Print edition for August 27, 2004

Editorial: Plan would add beds: On Sept. 15 the division will ask the Interim Finance Committee to provide it with $2 million, so it can get a head start on planning for the combined phases. And it will ask Gov. Kenny Guinn and the 2005 Legislature for final approval. We believe the division's plan should be greeted favorably, as it makes an abundance of sense given the mental health crisis in the Las Vegas Valley.

Where I Stand -- Guest Columnist Perry Rogers: An honest debate: WEEKEND EDITION

Letter: Tips more useful than color alerts: Even though we were tourists, we did keep an eye open for unattended baggage and the like. Those signs made more sense than our present-day color-coded system for keeping people on alert against terrorist attacks. With color codes, we're told simply to go about our business.

UNLV receives grant for homeland security: The grant was awarded by the United States Homeland Security Department.

Fire departments receiving gifts of pet oxygen masks: The club recently raised $3,000 and purchased 120 pet oxygen masks with the funds. Members plan to donate the remaining masks to other fire departments in the Las Vegas Valley. The inspiration for their donation came after someone with the club saw a news report about a Florida family that lost a dog in a fire.

Community briefs for August 27, 2004: The Southern Nevada Musical Arts Society invites interested singers to audition for its 42nd season.

Columnist Spencer Patterson: Las Vegas band is getting Higher exposure: Spencer Patterson; Hunkered down in Austin, Texas, for a week in July, Las Vegan Tom Oates got a sense of how big his hometown peers have become.

Phil feels fine for 'First Final Farewell': Spencer Patterson; Phil Collins might retire from the road sometime soon. Then again, he might not.

Springfield should feel effects of LV return: Spencer Patterson; WEEKEND EDITION

Guitarist Stuermer helps Phil fill bill: Guitarist Daryl Stuermer first teamed up with Phil Collins in 1978, when Collins was with Genesis.

Letter: Bush's Yucca ad is misleading: Let us not forget that when the real deal came to a vote, John Kerry voted against Yucca Mountain and Bush gave it his signature -- even while the safety of using the mountain as a nuclear waste repository was, and still is, uncertain.

Datebook for August 27, 2004: The Harvest Festival will be held this weekend at the Cashman Center, 850 Las Vegas Blvd. North, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. today and Saturday, and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $7.50 general, $6.50 seniors and $4.50 children 6 to 12 years old. One ticket is good for all three days. 451-0344.

Letter: Kerry's war record honorable: August 28 - 29, 2004

Columnist Jon Ralston: Intrigue worthy of the Bard: WEEKEND EDITION

Murder appeal received too late: By Matt Pordum; A former attorney convicted of killing his ex-wife had his request for a new trial denied on Thursday because his lawyer failed to file his appeal within seven days of his conviction as required by state law.

Round 'em up: Beth Slovic; WEEKEND EDITION

Jury rejects heat-of-passion defense: By Matt Pordum; A Clark County jury on Thursday rejected a 45-year-old man's defense that he "acted in the heat of passion" when he killed his wife and convicted him of first-degree murder.

Performing Arts for August 27, 2004: String festival

Letter: Bush doesn't deserve support for re-election: August 28 - 29, 2004

Ex-DMV worker gets 71 months in bribe case: Jace Radke; A former Department of Motor Vehicles employee was sentenced this morning to 71 months in prison and a $100,000 fine after pleading guilty to taking bribes in exchange for DMV documents that illegal immigrants used to get driver's licenses.

Columnist Muriel Stevens: Too many chefs make for a great summit: Attending were Charlie Palmer Group Corporate Chef Tony Aiazzi, Bryan Voltaggio (Charlie Palmer Steak, Washington, D.C.); from New York, John Miele and Dante Boccuzzi (Aureole), Michael Lockard (Metrazur), Michael Altman (Astra), Scott Romano (Kitchen 22 and 82); and Mateo Granados (DC Kitchen) and Chris Ennis (Astra West).

Court delays ruling on residency: The ongoing residency controversy in the race for university regent District 13 will not be resolved before voters go to the polls on Sept. 7.

Soldiering On: Spencer Patterson; Country star Toby Keith was flipping through TV channels recently when he heard his name in a strange context.

Letter: Rudeness symbol of arrogance that got us into war: Wrong! Four minutes into this excellent documentary a couple walked in and of all the seats available chose the ones directly behind me. They immediately started to talk loudly back and forth. I turned around and gave them a look. They kept talking. I turned around again with a "shhhsh" and asked them not to talk. They ignored me.

Onward and upward: Jennifer Shubinski; What started as a trickle of proposed high-rise projects has quickly turned into a flood as land owners and developers think of ways to cash in on the latest Las Vegas building boom.

Official allegedly 'humiliated' teen suspect in court: The Clark County public defender's office is calling for the removal of a juvenile court hearing master after her orders allegedly left a teenager standing handcuffed in court in his boxer shorts.

Columnist Lisa Ferguson: Comedy is a night at The Beach for McCarty: Lisa Ferguson; As an outreach coordinator for local domestic violence agency SafeNest, it falls on McCarty's shoulders to spread the word -- through speaking engagements, training sessions, community health fairs and such -- about the organization's myriad services for battered women and children.

Blood drives: Tuesday: 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., Stoller-Navarro, 7710 W. Cheyenne Ave.

'We Will Rock You' a greatest-wit collection at Paris: In the distant future a muscular black male punk rocker sporting a mohawk is named Britney Spears.

Editorial: Show no weakness on Sky-Vue: August 28 - 29, 2004

G Whiz: Kirk Baird; WEEKEND EDITION

Editorial: Water crisis grows daily: In Reno officials are tapping into water reserves for the first time since the waning days of the last drought 10 years ago. In Lake Tahoe, the Associated Press reports, the most popular public ramp on the Nevada side is closed because the lake level is receding. Here in Southern Nevada, water officials have applied to the Bureau of Land Management for permission to draw groundwater, via hundreds of miles of pipelines, from rural Lincoln and White Pine Counties. And because the level of Lake Mead, Las Vegas' source of water, has dropped nearly 90 feet, water officials are being ...

Union backs anti-Garcia School Board package: Endorsed by the union were: Isaac Farrell, District A; Lester Lewis, District B; Tammy Green, District C; and Ryan Devins, District E.

Where I Stand -- Guest Columnist Bill Welch: Facing challenges: MOST INDIVIDUALS spend little time thinking about hospitals until their services are needed, at which point we then expect that all modern technologies will be readily available to serve us at a moment's notice. It is also interesting that hospital care, a service which would be considered a privilege in many countries -- particularly when we consider how hospital services are subsidized -- is looked upon as a "right" in ours by so many people.

Federal appeals court orders new trial in gun case: CARSON CITY -- A federal appeals court Wednesday ruled that U.S. District Judge James Mahan was wrong when he restricted the cross-examination by the defense in a case of a Las Vegas man charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Columnist Jerry Fink: Trop trip has been a steady ride for T. Fox: Saturday the energetic entertainer celebrated his fifth year at the Tropicana's Tropics Lounge, located in the second floor hallway next to the Island Buffet.

Local factory not in a pickle: Beth Slovic; WEEKEND EDITION

Business briefs for August 27, 2004: SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Hewlett-Packard Co. unveiled today its own version of the iPod portable music player, showing the fruits of a groundbreaking partnership it had previously announced with Apple Computer Inc.

Camp would help Scouts: August 28 - 29, 2004

For uninitiated, 'Hot Rats' is frank material: Spencer Patterson; "Hot Rats" is known as the Frank Zappa album for people who don't like Frank Zappa.

Mailer attacking Collins criticized: So Howard recently sent out a mailer attacking Collins' record -- even though Collins is not in his race. Howard is running in the Democratic primary against Marilyn Kirkpatrick -- who Collins supports -- and Ricki Barlow.

Greco, Anders give 'Fever!' a legendary feel: Many fans consider Peggy Lee, who died at age 91 in 2002, to be one of the most important women in American music.

Editorial: Progress on arts center: August 28 - 29, 2004

Homeowners warned of team of thieves: An elderly woman was approached by two men and a boy while she stood in her front yard on Monday, police said.

RTC to look at 33-mile light rail project: Jacob Snow, RTC general manager, said if the full commission likes the concept, it could form a steering committee to study the proposed 33-mile route that, if approved, would eventually link Henderson to North Las Vegas. Once funding is secured, likely through both federal funds and local tax money from Question 10, the project could begin to take shape by 2008, planners for the light rail have said.

Nomo ready after rehab start: Nick Christensen; Nearly two months have passed since Hideo Nomo was a part of the Los Angeles Dodgers' rotation, and based on how he looked Thursday night at Cashman Field, he is about ready to go back.

Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: Busch isn't counting on another Bristol stomp: Kurt Busch has won three consecutive races -- and four of the past five -- at Bristol Motor Speedway but he said he isn't going into Saturday's night's Sharpie 500 with expectations of extending his streak.

Columnist Barb Henderson: 'Summer Adventure' in Elko a feast of fun for outdoors fans: Barb Henderson; I was hooked -- and thankful -- when the Elko Convention & Visitors Authority was ready to reel me in to be one of their participants in the Summer Adventure Tour Aug. 18-21.

Fall watering restrictions go into effect Wednesday: Dan Kulin; It's time to pull out those sprinkler system owner manuals.

Bobbitt faces domestic violence charges: Heather Rawlyk; John Wayne Bobbitt, who gained notoriety in 1993 when his then-wife cut off his penis while he slept, was arrested early Wednesday morning and charged with two counts of domestic violence after allegedly fighting with his 14-year-old stepson at their northwest Las Vegas home.

Buses promote city's centennial: Sito Negron; Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman and other Centennial planners rolled into the Fremont Street Experience Thursday to the thundering sounds of the Olympic theme music, riding a new promotion for the "world's biggest party" -- a bus decorated with pictures and slogans.

Columnist Ron Kantowski: UNLV had an early dip in the Phelps family gene pool: Under the "personal" part of her 1998-99 UNLV swimming media guide bio, it says Whitney Phelps, a butterfly and individual medley specialist from Baltimore, "has one brother ..."

Health District OKs collection agency hiring: Molly Ball; The Clark County Health District's board on Thursday voted to hire a collection agency to go after a half-million dollars in unpaid fines.

Hard Rock Hotel alters its marketing tactics: The Hard Rock Hotel is trading babes for bunnies and cleavage for kitties in its new billboard advertising campaign.

LV company wins Senior Rx contract: CARSON CITY -- A Las Vegas company is the preliminary winner of a contract to manage a state program that provides low-cost prescription drugs to an estimated 9,000 low-income senior citizens.

Last-minute jolt for Rebels: Estandia hurt as camp ends: Steve Guiremand; UNLV's football team breaks fall camp tonight after a closed scrimmage.

New Nevada casino regulator seated: CARSON CITY -- The state Gaming Commission took things out of order Thursday so its new commissioner John Moran could sit at the meeting.

Donner receives license: CARSON CITY -- Las Vegas businessman Andrew Donner has been granted a state casino license for the Lady Luck, but the chairman of the Nevada Gaming Commission expressed concerns that Donner may be "cutting corners" in following rules.

Compacts could offer windfall for suppliers: By Liz Benston; Four tribes that signed new casino compacts with the state of California in June are expected to order up to 1,500 or so slot machines over the next several months to update and expand their slot floors, according to an attorney for the tribes.

Aztecs defense expects to shine in this darkness: Steve Guiremand; (Fifth in a series previewing the Mountain West Conference)

River commission to pay $1 million settlement: Kevin Rademacher; The Colorado River Commission will pay nearly $1 million to settle a Federal Energy Regulatory Commission investigation into the agency's trading practices and association with Enron Corp. during the Western energy crisis.

Gaming briefs for August 27, 2004: RENO -- Reno pitches itself to gamblers and Tahoe pitches itself to skiers, but in what's believed to be a direct marketing first, the Golden Phoenix Hotel & Casino in downtown Reno is pitching itself to Burning Man buffs.

Ralph Siraco's Del Mar selections: 1st Race -- ULLOA -- Nakatani atop Hess trainee, speedy runner draws inner post for sprint claimer, a forward factor throughout. ALPHABETIC -- Draws good middle post for tag dash opener, Espinoza aboard Mullins trainee, barn always dangerous. Value Play -- JACK'S SILVER

Obituaries for August 27, 2004: Stephen Clonan, 45, of North Las Vegas died Wednesday in a local hospice. He was born Oct. 3, 1958, at Andrews Air Force Base, Md. A resident for 29 years, he was a retired truck driver.

Columnist Nick Christensen: Foothill might be extra sharp after those bonus two-a-days: Nick Christensen; 1. McQueen Lancers resurgent after first-round upset 2. Foothill High-flying Falcons lead the South 3. Palo Verde Double-wing gets a first-week bye 4. Reed

Southwest Gas gets OK for rate hike: Kevin Rademacher; Beginning Wednesday, customers in Southern Nevada will be paying more for natural gas.

Board takes another step toward trauma system: The board agreed to have County Chief Health Officer Dr. Donald Kwalick negotiate a contract with a private consulting firm to help develop a trauma system and to identify boundaries for where trauma centers would take patients from.

Aladdin deal approved: CARSON CITY -- There's going to be a lot of changes when a new group takes over the Aladdin hotel-casino on the Las Vegas Strip next Wednesday.

Saturday's horse racing entries: Post Time 9:30 a.m.

Fishing report: The wait is over: Lake Mead fishing shows improvement: Both shore anglers and boaters are catching stripers by casting Pencil Popper lures at Hemenway Harbor and Special Events Beach.

Nationwide Web crackdown nets local residents: Three Southern Nevada residents were swept up Thursday in what the Justice Department billed as the biggest federal crackdown ever on Internet crime.

Tax petition axed after a recount: CARSON CITY -- The petition to repeal the $833.5 million tax increase has failed in a second count to have enough signatures to qualify for the November election ballot.

West Nile fears spur spraying of pesticides: Molly Ball; For the first time, Clark County workers are spraying pesticides that kill adult mosquitoes to fight the spread of West Nile virus, officials said Thursday.

Health District cannot meet its own codes: Dan Kulin; The Clark County Health District cafeteria is closing today because it doesn't meet health codes, and health officials decided it was too expensive to bring the cafeteria up to their own standards, officials said.

News briefs for August 27, 2004: A 40-year-old Las Vegas man was killed early Wednesday when he lost control of his motorcycle on Azure Drive near Skypointe Drive in northwest Las Vegas, Metro Police said.

Local flu vaccine supply may be delayed: Beth Slovic and Stephen Curran; The Clark County Health District, already bracing for the possibility of a nationwide pandemic outbreak of influenza this season, said this morning that it ordered all of its vaccine supply from a California company that on Thursday delayed shipments of the shots amid reports its supply may be tainted.

Sports briefs for August 27, 2004: On the eve of Kobe Bryant's rape trial, a frustrated judge chastised prosecutors Thursday for waiting until the last minute to challenge DNA evidence the defense says shows the accuser had sex with someone else hours after her encounter with the NBA star.

Nevada's GOP delegates look forward to convention: Suzanne Struglinski; WASHINGTON -- Nevada's GOP leaders head to New York this weekend for the 2004 Republican National Convention, which starts Monday.

Charter school votes to stay open: By Emily Richmond; Becky Pintar, the governing body's president, voted against opening the school for the start of the 2004-05 academic year, which is Monday. Following the vote Pintar, along with two other members of the seven-person board, resigned.

Veterans' hospitals may be targets: WASHINGTON -- Al-Qaida may attempt to attack Veterans Affairs hospitals as an alternative to more heavily guarded U.S. military installations, the FBI and Homeland Security Department warn in a new nationwide terrorism bulletin.

Woman files $4 million lawsuit against Metro: Jace Radke; A Las Vegas woman who says she suffered a broken wrist and a shattered kneecap at the hands of Metro Police while being dragged through the lobby of Palace Station is suing the department for $4 million.

Gaming, O'Connell still split over taxes: Kirsten Searer; State Sen. Ann O'Connell and gaming industry bosses are reliving the 2003 tax debate in what is becoming a fierce primary contest for O'Connell.

Culinary Training Academy opens facility: The Culinary Training Academy is a nonprofit partnership between the Culinary Union Local 226 and more than 30 hospitality and gaming properties to train workers for food service and housekeeping jobs. The kitchen is opening as the Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation is projecting a 47 percent increase between 2002 and 2012 in food preparation and other serving-related occupations.

Parents struggle to cope with son's beating death: Jen Lawson; Lee Masangkay was a popular, artistic 17-year-old who sang in his church choir and wanted to be a minister, his family and friends say.