Reno Gazette-Journal from Reno, Nevada • Page 1

50 May be higher outside metro area CARSON DOUGLAS: Legislature cuts Douglas education funds. 1C Reno Gazette-Journal Mi: Dead teen's father says don't blame driver in accident The Escort's driver and passengers 15-year-old Hillary Heller, daughter of Secretary of State Dean Heller, and 16-year-old Alexandra Becker were taken to taken to area hospitals. The Dodge's driver Steven Pond, 25 and passenger, Chastity Pond, 25, were also treated at area hospitals for'rib injuries. "I visited the (driver) in the hospital and ail she could do was say she was sorry," John Spuehler said. "She was worried about going back to school and we want her to know that we have nothing but love for her.

I think she's scared and we don't want that to happen." The four drama students fering will be forever," John Spuehler said from his mother's Carson City home Tuesday. "When you're driving in a car, mistakes happen. It was just an accident and we want that girl to heal physically and emotionally. We don't need another tragedy." John Spuehler asked that letters of support and love to be sent to the teen-age driver, whose name has been withheld pendinga Nevada Highway Patrol investigation. His son, Joshua Spuehler, 1 6, was a passenger in the girl's Ford Escort when it swerved into the path of an oncoming Dodge Durango on Genoa Lane in Douglas County.

Carson High boy: Dad encourages letters of support for teen-age girl. By Mary Thompson RENO GAZETTE-JOURNAL Two hours before his late son's visitation Tuesday evening, the father of a Carson High School boy who died in violent car crash Saturday summoned support for the young driver who sat behind the steering wheel during the fatal accident. "My son's suffering was instantaneous, but her suf were returning from a volunteer performance at Genoa's Sesquicentennial Celebration when they started teasing each other in the car, John Spuehler said. the road's dirt shoulder and overcorrected into the opposite lane, investigators said. The boy's drama teacher Karen Chandler said the community is "reeling" from news of Joshua's death.

"He wormed his way into your heart instantly," Chandler said. "He was the best in the world at making you feel better." Since and friends have gathered around the clock at Joshua Spuehler's From fingerpaints to phonics to cell phones Graduation the latest hurdle AU ii 3 IT grandmother's house, across from the high school. It has made it so easy with the community's support and it's given me such strength," said John Spuehler, a teacher's aide at Carson High. Carson City Mayor Ray Masayko and school Superintendent Jim Parry also paid a visit. "Little John" Spuehler, remembered his younger brother as a kid who loved life and made friends across high school circles.

Surviving are his father of Carson City; mother Johnnie Olivera Spuehler, of Mound House; grandparents Ray Harrington of California and Angelica Spuehler, of Mound Legislature: Post-midnight votes may face legal challenges. By Jennifer Crowe RENO GAZETTE-JOURNAL Despite a legal opinion authorizing the 2001 Legislature to cast votes until 1 a.m. Tuesday, some lawmakers said dozens of votes cast after midnight may be subject to legal challenge. And in another reflection of the chaotic last moments of the legislative session, a $24-million piece of the state budget was passed after 1 a.m., which will require a second vote during a special session. The Nevada Constitution requires lawmakers to finish their business and adjourn by midnight, Pacific Standard Time, on the 1 20th day of the session.

Because Daylight Savings Time began April 1, lawmakers squeezed in an extra hour of voting until 1 a.m. Lawmakers stopped TODAY Foods Drink 1G 'Survivor' chef's new view on food As a contestant on "Survivor II: The Outback," chef Kieth Famie discovered how much he did and didn't know about food. News 4A L.A. mayoral contest stays tight The race stays close between James Hahn and Antonio Villaraigosa, who would be the city's first Latino mayor since 1872. Sports ib Jerry Rice puts on silver and black After a record-breaking career across Bay with the San Francisco 49ers, Jerry Rice ended months of speculation about his future by joining the Oakland Raiders Business id Nevada Bell raises rates on features Nevada Bell is acting on a 1999 law that allows it to increase its rates on selected custom calling features.

The price of some options is going up by 50 percent. Life 1E Ballerina's road from Reno to N.Y. Jenny Blascovich says life with the New York City Ballet is not all glamour. The Reno-born dancer relates some of the hardships and joys on her way to success. Weather sa 82: '4R HIGH LOW Sunny Index 1-8 A Ufa 1-6E Briefing Opinion Weather Sporti Scoreboard Carton Lottery Obituaries 2A Insider 7A Movies 8A Happenings TV 1-8B Comics 2E 2E 3E 3E SE 7B ClassiFinds1-18F 1-8C Crossword 2F 2C DearAbby 2F 7C Horoscope 2F 1-80 Ufa 1-66 Markets 4-5D )' Hi mii if'Ti House; brothers Andrew Spuehler of Dayton, John Spuehler of Carson City, Ricky Spuehlerof Carson Spuehler of Mound House; sister Natasha Spuehlerof Mound House; and cousins Tony Spuehler of California and Kel-cee McQueary of Dayton.

Funeral service will be held at 3 p.m. today. A reception is planned for 5 p.m. at the First Christian Church, at 326 E. John St.

in Carson City. Everyone is invited. Letters in support of the driver can be sent to John Spuehler at 1 536 E. Robinson Carson City, 89702. Donations to the Spuehler family can be made to Jane Van-derdussen at Carson High.

IT" Special session: Gov. I 1 Kenny Guinn is uncertain when JjUajjS to convene the 17th special 2001 legislative LEGISLATURE session in state votingatl a.m., though the session didn't officially adjourn until 1 :52 a.m. Although lawyers from the Legislative Counsel Bureau issued an opinion that said the move was legal, earlier in the day they had advised against it to ensure the votes withstood legal challenges. Senate Majority Leader Bill Raggio R-Reno, said he has no concern about the legality of the action. But Assembly Speaker Richard Perkins, D-Hender-son, said he might request the bodies vote on those bills again to make the actions challenge-proof.

The vote would take place during a special session called byGov. Kenny Guinn. See CHAOS on 4A it were their child who had died, they would want to know why," Howell said. "And there's all sort of theories about what happened to her. Was it an accident or was she murdered?" Carson City sheriff's deputies said the death is not considered a murder at this point.

"This is not a homicide," said Chief Deputy Scott Burau. "If anything it's an unsolved medical mystery because medical science cannot tell us why this girl died." Jennings, who lived in Stockton, Calif, with her mother, was visiting her father, Clarence Jennings, in Carson City when an aunt found her lying unresponsive on the bedroom floor in the early evening, the mother said. A standing fan had fallen across her back. See TELEVISION on 3A David RoyalReno Gazette-Journal LONGTIME FRIENDS: Teacher Jodie Black, third from right, first met Eric DeWeerd, Peter Barnato, Frank Torres, Krisstin Sibley and Dan Kelly when she taught them as second-graders. She met up with them again before they and their classmates graduate from high school.

I i tiki i In Following their paths, area graduates cross major threshold Alison Bath GAZETTE-JOURNAL Eleven years ago, they were cute, little kids -spirited, happy and thrilled to be capturing the attention of the community. During those years, we watched them grow, battling hormones and peer pressure. We observed them take first tentative steps towards independence, getting that first driver's license or landing a Now, the Class of 2001 is to cross another threshold: graduation from school and entry into a larger world. "I'm nervous because I what to expect," 17-year-old Sara Buchner said of Reno Gazette-Journal file AS HE WAS: Peter Bernato draws in class in this photo taken on Sept. 9, 1990.

Television show to look into Carson girl's 1997 death her impending graduation Thursday from Reed High School. "It feels like you are standing on a cliff and looking out at everything and you don't what is going to happen next." Buchner and 23 fellow second-graders who attended The class of 2001 This is the latest installment of an occasional series of stories on the Class of 2001, focusing on a group of local students from second grade to their high school graduation. Pags3A A look at the upcoming slate of graduations across northern Nevada. OntheWsb Look back at some ween of our previous stories tracking the progress of the class of 2001. Go to www.rgj.com.

Reid, an architect of the coup and now the second most powerful sena Reid tor, said he isn't anticipating legislative gridlock. "I'm sure there are some hard feelings," Reid said. "It's like a prizefight. It was a great round but there are other rounds coming up." The Senate upheaval was Kir 1IUU 13 own By RENO acne, their dating, job. poised high much don't Reid: Dem coup helps Nevada Doctors challenge test for leukemia vulnerability By Mary Thompson RENO GAZETTE-JOURNAL The hit TV show "Unsolved Mysteries" plans to launch a season of new episodes with the 1 997 Carson City case of a teen-age girl's unexplained death.

Film crews were rolling tape Sunday from Carson City's Bliss Mansion on Mountain Street, gathering interviews for the story of 16-year-old Sadie Natasha Jennings, who was found dead July 1 in her father's Carson City apartment. An autopsy failed to reveal the cause of the girl's death. Producer Sally Howell said there were enough missing links in Jennings' case to warrant a feature on the nationally syndicated show. "This is the kind of story people can relate to, especially parents because if Lloyd Diedrichsen Elementary in Sparks have been the subject of a decade-long series by the Reno Gazette-Journal that profiled their education and development. See GRADUATION on 3A In Fallon: Father of cancer cluster's first victim pushes for answers.

State officials also have insisted there are no such tests, but unlike Carroll, they have not seen the testing plans outlined by Dr. Alan Levin of Incline Village. Levin says the tests would work and are backed up by independent studies, a claim that sparked controversy during Monday's public meeting on See LEUKEMIA on 3A ncuurvuz title fee, $345 dealer predelivery and $560 ami, frompted by the decision ast month by Vermont Sen. James Jeffords to leave the GOP and become an independent aligned with the Democrats. This gives the Democrats a one-vote majority in the previously evenly divided Senate their first capture of either house since Republicans took over Congress in 1995.

The Senate is now composed of 50 Democrats, 49 Republicans and one independent. Reid helped persuade Jeffords to switch. See more on 2A By Frank X. Mullen Jr. RENO GAZETTE-JOURNAL A day after Fallon residents and pediatricians demanded more information about an Incline Village doctor's test for cancer vulnerability in children, a national expert insisted Tuesday such tests will not work.

"The bottom line is there is no test available today that can predict which children will get leukemia," said Dr. Bill Carroll, deputy director of the Huntsman Cancer Institute in Salt Lake City. By Frank X. Mullen Jr. RENO GAZETTE-JOURNAL Anticipating today's Democratic takeover of the Senate, Sen.

Harry Reid, said Tuesday said the new alignment is good news for Nevada. Reid said he believes he can rally Democrats to oppose the nuclear waste dump plan for Yucca Mountain, boost appropriations for the Fallon cancer cluster investigation, and champion such natural resource issues as water quality for Lake Tahoe and Walker Lake. For convenient home delivery: (775)786-8744 or (800)648-5048 9 using recycled paw. UIU4UU ijtsu uuuuua a ISUZU Go farther. FORGETvk rf 0KRKCTO.W lUVQKE FLITHIA ithf minnnin lt i i i no Add sales lax $388.65 DOC 4 VStTCRER Hr' JS? GtfUfl 7175 S.

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