Print edition for July 19, 2004

Nevada jobless rate inches up in June: CARSON CITY -- The unemployment rate inched up to 4.2 percent in June in Nevada with an estimated 52,900 jobless, or 9,800 more than in May.

Aladdin expels Ronstadt after political remarks: Aladdin President Bill Timmins ordered security guards to escort pop diva Linda Ronstadt off the property following a concert Saturday night during which she expressed support for controversial documentary filmmaker Michael Moore.

Zoo company concerned about planned site: A Las Vegas company that wants to invest millions of dollars to build a world-class local zoo has concerns about the proposed site, including a restriction that in theory would prohibit features that could raise someone's heart rate.

Metro officer involved in shooting: The officer shot 27-year-old Robert Walker in the arm and leg after several attempts to subdue him using other means, including a Taser stun gun, pepper spray and a bean-bag gun, police said.

Caesars CEO in line for $17 million merger bonus: By Liz Benston; Caesars Entertainment Inc. Chief Executive Wally Barr stands to receive at least $17 million under an employment contract if he resigns from Caesars as anticipated after a pending acquisition by Harrah's Entertainment Inc. is consummated.

Witness tampering by defense probed in Binion trial: District Attorney David Roger said today his office is conducting a criminal investigation into witness tampering on the part of the defense in the Ted Binion murder case.

Ridgeview Capital buys Las Vegas loan company: Ridgeview partnered with Kim Koster, chief executive of the Las Vegas loan company, to acquire Koster's Cash Loans from its founder, Bill Koster, Kim Koster's father. Ridgeview owns 70 percent of the company with the remaining 30 percent controlled by a management team led by Kim Koster.

VegasBeat -- Timothy McDarrah: Vegas has Time for national exposure: It's got to be all downhill from here. Time, the most mainstream of magazines, has rediscovered Las Vegas.

Attorney general files court brief on initiatives: CARSON CITY -- Thousands of Nevadans, in good faith, signed initiative petitions to raise the minimum wage and stop frivolous suits, but the documents were defective, the state Attorney General's Office says.

Private monorail avoids paying state taxes: Stephen Curran; The much-anticipated Las Vegas Monorail, which opened last week after more than six months of delays, quietly accepted a state tax exemption for charities more than a year before the first trains ran.

Study says pollution may add to drought: Molly Ball; Air pollution from coal-burning power plants may be worsening the region's current drought, according to research by scientists with Nevada's Desert Research Institute.

Cops say delays for warrants a problem: Jen Lawson; The body wasn't going anywhere, but it took more than a dozen phone calls before Metro Police reached a judge to approve the search warrant that allowed them to open a freezer that served as a makeshift coffin last week.

Papadakis streaks to second victory of season: Nelson Hoyos (Pro FWD), Carlos Gonzalez Sr. (Modified), Marty Ladwig (Hot Rod) and Scott Mohler (All Motor) also were winners at the sixth of 10 events in the $2.1 million NHRA Summit Sport Compact Series.

Tax incentives approved for three companies: Kevin Rademacher; The Las Vegas Valley could gain 145 jobs after the Nevada Commission on Economic Development last week approved tax incentives for three companies.

Cummings settles lawsuit with regents: Demoted CCSN lobbyist and presidential adviser John Cummings settled his lawsuit with the Board of Regents on Saturday, Cummings said this morning.

Oil giants, Vegas gasoline stations mired in litigation over merger: Alana Roberts; While Las Vegas Valley residents are suffering sticker shock at the high price of gasoline, some local gas station franchisees say they too are suffering at the hands of big oil giants.

EEOC files suit against LV restaurant: The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court, alleges June Jones, Eva Medley and other workers over 40 were terminated from their food server positions on Aug. 7, 2000, an EEOC press release said. The lawsuit seeks an unspecified amount of back pay and liquidated damages for the workers.

Heller bows out of flap over who may run: CARSON CITY -- Secretary of State Dean Heller says he probably will not pursue further legal challenges regarding state government employees serving in the Nevada Legislature.

D.C. activists to challenge petitions on slots proposal: Candace Smith; WASHINGTON -- Opponents of a planned northeast Washington casino plan to file a formal challenge today against petitions required to put the slots initiative on the Nov. 2 ballot.

Editorial: Bush's plan would harm our forests: Altogether, throughout the country, the Bush plan threatens 58.5 million of the 191 million acres of national forests. Within those wilderness acres of national forests, under the Clinton administration's protective regulation, no roads are allowed to be constructed. The regulation effectively blocked commercial activity in those forest lands, including mining and logging. In fact, it limited almost all human activity, with the exception of the stray hikers hardy enough to venture forth without benefit of roads or trails. The idea was to keep about a third of our national forests forever wild, to preserve their clean waters, air and soil ...

Ex-champion Dokes locked in solitary after injuring inmate: Former world heavyweight boxing champion Michael Dokes, serving prison time for a 1998 assault, is in solitary confinement at Indian Springs' Southern Desert Correctional Center for allegedly breaking the jaw of another inmate during an unsanctioned sparring session, sources inside the prison say.

Causing a Scene: Celebs sex tapes frequently wind up in the wrong hands: Kirk Baird; You issue a heartfelt press release explaining why you made the tape: "We're a couple in love, doing things that couples in love do."

News briefs for July 19, 2004: A 25-year-old Las Vegas man was arrested Friday on charges of killing and robbing his neighbor inside an apartment near Desert Inn Road and Durango Drive.

Letter: Fence in Israel is saving lives: The security fence is a temporary and nonviolent way to reduce terrorism and it is already savings lives. When the terrorism stops, the fence can be taken down.

Tribe wants to open casinos in Ohio: John Nolan; CINCINNATI -- A Shawnee Indian tribe is preparing to apply to the federal government for permission to operate five to seven casinos in Ohio on lands the tribe once occupied before being forced to relocate to Oklahoma, a consultant said.

Editorial: Double-talk on Yucca: We thought of that argument when reading a New York Times article last week about plans by a nuclear power plant near Peekskill, N.Y., to increase its on-site storage capacity. Local residents, fearing for their safety, turned out in force to protest the expanded storage plan. Who was there to defend on-site storage? Why, the federal government and industry officials.

Moore adds another but hasn't changed plans for senior year: Adam Candee; Did you hear that Ryan Moore was going to turn pro after winning this year's NCAA championship?

Military voters overseas on tight deadline: Jace Radke; For more information about absentee voting, including how to request a ballot, go to www.co.clark.nv.us/election/Mail.htm or call the Clark County Election Department at 455-VOTE (455-8683).

Birth announcements for July 19, 2004: July 2:

Columnist Susan Snyder: Mercury level is taking toll: Make that more trouble.

Pappas could still get money in Neonopolis garage case: By Matt Pordum; Although the Pappas family will not get a chance to argue that the fair market value of their property taken by Las Vegas for the Neonopolis parking garage was more than $1.4 million, they could still collect additional money in the contentious and drawn-out eminent domain court battle.

Undocumented workers file suit against car wash: Beth Slovic; Fifteen undocumented Mexican workers filed suit in federal court last week alleging their supervisors at Green Valley Hand Car Wash failed to pay them adequate wages as required by state and federal law.

Letter: Movie reveals president to be dazed, confused: Anyone who sees the tape of President Bush's reaction to the news of the attacks on the World Trade Center will have no trouble distinguishing him from Rudolph Giuliani. The sight of him sitting in a classroom dazed and confused, using a reading of the children's book, "My Pet Goat," as a diversion from a terrorist attack is something I will not forget.

Judge approves asbestos plan: U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Judith Fitzgerald's action is one of the final hurdles before the subsidiaries, including KBR and DII Industries, can emerge from bankruptcy. They still must fund a trust, using cash, stock and notes, that will be used to pay future claims.

No Child Left Behind Act becomes political football: By Emily Richmond; The question of whether Nevada and other states have let millions of dollars in "use it or lose it" federal education funds languish in the bank has turned into a political football.

Panel says ethics board should probe Hawk: By Emily Richmond; A two-member panel of the Nevada Commission on Ethics on Friday determined that there is "just and sufficient" cause for the full commission to examine whether State Board of Education member John Hawk's involvement with a charter school while serving as a member of the board posed a conflict of interest.

Letter: Founders' beliefs rooted in deism: Obviously Ms. Norton has read the Declaration, yet she failed to also research the historical context within which it was signed. Many of the leading men who signed the Declaration were deists. Deism was a form of religious belief prevalent during the Enlightenment. It professed that God formed the world according to rational laws and then created rational beings able to independently understand those laws. Once this was done, God then stood back from his masterpiece and let human life proceed on its own.

Wildfires contribute to haze in LV Valley: National Weather Service Las Vegas spokesman Brian Fuis said today that smoke from two California wildfires is adding to the hazy conditions, along with humidity in the valley.

Rush makes birthday No. 30 something: Spencer Patterson; Not much chance that souvenir actually winds up on a wall.

Obituaries for July 19, 2004: Paul R. Bryner, 66, of Las Vegas died Thursday in Las Vegas. He was born Dec. 24, 1937, in Salt Lake City. A resident for 32 years, he was a retired Air Force staff sergeant.

Seven pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods in plan: Lynn Doan; A 1,940-acre plot in west Henderson will yield 14,500 houses, condos and apartments, said a town planner who fathered the national movement toward denser, more pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods.

Tasha gets backup role: It has been said that in football, a backup quarterback is just one play away from stepping into the limelight.

Columnist Lisa Ferguson: Sun Lite for July 19, 2004: Lisa Ferguson; The sun is shining. The weather is warm. Who's thinking about germs at a time like this? Why, Dr. Charles Gerba, of course.

Corrections: * Because of an error by the Sun, the name of National Park Service spokeswoman Roxanne Dey was misspelled. The Sun regrets the error.

Organizers expect more in 2005: Nick Christensen; Dwight Howard, Marcus Banks, Dajuan Wagner and the other "Stars of Tomorrow" have left, but according to Reebok Vegas Summer League executive director Warren LeGarie, it's a fair bet that more will be back in 2005.

Crew start mop-up work on Carson fire: CARSON CITY -- Crews started mop-up work and rehabilitation today of the 7,600-acre forest and range fire that burned 15 homes since last Wednesday in mountains above Carson City.

Columnist Ralph Siraco: Del Mar meet gets under way on Wednesday: Ralph Siraco; Ripley's "Believe It or Not" stumper of the week: The most anticipated song in the race books of Las Vegas won't be anywhere near the top of the charts. Neither will the artist that sings it.

Thunderstorms cause LV fire: Lightning from a fast moving monsoon thunderstorm sparked fires in a house, among trees and on a utility pole in the northwest Las Vegas Valley on Saturday.

Class to encourage Hispanics to vote: Call 633-1556.

517195029.html: World champion Brazil beat Mexico 4-0 and Uruguay defeated Paraguay 3-1 to set up a semifinal on Wednesday in Copa America.

Soldiers find different world than the one they left behind: Jace Radke; When Sgt. Erick Kent left Las Vegas in March 2003 for a 14-month deployment, including 12 months in Iraq, he left behind his girlfriend of four years.

Gaming briefs for July 19, 2004: NEW ORLEANS -- The New Orleans City Council on Friday sued Harrah's New Orleans Casino over planned development of the casino's second-floor restaurants, bars and nightclubs.