Print edition for June 26, 2003

Court briefs for June 26, 2003: A brother and sister facing the death penalty in an alleged murder for hire scheme will stand trial together, a District Court judge ruled on Wednesday.

Senate OKs $1.6 billion for schools: CARSON CITY -- The $1.6 billion school aid bill that has provided the rallying cry for gatherings at Las Vegas schools was quickly and unanimously passed by the Senate Wednesday during the first day of the special session of the Legislature.

Community briefs for June 26, 2003: Central Christian Church's Active Adults Group for single adults and couples over 55 will hold a dinner and game night beginning at 6:30 p.m. Friday at the church, 1001 New Beginnings Drive, Henderson.

Editorial: State should upgrade its newborn testing: Because newborn screening is a function of state government, there is no uniform standard throughout the country. According to the GAO, in a report published in March, most states screen for eight or fewer disorders, with the range being between four and 36. Nevada screens for six.

Medical school receives Hughes grant: The $538,000 grant from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute will be administered over four years.

Columnist Ruthe Deskin: Dangers increase with heat: Ruthe Deskin; Should be, but is it?

NLV license division moves: Located in City Hall at 2200 Civic Center Drive, the division was moved to better serve the community, City Manager Kurt Fritsch said in a statement.

Hip & Slick : VEGAS Magazine seeks to capture the 'essence' of our city: The answer might be found in the pages of VEGAS Magazine, a slick national publication that goes on sale in July.

Editorial: Beware the boomerang syndrome: It also has been interesting -- and galling -- to watch the hypocrisy of Republican lawmakers from rural Nevada. They want to reopen the budget and make cuts before raising taxes to balance a budget that a fiscally conservative Republican governor, Kenny Guinn, has proposed. As the Sun's Cy Ryan noted in a Wednesday story, it was Assembly Republicans who earlier this year pleaded to have 39 law enforcement positions in rural Nevada restored that the governor had proposed cutting from the budget. The rural lawmakers also urged the restoration of money for schools in rural counties where student enrollment ...

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

Obituaries for June 26, 2003: Forrest D. "Bud" Abel, 88, of Las Vegas died Tuesday in a local hospital. He was born June 7, 1915, in Mason City, Iowa. A resident for 25 years, he was a retired Army senior master sergeant and a World War II and Korean War veteran.

Where I Stand -- Brian Greenspun: Welcome to Vegas: It is not generally my style to devote a column to back patting, but in this case I will make an exception. First, it is not my back and second, I am excited about the subject matter enough to share these good feelings with Las Vegans -- people who, I believe, will understand the source of such pride.

Father is jailed after son left in car: Dan Kulin; A 57-year-old man is facing a child endangerment charge after leaving his 7-year-old son alone in a car parked at the Clark County Government Center for about an hour Wednesday afternoon, police said.

Microsoft's Gates briefs senators on high-tech subjects: WASHINGTON -- Technology security is intertwined with national security, Microsoft Corp. Chairman Bill Gates told Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., and several other senators Wednesday.

Bones launches comeback: Dean Juipe; Out of the ring for more than 16 months, Bones Adams restarts his career Tuesday with an eye on a bigger prize in the not too distant future.

Small Business Center holds open house: Small Business Center holds open house

Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: Tired of struggling, Marnell makes major changes: Fed up with watching eliminations on TV rather than racing in them, NHRA Pro Stock driver George Marnell of Las Vegas decided it was time for some changes.

UNLV gets new softball coach: UNLV hired former Stanford associate head coach Lonni Alameda as its new softball coach Wednesday, and she will be formally introduced today at a 2 p.m. press conference.

LV marshals get special training from Israelis: They were joined on the range for a couple of hours Wednesday by Mayor Oscar Goodman.

Probe of nuke waste casks is set: Benjamin Grove; WASHINGTON -- The Nuclear Regulatory Commission's inspector general said this morning that he will investigate whether the agency appropriately responded to charges that a nuclear waste container used in five states is flawed.

Arrest report: Trap set for slaying victim: Jen Lawson; Alleged gang members set a trap that lured jewelry kiosk owner Anthony Limongello to a shopping center, where they robbed him of $40, stole his automated teller card and shot him in the head, according to an arrest report obtained by the Sun.

Future needs of the West subject of water conference: Jace Radke; The Bureau of Reclamation's plan for ensuring that the water needs of the West are met over the next two decades will be the topic of discussion during a conference in Las Vegas scheduled for July 9.

Letter: Pay legislators for no more than 120 days: They had to know that when they worked on each budget, eventually it would have to be funded. Do they not keep a running total of the dollar amount expected to be spent as they approve each final budget? According to the various media outlets, 71 percent chose to approve these budgets.

Nevada's sodomy law came a decade ahead of U.S. ruling: By Timothy Pratt; On hearing of the Supreme Court's decision repealing a Texas law against sodomy, several longtime members of the Las Vegas Valley's gay community recalled their own battles in Nevada.

Cool days bound to pass; Vegas heat set to return: Ed Koch and Will Oremus; Mark Twain once said, "the coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco."

Friday's horse racing entries: Post Time: Noon

Letter: Suggesting cuts is the easy way out: Anyone espousing such cuts should be required to spend a day at one of our schools or alongside one of our state employees working in welfare services, which is where my spouse works.

Pop culture: County officials prepare for danger of illegal fireworks as July Fourth nears: Will Oremus; As the July Fourth holiday nears, Clark County fire inspectors anticipate an uphill battle to enforce local and federal laws restricting the sale and use of fireworks.

Former Zions exec joins BankWest of Nevada: Gibbons had been chief financial officer for Zions Bancorporation in Salt Lake City. He resigned in 2001 after being arrested on charges of drug possession and dealing in material harmful to a minor. He was acquitted of those charges in 2002.

GOP not making political hay over Reid story: Benjamin Grove and Erin Neff; WASHINGTON -- Republican operatives do not appear -- or do not wish to appear -- eager to pounce on a Los Angeles Times story critical of Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev. The Monday article analyzed the ties between Reid and his sons' law firms.

Senate negotiations hit a snag: Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont, the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, said he was "disappointed that we have yet to reach consensus" on the size of awards and the mechanism for guaranteeing the fund's solvency.

Sports Brief for June 26, 2003: The UNLV men's golf team has signed New Zealand standout golfer Sam Hunt to a national letter of intent, head coach Dwaine Knight announced Wednesday.

Tax debate shows signs of progress: Cy Ryan and Launce Rake; CARSON CITY -- State lawmakers continued taking small steps away from a possible government shutdown and constitutional crisis Wednesday and this morning, as both the Assembly and Senate considered a hotly debated tax increase and school budget.

City manager claims job is in jeopardy: Dan Kulin; North Las Vegas City Manager Kurt Fritsch could be headed for a mid-July showdown with City Council members over his job.

Columnist Dean Juipe: Fledgling boxing union continues to take shape: Dean Juipe; Seeing his fledgling boxing union with increasing clarity, Eddie Mustafa Muhammad said the Joint Association of Boxers is being groomed for success.

Hospital worker charged in theft: Eduardo Licon, 43, who worked in the X-ray department, was booked into Clark County Detention Center on charges of possession of stolen property and robbery of a victim over 65, Office Jose Montoya said.

Permits requested for robotic car race: Organizers of the unmanned robotic ground vehicle challenge planned next year by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) of the U.S. Department of Defense have submitted applications to the California and Nevada Bureaus of Land Management seeking approval for three possible routes that start in Barstow, Calif., pass through Primm and finish in Las Vegas.

Daughter of LV couple honored at Air Force Academy graduation: Dick Benoit; Cadet First Class Naomi Y. Schwitters, daughter of Bradley and Carolyn Schwitters of Las Vegas, received the Outstanding Cadet in Political Science Award for the U.S. Air Force Academy's Class of 2003.

Indictment returned in killing of student: Erica D. Johnson; A Clark County grand jury has indicted a Las Vegas man in the killing a University of Nevada, Las Vegas, student in her apartment.

Gaming briefs for June 26, 2003: The NASCAR Cafe and Gordon Gaming Corp., owner of the Sahara hotel-casino on the Las Vegas Strip, have settled disagreements that led to threats of eviction for the race car-themed restaurant from the Strip property.

Woman testifies she saw killings: Erica D. Johnson; A suspect in a triple homicide will face murder charges in District Court, after a neighbor testified on Wednesday that she watched him shoot a teenage boy on an apartment balcony.

Anti-tax rhetoric threatens to destroy GOP, Raggio says: The majority leader of the Senate warned Wednesday that increasingly strident anti-tax rhetoric was deeply dividing and damaging Nevada's Republican Party.

Court looking at Clark County air space: CARSON CITY -- An attorney for Clark County urged the Nevada Supreme Court on Wednesday to overturn a $22.1 million judgment to landowners next to McCarran International Airport who say they can't build a major hotel-casino because of air space restrictions.

Tropicana, union reach agreement on contract: Grace Leong; After almost a year of negotiations, the Tropicana hotel-casino and the Culinary Workers Local 226 said Wednesday they settled several unresolved issues that had stymied efforts to reach a new collective bargaining agreement after the previous contract expired on June 1, 2002.

Ensign reintroduces his plan for Medicare reform: Benjamin Grove; WASHINGTON -- Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., dusted off his own plan for Medicare reform and jumped into the heated congressional debate over prescription drugs on Wednesday.

Rebels' Banks to await draft notice here: Former UNLV point guard Marcus Banks will supposedly go anywhere from 10th to 16th in today's NBA draft. What is certain, though, is that he will not be in New York for the proceedings.

Needs of West topic of water meeting: Jace Radke; The Bureau of Reclamation's plan for ensuring that the water needs of the West are met over the next two decades will be the topic of discussion during a conference in Las Vegas scheduled for July 9.

Ice cream sale approved: The Federal Trade Commission on Wednesday approved Nestle's purchase after the companies agreed to sell off three Dreyer's ice cream brands -- Dreamery, Godiva and the Whole Fruit sorbet brand -- and Nestle's U.S. distribution assets, which include warehouses and equipment.

Illinois governor fires outgoing board chief: Christopher Wills; MOUNT CARROLL, Ill. -- Gov. Rod Blagojevich fired outgoing Illinois Gaming Board head Philip C. Parenti from the state payroll Wednesday, saying that Parenti's new job with a casino operator is a conflict of interest.

Letter: 'Where's Waldo?' apropos for Bush: BARBARA JANNATPOUR

Noted Hollywood agent Viner dies at age 72: When hotels along the Las Vegas Strip were not quick to dim the lights to honor Dean Martin after the entertainer died on Christmas Day 1995, longtime Rat Pack photographer Don Pack called Martin's longtime agent, Mort Viner, in Los Angeles.

Agassi breezes into third round: Steven Wine; WIMBLEDON, England -- Andre Agassi steamed into the third round at Wimbledon today with a straight-set thrashing of unseeded Lars Burgsmuller.

What's the SCORE?: Preparations for next month's second annual SCORE Henderson's Terrible 250 off-road race are well under way and this year's race promises to be bigger than the inaugural event -- in more ways than one.

Fight Schedule: At Atlantic City, N.J., (ESPN), Mike Stewart, New Castle, Del., vs. Terronn Millett, St. Louis, 12, for Stewart's USBA junior welterweight title.

Liberty fans given justice: Who is the best sixth man?

Golden Nuggets in LV, Laughlin being sold: By Liz Benston; MGM MIRAGE said today it agreed to sell its Golden Nugget casinos in downtown Las Vegas and Laughlin in order to strengthen the company's balance sheet and focus on growth opportunities elsewhere.

Housing official's address forces his exit from board: There had been longstanding rumors that Las Vegas Housing Authority board member Christopher Hoye did not live within the city limits as required for the board position, and city officials said they confirmed the rumors Wednesday.

Casino investments help Choctaws escape poverty: Barbara Powell; PHILADELPHIA, Miss. -- Raenell Vaughn and her three young daughters will never share similar childhood memories -- and for that she is grateful.

Study: Nevada will continue to lead Western growth: Kevin Rademacher; Despite growth numbers weaker than Southern Nevada's heyday of the 1990s, the local economic outlook continues to outshine that of its Western neighbors, a study released Wednesday by UNLV said.