Print edition for October 14, 2003

Signatures don't match Williams': Jennifer Knight and Steve Kanigher; Signatures on many time cards turned in by Assemblyman Wendell Williams during the 2003 legislative session don't match his signature on file with the secretary of state's office, initial investigations by Las Vegas officials show.

Gazlay enters not-guilty plea: Erica D. Johnson; One of the alleged 311 Boyz charged in three separate attacks in northwest Las Vegas pleaded not guilty on Monday to charges that he beat two young men with a crowbar.

Witness changes story in child's death: Erica D. Johnson; One of the witnesses prosecutors expected to link Pascual Lozano to the shooting that killed a 9-year-old North Las Vegas girl appeared reluctant on Monday to implicate his friend in the crime.

Assemblyman had to pay back thousands of dollars in 1997: Sito Negron; This year's $6,700 repayment plan marks the second time in six years that Assemblyman Wendell Williams has had to reimburse Las Vegas after claiming pay for hours he did not work.

A ride rises on Las Vegas Boulevard: Like a huge, mechanical dragonfly, a skycrane helicopter made seven trips to the top of the 1,149-foot Stratosphere this morning to carry up the 18 tons of Las Vegas' latest thrill.

Woodbury decides to run for another term: Longtime Clark County Commissioner Bruce Woodbury announced Monday that he will seek re-election next year.

Roy's tiger freed from isolation: The 600-pound white tiger that attacked Roy Horn during the "Siegfried & Roy" show was released from isolation Monday night and was expected to be returned to an area with its mother and other tigers at The Mirage.

LV to pay for repairs for golf course's flood damage: Sito Negron; The floods that tore through neighborhoods in northwest Las Vegas Aug. 19 also ripped into the greens and landscaping at Durango Hills Golf Club, causing about $150,000 in damage.

Impressive Length: Aladdin stages three-hour strip show, 'The Full Monty': "We are not a show designed to catch the last four games of keno," McCollum said during a telephone interview from his New York City office. "For Broadway, that is about average.

Owner sentenced for negligence: Douglas District Court Judge Michael Gibbons issued the order Monday against Walter Gonzalez. Gonzalez pleaded no contest to two felony counts stemming from the blast that killed a worker and left four others with serious burns at Depressurized Technologies International on Sept. 17, 2001.

Hearing for LV drug sellers proceeds: Michelle Swafford; Two Las Vegas drug wholesalers accused of selling counterfeit prescription drugs and dealing in drugs with unlicensed companies say their actions have been misrepresented and they've complied with Nevada laws governing their activities.

News briefs for Oct. 14, 2003: Clark County is gearing up to take on the roadway and sidewalk maintenance for the Las Vegas Strip from the state Transportation Department.

Columnist Jeff German: Roy not the only one in recovery: Among those victims are 46 showroom beverage servers, busboys and ushers -- all Culinary Union members -- who have lost their jobs with last Friday's formal announcement that the final curtain has come down on the Siegfried & Roy show.

Preferential treatment denied in cop's DUI case: Jen Lawson; An assistant city attorney said a Metro Police officer who was cited but not prosecuted for driving under the influence was not given preferential treatment, but others disagree.

Shooting suspect put on house arrest: Jace Radke; A Las Vegas woman charged with shooting a man she alleges molested a 5-year-old member of her family was put on house arrest Monday while she waits for a preliminary hearing.

Moonlite brothel owner buys Mustang buildings: Federal officials have not yet confirmed it. But Dennis Hof said he was the high bidder among 33 bids on an e-Bay auction for the buildings and fixtures that still remain at the Mustang Ranch II just east of Reno.

Study questions cloud seeding; Sierra researchers defend it: AP; RENO, Nev.- Nevada's Desert Research Institute is taking issue with a new national study that questions the value of seeding clouds.

VegasBeat -- Timothy McDarrah: Las Vegas to pay tribute to Queen: Vegas Rhapsody, anyone?

Local triathlete Smith driven by motivation of his late wife: For 3 1/2 years, whenever he has trained for or participated in a triathlon, Steve Smith has heard the encouraging voice of Sheila Tarr Smith, his late wife.

More diesel vehicles added to list of those needing smog checks: CARSON CITY -- Smog checks are now required for additional diesel-powered vehicles, the state Department of Motor Vehicles said Tuesday.

Uniform style: Coronado High will adopt policy of 'standard school wardrobe' next fall: By Emily Richmond; Coronado High School sophomore Gabbie Linder spends at least an hour deciding what to wear every morning, a fact that makes her friends giggle and her mother groan.

Gaming briefs for Oct. 14, 2003: Drai's On The Strip, a high-end restaurant at the Barbary Coast Hotel and Casino on the Las Vegas Strip, has settled a federal lawsuit with Red Bull North America and Red Bull GMBH LLC in which Red Bull alleged that the restaurant routinely "passed off" substitute drinks to customers who ordered the Red Bull energy drink.

Wednesday's horse racing entries: OAK TREE MEETING Post Time 1 p.m.

Sports briefs for October 14, 2003: Jose Santos was Funny Cide's rider in this year's Triple Crown races, but is already committed to riding Volponi, the defending champion of the Classic, in this year's race, at Santa Anita Park on Oct. 25. So Funny Cide's trainer, Barclay Tagg, turned to Krone, the only female jockey to win a Triple Crown race (the Belmont Stakes in 1993); she could become the first woman to win a Breeders' Cup race.

Letter: GOP just shifting the tax burden: When it comes to senior citizens, schools, security and streets, they give them lip service, often mandating programs in Washington without providing financial support. Therefore, the money Nevadans save in federal taxes must be given to local governments to support state, county and city projects.

Letter: U.S. should pull out of U.N.: Bush's admission confirms our nation's continuing subordination to the United Nations. The little-known Article 25 of the U.N. Charter states: "The Members of the United Nations agree to accept and carry out the decisions of the Security Council in accordance with the present Charter." That places the U.N. Charter above the U.S. Constitution.

Columnist Susan Snyder: In a haze over our dusty air: A 16-pound cat stands on my head and demands breakfast. Birdies congregate around the backyard feeder, singing their heads off as they drop sunflower seeds on the lawn of the neighbor next door -- the one whose dog howls all night. (We love the birdies.)

Obituaries for Oct. 14, 2003: Galo Humberto Andrade, 49, of Las Vegas died Wednesday in Las Vegas. He was born June 26, 1954, in Arenillas, Ecuador. A resident for three years, he was a contractor.

Columnist Dean Juipe: As last resort, LVCVA must rescue LVI: Dean Juipe; If you are like me, you have both loved and despised the Las Vegas Invitational over the years.

Las Vegas council briefs for Oct. 14, 2003: The ordinance to raise sewer and connection fees and to institute an annual fee on sewer service is to be introduced to Las Vegas City Council Wednesday. That clears the way to schedule a public hearing in November; the council could then vote on the proposal at its Nov. 19 meeting.

Ralph Siraco's Santa Anita selections: 1st Race -- SWELTER -- Smith sits Hofmans trainee, draws good rail post for route starter allowance, should get catbird trip in this. STERLING WISDOM -- P. Val aboard Becerra trainee, well spotted in two-turn opener, but, must overcome outside post. Value Play -- GLOBAL HAWK

Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: Brendan Gaughan has a plan for short-track race: As the final short-track race on the schedule, Saturday's NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series event at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway should prove to be a key race in deciding the 2003 championship.

Death penalty still hangs over double murder: Erica D. Johnson; A District Court judge on Monday refused to throw out the state's notice to seek the death penalty against a local R&B singer charged in a double homicide.

Metal detector beefs up security at LV council chambers: The $4,800 Meter 200 Multi-Zone metal detector, produced by Metorex Security Products, will be placed at one entrance to the council chambers. The second entrance will become an exit only, city officials have said.

Supreme Court to rule on Caesars lawsuit: CARSON CITY -- The Nevada Supreme Court was asked Monday to decide whether a woman can sue Caesars Palace after being twice kidnapped from the resort when she was working there in 1998.

Towns toughen rules for bars: Vicki Smith; MORGANTOWN, W.Va. -- Williamstown Mayor Jean Ford thought her town was the "perfect little hometown West Virginia," a charming, family oriented community of 3,000 hugging the east bank of the Ohio River.

Immunization schedule for Oct. 14, 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.

B of A earnings up more than 30 percent: CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Bank of America Corp. said today that its profit rose more than 30 percent in the third quarter, driven by across-the-board gains in the bank's major businesses.

Justices question grants, video lottery: Lawrence Messina; CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The state Supreme Court appeared skeptical of both sides in a long-awaited hearing over the legality of the Economic Development Grant Committee and the state's use of video lottery.

Letter: Ashamed of tacky image Las Vegas is promoting: In our travels, my husband and I have met people who regarded us awkwardly when we mentioned we lived in Las Vegas. We always made sure they understood that Las Vegas was a great community, probably like their hometown.

Editorial: No place for bias in review: Corradini, chairman of the engineering physics department at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, was appointed by President Bush to the Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board in June 2002. But Corradini has never been a paragon of objectivity. Corradini, before his appointment, was listed as an "expert" by the Nuclear Energy Institute, the nuclear power industry's lobbying arm. And Corradini has testified before Congress that the stalemate over Yucca Mountain was unacceptable and was due to political reasons.

Correction: Correction

Community briefs for Oct. 14, 2003: In recognition of National Mammography Day, Sprint and the Las Vegas affiliate of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation will host Call for the Cure from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday.

Editorial: Colleges' 'arms race': Across the nation an increase in university amenities, driven largely by an intense competition for new students, has caused controversy as students and parents question their need. The New York Times, in a recent report on the universities' "arms race," noted that Ohio State University is spending $140 million on what's being called the "Taj Mahal" of sports complexes, a 657,000-square-foot facility that will have kayaks, indoor batting cages, massages and a climbing wall that can handle 50 students at one time. UNLV's student sports complex, which will include a fitness center, indoor basketball courts and a climbing wall, is ...

Drug-fighting hotline set up: It's an informal connection to the police department for reporting activities related to illegal drugs in the southern tip of Clark County, Lt. Thomas Smitley said.

Columnist Ron Kantowski: Sports in a brown-paper wrapper: Well, it's official. After spending most of Sunday watching sports on TV, I can confirm that Violence has taken a half-game lead over Sex in the standings.

Rebels look to put end to skid vs. Utah: Steve Guiremand; Remember when playing a homecoming game usually meant scheduling a patsy so you could send the alums home happy with a big win?

Where I Stand -- Brian Greenspun: Heroism against all odds: We went on a trip back to the future Sunday night as my publisher (aka my mother), my wife and I journeyed to a very special evening in Los Angeles with the former Prime Minister of Israel, Shimon Peres. It is not an understatement to declare that Prime Minister Peres is one of the last and the current centuries' most brilliant statesmen and, at the very young age of 80, one of the world's great optimists.

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