Print edition for December 3, 2003

Letter: President avoids protesters in LV: TERESA KROLAK-OWENS

Invesco, chief exec charged in fund industry scandal: Lisa Singhania; NEW YORK -- Regulators charged Invesco Funds Group Inc. and its chief executive with civil fraud on Tuesday, saying the company set up an intricate system to recruit big-money market timers despite complaints from its own employees that shareholders were being harmed.

Ford chairman touts turnaround progress: John Porretto; DEARBORN, Mich. -- Ford Motor Co. Chairman and CEO Bill Ford Jr. says the company's turnaround is on track, as evidenced by an expected return to profitability this year, but he acknowledges there's still wasted expense at the world's No. 2 automaker.

Slain man ID'd: Arias was ambushed by gunfire in the garage of his apartment at 9999 W. Katie Ave.

Obituaries for Dec. 3, 2003: Della June Bates, 91, of Las Vegas died Tuesday in a local hospice. She was born June 25, 1912, in West Point, Ind. A resident for one year, she was a retired assistant city building inspector for the city government.

Trial to begin for man alleged to have killed mother of four: Erica D. Johnson; Prosecutors say an abusive relationship between a local mother of four and her live-in boyfriend turned deadly when the man gunned her down in front of her four children.

Ex-Philippines official faces extradition hearing: Jace Radke; A former Philippines presidential adviser accused of plundering more than $2 million from the country's tax coffers will now likely face a long-awaited extradition hearing.

Retailer to stop taking some debit cards: The Bentonville, Ark.-based retailer will still accept MasterCard debit cards that are authenticated with a personal identification number, Wal-Mart spokeswoman Melissa Berryhill said. Wal-Mart is in discussions with Visa International Inc. about its debit cards, she said.

Noted piano arranger Brimhall dies: Heather Rawlyk; When beginners sit down at the piano, they may very well fix their eyes on one of John Brimhall's arrangements.

Tractor-trailer kills woman in parking lot: A 56-year-old North Las Vegas woman was killed Tuesday when a tractor-trailer hit her in a parking lot of Bell's Market at 720 W. Owens Ave., Metro Police said.

Inmates injured in riot at Baker prison: BAKER, Calif. -- More than 100 inmates were involved in a riot at a private prison, injuring 17, officials said. A small fire was set inside a building.

Director added to board: Chen will join the board in January as an independent director. The company was embroiled in controversy Sunday and Monday, when two other directors quit and called for Chairman Michael Eisner to resign.

Woman charged in fire at her home: Police allege Jennifer Mendoza had disabled smoke alarms in the apartment in the 2100 block of Las Vegas Boulevard North near Bruce Street.

Two cop supervisors retiring: Deputy Chief Richard McKee joined the department in 1973. He is currently in charge of the investigative bureau, which includes robbery, homicide, crimes against youth and family, financial property crimes and criminalistics.

Roberts sent to treatment center: Erica D. Johnson; The Henderson Catholic priest who pleaded guilty to abusing five teenage boys will have 60 days to go to a treatment center outside Nevada, a district judge ruled today.

Mirage figure gets probation, judge calls sentence 'silly': By Liz Benston; A former Mirage casino employee who could have faced several years in jail for failing to file thousands of money-tracking reports with federal authorities was sentenced to three years of probation today.

County tightens water use further: The Clark County Commission, acting as the Las Vegas Valley Water District, on Tuesday unanimously passed new, even tighter restrictions on water use.

Six area schools to offer transfers under law: By Emily Richmond; Students at six low-performing elementary schools have a chance to attend more successful campuses as required under the federal No Child Left Behind Act, but they'll face as much as an extra 30-minute commute to take advantage of the opportunity.

Charity buys full-page ads in response to criticism: By Timothy Pratt; Catholic Charities has taken out full-page ads in the two major newspapers of the Las Vegas Valley today, responding to what it calls "negative remarks and continual harassment ... by some advocates."

Family files suit alleging exposure to pigeon poison: By Steve Kanigher; Shortly after moving into a Henderson apartment complex three years ago, Lisa Casey got light-headed whenever she stood up.

Groups to protest hospital: The state Public Works Board is holding a forum 5:30 p.m. at the Easter Seals of Southern Nevada, 6200 W. Oakey Blvd. near Jones to allow residents to see the design and answer questions about the proposal.

Hearing set on public-land sales: Rep. Jim Gibbons, R-Nev., vice chairman of the House Resources Committee, will conduct the hearing, scheduled for 10 a.m. at the Clark County Commission chambers, 500 S. Grand Central Parkway.

News briefs for Dec. 3, 2003: A preliminary hearing for the man charged with molesting two young girls was postponed Tuesday after his defense attorney asked prosecutors to turn over taped statements from the alleged victims.

Columnist Elizabeth Foyt: Gala a dazzling display for children's charity: Elizabeth Foyt; The event sparkled with thousands of tiny lights used to adorn the for-sale decorated trees along with the themed auction packages in the reception area.

Letter: Solve problems at home first: At this time we have thousands of southern California residents without homes due to the terrible wildfires. If Washington has all this extra money (ours, the taxpayers) to hand out every time there is a disaster somewhere in the world, then that money should be used right here in the United States before sending it elsewhere. Can you tell us which one of our allies is going to send money to help these Californians?

Williams fired from LV city job today: Dan Kulin and Mary Manning; Las Vegas officials told Assemblyman Wendell Williams on Tuesday that he was fired from his city job effective today for allegedly violating policies and an agreement that gave him a last chance to stay.

UNLV changes worry transfer students: Jennifer Knight; By now CCSN student Lori Johnson figured she would be on to the next stage of her college career -- becoming a junior at UNLV.

Gaming briefs for Dec. 3, 2003: RENO -- Robert A. Mathewson has been appointed to the board of directors of International Game Technology.

Detective fired over alleged gun incident: Jen Lawson; Sheriff Bill Young has fired a Metro Police robbery detective who allegedly shot a gun into the air last summer while off duty, then lied about it during an internal investigation.

Reward offered in death of girl: The homes along Hassell Street near West Lake Mead and North Martin Luther King boulevards show telltale signs of their residents' many years of experience dealing with gangs.

Columnist Jeff German: Goodman already has power: Much of this talk is coming from Goodman, who under our current "council-manager" form of government doesn't have the authority to hire and fire city employees, prepare a budget or oversee the city's daily operations.

Some consumers trapped by low rates: Low interest rates that have helped more consumers buy and refinance homes and purchase extra goods on credit may also be playing a role in soaring bankruptcy rates, a Las Vegas attorney says.

Editorial: Audit finding warrants DA investigation: At five schools, however, the audits reported that the funds were being used for other purposes and that some of the money had been outright stolen. The misuse of the funds by school officials was discovered during audits of all 289 district schools over the past three years. The findings at individual schools came to light after a district audit in September revealed accounting improprieties in the funds associated with the annual Holiday Prep Classic basketball tournament. That audit reported that about $100,000 could not be accounted for.

Editorial: A common-sense ruling: On Tuesday the U.S. Supreme Court clarified an important point. The possibility that a suspect may stall officers for the purpose of destroying evidence is an urgent reason to break through a door, the high court ruled. The court found that if officers wait 15 or 20 seconds after clearly announcing their presence, a suspect's rights have not been violated.

Segerblom offered position in city detention services: Jace Radke; Sharon Segerblom, the former director of Las Vegas' Neighborhood Services Department, has been offered a job at the city jail after being visited at her home by Mayor Oscar Goodman and City Attorney Brad Jerbic on Monday night.

Real Trooper: College Girl Scouts continuing education at UNLV, CCSN: Stephanie McAvoy is the consummate Girl Scout. She has canoed, hiked, camped, rock-climbed and roller-skated.

NFL extends suspension of Cleveland's RB Green: The NFL extended its suspension for troubled Cleveland Browns running back William Green on Tuesday, making it unlikely he will play again this season.

Rodman arraignment reset: Rodman, 42, was scheduled to be arraigned before Municipal Court Judge George Assad on a single count of driving under the influence. The charge stemmed from a motorcycle crash outside Treasures, a local strip club, in October.

Sports briefs for December 3, 2003: A second man was arrested in the shooting of a San Francisco Giants fan at Dodger Stadium.

No ID made on lake remains: The Clark County coroner's office has not made an identification of the human remains found over the weekend at the bottom of Lake Mead.

Columnist Muriel Stevens: Opening a new chapter for holidays: Within easy reach is a cup of tea and all's right with my world. Reading is a passion I pursue whenever time permits. I'll read anything, even cereal boxes if that's all that's at hand.

Students sell tiles for Child Haven: The tiles can be purchased at $15 apiece between 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Thursday at the school, 9151 Pinewood Hills Drive, off Hillpointe between Rampart Boulevard and Hills Center Drive.

Family, music programs highlight Cox lineup change: The eight new channels -- including five from the MTV network -- were added to its analog and digital cable lineups on Monday.

Not much joy sticks to 'VGAs': Kirk Baird; The Oscars turn 75 next year.

Eminent domain changes make residents nervous: Dan Kulin; Some downtown Henderson residents said Tuesday night they are afraid that removal of 8-year-old protections against forced sales of homes in the area will encourage neighbors to neglect their properties.

Fashion show will benefit youth clubs: The fashion show will feature clothing from Valentino and John Varvatos. Cost is $25 and an unwrapped holiday gift.

Community briefs for Dec. 3, 2003: The annual "You Drink, You Drive, You Lose" event will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday at University Medical Center, 1800 W. Charleston Blvd., to increase awareness of the effects of driving while under the influence, whether it is alcohol or drugs.

UMC shows small profit: A year ago the financial situation of the state's largest hospital was so dire that public officials considered the impact that shutting down University Medical Center would have on Las Vegas.

The VGA winners: The inaugural "Video Game Awards" offers 16 categories, with each winner determined by video game experts, Spike TV's editorial board and public opinion via online voting at spiketv.com.

Police can take cue from court on search warrants: A U.S. Supreme Court ruling involving a North Las Vegas man may have established a new method for how police should handle drug-related warrants, local law professors said Tuesday.

Columnist Peter Benton: OB Sports Management takes over two courses: Peter Benton; OB Sports Management has returned to the Las Vegas Golf Market where it has taken over the management of both the Legacy and Angel Park golf clubs.

Transit links to rural Nevada are considered: CARSON CITY -- Some rural communities in Nevada are dying because they don't have rapid transit to connect them to Las Vegas and Reno, which could help their economic development, according to a legislative committee.

Improvements along I-15 seen: In an effort to better connect commuters coming from their suburban homes to the freeways and downtown Las Vegas, state, city and Clark County traffic officials have unveiled a massive highway improvement project.

Ralph Siraco's Hollywood Park selections: 1st Race -- BLACK HORSE MONEY -- Hustling Espinoza on one of two O'Neill-trained horses in this race, draws well for freshman allowance/claimer, adds blinkers now. ANTHONY EATS -- Training at Hollypark, Pedroza on Sadler trainee, draws good post for long one-turn Cal-bred opener. Value Play -- RAW GENERAL

Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: Buyout of CART stalls; series still in limbo: The pending buyout of CART by Open Wheel Racing Series LLC hit a snag Tuesday when representatives from OWRS informed CART that a number of conditions of the original proposal would not be met by the time CART shareholders vote on the merger in two weeks.

Columnist Dean Juipe: Spoonhour gets his excuses in order: Dean Juipe; It's a road trip that's being sold to the players and fans as a tedious, demanding excursion that no properly managed team should have to tolerate or endure.

Trojans could provide double trouble: Steve Guiremand; LOS ANGELES --- USC's identical twins Errick and Derrick Craven proved to be double trouble for the UNLV Rebels when the two teams met at the Thomas & Mack Center in February.

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

VegasBeat -- Timothy McDarrah: Stern to bring Rock show to Palms: For the last couple of years, Stern and his crew have broadcast a week from the Hard Rock Hotel. But when he wrapped up his stint there in April, Stern refused to commit to future engagements, despite the fact the hotel was waving a lot of money in front of him.

Collins out as UNLV coach: Nick Christensen; UNLV volleyball coach Deitre Collins resigned Tuesday, in a decision that she said was a "mutual agreement" by both her and the athletic department.

Wranglers look to continue success on home ice: Nick Christensen; "There's no place like home."

Reno peaks for 4A finale: Adam Candee; Bickering, battered and seemingly beaten, the Reno High football team sat at 2-5 with just two games left to prove it even belonged in the region playoffs.

Letter: God should not be ignored on Thanksgiving: I heard many people wishing each other a "Happy Turkey Day" and this appalled me. I had been taught and had come to believe that the last Thursday in November had been dedicated and set aside as "Thanksgiving Day," a day to give thanks to the God that one believes in for the bounties and blessings in our lives. The day was not set aside as "Turkey Day." When people wish me a "Happy Turkey Day" I am very quick to point out that it is "Thanksgiving," not "Turkey Day."