Print edition for February 20, 2002

Planned complex may offer 3,600 jobs: Jeffrey Libby; A 133-acre regional distribution center planned for southwest Henderson could bring as many as 3,600 new jobs and help the city and the Las Vegas Valley compete with other Western distribution hubs, the project developer and city officials say.

LV eyes golf operator that dropped Henderson: Diana Sahagun and Jeffrey Libby; The Las Vegas City Council today is expected to decide whether Evergreen Alliance Golf Limited will manage a course in the northwest. At the same time, the city of Henderson is considering legal action against the company for pulling out of a deal.

Miss America slot plan debated: David Strow; Hurting for funds, the Miss America Organization is trying to turn its 81-year-old brand into slot machine cash. But it's drawing a lot of fire in the process.

More Americans heed call to volunteer in communities: For information about how to become a volunteer and for a list of available volunteering opportunities with local organizations, call the Volunteer Center of Southern Nevada at (702) 892-2321 or visit its website at www.volunteercentersn.org

Two softballers are honored by conference: In four appearances, Kerrigan had two wins and two saves. Glenn, starting all five games at third base, batted .455 (5-for-11) and led the Rebels with six runs, a double, two home runs and seven RBIs.

Business briefs for February 20, 2002: The state sued to force Ruth Adams doing business as United Family Services to comply with an order that was issued in May by the Consumer Affairs division of the state Department of Business and Industry.

City Council approves cross-gender massage law: Jeffrey Libby; Massage therapists in Henderson will be the first in the Las Vegas Valley permitted to travel to homes and hotel rooms to give rubdowns to members of the opposite sex.

Yucca supporters push for speedy approval: Benjamin Grove; WASHINGTON -- The Yucca Mountain nuclear waste project is vital to the nation's future, representatives from an eclectic group of organizations said Tuesday. The organizations included seniors, electrical workers and African American environmentalists.

Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: Unser likes driving stock cars, but he won't switch: Al Unser Jr. admittedly was having the time of his life last weekend while driving in the International Race of Champions season opener at Daytona International Speedway.

Insurance crisis hits UMC: Jace Radke; University Medical Center's trauma center -- the only 24-hour center in the state -- could cut its hours as soon as March 12 unless doctors get relief from rising medical malpractice insurance costs, hospital officials said Tuesday.

LV company selling Australian interests: Park Place is a 20 percent owner of Jupiters Ltd., which owns two casinos in northeastern Australia. Jupiters has agreed to buy back half of Park Place's stock, and institutional investors will purchase the remainder in a private sale.

Touch-screen voting machines OK'd: The machines will cost the county $1 million -- $589,500 from the coffers and $410,500 in a credit from the company for 1,642 existing machines.

Insanity ruling prompts Nevada debate: CARSON CITY -- A Clark County prosecutor says a U.S. Supreme Court decision Tuesday on the insanity defense in Nevada will not result in a rash of new trials.

Airline's nonstop D.C. flights back: America West Airlines, the No. 2 airline serving Las Vegas, will resume nonstop service to Washington D.C.'s Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport next week.

Harrah's refiles lawsuit against Penn National: Harrah's subsidiary Showboat Development Co. first filed suit against Penn National Gaming Inc. in Las Vegas federal court last year. Showboat claimed it held an option to operate a casino at a racetrack in Charles Town, W.Va., should casino gaming become legal in that state. Showboat also claimed a right of first refusal to buy the track from its developer, Bryant Development Co.

Fed clears path for bank's expansion: The Fed's decision completes a $2.4 billion merger between Paris-based BNP Paribas and its BancWest Corp. affiliate, parent companies of Bank of the West, to purchase United California Bank from UFJ Holdings of Tokyo.

Henderson council briefs for February 20, 2002: "We opened it quietly," Henderson Fire Chief Jim Cavalieri said Tuesday of the Anthem-Del Webb fire station, the city's ninth.

Correction: Correction

News briefs for February 20, 2002: The cause of death for a man who died after scuffling with Metro Police over the weekend is pending further tests, Clark County coroner officials said.

Legislators say Guinn's tax urgency is premature: CARSON CITY -- Gov. Kenny Guinn was premature in ordering no-growth budgets for the next biennium, two key legislators say.

LV bankruptcies jumped 35 percent in 2001 slowdown: Grace Leong; Personal bankruptcy filings in the Las Vegas area climbed 35 percent to 13,394 in 2001, while business filings jumped 33 percent from 2000, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Las Vegas reported Tuesday.

Pollen preview: Some say spring may be kind to allergy sufferers: Mathis Winkler; Staying healthy

Housing authority chief backs Herrera: Adrienne Packer; The executive director of the Las Vegas Housing Authority said Tuesday that Clark County Commissioner Dario Herrera's guidance in calming him during stressful situations is worth the money Herrera is paid as a consultant.

Court briefs for February 20, 2002: Nevada will receive $1.7 million as part of an out-of-court settlement in an antitrust suit filed against six international vitamin makers, Attorney General Frankie Sue Del Papa said Tuesday.

Deadline extended for terror program loans: The original deadline was Jan. 21.

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

Indiana committee OKs dockside gambling bill: Chris Sundheim; INDIANAPOLIS -- An Indiana House committee endorsed legislation Tuesday that would permit the state's 10 riverboat casinos to remain permanently docked, but lawmakers have thrown out a proposal to allow larger casino barges.

Prep state tournament schedules: Boys Basketball

Dump a dilemma for gaming: David Strow; With $750,000, the gaming industry is publicly joining the battle against Yucca Mountain, as a showdown before Congress nears on the fate of a proposed nuclear waste dump 90 miles northwest of Las Vegas.

Man fined for scam: The SEC obtained a default judgment against Shaw, who is listed at the Nevada Secretary of State's website as a resident of Coventry, United Kingdom, after he failed to respond to the SEC's complaint.

Vegas casino boss checks out new turf in Macau: Margaret Wong; MACAU -- Conjuring up a mix of suspense and hype as he moves into this Asian gambling center, American casino mogul Steve Wynn said today he plans to come up with something he's never even tried in Las Vegas.

Suspect linked to string of thefts: Keith Paul; Dean Schaper was good at what he did. Unfortunately, Metro Police said what he was good at was stealing things that didn't belong to him.

Surveillance class launched: The six-week, five-day-per-week course is designed to prepare students for entry-level positions as casino surveillance personnel, and teaches surveillance techniques and procedures. Training will be offered in a surveillance lab and simulated casino. The first class will begin Feb. 25.

Southwest Gas earnings drop in fourth quarter: Malcolm Hall; Southwest Gas Corp., the primary natural gas supplier in Southern Nevada, posted fourth quarter 2001 earnings of $31 million, 96 cents a share, the company announced Tuesday.

Legislators say Guinn's budget urgency is premature: CARSON CITY -- Gov. Kenny Guinn was premature in ordering no-growth budgets for the next biennium, two key Democrats say.

Nevada unemployment claims drop: "Hopefully the economy has turned around," says Birgit Baker, administrator of the state Division of Employment Security that released the figures Tuesday.

Business center plan is approved: Jeffrey Libby; A 133-acre regional distribution center planned for southwest Henderson could bring as many as 3,600 new jobs and help the city and the Las Vegas Valley compete with other Western distribution hubs, the project developer and city officials say.

Never Forget: Sperling-Mack-Kronberg Holocaust Resource Library a history haven: Kimberley McGee; They reveal hate, genocide and racism that occurred during the Nazi reign of Germany and Europe during World War II.

Editorial: Not a place that needs a PR firm: Brown, who was part of Herrera's exploratory committee for Congress, has come under criticism from board members who say they weren't aware of the public relations contract. They cite a policy instituted four years ago that specified that any contract over $25,000 required the board's approval. But Brown says last summer that the policy was amended so that the executive director has the authority to award contracts himself if it's part of a line item in a budget already approved by the board. We agree that the contract is unnecessary, but the board members have made a mistake as well ...

Letter: Pay us for taking garbage: Just like we pay to have our garbage hauled away, all those wishing to have their nuclear waste stored in Nevada must pay. If every Nevada citizen were promised an annual payment of some sort, the vast majority of Nevada residents would suddenly be for the Yucca Mountain storage site.

Editorial: Land swap that does merit consideration: It would take an act of Congress, however, to make this happen. The reason for that is because a few years ago the Nevada congressional delegation was able to get important legislation passed that put an end to land swaps, which had been criticized for benefitting large landowners at the expense of the federal government. In response, a system was set up that requires federal land to be sold to the highest bidder. In nearly all cases, we believe selling the land at auction is the best course. The land near Red Rock, though, very well may be one of ...

Columnist Muriel Stevens: Checking out deals overseas: My friends took advantage of one of the remarkable package deals being offered these days. It's no secret that airlines and travel-related businesses are struggling to survive through these uncertain times, so they've sweetened the pot by offering hard-to-resist, all-inclusive packages.

Savvy wine buys: Cotes du Rhone '99 Domaine Andre Brunel: Available at Marche Bacchus, $9.99, and Las Vegas Wine Company, $10.99.

Letter: Perfect location found for storing nuclear waste: It has plenty of room for waste on about 1,600 acres, is seismically stable, and a place which only 630 people would find objectionable, rather than millions.

Burned airman's suit goes before jury: Kim Smith; Jury deliberations continued this morning in the case of a former airman who is seeking almost $31 million after he suffered severe burns in a November 1994 explosion at Nellis Air Force Base.

County plans new focus on diversity with reorganization: Adrienne Packer; Clark County's Equal Employment Office may soon take on a new name, and with its new purpose, administrators hope it will also entertain fewer lawsuits filed by disgruntled employees.

Prep boys basketball All-Star teams: All-Sunrise Region: Jeremy Atwater, LV; Kevin Marshall, FH; Mitch Platt, GV; Nick Porter, DP; Allan Smith, Bas; Chris Tisdell, Val; MVP: Atwater; Coach: Kurt Bailey, Bas.

Fire academy to remain closed until regents find more money: Jennifer Knight; The state's trouble-plagued Fire Science Academy in Carlin won't reopen until the Board of Regents approves funding to cover cost overruns.

Report gives Nevada C grade in preventing, tracking birth defects: Nevada is in the middle of the pack when it comes to tracking and preventing birth defects, the No. 1 cause of infant deaths in the United States, according to report released today.

Letter: Limit medical malpractice: Lawyers don't want awards limited because this lowers their chance of earning more money. Many lawyers work on a contingency basis, so the higher the award, the more they make. Insurance companies provide a large pool of money to be attacked.

Obituaries for February 20, 2002: Mirtha Aguero, 70, of Henderson died Tuesday in a local hospital. She was born Jan. 22, 1932, in Cuba. A resident for 37 years, she was a retired eyeglass technician.

Former NLV council member Strahan dies: Jack F. Strahan, a former North Las Vegas city councilman who was ousted by fellow council members over a conflict of interest but later was reinstated by a judge, died Monday at University Medical Center. He was 83.

Deal with Pac-10 OK'd: Steve Guiremand; Christmas came about 10 months early for Tina Kunzer-Murphy.

Community briefs for February 20, 2002: Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area offers hikes and walks free of charge, but reservations are required for all programs, which begin at the Visitors Center.

Columnist Victoria Sun: Rebel freshman takes top honors: Victoria Sun; The winds whipped and the rain poured over Lake San Marcos Country Club in San Diego Sunday and Monday, providing miserable conditions for the women collegiate golfers at the Aztec Invitational.

Columnist Dean Juipe: Raider fans shouldn't cry about Gruden: Dean Juipe; As anyone who works for a living knows, you don't want or need an unhappy camper in the office or as part of your crew. A sour attitude can be infectious and at the very least it's distracting and counterproductive.

Gorman, LV players MVPs in conferences: Joining Watson on the All-Sunset first team were Cheyenne's Keith Richardson and Johnny Wheeler, Cimarron-Memorial's Jason Petrimoulx and Robert Young, Clark's Mike Philogene and Western's Leonta Matthews. Centennial's Greg Bohls and Gorman's Grant Rice shared Sunset Coach of the Year honors.

Columnist Peter Benton: Nation's best will visit for tourney: Peter Benton; The 2002 Callaway Golf Las Vegas Intercollegiate Tournament is scheduled for Friday, March 8, through Sunday, March 10, at the Southern Highlands Golf Club.

Gators win in shootout, advance to face Cowboys: Leah Robinson; Tears fell amid boisterous cheers Tuesday after Green Valley's girls soccer team won its second overtime shootout in seven days, defeating Palo Verde 2-1 at the Bettye Wilson Soccer Complex.