Reno Gazette-Journal from Reno, Nevada • Page 13

Nevada the West METROWATCH 2B LOTTERY 2B OBITUARIES 5B WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 13, 1995 RENO GAZETTE-JOURNAL MARK LUNDAHL. CITY EDITOR PHONE, 788-6305; FAX, 788-6458 ALSO COVERING RENO, SPARKS AND NORTHERN NEVADA CommissioE to review childrees9 services IS) Decision: Comes following grand jury report which criticized Social Services. deaths of nine children whose families had previous contact with Social Services. May Shelton, Social Services director, outlined what the department has already done to address recommendations made in the grand jury report. The report said senior management was too distant from day-to-day case work and blamed Shelton's department for not doing enough to prevent the death of 3'year-old Mailin Stafford and eight other kids.

Nevertheless, the commission didn't criticize Shelton. "We gave her a vote of confidence," said Commission chairman Jim Shaw. After Shelton made her presentation, the commission began focusing on problems and solutions to better handle child welfare in the county. The proposed review of child welfare will come in three phases: An outside reviewer will come in and carefully examine child abuse cases in Child Protective Services, which is overseen by Social Services. The point of the review is to examine individual child abuse cases and possibly look at the Mailin Stafford case.

An independent agency will audit the management of Social Services and Child Protective Services. Shelton will help compile a list of possible auditors. A task force made of county officials and community experts in child welfare will look at what kind of services are available to help prevent child abuse. Such programs could range for parenting classes to drug rehabilitation. The reviewer and the auditing agency will report both to the com mission and to the proposed task force.

A ide range of people spoke to the commission, including District Attorney Dick Gammick, District Court Judge Scott Jordan and foster child advocate Katherine Cesario. Without exception, those who spoke to the commission saw the report as an opportunity to improve the county's child welfare system. District Attorney Gammick cautioned people at the meeting to remember who killed Mailin Stafford. "Social Services didn't kill Mailin, the parents did it." abuse cases, audit management of county social services and study what the community is offering to help people be better parents. The special 3 p.m.

meeting came in the aftermath of a harsh grand jury report released last week. The report said Washoe County Social Services could have prevented the 'It's important to know who you are before you market yourself 1 if i. i IIMIWIII I I i IIIHI Aric Johnson GAZETTE-JOl'RNAL The County Commission took steps Tuesday to begin a county-wide review of childrens' services. Commissioners voted to independently examine individual child IN AND AROUND OUR TOM Editor's Note: We invite readers to submit items by calling the number listed below. Watch for "Our Town" Tuesday through Saturday.

A Reno mother is asking the public for help in finding a way to pay for an airplane ticket to Detroit so that she can be with her infant son during an eye operation. Barbara Gaudio said she can not afford to fly to Detroit, where her son, Michael, will have surgery on Monday to correct his eye sight. The boy, who was born three months premature, suffers from an aggressive eye disease, said Dr. Jim Handa, a surgeon at the University of California at Davis Medical Center. Handa said that two-thirds of the baby's retinas were not developed at birth.

Information: 329-3140. Joe E. Conforte, the 34-year-old son of the colorful former owner of the Mustang Ranch brothel, failed to return to the Northern Nevada Restitution Center in Reno Monday from an outside assignment and is considered an escapee, Nevada Prison spokesman Glen Worton said Tuesday. Conforte was serving two years for possession of a controlled substance. Louise Evans has donated her late husband's law books to Storey County.

The library owned by the late Dennis Edward (Mike) Evans, who died at his Fallon home in 1 992, has an estimated value of $250,000, said Storey County District Attorney Janet Hess. Evans was vice president of the board of governors for the State Bar of Nevada at the time of his death. The Reno Host Lions Club will install officers of its youth auxiliary, the Leo Club, Wednesday at the River Oak Club House in Verdi. Officers are: president, Michelle Dann; vice president, Sarina Zutshi; secretary, Chris Van Lydegraf; treasurer, Toby DeCremer; directors, Alison Heckt, Tianna Heppner, Janella Jerome, Erica Klein and Michael Krapf. The Children's Museum of Northern Nevada Inc.

is the winner of the Governor's Tourism Development Award for its attraction of out-of-state tourists to Nevada. The Reno City Council set a Jan. 3 deadline to apply for the Municipal Court seat being vacated by Judge Janet Berry. Berry is leaving the seat after Gov. Bob Miller appointed her to replace retiring Washoe District Court Judge Jerry Whitehead.

Purchase a living Christmas tree from Moana Nursery and it will be planted in your favorite Sparks park after the holiday as part of the city's Parks and Recreation Department program. For more information call 353-2376. To submit items: Call 324-0225, punch 5627 when asked. Defense rests; no witnesses called By Sandra Chereb ASSOCIATED PRESS The defense in the trial of a man charged with making and mailing a bomb that maimed a state trooper rested on Tuesday without calling a witness, moments after the prosecution rapped up its case. Mary Boestch.

lawyer for accused mail bomber Robert John Collins, abruptly ended her case after arguing to the judge outside Collins the presence of the jury that the charges against her client should be dismissed because of flaws and lack of evidence. U.S. District Judge David Hagen took her arguments under submission. Jurors were dismissed for the day and told to report back at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday for closing arguments.

Collins. 47, is charged with making and mailing the bomb that seriously injured Nevada Highwav Patrol Trooper Ren GagerohSept. 8. 1993. Prosecutors claim Collins became consumed with revenge after Gager arrested him following a traffic stop in Carson City on Feb.

3. 1991. Evidence found in Collins' vehicle led to burglary and insurance fraud charges against him. of which he was convicted in state court earlier this year. Gager lost his left eye and a portion of his left arm when he opened the package he received on Sept.

8, 1993 two days before his 42nd birthday. Another man. Avrom Sander Finkel. was convicted last year of helping to make and mail' the bomb. Finkel.

who was sentenced to 86 years in prison, testified for the government on Monday. But his testimony was riddled with inconsistent statements he made to agents, prosecutors, a grand jury and jurors in the Collins trial. Finkel said he and Collins made three bomb prototypes. But he denied knowing that the package he mailed at Collins' request contained a bomb targeting Gager. Boetsch accused him of trying to finger Collins in an effort to reduce his own sentence.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Green on Tuesday conceded that Finkel was not the most credible witness because he changed his statements often. But he argued that much of what Finkel said enhances that of other witnesses, including Collins' daughter Ashley. Ashley Collins testified she saw a box in Finkel's garage containing wires and batteries. KEY SPEAKER: Charles Osgood entertained the travel convention goers at John Ascuaga's Nugget in Sparks with stories, jokes and songs.

News anchor shares pearls of wisdom By SevilOmer GAZETTE-JOl RNAL CBS News' Sunday Morning television personality Charles Osgood summed up Nevada Tuesday. His description of the Silver State: "The vision in people's minds is beauty and to have fun." Osgood, during his first trip to Reno, entertained and informed a crowded showroom at John Ascuaga's Nugget in Sparks during the last day of a three-day 1995 Governor's Conference on Travel and Tourism. Osgood, the anchor of Sunday Morning, shared some words of wisdom to those attending the seminars and to those in charge of Tim DunnGazette-jGuma! reported during the conference. Nevada's job creation also is broad-based, extending not just into gaming and tourism sector, but into most other industries as well. Statewide personal income should increase by 10 percent.

Employment, gaming revenues and population are all expected to grow in the upcoming years. For Nevada to make the most of its assets, the message stressed throughout the conference was that every resident and every visitor to the state is a treasured commodity. As Osgood put it: "What's most important to you is the average person." lot of things that are offensive to different cultures in books." To Arnold, the wooden carving on the back of a carousel horse is not an American Indian with all the trappings. To him, a member of the Paiute nation, it's a representation of a severed head. Arnold is not the only Indian who has objected to the carving.

In a recent letter to the Navajo Times, a publication out of Flagstaff, Shirlee James of Chinle, said the representation is particularly offensive because children who ride the carousel horses are the ones who see it. their knowledge," said Debi Puc-cinelli, a spokeswoman for the event. Delaine Spilsbury from Las Vegas said the conference was an opportunity for her to meet marketing experts and tourism officials. "For the small business owner, it was important to come here and meet with people who make things happen," said Spilsbury who owns Ms. Squaw Crafts on southern Nevada's Indian Territory.

"But, there wasn't too much new about the state that 1 didn't already know," she said. For example, the gaming and tourism sectors are well in 1996. along with all sector's of the state's economy, with just a little slowdown from 1995, banking officials used American themes to decorate their animals," Wheat writes. "Representations of presidents. Native Americans, cowboys, Uncle Sam and the Statue of Liberty, just to cite a few examples, are found throughout their carv ings." In addition.

Wheat invited Arnold to stop by the mall and thumb through two books: "Grab the Brass Ring" by Anne Dione Hinds and "Painted Ponies" by William Manns, each containing photographs of portrait carvings. Arnold has declined the invitation. "So what if it's in books?" Arnold said. "I can tell you about a promoting and attracting tourists to the state. "It's important to know who you are before you market yourself," said Osgood, who is heard daily on CBS Radio Network.

Osgood also anchors and writes The Osgood Files; four commentaries on headlines or little-known news stories of his own choosing. "I think I know what Nevada is about. It's what Christmas is about. It's about joy and joy to the world," he said. "Nevada is about showing people a good time a good and memorable time." Osgood also stressed the importance of leadership.

"The Governor's Conference also allows the delegates to expand letter that the "portrait of a Native American with trappings" is not derogatory or disrespectful. Rather, it is intended to be "a tribute to Native American Indian culture and tradition." Wheat could not be reached for comment and Heather McCombs, marketing manager of the mall, declined to comment, referring to Wheat's Nov. 21 letter. In the letter, Wheat says that most carousel artists were American immigrants, and they often used American themes as decorations. "They were so satisfied with American life that they literally Carousel horse carving offends Native American By Bob Shemeligian LAS VEGAS SUN LAS VEGAS A carving of a head of an American Indian on the back of one of the carousel horses at a mall has outraged the executive director of the Las Vegas Indian Center.

"The continued use of this type of culturally offensive and degrading portraiture must stop, especially in such a highly visited area as the Meadows Mall," Richard Arnold wrote recently to Frank Wheat, general manager of the mall. But Wheat replied in a Nov. 21 Golden Valley residents urged to attend planning meeting Golden Valley and other north valley residents are urged to attend a Reno City Planning Commission meeting Wednesday, Dec. 20 to discuss a proposed 129-unit housing development, a Golden Valley citizen activist said. The commission will consider a zoning map amendment for Golden Meadows Subdivision, a development of 129 lot single family residential subdivision on 33.2 acres located on the west, east and south sides of Golden Valley Road and south of Beckwourth Drive.

In addition, the commission will consider a neighborhood commercial development on 2.2 acres located on the northeast corner of Golden Valley Road and North Hills Boulevard. The 7 p.m. meeting will be held at Reno City Hall, 490 S. Center St. in the city council chambers.

Be prepared for winter in the outdoors Skiing, Snowshoeing and Snowmobiling tips Don't go alone. A partner can help with injuries and survival if you get lost. Carry the proper equipment, including emergency ski tips for cross country skiing and snowshoes, tools and a spare drive belt for snowmobiling. You may have to walk out. Bring a survival kit with matches or a lighter in a waterproof container, a whistle, a signal mirror, an emergency space blanket, a first aid kit, a knife, a working flashlight, a map and a compass.

A citizens band radio is a good option to consider. Take water and energy food like candy or granola bars. Tell a responsible person where you are going and when you will return. Call that person when you get back. Know the weather forecast.

Don't go out in bad weather. Recognize avalanche conditions and don't go into the back country when the U.S. Forest Service has issued an avalanche warning. Please turn to page 5B for a complete obituary listing and other news of record. Stephen Michael Asbury.

4 1 Carson City Bencta G. Hygra Nygrcn Bohannan. 76. Sparks. Judy Ann Hash Bowler, 52, Carson City Isabel M.

Taylor Brousc, 7 1 Ely Paul R. Ceman, 74. Reno Margaret L. Waymirc Chanslor, 85, San Francisco. David Anthony Codding, 44, Stillwater Coralie Muir Draper.

84, Sparks Paul R. Faulstich, 73. Sparks Angela Regina Copeland Helgren, 53, Sparks William Patrick O'Neil. 33, Reno LeVisa Gcthel Prebble, 72, Silver Springs Tips to make your tree last longer: If tree has been out of the water for even an hour on the trip home, cut the stump back one-half inch and put it immediately into a water stand. Put hot water in the stand the first time you fill it because it helps melt the sap off the stump.

Fill with regular tap water thereafter. Never let the tree run out of water, as even a few minutes without liquid can cause sap to begin sealing the trunk. Don't add aspirin, cola or other additives to water. While those tricks might work for flowers, they have no value to pine trees. Ask the salesman foranti-transpircnt spray, hich can help some varieties of trees last longer.

Don't put your tree in front of a fireplace, a west window of a home or near a heater..