Elko Daily Free Press from Elko, Nevada • 12

A12F.1K0 DAILY FREE PRESS, EUro, Nevada Saturday. March 2000 Coiiforle Wire news summary: Taiwan voters elect president opposition (Rom AadrisooFree Prm) Astronaut Gregory Chamitoff, Ph.D., met with Nancy Pehrson's first-grade class at Spring Creek Elementary School on Friday and Astronautical visit: gave away photographs of the Space Shuttle to the students. He also donated a matted group of NASA photographs for the school to display. From left front are: Sierra Holcomb and Mary Jo Barry. Next row: Savannah Hamre, Alex Salazar (center), and Kylie Russell (right).

Third-Grade teacher Sherry Erwin had her students write a letter to Sen. Richard Bryan, in hopes of having an astronaut visit the school and he helped arrange Chamitojf's visit. 'Cosmetic' finishing touches put on Wells industrial park Sp: out in TV interview RENO (AP) Fugitive brothel baron Joe Conforte has interrupted a self-imposed exile with a rare interview in which he accuses federal agents of a vendetta against him and the former manager of the Mustang Ranch. Conforte also told the network that his former lawyer, Peter Perry, who testified against the ranch owners and one-time manager Shirley Colletti, was the "biggest con artist in the world." Conforte, who fled to Brazil in 1991 as the Internal Revenue Service was closing in on him for tax evasion, spoke on camera in an interview taped last year and aired this week. He said the government was out to get him at all costs and used Perry in the court case that resulted in the final closure of the brothel east of Reno in August.

"The only thing he doesnt have is two horns," Conforte said of Perry. "He is the biggest con artist in the world. He is the biggest liar in the world. Any man who cons me, which he did, is the biggest con artist in the world." Conforte, looking fit at 74, has traded his graying shock of hair for a closer crop dyed black. His raspy voice, tinged with a hint of Sicilian and New york accents, is unchanged.

Conforte said that when the government failed to extradite Conforte back to Reno, it used Perry to railroad Colletti and the corporation that took over the brothel by claiming that Conforte still ran the brothel and continued to profit from it. Conforte said that Colletti only did what Perry told her to do, and that was to send brothel profits to Mustang shareholders. "She never sent me one penny," he said. '50s reunion committee meeting set The Elko High School 1950s Reunion committee will meet at 7 p.m. Monday in room J-16 in the old junior high building, behind the old gym, on the high school campus.

The reunion, which includes all the Elko High graduating classes of the 1950s, will be held this year on Sept 1-3. Similar reunions were held in 1990 and 1995. This year's reunion will feature a golf tournament, a Reunion Horse Race during the Elko County Fair, an assembly, dance and a breakfast. Also this year, parents and siblings of class members are invited to attend. Members from each year's class are currently in the process of trying to locate classmates and would appreciate any information they can get.

Anyone wishing more information should contact Cherie Atwood, Janet Strickland, Louise Aguirre or Clarice Gamboa. eatss TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) Defying China's threats of war, Taiwanese ended more than a half century of Nationalist Party rule Saturday and elected opposition leader Chen Shui-bian to the presidency. Chen, of the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party, defeated Nationalist Vice President Lien Chan and populist independent James Soong as the Taiwanese overcame any fears of an attack by Beijing. Chen had 39 percent of the vote, with Soong second at 37 percent and Lien getting just 23 percent Beijing did not immediately comment on the result of the election, in which 82.7 percent of eligible voters participated. Thousands of Chen's followers celebrated with blaring air horns, fireworks and deafening cheers as the results flashed on a huge TV screen set up on a blocked-off street in front of his Taipei campaign office.

"We brave Taiwanese used love and hope to overcome terror and used our votes to show our determination to maintain our democracy," Chen said, in a 10-minute victory speech to rapturous supporters after paying visits to the losing candidates. Nationalists who supported Lien or Soong were somber, many of them weeping as they wondered what had gone wrong. Lien, surrounded by glum party leaders, conceded defeat on live television but offered his congratulations to Chen. "We did not work hard enough and that led to this defeat," said Lien, a stiff, professorial man who struggled to convince voters he understood the common people. Lien's concession was a sign that Taiwan would likely clear a key hurdle for all young democracies, the smooth transition of power from a ruling party to the opposition.

The island held its first direct presidential election in 1996. Pilgrims prepare to leave holy sites MINA, Saudi Arabia (AP) About 2 million Muslim pilgrims prepared Saturday to complete the annual hajj pilgrimage, gathering a last time to stone three pillars before heading to Islam's holiest shrine. Sunday is the official final day of the pilgrimage, and some devout pilgrims will stay to "stone the devil" again, but most were to finish the ritual today by performing Tawaf al-Widaa, or the "farewell circling" of the Kaaba, the cubic stone structure in the center of the Grand Mosque in Mecca. By midday in Mina, the giant ramps leading to the pillars were crowded with tens of thousands of pilgrims waiting to throw pebbles in a symbolic rejection of temptation. Authorities used public address systems to ask oncoming pilgrims in Arabic, Urdu, English and other languages to wait until the crowds cleared before approaching the ramps.

Saudi authorities are doing their best to avoid a major tragedy like the 1998 stampede at the pillars that left 180 people dead. Slaying suspect in standoff DUNDALK, Md. (AP) A man suspected of killing four people last week held at least three people hostage early Saturday at a home just outside Baltimore, authorities said. Joseph Palczynski, 3L had at least three firearms, Baltimore County police Cpl. Vickie Warehime said.

Police said the home belongs to a relative of Tracy Whitehead, Palczynski's former girlfriend, whom he is accused of briefly kidnapping last week. "We have no indication that anybody's been harmed," Warehime said. Sonny Collins, a cousin of Whitehead, said he believed her mother, her stepfather and her 12-year-old brother were in the house. "I was coming home from the grocery store and I heard a lot of gunshots," said Collins, who lives in the neighborhood. "The police tell me he was trying to shoot his way into the house." Police spokesman Bill Toohey said those shots were fired to break locks.

Police converged on the house just east of Baltimore around 9:30 p.m. Friday, and were negotiating with Palczynski by telephone. Authorities blocked off the area and evacuated residents from the block. Palczynski had broken into another home earlier and stolen weapons, Warehime said. Palczynski has been in a similar situation before.

In 1992, he kept police in Idaho at bay for 16 hours following a domestic violence complaint by a girlfriend. He was finally forced out with tear gas. will be submitted to the city within a month. Heard Supp announce a $7,553 donation from Wells Rural Electric Co. for advertising these special events in the Wells community: the Remote Airplane Fly-In, the Chariot Races, the Senior Pro Rodeo, and the Wells Car Show.

Heard Mayor Tybo congratulate the Wells Chamber of Commerce for a job well done with the Wells Chariot Races held last weekend. Heard Mayor Tybo congratulate The Wells Presenters on the success of the Patrick McManus Dinner Show Event starring Tim Behrens, held at the Wells Fire House last U.S.D.A. Forest Service Rural Community Assistance grant application, prepared by the Wells Chamber of Commerce. The $19,190 grant will fund four billboards and advertising to attract tourism to the Wells community. In other business, the council: Granted Mike and Lois Nannini and extension on a special use permit for the placement of a manufactured home on Sixth Street Heard Supp give an update on a 1998 Community Development Block Grant on wastewater treatment The grant addresses the infiltration and inflow of wastewater into the city's sewer ponds.

A final engineering report Carlin citizens nominate three for citizen award WELLS Doug Molohon of Knight Piesold Consulting told the Wells City Council this week that the Wells Heavy Industrial Park is "virtually complete" except fora few cosmetic finishing touches. Molohon said his office has given W.R. Hendersen a "punch list" of items to complete. On Friday, Molohon and City Manager Jolene Supp scheduled a walk-through and a "punch list checkout," before the city signs off on the project Supp told the council during its regular meeting on Tuesday that "as soon as the ground is workable" city crews will install the 1,800 feet of pipe needed to complete the sewer system from the industrial park to the city's main sewer system. The council also voted Tuesday to accept the donation of an airport hangar from Steve Beneto to the City of Wells.

The city gave a letter of tax credit for $202,000 to Beneto for the hangar, which is located at the Wells Municipal Airport The council agreed to discuss lease arrangements for the use of the Beneto-donated hanger at a future meeting. Beneto, of Sacramento, Calif, recently completed the construction of a new and larger hangar, for his private use, at the Wells Municipal Airport The council accepted the application for a United Way grant for $16200 for the Silver Sage Senior Center in Wells. The city also committed to matching funds if the grant is funded by United Way. The grant will continue local programs for meals at the Senior Center, the Meals on Wheels program, as well as transportation for the elderly and handicapped. The council authorized Mayor Rusty Tybo's signature on an application for a Rountree said she was aware that Brown had been bidding on and purchasing items during the ABATE auction, a fund-raiser for the club.

Rountree denied accusations from Stermitz that ABATE was associated to and stood for something connected to the Aryan brotherhood, a white supremacy group. She also denied ABATE was a motorcycle gang. Rountree said she remembered seeing Brown, Rhyne and Mendenhall in the pool table area together and that Brown came to tell her good-bye when he left Shortly after he left, Rhyne followed Brown out the door and Mendenhall positioned himself near the door, she said. Stermitz and Woodbury both showed Rountree pictures taken fiuring the auction and party by one of Rhyne trial The names of the three nominees for 1999 Carlin Citizen of the Year -Dick Rasplicka, Charles Kendrick and the Rev. Jim Luther have been released by the selection committee, and the winner will be announced at a May 13 dinner.

Location for the dinner will be confirmed later, said one of the former Citizens of the Year, "Ellen Meshefski, who said the dinner is open to everyone. "It's such an honor to be nominated," said Meshefski, Once a resident receives the Citizen of the Year Award, that person isn't eligible for nomination again, but instead becomes part of the committee that selects the Citizen of the Year each year and arranges the dinner. Nominees who don't get the top the ABATE officers. In those pictures, Rountree said Rhyne was wearing white, high-top tennis shoes. But the shoes examined for evidence of blood from Rhyne were black-and-white, low-top tennis shoes.

Dr. Amy Llewellyn had previously testified Brown was "stomped" to death, receiving 10 to 18 blows to the head, any one of which would have rendered him unconscious. Llewellyn, a Washoe County coroner who performed the autopsy of Brown's body, matched a wound found on Brown's forehead with the soles of the boots worn by Mendenhall. The doctor also testified there was another set of marks on Brown's head two parallel lines joined by several smaller marks similar to rungs of a "ladder" the cause of which National weather The AccuWeather forecast for noon, Sunday, March 19. -10 -0 0 10 20 30 40 Bands separata high 0 2000 AccuWuther, Inc.

0 wizim title, however, can be nominated again, Meshefski said. Rasplicka is a retired citizen Who is active in the Carlin senior citizens program. Kendrick is a local businessman, and Luther is the pastor of the Methodist Church in Carlin. Carlin has been honoring a citizen each year since 1988, when Linda Bingaman, the current mayor, was chosen. Drury Thiercof was the 1989 Citizen of the Year, and Will Johnston was the 1990 winner.

Other Citizens of the Year include: Robert Heath, 1991; LaVern Inzer, 1992; Meshefski, 1993; Morris Brown, 1994; Marion Redmond, 1995; Carolyn Rose, 1996; Marilou Tognarelli, 1997; and Jan Porter, 1998. remain unidentified. Randy Silicato testified yesterday he remembers Rhyne leaving that Halloween night from the boarding house that they shared wearing white, high-top Nike tennis shoes. Silicato said he distinctly remembers that night because he remained at the house with a broken foot giving out candy to trick-or-treaters. But Silicato said the pictures of, Rhyne in the bar do not show him wearing the same shoes Silicato remembers.

"I don't see the swoosh," he said, referring to the trademark symbol of the shoe company. Memeo has adopted the use of allowing jurors to question witnesses once attorneys are finished in an attempt to provide jurors with all the information they need to reach a decision in the case. He told jurors the practice has been favorably ruled on by the Nevada Supreme Court. Jurors asked Rountree to further explain the check she cashed for Brown: A personal check or a paycheck? She responded that it was an unemployment check. Jurors also asked about a second back door to the bar that was commented on briefly, wondering where it was at on an earlier sketch she made of the bar area.

She said the second back door was located off a locked office and was not accessible to any customer of the bar. She further explained, on follow-up questions by Woodbury, that both back doors the first being behind the bar each accessed the area where the crime was committed. Woodbury and Kacin also called two investigators with the Nevada Division of Investigation to testify. The investigators, John Douglas and Lt Robert Wideman, explained they assisted in collecting hair, fingernail and blood evidence from Brown's body during the autopsy. They also established the chain of custody, describing how the evidence was preserved, stored, circulated for analysis by both prosecution and defense experts, returned to storage and brought back to Elko for trial.

mm High Low Stewart Rata il- ii u. iii.i jj i ii iyt it ii Jim nun NATIONAL SUMMARY: Rain win spreadacroes the eastern halt of the nation tomorrow. Strong to eevere urjeitorms rumble through the Southeast Snow fan acroaa ie rwrlhem Rockies. Meanwhile, urweeeonably mid weather w) cover tie Plana. ChUy air linger over Nrtieest Surwfwie heal Sajlriweel 1 5M 60 70 80 Me 100a 110 temperature zones (or the day.

COLO WARM STATIONARY Snow lea Sunny Ckwdy Local summary Partly cloudy and warmer on Saturday with highs in the mid to upper 50s. Winds will increase overnight with an 80 percent chance of snow reaching the valley floors by Sunday morning. Partly cloudy skies win return Monday, and remain through Wednesday, with lows in the teens, but gradually turner warmer. Elko Statistic RKordNgh- 71,1934 Recort tow- 3,1954 Wiiwywpraclp- Tomorrow's 549 Tomomw'sturiMt- 524 NDOT road condfton. 1-877-KV-ROADS (Continued from Page AD Mendenhall, who is expected to testify in the trial that could take as a long as month, pleaded no contest to second degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder in a plea agreement with Elko County District Attorney Gary Woodbury's office.

Memeo sentenced Mendenhall to life in prison, with parole eligibility after 10 years, and to a consecutive sentence of a minimum of 22 months to a maximum of eight years in prison for his plea. Brown, Rhyne and co-defendant Mendenhall had all been attending a Halloween party at the bar, now known as the Scooter's Inn. The party was sponsored by the Elko chapter of ABATE American Brotherhood Aimed Toward Education), a motorcycle advocacy group, according to testimony provided Friday by Shanie Rountree, one of the owners of the bar. Rountree said she was attending the party with her husband, her brother and her sister-in-law, with about 20 other people. She said she had known Brown for about eight years and was called out of the bar to identify the body in the trash bin.

"He was a good friend," she said. Rountree also testified she knew both Mendenhall and Rhyne only as customers of the bar. Woodbury alleged in his opening argument Wednesday that Brown was carrying as much as $300 on him that night and robbery was the motive of the killing. Rountree testified she authorized cashing a $204 check for Brown at the bar, but didn't know how much money he already had on his person. Previous witnesses have testified $134 was found in Brown's pants, in the front right pocket Defense attorney Matt Stermitz, who is being assisted by fellow Elko attorney Jeff Kump, has been able to obtain testimony from other witnesses that Brown's pockets had not been turned out and no bloody fingerprints had been found inside Brown's pockets.

Elko FORECAST Low Zd0 High YoavdBy'i high, todays low and prt-dpftaton tor tf 244wur parted ing at midnight: Eko- 4527 Austin- 37,22 By- 4722 Las Vegas- 7550 Reno- 6CV25 Tbnopah- 6435 WWxrae- 4633 VvtowTixea- 60 40 Sal Late Cty- 4331 SanFtanosoo- 6649 Beet- 4630 Kelly Rhyne, background, focuses straight ahead as his lead attorney, Matt Stermitz, foreground, listens to testimony in the first day of Rhyne murder trial Wednesday.