Thursday, July 27, 2000 | 9:31 a.m.
Ruthe Deskin is assistant to the publisher. Her column appears Thursdays. Reach her at [email protected].
Ethics: a system of moral standards and values.
Ethics Commission: an official body whose purpose is to investigate claims of unethical conduct by a public official.
Washoe County District Judge Jerome Polaha's decision in the Yvonne Atkinson Gates case: an act that effectively ties the hands of the Ethics Commission in rendering judgments.
If you recall, the Polaha decision was the result of an appeal by County Commissioner Atkinson Gates. In that case, the judge found several sections of the ethics law "unconstitutionally vague" and Atkinson Gates won her appeal.
Recently the Ethics Commission cleared City Councilman Michael McDonald of ethics violations as it floundered around with several motions, seemingly at a loss as to the extent of its power, with the Polaha decision waving a red flag.
McDonald was cleared by a 4-2 vote but not without critical assessments by some of the commissioners. McDonald was lucky. New ethics regulations adopted in 1999 were not applicable in his case. Commissioner Bill Flangas said it best: "You can skate on the edge of legality, remain marginally legal and overwhelmingly unethical."
The great computer caper at the Community College of Southern Nevada needs to be addressed seriously by the University System Board of Regents. Former CCSN leaders Richard Moore and Orlando Sandoval were responsible for "loaning" the computers to civic groups.
Commendable, but the two bypassed standard operating procedures regarding disposition of college property. It was high-handed.
It makes one wonder about some of the shenanigans that are going on with the establishment of the new state university in Henderson. Moore and Sandoval are the head honchos.
Former Clark County District Attorney Rex Bell and Sen. Harry Reid perform like movie stars in the very entertaining and informative story of Searchlight and the Walking Box Ranch.
The TV program is being shown on Channel 4's "Clark County Outdoors" series. The charming hostess takes Bell and Reid on a historic jaunt through the environs of the old mining town of Searchlight and the ranch where Rex Bell, Sr. and his beautiful wife, Clara Bow, lived for many years.
Kudos to the producers for a job well done.
Former Las Vegas News Bureau Director Don Payne had a twinkle in his eye when he appeared on "Inside Edition."
Asked about casino robberies in the old days, Payne acknowledged there were few because the thieves knew the mob would take care of them. They could end up under a cactus plant in the desert. Actually, there were casino robberies in the '50s and '60s. They were committed by the bosses.
It was called skimming!
By the by, if you believe that the church that opened near a would-be topless bar wasn't contrived, then I have two old bowling balls I will sell at bargain prices.
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