Print edition for December 20, 1999

Letter: Bottom line of bar shooting: Cop saved lives: If you had four people with hoods on their faces shooting guns at you, who would you rather have on your side, a reporter, a shock jock or my brother? If you need help with the answer, call any one of the 66 people who know Dennis was right.

Letter: No help in sight for 'notch babies': One lived to experience that dreadful shock upon 62. The other who became a deceased statistic, evaded this issue, not on his own accord but had he come back he would have been another victim of the bureaucratic scum and shortchanged also. They got the "short end of the stick," as Mike O'Callaghan recently expressed it in his classic column, "Wait and they will die." Thank you Mike.

Shooting woes lead to UNLV's demise: Victoria Sun; In baseball, the phrase "hitting is contagious" resonates throughout a clubhouse after a big victory.

Editorial: Take time to get the right one: Before Friday's withdrawals, some School Board members were squirming, believing that they were being rushed to select a new superintendent. Now they must start over. One option is to appoint an interim superintendent -- a caretaker -- until another exhaustive search is done. Such a move at this time seems premature. After all, the current superintendent, Brian Cram, will remain in the job until July 2000. The School Board's predicament certainly is embarrassing -- if you count Colorado Springs Superintendent Kenneth Burnley's exit from the race on Nov. 22, three of the top five finalists withdrew their bids -- but ...

Rural Nevada plans New Year's Eve celebrations: At the Little A'Le'Inn Cafe in Rachel, about 95 miles north of Las Vegas, all seven of its rooms sold for $31.50. Manager Ann Morgan said the tavern will hold a traditional party with champagne, hors d'oeuvres and dancing. She says the most popular menu item is the $2.75 Alien Burger.

White supremacist skinheads accused of temple bombing: "There are just a number of people that believe that same philosophy and they network," he said.

Former Station executive, partner trying to buy Kansas City riverboat: Eric Palmer; KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- An investor group led by casino operators William Grace and Joseph J. Canfora is still interested in buying the Flamingo Hilton Casino in Kansas City. The group will make a bid now that Station Casinos Inc. has pulled its $22.5 million offer.

Boy in hospital after accidental shooting: The rifle discharged and Jones was struck in the head. He was taken to Washoe Medical Center in Reno, where he was listed in critical condition.

Hero's welcome for Nevada truck driver: He and another truck driver dragged two passengers from the vehicle on Interstate 15 in Utah and tried to remove the driver, who was pinned underneath. The driver and one passenger died, but the second passenger survived.

Officer pleads guilty to shooting dog: John F. Stroz appeared in Henderson Justice Court Monday. He was ordered to serve 400 hours of community service at an animal shelter, and also must settle with the dog's owner.

Horse tracks object to proposed compacts: DEBORAH BAKER; They objected to provisions of the proposed compacts that tie Indian casino payments to the level of gambling at tracks.

Ely fireworks plans dampened: Susan Riolo, a program assistant for the state fire marshall, said officials are concerned about the fallout area.

Reno police say more Californians coming to Nevada to buy guns: "They come and collect a bunch of guns and take them back to California," said Jim Weston, deputy Reno police chief.

Number of traffic fatalities down in 1999: The Department of Motor Vehicles and Public Safety also says alcohol-related traffic deaths are down from last year, but pedestrian fatalities are up.

Officials begin to ponder bowl future: Steve Guiremand; Now what?

Elko County moves to obtain permits to rebuild controversial road: The 3-2 vote last week marked one of the few times the commission has been at odds over how to proceed in the county's fight to assert its ownership of the road.

Community news briefs for December 20, 1999: Nonprofit group STOP DUI, along with the Law Firm of Crockett & Myers, are teaming up this holiday season to help get party revelers home safely.

Maxim owner, operator trade charges: David Strow and Gary Thompson; The owner of the Maxim hotel in Las Vegas has blamed its bankruptcy on former operator Ed Nigro, claiming missed rent payments forced it to default on the Maxim's mortgage.

Y2K could mean local skiers have the Rockies to themselves for Christmas: Robert Weller; Resorts in the Rockies, famed for their powder, are offering rooms at early-season prices for their busiest two weeks of the season as Y2K keeps the crowds at home.

Agency approves Virgin Atlantic's planned London-Las Vegas route: The agency's approval of the route was considered the last major hurdle the British airline needed to clear to inaugurate the service, which has been planned for about three years. British aviation authorities approved the route three months ago.

Open-government advocates also await judge's Mapes decision: Martin Griffith; Open-government advocates say they're interested to learn how Washoe District Judge James Hardesty rules on a crucial aspect of the Mapes Hotel case: the Nevada Open Meeting Law.

Getting to know the real Andy Kaufman: Fred Shuster; In early 1983 Kaufman and Margulies were sharing a small apartment there as a respite from Hollywood and the fame brought by Kaufman's portrayal of bashful foreign mechanic Latka Gravas on TV's "Taxi."

Loss narrows for sports betting operator: American Wagering's revenues rose 47.5 percent in the quarter ending Oct. 31, to $3.88 million. The company reduced its net loss by 55 percent, to $304,000, or 4 cents per share.

Reebok Holiday Prep Classic: LAS VEGAS BRONZE CUP

New York-New York exec takes Detroit job: Snow, who serves as senior vice president and chief financial officer for the casino, replaces Lyn Baxter. Baxter announced last month that he was resigning effective Dec. 31 to return to Las Vegas for personal reason.

Columnist Dean Juipe: Losses test Cleveland's faithful fans: Dean Juipe; This is a place where the regulars wore Cleveland Browns apparel items even when there were no Cleveland Browns.

Youth center head may be fired after drunken driving: "We thought the credibility of the program needs to be very healthy," said Lyon County Manager Steve Snyder, chairman of the committee made up of local government officials in the five rural counties served by the center.

Traveling tips from Reno: Several thousand passengers are expected to move through the airport between now and Jan. 4, 2000, said Krys T. Bart, executive director of the Airport Authority of Washoe County.

Blazers, Gaels in hunt for title: Spencer Patterson; Midway through the first half of Durango's first-round game against Erie (Pa.) Prep at Saturday's Reebok Holiday Prep Classic, tournament co-director Larry McKay received a rather strange call on his cellular phone.

One-car accident leads to investigation: He apparently fell asleep while headed north on the state highway late Sunday night. His Ford pickup overturned and he was partially ejected from the truck, the patrol said. He was pronounced dead at the scene about 11 p.m.

Loan issued for purchase of Continental: The closed property on the corner of Flamingo and Paradise roads in Las Vegas is being acquired by Flamingo Paradise Gaming. Edward, Timothy and Troy Herbst, sons of Herbst Oil Co. patriarch Jerry Herbst, control Flamingoand also own two hotel-casinos in Pahrump.

Letter: Democracy seekers not getting support: LEE WINKLER

Ski mogul thinking positive despite lack of snow: And he says he is not discouraged by his loss of majority ownership to outside investors in order to stabilize the company's finances.

Drunken-driving investigation still active: A customer at a nearby convenience store saw the other motorist flee, but chased him down, returned him to the accident scene and held him until police arrived.

Columnist John Katsilometes: An ode to a really fine strip: The first time I ever read or heard about Woodstock was not from the big rock concert.

Oklahoma St-UNLV box score: OKLAHOMA ST. (9-0)

New skirmish over Southwest Gas merger: David Strow; Arizona's top utility regulator is accusing a fellow commissioner of working with a spurned company to derail ONEOK Inc.'s efforts to acquire Southwest Gas Corp. of Las Vegas.

Linda Ryan, former Nevada welfare chief, dies enroute to Paris: A funeral mass is scheduled at 1 p.m. Monday at St. Teresa of Avila Catholic Church in Carson City. Cremation is being handled by Walton's. The family requests donations to local charities in lieu of flowers.

Coalition's suit seeks to block First Security-Zions merger: Phil Levine; An alliance of Western construction contractors and small business owners is fighting in court to block the merger of First Security Corp. and Zions Bancorporation.

Columnist Ralph Siraco: Pincay tries to hold off 'P-Val' in race to wire: Ralph Siraco; The 1999 Hollywood Park fall race meet comes to an end today and this session will go down in racing history as the place and time that Laffit Pincay, Jr. became the winningest jockey in thoroughbred racing.

Man convicted of casino murder seeking pardon: Wolford was sentenced to life in prison. He will make his appeal Dec. 7 before the Nevada Board of Pardons, made up of Gov. Kenny Guinn, Attorney General Frankie Sue Del Papa and the seven Nevada Supreme Court justices.

Las Vegas Bowl stats: First Quarter

Family time: Spencer Patterson; Just a week ago, Austin Ainge could only have dreamed he'd look up into the stands at this week's Reebok Holiday Prep Classic and see his father.

Firing of prison guard upheld: CARSON CITY -- A state hearing officer has upheld the firing of a prison guard who bullied employees of a North Las Vegas casino to try to gain preferential treatment and who even hinted he would handcuff one worker who refused his requests.

Mystery evidence may fuel guilty plea challenge: Bill Gang; Jeremy Strohmeyer's sexual assault and murder of 7-year-old Sherrice Iverson in a Primm casino restroom more than two years ago didn't seem to be much of a mystery, but the current challenge to his guilty plea has become just that.

Record profit earned by LV gaming supplier: Shuffle Master reported earnings of $1.6 million, or 20 cents per share, compared to $1.3 million, or 15 cents per share, in the year-ago quarter.

Worker comp agency set for privatization: CARSON CITY -- Employers Insurance Co. of Nevada estimates it lost 4,000 business accounts to its rivals in the first six months of open competition.

Silver State Disposal truck crashes; 2 die: Keith Paul; Two Silver State Disposal Service workers died this morning when their truck crashed through a guardrail on State Road 158 and plummeted 300 feet down an embankment, Nevada Highway Patrol officials said.

Space heater blamed in blaze that killed 5-month-old girl: County firefighters received a call that a mobile home was on fire at about 2 a.m. in Sandy Valley, a town of 3,500 about 50 miles southwest of Las Vegas on State Route 53.

Party-prepared: Southern Nevada medical emergency workers say they are ready for anything and everything on New Year's Eve -- from treating fat lips from drunken brawls to delivering many new millennium babies to addressing life-threatening injuries.

Another coin truck targeted in robbery: The coin truck driver had just finished conducting his business at a bar near Washington Avenue and Rainbow Boulevard, police said.

Retired chief of Nevada Welfare Division, Ryan, dies: Linda Ryan, retired director of the Nevada State Welfare Division, died over the weekend while en route to France where she planned to celebrate the new year.

Moore: Henderson college post exciting opportunity: Shaunta Grimes; Dr. Richard Moore, 66, has been given a chance to bring his 35-year career as a school administrator full circle.

Suspect linked to two attacks: Jace Radke; An 87-year-old woman believed to have been beaten and robbed by the same man accused in last week's slaying of a 79-year-old Las Vegas woman has been released from University Medical Center.

Upcoming business events for December 20, 1999: Small business loans -- Nevada MicroEnterprise Initiative loan information sessions and business plan workshops. Ongoing. 734-3555.

Local news briefs for December 20, 1999: A pedestrian was killed Saturday morning along a portion of Las Vegas Boulevard South where there are no street lights and no sidewalks.

Claims new evidence in Jeremy Strohmeyer case: Robert Macy; District Judge Joseph Bonaventure set a Feb. 1 evidentiary hearing for Jeremy Strohmeyer, who earlier pleaded guilty to killing Sherrice Iverson at a casino in Primm, Nev.

Ex-LV hospital owner to pay $50,000: NC-DSH, a subsidiary of Quorum Health Group Inc., agreed to pay the state $50,000.

Binion family against push to exhume: Those close to slain gambling figure Ted Binion oppose efforts by defense attorneys to exhume his body.

Silver Bandits activate Wade: Silver Bandits activate Wade

Schools not getting their share of funds: Benjamin Grove; WASHINGTON -- The fast-growing Clark County School District is not getting its fair share of federal money for low-income neighborhood schools, an analysis of U.S. Department of Education budget statistics shows.

Architect sues Galleria Associates: In a Clark County District Court lawsuit, Las Vegas architect Paul Steelman said Galleria Associates owes him $1.2 million for architectural work supplied during renovation work at the Sunset Road mall that ended last April.

Hospitals say they're Y2K-ready: Southern Nevada hospital officials say they have successfully operated on their Y2K computer concerns and have given the sophisticated equipment a clean bill of health.

Guinn seeks expanded NTS ground water tests: Gov. Kenny Guinn has asked the U.S. Department of Energy for an extra $40 million to expand the monitoring of ground water for radiation contamination at the Nevada Test Site from hundreds of nuclear weapons exploded from 1951 until 1992.

Obituaries for December 20, 1999: Frank Robert Adams, 90, of Las Vegas died Wednesday in a local hospital. He was born July 28, 1909, in Philadelphia. A resident for two years, he was a retired transportation truck driver.

Settlement reached on Medicaid billings: Tim Terry, director of the state's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, said Apogee Health Services Inc., doing business as Harrie Hess Clinics, agreed to pay $455,000 to the state. Terry said Apogee disclosed the improper billings on its own initiative so there will be no criminal charges filed.

Wife compensated in husband's death: On Friday a jury awarded Puckett a $983,000 judgment against Valley Hospital and Medical Center for both her and her husband's pain and suffering and her loss of her husband's companionship.

Back to drawing board in superintendent search: Terry Webster; Another chapter in the Clark County School District's convoluted superintendent search is about to begin.