Print edition for November 10, 2003

Sandoval learns value of his mother tongue: By Timothy Pratt; When Attorney General Brian Sandoval's family moved to Northern Nevada in 1970, there were no Sandovals in the Reno-Sparks phone book.

Documents say Galardi has history of paying politicians: Jace Radke and Sito Negron; While the allegations of Clark County commissioners trading votes for money and gifts date only to 1999 according to an indictment released last Thursday, other court documents show Michael Galardi has been paying politicians as far back as 1994.

Prosecutors could face an uphill battle: Jace Radke; Despite the amount of detail culled from wiretaps in an indictment that charges current and former Clark County politicians with peddling influence for money, prosecutors have a lot of work ahead to gain convictions in the case, former federal prosecutor Stan Hunterton said.

Nevada business growing for PacifiCare: Michelle Swafford; PacifiCare Health Systems Inc. beat Wall Street expectations last week in announcing its profit increased 54 percent in the third quarter. Company officials said the Las Vegas Valley will play an important role in company growth because of its population influx.

SEC probing insurer's charge: On Aug. 11, MetLife announced that it was reducing its previously announced earnings by $31 million after taxes as a result of "certain improperly deferred expenses" at its New England Financial unit.

Woman arrested in stabbing death: Patrol officers arrived about 8 p.m. and found a 50-year-old man dead from a stab wound, Lt. Tom Monahan said.

Study sums up questions on nuke effects on Yucca: Suzanne Struglinski; WASHINGTON --- Yucca Mountain's geologic makeup can help absorb some radioactive materials from nuclear waste, but more research is needed on how the overall temperature of the proposed storage site affects the absorption rate, a new study says.

Correction: The Sun regrets the error.

Shorthanded Las Vegas High passes Basic test in playoffs: Adam Candee; No Gifford, no Jordan, no problem?

Winslow's comments worth absolutely nothing: It was simply a coincidence, but it sure put things in perspective.

Berkley opposes use of Patriot Act in case: Suzanne Struglinski; WASHINGTON -- Rep. Shelley Berkley wants answers on why the federal government used laws meant to curb terrorism to pry into financial records tied to alleged political corruption in Southern Nevada.

Former DI homeowner tells of decline of golf estates: Heather Rawlyk; A Desert Inn Estates homeowner said the neighborhood has deteriorated so much since Steve Wynn bought the neighboring property that she moved.

Printer buying Moore Wallace: The deal is expected to transform Donnelley, which was founded in 1864 when Richard Robert Donnelley, a Canadian, joined up with two Chicago publishers, into a full-service printing and logistics concern. It will combine operations with Moore Wallace of Mississauga, Ontario, which popularized the carbon copy in the early 1900s when it was called Moore. It is now one of the world's largest printers of business forms and labels.

Gaming briefs for Nov. 10, 2003: RENO -- Room occupancy for hotels and motels in the Reno area slipped slightly in September, partly because of a quirk of the calendar.

Telecom operators post losses: Kevin Rademacher; A pair of telecommunications companies providing service in Las Vegas posted third-quarter losses last week.

Columnist Dean Juipe: Fans find it's a hassle just to park: Dean Juipe; Las Vegas doesn't have growth spurts, it has a constant growth wave. The building never ceases, as shown by the towering cranes that stand among the high rises.

Profit falls 4% for NLV casino owner: MTR Gaming Group of Chester, W.Va., reported Friday that increased competition in Nevada and costs associated with the purchase of an Ohio track resulted in a 4 percent drop in net earnings during the quarter ended Sept. 30.

Strong slot play boosts September gaming win: CARSON CITY -- After a down month in August, Nevada casinos bounced back in September to report $841.5 million in winnings, up 3.9 percent from a year ago, the state reported today.

Agenda includes removal of Kincaid-Chauncey as chairwoman: Clark County will take the first formal steps today to remove Mary Kincaid-Chauncey as the chairwoman of the County Commission.

Week off gives hopeful Rebels chance to heal: Steve Guiremand; UNLV now has two weeks sit around and think about the nightmare that was Saturday's 7-0 loss to San Diego State.

Court to decide sidewalk pamphlet issue: The Mirage hotel will have to go to court next year to rid itself permanently of the commercial solicitors distributing pornographic handbills on the private sidewalks outside its property.

Work on Nevada side of dam bypass to begin: Dan Kulin; Major construction including earth-moving and blasting for the Nevada side of the $234 million Hoover Dam Bypass will begin sometime in the next two weeks, the Federal Highway Administration manager of the project said Friday.

VegasBeat -- Timothy McDarrah: Dion holds court (and show) for Jackson: Well, two out of three ain't bad.

Obituaries for Nov. 10, 2003: Charlotte Arons, 83, of Las Vegas died Oct. 31 in a local hospital. She was born Aug. 16, 1920, in St. Paul, Minn. A resident for five years, she was a homemaker.

Special hearing set to decide fate of Galardi clubs: Clark County will hold a special hearing Friday to determine the fate of the strip clubs held by Michael Galardi after his indictment and guilty pleas for corruption of public officials.

Poster Financial debt rated by S&P: In June, Poster Financial Group Inc. announced a $215 million acquisition of both properties. The deal is expected to close by March.

BLM tightening guidelines to reduce defaults: Jennifer Shubinski; The defaults represent 15 acres, or $4.3 million in high-bids, which dropped the total amount of land sold Thursday to almost 734 acres for $127.1 million. While errors in a highly competitive bidding process can be made, defaults for land bought at federal auction appears to be a growing problem.

Columnist Ralph Siraco: The cream has risen as year draws to close: Ralph Siraco; With a little more than seven weeks left in the year, and with the Breeders' Cup championship day of racing now in the record books, there appears to be the same familiar names at the top of the sport's leader board.

Six people are killed in weekend traffic crashes: One accident in Henderson caused three of the deaths, police said.

Alternative programs handle more delinquents: CARSON CITY -- The number of delinquent children in Nevada is increasing, but there are no plans to build a new state juvenile detention center because alternative local programs are handling more of the cases, a state official told lawmakers Friday.

Sports briefs for November 10, 2003: The Rebels, seeded 11th, had already upset three teams on their way to the final matchup with the top-seeded Gators. UNLV battled Florida to a 2-2 tied, with sophomore Andres Gonzales halving his match against Ryan Cochran.

Three teens killed in Henderson car crash: Jen Lawson and Timothy Pratt; Three teens are dead and two critically injured after the car they were riding in slammed into a wall in Henderson early this morning, police said.

Six inmates face new charges in attempted escape: Six inmates, most of them already charged with felonies including one murder, will be arraigned on new charges this week after a grand jury indicted them Friday in an attempted jail escape from Clark County Detention Center on Sept. 17.

After getting by Tarver, Roy Jones wants Tyson: Dean Juipe; By managing his own career and not relying on a specific promoter, Roy Jones Jr. has streamlined the process of getting fights. He's his own man.

Teacher ratings being posted on Internet: By Emily Richmond; Clark County School District students looking for information about which of their teachers gives the most homework or is the least popular with their peers can go online to a website and read the reviews.

Plea deal made in death of man trying to protect daughter: A man convicted of the shooting death of a Las Vegas father as he helped his daughter put her bike away will face a minimum of 30 years in prison when sentenced by District Judge McGroarty Dec. 18.

Services scheduled Tuesday for 13-year-old girl: Services for Tabatha Speas will be 3:30 p.m. Tuesday at Palm Mortuaries and Cemeteries, 7600 S. Eastern Ave. Visitation will be 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. today and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday at the same location.

Vote on hospital union put off: Michelle Swafford; An election on whether to unionize nurses at both St. Rose Dominican Hospital campuses was postponed because of accusations that the Henderson hospital is improperly influencing votes.

Three teens die in Henderson crash: Jen Lawson; Three teens are dead and two are in critical condition after the car they were riding in slammed into a wall in Henderson early this morning, police said.

Woman indicted in DUI death: Nicole Marie Damiano, 22, was indicted Friday by a grand jury on one felony count of driving under the influence of intoxicating liquor, causing death.

Brothel ad raises constitutional issue: Sito Negron; Pahrump's "world-famous" Chicken Ranch Brothel apparently violated state law with an advertisement in a free Las Vegas weekly newspaper. The ad trumpets "legal licensed courtesans."

Plague warning issued: Plague is an acute bacterial illness frequently found in wild animal populations throughout mountain ranges in the Western United States but rarely in humans.

Columnist Susan Snyder: Drought has farmers at a loss: The 43-year-old Alamo man's family has run cattle in central Lincoln County for five generations. But ranching looks bleak for a sixth generation because of a yearslong drought that has devastated the range.

Holiday Closings: PARADE: Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman will serve as the grand marshal for the 10 a.m. Veterans Day Parade from Gass Avenue north on Fourth Street, past Fremont Street to Ogden Avenue.

Letter: Patriot Act's use is ominous sign: That the FBI would use this act in a nonterrorist-related case is a warning to where this bad legislation is heading.

Editorial: City should stop eyeing state park: Mack's suggestion came while the City Council was discussing the possibility of taking the park back from the state. This is a discussion that arises every few years because the area around the park is growing and the city sees an opportunity for managing a park that could now turn a profit. The city was the park's custodian until 1977, when it decided it could no longer afford to maintain it. It begged the state to take it over and the state agreed.

Columnist Lisa Ferguson -- Sun Lite for Nov. 10, 2003: If you're one of those people who complains about long lines at the supermarket and constantly being stuck in traffic jams, imagine how long you'd have to wait for stuff with a few million extra people sucking up space around the country.

Indian festival set for Neonopolis: Indian arts and crafts displays, demonstrations of pottery making and dance performances are among the many activities planned.

Grant will help lure additional librarians: The grant, awarded Oct. 30 by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, is one of 27 inaugural grants totaling almost $10 million nationwide. The money will allow state librarians to recruit a diverse group of students for librarian careers in both urban and rural settings.

Kitsch Bonanza: Expert takes on gift shop during treasure hunt: Kirk Baird; The "World's Largest Gift Shop," 2460 Las Vegas Blvd. South, might be considered a junk shop to some, but to the author of the just-released "Kitsch Deluxe" ($29.95, Mitchell Beazley), there's a surprise lurking around every corner:

DOE will continue to handle Test Site compension claims: Suzanne Struglinski; WASHINGTON --- The Energy Department will still handle a portion of the the compensation program for former Nevada Test Site employees who are ill from work-related exposure to toxic chemicals and radiation.

Birth announcements for Nov. 10, 2003: Oct. 26:

Editorial: Water-smart leaders: No turf will be planted in the front yards of its new Summerlin homes and apartment units, and only half of the rear and side areas of the homes and apartments will have grass. Instead, the areas will be landscaped with a combination of drought-tolerant plants and attractive rock and gravel. Also, common areas will be landscaped without grass, unless they are planned for active use. Additionally, Summerlin builders will go beyond existing regulations for water-efficient interior plumbing and offer high-efficiency dishwashers, hot-water recirculation systems and other water-smart fixtures as options.

Attorney argues for most Gazlay charges to be dropped: The attorney for alleged 311 Boyz gang member Steven Gazlay, 19, argued Friday that all but the coercion charge against his client should be dropped in the maiming of 17-year-old Stephen Tanner Hansen at a party July 18.

Letter: Bush unraveling Clinton progress: Mr. Heeman thinks Clinton did nothing about terrorism, when in fact he started his presidency by confronting it. When the World Trade Center was bombed by terrorists on Feb. 16, 1993, President Clinton had been in office 38 days. That means the planning for this took place on President George H.W. Bush's watch. Instead of playing the blame game like Republicans do so well, Bill Clinton went after those responsible and today they are behind bars.

Letter: If he was not elected, can Bush be impeached?: Bush was not elected by the voters. The U.S. Supreme Court stopped the Florida recount and declared Bush the winner -- in effect appointing him to the presidency. Now, if the Supreme Court placed him in that spot, do the people still have the right to remove him?

Sparked by Everlys, Simon & Garfunkel warm crowd: A near-capacity crowd of more than 11,000 fans savored the Simon & Garfunkel "Old Friends" concert at the MGM Grand Garden Arena Saturday night.