Print edition for May 4, 2004

Rescue teams search for woman at Red Rock: Heather Rawlyk; Metro Police Search and Rescue teams resumed their search this morning for a Las Vegas woman who has been missing since Sunday afternoon in Red Rock Canyon.

Boy, 4, killed at bus stop: Jen Lawson; A small brown "Simba" sandal belonging to a 4-year-old boy who was killed in a suspected drunken driver accident Monday remained this morning at the bus stop where the boy died, surrounded by religious candles, flowers and bits of broken glass.

Consumer news briefs for May 4, 2004: WASHINGTON -- America's factories saw orders jump in March by the largest amount in more than a year and a half, a sign that the nation's manufacturers are getting a firmer grip on their own business recovery.

Business news briefs for May 4, 2004: Las Vegas-based Standard Wholesale Supply Co., a distributor of waterworks, electrical and plumbing products, was acquired Monday by Florida-based Hughes Supply Inc. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

Perchlorate drop is seen as encouraging: The effort to remove perchlorate contamination from ground water entering Lake Mead is working, and new technologies coming into play should improve the situation even more, state and local officials said Monday.

NFL fighting N.J. plan to legalize sports betting: Tom Bell; TRENTON, N.J. -- Officials from Atlantic City casinos enthusiastically supported the idea of sports betting in New Jersey, but an NFL representative told an Assembly committee Monday that legalizing gambling on games would be a mistake.

Aristocrat outlook improves after loss: SYDNEY, Australia -- Aristocrat Leisure Ltd., the world's second-biggest slot machine maker, today forecast earnings would improve after reporting a first-quarter profit of A$8.5 million ($6.1 million) after a year earlier loss.

Nevadans not probed: About 100 soldiers with the unit were deployed to Iraq in May 2003 and returned to Las Vegas in November, Nevada Army Guard spokeswoman 1st Lt. April Conway said.

Gaming news briefs for May 4, 2004: Las Vegas-based GES Exposition Services Inc., a major tradeshow services company, announced today the acquisition of Pro Show Services, a convention contractor based in Edmonton, Alberta.

Public employees eye posts in Legislature: Kirsten Searer; It's no glamour job, but several people are taking a calculated risk this year so they have the opportunity to serve in the Legislature.

Teen in murder case won't be tried as adult: Molly Ball; Jake Reeder, the Henderson teenager who fatally shot his best friend last month and was charged as an adult with murder, will instead plead guilty in Juvenile Court to a lesser charge.

Earnings briefs for May 4, 2004: SAN FRANCISCO -- Safeway Inc., owner of Von's supermarkets in Las Vegas, today reported first-quarter profit plunged 73 percent as more than half of its earnings evaporated during a bitter supermarket strike in Southern California.

Columnist Jeff German: Trying to blame the Behnens: Kicking off a new television ratings period last week, Channel 8 said it had obtained "shocking information" in the Ted Binion murder case.

Ford's April auto sales fall; Chrysler, Toyota rise: Joe Miller; Ford Motor Co., the second-largest U.S. automaker, said U.S. sales fell 4.1 percent in April while DaimlerChrysler AG's Chrysler and Toyota Motor Corp. gained from newer models and a rebounding economy.

Neighbors concerned about status of dilapidated homes: Dan Kulin; Three downtown Henderson properties, once part of a $27 million plan for a retail and office complex, instead became vacant eyesores and dangerous places that provide shelter for drug dealers and the homeless, neighbors said.

Regents eye interim chancellor: Dan Kulin; Having yet to discuss the replacement of the chancellor in a public meeting, university system regents have already been given a proposed contract that would make television station owner Jim Rogers the interim chancellor.

Sewer pipes leak at Shady Acres: Sito Negron; Even as health authorities were forcing major repairs to the Sky-Vue Mobile Park a month ago, an inspection of its neighbor, Shady Acres, revealed 30 trailer homes with leaking sewer pipes and other problems including water supplied with garden hoses.

VA chief expected to announce hospital: Suzanne Struglinski; WASHINGTON -- Veteran Affairs Secretary Anthony Principi is expected to announce Friday that Las Vegas will get a new veterans hospital and other health care facilities.

Candidates file; Yucca likely fodder for race: CANDIDATES

Plea agreement made in 311 Boyz case: One of the nine alleged 311 Boyz gang members charged in the attack that crushed 17-year-old Stephen Tanner Hansen's face entered a plea agreement this morning that will allow him to avoid jail time.

Obituaries for May 4, 2004: Joan M. Belser, 78, of Las Vegas died Saturday in a local hospital. She was born Dec. 2, 1925, in New York City. A resident for 25 years, she was a homemaker.

Wynn outlines expansion plans: Preliminary steps -- some of which have previously been reported by the Las Vegas Sun -- include an additional showroom, 18 additional fairway villa suites adjacent to the golf course, acquisition of 10 homeowners' lots adjacent to the former Desert Inn golf course, expanded parking and demolition of the remaining structures of the former Desert Inn.

Columnist Dean Juipe: These Expos are having a tough time getting home: Dean Juipe; With the worst record in the major leagues and a home schedule that includes games in San Juan, Puerto Rico, the Montreal Expos are baseball's bargain basement, blue light special.

Reid asks for federal land for proposed heliport: Suzanne Struglinski; WASHINGTON -- Clark County could gain 229 acres of federal land for a new heliport based on legislation set to be introduced today by Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev.

Bird watching: In no uncertain terms Monday, Baltimore Orioles owner Peter Angelos told the Sun that he would not welcome the Montreal Expos in his own back yard and that Major League Baseball should not consider the move.

Plea deal reached in child-sex case: A former church-camp worker charged with sexual assault waived his preliminary hearing Monday after reaching a plea agreement with prosecutors.

Money OK'd for Yucca rail study: Stephen Curran; The Lincoln County Commission on Monday unanimously approved a plan to disperse $255,000 from the Energy Department for a three-county board to study a proposed rail corridor to Yucca Mountain.

Letter: Water deserves more coverage: With more than 30 funding sources, EOB probably has a more complex accounting system than UNLV. Any large organization occasionally has infighting and accounting problems.

Utility's directors survive dissident shareholder move: RENO -- Despite a loss of $140 million last year, shareholders of Nevada Power Co. owner Sierra Pacific Resources Corp. voted Monday to retain three directors, including president and chief executive officer Walter Higgins.

Coronado's Kale to attend Idaho: Kale, a 6-foot-7 post player, helped the Cougars to their first Southeast Division championship last season. He earned All-Sunrise Region and All-Southeast Division honors, and also earned an honorable mention on the Sun All-State team.

Convicted killer: Justice 'has failed me': A 27-year-old man convicted of beating and shooting two young men to death insisted he was innocent during his sentencing Monday, telling District Judge Kathy Hardcastle that the justice system "has failed me."

Editorial: Let's prove our disgust: Internationally, reaction has been equally strong. What else can civilized people say when they learn of such inhumanity? The pictures show soldiers taunting and laughing as Iraqi prisoners, many of them naked, are forced to assume humiliating positions.

Trial begins in suit over death in jail: Jace Radke; The death of Karl Robert Kurfis was caused by the denial of his HIV medication while in the Clark County Detention Center, attorney Robert Langford said during opening arguments in a federal trial Monday.

Wednesday's horse racing entries: Post Time 1:20 p.m.

Regents lack background on finalists for CCSN post: By Timothy Pratt; What: Open meeting on CCSN presidential candidates: Thomas Anderson; Kim Badrkhan; Richard Carpenter; Thomas Jordan; Glenn Mayle; Debra McCurdy; Holly Moore; Robert Palinchak; Rosa Perez; Peter Spina.

Trump Hotels stock rises despite missed payment: ATLANTIC CITY -- Donald Trump's Trump Hotels & Casino Resorts Inc. missed a $73.1 million interest payment to bondholders due Monday, Executive Vice President Scott Butera said.

VegasBeat -- Timothy McDarrah: Locklear putts out in Boulder City: Like most men with a pulse, we've long had an affinity for Heather Locklear.

Columnist Susan Snyder: Brakes work in Brady's favor: And when he survived the stroke that struck him the day after Christmas 1997, his doctors said he wasn't going to walk.

Es uno, dos, tres: Mexican folkloric dance gets footing in Southern Nevada: When dancer Ixela Gutierrez came to Las Vegas in 1995 she was surprised by the lack of Mexican folkloric dance groups in the area's growing Hispanic community. There was dancer Martha Luevanos, who arrived 20 years prior and formed Ballet Folklorico Mexico de Martha Luevanos.

Letter: Price of war in Iraq too high for new world order: The toll inflicted on our nation by the war in Iraq is merely a down payment on the price of building a connected world envisioned by the movers and shakers behind the scenes, and described in such clinical fashion by Barnett.

Editorial: The wrong signal: What makes all of this significant is that there largely has been a unified front among Nevada's Democrats and Republicans in opposing Yucca Mountain. But the election of George W. Bush in 2000, and his successful drive in 2002 to get Congress to recommend Yucca Mountain as a nuclear waste dump, has caused problems for Republicans who have tried to juggle their loyalty for the state -- by fighting Yucca Mountain -- with their support for Bush. The state's top Republican officials weren't happy with the Yucca Mountain plank in the platform, but they shouldn't be surprised by this turn ...

Segerblom enters School Board race: By Emily Richmond; Local attorney Richard Segerblom, who has represented dozens of teachers, administrators and support employees in lawsuits against the Clark County School District, will challenge incumbent Shirley Barber for her seat on the Clark County School Board.

LVCVA chief to retire: Manny Cortez, president and chief executive of the agency that markets Las Vegas to the world, announced his retirement today.

Blankson to test NBA's draft waters: Steve Guiremand; Odartey Blankson was heading home to Chicago after final exams next week anyway. So why not give the NBA a shot while he's there?

Complaints filed over tax petition: CARSON CITY -- The president of the Independent American Party said Monday he has filed criminal complaints against more than 15 government workers in Clark County, accusing them of intimidating people who were gathering signatures on a tax referendum.

Guard's attack blamed on cutbacks in prison: CARSON CITY -- A guard was attacked and beaten at the Northern Nevada Correctional Center in Carson City Friday, and a union official says it is an example of the way that officers' safety is being compromised by a staffing shortage.

Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: Gordon embraces role as respected veteran: FONTANA, Calif. -- Jeff Gordon is enjoying his 30s much more than he did his 20s.

Ovation Theatre becomes a Saxe solo: "I've been in the business 20 years," the 34-year-old Saxe said. 'Now, I have a chance to own and operate my own venue."

Letter: Shameful U.S. invaded country: How is it Simpson can't understand that we (the most powerful nation) have invaded a small country? How shameful it is. Makes me sick. It is my hope that Sen. John Kerry can bring us back to honor and integrity in November.

Sports briefs for May 4, 2004: NHRA Funny Car ace John Force got the 110th victory of his career, winning the rain-delayed Thunder Valley Nationals on Monday in Bristol, Tenn.

Suit prompts release of arrest report: By Matt Pordum; An arrest report sealed by North Las Vegas Justice of the Peace Stephen Dahl in the case of a woman charged with arson and attempted murder of her children was released on Monday.

Judge reverses decision on juvenile records: District Judge Lee Gates on Monday ordered that the juvenile records of a man convicted of killing four men in a 1998 execution-style shooting can be used in his new penalty phase.

EPA approves dust control plan for Clark County: EPA officials signed Clark County's dust plan, which lays out how the valley will meet national air quality standards. The plan will be placed in the Federal Register within 30 days, according to county officials.

Fight promoter pleads guilty to fixing bouts: Jace Radke; A boxing promoter has pleaded guilty to fixing fights including an August 2000 match between Thomas Williams and Richard Melito Jr. at Paris Las Vegas.

51s flex muscles en route to victory: Nick Christensen; Coming into Monday's series opener with the PCL-leading Tucson Sidewinders, the Las Vegas 51s had yet to find their groove.

News briefs for May 4, 2004: An evidentiary hearing scheduled for a man charged with murder, multiple sexual assaults and home robberies was postponed again Monday because of a scheduling conflict.

Community news briefs for May 4, 2004: The Las Vegas Senior Citizens Advisory Board will present for working seniors who are getting close to retirement a pre-retirement seminar from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Thursday at the West Charleston Library, 6301 W. Charleston Blvd.