Co-anchor Dan Ball ousted at KSNV-TV
Dan Ball, co-anchor of the 4 p.m. and 11 p.m. telecasts at KSNV-TV, Channel 3, is out after what has been described as a sometimes-turbulent 21-month stay.
General manager Lisa Howfield confirmed Ball's last day was Monday. When he arrived at work, he was greeted with packed boxes and escorted out of the station, a source said.
Howfield said there are no plans to have anyone fill in for him.
Ball has been co-anchoring the 11 p.m. newscast with Jessica Moore since September 2010 and was paired with Marie Mortera at 4 p.m.
Multiple sources said Ball was regularly at odds with management and fellow staffers during his tenure.
"He was a cat with nine lives," one source said. "He was suspended at least once."
Another source said Ball got in trouble for screaming an obscenity at a co-worker in the newsroom.
There has been speculation at the station that reporter Reed Cowan, recently brought in from Miami, was in line for Ball's anchor job.
Former TV news reporter Mike Doria is on the Mob Museum's public relations staff. Doria worked at KVVU-TV, Channel 5, from 2006 to 2009 and freelanced for US Weekly.
THE SCENE AND HEARD
Corks will be flying Thursday with Bubble-Licious kicking off the 38th edition of UNLVino at the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health.
Tony Hsieh, CEO of Zappos, will be on hand to receive one of the three Dom Perignon Awards of Excellence. Renee West, president and COO of Luxor and Excalibur, will be honored at Sake Fever on Friday at The Mirage pool and celebrity chef/restaurateur Michel Richard at The Grand Tasting on Saturday at the Grand Ballroom at Bally's.
UNLVino has raised millions for scholarships benefiting students at the UNLV William F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration.
Tickets are available at UNLV Tickets, The Mirage box office and Paris/Bally's box office. Information: www.unlvino.com or by calling 1.877.413.8466. ...
Martha Esposito, the wife of Elvis Presley's righthand man, Joe Esposito, died at their Las Vegas home on Monday after a long illness. They were married 26 years.
SIGHTINGS
Mayor Carolyn Goodman, with husband/former mayor Oscar Goodman, at Chazz Palminteri's one-man show "A Bronx Tale" on Monday before ordering takeout from Carnegie Deli. ... Las Vegas TV sports reporter Molly Sullivan, taking on tour-guide duties with "Good Morning America" anchor Josh Elliott and a group of his friends who were in town for the opening of March Madness. Sullivan and Elliott were spotted having an early breakfast at Simon restaurant at Palms Place on Thursday and at McCarran International Airport about
5 a.m. Sunday. ... Chicago Bears great Gale Sayers, with his wife at Joe's Stone Crab (Forum Shops at Caesars Palace) on Monday. ... Heavy metal drummer Vinnie Paul of Pantera and Hellyeah, trying his luck at KISS by Monster Mini Golf on Monday. ... Wayne Gretzky and his family, at ILoveBurgers (Palazzo) over the weekend.
THE PUNCH LINE
"Peyton Manning is signing with the Denver Broncos. Glad to see something good finally happen to somebody in that family." -- David Letterman
Norm Clarke can be reached at 702-383-0244 or norm@reviewjournal.com. Find additional sightings and more online at www.normclarke.com. Follow Norm on Twitter @Norm_Clarke.
