Columnist Kate Maddox: McDonald makes ‘promise’ to Simich

Kate Maddox

Sunday, Jan. 23, 2000 | 9:10 a.m.

Kate Maddox's column appears Sundays, Tuesdays and Fridays, only in the Las Vegas Sun. Reach her at kmaddox@vegas.com.

City Councilman Michael McDonald has upped the ante with girlfriend Jennifer Simich, an employee of Silver State Disposal Services. Sources say that for Christmas, McDonald gave his girlfriend a diamond ring of "enviable size."

Those talking about the gift said that McDonald insists it's not an official engagement ring, merely a "promise ring" -- a term frequently used to squelch rumors of impending nuptials. Brad Pitt described the diamond he bought for girlfriend Jennifer Aniston in the same way.

Whatever the token signifies, McDonald still has some explaining to do about his relationship with the Silver State employee to the state Ethics Commission on Thursday. McDonald's ties to the company (he is also friendly with Silver State President Steve Kalish and General Counsel Robert Groesbeck, and the company contributed $36,800 to McDonald's spring re-election campaign) are under scrutiny as a result of a vote taken last July concerning the renewal of a lucrative contract with the disposal company. McDonald's critics cited a significant conflict of interest.

What does all of this have to do with the 24-year old Simich? The Ethics Commission is anxious to get to the bottom of that question as well. Through his attorney, Louis Palazzo, McDonald insisted that his romantic relationship with the attractive blonde ended in February, a full five months before the vote in question. But many people around town have seen the two acting cozy in public -- again raising questions about the legitimacy of the alleged break-up.

This ring seems to be yet another indication that things have not cooled down and that the relationship is serious enough to promise the intention of marriage for the two somewhere down the line. Simich, for her part, isn't being shy about the big rock on her hand -- she's been showing it off to friends since the holidays and McDonald, according to sources close to the City Council, doesn't appear to be worried in the least.

On Friday, following the success of Thursday night's party at Postrio, chef Wolfgang Puck joined "Today" weatherman Al Roker for a taping of a show for the Food Network. Roker and Puck prepared one of Puck's signature pizzas together. Roker was also in town to unveil his likeness at Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum.

The dinner at Postrio raised more than $800,000 for Alzheimer's disease research. That includes money from both the live and silent auctions, plus the cost of the dinner. One of the unconfirmed winners of the silent auction -- which included items ranging from Gucci handbags to his and her's watches to one of Nancy Reagan's scarves -- was Mr. Rich and Famous himself, Robin Leach.

Leach bid on a number of items, but appears to have walked away (unforgivable pun) with five pairs of Jimmy Choo shoes for somewhere in the neighborhood of $2,000. For Jimmy Choo, Leach seems to have snagged a bargain. The swanky designer shoes -- coveted by celebs and socialites -- usually average in the $400-$500 range, but can go as high as $1,200 for a pair of alligator-skin stilettos.

Siegfried and Roy were among a handful of Strip stars who turned out this week to catch invitation-only performances of the new musical "Notre Dame de Paris" at the Paris Las Vegas hotel-casino. Danny Gans and his wife, along with manager Chip Lightman, caught one of the shows before winging it down to Biloxi, Miss., where Gans is performing at Steve Wynn's Beau Rivage hotel-casino while Gans' new Mirage theater receives some finishing touches. And Clint Holmes, who had his own opening at Harrah's last week, took in the musical, accompanied by members of his band.