Print edition for July 14, 1999

Thursday at Belmont Park: 1st race 7 fur 4YO&up Clm:

Thursday at Hollywood Park: 1st race 6-1/2 fur 3YO&up Clm: 1 Colonel Kelly (Pedroza) 122; 2 Rare Top (Gomez) 122; 3 Edgewood (Flores) 122; 4 Comic Trick (Puglisi) 120; 5 Hurricane's Eye (Martinez) 116; 6 Imworthetime (Steiner) 120.

Anderes named interim chancellor: Vice Chancellor of Finance & Planning Tom Anderes received a standing ovation Tuesday after the university system regents voted unanimously to name him interim chancellor to replace Richard Jarvis.

Details of Bennett's last days revealed: Bill Gang; In his final days, an agitated Arthur Bennett lashed out at those around him and the system that was prosecuting him until he finally chose to end it his way, according to Deputy Public Defender Drew Christensen.

Channel 10 announces cutbacks: Benjamin Grove; Las Vegas' public television station will cut shows and lay off workers after some state funding dried up during the 1999 legislative session.

Sunrise Airlines begins service from Elko with stop in Ely: Scaramazzo said the schedule varies, but it will be consolidated once the airline finishes adding planes and pilots to the new service area.

Marine recruiter gets suspended jail sentence: Huff also ordered the defendant to obtain a mental evaluation and follow any recommended treatment program.

Cloaked in secrecy, Kubrick's last film has eager audience: A grinning, ax-toting Jack Nicholson chopping through a door to get to his family and maniacally announcing, "Here's Johnny!"

Guinn demotes PUC chairwoman: CARSON CITY -- Judy Sheldrew, the blunt and often controversial chairwoman of the state Public Utilities Commission, is being demoted.

Goodman's next stop: Washington: Erin Neff; Oscar Goodman's move from courtrooms to council chambers has included meetings with Wall Street bankers, casino moguls and everyone in between.

Las Vegas news briefs for July 14, 1999: Metro robbery detectives are asking for the public's help in locating a man wanted in connection with a string of convenience store and fast-food restaurant robberies.

Fire department reaches accord with American Medical Response: Jace Radke; The Las Vegas Fire Department and American Medical Response have come to an agreement that both sides hope will make transporting injured valley residents faster and easier.

Leasing costs worry Guinn: CARSON CITY -- Gov. Kenny Guinn is unhappy the state is spending $17 million a year to lease office space from private landlords.

Rawson decides to run for re-election: Rawson, a practicing dentist and the leader in the move to create a dental school, had been mentioned last month as a possible candidate to head up the new $30 million school.

Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: Speculation on second race proves unfounded: The Internet rumor mill kicked into high gear almost as soon as the checkered flag dropped on last Sunday's NASCAR Winston Cup race at Sears Point Raceway in Sonoma, Calif.

LV company faces quirky IPO market: David Strow; If everything went according to schedule, Travelscape.com Inc. of Las Vegas would have been a public company by now.

Sun owners look at Vegas cable television network: By Richard N. Velotta; The Las Vegas experience would be the platform for a proposed international television network unveiled today.

MGM studio to sell $750 mil. in stock: Money from the stock sale will cover restructuring expenses, reduce bank debt and raise money for increased film and television production, MGM said Tuesday.

Horseshoe redeems chips: Stupak is sending a $5,000 check to a colleague of the Rev. Tom Grey to fulfill a promise he made to the anti-gaming activist last fall, when the chip dispute erupted, Grey ally Steve Miller said.

Track ends pact with Internet betting service: David Strow; Shares of Station Casinos venture partner Youbet.com Inc. dropped 6 percent this week after a California client dumped the service, but an analyst called it "a non-event."

Community briefs for July 14, 1999: Community Associates Institute will hold two free seminars on homeowner associations for homeowners and association board members. "Preventive Maintenance" will be from 9:30 to 11 a.m. Saturday at the Las Vegas Library, 833 Las Vegas Blvd. North.

Gambling debate hits hills of W.Va.: Fredreka Schouten; WASHINGTON -- In West Virginia, gambling has exploded as a hot political issue and a potent political force.

Greenspun invests in golf publications: Terms of the deal were not announced. VegasGolfer Communications Inc. founders Greg Frey and Brian Hurlburt and Greenspun Corp. President Brian Greenspun formed VegasGolfer LLC. Greenspun is managing member with a 51 percent stake in the company while Frey and Hurlburt share 49 percent.

Caesars' upgrades, redesigns website: The site highlights Caesars properties in Las Vegas, Atlantic City, Lake Tahoe and Indiana.

Beachfront casinos put new emphasis on sand: John Curran; ATLANTIC CITY -- Granted, Nevada has deserts.

Tabish says he befriended, counseled Binion: Two days after Ted Binion's Sept. 17 death Rick Tabish, one of his accused killers, portrayed himself as a friend looking to do business with the multimillionaire and help him cope with his personal problems.

Second wave hits LV: Jace Radke and Mary Manning; A fast-moving thunderstorm pounded the Las Vegas Valley through the night Tuesday and caused flooding, accidents and a second evacuation of the Miracle Mile Mobile Home Park.

Board sides with UNLV professor: CARSON CITY -- The state Board of Examiners voted Tuesday to pay $312,341 to UNLV professor Richard Sutton, who was wrongfully fired from his job six years ago.

Three held without bail in Summerlin shooting: Bill Gang; When rivals decided to take their feud to the exclusive Summerlin area, it resulted in the shooting death of a 20-year-old man and the arrest of three others following a high-speed chase.

Study examines space at colleges: Last month the university system regents agreed to hire MGT of America of Tallahassee, Fla., the organization that performed a funding equity study for the higher education system, to do a $50,000 study to determine whether the state's colleges and universities have fair amounts of space.

2-alarm fire damages 14 condominiums: Jace Radke; A plumber's torch started a two-alarm fire late Tuesday morning damaging 14 condominiums near Twain Avenue and Swenson Street.

Schools eye federal grant to ease teacher shortage: The Clark County School District's need for almost 2,000 new teachers a year could be reduced by 200, at least for the next five years, if a $10 million federal grant comes through.

Planners eager to unveil zoning hotline: Adrienne Packer; Las Vegas might be best known for its 24 hours a day, seven days a week reputation that attracts concert-goers, club-hoppers and gamblers.

Casino lounge piano player Sims dies in Florida at 65: Bob Sims, a hulking piano player who packed Las Vegas Strip lounges for three decades, utilizing a great command of many musical styles and a wide-ranging repertoire to keep casino patrons spellbound, has died in Tampa, Fla. He was 65.

Letter: U.N. contributes to population control: The U.N. wants to tie its "aid" to Central America in the wake of Hurricane Mitch to population control programs. The dean of medicine at the American University in Nicaragua, Dr. Rafael Cabrera, wrote to Dr. Nafis Sadik, who is the director of the U.N. Population Fund, "We don't want you to take advantage of our poverty by offering us money in exchange for the sterile wombs of our mothers and from the innocent blood of our unborn children."

Help youths go to summer camp: Yet after living in a sparsely populated mountain town, Bryan knows what he is missing and would love to have an opportunity to spend a week at summer camp.

Porter may run for Berkley's congressional seat: With Republican state Sen. Mark James deciding not to take a shot at Democrat Shelley Berkley's congressional seat next year, fellow Republican state Sen. Jon Porter will "give it real serious consideration."

Obituaries for July 14, 1999: Rudolph Bassing, 93, of Las Vegas died Tuesday in a local hospice. He was born May 1, 1906, in Bristol, R.I. A resident for 36 years, he was a retired U.S. Department of Labor investigator and a World War II Army veteran.

Douglas, Nev., and Alpine, Calif., have history of cooperation: "We have an exceptional relationship," says Douglas County Sheriff Ron Pierini. "We don't really consider that there's a state line there. When they need us, we'd be more than glad to help them out and vice versa. It really works out well."

Columnist Paula DelGiudice: Wind, rain can pose a danger: Paula DelGiudice; Boaters and anglers should be extremely cautious as they head to Lake Mead or Mohave, given the recent weather patterns of our summer monsoons. Winds and rains that are prevalent when these storm cells move through can be treacherous to boaters.

Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: Walters may fight BLM in court: Fortunately for Billy Walters, the local golf course developer doesn't have to deal with the Bureau of Land Management to build a golf course at the south end of the Strip.

Columnist Dean Juipe: City needs to expand youth golf: Dean Juipe; As much as this can be generalized, the world is envious of anyone who's a good golfer.

Soccer execs hopeful that CONCACAF will draw here: Steve Carp; Chuck Blazer remembered the last time he was in Las Vegas. And he never forgot the way he was treated.

Big Time Glance: What: The Big Time Tournament, featuring 256 prep boys basketball teams from 42 states, Canada and Europe When: Thursday through Monday (Pool play Thursday and Friday, bracket play Saturday, Sunday and Monday) Where: Eight area high schools (Durango, Green Valley, Cimarron-Memorial, Silverado, PaloVerde, Las Vegas, Mojave, Cheyenne) Admission: $8 for one-day pass

Reno, San Diego men eyed for Black Book: On Thursday the Gaming Control Board will consider the nominations of Peter Jay Lenz of San Diego and John Edward Mealey Jr. of Reno. The nominations must be approved by both the board and the Gaming Commission to take effect.

LasVegas missing from tech listing: Michael White; LOS ANGELES -- Cities that fail to attract high-technology industries risk being left behind in a new economy dominated by the Internet and industries such as telecommunications and biotechnology, a study of U.S. metropolitan areas concluded.

Goodman hopes to use eminent domain powers to create massive park downtown: Sonya Padgett; A downtown park the size of a small city may be Oscar Goodman's legacy from his first term as mayor of Las Vegas.

Internet ticketing program launched: "National Online," the company's reservations site, offers customers the ability to choose their seat assignment in addition to providing standard information such as flight schedules and fares.

PAC sues councilman, three others: Bill Gang and Erin Neff; The Big Elephant Club has filed a defamation lawsuit alleging City Councilman Michael McDonald and three other men authored an "offensive brochure" against City Council candidate Steve Miller and blamed it on the political action committee.

LVCVA extends bull riders sponsorship: Board members voted unanimously to sponsor the PBR Tour event through 2003.

No. 1 summer tournament in nation tips off Thursday: Steve Guiremand; Normally basketball fans must wait until October for the ritual of Midnight Madness.

Local high school juniors steal this year's Big Time spotlight: Spencer Patterson; A year ago, the annual adidas Big Time Basketball Tournament turned into a coming out party for one of the top local senior classes Las Vegas has seen in years.

Columnist Peter Benton: Montgomerie, Els are best Open bets: Peter Benton; The 128th British Open gets under way Thursday, and it seems very fitting that after 25 years "The Open" returns to the Carnoustie Golf Course in Scotland.

Public invited to review Red Rock Canyon plan: Open houses at BLM's Las Vegas Field Office at 4765 W. Vegas Drive are scheduled today from 1 to 4 p.m.; Thursday from 7 to 10 p.m. and Saturday from 2 to 5 p.m. An additional open house will be hosted at the Red Rock Canyon Visitor Center on Sunday from 4 to 8 p.m.

Wednesday on POV: "POV Vegas" airs at 5 p.m. and repeats at 6 and 8 p.m. on Las Vegas 1, Cox cable channels 1 and 39.

Columnist Muriel Stevens: Pouring on umbrella advice: How did your umbrella hold up during the recent monsoon downpours? Full-size, old-fashioned umbrellas are still the most dependable, but the smaller fold-ups, which many of us carry, can easily be tucked inside a brief case or handbag.

Editorial: Posturing threatens HMO bill: Before the widespread introduction of managed care, a good case could be made that the pendulum had swung too far in the direction of the patient, sometimes resulting in medical testing and treatments that weren't necessary. Managed care offered a promising alternative to the traditional fee-for-service care, reducing costs and also providing better treatment through an emphasis on preventive care. For a brief period managed care did offer excellent benefits, but soon HMOs started squeezing doctors, emphasizing profits over patients. Today patients frequently find they have to fight their own insurer to get needed care, coverage that they or their ...

Extortion attempt, bomb threat closes Reno grocery store: The caller advised employees to bring money outside to a specific location or a bomb would go off in the store.

Thai cooking made simple: Making Thai food at home may seem a bit far-fetched for all but Thais, but the newly revised "Keo's Thai Cuisine," by acclaimed restaurateur and author Keo Sananikone makes it possible for everyone.

Letter: Trickle-down theory is all wet: He says the rich will invest the rest of their money, creating more jobs. But not all investment creates jobs here. Some money is invested overseas, creating jobs over there but not here; some is invested in better technology which replaces more jobs than it creates; some is invested in speculation, which creates nothing.

Columnist Elizabeth Foyt: Local celebrities to help roast new mayor: Elizabeth Foyt; Anote from Pat Cooper and his "Tent of the Circus" chapter of Saints and Sinners alerted us to an upcoming moment in the spotlight for Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman. Goodman, who has gracefully gone from the courtrooms to the political arena, will be roasted Aug. 11 at the new Caribbean Cabana restaurant on West Sahara Avenue. Cooper will delight in his role as "roast-master" while Pete Barbuti, Sonny King, Jay Bernard, Sandy Hackett, the Sun's Joe Delaney, Nelson Sardelli, Steve Rossi and others will target the mayor with their clever comments. Jerry Scafer will serve as master of ceremonies ...

Letter: Southern Nevada polio survivors have friend in SNAPS: Although there is no cure for PPS, there is hope. There is a 2 1/2-year-old support group in the area called SNAPS (Southern Nevada Association of Polio Survivors).

Police to use surveillance cameras during Hot August Nights: Citing complaints of police brutality last year, Hoover said the cameras will also help sort out what happened in the event of similar accusations this year.

Funnel cloud touches down near Sparks: A lightning strike also sparked a grass fire south of Reno near the Mount Rose Highway, but it was quickly extinguished.

Commissioners look for ways to save Mapes Hotel: The 51-year-old Mapes was listed last year by the National Trust for Historic Preservation as one of the 11 most endangered historic sites in the country.

Officials plan to fix Colorado River area: Chris Kahn; But when the Missouri native first came to Bullhead City in far western Arizona 14 years ago, he saw a Colorado River in decline. He saw places like "Cottonwood" Cove and "Willow" Beach without any trees.

Ralph Siraco's selections for Thursday's races at Hollywood Park: 1st Race

No military honors for man accused of faking his death and assaulting teens: Robert Macy; Bennett hanged himself with a bedsheet in his jail cell Monday night, two days before he was to face a court-martial for rape and other charges involving 10 young women, including two of his teen-age daughters.

Anti-AIDS signs raise ire in West Las Vegas: Art Nadler; Four anti-AIDS billboards may be coming down next week, their demise hastened by a message some critics believe is both offensive and misleading.

Minor flooding hits valley, damage assessment efforts continue: Kiley Russell; The storm hit about 11:30 p.m. Tuesday, drenching the center of town and around the Flamingo Wash area.