Stories published May 17, 2000Las Vegas Sun

Commissioners choose three possible sites for new detention facility: Second was 17 acres on North Hills Boulevard in Golden Valley. The third site is at West Parr Boulevard and North Virginia Street.

Gidley trying to make Indy 500 with limited resources: Mike Harris; INDIANAPOLIS - Talk about bucking the odds. Rookie Memo Gidley is trying to make the Indianapolis 500 with a year-old car, one engine, a borrowed crew and a $30,000 budget.

Columnist Paula DelGiudice: CARA receives strong support in Washington: Paula DelGiudice; Congress took a giant step toward final enactment of a historic conservation funding bill last week when it passed the Conservation and Reinvestment Act (CARA) by an overwhelming vote of 315 to 102.

Letter: Wynn could have saved a lot of pets: It was reported that Clark County euthanizes/executes, choose your wording, about 12,000 of these little four-legged furry, loving creatures a year. About 30 to 35 a day. Think about that.

Woman sentenced in DUI killings: Investigators said Snyder's pickup truck crossed over a double yellow line into oncoming traffic on struck a van driven by John Wedemeyer of Doyle, Calif.

Editorial: Cleanup delay is terrible: Following the EPA's order, Republic-Silver State accepted full responsibility for the cleanup as part of its 15-year contract extension with the county, which allowed the company to maintain its monopoly on garbage collection. But one year after the EPA demanded the cleanup, environmental regulators say not much has happened. As the Sun's Mary Manning reported Tuesday, the EPA on Friday sent a letter to both the county and the garbage company, warning them that they could face fines of up to $25,000 -- each day -- if the delays continue. In response, Republic-Silver State pledged that the company will respond ...

World of eggs an interesting one to explore: Muriel Stevens writes about food and shopping for the Sun. Reach her at muriel@lasvegassun.com or 259-4080.

Columnist Peter Benton: New Zealand courses offer awesome scenery: Peter Benton; Having just returned from vacationing in my homeland of New Zealand, I thought it would be prudent to pass along a couple of tips to those who may be considering a trip down there.

Indonesian soldiers to appeal convictions in Aceh massacre: Muharram M. Nur; BANDA ACEH, Indonesia - Attorneys for 24 Indonesian soldiers convicted Wednesday of murdering dozens of villagers during a massacre in Indonesia's Aceh province said that they would appeal.

Columnist Jon Ralston: GOP hopes in Legislature disassembled: Oh, were they big talkers a year ago.

Eighty-plus names listed on Soria Sr. witness list: Thomas Soria Jr., 19, pleaded guilty to murder and kidnapping in Steadman's death. Under an agreement with prosecutors, he avoided a possible death sentence but faces 20 years to life in prison.

NEVADA FOCUS: Former death row inmate looking toward freedom: Brendan Riley; RENO, Nev. - Jack Mazzan has been taking long walks, contacting family and old friends. He tries out cell phones, CDs and the Internet - all firsts after 20 years on Nevada's death row.

Protected by Taliban, bin Laden runs a clandestine network: Kathy Gannon; ISLAMABAD, Pakistan - Sheltered by his Taliban hosts and constantly on the move, Osama bin Laden reportedly spends most of his time overseeing three terrorist training camps in Afghanistan's eastern Nangarhar province.

Las Vegas area fishing report: Las Vegas area fishing report

Columnist Elizabeth Foyt: Star-studded event set for Saturday: Elizabeth Foyt; A note from Angie Wallin, development director for the NAH (Nevada Association for the Handicapped), reminds us that the Starry, Starry Night Dinner and Auction will be held Saturday at Paris Las Vegas.

Auto racing schedule, winners and standings: Feb. 20 - Daytona 500, Daytona Beach, Fla. (Dale Jarrett)

PCL Box: Stars 7, Rainiers 1: DP--Tacoma 1, Las Vegas 1. LOB--Tacoma 6, Las Vegas 9. 2B--Lesher, Allen, Curl. 3B--Akers. HR--Roskos (3). SF--Alexander. SB--Vitiello, Davis, Curl. CS--Sanders.

Nearly 470,000 acres reseeded in Nevada since fires, BLM reports: "We will continue the work begun in 1999 and focus on long-term funding and restoration," said Clinton Oke of the Elko BLM field office.

Columnist Jeff Haney: Lakers look human, but value still elusive: A funny thing happened on the way to becoming the NBA's next dynasty.

Northern Nevada delays planned burns: One was planned in the Pah Rah Range northeast of Sparks, the other in Churchill County's Edwards Creek Valley.

Ruth woman sentenced in drug case: Along with the prison time, Lee also was fined $25,000 for the crime of manufacturing a controlled substance.

Letter: Terrible driving plagues Las Vegas: 2. Don't bother to have red light or stop signs, for they are ignored. I believe you could call many of the stops sushi stop -- just glide on through and red means less than orange, drive like h--- so you can make the next red light and have to stop.

Weather spotters fill in high-tech gaps: Susan Skorupa; To fill the gaps, the National Weather Service created a network of observers who supplement Doppler radar and weather satellites. Along the eastern Sierra and throughout western Nevada, about 300 people make up the network.

Editorial: Persecuted writers to find refuge here: UNLV English Professor Richard Wiley and Glenn Schaeffer, president of Mandalay Resort Group, were the driving force to make Las Vegas part of a cities of asylum network in the United States. Mandalay Resort Group will provide start-up funds to launch the program locally, which could see its first writer here sometime this fall.

House approves $16 million in construction at Nevada bases: The current inefficient facilities force the grounding of aircraft for unreasonable amounts of time, he said.

Shoe him the money!: Steve Addy; Rebel sponsorships

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

Dye transfers to Mo. school: Steve Addy; Kenny Dye's brief UNLV basketball career is officially over.

Elderly man arrested in slaying of older brother: Keith Paul; A 73-year-old man is being held in the Clark County Detention Center this morning, charged with beating his older brother to death in their southeast Las Vegas apartment.

Stars solve 'Little Unit': Steve Guiremand; The "Little Unit" had big problems throwing strikes in his Cashman Field debut Tuesday night.

Las Vegas court briefs for May 17, 2000: The Clark County district attorney's office is trying to revoke the probation of an 18-year-old Las Vegan who was part of a June 1998 murder case.

Columnist Muriel Stevens: A shopping trip the L.A. way: It had been years since I last shopped Los Angeles, but during two recent trips for family events I walked the areas near my hotel. Beverly Hills is pretty much the way it was the last time I visited. Rodeo Drive is lined with designer shops offering top-notch attire at top-notch prices.

Horizon residents win one, lose one: Greg Harman; Whether it is an unobstructed view of the Las Vegas Strip from the hills of Henderson or the multiplication of gas stations and apartments, residents along Horizon Ridge Parkway continue to fight to control the transformation of their neighborhoods.

Congressman Sam Gejdenson says he's convinced Pequots "are Indians.": "The thing people are missing is, this thing wasn't settled to help the Indians," Gejdenson told The Day. "People couldn't sell their homes. The state decided we are getting flooded with people who are getting apoplectic about not being able to sell their homes."

Noodles can be oodles of tasty fun: Max Jacobson; The best new examples of this genre are found in casinos such as the Venetian, Rio, Bellagio and Mandalay Bay. Before exploring them, though, it should be mentioned that there are wonderful Asian noodle dishes all over the city. Togoshi Ramen is great for Japanese soup noodles with interesting toppings, while Joyful House, a Chinese restaurant, has incredibly good dry fried beef chow fun, a flat rice noodle.

Bien Nacido Pinot Noir '97: Max Jacobson; Everyone is drinking Pinot Noir from California's central regions these days, where the cool air is just about perfect for this temperamental grape varietal. Lane Tanner, a female winemaker who is one of the region's undisputed stars, makes terrific wines. This one has the classic cherry and cranberry tang associated with this grape, a forward, accessible wine that is ready to drink now. Like it says on the label, "may your life be as smooth as this wine." Amen to that.

Ex-Teamsters boss pleads guilty to gambling charges: Cleo Neal, 62, also pleaded guilty to one count of operating an illegal gambling business and one count of conspiring to evade paying personal income taxes.

DOE hopes to ease rules for dumping waste at Yucca: The Department of Energy hopes for a green light by fall to change guidelines for putting a high-level nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain. The new guidelines would make it easier for the DOE to get the proposed repository approved.

Nevada judges back from leadership conference: Chief Justice Bob Rose said Tuesday the session was a big success, with judges working on ways to deal with litigants who represent themselves in court, in cases ranging from minor civil matters to death penalty proceedings.

It's return-to-sender time for that familiar zip code as '90210' departs the airwaves: Lisa Ferguson; I have some friends there, you see -- known them since we were all in high school in the early '90s. They hang out at this sprawling Spanish-style home. (Their parents handed over the keys to the place when they moved to Hong Kong a few years ago. How's that for a charmed life?)

Vegas Vic gets makeover: The 40-foot high neon cowboy has presided over downtown Las Vegas for 50 years, but Vic's clothes were faded and some of his lights weren't working. In his heyday, Vic towered over Fremont Street, directing customers into the Pioneer Club.

Part of $34.7 Boulder City budget to help theater: Greg Harman; Stray animals wandering Boulder City streets will need to keep a sharper eye after July 1. The Boulder City Theater will get a sprucing up, and a redevelopment plan will be launched in the new fiscal year.

Ojibwa II Casino gets federal approval: "I have determined that a gaming establishment on the 22.28 acre parcel of land located in Chocolay Township, Michigan, would be in the best interest of the Tribe and its members, and would not be detrimental to the surrounding community," Gover wrote. "Pursuant to Section 20 of (the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act), I seek your concurrence in this determination."

Obituaries for May 17, 2000: Betty Andrews, 54, of Henderson died Sunday in Henderson. She was born Feb. 12, 1946, in Culver City, Calif. A resident for two years, she was a waitress for 35 years.

Community news briefs for May 17, 2000: The British Auto Club Inc. will hold its annual car meet 8-11 a.m. Sunday in the parking lot of Palace Station.

Columnist Dean Juipe: Shoe deals are absurd, unnecessary: Dean Juipe; First off, a company like Nike -- along with its athletic apparel rivals, such as adidas and Reebok -- is entitled to do what it pleases with its extraneous money. It can disperse it among its executives, it can lavish it on its employees, it can stuff it in a pillow for safe keeping.

Northern Nevada in May means chilly, windy, rain and snow: Scott Sonner; Highs in the 80s were predicted by the weekend.

Henderson Council approves 2001 budget with more for parks: Greg Harman; Henderson homeowners will pay about 1 percent more on their property taxes in the coming fiscal year, but for their money they will get three new parks, improvements to an old one and more employees at City Hall.

Coast Resorts profit improves despite stiffening competition: The company reported net income of $10.6 million for the quarter, up from a loss of $20.7 million in the 1999 quarter. The 1999 loss was caused by a $27 million charge taken by Coast for the early retirement of debt.

LV builder sells assets to avoid bankruptcy: Saxton's independent auditor, Deloitte & Touche, reported in Saxton's annual report Tuesday: "The company's difficulties in generating sufficient cash flow and making required principal and interest payments ... raise substantial doubt about its ability to continue as a going concern."

UNLV officials hail new cop chief: UNLV President Carol Harter and other university officials have told a legislative committee that a new public safety director should turn around the school's troubled campus police force.

Gambling board gives Greektown investors extension: The tribe has agreed to buy as much as 20 percent of the shares to expedite the deal, believed to be worth up to $250 million.

Plan for children's hospital rejected: Adrienne Packer; A lengthy discussion about whether Clark County needs or can afford a $92 million children's hospital quickly deteriorated Tuesday into accusations of political motives behind commissioners' decisions.

LVMS point standings: IMCA Modifieds: 1. Jim Perkins 180, 2. Joe Farre' 179, 3. Dan Fitzgerald 176, 4. Wayne Francis 171, 5. Mark Allison 169, 6. Allen Crumpler 146, 7. Jason Pike 139, 8. Donny Berger 135, 9. Deane R. Fountain 132, 10. Josh Davis 131, 11. Mike Berger 127, 12. Rick Grimes 116, 13. Rick Durica 115, 14. Jason Lee 113, 15. Phil Clendennin 113, 16. Darrel Zweifel 112, 17. Jeffrey Schildmeyer 97, 18. John E. Linn 93, 19. David Boardman 68, 20. Ray Elam 63, 21. Leland Hibdon 59, 22. Pierce Kenton 46, 23. Rick Rochelle 45, 24. Steve Scholten 44, ...

County will not vote on hospital in November: The decision comes after spirited debate from the medical community, and questions about physician staffing costs and effects on a competing children's hospital.

Isle of Capri gets approval from Kansas City Port Authority: Isle of Capri is buying the riverboat from Hilton HotelCorporation. The acquisition is still subject to approval state gaming regulators in Missouri.

Local news briefs for May 17, 2000: Metro Police are searching for anyone who may have information about a Jean man whose identification was found in the clothing of human remains buried in the desert.

Demos hold edge in voter registration: CARSON CITY -- Democrats continue to hold the lead in voter registration but Republicans have narrowed the gap somewhat.

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

LV Internet company in dispute with health care giant: In a U.S. District Court suit, PBM Pharmacies Inc., which says it is the owner of all rights to the domain name, said it took legal action as a preemptive strike against alleged threats by Aetna to sue PBM for trademark infringement.

Bugsy Malone backers pull out as downtown contenders: Vasquez, owner of a Reno public relations firm, said they didn't want to be involved "in the protracted political battle" over the fate of the city-owned block that has such "a strong emotional attachment to people."

Las Vegas, Hawaii share tourism safety solutions: Tourist victims

Legislation includes $5 million for new housing at Nellis: The House on Tuesday approved the bill 386-22, which also includes about $11 million for military construction at Fallon Naval Air Station in Northern Nevada.

RTC seeks $10 million increase: The Regional Transportation Commission, serving Clark County with bus service, is seeking $10 million more for operations for the coming fiscal year beginning July 1.

Greenbrier commission schedules June 1 hearing on proposed casino: Damioli said Kleisner would propose a date for the referendum. He said Kleisner also would attend the public hearing.

Vasser 3rd-fastest at Indy with lap of 221.773 mph: Jimmy Vasser of Las Vegas led Southern Nevada drivers with a lap of 221.773 mph Tuesday in preparation for the May 28 Indianapolis 500 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Library district merger sought: Diana Sahagun; North Las Vegas officials continue to explore the possibility of joining forces with the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District in an effort to save the city's straining library.

Slot route operator posts quarterly loss: The quarter was a significant decline over the net income of $1.8 million, or 21 cents per share, reported for the year-ago quarter. Revenues fell 13 percent to $21.4 million.

New Las Vegas website sells computer products: macinsteinstore.com is an offshoot of macinstein.com, a website offering free Macintosh services and information. macinsteinstore.com President Rich Morello said the new site employs six people and provides Macintosh peripherals, as well as networking and USB solutions.

Gators, Blazers in title match: Sunrise Region champion Green Valley got 18 kills from Mason Vonnahme and 43 assists from Charles Kallick in a 15-11, 15-5, 15-2 win over Cheyenne. Durango, the Sunset Region champion, got to the final with a 15-13, 15-12, 15-9 victory over Basic. David Doxey had 36 assists in the match, while Graham Vilkin added 10 kills and 10 digs.

County OKs tracking of inspectors: Adrienne Packer; A navigational tracking system that union representatives claimed was an example of big brother watching over Clark County building inspectors was approved Tuesday for a one-year period.

$321.2 million LV budget OK'd: Erin Neff; Bolstered by a recent boost to the city's bond rating and a budget that imposes no new residential taxes, the Las Vegas City Council on Tuesday began eyeing the future.

Pope defense has one more chance at juvenile trial: Kim Smith; Defense attorneys for a 15-year-old boy accused of killing his father were unsuccessful Tuesday in an attempt to get his case heard in a juvenile courtroom, but they still have one more chance.

Buffalo's last stand: Erin Neff; While the reporters sit on folding chairs under sun-shielding umbrellas waiting for the Ted Binion murder trial verdict, a 3,000-pound mechanical beast is beckoning them to pay attention to a much different message.

Mandalay using cash to buy back stock: David Strow; Mandalay Resort Group of Las Vegas repurchased about 14 percent of its outstanding stock over the past several months, President Glenn Schaeffer confirmed Tuesday.

Expert witness not such an expert: Greg Tuttle; Gary Duane Branum's resume looked good: A senior research chemist at a Texas company followed by a position as the head of clinical chemistry and toxicolgy at a nearby hospital.

Tribe takes casino plan outside Wisconsin village: The Chippewa originally proposed building the complex, which would include a 200-room hotel and 2,000-stall parking ramp, near Lambeau Field and said they would pay $92.5 million to Ashwaubenon and Brown County over 20 years.

Lake Tahoe plan OK'd by panel: Sponsored by Reps. Jim Gibbons, R-Nev., and John Doolittle, R-Calif., the bill would require the U.S. Forest Service to identify projects to combat soil and water degradation at the Sierra lake, on the California-Nevada border.

Directors considered for nonprofit monorail group: The monorail group said Gov. Kenny Guinn has already endorsed former county planner Terry Murphy, Nevada Title Company Chairman Terry Wright and Haycock Petroleum President John Haycock.

Defendant in contract murder case hospitalized: Kim Smith; A 70-year-old Las Vegas man awaiting trial for allegedly taking a murder contract out on his wife for her refusal to help him arrange another contract killing is in the hospital.

DOE official says agency will monitor groundwater issues: "We're going to follow our strategy with the (groundwater) program to try to identify the contaminant boundary," said Carl Gertz, environmental manager for the test site. His comments came in response to questions about a letter he received last week from Paul Liebendorfer, chief of the state Environmental Protection Division's Federal Facilities Bureau.

Company: Earnings will be late: In a notification Tuesday to the Securities and Exchange Commission, Resort at Summerlin said it was "in the process of attempting to conclude agreements which, if concluded as currently anticipated, will have a material effect on the content of the ... financial statements" in its quarterly report. The company provided no further details.

Reid says energy package 'has no hope of passing': Benjamin Grove and Mary Manning; WASHINGTON -- Sen. Frank Murkowski, R-Alaska, on Tuesday unveiled an ambitious bill aimed at redesigning the nation's energy policy, and one key tenet would increase production of nuclear power in America.

Casino suing arcade operators: In a Clark County District Court lawsuit, Harrah's said Amusement Consultants Ltd. of New Rochelle, N.Y., which had a three-year exclusive license starting Sep. 1, 1997, to operate video arcade games and other coin-operated amusement devices at Harrah's hotel-casino, allegedly stopped paying fees in December 1997 after assigning its license to Jester Court Games LLC of Las Vegas.

GOP set to name new party leader: CARSON CITY -- Former state Treasurer Bob Seale appears to be a shoo-in to be chosen as the next chairman of the Nevada Republican Party, but there is a lot of behind-the-scenes maneuvering for the other top party jobs that are mainly ceremonial.

PurchasePro fires 45: A Las Vegas e-commerce company that rocketed up to a $175-a-share stock price within weeks of its initial public offering has now cut 10 percent of its work force and seen its stock fall below $25.

Neonopolis developers pay off parking garage: Erin Neff; The city of Las Vegas cashed a $9.6 million letter of credit Tuesday from Neonopolis developers after weeks of haggling over the money.

IBL playoff glance: (Best-of-5)

Johnson put Durango in position to repeat: Spencer Patterson; At Burkholder Field

Selections for Thursday's races at Hollywood Park: 1st Race -- Lady Dehere - Well-spotted here, Desormeaux on Cerin trainee, should fall into good position from outer post. Sepia - Draws outside post for the route opener, hustling bug boy Baze on McAnally trainee, should be contender. Value Play -- Video Voo Doo

Jurors rehear maid's testimony: District Judge Joseph Bonaventure today received another letter from the jurors in the Ted Binion murder case as they entered their sixth day of deliberations.

Opening statements in murder trial pose different scenarios: Kim Smith; "Plain and simple" greed led Darris Taylor to pump three bullets into a California man four years ago.