Print edition for March 21, 1999

Reno officials mull monorail system to boost tourism: "I think it's not only feasible, it's very exciting to contemplate," said Phil Keene, president and chief executive officer of the Reno-Sparks Convention & Visitors Authority.

Recycling plant fire threatens buildings: Firefighters were hampered by a lack of water in the area and the strong winds that caused the fire to spread.

Letter: Bellagio breakfast a joy without kids: I did not realize they didn't allow children in, but looking back, I really feel it added to the experience. The Bellagio was magnificent and we were able to have a delicious meal in a quiet atmosphere and be able to visit with each other without kids crying and running around.

Reno's transportation commission picks new chief: Morse, 47, replaces Celia Kupersmith as executive director on April 1.

3 convicted of murdering Reno cabdriver for $89: Weston Edward Sirex, 24, of Reno, and Latisha Marie Babb, 19, and Shawn Russell Harte, 20, both of Fallon, now await penalty hearings Monday.

'Mississippi of the West' in 1954 Magazine's scathing article turned heads in Las Vegas: A story in the March 1954 edition of Ebony magazine titled "Negroes can't win in Las Vegas" told of the shocking segregation practices in the gambling capital.

Columnist Sandra Thompson: Court system denies justice for mother: Sandra Thompson; The next day, the Nevada Supreme Court stayed the order and ordered the woman released, pending a review of the case.

Health advocates: Tobacco, casino industries work in tandem in Nevada: The tobacco industry's image was so tarnished, they needed allies whose reputation wasn't soiled, he said.

Letter: Front Sight cause for worry: This group, better funded and better educated might be more dangerous!

Working, yet homeless: Martin Kuz; The car eased up to the front gate of MASH Village in the predawn hours. From the passenger seat, Ginger Diltz glanced at the driver, her coworker at a downtown casino.

Letter: Give tobacco money to victims: If you contract lung cancer in Nevada, the state and the casinos should pay your bills! That money is ours! The casinos allow smoking because they know that people who are problem gamblers would gamble much less if they couldn't smoke.

Letter: College funding gap is hurting quality of education: During her presentation at the Board of Regents' February meeting, UNLV President Dr. Carol Harter explained that in 1980, the gap in funding in favor of UNR was $377 per student FTE (Full-Time Equivalent). In 1986, when the funding formula was initiated, the gap was $508 per student FTE. By 1998 the gap had increased to $2,821 per student FTE.

Letter: Yugoslavia column scores bull's-eye: Secretary of State Madeleine Albright's obvious aim to rid the world of that little country is unthinkable. The people of Yugoslavia were actually unknown to most of the United States until the American fliers, who were rescued by the Serbs, returned to the United States after World War II and expressed their gratitude by erecting a monument in Washington, D.C., in honor of those "mountain people."

The long road to acceptance on the Strip: The following chronology is gathered from several sources, including the city of Las Vegas, "McWilliams Townsite: A History of West Las Vegas and its Residents" by Karen Tackett, the Las Vegas Sun and Ebony magazine:

Blacks remember Strip desegregation: When Magnolia Ferrell came to Las Vegas from Lexington, Miss., in 1942 she quickly learned that there was little difference between her old hometown and her new one.

Letter: Move back lights at railroad crossings: Too many politicians wear blinders over their eyes. Blinking red lights should also be about 100 to 150 yards from the railroad crossings.

Letter: Front Sight story unbiased: The article in the Sun was interesting, informative and in-depth. I want to thank you for your unbiased and well-written article. Keep up the good writing.

"Shakespeare" takes best picture, Spielberg directing Oscar: "This is a terrible mistake because I used up all my English," he said, as he leapt to the stage for the second time.

Columnist Scott Dickensheets: 'X' marks its spot in Vegas: Scott Dickensheets; Before we get to that, there's this: Put those autograph-ready "X-Files" collectibles back in their boxes. I'm told Agents Mulder and Scully (David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson) aren't in this script, probably won't be in town, although maybe that's just what they want me to think. "It's an all-Lone Gunmen episode," says Dean Haglund, the actor who plays Langly, one of the Lone Gunmen.

Where I Stand -- Mike O'Callaghan: Legal theft of privacy: Last week, Sen. Mark James, R-Las Vegas, raised concern about the proposal to put cameras at traffic lights to catch violators. This followed the submission of SB381 which would prohibit the use of these publicly intrusive machines.

Reno Hilton chief to oversee Flamingo Hilton: The move is part of a management consolidation plan implemented by Park Place Entertainment Inc., the resorts' parent company that was spun off last year from Hilton Hotels Corp.

BLM to hold public hearings on mining regulations: Miners contend the proposed surface management rule changes are an end-run around failed federal legislation and could result in a loss of mining jobs.

Judge, county clerk criticize letter sent to Hispanic group: "I'm totally outraged. This is inexcusable," Harvey said, adding she was unaware of the letter because it was written while she was out of town.

Columnist Jeff German: Binion case finally has right label: homicide: Clark County Coroner Ron Flud raised the stakes last week in the investigation into Ted Binion's death, when he told the world that the colorful casino executive was murdered.

Judge rules against Silver State workers: Derek Cardwell, vice president of Local 631, said the possibility of members voting for a strike is "wide open."

Editorial: House should address compensation in open: Near the end of the week, though, Thomas was backpedaling and said he would consider it only if the leadership from both parties endorsed the plan. So far, both Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., and House Minority Leader Richard Gephardt, D-Mo., have given Thomas' proposal a decidedly chilly reception.

Letter: Be wary of GOP in White House: I remember Newt Gingrich, in a speech to a wildly cheering Republican caucus and other right-wing supporters, saying "we are going to let Medicare wither on the vine but we will need a Republican president to do something about Social Security" (the implication being to abolish it).

Shakespeare, not Spielberg, wins Best Picture: Best Director Steven Spielberg dedicated his Oscar to his father, and to the men who died during the D-day invasion. But his glaring - and loud - look at war was surpassed by a 1590s tale of Elizabethan life.

Editorial: New report questions dump study: It also will be interesting to see how Murkowski and other supporters of the nuclear power industry react to an important report released last week by scientific experts that casts serious doubts about whether it will be safe to store nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain. The Sun's Mary Manning reported that the six-member peer-review panel found the Energy Department faces major hurdles in completing experiments on the movement of ground water and potential radiation leakage from a proposed repository in the mountain.

City officials promise to fix bidding problems: The recently formed panel met Friday for the first time in three months to consider the purchasing and contracts audit and other matters. They accepted a list of finalists for the position of city auditor and said the subjects of audits need to be given a chance to respond to the findings before reports are released.