Reno Gazette-Journal from Reno, Nevada • Page 1

SMALL Honoring small businesses: The Reno Gazette-Journal recognizes 5 winners for their community outreach, great service and innovation. Business Monday, 1 enoGa JOUtNAI I 50t MONDAY, JULY 21 997 The Reno ne-Jinima) Kpnnitd recycled paper. cnnsipipuMEcmorj Carson basin pesticide levels not alarming, but will be watched potential for problems in Nevada's urban areas are much greater than in agricultural regions. That was borne out in our study (which included locations in the Las Vegas Valley)." Samples were taken from 107 shallow and agricultural ground water and surface-water sites in the Carson and Truckee rivers and Las Vegas Wash from 1 992 to 1995. Most sites on the Carson River were in Carson Valley, but a few "The situation certainly bears watching over time," Bevans said.

"And we intend to do that through a regular monitoring system." Bevans, project chief of the Nevada Basin and Range study unit for the National Water Quality Assessment, said population growth in urban areas has increased the threat of pesticide contamination. "With more people applying pesticides to their yards, the were in the Fallon area. Although pesticides were detected in many sites, only the sample from Las Vegas fell below national safe drinking water standards. Of the 60 urban shallow groundwater sites sampled, hydrologists found pesticides in 28. Eight of the 30 agricultural groundwater sites including five in Carson Valley had evidence of pesticides.

Surface-water sites yielded a monitoring program. More urban residents are applying pesticides to their property, and towns are becoming more involved in mosquito control, he said. Agency scientists said samples were analyzed for 84 pesticide compounds, more than twice the number targeted in past studies. "The end result is that the fairly high frequency of detection of pesticides reinforces the need for us to keep a very watchful eye on the situation," Bevans said. By Tim Anderson RENO GAZETTE-JOURNAL Concentrations of pesticides found in the Carson and Truckee river basins in a recently released study were not high enough to alarm scientists.

But the findings from the first investigation of its type are cause for concern, said Hugh Bevans of the U.S. Geological Survey's Nevada District Office in Carson City. much higher percentage of pesticide detection 1 5 of 1 7. Pesticides were found in only two of 13 bottom-sediment sites and none at 1 1 locations where crayfish were analyzed. "We're breaking new ground with this since many pesticides haven't previously been studied in Nevada," Bevans said.

Rapid urbanization and changing water and land use in populated areas has triggered the need for a thorough study and a steady mm mm Body in river could be flood victim Your best source for local news A Mv Douglas rescue experts: ip run rj0 jt i ii yuui v.tti flips and you're trapped inside, there's a CAROL VOGEL MOOD Mm ry wuv 1 i lip I Carlin Trend: A team of volunteer firefighters who excel at getting people out. 1B Tahoe tour: Sen. Harry Reid, looks over the lake basin and pinpoints mass transit as a need before this week's presidential forum. 1 major mine just opened last year. Utile A Vegas Meikle Goldstrike i Ivanhoe Deep Star Genesis 1 norm oiar- Andy BarronReno Gazette-Journal PfitB I Lantern1 3 Ca rlin -Tusn CARLIN RECOVERY: Rescue team members lift the body of Island.

The body was discovered by two people who a man found in the Truckee River a't Edison and Coney were out fishing on the river Sunday morning. Man's cause of death unknown t-f Making your mark: First came tattoos, then piercing. Now you can get branded yes, like cattle. 1C Surfing for kid stuff: Buried among all the junk out on the Internet there are some fine educational sites. 3C BATTLE MOUNTAIN QuarV Si Oddie Prater SPARKS HIGH LOW By Dennis Cauchon USA TODAY MULE CANYON MINE, Nevada A major gold boom is under way in northern Nevada, and it's revolutionizing mining worldwide.

Almost unnoticed outside the mining industry, the United States has gone from producing negligible amounts of gold in 1980 to ranking second in the world, behind South Africa. Nevada alone produced 10 percent of the world's gold last year and by itself, ranks third in world gold production. California, the next most productive state, produced 1 percent. Nevada is the cheapest place in the world the fallingprice of gold only increases the state's importance in world production. Mines have shut down in other countries, unable to make a profit at $320 an ounce, but Nevada's mines stay in operation.

Since 1990, 45 million ounces of gold, worth $18 billion, have been mined here. Nevada has 30 operating gold mines. The industry employs 1 4,400 people directly in Winnemucca, Battle Mountain and Elko. Nevada has become to gold what Saudi Arabia is to oil. Even the most conservative estimates indicate that current production levels can be sustained for 15 years if the price of gold stays at or above 300 an ounce.

New, large discoveries continue to be made. "Most people working double shifts in the casinos in Reno have no idea that there's a massive gold mining boom ust a few hours away," said Nevada state geologist Jonathan Price. Nevada's gold fortune resides in what geologists call the Carlin Trend, a one-of-a-kind geologic fluke unlike anygoldbelt in the world. Geologically Today: Partly cloudy. 1 0A a -395 i RENO RenoTTahoe Pembroke- i ci Moana Mark Bartley Reno Gazette-Journal speaking, it is tiny: only 38 miles long and seldom more than a mile wide.

Geologists disagree on why it exists, but the invisible gold is plentiful, at least 85 million ounces. Most is near the surface, where it can be mined for less than $250 an ounce sometimes a lot less. The Carlin Trend continues to amaze geologists as a seemingly bottomless pit of gold. John Livcrmore, the geologist who discovered it, first thought gold might run 300 feet deep. But mining has exceeded 1,000 feet and the ore only gets richer.

NewmontMiningCorp.isstill mining the trend near Livermore's original 1961 discovery. Last September, Barrick Gold of Toronto opened a 1 80 million underground mine that will pull 400,000 ounces a year from the Carlin Trend. Discovery of the Carlin Trend prompted exploration elsewhere in Nevada, and three other major gold are as were found: the Battle Mountain Trend, where Mule Canyon Mine is located, the Gctchell Trend and the Independence Range. Like the Carlin Trend, they produce mostly invisible gold the tiny specks that must be processed to yield pure gold. The Carlin Trend, however, still produces more than half Nevada's Gold.

responded and divers from the Sparks Fire Department Water Rescue Team pulled the clothed body from the river. Sparks Detective Dave Depoali would not say if there was evidence of foul play or if it appeared the man had died in the water. Authorities later Sunday also found a gun in the Truckee River, but said it probably had nothing to do with the body. A passerby at about 2:30 p.m. walking on the Sierra Street Bridge in downtown Reno about 372 miles upriver from where the body was discovered noticed the .25 caliber semiautomatic pistol in the clear, shallow water just east of the bridge.

The passerby flagged down patrol officers. "There doesn't appear to be any relation between the two; we're not speculating that at all," said Tim Alameda, Reno firefighter who responded to Sierra Street. "It's just another Sunday in Reno." Authorities say it's not uncommon to find weapons in the river. Anyone who may information about the recovered body is asked to call Sparks detectives at JIIHI'H By Benjamin Grove RENO GAZETTE-JOURNAL Sparks police said a body pulled Sunday morning from the Truckee River had been in the water "more than a few days" and could be a victim of January's flooding. Washoe County coroner's workers were to conduct tests today to determine the cause of death.

Police are investigating the case as "suspicious" until a coroner's report suggests otherwise. The man was described as in his 20s and white but unrecognizable. Although the body was recovered just downstream from where police believe a Sun Valley man and his truck slid into the swollen river Jan. 3, police said the age difference was too great. "Chances are this isn't him," Sparks police Sgt.

Bob Schmidt said. "But the guy's been in the water a long time. The safest answer is I don't know." Michael Snelling, 53, 5-foot-4 and bearded, drove into a barricaded area near 55 Edison Way to recover photographs of his late fiancee from his office and hasn't been seen since. Police said the man recovered Sunday was 5-foot- Computing TV Watch Comics Crossword Horoscope Classified 3C 4C 5C 5C 5C MOD News 1-1 OA Briefing 2A Opinion 9A Weather 10A CarsonDouglas 1-6B Lottery 2B Digest 2B Obituaries 5B BusnessMonday 1-6E Small business 3E 1-6C 2C Sierra Life Dear Abby 1-6F Sports rf Where authorities pulled an unidentified man from the north bank of the river. Where authorities say Sun Valley resident Michael Snelling, 53, drove his truck into the river during January flooding.

He has been missing since Jan. 3. Reno Gazette-Journal 6 or 5-foot-7 and clean-shaven. At about 9:30 a.m., two fishermen saw the body floating on north bank of the Truckee, about 100 yards east of Glendale Park. Patrol units and fire officials 090V(0110V TODAY'S TOPIC: NEVADANSATWORK Suspect in designer's slaying has other targets, FBI warns Saddle maker's reputation has grown with the years 7 The FBI has set up a toll-free number to collect more tips.

(888) 324-9800. The bureau put Cunanan on its 1 0 Most Wanted List on June 1 2. What's involved: How many sides of a cow does it take to make a saddle? 4A if I i Jt TV USA TODAY The hunt for accused serial killer Andrew Cunanan intensified Sunday, as the FBI began warning people from his past that they may be targets. Agents are working a theory that Cunanan, sole suspect in the brazen shooting death of Italian fashion king Gianni Versace, maybe seeking revenge against those who've crossed him. Agents were reviewing interviews of people who knew him to see who should be arned.

"We want to see if he talked about other people." Minneapolis FBI spokeswoman Coleen Rowley said. "If we do come across those names, we would be remiss if we did not convey that information to them." Some people have been notified already. Their names were not made public Sunday. Among other leads the FBI is By Don Cox RENO GAZETTE-JOURNAL Putting a saddle made by Bill Maloy on the back of a horse is almost a shame. Maloy is an artist.

The saddles he crafts by hand in a cluttered shed next to his home on South Virginia Street are sculptures in fine leather. Creating them is a long and expensive job that Maloy 's been doing all his life. "I'm sure there are people I make saddles for ho don't ow a horse," he says. Maloy saddles are displayed in corporate offices, living rooms and dens across the country. They're admired, like other pieces of art.

So is Malov, like other artists. "Bill 'is the guy. He's the man," savs Pete Schule'r, a saddle maker in Carson City whose father. Dave, once worked for Maloy. "Bill is one of the best in the country i Maloy creates with one eye.

He was making a saddle and accidentally poked his right eye with a knife when he was 22. Despite Maloy's devotion to art, his saddles are made for riding and they're bought by people ho ant to sit on something very special. "My market is people who appreciate them and understand the artwork," says Maloy, who opened his first saddle shop on West Second Street in downtown Reno in 1959. "They are horse show people and ranchers. They're in the saddle all day and know the difference." You can buy a factory saddle See SADDLE on page 4A pursuing are photos taken by a Brazilian woman.

She claims they show Cunanan and Versace together at an informal gathering at the designer's Miami Beach estate the Sunday before he was gunned down. The designer was shot twice in the back of his head in broad daylight as he unlocked the gate to his mansion on Tuesday. Authorities are trying to determine whether Cunanan and Versace knew each other. Meanwhile, the FBI opened its Special Operations Intelligence Center in Washington to begin directing the massiv draenet. Lea TaurielloRenc Gazee journal CRAFTED BY HAND: Bill Maloy shapes a saddle in his shop in Reno.

Maloy, 60. learned his trade while growing up on a ranch near Vlsa'ia. Calif..