Stories published August 24, 2001Las Vegas Sun

Locals flock to Arizona in lottery rush: Jeffrey Libby; For the past seven days, ever since the multistate Powerball lottery hit $150 million, a warped, clapboard roadhouse about 30 miles south of Hoover Dam has absorbed waves of Las Vegans, who, of all things, are traveling in carpools.

Goodman revisits Internet gaming venture: Diana Sahagun; Mayor Oscar Goodman is reviving his idea of selling the use of the city's name and seal to an Internet casino.

Homeless advocates decry Fremont Street treatment: Angela Soo; Homeless advocates say Fremont Street Experience officials challenged their First Amendment rights Thursday when security personnel tried to prevent them from distributing fliers calling for the immediate opening of the MASH village homeless shelter.

Rudin lawyer under fire for movie project: Kim Smith; Michael Amador, former attorney for convicted killer Margaret Rudin, said Thursday that he is scripting an independent film focusing on his role in the case.

Services are held for two children killed in van fire: Keith Paul; Funeral services took place today for the two children who died Saturday after a fire started inside their family's van.

Clinton: Look at nuke sites other than Yucca: Jeff German and Ed Koch; Former President Bill Clinton said today the country should consider alternatives to burying nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain.

Subcontractors sue mall: Statewide Fire Protection sued Aladdin hotel-casino owner Aladdin Gaming LLC, Aladdin Bazaar LLC, owner of the mall. and its tenant, Ibiza restaurant, in Clark County District Court. Statewide alleges they defaulted on a $30,100 payment for a fire sprinkler system installed at the restaurant.

Candidate moving for chance to face Kenny: Adrienne Packer; Esther Quisenberry is going to move for the chance to unseat Clark County Commissioner Erin Kenny.

Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: Gaughan lands truck ride for next year: Brendan Gaughan is expected to be named to replace Scott Riggs as driver of the No. 2 Ultra Motorsports Dodge for the 2002 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season, the Sun has learned.

Columnist Dean Juipe: Ghanem remains intriguing: Dean Juipe; At the risk of being overly sentimental, I decided to write this "before" instead of "after."

Nevada Bell sister company criticized: Critics are asking the Public Utilities Commission to delay approval of Pac Bell's long-distance application.

Shuffle Master reports record quarter: The gaming supply company reported net income of $3.2 million, 17 cents a share, on revenue of $12.6 million. That compares with net income of $2 million, 12 cents a share, on revenue of $9.2 million for the same period a year earlier. Analysts surveyed by Thomson/First Call estimated earnings would be 15 cents a share for the quarter.

Letter: Added charges are out of hand: We now have a state agency telling us we have to contribute, via Nevada Power and other utilities jumping on the bandwagon, to assist low-income families with their utility bills. I was under the impression that this is a free country. I have a right to choose which charities I wish to support!

Obituaries for August 24, 2001: Stanley E. Bailey, 71, of Las Vegas died Wednesday. He was born Feb. 17, 1930, in Washington. A resident for 16 years, he was an Army veteran.

Slain men in North Las Vegas were sought in drive-by killings: Keith Paul; Two 19-year-old men found slain Wednesday in a North Las Vegas neighborhood that has been gripped by gang violence were being sought by detectives in connection with a deadly drive-by shooting.

'Tortilla Soup' a tasty concoction: Max Jacobson; The Latino community may not yet realize it, but the new film "Tortilla Soup" -- a retelling of Ang Lee's Chinese cinematic fable "Eat, Drink, Man, Woman" -- has the potential to change the way we all think about food, families and culture. It's the closest and most intimate crossover film about a Mexican-American family to date, and possibly the most appealing.

Post office squashes ant program: By Emily Richmond; Don't mail the ants.

Goossen out at America Presents: Dean Juipe; Boxing promoter Dan Goossen, synonymous with the America Presents firm he co-founded in 1996, has been forced out as president and chief operating officer.

Actors, musicians ready for charity game at Cox: Victoria Sun; If you've ever watched an NBA game, undoubtedly you've seen various celebrities scattered throughout the crowd.

Where I Stand -- Harold Weller: Culture thrives in Vegas: TO MANY, the idea of cultural development in Las Vegas is an oxymoron -- the two terms just don't seem to match. Even though Las Vegas is known as the entertainment capital of the world, it is a reputation based upon the city's widespread embrace of pop culture. Especially to outsiders and tourists, the notion that our city could host a classical orchestra or an outstanding ballet company or a fine arts museum is beyond comprehension.

County provides free classes for employees to learn Spanish: By Timothy Pratt; Community College of Southern Nevada adjunct faculty member Jose Perez had just finished telling his students that Spanish was a lot easier to learn than English.

Corrections: Corrections

Insurance increase for state workers creates emergency: CARSON CITY -- Gov. Kenny Guinn may ask the Legislative Interim Finance Committee for an emergency appropriation to help cover an increase in health insurance premiums for state employees that is expected to hit 22 percent by 2003.

CCSN opens its second season Saturday night: Returning as sophomores for CCSN coach Ric Grennel's team are strikers Claire Howard (Clark) and Amber Woodward (Bishop Gorman); fullbacks Angel Lewis (Valley), Melissa Recchio (Bonanza) and Sarah Watson (Cheyenne); midfielders Dawn De La Gtorre (Gorman), Desiree Martinez (Valley) and Marissa Stevens (Palo Verde); and goalkeeper Kelly Smith (Cimarron-Memorial).

Letter: Negligence of parents isn't taken seriously: Our district attorney won't prosecute this woman, either, but he certainly has opened the door to allowing people to be both negligent and homicidal.

Coast Resorts expanding Summerlin hotel-casino: David Strow; Coast Resorts Inc. posted strong financial results for the second quarter, driven primarily by its newest hotel-casino, the Suncoast.

Columnist Joe Delaney: Dangerfield's career mirrors that of Churchill: Joe Delaney; Rodney Dangerfield is the Winston Churchill of standup comedy ... Churchill got little or no respect the first 50 years of his life; there was a succession of failures ... In fact he was 66 in 1940, Great Britain's prime minister, when he rose to the occasion and became one of the greatest statesmen of the past century ... Churchill died in 1965 at the age of 90.

Renewal up today: The commission renewed the licenses of the Majestic Star and Trump on Thursday. Still to be decided was whether the commission would approve the license renewal for the Horseshoe Casino riverboat, which is owned by Jack Binion.

Baldwin Racing, Darland draw spots up front: Baldwin Racing's Ford F-150, with Jim Baldwin sharing driving duties with his sons Jason and Josh, will be the first vehicle to leave the starting line, leading the field in the featured Trophy-Truck division. Darling will start first in the unlimited Class 1, which features a race-high 32 entries, in his Jimco open-wheel desert racecar.

Busch qualifying results: At Bristol Motor Speedway

New teachers told they have only a week to get on track: Terry Webster; How long does it take to tell whether the coming school year will be a success?

Letter: Bush cares only about the rich: I blame President Bush on both counts. The tax cut is an obvious cause. But Bush, in his campaign, made a big claim that the economy was already going downhill at the end of the Clinton era. I maintain that this campaign theme played an important role in bringing on a stagnation of the economy, especially in the stock market.

Editorial: Public defender should know better: County spokesman Doug Bradford said that Harris, who is neither blind nor licensed, was unaware of the law. That's hard to believe, but if this isn't a well-known law, then it should be. There could well be more vending machines in public buildings whose owners aren't in compliance. Local and state government agencies should review vending machines within their buildings to ensure that they are adhering to this worthy law.

Company covers state costs in pharmacy fraud: Attorney General Frankie Sue Del Papa said Rite Aid did not know about the fraudulent acts of pharmacist James B. Beck, who pleaded guilty to felony Medicaid fraud in August 2000.

Ralph Siraco's selections for Saturday's races at Del Mar: 1st Race -- Bounty Bay -- Gomez scales Canani trainee for owners Wygod, needs crafty trip from post draw for the mile run, Bounty may pay off in opener. Foreign Affairs -- Draws good rail post, Pincay atop Spawr trainee, should get a golden trip for diploma try. Value Play -- Bush Triumph

News briefs for August 24, 2001: A 21-year-old Las Vegas man was arrested Thursday in connection with the April slaying of a 17-year-old girl whose body was found in Henderson.

Blaze heightens house proximity debate: How close is too close for comfort when it comes to the spaces between houses?

Pay to play: Most days around 11 a.m. two anxious young men pace the sidewalk in front of the New Frontier handing out coupons to performances of "Illusions & Beyond."

51s beaten in 10 innings: Victoria Sun; Those who showed up at Cashman Field Thursday night saw the Las Vegas 51s slim hopes of overtaking Sacramento atop the Pacific Coast League's South Division grow even slimmer by losing to the Fresno Grizzlies 5-4 in 10 innings.

Arrival of cult specialist in Las Vegas stirs debate: Stacy J. Willis; The word "cult" is burrowing through the Las Vegas faith community on the eve of a visit from an international specialist in controversial religious groups.

Columnist Susan Snyder: Treasures to be had at town auction: Psst, buddy.

PCL box: Fresno-Las Vegas: E -- Ricketts. DP Fresno 2. LOB -- Fresno 11, Las Vegas 12. 2B-- Mota, Pena. 3B -- Minor. HR -- Ransom, Hiatt. SF -- Ransom. SB -- Powell, Christensen.

Nevada taxable sales grow -- but at at slower rate: CARSON CITY -- Taxable sales in June, a key indicator of the Nevada economy, posted a 2.4 percent increase over last year -- the smallest percentage gain in 14 months.

Holdout DI homeowners may appeal OK of Wynn resort: David Strow; Steve Wynn received a permit from Clark County Thursday night to build his latest Strip megaresort at the site of the Desert Inn, despite the protests of two Desert Inn homeowners he has been fighting in court since last year.

Datebook: More than 200 exhibitors will present their handmade crafts at the Las Vegas Harvest Festival craft show, from 11 a.m.-8 p.m today and Saturday and 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Sunday at Cashman Center, 850 Las Vegas Blvd. North. Admission is $7, $6 seniors and $4 children 6-12 or a donation of a can of food to benefit SafeNest. Call 386-7100.

Community news briefs for August 24, 2001: The North Las Vegas Police Officers Association will hold an intersection fund-raising drive Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. to benefit schoolchildren.

McGruder transfers to UNLV: Steve Guiremand; Former Cheyenne High School star Lynn McGruder, a first team Las Vegas Sun Super 11 pick in 2000, has decided to transfer to UNLV.

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

Legislation raises question about what a majority is: Adrienne Packer; A state law preventing elected boards from taking action without affirmative votes from the majority of the entire board may not apply in all cases, Las Vegas attorneys said.

Protesters complain about Edison at School Board: Terry Webster; A protest over Edison Schools' arrival in the Clark County School District ended Thursday night with police escorting a group of community activists from the Education Center board room.

Impeccable impersonations featured in 'Stars of the Strip': Joe Delaney; "Stars of the Strip," a longrunning success in the Lady Luck showroom, co-stars Robbie Howard and the Walkers -- Bill, Greg and Kathy -- and features three exceptional, very versatile musicians. Howard and the Walkers are excellent impressionists offering a jam-packed hour-plus of music, comedy and carbons of top stars, past and present.

Can't judge Utah artist's books by their covers: As a fine artist studying narrative painting during the early 1980s, Utah artist Sue Cotter was always looking for a better way to communicate with people through her artwork.

LV tech firm inching toward delisting: Kevin Ferguson; Less than two years ago Las Vegas-based PurchasePro was making national headlines as one of the darlings of the New Economy. Its shares traded as high as $175.

San Diego State still trying to right the ship: Steve Guiremand; Facts and figures on the San Diego State Aztecs:

Columnist Muriel Stevens: Local chefs to support ailing Palladin: When word came that acclaimed Chef Jean-Louis Palladin had been stricken with lung cancer it was a shocker. Jean-Louis is one of the kindest, funniest, most irrepressible chefs I know. His zest for life, his enormous talent and his loyalty to his friends are well known. This colorful personality faces life head-on. It is that determination that has kept him alive this long. No one knows what his future will be, but he is not one to give up.

Columnist Kate Maddox: Howling good times at NY-NY: Kate Maddox; New York-New York will add a much-needed shot of sexy when Coyote Ugly opens at the property in late October. The bar, based on last year's cheesy chick-flick of the same name, plans to capitalize on some of the things we ladies like to think we do best: party, dress daringly, dance on bars and boss men around. Hmmmm, a little slice of heaven.

Nevada Supreme Court dismisses lawsuit over slot machine promotion: The court said Stanley Shaftel should have filed his complaint first with the state Gaming Control Board.

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

Goodman balks at providing city funds for homeless shelter: Diana Sahagun; Clark County's challenge for the city of Las Vegas to help fund the MASH Village winter shelter is getting a lukewarm response from Mayor Oscar Goodman.

Local artist takes this year's Harvest Festival spotlight: Kimberley McGee; It's Christmas in August for the craft connoisseur.

Software installations boost Acres Gaming profits: The Las Vegas-based company reported net income of $1.7 million, 16 cents a share, on revenue of $13.6 million for the company's fiscal fourth quarter ending June 30.

Cecola withdrawn as candidate for black book: CARSON CITY -- The state Gaming Control Board backed down in its nomination of Sam Cecola for the Black Book because its "case fell apart," says the lawyer for Cecola.

Mandalay sees no threat from Palms: David Strow; As expected, Mandalay Resort Group of Las Vegas on Thursday reported a significant decline in net income for the quarter ending July 31.

Columnist Jerry Fink: 'Big Elvis' organizes big homage to the King: By Jerry Fink; Please, a moment of silence ...

You can't keep a good QB down: Steve Guiremand; Sun football writer Steve Guiremand profiles 10 potential impact players who could make -- or break -- UNLV's 2001 football season. This is the last in a 10-part series.

This week's races: NASCAR WINSTON CUP

Clean-air buses replace trolleys: Diana Sahagan; Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman on Thursday christened the city's six new clean-air buses with a bottle of champagne, saying the city is leading the way to improve air quality.

Editorial: Bridging gap isn't sure thing: A variety of competing interest groups want dramatically different uses for this land. Environmentalists want much of it set aside so that environmentally sensitive land is protected. Recreation groups want to use it for hunting and fishing. There also are off-road vehicle enthusiasts who don't want to see their access cut off. Local governments and utilities want to make sure there is enough land available for them, whether for buffer space for an airport proposed near Jean or for hundreds of miles of new power transmission lines in Clark County. The Moapa Band of Paiutes also is hoping that land ...

News mixed on direction of U.S. economy: The weakness in manufacturing continued to reflect slumping demand by businesses for new equipment. This weakness, however, has been offset by continued strong consumer demand, which so far has been enough to keep the yearlong economic slowdown from turning into a recession.

Keystone Academy plan rejected: Terry Webster; A plan to amend the Keystone Academy Charter School program Thursday was voted down by the Clark County School Board.

Where I Stand -- Classic Hank: Medicare struggles to meet health needs: Every week the Sun will run one of Hank's Where I Stand columns, recalling his finer momentsas a chronicler of the late 20th century. We call this feature "Classic Hank."

Columnist Susan Snyder: Scars of abuse not always apparent: The caller said she's invisible.

Road Warrior: Somehow, it isn't surprising to learn that the first group Willie Nelson performed with was John Raycjeck's Bohemian Polka Band.

Columnist Kate Maddox: Springfield gets birthday surprise: Kate Maddox; Rick Springfield had an extra birthday surprise on Thursday night. After being serenaded and toasted by hundreds of his fans, the "EFX Alive" star held a quiet celebration with his wife, Barbara, kids and close friends at NOBHILL.

Retractable-roof stadium could help fans beat the heat: At Bank One Ballpark in Phoenix fans can enjoy major league baseball in cozy 70-degree conditions while others outside cope with summer temperatures that can pass 110 degrees.

Artwork worth price of the pass: Kimberley McGee; Annual passes to recreation areas, water parks and other vacation spots were stuffed in the pockets of thousands of families this summer.

Job creation is wild card in Internet gambling: David Strow; Las Vegas, 2010.

LV facing big-league hurdles for pro team: Steve Kanigher and Diana Sahagun; Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman looks at the former Union Pacific railroad yard and envisions a venue for big league sports.

Editorial: Resurrect search for waste site: At one time Deaf Smith County, Texas; Hanford, Wash.; and Yucca Mountain all were being studied to see which site would be the best to store nuclear waste, but in 1987 Congress targeted Nevada as the only place to be considered. At the time Texas was erased as a possible repository, it wasn't a coincidence that George W. Bush's father was vice president. The political landscape has changed significantly in the past few months, and Clinton noted that Nevada Sen. Harry Reid's elevation to assistant majority leader is the state's best chance of stopping a repository.

Letter: Clinton's HMO plan made sense: The bill that President Bush is willing to sign, the Republican bill, has no enforcement teeth and will supersede current law in those states which have already passed patients' rights legislation, leaving patients in those states without the protections they now enjoy.

Letter: King George W. leads us down the wrong path: Bush is not just interested in undoing advances gained during the Clinton administration, but also destroying Social Security and Medicare and other social programs that have brought a sense of economic stability to the nation. His tax plan and lack of a good, well thought-out budget are leading us back into the era of deficit spending. And the progress made over the last 70 years is being sent to the government's big paper shredder.

Where I Stand -- Bishop Joseph A. Pepe: Faith is gift from God: SOME YEARS AGO on a Sunday afternoon I was in the parish offices when I received a call from a nearby hospital requesting that I come to baptize and confirm a newborn infant near death.

LV teen comes away from camp with enthusiasm for science: Rebecca Malone; Spending hours in a lab studying science is not something Ashley Christensen saw herself doing as a child, but now it is an activity she looks forward to.

Columnist Jon Ralston: Poll gauges online gaming views: IN A WORLD that has grown more accepting of gaming, the American public remains strongly opposed to Internet wagering, mainly because people fear that kids will place bets and that compulsive gambling will metastasize.

Columnist Sandy Thompson: Parents should head back to school, too: Sandy Thompson; AS CHILDREN prepare to return to Las Vegas Valley classrooms this week, so should their parents.

Editorial: 'Net gaming is still a bad wager for city: The mayor so far is refusing to say what Internet company is interested this time. But he is excited about the additional money that he believes the city would receive from a licensing agreement, which would have the city lend its name and city seal as a blessing for the gambling website. Goodman believes the proceeds from a deal could be used for government programs or property tax refunds. We believe this particular siren song should be ignored.

Guest columnist Sen. Robert Byrd: Barbarian acts from a civilized society: In all too many cases, we have moved away from small farms, where animals are treated with dignity and respect, to large corporate farms where animals are treated as nothing more than unfeeling commodities.

Columnist Jeff German: Mystery of Binion valuables lives on: NEARLY THREE YEARS have passed since Ted Binion was killed. His death no longer is a mystery.