Print edition for March 14, 2001

City feels cheated by count, may lose funds: Jeffrey Libby; Henderson may have lost its bragging rights as the second largest city in Nevada, but after the release Tuesday of 2000 Census population figures, that was the least of city officials' concerns.

Unpaid markers reduce tax receipts: CARSON CITY -- Slow collection of casino markers has contributed to lower tax receipts this year, the chairman of the state Gaming Control Board said today.

Casino robber gets 130 years in prison: Kim Smith; When given the opportunity to speak at his sentencing hearing Tuesday, Treasure Island robber Reginald Johnson declined. That didn't stop him from mouthing off during the rest of his hearing.

Big retailer entering Nevada market: "We haven't made any announcement within the specific market of Nevada," said Susan Henderson, Kohl's spokeswoman. " We are looking to be a national retailer and will expand into the southwest part of the country in 2003 starting with Southern California, then eventually Nevada, which has a lot of high-growth potential."

Gaming doesn't pay its fair share, Neal testifies: Erin Neff; CARSON CITY -- Gaming executives came to Tuesday's Senate Taxation Committee armed with economists, a bound 41-page study with color graphs and some of the industry's biggest guns at the ready.

Ethnic influx fuels valley boom: A huge increase in Hispanic and Asian migration to Southern Nevada has helped swell the entire population here, Census Bureau numbers released Tuesday show.

Downtown Vegas tech incubator stalled: Kevin Ferguson; Lack of action on a proposed high-tech business incubator downtown doesn't mean the proposal is dead, says Mayor Oscar Goodman.

Nevada, Vegas gas prices up: The average price per gallon in Las Vegas is $1.68, up seven cents from last month, according to AAA's monthly gas survey.

Ways sought to improve county's low recycling rate: By Steve Kanigher; Environmentalists and businessmen agreed that increased public education and the hiring of a regional coordinator would help improve Clark County's 8 percent recycling rate, one of the nation's lowest.

Gang violence re-ignites overnight: Keith Paul; An area already scarred by six murders in a month blamed on warring gangs was hit again Tuesday night by a suspected gang-related slaying.

Nevada companies report strong profits to Wall Street, plead poverty to Legislature: David Strow; Nevada casino operators are telling two different stories about their financial situation. In one version, business is booming and expansion is needed. In another, business is stagnant and competition tough.

Woman's death is first 2001 homicide in Henderson: Julie Holt was found dead by her father when he returned to his house in the 900 block of Stetson Drive, near U.S. 95 and College Drive, about 3 p.m. Tuesday, Henderson Police said.

Las Vegas area fishing report: LAKE MEAD: Fishing success dropped off over the weekend as anglers struggled with the weather and were unable to locate schools of striped bass. Even though most fishers have struggled to catch more than one or two stripers, there has been some action coming from Government Wash, Las Vegas Bay, Sand Island, the rock slides near Hoover Dam and the Hemenway Wall. About the only recent success has been from shore near the lower campground at Echo Bay.

Prosecutors try to link Rudin to trunk: Kim Smith; Margaret Rudin's estranged sister told jurors this morning that the day before Ronald Rudin disappeared, she saw the steamer trunk authorities believe his body was set ablaze in.

TWA deal far from complete: Nevada senator wary of mergers: Philip Dine and Cynthia Wilson; The Trans World Airlines-American Airlines deal is still far from takeoff.

Ralph Siraco's selections for Thursday's races at Santa Anita selections: 2nd Race -- Billy's Echo - Hustling Pedroza aboard one-of-two Mayberry-trained 'hidden entry' here, draws good box, should be in the mix throughout. Casual Country - Flores scales Puype trainee for owner Cobra Farm, Inc., gets good post to work from, should be in the thick of it in here. Value Play -- Fleet Year

Council approves shooting facility: They will send out requests for proposals in the next couple of days.

Snubbed Lions gearing up for Lady Rebels: Steve Guiremand; Loyola Marymount women's basketball coach Julie Wilhoit and about 200 friends, family and Lions' boosters got together Sunday afternoon at Albert Gersten Pavilion to watch the NCAA Tournament pairings' show on ESPN.

Columnist Dean Juipe: Tarkanian indicates he's through: Dean Juipe; He said it as if he were an Alaskan Indian, preparing himself for the spiritual awakening that accompanies a willing exile to a distant ice flow for a pensive man's final days.

Potential buyers plentiful for Regent, gaming resort's investment banker says: David Strow; The Regent Las Vegas hotel-casinos has struggled financially ever since opening its doors in the summer of 1999. But there's apparently quite a few companies that believe they could turn that around.

Nevada Power offers tips for conserving electricity: Nevada Power unveiled a new, voluntary conservation program that company officials say could save residential electric users hundreds of dollars on their bills.

Resolution sets guidelines for annual legislative session: CARSON CITY -- A proposed constitutional amendment for annual sessions of the Nevada Legislature and an increase in pay for lawmakers was approved by an Assembly Committee by a 5-2 vote Tuesday.

Columnist Muriel Stevens: Venetian hits mark in preview: Spring is almost here. The flowers are blooming. New fashions fill our stores. To get a head's up on what's in store for men and women, check out St. Mark's Square at the Grand Canal Shoppes at the Venetian on Mar. 21. "Fashions on the Canal," sponsored by ShowBiz Japan, showcases three cool fashion shows, all free. Fashion show times are noon, 3 and 6:30 p.m.

Columnist Victoria Sun: UNLV women's golf coach plans quick rise to prominence for team: Victoria Sun; Her philosophy is refreshing and gutsy to say the least.

Letter: Not all nuclear issues the same: Hanford is plagued with serious contamination from leaking tanks that pose a threat to the environment. At least 67 of the tanks have leaked an estimated million gallons of waste into the ground. The mission of the Hanford site was that of production of nuclear materials like many other Cold War production facilities around the nation.

Columnist Peter Benton: Reserve tickets now for LV Senior event: Peter Benton; Ticket prices announced by the Las Vegas Founders' Club for this year's $1.4 million Las Vegas Senior Classic, scheduled to be played over the TPC Summerlin layout April 18-22, are as follows:

Boulder City is run well: It seems that you would have enough to report on with your own city council without having to come and disparage ours in your newspaper. But I do believe there are a few facts you missed.

Sun wins AP awards: The Sun won first place in the Division III (circulation 25,000-74,000) Graphics category for "Aladdin Opens," by Pam Killinsworth and Adam Bucci, and second place for Division III website (lasvegassun.com) behind the Marin Independent Journal (marinij.com).

Legislative briefs for March 14, 2001: A bill appropriating $250,000 to support programs for the prevention and treatment of problem gambling was introduced by the Senate Judiciary Committee Tuesday.

Editorial: Hospitals' upswing should aid Medicare: But Congress should heed the advice of its Medicare advisory commission, which says no further increases in Medicare payments to hospitals are warranted, citing a recent review that found the hospitals' financial condition has improved. Congress then should take this opportunity and listen to the AARP. The advocacy group for seniors notes that now that health care providers have been taken care of, some of the budget surplus should be directed at expanding benefits for Medicare patients, including the passage of a prescription drug benefit.

Lawmakers move to cut Harrah's tax, allow dockside gambling: Melinda Deslatte; BATON ROUGE, La. -- A Senate committee takes the next look at a proposal to raise the tax on riverboat casinos for the permission to remain dockside after legislators in the House overwhelmingly approved it.

Bill calls for study of juvenile detention: CARSON CITY -- A bill calling for a study to determine whether there is a disproportionate share of minorities in the juvenile detention system gained support from a parade of witnesses who went before the Senate Judiciary Committee Tuesday.

Letter: Wrong people getting benefit of tax cuts: The likely destination of most of their tax savings is the stock market, where it will find its way to big corporations that build factories in countries where labor is cheapest, not in the United States.

Lawyers, builders struggle over bill: Erin Neff; CARSON CITY -- Previous legislative sessions have addressed construction defects through balancing the rights of homeowners and contractors.

Editorial: Tie more funds to an audit: The county health district is considering an option of its own to help boost funding of its anti-pollution program, by raising the fees now paid by polluting businesses, which could include higher assessments on construction companies and industrial plants, for instance. If these fees were raised, they could help pay part of the extra $5 million that is needed on top of the existing $8.7 million spent on air-quality control programs.

Bill would aid low-income Nevadans in power crisis: Erin Neff; CARSON CITY -- Consumers who can afford to pay higher utility bills would help subsidize those who can't under a bill introduced Tuesday.

News briefs for March 14, 2001: As many as 100 developers could crowd into the conference room at the North Las Vegas Library Thursday to learn more about the city's plans for land that will be auctioned off in May.

Columnist Jon Ralston: Garcia to lawmakers on taxes: 'We Can't Wait': SO CARLOS Garcia has decided to do what the governor, legislators and business leaders refuse to do on the Great Tax Question: talk.

Columnist Jeff Haney: NCAA Tourney carries bittersweet undertones: Well, this could be the last time.

St. Paddy parade set Saturday: Angela Soo; The Sons of Erin on Saturday will celebrate St. Patrick's Day during a family-oriented, Mardi Gras-style parade downtown and a block party in the parking lot of the Sahara hotel.

Another one bites the dust: Victoria Sun; The Las Vegas Bandits of the second-year International Basketball League shut down operations on Tuesday citing financial difficulties.

Man misses Megabucks jackpot by playing just two coins: The casino is in Northern Nevada on the Utah border.

Church leaders fight gambling: More than 260,000 Methodists in almost 1,300 churches will be asked to call lawmakers and Gov. Bob Taft to protest the terminals, said Bishop Bruce Ough of the West Ohio Conference of the United Methodist Church.

North Carolina gambling foes roll out heavy hitters: The people behind the bipartisan Citizens United Against the Lottery include three ex-governors, banking chief executives, a former university president and religious leaders.

NLV mayor hit with ethics complaint: Diana Sahagun and Kris Hill; North Las Vegas resident Chris Grant has filed a state ethics complaint against North Las Vegas Mayor Michael Montandon.

Racing itch returns as Luyendyk gears up for another Indy 500: Arie Luyendyk can remember that precise moment when he decided to end his retirement and return to racing in the Indianapolis 500.

Columnist Paula DelGiudice: Program helps foster nature appreciation: Paula DelGiudice; One thing most outdoors people agree on is the need to give more young people the outdoor experience so that they'll grow up appreciating all that the outdoors has to offer. It should be pretty easy to accomplish but with so many other competing interests, it's not always so easy.

Tuesday's prep results: BASEBALL

Latest Megabucks winner a "loser": The 22-year-old galvanized steel worker from Pleasant Grove, Utah was playing an IGT "Megabucks" machine. But Tolman was busy talking to his friend and didn't even notice what machine he was playing. In fact, when the three "Megabucks" symbols all locked in to place on the payline and the bells started ringing, Tolman had no idea of what he'd won. It was then that he and his friends noticed that he'd only played two coins instead of the required three. It was an $8 million mistake.

Engineer to receive Nevada Medal: Seinfeld focused on understanding the chemical and physical processes that occur in polluted city air. His early work in 1972 led to landmark papers on mathematical models for air pollution that were incorporated into the federal Clean Air Act.

Obituaries for March 14, 2001: Lucy Ball, 60, of Las Vegas died Monday in Las Vegas. She was born April 1, 1940, in Little Rock, Ark. A resident for 40 years, she was a dealer at Harrah's.

Tarkanian indicates he's through: juipe@lasvegassun.com; "I'm close to coming home," Jerry Tarkanian said Tuesday from his office at Fresno State University, although he didn't mean "home" in the sense of eternity. He meant it in reference to a permanent return to his residence in Las Vegas, as if his 30-year coaching career was just about over.

NCAA games on TV in Vegas: Thursday

Community briefs for March 14, 2001: Weight Watchers and Goodwill are holding their fourth annual Suited For Success campaign through April 16.

Lawmakers eye added D.C. clout: Benjamin Grove; House seats

Reid raps Bush over change in stance on carbon dioxide: Reversing his campaign pledge to cut carbon dioxide, a major contributor to global warming, President Bush brought criticism from Nevada's top Democrat and praise from conservatives and energy companies.

Reel strides: Upgrades in theater food impressive: Max Jacobson; The yearly convention ShoWest, which was held March 5-8 at the Paris Las Vegas, is an annual showcase for innovative manufacturers who supply anything used by movie theater owners, from sound systems to the latest style of stadium seating.