Print edition for October 28, 1999

Anchor Gaming earnings decline: Revenues soared 96.6 percent, to $127 million from $64.6 million, due largely to the acquisition of Powerhouse Technologies Inc., which was acquired two days before the latest quarter began.

Seed company gains new loans: "With this firm financial footing, we can increase our efforts to develop, produce and sell improved varieties of grass and forage seed," said Chief Executive Richard Budd.

Murphy returns to house arrest: Sandy Murphy was released from the Clark County Detention Center today, while another defendant in the Ted Binion murder-robbery case was facing possible jail time on federal charges.

Labonte trying to figure out title race: Mike Harris; Bobby Labonte has never felt the crushing pressure of a down-to-the-wire championship race.

Auto racing schedules and standings: Feb. 14 - Daytona 500, Daytona Beach, Fla. (Jeff Gordon)

Letter: Arrogant DMV clerk offends paying customer: I responded I hoped to return when the DMV had resolved its current computer problems. She shouted: "What problems?"

Take a visit to the atomic desert: The Nevada Test Site: Todd Lewan; Bob Freiter crouched in the roaring bird's belly. He was 24, an Air Force tailgunner on a secret mission: Operation Upshot-Knothole. Beside him sat Dixie, an atomic bomb as big as a Studebaker.

Irvine right at home in Japan: K.P. Hong; SUZUKA, Japan - Eddie Irvine feels right at home in Japan, and thinks it's an appropriate place for him to win his Formula One championship.

Editorial: Splitting pills isn't a panacea: In response, some health insurers are seeking ways to trim these costs. One controversial method is requiring that doctors prescribe double doses of some medications. Patients then use a pill splitter, provided by the health insurer, to cut the medication in half. Since there isn't much difference in the price for either a single or double dose of certain medications, some insurers have opted for this route that saves them money.

Editorial: GOP-led Congress has budget troubles: So Republican leaders beat a hasty retreat and announced this week that as part of their proposal, members of Congress would cut their pay raise. This ended that public relations disaster, but there is discord within their own ranks over the plan to cut all federal agency budgets by the same amount, a move which some believe could hurt worthy programs. These worries were heightened after the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said Tuesday that even a 1 percent cut, paring about $2.7 billion from the military budget, would have a "devastating" impact.

TV Listings: Noon

Prep standings: SUNRISE DIVISION

Instant Dad: Victoria Sun; A few nights each week at Bill Bayno's Spanish-style home, a brown-haired beauty eagerly awaits his arrival.

New names fight it out for CART title: Mike Harris; FONTANA, Calif. - The words come harder these days for Dario Franchitti and Juan Montoya.

Tribesmen free kidnapped American teacher, her parents in Yemen: They said the Americans were freed following intensive negotiations by authorities with the kidnappers, who belong to the Bani Jabr tribe of the Habab Valley in Marib, east of San'a.

Cops read a brighter future for at-risk kids: Jace Radke; Metro Police are hoping a new reading program will help Las Vegas children in the classroom while at the same time teaching them that police are here to help.

Columnist Ruthe Deskin: Changing times are evident: Ruthe Deskin; Proof that things aren't always what they seem is in our ever-changing language.

LV's Wodka wins first title: Wodka is this season's seventh first-time winner. He took home $15,000.

This week's races: Memphis 250

Gore, Bradley meet in first debate of Democratic presidential race: Ron Fournier; Campaigning this morning in Nashua, Bradley said Wednesday night's debate gave both candidates an opportunity to express their views, and that he felt good about it.

Community news briefs for October 28, 1999: Mayor Oscar Goodman will hold his monthly open-door meeting with the public from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday in the City Hall council chambers.

Where I Stand -- Brian Greenspun: He's on the ropes again: A PICTURE could be worth $10 million!

Armenian gunmen release hostages, say they acted to save nation: Avet Demourian; Hundreds of police and army troops with armored personnel carriers had surrounded the parliament building in this former Soviet republic throughout the night and authorities had been considering using special forces to end the standoff with the five attackers.

Junk bond summit set for MGM Grand next month: The first annual High Yield Summit at the MGM Grand Conference Center will draw bankers, analysts, mutual fund managers, issuers and leveraged buy-out financiers prominent in the $1 trillion high-yield industry.

Southwest Gas merger hearings pushed back to February 2000: David Strow; Hearings in Arizona on the $1.8 billion merger of Southwest Gas Corp. and an Oklahoma company have been pushed back to next year -- but an Arizona official is vowing this delay will be the last.

Gang life haunts killer at sentencing: Bill Gang; For Randy Smith, the street gang life he had embraced for more than a dozen years already had cost him six years behind bars. Now it will cost him at least another 10 -- and perhaps his entire life.

Democrats outline plan for seniors: Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., and Richard Bryan, D-Nev., joined their colleagues to announce the legislative agenda, which includes Reid's plan to offer incentives to medical students who specialize in geriatrics and to expand geriatric programs at medical schools.

Electricity bills to rise for some in Clark County: The Public Utilities Commission of Nevada approved a tariff passing through increases in business license fees approved by the Clark County Commission.

Letter: Vets medical care is in sorry state: During these years of duty, the financial earnings were adequate but not tremendous. The enticements to stay were the benefits such as PX, commissary and other military base facilities, and especially military medical care -- all of which were used extensively during those years, and all of which were promised to continue following retirement.

Head of Tahoe Regional Planning Agency quitting: "It's been difficult for him to get all of his energy back given the demands of his job," said TRPA spokeswoman Pam Drum.

$1 million incentive fund proposed to attract filmmakers to Vegas: The Entertainment Development Corp. of Las Vegas may lead an unprecedented drive to raise $1 million to offer cash incentives to producers who choose to make their movies in Southern Nevada.

Nurses say hospital staffing often driven by bottom line: Acuity level is how hospitals measure how much care patients need, taking into account the type of illnesses and how closely their medicine and monitoring equipment must be watched.

Judge rules indictment stands in road-rage death: Bill Gang; District Judge Kathy Hardcastle said the grand jury that indicted Alexis Bodkin in a fatal road rage accident was "very poorly run," but the problems weren't serious enough to justify dismissing charges against Bodkin.

New rule to ease water woes: Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt is announcing today a flexible rule that will allow Nevada, Arizona and California to share the Colorado River to meet increasing water demands in the growing Southwest.

Struggling Hasek finally chalks up first victory of NHL season: Ken Rappoport; Although Dominik Hasek still isn't dominating, at least he has a victory.

Trash transfer sites approved: The Clark County Health District board today approved two waste transfer stations for Republic Silver State Disposal Co.

Jobless rate falls in Southern Nevada: CARSON CITY -- Unemployment inched down to 4.4 percent in Southern Nevada in September as the area posted strong growth in casino jobs during the past year, the state reported Wednesday.

Volleyball team in need of recovery: A once-promising season has been derailed by a series of injuries, but UNLV head volleyball coach Deitre Collins has not given up hope of her team performing well in the Mountain West Conference Tournament next month or qualifying for the NCAA Tournament.

LV man gets probation in insurance fraud: CARSON CITY -- District Judge Joseph Bonaventure Wednesday placed Kevin N. Decker, 28, of Las Vegas on three years probation for falsely reporting that his pickup truck had been stolen to defraud his insurance company of $11,291.

Rebels win, lose in tournament: Skorin took care of his opponent, Derek DeLancey of Weber State, 6-0, 6-0 to advance to the second round. Roberts, meanwhile, fell 6-3, 6-2 to Malcom Swan of Idaho State. Roberts, however, did rebound to win his first consolation match over Utah State's Jevin West, 7-6, 6-4. Three other Rebels earned byes into today's second round of the tournament, which features 102 players from 17 teams throughout the region. Also, three UNLV doubles teams enjoyed byes in the second round.

Committee on university budget divides north, south: CARSON CITY -- The feud between UNLV and the University of Nevada, Reno, over state financing is still burning, and students may be asked to bear a greater share of the costs of higher education in the future.

Critics say feds using fire damage as excuse to round up horses: Scott Sonner; The Bureau of Land Management says the herds of up to 1,500 mustangs and wild burros being rounded up by helicopters could starve because the fires burned up their food supply - more than 1 million acres of grass and brush.

Ralph Siraco's selections for Friday's races at Santa Anita: 1st Race -- Roman Cuzzin - Dueled lead, cleared and weakened when 5th in last, gate-to-wire winner at this level when claimed three races back, 4 of 10 lifetime wins from 11 starts at this distance, fits here. Hooten Harry - Stalked and weakened when 4th in last, runner up to top pick three races back, won at Del Mar while claimed at this level four races back, in the quinella 8 of 18 starts at this distance with 4 of 13 lifetime victories, another who fits. Value Play -- Leaxborne

Skull fracture claimed in lawsuit: Kim Smith; A 37-year-old Las Vegas man has filed a federal lawsuit against the city of North Las Vegas claiming he suffered a skull fracture while in police custody in early January 1998.

Mayor still excited over possibility of NBA team: Erin Neff; Mayor Oscar Goodman is more enthusiastic than ever about Las Vegas' chance to net a pro basketball team.

Michigan proseuctor says he was robbed by prostitute: Mike Gruskin, a 20-year veteran of the Wayne County prosecutor's office in Michigan, told Sparks police the woman stole $500 and his Rolex watch from his hotel room Monday night.

Study finds fewer homeless in LV: Erin Neff; A study released this week suggests that estimates of 20,000 homeless people living in the Las Vegas Valley are highly inflated.

Last week's losers try to become winners again: Richard Rosenblatt; Nebraska's whining, Alabama and Texas A&M are wincing and Michigan is still wondering what happened. Such is the state of last week's high-profile losers as they prepare to rebound on Saturday.

Committee looks at Clinton police plan: Clinton this week vetoed a bill that would finance the nation's commerce, judiciary and state departments because he believes Congress did not approve enough money in the bill for his 5-year-old COPS plan. The Clinton administration reports that the initiative has funneled $2.74 million to Metro Police and hired 34 new Metro officers.

Boy, 14, charged as adult in attempted murder: Bill Gang; A 14-year-old Las Vegas boy, involved on the fringes but not charged as an adult in the shooting at Clark High School on Oct. 11, was arraigned today as an adult on attempted murder charges in an Oct. 2 shooting.

Washoe County prosecutor arrested for resisting arrest: Stanton was doing 67 in a 25 mile-per hour zone Wednesday and then struggled with a patrolman who stopped him, NHP Col. Michael Hood said.

Black has concerns following 'blackout': Steve Guiremand; The news Wednesday that San Francisco 49ers quarterback Steve Young is probably done for the year because of a series of concussions over his career hit pretty close to home for UNLV junior linebacker Randy Black.

Nevada Power electric rate increase criticized: Nevada Power originally sought PUC approval in July to raise rates by $44.3 million to compensate for higher fuel costs used in electrical generation.

Economic slowdown, Y2K may hurt LV home sales: Phil Levine; The new millennium may bring with it a minor national recession, resulting in a slowdown for Las Vegas' home building industry.

Columnist Joe Delaney: Pondering the Blue Man Group's potential at Luxor: Joe Delaney; Some time has elapsed and considerable thought has been given to the 15-minute preview we witnessed by the Blue Man Group last Thursday. ... "Blue Man Group: Live at Luxor" is scheduled to open there in March. ... As we type this we are listening to an advanced promotional copy of a "Blue Man Group Audio" CD, due out in December.

Yanks sweep to repeat: Ben Walker; NEW YORK -- What a way to say goodbye to a century of baseball: one of the game's greatest pitchers wearing the pinstripes of its greatest team in the most storied ballpark of them all.

Obituaries for October 28, 1999: Bernard Anthony Boc, 72, of Las Vegas died Tuesday in Las Vegas. He was born Aug. 16, 1927, in Michigan. A resident for 12 years, he was a forklift driver.

Tropicana may get aggressive with Mon at helm: Gary Thompson; Hector Mon, former president of Nevada operations for Harrah's Entertainment, was named president of the Las Vegas Tropicana hotel-casino, Aztar Corp. said Wednesday.

South Dakota standout decides to attend UNLV: Victoria Sun; When deciding which university to attend next fall, Brandon Askew had to choose between his heart and his pocketbook.

Lawsuit against UNLV cops may be class action: A lawsuit filed in federal court Wednesday by a Las Vegas couple may turn into a class action case for 75 people who allege they were abused by UNLV campus police at a concert two years ago.

Lewis looking for decisive win: Dean Juipe; The controversial draw that resulted from their first fight has weighed heavily on Lennox Lewis' mind in the ensuing months.

Columnist Ron Kantowski: Count hits 10 for NSAC's Dr. Nave: The first word that comes to mind when discussing Dr. Jim Nave, the Nevada State Athletic Commissioner who is stepping away from his post after 12 years of meritorious service, is "humorless." The second is "effective."

Panel starts review of university funding issues: Brendan Riley; The chairman, Senate Majority Leader Bill Raggio, told other panel members Wednesday that such regionalism "serves no useful purpose" in the effort to achieve funding equity.

Hockey Today: Thursday, Oct. 28

Citizens group says airport bad for desert: Benjamin Grove; WASHINGTON -- An environmental group that acts as a watchdog over national parks said today California's Mojave National Preserve about 40 miles south of Las Vegas is still one of the most endangered in the nation because of a proposal to construct a new Las Vegas airport nearby.

Columnist Spencer Patterson: These 3 local programs are true dynasties: Spencer Patterson; The word "dynasty" gets thrown around so often these days in sports, it's hard to separate teams deserving of that label from those that are not.

LV group proposes alternative performing arts center: Adrienne Packer; As Donald Kemp described plans for the Las Vegas Valley's first multipurpose performing arts center, it was immediately evident he was uneasy discussing the project.

New books rekindle debate over radiation exposure: More than 50 years after the United States dropped atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the debate over the moral and ethical consequences from radiation exposure to humans and the environment refuses to go away.

Bill would give horses to states: Rep. Jim Gibbons, R-Nev., introduced the legislation because he believes Nevada officials could better deal with the problems the state's horses face -- failing health, a degraded range land and increased competition with other wildlife.

Razor-lined mail returning to LV: Kim Smith; Some of the booby-trapped envelopes sent to animal research scientists earlier this week are on their way back to Las Vegas, law enforcement officials said.

Fight schedule: At Denmark, Bruno Girard, France, vs. Mads Larsen, Denmark, 12, super middleweights; Johnny Bredahl, Denmark, vs. Paul Lloyd, England, 12, bantamweights.

Financial firm to sell stake in casino: INDIANAPOLIS -- Conseco Inc., an Indiana financial services firm, says it's interested in selling off its minority stake in the Argosy Casino & Hotel in Lawrenceburg, Ind.

Lady Luck Gaming's earnings decline: Lady Luck said earnings declined due to a $500,000 one-time charge related to a planned refinancing of the company's first-mortgage notes.

Problem gambling benefit set: All proceeds from the tournament are donated to the non-profit organization that helps treat and educate Nevadans about problem gambling.

Friday at Santa Anita: 1st race 1-1/16 mi 3YO & up Clm: 1 Indomable (Pincay) 118; 2 Simba Dance (Garcia) 118; 3 Hooten Harry (Pedroza) 118; 4 Half Past Ten (Vergara) 118; 5 Leaxborne (Gutierrez) 111; 6 Roman Cuzzin (Espinoza) 118; 7 Flying Journey (Black) 118.

Evander has superb record in rematches: Dean Juipe; There is some historical evidence in the belief that Evander Holyfield is an even more formidable opponent in a rematch.

LV cable company posts unexpected profit: ATLANTA -- Cox Communications, owner of Cox Cable in Las Vegas, reported an unexpected third-quarter profit as revenue rose 41 percent.

Harrah's hiring 100 in old hometown: MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Harrah's Entertainment Inc., which moved its headquarters to Las Vegas this year, said it sold its old headquarters property in Memphis.

Friday at Bay Meadows: 1st race 1-1/16 mi 3YO & up F & M Clm: 1 Madam Moonski (Warren) 119; 2 Pale Gold (Schvaneveldt) 115; 3 McCoy (Alvarado) 115; 4 Little Girl (Lopez) 119; 5 Boss Pink (Bisono) 115; 6 Slew Prized (Baze) 115.

Pop Warner Vikings squad has produced a slew of prep stars: Spencer Patterson; When the prep football playoffs kick off Friday night, it will mark an opportunity for the most fortunate of seniors to end their high school careers with a championship.

Friday at Aqueduct: 1st race 1 mi & 1 fur 3YO & up F & M Turf Alw: 1 a-Veri Terri (Espinoza) 119; 2 b-Red Knickers (Bridgmohan) 119; 3 Ceridwen (Davis) 115; 4 c-Jovial Charade (Samyn) 115; 5 Run Alexis Run (Gryder) 115; 6 Doubly Devious (Velazquez) 118; 7 c-New York Ghazette (Santos) 115; 8 Ladies Night In (Chavez) 115; 9 Sugarkey (Molina) 118; 10 a-Some Irish Legend (Beasley) 110.

Reunion planned by former residents in Nevada Children's Home: The roster of residents of the home, which opened in 1873, numbers 3,300 youngsters. For some, it was the only home and family they ever had. But many residents have both sweet and bitter memories.

San Diego recording firm buys LV festival: A privately held San Diego company that uses Internet technology to market music has acquired Emerging Artists & Talent in Music of Las Vegas.

Valley's growth major reason fatality rate high for those on foot: Shaunta Grimes; The congested streets of booming Las Vegas are becoming more and more dangerous for pedestrians.

LV carrier increasing service from 3 cities: Two flights will be added between Las Vegas and San Francisco, bringing to five the number of flights between the cities.

Consistent Durango gets edge vs. Silverado: Spencer Patterson; FRIDAY'S GAMES

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