Print edition for December 16, 2002

News briefs for Dec. 16, 2002: A 34-year-old Las Vegas man was shot and killed in the 6300 block of West Tropicana Avenue about 7 p.m. on Sunday.

Vegas ranked high in international study: In Business Las Vegas, a sister newspaper to the Las Vegas Sun, reported Friday that the firm recognized Las Vegas along with Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, and Dublin, Ireland, as cities that have created the best conditions for market success over the past decade.

Columnist Dean Juipe: No reason to lift ban on Rose: Dean Juipe; Time doesn't necessarily heal all wounds.

Planet Hollywood seeks OK on reorganization: Mike Schneider; ORLANDO, Fla. -- Trying to regain its star power, Planet Hollywood International Inc. is getting a makeover as it emerges from bankruptcy for the second time in more than two years.

Adelson eyes casino resort for Mass.: Adelson last week told a Massachusetts study panel that he could spend as much as $1.5 billion to build a Bay State resort if lawmakers permit expanded gambling, the Boston Herald reported. The $1.5 billion figure would put such a project in the same league as The Venetian and Bellagio resorts on the Las Vegas Strip.

Winds up to 80 mph pound Reno, rip down famed sign: Martin Griffith; RENO -- The lights were slowly coming back on here after a powerful windstorm caused scattered power outages, major property damage and flight cancellations.

Obituaries for Dec. 16, 2002: Ellen C. Anfenson, 71, of Las Vegas died Wednesday in a local hospital. She was born July 9, 1931, in Marshall, Mo. A resident for 18 years, she was a homemaker.

Fed complaint filed against apartments: Residents of the Bonanza Springs Apartments, 600 E. Bonanza Road, filed complaints with the Department of Housing and Urban Development in April alleging that the complex manager and the owners of the complex, Temple 1991 Revocable Trust d/b/a Bonanza Springs Apartments, were harassing them.

Columnist Ralph Siraco: Justice moved swiftly in betting scheme: Ralph Siraco; When Derrick Davis, 29, of Baltimore pleaded guilty in federal court at White Plains, N.Y., on Thursday to one count of wire fraud and one count of computer fraud, it put a finality to the criminal action of the now famous Breeders' Cup Pick Six scam.

Letter: Lott must step down from his role in Senate: Republicans are stumbling all over themselves trying to excuse such stupidity. They are actually saying Lott was just trying to "make the old guy feel good" on the occasion of his 100th birthday! Oh, really? Since when does longevity excuse a lifetime of racism and hatred? Would any normal intelligent person also celebrate the birthday of, and praise, Adolf Hitler, Idi Amin or others of their ilk simply because they had reached the age of 100?

Steady Whitfield takes home 6th calf roping title: Halfway through the 44th Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, the calves weren't cooperating with calf roper Fred Whitfield.

LV tourism counts still lagging behind 2000 levels: The LVCVA said 3 million people visited Las Vegas in October compared with 2.9 million in October 2001 and 3.1 million in October 2000, a 4.2 percent decline from two years ago.

SW Gas merger figure settles lawsuit: Southern Union said Jack Rose, former executive secretary to the Arizona Corporation Commission and Commissioner James Irvin's former personal advisor, will pay Southern Union $75,000 and has signed an agreement expressing his regrets over the events surrounding the failed merger.

MGM MIRAGE wants La Quinta motel demolished: In Business Las Vegas, a sister newspaper to the Las Vegas Sun, reported on the suit Friday.

Homeowners, contractors tangle over law: CARSON CITY -- Homeowners from Clark County lined up to tell a task force last week that they suffered through years of trying to get the builders of their homes to fix construction defects.

Lady Rebels fall in tournament title game: Both teams are now 5-2.

'Wild guy' wins 1st title: Steer wrestler Sid Steiner, speaking in tongues?

Editorial: Kissinger's secrecy was embarrassing: It did seem odd that Bush asked Kissinger to lead a probe to unearth information. Kissinger, the former secretary of state to Presidents Nixon and Ford, long has had an obsession with secrecy. Then again, this is the same White House that has had a penchant for secrecy itself and initially fought the creation of the Sept. 11 commission.

Man, 78, sentenced in cocaine case: Jace Radke; A 78-year-old man has been sentenced to 46 months in prison for his part in a cocaine deal involving Robert Marshall, one of the subjects of an FBI investigation that may reveal new evidence in the murder of gaming figure Ted Binion.

Local sports calendar: Men's college basketball: Tennessee-Martin at UNLV, 7:30 p.m., Thomas & Mack Center.

Retailers report busy weekend nationwide: Anne D'Innocenzio; With nine days until Christmas, shoppers jammed into U.S. malls over the weekend, snapping up bargains on clothing and electronics.

Court briefs for Dec. 16, 2002: The two Las Vegas men accused of stealing guns and ammunition from a local armory were arraigned Thursday in Justice Court.

Lawmakers weigh elimination of 'Vegas nights': Masha Herbst; HARTFORD, Conn. -- A state law that allows nonprofit organizations to hold "Las Vegas night" fund-raisers should be repealed because it also allows federally recognized Indian tribes to open casinos, Attorney General Richard Blumenthal told lawmakers Friday.

Wounded police officer still critical: Metro Police Officer Enrique Hernandez, 27, was shot in the hand, shoulder and knee after a routine traffic stop and was in University Medical Center's trauma intensive care unit this morning, a hospital spokesman said.

Tracks eyeing split of slot profits: Seanna Adcox; ALBANY, N.Y. -- Hoping to spur development of a new revenue source, state legislators plan to meet with racetrack owners this week to negotiate an agreeable split on video lottery terminal profits.

Huge U.S. insurance firm near bankruptcy: Mark Jewell; INDIANAPOLIS -- When Conseco Inc. bought Green Tree Financial in 1998, the fast-growing insurer hailed the deal as the breakthrough it needed to become a financial-services supermarket to middle America.

Billionaire found dead: The cause of death was not immediately known.

Letter: 'Best friends' deserve better: Who says chaining or tethering dogs is inhumane? The U.S. Department of Agriculture has stated, "Our experience in enforcing the Animal Welfare Act has led us to conclude that continuous confinement of dogs by a tether is inhumane." There are many communities across the country that have either banned tethering or chaining or have limited the amount of time a dog can be chained or tethered.

Law library recommended as a regional depository: Jennifer Knight; Libraries at UNLV could be offered one of the most definitive collections of federal documents in the region, but university officials said they probably don't have space for all of the material.

VegasBeat -- Timothy McDarrah: Raucous LV weekend not for the meek: Sunday night it was sitting alongside Demi Moore, David Spade, Tobey Maguire, Lukas Haas, Fred Durst, Mike Tyson, David Blaine and Cyndi Lauper as Prince sent a purple haze over the Strip with a pair of stunning performances, first at Aladdin Theatre for the Performing Arts, and later at a private after-concert show at Studio 54 inside MGM Grand.

Nevada close to being left behind education reform law: By Emily Richmond; As the deadline looms for compliance with the No Child Left Behind Act, Nevada education officials say they're still debating which tests they'll use to measure student achievement, as the new federal law requires.

Editorial: Review of security is necessary: The county is now left with the task of reviewing what happened and then assessing the level of security at social services offices. Las Vegas Sun interviews with employees have revealed that the numbers of clients are steadily increasing in proportion to the number of staff members. Many clients are often angered by long delays, paperwork and regulations they do not understand. Tensions can burst, as last week's incident shows, and increased security may be in order.

NFR Scoreboard: All-Around

Prep Schedule: TODAY

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

Birth announcements for Dec. 16, 2002: Nov. 26:

Immunization schedule for Dec. 16, 2002: NORTH LAS VEGAS PUBLIC HEALTH CENTER: 1820 E. Lake Mead Blvd., Suite F, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Prince closes tour with all-nighter: Spencer Patterson; For those who lost track of Prince during his "Artist Formerly Known As" days in the mid-1990s, let's start with a quick refresher:

Off the Wall: Jackson's attempts to revive career, tarnished image might lead him to Vegas: Kirk Baird; This, of course, was before Bubbles the Chimp, the numerous plastic surgeries (most of which Jackson has denied having), his penchant for wearing surgical masks in public, and an ill-fated attempt to buy the remains of John "The Elephant Man" Merrick.

Trends for Dec. 16, 2002: Lisa Ferguson; December is chock-full of holidays. You already know about Hanukkah, Christmas and Kwanzaa. But are you aware that Saturday is National Flashlight Day? We thought not.

Dogfight over development: New homes infringe on base, threaten training: Jace Radke; While Air Force pilots test their mettle in the skies over Nevada in preparation for a possible conflict with Iraq, Nellis Air Force Base commander Col. Del Eulberg finds himself fighting an ongoing battle on the ground.

Vets insurance scams continue to circulate: Every year the Veterans Affairs Department announces the distribution of dividends to active policyholders of certain veterans life insurance policies.

Nevada plans for smallpox vaccinations: Jace Radke; Preparing against a potential terrorist threat, Clark County officials plan to vaccinate about 1,000 hospital and Health District workers against smallpox early next year.

Sheriff-elect Young announces his administration: Sheriff-elect Bill Young has announced his executive staff, and many names are familiar from the administration of his predecessor, Sheriff Jerry Keller.

California water users try to reach agreement: California water users met behind closed doors Sunday with representatives of the Imperial Valley Irrigation District to try to hammer out an agreement that would avert federal plans to cut off the supply of surplus Colorado River water to the state.

Building lives: Valley's boom makes state sixth in immigrant workers: By Timothy Pratt; Fixing roofs in Southern Nevada has put a roof over the heads of Manuel Castillo and his family for their 14 years in the United States, half of them in Las Vegas.