Elko Daily Free Press from Elko, Nevada • 8

ELKO DAILY FREE PRESS, Elko, Nevada Monday, April 19, 1999 Railroad buffs lose office bid Putting a temporary railroad museum in the Elko Chamber of Commerce office when the chamber moves to its new home in Sherman Station would violate requirements attached to the building permit for the new wing of Northeastern Nevada Museum. Elko City Councilmen decided last week. The Northeastern Nevada Railroad Historical Society wanted to turn the chamber building into a temporary railroad museum when it becomes vacant because it must have museum front" by the end of June or lose a state grant, the society's Ray Jones told the council. However, Morris Gallagher, president of the Northeastern Nevada Historical Society, put the brakes on the railroad buffs' plan. The city council agreed when it approved plans for the new museum wing in March 1997 that the chamber office would be vacated and torn down, he said.

Although he described himself as "in sync" with the railroad group's desires, Gallagher pointed out that the space occupied by the chamber office is needed if the museum is to comply with parking space requirements the city attached to its permit for the museum's new wing. Both the council and the Elko City Planning Commission attached the parking requirements when they approved Northeastern Nevada Museum's plans more than two years ago. The museum is "just waiting for the chamber to comply with the city's requirements, Gallagher told the council. Councilman John Ellison suggested the city allow the railroaders to use space in the old fire station by the downtown train park, but his plan drew a skeptical response from City Manager Linda Ritter. The building department still uses that building, she said, as do fire department volunteers.

In addition. Ritter said, museums, even temporary ones, need to be open to the public on weekends, which would require the city to staff its offices to keep an eye on valuable equipment. The city would happily donate the chamber building to the railroad group. Councilman Glen Guttry suggested, but the society would have to shoulder the cost of moving it elsewhere. After voting 4-0.

in the absence of Mayor Mike Franzoia, to deny the railroad society's request, the council directed Ellison and Ritter to pursue Councilman Lee Hoffman's suggestion to investigate the possibility of finding temporary space for a railroad museum at Elko County Fairgrounds. Eureka lures two school candidates Ken Conley of Diamond Valley and Terry Foster of Crescent Valley have applied for the unexpired term of Eureka County School Board member Kim Plummer. Plummer handily defeated incumbent Denise Lemler to win a four year term on the school board in the Nov. 3 election. but turned in her resignation at a March 24 meeting.

The trustee filling her Seat 2B position has to be a registered voter who lives outside the township of Eureka. The school board will consider appointing Plummer's replacement at a meeting tomorrow. The replacement will serve until the next general election. in November 2000. Conley is the ranch manager for the University of Nevada, Reno.

Gund Ranch in Grass Valley. He also owns a small alfalfa farm. Conley is a member of the Eureka County Public Land Use Advisory Commission, the Eureka County Wildlife Advisory Board and was formerly a member of the Eureka County Planning Board. Conley is a 20-year Eureka County resident and has three children enrolled at Eureka High School. Foster is an operator at the Beowawe Oxbow Power Plant working a rotating seven-day schedule.

He was a Eureka County Sheriff's Department deputy at the Crescent Valley substation from August 1996 to April 1998. A 15-year U.S. Air Force veteran, Foster moved to Crescent Valley from Reno five years ago. Foster was active in organizing the Crescent Valley Youth Athletic League. he coaches and referees baseball and football.

The Fosters have two children in school. a fifth grade student at Crescent Valley Elementary School and a 10th grade student being bused to Battle Mountain High School. Dow Jones (AP) Closing Dow -Jones stock averages for Monday, April 19. Open High Low Close Chg 30 Ind 10493.8 10879.7 10284.3 10440.5 20 Trn 3531.2. 3712.1 3518.8 3566.7 15 Utl 296.0 304.4 293.7 298.4 2.27 65 Stk 3165.7 3287.9 3120.2 3166.9 1.69 Indus 144.999.100 Tran 21.014.500 Utils 15.317.900 65 Stk 181.331.500 Big Board volume at 4 p.m.

EST totaled 1.2 billion shares. against 998.29 million last session. The 500 composite was down 29.49 at 1.289.52, the Nasdaq composite was down 138.19 points at 2,345.85, the NYSE composite index fell 9.02 to 615.88 and the ASE composite index declined 10.30 to 735.11. (Ria Press) Head Start: Head Start of the Northeastern doors Nevada, a federal program that aids While young chilchildren, opened of a new building Friday afternoon. dren and bees darted between yet-unplanted pots of Scotch broom and bridal wreath shrubs, architect Jacques Errecart and volunteer Colleen Pursifull cut a ceremonial ribbon in front of Syrus Porter and his mother, Misty.

The new facility will house the Early Head Start, a program that will aid infants and their mothers. Joan Anderson, director of Head Start in Elko County, said the new building is the first stick-built structure Head Start has had here. Anderson is particularly proud of the new building, she said, because Head Start classes traditionally have been held in renovated buildings, church basements and modular buildings. "We have finally come out of the basement;" she said, adding, "this building will provide a cozy and practical learning environment." City's street work earns better 'grades' Fewer residents of Elko and its immediate surroundings are dissatisfied with the condition of the city's streets than were last year, City Manager Linda Ritter told the city council Tuesday in reporting results of the second annual "report card" on city services. Street maintenance was the only category of service in which fewer than 50 percent of the respondents gave the city a grade of passing or better or Ritter told the council.

However, in contrast to the 47 percent of respondents who "passed" the city on street repair, fully 95 percent believe the city maintains parks worthy of an A. or grade, she said. Last year, only 22 percent of respondents gave the city's streets a passing grade, the city manager pointed out. The city received 477 responses this year, Ritter said, compared with 472 last year, the first time the survey was taken. Of those, 354 reported they live within the city limits; 432 said they are registered voters; the number of male respondents was roughly equal to the number of females.

Other city services and the percentage of respondents who rated them or better are: snow removal. 67 percent; street lighting. 77 percent: fire protection. 94 percent: animal control. 79 percent; recreation programs.

83 percent: golf, 93 percent: building inspection. 80 percent: landfill, 91 percent; street cleaning. 85 percent; police protection, 89 percent: swimming pool, 84 percent; airport. 87 percent: planning and economic development, 60 percent: trash disposal. 88 percent.

In other business, the council: Awarded certificates of achievement and $50 gift certificates redeemable at a local restaurant to city employees Dean Becker and Kathy Spring for their initiative in researching cellular phone plans. Human Resources Director Curtis Calder said the pair's efforts will save the taxpayers $1,500 a year and already resulted in a refund to the city from its service provider. Allowed its employment agreement with Paul Rogers, swimming pool manager, to expire and appointed him a department head. The council also extended until Aug. 31, 2000, its concessionaire agreement with Rogers, who said he plans to retire at that time.

Extended until May 11 its deadline for payment of Group Management share of the cost of the Ruby Vista Jennings Way construction project. Ritter said TGMD Construction Inc. has assumed Group Management's obligation and is obtaining financing to cover the payment. The council also approved a two-month public improvements agreement with TGMD for its Valley View subdivision. phase four.

Approved a tentative 1999-2000 fiscal year budget for the city. Unless sales tax revenues increase, Ritter predicted the budget will be cut before a final version is approved next month. Changed the name of a portion of one of the 14th streets the one where the Veterans of Foreign Wars Gasper J. Salaz Post 2350 is located to VFW Drive. The change applies to the portion of the street between College Avenue and Oak Street.

Granted a request by Cycle America to pitch tents in the main city park for an overnight stay June Authorized City Engineer Ferron Konakis to request statements of qualifications from engineering firms willing to assist the city with a strategy for dealing with potential contamination on city land in the former Western Pacific Railroad yard and with capital improvements to the Musician John Matys dies in hospital at 80 John Matys, elite and longtime Elko resident, died Friday at Elko General Hospital. He was 80 years old, born Oct. 26. 1918. in Chester.

to Ukranian parents Harry Matys and Konstantina Kulczycka. He. entertained throughout Nevada and the United States for more than 50 years, along with his brothers. Walt. Gene and Emil, and sister.

Vera Matys Leary. He studied classical violin for 18 years and his family said his greatest pleasures were performing and making people happy with his music and teaching young people, who possibly could follow in his footsteps. Another highlight of his life was playing a Stradivarius violin at the University of Nevada, Reno, in April 1997. Over the past few years. he, Emil and Vera had recorded 10 different tapes and CDs, featuring many original songs written by John and also containing many of the Matys' humorous stories and jokes.

He served in the U.S. Navy from 1942-1946, mostly in Norfolk, 1 and Washington, D.C. Survivors include his brother. Emil of Elko; sister, Vera Leary of Reno; and 13 nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; Wire news summary: Florida highway closed by fires FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla.

(AP) South Florida's main eastwest highway was closed for a second day today as the area burned by a fire feeding on dry sawgrass in the Everglades grew to 90,000 acres. There was no indication when smoke might lift off Interstate 75, the highway known as Alligator Alley, and let authorities reopen about 60 miles of the route across the Everglades, said Florida Highway Patrol Lt. Greg Edwards. "The fires are worse now than they were two days ago," he said. "But as soon as it's safe, it will be reopened." Officials expected erratic wind and dry, warm weather to continue for the next day or two, said Gene Madden, spokesman for the state Division of Forestry.

"We expect more fires," he said. Firefighters set controlled fires to help contain the Everglades blaze. The fire produced so much dense smoke that the sky was darkened in the Fort Lauderdale and Miami area on Saturday, forcing motorists to turn on their headlights. London bombing LONDON (AP) An anonymous caller claiming to be from a neo-Nazi group told police today his organization planted a bomb that exploded Saturday in a racially mixed neighborhood of London, injuring 39 people, detectives said. Police said the call could be a hoax and they were investigating all possibilities to find out who was responsible for the device that exploded in a Brixton street market, spraying nails into shoppers.

The anonymous caller dialed the national emergency number from a telephone booth today, said Alan Fry, deputy assistant commissioner of the Metropolitan Police's anti terrorist branch. Fry said the man claimed to be from Combat 18, a neo-Nazi group that takes its name from the places in the alphabet of Adolph Hitler's initials. Iraq bombed ANKARA, Turkey (AP) U.S. fighter planes attacked Iraqi defense sites in northern Iraq on Monday after being targeted by Iraqi radar, U.S. officials said.

It was the second confrontation in the northern no-fly zone in about a month. U.S. Air Force 7-15Es dropped laser-guided bombs on radar sites in the vicinity of Mosul, according to a statement from the Incirlik Air Base in southern Turkey where American jets are based. Mosul is 250 miles north of Baghdad, the Iraqi capital. The statement said damage was being assessed.

All coalition aircraft left the area safely. On Saturday, the Iraqi armed forces said four civilians died and another was injured when U.S. jets struck Iraqi military sites in the area. Suspect survives shot RENO (AP) A Wadsworth man is recovering at Washoe Medical Center after shooting himself in the head following a standoff with police. Pyramid Lake police Sgt.

Steve Barrett said officers responded to a call Sunday and began negotiating with Mike Smith after he walked out on a porch with a rifle. Smith, 39, went back in the house then came out about two hours later, sat on a log and shot himself in the head, Barrett said. Police said Smith was on the ground for about five minutes before he got up, walked into the house and called police to say he wanted to surrender. Police then had him walk away from the house, where he was arrested. He was flown to Washoe Medical Center, where he was listed in stable condition.

Slot cheat sentenced LAS VEGAS (AP) A Louisiana man was sentenced to 33 months in prison for his role in a slot machine theft ring that won about $6 million in fraudulent jackpots. Senior U.S. District Judge Lloyd George handed down the sentence Friday to Ronnie McElveen, 60, a professional horse-race bettor. The 33-month term was at the lowest range of the sentence recommended in a pre-sentence report compiled by federal probation officials. McElveen pleaded guilty in December to conspiracy, interstate travel in aid of racketeering, money laundering and interstate transportation of stolen property.

sewage treatment plant. Approved a request by Nevada Rural Counties RSVP Inc. to use: a portion of the main city park for a fund-raising carnival May 26-30 and agreed to waive potential fees. The council also directed Ritter that it will re-examine the community support portion of the 1999-2000 budget in response to RSVP's request for financial support. Granted a request by the Make-AWish Foundation to use Riverview Park for a fund-raiser June 26.

Directed Assistant City Manager Charles Williams to prepare a plan for diagonal parking on Third. Fourth, Sixth, Seventh and Eighth streets south of Silver Street. Reappointed Dorothy Steninger and Doug Thomsen to the Downtown Revitalization Committee with Steninger to represent customers rather than business. The council also directed Ritter to advertise for a business representative to replace Steninger. Granted a request by Stanley E.

Henry of Foothill Development Co. LLC to defer utility connection fees for the planned Hilton Garden Inn until the issuance of a certificate of occupancy becomes imminent. The council directed Ritter to charge 4.5 percent interest on the deferred fees. Appointed Councilman Glen Guttry and Mayor Mike Franzoia as its primary and secondary representatives, respectively, to Elko County's planned "task force" to rewrite the interlocal agreement that created the North East Nevada Development Authority. Granted ca a request by a band called Just Another Face to perform from 6:30 to 9 p.m.

Wednesday, April 28. in the main city park. Adopted an official position in support of Senate Bill 438, which, according to a letter signed by Acting Mayor Charles Myers, "provides for timely implementation of rules and regulations for competitive electric utility services in the State of Leased 2.5 city acres at Hot Springs Road and the sewage treatment plant road to George Lewis for $250 a month for a maximum of 18 months. Granted acceptance to Heidi Culley Ortman for public improvements to Browning Way subject to posting of a one-year maintenance bond. Extended for one year the preliminary plat for Rio Vista subdivision.

A. Firebaugh dies in Reno at age of 77 Audrey Martha Webster Firebaugh, 77, a resident of Elko, died April 16 at Washoe Medical Center in Reno, according to a report in the Reno Gazette-Journal. She was born Nov. 19, 1921, in Jardine, and had lived in Elko for the past 18 months, coming from Idaho. She had been a homemaker.

Survivors include, sons, Richard Dale Moon of Elko and Stacy Lee Firebaugh of California; and daughter, Marian Gansert of Reno. She was preceded in death I by a son, William Lee Moon, on Sept. 14, 1969. Funeral services are scheduled for 1 p.m. tomorrow at Walton's Funeral Home in Reno.

National weather The forecast for noon, Tuesday, Apr. 20. -10s -08 Os 10s 20s 30s 40s 50s 60s 70s 80s 90s 100s 1108 Bands separate high temperature zones for the day. FRONTS: 1999 AccuWeather, Inc. COLD WARM STATIONARY Pressure: High Low Showers Rain T-storms Flurries Snow Ice Sunny Pt.

Cloudy Cloudy Via Associated Press NATIONAL SUMMARY: Rain will soak southern New England and the mid-Atlantic states tomorrow as a storm moves off shore. High pressure will foster cool, dry weather across the Great Lakes and Ohio Valley. Showers will straddle a front from the Carolinas to Kansas, while heat builds from Texas to Southern California. Cooler air will cover the Northwest. Elko Local summary A strong westerly flow developing FORECAST over the clouds northern Rockies will bring more with a minor threat of preLow cipitation in extreme northern Nevada.

High pressure will build off the West 37 High Coast flow tomorrow. to turn This will cause the westerly northerly over the much Great Basin by midweek, allowing cooler Canadian air to flow south Cloudy toward Nevada. brothers. Walt and Gene: and sister, Sonia Tracy, who also played with the original Matys Brothers Band. A memorial service is scheduled for 10 a.m.

tomorrow at St. Joseph's Catholic Church with the Rev. Norm King officiating. Cremation will be at Sunset Crematory, under the direction of Burns Funeral Home. In his memory, contributions are suggested to American Cancer Society, P.O.

Box 5025. Elko 89802 or the charity of the donor's choice. Ray Pirce found dead yesterday Ray Francies Pirce, 47, an employee of Silver State Rock Company, 3400 Last Chance Road, was found dead. apparently of natural causes, at 5:30 p.m. yesterday by a fellow employee, Elko County Sheriff Neil Harris reported today.

"It appeared as though Pirce got out of his vehicle. went to unlock his trailer door and collapsed," Harris said. Harris said Pirce was last seen early Friday changing a truck tire at the gravel pit. Yesterday's high, today's low and precipitation for the 24-hour period ending at midnight: Elko Austin Ely Las Vegas Reno Tonopah Wildhorse Winnemucca Salt Lake City: San Francisco Boise Elko Statistics Record high 83,1962 Record low 18,1992 Month's precipitation ..94 Water year precip 5.73 Tomorrow's sunrise 5:57 Tomorrow's sunset 7:28 NDOT road conditions 738-8888.