Print edition for September 12, 2000

Police seize weapons for destruction: At one time, seized guns were auctioned off, but Department of Motor Vehicles and Public Safety Director Richard Kirkland said that is no longer allowed because the weapons would work their way back into the market.

Official details cancer risks of nuke shipments: High-level nuclear waste shipments to a proposed repository at Yucca Mountain would cause about 400 people nationwide to die from cancers over 34 years because of exposure to radiation, a state transportation consultant told a national scientific panel Monday.

Officials caution against rabid bats: The Clark County Health District advises anyone bitten or scratched by a bat call an animal control agency, then a doctor. Since bat bites are small, any contact should be treated as possible exposure. Animal control numbers are:

Arrest of Paiute police chief, husband sparks tribal protests: Greg Tuttle; The arrest of the Las Vegas Paiute Tribal Police Chief and her husband, a Nevada Highway Patrol trooper, early Saturday morning for an alleged assault on a tribal council member sent a shiver down the backs of some members protesting Monday outside the Paiute smoke shop.

Community news briefs for September 12, 2000: Health district immunization clinics are open each week in and around Las Vegas. Immunizations are provided without charge to children and young adults under the age of 21 in any of four public health centers and 15 satellite clinics. The following clinics will be open this week, Sept. 13 through 19:

Binion estate awaits its shot in civil court: Ted Binion's estate lawyers will go after his convicted killers in civil court following sentencing this week in the wealthy gambling figure's death.

Gambling measure certified in Arkansas for Nov. ballot: Peggy Harris; LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- Gambling proponents have collected enough signatures to put a casino measure on the Nov. 7 ballot, the secretary of state's office said.

Company buys back stock from large shareholder: Riviera Holdings Corp. of Las Vegas said it purchased about 3 percent of the company's outstanding stock from one of its largest shareholders.

Police review board mired in controversy: Erin Neff and Adrienne Packer; Controversy has accompanied every step in the formation of a Citizen Review Board for Metro Police.

Court blocks foreclosure in Interstate Mortgage case: Grace Leong; Consolidated Mortgage Corp. won a temporary restraining order Friday from Clark County District Court Judge Nancy Saitta to stop insolvent Interstate Mortgage Group Inc. and 34 investors from foreclosing today on part of a 40-acre Las Vegas property.

First case of Lyme disease found in state: Symptoms include:

Acting police chief will keep job full time: Greg Harman; Boulder City won't hold a national search to find a new police chief, a position vacated by David Mullin in July.

Bodies of two boys recovered near Kingman: Crews used shovels and a backhoe to extricate the victims Monday after a citizen reported discovering an arm sticking out of a pile of fresh dirt in the wash, said Mohave County Sheriff's spokesman Steve Johnson.

Crime figure nominated to Black Book: David Strow; Two years ago Sam Cecola said he'd never again set foot in his well-known Las Vegas topless dancing strip club.

Killer's daughter wants him to live: Kim Smith; Scott Bedard's little girl wants him to live.

S. Dakota clergy denounce video gambling: Dennis Gale; SIOUX FALLS, S.D. -- The leaders of churches representing hundreds of thousands of South Dakotans teamed up to denounce the South Dakota video lottery.

Murderer's appeal dismissed: CARSON CITY -- The Nevada Supreme Court Monday dismissed the appeal of Christopher A. Jones, who was sentenced to consecutive life terms in prison for the shooting of a woman seven times outside her home in Las Vegas in May 1995.

Vegas news briefs for Sept. 12, 2000: A 58-year-old Las Vegas man was killed Monday night after he was struck by a hit-and-run driver while trying to cross Decatur Boulevard near Washington Avenue.

Columnist Ron Kantowski: Will the General stake out hire ground at UNLV?: Two years ago, when UNLV was looking to inject some life into its moribund football program, it turned to a coaching icon one year removed from being fired from one of the nation's pre-eminent programs.

Vegas cigar maker sues state in taxation dispute: In a Clark County District Court Lawsuit, Don Pablo Cigar Co. sued the taxation department, alleging the cigar maker was wrongfully threatened with civil liability and criminal prosecution and forced to pay wholesale dealer taxes and keep records of its sales over several years.

State restricts selling by kids: Nevada Labor Commissioner Terry Johnson announced today that children under 16 no longer will be allowed to peddle candy and other products door to door for businesses.

Growth limiting ability to fund affordable housing: Greg Harman; Henderson has been able to match or exceed its 1999-2000 goals to aid its low-income residents, the city's Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report found.

Senator wants computer dumped: CARSON CITY -- State Sen. Bill O'Donnell has suggested the state "pull the plug" on Welfare Division's the $125 million computer program rather than spend more money on it.

Hit-and-run victim unidentified: Evidence found at the scene suggests the woman, described as being about 60 years old, was hit by a vehicle while walking on the roadway. She carried no identification.

Trial begins for man accused of slaying in 1999: Kim Smith; Gregg Lacedra first said he was unaware that his friend Stephon Brown was slowly bleeding to death a few feet away from him. Then he fingered someone else in the slaying. Finally, he said he was a DEA agent who killed Brown in the line of duty.

Seven released, 17 remain hospitalized in last week's tour bus crash: Eight passengers remain at University Medical Center in Las Vegas including 72-year-old Kathleen Robinson, who lost both her arms. Robinson and 46-year-old Howard Wingfield, both of England, are in serious condition, hospital officials said.

Bullish on Rio, analyst hikes price target for Harrah's: The off-Strip Rio, acquired by Harrah's in January 1999, has struggled since the fourth quarter of 1999. Cash flow plummeted from an all-time high of $29 million in the third quarter of 1999 to just $1 million in the quarter ending June 30, 2000.

Obituaries for Sept. 12, 2000: Gertrude L. "Gertie" Beeler, 94, of Boulder City died Saturday in a local care center. She was born Jan. 10, 1906, in Neodesha, Kan. A resident for 60 years, she was a retired cook.

Democrats ask Guinn to delay electricity deregulation: CARSON CITY -- Three legislative leaders today urged Gov. Kenny Guinn to delay opening the electric industry to competition until there are protections for homeowners, who they say could face an increase of up to 63 percent in their power bills in the next three years in Clark County.

Chances for second Natchez casino fading: CSL, based in Pensacola, Fla., was the first company to officially announce an interest in what was the site of Belwood Country Club along the Mississippi River. The county bought the property several years ago for use as an industrial park. Supervisors agreed Monday to allow the county to clean up the overgrown property to make it attractive to another investor.

Democratic leaders urge GOP gov to delay electric deregulation: Brendan Riley; Senate Minority Leader Dina Titus, Assembly Majority Leader Richard Perkins and Assembly Assistant Majority Leader Barbara Buckley said a deregulation law passed in 1999 had a 3-year rate freeze - but that's been ignored.

LV condo owners settle construction defect suit: The Coves Homeowner Association, representing owners of a Las Vegas condominium complex with construction defects, said it won a $2.75 million settlement in a lawsuit filed in Clark County District Court against a Las Vegas developer.

Gore leads lengthy list of pols to come calling: A parade of high-profile politicians led by Vice President Al Gore will be marching through Las Vegas this month as the November general election heats up.

Hearing delayed in alleged prostitute smuggling: Greg Tuttle; Five people accused of smuggling Asian women into the United States to be used as prostitutes in Las Vegas and other cities made their first appearance Monday in U.S. District Court, but the hearing was delayed as federal prosecutors requested more time to prepare their case.

Henderson school, park sites at issue: Crestdale Associates Ltd. sued the insolvent IMG and 45 investors in Clark County District Court, alleging they failed to correct their error regarding the legal descriptions for the school and park in the deeds of trust executed to secure a loan Champion Village obtained from IMG.

Legislature may take over apartments: CARSON CITY -- A proposal to buy a 31-unit apartment building to convert into office space for the staff of the Legislature has been recommended by a legislative budget committee.

Upscale Summerlin casino opens tonight: David Strow; It's Coast Resorts Inc.'s most upscale property, located near one of the most upscale communities in the Las Vegas Valley.

Equal rights group rallies against anti-gay initiative: Jeffrey Libby; The Rev. Valerie Garrick says the "Protection of Marriage" initiative is based on hate and discrimination.

Company floating $300 million in bonds: Bloomberg News, citing investors familiar with the sale, said the eight-year senior subordinated notes will be priced to yield 8.875 percent. The sale will be managed by Deutsche Banc Alex. Brown and Merrill Lynch. The sale could be completed by the end of today.

DA given time to file charges in casino killing: Greg Tuttle; Clark County prosecutors were granted more time this morning to file formal charges against the man accused of the deadly shooting at Harrah's hotel-casino.

Company to settle kickback allegations: Jetstream Construction, a Clark County School District subcontractor, has agreed to pay six Hispanic workers $6,300 over allegations that the company required kickbacks from them to keep their jobs.

Crash reinforces police concern over drag racing: Police Lt. Ken Bunker said the victims were in a car that was accelerating at a high speed side by side with another car.

Casino workers want court to order health monitoring: CARSON CITY -- A group of Clark County casino workers, who fear their health may be impaired by secondhand smoke, wants the Nevada Supreme Court to rule that tobacco companies can be forced to pay for monitoring their their medical condition in the future.

Driver accused in death of six teens loses round: Kim Smith; A young woman accused of driving under the influence in an accident that killed six teenagers lost a series of legal battles Monday but will have one more shot at winning the war during a hearing scheduled for next month.

Let the (head) games begin: Dean Juipe; Boxing is a sport that accentuates physical contact, yet long before they get into the ring the participants are open to a little gamesmanship.

Columnist Dean Juipe: Robinson relieves UNLV fans: Dean Juipe; They were anxious for a little reassurance and John Robinson provided it.

Correction for September 7, 2000: Correction for September 7, 2000

Mickelson, Leonard to play in LV's PGA event: The tournament formerly called the Las Vegas Invitational will be played Oct. 11-15 at the TPC Summerlin, the Desert Inn Golf Club and Southern Highlands Golf Club.

Letter: Appraisal useless in Pappas case: Somewhat surprising, however, was the mayor throwing the word "appraisal" into the mix by noting that he "still hadn't seen an appraisal" on the taken property.

Man accused of killing tourist makes court appearance: Stephen Mullen, 32, made a brief appearance Tuesday in Justice Court. He is facing possible charges of murder and assault following Friday's shooting that also injured a security guard.

Recreationists catching on to ban: About half of the citations issued so far are for violation of the agency's two-stroke engine regulation and the rest for violation of a 600-foot no-wake zone.

Columnist Susan Snyder: Safety as important as thrills: Are the Consumer Product Safety Commission people a bunch of stodgy old poops, or what?

Douglas County to get veterans' clinic: The focus will be on primary care and general medical services with the option of referring any patients to the VA Medical Center in Reno, according to Dr. Robert Wiebe, Director of VA Sierra Pacific Network.

Editorial: Industry conduct is an outrage: One company memo revealed that its chief audience to sell mature-rated video games (those 17 and older) was in fact boys 12-17. The memo also noted that even with the M rating, "the younger the audience, the more likely they are to be influenced by TV advertising." Meanwhile, a marketing plan for an R-rated movie acknowledged that its intent was to "make sure everyone between the ages of 12-18 was exposed to the film." That's not all. The FTC said of the 44 R-rated movies it reviewed, 35 were targeted for children under 17. And of the 118 video games ...

Where I Stand -- Mike O'Callaghan: No big scandal in Sparks: If it had been some civic, political or social convention there wouldn't have been a ripple in the media. It wasn't, so the Reno Gazette-Journal's front-page headline read: "Tailhook charge reported in Sparks." The Las Vegas Sun's front-page headline was "Navy may again drop Tailhook" and the Review-Journal's headline was "Navy looks into Tailhook claims." The Los Angeles Times did about the same thing on Page 3.

National anti-gambling activist joins King in campaigns against ballot item: Glenn Adams; King and Rev. Thomas Grey fired the first major round in the campaign over the third question to appear on the crowded ballot, calling it deceptive and fraught with negatives for Maine.

Report links air pollution in Nevada to child development, learning: Brendan Riley; The study by the National Environmental Trust and other organizations lists Clark County, followed in order by Washoe, Lander and Humboldt counties, as Nevada's worst when it comes to chemical releases that could cause development and learning problems.

Isle of Capri Casinos completes acquisition of Lady Luck in Las Vegas: John M. Gallaway, Isle president and chief operating officer, said the Lady Luck Casino name will be retained.

Washington: Illegal gambling business nets two years in prison: Authorities say Mitola, 53, set up a bookmaking operation in 1999 inside Cascade Espresso, a locked stand that never sold a cup of coffee. The fake coffee business processed at least $100,000 a week in bets from 360 active bettors who were given secret code names to call in bets, officials said.

Winston Cup race tickets selling quickly: Tickets for the March 4, 2001, NASCAR Winston Cup race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway sold at a brisk pace Monday, the first day of sales to the general public, but the fourth annual race is not yet sold out.

Dean Smith endorses betting ban: Laurence Arnold; "We're talking about something that can taint young people," said Smith, who retired in 1997 after 36 seasons and 879 victory at th University of North Carolina.

Letter: 'Sport hunting' teaches children inhumane lesson: My opinions and hunters' opinions will always be at odds. Teaching shooting and respect for firearms does not have to include the unnecessary taking of an animal's life. I'm by no means condemning all hunters; it's those who derive "cowardly sporting pleasure" in merciless animal killing I find offensive.

Soccer: UNLV women down BG: UNLV hits the road for two games this weekend at Boise State and Idaho State. The team returns home Sept. 23 against San Francisco.

Newest casino opens in northwest Las Vegas: Lisa Snedeker; The $200 million Suncoast hotel-casino was scheduled to open Tuesday night with what has become a Las Vegas tradition - a fireworks show and hordes of gamblers rushing through the doors to be the first to try their luck on the new slot machines.

Ralph Siraco's selections for Wednesday's races at Del Mar: 1st Race -- Dunson - Pedroza/Carava team, draws inner post for the sprint opener, should be in the mix throughout. C Merrill Run - Draws just outside top pick, hustling Rollins on West trainee, should be square price here. Value Play -- Brodrick

Rebirth of drag racing concern for police: Shawn Staggs, 18, of Sun Valley and a 17-year-old Sparks youth were arrested. In addition to facing traffic charges, their vehicles were towed.

Rebels look to end one more streak: Steve Guiremand; The UNLV football team put an end to a couple of ugly losing streaks during John Robinson's first year as head coach.

Editorial: Fanciful is the best attribute of survey: No one has suggested such outlandish benefits, however, which has prompted Bryan's apprehension. Academic freedom -- including unconventional thinking -- is a hallmark of higher education, but a survey posing questions beyond the realm of possibility is whimsical, at best.

MWC picks players of week: Thiessen propelled the Falcons to a 31-23 victory over visiting Brigham Young in the conference opener Saturday. He completed 11 of 16 passes and tied a school record with four touchdowns. Dyson had 11 tackles and three pass breakups in Utah's 24-21 loss at California. Rebstock contributed to the Rams' 41-7 win over East Tennessee State by returning six punts for 102 yards including a long of 47 yards.

Tied in Knots: Contortionists display "body art" at local convention: When: 7:30 p.m. tonight.

Clark, Danoski wedding: Heather Clark was the maid of honor and Erik Denman was best man. The bridesmaids in attendance were Cathy Denman and Ruthanne MacDonald. The groomsmen were Jack Pfeifer and Ralph Kasper. The flower girl was Brittany MacDonald and Derek Denman was the ring bearer.

Coast casinos protesting local property tax levies: The economic boon brought to the coast by the gaming industry also resulted in skyrocketing real estate values, supervisors say. The property tax assessments reflect those higher values.