Interesting, thanks. Last I heard they kept thinking they had one and it always turned out that under scrutiny they found a white hair. I think the ones you cite from the late '90s grew some white hairs.
"in reality the red heifer is the theological and political equivalent of a suitcase nuke waiting to go off." http://www.antiwar.com/justin/j041502.html
2010 update (red heifer alive and well in Israel)
http://the70thweek.blogspot.com/2010/03/kosher-red-heifer-is-alive-and-well-in.html
links from Center for Millennial Studies, Boston U
http://www.mille.org/links.html