Print edition for April 16, 2002

Letter: United Nations' court seeks to increase scope: In January a United Nations specialist assigned to monitor the legal affairs of all nations warned Italy that any refusal to prosecute Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi on charges of bribery and tax evasion might violate the U.N.'s "rule of law." The U.N. official, Param Cumaraswamy, announced plans to go to Italy to inject the U.N. into what is clearly a domestic affair.

Airport shuts down while winds whip Las Vegas: "We had a ground stop declared by FAA traffic control about 1:30 p.m., which means no operations are allowed on the runway," airport spokeswoman Hilarie Grey said.

Letter: Putin's bombing proof missing: In light of current U.S.-Russian collaboration in a global "war on terrorism," Putin's words seem nearly prophetic.

Meeting on Hispanic education set in NLV: By Emily Richmond; Education Secretary Rod Paige will host a town hall meeting in North Las Vegas Wednesday to tell Hispanic families about new opportunities to help their children succeed in school.

Internet love affair ends with arrest: Jace Radke; A 44-year-old Florida man is being held without bail in Las Vegas after allegedly conducting sexually charged e-mail conversations with an FBI agent posing as a 14-year-old girl and arranging to meet the girl at a local bowling alley.

Three burned, one critically, in Reno kitchen fire: She was heating a pan of cooking oil on the kitchen stove when the oil overheated and caught fire, Reno fire investigators said. She tried to move flaming pan, but spilled the burning oil down the front of her dress, causing the fire to spread.

Hundreds of dogs head south to Nevada: Wirries tried to save unwanted dogs from euthanasia by finding them a home. But her no-kill program became a dumping ground, attracting 300 by last week.

Editorial: Code red on Yucca remarks: Ridge told the editors that his office had reviewed the proposal to transport the deadly waste to Yucca Mountain and had found no fault. That his office, barely seven months old, could arrive at a definitive conclusion so quickly is more a model of political loyalty than a miracle of government efficiency. The nation's editors, we hope, understood that Ridge was responding more to the platform of the Bush administration than to any standard of critical judgment.

PCL box: Las Vegas-Fresno: Time -- 3:00. Attendance -- 1,334. Umpires: HP-- Armendariz, 1b-- Aschwege, 3b-- Pasch.

Monday's prep results: BASEBALL

Developer pushes baseball stadium: Diana Sahagun; Las Vegas City Council members see an academic medical center as the No. 1 priority for 61 acres of barren land west of downtown, but the potential developer remains convinced that baseball would be the best way to rejuvenate the area.

Reno Mayor Griffin ends campaign; backs former Lt. Gov. Cashell: The mayor for seven years, Griffin said he decided to drop out of the race to spend more time with his family and because he was worried he may be dragging down some issues important to the city. He also cited his distaste for negative campaigning.

Las Vegans protest paying income taxes on tax filing day: "We're being ripped off," Schiff said on the steps of the federal courthouse in downtown Las Vegas.

Columnist Dean Juipe: Bad timing as Wings on the skids: Dean Juipe; Only the most faithful haven't been deterred.

Where I Stand -- Mike O'Callaghan: More wool than truth: As I wrote before, the national security gimmick was also used 30 years ago to get approval to drill on the North Slope at Prudhoe Bay and build a pipeline across Alaska to Valdez. The approval by Congress came with the restriction that the oil couldn't be exported to foreign countries. In order to make additional dollars that restriction was removed, at the urging of the Alaskan delegation, several years ago. This resulted in about 60,000 barrels daily then being shipped to Asia. So much for it being needed for our national security. Remember the saying: Dog bite me once, ...

21-vehicle pileup shuts eastbound I-80 in Sierra: The accident just east of Truckee occurred around 8:30 a.m. Fourteen cars, six tractor-trailer rigs and one van were involved, Bromell said.

Report: Campus violence increases: By Emily Richmond; Incidents of on-campus violence, drug use and weapon seizures at Clark County public schools have increased slightly in the past year, keeping pace with the burgeoning student enrollment, a new report shows.

Board wants more money for Nevada schools: Guinn had told all state agencies to prepare flat budgets for the coming biennium, allowing only for such things as growth in student enrollments or welfare rolls. The request came after state tax revenues dipped following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

Ralph Siraco's selections for Wednesday's races at Santa Anita: Wednesday's card

Women attorneys to be auctioned in fund-raiser: Tickets are $40 in advance; $50 at the door. For information, call A.J. Kung at 792-7000.

Russian ballet has a ball with Prokofiev's 'Cinderella': Marilyn LaRocque; The Tchaikovsky Perm Ballet Theater of Russia will debut a new production of this classical favorite, which has been specifically developed for the troupe's 2002 U.S. tour. The Perm's own full symphony orchestra will back the performances.

Blood drives planned: Wednesday: 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Bank of America Telephone Banking, 1351 Town Center Drive; 1-7 p.m., Sedway Middle School, 3435 Engelstad St.; 8 a.m.-2 p.m., Department of Motor Vehicle, 8250 W. Flamingo Road.

Teacher's aide to plead guilty in sex case: Kim Smith; A former Durango High School teacher's aide said Monday she will plead guilty April 29 to having an affair with a 16-year-old student.

Plan to sell bankrupt Las Vegas Strip resort postponed: Aladdin attorneys are trying to reach agreement with the casino's secured and unsecured creditors on how a sale should be conducted.

City won't ask for tax hike to meet trimmed budget: Diana Sahagun; Las Vegas residents aren't expected to receive a property tax hike in the upcoming fiscal year, but the city has made some drastic cuts to its own budget, leaving little room for growth.

Love on the rocks: Penguin paramours populate Flamingo Las Vegas' habitat: Kimberley McGee; The tuxedo-clad (or so it seems) penguins at Flamingo Las Vegas' Wildlife Habitat seem cute, cuddly and simple creatures on the exterior.

Letter: One way to deal with terrorists: Knowing this, why hasn't anyone in the defense (offense) department come up with a plan to allow the more-than-willing suicide bombers and the like the opportunity to do just that ... without killing innocent bystanders? Are there no duck hunters in high places? Has no one heard of a decoy?

Local Las Vegans finish the Boston Marathon: Oscar Alfaro, Las Vegas, 3:08.25

Editorial: Open up the search to hire city manager: This all looks unseemly. If the selection is based on who has the most connections, then the public will wonder whether the next city manager will make decisions and recommendations based not on what is best for the city and its residents, but on what is best for his or her political patrons.

Columnist Susan Snyder: Vehicle design is wheel deal: I tracked down members of the Carson High School Cycle Club during a trip to our state capital last week after hearing about its wheeled wonder and plans to build a second for international competition.

Community briefs for April 16, 2002: A free workshop offered by HELP of Southern Nevada will be held Friday at the HELP offices, 953 E. Sahara Ave., Suite 208, to assist anyone who has recently lost his or her primary source of income due to job lay-offs, divorce, death or disability.

Man killed in one-car crash: The man was apparently driving too fast, drifted off the roadway and overturned the 1988 Dodge minivan he was driving about 10 a.m. Monday. Nevada Highway Patrol officials said.

Yucca case goes to Vermont: Benjamin Grove; WASHINGTON -- Nevada's effort to rally public opinion against a nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain kicks off in earnest tonight with the premiere of a television ad in Vermont.

Buyout of World Gaming Congress complete: The World Gaming Congress, historically the gaming industry's largest trade show, will be folded into Global Gaming Expo (G2E), the AGA's competing trade show. G2E will be held this year at the Las Vegas Convention Center Sept. 17-19.

State files motion on Yucca water: CARSON CITY -- The attorney general's office said today that as of now the proposed nuclear waste dump at Yucca Mountain is dead because of the veto of Gov. Kenny Guinn earlier this month.

Suspect's behavior puzzles police: Keith Paul; Police and criminal justice experts can't explain why the suspect of a double murder in which a mother and her son were killed allegedly returned to the crime scene Sunday and attacked a surviving family member.

Pro-Israel rally draws thousands: WASHINGTON -- Tens of thousands of demonstrators, gathered at the steps of the Capitol to support Israel's battle against terror, hooted down a Bush administration official who suggested that Palestinians too have suffered.

Construction resumes on Vegas time share: Work on the bottom four floors of the project's first phase was under way when the tourism industry fallout from the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11 caused Hilton to halt work at the site.

Six doctors apply for new malpractice insurance: The Medical Liability Association of Nevada received just six applications for malpractice insurance Monday, but an Insurance Division official expects more doctors will apply for malpractice insurance through the newly launched association later this week.

Private donors pitch in to state anti-Yucca fund: After Gov. Kenny Guinn's call for every Nevadan to contribute a dollar to the cause, the state has seen everything from checks, credit card donations and four quarters taped to a piece of cardboard come in to the Nevada Protection Fund, said Bob Loux, director of the state's Agency for Nuclear Projects.

Hotel companies aim to gain control of online sales: Brad Foss; NEW YORK -- Ever since she coordinated her Italian honeymoon using a computer and a credit card, Karen McDermott has been hooked on planning trips over the Internet. She's hardly alone, since millions of Americans regularly buy plane tickets online.

$10.4 million set for fighting bioterrorism: CARSON CITY -- Gov. Kenny Guinn signed Nevada's bioterrorism plan on Monday -- earmarking $10.4 million in federal funds to improve the state's emergency preparedness level.

Progress reported in Aladdin sale process: David Strow; Plans to sell the Aladdin are apparently moving forward once again, despite a legal battle that had threatened to postpone the process.

Actor Urich dies of cancer at 55: Robert Urich, whose portrayal of Las Vegas private detective Dan Tanna in the hit television show "Vega$" defined the modern though changing gambling center in the late '70s, died today.

Reid pledges strong support for Israel: Reid, the Senate Majority Whip, spoke on behalf of Senate Democratic leadership. He joined a speaker's list that included Nobel Prize winner Elie Wiesel, former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and House Democratic Leader Dick Gephardt, D-Mo.

Columnist Ron Kantowski: Palms helps pay the bills in Sac town: If the Sacramento Kings go on to win the NBA Championship this summer, they might as well hang the banner from the rafters of the Palms hotel-casino. Because that's what will have paid for it.

Commission OKs $1.5 million for fight: Adrienne Packer; Clark County commissioners voted 5-2 this morning to approve giving $1.5 million to the state to help with legal fees associated with the fight to keep nuclear waste from being stored at Yucca Mountain.

News briefs for April 16, 2002: Henderson Police this morning submitted a case to prosecutors against a Catholic priest accused of molesting six teenage boys.

Odds don't calm Big Game fever: Erin McClam; ATLANTA -- Consider the morbid math: A dreamer looking to win the $325 million Big Game lottery is 16 times more likely to get killed driving to the gas station to buy a ticket.

New Nevada jobless claims leveling off: But Birgit Baker, administrator of the state Division of Employment Security, said that's down from the 80 percent increase in the months after Sept. 11.

Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: Las Vegas is being considered for The Winston: Las Vegas Motor Speedway, which has been lobbying for a second NASCAR Winston Cup date since Bruton Smith bought the track in 1998, could get its wish as soon as next year.

Money war for races heats up: Porter, a Republican, has raised a little more than $988,000 overall in his race for the state's new 3rd Congressional District seat against Clark County Commission Chairman Dario Herrera, a Democrat.

Vegas union charter revoked: The general executive board of IATSE said it revoked the union's charter after a hearing in Las Vegas on March 20 of charges brought by Local 720 members against the union. The allegations include a breakdown in the democratic process, lack of organizing and non-compliance with the IATSE constitution.

High wind gives valley a thorough dusting: Mary Manning and Ed Koch; Monday's windstorms blew cooler weather back into the Las Vegas Valley, leaving the area this morning looking forward to a week's worth of sunny skies, cool breezes and highs in the mid-70s.

DA's office wants Tabish lawyer ousted: Chief Deputy District Attorney David Roger accused Serra of misleading District Judge Joseph Bonaventure about his disciplinary record with the California State Bar when applying in February to represent Rick Tabish on post-conviction matters.

Business briefs for April 16, 2002: The latest snapshot of economic activity paints a picture of an economy on the comeback from a recession that began in March 2001.

Obituaries for April 16, 2002: Rodney Frank Anderson, 56, of Henderson died Sunday in Henderson. He was born June 7, 1951, in Montana. A resident for many years, he was a real estate investment banker.

Utility to focus on lawsuit: Nevada Power Co. declined to ask the state Public Utilities Commission to reconsider a ruling that granted the utility barely half of the $922 million it sought for energy used last year.

NLV names new police chief: City Manager Kurt Fritsch announced that Mark Paresi will start June 1. Paresi, 50, will be paid $110,000 a year.

Request for rate hike challenged: Nevada's consumer advocate says Sprint Corp., Las Vegas' dominant local telephone service provider, shouldn't get any of the $90 million rate increase it has requested.

Longtime civic activist Leigh dies: Geraldine Leigh, a black community activist in California and Las Vegas who was named Clark County Civic Service Mother of the Year in 2000, died Wednesday following a lengthy battle with cancer. She was 77.

Accused killer back in Douglas County: Fiegehen is charged with murder for the Feb. 10 stabbing death of 50-year-old Alan Chorkey. He is also charged with attempted murder for the shooting of Chorkey's wife, Lorelle.

Planners advance gambling plan: Under the zoning plan, which a City Council committee likely will take up Thursday, the boats would have to be at least 1,000 feet from homes, churches and schools.

Billionaire approved by regulators: The state Division of Gaming Enforcement, in its 43-page report, had no objections to the application, the paper said.

Expedia hopes to claim a larger share of online travel market: Expedia Inc., now the largest of the Internet travel sales companies, collects more revenue from sales on trips to Las Vegas than any other destination.

First loan approved for downtown face lift: Jeffrey Libby; It's been almost two years since Tom Foster and Moe Kazemeini opened their engineering firm in downtown Henderson at a poky one-story, white brick building with a rough-shingled mansard roof that catches pigeon fluff and the occasional plastic bag.

Struggling 51s lose momentum as they embark on first road trip: Victoria Sun; Dye to begin rehab assignment vs. 51s

Three oil companies responsible for polluting Lake Tahoe groundwater: Damages will be assessed in a separate phase of the trial.

Station beats its own estimates for quarter: David Strow; Station Casinos Inc. beat its own earnings estimates this morning, reporting a 10 percent increase in cash flow and net income for the quarter ended March 31.