Print edition for July 17, 2000

Nation's No. 1 guard shooting for 2nd title: Spencer Patterson; Years from now, when his days as a basketball recruit are far behind him, Kelvin Torbert will probably still have a warm place in his heart for Las Vegas' adidas Big Time Tournament.

Las Vegas coach stays optimistic despite defections: Spencer Patterson; Just a week ago, Las Vegas Stars coach Al LaRocque had a roster he thought had a chance to compete against the best the Big Time Tournament had to offer.

LV resort confirms plan to phase in operations: But just 1,500 of the rooms will initially be available for occupancy as operations are phased in over several days to break in the hotel staff, spokesman Lynn Holt said Friday.

Upcoming business events for July 17, 2000: Internet marketing -- Discussed at luncheon sponsored by the Nevada Development Authority and Ballard Communications. Wednesday. 836-3000.

Proposal takes aim at video voyeurs: Cegavske, R-Las Vegas, wants something more than misdemeanor charges for video voyeurs. She says such activity warrants felony or gross misdemeanor penalties.

Pechanga tribe re-elects Maccaro to third term as tribal chairman: Macarro appeared in more than 12 television commercials supporting Propositions 5 and 1A, two ballot measures to legalize Indian-run casinos.

Report: Trump and casino executive being investigated: The bill, which was not approved, could have affected an agreement between Park Place and the St. Regis Mohawks to build a casino in the Catskills. Trump, operator of casinos in Atlantic City, N.J., was trying to keep casinos out of New York while Goldberg is trying to become the major promoter of the Mohawk casino in New York.

Young students find this medicine easy to swallow: Aaron Clemens; Kendall Miller, 11, wants to be an obstetrician-gynecologist. No fear of blood will keep her away from medicine, she said.

Parents: Students' rights violated: Terry Webster; A group punishment was levied on four students accused of damaging a school bus window, even though Clark County School District officials admit no one witnessed the act.

City molds framework for redevelopment plan: Greg Harman; The already slow process of expanding Henderson's redevelopment zone to include rundown, undeveloped and polluted properties between Water Street and the elegant Lake Las Vegas was delayed further last week.

Stars sweep after Vitiello is called up by Padres: But considering the way Las Vegas' pitching staff came through in a doubleheader sweep of the Tucson Sidewinders on Sunday night, the Stars (51-41) might be able to survive the loss of Vitiello's big bat (.350, 11 HRs, 46 RBIs) as they head into tonight's showdown with first-place Sacramento at Cashman Field.

Search committee trims CCSN list: Jeffrey Libby; An ad hoc search committee has moved one step closer to nominating a new president for the rapidly expanding Community College of Southern Nevada, narrowing the field to 13 candidates despite complaints from committee members that the applicant pool was too "thin" and that it should be tossed.

Death sentence will be sought in Hernandez case: Greg Tuttle; Prosecutors will ask a jury to sentence a Las Vegas man to death for killing his ex-wife in front of the couple's 3-year-old daughter.

End of protest by pilots could mean fewer delays at McCarran: With commercial airline pilots dropping their "land and hold short operation" boycott, officials at McCarran International Airport hope that incoming flight delays will diminish.

NCAA coaches air gripes on recruiting rules: Steve Addy; With a respectful nod to hoops junkies attending the Big Time Tournament, the average college basketball fan isn't deathly interested in the nuts and bolts of recruiting.

New Mexico grand jury indicts five on lottery fraud charges: All worked as clerks at four local Phillips 66 gas stations and convenience stores.

LV-area banks post higher earnings: Silver State Bancorp of Henderson, parent of Silver State Bank, reported quarterly earnings of $546,000 or 44 cents per share vs. $51,000 or 4 cents earned in the year-ago quarter.

AgriBioTech bankruptcy sales should produce $50 million: Grace Leong; AgriBioTech Inc. of Henderson, the world's largest forage and turfgrass seed producer, last week received bankruptcy court approval for the sale of almost all of its assets. The sales are expected to net the company and its creditors about $50 million.

States seek $1.14 million for legal fees: The plaintiff states seek reimbursements of $228,686 for Hawaii, $20,380 for Maryland, $123,504 for Michigan, $311,548 for Nevada, $203,585 for North Carolina, $40,843 for Pennsylvania, $90,483 for Tennessee and $118,819 for Virginia.

GOP plans fund-raising trips: Jack Kemp, a vice presidential candidate in 1996, is scheduled to visit Las Vegas on July 24 to raise money for the Nevada Republican Party's Victory 2000 fund.

LVMS results from The Strip: The Strip

Vargas' victory sets up shot at title, big payday: Dean Juipe; To the victor go the spoils, even if that victory is by the narrowest of margins.

Prep adidas Big Time Tournament: Green Valley Main

Lott expects confirmation of Rawlinson soon: Benjamin Grove; WASHINGTON -- Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott said over the weekend the Senate would confirm Johnnie Rawlinson of Las Vegas to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

Ex-county inspector sues, says he was targeted by bosses: Greg Tuttle; A former Clark County building inspector facing criminal charges for allegedly falsifying records has filed a federal lawsuit claiming he was targeted by superiors when he refused to "solicit" funds from building contractors.

PCL Box: Stars 1, Sidewinders 0: DP--Las Vegas 1. LOB--Las Vegas 2, Tucson 4. 2B--Darr.

Obituaries for July 17, 2000: Mayme Irene Amic, 83, of Las Vegas died Saturday in a local hospital. She was born June 8, 1917, in Chisholm, Minn. A resident for 11 years, she was a homemaker.

$650 million for monorail OK'd: Adrienne Packer; The state Department of Business and Industry recommended issuing $650 million in tax-free bonds today to fund the extension of a monorail system along the Las Vegas Strip.

PCL Box: Stars 4, Sidewinders 1: E--Carvajal. DP--Las Vegas 1. LOB--Las Vegas 9, Tucson 3. 3B--Beltre. HR--Sell (2).

Fed agencies still at odds on limits of radiation: Benjamin Grove; WASHINGTON -- The two federal agencies that have long disagreed about how much radiation could safely be emitted from a nuclear waste dump in Nevada are still bickering with no compromise in sight, a recent report said.

Changing force: Jace Radke; When Jose Elique was named UNLV's new director of public safety in May, the news of his hire made its way to Mike Murray, a retired New York Port Authority lieutenant and former colleague of Elique who lives in Las Vegas.

Berkley's war chest passes $1 million mark: Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., broke the $1 million mark in cash on hand after raising $301,717 for the second quarter of the year in her bid to win re-election this fall.

Local news briefs for July 17, 2000: Representatives of the Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board continue to investigate a plane crash on Flamingo Road Friday night.

Prep adidas Big Time Tournament schedule: Green Valley Main

Residents oppose Lake Las Vegas plans: Greg Harman; Plans to erect a Ritz-Carlton lakeside hotel-casino and 259-unit condominium complex in one of the crown jewels of Henderson's planned communities, Lake Las Vegas, are drawing resistance from residents of the affluent resort community.

LVMS half-mile dirt oval results: Half-mile dirt oval

Illinois gaming executive resigns: Canfora, 41, left to pursue other interests, Horseshoe said in a statement Friday.

Court ruling allows UNLV students, faculty to practice law: CARSON CITY -- The Nevada Supreme Court has adopted new rules to allow faculty and students at the UNLV law school to practice law under certain conditions and without taking the Nevada bar examination.

Potawatomi want four liquor licenses: Some Milwaukee City Council members have expressed concern about mixing alcohol and gambling.

Gambling credited with bringing freeway improvements in Chicago: "It is what it is. If you're going to the Gary boats from Chicago, you're probably going on the Skyway. And we know people are coming to Gary for the boats," said Gary Mayor Scott King.

Feds investigate offshore betting scheme: Nicoletti has not been charged, but the U.S. attorney's office has filed papers in U.S. District Court regarding the suspected gambling ring.

Conditions help fire crews north of Ely: Nearly 500 firefighters and six helicopters were battling the blaze, which was triggered July 11 by lightning. Some crews were at the end of their tours of duty and were being allowed to go home.

Grand jury chosen in Douglas County: The prospective members will be subpoenaed this week for a meeting with district judges Dave Gamble and Michael Gibbons, who will explain the process and answer questions.

Reno billboards are subject of dueling petitions: Each side has until July 28 to collect 6,790 valid signatures. The billboard backers want to see more go up. The opponents wants the number frozen at current levels.

Two injured in rock-automobile collision: The driver, who was not wearing a seat belt, was ejected and died at the scene. He was identified as David Uribe, 19.

Charges pile up against suspects in armed robbery at Bellagio: Aaron Clemens; Jose Manuel Vigoa, 40, and Oscar Cisneros Sanchez, 23, will face penalties of 32 to 270 years in prison when they stand trial in connection with the June 3 armed robbery of the Bellagio.

Construction season begins in earnest for U.S. 395: Monday is the starting date for a $10.4 million project that will stretch from the junction of U.S. 50 at the south end of Carson City to the middle of Minden.

Columnist Dean Juipe: McMahon wrong on two counts: Dean Juipe; There's a truism Vince McMahon is utilizing in promoting his new professional football league and it goes something like this: No matter the subject or how erroneous the premise, if you repeat something often enough there's a chance it will eventually be perceived as the truth.

Columnist Ralph Siraco: Hallowed Dreams makes magic in Louisiana: Ralph Siraco; Records are made to be broken, and statistics often don't tell the whole story.

State hopes to develop plan to protect resources: Workshop

Columnist Lisa Ferguson: Trends, July 17, 2000: Lisa Ferguson; Oh, 2000 is turning out to be a special year indeed.

Gambling opponents gear up for legislative fight in Indiana: "Now is the time. The state is going to go one way or another next January," Wolf said.

Environmentalists give feds 700,000 comments for roadless plan: The comments were meant to bolster a Forest Service proposal to ban new roads in roadless areas. They also requested an extension for banning off-road vehicles, helicopter logging and mining on roadless forest lands.

Come sale away: Strategy and hard work are crucial to garage sales: Kimberley McGee; Deals await! Rare treasures will be discovered!

Motions to be argued in Gennifer Flowers defamation lawsuit: LISA SNEDEKER; Flowers, President Clinton's former paramour and a Las Vegas resident, filed a lawsuit in November against George Stephanopoulos and James Carville. She later added the first lady to the lawsuit.

TV sports/Radio for July 17-22: TV sports/Radio for July 17-22

House considers bill to limit Internet gambling: Laurence Arnold; "One way to promote the Internet is to make sure that the seamy side of life is dealt with on the Internet," said the bill's sponsor, Rep. Robert Goodlatte, R-Va. "Just like child pornography has to be dealt with on the Internet, so does unregulated, out-of-control, illegal gambling."

Editorial: Elko isn't showing wisdom: The latest inaction by the Elko County Commission prompted a pointed response from U.S. Attorney Kathryn Landreth, who said that the failure of the commission to respond Wednesday was a rejection of mediation in favor of litigation. The fact is that the Elko County Commission agreed to mediation, which was an effort to find a workable solution to the problem. The agreement actually should be amenable to Elko County: The road can be rebuilt as long as construction follows federal conservation and environment laws.

Letter: Gaming industry already paying its fair share: Joe Neal is just plain wrong. Gaming is paying its fair share, and Nevada receives tremendous benefits, directly and indirectly, from the state's principal industry.

Letter: Where was 'science' before?: RON BOURGOIN Rocky Mount, N.C.

Columnist John Katsilometes: Concerted effort for SNCC: Joyce Ferres reaches for the tuna-pasta salad. She tries lifting the heavy glass bowl, but can't and drops it to the table.

Community news briefs for July 17, 2000: Sticks and Stones, a class on child abuse and neglect for 6- to 12-year-olds, is being offered 6-8 p.m. Tuesday at the Lied Community School. The $12 fee includes materials, treats and a certificate of completion. Call 459-0201 for more information.