Print edition for April 19, 2001

Columnist Dean Juipe: Juuko-Forbes: This means war: Dean Juipe; Two evenly matched Las Vegans are fighting Sunday in Indio, Calif., and for both men the stakes have never been greater.

LV's Vasser struggling to find sponsor: Two races into the 2001 CART FedEx Championship Series season, Jimmy Vasser of Las Vegas has two top-six finishes and ranks fifth in the championship points standings.

Prep boys golf standings: CLASS 4A

Teenager dies from February gang hit in NLV: Keith Paul; A suspected gang member shot in February by rival gang members died Tuesday, marking the 10th slaying this year in North Las Vegas -- the same number of killings that occurred in the city all of last year.

Commission to consider plan for more billboards: Clark County Commissioners introduced a new ordinance Wednesday that might mean more billboards along roads throughout the county.

Fox promises consulate in LV: By Emily Richmond; After months of determined lobbying by city, state and federal officials, Mexican President Vicente Fox has promised his country's next consulate built in the United States will be in Las Vegas, Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., announced Wednesday.

News briefs for April 19, 2001: A Las Vegas teen suspected in a number of violent home invasions and the murder of a former monk is scheduled to be tried on more than 40 counts.

Legislation to keep utility afloat: David Strow; Sierra Pacific Resources, parent of Nevada Power Co. and Sierra Pacific Power Co., says it should be able to avoid bankruptcy thanks to legislation approved by the Legislature on Wednesday.

Ralph Siraco's selections for Friday's races at Hollywood Park: 1st Race -- Sir Tificate - Espinoza aboard O'Neill trainee, draws good post for season route opener, Cal-bred diploma here. Taormina - Draws good rail post, Valdivia atop Hofmans trainee, adds blinkers for this outing. Value Play -- Two Out Rally

Rockies pursue Rebels' Black: Steve Guiremand; When Randy Black got a letter from the Colorado Rockies expressing their interest in the UNLV safety as a baseball prospect, he was understandably skeptical.

Governor to allow execution: CARSON CITY -- Gov. Kenny Guinn is not going to stop the execution of Las Vegas killer Sebastian Bridges, scheduled to die Saturday night at the state prison in Carson City.

Prep baseball standings: CLASS 4A

Limits on teen driving lose again: Erin Neff; CARSON CITY -- Barbara Cegavske said she was "bewildered" by her Assembly colleagues' narrow defeat Wednesday of her proposed graduated driver's license system.

CRC Holdings merger advances: Penn National Gaming, which owns Casino Magic casino and hotel in Bay St. Louis and Boomtown casino in Biloxi, is in the final stages of buying Florida-based CRC Holdings Inc.

Chains' owners post gains: Safeway Inc., Pleasanton, Calif., owner of Vons stores in Las Vegas, said its first quarter profit rose 17 percent. Safeway reported net income of $283.9 million or 55 cents a share, matching analysts' estimates.

Review: Smiles, slight humor and Subarus in 'Crocodile Dundee': Geoff Carter; Grade: One star

Las Vegas firm acquires Australian shuffler makers: Shuffle Master also plans to acquire the stock of a fourth company, Gaming Products Pty. Ltd, which holds the patented technology related to the QuickDraw card-shuffler line.

Man with the golden touch: Victoria Sun; Every now and then, Larry Nelson's right arm loses its feeling.

Obituaries for April 19, 2001: Goldie F. Black, 91, of Henderson died Wednesday in a local care center. She was born Dec. 20, 1909, in New York City. A resident for 25 years, she was a retired businesswoman.

County says new tax plan will hurt: Adrienne Packer; As the Assembly mulls a proposal to change the tax distribution formula, Henderson city leaders said simply removing two elements would provide closer parity in revenues for all Southern Nevada jurisdictions.

Four teens arrested in death of 50-year-old homeless man: Anthony Quickbear, 18, Rocky Arbaugh, Donald Jones and Edward Hayes, all 17, were booked into the Clark County jail on murder and conspiracy charges, Lt. Wayne Petersen of Metro Police's homicide unit said.

Energy bill sails through Capitol: CARSON CITY -- Electric rates are frozen until March, state electric utilities' generating plants cannot be sold and the law allowing deregulation of the industry is scrapped under a bill approved Wednesday by the Nevada Legislature and signed by the governor.

Slot maker International Game Technology posts strong quarterly earnings again: David Strow; International Game Technology's strong earnings performance continued in the quarter ending March 31, as the Reno slot maker easily topped earnings expectations for the quarter.

Berkley urges two-front fight: Erin Neff; CARSON CITY -- Rep. Shelley Berkley told a joint session of the Legislature on Wednesday that it must continue efforts to fight two federal attempts to harm the state.

Columnist Ron Kantowski: Let's turn back the clock in golf: Perhaps to get myself ready for the invasion -- if you can call a bunch of 55-year-old guys riding around in golf carts an invasion -- of the TPC at Summerlin this weekend by the Senior PGA Tour, I anted up the $3.95 to watch "The Legend of Bagger Vance" on the dish the other night.

School budget calls for building closures: Terry Webster; Programs and buildings would be shut down under a tentative 2001-2002 budget being proposed by the Clark County School District. The building closures would be temporary, continuing only through the hot summer months.

Gephardt in LV to give Berkley boost: Benjamin Grove; WASHINGTON -- House Democratic leader Richard Gephardt will be the guest speaker in Las Vegas today at a fund-raiser for Rep. Shelley Berkley.

Bengals eye last chance: Leah Robinson; The wall high above Bonanza High School's gym floor boasts several state title banners, but one in particular is missing -- boys volleyball.

Las Vegas builder sues state: The builder, which said the board jeopardized its business when it ordered Saxton to stop construction on certain projects earlier this month, said it feared the board intended to make detailed and prolonged inquiries into Saxton's financial situation and delay or deny its application for a new license.

School shooting rumors worry officials: Keith Paul; Rumors of students with hit lists or planning a Columbine-type shooting have been rampant throughout the Las Vegas Valley as the second anniversary of the Colorado school shooting approaches.

MGM MIRAGE continues trend of casinos reporting strong earnings: David Strow; MGM MIRAGE continued a stronger-than-expected casino earnings season this morning, handily topping analyst profit expectations for the quarter ended March 31.

Bowling: Women's tournament slated at Suncoast: The event, to be known as the Brunswick Women's World Open and Brunswick Shootout, is set for Nov. 4-10 at the 64-lane bowling center. Coast Resorts also hosts PBA and Senior PBA tour stops at the Orleans.

Vote on tax shift hits snag: Erin Neff; CARSON CITY -- Assembly Speaker Richard Perkins strode into Wednesday's floor session confident that his proposed tax shift would easily pass and help his constituents in Henderson.

Top prep track times: Boys

Houston company acquires 700 Polo Towers time intervals: Raintree Resorts International, which has 32,000 owners and members, signed the deal for about 1,100 one-bedroom intervals at Diamond's Kona Reef Resort in Hawaii and 700 time intervals at the 512-room Polo Towers.

Guest columnist Lynn Berk: Con man detracts from victims' suffering: Thomas Nevius' battle to stay alive galls me to no end because by pleading for his life, someone else has been forgotten here by everybody but the prosecutor -- and I don't even mean David Kinnamon. I mean his wife, Rochelle, who was as destroyed by that coldblooded murder as David was, and I know because I had the privilege of meeting her.

Legislative briefs for April 19, 2001: A bill that would prohibit smoking on school property and stop advertising of tobacco products at schools, in their publications or at any activity at the school, was approved by the Senate Wednesday 21-0.

Jurors told of frequent nosebleeds: Kim Smith; Jurors in the Margaret Rudin murder trial heard this morning that Ronald Rudin had a propensity for nose bleeds and for secretly taping employees' conversations.

Catching up with: Jeremy West: High School: Silverado ('00)

Prep softball standings: CLASS 4A

Goodman questions need for city ethics board: Diana Sahagun; Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman is questioning the need for the city's ethics board and has asked the city manager to determine whether it should be dissolved or revamped.

Assembly passes measure protecting rodeos: CARSON CITY -- A bill designed to prevent local governments from banning rodeos cleared the Assembly on Wednesday.

Sam's Town slot claim being eyed: Dennis Neilander, chairman of the Gaming Control Board, said regulators routinely review the claims made in ads by casinos and that the Sam's Town ad is one of several under review. He would not say what other casino ads are under scrutiny.

Ex-assemblyman indicted in fraud: Former state Assemblyman Harley L. Harmon was indicted by a federal grand jury for mail fraud for his part in a multimillion-dollar mortgage investment scandal that involved hundreds of local investors.

Boyd earnings tumble: Boyd Gaming Corp. of Las Vegas reported a dramatic decrease in earnings, but still exceeded analysts' expectations as its two Sam's Town properties continued to struggle because of construction disruptions.

Mirage waitresses win legal victory in discrimination case: Grace Leong; Two Mirage hotel-casino cocktail waitresses have won a significant legal victory in their lawsuit claiming casino founder Steve Wynn criticized them for having "fat asses."

Sun Athletes of the week: Micah Schnurstein and Shannon Crisp: Male Athlete of the Week: MICAH SCHNURSTEIN

Columnist Spencer Patterson: Las Vegas basketball event full of stars: Spencer Patterson; When Chad Groth originally hatched his plan for this week's Las Vegas Boys Basketball Invitational, his idea was simple: Bring together Southern Nevada's top young players and fill the stands with college coaches.

Profits generally strong for Nevada bank operators: Several banks operating in or based in Nevada reported generally stronger earnings this week.

Williams team back as F1 force: Piero Valsecchi; IMOLA, Italy - The dry spell is over for team owner Frank Williams after 3 1/2 years without a victory, and the Formula One circuit is no longer a continuing match race between Ferraris and McLarens.

Sun Top 10 Softball Poll: Records though Tuesday

Drivers face Talladega danger: Mike Harris; TALLADEGA, Ala. - Racing at nearly 200 mph surrounded by tons of heavy metal is a tough way to make a living. Doing it at the Talladega Superspeedway is even riskier.

Most at Moapa meeting speak in favor of power plant proposal: MOAPA PAIUTE RESERVATION -- Moapa Valley residents said they are concerned about depleting the area's ground water and their capability to respond to an accident at a natural-gas-fired power plant proposed for the Paiute Indian Reservation.

Busch fields shrinking because of rising costs: Stephen Hawkins; There aren't many lines of car-carrying haulers leaving the track early these days after NASCAR Busch qualifying sessions.

Earnhardt Glance: SITE: Talladega Superspeedway, Talladega, Ala.

At age 9, Robbie Allison wants to be a racer: Teresa M. Walker; BRENTWOOD, Tenn. - Liz Allison watched her 9-year-old son, Robbie, crash the first time out, and wondered if he'd still want to be a racer.

Sun Top 10 Baseball Poll: Records through Tuesday

Busch Series and Formula One standings: Feb. 17 - NAPA Auto Parts 300, Daytona Beach, Fla. (Randy Lajoie)

Nuke workers will have to wait: Benjamin Grove; WASHINGTON -- As expected, Nevada Test Site workers who became ill after testing nuclear weapons for the federal government will be compensated later than originally promised, Labor Department Secretary Elaine Chao confirmed Wednesday.

Tech slowdown claims more LV companies, workers edgy: Kevin Ferguson; The slowdown in the formerly red-hot technology industry has left many Las Vegas tech workers edgy about their jobs or their job prospects.

Letter: Column choices are disappointing: George Will's obsessive, pathological hatred of President Clinton has been an absolute disgrace and has severely damaged the reputation of ABC, which continually allowed his insane anti-Clinton tirades. Behind his pompous verbosity and ponderous columns lies a remarkably banal intellect. His mindless and intellectually dishonest rants belie a thoroughly amoral political philosophy. Compared to Will, former President Clinton is Saint Francis.

Letter: Homeowner chose to live near air base: I have lived near the base for almost 20 years. When I moved here, I knew the base was close by. Yes, it can be annoying, but I chose to live near my workplace and understood the trade-off I was making. Morris apparently did not look at a map before buying his home. He seems to think that his only choices were near the base, in Summerlin or in Green Valley. There are many other areas available, including houses in all price ranges.

Editorial: Industry titans rule the roost: Assemblyman John Carpenter, R-Elko, called the legislation discriminatory. He noted aptly that no casinos in the rural county he represents could afford such high fees. There also is a legitimate concern that Internet gambling will take some customers away from struggling areas like Laughlin or even some of the casinos in the downtown area of Las Vegas that are having a tough time competing with the Strip megaresorts.

Las Vegan's son works on Orions: Dick Benoit; The return Saturday of the 24 Navy reconnaissance crewmen held hostage in China focused national attention on Naval Air Station Whidbey Island in Washington.

Columnist Ruthe Deskin: Senator warns of 'Big Labor': Ruthe Deskin; Afew weeks back I reported on a recorded telephone message I received from Sen. Bob Smith of New Hampshire urging me to send "a tax-deductible contribution to help the National Right to Work Foundation block Big Labor's all-out bid for power."

NLV council orders foreclosure on home: Kris Hill; The North Las Vegas City Council Wednesday night directed City Attorney Sean McGowan to begin foreclosure action on the home of Ron Anderson, who the council determined was in breach of a 1996 agreement to purchase a home in Walker Park.

Turbulence injures five on America West flight bound for Vegas: Two passengers and two flight attendants on Flight 7 from John F. Kennedy International Airport were taken to University Medical Center in Las Vegas after the A320 Airbus landed safely at McCarran International Airport at 11:15 a.m., airport spokeswoman Debbie Millett said. A fifth passenger who was examined at the airport by medical staff declined further treatment.

Perez powers 51s to victory: Considering the way Perez pitched in the 51s' 6-0 shutout of the Iowa Cubs earlier that afternoon, maybe it should have been his teammates who picked up the tab.

Community briefs for April 19, 2001: The 31st anniversary of Earth Day at EcoJam 2001 will be celebrated 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday at the Silver Bowl Sports Complex, 6800 E. Russell Road.

PCL Box: Las Vegas-Iowa: E--Rain. LOB--Las Vegas 6, Iowa 8. 2B--Cairo, Banks. HR--Post (1). S--Mota.

Editorial: Sunday closure is a useless ordinance: Commissioner Erin Kenny also said that the ordinance would help residents who live near car dealerships, giving them at least a one-day respite from the traffic that car lots create. Well, all those other residents who live near supermarkets, casinos, malls and other businesses, which are open on Sundays, could probably use a break, too, but you don't see the commission restricting those businesses. For that matter, the ordinance allows used car dealers to stay open on Sundays. If the commission really was concerned about residents being impacted by traffic, they would ensure that zoning wouldn't allow car lots to ...

Back to Basic: Former classmate catches up with Tanya Tucker: Jean Reid Norman; In the fall of 1972 Basic High School students returned to a brand-new campus built on a big patch of desert on the south edge of Henderson. It was complete with an indoor pool, a state-of-the-art little theater and covered hallways, like a mall.

Columnist Joe Delaney: Thoughts, predictions on production scene: Joe Delaney; April seems to be a month for new beginnings ... "Storm" is a most anxiously awaited arrival, a world premiere ... Creator and artistic director Jamie King is Ricky Martin's creative director and has choreographed videos and concerts for Madonna and Britney Spears ... There have been several delays in reaching this point; the actual premiere was Wednesday.

Where I stand--Mike O'Callaghan: Pay raise long overdue: The sneak attack on the state treasury blew sky high, and political rocks showered down on the perpetrators. Gov. Bob Miller vetoed the bill, but the bold legislators overrode him, and then the next eruption took place. Not long after the second eruption, the legislators squealed for a special session so they could repeal their act that made theft legal. The governor smiled and called for a session of one day, so many of the scoundrels could save their political hides. Their act of contrition was enough to save the rural and northern legislators, but it cost the political careers ...

UNLV notebook: Lady Rebels obtain top JC point guard: Danielle Ladd, who starred at Connors State JC in Warner, Okla., said Wednesday night that she had signed with the Lady Rebels despite scholarship offers from perennial women's basketball powers Purdue and Louisiana Tech as well as Oklahoma State and Houtson.

Wednesday's prep results: BASEBALL

Air tour operators lose in bid to block routes: Southern Nevada-based Grand Canyon air tour operators began flying two new flight routes today after their bid for an injunction to block implementation of them was rejected by a Washington D.C. court.