Print edition for January 28, 2004

Columnist Muriel Stevens: Lingerie gets cheeky at Avenue: Women's lingerie styles usually change with the times. Boy-cut briefs are fast replacing the thong. Avenue calls their boy-cut briefs "Cheeky Panties." Terry Meichner, who is senior vice president of intimate apparel for Avenue, says: "Fuller-cut briefs are making a comeback in a really sexy new way. Our Cheeky Panty is currently our top-selling lingerie item because it looks great on everyone. Our customers are sizes 14 to 32 and they just love them."

Editorial: Let schools be a refuge from snacks: All over the country, and world for that matter, schools and societies are reaping the consequences. Students loaded up on sugary drinks and sweet and fatty foods are jittery and unable to stay attentive in their classes. This affects their academic achievements. They are becoming way overweight at early ages, setting themselves up for diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, hypertension and other physical problems that will cost them their quality of life as adults and cost society billions in heath care.

VegasBeat -- Timothy McDarrah: 'Lord' could be a ringer for bettors: Both Bally's/Paris Las Vegas oddsmaker Johnny Avello and Warren Lush, who fills a similar role at Ladbroke's Limited in London, say that "Rings" is an overwhelming favorite to get the Best Picture Academy Award on Feb. 29.

Kenseth backpedals criticism of changes: NASCAR president Mike Helton insists that altering the way its Nextel Cup Series champion is determined was not a knee-jerk reaction to Matt Kenseth's dominating run to the 2003 title.

Docs have poor prognosis for state plans to test them: Las Vegas doctors are concerned that the state's plans to periodically test them for competency won't weed out incompetent physicians and will be an inconvenient hurdle for all doctors.

Letter: Cheney slips into town like a mob boss bagman: This treatment of Nevada citizens only as a convenient ATM shows a lack of courage and is demeaning and insulting, especially when we face the most serious issue in this state's history -- Yucca Mountain. Apparently this administration already takes our five electoral votes for granted. Don't let them.

Mayor's gin loot still in the mill: By Timothy Pratt; Nearly a year and a half after Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman said he would donate $50,000 to the homeless that he earned endorsing gin, the money is still locked up in an account, the mayor said Tuesday.

Boulder City Council briefs for Jan. 28, 2004: The Boulder City Council voted Tuesday to end John Sullard's run as city manager, as expected.

School thwarts fake teacher: By Emily Richmond; A man posing as a substitute teacher tried to get into a classroom at Valley High School Monday and stole a notebook containing the names and Social Security numbers of several actual substitutes, Clark County School District officials confirmed this morning.

Pennsylvania governor tries again with slot machine plan: Marc Levy; HARRISBURG, Pa. -- Gov. Ed Rendell said Tuesday that his administration would combine elements of several stalled gambling bills into a single bill and use the revenue from legalizing slot machines to slash property taxes, fatten horse-racing purses and finance construction projects.

LV Justice Court braces for heavier workload: Erica D. Johnson; Las Vegas Justice Court officials expect their workload to grow and may have to hire more support staff and judges in the wake of a Nevada Supreme Court ruling last week that determined that civil cases involving less than $5,000 are entitled to jury trials.

Obituaries for Jan. 28, 2004: Myrtle F. Baxter, 91, of Las Vegas died Sunday in Las Vegas. She was born June 12, 1912, in Trenton, Utah. A resident for 12 years, she was a homemaker.

Harrah's shooting for March opening of Binion's Horseshoe: By Liz Benston; Harrah's Entertainment Inc. has begun the process of reviewing the assets of Binion's Horseshoe in downtown Las Vegas and hopes to re-open the property by early March, people familiar with the situation say.

Jurors weigh guilt of two defendants in Carno killing: Erica D. Johnson; Jurors began deciding this morning whether Susanne Carno is a grieving widow or a calculating killer.

Fredianelli of '50s group Gaylords dies: A co-founder of the 1950s pop vocal group the Gaylords died Sunday at the age of 73.

Columnist Peter Benton: Furyk makes bogey with appearance fee: Peter Benton; For the thousands out there who do not know me, please don't worry about it. According to the dozens who do know me, I am considered a rather strange, somewhat acerbic fellow who you are probably a lot better off not knowing at all.

Editorial: Out from the cold: The plan emphasizes coordination among all the area shelters -- before the cold weather sets in. This will replace the last-minute improvisations of the past, which left many homeless people literally out in the cold. The plan also includes funding to use motels on freezing nights if all the shelters are full. There is even a backup plan in case funding for motels runs out -- a state armory will be used to augment the shelters. No matter how much attention is directed at "affordable housing" as the answer to homelessness, there will always be a need for shelters -- ...

Columnist Jeff German: Classless advertising gets the OK: "The board under no circumstances is trying to be the moral conscience of Las Vegas and Nevada," he says.

Beamon big cog as Coyotes aim to defend title: Baseball America calls Calvin Beamon the top junior-college prospect in the country in its current issue, something the Community College of Southern Nevada center fielder disputed during practice Tuesday.

Firm returns to profitability: Revenue rose 6 percent, more than some analysts had been expecting, to $10.9 billion from $10.25 billion a year earlier, led by gains in its movie unit and cable TV business.

Letter: A glowing tribute needed for Bush: I want to propose another place to honor. We have done little to honor President Bush, both elder and younger. My proposal is this: Lets call Yucca Mountain the "George W. Bush Nuclear Dump Site." We could also call the tunnel for the waste disposal "The Spencer Abraham Shaft."

Housing, factory numbers unimpressive: WASHINGTON -- Orders for big-ticket goods were flat in December after taking a dive in November, highlighting the struggles America's manufacturers are encountering as they try to get on firm footing.

Deal adds LV overnight service: Orion signed a deal with BAX Global Inc., an Irvine, Calif., subsidiary of The Brink's Co., the armored car company based in Richmond, Va. Terms of the deal between Orion and BAX were not disclosed.

Short-handed Wranglers struggle: Nick Christensen; Playing with only about three-quarters of the team healthy, the Las Vegas Wranglers took the ice in less than ideal shape for a first-place division showdown with the San Diego Gulls.

Boulder City OKs helicopter tour firm: Dan Kulin; While Clark County struggles through site selection for a regional heliport, the Boulder City Council on Tuesday approved a plan to base one helicopter tour company at the city airport.

Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: Drivers applaud changes to tires: NASCAR Nextel Cup director John Darby said he was pleased with the feedback he received from drivers and crew chiefs regarding the new Goodyear tires to be used at intermediate tracks this season as well as changes in body styles and to the rear spoilers.

Eye scan used to detect drug use: The eye is more than just the window to the soul; it can also be a window to drug abuse.

State proposes waiving tax penalty: CARSON CITY -- Because of confusion surrounding new state business taxes, the state Department of Taxation wants to cut some slack for businesses in making their first payments of the payroll tax.

Lottery chief facing scrutiny dies Tuesday: Chris Williams; MINNEAPOLIS -- The longtime director of the Minnesota State Lottery died on Tuesday, apparently by suicide, a day after meeting with legislative auditors examining the lottery's operations.

Channel 10's SAT-CHAT honored: The KLVX Science and Technology Chat series, known at SAT-CHAT, was selected out of more than 300 entries.

Three Las Vegas killers lose appeals: CARSON CITY -- Three Las Vegas killers, two of them sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, lost their appeals to the Nevada Supreme Court on Tuesday.

Dam work may slow Super Bowl traffic: Heather Rawlyk; Construction at the Nevada and Arizona approaches to Hoover Dam is expected to be finished by Sunday but it may still pose problems for some of the many people expected to be driving into Southern Nevada from Arizona on the days leading up to the Super Bowl.

Las Vegas supporters celebrate Kerry win: Heather Rawlyk and Dan Kulin; Las Vegas supporters of Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., who won the Iowa caucuses last week, gathered at the Tap House on West Charleston Boulevard Tuesday night looking for a repeat.

Columnist Dean Juipe: LV marveled as Rebels won 45 in a row: Dean Juipe; Anyone who lived here in 1991 and followed sports was all but immersed in a sense of euphoria. The city's unquestioned focal point -- its defending national champion UNLV men's basketball team -- was in the process of going undefeated during the regular season and emotions were surging right through the Thomas & Mack Center roof.

Audit of Nevada State College turns up several 'silly' mistakes: An audit of Nevada State College's beginning months show that former President Richard Moore's administration made several "silly" and even illegal mistakes, current President Kerry Romesburg said.

Community briefs for Jan. 28, 2004: Make-A-Wish Foundation's third annual Run for A Wish, a 5K run/walk and 1-mile fun walk will begin with registration at 7:30 a.m. Saturday at Neonopolis in downtown Las Vegas.

Basketball star of '50s Thompson dies: Odis Thompson, a star of the 1957-58 Las Vegas High School state basketball championship team who also helped propel Nevada Southern University (now UNLV) to its first winning basketball season, died Thursday in North Las Vegas at the age of 62.

Letter: Kucinich should get nomination: We have been taught in school that anyone can grow up in this country and become president of the United States. As the nation's youngest big-city mayor, Kucinich fought and won a personally devastating battle on behalf of the people of Cleveland. As a congressman he has a record that reflects his commitment to profound political change.

Columnist Elizabeth Foyt: NBT's Dion tribute attracts Las Vegas elite: Elizabeth Foyt; Held at Caesars Palace, the evening to honor Celine Dion as Woman of the Year began with a private "Meet Celine" reception in the Forum Tower penthouse.

New south beltway poses many problems: Sito Negron; Las Vegas' proposal for a new beltway in the northwest and north valley would be difficult to duplicate in the south, where planners say a checkerboard of development has eaten up too much desert for transportation officials to easily assemble enough land for a highway.

Transcripts: Regents saw 'culture' of corruption: Many of the university regents who voted to remove community college executives from their posts saw themselves as taking a stand against what one regent called "absolute corruption" at the college, transcripts of the November closed sessions show.

Teachers kick off campaign for more funding: By Emily Richmond; The state teachers union launched a petition drive this morning that, if successful, would create a constitutional amendment requiring the Legislature to raise education funding to the national average.

Local basketball pioneer dies: Odis Thompson, a star of the 1957-58 Las Vegas High School state basketball championship team who also helped propel Nevada Southern University (now UNLV) to its first winning basketball season, died Thursday in North Las Vegas at the age of 62.

Tax committee hears complaints: CARSON CITY -- Bankers, hula dancers, artists and exhibitors at craft shows are all complaining they have been hit hard by the new $833 million tax package enacted by the 2003 Legislature.

Fredianelli, founder of Gaylords, dies: Heather Rawlyk and Ed Koch; Through more than 50 years in show business, Ronnie Gaylord saw it all.

Rating outlook upgraded: The upgrade is based on Herbst's "improved financial performance and market position since acquiring the slot route business of Anchor Coin in February 2003 as well as the company's favorable growth prospects."

Moran leaves Henderson firm: A spokeswoman provided no details on Moran's departure.

Sports briefs for January 28, 2004: Three prospects acknowledged Tuesday that they were part of a group that visited bars as minors and that several were served alcohol. A group also went to "Deja Vu," a downtown strip club that admits patrons 18 and older and does not serve alcohol.

Majerus to resign: SALT LAKE CITY -- Utah men's basketball coach Rick Majerus was hospitalized with heart problems and will resign after the season, the school announced this morning.

Las Vegas properties lift MGM MIRAGE performance: By Liz Benston; Profit more than doubled at MGM MIRAGE in the fourth quarter of last year as gamblers and other customers rode an economic rebound, driving more visits to company resorts and higher spending on hotel rooms and other non-gaming amenities.

PT's Gold opening two new taverns: The Sunset Road tavern will be a free-standing building and replace an existing PT's Pub nearby that will close. The taverns are part of a new concept called PT's Gold that will offer a "classic Las Vegas" theme and a full menu including peppered shrimp appetizers and filet mignon.

Staff walks out of senior care center: Residents of a retirement home in southwest Las Vegas said today they were not surprised when the staff walked out last night because they have long been left in the dark about the operations of the facility.

Outlook stable, agency says: The commission also granted the men the option of applying for a permanent license in January 2005.

News briefs for Jan. 28, 2004: The Clark County coroner's office has not yet determined the cause and manner of death of a man found dead in the desert Sunday.

Burglaries feared related to potential identity theft: Kirsten Searer; Police are investigating a string of office break-ins that could be part of a scheme to steal the identities of thousands of people.