Stories published October 14, 2004Las Vegas Sun

COMMISSION DISTRICT F: Boggs McDonald, 41, was appointed to her position in March by Gov. Kenny Guinn after Commissioner Mark James resigned just 15 months into his term. The former Las Vegas councilwoman, who served from 1999 until her county appointment, got 63.8 percent of the vote in the two-person GOP primary.

DISTRICT COURT DEPARTMENT 1: Ken Cory, 60, was appointed in January by Gov. Kenny Guinn to replace Gene Porter, who resigned in October 2003. Cory faces Bill Henderson, 45, who has served as a truancy master and alternate hearing master in Clark County Family Court.

3RD CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT: Rep. Jon Porter, R-Nev., points to his experience that started at the Boulder City Council and now extends to one term in the U.S. House representing Nevada's 3rd Congressional District.

SENATE DISTRICT 5: Republican Joe Heck knocked O'Connell out of the race in the primary after he launched an aggressive grass-roots campaign.

U.S. SENATE: But after 18 years in the U.S. Senate, now in his third run for re-election, Reid, 64, is the overwhelming bout favorite.

QUESTION 7: ELECTION ISSUES: In 1913 the U.S. Constitution was amended to provide for direct election of senators, but the Nevada Constitution was never changed. It says the Legislature will choose the person to serve in the U.S. Senate.

QUESTION 4: INSURANCE RATES: If the measure is approved by the voters this year and again in 2006, it would change the state constitution to require insurance rates on such things as autos, homes and businesses be reduced by 20 percent. Insurance companies would also be required to give good drivers an additional 20 percent reduction.

DISTRICT COURT DEPT. 11: Elizabeth "Betsy" Gonzalez was appointed by Gov. Kenny Guinn to succeed Douglas, who became a Supreme Court justice. Gonzalez, 43, who received her law degree from the University of Florida, focused on real estate and personal injury defense during 20 years in private practice.

SENATE DISTRICT 4: Horsford, who took 50 percent of the primary vote, runs the Culinary Training Academy and is chief executive of Nevada Partners, a nonprofit job-training group.

ASSEMBLY DISTRICT 4: The heavily Republican district includes Sun City, and Republicans outnumber Democrats by a little more than 3,000 voters.

ASSEMBLY DISTRICT 11: The district is heavily Democratic, with nearly three times as many registered Democrats as Republicans. McCleary faced Adams two years ago and won 68 percent of the vote.

2ND CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT: Gibbons, 59, had no primary opponent for his seat in the 2nd Congressional District, which includes most of the state except for parts of Las Vegas.

COMMISSION DISTRICT D: Atkinson Gates now faces Republican Chester Major Richardson, a former Washoe County resident and associate minister, and Independent American Scott David Narter, a house painter.

SENATE DISTRICT 1: Shaffer says he is running again because he still wants to toughen standards on education -- especially the screening process used to hire administrators -- and to repeal and restructure last year's tax increase "to the wishes of the people, not big gaming."

QUESTION 8: SALES TAX: Question 8 would extend the sales tax break of 4.5 percent to 5.5 percent that the Legislature has already given in those cases to the full amount of the sales tax.

COMMISSION DISTRICT C: The commission chairman faces Deputy District Attorney Jerry Tao, who had no opponent in the Democratic primary.

FAMILY COURT: In the primary Lueck captured almost 36 percent of the vote, while Pomrenze garnered 25 percent.

SENATE DISTRICT 6: There is no Democratic candidate in the race for Senate District 6, which includes part of Summerlin and some surrounding northwest valley neighborhoods.

QUESTION 5: JURY AWARDS: The question, "Stop Frivolous Lawsuits and Protect Your Legal Rights Act," is backed by Nevada's trial lawyers. It is in response to the medical-malpractice debate and the change in state law. The law limits the amount of pain and suffering damages a jury can award in many cases.

SENATE DISTRICT 3: Wiener was re-elected with 62.3 percent of the vote four years ago. Also, the district, which encompasses the area around the Rainbow curve on U.S. 95 and its neighborhoods north and east, has about 7,300 more registered Democrats than Republicans.

ASSEMBLY DISTRICT 3: She faces Republican Brian Packer and Independent American Clint Barker as she tries for a second term in a district that has about 2,400 more registered Democrats than Republicans.

SENATE DISTRICT 11: Yet a Republican with a prominent name hopes he can win against the odds. Danny Tarkanian, the 42-year-old son of former UNLV basketball coach Jerry Tarkanian, is running hard in the district.

QUESTION 6: MINIMUM WAGE: Voters are being asked to approve a constitutional amendment to raise the minimum wage to $6.15 an hour for employers who do not make health insurance available to workers and their dependents. The health insurance premiums must not exceed 10 percent of the worker's gross taxable income.

JUSTICE OF THE PEACE: Bennett-Haron received 41 percent of the primary vote, and Gubler captured 39 percent.

ASSEMBLY DISTRICT 5: The contract calls for a focus on water issues, audits of education performance, a limit on government growth and a change in medical-malpractice and construction-defect laws, no new taxes and a cap on property taxes.

ASSEMBLY DISTRICT 22: Republican Scott Sibley, the 30-year-old publisher of a Nevada legal trade publication, has pledged to bring his experience running a business to the Assembly, vowing to bring an end to what he calls "deadlocked, self-serving sessions."

ASSEMBLY DISTRICT 19: Bradley Smith, a 39-year-old public relations professional, said that if elected, he will publish information regularly outlining the taxes collected and those spent by the district and on construction projects and crime statistics.

ASSEMBLY DISTRICT 20: Travis Chandler, a chemist-turned-patent lawyer, is running to unseat Hardy, saying recent tax increases threaten to harm people living on fixed incomes. Chandler, 50, proposes to limit the property tax to 1 percent of a home's taxable value and limit yearly increases to keep pace with the consumer price index.

ASSEMBLY DISTRICT 21: Seeking to keep the seat within the party is Robert Seale, former Nevada Republican Party chairman and state's treasurer from 1990 to 1998. Seale, a 62-year-old accountant, said his background in finance and government qualify him to fill the seat.

CENTRAL NEVADA DISTRICT: The Central Nevada District includes Mesquite and Indian Springs in Clark County, parts of Lyon, Douglas and Nye counties and all of Mineral, Esmeralda and Churchill counties.

ASSEMBLY DISTRICT 17: Gibbs garnered eight of every 10 votes in the Republican primary. However, District 17 has about 3,100 more Democrats than Republicans. Atkinson was unopposed in the primary.

ASSEMBLY DISTRICT 18: Standing in his way is GOP candidate Kris Munn, an engineering and development planning manager who garnered nearly seven of every 10 votes cast in the Republican primary. Manendo was unopposed in the primary.

SUPREME COURT SEAT F: Douglas was appointed to the Supreme Court in April by Gov. Kenny Guinn after Leavitt's death. Douglas, Nevada's first black justice, was chief judge in Clark County and said he had planned to run for the Supreme Court before he was appointed.

SENATE DISTRICT 7: Republican Paul Fairfield and Independent American Party candidate John Darius Russo will try to knock off Titus in a district where Democrats greatly outnumber voters in other parties.

ASSEMBLY DISTRICT 16: Spretnak and Oceguera were unopposed in the primary.

SUPREME COURT SEAT E: District Judge Ron Parraguirre, 45, wants to streamline the litigation process, while former state Republican Chairman John E. Mason, 57, got into the race because of his concern over some of the state high court's recent decisions about Lake Tahoe.

Fired worker loses suit against state: CARSON CITY -- A state welfare employee who was fired when he took too much time off to care for his ailing wife has lost his lawsuit seeking reinstatement or a judgment.

Conflicting stories told at murder trial: Molly Ball; Witnesses gave conflicting testimony Wednesday as to whether or not Steven Perry, the third person to be tried for the murder of Benito Zambrano-Lopez, talked about the killing afterward.

Man who killed his wife gets life term: Frank Marques, 45, was given the minimum sentence for his crime, first-degree murder with a deadly weapon, by District Judge Sally Loehrer.

Nader tells voters to shun fears: Kirsten Searer; Independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader encouraged about 200 people Wednesday to vote with their hearts, not with their fears.

CCSN gets federal grant for Health Sciences Center: The funding, secured by Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., will support nursing education and other health sciences at CCSN through the new $19.5 million, four-story, 85,400-square-foot center.

Home sought for African wildcat: "We're looking for someone that actually rescues and provides the animal with some place to live out their life and be cared for rather than end up back in the system or situation," Clark County Animal Control Sgt. David March said.

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

Metro scores well during domestic violence sweep: Law enforcement officials nationwide last week went out looking for 1,100 domestic violence suspects and caught 435 of them in a single day, police said.

Two men wounded in separate drive-by shootings: Heather Rawlyk; A man was in critical condition and another man seriously injured Wednesday night in separate shootings.

Plant purchase completed: The Las Vegas electric utility said in June that it would seek regulatory approval to spend $558 million to purchase and complete the plant, which Duke abandoned about midway through the construction process.

Study touts Nevada business climate as ads begin in Calif.: Kevin Rademacher; On the same day that Nevada economic development officials unveiled a new advertising campaign in California, a Washington-based organization released a study hailing this state's tax climate.

FCC members note dated rules for new technology: Kevin Rademacher; Federal regulators are well aware that changing technology in the telecommunications industry demands careful examination.

Dual visit a challenge for LV law enforcement agencies: Jace Radke; Local law enforcement officers planned to spend today shutting down intersections and racing ahead of the motorcades of President Bush and Sen. John Kerry as both candidates made campaign stops in Las Vegas within hours of each other.

Witnesses who shared in Binion reward can testify: By Matt Pordum; District Judge Joe Bonaventure on Wednesday refused to bar eight witnesses from testifying at the Ted Binion murder retrial that was set to get under way this morning.

ASSEMBLY DISTRICT 15: McClain, who was unopposed in the primary, faces a challenge from retired certified public accountant Bob Anderson, who garnered nearly three of every four votes cast in the Republican primary.

Community briefs for October 14, 2004: The Foundation for Positively Kids' fifth annual Duck Derby will be noon-6 p.m. Sunday at the Galleria at Sunset, 1300 Sunset Road.

Striker injured in picket-line incident: John Curran; ATLANTIC CITY -- A striking hotel worker who suffered a broken kneecap in a picket-line confrontation has filed an assault complaint, the first reported violence in the 13-day-old walkout.

UNLV Student Senate votes to bring Moore to campus: Eric Leake; Lisa Soldano asked during Wednesday's UNLV Student Senate meeting if anybody in the audience was opposed to controversial filmmaker Michael Moore's planned visit.

Most Homers Single Postseason: AP; 8 - Barry Bonds, San Francisco, 2002.

Gambling likely to grow, industry, opponents agree: Ted Arneault, president and chief executive officer of Mountaineer Race Track & Gaming Resort in Chester, and the Rev. Monty Brown, the minister of St. Mark's United Methodist Church in Charleston, tackled the issue at a forum Tuesday night at the University of Charleston.

Editorial: Endorsing judicial candidates: District Court judges who serve in the Family Division have one of the toughest jobs in the judiciary. They oversee divorce cases, where normally level-headed people can turn into the most irrational human beings when they're dissolving a marriage. Those cases can get uglier if there is a bitter child-custody dispute. Family Court also has a juvenile judge, who mainly handles child abuse and neglect cases, some of the hardest cases to hear. Family Court judges must base their rulings on the facts before them and relevant laws, but they nevertheless have some latitude, especially when determining what's in the ...

Palo Verde rallies to keep girls' title: Nick Christensen; With the boys already done, the pressure was on the Palo Verde girls' tennis team to complete the Sunset Region sweep Wednesday at Durango High School.

Former barker at Circus Circus is Navy's leading optometrist: Dick Benoit; Keven C. Reed recently reported to Naval Station Jacksonville, Fla., for the final assignment in a career he began in 1977.

BALLOT QUESTION: POLICE FUNDING: The ballot question will ask voters to approve a 1/4 cent increase that would start in July. A second 1/4 cent increase would begin in July 2009. The total increase would be a 1/2 cent, bringing the sales tax rate to 8 percent.

BOARD OF REGENTS DISTRICT 7: Dr. Jack Surpure, 62, a medical professor for 17 years at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, said improving medical education and finding more private funding for higher education would be two of his priorities if elected.

SUPREME COURT SEAT A: Clark County Family Court Judge Cynthia "Dianne" Steel, 51, will face Washoe County District Judge Jim Hardesty, 55, in the general election.

Preps: Wednesday's Results: Girls' Tennis Sunrise Region Team Final: Coronado 32, Green Valley 13 Sunset Region Team Final: Palo Verde 25, Bishop Gorman 20

Kerry favorite among AARP conventioneers: Dan Kulin; If applause is an accurate meter, Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry was the clear favorite among the more than 2,000 AARP members who came together at the Sands Expo and Convention Center to watch the third and final debate between the Massachusetts senator and President George Bush Wednesday night.

Letter: Funds from BLM sales should be used more wisely: The bill now makes Lincoln County eligible to claim money from BLM land sales here in Clark County. Certainly BLM land sold at auction in Clark County is far more valuable than that offered for sale in Lincoln County.

ASSEMBLY DISTRICT 9: But she faces no major-party opponent as she runs for an eighth term in Assembly District 9.

Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: Top Fuel driver Schumacher answers critics: It took five years, but Tony Schumacher finally has silenced his critics.

Michigan proposal would give voters power over gaming: Tim Martin; LANSING, Mich. -- Voters will decide Nov. 2 how much power they should have over gambling expansion in Michigan.

Delegates praise candidates' performances: Nevada's congressional delegation praised the performances of their candidates after Wednesday night's debate.

Editorial: Voting gone haywire: Clark County Registrar Larry Lomax weeks ago sounded the alarm about massive voter fraud likely emanating from these private groups. Questions are now being directed at Voters Outreach of America, a group paid by the Republican National Committee to register voters in Las Vegas and Reno. Would-be voters, and at least one former VOC staff member, are complaining to Clark and Washoe counties and to the media that the group either turned away Democrats or destroyed their registration forms.

Obituaries for October 14, 2004: Charles Bianco, 83, of Las Vegas died Sunday in a local hospital. He was born Aug. 3, 1921, in New Rochelle, N.Y. A resident for 30 years, he was a retired city firefighter and a World War II Army veteran.

BOARD OF REGENTS DISTRICT 13: James Dean Leavitt and Gloria Sturman narrowly squeezed out Kirkpatrick in the six-person primary after a District Court judge disqualified the top finisher, Mark DeStefano, as not a bona fide resident of the district.

Kicking down doors: UNLV women's soccer coach Dan Abdalla tried to convince prep goalkeeper Jenna Huff that she would make a difference as a Rebel, that she might get lost in a mix that included 10 national team players at powerhouse Santa Clara.

Pennies remember 9/11 victims: The penny drive was the idea of third grade teacher Charles Michel, who was looking for a way to help children understand the number of lives lost, Michel said. Michel's idea became Making Cents of 9-11. Each classroom raised 2,998 pennies.

SCHOOL BOARD DISTRICT B: "Every politician wants to talk about education and kids -- they're running for the wrong office," said Bulloch, who faces incumbent Ruth Johnson for the District B seat. "The (School) District is the biggest consumer of tax dollars in the state and the largest employer. The people on that board should have MBAs and not be scared of dealing with large numbers."

Lasting Impressions: Anniversary of 'The Last Supper' brings visitors to celebration at Goldwell Open Air Museum: By Kristen Peterson; The Nevada gateway to Death Valley National Park is still. If you stop your car, the only sound you hear is the breeze clearing the valley floor or your feet crunching the gravel as you walk.

COMMISSION DISTRICT B: Democrat Assemblyman Tom Collins will take on North Las Vegas Councilwoman Shari Buck in the district that has 10,200 more Democrats than Republicans.

Columnist Susan Snyder: Climbing a mountain of mystery: Valley Views has slightly changed its four-day-per-week rotation and will run each Thursday instead of Fridays. And the best way to slide into the Thursday spot previously filled with the wisdom and wit of late Sun columnist Ruthe Deskin is to tackle something big -- really big.

ASSEMBLY DISTRICT 12: In 2002, Ohrenschall, a 58-year-old attorney and businesswoman, ran unopposed.

ASSEMBLY DISTRICT 14: Her challenges are from Republican Richard Golden Gardner Jr. and Independent American candidate Steven "Captain Truth" Dempsey.

Gambling supporters outpacing opponents in fundraising: Oklahomans for Education and Jobs, which supports the proposal, has raised slightly more than $2.3 million. Oklahomans for Good Government, which opposed the proposal, has raised $302,866, according to reports filed with the Oklahoma Ethics Commission.

SCHOOL BOARD DISTRICT E: "I'm going to keep doing the job I was elected to do four years ago," said Brodsky, who finished with nearly 60 percent of the vote. "I'm going to look out for kids and teachers and make sure our schools get the resources they need and deserve."

Anniversary schedule: Friday

COMMISSION DISTRICT A: Woodbury, a 26-year resident of Boulder City who has held this seat since 1981, garnered 82 percent of the vote in a two-person GOP primary. He served as commission chairman in 1989-90 and 1999-2000, and earned another four-year term in 2000 by collecting 63 percent of the vote in the general election.

Top 25 Schedule: AP; Saturday, Oct. 16

Letter: Dog owners must be responsible: Frequently, we see people walking their dogs while using those retractable leashes. As the owners stand on the sidewalk, their dogs defecate on someone else's lawn. When the dogs finish their business, the owners simply continue their walk, leaving the job of cleaning up to the hapless homeowner.

ASSEMBLY DISTRICT 6: That is, that black Democrats have won the office every time -- Marion Bennett (1973-82), Gene Collins (1983-86) and Wendell Williams (1987-2004).

Profit rises on finance unit: Net income increased to $440 million, or 78 cents a share, from $425 million, or 79 cents, a year earlier when there were fewer shares outstanding. Revenue rose 3 percent to $44.9 billion, the Detroit-based company said today in a statement.

Lobos' Moore back in fast lane: Steve Guiremand; DonTrell Moore doesn't have a lot of fond memories when it comes to playing at Sam Boyd Stadium.

ASSEMBLY DISTRICT 7: Arberry was re-elected two years ago with 61 percent of the vote. But since his re-election, he has been part of a potentially damaging double-dipping controversy.

SCHOOL BOARD DISTRICT C: "When I walk the district, I see so many familiar faces," said Barber, who is seeking her third term. "It's a very comforting feeling to know the people you represent."

Nevadans get to choose 'none of these candidates': Nevada ballots will offer voters that option in the presidential and statewide races, such as for U.S. senator, according to county and state election officials. Voters are not able to write in the name of a candidate.

ASSEMBLY DISTRICT 1: Atop the list of plans Gobel backs is to lower health insurance costs by setting up an insurance pool for an estimated 118,000 small-business employees. Gobel said that Sen. Ray Shaffer, R-North Las Vegas, has introduced the plan to an interim legislative committee.

ASSEMBLY DISTRICT 8: Peacock, a 63-year-old businesswoman, says her concern with taxes comes from talking to residents in her district, and that she will "vigorously support legislation that reduces taxes."

Friday's horse racing entries: Post Time 2:30 p.m.

SCHOOL BOARD DISTRICT A: Mary Beth Scow is a homemaker, a longtime community volunteer, the mother of nine students and the incumbent.

Las Vegas will be the site for 2005 ArenaBowl: Adam Candee; The Arena Football League is set to award its first neutral-site ArenaBowl to Las Vegas at a Monday news conference at Fashion Show Mall.

ASSEMBLY DISTRICT 13: But in a district that is predominantly Republican, his challengers, Democrat Justin Jones and Libertarian Debra Caren Payne-Dedmon, have their work cut out for them.

County expects early voting crush: With voter registration rolls bolstered by aggressive "get out the vote" drives this year, Clark County's early voting option is getting ready for another crush of residents ready to cast their ballots starting Saturday.

Second chance nearly pays off for Cimarron: Nick Christensen; The Sunset Region girls' golfers hit the links again at Boulder City Municipal golf course on Wednesday, and after about two hours of play, Palo Verde's second-place lead over Cimarron-Memorial was starting to shrink.

BOARD OF EDUCATION DISTRICT 1: R. Dean Jeter, who spent 32 years teaching in Clark County, and Sharon Frederick, who works for a private technical college in Las Vegas, are both seeking the seat. Incumbent Theresa Malone chose to run for state Senate.

Ralph Siraco's Santa Anita selections: 1st Race -- HOOTEN NEWTON -- Gomez aboard Knapp trainee, draws good post for short maiden/claiming dash, Newton is a Hooten for diploma. BASILIO -- Baze on young Mandella trainee, draws rail for opening Cal-bred sprint, needs prompt start and clean trip for graduation. Value Play -- TIZZAROUND

Two friends have different plans for improving board: At first glance, there is not a lot that differentiates Board of Regents District 13 candidates James Dean Leavitt and Gloria Sturman.

Sports briefs for October 14, 2004: Lindsay Davenport, who said at Wimbledon she was considering retiring, will replace France's Amelie Mauresmo as the top-ranked player after winning her second- round match at tennis's Kremlin Cup in Moscow.

QUESTION 1: SCHOOL FUNDING: Voters will decide on Question 1, an initiative petition to require the Legislature to pass a school-support bill before it approves any other appropriations.

QUESTION 3: MEDICAL MALPRACTICE: Question 3, also known as the "Keep Our Doctors in Nevada" question, would change the laws to limit judgments against physicians with a goal of stabilizing medical malpractice insurance costs for doctors.

ASSEMBLY DISTRICT 10: District 10, which lines Interstate 15 from Sahara Avenue south past Blue Diamond Road, has a Democratic majority.

Civil rights tour ends in Las Vegas today: By Timothy Pratt; Sitting on a couch in a Las Vegas living room surrounded by dozens of photos of presidents, performers and civil rights leaders from the last 60 years, 88-year-old Prince Spencer sighed.

Man indicted in 1998 slaying of homeless person: Jen Lawson; A 41-year-old man who allegedly confessed to traveling the country preying on homeless people in order to reach his goal of landing on death row was indicted last week in connection with the 1998 slaying of a North Las Vegas homeless man.

Gasoline prices take toll on many: Stephen Curran; Nevada's sharply rising gasoline prices may be caused by factors in distant corners of the world, but construction worker Ed Sarnella feels the pinch each time he visits his neighborhood Chevron station.

Minorities disproportionately denied mortgages: Kevin Rademacher; Blacks and Hispanics seeking conventional home mortgages in the Las Vegas metropolitan area are denied nearly twice as often as white borrowers, a study released today said.

QUESTION 2: SCHOOL FUNDING: Now the Nevada State Education Association is trying a different tactic that will appear on the ballot as Question 2.

ASSEMBLY DISTRICT 29: Democrat Susan Gerhardt rides an overwhelming primary victory -- she received 92 percent of the votes -- into the general election contest against Republican Anthony Bandiero. He won his primary by less than 200 votes, receiving just under 45 percent of the vote.

Bush, Kerry visit LV today: Kirsten Searer; Hours after the last of their three debates, President Bush and Sen. John Kerry began the last leg of the campaign for the White House about 3 1/2 miles from each other today in Las Vegas.

Web site's owner argues for rights to lease name: The company that owns the lasvegas.com domain name says that it has the only valid contract to reacquire the rights to lease the name.

ASSEMBLY DISTRICT 41: His opponents are Republican Patricia Saye and Independent American Christopher Hansen. There were no primaries because none of the candidates had a challenger from within their own parties.

Harrah's poll seeks to profile typical gambler: By Liz Benston; American gamblers tend to earn more per year than nongamblers and tend to be more involved in their local communities, according to a survey from Harrah's Entertainment Inc.

Boulder City Question: Homes are expected to be built on the land if the sale is approved.

ASSEMBLY DISTRICT 28: Denis, 43, garnered 51.4 percent of the votes in a three-candidate Democratic primary. Bell, 58, collected 59.7 percent of the vote in a two-person GOP primary.

BALLOT QUESTION: MANDATES: Now the Nevada Association of Counties is asking the voters to pass another request to the Legislature, this time asking it to change the Nevada Constitution to bar such mandates. This question, unlike others on the ballot, does not directly change the Constitution.

Tao attacks in telephone campaign: Jerry Tao, a Clark County deputy district attorney trying to unseat incumbent Clark County Commission Chairman Chip Maxfield, is funding a telephone campaign that among other charges says the commissioner is using his office to attack a person "who refused to give him money."

B of A, Citigroup earnings rise on consumer banking: Citigroup Inc. and Bank of America Corp. boosted third-quarter profit as lending to individuals rose and fees from consumer banking increased.

ASSEMBLY DISTRICT 42: Republican Bob Adney, 27, collected 67.6 percent of the vote in a two-person primary. Mortenson had no primary opponent.

Senior center is set to close: By Timothy Pratt; The Arturo Cambeiro Senior Center, believed to be the only drop-in center in the valley whose mission is specifically to serve the growing Hispanic population, is set to close by the week's end, according to an announcement Wednesday that caught the community by surprise.

Carrier's profit increases: Southwest Airlines Co., the largest low-fare carrier and the busiest airline at McCarran International Airport, said third-quarter net income rose 12 percent as the company flew more passengers and purchase contracts helped reduce the effect of record jet fuel prices.

ASSEMBLY DISTRICT 23: Assembly Speaker Richard Perkins, 42, a Democrat, has held the seat since 1992. He is also chairman of the Legislative Committee on Education. Perkins began his career with the Henderson Police Department in 1984.

Prosecutors open with 'betrayal, lust, greed': By Matt Pordum; In their opening argument this morning, prosecutors said the retrial of Rick Tabish and Sandy Murphy for the alleged murder of Ted Binion is a case about "betrayal, lust, and abject greed" and that authorities have the evidence to prove it.

1st Congressional District: Berkley estimates that many people have moved into the 1st Congressional District, which covers parts of Clark County, in the last two years and that's just one of the unusual aspects of campaigning in one of the country's fastest growing areas.

Officers involved in fatal shooting are identified: Police said Torsky and Hernandez were called to Arcangelito Contreras' house near Robindale Road and Rainbow Boulevard to investigate a family disturbance.

Nevada Democrats file lawsuit against voter registration group: Kirsten Searer and Sito Negron; The state Democratic Party filed a lawsuit late Wednesday charging that an untold number of Democrats will lose their right to vote Nov. 2 because a Republican-funded group destroyed their registration forms.

UnitedHealth net income rises 47 percent on cost cuts: Keith Snider; UnitedHealth Group Inc., the biggest U.S. health insurer and a player in the Nevada market, said third-quarter profit rose 47 percent after the company controlled costs and gained customers through the July purchase of Oxford Health Plans Inc.

ASSEMBLY DISTRICT 2: Mabey is running on a record that, as he put it in a mailer, stood for individual liberty and responsibility, less government, tort reform, health care and education.

Impact of retiring Baby Boomers discussed: By Ed Koch; A leading Baby Boomer expert says elected officials must stop treating Social Security as a "third rail" issue -- touch it and you're dead -- or there will be serious consequences when 76 million Americans start turning 65 in 2011.

Possibilities for new microjets grab entrepreneurs' imagination: In a few years, Las Vegas tourists will be able to summon an air taxi company to a commuter airport near their homes, fly to either the Henderson or North Las Vegas airport and get a lift to their resorts for about what it costs to fly commercially.

ASSEMBLY DISTRICT 34: Clark County Registrar of Voters Larry Lomax said for partisan races Nevada law requires an unopposed candidate to appear on the general election ballot to give all district voters a chance to vote for the office.

ASSEMBLY DISTRICT 37: Vitolo was involved in a challenge of Conklin's 2002 victory, claiming that as many as 160 votes were cast fraudulently in the race that Conklin won by 134 votes.