Print edition for December 2, 2003

Obituaries for Dec. 2, 2003: Harriette Duffy, 67, of Las Vegas died Saturday in Las Vegas. She was born Aug. 13, 1936, in Los Angeles. A resident for 41 years, she was a retired food cashier who worked at the Stardust, MGM Grand and Flamingo Hilton and was a longtime member of the Culinary Union.

Widow, mother of gaming executives, Adele Epstein dies: Adele Epstein, matriarch of a Las Vegas gaming family and a civic leader who raised funds for local charities in the 1960s and '70s, died Saturday. She was 88.

California girl dies in Sierra ski accident near Tahoe: AP; TAHOE CITY, Calif.- A 13-year-old California girl died from injuries she suffered in a skiing accident at a resort near Lake Tahoe, the first fatality of the new ski season in the Sierra.

Missing Money: A June 13 audit found that from 2000 to 2003 the school's former principal, Dan Reese, was inappropriately reimbursed for $11,675 from the school bank for expenses "that had already been paid with budget funds." Auditors recommended disciplinary action against Reese and said he should make restitution. Reese retired. Attempts to reach him for comment Monday were not successful. School District officials said Monday they did not immediately know how much of the missing money has been recovered.

Immunization schedule for Dec. 2, 2003: HENDERSON PUBLIC HEALTH CENTER: 129 W. Lake Mead Drive, Building A, Suite 10, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Where I Stand -- Brian Greenspun: 'The Reagans' in a prism: I couldn't help thinking that most of the free world and, certainly, the world within the Republican National Committee and CBS Television had made too much to do about something close to nothing as I watched "The Reagans" on Showtime Sunday night. What was everybody thinking, I asked myself or, conversely, what was I missing?

Editorial: Double standard on nuke waste: The U.S. Transportation Department has said no to shipping the reactor cross-county over federal highways. Rail lines also have spurned Southern California Edison, citing liability issues. Efforts to ship it by barge were blocked by Panama Canal officials, who say the reactor's weight exceeds their 150-ton limit for radioactive materials. The utility's plan to send the reactor farther south on its ultimate destination to South Carolina, around Cape Horn at the end of South America, is being opposed by the U.S. State Department. The State Department, saying the international waters around Cape Horn are some of the globe's most dangerous ...

Columnist Susan Snyder: Receiving a jolt of coffee news: Last week I said that to someone who called me a coffee snob, which I am. When I travel, I take my own. If the day I greet is to be my last, watery bitter brew will not be in the cup that starts it.

Community briefs for Dec. 2, 2003: The Junior League of Las Vegas will hold its seventh annual Jingle Bell Jog 5K race and 1-mile fun walk beginning with registration at 6 a.m. Saturday at Howard Hughes Trail Park in Summerlin.

Jobs lost after school audits: Clark County School District officials say they are taking steps to recover more than $100,000 missing from student activities funds at five area schools.

Letter: Secrecy means liquid wastes aimed for Yucca?: As everybody knows by now, the Energy Department is not being allowed to reclassify what are now categorized as high-level liquid wastes in tanks at Hanford, Savannah River, and Idaho sites. Several of those tanks are single-walled and are leaking.

Editorial: New clinic has big job: With the opening of this new clinic, which features a physician's assistant, a medical assistant, a receptionist and three examination rooms, another 25 to 35 homeless people a day can now receive primary-care medical services. The other, larger Nevada Health Centers clinic, overseen by a full-time medical doctor, is on the campus of Catholic Charities at 1511 Las Vegas Blvd. North, between Foremaster Lane and Owens Avenue.

Letter: Free trade killing basic industries: Imagine an America that is no longer a land of optimism and opportunity for our younger generations because it has ceased to be competitive globally and has regulated jobs, careers and entrepreneurial activities into oblivion. Imagine a rusting and decrepit America that can no longer economically support its aging population. Imagine a dependent America with supplies of food, oil and other essentials interrupted by war or terrorism. Imagine regular electrical blackouts and brownouts similar to those that afflict developing countries.

Letter: Suggestions for political reform: Establish funds to pay for campaigns for state, county and city offices.

Maine court weighs release of applicant's background check: Sarah Coffey; PORTLAND, Maine -- The Supreme Judicial Court heard arguments Monday but made no immediate decision whether to release background information about an applicant for a racino license in Bangor.

Food giant cutting costs: The firings will reduce earnings by 6 cents a share in the fourth quarter, PepsiCo, which has about 142,000 workers, said in a statement. Including the costs, earnings per share will be $2 to $2.01 for this year, PepsiCo said.

Letter: Bush has not learned from past: How can we trust a president who wraps himself in the flag while refusing to acknowledge flag-draped coffins? How can we trust the TV media who spent umpteen hours covering Michael Jackson while never mentioning the fact the Senate resoundingly rejected the Bush-Cheney energy bill, with 40 courageous senators voting to sustain a filibuster?

Union merging with CWA: The Association of Flight Attendants, which represents more than 36,000 attendants at 26 carriers, approved the merger, with 57 percent voting in favor. Just less than half of the membership voted.

News briefs for Dec. 2, 2003: A man shot and killed early Sunday at Boulder Station has been identified by the Clark County coroner's office as Carlos Rios Jr., 20, of Las Vegas.

Gephardt swings through LV on fund-raising tour: Two weeks after President Bush made a similar trip, Rep. Dick Gephardt traveled to Las Vegas seeking the funding whales that can keep his presidential aspirations afloat.

Letter: Security fence is understandable: The more than three years of continuing suicidal terrorist attacks on public places seems never ending. In fact, reading daily about more casualties to civilians, we never become hardened to the news. It is always horrible, full of hate and anger.

Body at lake prompts search of old cases: Ed Koch and Mary Manning; A Metro Police sergeant and the department's five missing persons detectives began a round-table discussion early today to determine whether human remains found at the bottom of Lake Mead on Monday could be any of their cases.

Deadline approaching for Ohio slots proposal: John McCarthy; COLUMBUS, Ohio -- A slots-for-scholarship constitutional amendment pending in the House faces a cloudy future and a Wednesday deadline for getting it before voters for the March 3 primary election.

Letter: Copper mine needs cleanup: A superfund designation would determine the costs for cleaning up this site (and other toxic mine sites across our state), ensuring realistic values for the cleanup bonds.

President leaves telecom giant: Bernard is leaving because she wants to run a company, Dorman said in an interview. The appointment of Hannigan, 44, who worked with Dorman for 14 years at Sprint Corp. and Pacific Bell, is effective today, AT&T said in a statement.

Death a 'wake-up call': Dan Kulin; The death of a teenage girl, an innocent bystander in what police say was possibly a gang- or drug-related shootout, should force a generation of youngsters in her neighborhood to recognize the danger in their city, a community leader said.

Sierra Pacific seeks boost in Northern Nevada rates: CARSON CITY -- Sierra Pacific Power Co. asked the state Public Service Commission Monday for permission to raise rates by $95 million, calling for an average 9.7 percent overall rate hike for its 350,000 customers in Northern Nevada.

Defendants plead their cases on Internet: Erica D. Johnson; Supporters of a 20-year-old woman convicted of first-degree murder have taken their fight to prove her innocence to cyberspace, a phenomenon that is becoming more common in high-profile criminal cases.

CEO leaves banking post: Dennis Guldin, who also served as president and has been with the bank since it began operations in January 1998, announced an early retirement and left to pursue other interests, said Arvind Menon, executive vice president and chief financial officer, who has been appointed acting president until a replacement is named. Menon said Guildin plans to get out of the banking industry, but gave no other details.

Columnist Ron Kantowski: Will two QBs be enough for Rebels?: Provided Kurt Nantkes doesn't fall down and require a hip replacement and Shane Steichen doesn't turn sideways and disappear, UNLV will be one of just two Mountain West teams that returns its starting quarterback(s) next season.

VegasBeat -- Timothy McDarrah: No limit to Las Vegas programming: At 9 p.m. today on Bravo (Cox cable channel 53), the first of the six-week series "Celebrity Poker Showdown" airs.

Columnist Jeff German: Tanisha's streets still not safe: The 13-year-old, who was just three doors from her house when a bullet struck her in the head, had the misfortune of living in one of the more crime-infested neighborhoods in North Las Vegas, near Martin Luther King and Lake Mead boulevards.

Slayings suspect describes rage: Jen Lawson; Bert Matthews, the 33-year-old Las Vegas resident charged with killing his father and a friend on Thanksgiving Day, told police the shooting started as a suicide gone awry and turned into a double homicide when he was taunted by the victims, according to the arrest report.

Pilots' union rejects America West contract: PHOENIX -- The Air Line Pilots Association today rejected a proposed three-year contract with America West Airlines -- the second rejected contract in less than year.

High court validates NLV police search: Christina Littlefield and Suzanne Struglinski; WASHINGTON -- A North Las Vegas man will be heading back to prison after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled unanimously this morning that police did not violate his rights by waiting only 20 seconds before knocking down his door.

Bush signs smaller Yucca budget: Suzanne Struglinski; WASHINGTON --President Bush signed into law the $580 million budget for the Energy Department's Yucca Mountain project and close to $200 million for other projects in Nevada on Monday.

County hears from all sides on tower: Those wishing to comment on the proposed Station Casinos' tower in Summerlin may call the Clark County voice-mail system at 455-6353.

Ralph Siraco's Hollywood Park selections: 1st Race -- TRAFFIC UPDATE -- Training at Santa Anita, Fogelsonger atop one of two Baffert-trained entries, diamond lane trip updates resume with diploma. TOTALLY PLATINUM -- Also training at Santa Anita, Flores on this 'other' Baffert trainee, sans blinkers for route graduation attempt. Value Play -- EXCLAMATION

LV pedicab operator shuts down: Richard N. Velotta and Kevin Rademacher; Las Vegas' largest operator of pedicabs -- bicycle-powered rickshaws that move tourists up and down the Strip -- is taking his vehicles off the road after his drivers were threatened with arrest for operating illegally.

Sports briefs for December 2, 2003: The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway next season will become the new host of the Budweiser Shootout, an NHRA all-star event that showcases the eight best Top Fuel teams.

Rebels recall thumping at hands of USC: Steve Guiremand; Just call UNLV basketball coach Charlie Spoonhour a glutton for punishment.

Williams to be fired from city job: Sito Negron; Assemblyman Wendell Williams is going to be fired from his job at Las Vegas City Hall and Sharon Segerblom will be offered an unspecified option that would allow her to remain employed by the city, officials said today.

Saying goodbye: Adam Candee; Soon after laying teammate and friend Edward Gomez to rest Monday morning, the Las Vegas High School football team took the field for an hour of what once was just practice but is now therapy as well.

Fired CCSN official tells his side: Jennifer Knight; John Cummings said the reason he was removed as the lobbyist and adviser to the president of Community College of Southern Nevada can be summed up in five words: It's all about a woman.

14 state death penalty cases wait on Supreme Court: CARSON CITY -- A pending U.S. Supreme Court ruling on capital punishment could affect 14 men on Nevada's death row, an expert on appeals in death penalty cases said.

Interfaith vigil: Fight against AIDS honored: About 100 Las Vegans lifted candles in the darkness at Christ the King Catholic Community on Monday night, celebrating patients, doctors, nurses and counselors battling AIDS.

Powerline dangers exposed in fatal try to rescue cat: A Las Vegas man was electrocuted Saturday night trying to rescue a cat who climbed a power pole -- a death that illustrates why the company does not allow its employees to attempt such rescues, utility officials said.

Wednesday's horse racing entries: Post Time 12:30 p.m.

Beavers to bring local flavor: Steve Guiremand; Las Vegas Bowl executive director Tina Kunzer-Murphy got the news she had been hoping for on Monday morning.

Kerkorian testifies he was deceived by Daimler: Randall Chase; WILMINGTON, Del. -- Billionaire investor Kirk Kerkorian testified today that he never would have supported the deal creating DaimlerChrysler if it had not been portrayed as a "merger of equals" between the American and German automakers.

Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: Yeley to run in first NASCAR race at LVMS: J.J. Yeley, who capped a record-setting season by becoming only the second driver to capture USAC's "Triple Crown," likely will make his NASCAR debut March 6 in the Sam's Town 300 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Columnist Dean Juipe: Coaching is one tough profession: Dean Juipe; It's no match for fire fighting, police work or perilously walking a beam high in the sky with a rivet gun in your hand, but among the more dangerous occupations in America is coaching a pro or college team.

Gaming briefs for Dec. 2, 2003: Las Vegas' McCarran International Airport is now Southwest Airlines' busiest by number of daily nonstop flight operations, the company said today.

Correction: Correction

Vick slated to start on Sunday for Falcons: Barring any setbacks -- and remember, these are the Atlanta Falcons -- Michael Vick likely will make his first start of the season Sunday night against the Carolina Panthers.