Reno Gazette-Journal from Reno, Nevada • Page 27

Today's tip Wednesday JULY 6, 1988 RENO GAZETTE-JOURNAL Section 2C OBITUARIES 4-1 5C CLASSIFIED 15C BRIDGE 2C VITALS A tour-week class on public speaking begins at 7 p.m. The two-hour course will be held at the Reno-Sparks YWCA, 1301 Valley Road, Reno. Cost: $20, members; $25, non-members. Details: 322-4531 CITY EDITOR; MORGAN CARTWRIGHT. 788 6305 Eagle Forum organizes against gay rodeo lies, our health, and our state's image." The International Gay Rodeo Association has scheduled the rodeo for the Lawlor Events Center Oct.

20-23. The rodeo is not affiliated with the National Gay Rodeo Association, which put together the country's first official gay rodeo in Reno in 1976 and eight others in subsequent years. Hansen said Bryan could stop the event because it's scheduled for the state's University of Nevada-Reno campus. "He is the ultimate one who is responsible. I think he could get it stopped if he wanted," she said.

"If the governor does nothing, it implies he condones it." Press secretary Karen Zupon said Bryan has no control over whether the gay rodeo takes place because an elected Board of Regents runs the university system, including Lawlor. "It is an entirely independent, elected body autonomous from the governor's office," Zupon said. Les Krambeal, president of the International Gay Rodeo Association, said his organization would meet a cancellation of the rodeo with a court battle. "We are not doing anything but, as citizens who happen to be gay, producing a rodeo and we nave every legal right to do so," Krambeal said. "She can petition all she wants to.

There is nothing they can do. If we have to, we'll go to the Supreme Court." Krambeal said the proceeds from the June storm prevents record for dryness A vigorous thunderstorm dumped almost twice June's normal precipitation in Reno within a 20-minute period, but did almost nothing to ease the drought that has gripped western Nevada, according to weather officials. The thunderstorm dropped 0.55 inch of rain June 20 and pushed the monthly total in Reno to 0.59 inches compared to the June average of 0.34. The storm kept the city from recording its driest July-June period in history, according to John James, state climatologist. Reno ended the 12-month period with 3.71 inches of precipitation, the fifth driest in the 118 years records have been kept in the city, James said.

Without the thunderstorm on the 20th, the city would have surpassed its most arid July-June ever of 3.15 inches compared to the annual average of 7.49 inches. The Reno-area's drought problems were heightened in June by temperatures well above normal, despite the killing freeze and snowfall that started the month, the National Weather Service said. Reno spa-casino JSLg- t.r 1 fir Ufy Hi I flC i i -vtj iWl) rr; I By Mario TalklngtonGunJourntu A Nevada pro-family organization has begun a statewide mail campaign urging Gov. Richard Bryan to stop the controversial International Gay Rodeo coming to Reno in October. "The rodeo is going to promote sodomy.

Sodomy in the state of Nevada is a felony," said Janine Hansen, president of the Nevada Families Eagle Forum. "I don't think we'd allow a drug-users' rodeo or a child-molesters rodeo." The Nevada Families organization sent out newsletters July 1 urging readers to mail Bryan an enclosed postcard, which called upon him to "use your influence to publicly oppose this menace to our fami They call him 'Mr. residents say By Susan VoylesGazetteJournal You could call Don Johnston "Mr. Sparks." Johnston, the Sparks postmaster for the last 14 of his 32 years with the U.S. Postal Service, on Tuesday celebrated his first anniversary as executive director of the Sparks Community Chamber of Commerce.

Working from the chamber's small Street depot office, Johnston has been pivotal in the chamber's turn around over the past year. Besides doubling its membership to 280, the chamber has developed a working partnership with the city of Sparks. Chamber members working with the Sparks' downtown redevelopment agency promote Sparks and bring traffic problems to the city's attention. Johnston has been the fuel that helped ignite the chamber. He has turned many of the business acquaintances and friends he made during his 41 years in Sparks into new members.

His assistant, Lynn Tackman, says he has personally enlisted 111 new members in the last year. Johnston's face flushed as she read the numbers. Then he quickly pointed out the chamber's officers and directors set the tone in reviving the "sleepy little chamber." But the directors don't see it that way. "Our board is made of up volunteers, no matter how good our intentions are," said Kathy Carter, a board director and executive for Sierra Pacific Resources. "He brings in a dozen to 15 new members a month.

It's the fact that it's Don Johnston calling. He was the one who opened a lot of doors to the chamber," she said. "He knows everybody. He is Mr. Sparks." Carol Balaam, Sparks chamber president and owner of American Video-graphy, added Johnston works hard to keep chamber members in line.

Hecht officially By Mike NCfrisGazetteJoumal Sen. Chic Hecht, filed Tuesday for a second term and criticized his Democratic challenger, Gov. Richard Bryan, for running a "campaign of deception." Meanwhile, campaign aides for both contenders confirmed agreement to at least two post-primary debates in September and November. Negotiations were continuing for up to three more debates in the same time frame. The two contenders will face each other on Sept.

11 a week after party primaries and on Nov. 6, two days before West rodeo, hosted by the" Silver State Gay Rodeo Association, will go to several organizations that fight AIDS. "I think that's a way to legitimize their events," Hansen said. "Their activities of homosexuality promote AIDS." Hansen is a leading member of the Pro Family Christian Coalition, which protested the National Gay Rodeo in 1983 by collecting 8,000 signatures on a petition and occupying Bryan's office for five hours. The governor refused to meet with the group or accept the petition and said that the issue should be dealt with by Washoe County officials.

See RODEO, page 16C Washoe planners back 1 st phase of $50 million resort By Jim MltchellGazettfrJournal The Washoe County Planning Commission Tuesday approved the first phase of a proposed $50 million spa-casino resort along the Truckee River west of Reno. The River Inn Hot Springs project was unanimously approved after developer William Chang agreed to spend an estimated $750,000 during the inital construction period to build an overpass linking West 4th Street to the resort. County planners had objected to a proposed delay in the construction of the overpass, fearing inadequate access might cause traffic to back up along the road all the way onto Interstate 80 during peak business periods, such as holidays. With the last major stumbling block out of the way, Chang described the commission's action as "a major milestone" in his plans to revitalize the resort, which has been closed for 10 years. The facility, once known as Lawton's Hot Springs, was an area landmark for decades.

After the spa fell on hard times, San Francisco developer George Benny went bankrupt promoting the property as a casino site. Benny is currently serving a 30-year prison term for fraud. Millions of dollars in contractors' liens were filed against the property beginning in 1981, and nearly seven years passed before financial claims against the resort could be settled. While waiting for the murky legal waters to clear, Chang became convinced that the property could best be developed as a spa, with the casino as only a secondary attraction. "We wanted to put the emphasis on the hot springs," he said.

"The idea of this project is to bring back the hot springs as the primary draw," said architectural consultant Dave Hasse. "We will have the mineral pools, massage and other things that go along with this kind of development." The first phase of the project will include a large spa filled with water from the area's natural hot springs. Eighty-three existing motel rooms will be torn down and replaced with 103 garden unite. Additional cluster housing along the river will be built to accommodate guests, who will travel about the grounds on trams See RESORT, page 2C off with Bryan him "virtually in a dead heat" with Bryan. Hecht also said he has captured the lion's share of voters over 45 years old.

Hecht campaign director Doug Fuller said the poll showed Hecht behind only 45 percent to 42 percent compared to the 44 percent to 43 percent cited in Hecht polls conducted six weeks ago. Hecht's campaign media consultant, Ken Rietz, said given the amount of campaigning Bryan has done between the two polls, his gain should have been more sub-See HECHT, page 16C victim identified Sparks sex assault probed Sparks police are investigating the complaint of a teen-age girl who said she was abducted by two young men and sexually assaulted shortly after midnight Tuesday. The 17-year-old girl said two men about 18 or 19 years old offered her a ride in their car as she was walking home in northeast Sparks. She said she then was forced into the car and driven to a house under construction near Mongolo Drive and McCarran Boulevard. One of the pair then struck her and sexually assaulted her before she fled to McCarran and flagged down a motorist, she said.

Police said she also suffered cuts and bruises. Guilty plea in manslaughter Rodney Gene West, 27, of Reno, pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter Tuesday stemming from an fight Dec. 5 that left Glenn Isadore Charles, 25, dead of a knife wound to the heart. Under a plea bargain between Deputy District Attorney David Spitzer and Deputy Public Defender Robert Witek, the involuntary manslaughter charge will be treated as a gross misdemeanor, an option under the law. Washoe District Judge Robert Schouweiler set Sept.

8 for sentencing West, who faces a maximum of one year in the county jail and a $2,000 fine. Involuntary manslaughter can also be charged as felony carrying one to six years in prison. West and Charles began arguing in a downtown casino and went outside, where Charles was stabbed once in a wound that penetrated the heart. West told authorities he was trying to defend himself against the bigger man when Charles charged him, thrusting himself onto the knife blade. Girl in critical condition The Washoe County Sheriff's Department is trying to determine whether a 4-year-old Lemmon Valley girl was injured before she was hospitalized in critical condition Monday night.

Heather Marie Morseberger remained in critical condition in pediatrics intensive care at Washoe Medical Center Tuesday. A nursing supervisor said the girl was breathing with the aid of a respirator. Her stepfather, James A. Tieltveit, 31, told officers he found her unconscious at their home, Capt. Dan Coppa said.

Tieltveit started driving her to the hospital, but got tied up in traffic leaving the fireworks display at Mackay Stadium. Tieltveit explained his problem to Reno Police Chief Robert Bradshaw and Capt. Tom Robinson at the scene and they called for a medical helicopter to complete the emergency trip, Coppa said. He said the girl has some bruises, but nothing to indicate a serious injury. Man gets $1,500 in heist A gunman robbed the Keystone Branch of Nevada Savings Loan Association in Reno Tuesday, fleeing with about $1,500.

Police said the man entered the office at 985 W. Fifth St. at 9:25 a.m., threatened a teller with a blue steel revolver and demanded money. He made no attempt at disguise, police said. He was described as 30 to 35 years old and short.

He wore a dark blue plaid shirt and blue denim slacks and had several days growth of beard. Marilyn NewtonGazette-Journal THE CHAMBER'S ENGINEER: Don Johnston on Street's locomotive. "He keeps everybody under control job a job he works at 60 to 70 hours a as tempers flare. And if people don't week. follow through with things, he'll finish "I like to work for Sparks," Johnston them to make them good to give them said.

"It's my home and I am proud to all the glory. I see it all the time." Johnston, 56, said it's just part jffflfe files for re-election, squares fg jp sparks, page 2C if Hecht rejected Bryan's claim, pressed in recently aired television commercials, that the incumbent voted against improved Social Security benefits. Hecht said he had joined in a bipartisan effort to keep the Social Security system financially solvent. After filing in Carson City for his second six-year term, Hecht opened his Reno headquarters on South Virginia Street. Bryan filed Friday, then opened his Reno headquarters on Wells Avenue.

Hecht has trailed Bryan in several polls taken earlier this year and last year. But Tuesday he said a new GOP poll shows Dog Valley crash By Phil BarberGazette-Journal The pilot who was killed in the crash of his small, private airplane near the Washoe-Sierra County line, west of Reno, Monday has been identified as Gregory A. Blagg, 33, of Oroville, Calif. Federal aviation authorities went to the site Tuesday, seeking the cause of the second fatal small plane crash on the east side of the Sierra Nevada in a week. On June 29, a homebuilt plane crashed at Boca Reservoir, killing Kaveh Beiglar-pour, a 34-year-old Iranian skier and air racer from Squaw Valley.

Blagg's rented single-engine Cessna 152 crashed into a wooded area on the east side of Crystal Peak, north and slightly west of Verdi. He was returning to Oroville in the afternoon after visiting a friend in Reno. The friend, who asked not to be identified, said Blagg called him Monday, saying he was going flying and might stop to visit him. "He liked to fly. He just got here in the morning." The friend said Blagg's family owns a meat distributing company, but that Blagg does not fly on business.

He said his friend's survivors include a widow and two daughters. According to Federal Admin- voters go to the polls in the nation's general elections. Hecht, 59, rejected the 51-year-old Bryan's claims that he was stalling debates, ineffectively representing the state and leaning too far to the political right. The governor, who earlier had called for an agreed-upon campaign spending limit, also charged the Republican incumbent with trying to buy re-election with a war chest of up to $5 million. Hecht said the amount was closer to $2.5 million or $3 million.

That's about the same amount Bryan has said he may Jean Dixon AikinGazette-Journal istration safety inspector George Eicher, the plane crashed at between 7,500 and 8,000 feet. After visiting the site, Eicher said the cause remains unknown. He, also, is investigating the June accident. In that crash, Beiglarpour perished in a plane powered by a Volkswagen engine. Witnesses said the little craft veered into the ground after making a low pass over the victim's friends on the lake.

Beiglarpour, who just started flying six years ago at Stead Airport, was an instructor in both gliders and airplanes. He raced for the first time at the 1987 Reno National Championship Air Races, flying one of two Formula Ones entered by Bill Skliar of Reno. Skliar said Beiglarpour had borrowed the plane in which he crashed from a friend and had flown it many times. He won a race last month at Waco, Texas, and planned to compete for Skliar again at this year's Reno Air Races. "He always said he lived to compete.

He loved racing. That's why he liked skiing. And, of course, racing airplanes was even better," Skliar said Monday. Beiglarpour had attended University of Nevada-Reno and planned to carve an aviation career. 1 Pyramid Way delays Motorists can expect minor traffic delays on Pyramid Way in Sparks beginning today as the Nevada Department of Transportation resurfaces the highway from Oddie Boulevard to Queen Way.

Staff and wire service reports TOPSY-TURVY: Tony Phui, 11, and his sister Nancy, 9, got some late afternoon exercise Tuesday at Paradise Park. Their family, in town from San Francisco, is visiting friends in Sparks and the children were out taking advantage of Tuesday's mild weather. 1.