las Vegas City Council.

Teen's jackpot proves costly for AC Hilton: John Curran; ATLANTIC CITY -- A teenaged gambler's good fortune ended up spelling bad luck for a casino, which was fined $10,000 Wednesday for letting her play in the first place.

Investor may rescue bankrupt miner: Margo Bergeson, director of investor relations for Alta Gold, did not identify principals of the private investment group that wants to acquire a 40 percent interest in the company's Olinghouse site.

Watch your bags, wallets at airports: Katie Fairbank; FORT WORTH, Texas -- High-tech security abounds at airports, but nothing can separate a passenger from his property quicker than a short attention span.

MGM Grand faces fine: The youths were caught Saturday by a state police detective assigned to the Michigan Gaming Control Board. They were turned over to the adults they were traveling with and the group was ejected from the casino, Michigan State Police Lt. Morris Brown told the Detroit News.

Tavern wins eight-year fight to expand casino: Valerie Miller; A settlement approved this week by the Henderson City Council ends a nearly eight-year legal battle between the city and a local tavern fighting to expand its casino.

Director named at EPA lab: John G. Lyon, an Ohio State professor of civil engineering and a visiting scientist at the EPA's national exposure research laboratory in Las Vegas, was named director last week.

Single mom needs help sending kids to camp: Garrett also has a wonderful time at camp, a time he would not have had without the help of others in the community.

Regulators OK Paris opening: CARSON CITY -- Plans for the Sept. 1 opening of the 2,914-room Paris-Las Vegas hotel-casino, the latest in the wave of new resorts on the Strip, were approved by the state Gaming Control Board Wednesday.

State regulator won't challenge tip-pooling: The commission began a preliminary investigation into the matter at the request of the Nevada Casino Dealers Association. The association is challenging the resort's establishment of a "casino host" position, which encompasses the positions of dealer and floorman, and the practice of pooling tips among these employees.

Targeting felons with firearms: Kim Smith; Convicted criminals who are caught carrying weapons could find themselves in for a big surprise thanks to the cooperative efforts of those in the legal system.

Tribe, LV firm trade accusations: FlexLease Inc. is asking for $104,000 in damages, reflecting the closing fees for the financing package it submitted to the Upper Skagit Tribe of Indians. The suit was filed last week in federal court in Las Vegas.

Obituaries for August 5, 1999: Ethel Elizabeth Albaum, 82, of Las Vegas died Saturday in a local care center. She was born May 13, 1917, in Cincinnati. A resident for 20 years, she was an executive secretary for a government contractor.

Council OKs construction on northern beltway projects: Erin Neff; Spending

Investor optimism remains high for Internet stocks: Dunstan Prial; NEW YORK -- A reversal of fortunes for formerly high-flying Internet stocks that began as a gradual drip last spring has turned into a flood, as a huge selloff in the sector continued to drag down broader markets today.

Associate dean finalist for med school chief: David Schapira, the associate dean of the medical school, will be challenged by Robert Miller, a vice chancellor at Tulane University's Medical School in New Orleans.

Las Vegas City Briefs: A tourist stabbed five times in the parking lot of the Circus Circus hotel-casino has been upgraded to fair condition at University Medical Center.

Men admit practicing dentistry without licenses: Jose Zermeno Romo and Victor Estrada admitted to the charges brought by the board, and submitted to a permanent injunction against their business, Azteca Dental Lab, 1006 N. Rancho Drive. The men admitted to practicing dentistry without a license at Azteca on at least two occasions.

Local flood victims can claim breaks on taxes: The tax law allows people to claim a flood loss immediately by amending their 1998 income tax returns or claim the loss on their 1999 returns in April 2000, IRS District Director Jim Walsh said.

County can bear nudist parking: Sun Staff; The nudist club, with about 150 members, has met on 7.5 acres in Sandy Valley since 1980, said Gloria Massey, club member and owner of the property about 40 miles southwest of Las Vegas, near the California state line.

Airline passenger indicted for disturbance: Las Vegas police arrested Duong about 1:30 a.m. July 24 after the emergency landing of Flight 194, which was traveling from Los Angeles to Atlanta, then turned him over to FBI agents.

Venetian-builder rift widens: Gary Thompson; Sheldon Adelson got a double-barreled dose of bad news Wednesday when subcontractors threatened to foreclose on his Venetian hotel-casino and the resort's general contractor filed a $582 million lawsuit against it.

LV, Nevada officials work to preserve LVCVA bonds: Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority President Manny Cortez has begun efforts to block federal legislation that could affect a 1.3 million-square-foot expansion of the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Grand jury indicts driver in fatal crash: Bill Gang; Bail finally has been set for the man charged in the Fourth of July tragedy that killed two members of a family and seriously injured a third -- a 12-year-old girl -- but it appears unlikely he will get out of jail.

Slot maker's profit falls, beats estimate: The results exceeded analyst estimates that averaged $1.21 per share.

Secretary: Binion cut off Murphy credit card: Ted Binion's secretary provided investigators with additional evidence that his relationship with girlfriend Sandy Murphy was on the rocks prior to his Sept. 17 murder, records show.

Gambling board member indicted: Leslie Zganjar; BATON ROUGE, La. -- A Louisiana Gaming Control Board member was indicted on fraud, conspiracy and perjury charges Wednesday in the same riverboat casino gambling case that resulted in charges against former Gov. Edwin Edwards.

Fed grand jury indicts 24 people: Kim Smith; Twenty-four people were indicted by a federal grand jury Wednesday, including three men accused of using a pet store to sell methamphetamine ingredients and two men who reportedly disrupted airplane flights.

LV travel company denies feds' fraud charges: Andras Babero, who represents Resort World, 1050 E. Flamingo Road, said the company is negotiating with the Federal Trade Commission for a settlement that would reopen the company, which shut down after assets were frozen by a temporary restraining order.