Print edition for November 17, 2004

Columnist Muriel Stevens: Saks sets Santa's scene at mall: Between the hours of noon to 2 p.m. Santa will pose with pet owners in the Trim-A-Home store in Gifts on One, so put on Fido's best holiday garb. And remember to enter the special Pet's Holiday Raffle.

Safety of traffic lights debated after fatal crash: New flashing warning lights are showing promise in cutting the number of people running stop signs at an intersection that gained notoriety after the death of a young girl two months ago, Clark County officials reported Tuesday.

McCarran official lands federal post: Jace Radke; The next time McCarran International Airport officials request additional screeners from the Transportation Security Administration they will make the request to a familiar face.

Nursing dean joins elite organization: The academy selected Carolyn B. Yucha because of her past contributions to nursing and health care and because of the potential she has shown to continue to advance health care in the United States, said academy president Joan L. Shaver in a statement.

Deal approved for buying airport homes: The Clark County Commission, without dissent, approved a plan that would allow some homeowners on Russell Road off Eastern Avenue to sell their properties to the county Aviation Department.

2004 Champ Car World Series schedule and standings: AP; May 23 - Monterrey, Mexico (road) (Sebastien Bourdais)

Fire chiefs hold annual conference: The event included classes for the attendees. Some of the industry's experts gave classroom instruction as well as hands-on training throughout the area at several local fire training facilities.

Community briefs for November 17, 2004: The Navy League will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Pacific Southwest Region and also 229th anniversary of the Marine Corps at a meeting at 6 p.m. Saturday at the New Frontier.

Columnist Elizabeth Foyt: Holiday season starts early at fundraising Festival: Elizabeth Foyt; Attending with his bride, Glynda, and his mother, Betsy, Rhodes was given a glowing introduction by his brother, Dr. John Rhodes, and nephew Clayton Rhodes, a Down syndrome child who inspired Jim Rhodes to become an active member of the organization.

Hewlett-Packard income surges 26 percent on strong revenue growth: AP; Shares of the Palo Alto, Calif.-based HP were up 89 cents, or 4.5 percent, to $20.57 in midday trading Wednesday on the New York Stock Exchange. Its shares are trading midway betrween their 52-wek range of $16.08 to $26.28.

Las Vegas turnaround started with a return to a familiar defense: Nick Christensen; It was late October, and the Las Vegas Wildcats had just given up 28 points to Desert Pines, a team that had been struggling offensively all year.

The RUNNING Man: Steve Guiremand; UNLV assistant head football coach John Jackson was asked by a reporter this week what his plans were now that his boss, John Robinson, was moving into retirement after Saturday night's season finale at San Diego State.

Biker killed passing between trucks: The man was identified this morning by the coroner's office as 52-year-old Rudy Aragon Sanchez of Las Vegas.

Local philanthropists step in to fill government void: Kirsten Searer; A local developer announced Tuesday he will step in to save a program that has provided free legal counsel to thousands of domestic violence victims.

Injured Claridge will miss finale: Steve Guiremand; Another day, another key injury for the UNLV football team.

Las Vegas scores high in job growth survey: Bolstered by job growth generated by the tourism industry, Las Vegas finished near the top of the Milken Institute's 2004 Best Performing Cities Index.

SBC chooses Microsoft for TV service: SBC Communications Inc., the second- largest regional-phone carrier, selected Microsoft Corp. to provide the software for a television-over-Internet service.

Reid vows to continue fighting for Nevada: Benjamin Grove; WASHINGTON -- Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., vowed today to balance his duties as the Senate's top Democrat with his duties to serve Nevada.

Sports briefs for November 17, 2004: City officials sent letters to the Anaheim Angels and Major League Baseball on Tuesday asking whether a possible name change has already been provisionally approved.

Inductees to Nevada Business Hall of Fame announced for 2005: A Feb. 17 induction ceremony is being presented by the UNLV College of Business and auditing firm Deloitte.

Condo project breaks ground: The company is led by Las Vegans Franklin McKnight, Stewart Simpson and Jerry Peterson. Before forming Palm Beach Resort Condominiums, McKnight and Simpson worked at UPA Resort Construction Group, which is constructing the condominium complex.

White House denies attempt to change Yucca radiation rules: Suzanne Struglinski; WASHINGTON -- The White House today denied a report that it is pushing Congress to change the radiation standard for the proposed Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository in an apparent attempt to overturn a federal appellate court ruling.

Family of fallen LV Marine in dispute over burial site: Stephen Curran; A Las Vegas mother grieving the loss of her son in Iraq is now in a bitter dispute with her ex-husband over where the young Marine will be buried.

Venetian owner faces new suit over Macau casino: By Liz Benston; The owner of the Venetian is facing another lawsuit related to the company's lucrative casino in the Chinese enclave of Macau.

Casinos, suppliers form tourism group to protect gaming interests: An organization that will attempt to unify the gaming industry and its suppliers on public policy matters is hoping to pick up members and identify issues prior to the opening of the 2005 legislative session.

New thrill ride detailed: "Insanity -- The Ride" will dangle riders and spin them over the edge of the Stratosphere's observation deck more than 900 feet above the Strip, resort officials said today. The ride will hold 10 passengers in "escape proof" seats as it spins at 40 miles per hour, a centrifugal force of three Gs, and moves 64 feet past the edge of the Stratosphere tower.

Harrah's Chair creates scholarship: Harrah's Chair creates scholarship

Sands' Macau haul lures Harrah's, MGM Mirage: Jasmine Yap; At the $265 million Sands Macau, the first Las Vegas-style casino in Asia, gamblers spend $1.37 million on average each day. Profit equals an annual 100 percent return on investment for owner Las Vegas Sands Corp., according to gaming analyst Jonathan Galaviz.

Henderson approves settlement: Gerald Root was a maintenance worker in the city's Public Works Department when he was fired in August 1999.

Cuban troupe's reunion held up at McCarran: David Kihara; The much-anticipated reunion between 43 members of the Cuban asylum seekers in Las Vegas and six members of the troupe turned sour on Tuesday when U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers held the six for several hours at McCarran International Airport.

Utility revamping management ranks: Kevin Rademacher; Sierra Pacific Resources is shaking up its management ranks in an effort to streamline the operations of its two utilities -- Nevada Power Co. of Las Vegas and Sierra Pacific Power Co. of Reno.

Gaming parlors are not producing desired results: By Richard N. Velotta; When gaming industry lobbyists persuaded the Nevada Legislature, the Nevada Gaming Commission and the state Gaming Control Board to approve a dramatic policy change allowing gamblers to bet behind closed doors, casino executives had dollar signs in their eyes.

State announces jump in unemployment premiums: CARSON CITY -- Nevada businesses face a 7-percent jump in their average unemployment insurance premiums after state officials announced new, higher rates Tuesday.

Singapore may consider Las Vegas-style casino within city: Singapore took another step toward building a controversial casino after it invited as many as a dozen gaming operators to submit development proposals, a newspaper reported Wednesday.

Expert: Banks must engage patrons: Kevin Rademacher; Despite the recent wave of technological advances in the banking industry, foot traffic at branches remains high as customers look for personal assistance with everything from deposits to car loans.

Dollar falls to record vs. euro: "The history of efforts to impose non-market valuations on currencies is at best unrewarding and checkered," Snow said.

Lab tests may shed light on death near club: Jen Lawson; The results of lab tests are expected to help investigators determine what killed a 26-year-old Las Vegas man who died after struggling with security guards Sunday morning outside the Krave nightclub on the Las Vegas Strip.

News briefs for November 17, 2004: Reality television might be coming to Las Vegas City Hall.

Smoking ban advances: CARSON CITY -- A casino- and bar-backed initiative petition to put some further limitations on smoking in public places has passed another hurdle.

Killer pleads in vain for chance at parole in 40 years: Molly Ball; A man convicted of first-degree murder for shooting his ex-girlfriend outside a Las Vegas karaoke bar was sentenced to life in prison without parole on Tuesday.

Shares jump as sales rebound: Hewlett-Packard shares gained $1.05 to $20.73 at 9:49 a.m. in New York Stock Exchange composite trading. They earlier rose as high as $21.32 for the biggest gain since Nov. 21, 2002.

Nevada State's search down to five for president: Five finalists remain in the search for a new Nevada State College president after a university regents search committee spent more than three hours shuffling through 10 resumes Tuesday afternoon.

Editorial: Remember who chose Sandoval: Reid, with the concurrence of Sen. John Ensign, has recommended Sandoval to replace U.S. District Judge Howard McKibben of Reno, who will give up his position in April. As attorney general, Sandoval has strongly enforced the state's open meeting law, notably in his rulings against the Board of Regents. And it was Sandoval who initiated the investigation against Controller Kathy Augustine for campaign violations. She has now been impeached by the Assembly and awaits trial in the Senate.

Former Nye sheriff contradicts Tabish statements: By Matt Pordum; A former Nye County sheriff contradicted the testimony of Rick Tabish, who is accused of killing gaming figure Ted Binion, as prosecutors Tuesday tried to undercut Tabish's testimony.

Mayweather pleads not guilty: The charge against the Las Vegas fighter would be his third offense if convicted, making it a felony punishable by up to five years in prison.

Uncertainty surrounds deadline for Yucca application: Suzanne Struglinski; WASHINGTON -- The only thing certain about the Yucca Mountain project is a lot of uncertainty, officials from the department and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission said Tuesday.

Consumer prices rise 0.6%: Jeannine Aversa; WASHINGTON -- Consumer prices -- stoked by more expensive gasoline as well as pricier fruits and vegetables -- heated up in October, rising by 0.6 percent, the biggest gain in five months.

House approves changes to state's gambling law: But even as they sent the latest version of the bill to the Senate, some House members said they expected a final version to require the work of a conference committee, which will be appointed by leaders of both houses if the Senate disagrees with the changes.

Editorial: Controller not needed: The controller's office receives and reviews the state's bills. The controller co-signs the checks, along with the state treasurer. Under Augustine, the office also runs a debt-collection program, which tries to get people who owe money to the state to pay up. The office was written into the state Constitution in the 19th century. Scandals were rampant in those days and a people's representative was considered necessary.

Louisiana state casinos win $178.9 million: Brett Martel; NEW ORLEANS -- Louisiana's state-licensed casinos won $178.9 million from gamblers in October, up from $163.4 million in October 2003, state police reported Tuesday.

Letter: Merging CCSN, NSC a step back: To go backward and combine our state college with the Henderson campus of the Community College of Southern Nevada would not be in keeping with the primary goal of our University and Community College System of Nevada, which is to provide a quality, diversified education.

Spring Valley principal wins national awards: Robert A. Gerye is the founding principal at Spring Valley High School where he has placed students in smaller learning communities. The school opened in August.

Columnist Peter Benton: Stewart award goes to Haas for 2004 work with charities: Peter Benton; This year's Payne Stewart Award was unanimously awarded to the ageless Jay Haas who competed on both the PGA and Champions Tours in 2004.

New school designed with safety in mind: By Emily Richmond; In her 12 years teaching at Kermit Booker Elementary School, Robin Moore has learned to keep an eye out for intruders.

Thursday's horse racing entries: Post Time 12:30 p.m.

Socialite, artist Boyers dies at 87: Shirley Boyers came to Las Vegas in the 1940s, a time when there were few, if any, places displaying works of art.

Letter: Inevitable nuke dump wasn't an issue in election: I have read columnists who say that with John Kerry's loss, we deserve the nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain and that if we do get it, we will have no one to blame but ourselves. I say, give the readers and voters a little more credit -- Yucca Mountain just wasn't an election issue.

Sheriff wants DA ousted in Esmeralda: CARSON CITY -- Esmeralda County Sheriff Kenneth N. Elgan has filed a lawsuit seeking to remove Esmeralda District Attorney William E. Schaeffer from office for alleged neglect of duty.

Two Springfield men convicted in gambling scheme: John Piteo, 45, and John Burritt, 37, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to bookmaking charges including participating in an illegal gambling business and money laundering.

Columnist Jeff German: Binion's death still a mystery: A jury once more, without a "smoking gun," must decide whether Binion was pumped with drugs and suffocated by Rick Tabish and Sandy Murphy -- or simply died of an overdose.

Q and A: Jack Nicklaus -- Still carving out a place in the game: Sun: Tell me more about your involvement in this development.

Obituaries for November 17, 2004: John Brown Branstetter, 51, of Las Vegas died Sunday in a local hospital. He was born May 8, 1953, in Huntington, Pa. A resident for 25 years, he was a taxicab driver for Lucky Cab.

Fighter appeals bribery conviction in fixed-fight trial: Jace Radke; Heavyweight boxer Thomas "Top Dawg" Williams is appealing his sports bribery conviction, which sprung from a fixed fight in Las Vegas. He is alleging that prosecutors used evidence that was ordered excluded from the trial.

Water Authority considers Coyote Springs proposal: The board of the Southern Nevada Water Authority could approve an agreement Thursday with the federal government that would allow the agency to pump water from the Coyote Springs area of northern Clark County and southern Lincoln County.

Columnist Ron Kantowski: Haunted by costs, NASCAR turns to spirits: Let's see if I have this right: This past weekend in NASCAR began with the stock car sanctioning body lifting its ban on hard liquor sponsors ... and ended with it abolishing "Happy Hour" at most tracks.

County: Police funding won't be cut: The Clark County Commission moved Tuesday to reassure the public that the proposed a quarter-cent sales tax increase designed to pay for new police officers throughout the region will indeed be used to pay for more officers.

Condition of stabbed boy improves: A spokeswoman for University Medical Center said Shilo Edsitty will remain in the hospital's pediatric intensive care unit today but could be transferred to a regular room this week.

Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: Champ Car co-owers buy Cosworth Racing: Champ Car World Series officials quelled any fears about losing their lone engine supplier when series co-owners Kevin Kalkhoven and Gerald Forsythe this week purchased Cosworth Racing from the Ford Motor Co.

Goodman, others on fact-finding trip: Dan Kulin; Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman and City Councilman Lawrence Weekly will lead a contingent of city officials and advisers leaving today for Florida and then Pittsburgh to meet with the potential developer of 61 acres downtown and another interested group.