Print edition for December 31, 2002

Dow to end year down 17%: U.S. stocks were poised to end the year down substantially from 2001. Prices fell today after an industry report showed an unexpected drop in consumer confidence, raising concern an economic recovery will falter.

Columnist Dean Juipe: No sure bets as playoffs open in NFL: Dean Juipe; Twelve teams, 12 teams with problems.

Killer of parents gets life without parole: Mathew Frenn was sentenced on Monday to four consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole.

Downtown joins New Year's show: Away from the crowd

Decision delayed on California water use: The board of a California agricultural district was scheduled to meet this afternoon on an issue that affects the water supply for millions of consumers in California and Nevada.

Plan of Attack: In Las Vegas, it's simply one the biggest nights of the year.

Airy classrooms aid learning, study says: By Emily Richmond; Poor Air Quality

Engler declines to sign casino compact: Sarah Freeman; DETROIT -- Gov. John Engler said it "would be best for the state" to let the Match-e-be-nash-she-wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians operate a casino in Allegan County, but declined Monday to sign a compact allowing the tribe to do so.

Obituaries for December 31, 2002: Mary K. Coslett, 80, of Las Vegas died Sunday in Las Vegas. She was born May 10, 1922, in Ohio. A resident for five years, she was a retired legal secretary.

Ralph Siraco's selections for Wednesday's races at Santa Anita: Wednesday's entries

Young to remain as senior justice: CARSON CITY -- Justice Cliff Young, who is retiring from the Nevada Supreme Court after 18 years, will continue to serve as a senior justice.

State leaders await Guinn's budget-crunching: Erin Neff; Gov. Kenny Guinn is busily crunching numbers and writing down financial options in longhand this week as he tries to decide which tax hikes to include in his biennial budget.

Nursing homes await word on Medicaid proposal: CARSON CITY -- It will probably be spring before Gov. Kenny Guinn's administration decides whether to back a plan by the nursing home industry to raise its own taxes in order to draw more Medicaid money, state Human Resources Director Mike Willden said.

Las Vegas news briefs for December 31, 2002: A man making repairs on his car inadvertently started a fire that destroyed his home Monday, fire department officials said.

Guest Where I Stand -- James Jobin: Racism rouses students: My peers and I were given the topic of "School Days" and asked to discuss various school-related issues, and what a discussion it was! We first began with the issue of drug testing for our teachers and staff.

Sandoval sets up new staff: CARSON CITY -- Brian Sandoval, who takes over as attorney general on Jan. 6, has announced a shuffling of the staff at the attorney general's office and the return of some former deputies.

Vandals hit car windows: Over the past two weekends Henderson Police have received more than 40 reports of windows being broken out of cars, Officer Shane Lewis, department spokesman, said.

Letter: Las Vegas not good at recycling: After inquiring, we were not allowed to purchase a recycling pushcart. Republic said it no longer has a vendor and couldn't even recommend where to get a cart!

Officers ID'd in killing of motorist: William Marks, who works with the gang unit, and Bryon Bunisky, who works in the northeast area of town, remain on paid administrative leave, according to department policy.

Police, fire units are out to ensure safe celebration: By Timothy Pratt; Strip rules

Ticketing partners in litigation: A Studio City, Calif., company that operates a motion simulation theater business in Las Vegas and also offers ticket sales to Las Vegas shows has filed suit against its partner over management and financial issues.

Lottery chief aims to cut administrative costs: Brenda Rocklin also said Monday that she will stop other practices, such as holding staff meetings at the Portland home of Lee Moore, with Lottery funds paying for mileage and refreshments.

Trustee probing bid for LV firm: Grace Leong; A U.S. Bankruptcy Court judge on Monday conditionally approved the sale of Las Vegas technology company PurchasePro.com Inc. -- once valued at $3.2 billion -- to Perfect Commerce Inc. of Palo Alto, Calif., for $2.15 million.

Gambler arrested after infant found alone in room: Tandrin Grayer, 30, of Baton Rouge, was booked into Parish Prison on a charge of child desertion Saturday after she returned to her room at the Sheraton Hotel, said Cpl. Don Kelly, a spokesman for Baton Rouge police.

LV home resales decline, but rebound expected: Jennifer Shubinski; Despite the November decline in sales of existing single-family homes in Las Vegas and nationwide, sales of resale homes are on track for a record year, analysts said.

Editorial: Cheer up! It's only a delay, not a danger: It will also be helpful if inconvenienced travelers show some patience, keeping in mind the reasons for the new security procedures. They weren't established to invade anyone's privacy or make anyone late. They're in place for protection. Far better to experience a little delay or a little nuisance than to risk terror in the skies. We're hoping that people will suppress the urge to grumble and instead choose to grin and bear it.

Significant layoffs likely at UAL: The airline, a unit of the UAL Corp., said in a recorded telephone message to employees that "significant layoffs are likely in the short run."

Columnist Susan Snyder: This news is bad to the clone: Las Vegas almost made it.

Walters agrees to settlement with police: Erin Neff; Golf course developer Billy Walters has agreed to a settlement with law enforcement officials to get back $2.4 million seized in a raid on his sports betting operation in 1996.

Consumer confidence down: The New York-based Conference Board said its Consumer Confidence Index dropped to 80.3 from a revised 84.9 in November, when the index reversed a previous five-month-long downward trend. Analysts had expected a reading of 88.0 in December.

Rundle's attorney seeks to suppress key evidence: Dan Kulin; Lawyers for William Rundle, a Las Vegas man charged with the beating death of his wife, will ask a judge on Monday to suppress evidence gathered in a search of his home and from Rundle's statement to police.

Discounts abound on Strip; January rates firming up: By Liz Benston; In the slow days leading up to Christmas and New Year's Day, bargain-hunters snapped up room rates on the Las Vegas Strip that in some cases were cheaper than those available a year ago -- just three months after the 2001 terrorist attacks that sent tourists packing and prices into a freefall.

High court catches up on backlog: CARSON CITY -- The Nevada Supreme Court handed down fewer decisions this past fiscal year but Chief Justice Bill Maupin said the justices handled more complex cases, a number of which involved election disputes.

Giving a lesson: Adam Candee; Bitter defeat earlier taught Cheyenne a lesson in managing tight situations late in games, and the Desert Shields became teachers in Monday night's Las Vegas Prep Championship title game.

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

Events in the Sacramento area: AP; Nothing scheduled.

Community news briefs for December 31, 2002: Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area offers hikes, walks and programs free of charge. To make required reservations or for more information on these or other programs, call 363-1922:

Pet owners can help save animals' lives: Dan Kulin; NEW YEAR'S EDITION Jan. 1, 2003

Letter: Responsibility rests squarely now with Bush: We will be taking copious notes and our party shall present a challenge in 2004 to the warmongering gang at the White House and all the puppets in the GOP-controlled Congress.

Plans for museum for Hispanic artists take a large step forward: Judy Odierna; NEW YEAR'S EDITION Jan. 1, 2003

Editorial: We care about you, now leave: The theory behind this growing program is that people should be enabled to move where the jobs are. A program at work in five California counties, appropriately named MOVE, provides low-income families with up to $3,000 in moving expenses if the breadwinner finds work out of state. MOVE officials estimate that in the four years the program has existed, about 1,300 families have relocated to other parts of the country -- 80 of them to Southern Nevada. California recoups the money rather quickly, as every move out of state means one less family collecting government assistance. But MOVE officials insist ...

New Nevada attorney general names top staffers: AP; Since September 2001, Wilkinson has been acting chief of the office's civil division. Andrews left the attorney general's office two years ago to become deputy chief of the state Human Resources Department. Parker has been the state Public Utilities Commission general counsel for four years.