Print edition for November 8, 2004

Correction: Correction

Busch scrambles to hold lead: Nextel Cup standings with two races remaining 1. Kurt Busch...6,191 2. Jeff Gordon...-41 3. Dale Earnhardt Jr....-47 4. Jimmie Johnson...-48 5. Mark Martin...-102 6. Tony Stewart...-142 7. Ryan Newman...-150 8. Elliott Sadler...-172 9. Matt Kenseth...-336 10. Jeremy Mayfield...-355

Elm trees sprout up on governor's bad side: CARSON CITY -- Gov. Kenny Guinn apparently really hates elm trees -- wherever they are.

Company adopts plan to thwart hostile bid: News Corp. said it will offer half-price stock to shareholders should Liberty double its voting stake in the company to 17 percent. Liberty said last week it may boost its holding to that level by buying $1.5 billion in News Corp. voting stock.

New report card to include test scores: The reports will be sent to parents of children in grades 3, 5, 8 and 10 who took the Nevada Criterion-Referenced Examination in reading and math or the High School Proficiency Exam in reading and math.

Columnist Ron Kantowski: Flag Day for fading Rebels a sorry way to wave goodbye: Having endured Wyoming's 53-45 triple overtime victory against UNLV that, its wacky final score notwithstanding, lacked any semblance of artistic merit, now I know why John Robinson put the kibosh on John Robinson Fan Appreciation Day even before it got off the drawing board.

Moncrief recall groups compete: Sito Negron; One election down, but the cycle continues.

Real-life Nightlife: Spike puts cameras on Ice for 'The Club': Kirk Baird; But in the case of Spike TV's new documentary-style reality series, "The Club," the description is appropriate.

Columnist Susan Snyder: Human contact is unbearable: But while early snowfall makes Lake Tahoe-area mountain towns more inviting, it also makes foraging more difficult for the region's bear population.

Editorial: No surrender on Yucca: And the fight continues. In a state-funded survey of Nevadans conducted last month, nearly 73 percent of the respondents said the state should continue its legal battle.

Birth announcements for November 8, 2004: Oct. 23:

Yanni's hypnotic approach a little too effective: Spencer Patterson; Yanni must be paying his musicians by the smile.

Letter: Viruses infect Democratic Party: The real answer as to why the Republicans have successfully and increasingly usurped control of all three federal government branches is astoundingly simple: The Democratic philosophy has become synonymous with the pseudo-philosophy of political correctness. Just as it is common knowledge that Christian conservatism will scare away a certain percentage of voters from the right-side of the political spectrum, liberals need to learn that political correctness is clearly repelling an even higher percentage back to the party of common sense.

Letter: Re-election is hard to accept: I've decided I can learn to live with a mounting death toll in Iraq. Increasing instability worldwide with jihadists on a roll? I can take it. And is there really a case to be made for taking real steps to improving homeland security? I admit to having some lingering doubts about loose nukes in Russia and a nuclear North Korea and nearly nuclear Iran that can do whatever it wants because we're mired in Iraq, but I can come around. I've already stopped thinking about deficits, and what do those 45 million people want health care for anyway? After all, ...

Letter: Elderly drivers an increasing threat: Elderly drivers generally have good judgment, but often lack physical skills such as reaction time to drive safely. Many are also on medications that dull the senses.

Editorial: Regulators falling down on the job: Merck and the FDA both denied that they did anything wrong and asserted that they moved quickly once the problems were known. But one of the first doctors to point out the problems associated with Vioxx, Dr. Eric Topol, a cardiologist at the renowned Cleveland Clinic, had a much different take. "It is unquestionable that the risks of the drug were known some time ago and not duly acknowledged, and this study is the best yet to prove that," Topol told The New York Times. What's particularly alarming are allegations that the FDA suppressed warnings from its own drug-safety reviews ...

Letter: Bush won't be specific about Social Security: Well, I have noticed and am pretty disturbed that none of the media or even the Democrats are holding Bush's feet to the fire on this subject. Bush claims no current retiree's benefits will be changed, but does that mean he intends to raise the payroll tax?

Sports briefs for November 8, 2004: Less than three months after her tearful disappointments at the Athens Olympics, British distance star Paula Radcliffe held off Kenyan Susan Chepkemei to win the closest New York City Marathon women's race. Radcliffe won in 2 hours, 23 minutes, 10 seconds and Chepkemei was 4 seconds behind her.

Columnist Ralph Siraco: All but one Breeders' Cup winner to race next year: Ralph Siraco; Last week's Breeders' Cup signaled the end of competition for many equine racing stars this year. Unfortunately, it also ushers in the annual retirement brigade.

Eight ordered to pay nearly $90,000 for phony bids: New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer said more than 120 people will receive restitution in the settlement of the three cases, which wrapped up last week in state courts.

Alternatives surge as oil price soars: Jeff Donn; CHELSEA, Mass. -- Few have anything good to say about this year's run-up in oil prices. They do, though, at World Energy Alternatives, a biodiesel company with a shiny antique Gulf Oil pump in the lobby -- a hint that petroleum's proudest days may have passed.

'We find ways to lose': Steve Guiremand; UNLV safety Joe Miklos was still trying to take off his uniform and make his way to a well-deserved shower about 45 minutes after Saturday night's wild four-hour, seven-minute 53-45 triple-overtime loss to Wyoming at Sam Boyd Stadium.

Williams has more than win in mind: Yes, heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko will be the biggest man challenger Danny Williams has faced in his 35-fight career as a professional boxer.

Closing arguments expected in Strip fight bribery trial: Jace Radke; Closing arguments were expected to begin today in a sports bribery case involving an allegedly fixed fight at Paris Las Vegas in August 2000.

State building work called a 'life safety' issue: CARSON CITY -- Gov. Kenny Guinn has told the state Public Works Board to "move as quickly as possible" to remove the faulty outside tile on the Sawyer State Office Building in Las Vegas.

Inquest jury determines police shooting justified: Jen Lawson; A Clark County coroner's jury decided Friday that two Metro Police officers were justified in killing an ailing 45-year-old man last month, an incident described by one of the officers as "suicide by cop."

Defense hammers away at drug overdose theory: By Matt Pordum; Defense lawyers for alleged killers of Ted Binion today resumed their efforts to convince jurors that the millionaire casino figure was the victim of an overdose -- not homicide.

Obituaries for November 8, 2004: Rosa D. Acosta, 87, of Las Vegas died Thursday in Las Vegas. She was born May 12, 1917, in El Salvador. A resident for 20 years, she was a homemaker.

Contract approved for school-testing firm: CARSON CITY -- The state Board of Examiners has approved a $13.4 million contract for a New Hampshire company to develop, administer and score reading, math and science tests in grades 3-8 and in high school.

Battered women turned away: By Timothy Pratt; A program that offers domestic violence victims free legal help is turning away most new clients after having a federal grant denied, an official with the program said.

NHP deluged with traffic accidents: Dan Kulin and Stephen Curran; Rain soaked the Las Vegas Valley overnight, leaving police scrambling to deal with numerous traffic accidents and flooding that caused at least part of one road to be closed.

Las Vegas man finds his neighbor slain: Dan Kulin; About 6 a.m. Sunday, a man was found slain in his northwest Las Vegas home, police said.

Hettrick keeps top minority job in Assembly: CARSON CITY -- There will be familiar faces in positions of leadership in the 2005 Nevada Legislature.

Store closing at Forum Shops: The store opened in 1997. Store manager Karl Hartwig said Virgin still wants to operate a store in the Las Vegas market but that its current location is not the right place. He was unable to say where the company plans to relocate, and corporate executives were unavailable for comment.

Top 25 Fared: AP; No. 1 Southern Cal (9-0) beat Oregon State 28-20. Next: vs. Arizona, Saturday.

Manhunt ends with arrest of killing suspect: Jen Lawson and Stephen Curran; A 25-year-old Las Vegas man arrested Sunday for allegedly killing a woman with a shotgun last week had accused the victim of stealing from him, according to a Metro Police arrest report.

Vegas teen remembered: Eric Leake; John Lukac was remembered Sunday as a hero, and he was remembered as a son who always wanted to be a Marine.

News briefs for November 8, 2004: Metro Police shot at an 18-year-old driver who allegedly tried to run over an officer and a police dog while fleeing a hit and run collision Friday, police said.

Vestin reports third-quarter loss: Still, revenue was $5 million for the third quarter, up from $3.5 million a year ago.

Group plans to file marijuana petition: Larry Sandell, campaign manager for the Committee to Regulate and Control Marijuana, said today the organization has more than 55,000 signatures and was still collecting more today.

UNLV enjoys influx of top young scholars: They are the kind of kids most of the high school student body secretly admired and hated all at the same time -- the kids who could typically ace tests without studying, who were rarely challenged in even the most difficult classes, but who agonized over every B.

Las Vegas defends plan for federal building: Sito Negron; Lawyers representing Las Vegas will be in court Tuesday to defend the city's controversial decision to allow developer Irwin Molasky to construct a Social Security building in a residential neighborhood.

Commissioner seeks fundraising curbs: The Clark County Commission's incoming rookie wants to further restrict campaign fundraising for commissioner races, even as his colleague Lynette Boggs McDonald just raised the most money ever for such a bid.

Lady Rebels have coach's standards along for the ride: Adam Candee; Don't smile until Christmas. Or at least until you come down from 21 turnovers in an exhibition game.

Judge rejects county's appeal on casino boat ban: The county had argued that it can establish its own rules governing casino boats because the state hasn't acted on them.

Sierra Vista coach quits football post: Nick Christensen; Sierra Vista football coach Ben Johnson resigned for personal reasons this weekend.

State Republican chief chairs slot-machine business: Ron Eibensteiner is board chairman of Spectre Gaming, which is based in El Cajon, Calif., and has an office in Minneapolis. He said Spectre grew out of a telecom company that he had headed and liquidated in 2000.

Busch accepts blame for spin: AVONDALE, Ariz. -- Last week at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Dale Earnhardt Jr. was kicking himself for getting caught up in an accident while racing Carl Edwards "too hard, too early in the race."

Surprises, if not upsets, start it off: Nick Christensen; Technically, there were no upsets in this weekend's 4A football playoffs. Statewide, every higher seed won its regional quarterfinal match.

Paycheck cashing at casinos questioned: Adam Goldman; It's payday and a long line has sprouted at the casino's cashier cage, where tellers dole out bundles of money.

Gambling TV backers hopeful: By Liz Benston; Anyone who has watched any television over the past year has likely stumbled upon a program or series related to casino gambling.

Prosecutor: Road to title hopes was paved with fixed fights: Jace Radke; In closing arguments this morning, Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen Bliss told jurors about boxer Richard "The Bull" Melito Jr.'s plan to become heavyweight champion and about how a line of allegedly fixed fights and crooked promoters were going to be his road to the top.

Hughes Center owner's quarterly loss widens: Today the Fort Worth-based company reported a loss of $18.7 million or a loss of 19 cents per share for the third quarter ended Sept. 30. That compares with a loss of $3.3 million or a loss of 3 cents per share in the year-ago quarter.

Engineers' strike still possible at Mandalay properties: Alana Roberts; The possibility of a strike remains for about 320 members of the Operating Engineers Local 501 who work at three Mandalay Resort Group properties as the union's leaders continue to try to hammer out a contract agreement with the casino operator.

Insurance group study outlines voters' health care concerns: Michelle Swafford; The affordability and accessibility of health care coverage are growing concerns for Americans and voters in the 2004 presidential election want reform, a survey released Friday says.