Print edition for December 5, 2002

Special section: NFR helps Las Vegas fill up its saddle bags: The Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, celebrating its 18th year in Las Vegas, is more than just 10 days of roping and riding in the Thomas & Mack Center.

Special section: Bull riding finalists: Camp Crook, S.D. $89,648

Special section: Calf roping finalists: Hockley, Texas $151,856

Special section: Barrel racing finalists: Athens, Texas $119,650

List of malls Taubman Centers owns or manages: AP; Taubman is the object of an unsolicited takeover bid by Simon Property Group, the largest North American shopping center owner in the amount of leased space, according to a ranking by the International Council of Shopping Centers.

Community briefs for Dec. 5, 2002: The Barbara Greenspun WomensCare Center of Excellence will host a "thought field therapy" class from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Monday.

Special section: Heading finalists: Jacksonville, Fla. $109,395

Special section: Heeling finalists: Llano, Texas $109,750

Special section: NFR tickets tough, but not impossible: The official NFR Ticket Exchange program provides an opportunity to match those looking to sell NFR tickets with those looking to purchase them. The Official NFR Ticket Exchange booth will be located at the main ticket office at the Thomas & Mack Center and will be open today through Saturday, Dec. 14.

Special section: Bareback riding finalists: Redmond, Ore. $110,527

Where I Stand -- Mike O'Callaghan: Man with a tough job: Not only is he working with a very tight budget, his clients also are aging and their illnesses are becoming more severe. He recognizes the need of a full-service hospital for the growing number of veterans here in Clark County. He also knows he must wait for the completion of a study that will tell Congress just where most of the dwindling number of dollars should be spent.

Special section: Steer wrestling finalists: Athens, Texas $88,139

Special section: NFR live broadcasts: Special section: NFR live broadcasts

Special section: Saddle bronc riding finalists: Billings, Mont. $168,527

Correction: The Sun corrects its errors. If you find a mistake, call 385-3111 to report it.

Pump Up the Volumes: Boxed sets fit almost any music fan's taste: Spencer Patterson; If the latter sounds like your idea of the perfect holiday gift, then you already know there's nothing quite like pulling back the wrapping paper and discovering a CD boxed set.

Columnist Ruthe Deskin: Meaning of Christmas still pure: Ruthe Deskin; From the time I was old enough to understand, Christmas was a solemn but joyful holy day for Christians -- a time to re-affirm their faith and celebrate the birth of Jesus.

UMC's deficit getting worse: Adrienne Packer; As University Medical Center prepares to close two Quick Care clinics next week, Clark County administrators tracking the hospital's losses said the deficit is worsening.

County OKs homes project under airport flight pattern: Over the objections of Clark County staff, nearby residents and several advisory councils, the County Commission approved a proposal to put more than 300 homes under departing flights from McCarran International Airport.

Students score low on new test: By Emily Richmond; About half of Nevada's third and fifth grade students failed to meet state standards in reading and math on a test designed to serve as a federal benchmark of whether the state's school system is working.

Goodman strikes council pay hikes from agenda: Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman made two things clear Wednesday.

Funds for shelter beds may be diverted: The city of Las Vegas may divert some of the $200,000 budgeted annually for homeless services away from the funding of extra winter shelter beds because, according to a report issued Wednesday, there are 350 more beds available at homeless shelters this year.

Las Vegas ranked 10th-safest large city in America: Judy Odierna; * Not including deaths from Sept. 11 terrorist attacks

Donations policy to be reviewed: Ed Koch and Judy Odierna; Whether it's a trunk-load of teddy bears or a new Cadillac, Las Vegas Councilwoman Lynette Boggs McDonald says elected officials should have more input on gifts and donations received by the city.

Online-only registration tests UNLV students: Jennifer Knight; While Jenny Jeck was boarding a plane last week to visit her family for Thanksgiving, Jeck's friend was online registering her for classes at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

New law results in more lawsuits: There has been a sharp increase in medical malpractice lawsuits filed in Clark County District Court since a new law went into effect Oct. 1 that limits the amount of damages that can be won for pain and suffering.

Robber flees after officer fires at him: Two plainclothes police officers in the area of Spencer Street and Twain Avenue saw one man fleeing from another about 6:30 p.m. Wednesday and learned that the convenience store had just been robbed. Cobb said.

Some foreign high-rollers returning to Las Vegas: CARSON CITY -- Many international high-rollers are returning to Las Vegas casinos after the terrorist attacks but those from Latin America are continuing to stay away, says a top official of the Mandalay Bay hotel-casino on the Las Vegas Strip.

Legislators favor gambling: The lower house's Interior Affairs Commission today plans to unanimously approve the text of the bill, the paper said. The bill then needs to be approved by majority vote in the 500-seat lower house and later ratified by the Senate to become law.

Fight schedule: Thursday

It's McQueen for a day: Adam Candee; Some amazing prep football teams have come and gone from McQueen High School in Ken Dalton's two decades at the helm.

Brighter Fremont Street planned: The Las Vegas City Council voted unanimously Wednesday to ask the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority for $7 million to help remodel the Fremont Street Experience's light and sound show.

Columnist Dean Juipe: Martin expected to pour the coal to Mia in Mich.: Dean Juipe; Christy Martin will hold advantages in experience, size and, in all likelihood, ability, when she steps into the ring with former Playboy model Mia St. John for a pay-per-view bout Friday from Pontiac, Mich.

Analysts issue 'buy' ratings: Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., New York, Banc of America Securities, San Francisco, and Thomas Weisel Partners, San Francisco, said today they anticipate growth for the company headed by Steve Wynn, who built and later sold the Mirage empire and has broken ground on Le Reve on the Las Vegas Strip.

Editorial: It's time to reopen closed youth prison: Gov. Kenny Guinn sought to reopen the prison and have the state run it. Administration officials believed the state could run the prison for about what it cost a private company and that a state-operated prison afforded accountability. But Guinn's effort unfortunately was derailed by the Legislature's Interim Finance Committee, which still believed the prison should be privatized. The prison remained closed, however, because a budget shortfall this year left no money available to open it. It is time to reopen Summit View because juvenile inmates either have been sent out of state or are spending time in county jails. ...

Wednesday's prep results: Boys Basketball

Park Place appealing $8 million judgment won by high-roller: By Liz Benston; In the casino business, they say, the house always wins -- a truism that has prompted numerous gamblers to try their skill at counting cards or by outright stealing.

Columnist Ron Kantowski: Rebels were lucky to survive: When I first saw the betting odds on Wednesday's UNLV-UNR basketball game in Reno -- Wolf Pack minus 1 1/2 -- my first thought was that it might have been the worst line since the guy with gold medallions and his shirt unzipped to the navel sneaked past security at Rum Jungle and asked the leggy blonde if she came there often.

Air Guard honors top airmen: Dick Benoit; The Nevada Air National Guard has named three of its members Airman of the Year for 2002. The Guard annually honors an airman, a non-commissioned officer, a senior non-commissioned officer and a first sergeant with the title.

Simon ups offer for rival: Taubman, which rejected Simon's earlier unsolicited offer, said today that its board will evaluate the latest bid of $18 cash per share, a 50-cent increase over the prior proposal.

Letter: We could be singing a much different tune: That his administration considers the Republican sweep of the mid-term elections as a mandate for their agenda should sound arrogant to most.

22 guns are stolen from state armory: Burglars kicked in the wooden office door at the state Parole and Probation Division in Las Vegas last weekend and stole 22 handguns, up to 5,000 rounds of ammunition and cans of pepper spray.

Condo complex set for MGM site: By Liz Benston; MGM MIRAGE expects to build a luxury condominium complex on the northeast end of the company's MGM Grand casino resort property in Las Vegas with partner and condominium developer Turnberry Associates.

Teachers' union says salary ranking is wrong: The survey, released last month by the National Education Association, put Nevada 12th in the country with an average salary of $44,738. But that tally included retirement benefits and shouldn't have, said Ken Lange, executive director of the Nevada State Education Association, an affiliate of the nation's largest teachers' union.

Sam's Club union drive still on hold: Grace Leong; A labor election at Wal-Mart Stores Inc.'s Sam's Club at 7175 W. Spring Mountain Road in Las Vegas remains on hold while both sides review whether to appeal a ruling by a National Labor Relations Board judge on an NLRB complaint filed on behalf of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union.

Heller seeks power to audit campaign finance reports: CARSON CITY -- Secretary of State Dean Heller is going to ask the Nevada Legislature to give him authority to audit the campaign contribution and expense reports by candidates when there are questionable transactions.

Banks' 3s saved day: the numbers; First Half: UNLV 44-38

Marijuana Project files complaint against drug czar: Benjamin Grove; WASHINGTON -- White House drug czar John Walters misused his authority by campaigning against the Nevada ballot initiative that would have legalized possession of up to 3 ounces of marijuana, a pro-pot group alleged in a complaint Wednesday.

Limits on small lots are studied: Dan Kulin; The North Las Vegas City Council appears intent on limiting the number of new small-lot single-family homes in the city, but council members are not sure exactly when exceptions should be made.

First Millenium Scholar to earn degree at UNLV: Jennifer Knight; Melissa Tishk will become the first Millennium Scholar next week to earn her bachelor's degree from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas -- after attending college for just 2 1/2 years.

State's chief anti-Yucca lawyer sure of victory: Jace Radke; The Energy Department's disregard for the people of Nevada, the scientific method and the law will help the state win its legal battle to stop the federal government from storing high-level nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain, Nevada's lead attorney on the case said Wednesday.

Murphy's attorney claims new evidence in Binion case: Erica D. Johnson; Attorneys defending convicted killer Sandy Murphy will have evidence within days that they say could help overturn her conviction.

McDonald's chairman to retire: The fast food chain today said Greenberg will retire at the end of this year. McDonald's board elected the company's president and vice chairman, Jim Cantalupo, to take over the top two spots.

UNLV Banks one home: Steve Guiremand; RENO --- Yo, Wooden Award officials. You blew it by not including UNLV point guard Marcus Banks on your 50-player "watch list" this season.

Energy trader indicted: Energy trader indicted

Dalron slowed by bum ankle: Steve Guiremand; RENO -- Senior forward Dalron Johnson didn't score a single point in the first half of Wednesday night's 82-80 victory over Nevada-Reno and finished with just 10 points. But there was a good reason for his offensive struggles.

News briefs for Dec. 5, 2002: The Nevada Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected the petition of convicted killer Oscar Williams Jr. of Las Vegas, who said he had new evidence to prove his innocence.

Charges changed in sex case: Erica D. Johnson; Prosecutors in the case of a Metro Police officer accused of sexually assaulting a Henderson teen have changed the charges against the man to include additional allegations of abuse between 1997 and 1998.

Ariz. governor signs compacts with tribes: Beth DeFalco; PHOENIX -- Gov. Jane Hull signed gambling agreements with 10 Arizona tribes Wednesday, the first step toward enacting a voter-approved initiative to expand gambling on Indian reservations.

Editorial: Whole U.S. served by state's suit: Unfortunately, however, the federal government is being taken seriously as it proposes to turn a volcanic formation 90 miles northwest of Las Vegas into an underground vault for the world's deadliest material. The rest of the country has expressed little alarm as Congress and the nuclear power industry have steamrolled toward the Yucca "solution" to radioactive waste management. So it's left to Nevada to shoulder the responsibility and expense of pointing up the potentially catastrophic flaws.

Nellis training stopped after pilot dies in crash: -- Compiled by Mary Manning

Friends recall Zaher: Adam Candee; Mike Zaher shook off the oncoming tears and welling emotions long enough come up with his only possible reason why his big brother and best friend is gone at 18.

Las Vegas council briefs for Dec. 5, 2002: The Las Vegas City Council on Wednesday sent to a recommending committee a proposed ordinance that would require strippers at clubs within the city limits to acquire yearly licenses.

Special section: Several new champs to be crowned: Some familiar faces will be missing when the 44th Wrangler National Finals Rodeo kicks off its 10-day run Friday at the Thomas & Mack Center.

Letter: Casinos don't pay their share: For years Joe Neal has been saying that the casinos don't pay their fair share, and for years he has been ignored. Well, he was right all along, and the sooner the public puts people in Carson City who can stand up to the Strip and other special-interest locales, we might not have a tax issue.

Task force reports progress in cleanup of Meadows Village: "We have been very aggressive in the area of fire services -- smoke detectors, fire extinguishers and (removable) window bars," said Deputy City Manager Betsy Fretwell, who presented the task force report to the Las Vegas City Council on Wednesday.

Destiny meets dynasty in state title affair: Adam Candee; Last week's 4A state semifinals provided plenty of things for people to stare at in disbelief.

Obituaries for Dec. 5, 2002: Nolen Akison, 82, of Las Vegas died Monday in a local hospital. He was born Aug. 31, 1920, in Okmulgee, Okla. A resident for 60 years, he was a retired laborer at the Nevada Test Site.

Runnin' Rebels box score: Percentages: FG .46.2, FT .66.7.

Friday's horse racing entries: Post Time 12:30 p.m.

Resident fights new Wal-Mart grocery: North Las Vegas resident Donna Sparks is appealing an Oct. 23 decision by the Planning Commission to approve the 80,942-square-foot expansion of the Wal-Mart at 1807 W. Craig Road, on the corner of Clayton Street and Craig. A public hearing before the council on Sparks' appeal is scheduled for Dec. 18. The council could vote on the appeal after the hearing.

Ralph Siraco's selections for Friday's races at Hollywood Park: Friday's card

Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: John has nothing to Force next season: After winning 106 races and 12 NHRA Funny Car championships -- including the past 10 in a row -- John Force has run out of goals as he looks to the 2003 season.

North Las Vegas City Council briefs for Dec. 5, 2002: The North Las Vegas City Council wants the federal government to help turn the Craig Ranch Golf Course into one of the largest parks in the area.