Print edition for December 20, 2001

Las Vegas area fishing report: Lake Mead fishing declines: Fishing in Lake Mead is continuing to decline with anglers finding it difficult to catch largemouth or striped bass.

Streaking UNLV cruises to easy win: Steve Guiremand; Eastern Washington focused its attention on stopping UNLV offensive stars Linda Frohlich and Constance Jinks with a triangle-and-two defense on Wednesday night at Cox Pavilion.

New York among states forming new mega-lottery: Katherine Roth; NEW YORK -- The Big Game lottery is going to get bigger.

Project agreement expected soon: Mathis Winkler; It will still need some tweaking, but city officials and developers of a proposed master-planned community on 1,900 acres at the northern end of town said they are confident they will finalize an agreement on the project by mid-January.

Bright ideas: Holiday light displays aglow throughout valley: Glowing plastic snowmen, Santas and lighted manger figures illuminate what is an otherwise ordinary yard.

Guest columnist Patrick Vincent: 9-11 reshapes teens: SEPT. 11, 2001, is a date that will live in infamy. At 9:02 a.m. EST, an airliner struck the north tower of the World Trade Center. This was followed by attacks on the Pentagon and the south tower of the World Trade Center, and the crash of United Flight 93. More than 3,000 innocent Americans were murdered that day.

Sun Athletes of the Week: Keith Richardson and Carrie Ostler: School: Cheyenne

Columnist Ruthe Deskin: WestCare continues to beat odds: Ruthe Deskin; Soon it was determined that drugs were only a part of the problems that needed to be addressed. Fitz House became WestCare, one of the nation's most successful programs dealing with social problems.

Community briefs for December 20, 2001: A DUI checkpoint will be conducted by several law enforcement agencies 7-11 p.m. Friday on U.S. 93 at Veterans Memorial Drive in Boulder City.

National Guard sergeant honored: Dick Benoit; Army National Guard Staff Sgt. John Bogdan has received the Chief of Staff, Army Supply Excellence Award for the "outstanding technical expertise, attention to detail and professionalism he demonstrated during the Army supply excellence program evaluation of his unit."

Many cities, including LV, interested in IRL race: Dick Brinster; Although the defection of Roger Penske from the Championship Auto Racing Teams series has brought considerable publicity to the Indy Racing League, officials of the circuit figure they already were on the fast track to success.

NFL Injury report: MIAMI AT NEW ENGLAND -- Dolphins: QUESTIONABLE: WR Oronde Gadsden (hamstring); CB Patrick Surtain (finger); FS Shawn Wooden (hamstring). PROBABLE: CB Jamar Fletcher (hamstring); T Spencer Folau (back); DT Jermaine Haley (thumb); FB Rob Konrad (neck); CB Sam Madison (shoulder); FS Brock Marion (knee); SS Scott McGarrahan (knee); WR James McKnight (back); G Todd Perry (knee); SS Brian Walker (thumb). Patriots: PROBABLE: DE Willie McGinest (leg); TE Rod Rutledge (ankle); CB Terrance Shaw (leg).

Friday's horse racing entries: Post Time 9:30 a.m.

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

Former UNLV standout Chad Campbell honored: Tiger Woods and Allen Doyle won similar awards for the PGA and Senior tours, respectively.

Columnist Joe Delaney: Plenty of family entertainment in store for holidays: Joe Delaney; There is a post-premiere party scheduled following tonight's "Nutcracker" performance, a Snowflake Tea Saturday at noon, and a Sugar Plum Party at 3 p.m. Sunday ... Call the Samba Theatre box office (252-7776) for prices and details ... Nevada Ballet Theatre, originally the Nevada Dance Theatre, has come a long way since its first concert in September 1972.

Obituaries for December 20, 2001: Russell Charles Armour, 33, of Las Vegas died Tuesday in a local hospital. A resident for 24 years, he was born April 17, 1968, in Indiana, Pa.

Catching up with: Jen Kline: High School: Bishop Gorman ('01)

Pennsylvania joins Powerball: Martha Raffaele; HARRISBURG, Pa. -- Pennsylvania will join the Powerball multistate lottery next summer in an effort to boost state lottery revenues that help subsidize senior citizen programs.

Sun Girls Hoops Top 10: Teams ranked jointly by the Sun and Sparks Tribune. Records through Tuesday's games.

Letter: Community activism works: Citizens sometimes groan that it is a waste of time to fight crime. They give up, and when they do, they defeat themselves. Through grit, persistence, and robust grass roots organization, however, neighborhoods can win. Once a blight is eliminated, it is a lot easier to keep it controlled.

Most restrictions lifted on aviation: Except for a New Year's Eve flight restriction over the Strip for general aviation pilots, the skies over Las Vegas were expected to return to normal today.

With fight in Las Vegas, Freitas aims for long-desired exposure: Dean Juipe; A well-traveled road brings Acelino Freitas to a destination he and his promoter have long coveted, Las Vegas.

Alliance buying N.J. casino supplier: A subsidiary of Las Vegas-based Alliance Gaming Corp. is acquiring a New Jersey-based casino software company as part of a deal between two other companies.

News briefs for December 20, 2001: The money is expected to pay the rents of about 50 families for six months, said North Las Vegas Housing Authority officials, who will administer the fund.

Prep girls basketball standings: CLASS 4A

Reid: Stimulus package 'laughable': Curt Anderson; WASHINGTON -- A top Senate Democrat lampooned a House-passed package of tax cuts and unemployment aid today, as the Republican-written plan for lifting the recession-hobbled economy seemed certain to die.

Hawaii airlines merging: Hawaii's two inter-island airlines will merge, a decision that is likely to lead to higher fares and job cuts.

LV firm settling with Illinois: TRSG Corp., which does business as the Right Solution and Gateway Distributors Ltd., said it agreed to pay $1,000 to the state of Illinois to settle a civil consumer fraud lawsuit. The company did not admit wrongdoing.

Letter: Let love conquer hate at Christmas: Eitel's letter, articulating deep concern for religious freedom for all, speaks for itself. In stark contrast, Kaplan purports to promote a deep intolerance for the celebration of Christmas and all things relating to Christmas. How very sad, that in a world turned up-side-down because of religious fanaticism and violence, it is Christmas that offends her sensibilities.

Editorial: Spectators' behavior is unsportsmanlike: It's about time the league and teams got tough with surly and violent fans. But it didn't help matters that Browns' executives initially refused to criticize their fans' actions. "I don't think this is an example of life and limb being at risk," Browns President Carmen Policy said. "I like the fact that our fans care." After Policy received a considerable amount of condemnation, he made a belated apology the next day, but it couldn't undo the team's message: It's perfectly fine to act like thugs.

Limits remain over special events: Except for a New Year's Eve flight restriction over the Strip for general aviation pilots, the skies over Las Vegas were expected to return to normal today.

Jockeying begins for School Board spot: Terry Webster; Political posturing for the Clark County School Board presidency is in full swing.

Sun Boys Hoops Top 10: Teams ranked jointly by the Sun and Sparks Tribune. Records through Tuesday's games.

Letter: John Walker's destructive path began in Marin: Unfortunately, Jihad Johnny craved something more.

Prep wrestling standings: CLASS 4A

State official disputes legislators' accusations: CARSON CITY -- The head of the state Division of Emergency Management today disputed criticism from key legislators that his agency misspent money and dropped the ball by failing to adopt emergency regulations for four years.

Wednesday's prep results: WRESTLING

Las Vegas commercial real estate market softens: Jennifer Robison; The commercial real estate market in Las Vegas has grown briskly over the last decade. However, a stagnant national economy has taken its toll on the market's vibrancy this year, and a local real estate analyst said a year or more may pass before the local commercial market regains its luster.

New needy putting additional pressure on local charities: Adrienne Packer; Allan Johnson knew something was wrong when in mid-September residents in vehicles began pulling into the parking lot at Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada.

Court reviews Caesars case: CARSON CITY -- The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals will take a third look at a sex discrimination suit against Caesars Palace filed by a woman fired in 1994.

Yucca health, safety studies sought: Federal scientists studying Yucca Mountain have left many gaps in their research as it relates to the health and safety of nearby residents and, as a consequence, the Department of Energy should continue researching the site, Nevada's geologist said.

ACLU to monitor council meetings: Mathis Winkler; Free-speech advocates said they would monitor North Las Vegas City Council meetings and threatened potential legal action Wednesday over Mayor Michael Montandon's controversial proposal that critics say limits public participation.

Recently filed Las Vegas-area business-related lawsuits: * Online luxury goods publisher and franchisor Exotics.com Inc. sued to stop Andrew Maltin, a former executive and Scott London, a director, from interfering with its business, claiming they removed 25 of its franchisees' websites from its servers and transferred the websites to their servers. Exotics.com said it advertises luxury automobiles, estates, yachts and exotic travel services through the 25 franchisees' websites.

Prep boys basketball standings: CLASS 4A

Columnist Spencer Patterson: DeSantis looks forward to trying hand at 4A level: Spencer Patterson; After dominating the Class 2A football scene for five years, Frank DeSantis decided the time had come to try something new.

College letterhead not enough to deliver chamber seats: Jennifer Knight; Two university system officials who sparked controversy for using state mailing supplies to garner votes for the Latin Chamber of Commerce board lost their bids, chamber officials said.

Columnist Dean Juipe: McClain loves role of boxer-turned-promoter: Dean Juipe; Johnny McClain sees his emergence as a promoter as a natural development and simply another step in a varied and intriguing life.

Columnist Paula DelGiudice: Bird could land on endangered list: Paula DelGiudice; The decline of sage grouse across the West has resulted in petitions for listings of local populations of sage grouse as an endangered species in Washington, Utah and Colorado, according to the Nevada Division of Wildlife.

Gaels' goal: KO visiting powers: Spencer Patterson; For most of Southern Nevada's boys basketball teams, the annual Holiday Prep Classic provides an opportunity to play against high-caliber competition and gain experience for the season's stretch run.

Stratosphere left off monorail route: Diana Sahagun; The Stratosphere has been released from its original financial commitment to help fund studies for a proposed downtown monorail, but members of the Las Vegas City Council hope the hotel's decision wasn't done out of spite.

Visa revocation of student from Pakistan called unfair: By Timothy Pratt; A Pakistani man had his student visa revoked in Las Vegas last week in a case immigration experts say is unfair and may set a precedent, making it harder for thousands of foreign students to enter the United States.

MGM Grand in talks with Miss America pageant: Representatives of the Miss America pageant have contacted two Las Vegas resort properties about playing host to the event next September.

Teamsters now looking at organizing casino dealers: David Strow; The powerful Teamsters Union is laying the groundwork for a major organizing campaign aimed at Las Vegas' casino dealers -- the second such campaign Las Vegas has seen in as many years.

Spoonhour ready for introduction to UNR rivalry: Steve Addy; Charlie Spoonhour is about to get his first taste of the UNLV-UNR rivalry, but others have tried to clue him in since he became the Rebels' coach nine months ago.

Business briefs for December 20, 2001: Three public hearings have been scheduled for next month to allow Southern Nevada consumers to express their views on the two applications by Nevada Power Co. to raise rates by more than $964 million.

Fight schedule: Friday

Latin Chamber elects Sanchez new president: By Timothy Pratt; Tony Sanchez, a 35-year-old attorney who describes himself as having a broad notion of business, was elected president of the Latin Chamber of Commerce Wednesday.

Las Vegas council briefs for December 20, 2001: West Las Vegas residents will soon benefit from massive renovations to the community center, which has been in the area for more than 40 years.

Columnist Ron Kantowski: Sept. 11 already forgotten: You knew it wouldn't, couldn't last for very long.

LV listed as top winter spot: The American Society of Travel Agents/Fodor's Winter 2001 Hot Spots Survey said Las Vegas captured about 22 percent of the votes of about 400 travel agents surveyed in a quarterly fax and e-mail poll. The survey was conducted in October.

Wrecked car reminder of DUI effects: By Emily Richmond; It's difficult not to shudder when looking at the remains of the Cadillac that carried 21-year-old Rodrick McClure and his stepfather, James Addison, on the last morning of their lives.

Sharpton breezes through Las Vegas on short visit: Erin Neff; Las Vegas was merely a layover Wednesday for the Rev. Al Sharpton, who was on his way to Los Angeles to open another chapter of his National Action Network.

Travelers being spun off: Weill plans to sell 20 percent of the commercial, auto and home insurance business, known as the Travelers Property Casualty Corp., through a stock offering early next year that analysts expect to raise $4 billion to $6 billion. He intends to give the rest of the Travelers stock to Citigroup shareholders.

Earnings fall for LV company: The Las Vegas-based company posted net income of $115,000, or 1 cent per share, for the third quarter of 2001. This compares to net income of $507,000, or 6 cents per share, in the year-ago quarter. Revenue fell 8 percent to $2.96 million.

American recalling laid-off LV workers: The 104 American Airlines employees who were laid off at the Las Vegas reservations center in September are being called back to work.

Flaw found in Windows XP: Microsoft said that the risk to consumers was unprecedented because the glitches allow hackers to seize control of all Windows XP operating system software without requiring a computer user to do anything except connect to the Internet.

Council split on pact with YMCA: Diana Sahagun; The lights will stay on for at least another year at the Northwest Leisure Services Center, but not all city officials are convinced that taxpayers should be helping cover utility bills at a privately run facility.

Prep girls soccer standings: CLASS 4A

Editorial: No letup in war on terrorism: Despite the United States' plans to expand the war on terrorism, a survey of opinion leaders from around the globe has found that extending the war outside of Afghanistan has failed to gain the same level of support elsewhere. A survey by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press says that 54 percent of those questioned outside the United States believe that the war should be confined to Afghanistan.