Print edition for November 27, 2002

Wynn eyes Maryland gaming expansion: Wynn, chairman of Wynn Resorts of Las Vegas and former head of Mirage Resorts Inc., visited the State House last week and met with the president of the Maryland Senate, the prospective speaker of the House of Delegates and at least one committee chairman, the newspaper said.

Pyramid scheme said to target UNLV students: Two homes were raided in Las Vegas, and documents were confiscated in connection with an alleged pyramid scheme that targeted students at UNLV, the attorney general's office said Tuesday.

Letter: Don't destroy nature's beauty: I have enjoyed both your city and the fantastic environment surrounding it; I've always made an out-of-town excursion a part of the trip and have hiked Red Rock, Valley of Fire, Death Valley, the Lake Mead Recreation Area and the Mojave Desert.

Editorial: Nuclear reactors still have problems: Extensive corrosion at the Davis-Besse reactor near Toledo, Ohio, went undetected at the reactor until March of this year, a failure that led to 70 pounds of steel being eaten away and left the reactor vessel vulnerable to rupturing. Not only should the industry act upon this internal report, but Congress also should hold hearings to investigate what steps utilities are taking to ensure that they're operating safely.

Fired Yucca worker wants congressional probe: Benjamin Grove; WASHINGTON -- A former Yucca Mountain worker said he is encouraged by Nevada senators' call for a General Accounting Office investigation of his firing.

Letter: How far will Bush go with newfound power?: The same citizens are willing to forgo personal benefits, such as medical care, assurance of adequate Social Security benefits and other social programs like day care for low-income working mothers, money for infrastructure issues like maintaining interstate highways, and reducing the national debt, which has the potential to reduce taxes, and a Republican tradition (if we are to believe the rhetoric) of lowering the national debt.

City eyes stripper licenses: By Timothy Pratt; Strippers in Las Vegas clubs may soon have to pay for a yearly license.

LV municipal court ends ticket moratorium: Dan Kulin and Judy Odierna; For more than 15 years motorists who were slow to take care of their Las Vegas traffic tickets could count on a holiday-season break from the city's Municipal Court to pay their tickets without being charged warrant and late fees.

Casino operator sues to stop Yahoo! subscriber: The subscriber, whom Harrah's did not name in its Clark County District Court lawsuit, is said to regularly contribute to Harrah's message board on the Yahoo! Finance webpage under the name "hanslee99."

Study required by Nevada pot law is stymied: CARSON CITY -- A university medical school study of the effectiveness of medical marijuana has yet to begin more than a year after a state law called for it.

Albertsons CEO sees further consolidation: Eileen Alt Powell; NEW YORK -- To Larry Johnston, the grocery business is all about the little guy.

News briefs for Nov. 27, 2002: Local FBI officials are asking for the public's help in locating a man suspected of robbing two banks last month.

Terrorism war still hot topic: Many of Southern Nevada's best and brightest young minds say we are shooting at shadows and kidding ourselves if we believe a so-called "war on terrorism" can be won.

Renewable energy contracts signed: The contracts with Desert Queen Wind LP, Advanced Thermal Systems, Earth Power Resources Inc., Ormat Nevada Inc. and Ely Wind Co. will supply Nevada Power as much as 227 megawatts of electricity, Sierra Pacific spokeswoman Faye Andersen said. One megawatt is enough power for 750 to 1,000 homes.

Election results certified: CARSON CITY -- The Nevada Supreme Court today certified the results from the Nov. 5 election showing 509,702 people or 58.5 percent of the eligible voters cast ballots.

Candidates fail to file campaign reports: CARSON CITY -- Secretary of State Dean Heller said today 20 political candidates, including Assembly Speaker Pro Tem Wendell Williams, did not file their campaign expense reportsdue on Oct. 29.

Imperial Palace owner Engelstad dies: By Liz Benston; Imperial Palace casino owner and Las Vegas Motor Speedway co-developer Ralph Engelstad, 72, died of cancer Tuesday night at his Las Vegas home.

Discrimination lawsuit filed: Denise Bartholomew, Marie Cox, Vickie Carden-Garriga, Darnell Lander and Lena Waddell each want Grand Casino in Gulfport to pay them $2 million in compensatory damages, or actual damages, and $5 million in punitive damages, according to the lawsuit filed last month in federal court.

Housekeeper pistol-whipped in home invasion: Lt. Ted Snodgrass said a man climbed over the security gate and entered the house through an unlocked back door.

Court clears way for Arizona gaming deals: Beth DeFalco; PHOENIX -- The Arizona Supreme Court on Tuesday denied an injunction request by dog and horse track owners, opening the way for Gov. Jane Hull to immediately sign casino agreements with American Indian tribes.

Diners injured as restaurant hit by car: Jen Lawson; Eleven people were injured Tuesday when a car crashed through the side of the crowded Skillet Cafe on accident-plagued Charleston Boulevard.

Holiday closings: SAFETY: Police and fire emergency services as usual. Administrative offices closed both days.

Former Yucca worker wants congressional probe: Benjamin Grove; WASHINGTON -- A former Yucca Mountain worker said he is encouraged by Nevada senators' call for a General Accounting Office investigation of his firing.

UNLV's key to success lies with ball control: Steve Guiremand; NEXT UP

Man lifts cash flying from armored car: The armored car was heading west when, due to a mechanical malfunction, the rear doors opened and several large plastic bags containing "a substantial amount" of paper currency wrapped in clear plastic bundles tumbled out onto the road.

Columnist Ron Kantowski: NCAA teams should hire a detective: Until the day NCAA institutions start paying athletes a stipend commensurate with the revenues they produce, illegal contact (read: $100 handshakes and other payments made under the table) will always be a bigger problem than uprooted goal posts with jagged edges.

Columnist Jeff German: Shedding light on Experience: This holiday season your city fathers are looking to feed the Fremont Street Experience's insatiable appetite to gobble up public funds to further its private business interests.

Local sports calendar: Men's basketball: UAB at UNLV, 7:30 p.m., Thomas & Mack Center. FRIDAY

Two regents may face censure by board: Jennifer Knight; Two members of the Board of Regents will go before their colleagues in December to find out if they will be publicly censured for abuse of power, officials said.

LVMS expands seating for Winston Cup race: The additional seating, located outside Turn 3, will be sold as part of a three-race package called the "Las Vegas Triple Play." Race fans purchasing the $88 tickets for the UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400 Winston Cup race March 2 also will receive a general-admission ticket for the Sam's Town 300 Busch Series event March 1 and a general admission ticket to the Sept. 27 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race.

Telecom giant settling with SEC: The settlement says that the SEC may request that the judge approve a fine in the future, whether or not the company violates the terms of the agreement. The commission described the settlement as "partial" because of that possibility.

Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: Busy-bee driver Leffler racing at LVMS: Jason Leffler may not reside in Southern Nevada, but the 27-year-old racer knows his way around the Las Vegas Motor Speedway complex.

Roofer targeted by union, religious activists: Jennifer Shubinski; The Nevada Interfaith Council for Worker Justice along with union roofers said they protested in front of Beazer Homes construction sites Tuesday over what they say are poor working conditions for roofers employed by Metric Roofing of Nevada Inc.

Rebels' Moore finishes 17th at Texas event: The Rebels' ace followed rounds of 80 and 68 on Monday with a 75 for a 10-over par 223 at the par-71 El Paso (Texas) Country Club.

Nevada taxable sales up: CARSON CITY -- Nevada's taxable sales, one indicator of the economy, grew to $2.7 billion in September, a 7.5 percent increase over a year ago and the biggest percentage gain since February 2000.

Air Force invitation put on hold: Steve Guiremand; Air Force's expected bid to the Las Vegas Bowl was put in a holding pattern on Tuesday afternoon after a one-hour conference call by the bowl's selection committee failed to yield an invitation to the Falcons.

From left, Virgin Valley senior Megan Carter, Palo Verde junior Chris Savanapridi, Green Valley juni

Students discuss image of America around the world: By Ed Koch; While discussing the United States’ vast influence, young Southern Nevadans had to confront whether America’s ideals are best for the world and if Americans are too arrogant for other nations to trust our sincerity and goodwill. “Some of the students here are really open-minded, but others believe America is the best country — and maybe it is — and that its values are the best for all people,” said Jalmar Pfeifer, a foreign exchange student from the Netherlands who attends Chaparral High.

Columnist Muriel Stevens: A dish of pre-holiday leftovers: Tony, Tina and turkey -- the off-Broadway marriage farce playing at The Rio, "Tony and Tina's Wedding," has already proved it's no turkey (it's one of the longest-running comedies in off-Broadway history), but turkey will be on the special Thanksgiving menu through Friday.

Musical 'Cinderella' a nice fit at UNLV: Marilyn LaRocque; An outstanding cast of actors/singers/dancers creates a refreshing, sparkling production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's "Cinderella" at Judy Bayley Theatre at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

Students discuss image of America around the world: Ed Koch and Erica Johnson; While discussing the United States' vast influence, young Southern Nevadans had to confront whether America's ideals are best for the world and if Americans are too arrogant for other nations to trust our sincerity and goodwill.

Students speak out: Alcohol

Thursday's horse racing entries: Post Time 11 a.m. 1st race 6-1/2 fur 3YO Fil Clm: 1 Genie Magic (Pedroza) 118; 2 Grade Nine (Valenzuela) 118; 3 Thermal Ablasion (Garcia) 120; 4 Danceoftheflags (Enriquez) 118; 5 Soup n' Crackers (Baze) 118.

Obituaries for Nov. 27, 2002: Ronald Lawrence Alvarado, 59, of Las Vegas died Monday in Las Vegas. He was born May 8, 1943, in Brighton, Colo. A resident for 35 years, he was a gaming technician.

Sex education, child care prompt contentious debate: Erica D. Johnson; On-campus child care centers for teen mothers and sex education classes in Clark County schools only encourage teens to have sex, said some local students who attended the Sun Youth Forum Tuesday.

Columnist Elizabeth Foyt: 'Tis the season for Terry Fox cancer benefit: Elizabeth Foyt; Much beloved for its unmatched travel packages offered by many of the Four Seasons around the globe, sold to serious bidders by both silent and live auction, this event is considered a true must-do by those in the know.

Editorial: A harvest of food and spirit: Winter on the Atlantic was hard enough, as can be imagined from the fact that they had set sail for Virginia and were blown north to Massachusetts. Winter in New England was to be much harder, with human nature as difficult as Mother Nature. Long before arriving at Provincetown Harbor, the freedom seekers had split into factions and even while anchored they argued strenuously about how to live once upon land. This led to the Mayflower Compact, signed in the ship's cabin by most of the male adults aboard. It bound all of them together under a set of written ...

Boulder City Council briefs for Nov. 27, 2002: The Boulder City Council on Tuesday approved $136,000 to develop a section of trail along a planned loop that would connect Boulder City, the Las Vegas Valley and Lake Mead National Recreation Area.

Columnist Peter Benton: Byorick-Knott pairing wins 'Fun Day' event: Peter Benton; The Southern Nevada Women's Golf Association's "Golf for Fun Days" Tournament, played at the Paiute Golf Resort, saw the pairing of Rita Byorick and Brenda Knott from Badlands Golf Club win low gross in the first flight with a 36-hole score of 153. Helina Vergiels and Linda Wade, representing the Las Vegas Country Club, won low net with 132.

Deal to be made for cheap power from Eldorado plant: Jeffrey Libby; A deal that would provide a backup supply of inexpensive power to Boulder City, insulating ratepayers from high market prices during the hot summer months of peak usage, appears within weeks of signing.

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

Savvy wine buys: Chateau Routas Rouviere '01: This supple, dry wine from Provence in southern France is a blend of three grapes: 40 percent Grenache, 30 percent Syrah and 30 percent Cinsault. It has a hint of mint, and it goes well with grilled fish, salads and lighter fare.

Charities open giving season: Judy Odierna; This is shaping up as a happy holiday for some local charities, but others are finding themselves worrying, once again, that they won't have enough toys and food for their needy clients.

School access limited as road closed: Adrienne Packer; The stretch of Robindale Road that guides Rhodes Ranch students to the new Sierra Vista High School is paved and ready for use.

Kids, parents raise money for teacher: The teacher is in the intensive care unit at Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center and has been hospitalized since Oct. 26, center spokesman Bronson Mack said.

Community briefs for Nov. 27, 2002: Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area offers hikes, walks and programs free of charge. To make required reservations or for more information on the following or upcoming programs, call 363-1922: