Print edition for February 16, 1999

Developers target of proposal: Titus, D-Las Vegas, said the measure doesn't include a limit on growth in the Las Vegas Valley by establishing a ring beyond which growth would be barred. That was the big element of her 1997 bill that doomed it to failure.

Report says high school grads needed help with English, math: The results of the evaluation were reported Monday to the Senate Human Resources and Facilities Committee during discussion of a resolution urging Nevada educators to share information about student performance in high school and at the college level.

Faux 'Frasier': Tossed salad or scrambled eggs?: Swarthy little Italian retirees. A neurotic dog. The game of bocce. An unnerved ex-cop. Former boxing referee and current TV judge Mills Lane. Psychic visions from a British housekeeper/physical therapist. A flitty younger brother.

Script Scribe: Baby I hear the blues a-callin' ... or is that Madeline DiMaggio?

Letter: School belongs on 9-month schedule: J.I. Gibson Elementary was built as a nine-month school. That schedule fits well with families who also have children attending nine-month middle schools and high schools.

Letter: GOP gave little guy motivation: The founding fathers knew that the wealthy, for their own gain would invest in, open, or through savings, provide the money to loan to business, and that they would employ more average working people.

Letter: Neal's vendetta against casinos is foolish, futile: Recently he introduced bills to raise taxes on our gaming industry, stop political contributions from casinos and repeal the 1997 tax-break law for art dealers.

MGC files lawsuit against Sprint: MGC Communications Inc., a Las Vegas-based local telephone company, filed an anti-trust suit in U.S. District Court in Las Vegas accusing Sprint Corp. of monopolizing the local telephone market.

Obituaries for Feb. 16, 1999: He is survived by his mother, Keri A. Brandt, his father, Kenneth Parsons, and his grandparents, Mary Parsons and Martin and Cheryl Slanc, all of Las Vegas; and his great-grandparents, Shirley Brandt of Milwaukee and Kenneth Harris of Las Vegas.

Brief: Casino operator posts loss, faces tough '99: Revenue of $13.2 million in the latest quarter was down from $13.5 million in the year-ago quarter.

Brief: Las Vegas builder announces two deals: Separately, Saxton said it won a $2 million contract to build a warehouse and production building in Salt Lake City for Franklin Covey Co.

Brief: Profit falls for LV gaming company: The company attributed the higher revenues to the opening of new locations of existing slot route chain store customers, and the lower earnings to decreases in revenues at existing locations, increases in depreciation expenses and lower nonoperating income.

Brief: Motives of Harrah's, GTECH questioned: The Lexington Herald-Leader newspaper reported legislators questioned their motives during a hearing Friday.

Brief: Internet gaming called opportunity, not threat: While most in the gaming industry have seen the Internet as a potential threat, they should begin looking at it as a way to keep their customers engaged involved in gambling when they are away from the casino, said Iamunno.

Where I Stand -- Mike O'Callaghan: New assault on privacy: The Nevada District Attorneys' Association again wants to expand the Nevada law enforcement wiretap authority. This year it's under the guise of being just exactly the weapon needed to fight gang activity. Past sessions have foiled an expansion of wiretaps to protect us from stalkers and to protect gaming. Every session something is added to the list of activities they want included among the reasons a law enforcement agency can use to get a judge's approval for a wiretap.

Editorial: Clear up dispute over funding for disabled: If people who are disabled are given a choice of living in a convalescent center or in their own home, almost all will pick the latter if it's financially feasible. The Legislature needs to get to the bottom of this to see if the program intended to give the disabled more freedom can be operated at its original and reasonable cost.

State's rural hospitals on life support: As the Sun's Martin Kuz reported Sunday, Nye Regional Medical Center in Tonopah is just one of the state's 10 rural hospitals that are losing money. Six of the rural hospitals had deficits last year, with the Tonopah hospital's deficit of more than $700,000 earning it the dubious distinction as the largest.

Debate over contraceptive insurance begins: A crowd estimated at more than 70 people packed the hearing rooms for testimony before the Senate Government Affairs Committee and the Assembly Commerce and Labor Committee. No action was taken on the bills.

Towers on the western horizon: Scott Reeder; How big?

Nevada gets failing mark on disclosure: But Nevada was not alone in the study conducted by the Center for Public Integrity, which flunked half the states, giving Nevada a 56.5 grade and placing it 27th.

Bail agents bust old image: The job is really a bore: Martin Kuz; (a) Is about as exciting as paste.

Legislature briefs: Collins said he underwent a series of tests after feeling more-than-usual stress and was given a clean bill of health. In addition to the stress of the legislative session, he said, he had been experiencing added stress from his business in Las Vegas.

Assembly passes campaign smear-law repeal: "We don't need to protect the voters from harsh words and negative attacks," Assemblywoman Chris Giunchigliani, D-Las Vegas, said.

Lawyers, paralegals battle over rules and penalties: But now, his lawyer, Steven Klearman of Reno, told the Assembly Judiciary Committee Monday, Camarena "stands a good chance of being deported."

Reid pursues sprawl relief for Las Vegas: Vice President Al Gore will visit Southern Nevada in May "to meet with local and state officials on strategies for dealing with urban sprawl and ways to promote livable communities on the national agenda," Reid said.

Wrestling resort called forward thinking for LV: John Wilen; The planned World Wrestling Federation hotel-casino is an example of the kind of smaller niche resorts that are vital to Las Vegas' future, says an attorney who works with the WWF.

Prep playoffs results, Schedule: 4A SOUTHERN ZONE TOURNAMENT

Brief: Casino sold to mysterious firm: But details on the buyer, its location and background could not be obtained from various data-base searches.

Yucca research chief defends need for funds: For the first time ever, a state budget allots money for the Nevada Agency on Nuclear Projects. Gov. Kenny Guinn has asked for $1 million a year for the agency, which lost $5 million a year in federal money in 1996 after an audit charged that about $700,000 was misspent on public relations instead of scientific oversight.

All-Stars: Girls Basketball: First Team

Pastor, humorist, decorated veteran Thompson dies: After the war, Thompson went to Temple University, obtained a master's of divinity degree, joined the Navy and became a chaplain during the Korean War.

Berkley to host town hall meeting: New York Rep. Charles Rangel, ranking minority member of the Ways and Means Committee, will join Berkley at the public event.

Racewalking: Herazo wins in Reno: Two-time Olympian Victoria Herazo of Henderson won the Silver State Invitational Masters Indoor Track & Field racewalk championship Sunday in Reno and qualified for her 13th consecutive U.S. National Championship race Feb. 27 in Atlanta.

Brief: Home improvement chain expands to West: The Los Angeles Times reported Lowe's also plans a distribution center in Moreno Vellay to serve stores in Southern California, Nevada and Arizona.

Candidates considered for three Clark County judicial vacancies: Bill Gang; A selection panel is expected to recommend candidates by the end of the week to fill three judicial vacancies in Clark County -- two in District Court, one in Family Court -- that resulted from the November elections.

Council members announce run for another 4-year term: Lisa Snedeker; Although municipal candidates cannot file their intent to run before Feb. 23, Henderson City Council members Amanda Cyphers, Andy Hafen and David Wood have informally announced they want to hold onto their four-year seats for another term.

Las Vegas gains new summer flight to Germany: When Condor German Airlines begins its summer season, it will fly passengers nonstop between Munich and Las Vegas for the first time.

Columnist Ron Kantowski: Halpern made the right call by not halting brawl: The Budweiser people should line up Mitch Halpern for one of those public service spots about drinking responsibly.

California man killed in crash on Interstate 15: Sangha Karanjit Singh was a passenger in a 1983 Mercedes that for an unknown reason went out of control shortly before 3:30 a.m. while traveling south, Nevada Highway Patrol spokesman Scott Flabi said.

Brief: Lawsuit filed over workers' defection: For instance, the suit alleges Lychock and Gorham enticed 13 Consolidated investor clients to fund a $670 million loan for Marathon Development Inc. through Clayton.

Neighborhood councils meet with disfavor: Erin Neff; A bill to create 12 neighborhood councils within the Las Vegas city limits was killed in a recent recommending committee after existing neighborhood associations felt the proposal would undermine their current efforts.

Columnist Dean Juipe: New owners yet to help local teams: Dean Juipe; It was just a small item that barely made the paper, and, thankfully, no rush-to-judgment journalist in town tried to sensationalize it.

Variances sought for pedestrian bridges: Adrienne Packer; Mirage Resorts and the Venetian hotel-casino will ask that setback requirements for the pedestrian bridge and its decorative features be reduced.

Gordon, four others eye shot at $1 million in Las Vegas: BONUS BOYS

Suspect in killing arrested in Utah: Jace Radke and Karen Zekan; The Utah Highway Patrol stopped David Dunkle, 27, near Farmington just north of Salt Lake City about midnight Sunday. The car he was driving had a bullet hole and blood splattered on one side, Metro Lt. Wayne Petersen said.

'Hated' Gorman fighting for respect in playoffs: Spencer Patterson; As if Bishop Gorman's girls team needed extra incentive going into tonight's 4A Southern Zone tournament, the Gaels received some added motivation when this year's all-conference picks were announced Monday.

Columnist Jeff German: Goodman can't be serious about entering mayor's race: For the past dozen years or so, Oscar Goodman has flirted with the idea of stepping down from his perch atop the criminal defense bar to enter the world of politics.

Marion boosts UNLV to win: Steve Carp; By Steve Carp LAS VEGAS SUN

Kambala hurts knee in victory: Steve Carp; TULSA, Okla. -- Once again, UNLV didn't get a whole lot out of center Kaspars Kambala. But this time, he had a legitimate excuse.

Columnist Scott Dickensheeets: The comings and goings of NICA: Scott Dickensheeets; The moving crew is due any minute to pack up the storage room and offices. The gallery is already empty, almost. A ceramic-and-glass doodad of art by Wayne Littlejohn -- a confection of seashells and cupids -- is parked on bubble wrap in a lonely corner, left behind from the two-day stealth exhibit that was NICA's final show here. It was an impromptu culling of local work, assembled to impress visitors from L.A.'s Museum of Contemporary Art. Otherwise, only the white-walled emptiness of the space itself suggests that this might have been an art venue; certainly nothing cues a visitor ...

Defending champs visit Thunder: Steve Guiremand; Things figure to be pretty interesting on and off the ice for the Las Vegas Thunder tonight when the team hosts the defending Turner Cup champion Chicago Wolves at the Thomas & Mack Center.

Box score: UNLV 54, Tulsa 53: 3-Point Goals: 5-14 .357 (Dickel 2-2, Simmons 1-3, Herod 1-3, Daniels 1-4, Keefe 0-2).

Snowfall slows mountain traffic, brings out chain restrictions: Chains or snow tires were required on U.S. 50 over Echo Summit south of Lake Tahoe and on most other Sierra roads.

Lawmakers spar over Nuclear Projects funding: Kiley Russell; The federal Department of Energy wants to build a high-level nuclear waste dump at Yucca Mountain, about 90 miles northeast of Las Vegas, and has already spent $2.2 billion in 15 years of research in hopes of entombing 80,000 tons of used reactor fuel there.

Panel OKs bill to penalize cons for attacking guards: Jennifer Coleman; Walter Tarantino, a lawyer for the Nevada Corrections Association, said such attacks are increasing, exposing more prison employees to sometimes deadly communicable diseases.

Casino to spend $22 million for expansion project: The Fiesta will begin work on the project in three weeks, with completion set by mid-December.

Reid says partisanship in impeachment proceedings can be overcome: Brendan Riley; Reid, D-Nev., said Monday he thinks the five weeks that senators spent listening to legal arguments prior to Clinton's acquittal Friday will mean more results and less politicking in the Senate.

Measures require health insurers to cover birth control prescriptions: Jennifer Coleman; Calling the bills a matter of "contraceptive equity," supporters of SB28 and AB60 told Senate Government Affairs and Assembly Commerce committees it's time for insurance companies to recognize that contraceptives are a major part of women's health care.

Nevada Legislature summary for Monday, Feb. 15: NEVADA DAY - SB31, Amodei. Changes legal holiday to observe Nevada Day to last Friday in October. To Assembly.

Bill limits power of Nevada natural resources chief: Kiley Russell; AB41 would force the state Division of Environmental Protection to conduct its own probes into federal or even other state agency reports of water pollution before ordering the pollution to stop.

Nevada Legislature Schedule for Tuesday, Feb. 16: 8 a.m. - Joint budget subcommittee on Department of Prisons' budget.

Nevada outlines united strategy against nuke dump: Brendan Riley; The "nuke waste summit" was organized by Gov. Kenny Guinn, who said all Nevada's top politicians, whether Republican or Democrat, "must show strength and unity, show that we're absolutely united" against the dump.

American League Capsules -- Spring 1999: JOSH DUBOW; By JOSH DUBOW ASSOCIATED PRESS

National League Capsules -- Spring 1999: Josh Dubow; By Josh Dubow ASSOCIATED PRESS

Bill to help insurance deregulation draws support from business: Kiley Russell; There are only two ways now for Nevada companies to get a worker compensation policy: buy it from the state-run Employers Insurance Company of Nevada or self-insure, an option mainly for big employers.