Stories published April 26, 2002Las Vegas Sun

Nevada Power's struggle for survival: WEEKEND EDITION: April 28, 2002

Nevada students score national honors: CARSON CITY -- Several Nevada high school students have garnered national and state honors.

Columnist Erin Neff: Herrera, Porter battle for House seat is heating up: Erin Neff; A similar scene played out Thursday in the nation's capital with congressional campaign opponents Jon Porter and Dario Herrera seated calmly next to each other (with no apparent kicking under the table) before a House subcommittee.

Letter: Hospitals only interested in covering errors: Koivisto also wants to prevent patients or potential patients from being informed of hospital error rates, especially the right to be informed at the time of admission to a hospital on how that hospital compares to others in the community on medical error rates. She obviously thinks that the protection of corporate profits is more important than the informed consumer.

Columnist Benjamin Grove: Nevadans busy with more than Yucca: Benjamin Grove; But Nevada's four-member delegation is quietly working on a slate of other issues. Here's a sampling of what else your lawmakers are up to:

Diabetes hits home for hospital executive: WEEKEND EDITION: April 27, 2002

Kids need help to get to camp: The father of a 13-year-old boy says his son started to hang around youths in the neighborhood who had "negative behaviors." He was at risk for using drugs and for other destructive behaviors.

Letter: U.S. must stay out of fighting: A majority of Americans recently polled about the situation in Israel and Palestine responded that the United States should not play a leading role in trying to get a peace agreement.

Columnist Sandy Thompson: Policy on errant priests is disappointing: Sandy Thompson; It's disturbing that we have to tell parents not to burn their children with cigarettes or beat them until they're black and blue.

Curtain Call: WEEKEND EDITION: April 28, 2002

Columnist Jeff German: Long-haul cabbies tarnish profession: Most of the city's 4,600 cabbies are dedicated, hard-working men and women looking to make an honest buck for their families.

New Orleans 7, Las Vegas 2: AP; Wesson put New Orleans (11 (10)- up 2-0 in the first inning with a triple to right center. Carlos Maldonado added an RBI single in the first and another in the fifth.

For Yucca foes, Congress battle to get tougher: Benjamin Grove; WEEKEND EDITION: April 28, 2002

Columnist Jon Ralston: How far will they go to win?: Look at three recent examples:

Columnist Susan Snyder: Taking a walk on the wild side: First, it was the head of what once was a live animal.

Where I Stand -- Mike O'Callaghan: Answers are here at home: If they went to Rome for some encouragement and additional backbone they sure got it from Pope John Paul II. He told them, "The abuse which has caused this crisis is by every standard wrong and rightly considered a crime by society; it is also an appalling sin in the eyes of God. To the victims and their families, wherever they may be, I express my profound sense of solidarity and concern.

Website presents awards: Owned by Hantges, the Internet site will generate revenue with banner advertising and commissions from the sale of tourist packages posted on the site. A spokeswoman said the editorial recommendations were compiled by a journalist and were made independently of advertising decisions. The site currently has one advertiser, the Royal hotel-casino, which is controlled by Hantges.

LV new home sales sizzle: Jennifer Robison; Even as new home sales in Las Vegas are set to break last year's record sales, several key demographic trends are forcing changes in the way home builders design, build and market their homes.

Southwest Gas livens up its annual report: Southwest Gas Corp. of Las Vegas is giving readers of its 2001 annual report a reason to smile and chuckle.

Southwest profit up -- Gabelli still agitating: The Las Vegas-based natural gas utility on Thursday reported net income of $42.9 million, or $1.30 per diluted share, up from $33.8 million, or $1.05 per share, in the year-ago quarter. Revenues rose 2.5 percent to $499.5 million.

Area businesses take daughters to work: Area businesses take daughters to work

Harrah's sues some directors, hotel announced: JCC Holding Company made the announcement Thursday. A JCC subsidiary, JCC Fulton Development LLC, will sell the land to The Varna Group-New Orleans, a Utah limited liability company.

Las Vegas election map plan protested: Diana Sahagun and Erin Neff; Las Vegas Councilwoman Lynette Boggs McDonald plans to protest the city's latest redistricting proposal, saying it violates the constitutional rights of nearly 4,000 voters by not giving them a chance to vote until 2005.

Viad Corp. reports improved earnings for quarter: Phoenix-based Viad Corp. reported net income of $32.3 million, 37 cents a share, on revenue of $454.7 million, compared with net income of $24.3 million, 28 cents a share, on revenue of $472.5 million for the same period in 2001 for the quarter ended March 31.

Cash flow down in quarter: Horseshoe reported cash flow of $61.8 million, down from $68.3 million in the year-ago quarter. Revenues fell 20 percent to $211.8 million, but net income increased 3 percent to $26.1 million.

Windows changes at issue: Christopher Jones, a Microsoft vice president in charge of Windows, testified against penalties that a coalition of states want the court to impose on Microsoft to redress the company's antitrust violations. Among the states' proposals is a requirement that Microsoft refrain from interfering with the way rival software works on its operating system without "good cause."

Andersen settlement rejected: "They rejected our proposal," said the attorney, Rusty Hardin. "So I think all kinds of discussions with them are probably over for now. ... So we just proceed to trial ... I think we're probably through talking to the government about the case."

Complaint filed against Bellagio: CARSON CITY -- The Bellagio hotel-casino is facing a fine of anywhere from $25,000 to $250,000 on a complaint filed by the state Gaming Control Board that the Las Vegas Strip resort violated a money-laundering regulation last November.

Successful Florida coach to pursue sixth title in veteran class: Victoria Sun; Tournament at a glance

Rebel women advance: The second-seeded Lady Rebels improved to 18-3 overall and 7-1 in the league. The seventh-seeded Rams fell to 6-17 and 1-7.

Editorial: Policies are more than platitudes: Despite Leavitt's enthusiasm, environmentalists are leery of "Enlibra," believing that the Bush administration will wrap the term around its policies that actually will favor the timber, mining and energy industries. The concern is justified. "Enlibra" is a nice-sounding theory, but the problem is that President Bush hasn't adopted the kind of cooperation needed to forge a consensus on environmental issues -- especially as they affect national energy policies.

Editorial: The score: politics 41, science 6: A Yucca vote by the full House is expected within two weeks. All indications are that the nuclear industry's lobbying budget and President Bush's pro-Yucca political view will once again prevail. Eminent scientists have for years warned about the safety of Yucca Mountain, but it's the politicians fronting for the nuclear industry who wield the influence. The Science magazine authors, one from the University of Michigan and the other from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, wrote that Yucca Mountain "... is based on an unsound engineering strategy and poor use of present understanding of the properties of spent nuclear fuel." ...

Court: Exterior car transmitters permitted: CARSON CITY -- In a 5-2 decision, the Nevada Supreme Court Thursday ruled that police, without getting a search warrant, can attach electronic monitoring devices to a car to track a suspect.

U.S. National Wrestling Championships: FREESTYLE 55 KG/121 LBS.: 1. Teague Moore, Norman, Okla. (Gator WC) 2. Sammie Henson, State College, Pa. (Sunkist Kids) 3. Jody Strittmatter, Iowa City, Iowa (Hawkeye WC) 4. T.J. Hill, Farmington, Mo. (Team Hoggs) 5. Jeff Prescott, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC) 6. Eric Albarracin, Fort Carson, Colo. (U.S. Army)

Cost(a) effective FB: Steve Guiremand; John Jackson coached some pretty fair fullbacks during his time as a running backs coach at USC. Future NFLers such as Marcus Allen (who blocked for Charles White during the latter's 1979 Heisman Trophy winning season before moving to tailback), Lynn Cain and Mosi Tatupu.

Clary clearly recalls Holocaust, 'Hogan's Heroes': What: Book signing by Robert Clary, author of "From the Holocaust to Hogan's Heroes."

School district awaiting education reform guidelines: By Emily Richmond; President Bush's education reform is supposed to take effect for Las Vegas Valley students in August, but Clark County School District officials said Thursday they have yet to receive the federal guidelines needed to implement the new programs.

King riot's impact still questioned: That night Tahisha James was a 15-year-old girl in love.

Nevada regulators won't review Mpower rate hike: Mpower Communications Corp. customers in Las Vegas, angered that a residential rate increase this month will nearly double their telephone bills, are being told by Nevada utility regulators they don't oversee the company's rates.

Accreditation awarded to local facilities: "Joint Commission accreditation makes a strong statement to the community about our desire to provide services of the highest quality," said Susan Drongowski, president and chief executive officer of Nathan Adelson Hospice. "We view obtaining (accreditation) as a step toward excellence."

Ralph Siraco's selections for Saturday's races at Hollywood Park: 1st Race -- SUNSET SERENADE - Pincay scales Gallagher trainee, needs crafty trip from post draw in route opener, good spot for action. BUFFALO - Hustling bug boy Trujillo on Baltas trainee, must overcome outside post in starte allowance, sans blinkers for this. Value Play -- LUNACY

Concert promoter carries on in friend's tradition: What: "City of Lights Jazz Festival."

Opinions vary on extent of post-riot change: When Thomas Leigh drives through West Las Vegas, he sees an area far better off than it was before April 30, 1992, when a riot followed the first Los Angeles police officers' verdicts in the beating of Rodney King.

Columnist Dean Juipe: Sports (law)suits are in fashion: Dean Juipe; It's a word that keeps showing up in the sports pages, and, as it does, it pushes the usual game stories and features into diminished roles and out of the mainstream coverage.

PCL box: Las Vegas - New Orleans: Time -- 2:26. Attendance -- 2,610.

Columnist Muriel Stevens: Rejuvenated Rio returning to its dining roots: It's more than rumor that The Rio is striving to regain some of its dining glory. The passing of culinary superstar Jean-Louis Palladin and the closing of Napa discouraged locals. There are signs that parent company Harrah's brass is once again moving in the right direction.

Defendant in abuse case plans to represent himself: Kim Smith; Derrick Inkton says it doesn't matter that he can barely read. Or write.

UNLV's Frohlich given top award at banquet: The 6-2 Frohlich, who broke school career records for both scoring and rebounding, averaged 20.5 points and 10.4 rebounds while helping lead UNLV to a 23-8 record and its first NCAA Tournament berth since 1994.

Columnist Jerry Fink: Singer strikes Gold at Manhattan of Las Vegas: By Jerry Fink; People are looking for an excuse to party. Howie Gold is happy to give it to them.

Columnist Joe Delaney: No trick to making magic work on the Strip: Joe Delaney; Before Siegfried & Roy, magic in its various forms locally consisted of the late Blackstone and comedy-magic acts such as the Amazing Ballantine, featured in Tropicana's "Folies Bergere" before he went on to television as Carl Ballantine in "McHale's Navy" on ABC in the 1960s ... Siegfried & Roy started as a production show act in "Folies Bergere" in 1967.

Dispute erupts over Big Game lottery ticket: Wayne Parry; HILLSIDE, N.J. -- An office dispute has apparently erupted over who owns one of the lottery tickets good for a one-third share of the $331 million Big Game prize.

Nevada lauds article on Yucca science: Erin Neff; State leaders found surprising allies in their fight against Yucca Mountain in two pro-nuclear scientists who wrote in an article published today that the decision to put the dump in Nevada is being pushed by policy concerns, not science.

Datebook April 26, 2002: In observance of Dia de Los Ninos/Dia de Los Libros, a celebration of childhood and bilingual literacy, Las Vegas-Clark County Library District presents professional heavyweight wrestling champion Mil Mascaras on Saturday at West Las Vegas Library, 947 W. Lake Mead Blvd. At 1:30 p.m. is a screening of his movie, "La Llave Mortal." At 3:30 p.m. is a talk by the wrestler. Admission is free. Call 734-7323.

Community briefs for April 26, 2002: The Nevada Coalition Against Sexual Violence is sponsoring a workshop Monday by Dr. Lori Girshick, author and head of the Women's Studies Department at Warren Wilson College in North Carolina.

Political notebook: Congressional candidate does some spring cleaning: Erin Neff; Congressional candidate Lynette Boggs McDonald cleaned house at her campaign headquarters this week, firing the man she once hyped as the best person to lead her bid and letting go a chief fund-raiser and spokeswoman.

Meeting addresses questions on U.S. 95 work: Residents in or near the path of the U.S. 95 expansion project came to a public meeting Thursday to find out what will happen to their homes -- and when.

Dismembered body found inside suitcase in Dumpster: Police investigators have released pictures of two tattoos found on the body and are asking anyone with information to call them.

Letter: Utility's threat should be its last: It's time for the state to disenfranchise Nevada Power and go to a public utility. Surely it makes no sense to keep seeing one threat after another in the newspaper. Leave such garbage for the Enquirer. It's that simple.

Review: 'Pinero' held back by director: Geoff Carter; Grade: **

Blood drives scheduled: Tuesday: 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Golden Nugget, 129 E. Fremont St.; 9: 30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., UNLV, 4505 S. Maryland Parkway.

Columnist Susan Snyder: Waste issue more than pulp fiction: Lilina and Analise Lucchese are getting quite the civics lesson.

Where I Stand -- Mike O'Callaghan: Men who refused to quit: Today it may make little difference where we were 60 years ago, but there was one group of Americans at the time who were going through hell after being captured by the Japanese in the Philippines. Henderson's Gerard Gauthier is one of the Nevadans who survived the brutal Bataan Death March in early 1942. Later he was taken to Japan to work as a slave laborer in a steel mill. Like the other POW slaves who worked for Japanese private industry, he has yet to be compensated. His own country continues to keep these brave survivors from receiving more than ...

Nationwide vaccine shortage hits home: By Emily Richmond; Las Vegas Valley health officials said this week that they have run out of shots of a new drug that protects children against meningitis and pneumonia as well as ear and blood infections, and supplies are low for other children's vaccines.

Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: Gaughan primed for breakthrough: FONTANA, Calif. -- Sunday's NAPA Auto Parts 500 at California Speedway is only one of 36 points races on the NASCAR Winston Cup Series, but it is shaping up as a milestone race in one respect.

Surprising Silverado beats Basic, takes command in SE: Spencer Patterson; Basic was the preseason favorite, Foothill the popular dark horse pick and Green Valley the defending state champion. But it's the Silverado Skyhawks who suddenly find themselves in control of the state's toughest division.

How the Railroad got its Funk back: Kirk Baird; What: Grand Funk Railroad.

Editorial: Cooperation often beats competition: Now, there are still two projects being proposed, but the two groups are united under the umbrella of the Western States Maglev Alliance. The alliance creates a greater chance for securing financing and also represents the possibility of the two projects linking up one day. It's this type of cooperation that could one day lead to a truly integrated mass transportation network in the Las Vegas Valley. Cooperation between Clark County and the city of Las Vegas led to a successful soccer park in the northwest. More such cooperation could lead to solutions for other problems associated with regional growth ...

'Rent' makes its triumphant return at Aladdin Theatre: Joe Delaney; "Rent," one of only five Broadway musicals to win both a Pulitzer Prize for drama and multiple Tony Awards, had a successful run last year at the Las Vegas Hilton, and plays even better this year in the Aladdin Theatre for the Performing Arts.

DVD review: Still conflicted about 'Spy Game': Geoff Carter; I'm torn: I don't know whether director Tony Scott deserves banishment from Hollywood or a mere dope-slap. His work on the Robert Redford/Brad Pitt thriller "Spy Game"-- now availble on DVD (Universal, $26.98) -- veers between the two, dizzy as Tonya Harding after happy hour.

Editorial: Saudis are hardly best friends of U.S.: The Saudis' genuine feelings were expressed by a source close to the crown prince who told the Times in its Thursday edition: "It is a mistake to think that our people will not do what is necessary to survive, and if that means we move to the right of bin Laden, so be it; to the left of Qaddafi, so be it; or fly to Baghdad and embrace Saddam like a brother, so be it." And they are supposed to be our Arab friends in the Middle East?

Thursday's prep results: Cimarron-Memorial 12, Mojave 1: Chris Davila went 3-for-4 with three runs, Matt Seccombe went 3-for-3 with two runs and Garrett Kohler allowed no earned runs in five innings, striking out six for the Spartans.

On Display for April 26, 2002: "The Sky Above; The Mud Below," by UNLV student Cara Cole, is on display Wednesday through May 4 at the Donna Beam Fine Art Gallery. Call 895-1402.

Review: Bogdanovich's 'Cat's Meow' hardly the pick of the litter: Geoff Carter; Grade: **

Business briefs for April 26, 2002: The private company that has a two-thirds ownership of publicly traded All-American SportPark Inc. plans to spin off the subsidiary.

Obituaries for April 26, 2002: Stephanie J. Bartol, 80, of Las Vegas died Wednesday in a local hospital. She was born Feb. 20, 1922, in New Jersey. A resident for seven years, she was a retired legal secretary.

Noncandidate to pay campaign fine: CARSON CITY -- The secretary of state's office has agreed to lower a fine from $20,000 to $5,000 against former FBI agent George Togliatti of Las Vegas for failing to file his campaign expenses reports. The decision came even though Togliatti never became a candidate.

Snyder's hiring raises coaching questions: Steve Guiremand; Let the speculation begin.

Culinary Union gets prepared for strike: The Culinary Union, embroiled in tough contract negotiations with the casino industry, is mobilizing its 50,000 members for a possible strike on June 1.

Metro officer in car chase ID'd: Daniel Martinez, 41, is accused of leading officers on a chase that started near the Meadows mall parking lot Tuesday about 1:30 p.m. and ended after a carjacking and several accidents.

City looks at what 'Las Vegas' is worth: Diana Sahagun; City leaders exploring a potential advertising program want to establish the value of the name "Las Vegas," envisioning swapping revenue for the chance to become the official drink of the city.

Nevada AP News Digest: AP; HEADLINES:

CowParade considered an udderly fabulous fund-raiser: In mid-September the cows are coming home to Las Vegas -- in a public art exhibit that has drawn millions of viewers in cities from New York to Kansas.

MWC tennis tournaments: SINGLES: 1. (65) Thomas Schneiter (UNLV) def. David Mercier (UU)6-0, 6-2 2. Romain Tug (UNLV) def. Corrie Scheepers (UU) 6-2, 1-6, 7-6 (5) 3. Aviram Salomon (UNLV) def. Nick Yip (UU) 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 4. Daniel Carlsson (UU) def. Thomas Michaud (UNLV) 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 5. Tyler Poulson (UU) def. Leslie Eisinga (UNLV) 6-3, 6-1 6. Daniel Lohff (UU) def. Andreas Maurer (UNLV) 6-4, 6-7 (6), 6-3

Performing Arts for April 26, 2002: 'Pippin'

Letter: Democrats must shift strategy to counter GOP: They don't want to hear a boring speech about how the GOP is funneling our money and future to the select upper crust. The Republicans have for many years known what works. The formula is simple. They label themselves as anti-tax, pro-gun, pro-life, anti-gay, and more patriotic. They wrap this stuff up in great sounding slogans and lots of flags and the flock will always buy it.

Review: Charismatic Jolie gets her turn in 'Life': Geoff Carter; Grade: ***

A Spark of Madness: Kirk Baird; As Hollywood tales go, this one sounds about as real as the next:

Letter: Good old times are long gone: One day I asked the bar owner, Nick, why the young guys didn't sing along with us old guys? He said, "John, they are not like you and your friends. They're not happy in their hearts." The time came when my friends and I retired. My wife and I came to the West Coast.