Print edition for October 17, 2003

Helmet use by bicylists is up in Nevada: Many more Nevadans age 50 and older are wearing helmets when riding bicycles, but many teenagers still think it's not cool to put a piece of hard plastic between their heads and the concrete.

Ralph Siraco's Santa Anita selections: 3rd Race -- AVENUEOFKNOWLEDGE -- Draws good middle box for sprint distance, Valdivia on Orman trainee, without blinkers for this diploma try. NORTHERN ANZIYAN -- Draws alongside top pick for maiden/claiming dash, Espinoza on Garcia trainee, Anziyan can? Value Play -- SHRIMP COCKTAIL

Just Like Family: Spencer Patterson; Who: Lynyrd Skynyrd with Franky Perez & the Highway Saints.

'Tuna' has Cowboys swimming proudly: All-time series -- Vikings lead, 6-4.

Columnist Steve Guiremand: Family fun still missing from UNLV-UNR tilt: Steve Guiremand; Can't we all just get along?

Porter-led bill would encourage savings for children's college fund: Porter's bill, the Education Savings Act of 2003, would change tax laws so employers could contribute to a Coverdell account, also known as 529 savings plans, without the money being taxed as income. Companies would also receive a tax break for making the contribution.

Gaming lobbyist urges North Las Vegas to embrace growth: By Liz Benston; North Las Vegas shouldn't make the same mistake that Reno made more than a decade ago when it began to limit growth at the expense of economic development, the casino industry's chief federal lobbyist said Thursday.

GV secures title; Coronado's Gibson earns medalist: Nick Christensen; As the last group made its way down the 18th hole at Boulder Creek Golf Club during Thursday's Sunrise Regional, the sun set behind the distant McCullough Mountains, leaving golfers in near complete darkness as they completed their final putts.

Deal divvies up water, ends feud: Politicians from across the West and in Washington, D.C., gathered at Hoover Dam Thursday to bring "peace on the river" and offer mutual congratulations on hammering out a long delayed, and critically needed, water pact.

Another assemblyman's pay scrutinized: Sito Negron; Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman said Thursday that the investigation into Assemblyman Wendell Williams' pay for city work while he was in the Legislature goes beyond one person: "There are an awful lot of people whose conduct will be looked into."

Title shot rides on beating Utah: Steve Guiremand; UNLV coach John Robinson refuses to use the "M" word when talking about Saturday afternoon's homecoming game against Mountain West Conference leading Utah (5-1, 2-0).

Loan business booming for Nevada State Bank: Kevin Rademacher; Zions Bancorporation, parent company of Nevada State Bank, on Thursday announced third-quarter net income of $62.1 million, or 68 cents per share. Officials reported strong loan growth in Nevada as the bank capitalizes on the state's growing economy.

AG reviewing backlog of 98 disciplinary cases: CARSON CITY -- Attorney General Brian Sandoval said Thursday his office is reviewing a backlog of disciplinary cases before state boards that regulate various professions to ensure none of the cases poses a risk to the public.

Doctor may have divulged too much about Roy: By Timothy Pratt; A local neurosurgeon's comments to the media about illusionist Roy Horn's operation at University Medical Center have sparked an investigation about a possible illegal invasion of privacy, a hospital official said Thursday.

New McCarran check-in kiosks on line: Now that McCarran International Airport's technologically delayed SpeedCheck computerized check-in kiosks are operational, airport officials are looking next at installing them at local hotel-casinos, allowing passengers to shed their bags before coming to the airport.

Gaming briefs for Oct. 17, 2003: DETROIT -- The contract covering five unions and 5,900 workers at the city's three casinos expired after negotiators failed to reach an agreement.

Golden Gate CEO interim chief of Fremont Street Experience: Paris left the organization in September for Henderson land management and development company Basic Management Inc. and the Landwell Co., where he was chief executive from 1992 to 1994. The organization is still seeking a permanent replacement for Paris.

Nation's airline fleet is searched: The discovery led to orders that every commercial aircraft in the United States undergo extra searches Thursday night and today.

FISHING REPORT: Boat ramp repairs slow fishing at Lake Mead: The Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) creel census clerks reported that fishing pressure dropped off from the previous week at Lake Mead's Overton Beach area because of boat ramp repairs.

Columnist Sal DeFilippo: After six weeks, Bucs are in good shape: Sal DeFilippo; First, they blew a key division game because they couldn't make an extra point on the final play of regulation.

Hearing for pharmacy suppliers recessed: Michelle Swafford; Two Las Vegas pharmaceutical wholesalers must wait until at least December for state regulators to resolve a complaint alleging they did business with unauthorized drug distributors and, in one case, sold a counterfeit AIDS drug.

Deal on vets' benefits reached: Suzanne Struglinski; WASHINGTON -- Retired disabled veterans could soon be entitled to both their retirement pay and disability checks.

Columnist Jeff German: Young seeks tax hike for more cops: It can be contagious.

Blassingame tickled to be a Rebel: 1) Can Marcus Banks be replaced?

Reunited: Dedication of historical marker chance for Las Vegan to visit other survivor from 1945 crash of B-29s: Jace Radke; This weekend's dedication of a historical marker for the crews of two B-29 bombers that collided midair in 1945 will allow a Las Vegas man the chance to reunite with the only other survivor of the crash.

Rebels runners pleased to finally run at home: Nick Christensen; Sept. 6 -- UC Irvine Invitational (6th/11)

Group hopes to raise $375,000 bail for Williams: Erica D. Johnson; A group of Las Vegans is trying to raise bail money for the woman awaiting a new trial on charges of driving with drugs in her system and killing six teenagers.

Key hearing for Nevada utilities delayed: New York Bankruptcy Court Judge Arthur Gonzalez moved the hearing, originally scheduled for this morning, to Oct. 31. The utilities want to post bonds to stay the execution of the judgment that was handed down last month.

Sports briefs for October 17, 2003: Carlton Dotson, the former Baylor basketball player accused of killing his former teammate, will give up his fight against returning to Texas to face charges, according to reports.

Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: Pook on his way out; good things coming: Chris Pook's tenure as president and CEO of Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) may be coming to an end, but his enthusiasm over the future of the open-wheel racing series is at an all-time high.

Atlantic City officials promote new slogan: John Curran; ATLANTIC CITY -- Apparently, "Slots 'R' Us" wasn't broad enough.

Columnist Barb Henderson: Deer hunting: One of life's outdoor pleasures: Barb Henderson; Deer hunting is probably one of the more popular hunts in Nevada.Reflecting back to my first deer hunt, the fond memories of spending time with my husband outdoors glassing wildlife along the hillside with a pair of binoculars, was as enjoyable as the hunt.

Saturday's Matchup: Utah pass offense vs. UNLV pass defense This was supposed to be the one big weaknesses of the Utes coming into the season. However, sophomore quarterback Alex Smith has won back-to-back Mountain West Conference offensive player of the week awards and has not thrown an interception in 116 attempts dating to last season while completing 71.2 percent of his passes . His pass efficiency rating of 163.92 leads the Mountain West Conference and ranks him seventh in the nation. His favorite target has been junior Paris Warren who leads the nation in receptions per game (8.2) although talented freshman Steve ...

VegasBeat -- Timothy McDarrah: Time for Wranglers to pass the puck: The Las Vegas Wranglers -- a minor-league professional team affiliated with the Calgary Flames -- open their season tonight on the road in Boise against the Idaho Steelheads.

Columnist Ron Kantowski: It's time for Nantkes to step up: According to the French writer and moralist Jean De La Bruyere, there are certain things in which mediocrity is intolerable: Poetry, music, painting, public eloquence.

Columnist Adam Candee: Foothill gets nod to wrap up division title: Adam Candee; A plague upon thy house, Desert Shields.

Saturday's horse racing entries: OAK TREE MEETING

City prepares Galardi complaint: The Las Vegas city attorney's office is preparing a disciplinary complaint that could lead to the revocation of the license of the Michael Galardi-owned company that operates Cheetahs topless club.

Letter: Traffic control needs some work: Of course, this must be part of that "intelligent traffic system" we have been hearing about, the one we are paying for with the passing of Question 10.

Datebook October 17, 2003: The following panels are scheduled Thursday for the second annual Vegas Valley Book Festival. All programs are free and held at Paseo Verde Library, 280 S. Green Valley Pkwy. For more information, call 895-1878:

Artists, groups share $9,000 in 'jackpot' grants: Heather Rawlyk; Four organizations and 10 artists will share $9,766 in funding from the Nevada Arts Council. These "jackpot" grants will go toward a variety of arts projects and professional development opportunities throughout the state.

Roy to have special place with Old Timers: The sharing of precious memories and an homage to critically injured illusionist Roy Horn will highlight Sunday's eighth annual Las Vegas Old Timers Reunion at the Stardust.

Editorial: This co-pay would be a big mistake: Adding the prescription drug benefit would cost $400 billion, a large amount even by Washington standards. This has Congress looking for ways to trim Medicare costs, such as inviting private companies to help administer the program and trimming benefits for eligible recipients who have personal wealth. Additionally, Congress is planning to cut the costs of one of Medicare's most popular programs -- home health care -- by requiring a co-payment from those receiving this personalized service from nurses and aides. For every 60 days of care, a recipient would pay $40 to $45. This may not sound like a lot ...

Letter: Bush's policies are destructive: Just think what he can accomplish if the U.S. Supreme Court gives him another four years.

Letter: Assistance office is inefficient: Yet by 8:30 in the morning, they are already turning people away. Since the office does not close until 4 p.m., how could they possibly know so early in the day that they won't have time to see these people?

Scene Selection -- Geoff Carter: 'Italian Job' is only a part-time effort: I'm a complete sucker for heist movies. I love seeing characters huddled around blueprints, a woman in a cocktail dress stealing a passkey from a drunken security guard, car chases, lock-picking, synchronized watches. If "Citizen Kane" had a heist scene, I'd watch it every day.

High court upholds murder conviction: CARSON CITY -- The Nevada Supreme Court on Thursday upheld the murder conviction and four other convictions of Jamaar Williams, who fatally shot another man in Clark County in an argument over a debt.

Letter: Another actor for California: I extend my sympathy to the Californians who did not vote for another Grade B actor who ran on his celebrity. They will see their economy worsen, their environment ruined, their air polluted and their water dirtied.

Letter: Bush getting tax refund kickbacks: This money came out of the surplus he inherited from President Clinton, and will saddle present and future middle-class taxpayers with debt. We, the citizens of this great country, will pay the price.

Letter: Vandalism was overblown: As Al Franken put it in his book, "Lies and the Lying Liars who Tell Them," the vandals were certain Bush administration officials and the right-wing press when they reported unfounded accusations that they knew were false.

VegasBeat -- Timothy McDarrah: Moore hype hits LV wedding scene: Regular Vegas visitors Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher plan to tie the knot at a lavish $1 million Valentine's Day ceremony at Bellagio, according to Friday's editions of London's Evening Standard newspaper.

Columnist Muriel Stevens: LV restaurateurs proud of Esquire awards: Food writer John Mariani debunks the rumor that he is not a fan of Las Vegas dining in his list of "The Best New Restaurants in America 2003" in the November issue of Esquire, listing three local restaurants among the winners.

Letter: U.S. is not smart to isolate Cuba: Cuba has been unsuccessfully isolated by U.S. interests for about 45 years. During that time, other nations, including most of our allies, in Latin America, Canada and Europe have forged relations with the Cuban government to facilitate trade and the benefits of tourism. As the lone holdout, the U.S. has already lost the opportunity to establish the interests of American businesses. It has also, in a sense, imprisoned Americans looking for a chance to view this place, rich in cultural and historical significance.

Grant obtained for Mental Health Court: Jace Radke; With a $150,000 federal grant obtained Wednesday, everything is now in place for the opening of Clark County's Mental Health Court in December.

BLM investigates hazing allegation: The Bureau of Land Management has completed an investigation into a complaint filed by a female firefighter who said she was sexually harassed and endured hazing, officials said Thursday.

Housing had a hot September: WASHINGTON -- Residential construction picked up in September, climbing to the second-highest level seen so far this year, a fresh sign that the housing market is helping to power an economic resurgence.

Editorial: Definition of brazen: With respect to the work Williams did for the city while serving in the 2003 Legislature, he subsequently amended his time cards so that his more than 700 hours of billed work were cut by 208 hours, a revision that he said his supervisors coerced him into making so as to quell media inquiries. Deputy City Manager Betsy Fretwell is investigating the matter, a probe that probably will expand to include Arberry, but the central problem with such a review is that once it's done there will be lingering doubts about how tough it was. Fretwell reports to the city ...

Letter: Tower plan should be axed: This shouldn't happen. Garish signage and artificial impediments belong on or near the Strip. The natural beauty of our mountains and Red Rock Canyon should be left alone to be enjoyed by residents and tourists alike.

Expedition into history: Heather Rawlyk; What: Unity Through Knowledge Black College Tour

Columnist Susan Snyder: Heady days for Nevada bicyclists: Last year Nevadans actually did something healthier and better than ever before.

Columnist Jerry Fink: Fontana remembered as head of the brass: It was standing room only at a memorial service for Carl Fontana on Tuesday afternoon, not unlike some of his gigs during the heyday of his illustrious musical career.

Class act: High school teacher wins Milken award and $25,000: By Emily Richmond; When her name was called Thursday in the gym at Clark High School, English teacher Joanne Ho shook her head in disbelief, brushed off a few tears and then calmly made her way from the bleachers full of cheering students to accept a check for $25,000 from financier and philanthropist Michael Milken.

Community briefs for Oct. 17, 2003: The Alzheimer's Association 2003 Las Vegas Memory Walk will be held from 7:30 a.m. to noon Saturday at Hills Park, 9100 Hillpointe Drive in Summerlin.

Fed land auction program implemented: Suzanne Struglinski; WASHINGTON -- The Bureau of Land Management has successfully implemented a federal land auction program in Southern Nevada, federal inspector say, and the plan provides better control of money it raises.

Obituaries for Oct. 17, 2003: Anthony Aptimes, 50, of Las Vegas died Wednesday in a local hospital. A respiratory therapist and a Navy veteran, he was born Feb. 23, 1953.

Philanthropy awards to be given: The program will be hosted by the Las Vegas Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals.

Editorial: Young not afraid to talk taxes: After what happened during the 2003 Legislature when increased taxes were championed by Gov. Kenny Guinn -- unending rancor, two special sessions and the Nevada Supreme Court leaping into the fray -- the governor is waving a white flag. Although he acknowledges the state will be tens of millions of dollars short of meeting its obligations by 2005, Guinn is saying he will not again initiate a drive for new and higher taxes.

Columnist Jeff German: Woodbury sets the standard for honest politics: IN THE WINTER of 1981 undercover FBI Agent Stephen Rybar, posing as a shady businessman, was on the prowl for corrupt politicians in Southern Nevada.

Columnist Susan Snyder: Workshop has No. 1 priority: It's the one he can't take.

Long-lost Flatlanders work lives up to the years of hype: Spencer Patterson; In the history of recorded music, few albums have been more aptly titled than the Flatlanders' "More a Legend Than a Band."

Halloween happenings this month: Cirque du Demons

Slot plan moves ahead in Ohio: Carrie Spencer; COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio voters would decide whether to allow electronic slot machines at the state's seven horse racetracks -- with most of the take going to scholarships and school construction -- under a plan the Senate approved on Wednesday.

Performing Arts for October 17, 2003: Guitar soloist

Las Vegas man may face charges from alleged rapes: Steven Newberg, 38, was scheduled to go to trial next week on 22 felony charges, including sexual assault with a deadly weapon, robbery with a deadly weapon and first-degree kidnapping.

Columnist Lisa Ferguson: Kindler short on kindness for TV industry: Lisa Ferguson; Contrary to popular belief, sunny Southern California does experience the change of seasons. In fact, comic Andy Kindler anxiously awaits the metamorphosis each year -- particularly as it plays out in Hollywood:

Editorial: When cheap isn't OK: It's apparent that many boards, whose funding rests almost entirely on the fees they impose on the professionals they regulate, aren't charging enough. A contributing factor to the backlog is that some lawyers representing their clients try to string out a case as long as possible, knowing full well that the boards have a limited source of funding. It also doesn't help matters that many of these boards have staffs so small that it can make it next to impossible to do a good job. And while money is an issue, it also shouldn't go unsaid that the composition of ...

Where I Stand -- Mike O'Callaghan: Can't rush constitution: LAST MONTH Secretary of State Colin Powell visited the Kurds in northern Iraq. He went to Halabja where thousands were killed with poison gas by Saddam Hussein's military in 1988. It was an emotional Powell who told a cheering crowd of Kurds, "I can't tell you that choking mothers died holding choking babies. You know that. I can't say that the world should have acted sooner. You know that. What I can tell you is that what happened here in 1988 is never going to happen again."

Letter: No licenses for illegal aliens: Perhaps there is something the activists do not understand about the English language and the word "illegal." Illegal immigrants have no business being here, period.

Where I Stand -- Mike O'Callaghan: Troops need the best: Most Americans agree that we just can't walk away from the problems faced in Iraq. To do so would leave a world far less secure than the one that existed prior to the removal of Saddam Hussein's rule. Leaving would also weaken any efforts encouraging other dictators to ease up on suppression of their citizens. Right now the United States is the only light of hope the suppressed have of eventually being freed. Congress has little choice but to provide the funds requested by the president to complete the mission.

On Display for October 17, 2003: "Flood," a new show of works on paper by Tom Umholtz, is on view at the Arts Factory, 101 E. Charleston Blvd., until Nov. 1. Admission is free. 383-3133.

Letter: Davis' record not nearly as bad as Bush's: The current administration has taken a $5 trillion surplus and turned it into a $5 trillion deficit -- a $10 trillion swing. That's OK, our grandchildren and great grandchildren will pay it off -- ha!

Where I Stand -- Mike O'Callaghan: Hatch Act is the wrong way to beat Perkins: Under heavy pressure Perkins refuses to abandon the causes he supports, and he isn't for sale. Every effort to dissuade him from following his philosophy as a public servant has failed. Now comes the blow his opponents hope will remove him from office so they can have their way in the Legislature.

Columnist Spencer Patterson: Prime reunion show unfolds at The Joint: Spencer Patterson; Rock 'n' roll reunions are almost always two things: sappy nostalgia trips and calculated cash cows.

Blood drives for Oct. 17, 2003: Wednesday: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., North Las Vegas City Hall, 2200 Civic Center Drive.

Emotional vulnerability is 'Monty's' hallmark: What: "The Full Monty."

Ad campaign to push conservation among Hispanics: Spanish speakers in Las Vegas can use as much water as anybody else, but messages urging conservation of the resource have not been getting through to the Hispanic community, media specialists told a regional board Thursday.

Letter: Nevada should do more to help the mentally ill: One out of every 100 people suffers from schizophrenia alone, not to mention the people who suffer from the myriad other mental illnesses. Meanwhile, our state has 4.5 publicly funded beds per 100,000 residents. Individuals suffering from mental illness must have support, monitoring and attention from their family and community. Drugs for schizophrenia can cost approximately $500 a month, depending on the patient. Most mentally ill people do not have health insurance and are not even aware that the state does provide limited assistance to them.

News briefs for Oct. 17, 2003: A 32-year-old man apparently was shot to death near 28th Street and Elm Avenue about 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, Metro Police said.