Print edition for September 23, 2003

Monday's prep results: Palo Verde 4, Mojave 0 Goals: Bayardo 2, Lucero, Yvon; Shutout-Hines

Maddux's record run could last eternity: MLB SNAPSHOT

Team of federal, local agencies target illegal desert dumping: Clark County's desert is home to a diverse range of flora and fauna, animals as large as the bighorn sheep and as tiny as the beetles that live in the mesquite scrub.

ECHL, players trying to end strike: Larry Landon and Brian McKenna, the top officials who represent the players and owners, respectively, of the ECHL, met Friday in Syracuse to discuss issues that led to a current players' strike.

Attorney: Rudin murder case was a 'disaster': CARSON CITY -- An attorney representing convicted killer Margaret Rudin told the Nevada Supreme Court on Monday that her District Court trial in Las Vegas was a "disaster" and that Rudin was "not given her day in court."

Columnist Dean Juipe: Mute button more handy than ever: Dean Juipe; You wouldn't want me to RAISE MY VOICE AND SHOUT AT YOU intermittently during this column, would you?

Letter: Bush to blame for budget deficit: The solution, of course, is to rescind some of the tax cuts, which they refuse to do. Worse, the Republicans attack any Democrat who proposes that course, accusing them of wanting to raise taxes.

Auto-parts chain's profit rises: The Memphis-based auto-parts chain said fourth-quarter earnings rose to $207.4 million, or $2.27 a share, from $178 million, or $1.73 a share, last year.

Six schools to be put on replacement list: By Emily Richmond; The Clark County School Board voted Monday to tentatively identify six schools as top priorities for replacement, pending the completion of feasibility studies by the district's facilities division.

Centennial committee OKs slogan: Sito Negron; Las Vegas has a major party planned for 2005, and Monday it moved one step closer to having a theme and a way to pay for the party.

Letter: Iraq is haunting reminder of Vietnam War: I was a medical corpsman with the Marine Corps in Vietnam. You will never know what war is until you have to do what I had to do, and what I have to remember: Looking into the eyes of a wounded teenage boy, watching his eyes, seeing that one split second when the young, innocent eyes turn from life to death.

Where I Stand -- Mike O'Callaghan: They aren't just numbers: We are a big nation and we have millions of people. In Israel, a tiny nation, the death and wounding of soldiers and civilians has an instant impact on a city, town and the entire nation. The dead or maimed Israeli is the brother, sister, son, daughter, niece, nephew, father, mother or neighbor of somebody others know. There are no unknown soldiers in the Israel Defense Forces.

Editorial: The rules apply to all: On July 30 he was supposed to be in court, answering a citation for aggressive driving issued to him in the Reno-Carson City area by the Nevada Highway Patrol. But he never showed up, prompting the judge to issue a warrant for his arrest. Subsequent investigation revealed he was driving with a suspended license at the time of his citation. His license had been suspended Oct. 7, 2001, after he failed to appear in Reno Justice Court to answer a speeding ticket issued the previous April. It strains credulity when Williams explains that he was unaware of his scheduled court ...

Letter: Bush has restored honor, integrity: If Nevada does not support President Bush's re-election, America will fall even further into the clutches of the liberals and the secularists. We must pay more attention to the bigger picture, both in America and around the world.

Editorial: Don't leave school cops in the dark: This is a program being developed around the proven philosophy that increased communication can reap immediate and long-term rewards. It's ironic, then, that this liaison program started out last week with a monumental communications gaffe. As part of the program's kickoff, administrators from all the involved schools were invited to Metro's Bolden substation, which serves West Las Vegas neighborhoods. The meeting went well, with police fielding questions and offering advice, such as to call them whenever there is a fight brewing or whenever any problem surfaces.

Video gambling foes seek criminal probe: Steven K. Paulson; DENVER -- Opponents of a ballot measure that would allow video lottery terminals at racetracks called Monday for a criminal investigation of its London-based supporters to determine if campaign laws were violated.

Chairsell finalist for Utah college post: Jennifer Knight; Former Nevada State College at Henderson interim president Chris Chairsell is a finalist for president at a community college in Utah, a job that could make her the first woman to head that institution.

Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: Whitt gives up open-wheel dream for stock cars: Two years ago, Brandon Whitt was on a path to become the next Danny Sullivan or Michael Andretti. Now he's hoping to become the next Kevin Harvick or Kurt Busch.

Mandalay names new hotel tower: Mandalay names new hotel tower

Harmon gets nearly five years: Jace Radke; Former Assemblyman Harley L. Harmon was sentenced Monday to nearly five years in prison in connection with an investment scheme that cost victims millions of dollars.

Columnist Ron Kantowski: UNLV, Hawaii fans go down fighting: If you had to characterize Friday's UNLV-Hawaii football game in three words, it would be "go, fight, win."

Three alleged 311 Boyz members not attending school now: Emily Richmond and Erica Johnson; Three alleged members of the 311 Boyz charged with maiming a 17-year-old boy are no longer attending Clark County high schools, a school district officials said Monday.

Nevada's stricter DUI law takes effect today: By Ed Koch; When STOP DUI Executive Director Sandy Heverly began her quest to lower the legal blood-alcohol level in Nevada 12 years ago, less than a half-dozen states had limits below 0.10.

Immunization schedule for Sept. 23, 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.

Gaming briefs for Sept. 23, 2003: PAOLI, Ind. -- Opponents of a proposed casino in Orange County have started a website in hopes of raising resistance in time for a referendum in November.

Vegas builders pull fewer permits: A total of 16,479 home permits have been pulled year to date through August versus 14,327 year-to-date 2002, a 15 percent increase.

Crashed chopper's rotor likely hit cliff: The National Transportation Safety Board's chief investigator of the crash of a Grand Canyon tour helicopter that killed a pilot and six tourists said that early evidence indicates the aircraft's main rotor hit a steep cliff.

Columnist Jeff German: Casinos slow to help arts center: And so they are pushing hard to build a world-class performing arts center downtown to demonstrate this newly discovered importance of culture.

Wiretap came between mob, Louisiana gambling: Alan Sayre; NEW ORLEANS -- In 1990, a year before the Legislature legalized video poker machines, four men met in New York to plan their bets.

Residents lobby for skate park: Afsha Bawany; Tired of driving his children and friends 10 to 20 miles from his home just to skateboard, North Las Vegas resident James Ortiz is lobbying for a skate park near his home.

VegasBeat -- Timothy McDarrah: Hef's numbers up at Palms' Playboy party: Unfortunately, virtually no one was home -- they were 45-year-old numbers, as the book was from 1957. The only one we dialed that was still good was for photographer Richard Avedon.

Community briefs for Sept. 23, 2003: The 16th annual Walk for Life to benefit the Women's Resource Medical Centers of Southern Nevada will begin at 10 a.m. Saturday at Neighborhood Church, 207 W. Basic Road, Henderson.

Money saved on Municipal Court change: In July 2002 the city's elected leaders decided to end an existing contract with the Clark County public defender's office to provide in-court legal services for indigent clients.

Medco subpoenaed in Florida Medicaid probe: FRANLIN LAKES, N.J. -- Medco Health Solutions Inc., the biggest pharmacy-benefit manager and operator of an automated pharmacy in Henderson, said Monday it received a subpoena from the Florida Attorney General's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit seeking records on contracts with certain health maintenance organizations.

Sunrise, St. Rose rank high in survey: The National Research Corp. in Lincoln, Neb., surveyed about 760 households in the Las Vegas Valley about their preference for household health care. More than 140,000 people were surveyed nationally. The error margin of the survey is plus or minus 3.6 percent.

NLV Police shoot at homeless man who threw knife at officer: Jen Lawson; A North Las Vegas police officer fired a shot at a homeless man who threw a knife at him Monday outside a Burger King, but no one was hurt.

News briefs for Sept. 23, 2003: Metro Police are investigating the killing of a handyman who was shot to death at 7:30 p.m. Monday while installing a light outside a Las Vegas home.

Developer plans downtown project: Mark Fine, president of the company, said he plans to look into potential city incentives such as tax increment financing (TIF) for the project.

Sobriety test demonstrates DUI impairment: Deputy District Attorney Keith Brower, who has prosecuted drunken drivers, said he knew better than to get behind the wheel of a car Monday after belting down glasses of straight vodka.

Lake Mead ranks among most dangerous parks: The U.S. Park Rangers Lodge of the Fraternal Order of Police listed the 10 most dangerous national parks in 2003:

FBI believes bodies of Israeli men found: Jen Lawson; The bodies of two people, believed to be Israeli men who authorities said came to Las Vegas to be nightclub disc jockeys, were found Sunday near Barstow, Calif.

Mayor, council take cautious approach to redistricting: Sito Negron; Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman sounded a cautious note Monday when asked about redistricting, an idea brought up last week by Ward 6 Councilman Michael Mack, who represents one of the fastest-growing areas of the city.

Aladdin, creditors resolve bankruptcy case dispute: Lawyers for the Aladdin hotel-casino and its creditors say they have solved a dispute that threatened to derail the sale of the property to a group headed by Planet Hollywood International Chairman and Chief executive Robert Earl.

Christoff: Interview in probe set: Sito Negron; Peter "Chris" Christoff, the defeated Las Vegas City Council candidate who was among those making allegations of campaign finance violations against Councilwoman Janet Moncrief, said state investigators were to interview him today in the case.

311 Boyz lawyers say too much spin in case: Erica D. Johnson; What was expected this morning to be a bail hearing for one of the alleged 311 Boyz turned into a contentious court battle in which a prosecutor and defense attorney argued over how the case has played out in the local and national media.

Young: CIA has no new facts on terrorist visits: A CIA agent told Sheriff Bill Young last week that the agency still doesn't know why the Sept. 11 terrorists visited Las Vegas in the months preceding the hijackings, Young said Monday.

FID alleges violations by Vegas lender: Kevin Rademacher; Alleging the company has committed several violations of state rules, the state Financial Institutions Division on Monday ordered an Oct. 8 hearing for Las Vegas-based Global Express Capital Mortgage.

Sports news briefs for September 23, 2003: In the wake of defections by Miami and Virginia Tech, Big East Conference officials have put together a plan that will call for a 16-team, two-division basketball league and an eight- or nine-team football league, according to a report today in the Boston Globe.

Veterans nursing home to fill up by April: Dan Kulin; The Nevada Veterans Nursing Home in Boulder City should have 90 residents by the end of the week, and is on pace to be full by April 1, the home administrator said Monday.

Southwest Gas defends proposal for adjustment: Kevin Rademacher; Southwest Gas defended its request for the authority to make monthly adjustments to natural gas rates in a filing Monday with the state Public Utilities Commission.

Used-car chain cuts forecast: Earnings for the second quarter ended Aug. 31 rose to $39.6 million, or 37 cents a share, compared with $31.7 million, or 30 cents a share, a year ago, the company said.

Court studies Medicaid liens: CARSON CITY -- The Nevada Supreme Court is trying to decide whether to uphold a state policy of placing liens on homes of surviving spouses of people who owe money to the Medicaid program.

Fatal crashes: A pilot and six European tourists die after an Air Grand Canyon single-engine Cessna 207A crashes about four miles south of the canyon's rim.

War & Peace: Children's poignant perspective exhibited in 'Peace Through Humor' project: What color is friendship, hope, fear and disappointment?

Wednesday's horse racing entries: Post Time 10 a.m.

Obituaries for Sept. 23, 2003: Dominick Bruno, 90, of Las Vegas died Wednesday in a local hospital. A retired professional driver and a World War II veteran of the Merchant Marines, he was born July 10, 1913, in Paterson, N.J.

New transportation funding delayed: Suzanne Struglinski; WASHINGTON -- New funding for Nevada highway and other transportation projects is on hold until Congress can settle on the appropriate funding levels to renew or create programs nationwide.

Columnist Susan Snyder: Traveling parents say hello, dolly: A Maine woman has created My Mommy and My Daddy dolls that look like parents and record personal messages that children can play back when Mom or Dad are away. Being marketed as a comfort device for children, these dolls likely offer at least as much consolation to parents who travel often.