Columnist Ruthe Deskin: Faiss has a place in the Sun

Ruthe Deskin

Thursday, March 9, 2000 | 8:35 a.m.

Ruthe Deskin is assistant to the publisher. Her column appears Thursdays. Reach her at deskin@vegas.com.

This is the year the Sun is celebrating its 50th anniversary. I was reminded of that when someone sent me a copy of the February issue of Casino Journal, a slick and imposing magazine that tells us all we might want to know about the gaming industry, and a few things best left for the closet.

Harvey Whittemore and Bob Faiss, two handsome, smiling gentlemen all togged out in business suits, grace the cover. Whittemore and Faiss, top gaming attorneys with the firm of Lionel, Sawyer and Collins, are featured inside with more pictures and lengthy articles on their successes in gaming litigation and lobbying.

Whittemore grew up in Yerington (my hometown) and earned his bachelor's degree at the University of Nevada in Reno (my alma mater). That is about as far as our relationship goes, except that I respect his role as one of the state's premier lobbyists.

As for Faiss -- that's a different story, which bring us to the Sun's 50th birthday.

Faiss is a part of the Sun family. His first venture with the paper was as a high school senior writing a student column entitled "Bobbin' Along." In a weak moment, with publisher Hank Greenspun out of town, I encouraged Bob to write a column for the front page. He did and we almost lost all of our women subscribers as he attacked the driving abilities of females.

Later Faiss went to UNR on a scholarship and came back to work at the Sun until he realized lawyers make more money than reporters and he forsook journalism for the law.

Faiss has achieved fame as one of the world's most knowledgeable gaming lawyers, but his Sun companions still remember the impish qualities that endeared him to us. While he possesses an imposing figure in legal circles, it was not always so, but who am I to tell tales of the days when he was a member of the fun-loving staff of rambunctious reporters and editors at the Sun in the mid-'50s?

Terry Lanni of the MGM says, "I've met some fine people in the gaming industry, but I'll never meet anyone with the quality of Bob Faiss." I might add -- it's no wonder. Look where he got his early training -- the Las Vegas Sun.

The Casino Journal revealed the talents of another Sun alumnus in a column on the Desert Inn written by former Sun columnist Bob Shemeligian.

Every time a new golf course is built there's a question about water usage.

Amy Kremenck, senior public information coordinator for the Southern Nevada Water Authority, took time to inform us that "golf courses consume approximately 5 percent of water used in the valley. Of the 40 courses in Southern Nevada, 13 are currently using reuse water. Another 16 courses are scheduled to be on reuse water by 2002 when two additional water reuse facilities currently under construction are completed. There are also efforts on the part of local governmental entities to limit the amount of turf on golf courses and driving ranges."

There you have it, in case you become concerned over the amount of water a golf course might be siphoning away from the total available.

Furthermore, "many of the water features at hotels are recycled water or ground water, neither of which count against our Colorado River allotment. Hotels represent only 7 percent of water used in Southern Nevada." That's according to Amy.

Who can tell about the current edition of a Rebel basketball team? Sometimes they come to play hard and other times they seem to disappear. Congratulations to the Rebels for the co-championship of the Mountain West Conference regular season. With the conference tournament on tap we wish them luck and hope they are in the mood to play with skill and determination.

Why do I get the feeling that the whole idea of a state university in Henderson could backfire with taxpayers picking up a huge tab?

Janie Greenspun Gale's enthusiasm is contagious. When she became involved in the restoration of the old Las Vegas Springs it was a foregone conclusion that the project would move along.

From the information contained in a press packet sent by J.C. Davis it appears the newly-named Las Vegas Preserve is alive and well and will, one day, be a major attraction for residents and visitors.

An invitation to a financial planning seminar reminded me of Yogi Berra, who once said: "If you don't know where you're going, when you get there, you'll be lost."