Print edition for May 16, 2002

Community briefs for May 16, 2002: Residents are welcome to participate in the fourth annual Neighborhood Congress, a free one-day conference from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturday at the County Government Center, 500 S. Grand Central Parkway.

Letter: Homeless mess not just mayor's: I find this laughable, as should anyone who has been following all that Mayor Oscar Goodman has tried to do for the homeless, and the countless number of times he and Las Vegas City Council members have gone down to the area in question, asking these people if they would accept counseling or other assistance, only to be turned down.

Columnist Joe Delaney: Gearing up for annual spring vacation plans: Joe Delaney; I shall miss Montreux -- the school, the students, the Hotel Miramonte, the 120 steps down to Lac Leman, feeding the ducks, and the cafes along the lakefront, but I will not miss the 24 hours en route each way, including the 90-minute train ride between Geneva and Montreux ... Regular readers know how I will look forward to four weeks in Dublin next year and beyond.

Homeless advocates decry loss of project for the mentally ill: By Timothy Pratt; A $500,000 pilot program to help the mentally ill homeless in Southern Nevada was derailed Tuesday to help balance the state budget, to the dismay of advocates and local officials dealing with homelessness.

Where I Stand -- Mike O'Callaghan: Life and death in Israel: The organizers of the rally claimed there were 150,000 people in attendance. The police estimated there were 60,000 people present. Allow me to add that the whole gathering could have been seated in Sam Boyd Stadium with a few seats remaining. Let's say there was a maximum of 35,000 people. How many like me were there out of curiosity, I don't know.

Columnist Ruthe Deskin: Teed off at water warnings: Ruthe Deskin; Take the annual call for water preservation.

'Star Wars' fan: Don't be afraid to live in fantasy: Kirk Baird; At some point during the meal, my dad announces he is taking the family (myself and my stepmom) to the movies as a Father's Day present to himself some sorta space movie.

Editorial: Lack of info flummoxes legislators: One of the areas of dispute between doctors and trial lawyers revolves around the state's medical screening panel, a body that offers a recommendation as to whether a lawsuit has merit. Trial lawyers say the screening panel deters frivolous lawsuits, but doctors say that the panel doesn't weed out bogus cases. In an effort to wade through these competing claims, legislators wanted to find out the outcomes of cases that went forward after getting a thumbs-down from the panel. How many were actually settled or went to trial? How much money did the plaintiffs receive? No one has provided the ...

Letter: Goodman hurts Las Vegas' image: He defames and insults officials and dignitaries. This is not a good reflection on our city of Las Vegas. The city of Las Vegas wants to present a good image to our nation.

Northern teams get off to a fast start: Spencer Patterson; Northern Nevada has only two teams in this week's NIAA/U.S. Bank 4A State Softball Tournament, but the state's upper half still has two critical factors on its side: history and the mystique that comes with it.

Lobato denies killing attacker: Kim Smith; Despite an intense grilling from a prosecutor, a 19-year-old Panaca woman steadfastly denied killing and sexually mutilating a Las Vegas homeless man last summer.

Heroic actions earn Nellis sergeant Airman's Medal: Dick Benoit; Heroic actions during a hotel fire nearly four years ago have earned a Nellis Air Force Base master sergeant the Airman's Medal.

Columnist Dean Juipe: Steward sees Lennox handling 'Iron Mike': Dean Juipe; Emanuel Steward pictures Lennox Lewis taking the ferocity out of Mike Tyson when the rival heavyweights meet June 8 in Memphis.

Basic finishes perfect season with state title: Steve Guiremand; It was the perfect ending to a perfect season.

Union official cut off during testimony: CARSON CITY -- A brouhaha erupted at a meeting Wednesday of the Governor's Task Force on Tax Policy between two panel members and a Culinary Union official in Las Vegas whose testimony was cut off.

Nevada ranked 34th in 'livability': Longtime Nevada residents have frequently seen their home bashed by experts comparing the Silver State to other parts of the country.

Editorial: Study of arsenic's effects long overdue: Fallon is the Northern Nevada town that has had 15 children diagnosed with leukemia since 1997 (two have died), an extraordinarily high rate that the National Centers for Disease Control is investigating. Most medical experts don't believe cancer is linked to arsenic, but it is important that testing be performed anyway, whether it's for cancer or any other medical problem that may be connected to arsenic.

Fight schedule: Thursday

Film critics: Keeps Lucas' blockbuster in perspective: Geoff Carter; "Jaws" made a lot of money in 1975, but I wasn't allowed to see it. "Star Wars," which I saw in 1977 at the age of 10, was my first blockbuster.

Letter: Will's column errs, leaves out pertinent facts: He mentions the challenger's assets; the most important, he claims, is that Lynette Boggs McDonald is a beauty pageant winner.

Superintendents push for 72 percent boost in funds: CARSON CITY -- Nevada school superintendents want the state to raise its support of public schools by $904 million over the next two years -- a 72 percent increase.

New lottery game attracts Ohio gamblers: Joe Milicia; CLEVELAND -- The state's new Mega Millions lottery game had only been on sale for a few hours Wednesday morning when William Shaffer bought his first ticket.

Curd, bookmaker credited with creating 'juice,' dies: Ed Curd, who developed the $11 for $10 "juice" wager that today is the basis for sports betting in Las Vegas, and was one of the innovators of the point spread in the 1940s, died Sunday at his Lexington, Ky., home. He was 94.

Catching up with ... MITCH KALLICK: Where is he now: New York University

News briefs for May 16, 2002: According to an indictment unsealed Wednesday, Michael Anthony Schlotfeldt faces two counts of driving under the influence, two counts of reckless driving, one count of child endangerment and one count of involuntary manslaughter for a March 17 accident near Searchlight.

Porter files to run for new House seat: Erin Neff; Buoyed by an endorsement from former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, state Sen. Jon Porter on Wednesday filed to run for Nevada's new congressional seat.

Public hearing set June 3 on council wards measure: The final public hearing on the changes in boundaries will be during a committee hearing June 3, before it is adopted by the council June 5.

North Las Vegas council briefs: A proposal to ask Congress to allow Craig Ranch Golf Course to exchange 132 acres within the city of North Las Vegas for 640 acres of federal lands in the northwest part of the city was held for 30 days at the request of the owner.

Bobbitt will face probation hearing in Northern Nevada: Keith Paul; John Wayne Bobbitt, who became famous when his first wife cut off his penis while he slept in 1993, will return to Northern Nevada for a court hearing that could send him to jail for up to three years, state officials told the Sun Wednesday.

Blackout, strike possibilities create problem for local public relations: Chris Jones and Richard N. Velotta; The possibility of electricity blackouts and a strike by the Culinary Union are combining to create a potential public relations nightmare for Las Vegas.

Las Vegas council briefs for May 16, 2002: The city of Las Vegas will contribute $1 million in federal funds toward development of an affordable housing complex for seniors.

Store loses liquor license: Diana Sahagun; The Las Vegas City Council on Wednesday revoked the liquor license of a West Las Vegas convenience store owner, saying he was contributing to blight in the area.

Candidate filings: Congress

Officials pitch six-year plan to upgrade Nellis housing: Jace Radke; More than 150 developers, contractors and service providers got their first look this week at a project designed to bring military housing at Nellis Air Force Base into the 21st century.

First-degree murder charges reinstated against group of 10: CARSON CITY -- The Nevada Supreme Court Wednesday reinstated first-degree murder charges against 10 young people accused of clubbing to death a man in a Carson City motel in 1998.

Las Vegas area fishing report: Lake Mead anglers having success with bass, catfish: Fishing has been good during the past week in Lake Mead for striped bass and channel catfish. Some of the better action has been found in the Overton Arm.

Athletes of the week: B.J. WILLIAMS and ALLISON CARNEY: School: Desert Pines

Columnist Paula Del Giudice: Wildlife board cuts deer tag numbers: As expected, the Nevada Board of Wildlife Commissioners cut the number of deer tags that will be issued to hunters this year due primarily to range fires and a severe winter that severely impacted the state's mule deer herds.

NLV OKs hotel at I-15, beltway: North Las Vegas will allow a 300-room hotel with casino at Interstate 15 and the Las Vegas Beltway after the City Council approved a change to its master plan.

Deloitte gains bulk of Andersen gaming clientele: David Strow and Richard N. Velotta; Deloitte & Touche suddenly became the dominant auditor in the gaming industry Wednesday, when three major Las Vegas-based gaming companies hired the firm to replace embattled accounting giant Arthur Andersen.

Heroic effort: Mailman gives CPR to truck driver: North Las Vegas letter carrier James Martin, following U.S. Postal Service procedures, last week quietly reported to his boss an emergency situation he was involved in on his route.

Unser Jr., Hearn get on track: After a fast lap of 225.605, Unser followed Kelley Racing teammate Scott Sharp in close quarters for several laps around the 2.5-mile oval.

Percentage of average rents and mortgages by Nevada county: AP; Following is the average monthly rent followed by the average monthly mortgage by county:

Obituaries for May 16, 2002: Marge B. Baxter, 83, of Las Vegas died Thursday in Las Vegas. She was born May 2, 1919, in Danville, Ill. A resident for many years, she was a waitress.

Officer's gunshot did not kill biker: Keith Paul; A Metro Police sergeant returned to duty Wednesday after ballistics tests determined the gunshot he fired during a deadly brawl in Laughlin did not hit a slain biker gang member, officials told the Sun.

Boy, 7, described mother's slaying to jury: Kim Smith; A 7-year-old Las Vegas boy told grand jurors his mother pleaded with him to leave the room as his father stabbed her to death three months ago.

Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: Funny Car driver Scelzi turns car over to teammate: Gary Scelzi, a three-time NHRA Top Fuel champion who made the switch to the Funny Car category this season, is stepping out of the White Cap Toyota Celica in favor of teammate Bruce Sarver.

Lawsuit cites poor medical care of inmates: Jace Radke; A class-action lawsuit alleging that seriously ill inmates at the Clark County Detention Center are not receiving adequate medical care was filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court.

Union sues state over insurance requirement: CARSON CITY -- A union of Nevada Highway Patrol troopers and transportation workers has filed a lawsuit seeking to force the state to allow them to leave the insurance program so they can sign up with the cheaper Teamsters Union policy.

Harrah's casino posts profit, misses target: The company Wednesday recorded net earnings of $2.9 million, or 23 cents per share, for the first three months of 2002, a 7 percent increase from the fourth quarter of 2001.

Report predicts summer power outages: Southern Nevada could face power outages this summer because of Nevada Power Co.'s struggles to buy enough electricity, according to a report released Wednesday.

Union balks at plan to extend deadline: A lead casino industry negotiator proposed extending contract talks with the Culinary Union for one month, as thousands of union members prepared today to authorize a strike if an agreement can't be reached by a looming June 1 deadline.

Final boys prep volleyball standings: CLASS 4A

Friday's horse racing entries: Post Time 7:05 p.m.

Fans go crazy for 'Clones': Las Vegan James "Bear" Ward stood in line outside the movie theater at Neonopolis on Wednesday night in his homemade Jedi knight costume, waiting for the latest "Star Wars" release.

4A State Tournaments: Baseball

Firm gets environmental OK: The Federal Aviation Administration's Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation has issued a "finding of no significant impact" and will not be required to prepare an environmental impact statement for Kistler Aerospace Corp.

More doctors closing down: Stacy J. Willis; The number of physicians who have closed their practices or are "strongly considering" closing their practices in Nevada has risen to 117, the state's largest doctors' group reported this week.

Sprint CEO supports ruling to promote competition: Chris Jones; The top executive of Sprint Corp. said he supports Monday's U.S. Supreme Court ruling promoting competition for local phone services, despite its potentially negative effect on his company's dominance in areas such as Las Vegas.

Gorman storms back to win title: Victoria Sun; As Bishop Gorman golf coach George DeFrancesco stood near the 18th green of the Wolf Course at the Paiute Golf Club, reflecting on what his team had just accomplished, his emotions got the best of him.

Ralph Siraco's selections for Friday's races at Hollywood Park: Friday's card

PWBA tournament: Wednesday at St. Clair Shores, Mich. Sixth Round (24-game match-play records and 42-game pinfall totals)

Only in Pahrump: Slots, a winery and an RV park: Western Horizon Resorts, Gunnison, which owns 24 RV resorts in 10 states and a network with affiliations with 170 private-membership RV resorts, acquired the winery from Pahrump Valley Vineyards Inc. for $2.5 million.

District to withhold Edison payments: "We're following normal business practices, where people on both sides of the deal make adjustments to payments when one or the other side has faulted in a payment," Bill Hoffman, general counsel for the district, said.

Lawsuit against North Las Vegas dismissed: U.S. District Court Judge Larry Hicks dismissed the case against the city of North Las Vegas and bailiff Edna Y. Roberts, finding that the three children, ages 6, 3 and 1, were with their mother in a cell for about 30 minutes.

Ensign, Reid grill Abraham on Yucca: Benjamin Grove; WASHINGTON -- Nevada's senators faced off against Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham this morning in a Senate hearing, peppering the Cabinet member with questions about the need to move forward on a Yucca Mountain nuclear waste dump.

Loss reported for quarter: The company, a manufacturer of add-on bonus systems for casino games, reported a 68 percent decline in revenues, to $5.6 million.

Lewis trainer says champ will go after Tyson, risking it all: AP; The trainer for Lennox Lewis said Thursday he's worried his fighter may go after Tyson with such ferocity that Lewis - not Tyson - risks being disqualified for a foul of some kind.

Columnist Ron Kantowski: It shouldn't take skin to win: Like many/most red-blooded American males, two of my major interests are sports and sex. Unlike many/most red-blooded American males, I just wish Madison Avenue would stop trying to smoosh them together like the chocolate and peanut butter in a Reese's Cup.

Tour operator moving to North Las Vegas airport: Officials said the airline is moving prior to a two-year, $18 million renovation of the Henderson airport's runways. For now, the company is planning to return to Henderson when the work is completed in 2004.

Schools try to restore sports, bus service: By Timothy Pratt; Clark County School District officials are seeking private funding for middle school athletics and a way to restore a planned cut in bus service for high school students after the School Board approved a $1.29 billion budget Wednesday.