Print edition for August 26, 2003

Economy seen as improving: WASHINGTON -- U.S. durable goods orders rose for a second month, new home sales were the second-highest on record in July and consumers gained confidence in August that the economic recovery is accelerating, reports said today.

Resort lost $2.4 million in July: A financial report filed in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Las Vegas said the Aladdin had $21.9 million in revenue for the month and $23.1 million in expenses. The resort, which is in the process of being sold to a group fronted by the founder of the Planet Hollywood restaurant chain, also reported $1.2 million in bankruptcy expenses.

Editorial: Paperwork a culprit in health-care costs: The doctor, David Himmelstein, advocates a national health-care system patterned after the one in Canada, where administrative costs amount to only 17 percent. While we're wary of a national health-care system, Himmelstein's findings, reported by the New England Journal of Medicine, do cry out for a response. Instead of every health maintenance organization, insurance company, employee health benefit program and workers compensation agency having its own widely varying forms, paperwork should be more standardized, Himmelstein concluded.

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

Mah jongg fans ready to hit the tiles: Ken Miller; What: Marjorie Troum Mah Jongg Tournament West.

Where I Stand -- Dr. Ed Kingsley: Cancer care under fire: DON'T LET these lazy dog days of summer lull anyone into a false sense that nothing significant has been happening in Washington, D.C., during the so-called August recess of Congress. As we Southern Nevadans have tried to cool off in our pools or temporarily leave this desert for cooler climes, some members of Congress and their staff have been hammering out details of the single most massive revision of Medicare since the program's inception almost four decades ago.

Firefighters, paramedics getting an update on treating trauma injuries: About 40 local firefighters and paramedics return to the classroom today for training on how to treat traumatic head and neck injuries suffered by people in vehicle crashes.

Binoculars can bring details of Mars surface to LV yards: The last time Mars was this close to Earth, mammoths roamed Southern Nevada. This time around, the red planet will have a more larger and more attentive audience of humans.

Staying Power: By Jerry Fink; "Chippendales."

Columnist Dean Juipe: Fans accept Robinson's vague spiel: Dean Juipe; Like the U.S. military and the question of sexual preference, it was "Don't ask, don't tell."

Columnist Susan Snyder: Giving it the old college try: The Princeton Review has named the University of Colorado the nation's top party school, which means my mother is hiding from her children.

Behind-the-scenes Furio wins Wiesner recognition: Steve Guiremand; Dominic Furio does a lot of the dirty work for the UNLV Rebels.

SUNRISE CONFERENCE CAPSULES: 2002 Record: 8-3 (Lost to Las Vegas in Sunrise semifinals)

Ralph Siraco's selections for Wednesday's races at Del Mar: Wednesday's card

Community news briefs for August 26, 2003: The American Red Cross of Southern Nevada is looking for donations to meet the needs of those affected by last week's flood.

Editorials: Gibbons made the right call: Gibbons, a decorated combat veteran of the U.S. Air Force and Nevada Air Guard, served three terms in the Nevada Assembly, ran for governor in 1994 and was elected to the House in 1996. He has an undergraduate degree in mining and a master's in geology/mining -- a solid background for a state with a rich mining heritage. And he has a law degree, giving him an added credential for political leadership.

FEMA forces put to the test: Jace Radke; Two moving truck-size vehicles loaded with electronic communications and monitoring equipment have become temporary additions to the County Government Center this week as federal agencies combat an imaginary terrorist attack on Las Vegas.

Workers blame recorder for 'hostile' atmosphere: Clark County employees are charging that Recorder Fran Deane has created a hostile work environment and that potentially critical documents are not being recorded.

Bramlet, Cowboys thinking bowl game: Steve Guiremand; Editor's note: Last in a series previewing MWC football.

Attorneys refining anti-Yucca case: Suzanne Struglinski; WASHINGTON -- Nevada officials and legal experts will meet during a three-day retreat, starting today in the Washington suburbs, to fine-tune arguments for the upcoming Yucca Mountain federal court case. Nevada Attorney General Brian Sandoval, Nuclear Waste Project Office Executive Director Bob Loux and state technical experts will meet with attorney Joe Egan to do a "top-to-bottom" review of the state's case against various aspects of the Energy Department's plan to store nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain, 90 miles northwest of Las Vegas, Egan said.

Letter: Leaving dogs tied in yard is cruel: Solitary confinement on a chain is very cruel for dogs. They are pack animals who crave companionship. Scratches behind the ears, games of fetch, or walks around the block mean the world to them. Curling up at your feet while you watch TV is their idea of heaven.

Murder conviction in woman's slaying upheld by court: CARSON CITY -- The Nevada Supreme Court on Monday upheld the first-degree murder conviction of Troy Schnabl, one of three men found guilty of slashing the throat of a 67-year-old woman in her Las Vegas home in 2001.

News briefs for August 26, 2003: The Las Vegas woman accused of killing a man and burying him in her back yard pleaded not guilty Monday in Clark County District Court.

Developer, contractor fined in dust case: The Environmental Protection Agency fined a Las Vegas developer and a contractor a total of $90,000 on Monday for failing to train their employees in dust control.

UNLV starts more expensive year: Jennifer Knight; About 27,000 UNLV students started classes on Monday with lighter wallets and a longer list of class offerings.

Teens charged in attacks suspected in other crimes: Erica D. Johnson; Authorities say the teenage boys charged with attacking three other teens with rocks could also be responsible for a string of other violent acts that have occurred in northwest Las Vegas this summer.

Letter: Gibbons made it more difficult to improve schools: Per-pupil funding is $2,000 behind the national average, according to the National Education Association.

Letter: One master for public servants: Maybe I am not contemporary enough but I expect some integrity from public servants. Go for the private sector income but don't screw around with taxpayer money.

'Desert lobster' grower loses appeal: CARSON CITY -- Bob Eddy, whose "desert lobster" farm near the tiny community of Mina was closed last month by the state, has lost an appeal to the Nevada Supreme Court.

Foothill on the rise: Adam Candee; Prep football previews

Obituaries for August 26, 2003: Edward T. Addison, 95, of Las Vegas died Thursday in a local hospital. He was born Feb. 4, 1908, in Lake Village, Ark. A resident for 13 years, he was a retired schoolteacher and a Navy veteran.

Columnist Ron Kantowski: Robinson offers glimpse of Rebels newcomers: The first UNLV football luncheon droned on so long I thought John Robinson was going to turn into the Energizer Bunny. It almost made a Don King boxing news conference seem snappy. Notice I said "almost."

County tries to ground electrocution threat: Dan Kulin; Under a blackish cast-iron lid marked "water," a concrete box holding an electrical conduit had wires reaching toward the lid.

Sports news briefs for August 26, 2003: The Pacific Coast League suspended 19 Portland Beavers for their role in last week's incidentat Cashman Field, in which the team jumped into the stands in pursuit of a fan.

Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: Bad-boy Kurt Busch learned tactics at LVMS: Kurt Busch seems resigned to the fact that he has inherited the mantle of NASCAR's bad boy.

Ashcroft pitches Patriot Act in LV: Jace Radke, Malia Spencer and Timothy Pratt; Attorney General John Ashcroft didn't take questions from newspapers or the public in a tightly orchestrated event this morning about the Patriot Act at the George Federal Building.

Late-inning heat is melting two closers: MLB snap shot

Centennial panel hears pitch from firm to promote event: Sito Negron; Media conglomerate Clear Channel appears set to take over a major role in promoting and producing the Las Vegas centennial celebration.

Diversity training set for police officers: Jen Lawson; Metro Police officers will undergo diversity training this fall as a result of a statewide racial profiling study that indicated Metro officers handcuffed blacks at a higher rate than other motorists.

Malone drops out of bidding: Malone drops out of bidding

New teacher training starts: By Emily Richmond; Despite having more than 1,400 new teachers on the job for the first day of school Monday, the Clark County School District still has openings to fill. Specialist positions include counseling, speech pathology and autism.

GOP regroups after Gibbons decides not to run: Erin Neff; When Jim Gibbons announced Monday that a U.S. Senate race next year was not in his future, several other Republicans figured he must have had a good reason.

City to seek federal help for flood victims: The federal assessment is a prerequisite for securing low-interest loans to help homeowners recover.

Effort to recall Guinn expected to be started: Tony Dane, a Republican activist, said this morning he will file paperwork with the secretary of state's office in Las Vegas on Wednesday to initiate a recall of Guinn.

Applebee's offers reward in slaying: Afsha Bawany; Applebee's International this morning offered a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of whoever killed one of the company's managers at a Henderson restaurant.

Thunder serves as valley's alarm clock: Mary Manning and Afsha Bawany; Lightning and thunder woke up Las Vegas residents before dawn today, and the National Weather Service issued a flash flood watch until 9 p.m. as the Southwest monsoon intensified.

Motorcyclist killed in crash with bus: Will Oremus; A rookie bus driver for the Clark County School District has been taken off the job pending investigation after he collided head-on with a motorcycle on Monday, killing its rider.

Firm settling investor suits: The suits pertain to how the Long Island-based company, which makes software for corporate mainframe computers, recognized revenue and awarded executive compensation.

Gubernatorial candidate proposes expansion: Joe Biesk; MIDWAY, Ky. -- Standing in front of his boys' elementary school, Democrat Ben Chandler on Monday outlined his sweeping "vision" for education: one whose funding hinges on expanding gambling in Kentucky.

Gaming news briefs for August 26, 2003: A shareholder suit that sought class action status against slot machine leasing company PDS Gaming Corp. has been voluntarily dismissed by the shareholder, the company said Monday. The complaint, filed in Clark County District Court, was dismissed in response to the company's motion to dismiss, PDS Gaming said.

Aladdin buyer moves to reject 29 contracts: Attorneys for a restaurant in the Aladdin hotel-casino have filed an objection to the resort's reorganization plan in U.S. Bankruptcy Court after the restaurant landed on a list of companies whose contracts wouldn't be renewed when ownership of the resort changes hands.

Former addict puts face on the gambling debate: Charles Wolfe; FRANKFORT, Ky. -- His name is Willie Thomason. He is 74 and silver-haired, a restaurateur in Louisville and at one time a pretty fair car salesman, to hear him tell it.

New charges filed in LV real estate case: The 78-count criminal complaint was filed in Clark County District Court by Deputy Attorney General Matthew Dushoff. The complaint alleges that Ferradino and Manley, between December 1997 and May 2000, misrepresented a real estate deal involving 39 investors.

Tribes could play big role in Calif. recall: Erica Werner; LOS ANGELES -- California's politically powerful Indian tribes are poised to play a key role in the campaign to recall Democratic Gov. Gray Davis, and they have much to gain from the outcome.