Print edition for December 20, 2002

Regulators OK work card rules: By Liz Benston; Rules aimed at simplifying the process by which all rank-and-file casino employees in Nevada can obtain work were approved by the Nevada Gaming Commission Thursday and will take effect next year.

Latest in series of winter storms promises another wet weekend: AP; Much of the state remains saturated from a storm that delivered gale-force winds and snow to the coastal mountains in Northern California on Thursday, before moving into Southern California on Friday where it brought moderate amounts of rain and high surf warnings.

Homeless man killed in storm identified: Randy John Northrup, 47, had been taking shelter in a downtown storm drain Nov. 30 when a rainstorm flushed him and at least one other man about three miles through flooded tunnels, Metro Police said.

Seastrand responds to Howard allegations: Jennifer Knight; Board of Regents Chairman Doug Seastrand issued a sternly worded memo Thursday in response to allegations made by Regent Linda Howard that two former regents and one current regent were involved in improper business dealings.

Car theft hits Las Vegas family hard: Jen Lawson; Five-year-old Monique Cochran asked Santa Claus for a Barbie travel trailer, a toy oven and "hair twirl things" for Christmas, her grandmother said.

Prep Basketball: THURSDAY'S SCORES

Prep results -- Girls soccer: Rancho 2, Foothill 0 Goals: E. Forget, K. Mcleod; Shutout-D. Young

FERC judge OKs costly power deals for Nevada: An administrative law judge for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has rejected Nevada Power Co.'s effort to cut costs to customers on the grounds that the West's power markets may have been manipulated by suppliers.

Two Vegas cafeterias close: The closures of the two restaurants at 150 S. Valley View Blvd. near Meadows Mall on Dec. 10 and at 2985 E. Sahara Ave. on Dec. 17 were part of Furr's divestiture of 11 underperforming restaurants nationwide by year-end. A total of 65 Las Vegas employees were laid off.

Arena team running away from creditors: Most minor league sports franchises that set up shop in Las Vegas usually don't run into problems until they get here.

Questions mount for Arizona regulator: Beth Defalco; PHOENIX -- The aftershocks of a $60 million jury verdict against Arizona Corporation Commissioner Jim Irvin continued Thursday as government officials raised questions about his future.

Columnist Steve Guiremand: 'Bad boy' Van Pelt cleared to play in Liberty Bowl: Steve Guiremand; The folks in Fort Collins, Colo., are breathing a little easier this week.

New GES building creates big vacancies in LV Valley: Jennifer Shubinski; GES Exposition Services, which produces some of the largest trade shows in Las Vegas, has moved into two new buildings totaling 850,000 square feet -- leaving almost 600,000-square-feet of office and warehouse space vacant in the valley.

Las Vegas braces for explosive holiday: Jen Lawson; Las Vegas Boulevard will be closed for several hours on New Year's Eve. Following is a list of Strip hotels and how to get to them:

Columnist Sal DeFilippo: In AFC, it's anyone's guess at playoff contenders: Sal DeFilippo; With two weeks to go in the regular season, I know this much about the AFC playoff picture:

Annoying-a-minor law struck down: CARSON CITY -- The Nevada law that says a "person who annoys or molests a minor is guilty of a misdemeanor" is unconstitutional, the state Supreme Court ruled today.

National attention: Steve Guiremand; NEXT UP

Columnist Ron Kantowski: NAU's Adras masterminds a shocker: The Big Sky fell on the Pac-10 this week.

Athletic Mt. Zion rolls by GV: Adam Candee; Enjoy the moment, Green Valley coach Jim Allen told his team before its Thursday night opener in the Holiday Prep Classic against powerful Mt. Zion Christian Academy (N.C.).

Hard-working Tolbert main cog for 4A champs: Adam Candee; Stop if you have already heard this well-worn statement about a great defensive lineman: He has got a great motor.

Football: Second Team Offense

Federal authorities search Tenet hospital in San Diego: Gary Gentile; LOS ANGELES -- Federal authorities served search warrants Thursday at the administrative offices of a Tenet Healthcare Inc. hospital in San Diego as part of an investigation related to physician recruitment and relocation, the company said Thursday.

Johnson's stellar season capped years of growth: Adam Candee; Head over to Freedom Park almost any day, and you likely can find two dozen or so people doing something or other.

News briefs for Dec. 20, 2002: Metro Police missing persons detectives are asking for the public's help in finding 18-year-old Daniel Eugene Jaurique, who was last seen at 8 a.m. Wednesday after telling his family he wanted to do harm to himself.

Upward climb produces critics: Jeffrey Libby; Among private developments in downtown Henderson, only the blinking star above Eldorado Casino would be higher than a four-story apartment complex approved Thursday by the Henderson Planning Commission.

Nellis builds for future: Ground was broken Thursday on the 40,000-square-foot, two-story building, that will cost approximately $9 million, and will house the Combined Nellis Air and Space Operations Center.

Inmate-work programs register a rare loss for year: CARSON CITY -- The programs that use state prisoners as workers ran in the red last year. It was the first time in at least seven years that the programs lost money.

Scene Selection -- Geoff Carter: Spielberg expertly brandishes 'Minority' whip: Say what you will about his oeuvre, but there's no denying that Steven Spielberg has taken some fascinating left turns of late.

Where I Stand -- Mike O'Callaghan: Iran also a problem: Some critics of our concentration on Saddam say they are worried it's getting in the way of the hunt for the people who planned and triggered 9-11. I don't have enough inside information to judge how the hunt for Al-Qaeda is progressing. Every now and then we do learn that another of its members has been captured or killed. So something is happening in this war against terrorism.

Taylor presides over corn harvest at Rio: What: "Las Vegas Christmas Spectacular" starring Rip Taylor.

Columnist Jerry Fink: At Double Down, Vegas takes a dive: By Jerry Fink; Double Down Saloon is just an upchuck south of the Hard Rock on Paradise Road.

Columnist Muriel Stevens: Warehouse worth visit -- but make time: Christmas and New Year's dining are wrapped into this one column, since I will be away during both holidays.

State allows water pumping at Yucca: CARSON CITY -- To avert a health-related water crisis at Yucca Mountain, the state has decided to allow the Energy Department to pump one well for water for drinking, cooking, bathrooms and fire protection.

Columnist Spencer Patterson: In tug of war, Sir Paul creating helter-skelter: Spencer Patterson; When last we saw Paul McCartney, the former Beatle stood onstage at MGM Grand Garden, eyes welling up as he dedicated "Here Today" to John Lennon.

Performing Arts for December 20, 2002: 'Rockapella'

Frozen in Time: 'Boitano Skating Spectacular' makes fourth visit to Las Vegas: When: 8 p.m. Saturday.

Datebook for December 20, 2002: The second "Gift of Lights" will run through Jan. 1, 5-9 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays, 5-10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays at Sunset Park, 2601 E. Sunset Road. Admission is $10 per car. Partial proceeds benefit Clark County Parks and Recreation Scholarship Fund for Disadvantaged Children.

On Display for December 20, 2002: Pastel and oil paintings by students in Chieko's art classes are on display through Jan. 31 at the Twin Lakes Gallery at Derfelt Senior Center, 3333 W. Washington Ave. 229-2238.

Columnist Susan Snyder: Meditation is worth a thought: When was the last time you sat perfectly still and did nothing for five minutes?

Letter: Fremont Street is a failure: The biggest panhandlers downtown, however, are the failing members of the Fremont Street Experience, the casinos. The $70 million Fremont Street Experience ran a $10 million cost overrun when it was built in the mid-1990s, and now the downtown beggars want $7 million more.

Letter: Gore withdrawal showed dignity, sense of humor: Throwing caution to the winds, Mr. Gore showed his intelligence, willingness to reveal his true self, and his incredible sense of humor despite having the presidency that he had won stolen before all of our eyes.

New twists breathe life into NBT's 'Nutcracker': Marilyn LaRocque; What: "Nutcracker" by Nevada Ballet Theatre, accompanied by members of Las Vegas Philharmonic.

Six-year sentence given in traffic deaths of sisters: Erica D. Johnson; A District Court judge Thursday handed down the maximum sentence to a Las Vegas man charged with driving recklessly and causing a collision that killed two Las Vegas sisters.

LV man found guilty in slaying of friend: Erica D. Johnson; After two hours of deliberation Thursday, a jury found a 22-year-old man guilty of killing his longtime friend in a soccer field at Western High School, but they settled on a lesser charge than prosecutors and the victim's mother believed the murderer deserved.

Editorial: Repugnant remarks doomed GOP leader: Many conservative commentators had called for Lott's ouster, but some of them appeared more worried about the political fallout than they were about the substance of what he said. These hard-liners believed that in the past Lott had been too willing to compromise with Democrats on legislation -- Lott's offensive remarks were viewed as an opportunity to have him dumped. Others who had called for Lott to step down acknowledged that Lott's continued presence would have hurt the Republican agenda, but they also were genuinely offended by his remarks. For that matter, this wasn't the first time Lott had spoken ...

Hair-Raising Schtick: WEEKEND EDITION: Dec. 22, 2002

Group sees future for Moulin Rouge: Dan Kulin; The owner of the Moulin Rouge is negotiating with a group of black businessmen who could run the casino portion of the historic hotel expected to open this spring.

Obituaries for Dec. 20, 2002: Samuel Arnold Belcher Jr., 58, of Las Vegas died Sunday in Las Vegas. He was born May 27, 1944, in Toledo, Ohio. A resident for 44 years, he was a PBX repairman for Sprint and a ham radio operator.

Columnist Susan Snyder: Residents have a case of the Blues: The measure is the result of weeks of work by a county task force that hopes to head off such future nightmares as John Laing Homes' proposed 8,400-home subdivision on former John Hardie Mine acreage. The builder withdrew that proposal last fall after residents opposed it by the busload.

VegasBeat -- Timothy McDarrah: Marrandino rocks on -- to Le Reve: He announced his resignation Thursday and will work for Steve Wynn at Wynn's new Le Reve resort.

Drug treatment faces dilemma: By Timothy Pratt; A group advising the state agency that oversees drug and alcohol treatment laid out a road map for meeting new federal funding guidelines Thursday, but the agency's chief cautioned that moving forward will also require funding, and that's already scarce.

Series of winter storms promise another wet weekend: AP; In Northern California, the storm brought gale-force winds and an unusual dusting of snow to the coastal mountains north of San Francisco on Thursday. Nearly a foot of fresh powder was predicted for the Lake Tahoe area.

Editorial: Safeguard mission of Nellis AFB: For the past 15 years, however, as Southern Nevada has experienced a continuous population boom, the base has had to contend with housing and retail developments creeping closer and closer. Because of the frequency of Nellis training missions -- 55,000 last year -- and the fact that live ordnance is almost always aboard, such development poses safety hazards. Nellis is hemmed in on the east by McCarran International Airport airspace. On the southern and western edges of the base, takeoffs with live ammunition were discontinued years ago because of the onward creep of homes and businesses. A flight path to ...

'Tis the season to be jolly -- Or is it?: Temporary Assistance for Domestic Violence Inc. says the following about domestic violence:

Columnist Benjamin Grove: Shippers eye share of Yucca windfall: Benjamin Grove; The Energy Department is asking Congress for millions of dollars to develop its shipping plan. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is reviewing its role in testing and certifying the giant steel containers used to ship waste. And Nevada officials are banging a familiar drum: Shipping waste is not safe.

Political notebook: Powerful law firm takes high road in holiday giving: Erin Neff; In the annals of bad holiday gift-giving, "Seinfeld's" George Costanza is remembered for his fake donation to the "Human Fund."

Where I Stand -- Mike O'Callaghan: A list of things to do: Pratt reported, "The Generosity Index, compiled yearly by the Boston-based Catalogue for Philanthropy, a group that educates donors, measures charitable deductions from individual tax returns and ranks each state on how much its residents give compared with how much they have.

VegasBeat -- Timothy McDarrah: Vegas has a brush with Crest: Nowadays if you don't have a celeb -- usually a paid endorser -- attached to your cause, it is increasingly challenging to hold a successful fund-raiser.

Columnist Erin Neff: 1981 decision leaves state economy ripe with pitfalls: Erin Neff; The object of the game was to get your little explorer guy to run, jump and swing over obstacles like scorpions, trap doors, and alligators as he raced against the clock to pick up treasure.

State budget cuts let many parolees go free: CARSON CITY -- The state Parole and Probation Division has notified district judges that many parolees and probationers who flee Nevada will not be returned if they are caught in other states.

County to charge $15 for vaccinations: The Clark County Health District has ended a 40-year-old practice of offering free childhood vaccines by instituting a $15 administration fee for each visit to its clinic for the immunizations.

Agreement with tribe approved: Station Casinos will receive a management fee for running the casino, which is expected to open in summer 2003.

Two take posts at Le Reve: The resort is due to open in April 2005.

Group elects new chairman: Eckart, a former six-term member of the U.S. House of Representatives, is president and chief executive of the Greater Cleveland Growth Association.

Nevada business unveils tax plan: Erin Neff; A broad-based coalition of business interests unveiled a tax proposal to some lawmakers this week in an effort to replace a controversial proposal to tax gross receipts.

Judge slaps LV gambling figure with longer term: Former penny stock promoter and Las Vegas gambling figure Robert Brennan, already serving a nine-year prison term for fraud and money laundering, was sentenced in New York to three more years Thursday for violating a judge's order freezing his assets.

Columnist Jeff German: Test Site workers scrooged: Not only do President Bush and his Department of Energy want to send the nation's deadly nuclear waste to Yucca Mountain, but now they want to cut jobs at the nearby Nevada Test Site.

Stars garner All-State honors: Adam Candee; HOW THE TEAM WAS SELECTED

Inmate work programs register rare loss for year: CARSON CITY -- The programs that use state prisoners as workers ran in the red last year. It was the first time in at least seven years that the programs lost money.

Letter: Lott was own worst enemy: JIM RILEY

Columnist Jeff German: Fewer regents could lead to fewer problems: It was an easy prediction to make given the nature of the personalities making up the Board of Regents. No psychic hotline had to be called for consultation.

Columnist Jon Ralston: Business giants refuse to share: Giant share? These groups are run by giants who refuse to share, sticking instead to a mantra of "We've got ours, we want more and if you don't like it, tough luck."

Letter: Iraq should just declare itself a U.S. colony: I propose that a U.N. peace-keeping team intervene with this alternative: Iraq would declare itself a colony of the United States. As such, the United States would control all of the oil reserves of Iraq and would be able to station its military there to intimidate Iran and generally control the Middle East.

Editorial: Test scores reveal the task ahead: Last fall Clark County students in grades three through 10 took the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills. Test results are used to compare how well local students are doing in reading, language, math and science compared to students nationally. Results were released Wednesday and they were acceptable for grades three, four and five, but deplorable for grades six through 10. Yet the news is not all bad.

Where I Stand -- Mike O'Callaghan: Protect your wallet from scam artists during the holidays: The latest warning from the AG told us about the scam related to the "sale of merchandise via Internet auction sites." The notice goes on to tell readers that, "Some sellers of merchandise on Internet auction sites have reported receiving substantial overpayments from purchasers. When the seller notifies the purchaser of the overpayment, the purchaser indicates he is sorry about the mix-up and requests the seller to deposit the overpayment check into the seller's account, and then include a new check for the overpayment when shipping the product. After the seller ships the merchandise and the check for the overpayment, ...

Editorial: Budget crisis now affects public safety: On Oct. 1 Gov. Kenny Guinn signed an order consistent with what he has been saying for the past year, that state revenues are insufficient to meet public needs. He ordered all state departments to cut their budgets by 3 percent, a stop-gap measure that may stabilize state finances until the 2003 Legislature acts on proposed new taxes. The effects of the 3 percent cuts are now beginning to show. The state Parole and Probation Division reported Friday that since Guinn's order it hasn't been able to afford escorts for parole violators who surface in other states. The division says ...

High Court holds meth law unconstitutional: CARSON CITY -- A law that makes it a crime to possess a majority of the ingredients required to manufacture methamphetamines was declared unconstitutional today by the Nevada Supreme Court.

Heavy travel week expected at airport: Judy Odierna; With both Christmas and New Years falling in the middle of the week this year, McCarran International Airport is expecting to see larger crowds this weekend.

Reid speaks of challenges under new lands bill: A bill passed last month does not provide all the protection for federal lands that Sen. Harry Reid wanted, but it goes a long way toward preserving some of the most important pieces of land near Las Vegas, Reid said.

Sun All-State Football Team -- Offense: QB, Desert Pines, Sr., 5-8, 175

Sun All-State Football Team -- Defense: DL, McQueen, Sr., 6-0, 232

Community briefs for Dec. 20, 2002: Joe Crowley, who served as president of the University of Nevada, Reno, for 23 years and then left to return to teaching, will retire at the end of the year.

Columnist Barb Henderson: Shooting park planned for Clark County: Barb Henderson; If you're among the many sportsmen/women who enjoy shooting sports such as trap, skeet and sporting clays, archery, cowboy action shooting, and rifles and pistols, it should make you happy to know that legislation has transferred 2,800 acres of federal land to the county for a public shooting range.

Court dismisses inmate's third appeal: CARSON CITY -- The Nevada Supreme Court Thursday dismissed the third appeal of a man sentenced to death by a three-judge panel for killing a man in Las Vegas in 1989 and stealing his motor home.

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

Las Vegas Area Fishing Report: Fishing activity at Lake Mead has been light in recent days because of storms that have been hitting the recreation area.

Holiday closings: SAFETY: Police and fire emergency services as usual. Offices closed.

Brokerages paying $975 million for conflicts of interest: The settlement calls for 10 firms, including Citigroup, Goldman Sachs and Credit Suisse First Boston, to sever the links between research and investment banking and to fund independent stock research for investors that would complement their own analysts' work.

FBI says probe offers no evidence to clear Tabish: Jace Radke; An investigation into a convicted drug dealer contains no information that could clear Rick Tabish in the murder of Ted Binion, according to an affidavit filed Wednesday by the FBI.

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

Financier convicted of insider trading in 1980s: The fine by the court was in line with the request by prosecutors -- the same amount the Hungarian-born magnate was accused of having made from buying stocks at French bank Societe Generale with insider knowledge 14 years ago.

Boggs McDonald offended by Lott: Las Vegas City Councilwoman Lynette Boggs McDonald was among the black youth who desegregated schools in the South three decades ago.