Print edition for February 18, 2000

Forest Service chief meets with Nevadans; sees roadless opposition: Scott Sonner; RENO, Nev. - Forest Service Chief Mike Dombeck acknowledged Friday there is strong opposition to President Clinton's proposal to protect tens of millions of acres of roadless areas in national forests.

Agency to back off during census count: Robert Macy; LAS VEGAS - The Immigration and Naturalization Service plans to curtail highly -visible activities in neighborhoods where federal census workers are counting in a bid to avoid intimidating documented and illegal immigrants.

Development fees: Water fees (approx): $5,200

LV ranks high for real estate investment: In its Viewpoints 2000 survey, the company ranks Las Vegas seventh in the commercial business district office sector and tenth in the retail market. The survey examined 50 of the top real estate markets nationwide.

Reid taps Riegle for federal bench: Kim Smith and Benjamin Grove; WASHINGTON -- Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., today said he recommended U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge Linda Riegle of Las Vegas to President Clinton to fill a bench slot on Nevada's U.S. District Court.

Miners open LV office to boost clout: The Nevada Mining Association has opened a Las Vegas office, hoping to deliver the industry's growth message to policymakers in the state's largest population center.

LV-area building fee hikes have industry worried: Phil Levine; Will the thorny issue of higher municipal fees help burst Southern Nevada's real estate development bubble?

Rain delays completion of last bridge on Spaghetti Bowl project: People will have to wait a bit longer to see the final segment of the Spaghetti Bowl's 70 million pounds of concrete and steel slipped into place.

News briefs: The fallout from the collapse of one of America's largest law firms includes a dispute between former Nevada governor and U.S. Sen. Paul Laxalt and the IRS over a $198,348 tax bill.

Gibbons backs drug-monopoly bill: Benjamin Grove; WASHINGTON -- Rep. Jim Gibbons, R-Nev., has backed a controversial bill that extends monopolies held by pharmaceutical companies on drugs such as Claritin allergy medication and blocks cheaper generics from flooding the market, critics say.

Commission seeks legal advice on McDonald ethics case: RENO -- The state Ethics Commission will seek further legal advice on whether it can conduct a full-scale investigation into allegations that Las Vegas Councilman Michael McDonald and his lawyer misled the board in a prior hearing.

Goodman says council has 2 distinct choices for auditor: Erin Neff; Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman said he believes the City Council has a choice about what kind of internal auditor the city should hire based on two styles of management exhibited by the finalists for the position.

Downtown redevelopment board develops sense of urgency: Erin Neff; New people and a new sense of interest gripped the City Centre Development Corp. Thursday.

Online LV company sold: Pointshare Corp., a company with 120 employees, plans to add three new positions to the two-employee Las Vegas operation by the end of 2000.

State's funding of education ranks poorly: RENO -- A new report ranks Nevada near the worst in the nation in per capita student spending and a state Board of Education subcommittee is recommending that school funding be a top priority for the 2001 Legislature.

Clean air named top issue for LV real estate developers: Phil Levine; Builders and developers in Clark County must accept the "difficult reality that federal regulators hold all the cards" when it comes to establishing air quality standards.

Defense calls bike death an accident, not murder: Keith Paul; Physical evidence that police collected from the area where a bicyclist was hit and killed by a pickup truck indicates it was an accident, said the attorney for the truck's owner.

Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: 'Little E' can't keep low profile: Despite winning back-to-back NASCAR Busch Series championships in 1998 and 1999, Dale Earnhardt Jr. was hoping to sneak up on the competition going into Sunday's 42nd running of the Daytona 500.

Panel settles suit with councilman: RENO -- The state Ethics Commission Thursday reversed its 1999 finding that Las Vegas City Councilman Gary Reese should have abstained when he voted against a controversial restaurant on Sahara Avenue.

Computer crash leads to canceled flights: PHOENIX -- An estimated 1,000 people were forced to camp out at the airport here, stranded after a computer problem Thursday forced America West Airlines to cancel more than 100 flights nationwide.

Airport visitors injured on escalator: Keith Paul; Dozens of people hauling luggage up a long escalator at McCarran International Airport Thursday found themselves quickly at the bottom in a heap when the escalator stopped and the steps unfolded, creating a slide.

Police helicopters back up officers on the ground: Jace Radke; Every day the calls come in to Metro Police dispatch from officers asking the same question: "Can we get the air unit out here?"

Defense claims of informant rejected: District Judge Joseph Bonaventure today found no merit to claims prosecutors planted a jailhouse informant next to murder defendant Rick Tabish to steal his confidential notes.

Where I Stand -- Mike O'Callaghan: Acting to save newborns: DESPITE THE promotion of physician-assisted suicide and late-term abortions there is a growing concern among Americans about the fate of unwanted babies. There's even a number of people who are stepping in to provide a decent burial for those tiny tots who die after being stuffed, still breathing, in a garbage bin. The several rows of tiny crosses in a California cemetery attest to the love of all children shown by one concerned mother who names them and gives them proper burials.

Birth announcements for February 18, 2000: Feb. 8: A boy to Nicole and Rodrigo Coloma. Feb. 9: A boy to Claudia and Kirk Heiman; a girl to Sanja and James Smith; a boy to Maria and Reveriano Orozco. Feb. 11: A boy to Angela and Mark Broxterman; a girl to April and Roy Layton; a boy to Evelyn and James Perkins. Feb. 12: A boy to Justene and Mark Thomas; a girl to Brenda Clark and Thomas Trotter Jr.; a girl to Christine and Anthony Thomas; a boy to Mary Diehl and Michael Kitrel; a girl to Adela Lopez and Nesmo Alejo. Feb. 13: A boy ...

Underdog Barrera plans to knock off respected Morales: Dean Juipe; With a stern expression all but glued to his face, Marco Antonio Barrera made it clear he's in a serious mood for his Saturday fight at Mandalay Bay with Erik Morales.

Commission will ask Del Papa for opinion on confidentiality: The confidentiality of items before the state Ethics Commission is once again in question.

Editorial: Platitudes just not enough on a dump: After all, even those who want to send the waste here claim they believe in science -- not politics -- and then turn right around and unfairly try to dump the waste on us. Sen. Richard Bryan, D-Nev., says Nevadans have a right to expect specifics. Nevadans want to hear where Bush, John McCain and Bill Bradley stand on weakening safety standards for a repository and whether this state should host a so-called "temporary" dump. We already know Vice President Al Gore backs Nevada on these issues. What about the other presidential candidates? We're still waiting for answers.

Critic goes after Binion: GARY, Ind. -- The head of the National Coalition Against Gambling Expansion visited northwest Indiana to rally anti-gambling and anti-casino forces.

CCSN-Snow College linescore: CCSN 3, Snow College 2

MWC honors UNLV shortstop: MWC honors UNLV shortstop

Columnist Dean Juipe: Rockets fit to be plundered: Dean Juipe; Let's see, what should we call this team after we get it?

Bankruptcies: Thomas F. Fitzsimmons, doing business as Sunrise Cedar Bar & Grill, 1602 N. Nellis Blvd., filed for Chapter 13. Assets and liabilities were not reported.

UNLV women soar past Air Force, but endure freak injuries: Steve Guiremand; With her improving young team cruising along with a 26-point lead over Air Force midway through the second half Thursday, about the only thing UNLV women's coach Regina Miller had to worry about was a key injury in garbage time.

GV, Durango win state bowling titles: Two days after bowling the season's only 300 game, Gator Brian Karr rolled a 707 series -- including a 244 game -- to lead his club past Durango, 3011-2847. Trailblazer Dan Johnson was named boys MVP for the tournament.

Gambling is on trial in South Carolina primary: David Strow; As Texas Gov. George W. Bush and Arizona Sen. John McCain prepare for their do-or-die primary showdown in South Carolina on Saturday, the Republican presidential candidates' ties to Las Vegas gaming companies have become a political liability -- and in some cases, a weapon.

Obituaries for February 18, 2000: Kathryne H. Ayres, 86, of Las Vegas died Wednesday in Las Vegas. She was born Aug. 10, 1913, in Cairo, W.Va. A resident for 40 years, she was a retired telephone company clerk.

Gators take Sunrise soccer crown: Both teams will play in next week's first Clark County Championships, where the Gators and Skyhawks will take on the top two finishers from the Sunset Region -- Cimarron-Memorial and Bishop Gorman.

Saturday at Santa Anita: 1st race 6-1/2 fur 4YO & up Clm: 1 Samuel Alan (Enriquez) 117; 2 Odbe Surprized (Solis) 117; 3 Nor'easter (Pincay) 117; 4 Kristopher Kross (Gomez) 117; 5 Mateyev (Pedroza) 117; 6 Super Ciel (Diaz) 110; 7 It's a Reality (Black) 117.

Sound Check -- Geoff Carter: Soundtracks pumped up to make up for bad movies: And still Hollywood continues to produce awful films. It's nothing less than a juggernaut, loaded with all the stinky ammunition Tinseltown has at its disposal: virtual-reality hokum, prison melodrama and trailers that begin with the deathless phrase "In a world ..."

Las Vegas area fishing report: Stripers are still in deep water with boaters reporting they are finding the fish at depths of more than 100 feet. About the only action for stripers in the Boulder Basin has come from the Hemenway Harbor area where boaters have caught small numbers of fish by drifting with anchovies.

Cimarron looking for another title: Spencer Patterson; Where: Cimarron-Memorial High School When: Today-Saturday; action begins at 1:30 p.m. today and 9 a.m. Saturday ; championship round slated for 3p.m. Saturday. What's at stake: The 2000 state team title, along with individual championships in 14 weight classes. Tickets: Students $3, adults $5 (children and senior citizens free)

LV company reports record quarter: The earnings represented an 80 percent increase over Shuffle Master's net income of $1 million, or 13 cents per share, in the year-ago period. The lone analyst following the company had projected earnings of 19 cents per share.

Goodman to help those who help Las Vegas: Erin Neff; Mayor Oscar Goodman is flexing a new kind of political muscle in an effort to advance his goals for Las Vegas.

Editorial: Intolerable conditions at school: This situation has been exceptionally difficult on the students. At a recent meeting of the Attendance Zone Advisory Commission, which makes recommendations to the School Board on how to relieve overcrowding at local schools, students spoke out on what this means for them. Some students said that class sizes are over the 30-student limit, with some students even having to sit on the floor in extreme circumstances. Others feel as if they're herded like cattle when going from class to class. Another student noted that just trying to use a restroom after a class ends in these crowded conditions can ...

Columnist Muriel Stevens: Chef Nobu whips up wonderful dinner for organization: When invitations arrived informing Las Vegas Chaine members that renowned Japanese chef Nobu Matsuhisa would create a special dinner for them at his Nobu restaurant in the Hard Rock hotel, it sold out immediately.

Forest Service chief coming to Nevada: Scott Sonner; RENO, Nev. - Forest Service Chief Mike Dombeck is visiting Nevada today and Saturday to follow up on an investigation of alleged intimidation and harassment of agency workers.

Columnist Joe Delaney: Susan Anton gets her chance to stretch out at Desert Inn: Joe Delaney; Susan Anton is appearing with her hand-picked nine-piece orchestra in the Starlight at the Desert Inn through March 5. ... Anton has been touring and co-starring with the world-renowned Rockettes at the Flamingo Hilton in "The Radio City Spectacular." ... This is her first opportunity here in six years to stretch out vocally, to improvise and interact with live musicians, onstage.

Station Breaks: Kirk Baird; Forget network daytime television. Las Vegas has had its own version of a soap opera playing out on the UNLV campus for nearly two years.

UNLV to meet BYU in big game: Steve Addy; When a surging team like UNLV is casting come-hither stares at the NCAA Tournament committee, each successive game immediately ascends to the status of Biggest Game of the Season.

Confusion leads to waiving of many campaign fines: CARSON CITY -- Political candidates and public officials who didn't file their financial disclosures on time in 1999 and were fined a total of $250,000 are going to receive some clemency.

UNLV swimmers second: The men were 76 points behind Brigham Young while the women trailed the Cougars by only 21 1/2 points.

The Movie Guys: Quality of 'Pitch Black' is sort of in a gray area: Grades: Jeff B, Dave C.

Saturday at Aqueduct: 1st race 6 fur 4YO & up Mdn Clm: 1 Exit Me (Gryder) 121; 2 Joe's Big Gun (Nelson) 117; 3 Pacho (Beitia) 117; 4 Brigantinebucaneer (Blake) 114; 5 Luykas (Mojica) 121; 6 Chicago Club (Bridgmohan) 121; 7 Say Man (Hole) 117.

Former BC Police Chief Smith, who spurred early growth, dies at 74: Valerie Miller; Former Boulder City Police Chief H.G. "Smitty" Smith died Wednesday of heart failure at Nathan Adelson Hospice in Las Vegas. He was 74.

Davis Gaming project sold for $70 million: BILOXI, Miss. -- Isle of Capri Casinos Inc. agreed Thursday to buy land for a proposed gaming site in Missouri almost a week after announcing the planned acquisition of a Kansas City gambling vessel.

Columnist Kate Maddox: Marrying a multimillionaire -- again: Kate Maddox; It was bound to happen. Enough people tuned into Tuesday night's "Who Wants to Marry a Multimillionaire" on Fox that they're going to do it again.

LV man seeks finders fee for merger: ITT, which owned Caesars Palace and 10 affiliate properties at the time, was acquired by Starwood for $14.6 billion. Leslie Kemmerer, who operates through a brokerage called Las Vegas Industries, said Starwood Chairman Barry Sternlicht agreed in 1997 to pay him a 1 percent fee -- $146 million -- on this deal.

Prep playoff scores, schedules: BOYS BASKETBALL

Columnist Paula DelGiudice: Court decision vindicates activist: Paula DelGiudice; It took nearly 10 years for Las Vegan Jeff Van Ee to get his relief in court. The District of Columbia Circuit Court recently ruled that he is entitled to be an active citizen in our community.

Community news briefs for February 18, 2000: "Today's Science, Extraterrestrial Intelligence and Religious Studies" will be presented 7 p.m. Wednesday in the Clark County Library, 1401 Flamingo Road, by the Raelian Religion. Call 393-7300.

Letter: Yucca experience is nothing new: The WIPP (Waste Isolation Pilot Plant) located in Carlsbad, N.M., (read Whoville), is indeed a pilot plant, because the methods being used in the plan to open Yucca Mountain have already been tested on us. We are also geologically unsuitable for disposal of nuclear waste, and we also believed the Environmental Protection Agency would protect us!

Ethics panel reprimands Reno mayor: RENO -- Political activist Sam Dehne says Reno Mayor Jeff Griffin got off too easy with a public reprimand from the state Ethics Commission for failing to fully reveal his business ties during discussions about the Reno Tahoe International Airport.

Letter: PUC's dismissal of Nevada Power case unfair to seniors: These expenses are for power already consumed by customers. The company earns no profit on them, but when recovery is denied, shareholders pay the cost. While many of Nevada Power's customers are residents, many of its customers are very large, profitable companies. Dismissing the case means those customers have consumed free power, paid for by the utility's shareholders.

Saturday at Bay Meadows: 1st race 6 fur 3YO Fil Mdn Clm: 1 Cee Miss Tizzy (Tohill) 117; 2 Microlady (Castanon) 117; 3 Admirals Choice (Matias) 117; 4 Love Roads (Alvarado) 117; 5 Photo Shoot (Bisono) 117; 6 Sexy Flyer (Perez) 117; 7 Designer Bride (Radke) 112; 8 Summkindacuca (Dieguez) 117.

Trump reports 'dismal' financial results: ATLANTIC CITY -- Trump Hotels & Casino Resorts Inc. said it lost $34.5 million or $1.56 per share in the fourth quarter vs. a loss of $16.4 million or 74 cents in the year-ago period.

Date book: Open Mic Poetry group, with local poet Virgil Hollingsworth, will meet at 7 p.m. Saturday at Barnes & Noble, 2191 N. Rainbow Blvd. Call 631-1775.

Gold Coast graced by talented 'Honky Tonk Angels': Joe Delaney; "Honky Tonk Angels," just opened in the Gold Coast showroom, is a potential big winner. If you have enjoyed the "Patsy Cline Tribute with the Jordanaires" with Sharon Haynes as Patsy Cline, you will find Haynes as Cline, Corrie Sachs as Reba McEntire and Lori Legacy depicting Dolly Parton every bit as enjoyable, even more so, at times.

Letter: Good cop helps elderly woman: Parking space was scarce and I had to walk a bit far and climb six or seven steps to the ticket office level. I am an old lady and 82 now. Some fatigue must have shown. There was a policeman standing guard at the top of the steps.

Veterans to receive boost from VFW ladies: When Veterans of Foreign Wars Ladies Auxiliary President Lorraine Frier comes to Las Vegas next week, she will take a close look at what local medical facilities are doing for veterans.

Dial File -- Steve Bornfeld: Could game shows be the final answer?: Question: "Which of these does not -- or will not, before long -- go with the other three?"

Ralph Siraco's selections for Saturday's races at Santa Anita: 1st Race -- Nor'easter - Pincay stays with Mitchell trainee, draws well, should be in the thick of it in here. Odbe Surprized - Solis on Stute runner, adds blinkers for this, needs clean trip from inner post. Value Play -- Samuel Alan

Women: Air Force-UNLV box score: AIR FORCE (4-18)

Vegas isn't a mecca for art films: Max Jacobson; It's two o'clock on a Wednesday afternoon, and a bit of encouraging news has just flashed across the desk.