Print edition for June 23, 2000

Complaints on U.S. 95 widening heard: Birusk Tugan; Concerned about devaluation of their property, some residents living between Cheyenne Avenue and Craig Road near U.S. 95 asked the Nevada Department of Transportation to lower and color the noise barriers that will surround the highway as it is widened.

Group contributes to Ethiopian relief: The Ethiopian Mutual Association of Nevada donated more than $17,000 and 1,500 pounds of clothing. The nonprofit group is made up of Ethiopian-Americans who help immigrants and refugees adjust to life in America.

MGM Grand changes name: Las Vegas-based MGM Grand revealed the proposed name change to MGM MIRAGE in its annual proxy statement, filed today with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Shareholders will be asked to vote on the name change at MGM Grand's annual shareholder meeting, to be held Aug. 1 at 10 a.m. at the MGM Grand.

Where I Stand -- Mike O'Callaghan: Some busy Nevadans: ASHLEY HALL retired as a brigadier general after more than 35 years of service with the Nevada Army National Guard. During those years he also was an outstanding public servant and successful manager for the city of Las Vegas, in addition to being a most productive member of Clark County government. Hall has also been successful in private enterprise and today is a vice president with Orgill/Singer & Associates.

Letter: Letter concerning guns off mark: Then, of course, he went on to say, "Yes, guns do kill." Now I will admit people have used guns to kill other people, but I've never heard of a gun killing someone of its own volition, as suggested by that statement. No, I am not now, nor have I ever been a member of the NRA, and the last gun I purchased was over 30 years ago, so don't call me some gun nut.

PBA Orleans Seniors standings: 1, Johnny Petraglia, Manalapan, N.J., 10-6, 8,282. 2, Dick Baker, Henderson, 11-5, 8,246. 3, Dave Davis, West Palm Beach, Fla., 11-5, 8,197. 4, Mike Pullin, Rochelle, Ill., 8-8, 8,059. 5, Ronald Krippelcz, St. Louis, 8-8, 7,972. 6, Bob Glass, Lawrence, Kan., 8-7-1, 7,948.

Letter: We're getting way too soft on criminals: Did he? No, he went out again and stole another car. The tragic thing here is that not only did Metro allow this, they videotaped his crimes.

Birth announcements for June 23, 2000: June 14: A boy to Stephanie and Jedediah Boyle. June 15: A boy to Tanya Cokley and Marlon Bowers. June 16: A girl to Gretchen and Chad Ostler; a boy to Murleen McKenzie and Marcus Greer; a girl to Nicole and Jesse Stephens. Eversole and Pete Gonzales. June 19: A girl to Amy and Gary Waysack.

Columnist Muriel Stevens: Epicurean Affair was an Olympic-size odyssey: This year's Epicurean Affair was one of the best ever. A fresser's delight, the annual event traditionally takes place the evening before the opening of the Las Vegas International Hotel & Restaurant Show. This was the 21st year for the international event. Dubbed "Epicurean Affair 2000: An Olympian Odyssey" (the 10th annual) it was all of that and more. Adding to this year's pleasure, the food fest, usually held outdoors, was indoors at the Rio's spacious new pavilion. Dining al fresco is lovely, but June weather is unpredictable and there have been a few wind and heat problems in the ...

Editorial: This solution may remove an impasse: Mediation ordered by U.S. District Court Judge David Hagen has resulted in a reasonable compromise: Elko County will be allowed to rebuild the road -- but only after receiving federal approval that doing so will not harm the protected fish. Some state and local officials from Elko County previously had refused to budge at all, fanning the flames every chance they had. But now is the time for all sides to work together and implement this plan.

Shelf Life -- Scott Dickensheets: Writer casts gaze on 'Blue Mountains Far Away': My fingers soldered to the steering wheel in my car the other day, I found myself wondering if it was this hot when the mob ran Las Vegas. I find it hard to believe.

Datebook: Auditions for "Amen! A Musical Celebration" will be from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday and 1-7 p.m. Sunday in the International Showroom (second floor) at the World Trade Center Hotel, 901 E. Desert Inn Road. Call 796-3566.

Two Rebels in Olympics: Diaconescu will represent her native country of Romania in the 400- and 800-freestyle relay squads and in the 100 freestyle. Simon will swim for the Hungarian team on the 800-freestyle relay team and possibly the 200 freestyle.

Nevada leads nation in rate of gonorrhea: Nevada led a nationwide surge in gonorrhea cases in 1998, but preliminary figures for 1999 show the number of cases of the sexually transmitted disease once again leveling off.

Yucca nuke waste project director says plan on schedule: Mary Manning and Benjamin Grove; WASHINGTON -- The director of the proposed project to bury the nation's nuclear waste in Nevada today said the project was on schedule, despite concerns of delay.

Culinary saddened at DI closure: "We have long-term workers who have been there for 20 years or more, and we're losing another landmark on the Strip," Arnold said. "But Vegas has changed, whether we like it or not. This community has to be competitive to keep up with the rest of the country."

Shareholders OK massive media merger: NEW YORK -- Shareholders of America Online Inc. and Time Warner Inc. overwhelmingly approved the proposed combination of their two companies today, which would create a colossal media player. The ambitious pairing must still be cleared by U.S. and European regulatory agencies.

Wells Fargo removes racial references from website: Michael Liedtke; SAN FRANCISCO -- Wells Fargo & Co. has overhauled an online home referral program that described poor neighborhoods as places heavily populated by blacks who tend to buy "takeout food from chicken restaurants."

Obituaries for June 23, 2000: Russell "Steve" Alonso, 50, of Las Vegas died Wednesday in Las Vegas. He was born Nov. 11, 1949, in the Philippines. A resident for 38 years, he was a hotel bartender and a member of the Bartenders Union.

Street landscaping projects planned in North Las Vegas: Diana Sahagun; One year from now, the landscaping along Las Vegas Boulevard and Civic Center Drive in North Las Vegas will mirror the landscaping, with its lush mesquite trees, that welcomes residents to Summerlin.

On the hot seat: Steve Addy; Of six UNLV players and recruits named in NCAA allegations against the men's basketball program, only one still wears a Rebels uniform, and a fullcourt press is underway to help Chris Richardson retain that privilege.

Veterans say Korean War unlikely Hollywood topic: At the end of the highly acclaimed 1998 movie "Saving Private Ryan," the title character stands in a European cemetery and looks at the gravesite of one of the men who saved his life.

New era looks promising for Gators: Spencer Patterson; For the first time in a long time, the Green Valley Gators took the field this week without a single player who experienced at least one of the team's six consecutive state titles from 1993-98.

Court briefs for June 23, 2000: Orthodontist Steven D. Yatrofsky, 54, appeared in Las Vegas Justice Court Thursday on four felony charges for Medicaid fraud.

UNLV snubbed by Henderson college: ELKO -- In an apparent slap in the face of UNLV, the proposed state college in Henderson chose today to align with the University of Nevada, Reno to work for accreditation.

Valley veterans have mixed feelings on Korean War: The Korean War

New rule to help Wynn financing: David Strow; A new gaming regulation proposed by Steve Wynn on Thursday should make his task of financing the new Desert Inn megaresort far easier, analysts say.

City close to getting key downtown land: Erin Neff; For years a massive parcel of downtown Las Vegas land that could be the key to Mayor Oscar Goodman's redevelopment dreams has sat vacant while dozens of project ideas and hours of discussions fell by the wayside.

Columnist Dean Juipe: DI finds itself on death row: Dean Juipe; Las Vegas continually feels the need to reinvent itself. It takes pride in knowing what's here today will almost certainly be gone tomorrow.

Cable ruling could open Internet competition: PORTLAND, Ore. -- Despite losing the fight to regulate AT&T Corp.'s cable network, city officials say their battle will nevertheless open up competition among Internet service providers.

DUI fatalities an ongoing problem in 24-hour town: Robert Macy; LAS VEGAS - It's a 24-hour town with a 24-hour tap. They never stop pouring the booze in Las Vegas, which means many come pouring out onto the streets in no shape to drive.

Church sued over payment for home: According to the lawsuit filed Thursday in District Court, officials with St. Stephen's Church agreed to buy a home in the 2400 block of Windjammer Way from Sound Comfort Inc. on March 22.

Maryland county rejects push for tighter gambling rules: FREDERICK, Md. -- The Frederick County commissioners on Thursday narrowly rejected a bid for tighter regulation of tip jars, a type of legal gambling that draws more dollars in the county than the state lottery.

Herndon injured in Stars' 3-0 loss: First, the Stars lost starting pitcher Junior Herndon after three innings because of a right groin strain. Then they lost the opener of this weekend's four-game Pacific Coast League Southern Division showdown with Sacramento, 3-0. And that loss disposed of Las Vegas' one-game lead over the River Cats for the division lead.

State regulators open door to slots in liquor stores: CARSON CITY -- The state Gaming Commission opened the door Thursday to allow slot machines in liquor stores.

PCL Box: Rivercats 3, Stars 0: DP--Las Vegas 1. LOB--Las Vegas 8, Sacramento 3. HR--Piatt (7). S--Hinch. SB--Porter. CS--Darr, Hinch, Byrnes.

Smith named Gorman basketball coach: Smith, a 1977 UNLV graduate, has spent the past eight years as a teacher and coach at Bishop Gorman. He earned three varsity letters as a member of the Rebels' basketball team and still ranks as the school's all-time leader in career free-throw percentage (.878). He went on to play five seasons with the New Jersey Nets and later played professionally in Canada, Europe and the CBA.

Treatment officials meet, search for solutions: BOSTON -- With casinos, lotteries, racetracks and now, betting on the Internet, addiction treatment experts say it is easier than ever to get sucked into gambling.

Monsoon season gets earliest start in valley: S. Nevada floods

Shareholder sues over gold mining merger: Grace Leong; A day after North America's largest gold producer announced plans to buy Battle Mountain Gold Co. for $557 million in stock plus debt, a Battle Mountain shareholder filed a class action lawsuit in Las Vegas demanding a higher price for his stock.

Regulators re-license casino executive with tax troubles: ATLANTIC CITY -- New Jersey casino regulators agreed Wednesday to renew the license of a casino official who overstated his business expenses on tax returns.

County passes new dust rules: The Clark County Health District on Thursday passed sweeping new regulations designed to reduce dust in the Las Vegas Valley.

Henderson City Hall cost nears $55 mil.: Greg Harman; The pricetag on a pending expansion of the Henderson City Hall -- replete with private balconies for council members, underground parking and a skywalk connecting to the city's emergency services facility -- was hiked $12.5 million this week.

Arrests target sellers of drug ingredients: Lee Scrivner; Five people were arrested Thursday on charges of selling ingredients used to make the illegal drug methamphetamine.

Nevada businesses struggle to find workers with jobless rate at 3.4 percent: CARSON CITY -- Unemployment in Nevada in May dipped to 3.4 percent, its lowest point since at least 1994. State officials expect the strong job market to continue this summer.

Woman linked to robbers' getaway: Keith Paul; Metro Police arrested a woman Thursday who is accused of renting a sport utility vehicle that was used as the getaway car in a robbery that led to a police officer being shot in the face.

Petraglia leads, Henderson bowler second at Orleans: Petraglia, 10-6 in match play, has a 34-game pinfall total of 8,282. Baker, the runner-up last year, is 11-5 in match play.

Air-quality agencies' merger gets tentative regional OKs: Clark County Commissioner Erin Kenny's plan to consolidate two regional air-pollution agencies under local control got qualified endorsements from two regional agencies Thursday.

2000 American Legion Baseball standings: (Through June 20)

Malec, Simon chosen: Simon was the MWC swimmer of the year, UNLV swimmer of the year, a three-time conference champion (200, 500 freestyle and 200 butterfly), and became the first Rebel swimmer to achieve All-America status in three events in one year at the NCAA Championships in March.

Park Place CEO wins legislative battle for N.Y. casino: Anny Kuo; ALBANY, N.Y. -- The state Assembly has decided not to take any action on a measure requiring legislative and local authorization before Indian tribes can open gambling casinos on non-tribal lands in New York.

Bustling Bronson celebrates a decade on the Vegas stage: Kimberley McGee; It's hip, hot and happenin', and maybe one of the best-kept secrets in Las Vegas.

The Movie Guys: Split personality plagues Carrey's latest effort: Grades: Jeff D, Dave C-.

Energetic Turner jumps, jives, wails at RioBamba Cabaret: The Rio hotel-casino has been skewered over the past several months, justifiably so, for its greedy ticket practices. Pricing Danny Gans into the stratosphere (and finally the Mirage) at $99 per ticket was a particularly calamitous PR move.

That's Life -- Steve Bornfeld: Attitude shift for Mr. Shaft: That cat "Shaft" was a baaaaad mutha.

Columnist Joe Delaney: Talented Ryan to show true spirit of 76 at LV Academy: Joe Delaney; Multiple talent, a star from childhood, now an ageless wonder, 76-year-young Peggy Ryan presents "Thanks for the Memories," Saturday at 7 p.m. in the Las Vegas Academy of the Performing Arts, at Ninth Street and Clark Avenue ... Admission is a modest $8 with two provisos, no video cameras and no smoking ... Ryan will be accompanied by her 55 dancing ladies, aka the TNT Dancers, a huge hit everywhere they have played in town through the years.

Sound Check -- Geoff Carter: 'Shiva' passes international muster: There are perhaps 10 local bands I'd stake my reputation on. (If you're not one of them, don't take it personally. Truth be known, I have no reputation to stake.)

Designer pins down 'ruff' job: When Pet Sitters International announced its sponsorship of the first Take Your Dog to Work Day a year ago, jewelry designer Erwin Pearl perked up his ears.

Columnist Kate Maddox: Hopper to skip, jump to Bellagio: Kate Maddox; Looks like singer Jimmy Hopper will end up at the Bellagio's Fontana Lounge. Sources say that Hopper, who recently left his spot at Ra at the Luxor after a brief six-week stay, will settle in at the upscale Bellagio space beginning July 4. Hopper has been spotted making frequent visits to the MGM's executive offices, most likely to seal the deal and secure his new contract, which is rumored to be a lengthy one. Insiders say that Hopper's eclectic singing style will be showcased at the Fontana, which is being revamped to host a hipper, late-night crowd.

Utah Shakespearean Festival just a matter of time: Play schedules

Bankruptcies: James Randall Harrison, also known as Randy Harrison, formerly doing business as Glass Forms, 1031 Jimmy Circle, filed for Chapter 7, listing assets of $5,050 and liabilities of $19,297.

Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: Brack getting used to busier times: When Kenny Brack made the move from the Indy Racing League to CART at the end of last season, the 34-year-old Swede knew he would have to make adjustments.

Regents wrestle with funding for dental school: ELKO -- Starting a dental school at UNLV will require about $2 million a year in state support, school officials said Thursday.

LVMS 3/8-mile paved oval standings: Driver standings at Las Vegas Motor Speedway:

Community news briefs for June 23, 2000: The Escobedo family invites the public to attend a block party celebrating 20 years of El Mundo, the largest Spanish newspaper in Nevada.

Editorial: Zoning at center of dispute: Making Omer violate his religious beliefs in such a way, over a nonviolent offense that hardly registers as a danger to the community, showed insensitivity and a lack of judgment. At the same time, however, it also shouldn't escape attention that the Kabbalah Centre's next-door neighbor, Anthony Bock, had complained for months about all of the congregation's cars parked in the cul-de-sac where he lives. At times, Bock said, the cars were even parked in front of his driveway and on Bock's property itself.

Ralph Siraco's selections for Saturday's races at Hollywood Park: 1st Race -- Motivation - Flores scales for trainer Delima here, draws good post, training at Anita, should be in good spot to take opener. Mymoonshiner - Pedroza rides for main man trainer Carava, well spotted, but, needs prompt start and clean trip from rail post. Value Play -- Qui's Fair Lady

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

LVMS drag racing standings: DRAG RACING

Washington news briefs for June 23, 2000: Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., is pursuing a legislative strategy to end "honor killings" and "dowry deaths" in foreign nations.

Slimmed down university system budget hits $1 billion: ELKO -- A proposed budget of $1 billion for the University and Community College System of Nevada, a 12.6 percent spending increase, was outlined today for the Board of Regents.