The Millionaire continues tonight at 9, 8 Central on ABC.
Team Inside Las Vegas begins now.
Home safe, a Las Vegas boy is back with his father, saved from a man police say is a kidnapper.
The Aladdin rises again, now promising a big benefit for local shoppers.
It was to help these children, you know, and the battered women.
Metro expands its investigation into an accused Valley scam artist.
And he is charged with stealing more than $45,000 from one woman and police say there are even more victims.
I'm Mark Sayer.
And I'm Allison McCarthy.
News 13's Christine Connolly joins us live now with details on this growing investigation and how not to become a victim.
Christine?
Allison, Metro, the Attorney General's office and the FBI are all investigating one man.
They believe for the past two years he's been scamming people here in the Valley.
Telling one victim to make her checks out to a charity with the acronym, Cash.
Or if I testify, I'm going to put him in jail for the rest of his life.
It started with a phone call asking for a $500 donation.
After three months, 81-year-old Kay Garsky's contributions ballooned to $50,000, cash she thought was going to charity.
Well, it was to help these children, you know, and the battered women.
And I'm just gullible and want to help people, I guess.
Kay says she dealt with three people claiming to represent a group called Child Advocacy and Society for the Handicap, or Cash.
I only met Paul Stevens in person.
I never talked to him on the phone except maybe three times.
And he sounded like Paul Stevens.
Mike Singleton sounded different.
So did Alfonso.
He had a very gravelly voice.
Those are the only three I talked to.
We really do believe that there was only one person.
In this particular scam, three names have been identified, but we've only been able to trace it to one person.
A man known by many is Garrett Thomas.
The Attorney General's office doesn't know his real name, but they are charging him and his 20 aliases with unregistered telemarketing and theft by false pretenses.
As for Kay, she says the next time her phone rings, she won't be donating.
I say I'm sorry.
I'm on Social Security and I'm over 80 and I don't have any money.
The Attorney General's office tells us they believe Kay is the only victim of this fake charity, but Metro says they are investigating.
Garrett Thomas with some other possible scams.
Now as far as how to protect yourself, they say never give out your information over the phone and always check out a charity before you give.
Reporting live, I'm Christine Conley, News 13, inside Las Vegas.
And late today, Garrett Thomas called News 13 with a response to these allegations.
He says, quote, the only money that ever changed hands came from my hands to theirs.
These are disgruntled former business associates, end quote.
Thomas also says there was no charity known as cash and no scam.
He says he has a court appearance on Tuesday.
Police say that a fatal accident was no accident at all.
A bicyclist died in the hit-and-run crash just off Okee near Rainbow Boulevard.
It's right next to Bonanza High School. Some witnesses only heard the three men cursing at one another after a traffic run-in.
Crime scene analysts marked where the bicycle and the rider landed.
Paramedics rushed the rider to the hospital. He died soon after that, however.
We looked around the corner. That's when we saw the bicycle laying in the street and that's when we thought it must have been that pickup truck that hit him.
And if I knew that, I would have jumped on my motorcycle and chased him.
Police say the two men in the teal truck backed up more than a half a block and backed right over the man on the bicycle.
Officers are still looking for those men.
A bizarre twist today in the case of a man accused of drunk driving and causing a deadly crash.
This morning, a judge denied the public defender representing Otis Haley from being withdrawn from the case.
The lawyer asked to be removed because of an undisclosed conflict of interest, but the judge said no.
Police say Haley hit a 51-year-old man from South Dakota as he walked with his wife near the strip last November.
Haley's trial will begin next week.
And a father and son are reunited tonight, home safely after police catch a kidnapper who planned to take that boy to Africa.
That's right. Investigators caught the suspect during a routine traffic stop in Memphis, Tennessee.
Right now, News 13's Bernard Watson joins us live at the home of the little boy.
Bernard, how was the boy's first day back with his father?
Mark, it's been a day filled with joy and happiness for Gabriel and Ty A.
And as you can see, all Gabriel's friends are out here tonight to welcome him back as well.
After a quick trip to the doctor this morning, it was all fun and games for Gabriel and Ty A this afternoon as Gabriel got a chance to ride his favorite bike.
Five-year-old Gabriel Cofale and his father Ty A let the good times roll Thursday.
Great. Great. I feel great.
He has a good reason to feel that way.
48 hours earlier, it looked like he may never run with his son again.
Police say Gabriel was kidnapped by his uncle.
I was unconscious at that time. I didn't think that I'm going to see my son alive.
Saturday, Gabriel's uncle picked him up from his home here for a routine weekend visit.
He was supposed to return Sunday evening, but instead, 48 hours later, they both ended up in Tennessee.
Wednesday, Memphis police caught the suspect and the boy during a routine traffic stop.
They say the two were on their way to Africa. Ty A immediately jumped on a plane to meet his boy.
When I asked him, why did you run away from me, he said that was not my idea.
I just wanted to come home.
Ty A says when they got home last night, Gabriel played with his toys and took a bath. That's not quite the way Gabriel remembers it.
That is not the truth.
What is the truth? I didn't wash your body last night.
Well, you did, but you don't know about my toys.
As you can imagine, Gabriel and Ty A plan to spend a lot of time together over the next several days.
Reporting live from Swinson and Twain, Bernard Watts, News 13, Inside Las Vegas.
Thanks, Doctor. Having a good time, Bernard.
In the meantime, the suspect in this case, Tashalel Megibu, is behind bars in Memphis.
He's expected to be extradited here to Las Vegas where he will face felony kidnapping charges.
Allison?
A local company dedicated to feeding low-income children here in the Valley wants to get back on its feet again.
The Smart Start summer food service program asked a judge to reinstate the program.
State leaders canceled the contract, claiming Smart Start did not keep adequate financial records and wanted reimbursement for unallowable expenses.
Smart Start has been feeding children since 1993.
More local news now.
Lawmakers are not budgeting when it comes to their budget for education.
School district leaders say they need the funds to reduce the size of special education classes, as mandated by the Board of Education.
They say that's impossible without more money.
But the Interim Finance Committee said no, and now schools will be forced to cut other programs.
And according to some in the district, increase some class sizes.
Lawmakers are spending money to try to make it.
They decided to spend nearly $800,000 on a public relations campaign to get Nevadans to participate in the census.
The vote came after Governor Kenny Gwynn testified that the state stood to lose $400 million over the next decade if Nevada residents were undercounted.
Well, if you've ever had to visit Las Vegas City Hall or the Clark County Courthouse for a traffic ticket or other minor offense, well then you already know how crowded and confusing things can get.
But now, as News 13's Steve Coopy reports, there's serious talk of making some big changes that could save taxpayer dollars as well.
This is a waiver. You're waiving your right to go into court.
What exists now is an often confusing and frustrating system of two different courts that handle misdemeanor violations.
I think it's ridiculous. I think they need to speed up the system or come up with a new system to make it convenient for everybody else.
The system as it stands involves the Municipal Court for the City of Las Vegas and the Justice Court that covers the county.
And it is not unusual for offenders to arrive at the wrong courthouse.
Now, after years of talking about it, a formal study has been approved to analyze the idea of consolidating those courts into one potentially better and cheaper organization.
Las Vegas City Councilman Gary Reese voted in favor of conducting the study, but he is not a fan of merging the two courts.
Because nobody's ever showed me in the five years that I've been there that it's a cost-saving measure.
And if they can sit down and show me where we can really save a large amount of money by combining the courts, I feel like I lose.
The city would likely lose much of its control over a combined court since the larger justice court system handles a much wider variety of crimes.
And it could take five to seven years to complete the merger.
Even if consolidation does not ever happen, we are guaranteed of one major improvement in less than two years.
That's because a new regional justice center is being built.
And, Allison, that means the two courts, instead of being some three blocks apart, will at least be located physically together on the same floor in the same building.
That would be nice, although we hope we never have to go down there anyway.
Still lots of questions, though.
You're right. Thanks, Steve.
Nevada Congressman Jim Gibbons is throwing his support behind presidential candidate George W. Bush.
The conservative Republican says he's been wavering between the Texas governor and his competitor, Senator John McCain of Arizona, but has finally made up his mind.
Gibbons says he's respected McCain's war record but disagreed strongly with McCain's belief that the federal government should step up gambling regulations.
Time now for your first forecast.
News 13 chief meteorologist Ted Texter in the Next Round Neighborhood Weather Center.
Hey, Ted.
Hello, Allie. It is a beautiful evening out there.
Our live Stratocam will confirm that fact as we look down upon the valley floor.
And we take a look at some numbers down upon the valley floor. 64 right now, 8 p.m., 59, 49 by midnight, light and variable breezes.
Good-looking moonlit night. Full forecast is coming up. Mark and Allie.
Okay, sounds good.
Well, there are definitely some top 10 lists that Nevada would like to stay off of.
And the suicide rate is one of those lists. At 623, see a brand new plan to save lives.
Who are the most memorable contestants on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? Regis' final answer will have that at 615.
And the first at 613, literally a free throw and not from a basketball player either.
And next, the scoop on the first new mega resorts open in Las Vegas in the new century.
I'll have a live report.
And we will have those stories and so much more when News 13 at 6 o'clock continues.
More clues to the mystery of Alaska Air Flight 261.
Learn what investigators have discovered about the plane's last minutes.
Also, can this box help you out when your car won't start?
Contact 13 puts it to the test. New at 630 on News 13.
Frog start something.
Oh, remember this? The Aladdin, as it came tumbling down nearly two years ago.
Now the date is set for the new Aladdin to open its doors August 17th.
Can't believe it's time for that already. It will be the first mega resort to open on the strip this century.
That's right. And as usual, the developers are promising it will be unlike anything we've ever seen before.
News 13's Mark Martinez is in live, Chopper 13 with ZoomCam with some details on the resort just released today, Mark.
Yeah, it sounds like we've heard that one before, haven't we, Mark?
But the latest addition to the Las Vegas skyline is now just six months away from opening its doors.
You can see what we're talking about right now. It's the 2600 Room Aladdin.
It sits on 34 acres on the east side of the Las Vegas Strip just south of Paris and across the street from the Bellagio.
The theme here will be 1001 Arabian Nights.
Here's a few other details about the resort now.
It will feature a 100,000 square foot casino, a half a million square foot mall that's called the Desert Passage, a remodeled 7,000 seat performing arts center.
You might remember that's the only thing that was left over when the original Aladdin was imploded, and 14 world class restaurants.
Of course, you'll find the expected mega resort amenities as well, like extensive meeting space and a nightclub.
All of this is costing Aladdin Gaming a whopping $1.3 billion.
And in this day and age of trying to keep up with the winds, Aladdin executives promise their hotel casino will offer the desert's most exciting and expansive list of amenities.
Of course, I guess we'll have to wait and see until this place opens its doors this summer.
I'm Mark Martinez in Live Chopper 13.
And at least 3,500 people will be employed at the new Aladdin.
That hiring process is expected to begin in the middle of next month.
Seems like old times.
Well, its popularity spread like wildfire. It seems everyone wants to be a millionaire these days.
Let's go behind the scenes of this popular show.
Plus, neighbors filed a police report about this snow woman.
Learn why they want it to simply melt away.
Can't imagine why, Ted.
Hmm. Any snow, any 70s? Full forecast. It's coming up.
Look at all these letters, bro.
Last year, Congress started the debate, how to make sure all seniors have prescription drug coverage so we can all afford our medicines.
And now there's good news.
Seniors are joining hands to support new plans in Congress based on the work of the National Bipartisan Medicare Commission.
Plans that help seniors who have private drug coverage to keep it.
And seniors who need it to get it.
Knowing we're all covered. That's peace of mind.
Let's join hands.
Finding.
An architecture student at the University of Wisconsin will get free tuition for the next three years for this.
The 25-year-old sank three half-court shots in a row during halftime.
He says it was merely luck that he made it.
His only organized basketball experience was one year of intramurals in high school and until last night, and there we go again, he says he didn't even want to take part in the contest.
He changed his mind.
Tuitions for three years, not bad.
Can you imagine?
That's great.
Well, there's certainly one contest nearly everyone wants to be a part of these days.
That's the program Who Wants to be a Millionaire?
Indeed. The nighttime game show has become a phenomenon.
And new surteens, Ken Hamilton joins us now with an inside look at the stars. Ken?
Mark, according to the producers, what makes Millionaire so special is the many unique faces you see on your TV, the contestants.
They all have different personalities, but one goal, to strike it rich.
By now, everyone in America probably knows the star of Who Wants to be a Millionaire is host Regis Philbin.
But you could say that the co-stars of the show are the contestants themselves.
From all walks of life in all parts of the country, it's the person in the hot seat and how they handle all that pressure that gives Millionaire its drama.
What's fresh about the show is the fact that you never know who is going to be sitting in the chair opposite me and what they bring to the table.
Whether they're a quiet personality or a buoyant personality, you just never know.
There have been hundreds of contestants so far, but a few have been especially memorable.
Then, of course, there was the million-dollar winner, the IRS man, Cold as Ice.
This is the final answer heard all around the world. He's won a million dollars!
With all that money on the line, the show's second-million-dollar winner, Dan Blonsky, didn't crack under the pressure either.
You just won a million dollars!
And, of course, we had a wild kind of a guy on from New York City, Jason Blot, just recently.
Her brother Regi plays for the Indiana Pacers. She, I believe, played for USC. They both play basketball.
You know, I think one of the reasons our format works is it doesn't rely on giving away hundreds of thousands of dollars in order to have drama.
It makes sense that the most memorable people have been the ones who have won the most money.
But Davy says the best contestants aren't always the biggest winners.
I remember Jane Oviatt was sitting right in that fastest-finger chair over there when she, you know, won the fastest finger and gave us one of the most ecstatic reactions we've ever had.
Jane Oviatt!
As the millionaire phenomenon keeps on rolling, people will keep on calling, looking for their chance in the spotlight and their shot at a million dollars.
And if you want to be a contestant, call the toll-free number on your screen, 1-800-433-8321.
Call soon. The cutoff date is February 9th. Ken Hamilton, News 13, Inside Las Vegas.
Yeah, but we don't qualify, Ken. Thanks a lot. You can catch Who Wants to Be a Millionaire tonight at 9 o'clock, right here on News 13.
I can actually answer some of those questions. Well, a so-called work of art is getting mixed reviews from some folks in Yakima, Washington.
She's called the Lady in Red an anatomically correct snowwoman. Her creators' neighbors don't like the display, saying it is inappropriate for kids to see.
One neighbor even filed a police report about the incident, but for now, this snowwoman isn't going anywhere.
I've never seen the pixels there over a snowman before. That's funny.
The only snowman here, Chief Meteorologist Ted Texture, he's got all his clothes on.
How's the forecast shaping up, Ted? We saw the real video back in the back. No, I'm just kidding. I didn't even know it was coming on.
Weather forecast is shaping up great around here. We've got a few clouds that will be passing through the next couple of days, but really no big deal.
We're zooming in on the southwestern United States. One band of cloud cover passing us by. Here comes yet another one.
Most of the moisture from this, however, will be rained or snowed out back in the Sierra Nevada.
And here at home, we're going to be mainly dry. Some clouds coming in, mainly high clouds.
Really not much breeze overall, either. And the real cool stuff, it's well north of us.
Some moisture back out farther to the west, analyzing on the radar scope. Some rain and some snow.
Again, in the mountains and back to the coast. But by the time any of it makes it here, it'll just be too light.
Maybe at the very peak of the spring mountains, up at about 10,000 feet, might see a sprinkle or two of snow, but nothing more than that.
They're getting a lot more than that through the Great Lakes, as is per normal this time of year.
And as well through the Ohio River Valley all the way to the coast, as the moisture sinks a little farther south, turns into rain.
But a lot of this is snow. There's rain down in Florida. There's rain west of us. In the middle, not too much going on.
And all the while, we stay dry. That just brings you up to speed on what's going on across the rest of the country.
Here at home, 61 degrees on the hour at the airport. North breezes blowing perometer fairly high.
And humidity not real high at all. So we're comfortable. We're dry and we should stay that way.
High pressure off farther to the east of us. Kind of elongated across the north and central United States down to the south, too.
The moisture, it will be shooting to the north of us for the most part. A lot of the energy as well.
But we'll keep an eye on the clouds. With some partly cloudy skies, we're up to 65. Today, 67 degrees.
So more bragging rights for the Chamber of Commerce. 40 was our morning low this morning, comparing very favorably with 61 and 37.
That's normal for this time of year. And we're gaining a couple of minutes of sunlight each day.
Watering times want to bring you up to speed on that, too. This is recommended watering times across the Valley.
Two times a week. It's all you need to water right now. And in the Pahrump Valley, nine minutes. Boulder City, ten minutes there.
Low temperature, 41 degrees tonight. A partly cloudy sky. Cool evening, cool night. Low or high rather, tomorrow 65.
Light winds throughout this time period into tomorrow night down to 42. Partly cloudy, seven day planner.
Did I mention the 70s? I think I did earlier on. Oh, yes. By Monday, 70s. We're in a shoot for now.
We might have to turn the cooler back on. Oh, yeah. Thanks, Ted. Thanks, one. Awesome.
Thanks, brother. You can thank me. Thanks for both of you. Imagine how different your life would be if you had to spend half of it in a coma.
Well, one woman doesn't have to imagine she lived through it. Her incredible story. Coming up next.
Plus preventing suicide, new help for Nevada struggling to save lives. We'll have that when New 13 at 6 o'clock comes right back.
Meteorologist Ted Texter holds the seal of approval of the American Meteorological Society.
Eureka! The Colonel's had another breakthrough. There's a new s-
News 13 continues with Inside Health.
Inside Health and Ida. A helpline is expanded to assist Nevadans in crisis.
Reno's call center has run a hotline for years. Now they are creating a new toll-free line specifically for people considering suicide.
The number will be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week to handle the growing crisis.
Nevada's suicide rate is more than double the national average.
More Inside Health. After 16 years, a California woman comes out of her coma.
And now she's being reunited with family who never lost hope.
And I ran over to her and she gave me the strongest hug and she kissed me and told me, I love you, Mom.
Patricia Bull suffered a brain injury during childbirth. Doctors said she would live in a vegetative state forever, but nobody ever gave up.
And now she is shocking the world by not only coming out of her coma, but by making incredible strides.
Patricia's family says they believe her recovery is a miracle.
Finally, Inside Health tonight. Experts say this is the worst flu and cold season they have ever witnessed.
And instead of turning to the doctors for help, millions of Americans are now logging on for treatment advice.
Just take a look at the numbers here. More than 60 million adults say they regularly seek health information on the Internet.
For popular sites, that's as much as a 700% increase.
Right now, there are more than 15,000 health sites available online.
It is recommended, however, that you check with your doctor before radically changing your medical treatment or any type of prescriptions.
Also, Inside Health, you feel miserable. But what are you really suffering from? A cold, the flu or allergies?
How to tell the difference? New at 6.30. But first in sports, Trevor Diggs tries to find a shot before Saturday.
Ron has more on that next on News 13.
More clues to the mystery of Alaska Air Flight 261.
Learn what investigators have discovered about the plane's last minutes.
Also, can this box help you out when your car won't start?
Contact 13 puts it to the test. New at 6.30 on News 13.
...for News 13 Inside Las Vegas, brought to you by Titan Stairs, Inc.
Proud to be a community partner, growing with Southern Nevada.
Now, News 13's Inside Sports with Ron Futrell.
Well, if the Rebels can make their shots, they've got a chance against Utah on Saturday. Sounds like an obvious statement there.
So, we'll be a little more specific. If Trevor Diggs can make his shots, the Rebels could beat the Utes.
Diggs has hit another slump lately. He's hitting only 32% of his shots this year.
Certainly, he doesn't feel... he does the other things well on the basketball court right now. But his shooting has hit the skids.
You know, I rarely coach missed shots, you know, and I think Trev learned, you know, he's starting to figure out, even when he doesn't shoot the ball well, he can help us win games.
It seems like your mechanics are still real strong. You're doing the right things. You're doing everything you need to. It looks good until it gets up there towards the rim.
Well, where do you go from here?
Just gotta keep on playing, man, you know what I'm saying? I can't really... I mean, I'm trying to make this out. It ain't like I'm out here trying to miss, I mean, but just...
hard defense, turn into open. That's what I keep thinking on. Just keep playing hard and everything else will fall into place.
Alright, the Silver Bandits racked up another victory over Baltimore last night with a 26-point performance by Harold Ellis.
Now, a lot of these players have dreams someday of being in the NBA, but as Mario Diaz tells us, Ellis has other dreams.
When Silver Bandit forward Harold Ellis is not making baskets, he's usually slapping five with the fans.
29-year-old NBA veteran is in Las Vegas grooming himself for a career in the NBA. Not on the court, but away from it.
With a master's degree in sports management from Alabama, Ellis has put his credentials to work in the Bandit's front office.
This league, the IBL, this league of opportunity, they give people chances, and that's what they're doing with me. I mean, you have to learn from the bottom to make it to the top.
The top for Ellis would be a role with his hometown Atlanta Hawks, even if it means hanging up his jersey.
If Stan Castell and the Atlanta Hawks will call me and say they have a position for me in the front office, I'm done playing tomorrow.
I mean, it's just that serious. I want to be a gym. I want to be president of a team one day.
Ellis feels that by the time he is 36, he will be a major player in a team's front office.
In his current sixth-man program, a project that provides role models for kids would be his biggest score of all.
Mario Diaz, News 13 Sports.
And Cheyenne defensive lineman Lynn McGruder plans to make his decision this weekend on where he's going to go to college.
The family plans to announce that decision on Monday. McGruder is 6'3", 290 pounds. He's one of the top defensive linemen in the country.
He committed to Tennessee, but he's backed off from that now and has added UNLV and Wisconsin to his short list.
McGruder is leaning strongly towards UNLV right now. Rebels certainly could use him.
Also, Roger Lynn, former El Dorado quarterback, is going to go to Arkansas.
Pine Bluff, and here's the best signing of all. Dennis Rodman has signed with the Dallas Mavericks.
So we get to have more Dennis Rodman highlights at 11 o'clock. You know how happy that makes me.
Somehow that doesn't surprise me.
Gives him some fodder.
He leads the league in Las Vegas lawsuits. Just about everybody in Vegas has sued him at some point or another it seems.
Well, that's good to know, Ron.
There's more news straight ahead on News 13 Inside Las Vegas.
News 13 Tonight begins right now.
And one couple is blessed not once, but twice with triplets.
From News 13 Inside Las Vegas, this is News 13 Tonight.
Bring your parents and yourself to the meeting if you want to stop El Dorado from having 4,000 students and going on double session.
A high school announcement turns into a request to unite as students feel the pressure of overcrowding.
A booming population and zoning changes often force students to attend different schools.
Good evening, I'm Ken Hamilton.
And I'm Kim Sherwood. But this time school district officials say Henderson families will have a couple of options.
Right now, Silverado High is overcrowded. Nearly 3,650 students go there.
A new school at Maryland Parkway in Buena Vida will help, but that won't be ready next year.
So the district is asking students if they would like to transfer over to Foothill High.
That's where there's more room to learn.
Parents can speak out about the changes in a meeting that's going on right now as we speak.
And that's where News 13's Kelly Aquino is live. Kelly?
Well, Kim, at standing room only, you can see over my shoulder this room is packed.
We have parents up at the podium speaking out and giving their information, definitely upset about the changes.
But even the students themselves admit there are no easy answers when you want to be true to your school.
Crowd in halls and classrooms.
When the bell rings, there are so many Silverado students that it's difficult to get through this walkway.
If you're coming through that little area, you're lucky if you get to do your next period class in the five minutes.
The high school is 1,090 kids over capacity.
It's hard to get to classes. You have five minutes to go from PE to the portables and you're running. You're definitely running.
Dodging.
You're dodging. You're like, get out of my way.
Construction on another school several miles to the south should help, but it won't be done until late 2001.
So Foothill High School might open its doors even to those who are not currently zoned to go there.
But then there's the problem of some students having to attend three different high schools before graduating.
They're maturing, you know, getting through their adolescence and getting ready to be adults.
And you can't keep going through all these changes because you have to keep readapting.
It's hard for kids to adapt sometimes.
So finding a solution to the overcrowding is part of the everyday talk on campus.
Attention, Silverado students. Just a reminder that the zoning meeting is today.
While rezoning is necessary, it's not always welcome.
For the majority of students at Silverado to be happy and to not be in double session, some people are going to have to go to new school.
There will always be problems with zoning and growth in the valley because it's so fast.
So fast that not just parents, but even students are searching for help.
Please come to stop the madness.
Now there's a whole line of parents and students here trying to stop that madness.
Their input will be used at the school board meeting at the end of February.
I'm Kelly Aquino reporting live, News 13 Inside Las Vegas.
Now this meeting will continue until around 8 o'clock tonight and we'll of course have results of the meeting tonight on News 13 at 11 o'clock.
A seven-year-old boy is fighting for life tonight after he was critically injured in a very bad car accident.
The crash killed both of his grandparents and tonight police say the driver of the other car may have been drinking.
The accident happened last night on the valley's far east side near Hollywood and Owens.
Investigators say the car with the boy and his grandparents was hit head on.
The other driver had only moderate injuries. So far no charges have been filed in this case.
And a big break tonight in the search for answers into the crash of Alaska Airlines flight 261.
Investigators say they have now located and recovered the second black box from the ocean floor.
News 13's Mark Sayer is live in our satellite center tonight with the very newest details. Mark?
Well Kim, what's so amazing about today's discovery is not only how fast that second black box was recovered,
but also the fact that the box and the pinger, which is the device that transmits its location to the surface, were found in two different locations.
261.
A moment of silence at the Alaska Airlines ticket counter at McCarran Airport and throughout the Alaska Airlines flight system.
Employees honoring passengers and coworkers lost on flight 261 as investigators recovered the second so-called black box.
We're extremely pleased with the fact that we have this flight data recorder in hand so soon.
Officials say it could be a critical source of evidence providing information about many aspects of the ill-fated flight.
The NTSB has already made an initial review of the plane's cockpit voice recorder in Washington, D.C.
It suggests the pilots were struggling to gain control of the plane's stabilizer for at least a half hour.
The crew continued troubleshooting and preparing for the, preparing the airplane for landing.
Then control was suddenly lost.
The crew made references to being inverted that are consistent with the witness, with the witness statements to that effect.
On the company's website, a page dedicated to condolence messages from President Clinton to anonymous contributors who just needed a place to express their sorrow.
And in Southern California, at least 100 family members and friends of the victims attended a memorial service on the coast.
Elaine Kamuti says she lost her nephew and five others who were close to her family.
My hope is that the main cabin is preserved and that they can bring it up and that things can be resolved in a quick manner rather than dragging on.
And tonight, Alaska Airlines says it's also taking calls from passengers scheduled on its flights asking not to fly on the company's MD-80s for the time being.
The airline says it is doing its best to reschedule passengers and in some cases even putting them on other airlines altogether.
That's the very latest from the Satellite Center. I'm Mark Sayer, News 13, inside Las Vegas.
More local news. A plan to get rid of a rocket fuel ingredient and help clean up the valley's water supply is apparently working.
The cleanup effort began after scientists discovered perchlorate in the Las Vegas wash about two years ago.
It eventually ends up in Lake Mead, Southern Nevada's water source.
Now state environmental officials have reduced perchlorate levels as much as 80 percent.
An 11-acre evaporation pond at the Kerr-McGee plant in Henderson has helped to stop some of the chemical from reaching the lake.
In addition, most recently another system of cleanup went into place at the Las Vegas wash, which is removing about 300 to 400 pounds a day of perchlorate.
The highest level of perchlorate detected in Lake Mead was 16 parts per billion, which was still below safety guidelines.
Soccer fanatics will soon have a place to play, a new place to play and watch their favorite game.
News 13's Mark Martinez is in Live Chopper 13 tonight with that story. Mark?
Well that's right kid, that new soccer complex will be built on the valley's northwest side at Lake Mead Antonea.
We are over the area tonight, of course, with ZoomCam. It is right next to Cimarron Memorial High School.
The city council this week awarded the $7 million project to a local construction company.
The 60-acre parcel of land will soon become a field of dreams for local soccer fans.
When built, it will be the largest complex in the valley, more than 60 acres in all.
Players will compete on 10 lighted fields available both day and night, and baseball fans will also benefit.
The complex will have several fields as well as other attractions.
Las Vegas City Council leaders say this complex will help meet the growing demand for sports fields.
But for the next so many years, we'll still be looking to build soccer complexes, baseball fields, softball fields, senior facilities.
Until that demand, until this valley starts to mature, we will be doing these type facilities almost on an annual basis.
And construction will start before the end of the month. That's when they are going to begin tearing up this land you see right now.
The whole project is expected to be completed by August. I'm Mark Martinez in Live Chopper 13.
Both the city and the county are pitching in to pay for the soccer complex.
The city's share is $4 million. The county will pay the other $3 million.
From Contact 13 tonight, millions of play pens have been recalled, putting children at risk of injury, even death.
So how do parents know if a product is safe? A local mother called Contact 13 when her child's play pen collapsed with a baby in it.
He fell through. He could have been seriously injured.
Any time that a parent finds a product faulty, they need to report it immediately to the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Now the local Safe Kids Coalition says that without the help of parents reporting faulty products, recalls won't happen.
And once a product is recalled, the best way to find out about it is from the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Now if you need to report a faulty product or find out the latest on a product recall, you can call the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
The number there on your screen is 1-800-638-2772 or check their website at cpsc.gov.
Also from Contact 13 tonight, the simple device that helps bring a dead car back to life.
We'll show it to you live at 645. Is it allergies or a cold? At 650, how to tell the difference so you can feel better.
At 641, the new adventure for the World Wrestling Federation.
Here's a hint, it has something to do with the gridiron.
And at 649, the price that some people pay for working the late shift in local casinos.
This is News 13 tonight. We'll be back in 90 seconds.
Do you know the history of that used car you're buying?
You didn't know this car had 118,000 miles when it was first registered?
Tonight on News 13, a Contact 13 investigation reveals what you may not know about your car.
Tonight, they can't stop, can't stop, can't stop what they're doing.
It can ruin their lives, but now there may be help. Help them face their fears and see what happens.
I feel much more confident. My self-esteem is up. I feel much better by myself.
On 20-20 Downtown tonight.
The Nevada Supreme Court has closed a loophole that was allowing drunk drivers to escape DUI charges.
The legal maneuver was being used by one lawyer and in effect his clients would plead guilty to all the other charges in the case except the DUI.
The lawyer, John Watkins, says the ruling ignores a person's constitutional rights.
He plans to ask the High Court to rehear the case and if that fails, he's going to file a federal lawsuit.
And more local news, new information tonight on the Walmart Superstore controversy.
Yes, Judge Philip Pro says he has made his final ruling in this case which means no one can challenge the constitutionality of the Clark County law which limits food sales at some businesses.
The judge's decision has no bearing of course on the two supercenters that are scheduled to open later this year.
But if Walmart wants to build any more superstores, it will have to go back to court because the Clark County law remains on the books.
The World Wrestling Federation has some big plans tonight to hit the gridiron.
Yes, the World Wrestling Federation is tackling pro football with the formation of a brand new league.
It's called the XFL. The league will have eight teams and two divisions.
So far these six cities have been selected. The rest of the locations will be named a little bit later this year.
The XFL is scheduled to kick off its 10-week season in February of 2001.
No word yet if Las Vegas is one of the two cities still under consideration.
Well, what a nice day it's been. Ted, is it too soon to talk about the weekend forecast?
Oh, no indeed and we'll be doing that in just a few moments. Stay tuned.
Alright, but is all this nice weather causing health problems?
Inside Health tonight, how to know whether you have a cold or allergies. But first...
This product promises to jumpstart dead car batteries, no other car necessary.
Well, we have a dead battery, right?
Dead is the doornail. Coming up, we're going to put Jump-It to the test. See if we can revive this battery.
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So, how's the food here?
Great, Mom. Pizza every day.
That's what I was afraid of.
It's not what you had in college, Mom. It's Papa John's.
But you need variety.
Variety? That's Papa's choice. You get five toppings for $9.99.
What about your veggies?
Their veggies are great, especially the fresh baby portobello mushrooms.
Order Papa's Choice, a large pizza with your choice of five toppings for a meager $9.99.
I'm living better than I ever did at home.
I wouldn't say that.
His name is John Barr, he's gonna sell you a car.
This portion of News 13 Inside Las Vegas is brought to you by Insight Mountain Diagnostics.
Alright, some might say the sound of a dead car battery has got to rank right up there with the sound of a dentist drill.
That is because you know even if you have jumper cables, depending on where you break down, you will have to rely on the kindness of strangers.
Well, perhaps no more.
Contact 13 is going to put that new product to the test that promises to jump your vehicle, no second car necessary.
Our guest, Carol Lanisse Weeks, joins us live now with a Contact 13 product test.
Lanisse, let it go.
Okay, Ken and Kim, once or twice I have been known to drain the juice out of my batteries by accidentally leaving the lights on.
Not a pretty situation because first you have to run around and find jumper cables and then you have to convince somebody to give you a jump.
Well, for all of you who've said there's got to be a better way, supposedly now there is.
The hottest auto accessories right now are these automatic battery jump starters.
Supposedly, in theory, they work by jumping your car, no other car necessary.
We have a dead battery here, right Fred? Let it rip.
Dead.
Dead as a doornail. We're not even hearing it go ee, ee, ee.
Okay, now supposedly it's idiot proof. So those of us who are mechanically challenged, it will work with us.
You simply put the positive cable to the positive thingamajiggy in here, which is easily marked because it's red.
You hook the negative up to any piece of metal that is not attached to the battery.
We'll hook it up here. Now, I can get a good grip here.
Okay.
Now, in theory, in theory, in a matter of seconds, it's supposed to work.
Fred, let it rip.
In a matter of seconds. This again is Jump It by Prestone.
Even Consumer Reports says it's one of the best battery boosters on the market. About $100. Ken, Kim?
Good product. It works there anyway.
Jump It by Prestone.
Alright. I'm glad she was careful out there. She made me nervous.
Good job. Alright, like that.
Nice night to be out there doing something. It's still warm outside right now.
Absolutely. Much better than back east where it's snowing, raining, cold.
Oh, yeah. Spent many a time under a car, in a cold, cold, cold car fixing it.
But you may want to go out and change your oil tonight because the weather's great.
The temperatures are fairly mild for this time of year.
Back east, it's snowing in the Great Lakes, Northeastern United States.
At the same time here at home, a few clouds passing us by, but they're just passing us by.
They're not doing anything to affect our weather for any, well, anything that's measurable anyway.
A little rain showing up and some snow back out in the mountains too, but here at home we're dry.
We're going to stay that way. Temperatures coming in, mildest in the southwest.
On up the coast, not looking too bad, but back east, it's still very cold.
In Boston, 28, Chicago, 31 on the hour, while here it's 61 degrees on the hour.
Humidity at 29 percent, a gentle north breeze blowing.
Throughout the day tomorrow, got an elongated area of high pressure through the middle of the United States.
It'll be fairly mild, not real cold. The cool air has gone to the south and it's beginning to modify or warm up a little bit.
Here's another shot of cold air in the upper Midwest, but right now it's going to hang up there.
We've got a little area of high pressure off to the south and west of us, but moisture coming close to home.
In fact, from Reno farther southward you'll see a little rain.
For us here at home, mainly it'll be just some clouds, a partly sunny day, up to 65 through the afternoon tomorrow.
67 was our top today, by the way. Normally we're at about 61 this time of year.
Started out at 40. Tomorrow in the morning time we should be down to about 41 degrees with a partly cloudy sky.
Partly sunny into the afternoon, up to 65, light winds for us tomorrow night.
Partly cloudy once again, a little chilly down to 42 degrees.
And here's seven-day planning forecast. Can you believe it? There is a 70 on Monday's forecast.
And indeed that's just where we will likely go. Good weekend looking.
70 and sunny.
And it's February. Love it. Thank you.
And News 13's Kathy Ray is here now with some inside health.
That's right. New information that actually could impact a lot of Las Vegas.
Absolutely. We have a warning tonight for parents who work those odd hours.
We want to show you pictures right now of the Strip. You are looking at News 13's Stratocam.
You know, here in the Valley hundreds of moms and dads work overnights from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. or midnight to 8 a.m. shift.
Now a new study finds folks who work those hours have a much greater chance of getting a divorce.
The problems seem to be sleep deprivation, the impact on a family's social life, and a lack of time alone as a couple.
That's very important.
Researchers conclude parents may need to take a long look at their schedules.
Their family's welfare may indeed depend upon it.
Also inside health, stuffy noses, sniffling. You may have caught a bug this winter.
But what happens when the symptoms simply won't go away?
You could be one of the 37 million Americans suffering from a sinus infection, sinusitis.
Inside Health Tonight, how to tell the difference so you can recover faster.
Colds, the flu, and allergies often share many of the same symptoms.
Stuffy nose, headache, nasal discharge, low-grade fever. But these symptoms may also be the result of a more serious and painful condition, sinusitis.
There are some people who have sinusitis who think they have a cold because they have nasal discharge.
But any drainage from the nose that lasts more than 10 to 14 days is probably not a cold.
Dr. David Titori of Las Vegas says there is a simple way to tell the difference between the two.
I think we all know people that have severe allergies and those are the ones that are usually rubbing their nose or rubbing their eyes because they're itchy.
And usually with a cold you don't see significant paritis or itchiness.
Sinusitis most often develops as a result of a lingering cold or flu or even a nagging allergy.
And the reason for that is that allergy attack or cold will cause the nasal membranes to swell.
And when the nasal membranes swell, they will block the little openings which connect the nasal cavities to the sinus cavities.
And then the sinus cavities cannot drain properly and that's why they get infected.
Sinusitis symptoms are usually more severe and painful than those of a cold or allergy.
The most noticeable symptoms are yellow or green mucus and face or tooth pain.
Because sinusitis is a bacterial infection, it can be a problem for months if not treated effectively with antibiotics.
Kidner, all through here.
Now most of us may not worry about allergies until springtime, but the experts tell us dust and mold allergies can actually be worse during the winter because we spend more time indoors.
And I never had allergies as many people before moving here to the valley.
I don't think I have them now.
I get a lot of colds.
Yeah, you do. See? Could be allergies. Never know.
Okay. Look into that. Thanks, Kathy.
Now for a story you might not believe.
A 19-year-old woman has given birth to triplets not once, but twice.
This is Crystal Kornick and Richard Williams.
21 months ago they had one set of triplets.
Now they have Tyler, Tyree, and Ariel.
The parents are planning to get married this week and they admit they were a little surprised by that second set of threes.
And because this is Las Vegas, we had to look into the odds of all this.
One in 50 million.
Give or take a few.
They should have gotten mega bucks.
Yeah, they need it.
Need it.
Well, will a new football league really work?
Vince McMahon seems to think so. We'll hear from him coming up next.
And as promised, another Battle Bot matchup is straight ahead.
Rounds up next.
Meteorologist Ted Texter holds the seal of approval of the American Meteorological Society.
Who's got the best deal on a new car?
It's easy. Courtesy.
Where the best new car choice is a 2000 Kia, Sofia, or Sportage.
You want proof?
How about a Sofia from just $99 a month?
A new Sportage from just $149 a month?
Or choose to own your new Kia.
Safias from as low as $79.95.
Sportages from $13.99.
Now do you know who's got the best deal on a new car?
Courtesy Kia at 5800 West Sahara, one block east of Jones, and courtesy imports at the Valley Auto Mall, Henderson.
By the way, who else wants to make a million?
Take a test drive at Nissan West.
Then sink a free pro and qualify to win a million dollars.
Save $3000 at a Nissan.
Get a five-day four-night cruise for a test drive.
Win a million at Nissan West.
They fought at the Battle of Midway and the invasion of Normandy.
They fought at Iwo Jima and Guadalcanal.
Back home, they held rivet guns and rolled bandages, and they were all heroes.
The Walmart associates touched by World War II are just some of the 16 million Americans who helped save our freedom.
Sadly, there's no national monument to their sacrifice.
Bring your donations to Walmart, and let's help build the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C.
There's no memorial yet, but together, we can change that.
Travis? You ready yet?
Almost, Abby.
Supposed to be at Block Angus at 7.
I know, Abby.
And Travis, you be sure to wear your new black boots.
What a man won't do for a good steak.
Get comfortable with a thick sirloin steak, petite lobster, crab-stuffed portobello mushroom, and fried shrimp.
All for $14.99.
Black Angus, if you really love steak.
Only at Desert Dodge.
Get six months, no payments, no interest, a Carpeteria's wall-to-wall sale.
For selection, service, and value, no one else comes close.
Carpeteria!
Now, News 13's Sports in a Minute with Ron Futrell.
Alright, the WWF wants to get into the football business.
We mentioned this story a little earlier.
Here's another take for you on this.
Vince McMahon says he will start the XFL this time next year.
He says his league will be real, no fake stuff.
But that they will let the players have fun?
I can just see it now, mankind running around left-in, pulling out Mr. Socko, and expected it to work on a linebacker.
In fact, McMahon says that if the NFL is the no-fun league, the XFL will be the extremely fun league.
Where's my smash-mouth wide-open football?
It's gone.
I guarantee you that the XFL will not be an over-regulated, antiseptic brand of ball.
This will be football like the consumers want it, and have never had the opportunity to experience it.
I can't wait.
Here we go with continuing our BattleBot week here on Sports in a Minute.
This is Slam. Slam is the one with the chains going around.
But watch out, he gets slammed and pushed right into the vicious tuna can opener is what that thing is underneath there.
It just tears him up underneath here.
Tomorrow, another exciting moment from BattleBot for you right here during ratings week on Sports in a Minute.
Yes, thank you very much. Can't get enough.
All right, if you shop at the grocery store or anywhere else using a shopping cart, you could be opening the door to crime tonight at 11.
A hidden camera investigation that shows you how to protect yourself.
Plus, a Contact 13 investigation asks how many miles are really on that used car you're buying.
Join Kathy, Ray, and me for these stories and more tonight on News 13 at 11. See you then.
Thanks for joining us.
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