Elko Daily Free Press from Elko, Nevada • 1

TCP 5w)R BAY MICROFILM. J- ARGUES bvc SUNNYVALE, CA 94086-3909 Vol. 114 No. 237 Established Jan. 5, 1883 Elko, Elko County, Nevada 50 Cents MONDAY, OCTOBER 6, 1997 18 Pages 3 imie item vetoes J' -i.

axe ft ranfficie I i t4Cl explosive munitions at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada. Cost: $2 million. The potential for Clinton to issue more vetoes is great. Military construction is the first of 13 annual appropriations bills for the 1998 fiscal year. Five of those bills have been approved by Congress.

Clinton must tread carefully in selecting veto items. He does not want to needlessly alienate lawmakers whose votes he will need in upcoming legislative battles over issues such as trade and Clinton's social programs. Noting he vetoed projects supported by Democrats and Republicans alike, Clinton said, "These are tough calls, involving real money and hard choices." Congress can override the line-item vetoes, but would require two-thirds majorities in both chambers to do so. Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott's home state was spared, although six Mississippi projects were added to the military construction bill after Clinton submitted his budget request. Moody Air Force Base in Georgia, home state of House Speaker Newt Gingrich, will lose a $6.8 million combat search and training center if the president's veto is upheld.

Democrats were stung, too. Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle. stands to lose a National Guard facility in Rapid City. A steady ally of the president, Daschle said he considered Clinton's standards to be fair but would fight to restore the money. "I don't argue with the criteria," Daschle said.

"That doesn't mean I'll accept the consequences in the long term. Ultimately, I believe in this project." Clinton said projects were eliminated if they met the following standards: Clinton did not include them in his original budget request. Design work had not been pleted, so the project would not have been constructed this fiscal year. The project would provide no "substantial contribution" to improving the lives of U.S. troops.

Today marks only the second use of the line-item veto, under which the president can disapprove individual items in a bill and avoid having to kill the entire measure. Clinton is the first president with the power, which he used in August to remove items from two bills to trim taxes and balance the federal budget by 2002. With lawmakers threatening to file legal challenges against Clinton's use of the line-item veto, McCurry said: "The president has been very prudent, cautious and constitutional." WASHINGTON (AP) Drawing the ire of lawmakers, President Clinton today used his new line-item veto powers to eliminate 38 projects worth $287 million from a military construction bill. "The use of the line-item veto saves taxpayers nearly $290 million and makes clear the old rules have in fact changed," Clinton declared in an Oval Office ceremony. The vetoed projects include a $19.9 million plan to build a new wharf for ship repair at Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Virginia.

Clinton also vetoed a $17.9 million; pier improvement project at Florida's Mayport Naval Station; a $16 million railroad project at Fort Carson, four projects totaling $27.9 million in California and three in Texas. California- and Nevada military projects vetoed were: Two buildings and a harbor area to provide protection for the Marine Mammal Program at Coronado Naval Amphibious Base in Calif. Cost: $10.1 million. A new Marine Corps Reserve Center in Pasadena, Calif. Cost: $6.7 million.

A central, 24-bay wash facility for wheeled and tracked vehicles at Fort Irwin, Calif. Cost: $8.5 million. A command and control facility at Fort Irwin, Calif. Cost: $2.7 million. A larger replacement facility to support the inspection and testing of 4CT (Mark WailrFrn Preii) Desert Daze: Header Jack Burke and heeler Justin Cypriano were pictured at right during the team roping event of the Second Annual Desert Daze Roundup, sponsored by Cactus Petes Casino at the Jackpot Arena Saturday.

In addition to rodeo events, a number of other activities were staged across the street from the casino, including a greased pig chase (above), cow chip tossing, mutton busting, a hollering contest, skits performed by The Gunfighters and music by the Idaho Old Time Fiddlers, the bluegrass band Strings Attached and popular Idaho entertainer Muzzie Braun. V1 ik -77r i rrpm mm BLM releases proposal to sell 55 iicres to EGH Nevada news summary: sttident The BLM expected a to sell the land at value to appear in the today, and a45-day band By Adella Harding Elko General Hospital could buy 55 acres of public land just east of Mountain City Highway in a couple of months as a possible site for a new hospital, according to the U.S. Bureau of Land Management notice of intent fair market Federal Register comment period on the proposed sale begins with that publication. A real estate appraisal still needs to be done before a price can be put on the land, however, said David Stout, the new associate director of the Elko BLM district, Realty specialist Robert Marchio of the BLM said today a contract for the appraisal has been awarded and, "I expect it to be done pretty quickly." Elko County Commission Chairman Royce Hackworth said today the 55 acres could be part of negotiations with whatever corporation is picked to buy EGH. Commissioners are in the process of deciding on a corporation to privatize the hospital and build a new medical complex.

"This could be a plus," he said. EGH would buy the property, but the land patent would be in the county's name, Hackworth said, because EGH is a political entity of the county. He said that should a hospital corporation pick another location to build a facility, the county can use the land for other purposes. "It's a good asset for the county whether they pursue the vision we had or not," said EGH Chief Executive Officer Anne Rieger. EGH trustees originally decided to sues to HAWTHORNE (AP) The Mineral County School District has been sued over its decision to bar a home-school student from participating in a school band program.

Carson City lawyer Day R. Williams filed the suit last month in Reno federal court on behalf of a Hawthorne couple and their 13-year-old child, none of whom were identified. The suit claims "prejudice against home schoolers" was the school board's reason for denying the child admission to the Hawthorne Middle School band class. In December, board members prohibited students who are being educated at home from participating in regular classes, special events, field trips or extracurricular programs. The suit alleges the child was denied his constitutional rights and seeks a ruling that would allow him to participate in the band class.

District Attorney Brian Kunzi said the district would fight the suit. "The right of parents to home school is a long established principle," he told the Mineral County Independent-News. "The right to pick and choose classes or teachers has never been established as a constitutional right of parents who desire to home school their children." Killer's appeal rejected WASHINGTON (AP) The U.S. Supreme Court refused without comment today to hear an appeal filed by Nevada death row inmate Jason Browne, convicted of beating his wife to death with a baseball bat in apply for the 55 acres with the idea that the county would sell the hospital to non-profit Lutheran Health Systems, which in turn would lease the land for a new hospital from the county. In this way, the county would maintain some control over medical care, according to the plan.

County commissioners, however, opened the bidding for EGH up to other corporations, including for-profits. LHS, Principal Hospital Co. and Community Health Systems are the three finalists since selected by the EGH board and a proposal review committee. The 55-acre site selection stirred controversy amid accusations that public officials who own land nearby would benefit financially from construction of a hospital in the vicinity. A grand jury said there Was no wrongdoing on the part of the officials, but commissioners decided not to include the 55 acres in the criteria for EGH acquisition proposals.

The BLM specifies in its documents that the land sale is for a new medical facility, but the buyer would have cjear title to the 55 acres and the BLM wouldn't have any control on its use, according to Marchio. "We're basing the sale on the land being used as a medical complex, but if that falls through, hopefully commissioners will use it for suitable purposes," Ken Nelson of the BLM said. As another option, the BLM could delay the sale after the comment period at the county's request, but a new appraisal would be required if too much time lapsed, Nelson said. "Direct sales may be utilized when, in the opinion of the author labs that the Police Department raided in a six-month span. It is legal to sell the chemicals as long as the seller doesn't know the chemicals will be used for illegal means.

But Drug Enforcement Administration officials have issued contradictory statements about the case. About four weeks ago, agency spokesman Ron Lard said portions of the results of the Office of Professional Responsibility investigation would likely be released. But Quarles said Friday that would probably not be the case because the investigation is an internal matter. Also, Lard had said repeatedly that the investigation was complete and was being reviewed by agency administrators. On Friday, Quarles said the investigation was not complete, and even if it was.

he was "not authorized" to release the results. The office of U.S. drug czar Barry McCaffrey was asked to provide information about the case, but a spokesman referred the newspaper back to Drug Enforcement Administration headquarters. "This is a matter that is between ized officer, a competitive sale is not appropriate and the public interest will be best served by a direct sale," the environmental assessment of the proposed sale states. The EA added that in this case, the sale would contribute "to public welfare by supporting development of improved services and facilities." Rieger said she understood when she requested a direct sale that "there are no strings attached once the sale is completed." Still, the property could provide flexibility in the hospital sale process.

"It is a good site." Architect Peter Park of San Diego spotted the land as a possible hospital location while scouting the area last year for EGH. His first choice was in Highlands Development at the east 1-80 exit, but EGH trustees decided the land was too costly. The BLM issued a finding of no significant impact last week after completing the environmental analysis of the site off Mountain City Highway. The parcel is located northwest of Wal-Mart and about a mile from the Interstate 80 exit onto Mountain City Highway. The 55 acres is in the Adobe Hills grazing allotment held by Samuel Layton, who would lose four animal unit months of grazing if the sale goes through, the EA reports.

A legal notice states that the BLM won't complete the sale until 60 days after the publication in the Federal Register. The EA can be viewed at the Elko BLM office and comments on the sale can be sent to the BLM Elko office at 3900 Idaho St, Elko 89801. the Las Vegas police and the DEA," Quarles said. Eric Sterling, who served as counsel to a House subcommittee on crime, said the federal agency, since its inception, has had a hard time understanding the concept of public accountability. As counsel to the committee, Sterling was responsible for monitoring the agency's conduct He now heads the Criminal Justice Policy Foundation in Washington.

"If there is a mistake, the agency at a minimum ought to admit it," Sterling said. "Was it a breakdown in internal controls or were procedures disregarded? Or are there not enough adequate internal controls in place to begin with?" Privately, Las Vegas police have questioned why the Drug Enforcement Administration, which was overseeing an extensive undercover investigation at Lab-Kern, did nothing to stop the distribution of a seemingly disproportionate amount of the chemicals. The owner of Lab-Kern. James Brown, is the target of a Clark County grand jury investigation concerning possible narcotics violations. join front of several children.

The North Las Vegas man was convicted in 1996 of beating Chantelle Browne to death with a baseball bat that her 10-year-old son had brought out to try and protect his mother. The victim, a dancer and singer, had obtained three restraining orders against her husband, but officials said they were never able to serve Browne with the papers. Browne had three battery convictions for abusing his wife. During Browne's trial for the November 1993 slaying, prosecutors displayed a photo of the victim to show the destruction of her face caused by the beating. The victim's son testified his mother and stepfather had been fighting in the hours that preceded her death.

The boy said he tried to intervene with the bat as his stepfather punched his mother in the stomach, but the man took the bat from him and began using it on his mother. The defense had asked for a sentence of life in prison with the possibility of parole, saying Jason Browne grew up without a father jjgure and was the victim of sexuaTmolestation while a high school freshman. Lyle Shelton DUI RENO (AP) A veteran Reno Air Races pilot faces the loss of his pilot's license after his conviction for being in control of a vehicle while drunk. Lyle Thomas Shelton, 64, also faces up to one year in prison when Washoe District Judge Janet Berry sembly Committee on Natural Resources, Agriculture and Mining; Sen. Ernie Adler, D-Carson City, a member of the Senate Committee on Natural Resources; and Paul Henry, chairman of the Nevada Democratic Central Committee.

Former Elko County Commissioner Ernie Hall will host the event The local central committee also invites anyone interested to attend its monthly luncheons alternating between the Red Lion and Stockmen's Motor Hotel. Information about the fund-raiser or the monthly meetings is available by calling or 7384303. school DEA keeps lid on probe of Vegas drug suppliers sentences him Nov. 14. Shelton was arrested after a police officer found him parked Nov.

27 in front of a Reno condominium complex. Three blood alcohol tests showed him above the 0.1 percent legal limit. Deputy District Attorney Bruce Hahn said this was Shelton's fourth DUI related conviction. Pilots convicted of drunken driving on the ground or related charges face the loss of their pilot's licenses after a Federal Aviation Administration review. Petrocelli appeal RENO (AP) An appeal by Nevada death row inmate Tracy Petrocelli has been denied by.

U.S. District Court Judge Howard McKibben. McKibben last week rejected 28 alleged trial errors that Petrocelli cited in his petition for a court order to stop his execution. Petrocelli may now appeal the ruling to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

A Washoe County jury sentenced him to death in 1982 after convicting him of first-degree murder. Gibbons surgery WASHINGTON (AP) Rep. Jim Gibbons, was scheduled to return to work today following arthroscopic knee surgery last week. Gibbons spokesman Mike Dayton said Gibbons underwent the surgery Friday at Bethesda Naval Hospital to repair bone fragment damage stemming from a lingering injury. He said Gibbons injured the knee last year when playing with a son and reinjured it on a recent plane flight from Las Vegas to Washington.

Plane wreckage LAS VEGAS (AP) The wreckage of a private plane that was reported missing on a flight from Bishop, Calif, to Boulder City has been found southwest of here. The 61-year-old pilot a Michigan man was reported dead at the scene. The name of the pilot has not been released pending notification of next of kin. He was alone in the plane. The plane was spotted 10 miles west of Jean Saturday by search crews from the Civil Air Patrol.

Authorities say it is unclear why the plane was headed for Boulder City because the pilot did not file a flight plan. The plane had been missing since Sept. 25. It is believed the plane may have crashed during bad weather stemming from Hurricane Nora. Del Papa to address Democratic dinner LAS VEGAS (AP) About a month ago, Drug Enforcement Administration officials in Washington, D.C., said they were investigating perceived mistakes made during a methamphetamine probe at a North Las Vegas chemical store.

But on Friday, a spokesman for the agency said the results of its internal inquiry into the investigation at Lab-Kern Supplies may never be released to the public. "The results are nothing that we can give you," said Van Quarles, Drug Enforcement Administration spokesman. Despite repeated inquiries, the agency has remained quiet about the case other than to confirm its Office of Professional Responsibility opened the investigation after Clark County Sheriff Jerry Keller complained that the agency had ties to Lab-Kern. Police say the store was selling large amounts of chemicals that were used to produce methamphetamine. Those chemicals, red phosphorous and iodine, turned up in at least 50 percent of the methamphetamine Nevada Attorney General Frankie Sue Del Papa, who also is a Democratic gubernatorial candidate, is scheduled to be the featured speaker during an Elko County Democratic Party fund-raiser Wednesday at the Red Lion Inn and Casino.

The Fall Festival for Democracy, sponsored by the Elko County Democratic Central Committee, will start at 6 p.m. with cocktails before the 7:30 p.m. dinner. Tickets for the event cost $25. The event will emphasize agriculture, livestock and mining industries and include Assemblyman Marcia de Braga, D-Fallon, chairman of the As.