Print edition for October 18, 2001

Automaker earns a profit: Chief Financial Officer John Devine warned the world's largest automaker will fall short of its fourth quarter earnings target, however.

Dressed to impress: Halloween costumes adjust with the times: "We're trying to find something scary," she explained, while her younger brother, Freddie, waited nearby.

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

RTC says ride bicycles to work: Angela Soo; Riding a bicycle to work, instead of driving, can actually save time, a biking enthusiast said Tuesday.

Letter: Right person chosen to be public defender: Let's get the facts straight for once. Reilly's selection of Cooper was the right one and the criticism is ridiculous. The critics of the county manager's selection of Cooper argue that there were more qualified candidates and that in the past the public defender's office would plea-bargain too many cases.

Burton didn't reach expectations: Hank Kurz Jr; For many Winston Cup drivers and teams, the season Jeff Burton has put together would be a high-water mark.

Council delays action on Stratosphere ride: Diana Sahagun; Residents who planned to protest a 700-foot thrill ride at the Stratosphere believe a move by the Las Vegas City Council to delay a decision on the project amounts to a small victory.

No rebate, no furniture mart: Diana Sahagun; The 57-acre furniture mart pegged for downtown could be in jeopardy if the Las Vegas City Council fails to approve an agreement that would give the developer a 50 percent rebate on property taxes over 20 years.

Tests show Reno scare unfounded: Test results being reported today are putting to rest the anthrax scare out of Reno that has alarmed Nevadans since Friday.

Suspect in heists indicted: Robert Kindell, 24, was arrested Friday at the Silverton hotel after casino employees recognized him from from surveillance video broadcast on local television news that had been taken from the Palace Station robbery, Lt. John Alamshaw said.

Labonte's title a distant memory: Jenna Fryer; TALLADEGA, Ala. - Peeking out the back of his hauler, Bobby Labonte watched as a lone fan wearing a sweat shirt celebrating the driver's Winston Cup championship stopped to collect some souvenirs.

Obituaries for October 18, 2001: Ethel Davidson, 94, of Las Vegas died Oct. 8 in Las Vegas. She was born Sept. 14, 1907, in Missouri. A resident for 20 years, she was a telephone operator.

Casino sues state over rights to land: Grace Leong; Vacation Village is in a legal dispute with the Nevada Department of Transportation over ownership rights to a 15-acre parcel between Sunset Road and the bankrupt Las Vegas hotel-casino.

Geographic diversity seen as key casino asset in downturn: David Strow; Now that three major gaming companies have reported earnings, one trend is clear -- geographic diversity can be a big insurance policy for a gaming company.

Officials call for calm on anthrax: By Emily Richmond; It could be powdered sugar from your co-worker's doughnut. Or it could be coffee creamer. Or construction dust. Or laundry detergent. It could be anthrax.

Editorial: Anxiety stirred by confusion: Often government officials can't even agree on the basic facts. On Wednesday House Speaker Dennis Hastert said that anthrax had gotten into the Senate's ventilation system. But a bioterrorism expert at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services dismissed Hastert's speculation, saying that anthrax has only been discovered in Daschle's office and in the Senate mailroom.

Letter: Stifle gabby congressmen: The media isn't at fault. It can presume that congressmen release information that doesn't harm the nation's security if it's published. Congressmen who leak secrets betray our country and those who fight for it.

DA will alter prostitution policy if court finds bias: CARSON CITY -- If the Nevada Supreme Court finds that the Clark County district attorney's office is unfairly prosecuting female prostitutes, then the policy on charging their customers will get tougher, District Attorney Stewart Bell said.

Deal made over car lots in proposed Town Center: Diana Sahagun; A compromise reached Wednesday will allow auto dealerships to cover more of the commercial area in Town Center, but keep a 50-acre auto mall from taking shape in northwest Las Vegas.

Agency's pantry nearly empty: A month to go before the big food drive and the Salvation Army's cupboard is just about bare.

Columnist Ruthe Deskin: Logging on is not for everyone: Ruthe Deskin; But occasionally a trivial incident can remind us that life goes on. Take the letter recently received from AT&T, offering a new kind of billing to its customers called "online billing" that offers "convenience and savings."

Columnist Joe Delaney: More thoughts on taped performances dispute: Joe Delaney; Caesars Palace, the stars represented on the CD, the musicians who accompanied the stars and, subsequently, Concord Records and its subsidiary, Neon Tonic Records, were and are subject to the recording agreement in effect at the time the tapes were recorded with the American Federation of Musicians.

Rockers break out of the 'Christian music' mold: Kirk Baird; Lifehouse

Community briefs for October 18, 2001: Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area offers hikes, walks and other educational programs free of charge. Some upcoming programs:

Senator's son makes bid for seat on commission: Adrienne Packer and Erin Neff; His name for months has been tied to the soon-to-be vacant Clark County Commission District G seat, but Rory Reid made it official Wednesday when he formally announced his plans to replace Dario Herrera.

Where I Stand -- Brian Greenspun: Teacher gets her due: Mike's history is, at the very least, a colorful one. His marriage, however, is rock solid, thanks to a great education and a fairy tale marriage. You see how things work out if you pay attention to your schoolwork!

News briefs for October 18, 2001: A Henderson man, who police believe killed his mother and stepfather because he was tired of their fighting, has been indicted.

Goodman urges Bush to finance projects: Lawmakers in Congress and White House officials are debating the best way to jumpstart the ailing economy.

Carrier earns a profit: Southwest was the first major carrier to report third-quarter earnings, and analysts expect it will be the only one to post a profit. Southwest reported net income excluding one-time items of $82.8 million, or 10 cents per share, matching analysts' forecasts.

Court overturns death sentence: CARSON CITY -- The Nevada Supreme Court on Wednesday overturned a death penalty for one man but upheld the ruling for his co-defendant in the fatal shooting of a woman in Sparks in 1998.

Letter: Make payments by deduction: Now is the time for residents to finally take advantage of having many payments deducted from their checking accounts. I don't write checks for the phone, gas, electric, cable and even some insurance payments. I am now able to pay my monthly dues to my association this way also.

Court upholds non-union carpenter training program: Grace Leong; The Nevada Supreme Court has rejected the Carpenters Union's appeal of rulings upholding the state's certification of two non-union training programs.

Officials eager about new jail: $5.8 million site expected to be ready in January: Mathis Winkler; The sight of concrete and steel at North Las Vegas Detention Center's newest building pleases Capt. Dan Lake.

Payment to police chief is approved: Mathis Winkler; North Las Vegas City Council members on Wednesday unanimously approved a $66,000 payment to increase retirement benefits for outgoing Police Chief Joey Tillmon.

Fitzgeralds buyer OK'd by gaming board: CARSON CITY -- Detroit businessman Don Barden is one step away from acquiring Fitzgeralds hotel-casino in downtown Las Vegas and becoming the first black business person to wholly own a major Nevada gaming resort.

Firefighters protest union pact: Diana Sahagun; Almost 200 off-duty firefighters picketed outside Las Vegas City Hall Wednesday, saying the city was negotiating their new contract in bad faith.

Brown ethics charge dismissed: The two-member panel reviewed an ethics complaint filed against the councilman by John Staluppi Jr., whose Nissan dealership -- proposed for Town Center -- was denied by the council in June.

Air Rescue Association honors Nellis instructor: Dick Benoit; A Nellis Air Force Base officer has been awarded the prestigious Richard T. Kight Award For Outstanding Achievement, presented annually by the Air Rescue Association.

Fund met goal of paying rent of laid-off employees: Ed Koch and Mathis Winkler; Local United Way efforts to help nearly 800 laid-off workers pay their October rent was a success, but a local official says when the depleted Displaced Workers Response Fund is replenished, it will be used for other purposes.

Local offices take precautions: Erin Neff; Despite numerous calls from residents and office personnel to police and health officials in the Las Vegas Valley about potential anthrax exposure, there are no plans to sweep local government buildings for the deadly spores.

Anchor Gaming reports 55 percent increase: The firm Thursday reported net income of $29 million, an increase of 55 percent over the year-ago period. Per-share income rose 137 percent to $1.85 per share. Revenues increased 3 percent to $142 million, a record, while cash flow rose 31 percent to $69 million.

Prep boys soccer standings: CLASS 4A

Blast prompts look at zoning: Responding to a fire and a series of explosions in her district Monday, Clark County Commissioner Myrna Williams on Wednesday vowed to get hazardous materials away from residential areas.

Prep girls volleyball standings: CLASS 4A

Prep football standings: CLASS 4A

Mustang dynasty: Spencer Patterson; Coleman Hutzler nearly had his bags packed when he began re-thinking his decision to move from Las Vegas to Southern California last summer.

Columnist Ron Kantowski: Students party at Sam Boyd: Did you feel it?

New rule limits sale of meth ingredient: By Emily Richmond; A new regulation passed by the state Board of Pharmacy is designed to make it tougher for people to produce methamphetamine in a home lab.

2001 Fall prep playoff schedules and results: 4A State Tournament

Chairman named, director leaving regulatory board: Blackwell, who was appointed chairman by Gov. Ronnie Musgrove, succeeds Bill Gresham Jr. of Indianola, whose second four-year term on the panel expired Oct. 1.

Durango girls open huge state golf lead: The Trailblazers posted a five-player team score of 399 at par-73 Black Mountain Golf & Country Club, taking a 41-stroke lead over second-place Bishop Gorman before darkness halted play for the day.

Nine exhibitors leave LV show: A big Las Vegas television industry convention has lost nine key exhibitors, another indication that the weak economy has dented the entertainment industry.

Sprint announces 6,000 layoffs, will drop ION unit: KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Sprint Corp., citing the weak economy and "a rapidly changing industry landscape," announced Wednesday it will lay off about 6,000 employees, or 7 percent of its work force, and eliminate 1,500 contract workers' jobs.

Heightened security: Terrorism increases need for guards: Stacy J. Willis; Uniformed guards outside this dusty Las Vegas construction site are not carrying weapons, nor are they prepared to arrest anyone.

Sun Athletes of the Week: Cameron Parker and Carrie Schofield: School: Palo Verde

Columnist Dean Juipe: Bennett, Jones highlight Stratosphere card: Dean Juipe; Six fights as a professional heavyweight were enough for Michael Bennett and his handlers to realize the U.S. Olympian and former world amateur champion was repeatedly giving away too many pounds to his opponents.

Rules to save nature of Red Rock: Blue Diamond Highway east of the small town of Blue Diamond has a new set of building and design standards intended to preserve the character of the "gateway to Red Rock Canyon."

Johnson feeling more at home with UNLV: Steve Addy; Lafonte Johnson has alleviated the homesickness that plagued him last season, mainly by bringing his best friend to UNLV.

Catching up with: Dallas Massey: High School: Green Valley ('98)

Friday's horse racing entries: Post Time 1 p.m.

Injury report: BUFFALO AT JACKSONVILLE -- Bills: OUT: G Jerry Ostroski (leg). DOUBTFUL: DT Leif Larsen (elbow); WR Jeremy McDaniel (ankle). QUESTIONABLE: SS Tony Driver (shoulder); DE Phil Hansen (elbow). PROBABLE: QB Rob Johnson (neck); OLB Fred Jones (back). Jaguars: OUT: T Tony Boselli (shoulder); SS Donovin Darius (hip); RB Fred Taylor (groin). QUESTIONABLE: DE Tony Brackens (knee); CB Fernando Bryant (foot); MLB Hardy Nickerson (neck). PROBABLE: WR Sean Dawkins (ribs).

Tszyu feels he's at his peak: Dean Juipe; On the phone for a conference call Wednesday from Australia, World Boxing Council and World Boxing Association junior welterweight champion Kostya Tszyu said he's looking forward to solidifying his reputation when he takes on fellow champ Zab Judah Nov. 3 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Prep football picks: Count on Cheyenne to win, take over first: Spencer Patterson; Oh, the horror! A week of upsets threatens to ruin a once-sparkling season, as I fall below the .800 mark for the first time in 2001. All three unbeatens lost and a first-year school won (and the scary thing is two other games very nearly went the other way to boot). Time to get back on track.

Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: Bernstein looks forward to returning to LVMS: Kenny Bernstein is embroiled in the closest points battle in the NHRA Winston Drag Racing Series, entering this weekend's O'Reilly Fall Nationals in Texas with a slim 58-point lead over Larry Dixon in the Top Fuel category.

Columnist Paula DelGiudice: Wildlife board will meet this weekend: Paula DelGiudice; The Nevada Board of Wildlife Commissioners will hold its monthly meeting in Las Vegas this Friday and Saturday.

Ralph Siraco's selections for Friday's races at Santa Anita: 1st Race -- Barbs Colony -- Solis scales Sise trainee, needs prompt start and clear sailing from inner post in sprint opener, productive team. Good Day Sir -- Draws good box, Eddie D. on Garcia trainee, might be Good Day to bet Sir. Value Play -- Natalie E.

Fight schedule: Friday

Clubs announced for Green Valley Ranch, Bellagio: Midnight Oil Co., operator of nightclubs in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago, said it will open its fifth nightclub in the nation at Green Valley Ranch. The "Whiskey Sky" nightclub will not only incorporate space inside the Henderson casino, but also an outdoor pool area with private cabanas, a bar and gaming tables.

Sun Statewide Prep Football Top 10: Teams ranked jointly by the Sun and Sparks Tribune.

'Jersey Joe' can pack a punch: Steve Guiremand; A former all-state performer in Clifton, N.J., UNLV starting tailback Joe Haro appears as "Jersey Joe" in the team's weekly media release.

Test Site workers' claims accepted: Claims may be filed under the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act, passed by Congress in 2000. The law provides a $150,000 lump sum payment, as well as related medical benefits, for eligible applicants who suffer from cancer, chronic beryllium disease and chronic silicosis.