Print edition for May 24, 2000

Obituaries for May 24, 2000: Ronald Earl Bowie, 31, of North Las Vegas died Friday in a local hospital. He was born June 5, 1968, in Las Vegas. A lifelong resident, he was a hairstylist.

Columnist Elizabeth Foyt: Starry, Starry Night event brightens lives: Elizabeth Foyt; Architects Brad Friedmutter and Bill Snyder and volunteers Dawn Merritt, Tom McCartney, Dominic Gentile, Mary Ann Ferguson, Sandee Comito and Roger Peltyn were the live auction models who brought great style and panache to Saturday evening's Starry, Starry Night event.

Letter: Tuberculosis testing needed: Let's wake up. Resume the policy of TB testing for all immigrants, legal and illegal. Test all Clark County schoolkids before they can stay in school, just as I was tested before I could remain in kindergarten.

Editorial: No more free ride for rurals: Rural county officials worry that they will be harmed by any change, but these are hollow complaints. If all counties were levying the same gasoline tax, then there would be some justification. But the fact is that Clark and Washoe counties are unfairly subsidizing the rural counties since these two urban areas levy the maximum 9 cents per gallon tax, while nine rural counties levy just 4 cents a gallon. "My county's taxpayers are exporting money to your counties and your taxpayers don't want to pay the 9 cents," Michelle Gordon of Washoe's Regional Transportation Commission told rural officials at ...

Las Vegas expands as kosher food market: Max Jacobson; In order to be classified as kosher, meat has to be slaughtered in a specific way, staples such as cookies and breads are made without dairy products and all foods, including frozen ones, have to be produced under rabbinical supervision.

Letter: Yucca Mountain is nothing but political football: This political infighting among our delegation about who is more opposed to Yucca Mountain is proof positive that this is just a political game. It makes our state look foolish and waters down our credibility in the national arena.

Columnist Jeff Haney: Goodman: Only a 'bum' would ban sports betting: On the day Oscar Goodman was elected mayor of Las Vegas last June, he made a remark you'd never hear from the mayor of, say, Idaho Falls.

Columnist Muriel Stevens: Book offers valuable product tips: What's your shopping weakness? If the answer is cosmetics and skin care products, you're no different than most women (and men). Selling beauty is a multibillion dollar-a-year industry.

Savvy wine buy: Clos 15 Merlot '98: Max Jacobson; Penedes, in northeast Spain close to the Mediterranean, is one of the most diverse wine regions in Europe. It isn't usually associated with merlot, but lately there have been some wonderful low-priced ones produced in the region. This is one example. It's well balanced with nice acidity, fruity with a very long finish. Because of these characteristics, it's an excellent food wine, and the buzz is that it will be drinking well for at least seven more years. We dare you to keep it around that long.

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

District Attorney satisfied with sentence: Jace Radke and Kim Smith; Binion family members walked out the front of District Court, 200 S. 3rd St., and said they didn't disagree with the jury's decision to give the the two people convicted of killing Ted Binion life in prison with a possibility of parole after 20 years.

El Rancho to be demolished: The hotel and 21 acres of land have been purchased by Turnberry Associates.

Bellagio gallery to close to the public: It's likely that many of the masterpieces will make their way over to the Desert Inn resort, which is being bought by outgoing Mirage Chairman Steve Wynn.

Memorial Day brings bevy of barbecues: Lisa Ferguson; There they sit, gleaming seductively under the fluorescent showroom lights.

Ralph Siraco's selections for Thursday's races at Hollywood Park: 1st Race -- Shotsfired - Has been knocking on diploma door, should be out winging again, hustling bug boy Diaz on Dominguez trainee. Time Is Gold - Draws good post for the sprint opener, Pincay scales Carava trainee, Time for Gold graduation? Value Play -- Mr. Vice Prezident

Letter: Curb bad driving with more cops: You can drive for weeks before ever seeing a police car, and because of this, these reckless drivers don't fear being cited for a traffic violation.

Jury recommends life in prison with possibility of parole for Murphy, Tabish: Angie Wagner; Jurors, who deliberated eight days before convicting Sandy Murphy and Rick Tabish of first-degree murder, took only an hour and a half to reach their sentencing decision.

Three inches of hail pelt Sierra: An unexpectedly vigorous storm dropped up to three inches of hail around Lake Tahoe Tuesday evening and plows were brought out to clear roadways.

Report suggests Nevada casino slump - but only on paper: Brendan Riley; The state Gaming Control Board's annual Gaming Abstract, normally out in late January, was delayed this year to gather more accurate data from casinos on their corporate-level interest, legal expenses and other costs.

Harrah's plans $40 million expansion at its Mardi Gras casino: General Manager Michael St. Pierre said open boarding in Missouri has boosted turnstile traffic on the Mardi Gras by 40 percent.

Community news briefs for May 24, 2000: The Henderson Parks and Recreation Department will sponsor a free two-part student financial aid workshop 6-8 p.m. May 30 and May 31 at the Lorna J. Kesterson Valley View Recreation Center, 500 Harris St.

Career state welfare worker takes administrator's post: CARSON CITY -- "I bleed welfare blue," Mike Willden says.

Shift of Spring Valley casino suit to LV sought: CARSON CITY -- The state attorney general's office has asked that a suit filed in the controversy over a casino planned for a southwest Las Vegas neighborhood be moved from Carson City to Las Vegas.

"Betty" Pearce dies at 88: A native of Portland, Ore., she was a member of the Nevada Broadcasters Association. Surviving family include her son Ed Pearce, the news director at KOLO-TV in Reno.

Local students score well in contests: Five students from Basic High School in Henderson won recognition as the best unit in the nation in a competition on the Constitution.

LV resort sues Canadian firm in trademark dispute: In a U.S. District Court lawsuit, Bellagio alleged G. Hubley and Bellagio Enterprises Inc. this month started selling golf shirts, jackets and hats that bore the Bellagio trademark.

Wisconsin casino plan finds new life: Meyer said the petitions will go to the village clerk next week.

North Las Vegas parks to get a big boost from next city budget: Diana Sahagun; The upcoming North Las Vegas budget will bring $2 million in parks and recreation improvements and 10 more police officers to the city.

Redevelopment projects take key steps foward: Greg Harman; The key points of two projects considered central to a revitalized downtown were approved by the Henderson Redevelopment Agency Tuesday afternoon.

Democrat Berkley, GOP Gibbons on same side against China trade status: Scott Sonner; The two Nevada lawmakers said they would vote against normalizing trade with China on Wednesday when the House considers the measure that is opposed by labor unions and human rights activists but backed by the Clinton administration and Texas Gov. George W. Bush.

Murder warrant issued in slaying of NAACP president's son: Andre Collins, 31, was found dead inside an east Las Vegas recording studio April 25.

Chill followed by sizzle makes for weird weather: Jennifer Coleman; Record-breaking temperatures in the 90s and 100s across California this week have melted mountain snow, closed sidewalk cafes and brought pleas for energy conservation.

Two expected to win confirmation: The vote in the U.S. Senate comes five months after Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., recommended U.S. Magistrate Judge Roger Hunt and Henderson Justice of the Peace Kent Dawson for judgeships on the U.S. District Court.

Icahn's new casino noted for both values, luxury: David Strow; New York financier Carl Icahn officially added a third casino property to his Las Vegas holdings Tuesday night, as Arizona Charlie's East opened to a crowd of several thousand on the Boulder Strip.

'Personable' LV man sentenced for stock fraud: Jessie S. Williams was sentenced for committing one count of securities fraud in an investment scheme where he defrauded up to six Las Vegas and Henderson investors out of thousands of dollars, said Matthew Gabe, deputy attorney general.

Crematorium sued over mixed-up ashes: Kim Smith; A Florida resident is suing the Nevada Memorial Cremation Society claiming that not only did the company hold her brother's remains ransom, but when they finally mailed them to her they weren't even his.

DOE may move Los Alamos operation to Test Site: The Nevada Test Site is one of four places being considered by the Department of Energy for a center to train people how to handle nuclear materials safely and learn how to detect nuclear weapons.

UNLV's Malec rolls in 2nd round: With her 17th straight win, Malec (37-5) tied the UNLV single-season victory record set by Marianne Vallin in 1994. She also joined Vallin as the only All-Americans in school history by advancing to the round of 16.

Alternative plan for waste criticized: A still experimental technology that promises to reduce the amount and danger of radioactive waste is coming under fire in the scientific community.

PCL box: Stars 7, Trappers 1: E--Tolentino. DP--Edmonton 2, Las Vegas 1. LOB--Las Vegas 9, Edmonton 5. 2B--Vitiello, Nicholson. HR--Newhan (2), LaRocca (2) SF--Newhan. SB--Johnson, Radmanovich, Darr.

NLV swap meet to block sale of counterfeit goods: Grace Leong; Broadacres Inc. of North Las Vegas has agreed to be more vigilant in curbing sales of counterfeit merchandise at its swap meet and will pay $85,000 as part of a settlement with Levi Strauss and Co. and Nike Inc.

NASCAR fan-tastic, but for how long?: Perhaps it was a testament to the overwhelming popularity of the NASCAR Winston Cup Series that when Tony Stewart recently complained about the burdens of being in the spotlight, his comments were disseminated nationally on the Associated Press sports wire.

US Airways in Las Vegas: US Airways offers five round-trip flights a day to Las Vegas, two each from Charlotte, N.C., and Pittsburgh and one a day from Philadelphia.

Fremont Street Experience seen as marketing tool for Neonopolis: Erin Neff; If you believe Neonopolis' own publicity, the planned downtown Las Vegas entertainment retail center already has its anchor tenant.

Carlyle gets elusive first win: Carlyle, who went to spring training vying for a No. 4 or No. 5 starter's role with the San Diego Padres but had to settle with being the No. 1 starter at triple-A Las Vegas, pitched six shutout innings Tuesday night to lead the Stars (25-17) to a 7-1 victory over the Edmonton Trappers at Telus Field.

State still struggles with teen pregnancies, but programs helping: Stacy J. Willis; Shavanna Cousins knows something about sex.

Billionaire finds time for small-time casino deals: David Strow; Billionaire Carl Icahn, legendary for his takeovers of financially distressed companies, is currently trying to pull off what could be one of the biggest takeovers of the year -- the acquisition of Nabisco Group Holdings, one of America's most well-known food companies.

Questions still haunt family of slain Henderson teenager: Keith Paul; While one question was answered when skeletal remains were identified as 14-year-old Michael Rainey, the question that continues to frustrate his parents nearly a year later is who killed him.

LVMS looking for Cup sponsor: Las Vegas Motor Speedway officials are looking for a title sponsor for their annual NASCAR Winston Cup race after CarsDirect.com and the speedway agreed not to renew their title sponsorship agreement.

School officials probe drywall company: Terry Webster; Looking and sounding more like a court hearing than a School Board meeting, a three-hour debate on firing a school construction subcontractor ended in a stalemate Tuesday.

School sites become political battlefields: Adrienne Packer; Schools and churches once were considered neighborhood amenities, but Clark County developers say residents who launch campaigns opposing such facilities now outnumber those who prop up welcome signs.

Boulder City briefs for May 24, 2000: Going ever greener, the Boulder City Council approved Tuesday night a resolution to plant an additional 2,000 trees as part of the city's Community Urban Forest Program.

Local news briefs for May 24, 2000: After three local confirmed cases of salmonella poisoning, Clark County health officials have issued a reminder about washing fruit properly.

Man gets 16 years in DUI case: Darrell Eric Langton will not be eligible for parole until he serves at least three years of his sentence, said Deputy District Attorney Bruce Nelson.

Attorney: Dershowitz will join defense: The attorney expected to head up the appeal for convicted killer Rick Tabish said this morning that Harvard University law professor Alan Dershowitz has agreed to assist the defense.

Columnist Dean Juipe: Homeless Hall seeks sanctuary: Dean Juipe; The press release has an address and a phone number, implying, as it does, that the Southern Nevada Sports Hall of Fame actually has a physical presence.

Bandits coach in charge at youth camp: Bandits coach in charge at youth camp

Columnist Peter Benton: Champions crowned at Las Vegas CC: Peter Benton; Tommy Martin was crowned Men's Club Champion of the Las Vegas Country Club last week on the strength of his 4-3 victory over J.P. Oberweis.

Herazo sets masters race walking record: Herazo sets masters race walking record

Columnist Paula DelGiudice: History comes alive at Great Basin: Paula DelGiudice; Cue the summer temperatures, just in time for Memorial Day weekend. Just as the sweltering begins and school ends, along comes a long weekend. If you haven't yet made your plans for the weekend, here are some ideas for you:

Nellis' T-birds in scary air incident over D.C.: Bad weather and miscommunication played a part in two of the Air Force's elite Thunderbirds demonstration jets veering off course and flying too close to a passenger jet and a small private plane, Air Force officials said Tuesday.

Teen found dead in school parking lot: Jeffrey S. Poulsen was found by his older sister Lisa about 4 p.m. after he failed to return home from school.

Judges-to-be stay low-key as Senate OK nears: Greg Tuttle and Benjamin Grove; U.S. Magistrate Judge Roger L. Hunt doesn't expect to make any big plans tonight.

Vegas visitor increases posted in March: Las Vegas hosted 3.13 million visitors in March, a 5.4 percent increase over March 1999. That growth rate was slightly lower than the 8.9 percent pace reported over the first three months of 2000.

Nevada retail growth sluggish in March: CARSON CITY -- Taxable sales, one indicator of the Nevada economy, turned sluggish in March, producing the smallest percentage gain in 21 months.

Fighting tax initiative may lead GOP agenda: CARSON CITY -- Republicans gathering in Carson City this week for the biennial state GOP convention may come out strongly against the business and casino tax petitions, now being circulated for voters' signatures.

Columnist Victoria Sun: Aspiring LPGA players on Ladies Challenge tour make stop in LV: Victoria Sun; The prize money isn't enough to sustain the ladies of the fledgling Ladies Challenge Golf Tour, but the competition is.

3-for-2 stock split announced: The split will take effect June 30, when shareholders receive one share of stock for every two shares they own. The split will increase Station's outstanding shares from 40.3 million to 60.5 million.

Suspect in killing may have fled: Keith Paul; A 29-year-old man suspected in the slaying of the son of local NAACP President Gene Collins in a Las Vegas recording studio is believed to have fled to the East Coast.

Bellagio art gallery closing Sunday: The $6.4 billion acquisition of Mirage is set to close May 31. MGM Grand, as previously reported, is then expected to sell most of the Bellagio art to reduce debt.

Turnberry sets El Rancho demolition for this fall: Turnberry, developer of the upscale, $600 million Turnberry Place condominium project on Paradise Road near the Strip, paid defunct New Jersey company International Thoroughbred Breeders $45 million for the 52-year-old property, which sits on 21 acres of land. The El Rancho has been closed for eight years.

Freedom denied for suspect in fatal crash: Kim Smith; A Las Vegas man charged with causing the crash that seriously injured a Megabucks winner and killed her sister lost a chance at freedom this morning.

Murphy professes love for Binion: Sandy Murphy took the witness stand today with tears streaming down her face to profess her love for the man she was convicted of killing.

Second-straight heat record set: For the second day in a row, the Las Vegas Valley temperature strained thermometers and broke the all-time record.

EPA proposes to limit arsenic in drinking water to one-tenth the current standard: Bart Jansen; WASHINGTON - The Environmental Protection Agency proposed Wednesday to reduce the limit for arsenic allowed in drinking water to one-tenth the current standard, which would reduce cancer risks for 22 million Americans.

PCL box: Cannons 11, Stars 7: E-Newhan, Garcia 2. DP-Las Vegas 1, Calgary 3. LOB-Las Vegas 6, Calgary 8. 2B-Cornelius, Castro, Rolison, LaRocca, Vitiello. 3B-Newhan. HR-Davis (4), Raven 2 (10). S-Herndon.

NEVADA FOCUS: Report suggests Nevada casino slump - but only on paper: Brendan Riley; CARSON CITY, Nev. - A long-delayed state report on net profits of major Nevada casinos will show a big drop in their fiscal 1999 bottom line compared with 1998 - but it's only on paper. The casinos actually are taking in record sums.

Safety concerns nix July Fourth Virginia City fireworks: A group of property owners, residents, merchants and public officials made it clear they strongly disapprove of the idea of setting off incendiary devices in the historic mining town.

Problem gambling group says compulsive habit harms New Mexico women: According to quarterly reports, far more women than men are calling the council's hot line for compulsive gamblers.

Teens admit starting blaze, face paying costs of suppression: It burned over Bureau of Land Management acreage and private land between Washoe State Part and Carson City and cost more than $194,000 to extinguish and rehabilitate.

Nevada Women's fund honors past, celebrates future: Scott Sonner; RENO, Nev. - The Nevada Women's Fund paid tribute Wednesday to a past champion of its causes and celebrated a $100,000 contribution from a famous inventor's foundation for programs aimed at building confidence in young women.

Legendary mobster's safe reveals nothing but rust: Bill Martinez; WEST HOLLYWOOD, Calif. - A safe believed to have been installed by mobster Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel in the 1940s was opened Wednesday but it held nothing but rust.

Colulmnist Jon Ralston: Multiple lobbyists mean multiple aromas: Every new era in government, it seems, is initially characterized as a breath of fresh air, a new beginning, and so on, ad nauseum.

Editorial: Finally, someone lays down the law: Durango baseball coach Mike Gomez acknowledged that his players left the dugout, but he said that mitigating circumstances should have been considered. Gomez said his player was getting shoved by two opposing players and that even after leaving the bench none of the Durango players exchanged punches with Reno players. But Gomez misses the point: The rule clearly states that if a majority of the team leaves the bench, there will be a forfeit. Only by having a strict application of the rule -- with an attendant harsh punishment -- will there be a sufficient deterrent to bench-clearing brawls.