News briefs

Wednesday, Oct. 13, 1999 | 11:36 a.m.

Gore withholds his middle name

What's in a middle name?

Fifth-grader Christopher Hoch waited all Tuesday morning to ask Vice President Al Gore what his middle name is. But when the big moment came, mum was the word from the presidential candidate.

Gore was touring Roberta C. Cartwright Elementary School in Las Vegas to talk about his education plan to put more teachers in the classroom and reduce class sizes.

After the vice president talked with parents and teachers for almost 45 minutes, Christopher could wait no longer.

"What's your middle name?" the student asked.

Instead of answering him, Gore turned the question around, asking Christopher what his full name is.

Either Gore didn't hear Christopher or didn't want to reveal his middle name. Afterward, press aides and Secret Service agents said they didn't know Gore's middle name.

For the record, his middle name is Arnold.

Delta flight forced to return to McCarran

A Delta Airlines Boeing 767 with 190 passengers on board was forced to return to McCarran International Airport shortly after take-off this morning because of a problem in the plane's hydraulic system.

The plane was destined for Dallas-Fort Worth.

An airport spokesman said mechanics are checking a reported failure in the plane's utility hydraulic system.

Emergency vehicles were on stand-by when the plane touched down safely shortly after 8 a.m.

Gibbons named to special committee

Rep. Jim Gibbons, R-Nev., was appointed to a special oversight committee Tuesday that Republican leaders formed after President Clinton put Energy Secretary Bill Richardson in charge of the new Agency for Nuclear Stewardship.

GOP leaders, incensed by the president's act, had created the agency to ensure the security of nuclear weapons and the Nevada Test Site, 65 miles northwest of Las Vegas.

The agency was created within the Department of Energy after allegations of espionage by China at the national nuclear laboratories. The Test Site was deemed secure, but it comes under the new agency.

Besides Gibbons, the oversight panel will be chaired by Rep. Mac Thornberry, R-Texas. Rep. Ellen Tauscher, D-Calif., serves as ranking Democrat with Reps. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., Jim Ryun, R-Kan., Norman Sisisky, D-Va. and John Spratt, D-S.C.

Accused firms settle complaints with EPA

Three Nevada companies allegedly selling restricted pesticides to individuals settled the violation of federal law with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The firms have agreed to pay a combined total of $12,800 to settle.

In addition, the EPA is seeking $37,500 from Helena Chemical Co. for multiple similar violations at the firm's Las Vegas and Carson City branches.

The three companies agreeing to the settlement are Intermountain Farmers Association and Van Waters and Rogers of Las Vegas and Western Exterminator Co., also known as Target Speciality Products, a mail-order retailer based in Phoenix that sold pesticides in Reno.

The four actions were based on Nevada Department of Agriculture inspections.

Final series meeting planned tonight

The final town hall meeting by environmental groups to discuss growth in the Las Vegas Valley will be tonight at 7 in the Flamingo Library, 1401 E. Flamingo Road.

There will be two short presentations to discuss growth issues followed by small group discussions. Scheduled speakers are Russell Roberts, Clark County air quality planner, and Mark Bird, a local environmental activist.

The Sierra Club and Citizen Alert, two environmental groups, sponsored the series of five meetings. Group representatives said they will issue a report on the meetings early next month.

Police to talk about plans for crowds

Metro Police Capt. Douglas Gillespie will talk to Las Vegas residents on Oct. 25 about plans the department has made to handle the crowds of tourists expected in town on New Year's Eve.

"This is not an in-depth briefing. It is just an overview of our plan as it stands now," Gillespie said.

Last New Year's Eve about 300,000 people crowded the Las Vegas Strip.

Gillespie will speak at 7 p.m. in the southeast substation, 2300 East St. Louis Ave.

To make reservations or for more information, call Donna Woodard, 871-1414.

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