Print edition for August 9, 2004

Robinson revved for a run at 2004: Steve Guiremand; UNLV head coach John Robinson begins his sixth season with the Rebels on Thursday with the opening of preseason practice. And if anybody had any doubts about whether the 69-year-old future Hall of Famer still has the competitive juices flowing, they should have listened to him talking last week in Lied Athletic Complex office.

Program draws teachers from other fields: By Emily Richmond; After 13 years answering tough questions from the media, Clark County School District spokeswoman Mary Stanley-Larsen faces a whole new kind of grilling -- from her fourth grade students at Hollingsworth Elementary School.

Lawsuit filed over candidate's residency: It's unusual to have candidates running for the same office join together for anything but a debate.

Biggest-ever Windows upgrade gives system a security boost: Allison Linn; REDMOND, Wash. -- Almost since the day Microsoft Corp. released its Windows XP computer operating system nearly three years ago, it has been a favorite target of hackers and critics eager to stress its numerous security shortcomings.

Business strong for LV home builders: Toll Brothers Inc., the largest U.S. builder of luxury houses and a Las Vegas home builder, last week said revenue from home building rose 46 percent during the company's fiscal third quarter.

Editorial: School police should stick to patrolling: In agreeing with the chief, we can't help but ask: Why does the department need a financial-crimes detective at all? This one detective has spent every working day since last fall working on just one, albeit complex, case -- an internal audit that showed the district's former athletic director had improperly used district funds.

MGM MIRAGE gains settlement for Bellagio outage: That is a minimum settlement from insurers, which may make future payments to MGM MIRAGE, the company said in a quarterly report with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Negative ads may grow as law vanishes: Dan Kulin; A federal appeals court ruling that allows anonymous political campaign material opens the door to a flood of negative campaigning, which one political consultant says will probably scare some away from running for public office.

Metro detective charged with misuse of police cars: A Metro Police detective who in May 1996 sliced the throat of a vagrant and shot him in the head, sparking a cry for creation of what became the Citizens Review Board, was charged Friday with using police vehicles for personal use.

Al-Qaida cell had video of LV sites: John Solomon; WASHINGTON -- Authorities have a second surveillance videotape made by terrorists showing Las Vegas and other U.S. destinations.

Hurdles hinder Busch's chances: INDIANAPOLIS -- It's doubtful if Kurt Busch ever had to work as hard for a 10th-place finish as he did Sunday at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Three firms bid on Senior Rx program: CARSON CITY -- Three companies -- one in Las Vegas and two from out of state -- have submitted bids to take over Senior Rx, the state's program to provide low cost prescription drugs to more than 9,000 older Nevadans.

Columnist Ralph Siraco: Breeding economics crashed the Smarty party: Ralph Siraco; It all started on a cold November day in the Philadelphia suburb of Bensalem, Pa., at the steel-hardened racetrack Philadelphia Park.

Van Halen deals uneven numbers at Mandalay Bay: Spencer Patterson; The hard rock band really needs to start what it finishes better.

Letter: New zoo would be inappropriate: For one, we have a water shortage and a drought plan is in effect, limiting our use. Will animals also be under the drought plan?

County targets swampy pools in West Nile struggle: Molly Ball; To report stagnant pools or other standing water, call Vector Control at (702) 455-7543.

AG wants suit on marijuana initiative dismissed: CARSON CITY -- The state attorney general's office has filed a motion asking the U.S. District Court in Las Vegas to dismiss a suit that seeks to get the marijuana initiative petition on the November ballot.

O'Callaghan family matriarch dies at 68: Carolyn O'Callaghan showed graciousness, kindness and charity even to those who were critical of her husband, former two-term Nevada Gov. Mike O'Callaghan.

Birth announcements for August 9, 2004: July 27:

Tabish's lawyers seeking public funds: Stephen Curran; A District Court judge on Friday said he would review a motion to allow four private attorneys to send a bill to taxpayers for at least part of the defense of Rick Tabish, who faces a retrial in the 1998 murder of gaming figure Ted Binion.

Obituaries for August 9, 2004: Betty Jean Buss Bakken, 72, of Las Vegas died Thursday in a local hospital. She was born March 3, 1932, in East Peoria, Ill. A resident for 44 years, she was a homemaker.

Warrant issued for former schools athletic director: By Emily Richmond; An arrest warrant on felony theft charges was issued Friday for former Clark County School District athletic director Larry McKay, alleging he diverted more than $94,000 in district funds for his personal use.

Town debating casino plan: City officials want legislation changed that prohibits gaming on the Escatawpa and Pascagoula rivers and will soon ask the Mississippi Gaming Commission to lead the way by visiting the area.

VegasBeat -- Timothy McDarrah: Father strings together legend of Agassi: He is a tennis champ, a husband and father and an indefatigable giver to all kinds of charities who even started his own school for underprivileged kids.

Results improve for Vegas apartment complex owner: Revenue grew 5.6 percent to $109 million.

Judge says he struggled to find balance on 311 Boyz sentences: District Judge Michael Cherry walked a high wire on Friday when he handed out sentences to the five young men charged in the July 2003 rock attack on 18-year-old Stephen Tanner Hansen, attorneys on both sides said.

Valley Health owner working on new system for billing the uninsured: Michelle Swafford; Universal Health Services Inc., owner of four Las Vegas Valley hospitals, said it is working on a new system of price discounts for uninsured patients.

Editorial: Ad's smear should be condemned: Kerry's campaign noted that this wasn't a disinterested veterans group -- it has received financial support from a Texan who is a big contributor to the Republican Party. On Thursday Sen. John McCain, the Arizona Republican who endured five years as a prisoner of war in Vietnam, condemned the ad as "dishonest and dishonorable." He called on President Bush to denounce the ad. McCain knows something about these kinds of smear campaigns -- they were used against him by right-wing groups when he ran against George Bush during the 2000 Republican primaries. Despite McCain's appeal last week, Bush refused to ...

Letter: Bush violated nation's trust: The Bush-Cheney administration has subverted and dishonored the executive position of this nation. They have eroded the idealism they espouse with their motives and morality. The arrogant aggression with which Bush made war on Iraq cost the lives of hundreds of American men and women and resulted in the outright slaughter of Iraqi women and children. This is too high a price in order to satisfy their greed.

Sports briefs for August 9, 2004: Danny Williams would fight Mike Tyson again but prefers a title bout against WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko.

Appeals court voids law requiring names on political campaign fliers: CARSON CITY -- A law used to fine a Las Vegas casino and two public relations executives for their part in a 2000 political campaign has been ruled unconstitutional by a federal appeals court, but there apparently won't be any refunds.

Mentally ill filling ERs across U.S., study says: By Timothy Pratt; Two out of three hospital emergency rooms nationwide are becoming crowded with psychiatric patients, the same situation that led Clark County to declare a mental health emergency last month, according to a recent survey.

Milestone moment becomes a family affair: SAN FRANCISCO -- Neither his father nor his son needed many words at SBC Park late Saturday afternoon to sum up their feelings about Greg Maddux winning his 300th career game.

Letter: Demeaning Kerry's citations insults veterans: Those who choose to demean his military record do a great disservice to all veterans and active soldiers who have earned these medals. It casts an unspeakable doubt on all who earned the Purple Heart and Bronze Star because it implies these medals can be awarded for political purposes, position and influence.

Logjam over Maryland slots may break up: Tom Stuckey; ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- House Speaker Michael Busch has offered a plan to authorize as many as 13,000 slot machines at up to six locations across the state, with voters to be given the final say over expanding legalized gambling in Maryland.

Gordon's detour to the bricks may be path of great resistance: INDIANAPOLIS -- Jeff Gordon earned slightly more than $518,000 for his Brickyard 400 victory Sunday. He will find out sometime this week if he has to give some of that money back to NASCAR.

Shares rise on planned sale of credit card unit: The shares rose $2.82 to $24.30 at 9:36 a.m. in New York Stock Exchange composite trading. They had gained 30 percent this year.

Kerry courts minority voters in western tour: Mary Dalrymple; FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. -- Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry, on the western leg of a coast-to-coast campaign tour that includes a stop in Las Vegas on Tuesday, courted Hispanic and Native American voters in states he hopes can give him a winning edge.

Parent arrested after car hits child: Heather Rawlyk; A mother and her live-in boyfriend were arrested on felony child abuse and neglect charges Sunday night after the woman's 4-year-old daughter was struck by a car while riding her bike apparently unsupervised in the street.

Harrah's, Caesars said to be eying tribal casino deal: It wasn't clear Friday whether Caesars was interested separately in the project or whether it was included because of the company's pending merger with Harrah's.

Indictment brings end to Moncrief election probe: Jace Radke; Eleven days from now, Las Vegas Councilwoman Janet Moncrief is to be fingerprinted and booked on four charges of filing false campaign expense reports and one charge of perjury.

Will and Grace: Roya's balancing act produces results onstage and in business: "Spotlight" is co-produced by Roya (who also performs in the production and runs the box office) and comedian-hypnotist Michael Johns (who hosts the show but does not perform his adult-themed comedy for the family-oriented audiences).

Columnist Lisa Ferguson: Sun Lite for August 9, 2004: Lisa Ferguson; These are amazing times in which we live: Vacuum cleaners can navigate the house on their own. Some sofas come with built-in refrigerators. With gizmos like these, there's hardly a reason for the average person to expend more energy most days than is required to blink.

News briefs for August 9, 2004: A 75-year-old Las Vegas woman died Friday when the car she was driving drifted off Flamingo Road near Buffalo Drive.

Shutout streak pitcher has his Las Vegas trip: Nick Christensen; If all had gone according to plan for Brad Thompson, he'd have pitched this week at Cashman Field. But he'll take just having been there.

Home again in Indiana ...: INDIANAPOLIS -- As a young boy growing up in Pittsboro, Ind., Jeff Gordon never dared to dream of becoming a big-time racer like his heroes A.J. Foyt, Rick Mears and Al Unser Sr.