Reno Gazette-Journal from Reno, Nevada • Page 1

Wobbly stars might death pledges Below 1B 17A Falwell alleges PTL 1 VC- Y7 7 CM Friday Not everyone's croaking about Bullfrog County June 19, 1987 35 cents Legislative highlights, page 4A Sunny, high 86, low 42 Thursday'! smog level: 53 (moderate) Today's smog forecast: 53 Complete weather report, page 24A By Laura MyersGazette-Journal CARSON CITY Nevada lawmakers, in the wee hours of Thursday morning, created Bullfrog County Population: zero. Location: nicely tucked around a proposed site for the nation's first nigh-level nuclear waste dump. Nevada's 18th county was formed for the sole purpose of taking advantage of potential grants in lieu of taxes that can be levied on the U.S. government if the dump is built or any site work done at Yucca Mountain, which Bullfrog County encompasses. But creation of the 144-square-mile bite out of Nye County already faces threat of a court challenge.

the county is being cut out of decision making surrounding the siting process. "What other choice do we have but to sue," said Roy Neighbors, Nye County lobbyist and former county manager. And more than one lawmaker said Thursday that creation of Bullfrog County is not only legally shaky, but also an embarrassment to Nevada, already the butt of jokes because of its legalized prostitution and gambling. "I'd almost rather forego a few dollars than to be remembered as the Legislature that created a See BULLFROG, page 5A Nevada lawmakers end longest session By Morgan CartwrlghtGazenejoumai CARSON CITY The notice posted on the door of the Senate chambers read, "Welcome to the opening day of the 1989 Legislature." The sign on the rail of the press gallery simply said, "Go home." Bleary-eyed from lack of sleep and emotionally drained by hours of frenetic lawmaking, Nevada legislators finally took the hint just See LONGEST, page 5A A tax rate of $5 per $100 of assessed valuation will be imposed in Bullfrog County, the maximum rate allowed by the state constitution but higher than the maximum $3.64 per $100 allowed by law. Because the proposed dump site has not yet been assessed, only estimates of the potential tax windfall have been made and range from $8.7 million to $24 million a year.

Nye County officials, however, say they are considering a court challenge on grounds that creation of the county does not comply with the Nevada Constitution and that ui risk: aims high, Reno lawsuit brews over Corona beer A Reno federal cowt'tattle is brewing between ihe Chicago irap6rterfarGorona Extra beer aw a locet tfistributor. BjtfS6ny Beers, Ltd. has filed a $3 million lawsuit against Luce and Sons claiming employees of the Reno distributor have been falsely telling Reno liquor retailers and bartenders that Corona Extra is contaminated with urine. Attorneys for Barton say Luce employees were making claims that the television news program "60 Minutes" had reported that urine was showing up in samples of the trendy beer. Representatives from "60 Minutes," as well as "2020" and "West 57th Street" two other network television news magazine programs all deny running any reports about contaminated beer and say they have no plans to air any such reports in the future.

At least one Reno restaurant acknowledges the rumors have had an effect, saying sales of the beer, usually served with a sliced lime, are down. Details, page 10B. Rioting turns Seoul into war zone Pentagon didn't consult agency about Iranian threat By David LauterLos Angeles Times WASHINGTON Top military officials conceded Thursday that they bypassed usual procedures and failed to "formally consult" with the CIA before reporting to Congress on the seriousness of Iranian threats to U.S. ships planning to escort Kuwaiti oil tankers in the Persian Gulf, congressional sources said. In a long-awaited report sent to Congress Tuesday, the Department of Defense rated the threat from "unconventional attacks," such as planting mines and terrorist actions, as "low to moderate." But CIA officials briefing Congress only a day later called the threat "high." The differing opinions raised concerns among many in Congress and forced the administration to call a hastily assembled meeting between senators and senior national security officials.

Attending were CIA Director William H. Webster, presidential national security adviser Frank C. Carlucci and Adm. William J. Crowe the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

In addition, a Pentagon spokesman said Thursday that a team of Navy specialists will soon be sent to the Persian Gulf to assess the threat of mines in the region. Three vessels have been damaged by mines in the gulf off Kuwait in the last three weeks, giving rise to speculation See GULF, back page :1 1,1 Weekend: fair and warm Clear skies and temperatures in the 90s are forecast for the Truckee Meadows this weekend, the National Weather Service reports. "The whole pattern has shifted from what we've had on previous weekends, with a weak high pressure system keeping the cloudiness out of the area for the next couple of days," says forecaster Larry Jensen. Jensep said high temperatures ia the Meadows should be from the low 80s to low 90s today through Sunday, the first day of summer. Overnight lows should be in the middle 40s.

Lake Tahoe will have high temperatures in the upper 60s and 70s today, then shift to lower 70s to lower 80s Saturday and Sunday. '-if 4 If i i Associated Press SURRENDER: A unit of South Korean riot police was over- this group kneels before protesters during "anti-tear gas run by rock-throwing students in Seoul on Thursday, and day" demonstrations. Details, page 2A. Captain to lose command WASHINGTON The skipper of the USS Stark, Capt. Glenn R.

Brindel, will be relieved of his command before the ship sails for home early next month, Pentagon sources disclosed Thursday. The officials, who asked not to be named, said a decision was made earlier this week to assign another Navy officer to the ship to sail it home after temporary repairs are completed in Bahrain. Gunmen kidnap U.S. journalist lU BEIRUT, Lebanon (AP) Fourteen kidnappers grabbed American journalist Charles Glass, beat him and stuffed him into a car trunk, then abducted the son of Lebanon's defense minister when he told them to stop, police said Thursday. Police said the gunmen in four cars intercepted Glass and Ali Osseiran in Osseiran's chauffeur-driven white Volvo on Wednesday in Ouzai, a suburb of Syrian-policed Moslem west Beirut.

The gunmen, most of them bearded, dragged Glass out of the car, hit him with rifle butts and bundled him into the trunk of a silver Toyota near a fish restaurant only 350 yards from a Syrian army checkpoint, police said. Ali Osseiran, 40-year-old son of Lebanese Defense Minister Adel Osseiran, shouted at the State Department condemns act, page 6A gunmen to stop, police reported. But the kidnappers grabbed him and his Lebanese chauffeur, a police officer who doubles as bodyguard. Glass, 36, of Los Angeles became one of nine Americans kidnapped in Lebanon. He was also the first foreigner kidnapped since Syria moved 7,500 troops into Moslem west Beirut Feb.

22. No group claimed responsibility. The Iranian-backed Shiite Moslem Hezbollah, or Party of God, has a base a few yards from the restaurant. Glass, who has worked for the ABC television network, was in Beirut researching a book he is writing on the Middle East. Honduran soldier held TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras A soldier in the Honduran air force has been arrested in the shooting death of an American soldier at an air base in this Central American country, military sources said Thursday.

The soldier was arrested Saturday night, the day Staff Sgt. Randall Harris was killed at Palmerela air base. fjf Wirp sewice find staS reports Low security rating is given to Vegas airport WASHINGTON A person had better than a 50-50 chance of smuggling a gun past detection systems and aboard airliners in 1986 at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas, according to a congressional report. Worse yet, there was better than a 65 percent chance of fooling the detection systems in Phoenix, Ariz. Those two airports were the worst in the United States, according to a test of security checkpoints by the Federal Aviation Administration in which inspectors tried to carry 2,419 mock guns and other weapons onto planes in late 1986.

Of that number, 496 or 20 percent were not detected. And those figures fueled the wrath of angry lawmakers, who said Thursday that security at American airports leaves travelers vulnerable to weapon-toting hijackers and that they are ready to force the facilities to impove their detection systems. GLASS: American beaten, abducted in Beirut. if, Rode ion Scientists report increased possibility of other planets Study: Drugs, low-fat diet (owafet in Mferies The imannto ersary of the wildest. richest the West starts today in Reno.

For a look at the events during this year's 10-day Reno Rodeo and a orofile of some of its By Harry NelSOWL0s Angeles Times section in today's Gazette-JournaW. 3 Inside American Astronomical Societies, are particularly significant because two, and possibly as many as seven, of the 16 stars studied appear to be planetary systems. "This is the best evidence to date for planetary systems," Bruce Campbell of the Dominion Astrophysical Observatory in Vancouver, said shortly after disclosing his data to several hundred other astronomers. He added, however, that it will take many more years of research to be sure of the finding. Frank Drake of the University of California at Santa Cruz, a pioneer in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence, termed Camp-See OTHER, back page By Lee DyeLos Angeles Times VANCOUVER, British Columbia Scientists disclosed Thursday what they described as the best evidence yet that other stars have planets a major breakthrough in the search for life elsewhere in the universe.

No existing telescope can actually "see" such planets because they would be too dim compared to the far brighter star they orbit. But Canadian astronomers say they have done the next best thing by showing that some stars appear to be wobbling just as they would if they were being pulled back and forth by the gravity of orbiting planets. The results of the six-year study, announced during a joint meeting of the Canadian and Bridge 17C Business 7-10B Calendar 2D California 3A Markets. Movie guide 4D Nation 6-21A Nevada 1-6C LOS ANGELES Men who have had coronary bypass surgery may significantly lower the rate at which fatty substances accumulate in their coronary arteries by taking cholesterol-lowering drugs and following a low-fat diet, University of Southern California researchers reported Thursday. The study said that coronary arteries were less likely to accumulate new fat deposits, and that existing fat deposits accumulated less slowly after the study's participants began taking the drugs and following the diet.

Furthermore, the study showed for the first time, in a small number of the study's participants, that lowering blood cholesterol can reverse the process of atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, wrote Dr. David H. Blankenhorn and his USC colleagues in See LOW, back page "It disturbs me to no end to thinK mat anytime somebody gets on that airplane, they're playing Russian roulette with their lives," said Rep. Cardiss Collins, chairwoman of the House government activities and transportation subcommittee, which held a hearing on airport security. The tests were conducted at 28 major American airports and the report, based on FAA records, was prepared by the General Accounting Office, Congress' investigative branch.

Mrs. Collins and other legislators used the hearing to repeatedly call for government standards for airport screening systems. See SECURITY, back page Classified ads 9-23C Obituaries 2C Comics 9D Sports 18 oiuoawuiu 10O ..80 Dear Abby 5D Editorials 23A TV SST" sn Weather 24A Health sd World 2A ,90 Copyright, 1987 Reno Newspapers, Inc. A Gannett newspaper iVmaUtlMii iiflrrii IlnHl-m i i -i i i in fcsj.4t Vi JsbS rti.