Print edition for April 2, 2004

Employee-lawmaker issue goes to court: CARSON CITY -- Attorney General Brian Sandoval was expected to file suit today in the Nevada Supreme Court to seek a ruling on whether state and local government workers can serve in the Legislature.

Court sets guidelines for placing liens for Medicaid: CARSON CITY -- The Nevada Supreme Court on Thursday established guidelines for the state to follow in imposing property liens to recover money spent by Medicaid.

Regents want to look into Rawson deal: Kirsten Searer and Christina Littlefield; University regents said today they will look into a report that state Sen. Ray Rawson's assistant earned her full salary as a CCSN administrative assistant while she worked in last year's legislative session.

County moves to control child welfare programs: Clark County's Department of Family Services is moving forward with efforts to consolidate its program for foster children and adoptions with a state program, an effort officials hope will forestall any threat to its federal funding sources.

Columnist Jeff German: Guinn pick reeks of bad politics: All you had to do was hear Gov. Kenny Guinn's own words to see that his appointment of Lynette Boggs McDonald to the County Commission was as partisan as any appointment could get.

Metro Police cite Herrera for battery: Jen Lawson; Metro Police cited former Clark County Commission chairman Dario Herrera for battery Thursday morning after he allegedly punched a man at a construction site on the Strip.

Casino gunfire leaves two dead: Ed Koch and Mary Manning; A cab driver for the Henderson Taxi company for five years, Lester Staniowski has a premonition that one day he would be shot and killed.

Storm cools valley; more rain on way: As of 4 a.m. today, the storm had dropped 0.12 of an inch of rain into the official rain gauge at McCarran International Airport; an estimated 0.38 of an inch had fallen by 10 a.m., weather service meteorologists said this morning.

Neal may be preparing for political shift: Kirsten Searer; State Sen. Joe Neal spent three decades as the Legislature's biggest burr in the gaming industry's saddle.

News briefs for April 2, 2004: A preliminary hearing for the two men charged with killing a 13-year-old North Las Vegas girl concluded Thursday, with a judge postponing her decision in the matter until next week.

Datebook for April 2, 2004: The Clark County Museum presents its 15th Invitational Native Americans Arts Festival from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. today through Sunday at 1830 S. Boulder Highway. Admission is $3 adults, $2 seniors and children, and activities include artist demonstrations, craft market, dance and music performances, storytelling and food booths. 455-7955.

VegasBeat -- Timothy McDarrah: Son's political path isn't Lois' lane: Mother knows best.

Streets suffer in neighborhood: When Las Vegas Councilman Michael McDonald took care of this area, all it took was a phone call, and somehow, some way, the problems were addressed and taken care off correctly. The streets in this area were always well maintained.

Awards kick off Public Health Week: This year's recipients:

'On The Beach' finally makes waves on CD: Spencer Patterson; Neil Young has always placed a higher premium on artistic integrity than on commercial viability.

Performing Arts for April 2, 2004: Festival

LV singer plans Senate run against Inouye: Kirsten Searer; Brian Evans, a Las Vegas entertainer and one of the stars of the television sitcom "Full House," is taking his show on the road -- so he can run for the U.S. Senate in Hawaii.

Kmart includes Clark County in national property tax lawsuit: Alana Roberts; Clark County is one of 456 local taxing entities that were named in a lawsuit Kmart Corp. filed last May alleging local assessors all over the country over-charged the discount retailer for personal property taxes.

Vines grow -- will audience?: Spencer Patterson; No disrespect to AC/DC or Midnight Oil, but Australia has never exactly been known as a rock 'n' roll mecca.

Deal saves North Las Vegas lumberyard from closure: Michelle Swafford; A North Las Vegas lumberyard serving area homebuilders returned to local ownership Thursday after enduring nearly five years of financial challenges as part of a corporation that's now in bankruptcy.

On Display for April 2, 2004: "Picture Show," a collection of more than 100 classic movie posters and recreated artworks from the Golden Age of Hollywood, premieres at 6 p.m. today at the S2 Art Building, 1 E. Charleston Blvd., as part of First Friday celebrations. The exhibition continues until May 30. Admission is free. (888) 916-5666, ext. 106.

Goodman to face ethics charges: The commission will hear allegations that he broke the state ethics law by hosting a cocktail party at a National Conference of Mayors meeting in Washington, D.C. for a company called iPolitix. The company is owned in part by his son, Ross, and Councilman Michael Mack. The company made a pitch to sell their computer software to the mayors at the party.

Columnist Jerry Fink: Charles helps keep Las Vegas blues alive: You don't have to be sad all the time to sing the blues.

Columnist Spencer Patterson: Clarkson, Aiken fans voice disapproval: Spencer Patterson; They shrieked. They shouted. Some even wailed.

High court allows evidence of child abuse in custody fights: CARSON CITY -- The Nevada Supreme Court Thursday ruled that evidence of child abuse may be considered at a change-of-custody court hearing, even if the violence occurred before the divorce and before the prior custody hearings involving the parents.

Letter: Clarke not the only insider who smells a rat: The efforts of the Republicans to deflect responsibility for what happened on their watch have been to blame Clinton (of course) and to attack their accusers by outing a CIA agent in one case and by character assassinations in all cases. Richard Clarke's book says little that we did not already know or suspect, but the Bushies think the leak must be plugged by calling Clarke a liar.

Nevada economy continues to boom: Unemployment fell to 4.4 percent in February in Nevada, its lowest point in three years, the state Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation said.

Changes in Yucca funding sought: Suzanne Struglinski; WASHINGTON -- The Energy Department needs to secure more funding for the Yucca Mountain project to be fair to ratepayers supporting the project, Rep. John Dingell, D-Mich., told Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham Thursday.

Tax season also brings scams: Kevin Rademacher; Taxpayers with questions or concerns are urged to contact the IRS. The IRS takes questions at 1-800-829-1040. A tax fraud hotline has been established at 1-800-829-0433. Additional information is available at www.irs.gov.

At least four vie for Neal seat: Kirsten Searer; This is one Senate seat that won't have the Republicans holding their breath.

NCAA issues warning to U.S. firms: The NCAA has issued warning letters to four Las Vegas hotel-casinos, cautioning them on the use of phrases associated with the organization's popular basketball tournament.

Columnist Susan Snyder: Explosive recipe lowers the boom: Beware exploding dinner rolls.

The timeline of events in the case of accused mailbox bomber: AP; -

Ralph Siraco's selections for Saturday's races at Santa Anita: 1st Race -- QUIET JOURNEY -- Draws good post for dash opener, Nakatani on Sise trainee, adds blinkers for this diploma try. MUD LIGHT -- Espinoza aboard Mullins trainee, draws inner box for sophomore Cal-bred maiden special weight sprinters, here's Mud in your eye? Value Play -- OLYMPIC POWER

After leaving OSU, Riley ready to run: Steve Guiremand; For JaJa Riley, the wait is finally over.

Columnist Muriel Stevens: Easter is complete with all the dressing: "In your Easter bonnet, with all the frills upon it / You'll be the grandest lady in the Easter parade." -- Classic Irving Berlin; nostalgic Irving Berlin.

'All U Can Dance' needs to show fancy footwork: The best thing about the afternoon dance revue is singer Jennifer Page.

Columnist Barb Henderson: Red Rock Canyon clean up planned: Barb Henderson; Spring has sprung!

Casinos staying in as poker popularity grows: Las Vegas casinos are scrambling to parlay the soaring popularity of poker into new revenue and customers.

Some delegation members upset over LV flight rejection: Two members of Nevada's congressional delegation say they were upset that the U.S. Department of Transportation rejected a Las Vegas flight in the most recent expansion of air service to Washington D.C.'s Ronald Reagan National Airport.

Mayor has no favorite for council seat: Sito Negron; Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman said Thursday he had no favorite to succeed Councilwoman Lynette Boggs McDonald on the City Council.

Editorial: Holy cow! It might be ... it could be ...: On the front page of Thursday's Sun, sports reporter Rob Miech documented the serious look that Las Vegas is getting from investors in Illinois, New York and Oregon. They have formed groups -- Las Vegas Stadium Co. and Teamscape -- to study the possibility of buying the Expos and relocating them here. Miech reported that Caesars Entertainment Inc., parent company of several hotel-casinos, including Caesars Palace, Bally's, Paris and the Flamingo, is considering becoming the landlord of a $400 million, retractable-roof stadium on land behind Paris and Bally's, if the Expos move here. A consultant for Las Vegas Stadium Co. ...

Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: Pedregon returns to relive, reflect on title: Tony Pedregon was a man on a mission Thursday morning, but a 66-car pileup on I-15 between San Bernardino and Las Vegas forced him to change his plans.

Ex-investigator for DA takes deal in bribery, sex case: Erica D. Johnson; A former district attorney's office investigator accused of bribery and sexual assault has entered into plea deal with prosecutors in which he faces up to 10 years in prison, defense attorney William Terry said Thursday.

Fishing Report: Warmer temperatures bolster success: Anglers have seen some improvement in the fishing for striped bass in the Boulder Basin and Overton Arm over the past two weeks as a result of warming water temperatures.

Communications net approved for state emergencies: Jace Radke; The state won't have a communication system in place for emergency teams from different agencies to talk to each other during natural disasters, terrorist attacks and other crises by 2007, according to a plan approved by the Nevada Homeland Security Commission Thursday.

Binion's reopens to fanfare: Two-and-a-half months after its forced Jan. 9 closing, Binion's Horseshoe reopened Thursday afternoon to a celebration on Fremont Street and renewed action in one of downtown's most storied casinos.

Columnist Lisa Ferguson: Dealt tough cards, Shock refuses to fold: Lisa Ferguson; Ron Shock knows a thing or two about forging personal and professional comebacks.

Kruger: UConn wins with healthy Okafor: If Connecticut junior center Emeka Okafor is healthy enough to last through two more games, new UNLV basketball coach Lon Kruger believes that will be the deciding factor in the Final Four.

Editorial: Recall is a sand trap: Pacini easily won re-election three years ago, while Ferraro, in the regular election held last June, beat Smith by just 18 votes. During that campaign, Smith claimed there were financial problems with the golf course that Ferraro supported. After early voting was well under way, an independent auditor found that the golf course had lost more than $480,000 in its first four months. Smith believes if early voters could have recast their ballots, he might have won.

Premiums for state won't rise: CARSON CITY -- Because of favorable experience in the past nine months, premiums for health insurance for state workers and their families will remain the same or show a decrease.

Columnist Ron Kantowski: Ultimate Fighting: Few rules, but many fans: Now that I've witnessed one, I'd have to rank an Ultimate Fighting Championship weigh-in right alongside Pole Day at the Indianapolis 500 and batting practice before a Giants-Cubs game, when Barry Bonds and Sammy Sosa are feeling their oats, as the most captivating preliminary events in sports.

Sports briefs for April 2, 2004: Serena Williams said she wanted only to avoid losing a first-round match in her comeback from injuries that put her out of action for eight months. She has gotten a lot more than that. Her 6-4, 6-4 victory against fifth-seeded Eleni Deniilidou Thursday in the Nasdaq-100 Open at Key Biscayne, Fla., sent Williams into the championship round.

Community news briefs for April 2, 2004: The Southern Nevada Water Authority is accepting applications for its 2004 Landscape Awards. Homeowners and professional landscapers are invited to enter the free competition.

Gaming news briefs for April 2, 2004: DES MOINES, Iowa -- Lawmakers, once optimistic about adjourning the session as early as next week, abandoned that thought Thursday as a gambling agreement dissolved, leaving a big hole in the state budget.

Business news briefs for April 2, 2004: PHILADELPHIA -- A federal judge has ruled that Allstate Insurance Co. did not commit age discrimination in 2000 when it forced thousands of its agents to become private contractors with limited benefits.

This week in Motor Sports: Schedule: Today, qualifying, 2 p.m.; Saturday, qualifying, 2:30 p.m. (ESPN2, 7 p.m., tape); Sunday, eliminations, 10 a.m. (ESPN2, 8 p.m., tape)

Kerry supporters heckle Bush HQ opening: Kirsten Searer; Bush-Cheney supporters met Thursday to open their new Nevada headquarters, but speakers had a difficult time being heard over protesters who assembled to support John Kerry.

Gladiators have tough road ahead to qualify for playoffs: Adam Candee; They tried to must-win angle. The bad bounces card is already on the table. Everyone knows about the difficult schedule and the injuries too.

Lifestyle may contribute to arthritis cases for Nevadans: CARSON CITY -- A lack of physical activity could play a role in the onset of arthritis for a large number of "couch potatoes" in Nevada, a new study suggests.

Letter: Muslims must ask questions: Locking children up for hours, beating women, and trying to use bribery where all else fails shows the low level of the leaders of these terrorist groups. If their God (Allah) is leading them down this treacherous path, then no child or woman of Islam is safe in this world.

Weather an ally for Schumacher: RACE WEEK SCHEDULE

Obituaries for April 2, 2004: Jose David Abrego, 20, of Las Vegas died Thursday in a local hospital. He was born June 17, 1983, in California. A resident for 13 years, he was a cook.

EAT'M Up? Future of Las Vegas music festival is uncertain: Spencer Patterson; The annual event drew thousands of music fans and industry types, along with hundreds of up-and-coming bands, for a series of conferences, panel discussions and showcase performances.

Columnist Dean Juipe: Ex-Rebels golfers making history: Dean Juipe; Sixteen years after coming to Las Vegas with the stated goal of turning the UNLV men's golf program into a national powerhouse, Dwaine Knight can look back and know he has adhered to the script.

Things get worse for allergy sufferers: As winds whipped the Las Vegas Valley on Thursday, a stew of airborne pollens sent sneezing, wheezing and coughing allergy sufferers crowding into doctors' offices, medical personnel said.

EOB shutdown is becoming a possibility: By Timothy Pratt; On the eve of two federal inquiries into the Economic Opportunity Board, a bank has reduced the agency's line of credit and a state official said his staff is making plans in the event that the Las Vegas Valley's largest nonprofit agency has to shut down.

Gasoline prices to surge this summer: Dan Kulin and Heather Rawlyk; Las Vegans have suffered through the highest gasoline prices ever in recent weeks, and industry experts and watchdogs say the prices will probably continue to rise through the summer.