After Hollywood turn, former district judge’s career takes new twist

After substantial experience with some very public trials, former District Judge Jackie Glass has joined the Private Trials arbitration and mediation firm.

Glass, who presided over the high-profile O.J. Simpson robbery trial, most recently has starred in “Swift Justice with Jackie Glass,” a courtroom show syndicated by CBS Television Distribution. The show will continue to air through September, but wasn’t renewed for another season.

That left Glass with an opening on her career calendar, and now she’s joined former District Judge Gene Porter’s mediation and arbitration outfit.

“I had a great time,” Glass said Thursday of her Hollywood experience. “The show is still on the air until September, but we’ve completed taping … and I’m back here in Las Vegas working.”

One big change is her husband Steve Wolfson’s new job status as the Clark County district attorney. Leaving the District Court bench for the TV gig was fortuitous, she says:

“Had I still been on the bench when that opportunity (for Wolfson) became available and I did criminal law, it would have been maybe a different outcome. By me being off the bench, it certainly paved the way for him to be able to get that job. It’s interesting how life has a way of working itself out.”

GOP DRAMA: At a time you’d think Southern Nevada Republicans would be focused on getting Mitt Romney elected president, the Clark County Republican Party appears to be marching toward … Dr. Ron Paul.

Chairman Dave Gibbs and Vice Chairman Woody Stroupe have resigned and will join Romney’s Team Nevada operation. Meanwhile, new GOP County Acting Chairwoman Cindy Lake writes, “After months of turbulence and instability following the Executive Board elections held at the Clark County Republican Convention, the CCRP Executive Board is now able to concentrate on the task of developing a consistent, accessible message that will allow the Party to take a large role in electing genuine conservative candidates to office.”

Romney easily won Nevada’s GOP presidential caucuses in February with 50 percent of the vote. Paul placed third with 18.8 percent.

DOWNTOWN PUNCHOUT: I was downtown Wednesday to observe the usual passing parade of humanity along with the crush of characters that converged to watch the Golden Gate’s amateur boxing card featuring executives from the casino, club and business communities.

Golden Gate executives Derek Stevens and Mark Brandenburg were tickled with the traffic and the energy of the crowd. For his part, Brandenburg toughed it out through many years when the prevailing wisdom was sure Fremont Street’s best years were behind it.

In the ring, the action was lively. The first bout featured casino host Steve Cyr against restaurant owner Frank Vento. After watching them go at it, I came away with two thoughts.

First, Cyr should have no trouble collecting debts from his customers. Second, I’ll never send anything back at Vento’s popular pizza places.

RIZZOLO TROUBLES: Dominic Rizzolo, son of former Crazy Horse Too boss Rick Rizzolo, was arrested this week in Deltona, Fla., and charged with beating a customer at a strip mall casino he manages called the EZ Play Internet Café.

In 2009 in Las Vegas, the younger Rizzolo received a suspended sentence after being convicted in a stabbing case.

In recent months, the elder Rizzolo has been serving time for violating his parole following a tax conviction. According to a Bureau of Prisons website, he is scheduled to be released from a Phoenix correctional facility on June 12.

THE TWEETOSPHERE: While I was on Fremont Street, here are a few of the morsels you missed if you don’t follow me on Twitter @jlnevadasmith:

■ ”Lady Liberties in green body paint on Fremont Street. Or Snooki spray tans gone terribly wrong.”

■ ”Sure, they say the Fremont Street zip line is safe. And the TV evangelist promises heaven for donations. Neither offers a guarantee.”

■ ”Guy with the Liberace cowboy hat and vest making balloon animals goes unnoticed.”

■ ”On Fremont Street: Business slow at the European Psychic Palm/Tarot Card Reader wagon, but I guess she could have predicted that.”

Have an item for the Bard of the Boulevard? Email comments and contributions to Smith@reviewjournal.com or call 702-383-0295. He also blogs at lvrj.com/blogs/smith.