Print edition for November 11, 2003

Reid protests GOP move on judges: Suzanne Struglinski; WASHINGTON -- If fellow senators or C-SPAN watchers ever wanted to know anything about Searchlight, they got their chance Monday evening.

Alliance buying Reno firm: By Liz Benston; Alliance Gaming Corp. has agreed to purchase a Reno-based manufacturer of slot machines for Indian casinos and state lottery agencies for as much as $191 million, instantly gaining a foothold in markets beyond those offering traditional, Las Vegas-style slots.

News briefs for Nov. 11, 2003: Two men were hospitalized with gunshot wounds this morning after a break-in at a home near Decatur Boulevard and Desert Inn Road, Metro Police said.

Obituaries for Nov. 11, 2003: Mary Bunin, 67, of Las Vegas died Sunday in Las Vegas. She was born March 8, 1936, in Harrisburg, Pa. A resident for 21 years, she was a homemaker.

Kincaid-Chauncey close to a decision: Clark County Commission Chairwoman Mary Kincaid-Chauncey, indicted last week in a federal corruption probe, is moving closer to stepping down from her leadership position on the board.

Man found dead in car: A resident of the Crystal Cove apartments called the fire department shortly after 6 a.m. reporting smoke coming from a garage on Embassy Court.

Activists want high school built in West Las Vegas: By Emily Richmond; Marzette Lewis doesn't want to hear about lack of available land, enrollment predictions or other explanations about why the Clark County School District has yet to build a high school in her West Las Vegas neighborhood.

Cimarron hopes to put ugly loss to PV out of mind: Adam Candee; They both spent the weekend curled up with the same videotape, but Darwin Rost and Ron Smeltzer watched distinctly different films from a late September evening.

Sports briefs for November 11, 2003: Sixth-ranked and defending champion New Mexico shot an even-par 288 Monday at the par-72, 6,194-yard Anthem Country Club, and the Lobos held a five-stroke edge over No. 11 Oklahoma after the first round of the Las Vegas Founders Women's Collegiate Shootout.

Moody's: Gaming outlook is stable: By Liz Benston; The debt rating outlook for the gaming industry remains stable despite a weak economy and increased operating expenses, while casino revenue is expected to rebound over the next 12 months from the sluggish economy, the war in Iraq and higher gaming taxes, a major rating agency said Monday.

Rebels unveiled: One of UNLV coach Charlie Spoonhour's eager proteges showed up Monday with a hungry band of experienced players at the Thomas & Mack Center.

Auditor for LV reviews time cards: Sito Negron; Las Vegas Neighborhood Services Department Director Sharon Segerblom and department administrator Wendell Williams continue to be on leave with pay while the city auditor reviews the issues surrounding time cards filed for Williams and Morse Arberry in the 2001 Legislative session.

U.S. Bank expands in-store network: Kevin Rademacher; U.S. Bank on Monday opened five grocery store branches inside Vons supermarkets across the Las Vegas Valley.

Columnist Ron Kantowski: MWC expansion committee tuned in to TCU: It has become increasingly clear that it's not what a school brings to the table that interests the Mountain West Conference when it comes to expansion.

Slater, wife in tussle in hotel: Actor Christian Slater was recovering Monday night with stitches in his head after his wife hit him over the head with a glass earlier in the day in their hotel room at the Hard Rock, Metro Police said.

Top Division I schools come calling for Coyotes: A month ago, 32 Division I baseball coaches landed in Las Vegas, rented cars and zipped straight to the Community College of Southern Nevada to watch its "Sophomore Showcase" at Lied Field in Henderson.

Gibbons: More education funds coming to state: RENO -- Rep. Jim Gibbons, R-Nev., said Monday the federal government is pumping an extra $19 million this year into Nevada under the No Child Left Behind program to help students achieve higher standards.

Columnist Dean Juipe: Sooners -53 yet that may not be enough: Dean Juipe; The purpose in posting a betting line is to provide the one number that will attract equal betting interest on both sides. It's an art, and savvy bettors will exploit any mistake that's made.

Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: Gaughan calls renovated Miami track 'awesome': International Speedway Corp. invested an estimated $10 million in renovating Homestead-Miami from a relatively flat track into one with an innovative variable-degree banking system.

Abraham confident department will make Yucca deadline: Suzanne Struglinski; WASHINGTON -- The Energy Department is confident it will meet its December 2004 deadline to submit an application for the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste storage site to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham said Monday.

Boulder City to offer growth plan: "For the most part, things are the same," City Planner Susan Danielewicz said. "There are some changes around the old airport area, but the large pieces of empty land are still proposed to be empty."

Mosley's lawyer: Judge didn't get fair hearing: By Cy Ryan; District Judge Donald Mosley didn't receive a fair hearing when the state Judicial Discipline Commission fined him $5,000 and issued strong letters of censure for violations of the judicial code, his lawyer has argued in briefs.

County to focus on land-use plan for Enterprise: Clark County is moving to change the second of its long-range land-use plans, with the focus moving to the Enterprise township in southwest Las Vegas.

State turns to eBay for auctioning unclaimed items: CARSON CITY -- Beginning Wednesday, anyone anywhere in the world with access to the Internet will be able to bid on unclaimed property in Nevada.

Corporate Challenge wraps up: Heather Rawlyk; The 18th annual Las Vegas Corporate Challenge finished up Saturday with tug-of-war finals and announcement of the winners in the monthslong competition.

Mount Charleston Lodge counting on snow this week: With little more than a dusting of snow on the ground last weekend, the Mount Charleston Lodge already was busy.

Toyota may outsell Ford: Ford sold 4.844 million cars and trucks worldwide in the first three quarters of 2003 to Toyota's 4.819 million, based on wholesale figures filed to the U.S. government. The 25,000-unit gap was the narrowest ever between them, economic forecasting firm Global Insights said. Toyota beat its rival in the three months ended Sept. 30, selling 1.58 million vehicles to Ford's 1.41 million.

Airline testing leather seats, other perks: The 12-week test will include flights between Atlanta and Kansas City and Houston's Hobby Airport, the newspaper reported.

Sprinklers douse fire in senior housing: Firefighters arrived at the Margaret Rose Residential Care Center, 100 S. 14th St. at Fremont at 5:11 p.m. on Monday, Las Vegas Fire Department spokesman Tim Szymanski said.

Community briefs for Nov. 11, 2003: Professional golfer Stepanie Louden, a Las Vegas native, will participate in the third annual Through the Eyes of a Child event to benefit Child Haven Friday.

Surgeon UNR's alumnus of year: Zamboni was recognized for his skills, particularly in reattaching limbs.

Health officials warn against use of FluMist: Heather Rawlyk; Clark County Health District officials are not recommending the new FluMist vaccine this season and are encouraging locals to stick with the traditional shot.

Editorial: Thinking of sacrifice -- of veterans: Whether they were drafted or volunteered, all members of our military throughout history have made sacrifices. For most members the toughest part was leaving their families behind for an unknown future -- never knowing if they would return. Then there were the other sacrifices, which began immediately. Many veterans will remember heading for their training base in a "cattle truck" -- crammed in with a hundred or so others. They remember spilling out to the fearful roaring of drill sergeants, whose job it was to teach the trainees that the comforts of home were history, at least for the next ...

Sexual assault case tried despite recanting of girl: The fate of a man charged with repeatedly sexually assaulting his stepdaughter depends on testimony the alleged victim later recanted.

Immunization schedule for Nov. 11, 2003: HENDERSON PUBLIC HEALTH CENTER: 129 W. Lake Mead Drive, Building A, Suite 10, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Letter: Water we use returns to lake: Unlike somewhere like Denver, where wasted water ends up in Omaha, any water I waste here, say, washing my car, ends up in one our washes and then back to Lake Mead.

Letter: Delicate desert needs protection: I understand that tens of millions of dollars have already been allocated to build a giant, live-in educational facility at Oliver Ranch. The concept is good but the impact will be far too high for our delicate desert. Instead of facilitating the introduction of our children to the beauty and richness that can be found in the Southern Nevada desert, the plan as it stands will amount to moving the city up the road.

Letter: Many have never served: The following people never served our country in uniform: Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert, House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, House Majority Whip Roy Blunt, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, Senate Majority Whip Mitch McConnell, Sen. Rick Santorum, Sen. Trent Lott, Vice President Dick Cheney, Attorney General John Ashcroft, Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz, Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham and Bush adviser Karl Rove.

Letter: Remember past and present American heroes: When I was a boy, I asked my grandfather what it was he was fighting for in Europe during World War II. I asked, "Was it because of Hitler or Pearl Harbor?" He answered that it was partly because of that horrific day in Hawaii and partly because of his duty to his country. But ultimately, he said, it was to protect the man next to him in the same situation and to protect his family, community and country from any harm.

Lake Mead Hospital owner reports a loss: SANTA BARBARA, Calif. -- Tenet Healthcare Inc., owner of Lake Mead Hospital in North Las Vegas, said Monday it swung to a loss in the third quarter as it significantly increased its reserve for bad debt.

Friends mourn teens killed in crash: Jen Lawson; -- Henderson Police Department

Bank's Patriot Act claim riles homeowners' board: By Timothy Pratt; After a life filled with helping teenagers in trouble, coaching her children's Little League teams and pitching in on park cleanup days, Rebecca Foster thought it was a natural decision to volunteer on the homeowners association when she moved to Heritage Estates three years ago.

Columnist Jeff German: Galardis: Sins of son and father: And that isn't helping his wealthy father, Jack Galardi, persuade county officials to let him take control of his estranged son's two strip clubs in the county, Jaguars and Leopard Lounge.

Gaming briefs for Nov. 11, 2003: ROCKAWAY BEACH, Mo. -- Rockaway Beach residents will be able to decide in February whether to bring a casino to their struggling town.

FERC reaffirms long-term power contracts in West: The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on Monday stood by its decision that a number of long-term Western power contracts are not subject to renegotiation despite complaints that electricity markets were being abused by energy traders.

Where I Stand -- Mike O'Callaghan: Salute old friends today: Time will be found today to call a dwindling number of friends who I served with in the military. Their friendship has a special meaning to me but each year there are fewer phone calls to make.

Nevada Power plan advances: Kevin Rademacher; Don Soderberg, chairman of the state Public Utilities Commission, on Monday recommended the approval of a resource plan submitted last summer by Nevada Power Co., including the construction of two new power plants.

Songs from the Heart: Tireless Sedaka returns to 'home away from home': Neil Sedaka, sessions musician, has been pianist or background vocalist for such diverse artists as Wayne Newton and Nigel Olsson (Elton John's drummer).

Columnist Susan Snyder: Kitchen tips, for your protection: If you don't have your own horror story, think of the California woman who found a condom in her chowder.