Print edition for July 20, 2000

Wells Fargo, First Security working on merger plans: Wells Fargo & Co. officials have begun discussing the transition of First Security Bank's Nevada accounts and employees to Wells Fargo, even though a decision on what bank branches will be sold or closed is still a month away.

City council briefs for July 20, 2000: The Las Vegas City Council on Wednesday approved an agreement with the General Services Administration to offer land for a new FBI building.

Hearing on Farmerville's attempt to revive video poker: The machines were turned off on June 30, 1999.

Columnist Peter Benton: Wright & Co. tops at Red Rock: Peter Benton; Apro-amateur invitational played last week under idyllic conditions at the Red Rock Country Club saw Rio Secco's Ken Wright and his team of Dean Kajioka, Frank Campagna and Dave Coley win the one best-ball gross and one best-ball net of foursome with a score of 130.

Carter's stock tumbles at Big Time: Steve Guiremand; Bishop Gorman center Jason Carter began the spring rated one of the nation's top 100 basketball prospects.

Southwest Ambulance nears deal to compete with AMR: Diana Sahagun; Six months and two lawsuits later, Southwest Ambulance is getting closer to a regional franchise agreement that will allow the company to go head to head with its competitor -- American Medical Response.

Auto racing schedules, winners and point standings: Feb. 20 - Daytona 500, Daytona Beach, Fla. (Dale Jarrett)

Deputies destroy video machines seized as illegal gambling: The blue-and-white-trimmed home and the State Line Quick Stop store are less than a mile from South Carolina, where video gambling was banned beginning July 1. Sheriff Frank McGuirt said he believes the machines were brought into Union County after the South Carolina ban took effect.

Atlanta team wins crown: Spencer Patterson; Since the creation of the adidas Big Time Tournament six years ago, the Atlanta Celtics have been one of the event's mainstays, coming to Las Vegas every summer.

Columnist Paula DelGiudice: Travelers warned of fire danger: Paula DelGiudice; Outdoorsmen and women are urged to take extra precautions while enjoying camping, fishing and driving off-road this summer, due to the extremely dry conditions they will encounter.

Obituaries for July 20, 2000: James A. Anderson, 78, of Las Vegas died July 11 in a local hospital. He was born Jan. 23, 1922, in Adair, Iowa. A resident for 11 years, he was a railroad employee for 47 years and a World War II Navy veteran.

NLV council briefs for July 20, 2000: Warren B. Hardy & Associates has been chosen by the council to lobby for North Las Vegas for one year, including the 2001 session of the Legislature.

Fisher wants to win, but first she must finish: Paul Newberry; HAMPTON, Ga. - Sarah Fisher looked tired.

Reid: Nuke study 'common sense': Diana Sahagun; The startling new report detailing the risks of transporting high-level nuclear waste through the Las Vegas Valley further illustrates why the hazardous material should be kept out of Nevada, Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev, said Wednesday.

Residents lose fight over car lot: Over the objections of Spring Valley residents, Clark County commissioners approved a zone change Wednesday to allow a 10-acre car sales operation on West Sahara Avenue.

City Centre group will stay on the job: But Mayor Oscar Goodman said Wednesday that the private sector volunteers who make up the board have agreed to continue serving in that capacity despite having only an advisory role in redevelopment.

This week's races: NASCAR

Tua has a title on his mind: Dean Juipe; His reputation as a big puncher is now so well established that the only action bettors can get on David Tua's Friday fight with Robert Daniels at the Regent Las Vegas is whether the bout goes past the 1:30 mark of the third round.

Kincaid far ahead of Smith, poll shows: Adrienne Packer; A recent poll of Democrats in Clark County Commission District B show incumbent Mary Kincaid far ahead of Stephanie Smith, her opponent in September's primary election.

Ralph Siraco's selections for Friday's races at Hollywood Park: 1st Race -- Mayan Queen - Draws good post, Pincay on Hess trainee, good spot for action in night's opener. Flaming Cloud - Gomez on Duncan trainee, ships over from Anita, good post and nasal strip here. Value Play -- Shesontheroadagain

Columnist Ron Kantowski: LV should tell Dodgers to hit road: When I was kid, one of the staples of satire-laced Mad magazine was a series of panels called "Things We'd Like To See."

Big Time Basketball Tournament leading scorers: Big Time Basketball Tournament leading scorers

Gaming Commission issues $50,000 fine against Park Place Entertainment: Matt Moore; The action by the Mississippi Gaming Commission on Thursday against Tom Brosig, head of gaming operations for Grand Casino's parent company, Park Place Entertainment in Mississippi, was expected.

Columnist Dean Juipe: LV's Adams won't go to the videotape: Dean Juipe; It can sometimes be difficult to obtain, but there is tape of almost every fighter in the world.

Stars fall to River Cats in Saipe's first outing: Victoria Sun; It wasn't exactly the fresh start Mike Saipe was hoping for, but it was a start nonetheless -- which is a lot more than the 26-year-old right-hander could say two weeks ago.

Isle's closing of restaurant not a violation of regulation: Two years ago, the state Gaming Commission required any new casino to invest an equal amount of capital in land-based facilities. In most cases that has meant hotels.

Youthful open-wheel ace ticketed for stardom: Dick Brinster; LONG POND, Pa. - Ryan Newman knows being Roger Penske's latest protege is an opportunity few young racers could hope for.

Henderson company sold for $25 million to California firm: GetThere Inc., Menlo Park, acquired the company, which developed software that analyzes meeting costs, transportation, lodging, meals and other expense factors for meetings of up to 500 people.

Clark County zoning briefs for July 20, 2000: A four-story, 229-unit timeshare hotel received a thumbs up from Clark County commissioners on Wednesday despite objections from residents living near the proposed project at Tropicana Avenue and Decatur Boulevard.

Suspect in Ogden bank robbery crashes car, passes out, following casino spree: Todd Harold Cooper, 37, was found passed out along the side of Interstate 15 in Arizona near the Utah-Nevada border Tuesday morning, said Kevin Fryslie, supervisory senior FBI resident agent in Ogden.

Editorial: Even this twist isn't a shocker: The controversy all started earlier this year when Sig Rogich, an influential Republican political consultant, wanted to get his old office building rezoned so he could sell it to someone else, who wanted to build a topless bar. Initially it was a tale of whether Rogich's legendary political juice would somehow be able to overcome the city staff's finding that the land shouldn't be rezoned for a tavern because it was too close to an elementary school. But a subsequent measurement found that the building actually met the minimum distance requirement of at least 1,000 feet between schools and taverns ...

Woman accused of killing niece fighting extradition to Nevada: She had been expected to waive extradition during a court appearance in Sacramento County scheduled on Friday, Lyon County (Nev.) District Attorney Robert Estes said.

Accident victim's children sue Aladdin: Sun Staff; The children of Stephan Abernethy also argue that the Aladdin and its contractors did not properly maintain equipment and were negligent in hiring people to operate the equipment, leading to the worker's April 1999 death.

Jury awards bottle owner million dollar prize: The woman who bought a $1 million bottle of Pepsi Cola gets to keep the cash because she didn't get to drink from the bottle.

Illinois regulators outline problems with casino owner Binion: James Webb; The Illinois Gaming Board listed 19 specific instances that it said justified its June 30 decision to reject Binion and not to renew the license for Empress. The examples included past controversies for which Binion has been investigated, and in some cases fined, in other states as well as new accusations alleging problems since Horseshoe bought the Empress in November.

The Strip at LVMS point standings: Sportsman 1. Neil Evans 277; 2. Robin Harris 267; 3. Bill Muller 266; 4. Nick Ariotti 256; 5. Chris Lentz 246; 6. Michael Jackson 237; 7. Barron Dowdy 234; 7. Dan Reaume 234; 7. Bob Coulter 234; 10. Mark Meier 224; 10. Phil Doughty 224; 12. John Phelger III 213; 13. Scott Palmer 204; 14. John Farnum 203; 15. Scott Horsley 202; 15. Kevin Adler 202; 15. Samantha Rudder 202; 15. Billy Farnum 202; 19. Dennis Evans 192; 20. Ken Paulson 191; 21. Dwight Machael 185; 22. Richard Price 181; 23. Brian Cook 175; 24. Kim Clover 170; 24. Rob ...

Letter: Boycott puppy mill industry, pet shops: When breeding is no longer possible, they are sold at auctions, sold to labs or shot to death.

Letter: Locals leaving Rio in droves: Well, now the Rio doesn't matter to lots of locals, either. We tell our visitors we no longer care to enter that hotel. (The lines for the buffet are endless. The best buffet is at the Orleans anyway and lines move!)

Agencies agree on plan to clean up old Sierra mine: Brendan Riley; CARSON CITY, Nev. - An agreement on a new cleanup at an abandoned Sierra sulfur mine that's polluted nearby streams for years was announced Thursday by the federal Environmental Protection Agency.

The Bullring at LVMS results: Grand American Modifieds Main Event: 1. Kyle Busch; 2. Larry Gerchman; 3. Doug Hamm; 4. Stoney Gray; 5. Brian Matzke; 6. Greg Albright; 7. Jeff Prenger; 8. T.J. Clark; 9. Kirk Miller; 10. Fabian Bray; 11. Sonny Boeckman; 12. Jerry Walton; 13. C.J. Scherkenbach; 14. Greg Haase.

Pennsylvania turns party pooper on GOP's "Las Vegas Night": Scott Sonner; It seems gambling is illegal in Pennsylvania - even if it's done with fake money and chips.

Fight schedule: Friday

Columnist Joe Delaney: Venetian believes in 'First Lady' Melinda's magic: Joe Delaney; Welcome home, Melinda, First Lady of Magic, performing in the Venetian's C2K multipurpose showroom and nightclub ... Melinda's mother, Bonnie Saxe, is the producer-director of "Les Trix," featuring the Showgirls of Magic at the San Remo ... Bonnie was Melinda's first mentor-manager, etc., and the guiding force behind those first 10 years of creating her onstage persona, finding places to perform and merchandising her show.

Editorial: When libraries are homeless shelters: Still, while the homeless have just as much right as anyone else to use a library, the fact is they, too, must adhere to the same rules that others follow. After all, people can be removed if they shout and create a disturbance. Indeed, in an electronic age where we're bombarded by all sorts of noise and other disturbances, a library is an extraordinary refuge where someone can sit down and read in peace. The library district and its employees not only have to ensure that the homeless are able to use a public facility for a legitimate purpose, but ...

Kaiser, Steelworkers to meet in Pittsburgh, Las Vegas: Negotiators will meet July 24-28 in Pittsburgh before taking the weekend off and conducting another three days of talks in Las Vegas, concluding Aug. 2, Steelworkers spokesman Jon Youngdahl said Wednesday.

Pieces of his mind: Roark Gourley's abstract work on display at Caesars: He succinctly replies "Duh?" and eagerly expands the thought.

Columnist Ruthe Deskin: The odd candidacy of NOTC: Ruthe Deskin; NOTC: Those are the initials of a political candidate who sometimes wins, often comes in second and seldom finishes last -- and you'll never know his or her stand on any issue.

LVMS half-mile dirt point standings: IMCA Late Models: 1. Bill Hasselle 285; 2. Mike Fitch 264; 3. Jim Wulfenstein 252; 4. Joe Chapman 229; 5. Jason Pike 178; 6. Wayne Jacks 130; 7. Rick Rochelle 111; 8. Troy Ferrari 67; 9. Donny Berger 66; 10. Jim Perkins 36; 11. Alan Crumpler 34; 12. Marty Nichols 33; 13. Bobby Brooks 31; 14. Ray Elam 5.

LV casino operator issues $500 mil. in notes to refinance: Proceeds from the offering will be used to repay some of the company's borrowings under its revolving credit facility, Mandalay said.

Mesquite bull event likely to be steered elsewhere: Jeffrey Libby; Outside the Church of San Lorenzo in Pamplona the locals may be singing sad choruses of Pobre de Mi (Poor Me), saying a reluctant good-bye to another eight days of the running of the bulls, but in Mesquite, border town of four casinos, the marketing executives don't have the luxury of any such bittersweet lament.

Driver has nice job with Dale Earnhardt Inc.: Chuck Burton; MOORESVILLE, N.C. - Troy Cole secures one of the Chevrolets of NASCAR driver Steve Park inside the trailer and gets ready for another long haul.

LV woman wins Pepsi bottlecap court case, $1 million: Kim Smith; Judy Richardson Yeats took a huge gamble and won $1 million Wednesday. Not a big deal in Las Vegas, you say? It is if you didn't win it playing blackjack or a slot machine.

Poker chip convention opens at the Tropicana: With the spread of gambling nationwide, the collecting of casino chips, gaming tokens and other such memorabilia has grown significantly in recent years.

Local news briefs for July 20, 2000: The Department of Energy signed an agreement today with PECO Energy Co. to allow the Peach Bottom nuclear power plant in Pennsylvania to store its radioactive wastes on site because of delays in a permanent repository.

Tabish's former attorneys offer documents for appeal: The new attorney for convicted killer Rick Tabish said Wednesday that the former defense team has made "substantial compliance" in providing documentation that will help him prepare an appeal.

Senate panel approves Rawlinson: Benjamin Grove; WASHINGTON -- The Senate Judiciary Committee today approved Johnnie Rawlinson for a seat on the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, trotting out the U.S. District Court judge as an example that Senate Republicans are not racists.

Reno immigrants fearing deportation win temporary reprieve: Judge Harry Gastley ruled Wednesday they can remain in Nevada until he holds a hearing on their case Sept. 14 and Oct. 25.

Deliberations move into second day: Kim Smith; Jurors were continuing deliberations today in the capital murder trial of Zane Floyd, the former Marine convicted in last summer's quadruple slaying at a Las Vegas grocery store.

Citicorp parent says profit jumped 23 percent: NEW YORK -- Citigroup Inc., the biggest U.S. financial-services company, Wednesday said second-quarter earnings rose 23 percent, driven by lending to companies and cost cuts. The parent of Citibank, Travelers Property Casualty Corp. and Salomon Smith Barney Inc. also announced a 4-for-3 stock split.

Isle of Capri to buy some President assets: BILOXI, Miss. -- Isle of Capri Casinos Inc. said Wednesday it agreed to acquire some assets of the President Casino in Davenport, Iowa, for $58.2 million.

Search for chancellor cut to six candidates: CARSON CITY -- Four men and two women, including Interim Chancellor Jane Nichols, are the semi-finalists for the job of chancellor of the University and Community College System of Nevada.

LV man pleads guilty in DUI deaths: Greg Tuttle; Michael Owen Pickett pleaded guilty this morning in Clark County District Court to charges stemming from the deaths of four people killed in a violent auto collision while on their way home from a birthday party.

LV Sportspark is slapped with audit after sale talks: Erin Neff; The proposed sale of the private-venture half of a recreational facility rankled the City Council on Wednesday so much that the board ordered a complete audit of Las Vegas Sportspark.

LV council OKs talks for downtown land deal: Erin Neff; A vacant slice of land at the gateway to downtown Las Vegas looks ready for a development of any sort.

Federal court rejects appeal by telemarketer: Greg Tuttle; A Las Vegas man convicted of running one of the largest telemarketing scams in the nation will remain in prison following the rejection of his appeal by a panel of federal judges.

Where I Stand -- Brian Greenspun: Watching watchdog: What a waste.

Vegas airline traffic up 13.6 percent in June: McCarran International Airport reported Wednesday that Southwest Airlines led the increase in June, serving 887,671 passengers for an increase of 11.2 percent.

Earnings stagnant for IGT despite California boost: The stock of International Game Technology fell 44 cents to $27.56 this morning. The slot maker earned 51 cents per share in its third quarter, beating analyst expectations of 47 cents per share. But it said fewer casino openings are lowering sales, except in California.

State jobless rate 3.5 percent in June, just over 1 million working: June unemployment in the metropolitan Las Vegas area was 4.3 percent, up from 3.4 percent in May. In the Reno area, the rate was 2.8 percent in June, up from 2.4 percent a month earlier.

Nevada among states that couldn't use up child health insurance funds: The catch is any money not used in three years goes away.

Station buying Fiesta: David Strow; Station Casinos Inc. threw its future behind Las Vegas this morning, announcing plans to buy out the Fiesta hotel-casino and sell off its two properties in Missouri -- where it is entangled in a criminal investigation.

Community news briefs for July 20, 2000: The Las Vegas Department of Leisure Services is offering the following programs:

Friday's horse racing entries: Post Time 7 p.m.

Big Time Basketball Tournament results: OPEN DIVISION

Big Time Basketball all-tournament team: Dommanic Ingerson, 805 (CA)

Las Vegas MP's visit high country: Dick Benoit; Twenty five Nevada Army National Guardsmen from the Las Vegas headquarters and Ely detachment recently completed two weeks of annual training in Exercise Fierce Mercy near Fort William Harrison, Mont.

PCL Box: River Cats 13, Stars 8: E--Ardoin, Soliz. DP--Sacramento 2, Las Vegas 3. LOB--Sacramento 7, Las Vegas 9. 2B--Porter 2, Vaz, Decker, Byrnes, Darr, Milliard. HR-- Bellhorn, Encarnacion, Ardoin, LaRocca. SB--Byrnes, Milliard. Reached on CI.