Stories published August 10, 2001Las Vegas Sun

Plans for wind power are raising a storm: Local power companies can't make a deal to buy electricity from a proposed wind farm until the state issues definitive rules, officials say.

Survey shows gap in learning: Terry Webster; The results of a survey that shows lagging academic achievement among black and Hispanic students, as well as white students from low-income families, came as no surprise to Carlos Garcia.

PCL Box: Las Vegas-Salt Lake: 2B -- Mota, Prieto, Hiatt, Pritchett, Molina. 3B -- Amezaga. HR -- Prieto (16), Barnes (15), Fernandez (26). SB -- Barnes, DaVanon, Durrington.

Columnist Susan Snyder: Kraft is a wild keeper: Jonathan Kraft lifted a pair of giant tiki torches and two gold, plaster cobra heads into the back of his pickup.

Editorial: Can math, gambling really mix?: The purpose of using gambling-related math problems isn't to encourage more gambling, according to those who back the project. Instead, they say, the intent of the course is to eliminate some of the mystique from gambling through math questions. That way students will know, for instance, that the odds of rolling a six on a die are low -- only about 17 percent. Teaching students the real-world odds of gambling also would lead to discussions about compulsive gambling and its consequences, according to the program's proponents.

Datebook for Aug. 10, 2001: Las Vegas presents Disney's "Tarzan" as its Dive-In Movie feature at 8 p.m. today at the Trails Park pool, 1920 Spring Gate Lane. Admission is free. Call 229-2482.

New 'derivative' suit filed over PurchasePro debacle: Grace Leong; Another PurchasePro shareholder has filed a "derivative" lawsuit to force the Las Vegas company's liability insurance carriers to defend the company against some 28 securities class action lawsuits filed in recent months.

Columnist Joe Delaney: Diller has a long, hilarious history in Las Vegas: Joe Delaney; Irv Seiders was a New York City entertainment agent ... We were good friends and shared an interest in comedy and comedians ... The year was pre-my arrival in Las Vegas, sometime in the late 1950s, and Seiders called me at home to rave about his latest comedic discovery ... It was a woman, a housewife, mother of five, making her Manhattan debut at the famed Blue Angel nightclub.

Mack, Brown face suitability hearings: Diana Sahagun; Thursday will be a full day for City Councilmen Michael Mack and Larry Brown, who, along with their private attorneys, must go through two hearings dealing with their suitability in office.

Actor clued into 'Blue's' popularity: Fast Facts

Schwikert vaults to early lead: Nancy Armour; PHILADELPHIA -- Las Vegan Tasha Schwikert has come a long way from that quiet girl who needed a strange twist of events to get to the Sydney Olympics.

Performing Arts for Aug. 10, 2001: Ongoing event

Columnist Muriel Stevens: Anna Bella, Sonio's eateries faring well: How are small neighborhood restaurants faring in these days of such fierce competition?

This week's races: NASCAR WINSTON CUP

Road rage suspect arrested: Kim Smith; A Las Vegas resident arrested and charged with murder in connection with what police are saying is an extreme case of road rage will make his initial court appearance Tuesday.

Where I Stand -- Somer Hollingsworth: A unique place to live: SOUTHERN NEVADA is paranoid. We continually reanalyze the economic condition of our great valley. We compare our growth patterns to other markets and we check to make sure we aren't overdeveloping or underexporting. Then, when we are done examining ourselves under a microscope, we do it all over again.

Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: Younger Busch may land more truck series rides: Kyle Busch could be driving the No.99 Eldon Ford in as many as six more NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races this season, according to a source with Roush Racing's truck program.

Stadium not a stumbling block for development: Diana Sahagun; Southwest Sports Group, a company specializing in building minor league stadiums, would agree to a deal to develop the prime 61-acre parcel downtown even if the project does not include a stadium, Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman said Thursday.

Columnist Jerry Fink: Live music being brewed at Gordon Biersch Co.: Gordon Biersch Brewing Co. not only serves home brew, it caters to home-grown entertainment.

Saturday's horse racing entries: Post Time 2 p.m.

Planning panel approves mall: Diana Sahagun; After receiving unanimous approval from the Planning Commission, Chelsea Property Group will present its plans for a 478,028-square-foot outlet mall to the Las Vegas City Council on Sept. 19.

UNLV women gear for trip to Europe: Victoria Sun; Kinesha Davis has never been to Europe.

Editorial: Fresh faces abound in fast-growing state: Herding all these newcomers into a fast-growing state can make it difficult to foster a sense of community. For that matter, the huge influx puts a strain on the state's quality of life, educational system and other critical government services.

Local family with ties to issue expresses joy over approval: Las Vegan Jackie Singer, her husband Dr. Richard Singer and their twin daughters are devout Catholics.

Letter: Bush totally incompetent as president: He started with the ill-conceived budget, followed by the hastily drawn up tax cutting proposal that he sent to Congress. He then had his chief hatchet man, Dick Cheney, huddle with his major financial contributors to draw up an energy plan geared to line their pockets.

Sinatra, others get a turn in 'Ol' Blue Eyes' at New Frontier: Joe Delaney; "Ol' Blue Eyes, the Ultimate Tribute" at the New Frontier showroom stars Jed Profeta as Frank Sinatra, with guest appearances by Johnny Edwards as Dean Martin and Justin Shandor as Elvis Presley during the course of the 65-minute production. Shandor also appears as Elvis daily at the Elvis-A-Rama museum.

'Safety Day' aims to help authorities gain information to find missing kids: Rebecca Malone; The tasks seem simple and require little effort. They also could help save a child's life.

Longtime restaurateur Pignatello dies: Joe Pignatello, a legendary chef and restaurateur of a Las Vegas of yesteryear, who catered to everyone from mobsters to celebrities to common folk who loved Italian food, died Thursday. He was 75.

Columnist Dean Juipe: Spoonhour blameless in this mess: Dean Juipe; Charlie Spoonhour doesn't deserve this.

NASCAR trucks qualifying results: 1. (2) Scott Riggs, Dodge, 155.477 mph.

Letter: Easy going not the cure: Ron@lasvegassun.com; I went through the same thing in the late '60s (with vigorous wind sprints) and things haven't changed much over the last 35 years. Unfortunately these things (deaths) happen, and as sad as it is, it's not going to change. Oh, maybe for a couple of months, but trust me, next year it will be business as usual.

Editorial: Product safety not a priority for Bush: Shortly after the rejection the White House decided to engage in retribution, saying it had the authority to fire the current chairwoman, Ann Brown, a Democrat appointed by Bill Clinton. In a conciliatory gesture, Brown said she would resign by Nov. 1 -- five years before her term expires. But that wasn't good enough for Bush, who may try to remove Brown as soon as next week. The president should stop this nonsense. Instead he should forward a nominee to the Senate who understands the agency's mission, which is to stand up for consumers and insist on safe products.

On Display for Aug. 10, 2001: An exhibit titled "Emperor's New Clothes by Hans Christian Anderson," an illustrated interpretation of the classic children's tale, is on display at the Clark County Library, 1401 E. Flamingo Road. A reception for the artists will be 1-4 p.m. Saturday. Call 733-7810.

Rebel women hire an assistant coach: Dahl joins the Rebels after serving two years as women's head coach at Dixie College. Her 1998 Dixie team finished fifth nationally and her 1999 squad improved to third in the U.S. She is a 2000 graduate of Brigham Young University.

Moran looks forward to new role: Most people see Las Vegas attorney John Moran Jr. in designer Neiman Marcus suits and ostrich-skin cowboy boots, defending high-profile clients in local courts or winning approval for multimillion-dollar residential and business developments before city councils and the Clark County Commission.

Finally, Johnson gets chance to carry the ball: Steve Guiremand; It took a lot longer than he would have liked, but UNLV senior Jabari Johnson is finally "the man" at tailback.

New tariff to hike home prices: The National Association of Homebuilders said the higher tariffs could add up to $1,000 to the cost of a new home.

The Bullring at LVMS point standings: Driver points standings for the Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway:

Community briefs for August 10, 2001: Catholic Charities Migration and Refugee Services is hosting a back-to-school event 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday at Paradise Park, 4770 S. Harrison Drive.

Columnist Kate Maddox: Earl's show takes Turn for worse: Kate Maddox; It's true. After almost four months as a pay-to-see performer in the Rio's Rio Bamba Cabaret, Earl Turner is leaving. Turner's last show is scheduled for Sept. 2.

Ex-Cimmaron star transfers to UNLV: Seccombe compiled a 3-4 record with a 4.63 ERA this spring. He pitched 44 2/3 innings and had 36 strikeouts and 20 walks. He is eligible to play for the Rebels this season.

Evidence of Las Vegas casino slowdown mounts: Cy Ryan and David Strow; Propped up by strong high-roller action, the Las Vegas Strip posted an 11.5 percent increase in June gaming revenues, the state Gaming Control Board reported this morning. But evidence of a slowdown in Nevada's gaming industry continues to mount.

Letter: Better hang on to tax refund: Guess what? Treasury had to borrow $52 billion to help pay for the tax rebate already. The surplus is already declining under Bush or he would not have had to borrow the money.

Review: Versatile Kidman saves 'The Others': Max Jacobson; The Others

Ezra bounces back from debacle with Elektra label: Kirk Baird; What: Better Than Ezra.

'Eagle eyes:' Park Service ranger assists in rescue missions from above: Jace Radke; Afamily of four generations huddled against the face of a cliff near Lake Mojave. They were there all night.

Prosecutors considered plea agreement: By Jeff German

Motorist killed on I-15 in collision with bus: The accident occurred about 8:50 a.m. when the truck apparently collided with a bus in the northbound lanes of I-15. Ambulances took 12 people from the bus to area hospitals with injuries that not believed to be life threatening, Nevada Highway Patrol officials said.

Golf: Harvey easily defends State Amateur crown: Harvey, a Bonanza High graduate, carded a final-round 66 to win the event by nine strokes. It was Harvey's third round in the 60s and best round of the three-day tournament.

Obituaries for August 10, 2001: Wade Hampton Beck, 87, of Las Vegas died Tuesday in a local care center. He was born Aug. 30, 1913, in San Antonio. A resident for 16 years, he was a civilian aircraft supervisor for the Air Force and a member of the Masons in San Antonio.

Serious reservations: Steve Addy; College teams visiting Las Vegas often stay in gaming hotels, especially for special events such as the Las Vegas Bowl, the Las Vegas Showdown and the Mountain West Conference basketball tournament. Here are some teams that have stayed in gaming hotels in recent years: 2001

Getting technical: Electronic music masters Crystal Method returning to Vegas: Kirk Baird; What: Crystal Method, Uberzone and Static Avenger. When: 7 p.m. Wednesday. Where: House of Blues at Mandalay Bay. Tickets: $28, $33. Information: 632-7600.

Blazers to meet Warriors for title: Spencer Patterson; At Durango High School

Letter: A's fans are into it: Ron@lasvegassun.com; Trust me Ron, there are thousands of excited Oakland A's fans. We've been around for years, and why wouldn't we be excited with this year's team?

Scenes of early Las Vegas displayed on website: Rebecca Malone; A website created by UNLV shows what Las Vegas used to look like, in the old days before casinos and theme parks and rooftops stretched to the hills.

Doctors resist medical marijuana program: By Emily Richmond; State officials are busy fine-tuning Nevada's new medicinal marijuana program, and both supporters and opponents of the new law agree success hinges on convincing reluctant physicians to participate.

Cottage industry: Rebecca Malone; Moving fund

Shooting doesn't discourage Catholic educator: Stacy J. Willis; People don't ask about his scarred cheek.

Las Vegas hotel closing to public Monday: The hotel's reservations department will be closed Saturday night, and the final night guests will be checked in Sunday evening. The property will close to the public Monday at 5 p.m., after the final guests have checked out, and the front desk department will then be shut down.

Teen tabbed to change the world: Since appearing in a commercial for Thrifty Drug Stores at the age of 5, 16-year-old Julianne Michelle has been building her career as an actress.

Grant will help students: The students from the Henderson school will participate in a variety of exercises designed to teach them more about the world around them and to help them learn the core skills of geography.

Ralph Siraco's selections for Saturday's races at Del Mar: 1st Race -- Estrella Prisa -- Top jock Solis atop Aguirre trainee, draws good inner post for route opener, should get the trip. Media Beach -- Ships in from training center, Enriquez sits Goodin trainee, might wake up at the Beach. Value Play -- Jagger

Letter: Alaskan refuge must be tapped: Production of oil and gas wells typically decreases by about 5 percent each year and it requires a minimum of five years to begin production after discovering a major new field. Therefore, by the time production can begin, domestic production will drop by about 25 percent.

Columnist Susan Snyder: Woman seeks blind justice from courts: Anya Duke just might be the most stubborn woman on the planet.

Animal Society plans for a classic billboard: Rebecca Malone; The following Southern Nevada companies have volunteered to help with the restoration of the 1959 Cadillac for the Animal Society:

Columnist Jon Ralston: Mack's dubious disclosures: THE CONVENTIONAL WISDOM around City Hall these days is that if there are no more revelations to come, Councilman Michael Mack will recover from his recent travails. But there is more to come. Much more.

Where I Stand -- Classic Hank: Las Vegans know power of nuke weapons' blasts: Every week the SUN will run one of Hank's Where I Stand columns, recalling his finer moments as a chronicler of the late 20th century. We call this feature "Classic Hank."

Columnist Kate Maddox: Geeser latest to sign off on KTNV: Kate Maddox; Add Michael Geeser to the casualty list at KTNV Channel 13. Geeser, an award-winning reporter and weekend anchor at the station, will sit at his post for the last time today during the 6 and 11 p.m. newscasts.

Mom wants more for her daughter: "She loves the outdoors and animals, but we don't have many opportunities to go discovering," the mother says. "I want her to be able to experience all she can so she can hopefully make wise and experienced decisions as she grows up, and to learn and grow and have fun."

Editorial: Antibiotics are hardly a panacea: Ironically, it is the very success of antibiotics in treating infections that has contributed in part to this public health issue. Patients frequently view an antibiotic as a cure-all, but the fact is that it often is taken for ailments where the drug can't even make a dent, such as is the case with a cold or the flu. Overusing antibiotics can have the effect of making a body more susceptible to infections, since different strains of bacteria eventually become more resistant to the potency of these drugs.

News briefs for August 10, 2001: One of the burned bodies found in a Henderson home was identified Thursday as the female resident, but the other body discovered has not yet been identified, Henderson Police said.

Where I Stand -- Daniel L. Walters: Libraries' new world: MY FIRST BRUSH with censorship occurred when I was about 15. I found the book I was looking for in my branch library's card catalog, but it was not on the shelf. It was the early '60s, and I still remember the stern look and voice of the branch librarian when I asked her to put my name on the waiting list. She said, "Not without a note from your mother!" The book was "Catcher in the Rye." While the adults had uncensored access to the branch collection, my access was blocked by the librarian.

Growth leads to challenges for schools: Stacy J. Willis; In the belly of the nation's sixth-largest public school district is a private high school, a place where every student wears a matching uniform, shirts are tucked in, visible tattoos are not allowed and a priest is available at lunch time.

Letter: Illegal aliens hurt economy: Look, it's simple. These people are in our country illegally and they need to be shipped back to where they came from. If they like our country bad enough let them come in as legal aliens. Looks like the immigration department has its hands full rounding up these illegal aliens.

Bonaventure hit with startling news: Editor's note: This is the last in a series of seven excerpts from the new book, "Murder in Sin City: The Death of a Las Vegas Casino Boss." The book, which takes the reader into the heart of the Ted Binion murder investigation, was written by Jeff German, the Sun's senior investigative reporter. The series is exclusive to the Sun.

Letter: Patients entitled to unlimited HMO lawsuits: If both sides want to protect the patient, the only way is to make sure that the award goes to the patient and that the amount sends a message to the HMO that it had better clean up its act. If the amount is limited, the "bean counters" will balance profit against the chance of a capped limit on the award.

Columnist Sandy Thompson: Time, fairness are top judicial concerns: Sandy Thompson; IF YOU THINK you didn't get a fair shake in court, you can file a complaint with the Nevada Commission on Judicial Discipline. But don't expect it to change the outcome of your case.

A Page in History: OK, trivia buffs: What singing rage performed on the "Ed Sullivan Show" the same night as the Beatles when they made their American debut on Feb. 9, 1964?

Library district prepares for bond vote: Angela Soo; A bond issue to fund improvements to the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District is being readied for the November 2002 ballot.

Evening light show a preview of more storms to come: Southern Nevada residents Thursday experienced lightning and brief rain as thunderstorms struck in a preview of summer storms predicted for the next seven days.

Winning name announced for futuristic transit system: Angela Soo; Transportation officials announced the winning name for a new futuristic transit system on Thursday that would help mitigate air quality problems.

2 more miles of Las Vegas Beltway open: The recent addition cost about $17.8 million.

Transportation officials OK monorail design contracts: Angela Soo; Plans for the downtown monorail project moved forward Thursday as transportation officials approved design contracts, bringing the project closer to being a reality.

Construction posts approved by board: Terry Webster; Thirty-six new positions for the school construction program were approved Thursday by the Clark County School Board.

GM denies link with online casino: Ultimatebet.com, an online, for-cash poker site, is holding two satellite tournaments through Aug. 18. The winners of these two satellites will receive buy-ins into the Four Queens Poker Classic, scheduled to be held next month, along with hotel rooms for five nights, according to Ultimatebet.com's website.

Immigration frustration: Reid bill could legalize thousands in Nevada: By Timothy Pratt; Even though her four children were born in Las Vegas, 36-year-old Gloria Frayre is under a court order to leave the country.

Riverboat workers injured by fire extinguisher discharge: All the workers were in good condition Thursday afternoon and were expected to be treated and released, said Darlene O'Bryan, a spokeswoman for Floyd Memorial Hospital in New Albany.

Compulsive gambler disappointed at lack of resources in Nevada: Siobhan McDonough; CARSON CITY -- Rex Williams knows all too well what it's like to gamble on his life's earnings, job and marriage -- to lose most of it while riding high in a casino.

Suncoast owner interested in buying Regent resort: David Strow; Coast Resorts Inc. entered the bidding for the Regent Las Vegas at a Thursday bankruptcy court hearing, making a surprise bid of $82 million for the bankrupt Summerlin hotel-casino.

County loses bid for dismissal of height restriction lawsuit: Kim Smith; A Clark County district judge Wednesday declined to dismiss a 1999 lawsuit filed against the county by the owners of the Alexis Park Resort and Spa, 375 E. Harmon Ave., over air space.

DOE delays waste plan: Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham has delayed a plan to turn tons of plutonium into glass logs destined for a proposed Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository because the cost of a conversion program exploded by $2 billion.

Regents to tackle Harter topic: Jennifer Knight; The Board of Regents could be without three of its members when it discusses the fates of Carol Harter and Richard Moore next week in Reno.

Panel: Minorities must continue fighting for inclusion in casino industry: Kevin Ferguson; Minority leaders urged their constituents Thursday to keep pushing for better jobs and better contracts with casino companies by, among other things, networking with those who have connections with top gaming officials.