Print edition for June 1, 2004

Birth announcements for June 1, 2004: May 17:

Letter: Al-Qaida thrives thanks to Bush: Isn't it strange that we had al-Qaida and Osama bin Laden on the run more than a year ago, but gave up on finishing the job in order to wage war against Iraq? Now we have terrorists in Iraq, and al-Qaida still thrives in Afghanistan. These mistakes by our government leaders have led to more widespread terror, not less. It's time for new leadership.

Immunization schedule for June 1, 2004: NORTH LAS VEGAS PUBLIC HEALTH CENTER: 1820 E. Lake Mead Blvd., Suite F, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Letter: State has duty to empower former felons: In 2003 Nevada joined the majority of states that automatically restore voting rights upon completion of prison, parole or probation. Although the new law is not all-inclusive, it is a step in the right direction. Unfortunately, the majority of the former felons who call Nevada home (this exceeds 40,000 people) have no idea that they can now vote. For this reason, the Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada has initiated a coordinated effort to get the word out to them.

Madonna unleashes the mother lode: Spencer Patterson; Madonna may not possess Mariah's voice, Beyonce's curves or Britney's teen appeal, but all three younger divas could have learned a few tricks from the 45-year-old mother of two Saturday night.

Columnist Susan Snyder: Application creates a real stir: Many of you have said it aloud.

Letter: Being liberal a noble cause: The connotation is that somehow liberals steal or favor social objectives that damage others. So why is it that most religions ask that their congregations be liberal? Don't most religions promote tithing, assisting the downtrodden, helping your neighbor and charitable giving?

Columnist Dean Juipe: Promoter Arum braces for deal-busting upset: Dean Juipe; Bob Arum is ready to have his best-laid plans scuttled. He realizes either Oscar De La Hoya or Bernard Hopkins could lose Saturday night.

Judge to rule on suit against police filed by 84-year-old man: Jace Radke; A federal judge will determine whether or not a lawsuit alleging that Henderson Police officers used excessive force in arresting an 84-year-old man will go to trial later this month.

Editorial: Board nixes uniforms for students: Supporters of uniforms have contended that they put children from different economic backgrounds on the same level, getting rid of the inane clothing competition that can distract students from learning. Uniforms also can help foster greater discipline, their backers say, which should lead to better-behaved students. Opponents of uniforms, meanwhile, have said that there isn't a link between academic performance and uniforms and that what a student wears should be the responsibility of the parent -- not of the school. One School Board member who voted against the uniform policy, Susan Brager-Wellman, said she had "a real problem with forcing ...

Correction: The Sun corrects its errors. If you find a mistake, call 385-3111 to report it.

Obituaries for June 1, 2004: John J. Baerveldt, 81, of Henderson died Sunday in a local hospice. He was born April 10, 1923, in New York. A resident for two years, he was a retired boat manufacturer and a World War II Army Air Corps veteran.

News briefs for June 1, 2004: The state Parole Board has denied the application for release of Conan Pope, who fatally shot his father in January 2000 in Las Vegas.

No major injuries reported at lakes over weekend: Dan Kulin; Some left with dozens of fish and tales of the one that got away.

Hopkins set for business after deal with Arum: Dean Juipe; Self-managed and known as a tough negotiator, undisputed middleweight champion Bernard Hopkins admits to being bowled over when he first sat with promoter Bob Arum, fellow fighter Oscar De La Hoya and the fighters' legal representatives.

LV city manager will tour U.S. military bases in Europe: Sito Negron; Las Vegas City Manager Doug Selby has been picked as one of 50 people in the United States to visit military installations in Europe. The visit is part of a program that has sent civilian leaders to learn about the military since 1948.

VegasBeat -- Timothy McDarrah: Woods shows well-practiced swing: "The perception people have of me is that I am serious all the time -- all work and no play," the golfing great told VegasBeat before the start of his "Tiger Jam VII" fund-raising cocktail party, dinner, auction and Prince concert at Mandalay Bay on Saturday night.

Williams hard man to contact: CARSON CITY -- For more than seven months, there has been no phone number available for the public to contact Assemblyman Wendell Williams, D-Las Vegas.

Rebels' Blankson pulls out of NBA draft: Steve Guiremand; Lon Kruger doesn't coach his first official game as UNLV's new men's basketball coach until late November.

Man, 2-year-old girl rescued from fire: A Las Vegas apartment and a Henderson house were damaged by fires during the Memorial Day weekend, fire department spokesmen said.

Rules changes to limit CCSN expense accounts: New rules should make sure there are no more big-tippers on the taxpayer's dime -- at least when it comes to Las Vegas-area community college officials.

UNLV has summer classes for incoming students: The brochure, "Get Ready this Summer for UNLV in the Fall," contains information on outreach English and math courses scheduled to begin in June and July.

Canadian Club: DVD release reminds of 'SCTV's' eclectic humor: Kirk Baird; Maybe it was the setting a low-budget television network broadcasting from the fictional town of Melonville, located somewhere in the "tri-city area."

Lamb Park cleanup needs volunteers: Call Nancy Gentis at 656-8132.

Prince seizes purple reins on greatest hits: Spencer Patterson; Prince brought the year's most anticipated retirement bash to the Mandalay Bay Events Center Sunday night.

Makeover of resort reflects complex legacy: By Liz Benston; When Los Angeles resident Scott Abramowitz comes to Las Vegas, he bypasses newer resorts such as Bellagio and Mandalay Bay to stay at Caesars Palace.

Importance of pump inspectors magnified: Lynn Doan and Cy Ryan; As gasoline prices continue to set records, more Las Vegas Valley motorists are complaining that they don't think they are getting their money's worth at the pumps -- and there's as much as a one in 20 chance that they are right, a gasoline pump inspector for the state said Wednesday.

BLM will try again to auction land: The federal Bureau of Land Management on Wednesday will take another swing at selling nearly 2,000 acres of land for development on the southwest outskirts of Henderson.

Business briefs for June 1, 2004: Hughes Supply, a leading distributor of construction, repair and maintenance-related products based in Orlando, Fla., announced today that it completed the acquisition of Todd Pipe & Supply, which it calls the largest independent wholesale plumbing supplier in Southern California and Las Vegas. The price was not disclosed.

A day to remember: Heather Rawlyk; Patti Thompson wiped debris from the headstone of her father's grave at the Southern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Boulder City prior to Memorial Day cermony Monday.

Conservative group targets state: Kirsten Searer; The Club for Growth, a conservative anti-tax group, has morphed into a powerful national political organization, even though it sometimes encourages Republicans to turn against each other.

LV council will consider evaluations of top officials: Sito Negron; The Las Vegas City Council will consider evaluations of the city manager, city attorney and city auditor at its meeting Wednesday and also will discuss a campaign and employment policy for employees who are running for or are elected as state legislators.

Jackson gets L.A. promotion; Nomo headed to LV for rehab: Nick Christensen; Edwin Jackson has been called up from the 51s to start Wednesday's game for the Los Angeles Dodgers in place of Wilson Alvarez, whose hip and foot injuries have forced him out of the rotation.

Gaming briefs for June 1, 2004: SACRAMENTO -- Station Casinos Inc.'s gamble on the Thunder Valley Casino in Northern California is paying off, spurring more Indian tribes look to the Las Vegas company for helpin opening casinos, the Sacramento Bee reported.

Macau legislature passes credit legislation: The law, effective July 1, is expected to spur Steve Wynn's plans to build a resort in Macau as well as another deal from MGM MIRAGE, analysts said. MGM MIRAGE wasn't granted a development license from the Macau government but has been in talks with the daughter of license holder Stanley Ho to build a casino there, they said.

Sports briefs for June 1, 2004: So much for Azeri beating the boys, or Funny Cide returning to classic form.

State wants to run women's prison: CARSON CITY -- The state Corrections Department says it could do a better job running the women's prison in North Las Vegas than a private company, but it will mean more than $1 million a year in added costs.

Valley Health System trims local staff: Michelle Swafford; Universal Health Services' Valley Health System, which operates four Las Vegas Valley hospitals, laid off 2.5 percent of its Las Vegas-area employees in May.

Vegas buzzes on holiday weekend: Las Vegas' summer travel season got a strong Memorial Day kickoff as tourists shook off record-high gasoline prices to fill the city's hotels, show rooms and restaurants.

Most oil-gas leases are not producing: WASHINGTON -- Nearly three-fourths of the 40 million acres of public land currently leased for oil and gas development in the continental United States isn't producing any oil or gas, federal records show, even as the Bush administration pushes to open more environmentally sensitive public lands for oil and gas development.

Aladdin reports another profit: The property's performance was boosted by the absence of a depreciation expense.

Survey: Most principals given good grades: By Emily Richmond; Of the more than 5,000 Clark County School District teachers who responded to a union survey, 73 percent said they were satisfied with their principal.

Recruiting guru Lemming visits top prep prospects in Las Vegas: Steve Guiremand; ESPN football recruiting analyst Tom Lemming is in Las Vegas today, not to take some well deserved R&R by the Hard Rock Hotel pool.

Muslims reach out to authorities, each other: By Timothy Pratt; On one side of the Las Vegas Valley, not too far from the glitter and hum of Boulder Highway's casinos, U.S. Attorney Sharon Lever recently learned the hard way -- by being scolded in front of several hundred Muslim men -- that if she is going to stand at the podium of a mosque, she should cover her head and legs.

Rebels draw powerhouse in opener: At Sunken Diamond, Stanford, Calif. Double elimination Winner advances to College World Series

Daytime temperatures to remain above normal: The 102-degree reading was recorded at McCarran International Airport at 4:03 p.m., weather service meteorologist Jim Harrison said.

Ocean Spray, cranberry growers face uncertainty: Naomi Aoki; CARVER, Mass. -- The way Ben Gilmore sees it, joining forces with PepsiCo Inc. doesn't just threaten the survival of Ocean Spray Inc. It threatens to destroy a way of life that dates to 1816, when Captain Henry Hall first cultivated cranberries on Cape Cod.

Defense to open case for alleged 311 Boyz member: By Matt Pordum; The defense is scheduled to begin its case today in the trial of alleged 311 Boyz gang member Scott Morse.