Print edition for December 16, 2000

Letter: GOP will pay for its actions: ROGER CHRISTENSEN

Where I Stand -- Brian Greenspun: Constitution worked: So much for the crisis.

Congress poised to pass bill protecting Black Rock Desert: Bart Jansen; The bill by Sen. Richard Bryan, D-Nev., to protect about 1.2 million acres in northwest Nevada was included in the budget that the House and Senate approved Friday and that President Clinton is expected to sign.

Low-wage earners struggle below the poverty line: Jeffrey Libby; Painting contractor Dan Kneppler left a rented trailer and 1 acre of land in Peyton, Colo., in October for "all these opportunities" he'd been hearing about in Las Vegas.

Casino rejects offer to buy land for $600 million: The city is attempting to deal with warnings from legislative leaders that unless it takes a cut in its casino payments, proposals to cut the casino's $100 million minimum annual state tax are doomed. The concessions will require a special legislative session.

Editorial: Textbook shortage is sinful: An audit conducted by the Legislature's staff estimates that 35 percent of high schools employ a system where students share textbooks. The audit found that it's not uncommon for 100 students, from four or five classes, to share 30 available textbooks. One reason for sharing is that over time some teachers have discarded textbooks as the focal point of instruction, instead preparing their own materials. Yet auditors found that in many instances, unlike textbooks, these teacher-prepared materials hadn't been approved for use by the state. Teachers obviously should have the freedom to develop their own lesson plans, but such a ...

Ralph Siraco's selections for Sunday's races at Hollywood Park: 1st Race -- Manly Valentine - Delahoussaye aboard Stute trainee, draws good post for 7-panel opener, fits this heat well. Englebert - Draws just outside top pick, Solis scales Paasch trainee, another that fits this race well. Value Play -- Chief's Treasure

Nuke panel urges lawmakers to veto Yucca rulings: The resolution from lawmakers would set the stage for Gov. Kenny Guinn to veto a nuclear dump at Yucca Mountain if and when the DOE recommends the site.

Columnist Sandy Thompson: PAL program is students' best friend: Sandy Thompson; As educators and politicians debate ways to lower Nevada's school dropout rate, a team of teachers is quietly making a dent in the problem.

Letter: Next four years brought to you by Nader backers: Bush is a known anti-environmentalist, a heavy supporter of big oil companies and a big-time gun enthusiast. Aren't these the exact issues Nader speaks against?

Kids research honorary names for West Las Vegas streets: Kris Hill; After weeks of preparation, students from four West Las Vegas elementary schools unveiled the honorary names they selected for the lettered streets A through N in a ceremony Wednesday at the West Las Vegas Library.

Nine accused in federal case on gambling, loan-sharking rings: "Organized crime is just as serious a threat to our society as street crime," said Springfield Police Chief Paula Meara during a news conference at U.S. District Court in Springfield.

Outside recruiting leaves Nevada parole agency shorthanded: "We're losing 100 (workers) a year," Kirkland told a legislative panel Thursday, adding that at any given time there are 40 to 50 vacancies.

Council additions seen as success: Erin Neff; Voters narrowly approved the expansion of the Las Vegas City Council only last year.

Columnist Jeff German: Culinary, gaming relations strained: There's a small crack in the much-ballyhooed cooperative relationship between the casino industry and its most influential labor group, the Culinary Union.

Village with yuletide theme growing, thanks to ... a casino: Alas, his toy factory burned down and Thorson moved to Texas. For the next half-century Christmas would consist of little more than a handful of cottages and trailers, with taverns and stores coming and going.

UNLV to appeal basketball postseason ban: Steve Addy; The university was put on four years probation and banned from postseason play this season in the sanctions levied Tuesday. But UNLV believes the ban is "unduly harsh" toward this year's team, particularly its six seniors.

Letter: Ruling weakens freedom in U.S.: Letter: Ruling weakens freedom in U.S.

Columnist Kate Maddox: Forecast rosy for Tannenbaum: Kate Maddox; Meteorologist and bow-tie lover Nate Tannenbaum has a new gig. Wednesday was the weatherman's last day at KVBC Channel 3 after six years at the station.

Q&A: Speedy Delivery: Tuesday will be the busiest day of the year for the United Parcel Service, when it anticipates delivering 19 million packages around the world, compared to the usual daily average of 13.5 million.

Columnist Jon Ralston: EPA could move in and take over: It may be the single most misunderstood, most complex and most potentially harmful issue in the valley: air pollution.

Program aims to keep teens from crime: Diana Sahagun; Michelle Henderson, 41, said she began a life of crime at age 8.

On hallowed ground: Stacy J. Willis; Joshua Abbey's dad, Edward, would be shaking his head in disgust.

Power broker led the drive for California tribes' gambling win: "We couldn't get a credit account at K-Mart. We didn't have any sort of a financial track record," said Milanovich of the early 1990s as the tribe worked to develop its downtown Palm Springs reservation with a hotel and casino. "It was cash and carry."

Utility wants more output in Laughlin: The variance being sought by Southern California Edison only would permit an easing of standards regarding the visual density of the smoke plumes produced by its Mohave Generating Station, one of the nation's biggest air polluters.

Wife's trial in Las Vegas millionaire's slaying postponed: Ken Ritter; In the meantime, District Judge Joseph Bonaventure agreed to hear more evidence on why the case should be thrown out based on allegations of misconduct by the prosecution.

State mental hospital losing thousands in revenue: In addition, a review of 35 cases shows another $4,500 in services that went unbilled. Projecting that over the year could mean a loss of another $400,000 to $500,000, legislative auditor Gary Crews said.

Agreement doesn't give water away to Mexico: Lisa Snedeker; Federal officials tried to reassure a group of Colorado River water users who met Friday in Las Vegas about the agreement signed earlier this week.

Man who stole identity offered probation, asks for prison: Sandra Chereb; William McDonald Walton gave no reason why he preferred a jail cell when questioned by Washoe District Judge James Hardesty.

Nevada campaigns end with spending flurry: "It's critical for candidates to have fund-raising in place in the 11th hour, especially in order to respond to whatever their opponent is saying about them," said Sheila Krumholz, research director for the Center for Responsive Politics, a campaign money watchdog. "It's not uncommon for candidates to raise campaign money right up until the end, and also stockpile it."

Congress approves snowmobile ban delay: Thomas is seeking alternatives to a ban on snowmobiling. He wants the next administration to enact noise and emissions standards to encourage manufacturers to develop cleaner, quieter machines.

Lawsuit against Nevada electors rejected: Brendan Riley; U.S. District Judge David Hagen of Reno ruled against attorney Carter King, who had argued Nevada's "winner-take-all" electoral system is unconstitutional.

Editorial: Halfway houses are burdening neighbors: It's troubling that the halfway houses have proliferated in such a concentrated area. As the Sun's Kris Hill reported last Sunday, clinical-addiction professionals questioned the need to have so many houses clustered together. Gary Fisher, director of the Center for the Application of Abuse Technologies at the University of Nevada, Reno, said so many halfway houses in one neighborhood doesn't aid the addict in working toward a sober lifestyle.

Reno prepares to compete with Indian gambling: But everyone knows that its only a matter of time before the big California locomotives - major casinos like an Interstate 80 project outside Sacramento - threaten to level a crossing arm over Reno's traffic flow.