Print edition for October 31, 2000

Bryan rallies for victory in USTA Challenger play: Victoria Sun; For a guy who hadn't picked up a racket, much less played a match in two weeks, American Bob Bryan looked sharp Monday afternoon at the Fertitta Tennis Complex at UNLV.

Columnist Richard Ziser: Initiative confirms definition of marriage: Richard Ziser; Nevada's ballot Question 2 gives constitutional protection to Nevada's current marriage law regarding the gender of the parties entering a marriage union by adding the following language: "Only a marriage between a male and female shall be recognized and given effect in this state."

Where I Stand -- Brian Greenspun: Main man's man: Winning as his own man.

Letter: Fire protection tax excessive: While we supposedly have master plans for the community, they continue approving new developments, each containing hundreds of new homes, rezoning existing residential estates, trying to obtain land from the BLM for even more subdivisions. Does anyone down at City Hall stop to realize, besides schools to be built for all the new students, that other public needs should be looked at? What happened to the planning and zoning departments? Are they also out to lunch?

Six environmental groups protest water release plan: The bureau proposes that the Colorado River be declared in a surplus condition next year, despite below normal river flow and lake levels for this year.

Authorities identify suspect in casino robbery: Lisa Snedeker; Las Vegas police were looking Tuesday for Reginald Johnson, 27. They want to question him about Monday's early morning robbery at the Treasure Island resort's main casino cage.

Estrada refuses to resign due to gambling scandal: MANILA, Philippines -- Opposition leaders on Tuesday turned down an offer by President Joseph Estrada to let them participate in his government in a bid to defuse a corruption scandal that is threatening to force him out of office.

President inks deal for nuke workers: Benjamin Grove; WASHINGTON -- President Clinton on Monday signed a bill that compensates nuclear weapons laborers for their work-related cancers and other ailments, but it's still not clear how many Nevada Test Site workers will see any money.

Memorial service scheduled: The service, which is open to the public, will begin at 10:30 a.m. at Temple Beth Sholom, 10700 Havenwood Lane in Summerlin. The service will be officiated by Rabbi Felipe Goodman. The temple is off Town Center Drive, between Sahara Avenue and Desert Inn Road.

Questions cloud city's cybergaming project: Erin Neff; Residents had two chances Monday to tell the Las Vegas City Council what they thought about the use of the city's seal in a proposed Internet casino project.

Columnist Dean Juipe: 'Who's he?' fans reply to XFL draft: Dean Juipe; This isn't 1994. It's 2000 and Las Vegas has grown immeasurably in the intervening six years.

Penske secures eighth crown: Final standings in 2001 CART FedEx Series:

Defense top priority as Outlaws get 59 players: Victoria Sun; The final round of the XFL's draft ended after nearly six hours on Monday.

Letter: Politicians' pay should be known: We never get information on the pay of a university regent or how much a constable or an Assembly member gets.

Jerry Lewis' stalker returns to court: Gary Benson, 57, Sheridan, Wyo., is scheduled to be arraigned in Clark District Court Nov. 15 before Judge Kathy Hardcastle.

Community news briefs for October 31, 2000: Art lovers in Nevada can support the arts in education while displaying their passion on their bumpers.

Letter: Guinn doing excellent job with health care: At that time he said he was confident England would do a "sensational job." Also at that time Barbara Buckley, the politician, said: "I'm distressed by the appointment." I can attest that England turned around a major HMO in Nevada that refused to honor their contract in my case in refusing to pay my emergency physician and hospital bills.

Hot August Nights, Air Races Boost Reno's Tourism Economy: The direct impact from Hot August Nights was about $76 million and the Air Races an estimated $34 million, said the study by RRC Associates of Boulder, Colo.

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

Obituaries for October 31, 2000: Nancy E. Allen, 61, of Las Vegas died Friday in Las Vegas. She was born July 27, 1939, in Jamestown, Tenn. A resident for 40 years, she was an office manager for a resort.

Columnist Kate Maddox: Famed CroBar could hit Vegas: Kate Maddox; It looks like a new nightclub is in line to take up residence at the Venetian's C2K. CroBar, a popular hot spot in Miami and Chicago, has apparently received the OK from hotel higher-ups and should soon be moving into the space at C2K.

Columnist Susan Snyder: She can't give up the ghost: Gloria Blair believes in ghosts.

Mears' performance strikes blow for young drivers: FONTANA, Calif. -- Although the CART FedEx Championship Series season ended with only three full-time American drivers competing on the circuit, Casey Mears' performance in his CART debut may signal a resurgence of young American drivers.

Editorial: Too many questions over plan: Guinn, however, is proposing that the state of Nevada permit private companies to build office buildings on state land. The state, then, would enter into a lease-purchase agreement with the private firms to acquire the buildings after 20 years, a plan that Guinn and other state officials believe would not run afoul of the state's constitutional limit on public debt. There's a problem with Guinn's plan, though. The Nevada Supreme Court in 1970 found that a similar scheme tried by Gov. Paul Laxalt was unconstitutional.

Editorial: Election could leave us with scary ending: If the election goes the other way, though, there might be nightmares in store for Nevadans. If George W. Bush wins the White House, the AP reports there is conjecture that the Republican's DOE secretary could be Tom Kuhn, who runs the lobbying arm of the nuclear power industry, the Edison Electric Institute. The story mentions that Kuhn's relationship with Bush goes back to their college days, noting Kuhn is "a buddy from Yale." Bush's surrogates in Nevada, including Gov. Kenny Guinn and Rep. Jim Gibbons, have assured this state's residents that there is no difference between Gore and Bush ...

Gamble on kicker pays off for Rebels: Steve Guiremand; Five months ago, Dillon Pieffer was a high school senior at Coronado High School in Colorado Springs, Colo., hoping to find a Division I football program that would give him the chance to just walk on as a placekicker.

Count them in: The importance, privilege of voting not lost on local election workers: Nevada led the nation in voter apathy that year. According to the Federal Election Commission, only 38 percent of the state's 1.2 million eligible voters exercised their right of suffrage. (The next-to-the-worst record was Hawaii, with a 40 percent turnout.)

Ralph Siraco's selections for Wednesday's races at Santa Anita: 1st Race -- Smokin' Charlotte - McCarron scales Gaines trainee, draws good post for the sprint opener, Charlotte Smokin' here. Shred The Excess - Hot-riding Pincay aboard Veiga trainee, draws outside post, should be a factor throughout. Value Play -- Royal Alliance

Ghostly welcome awaits visitors to Governor's Mansion: "When I first came here, I didn't believe in ghosts," Helen Wiemer told the Reno Gazette-Journal. "I've been here for almost nine years and now I do."

Metro cop honored by national magazine: Devitte was named police officer of the year by the International Association of Chiefs of Police and Parade magazine. This award comes after he was named the Top Cop by the National Association of Police Organizations and received the police department's Purple Heart and Medal of Valor.

National Guard leader moving to AG staff: CARSON CITY -- Adjutant General Tony Clark, head of the Nevada National Guard under Republican Gov. Kenny Guinn, is leaving the job to join the staff of Democrat Attorney General Frankie Sue Del Papa.

Feds allow new system for oversight of electricity distribution: New regulatory orders from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission will change the oversight of power transmission when the electricity industry is deregulated in Nevada.

Columnist Ron Kantowski: Las Vegas tunes in, turns on to Rebels: One more sign -- perhaps the best one yet -- that the UNLV football program has turned the corner.

Nevada agency says real estate appraiser manipulated information to boost values: Grace Leong; The Nevada Commission of Appraisers of Real Estate has revoked the licenses of two Las Vegas appraisers whom the board accused of "grossly overstating" appraisal values.

Corrections: Corrections

Judge helps chase down theft suspect: Kim Smith; Most criminal defendants meet District Judge John McGroarty in his courtroom.

Suspect sought in second robbery at same resort: Keith Paul; A man charged with his brother in the July robbery of the Treasure Island hotel-casino is now wanted for questioning in the heist of the same resort early Monday.

Agassi school up for council vote: Erin Neff; Parents of middle school students in West Las Vegas could soon have their first real educational option.

Murder suspect insists he has 'nothing to hide': Kim Smith; A Las Vegas man linked to a quadruple murder case because of his "scary eyes" told jurors he had nothing to do with the deaths.

Closed meeting called in NLV as tension grows: Diana Sahagun; North Las Vegas City Council members will meet behind closed doors Wednesday to discuss allegations that City Manager Kurt Fritsch is violating policy and has broken the state's open meeting law.

County could have been hit with fine over Freon removal: Adrienne Packer; Shoddy record-keeping by the Clark County department that oversees the removal of Freon from county buildings could have led to hefty fines by the Environmental Protection Agency, an audit released Monday says.

Candidate: Exam answers are for sale: Terry Webster; A Clark County School Board candidate Monday said during a Las Vegas ONE news show that a school district employee offered to sell answers for the Nevada High School Proficiency Exam for $400.

Colony Capital to pay $140 million for Resorts Atlantic City: The sale also includes a $40 million option to buy about 10 acres of undeveloped land next to the casino. The deal is expected to be completed sometime this winter.

Legal fight erupts between Nevada wine sellers: In a Clark County District court lawsuit, American Mart Corp. doing business as DeLuca Liquor & Wine Ltd. sued Riedel Fine Wines of Las Vegas Inc., alleging it did not "legitimately acquire (the) liquor products from the suppliers" and that the products at issue were acquired through the "gray market" and are "counterfeit."

Gore's daughter to speak at UNR on Wednesday: She originally had planned to be in Reno Tuesday but decided to join her father on the campaign trail in Oregon and California.

Boulder City water rate hike proposed for big commercial users: Greg Harman; A water rate increase for Boulder City's biggest commercial water users appears to be around the bend. And a system of incentives and penalties for large residential customers may follow.

Harveys owner buying AC casino: Sun International Hotels Inc. has agreed to sell Resorts Atlantic City casino for $140 million.

Guinn names members of energy policy committee: Oregon deal

State board to consider appeal on school closure: CARSON CITY -- In a rare case, the state Board of Education is holding a special meeting Friday to consider the appeal of parents who are protesting the closure of a school for kindergarten students in Ely.

Reno Gazette-Journal endorses Gore for president: "In the foreign arena, there is no question that Gore has the great advantage both in experience and knowledge," Monday's editorial said.

Taxes hurt Mikohn earnings: David Strow; Mikohn Gaming Corp. of Las Vegas today reported a 7 percent decline in net income for the quarter ending Sept. 30, the result of a sharp increase in the company's federal tax rate.

In non-emergency, dial 311: Keith Paul; Metro Police hope the creation of 311 will stop the flood of non-emergency calls coming into 911. But apparently it will take some time for people to catch on.

FDA approves orange juice health claim: WASHINGTON -- PepsiCo Inc.'s Tropicana Products unit, which says its orange juice is "an excellent source of Vitamin C," can now also claim the juice helps reduce the risk of high blood pressure and stroke because it contains potassium and is low in salt, U.S. regulators said.