Where I Stand — Mike O’Callaghan: A petty, political move

Thursday, Jan. 14, 1999 | 10:37 a.m.

CLARK COUNTY residents should be embarrassed for all of the crying and clatter a few politicians made when a computer center was named the William and Dorothy Raggio High Tech Center. Not one of the people complaining about the naming could come close to matching the public service of Bill and his late wife, Dottie.

Dottie served more than two decades on important state boards. Bill, after several years as the dynamic Washoe County district attorney, went to the Nevada Senate where he has served and been an effective leader for 26 years. So why shouldn't a public facility bear their names? Because he is a Northern Nevada Republican? Because he, in his leadership role, has irritated some of our Clark County politicians? Because he runs the Senate with a firm hand?

Removing the name of Raggio from a public facility in Clark County reminds me of an action taken in Reno almost five years ago. That's when a group of clowns took the name of former U.S. Sen. Howard W. Cannon of Las Vegas off the international airport in that city. This was done under the guise of bringing in more travelers by including Lake Tahoe in the airport's name. It was a chintzy move and I knew that the people of Southern Nevada had more class than what was demonstrated by renaming the Reno airport. That's why nobody around here has ever seriously discussed removing the name of U.S. Sen. Pat McCarran of Reno from our airport.

Now we have our own set of political clowns who have called for the removal of the Raggio name. Even more shameful was the almost immediate response to the whining with some school people suggesting the name actually be removed from the building.

Let's hope that there is enough class on the part of the Board of Regents to keep the Raggio name on the building. The only thing that has changed since the board approved the naming of the building is the bleating of a few minor politicians who have nothing else to offer.

When I asked the former Marine about these thoughtless actions, he told me to "forget it" because he doesn't believe his Dottie should be brought into a public conflict. No, she shouldn't, and neither should Bill become a target because of an honor he deserves and certainly didn't seek.

Just about the time Henderson replaces Reno as Nevada's second-largest city, we have a few politicians go out of their way to make people see us as the state's Littlest Big County. Although we may have a few of the state's most narrow politicians, this is still a metropolitan area with big plans, great accomplishments to achieve and friendly neighborhoods where good people live and prosper. Now we need a few more politicians to watch the people and area they represent.

Las Vegan Ralph Engelstad's gift of $100 million to his alma mater, the University of North Dakota, may have surprised people who aren't familiar with him. I know hundreds of orphans, handicapped people, and senior citizens the former ice hockey goalie has kept warm, fed and clothed over the years. His generosity to the school that gave him opportunities as a student shouldn't surprise any person who has taken time to watch him in action.

My first contact with Engelstad was during the Vietnam War, when he provided free tickets to local hockey games for the children of Nellis airmen serving in combat. Engelstad's Las Vegas Outlaws were a scrappy team that provided plenty of excitement. During this same period of time, he helped provide some special holiday parties for the kids whose fathers were prisoners of war or killed in action.

Engelstad, like only a couple other casino owners, has continued helping others with very little publicity. He told a gathering in North Dakota that "I attribute much of my good fortune to the UND hockey team." This may be true, but I'd have to add that Engelstad's wealth has come from years of honest and hard work since starting as a builder in Las Vegas.

Ralph Engelstad's hard work and business skills have been good for our entire community and especially for people who have needed a helping hand.

The antics of the International Olympic Committee have resulted in damaging several business and budding political careers in Utah. Now there is pressure for several IOC members to get off its gravy train.

Anita DeFrantz, one of two U.S. members of the IOC, estimates that "fewer than a dozen" of the 115-member body will be pushed to resign. Evidently she believes only that limited number have been involved in the possible taking of bribes. But what about the members who have tolerated the years of expensive gift gathering and have taken extra goodies themselves over the past many years?

The Los Angeles Times quotes Rene Paquet, who led the Quebec City committee in 1995, as asking for the top dog's resignation. Paquet wants the head of IOC President Juan Samaranch, who has been a member for more than 30 years and its leader for almost two decades. When recommending Samaranch's departure Paquet said, "I think when you're thinking of cleaning up the boat, you have to change the captain."

This is a reasonable suggestion, but don't expect the man who has tolerated one scandal after another to get off the gravy train, no matter how bumpy the ride becomes. He and his fellow freeloaders are looking forward to enjoying the Summer Games in Sydney next year.