Print edition for April 4, 2002

Columnist Larry Dixon: LV trip always a good time: Larry Dixon; Well, it's early April and for all of us on the NHRA Powerade Drag Racing Series, that means that we get to return to one of the best cities, as well as racetracks, on tour -- The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Initiative could limit business growth: Jeffrey Libby; Hollywood producer and Boulder City native Anna Maria Davis has plans to build a $44 million major motion picture studio on 30 acres leased from the city.

7th title goal for sport's legend: As he starts his 24th and final National Hot Rod Association season, Kenny Bernstein would like nothing more than to cap a stellar career with a seventh NHRA championship.

Columnist Ron Kantowski: '335 Club' still welcome at UNLV: Now that it has been five years since former coach Fred Dallimore told it like it was from a shaded corner of the UNLV dugout, about the only remaining links to the Rebels' proud baseball past at the start of this season were former baseball publicist Jim Gemma's horizontal media guide design and the presence of the "335 Club," a loosely organized booster club that for years has cheered the Rebels on (and good-naturedly antagonized the opposition) from the back of a pickup truck(s) adjacent to the left-field foul pole at Wilson Stadium/Barnson Field.

Mistake costs community college $7.6 million: Jennifer Knight; The Community College of Southern Nevada was shortchanged $7.6 million last year due to a mistake in state funding, forcing the college to curtail growth, forgo student services and limit class offerings, school officials say.

LV home builder buys assets of rival: Jennifer Robison; M.D.C. Holdings Inc. of Denver, a publicly traded builder that delivered 8,200 new homes across the country last year as Richmond American Homes, is acquiring the Las Vegas and Salt Lake City operations and assets of W.L. Homes LLC, which builds as John Laing Homes.

Regulators stumped on Ritz-Carlton licensing: CARSON CITY -- A corporation, owned by its 7,000 Indian shareholders mostly in Alaska, hit a snag Wednesday in seeking initial state permission to run a casino at a Ritz-Carlton hotel under construction at Lake Las Vegas in Henderson.

Plug may be pulled on power projects: A decision Wednesday by the parent of Nevada Power Co. to delay construction of two major transmission projects has critics of the utility seething.

Two states reject expansion of gambling: Arguments about the social costs of gambling preceded the 64-58 vote against the Kansas measure.

Four Queens sale OK'd: CARSON CITY -- Terry L. Caudill, who is buying the Four Queens hotel-casino, is high on the business potential of downtown Las Vegas even as he admits it "will not be easy to attract" customers.

School district plans cuts to alternative programs: By Emily Richmond; Ashley Rusch's high school career couldn't really begin until her freewheeling days as a chronic truant came to an end at a Henderson Wal-Mart three years ago.

Portable toilet at center of homeless dispute: By Timothy Pratt; The struggle between the city of Las Vegas and the homeless who were swept March 25 from a camp at Foremaster Lane and Main Street has come down to a Porta-Potty.

Columnist Dean Juipe: USA Boxing looking for a few good men: Dean Juipe; These days, the U.S. military has a heightened presence in a number of areas around the world but especially in the Middle East.

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

Developer wins OK for resort: The developer of an art deco-themed hotel and time-share proposal won approval from the Clark County Commission Wednesday over the objection of three major casino companies that felt the $115 million project jammed too much onto a three-acre parcel.

News briefs for April 4, 2002: A 22-year-old man was killed this morning when he lost control of his car and slammed into a concrete barrier on Interstate 15.

Nevadans say show helps Yucca fight: Erin Neff; Nevada leaders wanted a bit more out of Wednesday's episode of "The West Wing," but admit that anytime a national audience gets even a glimpse of what could occur if Yucca Mountain is approved as the nation's nuclear waste repository, the outcome is beneficial.

Sun Athletes of the Week: Chris Bonnell and Amy Sauer: School: Centennial

Las Vegas manufacturer bankrupt, 75 jobs lost: Grace Leong; Las Vegas-based metal fabricator United Metal Technologies Inc. and its four affiliates filed Chapter 7 bankruptcy to close and liquidate the businesses, citing declining business from casino equipment makers and Silicon Valley technology companies.

Local drowning cases point to disturbing trend: Kim Smith; Prosecutors have approved a felony child neglect charge against the mother of an 11-month-old boy who nearly drowned after being left alone in a bathtub for almost 20 minutes, and charges against other parents could follow.

Sexual disease cases increase: By Timothy Pratt; Clark County Health District officials attributed a large increase in the rates of sexually transmitted diseases to a push in the past year to raise awareness and reporting of the infections.

Catching up with: Mike Esposito: High School: Cimarron-Memorial ('99)

Columnist Paula Del Giudice: Predator control plan finally in place: By now, most individuals who applied for a big game tag in 2001 have received their application information packet in the mail. The Division of Wildlife has been receiving phone calls from hunters who were unaware that a new predator control fee of $3 was being charged for all those applying for a hunting tag in Nevada.

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

Lumber company celebrates grand opening: Lumber company celebrates grand opening

Columnist Spencer Patterson: New schools off to fine start on diamond: Spencer Patterson; Generally recognized as one of the nation's most competitive prep baseball regions, Southern Nevada wouldn't seem like an ideal place for first-year high school programs to get their feet wet.

U.S. Boxing Championship results: All weights in pounds

Wednesday's prep results: BASEBALL

UNLV notebook: Softball team takes two from Riverside: Making a second straight start for the Rebels (21-25), Orris (5-5) controlled the Highlanders (7-30) from the circle, allowing just a single earned run and scattering eight hits for little damage.

National tournament to be held at Harrah's: The 48 players advanced to the finals by first winning their local events and then placing as one of the top two players at one of the 24 regional tourneys.

Ralph Siraco's Santa Anita selections: 1st Race -- Star Nine - Draws good middle post for short straight two-furlong dash, Espinoza on Duncan trainee, Star could be a ten here. Fabulous World - Desormeaux aboard Dutton trainee, Dutton stable also co-owner, trainer gets them ready. Value Play -- Appealing Wayz

Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: Sophomore jinx slows Top Fuel Rookie of Year: This wasn't how Darrell Russell envisioned backing up his Rookie of the Year season.

Proposed Goodsprings power plant opposed: A power plant proposed for southern Clark County received a rocky reception at a public hearing Wednesday, and could face more difficult times ahead.

Vegas-tinged 'Under One Roof' on hiatus: The Pagani family from Henderson and the Skofield family from Las Vegas were among the five families that were flown to Fiji last fall to compete against one another for a deed to a beach house that all five families shared during the competition.

Editorial: Ruling was anything but insane: Despite the criticism, Nevada's regulators did the right thing. In some respects, the utility could have had it worse: Public Utilities Commissioner Richard McIntire wanted the entire request rejected. One of the biggest strikes against the utility was its 1999 decision to forgo a long-term energy deal that would have covered 25 percent of the company's needs and produced substancial savings. Nevada Power could have paid $33.75 per megawatt hour for power from 2000 to 2003 -- an amount significantly less than the average of $172 per megawatt hour the utility paid in 2001. Nevada Power executives didn't use sound ...

Editorial: Sensors a good way to monitor the air: Additionally, the sensors pinpoint individual vehicles that are violating emissions standards. License plates are photographed and owners will be summoned to the DMV's testing site on Sahara Avenue, where their exhaust will be tested at no cost to them. If their vehicles flunk, the owners will be asked to make repairs and they could have their registrations canceled if they do not comply within 30 days -- a penalty the state has never yet had to impose and we hope it never does. Privacy advocates have honest reservations, but the remote sensing and penalty are allowed by state laws passed ...

Poor conditions for Strip housekeepers charged: Timothy Pratt and Jeff German; More than 2,000 Culinary Union members jammed Cashman Center Wednesday night for a rally to highlight "horrendous" working conditions for about 10,000 housekeepers on the Strip.

New FBI boss looks forward to Las Vegas job: Jace Radke; Ellen B. Knowlton, named as special agent in charge of the Las Vegas office of the FBI, plans to build on the agency's local law enforcement relationships established after Sept. 11.

Training officer facing firing: Keith Paul; Supervisors of a Metro Police academy training officer arrested in February on drug-related charges recommended he be fired, department officials told the Sun Wednesday.

Community briefs for April 4, 2002: The public is invited to attend the Neighborhood Town Hall Meeting hosted by North Las Vegas Councilwoman Stephanie Smith from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday at the Silver Mesa Recreation Center, Rooms, B and C, 4025 Allen Lane.

Las Vegas council briefs for April 4, 2002: In an effort to meet growing demands for open space, the city of Las Vegas will ask the Bureau of Land Management for 75 acres in the growing northwest for two public parks.

Diggin' (those) roots: Rap group Nappy Roots doesn't shy away from Southern start: Kirk Baird; For Nappy Roots, it's a family thing.

Council plans debate on homeless issues: Council members will decide April 17 how to proceed with the loss of the city's main homeless shelter -- MASH Village -- whose founder announced last week that it would pull out of Las Vegas in six months.

North Las Vegas council briefs for April 4, 2002: The North Las Vegas City Council unanimously voted to amend an ordinance that prevented churches and other religious groups from building and congregating in commercial zones.

Union chief demands reforms: "The corruption and abuse that happened at Enron that robbed employees ... should never happen again," John Sweeney told about 300 people at a town meeting Wednesday night.

Letter: Conserve energy, boost economy: In a nation where money problems are a leading factor in divorce and more people declare personal bankruptcy each year than graduate from college, it should be clear that there's no heroism in spending beyond one's means.

Columnist Joe Delaney: Remembering the genius, influence of Milton Berle: Joe Delaney; My first encounter with Berle was in the mid-1930s, just entering my teen years ... It was a Friday and I played hookey, walked the Delaware River Bridge from Camden, N.J., to Philadelphia, to catch the 11 a.m. show at the Earle Theatre, a major vaudeville house ... The show changed every Friday; that week the star was Berle ... I stayed for all four shows.

Signature unleashes energetic version of musical: Marilyn LaRocque; From the minute Curly (played by Justin Johnson) strolls down the theater aisle singing "Oh What a Beautiful Morning," to the final rousing chorus of the title song, Signature Productions' "Oklahoma!" entertains and charms at a professional level scarcely expected from a cast of nonpaid performers.

Man sentenced for shooting at officer: Kim Smith; A Las Vegas man accused of shooting at a Henderson Police officer in October has been sentenced to four to 10 years in prison.

Nevada soldiers cooking up many success stories: Dick Benoit; It must be all of the restaurants in the state. Nevada soldiers, it seems, are good cooks.

Letter: Bureaucracy won't help those who are homeless: The federal judge ruled that the homeless could be moved on the basis of health hazards. The city created this hazard by not cleaning city property for months. The fire hydrant with the sickening mess was on city property.

Obituaries for April 4, 2002: Leroy Augustus Badie, 84, of Las Vegas died Tuesday in a local hospital. He was born Oct. 8, 1917, in New Orleans. A resident for 19 years, he was a retired casino assistant shift manager.

Sun Prep Softball Top 10: Teams ranked jointly by the Sun and Sparks Tribune. Records through Tuessday's games.

Letter: It's time to lend support to Israel: He has said in Arabic that a million martyrs should descend on Jerusalem. Teenagers will strap on bombs and blow themselves up responding to this.

Taylor takes helm of union: The Culinary Union this week chose a new leadership team as it heads into potentially difficult contract negotiations with the gaming industry.

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

Prep softball standings: CLASS 4A

Parnell won't seek return to Assembly: CARSON CITY -- Two-term Assemblywoman Bonnie Parnell, D-Carson City, said she will not seek another term, becoming the sixth member of the Assembly who won't be back in 2003.

HUD reviews local agency: Adrienne Packer; Department of Housing and Urban Development officials sifting through documents at the Las Vegas Housing Authority are expected to be camped out at the agency for a month.

Prep boys golf standings: CLASS 4A

Park money to fund firefighter memorial: The council on Wednesday approved a budget of $250,000 for the memorial, which includes a contract with the artist, granite materials, plaques, and engineering. About $50,000 will come from park funds that were earmarked for soccer fields at the Community College of Southern Nevada. Once plans for the soccer fields fell through earlier this year, the money reverted to the city's park fund.

Columnist Ruthe Deskin: Homeless issue preys on Vegas: Ruthe Deskin; The same can be said for being homeless, which is a direct result of poverty.

City puts squeeze on massage firms: Diana Sahagun; Massage therapists who want to open shop in the city of Las Vegas will have to put their plans on hold for at least four months.

Suspect backs out of plea deal: Kim Smith; A man facing a possible death sentence in a Henderson double murder case backed out of a plea agreement Wednesday.

Prep baseball standings: CLASS 4A

Family of nurse killed in crash awarded $5 million: Kim Smith; The family of a Flight for Life nurse killed in an April 1999 helicopter crash will receive $5 million in compensation.

Prep boys volleyball standings: CLASS 4A

North Las Vegas hospital owner's finances improve: Profit from operations rose to $288 million, or 86 cents a share, in the period ended Feb. 28, from net income of $198 million, or 60 cents, a year earlier, Tenet said in a statement Tuesday. Revenue rose 15 percent to $3.48 billion from $3.04 billion.

Where I Stand -- Mike O'Callaghan: No more Arafat games: Easter weekend Bush said, "I believe Mr. Arafat could have done more three weeks ago and can do more today. I know that I have been disappointed in his unwillingness to go 100 percent toward fighting terror. That includes using security forces to help prevent suicide bombers, crossing certain lands, and that also means speaking out clearly in his native tongue."

51s mix a little new with the old: Victoria Sun; At 22, Joe Thurston is the youngest player on the Las Vegas 51s by five months and 24 days.

Fight schedule: Friday

Gators squeak by Florida school, 1-0: Spencer Patterson; Green Valley baseball coach Nick Garritano will be the first to tell you his 2002 squad is a shadow of last year's championship team.