Print edition for October 30, 2000

Lawyers learned much in date-rape drug trial: Kim Smith; With their first date-rape drug trial behind them, Clark County prosecutors believe the experience will be invaluable when they face the issue again.

Judge orders Venetian to pay contractor in first successful lien case against casino: David Strow; A state judge has ruled the Venetian must pay a subcontractor $1.33 million for work performed during the resort's construction.

Toronto flights offered: Toronto flights offered

Carpenters file new charges against Mirage, resort continues to insist on an election: David Strow; As an effort to organize the carpenters at the Mirage hotel-casino enters its eighth month, the union and the hotel-casino remain at loggerheads, with the union claiming that the Mirage is continuing to retaliate against employees that support a union.

Fluoride initiative unclear to voters: QUESTION 1

Edgewood Creek examined for pollutants: The creek was tested years ago when a similar complaint was made but Biaggi said the agency never was able to come up with any answers. He said they want to get to the bottom of the problem this time around.

Reno woman dies in tractor accident: Cherylynne Beard, 45, died at the scene on Saturday, the Washoe County Coroner's Office said. Her husband Adrian Beard was taken to Washoe Medical Center where he was treated and released.

Nevadans empty their purses for Bush: Nevadans are betting with their wallets that Republican presidential candidate George W. Bush will defeat Democratic opponent Al Gore in the Nov. 7 general election.

Local news briefs for October 30, 2000: Metro Police detectives are investigating the Saturday slaying of a man found with what appeared to be a gunshot wound in the head.

Religious activist forms new church: Stacy J. Willis; Midway through his campaign against gay marriages, Richard Ziser is opening another church.

Easter goes on offensive against Kincaid in first televised debate: Adrienne Packer; Clark County Commissioner Mary Kincaid might have been able to dispose of challenger Stephanie Smith in a tight primary election, but the incumbent has hardly escaped Smith's issues.

Early voting hits record proportions: Ed Koch and Jace Radke; The local record for early voting turnout was shattered Sunday with the projected five busiest days to go, said Clark County Registrar of Voters Larry Lomax.

Mirage properties on Microsoft's casino game: The game "reproduces each casino in stunning detail," using graphics and video, gaming tables, cards, dice and music from each resort, Microsoft said. Players have a chance to win "virtual comps" that include a night's stay in a high-roller's suite or tickets to a stage show.

Declining stock prices put U.S. Bank merger in jeopardy: U.S. Bancorp reported third quarter operating earnings of $410.9 million or 55 cents per share vs. $409 million or 56 cents in the year-ago quarter.

LV company acquires inventory management firm: Stratton Warren Software Inc., which has its office and technical support operation and a training center in Las Vegas, is being acquired in a deal expected to close by the end of the year. The company has six Las Vegas employees and one in Reno.

Political notebook for October 30, 2000: Candidates for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Democrat Richard Bryan and for the Southern Nevada seat in the House of Representative will debate live on the radio this week.

LV firm in deal with Disney: Smart City Networks, which provides telecommunications services in convention centers, hotels, stadiums and theme parks across the country, acquired Vista-United Telecommunications, a partnership between the Disney Corp. and Sprint.

Crazy Horse Too sues casino over topless show: In a Clark County District Court lawsuit, Crazy Horse Too's management company, the Power Co., said it took legal action because it feared it may lose many of its customers to MGM's new show and that the hotel-casino was unfairly benefiting at the expense of the Crazy Horse name, which the nightclub says it had spent "hundreds of thousands of dollars" to build.

Investigators call for contractors board audit: One former and one current investigator with the state Contractors Board are charging the board with favoritism in its treatment of construction companies, and asking for an independent program audit of the board.

LV securities firm pays scam victims: CARSON CITY -- A securities firm based in Las Vegas has returned more than $1 million to six Nevadans who were the victim of an investment scam, Secretary of State Dean Heller said today.

Cause of death sought for motor home driver: He was pronounced dead after his motor home struck a pickup and then a home Sunday morning on Union Drive.

Protestants labor with stance on Question 2: Stacy J. Willis; Behind closed doors at Canyon Ridge Christian Church, a group of men and women try to reconcile their same-sex attraction with their religious convictions.

Sentencing postponed for white supremacists in attempted temple bombing: Scott Sonner; But sentencing for Scott Hudson, 24, and four others who admitted their roles in the attack on the Reno synagogue last year was postponed in U.S. District Court and rescheduled for Dec. 1 because of a dispute over similar state charges.

Receiver sought by partner in LV tech company: In a Clark County District Court lawsuit, Philip Ohler, who said he has a 50 percent ownership of the three companies, Vegas-Gate.com LLC, Colo-Gate.com LLC and Jump-Gate LLC, sued his partner, Rob Roy, alleging he illegally locked Ohler out by changing the access codes to his office after a dispute erupted over management issues.

Lone gunman robs Treasure Island, injures cashier: Lisa Snedeker; A man with a gun jumped over the main casino cage about 12:30 a.m. Monday, Las Vegas police said, and made off an undisclosed amount of money.

Fares announced for Palm Beach service: The normal round-trip fare will be $522 on flights purchased seven days in advance of travel and $798 unrestricted.

Vegas Internet firm partners in litigation: In a Clark County District Court lawsuit, Kenneth Stern said he provided $45,000 and bought $9,000 of computer equipment for two proposed business ventures, FreePick9.com and iNetFree.net.

Journal Broadcast Group signs deal with FeedRoom: The FeedRoom, New York, has signed a deal with the Milwaukee-based Journal Broadcast Group Inc., that will broadcast video content from four of the company's stations to high-speed Internet users.

Jewish locals given insight into crisis: Jace Radke; After speaking for more than an hour about the conflict in the Middle East to a group of more than 100 members of Las Vegas' Jewish community Sunday night, the Anti-Defamation League's Kenneth Jacobson found himself having to remind his audience not to lose hope.

Attorney says Mirage offered to settle with debt collection figure: Grace Leong; Newly filed court documents show Laura Choi, a former Mirage Resorts Inc. employee who was at the center of a 1997 South Korean gambling debt collection scandal, was willing to settle a lawsuit alleging invasion of privacy by Mirage for $1 million.

Nevada Day's sparkle dulled by weather: Spectators bundled up in jackets to watch the 2 1/2 -hour parade, which drew many of the state's top elected officials and political candidates.

LVMS race results: 1. (2) Frank Biela, Emanuele Pirro, Audi R8, 129, 44.947 sec.; 2:47.56.

Rawlinson officially joins top appeals court: Greg Tuttle; Amid the praise of her peers and the pride of her family and friends, Johnnie Rawlinson became the newest member of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals at a ceremony in Las Vegas.

Clinton signs Ivanpah airport plan into law: Clinton on Saturday enacted a bill that will allow the federal Bureau of Land Management to sell 6,500 acres in the Ivanpah Valley, about 30 miles south of Las Vegas, to Clark County for a $500 million, two-runway airport. The airport could be completed by 2010.

De Ferran wins CART title; Fittipaldi wins Marlboro 500: Fittipaldi, the 11th different winner this season, earned $1 million for the victory and de Ferran claimed a $1 million bonus for winning the series championship.

Hutton remains in serious condition after motorcycle wreck: Lisa Snedeker; "She is still in serious, but stable condition," said Rick Plummer, University Medical Center spokesman. "We're still monitoring her."

Shalala stumps for Gore in Las Vegas, Gore daughter to campaign in Reno: Kristin Gore, 23, will address the get-out-the-vote rally Tuesday morning at the University of Nevada, Reno. Details were still being arranged for her visit.

Tahoe ski resorts rejoice after early storm dumps 2 feet of snow: Martin Griffith; Most resorts usually don't open until around Thanksgiving, but the Saturday night storm offered hope for an earlier start.

Israel unleashes helicopter attack on offices of Arafat's Fatah movement: Mark Lavie; Israel fired warnings to clear the four offices in the West Bank and Gaza Strip before firing missiles, Israel television said. The missiles set off fires, but there were no immediate reports of injuries.

Editorial: Nader's ego knows no bounds: The presidential polls show that Nader is barely registering with voters. But since Bush and Gore are running neck and neck, if Nader garners just a few percentage points of the vote it could make a difference in tossup states, deciding the outcome of this presidential election. A vote for Nader is, for all intents and purposes, a vote for Bush. Those supporting Bush's candidacy understand this. After all, a GOP group -- the Republican Leadership Council -- actually is touting Nader's candidacy, running television ads in swing states where the Green Party candidate is doing reasonably well in the ...

Columnist Lisa Ferguson: Trends, October 30, 2000: Lisa Ferguson; So, we assume you've got plans for Halloween by now. Maybe you'll attend a party? No?

Columnist John Katsilometes: Recalling a giant figure: Professional wrestlers who ascend to superstar status always have a "hook."

Thomas: 'There's no quit' in Rebels: Steve Guiremand; Southern hospitality.

Obituaries for October 30, 2000: Magdalena J. Dockery, 80, of Las Vegas died Friday in Las Vegas. She was born March 6, 1920, in Pittsburgh. A resident for 47 years, she was a homemaker.

Letter: GOP itching to ship nuke waste: By February GOP will stand for "Get Out Politicians."

Letter: Cole could have refueled at sea: Letter: Cole could have refueled at sea

Letter: Apply rules of fairness to political issues: Be tough on crime -- if it were also equally tough on corporate polluters, price fixers, and the health care participants in Medicare fraud.

Community news briefs for October 30, 2000: United Blood Services, 6930 W. Charleston Blvd., has scheduled blood drives. For more information, call 228-4483. Here are the listed locations for the following week:

NHRA Matco Tools SuperNationals results: Cory McClenathan, 4.564 seconds, 318.24 mph def. Bobby Baldwin, broke.

Koi toys: Colorful fish are finding a home in desert back yards: Kimberley McGee; The Koi are, well, being coy.

Guinn names energy deregulation panel: Brendan Riley; Guinn had announced plans to form the energy policy committee on Oct. 4, when he decided against deregulation now because of concerns that an uncertain market could mean huge power bills for Nevadans.

Home Sweet Home? Station's first skipper pushes for station name: Marcia Dunn; NASA astronaut Bill Shepherd also found himself defending his appointment as skipper on the eve of his historic launch and expressed his keen desire to get started on a mission that's been in the works - and on hold - for years.

Motorists, children get trick-or-treat tips: "On Halloween night, we're placing our children in some of the most dangerous traffic situations you could imagine," Lisa Foster, spokeswoman for the American Automobile Association, said. "Our children are outside after dark, they walk and cross unfamiliar streets and often wear dark colors that are difficult for motorists to see."

Outlaws back at LVMS: Steve Kinser already has clinched his 16th Pennzoil World of Outlaws championship, but the "King of the Outlaws" still has some unfinished business to attend to this week in Las Vegas.

Tax initiative would benefit Henderson emergency workers: The tax initiative seeks to add 166 police officers over the next seven years and 30 firefighters and paramedics and 41 public safety support staff members.

A little luck boosts Pirro in Le Mans: Steve Addy; Of all the virtues in Emanuele Pirro's favor Sunday, racing luck was the most crucial.

Las Vegas driver Tracy knocked out of title race: FONTANA, Calif. -- And then there were three.

Columnist Ralph Siraco: LV partners trying for repeat in Mile: Ralph Siraco; Bernie Schiappa is a horse owner. He is a Las Vegan, and he has a dream. He dreams of going to Churchill Downs and winning the big race on the first Saturday of the month.

Doubling of Nevada forest firefighting efforts planned: Scott Sonner; Agency officials planned a news conference Monday to announce details of more than $2 million in new resources headed to the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest as a result of the package approved by Congress and recently signed into law by President Clinton.

Relaxed Porter goes 5-for-5 on bulls, collects $274,738: Spencer Patterson; Even before he arrived in town last week, Tater Porter knew he had no chance to catch points leader Chris Shivers atop the Professional Bull Riders points standings.

DOE health official to discuss radiation aid bill: Dr. David Michaels, the Department of Energy's top health official, will explain to Nevada Test Site workers Wednesday in Las Vegas how a radiation compensation bill passed by Congress could be improved next year.

Columnist Dean Juipe: Vikes' loss allows party to continue: Dean Juipe; Getting together to laugh and celebrate others' failures is really a poor excuse for a party.

Gamer: Seniors are responsible gamblers who support casinos: David Strow; The American Gaming Association has released a survey it says shows that America's seniors gamble more responsibility -- and are more accepting of the gaming industry -- than the rest of the American population.

Prep Regional playoffs schedule: Silverado (4-5) at Las Vegas (5-4), 7 p.m.

CART finale suspended due to rain: FONTANA, Calif. -- One of CART's most intriguing championship battles took another interesting turn Sunday when the season-ending Marlboro 500 at California Speedway was suspended after 33 laps due to rain.

Rebels win doubles title: UNLV's Nenad Zivkovic and Greg Skorin defeated Utah's Nik Yip and Kevin Zenger 8-6 to win the doubles title at the 2000 ITA Regional Tennis Championships held on the Rebels' courts. Zivkovic defeated New Mexico's Takeshi Itoh (6-3, 6-7, 7-6) to move on to the finals in singles, but lost the title to San Diego State's Valentino Pest 6-1, retired.

Gore's daughter postpones Reno visit until Wednesday: But a spokeswoman for the Gore-Lieberman campaign said officials at headquarters in Nashville decided she be with her father during stops Tuesday in Portland and Los Angeles.

Cyclist hit crossing street: The man was struck by a car as he tried to cross the street about 4 p.m. Sunday.

Busch Sam's Town 200 results: 26. (39) Mark Green, Chevy, 249, $13,225. 27. (38) Mike Dillon, Chevrolet, 249, $15,200. 28. (29) T. Christopher, Chevy,249, $13,175. 29. (24) Tim Sauter, Pontiac, 249, $13,150. 30. (40) Lyndon Amick, Chevy, 249, $13,225. 31. (14) B. Alexander, Chevy, 249, $13,100. 32. (31) Andy Santerre, Chevy, 248, $15,075. 33. (34) Brad Baker, Chevy, 248, $13,050. 34. (12) H. Parker Jr., Chevy,247, $15,025. 35. (8) Billy Parker, Chevrolet, 247, $13,000. 36. (22) Jamie McMurray, Ford, 247, $12,975. 37. (35) Sammy Ragan, Chevy, 245, $12,950. 38. (27) A. Kirby, Chevy, 234, accident. 39. (43) Justin Labonte, Chevy, 219, $12,900. 40. (19) Brandon ...

LV team adds 11 players: The Las Vegas Outlaws of the new XFL added 11 more players to their roster on the second day of the league's inaugural draft Sunday. Most of the players selected Sunday were linemen. They included offensive guard Pat Kesi of Washington, defensive end Kelvin Kinney of Virginia State, offensive guard Mark Nori of Boston College, defensive end Sterling Palmer of Florida State and defensive tackle Angel Rubio of Southeast Missouri State.

Children invited to enjoy Halloween at haunted forest: Families can enjoy activities such as the spooky train ride, a haunted castle, costume contests and entertainment. Children will be able to go through the spooky forest to trick or treat.

Sierra Pacific OK'd to acquire Oregon utility: "We approved this based on guarantees that rates will not increase as a result and customer service will not suffer, and that prior PGE investments in renewable resources will be maintained," Commissioner Roger Hamilton said.

One week to go: Fighting it out in usually Democratic states: Ron Fournier; Republican George W. Bush countered that a big-spending Gore would squander the nation's economic riches but said the election rests on bigger questions: "Can we bring America together? Can we move beyond petty arguments to get real results for the American people?"

Valley taken by storm: Valley taken by storm

Louisiana's problem gamblers find help to stop: Scott Dyer; The counselor tried to explain that the help line, at 877-770-STOP, is intended to help people whose lives are being wrecked by gambling. The caller replied, "I told you that I do have a gambling problem. I just got thrown off a boat for arguing with a dealer over whether four of a kind beats a straight flush."

Berkley seeks more public Yucca hearings: Berkley last week sent a letter to Energy Secretary Bill Richardson asking that he schedule public hearings 60 days after the Energy Department releases a site recommendation consideration report, expected within the next two months. The department had planned to schedule the hearings right after the report's release.

Poll finds majority oppose off-reservation casinos in Wisconsin: Sixty-five percent of those polled said they were against off-reservation casinos, 27 percent favored them and 8 percent were undecided, according to a survey released last week by the Wisconsin Policy Research Institute.