Print edition for July 2, 2004

Lawmaker quits job with CCSN; cites lack of duties: Kirsten Searer; Assemblywoman Chris Giunchigliani, D-Las Vegas, has resigned her post at the Community College of Southern Nevada, where she worked for less than two years and found herself at the center of several controversies.

Columnist Barb Henderson: Public lands are no place for fireworks: Barb Henderson; Wave the flag and have a wonderful celebration this Fourth of July weekend with family and friends, but please remember fireworks are not allowed on public land and fire restrictions are in effect.

Energy Department's document claim disputed by Nevadans: Suzanne Struglinski; WASHINGTON -- Despite Energy Department assurances, Nevada officials are calling into question whether the department hit a critical deadline it said it did this week on the planned Yucca Mountain repository.

Fireworks are not welcome at lake: Beth Slovic; While Las Vegans enjoy fireworks shows throughout the valley, those who head out to Lake Mead to celebrate will have to leave the sparklers behind.

Bill would bar banning public from meetings: Stephen Curran; A week after leaders of Las Vegas' largest homeowners association voted to bar residents from attending high-level meetings, Assemblyman Bob Beers requested a bill in the next legislature that would make such votes illegal.

Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: Panther Racing brings Bell back to U.S.: Panther Racing has named Townsend Bell to replace Mark Taylor in the team's No. 2 Dallara/Chevrolet beginning with Sunday's Indy Racing League IndyCar Series race at Kansas Speedway, the team announced Thursday.

Family sues over missing body: Jennifer Shubinski; For four years after her death, the two daughters of Pahrump teacher Claudia Nilson visited her grave to honor and talk to her -- until they were told their mother's body and casket were missing.

Drug raids net 19 arrests: Jace Radke; A six-month FBI-led investigation into a Las Vegas methamphetamine and cocaine trafficking ring resulted in 19 arrests Thursday as federal agents and police conducted raids throughout the day.

Judge refuses to drop tax lawsuit against IGT: Brendan Riley; CARSON CITY -- A Reno judge refused Thursday to dismiss a whistleblower's claim that slot machine giant International Game Technology filed false tax returns and owes up to $30 million in back state taxes.

Obituaries for July 2, 2004: Charles Bornstein, 53, of Las Vegas died Monday in Las Vegas. He was born Feb. 9, 1951, in Brooklyn, N.Y. A resident for 25 years, he was a certified public accountant.

VegasBeat -- Timothy McDarrah: Flesh fan Francis hears call of the wild: The debut of the "Guys Gone Wild" DVD goes on sale July 13.

Las Vegas subsidiary names new president: Paul Farinacci, will lead Student Assistance Corp., the debt management operations arm of Sallie Mae.

About 70 to become U.S. citizens: By Timothy Pratt; "I understand the difference between today and tomorrow," Sarfaraz Latif said Thursday afternoon in his Las Vegas apartment.

Expos' future still in flux: The possibility that the Expos might play some or all of their games next season in Montreal, or even Monterrey, Mexico, has clouded Major League Baseball's relocation drama.

Columnist Jeff German: Consumer suffers in this spat: It's not because they haven't seen each other. Hay recalls that the two even crossed paths during their separate travels two weeks ago while boarding a connecting flight in Dallas bound for Reno, but neither said a word to the other.

Ex-assemblywoman Brookman dies: Cy Ryan and Ed Koch; Former eight-term Assemblywoman Eileen Brookman, described as a voice for the poor, seniors and minorities, died Thursday night at her home in Las Vegas after a battle with cancer and pneumonia. She was 82.

Proposal has ice cream vendors fuming: Caitlin Hudgins; One of the long-standing traditions of summer -- the ice cream truck -- is at the center of a controversy that is melting the vendors' Good Humor.

Judge unlikely to dismiss Water Authority suit: Nevada Power sued the SNWA and individuals working with the Colorado River Commission and Enron Corp. in March, claiming they conspired to harm the Las Vegas electric company.

Timet objects to breaks on tariffs on Russian titanium: The Denver-based company, known as Timet, operates a plant in Henderson with about 450 employees and said the break on tariffs on Russian-imported titanium products is hurting Timet and the other U.S. titanium producers.

Saturday's horse racing entries: Post Time noon

Columnist Dean Juipe: Bid for Expos ups city's stature, if nothing else: Dean Juipe; The man on the street has been heard.

LV, developer eye plan for Metro headquarters: Sito Negron; Las Vegas is considering an agreement with a developer to build a high-rise headquarters to lease to Metro Police.

Business briefs for July 2, 2004: COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Shares of Cardinal Health Inc. tumbled nearly 25 percent Thursday, a day after the company lowered its fourth quarter and fiscal 2005 earnings estimates and disclosed a subpoena from regulators.

Gaming briefs for July 2, 2004: ST. LOUIS -- The Missouri Gaming Commission will not consider a new casino for the St. Louis area at its meeting July 8, citing a need for more study, the commission's chairman said Thursday.

Shady Acres mobile home park is getting upgrades: Sito Negron; An 18-wheeler pulled out of Shady Acres mobile home park Wednesday, tugging a faded green mobile home missing chunks of siding.

Slaying suspect held without bail: Justice of the Peace Doug Smith said he believes Raymond Garrett, who faces charges of murder, two counts of battery, five counts of robbery and one count of conspiracy to murder, may be a danger to society.

Fishing report: 6-pound stripers reported near Lake Mead Marina: Boaters on Lake Mead have been marginally successful fishing for striped bass in the Boulder Basin by fishing deep with anchovies, while shore anglers have had only limited success.

Nevada company switches to parent firm's name: The decision to take on the name and branding of the parent company is in response to regional and national trends in the real estate industry, along with Chicago's national name recognition, the company said.

Sports briefs for July 2, 2004: Former NBA center Manute Bol was seriously injured in a car accident, police said.

Brothel battle brews in Pahrump: Molly Ball; Southern Nevada residents aren't the only ones following the debate on the proposal to eliminate brothels in Nye County.

News briefs for July 2, 2004: Metro Police said Thursday a warrant has been issued for the arrest of 16-year-old Timothy Monahan on charges of attempted murder in a May 18 shooting in eastern Las Vegas.

Dallimore longs for another shot in 'bigs': Nick Christensen; Five times this year, a player on the Fresno Grizzlies' roster will return to his hometown.

Volunteers sought to write ballot argument: What if you proposed a law that says the state can't create programs without properly funding them and cannot take money from existing programs to fund new ones?

Magliarditi signs deal to stay in LV: Nick Christensen; Marc Magliarditi was working four jobs this summer, not counting being a full-time father.

Cox, Comcast say SEC seeking data about methods of measuring subscribers: Comcast Corp. and Cox Communications Inc., the largest and No. 4 U.S. cable-television operators, said the Securities and Exchange Commission has asked the companies for information about how they count subscribers.

Girl who treats others fairly wants to attend camp: July 3 - 4, 2004

$1 million bail set in restaurant manager's death: Elyse Palmer is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on July 13 to see if she will go to trial for the August 2003 murder of 45-year-old Thomas B. Farrell. Her bail amount is expected to be discussed again at that time.

Viacom sued over offer for SportsLine.com: NEW YORK -- Viacom Inc. was sued after it offered $42 million in cash Thursday for all of SportsLine.com, the sports Web site operator whose clients include Viacom's CBS television network and the National Football League.

Editorial: A change for the better: The program, funded through Medicaid, is available to pregnant women and those with small children whose household income is no more than 133 percent of the federal poverty level, or $12,382 a year. In the past, administrators postponed such health services as prenatal care until they had complied with time-consuming "asset tests." These were investigations of the applicants' personal circumstances, conducted to ensure they were truly poor. If a woman had $2,000 or more worth of assets, outside of her car or other essentials, she was barred from the program. With many of the women having incomes actually falling below ...

Apparent meningitis death being probed: Irvin's father, Edward Irvin, said doctors in the emergency room told him his son had died from meningitis, a diagnosis neither the Clark County coroner's office nor the Clark County Health District would confirm.

Performing Arts for July 2, 2004: Jazz music

Blood drives: Tuesday: noon to 7 p.m., AVI Resort, 10000 Aha Macave Parkway, Laughlin.

Onstage, Simon & Garfunkel still in harmony: Spencer Patterson; After spending most of the past three decades apart, Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel are proving they can stick it out together.

Program allows students to give summer school the old college try: Caitlin Hudgins; WEEKEND EDITION

Governor vetoes bill on casino referendum: Elizabeth Zuckerman; PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Calling a proposed casino a threat to the quality of life in the state, Gov. Don Carcieri on Thursday delivered his promised veto of a bill that would put before the voters a referendum on creating a resort-style casino.

Datebook for July 2, 2004: The Clark County Parks & Community Services will host "Red, White & Boom" from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday at Desert Breeze Park. The event features a carnival area, vendors, 20-minute fireworks display and several musical acts. Admission is $5. 455-8838.

Editorial: Truth, justice, and ... funding: In Clark County, the 80 attorneys on the staff of Public Defender Phil Kohn are each handling, on average, 350 cases a year. How much time does this leave them for interviewing their clients, rounding up witnesses and reading police reports and mounds of other documents relating to their cases? Can clients whose attorneys are so overloaded really be receiving justice? Kohn, in talking this week with the Sun about his understaffed and underfunded office, said he would like to see the caseload for his staff attorneys drop to 250 a year.

Where I Stand -- Columnist Brian Greenspun: Burning questions: WEEKEND EDITION

Letter: Affirming life, not a party, is Catholic teaching: July 3 - 4, 2004

Woman who set fire that endangered kids gets probation: A 32-year-old mother who started a fire in her apartment with her three daughters inside in December 2003 was sentenced to five years probation and ordered not to seek custody of her children during that time.

Suit filed over soiled honeymoon: By Matt Pordum; A newlywed couple that had been saving up money for their dream honeymoon in Las Vegas saw their plan hit the fan while staying at Circus Circus in January, according to a lawsuit filed Thursday.

Letter: Saying pledge is up to individual: July 3 - 4, 2004

Slain clerk had citizenship dream: By Timothy Pratt; Tragically, one less citizen will be sworn in at the Lloyd D. George Federal Courthouse this year because he was shot dead last week while working at a Las Vegas convenience store.

Columnist Susan Snyder: Rangers have too much range: Visitors are chopping up smoke trees at Lake Mead National Conservation Area and using them for firewood, according to a story published in Tuesday's edition of the Las Vegas Sun.

Letter: Too many deaths in Bush's war: The wounded and maimed now number 4,387, averaging 292 per month in the same period.

Residents escape blaze in building: Caitlin Hudgins; A two-alarm fire at an apartment building near Eastern Avenue and Bonanza Road displaced 21 residents Thursday morning.

Community briefs for July 2, 2004: The Women and Heart Disease Conference, an all-day meeting on heart disease and stroke, will be held from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday at Tuscany Suites, 255 E. Flamingo Road.

Letter: See documentary before critiquing: July 3 - 4, 2004

Pennsylvania Senate approves gambling bill: Marc Levy; HARRISBURG, Pa. -- After five hours of debate and months of negotiations, the state Senate approved a bill early today to legalize as many as 61,000 slot machines in Pennsylvania in an effort to lower property tax bills by about 20 percent and borrow billions of dollars for public projects.

VegasBeat -- Timothy McDarrah: 'Rock' debut sparks tour talk: WEEKEND EDITION

Columnist Muriel Stevens: Diego hot addition to MGM Studio Walk: A menu note advises, "We support the efforts of immigrant farmers and their ability to produce organic vegetables that are free of pesticides and herbicides enabling us to use products in their most natural and true state."

Time Warp: Spencer Patterson; When: Gates open at noon Sunday.

Fun on the Fourth: Caitlin Hudgins; WEEKEND EDITION

Letter: Children should be taught safety: July 3 - 4, 2004

Talent put to good use in modest 'Superstars': When: 7 p.m. Sunday through Tuesday; 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Friday and Saturday; dark Thursday.

Caesars helps Opportunity Village: The funds will help to build a third, $26 million campus in southwest Las Vegas that will open in 2006. The new campus will include a life and career development center, a leisure recreation complex and an administration building.

CCSN settles suit with professor: Community College of Southern Nevada officials bought out a professor's contract in November after she alleged employee discrimination by top administrators.

Votes of Nevada veterans crucial: Kirsten Searer; Dissent is growing among some military veterans who charge that President Bush is willing to spend money on a war but not on them.

Columnist Jeff German: Fund-raiser could be invitation to scrutiny: WEEKEND EDITION

Columnist Spencer Patterson: Number's up for Coheed frontman Sanchez: Spencer Patterson; But judging from his album titles, you might wonder if anyone ever taught him to count.

Money manager cuts investor fees in mutual funds: The cuts, effective Thursday, range from 1.5 percent to 23 percent, the Denver-based money manager said in a letter filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Stand-Up Guy: WEEKEND EDITION

Columnist Jerry Fink: After 50 years, Papp still at Mafalda's side: But today we will meet the man behind legendary pianist Mafalda Papp, a member of the Casino Legends Hall of Fame, who has performed in Las Vegas for more than 50 years.

Letter: Iraq not essential to terrorism fight: The opportunity to fight a global war on terrorism was lost when the decision was made to remove Saddam Hussein, whose ties to worldwide terrorism were never clearly established and henceforth turned out to be nonexistent. History had clearly established that he was a loathsome ruler, but his immediate threat to our security was zero.

Loaded guns found in sergeant's car: Lynn Doan; Metro Police officers found a loaded shotgun and a loaded semiautomatic handgun in the car of the Metro sergeant who was arrested Tuesday in Henderson, according to an arrest report released Thursday.

Editorial: Board has fallen down on the job: July 3 - 4, 2004

Event features hip-hop Atmosphere: Spencer Patterson; The last time Sean Daley performed in Las Vegas, the rapper hooked up with his cousin, a Metro police officer.

Dental school's vans designed to educate, screen: Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., can't get an image out of his head after visiting the University of Nevada, Las Vegas School of Dental Medicine and seeing their "Crackdown on Cancer" mobile van unit.

Letter: President has helped veterans: July 3 - 4, 2004

Exhibit celebrates U.S.-Japan treaty anniversary: Caitlin Hudgins; When the USS Powhatan neared Tokyo Bay in 1854, the Japanese, who had never seen steamships before, thought their island kingdom was being approached by "giant dragons puffing smoke."

Band's 'Perfect' is disc that's built to last: Spencer Patterson; Are you a classic rock fan, in search of a modern guitar hero after years of wearing out Hendrix, Clapton and Santana records?

Columnist Susan Snyder: Residents must demand a voice: WEEKEND EDITION

Letter: Residency requirement should be longer: I am also wondering, if Ms. DiMartini wants to run for the state Assembly so badly, why did she not remain in her old district to run against the incumbent? Perhaps she felt that the incumbent there was doing a good job and didn't need to be displaced by her?

Columnist Lisa Ferguson: Pescatelli keeping it real on 'Last Comic Standing': Lisa Ferguson; Shared heritage aside, both have families that are quite literally in their respective businesses. As opposed to the criminally inclined Soprano clan, Pescatelli has built a solid stand-up act -- which she performs Tuesday through July 10 at Palace Station's Laugh Trax -- based on the antics of her outlandish extended brood.

On Display for July 2, 2004: A collection of precious Buddhist relics will be displayed from 5 p.m. Saturday to Monday at the Nevada Buddhist Vihara, 2040 Abels Lane. Admission is free. 457-7938.

Letter: Ensure viability of Social Security: July 3 - 4, 2004

Pro-gambling group collects more than 600,000 signatures for petition: Tara Godvin; OMAHA, Neb. -- Backers of a petition that would legalize casinos and allow slot machines across Nebraska handed in petitions Thursday with 640,000 signatures to state officials, almost double what was needed to make the ballot.

Editorial: A chance for reunion: July 3 - 4, 2004

Letter: Not sovereign, not democratic: July 3 - 4, 2004

Annual wild horse roundup drawing more protests: CARSON CITY -- The Bureau of Land Management this month is going to begin its summer roundup of 3,100 wild horses and burros off public land, and as usual the plan is stirring up protests from advocates for animals.

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