Print edition for June 6, 2000

Mississippi casino project could affect environment, says corps report: The corps' report also questions the amount of air and water pollution the project might create.

Community news briefs for June 6, 2000: The North Las Vegas Parks and Recreation advisory board will hold two special meetings to allow citizen input on the city's new recreation center to be built at Alexander Road and Allen Lane.

Columnist Kate Maddox: 4-NOW: These guys are really hot: Kate Maddox; Finding your way through the maze of teeny-bopper bands these days can leave pop-music lovers disoriented and seeing double. In the 1980s things were much simpler -- back then the only thing that confused fans was when teen dreams New Kids on the Block changed their name to NKOTB. The horror.

Group finds California governor worst at unreported gambling donations: Don Thompson; Davis is hardly alone, the government watchdog group said in a complaint to the Fair Political Practices Commission. Common Cause cited 332 instances of what it said are campaign reporting violations involving more than $1.5 million.

Direct mail advertiser grows: The mailing will be delivered weekly to approximately 500,000 households on Friday and Saturday, and will be in addition to ADVO's existing mid-week mailing program. Las Vegas is only the second market nationwide in which the Windsor, Conn.-based company has launched a weekend mailer.

Taking leave of their census: Kimberley McGee; Have you ever wondered what lies beyond your neighbor's door?

Veterans clinic will offer mammograms: Aaron Clemens; "We wanted one-stop shopping for other services and a mammogram," she said.

Letter: Who'll clean up after trash crews?: SHELBY M. CHISM

UNR gets grant for teacher training: UNR is among 110 colleges and universities in the United States to be awarded the federal grant, which is doled out over three years.

Columnist Susan Snyder: Their house is no longer dream home: Lance Harmell loves kids as much as the next guy.

Ralph Siraco's selections for Wednesday's races at Hollywood Park: 1st Race -- Knight's Maggie - Hustling Pedroza aboard Carava trainee, draws good rail post for route opener, should get the trip. Linda Mia - Training at Santa Anita, Blanc on Zucker trainee, should be forwardly placed from outer post here. Value Play -- Tin Stein

Letter: Combat veteran is an elitist: I expect he might hear from a number of veterans, informing him there are many combat vets in veterans organizations who appreciate those who kept them fed and supplied.

Flanary child dies after heart problems: Former Sparks High School teacher Diana Moana Flanary, 31, was on her way to a hospital Saturday afternoon, but the child stopped breathing and paramedics could not revive her.

Letter: Act now to end slaughter of wildlife, pets: Scientific studies indicate that this "livestock protection program" is ineffective in reducing livestock losses. Despite a 46 percent increase in Wildlife Services' appropriation and a significant increase in the number of animals killed in the last decade, livestock losses to predators have not declined.

Council approves another plan for downtown Reno: It also calls for an expanded performing arts theater and a planetarium-science center as anchors to a downtown where people would walk along open green belts or shop for books.

Where I Stand -- Mike O'Callaghan: Israel's act of courage: The reports coming out of the Middle East would have many newspaper readers and television viewers believing that all the people of Lebanon are happy the Israelis have abandoned the safety zone in the southern part of their country. Lebanese throwing rocks at Israeli soldiers and cursing them from behind the safety of a barbed wire fence put up by the soldiers dominate the news.

Obituaries for June 6, 2000: Norma Barney Anderson, 84, of Las Vegas died Sunday. She was born March 31, 1916, in Annabella, Utah. A resident for 33 years, she was a baker for the Clark County School District and a homemaker.

Wynn's Desert Inn purchase set for state regulatory approval: David Strow; Steve Wynn's application to acquire the Desert Inn hotel-casino should pass its first regulatory hurdle Wednesday with little difficulty, one of Nevada's top gaming regulators said today.

Public relations execs leave unpaid bills from newspapers: Several lawsuits have been filed against a bankrupt Las Vegas public relations company that also published three local business newspapers and left a trail of debt, angry customers and stiffed employees when it closed down.

PCL Box: Redbirds 6, Stars 5: E--Milliard 2, Davis, Nicholson. DP--Las Vegas 5, Memphis 2. LOB--Las Vegas 17, Memphis 16. 2B--Newhan, Vitiello, Milliard, LaRocca, Richard, McDonald. HR--Vitiello. S--Milliard 2, Bieser, McDonald. SF--Darr, Richard, Sutton. SB--Sutton, Garcia.

Wednesday horse racing entries: Post Time 1:10 p.m.

EPA rejects county plan on dust: The plan rejected on Monday will not trigger any immediate sanctions, EPA Regional Administrator Felicia Marcus said. EPA will publish a final disapproval notice before any sanctions begin in January 2001.

UNLV's Anderson honored: A first-team choice in 1999, Anderson becomes the first golfer in UNLV history to earn the honor more than once. He has been selected to the team three times in his career, including an appearance on the second team as a sophomore in 1998.

Residents to vote on casino: BELOIT, Wis. -- Beloit residents will vote in the fall on whether they want to have a tribal casino in their city.

LV television station sold: The Hispanic network said Monday it will acquire KKJK TV19 in Las Vegas and eight additional television stations including a flagship Dallas station, KLDT Channel 55, and add three new affiliates to its network.

Stars drop a wild one in 18: Memphis third baseman Eduardo Perez, the son of former major league star Tony Perez, is known more for his hitting exploits as an infielder for the Memphis Redbirds. But pressed into emergency pitching duty on Monday night, Perez showed he isn't too shabby as a hurler, too.

Firefighters continue battle; fearful of winds: Robert Macy; Officials said the fire was several miles from this tiny community of 50 people but posed no immediate threat.

Rio wins right to sue man over claims its suites are only rooms: CARSON CITY -- A Los Angeles attorney, who complained the Rio Suite hotel-casino in Las Vegas engaged in deceptive advertising by calling its rooms "suites," can be sued in a Nevada court, the state Supreme Court ruled Monday.

Home Depot to offer loans at its stores: ATLANTA -- The Home Depot will offer loans to its customers nationwide, granting the money in stores so customers can spend it almost instantly on home improvement products.

Morros retires from Conservation and Natural Resources: "I have had a great career in state service and I hope I leave the department in good shape."

Editorial: Justice sought on visitation rights: The Supreme Court also believed that the Washington state law placed an unfair burden on parents to prove that they were fit -- even if there had been no showing otherwise. Indeed, the Washington Superior Court gave no special consideration for parents to decide what's in the best interest of their children. The U.S. Supreme Court made the right call: Unless there is reason to believe a child is being harmed, government should stay out of parenting.

Columnist Ron Kantowski: College baseball needs TV: It's a pretty big deal in Omaha (but then, so is Marlon Perkins). But if you wonder why the College World Series hasn't captivated the casual sports fan the way its NCAA basketball and football counterparts have, consider this statement from Dick Rockwell, the baseball selection committee chairman.

Two acquitted in kickback case: Greg Tuttle; A Bechtel Nevada executive and a Georgia businessman accused by federal prosecutors of a kickback scheme have been acquitted.

Editorial: Lake's safety is a concern: Lake Mead spokesman Bert Byers downplayed the report. For instance, Byers told Sun reporter Susan Snyder in Friday's newspaper that the number of rescues shows that employees are doing their jobs. "We don't wait 24 hours until somebody can prove someone is not around," Byers said. Besides, the Park Service can't stop visitors from using poor judgment -- whether it's a swimmer taking an unnecessary risk that puts him in jeopardy of drowning or, for that matter, if he wanders off and gets lost. That statistic would appear, in the case of Lake Mead, to be more a reflection on ...

Krynzel chosen by Brewers at No. 11: Spencer Patterson; Four years ago, Dan Krynzel moved his family from Dayton, Ohio, to Southern Nevada in large part so his sons could play baseball year-round.

Las Vegas unions file lawsuit over employment benefits: The Brotherhood of Painters and Allied Trades local 159 sued C.T. Rankin Painting & Wallcovering Inc., M&H Enterprises Inc., National Guaranty Insurance Co. and Fremont Construction Co. Inc., alleging they failed to pay $32,408 in fringe benefits from April 1, 1997, through Sep. 30, 1998.

Day 1 of amateur draft has strong local flavor: Spencer Patterson; The first-round selection of Green Valley's David Krynzel marked the start of a strong Day 1 showing by Southern Nevada in the Major League Baseball amateur draft Monday.

Parole for killer after 41 years: CARSON CITY -- Jack Rainsberger, in prison for 41 years for the 1958 killing of a Las Vegas woman, will be released in September.

Plans for future don't please all: Erin Neff; If the city of Las Vegas remains on its current planning path over the next two decades, future city residents will go to a downtown somewhere northwest of Cheyenne Avenue.

Longtime state official Morros retires: CARSON CITY -- Peter Morros, the director of the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources for the past 10 years, is retiring after 38 years in state service.

Dad accused in baby's drowning can post bail: Kim Smith; A Las Vegas man accused of allowing his daughter to drown will be allowed to post $75,000 bail and remain on house arrest until his case is resolved.

Leader of national slot cheating ring pleads guilty: Greg Tuttle; The ringleader of a slot cheating gang prosecutors said stole millions of dollars and threatened "the entire casino industry" pleaded guilty Monday.

Casino robbery linked to others: Keith Paul; Metro Police suspect the armed robbers who held up a cashier's cage at the Bellagio hotel-casino on Saturday may be connected to three other violent heists in the Las Vegas area.

Gaming still dominates LV economy: Mike Clarke, an economist with the Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation's research and analysis bureau, said it's difficult to pinpoint exactly how many high-tech jobs exist in Nevada because they're spread over several industry sectors.

Solicitor general quits post: CARSON CITY -- Solicitor General Mark Ghan, disciplined by a Las Vegas court for delays in releasing documents in a high-profile case, has resigned from the state Attorney General's Office.

Regent's remarks anger attorney general's office: CARSON CITY -- The state attorney general's office is miffed at a university regent who suggests the office is either incompetent or being used for political purposes.

Kenny wants single air quality board: Launce Rake and F. Birusk Tugan; Clark County Commissioner Erin Kenny said Monday that local governments will meet a state deadline to produce a reorganization plan for embattled regional air pollution control agencies.

Casinos, water board lose bid to kill Nevada Power suit: CARSON CITY -- District Judge Mike Griffin on Monday rejected a motion to dismiss Nevada Power Co.'s lawsuit that seeks to increase rates by $110.7 million for customers in Clark County.

Hilton guard claims Rodman fondled her: Grace Leong; A Las Vegas Hilton security officer has filed suit against Dennis Rodman in Clark County District Court, alleging she was fondled by him.

Officials say fire 5 percent contained: PAHRUMP -- After three days fighting a wildfire on four hours' sleep, Larry Benham still kept a sharp eye Monday on columns of smoke rising from the Buck Springs area, where 2,000 acres of public land had been torched by this morning.

Missing woman's car found along with body: Employees of a Vons grocery store at Martin Luther King Boulevard and Craig Road called North Las Vegas Police after noticing a strong odor coming from a black Pontiac Firebird about 7 p.m.

For Cold Creek, blaze is deja vu: Jace Radke; COLD CREEK -- Nestled in the shadow of the Spring Mountains, the 60 families who live in the village of Cold Creek need only look out their windows to see the damage a wildfire can cause.

Doctor fined for false ads trying to get Texas license: RENO -- A former Las Vegas resident doctor who was disciplined for a misleading Internet advertisement for male devices still hasn't paid his fines.

Fire season to open on Friday: Trenoweth said conditions in the southern and western portions of the state are already "in a burning condition status."

Ambulance competition around corner: Adrienne Packer; A fleet of new ambulances and a computer-assisted dispatch system are en route to Las Vegas as Southwest Ambulance prepares to make history by introducing private competition to the emergency services market.

Training on new print ID system leads detective to suspect in slaying: Keith Paul; Copyright 2000 Las Vegas Sun

City Council struggling with D.C. lobbying deal: Erin Neff; Three more weeks of lobbying by the best in the business haven't helped the Las Vegas City Council come any closer to a decision about who should represent the city's interest in Washington, D.C.

Hotel-casino discontinues free gaming lessons: Gaming lessons will continue to be offered at other Harrah's Entertainment Inc. properties, including the Rio, but will be discontinued at the Strip property because of low demand, said company spokesman Gary Thompson.

Gaming website launched: The site will contain clippings from various newspapers around the state on the gaming industry, as well as "detailed information on the contributions the gaming industry makes to the State of Nevada." Future plans include a comprehensive history of Nevada's gaming industry and links to gaming-related websites.

Rudin wants to shed jail garb: Kim Smith; Last week Margaret Rudin wanted a defense team like her cellmate Sandy Murphy's. This week, she wants something else Murphy had.

Construction begins on new animal shelter: Aaron Clemens; How to help

Bryan denounces Chechnya bombing: Benjamin Grove; WASHINGTON -- Sen. Richard Bryan, D-Nev., and members of a U.S. delegation on a 12-day trip to Russia and several former Soviet states told Russian officials they objected to Russia's military pounding of rebels in Chechnya.

Local news briefs for June 6, 2000: Metro Police homicide detectives searching for a 31-year-old Las Vegas man in connection with the May 13 home invasion that ended with the resident killing one of the intruders.

Death expected for county's Wal-Mart law: A controversial county law that restricted Wal-Marts and other "big box," mixed-retail businesses will likely be buried Wednesday by the Clark County Commission.