Print edition for December 16, 1999

DOE to expand existing Nevada Test Site: The Department of Energy has been given control over an extra 200 square miles of Department of Defense land that lies on the border of the Nevada Test Site and the Nellis Air Force Bombing Range in Nye County as part of the Test Site's efforts to monitor ground water contamination in the area.

Work on water project will be accelerated: The Southern Nevada Water Authority decided Wednesday to speed up construction on a giant water treatment plant in an effort to soothe Henderson residents upset about dust and noise generated by the massive project.

Obituaries for December 16, 1999: Nioma Baker, 53, of Las Vegas died Monday in a local hospital. She was born May 26, 1946, in DeKalb, Ill. A resident for 26 years, she was a government postal employee.

Board of Health to study dust: The $118,593 project would pool the resources of Kleinfelder Inc., an environmental management company; satellite imaging multinational TRW; and David James, a UNLV environmental researcher.

News briefs: Arizona police are investigating the death of a man whose body was found in Lake Mead near Hoover Dam Tuesday afternoon.

Final defendant in du Pont case pleads guilty: Bill Gang; The last defendant in the bizarre and bungled murder-for-hire slaying of a woman with ties to the wealthy du Pont family pleaded guilty today to second-degree murder.

Suspect sought in woman's slaying: Keith Paul; Metro Police continued searching today for a 41-year-old convicted robber in connection with the bludgeoning death of a 79-year-old woman.

Lawyers debate 10 biggest events in Nevada history: Kim Smith; Ask 100 lawyers what the single most important legal event in Nevada's history is and you'll get 100 different answers. Ask them what the 10 most important events over the past 100 years are and you'll have an evening filled with laughs.

Environmental groups plan suit over river: U.S. and Mexican environmental groups have notified federal agencies that they will sue over a failure to protect Colorado River wildlife on both sides of the border.

Bomb scare empties bar in Henderson: Jace Radke And Valerie Miller; Barley's Casino and Brewery was open again this morning after a bomb scare Wednesday night forced the evacuation of the Henderson club and a dozen neighboring stores for 3 1/2 hours.

Physician's malpractice case being heard by high court: CARSON CITY -- After a seven-year battle, Las Vegas surgeon Harriston Bass Jr. and the state Board of Medical Examiners were set to plead their case today before the Nevada Supreme Court.

Sun Boys Basketball Poll: Records through Tuesday.

California man sought in woman's death: Police would only say they have a cooperating witness that led them to their search for Anthony "Tony" Dotson. Police said they don't know of any connection between the victim and the suspect.

Locals have shot at Holiday Prep Classic: Spencer Patterson; In the early days of the 23-year-old Reebok Holiday Prep Classic, high finishes by local squads weren't just commonplace. They were the norm.

Man who held police at bay charged with Reno-area robberies: Williams, 33, of Oakland, is also charged locally with robbery for allegedly posing as a police officer and robbing a Reno man on Dec. 12.

Two newest councilmen sworn in: Lawrence Weekly, 35, and Michael Mack, 36, were joined by their families at the ceremony.

Columnist Dean Juipe: Francis has little to lose against Tyson: Dean Juipe; He was once imprisoned for causing "grievous bodily harm."

Columnist Joe Delaney: Nevada Ballet Theatre begins its annual holiday season run: Joe Delaney; Nevada Ballet Theatre's production of "The Nutcracker," with music by Tchaikovsky, begins its annual holiday season run this evening in UNLV's Judy Bayley Theatre. ... This production is choreographed by NBT Artistic Director Bruce Stievel. ... It is sad to note that this year "The Nutcracker" will go back to recorded music after several years of a live orchestra, always so vital to all forms of dance expression.

Officials don't expect a similar riot in LV: Kim Smith; Las Vegas' Cuban inmate population is anxiously watching as the hostage situation in a Louisiana jail drags on, but jail officials say the chances of a similar situation here are slim.

Not all New Year's Eve shows a 'grand' experience: Barbra Streisand is getting up to $2,500 for her show in the Grand Garden Arena at MGM Grand; Rod Stewart's most ardent fans are shelling out $1,000 to get into the Pavilion at the Rio hotel-casino, and Bette Midler's best tickets for her Mandalay Bay Events Center are going for $500.

Friday at Aqueduct: 1st race 6 fur 3YO Fil Clm: 1 a-Mystic Pro (Mastronardi) 109; 2 b-Renee's Bubbles (Husbands) 116; 3 Rarelenda (Castillo) 112; 4 French Teacher (Martinez) 116; 5 Promises Inthedark (Bridgmohan) 116; 6 a-Appealing Sunday (Teator) 118; 7 b-Fortunate Affair (Lavoy) 111; 8 Terry Terrific (Toscano) 121; 9 M' lady's Honour (Bravo) 116; 10 Binawin (Lopez) 112; 11 S. S. Finesse (Beitia) 114.

Ralph Siraco's selections for Friday's races at Hollywood Park: 1st Race -- Gherminella - First-time starter by Phone Trick, working a hole-in-the-wind with 4 of most recent 8 drills bullet moves -- all over the Hollypark strip, Black on Matee trainee, works say ready. Ashley's Prospect - Four wide distant 5th to split the field in last, wide with no rally in debut before that, hustling Puglisi takes over on Jones trainee, not much to beat from known quantities. Value Play -- Mistakenly Special

Columnist Ruthe Deskin: Will 2000 bring kinder society?: Ruthe Deskin; A new day is coming.

Letter: Ask author about millennium: But might I suggest an update to the percentage statistics, as I'm almost certain Arthur Charles Clarke was not included.

Letter: National HMO needed to stop drug cartel: I explained that the cost of prescription drugs was way out of line and eats up all or more of the senior citizens' food and rent money.

Editorial: Gag order on records isn't right: In a hearing on Monday, District Court Judge James Mahan ordered the attorney general's office to provide Anzalone with 900 pages of internal documents he had sought. This was a Pyrrhic victory, though, for the public. Mahan placed a protective order on the documents, barring Anzalone and his attorney from disclosing to the public the contents of these records.

City council briefs: The Las Vegas City Council on Wednesday again agreed to hold off on a vote regarding a sludge disposal service contract with Republic Environmental Technologies Inc., the parent company of Silver State Disposal.

Season of shows: "The Christmas Song," which Torme and Robert Wells penned more than 50 years ago, is a holiday classic that has filled millions with the spirit of the season over the decades.

Where I Stand -- Mike O'Callaghan: Peace at what price?: The fly in the hoped-for ointment of peace in the Mideast isn't present at the talks going on in Washington. Israel's Ehud Barak is there and so is President Clinton but the fly, Syrian President Hafez al-Assad, is represented by his foreign minister, Farouk al-Sharaa.

Letter: Kids need love, not things: Parents need to wake up, fight back, and take a stand for your kids against the "nothing sacred" world they're growing up in. They need your guidance and love now more than ever.

Friday at Hollywood Park: 1st race 6 fur 3 YO & up Mdn Clm: 1 Mistakenly Special (Enriquez) 120; 2 Iroquois Hills (Garcia) 118; 3 Ashley's Prospect (Puglisi) 120; 4 Gherminella (Black) 120; 5 Kona Coast (Valenzuela) 120; 6 Rob Bob (Valenzuela) 120; 7 Backinthefuture (Jauregui) 120.

Lady Rebels looking for upsets in Bahamas: It sounds more like a relaxing holiday vacation than a serious basketball road trip. But Lady Rebels head coach Regina Miller said she expects her players to be focused on basketball when they travel to the Bahamas next week for a holiday tournament.

Diggs benched for rules violation: Victoria Sun; Because everybody has their own concept of time, perhaps the players on the UNLV men's basketball team should invest in a Swiss-made watch.

Austin Peay-UNLV Box: Haymon 5-13 0-0 10, Hassell 6-15 5-11 17, Head 3-6 2-4 8, Halliburton 2-2 1-2 5, Tuck 1-5 0-0 3, Jakeway 0-1 0-0 0, Stapleton 5-11 7-9 18, Quails 0-0 0-0 0, Easily 0-0 0-0 0, Loos 1-1 0-0 3, Williams 1-3 0-0 2, Macura 0-1 0-0 0, Harris 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 24-59 15-26 66.

World's best gymnasts to make stop in Vegas: Southern Nevada gymnastics fans will get a preview of the 2000 Olympic Games when the Visa Gymnastics Series makes a stop in Las Vegas on Jan. 14 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

Columnist Ron Kantowski: Tark's 'dogs back in trouble: One of these years, there's going to be a college basketball season without Jerry Tarkanian and controversy within his basketball program.

Editorial: Entombing nuclear reactors may work: So it is interesting, then, that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission is considering the option of entombing commercial nuclear reactors on site instead of sending thousands of tons of contaminated metals to a repository proposed for Yucca Mountain. The NRC is doing this not only because it is expensive to remove the contaminated reactors, but also because dismantling could expose workers to harmful levels of radiation.

Friday at Golden Gate: 1st race 1 mi 3YO & up F & M Clm: 1 Private Act (Baze) 119; 2 Monica Luxury (Warren) 117; 3 Vice 'n Reason (Carr) 117; 4 Money the Fast Way (Rodriguez) 108; 5 Samarinka (Gutierrez) 112; 6 Little Girl (Lopez) 119; 7 Woodland Rose (Miranda) 110.

Suit filed on behalf of boy shot by cops: Does a bright orange piece of plastic on the tip of a gun -- the universal sign that the device is a toy -- mean a police officer cannot fire at a person wielding it?

North Las Vegas Mayor to lobby D.C. on land deal: Diana Sahagun; What city officials consider the future of North Las Vegas -- the sale of 7,500 acres of federal land -- may have hit some snarls. So Mayor Michael Montandon plans to head to Washington after the New Year to talk strategy.

State officials warn of charity fraud: Shaunta Grimes; The holiday brings out the charitable spirit in everyone, a fact that is exploited by scam artists every year, the state Attorney General's office warns.

Nevada's unemployment rate increases slightly in November: CARSON CITY -- Unemployment in the Las Vegas area fell in November but the jobless rate inched up statewide, the Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation reported today.

Firefighters weren't just clowning around: Circus Circus supplied the victims in the form of employees, for the drill designed to help get emergency crews ready for possible Y2K disasters.

Indy 500 second on Brack's list: Tim Puet; COLUMBUS, Ohio - Although Kenny Brack hopes to defend his Indianapolis 500 championship, he's also got other things on his mind.

Boys Basketball standings: SUNRISE REGION

The Intimidator's ready for another run: Mike Harris; Perhaps it's just wishful thinking, but Dale Earnhardt is sure he can win another championship in 2000.

Nevada worker comp premiums likely to rise: CARSON CITY -- Despite some protests, state Insurance Commissioner Alice Molasky-Arman is expected approve within the next week a 6.4 percent across-the-board increase in industrial insurance rates for an estimated 44,000 employers in Nevada.

North Las Vegas: Council postpones ambulance decision: Diana Sahagun; In what could be an end to the discussion for now, the North Las Vegas City Council followed its Las Vegas counterparts and postponed a decision to grant Southwest Ambulance a franchise.

Nevada regulators move ahead with rules on slots with cartoon themes: Brendan Riley; The Nevada Gaming Commission also was told that big slot manufacturers and major Nevada hotel-casinos aren't fighting the rule - aimed in part at sidetracking national debate on the issue.

Girls basketball standings: SUNRISE REGION

Prep wrestling standings: SUNRISE REGION

Sun Girls Basketball Poll: Records through Tuesday

Wednesday's prep results: Bonanza 9, Mojave 0 Goals: Perry 2, Graham 2, Kuenzi, Mendenhall, Dudas, Woods, Bascones.

Neighborhood activist protest renaming of Madison Elementary: Terry Webster; Plans to re-name Madison Elementary School on J Street to the Wendell P. Williams Elementary School is drawing criticism from a neighborhood activist group.

NRC rapped for sanitized LV report: Benjamin Grove; ROCKVILLE, Md. -- The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is reaching out to Nevadans who are skeptical of anything nuclear, especially a proposal to dump the nation's high-level radioactive waste in the state.

Las Vegas developer Peccole dies at 85: William P. "Bill" Peccole, a Las Vegas city commissioner of the early 1950s who later built the Peccole Ranch residential development and erected baseball fields in the city and across the state, has died. He was 85.

DMV officials say agency has caught up on mail renewal backlog: "We also would like to reassure the public that because of enhancements to the new computer application and the additional staffing that was a part of the governor's plan, we do not intend to have a backlog again," Lewis said.

Dyson makes bowl a family affair: Steve Guiremand; If Las Vegas Bowl officials are disappointed with Saturday afternoon's turnout for the Fresno State-Utah matchup, they can't blame Ute cornerback Andre Dyson.

Connecticut casinos post gains in slot win: Connecticut's two Indian-run casinos saw gains in slot machine revenues in November, a time when casinos usually see a seasonal slump in business.

Big-time religion: Stacy J. Willis; Question God, eat a cheese omelet.

Moore likely to be OK'd as Henderson college chief Friday: CARSON CITY -- Richard Moore, president of the Community College of Southern Nevada, on Friday is expected to be named founding president of the proposed four-year state college in Henderson at a salary of $175,000.

City again fails to form citizen review board for Metro Police: Erin Neff; After years of struggle to create a citizen review board with powers to investigate Metro Police wrongdoing, the Las Vegas City Council could have taken the final step Wednesday in forming the board.

First Security merger results in nine LV branch closures: Phil Levine; Nine Las Vegas and Henderson bank branches will close because of the merger between First Security Bank and Zions Bancorporation, the Salt Lake City banks announced today.

Photo of girl missing eight years to be mailed: An age-progressed photo of a Las Vegas girl who was abducted by her mother eight years ago will be featured on mailing cards that will be distributed to nearly 79 million households nationwide over the next six weeks.

Trench favored by consultant but tunnel will be studied: A third possibility is to do nothing, the group said.

Big residential development in bankruptcy: The company did not provide specific asset and debt estimates in its filing, listing only $10 million to $50 million in assets and debts. However, Iron Mountain said it did not believe funds would be available to pay the company's unsecured creditors.

Woman's guide dog denied access despite new law: But as of Nov. 1, denying access to a person with a guide dog is a misdemeanor offense in Nevada.

Hotline goes high profile in Southern Nevada: Cy Ryan And Shaunta Grimes; CARSON CITY -- A suicide prevention hotline that operates out of Reno will be stepping up its profile in Southern Nevada.

Two Vegas auto dealerships sold: The Charlotte, N.C.-based company acquired the Honda dealership, along with 28 California dealerships, as part of its purchase of San Francisco-based FirstAmerica Automotive Inc.

Analysts are differing on Venetian's future: Gary Thompson; Despite improved operating results at the Venetian, an advisory service said the Strip resort's mortgage notes are overvalued and should be sold.

Flamingo Hilton-Reno being sold: The $20 million deal is expected to close by June 30.

Columnist Spencer Patterson: Centennial charges out of the gate: Spencer Patterson; At first glance, Centennial High School girls basketball scores read the way any first-year varsity squad's results are supposed to look: 53-15, 88-55 and 63-37 to name a few.

LVCVA launches last-minute New Year's ad blitz: With the countdown for the millennium hitting the final two weeks and local hotel rooms still available, marketers have put together a last-ditch promotion to get Californians to party in Las Vegas over New Year's.

Group threatens to sue river users: The environmentalists contend that the federal agencies violate laws by not preventing harm done to endangered species by dams in Arizona, Nevada, California and Mexico.

LV visitor volume growth continues: The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority today reported the October numbers bring the year-to-date visitation number to 28.4 million, up 11 percent from the year-ago period.

Girls soccer standings: CLASS 4A

Judge questioned Tabish on mob-involved film deal: District Judge Joseph Bonaventure disclosed Wednesday that he questioned one of Ted Binion's accused killers and his lawyers behind closed doors about a mob-involved movie project on the gambling figure's death.

Army Corps, county team to slow floods: Clark County and the Army Corps of Engineers are teaming to slow the flow of flood waters through the Tropicana-Flamingo Wash.

Rebels enjoy Peay soup: Victoria Sun; The starting five players on a basketball team usually get the kudos for a victory.

Gordon can live with 'lousy' year: Dick Brinster; Jeff Gordon laughed when told he and Babe Ruth had something in common.

State board finds rules on splitting a bitter pill: Keith Macdonald, executive director of the board, told a legislative committee on health care Tuesday there was broad support for the rule, but the board realized it lacked authority over doctors and HMOs that back the practice.

UNLV arena billed $500,000 for back taxes: Pat Christenson, arena director, said the revenues should be tax-exempt because they pay for improvements and maintenance at the university-run center.

Hyatt set to open Lake Las Vegas Resort: Gary Thompson; Hyatt Hotels Corp. is banking on its world-renowned brand name, a booming economy and the spectacular setting for its newest resort to make the Hyatt Regency Lake Las Vegas a success.

Las Vegas area fishing report: The Virgin Bowl was producing stripers for boaters last week, but the action was inconsistent. Most of the action in that area has come while trolling and drifting with anchovies.

Governor honors three troopers for drug fight: Troopers Rosell Owens and Vincent Dinglasan have been part of the drug interdiction unit since it was started in 1996, and Trooper Julianne Hollands has been part of the unit for the past two years.

Booming economy to help LV prosper in 2000: David Strow; Surprised by the continuing strength of the local and national economy, local researchers are predicting the current economic boom will continue through 2001.

Polo Towers owners allege bad-mouthing from a Las Vegas timeshare competitor: David Strow; The owners of Polo Towers on the Las Vegas Strip sued an Orlando competitor, accusing its Las Vegas employees of using false and misleading statements to scare customers and employees away -- and claiming that the competitor is on the verge of acquiring Polo Towers.

Columnist Paula DelGiudice: Registration time arrives for boaters: Paula DelGiudice; With the end of the year drawing near, it's time for boat owners to take care of paperwork. Along with their Christmas cards, more than 60,000 boat owners in Nevada will find their boat registrational renewal information in the mail this week.

FBI believes suspect robbed another bank: The FBI said Wednesday that the suspect robbed a Bank of America branch inside a grocery store Tuesday afternoon.

Arceneaux likely to play: Steve Guiremand; Although there was some question whether Darnell Arceneaux would play again this season, Utah head coach Ron McBride said Wednesday that there's a good chance the highly regarded junior quarterback could see action in Saturday afternoon's EA Sports Las Vegas Bowl matchup with Fresno State at Sam Boyd Stadium.

Concerning Guinn: Quotes from Nevada: -"From our perspective, the jury is still out. But since the end of the legislative session, I've had more meetings in the governor's office than I had in the preceding nine years. At least we're talking," said Bob Gagnier of the State of Nevada Employees Association. "Another big issue is this fundamental review study. Most state employees that have been around for a while can't get real excited about it because almost every governor in recent years has had a study. I look at them in two ways. One, they're an opportunity. Two, you have to be careful about what's ...

Henderson's Macpherson wins her third PWBA title: Macpherson ranked first in nearly every category considered by the players. She was first in points with 10,650; first in earnings with $120,465; and first in average at 218.85. Her pace set a PWBA record for average, exceeding the 217.25 set by Dede Davidson in 1998. Not only did Macpherson participate in every event this year, she also cashed in every one. She also made the cut to the top 24 match play in all but three events. She finished 11 times in the top 10 and led all players with nine appearances in the televised finals.

Council overflows with soccer plans: Erin Neff; Spending

Thirteen casino workers accused of theft: CHEROKEE, N.C. -- The FBI arrested 13 former casino employees and charged them with stealing more than $187,000 over five months from Harrah's Cherokee Smoky Mountains Casino.

Park Place to take loss on casino sale: The property will retain the Flamingo name under a long-term licensing agreement with Park Place Entertainment.

Community news briefs for December 16, 1999: Many Nevada kids who are not even out of diapers are having their future college plans secured.

Nevada governor reflects on first year in office: Brendan Riley; Guinn, who in November 1998 was elected Nevada's first Republican governor in 16 years, said he's committed to giving the state a long-range plan for its rapid growth and increasing service demands.

Freels lifts Skyhawks: Spencer Patterson; Known throughout the state for the junior duo of Jayme Connors and Nikki Hitchens, Silverado's girls basketball team got a major boost from an unheralded senior Wednesday night.

State urged to increase worker compensation insurance rates: Insurance Division chief Alice Molasky-Arman plans to make a final decision on the rate hike by Friday. The increase would take effect Jan. 1, and would be the basis for all insurers to follow.