Print edition for August 11, 2003

Longtime public servant Broadbent dies: The occupation listed on Bob Broadbent's death notice from Palm Mortuary reads simply "public servant."

Higher rates prompt flurry of home sales: Jennifer Shubinski; Real estate agent Rick Brenkus has been running from appointment to appointment as people are scrambling to find a house to buy.

Three killed in weekend accidents in northern Nevada: AP; Jeffrey Reno, 30, was ejected and was pronounced dead at the scene on the interstate between McCarran Boulevard and Keystone Avenue, the Nevada Highway Patrol said.

VegasBeat -- Timothy McDarrah: Marines help 'Men' find target audience: There are several other global hot spots that the government and military continue to monitor, from North Korea to Liberia.

Lehman returns to cheers at Drug Court: Erica D. Johnson; There is usually little to cheer about in Drug Court.

Recess doesn't mean time off for Nevada's House members: Erin Neff; It's summer. A time when a congressman's fancy turns to, well, his next campaign.

Business briefs for August 11, 2003: WASHINGTON -- A key short-term interest rate is at a 45-year low, and Federal Reserve policy-makers are expected to keep it there when they meet Tuesday.

MGM MIRAGE suspends plan for N.Y. slots: By Liz Benston; MGM MIRAGE has suspended construction of a slot machine casino at a New York racetrack pending an investigation by the U.S. Attorney's Office into alleged tax fraud schemes by racetrack clerks.

Woman with body in yard faces murder trial: Erica D. Johnson; A woman who police say buried a body in her back yard will face murder charges, a judge decided this morning.

Mayor calls lien on land downtown 'a blip': A lien has been filed in District Court against the 61 acres of vacant former railroad property in Las Vegas that is to be transformed into a modern downtown development.

Kidnapping linked to string of robberies; ex-cabbie sought: Jen Lawson; A former cabdriver wanted in connection with a string of armed robberies over the past three days allegedly kidnapped a man Sunday afternoon, police said.

Amarillo Slim indicted in molestation case: Thomas Austin "Amarillo Slim" Preston, one the world's most recognizable gamblers, was indicted Friday in Texas on charges of molesting a child.

Sale of public land may aid Lake Tahoe: Cy Ryan and Erin Neff; CARSON CITY -- Money from the sale of public lands in Clark County would be used to preserve Lake Tahoe on the Nevada-California border under a plan unveiled today by Nevada's congressional delegation.

Valley Fever: Hidden threat in wind: A fungus that blows along with dust particles in Southern Nevada's dry winds has produced 21 cases of the respiratory illness known as Valley Fever so far this year.

Work continues on new gym: Work continues on new gym

Birth announcements for August 11, 2003: July 26:

LV gets national planning awards: The city's Planning and Development Department won in the category of Outstanding Plan for the Downtown North Plan and also won the Outstanding Planning Programs, Techniques and Tools award for The Planning Universe, an overview of the planning process developed for newly appointed elected officials.

Cheat still tinkering with slot machines: Adam Goldman; TULSA, Okla. -- In the back of a strip mall workshop a slot machine sits on two green milk crates like a patient on an operating table, its electronic innards exposed.

Planner awaits Moncrief move on appointment: Las Vegas Councilwoman Janet Moncrief is tight-lipped about whether she will keep a city planning commissioner appointed by her predecessor or make her own appointment on Aug. 20.

School shots help improve immunization rate: The Clark County Health District will offer immunizations as part of its back-to-school program to immunize students at these locations:

Obituaries for August 11, 2003: Joyce Elaine Barton, 72, of Henderson died Friday in Henderson. She was born June 22, 1931, in St. Joseph, Mo. A resident for 12 years, she was a homemaker.

Gaming briefs for August 11, 2003: MINDEN -- The Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California has announced plans to build Northern Nevada's first tribal casino on a 25-acre site it owns along U.S. 395 just south of Carson City.

Big Harley weekend set: Saturday's festivities include live music, a biker baby contest, hot dog eating contest and a $5,000 Poker Run.

Columnist Lisa Ferguson: Sun Lite for August 11, 2003: Lisa Ferguson; If you've never followed advice dispensed by your mother, do yourself a favor this once and, on Wednesday, take her "always wear clean underwear" mantra to heart.

Editorial: Abstaining requires a 'full' disclosure: But he made an exception last week when he abstained on a billboard zoning item that was being represented by attorney Eric Goodman, son of Mayor Oscar Goodman. Mack said he was abstaining because of a "personal venture" in which Eric Goodman is representing him. He did not elaborate, even when pressed by Sun reporter Ed Koch.

Letter: Democrats' best chance may be South's Edwards: With that criteria, we can rule out most of the candidates who, while they may be competent, would simply not be well-received down South. So the Yankee trio of Dean, Lieberman and Kerry, as well as the Rev. Sharpton and former Sen. Carol Moseley Braun, could not win in the South.

Health fair set for children: The fair will feature free Type II diabetes screenings, information on proper dental care for children, safety demonstrations, as well as other free or low-cost screenings.

Contamination found on shipment of spent nuclear fuel: Suzanne Struglinski; WASHINGTON -- A recent Nuclear Regulatory Commission inspection detected nearly twice the amount of allowable radiation limits on a spent nuclear fuel rail shipment cask in North Carolina.

Full Cycle: American icon Harley-Davidson rumbles to 100th birthday: Kirk Baird; While at a Harley-Davidson rally in Palm Springs, Daskas parked his bike and ran upstairs to his hotel room, only to return to an empty parking space 30 minutes later.

Community briefs for August 11, 2003: Clark County Fire Chief Earl Greene has received the honor of Chief Fire Officer by the Commission on Fire Accreditation International, a nonprofit corporation.

Letter: Arming teachers not the answer: I taught high school for 35 years and the worst thing I had to do was break up a fight in the hallway. Yes, there are places where metal detectors are now needed, but, in general, schools are safe places to learn and kids are as good today as they were in the "good old days." Mr. Pinson says "several killers have been stopped by armed teachers and others who were armed." If the "others" were police, that is appropriate. But Mike O'Callaghan, writing in his Aug. 2 "Where I Stand" column, got it right -- teachers should not take ...

Editorial: Don't take risks with nuke waste: A spokesman for the nuclear power industry dismisses the need for Berkley's legislation. As the Sun reported Friday, the Nuclear Energy Institute's Mitch Singer noted that Yucca Mountain is next to Nellis Air Force Base and the entrance to the dumpsite is beyond the Nevada Test Site's secured gates. "It's not exactly the kind of target that offers any type of success," Singer said. But it's precisely this kind of head-in-the-sand logic that could result in another devastating terrorist attack along the lines that happened 9-11. For that matter, the nuclear power industry is hardly the place the government should ...

Columnist Susan Snyder: Celebration passes the smell test: It sits at the base of the Shoshone Mountains along Interstate 80 between Winnemucca and Elko -- one of those little towns people pass through on the way to someplace else.

Eagles take fans on a long run at MGM: Spencer Patterson; The Eagles sing about taking it to the limit, but on Saturday night they pushed their show a bit beyond theirs.

Columnist Dean Juipe: Bettor's tale leaves some suspicious: Dean Juipe; He comes across as flashy and flamboyant.

Tracy, Gaughan regain points leads: Las Vegas drivers Paul Tracy and Brendan Gaughan regained the points lead in their respective series over the weekend and Tracy did so in dominating fashion.

News briefs for August 11, 2003: Police say children playing with matches caused a two-alarm fire Friday that started in one house and extended to the house next door.

Green Valley ousted by Southern Calif.: Nevada's Little League state champions fell to Southern California, 14-2 in four innings, in the semifinals of the West Region tournament in San Bernardino, Calif. The loss ended Green Valley's run toward the Little League World Series.

High school coaches take precautions: Adam Candee; At the high school level, precautions are also taken in order to ensure the safety of football athletes in the oppressive August heat.

Cabbie sought in string of robberies: Jen Lawson; Authorities this morning were searching for a former cabdriver in connection with a string of armed robberies over the past three days, including a kidnapping Sunday afternoon.

Duty in the desert: Steve Guiremand; Brian Nicholson spent the past few weeks of his summer vacation in his hometown of Oceanside, Calif., which, as the name suggests, enjoys the cool breezes of the Pacific Ocean.

Columnist Ralph Siraco: Azeri continues to amaze racing world: Ralph Siraco; On Sunday, "Where The Turf Meets The Surf" at old Del Mar transformed to "Where The Champions Meet to Celebrate" at Southern California's racing spa.