Print edition for March 28, 2001

Columnist Dean Juipe: Adras lets it be known he's interested: Dean Juipe; Ben Howland had just gotten off the phone with Mike Adras when I called Adras in Flagstaff at his Northern Arizona University office.

Frontier Scouts to visit for Sports Day: The event will feature clinics put on by the UNLV volleyball team, Kelley Hester (the women's golf coach) and an exercise clinic by the YMCA. The participants will also observe the UNLV women's tennis matches and softball games.

Environment is under siege with this presidency: In their great wisdom, President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney are trying to assure us that arsenic in drinking water is safe; that nuclear power plants are safe and would solve all of our problems (Three-Mile Island and Chernobyl); that strip-mining does not cause water and air pollution; that despite their campaign "promises" they have reneged on their "promise" to limit the use of carbon-dioxide in industry. Who needs to breathe clean air anyway?

Affluent areas rarely recycle: BEVERLY MARTIN

Columnist Victoria Sun: Bonanza grad Piercy has a day to remember at Red Rock CC: Victoria Sun; San Diego State senior Scott Piercy set a new course record at Red Rock Country Club recently by firing a 10-under-par 62.

In search of the real Philly sandwich: Max Jacobson; The sandwich began life as a straight steak sandwich on a crusty Italian roll, but today it is most commonly eaten with cheese, and many establishments serve it on a soft roll.

XFL boss: League would carry on even without NBC: Joseph White; WASHINGTON -- The struggling XFL will back next year, with or without NBC, the league's president said Tuesday.

Good to be interviewed for job: Steve Addy; Max Good will get the interview he has been seeking, and that appears to be one of the final steps before UNLV hires its next basketball coach.

Students wake up to lack of sleep: Angela Soo; Getting enough sleep is tough for some Rancho High School students, since some have to spend two hours on a one-way bus ride to make their 7 a.m. class.

Columnist Paula DelGiudice: Big game hunters should apply early: Paula DelGiudice; The deadline for applying for this year's big game hunt is April 16. So there is little else on hunters' minds today besides trying to determine which area to choose when applying for the hunt.

Baseball fans get to see D'backs, but no 'Big Unit': Steve Guiremand; Big League Weeknight

Fate of retarded inmate could rest in high court: CARSON CITY -- Next month Thomas Nevius, who sits on death row at the state prison in Ely, turns 49, but psychologists say he has the mental capacity of a boy of 8.

Ralph Siraco's selections for Thursday's races at Santa Anita: 2nd Race -- Shescominundone - Flores first call on Dutton-owned & trained baby, draws good post for short straight 2-furlong dash, boot and scoot to win. Nicoles Mata Lion - Quarter Horse rider Badilla sits West trainee, draws well, rider will get this gal out and running in prompt fashion. Value Play -- Geisha Girl

Editorial: Congress once again adds insult to injury: "It's been a bureaucratic travesty," says Rep. Scott McGinnis, R-Colo., who is seeking $84 million to fund the program again. Congress also shouldn't forget that it was the federal government's own carelessness regarding safety in its uranium mining and atomic testing program that allowed these people to become seriously ill in the first place. Not only should Congress quickly restore this money, but it also should revamp the way it funds this program. Currently Congress must debate every year how much money to set aside. Congress instead should make this a permanent fund, ensuring that embarrassments such as this never ...

Columnist Elizabeth Foyt: Restaurateur celebrates eatery anniversary: Elizabeth Foyt; Ferraro's Summerlin recently gave a splendid party to celebrate its one-year anniversary at the Trails Village Center, near the hub of Summerlin and the adjacent library, parks and Nevada Ballet Theatre complex.

Obituaries for March 28, 2001: Dolores R. Adams, 69, of Henderson died Monday in Henderson. She was born Nov. 27, 1931, in Chicago. A resident for 11 years, she was a homemaker.

Laughlin Stampede beginning tonight: The rodeo, which runs through Sunday, is the sixth stop on the PRCA Wrangler ProRodeo Tour. It will feature 600 riders testing their skills in a quest for more than $200,000 in prize money.

Columnist Jon Ralston: This isn't a run-of-the-mill casino opening: THE INVITATION to the casino's grand opening perfectly captures the historic nature of the event.

Olds news: Oldsmobile's fans, workers lament the auto's passing: Japzyk, a 56-year-old disabled ironworker, basks in the glow of the smiles of motorists and pedestrians who cast admiring glances as he drives past them, returning their waves and thumbs-up salutes.

Columnist Peter Benton: Members, guests tee off at LVCC: Peter Benton; Beautiful weather and a course in tip-top shape greeted a large field of golfers at Las Vegas Country Club last week for the club's annual Men's Member/Guest event.

Columnist Jeff Haney: Final Four betting attracts value seekers: Spend enough time around sharp horseplayers, and you'll learn an old racing truth that comes across like a paradox: When you bet a horse to win, you usually think he's going to lose.

Nevada is ideal for nuclear power: It is the perfect place for hundreds of modern nuclear power plants. Think of all the pollutants not dumped into the air.

Editorial: Leukemia study needs more funds: State health officials are baffled by what may have led to 12 confirmed cases of acute lymphocytic leukemia of children in a town that only has about 8,000 residents. Some researchers believe some of the likely culprits could be viral or bacterial infections. While arsenic isn't known as a cause of leukemia, an Environmental Protection Agency official suggested this possibility be explored further because the town's drinking water has higher than recommended levels of this carcinogen. Also being looked at by de Braga is the Fallon Naval Air Station to assess whether any activities at the base may have played ...

Legislature pays tribute to Evans' memory: Erin Neff; Jan Evans' memory continues to be an inspiration during this legislative session.

Community briefs for March 28, 2001: Laura Efurd, former deputy director for the White House Office of Public Liaison, will share her personal experiences working in the East Wing at a lecture at 7 p.m. today at the Sahara West Library, 9600 W. Sahara Ave.

County fearing pinch from lawmakers: Adrienne Packer; Legislators' misconception that Clark County is Nevada's fat cat and has millions of dollars to spare is already hurting customer service and could result in higher taxes and major cutbacks, county commissioners said Tuesday.

County sues LV tourism, convention firm: Grace Leong; A businessman renting luxury homes in the affluent Las Vegas Country Club community and offering meeting space near the nearby Las Vegas Convention Center has been sued by Clark County, which wants to shut him down for operating without required building permits, licenses and zoning approvals.

Census count affects Nevada: Genaro C. Armas; WASHINGTON -- Greater proportions of Americans were missed by the census in states with booming minority populations or large urban centers, say Democrats who want to adjust the tally used to redistrict legislative seats.

Judge denies new trial for Williams: Williams is scheduled to be sentenced Friday on six counts of driving under the influence of a prohibited substance in connection with the March 19, 2000, deaths of six teenagers on Interstate 15.

Henderson incumbents haul in support: Jeffrey Libby; If money raised equals votes cast, Henderson elections for City Council Ward 3 and Municipal Court judge will be giant landslides that create little public interest.

20 specialty coffee stores to open in Nevada: Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, which calls itself the oldest and largest privately held coffee and tea retailer in the United States, has signed its first area development agreement with Las Vegas Coffee Investors LLC, a privately held firm operated by Jeffrey Fine.

Acres wins $1.5 million in patent dispute with Mikohn: Grace Leong; Acres Gaming Inc. of Las Vegas, which was embroiled in a longstanding gaming patent dispute with Mikohn Gaming Corp. of Las Vegas, today announced it was awarded $1.5 million in damages by a federal jury, which found Mikohn had infringed two of Acres' patents.

Earnhardt glance: A look at the late Dale Earnhardt's record at this week's NASCAR venue:

Dot.com incubator plan may go cold: Diana Sahagun; If the recent fall of dozens of Internet companies in Silicon Valley is any indication, plans for a dot.com incubator in Las Vegas are fading, Mayor Oscar Goodman said Tuesday.

Barrichello at center of F1 controversy: Rubens Barrichello is fed up with talk about his future at Ferrari and his relationship with teammate Michael Schumacher.

Nevada stance a threat to dump: Benjamin Grove; Nevada's dogged opposition to opening a nuclear waste tomb in the state is a serious threat to the program's success, a Senate leader on energy issues said Tuesday.

The Edison difference: The Edison difference

PurchasePro, AOL in new deals: Kevin Ferguson; Investors in PurchasePro seemed indifferent this morning, with PurchasePro shares rising just 3 cents to $7.28, following a company announcement of 10 new strategic partnerships including deals with Hewlett-Packard and Homestore.com.

Las Vegas company buys assets of bankrupt Spintek Gaming: Grace Leong; Buyer sued

Direct-mail firms merge: EMS Direct and ZIP Direct have joined to form ZIP Direct Las Vegas in a deal valued at more than $1 million.

New schooling: Seven area principals in N.Y. for training: Terry Webster; Meeting

Mesquite is hoping for a takeoff: In the far northeast corner of Clark County, the small town of Mesquite has led the state in growth. Now the town is looking for an airport to fuel its growing metropolitan ambitions.

Big teams and names returning to Indy 500: Mike Harris; The Indianapolis 500 is beginning to look more like the event that not so long ago was the most important auto race in the world.

Kincaid leading Smith in campaign fund-raising: Kris Hill; North Las Vegas Councilwoman Stephanie Smith, who last November lost her bid to unseat County Commissioner Mary Kincaid, now finds herself behind Kincaid's son, Mark, in a race to keep her council job.

PurchasePro fires back, calls claims 'meritless': Kevin Ferguson; Las Vegas Internet purchasing company PurchasePro has filed its formal legal response to a lawsuit accusing it of stealing corporate secrets from a defunct local company.

Privacy ID introduced in Vegas: A Sprint spokeswoman said Tuesday that Privacy ID intercepts unidentified or blocked calls before the phone rings. An announcement instructs callers to identify themselves or the call will not be connected. The phone rings and a recording of the caller's identification is played for the customer.

Labonte's title defense going badly: Jenna Fryer; It's been six weeks since Bobby Labonte last looked at the Winston Cup standings. The season has started so poorly for the series champion, he doesn't want to know how bad things really are.

Salaries, bonuses detailed for two Strip executives: Terry Lanni's paycheck more than doubled in 2000 on the heels of a historic year for his company, MGM MIRAGE of Las Vegas.

Vo-Tech principal Feddersen announces retirement: Terry Webster; Less than a week after some 300 students walked out of Southern Nevada Vocational Technical Center, Principal Martha Feddersen, a 16-year school district employee, has announced her retirement.

Rudin's remains play a role in trial: Kim Smith; Margaret Rudin forgot something when she went to her husband's memorial service in Chicago -- his remains.

Auto racing schedule, winners and standings: Feb. 18 - Daytona 500, Daytona Beach, Fla. (Michael Waltrip)

Husband of slaying victim calls fake bomb key to case: Three homeless men were back in Justice Court today for the second day of a preliminary hearing to determine whether they are to be bound over for trial in the slaying of 67-year-old Tiffany Averill, the wife of longtime North Las Vegas Chief Deputy Constable Herbert "Russ" Averill.

Former school principal draws 3 years in sex case: Brent A. Fleshman, 31, will have to serve at least one year in prison before becoming eligible for parole.

Halfway house gets a no vote: Kris Hill; Members of the Paradise Town Board, responding to a crowd of upset southeast Las Vegas residents, unanimously denied a special use permit Tuesday that would allow two more halfway houses to operate in their neighborhood.

Minimum age for death penalty might be raised: Erin Neff; CARSON CITY -- With adrenaline pumping and a lack of neurological development, most teens cannot reason that their actions can lead to murder, experts testified this morning.

Woods mix celebration with business: Dick Brinster; Elliott Sadler's improbable victory hadn't even been digested, yet Eddie Wood was back at the track trying to figure out if one of NASCAR's pioneer teams was about to start a renaissance.

IGT acquisition closes: Silicon shareholders will receive 11.9 cents per share in cash, up from the 8.25 cents to 9.5 cents per share originally contemplated. The increased value came from the sale of most of Silicon's holdings in WagerWorks Inc., a not-for-cash gaming entity developed with MGM MIRAGE.

Jury resumes deliberations in assault case: Kim Smith; The jury deciding the fate of a former Little League coach accused of sexually assaulting seven young boys resumed deliberations this morning.

Mack builds large war chest for his first re-election bid: Diana Sahagun; In his first stab at campaign fund-raising, Las Vegas Councilman Michael Mack leads the pack of council candidates with a war chest of almost $500,000.

State revokes licenses of eight LV contractors: The board revoked the licenses of five contractors associated with Walter Welty including Aqua Blue Pools, Welty Construction, Logos Plumbing, Logos Pools and KEW Excavation, alleging they failed to comply with the terms of a construction contract and regulations concerning contract provisions for the building of residential pools and spas.

Bill to halt sale of power plants is OK'd: Erin Neff; CARSON CITY -- Saying timing is critical in a tumultuous energy market, the Assembly on Tuesday unanimously approved a bill prohibiting the sale of Sierra Pacific Resources' power plants.

Gaming review panel axes proposed Station casino: Kris Hill; Station Casinos is re-evaluating its options after a state gaming review panel Tuesday overturned a North Las Vegas City Council decision that would have allowed the company to build a hotel-casino at Craig Ranch Golf Course.