Print edition for February 14, 2002

Nevada Guardsmen get get Valentine's Day break: Dick Benoit; Since Sept. 11 National Guard troops have been called to serve from Afghanistan to Europe to U.S. airports and all points between.

Where I Stand -- Mike O'Callaghan: Presidential reading: Several days ago, when President George W. Bush was getting on his Marine helicopter, a television reporter noted he was carrying a book titled "Bias" written by Bernard Goldberg. Because of the reporter's comments I wondered about the contents of Goldberg's book. In addition to my curiosity, I thought if it's good enough for the president to read, it's good enough for me. So, I read it two evenings ago and found it most interesting and a book the president's press secretary probably gave him with a note advising it be read. As a matter of fact, any political press ...

Letter: Act now to keep area physicians from departing: No, I do not believe that the complete fault lies with the Nevada Legislature. A large fault lies with juries that award ridiculous sums of money in malpractice and other cases. The jurors have no idea what they are doing or what they are supposed to do. Most of them are uneducated in the law. Most of them vote with their feelings instead of logic and thought. Most jurors have no business being on a jury.

Editorial: Speech to gamers made a good point: We hope the Nevada Resort Association takes seriously Goodman's overall point that the city needs help from its dominant industry when going up against such problems as homelessness, redevelopment and the federal government's plan to dump its nuclear waste here in Southern Nevada. True enough, every hotel-casino in the city can point to individual acts of support. But what is lacking is a cooperative commitment to support programs that will make a better city. If the hotels agree they don't want a big-league professional sports team here, fine. But that's just one issue out of dozens that could use their ...

Man, 19, indicted in brick-beating case: Kim Smith; A 19-year-old Las Vegas man will be arraigned Wednesday on a murder charge in connection with a January incident that left one man dead and another clinging to life.

Letter: Different view on U.S. economy: When President Bush introduced Russian President Putin at the ranch in Crawford, he said, "they have a flat tax." If it wasn't for liberal Democrats, we could have as good an economy as the Russians have.

Court briefs for February 14, 2002: A seven-time convicted felon who allegedly got into a running gun battle with police officers in November was indicted Tuesday on multiple, unrelated charges.

Community briefs for February 14, 2002: The Henderson Police Department has planned three fund-raisers to help Officer Mark Hosaka, who was diagnosed in December with pancreatic cancer. He begins radiation and chemotherapy next month.

Catching up with: Eugene Harris: High school: Cimarron- Memorial ('97)

Deal reached on Coyote water: CARSON CITY -- The war over water rights among major interests in the Coyote Springs Valley is over.

Legislators consider gambling expansion: Chris Sundheim; INDIANAPOLIS -- A proposal that could expand legalized gambling beyond the dockside casinos that were envisioned in an Indiana Senate bill is now before a House panel.

HCA rebounds after federal investigation: John Gerome; NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- When healthcare executive Jack O. Bovender Jr. left retirement in 1997 to return to HCA, the hospital company was the target of a federal fraud investigation, its chairman and CEO had been forced to resign and its earnings were in a tailspin.

Letter: Balance budget with a lottery: How do we pay for these needs? A national lottery could be the solution. People like to gamble -- as we who live in Las Vegas know all too well. Big bucks can be generated on a national lottery. Lottery profit can be applied to balancing the budget.

So this is love? Valentine's Day gives youngsters a lesson in courting: 'Tis the season for being a Valentine.

Sun Athletes of the Week: Ryan Worthen and Kayla Lambert: School: Palo Verde

More prison time given in killings: Kim Smith; When Gustavo Cumplido backed out of his plea agreement after serving a year in prison for murder, he hoped to go to trial, clear his name and gain his freedom.

Obituaries for February 14, 2002: George Carl Abernathy Jr., 88, of Las Vegas died Jan. 31 in Las Vegas. He was born July 25, 1913, in Shawnee, Okla. A resident for 50 years, he was an attorney and partner with Lionel, Sawyer and Collins and a Navy veteran.

Tougher schools standards urged: By Emily Richmond; Nevada students need to be held to tougher standards if their performance in college and on the job is to improve, the state's superintendent of education told lawmakers Wednesday.

News briefs for February 14, 2002: A 52-year-old Las Vegas man apparently shot his estranged wife Wednesday night, then killed himself, Metro Police.

Two Nevada students make finals of Spirit of Community Awards: Nevada Griffin, 18, of Virginia City High School, and Jeffrey Lambin, 14, a home-schooled eighth grader of Gardnerville, will receive $1,000, an engraved silver medallion and a trip to Washington, D.C., in May for several days of national recognition events.

Slots debut at Delta Downs: The track first opened in 1973. Las Vegas-based Boyd Gaming Corp., which has the Treasure Chest riverboat in Kenner among its holdings, bought the track for $125 million in 2001 after local voters approved slot machines.

New industry group formed: The Gaming Organization for Leadership Diversity (GOLD), incorporated late last year, has more than 100 members, group officials estimate. The group's mission is to "encourage, support and facilitate the development and advancement of women and minorities holding management positions in gaming and related industries and provide career, leadership and lifestyle improvements through education and networking."

B of A hires a homeland security chief: Paul Nowell; CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Neil Gallagher retired from the FBI in November after 29 years that included work on some of the agency's highest-profile investigations, including the arrest of FBI double-agent Robert Hanssen, the Oklahoma City bombing and the 1993 World Trade Center bombing.

Canadian firm sued over canceled Vegas conference: The suit, which alleged Ontario-based Reward agreed to be responsible for 50 percent of expected room, catering and beverage revenue if it canceled the conference between 238 and 328 days prior to Oct. 21, said Reward terminated the agreement on Jan. 10, 2001, 284 days before the conference was scheduled to begin.

Defense ignites rally for UNLV: Steve Addy; Like a teenager dragging trash cans to the curb, the Rebels deleted Florida International from their chores list with predictable tedium Wednesday night. It got a little messy, but they finished the job.

Editorial: Saddam's removal a 'cakewalk'?: Still, it is troubling that some military analysts and hawks in the Bush administration make it sound as if it's no sweat to conquer Iraq. Ken Adelman, the arms control director for President Reagan, wrote in a commentary for the Washington Post this week that "demolishing Saddam's military power and liberating Iraq would be a cakewalk." But no one should be lulled into thinking that Saddam's defeat automatically would be as easy as the rout of the Taliban in Afghanistan.

Buying gifts for victim's child called jury misconduct: CARSON CITY -- The attorney for a death-row inmate said Fernando Hernandez is entitled to a new penalty hearing in Las Vegas because of the misconduct of two jurors who bought presents for his young daughter during the trial.

Court rules for truckers in prevailing wage case: CARSON CITY -- A decision by the Nevada Supreme Court will have wide implications regarding how contractors pay workers on government jobs.

Miss America denies reports she's unhappy: John Curran; ATLANTIC CITY -- Reigning Miss America Katie Harman is denying reports that she's unhappy with the position.

Columnist Ron Kantowski: Re-Flexions on these Games so far: Somewhere in a garage near Picadilly Circus, the 1980s pop band Re-Flex has to be plotting a comeback.

Gambling expanded at track: A vote by the Saratoga County Board of Supervisors cleared the way for banks of the so-called VLTs to debut at the Saratoga Equine Sports Center. Operators of the harness track say they need VLTs -- which can simulate slot machines -- to boost business. But many people in this tourist town worry that VLTs could create social problems and cut into business at Saratoga's famous thoroughbred track, just miles away.

Eldorado player picks Southern Utah: Eldorado player picks Southern Utah

VEGAS SPORTS ON TV-RADIO: VEGAS SPORTS ON TV-RADIO

Jeep to recall 1.6 million SUVs: The automaker's Chrysler unit agreed to add a part in the shifting mechanism to ensure that the 1993 to 1998 Grand Cherokee models are in park and won't roll, said Chrysler spokeswoman Angela Spencer Ford.

Making a big mystique: Most wins: Richard Petty 7; Cale Yarborough 4; Bobby Allison and Dale Jarrett 3; Bill Elliott, Sterling Marlin and Jeff Gordon 2.

Las Vegas area fishing report: Anglers try to cope with cold water: With Lake Mead's water temperature now at 48 degrees the fishing has been very slow for largemouth and striped bass, according to the Nevada Division of Wildlife.

Growth, profit reported: Revenue of $723 million was up from $598 million.

Columnist Joe Delaney: Recalling the Strip's storied past from end to end: Joe Delaney; Prima and Co. moved on to main showrooms elsewhere and the Casbar became the lair of comedic predator Don Rickles, who shortly after his debut moved into the much larger Congo Room ... Rickles is in his 42nd year as a main-showroom headliner, a record for a comedian ... He continues hot, spelling Wayne Newton at the Stardust when Newton is away.

Columnist Ruthe Deskin: Returning to poetic license: Ruthe Deskin; Old traditions should not be forgotten.

Former Mr. Universe Eiferman dies at 76: For nearly 40 years George Eiferman proudly ran gyms, not health clubs.

Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: Racing three-wide at Daytona shakes up Gaughan: The Sun's weekly NHRA notebook will return next Thursday.

Oklahoma coach Stoops gives high marks to LV's McGruder: Steve Guiremand; Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops says former Cheyenne High School star Lynn McGruder is making "excellent" progress after transferring from Tennessee following his arrest on drug charges last summer.

Griffin to headline at Stardust: Dean Juipe; Montell Griffin takes no offense when it's mentioned that most boxing fans feel he has slipped into oblivion.

Prep boys basketball standings: CLASS 4A

Nevadans rally in D.C. with anti-Yucca activists: Benjamin Grove; WASHINGTON -- Nevada lawmakers rallied outside the U.S. Capitol today with anti-Yucca Mountain activists, publicly pleading their arguments against the proposed nuclear waste dump.

RTC member: Money is what Southern Nevada needs: Clark County Commissioner Bruce Woodbury should go before the State Transportation Board on Friday with a relatively simple message: Southern Nevada needs more money for roads and transit programs.

Companies showcase online gaming products: David Strow; Until casinos can answer three questions about customers who gamble over the Internet, the odds of Nevada companies getting into the business are very slim.

Rebel Recap: Rebels turned up the heat late: the numbers; First half

Board: PR contract was not approved: Adrienne Packer; Las Vegas Housing Authority board members are questioning the propriety of a public relations contract that pays Clark County Commissioner Dario Herrera $3,500 a month for consulting work they say they never approved.

Bonanza advances to face Centennial: Leah Robinson; After a sluggish first half, Bonanza's girls basketball team shook off its collective nerves and trounced Mojave 64-40 Wednesday at the 4A Sunset Region Tournament at Palo Verde High School.

Wells Fargo investment chief wants government action: Chris Jones; Wells Fargo & Co.'s chief investment officer on Tuesday called for increased federal action to prevent further decline of investor confidence in the nation' stock markets following the scandal-ridden collapse of Enron Corp.

Sun Girls Hoops Top 10: Teams ranked jointly by the Sun and Sparks Tribune.

Chaparral girls cruise: Spencer Patterson; One more win, and Southern Nevada's last large-school girls basketball champions can book a return trip to state.

Local FBI chief takes D.C. post: Keith Paul; Grant Ashley, the head of the FBI's Las Vegas office, this morning was named the head of the bureau's criminal investigative division in Washington.

Ethics panel hears charges that Mack violated city codes: Diana Sahagun; A local attorney for the Las Vegas Ethics Review Board asked its members this morning to find Councilman Michael Mack guilty of 12 violations of the city's ethics code.

Foes vow to block Station casino: Don Thompson; SACRAMENTO -- Opponents promised Wednesday to sue to block U.S. Department of Interior approval of an Indian tribe's bid to acquire land near Sacramento for a new casino that would be operated by Station Casinos Inc. of Las Vegas.

Sun Boys Hoops Top 10: Teams ranked jointly by the Sun and Sparks Tribune.

Star RB Ford moves back to Calif.: Spencer Patterson; One year after moving to Southern Nevada and enrolling at Foothill High, John Ford is back at his old California school.

Five area high schools face sanctions: Emily Richmond and Erin Neff; Five Clark County high schools are in danger of losing their accreditation because class sizes are too big, state Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack McLaughlin said Wednesday.

Unbeaten Defiagbon planning to step up in the heavyweight class: Dean Juipe; Sixteen fights into his undefeated professional career, David Defiagbon is ready for a bigger challenge.

Lady Rebels await word on Frohlich: Steve Guiremand; WHAT: Lady Rebels vs. Colorado State

Box score: Florida International-UNLV: Percentages: FG .472, FT .758, 3P .286.

Columnist Paula Del Giudice: Reno to host 'Elk Camp': If you've never been to Elk Camp, you don't know what you're missing.

Prep playoffs schedule, results: Boys Basketball

Panel says Nevada shortfall could hit $1.1 billion: Erin Neff; The state could face a $1.1 billion deficit by 2010 without new taxes, a panel appointed to study Nevada's tax structure concluded Wednesday.

Columnist Dean Juipe: Mayweather looks for an Oscar-worthy showing: Dean Juipe; With Erik Morales' fight with Marco Antonio Barrera postponed from March 2 to June 22, trainer Floyd Mayweather can put in a little extra time with an even better known client, Oscar De La Hoya.