Print edition for March 14, 2003

Ripple effect: Walker Lake evaporation leaves cultural strains: HAWTHORNE -- Controversy is a constant at Walker Lake.

Fourth director named as vets home woes continue: CARSON CITY -- The state's veterans nursing home in Boulder City is still in turmoil and a new director has been named -- the fourth since the home opened last year.

Agencies satisfied with plan for water: Representatives of water agencies from throughout the Colorado River Basin gave mostly positive reviews Thursday to a California plan to reduce long-term dependence on the river -- and provide extra water for Nevada for 15 years.

Bill outlines penalties for leaving child in car in Nevada: AP; Sen. Valerie Wiener, D-Las Vegas, said SB17 would be a deterrent and help educate people about the dangers of leaving young children unattended.

Man shot to death early today: The victim was found about 3 a.m. lying in the 1700 block of North Decatur Boulevard, near Vegas Drive, suffering from gunshot wounds. It doesn't appear to be a gang-related shooting, Lt. Tom Monahan said.

VegasBeat -- Timothy McDarrah: Man, show promotes equal opportunity: Well, actually, I don't care that much one way or the other. But the other 500 or so people in the room, mostly female, seemed to go especially nuts for the sketch with the guys in the sailor suits.

$2.5 million bail set for Williams: Erica D. Johnson; The same judge that granted Jessica Williams a new trial set bail in her case Thursday, but she won't be getting out of jail anytime soon.

Lawsuit settled over Rodman's behavior: Donna Ehlert, a security officer at the hotel, filed suit against Rodman in May 1999, claiming he had fondled her breast while visiting the hotel six months prior.

Columnist Ron Kantowski: Douglas: New Mexico's lone wolf vs. BYU: Do you remember that old Bugs Bunny cartoon, in which the Wascally Wabbit plays all nine positions in a baseball game at the same time?

Columnist Jeff German: Are Vegas Stories too scary?: Americans know exactly what Las Vegas is -- a town where dreams can come true, where you can find adventure, where you can do things you wouldn't dare do at home and where you can escape the realities of life, if only for a weekend.

Nevada AG seeks answer for rising gasoline prices: Jace Radke; Attorney General Brian Sandoval said today that he is asking gasoline industry authorities to justify the rising gasoline prices in Nevada and warned that any deceptive trade practices or market manipulation will be prosecuted.

In Denver, hot act is Havens, not hoops: Imagine if the move had been made this year. Fans would be traveling from all around the conference to enjoy Rocky Mountain vistas as well as championship basketball. Entertainment? Sure. The Rocky Mountain News website reports that Richie Havens is appearing tonight at the Swallow Hill Music Hall.

Suspect wounded by Metro officer: Jen Lawson; A robbery suspect was in critical condition after being shot by a Metro Police officer this morning at an apartment complex where a methamphetamine lab was discovered, police said.

Board amends school prayer rule: By Emily Richmond; The Clark County School Board voted Thursday to ban organized prayer at graduation ceremonies but reiterated that individual speakers will be allowed to express themselves freely.

Strong LV home sales drive Pier 1 growth: Grace Leong; Home furnishings and furniture retailer Pier 1 Imports has opened its fifth Las Vegas store -- its biggest worldwide -- at Crossroads Commons shopping center near Summerlin.

Peters turns in near-perfect night: Toward the end of the first half Thursday night, the Rebels were rolling, the crowd was threatening to match the decibel level of nearby McCarran International Airport and James Peters sailed in for a slam ...

Amber Alert bill to be introduced: Jace Radke and Erin Neff; Assembly Speaker Richard Perkins, D-Henderson, is expected to introduce an Amber Alert bill to the Legislature either today or Monday, raising the possibility that the abducted children information system could be operating by this summer.

Columnist Dean Juipe: UNLV one win away from NCAA's promised land: Dean Juipe; Wider and wider the door continued swinging open, until, by the end of the day, the view of the promised land was unobstructed.

Ethics complaint targets mayor: Judy Odierna; A Clark County resident has filed a complaint with the state Ethics Commission against Mayor Oscar Goodman, alleging that Goodman should have disclosed his relationship with the Crazy Horse Too strip club before a vote taken at a city meeting last October.

Rebels Marching on: Steve Guiremand; Tournament schedule, scores

Bybee confirmed: The San Francisco-based court, which handles cases from nine Western states, including Nevada, is the largest of the 13 federal appeals circuits with 28 judges.

UNLV officials propose student fee hikes: Jennifer Knight; Parents planning to send their kids to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas next year should probably plan on spending more money.

Runnin' Rebels box: 3-Point Goals: 6-22 (Johnson 3-5, Moore 1-5, Sir 1-2, Sharper 1-2, Bland 0-2, Manker 0-2, Burns 0-4).

Columnist Erin Neff: State's financial future hangs in political balance: Erin Neff; Each day there is something new.

Where I Stand -- Mike O'Callaghan: Terror tears at the hearts of parents of all faiths in Israel: The terrible toll taken by bomb- toting killers is made worse because the very innocent young and old suffer and die. The killer could not care less, he seeks out a bus that is full so his explosive filled with nails and sharp pieces of metal can cause the greatest amount of death and pain possible. The Palestinian killer doesn't care if he also includes other Arabs and Muslims among his victims. Just kill as many as possible and make dozens more lie in hospital beds suffering from wounds and burns. That's his goal as he detonates the bomb.

Columnist Jeff German: DA pushes more trials for worst offenders: And now we're seeing how a career prosecutor runs the office -- which actually is refreshing.

Editorial: Fairness is crucial to tax plans: Debate in Carson City over Gov. Kenny Guinn's plan for new and increased taxes heated up last week, the result of alternative proposals from legislators and a "line in the sand" declaration by Assembly Speaker Richard Perkins. The major proposal, which will be introduced Monday, came from Sens. Mark Amodei, R-Carson City, and Terry Care, D-Las Vegas. Their proposal swaps out the centerpiece of Guinn's plan, a gross receipts tax on big businesses, and replaces it with expanded sales taxes and increased room and gaming taxes. Their proposal is what led Perkins to declare that no tax bill would leave ...

Christmas comes early for Las Vegas senior: Eric Leake; WEEKEND EDITION: March 15, 2003

Columnist Susan Snyder: A breaking news crawl on I-15: Upon returning from many weekend trips to California we've cruised an unobstructed Interstate 15 toward Las Vegas and openly sneered at all the losers who trashed their monthly budgets in our casinos, only to sit bumper-to-bumper on southbound I-15 in the Sunday exodus back to California.

Honey of a fable gives children a softer view of war with Saddam: Eric Leake; WEEKEND EDITION: March 15, 2003

Where I Stand -- Brian Greenspun: R-J's Smith loses grip: No, it isn't Mitchell this time, it is the faux vox populi fellow, John Smith. I must have hit a very raw nerve last week because he came unglued in your newspaper and spewed venom all over me.

Special Kaye: WEEKEND EDITION: March 16, 2003

Columnist Jon Ralston: Mack still doesn't get it: The man who once said he would not discriminate if someone wanted to contribute to his campaign -- "I'll take anyone's money. It's all green." -- now says he will wantonly pursue business from people he regulates.

Editorial: Patience wearing thin with Edison Schools: Two years ago the Clark County School District signed a $30 million, five-year contract with Edison Schools Inc. The contract called for Edison to manage seven of the district's low-performing schools. After the latest round of statewide tests, 30 of the district's schools, including six of the seven managed by Edison, were placed on the state education department's "needing improvement" list.

Columnist Benjamin Grove: Battle looms on veterans' disability benefits: Benjamin Grove; AS THE UNITED STATES ships a new generation of soldiers and sailors off to war, aging disabled veterans are still fighting in Washington to collect fair compensation for their service.

Letter: Girl's safe return nothing short of a miracle: I don't have kids or the desire to be a mother or to know what it feels like, but tears and emotion poured out of my body from out of nowhere to think of this miracle and what joy and emotion her family must have felt upon hearing the news and finally getting to hold her in their arms. Such a great day for the world for such miracles to happen.

Letter: Iraqis are dying under Saddam: Have the "human shields" considered that Iraqis are willing to accept some loss of life to get rid of Saddam?

Musical chairs: Students' constant movement remains a serious problem in Clark County: By Emily Richmond; WEEKEND EDITION: March 16, 2003

Letter: Sacrifices of military, vets not appreciated: During the Korean War, our military sustained thousands of casualties because Washington restricted the intelligent use of our military power, and as I write, some 8,000 men are still listed as missing from that conflict. Later, in the Vietnam War, again the military was turned into cannon fodder because Washington tied one hand behind their back, so to speak.

Guilty plea entered in dancer's death: Erica D. Johnson; The man charged in the death of a local entertainer pleaded guilty to murder charges nearly six years after the slaying in a plea deal that allowed him to avoid the death penalty.

Several become Eagle Scouts: Peter Kent Pfabe-Pisani, 18; Shaun Robert Swanson, 14; Trust Challenge Titus, 16; Brandon Richard Benner, 18; Christopher V. Bufalino, 15; Robert Justin Day, 18; Zachariah Michael De Vito, 17; Derek Sean Felli, 15; Ryan Eric Field, 18; John Stanley Hopkins IV, 14; Jason Kealiiokalani Keliiheleua, 18; Robert Bruce King, 16; Casey Arden Lee, 18; Tyler Vance Mecham, 17; Jason Joseph Meyer, 18; Kurtis Mark Naegle, 18; Robert Wayne Osborn, 17; Steven M. Severin, 17; Aaron Scott Stacy, 18; Cory Robert Stanley, 17; Logan Bryce Textor, 13; and Ephraim Shaffer Barlow, 14, all of Las Vegas.

Scene Selection -- Geoff Carter: Warm memories of Yates' 'The Hot Rock': The other day I was talking to a friend about what I consider to be the Golden Age of heist pictures -- that fruitful period, from 1964 to 1974, during which "Topkapi," "The Taking of Pelham One Two Three," "The Sting," "The Italian Job," "The Getaway," "The Pink Panther" and many others were released. I was only around for the tail end of that run, but even then I thought "cat burglar" was a pretty attractive career option.

Butler sentenced to death in two skinhead killings: Erica D. Johnson; An alleged racist skinhead convicted of killing two men in desert northwest of Las Vegas was sentenced to death Thursday in District Court.

Edwardses are two for the show: The Riviera has "An Evening at La Cage," a show starring Frank Marino and a cast of a dozen or so female impersonators.

Letter: Respect vision of forefathers: I sometimes disagree with our leadership -- that is my right in this land of the free. Sometimes there just might be a better way. I worry a lot about this country. I live each day trying to harm none. I try not to take more than my share.

Columnist Susan Snyder: In music, we live for live: Anyone who doubts the power of live music needs only to hear Thom Pastor recall one of the Las Vegas Philharmonic's annual concerts for schoolchildren.

Ensign-led panel hears environmental, military battle: Benjamin Grove; WASHINGTON -- Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., has landed in the middle of a high-stakes fight between the Pentagon and environmentalists in his new job as chairman of an Armed Services subcommittee.

Editorial: Don't cut corners on licensing: The state of Nevada is worried that the NRC isn't proposing real-world tests. Under one proposal, the NRC would drop full-scale truck and railway casks more than 250 feet, allowing them to reach speeds of 75 mph before they hit reinforced concrete. But that isn't enough. As some Nevadans present at Wednesday's hearing noted, the casks should be pushed to their limits until they fail. "By testing to failure, I think we'll learn something useful of those thresholds," said Fred Dilger, a planner in the Clark County Nuclear Waste Division. Some of the ideas for testing that were advanced by ...

TV Azteca coming to Cox on April 1: Kirk Baird; Cox Communications is adding the popular Spanish language TV Azteca network to its lineup. Beginning April 1 subscribers to Cox cable basic tier package can access TV Azteca on channel 63.

Where I Stand -- Mike O'Callaghan: Facing tough challenges: I first met him in 1991 when Scuds from Iraq were falling on his city. He took time to show me the damage to some apartment buildings. During our tour he told me that the buildings would be replaced with even more roomy apartments for its senior citizens. A year later, in 1992, I returned to the city to compare my earlier photos with the new buildings. The mayor had kept his promise and the results were amazing. It's no wonder that after 11 years more, he is still the mayor of this city of 150,000 residents.

Datebook for March 14, 2003: Hollywood's Famous Poets Society is sponsoring a poetry contest with a grand prize of $1,000. To enter, send one poem of 21 lines or less to: 1626 N. Wilcox Ave. No. 126, Hollywood, CA 90028 or enter online at famouspoets.com. The contest is open to everyone and entry is free. Deadline is March 28.

On Display for March 14, 2003: In observance of National Women's History Month, Nevada women will display work through March 31 in the Sawyer State Office Building's atrium, 555 E. Washington Ave. 400-1160.

Letter: Hate campaign is in full swing: The White House has even threatened Mexico with the same treatment if it does not go along with the Bush war. I suppose we could change Taco Bell to Liberty Bell and maybe get a steamroller to flatten some burritos, but the Mexicans are not the only problem country. The Germans are also against the war, so do we change the bratwurst to a Democracy Dog? And what about the Russians? Do we sidle up to the bar and ask the bar-keep for a Victory and Tonic? The problem with hate as a debate argument is that hating all those ...

Nevada legislators ranked by lobbyist spending: AP; SENATE

Columnist Muriel Stevens: New York-New York leads Irish parade: St. Patrick's Day celebrations will be happening all over town, but only a few will offer St. Patrick's Day food throughout the weekend.

Performing Arts for March 14, 2003: St. Pat's dance

Ozzy? Joint? Let the fun begin: Spencer Patterson; Bummed that Nevada isn't on the tour schedule for Ozzfest 2003? Well, buck up.

Columnist Spencer Patterson: This year Hall of Fame salutes those about to rock: Spencer Patterson; The Brits are all the buzz, but for legions of hard-rock fans, this week's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductions were all about the Aussies.

Community briefs for March 14, 2003: Midnight Mayhem, a grudge drag racing program, will begin its second season at 8 tonight at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Columnist Jerry Fink: Night at Murphy's would have jazzed our man Joe: Joe Delaney, the venerable Las Vegas Sun entertainment columnist who died at age 80 in August, loved life in general -- but he especially liked all things Irish, and he liked jazz.

Editorial: Metro is coming up with solid solutions: The new sheriff, Bill Young, in recent days has responded to two other major problems affecting public safety. When he took over in January, the emergency call system was experiencing unacceptable delays because of a shortage of 911 dispatchers. He authorized overtime pay to ensure that there would be sufficient dispatchers during the line's busiest hours. And earlier this week he announced a plan that will train injured officers who have been assigned to light duty how to handle calls to the 311 line, which deals with non-emergencies. This will free up more civilian dispatchers to work the 911 lines. ...

VegasBeat -- Timothy McDarrah: Ice bags some cool amenities: Well, a new Vegas nightclub is going to use the same material on the dance floor to ease the impact on the knees and hips of dancing customers.

Athletic Commission suspends Californian: Green, a cruiserweight with a record of 3-3-3, was also fined $1,200, which is the amount he was to have been paid for a Feb. 28 fight with Dewey Cooper at the Orleans. Green was suspended and fined for assaulting referee Toby Gibson following the fight with Cooper, which Green lost by majority decision.

No. 6 Oklahoma defeats Rebels: The Rebels (13-15) will complete the pool play portion of the tournament this morning against Arizona State.

Columnist Barb Henderson: Local Girl Scouts venture toward new horizon: Barb Henderson; My outdoor journey, which began when I was 5 years old, has embarked a life-long adventure down a long-rugged trail.

Suspect wounded by officer: Jen Lawson; A robbery suspect was in critical condition after being shot by a Metro Police officer this morning at an apartment complex where a methamphetamine lab was discovered, police said.

Las Vegas Area Fishing Report: Catfish jumping at Overton Beach: Creel census clerks reported good success for catfish at Overton Beach near the Muddy River. One boater brought in eight catfish that ranged from 2-8 pounds. Another angler also landed a few crappies in the same area. Worms were landing the fish.

Telecom giant buying back debt: Sprint is the No. 3 U.S. long-distance telephone company and the main local phone company in Las Vegas.

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

Casino's neighbors air concerns: Greektown's plan under a deal reached last year with the city includes a 400-room hotel, 100,000 square feet of gambling space, a 1,500-seat theater, conference space, more restaurants and a 10-story parking garage. Another 400 hotel rooms could be added depending on demand.

Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: NHRA caters to fans both on and off track: This weekend's GM Performance NHRA Sport Compact Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway will be as much about style as it will be about substance.

MWC Tournament Notebook: NCAA didn't apply heat to move event: Rob Miech and Ron Kantowski; Mountain West Conference commissioner Craig Thompson adamantly denied Thursday that the NCAA played even a remote role in coaxing the league into switching its tournament to Denver next year.

MWC Roundup: Top-seeded Utes advance after low-scoring affair: After Utah junior swingman Nick Jacobson sank a late 3-point shot against Air Force on Thursday night, the Utes didn't trail again in an eventual 42-38 victory against the Falcons.

State panel OKs bill on cash payouts: Bob Johnson; MONTGOMERY, Ala. -- A bill to allow unlimited cash prizes from video gaming machines at Alabama's four greyhound racetracks cleared a House committee Wednesday, despite warnings from opponents that the machines are illegal.

Malpractice initiative dies: CARSON CITY -- An initiative petition signed by 96,000 voters to tighten medical malpractice laws died today in the Legislature without ever coming to a vote.

Florida lender enters Nevada market: The company specializes in non-bank financing for small- to medium-sized businesses through the purchase of accounts receivables, asset-based lending, equipment leasing and medical equipment financing.

Arena League standings: AMERICAN CONFERENCE

Powerball jackpot worth $51 million goes unclaimed: Tom Davies; INDIANAPOLIS -- In a mighty expensive case of carelessness, a $51.7 million Powerball jackpot has apparently gone unclaimed.

War effect to be reviewed: The Tourism Stability Panel, which includes representatives of the resort, gaming, convention, airport and travel industries from across the state, will meet in Carson City.

Show leaves LV for Washington: The organizers of BioSecurity 2003 said the event, scheduled Oct. 20-22, is being moved because most of the participants in the inaugural show were from the East Coast.

Thursday's prep results: Baseball

Blood drives: Tuesday: 8 a.m. to noon, Williams Sonoma, 10000 Covington Cross; 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., Kloehn Co. Ltd, 10000 Banbury Cross; 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Desert Rose High School, 1251 Robins St.; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Home Depot, 1404 S. Lamb Blvd.

Rawls: Natural man has a natural voice: Similar to many R&B and blues singers, Lou Rawls' musical inspiration began in a church choir.

Group plans for local Urban League: By Timothy Pratt; Las Vegas could soon have its own chapter of the Urban League, and that would bring additional housing, educational and job training programs to the valley, organizers said.

Library initiative faces opposition: Protesters vowed to try to stop a $50.6 million library bond initiative after a contentious meeting Thursday night.

News briefs for March 14, 2003: The state Health Division has ordered its first supply of 1,500 doses of smallpox vaccine to give to first-line responders should there be an outbreak of the disease.

Political notebook: Democrats trying to put little-guy spin on tax debate: Erin Neff; CARSON CITY -- Democrats are finally arriving at a message.

Legislative briefs for March 14, 2003: Local governments will be prohibited from enacting ordinances that limit or prohibit using a cell phone while driving, under a bill approved by the Senate 20-0 Thursday.

Gene Simmers: Spencer Patterson; Fire, blood and makeup. For the casual observer, those are the hallmarks of Kiss, one of hard rock's most indefatigable outfits over the past 30 years.

RTC creates wish list for fed funding: The Regional Transportation Commission, the lead road and mass transit agency for Southern Nevada, has delivered a wish list for federal highway funding to the state's congressional delegation.

Obituaries for March 14, 2003: Shirley Marie Andresen, 74, of Las Vegas died Monday in a local hospice. She was born Oct. 19, 1928, in Norwalk, Conn. A resident for 12 years, she was a homemaker, former president of Sunshine Club in Sun City Summerlin and a member of the Assistance League of Las Vegas and the Mesquite Club.

Senate confirms Bybee nomination: The San Francisco-based court, which handles cases from nine Western states, including Nevada, is the largest of the 13 federal appeals circuits with 28 judges.

Authorities question man's amnesia claim: Jen Lawson; The wife of a North Las Vegas man who claimed he was stricken with amnesia after his truck plunged over a 240-foot cliff in California said Thursday she'll probably never know what happened to her husband. But authorities think they know.

Panel hears support for traffic cameras: CARSON CITY -- A Las Vegas woman whose vehicle has been hit twice by drivers running red lights urged lawmakers Thursday to allow local governments to mount cameras at intersections to catch errant motorists.

Inflation increases, consumer outlook weakens: Martin Crutsinger; WASHINGTON -- Inflation at the wholesale level shot up 1 percent in February as energy prices soared by the largest amount since the last Persian Gulf War while industrial production managed to eke out a tiny gain.

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