Reno Gazette-Journal from Reno, Nevada • Page 27

METROWATCH 2E Nevada the West FOLLOW-UP 2E LOTTERY 2E OBITUARIES 5E FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 1997 RENO GAZETTE-JOURNAL LINDA LDONO, CITY EDITOR, 788-6302 CIRCULATION: 786-8744, CLASSIFIED: 348-7355 ALSO COVERING RENO, SPARKS AND NORTHERN NEVADA IN AND AROUND eno redevelopment official firec OUR TOWN Bacho on job since March: Job performance, cheating on expenses cited. came here. "I started seeing things that bothered me," he said. McNeely had set a $3,000 limit on moving expenses for all of his department heads. Shaw said he became suspicious when he for only a week in July.

Bacho has since been out of the office on an extended medical leave. Most of that time was not paid, Shaw said. "Norris had lost Charles' confidence by the time I got here," Shaw said. "We could not support keeping him based on the performance record he had and especially with what we found out." Shaw said the redevelopment agency staff has been doing "an excellent job in maintaining a direction and getting results without him." He mentioned the agency's efforts in getting the 49ers here to look at Reno for its summer training camp and the development agreements with OliverMcMillan now being finalized to turn the downtown river district into an entertainment zone. "They're putting in 80-hour work weeks to get the job done," Shaw said.

"We've gotten more production from them than anything I have ever seen. I have no concerns we will keep moving without him." Bacho was the first redevelopment director hired since January 1993, when former director Mary Ann Johnson wasinjured in acaraccident. Shaw came from Santa Cruz County, California, where he was the county planning director. Assistant City Manager Dan Shaw for development services will be acting redevelopment administrator until a new one is recruited. Bacho could not be reached for comment.

He was hired in March after being in charge of economic development for Hartford, for a year. His salary was $70,000. After Shaw started work in July, he said one of the first things he did was to review the records when he By Susan Voyles RENO GAZETTE-JOURNAL Reno redevelopment administrator Norris Bacho has been fired for poor job performance and cheating on his moving expenses. City Manager Charles McNeely fired Bacho on Wednesday after a routine department review turned up what city officials described as a fraudulent claim for $3,000. Bacho found a claim of $3,000 associated with Bacho's move to Reno from Hartford in March.

"We investigated the moving company and it doesn't exist. That told us something," Shaw said. Shaw said he worked with Bacho "What's happening to him in is no way comparable to what he did to Kathy (Powell) and Thelma (Davila). the appropriate sentence. Jeff Powell N' I 7 eath penalty for Middleton Editor's Note: We invite readers to submit items by calling the number listed below or faxing to 788-6458.

Watch for "Our Town Tuesday through Saturday. Comedian Jay Leno mentioned John Ascuaga's Nugget in marking the death of 84-year-old Red Skelton during the Wednesday night opening of his "Tonight Show" on NBC-TV. Leno mentioned appearing with Skelton for the December opening of the Nugget's 800-room addition. "He set me up," Leno said. "He said he was happy to be here for the opening of the 28-story addition.

I whispered to him it was 29, and he turned and said, 'Oh, that's another story'." Nominees for male and female Nevada Disabled Employee of the Year must be submitted by noon Oct. 17. Forms are available from the Governor's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities: 486-43 18 (voice), 688-1 11 1 (TTY) in Reno. Winners will be announced Oct. 29 in Las Vegas.

One large and small business also will be honored as exceptional in employing people with disabilities. The Silver State Documentary Festival awarded first place in the current events category to "Nuclear Nevada," a production of the Truckee Meadows Community College Media Services team: Creel Snider, Phil Kowalski andT.W. Landis The team also took three second place awards. The winner was made for the Focus on Nevada series on KNPB-TV, broadcast the last Saturday of each month at 5:30 p.m. The Nevada National Guard and slate officials will welcome 1 4 government and military officials from Turkmenistan, part of the former Soviet Republic in central Asia, at a reception at the Reno Hilton Sunday at 4 p.m.

The delegation will be in Nevada a week, also visiting Carson City and San Luis Obispo, Calif. A similar delegation visited in August 1996. Lloyd Nelson of Nelson Electric Co. recently donated 1 5,000 worth of theatrical lighting to the Performing Arts Theater at Reno High School. The firm was the electrical contractor for the theater, completed four months ago by American General Development of Carson City.

Nelson's firm has been in business in Reno for 25 years. Meet Mr. McFeely, the Speedy Delivery man of the children's TV show, Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, as he kicks off the Good Neighbor Sweater Drive at 3:30 p.m. Mondav at KNPB, 1670 N.Virginia St. Take sweaters, new or used, child's or adult, to Channel 5, Saint Marv's Regional Health Center at 235 W.

Sixth the YWCAat 1301 Valley Road, or the Glenn Duncan Family Focus Center, 1 200 Montello St. Collections ill run through Nov. 22. Details: 784-4555. To submit items: Call 324-0225: punch 5627 when asked or fax to 788-6458.

Firefighters sue Sparks despite promotions By Robert Anglen RENO GAZETTE-JOURNAL Despite a recent promotion, three Sparks firefighters are suing the city for five months back wages. Jack Conely, Dave Niehaus and Bob Zoanni say they were wrongly passed over for advancement in April and have filed a civil suit in Washoe District Court asking for retroactive pay. They also are appealing for the second time the promotions of eight firefighters with the Sparks Civil Service Commission. "The money isn't an issue," said Anthony Hall, the firefighter's lawyer. "What they want mostly is to show they should have been promoted in the first place." Their first appeal to the commission ended in a July ruling that Fire Chief Ron Irwin violated procedures by advancing officers on seniority rather than merit, and led to the overturning of the largest group promotion in the department's history.

But following a second round of interviews, the commission accepted Irwin's recommendation to promote the same eight people to fire apparatus operator on Aug. 13. "He still didn't do it based on merit." Hall said. "The Civil Service Commission should have rejected that." The April 28 promotions were made to staff a new station on Sparks Boulevard and Disc Drive. Conely, Niehaus and Zoanni said they scored highest on exams and were the most qualified, but the chief promoted firefighters who had been with the department longer.

This week, the three were advanced to fire apparatus operators to fill retirement vacancies. "I'm glad to have the title," Niehaus said, adding it will make the case easier to fight. "We deserved it. That's been our position all along." A firefighter makes a salarv of S33.210 to $39,508. A fire apparatus operator makes $36,963 to $43,515.

Niehaus said he hopes they ill be able to work out an agreement with City Manager Terry Reynolds and avoid court. Reynolds already tried to intervene, but could not settle ith a remainingfi re fighter, who was also not promoted and feared any deal would strike his chance for a raise. Now. Niehaus said it would he easier for the city to respond. While Reynolds was unavailable for comment.

City Attorney Chet Adams said the city has filed a motion to dismiss the case, which could be heard by a judgewithin 1 5 days. Judge Mills Lane was originally supposed to hear the case, but a prc-emptory challenge as filed by Hall for a new assignment. Hall said it was a matter of "personal preference." The Sparks Civil Service Commission meets Oct. 8. EMOTIONAL END: Josie Powell, mother of Katherine Powell, wipes away a tear outside of the courtroom late Thursday afternoon after the trial's sentencing phase.

y. Photos by Mark SludyvinReno Gaette Journal while the verdict is handed down. vices, clamps, something like a riding crop, whip-like devices, pornography of sexual bondage and a videotape of Middleton having bondage sex with at least one woman. Eyewitness testimony linked Middleton to Thelma Amparo Davila. who disappeared in August 1994 and was found in April 1995.

See MIDDLETON on page 5E Nevada for 10,000 years. Rep. Mike Crapo. R-Idaho. a supporter of the bill, said the Commerce Committee's vote was important.

But Nevada's congressional delegation vigorously opposes the legislation and hopes to delay further action on the bill until Congress goes on recess later this fall. Nathan Parrott. spokesman for Rep. Jim Gibbons, R-Reno, called Thursdays action "a classic your problems on someone else." Critics of the legislation, particularly Nevada's two senators, have argued that if the wastes are taken from reactor sites and sent to Nevada, the permanent burial facility may never be built and Nevada would be stuck ith the aste. "711 NO CHANGE OF EXPRESSION: David Middleton sits impassively Fear now reality: Breen will set execution date next Friday.

By Steve Timko RENO GAZETTE-JOURNAL Two years ago, David Stephen Middleton expressed fear to a Reno police detective he might get the death penalty. That fear became a reality Thursday for the 36-year-old ex-Miami police officer when a Washoe District Court jury gave him two death sentences for murdering a Sun Valley Elementary School teacher and a Circus Circus restaurant employee. Judge Peter Breen next Friday will set an execution date for Middleton, though that is only a formality. The death sentences are automatically appealed to the Nevada Supreme Court. There were no outbursts or audible reaction as the death penalty verdicts were announced at 6:25 p.m.

Middleton remained expressionless as he listened to his death sentence verdicts. He later thanked his lawyers and flashed his trademark grin after he walked out of the courtroom. Some members of Middleton's family, who'd testified on his behalf Tuesday and Wednesday, cried at the verdicts. The death penalty verdicts marked the end of a case that began with the discovery of teacher Katherine Powell's bodv in a trash bin fuel to a temporary depot in the southern Nevada desert, despite strenuous objections from a Massachusetts congressman ho argued the bill endangers public safety and bails out nuclear utilities. A similar measure already has passed the Senate and the House is likely to take it up in the coming weeks.

However. President Clinton has promised a veto and it's uncertain whether Congress has the votes to override. Supporters argued the bill is needed to move more than 30.000 tons of nuclear waste stockpiled in 41 states to a safe, remote location. Nuclear companies already have contributed about S12 billion to build a government waste dump, but a possible permanent burial Battenes Locate utilities shutoffs radio 1 Store emergency Portable Panel OKs bill for shipment of nuke waste to Jurors: Spectrum of emotions as panel exits courthouse. Feb.

1 1, 1995. Deputy District Attorney Thomas Viloria told the jury Middleton abducted Powell from her Reno home on Feb. 3, 1 995. and kept her ground at Yucca Mountain, north of Las Vegas, is 12 years behind schedule. The Energy Department is trying to determine whether the Yucca Mountain site is suitable for permanent burial.

Rep. Fred Upton. sponsor of the House legislation, said the bill simply would require that the used reactor fuel rods be stored above ground in casks near where the permanent repository is expected to be built. "This abuse of the ratepayers' dollars cannot be allowed to continue," said Rep. Dan Schaefer.

a key supporter of the bill. "Our goal should be to ensure that ratepayers pay their fair share of the nuclear waste disposal not more and not less." Much of the Appeals: Middleton's two death penalty sentences begin the long process. in a modified refrigerator at his Sparks storage unit until Feb. 7, 1995. That storage unit is where investigators also found restraint de- money from utility ratepayers has been diverted to other federal programs and deficit reduction.

The bill would limit the amount of money the government could collect from nuclear utilities in the future and require the fees be used on the nuclear-waste program. But Rep. Edward Nlarkey. said all the money would go toward building the temporary dump and said he fears attempts to find a safe, permanent burial site ould be abandoned. "I'm afraid that too many utility executives just want this stuff off their property." Markey said.

The waste headed to Nevada would come from commercial reactors and government sources and is so dangerous, it must be isolated Within 5 years: House proposal is for temporary storage depot. By Fredreka Schouten GANNETT NEW SSERVICE WASHINGTON Highly radioactive nuclear waste would be shipped to Nevada in less than five years under a bill overwhelmingly approved Thursday by a key congressional committee. The House Commerce Committee voted 42-3 to send used nuclear fluoWa Dnonino supplies: Crowbar Flashlights First Canned aid kit foods Please turn to page for a complete obituary listing and other new of record. Frances Mane Petrusic Bayer. 87.

Sparks Ralph Austin Bonev. 47. Fallon Stuart H. DePathy Sparks Alberta Lee Doten. 6 1 Agate Bay.

Calif Gregory Harold Griffith. 26. Sparks Elmer Lee Hawthorne. 8 1 Carson City Dennis L. Huntley.

50. Silver Springs Second nuclear-related test 'successful' at Nevada site The second of two planned nuclear-related tests to determine the reliability of the nation's nuclear weapons stockpile was conducted successfully in southern Nev ada Thursday. Data obtained from the experiment ill allow scientists to answer basic questions about the wav plutonium reacts when it is shocked. Thursday's test 960 feet below the ground followed one in June that was the first nuclear-related test at the Nevada Test Site since a 1992 moratorium went into effect. The Department of Energy says the tests were essentia! to the nation's program to maintain the safetv and reliability of the nuclear weapons stockpile in the absence of underground nuclear testing.

Before the test moratorium, weapons would be taken out of the stockpile and tested underground or in the atmosphere to determine their reliability Gubernatorial candidate cuts ties with gas company Kenny Guinn is severing his ties to Southwest Gas Corp. as he gears up to run for governor. Guinn announced his retirement Thursday as a director and chairman of the utility's board of directors, ending a 1 6-year association with the gas company. Guinn as formerly president and chief operating officer and chairman of the company before stepping down in 1 993 to become chairman of the board of directors. Guinn as replaced as board chairman by Thomas Hartley, a past chairman of the Nevada Development Authority and UNLV Foundation who has been a company director since 1991.

Guinn. a former superintendent of the Clark County School District, is running for the Republican nomination for governor. Pipen Bott'ed i water wrench Gas E-ecrctv Wa-er The proposed site for a new Bishop Manogue High School is on South Virginia Street north of Zolei i Lane and north of Whites Creek. The location was I incorrect in a story in last Friday's paper and Thursday's editorial page. Work on a plan to reunite family since travel may be difficult or restricted after a major earthquake.

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