Print edition for July 29, 2002

Letter: Gibbons seeking name for himself: First, why would a congressman introduce the "same" bill, but different in enough ways to complicate the process of the bill in the House after a like-bill was introduced in the Senate?

Immunization schedule for July 29, 2002: NORTH LAS VEGAS PUBLIC HEALTH CENTER: 1820 E. Lake Mead Blvd., Suite F, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Noted pathologist Baden to testify in stabbing death: Kim Smith; Nationally known forensic pathologist Michael Baden is scheduled to testify this week on behalf of a Las Vegas man accused of stabbing his brother to death in April 2001.

State will soon select firm to run troubled youth facility: CARSON CITY -- The long search to find a private company to run the state's Summit View juvenile detention center near North Las Vegas is nearing an end.

Encore: Doctor replaces woman's kidney again -- 25 years later: Stephen Curran; To watch Las Vegas resident Barbara Knight and Dr. Nicholas Feduska together is to be reminded of two long-lost friends reunited.

Birth announcements for July 29, 2002: June 8:

Bras span Strip to raise awareness: Information

Obituaries for July 29, 2002: Curtis C. Durkee, 49, of Henderson died Saturday in Henderson. He was born Jan. 31, 1953, in Detroit. A resident for four years, he was a truck driver.

Coroner's inquest vindicates officer: Officer Michael McNamee, 31, shot David Orr June 24 in the area of Sierra Vista Drive and Cambridge Street about 12:15 a.m. Orr was shot and killed after raising up what appeared to be a gun, according to testimony.

News briefs for July 29, 2002: An 18-year-old Las Vegas man was charged with driving under the influence and hit and run following an accident Saturday night that injured five people -- one critically.

Columnist Dean Juipe: Bittersweet experience for Gamez: Dean Juipe; Robert Gamez lives on the TPC at Summerlin, so he knows all about the necessity of going low on a golf course that's routinely aligned for birdies.

Another Fallon child has leukemia: Since July 2000 children ranging in age from 2 to 19 who live or have lived in Fallon, 60 miles east of Reno, have been diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia. Two of the children have died of the disease.

New state college's teachers' program approved: CARSON CITY -- The Nevada State College in Henderson, scheduled to open in September, has gained "provisional approval" from the state for its teacher-training program.

School district's personnel phone lines take their toll: By Emily Richmond; Calls to the Clark County School District's personnel office have gone from "free" to "fee," at least for potential employers, creditors and other financial institutions.

AARP launches fight against Medicaid liens: Medicaid law prohibits states from recovering any Medicaid money from the sale of jointly-owned property until both spouses have died. Despite the law, Nevada State Welfare has repeatedly placed liens on homes while both husband and wife are still alive, the AARP said.

Travel slowdown likely around Sept. 11: Many people appear to be avoiding travel around Sept. 11, causing unusually weak airline and hotel bookings after Labor Day, travel industry officials say.

Editorial: Changes in air security fall short: The inability to meet the deadlines means that the Washington Blame Game is in full swing. Last week at a congressional hearing, Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta tried to pin the blame on Congress for not fully funding the Transportation Security Administration, trimming the $4.4 billion request down to $3.85 billion and imposing restrictions on how the money could be spent. Mineta has a point, but he still is being disingenuous in part because even if he had all the money, the reality is that these jobs would be vacant anyway since the Transportation Security Agency has run into extreme difficulty ...

Activist urges neighbors to carry arms: Chris Christoff is so upset about rising crime in his neighborhood he is distributing thousands of leaflets in the next two weeks urging residents of the troubled area west of the Stratosphere to arm themselves.

58 percent hike proposed for state education budget: CARSON CITY -- A proposed $2.4 billion education budget that calls for pay raises, bonuses and expanded training for teachers, and enlarged kindergarten and summer school programs is on its way to Gov. Kenny Guinn.

Letter: Leave Nevada alone in deciding marijuana issue: John P. Walters, the head of the federal Office of Drug Control Policy, also seems so concerned about our tourism. Under the initiative it will be illegal to bring marijuana across the Nevada border (to or from Nevada). So the "drug tourist" will have to come empty-handed and purchase the marijuana at a state-licensed shop. The initiative also states marijuana cannot be used in public. So we have a few stoned tourists hiding in their hotel rooms, buying Nevada-grown pot. Ooh, I'm so scared. They will still be contributing to our economy.

Legion teams attempt to pass 'go' at District: Spencer Patterson; Final Legion standings

Court case an example of language barrier problems: By Timothy Pratt; After two and a half years behind bars, Juan Granados spent his first day of freedom in line at the Department of Motor Vehicles.

Monday PMs: AP; HEADLINES:

Editorial: Let's not add spying to anti-terror roles: Operation TIPS, the Terrorism Information and Prevention System, has the potential of becoming a monster. Most people, since they were kids, have been taught to report suspicious activity to authorities. As originally proposed, Operation TIPS would have converted this individualized, common-sense instinct into a systematic database fed by legions of American workers. Fortunately, the prospect of a database filled largely with reports filed by ordinary citizens against other ordinary citizens led to a barrage of criticism aimed at the lead man on TIPS, Attorney General John Ashcroft. He has now backed off the plan. The American people, no doubt, were ...

Rope a key in double slayings: Kim Smith; The rope used to bind two murder victims has been linked to a Las Vegas man accused in the killings, according to testimony given during his preliminary hearing Friday.

Legislative deal near on $350,000 cap: CARSON CITY -- Gov. Kenny Guinn was expected this morning to introduce a tort reform package before the special legislative session in an effort to curb rising medical malpractice insurance rates, including a $350,000 cap on damages for pain and suffering.

Las Vegas shopping mall owner posts gains: Jennifer Robison; Weingarten Realty Investors -- A Houston real estate investment trust with 1.8 million square feet of retail space in Las Vegas -- said this morning its profit rose in the second quarter as it acquired and developed new properties around the country.

Around the dial: Debate rages over TV Guide's lists: Kirk Baird; Of course the talk show has had its mindless moments, but is that show any worse than a prime-time variety series based on a one-hit wonder: "The Starland Vocal Band Show"? Or TV's attempt to spoof the "Star Wars" phenomenon in the late '70s: "Quark"?

Andre silences the skeptics: Matthew Kredell; LOS ANGELES -- Suddenly, Wimbledon seems much further away.

Columnist Ralph Siraco: War Emblem, others, jockey for position: Ralph Siraco; The summertime racing seasons are under way at Saratoga race course in upstate New York and Del Mar race track by the sea in Southern California. Several big races at each racing spa during the dog days season will shine some light on the sport's World Thoroughbred Championship Breeders' Cup at Arlington Park outside of Chicago in the autumn.

Local sports calendar: Pro baseball: Las Vegas 51s at Nashville, 5 p.m.

Indian casino attracting Texans: The Chickasaw Nation opened the Texoma Gaming Center on July 11 less than two miles east of Kingston.

Park Place profit steady: By Liz Benston; Profits at Park Place Entertainment Corp.'s ongoing operations were steady in the second quarter and the casino company beat Wall Street's earnings estimates today.

Strong sales, profit forecast by Las Vegas company: Management expects revenues to exceed $14.6 million, up more than 25 percent from the year-ago quarter, and earnings of 21 cents to 22 cents per share, which is at the high end of estimates of analysts polled by First Call and would be up 22 percent to 25 percent from the year-ago quarter.

Senate OKs ban on video poker: Sheriffs from throughout the state have asked for a ban for two years, but legislators have resisted until this session.

Redevelopment talks under way: Karen Keelan, executive vice president of Connecticut Yankee Greyhound Racing Inc., declined to discuss specifics of the talks, which are raising speculation that the site could become home to eastern Connecticut's third casino.

Lawmakers may discuss insurance: CARSON CITY -- A plan to rescue the financially troubled program that provides insurance to state workers and their dependents may be included at the special session of the Nevada Legislature that convenes today.

Media chief to be replaced: The privately held German company, whose assets range from broadcaster RTL to Britney Spears' record company, named veteran insider Gunter Thielen as Middelhoff's replacement.

LV operations to expand: Consumer Direct of America Inc., Santa Ana, signed an agreement with Sandhill Partners, Las Vegas, to add five mortgage branch office locations. Currently, the company has a 13,000-square-foot sales call center and a 7,000-square-foot mortgage processing center in Las Vegas and five branch locations with the Las Vegas Mortgage brand.

Testing errors outrage school officials: CARSON CITY -- In an embarrassing gaffe to the state, education officials were notified last week that 736 sophomores and juniors, who were told they failed the Nevada high school proficiency test in April, have actually passed.

Results down at Fitzgeralds: Majestic, controlled by Detroit businessman Don Barden, said the downtown Las Vegas property generated a cash flow loss of $11,000 during the quarter vs. cash flow of about $850,000 in the year-ago quarter.