Print edition for July 25, 2001

Letter: Second language must be choice: Our children should not be forced to speak any foreign language, but our schools should always give our children the option and opportunity to learn any foreign language, by choice.

Letter: Power bill no problem for VP: I, along with many seniors on fixed income, would greatly appreciate having the Navy pay my electric bill. Or have any branch of the federal government pay my electric bill. In fact, that would be better appreciated than that phantom "tax refund."

Columnist Jon Ralston: Guinn may steal county's air-quality thunder: OF AIR quality, base-broadening and Internet gaming:

Leukemia claims Las Vegas youth Moore: Rebecca Malone; A never-ending smile and a giving heart is what Alex Moore's family will remember most about him.

Obituaries for July 25, 2001: Debbie Caplinger, 38, of Las Vegas died Sunday in a local hospital. She was born Dec. 28, 1962, in New Jersey. A resident for 10 years, she was a hospital nurse.

Columnist Muriel Stevens: Explanations no walk in the park: Charging $2 for valet parking didn't make any friends for the Desert Passage mall, so it finally removed the fee. No longer do shoppers have to pay to valet park. I usually used the Aladdin valet service: no charge, no hassle, easy access.

Court briefs for July 25, 2001: District Judge Donald Mosley Tuesday set Sept. 6 as the sentencing date for Brookey West for the death of her mother.

Editorial: Baltimore derailment a bad omen: The fires fortunately have been extinguished, but it is imperative that the nation not forget how close Baltimore came to facing an even greater catastrophe, especially as it relates to Nevada's Yucca Mountain, which the federal government has targeted to be the dumping ground for the nation's high-level nuclear waste. The great majority of the nuclear waste is generated east of the Mississippi River, so that means this waste will either have to be sent by truck or rail, having to travel in some cases up to a couple thousand miles.

Las Vegas' ham consumption continues upward spiral: Max Jacobson; We eat ham in sandwiches, use it to make a nice bean soup, serve it studded with clove and surrounded by pineapple hot from the oven, as a holiday showpiece.

Life support: Fertility Center of Las Vegas still giving couples hope: Recently, the Fertility Center of Las Vegas, one of Southern Nevada's oldest reproductive clinics, celebrated 12 years of creating families for people who might otherwise not have one.

Dangerous inmate wants new prison: CARSON CITY -- David Wayne, once considered one of the most dangerous inmates in the state prison system, is complaining that officials are reneging on a promise to transfer him outside Nevada after he helped expose a corrupt guard in Ely.

High court allows insanity defense: CARSON CITY -- The Nevada Supreme Court in a split decision has ruled that a criminal defendant must be allowed to raise the defense of insanity to avoid conviction.

Abandoned baby buried with clerics officiating: Republic Services of Southern Nevada workers found Francis dead in a plastic bag on May 21, but authorities do not know when he was born because his parents were never found, police said. The coroner's office has not determined whether the baby was stillborn.

Ruling gives fed government victory in water rights dispute: CARSON CITY -- The Nevada Supreme Court has handed the federal government a victory over the state in the battle over water rights.

Candidates who failed to file could face prosecution: CARSON CITY -- The names of 60 political candidates in the last election have been turned over to the state attorney general's office for possible civil prosecution for failing to file campaign contribution and expense reports.

Review: Planet of the Apes: Same old monkey fuzz: Geoff Carter; Grade: Two and one-half stars

Letter: U.S. should grant Mexicans dual citizenship: Then Sheri Kenney writes in the Sun about President Bush catering to criminals by granting illegal immigrants legal status. Being of Mexican descent, I don't find her mentality a bit unusual or uncommon. I, as well as my ancestors from generations back, have learned to live with "Why don't you go back from where you came from?" My ancestors were already here before the United States conquered the Southwest.

Columnist Elizabeth Foyt: Food and beverage's best awarded at dinner: Elizabeth Foyt; Kurt Weinrich, assistant food and beverage director for the California Hotel and chairman of the Food and Beverage Directors Association of Nevada, had the recent pleasure of presiding over a most spectacular reception and dinner-dance event in the grand ballroom of Stardust. Opening with a two-hour, truly over-the-top cocktail party, the evening was the association's 10th annual awards evening.

CDC grant will help state develop oral health program: The Nevada State Health Division will use the $319,000 to create and strengthen oral health programs. The division will work with the dental community in recruiting dental health professionals and developing other resources.

Thursday's horse racing entries: Post Time 2 p.m.

Alien invasion: Victoria Sun; The 10 top-selling minor league baseball caps through June, according to Star Struck, the leading retailer for minor league merchandise:

Chamber president retiring, successor named: With 6,600 members, the chamber grew to be the nation's fourth largest chamber under Shalmy's leadership.

Business slow for Station, North Las Vegas project off: David Strow; Station Casinos Inc. announced this morning it is abandoning a controversial casino proposal in North Las Vegas.

Regent: Harter wants Robinson to be AD: Steve Addy; If John Robinson becomes an official candidate for the UNLV athletic director's job, he also wants to remain football coach.

Columnist Jeff Haney: Analyst predicts each and every NFL game: The man behind this year's hottest new football betting publication is a 30-year-old Las Vegas resident who has been gambling on sports for more than two decades, works year-round on handicapping the NFL -- and happens to be legally blind.

Goulet forced to close: Hemorrhaging to the tune of more than $100,000 per week, Robert Goulet abruptly canceled his performances at the Showroom at the Venetian Tuesday afternoon.

Details due on National's future: Las Vegas-based National Airlines' Internet site offers some bargain travel prices and an air of confidence: $30 seats to Los Angeles, $56 to San Francisco and $109 to the East Coast -- good for travel between Aug. 13 and Dec. 8.

Citizen's pursuit leads to arrest of suspect in slaying at intersection: Keith Paul; The actions of an alert bystander helped police arrest a man in a shooting death Tuesday at a busy intersection.

Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: Carpentier never lost will to win: It may have taken 79 races for Patrick Carpentier to win his first CART race, but the 29-year-old Las Vegas resident said he never lost faith in himself.

Furniture retailer closing Vegas showroom: The Brea, Calif.-based firm, which has four stores in Nevada, said it will close its three-worker store at 3870 S. Maryland Parkway as soon as a liquidation sale of the store's inventory is completed. The other two Las Vegas-area stores at 1200 S. Rainbow Blvd and 1501 Sunset Road will remain open.

Bank operator hikes dividend: Bank operator hikes dividend

Columnist Dean Juipe: No stopping pro sports salaries: Dean Juipe; After being repetitively shocked, a person builds up a certain immunity.

Park Place misses numbers: Cash flow fell for casino giant Park Place Entertainment Corp. in the company's second quarter -- and executives today offered only a cautious outlook for what the nation's shaky economy will bring during the rest of the year.

Overturned diesel tanker stalls Boulder City traffic: Jace Radke; Boulder City emergency personnel did not have to evacuate two busy shopping centers after a tanker truck carrying diesel fuel overturned and sprung a leak Tuesday night. But they were left with a mess that closed a portion of U.S. 93 for hours.

Speedway to host two NHRA events: The third annual NHRA Summitracing.com Nationals will be held April 4-7, 2002. The drivers of the world's fastest and most powerful racecars will return to LVMS Oct. 24-27, 2002, for the second annual ACDelco NHRA Las Vegas Nationals.

Ralph Siraco's selections for Thursday's races at Del Mar: 1st Race -- Ninebanks -- McCarron scales Gonzalez trainee for owners McCaffery & Toffan, draws good post for mile opener, should get the winning trip here. Liquind Asset -- Baze takes this Kruljac trainee, must overcome outside post here, first turn trip will tell the tale. Value Play -- Amber Sky

LV all-stars to take on elite competition: Spencer Patterson; With 12 teams from Southern Nevada entered in this week's adidas Big Time Basketball Tournament, local fans hoping to keep tabs on their favorite prep players may need compasses, road maps and plenty of gas in their tanks.

Mississippi watchdog group seeks better enforcement of gaming laws: John Porretto; JACKSON, Miss. -- Mississippi Gaming Commission Executive Director Chuck Patton dismissed a state watchdog group's report that the agency needs to do a better job of enforcing some regulations and documenting its business.

Teen claims stabbing was defense in attempted rape: Kim Smith; A Panaca teenager who claims she stabbed a Las Vegas man to death when he tried to rape her is being held in the Clark County Detention Center without bail.

Lawyers say pharmacist did the right thing: By Emily Richmond; A pharmacist who reported a North Las Vegas police officer's suspected drug abuse to the officer's employer was trying to protect the public from "immediate danger" and shouldn't be punished by the State Board of Pharmacy, according to the man's attorneys.

Volunteer families to be studied in leukemia probe: Siobhan McDonough; CARSON CITY -- Dozens of volunteer families in Fallon will be recruited for a study within the next few weeks to help scientists find the cause of a leukemia epidemic plaguing the northwest Nevada town.

Business briefs for July 25, 2001: Tommy's Original World Famous Hamburgers and Original Tommy's World Famous Hamburgers of Glendale, Calif., sued to stop a Las Vegas fast food restaurant from selling hamburger restaurant franchises under its trade name.

Funding feud threatens four housing projects in Nevada: Four Nevada projects that would provide 344 affordable apartments for the working poor are in jeopardy because of a battle over federal funding.

Police believe latest killing linked to others in N. Las Vegas: Kim Smith; Authorities believe a 25-year-old North Las Vegas man found shot to death in a bar bathroom over the weekend was connected to at least two other shootings, including the May 2000 shooting of a school bus driver.

Reno casino to close: The company, based in Chester, W.Va., said its Speakeasy casino and an associated restaurant in Reno will close -- but the property's hotel will remain open.

Columnist Victoria Sun: World Golf League event gives amateurs a day in the spotlight: Victoria Sun; If you're an amateur golfer, you will most likely never be able to experience what it's like to play in a PGA Tour or LPGA Tour event.

CCSN salary case unfolds: Jennifer Knight; Ever since Duane Stevens was hired at the Community College of Southern Nevada in 1991, he has been considered a good employee. He's done his work well and knows more than most about heating and air conditioning systems.

Ferris wheel project hits first snag: Owners of the Algiers hotel-casino have derailed, at least for now, plans to build a giant Ferris wheel on the Strip.

Legal insurer wants out of casino design case: Grace Leong; A legal malpractice insurer is disclaiming responsibility for claims made by a law firm representing Las Vegas architect Domingo Cambeiro in a legal battle over the design of the New York-New York hotel-casino on the Strip.

Affordable housing project taken over by new company: Diana Sahagun; After its proposal was met with resistance from neighbors, American CityVista has abandoned plans to build an affordable housing complex in western Las Vegas.

County's air quality control meets early challenge from cities: Leaders from the region's cities will meet next week in an attempt to block the consolidation of Southern Nevada's air quality responsibilities under the Clark County commissioners.

Feds under attack in firearms case: The U.S. government has found itself on the defense as it prosecutes a man who 19 years ago was the central figure in Southern Nevada's most infamous child kidnapping case.

Community briefs for July 25, 2001: By making an annual commitment of $20,000, Nevada State Bank became the newest member of the Lied Discovery Children's Museum's "Stars for Children" campaign.

Push for ban on Internet casinos renewed: Laurence Arnold; WASHINGTON -- Members of Congress for the fourth time are preparing an assault on Internet gambling, a $1.6 billion industry, even as Nevada considers becoming the first state to approve it.

Mikohn Gaming reports strong gain in revenue: The prior-year results included a one-time gain of $2.6 million.

More competition in recycling urged: A consultant recommended that local recycling companies be given greater opportunity to compete with garbage hauler Republic Services of Southern Nevada for commercial business.

ACLU says MGM intimidated participants in vigil for homeless: Jace Radke; The American Civil Liberties Union of Nevada is accusing the MGM Grand of using aggressive, intimidating tactics to infringe on the First Amendment rights of a group of homeless advocates holding a vigil in front of the resort.

Phone books help literacy program: Angela Soo; In five hours the Clark County Library District raised $10,000 to help fund programs that teach adults to read.

Killing suspect found in LV: Nicholas Chad Haynes is accused of being one of four people who drove by a housing project in Stockton, Calif., and fired 20 to 40 bullets at a group of people, killing a 37-year-old father of four and injuring five others, police said.

Transportation chief to check traffic: The tour, scheduled for Aug. 20, also will land at the site of the proposed Ivanpah airport, roughly 30 miles south of Las Vegas, where officials will take a walking tour.