Print edition for June 22, 1999

Local triathletes tackle land, water and stereotypes in quest for victory: Karen Zekan; But locals know there's more to this town.

Editorial: Protect medical files now: Competing bills have been introduced in the Senate -- one favored by insurers and employers while another was embraced by privacy advocates and physicians -- so Jeffords decided to seek compromise legislation. While it is hoped that common ground ultimately can be found on this important legislation, privacy advocates and medical professionals are right to be worried that the legislation that Jeffords is working on does not afford adequate privacy guarantees that medical records won't be misused.

Wednesday at Belmont Park: 1st race 6 fur 4YO & up F&M Clm: 1 Yo Ukie (Chavez) 119; 2 Rare Indicator (Leon) 116; 3 Truth Value (Lopez) 116; 4 Gim'e A Hug (Bridgmohan) 119; 5 a-My Lucky Baby (Luzzi) 116; 6 Birdie's Sister (Gryder) 116; 7 Time For Tea (Nelson) 116; 8 Wollaston's Baby (Smith) 111; 9 a-Sports Authority (Diego) 111.

Resort to open lion habitat: The $9 million tri-story habitat is near Studio 54 and the hotel's Entertainment Dome Casino. One to five lions will be on display, including "Baby Lion," a direct descendant of MGM Studios' famous signature marquee lion.

Congressman says he'll seek re-election rather than Senate seat: Robert Macy; Gibbons, who had talked of running for the Senate, said he had been encouraged by the House leadership to seek re-election instead.

Restructuring Department of Energy considered: The Department of Energy and 32 senators agreed today that the agency in charge of nuclear weapons, nuclear waste and energy needs drastic changes to become accountable after spy and security scandals.

Columnist Dean Juipe: Columbine may alter jock culture: Dean Juipe; Because of, or maybe thanks to, what happened at Columbine High School, there figures to be a heightened awareness of athletes and their mores when classes resume in the fall.

Officials OK $150 million bond for convention center expansion: "The board's action allows us to move forward with the south hall expansion as requested by our customers and according to the master plan for the Las Vegas Convention Center," said Manny Cortez, president of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.

Las Vegas news briefs for June 22, 1999: The chairman of a local veterans group has announced his candidacy for Democrat Tom Collins' Assembly seat.

BLM approves annual Burning Man celebration: In its environmental assessment report, the BLM found the festival would have "no significant impact" on the desert environment.

New deal would fine Intel for creating too many jobs: Hans Greimel; HILLSBORO, Ore. -- In the past decade Intel's billion-dollar computer chip plants have transformed this sleepy farm town into a silicon forest of high-paying jobs, new subdivisions and rush-hour traffic jams.

Senior volunteers will hunt Medicaid fraud: Art Nadler; Beginning this fall, retired seniors in Clark County will be asked to do their part in taking a bite out of Medicare and Medicaid fraud.

N.Y. woman to take college job: CARSON CITY -- Carol Lucey, vice president for academic affairs at Alfred State College of Technology in New York, is going to accept the presidency of the Western Nevada Community College in Carson City, even if her husband has not been guaranteed a job in the system.

Apology for DUI death meets with little sympathy from family: Bill Gang; A Henderson man who pleaded guilty to felony drunken driving over a collision that killed a popular third grade teacher already knew that he was going to get the maximum sentence.

Murder defendant's mother tells of his troubled youth: Bill Gang; Sikia Smith's mother told the jury that must decide her son's fate how she was a crack cocaine addict while raising him to age 8 before abandoning him for the next eight years into the custody of his grandmother.

Where I Stand -- Mike O'Callaghan: DOE's cynical culture: TODAY ONE of my favorite Americans, former Republican Sen. Warren Rudman of New Hampshire, will be appearing before Congress with his report on the security problem his board found infecting the Department of Energy. The title "Science At Its Best -- Security At Its Worst" about sums up the content of the report from the President's Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board that Rudman headed up at the request of President Bill Clinton. As a citizen of the United States, I found the entire report both interesting and chilling. Yes, and the attitude of the Department of Energy toward security made me ...

Wednesday at Hollywood Park: 1st race 1-1/16 mi 4YO & up F&M Clm: 1 Aly Babe (Garcia) 116; 2 Laguna Miss (Espinoza) 114; 3 Halo Missy (Black) 116; 4 Oasis (Ramsammy) 119; 5 Ronina (Puglisi) 116; 6 Mid Life Crisis (Valdez) 116.

Neonopolis looking for occupants: Erin Neff; Edward and Julie Jacobs peered through the chain-link fence at Las Vegas Boulevard and Fremont Street on Monday morning eyeing the construction crews several stories below.

FTC clears Caesars sale: Under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act, the FTC and the Justice Department's Antitrust Division review proposed acquisitions that reach certain size thresholds to rule out monopoly concerns.

Despite incarceration, inmates find freedom practicing religion: Stacy J. Willis; By Stacy J. Willis

VLC, Kadlic in pact: The game allows gamblers to play up to four separate hands on one dedicated touchscreen game. Each of the four hands are dealt with two cards face up. The player can select one set of two preferred cards, which will be used as the initial two cards in each hand the player has a bet on. Or the player can throw away all of the initial sets of two and play standard draw poker on each hand with a bet.

Job fair set for Thursday: A unit of MGM Grand Inc., Primadonna said its hiring for its three resorts in Primm. They are Buffalo Bill's Resort & Casino, Primm Valley Resort & Casino and Whiskey Pete's Hotel & Casino.

Pyramid victim identified: Pyramid victim identified

Albertson's to sell all LV stores: Boise-based Albertson's and the Federal Trade Commission this afternoon were expected to announce an agreement in which Albertson's would sell about 140 of its stores in California, Nevada and New Mexico in order to gain approval of its merger with American Stores Co., Salt Lake City, owner of Lucky grocery stores and Sav-On drug stores.

Detroit casino to target high-rollers: Its temporary Detroit casino should open shortly after receipt of the license next month.

Keeping safe on Fourth: Sonya Padgett; Here are some important factors to remember about the safe use of fireworks during the Fourth of July weekend.

Nevada's unemployment rate edges tops national rate in May: There were about 39,300 Nevadans out of jobs and an estimated 964,800 people working in May, according to a report Monday from the state Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation.

Wedding announcement: Lowman-Baker: The couple will honeymoon in San Diego and reside in Tucson.

Obituaries for June 22, 1999: Jimmie Mae Alexander, 81, of North Las Vegas died Friday in a local care center. She was born Sept. 8, 1917, in Crockett, Texas. A resident for 11 years, she was a retired chef and member of the Eastern Star.

Rural residents sue over zone change: Adrienne Packer and Bill Gang; Theresa Bunker is confident she accurately interpreted the message Clark County commissioners sent when they approved a heavily protested zone change to allow a Metro Police union building in her quiet neighborhood.

Columnist Ron Kantowski: Baseball fans do the write thing for a day: Henderson's Gary Thiessen and his son, Brian, of San Jose, Calif., recently lived out their "baseball fantasy" when they become sportswriters for a day, covering a Dodgers-Texas Rangers game in Los Angeles.

Gaming conference under way in LV: Topics to be covered include developments in slot marketing, comping programs, human resources issues, Indian gaming, problem gambling issues, financial issues, bingo developments, security and anti-cheating programs, the status of women in the industry and the aftermath of the National Gambling Impact Study Commission report.

Tainted fish in Nevada lake linked to mercury in loons: Tui chub is the bird's primary food source during their spring and fall stops at the lake.

Opening statements set in Mustang Ranch case: Colletti, missing brothel boss Joe Conforte and other Mustang figures were named in a 33-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury last August. A.G.E. Corp., the current owner of the legal bordello, also was named.

Recycling in county falling short of goal: Art Nadler; The Clark County Health District board will be asked Thursday to take an aggressive approach to promoting recycling throughout Southern Nevada or face the possibility of not achieving a level mandated by the Legislature.

Editorial: Update on uranium tailings near river: Federal agencies have handled this mess ineptly -- the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission insists on capping the tailings and leaving them there instead of moving them to a safe location. But last week U.S. Energy Secretary Bill Richardson said he would send investigators to see if the tailings pose an environmental threat.

Columnist John Katsilometes: Count on Ventura to tell naked truth: As a young man coming of age in the late '60s Bill Clinton scrawled a wrenching letter detailing his emotional strife and inner turmoil prompted by the war in Vietnam.

Letter: Gambling panel great source of information: The nine highly credentialed commissioners representing various ways of life (some related to gambling, some not) all acknowledged the significance of gambling in a community "socially, economically, and psychologically."

Ralph Siraco's selections for Wednesday's races at Hollywood Park: 1ST RACE:

Charleston Heights developer Becker dies: Ernie Becker made things grow.

Public hearing on casino license held: John Redmond, a vice president of MGM Grand Detroit, said the company's $200 million temporary casino would be ready for state inspectors by the end of June.

Schroeder, good friend of the arts and charities, dies: Just before she received the Nevada Opera Theatre Guild's International Friendship Award in April, Las Vegas socialite Colleen Schroeder said, as the old saying goes, her life truly began at age 40.

Worth the wait: Lisa Snedeker; Drivers who use Eastern Avenue south of Lake Mead Drive face a summer of traffic tie-ups while the heavily traveled road is widened from two to six lanes.

Community news briefs for June 22, 1999: The luncheon is $25 for members and $30 for nonmembers. Call 450-1000, Ext. 222.

Nevada gets $3.9 million to combat crime: "Crime is an issue that affects every community in Nevada regardless of size. This grant will help fund programs to combat crime at the local level and will fund task force efforts aimed a cracking down on drug manufacturers, drug traffickers and gang violence," Reid said.

Visitation up slightly in April: The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Bureau said 390,277 people visited the town on the Colorado River south of Las Vegas in April. That's up 2.2 percent from April 1998.

Tracking device: When American sprinter Maurice Greene shattered the 100-meter world record last week in Athens, Greece, the feat received only passing mention on most sportscasts in the United States and was reduced to a two- or three-paragraph item in many newspapers.

Letter: Reagan, Bush had military reasons: Mr. Olivier, if I ever cheered for Reagan at Grenada, it was for the rescue of American students over there who were threatened by marauding Cuban soldiers.

Wedding announcement: Bolton-Cordero: They married on June 15 at Sunset Gardens. Rabbi Gary Golbart officiated the ceremony.

Bryan, Reid to meet with USDA officials over milk pricing system: "It is imperative that the Department of Agriculture fully understand the consequences of such an ill-conceived proposal," Bryan, D-Nev., said Tuesday.

Mattel ties down arm on Tarzan toy to thwart perceived risque business: No one has complained to the company but "that right arm is the topic of controversy," Mattel spokeswoman Sara Rosales said Saturday.

Letter: Charity grateful for refugee donations: To those who are still waiting for a pick-up of items at your home, please have patience as the number of calls has stretched our pick-up service to the maximum. We will get to everyone, but it will just take a little longer than normal.

High school seniors can get tutoring, take exit exam again: About 800 Clark County seniors left high school this spring without passing the Nevada Proficiency Examination, even though some of them had enough credits to graduate.

Judge chides Churchill DA's office for delay in trial: Anderson missed the deadline for the witnesses and for one expert witness.

Man arrested for drunken driving files complaint against Metro police: Charges of resisting arrest and obstructing a public officer resulted from the June 13 arrest.

Woman suing police claims unconstitutional conspiracy: Tom Gardner; "This is not a case about rude policemen," attorney Marc Picker wrote in the response filed on Monday in U.S. District Court.

LVCVA approves bond issue for center's expansion: The measure was passed over the objections of officials from the Venetian hotel-casino and its adjacent Sands Expo Center, who worry the expansion will take some of their business.

Gamers face wider fraud lawsuit: David Strow; A group of attorneys suing virtually every major casino operator and slot manufacturer is asking a federal judge for access to documents they say will prove a long-term effort was made by industry players to intentionally mislead slot players.

Senators score well on environment: The average score was 45 percent.

Nevada regulators OK utility merger: California and Arizona regulators have yet to rule on the deal and it still must be approved by Southwest shareholders. A competing bid offering $80 million more for Southwest is on the table. But Southwest has rejected as not feasible that bid by Southern Union Co. of Austin, Texas.

Dehne clipped for $5,000 in complaints on mayor: Dehne has filed four ethics complaints against Griffin since September 1997. All have been dismissed.

Reports: Nugget investigated for messenger betting: The state Gaming Control Board is conducting the probe and Deputy Attorney General for Gaming A.G. Burnett told the Gazette-Journal a stipulation could be forthcoming in the messenger betting case.

Apartment alleges construction defects: Olen Residential Realty Corp. opened Spanish Wells, a 180-unit complex at 5355 S. Rainbow Blvd., in June 1993. Jones was the general contractor, Olen claims.

Sprint sets rollout of phone service of the future: Cheryl Wittenauer; KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Sprint Corp.'s new digital-age phone service sets the stage for a home communications utility that will one day encompass everything from phone and Internet service to home security monitoring, officials said.

Enterprise Township at center of expansion: Lisa Snedeker; Residents in Enterprise Township will have another opportunity to have their say on future land uses surrounding their homes later this month, but whether they end up with a Henderson address is up to the Bureau of Land Management.

Rio agrees to $25,000 fine: CARSON CITY -- Rather than risk the chance of being hit with a fine of several hundred thousand dollars, the Rio Suite Hotel & Casino agreed to pay a $25,000 penalty for allowing minors to play slot machines and loiter in gaming areas.

Builder files foreclosure action: White Cap Industries Inc. of Costa Mesa, Calif., sued Mega Wall Corp. of Las Vegas, claiming it is owed $13,432 for materials provided in the construction of St. John The Baptist Greek Orthodox Church, 5300 S. El Camino. To collect those funds, White Cap is asking a Clark County judge to sell the church building at auction to pay back the debt.