Print edition for March 8, 2004

'Little E' has day full of troubles: Nick Christensen; Coming into the Sunday's UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400, Dale Earnhardt Jr. was the NASCAR Nextel Cup points leader, and arguably his sport's most popular driver, the son of one of its most influential drivers. It might have been easy to think he has had a lot of breaks in life and racing.

$150,000 tabbed for Post Office: The state Cultural Affairs Commission agreed Friday to distribute $1.9 million toward preserving and restoring 26 buildings throughout Nevada.

Letter: O'Callaghan was Nevada treasure, role model for all: When he was governor, he made it a priority to remove the sales tax on food and he did it. During that same time, consumers were not allowed to get prescription drug price information by calling a pharmacy. One had to traipse from place to place to compare prices -- not a practical thing to do, at all.

N.M. woman wins $8 million Megabucks jackpot: Beverlee Groves of Albuquerque, who said she had never played Megabucks before, won $8 million at the Palms casino.

Spears languishes in zzzzzone: Spencer Patterson; Early in her Saturday night concert, Britney Spears tried injecting a little levity into her performance.

Stewart repercussions begin: Erin Mcclam; NEW YORK -- Martha Stewart arrived at a federal courthouse today to meet with a probation officer, the first step toward her June sentencing for lying about a stock sale.

Letter: Don't legalize discrimination: Since the adoption of our Constitution, race restrictions on marital choice have been eliminated, laws that allowed marriage to be used as a means of subjugating women eliminated, divorce regulations equalized to protect both parties, and government can no longer intrude on sexual intimacy. In just the last generation we have seen an increase in the age at which people marry, and in the rate at which they decide to "unmarry." Marriages are no longer oppressively arranged, but entered into equally through love, choice and commitment.

Use-of-force probe not a criminal investigation: Jace Radke; The Justice Department is looking into allegations of excessive force by local police officers, but it is not a criminal investigation, sources said.

Community briefs for March 8, 2004: A St. Patrick's Day program will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at the North Las Vegas Library, 2300 Civic Center Drive, North Las Vegas.

Agassi Prep problems are 'fully correctable': By Emily Richmond; An investigation into the Agassi College Preparatory Academy's operations revealed incomplete record-keeping and employees with insufficient credentials -- findings that could lead the Clark County School District to revoke its charter of the school if the problems aren't corrected in 90 days.

Birth announcements for March 8, 2004: Feb. 23:

Marine awarded Bronze Star: Heather Rawlyk; Friends, family and fellow U.S. Marines gathered under a striped tent Sunday at the Armed Forces Reserve Center at Nellis Air Force Base to honor Marine Reservist Cpl. Robert G. Tomczak as he was awarded the Bronze Star.

Senate budget won't add more Yucca funding: Suzanne Struglinski; WASHINGTON -- The Senate's pending budget proposal includes $303 million less for the Yucca Mountain Project than the Energy Department requested for 2005, according to Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev.

Obituaries for March 8, 2004: Betty Mae Baim, 82, of Las Vegas died Thursday in Las Vegas. A model, she was born Jan. 25, 1922, in Watts, Calif.

Letter: Children's lives always a priority: When I moved to Nevada in 1972, I found that the Clark County School District offered no programs for children with the multiple disabilities of deafness and visual impairment as was the case with my then-7-year-old son. For three years I tried in vain to get my child enrolled in school.

Jurors: Drugs caused man's death: Jen Lawson; A Clark County coroner's inquest jury determined that a 25-year-old North Las Vegas man died in December from drugs he had ingested and not as a result of excessive force.

Man admits using fake ID to buy beer for teens involved in fatal crash: Pierre Goujon surrendered to Henderson police Feb. 17, Officer Shane Lewis, police department spokesman said. He made his first appearance in a Henderson court Feb. 24 on a misdemeanor charge of using a fake ID to purchase alcohol.

Letter: Empathy, counsel will be missed: I was Valley High's student body president at the time and I had just finished competing in the Sun Youth Forum. (Sen. Harry Reid, who then was between his terms in office as lieutenant governor and U.S. representative, was our group's facilitator.) I had the privilege to be selected as the student who would write a column about my Youth Forum experience and this further facilitated my relationship with Mike O'Callaghan.

Nebraska Indian casino celebrates court victory: Jean Ortiz; SANTEE, Neb. -- The atmosphere inside the Ohiya Casino one day last week didn't exactly reflect the big victory the modest Knox County casino claimed just a day earlier.

Man who asked for death penalty may still appeal: RENO -- Condemned killer Lawrence Colwell says he's "ninety-nine and nine-tenths" sure he wants to be executed March 26 but left the door open to change his mind.

Columnist Lisa Ferguson: Sun Lite for March 8, 2004: Lisa Ferguson; Lllllet's get ready to bicker!

Letter: Freedoms are being taken away: Never mind that the FCC encourages the right-wing Fox television and radio stations to broadcast their conservative nonsensical propaganda 24 hours a day, so harmful to the naive and uninformed among us.

Editorial: Fully fund full-day kindergarten: It's important to evaluate this trend because the Clark County School District, the nation's sixth-largest with nearly 270,000 students, is considering a pilot program to expand its full-day kindergarten. Currently, full-day kindergarten is offered only in some at-risk schools and at J. Marlan Walker International School, where the extra time and resources are paid for with federal funds. The full-day kindergarten program is worthwhile. Contacted by the Sun at his Purdue office, Elicker said, "Research suggests children from low-income families, non-English-speaking families and those with other educational risk factors stand to gain the most from additional time in quality kindergarten ...

Moscow State Radio Symphony electrifies UNLV: Marilyn LaRocque; Very tall, lean and angular, the handsome thirtysomething Kondrashev led the 77-piece ensemble in the performance of three bravura 19th century works that were not only a tour de force but also an endurance contest for the musicians. Unlike many male-dominated orchestras from Europe, nearly half of the players, including the concertmaster, were women. The group was also appreciably younger, with most of the players in their 20s to 40s.

Editorial: Baseball strikes out: We've written before that Major League Baseball's anti-steroids policy, which relies on random testing of players, won't do much. The penalties are so light for players who turn up positive in the random testing -- for example, a second positive test carries only a 15-day suspension and a fine of up to $10,000 -- that the policy won't deter use by players with multimillion-dollar salaries. Major League Baseball needs a policy, more like that found in the Olympics, where testing positive for steroids results in a two-year suspension. Now that would get the players' attention.

Guest Columnist Brendan Gaughan: A lot of hard work went into that 22nd-place finish: I hate to ever have to work that hard for a 22nd-place finish again, but the Penske-Jasper guys never gave up.

Funeral arrangements are set for Mike O'Callaghan: Visitation for O'Callaghan will be from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday and from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Thursday at the Palm Mortuary, 7600 S. Eastern Ave. There will also be a one-hour visitation at the Shrine of the Most Holy Redeemer Catholic Church before the 1 p.m. funeral Mass.

Letter: Ensign right on flawed energy bill: COURTNEY PURCELL

Hearing highlights danger of taking waste to Yucca: Kirsten Searer; Reps. Jon Porter and Shelley Berkley said they were heartened Friday by the reactions of congressional members who heard testimony about the dangers of shipping nuclear waste to Yucca Mountain.

Columnist Susan Snyder: Organization opening a new branch: We are visiting the loony bin -- the alternative dimension where people create and join organizations such as the International Flipper Pinball Association, Gnomes Anonymous and Tree Climbers International.

Tech bellwether optimistic, but lowers estimate: At the same time, executives last week stressed that global corporate technology spending continues to improve, albeit gradually.

Smucker buys food company: Smucker buys food company

Comedian leaves no Poundstone unturned: Almost three years have passed since Poundstone made headlines for her offstage behavior rather than the irreverent, left-of-center humor that has been her trademark for more than 25 years.

Hotel owner to be sold: Extended Stay targets travelers looking to stay a week or more.

Tax dispute may close business: The party may soon be over for a Las Vegas company that has catered galas at Southern Nevada homes and businesses for a quarter of a century.

Program to help female juvenile offenders funded: Erica D. Johnson; Family Court judges on Friday approved start-up funding for a pilot program that will provide temporary housing and treatment for female juvenile offenders in Clark County.

Harrah's confident deal will close: The sale of Binion's Horseshoe to West Virginia-based MTR Gaming Group is expected to close Tuesday despite a last-minute $1.805 million bid by former state Sen. Bill O'Donnell on a small piece of property underneath the Fremont Street property in downtown Las Vegas, a Harrah's Entertainment Inc. spokesman said Sunday.

Lunch lady's quick action saves girl's life: By Emily Richmond; Quick action by an elementary school lunch lady saved a fifth grader who was choking on a chicken sandwich last month.

Utility owner narrows loss: Kevin Rademacher; Higher interest costs and regulatory disallowances contributed to a $19.8 million fourth-quarter loss for Sierra Pacific Resources Corp., parent company of Nevada Power Co.

Supreme Court refuses eminent domain appeal: The U.S. Supreme Court refused without comment today to hear an appeal from a family contesting the taking of its downtown Las Vegas property for a Fremont Street Experience parking garage.

MetLife unit probed: MetLife, the New York insurance and financial services holding company, said in its annual report that the SEC investigation is focusing on market-timing and late trading of a "limited number" of privately placed variable insurance contracts.

Vestin Group stock down just slightly: Kevin Rademacher; Shares of Vestin Group Inc. were down less than 4 percent in trading this morning despite news that the company is the subject of an informal Securities and Exchange Commission inquiry.

Political parties out to register voters: Kirsten Searer; No Nevada resident will be safe this year from the legions of volunteers armed with clipboards and looking to bolster the ranks of registered voters.

Race fans get up close and personal with drivers: Dan Kulin; On Sunday, Mario Sottile had everything a NASCAR fan could hope for: sunblock, a scanner and headphones, a camera, a hat promoting his favorite driver, Tony Stewart -- and, perhaps most precious of all, a pass to roam the infield garages.

Groups get 'positive' about problem gambling: By Liz Benston; It's only one billboard for a city of more than 1 million people.

News briefs for March 8, 2004: RENO -- A Churchill County eighth grader correctly spelled the word "ichthyology" to win the competition to be Nevada's top speller.

Gaming briefs for March 8, 2004: Station Casinos Inc. has purchased about 34 acres of vacant land along Boulder Highway for $8.9 million.

Former slot supervisor investigated in thefts: Alana Roberts; The Plaza hotel-casino has filed a civil lawsuit and the Nevada Gaming Control Board is pursuing criminal charges against a former slot shift supervisor for allegedly falsifying $125,000 in jackpot tickets.

Transplanted roots: The family-run H & H Bar-B-Q & More restaurant had been synonymous with West Las Vegas since the 1960s when under its original name, Hicks Barbecue, it was a popular rib joint on Jackson Avenue.

Paramount to sponsor 'Star Trek' train: Paramount Parks will extend its "Star Trek" franchise beyond the confines of the Las Vegas Hilton in the spring. Officials disclosed today that Paramount has agreed to sponsor a Las Vegas Monorail Co. train and the Hilton monorail station.

Kurt best among local drivers: Nick Christensen; With 142,000 fans in the stands at their home track, the pressure was on for the three Las Vegans in Sunday's UAW/DaimlerChrysler 400, the third race in the NASCAR Nextel Cup series.

Pedestrian struck, killed: A white Chrysler New Yorker driven by Arlo Scarlett, 64, was heading south on Boulder Highway when he struck the man, whose name has not been released. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Rookie Kahne in second again: Once he figured out what fenders were for, the rest came pretty easy for Kasey Kahne.

No end in sight for state's gasoline woes: Las Vegas will remain one of the most expensive places in the nation to buy gasoline for years to come, even if retail prices retreat from their current record highs.

VegasBeat -- Timothy McDarrah: Vegas VIPs usher in a Golden era: "Old Vegas needs to be honored, but new Vegas has to be incorporated into it. That is what's going on here. For me, being a proud second-generation Las Vegas resident, it is great to see something like this -- to see this part of the city come alive again," said Agassi, a minority party in the new Golden Nugget ownership group. "Tim and Tom hope to inject a spirit into downtown that hasn't been seen in a long time.

Blankson earns all-MWC honors: Junior forward Odartey Blankson was named to the all-Mountain West Conference first team and teammates Jerel Blassingame and J.K. Edwards were third team selections in a vote of coaches and media members released this morning.

Rebuilt for speed: Matt Kenseth wasn't about to let his Roush Racing crew throw this car onto the junk heap.

Schumacher wins another F1 race: After luring back fans who had tired of Michael Schumacher's domination, Formula One officials may be fearing the worst following Sunday's Ferrari sweep in Australia.

Rates to double at veterans home: CARSON CITY -- The Veterans Home in Boulder City is going to double its rates from $1,500 a month to $3,000, effective April 9.

Stewart: New tire made racing fun again: Tony Stewart remained a fan of the new Goodyear tire following Sunday's UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, but he said the true test of NASCAR's new rules package may not come until next weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

NASCAR rules, but Kenseth still reigns: To paraphrase Dan Rather and the rock group R.E.M, the biggest question on everybody's mind following Sunday's UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400 was "What's the frequency, Kenseth?"

Sports briefs for March 8, 2004: Mike Brusseau stopped 39 shots and led the Fresno Falcons to a 1-0 victory against the Las Vegas Wranglers in an ECHL game Sunday night at Fresno's Save Mart Arena.

Harvick out of gas, out of luck at finish: Nick Christensen; Kevin Harvick almost parlayed his Busch series win in Saturday's Sam's Town 300 into a Sunday win at the UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400, but came up just short.

Columnist Ralph Siraco: Derby contenders working their way to contention: Ralph Siraco; The first spike in Derby fever for 2004 came over the weekend. And, another is expected this weekend as 17 of the 25 top contenders on the Daily Racing Form "Derby Watch" list are expected to change positions resulting from their recent performances.

Miscues lead to Gladiators' demise: Christine Troyke; DULUTH, Ga. -- Turnovers doomed the Las Vegas Gladiators in a 55-40 road loss to the Georgia Force on Sunday.

Despite season-ending loss, Rebels remain upbeat: Steve Guiremand; UNLV players were obviously disappointed immediately following Saturday afternoon's emotional 89-88 loss to BYU at the Thomas & Mack Center. But they were hardly discouraged.