Print edition for October 7, 2000

Columnist Jon Ralston: Probe strikes fear into City Hall: IN POLITICS, the question arises whenever an elected official gets into serious trouble. Now, the murmuring has begun about Las Vegas Councilman Michael McDonald, the subject of police and ethics probes: Is he dead?

Experts say tourist's death 'a tragic anomoly': Keith Paul; The inadvertent killing of tourist Heather Vitarelli on Harrah's casino floor was one of the worst possible scenarios for a resort, several security experts said.

Still A Ramblin' Man: Kirk Baird; Talking to Gregg Allman is like having a piece of rock history come to life.

Things change for LV High's class of 1950: Fifty years ago cruising Fremont Street was a Saturday night pastime for Las Vegas High School students.

Letter: State sells soul to Uncle Sam: Now that Nevada's soul is owned by Washington, D.C., why not pass a 0.08 drunken driving limit? Shoot, why not a 0.01 limit?

Ralph Siraco's selections for Sunday's races at Santa Anita: 2nd Race -- Long Point - 3rd at the fair in last, just missed by a nose when 2nd at Del Mar before that, hustling Espinoza now. Marron Glace - Argentine-bred easy gate-to-wire winner at Del Mar in last, 2-for-7 this year, threat to steal it again. Value Play -- Big Friend

Columnist Kate Maddox: LV to be feeling 'Rocky': Kate Maddox; VH1 will be helping "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" celebrate its 25th anniversary in Las Vegas on Saturday. The music channel's annual celebrity karaoke special will feature stars singing songs from the cult classic.

Where I Stand -- Mike O'Callaghan: Cutting political pie: ONE OF THE issues already being considered by state Assembly and Senate candidates is reapportionment of both federal and state legislative districts. A third U.S. representative will be required by the Census 2000 results and Clark County will gain additional power in the Nevada Legislature.

Big casinos looking forward to paying lower power bills: David Strow; In those states where deregulation is under way, its biggest backers have been the biggest users of electricity.

Save the senior squares project is under way: Today the once vibrant colors of the squares -- painted with the emblem of each graduating class from the Seventh Street and Bridger Avenue school -- are so faded they're barely legible.

Opening electric industry has Nevadans worried, confused, tired and powerless: David Strow; For many Las Vegas residents, tacking on another $5 to $10 to a monthly power bill is an annoyance, an inconvenience.

Columnist Susan Snyder: Analyst can really face facts: Rose Rosetree can spot a potential fibber a mile away.

Consumers' options will initially be limited: David Strow; Residential customers aren't likely to initially benefit much from electric deregulation in Nevada, as power companies will first go after the lucrative business of serving big casino resorts and industrial plants.

Letter: Regents need to get act together: As regents, they are charged with the duty to guide the organization in the best manner for the taxpayers' benefit. Judging by the recent information about the affairs of the school, it is apparent that they have lost the confidence of the public (fund providers).

From box tops for a trip to walking to school, elementary school forms a community: Kris Hill; Camille Garritano's third grade class at Roberta C. Cartwright Elementary School has several ideas for the ultimate field trip.

'The Anointed One' takes behind-the-scenes look at Guinn: John Ralston; Editor's note: This is the first in a series of six excerpts from the new book, "The Anointed One," by Sun political columnist Jon Ralston. This series, exclusive to the Sun, will run daily through Friday.

Battle for House seat heating up: Greg Tuttle; Touted early as a major battleground between Republicans and Democrats in their campaigns for control of the U.S. House of Representatives, the race between Shelley Berkley and Jon Porter for Nevada's 1st Congressional District has been anything but engaging.

Letter: Pay raises for legislators not a solution: His solutions? Annual sessions of the Legislature and pay legislators more money. So, what else is new?

Nevada Power's parent company looking to grow: David Strow; By the end of next year, Nevada Power Co. of Las Vegas hopes to be out of the business of generating electricity, a business it's been in for decades.

Jo Dee Messina is doing better than all right: Lisa Snedeker; LAS VEGAS - The last time Jo Dee Messina was a headliner in Las Vegas she played to about 700 people in the off-Strip Silverton hotel-casino's Opera House during the 1998 National Finals Rodeo.

Friends, family grapple with Hawaiian woman's senseless death: Jeffrey Libby; Heather Vitarelli grew up eating at the same dinner table as her aunts and uncles and hitching rides down a lush volcanic slope to Maui's Ho'okipa Beach. She died on the floor of Harrah's casino, surrounded by clanging slot machines.

Columnist Sandra Thompson: Children have right to not be abused: Sandra Thompson; YESTERDAY: A broken nose, fractured cheekbone, a punch in the face, shattered glasses.

Editorial: Governor's timeout is right call: Guinn's timeout, which would prohibit competition for at least another year, does provide a needed respite. Although state lawmakers won't meet until February, they obviously will have to revisit deregulation. One thing that is clear is that the 1999 Legislature's passage of a three-year rate cap, while well-intentioned, was unrealistic. The costs for purchasing power shot up this summer, but the lid on rate increases prevented the companies from recovering the costs of the fuel they purchased. In essence, the Legislature tried to act as regulators, taking on the impossible task of projecting three years into the future what the ...