Elko Daily Free Press from Elko, Nevada • 1

am Jt 1115 flRiwo.r.1- 1 SUNNYVRLE no 'Vh Vol. 115 No. 279 Established Jan. 5, 1883 Elko, Elko County, Nevada 50 Cents MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 1998 id Pages 3 Iraq agaio rebuffs UoN, Council to interview top cop candidates inspector 'in- Holiday bartering: Tess Sendrud (lower left) watches her father Nick purchase a Beanie Baby from Joe Poche (right) and his daughter Danika (center) at the Elko Chamber of Commerce's Pre-Holiday Show Saturday. This year's show, "Basque in the Glory of Christmas" hosted 48 merchants displaying items ranging from snowmobiles to candy over the weekend at the Elko Convention Center.

BAGHDAD Iraq (AP) A U.N. envoy returned to Baghdad today as Iraq unleashed a new volley of criticism at the chief U.N. weapons inspector and his demand for more arms-related documents. The papers sought by Richard Butler, chairman of the U.N. Special Commission, are spurring a new confrontation between the' government of Saddam Hussein and UNSCOM, which is overseeing the destruction of Iraq's most dangerous weapons.

Iraq's U.N. ambassador, Nizar Hamdoon, insisted today the Baghdad government is cooperating with the U.N. weapons inspectors. "We don't have any more documents that we believe are related to disarmament at this point," Hamdoon said at U.N. headquarters in New York.

Yesterday, other Iraqi officials derided Butler's request for documents as a move to justify a U.S. military strike on Iraq, saying the government already had turned over all relevant documents. U.N. envoy Prakash Shah came to Baghdad today from Bahrain. He refused to comment about the controversy, saying only that he expected to meet with Iraqi officials.

Iraqi Deputy Foreign Minister Riyadh al-Qaisi said the latest crisis between Baghdad and the United Nations had been "concocted" by Butler, adding that Iraq sent a letter to the U.N. Security Council today explaining its position. Al-Qaisi said Butler's request came as Baghdad was hoping a U.N. review of progress toward weapons destruction would lead to an easing of economic sanctions imposed after Iraq's 1990 invasion of Kuwait He said the United Nations had requested documents about issues that Iraq and UNSCOM had already settled. "At the present time, with the legitimate expectation for a comprehensive review to take place, Butler comes as if no work at all has been settled," al-Qaisi said.

State-run Iraqi newspapers insisted today that Butler asked for more paperwork because he has a grudge againstlraq. "Butler has personal motives to create a new crisis," the daily Al-Thawra newspaper of the ruling Baath Party said in a front-page edi torial. "He has explained Iraq's deci-sion to let the inspectors resume their activities as a personal victory, which he believes will enable him to take revenge on Iraq." Iraq had asked for Butler's dismissal from UNSCOM as one of its demands for allowing weapons inspectors to return to work. But it reversed its ban on the inspectors' work Nov. 14 when faced with airstrikes by U.S.

and British forces. The arms inspectors returned last week and have been making daily visits to potential weapons sites with the cooperation of the Iraqi government. The inspectors must certify that Iraq has eliminated its weapons of mass destruction before the Security Council will lift the sanctions. Iraq insists it has already gotten rid of all proscribed weaponry, Butler's weekend demand for new documents again raises the possibility of American military strikes against Iraq because President Clinton has demanded full cooperation with the weapons inspectors. In Washington, Defense Secretary William Cohen said today the military option remains open if Iraq fails to comply fully with the inspectors' demands.

"We have in place in the gulf enough capability to carry out any military options the president might decide would be required," Cohen told reporters. David Leavy, a spokesman for the U.S. National Security Council, said the refusal to hand over documents was an "insufficient" response to Butler's request but said no final conclusion had been drawn. Leavy, who is traveling with Clinton, made his remarks in South Korea. Iraq's deputy prime minister, Tariq Aziz, said Sunday that Butler's demands were either intended to provoke an attack or to put off a promised Security Council review of Iraq's cooperation in arms destruction.

The government hopes the review will lead to easing the sanctions. Aziz said some of the documents requested no longer exist, and Foreign Minister Mohammed Saeed al-Sahhaf said Iraq already has given inspectors all relevant documents more than 2 million pages. He said Butler was leading "a savage campaign of disinformation" to Steve Rambel convicted of second degree murder make it seem as if Iraq was not cooperating. Asked if he thought the dispute over documents could provoke more threats, al-Sahhaf said that U.N. resolutions don't "say that if you do not hand over a document that three cruise missiles will hit your country." "This is ridiculous," he said.

"So whatever party is threatening that, he will bear the responsibility for that." Iraqi officials have said they are prepared to let the inspectors see relevant portions of one requested document: a log of chemical weapons used during the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq war. But they said some of the document concerned Iraq's national security and could not be shown to inspectors: In London, Britain organized a meeting today of 16 Iraqi opposition groups. Afterward, British Foreign Office Minister Derek Fatchett said Britain supports a campaign to have Saddam and his top leaders indicted for crimes against humanity. mystery "I don't know anything about it. I'm not up to date on it," he said.

His wife, Joni, launched an all-out search for her daughter along the Interstate 80 corridor in northern Nevada following her disappearance. Then-San Francisco Mayor Dianne Feinstein offered a $10,000 reward for any information in connection with the disappearance. Elko City Councilmen are scheduled to interview the three candidates for chief of police during a special meeting Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. at Elko City Hall. Elko County Undersheriff Clair Morris, police Capt.

Bill Bauer and police Sgt. James Ruble have applied for the job being vacated by retiring Chief Bill BogueJan. 1. Councilman John Ellison, the police commissioner, said the council has three good applicants to choose from. Elko County Sheriff Neil Harris sent letters to city and county officials last week saying the two boards might want to consider combining area law enforcement under one agency similar to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.

He said combining the city and county agencies would save taxpayers money with combined administrative, records, evidence and payroll systems. Harris cited the Elko Central Dispatch, Juvenile Crime Task Force, Elko Combined Narcotics Unit and the Combined Major Crimes Unit as excellent examples of the cooperation that already exist between the two agencies. But, Ellison said the council would prefer to keep control over the local police department rather than having it under an official elected to the office every four years. Harris said the subject is something the two entities could discuss in the future. began, they concluded it had to be Steven Rambel.

Everything else was directed to support that premise." The motive, she was leaving him, the insurance policy, the Leatherman knives and bingo! They had him convicted, Polaha said. He called it "throwing a collection of facts at the jury and hoping something sticks." The Washoe Crime Lab roped off the crime scene, but nobody kept records of what they saw, Polaha said. Two people leaving the gravel pit when deputies arrived weren't interrogated, Polaha said. "They haven't proven any knife wound, they're saying use your common sense," Polaha said. "If it doesn't fit, acquit." Polaha suggested the deputy who drove the body to the Washoe Crime Lab could've caused the puncture wound in the spinal cord by placing a tow chain over the bag, to keep it weighed down.

Investigators could've taped interviews, instead they're saying "trust Polaha said. "There is absolutely no physical evidence in this case that ties Steve Rambel to the death of his wife," Polaha argued. "We cant do anything in this life without leaving some evidence." "Karl Phillips wasn't the only affair Betty Rambel had. Steve lived with that There was no motive," he said. Dec 3 1 ment with police work, he said.

"The judicial system has changed law enforcement. Every time the state legislature meets, laws change," Hertz said, "some for the good, as viewed by the police and some not so good." When asked about the difficulty of being a small town police chief. Hertz said, "I dont think being a chief of police in a small city is any different than being a chief in a larger city. The problems are the same. One of the biggest problems is to get the residents to change with time.

No one likes change." Modern law enforcement requirements have forced many policy changes, he said, noting "the Wells City Police Department policy has gone from 30 pages to 300 pages during the six years I have been chief." "Another problem is gaining the confidence of the residents. Once this is accomplished, then it is a matter of hiring good officers and then everyone has to do a lot of public relations. If a citizen has a problem, we try to listen and solve the problem in the easiest and fastest way possible," Hertz said. Wells Councilman Rusty Tj bo said law enforcement has gone smoothly under Hertz' regime. "Jim brought organization and leadership to our police department He has been an outstanding chief.

He brought maturity, judgment and common sense to issue. He has been a very positive presence in our community" Elaine Swanson, ells correspondent r. I 1 i if i' IKIK irhumFrec Prwist that period of time." Rambel's story was that upon returning home after 10 p.m. on Oct. 14, he had a fight with his wife and she told him she was going to live with her boyfriend, Earl Phillips.

But Woodbury contended. "Betty Rambel never got home. Somewhere on the way home she told him she was going to live with Earl Phillips." Woodbury's theory was Steven "Titere's an $84,000 insurance policy on tlie life of Betty Rambel on which he is the named beneficiary." Gary Woodbury, district attorney Rambel then his wife, put her body in the trunk and early the next morning, burned the car at the gravel pit. Eureka County Sheriff Ken Jones also testified no clothes or toiletries appeared to be missing from the Ramble home, an indication that Betty Rambel hadn't pac ked to move out as Steven Rambel maintained. "The only thing the state has proven beyond a reasonable doubt is that Betty Rambel is the decedent," countered defense attorney Jerry Polaha.

"Before any investigation to resign pointed undersherifT of Esmeralda County. For six years, he served Nye County as lieutenant commander of the sheriffs department in Pahrump. Then he came to Wells. Law enforcement has changed significantly in Hertz' 20-year involve- announced plans to retire and family. New lead in Stroh Kranovich said the man has since recanted his story and authorities were unable to determine a location of the mine shaft.

However, he said, sheriffs investigators were convinced enough about the validity of the story to mount a search of mine shafts in the county. Jerry Hill, head of the Reno office of the FBI, confirmed hia agency has received some tips about the case in recent days, but declined further comment 'I can tell you we're working on that matter and trying to learn if the information we've received has any basis in truth," he said. "We've been working on it for several days, but I cant comment beyond that" Stroh's stepfather. Grant Settle-mier, a San Francisco stockbroker, said he was unaware of any new information in the case. Wells police chief By Mark Waite Steven Rambel of Crescent Valley was found guilty of second degree murder, arson and concealing evidence by a Seventh District Court jury in Eureka Saturday.

Rambel was accused of murdering his wife, Betty, whose body was found Oct. 16, 1997, in a burned-out car in a gravel pit just outside Crescent Valley. The jury deliberated almost three hours before reaching its verdict. Second degree murder carries a sentencing range of between 25 years in prison and life, with the possibility of parole after 10 years. Elko County District Attorney Gary Woodbury, who prosecuted the case, told the jury in his closing arguments the case hinged on circumstantial evidence, since the state couldn't produce a witness that saw Rambel stab his wife.

"His motive was his wife was leaving him," Woodbury said. "There's an $84,000 insurance policy on the life of Betty Rambel on which he is the named beneficiary," Woodbury said. "The last time anyone other than the defendant saw Betty Rambel alive was 10 p.m. on the night of the 14th of October. 1997," he said.

"The state's case is the defendant cannot account for his whereabouts during Montana. He came to Nevada 20 years ago as a cowboy on the Artemont Ranch in Fish Lake Valley west of Tonopah. He became a resident deputy for Esmeralda County in Fish Lake Valley. Advancing in his law enforcement career, he was ap Wells Police Chief Jim Hertz has more to Washington to be near he i 1 i discuss An unidentified man came forward last week with a claim that the body of Stefanie Kelly Stroh, who was last heard from Oct 16, 1987, at the Winnemucca Motel 6, could be found at the bottom of a mine shaft in the Battle Mountain area. Stroh, 21, was the subject of a massive search in northern Nevada in the weeks and months following her disappearance.

The San Francisco woman had taken a year off from Oregon's Reed College and was returning home from a trip to Europe. Elko Sheriffs Detective Mike Kolsch said he was contacted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and interviewed a man in Battle Mountain last week. Kolsch said the case is outside Elko's jurisdiction and was turned over to Battle Mountain officials. Lander County Undersheriff Mike to Elko County School District trustees may approve the purchase of a piece of land off north Fifth Street at their meeting at 6 JO m. tomorrow inside the district conference room at Inside Kevorkian tape played on TV Page A4 50464M1111 Trustees purchase of 55 acres WELLS Police Chief Jim Hertz recently announced plans to resign.

The 60-year-old police chief has accrued vacation time and will be leaving office Nov. 30, with his official resignation set for Dec. 31. The city is currently advertising for his replacement in the Elko Daily Free Press with an application deadline of Nov. 30.

Hertz said he will retire to Washington state, where he plans to teach his eight grandchildren how to fish and spend time with family and friends. Hertz came to Wells in June 1990 as a police officer. He was appointed chief of police in March 1992. Hertz said he is proudest of the fact that under his tenure there have been no gangs in Wells. "I said there weren't going to be any gangs in this town," Hertz said, "and there arent any." Hertz said he is also proud of the updated equipment in the Wells Police Department "We moved into the 21st century with our computer technology.

When I became chief, we were doing reports in long hand. We took advantage of grants to buy the equipment we need. We have upgraded the radar speed detecting devices in each patrol vehicle We have two portable breath testing devices and two of our patrol vehicles are equipped with video cameras," Hertz said. Hertz was born and educated in Missoula. Mont He spent his youth working on ranches all over 1092 Burns Road.

The board is considering applying for 55 acres from the Bureau of Land Management at a cost of $10 an acre. Also Tuesday, the board is scheduled to: Hear a presentation from the Spring Creek High School Select Choir. Hear a presentation from a par ent regarding achievement testing. Possibly approve a date for the first day of school for the 19992000 calendar. Possibly approve a parent involvement policy for Title I schools.

Possibly approve submitting a request to the 1999 Nevada Legislature to increase the pay-as-you-go cap from 75 cents to $1. Receive a review on an evaluation conducted oa class size reduction. Following the open meeting, the board will go into a closed session to meet with district negotiation management representatives. 3.