Ex-broadcaster takes her own life

Cheryl Kosewicz had it all: "She was gorgeous, brilliant, competitive, ethical," recalled Bob Blum, her partner on UNLV women's basketball broadcasts.

A member of UNLV's Big West Conference title team that won an NCAA bid in 1991, Kosewicz later served as a game analyst with Blum, the play-by-play man, while working in the Clark County district attorney's office.

"I asked her why she didn't go into private practice and she said, 'I'm not interested in money; I just want to put bad people away.' "

After working as a special prosecutor in Las Vegas for six years, Kosewicz moved to Washoe County last year to take a similar position.

Dedicated to helping others, she named one of her puppies Justice.

Kosewicz, 35, was found dead at her home in Sparks on Saturday, after apparently taking her own life.

In June, her boyfriend committed suicide with a gun Kosewicz owned to protect herself from the "bad" guys.

Earlier this year, she was a cast member on the CBS reality show "Pirate Masters."

Days before her death, she wrote in a posting on a friend's MySpace page that she was "floating around lost." She added that it "doesn't help" knowing her participation on "Pirate Master" was "such a contention" between her and her late boyfriend, Ryan O'Neil.

UP AND COMERS

When Elizabeth Loyacano leaves "Phantom: The Las Vegas Spectacular" next month and her rotating role as Christine, her replacement will be Kristen Hertzenberg, currently a Christine understudy and the "mirror bride."

The other Christine, Kristi Holden, replaced Broadway-bound Sierra Boggess (as Ariel in "Little Mermaid") in May. Holden will play Christine six times a week and Hertzenberg, who debuts Aug. 22, will perform twice a week.

SCENE AND HEARD

Local PR veteran Bruce Merrin is one proud pop. His son, Adam, is a member of The 88, a fast-rising Los Angeles band. With young Merrin on keyboards, The 88 will open for the Smashing Pumpkins at The Pearl at the Palms on Sept. 13. "I won the secret square on Hollywood Squares and one of the prizes was a Kimball Piano. He began playing at 5 years old," said the father. L.A. Weekly anointed The 88 the Best Pop/Rock outfit in Los Angeles. ...

Las Vegan Sophia Maria will be performing at the Orleans Arena on Sept. 22 as part of the Freestyle Explosion Show sponsored by KLUC-FM 98.5. Her current single "Forget About Her," is No. 1 on the play charts in several California markets.

SIGHTINGS

NBA star Shaquille O'Neal, drawing long looks while ordering at Panda Express in the Palms' food court on Monday. He dined Sunday at N9NE steakhouse (Palms). ... "Rush Hour 3" stars Jackie Chan and actor Chris Tucker, hanging out with director Brett Ratner at Planet Hollywood Resort. ... At Paris Hilton's sky villa party after Fergie's concert Saturday at The Pearl (Palms): Nicky Hilton and her boyfriend, David Katzenberg; Donald Faison and his girlfriend, Cacee Cobb; Scott Speedman and Sarah Chalke. ... Britney Spears' mother, Lynne Spears, and little sister, Jamie Lynn Spears, dining Saturday at Social House restaurant (Treasure Island). Also there: skater Michelle Kwan. ... Socialite Kim Kardashian, illusionist Criss Angel, actress/singer Haylie Duff, rapper Mike Jones, Lynne Spears, and MTV reality TV stars Brody Jenner and Frankie Delgado, partying Saturday at Pure nightclub (Caesars Palace). ... During our Colorado mountain getaway, the Leggy Blonde and I ran into CNN anchor Anderson Cooper at the Colorado Springs airport on Sunday. He was in town on an assignment, he said.

THE PUNCH LINE

"They said today on one mission, the astronauts were so drunk they were actually wearing their diapers on their heads." -- Jay Leno, on a NASA investigation that found heavy use of alcohol by astronauts before launches.

Norm Clarke can be reached at 383-0244 or norm@reviewjournal.com. Find additional sightings and more online at www.normclarke.com.