Print edition for December 4, 2001

LV's Gamez blows up on final day, falls one shot short: Victoria Sun; For five straight days, Robert Gamez cruised through the final stage of the PGA Tour's qualifying school at Bear Lakes Country Club in West Palm Beach, Fla., as if he were playing miniature golf.

No hard feelings: Welcome extended to USC: Steve Guiremand; Attention Ripley's Believe It Or Not:

Gambling funds proposed for Twins stadium: The group says this could help raise $300 million to $500 million per year for a stadium and other infrastructure needs.

Vegas air ambulance operators merging: Mercy Air, which operates two medical helicopters in the Las Vegas Valley, is buying the assets of Metro Aviation, said Mercy Air spokesman Bob Forbuss. Metro Aviation operates the "Flight for Life" emergency helicopter service, with helicopters based at Valley Hospital and far northern Clark County. The acquisition price was not disclosed.

Cox plans to lower basic cable rates in Las Vegas: Southern Nevada's dominant cable television provider has proposed a 15 percent decrease in basic rates, but many subscribers could still pay more for programming when new rates take effect in March.

N.Y. officials eye casino to give Niagara Falls a boost: Carolyn Thompson; NIAGARA FALLS, Ontario -- On a recent Friday at lunchtime, a Casino Niagara attendant counted three $100 bills into Coral Gimbill's hand and topped them with a $20 in front of a "Double Diamond" slot machine alive with bells and lights.

Amundson fills niche at UNLV: Steve Addy; Watching young players blossom amid great expectations is one of college basketball's most satisfying thrills.

Contractor disputes GAO's Yucca audit: The president of the Energy Department contractor that is studying the viability of Yucca Mountain as the nation's nuclear waste repository said company officials "are astounded by the factual and legal inaccuracies" contained in a recent congressional audit of the project.

Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: Las Vegas Winston Cup race fifth on TV list: The UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400 from Las Vegas Motor Speedway in March ranked as the fifth-highest rated NASCAR Winston Cup television broadcast of the season, according to figures compiled by motorsportstv.com.

Contract rate cut sought: The prices Sierra Pacific agreed to pay Duke's power-selling unit from 2002 through 2006 are in some cases four times higher than market prices in September, and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission should set new prices for the contracts, Reno-based Sierra Pacific said.

Delays, overruns plague garage: Jeffrey Libby; A long-delayed city parking garage could be more than $300,000 over budget as well as five months late when it opens Monday, according to the general contractor, a claim the city says it will fight.

LV Internet company in deal: Mark Cenicola, president and chief executive of Cenicola-Helvin, declined to reveal terms of the deal, which closed on Dec. 1.

Guinn keeps options open for youth prison: CARSON CITY -- Gov. Kenny Guinn said today the refusal by the Legislative Interim Finance Committee to allow the state to run the Summit View juvenile detention center in Las Vegas creates a number of problems.

Nevadans ask Bush to delay decision on Yucca: Benjamin Grove; WASHINGTON -- Nevada's congressional delegation today asked President Bush to delay a decision this winter about whether to proceed with the Yucca Mountain project.

Unions, politics collide: Parties wooing labor after attack: Erin Neff; Politicians are once again courting organized labor in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks and on the eve of the 2002 election season.

Columnist Dean Juipe: NCAA needs football playoffs: Dean Juipe; There are those who will say it's a dead horse, all this wailing about the lack of a legitimate national championship game in college football.

Soccer complex may be trimmed: Diana Sahagun; Mike Meyer no longer works for the Community College of Southern Nevada, and now a soccer complex he and Las Vegas City Councilman Michael McDonald teamed up to build on the West Charleston campus could be scaled back.

LV casino operator honored for website: Las Vegas-based Harrah's received a "Web Business 50 Award" from CIO magazine, an information technology trade publication. Harrah's was the only gaming company to make the list, and joined companies such as Cisco Systems, Ernst & Young LLP, Ford Motor Co., J.P. Morgan Chase & Co., and Southwest Airlines.

AFL-CIO using its muscle in stimulus debate: David Strow; Richard Trumka, secretary-treasurer of the national AFL-CIO, calls the latest recession -- and its post-Sept. 11 deepening -- "the worst we've seen in decades."

Monday's prep results: BOYS BASKETBALL

Wednesday's horse racing entries: Post Time 12:30 p.m.

VEGAS SPORTS ON TV-RADIO: VEGAS SPORTS ON TV-RADIO

Ralph Siraco's selections for Wednesday's races at Hollywood Park: 1st Race -- Stonebridge Lady -- Baze aboard Mitchell trainee, draws good post for 7-panel opener, Lady could Stone-wall this group. Nordic Weather -- Pincay climbs atop Spawr trainee for owner Golden Eagle Farm, needs crafty trip from inner post, team always dangerous. Value Play -- No Turbulence

Annual mah jongg tournament hurt by sluggish airline travel: The Marjorie Troum Mah Jongg West Tournament, in its 13th year in Las Vegas, starts Wednesday at the Golden Nugget, and organizers are hoping for a strong field of locals to offset a diminished out-of-town contingent.

Pearl Harbor survivors to pay tribute to comrades Dec. 7: At a memorial service Friday for the 60th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor, Andy Hoover, head of the local Pearl Harbor Survivors Association, will read the names of the 10 Nevada members who have died in the past year.

Child-welfare appointment weighed: Clark County Manager Thom Reilly put his appointment of Klein-Rothschild as director of Child Welfare Services on today's County Commission meeting agenda. If the appointment is approved, Klein-Rothschild will assume her post in January.

Witness describes how suspects took getaway vehicle: Kim Smith; The charges The following are the charges Jose Vigoa and Pedro Duarte will face at a trial should Justice of the Peace James Bixler determine there is sufficient evidence:

Community briefs for December 4, 2001: The Simon Youth Foundation, a nonprofit group providing educational and career development opportunities to youth, is calling for applications for its national Community Scholarship Program.

Attorney: Killings protected family: Angela Soo; Gustavo Cumplido never meant to kill anyone. He was trying to protect his family from gang members, Cumplido's defense attorney told jurors during his murder trial Monday.

Letter: It's often hard to tell truth: Regretfully, I have concluded that anybody will lie if the pressure is great enough. It has been well documented that nearly all of our prisoners in Korea and Vietnam made false statements about whatever their torturers demanded.

Man in shootout had kept low profile: Keith Paul; The seven-time convicted felon who drew more than 100 shots from 14 Metro Police officers during a gunfight last week had drawn little attention from detectives until a few weeks ago.

Columnist Susan Snyder: Youngster shows sage wisdom: Bryant Mohan is a good teacher.

Columnist Kate Maddox: U2 finally tackles halftime gig: Kate Maddox; The NFL made it official on Sunday, announcing that U2 would indeed headline at Super Bowl XXXVI. Insiders who attended U2's recent concert at Thomas & Mack confirmed that it was the Vegas gig that got the band the deal.

County to decide fate of northwest: The Clark County Commission -- and particularly Commissioner Yvonne Atkinson Gates -- will play the critical role today in deciding the fate of a long-sought, but still controversial, pact that would guide development of the Las Vegas Valley's northwest.

Editorial: Highway trash is a blight for area: What is in dispute is just who is responsible for the growing collection of garbage. State officials say that garbage hauler Republic Services is a prime contributor. But Republic Services, which takes trash to the Apex landfill north of Las Vegas and which also operates a garbage transfer station south of Las Vegas near Sloan, says it isn't the culprit, noting that screens cover the garbage on its trucks. Instead, Republic Services says careless motorists who litter, and independent haulers who don't use tarps, are the likely offenders.

State to offer tax relief period: Jeffrey Libby; Not since the Persian Gulf War -- when tourism slumped and then-Gov. Bob Miller cut 10 percent from the state budget and instituted a hiring freeze -- have delinquent Nevada taxpayers fared so well.

$18 million judgment hits trash company: According to court records, the jury awarded Elizabeth Guerrero $9 million for past and future pain and suffering and $7.5 million for future medical damages. The remainder of the award pertains to past medical bills, and past and future loss of earnings.

College soccer complex cuts eyed: Diana Sahagun; Mike Meyer no longer works for the Community College of Southern Nevada, and now a soccer complex he and Las Vegas City Councilman Michael McDonald teamed up to build on the West Charleston campus could be scaled back.

Council focuses on city needs: Diana Sahagun; Improving neighborhoods and aggressively seeking to diversify the economy in the wake of Sept. 11 were among the priorities set by the Las Vegas City Council on Monday.

Still no leads in slaying at bar: Keith Paul; A 31-year-old woman gunned down last week in a downtown Las Vegas hotel bar had been released from jail just eight days before her slaying, but detectives are still trying to determine a motive for the killing.

Metro captain announces candidacy in sheriff's race: Keith Paul; A 28-year Metro Police veteran, who in 1994 lost his bid for sheriff, announced Monday that he will again try to win the county's top cop job.

Immunization schedule for December 4, 2001: HENDERSON PUBLIC HEALTH CENTER: 129 W. Lake Mead Drive, Building A, Suite 10, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

No wet winter predicted so far: For Southern Nevada residents this year, wintery weather may never come closer than the sight of a distant snow-capped mountain, forecasters say.

Cox selling services at Circuit City: Cox Vice President Steve Schorr said a company display has been set up at Circuit City stores at Eastern and Tropicana avenues, Sahara Avenue and Decatur Boulevard, Stephanie Street and Sunset Road and on West Tropical Parkway in northwest Las Vegas, as well as at more than 70 stores in California and Arizona.

Obituaries for December 4, 2001: Raymond M. Allen Jr., 71, of Las Vegas died Friday in Las Vegas. He was born Aug. 15, 1930, in Detroit. A resident for 35 years, he was a pit boss, a Marine Corps veteran and a member of the Non-Commissioned Officers Association.

Dialed in: TV viewers are heard at MGM's Television City: "If you missed the first episode, you didn't get any of it," the mother from Colorado said. She further explained that the show's progressive story changes so quickly, it's difficult to understand by viewers who are just tuning in for the first time.

Columnist Ron Kantowski: Half-price tickets are a half-baked idea: There's only one way to describe UNLV's new basketball ticket package that was announced on Monday.

Jewish Community wins two prizes: The organization, which represents 189 Jewish Federations and 400 independent communities across North America, was honored for both its home website (www.ujc.org) and its training website (ucj.org/interactivetraining).

Editorial: It's time to rein in lobbyists: Lobbyists are supposed to have the approval of a lawmaker before asking a legislative staffer to write a bill or an amendment, but these are informal guidelines. Sen. Ann O'Connell, R-Las Vegas, wants a more formal process to ensure that the staff is protected from undue influence, an idea supported by Assembly Speaker Richard Perkins, D-Henderson. For that matter, a public record of any such request by a lobbyist should be kept. While all of this would be a step in the right direction, ultimately all legislators should learn how to say "no" to lobbyists in the first place, and ...

Letter: Great society would care for its homeless: No matter how a person becomes homeless, isn't it the responsibility of a decent society to care for other human beings? Aren't we aware that Jesus, too, was homeless? And providing Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners to assuage our guilt is not the answer.

Where I Stand -- Mike O'Callaghan: Terrorism is terrorism: Arafat, as chairman of the Palestinian Authority, again told the world he felt badly about the murders and promised to round up the perpetrators of the crimes. Just how many times have we seen this scene replayed by him? More often than most of us can hastily recall. He brings in the cameras as dozens of suspected terrorists are taken into custody. Then during the following several weeks they are released quietly back into the Palestinian population. In short order, some of them again kill Israel citizens with surprise bombing attacks. When the Israelis say they believed the killers were ...

Letter: Democrats not ahead of pace: Your claim that Democrats today are "ahead of the pace" compared to 1989 and 1993 requires improperly comparing confirmation totals rather than confirmation rates. Yet presidents do not make the same number of nominations at the same time each year.

UNR president stands by fire academy plan: CARSON CITY -- Despite criticism from some regents, University of Nevada, Reno, President John Lilley said Monday that he is "cautiously optimistic" the board will approve his plan to raise student fees to bail out the troubled Fire Science Academy.

A new image: Strip club manager has vision for town: Mathis Winkler; Palomino Club manager Luis Hidalgo would have gone with a different headline when Stanford University medical professor Simon Stertzer bought the North Las Vegas strip club back in September.