Print edition for October 25, 1999

Teamsters target Mandalay Bay: David Strow; In the public eye the Strip is viewed as friendly ground for unions. And one of the friendliest has been Mandalay Resort Group, formerly Circus Circus Enterprises Inc.

Embezzlement alleged at Reno casino site: Perini in June completed construction of a 27-story hotel tower at the Atlantis Casino in Reno.

Mixed news from big LV homebuilder: The company reported net income of $13.8 million, or 74 cents per share, for the quarter ending Sept. 30, up from net income of $8.4 million, or 45 cents per share, in the year-ago quarter. Revenues rose 54 percent to $413.3 million.

Park Place earnings rise: Gary Thompson; Park Place Entertainment Corp. of Las Vegas, the world's largest gaming company, today reported a 35.7 percent gain in third-quarter per-share net income before one-time expenses related to the opening of its Paris Las Vegas resort.

Scientists: Pursue new technology ahead of Yucca: An unreleased report from an international group of nuclear scientists urges the Department of Energy to delay a high-level nuclear waste dump at Yucca Mountain and spend $280 million on research to prove the feasilibilty of new technology that could transform deadly radioactive waste into less harmful material.

Phone giant beats profit forecasts: Phone giant beats profit forecasts

Miss. Gaming Association director resigns: Ernie Stebbins, 47, who joined the association two years ago, is taking a job as executive director of Phi Kappa Psi, a college fraternity with more than 85 undergraduate chapters across the nation.

Papers outline events stalling SW Gas merger: David Strow; Documents newly obtained by the Las Vegas Sun spell out in new and greater detail a regulatory scandal that has paralyzed an Oklahoma natural gas company's $1.8 billion deal to buy Southwest Gas Corp. of Las Vegas.

Sav-On launches Internet drug sales in Vegas: Phil Levine; The battle to fill Las Vegans' pharmaceutical needs heats up this week with two new online programs.

LV bookmaking company sues workers who defected: Grace Leong; National Sports Services Inc. of Las Vegas is seeking an injunction against five former employees, prohibiting them from selling and disseminating its customer lists and trade secrets, soliciting its customers and engaging in any competing sports information business in Nevada until Oct. 15, 2000.

B of A executive leaves Las Vegas job: Stowell, who has been with Bank of America for 13 years, left the company Thursday. Contacted today, Stowell had no comment about the move, but said he is pursuing other options in Las Vegas.

Casino vet's license bid withdrawn: At a meeting earlier this month of the commission's investigative arm, the state Gaming Control Board, Howard was hit with a denial recommendation because of concerns about business ties.

Prosecutions sought in wild horse slaughters: The BLM is charged with managing the West's estimated 44,000 wild horses, about half of which are in Nevada. The agency routinely gathers some of the animals and puts them up for adoption to ease overpopulation.

Jaywalking citation looks bad for cop: MARK PEARSON

Man shot by resident after alleged robbery attempt: Jace Radke; A man who shot and killed an alleged intruder in his apartment Sunday morning said he was acting in self-defense, but whether he will face criminal charges has yet to be determined.

Flood control becomes issue for Reno City Council: "I'm concerned they're not going to have flood control. Warning bells are coming in from various places," she said.

Man arrested after losing temper: A vehicle driven by Lam and another vehicle occupied by three people from the Topaz Lake area were traveling on U.S. Highway 395 south of here when the shooting occurred Friday night.

Hellman to leave American Land Conservancy post: "It's just time for a change," Hellman said. "I'm not going to abandon these folks. I'll still be working with them."

Birth announcements: Sept. 27: Samantha to Debra and Tim Taeger. Oct. 2: Tanner to Natalie and Britt Beckstrom; Nicole to Cynthia and Nicholas Conti. Oct. 3: Brady to Farrah and Edward Sahakian Jr. Oct. 4: Chase to Simonne and Keith Adams; Ethan to Angie and Jody Vowell; Madison to Sheila and Carlos Zamora; Rhiannen to Alisha and Glen Cox Jr. Oct. 6: Kyle to Jeri and Cliff Rumsey Jr. JOct. 7: Kora to Brandi and Thomas Kedziorski; Miguel to Leah Culpepper and Miguel Pacheco; Jeffrey to Cassi and Jock Wright; Mariah to Amanda Mayeux and Daniel Cortez. Oct. 8: Zoey to Cara ...

Employee returning to PUC after being fired: CARSON CITY -- After a five-year battle William Stanley is returning to work for the state Public Utilities Commission. Stanley was fired for disruptive and threatening behavior toward other employees.

Margaret Thatcher to visit Reno: All tickets for the $150-a-plate event have sold out for the dinner at Harrah's Reno. It's being held in celebration of the centennial of the founding of juvenile courts in the United States.

Community news briefs for October 25, 1999: Goodwill of Southern Nevada Inc. has named the charter members of its newly formed advisory board.

MiGs join Red Flag on Nellis range: As the result of Red Flag aerial combat training exercises, there will be increased aircraft operations around the base and its ranges, Nellis spokesmen said.

Letter: Drivers don't yield for ambulances: God forbid I ever need the assistance of the police, fire or ambulance and tragedy happens -- all because vehicles on the road will not honor their importance. My boyfriend and I talked about this in great length and came up with an idea. What if each emergency vehicle had a police escort to ensure that emergency vehicles don't experience traffic delays. I'm sure by doing this it would be easier and safer for them as well as everyone else. Those people who don't stop should be cited and given a hefty fine.

Police call for help in search for missing teenager: She last was seen wearing a blue shirt and jeans with a black book bag.

Editorial: Alabama voters stem gaming's tide, for now: Something unexpected happened in Alabama the other day: Voters soundly rejected a lottery initiative.

Highway patrol officers pull 48 tour buses off Interstate 15: Nevada Highway Patrol spokesman Scott Flabi said the program to get unsafe buses off the highway is part of a federally funded project and is a joint effort between Nevada and California.

UNLV to build more dorms: UNLV students will have more beds but fewer parking spaces, at least in the short run, with the approval of a request by the university to borrow money to build more dormitory space.

Columnist Dean Juipe: Norris fails as fighter and as actor: Dean Juipe; There is no underestimating the power of suggestion.

Bryan rips lack of privacy protection in bill: Phil Levine; Sen. Richard Bryan says a lack of privacy protection in a historic new banking bill means "financial institutions got the gold, while consumers got the shaft."

Norris takes a knee: Dean Juipe; With a saddened expression that appeared to be a possible forerunner to a teary sermon, Mike Tyson's voice cracked.

Gun accident leaves teenager dead: Sheriff's deputies said several people were at the Sun Valley residence where the death occurred but they currently are treating the incident as an accidental shooting.

Search for girl, 7, may be expanded: Jace Radke; Sunday night Ramon Rodriguez sat in his living room surrounded by family and friends as he watched home videos of his 7-year-old daughter, Karla, who has been missing since Wednesday.

Juvenile justice camp will get renovations: Juvenile justice camp will get renovations

Murphy awaits Thursday release: If she behaves, Sandy Murphy will be released from the Clark County Detention Center on Thursday and go back under house arrest.

Editorial: State caps too low on negligence: James Crockett Jr., an attorney representing the Nevada Trial Lawyers Association, believes that the cap should be abolished, which is the policy of 18 other states. "We have to be totally responsible for what we do, yet the government hides behind a 500-year concept that, 'The king can do no wrong.' Government is nothing but people working for government who have the capacity to cause tremendous catastrophic losses," Crockett said. But Solicitor General Mark Ghan of the Nevada attorney general's office noted that rural counties with small budgets could be crippled by a large judgment. Fearing this scenario, Ghan contended, ...

Another worker killed in cave-in at Nevada mine: Scott Sonner; It is the third mining fatality in Nevada in two weeks.

Black a bright spot in Rebels' defeat: Steve Guiremand; Just call him Randy Black and Blue.

Columnist Ralph Siraco: Behrens can create his own destiny in Classic: Ralph Siraco; What do Behrens, Victory Gallop, Real Quiet, Free House, Silver Charm, Puerto Madero, Charismatic and Event of the Year have in common?

Family wants city to pay for girl bitten by grandpa's wolf dog: They say animal services should have taken the 125-pound wolf-dog away long before it attacked the girl at Soetje's home in June 1998.

Prep Schedule: TUESDAY

LV touted as center of fingerprint security industry: David Strow; For years the Nevada Development Authority has fought to steer technology companies into Southern Nevada -- a battle that NDA officials acknowledge has not been an easy one.

Soon-to-be ex-senator not interested in federal judgeship: Federal judges often reduce their social contacts with attorneys after taking the bench, being careful to avoid appearances of conflicts of interest.

Sheriff questions lax sentences for murder suspect: Kirkland said he wants to know why Allan has never served more than four hours in jail for three previous criminal cases involving violence or firearms.

Game Summary: BYU 29, UNLV 0: First Quarter

Judges' specialization draws support: Bill Gang; Court specialization -- having judges handle only criminal or civil cases for a period of two years -- has its advocates, the Nevada Supreme Court learned Friday, but two-thirds of Clark County's district judges aren't among them.

New shopping mall signs tenants: The $250 million shopping mall, located between the Aladdin and Paris hotel-casinos, is expected to compete directly with the Las Vegas Strip's other upscale shopping malls such as the Forum Shops at Caesars Palace.

DMV says refunds due anyone who paid for unneeded smog tests on new cars: Those motorists and anyone else who thinks a smog test for such vehicles was unnecessary should bring receipts to smog-test stations in Washoe and Clark counties and ask for refunds, the DMV said.

Divided doses: Shaunta Grimes; Some Nevadans are finding Health Plan of Nevada's six-month-old policy of paying for double dosages of certain prescription drugs a hard pill to swallow.

Martin Scorsese and his cast come alive for 'Bringing out the Dead': Bob Strauss; But for his latest feature, "Bringing Out the Dead," the legendary director opted to work with a set of different faces. Some, such as intense and unpredictable Nicolas Cage and Harlem-bred tough guy Ving Rhames, seem as if they should have been making Scorsese films for years instead of for the first time. Others, including the very California Patricia Arquette, affable and easygoing John Goodman and salsa/pop superstar Marc Anthony, you wouldn't immediately connect with the director's edgy nightmare vision.

Band of Indians wins Crusade: McQueen High School was second in the overall competition at Mackay Stadium. White Pine High School led the way among the smaller bands. Reno High School was first in the middle division.

Nevada officials warn of hazards while transporting nuclear waste: Bart Jansen; Citing potential risks from accidents or terrorism, Nevada's four congressmen and several administration officials tried to amplify concerns about burying nuclear waste at a single site 100 miles northwest of Las Vegas. Shipments of spent fuel rods would roll through 43 states, they said.

School enrollment misses projection: Terry Webster; Building schools is the easy part. Finding teachers to fill them is the challenge the Clark County School District faces as official enrollment figures show a 6.6 percent increase in the student population over last year, Superintendent Brian Cram said.

Claassen arrested but not booked: After her arrest, she reported a medical problem and was flown by helicopter to Reno's Washoe Medical Center, where she was treated and released.

Obituaries for October 25, 1999: William Reed Bowers, 62, of Las Vegas died Wednesday in Las Vegas. He was born July 4, 1937, in West Virginia. A resident for many years, he was a baggage handler and a veteran.

Western's victory secures No. 3 seed: Spencer Patterson; While two of the area's other prep football teams slipped into the playoffs through the back door during the regular season's final week, Western left nothing to chance Friday night.

Fall prep playoff schedules, results: 4A STATE TOURNAMENT

Letter: Woman stood firm against tactics by homeowners group: It was time for Big Brother to be brought to task. No innocent individual should have to suffer because of unfair politics and be made to be the bad one when he/she is the one being wronged, even when big corporations are the intimidators.

Fahrenkopf warns NCAA: The casino industry's chief Washington lobbyist has warned the National Collegiate Athletic Association that it risks an all-out war with the industry if it continues to pursue a betting ban on college sports.

Local news briefs for October 25, 1999: A 29-year-old Las Vegas man was in serious condition today at University Medical Center after being shot near 21st Street and Sunrise Avenue in the early morning hours.

Revised scores takes schools out of danger: CTB/McGraw-Hill's mistakes in calibrating test scores for the schools landed them on the state's list of schools needing improvement.

Upcoming business events for October 25, 1999: Small business loans -- Nevada MicroEnterprise Initiative loan information sessions and business plan workshops. Ongoing. 734-3555.

Harrah's tries again with casino in Big Easy: Alan Sayre; NEW ORLEANS -- More than seven years after the Legislature approved the idea, New Orleans begins its second foray into big-time gambling with a huge casino across from the French Quarter and the city's giant convention center.

Fraschilla, Fisher bring extra name recognition to league: Victoria Sun; The brand new Mountain West Conference got a boost in the coaching ranks with the additions of Steve Fisher and Fran Fraschilla.

Panel hears gripes about university police treatment of blacks: Brendan Riley; A legislative study panel on education also was told that similar problems could exist on some other Nevada college campuses - but nothing is documented due to a failure to provide mandatory, detailed reports on such complaints.