Print edition for August 14, 2002

Detective testifies in his own defense at robbery trial: Kim Smith; Former Metro Police detective and robbery suspect Jack Brandon told jurors Tuesday he was so rattled by being arrested he simply failed to give detectives crucial details of his activities the morning of the crime.

Columnist Peter Benton: Tiger gets nod to win another major title: Peter Benton; The last major of the year, the PGA Championship, gets under way Thursday.

Ralph Siraco's selections for Thursday's races at Del Mar: Thursday's card

Review: Exuberant version of 'Annie' shines under the stars: Marilyn LaRocque; An exuberant, talented cast of singing and dancing actors of all ages romps through a crowd-pleasing "Annie," the season's concluding production of Super Summer Theatre (SST) at Spring Mountain Ranch State Park.

Columnist Elizabeth Foyt: New Baywatch eatery at Flamingo given send-off: Elizabeth Foyt; Nestled amid lush tropical plantings of the enormous island-like pool enclosure, the Baywatch Restaurant is perched above a secluded pool boasting a dozen pink flamingo fountain statues.

Community briefs for August 14, 2002: The Paradise Democratic Club is sponsoring the Meet Your Democratic Candidate picnic at 11 a.m. Sunday at Paradise Park.

Obituaries for August 14, 2002: Jose A. Alvarez, 20, of North Las Vegas died Thursday in North Las Vegas. He was born Dec. 2, 1981, in Omaha, Neb. A resident for three years, he was a house painter.

Thursday's horse racing entries: Post Time 2 p.m.

Restructuring quickens as travel slump continues: Brad Foss; The nation's airlines are overhauling their businesses with a new sense of urgency after three airlines descended into bankruptcy and at least one other appears headed in that direction.

News briefs for August 14, 2002: District Judge Michael Douglas Tuesday ordered a Las Vegas man facing multiple sex and fraud-related charges to provide prosecutors with handwriting samples.

Tic-tac-toe winner gets more than chicken feed: Barbara Howell of Las Vegas beat Ginger, a chicken specially trained to play the game, Tuesday night at the Tropicana hotel in the "$10,000 Chicken Challenge."

Canyon tourism, conservation complex issues: When a federal agency proposes a plan to manage nature, it often seems as if it's a choice between wilderness and commercial tourism.

Mall retains sign company: Rita Brandin, vice president and development director for Rouse, called the video displays an important component in the company's 1 million-square-foot expansion of the shopping center.

Furio hopes to be center of attention: Steve Guiremand; Dominic Furio spent the off-season preparing for his expected battle with Cal State Northridge transfer Carlos Acosta for the starting UNLV center job.

Nevada casinos suffer decline: CARSON CITY -- Casinos along the Las Vegas Strip recorded their worst year-to-year performance comparison in the last decade with their gross win falling 7 percent in fiscal 2002. In June, the last month of the fiscal year, the gaming win declined 7.9 percent statewide and 13.8 percent on the Strip.

Ad program delayed for prepaid tuition: CARSON CITY -- Attorney General Frankie Sue Del Papa has blocked, at least temporarily, the award of a $370,000 advertising contract to entice people to invest in the Prepaid College Tuition Program.

Hawaii-bound flight cut: Aloha, which began its Hawaii service from Las Vegas in February 2001, eliminated one of its two flights between McCarran International Airport and Oakland, Calif., last month.

Shelter at MASH Village is shut down: By Timothy Pratt; MASH Village, which has the Las Vegas Valley's only shelter for homeless families, closed its last beds today, two weeks earlier than planned.

Valley Hospital workers in decertification election: The voting members include lead pulmonary and respiratory therapists, flight medics, radiologic and cardiovascular technicians, occupational therapy assistants, ultrasound and nuclear medicine technicians.

Insider deals investigated at Planet Hollywood: Mike Schneider; ORLANDO, Fla. -- Planet Hollywood International Inc. wrote off $5 million in loans to celebrities and created a "tangled web" of insider deals that benefited top executives and other insiders, an independent review of the bankrupt company shows.

Big LV firms certify numbers: By Liz Benston; Big Las Vegas-based companies including MGM MIRAGE, Venetian owner Las Vegas Sands and Harrah's Entertainment on Tuesday filed certifications of their latest financial statements to the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Nevada Power Co. finances improve: Sierra Pacific Resources lost $41.9 million or 41 cents per share in the most recent quarter versus a profit of $54 million or 69 cents in the year-ago quarter.

Officials find 24 cats living in 'dire situation': Stephen Curran; Good intentions might be to blame for the squalid conditions in which a Las Vegas woman was keeping 24 cats, officials from the Nevada Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said.

National group calls Las Vegas homeless problem 'astonishing': By Timothy Pratt; Shocked and dismayed about conditions for the Las Vegas Valley's estimated 8,000 to 10,000 homeless, two representatives from the nation's oldest and largest homeless advocacy group vowed to become part of the solution in their visit to the region this week.

Domestic fight ends in two deaths: Keith Paul; An argument Tuesday night between a Las Vegas couple with a history of domestic violence ended with the man killing the woman and then killing himself, Metro Police said.

AMA thanks officials for tort reform law: Assembly Bill 1, passed by the Legislature in special session two weeks ago and signed into law last week by Guinn, places caps on damages for pain and suffering. The law becomes effective on Oct. 1.

Vegas company reports loss: Revenues at the Las Vegas-based company declined from $13.4 million to $8.8 million during the period, primarily due to a decline in finance income of about $5 million resulting from one-time transactions with the company's then-largest customer.

Letter: Bush's popularity stunning under circumstances: George W. Bush was sworn in as our 43rd president on Jan. 20, 2001. One only has to look at the comparison of the state of the nation then and compare that with where our nation is today.

Editorial: Fire report shows need for changes: The report by the state fire marshal is replete with instances of AeroTech ignoring or violating the codes and procedures established by government agencies to ensure safety -- including those that could have saved the life of the worker who died of burns. Such codes and procedures do not come about as the result of government agencies conspiring with each other to exert control over private enterprise. They come about over time and are based on what has been learned from past experiences. AeroTech was particularly honor bound to observe the rules, as its workers mixed hazardous materials, including ammonium ...

Letter: Red Rock plan must be stopped: This town will include high-density homes, a golf course, schools and commercial areas, etc. This proposal needs to be stopped! The impact of this preposterous exploitation will forever alter the majestic beauty of Red Rock by increasing the traffic, smog, light and dust pollution, not to mention the financial burden that would be laid upon us taxpayers for infrastructure costs.

State approves senior complex: CARSON CITY -- The state Board of Finance approved a $15 million financing plan Tuesday to build 244 apartments for senior citizens in Henderson.

Prison money might be used for mental patients: CARSON CITY -- Gov. Kenny Guinn says one of his top construction priorities in the next two years will be expanding the mental health facilities in Clark County, and he hopes to do that with savings from a prison building program.

Defense official: Nuke tests at NTS are likely: Jace Radke; Underground nuclear testing could begin at the Nevada Test Site in the next decade to ensure the reliability of the nation's aging nuclear arsenal, a Pentagon official said this morning.

WMS hurt by game delays: Part of the problem was a software glitch that stalled the launch of new machines in Mississippi by 10 months.

Nevada Power rate hike called illegal: CARSON CITY -- State Consumer Advocate Tim Hay says the Public Utilities Commission unlawfully allowed Nevada Power Co. to raise its rates by $485 million to its customers in Clark County.

PCL box: Las Vegas - Calgary: HB--Teut (Ross). T-3:36. A-5,245.

Promoter's plane crashes: Dean Juipe; A small chartered plane carrying Top Rank boxing promoter Bob Arum crashed Tuesday attempting to land at an airstrip in Big Bear, Calif., site of the training camp of Arum's top client, Oscar De La Hoya.

Columnist Dean Juipe: NSAC comps come under state review: Dean Juipe; There are those who say comps make Las Vegas go around. They're a prevalent and constant source of amusement, if not power, and everyone with any type of connections is apt to get 'em, be it for food or entertainment.

Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: LV's Patrick Carpentier looking for a new team: Nothing is official, but it appears Las Vegas resident Patrick Carpentier will not be driving for Player's/Forsythe Racing in the CART FedEx Championship Series next season.

Rapper made plea during standoff: Keith Paul; Rap singer Snoop Dogg made a taped message to his brother-in-law, who was barricaded in a Las Vegas apartment Tuesday after allegedly shooting two Metro Police officers, urging him to surrender.

Chocolate milk mustaches common: Max Jacobson; It seems chocolate milk is more popular than ever, nowadays. All the schools serve it, partially because much of it is made with low- or reduced-fat milk, and because it offers nutritional and health benefits in addition to good taste. All the big markets stock it, in an increasing number of varieties.

Medicaid coverage given to uninsured for breast cancer: CARSON CITY -- Gov. Kenny Guinn's program to extend Medicaid coverage to uninsured women who are diagnosed with breast or cervical cancer has been approved by the federal government.

Savvy wine buys: '99 Acacia Pinot Noir: It's different now, as proved by this sensibly priced stunner from the fabled Carneros area. This wine has a dark color and an unusual sweetness for a Pinot, lots of toasty oak and notes of burnt toffee. It's ready to drink now.

Columnist Muriel Stevens: Thompson was one of the family: It was just a few days before that she came to my office to proudly tell me that her daughter, Kelly, had developed a keen interest in cooking, and to ask if I would go through my files and choose some recipes for her.

LV's Agassi advances: LV's Agassi advances

Hiatt sparks 51s to win in Calgary: Hiatt's blast highlighted a four-run inning for the 51s, who stretched their lead to 10-3 in the eighth before withstanding Calgary's four-run ninth.

Boulder City briefs for August 14, 2002: Even as new grass pierces the graded fairways of Boulder City's second municipal golf course, city leaders are planning construction of another nine holes that would be lit at night.

Movie studio gaining momentum: Jeffrey Libby; A proposed $44 million movie production studio on 30 acres could have a permanent lease agreement worked out with the city within two weeks, removing one of the last hurdles to securing investors, Boulder City producer Anna Maria Davis said Tuesday.

Hobbs says lease issue can hurt city: Jeffrey Libby; A Boulder City land lease initiative scheduled for the September ballot could hurt city finances if passed, a leading economist said Tuesday.

Editorial: Prison company needs closer look: Gov. Kenny Guinn wanted the state to run Summit View after its bad experience with privatization there, but state legislators rebuffed this sensible request. Now that the Department of Human Resources has been saddled with selecting a private company to run what really is a government obligation, it must make sure that the company ultimately selected is fit for the job. In light of privatization's failures in other state prisons across the nation, that certainly will be a tall order.

Host C-M planning to make an impact: Spencer Patterson; The Cimarron-Memorial Spartans have a chip on their shoulder heading into this week's American Legion Western Tournament, and their coach is hoping that might be just the thing to propel them to a World Series berth.

Blue Diamond residents to hear controversial subdivision plan: Developers will take the arguments for a controversial proposal to build a 20,000-person subdivision on top of a hill to the tiny town of Blue Diamond tonight.

Public-private funds eyed for college president salary: Jennifer Knight; The high presidential price tag attached to Nevada State College heir apparent Kerry Romesburg has prompted the Board of Regents to consider changing the way it pays its presidents.

Letter: Death penalty ends the threat: The killers on the other hand are perfectly aware that if they choose to murder, that the state may execute them in turn. Life in prison without parole is not the answer.

Porter, Herrera face primary foes: Erin Neff; Ever since the ink dried on the drawing of Nevada's new congressional district, Dario Herrera and Jon Porter have been eyeing the November election, and each other.

Councilman's ethics trial is ready to begin: Diana Sahagun; In his short political career, Michael Mack rose from a Las Vegas planning commissioner to a skilled fund-raiser who faced voters in 2001 with glowing results. But the people who overwhelmingly elected him to his Ward 6 seat might not have a say in whether he keeps his position.

Mikohn Gaming to repurchase stock: Mikohn last month reported a loss of $5.8 million, fueled by delays of new game launches and slowing demand for machines leased by casino customers. The company's new president, Russ McMeekin, this month announced a workforce reduction of about 15 percent as part of a sweeping restructuring plan to return to profitability.

Experts studying July 4 travel decline: The LVCVA's Kevin Bagger said researchers were asked to determine whether the 12 percent drop in the number of tourists from Thursday to Saturday was an anomaly or a factor that could be forecast in the future.