Print edition for May 1, 2003

Letter: U.S. poor don't matter to Bush: He has managed to get us in a war halfway around the world, costing billions of dollars, alienating most of the rest of the world and for reasons he has been unable to substantiate. No, I do not get it.

Boat operator's profit falls: The company earned $11.7 million in the first quarter, down $3.7 million from the prior year's quarter. Earnings per share were 44 cents, beating analysts' expectations of 35 cents yet down from 57 cents in the year-ago quarter.

Guinn OKs bill on Le Reve water: The plan will not affect the remaining residents of the Desert Inn Estates.

Sun Prep Athletes of the Week: Robert Massi and Emily Sully: ROBERT MASSI

Sun Softball Top 10: Teams ranked jointly by the Sun and the Sparks Tribune

Homeless man's cat blamed for fire in storage units: Jen Lawson; A homeless man's cat knocked over a candle inside a storage unit on Valley View Boulevard Wednesday morning, starting a blaze that damaged 20 units, fire officials said.

Harrah's faces fine over problem gambler: Betsy Taylor; ST. LOUIS -- Missouri gaming officials have recommended a $100,000 fine against a suburban St. Louis casino for mailing promotional materials to a problem gambler.

Car speeds through Hoover Dam checkpoints: A 29-year-old Las Vegas man is in federal custody in Las Vegas today after a car ran through two security checkpoints at Hoover Dam, hit a police car and led officers on a 60-mile chase toward Kingman, Ariz., federal officials said.

Columnist Adam Candee: Seven Bishop Gorman athletes sign letters of intent: Adam Candee; A number of winter and spring sport athletes from Bishop Gorman recently accepted scholarships to continue their careers at the collegiate level.

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

More Asia-Vegas trips canceled: JAL has canceled nine out of its 13 May Las Vegas-Tokyo flights. The Tokyo-based airline has adopted a strategy of canceling a flight as soon as it becomes apparent that there isn't enough demand to make a trip financially worthwhile.

Nevada expects $17.9 mil. in fed security funding: CARSON CITY -- The federal grants for homeland security are set to pour into Nevada.

New trade show to debut in LV: The first-ever Close-Out Expo is planned Aug. 24-27 at the Las Vegas Hilton during the Men's Apparel Guild in California fashion convention at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

51s rally in 9th to knock off Oklahoma City: Winners of 10 of 12, the 51s have the PCL's best record at 20-7 (.741).

Threat of quakes appears greater: A new study shows that the Las Vegas Valley's risk of damage from a major earthquake could be double previous estimates.

Sun Baseball Top 10: Teams ranked jointly by the Sun and the Sparks Tribune

Legislative briefs for May 1, 2003: A bill that would provide state workers with paid leave for donating bone marrow or organs was defeated in the Senate Government Affairs Committee Wednesday.

Catching up with ... KATIE KAEMPFER: Where she is now: Syracuse

Two workers' compensation bills advance in Legislature: CARSON CITY -- One bill that would raise taxes on companies that write industrial insurance and another that gives higher benefits to some workers injured on the job advanced in the Legislature Wednesday.

New 1,500-acre development is in the works: North Las Vegas officials are eyeing 1,500 acres for what would be a new master-planned community.

NRC puts Yucca project on notice to shape up: During a tense teleconference meeting Wednesday, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff ordered the Energy Department to prove within 30 days that its quality assurance program for a Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository is working.

Park Place swings to profit, reduces forecast: By Liz Benston; Park Place Entertainment Corp.'s Celine Dion show has sold out every night since its March 25 debut at the Caesars Palace Colosseum theater, driving higher room rates, gambling revenue and spending on food and beverages, executives told investors today -- as they also warned of weak company-wide trends in April.

Deployed airmen begin to arrive: Jace Radke; About 150 Nellis airmen sent to southwest Asia in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom began arriving home Wednesday night and this morning.

Rhodes applies for OK to build near Red Rock: Developer Jim Rhodes on Wednesday dropped the metaphorical other shoe: He applied for county zoning to build up to 5,500 homes on top of Blue Diamond Hill, the flashpoint of a controversy over land-use rules, property rights, ethics and the environment of nearby Red Rock Canyon.

Culinary criticizing locals' operator: Executives at the company asked shareholders for a 10-year extension to the program, under which Fertitta family members control 34 percent of the options, the paper said.

Tourism officials: Industry fighting 'perfect storm': Benjamin Grove; WASHINGTON -- Several tourism industry officials renewed their quest to spur Congress to increase the business meal tax deduction on Wednesday.

AP sales, earnings flat -- shuttle work continues: American Pacific Corp., whose sale of ammonium perchlorate for the space shuttle program represents between 30 percent and 40 percent of the company's annual revenue, reported flat sales and earnings for its fiscal second quarter ended March 31. The company has been awaiting news about the fate of the shuttle program since the disintegration of the shuttle Columbia during a re-entry from orbit in February.

Hearing set on Red Rock bill: Manendo, chairman of the Assembly Government Affairs Committee, said he scheduled the hearing in Las Vegas to ensure that citizens concerned about potential development of the 2,400 acres on top the hill, and surrounded on three sides by the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, have a chance to comment.

Magoo's owner strikes deal for Four Queens: By Liz Benston; A poker bar operator who terminated an agreement to buy the Four Queens a year ago has resurrected a deal to purchase the downtown Las Vegas property.

Kenny denies any ethics breach in Rhodes case: Former Clark County Commissioner Erin Kenny fired back Wednesday at those who have criticized her lobbying of commissioners on a controversial land-use issue affecting Red Rock Canyon.

LV man drives through Hoover security: A 29-year-old Las Vegas man drove through the security checkpoint at Hoover Dam without stopping this morning. He hit a police car and led officers on a 60-mile chase toward Kingman, Ariz., federal officials said.

Possible suspect on tape in slaying of tourist: Jen Lawson; A tourist from Utah who was bludgeoned to death and left in an alley Monday morning argued with her boyfriend hours before her body was found, but Metro Police don't consider him a suspect in her death.

Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: Funny Car champ in slump, but not panicking: John Force might be mired in the worst slump of his professional career, but the 12-time NHRA Funny Car champion isn't getting testy.

Obituaries for May 1, 2003: Elizabeth B. Barbin, 95, of Henderson died Tuesday in Henderson. She was born Feb. 12, 1908, in New Orleans. A resident for six years, she was a dental assistant.

VegasBeat -- Timothy McDarrah: History channeled at House of Lords: "I remember coming in here for steaks with Frank Sinatra after we had seen Don Rickles over in the Casbar Theater," singing-impressionist Bob Anderson told VegasBeat.

UNR to play home games under lights: Athletic Director Chris Ault said he hopes the move will increase attendance and aid the possibility of regional or national television coverage. The first night game will be the Aug. 30 season opener against Southern Utah.

Retirement credit proposed over teacher bonus: CARSON CITY -- Senate and Assembly budget writers deadlocked today on giving schoolteachers bonuses at at-risk schools and those who are in high-demand areas.

Bellagio expanding: Bellagio expanding

News briefs for May 1, 2003: Metro Police are searching for two men who robbed the Wild Wild West casino on Tropicana Avenue at Interstate 15 about 11:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Doctors protest proposed competency tests: By Timothy Pratt; Angry doctors and administrators crowded a workshop Wednesday on a state proposal to require them to demonstrate competency every two years.

House beautiful? Couple's decoration of home angers neighbors, raises questions: Judy Odierna; Dennis and Shirley Nordin say their front yard is a tableau of self-expression. Among the Mardi Gras beads and bright lights are a yo-yo tree, an alligator mounted on the roof and a skeleton riding a bicycle.

UNLV women invited to NCAA tournament: The Rebels (16-5 overall and 7-2 in the league) earned an at-large bid to their fourth-ever and second consecutive NCAA team tournament despite falling in the semifinals of the Mountain West Conference tournament last week.

Water District plans to build solar power plants: Dan Kulin; The Las Vegas Valley Water District would build two solar-power plants and install a leak detection system that could save 2.5 billion gallons of water in its first year under the agency's proposed 2003-2004 budget.

Las Vegans part of Marine force in Operation Iraqi Freedom: Dick Benoit; The Navy's Fleet Hometown News Center reports that at least three Marines with Las Vegas connections are participating in Operation Iraqi Freedom as members of the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), based in Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Letter: Senators step up to protect canyon from developers: Patriotism, like charity, starts at home. It is our patriotic duty to protect the wonderful natural patrimony this country has to offer.

Editorial: Close the loopholes in ethics regulation: James' disclosure prompted County Manager Thom Reilly to circulate a memo, reminding commissioners of the ethics policy. It has also prompted commissioners Bruce Woodbury and Rory Reid to ask that the task force be reconvened for the purpose of clarifying the intent of the cooling-off rule and establishing penalties for those who violate it. As it stands, the rule says former county officials cannot lobby "for compensation," a provision hard to prove. And it has no penalties attached to it. Woodbury and Reid are correct in calling for the task force to strengthen this rule. When it meets Tuesday, the ...

Cassidy to defend himself in court: Erica D. Johnson; A former aide to Mayor Oscar Goodman accused of raping his estranged wife and burning down her business will represent himself when he stands trial on the charges.

Where I Stand -- Brian Greenspun: Bright future in news: STANDING ON the threshold, about to make a difference.

Perfectly Persian: Mohammad Darehbaghi is an award-winning Iranian painter and Persian rug designer who grew up in Iran studying his country's traditional art. His tazhib (an intricately detailed design art), Persian miniatures and Persian rug design paintings have been exhibited in galleries throughout the world.

Editorial: Wall Street looks like Easy Street: The settlement, announced by the Securities and Exchange Commission and the New York state attorney general, requires changes in business practices designed to protect future investors and to restore confidence in the market. And while the settlement protects the firms themselves from any further regulatory action involving the cases that had spurred the investigation, it leaves individual members of those firms open to class-action lawsuits. This means investors who were wronged by the scandal, who lost billions in their dealings with these firms during the bull market of the late 1990s through 2001, may someday recover more than the pennies ...

Sisolak proves to be a survivor: Jennifer Knight; Regent Steve Sisolak has survived some rocky times on the board -- and now he is the winner of a "Survivor"-type game conducted by University of Nevada, Las Vegas, students.

Biker indicted in passenger's death: The indictment, unsealed before District Judge Gene Porter, charges Jeffrey Allyn Cheek, 50, with one count of DUI causing death and one count of reckless driving in the Oct. 20, 2002, accident that killed his girlfriend, Freda Brown, 49.

LV man convicted in deaths of his mother, girlfriend: Erica D. Johnson; Jurors on Wednesday ruled that a Las Vegas man murdered his mother and his girlfriend, even though one body was never found.

Columnist Ruthe Deskin: Parental values in short supply: Ruthe Deskin; Once upon a time I was deeply involved in the programs and facilities at Child Haven, the county's home for abandoned and neglected children.

Friday's horse racing entries: Post Time 1:20 p.m.

Letter: GOP should cut Santorum loose: PATRICK GLAVIANO

Community news briefs for May 1, 2003: The seventh annual Cinco de Mayo festival will be held from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday at Lorenzi Park.

Columnist Ron Kantowski: Twirling a gem isn't easy: Counting Kevin Millwood's Sunday, there have been 230 no-hit games pitched in major league baseball's long and storied history. Only one was authored by a Las Vegas resident. And his name wasn't Greg Maddux.

Columnist Dean Juipe: Velardez taking big step up to face champion Morales: Dean Juipe; Bobby Velardez seems to agree: Erik Morales will determine the outcome of their fight.

State considers 'mercy': Adam Candee; Valley girls' hoops coach Barney Holmes knows both sides of owning a big lead on the basketball court.

Fight schedule: Tonight

Oscar ready to collect big payday, easy win: Dean Juipe; The likely mismatch is evident in the divergent amount of money each man is being paid.

Firm's profit continues to slip: Net income was 36 cents a share compared with a net loss of $367.9 million, or 74 cents, a year earlier when it wrote down the value of assets by $700 million because of an accounting change. Sales rose 2.4 percent to $7.54 billion, mostly because of the addition of nine stores, Safeway said in a statement.