Print edition for June 21, 2000

S.C. court upholds ban on video gambling: Dan Lewerenz; The ban, which was put into place by a previous Supreme Court ruling, was challenged by two operators who said it was unconstitutional for the state to take away their livelihood by banning the games.

Turnipseed replaces Morros as Conservation and Natural Resources chief: Turnipseed, 56, has been with Water Resources since 1990, following 13 years with the Utah Division off Water Rights. He's following a well-worn track: Morros was state engineer before he became director of Conservation and Natural Resources - and his predecessor, Roland Westergard, did the same.

Second merger hits Nevada gold mining industry: Just last week, Franco-Nevada Mining and Gold Fields agreed to merge in a $3.4 billion deal that included Nevada's Goldstrike mine.

Panel calls for softer laws on pot possession: CARSON CITY -- A judicial commission, headed by Chief Justice Bob Rose, is going to recommend reduced penalties for possession of small amounts of marijuana and being under the influence of drugs.

County courthouse project in a pinch: Kim Smith; Unless someone can cough up another $4 million for an extra floor, Clark County court officials say the new Regional Justice Center will open with no room to grow.

Trailblazer pastry chef has earned her hash marks: Max Jacobson; Hitchins is a former college athlete and a woman of stature, just under 6 feet tall and broad-shouldered, with short blonde hair and a shy, winning smile. She also happens to make the best bagels in the city -- crusty, chewy bagels made from scratch, with just a touch of honey in the dough. "Honey gives the dough a better texture than anything else I've experimented with," she says.

Letter: Killer of four deserves the ultimate penalty: The defense couldn't find anything good about Mr. Johnson's past so they work on the compassion of pity. What happened to strictly sticking to facts in a court of law?

Court briefs for June 21, 2000: A 15-year-old boy accused of beating a juvenile detention center guard and escaping in March entered a plea agreement Tuesday.

Doubts arise over limiting Internet gambling payments: Laurence Arnold; WASHINGTON -- In a new effort against Internet gambling, lawmakers are proposing to choke off the ability of online casinos to collect bets through the most common methods of transferring money: credit cards, checks or electronic funds transfers.

PCL Box: Stars 3, Sidewinders 1: E--Durazo. DP--Las Vegas 1, Tucson 1. LOB--Las Vegas 8, Tucson 6. 2B--Conti, Radmanovich, Durazo, LaRocca. HR--Durazo (1).

State engineer promoted: CARSON CITY -- State Engineer Mike Turnipseed, who last year rejected applications for water for construction and operation of the proposed Yucca Mountain nuclear waste dump, is being promoted.

Judges will sentence killer in July: Kim Smith; A quadruple killer who escaped the death penalty last week when a jury couldn't reach a unanimous decision will have his fate decided in July.

Obituaries for June 21, 2000: Ariana Renee Abarca, 11, of Las Vegas died Thursday. She was born Nov. 13, 1988, in Las Vegas. She was a student at Tomiyasu Elementary School.

Local news briefs for June 21, 2000: Metro Police chased down and arrested a bank robbery suspect inside UNLV's Moyer Student Union Tuesday afternoon.

Licensing recommended for casino exec with tax problems: ATLANTIC CITY -- A casino executive who fudged his tax returns should have his license renewed anyway, New Jersey's top casino regulator said.

Editorial: Warnings aren't a cure-all: For decades the government didn't do much when it came to protecting consumers from the potential health risks of smoking and drinking alcohol. But today these two products carry labels, warning users about the possible dangers. Now some policymakers eye gambling in the same vein. The government's sensitivity to its previous failures to respond to public health problems, though, may cause officials to now overreact to gambling's risks, which actually may be negligible.

Regents look at plans to offset end of estate tax: RENO -- University regents can read the handwriting on the wall -- the days of the state getting a share of the federal estate tax are numbered.

Community news briefs for June 21, 2000: Rabbi Sanford Akselrad will lead a free adult summer education class 7-9 p.m. Tuesday at the Congregation Ner Tamid, 2761 Emerson Ave.

Letter: Taking census is hard elsewhere: The stories that you related gave me a chuckle. I did not have any experiences that were quite so unique. You should feel very proud that your community has responded so well to the census.

Las Vegas area fishing report: Anglers competing in a Nevada Striper Club tournament over the weekend had fair results with the better areas being Boulder Beach, the Hemenway Wall and Pyramid Island. Most of the fish ranged from two to three pounds with the largest weighing just 4.3 pounds.

Advertising industry plots 'new media' strategy at LV convention: David Strow; The advertising industry may be facing a sea of change, but industry experts believe that basic strategies -- and the traditional media of newspapers, magazines, radio and television -- will be around for some time to come.

Sands president testifies in support of Icahn plan for bankrupt casino: John Curran; Al Luciani, the Sands' president and CEO, said Icahn's plan to invest $65 million in the property would help it recover quickly from the Chapter 11 bankruptcy case it has been mired in for more than two years.

Ralph Siraco's selections for Thursday's races at Hollywood Park: 1st Race -- Stockman's Stand - Pincay scales Sise Jr. trainee, draws well for sprint opener, good spot for action. I'm From Jersey - Fits this spot, Gomez aboard Lewis trainee, needs prompt start and clean trip from rail post. Value Play -- Continental Cargo

Columnist Jeff Haney: Books post a comeback in baseball wagering: Las Vegas sports books marked the opening of this year's baseball season with an ominous warning.

Tribe closes its Oklahoma gaming operations: Class III gaming, which includes almost casino-style gambling such as blackjack and craps, is illegal in Oklahoma unless there is a compact with the state. The Kiowa Tribe has no compact.

Columnist Dean Juipe: Knoblauch adds name to zany list: Dean Juipe; What in the name of Steve Sax is happening to Chuck Knoblauch?

House panel rejects Indian casino plan: Michael Mello; The House Finance Committee voted 10-7, without discussion, against the plan to build a sprawling complex worth more than $500 million in the struggling town of West Warwick.

PCL Box: Sidewinders 14, Stars 4: E--LaRocca 2, Williams, Conti. DP--Tucson 1. LOB--Las Vegas 8, Tucson 9. 2B--Ward, Huckaby. HR--Roskos (9), Klassen (2). S--Pulsipher. SB--Conti.

Louisiana Gaming Board will hear riverboat bids July 26: "We received correspondence (Monday) of the withdrawal of Westbank Gaming LLC in their pursuit of the 15th license," said Sgt. Leland Falcon of the Louisiana State Police Gaming Licensing Unit.

LaRocca's double lifts Stars into first place: LaRocca's three-run double in the sixth inning rallied the Stars (42-28) to a 3-1 victory over the Tucson Sidewinders in the nightcap of a doubleheader on Tuesday night at Tucson Electric Field.

Wisconsin tribes seek agreement on revenue sharing: Towns would receive amounts equal to 100 percent of their 1998 property tax base, while villages would get 50 percent. A 5 percent non-compounded annual escalator will be applied through the life of the agreement.

Summer school: learn about the traditions and legends of summer: Lisa Ferguson; Fighting the last of the rush-hour traffic? Scarfing down dinner? Perched in front of the television set, playing along with "Jeopardy"?

Columnist Paula DelGiudice: Follow these tips to draw hummingbirds: Paula DelGiudice; One of the best parts of summer in Las Vegas is watching the creatures in our city that don't normally hang out here. (And I don't mean those tourists down on the Strip.)

Reno man named to board: CARSON CITY -- Gov. Kenny Guinn Tuesday named Reno attorney Rick Hsu to the state Ethics Commission to replace retiring Commissioner Mario Reconzone of Fallon.

Panel to look at reviving pet licenses in Clark County: Adrienne Packer; An animal advisory committee was directed Tuesday to look into reinstating a pet-licensing program that would help fund a satellite pet shelter in northeast Clark County.

Kolkoski to fill vacant Municipal Court spot: Erin Neff; Elder-rights attorney Betsy Kolkoski was appointed to the vacant bench on the Las Vegas Municipal Court this morning.

Columnist Jon Ralston: Drug benefits medicine leaves bad taste: Confused about all the rhetoric over drug benefits? Feel like you're trying to decipher your doctor's handwriting on your Rx? Or perhaps you've read all the news accounts and press releases, and have listened to the sound bites, and have concluded that curling up with "Ulysses" might be less mind-numbing?

Thursday's horse racing entries: Post Time 1:10 p.m.

R.I. legislators vote to kill Boyd casino: Michael Mello; PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- The Narragansett Indians were handed another defeat Tuesday in their long effort to build a casino in Rhode Island when a House committee narrowly rejected putting the proposal on the November ballot.

Agreement reached on disputed Jarbidge road: "We need to make sure everything is together," said Vaught as he left a day-long closed meeting in the Sherman Station, a restored 100-year-old stagecoach stop.

86 students win scholarships: Aaron Clemens; The Clark County Public Education Foundation awarded 86 high school graduates with more than $90,000 in scholarships at a luncheon June 12 at the House of Blues in Mandalay Bay.

Police believe one man is responsible for crimes: All nine of the crimes involve a man who forces his way into a residence and uses a weapon to control the victim, Sgt. Dave Cavalieri said.

Ethics charges dismissed: CARSON CITY -- A state Ethics Commission panel has dismissed a complaint against state Human Resources Director Charlotte Crawford, who was accused of giving an exclusive multimillion-dollar state contract to a mental health program in which her one-time boyfriend works.

Columnist Elizabeth Foyt: Polyester Ball proves to be groovy time for all: Elizabeth Foyt; KidsCharities.org, founded by Sue Shifrin Cassidy, is a nonprofit Internet-based organization that serves as an umbrella for many children's charities. Its efforts concentrate on those agencies that provide emergency and medical care, basic human needs, safety, education, the environment and the arts. Recently KidsCharities.org hosted the third annual David Cassidy Celebrity Golf Tournament. Highly successful, the tournament drew a select mix of celebrities and local supporters and followed the Emerging Artists and Talent in Music (EAT'M) conference.

Champs in camps: Spencer Patterson; It's 108 degrees outside, quite a bit hotter inside the jersey and helmet worn by Cimarron-Memorial defensive back Kyler Rushton.

Ice dream in the desert: Steve Addy; Evan Zucker's uncommon hockey skills have allowed him to travel all around the United States and Canada, but mostly on weekend trips.

Nevada gas prices slide downward: Tom Gardner; Analysts predict the West Coast might be spared significant increases this summer even as prices have spiked across the country.

Henderson news briefs for June 21, 2000: The Henderson City Council approved an annexation report explaining the city's intention to provide services to a 5,500-acre parcel west of city limits.

Editorial: Proper call made on school prayers: As Justice John Paul Stevens wrote for the majority in a 6-3 decision, such a policy violated the First Amendment since the school district itself was involved in the election and established parameters for the content of the speech. "Contrary to the district's repeated assertions that it has adopted a hands-off approach to the pregame invocation, the realities of the situation plainly reveal that its policy involves both perceived and actual endorsement of a religion," Stevens wrote.

Environmentalists, timber industry face off over roadless proposal: Jeff Barnard; The two sides faced off Tuesday at the Oregon Convention Center, where Clinton had brought them together in 1993 for the Forest Summit - a vain attempt to resolve differences over logging on public lands in the Northwest that preceded court-ordered cuts in timber production to protect habitat for the northern spotted owl, a threatened species.

Senators, candidate focus on high drug prices: Benjamin Grove; WASHINGTON -- The issue of affordable prescription drugs for Medicare recipients has become a hot political issue in Nevada and Congress.

Investigator sides with employee who says he was fired because he has HIV: Now a federal investigator is siding with Paul Ortiz, saying sufficient evidence exists to support the allegation.

Vegas visitor count keeps increasing: Visitors have been flocking to the gaming capital the past few years, drawn by new mega-resorts like the Bellagio, Venetian, Paris and Mandalay Bay. They're also visiting new off-Strip resorts at Lake Las Vegas and in Summerlin.

Fitch to face weapons, passport charges: Kim Smith; A Boulder City man suspected in the disappearance of one of his wives has been indicted on additional charges, although none are related to the disappearance.

Savvy wine buy: Palazzo della Torre '94 Valpolicella Classico Superiore: Max Jacobson; The Allegrini family winery is in Veneto's Fumane in Valpolicella, an important center for wine in northeast Italy. Because Valpolicella Classico is a big production wine -- 350,000 cases plus -- the prices are usually reasonable, which is the case here. This is a pale, bright ruby-colored wine, with lots of delicate red fruit in the finish and an intensely peppery character. Italians love it with pasta, cheese or fruit, and its inherent lightness makes it quite pleasant when chilled.

High-tech bill payer expands to Southern Nevada: Grace Leong; Henderson is gaining close to 500 high-tech jobs as CyberBills, a Santa Clara, Calif., online bill management provider, opens its first bill scanning and processing office in Nevada.

Nevada gas prices down: The average price for a gallon of regular unleaded gas statewide was $1.65 in June, down a nickel from May, the American Automobile Association reported Tuesday.

Columnist Muriel Stevens: Remainder shelves worth a look: Shopping the remainder shelves at local bookstores can lead to some interesting purchases.

I-95 project subject of meeting for public: The Nevada Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration will have a public meeting to discuss widening of U.S. 95 on Thursday.

MGM on board with RTC ride plan: The MGM Grand hotel-casino and the Regional Transportation Commission will inaugurate the promotion Friday for the megaresort's 8,000 employees. The RTC's CAT MATCH program is a trip-reduction incentive that offers employees prizes, shopping discounts and free emergency rides in exchange for riding the bus, car pooling, walking or biking to work.

Petition drive to block riverfront casinos falls short: The proposal would have enacted an ordinance prohibiting casinos from the area near the Detroit River, east of the Renaissance Center.

Tollberg makes most of 'big' shot: Bob Baum; PHOENIX -- After a 6 1/2-year trek to the big time, former Stars pitcher Brian Tollberg made the most of it when he finally got his chance.

Major donation sets pace for Thunderbird Lodge fundraiser: The society hopes to raise $15 million to pay off financing and set up an endowment for long-term maintenance and operation of the estate, placed in public hands at the close of one of the most significant land exchanges in U.S. history.

Nevada class-size reduction proceeds: The Board of Education approved the smaller class sizes in January, eight months after the 1999 Legislature adjourned. The smaller class sizes will cost about $4 million to implement in the coming school year.

Richardson: No evidence of spying in missing disks: WASHINGTON -- The FBI has found no evidence of espionage or indications that missing computer disks containing nuclear secrets ever left the Los Alamos weapons lab, Energy Secretary Bill Richardson said today.

Phone stocks fall on merger worries: WorldCom shares fell $1.63 to $40.06, and Sprint fell 88 cents to $59.25 in early afternoon trading. The companies expect to know within two weeks whether the U.S. Justice Department will sue to block the transaction. Their talks with the agency, which is concerned the combined company would stifle long-distance telephone competition, have failed to ease those fears, people familiar with the discussions told Bloomberg News.

Kenny's pollution plan draws fire: A proposed new agency to handle all of Clark County's air pollution planning and enforcement was blasted from two sides Tuesday at a meeting of the County Commission.

Southwest could suffer three summer power outages: The Southwest could suffer up to three power blackouts this summer with hotter-than-normal temperatures expected to increase demands for electricity, instead of a typical single disruption, utility officials said.

Clergyman angered by what he calls 'brutal' treatment by authorities: Stacy J. Willis; Rabbi Moshe Omer called it "horrifying."

Two appointments fill state Ethics Commission roster: The Legislative Commission appointed former lawmaker and current Sparks attorney Jim Kosinski to replace retiring Commissioner Joni Wines.

City, county move to close zoning loophole: Adrienne Packer; An agreement struck between Clark County and Las Vegas on Tuesday is expected to put a stop to "back-door" negotiations that repeatedly push through zone changes that do not conform with master plans.

Cops turn tables on accused thief: Keith Paul; Metro Police found a way to frustrate and confuse one accused car thief -- steal the cars back.

Acquitted Edwards co-defendant returns to board: "It's just like any other job," Fuller said.

New flight for America West: America West now serves Hartford from all three of its hubs at Phoenix, Las Vegas and Columbus, Ohio.

Coast casino revenue cooling, but still poised to surpass $1 billion: In April and May - the only months in which Beau Rivage is included in results for 1999 and 2000 - revenues were flat.

New Lake Las Vegas complex announced: David Strow; The developers of Lake Las Vegas today unveiled plans to build a $500 million Mediterranean-themed hotel-casino, commercial and residential complex at the Henderson resort community. It will be anchored by famed luxury hotel operator Ritz-Carlton.

Senate candidate takes entourage to Tijuana to prove point: With a pharmacy technician in tow to verify the prescriptions were filed with suitable medicines, Bernstein made the trip Tuesday with seven Nevada seniors, one disabled person and three staff members.