Print edition for March 7, 2000

Letter: Cronyism keeps school district from new ideas: The two consequences of Cram's practice are that his incompetent friends are making very poor project planning decisions, and that he has created a "funnel effect" by limiting the participation in the development of schools to a select few architects and contractors.

Letter: Columnist stays on top of case: SHARIE FRENCIK Galesburg, Ill.

Letter: Moment too long to leave child: I believe it was the late anthropologist Margaret Mead who said, "There should be two types of licenses: one to marry and the second to have children!"

Omaha Archbishop puts an end to priests at casinos: Gambling can be very addictive and can tempt one to use parish funds to recoup losses or to hit it big, which never happens, he wrote in the letter.

Where I Stand -- Mike O'Callaghan: A Goldwater message: Gov. George W. Bush and Sen. John McCain have both been doing their best to convince Republican voters that they are the second coming of President Ronald Reagan. Although we hear them mention the names of Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln every now and then, they always return to "I'm a Reagan Republican."

Editorial: Gaming's tectonic shifting: Love him or hate him, Wynn came to symbolize the emergence of the gaming industry during the 1990s, including its acceptance by a large part of the American public. Wynn's bluntness created his share of detractors, but it shouldn't go unmentioned that he set new standards for excellence in the industry, including envied working conditions for Mirage Resorts employees. MGM Grand executives say they don't plan layoffs, but it remains to be seen whether Mirage Resorts employees will continue to receive the same treatment admired by other workers, both inside and outside the gaming industry. Despite Wynn's success, Mirage Resorts' ...

IBL box: Las Vegas-New Mexico: LAS VEGAS (25-18)

Casino observers speculate on Wynn's future: David Strow; With Steve Wynn's future at the combined MGM Grand Inc.-Mirage Resorts Inc. unclear, analysts and Strip observers are busy trying to guess where Wynn will go next.

Northern Nevada's free trade zone expanding: Scott Sonner; The U.S. Customs Department has approved the expansion of a foreign trade zone in the Reno-Sparks area from the current 64 acres to nearly 7,500 acres.

Wednesday at Santa Anita: 1st race 1-1/16 mi 4YO & up Clm: 1 Indian Missile (Enriquez) 118; 2 Crimson Policy (Valdivia) 118; 3 Mirobolant (Garcia) 118; 4 Azagal (Gutierrez) 118; 5 Dr. Aftergood (Berrio) 118; 6 Kristopher Kross (Pedroza) 118; 7 Sheen (Desormeaux) 118; 8 Half Past Ten (Valenzuela) 118.

Largest shareholder lobbies for control of Southwest Gas board: David Strow; Following the failed $1.8 billion merger between Southwest Gas Corp. and an Oklahoma natural gas company, the Las Vegas utility's largest shareholder is launching an attempt to take over the company's board of directors.

Former official took documents, committee claims: The lawsuit contends that Robert Bingham, former chairman of the credentials committee for an upcoming party convention, removed documents related to February precinct meetings.

Blind musicians, denied service by bartender, are seeing red: Members of a visiting singing trio say the bartender of a Las Vegas restaurant owned by a public defender refused to serve them beer because they are blind.

Clark County looks for a few good moms: Deadline to submit nominations is April 17. The 30th annual awards ceremony will be 2 p.m. May 7 at the Gold Coast hotel-casino. Awards will be presented in several categories.

Sun All-State Basketball: Brimmer carried load at Durango: Spencer Patterson; When Al LaRocque got the news that star guard Chey Christie had moved to Biloxi, Miss., last summer, the Durango basketball coach reacted with a rather strange statement.

Mohegans give big boost to OpSail: Rowland, who wants to set aside $5.5 million in state surplus funds for OpSail, hailed the festival as an economic "home run" and a sensible investment for the state.

MGM Grand Detroit is pitching recyclable beer bottles: The casino doesn't want local charities offering to take the bottles.

Ralston: Ensign, Berkley leads are far from insurmountable: A poll in the current issue of The Ralston Report shows that John Ensign and Rep. Shelley Berkley "have gargantuan leads" in their races for Congress.

Mountain West Conference Basketball All-Stars: First Team

August Nights event heats up: While the event is the city's biggest tourist draw, visitation fell last year. Tourism officials said many people weren't willing to come to Reno for an event that didn't last all weekend.

Reward for armored car guard killers rises: Armored Transport is offering the reward.

Greektown casino investors did not pay city debt to qualify for license: According to city records, Gatzaros and Papas and their wives took over responsibility for that debt and nearly $6 million in other city loans when they paid $2.4 million to buy into Trappers Alley in 1989.

Ambulance firm's troubles mount as another executive leaves: Adrienne Packer; In the midst of negotiations with three local governments, Southwest Ambulance is downplaying rumors of bankruptcy and the recent resignation of another executive at its parent company.

In Atlantic City, mega-merger spells more delays: John Curran; Mirage, which persuaded the state to build a $330 million road-and-tunnel connector and to pass a measure giving sales tax breaks to the developers of former landfills, agreed Monday to a $4.4 billion buyout by MGM Grand Inc., another Vegas company planning to build in Atlantic City.

Search for school superintendent delayed: Terry Webster; The Clark County School District's hunt for a new superintendent will be delayed following a request for an extension by search consultant William Attea.

Big Black casino site argued before Mississippi's high court: Gina Holland; Vicksburg leaders have battled for four years with a casino company and property owner over the proposed race track and casino on the Big Black, which branches off from the Mississippi River.

Former Jazz executive to testify Wednesday in Edwards trial: Natalie Gott; The executive, Mark Bradley, is a former vice president of Jazz Enterprises Inc., which was awarded a riverboat casino license in 1994 and opened the Belle of Baton Rouge.

Sun All-State Basketball Team: More boys selections: PG: John Giannoni, South Tahoe, 5-11, Sr.

Las Vegas website begins booking reservations: The company, owned by a group of area investors, including Advanced Gaming Technology Inc., is operated by former Caesars Palace executives Dan Reichartz and Dan Scott.

Slaying suspect convicted on unrelated charges: Kim Smith; A Las Vegas man scheduled for trial in May in the slaying of a local teenager was sentenced to life in prison Monday on sexual assault and kidnapping charges in an unrelated case.

Planning eases race-day traffic: Las Vegas Motor Speedway general manager Chris Powell was "ecstatic" with the improved traffic flow during this weekend's NASCAR races, but said he intends to continue to work to make traffic flow even more smooth for future races.

Columnist Ron Kantowski: Yellow flag should be red at the end: A few leftovers as we take our racing helmets off and put our basketball helmets on (the game as it is played today is so physical, you almost need a helmet) in preparation for the Mountain West Conference men's and women's tournaments:

U.S. Bank offering special card for small businesses: Phil Levine; Technology continues to transform the world of business-to-business commerce.

Nevada banks jockey for position: Phil Levine; Banks say merger still on

Superintendent search needs more time: William Attea was to have produced the two finalists for district superintendent on Tuesday.

'At Home' Internet service rollout delayed: Company officials are continuing to offer Cox Express, a nearly identical high-speed Internet service that allows customers access to the Internet from a site of their own choosing.

Sun All-State Basketball: Orndorff shined in tiny Hawthorne: Spencer Patterson; Ask most longtime Nevada residents what they know about the town of Hawthorne and you're likely to get a blank look.

Price at the pumps to only get worse: On Monday, the federal government warned consumers to be prepared to pay more by summer.

Mystery of Chinese-style jade vases left to jury: CARSON CITY -- The Nevada Supreme Court is going to leave it up to a Las Vegas jury to unravel the mystery of two pink Chinese-style jade vases that may or not be worth $2 million.

House to vote on nuclear waste later this spring: A bill that would allow shipping 40,000 tons of highly radioactive waste to Nevada by 2003 has been tentatively scheduled for a vote in the House of Representatives this spring.

Wednesday at Aqueduct: 1st race 6 fur 4YO & up Clm: 1 Highcat (Montalvo) 107; 2 We Belong (Hole) 114; 3 Tycoon Todd (Mojica) 112; 4 Be Accountable (Rodriguez) 116; 5 Deputy General (Chavez) 116; 6 Golden Tent (Leon) 116; 7 Silver Kipper (Bridgmohan) 116.

Reward increased in guard slayings: Henderson Police today continued their investigation into the slayings of Ricardo S. Sosa, 47, and Gary Dean Prestidge II, 23, about 11:25 a.m. Friday in front of Ross Dress for Less in a busy shopping center on Stephanie Street.

Questions raised about McDonald's motives: Erin Neff; Las Vegas Housing Authority officials are still smarting from City Councilman Michael McDonald's tongue-lashing last week.

LA has inside track for De La Hoya vs. Mosley: Promoter Bob Arum flew to Los Angeles on Monday to try and complete negotiations for a fight that would match the two hometown welterweights at the Staples Center.

Guinn OKs population statistics: CARSON CITY -- Gov. Kenny Guinn has certified that Nevada's population stood at 1,967,650 as of July 1, with 68.2 percent of the people living in Clark County.

Three children and wheelchair-bound man killed in apartment fire: Clark County Fire Department spokesman Bob Leinbach said firefighters found the bodies of three small children - ages 2, 4 and 5 - in a second-floor apartment.

Tests to continue on ground water in Nye County: Radiation

Lady Rebels may receive consideration for WNIT: Steve Guiremand; All things considered, it was a pretty nice Monday morning for UNLV Lady Rebels coach Regina Miller.

Las Vegas-Spokane service begins tonight: Phoenix-based America West kicked off Spokane service with three daily flights between the eastern Washington city and Phoenix today.

Operator reports big jump in earnings: Horseshoe said its earnings were driven upward by its recent expansion into the Chicago market. Horseshoe acquired Empress Entertainment Inc. on Dec. 1, giving it casinos in Joliet, Ill., and Hammond, Ind. These two casinos produced combined cash flow of $125.5 million in 1999.

Arkansas attorney general begs off on legality of Instant Racing: David A. Lieb; Attorney General Mark Pryor, asked to issue an opinion on the Instant Racing machines, said a determination of the machines' legality depends on factual issues that would need to be decided by a judge.

Wednesday at Bay Meadows: 1st race 1 mi 3YO Clm: 1 Mr. Yahoo (Warren) 117; 2 Fast Buck Eddie (Meza) 117; 3 Philip Lacy (Baze) 117; 4 Important Point (Alvarado) 117; 5 Mad About Slew (Bisono) 117.

Slam slams Silver Bandits: The win pulls the Slam within a half-game of Las Vegas for second place in the IBL West.

Bayno hot over snub of Dickel: Steve Addy; Here's the list of first-round Mountain West Conference tournament games on Thursday:

Sun All-State Basketball Team: More girls selections: PG: Tenecia Jackson, Centennial, 5-5, Jr.

Woman accused of murdering husband ordered back to Nevada: Lt. Wayne Peterson, a Las Vegas homicide detective, dismissed that claim.

Binion murder trial delayed for two weeks: District Judge Joseph Bonaventure today granted defense lawyers a two-week continuance in gaming executive Ted Binion's murder trial, which had been set to get under way Monday.

Quarterly earnings decline for LV casino supplier: The company recorded net income of $392,000, or 4 cents per share. That's down from net income of $628,000, or 6 cents per share, in the year-ago period. Revenues also declined 19 percent, to $25.4 million.

Ralph Siraco's selections for Wednesday's races at Santa Anita: 1st Race -- Dr. Aftergood - Draws well for this, needs lively pace for stretch run, Berrio/Spawr team, should make last run. Sheen - Desormeaux/Hess combo, must get good position early from outside post, a forward factor here. Value Play -- Half Past Ten

Thomas Gaule gets former attorney for sentencing: Kim Smith; A Las Vegas man convicted of voluntary manslaughter in the shooting death of of a home invader is being represented again by the attorney who defended him at trial.

Birmingham dog track serves as hub for offshore gambling: The Birmingham Racing Commission approved the Birmingham dog track operating as a hub, or processing center, for other betting operations, including RGS. But commission executive secretary Claude Williams said the commission doesn't keep watch over the money because it is not being bet from Birmingham and is not subject to state and local wagering taxes.

MGM Grand/Mirage looking at cost savings, stock offering, asset sales: David Strow; MGM Grand Inc. executives have praised the attractiveness of the assets their company will acquire in its $6.4 billion marriage with Mirage Resorts Inc.

Man hit by car was also shot: Jace Radke; An autopsy has revealed that a 25-year-old Las Vegas man who is believed to have been intentionally run over and killed Saturday morning was also shot.

Bus accident victim still critical: The girl, whose name has not been released, was run over by the front and back tires of the bus on Monday. Police say her pelvis and legs were broken.

Apartment fire kills four: A two-alarm apartment blaze this morning took the lives of three children and an apparently disabled man in a complex that residents say has been riddled with fires over the last seven years.

Supreme court orders new trial in killing: The killing in Trout Canyon, about 30 miles from Las Vegas, occurred after Kelly and Shreve argued about water from Kelly's residence flooding Shreve's yard. Shreve had walked into Kelly's front yard to shut off a water valve when he was shot.

Jetliner coming in too steep before touchdown, pilot warned to 'pull up': Jeff Wilson; BURBANK, Calif. - A cockpit warning system barked "pull up" to a Southwest Airlines pilot during a steep landing at Burbank Airport in the seconds before the plane shot off a runway, federal investigators said Tuesday.

Monday's prep result: Boulder City 211, Chaparral 243 Medalist: Phil Tait (BC) -- 38

Concealed-gun signs clear to go up in Nevada: Assemblyman Lynn Hettrick, R-Gardnerville, who has a concealed weapon permit, said he wanted to make his case to the commission, a panel of lawmakers that sets policy for the Legislature.

Nevada defense contractor settles whistleblower's suit: Scott Sonner; RENO, Nev. - A Nevada defense contractor agreed Tuesday to pay $320,000 to settle a whistleblower's claims that the company failed to adequately test electronic parts sold to NASA and the Pentagon.

Indians' lawyer asks judge to bar privatization of trust fund records: Matt Kelley; Lawyer Dennis Gingold asked U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth to block the companies' access to the records, which are scheduled to be turned over Friday as a government computer center moves from New Mexico to Virginia.

News briefs: A Las Vegas woman and her husband have filed a lawsuit against Summerlin Medical Center claiming its negligence lead to her sexual assault almost one year ago.

Sun All-State Basketball Team: Girls First Team: Las Vegas, 5-8, senior

Sun All-State Basketball Team: Boys First Team: Reno, 6-0, junior

AG fights disclosure of records in probe of gaming regulators: CARSON CITY -- The state attorney general's office said Monday the Sun and KLAS Channel 8 have no constitutional right to pretrial documents involving a secret investigation of gaming regulators.

Mattsen ready to tell truth on stand: After a week of hiding out, David Mattsen said he planned to take the witness stand today to "tell the truth" in his federal firearms trial.

Children's hospital proposed at UMC: Adrienne Packer; University Medical Center administrators have embarked on a proposal that could bring the Clark County-operated facility a full-fledged children's hospital.

Girl, 10, hit by school bus: Keith Paul; A 10-year-old girl was in serious condition this morning after she was run over by a school bus Monday afternoon at Nellis Air Force Base.

Obituaries for March 7, 2000: Louise Bergman, 81, of Las Vegas died Saturday in Las Vegas. She was born Jan. 1, 1919, in Aberdeen, Wash. A resident for 28 years, she was a homemaker.

Tribal casinos in Michigan freed from 8 percent state payment: But the tribes said in 1996 that they were ending the payments because passage of a state ballot proposal allowing casino gambling in Detroit ended the tribes' exclusive right to operate gambling machines.

Stepping into the loopy world of Steven Wright: Kirk Baird; When: 9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Columnist Susan Snyder: They need a place to go: The words seem most desperate when spoken by a child.

Columnist Kate Maddox: Ali to hit Vegas to promote new film: Kate Maddox; Boxing legend Muhammad Ali will be in Las Vegas this week to announce details of a new movie about his extraordinary life and career.

Missing skier found safe near Sugar Bowl: She was conscious and able to walk when a snowmobile team found her in the Onion Creek drainage about 1 p.m. Monday.

'Jane Roe' to speak in LV: Norma McCorvey -- "Jane Roe" -- will be the keynote speaker at the 14th Annual Care Net Women's Resource Centers of Southern Nevada fund-raising banquet on March 25 at 6:30 p.m. at the Regent Las Vegas (formerly the Resort at Summerlin).

Students pledge support for an ailing classmate: Ryan Pasion, who has aplastic anemia, is waiting for a bone-marrow transplant at the Ronald McDonald House in Los Angeles. Pasion has been in and out of the hospital since before Christmas and not all of his expenses are covered under his parents' insurance. In addition his parents -- still living in Las Vegas -- make the drive to Los Angeles to see him each week.

Editorial: Bomber burn tests rightfully get axed: Nevada too often is viewed as a dumping ground, and this was a dubious plan -- at best -- from the start. That it got as far as it did is troubling, but fortunately Richardson showed good sense in rejecting this proposal after Sen. Harry Reid voiced his objections.

Community news briefs for March 7, 2000: Health District immunization clinics are open each week in Southern Nevada. Immunizations are provided without charge to children and young adults under the age of 21 in any of four public health centers and 36 satellite clinics. The following clinics will be open this week, March 8 through March 14: