Print edition for July 3, 2003

Questions of conflict arise over Maxfield vote: Dan Kulin; Clark County Commissioner Chip Maxfield cast a decisive vote Wednesday for a planned condominium development that his son's future father-in-law is a partner in, and which neighbors said will destroy the country feel of the county-designated rural preservation district where it will be built.

NDOW in need of volunteers: The Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) is seeking volunteers to assist with two projects related to wildlife.

Commission approves expansion at Palms: Dan Kulin; Plans for a second tower for the Palms casino resort in Las Vegas were approved by the Clark County Commission on Wednesday, although a company representative said a final decision on whether to build the 25-story building hasn't been made yet.

Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: Kyle Busch excited to race at 'home': When Kyle Busch makes his next Automobile Racing Club of America start at Pocono Raceway later this month, six weeks will have passed since he last raced the Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet.

Borgata opens, resort aims for hipper, younger crowd: John Curran; ATLANTIC CITY -- With a pinch of Vegas attitude, a slew of high-tech gadgetry and some amorous accents, the first new Atlantic City casino in 13 years opened its doors, gambling that its edgy appeal will tap into a younger, richer crowd than the low-rolling senior citizens the market is famous for.

MGM MIRAGE recognized for diversity initiatives: MGM MIRAGE, ranked No. 31 on the list in the July 7 edition, is the only Las Vegas-based company and the only casino operator on the list.

Guest Coloumnist Linda Frohlich: WNBA season a thrill ride, but doesn't always mean fun: Have you ever been on a rollercoaster before?

Stadium talk heating up: Nick Christensen; "Leaving Las Vegas" is the song of choice for Cashman Field Music Coordinator Brian Elwood, when opposing pitchers are pulled for help from the bullpen.

Sun All-State softball team: Said Colts coach Dick Allen: "I pretty much let her call her own game. She's very smart and she works hard at what she does."

Business college expands offerings: The joint MBA program lets students graduate with either a law degree or a dental degree in addition to their business master's. The college's new Master of Science degree is in management informations systems.

Council to consider restriction on valets: The Las Vegas City Council on Wednesday introduced a proposed ordinance that would restrict valet parking at businesses that do not have adequate public parking.

Weight-loss doctor Balin dies: Dr. Robert Balin, 89, was among the first physicians in the state to practice bariatric medicine, or the science of weight loss, according to his wife of 34 years, Sonia.

License OK'd for Four Queens buyer: The license was conditioned upon Nevada regulators receiving a copy of the final loan documents for the $20.5 million casino purchase, announced in May, by July 21.

Success has been hit and miss at Lake Mead: Fishing has been spotty in the Overton Arm of Lake Mead, according to Nevada Department of Wildlife creel census clerk Walt DeMattos.

Green Valley's Parraz is where the action is: Adam Candee; The joyous final play of the season summed up what Jordan Parraz meant to the Green Valley Gators in 2003.

Lewis wants a rematch after a doc eyes Klitschko: Dean Juipe; Lennox Lewis said Wednesday he would prefer to grant a rematch to Vitali Klitschko, but only if the Ukrainian agrees to be examined by an independent physician who could assure the World Boxing Council heavyweight champion that the fight can proceed on schedule.

VegasBeat -- Timothy McDarrah: 'A New Day ...' extends to night: Add Celine Dion to the list. Really.

Part-time letter carrier wins lottery jackpot: Tom Stuckey; ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- When Bernadette Gietka looked at the lottery ticket she had just bought and noticed it began with the numbers "one, two, three," she thought she had a loser and "might as well throw this one in the can."

Democrats to challenge Guinn's suit: CARSON CITY -- Democratic legislative leaders plan to question whether Gov. Kenny Guinn has legal standing to bring a lawsuit in the Nevada Supreme Court to force the Legislature to pass a school aid bill and a tax package.

Las Vegas dealership closes, competitor expands staff: Officials with the dealership would not give the exact date the business shut down nor would they say why except to comment that the corporate office was moving the company out of the Las Vegas area. The dealership's corporate offices are based in New York.

Columnist Barb Henderson: Be aware that fireworks are illegal on public lands: Barb Henderson; It's the Fourth of July weekend, a time when many outdoor enthusiasts will be exercising their independence by heading outdoors.

June unemployment soars to 6.4 percent: Leigh Strope; WASHINGTON -- The nation's unemployment rate shot up to 6.4 percent in June, the highest level in more than nine years, in an economic slump that has added nearly a million people to jobless rolls in the past three months.

Sun All-State baseball team: Noteworthy: High Desert Division Player of the Year as a catcher led scrappy Grizzlies on strong state tournament run ... the best power hitter in the state ... slugged 21 homers this season to pace all Nevada players ... went deep 58 times in his excellent high school career ... hit .466 with 1.127 slugging percentage ... drove in 60 runs and scored 59 runs ... 13 doubles ... third-round selection of Pittsburgh Pirates in 2003 draft.

New owner to retain United Coin employees: By Liz Benston; The Montana company purchasing United Coin Machine Co. from slot manufacturer Alliance Gaming Corp. said it expects to retain all of the 600 or so workers employed by United Coin, Nevada's largest slot route operator.

Ruan headed for L.A. after 51s loss to Fresno: Nick Christensen; It was dark outside the south gate of Cashman Field late Wednesday, but it didn't take long for the place to light up brighter than the Strip.

McGowan's mission: 'four-gone' conclusion: Adam Candee; She shot four triumphant fingers above her 6-foot-3 frame, reaching high into the blue afternoon sky, as though no one at the Stephanie Lynn Craig Fields knew what she and her Wooster teammates just did.

Starbucks offers new high-tech service: Starbucks offers new high-tech service

Obituaries for July 3, 2003: Allan J. Bean, 52, of Las Vegas died June 26 in Las Vegas. He was born Sept. 17, 1950, in Farmington, Maine.

Couser wired for TV: Dean Juipe; Cliff Couser sees the situation for what it is: Those handling the career of Malcolm Tann feel he's just an opponent.

NTS plutonium plan opposed: Gov. Kenny Guinn and more than 40 people conveyed their opposition Wednesday night to the Nevada Test Site becoming a National Nuclear Security Administration plutonium pit factory for nuclear weapons in 2018.

County delays tower project: Dan Kulin; A decision on a proposed timeshare/condominium high-rise that would be built next to the Showcase mall on the Strip was put on hold Wednesday when the Clark County Commission agreed to wait for the results of a traffic study before deciding whether to approve the project.

McCarran opens new checkpoints: Mary Manning and Ed Koch; Three new security checkpoints opened quietly at McCarran International Airport Wednesday, just in time for the busy Fourth of July weekend.

Real gems on the diamond shine when it matters most: Adam Candee; The Sun All-State teams place high value on playoff performance, and the two Player of the Year award winners put on playoff performances to be valued.

Where I Stand -- Mike O'Callaghan: A new Rudman warning: The White House and the American people didn't pay any attention to the report until Sept. 11, 2001. Then it was too late for thousands of Americans on airplanes, in the Twin Towers and the Pentagon. Tragedy struck and forced the Bush administration to read the report and put several of its recommendations into action. Among those recommendations was the creation of an agency which reports directly to the president and coordinates and oversees homeland security.

Guitarist Chaquico plays 'Jazz in the Park' concert: Spencer Patterson; Whenever the popular guitarist performs, he presents each of his pieces to the audience with a brief, spoken introduction.

Columnist Ruthe Deskin: Mail crime harmful to seniors: Ruthe Deskin; Getting the ZIP code department up and running was fairly easy. Much more difficult is an activity that has postal authorities clueless -- the theft of mail from neighborhood mailboxes.

LV Council briefs for July 3, 2003: The Las Vegas City Council on Wednesday unanimously approved a request by city staff to enter into negotiations with AT&T Wireless, which wants to install cell phone antennas on a light pole at one of the ballfields at the city-owned Mountain Ridge Park.

Southern Nevada soldier wounded: A Southern Nevada soldier, wounded in an ambush in northeast Baghdad Friday, was in serious but stable condition today, a spokeswoman for the Nevada Army National Guard said.

Ralph's Siraco's Friday Hollywood Park selections: Friday's card

Pavement reissue improves on an already-great sound: Spencer Patterson; Artist: Pavement.

Letter: Guinn's move is bullying tactic: Why have a Legislature at all if Guinn can simply run to court when he wants something. What a great example our state is setting for the rest of this country; first our kids can't achieve the scores we set for them so we simply lower the scores, then our governor can't get his ludicrous tax bill passed so he runs to court to force taxes on the people who don't want them. Brilliant!

Council has no objections to Nellis noise report: Will Oremus; Nellis Air Force Base's new F-22 fighter jet makes a racket, but residents of surrounding communities probably won't hear it, base officials told the North Las Vegas City Council Wednesday night.

Columnist Jerry Fink: Fisher brings Nat 'King' Cole home to Las Vegas: Today the world comes to hear the Nat "King" Cole soundalike at The Mirage's classy Baccarat Bar lounge.

Letter: Car stickers may stop tragedies: These tragedies never leave the minds of parents who suffer such losses or come close to experiencing it.

Court rejects petition to remove judge in Mosley custody case: CARSON CITY -- The Nevada Supreme Court Wednesday rejected the petition of Terry Mosley, who sought to have District Judge Robert Estes removed in the child custody battle between her and District Judge Donald Mosley.

Where I Stand -- Mike O'Callaghan: Strong people make a strong nation: In recent years many of us have been sidetracked into celebrating the physical strength of individuals and athletic teams. The Ironman Triathlon competition is a test of physical endurance and mental strength that can seldom be matched by Olympic medal winners. This kind of competition has degenerated into foolish toughman competitions, which have even cost the lives of some competitors. Recently it took the life of a wife and mother.

Editorial: One selfless vote could avert crises: If just one of the 15 would yield, the Assembly would have the two-thirds vote it needs to pass a tax increase and the crises would be over. The increase is needed to balance the state's $1.6 billion budget for elementary and secondary education, which the Legislature has already approved. While budgets pass with a simple majority, both houses of the Legislature need to approve tax measures with a two-thirds majority, owing to a change in the state Constitution in the mid-1990s. It took until June 26 of the ongoing second special session, but the Senate -- with one vote ...

Learning to learn: Summer program teaches kids everything from math to drug awareness: Jennifer Knight; By now, Porter Troutman and Patti Hester are starting on their second generation of kids.

Editorial: Motocross: Safety more important than events: Motocross is a nationwide sport enjoyed by children as young as 4. Unfortunately, motocross organizations do not keep accident statistics, so it's impossible to determine the extent of the sport's danger to young children. Still, we think there is good reason to question why children that young are allowed to participate. The speedway should check with other track managers to determine their experiences with children and to find out what safety measures they've installed. There should be no rush to reopen the track for motocross until this information has been obtained and discussed.

Deal with county on monitoring of Yucca OK'd: The Las Vegas City Council by unanimous vote Wednesday approved a contract for the city to receive from Clark County $40,000 to participate in the monitoring of the planned nuclear waste facility at Yucca Mountain.

Columnist Spencer Patterson: Branigan knows value of familiar material: Spencer Patterson; Don't fret. The singer won't play them at the expense of her more familiar material. She can't, if she hopes to exit the stage unscathed at the end of the night.

Sheriff completes investigation into Apex fire: AP; "The fire got away from them" and they immediately reported it, said Washington County Sheriff Kirk Smith, whose report takes no position on criminal charges. Smith said he was leaving that up to the county attorney.

Fight schedule: At Chester, W.Va., (Showtime), Carlos Quintana, Puerto Rico, vs. Vinroy Barrett, Jamaica, 10, welterweights. Friday

Birth of a nation: Famous figures of all ilk born on the Fourth of July: Kirk Baird; After researching the subjects on the Internet, here's a look at 20 notables born on the Fourth of July in chronological order: Who they are, what they did to become well known and their patriotic ranking, from 0-5 done in American Flags, of course.

Community briefs for July 3, 2003: Sites of blood drives Monday for United Blood Services, 6930 W. Charleston Blvd.:

Columnist Dean Juipe: Mayorga says it wasn't a lucky strike: Dean Juipe; Insisting that he will make it look easy, Ricardo Mayorga is certain that he will once again handle Vernon Forrest when they meet July 12 at the Orleans Arena.

Chaparral valedictorian chooses West Point: Dick Benoit; Chaparral High School's Valedictorian for 2003 has chosen to attend the United States Military Academy at West Point, N.Y.

News briefs for July 3, 2003: Metro Police are looking for two young men who robbed the Ellis Island Casino and Brewery on Koval Lane about 1:30 a.m. today.

Philharmonic prepped for 'Star Spangled Spectacular': Marilyn LaRocque; Held at Hills Park, Summerlin, where the gates open at 4 p.m., the Pops concert begins at 7:30 p.m. Fireworks by Zambelli International launch at 9:30 p.m. Kurt Mische of KLVX-TV 10 will be master of ceremonies.

Group launches campaign against consumer fireworks: Benjamin Grove; WASHINGTON -- A national coalition of doctor and firefighter groups has launched a campaign to eliminate all consumer fireworks, including sparklers.

Nevada legislators ranked by lobbyist spending: AP; SENATE

Friday's horse racing entries: Post Time 10 a.m.

Bid to keep exotic animals rejected: With a 6-0 vote to reject Monica Riddell's request, the commission stood by its decision a month ago to bar Riddell from keeping the exotic animals at her home in a neighborhood near Rancho and Vegas drives. Commissioner Yvonne Atkinson Gates had attended the Wednesday meeting, but was not at her seat when the vote was taken.

Minus McVie, Fleetwood Mac trucks to MGM: Spencer Patterson; The Mac is back, sort of.

Football clinic set for Saturday: The clinic will teach youth different techniques on how to play better football, including offense, defense and teamwork. The clinic is free and open to the first 105 registrants.

Letter: Costs of Bush's imperialism are staggering: First, veterans of the current Iraqi occupation will compose much of the personnel pool from which our law-enforcement system will recruit. These men will come to their new jobs with practical field experience in disarming civilians and carrying out other critical garrison-state functions.

U.S. keeps tariff; Henderson jobs protected: Grace Leong; Potential layoffs at the Titanium Metals Corp. plant in Henderson were averted this week after officials and employees successfully urged the Bush administration to maintain an import tariff on a titanium-making raw material.

Hermansen receives call he has been waiting for: By Rob Miech

Schools may seek loan to keep afloat: By Emily Richmond; With the cash flow dwindling, the bills mounting and the Legislature no closer to breaking its budget deadlock, Clark County School District officials said Wednesday they may need a $20 million loan to keep afloat next month.

Fatal crash in Mesquite destroys house: Jen Lawson and Jace Radke; A truck driver who may have fallen asleep at the wheel of his tractor-trailer rig was killed this morning when he careened off Interstate 15 in Mesquite and plowed into a house before the truck burst into flames, setting the house ablaze and sending debris flying throughout the quiet neighborhood.

Weekend meeting planned over tax standoff: Cy Ryan and Launce Rake; CARSON CITY -- Legislative leaders plan to meet Saturday in an attempt to break the standoff over a proposed tax plan.

Poultry slaughtering near residences approved: As a boy, Las Vegas City Councilman Gary Reese routinely chopped the heads off chickens before going to church so that his mother could prepare a Sunday dinner of what he called the best fried chicken he ever tasted.

New teachers get three more years to make the grade: By Emily Richmond; New teachers in Nevada will get an extra three years to meet testing requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act, a move that could allow the Clark County School District to immediately hire more than 200 people who are finishing their practice teaching.

Shooting raises questions for teens: Jen Lawson; One of two fireworks stands robbed Tuesday night was manned by teenagers from Community of Christ Church, who were raising money to send children to camp.

Sports briefs for July 3, 2003: Paul Kariya and Teemu Selanne, unrestricted free agents and two of the NHL's top forwards, were to be introduced today as new members of the Colorado Avalanche, an NHL source told the Associated Press.

LV bank operator's stock falls: COLUMBUS, Ind. -- Irwin Financial Corp. shares dropped as much as 15 percent today after the Indiana-based mortgage lender said second-quarter profit will be "significantly below" earnings in the previous quarter.

Gaming briefs for July 3, 2003: NEW LONDON, Conn. -- City Manager Richard Brown claims Mitchell College is operating an illegal hotel by housing casino workers.

Where to watch fireworks: TODAY

Not all fireworks sold at booths approved: Malia Spencer; In an empty lot near the corner of North Nellis Boulevard and Craig Road sits the charred remains of 50 foot tractor trailer. Among the melted aluminum and burned pallets and cardboard fire investigators found the remnants of three Ammo Smoke novelty items. What makes this fire unique is a small white seal found on the items that are believed to have started the blaze.

Court: Vegas can't stop free speech at Experience: Cy Ryan, Jace Radke and Ed Koch; Saying that the transformation of "sleazy" Fremont Street into the "glamorous" Fremont Street Experience does not trump the First Amendment, a federal appeals court has ruled that people have the constitutional right to pass out leaflets and sell certain items in the pedestrian mall.

Census records now on Internet: The state's Cultural Affairs Department has made genealogical research more convenient.

Slayings suspect pleads innocent: Erica D. Johnson; Linda Moore says her son's bad timing cost him his life.

City Council allows slots at supper clubs: The debate over whether Las Vegas supper clubs with a few slot machines in them are, in effect, taverns, probably will never be resolved.