Print edition for August 15, 2003

Columnist Jon Ralston: Deft Broadbent was relentless: Somehow I secured Broadbent's number in Washington, where he was working in the Interior Department. When he picked up the phone, I asked him if the rumor was true, that he was coming back to head up McCarran. There was a pause -- and today I can imagine that wry Broadbent grin on the other end -- and his words come back to me as clearly as when he uttered them in 1986:

Schools trying some new techniques: By Emily Richmond; WEEKEND EDITION: August 17, 2003

Columnist Jerry Fink: 'Bi-musical' Conti finds a home in Las Vegas: The 57-year-old native of south Philadelphia probably could be a monster success on the national and international concert circuits, but he is content with his new gig performing for diners at one of the area's newest restaurants.

Where I Stand -- Guy Hobbs: An opportunity lost: ABOUT A YEAR AGO I wrote a column for the Sun that focused on the work of the Governor's Task Force on Tax Policy. As you may recall, this was the body charged by the 2001 Legislature with making recommendations regarding Nevada's fiscal plight. At that time, the task force was still three months away from concluding its work and the Legislature was six months away from tackling the issue of tax policy for our state. We had no idea what would happen at the 2003 legislative session. Now we know.

Nichols tells regents to use cash wisely: CARSON CITY -- The University and Community College System of Nevada was the only higher education institution in the nation that received a double-digit percentage increase in its budget, and it will have to show the 2005 Legislature it used the money wisely, Chancellor Jane Nichols said Thursday.

Pat Answers: Spencer Patterson; WEEKEND EDITION: August 17, 2003

QB Nantkes returns to practice field: Steve Guiremand; After missing three days of practice with a strained back, starting quarterback Kurt Nantkes finally made it back out onto the field briefly during Thursday night's practice at Rebel Park.

Perfect Lee: Greco, Anders bring 'Fever!' to Suncoast: Lee died in January 2002 after suffering a heart attack in her home in Bel Air, Calif. Coincidentally, at the time of her death, Greco and Anders were creating "Fever!"

Letter: Judge should have allowed victims to speak: We supported a state law, which was passed in the early 1990s, guaranteeing crime victims and their close relatives the right to give a statement at the time of sentencing. This law was followed by a constitutional amendment, to assure that the law would not be violated and that victims would be heard.

Columnist Dean Juipe: Elusive goal is within Pujols' grasp: Dean Juipe; When Funny Cide won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness this past spring, the sports world was aglow with the prospect of a Triple Crown champion. Simply put, it's something everyone wants to see.

Letter: Natives like state just the way it is: Imagine my shock when I opened the Sun a few days ago and read a letter from an admittedly "new person to the area" stating that he is a schoolteacher, a good and honorable, but poor, man who served his country willingly, and that we, the "old money" should leave here and go someplace else and become the "local aggravation and new money" someplace else.

100 appointed to state boards: 100 appointed to state boards

Prospect Hanrahan getting AAA chance: 51s snapshot

Editorial: A chance for timely counseling: More improvement can be expected in the coming years, owing to a new strategy by the Clark County School District Police. Beginning Aug. 25 the school police will have a greater presence at middle schools, thanks to a federal grant enabling the hiring of 31 additional officers. They will target truancy, bullying, fights and drugs. The district faces a statistical danger -- there will be a significant increase of incident reports coming from the middle schools. But we would rather have an additional few hundred reports of less serious incidents than one report of a high school student being seriously ...

News briefs for August 15, 2003: Two men were shot and injured this morning in what police allege was a gang-related incident, Las Vegas Metro Police spokesman Benjamin Kim said.

Greek Isles toasts legacy of the Rat Pack: Kirk Baird; Or maybe it's just a love affair with the fond memories of that time.

VegasBeat -- Timothy McDarrah: Hunt unearths Hunt transaction: VegasBeat reported on the split between Hunt and her husband of more than 30 years, Charles "Blackie" Hunt, last month.

Columnist Muriel Stevens: Premiere at Nora's on Flamingo a crowd-pleaser: Nora's, at 6020 W. Flamingo Road, is an 85-seat eatery owned by the Mauro family. Matriarch Nora still keeps her hand in the operation and was present at the wine dinner; sons Giovanni and Marcello are the operating "hosts"; Marcello is the chef.

Where I Stand -- Donna Coleman: Caring is duty of all: "BATTLE BORN" is our state's motto, and after the most combative legislative session in our history one thing is very clear: Nevada citizens must start thinking more creatively about solutions to our state's problem areas.

Letter: Bush appointed, not 'elected': If victorious in 2004, Bush would become a second-term president but most certainly not a "re-elected" one, inasmuch as he was not legitimately elected in 2000. George W. Bush became the favored recipient of an "appointment" to the presidency.

Columnist Lisa Ferguson: Twins ready to double your comedy fun: Lisa Ferguson; Stumped? That doesn't surprise Sheri and Stasea Rosenblum, whose fledgling comedy act fits the bill. The duo -- who finish their weeklong Las Vegas debut Sunday at Riviera Comedy Club -- know their shtick is breaking some ground.

Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: Indy only F1 show in North America: The United States Grand Prix in Indianapolis will be the only Formula One race in North America next season, F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone confirmed Thursday.

Hastert touts Porter in very private fund-raiser: Erin Neff; House Speaker Dennis Hastert brought in some hearty praise, some union adoration and an estimated $25,000 for Rep. Jon Porter on Thursday.

Regents split on use of private funds: RENO -- The state Board of Regents would still retain the authority to decide on pay raises for college presidents if private money were donated for this purpose, a system attorney says.

State has work to do: By Steve Kanigher; The most rapid job growth by percentage in Nevada this decade is expected to occur in fields related to computer technology. The top 15 occupations projected to grow through 2010 are listed below. Unlike the state's most common occupations, most of the jobs on this list exceed the state's average salary of $31,552 in 2002.

Letter: Water not Vegas' main attraction: I fail to understand why the citizenry move to the desert and then try to make it the Midwest.

Blues legend James bands with sons: Spencer Patterson; "The people who toured with me used to lock me in the room at night to keep the bad boys away, but it didn't do any good," James said.

Datebook for August 15, 2003: New York Times best-selling author J.A. Jance will read from her latest novel, "Exit Wounds," at 7 p.m. Thursday at Clark County Library, 1401 E. Flamingo Road. Admission is free. 734-7323.

Going up against the best: By Ron Kantowski; Tasha at a glance

Blackout strands gamblers in AC: John Curran; ATLANTIC CITY -- The slot machines beeped and clanged. The blackjack dealers dealt their cards. The air conditioning was on.

Ralph Siraco's selections for Saturday's races at Del Mar: 1st Race -- RIGHT PROOF -- Espinoza on Drysdale trainee, fits this turf marathon well, faces quick first turn from outside post. SONIA -- German-bred draws rail post, Solis scales Dupuis trainee, should be factor throughout in this allowance/claiming opener. Value Play -- JAZZ FEST WEEKEND

Columnist Geoff Carter -- Scene Selection: 'La Mancha' debacle shows Terry Gilliam's resiliency: And not coincidentally, both men profess an ignorance of how much things will really cost. That's not to say they're spendthrifts -- to his dying day, Walt Disney was all business -- but they'd simply rather not look at the bill.

Columnist Susan Snyder: Master plans not always the final word: Residents of northwest Las Vegas have said they had no idea zoning for the land abutting Gilcrease Orchards was changed to accommodate a school they don't want nearby.

Performing arts for August 15, 2003: Free concert

Columnist Barb Henderson: Bird hunting season just around the corner: Barb Henderson; Bird hunters are gearing up and getting ready to flock to the fields when the upland game bird hunting seasons open in Nevada.

Blackout had no effect locally: The blackout that knocked out power to roughly 50 million people in the Northeast and parts of Canada on Thursday did not affect Southern Nevada.

Cashman Field grass hit hard by summer drought: Nick Christensen; Playing baseball in the desert, the Las Vegas 51s don't expect a lush, green turf to grow at Cashman Field.

Columnist Spencer Patterson: Jones rides Grammy wave to Joint: Spencer Patterson; The 24-year-old vocalist/pianist has reportedly been working out a batch of new material at her recent concerts, and is likely to do so again Monday at The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel.

Columnist Susan Snyder: Program broadcasts good news: Hopefully, all Las Vegas Valley residents with access to network television will have the chance to see this project too.

Burnett is working his way into the UNLV backfield mix: Steve Guiremand; It all seemed so easy for Deon Burnett.

Fishing Report: Action heats up for catching stripers: Anglers have been reporting to the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) that they are having good luck for striped bass that are boiling on the surface of Lake Mead in the Boulder Basin.

Editorial: Libraries need more support from public: It's unfortunate that voters turned down this chance to receive so much for so little. Public libraries are fundamental to the quality of life within communities. Over the past dozen years libraries within the district have seen visits rise from 500,000 a year to 5.3 million a year.

Outage hampers business: Rachel Beck; NEW YORK -- The biggest blackout in U.S. history couldn't silence the opening bell on Wall Street today, but business owners from Manhattan through the Midwest still worried about technical glitches and more outages today.

Teen enhancement seminar planned: The interactive seminar is designed to promote self-confidence in teens by teaching them how to cope with self-doubt and negative self-image. Call 492-4621.

For La's, 1990 album was over and out: Spencer Patterson; Over the years plenty of musical acts have earned the title "one-hit wonders," but you won't find too many one-album phenoms in the annals of rock history.

Letter: Gays entitled to same rights under the law: Same-sex marriage is a cutting-edge issue for the expansion of the American ideal of a free, pluralistic society. Advances along these lines -- abolition of slavery, women's suffrage, workers' rights, etc. -- were thought to be wrong and "unnatural" before they were won for the betterment of our nation. A significant homosexual minority has always been a part of human society. Taken as a whole, homosexuality is obviously a natural part of the human order, or else it wouldn't exist. Homosexuals are entitled to the same respect under the law as any other natural group or way of life.

Editorial: Why skip such vital training?: Two thousand emergency responders are in Southern Nevada today from around the nation, ready to participate in "Determined Promise '03," a homeland security training exercise that begins Monday. For 11 days the exercise will give participants the chance to coordinate with the U.S. Northern Command, a new division of the Defense Department formed to lead homeland defense efforts.

Saturday's horse racing entries: Post Time 2 p.m.

CCSD close to getting trainers back: Adam Candee; Clark County School District and HealthSouth Rehabilitation Center made significant progress Thursday in negotiations to provide athletic trainers for a number of local high schools as soon as next week.

Ethics panel cautions Boggs McDonald on disclosures: The state Ethics Commission has cautioned Las Vegas City Councilwoman Lynette Boggs McDonald to sufficiently disclose reasons for abstaining and voting on matters that relate to her service on the board of Station Casinos.

Blood drives scheduled: Tuesday: 2 p.m. to 7 p.m., RC Willey, 3850 S. Town Center Drive.

Columnist Erin Neff: Commission fails at policing politicians: Erin Neff; That's essentially the same message the Nevada Ethics Commission gave to Las Vegas Councilwoman Lynette Boggs McDonald on Thursday when she asked if it was OK to serve on the board of a casino company with multiple businesses in the city she helps to govern.

Editorial: Electricity grid's crash is intolerable: President Bush says the nation's electricity grid needs to be modernized. "We've got an antiquated system," Bush said Friday after a power outage that left 50 million people without electricity in the Northeast, parts of the Midwest and southern Canada. New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, energy secretary during the Clinton administration, wasn't as diplomatic: "We're a superpower with a Third World power grid."

On Display for August 15, 2003: Artist Jonathan Puls exhibits his realistic paintings in a show entitled, "People, Places and Things," from today until Sept. 21 at the Reed Whipple Cultural Center, 821 Las Vegas Blvd. North. Admission is free. 229-4674.

Leader: Dedicated Scout deserves camp: A seventh grader raised his grades at his middle school last year from an average 1.9 to a 2.6 grade point average. In the same amount of time he has risen in Boy Scouts from a Tenderfoot to a Second Class and a patrol leader.

Group aims to preserve the art of storytelling: Malia Spencer; WEEKEND EDITION: August 16, 2003

Good Knights program teaches childen how to identify strangers: Will Oremus; WEEKEND EDITION: August 16, 2003

Democrats favored by casino interests in California recall: By Liz Benston; As the spectacle of California's gubernatorial recall effort unfolds, one of that state's most powerful special interest groups -- along with the Las Vegas gaming industry -- is following the action to see who will emerge as governor of the fastest-growing gambling state in the nation.

Fee plan for nonprofits' use of schools delayed: By Emily Richmond; The Clark County School Board delayed plans Thursday to start charging nonprofit groups to use school facilities after hearing from dismayed Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts troop leaders who said the policy change would force them to limit their activities.

Charges considered for car rolling out of yard: Jen Lawson; The Clark County district attorney's office is considering whether to file child endangerment charges against a Boulder City father whose vehicle rolled down his driveway and hit a block wall after he left three children in the car.

State says feds underestimate effect of nuke attack: The Nevada Agency for Nuclear Projects, which opposes a Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository, has reviewed a federal study released Thursday and concluded it underestimated the consequences of a terrorist attack on nuclear shipments.

RTC approves $8 billion in transit projects: The RTC board approved the plans without discussion Thursday.

Obituaries for August 15, 2003: Adam P. Bowerman, 41, of Las Vegas died Wednesday in a local hospice. He was born Feb. 16, 1962, in Las Vegas. A lifelong resident, he was a tile setter in the construction industry.

Public Citizen Yucca expert is leaving post: Michele Boyd, formerly of the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research, will take over the lobbying aspects of Gue's former position. Brendan Hoffman, who comes from within the organization, will handle grassroots efforts related to nuclear issues.

New tax prompts need for clearer statement: Erin Neff; Two Republican lawmakers told the Nevada Tax Commission that it was simply the last-minute rush that created any question about whether casinos and other businesses are required to pay the 2 percent financial institutions tax.

Nevada's case vs. Yucca delayed: Suzanne Struglinski; WASHINGTON -- A federal court has postponed the date of oral arguments for Nevada's consolidated court case against the Energy Department's Yucca Mountain project, and the delay could bode well for arguments against the site.

Columnist Jeff German: Kenny may help FBI net large fish: There had been speculation for weeks that the former two-term county commissioner was singing to the FBI, but the news didn't hit home until people said Kenny herself was spreading it.

Seventeen Vegas flights canceled due to blackout: Jennifer Shubinski; Seventeen flights were canceled and several others were delayed going into or leaving McCarran International Airport on Thursday and this morning because of the blackout in the Northeast.

LV school files for bankruptcy: Serge Dahan, president of Dahan Institute Inc., filed a voluntary Chapter 7 petition for the company, indicating an intention for the company to liquidate assets.

High prices, other factors behind casino stock sales: By Liz Benston; Executives at major casino companies have unloaded tens of millions of their companies' shares over the past couple of months as stocks have soared on news of new company dividends and strong earnings reports.

McCarran expects few flights to be affected today: Jennifer Shubinski; Only a handful of flights were canceled or delayed going into or leaving McCarran International Airport on Thursday and this morning because of the blackout in the Northeast.

Pinnacle set to build La. casino: Pinnacle Entertainment Inc. of Las Vegas plans to begin building a $325 million casino resort in Louisiana within 10 days, the company's chief executive says.

2003-04 UNLV men's schedule: Sat., Nov. 1 8 p.m. SCARLET VS. GRAY --

Regents postpone fees decision: RENO -- After extended debate today, the Nevada university system Board of Regents postponed a decision on whether to raise student fees at UNLV to expand the Moyer Student Union Building and to build a recreation center for students.

Woman's dog euthanized due to shelter foul-ups: Malia Spencer; A breakdown in the system that tracks animals at Dewey Animal Care Center killed Melody Polson's dog.

Regents debate raising fees: CARSON CITY -- The Board of Regents was expected to decide today whether to raise student fees at UNLV to expand the Moyer Student Union and to build a recreation center for students.

Alleged gang members indicted: Jace Radke and Will Oremus; Gang activity Twenty-one alleged gang members have been named in a federal indictment. Nine of the men were already incarcerated on other charges, five were arrested on Wednesday and Thursday, and arrest warrants have been issued for seven others.

Navigating system can be rough sailing for homeless: By Timothy Pratt; Until Wednesday, Gary Norris had one pair of pants -- shorts, to be exact.

Lender continues buying stock: The company has spent about $6.1 million of the $12 million previously authorized by the board of directors to buy back stock.

Nevada casinos expected to see increased demand: By Liz Benston; For the past two years, the casino industry has been buffeted by the effects of an economic recession, terrorist attacks, a war in Iraq and the outbreak of the SARS virus.

LV won't be part of terrorism training exercise: The city of Las Vegas will not participate in a local large-scale terrorism training exercise next week because it was scheduled too close to a similar week-long exercise that concludes today at a federal facility in Maryland.

Kincaid-Chauncey calls claim of payment 'fictitious': Erin Neff; Clark County Commissioner Mary Kincaid-Chauncey on Thursday denied taking cash payments for a trust fund and lambasted media reports that suggested she had.

Teacher dress code rejected: Board President Sheila Moulton and member Mary Beth Scow supported the proposal, with members Denise Brodsky, Shirley Barber and Larry Mason opposing. Board member Susan Brager-Wellman abstained and member Ruth Johnson was absent.

Recorder thwarted free access to public documents: By Launce Rake; Clark County Recorder Fran Deane said Thursday that she purposely impeded the installation of a $4.9 million computer system that is supposed to provide free Internet access to public records such as deeds, maps, mining claims and marriage certificates.

Gaming briefs for August 15, 2003: PDS Gaming Corp. reported a profit for the second quarter compared to a loss last year due to increased financing activity.

VegasBeat -- Timothy McDarrah: Oh, the 'Zumanity': New show is kinky: Timothy McDarrah; The instant verdict?

2003-04 Lady Rebels schedule: Tues., Nov. 11 7:30 p.m. NWBL%

Timet, Altair in deal to research titanium extraction process: A Northern Nevada company has signed an agreement with Denver-based Titanium Metals Corp. (Timet) to supply researchers at Timet's Henderson plant with materials that may help industrialize an experimental metal extraction process.

Rebels beef up schedule: Steve Guiremand; Charlie Spoonhour was getting ready to leave on a short vacation to Cancun when UNLV released the Rebels' 2003-04 schedule on Thursday afternoon.

Senators greet gaggle of new teachers for Clark County: By Emily Richmond; Nearly 700 teachers from 29 states filled the Cox Pavilion Thursday for lunch with Nevada's two senators -- a scene that will be repeated today for the other half of the school district's new hires.