Elko Daily Free Press from Elko, Nevada • 10

A10 ELKO DAILY FREE PRESS, Elko, Nevada Wednesday, October 27, 1999 Elko II -jarf-w''! xmm (Adella HardingFree PreM) Chilfi tnrt Youngsters Raven Montelaro and Colten Buckner get some help from Christine nuu are Herring yeft director and teacher, and teacher Hydee Knudsen at the new Faith Child Care Center at 1250 Lamoille Highway, Suite 1047. The center for children ages 4 to 6 of all faiths is non-profit, but there are weekly or daily fees to cover expenses. The center will take walk-ins, too, but only after children are registered. Herring also said registration fees are being waived for the first three months. Preschool activities are incorporated throughout the day for the youngsters, she added.

The center is open weekdays from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., but on weekends, the toys are put away to turn the large room into a church for Faith Lutheran worshippers. The child care center phone number is 778-3388. Wire news summary: First budget surplus since Eisenhower WASHINGTON (AP) Declaring "the book on deficits" is closed, President Clinton said today the federal government posted a budget surplus of $123 billion last fiscal year, recording the first back-to back surpluses since Dwight Eisenhower was president The surplus for the fiscal year that ended Sept 30 followed a $69.2 billion surplus in 1998, the first time the government had finished in the black since 1969. Almost all the surplus is from Social Security taxes.

Clinton said the surplus is the largest in American history, and credited it to his economic policies, "We have closed the book on deficits and opened the door on a new era of economic opportunity," he said. "If we seize this historic moment, we can now create a generation of prosperity." The two consecutive budget surpluses marked the first time the government has managed that feat since 1956 and 1957 during the Eisenhower administration. Despite the surpluses, the government still has a $5 trillion debt. Rep. Bill Archer, R-Texas, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, called the surplus a victory for GOP fiscal Mapes demolition RENO (AP) The city council has given the final go-ahead for the demolition of the historic Mapes Hotel on Super Bowl Sunday.

The 52-year-old hotel casino now has a date with the wrecking ball at 8 a.m. on January 30. The council voted to set up a public viewing area but rejected proposals to make a celebration out of the event Historic preservationists tried for years to save the 12-story brick building on South Virginia Street along the banks of the Truckee River. But no one ever came up with the needed money. Some business leaders wanted to promote the implosion of the Mapes as a tourist attraction on the busy Super Bowl weekend.

But the council decided Tuesday night to bring it down with min-imal hoopla. "There's no need to make a spectacle of it," Councilman Bill Newberg said. Mayor Jeff Griffin said earlier he opposed a big promotion because he didn't want to rub it in the face of those who lost the battle to save the hotel. "I just want to make sure it's a public process with a safe place set aside to watch," Councilman David Aiazzi said Tuesday night. Athletic commission appointment CARSON CITY (AP) Longtime Las Vegas business executive Amy Ayoub was named yesterday by Gov.

Kenny Guinn to the Nevada Athletic Commission. Ayoub, a fight fan who started going to boxing matches at age seven with her grandfather, replaces Dr. Jim Nave who retired after 11 years on the panel. "I hope will be able to end any remaining misconception that boxing is only a man's sport and pave the way for more women to play prominent roles in such prestigious and high-profile organizations," Ayoub said. She takes over from Nave on Nov.

1 following Friday's scheduled commission meeting to discuss Mike Tyson's latest antics in the ring. The panel will decide whether to take any action against him for a late blow that prematurely ended his fight with Orlin Norris after the first round Saturday night. University funding CARSON CITY tAP) A' new state panel" began1 its' reriew today of funding formulas for Nevada's universities- and community colleges with the chairman warning against a north-south "tug of war" for money. Senate Majority Leader Bill Raggio told other panel members that such sectionalism "serves no useful purpose" in the effort to achieve funding equity. The Committee to Study the Funding of Higher Education was authorized in a 1999 measure allocating a $150,000 study of funding formulas within the University and Community College System of Nevada.

Raggio, R-Reno, said he made a commitment for the study to representatives of the UNLV Foundation, whose members had expressed a concern about an imbalance caused by formulas created through a legislative study authorized in 1985. The 12-member funding committee's efforts expand on a study earlier this year by university regents. Lander Comnty ftindiing landfill closure program Less, rate dips CARSON CITY (AP)- Nevada's unemployment rate held steady at 4.2 percent between August and September, equal to the national rate and lower than neighboring California's September rate of 4.9 percent The Elko County rated dipped a bit to 4 percent. There were about 39,600 Nevadans out of work in September, down from 41,400 in August. There were 985,600 people working in Nevada during September, up from 977,300 a month earlier.

A Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation report Wednesday shows a generally stable state economy and many job opportunities. But mining was down 100 workers; construction was down 500 workers; and finance-insurance-real estate was down 300 employees in September. On a month-to-month basis, the casino-related service industry was up 600 jobs; trade was up 900; manufacturing was up 200; and transporta tion-utilities was up M). Government was up 7,200 jobs mainly due to schools reopening. The metropolitan Las Vegas unemployment rate in September was 4.4 percent, down slightly from 4.5 percent from August.

In the Reno area, the seasonally adjusted September jobless rate was 2.8 percent, also down slightly from an August rate of 3 percent. The state report also showed 4.1 percent in Carson City and 3.7 percent in the Elko-Eureka counties area. Monthly rates for other areas of the state aren't available from DETR, but a July-September quarterly onalvcie chrmrorl Hnnlinoc in mncf rf the state's outlying counties compared with the same quarter in 1998. Fit A in j. ww m.

sv looking for The City of Elko Board of Supervisors approved a job description for the new Airport Opera tionsMaintenance Officer position during its regular meeting Tuesday. me poamuir'TOUiu''aHow'Mirpurr, Director Chris, Jensen.to devote.more of his time managing the facility, rather than performing routine operational and maintenance activities. Assistant City Manager Charles it 1 1 ai Williams saiu me new uineer uosmun would cut down on the amount of money the city spends out of the public works budget to maintain the "The maintenance officer position would allow the airport to become self-sufficient during snow removal and maintenance activities, relying jess on public works," said Williams. "The airoort is the largest asset the city has and there is currently one person operating it." The new Airport OperationsMaintenance Officer will represent the Airport Director in matters nnnnarnina oil nraHnnc rf trio air port, perform a broad range of inside and outside maintenance activities and perform a wide variety of professional, administrative, analytical and management support duties, Williams The pay range for the position is between $26,507 and $30,723, depending on qualifications. JOJM In other business, the Lander County Commission: Appointed Joy Brandt to the Great Basin Development District, completing the four-member board.

While the county previously scrambled to fill this board, which is necessary to obtain the U.S. Economic Development Administration funds, the board now had to choose from Brandt and another applicant, Patsy Waits, of Austin, the Pony Express Territory representative to the Nevada Commission on Tourism. The other Great Basin Development District members from Lander County are Debbie Carone, Lois Cutler and County Commissioner Mickey Yarbro. Approved a $2,100 grant request for the town of Kingston to perform an audit, expected to cost $5,100. A separate Jitidit is needed for the town of Kingston, since county commissioners no longer sit on the town board.

Approved buying a $11,195 micros-film scanner for the county recorder's office. for the Austin landfill. The money will be drawn out of taxes on the net proceeds of mining. The Battle Mountain landfill had a life of 12 years when it was opened in October 1997, Lander County Manager Bonnie Duke said, of which about 10 years remains. The Austin landfill has a life of 50 years.

The Eureka County Commission voted to put $33,639 per year into a landfill closure fund for 15 years. Eureka County elected to include $3,100 in annual insurance premiums in the event landfill closure costs exceed engineer's estimates of $1.4 million for closure of the Eureka landfill and $441,000 for post-closure monitoring The City of Elko, City of Mesquite, Humboldt County and Pershing County also 'participate ill' the prb gram. Elko landfill operator Evan Dodson estimated the city pays about $100,000 per year into the landfill closure program. The city landfill has a 25-year life span, he said. traffic nsesteo Nevada National weather The AccuWeather forecast for noon.Thursday, Oct.

28. ren i i eze ByMarkWaite County officials who paid out large chunks of money to open their landfills to comply with strict federal regulations that took effect Oct 9, 1997, are now starting to contribute to a fund to plan for when those landfills will be closed. Lander County Commissioners Monday became the latest to participate in a landfill closure and post-closure program, agreeing to a letter of intent with American International Specialty Lines Insurance Co. Lander County will contribute $87,499 to the fund this year $55,203 for the Battle Mountain landfill closure, $3296 for the Austin landfill. The exact amount of Lander County's annual payments will be determined after a revised landfill closure program te'approved'tty Nevada' Department of Environmental Protection.

WESTEC consultants estimated Lander County would need $518,815 in closure and post-closure costs for the Battle Mountain landfill and $456,971 even in ByMarkWaite The wide use of pagers, taxi radios and other electronic equipment is leading to more congestion in the airwaves, even in remote central Nevada, Lander County Sheriff Mike Kranovich told county commissioners Monday his deputies working in Southern Lander County have been receiving interference on radio transmission from Washoe County's pager service that makes deputies traveling on the road sometimes unable to communicate with dispatchers. Tom Bunch, a consultant with raffle aids 1997, at their 991 Southside Dr. residence. The children, who suffered facial and hand burns, were pulled from the burning house by Elko police Officer Mark Butterfield and Ron Larson, a neighbor. The Bond children, with their mother Lori Bryant, now live in Carson City and have been selected to receive benefits from the fund-raiser, said Patrick Tatro, chairman of the Bash Benefit Committee.

The children have surgery every six months to repair the damage done by the fire and the Shriners Organization pays medical costs, but Bryant must quit her job to care for them after the surgery. Raffle winners do not have to be present at the event which begins at noon at the Ormsby House and will be hosted by Lt Gov. Lorraine Hunt Nevada Day Grand Marshal Patty Sheehan and the Nevada Commission on Tourism. Grand prize are two Super Bowl tickets, round-trip airline tickets to Atlanta and hotel rooms. First prize is a trip for four, including air, hotel and tickets, to Disneyland.

Second prize is $500. Radio Bowl Super 10s -OS 0 10 20s 30 40t Bands separate high 0 1999 AccuWssthsr, Inc. a High Low Showtrs Rtln T-storms victims of Elko fire is CO remote Lambda Communications, said the sheriffs department frequency can be changed from 154.995 megahertz to 154.815 MHz, but it will take time; the Federal Communications Commission turned that function over to a private company. Sheriff Kranovich said it would also require buying new crystals for sheriffs department, ambulance and fire department radios, retuning the mountain top repeaters and repro-gramming mobile and portable radios. Nevada Highway Patrol is already on a separate frequency, he said.

"FCC won't get involved unless you're interfering parties within a 75-mile radius," Kranovich told commissioners. The FCC doesn't understand the situation out west, Kranovich said, where high-elevation repeater sites like Bunker Hill (at 11,474 feet, near Kingston Canyon) and Mount Lewis (at 9,680 feet south of Battle Mountain) make it is easy to pick up interference from other transmit-ters. The interference from other transmitters is commonly referred to as "walking over" other frequencies. The mountainous terrain in Nevada, however, limits sheriffs deputies to using the peaks for transmissions, he said. "The worst case we had was in Austin a month and a half ago," Kranovich said.

"I had an officer on a felony car stop. He called in for assistance and he was walked right off the radio. Austin has been our worst problem. Up here it hasn't been too bad, we get it occasionally." Bunch said the Washoe County pager service transmits from Virginia Peak, Slide Mountain and Red Peak. A fourth tower is being installed at Fox Mountain near Gerlach.

The Washoe County system also interferes with transmissions by law enforcement agencies in California, Bunch said. Every time they sent out a pager message it has to be sent three times, he said. "They now have over 2,000 pagers on this system," Bunch said. "It's definitely a safety issue. Hopefully we can resolve this before we get in a situation someone can't get out of." Kranovich said every time the FCC reviews a new license, it often requires expensive upgrades of equipment.

Bunch said the new sheriffs department frequency license application will require a waiver from requirements on effective radiated power, the height above average terrain and service area radius. Kranovich said the National Sheriffs Association is pushing to reserve frequencies for law enforcement. T'v'V Bunch said Washoe officials told him they already spent a lot of money on infrastructure and don't want to change their frequency. The FCC strongly urges licensees to make every effort to work out inter- ference problems among themselves, he said. "FCC really needs to wake up to what they're doing out here," Kranovich said.

"Police frequencies have never been protected so no one else can come in there." In a related matter, commissioners approved a three-month lease agreement with Southwest Gas Corp. on Mount Lewis at $125 per month and a $125 reservation fee. Venus Pierce dies in Elko at age 81 Venus John Pierce, who was visiting in Elko, died yesterday in his room at a local hotel. He was 81 years old. He was born Feb.

22, 1918, in Crab Orchard, to Venus Vern and Marie Blum Pierce. He had been a farmer and had been a veteran of service with the Air Force during World War H. Survivors include a son, Dennis Pierce of Elko. No local services are planned. The remains will be transported to Gibbon, for services and burial will be in Fairbury Cemetery, Fairbury, Neb.

Burns Funeral Home is handling local arrangements. NATIONAL SUMMARY: A storm moving through the West will bring rain and cooler weather to the Northwest tomorrow. Snow is expected in the Cascades and northern Rockies, while rain falls along the Northwest coast. Showers will occur as far south as central Nevada. High pressure in the central and eastern United States will promote sunshine in those regions.

50 60s 70s 60s 90s 10Os 110s temperature zones for the day. FRONTS: COLD WARM STATIONARY fo Fhirrtw Snow les sunny Pt. Cloudy Cloudy Local summary High clouds will spread across the Great Basin today as a cold front approaches from the West. That cold front will sweep across the Great Basin tonight and Thursday, bringing showers and much cooler weather. High pressure will allow for dry and near normal temperatures to return this weekend.

Elko Statistics Record high 79,1990 Record low- 9,1954 Month's precipitation .02 Water year pradp- .02" Tomorrow's Tomorrow's tuneet- 5:45 NrXDTroadcondWona 738-8888 Tickets to the Super Bowl XXXIV in Atlanta are the grand prize in a raffle to help two former Elko children burned in a 1997 fire and will be awarded Saturday at Nevada's kick-off to its 15-month millennium celebration. Kelly Sutherland, a State Farm insurance agent has the $10 raffle tickets available at his 940 Idaho Street office. Tickets will be sold in Elko until 3 p.m. Friday so the stubs can get to Carson City for the Bash Benefit celebration Saturday. Stephanie and Trevor Bond were severely burned when a fire broke out in the early morning hours of Jan.

17, Dow Jones NEW YORK (AP) A rally in the bond market carried over to stocks today, lifting financial shares and pulling the Dow industrials out of a narrow trading range. At trip Hose of trading on Wall Street the Dow Jones industrial average was up 92.76 at 10,394.89. Much of the rally came in the final hour of trading. Broader stock indicators were mixed. Bond prices rose for the first time in a week today after a report in Europe suggested the European Central Bank may raise interest rates on Nov.

4, making its own effort to hold off inflation before it endangers economic growth. Elko FORECAST Low Sunny Yesterday'! high, today's low and pra- 38 Hi9h 50 dpitation tor trw 24-hour Ing at midnight Elko- 7428 Austin- 6947 By- 7330 Las Vegas- 8259 Reno- 7239 Tonopah- 7040 Wilctiorse- 6031 VvTnnemucca- 7629 Salt Late City- 7347 San Francisco- 6254 Boise- 7532 Public Notice The Board of County Commissioners, County of Efco regular midmxith meeting tor November 1999 wW be held Wednesday November 17, 1999 in Carfin, Nevada, at the Carlin City Hall, 101 S. 8th Street, Beginning at 1:30 p.m. (PST).