Las Vegas Sun

Archive for April 16, 2004

Spokeswoman for mayor leaving job: Sanchez, who works for the city manager's office but is assigned to handle the mayor's public affairs, has been with the city for four years.; 11:14 a.m.

Commercial projects set: The project, which is currently in the design phase, is expected to include as many as eight industrial buildings totaling 2.2 million square feet at Interstate 15 and the Las Vegas Beltway.; 11:13 a.m.

Decency standard may be hot topic at NAB forum: Kevin Rademacher; An expected 90,000 radio and television industry executives and regulators from around the world will begin descending on Las Vegas this weekend for the annual National Association of Broadcasters convention.; 11:12 a.m.

Vegas bank operators post mixed results: Also, Walter A. Dods Jr. announced plans to retire as chief executive of BancWest Corp. and First Hawaiian Bank. Don J. McGrath, president, will succeed Dods as chief executive at year-end. Dods will remain chairman.; 11:12 a.m.

Hotel employees compete at trade show: Hotel employees compete at trade show; 11:12 a.m.

Limo regulation plan proceeds: By Richard N. Velotta; The Nevada Transportation Services Authority will be asked to draft regulations to limit the number of limousines operating in Clark County.; 11:07 a.m.

Woman who hit boy enters plea: The driver who struck and critically injured a 13-year-old boy pleaded no contest this morning to one misdemeanor charge of failure to reduce speed in certain circumstances.; 11:04 a.m.

Trailer park owners face fines: Sito Negron; Sky-Vue Mobile Park has been without a business license since October, and its operators are being fined by Las Vegas for each day the park operates illegally, starting Tuesday, business licensing manager Jim Difiore said.; 11:02 a.m.

Rising price of steel could put dent in public projects: Cy Ryan and Emily Richmond; Construction of new public schools and major road projects in Clark County could be endangered because of the rising price of steel, building officials told Gov. Kenny Guinn this week.; 11:01 a.m.

Union urges minimum wage hike: CARSON CITY -- The Nevada State AFL-CIO is launching a drive today for a constitutional amendment to require employers in the state to pay $1 an hour more than the federal minimum wage, which now ...; 11:01 a.m.

Goodman saving comments for panel: Sito Negron; Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman stood his ground before a larger-than-usual contingent of reporters at his Thursday news conference, spending much of the time parrying questions about the ethics charges against him and explaining why ...; 11:00 a.m.

Vehicle is stolen with infant inside: Jen Lawson; A Jeep Grand Cherokee was stolen this morning with an unattended 1-year-old inside, but the thief abandoned the car minutes later, Metro Police said. The child was unharmed.; 10:59 a.m.

Columnist Jeff German: Ethics chief coming to the action: In the middle of her headline-grabbing investigation into the alleged ethical lapses of Mayor Oscar Goodman, Stacy Jennings, the commission's Carson City-based executive director, told panel members this week that she wants to open an ...; 10:56 a.m.

Some associations targeting fake turf: Heather Rawlyk and Jean Reid Norman; When Kevin Peltier had synthetic turf professionally installed in the front lawn of his Summerlin home, he felt that he was helping to preserve the desert's most precious commodity: water.; 10:54 a.m.

Program that encourages lawn removal is swamped: With no end in sight for Southern Nevada's drought, record numbers of area homeowners are participating in a program where they get money for replacing their lawns with water-saving alternatives.; 10:53 a.m.

Help for small-business workers eyed: Kirsten Searer; Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., announced today he will introduce a bill to help insure small-business employees, whose employers often can't afford to provide health coverage.; 10:50 a.m.

Man impaled in car crash: Andre Kelly was taken to the University Medical Center following the accident about 2:15 a.m. in the 1700 block of Ferrell Street, near Vegas and Rancho drives. Police said he was in serious condition.; 10:49 a.m.

Head Start boss had own problems: WASHINGTON -- The Health and Human Services Department is examining allegations that its chief of Head Start programs, who has been a critic of financial misdeeds at Head Start centers around the country, had herself ...; 10:49 a.m.

Sports briefs for April 16, 2004: NATO's commander in southern Europe, U.S. Adm. Gregory Johnson, met Greek security leaders today in Athens to discuss the alliance's role in helping safeguard the 2004 Olympics.; 10:48 a.m.

LV financier seeks to reassure investors: Kevin Rademacher; Facing questions about a falling stock price and a disappointing financial performance in 2003, Vestin Group Inc. Chief Executive Michael Shustek is blaming those problems on economic conditions and is vowing that Vestin's finances will ...; 10:36 a.m.

Liberty teens have sobering experience: By Emily Richmond; There even were a few catcalls as Rep. Jon Porter, R-Nev., announced the day's topic -- the perils of mixing alcohol and motor vehicles.; 10:36 a.m.

Sprint defends exec's pay, governance: KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Sprint Corp., fighting a shareholder proposal to oust a director, defended the board's decision to pay Chief Executive Gary Forsee $16.4 million last year, saying it conformed with executive compensation at ...; 10:34 a.m.

Executive stock grants cut into Mandalay estimate: In filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission Tuesday, the company said it had issued about 826,500 shares of stock to Chairman and Chief Executive Michael Ensign, Vice Chairman William Richardson and President and Chief ...; 10:33 a.m.

Station breaks ground on ambitious Red Rock resort: By Liz Benston; About a dozen earthmovers, water trucks and other heavy equipment pressed down dirt on a windy swath of land at the corner of Charleston Boulevard and Interstate 215 Thursday as Station Casinos Inc. executives broke ...; 10:33 a.m.

Gaming briefs for April 16, 2004: JACKSON, Miss. -- The state College Board approved a degree program in casino management at the University of Southern Mississippi.; 10:32 a.m.

VegasBeat -- Timothy McDarrah: Joe Jackson out to scotch tape auction: First, we got a conference call from Michael's father, Joseph Jackson, and Jackson family attorney and spokesman Brian Oxman.; 10:31 a.m.

Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: Andretti: Champ-IRL rift needs settlement: LONG BEACH, Calif. -- As the Champ Car World Series prepares to open its 2004 season this weekend after purchasing the assets of CART, the rival Indy Racing League tonight is holding its third race ...; 9:55 a.m.

Pair plead guilty in Jared Whaley killing: Two of the six young men charged in the slaying of Silverado High School student Jared Whaley pleaded guilty to their involvement Thursday.; 9:53 a.m.

Williams facing two elections: Kirsten Searer; Assemblyman Wendell Williams may no longer have a full-time job, but he is planning a busy campaign year.; 9:53 a.m.

Protest of water use for natural gas plant prevails: The Southern Nevada Water Authority has dissuaded the Lincoln County Water District and its business partner from using some of their water rights to operate a proposed power plant 90 miles northeast of Las Vegas.; 9:52 a.m.

Suspects sought in killing of restaurateur: McCallum, 54, was apparently ambushed at a home in Ladera Heights, an upscale Los Angeles suburb, and shot to death about 11 p.m. Wednesday, police said.; 9:52 a.m.

Driver who hit boy in crosswalk expected to plead no contest: The driver who struck and critically injured a 13-year-old boy was expected to plead no contest this morning before Justice Court Judge Nancy Oesterle, the woman's attorney said Thursday.; 9:52 a.m.

Obituaries for April 16, 2004: Donald Barnhard, 60, of Las Vegas died Saturday in Phoenix. He was born Sept. 15, 1943, in Marion, Ohio. A resident for 42 years, he was a business owner in sales, an Air Force veteran ...; 9:44 a.m.

With series saved, Tracy ready for run at second title: LONG BEACH, Calif. -- As late as a month ago, there was considerable doubt that the Champ Car World Series would be able to come up with enough cars to have a season this year ...; 9:43 a.m.

Gun-sight maker facing nuke fine: A Las Vegas-based gun-sight manufacturer is facing a $6,000 fine by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for distributing products containing radioactive materials that the NRC said it was not licensed to send.; 9:43 a.m.

Veteran wrestler Crispin, The Great Goliath, dies: As the 11th and youngest child of a bricklayer in Mexico, 9-year-old Pablo O. Crispin shoveled sand from a river so his family could make their own bricks for the few jobs that barely kept ...; 9:42 a.m.

Emergency help will cost at Lake Mead: National Park Service officials at Lake Mead will begin charging people for emergency medical treatment in the national recreation area.; 9:42 a.m.

Stars aim to master wind: Adam Candee; Whether it is the walk, the swing or the words, Cristie Kerr emanates nothing but confidence.; 9:42 a.m.

Legislative panel ponders limits on limo licenses: CARSON CITY -- A legislative subcommittee Thursday took the first step toward restricting the number of limousines in Clark County to try to address complaints ranging from price gouging and payoffs to the use of ...; 9:41 a.m.

Eisenman killing called ambush: Prosecutors say Alfred "Chip" Centofanti ambushed his ex-wife, Virginia "Gina" Eisenman, when he shot her seven times on the night of Dec. 20, 2000.; 9:40 a.m.

News briefs for April 16, 2004: Steven Horsford, Nevada's Democratic national committeeman and the chief executive of Nevada Partners, is scheduled to announce Saturday he will run for the state Senate seat previously held by Joe Neal.; 9:40 a.m.

Columnist Dean Juipe: No denying there's a gay presence on tour: Dean Juipe; Rosie Jones was on the initial Takefugi Classic commitment list, yet the LPGA tour veteran withdrew before the tournament began Thursday. That was unfortunate in a couple of respects, not the least of which was ...; 9:39 a.m.

Ridge to honor amateur radio leader: Jace Radke; A Las Vegas man who could be invaluable to local emergency teams in the event of a terrorist attack is scheduled to be recognized Monday during Department of Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge's visit to ...; 9:39 a.m.

Columnist Ron Kantowski: Gulbis, Louden: LPGA's calendar girls: If you are a religious follower of the LPGA Tour or a teenage boy with typical adolescent urges, by now you are probably well familiar with Natalie Gulbis, the striking touring pro who recently moved ...; 9:39 a.m.

Reid's campaign fund closes in on $7 million: Suzanne Struglinski; WASHINGTON -- Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., added $680,414 to his campaign fund since the start of 2004, bringing his total contributions to just over $6.8 million, according to a Federal Election Commission report filed Thursday.; 9:39 a.m.

Rebels' Oh pleased with first day's effort: Adam Candee; Sunny Oh seems to have this whole thing backward, but that has not hurt her yet.; 9:38 a.m.

Veteran Borders, Tacoma deal 51s 6th loss in a row: Nick Christensen; There are not too many players in minor league baseball whose career stat sheet takes up a whole page. But then again, there's also not too many 40-year-old minor leaguers who are still playing consistently, ...; 9:36 a.m.

Ralph Siraco's Santa Anita selections: 1st Race -- SANZIBAR -- Draws good inner post for two-turn opener, Santiago atop Mitchell trainee, been knocking on diploma door. COOPERSTOWN -- Berrio climbs on Spawr trainee here, draws well for sophomore maiden/claiming route, ...; 9:35 a.m.

Fishing report: Anglers still waiting for the action: April is usually the month when the action picks up for both largemouth and striped bass. Unfortunately, anglers are still waiting for that to happen because the fishing has been very slow for both types ...; 9:34 a.m.

Columnist Barb Henderson: Windy day can be the bane of an otherwise perfect outing: Barb Henderson; Thar she blows!; 9:33 a.m.

Hot Tickets: Weekend abuzz with variety of performers: Spencer Patterson; The Joint at the Hard Rock; 9:19 a.m.

Fridge recycling project is offered: Nevada Power Co. and a refrigerator recycling company are teaming up in Las Vegas on Saturday to help recycle old refrigerators and replace them with energy-efficient models.; 9:09 a.m.

Iowa House approves expansion measure: David Pitt; DES MOINES, Iowa -- The House agreed Thursday to allow the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission to expand casino gambling in the state, setting no limits on the number of licenses that could be approved.; 9:05 a.m.

More homeland security funding urged by panel: Jace Radke; Helicopters, fire engines and hazardous materials suits were on display Thursday outside Sam Boyd Stadium as Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev, and homeland security officials discussed how far the state has come since Sept. 11, 2001.; 9:05 a.m.

Plan for suburban Indian casino angers officials: Carolyn Thompson; BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The Seneca Indian Nation's plans to buy 57 acres of suburban land for a third casino have angered city officials, who say the intent of a compact signed by the tribe and ...; 9:02 a.m.

Fed chief urges caution: "But in so doing we need to be careful not to undermine the paradigm that has so effectively governed voluntary trade. Rewriting rules that have served us well is fraught with the possibility for collateral ...; 8:59 a.m.

Letter: Cost of living outpaces salaries: Something should be done about the situation. Costs for everything keep going up and up. But the salaries for the working people don't keep up with the inflation. Where is it all going to end? ...; 8:59 a.m.

Letter: Bush is acting to protect country: Al-Qaida attacked this country and we lost thousands of lives. President Bush did something about it. He went after the terrorists, wherever they may be.; 8:58 a.m.

Letter: Privatizing prisons just doesn't work: The Nevada Corrections Association has sent another privatization report to members of the Legislative Interim Finance Committee in the hope of deterring the bid process to private companies for the women's facility. Our message to ...; 8:58 a.m.

Loss of sage grouse raises concerns: Federal wildlife officials said Thursday there was enough evidence to support a yearlong study to determine if the sage grouse living in 11 Western states, including Nevada, needs to be listed as an endangered species.; 8:57 a.m.

Prostitute sues musician Neil, brothel over alleged assault: Dan Kulin; The former Moonlite BunnyRanch prostitute who accused former Motley Crue frontman Vince Neil of assaulting her has filed a civil lawsuit against Neil, the brothel and BunnyRanch owner Dennis Hof.; 8:53 a.m.

Editorial: Attention all candidates: With election season coming up, we hope candidates learn the lesson. Christensen is by no means alone in having filed bewildering campaign finance reports. Each election season, candidates who proclaim they are qualified to help ...; 8:51 a.m.

Summerlin to host Earthfaire this weekend: The event will include a variety of environmental displays, musical entertainment, storytelling, food and children's environmental art and learning activities.; 8:51 a.m.

Blood drives: Wednesday: 1 p.m. to 6 p.m., Circus Circus, 2880 Las Vegas Blvd.; 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Comprehensive Cancer Centers, 3730 S. Eastern Ave.; 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., University of Nevada, Las Vegas.; 8:51 a.m.

Editorial: State right in opposing burial plan: We support the fight being waged by Nevada Attorney General Brian Sandoval to stop this plan, which could be put into motion by as early as next month if he's not successful. Sandoval correctly points ...; 8:50 a.m.

Community briefs for April 16, 2004: The Las Vegas Paradise Sertoma Club will hold its annual awards banquet Sunday at the Gallery, 980 American Pacific Drive, Henderson.; 8:50 a.m.

Soundtrack from movie 'Singles' still hits home: Spencer Patterson; Generally speaking, I'm not a big fan of movie soundtracks.; 8:38 a.m.

Phish rap a curiosity at Thomas & Mack: Spencer Patterson; First it was drummer Jon Fishman, teaming with surprise guest star Kid Rock for the Sugarhill Gang classic "Rapper's Delight" at a Thomas & Mack show in 2000.; 8:29 a.m.

Mere musical aptitude does not make good 'Knights': He has assembled an outstanding cast of vocalists for "Neon Knights," a revue that will be at Boulder Station's Railhead on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at least through April.; 8:27 a.m.

Columnist Lisa Ferguson: Kim takes comic matters into her own hands: Lisa Ferguson; "In TV news, you kind of have to suppress your personality; you can't really be free to express yourself," says the Korean-born, Seattle-bred Kim, "and I just noticed I don't like people to contain me."; 8:26 a.m.

On Display for April 16, 2004: A juried student exhibition will be held at 9 a.m. Monday at UNLV's Donna Beam Fine Art Gallery. Admission is free. 895-3893.; 8:26 a.m.

Columnist Spencer Patterson: For Vegas appearance, Yes has familiar squire: Spencer Patterson; He has also been the British group's rock of a different sort, as its only musician to appear on every Yes single album -- 19 studio efforts.; 8:25 a.m.

Datebook for April 16, 2004: Keith Brantley and Pendelita Toney will host a poets' corner at 7:30 p.m. tonight at West Las Vegas Arts Center, 947 W. Lake Mead Blvd. Admission is free. 229-4800.; 8:25 a.m.

Mormon Tabernacle Choir hits Las Vegas: Singers must be recommended by their congregation's bishop, live within a hundred miles of downtown Salt Lake City and most of all, be thoroughly dedicated.; 8:24 a.m.

Columnist Jerry Fink: Quarry's spirit lives on at Club Monaco: Tina Quarry, his ex-wife, still gets misty-eyed when she talks about her 10-year marriage to one of the most popular boxers of the '60s and '70s, a man once described as the greatest fighter never ...; 8:22 a.m.

Columnist Muriel Stevens: Hofbrauhaus hoists a good time in Vegas: It's all part of the ongoing revelry at Hofbrauhaus Las Vegas at Harmon and Paradise roads. HLV is a replica (almost) of the original Hofbrauhaus in Munich.; 8:22 a.m.

Performing Arts for April 16, 2004: Tabernacle Choir; 8:21 a.m.

Columnist Susan Snyder: For this, we're going undercover: Does it look like you slept in it?; 8:20 a.m.

Columnist Jon Ralston: Mack is murky about clients: WEEKEND EDITION; 5:22 a.m.

Columnist Jeff German: Ringmaster Goodman created his own circus: WEEKEND EDITION; 5:08 a.m.

Where I Stand -- Columnist Brian Greenspun: The power for peace: WEEKEND EDITION; 5:06 a.m.

Weighing the legal odds: By Liz Benston; WEEKEND EDITION; 5:05 a.m.

Letter: Prayer needed to solve dilemma: April 17 - 18, 2004; 5:04 a.m.

Letter: President should tell whole truth: April 17 - 18, 2004; 5:03 a.m.

Editorial: Agosti will be missed: April 17 - 18, 2004; 5:01 a.m.

Editorial: Fight smog by spurring hybrid sales: April 17 - 18, 2004; 5:00 a.m.

Aiding in nation's recovery: Jace Radke; WEEKEND EDITION; 4:20 a.m.

Conference advocates cause of end to killing homeless pets: WEEKEND EDITION; 4:18 a.m.

Columnist Susan Snyder: Battered center needs salvation: WEEKEND EDITION; 4:07 a.m.

VegasBeat -- Timothy McDarrah: During trek, Shatner shoots: WEEKEND EDITION; 4:06 a.m.

Carrying Clubs: Kirk Baird; WEEKEND EDITION; 4:05 a.m.

91 stories

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