Print edition for January 16, 2002

CCSN baseball signs 10 LV-area players: Spencer Patterson; For most high school athletes, there's no dream greater than that of a Division I scholarship. For others, the dream goes beyond the bounds of college sports.

Montandon's State of City to focus on bright future: Mathis Winkler; While his counterparts in Las Vegas and Henderson made plugs for a medical center and more state money, North Las Vegas Mayor Michael Montandon plans to use his state of the city address Thursday to talk about a bright future that lies ahead.

Deal offered suspect in restaurant robbery: Kim Smith; A Las Vegas man accused of partially blinding a Metro Police officer during a restaurant robbery has until Thursday morning to decide whether to accept a deal that will guarantee him at least 37 years in prison.

Berkley: Pakistan ties to U.S. a concern for India: Benjamin Grove; WASHINGTON -- The prime minister of India told Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., and four other House members last week that India is worried about the United States strengthening ties to India's rival Pakistan.

News briefs for January 16, 2002: A Bulgarian was indicted by a federal grand jury Tuesday for allegedly marrying a United States citizen so he could remain in the country.

Congressman wants casino decision reconsidered: A Bureau of Indian Affairs official announced earlier this month that the Interior Department planned to place land near Sacramento in trust for a casino for the United Auburn Indian Community (UAIC), which has a management agreement with Station Casinos Inc.

Probe launched into NHP over rumors: CARSON CITY -- In what may sound like a "Big Brother" scenario, Richard Kirkland, director of the state Department of Investigation, is conducting an inquiry into the Nevada Highway Patrol in an attempt to learn who is responsible for spreading rumors of his pending resignation.

Guinn taps into LV casinos, cab companies for donations: CARSON CITY -- Gov. Kenny Guinn tapped heavily into Las Vegas casinos and cab companies to raise $1.78 million in contributions for his upcoming campaign.

Home builder latest to confront odor emanating from pig farm: Mathis Winkler; It's tough to escape the pigs in North Las Vegas.

Closing a chapter: Frank Wright prepares to take his place in local history: The popular curator of manuscripts for the Nevada State Museum and Historical Society in Las Vegas has decided to retire from the job he has held for 21 years.

Casino operator settles SEC charge: Atlantic City-based Trump, led by developer Donald Trump, settled the SEC's civil fraud allegations that it deceptively included a one-time $17 million gain under operating revenue. The company, which owns four casinos in New Jersey and Indiana, didn't pay a fine.

Columnist Victoria Sun: Riley pleased with his season opener: Victoria Sun; The Waialae Country Club in Hawaii has been the site of many good memories for Las Vegan Chris Riley.

Chillier weather to stay: A dry cold front pushed through Southern Nevada Tuesday night, chilling temperatures 5 to 10 degrees lower than normal. The lower temperatures will stick around through Thursday, National Weather Service forecasters said.

Savvy wine buys: Louis Jadot '00 Beaujolais: Available at Wild Oats Markets, $8.99.

Editorial: Nursing shortage not easing: There is no magic wand that can be waved to immediately get more nurses in Nevada. The nursing shortage is due to a variety of reasons. At one time, nursing predominantly was a profession that women entered while men became physicians. That no longer is the case as a great number of women now have become physicians, but not enough men have chosen nursing, resulting in a smaller pool of nurses nationwide. The lack of available nurses poses an even greater problem in a fast-growing state such as ours.

Obituaries for January 16, 2002: Josephine Alves, 77, of Las Vegas died Sunday in Las Vegas. A nurse's aide, she was born Aug. 31, 1924, in Naples, Italy.

County enacts shopping cart ordinance: Adrienne Packer; D. Madeleine Johnsen does the same thing each time she sees a person pushing a shopping cart filled with groceries off store premises.

Columnist Jeff Haney: Football handicapper is picking the Packers: Of this weekend's four NFL playoff games, perhaps the most dramatic move in the betting line is taking place in the Packers-Rams matchup at St. Louis.

Man behind the curtain: Brian Bergstein; To animal rights groups, Ringling Bros. circus owner Kenneth Feld is a secretly sinister force in the family entertainment business, a man they would love to bring down if they could.

Rebels pick up QB transfer from Fresno: Steve Guiremand; Strong-armed Tyler Arciaga won't be the only new freshman quarterback taking part in spring drills for John Robinson's UNLV football team in March.

No bones about it: Salmon abundant locally: Max Jacobson; Just a few of the more common salmon species include the highly prized Chinook, which spends up to eight years in the ocean; Sockeye, a favorite for canning because of its dark red flesh and richness in oil; and the Coho or silver salmon, which is lighter in both flavor and color.

Letter: Abraham's intelligence, motives suspect: Our energy secretary apparently finds this particular mountain capable of safely storing lethal material that will arrive from various sites via our nation's roads. Isn't anyone paying attention to all the ongoing, incomplete, conflicting reports pertaining to just about every phase of having Yucca Mountain as a nuclear repository? How can a valid decision be made?

Pay-plus-pension rules adjusted: CARSON CITY -- The state Board of Examiners Tuesday made a minor adjustment to its controversial policy of allowing certain state workers to draw their paychecks and their pensions.

A life is being rebuilt: Survivor of copter crash beats odds: By Emily Richmond; When Ester Braun saw her daughter in the burn unit at University Medical Center's trauma center, one of her first thoughts was that doctors had taken her to the wrong patient.

Columnist Elizabeth Foyt: University bids Cavagnaros farewell with reception: Elizabeth Foyt; Harter, also at the podium, was equally generous in her comments, particularly as she noted that under Charlie Cavagnaro's watch UNLV's athlete graduation rate rose from 23 percent to 46 percent; the athletic department grew with the addition of three women's sports; and Cavagnaro's position was elevated to a member of the university president's cabinet.

Metro deputy chief's finance report shows a flood of donations: Erin Neff; Metro Deputy Chief Bill Young was able to pull in $190,000 in just six weeks for his bid to be Clark County's next sheriff.

Letter: When Bush lies, let's say so: But when Bush said that the Democrats want to raise taxes, a clear-cut lie, nobody dares to call him a liar. Even Daschle just replied that he didn't know of any Democrats who advocated a tax raise.

Columnist Peter Benton: Local hall of fame honors inductees: Peter Benton; The annual awards banquet of the Southern Nevada Golf Association was held last week at Rio Secco Golf Club, with the evening highlighted by the announcement that there were three new inductees into the Association's Golf Hall of Fame.

Water board considers power business: The Southern Nevada Water Authority will likely soon go into the business of providing electricity.

Letter: Motorists show compassion: On a recent night my car stalled in the left-hand turn lane at a very busy intersection (Cheyenne and Rainbow). So I turned on my emergency lights and hoped that someone would help me out of this situation.

Editorial: Rollan Melton was a Nevada treasure: Despite his many accomplishments as a newspaper executive, readers will remember him most for his columns, 4,000 of which appeared in the Reno Gazette-Journal since 1978. Readers loved his work because the columns often focused on the successes and hardships faced by everyday Nevadans. The intimate stories not only told us a lot about the people he profiled, but they also provided a window into the independent, rugged character that is a staple of Northern Nevada. Melton's kindness, and skill in telling a story as if he were having a relaxing chat with you in your home, will be sorely ...

Supreme Court holds fate of faculty tenure: Jennifer Knight; A sticky tenure case heard before the Nevada Supreme Court Tuesday could tip the balance of power in granting lifetime teaching positions at colleges and universities.

County discussion centers on terrorism, nuke waste: Adrienne Packer; Still reeling from the weakening economy caused by the Sept. 11 attacks, Clark County officials learned last week that Yucca Mountain was recommended as a storage site for the nation's nuclear waste.

Suspect's friends blamed in killing: Kim Smith; After Troy Schnabl was arrested in the gruesome death of Tiffany Averill last year, he asked a detective for a gun so that he could commit suicide, but not because he killed her, defense attorney Robert Draskovich told jurors Tuesday.

Columnist Muriel Stevens: Travel the world at Amandari: It was only 15 years ago that Latham and her husband, Larry, became avid world travelers and shoppers. Before they knew it the pieces they acquired on trips to Asia were in great demand. Friends clamored for such pieces and brought lists of what they wanted the Lathams to bring them.

Waste of a road trip: Steve Addy; PROVO, Utah -- For all of the damage inflicted on their self-esteem, not to mention their record, the Rebels ought not have bothered with the Utah-BYU trip this season.

Community briefs for January 16, 2002: The Nevada Arts Council will offer seven grant-writing workshops throughout the state this week and next.

Slot plan OK'd: Guy Coates; BATON ROUGE, La. -- The state gambling board has approved the layout for 1,494 slot machines at Delta Downs, turning the race track into a gambling palace that will compete with riverboat casinos.

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Slot machine maker buying back stock: Purchases will be made based on market conditions from time to time in open market or private transactions. WMS has about 32.2 million shares outstanding.

Residents vent anger over proposed power rate hike: Unemployed trailer park resident Elizabeth Lewis said she and her elderly neighbors are tired of paying more for electricity.

Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: Lazzaro impressive in test for Schmidt-Treadway team: Sam Schmidt's new partnership with Treadway Racing already is paying dividends.

Harrah's reveals strong fourth-quarter earnings: David Strow; Confirming expectations of a strong fourth quarter, Harrah's Entertainment Inc. announced Tuesday it will handily beat analyst expectations for the quarter ending Dec. 31.

Vegas firm to restate earnings: Paul-Son Gaming Corp., which reported second quarter earnings for its 2002 fiscal year Monday, said the company on Tuesday filed for a five-day extension with the Securities and Exchange Commission and will restate earnings for its first and second quarters of the year and its fourth quarter of 2001.

November visitation down: Most indicators of the city's tourism industry were down on the month, as Las Vegas continued to struggle with a travel slowdown following the attacks of Sept. 11. Passenger traffic at McCarran International Airport was down 18 percent to 2.55 million on the month, and reported vehicle traffic at the Yermo Inspection Station between Los Angeles and Las Vegas on Interstate 15 declined 9 percent to 479,000.

Nevada expects $1 billion in transit funding: Southern Nevada, thanks in large part to Sen. Harry Reid, could receive more than $1 billion in funding for new transportation projects over the next year.

Congressman seeks reconsideration of Indian casino: A California congressman has asked the U.S. Interior Department to re-examine a decision to set aside a 58-acre site for an Indian casino that would be managed by a Las Vegas company.

Bag-check decree to produce more delays: Jace Radke; Travelers flying out of McCarran International Airport could face waits of up to three hours starting Friday as airlines put in new security measures to meet an anti-terrorism mandate, officials said.

Columnist Dean Juipe: Rebels hit low ebb at Provo: Dean Juipe; It's going to take some serious work, if not some mislabeling of the facts, to find a bright spot for the UNLV men's basketball team in the aftermath of a shoddy performance Tuesday night at Brigham Young.

RTC to honor Reid's transit efforts: Southern Nevada, thanks in large part to Sen. Harry Reid, could receive more than $1 billion in funding for new transportation projects over the next year.

Airport land deal raises additional questions: Adrienne Packer; New guidelines designed to strip controversy from Clark County's land-disposal process were mired in another round of debate Tuesday after commissioners rejected a cash offer that apparently met the letter of the new law.

Reid pushes nuke waste option: As Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham closes in on his recommended solution to the problem of nuclear waste -- burying it deep under a Nevada mountain -- two influential senators are throwing their weight behind technology that would reduce the danger and amount of the waste.

Campaign funds paid McDonald legal fees: Erin Neff; Las Vegas City Councilman Michael McDonald spent $23,000 in campaign money to pay the attorney who defended him against ethics and criminal charges last year, which is an apparent violation of state law, election officials said.

Rank request: Steve Guiremand; The UNLV Lady Rebels hope to make themselves feel at home on the Front Range this weekend. And if they do, a Top 25 ranking could be their reward.

Woman who sued Rodman dies: Gloria Janice Chapa, 65, died Sunday in Henderson.

Earnings are mixed for Wells Fargo competitors: Three Nevada bank and thrift operators reported mixed quarterly results Tuesday.

National still in dispute over plane leases: National Airlines of Las Vegas and one of its aircraft lessors are still far apart on a revised lease agreement necessary to complete a reorganization plan for National to emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

Ralph Siraco's Santa Anita selections: 1st Race -- Riband -- Espinoza on Kruljac trainee, draws good post for sprint opener, should be competitive at this level. Dreamin N Schemin -- Draws good box as well, Rollins scales Mullins trainee, capable combo for this claimer. Value Play -- Accell

Rebel recap: Bigelow gave BYU second-half boost: the numbers; PROVO, Utah -- Recapping UNLV's 60-47 loss to BYU on Tuesday night:

Business briefs for January 16, 2002: The Labor Department's Consumer Price Index, a closely watched inflation gauge, rose by just 1.6 percent for all of 2001. That compared with a 3.4 percent jump in 2000, which largely reflected rocketing energy prices.

Las Vegas-area power plant is stalled: The company still plans to spend $3 billion to finish building 27 power plants this year and next, but will shelve work on 34 other plants until electricity prices rebound.

LV airline reports October losses topping $8.4 million: National Airlines lost more than $8.4 million in October, the month most U.S. airlines were reeling from the effects of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.