Drug use a dark chapter of Elvis’ life, even on pages penned by old friend

Aug. 16 will mark the 30th anniversary of Elvis leaving the building a final time, but books about the King's life and legend keep coming.

One that sings is "Elvis: Still Taking Care of Business," by former bodyguard Sonny West with Marshall Terrill.

Although it's an unabashed love letter to his famous friend, West is candid enough to raise the issue of Presley's prolific drug use.

"More than once we went so far as to intercept shipments of drugs to him," he writes. "And we told him to his face several times that he needed to get help.

"Elvis couldn't stand that. He had a huge ego, and he didn't like anyone holding up a mirror for him to see what he had become in the last years of his life. When Lucille Ball confronted him about his drug use that night in Vegas, she was summarily shown the door. So were we."

FLAG FLAP: Car dealer Dan Towbin couldn't buy the kind of publicity he's getting these days. His Hummer dealership is making international news because of the flap over the enormous U.S. flag that waves above the property.

Nearby residents have complained that the 30-by-60-foot flag, which hangs from a 100-foot-high pole, is a nuisance and makes too much noise when the wind blows. The Las Vegas City Council has ordered Towbin to take the flag down.

The journalistic filler item has surfaced on numerous television news channels and the Internet.

Will Towbin fight to the last drop of publicity?

If he's smart he will.

CASINO CHANGES: Workers at the New Frontier are buzzing about their future now that Kansas billionaire Phil Ruffin has announced the sale of the property to Elad Group, an Israeli-owned investment group.

Will severance packages be offered? Will they have jobs under the new ownership?

The 984-room Frontier is targeted for demolition under the new ownership, which purchased the 36-acre property for $1.5 billion and has announced plans to build a multibillion-dollar Swiss-themed resort.

APPLE FOR TEACHER: With the end of the school year fast approaching, local teachers are about to celebrate the exit of their legions of students.

Teachers have a difficult and nearly thankless job. That's why I've long been a fan of the annual Retiring Teachers' Appreciation luncheon. This year's event, the seventh annual, is set for 11:30 a.m. June 2 at the MGM Grand Conference Center. All retiring teachers are welcome but must RSVP.

As committee chairwoman Mary Rector notes, "For some, it is the only recognition they will get for their many years of dedicated service to education in the Clark County School District."

ARENA ALERT: The Las Vegas Planning Commission met Thursday night to listen to the proponents and critics of a sports arena and hotel project that, if realized, would squat in part on land now set aside for the city's blossoming arts district.

A lot of people have invested years of time, energy and dollars into improving the area.

WATER HOLE: Homeowners near the sparkling Las Vegas Springs Preserve were alarmed when they recently noticed that the Las Vegas Valley Water District had applied for a tavern license.

Was the water district putting an intoxicating spin on the words "watering hole"? Will officials change the name to the "Scotch and Water District"? Not quite.

The exemption is needed to allow basic alcohol service for catered events at the preserve, a water district spokesman says. The catering contract is held by a company bearing Wolfgang Puck's name.

ON THE BOULEVARD: Las Vegas attorney and Fox News legal analyst Robert Massi has written a book whose title alone promises to shake up the best-seller list. It's called "People Get Screwed All the Time: Protecting Yourself From Scams, Fraud, Identity Theft and More." ... Today billionaire Donald Trump is scheduled to celebrate the topping-off of the ritzy condominium high-rise he's developing with Ruffin. Let's hope Trump doesn't forget to thank the construction team that, I hear, is bringing in the handsome project ahead of schedule. ... Spotted at the Clark County Bar Association's 17th annual Meet Your Judges Mixer on Tuesday night at the Four Seasons: attorney Noel Gage, who earlier that day met U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert Johnston after being indicted on 18 felony charges in the ongoing federal doctor/lawyer investigation.

Have an item for the Bard of the Boulevard? E-mail comments and contributions to Smith@reviewjournal.com or call 383-0295.