Reno Gazette-Journal from Reno, Nevada • Page 15

Tuesday, January 8, 198015 cal Reno Evening Gazette Lg sure shocks part-owner of Horseshoe By HENRIETTA CHARLES A part-owner of Reno's Horseshoe Club said today he is "in a complete state of shock" about the casino's closing and filing for bankruptcy. Jess Hinkle, who owns 25 percent of the club, said in a telephone interview from Alantic City, N.J., he had no advance notice about either of the actions. owed a total of $289,959 to numerous creditors. But Mullis was apparently able to pay off $44,424 of his debts before filing the bankruptcy papers. Mullis was reportedly in Chicago on business and could not be reached for comment.

Hinkle said he also had been unable to reach Mullis and has not talked with him in more than 18 months. Hinkle said he became a part-owner in the club on April 1, 1977. Previously he was president of Del Webb Hotels for the Del Webb Corporation and spent almost 15 years in the Nevada gaming industry. He said he served as general manager of the Horseshoe Club until June 1978 when he joined Ra-mada Inns gaming subsidiary, Adamar of New Jersey. Ramada officials say he will become general manager of its Alantic City hotel-casino once it is completed.

Of his leaving the Horseshoe Hinkle said, "I left because we he and Mullis were not in agreement on the club's management. He wanted to operate the club himself and has been doing so exclusively for the past 18 months. "But I had no idea it would come to this," he added, 1 was completely unaware of this. But then, 1 have a limited knowledge of everything within the club." Monday, Brodie said the closing was brought on buy a significant business slump in recent months. "Business hasn't held up for us," Brodie said.

"We just can't make it through the winter." Also, Brodie said the club's owners (apparently only Mullis) were negotiating to sell the "It's just a matter of getting one of the groups they're negotiating with to agree to take it over," he said. He said he had no idea how long the club would be closed, although employees were told it would only be temporary, be said they were all "out looking for new jobs." Control Board member Jack Stratton Said the club has "been on the brink" for some time and its closing came as "no surprise" to the board. He said as far as he knew, the club is closed indefinitely and will probably not reopen until new ownership is acquired. "of the substantial amount of money I have tied up in the club." The Horseshoe Club, which had operated at 229 N. Virginia St.

for more than 23 years, closed Sunday afternoon under the supervision of the state Gaming Control Board. Most of the club's estimated 310 employees have been laid off and were expected to receive their final pay checks today, according to Robert Brodie, the club's general manager. Last Friday Dr. Tom Mullis, a local gynecologist and 75 percent owner and general manager of the casino, filed for bankruptcy under Chapter 11 of the Federal Bankruptcy Act, according to a clerk at the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Reno.

Under this provision, the debtor (or bankrupt) is allowed to work out a plan to pay his creditors while continuing to operate as usual. However, Mullis chose to close the Horseshoe Club. The bankruptcy forms showed a total indebtness of $245,535, including $20,010 owed to Sierra Pacific Power Co. Prior to the filing it was indicated the club "5 "I only learned of these developments after a f' friend in Reno called and read to me a newspaper article about it," Hinkle 6aid. "It was indicated that i the ownership had filed for bankruptcy and was nego-t, tiating to sell the casino.

But all actions were not i 1 taken by both owners. This owner has not filed for tfi. bankruptcy and this owner doesn't know anything if about a possible sale. This owner is completely in the dark." Hinkle said he is consulting his attorney, Don Hill of Reno, about the situation. But he said it looks like he'll be in line with the club's other creditors because 1 111 perfect 'match' (Si Finding carpool By STACY END RES Upset by the thought of paying $1.80 per gallon lor gasoline by this summer? Tired of waiting in traffic at the corner of Mill and Kietzke for umpteen minutes? Disgusted by the thick layer of brown gunk in the valley? Have trouble finding a parking space? Well, now's the time for the people of the Truckee Meadows to get revved up and do something about "Ride together! say the Transportation Department people.

They're telling everyone that carpooling will help solve some of these problems. Some people may be willing enough but just don't know how to find someone who lives near them. works near them and would be willing to carpool. The Regional Transportation Commission is offering a new computer-based local program that will match up riders based on their location of home and work, said Karen Mabry, program coordinator. The program is called Ride-Share, and it's free to anyone who'd like to find their perfect carpool "match." "The whole point is to reduce energy consumption," Mrs.

Mabry said. Using the University of Nevada-Reno computer center, she said, the person's name, age, address and work times and destination are keypunched into the computer. A map has been developed with assigned grid coordinates. The computer then matches up the person with several others who would make good carpool partners because of their proximity of home, work and schedule. The program allows for different work schedules, she said.

A carpooler may only need a ride two times a week, for example. It's not restricted to 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday work schedules. Casino employees, in fact, are among the groups encouraged to use the service. Funded by a $25,000 grant from the Nevada Department of Energy, the program is just getting started, she said, and results are now being awaited from questionnaires sent to various employees.

Mrs. Mabry also is trying to get employers interested. "We have within the last two weeks made contact with some of the major employers in the area," she said. "We're now targeting city and county employees." Response from the questionnaires will indicate how much interest there is, she said. "It's hard to change people's minds about riding together," Mrs.

Mabry said. "We're chang- Gazette photo by Lance Iversen Deep concentration The U.S. Backgammon Championship ment is open to the public. In deep kowsky, front right, of Reno, who are got under way Monday at the MGM concentration are Bud Ashmore, front after the $10,000 in prize money that is Grand-Reno. The three-day tourna- left, of Alberta, and Nikolai Janush- up for grabs this year.

McDermiffmob scene under investigation Being held in the Humboldt County Jail in Winnemucca in connection with the incident are Leslie Smart, 32; James Lee Pittman, 37; Alvin William Horn, 32; Horn's wife, Gaile, 27; and Clale Northrup, 22. Smart is charged with resisting arrest, assault with a deadly-weapon and mayhem, and Northrup with resisting an officer and battery on a police officer. The others are charged with re sisting an officer. Weston said the five were to be arraigned by sometime this morning. Weston said warrants have been issued for the arrest of several other persons, and charges are pending against still more people.

Weston said the trouble began when resident deputy Howie Croft, assisted by Spaulding, tried to clear a bar after the manage- WINNEMUCCA Humboldt County Sheriff Frank Weston said Monday five persons have been arrested and more arrests may be made in connection with a New Year's morning mob scene at McDermitt. Weston said one of his deputies. Ken Spaulding, was beaten with his own night stick, suffering a broken nose and other head injuries that required 18 stitches to repair. ing their lifestyle. It will take time." But the advantages are many, she said.

"If a person who is commuting to work in a standard size vehicle by himself pools with just one other person, he's cutting his expenses in half," Mrs. Mabry said. Reducing personal expense alone could convince some people to give it a try. Other program objectives: to reduce traffic congestion, air pollution and parking needs of the downtown area. The program is counting on employers to encourage employees to carpool, Mrs.

Mabry said. "We would like to see the employer provide the inhouse incentives," she said. "It's up to them to determine what they can offer their employees. All we want from the employer is an endorsement of the program." Such ideas as drawings or preferential parking could be used by employers to get their workers to support carpooling, she suggested. After Jan.

21 and through March. Mabry said. Ride-Share will be actively promoted through a media campaign. Commuters between Carson City and Reno will be among those encouraged to use the program. Ms.

Mabry said two highway signs will be installed in Washoe Valley advertising the number to call: 826-POOL. She said the program is seeking additional funding from the Urban Mass Transportation Administration and other sources. County approves River Inn expansion ment received a report from an anonymous caller that a bomb had been planted on the premises and was set to go off in a few minutes. The deputies succeeded in clearing the bar of about 45 patrons, who became aroused and tried to break back into the bar, Weston said. He said some attacked the two deputies, and that the disorder simmered down only after Spaulding fired two shots into the air.

The mob then attacked a sheriff's patrol car, breaking out all the windows, the sheriff said. He said rioters still were roaming the streets in an ugly mood when he and three deputies from Winnemucca and two from Orova-da arrived later. Weston said he beefed up his forces in the Nevada-Oregon border community over the weekend in anticipation of more possible trouble, but that no more was encountered. He said Spaulding spent several hours in a hospital being treated for his injuries, and that he is expected to return to duty this week. By RODNEY FOO Stephen Peek, River Inn representative, told commissioners the Inn plans to pump water to nearby residents if wells become contaminated.

The state has given the River Inn a discharge permit for 51 acre-feet per year, said sewage plant engineer Robert Ryder. The wastewater discharge is not to exceed 45,650 gallons per average day. The proposed plant will become the county's first tertiary sewage treatment package plant, said George Thiel, public health department engineer. The plant, which is more sophisticated than advanced sewage treatment facilities, is capable of removing phosphorous from wastewater. County Sanitation Engineer John Collins endorsed the Inn's plant.

The Washoe County Commission approved expansion of the River Inn today despite protests from neighboring residents who fear their wells may become contaminated from the project's sewage leach fields. The commissioners voted 4-0 to approve owner George I. Benny's proposal. Commissioner Jean Stoess was absent this morning. The commissioners' vote stems from a December meeting when they tabled the project until Benny could meet with neighbors to develop an emergency water plan.

The commissioners were also waiting for the state Division of Environmental Protection to issue leach field discharge limits to the Inn. Reno riot death investigation continues By PHIL BARBER and BILL O'DRISCOLL parently caused by the back of his head hitting pavement or a post. The coroner said Yarborough had another "superficial" wound at the top of his head which could have been caused by a rock or bottle. McCarty said the coroner's office hasn't located any relatives of Yarborough. "We've just about exhausted our leads," McCarty said.

He said the man had a Connecticut birth certificate on him, but the document did not list his parents. McCarty said efforts to locate any next of kin through Connecticut officials have been unsuccessful. If Yarborough's body is not claimed by relatives, the man will be buried at public expense totaling several hundred dollars within 10 days after the autopsy is completed, McCarty said. He said the autopsy will be complete when results of a lab test are returned by next week. He said the coroner's office, the district attorney or a judge could ask for an inquest into the cause of Yarborough's death.

until he receives the results of the police department's investigation. Dunlap reviewed a video tape Monday of the New Year's Eve riot taken by KOLO-TV. He declined to comment on details of the tape, but said, "It's my understanding what we reviewed was shown (on television)." Dunlap said he feels there is no conflict in having the police department investigate a matter in which its own officers took part. "My view is that I have confidence in the Reno Police Department to conduct an internal affairs investigation. They have investigated incidents in the past, and I have prosecuted cases from those investigations.

"This isn't a large metropolitan area where the district attorney doesn't know the police. Here the district attorney has the advantage of knowing the integrity of the police investigators," Dunlap said. He said he hasn't personally received any calls from witnesses, but, "I welcome such contacts if someone feels the matter is not being properly handled. I'm interested in gathering information regardless of the source." Dunlap said he also spoke with Washoe County Coroner Vernon McCarty and the coroner's chief pathologist, who participated in the autopsy. The coroner's office has said Yarborough died as a result of a skull fracture and brain hemorrhage ap "We've taken a variety of statements from the public and police officers and we're attempting to isolate those in contact with Yarborough," Pulver said.

"But we've not yet been able to do that conclusively." Pulver said the final "package" of interviews which could be ready this week will be sent to the Washoe County district attorney's office, with copies expected to be sent to police Chief James Parker, Reno Mayor Barbara Bennett and City Manager Henry Etchemendy. Yarborough died about 24 hours after suffering head injuries in the riot. Witnesses have told the Reno Evening Gazette and police investigators the 49-year-old Salt Lake City man was shoved backward against the base of a signpost by a Reno officer using a nightstick. One witness told the newspaper Yarborough was beaten on the head and neck by two officers before he fell over backward. Other witnesses said Yarborough was not beaten, but was pushed over by a policeman holding his nightstick at both ends.

Henry, who is heading the four-man team, said three different versions of what happened have emerged from the interviews, but the accounts are "very similar in nature," he said. Washoe County District Attorney Cal Dunlap said Monday he has made no decision concerning a grand jury investigation into Yarborough's death and won't Questioning of witnesses to the New Year's riot death of a man in downtown Reno continued today, Reno police said. Sgt. Pete Henry, the detective who heads the investigation, said today that, despite some witnesses' statements that they saw an officer hit or push Richard Yarborough, 49, of Salt Lake City, Utah, before he apparently fell and hit his head, the investigation team has not pinpointed a specific officer, nor has it accused any officer of wrongdoing. Witness accounts by citizens and Reno police officers of the altercation between police and Yarborough "tend to collaborate with one another," captain of detectives Ken Pulver said.

"On the bottom line, most stories agree," Pulver said, adding any conflicts "tend to be small details versus the overall picture." He declined to give details of witnesses' statements. Police officials said the four-man Investigative unit has interviewed more than 20 witnesses since the investigation began five days ago. And "the picture continues to get clearer for us," Pulver said. He said a "goodly" number of policemen have been interviewed, but added he didn't know if any officer volunteered to give statements. College registration set Registration for spring semester classes begin at Truckee Meadows Community College Jan 16 and 17..