Print edition for January 9, 2001

Columnist Kate Maddox: Flamingo lining up for Seconds: Kate Maddox; The Flamingo Las Vegas today announced the "official" arrival of Chicago's famous Second City comedy troupe. Scheduled to open in early March, "The Second City," as the new Strip show is being tagged, will highlight some of the group's popular sketch and improv comedy routines.

Weather slows clean up of Walker River oil spill: About 1,000 gallons of oil has now been removed from the river. State and federal crews recording the deaths of the fish and wildlife reported Monday they had recovered 13 fish, an oiled bird and two oiled beavers.

Obituaries for January 9, 2001: Patricia A. Barnum, 57, of Las Vegas died Saturday in a local hospice. She was born Nov. 22, 1943, in Kansas City, Kan. A resident for 13 years, she was a management consultant.

Air Force-UNLV Box Score: AIR FORCE (5-9)

Community news briefs for January 9, 2001: Seniors United's first forum of the new year from will be held noon-2 p.m. Wednesday at the West Flamingo Senior Center, 6255 W. Flamingo Road.

Two halfway house licenses delayed: Kris Hill; License applications for two proposed halfway houses for recovering addicts and alcoholics in a southeast Las Vegas neighborhood have been delayed until after an ordinance that would require them to be at least 660 feet apart is voted on next week by the County Commission.

Man sentenced on second rape charge: Last year, Jorgensen was convicted of hijacking a car occupied by a couple at a Sparks park. He forced the couple to drive away at gunpoint, then ordered the man to get out. He forced the woman to drive to Lockwood where he sexually assaulted her.

Fugitive rapist won't fight extradition: He was flown to Houston where he is being held at the Harris County Jail. Police said he is expected to arrive back in Reno on Thursday.

Rebels hand out 5 scholarships: Steve Guiremand; In 1998 Andrew Faga and Derek Olsen combined to lead Indian Springs High School to the eight-man football state title at Sam Boyd Stadium.

Monday's prep result: GIRLS BASKETBALL

Letter: Most people respect Clinton: Polls taken throughout the world continue to rate him as the most admired man alive today. He is viewed as a peacemaker and the leader of the world. People like former King Hussein of Jordan, Nelson Mandela of South Africa and other world leaders admire and respect him. Polls in the United States are still giving him higher approval ratings than any two-term president. The economy of this nation has never fared this well over an eight-year period. His track record speaks for itself.

Terrible Herbst Oil family member, Dolly, dies: In 1956 professional model Dolly Herbst answered a knock at the door of her mountaintop home in Hidden Hills, Calif., and met a cowboy who asked if he could show some friends the view of his sprawling ranch in the valley below.

Public comment being accepted on burn plan: The area is north of Route 208 and Jack Wright Summit, just west of the Lyon County line.

Where I Stand -- Mike O'Callaghan: Changing of the guard: "I'll BET YOU wouldn't be negative about Gale Norton becoming interior secretary if she had been appointed by Bill Clinton instead of George W. Bush," were the opening shots of some letters and phone calls. All I can tell them is that they are dead wrong. Nevada and our environment mean more to me than partisan politics.

Report: Pitino says he's talked to UNLV: "I had a phone conversation with UNLV," Pitino told the Globe. "I basically told them that I'm going to take some time off, then I'm going to look at some situations. Pretty much that's it. There's no openings other than UNLV. That's the only opening in college basketball. There's been no contact with anybody other than UNLV."

Lawmaker upset over opposition to tax plan: Perkins said Monday he's considering asking O'Connell, R-Las Vegas, to hold a meeting of the Legislative Commission to discuss whether the "friend of the court" brief should have been filed.

Letter: Homeless not fault of Clinton: l. There will always be poor no matter who is in office, but in general the economy was much better for all Americans, more people obtained jobs and more people were able to buy houses than ever before.

Metro sergeant fighting demotion in slur case: Keith Paul; A Metro Police sergeant demoted last month after an internal investigation ruled he made racial and gender slurs is fighting to keep his rank.

Columnist Susan Snyder: Lost City can be a real find: When was the last time you visited the Lost City Museum?

New VA director has 3-year plan for LV: The incoming director of the Department of Veterans Affairs' Southern Nevada Health Care System says he plans to work over the next three years to improve veterans' access to health care and upgrade existing Las Vegas facilities.

Washoe County School District to receive high-tech polling equipment: Voice Poll, an Everett, Wash., company, will provide, install and train district staff on the system.

Editorial: State finds itself at a crossroads: Bush issued statements during the campaign stressing that he would treat Nevada fairly, but so far he has not given this state's residents much optimism. This is the same man who nominated a secretary of energy, former Republican Michigan Sen. Spencer Abraham, who is a bosom buddy of the nuclear power industry. Gov. Kenny Guinn, an ardent supporter of Bush during the campaign, had a chance over the weekend to reiterate his concerns about storing nuclear waste in Nevada to the president-elect. Guinn, who attended the gathering with 19 other governors, said he raised the issue but didn't have the ...

German man indicted for stealing $1.25 million from casino: Farvid is accused of writing two counter checks worth a total of $865,000 on the Mirage account to Trump Taj Mahal, where he ran up $1.25 million in gambling debts between Nov. 24 and Dec. 12, 1997.

Miami lawsuit funded by developer with casino interest: The Miamis sued landowners in 15 central Illinois counties last summer. Former Gov. Jim Edgar and current Gov. George Ryan brushed off land claims by the Miami and other tribes as ploys to get casino licenses - something both administrations opposed.

Big changes await Elliott this season: Of the 10 NASCAR Winston Cup drivers who have made the move to Dodge this season, Bill Elliott is perhaps facing the biggest change of his 25-year career.

Columnist Ron Kantowski: He's a fashionable choice, but don't bet on Pitino: It's hard to believe UNLV could lure a guy like Rick Pitino to become its next basketball coach, given the last time the job was open, his assistant might have turned it down.

Trial of magistrate accused in video poker scheme begins: Federal prosecutors said Amati earned about $10,000 in proceeds from a gambling operation in Finleyville, about 20 miles south of Pittsburgh.

Columnist Dean Juipe: Don't write the Rebels off just yet: Dean Juipe; It has been somewhat difficult to do of late, but allow yourself to think positively about the UNLV basketball team and its situation for what remains of the current season.

Wynn keeping mum on Pitino: Steve Addy; If Steve Wynn has contacted Rick Pitino about being UNLV's next basketball coach, he doesn't plan to share that information.

Suns expect Marion to be ready Thursday: The former UNLV standout had to be helped to the locker room during the fourth quarter of Sunday's loss to Minnesota after he went down.

Pac-10 powers nab two more locals: Spencer Patterson; Colleges were still coming after Dyante Perkins and James Sims, many offering them full scholarships or the chance to visit their campuses.

Detroit's daily casino revenues up 25 percent: "That's a pretty significant number," said Thomas Graves of Standard & Poors in New York City. "You don't typically see that kind of growth."

Rebel notebook: Kelly misses out on 2nd half: Steve Addy; Fans have their favorite players, and there's nothing wrong with that, but the object is to win.

UNLV slams back door on Air Force: Steve Addy; Air Force brought a new coach and a time-honored game plan to the Thomas & Mack Center on Monday night.

Lawmaker plans hearings on rash of childhood leukemia cases: Brendan Riley; "There's a lot of scared people out there. We need to move on this as soon as possible," said Assemblywoman Marcia de Braga, D-Fallon, chairwoman of the Assembly Natural Resources, Agriculture and Mining Committee.

Weather, construction may hurt gaming firms' profits: Mandalay Resort Group of Las Vegas has not issued any earnings projections or warnings. But the Detroit News reported today that Mandalay's results could be hurt by harsh weather in Detroit and at Elgin, Ill. Mandalay has casinos in both locations.

Teen explains her affection, dedication to cello: Kirk Baird; After all, how many teenage girls today pine more for the Fab Four than the Backstreet Boys, consider cellist great Yo-Yo Ma their idol over Britney Spears, and when at a movie are more concerned with when they can practice playing music than anything on the theater screen?

Casino video triggers seizure for 4-year-old boy: His mother said Raenael was watching his 9-year-old brother, Raphael Patterson, play "Tekken Tag Team," a karate video game, when the younger boy screamed and his eyes rolled back in his head.

Power outages hit Boulder City: "We counted about 15 power outages and surges," Burkholder said. "It only went out once where we had our generator kick on, and that was maybe a three-minute outage." Power was completely restored by 10 p.m.

Defense describes violent early years of skinhead's life: Kim Smith; Jurors began deliberating this morning the fate of a Nazi skinhead convicted of a double homicide.

Local news briefs for January 9, 2001: Metro Police are investigating the death of a 48-year-old man found in an apartment complex early this morning.

Storm brings rain to valley: A typical winter storm Monday dropped more than half of the average January rainfall on the Las Vegas Valley, caused about four times as many accidents as on a dry day and cut power to 5,000 customers.

Golf: Georgia assistant to coach UNLV women: Hester comes to Las Vegas from the University of Georgia where she was an assistant coach with its women's golf team. The UNLV women start intercollegiate competition in the fall. Hester has been at Georgia as assistant coach since February of 1999. After competing professionally on the Futures Tour in 1996 and '97, Hester was named head coach at Mercer University in her hometown of Macon, Ga., in 1998. She also served as assistant golf professional at Idle Hour Club in Macon from 1997-99. She is a member of the LPGA's Teaching and Club Professionals Division.

Federal, local officials raid gambling ring run from Laotian markets: More than 140 officers from a variety of local and federal agencies conducted the simultaneous raids - called Operation Double Down - during the weekend. By Monday, 39 people had been arrested on charges including running a gambling hall, criminal use of property and drug charges.

Letter: America has been diminished a third time: For example, I went to Vietnam for two reasons: I felt it was my turn to serve, and to help the South Vietnamese secure the freedoms we enjoy.

Outlaws add veteran tight end, lineman: Jennings, a 6-4, 280-pound Clemson product, spent eight years in the NFL. He played for the Chicago Bears, Dallas Cowboys and Detroit Lions.

Excerpts from Rudin writings: July 7, 1994 -- "R. is talking to a woman at National Title, and he says, 'I'll take you to Europe w/me next time I go. Are you married?' and he goes on & on about how great Europe is, yet when we were there he complained constantly about everything!"

Fines loom for owners of illegal Las Vegas dump: The owners of an illegal dump could face up to $1.2 million in fines if they fail to clean up a Las Vegas site, according to a municipal court order.

Former La. governor sentenced to 10 years: Melinda Deslatte; BATON ROUGE, La. -- After 40 years in public life, two dozen investigations, four trials, two acquittals, one mistrial and one set of convictions, former Gov. Edwin Edwards must report to a federal prison on Feb. 5.

Eight LV properties make listing: Two restaurants received the five-star designation -- the highest given by the publication, which has been rating quality service and products in North America since 1958.

Casino sues junket operator: In a Clark County District Court lawsuit, Harrah's, which said it hired the defendants in 1995 to bring customers to the hotel-casino. It alleged the defendants failed to make one payment of $6,932 as of June 29, 1999, and another payment of $78,647 as of March 6, 2000.

Southwest Gas executive gives litigation a twist: David Strow; Southwest Gas Corp.'s legal battles took a bizarre turn Monday, when a spurned company suitor revealed a top Southwest executive posted numerous anonymous messages to an Internet stock board in an attempt to sway stockholders.

New Orleans casino's dire financial situation detailed: Guy Coates; BATON ROUGE, La. -- The owner of the long-troubled New Orleans casino cannot make a profit even if the Legislature cuts the $100 million tax to $60 million, Legislative Auditor Dan Kyle says.

Analyst trims estimate for Harrah's Entertainment: Curtis estimates Harrah's will post 2000 earnings per share of $1.61, down from previous estimates of $1.64. The company could post a loss of 75 cents to $1.30 per share for the quarter ending Dec. 31, Curtis estimated, based on asset writedowns of $250 million to $350 million, a change in management fee income from New Orleans and poor weather in key markets. Two key Harrah's investments -- National Airlines and the holding company of Harrah's New Orleans -- declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy in recent weeks.

Illinois casinos set annual revenue record: The previous record for Illinois casinos revenues was $1.36 billion, set in 1999, Illinois Gaming Board spokesman Gene O'Shea said.

RTC planners work on two additional transfer stations: Jeffrey Libby; In rush-hour traffic along the Strip, packed CAT buses arrive in groups of three and would-be riders are often left waiting in the street.

No link found for leukemia in Fallon kids: Nevada health officials investigating nine childhood cases of leukemia in Fallon have turned their attention to military activity at the nearby Naval Air Station.

LVCVA in deal to buy World Trade Center: Grace Leong; The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority board today approved the purchase of the 310-room World Trade Center hotel for $14.1 million.

New gadgets at show range from useful to amusing: May Wong; From a digital frying pan to a wrist watch with a camera, the gadgets on display at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas promise a future with more computer chirps and portable convenience than ever before.

Casinos leery of Ashcroft selection: The tough anti-gambling stance of Attorney General-nominee John Ashcroft has led to a new wave of worries within the casino industry about the incoming Bush administration.

Bush draws from nuclear industry for energy team: Benjamin Grove; WASHINGTON -- A number of nuclear-power industry leaders who back the plan to bury the nation's high-level radioactive waste in Nevada are among the advisers President-elect George W. Bush assembled to counsel him on energy issues.

Special fares to kick off Las Vegas service: Aloha will offer round-trip fares of $77 to Oakland, the stopping point for the airline's trips to Honolulu and Maui. By comparison, discounter Southwest Airlines offers a one-way trip to Oakland for $81.

Cox, partners test home security system in Vegas: Cox Communications and a Texas company have begun testing a home security system in Las Vegas that delivers information over the cable network and will enable users to look in on their homes remotely via the Internet.

Carrier begins flights Friday: Air Laughlin will use a 122-passenger Boeing 737 twin-engine jet for flights between the Colorado River community and Ontario, Burbank and San Jose, Calif., and Phoenix.

Busing changes proposed to trim school budget: Terry Webster; The Clark County School District -- in the midst of a budget crisis forcing cuts of $18 million this year -- has developed a plan to change the school day to save money on transportation.

Slot cheat suspect nominated to Nevada gaming 'Black Book': David Strow; A Las Vegas resident with numerous convictions for slot machine cheating faces possible inclusion in the state's "Black Book."

Rudin's writings reveal strained marriage: Kim Smith; Eleven days before police believe she killed her husband, Margaret Rudin mailed an anonymous letter to the children of her husband's suspected lover warning them a "big scandle" was about to erupt.

HCA plans a third LV hospital: Possibly signaling the worst is behind HCA-The Healthcare Company, co-founder Dr. Thomas F. Frist Jr. on Monday relinquished the title of chief executive officer to the man he called out of retirement to help turn around the nation's largest for-profit hospital chain.

Commissioners agree to timetable for bond sale: Officials said tax-free bond money must be used within three years or else local governments face heavy penalties on the interest they earn.

Harrah's CEO bullish on gaming, LV: David Strow; Investor and analyst confidence in the Las Vegas market has been on the wane since October, as visitor growth declined and fears of a national recession grew.

Metro officer cleared in shooting of pair: Keith Paul; Metro Police's use-of-force board ruled an off-duty officer acted appropriately when he shot two men who were trying to rob him and another off-duty officer in the garage of a North Las Vegas home.