Print edition for January 15, 2002

Alliance starts earnings season with good numbers: David Strow; Expectations are low as earnings season begins in Las Vegas, as gaming companies prepare to report results for a quarter colored by the post-Sept. 11 tourism slowdown.

Senators serve food, unity: Erin Neff; Typically a press release from a senator is a solo act, but Nevada's two senators are changing that.

Business briefs for January 15, 2002: UNLV'S Southern Nevada Index of Leading Economic Indicators rose in December as the economy began to rebound from the terrorism-caused slowdown.

Group aims for 1,000 new citizens: By Timothy Pratt; A Las Vegas nonprofit group wants to help 1,000 immigrants become United States citizens this year. The effort comes as immigration officials say the Sept. 11 attacks appear to be causing a spike in citizenship applications nationwide.

Convention attendance fell 22 percent: Although attendance was down, show organizers say the convention was a success and more than 900 companies have already signed up to exhibit next year.

Ex-Rebel Ludwick traded to Rangers: Ex-Rebel Ludwick traded to Rangers

Schools may fall $15 mil. short: CARSON CITY -- The Clark County School District will face a budget shortfall of up to $15 million in state funding next fiscal year, a new "report card" on Nevada schools says.

State is geared for years of opposition: Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham recommends Yucca Mountain as a suitable nuclear waste repository to President Bush.

Lone copter crash survivor leaves LV hospital: Keith Paul; The lone survivor of a fiery helicopter crash last year left Las Vegas this morning, five months after a tour to the Grand Canyon that was part of a family vacation ended in her husband's death and her injury.

Choice for building director backs out: Adrienne Packer; A Texas building official hired two weeks ago as Clark County's new building director backed out of the job this week, prompting administrators to revisit the vacant position.

Master plan approval on agenda: Mathis Winkler; After six months of hammering out details from home sizes to landscaping, city officials said they are eager to approve a proposed master-planned community on 1,900 acres at the northern end of town Wednesday.

Homeless coalition cites rights violations: By Timothy Pratt; The civil rights of the homeless are being violated in Las Vegas and cities around the nation, according to a report issued today by the nation's largest and oldest homeless advocacy group.

Office of Veterans Services seeks ideas: The Nevada Office of Veterans Services is seeking ideas from veterans and veterans groups on issues it should focus on during the 2003 Legislature in lobbying the state's congressional delegation.

America West stock advances on news of loan: America West Holdings Corp. said Monday it met conditions to receive as soon as this week a $429 million loan, the first secured under a U.S. government program to help airlines hurt by the Sept. 11 terrorist hijackings.

Court briefs for January 15, 2002: Bail for a Las Vegas man suspected in a series of hotel-casino robberies more than doubled during his arraignment Monday.

Copter crash survivor out of LV hospital: Keith Paul; The lone survivor of a fiery helicopter crash last year left Las Vegas this morning, five months after a tour to the Grand Canyon that was part of a family vacation ended in her husband's death and her injury.

Slot manufacturer WMS to badly miss profit projection: WMS said it expects to report net income of 10 cents to 12 cents per share for the quarter, far lower than analyst expectations of 25 cents per share. WMS, maker of the popular Monopoly game, earned 34 cents per share in the year-ago quarter.

VA chief visits local facilities: Each day, Secretary of Veterans Affairs Anthony Principi deals with problems from maintaining aging VA buildings to fighting for resources for a veteran population that is dwindling nationwide.

Debt of casino giants cut to junk status: David Strow; The debt of Las Vegas Strip hotel-casino giants MGM MIRAGE and Park Place Entertainment Corp. received a junk rating from Moody's Investors Service Monday, as the agency cited concerns about a continuing slowdown in the Las Vegas market.

Cox Cable adding FSN 2 and Dodgers: Fox Sports Net (West) 2 has reached an agreement with Las Vegas' Cox Cable to carry the regional sports network, it was announced Monday. FSN 2, which carries Dodgers games along with the NBA's Clippers, NHL's Mighty Ducks and West Coast-based college football and basketball, will debut Feb. 1 in Las Vegas.

News briefs for January 15, 2002: A North Las Vegas man was shot and killed Monday afternoon in what police say was a drive-by shooting.

Trial begins in death of 5-year-old LV girl: Kim Smith; An attorney defending Martha Flores, charged with a single count of murder by child abuse, told jurors Monday that prosecutors will fail to prove that a 5-year-old Las Vegas girl was beaten to death or that the girl's stepmother was responsible.

Cal-Fed, Wells Fargo post higher profits: Two big Nevada bank and thrift operators reported higher earnings today.

Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: 'Racer's Workshop' this weekend at Palms hotel-casino: Former NASCAR Winston Cup crew chief and current Fox TV racing analyst Larry McReynolds will headline a "Racer's Workshop" Saturday and Sunday at the Palms hotel-casino.

Online devices in development: Interactive Systems is working on a handheld gambling device that will facilitate an online "contest" concept in the United States, based on a system for interactive-television betting that the company designed for KirchGruppe Holding GmbH, the Journal said.

Rebels land top Calif. lineman: Steve Guiremand; UNLV has received a verbal commitment from one of the top junior college offensive line prospects on the West Coast.

State expects to get $32 million in annual education funds under Bush reform plan: Terry Webster; Nevada officials expect to receive an additional $32 million per year in federal funds under President Bush's education reform plan.

Regulators limit evidence in Nevada Power rate hike case: Malcolm Hall; Nevada regulators refused Monday to consider claims by Nevada Power Co. that its financial condition will deteriorate to a dangerous level should the utility not receive a huge rate hike to recover its unexpectedly high costs for fuel and purchased electricity.

GES creates Vegas service center: A spokeswoman for GES Exposition Services said 50 jobs will be created in Las Vegas as the company gradually rolls out the service for the cities in which GES provides exhibitor support.

Southwest Gas customer service fee increased: Malcolm Hall; The Public Utilities Commission of Nevada on Monday hiked the basic monthly service charge Southwest Gas charges all residential customers by $2, from $6 to $8.

High court sets Binion appeals: The Nevada Supreme Court has scheduled arguments on the appeals of Ted Binion's two convicted murders for June.

Local officials clash with Sununu on Yucca: Top local officials and a leading nuclear industry lobbyist are clashing over the effect of Yucca Mountain on national security.

Vegas shopper paper sold: Terms were not disclosed.

Border skirmish: Zoning conflicts arise as valley's cities grow: Jeffrey Libby; It's about nightfall, and first-grade soccer players are drilling at the Russell Road Recreation Complex. Just across the road in unincorporated Clark County, Babydolls snaps on its giant, raspberry-red neon sign, advertising the "Live Nude, Adult Bookstore."

Gibson: Growth penalized in tax funding formula: Jeffrey Libby; Henderson Mayor Jim Gibson said his city of golf courses and tree-lined parks will embrace new growth only after legislators enact state tax funding formulas that allow cities to maintain services to keep pace with explosive growth.

Choice for county building director backs out: Adrienne Packer; A Texas building official hired two weeks ago as Clark County's new building director backed out of the job this week, prompting administrators to revisit the vacant position.

Columnist Ron Kantowski: Lady Rebels making effort to fill seats: While it might seem perplexing that UNLV would target the upcoming Air Force game at the Thomas & Mack Center -- a weak opponent in a cavernous arena that will appear empty, even with 4,000 spectators in it -- to promote the attention-starved Lady Rebels, at least it's a step in the right direction.

Ensign on panel probing Enron: Benjamin Grove; WASHINGTON -- Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., who is among numerous lawmakers who took campaign money from Enron Corp., is also among those investigating the firm's collapse.

Editorial: This match was made in heaven: Sununu's hubris probably owes a lot then to his suggestion this week that Nevadans have a patriotic duty to accept nuclear waste. Sununu contends that a centralized dump in the United States is essential to protect our national security. And Sununu warned that if Nevada isn't willing to do its part for homeland security by taking the nuclear waste, which now is stored in 31 states where nuclear power is generated, there could be retribution for our tourist-based economy. Americans who don't want the waste in their back yards, Sununu said, just may decide to vacation elsewhere.

Sophomore has BYU cruising: Steve Addy; PROVO, Utah -- It's amazing enough that BYU has rushed to an 11-3 record after losing its nucleus from last year's Mountain West champions.

Disney's adventurous skaters welcomed to the jungle: Kimberley McGee; Combine a talking lion, a lush jungle backdrop and an evil presence, stir in a hero who always gets the girl, and the ingredients are ripe for a classic children's tale.

Letter: Voting for GOP sealed Nevada's nuclear future: This nuclear waste thing sickens me. Well, folks, keep voting those GOPers into power. See where it got you.

Commission OKs timeshares: The application will now be considered by the City Council Feb. 20. Assuming the council grants its approval, Lady Luck owner Isle of Capri Casinos Inc. could proceed with the project. The Biloxi, Miss., company would have one year to begin the conversion at the downtown hotel-casino.

Less is more: There is a perception in some circles that the 117,000-seat Las Vegas Motor Speedway is something of a white elephant -- that the 1.5-mile superspeedway opens up for one weekend every spring, attracts in excess of 200,000 people over the course of three days and then collects dust for the remainder of the year.

Columnist Susan Snyder: Woman is a study in support: Quinn wasn't happy so she ditched her office manager's job for one as a cigarette hostess at Flamingo Las Vegas and Caesars Palace.

Judge overturns ban on video poker machines: Keith Parsons; ATLANTA -- A judge overturned Georgia's new ban on video poker machines Monday, calling the law unconstitutionally vague and the result of lawmaking that "poses a real threat to liberty."

Matching set: Local company's staging boosts 'The Who's Tommy': Kimberley McGee; The latest touring production of "The Who's Tommy" is a combination of classic rock, elaborate Broadway choreography, and a shiny, new, rock-concert-styled set that a local company painstakingly built by hand.

Columnist Kate Maddox: Report: Mick-a-like in video: Kate Maddox; However, Jagger has vehemently denied his involvement and according to those who attended October's Radio Music Awards at the Theatre for the Performing Arts, Jagger was a no-show.

Where I Stand -- Brian Greenspun: More than a merchant: I mention this because I have known Larry for almost half a century -- there's a thought to ponder -- and during that entire time, while I have heard him referred to as the wine and liquor guy, it has been merely to describe what he does and not who he is. That line has been blurred recently because my friend Larry has gotten himself mixed up in a human hornet's nest, one in which the stings are designed to provide everlasting pain.

Obituaries for January 15, 2002: Richard Julian Archer, 54, of Las Vegas died Monday in Henderson. He was born Dec. 23, 1947, in England. A resident for seven years, he was an assistant director of art for an electric sign company.

Electronic voting system displayed: CARSON CITY -- As the election season begins, three companies are asking Secretary of State Dean Heller to certify their touch-screen voting systems so they might be used in Nevada.

Community briefs for January 15, 2002: Pearl, executive director of the Washington Center for the Book at Seattle Public Library, will talk about ways to find new titles that readers will enjoy.

Letter: Politics as usual from Friedman: He notes last week's OPEC production cut (an effort to raise oil prices), but neglects to mention that the current price at the pump is some 60 cents lower per gallon than it was a year and a half ago. At that time Las Vegans were paying $1.60-plus per gallon (Chicagoans $2), and Friedman's columns were a blessing to those of us unable to receive Gore's campaign press releases verbatim.

Columnist Dean Juipe: Injury clouds Agassi's tennis future: Dean Juipe; It isn't like he has died and there's a need for his public obituary. To the contrary, Andre Agassi's zest for life may never have been greater.

Letter: State should have control: Pre-emption means that we have absolutely no control over what us locals consider best. The Gallup Organization conducted a poll in November and discovered a huge yearning to ban smoking on any school property -- by a whopping 89.8 percent! Since we have no local control to breathe clean indoor air, students and teachers have to endure secondhand smoke as a condition of being a resident in Nevada.