Print edition for June 11, 2000

Researchers test Mars rover prototype in Nevada desert: Matthew Fordahl; But there's a problem. One of the steel-cleated wheels is dragging like a broken shopping cart, and the engineers in Pasadena can't figure out what's wrong. They beam commands to budge the faraway robot back and forth, left and right. No luck.

Still A Scream: Little Richard's life is one long concert tour, with occasional breaks to replenish his boundless energy so that he can hit the road again and do what he was born to do -- entertain the world with rock 'n' roll.

Pros fire potshots at collegiate betting bill: A federal gambling ban on collegiate athletics will lead to more illegal betting, loan-sharking and hidden point-shaving schemes, local professional gamblers say.

Columnist Jon Ralston: Missed opportunity for gaming: EMPTYING OUT the political notebook on a trio of subjects:

Columnist Kate Maddox: Holmes' guitarist says adios: Kate Maddox; A loss for Clint Holmes means a gain for Latin popster Ricky Martin. Earlier this week Holmes' guitarist, Jerry Lopez, was called up to the show. Lopez, who performed in "Takin' It Uptown" at Harrah's, got a spur-of-the-moment call from Martin's people last week, and Lopez packed up and headed south to Miami for an audition.

Columnist Sandra Thompson: Children need emotional support, too: Sandra Thompson; A LOCAL teacher sums up the complex issue of child support very simply:

Where I Stand -- Mike O'Callaghan: Protecting our heritage: LAST WEEK in Boise, Idaho, seven past and present Western state governors discussed how the next administration in Washington, D.C., should manage public lands. I was invited by former Idaho governor and Secretary of the Interior Cecil Andrus, who now runs the Andrus Center for Public Policy. He told us to leave partisan politics at the door, and seek solutions and give recommendations.

Baptists set sights on Vegas 'frontier': Stacy J. Willis; About a mile from the Strip, the lilt of Southern accents slips out of an office door marked "Loving Las Vegas."

Push on for state licensing of interpreters: A simple visit to the doctor or a government agency can be a nightmarish experience for thousands of deaf Nevadans because of a lack of qualified interpreters in this state.

Columnist Susan Snyder: Burlesque's golden days revisited: Mone Vaughn is pushing 91 but she remembers being a burlesque dancer as if it was yesterday.

Editorial: Carriers snooker phone regulators: Only after a public outcry did AT&T retreat the next day and withdraw its proposed increase. AT&T's initial action still is troubling, though, especially since it came on the heels of a $3.5 million fine against long-distance phone company WorldCom for slamming -- switching a customer's long-distance carrier without his consent. Some of these companies act as if the days of the Wild West are still with us. Federal regulators should make it crystal clear that deception will not be tolerated -- unless they want the phone companies to view them as patsies.

Editorial: Mistakes just keep piling up: Despite the previous assurances, a DOE spokeswoman told Sun reporter Diana Sahagun that the agency actually could not dictate what route its shipping contractor must take. But after the Sun's story was published Wednesday, in which it detailed the concerns of North Las Vegas and state officials, the DOE altered its position. The agency now contends that it, in fact, sent a memo on March 21 to its Rocky Flats office, directing the shipper to avoid Las Vegas' urban area in the future.

Creating 'Central Park': Archaeologist Greg Seymour surveys a heap of weathered, gray boards splayed on the ground before him.

Letter: Israel's intentions worth defending: Letter: Israel's intentions worth defending

Historians at odds over location of Donner Party trail through Reno: Their plans to remove plaques from the markers in south Reno later this month are prompting stiff opposition by historians who support the earlier work by the Reno-based Nevada Emigrant Trail Marking Committee.

Letter: Accessibility at public facilities remains poor: Anyway, I just wanted to say thank you for that May 21 article. I was impressed to see someone, even if it was one or a few individuals, who noticed that not all is well in the world for those who are disabled.

Voters to determine bond sale for new justice center: "We have a big public education campaign ahead of us," said Washoe District Judge James Hardesty, who's leading the drive for the project on behalf of his colleagues.

Long-promised help for badly disabled still not delivered: Brendan Riley; Just before lawmakers adjourned their last regular session in May 1999, they approved an administration plan to spend $1 million in Medicaid funds to help the severely disabled avoid being institutionalized. The program was to have helped 30 severely disabled people this fiscal year and another 30 in the coming fiscal year.

Howell woman wins $50,000 on Michigan Lottery TV show: Other contestants and their prizes were: Patrick Frame, 53, of Trenton, $1,000, a $250 bonus and a Caribbean cruise; Bob Wrobel, 63, of Madison Heights, $1,000; Ronald Whitman, 59, of Woodhaven, $900 and a $100 bonus; Jill Block, 59, of Bay City, and Patricia Muraszewski, 52, of Warren, $900 each.

Letter: Bush out of his environment: Secondly, Bush's proposal implies that the Clinton-Gore administration has failed to work with landowners to protect species and habitat. In fact, the administration has launched several programs to protect hundreds of species and millions of acres, while still allowing landowners to use and manage their land.

Man killed in single-car accident: The victim was not wearing a seat belt and was ejected into the ditch. His body was later found in the ditch at Keystone Avenue and Interstate 80.

Video gambling's status uncertain as industry's time winds down: But SLED spokeswoman Kathryn Richardson said officials still don't know how those cases will be handled. The Revenue Department said about 10,000 licenses that expired May 31 were not renewed, but since not all applications have been processed it's sometimes impossible to tell which machines are operating legally.