Print edition for March 7, 2002

Regents told new college will open on time: Jennifer Knight; RENO -- Nevada State College at Henderson is on track for a Sept. 3 opening despite obstacles such as a switch in locations, low initial enrollment and the resignation of its president, college officials and consultants said Wednesday.

Ralph Siraco's Santa Anita selections: 1st Race -- Anima Mundi -- Irish-bred training at Hollypark, draws good spot for turf mile opener, Smith aboard one of two Aguirre-trained entries here. EC Lady -- British-bred filly draws rail post, hustling Espinoza on Cassidy trainee, Lady may be no tramp for this claiming level. Value Play -- Mamacafe

Cash flow up at Hard Rock: The off-Strip resort reported a loss prior to preferred dividends of $106,000, compared to $3.1 million in the year-ago period. Preferred stock dividends pushed this loss up to $1.4 million, down from the year-ago loss of $4.3 million.

Group sued for canceling Vegas conference: This is the fourth suit filed in recent months over cancelled Las Vegas conferences.

Casino to get its fourth name in three years: David Strow; The managers of Detroit's Greektown Casino received a license recommendation from the Nevada Gaming Control Board Wednesday to take over the casino operations of the JW Marriott Las Vegas, formerly known as the Regent Las Vegas.

Wednesday's prep results: BOYS GOLF

Clark County postpones action on resort appeal: Bill Curran, who represents the proposed $115 million South Beach resort, told the Clark County Commission Wednesday that his client would meet with Station and MGM MIRAGE representatives to consider traffic and density concerns raised by the two casino companies in their appeal of approval of the plan.

Sale of company to Alliance advances: WILMINGTON, Del. -- Greate Bay Casino Corp. on Wednesday won authority to sell its Advanced Casino Systems Corp. subsidiary to a unit of Alliance Gaming Corp. of Las Vegas in a deal valued at $14.6 million.

Goodman cooks in Yucca fight: Goodman will don a cook's apron and chef's hat, work the grill and serve customers who purchase items from The Great Steak and Potato Co. in the Meadows mall food court, from noon to 1 p.m. Saturday.

Recent arrests won't alter police screening procedures for new hires: Keith Paul; The fact that three Metro Police officers were recently charged with felonies may embarrass the department, but the arrests won't result in major changes regarding how officials screen potential officers.

Rural counties oppose open-space initiative: FALLON -- A November ballot initiative that would provide $120 million for parks and open-space protection in Clark County divided participants attending the Nevada Land-Use Summit on Wednesday.

Tournament notebook: Lady Rebels' Frohlich tops rebounding mark: Steve Guiremand, Steve Addy and Victoria Sun; One day after garnering her third consecutive Mountain West Conference Player of the Year award, UNLV senior forward Linda Frohlich reached another milestone.

Senate debates nuke insurance plan: Benjamin Grove; WASHINGTON -- The Senate today debated whether to renew a 45-year-old government insurance plan that makes taxpayers liable for a catastrophic nuclear accident if the cost spirals higher than $9.5 billion.

Energy experts criticize Nevada Power: Two energy consultants accused Nevada Power Co. of creating unnecessary risk by failing to properly analyze its electricity purchases since 1999 and by doing nothing to encourage conservation.

Number of kids threatened by poverty declines: Ed Koch and Mathis Winkler; The booming economy of the past decade helped Nevada reduce by 20 percent the number of children at high risk of living in poverty, according to a local analyst and a national study released today.

Regents give students chance to 'opt out' of information release: Jennifer Knight; RENO -- The state Board of Regents voted Wednesday to limit the for-profit practice of releasing student information to credit card companies, but ACLU officials said the changes did not go far enough in protecting students' rights.

PurchasePro may again face delisting issue: Nasdaq-listed companies are required to maintain a share price of at least $1 per share. If it closes below that level for a minimum of 30 consecutive trading days, "Nasdaq will promptly issue a deficiency notice to the company," said Nasdaq spokesman Wayne Lee.

Terror increases security awareness: Home and office security systems were big business well before terrorists captured headlines and became a fear factor last year, industry experts say.

Out of this world: UFO conventioneers land in Laughlin: Jeffrey Libby; LAUGHLIN -- Are we alone, or just arrogant?

Columnist Dean Juipe: Witherspoon's hungry -- and so are his kids: Dean Juipe; As a single parent providing for four children, three of which still live at home with him, Tim Witherspoon had more immediate concerns as he answered the phone Tuesday evening in Philadelphia.

Women's roundup: Gorton scores 23 as CSU flies by Air Force: Angie Gorton scored 23 points to lead No. 18 Colorado State to a 79-68 victory over Air Force in the first round of the Mountain West Conference tournament Wednesday night.

Casinos sold for $351 million: The private equity units of the two British companies are buying Moliflor, France's fifth-largest casino operator, from PPM Ventures Ltd., Legal & General said.

Rebel roundup: Women's tennis team posts historic win: The Lady Rebels improved to 8-2 on the year, including 7-1 at home, while the Tribe fell to 8-4.

Vestin reports net income growth in fourth quarter: The company reported net income of $1.85 million or 31 cents a share for the quarter vs. $662,000 or just under 1 cent a share in the year-ago quarter.

Senators wary of proposed satellite merger: Robert Gehrke; WASHINGTON -- Executives proposing a merger of the nation's two largest satellite television providers were met with skepticism Wednesday from senators fearful the union would hurt rural consumers.

Smith criticizes new ward map: Mathis Winkler; New City Council wards are unfair because they severely limit the options of the Ward 3 council member to move to another home, North Las Vegas Councilwoman Stephanie Smith says.

Columnist Ruthe Deskin: Bracing for that taxing time: Ruthe Deskin; This isn't meant to make your day unpleasant, but it's time to search through bank statements, receipts, donations and other financial information for the Internal Revenue Service.

Nevada Power bringing in experts to bolster request for rate hike: Nevada Power Co. will open rebuttal arguments Friday in its quest to recoup $922 million for energy used by Southern Nevadans last year by offering the testimony of an Oregon consultant.

Release of student data will be limited: Jennifer Knight; RENO -- The Board of Regents voted Wednesday to limit the for-profit practice of releasing student information to credit card companies, but ACLU officials said the changes did not go far enough in protecting students' rights.

UNLV cranks up 'D' to frustrate Utah: Steve Guiremand; Just call her "The Glove."

BC-BKW--BYU Wyoming,160: AP; BYU (20-8, 10 (4)- took the early lead but a three-point shot by Carly Stucky pulled Wyoming 13-15, 5 (9)- to within one point. The game was close at first but the Cougars gained advantage at halftime 40-33.

Federal panel rules against firing: Mathis Winkler; North Las Vegas city officials violated federal law by firing an employee because she supported a colleague's discrimination complaint against the city, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has ruled.

UNLV to host talk on Yucca Mountain: Dan Kane of the Department of Energy's Yucca Mountain Project will speak on the current repository design for the Yucca Mountain site, 90 miles northwest of Las Vegas. President Bush recommended the site as the nation's nuclear waste repository on Feb. 15.

Coach finds success after jumping to rival: Victoria Sun; Three years ago, Brigham Young women's basketball coach Jeff Judkins committed treason in the eyes of many Utah basketball fans.

Fullmer still packs punch at age 70: Dean Juipe; It's a trick question when someone comes across Gene Fullmer's name and musingly applies the "Where are they now?" query that all aging sports heroes encounter.

Letter: Anti-drug ads costly, ineffective: The Bush administration is running "anti-dope" ads, which say to teens (who admit to merely trying recreational drugs) that they have "supported terrorists," "helped bring down two skyscrapers in N.Y.", "killed a judge in Colombia," and more. In other words, because you smoked a joint, you are a traitor to America; a murderer, nay, a mass murderer. These kids are also accused of creating the ghettos which infect our cities.

Columnist Joe Delaney: Area showrooms offering variety of new productions: Joe Delaney; The Scintas are off through March 14, with Chippendales doing 9 p.m. shows in their absence ... The free Masquerade Show in the Sky has been refurbished and updated ... Penn & Teller, alternating with Louie Anderson, should keep the Samba Theater busy most of the year ... "Tony 'n' Tina's Wedding" looks like a winner in the Calypso Room, once the home of "De La Guarda."

Obituaries for March 7, 2002: Gus G. Alexander Sr., 71, of Las Vegas died Monday in a local hospital. He was born Feb. 17, 1931, in Arta, Greece. A resident for two years, he was a retired restaurant owner and a member of the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association.

Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: Force says he can help daughter, focus on own racing: Now that 11-time NHRA Funny Car champion John Force is adding his daughter's Super Comp dragster to his already busy stable, there is a buzz around the pits that the 52-year-old Force is getting soft.

Community briefs for March 7, 2002: The free event will offer flower arrangements and horticulture displays. Also, Aggie Roberts, horticulture instructor at for the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension, will answer gardening questions at the Ask the Expert table. Call 878-2060.

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

Letter: Palestinians won't rest until world in cinders: As a Jew, I am constantly reminded of how much people hate. I have watched the Palestinians rejoicing proudly in public whenever a suicide bomber takes at least one innocent life, especially when it is an innocent Jewish life.

County criticized over AeroTech: CARSON CITY -- A legislative subcommittee addressing the issue of industrial explosions wants to know how residential neighborhoods were allowed to grow around a model rocket plant destroyed by fire.

Columnist Paula DelGiudice: 30th Hunters Convention planned for Las Vegas: Paula DelGiudice; Safari Club International is putting the finishing touches on its 30th Anniversary Hunters Convention to be held in Las Vegas March 20-23. Many seminars are scheduled.

Las Vegas council briefs for March 7, 2002: To help keep up with the demand for fire protection, the city of Las Vegas will purchase two fire engines to provide coverage in the fast growing western portion of the city.

Editorial: Doc-run insurance holds hope: In response to the brewing crisis, the state insurance commissioner held a hearing this week to see what could be done to help doctors who have been hit with the high rates. The most significant, and potentially lasting, thing to come out of the hearings was Insurance Commissioner Alice Molasky-Arman's commitment to help doctors move quickly to set up a doctor-operated malpractice insurance company. If a doctor-led group came to her with a "viable framework," she said, "I would approve that company for a license within days." Ironically the state did have a doctor-operated malpractice insurance company that was started ...

Former LV Thunder player Fogarty dies: He was the Quebec Nordiques' first-round draft pick in 1987, but had just 22 goals and 52 assists in 156 games with Quebec, Pittsburgh and Montreal. He last played in the NHL with the Canadiens in 1994-95.

Gusty weather to continue: It's a "roller coaster early March pattern," National Weather Service meteorologist Ron McQueen said.

Big client drops Andersen: In January Delta officials said they had begun seeking a new auditor after Andersen's reputation was damaged by its role in the Enron debacle.

Inmates give to United Way: CARSON CITY -- A group of inmates at the Nevada State Prison in Carson City have rallied to help the United Way.

Role reversal: Baby Boomers juggling financial needs with caring for aging parents: Kimberley McGee; Now it's his turn.

Where I Stand -- Brian Greenspun: Saluting Sen. Cannon: Many Nevadans have asked that question over the years, much more so of late, when talking about the surprising political defeat of Sen. Howard Cannon by Chic Hecht in 1982.

New Miss America exec easing into thorny job: John Curran; ATLANTIC CITY -- As the new man in Miss America's life, George Bauer has his work cut out for him.

North Las Vegas council briefs for March 7, 2002: City officials oppose the project, saying that it would be built on commercial land that could generate taxes for other revitalization projects. They have presented several alternative sites to the School District, but district officials have so far said that the sites do not meet their needs.

Stakes, pressure rise for Rebels: Steve Addy; UNLV coach Charlie Spoonhour spent all season promoting moderate expectations for his first Rebels team. He saw no benefit in setting the bar needlessly high with a lot of loose talk.

KC defeats Slam: Cedric Ceballos led Las Vegas (1-12) with 27 points. Carter scored 29 for the first-place Knights (22-5).

New Mexico woman named to key DOE radioactive waste post: AP; Margaret Chu was nominated by a unanimous Senate vote Wednesday to be director of the DOE's Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management, said news releases from Sens. Pete Domenici, R-N.M., and Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M.

Letter: Death penalty numbers hold up: Serious flaws were found 68 percent of the time. Mr. Owens says how often Clark County sought the death penalty, but does not compare the county to others in the U.S. We did.

News briefs for March 7, 2002: A homeless man set on fire Wednesday died Wednesday night, and a homeless woman accused of assaulting him will now face murder charges, Metro Police said.

Injunction against NSAC on markings approved: Vega made her ruling after finding no evidence that temporary body markings, including temporary tattoos, are distracting, or would be distracting to boxing judges during a bout. The judge further indicated that the NSAC's ban was a violation of the First Amendment rights of boxers and that there was no evidence that the ban would "materially advance the NSAC's asserted interest."

Number of at-risk children declines: Ed Koch and Mathis Winkler; The booming economy of the past decade helped Nevada reduce by 20 percent the number of children at high risk of living in poverty, according to a local analyst and a national study released today.

Injury doesn't stop march to the sea: Dick Benoit; Persistence has paid off for a Western High School graduate whose lifelong dream of joining the Navy was nearly sunk by a sports injury.

Summit attendees see hope for clean, renewable energy: FALLON -- Nevada could be on the cusp of important development of renewable, environmentally friendly energy, private-sector executives and federal, state and local government officials said Wednesday at the Nevada Land-Use Summit.

Keller pleads case for more Metro officers: Diana Sahagun; Metro Police need more than 200 officers to keep up with growth, Sheriff Jerry Keller told the Las Vegas City Council Wednesday, but he would settle for an extra 75.

Columnist Ron Kantowski: Much madness at Mack: There's an expression in sports that when the competition is evenly matched, you can "throw a blanket over" the teams, players, horses, cars, etc.

City begins work on entertainment district: Diana Sahagun; Las Vegas city staff will begin meeting with downtown property owners to discuss the creation of an entertainment district east of Las Vegas Boulevard on Fremont Street that would allow bars and nightclubs to locate near one another.

Impersonator can't land a street in Lakes: Diana Sahagun; Singer Billy Ocean and talk show host Ricki Lake stand a better chance of having a street named after them at The Lakes than Las Vegas' own Joan Rivers impersonator.

Editorial: Howard Cannon: A lifetime of service: Cannon, a decorated hero of World War 11, served as a Democratic senator from 1958 to 1982. He secured funding for the pipeline that enabled Nevada to pump its allotment from the Colorado River. He helped build up McCarran. He led the push to deregulate the airline and trucking industries. Resisting pressure, he voted to end a filibuster on the 1964 Civil Rights Act -- 70 votes were needed; the vote was 71-29.

NYSE considers buying American Stock Exchange: Bankers representing the American Exchange, which was purchased by the National Association of Securities Dealers three years ago, made the offer. A sale could fetch between $500 million and $700 million, the Wall Street Journal reported.

'Star Wars' producer gives ShoWest crowd an eyeful: Kirk Baird; Speaking Tuesday at the 28th annual ShoWest Convention, a national trade show for theater owners that ends today at Paris Las Vegas and Bally's, McCallum strode to the podium amid loud applause. That is to be expected when you're the producer of the "Star Wars" prequels.