Berkley to get into the spirit of things for liquor group’s award

Imagine my surprise to learn a Southern Nevada elected official is being inducted into the prestigious George Washington Spirits Society - and it's not Mayor Oscar Goodman.

It is, in fact, 100-proof Congresswoman Shelley Berkley.

On Wednesday at its annual dinner at George Washington's Mount Vernon Estate and Gardens, the Distilled Spirits of America Association is recognizing Berkley with its highest honor for her support of the hospitality industry and strong opposition to increased liquor taxation.

That's not a bad honor for a former cocktail waitress.

Washington is recognized as the nation's first distiller. In addition to its industry lobbying efforts, the Distilled Spirits of America Association has taken on the task of restoring Washington's Mount Vernon copper pot still.

Berkley isn't much of a drinker, and I've never seen her wear a powdered wig. She long has been a part of anti-drunken driving campaigns.

But she admits she'll sample a little of the General's bourbon on her big night.

We are talking about the father of our country.

Past recipients of the Guardian of His Spirit medal include Sen. Tom Harkin of Iowa and Sen. Jim Bunning of Kentucky.

Better luck next year, Oscar.

COMEDY CLUB: It was entertaining Tuesday to watch County Commissioner Steve Sisolak question the potential expense of the Privé investigation.

Subjects of county license investigations are required to pay for Metro's time and travel, and Privé's proprietors have certainly earned a background check after the tawdry incidents that occurred at the nightclub located inside Planet Hollywood.

Although no one pointed it out to the commission, Metro's investigation cost -- estimated at up to $15,000 by one county official -- is nothing compared with what Privé officials are paying for lawyers to salvage the licensing mess of their own making. Last I checked, attorney Jay Brown didn't work for peanuts.

A possible $15,000 bill? Privé's best customers drop that much for a table and the VIP treatment in a single night, I hear.

NBA CITY?: Sure, they're only exhibition games. And it is the Los Angeles Lakers we're talking about.

But the annual NBA exhibitions featuring the Lakers at the Thomas & Mack Center prove to me Las Vegas is capable of supporting its own franchise. (As long as it's a successful one.)

Over 10 dates since 2000, the Lakers have averaged 14,634 per game with one sellout. Los Angeles is scheduled to play Sacramento on Thursday night.

FBI PROMOTION: Steven Martinez, special agent in charge of the Las Vegas office of the FBI, has been promoted to assistant director in charge of the bureau's Los Angeles division. He has been in Las Vegas since 2006.

LAS VEGAS HAROLD: The Boulevard bids farewell to one of its most dogged scribes, former Las Vegas Sun police reporter Harold Hyman. He was 77, and in recent years worked at Professional Investigators for private detective Tom Dillard.

Harold was one of those reporters capable of producing an armload of daily copy. He helped break the scandal involving "Silver King" James Ray Houston in 1974, but mostly he specialized in murder. He augmented his Sun income by freelancing colorfully detailed true crime pieces to several pulp magazines of the genre.

Those who knew him forgave him for occasionally stealing their lunch from the Sun's refrigerator.

"Harold had one of the finest personal integrities of any person I've ever met," Dillard says. "He was as honest as the day is long and as loyal as a hound dog."

Hyman also wasn't shy about his duty as a process server of subpoenas, summonses and complaints. He wound up locked in a garage by one dissatisfied recipient. His foot was run over by a car driven by another reluctant subject. Dillard estimated Hyman served 10,000 people over a 15-year period.

"He would get up at 4 in the morning and knock on someone's door," Dillard recalls. "I had to tell him not to go into the dangerous areas at night. I said, 'Harold, it's not worth it.' ... If people had the work ethic and the integrity of Harold Hyman, we'd be a lot better country."

ON THE BOULEVARD: Thursday marked a year since the F Street Coalition was formed to try to reopen the street closed under murky circumstances in the widening of U.S. 95. Members pledge to continue to fight.

John L. Smith's column appears Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. E-mail him at Smith@reviewjournal.com or call (702) 383-0295. He also blogs at lvrj.com/blogs/smith.