Print edition for February 5, 2002

Rebels' Frohlich given third award of year: Frohlich became UNLV's all-time leading scorer (men's and women's) after recording a team-high 22 points against BYU on Saturday.

Lobbyist tapped by five cities: Erin Neff; Few people understand Nevada's tax structure like Marvin Leavitt.

Monday's prep results: Bishop Gorman 67, Silverado 48: C.J. Watson poured in 29 points and Joe Anderson added 12 for the Gaels, while Corey Tyler and Casey Coon had 11 and 10 points, respectively, for the Skyhawks.

UNLV looking to break out of the pack: Steve Addy; WHAT: UNLV (11-7, 3-3) at New Mexico (13-7, 3-3)

City may annex county island: Mathis Winkler; Smack in the middle of North Las Vegas lies an oddly shaped chunk of unincorporated county land that has bothered city officials for years.

Fraud is alleged as feds close Vegas tax operation: Cy Ryan and Richard N. Velotta; The Federal Trade Commission has obtained a court order closing two controversial Las Vegas income tax-advising companies and placing them under receivership.

Henderson fitness center sold: The local sports and fitness club, located in Henderson at 2100 Olympic Ave., will continue to operate with current personnel, Rex Licklider, co-chief executive officer of the Sports Club Co., said in a statement.

New consulate busy in post-attack climate: By Timothy Pratt; The Mexican Consulate of Nevada opened Monday in Las Vegas to long lines of Mexican citizens in search of ID cards that, since Sept. 11, are much in demand.

Nevada Power, PUC differ on firm's financial outlook: Malcolm Hall; Nevada Power Co.'s shaky credit rating was at issue Monday during the first round of the company's $22.9 million general rate case before the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada.

Teen births drop in LV: When longtime maternity nurse Cynthia Speer heard the news about local teen pregnancies Monday, she had few words to describe it: "Amazing -- truly amazing."

S&P may raise credit ratings: Alliance currently carries a "B-plus" corporate credit rating and a "B-minus" subordinated debt rating. Both are mid-level "junk" ratings. But Alliance's ratings may be raised "in the intermediate term," S&P said.

Timet projects continued losses: Titanium Metals Corp. of Denver, operator of a large plant near Henderson, reported losses for its fourth quarter Monday and said the losses will continue this year because of weakened demand attributed to the terrorism of Sept. 11.

Some workers losing insurance: Binion's announced the move in a memo issued to employees by the human resources department on Jan. 30. The memo stated that the downtown hotel-casino was "in the process of negotiating with an outside insurance provider to provide continued medical coverage" to employees losing their coverage, but that such coverage would be available solely at employee expense.

Vegas Tropicana turns profit despite slowdown: Aztar beat profit expectations, even after factoring in an extra week in the 2001 quarter compared to the 2000 quarter.

Venetian results good despite onus of attacks: David Strow; The $1.5 billion Venetian resort on the Las Vegas Strip squeaked out a profit for the fourth quarter of 2001, despite a Las Vegas-wide slowdown in tourism that persisted throughout the last months of the year.

Bingo operator alleges retaliation: Planet claims GameTech unilaterally changed on Jan. 14 the electronic permutations or gaming devices that verify winning bingo cards in Planet Bingo's game Multiprogressive Bingo game or MPBingo at the Sandia Casino in New Mexico.

DOE plans 'temporary' nuke dump at Yucca: Benjamin Grove; Source: Energy Department

Farm bill hot topic at conservation conference in Nevada: AP; But leaders of farm conservation groups said at the annual meeting of the National Association of Conservation Districts that the added money in the Senate measure is badly needed. And one leader chided consumers for their reluctance to help pay for clean water, healthy soils, wildlife habitat and productive croplands.

Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: Wallace eyes end of 0-for-19 streak in Daytona 500: If determination counts for anything, Rusty Wallace certainly would have to be considered the favorite to win the 44th annual Daytona 500.

State employment situation seen stabilizing: There were 42,754 people drawing benefits as of Friday, Birgit Baker, director of the state Division of Employment Security, said today. That's about 380 more than the previous week.

Vegas retail growth still hot: Summerlin deal shows local strength: Jennifer Robison; R.C. Willey Home Furnishings, an aggressive new retailer in Las Vegas, is buying land in Summerlin for its second Southern Nevada store as the local retail boom continues despite the national recession.

Nominations accepted for Hall of Fame: To be eligible for the Class of 2002, former student-athletes must have left the school by 1992 or prior and coaches and staff must have left their position at the school by 1997 or prior. Categories are: athlete, coach, athletic staff, team and distinguished contributor.

Letter: Republicans' trickle-down theory all wet: They say it works this way: Give the rich tax breaks. With this extra money, they hire more people. The more people working, the better the economy.

Suspect in gang killing convicted: Ashley Bennett was found guilty of being one of a handful of gang members who killed Joe Williams, 26, March 3, 2001. He now faces two consecutive life sentences with or without the possibility of parole or a fixed term of 50 to 100 years in prison.

Two sought after home invasion: An occupant of the house was shot and was in critical condition at University Medical Center this morning, police said.

Retired lobbyist to represent cities on tax issues: Erin Neff; Few people understand Nevada's tax structure like Marvin Leavitt.

Henderson judge is honored: Proctor, a Henderson Municipal Court judge since 1991, received the honor recently at the association's semiannual state conference in North Las Vegas.

Where I Stand -- Brian Greenspun: Transporting terror: When President George W. Bush told the people of the United States that the state of our union was good, he told us not only what we wanted to know, but also what we needed to hear. Ever since September 11 this nation has been trooping across uncharted ground while our government has plotted a course that pits the free world against a terrorist evil that we have promised to eradicate.

Appeals court rejects ID laws: CARSON CITY -- People detained by law enforcement officers do not have to reveal their names, a federal appeals court ruled in a casino cheating case Monday.

Community news briefs for February 5, 2002: Terra West Property Management President and co-owner Deborah Jones has joined the board of directors of Nevada Public Radio Corp., which owns and operates KNPR 89.5-FM.

Editorial: MASH land deal could be a winner: Last year MASH Village and its landlord -- the city -- came close to ruining their partnership. A long-standing agreement held that MASH Village would get title to the 10 acres after making $5 million worth of improvements to the property. But MASH was encountering difficulties in raising funds for improvements on land it didn't own. It wanted immediate title even though it had only spent $1.5 million on improvements. Negotiations turned ugly and tension remains.

Poly players dominate list of top prospects: Steve Guiremand; Dick Lascola has been supplying scouting reports regarding the nation's top prep football prospects to Division I colleges for more than 25 years.

Letter: Put casinos to property-tax test: If they really feel that the value of their properties has declined, then let them put their money where their mouth is. Put the property up for sale at the county's appraised value. If it sells, look at all the extra profit they will make.

Fed chief urges better education for consumers: Testifying before the Senate Banking Committee, Greenspan said the rapidly changing financial sector has heightened competition, which he said would provide Americans with more choices at lower cost.

Super 11 Bios: 6-6, 235, TE/WR, Long Beach (Calif.)/Poly (88 points)

News briefs for February 5, 2002: Alcohol may have played a part in a rollover accident involving two La Paz County, Ariz., sheriff's deputies in Pahrump early Monday morning, Nevada Highway Patrol officials said.

Law may allow annexation of county island: Mathis Winkler; Smack in the middle of North Las Vegas lies an oddly shaped chunk of unincorporated county land that has bothered city officials for years.

Officer describes fatal struggle: Kim Smith; Metro Police Officer Mark Dwiggins told jurors Monday that Eric Payton, who had been pepper-sprayed, struck in the head with a baton and shot twice in the back, continued to fight for an officer's weapon.

Battling billboards: Soccer mom-turned-activist challenges powerful politicians: But don't let the term fool you. She's also a political activist who recently challenged one of the most powerful of Southern Nevada's local politicians.

Columnist Kate Maddox: Doherty as 'Charm'-ing as ever: Kate Maddox; But, looks aside, Doherty was apparently a day away from marrying her beau, Richard Salomon. (Speaking from an eyewitness vantage point, it was kinda hard to tell which of the burly boys surrounding Doherty was her affianced. She didn't appear all that affectionate with any of them -- not that I was going to ask the hot-tempered Doherty. But I digress.)

Library District to try for tax initiative again: Jeffrey Libby; The Henderson Library District on Thursday will ask the Clark County Debt Commission for a place on the November ballot in the hope that voters will reconsider a special tax to raise $80 million over 30 years for six new libraries.

Test Site cleanup efforts lose funds in Bush budget: The budget President Bush presented to Congress reduces proposed funding for environmental cleanup at the Nevada Test Site by about $26 million, although a planned center for counter-terrorism training could receive $10 million.

Columnist Ron Kantowski: Orleans draws even in latest hockey battle: If the fledgling battle between Las Vegas' proposed minor league hockey arenas were scored like the game itself, it would be Downtown Arena 1, Orleans Event Center 1 at the first intermission.

Rebels coming up short on recruits: Steve Guiremand; Wednesday's start of the national letter of intent signing period can't come soon enough for the UNLV Rebels, whose once promising recruiting class seems to be unraveling.

Editorial: Put an end to bunker mentality: Last week the New York Times reported that two months ago the Bush administration approved the release to Congress of thousands of e-mail messages by top White House aides in the Clinton administration. Some of the e-mails included messages sent to and from Vice President Al Gore's senior aides and outside advisers. In Cheney's world, it would appear that executive privilege applies just to Republican administrations.

Ford top choice among locals: Steve Guiremand; It has been a season of near misses for running back John Ford.

Report indicates worst of recession is over: The advance in factory orders reported by the Commerce Department today came after orders fell by 4.3 percent in November and suggests that the nation's battered manufacturing sector may see better days ahead.

Columnist Susan Snyder: Having a wonderful block party: After all, I've ignored information lashed to teddy bears, chocolate champagne bottles and cylinders that moo when you turn them over.

2002 Las Vegas Sun Super 11 roster: Haloti Ngata, 6-4, 300, DT, Salt Lake City, Utah/Highland (44 points); Ben Olson, 6-5, 210, QB, Thousand Oaks, Calif. (33); Eric McNeal, 6-1, 190, DB, Gardena, Calif./Serra (30); John Parada, 6-8, 320, OL, Alta Loma, Calif. (30); James Finley, 6-2, 190, WR, Los Angeles, Calif./Manual Arts (29); Donny Mateaki, 6-4, 260, DL, Honolulu, Hi./Iolani (29); Drew Olson, 6-1, 185, QB, Piedmont, Calif. (21); Matt Gutierrez, 6-4, 200, QB, Concord, Calif./De La Salle (19); Matt Moore, 6-3, 185, QB, Newhall, Calif./Hart (19); Chris Frome, 6-5, 240, DL, Newhall, Calif./Hart (17); Keith Jackson, 6-6, 300, OL, Inglewood, Calif. (16).

Pair wanted in 20-year-old rape case arrested: Kim Smith; Nearly 20 years after they were accused of rape, two former Las Vegas residents are behind bars.

Mr. Goldwrench: Maintenance issues go beyond the engine for exotic-car mechanics: Prince is a tall, distinguished man with white hair and goatee. In his lap is a carefully manicured Shih Tzu, a distinctive-looking toy dog which Prince pats fondly while discussing repairs with his BMW with mechanic Somnuk "Nuk" Khamvongsa.

Letter: Expanding a palindrome: You could extend the digital palindrome to 12 digits by using the full military message method to display 8:02 p.m. on the 20th of February 2002.

Obituaries for February 5, 2002: Patricia Acosta, 57, of Las Vegas died Sunday in a local hospital. She was born Jan. 7, 1945, in Chicago. A resident for 12 years, she was a retired secretary for an insurance company.

Columnist Dean Juipe: New field may excite Rebels, fans: Dean Juipe; Picture it as one of those old and campy posters that touted B-grade movies with all the exclamation points and outrageousness a hack could muster.