Print edition for December 27, 1999

Community news briefs for December 27, 1999: The American Cancer Society is offering free classes about cancer each Wednesday from Jan. 5 through Feb. 23.

Prosecutors won't oppose exhuming Binion's body: Prosecutors won't oppose a move by defense attorneys to exhume Ted Binion's body if the attorneys provide more supporting evidence that new tests are needed.

Millennium rates plunge in Northern Nevada: John Farahi, chief executive at Atlantis Casino Resort, said it appears visitation will be less than normal over the New Year's weekend. His property joined others by reducing rates 70 percent to 80 percent to try to boost demand.

Letter: Mayor shows he's playing politician: A civilian review board, no matter how democratic, must be polarized to usurp the police department. Civilian unity with the police is the only way for Metro to evolve and make positive changes. This attempt to balance power goes straight into the face of progress and I do not believe that the mayor has a clue as to why.

Caesars riverboat looks to improve after rough waters in first year: Grace Schneider; NEW ALBANY, Ind. -- The Caesars Indiana riverboat casino marked its first anniversary last month, having endured costly problems and delays and generating revenues less than expected.

County is prepared for wave of Y2K weddings: Bill Gang; Sun reporter Ed Koch contributed to this report.

LV company expands Biloxi property: The expansion added 25,000 square feet of casino space to the property, adding 480 new slots and 11 table games. Park Place also added a 1950s-themed restaurant and a seafood buffet to the hotel-casino.

City undertakes special growth plan: Valerie Miller; In one of Henderson's few remaining sparsely populated neighborhoods, going through natural zoning channels to arrive at the proper commercial mix pitted residents against developers and for years has stalemated planning efforts.

Preservationists begin daily vigils, mull civil disobedience to halt Mapes implosion: Martin Griffith; RENO -- A new group of preservationists has begun holding daily vigils in front of the historic Mapes Hotel in an effort to halt its Super Bowl Sunday implosion.

'Fantasia' remake debuts at IMAX: What: "Fantasia/2000."

City ready for rowdy revelers: If those who believe a Y2K Armageddon will occur this weekend are right, then it won't be a happy New Year for anyone.

Aztar insider sells stock: Haddock is executive vice president and chief financial officer of the company, which operates the Tropicana hotel-casino on the Strip.

Local news briefs for December 27, 1999: Metro Police continue to investigate a fatal stabbing in the valet parking lot at the Palace Station hotel-casino Saturday night.

LV investor alleges mismanagement at firm: In a Clark County District Court suit, Teodorino Armeni, who said he owns 30 percent of Italia Caffe, alleged Alfredo and Daniela Baldieri failed to provide accounts of its creditor obligations and misrepresented facts regarding its revenues even though an affidavit to inspect the company's books was served on Nov. 10 to the defendants' resident agent Dolores Passaretti.

County sued over removal of signs: In a Clark County District Court suit, Signs-n-Such said Clark County's Public Response division removed the signs on Dec. 17, 1997, without providing adequate notice and allegedly refused Signs-n-Such's request to hold an administrative hearing over the matter. "We sent out more than one notice and spoke to Mark Peplowski, the owner of Signs-n-Such on more than one occasion. He guaranteed us he would remove the signs on the vacant piece of ground that didn't belong to him, but he didn't do it," responded Jim Foreman, a Clark County manager.

Nevada sues horse doc from Illinois: CARSON CITY -- An Illinois chiropractor who stages horse healing seminars has run afoul of regulators in Nevada and some 25 other states that are trying to shut him down.

Sports cliches step up to the next level: Gene Collier; Live from The Big Public Building Named For A Bank With Clearly More Money Than It Knows What To Do With, it's the 16th annual Trite Trophy presentation dishonoring the worst sports cliche of 1999.

Stock of Zions, First Security hurt by merger delay: Phil Levine; Stock prices of First Security Corp. and Zions Bancorporation fell this morning as investors reacted to news of the postponement of their merger because of an accounting issue that will lower the combined banks' future earnings.

Woman kills husband over gambling money: During testimony in Clay County Court last week, Bonnie Knapp, 50, described her rocky 16-month marriage to Joseph Knapp, 85.

Arrests have no ties to terror groups: SEATTLE -- Four people were arrested on Sunday by the U.S. Border Patrol and a busy U.S.-Canada border crossing was shut for 2 1/2 hours. U.S. officials denied a report that one of those arrested was connected to a terrorist group.

Columnist Ralph Siraco: Stevens drops bombshell on opening day at S.A.: Ralph Siraco; There was much anticipation for Sunday's opening of the Santa Anita winter/spring race meet. The curtain-raiser for the 63rd season of racing set at the foot of the majestic San Gabriel mountain range featured Breeders' Cup Classic winner Cat Thief in the day's centerpiece event -- the Malibu Stakes.

Upcoming business events for December 27, 1999: Small business loans -- Nevada MicroEnterprise Initiative loan information sessions and business plan workshops. Ongoing. 734-3555.

Angry bar patron shoots four: Keith Paul; Sun reporter Jace Radke contributed to this report.

Letter: Family Court rarely follows U.S. Constitution: When any one person can decide the fate of a person's life, finances and children without permitting evidence or testimonies of litigants, children and witnesses, we all have a serious problem. It's called tyranny. The Constitution has been invalidated and our freedoms have been trampled. A jury of our peers should always judge us, never one man or woman.

Security firms turn away New Year's business: David Strow; Need a security officer New Year's Eve? Good luck.

Man dies in LV fire: Keith Paul and Jace Radke; A 28-year-old man died early this morning after the Christmas tree in his apartment caught fire filling the home with smoke, Las Vegas Fire Department officials said.

Energy aid available for low-income families: The program is designed to assist low-income Nevadans with the high cost of heating and cooling by paying a portion of their energy bills, Welfare Division Administrator Myla Florence said.

Judge carries message of U.S. justice across globe: Kim Smith; One look around the chamber of U.S. District Judge Lloyd George and it's clear that his love of U.S.-style justice is global.

Columnist John Katsilometes: A whirlwind trip through the '90s: The '90s were such an ice-ice baby kind of a decade, a really wacky you've-got-mail, is-that-your-final-answer kind of decade.

Editorial: New Jersey insurers act responsibly: State laws in Illinois, Maryland, Rhode Island and Virginia mandate some type of coverage by health insurers for these trials, but insurers have been reluctant to do so voluntarily. But last week health insurers in New Jersey became the first to voluntarily agree to pay for the medical costs for cancer patients who receive experimental treatments that are approved by U.S. government health agencies. The move was hailed by cancer patient advocates, the Associated Press reported. "If we continue to treat patients with the same standard therapies, we will get the same results," said Mary Todd, deputy director of the ...

Washoe County ready for New Year's Eve: For that reason, emergency officials are asking that calls to friends and relatives to be made at some time other than midnight Friday.

Dismal second half leads to another Silver Bandits loss: Zack Hall; The Las Vegas Silver Bandits were as good as the New Mexico Slam Sunday night, or at least for the first half they were.

Coast casinos carving out Christmas tradition of their own: In the past, Christmas has not been a big day for casinos. But that might be changing.

Ski resorts open despite lack of snow: Unlike other Lake Tahoe resorts, Mt. Rose was unable to open earlier because of its limited snowmaking ability. The resort is located 15 miles southwest of Reno.

Columnist Dean Juipe: Bandits face tough task in Las Vegas: Dean Juipe; En route to the Thomas & Mack Center Sunday night for a firsthand look at the Las Vegas Silver Bandits, the radio station that carries the team's games was broadcasting a call-in advice show with a daunting therapist. Among the program's sponsors was the manufacturer of a product that claimed "Aging is now a treatable disease" and it went on to hype the benefits of some secret "youth hormone" elixir.

Man arrested in shooting death of California man: Police said the shooting occurred during a fight between the two Thursday on Evans Street near the Center for Employment Training.

Pioneer LV shoe store owner Evans dies at 73: Robert J. Evans, a Las Vegas shoe store pioneer, died Wednesday at a local hospital. He was 73.

New year will bring new owners for Caesars Tahoe: "Yes, we'd love to renovate (the property) and yes we'd love to take it to another level," said Mel Thomas, executive vice president and general manager of Caesars Tahoe.

Obituaries for December 27, 1999: Daisy Cook, 70, of Las Vegas died Tuesday in a local hospital. She was born Jan. 30, 1929, in Greenup, Ky. A resident for nine years, she was a retired electronics technician.

Minden teen wins national competition: The competition at the Will Rogers Memorial Center drew thousands of spectators. Thiel said one of the biggest obstacles in the competition was to stay calm.

Las Vegas air traffic continues strong growth: The 2.85 million arriving and departing passengers in November is an 11.5 percent increase from the same month a year ago.

Sparks to consider last offer from Syufy: However, Syufy never made the deposit and has refused to pay it, citing circumstances beyond its control in its failure to develop the plaza, the Daily Sparks Tribune reported.

Official says education can reduce coyote problem: He says people should be more careful with their garbage and pets, and always keep in mind that they're in coyote country.

Reapportionment means more federal representation: The 2001 Nevada Legislature will draw the lines for its own districts and also for university regents, the state Board of Education and the state's seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Security heightened for New Year's celebration: Robert Macy; Some 240,000 visitors are expected at the city's hotels, up from 236,000 a year ago, according to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. The figure is down from what tourism officials were projecting earlier this year, with potential visitors balking at pricey rooms and entertainment.