Print edition for March 4, 2003

Columnist Dean Juipe: Banks tries to rescue the Rebels: Dean Juipe; Like a Mercedes without a hood ornament, Marcus Banks wasn't quite 100 percent. Bent at the waist and with his hands on his knees late in the game as he tried to catch his breath when time was called, the UNLV basketball star may have seemed impaired at a glance, yet he was still the sharpest car on the lot.

School continues notable comeback: By Emily Richmond; Being rated "adequate" may not be a typical cause for celebration, but it was enough for educators Monday at Fitzgerald Elementary School in North Las Vegas.

Woman's death ruled accidental: Jen Lawson; The death of a woman whose body was found last month inside Titanium Metals Corp. has been officially ruled by the Clark County coroner as accidental, but her family is still bewildered by questions that may never be answered.

Credit card operation bought: Las Vegas-based First National, parent company of First National Bank of Nevada and First National Bank of Arizona, said the purchase of the Eureka, Calif., operation should close within days. The processing center will operate as Humboldt Merchant Services LP and remain in California, said Pat Lamb, general counsel for First National.

Insurance firms join debate over malpractice: CARSON CITY -- Insurance companies, which have sat on the sidelines during the fight between doctors and lawyers over medical malpractice, are going to be a target of this Legislature.

Critics: Game targets children: Critics say the Connecticut Lottery Corp.'s animated computer game is aimed at children.

Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: Roush regrets losing other Busch: It is obvious that NASCAR team owner Jack Roush isn't too pleased that young Las Vegas driver Kyle Busch bolted the Roush Racing stable last month for Hendrick Motorsports.

New NCAA president backs bet ban: Benjamin Grove; WASHINGTON -- The bill that would ban betting on college sports in Nevada still has the strong support of the influential National Collegiate Athletic Association, new President Myles Brand said today.

Columnist Ron Kantowski: Las Vegas race bumps draft Tiger on TV: One of the clubs Tiger Woods was carrying in his bag during Sunday's Accenture Match Play Championship apparently wasn't a tire iron.

LVMS already planning for next year's Cup race: Fewer than 24 hours had passed since the checkered flag had fallen on Sunday's sixth annual UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400 and Las Vegas Motor Speedway general manager Chris Powell already was thinking about next year's race.

Bill would require priests to report confessed abuse: Cy Ryan and Timothy Pratt; Roman Catholic priests are forbidden from telling anyone what they hear in confessions.

Las Vegas Hilton sticking with convention marketing strategy: By Liz Benston; Park Place Entertainment Corp. expects to focus on driving convention business to its Las Vegas Hilton property, officials said today following an announcement that the company had settled long-standing litigation initiated after a failed deal to sell the property more than two years ago.

Robinson expected to go home this week: Steve Guiremand; UNLV football head coach and athletic director John Robinson is expected to be released from the hospital later this week after undergoing a surgical procedure Monday afternoon to remove a blockage in his right artery.

Assistant chief joins fire panel: Campbell replaces Henderson Firefighter Brad Kreutzer, who is retiring from the Nevada Fire Service Standards and Training Committee.

MGM Grand ordered to pay gambler: CARSON CITY -- An appeals court Monday ordered the MGM Grand hotel-casino to pay a $3.3 million judgment to an unruly customer who suffered a heart attack after being detained by hotel security officers.

Las Vegas utilities face higher prices for natural gas: Kevin Rademacher; The price of natural gas is rising, but officials with Southwest Gas Corp. and Nevada Power Co. are unsure whether customers will see higher bills as a result.

Changes could save county millions: Changes could save county millions

Rebels' Jinks gets her ninth MWC award: The 5-foot-7 guard from Chicago scored 29 of her career-high-tying 40 points in the first half alone in an 81-45 blowout of Air Force on March 1. She shot 76 percent from the field (16-21) and knocked down four three-pointers versus the Falcons. Jinks also scored a game-high 20 points in a 68-45 win over league rival New Mexico on Feb. 28 to give UNLV the weekend sweep.

Bond sale hurt by war fears: Casino bonds rated below investment grade like those of Trump have barely broken even this year and yields have surged, while junk bonds overall have returned almost 5 percent, Merrill Lynch & Co. data shows. Gaming companies would be hurt by a U.S.-led war in Iraq because fewer people would visit casinos, and weakness in the economy means gamblers have less money, some investors said.

Cowboys ride 'em: Steve Guiremand; LARAMIE, Wyo. -- UNLV point guard Marcus Banks was getting dressed in the middle of the Rebels' dreary locker room at the Arena-Auditorium early this morning when he tried to fire up a couple of his teammates nearby.

Doctor says obstetricians leaving at higher rate than report claimed: Erin Neff; CARSON CITY -- Based on his knowledge as a physician, Assemblyman Garn Mabey is disputing the findings of a legislative report that examined the number of doctors who have left the state.

Columnist Jeff German: Downtown store moved out of way: A large banner above the store, just one block south of Neonopolis, the city's latest redevelopment project, advertises a 50 to 75 percent discount for all furs.

Scouts to gather clothes for charities: Eric Leake; Empty bags are appearing on doorsteps in the area this week as part of a Boy Scout clothes drive for Good Turn Day.

Property tax revenue to go up $115 mil.: Despite continuing economic troubles for some of Clark County's hotels, property tax collections should be up by more than $115 million this year, the county's tax assessor is predicting.

Survey: Taxes have little effect on prices: Erin Neff; CARSON CITY -- The Nevada Resort Association today unveiled the results of a price comparison study of seven states that indicates that taxes do not affect what consumers pay.

Overhaul of county medical system urged: Clark County consultants and staff members suggested wholesale overhauls to some of the troubled county medical system's basic procedures in four reports released today.

School Board rejects union preferences: By Emily Richmond; The School Board shot down requests by construction laborers Monday that it require contractors to hire union workers for all of the Clark County School District's job sites.

Hearing delayed in Mesquite stabbings: Erica D. Johnson; The preliminary hearing for the teenage siblings charged in a deadly Mesquite child stabbing was delayed Monday, while a Mesquite judge determines whether the 16-year-old defendant will be tried as an adult.

Local sports calendar: TODAY

Tarkanian rips decision to cut teams: Jennifer Knight And Rob Miech; Another Tarkanian is out of a coaching job in Las Vegas.

Wyoming dominated inside: the numbers; First Half: Wyoming 31-23

Enqvist spoils Agassi's best start in 8 years: Mel Reisner; SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Las Vegan Andre Agassi almost forgot what it was like to lose. Thomas Enqvist helped him remember.

Deadline nears for voter registration for city election: Saturday is also the deadline to make address changes to existing voter registrations.

UNLV's Brent Johnson MWC Player of Week: Johnson, from Las Vegas, went 6-for-13 from the plate last week, while helping the Rebels to a 1-2 record against rival Nevada-Reno. He was 2-for-5 with a home run and a double and drove in three runs in UNLV's 13-5 win over UNR. He was 1-for-3 with a home run in a 14-6 loss to Nevada and closed out the series by going 3-for-4 with a homer in a 7-3 loss to the Wolf Pack.

Supreme Court rules for sex shop owners in trademark case: Anne Gearan; WASHINGTON -- The Supreme Court ruled against lingerie seller Victoria's Secret today, finding no proof that a small sex toy and adult video shop that wanted to call itself Victor's Secret harmed the big company's trademark.

Carrier plans LV-Atlanta flights: The airline, formerly known as ValuJet, will offer two Las Vegas round trips, one daily and one operating five days a week.

30,000 women to lose their doctors: Eric Leake; About 30,000 Southern Nevada women will lose their doctors in two weeks, medical officials said Monday.

Immunization schedule for March 4, 2003: NORTH LAS VEGAS PUBLIC HEALTH CENTER: 1820 E. Lake Mead Blvd., Suite F, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Boy mauled by dogs goes home: A 7-year-old North Las Vegas boy who was mauled by two pit bulls was released Sunday from University Medical Center.

Nebraska lawmakers propose compromise on casino measures: Kevin O'Hanlon; LINCOLN, Neb. -- Supporters of putting a casino gambling measure on the ballot reached a tentative compromise to make the idea more palatable to their fellow lawmakers.

Transfers' sacrifices paid off for Cheyenne: Adam Candee; They all tasted prep basketball ambrosia at different Las Vegas Valley schools, filled with tons of playing time and shots, and plenty of accolades and exposure.

Status of sister, 16, delays Mesquite stabbing hearing: Beau Maestas, 19, and his 16-year-old sister, Monique, face murder and attempted murder charges in the Jan. 22 attack on Kristyanna Cowan, 3, and her 10-year-old sister, Brittney Bergeron, in a trailer outside the CasaBlanca hotel.

HealthSouth reports quarterly loss of $406 million: Jay Reeves; BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Already under the cloud of a federal investigation, HealthSouth Corp. said Monday it lost $405.8 million in the fourth quarter as a cut in Medicare payments helped send the rehabilitation company into the red.

Community briefs for March 4, 2003: The National Association of Women Business Owners will hold its fifth annual Women of Distinction Awards dinner at 6 p.m. Saturday J.W. Marriott, 221 N. Rampart Blvd.

Letter: Vote on prayer is wrong, costly: Last week the Clark County School Board irresponsibly voted to continue to violate the law by allowing student-led prayer at high school graduations.

Editorial: Iraq has not diluted the war on terrorism: Along with Mohammed, authorities captured cell phones, computers and documents that will be used to disrupt al-Qaida's ongoing plans and capture more killers. The war on terrorism may not be as visible as the troop buildup in the Middle East, but it continues unceasingly. Regardless of how one feels about Iraq, there should be no doubt that the war on terrorism will continue full force.

Ralph Siraco's selections for Wednesday's races at Santa Anita: Wednesday's card

Legislative briefs for March 4, 2003: The Assembly unanimously approved a measure Monday that would allow e-mail users to sue those who send unsolicited advertisements that are not clearly marked.

VegasBeat -- Timothy McDarrah: New school prepares for Tony award: A dedication ceremony for a new elementary school named after him is scheduled for Thursday.

Funding sought for ER crisis: CARSON CITY -- A Senate committee was urged Monday to allocate more than $600,000 a year to relieve a crisis in which Clark County hospital emergency rooms are being filled by people with drinking, drug and mental problems.

Cisneros' work inspires hope in Latino community: By Timothy Pratt; Cisneros held it up as if it was a talisman last week at a restaurant called, fittingly enough, Border Grill.

Where I Stand -- Mike O'Callaghan: DOE, don't nuke my car: USA Today newspaper tells us: "The nuclear exclusion will be added to all State Farm auto policies by June 2004. State Farm's commercial and homeowners coverage already carry the exclusion. The policy change excludes coverage for vehicle losses caused by any detonation or release of radiation from any nuclear or radioactive device. ..."

News briefs for March 4, 2003: A Metro Police officer who shot and killed an unarmed man outside a Las Vegas home on Friday has been identified as Brian Hartman.

Letter: Oh for a new president in '04: BOB HANSHEW

Assembly GOP leader wants alternative to Guinn plan: Erin Neff; CARSON CITY -- Assembly Minority Leader Lynn Hettrick has requested a budget alternative to Gov. Kenny Guinn's $1 billion tax proposal, focusing more on cutting programs or streamlining government than on raising taxes.

Editorial: Hourglass is running on tax bills: It's unfortunate that the Legislature did not have the tax proposals ready for immediate debate on day one of the session. Now, it has only three months to decide upon arguably the most important growth-related legislation of the last two decades. The governor's proposals number hundreds of pages. There is a bitter divide between Republicans and Democrats over which proposals are worthy, over how much needs to be raised to avert financial crisis, and over how much more can be cut from the budget.

One Cool Customer: Confident Hopper draws SRO crowds to Fontana Lounge: By Jerry Fink; With his neatly trimmed Jefferson Davis goatee, glitter sprinkled sparingly around his eyes, closely cropped and thinning hair, designer glasses and fashionable clothes, Hopper is the epitome of coolness.

Obituaries for March 4, 2003: Dennis Austin, 53, of Las Vegas died Feb. 6 in Las Vegas. He was born June 13, 1949, in Flint, Mich. A lifelong resident, he was a security officer in the gaming industry.

Columnist Susan Snyder: Time for us to play cleanup: A mess, most times. And the lunchroom teacher usually made him eat it.

Letter: Many cabbies in Las Vegas inconsiderate: If they have to cut another driver off to get into a lane, they will. If they find themselves three lanes away from an exit they want, they'll careen across those three lanes to get to the exit at the last minute. If a driver in front of them isn't going fast enough to suit them, they'll tear around and then cut in. And this is after they've laid on the horn, showing their displeasure.