Print edition for June 12, 2003

Potential plane crashes seen as Yucca threat: Benjamin Grove; WASHINGTON -- Airplanes pose a potential danger to Yucca Mountain, according to a newly declassified Energy Department report.

LV water district seeking rate hike: Dan Kulin; Water rate hikes and conservation measures would go into effect later this summer under a proposal to be heard by the Clark County Commission next month.

Business briefs for June 12, 2003: SAN FRANCISCO -- Business software maker PeopleSoft announced today that its board of directors unanimously voted to recommend that stockholders reject a $5.1 billion hostile takeover bid by Oracle Corp.

Gaming briefs for June 12, 2003: AUGUSTA, Maine -- The Maine Legislature overwhelmingly approved a bill Wednesday night to allow slot machines in the state's five off-track betting centers.

News briefs for June 12, 2003: A 42-year-old Las Vegas man is in critical condition after he was hit by a Citizens Area Transit bus about 7:30 p.m. Wednesday on Stewart Avenue near Casino Center Boulevard, Metro Police said.

State accuses LV mortgage lender of fraud: Kevin Rademacher; Global Express Capital Mortgage was on its way to clearing up problem loans when the state placed the Las Vegas company in conservatorship, the company's president said Wednesday.

Canadian discount carrier plans LV flights: Privately held Jetsgo announced today that it plans to add four twin-engine MD-83 jets to its fleet, for a total of 12 planes. The addition will enable the company to inaugurate service to the United States with flights to Orlando, St. Petersburg and Fort Myers, Fla., in addition to Las Vegas.

Local rates unaffected: Detra Page, a Las Vegas spokeswoman for Sprint, said local ratepayers are insulated by the phone company's state regulatory structure.

Mosley custody battle set for high court: CARSON CITY -- Terry Mosley has asked the Nevada Supreme Court for an emergency writ to stop District Court proceedings in her custody battle with District Judge Donald Mosley over their 11-year-old son.

Overbilling on jail job claimed: By Emily Richmond; A Las Vegas construction company double-billed and overcharged $15 million for the 1,300-bed expansion of the Clark County jail, officials allege.

Bill would extend tour flight hours: Senate officials expect to take up the legislation or offer a similar bill that would change regulations from allowing flights from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the summer and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the winter, to allowing flights year-around from one hour after sunrise to one hour before sunset.

Goodman to seek audit of Housing Authority: Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman says he intends to ask the Department of Housing and Urban Development for a full audit of the embattled Las Vegas Housing Authority.

Cancer can't keep teen from graduation: By Emily Richmond; Don't make the mistake of pitying Zachary Quine -- Green Valley High School honors graduate, varsity football player, future astrophysicist and cancer patient.

Teenagers to plead guilty in slaying plot: Dan Kulin; A Henderson teen accused of plotting to kill his mother and stepfather and the teen accused of carrying out the stabbing attack, which left both victims injured but alive, plan to plead guilty to the May 18 crime, two attorneys said Wednesday.

Her way: Las Vegas City Council newcomer has the potential to impact city: Critical care nurse Janet Moncrief says she has had to reach into a hole in a man's chest, grab his heart and massage life back into the patient's body. So how difficult can taking care of a city be?

Revived ethics panel treads old ground: Several members of the revived Clark County Ethics Task Force said recommendations they made in January 1999 to restore public faith in county government were not followed as they had hoped.

Nevada joins Pledge battle: Jennifer Knight; Attorney General Brian Sandoval said Nevada joined 48 other states Wednesday in support of keeping the words "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Columnist Ron Kantowski: These cowboys can afford rhinestones: AT A GLANCE

VegasBeat -- Timothy McDarrah: No joshing: Soldier takes hold of LV: Lance Cpl. Joshua Menard, who had his left hand nearly blown off in Iraq, celebrated his 21st birthday with a whirlwind Las Vegas vacation last weekend.

Correction: Correction

Sports briefs for June 12, 2003: Airton Dare was moved from the hospital to a nearby rehabilitation center as he recovers from injuries after crashing during practice in Texas last week.

Arizona stars lend hand at camp: Adam Candee; The days of being the starry-eyed admirer in a sweaty oversized T-shirt and gym shorts do not seem that long ago to Andre Iguodala.

Tennessee lottery approved: Amber McDowell; NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Let the games begin!

N.Y. court rejects tribal casino deal: Joel Stashenko; ALBANY, N.Y. -- The state's highest court ruled today that the 1993 compact allowing the Mohawk Indians to operate their casino in northern New York is invalid.

Soroptimists give Richardson honors: The program recognizes and honors young women, between the ages of 14 and 17, who make the community and world a better place through volunteer efforts such as fighting drugs, crime and violence; cleaning up the environment; and working to end discrimination and poverty.

Energy executives indicted: In addition, the Securities and Exchange Commission filed a civil lawsuit agsinst the three people.

Borgata wins license; opening date a mystery: John Curran; ATLANTIC CITY -- New Jersey casino regulators granted a license to the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa on Wednesday, dealing a new player into the game for the first time in 13 years.

Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: LV's Black to run second Pro Stock car in Ohio: Las Vegas businessman Ken Black will add a second car to his Vegas General Construction NHRA Pro Stock team beginning with this weekend's Pontiac Excitement Nationals near Columbus, Ohio.

Friends find man's body in home: Metro Police are investigating the death of a man in his late 30s or early 40s whose body was found by neighbors and co-workers Wednesday night after he failed to show up for work.

U.S. retail sales rise: Jeannine Aversa; WASHINGTON -- Shoppers, after cutting back in April, opened their pocketbooks and wallets a bit wider in May, pushing up sales at the nation's retailers by 0.1 percent.

License plate measure among 31 bills approved by Guinn: CARSON CITY -- Gov. Kenny Guinn signed 31 bills Wednesday, including one that requires newcomers to the state to obtain Nevada license plates more quickly.

Perry sentencing on fraud counts set for June 23: Erica D. Johnson; A deaf 61-year-old woman who was bilked out of thousands of dollars by Franklyn Perry told a judge Wednesday that Perry should never be released from prison.

PRCA's commish knows of ACC, Big East battle: It's tough to "cowboy up," as the rodeo expression goes, when all anybody wants to talk about is college football.

ProRodeo Tour Finale Contestant List: James Boudreaux, Cuero, Texas

Henderson native graduates from U.S. Military Academy: Dick Benoit; Green Valley High School class of 1997 graduate, Kenneth Heebner was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army following commencement ceremonies at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., May 31.

Pyne retiring from state PERS: Pyne, 50, has worked for the system since 1977 and said Wednesday that he will likely enter the private sector in some capacity. His retirement is effective July 15. The retirement system board will choose a successor to the $116,000-a-year job.

Obituaries for June 12, 2003: Mary Julia Bowers, 86, of Las Vegas died Tuesday in Las Vegas. She was born March 8, 1917, in Oil City, Pa. A resident for 48 years, she was a homemaker.

Community briefs for June 12, 2003: The Old Las Vegas Fort State Historic Park will celebrate the 148th anniversary of the founding of the fort during ceremones at 10:15 a.m. Saturday at 500 E. Washington Ave.

51s' 'captain' of the microphone: Nick Christensen; In March 2002, Cashman Field Public Address Announcer "Captain Dan" Bickmore was riding the slow elevator from the press box to ground level, following a preseason exhibition game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks.

Soroptimists give Richard honors: The program recognizes and honors young women, between the ages of 14 and 17, who make the community and world a better place through volunteer efforts such as fighting drugs, crime and violence; cleaning up the environment; and working to end discrimination and poverty.

Staff of 51s must be aware of heat: Nick Christensen; With game time temperatures above 90, baseballs were flying Wednesday night at Cashman Field. Two of the 51s' eight runs were off home runs as they beat the Omaha Royals, 8-6, in a Pacific Coast League game that saw the two teams combine for 31 hits.

Letter: Cynics flourish in Carson City: Is our state government just for lobbyists, or can anyone join? Why do people spend so much time running for state office and then take pride when nothing gets done?

Letter: Salaries for new teachers must be priority: One can easily become suspicious, when teachers are most vocal and political about "money for education." The obvious questions are, "Where is the money being spent?" and "Where is the money supposed to come from?" It doesn't require a doctorate in education to note that senior education employees are rewarded generously, while new teachers are making service industry wages, the kind of wages I may add, that many of us make.

Editorial: Subsidy that should have been stopped: Nevada's two senators, Democrat Harry Reid and Republican John Ensign, voted against the subsidy. Ensign noted that Congress already subsidizes nuclear power by its approval of a plan to build a nuclear waste dump at Yucca Mountain, a facility that Nevada's congressional delegation opposes. No state has been willing to accept the industry's radioactive garbage, so Congress is seeking to force only one state -- Nevada, which doesn't produce any nuclear power -- to accept 77,000 tons of radioactive waste from nuclear power plants. Reid said that the nuclear power industry has had more than three decades to convince Wall ...

Editorial: Vote is one thing, plan is another: The Bush plan targets those for whom homelessness has become a way of life, the people who survive for years on end by eating and sleeping at shelters provided by local governments. This population of chronic homeless people is estimated to be about 200,000 nationwide -- 10 percent of the 2 million people who are homeless at any given time. Applying the 10 percent figure locally, Southern Nevada's chronic homeless population would be about 1,000.

Learning the fight game: Dean Juipe; There's no questioning Julio Garcia's determination and fortitude. How could you, knowing he came to the United States on a raft?

Columnist Dean Juipe: Limited English skills costly for fighter: Dean Juipe; Language can certainly be a career barrier, as Las Vegas resident Muhammad Abdullaev discovered last week during a fight in Connecticut.

Fight schedule: Friday

Ralph Siraco's selections for Friday's races at Hollywood Park: Friday's card

Friday's horse racing entries: Post Time 7:05 p.m.

The Mighty Hunter: 'Fear and Loathing' author Thompson returns to town for CineVegas: Kirk Baird; "If you had to think of one thing that happens during my visit there, what would be the most fun of anything for me to think of? Set off a bomb ... ?" he asks. "What would be fun? That's what I'm thinking about."

Where I Stand -- Mike O'Callaghan: Our full-time Reserves: Many of our military people are still in hot spots like Iraq and Afghanistan. Their families are here at home doing more with less money and financial security. When returning home some of them will find changes at home and work with which they are unfamiliar. Like previous tours of duty they will struggle with the changes and in a few months will be back in the swing of civilian life.

Columnist Ruthe Deskin: Old advice can be harmful: Ruthe Deskin; How often in our lifetime have we been warned about impending dangers to our health and welfare?

Assembly adjourns, doesn't wait for Senate to pass tax plan: Erin Neff and Cy Ryan; With 29 of 42 members present, and Republicans outnumbering Democrats in the Democratically controlled chamber, the Assembly adjourned until the call of Speaker Richard Perkins, D-Henderson.

Legislature hangs on: Erin Neff and Cy Ryan; CARSON CITY -- After two more failed attempts to reach a compromise on a tax plan, the state Legislature considered adjourning its special session today.