Print edition for November 26, 2004

Teens to report on Sun Youth Forum experiences: CLASS columnists: Casey Cochran, Basic High School, law and crime; Jamie Bean, Centennial High School, school days; Erin Hooks, Cheyenne High School, around the world; Caitlin Shea, Shadow Ridge High School, teen topics; Chani Leavitt, Chaparral High School, home in Nevada; Conor Fitzpatrick, Foothill High School, America; David Rhoads, Cimarron-Memorial High School, potpourri.

Ex-governor's father-in-law, longtime Strip hotel engineer, dies: Self-taught engineer Jim Searles was artistic in his work and in his pastimes, which included decorating the Governor's Mansion in Carson City with huge handmade displays that he created for major holidays during the 1990s.

Columnist Jerry Fink: MGM unveils esoteric 'Ka': The parents are anxious.

Columnist Jerry Fink: Longtime singing act still stirs movement: It's a relationship that has lasted longer than a lot of marriages.

Local high schoolers speak their minds: Gay marriage:

Airline, GE divisions reach deal on aircraft financing: The deal will provide the Arlington, Va.-based airline, now operating under bankruptcy protection, with $140 million in short-term liquidity and the deferral of aircraft debt and lease payments due over the next six months.

Obituaries for November 26, 2004: George L. Bailey, 63, of Las Vegas died Sunday in Las Vegas. He was born July 28, 1941, in Yreka, Calif. A resident for 36 years, he was a retired marble mason and a Vietnam War Army veteran.

Community briefs for November 26, 2004: Clark High School's Navy ROTC unit will help victims of domestic violence by holding a donation drive 9 a.m.-3 p.m. today and Saturday at the Fountains Shopping Center, 6135 W. Sahara Ave. ROTC cadets will accept donations of used clothing and small household items.

D'Andrea gets his 15 minutes in 'Skintight': In a roomful of half-naked women, Tony D'Andrea shines.

Columnist Lisa Ferguson: Glass distorted reality on 'Last Comic Standing': Lisa Ferguson; Operating like one of those wacky fun house mirrors on this summer's second season of the NBC reality series "Last Comic Standing," Glass twisted and tweaked his personality just enough to make viewers -- and his nine fellow contestants -- see him as an irrepressible, scene-stealing cutup.

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

Council voids planning board opposition to racino: The City Council voted 7-1 on Monday to override the planning board's recommendation against a new zoning district that would allow Penn National to begin construction in May on a $75 million racino containing 1,500 slot machines at the city's Bass Park complex.

Appeals court sends Indian gambling case to lower court: The ruling by a three-judge panel of the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overturned a Wyoming federal court's decision that the state didn't have to negotiate a compact permitting casino-style gambling.

Fishing report: Trout stocking triggers a run of bass success: The hot spot for stripers following the plants was Pumphouse Cove where an angler reeled in a striper that weighed 16 1/2 pounds. Reports from the anglers who were on hand for the trout plant said stripers broke the surface soon after the stocking.

Wranglers weary but winning on road trip: Nick Christensen; After reaching the low point in the two-year history of the franchise last week, the Las Vegas Wranglers left town Monday looking for something to put a spark on this season.

Tax refund checks can't be delivered: "Where's My Refund?" on IRS.gov provides information about refunds and is available from the IRS home page.

Datebook for November 26, 2004: Deana Martin will sign copies of her book "Memories Are Made of This: Dean Martin Through His Daughter's Eyes," from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at UNLV's Lied Library, 4505 Maryland Parkway. Admission is free. 895-2239.

Letter: Bookmakers keep NBA ruffians out: After the brawl we witnessed on television, why would we want that kind of riff-raff in our community?

Blood drives: Wednesday: 7 a.m.-noon, Southern Nevada Water System, 243 Lake Shore Drive, Boulder City.

Columnist Barb Henderson: Lake will shine with holiday lights: Barb Henderson; Are you searching for special outdoor activities that the entire family can enjoy this holiday season? What about a holiday boat parade?

Thanksgiving tradition like New Year's Eve at casinos: Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods Resort Casino are busing thousands of people of Asian descent from New York and Boston for the holiday weekend.

Performing Arts for November 26, 2004: Orchestra concert

Letter: Flat tax best, but unlikely to pass: I also support a single, flat income tax, regardless of family size, with only one exemption. The first $25,000 of all single, or $40,000 of married (combined), taxpayer income would be exempt, and this baseline would be adjusted annually for inflation. To keep the transition tax revenue neutral, most studies show the new flat tax would be about 28 percent of all income above this baseline. This is simple, direct and almost unbiased taxation.

New state lottery director outlines goal to double revenue: The Minnesota State Lottery wants to double its revenue in the next 20 years -- from $100 million to $200 million by 2024.

Live in the Present: On the first day of Christmas, your true love might give you: A Scintas Christmas CD?

Nevada Ballet Theatre flies to Portugal with 'Peter Pan': The company includes 25 dancers. Kyu Dong Kwak and Dereck Townsend will perform roles of Peter Pan during the eight performances that continue through Dec. 5.

Ralph Siraco's Hollywood Park selections: 1st Race -- LENNY FROM DAL RAE -- Draws outside post in small six-horse route opener, Nakatani atop Mitchell trainee, Lenny From winners circle at Hollywood Park? GOLD BANKERS GOLD -- Training at Santa Anita, draws good inner post for two-turn claimer, backers hope to bank Gold here. Value Play -- MAGIC JAKENJOHN

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

Bowie admirably reached 'Low' point: Spencer Patterson; David Bowie's "Low" contains no sizeable hits, drew harsh criticism from many longtime fans and received mixed reviews from critics upon its 1977 release.

Forum explores local, national issues: Ed Koch and David Kihara; When the subject of America being hated came up at the 49th Annual Sun Youth Forum Tuesday, Durango High School junior Natalia Bilym said she believes that America is not so much hated as it is envied for all it has that is sometimes taken for granted.

Weekend Time Schedule: AP; No. 7 Louisville vs. Cincinnati, 2:30 p.m.

Columnist Sal DeFilippo: Was that crow or turkey on the platter?: Sal DeFilippo; Today provides the evidence that proves true all of the conjecture about how divided America has become as a nation.

Audit clears research foundation: A special audit investigation into possible financial wrongdoing by the UNLV Research Foundation has found no evidence that any improper transactions occurred, university system officials said this week.

News briefs for November 26, 2004: A man was killed Wednesday when he crashed into a flood control channel, according to Metro Police.

Gasoline pipeline is up and flowing: The pipeline was repaired and operating by 6 p.m. Wednesday. It was discovered that it had burst Monday morning near Baker, Calif.

Mom, 71, shot dead at family gathering; suspect sought: Metro Police were seeking a 25-year-old woman suspected in the shooting death of a 71-year-old mother at the victim's home in the northwest Las Vegas Valley on Thanksgiving Day.

Supreme Court rejects inmate's request to die: By Cy Ryan; CARSON CITY -- The Nevada Supreme Court has denied a Clark County inmate's request to be put to death.

The ENEMIES: In most championship prizefights, especially between boxers who are meeting for a second or third go-round, the combatants have at least a grudging respect for each other.

Wildcats poised to finish the job: Nick Christensen; The motto at Las Vegas High School this year is "unfinished business."

Heat turning up on a few coaches: Minutes after the New Orleans Saints unveiled their latest slipshod performance Sunday, owner Tom Benson walked out of a Superdome elevator and into the glare of television cameras.

Top 25 Fared: AP; No. 1 Southern Cal (10-0) did not play. Next: vs. Notre Dame, Saturday.

County confirms 2 cases of flu: With two confirmed cases of influenza reported by the Clark County Health District, 80-year-old Thelma Rice is concerned that local health providers won't have enough flu vaccine for her.

Shoppers charge into the holiday season: Kevin Rademacher; With the smell of turkey still hanging in the air, the most dedicated holiday shoppers were up early this morning to take advantage of sales and a day off to get first shot at local malls.

Sophisticated gangs cheating slot machines across country: Oliver Staley; Mississippi state gaming authorities have reported a rash of cheating at Tunica's slot machines, with at least six arrests this year of increasingly sophisticated criminals.

Preps: Playoff Scoreboard: 4A Sunset Region Quarterfinals Palo Verde 27, Western 0 Bonanza 29, Shadow Ridge 28 Cheyenne 26, Sierra Vista 14 Bishop Gorman 21, Cimarron-Memorial 3

Augustine to attend Senate session: CARSON CITY -- State Controller Kathy Augustine will make her first personal appearance Monday in the impeachment procedures in the Legislature to answer charges she misused her office.

Survey: Workers happy with vacation benefits: Alana Roberts; One of the best things about work is earning time to get away from it, workers say.

BLM's affordable housing program still unpopular with municipalities: Jennifer Shubinski; It's been more than eight months since the Bureau of Land Management put procedures in place to make land available at discounted rates for affordable housing.

Elite women's teams come to measure Lady Rebels' progress: Adam Candee; Lady Rebel Shootout Saturday, Sunday Cox Pavilion

Sports briefs for November 26, 2004: French Open champion Anastasia Myskina says she will quit Russia's Fed Cup team if Maria Sharapova joins the squad next year because she does not like Sharapova's father, Yuri.

Columnist Steve Guiremand: Meyer might do best to stay put: Steve Guiremand; Utah head coach Urban Meyer is probably getting a lot of advice these days from friends and colleagues.

Columnist Nick Christensen: Palo Verde has returned to a familiar sore spot: Nick Christensen; It will be something old and something new Saturday at Palo Verde High School, as the state football semifinals kick off at 1 p.m.

Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: Kyle did just about everything right: It took a couple of weeks for it to set in, but Kyle Busch finally came to the conclusion that his rookie campaign in the NASCAR Busch Series was an overwhelming success.

Tonight's matchup: UNLV (0-1) vs. Oregon State (2-1): Steve Guiremand; Tonight's matchup: UNLV (0-1) vs. Oregon State (2-1)

Newest Wrangler skates with an edge: Las Vegas Wranglers co-owner Charles Davenport and general manager Glen Gulutzan said they weighed everything about Billy Tibbetts before signing the fiery right winger to a contract before the ECHL team played at Bakersfield on Nov. 18.

EU, Japan win approval to hit back at U.S. handouts: The agreement was adopted "as agreed during the consultations," Amina Chawahir Mohamed, who chairs the WTO's dispute settlement body, said in a telephone interview. The duties will be applied next year unless Congress repeals the law, known as the Byrd Amendment.

Take two: Rebels will try again: Steve Guiremand; THE GAME: UNLV vs. Oregon State. WHEN: Tonight, 7:30. WHERE: Thomas & Mack Center. TV: None. RADIO: 920-AM. STORY LINE: Rebels try to bounce back from disappointing season-opening loss Tuesday night to Saint Mary's.

Nevada taxables sales again rise: CARSON CITY -- Nevada recorded $3.6 billion in taxable sales in September, a 17 percent increase over the previous month's total.

Homeless teens are granted phone service: By Timothy Pratt; Teenagers living on the streets of the Las Vegas Valley will be getting two cards that will allow them to make calls and get messages as part of a project launched Wednesday.

Holiday meals feed thousands of needy Las Vegans: Stephen Curran; Denise Kaili looked somewhat out of place as she ate a hearty turkey dinner Thursday morning at the Catholic Charities Lied Dining Facility.

Columnist Ron Kantowski: Does family entertainment mean this?: I was there in spring 1994 when the Las Vegas Thunder and San Diego Gulls turned decrepit San Diego Arena into West Side Story, minus the choreography.

New Web site shows various stories of support for troops: Dick Benoit; The Defense Department announced Nov. 19 the launch of America Supports You, a nationwide program to showcase and communicate American support to the men and women of the armed forces.

Man wounded by police after shooting at LV bar: Two Metro Police officers on Thursday night shot and wounded a Las Vegas man who they believed to have been involved in a shooting at a Flamingo Road bar, police said.

Hornsby: Staying loose is key to performance: Spencer Patterson; Bruce Hornsby celebrated his 50th birthday Tuesday, and the vocalist/pianist had grand plans as the big day approached.

Columnist Spencer Patterson: Auf Der Maur sheds 'new girl' persona tonight: Spencer Patterson; It didn't take long for Auf Der Maur to figure out she wasn't a lot like them.

Columnist Muriel Stevens: Koto packs big wallop in small package: Small but mighty, this charming eatery boasts a dining room with decor created by Toshi San, who fabricated all of the panels and art and Japanese food that is almost too good to be true. Food quality belies the moderate prices.

Editorial: The jurors have spoken: Prosecutors had contended that Binion was suffocated while defense attorneys asserted that he died of a drug overdose. The circumstantial case built by prosecutors was successful in the first trial, which garnered national attention and dominated local media coverage. But post-verdict interviews with jurors in the second trial revealed that they didn't believe prosecutors presented enough evidence to overcome reasonable doubt that Tabish and Murphy were guilty of murder. Nonetheless, it is significant that the jurors this time also concluded that Tabish and Murphy were each guilty of three counts of theft.

Editorial: Higher standards: And if you won't? This is where controversy begins. This semester a Liberty High School student, with support from her family and the American Civil Liberties Union of Nevada, filed a federal lawsuit challenging her school's uniform policy. She had been expelled for wearing T-shirts with religious messages, but after the suit was filed a federal judge issued a preliminary injunction against that discipline, enabling the girl to return to Liberty. The judge noted that parents had not been surveyed about the uniform policy.

On Display for November 26, 2004: Nine artists will display their works in "The Enemy Show" until Dec. 23 at Dust Gallery, 1221 S. Main St. Admission is free. 880-3878.

Letter: Let sound science dictate longer Yucca standard: Now is not the time to change the rules again. The Bush administration must not allow Congress to throw out the provision that requires Yucca Mountain's radiation standard to be in line with findings by the National Academy of Science. The Academy said Yucca Mountain would need to protect against radiation for several hundred thousand years. The mountain is being built, however, to be protective for only 10,000 years. A federal appeals court confirmed this fact, which could be a showstopper. Building anything that could be protective for several hundred thousand years is likely impossible.