Print edition for December 10, 1999

LV entertainment firm expands into Iowa: The company will offer its television service in all of the property's hotel rooms. The hotel is adjacent to a riverboat casino, now the largest in the state of Iowa.

LV man, 25, attracts firms to job search Internet site: Bill Gates' Microsoft empire had its roots in a garage.

Man ejected from bar returns, shoots three: Keith Paul; A man kicked out of an East Sahara Avenue bar early Friday returned minutes later with a gun and fired shots at the entrance, hitting two men standing outside and a woman inside the bar.

Burk wins calf roping go-round, takes world lead: Cody Ohl of Orchard, Texas, and Brent Lewis of Pinion, N.M., tied for second at 7.2 seconds.

State gets ready for unexpected: CARSON CITY -- Out-of-control crowds on the Las Vegas Strip set fire to the palm trees, locks on the cell doors at the state prisons spring open and tourists are trapped by a snow slide at Lake Tahoe.

Tonopah-area mine closes; 76 laid off: Jock McGregor, vice president of Vista Gold Corp. of Denver and its wholly owned subsidiary, Mineral Ridge Resources Inc., said the subsidiary has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in Reno. Company officials said they laid off 76 workers Thursday and hope to keep 12 on for the mine's shutdown.

Officials investigate fire at Baptist Church building: Las Vegas firefighters got the fire in the College Park Baptist Church's adult education and fellowship building under control in about 30 minutes, said Las Vegas Fire Department spokesman Tim Szymanski said. None of the other church's buildings were damaged.

LV company finishes work in Australia: The contract called for Mikohn to completely design a room of the casino to a Mardi Gras theme. Toward that end, Mikohn installed 15 "animatronic" robot characters, which dance, move and speak to visitors.

Del Mar Mortgage parent lists stock: The company was first listed this morning on the OTC Bulletin Board under ticker symbol "DLMA." In early afternoon trading, it was quoted at $6 per share, unchanged from its opening price.

Union leaders, activists go on offensive against Wal-Mart: Adrienne Packer; If Clark County residents had any doubt that a union-driven zoning ordinance didn't specifically target Wal-Mart, the United Food and Commercial Workers Union tried to eliminate it Thursday.

Hollywood, business bigwigs turn out to honor Wynn: Gary Thompson; LOS ANGELES -- More than 200 Hollywood stars turned out Thursday night to honor Steve Wynn's contributions to the world of entertainment and raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for the City of Hope Medical Center's cancer research.

Vegas store is in new Bassett furniture group: Phil Levine; The parent of Bassett Furniture Direct and the owner of its Las Vegas store have formed a joint venture and set rapid expansion plans for the new company.

AutoZone OKs extra $200 million buyback: The increase boosts a total planned buyback to $800 million. Companies use buybacks to increase earnings per share by reducing shares outstanding. The company had 144.3 million shares outstanding as of Dec. 8.

National Finals Rodeo Results - Round 8: Eighth round-1, Clint Corey, Powell Butte, Ore., 82 points on Rosser Rodeos Samantha Skoal, $12,909. 2, Jeffrey Collins, Redfield, Kan., 80, $10,202. 3, (tie), Pete Hawkins, Weatherford, Okla., and Deb Greenough, Red Lodge, Mont., 79, $6,558 each. 5, (tie), Denny McLanahan, Canadian, Texas; Chad Klein, Jackson, La.; Bill Boyd, Canada; and Lan LaJeunesse, Morgan, Utah, 78, $1,353 each.

Moving truck reported stolen: At about 3 a.m. a rented Penske truck carrying about $100,000 worth of personal belongings was stolen from the La Quinta Inn, 7101 Casa Valley Road, police said.

January hearing set for limousine maverick: John West, who moved to Albuquerque, N.M., about seven months ago to work as an auto mechanic at an independent repair shop, will have his case reviewed by Bruce Breslow, the TSA's newest commissioner.

Holiday rush: Jace Radke; What's an emergency:

Man held in home robbery: Keith Paul; A 30-year-old man, who was charged in October's robbery at Harrah's hotel-casino, was arrested in connection with Thursday's home invasion robbery where a man was stabbed and burned with a soldering iron.

CCSN's boss top choice for Henderson job: CARSON CITY -- Richard Moore, president of the Community College of Southern Nevada, appears to be a shoo-in to become president of the proposed four-year state college in Henderson.

Wetlands park could harm fish in Lake Mead: Experts warned local water officials that they will have to carefully monitor a proposed desert wetlands park in the Las Vegas Wash for two metals, mercury and selenium.

Arizona bars want to offer gaming: PHOENIX -- Arizona bar owners argue that since they have to compete with Indian gambling operations, they deserve a piece of the pie.

Board warns of materials in libraries: The mention took place during the public comment section of the meeting. Discussion on the issue is on the agenda for the Jan. 13 board meeting.

Nellis officer dies in Kuwait plane crash: KUWAIT -- A Nellis Air Force Base officer was one of three American military personnel killed when an Air Force plane carrying 96 people made an emergency landing without landing gear at Kuwait International Airport today.

Major flood plan OK'd: The Regional Flood Control District Board approved a landmark $30.8 million project that officials say will end flooding in the Charleston Underpass and other areas downstream.

Mayor asks railroad to donate land for arts center: Erin Neff; Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman continues to oppose a plan by Sheriff Jerry Keller to build a police administration building downtown on land also eyed for a performing arts center.

Manslaughter trial postponed for man who killed intruders: Bill Gang; The trial of a Las Vegas man who killed two intruders at his home last December has been postponed from next week until Dec. 27.

Another coin truck robbed: The latest robbery occurred at 10:40 p.m. Thursday outside the Draft House Barn & Casino, 4543 N. Rancho Drive, when two men approached the driver and held him up at gunpoint, police said. The name of the company for which the driver worked was not immediately released.

Officer on leave in probe: Lt. Les Beckman of the Henderson Detention Center is on leave with pay while the department investigates missing funds that were recently discovered by the Henderson Police Officers Association.

Nellis says its planes, base are secure: Diana Sahagun; No, planes won't be falling out of the sky when the clock strikes 12 on New Year's Eve, according to Nellis Air Force Base officials.

IGT wins nearly $29 million in patent settlement with rival: David Strow; WMS Industries Inc. of Chicago agreed to pay $28.67 million to rival slot maker International Game Technology of Reno, settling a six-year-old lawsuit over a crucial technology used in almost all of IGT's traditional reel slot machines.

Charges disputed in lawsuit over gaming-themed candy: Rhonda Ivie and her company, Lines & Logos Inc., were sued Tuesday by Las Vegas candy producer R.J. Hiel & Associates. The suit was filed after Ivie terminated a contract with R.J. Hiel to produce a gambling-themed candy line called "Sweet Jackpots."

Columnist Sal DeFilippo: Comedy's central to Kimmel's NFL picks: Sal DeFilippo; I feel a particular bond with Jimmy Kimmel, who offers "Jimmy's Picks" to Fox viewers during the network's weekly NFL pregame show.

Blaze halts I-15 traffic: Keith Paul; A truckload of cardboard caught fire on southbound Interstate 15 Thursday, intermittently slowing or stopping traffic for hours as firefighters put out the blaze and workers cleared away the aftermath.

Columnist Joe Delaney: Rodeo shows blend into holiday fare: Joe Delaney; This weekend belongs to the National Finals Rodeo, concluding Sunday in the Thomas & Mack Center. ... Las Vegas will empty out as rodeo fans, performers, technical crews and livestock depart. ... It's good to know that Las Vegas will have some fine family entertainment during that normally quiet period between Monday and Christmas Day.

Northeast residents seek new schools: Terry Webster; Taxpayers living in the Las Vegas Valley's northeast told Clark County School District officials Thursday they want their fair share of new schools.

Bandits' streak reaches four: Bandits' streak reaches four

Thursday's prep results: Durango 65, Centennial 39: Martrel Johnson scored 13 points and Frank Brown dished out seven assists to lead the host Trailblazers.

Date book: Children's book celebrity "Curious George" will appear from 1-4 p.m. Saturday in the children's department at Neiman Marcus in the Fashion Show mall, 3200 Las Vegas Blvd. South. Call 731-3636.

Bank accused of discriminating against gay Las Vegas broker: Grace Leong; Wells praised for gay-friendly policies

Community news briefs for December 10, 1999: Charleston Plaza, at the corner of Charleston Boulevard and Burnham Avenue, is hosting a "Do You See What I See?' promotion for local Lions clubs.

DOE says more nuke waste heading to NTS: Low-level radioactive waste from more than 40 years of building nuclear weapons will end up at Hanford nuclear reservation in Washington state and the Nevada Test Site, U.S. Department of Energy officials announced on Thursday.

Upstart Romeo displays versatility and charisma: Joe Delaney; Darren Romeo bills himself as "the Voice of Magic," afternoons at 1 and 3, dark on Wednesdays, in the Flamingo Hilton showroom. The 24-year-old is much more than that. He is an accomplished illusionist with an excellent voice of considerable range, and is an impressive impressionist. Charismatic, with immense likability and high energy levels, it is not surprising that he would take on a large Strip showroom in December. If he and his backers can weather it past Christmas, there is a good chance of successful survival.

Symphony closes down: Nevada Symphony Orchestra board President Janice Tanno sent letters dated Dec. 3 to the organization's 74 tenured musicians announcing that the organization is ceasing operations.

The Movie Guys: 'Deuce Bigalow' a bottom feeder for physical comedy: Grades:

Anchor executive sells 12,500 more shares of stock: This marks the fourth sale so far this year for Matthews, who also holds the posts of executive vice president and treasurer of the Las Vegas-based casino-game designer

Death penalty sought in killing: Bill Gang; When Fernando Hernandez was stopped following a high-speed chase near Searchlight in October, he blurted out to a Metro Police officer, "Just shoot me, just kill me. I killed her," according to testimony at his preliminary hearing.

Shelf Life -- Scott Dickensheets: Las Vegan Branon weaves spellbinding 'Spider Snatch' tale: About 8:30 one recent evening, I settled onto the tattered couch here in the Shelf Life scriptorium with Bill Branon's new thriller, "Spider Snatch" (Huntington Press, $24.95). The TV was squawking, the kids were blaring, the cat was clawing at things.

Obituaries for December 10, 1999: Grace Begnaud, 81, of Las Vegas died Wednesday in a local hospital. She was born March 3, 1918, in Holly, Colo. A resident for 35 years, she was a retired credit union secretary.

County sued over murder-suicide: Bill Gang; Nearly two years after the mother and stepfather of two girls died in a murder-suicide, the children and their grandmother have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Clark County, Metro Police and a deputy sheriff.

Sound Check -- Geoff Carter: 'Vultures' a heck of a Beck effort: Say what you will about Beck Hansen, but never say he's delivered the same album twice. "Midnite Vultures," his follow-up to last year's "Mutations," is to the previous release as day is to night, or as "Odelay" is to "One Foot in The Grave." You know you've arrived when your albums can be used as metaphors.

Speedway to help LV groups: Five charitable groups who benefit or help children will be presented checks as a result of the yearlong fund-raising campaign by SCC.

Teen pregnancy rate drops but Nevada still leading nation: Shaunta Grimes; The rate of pregnancy among Nevada girls 15 to 17 years old has dropped, but the state still has the highest overall teen pregnancy rate in the nation.

Dial File -- Steve Bornfeld: 'Will'-ing a 'Grace'-ful future: Where there's a Will, there's a Grace. And a Jack. And a Karen.

Pro rodeo clown Rasmussen brings home three awards: Just ask Montana cowboy Flint Rasmussen, the 31-year old professional rodeo clown who picked up three major awards for the second straight year, including the two highest Original Coors Rodeo annual awards, during the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association Contract Personnel Awards banquet at the Riviera hotel-casino.

The Main Course -- Muriel Stevens: Ho-Ho-hurry to make Christmas dining reservations: If you're planning to dine out Christmas Eve or Christmas Day make reservations now. No longer is Christmas week part of the "quiet" season. Visitors will fill our restaurants as they do on most holidays, so be prepared.

NFR notes: Lajeunesse nears bareback title: Lan Lajeunesse of Morgan, Utah, closed in on his first bareback riding world championship Thursday night when he won his second go-round of the National Finals Rodeo and strengthened his lead in the NFR average.

New LV educational cable channel to debut: Cox Communications announced Thursday the creation of a new cable television channel that will broadcast programming created by Clark County's three public education institutions.

Columnist Dean Juipe: Outspoken Barkley a real gem: Dean Juipe; Twenty years ago while living in Houston and covering the Astros, an older gentleman -- at least he seemed older at the time -- who reported on the games for a major wire service became a valuable acquaintance.

IBL box: Las Vegas-Richmond: LAS VEGAS (1-4)

Former Green Valley coach returns to hand Gators loss: Spencer Patterson; Green Valley High boys basketball's founding father returned to his former stamping grounds Thursday night, and for the first time in his life, Gene Carpenter celebrated after a Gators' loss.

Ibeabuchi jurors likely to hear about past incidents: Bill Gang; The District Court jury that will decide guilt or innocence of heavyweight boxer Ikemufula "Ike" Ibeabuchi on charges he sexually assaulted an outcall entertainer likely will get to hear about two other similar incidents.

Still opulent and extravagant, the 'Folies Bergere' celebrates the big Four-O: Kimberley McGee; They won't go silently into the night. They still claim it with kicks and twirls in the longest-running production show on the Las Vegas Strip, the "Folies Bergere" at the Tropicana hotel-casino.

Saturday at Golden Gate: 1st race 6 fur 3YO & up Clm: 1 Winston (Alferez) 117; 2 Seek a Bargain (Nuesch) 117; 3 A Sharper Buzz (Warren) 119; 4 Isleplunder (Gonzalez) 117; 5 Espiritu (Valdez) 117; 6 Rough Hustle (Baze) 117; 7 Ilion (Meza) 119; 8 Ricks Ebony Star (Perez) 117.

Ralph Siraco's selections for Saturday's races at Hollywood Park: 1st Race -- Tricky Lee - Speed and 3rd as the favorite at Bay Meadows in last, set pace and held to win by a nose before that, 9 of 10 lifetime victories at this distance, hustling Espinoza here. Strategist - Dueled lead and held to win while claimed in last, in the quinella 12 of 19 Hollypark starts with 5 victories, 3-for-8 this year, hustling Puglisi stays for new connections. Value Play -- Joshua Knight

Saturday at Hollywood Park: 1st race 6 fur 3YO & up Clm: 1 Tricky Lee (Espinoza) 118; 2 Tolemeo (Diaz) 111; 3 Star's Wild (Valenzuela) 118; 4 Strategist (Puglisi) 118; 5 Bienfeo (Pedroza) 118; 6 Joshua Knight (Enriquez) 118.

Where I Stand -- Brian Greenspun: U.S. needs its space: RUN SILENT and run deep.

Saturday at Aqueduct: 1st race 1 mi & 70 yds 3YO Clm: 1 Cloud Club (Beasley) 112; 2 North Creek (Luzzi) 117; 3 a-Dad Strikes Gold (Bravo) 115; 4 Darth Vada (Gryder) 117; 5 Taffin Le (Castillo) 117; 6 Aloween (Chavez) 117; 7 a-Tony Basich (Lopez) 115; 8 Fast Nite (Bridgmohan) 117; 9 Imperial Knight (Martinez) 119; 10 Highland Brigand (Lavoy) 112.

UNLV players tuned in to No. 1 Bearcats: Victoria Sun; The next game for the UNLV men's basketball team is Wednesday against Austin Peay at the Thomas & Mack Center.

Ohl sneaks into All-Around lead: The race has tightened and the head games have begun.

Columnist Kate Maddox: Stars schmooze at Billboard Awards: Kate Maddox; The backstage scene at Wednesday night's "Billboard Music Awards" was filled with rockers, teeny-boppers, publicists, press, bodyguards and groupies.

Census takers needed: Interested in a job with the Census Bureau? Call 567-0900.

Editorial: Roadless plan needs more input: The first of four U.S. Forest Service hearings in Nevada to get public comment was held in Las Vegas on Monday, but as the Sun's Susan Snyder reported, many of those attending the forum were upset that there was so little time to offer their views. The comment period ends Dec. 20, so these residents have a valid concern that they haven't been given enough time to address such a sweeping proposal.

Letter: Inattentive parents reason for much youthful violence: In the '80s the trend continued. Movies and television became more violent. In this decade, video games and virtual reality continued with simulated violence. The criminal justice system also fell apart as perpetrators were given more rights than victims.

Editorial: Reasons for failures in space aren't clear: Rep. James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., chairman of the House committee that has oversight of NASA, said it is NASA's management -- not funding -- that is to blame. Others aren't so sure. John Pike, a space policy expert for the Federation of American Scientists, told the New York Times that the Mars program was lacking in time, personnel and funds, pushing the agency to the breaking point. "Anybody who has tried to do too much work without enough people immediately recognizes the symptoms," Pike said. "Stuff doesn't get done. Things fail."

Birth announcements: Dec. 1: A girl to Manuela and Everardo Arias; a boy to Sandra and Lynn Woodrum; a girl to Kristina Council and Torrey Walker; a girl to Kathryn and Timothy Gegen; a boy to Patricia and Kevin Ulrey. Dec. 2: A boy to Dannielle and Gerald Read; a boy to Traci and Peter Aguilar. Nov. 3: A girl to Wendy and Charles Shulkusky; a girl to Amy Scruggs and Billy Llamas; a girl to Lonnie Williams and Matthew Sanson; a girl to Diana and Derrick Ward. Nov. 6: A boy to Jennifer and Paul Johnson; a girl to Darla and ...

Letter: Nesby spoiled by success: Ron@vegas.com; He bad-mouthed Bill Bayno for what? Not getting him into the NBA?

Letter: Smith's 'toons set the pace: Ron@vegas.com; Well, I have to go and cut my grass now. Keep up the great cartoons. I'll be looking for new ones.

Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: Schmidt still fuming over Sharp incident: Sam Schmidt has had ample time over the past eight weeks to review the tape of the accident at Texas Motor Speedway that left him with multiple injuries to both feet.

Columnist Steve Guiremand: Fresno's Ruffin ready for return to Vegas: Steve Guiremand; UNLV football fans will notice a familiar face on the Fresno State sidelines during next Saturday's EA Sports Las Vegas Bowl VIII at Sam Boyd Stadium.