Print edition for May 31, 2002

Parties go fishing for new voters: Erin Neff; Nevada's major political parties are preparing for guerilla warfare in individual precincts to get residents registered to vote in this fall's election.

Large Strip land parcel to go on the block: By Liz Benston; One of the last few large available parcels on the Las Vegas Strip may go to the highest bidder next week.

Trauma surgeons issue new warning: University Medical Center's chief of staff said he plans to meet as early as next week with surgeons who say they will be forced to sever their ties with the hospital's trauma center unless the medical malpractice insurance crisis is resolved.

Adviser bothered by records destruction: John Stewart, a partner for an Andersen group that advises auditors on sticky accounting issues, testified today in the firm's obstruction of justice trial that he wanted to keep all the memos leading to resolution of how to deal with several financial vehicles on financial statements.

Las Vegas Area Fishing Report: Anglers find more success at Boulder Basin: Fishing continues to be good for striped bass at Lake Mead in the Overton Arm and has picked up significantly in the Boulder Basin.

Experts: LV home sales to remain strong: Jennifer Robison; Analysts at a real estate research firm are optimistic about the Las Vegas housing market, despite the uneven economic performance of the last year.

Object jams traffic at dam: The object turned out to be a metal box containing string and chalk used for measuring in construction projects, bureau spokesman Bob Walsh said.

Residents think tribe is building a casino: "It's massive dirt moving," Alexander Valley Association President Karen Passalacqua said of work at the Dry Creek Rancheria. "It doesn't take a brain trust to see that's a massive project moving quickly."

Columnist Dean Juipe: Only a ban will stop steroid use: Dean Juipe; What I would do in that situation isn't particularly relevant, let alone entirely predictable.

Women gain leadership roles: Diana Sahagun; When Virginia Valentine says goodbye to Las Vegas City Hall today, she will be leaving behind a city that is gradually becoming a place where women are in charge.

Review: 'Earnest' offers up some laughs: Geoff Carter; 'Importance of Being Earnest'

Court briefs for May 31, 2002: After showing still photographs taken from numerous videotapes to several law enforcement agencies, Metro Police believe they have identified more alleged rape victims in the Steven Newberg case.

Judge to hear Nevada Power lawsuit: Cy Ryan and Steve Kanigher; CARSON CITY -- A District Court judge scheduled an Oct. 17 hearing on a Nevada Power Co. lawsuit that seeks to collect an additional $437 million from Southern Nevadans for energy used last year.

Rainiers beat 51s, 6-2: Cloude (7-3) allowed two runs on four hits in 5 2/3 innings against the top hitting team in the Pacific Coast League. Tacoma relievers Brian Fitzgerald, Aquilino Lopez and Matt Jarvis combined for 2 2/3 innings of scoreless relief.

Lawmaker calls for school audit: By Emily Richmond; Assemblyman Wendell Williams said Thursday Clark County School District officials have mishandled a $3.5 billion school bond fund and called for an independent audit of the capital development program.

Obituaries for May 31, 2002: Helen Vivian Boch, 80, of Las Vegas died Monday in Las Vegas. Born May 16, 1922, in Canada, she was a resident for eight years.

Hearing set on nuke water case: Senior Deputy state Attorney General Marta Adams said today she was pleased the judge set the hearing that will be held in Las Vegas.

Vegas sports on TV/Radio: Friday

Low chlorine levels create health threat at public pools: Las Vegans wanting to cool off in the water this summer might want to ask what lies beneath before they dive in at their community pool.

Wendy's to buy, expand Baja Fresh restaurants: Mark Williams; COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Wendy's International Inc., which owns the nation's third biggest hamburger restaurant chain and the Tim Hortons chain of doughnut shops, is buying the Baja Fresh Mexican Grill restaurant chain for $275 million.

Attorneys report progress in resort's sales process: "The various constituents are still conferring and happy with the way things are progressing," Aladdin attorney William Noall said after a procedural hearing in U.S. Bankruptcy Court Thursday.

Force board says shootings justified: Keith Paul; Metro Police's Use of Force Board ruled Thursday night that three officers in two separate cases did not violate the department's guidelines in shooting two suspects.

Lower Kyle Canyon residents at mercy of fires: Adrienne Packer; By the time Clark County fire tankers lumbered up Lower Kyle Canyon Road on Thursday , flames had devoured Leslie Hanson's one-story home.

Letter: Striking drivers questionable, too: Let me say that I am surprised that you would choose to print such a derogatory letter.

Rebels' struggles continue: Victoria Sun; COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The second after UNLV senior golfer Clark Corbett barely missed a 30-foot birdie putt on the 16th hole at Ohio State University's Scarlet Course Thursday afternoon, he agonized over the missed opportunity.

Nevada candidates with Thursday's withdrawal deadline past: AP; U.S. HOUSE 1

Editorial: A toast for nurses: To our health: The challenges that face nursing aren't limited to numbers, though, they also involve the skills that nurses possess, which obviously can affect the quality of care a patient receives. Registered nurses have college degrees, and command higher salaries, than licensed practical nurses, who typically have just a year of training. Unfortunately, hospitals have been hiring more licensed practical nurses and nursing aides, who have even less training, as a cost-cutting move. An ominous study published this week in the New England Journal of Medicine found that in hospitals with fewer registered nurses, patients were more likely to suffer from complications, ...

DOE to speed up Test Site cleanup: Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham announced plans on Thursday to clean up contamination 10 years sooner than expected at the Nevada Test Site, where the federal government conducted nuclear weapons experiments for 41 years.

Nevada miner, casino company fire Andersen: Ameristar Casinos Inc. of Las Vegas, which operates six casinos in four states, also dismissed Andersen on May 23, according to a regulatory filing. The company hired Deloitte & Touche LLP as its new auditor.

Columnist Paula Del Guidice: White water trips fun for entire family: As it becomes clear that summer temperatures are here and school draws to a close, you may be looking for some interesting summer family adventures.

Senior center cited in sexual abuse: By Timothy Pratt; The state has sanctioned a Las Vegas center for senior citizens run by the Economic Opportunity Board after finding evidence that one of its employees sexually abused patients, officials said.

UNLV coach to host camps this summer: The staff will consist of Rebel coaches and players along with college and high school coaches from across the nation. Call 451-8871 for more information.

Suncoast Senior event to start on Sunday: The Suncoast event replaces the PBA Senior National Championship which was contested from 1981-2001.

Teen testifies against fellow gang member in murder trial: Kim Smith; A North Las Vegas teen who was 15 years old when he was charged with murder last year took the stand Thursday against a fellow gang member on trial for the slaying.

Bus drivers vow to stay on strike: Union bus drivers are charging the company that runs Citizens Area Transit with "union busting" for threatening to hire permanent replacements to keep the system moving.

Trust the stock analysts? Observers aren't so sure: Alan Clendenning; NEW YORK -- The way New York's attorney general sees it, Wall Street analysts will make more objective stock recommendations now that Merrill Lynch & Co. has agreed to stop rewarding its analysts for luring investment banking clients.

Varied groups eager to see draft of wilderness proposal: Clark County could get a look at important new legislation affecting development and environmental protection next week.

Letter: BLM can stop kitty litter mine: Coal deposits cannot be claimed; sand and gravel deposits cannot be claimed. There is little difference geologically between clay deposits and sand and gravel deposits. The only difference between gravel, sand and clay is the size of the particles. So it would seem that Oil-Dri Corp.'s kitty litter (clay) claims in Hungry Valley are invalid. I am disappointed that BLM didn't contest these claims.

Texas rebounds to make move up leaderboard: Victoria Sun; COLUMBUS, Ohio -- There is the Texas Two-Step and at the NCAA Men's Golf Championships Thursday afternoon, there was the Texas Turnaround.

Loux believes Nevada 'can legally stop' Yucca: Robert Loux, director of the state Office on Nuclear Projects, said today South Carolina doesn't have a good legal case to stop plutonium being shipped to that state. He said, "We believe Nevada can legally stop" the building of the Yucca Mountain repository.

Editorial: Low priority lingers for city's homeless: On Wednesday the city began soliciting proposals from other management groups. The careless way in which the solicitations were handled suggests that the Las Vegas City Council's low priority for the homeless may continue. The request for proposals was written so vaguely that likely applicants -- Catholic Charities and The Shade Tree shelter for women among them -- were discouraged from even applying. The request made no guarantees after February, when a federal grant propping up the shelter expires. It didn't say how much was left in the grant and it didn't say who would be responsible for necessary repairs ...

Letter: Don't count on NRC to stop nuclear waste: However, they struggled mightily with an audience question on how dangerous nuclear garbage would be if spilled on someone's front yard. They never did come up with a straight answer. However, they did acknowledge having no licensing experience with anything like Yucca Mountain.

Where I Stand -- Mike O'Callaghan: Don't legalize assaults: SO A CROSS IS BURNING ON YOUR FRONT LAWN, BIG DEAL. Just some guys expressing their rights given by the First Amendment. That's all it is unless you are black, Catholic, Jew or some other minority who gets the message you aren't wanted in the neighborhood. If you are a member of my generation, the message is loud and clear that this is not only a warning but that maybe tomorrow night it will not be a burning cross but your burning house. The Ku Klux Klan's symbol is the burning cross and still strikes fear in the hearts of ...

Strip workers ready to ratify contract: Culinary Union members will get a chance Thursday to approve tentative contract agreements with four major Strip operators that give them their largest ever increase in wages and benefits.

Key witnesses questionable at coroner's inquest: Keith Paul; Prosecutors planned to call two men to testify today during a Clark County coroner's inquest into a fatal shooting, although it was unclear if the men would talk.

Society of Seven fights for attention: SOS (its nickname in the islands) has been performing in Golden Nuggets Theatre Ballroom for five weeks, following a successful five-month run at the Las Vegas Hilton.

Blood drives scheduled: Tuesday: 9 a.m-7 p.m., Gold Coast, 4000 W. Flamingo Road; noon-6 p.m., Coca-Cola, 230 N. Mojave Road; 2-7 p.m., Cox Elementary School, 280 Clark Drive.

Rebels put two into 400 finals: "We want to bring some hardware home," Dennis said. "The top eight finishers in each event earn All-American status and get a nice plaque. We want to bring some of those home."

Tull tales: Legendary rock flutist Ian Anderson leads Jethro Tull to Junefest: Kirk Baird; When: Noon Saturday.

Air Force seeking relief for stretched troops: Jace Radke; While in Las Vegas to speak to a national Hispanic organization about recruiting, Dr. James Roche, Air Force secretary, said he won't forget the already active military personnel who are fighting the war on terrorism.

Review: 'Sum of All Fears' hits too close to home: Geoff Carter; 'Sum of All Fears'

State low on new polluter list: A new study ranks Nevada as one of the cleaner states in releasing chemicals into the air, water and soil.

PCL box: Las Vegas - Tacoma: WP--Cloude. BK--House.

Hurricane could help bring temperatures down in valley: Las Vegas Valley residents braced for another scorcher today as the thermometer crept toward another record.

Henderson adult softball sign-ups: Registration for the fall league begins Aug. 12 (Henderson teams only). League play begins the week of Sept. 16 at the Arroyo Grande Sports Complex. Team registration must be made in person at the Arroyo Grande sports office from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. weekdays and from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on weekends. Registration is $425 per team. Call 434-4133 for more information.

Scorpions take credit for Vegas rock scene: Kirk Baird; What: The Scorpions, Deep Purple, Dio.

Columnist Susan Snyder: This study is the cat's meow: s you stand there in the heat waiting for a late bus to take you to that crummy minimum-wage job you hate, consider the weighty responsibilities of Nicholas Nicastro.

Pope resigns after eight blessed seasons at Silverado: Spencer Patterson; The man who built Silverado's softball program into of the state's most consistent winners in any sport has retired from coaching.

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

Saturday's horse racing entries: Post Time 1:15 p.m.

Community briefs for May 31, 2002: The American Cancer Society's inaugural Relay For Life will begin 7 p.m. Saturday and run until 9 a.m. Sunday at Faith Lutheran Church.

Tarkanian withdraws from race: Erin Neff; Citing an unspecified illness in the family, Lois Tarkanian unexpectedly dropped her bid Thursday to be a member of the state Board of Regents.

Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: Dixon joins with CART's Ganassi: The CART Fed Ex Championship Series resumes this weekend in Milwaukee with a slightly different look after a monthlong layoff for the Indianapolis 500.

Political notebook: Another judge has clear sailing: Erin Neff; District Judge Nancy Saitta joined 14 of her counterparts Thursday in winning election by default.

Bowling - ABC Masters: Match Play

Editorial: Nuclear war not an option: President Bush is right to be sending Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld to Pakistan and India this week. The trip will be preceded by a visit from Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage. Last week British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw was in the region. Diplomacy at this level must continue. Additionally, the U.N. Security Council should assume a far greater role.

Letter: Life prolonged long after all hope is gone: An acquaintance of mine has been in a nursing home for the last four years. He no longer has a sense of what or who he is as he lays there with tubes and a wire connected to his body. Doctors, in order to sustain his life, feed him through a tube. His lungs are congested to the point where he has to be aspirated every two hours. He is moved back and forth from a hospital, almost on a regular basis, because he has a staph infection.

Columnist Susan Snyder: Taking pride in American artistry: From time to time, I visit Begay's Indian Jewelry to admire the rugs and pots and practically drool as I breathe over the glass cases packed with jewelry.

'Signed, Sealed' at Venetian lacking delivery: A tribute to the legendary Stevie Wonder debuted at The Venetian Showroom earlier this week. It was was signed and sealed, but didn't quite deliver.

On display for May 31, 2002: The handmade paper works of Overton resident Bernice Breedlove and mixed-media pieces by Moapa Valley's Maria Wurtz are on display through June 30 at Lost City Museum, on State Route 169 in Overton. Call 397-2193.

Aussie rockers INXS move on, sans Hutchence: Kirk Baird; What: INXS.

Where I Stand -- Brian Greenspun: Leave the wife out of it: There is another adage that is appropriate for today's column: if you have a beef with a fellow, have at him, but leave his wife and family out of the fight. On that subject, I am an expert.

Summer camp offers important social contact for kids: Attending summer camp is more than a fun activity. Many parents who seek the Sun Camp Fund's help say their children benefit by the social contact with their peers in a positive setting.

Columnist Jerry Fink: Trumpeter, pianist Mills is still a prime-time networker: By Jerry Fink; There wasn't much to do growing up in Watha, N.C., where most of the town's 195 residents depended on tobacco for their income.

Columnist Benjamin Grove: During vacations, politicians' work just starting: Benjamin Grove; Lawmakers in Congress took the week off, as they often do for holidays. They get a lot of time off -- this year about 10 weeks between the opening gavel on Jan. 23 and the target date for adjournment, Oct. 4

Imagination key to premise of self-help workshop: What: Imagination workshop.

Datebook for May 31, 2002: The Las Vegas Mineral, Fossil, Gem and Jewelry Show will be from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. today and Saturday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday at Stardust's Pavilion. Admission is free. Call 655-0280.

Columnist Muriel Stevens: Chaine dinner at Le Cirque a winner: Traveling will keep me from attending most of the restaurant openings and events written about here, but there is one splendid meal I've already enjoyed. Although I've been on the planning committee for the upcoming national conference of the Chaine des Rotisseurs gourmet society, I will not be here when the members meet.

Editorial: Untying the hands of the FBI's agents: The Justice Department also released new guidelines that will give FBI agents greater freedom to monitor Internet websites and religious institutions in order to prevent suspected terrorist activities. It should be remembered that it was Sheik Omar Abdel Rahman, now in prison for his role in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, who built a following of people with links to al-Qaida when he preached at mosques in New York and New Jersey. Terrorists are waging a war against us, and sometimes that means using basic investigative tools -- all that strictly adhere to constitutional protections -- to stop them ...

Poison: This metal band is hair to stay: Lisa Ferguson; What: Poison.

Columnist Sandy Thompson: New child welfare agency needs support: Sandy Thompson; The county's Department of Family and Youth Services will be split into a Department of Juvenile Justice Services and a new child welfare agency, which will handle Child Protective Services, foster care and related services.

Station extends aid program: Stations Casinos says it will extend a six-month program that provides financial and other assistance to Clark County high-need schools and nonprofit organizations.

Guest columnist Jim Gibbons: No new Sept. 11 probe needed: Jim Gibbons; Jim Gibbons, a Republican and member of the House's Select Intelligence Committee, represents Nevada's 2nd Congressional District.

Tasty gift helps take bite out of hunger: WEEKEND EDITION: June 1, 2002

A cowboy at heart: Kirk Baird; WEEKEND EDITION: June 2, 2002

A sweet deal: Culinary negotiates its best contract yet: WEEKEND EDITION: June 2, 2002

Columnist Jon Ralston: Call special session now: MEMO TO THE GOVERNOR:

'Boyfriend' updated for modern times: What: "The Boyfriend."

Performing arts for May 31, 2002: Plays staged

Columnist Erin Neff: Democrats should be plotting for election 2006 right now: Erin Neff; But if Democrats have any hope of wresting back the governor's mansion from GOP hands, they had better start working immediately with that date 1,620 days from now in the front of their minds.

Letter: Bush has dipped to new lows: Those determined to defend the president frequently frame the issue in terms of style, rather than substance: "Whatever you may think of his agenda," such people assert, "you've got to agree that at least he's restored a sense of personal dignity to the White House."