News of the Day: 1999

Friday, June 15, 2001 | 9:11 a.m.

Jan. 7: Senate sworn in as jury

Story: Solemnly opening the first presidential impeachment trial in 130 years, senators raised their hands and swore today to "do impartial justice" in judging whether President Clinton should be removed from office. House prosecutors delivered two articles charging the president with perjury and obstruction of justice.

The White House declared there wasn't a "compelling case" for ousting Clinton and warned that if republicans summoned witnesses, "all bets are off" for a speedy resolution of a scandal that has dominated the nation for a year.

April 21: Police hunt for bombs

Story: Worried about bombs and booby traps, specially trained officers in Littleton, Colo., painstakingly checked thousands of lockers and castoff backpacks today at Columbine High School, where 15 people were killed in the deadliest school rampage on record. Close to 30 explosive devices were found.

Victims' bodies were left in the school overnight as agonized parents braced for the worst. Students streamed into Clement Park next to the school early today to leave flowers and share their feelings about the shootings.

June 3: Four die in shooting

Story: A former U.S. Marine machine gunner wearing camouflage fatigues opened fire with a shotgun inside an Albertson's Food & Drug store early this morning, killing four store employees and critically injuring a fifth man.

Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Lt. Rich Alba said three men and one woman were killed in the 5:16 a.m. shooting rampage in the store at the busy intersection of Valley View Boulevard and Sahara Avenue.

July 9: Rain hit Southern Nevada in pools

Story: How much rain fell on the Las Vegas Valley Thursday? Enough to fill 1.4 million 20,000-gallon swimming pools, said UNLV geoscience professor David Weide. That's enough to give every man, woman and child in the valley a filled swimming pool -- and still have about 100,000 swimming pools left over.

July 20: Tragedy once again hits Kennedy family

Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. is presumed to have died Saturday in a plane crash along with his wife, Carolyn Bessette Kennedy, and his sister-in-law, Lauren Bessette.

Dec. 30: LV is Y2K OK

Story: Las Vegas is "Y2K OK." That's the pronouncement from Mayor Oscar Goodman, who says the city is ready to handle "any type of difficulty" in the waning hours of 1999.

"I am convinced to a moral certainty that it will be a peaceful weekend here," Goodman said. "We are ready to meet any type of difficulty. (But) we don't expect any. I am not concerned at all."