Thursday, Nov. 16, 2006 | 7:08 a.m.
John Del Prado is still uncertain about the future, but the Nevada Supreme Court has helped him recover from the past. Last week the court upheld the conviction and death sentence of Avetis Archanian, who bludgeoned to death Del Prado's mother, Elisa Del Prado, and grandmother, Juana Quiroga, three years ago at the family's downtown jewelry store.
"The only way he'll be able to get off death row is if Nevada kills the death penalty," Del Prado said Wednesday outside of Del Prado Jewelers, his family's recently relocated business at Neonopolis. "Personally, I'd be pleased to see him sit for 10 years before they put the needle in him. Then he can suffer like we did. This has not been easy for my family."
Quiroga was killed instantly, but Elisa Del Prado survived for five months after the beatings. John Del Prado, his brother Javier Del Prado and sister Grethel Del Prado kept watch on their mother, alternating eight-hour shifts at University Medical Center. "It is terrible to see a member of your family in that condition," John Del Prado said. "If I'm alive when (Archanian is) executed, I will absolutely be there. They cannot keep me from being there, and when I'm there I want to look him right in the eyes."
Del Prado, whose family opened its first jewelry store on Fremont Street in 1975, moved the business from the corner of Carson and Fourth streets to Neonopolis in September. Del Prado stresses that he is committed to new Neonopolis owner Rohit Joshi, even as Del Prado can't say for sure if his business is in the project's long-term plans. If Joshi obtains a gaming license, he could well turn the Neonopolis space into a substantial resort, which would likely leave Del Prado Jewelers looking for a new home. But that's just one of many options being discussed for the future of Neonopolis.
"I have faith - not blind faith, but faith," Del Prado said. "I'm here (at Neonopolis) at least through March. I don't want to move again ... But whatever happens, I'll be OK. I've overcome the most difficult situation anyone can imagine."
NoteMart
Another brush with greatness from Sun columnist Jeff Simpson: While Steve Wynn says that he accepts full blame for damaging his $100 million painting "Le Reve," the New York craftsman who is fixing it says that he has to repair Picassos all the time. "Picasso used the cheapest canvases," Wynn said he was told. The cosmetic procedure performed on the painting reportedly costs $85,000 ...
Team Bellagio dished up (ouch) a victory over MGM Grand during a heated (ouch again) Neon Chef competition held Wednesday at G2E at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The team of Bellagio Executive Chef Wolfgang von Wieser, Jasmine Executive Chef Philip Lo, Noodles Executive Chef Patrick Lee, Pastry Chef Jayme Shimamura of Prime Steakhouse, and Executive Chef Joel Versola and Chef Toshihiko Kono of Shintaro narrowly prevailed with a five-course meal (main course of kobe beef.) The MGM Grand was represented by Sous Chef Michael Ono, Assistant Executive Pastry Chef Jean Jacques Granet, Executive Chef Kai Wa Yau and Chef Pui Wing Hui of Pearl, and Executive Chef Roy Villacrusis and Chef Thepthikone Keosavang of Shibuya. ...
Just short of a half-dozen, but still, quite a few bugles: License plate (from Arizona) reported on a beige Ford Windstar reads 5BUGLS.
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